EXT. THE ROSE
The PATRIARCH scoffs.
PATRIARCH
GIVENS?
THE STRANGER
It's what our HANDLERS called the abilities endowed to us in the BLACK NIGHT ritual. Mine is the ability to take massive amounts of punishments, or a healing factor almost, The LONER'S was that his senses were super heightened, and he could even see when blinded, which actually made him a better shot, he was also a dead-shot, never missed, never could miss. The GAMBLER, well I just explained that.
PATRIARCH
So what happened next?
THE STRANGER
We went a few towns over, not the brightest move but the only one we could get the GAMBLER to agree to...so we stopped off at the local saloon to get our drink...well...some of us did…
INT. SALOON
The STRANGER stands at the stairs as he looks up it, THE STRANGER looking around as THE LONER sat at a table looking very annoyed.
THE LONER
He's been up there for two hours, no man has that much stamina to unleash upon some unsuspecting whore.
THE STRANGER
We're not entirely human though aren't we?
THE LONER
I don't like him…
THE STRANGER
Well... we're stuck with him until further notice…
THE STRANGER stops talking as THE GAMBLER and the WHORE come down, The STRANGER forcing a smile as THE GAMBLER notices him and smacks the WHORE on the ass, the WHORE heading down ahead of him as the GAMBLER slowly comes down, till he was directly in front of the STRANGER.
THE GAMBLER
Been waiting up on me?
THE STRANGER
We said we wanted a drink with you.
THE GAMBLER
I see...well, as you can smell.
THE GAMBLER wipes two of his fingers under THE STRANGER'S nose, THE STRANGER stepping back appalled as THE GAMBLER laughs.
THE GAMBLER
I was a bit preoccupied…
THE STRANGER
Don't ever do that again…
THE GAMBLER
Let's have that drink huh? Come on.
THE GAMBLER goes and sits down across from THE LONER, turning the seat backwards as he grabs THE LONER'S beer and drinks out of it, THE LONER looking disgusted as THE STRANGER order's three more drinks and sits down aside from the other two.
THE GAMBLER
So let me go ahead and crack the ice, You know that I'm a CHOSEN, and I'm guessing that you two are as well, which means you two are the last two that all the angels and demons are looking for as well, meaning the three of us are the lucky three, and the other three are...meat rotting in the ground, correct?
THE STRANGER
Something like that?
THE GAMBLER
And taking another wild gander, you're probably wanting me to merryband up with you lot in some aggressive journey through peril and madness, in the hopes of fighting fate and setting our own destiny? Which leads me to this...(grabbing beer as it's set down) No thanks.
THE LONER
What?
THE GAMBLER
Look, I'm just enjoying what time I have left, because either way, more demons, more angels, and more bad things are going to catch up to me, and they're going to kill me, because I am not going in without taking a bunch of them out with me. But if you actually think I believe I can stop what's coming, you're out of your cocksucking minds.
THE STRANGER
A chosen picked by the DEMONS would think like that…
THE GAMBLER
Don't get fucking high and mighty with me angel chosen boy, you too you quiet creepy fuck over there.
THE LONER
Let me shoot him…
THE STRANGER
Stop, look...we are all in the same boat, okay? You know this, you even said you accepted. Why not fight with us? Together we stand a better chance of taking a fight to them and surviving then we do alone.
THE GAMBLER
Like I said, no thanks. In all honesty, you'd only cramp my style.
THE LONER
Your style of being piggish, boorish, disgustingly impolite, impulsive, abrasive and lude?
THE GAMBLER
Yeah, or in simpler terms, drinking, fucking, and killing whenever I please.
THE STRANGER
We're not saying we'll stop you from doing those things.
THE LONER
I will.
THE STRANGER
No you won't, goddamnit, we're on the same side!
THE GAMBLER
Ha! Same side, we have no side…
THE STRANGER
Exactly why I said we're on the same side!
THE GAMBLER nods in agreement as he takes a drink as THE STRANGER thumbs his hands together, thinking of what he could say to convince him otherwise.
THE STRANGER
Look, maybe this is futile, maybe we are just going to our deaths quicker and more brazen then we would have. But even you have to agree...some things are worth fighting for...and the right to be free, from all sides, angels, demons, descent, this MAVERICK...It's enough to make you go numb to the idea of ever being able to do it with those odds stacked against you. But we can do it, and we wouldn't just be doing it alone…
THE GAMBLER
Speak sense?
THE STRANGER
Since the apocalypse things unexplained have happened, and though the dominating factors may be us, angels, and demons, we know of things that may want in in our little three man war.
THE GAMBLER
Like?
THE LONER
CTHULHU.
THE GAMBLER
A myth, spoken by lunatics who've lost their minds…
THE STRANGER
You know that a rift was torn from one of the apocalyptic battles, and that some very nasty dark forces came from it...I know your handler had to be informed of their arrival…
THE GAMBLER
Perhaps…
THE LONER
The MOUNTAIN OF MADNESS is not far…
THE GAMBLER
Yeah, but it also borders the HELLZONE, and that is not somewhere we need to be, and besides, what makes you two crazy fuck's even remotely think that CTHULHU would even help us? He would more and likely swallow our souls and send our minds into his dark depths just for even daring to approach him.
THE LONER
I think he won't, I think he knows more about THE DESCENT then even we, then anybody, maybe he will know how to help us repel them, to fight them, to kill them.
THE STRANGER
And perhaps help us keep heaven and hell off our backs till then.
THE GAMBLER
You're insane. He is THE DARK ONE, feared by heaven and hell.
THE STRANGER
Feared, but can still be beaten. He hasn't got a force strong enough to overtake either side.
THE GAMBLER
So you think he'll help us because it would be beneficial in his future plan of taking over the world?
THE STRANGER
Why not? Use the help you can get.
THE GAMBLER
Risky...I like it.
THE LONER shakes his head as the STRANGER just smiles, THE GAMBLER taking a drink.
THE GAMBLER
You said others? Was there more?
THE STRANGER
The SENTIENT
THE GAMBLER
Impossible, they're nothing but machines…
THE STRANGER
Not true, living sentient beings, machines possessed by ghosts of things long ago extinct and vanished through time.
THE GAMBLER
How will you rationalize with living machines into helping you?
THE STRANGER
We'll cross that road when we get to MECHA.
THE GAMBLER
And I'm assuming there's a last but not least?
THE STRANGER
There is.
THE GAMBLER
Let me place a wager...THE HORSEMEN?
THE STRANGER
Good guess.
THE GAMBLER
WAR, and FAMINE maybe, but PESTILENCE, no way. And DEATH...that's not something even I would entertain.
THE LONER
But we have too.
THE GAMBLER
What possible reasons would you have to entice them? And besides, they work for LOU!
THE STRANGER
Not while the apocalypse is on hold, why do you think LOU had to give them their own land within HELLZONE instead of keeping them in PANDEMONIUM? He has no supreme control over them, if they want to rebel, while the truce is on, it's a matter of when, and we can use that.
THE GAMBLER
Shit...I hate to say it, but It seems plausible.
THE LONER
You're capable of rational thought, surprising.
THE GAMBLER
Look here shit stain, I don't really care for you too much, you're creepy, and you stink.
THE LONER
And you're about one more smart ass comment away from a bullet nap.
THE GAMBLER
I'd like to see you try…
THE LONER reacts on anger and draws but as he does THE GAMBLER kicks forward and hits THE LONER in the chest with a high kick to his chest, the kick so powerful that THE LONER is sent flying across the room as he slams through the wall, landing outside a hundred yards away covered in brick and wood dusting.
THE STRANGER looks at THE GAMBLER as he turns and looks at THE STRANGER.
THE GAMBLER
I'm in. Just needed to get that out of me.
THE STRANGER
Fair enough...look out!
THE STRANGER draws his pistol and firing six shots he watches as each of his bullets hit the oncoming bullets fired from THE LONER'S PISTOL, THE STRANGER watching as the two sets of bullets diverted and shot upward into the ceiling, which nearly peppered a WHORE and her CLIENT.
THE LONER runs in as he reloads within four seconds, THE STRANGER running and cuts him off as THE GAMBLER lights up a cigarette as he looks around and nods at the scared patrons who had witnessed the insanity first hand.
THE LONER
Let go of me! Let me kill him!
THE STRANGER
Stop! Stop! Goddamnit, calm down, he agreed! He agreed to come with!
THE LONER looks at STRANGER who just smirks at him, nodding as THE LONER holsters his gun and pats the dust off of his jacket, THE LONER pointing at THE GAMBLER.
THE LONER
I owe you one for that...I don't know when...or where...but it will happen.
THE GAMBLER
Looking forward to it.
THE STRANGER
I guess we should be going now.
THE GAMBLER
Any idea where, exactly?
THE LONER
North...towards the MOUNTAIN OF MADNESS.
THE LONER turns and heads out from the hole he had been kicked through, THE GAMBLER and THE STRANGER following as the STRANGER throws some money down on the table they had been sitting at.
THE STRANGER
Nice place, y'all take care now.
THE STRANGER turns and hurries off as everyone just stares at him.
End of Part 8