Chapter Text

Season 1

Episode 1. (Pilot) 20th Century Masters presents: Best of Chicago Public Transit

Synopsis

Ennis, Violet, and David all return to David’s mansion to discuss matters. They discuss the monster community and protection afforded by the five families in the car to all monsters as long as they follow “The Rules” (few deaths each year, no public feeding (or at least don’t get caught), sustenance provided when required, protection from hunters/local population, keep the peace). They arrive at the mansion where Margo (David’s sister) confronts the three. David verbally defends himself and his new friends from her, stating that he had Sal’s blessing to be with Violet and that Ennis is under his personal protection. Ennis doesn’t mention the phone call from his father. Ennis is asked and agrees to work with David as a full partner, not as an enforcer. The three eat a lovely meal as their new relationships as equal partners begin.

Episode 2. Subsidies, Bribes, and Welfare: The Chicago Way

David gives a guided tour to Ennis around the city. Pointing out territory markers, the various crimes each family controls, families they help, businesses owned by local monsters. They come upon an old leather goods shop, where human thieves are trying to steal the money in the safe. Ennis pulls his own father’s gun while David calls the cops. Old Man Lupe goes full werewolf, scares off the kids, and grouses about how much money he has to pay for “protection for nothing.” David asks how much and is startled at the amount, but quickly hides his reaction. He later admits that he suspected the werewolves were taking more than the agreed amount, even from other werewolves, and this proved his case.

Episode 3. Night of the Hunter

Synopsis:

There are rumors floating around that monsters are being hunted. Several humans end up dead in the morgue as David and Ennis investigate. Several ghouls working as coroners meet them at the morgue. They explain that the wounds looked like the club massacre, but they’re not sure. The ghouls are sure it’s not a werewolf attack though. Ennis is grossed out as one eats a bit of spleen, and is then chastised by an embarrassed David for not allowing the ghoul to live and feed in a legitimate way. “This is the very essence of ‘we eat together or we eat alone,’” David explains.

Later, the two canvass various neighborhoods, asking around friends and family. Not finding any leads, they try to find any patterns to the attacks. Finally stumbling upon a potential hit, they enter an abandoned factory, and find what they think is the Hunter, but is actually a rogue Rugaru disguising himself as the Hunter in order to feed without detection. Ennis and David managed to kill it during a fight, and call the ghouls to remove the corpse.

Episode 4: Calloway’s Cab

Synopsis

Ennis gets into a cab in order to meet David for an important meeting but refuses to give details.

The cabbie and Ennis get stuck in traffic, and get into a long discussion about infrastructure building and Chicago politics. Despite disagreeing vehemently, the two bond as Calloway manages to navigate through back streets and alleys. Ennis states he’s never seen a cabbie so brave to drive through some of those particular neighborhoods and the cabbie shrugs it off, saying he remembers when it was really bad during the height of the drug war, and that he has many regular customers now that he feels safe helping them out.

They finally make it to Violet’s home. Ennis slips the man a $50, and tells him to wait for his return. He makes it to the front door where werewolf lackies refuse to let him in. Ennis pulls his silver bullet gun, and demands to be let in.

Inside, David is cornered next to Violet as Julian is yelling to both of them about blood purity and threatening to kill them both for dishonoring the families. Ennis points the gun against Julian’s head and cocks it loudly. Julian stills, threatens to kill all three, and Ennis tells him it’d be hard to kill anything with a bullet rattling in your brain case.

Julian relents, disowns Violet, that he’ll still kill her when he has the chance, but allows the three of them to leave unharmed.

When they return to the taxi, Calloway is dead with his throat torn out. Ennis has to gently push him aside as he gets into the driver’s seat. David promises to pay the man’s family money as a “life insurance policy payout.” All three of them go home in silence.

Episode 5: Second City

Ennis and David are still shaken by previous events, but David wants to show Ennis what their community can accomplish. They go tour the grey market that mostly feeds the monsters in the city. It’s constantly moving, and is part grocery store/part flea market. David rattles off a list of rules that Ennis must follow, and tells him he must stash his gun in the glove compartment.

Charms, magical spells, various types of “food” are being sold in kiosks and stalls. Ennis is still queasy about all of it, but David assures him that it’s all done properly and that it keeps the local population in check and peaceful by pointing out one large kiosk that gives away free food to the poor and infirm monsters.

Ennis is distracted by a small stall with various flowers and smells as David gets embroiled in an argument between two little old women fighting over a bucket of entrails. Ennis suddenly sees his girlfriend smiling before him. The business owner tells him that smells are free, but payment is required for anything more. Ennis, feeling floaty, agrees to pay to see his girlfriend again.

The Djinn owner smiles, grabs his wrist, and suddenly Ennis is on a beach with Tamara, reliving his favorite memory over and over again.

Minutes later, he gets ripped back to reality as David pulls the man’s hand away, snarling loudly.

A crowd forms as the two start arguing over what happened. Ennis is still woozy, but able to explain what happened to the werewolf bruisers policing the area. They state that Ennis agreed voluntarily, further payment was still due, and snidely remarks that humans aren’t supposed to be there anyway.

David disagrees, but refuses to start a physical fight. Just as Ennis is about to be touched again by the Djinn, David inspects the stall and pulls out a pouch full of charms. Explaining that forced payment charms are illegal, he shows the werewolves the evidence, and the two bruisers destroy the kiosk, and pull the Djinn into a back alley doorway for “a trial.” David grimaces, but agrees to the terms of adjudication.

Later, he refuses to fully explain what a trial would mean, only saying that the man was clearly guilty and would get what was due to him.