NightMan (1997–1999): Season 1, Episode 7 - Chrome - full transcript

NARRATOR: Johnny Domino
was one of San Francisco's

hottest young jazz musicians,

but fate and a cosmic event

were about to change
his life forever.

What the doctors told him
seemed impossible.

WALTON: John,
your brain has managed

to acquire the capacity

to pick up certain
frequencies like a radio.

But, Doc,
I'm only hearing bad stuff.

WALTON: Yes, exactly.

You're tuned
to the frequency of evil.



Who sent you?

Hold it, now.
I'm on your side.

RALEIGH: A whole new line
of super tools

developed for super policemen.

A belt which enables him
to overcome gravity.

Fabrics which are virtually
bulletproof.

A stealth mode, which makes him
seem to disappear.

A holographic display

which makes him appear
to be where he ain't.

DOCTOR: The concept
of astral projection

or teleportation

has been debated for centuries.

Can man leave his earthly body
during a sleep state

and travel to distant places?



There are eyewitness accounts

dating back to the 1600s
which attempt to prove
such phenomenon.

But today

marks the first time in history

that astral projection
will be proven

in a controlled demonstration

before scientifically
credentialed witnesses.

On the night of October 22nd,

Vanessa was struck by lightning,

permanently mutating a portion
of her cerebral cortex.

Almost immediately
she began experiencing episodes

she at first imagined
to be dreams.

Under a doctor's care,

it was determined
that she developed the ability

to transport herself
out of body to distant places.

The ability to virtually
be in two places
at the same time.

Now, my dear,
you know what is to happen.

Well,

don't be frightened of them.

They're all scientists
here to observe
your amazing power.

Now,

relax.

We've done this countless times.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Vanessa, rNST,
will now slip into a state

we term psychic slumber.

Watch.

And watch carefully

what no human being
has ever witnessed

under controlled
scientific conditions.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Dr. Swake.

Dr. Swake,
I must speak with you.

I have come here to ask you

specifically not to proceed.

You can't be serious.

DOCTOR: It's happening
for all the world to see.

A human being

literally existing
in two places at once.

If you will now direct
your undivided attention
to the monitors,

you will see
we are tracking Vanessa
in her very real state.

If you do not stop her,
young Vanessa will die.

MAN ON RADIO: Dr. Swake,
she's leaving the building.

She has cleared the entrance,
now she's walking outside.

DOCTOR: As you can see,
she's perfectly safe.

And we have security people
out there to assure that.

But historical tradition has it

that the danger in teleportation

is not for the traveler!

It is the host who remains
behind, who is linked
by what they call the...

the golden thread.

Now if this golden thread
is severed

when that spirit there
is wandering,

death is instant.

Folklore.

Oh...

No.

DOCTOR: Even if
what you're saying were true,

how could she be any safer
than by being here in front of
all these witnesses.

Witnesses.

Yes.

He's here.

DOCTOR: Who is here?

MAN ON RADIO: Sir,
she's leaving.

Perhaps it would be best
to bring her back now.

I believe we've proved

all we need to.

Did you hear me?
Bring her back now!

Vanessa, you must come now.
That's it.

Vanessa, don't worry.

You see, they've caught up
with her and everything is fine.

WALTON: Get Vanessa out of here.

She mustn't be awakened...

She cannot be disturbed
in this state.

No!

It's all right.

Vanessa, come this way.

MAN: Stay
right there, Vanessa...

MAN 1: We lost her.
MAN 2: Where'd she go?

She's dead.

How many more will he kill
before we can stop him?

I know this Parks,
I wonder what she's up to.

Oh, Charlie, who cares?

You know, ex-cop would go
any place for a free meal.

Besides, I think she's cute.

Yeah, well, personally,

the press offering
to pick up a meal of mine
affects my appetite.

Well, don't get up.

Hey.

Hi.

It's business,

and it's on the record.

Told you
there was no free lunch.

Lady, my policy is nothing
goes on the record I haven't
already read in the paper.

I've no problem with that.

My life's an open book.

Look, you don't need to be
so worried, Lieutenant,

you don't even know
what this story is about.

So, tell me,

just why
was your TV station buying?

Good, we'll get right to it.

There's something

or someone out there in the city
that's fighting criminals
in the dark of night.

Yeah, they're called cops,
we've been doing it for years.

We don't know
if it's to take over crime
in the city or to stamp it out.

But, a lot of people have been
aware of this sudden presence
in our community,

and no one's saying anything.

Lady, I got no idea
what you're talking about.

I think you do.

I'm talking about
some kind of private
crime fighter.

We're back to that caped demon
you claim you saw
a few months ago, are we?

Look, I'm not the only one
who saw... him, her, whatever.

Frank saw it, too.
Didn't you, Frank?

Well, not...
It's been years since anyone
had the bad judgment

to refer to Frank
as reliable source.

You take
a really good look

at something I had
our sketch artists put together
based on various reportings.

Frank, you said
that you saw kind of...

night creature the night
the beast was loose in the park.

I saw something.

I don't know what it was,
but there was something there.

Don't go there, Frank,
I'm warning you.

Go where, Dad?

You got some time off?

Hang on just a minute, Son,
we got something important
going down here.

Ms. Parks, you wanna show me
that drawing your sketch artists
came up with?

Was the night creature
you saw...

Did he look anything like...

Like this?

That's him, exactly.

Oh...

JENNIFER: And here is what
you Bay city residents

say you've been observing
across the skyline after dark.

Friend or foe?

Good or evil, no one
seems to know for certain.

But this station has decided
to post a substantial reward

to anyone
with proof of this person
or creature's existence.

So, get out those
home video cameras, folks.

Any idea when these sightings
first began?

Apparently about six months ago.

Oh, it's a good story, Jennifer.

Oh. Oh my God!

You saved my life,
that laptop's not even paid for.

You must be Ms. Parks.

I was just on my way to see you.

Me?
Yeah, your broadcast right now,

I think I have some information
that might be very useful
to you.

Oh, you know what? Uh,

if this is about the reward,
all information
has to be cleared upstairs.

Yes, I'm not interested
in any reward.

I'm interested in law and order.

You know what, I'm always
a little cynical about people
who aren't interested in money.

Even someone you said
just saved your life?

Okay, good point.

Um... What do you have for me?

I believe I know precisely
when your Night Man
came to power.

I also know
the how and why of it.

Interested?

Why don't we go back upstairs
to my office?

I prefer someplace
a little more private.

Sure.
Let's take a drive.

If you can't give me
a good reason

for insisting on why we come
way out here to talk,

I will get back in my car,
and I will call you a cab
to take you back.

October 22nd of last year,

your newspapers ran a story
about a freak electrical storm
that destroyed a cable car.

JENNIFER: Actually the cable car
was hit by lightning and then
subsequently struck by a bomb.

But the news reports
didn't differentiate

between who was injured
by the lightning
or the subsequent bomb.

A local musician was
the only one who was actually
struck by the lightning.

But that story
was overshadowed by the fact
that he threw a bomb off the car

and saved a lot of important
people's lives.

How did this musician know
the bomb was there?

Well, that's never been
entirely clear, but...

you know, he did it
and he became a big hero.

Has there ever been
any one person who's...

turned up more than once
in the proximity of these
Night Man sightings?

Only Johnny Domino.
The same musician.

I'd like to meet this big hero.

Can you arrange that?

I'm sure I could.

But, you know what,
you haven't given me
any reason to...

you know, on why I came
all the way out here.

Arrange the meeting,

and it will all become
clear to you.

MAN IN THE AUDIENCE: Yeah.

Yeah.

JOHNNY: Thank you.
Be back in ten.

Hey, Johnny,

you, uh... you have a guest.

Not now, Raleigh,
I got a bunch of phone calls to
return, including one from that

damn reporter.

I think you'll want to hear
what I want to say.

Johnny.

Doc.

Where have you been? I thought
you dropped off the planet.

Almost.

I went to seven continents
in four months.

By the look of you,
it wasn't much of a vacation.

No.

My mission was deadly serious.

Your life is in imminent danger.

So, uh, what else is new?

You've never come up against
an adversary like Joran.

Why do you want him dead?

So, picking up
a thought or two, I see.

That maybe the only thing
that'll save your life.

All right, Doc,
let's have it.

I discovered that you were not
the only one who was struck
by that cosmic lightning

on 22nd of October, last year,

there were others.

They're scattered
over seven continents.

All of them escaped death,

and they found
themselves with unique

mental and physical powers!

Unique in what way?

A girl in Spain

had mastered teleportation.

There was a boy in Buenos Aires.

He developed a remarkable
level of clairvoyance.

There was a young man
from Finland,

and he had
a level of self healing

which is nothing
short of biblical.

Right, you keep saying,
"had," as if...

as if they had lost
these powers.
Right.

Well, three of them had lost,

well, their lives.

They were murdered by Joran!

Why?

'Cause he believes
that by killing them

he can absorb their powers.

Uh, if I didn't know anything
about these children
of the cosmos, then...

how did they learn
about each other?

A fool allowed his notes
of the interrogation to...

get in the wrong hands.

And what fool was that?

Me.

Through my work, he's learned
where the others are.

But he doesn't know
who they are.

What makes you so sure that...
that I'm gonna be Joran's
next target?

Because I followed him here.

Break's getting
a little long, Johnny.

Yup, yeah, I...
I'll be right there.

Oh, and the TV news cast
have brought someone in
that she wants you to meet...

after your show.

WALTON: Johnny, I want you
to take my warning seriously.

You've never encountered
anyone like this Joran before.

Yeah, yeah, I hear you, Doc.

If this guy comes around,

I'll handle it.

Now, that's my kinda music.

Swing's very big right now.

It's making a comeback.

Too bad you aren't.
Yeah.

Hey, Charlie, did you ever
learn how to dip?

Sure, Frank, I can dip.

Yeah.
You wanna see me dip?

Dips right into the boots.
Hey, Allison.

Hey, Allison.
Usual.

I'm buying.

Oh, what's the occasion?

I want your help, Frank.

Important case, huh?

Hardly. More like an inane story
that broke on TV about
a mysterious crime fighter.

Yeah, I saw that.

What do you think about that?

I think it's something
we don't need in this city
right about now.

So, how do I help?

You can help
by not adding fuel to fire.

You can help by laying off
this big red eye story, Frank.

Well,

I saw what I saw, Charlie...
Frank, our switch boards

are lit up all over this city,
with cretins calling in about
sightings of this caped wonder.

You know what those
police lines are for,

reporting crimes.

You couldn't get through
right now if you were
the President,

and your hair coloring
was stolen.

Well, all right, Charlie,
so you got a problem.

I'll tell you what I'll do,
I'll keep a low profile, okay?

I'd appreciate it.

Mr. Dominus, hi.
Hi.

I'm sorry to interrupt,
but I'm here with a guest
I think you might want to meet.

Well, if you didn't interrupt,
you wouldn't have to say
you're sorry.

Mr. Joran maybe the world's
leading authority on mysterious
figures who appear in the night.

I'd like very much to meet him.

Frank.

Because I'm a skeptic.

I mean... I... In fact,
I don't even know
what I saw anymore.

Damn it.

I hear he's quite the hero.

Yeah, he's got
all the moves, that kid.

It's instinctive with him.

I mean, it's just something
he just kinda
naturally inherited from...

well, from a long line of cops.

I bet you wanted him to
be a cop too, then, huh?

Yeah, well...

Johnny loves his music.

But I tell you,

had he become a cop,

that kid would've gone
all the way.

I mean look at him.

He's as agile as a dancer.

Yet, as strong as an ox.

He's got all the moves of a...

jungle predator.

The moves of a jungle
predator, huh?

What did you say?

Johnny.
WOMAN IN CROWD: You all right?

It actually occurred to me
that this... Johnny fellow
might be the Night Man.

That's a joke.

Look, would you excuse me?

You're the joke, Mr. Superhero.

But we'll make a show of it.

What happened?
Johnny, you okay?

You all right?

Yeah, yeah.

JOHNNY: Sorry, ladies
and gentlemen.
I'll be back in ten.

Enjoy Big Time Operator.

Wow.

That was quite a fall.

Certainly was.

Now I must be going.

Wait a minute, I thought
you wanted to meet him.

Another time.

Now, excuse me.

Where is he?

Who?
That scum
you brought in here tonight.

Mr. Joran had to go home...

WALTON: Johnny,
you mustn't confront him
on his own ground.

Stop him, Raleigh.

Yeah, I'll do my best.
Wait...

Would you mind telling me
what's going on here?
Yes, it's very very simple.

The man you brought with you
is gonna kill Johnny.

Not a very positive
performance, Johnny.

Now show me what you can do.

Just as I thought.

Without your little
nightgown, you're...

quite pathetic.

Tell me, Johnny. Did you get
absolutely nothing
from the cosmic millennium?

You got the wrong guy.

I don't know
what you're talking about.
Oh, I think you do.

You see, there could only be
one man of the hour,

one superhero.

And that is going to be me.

You call yourself a superhero.

You're killing people.

No, the natural pruning process
of the universe

to prepare a way for a rose.

You must first clear out
the weeds.

Oh, well,

Rose,

I have news for you.

I'm gonna nip you in the bud.

Amusing, Johnny.

Considering all your so called
tools of superiority
you've borrowed.

From what I can tell,

you got nothing to show
for your little...
cosmic dance with lightning.

Where as I am...

left with powers
that even dazzle me.

Ah, forget the hose,
it won't reach.

So, that's the talent.

Oh, Johnny, it's pitiful.

You getting worried, Johnny?

Why bother?

You don't wanna
finish the job here.

Not a big enough audience.

We'll meet again, Johnny.

Very soon.

Nice car.

Johnny. Hey!

RALEIGH: Johnny.

What happened, man?

Joran happened.

How did he get the drop on you?

That's the bad part.

He stood

right out in the open,

said he was gonna kick my butt,
and then did it.

You weren't prepared.

How'd you stop the car?

I didn't, the guy
who started it, stopped it.

Joran wants to toy with me
some more.

Yeah, well, once you get into
full battle gear,
he's gonna regret this.

Oh, I wouldn't
count on it, Raleigh.
I'm counting on it.

I'm counting on it.
We're gonna bring
this Joran guy down. I mean...

What kind of monster
makes a guy's own car
turn against him?

JOHNNY: You were right.

He's more than I can handle.

Not necessarily.

Remember,

every attempt he makes
will be evil.

Right. Right,
so you'll be able to read
what he's gonna do

before he does it.

Knowing someone's gonna drop
a building on you
a split second before it happens

isn't much of an edge.

Look, we gotta work
with what we've got.

He wants to lure you
into a duel.

Oh, Doc,
there's not gonna be a duel.

I don't have the weapons.

Good evening, Ms. Parks.

You scared the hell out of me.

You here all alone?

Uh,

at this hour
I have to do my own research.

What do you know
about a series of coincidental
electrical disturbances

that lit up seven continents
at the same precise hour,

October 22nd of last year.

Hmm, who told you
about that day?

Dr. Walton,

who... also said that
you're not a man to be trusted.

That you went
to the House of Soul last night
to kill Johnny Domino.

He said that
you were responsible
for the accident on stage.

And did he stop to explain
how I might've accomplished
such a sinister act

while sitting there beside you?

No, he was in a hurry to leave.

You were actually
in a hurry to leave as well.
Why was that?

Why don't we cut to
what you really want to know.

What if told you

that this super presence
you call, "Night Man,"

is the personification of evil.

And with your help
I might be able to identify him,

possibly even capture him
in an act
that would prove his guilt.

I'm listening.
All you gotta do is be there
with the camera crew

to assure the world
of this historical event.

Oh, you're pretty sure
of yourself, aren't you?

For a woman who is having
the story of a lifetime
dumped in your lap,

you don't seem
too pleased, Ms. Parks.

I don't know, I guess I've been
in the hopes that this Night Man
might be someone this city could

use right about now.

Someone heroic.

A climax I'm offering
for your story

will have plenty of heroics.

Brave of you to agree
to meet me, Doctor,

considering you consider me
the devil incarnate.

I shall feel far safer
if I can confront you.

Confrontation, I live for it.

This Night Man, for example,

his end will be extraordinary.

Joran,

I don't know how insane you were
before you were struck
by lightning.

But now, you definitely
need to be locked up.

If you think Night Man
is the one
who'll put an end to me,

you've backed the wrong soul.

I have not been here
to get to know anything
about this Night Man.

But I have been tracking you
and your evil work
all over the world.

And I intend
to make an end of it.

Doctor, is that a firearm?

You forget that I work for
the United States government.

I was hoping
it wasn't gonna come to this.

As a federal agent,

I'm now perfectly entitled
to take you into custody
for murder.

Thank you.

I'm gonna make one stop.

You'll make no attempt
to leave the car.

I've given the gun instructions
to shoot if you so much as move.

You expect me to believe that?

Fire and miss.

As I told you, Doctor,

you've aligned yourself
with the wrong star-child.

What do you want?

Johnny Domino is the Night Man,

a sorry soul who uses
add-on components
to attempt superiority.

I don't know anything
about this Night Man.

But Johnny's powers
are extraordinary.

I'm betting he keeps his toys
in what he presumes to be
a secure place.

Except when he goes out thinking
they might be needed.

Hey, you can't do that.

Yeah, thanks.

I've got a bad feeling, Raleigh.
There's no sign
of Walton anywhere.

He's just disappeared.

Exclusive footage
of an explosive,
broad-daylight robbery.

This one make you
feel any better?

JENNIFER: Pay close attention
now, to the footage
you're about to see.

Night Man got away with $50,000
in broad daylight,

proving once and for all
that he's certainly
no Robin hood.

You seem to know
just where to be,
with your camera crew.

[PHONES RINGING
IN THE BACKGROUND]

What is it you want?

You're being used.

The criminal you have on camera
is not Night Man.

How do you know that?
I know.

Well, that's very helpful.

Uh, care to add to this hunch?

Look, I'll prove it to you.
You just have to trust me.

Why should I?

You've never given me a thing
about this Night Man,

and I know you know
more than you're telling me.

Would you deny that?

Exactly. Look, I...
I have a job to do,

and if you're not with me
you're against me.

Now, I know you didn't come here
to sell me on some vague hunch.

You want something.
Something specific.

I want you to tell me

the next time you're tipped off
to where Night Man's gonna be.

If I do that,
then I'll lose my informant.

Joran?

How do you know that name?

I'm warning you,

be careful.

I guess what we have here
is a stalemate.

You tell me nothing,
I tell you nothing.

Wait.

One question.

Do you believe that Night Man
is the incarnation of evil?

No.

And in your heart,

where it counts,

neither do you.

RALEIGH: Dr. Walton
is still missing and I think
it's time to go to the police.

JOHNNY: No, no, he wants me
and I want him.

Johnny, this whole thing
is a trap, man.
I know his weakness.

I can beat him.
Come on, now.

All you've gotta do
is go out there
and get yourself killed.

If he wanted me dead,

he would've done it right away
just like he did the others.

He has another agenda.

And what is that?

He wants a show.

He wants to defeat me,
and in front of as many people
as possible.

Right, right.

Maybe that can be
to my advantage.

Oh, really?
Yeah, yeah.

Well, tell me, Johnny, please,
because I don't understand,
I mean,

how does public humiliation
lessen the pain of dying?
'Cause I don't know.

Please.
He's telling me
how to beat him, Raleigh.

How?
Joran's fatal weakness,

his Achilles heel...

is his vanity.

And...

So, Joran sees himself
as a handsome man.

We can change that.

Yeah, okay. Right,
make this image larger.

Here you go.

Now, what do you want?

Make his nose and chin bigger.

Big.

Okay.

Okay
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And his cheeks.

Little big.
Man, I don't think
that he's gonna like this.

That's the point.
Oh, yeah?

JENNIFER: Who describes himself
as the world's number one
crime fighter at large,

now promises to deliver
Night Man into police custody
tomorrow night at midnight,

at a site to be revealed
exclusively by this reporter.

We'll be there
so you can be there.

You know what, that was
a terrible photograph of me.

I... I look nothing like that.

Well, we'll get a flattering
full-face shot
during the showdown.

What showdown?

I haven't told you
about any showdown yet.

Yeah, Johnny Domino did.

He said, "The real Night Man
will be at the old world's
fairground at midnight

to show the phony Night Man
up for the impostor he is."

And did he explain
how he could deliver
the Night Man?

No, but then, neither did you.

Will your Night Man
accept the challenge
and be there?

Will your cameras be there
to show the public
who the real hero is?

You think the station
would miss it?

Then, I can promise you
that the real Night Man
will be there.

Oh, Night Man.

Night Man.

Come out, come out
wherever you are.

Is that you, Joran?

This won't work.

The cameras
will not be able to see a thing.

Neither will you.

And that should even the odds.

Night Man, where are you?
Show yourself.

Up here.

This simply won't do.

Okay.

Is this better?

Well, I was hoping
you'd be in uniform.

Your wish is my command.

How do you like me now?

Too bad,

your face loses
a little something in the fog.

Well, you too are gonna lose
a little something in the fog.

Advantage, Night Man.

You see,

I know what you're gonna do
before you do it.

Advantage, Mr. Chrome.
It won't help you.

Wait, wait, I...
I hear voices over here.

This way, Ms. Parks,

and make sure the camera crew
turns on the lights.

JENNIFER: Do you see them?
Let's try over there.

I believe you're about to go
center stage, Mr. Superhero.

Keep talking, Joran.

Looks like I'm gonna have to
take you for a little ride.

You see, the bell was just
simply to maneuver you

to stand dead center
on a remotely detonated
claymore land mine.

Okay, wait, wait.
I hear their voices over here.

It's time to go.

Oh, did I forget to mention

I'm not here?

Come on, hurry with that camera.

Neither am I.

RALEIGH:
Scratch one holographic device.

I guess, for a good cause.

Will you get that camera off me?

It's those two we're...

we're here to shoot.

What have you done?

You look upset, Joran,
what's gone wrong?

I'll settle with you
soon enough.

End of the line, Joran.

For the good Doctor
if you take one step
towards my body.

It's your choice, Mr. Superhero.

Kill me,

or kill the doctor.

JORAN: How do you like that?

We'll meet again, Night Man,

after I've tended
to previous commitments
elsewhere around the planet.

Don't stay with me.

You've got him on the run,
finish him.

Not a fair trade, Doc.

You who I think you are?

Come on.
I got you loose...

Let's get out of here.

Well, I guessed
the right star-child after all.

Not as bad as I thought.

Mm.

Mm...

That was a great dinner.

I still don't know
why you insisted on paying.

You missed your story.

Well, actually,
the big one's yet to come.

Exposing the true identity
of Night Man.

I'd love to hear sometime.

I gotta go, I'm running late.

Actually, give me
a couple of minutes.

Humor me.

What is it?

See, I was thinking, um,

it's either one thing
or the other. See,

either you can't keep a promise

or you can't be at two places
at the same time.

When did I make you a promise?

This afternoon on the phone.

See, in return for helping
Night Man show up

at the same time as the phony,
and without anything
to show for it,

he promised
that he'd let my crew

get a shot of him
leaping off a building.

You spoke to Night Man?

Actually, I thought
I was speaking to you.

See,

yeah, I...
I've been sitting here

wondering how you're gonna
slip out
to fulfill that promise.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Did you say eight o'clock?
Because it's
just past eight now.

See, I was thinking that
if he doesn't show up tonight,

that you just can't be at two
places at the same time.

I really gotta go.

I'm late.
Yeah, guys.

Yeah, pack up the equipment.

Okay. Wha...

You know what, Mike?
I think that two out of three
is pretty good.

Yeah, thanks
for all your help, guys.

MAN ON PHONE:
We're out of here.
Okay.

Well, I'll be darned.

Maybe there really
is a Night Man.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God, Mike?
Mike, come back.

Yeah, come back, Mike.
Please come back.

Okay.

Johnny Domino,

you owe me.

Stop.

Stop.

Stop.

Stop!