- Do you know what happens next? - Da.
Ripped By mstoll
Where are you shipping the bodies?
Detroit.
Who's taking possession?
Van Sciver. Marcus Van Sciver.
Okay. You can go.
You're kidding, yes?
Yes.
♪ Need soul medicine from the soul veterans ♪
♪ Already strugglin', my heart keeps bubblin' ♪
♪ The system is the trouble but it always has been ♪
♪ I'm a mad man thinking about the bad men ♪
♪ Probably didn't have a father so he's kinda sad, man ♪
♪ Seeing pimps and hustlers coming up big ♪
♪ And that's the only influence for these truant kids... ♪
You lost?
These streets are dangerous.
I can take care of myself.
Oh, really?
And, um...
- these can take care of you. - Well, bring 'em in.
♪ On the block, struggle concentrated down in one particular spot... ♪
Not here.
We're going to go for a little ride.
Where are we?
A friend of mine's.
What is this place?
Oh, you're going to love it, sweetheart.
You robbing me, asshole?
Just wait here a second, beautiful.
What the hell's in there?
Don't worry about it.
It's easier if you don't struggle, honey.
50 bucks? Cheap whore.
It's a disaster.
Just the way you like it.
Barred windows, plenty of space,
and if we get bored,
there's a ping-pong table in the back.
I know how much you love ping-pong.
Come on. I've taken you to half a dozen sites.
Could be sealed up tighter than a frog's ass
and you've pissed on every one of them.
- You said we had to move fast. - We do.
Well, then pick a place to throw down your damn sleeping bag.
Set up shop.
Thanks, Marcus.
You don't know how much this means to me.
You deserve this, Zack.
You've been such a good boy.
It hurts, right?
But it's like the last time
you ever really feel pain?
There's only pleasure ahead, baby.
Hey, Marcus, is there anything I should know?
Get out of the car.
Is there a speech I need to say
or a prayer or something?
We're not really ones for prayer.
But we are big on unity, Zack,
and trust is an important part of that unity.
That's why we brought you here.
Great... aah!
The House of Chthon has a lot of locked doors,
doors meant to hold my secrets.
You've been peeking through a lot of keyholes, Zack.
- Too many. - Wait! Wait!
She's home!
My baby girl's home!
- Hi, Mom. - Oh, I missed you.
- Hi, Uncle Pat. - Hey.
It's great to have you back.
Mm. It's great to be back.
I heard about the action you saw.
You know, I run a vet support group
out in Pontiac if you need it.
How about that beer?
Works too.
For a while.
- You should eat something. - I will in a little while.
Where's Zack?
He was arrested last week.
Listen...
I'm thinking we should all sit down
and have a nice long talk
before he winds up in prison.
- Waste of time. - Mom!
He's not a bad guy.
- He's just a little lost. - He's been a problem since we moved.
Because he's all alone.
I mean all of his real friends are still back in North Carolina.
- What friends? - Mom!
Sorry.
- Why do you always defend him? - Because nobody else will.
Look, why don't we just, uh,
cool down a bit here and think about...
That's probably Zack right now.
- Why do you always do that? - Look, we've talked about this.
Yeah, we've talked, yes, we have.
Is this the family of Zack Starr?
Yes.
I'm sorry. There's been a shooting.
I know this is very difficult for you, Ms. Starr.
It's my brother.
Twin brother, right?
- Yeah. - Harsh.
What is that?
Oh, that... that's a gang sign.
I've seen it around.
He wasn't in a gang.
Yeah well, when was the last time you saw him?
Two years ago.
A lot can change in two years, honey.
Zack wasn't in a gang.
We're doing everything we can to find out who did this. Hey.
So, I'll, uh...
I'll, uh... I'll be in touch.
Brian Boone.
Call me.
I mean, if you need any help.
...three men wounded tonight in the East Side,
when an unidentified man fired an assault rifle.
This continues a wave of violence
that's hit the city over the last two months.
The mayor called it
a priority of the city earlier this morning
after the body of Zack Starr, an alleged gang member,
was discovered by the Detroit River.
This is the 10th gang-related death in less than three weeks.
Authorities are asking anyone with information
to please come forward. Back to you, Bill.
You finished?
Yeah, I'm finished.
Security, media feeds and infrared are online.
The sun's down.
Time to make some new friends.
Um, Blade...
try to do this quietly.
- Check it out! - Yeah, that's my M.O.
♪ Let's go-ooo! ♪
♪ Try to with all that's in your heart ♪
♪ You'll be taken by surprise ♪
♪ What's in your mind? ♪
♪ I'll be in war, you'll be in love ♪
♪ So don't try to ignore, the time has come ♪
♪ Deny there's nothing left to gain ♪
♪ Nothing to gain ♪
♪ We're fighting harder for survival ♪
♪ Deny there's nothing left to gain ♪
♪ Nothing to gain ♪
♪ We're fighting harder for survival ♪
♪ Hoping it changes to nothing... ♪
How's it feel?
Mmm, it hurts.
A good tattoo always does.
It's not a butterfly on your bikini line
or some five-minute shit like that.
It doesn't count until you've been
under the needle for at least an hour.
How long you been working for Van Sciver?
Tell me!
Tell me what I want to know.
Get him off me!
What do you want to know? I'll tell you.
What the hell? I told you I'd talk.
Sorry, I didn't hear you.
You've reached Detective Brian Boone, Robbery-Homicide.
I'm unavailable right now. If this is an emergency,
hang up and dial 911,
otherwise leave a message after the tone.
Zack.
Hey!
Oh!
Yeah, come on in.
No no no no no. I got to go.
I'm sorry about that. Hello.
- I left some messages. - And you are?
Krista Starr.
Krista St... oh, right, the dealer's sister.
My brother wasn't a drug dealer.
Or a gang member.
Right, that took place in... here we are...
the, uh... the docks, right?
I was just at his apartment
and there was this man there going through his stuff.
Yeah? What'd he look like?
Black, dressed in black.
Oh, black... that narrows it down.
But he could be a suspect or he could know something.
- Can I see my brother's file? - No.
Maybe I could help.
I was a sergeant in the army.
Well, this ain't the army. Listen, sweetheart. At the end of the day,
your brother got caught up in something he shouldn't have, okay?
He got in over his head, he pissed off the wrong people
just like every single one of these guys.
My brother isn't like every single one of these guys.
Look, people like this... all they end up doing
is taking up file space, you understand?
Yeah.
I understand.
Have a nice day.
Boone.
No, I don't think so.
It was my woman's car, man!
- Get off me! - Take it easy, pal. Settle down.
- I didn't steal nothing! - Calm down!
Hey, Pancho.
- Get off me! - Shut that guy up.
Get off me!
Fire alarm!
Folks, gonna need you to clear out.
Son of a bitch.
Move move move move.
What? I got hungry too.
I miss those inhalers.
I'm working on it.
Work faster.
Dude, most of Summerfield's notes were destroyed, all right?
The serum that keeps the thirst away is easy to replicate,
but the inhalers work on a totally different system.
You see, they allow you to generate hemoglobin.
Humans have genes that develop proteins,
but vampirism disables the links between those.
Now the inhalers help to fuse those chains...
Figure it out!
You're supposed to be the smart one.
And I'm the good-looking one too.
Got any leads on what Marcus is up to?
I cracked open a dozen familiars last night.
If they knew what he was really doing in Detroit,
so would I.
Well, can't hide forever.
He's Detroit's great white hope.
The guy started some kind of renaissance movement two years ago
restored a dozen buildings from the late 1800s,
preached about the historical value of the city,
past shows us the way to the future, blah blah blah.
It's only a matter of time before he shows his smug little face.
And when he does, he'll be surrounded by the press.
He'll be hard to get close to.
And you... don't exactly blend in.
Damn!
Danny Milano?
Yeah?
Do I know you?
I'm Zack's sister.
Don't know him.
He's the guy you got arrested with last week.
I don't know who you think I am. I'm not. I'm not.
Did you kill my brother?
No no, no freakin' way. Why would I want to kill Zack?
- Memory coming back? - All right, yeah.
He lived up the street from me. We hung around.
- Who wanted him dead? - I don't know.
People disappear around here all the time.
What is that? A gang sign?
It's just a tattoo.
Of what?
Psycho bitch.
Yeah. Hey.
Um...
Zack's sister showed up.
I think we got a problem.
Yes?
Professor Melvin Caylo?
Who are you?
What is this?
Let me see it.
Hello?
Let me see your wrists.
- What? - Let me see them!
Now the neck.
The neck!
You didn't use it, did you?
- Use it? - The ash.
It's found its way onto the street now
with the rest of the drugs.
You inhale enough of it and it'll give you the abilities
of the homines nocturnae
at least for an hour or two.
Though the side effects,
the... the thirst that comes with it...
most end up chewing their own fingers off.
The homines nocturnae?
Vampires.
This is vampire ash.
It's quite expensive too.
This vial... is at least $1,000...
10 if it comes from a pure blood.
And I suppose next you're going to tell me
that werewolves exist.
My colleague Marc Spector's area of expertise.
Really?
What do you think this means?
It brands familiars dedicated to the House of Chthon,
humans who have pledged their lives
to their culture, hoping to be changed someday.
They're everywhere, you see:
The police, the government.
Everywhere.
Here.
Take this and flush it down the toilet.
But I read you were searching for proof.
I have plenty of that.
Proof...
Um... thank you for your time.
Wait! Come back!
God. Having a hell of a day.
You okay?
Hello?
Hey!
Krista.
Krista! I know who killed your brother.
Here! Hurry!
Hello?
You want to know what happened to your brother...
the wannabe?
He's... now meat.
Just like you.
Holy shit!
Those...
- are... - Were.
...vampires.
What does that make you?
Something else.
What does that mean?
- God, what is that smell? - Garlic.
They don't like it either.
This is impossible.
There's a whole other world underneath this one, Krista.
Why does everybody know my name?
Do yourself a favor, get out of the city.
Forget everything you saw here tonight.
Yeah, right.
I can't just forget about this. I mean I just...
Hey.
Vampires exist, young lady,
but most people don't see the dangers.
So who the hell is Blade?
A favorite fascination of mine.
His parents were Robert and Vanessa Brooks.
They lived in Detroit.
Vanessa was nine months pregnant
the night she was attacked,
bitten, left for dead.
Robert found her struggling to survive
for the sake of her unborn child
outside of their apartment.
He rushed her to the hospital
where their son was delivered by C-section.
Robert named him Eric.
The boy...
aged relatively normally,
but he wasn't normal.
Yeah, I kind of figured that.
Blade went through genetic changes at birth.
He was born a different kind of vampire:
A half-breed.
He has all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses.
Uh, except for the thirst.
The thirst is what controls all homines nocturnae.
And no one can fight it.
Except for Blade.
His father
kept Blade secret.
He provided fresh blood for him
for the first 10 years of his life... don't ask me how...
till he couldn't handle it anymore.
Then Blade was loose out on the streets
until a friend of mine, Abraham Whistler,
found him and took him in.
Some say Blade started drinking the blood of animals.
Others, a cloned supply like the House of Leichen.
But I know the truth.
He lives off a synthetic serum.
Where can I find him?
Well, l... I tell ya,
he doesn't stay in one place very long.
He, uh...
The only address he ever had.
How can you see with those things?
What are you doing here?
You were following me.
You should have left.
You've seen 'em in the flesh.
They'll be sending all the bottom feeders after you.
You know who killed my brother. It was one of them.
Let it go!
Help me take out these bastards.
Help you?
I'm going after them with or without you.
Silver bullet?
Doesn't work on me.
But I bet it hurts like a son of a bitch.
Blade?
Go ahead.
- Go ahead? - I'm not talking to you.
- What? - Got some news.
Van Sciver finished restoring some art gallery last week.
Tonight there's a big party
and our boy's making an appearance.
Good.
Good?
Who you talking to in there?
Where are you?
No no. Dude, that is Zack's sister.
Do not get her involved.
I'll hold this.
- You have a job to do. - Are you listening to me?
No! No, Blade. Damn it!
Test subject G-1139:
Aurora baseline trial on batch 97-G.
Beginning vaccine injection... now.
Standby for stage-one confirmation.
Introduction of stage-one garlic extract now.
Stage-one failure.
Moving on to batch 98-G.
New U.V. Glaive's not working.
My stuff always works.
Isn't all this a little...
elaborate?
He likes the pretty lights.
What is this?
- The Fat Lady. - Oh, the Fat Lady.
Ultrasonic brain scrambler.
Finally, something I recognize.
Kind of.
Customized P.D. W?
We call it a shock gun.
One taste of the liquid garlic chambers from that monster
sends any vampire into anaphylactic shock.
Their skin ruptures, their blood evaporates.
I know.
Saw it in action already.
So... what about crosses and holy water?
They don't do anything.
You don't need this.
Why not?
Here, this is a transponder.
Can track it anywhere in the city.
Oh, so you want me to carry it.
We want someone else to.
Marcus Van Sciver, he's a player in the House of Chthon,
the largest vampire colony in North America.
And tonight, he'll be parading around the Van Sciver House Gallery.
So take him out.
I ash Van Sciver,
there's a dozen other vampires
that'll step up and take his place.
So take them out too.
If we can track him, he can lead us to the House of Chthon.
If we play this cool, if we have a little patience,
we could find out what they're up to,
where their operations are.
You take this seriously.
There's no other way to take it.
Big party.
Marcus, Marcus, over here!
Excuse me.
This gallery hasn't opened these doors since 1978.
How's it feel to be a part of another revitalized
historic institution, Mr. Van Sciver?
I'm just doing my best to keep this city alive.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
There's our girl.
And of course, Chief Edwards, we always look after our friends.
- Ah, Dr. Delio, Professor... - Huh, the fire chief,
Councilor...
That's the man, right there.
- It's like stepping back in time? - Exactly.
She's going to do it.
This building... none of it would have been possible
if it wasn't for the efforts of 10 prominent pioneers
in the automotive industry.
Come on, come on.
I am simply...
...following the legacy they left.
Oh, don't be so modest.
They say you're the man who's going to save Detroit.
Some do.
Gentlemen, excuse me.
- Fritz. - Gentlemen.
I believe we're all too quick to forget our past.
Did you know
the average age of a building in the United States
is less than 30 years old?
Didn't know that.
Take this city.
It's been around since the late 18th century
and yet... if you asked somebody to point out
a prominent historical landmark
they'd probably aim for the Joe Louis Arena.
You see, the past, it's been torn down
and replaced by something that in a short matter of time
will also be torn down and replaced.
It's a wasteful cycle.
There's only one thing this country values when it comes to old age.
So trying to recapture the past?
Just trying not to forget it.
Me either.
- So tell me about you. - There's not much to tell.
Well, you could start with a name.
Katherine.
Now you seem to me to be more like a...
Krista.
Man, I told you.
You look familiar.
Like someone I once knew.
There was this young man...
his name was...
Zack Starr.
He wasn't particularly bright or assertive,
but he was desperate.
Desperate for some sort of control over his life.
- Let go. - People like him...
they're always taking, never giving,
draining on the people around them,
sucking the life from them.
Honestly...
he's better off.
Or at least the world is.
Screw this.
Where's she going?
What the hell is she doing?
I'm going to kill her.
Excuse me, Mr. Van Sciver...
It's okay.
She wanted me to give you this.
Who?
The woman you were talking with.
Hello, Krista.
I know what you are.
You're watching me, aren't you?
Through a 10-power scope
attached to the top of a match-grade sniper rifle.
Wow. That sounds impressive.
Now you're allergic to garlic, so...
I'd stay away from the gazpacho.
Oh dear. I did. Thank you.
There you are.
Tell me more.
Sunlight won't just burn your skin...
it'll turn you into ash.
And I've got a silver bullet ready to blow
that stupid smile right off your face.
You killed my brother.
Yes.
Yes, I did.
If you knew who I was, why mess with me like that?
Because it's my nature.
You're everything your brother wasn't, aren't you?
A success where he was a failure.
Bright... where he was dim.
Shut up.
Oh, come on, Krista,
take the shot.
I don't care how fast vampires are...
you can't dodge a bullet
moving at 2,000 meters per second.
And trust me...
I'm a hell of a good shot.
What happened?
She screwed up.
I'm impressed, Krista.
I hope you still are when I'm shoving a stake up your ass.
I've killed
a lot of people.
But your brother...
that wasn't out of pleasure.
I really did like him.
But he was looking around at things he wasn't supposed to:
Being too curious.
You, on the other hand, might just work.
What are you going to do? Bite me?
Bite you?
That's for savages.
And in truth, it's not the most reliable form of transmission.
No.
Here at the House of Chthon...
...we're a bit more civilized.
- You need permission, Marcus. - Not this time, no.
Just let me kill her and end it.
Hush, Chase.
Stay the hell away from me.
Oh, I know, you're scared.
You think of us as sociopaths
who just walked out of a nightmare.
But this is an honor, Krista.
Trust me.
There are severe restrictions
placed on the number of humans we're allowed to turn.
We don't want to attract unwanted attention
or put a strain on our food source.
We survive by living in the shadows,
as unknowns...
and myths.
It's okay to fight.
It's only natural.
But you will think so much better,
so much clearer,
once you've been through the change.
Now, Krista,
all you have to do
is die.
Wake up.
Zack?
You can't catch me.
Over there. I want to tell you something.
Zack.
All you have to do is die.
Do you understand?
Please.
Kill me.
Kill me...
Hello, Krista.
Welcome to the family.
You can stop looking.
The body was delivered to the city morgue
last night at 2:00 a.m., vanished about 3:00.
Then she's been turned.
Blade,
you can't cure her, and the thirst is gonna
take over by the time the sun rises tomorrow.
If you find her...
you gotta stake her, just like always.
- The serum. - The chances of that working...
- Are what? - Slim, man!
You pump her full of it before sunrise,
she might get a clear head for a few hours, but if she feeds
on fresh kill before then, who the hell knows?
And finding her is still a problem.
Krista left a loose end out there.
I'm gonna tie it up.
I would have warned you...
but there is something to be said
for learning from experience.
You've been asleep all day.
I feel...
Alive?
Yeah.
Those shoes...
put them on.
You see, Krista...
the so-called living...
the ones growing obese and passive,
oblivious to the true layers of life...
they are the ones who are dead.
Their dulled senses have no ability
to unlock the real beauty of this world.
Unlike us.
You will learn soon enough
that everything has so many more facets of pleasure...
music, food, sex.
Your rebirth is here.
You're greote.
Greote?
In our language, it means
someone who has achieved true life.
And as your sponsor, it is my privilege to teach it to you
and to introduce you to our culture.
I saw you.
And I saw my brother.
The images you witnessed are part of your A.D.E.,
an after-death experience triggered
by the genetic memories of your sponsor
and your own synapses as they rebuilt your cognitive functions.
The visions you witnessed
are sacred, Krista,
and must only be shared with someone you really trust.
Don't touch me.
What did you do to me?
Oh, what did you do?
I saved you.
Take her with you.
This is a mistake.
What is?
Her?
Yes, Marcus.
Remember when you were turned, Chase?
Everyone starts somewhere,
and some start
a lot lower in life than Krista Starr.
You will take her on a ride-along,
and you will teach her
and you will dress her.
When the board finds out what you've been doing...
Don't question me, Chase...
ever.
Hey, I told his sister everything I know.
You can't do that! You can't do that. I'm protected.
Not from me.
If someone disappears down here,
- who knows where they go? - I don't know.
Give me a name, Danny.
He's a cop... Boone.
He got the charges on Zack and I dropped.
You gotta understand why we do this, man.
We want to be like you.
Strong, fast...
immortality, man?
I'm gonna live for fuckin' ever.
No, you won't.
Do you like it?
Yes.
When did it happen to you?
1943.
16th of December at 11:49 p.m.
Can you see it?
Krista.
- See what? - Gary, where you at?
Relax your eyes.
Pull your focus back.
Look.
I see something.
They can only be read in the ultraviolet spectrum.
The House of Chthon glyph.
It means it's ours.
Ours?
One of the places we recruit.
We also have safe houses throughout the city
where fresh blood is delivered.
If you're out and dawn approaches,
you're good, but...
if you see the House of Leichen glyph,
stay away.
The thirst,
it hurts.
Yes.
We'll drink.
Soon enough.
Fritz.
Go.
Hey hey.
Lloyd.
Blade, the transponder's online.
- I smell it. - Me too.
Drink.
Slowly. Take it all in slowly.
Ah!
When did it happen to you?
When did you become...
greote?
Marcus told you that, didn't he?
It's his favorite word.
He says the same speech to all of them.
All of who?
The newborn.
But with the strict rules we live by,
the enemies outside,
most of them don't last a year.
Did Marcus change you?
No.
My husband did...
and lived to regret it.
He still does.
Hey!
You should be careful out there, honey.
These streets are dangerous.
- There a bed inside? - You wouldn't believe what's inside.
You are just a little snack
of a thing, ain't ya? Jesus.
I thought I told you my pets are on a strict diet.
- Hi. - Hi.
Don't pull that Dracula shit, sneaking up on people.
I almost crapped myself.
You've been overfeeding them again.
And for what?
A few dirty $20s?
I've got something for you.
Shit.
Blade...
Fat Lady's ready.
Bring her.
I've told you too many times.
All right, all right, I'll stay away, okay?
But you got to help me now.
If I was like you, I mean, I could do so much more.
Come on. Make me, Marcus.
Make... you?
I've put up with your disobedience
and carelessness long enough.
Come on, man. I...
Wait a minute.
You turned her?
That slacker's sister?
It's my turn, Marcus.
No!
There is no room for someone like you in my inner circle.
It's time to cut bait.
And unfortunately for you,
you're the only person I know she hates.
You'll make it easy for her.
Now, Krista, it's time for your first kill.
That's enough.
Leave him be.
This is something she must do on her own.
No!
Come along. The new vaccine is ready.
Blade's here.
Deal with it.
Marcus...
give me the new vaccine.
No.
He's here.
Let me serve you.
Oh, sh...
Krista!
You can still fight it! Don't!
There he is!
Hi.
It's been fun.
Oh, shit.
"This stuff always works," my ass.
Shen?
- Shen? - I'm here.
- Shen, something's wrong.
What?
Shen, make the Fat Lady sing now!
Hope your earplugs are in, buddy.
Here we go.
Fritz... that's enough.
You're my new favorite.
You've proven our success.
Fat Lady's recharging.
She's got one more hit in her.
Give me a sec to get her going again.
She's singing again.
Blade, she's out of juice.
I'm coming in.
- Shen, don't! - Sorry, brother.
Go, God damn it!
What did you do?
It's him!
...dangerous.
This stuff doesn't work? I found you, didn't I?
- How did the others... - Come on.
There you go, big guy.
Next time I offer you backup, you take it.
Come on.
Good day, Fritz.
You did well, Krista.
How's Chase?
She'll be fine.
Marcus, the Pure Bloods would like a few words with you.
- Privately. - Of course.
Excuse me.
Marcus?
Yes?
The visions I saw when I was changed,
the ones of my brother,
what do they mean?
What did you see?
Him and I... a long time ago as kids in this...
storybook village we used to go to.
Zack wanted me to chase him.
He was trying to show you something.
What should I do?
What you have been.
Follow him.
My stuff always works.
- Not this time. - Where'd you hit him?
Then it's something else.
So what the hell were they doing here?
What did you do to me!?
I injected you with a serum
to get you thinking straight.
Krista! Krista!
That cop.
I ripped his throat out.
I killed him.
Listen.
If you take the serum twice a day,
it might keep the thirst under control.
Look, you wanted in...
and you're in.
You're in as far as you can go.
You're one of them.
So are you.
You can learn so much.
I can work with you,
just like I worked with your brother.
My brother?
Zack worked for you?
Yes.
He was my contact here.
- Oh my God, you got him killed. - No.
Marcus did.
But Marcus was wrong about him.
He was a good man.
Give me the serum.
I've got to get back.
What do you think?
Could go either way.
No!
Ripped By mstoll