Episode Nine: Hellmaster

By Booser

Part One

INT. CHURCH. NIGHT
Church of Our Lord of the Redemption, Washington D.C.

An empty church . The last worshipper has left long ago. A middle aged priest walks up the aisle, having completed his daily chores. He hears a noise inside the confession box. Surely no one could be in there at this time of night?

INT. CONFESSIONAL

PRIEST
Hello?

STRANGER (O.S.)
Hello father

PRIEST
My son, it is a little late for confessions don’t you think?

STRANGER (O.S.)
I’m afraid it’s urgent

PRIEST
As you wish….

STRANGER (O.S.)
Bless me father
(beat)
I am a sinner.

PRIEST
(nodding)
As am I my son.
(beat)
What is your sin?

STRANGER (O.S.)
I’m afraid

PRIEST
Afraid?

STRANGER (O.S.)
Yes father. I’m afraid I’ve done something terrible. I’m afraid I’m beyond forgiveness.

PRIEST
There is always forgiveness if we are willing to seek it.

STRANGER (O.S.)
Thank you for your kindness.

PRIEST
(smiling)
What do you wish to confess?

STRANGER (O.S.)
Do you think it’s terrible to look for answers, answers to questions that shouldn’t be asked?

PRIEST
I don’t know. What answers do you want?

STRANGER (O.S.)
Everything. I’ve read the one true gospel father. All else is false.
(beat)
Do you understand what that means?

PRIEST
I’m afraid I don’t…..

STRANGER (O.S.)
Creation is only half the story. I have seen the other side. I have openly embraced it. Ignorance in vanity, pride in death, faith in hope……
(beat)
I am a sinner in the house of God.
(beat)
There is no hope for me.

PRIEST
(concerned)
My son…

STRANGER (O.S.)
You must tell them father, tell them all.

PRIEST
What do you wish me to tell them?

STRANGER (O.S.)
Multus Tempestas
(beat)
Tell them a storm is coming. Tell them…

A crack of light illuminates a tear running down the stranger’s cheek.

STRANGER (O.S.)
….that I’m sorry.

BANG!!!!!!! A loud gunshot rings out. The startled priest falls off his chair and stumbles out through the small wooden door of the confessional box. He sees blood running from under the other door.

SUPERNATURAL – “HELLMASTER”

INT. MONASTERY, STUDY. NIGHT

An old priest, FR. DAVID SUAZO, is studying an ancient text long into the night. He rubs his eyes and glances at the coffee beside him. Its getting cold. A knock at the door.

FR SUAZO
Come in.

A MONK enters, he hurries over to the priest’s desk and hands him a note. Fr Suazo opens it and reads it with growing concern.

FR SUAZO
(worried)
Leave…

Monk stands there, surprised.

SUAZO
Go!

The priest turns to his phone and dials.

SUAZO
We don’t have much time.

VOICE ON PHONE (OS)
Who is this?

We see the man on the other end of the line. A mature handsome man, his eyes convey experience beyond his years. His name is JOHN WINCHESTER.

JOHN
David?

SUAZO
The Hellmaster… it’s no longer safe.

INT. OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH- DAY.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Dean and Sam are at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Sunlight streams in through the stained glass windows behind her creating an ethereal halo of light around the effigy. As they peer upward they can clearly see what appears to be blood dripping from the statue’s eyes.

SAM
So what do you make of it?

DEAN
(in thought)
I dunno

Dean looks around for anyone watching. Satisfied he isn’t being spied on he finds a foothold on the marble stand and inches towards the top of the statue.

SAM
(looking around anxiously)
What the hell are you doing?

DEAN
(climbing)
Getting closer to God.

Dean rubs some of the blood off the statue’s cheeks and sniffs it.

DEAN
Smells like turpentine. Either this is paint running off the plaster or Mary has a serious case of blood poisoning.

SAM
Terrific. Will you get down?!

Dean jumps down.

SAM
Your lack of respect for people’s faith is saddening sometimes.

DEAN
(walking out of the church)
I’ve seen enough of what’s real to tell what isn’t. Hell I have nothing against religion Sam, it does a lot of good. What I find truly sad is the minority which prey and exploit the faith of those who need it most. I think a fair skeptic is just as important as the reverend.

SAM
Sometimes people have no need for the skeptic.

DEAN
That’s their choice. It doesn’t mean the skeptic isn’t right though.

SAM
Does it really matter though in the end? Reality is different for everyone. If people believe something enough then it is true for them. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

DEAN
I cross my fingers every day that I will find Keith Moon still alive somewhere too. I really do. Maybe he’s on an island somewhere or hunting dinosaurs in Mexico, but you gotta separate what’s real from what you want to be real.

SAM
Then why do you think people are so ignorant of the supernatural?

DEAN
That’s easy.

SAM
Yeah?

DEAN
(getting into car)
People don’t want it to be real.
(beat)
We’re a dying breed Sammy boy.

INT. IMPALA.

JOHN WINCHESTER
Ain’t that the truth.

The boys turn round and see John Winchester sitting in the back seat. He’s been waiting for them.

DEAN
If you’ve damaged the lock on this car….

JOHN
Relax. I’ve been doing this longer then you have. I admire your dedication in chasing up this religious phenomenon lately, but I think you’re barking up the wrong tree here.

SAM
Yeah we got your message. So what’s with the Hollywood entrance?

JOHN
It’s best to stay out of sight.
(pointing to the open road)
Follow my directions. We need to talk.

EXT. A SMALL HOUSE OUTSIDE SACRAMENTO. DAY.

MUSIC CUE : "She's Just Killing Me" - ZZ Top

The Impala drives up a dusty roadway to a small mission style house nestled in the shade of the trees. The cloudless sky and beating sun make it a very hot day. The Winchesters step out of the Impala wearing their shades. Dean stares up at the burning sun and grimaces. Shaking the dust from their boots almost like modern day cowboys the Winchesters walk to the door. A woman answers the doorbell. She looks like an old Mexican maid. With a kindly face she ushers the men inside. It’s immediately clear this ain’t no saloon as we see religious memorabilia adorn the hallways.

John stops at one particular framed manuscript.

JOHN
The epistle of Clement to the Corinthians!

FR SUAZO (O.S.)
Impressive. You haven’t lost your touch.

Fr. Suazo greets them in the hall.

FR SUAZO
(to housekeeper)
Gracias Nala.

The housekeeper departs.

FR SUAZO
(returning to the Winchesters)
It’s just a copy course, like they all are.
(beat)
If I had the genuine articles I wouldn’t be living in a house this small?

Fr Suazo heartily laughs

JOHN
(smiling)
Still the humble priest eh David?

FR SUAZO
(patting John on the shoulder)
It’s been a long time my old friend.
(turns to Dean and Sam)
Hello boys. I guess I can’t really call you boys anymore now can I?

Dean and Sam exchange puzzled looks. Fr. Suazo shakes their hands and begins to walk to the study motioning for the others to follow.

FR SUAZO
I just wish we could have met again under happier circumstances.

SAM
(looking nervously at John)
What’s going on here?

FR SUAZO
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude. We’ve met before, even if you were too young to remember. My name is Fr David Suazo. I’m an old friend of your father's although I’m not surprised you haven’t heard of me.
(beat)
Not many have.

JOHN
There’s a good reason Father Suazo keeps to himself.

DEAN
Eczema?

Fr Suazo slightly chuckles as a wide smile forms across his face.

FR SUAZO
I’ve missed your sense of humour Dean.

Dean shrugs.

FR SUAZO
Are you an avid reader?

DEAN
I subscribe to Guitar Pro if that’s any use

FR SUAZO
(smiles)
Could be worse.
(beat)
You ever hear of the Hellmaster?

SAM
Dad what’s he talking about?

DEAN
Ozzy’s limited edition paperback biography if I recall.

JOHN
(ignoring Dean’s comment)
The Hellmaster is probably the most important and dangerous book in human history.

FR SUAZO
There is no “probably” about it. The Hellmaster contains knowledge so arcane, the devil himself would love to see it destroyed.

DEAN
The devil? You mean the big cheese himself?

FR SUAZO
Yes : Lucifer, Satan, The Adversary, - the second most powerful being in creation has many names and many guises, but don’t be fooled. There is only one.

JOHN
David you said there were developments……

FR SUAZO
Yes, I apologize for having to be so cryptic. Unfortunately the secret we have kept for over eight hundred years is out.

DEAN
Ok time out. Start from the beginning.

Fr Suazo sighs and sits in his large armchair.

FR SUAZO
In the beginning there were angels of the light and demons of the smokeless fires. These demons, the fallen, had followed their leader Satan in the rebellion in heaven as they refused to worship God’s greatest creation. Man.

SAM
Wait a second. That’s classic Sunday school. Knowledge was man’s greatest power.

DEAN
What?

SAM
(turning to Dean)
Think about it. In ritual, black magic, the power to control demons is in knowing their true name. Once you know something’s true name you can have power over it. God gave man knowledge. That’s why the angels had to subjugate to him.

JOHN
Right. That’s why in many religions it’s forbidden to know God’s true name.

FR SUAZO
God wasn’t so kind to the rebellion though. They were cast down and from that day swore to plaque mankind.

DEAN
Tell me about it. So why is the red telephone ringing off the hook all of a sudden? What’s happening?

FR. SUAZO
Did you ever hear of the Honorius?

DEAN
Sure, you can read that on the internet

FR. SUAZO
(smiling)
Not the real one I assure you. It has many names including the most evil book in the world. It also goes by the name we’ve been calling it.

JOHN
The Honorius and the Hellmaster are the same?

FR. SUAZO
Yes

SAM
So the legend is true. And this Hellmaster is a key to controlling demons?

FATHER SUAZO
Yes and no. On the face of it the book is a catalogue of fallen angels and how to raise them. However the real knowledge contained in the book is actually beyond human understanding.

DEAN
So the book is dangerous? I’m guessing not in a nasty paper cut kinda way dangerous?

FR SUAZO
Knowing man’s lust for power and greed Satan had unknown to him buried the seals of the four riders within the codex.

SAM
The four riders?

JOHN
The horsemen. Apocalypse.

FR SUAZO
That’s right. Much of what people think they know about Apocalypse isn’t true. Apocalypse originally referred to secrets or knowledge obtained through divine revelation. There are many different apocalypses. The riders symbolize the end of days for mankind on earth.

SAM
So where do you come in Father?

FR SUAZO
I’m not unlike you two Sam. For many years I was a practicing exorcist for many dioceses before becoming a Vatican investigator into wider areas of the paranormal. The church had become alarmed at the rising number of religious omens being reported across the globe.
(beat)
My working relationship with the Vatican was not entirely “successful”.
(beat)
I found out two nights ago in Washington a John Doe dying of a self inflicted gunshot wound claimed he was part of a group that had stolen the Hellmaster from the Church of the Rose Cross.

DEAN
That’s in Washington?

FR SUAZO
No. The Rose Cross is a Church hidden in the Black Mountains in Germany. It seems whomever he was working for has brought the book here.

SAM
Why?

FR SUAZO
I don’t know.

JOHN
The Rose Cross? I didn’t even know they existed anymore.

FR SUAZO
They were all but dead to the world. Not by accident either. They had become concerned at the level of demonic influence even within the church. Feeling it was in their best interests to keep themselves hidden, they went underground because of the secret they held.

JOHN
The Hellmaster.

FR SUAZO
Right

DEAN
And now their secret's out and its up to us to settle some scores.

FR SUAZO
Yes I heard about your little job in Leland.
(beat)
Very impressive

DEAN
I’m getting a bad feeling that was just foreplay.

FR SUAZO
Do you know what the Multus Tempestas is?

SAM
It’s Latin….

JOHN
(interjecting)
The Great Storm.

DEAN
Hey, hey wait a minute…
(turning)
That’s what Bobby was talking about

SAM
(to John and Suazo)
He said a storm was coming.

FR SUAZO
It would seem that way. Just like a weather storm, you can feel it in the air.
(beat)
The signs are all around us. You’ve seen them yourself

DEAN
So what do we do?
(slightly sarcastic)
Pray?

John gets up off his chair and straightens his jacket.

JOHN
We settle some scores.

EXT. DUSTY ROAD. SUNSET

A large grey car kicks up a whirlwind of dust as it passes the camera and drives towards the sunset.

INT. FR SUAZO’S CAR.

David Suazo is driving. John is in the passenger seat.

FR SUAZO
You worry about them?

JOHN
I trust them.

FR SUAZO
They’re good men.

John smiles.

JOHN
Yeah I know.
(beat)
It just seems strange when I hear it out loud. But it’s true. They’re men now. After all we’ve been through together, they’re more man then I was at that age.

FR SUAZO
You know, you’re not responsible for them anymore. Not fully.

JOHN
It still feels like it.

FR SUAZO
And who is responsible for you?

John doesn’t answer.

FR SUAZO
Exactly. John you’ve got to let them go. They don’t need you as a mentor anymore.
(pause)
But they still need you as a father. That’s something I think you’ll have to remember before this ordeal is through.

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