The Ripper: London Fog (Loose Ends)

That's right, bitches! Andy Vail is out of the picture and all that's left is his bad ass mother fucking alter ego, the Ripper. Does it get any better than this. So, this week marks the first ever episode of The Ripper. And it starts in the only place it could start,w ith the Ripper doing his best to tie up all of Andy Vail's loose ends.

The Ripper: London Fog

by Joey Pettine

Loose Ends

(A dimly lit motel room. The sound of a shower running offstage. THE RIPPER enters quietly in his trademark black London Fog trench coat and bowler hat. He begins to peer around the room, quietly looking through the drawers and things. He finds the bag and looks through that as well. He pulls a few pictures and notebooks out of there and skims through them. The shower stops. He puts down the items and takes off his coat, then his hat, laying them on the bed. He faces NANCY VAIL as she enters, a towel wrapped around her body.)

NANCY

Andy.

RIPPER

More or less. How are you feeling? Last time I saw, you were in a coma.

NANCY

Last time I saw, you were ready to kill a man.

RIPPER

I've killed many men since then and they've all deserved it. Especially mike.

(Silence. They stare at each other with a loving hate.)

RIPPER

I'm sorry for what happened to you, Nancy. And I'm even sorry for what happened to Mike. But that doesn't matter because you've become a monster like me. Manipulating others. Planning to kill me. It's okay. I deserve to die. But I'm not gonna let you kill me. So I've come to kill you.

(He sits on the bed and pats the seat beside him. She stares, not trying to escape, then sits next to him, looking away. He brushes the hair from her face and goes to kiss her. She pulls away. He pauses then places both hands upon her cheeks, staying her as he kisses her forehead. Then his hand find their way over her mouth and nostrils, holding her against him. She struggles, getting more desperate with each second, smacking him hard over his head and chest. The struggle grows weaker by the second and then she stops. He lays her down then stands. He puts his coat and hat back on. The lights fade to black. Brief silence. Lights come back up on a similar motel room, the furniture rearranged a bit differently. DETECTIVE WILLIAMS enters. He is sickly and weak. He looks emaciated and his skin is pale. Every motion he takes seems to be fueled by utter pain. He takes off his coat and his gun, placing them on the bed. As he sits, Ripper comes up behind him and takes the gun from the bed. Then Ripper takes a seat across from him.)

RIPPER

I'd like to talk with you.

WILLIAMS

I'd like to shoot you.

RIPPER

You've had your share of chances. A bullet in my brain should have been easy for you.

WILLIAMS

Pulling the trigger should never be easy.

RIPPER

You had to be sure.

WILLIAMS

I'm a man of the law, not a mercenary.

RIPPER

You are a man of impeccable integrity and I have more respect for you than you will ever allow yourself to believe. I have to know. What is it?

WILLIAMS

A brain tumor the size of an ostrich egg, I'm told. Extremely malicious. My life has become a twenty four hour migraine because of it.

RIPPER

How long do you have?

WILLIAMS

I expect the cancer to crack open my skull and come crawling out any day now.

RIPPER

I'm sorry. I can't be sure I have anything to do with your condition but so many people die around me I've begun assuming they're all my fault.

WILLIAMS

I blame you. You're as dangerous as the cancer in my brain and I'd be doing the world a favor by killing you.

RIPPER

You're probably right but I'll keep the gun for now anyway. I called your partner. He's coming for you.

WILLIAMS

He would have found me anyway.

RIPPER

I want to tell you the truth, you deserve that. I killed my brother. I wasn't the first to do it, as little sense as that makes, but I did murder him. I also set fire to that drug dealer, murdered those college kids, and there have been others you don't know about. They all deserved to die if that makes it better.

WILLIAMS

How could it?

RIPPER

That's all the truth there is, Detective. You never gave up on what you knew was right.

WILLIAMS

Fat lot of good it did me.

RIPPER

I can't make you but I hope you go home to your family now.

(Ripper stands and goes, tossing the gun back on the bed before exiting. Fade to black. Fade to black. Lights come up on a similar motel room, furniture rearranged a bit differently. Ripper stands center stage cleaning the blood from his knife, surrounding him are more than half a dozen dead and mutilated bodies. Blood cakes everything and a few spots on the wall have archaic symbols written in the blood. He looks around, seems a bit disappointed, then exits. Offstage, there is a heavy whacking sound and Ripper comes flying back into the room, tumbling over himself. He quickly hops back onto his feet, wielding his weapon almost like a fencer would handle a foil. INSPECTOR CORDEAUXN enters, wielding a beautiful Spanish rapier. Along his throat and wrists are long, noticeable scars. He looks at Ripper with pure hatred.)

RIPPER

I was wondering when you'd show. Killed this lot half an hour ago and the spell is supposed to work in less than fifteen. Still, I guess you had to come across town or something.

(Cordeaux attacks Ripper who dodges the swift motions of the blade and manages to perry a few thrusts with his knife.)

RIPPER

I promise you these were all bad men. Terrorists, actually, so that makes it okay.

(This time Cordeaux comes across with a wide swing, Ripper rolls out of the way.)

RIPPER

I see. You're still upset about me cutting your throat and leaving you the bleed out. But it all worked out for the best. I knew you'd survive. How'd you do it anyway? Break into a hospital and steal all the IVs.

(Cordeaux rushes at Ripper with blinding speed, the blade flashing across the air. Ripper doges what he can, his coat flapping in the air, and his knife blocking what attacks he can manage. Cordeaux, getting angrier by the moment, comes in with a downward swing. Ripper averts the attack and slashes his knife deep across Cordeaux's knuckles. Cordeaux drops the blade and Ripper tackles him, driving his shoulder into him. He manages to slam him up against the wall and then impales his arm to it. Cordeaux opens his mouth in a silent scream, his face contorting but no sound coming forth, as he tries with all his might to pull the knife out of him and free himself from the wall. Ripper picks up the beautiful rapier.)

RIPPER

I'm really glad I was able to cut your vocal chords when I slit your throat. I bet you'd be screaming like a major bitch right now. Nice weapon, by the way. Get this during the crusades?

(Ripper gasps and turns attentively behind him.)

RIPPER

I have a confession to make. I didn't actually know you survived until you showed up here. The spell is just this generic vampire magnet thing, it's supposed to draw any vampire to it within a thousand miles. I'm glad you came first, though. This beautiful piece of steel will help. It really is beautiful by the way. Hand crafted? Who'm I kidding, of course it's hand crafted. The Gilles de Rais would have no less. Right?

(Ripper shudders.)

RIPPER

Holy fuck this guy is powerful. I may have overestimated myself. If I unimpale you, do you promise not to attack me?

(Cordeaux flips him off.)

RIPPER

Fine, stay that way. Oh, fuck!

(BLOOD enters. He is wearing the same clothes as before except now they are entirely red with blood.)

BLOOD

You have summoned me with a juvenile magician's spell and force me to interrupt important actions.

RIPPER

What actions are they? Stealing some more tattoos, killing some more vampires.

BLOOD

You know nothing of vampires.

RIPPER

I've killed a few.

BLOOD

I've birthed them all, my disgraceful children.

RIPPER

Hear that, Baron. Daddy's disappointed in you.

BLOOD

This world is a disappointment. I was promised all that life could offer me and instead I have received only death.

RIPPER

That's because you invented it.

BLOOD

I am the father of murder, not death.

RIPPER

Got it, right, the father of murder and vampires. Now come here so I can kill you.

(Ripper rushes at Blood with the blade spinning with wild fury. Blood grabs a cadaver off the floor and tosses it at Ripper. The body impales onto the sword and knocks Ripper to the ground. Blood grabs the body again and pulls it off Ripper, the sword comes with the body. Ripper, unarmed, is hoisted into the air by Blood.)

BLOOD

I have seen true vampires, the crimson eyed demons that sleep beneath this world. I have seen the mother as she feasts upon the faces of her children. I have seen lovers gnaw at the flesh of the breast and pull the still beating heart from their beloved. I have seen the infant slither from the womb, buzzing like vermin, thirsting only for the red of mother's milk. And I am not impressed by you, human.

(Blood digs his teeth into Ripper's shoulder. Ripper screams as the flesh tears open and blood sprays forth. Cordeaux finally pulls the knife from his arm and launches himself across the room, landing on Blood's back and stabbing him in the base of his neck. Blood screams and throws Ripper across the room like a rag doll. Ripper crashes through the wall, spraying pieces of plaster. Blood manages to grab Cordeaux's arm and flips him off his back. With a snap, Cordeaux's arm is broken. Cordeaux releases another silent scream. Ripper rushes back in the room, pulling the sword from the corpse on the way. He runs at Blood who simply moves Cordeaux in the way. Ripper impales Cordeaux through the throat. Ripper pulls the sword out and Cordeaux once again clutches his throat as the life blood pours out. Ripper tries once more to hit Blood but blood grabs Ripper's wrist and breaks that as well. Ripper drops the sword, Blood picks it up and quickly impales Ripper through the thigh and to the floor. Cordeaux then clings to Blood's leg, bitng into his ankle and beginning to feed. Blood roars with disgust and pries Cordeaux off by the hair. Ripper has already pulled the sword out of his leg and stands to fight, a little wobbly. Blood stares at Ripper, holding Cordeaux's hair as he bleeds out.)

RIPPER

You cannot kill me.

(Ripper, dejected, lowers the sword, dropping it to the floor.)

RIPPER

I hate to admit it. But when you're right, you're right. I'm gonna have to pull a Batman. Limp off and find a better strategy to end you. Doc, the C4!

(DR. RANDOLF enters with a ball of plastic attached to some wires. Blood lets go of Cordeaux and walks toward Randolf. Ripper grabs Cordeaux and they help each other limp offstage. Randolf tosses the ball to Blood and runs off stage. There is a blinding, sparking, dusty explosion. Within the smoke, Blood can be seen lying on the floor amongst the other bodies. Then his smoking corpse moves and he stands, furious. He roars and the lights blackout in fear.)