The Dresden Files (2007–2008): Season 1, Episode 1 - Birds of a Feather - full transcript

When I was a kid,
my father told me

there were no such things
as monsters,

my nightmares were just
figments of my imagination.

As I got older I had to wonder:

Was he lying to me

or just wrong?

Dad!

Dad!

Harry,

Harry, come on, what is it?
I'm trying to fix my ring finale.

The closet.



There's something in there.

- I can hear it breathing.
- Okay, okay.

I'll look.

It's just a closet, Harry.

I saw the door move.

I got something for you,

okay?

What is it?

This was your mother's.

Go ahead, open it.

It's a shield bracelet.

I never really
knew how it worked

but your mother said
it protected her

and she wanted you to have it.



Why didn't it save her?

She wasn't wearing it.

Why not?

I don't know.

Whatever killed mom,

I'm going to find it

and when I do,

I'll rip its heart out.

Hey, good morning.

Got that right

Are you okay?

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine,
I was just... you?

Surprisingly rested...

despite my lack of sleep.

What time is it?

It's 7:10.

I'm late! Oh man. Oh man!

Where are my pants?

I got to go.

- Drop by the Diner later?
- All right.

Bob, where are my keys?

I left my jeep at the diner.

Careful.

These equations are very precise

and if you walk through them,

I will start belting show tunes

from the 16th century.

Please, anything but that.

Okay, you seen my keys?

I'm parked on the wrong side
of the street.

- The girl is gone?
- The girl is Laura,

and yes while gone,
rests gentle in my thoughts.

- Any locker room accounting?
- No,

but you know what? I had that dream
again about my dad.

That's the 3rd time this week.

I'd say we're moving
away from dreams

and into signs and portents.

I've seen this formula before.

I'm redesigning
a pet project of mine

from before my'forced'retirement.

I call it the doom box.

Oh, that's catchy.
What does it do?

It's a bit of a supernatural
jack-in-the-box.

It contains and then amplifies

natural energy
so that when you open it...

well,

pop goes the weasel.

That was in that book you wrote.

My first grimoir.

Your uncle had a copy of it.

I believe you burned it.

- Some pretty nasty stuff in there, Bob.
- Yes, well, it served him well,

as did I,

right up until you...

self-defenced him to death.

Give a break on this skull ghost.

I found'em.

Why do you do this to me, huh?

Why can't I just...

Is this you? Harry Dresden?

Where'd you come from?

- Did you follow me from my office?
- You're a wizard, right?

- I don't do parties, I don't teach magic.
- Wait,

I've got monsters.

- What?
- Monsters.

If you don't do anything to help,
they're going to kill me

and my mom.

- Why would they do that?
- I don't know,

but I'll pay you $5,000 to find out.

Where you gonna get $5,000, kid?

Put that away.

Put it away.

Listen

- kid...
- Scott.

- Here you go, Harry.
- Scott

Laura, thank you.

Look,

monsters,

they're not out to kill you

or your mom, all right.

- How can you be sure?
- I can't,

but for the most part,

monsters don't exist.

These ones are real.

I've heard them two nights ago,

clicking and scratching
outside my door.

I'd love to take your money,
I really would,

but I couldn't live with myself
knowing I'd taken advantage

of an imaginative kid

who really shouldn't be cashing out
his college savings bonds

for hiring wizards

out of the phone book.

You've gotta help me.

I am.

Walking away.

Save your money

and you go to school,
college, whatever.

College, right.

Thanks Laura.

- Lieutenant Murphy.
- Hey morning Murphy,

- how's things?
- Gruesome.

- What's your problem?
- Hey why does there have to be a problem?

Can't I just call you to say:

- Hey?
- Spill it, I'm busy.

Well listen, my car got booted

and I was just wondering,
you know

if maybe you could do
that cop thing and...

- get it unbooted.
- Sorry, Harry,

pay the fines.

- Parking tickets.
- Maybe I'll do a little magic

and make this car disappear.

Okay, so, what do we got?

Folks saw her come home
last night and after that,

nobody saw her or anything,

until the postman opened
the door and...

found the body.

Victim's female. 35.

- ID, credit cards?
- Both missing along with the car.

- Tracking them now.
- Did you talk to the victim's co-workers

or friends to see if
anyone has a grudge?

Not many friends unfortunately.

As far as her job is concerned,
she's a floater.

The district moved her around a lot.

We're having trouble tracking down
her current assignment, city records.

We're sure this is the woman
who lives here?

I'll let you know
when we find her face.

So, our guy kills her,

skins her then poses her.

Assuming she was dead
when she was skinned.

Thing is, if she was killed here,

where's all the blood?

Harry, this morning

you were speaking about your father

and I poured salt into
an old wound

and mentioned your uncle.
That was unkind.

Apology accepted, Bob.

No, there's more
to it than that.

I fear I have put
you in a bad mood,

clouded your judgment
about this child,

made you dismiss

his concerns

when you would have
otherwise accepted them.

You mean, take his money?

Harry,

I am not being avaricious now.

You were once a frightened boy

and now a frightened boy
has come to you.

It is not inconceivable

that his fear is based

- in a certain truth.
- I'm not taking money off a kid.

I know, I know.

I also know

that if there is any truth
to his claim

and he were to be harmed,

you would never forgive yourself

and I would have to endure
the ensuing months

of self flagellation. So,

don't take his money, but

do take him at his word.

See if his monsters are real.

Have someone look into the records

of the High Council.

And that someone would be...

Melissa?

She of the languid eyes.

When they're not rolled
back in her head.

Here you go,

- fries and a chicken salad.
- Thanks, Laura.

- Who's your friend, Harry?
- Oh, it's Melissa.

Laura, this is Melissa.

- Melissa, this is...
- Laura. Yeah.

How do you do?

Well, I do quite well.

Got everything? Good!

Nice place, not big
on service though.

All I need is a quick through
the High Council records, all right.

- Just simply a status check.
- Nothing is simple with you.

It's Scott

and Cheryl Short. Okay?

Kid...

and his mom. The kid thinks
he's being targeted

and I just want to make sure there's no
cosmic debt hanging over them.

- Anything at all.
- Okay, so let me get this straight.

You want me to do an
unauthorized records check

- in exchange for a chicken salad?
- Can you please just do this for me?

- It's just for the kid, you know.
- You know what, you just...

shut up and eat, mainly shut up.

You're not doing it here.

Oh, please.

I'll be right back.

Nothing.

- Nothing at all?
- Job's not listed.

Now what do you say you take those fries to
go so I can enjoy my chicken salad in peace?

You know, that sounds like
a really good idea.

Okay guys, come on.
Chop, chop, let's go.

- You okay Scott?
- Yeah.

Hey Scott?

I'd like you to stay a little
after school today.

- Did I do something wrong?
- Oh no, no, no.

You just have a really good grip
on some of the spelling lessons.

I thought maybe you could help
some of the other kids study for the test.

- Okay, sure.
- We'll talk about it later.

Scott?

And Melissa is positive
there is nothing looming?

I told you, Bob,
there's no case.

Well,

why don't you go tell
the boy that, at least?

Because I don't have an address.

Find some organic residue

and cast a searching spell.

Perhaps the boy left some snot

- under the Diner's table.
- Bob!

What?

Where there's children,
there's snot.

I saw them.

They're out there man. Monsters!

It's all right. It's all right.

This isn't the first time.

I've taken him to doctors

and to therapists.

- And they haven't helped?
- For a while.

But then,

it starts off small,
with the way

someone looks at him or...

a sound

and then...

he just builds and builds and...

then someone like you shows up.

Yeah.

Can I ask a delicate question?

S ure.

Is there a man in the picture?

There used to be,

but he wasn't interested
in being a father.

Therapists are
all over that one.

Scott is nervous,
Scott is at sea.

Scott is exploring personas

and interested in taking
control of his environment.

Everybody's all very educated

and completely useless.

Has anyone ever tried...

a little magic?

That should do it.

- What exactly does this do?
- It's a protection symbol.

When you inscribe
this in copper,

you can use it to deflect energy.

You see this?

This has saved my bacon
more times than I can count.

Look, you don't need to make
yourself bullet proof or anything,

but if you hang this on your wall

or your door,
this should keep away anything

that means you harm.

Hey mom,

maybe I could get this tattooed
on my chest or something?

Maybe we should just start
with your bedroom door.

All right.

Hey Whitney, what's up?

Scott left his backpack at school.

Oh, I'm sorry,

- I didn't mean to interrupt.
- No, no. It's okay.

This is Mr. Dresden.
This is Scott's teacher,

- Whitney Timmons.
- Nice to meet you.

Oh okay, well I'll get
out of your way.

- I should be getting back.
- Can I pay for your cab?

- No, no, please, you don't need to do that.
- No, I insist.

Oh, that's very kind.

Okay, but look, you don't hesitate
to call if you know, anything,

- anything at all.
- Okay.

- Okay, bye.
- Thank you.

- Nice to meet you.
- You too.

So how is Scott?

Come on in.

Whitney, are you okay?

Fine.

I just remembered I forgot
to lock my classroom.

Could you tell Scott

- we hope to see him tomorrow?
- Okay.

Just tell Laura I stopped by.
Would you?

I'd appreciate that.
And keep that.

Thanks, Harry.

There you are.
Can I get coffee to go please?

- Hey Murphy.
- Hey, you got a minute?

- Got a tough one.
- Well, if it's on the clock.

I can put in a requisition,
but I need the answer now.

All right, what's up?

Female, deceased,

completely skinned.
I mean completely.

Wearing clothes, no blood,

no sign of forced entry,
no sign of a struggle.

One minute she's going about her business,
the next she's dead, skinned

and giving me a headache.

I'll show you the crime scene but
what's your first thought?

My first thought?
My car still booted?

I'll take care of it.
What's your second thought?

Xipe totec.

- What's that?
- The Flayed God.

- It's a meso american deity.
- English.

Oh Aztec, Olmec, Mayan,
that kind of stuff.

Flaying people,
favourite pastime.

- I'm looking for an aztec killer?
- I don't know what you're looking for,

but I'm looking for a little
financial appreciation.

Get in the car.

So what do you think?
School tomorrow?

Sure, just don't lose that.

It's going on the door.

Close your eyes, okay.

See you in the morning.

You need tape for that.

Go to sleep, tiger.

The neighbour saw her
come home last night.

The car is gone along
with her credit cards.

No one saw anyone come in or leave,

no sounds, nothing.

What?

When did she die?

Around 11:00 o'clock.

What did she do?
What was he job?

School teacher.

Whitney Timmons.

- She's dead?
- How'd you know her name?

You got to make a call for me.

We gotta go.

Killing someone, walking
around in their skin.

There's a pretty short list
of things that can do that.

A list of one. A Skin Walker.

You know the worst nightmare
you ever had when you were little,

the scariest thing you've ever
imagined lurking in the closet

or under the bed? Skin Walker

- is worse.
- Damn.

C heryl?

Cheryl, Cheryl,
are you all right?

He's gone. A man took him.

He's gone.

- Two rings.
- I loved my father.

- Completely solid...
- He could sing like Sinatra

and yet...

Unfortunately,

he was a magician.

Watch now,

as matter is changed

and the laws of nature

are broken.

Bear with me

because I got a big finish.

Are you ready? Here we go.

Don't you ever,
ever do that again.

Not to me and especially

- not in public!
- Dad...

- I...
- No. Harry, Harry,

this isn't funny, all right.

Now you are going down
a dangerous road, kiddo.

You were dying out there.
I had to do something.

Harry, I want you
to listen to me, okay.

What you can do, what you have,

that is a loaded gun

and there are people
who are going to want that gun

and they are going
to want to use you

to do things

that you're not going to want to do.

Do you understand
what I'm saying?

No.

Who you are, what you can do,

you keep it to yourself,
all right?

You tell no one and
you show no one,

okay?

Or I won't be able to protect you.

Okay, just because I'm a wizard

doesn't mean I don't make mistakes.

Which brings me to the downside
of my profession.

If you're a janitor
and you fail,

someone ends up with
gum on their shoe.

If you're a wizard and you fail

people can end up dead.

Any ideas?

Yeah.

The woman that was
skinned, the teacher,

you gotta put her face on tv and
tell people to keep a lookout for her

but not to approach her
because she's...

- dangerous.
- The woman is dead, Dresden.

Yeah, I know.

But let's just say her killer's looking
a lot like her these days.

You got to ask Cheryl

and ask the school where
she worked, okay.

Hey,

what's going on?

Just look for Whitney Timmons,
please, just, just

just do that.

Cheryl.

You all right?

He tried to tell me.

Okay, you know what, we're
going to find him, all right?

Okay.

Now look, I'm going to
ask you some questions.

Do you or Scott's father,

do you possess certain...

abilities and powers?

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

Okay, this is going
to sound crazy,

but have you noticed birds

hanging around you
or hanging around Scott?

Yes. Yes.

Ravens,

crows?

Yes,

ever since the day
we brought him home.

They're everywhere.

When my jeep got booted

I didn't realize that was gonna be
the best part of my day.

Since then, I screwed up
things with Laura,

failed to save a frightened kid

and now, it look like I was going up
against the Skin Walker and...

the Raven clan.

Mercenaries.

Muscle for hire.

Stubborn, clever.

Ruthless.

Cheryl says they've been
hanging around Scott

- forever.
- Watching,

waiting for the moment to strike.

You know what I don't get?

- What?
- These Skin Walkers,

right, they're major
league heavy hitters.

I mean it's serious
business, okay.

So what a raven is doing here
that a Skin Walker can't?

Well there was a protective
rune over Scott's door.

Perhaps the Skin
Walker couldn't pass.

Raven's are morally neutral,
they're not tainted enough

to set off the warding.

Look morally tainted enough
to kidnap a kid.

Look what it says here:
Raven - creatures of haven,

follow migratory patterns,

So that's mean they like
to come back to the same place

- over and over again.
- Once a raven builds a nest,

it almost always
goes back to it.

A nester.

Dresden, it's me, open the door!

Melissa? Melissa what is it?

What are you doing?

Oh God, I'm in trouble,

- serious trouble.
- What are you talking about?

Have you seen the news?

The school teacher,

The missing boy. He's the one
you were asking about right?

- Yeah, that's my case, yeah.
- The boy, Scott,

you have him right? I mean
you have him hidden, he's safe?

- What?
- Just answer

my question, Harry. I mean
if you have him just tell me.

I don't have him.

- You really don't have him?
- Can you tell me what the hell's going on?

She said she'd kill me.

Skin Walker!

She came to see me
a couple of days before you did.

She wants the boy.

He has the gift.
It's just not manifested yet.

So when I came to
talk to you about him,

you lied to me.

How did Scott acquire the gift?

From the mother or
from the father?

He's an orphan.

He was placed.

So Cheryl's not even
his biological mother.

Harry, please, just tell me
that you have him

- or you know where he is.
- Well that's funny, because I thought maybe

your Skin Walker buddy
might have him.

You know, that's what we were
kind of thinking.

I'm sorry, Harry.

- Harry? The protective wards.
- What are you doing?

What are you doing? Why are you
leaving this place wide open.

Okay,

you're still working for her, huh?

I didn't have a choice, Harry.
Please?

Melissa.

Harry!

We should talk.

I miss Florida.

Look, I'm sorry, Harry.

I know, I know,
it's hard on you. The travel.

We'll get there.

Dad?

When you were on
stage last night...

we got a call

from uncle Justin.

He's in town.

He said he wanted
to talk to you.

Did he say what about?

He said...

it was about me.

You belong to the uncle, right?

Justin Morningway?

Tell me Bob, when Dresden slaughtered
his uncle, what did you do?

Just stand there,

like you're doing now?

If you hurt him,
you will regret it.

This much be torture for you.

Once all powerful.

Now impotent.

You're a shadow of your
former self,

literally.
An inconsequential spirit.

But you know, if you
want to save him,

just tell me where
he took the boy.

We were under the assumption,
you had him.

If I had him... would I be here

doing this?

We don't know where he is.

Really?

I can't believe Scott's teacher
is involved.

I can't either.

Have you got kids?

A daughter.

Anna, she's 9.

Must be hard on her,
you working these hours.

She's with her dad a lot.

I'm sorry.

Sorry would have been staying married.

You know,

the day I brought Scott home,

at the minute I walked
through that door,

I thought something
is going to ruin this.

Something is gonna happen.

Then when my husband left,

I thought that was it.

How bad could it get?

But we managed.

I have to ask.

The father,

could he have had
something to do with this?

No,

he never wanted Scott.

Besides, now he's got kids
of his own.

Kids of his own?

He's not Scott...

you adopted!

Cheryl,

why didn't you tell us this before?

Was it legal?

Cheryl,

this is important. If there's trouble
in Scott's background,

it might help explain
what's happening now.

I just wanted a baby.

So bad.

Tell me where I can find the boy

and I'll go away.

I wish I knew.

I can take your skin, you know.

And I don't have to do it fast.

One finger at a time,
a couple of toes.

Work my way up
to the good parts.

- As you keep me out of trouble.
- Where is the boy?

Stop it. Stop it!

I'll tell you.

The Ravens, the Ravens took him.

We thought they were
working for you.

- Where are they nesting?
- We don't know.

Look, there's a feather on the floor
taken from the crime scene.

Use it to find them.

Torture someone else, just...

get out.

Oh, you're lucky, Dresden.

If it were up to me, I'd be wearing
your skin right now.

Thank you for being so helpful.

"If it were up to me..."

She wasn't going to skin me.

She's working for somebody.

Somebody that doesn't
want you dead.

- Oh Harry, I was suckered.
- It's all right.

No, no, it's not all right.
The boy's in danger

and we have no leads.

Actually,

- we do.
- Yeah, we know.

- Scott's adopted.
- Where'd she get him?

What adoption center?

There wasn't one.
She picked the baby up

at an old methodist church
on the north side.

Said the whole thing was
arranged by the minister.

- You got an address?
- 5321 Henders way,

but it's been shut down for years.

Well sounds like a dead end.

Okay Murphy, I'll get
back to you, all right?

Thanks, thanks, bye.

Dresden, I am so sorry.

- I wouldn't...
- Later, Bob.

- How long do we have?
- This Skin Walker is no wizard,

but she could manage
a tracking spell

- with an hour's effort.
- An hour.

- Okay, I need something from you.
- Name it.

The doom box.

Put yourself in Harry's place.

Justin, I am in his place.

We are out here together.

I can change that.

- Over my dead body.
- All I'm saying

is that my side of the family
is well versed in these situations.

Well, it didn't save
his mother did it?

He needs to be with others
like himself

so that he can get a better
understanding of his place in the world.

Try to take emotion out of this.

You're not helping Harry.

Are you saying you're
going to help him?

I can give him insight...

And then, when
he has this insight...

what are you going
to do with him?

Are you going to use him
as a secret weapon for whatever

ridiculous shadow wars
you and Margo are fighting.

Settle scores
with the High Council?

I have no scores to settle.

- My relationship with...
- The only relationship I care about

is with my son, and nothing
is going to make me give him up.

You're making a serious...

mistake.

Oh is that a threat?

I'll do you one better:

You stay away from him

or I swear on my wife'soul

I will kill you.

Let's go, Harry.

I want the kid.

You can't have him.
He's in hiding.

Well I found him, and so will she.

The Skin Walker.

Yeah, she's on her way right now.

Then we'll move,
fly, find a new nest.

That's your solution, huh?

You're gonna shuffle around from safe house
to safe house for the rest of his life?

He needs family.

His mother cannot protect him
from what's coming.

She should be killed
and the boy will be gone.

So your job's what?

What?

Protect him from
the High Council?

Keeping him hidden?

You gave him to Cheryl Sharp
in the first place, right?

Like a cuckoo's egg.

I placed him in the nest
of another bird.

Trick her into raising
her as it as her own.

Except she did too good a job
because he loves her

and she loves him.

Now you can't take
him away from that?

- But the Skin Walker?
- That's my problem.

She'll kill you,
skin you from head to toe.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

One doom box.

- Hey kiddo!
- Harry!

- You won't believe what happened.
- Actually,

I will.

Okay, you gotta listen to me kid.

These guys,

whatever else you've seen,

you gotta promise me you
won't tell anyone about it.

It's like Superman.

It's like a secret identity thing.

If I tell anybody about this,

people will think I'm nuts.

But you're not.

All right?

Your device,

the doom box, assuming it works,

is not a permanent solution.

There will be other attempts

when his powers begin to emerge.

Well, he'll be ready for it,

and so will I.

Scott? It's Miss Timmons.

Your mom sent me to find you.

- Where's the boy?
- It's too late. He's gone.

- The ravens took him?
- Ah, maybe,

or maybe whoever you're working for
double-crossed you

and took him when you
had your back turned.

- That's not possible.
- Because you're the only one

who knows where he lives, right?

- You kept that to yourself.
- Tell me where he is

or suffer.

I want you to set up a meeting
with your employer.

- I want to make an offer.
- You want to make an offer?

Make it to me.

Fine.

Tell me who hired you.

Stop chasing after the kid.

I'll give you this.

You can sense it, right?

That's power.
I mean that's real power

and it's yours for the asking.

- It's so dark.
- Yeah.

Give it to me!
Then you'll get your answers.

Oh you want it?

Catch.

Pop goes the weasel.

My father said there
were no monsters.

My uncle insisted
monsters were real,

and he should have
known because he was one.

But he did teach me one thing:

The only way to deal with
the things we fear,

is to face them,

to drag them ticking and screaming
out of the darkness.

And destroy them.

The bottom line is
the kid is safe and the killer

- died in a gas explosion.
- Pretty convenient explosion.

Not big on convenience.

Well, how about kids being returned
safely to their family?

- Are you big on that?
- Yeah,

one problem though.
The kid was adopted illegally.

Okay. Well, you know,

if you ever find the birth parents,
that might be a problem, but

until then, Cheryl Sharp,

she loves him and he loves her.

Now isn't that enough?

Is that a yes?

- Is this real?
- Yup.

What do all the designs mean?

It means don't touch.

Hey, it's time for dinner, Scott.
Sit down.

Thank you.

It's just spaghetti.

No,

I mean for this.

You're welcome.

I need you to know something.

Something about Scott.

What?

He's special.

Yeah, I know.

No, no, no, I mean

really special.

I'm not sure what you mean.

Okay, if things get... weird

or weirder or strange,
or just if you're not sure

what's going on,

you just call me, all right?

Okay.

Promise?

I promise.

You were like him,

weren't you?

When you were little?

Yeah, a bit.

Who looked out for you?

My dad.

He loved you.