Talamasca: The Secret Order
Created by: John Lee Hancock
Based on: The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches by Anne Rice
Season 1 – Episode 4
Episode title: Wet Work
Stars: Nicholas Denton, Celine Buckens, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, William Fichtner, Elizabeth McGovern
Original release date: November 9, 2025
Plot: Guy confronts Jasper, dropping his cover. Jasper assigns him to locate the Seven Five Two in a vampire coven’s hotel. Meanwhile, Helen digs into her history.
* * *
Talamasca: The Secret Order – S01E04 – Wet Work | Transcript
[Man groans weakly]
[Man wheezes]
♪♪
[Man wheezes]
♪♪
♪♪
Kill me!
[Wheezes]
♪♪
♪♪
[Indistinct conversations]
♪♪
♪♪
[Phone dialing, line ringing]
Yes?
Olive: Either your new recruit’s getting a marathon lap dance at Cupid’s, or he’s gone dark.
He missed a drop.
We’ve all missed a drop.
He’s a rookie.
Yeah, with a rookie’s dumb instincts.
Are you sure he’s still on the level?
I’m sure.
Stay put. He’ll show.
[Cellphone beeps]
♪♪
♪♪
Excuse me.
I’m just wondering, have you seen me before?
A week or two ago. Was I here?
It’s just sometimes I have a bit of trouble with my memory.
I’m here every day.
But I haven’t seen you before in my life.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Wakey, wakey.
Big day ahead, amigo.
How do you take your coffee?
♪♪
Dude… [Chuckling] it’s not like, poisoned, if that’s what you’re thinking.
You can trust me.
Question is, can I trust you?
Young recruit comes barging in off the street, all full of piss and vinegar.
Conveniently wants to help me out.
Feels like a ruse.
It’s not a ruse.
I thought my mom was dead, okay?
Turns out she’s been alive this whole time.
She’s in hiding. From them.
Sounds like their kind of kink.
Take a look.
Jesus.
See the punctures? Vampire bite.
That’s who killed Archie.
And probably your friend Keves, too.
And it’s who took the book.
A vampire.
Who?
We’ll get to that.
Okay, one thing.
The book.
Full of secrets, right?
Spells? Payroll records?
I don’t know.
Why is it so important to you?
I mean, what are you going to do with it?
Come on.
I’ll tell you a story.
It’s 1271. Romania.
There’s this vampire named Vesel.
Nobody special, but he’s got a secret.
Where are we going?
To my kill room.
[Laughing]
I’m fucking with you, man.
Relax.
We’re going to the basement.
It’s a good story.
[Elevator bell dings] Come on.
[Elevator doors open]
♪♪
So… Romania, 1271, Vesel the Vampire.
His big secret is that he’s sworn off human blood and drinks only the blood of chickens.
[Scoffs] That’s weird.
Weird? Back then, that sort of stuff was unthinkable.
That’s why Vesel keeps it quiet.
But someone finds out and squeals to the rest of the coven.
And they banish Vesel.
Permanently.
I mean cast him the fuck out.
[Elevator thumps, elevator bell dings] After you.
♪♪
Fast forward to the 1920s.
Vesel’s had a rough few centuries.
Now he’s a bitter old fucker, and he decided to finally figure out who screwed him over way back in 1271.
And where do you think he turns for help with his little investigation?
We watch…
And we’re always there.
♪♪
He bribes a field agent in Lisbon to scour the Talamasca’s files, and that agent heads to the Central Library in Amsterdam.
And sure enough, they turn up a name.
Mergu.
An old Romanian vampire who was in Bolivia by then heading up a coven in La Paz.
So Vesel flies down there.
And then? He slaughters those poor motherfuckers, every… last… one of them.
[Woman screaming]
One night, 17 lives.
♪♪
Because of what one greedy Talamasca agent let slip.
And that agent, he isn’t the exception, Guy.
He’s the rule.
When you live forever… heartbreak, loss, grudges?
All that shit lives forever right along with you.
That’s why the book matters.
And it’s why the Talamasca cannot be allowed to get it back.
For centuries, they’ve collected our stories and secrets and wielded them as a weapon to keep us in line.
And the worst part?
We let ’em do it.
The power in our world isn’t blood or fangs or spells.
♪♪
It’s information.
♪♪
What are we doing down here?
♪♪
[Clicker clicks]
[Checkers snarling]
Aah!
[Clicker clicks] [Snarling] [Gasping] What the hell is that?!
A little pet project.
Special breed, variation on ancient Revenant vampires.
Just as vicious, but loyal.
Submissive.
And I’ve got a bunch more just like him.
[Checkers snarling]
You’re bleeding.
Come on.
Let’s get you cleaned up, looking sharp.
[Snarling]
♪♪
Checkers will tag along in case we need backup.
Backup for what?
For the mission.
To get the book.
[Checkers snarls]
Ridge: Soledad, Marcel.
Soledad, Soledad…
There you are.
♪♪
♪♪
Jasper: The Westcroft.
The vampire we’re looking for is there.
Staying in some swank hotel.
Getting turn down service.
[Chuckles]
No, running the place.
The only vampire coven in town operates the Westcroft.
It’s a front.
A hotel for mortals, that immortals own and sometimes patronize.
Easy to go looking for fresh blood when it’s sleeping under your roof.
[Chuckles] Let me see.
The whole coven’s a bunch of underworld thugs that think they’re hard.
Like to wave guns around, seen way too many Guy Ritchie movies.
They deal in whatever pays… drugs, guns, black market shit.
Usually the spooks at the Mother House pick up constant chatter for them.
But all of a sudden, they go silent.
Wanna guess why?
Wait, so you’re going in there to get the book?
[Groans]
No, Guy. You.
I can’t go in there.
They know who I am.
I wouldn’t get past the lobby.
But you, you’re just a civilian.
Who can read vampire minds without them knowing.
How’d you know?
I know a lot of things.
Call it a perk of the office.
Okay, no, look, I go in there, they’ll find me out.
They’ll rip my face off.
How will they find you out, huh?
You’ve been trained, haven’t you?
Besides, we’ll have backup just in case.
Hold still…
♪♪
Shouldn’t do this.
It’s kind of against the code or whatever, but I like you.
♪♪
You want a scar?
Come here.
Doesn’t hurt.
Just trust me.
♪♪
[Breathing heavily]
♪♪
You know, it’s just recon.
All you gotta do is figure out where they’re hiding the book.
Then I’ll send in some real shitkickers to actually get the thing.
What then?
Information is power, Guy.
Information is all there is.
You’re gonna use the Seven-Five-Two to bring down the Talamasca.
Once and for all.
How?
That book contains the whereabouts of every vampire alive today.
And do you know how many vampires there are right now in the world?
No.
Not enough.
♪♪
I think, um… maybe I gave you the wrong idea.
See, now I’m back to feeling like this is a setup.
No…
“I’m gonna make them pay.
They ruined my life.”
It’s true. All of it.
You think you’re special?
♪♪
You know, they didn’t all die.
Mergu’s coven.
It was a blended family.
Some vampires, some not.
One young mortal wasn’t home the day that Vesel hit them.
♪♪
And when this kid, this… this boy…
♪♪
…came back, he found his whole family massacred.
♪♪
And then he ran.
Got himself to Central America.
Then to Texas.
Where he grew up alone, fending for himself.
You.
I had nothing.
No home. No identity.
♪♪
Nothing.
♪♪
The world was fucked up.
But I finally found the dark gift after years of searching.
That’s what they do, Guy.
They break families apart.
Mine. Yours, too.
♪♪
I know what you’re going through.
And that’s why I won’t let you down.
♪♪
How does all this help me?
Your mother’s been in hiding, what, 16 years now?
What’s it going to take for her to come out into the light?
♪♪
We gotta destroy these assholes.
♪♪
Guy, I promise you, that’s the only way that you will ever see her again.
♪♪
Loren: It’s suicide.
Sui. “Of oneself.”
Which means no one else is on this footage.
No wanker in yellow trainers.
No Bigfoot or mystery man on the Grassy Knoll…
Stop. She keeps looking over her shoulder.
It’s like someone was chasing her.
That’s just before she went into the rail yard, right?
Mm.
Leave that up.
I want to see another angle.
Yeah, but we don’t have any footage of her jumping.
I know. I want to see the camera before that one again.
[Sighs]
[Mouse clicks]
There.
There’s something in her hand.
It’s gone here.
♪♪
We didn’t find anything at the scene.
Print those out for me.
♪♪
Does Detective Hough know about this?
♪♪
Thanks.
♪♪
[Vehicle brakes screeching]
[Indistinct conversation]
♪♪
[Indistinct conversations]
♪♪
♪♪
And then when Gerald got sick, well… things got difficult after that.
We just go on, though, don’t we?
Yes, I suppose we do.
Surely you know why I’m here.
♪♪
You have no idea what happened to your sister?
Mustn’t talk about things like that. Mustn’t.
Or mine?
♪♪
I’ve done everything in my power to find her.
I work for them, and I’ve still never caught so much as a whiff that she even existed.
Why do you think that I know anything?
‘Cause someone’s got to.
♪♪
I drove out there yesterday to the old building.
Why?
I want to know, Abigail.
Why were we there?
What did Dr. Jameson want with us?
Let it go. Let it go.
I never had a Gerald.
I never had children.
My parents died when I was very young.
My sister is all I have.
I’ll do anything, anything to find her. Do you understand?
♪♪
[Light bulbs clinking]
[Electricity crackling]
[Light bulbs shatter, Abigail gasps]
Rose: You are not welcome here.
Rose.
I don’t go by that name anymore.
When did you…
You’re one of them.
Yes, but…
You work for them.
Knowing what you know.
I’m trying to change what they do, how they do it.
Oh, good for you.
At least you have each other.
I need this. Please.
Get out!
♪♪
Please go.
♪
♪♪
[Horn honks, thunder rumbles]
♪♪
[Checkers growling quietly]
[Breathes deeply]
♪♪
Right. You got your marching orders?
Get in, find out where they’re hiding the book, get out.
And if I hear so much as a kitty’s queef, Checkers’ll fish you out lickety split.
♪♪
[Checkers snarls]
Hey!
Don’t worry about him. The iron, it makes vampires all donein.
♪♪
[Siren wails in distance]
♪♪
[Indistinct conversations]
[Jazz music playing]
♪♪
[Elevator bell dings]
[Indistinct conversations continue]
♪♪
[Conversations fade, thoughts overlapping]
Person: [Thinking] Do you ever shut up? Shut up!
Person #2: Oh, my God.
I can’t wait to get out of here and never see this creep again.
Person #3: [Thinking] Shit. This bass player sucks.
Person #4:
Who taught this bartender how to make a martini?
Person #5: I have to piss.
Person #6: I just can’t believe she knew that.
Person #7:
Oh, just take me upstairs.
[Indistinct conversations, jazz music playing]
♪♪
[Indistinct conversations continue]
♪♪
Whiskey.
Yes, sir.
[Conversations fade]
[Thoughts overlapping, echoing]
[Indistinct thoughts echoing]
Person: [Thinking] Calling my name.
Person #2: [Thinking] Yeah, the bearded one will do nicely.
It’s showtime.
Here you go, sir.
[Indistinct conversations and jazz music continue]
♪♪
[Conversations fade]
[Low, distorted muttering]
Harris: [Thinking] Big deal. Big deal.
[Highpitched tone whining]
Stop whining in my ear about being hungry.
Gabriel: [Thinking] Where is Raglan?
Harris: Late.
Where is he? Where is he?
Everything changes tonight.
We’ll be more powerful than ever.
I can’t wait any longer.
I want to get this deal done.
Raglan: Looking for these?
[Pills rattling]
Guy “Anatoly”…
What the hell, man?
Calm down.
I know you’re Talamasca.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Hookers and spies can always make out their own kind.
Adjunct professors, too.
Raglan James.
[Hands shake]
Don’t worry.
Your secret’s safe with me.
Yeah? What do you want?
For you to walk right out of here.
I will expense your drink.
You’re welcome.
And if I say fuck you, I don’t know who you are?
Oh, well, then I clear my throat, leap onto the bar, and announce that you’re an agent of a certain organization they despise.
[Clears throat]
[Sighs]
I don’t know what you’re up to.
But this place, it isn’t for you.
Raglan: [Thinking] He’s going to muck up my deal.
I didn’t quite realize what your talent was, but now that you’ve revealed it… stop it!
Get out of my head.
You’re Talamasca, too.
But you’re not here on the company’s dime, are you?
You were invited here.
For a deal.
A transaction.
Of something very valuable.
You’re what we call fresh laundry, Mr. “Anatoly.”
“Anatoll.”
So allow me to orient you to the culture.
Yes, I am on the Talamasca payroll, thin as it is.
But make no mistake, there’s no good and bad here, no us versus them.
The only one I work for is myself.
And if you’re going to keep playing tickle-feet with Amsterdam, I suggest you adopt a similarly rigorous view of your own self-interest.
In the meantime… let’s just say they have special rooms here at the Westcroft for when they catch a rat.
[Jazz music continues playing]
Sounds like you’re not giving me much of a choice.
I’m giving you less than that.
♪♪
Mm.
Good choice.
♪♪
What the hell are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
We are leaving. Now.
[Indistinct conversations]
Guy.
♪♪
Do you have any idea where you are right now?
Did you follow me here?
I don’t know.
Did you follow the man who killed Keves?
♪♪
What else are you keeping from me?
Listen, following Archie was my mission.
I had no idea that Keves was in any danger.
But someone ambushed both of them.
A vampire who is in this hotel.
And how do you know that?
Archie had puncture wounds in his neck.
That’s what killed him.
And he was working for a Goddamn vampire named Jasper who’s taken over the London Mother House.
And Keves had something that Jasper wants.
Have you stopped to think that maybe he is the one who killed her?
No. Whoever killed Keves took what Jasper wants.
And he thinks it’s here.
“It” what? What is it?
It’s called the… the Seven-Five-Two.
Oh, Lord.[Scoffs] I’m not new to this.
I’ve heard the rumors.
It is an old wives tale to keep fools like you occupied.
It doesn’t exist.
Well, I think it does.
And I think it’s interesting that you’re so adamant that it doesn’t, yet here you are, following me around wherever I go.
If you have something to say…
Oh, I just said it.
[Door opens, cutlery clinks]
Hotel staff: Excuse me.
♪♪
[Door shuts] Okay.
Okay, let’s say you’re right, and it’s here.
What are you gonna do, pry it from the hands of a bunch of killers and then waltz out of here?
Look, I was just supposed to get information on it.
But it turns out it might walk out of here tonight.
And I need to stop that from happening.
To help this Jasper fellow.
To help myself.
You told me not to trust the Talamasca.
Neither does Jasper.
Ah, so he’s a good guy.
I don’t have time for this.
His men are waiting outside.
And they sent you in here alone?
Guy, listen to me.
You’re in danger.
And what?
You’re my guardian angel now?
Are you even sure you know what you’re looking for?
If you have an ounce of common sense, you will follow me out of this hotel and never look back.
♪♪
You’re a fool.
♪♪
[Door opens]
[Door shuts]
[Elevator bell dings]
[Indistinct conversations]
[Piano music playing]
♪♪
♪♪
Guy: Excuse me.
Hi. Um…
This is a funny question, but, uh, how would you like to make a quick 50 quid?
[Raglan clears throat]
[Button clicks]
[Exhales deeply]
Guy: Whoa, whoa, play it cool.
[Sighs]
[Elevator bell dings] I warned you.
You did.
And I thought about it.
But the thing is, I’m gonna be accompanying you on this transaction.
See that lady at your 4:00?
Brown velvet jacket?
Hookers and spies, right?
That’s Lydia Bainbridge.
Big brass from Amsterdam.
And she’s taken an interest in your deal.
See that van on your way in here?
Standard issue. There’s three more covering the perimeter.
Well, what a disappointing lickspittle you turned out to be.
So here’s what’s gonna happen next.
We’re gonna go upstairs.
You’re gonna introduce me as your assistant.
We’ll do the deal. Then we’ll come back down nice and smooth.
And I’m sure your cooperation will be taken into account by the higher ups.
And if I refuse?
Well, you know the Talamasca.
[Button clicks, elevator bell dings] They have their own special room for when they catch a rat.
♪♪
[Clears throat]
♪♪
♪♪
[Elevator bell dings]
♪♪
♪♪
Who the hell is this?
Mr. Salera here is my assistant.
You did not mention anything about an assistant.
I trust you fellows.
But you know how much counterfeit product is out there.
Mr. Salera is uniquely qualified to help me verify the goods.
♪♪
Harris?
♪♪
Let’s do business, then.
Mm.
♪♪
♪♪
[Piano music playing]
[Indistinct conversations]
Excuse me.
Would you mind doing me a favor?
Of course. [Chuckles shyly] Outside, there’s a van.
There’s a man parked in it.
Could you hand him the note?
Absolutely.
[Muffled growling]
Evening, sir. Message for you.
Who gave this to you?
A nice young woman. Pretty.
Very pretty, sir.
♪♪
[Phone number dials]
[Phone line rings, clicks]
We have a problem.
I’m hungry.
[Sighs]
[Howard Jones’ “Things Can Only Get Better”playing, muffled]
Your hotel. It’s real nice.
It’s a damn money pit.
Deferred maintenance is a bitch.
So hungry.
Jesus.
[Muffled] ♪ A thousand
skeptic hands won’t keep us ♪
Halsted!
[Door opens]
♪ Unless we’re clinging
to the things we prize ♪
♪ And do you feel scared? I do ♪
Harris: So, anyone else hungry?
Can I get you anything?
How about fruit?
[Music playing from bedroom]
Raglan: Oh, no. Thanks.
Drink?
[Chuckles] Had one in your lovely lounge downstairs.
Charged it to the suite.
Hope you don’t mind.
Not at all.
So?
Let’s see the money.
Ah, yes, of course.
[Clears throat]
[Chuckles]
Actually, I’ve got something else to offer.
♪ The final show,
get to 60 and feel no regret ♪
Him. Not my assistant.
Ambushed his way in here.
Apologies.
No. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
But an exceptional…
Just… Just… mind reader nonetheless.
That’s not true. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
He’ll root around in your kind’s gray matter…
What? No.
…juggle it in your face, and you’d be none the wiser.
No. Complete… No.
Bullshit.
Bullshit, exactly, bullshit.
No, no, he did it to you in the bar.
That’s ridiculous.
I don’t… II can’t read minds.
Half an hour ago, Harris.
No, he’s lying. III…
And he’s all yours.
Guy: Just wait, okay? Just…
Not a bad arrow to have in your quiver when you’re dealing with a rival coven, eh?
Worth a hell of a lot more than a little cash.
Okay, he’s a con man.
That is ridiculous.
I cannot read minds.
He’ll show you his talents once there’s a little blood on the carpet.
Guy: What?
That’s a good point.
No. No, no, no, no, no, no!
Wait, wait, wait!
[Gunshot]
Oh! Aah. Oh, bloody hell.
[Music playing louder] What’d you do that for?
[Raglan grunting]
[Raglan panting]
Harris: Oh, quit bellyaching, Raglan.
[Raglan grunts] Harris: Shh.
Hey. Hey, kid. Hey! Hey.
[Raglan groans]
Ah!
Showtime, kid.
Do it! Or we’re both dead.
Okay! Okay!
[Raglan groaning]
[Howard Jones’ “Things Can Only Get Better”playing, louder]
It’s pretty loud.
Gabriel!
[Groans]
Go turn that shit down.
[Raglan grunting]
[Howard Jones’ “Things Can Only Get Better”continues playing]
Think of something.
[Checkers snarls, flesh tears] A memory.
♪ Whoa, whoa, whoaohoh,
whoawhoa, whoaohoh ♪
[Checkers growls]
♪ Whoa, whoa, whoaohoh,
whoawhoa, whoaohoh ♪
Okay.
♪ Whoa, whoa, whoaohoh,
whoawhoa ♪
[Music fades, wind whistles]
[Horse neighing, distorted]
[Guy panting]
Guy: Horse.
♪♪
You’re a boy, 11 or…
12 years old.
And there’s aa horse.
You’re riding a horse.
In a field.
[Whispering]
With the wind through your hair.
♪♪
This is a nice memory.
♪♪
But then the horse spooks.
[Horse neighs]
And you’re terrified.
That you’ll fall.
That you’ll die.
That you’ll lose control.
And you keep thinking over and over, “Don’t lose control.
Don’t lose control.”
♪♪
But then you let go.
And the horse takes you with him.
And you are one with him.
You’re alive.
You’ve never felt more alive.
♪♪
Never before.
♪♪
Never since.
[Highpitched tone whines]
[Breathes heavily]
[Gasping] [Music resumes]
Harris: Oh, holy shit.
Huh?
Oh, I like him.
You, don’t worry about that.
It’s only a little nick.
You’ll heal up just nice once we’re done here.
[Pat Benatar’s “We Belong” playing]
Alright, then.
We have a deal.
♪ Many times,
I tried to tell you ♪
♪ Many times I cried alone
Von!
I told you to turn it down!
♪ Always I’m surprised how ♪
I mean, how hard is it to turn off the damn…
[Screaming]
Raglan: What was that?
[Blood splatters]
♪ I’ve invested too much time ♪
♪ To give you up that easy ♪
[In distance] ♪ To the doubts
that complicate your mind ♪
♪ We belong to the light,
we belong to the thunder ♪
[Footsteps]
♪♪
♪♪
[Checkers growling]
♪ To give you up that easy
♪ To the doubts
that complicate your mind ♪
♪ We belong to the light,
we belong to the thunder ♪
Oh, dear.
♪ We belong to the sound of the
words we’ve both fallen under ♪
♪ Whatever we deny or embrace ♪
[Snoring quietly]
♪ For worse or for better ♪
Uh… [Sighs]
♪ We belong ♪
♪ We belong,
we belong together ♪
♪♪
♪ Maybe it’s
a sign of weakness ♪
[Record scratches, music stops]
[Handcuffs and briefcase rattling]
[Raglan humming, grunting]
♪♪
Guy: Open it.
Now.
Don’t mess around, asshole.
I’m taking the book.
The what?
The SevenFiveTwo, the book.
Open it.
[Scoffs] Uh, uh…
[Grunts]
♪♪
What the hell is that?
You really don’t know?
It’s blood.
Ancient vampire blood? Um… exponentially more valuable than… anything?
You set a trap for me.
That’s the reason you folded so quickly downstairs.
“Lydia Bainbridge.”
My God, he knows Lydia Bainbridge!
Whatever will I do now that Lydia Bainbridge is on the case?
You set the trap for yourself.
You were just gonna give me up to them.
And you nearly got me killed.
Only one I work for is myself, huh?
Make it your mantra.
Here you are. For your trouble.
Um, wait a few minutes.
Walk out like you know something they don’t.
♪♪
Danger in every direction.
[Grunts, clears throat]
♪♪
Should get yourself to a hospital.
[Scoffs]
This is all the hospital I need.
♪♪
♪♪
Guy: [Whispering] You’re alive.
♪♪
♪♪
What a mess.
♪♪
They didn’t have it.
I swear.
♪♪
It was just some deal for blood.
♪♪
♪♪
[Man wheezes]
♪♪
♪♪
Kill… me.
[Wheezes]
♪♪
They’re bleeding him dry.
[Man wheezing]
Kept him barely alive so they could harvest his blood.
♪♪
600, 700 years old.
♪♪
Born before the printing press, before the discovery of the New World.
The Talamasca watches?
They’re always there?
They keep things in balance?
Bullshit.
This, this goes against everything we believe.
What good are they if they can let this happen right under their noses?
[Wheezing]
Back when the Talamasca started, vampires like him, they had a seat at the table.
They were there in the beginning.
And when there’s more of us…
♪♪
…they’ll be there again.
You watch.
♪♪
♪♪
[Sirens wail]
Ridge: I know it’s late, but this is important.
This is what Soledad ditched the night she died.
♪♪
Loren: Whoa.
What is that?
Encryption.
Next level shit.
What the hell have you gotten yourself mixed up in?
[Cellphone ringing]
Uh, Helen?
I need you to find someone for me.
Yeah, ‘course. Anything.
But, Jay?
I need you to keep this between us, alright?
[Checkers grunting, blood squishing] Lucky we got there before things really went south.
You can just let me out anywhere.
Someone cares about you, you know.
Wait, who…
You tell me.
What did the bellboy say?
Highsmith: Girl, sir. Very pretty.
Ah, pretty, pretty girl.
You’re really making the rounds, aren’t you?
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Do not worry, my dude.
Between the two of us, I’m sure we can figure it out.
[Checkers whimpers]
♪♪
♪♪
