Constantine (2014–2015): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Devil's Vinyl - full transcript
John and Zed engage in a dangerous confrontation to save a woman and her family from sinister forces. John's efforts force him to confront the darkness in his own life - while also coming ...
[grunting]
[panting]
[buzzing]
[screams]
[panting]
[grunting]
[indistinct chattering]
[grunts]
Oh, my God, it's real.
Bernie, thanks for seeing me.
No worries, darling.
Can I get you something?
Shot of tequila, perhaps?
I'm good. Are we alone?
Yeah.
Wait! You should put on gloves.
'The acetate's old.'
The oil from your fingers
could damage it.
It's freezing.
You been keeping it
in the icebox or somethin'?
Just run
the spectrum analysis, Bernie
I need to know if it's genuine,
whatever you do don't actually...
Listen to the damn thing.
You've made that clear.
[cell phone ringing]
Promise me, Bernie.
Hear no evil, I swear.
I'll get you when I'm done.
Now sod off, love.
I will be home
as soon as I can, honey.
- 'I love you, Mommy.'
- Oh.
[indistinct music]
[guitar music]
♪ Crows ♪
♪ Gonna fly... ♪
[screaming]
[gasps]
Oh!
[groans]
[screaming]
No!
Don't make me do it!
[groaning]
[shouting]
[screaming]
[theme music]
(Chas)
'Hold it right there.'
You Zed?
John said you might show up.
Kinda hoped you wouldn't.
I gather that,
seeing how he didn't actually
give me an address.
How did you find us?
Not a lot of millhouses
in Atlanta.
John did say
you were persistent.
Yeah, well...
found a place
to live downtown.
You'd better get used to me.
Zed. That means zero, right?
What kind of parents would
name their kid that?
Who says my parents named me?
Go on, then, let's...
say hi
to his Satanic Majesty.
Hear me...
most Unnamable of Devourers!
Shmaynee la geree la
geray ohkleen
he who guardeth
the Eternal Gateway
who natair yat aboola dahba.
I seek an audience
with one in your embrace!
- 'What's he doing?'
- He's learning a spell.
Come on.
I'll give you the penny tour.
Evray metah b'pee mehabbaqaq.
The mill belonged
to an old friend.
He called it
a supernatural safe house.
Most of the stuff
here's too dangerous
to fall into the wrong hands.
It didn't seem this big
on the outside.
It's not.
I've been measuring the rooms.
Sometimes it's off
a few inches.
Sometimes more.
That doesn't make any sense.
If you're looking for sense...
you stumbled down
the wrong rabbit hole.
Easy, mate.
Even I'm not ready
for that one yet.
I think
what Chas meant was, um
don't go wandering around here
without a chaperone, alright?
Right.
Each one of these stigmata
represents a place
where something bad
is going down.
Supernatural brushfires,
if you will.
'Me, Chas and a few others?
We're the bucket brigade.'
- Is this your latest fire?
- 'Bernie was a friend of mine.'
No way in hell
he'd take his own life.
Hm, doesn't mean his death
was one of your stigmata.
Bernie lived
in the Windy City.
And I don't believe
in coincidences.
Go on then.
See if you get a hit.
[intense music]
I smell jasmine.
She's a regular psychic
smorgasbord, this one.
Picks up impressions
from tactile stimuli.
Which I'm guessing is kinda
buzzkill in the sack.
- It's cold!
- Alright.
Well, I'll let you know
if any of that pans out.
No. No, no, no, no, no.
You're not ducking out
on me again.
You promised me you'd teach me
about my abilities.
Teaching you is one thing...
lettin' you ride shotgun
on a spiritual scavenger hunt
that's another beast, love.
You said you didn't believe
in coincidences.
That's right.
And I show up just
when you're planning to leave.
This is my education.
- The cab's still down.
- 'It is.'
- You got a car?
- A truck.
Knock yourself out then,
MacDuff.
But, uh, I'm in charge
of the music, yeah?
The girl's got skills.
Yeah,
and she's easy on the eye.
But?
She showed up last week
out of nowhere.
She may be legit.
Or she may have more
unseemly motives.
Either way, I'm best
keeping her close for now.
See what you can
dig up on her, will ya?
[sighs]
- What's in the man purse?
- Bits and bobs.
Holy water, police scanner
cemetery dirt, duct tape.
- What's this?
- Oh, oh! Don't touch.
These are nails
from the coffin of St. Padua.
Patron of lost souls. Watch.
'The nails follow one another.'
Tuck one of these
in a bloke's pocket
you got yourself
a nifty tracking device.
Now, if only I brought
something to get through
'that bloody door.'
Oh, my God! I'm so sorry!
- Sorry. Clumsy!
- It's alright.
Like this?
We've got minutes at most.
Oh, dammit, Bernie.
Look at the state of you.
How did you two
know each other?
Well, back in Jurassic times,
I fronted a punk band
called Mucous Membrane.
Yeah, that's right,
I wasn't always
an upstanding warlock.
Bernie here produced
our first and only record.
He tried his best, but...
to tell you the truth,
we were just a bunch of wankers
trying to get laid.
And here we are.
Reunited for one final
comeback tour.
Courtesy of this!
Hand of Glory.
You take the left hand
of a man that's been hanged
pickle it in amniotic fluid
for seven years
say the right incantation,
and the dead will rise
for as long as
the candles burn.
Here.
Empty this on the floor.
Okay.
Hear me, most
Unnameable of Devourers.
He who guardeth
the Golden Gateway.
I seek an audience
with one in your embrace.
Come on, old sod.
[intense music]
[Zed gasps]
[screaming]
[groaning]
Hold this.
Bernie, Bernie! It's John.
- Who did this to you?
- The voice!
(Bernie)
'My God! The voice.'
Voice? Uh, I, I,
I don't understand, Bernie.
- I don't understand.
- On the acetate. So cold.
No, no.
Bring the hand closer!
Come on, Bernie, don't leave me,
give me something else
give me something else,
Bernie, come on.
Moonrise.
Rest in peace, mate.
- Are you okay?
- I'm just fine, love.
Just forced one of my
old friends to relive
the worst moment of his life,
but I'm just fine.
You said that every spell
had its price.
- 'What did this one cost?'
- My own mortality.
A few days' worth.
Kinda like a reverse mortgage.
You do that a lot?
I do what it takes.
Right, we need to find
a library to follow up
on some of Bernie's leads.
A voice, an acetate,
and, uh...
moonrise, whatever
the bloody hell that means.
Well, my guess
is Moonrise Records.
See Google right here?
Well, Bernie was
in the music business
and back in the 1930s,
there was a blues record label
by the name of "Moonrise."
You don't say.
The owner, Marcus Mooney,
he's still alive.
We could go pay him a visit.
[exhales]
- Mom?
- Uh!
- What are you doing?
- Nothing.
I, I was just...
[scoffs]
Why are you up?
I had a nightmare.
Aw, baby.
Someone was trying
to take you away from me.
I'm not going anywhere,
Julilah.
[creaking]
- Mom?
- Yeah.
What's that?
(John)
'Hi.'
'We're here to see
Marcus Mooney.'
Visiting hours are over.
Health and Human Services.
Now,
I am sure, Tammy, that...
you can make
an exception now.
- Room 2022.
- Thank you, now.
- That was a neat trick.
- It's not a trick.
Magic.
And not the Copperfield kind.
The card's charmed.
It's got a pretty
bloody backstory
but the gist of it is,
it takes on the appearance
of whatever
its holder requires.
Who are you?
Friends, if you'll have us.
You seem like a friend.
That one's got...
a shadow dogging his soul.
More than one, Marcus.
I'm John Constantine.
I need some help.
I'm here to ask about
the acetate.
Lord, don't tell me
you played it.
'No.'
But a friend of mine,
he might have
and now he's dead.
You care to shed some light
on the matter?
[sighs]
You ever heard of...
Willie Cole?
A Memphis bluesman.
Burned bright
in the '30s, and then just
upped and vanished.
I, ugh, used to produce him.
(Marcus)
I had an old recording studio.
I know you like to sing alone,
so I'll leave you to it.
Alright.
Willie's legend was...
he sold his soul
to the Devil.
Never put much stock in that.
♪ Shadows gonna rise... ♪
Turns out...
the acetate...
he was working on...
recorded something
when he died.
♪ Bitch dogs gonna... ♪
The voice of the Deceiver.
Hm.
That's an urban legend, mate.
This is real.
Hello?
[low growling]
No. It's not my path.
You promised!
You promised!
[screaming]
Wasn't nothing left
except blood.
When I picked up the acetate
I heard whispers.
In, in, in, in my head.
Voices
telling me to do
horrible things.
'And, and, uh'
it was cold to the touch.
It was so cold.
Why didn't you destroy it?
'Well, don't you think I tried?'
U-uh, nothing worked.
So I buried it, I...
hid it,
I sealed it up inside a wall.
And I prayed.
Any idea how Bernie
came across it?
'Private investigator.'
Come to see me just last week.
Knew about the legend.
Wanted to buy the acetate.
The private investigator,
he didn't happen
to mention
who he worked for, did he?
Oh, no.
But I saw a name on the check.
"Fell."
You did very good, Marcus.
I think it's time for me...
to go to my reward.
Why do you say that?
I see an angel...
standing there.
[gasping]
Nurse!
Shh!
[sighs]
You recognized that name
Marcus mentioned, didn't you?
Fell.
You remember I said that
Bernie found some real stars?
Well, the brightest was
a metal head named Ian Fell.
Sold his soul.
You don't seem surprised
at the idea
of Old Scratch
bartering for souls.
There's one thing
I never understood is...
why he even wants our souls.
The devil used to be an angel.
That's why he's called
the "First of the Fallen."
You ask a holy type,
and they'll tell you
the soul is the purest
expression of God's love.
The spark of creation.
(John) Every time the
First takes a soul
he's exacting revenge.
Paying back the Almighty
for casting him out.
I do wanna hear you. I do.
[instrumental music]
- What are you doing?
- I'm breakin' into the mansion.
Isn't that illegal?
[grunts]
Almost everything I do is,
love.
Come on.
[grunts]
[guitar music]
(John)
There he is, that smug tosser.
[speaking in foreign language]
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
- Don't shout!
And don't squirm.
How did Bernie
get the acetate?
Acet...
Bernie was a friend, Ian.
(John)
He was a friend.
And if he died as a result
of a deal that you made
there's gonna be retribution.
Look, man, I don't know
anything about any deal!
A no-talent hack
turns overnight sensation
and you're telling me
that you didn't take a shortcut.
Hey, John,
something's going on.
I keep smelling jasmine.
Now, this guy
is backing out of a deal
and people are dying,
and you need to own up to it.
He can't.
He didn't make the deal.
I did.
(John)
'Jasmine Fell.'
Off-key backup singer
and loyal spouse.
'Ain't love grand?'
Jasmine,
do we know these people?
- 'We're not here to hurt you.'
- Oh, don't be so sure.
The night's still young
and Bernie's still dead.
This is a nightmare.
Just tell me
what's going on, please.
Yeah, tell him.
Tell him how you entered
into a contract
you're now trying to break at
the cost of other people's lives
just so you could climb
the charts.
That's not it.
No, of course,
because the money really hurt
your lifestyle, didn't it?
The mega mansion,
the shiny clothes.
Did you even bother to check
the price tag of those shoes?
Ian was dying.
He had cancer.
I didn't see that one coming.
You sacrificed your soul
for his life.
Why don't you show him
the contract, love?
[sighs]
Do you remember your
first day in the hospital?
They said you had a month,
maybe two.
This man came to me
in the waiting room that night.
He told me his name was Anton.
Sounds like a soul broker.
They troll hospitals
for the dying.
I didn't even think
it was real, but I signed it.
'Then you went
into total remission.'
(John)
'May I?'
'Etruscan rune.'
This Anton, he may
have been a skeevy bloke
but he had a toe
in the nether realm, alright.
Take a look.
Anton said,
"When the last words faded
"the First of the Fallen
would return
to claim his prize."
So, why try
and break the deal, Jasmine?
It wasn't my idea.
Anton got back in touch.
He told me he could trade
my soul back for the acetate.
Soul brokers
never break a deal.
They lose their right
of parley with the underworld.
Something here doesn't add up.
So what did this,
uh, Anton want you to do?
He wanted me
to hunt down the acetate.
'He knew you were
a rock star with money'
and endless resources.
(Zed)
'And motivation.'
This, uh, Anton...
when did he expect to lay
his hands on the acetate?
I'm supposed to take it
to him tonight.
He texted me an address.
(John) 'Let me take
care of that for you.'
I'm your best shot
at ending this nightmare.
Give us a hug, then.
Thank you.
♪ Crows gonna ♪
♪ Bitch dogs gonna howl ♪
- What's that music?
- Oh, my God.
Julilah!
Julilah! Get away from it!
Get away from it!
- 'Oh, my God.'
- 'Is she okay?'
- Look at me, Julilah.
- Is she okay, Jas?
Yeah, yeah,
I think she's okay.
[panting]
(male #1)
'Open your heart to the Lord'
'and let yourself be healed.'
'For God's presence inside you'
'in your mind, body and soul.'
'God had, had spoken to us
through the scriptures.'
'We must share the Gospel
and spread God's wisdom'
'to those who have never
heard the word of the lord.'
'Name it and claim it...'
- Ah, you must be Anton.
- Who are you?
Someone who knows
that soul brokers
are ambulance chasers,
not original thinkers.
Save a human soul?
A wall licker like you
don't have the power.
So...
what kind of a con
are you runnin' on the lady?
There's no con. Okay?
Just give me the acetate.
I'll give her what she wants.
She wants... her soul.
And it's not yours to give.
You traded it 20 years ago
for Ian Fell...
- No, don't say his name!
- Why not?
You just blew my deal!
[laughing]
(John) 'I should've
known that you were'
'behind this, Papa Midnite.'
[laughing]
So Ian Fell.
Thank you, Constantine.
At least I know where
to find the acetate now.
Papa Midnite.
I didn't take you for a fan
of religious broadcasting.
Unless there's
a Voodoo Channel I'm missing
from my basic cable package.
On the contrary...
there's a lot these
learned men can teach me.
(John) Like what, how to
trick a desperate woman
into using all her resources
to obtain a deadly artifact
for you, you know,
that recording, in your hands
gives you more power
than I'm comfortable with, mate.
Name it and claim it.
Come again?
It's the basic building block
of televangelism.
There are promises
out there waitin' for us
if we only have
the courage to name them
and claim them.
That's exactly the kind
of backward thinkin'
I'd expect from a cheating
drug dealing
Voodoo priest like...
[grunts]
[chuckles]
[coughing]
[screaming]
[chuckles]
They tell me
this place used to flourish.
Busy factories, making things
workers scurrying.
Now...
it's a concrete graveyard.
All this just to get me alone?
I'm flattered.
You're gonna have
to respect my boundaries.
I don't do zip ties
without a safe word.
Made of copper.
More than effective
against your mail-order magic.
My men are
unburdening Ian Fell
of his problem as we speak.
'Thanks to you, Constantine.'
What do you want
with the acetate, Midnite?
(John)
There's no money in it.
It's an insurance policy.
A get out of hell free card.
Don't tell me that's
not why you're after it.
You know, I lied
about Ian Fell.
For you, lying is easy.
You've been at it so long,
you've forgotten
what it's like
to work hard for something.
Ooh!
Oh! What is that?
Heparin.
An anticoagulant.
- 'You'll have four hours.'
- Aah!
That's if you stay very still
'and say your prayers.'
A slow death.
But not too slow. Is that it?
'If my two associates
don't return from Fell's'
with the acetate,
I want to be able to come back
and question
you more... aggressively.
[screams]
I always took you for a...
a Voodoo priest
with a flair for the dramatic.
'But a cold-blooded killer?'
I do what's needed.
But I don't need
to darken my soul tonight.
Not with the situation
firmly in hand.
A pharmaceutical dose
of vitamin K.
This will stop the bleeding
if you can get to it.
Consider it a show
of professional respect.
If you live, you have
worked very hard indeed.
If you die, it will be alone
with your many, many sins.
[coughing]
[thunder rumbling]
Great, yeah. Why not?
[sighs]
It's been hours and no word.
Can you get
on that red-eye to Chicago?
Yeah, man, I think
we're gonna need your help.
Thanks, Chas.
- How's Julilah?
- She's okay.
- Finally asleep.
- Back up! Move!
I'm gonna make this simple
give us the acetate,
or everyone dies.
- What acetate?
- Don't waste my time.
You don't understand.
It's very dangerous.
- No! No, no, no!
- Give it to us!
- It's cool, it's...
- You can have it.
Jasmine, if you give it up...
(Jasmine)
'It's in there.'
Just don't touch it
with your bare hands.
Don't tell me
what to touch, bitch.
Midnite said make it clean.
We got what we need.
Oh, my God! Your friend.
Is smarter than they are.
So are we.
(male #2) 'Midnite should
be here any minute.'
Weird. It's cold.
Can't you hear it?
The voices?
Put it down, man.
We need to hear it.
They all need to hear it.
'We're not supposed
to touch it, put it'
put it down. Let go of me!
Let go of me!
♪ There was
a poor sod name of J ♪
♪ For whom he had nothing
to pray ♪
♪ He died all alone ♪
♪ And he bled to the bone ♪
♪ And for what
he just couldn't say ♪
♪ Go on mate ♪
♪ Have a bloody nibble ♪
♪ See what
the damned taste like ♪
[rat squeaking]
Oh, mate.
Mate, you are...
You are a welcome sight.
Do us a favor,
cut us loose, will you?
'Lives depend on it,
especially mine.'
Hey, what are you doing
with that?
Just cut us loose,
will you, mate?
'Good.'
No, no, no
that's, that's my shoe.
Oh, bloody!
[laughing]
[thunder rumbling]
What happened?
What happened
to the John Constantine
with the cojones to tell
an angel to go to hell?
Cut me loose
and I'll show you
you celestial wank.
We've been over that.
- You know, I can't do it.
- I'm bleeding out here.
You know, I feel your
moral compass wavering, John.
You think that recording
might have trade value.
Does it really
surprise you that
I want something a little bit
more potent in my arsenal?
You're not dealing with
some second-rate hell spawn.
If that voice belongs
to the First of the Fallen
there is only one true way
to deal with that record.
Do you have the courage?
Maybe you'll find out...
once you free me
from these bloody ties!
[groans]
You don't need me for that.
You got this situation
under control.
[thunder rumbling]
[groans]
Next time, I'm gonna punch him.
Hey, mate, mate, listen
I've got something for you.
And it's all yours
if you just
if you just... cut me loose.
It's in my front pocket.
You won't be disappointed,
I promise.
That's it. There you go.
Now, you can use that
to buy all the junk
and the deodorant or whatever
it is you wanna buy.
Just cut me loose.
That's it, mate, yeah.
Just... cut me loose.
If you're alive,
I can't use the card.
Oh, no, no, you can,
uh, that's...
No, no, no,
you don't want...
- Ah! Come on!
- God!
- Get the hell out of here!
- Ugh!
[sighs]
- A hug? Really?
- Ugh!
Yeah, I knew that was
out of character for you.
You could have
just told me you planted...
[sighs] ...the St.
Padua nail on Jasmine.
- Ugh! You okay?
- Yeah.
Just give me those pills
over there, will you?
- Yeah.
- Ugh!
[sighs]
I knew you'd follow me
into the lion's den.
I just needed you
to stay with Jasmine.
- For all the good that did.
- Ugh!
Midnite's men.
Aah! Bloody hell.
That recording
it's got a demonic energy.
It wants to be played.
Once it gets in their heads
they won't be able to resist.
- You bring my bag?
- Yeah.
- It's in the back of the truck.
- Let's go.
[indistinct chattering on radio]
Bastards.
They took it to a club,
gave it a spin.
'They just couldn't resist
seeing what playing'
'the acetate would do.'
[sighs]
[indistinct chattering on radio]
Thanks for joining us.
You bring what I asked for?
Headphones,
MP3 player, clean shirt.
- Orange juice.
- Really?
It's gotta get
your blood sugar back up.
Alright, daddy.
I did what you asked,
I called in a few favors.
A PI friend of mine
ran Zed's prints.
Whoever she is, she's not
in any law enforcement database.
I don't know whether that's
a good thing or a bad one.
[Zed whistles]
Well, at least
she's making herself useful.
[chuckles]
For now.
[sighs]
Well, this is Freddy.
He works as a busboy.
He said he saw the whole thing.
I don't need
his whole bloody resume, love.
Listen, how did you walk
away from this?
Oh, I'm sorry, mate,
is it the, uh, is it the accent?
No. It's your arrogance.
He's deaf.
[sighs]
What happened?
Says two guys
went into the club
into the DJ booth.
Everybody went crazy.
Like I said. Useful.
The acetate has
its own hypnotic power.
Those guys, they're
gonna wanna play that record
to as big as audience
as they can find.
'This isn't Midnite's doing.
His boys have gone off book.'
[growling]
- What's the matter?
- Don't you see it?
[growling]
See what, love?
There's a tiger.
White tiger.
You see a tiger.
- I see one too.
- 'Where?'
Where?
Scott University Tiger Radio.
That's where they're going
to broadcast the acetate.
Follow me.
I think we should do
what she says.
Alright, but we don't
have to just jump
when she says it.
Okay, that's long enough,
let's go.
(man on radio)
'You're listening to WIXA'
'Tiger Radio 97.5 FM.'
We're almost there.
'Who is that?'
(man on radio)
'Everybody, get down!'
Step on it.
[tires screeching]
We only got one set
of headphones.
You two stay out here.
Find a way to get
this station off the grid.
[instrumental music]
[sighs]
Give me some juice, Johnny.
[rock song playing]
[indistinct shouting]
Screw this.
Stand back.
Stand back!
[sinister growl]
[indistinct shouting]
[all groaning]
[indistinct chattering]
[sighs]
[grunts]
Nice shooting.
Eh! Ace of Winchester.
Never misses.
Forged by a mystic
in the Old West.
I'll bet you got
a whole war chest
of toys like that, haven't ya?
Yes. And soon one more.
You know,
I can't let you take it.
And you know
you can't stop me.
Stay right where you are.
- You can't stop it.
- It needs to be played.
[speaking in foreign language]
(Midnite)
What is this? Constantine!
[speaking in foreign language]
What's happening?
There's only one true way
to deal with our recording.
'I drew on the disc's
own dark magic'
to send it back
to hell where it belongs.
[screaming]
It belongs to me. It's mine!
It belongs to me!
[dramatic music]
Constantine.
[knock on door]
- What took so long?
- Sorry for the delay.
Took a while
to track this one down.
She's in there.
(Ian) You need to help her.
She's almost out of time.
- You sure this is gonna work?
- In a fashion.
The Fallen One will lose
his claim on your wife's soul
but what she traded it for...
your health.
Ian, no.
I won't let you do this.
What?
Cancer? Yeah, sure, 20 years ago
I didn't have a shot.
But they have
better treatments today.
And now I got a lot more
to fight for.
Alright, rat boy, you're up.
You're the one
that brokered this deal.
You're the only one
who can break it.
- Time to eat the contract.
- I can't.
If I break a deal
with the Dark One...
Sod off! You've done enough
to hurt these people.
[muffled shouting]
Chew.
[grunting]
When you said
"Eat the contract"
you weren't kidding.
Where do you think
the saying comes from?
It's as old as
the Aramaic on that rune.
Swallow.
[gulps]
(John) We all negotiate deals
with forces bigger than us.
But who are we truly
negotiating with?
The divine?
Well, it's only natural.
Prayer is one big negotiation
with a higher power.
But in times of true crisis
we'll make a pact
with whatever forces it takes.
And pay whatever price.
[theme music]
[panting]
[buzzing]
[screams]
[panting]
[grunting]
[indistinct chattering]
[grunts]
Oh, my God, it's real.
Bernie, thanks for seeing me.
No worries, darling.
Can I get you something?
Shot of tequila, perhaps?
I'm good. Are we alone?
Yeah.
Wait! You should put on gloves.
'The acetate's old.'
The oil from your fingers
could damage it.
It's freezing.
You been keeping it
in the icebox or somethin'?
Just run
the spectrum analysis, Bernie
I need to know if it's genuine,
whatever you do don't actually...
Listen to the damn thing.
You've made that clear.
[cell phone ringing]
Promise me, Bernie.
Hear no evil, I swear.
I'll get you when I'm done.
Now sod off, love.
I will be home
as soon as I can, honey.
- 'I love you, Mommy.'
- Oh.
[indistinct music]
[guitar music]
♪ Crows ♪
♪ Gonna fly... ♪
[screaming]
[gasps]
Oh!
[groans]
[screaming]
No!
Don't make me do it!
[groaning]
[shouting]
[screaming]
[theme music]
(Chas)
'Hold it right there.'
You Zed?
John said you might show up.
Kinda hoped you wouldn't.
I gather that,
seeing how he didn't actually
give me an address.
How did you find us?
Not a lot of millhouses
in Atlanta.
John did say
you were persistent.
Yeah, well...
found a place
to live downtown.
You'd better get used to me.
Zed. That means zero, right?
What kind of parents would
name their kid that?
Who says my parents named me?
Go on, then, let's...
say hi
to his Satanic Majesty.
Hear me...
most Unnamable of Devourers!
Shmaynee la geree la
geray ohkleen
he who guardeth
the Eternal Gateway
who natair yat aboola dahba.
I seek an audience
with one in your embrace!
- 'What's he doing?'
- He's learning a spell.
Come on.
I'll give you the penny tour.
Evray metah b'pee mehabbaqaq.
The mill belonged
to an old friend.
He called it
a supernatural safe house.
Most of the stuff
here's too dangerous
to fall into the wrong hands.
It didn't seem this big
on the outside.
It's not.
I've been measuring the rooms.
Sometimes it's off
a few inches.
Sometimes more.
That doesn't make any sense.
If you're looking for sense...
you stumbled down
the wrong rabbit hole.
Easy, mate.
Even I'm not ready
for that one yet.
I think
what Chas meant was, um
don't go wandering around here
without a chaperone, alright?
Right.
Each one of these stigmata
represents a place
where something bad
is going down.
Supernatural brushfires,
if you will.
'Me, Chas and a few others?
We're the bucket brigade.'
- Is this your latest fire?
- 'Bernie was a friend of mine.'
No way in hell
he'd take his own life.
Hm, doesn't mean his death
was one of your stigmata.
Bernie lived
in the Windy City.
And I don't believe
in coincidences.
Go on then.
See if you get a hit.
[intense music]
I smell jasmine.
She's a regular psychic
smorgasbord, this one.
Picks up impressions
from tactile stimuli.
Which I'm guessing is kinda
buzzkill in the sack.
- It's cold!
- Alright.
Well, I'll let you know
if any of that pans out.
No. No, no, no, no, no.
You're not ducking out
on me again.
You promised me you'd teach me
about my abilities.
Teaching you is one thing...
lettin' you ride shotgun
on a spiritual scavenger hunt
that's another beast, love.
You said you didn't believe
in coincidences.
That's right.
And I show up just
when you're planning to leave.
This is my education.
- The cab's still down.
- 'It is.'
- You got a car?
- A truck.
Knock yourself out then,
MacDuff.
But, uh, I'm in charge
of the music, yeah?
The girl's got skills.
Yeah,
and she's easy on the eye.
But?
She showed up last week
out of nowhere.
She may be legit.
Or she may have more
unseemly motives.
Either way, I'm best
keeping her close for now.
See what you can
dig up on her, will ya?
[sighs]
- What's in the man purse?
- Bits and bobs.
Holy water, police scanner
cemetery dirt, duct tape.
- What's this?
- Oh, oh! Don't touch.
These are nails
from the coffin of St. Padua.
Patron of lost souls. Watch.
'The nails follow one another.'
Tuck one of these
in a bloke's pocket
you got yourself
a nifty tracking device.
Now, if only I brought
something to get through
'that bloody door.'
Oh, my God! I'm so sorry!
- Sorry. Clumsy!
- It's alright.
Like this?
We've got minutes at most.
Oh, dammit, Bernie.
Look at the state of you.
How did you two
know each other?
Well, back in Jurassic times,
I fronted a punk band
called Mucous Membrane.
Yeah, that's right,
I wasn't always
an upstanding warlock.
Bernie here produced
our first and only record.
He tried his best, but...
to tell you the truth,
we were just a bunch of wankers
trying to get laid.
And here we are.
Reunited for one final
comeback tour.
Courtesy of this!
Hand of Glory.
You take the left hand
of a man that's been hanged
pickle it in amniotic fluid
for seven years
say the right incantation,
and the dead will rise
for as long as
the candles burn.
Here.
Empty this on the floor.
Okay.
Hear me, most
Unnameable of Devourers.
He who guardeth
the Golden Gateway.
I seek an audience
with one in your embrace.
Come on, old sod.
[intense music]
[Zed gasps]
[screaming]
[groaning]
Hold this.
Bernie, Bernie! It's John.
- Who did this to you?
- The voice!
(Bernie)
'My God! The voice.'
Voice? Uh, I, I,
I don't understand, Bernie.
- I don't understand.
- On the acetate. So cold.
No, no.
Bring the hand closer!
Come on, Bernie, don't leave me,
give me something else
give me something else,
Bernie, come on.
Moonrise.
Rest in peace, mate.
- Are you okay?
- I'm just fine, love.
Just forced one of my
old friends to relive
the worst moment of his life,
but I'm just fine.
You said that every spell
had its price.
- 'What did this one cost?'
- My own mortality.
A few days' worth.
Kinda like a reverse mortgage.
You do that a lot?
I do what it takes.
Right, we need to find
a library to follow up
on some of Bernie's leads.
A voice, an acetate,
and, uh...
moonrise, whatever
the bloody hell that means.
Well, my guess
is Moonrise Records.
See Google right here?
Well, Bernie was
in the music business
and back in the 1930s,
there was a blues record label
by the name of "Moonrise."
You don't say.
The owner, Marcus Mooney,
he's still alive.
We could go pay him a visit.
[exhales]
- Mom?
- Uh!
- What are you doing?
- Nothing.
I, I was just...
[scoffs]
Why are you up?
I had a nightmare.
Aw, baby.
Someone was trying
to take you away from me.
I'm not going anywhere,
Julilah.
[creaking]
- Mom?
- Yeah.
What's that?
(John)
'Hi.'
'We're here to see
Marcus Mooney.'
Visiting hours are over.
Health and Human Services.
Now,
I am sure, Tammy, that...
you can make
an exception now.
- Room 2022.
- Thank you, now.
- That was a neat trick.
- It's not a trick.
Magic.
And not the Copperfield kind.
The card's charmed.
It's got a pretty
bloody backstory
but the gist of it is,
it takes on the appearance
of whatever
its holder requires.
Who are you?
Friends, if you'll have us.
You seem like a friend.
That one's got...
a shadow dogging his soul.
More than one, Marcus.
I'm John Constantine.
I need some help.
I'm here to ask about
the acetate.
Lord, don't tell me
you played it.
'No.'
But a friend of mine,
he might have
and now he's dead.
You care to shed some light
on the matter?
[sighs]
You ever heard of...
Willie Cole?
A Memphis bluesman.
Burned bright
in the '30s, and then just
upped and vanished.
I, ugh, used to produce him.
(Marcus)
I had an old recording studio.
I know you like to sing alone,
so I'll leave you to it.
Alright.
Willie's legend was...
he sold his soul
to the Devil.
Never put much stock in that.
♪ Shadows gonna rise... ♪
Turns out...
the acetate...
he was working on...
recorded something
when he died.
♪ Bitch dogs gonna... ♪
The voice of the Deceiver.
Hm.
That's an urban legend, mate.
This is real.
Hello?
[low growling]
No. It's not my path.
You promised!
You promised!
[screaming]
Wasn't nothing left
except blood.
When I picked up the acetate
I heard whispers.
In, in, in, in my head.
Voices
telling me to do
horrible things.
'And, and, uh'
it was cold to the touch.
It was so cold.
Why didn't you destroy it?
'Well, don't you think I tried?'
U-uh, nothing worked.
So I buried it, I...
hid it,
I sealed it up inside a wall.
And I prayed.
Any idea how Bernie
came across it?
'Private investigator.'
Come to see me just last week.
Knew about the legend.
Wanted to buy the acetate.
The private investigator,
he didn't happen
to mention
who he worked for, did he?
Oh, no.
But I saw a name on the check.
"Fell."
You did very good, Marcus.
I think it's time for me...
to go to my reward.
Why do you say that?
I see an angel...
standing there.
[gasping]
Nurse!
Shh!
[sighs]
You recognized that name
Marcus mentioned, didn't you?
Fell.
You remember I said that
Bernie found some real stars?
Well, the brightest was
a metal head named Ian Fell.
Sold his soul.
You don't seem surprised
at the idea
of Old Scratch
bartering for souls.
There's one thing
I never understood is...
why he even wants our souls.
The devil used to be an angel.
That's why he's called
the "First of the Fallen."
You ask a holy type,
and they'll tell you
the soul is the purest
expression of God's love.
The spark of creation.
(John) Every time the
First takes a soul
he's exacting revenge.
Paying back the Almighty
for casting him out.
I do wanna hear you. I do.
[instrumental music]
- What are you doing?
- I'm breakin' into the mansion.
Isn't that illegal?
[grunts]
Almost everything I do is,
love.
Come on.
[grunts]
[guitar music]
(John)
There he is, that smug tosser.
[speaking in foreign language]
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
- Don't shout!
And don't squirm.
How did Bernie
get the acetate?
Acet...
Bernie was a friend, Ian.
(John)
He was a friend.
And if he died as a result
of a deal that you made
there's gonna be retribution.
Look, man, I don't know
anything about any deal!
A no-talent hack
turns overnight sensation
and you're telling me
that you didn't take a shortcut.
Hey, John,
something's going on.
I keep smelling jasmine.
Now, this guy
is backing out of a deal
and people are dying,
and you need to own up to it.
He can't.
He didn't make the deal.
I did.
(John)
'Jasmine Fell.'
Off-key backup singer
and loyal spouse.
'Ain't love grand?'
Jasmine,
do we know these people?
- 'We're not here to hurt you.'
- Oh, don't be so sure.
The night's still young
and Bernie's still dead.
This is a nightmare.
Just tell me
what's going on, please.
Yeah, tell him.
Tell him how you entered
into a contract
you're now trying to break at
the cost of other people's lives
just so you could climb
the charts.
That's not it.
No, of course,
because the money really hurt
your lifestyle, didn't it?
The mega mansion,
the shiny clothes.
Did you even bother to check
the price tag of those shoes?
Ian was dying.
He had cancer.
I didn't see that one coming.
You sacrificed your soul
for his life.
Why don't you show him
the contract, love?
[sighs]
Do you remember your
first day in the hospital?
They said you had a month,
maybe two.
This man came to me
in the waiting room that night.
He told me his name was Anton.
Sounds like a soul broker.
They troll hospitals
for the dying.
I didn't even think
it was real, but I signed it.
'Then you went
into total remission.'
(John)
'May I?'
'Etruscan rune.'
This Anton, he may
have been a skeevy bloke
but he had a toe
in the nether realm, alright.
Take a look.
Anton said,
"When the last words faded
"the First of the Fallen
would return
to claim his prize."
So, why try
and break the deal, Jasmine?
It wasn't my idea.
Anton got back in touch.
He told me he could trade
my soul back for the acetate.
Soul brokers
never break a deal.
They lose their right
of parley with the underworld.
Something here doesn't add up.
So what did this,
uh, Anton want you to do?
He wanted me
to hunt down the acetate.
'He knew you were
a rock star with money'
and endless resources.
(Zed)
'And motivation.'
This, uh, Anton...
when did he expect to lay
his hands on the acetate?
I'm supposed to take it
to him tonight.
He texted me an address.
(John) 'Let me take
care of that for you.'
I'm your best shot
at ending this nightmare.
Give us a hug, then.
Thank you.
♪ Crows gonna ♪
♪ Bitch dogs gonna howl ♪
- What's that music?
- Oh, my God.
Julilah!
Julilah! Get away from it!
Get away from it!
- 'Oh, my God.'
- 'Is she okay?'
- Look at me, Julilah.
- Is she okay, Jas?
Yeah, yeah,
I think she's okay.
[panting]
(male #1)
'Open your heart to the Lord'
'and let yourself be healed.'
'For God's presence inside you'
'in your mind, body and soul.'
'God had, had spoken to us
through the scriptures.'
'We must share the Gospel
and spread God's wisdom'
'to those who have never
heard the word of the lord.'
'Name it and claim it...'
- Ah, you must be Anton.
- Who are you?
Someone who knows
that soul brokers
are ambulance chasers,
not original thinkers.
Save a human soul?
A wall licker like you
don't have the power.
So...
what kind of a con
are you runnin' on the lady?
There's no con. Okay?
Just give me the acetate.
I'll give her what she wants.
She wants... her soul.
And it's not yours to give.
You traded it 20 years ago
for Ian Fell...
- No, don't say his name!
- Why not?
You just blew my deal!
[laughing]
(John) 'I should've
known that you were'
'behind this, Papa Midnite.'
[laughing]
So Ian Fell.
Thank you, Constantine.
At least I know where
to find the acetate now.
Papa Midnite.
I didn't take you for a fan
of religious broadcasting.
Unless there's
a Voodoo Channel I'm missing
from my basic cable package.
On the contrary...
there's a lot these
learned men can teach me.
(John) Like what, how to
trick a desperate woman
into using all her resources
to obtain a deadly artifact
for you, you know,
that recording, in your hands
gives you more power
than I'm comfortable with, mate.
Name it and claim it.
Come again?
It's the basic building block
of televangelism.
There are promises
out there waitin' for us
if we only have
the courage to name them
and claim them.
That's exactly the kind
of backward thinkin'
I'd expect from a cheating
drug dealing
Voodoo priest like...
[grunts]
[chuckles]
[coughing]
[screaming]
[chuckles]
They tell me
this place used to flourish.
Busy factories, making things
workers scurrying.
Now...
it's a concrete graveyard.
All this just to get me alone?
I'm flattered.
You're gonna have
to respect my boundaries.
I don't do zip ties
without a safe word.
Made of copper.
More than effective
against your mail-order magic.
My men are
unburdening Ian Fell
of his problem as we speak.
'Thanks to you, Constantine.'
What do you want
with the acetate, Midnite?
(John)
There's no money in it.
It's an insurance policy.
A get out of hell free card.
Don't tell me that's
not why you're after it.
You know, I lied
about Ian Fell.
For you, lying is easy.
You've been at it so long,
you've forgotten
what it's like
to work hard for something.
Ooh!
Oh! What is that?
Heparin.
An anticoagulant.
- 'You'll have four hours.'
- Aah!
That's if you stay very still
'and say your prayers.'
A slow death.
But not too slow. Is that it?
'If my two associates
don't return from Fell's'
with the acetate,
I want to be able to come back
and question
you more... aggressively.
[screams]
I always took you for a...
a Voodoo priest
with a flair for the dramatic.
'But a cold-blooded killer?'
I do what's needed.
But I don't need
to darken my soul tonight.
Not with the situation
firmly in hand.
A pharmaceutical dose
of vitamin K.
This will stop the bleeding
if you can get to it.
Consider it a show
of professional respect.
If you live, you have
worked very hard indeed.
If you die, it will be alone
with your many, many sins.
[coughing]
[thunder rumbling]
Great, yeah. Why not?
[sighs]
It's been hours and no word.
Can you get
on that red-eye to Chicago?
Yeah, man, I think
we're gonna need your help.
Thanks, Chas.
- How's Julilah?
- She's okay.
- Finally asleep.
- Back up! Move!
I'm gonna make this simple
give us the acetate,
or everyone dies.
- What acetate?
- Don't waste my time.
You don't understand.
It's very dangerous.
- No! No, no, no!
- Give it to us!
- It's cool, it's...
- You can have it.
Jasmine, if you give it up...
(Jasmine)
'It's in there.'
Just don't touch it
with your bare hands.
Don't tell me
what to touch, bitch.
Midnite said make it clean.
We got what we need.
Oh, my God! Your friend.
Is smarter than they are.
So are we.
(male #2) 'Midnite should
be here any minute.'
Weird. It's cold.
Can't you hear it?
The voices?
Put it down, man.
We need to hear it.
They all need to hear it.
'We're not supposed
to touch it, put it'
put it down. Let go of me!
Let go of me!
♪ There was
a poor sod name of J ♪
♪ For whom he had nothing
to pray ♪
♪ He died all alone ♪
♪ And he bled to the bone ♪
♪ And for what
he just couldn't say ♪
♪ Go on mate ♪
♪ Have a bloody nibble ♪
♪ See what
the damned taste like ♪
[rat squeaking]
Oh, mate.
Mate, you are...
You are a welcome sight.
Do us a favor,
cut us loose, will you?
'Lives depend on it,
especially mine.'
Hey, what are you doing
with that?
Just cut us loose,
will you, mate?
'Good.'
No, no, no
that's, that's my shoe.
Oh, bloody!
[laughing]
[thunder rumbling]
What happened?
What happened
to the John Constantine
with the cojones to tell
an angel to go to hell?
Cut me loose
and I'll show you
you celestial wank.
We've been over that.
- You know, I can't do it.
- I'm bleeding out here.
You know, I feel your
moral compass wavering, John.
You think that recording
might have trade value.
Does it really
surprise you that
I want something a little bit
more potent in my arsenal?
You're not dealing with
some second-rate hell spawn.
If that voice belongs
to the First of the Fallen
there is only one true way
to deal with that record.
Do you have the courage?
Maybe you'll find out...
once you free me
from these bloody ties!
[groans]
You don't need me for that.
You got this situation
under control.
[thunder rumbling]
[groans]
Next time, I'm gonna punch him.
Hey, mate, mate, listen
I've got something for you.
And it's all yours
if you just
if you just... cut me loose.
It's in my front pocket.
You won't be disappointed,
I promise.
That's it. There you go.
Now, you can use that
to buy all the junk
and the deodorant or whatever
it is you wanna buy.
Just cut me loose.
That's it, mate, yeah.
Just... cut me loose.
If you're alive,
I can't use the card.
Oh, no, no, you can,
uh, that's...
No, no, no,
you don't want...
- Ah! Come on!
- God!
- Get the hell out of here!
- Ugh!
[sighs]
- A hug? Really?
- Ugh!
Yeah, I knew that was
out of character for you.
You could have
just told me you planted...
[sighs] ...the St.
Padua nail on Jasmine.
- Ugh! You okay?
- Yeah.
Just give me those pills
over there, will you?
- Yeah.
- Ugh!
[sighs]
I knew you'd follow me
into the lion's den.
I just needed you
to stay with Jasmine.
- For all the good that did.
- Ugh!
Midnite's men.
Aah! Bloody hell.
That recording
it's got a demonic energy.
It wants to be played.
Once it gets in their heads
they won't be able to resist.
- You bring my bag?
- Yeah.
- It's in the back of the truck.
- Let's go.
[indistinct chattering on radio]
Bastards.
They took it to a club,
gave it a spin.
'They just couldn't resist
seeing what playing'
'the acetate would do.'
[sighs]
[indistinct chattering on radio]
Thanks for joining us.
You bring what I asked for?
Headphones,
MP3 player, clean shirt.
- Orange juice.
- Really?
It's gotta get
your blood sugar back up.
Alright, daddy.
I did what you asked,
I called in a few favors.
A PI friend of mine
ran Zed's prints.
Whoever she is, she's not
in any law enforcement database.
I don't know whether that's
a good thing or a bad one.
[Zed whistles]
Well, at least
she's making herself useful.
[chuckles]
For now.
[sighs]
Well, this is Freddy.
He works as a busboy.
He said he saw the whole thing.
I don't need
his whole bloody resume, love.
Listen, how did you walk
away from this?
Oh, I'm sorry, mate,
is it the, uh, is it the accent?
No. It's your arrogance.
He's deaf.
[sighs]
What happened?
Says two guys
went into the club
into the DJ booth.
Everybody went crazy.
Like I said. Useful.
The acetate has
its own hypnotic power.
Those guys, they're
gonna wanna play that record
to as big as audience
as they can find.
'This isn't Midnite's doing.
His boys have gone off book.'
[growling]
- What's the matter?
- Don't you see it?
[growling]
See what, love?
There's a tiger.
White tiger.
You see a tiger.
- I see one too.
- 'Where?'
Where?
Scott University Tiger Radio.
That's where they're going
to broadcast the acetate.
Follow me.
I think we should do
what she says.
Alright, but we don't
have to just jump
when she says it.
Okay, that's long enough,
let's go.
(man on radio)
'You're listening to WIXA'
'Tiger Radio 97.5 FM.'
We're almost there.
'Who is that?'
(man on radio)
'Everybody, get down!'
Step on it.
[tires screeching]
We only got one set
of headphones.
You two stay out here.
Find a way to get
this station off the grid.
[instrumental music]
[sighs]
Give me some juice, Johnny.
[rock song playing]
[indistinct shouting]
Screw this.
Stand back.
Stand back!
[sinister growl]
[indistinct shouting]
[all groaning]
[indistinct chattering]
[sighs]
[grunts]
Nice shooting.
Eh! Ace of Winchester.
Never misses.
Forged by a mystic
in the Old West.
I'll bet you got
a whole war chest
of toys like that, haven't ya?
Yes. And soon one more.
You know,
I can't let you take it.
And you know
you can't stop me.
Stay right where you are.
- You can't stop it.
- It needs to be played.
[speaking in foreign language]
(Midnite)
What is this? Constantine!
[speaking in foreign language]
What's happening?
There's only one true way
to deal with our recording.
'I drew on the disc's
own dark magic'
to send it back
to hell where it belongs.
[screaming]
It belongs to me. It's mine!
It belongs to me!
[dramatic music]
Constantine.
[knock on door]
- What took so long?
- Sorry for the delay.
Took a while
to track this one down.
She's in there.
(Ian) You need to help her.
She's almost out of time.
- You sure this is gonna work?
- In a fashion.
The Fallen One will lose
his claim on your wife's soul
but what she traded it for...
your health.
Ian, no.
I won't let you do this.
What?
Cancer? Yeah, sure, 20 years ago
I didn't have a shot.
But they have
better treatments today.
And now I got a lot more
to fight for.
Alright, rat boy, you're up.
You're the one
that brokered this deal.
You're the only one
who can break it.
- Time to eat the contract.
- I can't.
If I break a deal
with the Dark One...
Sod off! You've done enough
to hurt these people.
[muffled shouting]
Chew.
[grunting]
When you said
"Eat the contract"
you weren't kidding.
Where do you think
the saying comes from?
It's as old as
the Aramaic on that rune.
Swallow.
[gulps]
(John) We all negotiate deals
with forces bigger than us.
But who are we truly
negotiating with?
The divine?
Well, it's only natural.
Prayer is one big negotiation
with a higher power.
But in times of true crisis
we'll make a pact
with whatever forces it takes.
And pay whatever price.
[theme music]