The Vail: London Fog (Episode Eight: The Ripper)

This is an idea that I have wanted to do for so long now. I just never thought that when I had this original idea I would also have to deal with a plethora of other awesome ideas at the same time. Honestly, the more I write this arc of the Vail, the happier I get. We've had awesome Zombie minority communities, a French vampire detective, and an ancient evil that is totally Cain. Now we find the ultimete truth about our mysterious friend in the black London Fog trench coat and bowler hat. I can't wait to see where all these facets of the story will end up. Stay tuned. And enjoy this week's piece. Also, especially come back for the next installment as the world of The Vail and the world of The New Adventures Of Horatio collide in a fairly inocuous manner.

The Vail: London Fog
By Joey Pettine

Episode Eight: The Ripper

(Dim lights. Light fog. A BUM is half asleep under a newspaper. He rustles, takes a swig from the dirty bottle beside him, and returns to sleep. People infrequently walk past him, step over him, ignore him. He sighs in the silence. Sharp, clicking footsteps echo softly in the night. They grow louder, clearer, but never speed up. The homeless man rustles and groans as if in a nightmare. The footsteps pause a moment. Enter the RIPPER clad in his black London Fog trench coat and bowler hat. He approaches the bum, his feet clicking like the horses of judgment day. The Ripper kneels over the man and raises his hand, a keen razor shines like the full moon. The bum snorts and awakens, wide eyed. He has enough time to look up into the Ripper’s shadowy face before the blade is at his neck.)

BUM
Who are you?

(The Ripper slowly brings his index finger to the shadows under his hat, a gesture of silence. The bum gasps.)

WILLIAMS
Freeze, fuck face!

(DETECTIVE WILLIAMS enters, gun drawn, accompanied by CONSTABLE MORRISS. INSPECTOR CORDEAUX enters opposite, accompanied by CONSTABLE WATTS and CONSTABLE HESTON. Cordeaux approaches the Ripper, inspecting him curiously, and sniffs the air.)

CORDEAUX
You reek of death, Monsieur. Perhaps your own. Watch him, men. I am told he is quite swift with a blade.

WILLIAMS
Keep still, Mr… Bum. We got this guy.

CORDEAUX
Drop the weapon, Monsieur Ripper. You’re reign of terror has ended.

(A silent pause. When the Ripper speaks his voice is a soft breeze whispering over a dirt road.)

RIPPER
Four bobbies and a Yankee cop get frightened because the rivers bleed and someone’s murdering the dead. So they find someone to blame and take care of. Seems police procedure is the same worldwide. I’m flattered you’d call what I do a reign of terror. I work hard at my trade but I’d never give myself so much credit and I’m surprised you would. Weren’t you at the original, Baron?

CORDEAUX
Drop the weapon.

RIPPER
Can’t hide forever, Baron. Past has a way of catching up to you. Especially one as extensive as yours.

WILLIAMS
Shut the fuck up, sick shit! I’m getting really tired of criminals monologuing. Quit wagging your tongue or I’ll shoot it off.

RIPPER
Detective Williams, you exchange chasing the wrong man in America for chasing the wrong man in Britain. Is this how you want to spend your dying days? But thank you for catching me, Williams. Without you these codgers here may have never got on the right track to finding me. You may be old and sick but your skill as a detective has never failed to impress me or Vail.

WILLIAMS
Vail?! What do you know about Vail? Where is he?!

CORDEAUX
Detective, I am grateful for your assistance in locating such a heinous serial murderer but this is not the time to worry about Monsieur Vail.

RIPPER
You should listen to the Baron, Detective. Obsession does no one any good.

WATTS
Sir, why does he keep calling you Baron?

RIPPER
He won’t tell you. He’s been lying for so long even he isn’t sure who he is. Hero, murderer, commander, butcher, saint, pedophile. Which do you prefer, Baron?

WILLIAMS
Where is Andy Vail?

CORDEAUX
Not now, Detective!


BUM
Can someone help me now?

CORDEAUX
You will leave this poor man be, Ripper.

RIPPER
Gentlemen, I respect you both but I cannot let this man go. Know why?

HESTON
Sir, can we take him in now?

RIPPER
Stay calm, Constable Heston. I’ll get to you.

MORRISS
How did he know your name?

RIPPER
Last year this man beat his girlfriend within an inch of her life. Then he left her in an alleyway and paid a homeless man a bottle of booze to rape her. They both left her to die but the other man was charged for her death. Then karma had it's way with our friend here. Murder leads to guilt, then you need drugs to cope, then you lose all your money and wind up a bum yourself. The universe is a crazy place.

WILLIAMS
What the fuck are you yapping about?

(The Ripper slashes the bum’s throat. They all watch, horrified, as the man gurgles his last breaths. The Ripper stands and wipes his blade. The men circle closer around him, their weapons shaking.)

RIPPER
Unfortunately you can't always count on the universe to finish the job and I simply do not abide bad men.

WATTS
Don’t move!

HESTON
Drop the weapon!

MORRISS
But he’s gotta move to drop the weapon!


WILLIAMS
This ends here.

RIPPER
No, the story never ends, Detective. Not with the bum in the alleyway. Or the thieving hooker who poisoned her mum. Or the college kids shooting mothers and their children. Or the drug dealer burned alive in his own warehouse. Yes, Detective, I've been cleaning up your messes for a while now.

WILLIAMS
You followed me to London.

RIPPER
You followed me.

CORDEAUX
So you are with Andy Vail?

RIPPER
Believe me, Andrew Vail hasn’t the slightest idea I even exist. I'd love to keep chatting but I don't have the time. People will be waking soon and there's an ancient vampire on the loose murdering museum curators and hospital attendants. Tell me, Detective, Inspector, why do you think he's been taking their tattoos?

CORDEAUX
Pardon?

RIPPER
The museum curator. The hospital attendant. Both had patches of skin removed before being murdered. I got a gut feeling they were tattoos and my instincts never fail.

WILLIAMS
You think you're just gonna walk away from here?

RIPPER
No, I plan on killing the three constables first. They have a nasty habit of picking up little boys on their way home from school. Kids are supposed to be able to trust you guys. I would have gotten them sooner but cops are hard to get in England. My best bet was wait for a night when they were on duty and let them come to me. Thank you again, Detective.

HESTON
Oh, my God.

CORDEAUX
Keep quiet, men.

RIPPER
I forgot, Baron, you're okay with pedophiles. Doesn't it suck knowing your the only good guy, Williams.

WATTS
Fuck you!

(Watts fires. The Ripper takes a step back and the bullet catches Morriss in the face, killing him instantly. In one swift movement, the Ripper slashes the throats Heston and Watts. Williams and Cordeaux both fire, hitting the Ripper in the shoulder and thigh. He groans, spins, and hammers Williams in the face, knocking him out. He spins back to face Cordeaux. At the same time, Cordeaux fires and the shot knocks off the Ripper's hat revealing the face, but not the eyes, of Andy Vail. The Ripper grabs Cordeaux.)

CORDEAUX
Mon dieu!

(The Ripper slashes Cordeaux's throat. When Cordeaux grabs his throat the Ripper also slashes along his wrists. Blood streams from the vampire inspector.)

RIPPER
I have heard that bleeding out is one of the worst ways for a vampire to die. Then again you've been around for quite some time, Baron. Maybe you'll get out of this one too.

(The Ripper cleans his blade and puts it away. Then he picks up his hat and places it on his head, hiding his face in shadow once more. Cordeaux drops to his knees, swaying dizzily from the blood loss. The Ripper respectfully tips his hat to him and then walks off, his heels clacking in the night. Blackout.)