S1 E1 "Pilot" (RP)

Music engulfs Andrej's car as he pushes play on his vintage CD player. A song plays but not enough to drown out their voices.

He laughs at Tereza's last line. "Oh I don't know, harnessing the powers of the universe seems kinda sexy to me." He looks to make sure he's lightening the mood.

He sighs and gets real. "Look, if she knows you like we do, then there's no way you could have fucked up big enough to keep her away. And if she doesn't know you well enough yet, let her see the side of you that's not all 'toughness' and 'shock', and I know you know what I'm talking about."

"But even without your softer side, she'd be nuts to associate you with anything other awesomeness."Andrej chuckles to lighten the mood more. "Or, you could always cast a love spell on her."

"What," he exclaims. "I just joking, jeez! Don't look at me like that. I mean, it's not like--

--HOLY SHIT!!"

The car's tires squeal as he slams on the brakes. He just barely avoids hitting two young girls who've run across the street, panic plan on their faces.

Several more people can be seen running scared out the front door of the Historical Society. One, lone person is on their way in...

An electronic PING sounds as the camera jumps to Jemma entering the Historical Society's front lobby.

From down the hall, deeper into the building Jemma can hear a deep, loud voice -- "No. We need to know the location of the house. He says the land has changed too much... The LOCATION!"

The hall is long, and looks like it would creak under a persons tread. It's clear Stealth would be needed to go down it unnoticed.

An overhead shot of the parking lot behind the Historical Society. Tires chirp as Sarah and Hadley pull up in the cop's squad car.

Hadley looks at Sarah as he drives over a parking spot and stops. "I figure we go in the back way," he says as he puts the car in park and turns off the engine.

As they exit the vehicle he says, "Hey, Sarah, hold up." His tone becomes sincere. "This is so far off the books it ain't even in the office, you know what I mean? And I'm out of my depth here... so I'm going to follow your play. You cool with that?"

In Witch Craft's office the camera frames Wyatt and Caroline talking.

He leans on the wall, projecting he doesn't care about much. "Well, I mean I feel sick, yeah, but it comes and goes."

He pulls out his phone and starts scrolling as he continues. "But, like, the merch table is easy, and I could probably do it while I don't feel well. And I don't have anyone to cover, and I told you we need to hire another bartender and that's your job not mine."

"So like this wouldn't be a big deal if you had, like, done your job and hired another bartender..."

Before Wyatt can continue inserting his foot into his mouth, a shout comes from the taproom.

"CaroLINE, um, can you get out here please!" Anxiety is clear in her voice.

Carolines eye's narrow. Why did Wyatt have to pick now for this conversation. Especially with Deacon nearby. There was a reason she preferred letting her brother deal with Wyatt's antics.

'My job? Your job clearly states that if you want time of to ask in advance. This mess is your..' She starts before hearing the bookkeepers yell. For a brief moment frustration crosses her face at being needed in even more places, before she processes the anxiety in Tara's voice. She stands up and moves to the door, deciding its best for her sanity to finish the conversation with Wyatt later anyway.

'Tara, please tell me this is imp Her words and motions come to a stop as her eyes land on the other person in the taproom. The image of the scenes last night still fresh enough in her mind to recognise him instantly. '.....ah crap.'

Tereza smiles at Andrej's words. They do make her feel better, even if they can't fully get rid of her doubts. She sighs when he brings up love spells again but before she can comment on that, he suddenly hits the brakes hard, throwing her into her seatbelt. After cursing in Czech, she turns her eyes forward to see what made him stop like this. She sees the panicked teenagers fleeing and then recognizes the single shape heading into the building. "That is Jemma!" she exclaims. "She is my friend. From the brewery."

She's already undoing her seatbelt and fumbling with the door. "I go after her. Something is going on. Probably dangerous, so you stay out here, understood?" She looks into Andrej's eyes to make sure he's not about to try and play hero. "This is matter for my kind, I believe. But call the police. Tell them what we saw and tell them it is probably about Chief Sweeney's case." She emphasizes the name so he remembers it.

And with that, she's out of the car, running across the street towards the museum. Jemma is already inside, so Tereza follows. "Jemma!" she hisses into the building, hoping to get her attention without drawing that of who- or whatever got these kids so panicked. Only inside the building does she realize that in a dangerous fey encounter, she'd be about as useless as Andrej. Tereza is a powerful ritualist, but she still hasn't mastered spontaneous spellcasting. To herself, she mutters, "Where is Deacon when you need him?"

Jemma feels her magic ricocheting off something. Carefully she moves forward down the hallway to see this something.

Hearing her name she turns and sees Tereza. With fingers on lips she indicates that she needs to keep her voice down.

Tereza catches up to Jemma, following her example of trying to be quiet and sneaky. She then mouthes, her voice barely even a whisper, "What is going on?"

Jemma just gives Tereza a look. How is she supposed to explain a complex situation while being stealthy? She doesn't! Jemma moves forward

Sarah nods and approaches the back door, opening it slowly and carefully, ready for anything to jump out at her. Assuming nothing does so, she enters the building as quietly as possible and looks around before motioning Hadley inside. She momentarily wishes that she knew a protection spell for them, but there was no time to worry about that!

The camera zooms in on Caroline's face before cutting back to show the whole tap room.

The man gives Caroline a sinister smile. "You absolutely reek of the Seelie. It led me right to you, my dear."

He picks up a dirty glass from a nearby table, sees the labeling on it and grunts in interest. "You were one of the children scampering about in the woods last night, playing with magik," he pronounces it in an obnoxious manner.

The camera cuts to Tara, vines and and roots creeping from to floor boards, wrapping her body and attaching to her face. "C-Caroline," she says, breathless.

He looks from Tara to Caroline. "I've not hurt her. Yet." He tosses the beer glass aside, shattering it on the floor. "Tell me child, why does no coven tap the ley line. Why do no witches do their duty."

He steps closer. "Where. Is. the circle of elders?" His eyes drill into Caroline's as he awaits her answer.

Wyatt enters the taproom from the back office. "O.K., look sorry; I'm sorry. You're right. You're the boss. But hey, you can't just walk away from a guy when he's askin'," he cuts off as he sees the scene. "HoLY SHIT!"

In a large open office, in the Historical Society the camera shows too root and moss covered individuals digging through tall filing cabinets.

Mabel pulls a large book, from the cabinet. It's covered in a cracked leather binding. "Here," she exclaims in a dull tone.

"Quickly now, our master rewards speed in tasks. We must return," he cuts off and the camera swings toward loud CREAK in the hall right outside the office where two witches sneak.

Jemma and Tereza have been discovered by the plan covered duo.

Fear and magic projection washes over Tereza...Fear and magic projection washes over Jemma..."I'll deal with this," he says as he turns and walks with purpose toward the two witches.

At the Historic Society's back door Sarah and Hadley attempt to sneak in.

But the door closes loudly in the wind, and the floor is old and creaky.

As they move down the back hall Hadley chatters on. "Chief told me about what ya'll showed her last night. So if that's what we're dealing with here, do you have any idea how to subdue something like that," he asks Sarah.

But before she can answer the camera focuses in on a doorway that joins the hall ahead. Nails click on the floor as moss covered dog enters the hall, blocking their path. It looks at Sarah and Hadley and begins to growl deep in its chest.

Fear and magic projection washes over Sarah...

For a moment images form the night before continue to run through Caroline's mind as she stares at the man in front of her. Then reminders if the nightmares, vines coming from her own arm to wrap around her. Then her eyes move away from him and lock on Tara, her friend constricted by the vines that she had not been able to get out of her head. She grits her teeth and forces herself to start thinking clearly. Now was not the time for old doubts to come back. She had to be strong and get Tara out of this. Beside it wasn't fitting for a Shaw to be scared of plants.

She locks eyes back with the man, the witch? trying her hardest to not let any concern of fear show. Had to remain t=on control. Or at least act it. She rapidly runs Jemma's text through her head. An old coven had sealed a witch away. Presumably this was him. A full 1 witches and it was just he...now was not the time from an outright fight. She could try and speed dial the others or Sweeny from her pocket. He wouldn't know about phones right? But then she would be calling them all into danger as ell, and she wasn't about to lose anyone to the vines. She had to handle this. At least long enough to get Tara free.

'Our coven is the one currently in charge around town. What we do with the ley lines are our business.' She crosses her arms to try and seem unimpressed even as the shirt of her right sleeves shift slightly, as if something underneath is moving, Al, and possibly something else, close to being summoned by her her state of high alert. This is not aided by Wyatt choosing to follow her out, and internally she curses. His timing was never good.

'Wyatt get back in the office and close the door. ' She doesn't look back at him, her voice carrying an authority that normally only comes out when someone has really messed up, normally Wyatt or Deacon. She tries to keep her focus on the threat.

'Lawrence Braddock I assume? I do not know what you mean by this circle of Elders. Was it the old Coven, the on e Jemma spoke of that her grandmother was a part of? Or was it those who sealed him away. She debated whether telling him the weren't around was a good idea, but right now she couldn't see lying helping either. Tara out of danger first. That was priority. 'Which I would have told you even without you threatening my coven sister. I suggest you release her and then us two can find somewhere to discuss things civilly? She needed to get him away from Tara and Wyatt, away from the Brewery.

Sarah gasps aloud as she sees the dog. Fear wells up within her, but she swallows hard and forces it back down. She whispers to Hadley, "I'm not sure that bullets will have any effect on it, and my magick may not work because of its state, but I'll try." She whispers the words to her spell, but her uncertainty causes her to stumble over the words.

In Witch Craft's taproom the camera slowly pans Caroline's confrontation with the stranger. Wyatt yelps and runs back to the office.

He smiles at Caroline's use of his name. "Ah, so you've heard of me," he says. "Or have you summoned this knowledge, little 'witch'?" He makes the word 'witch' sound mocking.

He looks at Tara, and his grip on her. He shrugs, flicks is hand...

...and the vines wrapping her shatter. She cries out in pain then drops to the floor.

The floor creaks as he walks toward Caroline. He tilts his head as he examines her. "You're a member of a coven?" His question is charged with skepticism. "But you're a child," he laughs more than says.

He stops within two meters of Caroline. "And no Elders or circle--no no, you don't even know what it means." He eye twitches and he looks off, over your should as if listening to something from far off. He focuses back on the young, blond witch. "Oh well. It matters not. Come. You will join with me and I will bind you into my circle. It is a great honor, I assure you." He turns to go, expecting her to follow.

🌔

---

Meanwhile in Witch Craft's office Wyatt pulls out his cell.

"Shit, shit, shit..." he says as he attempts to call Jemma.

In the back hall of the Historical Society Sarah withstands the wash of fear and magic projection.

The camera pulls back, to better frame her as she attempts to cast a spell to calm the distressed animal. But something in the casting goes awry! The dog barks as magic attempts to wreath him. His lips curl bark, and his teeth flash as he shakes off the affects and lunges at Sarah and Hadley.

"Sarah," Hadley shouts as he shoves her against the wall and throws himself in front of her.

The dog's jaws open wide, and snap shut on Hadley's leg. Blood and a yellow foam spill out.

Hadley throws his head back and howls in pain. Green vines and moss are already spreading from the wound site and crawling up his flesh.