Jeremiah (2002–2004): Season 1, Episode 9 - Red Kiss - full transcript

Yeah, right,

like he's really gonna
shove an oxygen tank
in the shark's mouth,

and then, smack,
hits the bull's-eye,
it's raining Sushi. Come on.

What about the one
where the ol' girl

blows up the mothership,
takes off in that little pod,

never notices
this big-ass space monster
hitched a ride with her?

I didn't buy that,
either.

What the hell
is that?

Out of the car.

Can we at least
get our shit?

You're
kidding me, right?



Just thought I'd ask.

Whoo-hoo!

Yeah!

Any suggestions?

I suppose we
ought to take a walk.

Man!

Will you look
at that?

Want to buy me
some cotton candy?

Hey!

Oh, shit, not again.

Fipps, come here.

I don't believe it.
It's him.

It's really him.

You still haven't told us
what your names are.



Jeremiah.

Jeremiah, cool.

It's him.

And I'm kurdy with a "k."

Now, used to be
we welcomed travelers
with open arms.

Not anymore.

Why is that?

Because there's a kidnapper
in the area,

and he's been preying
on our children.

Child abductor.

It doesn't get any lower
than that.

It's not either of them.

Fipps is right, dad.
These guys, they're ok.

You kids stay back now,
you hear?

That one, Jeremiah,

he's here to stop
the blood vultures.

That's a lot of bunk.

He's the one, the one
we've been waiting for.

Kids...
They say these crazy things.

He'll stop
the red kiss, mom.

You've got to
believe us.

Tell 'em.

I think you kids might have me
mixed up with someone else.

They may have
some pretty wild ideas,

but if I'm gonna trust
anyone's gut instincts,
I trust my children's.

It's all right, Zach.

I'm cord.
This is my wife treva.

This is Zach.

We got robbed up the road
a ways back by some guys.

So we could sure use
a place to sleep tonight.

Got to wonder
if one of those robbers

is the bastard
we're looking for.

I don't know, they kind of
struck me as your
garden-variety opportunists.

Well,
you give us a hand
keeping our guard up,

you're welcome
to stay awhile.

Cord, I don't think
you ought to...

Relax, Zach.

Sure.

I told them.

I told them all
you'd come.

Look, fipps, I don't want
to rain on your parade
or anything, pal,

but I don't know
what the heck
you're talking about.

It's in the plan,
the big plan,

that the great one
would come

and save us from
the blood vultures.

"Blood vultures"?
Like, you mean...

The undead
who feast on the living.

Sleep tight, Jeremiah.
Tomorrow, you'll
take care of business.

You know what
they're talking about,
don't you?

Yeah, vampires.

Yeah.

They actually think
that shit is real.

You heard their parents, man.
Whatever is out there is real.

It might not be a vampire,

but it's real.

Dear dad,

it's been 15 years

since the big death
wiped out everyone
over the age of innocence...

The end of your world,

the beginning of mine.

Here you go.

Thank you.
Welcome.

So how long
have these kidnappers

been targeting
your kids?

A little over
2 months ago.
That's when we lost Annie.

And a couple weeks later,
Ralph disappeared.

No trace at all?

No, there was some blood
where Annie vanished.

And that's why the kids
think it's vampires?

They've got all kinds
of names for 'em:

Night phantoms,
blood vultures,

the red kiss.

You can see why
the kids believe it.

Whoever's doing this,
they really are monsters.

How many kids?

4 missing in all,

and we lost Celia
even after we started
'round-the-clock patrols.

We managed to prevent
one of the attempts,

but it wound up costing
one of the parents his life,

and, uh, the son of a bitch
still got away.

3 of our families
picked up and left after that.

What about you guys?
I mean, don't you ever think
of just getting out?

And go where?

This is our home,
our livelihood's here,

and the, uh,

the enclaves around us,
gramercy, radford,

you ask around,
they've lost kids, too.

This is crazy.

What's this stuff?

Oh, we pick things up
and, uh, trade them.

We, uh, we clean 'em up
and fix 'em.
It's how we survive.

Where'd you get these?

We got 'em yesterday
a couple of hours
oh, damn!

Before you showed up.

These hard cases traded us
for some hand tools. Why?

These hard cases,

they weren't driving
a truck, were they?

Yeah, never seen
one like it.

Wait.

They were the bandits
you were talking about.

That was
your vehicle.

Damn straight.

I... I... I had no idea,

and the least we can do
is return your packs.

They didn't happen to say
where they were going,
did they?

No,

but I can almost guarantee
they'll be back.

Why's that?

There was something
they wanted,
a hand-cranked generator.

We told them it'd be working
in a couple of days.

Hey, I don't mind
hanging out for a while,

but it's these kids, man.

They think I'm the answer
to their problems.

What do you think?

I'm thinking there's one
and only one shot

at getting
that truck back.

Look, if the invitation's
still open,

we, uh, we'll stick around
a couple days,

do what we can to help you
protect the children.

Oh, we'll take all the help
we can get.

All right.

Only fair to warn you,

until we find out who's been
hunting down our children,

I intend to watch
the two of you like a hawk.

We get that a lot.

The adults are all
freaked out.

Don't let it
get to you.

They think kids are weak,
but we can take care
of ourselves,

like huck finn and tom Sawyer.

"Huck finn, tom Sawyer."

Where'd you hear
about those guys?

Well, from books.
Our mom taught us.

We've got more than 80 books,

and I've just about
read 'em all.

Except for one. It's about
fixing air conditioners.

Hey, uh, would you happen to
have any history books?

Yeah,
only it's Roman history.

Mind if I borrow it?

Sure. Knock yourself out.

We knew
you'd stay and help.

It was part of the plan.

Yeah, listen,
about this plan,

no offense,
but I really don't believe

that you were
expecting us to show.

Just you. We didn't know
you had a partner.

Come on,
we'll show you.

I don't know, man.
I'm kind of curious, myself.

This is where they used to fix
all of the rides.

There's a lounge
right here.

It's right in here.

Well,
I'll be damned.

What? I suppose
you think that's me?

Well, it says "sucker,"
doesn't it?

It's a game.
It's an old pinball machine.

It's got nothing to do
with me. I swear to God.

God's not around anymore.

The forces of the dark
whaled on him.

"The forces
of the dark."

But the avenging angels
that survived,

they're guarding heaven,

and they can kick some
serious demon butt.

You can hear 'em
when it storms.

Thunder.

So you do know.
And the lightning...

Angel light.

It burns right through
the blood vultures.

Well, look, it seems to me

all you need to do is wait
for the next thunderstorm

and it'll come
and fry their sorry asses.

We can't wait.
There's too many of 'em.

More demons than angels.

He's right about that.

That's why
they sent you two.

Come on, over here.
Come on, gather 'round.

Ok, listen up.
Teams of two, all right?

No one goes out alone,
and we cover every inch
of this park, all right?

Got it.

What happened?

J.J.'S missing.

His mother thought
he went into town
with his dad,

but he just got back
and he hasn't seen
the boy, either.

So we're gonna need
your help.

Yeah, sure.

Anything?

I'll tell you, man,
this place is big,

a lot of stuff.

Whoa! Take it easy.

Sorry.

It's ok.

Whoever's doing this,
we want to get them
as much as you do.

J.J.!

J.J.!

J.J.!

J.J., if you can hear us,
call out.

Shit. Damn.

What have you got?

I think
it's the kid's hat.

Oh, man.

Blood, fresh.

We let these strangers
into our lives,

and look what happened.
I lost my baby!

Easy, Helen. It wasn't
either of these two.

You don't know that.

You can't be sure.

Could you give us
some time here?

Yeah.

Zach...

When God was alive,
he protected us.

He totally watched our ass,

but his throne
is now tipped over,

and his blood is on the grass.

His stuff
has all been ripped off.

His house is all ransacked.

His enemies got tipped off.

His posse all got whacked.

Listen up, it's quiet.

Listen up, it's calm.

Chukka-chukka pattawa,

chukka-chukka rom.

Chukka-chukka pattawa,
chukka-chukka rom.

Chukka-chukka pattawa,
chukka-chukka rom.

The angels have
sent us a guardian,

a messenger.

It wasn't
in time to save j.J.,

but I know that Jeremiah
won't let it happen again.

We'll never forget you, j.J.

We'll never forget you, Annie,

or star, or Ralph, or Celia.

Catch you in the after.

Amen.

Amen.

Any sign of him?

No, it's all clear.

We've got scouts
on rotating watch.

We'll wake you
for your patrol.

That, uh, ceremony,
it was something,
wasn't it?

Well, you know how it is.

Kids born after
the big death grow up fast.

So what do you think
is going on here?

I don't know,
but you saw the blood.

Whatever it is,
it couldn't have been pretty.

Come on, don't you start
getting superstitious
on me now.

Hey, I sure as shit
don't think
that it's a vampire,

but maybe somebody
wanted it
to look like it was.

Like abducting these kids
one by one
isn't scary enough?

Yeah.

You know, all that
God-is-dead,
avenging-angel stuff,

ain't the first time
I've heard it.

Oh, man,

less than a year ago,
I spent some time

with these people
at the Rio Grande.

They were raising beef.
Hmm.

The best barbecue,
you wouldn't believe.

These kids had this whole
religion thing going on,

and even more so
than the adults.

Satan, or some badass devil
had God evicted.

There was this
angels of light.

There was a whole damn army
just waiting to smoke him.

Wow, man.
I knew these people
in San Francisco

who lived underground
where the trains used to run.

Yeah.
Same kind of thing.

All the kids
hung together,

and they said
that same chant.

That chokka-chokka stuff?

Yes.
Yeah, yeah.

It was more than that,
though, man.

It was the light
versus the dark,

and they were thinking
that somebody was gonna
come and save them.

Only you weren't
the one, is my guess.

No, I wasn't, and that
made it a lot easier
to shrug off.

What is it?

All these kids
living in different places,

they all got
the same beliefs.

How does that happen?

Word of mouth,

traveling myths,
rumors...

On the wind.

Hey, man, no other way
to explain it.

It's just when
you're a kid,

it's so much easier
to let your imagination
get away with you.

Now, you are sure

that this bloodsucking
is bullshit, right?

I am sure.
Would you go to sleep, kurdy?

Just checking,
'cause sometimes
I worry about you, Jeremiah.

Red kiss.

Man, this is stupid.

You haven't seen Maia,
have you?

Zach's daughter,
a little 6-year-old?

No, why?
How long's she been missing?

A couple of hours.

She was here,
and then all of a sudden
she just disappeared.

There wasn't anybody
guarding the damn door?

Of course
we were guarding it!

There's no way anybody
could have gotten in here,

unless you know something
that we don't.

No, no. We were running
the perimeter of the park.

Well,
wasn't that convenient?

What's that supposed to mean?

You feel better now?

Do you?
You feel better?

Now, maybe we can start
looking for your daughter.

If anything happened to her...

We'll find her, Zach.

I knew Jeremiah
shouldn't have left.

The minute he did,
they got Maia.

He's here now.
He'll save her.

Don't worry.

He'll get
the blood vultures,

every last one.

Angels,

bless the chosen one.

Bless the chosen one.

Bless the chosen one.
Bless the chosen one.

I'll be damned.

What is it?

Aqueducts.

What?

The romans had
this kick-ass system

of delivering water
to Rome through aqueducts.

What do you mean,
like tunnels?

Yeah.

Yeah, but these
are probably for utilities,

you know,
electricity and shit.

Yeah.

They run all the way
through the park,

right under
where the kids sleep.

Bingo.

After you.

Man, I hate small spaces.
I've got claustrophobia.

Look, you want to turn around
and go back, you can.

No, it just sucks,
that's all.

Oh, come on.

Oh, no.

Look at that.

That's probably where
the son of a bitch
came in and out.

Oh, lookee here,
lookee here.

What is it, dope?

Smells like it.

Hemp papers.

You don't see that
every day.

It's Maia's.

She had it with her
last night.

We found this.

Whoever took her
must have dropped it

when they lifted her
out of there.

Joint.

Where would you get
weed around here?

All sorts of people
growin' it.

What about hemp papers?

Wait, of course.

A girl named chapelle,
she deals out of
a vagrant camp

west of gramercy,
she was through here

trying to trade pre-rolled
for some garden tools.

Hmm, you think you could
give us directions?

I'll come with you.

It's ok. You just...

I said I was comin' with you.

All right.

Hey,
you're chapelle, right?

Yeah.

Oh, hey, you need
some smoke?

New harvest is just in.

No, no, actually,

I was, uh, thinking about
some information.

Oh, yeah,
I don't sell that.

Really? You might want
to think about
giving some away, then.

No, thanks.
I've got plenty.

That look like
one of yours?

Amateur rolling job.
Definitely not.

What about the papers?

Could be. I traded
for a whole box of hemp papers

somebody salvaged
from an old head shop.

I'm almost out.

You mind?

This isn't even grass.

What is it, tobacco?

Who has tobacco?

It's an herbal mixture,

you know, poor man's ganja.

Skullcap, passionflower...

Mmm, damiana,
a little wild lettuce.

Where would somebody get
something like that?

Herbs? Why don't you
try an herbalist?

There's one in,
uh, gramercy.

Oh, yeah, medicine Joe.
He's kind of whacked.

Thanks.

Hey, you sure I can't interest
you guys in the real thing?

It's totally organic.

Oh.

Some other time.

Catch you later.

Afternoon.

Are you
medicine Joe?

Actually, my name's Adrian.

Ok.

You sell smoking mixtures,
medicine Adrian?

The best.

Guaranteed to boost
your sex drive,

purify your blood,

and get your dreams kicking.
Whoo!

You sell
a lot of it?

Here and there.

But this would have been
bought recently.

Don't really keep records.

Listen,
you son of a bitch...

The man who bought it
has my daughter.

I don't get involved
in other people's problems.

I just trade my cures.

Why don't you guys
let me, uh...

Listen,
if he knows something...

Then maybe we have a shot
at finding out what it is.

Don't let those guys
get you all freaked out.

I just wanted
to ask you something.

Now, suppose
somebody was afraid

of, uh,
the big death coming back,

what would you recommend?

Prayer.

Don't make me
repeat the question.

There is somethin',
but it's real, real expensive.

Keep talkin'.

While you've still
got the air.

It's blood.

It's blood,

Very special blood, guaranteed
to ward off the virus.

Tell me where it came from.

It's not me.

I'll tell you.
I'll tell you!

His name's magyar.

Place is in the old stockyard
east of town.

He's the only one around here
who buys my special mix.

He supplies me
with the blood,

the blood of the invincible.

What did he tell you?

I have
a pretty good idea

who might have taken Maia
and the other children.

I just need to scope
a few things out first.

If you know where she is,
I'm coming with you.
You can't ask me not to...

Look, when we've got
some manpower together,

you can lead point.
Until then, just hang back.

Ok?
All right. All right.

Where do we meet you?

Apparently,
there's some stockyards
at the edge of town.

Sure. Yeah,
I know 'em.

You know 'em?
Uh-huh.

All right, we'll wait
till sundown,
then make your move.

We've got 2 armed guards
posted around the kids.

Cord, Patrick, and me,
plus you and Jeremiah,

that makes 5 of us.

Ok, how many guns?

One per man.

Let's get goin'.

No, we don't move
till I give the word.

Screw that.
We're wasting time.

Look, you don't
like the rules of engagement,

then you can
park your ass right here.

We don't move until sundown.

He found the nest,
didn't he?

We heard you talking
about the stockyards.

Jeremiah found the vultures.

We don't know Jack right now,
all right?
And that's the truth.

It doesn't matter.
It's all been written.

He's gonna destroy them.
He's the messenger.

Excuse me.

This is killing me.

How can you guys stand around
and watch your kids

lose themselves in this little
fantasy world of theirs?

How come nobody sits down
and explains to them

what's real and what's not?

Kurdy, what you
don't understand is that
those stories and the myths,

it gives them comfort.

Do you know
who they think Jeremiah is?

We know.

And you know that's bullshit.

Now, these kids really think

that there are angels
up there watching over them.

We all want there
to be a heaven,

but wishin' and hopin'
is not gonna make it so.

Now, who's gonna level
with these kids

and let them know
that God is not the only one

who's evacuated heaven?

It's a ghost town up there
and nobody's home.

And the sooner these children
realize that, the better.

If what you said was true,
then there's no hope.

Not for us,
not for anybody.

Evil's gonna win,
isn't it?

Did you hear me say
there was no hope?

Did any of you
hear me say that?

Man, there's more hope
than you know,

but it's not
coming from some guys
wearing halos and wings,

flapping around
in white robes.

No, it's coming
from ordinary people,

from guys like me and Jeremiah

who are willing to put it
all on the line.

I mean, it's great
if you've got angels

taking care
of business for you,

but it takes a lot more guts
going after evil

when all you've got
is believin' in yourself
and what's right.

So there are heroes?

You damn straight
there are.

Heroes...
Are you kidding me?

There's heroes
all over the damn place.

Now, unless
I'm totally out of my mind,

I might be looking
at 3 in the making right now.

So look,
I need you to do me a favor.

You stay here,
you watch after
these other kids,

make sure they're safe.
We'll be back, all right?

You've got it, kurdy.

15 minutes, and we boogie.

Come on, Tommy.
Jeremiah needs us.

I hope you know, uh,
I only did what I did

because you were trespassing.

Uh, I'm not
a violent man.

You do
whatever you want to me,

just let these children go.

Oh, I can't do that.
Believe me, I can't.

What are you doing to them?

Giving their lives a purpose.

I... I... I know
what you must be thinking,
but I... I don't harm them.

Small amounts of
natural sedatives
to keep them calm,

that's it.

They're well cared for.

Ask them yourself.

The truth is
I'm helping these children,

helping them save lives,

and what I take,
their bodies replenish.

What the hell
are you talkin' about?

They're contributing
life-giving blood.

Is that what
your voodoo doctors told you?

It's what years
of painstaking study
have taught me.

Think about it.

15 years ago,
after the big death,

only the children survived.

Something in their blood
immunized them.

In case you hadn't heard,
the big death is over.

That's what
most people think.

That's what I thought,

but anything that virulent
doesn't just disappear.

It may go dormant,

but it's still out there.

As a matter of fact,

I have reason to believe that
a form of it is what caused

my blood disease.

The work I've done,

the experiments
that I've conducted,

they may prevent the death
from ever returning.

You're mainlining
these children's blood?

If you knew
it meant the difference
between your living and dying,

I don't think you'd be
as sanctimonious.

Most of my customers
are simply

patients who don't
want to die.

And you play on that fear,

trade on their terror,
is that it?

You know, I've got
the feeling that

if they knew
where it came from,

they'd think twice.

Nothing good has ever
come to this world
without sacrifice.

Who's out there?

What the hell?

Holy...

Jeremiah, you in here?

Anybody else?

Just magyar.

Maia!

So what the hell happened?

I was in good hands.

Girls, get back.

All right.

Your guy had plenty of time.

I want to see
that generator... now.

Right behind ya.

We got it workin'
like a charm.

I'll take it.

Let's see what you've got
for trade first.

Beth, get back!

No, I said I'll take it.

Guess you don't believe
in karma.

I don't know what
we would have done
if you hadn't shown up.

Thank you.

Listen, I, uh...

You don't have to.

No, I do.

I owe you an apology,

both of you.

Actually, I owe you
a lot more than that.

We've, uh, we've got
a surprise for ya.

What's that?

How... how did you
get the truck?

Well, there's no telling
what you're capable
of doing

when you're
really pissed off.

You know,

you guys should know
that you're not alone

in trying to make
a better world.

It may not seem like it,

but a better day
is coming,

and these kids,
they're gonna be
a big part of it.

I told you
he was the one.

No, no, I...

Hey, hey, hey.
What's the point?

Beth, here you go.

Keep it, kurdy.
It's for you.

Well, thank you, Beth,

but I think you definitely
need to take this.

All right,
let's go, sucker.

Dear dad,

I've been thinking lately
about the things

Monsters under the bed,

a stranger in the shadows,

things that go bump
in the night.

I'd come to you and mom,

crawl in your bed.

Suddenly, the world
felt safe again.

How could any of us
have known that nightmares

really do come true?

Perfect.

You can never be
too careful.