So...everyone ready to find out just what Belavarg IS offering?

Mike: Yeah, so I can shove it back where the sun don't shine.

Peter: Michael! I'm ready.

Micky: *Shrugs* Doesn't really matter to me.

Davy: Sorry, mates.

(We open in a small meeting room in the Dark Star Records headquarters. Mike, Peter, Belavarg, and a group of men sit at a large table. Other than windows with a view of the buildings next-door and a coffee-maker, the table and chairs are the only things in the room.)

Michael: (He sits next to Belavarg at the head of the table) Very plush, for a guy who just started not long ago.

Peter: You seem to be doing very well for yourself.

Belavarg: WE are doing incredibly well, yes.

Mike: We? You just started this company last year.

Belavarg: Yes. We pick only the best, which is why we've prepared an offer for you.

Mike: We'd like to hear that offer.

Peter: You know our bandmates are still tied up with Headquarters Records.

Belavarg: I understand that. I'm prepared to offer separate contracts, obviously as you become available. I have yours right here. Individually, for the first year, we are offering $5 million.

Mike: (Whistles) That's not bad.

Belavarg: What do you think, gentlemen?

Mike: Well, it's an interestin' offer.

Peter: Would we have full creative freedom?

Belavarg: *nods* Yes.

Mike: Yeah. We choose our songs or the people we want to write our songs. We decide things like royalties. (Narrows his eyes) And if there's a movie, we write it.

Belavarg: All of the decisions would rest in your hands.

Mike: (His nose is twitching; he’s trying to resist sniffing) And we get at least a percentage of profits from not only the album, but movie and TV rights and memorabilia sales, too. We've gotten burned with that shi...with that before.

Belavarg: Fifty percent base amount, with an option for increases, based on sales amounts.

Mike: What makes you interested in us? Our last couple of albums did nothin' on the charts, the movie tanked. Why do you want us so bad?

Peter: We appreciate your offer, sir. We are going to consider it.

Belavarg: Because I see the potential. Your creativity was hindered in your movie and the albums that came afterwards. I want to give you the opportunity to show the fans what you can truly do.

Peter: Your offer is very generous, sir.

Belavarg: Thank you. I thought long and hard about it.

Mike: You know, I've heard some rumors 'bout some of the musician's 'round here. I've heard some of your newcomers have been disappearin' after makin' records. They'd come in to record...and wouldn't be seen again.

Peter: We're sure it's just rumors.

Mike: Yeah...but it's awful mysterious, don't you think?

Belavarg: It is incredibly strange. We are looking into the origin of those rumors.

Mike: Yeah. I wonder how they started? You wouldn't know anything about them?

Belavarg: No, I do not.

Mike: You are in charge here.

Peter: I'm sure it's all circumstantial.

Belavarg: I am not at liberty to say until we learn some facts.

Mike: Have the police come around?

Belavarg: Yes, they are investigating & we are cooperating fully with them.

Mike: Why don't we break for lunch while my associate and I consider your offer?

Belavarg: Certainly! Gentlemen, I await your decision. *Shakes their hands*

Mike: (As the men leave, Mike leans against the table) Ok, Bela, spill. Why do you really want us to work for you?

Belavarg: Because after several altercations, I've realized that I'd rather have you help me earn money than repeatedly besting me in other plans.

Mike: Yeah, but what do you really want us doin'? We ain't gonna gather souls or whatever for you.

Peter: Belavarg, we're musicians. That's what we do. We don't harm people unless they harm us.

Belavarg: You will be musicians. Unlike those pesky devils, I try to learn from my mistakes.

Mike: There's somethin' wrong here. Somethin' wrong with this whole place. I'm sensin' somethin' nasty.

Belavarg: *smirks* I'm sure that's just coming off history with me.

Peter: I believe that you want us to work for you... (closes his eyes and opens them again) ...but what I'm seeing is telling me a lot more than you are. You're not telling us the whole truth.

Belavarg: *As many tough-looking men enter* Perhaps I'm not.

Mike: (Pulls back with a growl, pushing Peter behind him) What's goin' on? Those ain't your run-of-the-mill zombies.

Peter: No, I recognize the auras. They're thugs.

Belavarg: Zombies would be too obvious.

Mike: Interestin' way to make a couple of guys wanna sign a contract.

Belavarg: If you don't sign, they get rough.

Mike: Is this how you get all your clients to sign?

Belavarg: Just those I'm interested in.

Mike: No wonder all those musicians keep disappearin'. You let these goons beat them to a pulp?

Peter: (Pulls him back) Michael, I think we ought to leave.

Belavarg: That's only part of it.

Mike: (As the men surround them) You know we ain't gonna come easy. (Puts up his fists) I can play some games, if you want. (Smirks) But only if you want to.

Peter: (Groans) Michael...

Belavarg: Boys, you know what to do.

(The men surround them. Mike and Peter both fight as well as they can. One finally yanks Peter's arms behind his back. It takes four of them to wrestle Mike to the ground. He's growling and snarling and yelling as loud as he can.

Peter: (Eyes widen; he knows the signs of Mike's transformation) Michael, oh god, be careful!

(Mike lets out a final roar before there's a blue light around him. When it subsides, a wolf growls and struggles in their arms. He bites the arms of one of the men hard and sprints away, making a lunge for Belavarg.)

Peter: (Horrified; struggles) Michael, no! Stop!

*Belavarg makes a net appear in his hand. He uses it to scoop up the wolf.*

Peter: (Wails) What are you doing?

(The wolf twists and growls in the net, trying to bite at Belavarg.)

Belavarg: *To the wolf* Down, boy. *to Peter* Why, capturing both of you, of course.

Peter: (He's close to tears) This was all a trap, wasn't it?

Belavarg: Yes.

Peter: Let Michael go. At least let him calm down enough to return to his human form. He hates being a wolf.

(The wolf continues to twist and struggle in the net, glaring at Belavarg with all the anger in his brown eyes.)

Belavarg: I think not. I rather prefer him this way.

Peter: But he doesn't. He can't think like that, can't control himself. He's not a real animal. He's a man.

Belavarg: Exactly.

(Fade out on the meeting room. Fade in on the suite next to Belavarg's office. Stella is already there, pacing angrily. She turns when Belavarg and the men arrive via a hidden elevator in the main room. Belavarg still carries Mike in the net, and he still tries his hardest to escape.)

Stella: Damn it! Damn those little... (She grins seductively when she sees Belavarg and the men) Well well, what do we have here?

Belavarg: Some old friends of ours.

Peter: Stella. (Frowns) There's something...different...about you. Something about your aura. It's much stronger...and much, MUCH darker.

Stella: I've picked up some new tricks.

Belavarg: I'm sure you'd love to show them off.

Peter: Stella, don't do anything you'll regret. How did you become so strong, anyway? Your aura wasn't like that before.

Stella: Oh, just an encounter with another powerful friend of mine. He had (smirks, stretching her arms out) wonderful energy.

Belavarg: There won't be any regrets.

Stella: Oh no. My powers have been increased tenfold. Now (smirks) who are we going to play with first?

Peter: (Struggles) No one! We're not toys! Let us go and return to our families!

(Mike howls loudly, snapping and snarling and struggling in the net.)

Belavarg: How about our canine friend here?

Stella: (Goes to Mike; he snaps at her) Oh yes, we'll start with him. This will be fun. This is my puppy, right?

Peter: He's not your pet!

Stella: (She scratches his head; Mike pulls it away) Oh, he is. He knows he is. We just have to...remind him.

Belavarg: I'm sure that we can handle that.

Peter: Stop! Please, don't do this to him! He was so terribly confused the last time...

Belavarg: *To Peter* I'm afraid we're going to have to do something with you. *There's a puff of smoke, which reveals Peter trapped in a cage and muted.*

Stella: (Yawns and nods) The Bard bores me. We'll take his energy later, but for now, I'd rather play with this one. (She strokes Michael in the net; he growls and tries to bite her)

(Peter looks around him, horrified. He tries to concentrate, but no blue light appears. He tries to break open the bars, but his hands are chained with heavy handcuffs.)

Stella: (Jumps back) He's such a bad puppy! (Sees Peter trying to escape behind her) Oh, don't bother. That cage can't be opened with your powers...and your amazing strength is being absorbed by those cuffs.

Belavarg: You might as well save yourself the effort, Bard.

Stella: Now... (she strokes Mike; he tries to pull away) what are we going to do with this bad puppy?

Belavarg: Well, Stella, you have the new powers. What would you like to try on him?

Stella: (Rubs Mike's forehead) Oh, I don't know. There's so many things. (She smirks as Mike leans into her hands) You know...I don't think we completely lost control over him last time. He may be a man...but he's still a wolf.

(Peter shakes his head, frowning. He doesn't like the look of Mike's aura.)

Belavarg: What do you have in mind, then?

Stella: First, we'll have to talk to him. (She strokes his head) He needs to understand his position here. (She leans over and whispers in Mike's ear) Hello, my good little puppy. You're my good dog. (She continues to stroke his head, rubbing around his neck. He whimpers.) Yes. You feel helpless, don't you? Like you've lost control. That's what I want. You're mine now. My pet. My little pooch. (She grins at Belavarg) We need to make sure he's completely helpless. He's frightened more than anything by that loss of control.

Belavarg: Agreed. How shall we do that?

Stella: First of all, keep talking to him. Make sure he knows who is the master and who is the animal.

(Stella strokes Mike's head. Belavarg joins her, running his fingers under his chin and down his stomach. Mike whimpers as Belavarg carries him over to the huge, king-sized bed.)

Belavarg: Now, now, pet. We're going to take very good care of you.

Stella: He needs to be bound...and we have to do something about those sharp little teeth of his. (She runs her fingers down his neck; he whines and nuzzles his nose into her hand, his legs jerking in an attempt to escape)

*Belavarg pulls a muzzle over Mike's nose and mouth, then binds his legs.*

Belavarg: There.

Stella: Very, very good. Now (she drags her finger down his ears; he tries to whine under the muzzle) Why don't we both work with his special canine senses? They're so sensitive. He felt my fingers there more than any human would. (She runs her fingers over his forehead) Yes. He's very confused. His animal senses are fully at work...but his human mind keeps reminding him that he's a man.

Belavarg: Perhaps there's a way to literally change his mind?

Stella: (She runs both fingers over his temples, enjoying the sounds of his whimpers) Oooh yes, this is much better!

Belavarg: Excellent.

Stella: (Mike whines and tries to move his legs; Stella smacks his paw) Naughty, puppy. You move when we tell you to.

(Peter frowns, leaning against the cage, watching them.)

Stella: (Grabs Mike's paws as he tries to move them) Stop that! You're such a bad dog!

(Mike tries to growl, but it comes out strangled under the muzzle. Stella angrily runs her fingers over his head, grasping his fur. There's a small purplish light...and Mike whimpers loudly.)

Belavarg: What did you do?

Stella: I'm not sure. I'm still figuring out everything I can do. (Smirks) But it seems to have worked. Try making him angry now.

(Stella squeezes Mike's back...just hard enough to pinch. He whimpers, but does not move.)

Belavarg: Intriguing.

*Belavarg makes Mike get up, unties his legs, and makes his chase his tail.*

Stella: (Giggles) Oh, how cute!

(Mike's face is a mixture of anger, horror, and a bit of sadness. Peter watches, clearly upset.)

Stella: Oh, what a good little puppy!

(Belavarg lifts his fingers. Mike stands on his forelegs, his eyes clearly showing anger now...but he still does it.)

*Mike begins to turn around, appearing to 'dance.'*

Stella: How adorable!

(Peter watches, nearly in tears. Mike looks like he may cry, too...or bite Belavarg. Belavarg finally lets him down. He turns him over and rubs his stomach.)

Belavarg: Good boy.

Stella: (Runs her fingers over his head again) Oh, he wants to hurt us...but something in the animal part of his mind is telling him to be submissive, even as the human is screaming to fight.

Belavarg: Excellent.

Stella: We're not going to be able to keep him as a dog all the time. I'd like to...spend some time with him. (Turns to Belavarg) Do you have a collar for him?

Belavarg: *produces one from his jacket* Right here.

(Stella runs her hands over the dog's form, even as Belavarg fastens the collar around his neck. The purple light passes over him...and when it vanishes, he's now in Mike's human form again.)

Stella: We'll need to take him to my room. I want to...enjoy...my new pet.

Mike: (Whimpers) No...

Belavarg: Certainly, my dear.

Stella: (Nods at Peter) We're going to have to do something with him. He has that lovely, pure energy.

Mike: Not Pete!

(Peter shakes his head in horror.)

Stella: We'll lock him up at my apartment. I want to drain him later. His energy is so nice...

Belavarg: That's fine, Stella.

Stella: (Frowns and turns to Belavarg) I need to tell you. There were two more of those Guardians snooping around up here earlier. They actually found these rooms. They escaped before I could come back for them.

Belavarg: *sighs* I'll send more of my boys out to keep an eye on things.

Stella: I think they were two of the Guardian women. The short one and the fat one.

(Mike narrows his eyes at the "fat one" description of his wife and growls low in his throat.)

Belavarg: *Nods* The boys will watch for them and anyone else who may decide to snoop.

Stella: Do you want them brought to you? For (smirks) your collection?

Belavarg: *Smirks* Yes, that would be nice.

Stella: So don't send your boys. Send my boys.

Belavarg: Always thinking, my dear.

Stella: But for now (she stands with Mike and his leash and collar) I'll bring my puppy back to my apartment and enjoy him.

Belavarg: You do just that.

(We fade out on Stella stroking Mike's hair, Peter watching them with tears in his eyes, and Belavarg smirking over the scene.)