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MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Akilah Moore checks her Blackberry once more, hoping for some kind of text message from her brother on Michael's arraignment. She had no personal interest in being in court and having to face the man who's apparently been manipulating her family for years, but she at least wants to know what's going on.
She is at least grateful that Yolanda isn't in the scenes being filmed at the hospital, Akilah isn't in the mood to visit with her long-lost aunt either. It's funny how the things in her life she would most want...a fabulous mansion, a fabulous Hollywood career, a fabulous boyfriend who's not a vampire would come with so much...baggage.
But Akilah, ever the optimist, chooses not to dwell. Dwelling is for people who cut themselves and read Stephanie Meyer books.
"How do you think that scene went?"
Akilah glances up at Blake Thomas, hovering over her in fresh bandages from the shooting scene he just filmed down the corridor.
"I've seen better," Akilah mutters.
Blake frowns. "What's wrong with you?"
"I don't know, Blake. Pick up a newspaper?"
"Oh, right," Blake says. "I just meant...you never usually let stuff bother you. You're always so bright and happy. Like when you skipped your friends wake to go to an open casting call."
"Did you want something?"
"How's Vince doing with all of this?"
"Who knows? Aren't you his best friend? You two are roommates at college, aren't you?"
"Just barely. He's never on campus. And neither are you, actually."
"Like I said. Pick up a paper," Akilah says, rising to her feet. "Excuse me."
"You know, you're not the only one with problems, Akilah. I'm just trying to be a friend."
"But we're not friends."
Blake nods. "Right. Well, at any rate, I have a question to ask you."
"About?"
"South Africa."
Akilah's face tightens at the mention of what can only be described as the most awful summer vacation she's ever had. "I'd really rather not."
"Akilah, it's kind of —"
"Christ, take a hint, Blake! I don't want to talk about it," Akilah snaps, returning to her Blackberry.
HANLEY HOME
Michael Hanley still can't take his eyes off the woman standing before him — Vanessa Watson. Back in Marquette Cove. But why? As he contemplates this turn of events, his mind swirling with memories of Vanessa's exit from town and the implications of her sudden, unexpected return, he can't figure out what to say.
"Aren't you going to say something?" Vanessa asks, finally allowing a smile to form on her face.
"How did you get in?" Michael finally manages, though it's not exactly what he wanted to say, nor is it in the right tone.
"I still have my key. And you never changed the locks," Vanessa says. "You look..."
"Like hell?" Michael laughs. "I've been better. Can I get you a drink?"
"Sure," Vanessa says, nodding grimly. "I'm going to need one."
"So what brings you back to Marquette Cove?"
"It's my sister. She's in trouble."
"Nikki's in trouble? What kind of —"
"It's going to cost a lot of money," Vanessa says, cutting him off. "Which won't be a problem, since I have access to my sister's back account. But your resources, they're a lot greater than mine. I'll explain everything, but I just have to know that you're going to..."
Their conversation is interrupted as the front door swings open and the sound of a loud, heavy sigh erupts into the living room. As the man entering the mansion steps into the living room, Vanessa clutches her chest in shock.
"Sean... Sean Moore?" Vanessa gasps.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Sean asks, furrowing his brow in confusion.
"You might not remember me, I was one of your son's teachers when you..." Vanessa turns back to Michael. "Is this even possible?"
Michael rolls his eyes. "Oh, it's possible. Sean Moore, meet Vanessa Watson. Vanessa, meet the not so dearly departed."
"A pleasure," Sean says, extending a hand.
Vanessa, unsure whether to shake Sean's hand or collapse in shock, takes a deep breath and goes with the first option. "A...pleasure. Yes."
"What are you doing here?" Michael demands, moving past Vanessa.
"Well, I do live here," Sean says. "Not for long though, trust me. Yolanda has offered to let me stay in an extra room at her suite."
"That's awfully...actually, never mind," Michael says, reaching out to touch Vanessa's shoulder. "Will you excuse me for a moment?"
"Of course," Vanessa says. "I'll just help myself to that... that drink."
Michael gestures toward his study. Sean obliging makes the first move, heading toward the office with Michael following.
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
"Interior...Blackthornes Mansion...Night," Andy Eckles reads aloud from the latest episode of The Blackthornes currently resting in Final Draft on his laptop. "Brooke enters, lovingly caressing the door frame as she steely gazes at James..."
Interrupted by a knock at the door, Andy glances up at finds his beautiful assistant, Heidi Redone.
"Heidi," Andy says, smiling.
"Andy...we're going to have to talk," Heidi says, entering and closing the door. "Your obsession is becoming a liability."
"What exactly are you talking about?"
Heidi rolls her eyes and sits down on the edge of the desk. "We were supposed to be doing an open casting call in Chicago. But now we're filming scenes in a Chicago suburb?"
Andy shrugs. "It's cheap. Don't they film Guiding Light in Peapack, New Jersey?"
"I know that all of this is for Blake Thomas," Heidi snaps. "It's because of your goddamn obsession with his brother. And what he did to you."
Andy's eyes widen. "Are you...Are you..."
"Yes, it's me, you can stop stuttering," Heidi says, tossing her hair back. "You're practically gagging."
She smiles defiantly, shaking her head back and forth and allowing the image of a blonde, busty intern to transform into a dark haired vixen, one that Andy knows all too well...
"Isoke."
"Yes, it's me darling," Isoke says, placing her hands on her hips. "Surprised to see me again, Andy? Or should I say... Tom King?"
Groaning, Andy Eckles...formerly known as Tom King, leans back in his chair and shuts his eyes. "Shit."
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
PARKING LOT
Robert Bale strides out the hospital doors, about ready to punch someone in the face after his conversation with his ex-wife. As he heads toward his car, he is startled by running smack into Kyle Maddock.
"Kyle!" Robert says, nearly shouting. "I have never been so happy to see someone in my life."
Kyle takes a step back from Robert, confused as to this sudden outburst of happiness. "Robert...you as well, I suppose."
"I've been looking for you," Robert insists. "But you've been —"
"Oh, I've been off meeting with some investors," Kyle says. "Now that I'm back in town, with not much to do besides sit around waiting for my family to stop treating me like a leper, I've decided to be proactive."
"Proactive in?"
"A job," Kyle says. "You're looking at the new owner of Mata Hari's."
"Oh. That was abrupt."
Kyle shrugs. "Well, you know."
"Who's Brent?"
"Huh?" Kyle asks, suddenly realizing he has a nametag affixed to his shirt. The nametag he's been using with the name Brent Zigeler on it. He quickly snatches it away. "Oh! I found this on the pavement, I was going to...bring it in. And give it...what do you want, Robert?"
"Listen, I don't know how to say this, but...I paid a visit to Hugh Rogers in Atlantic City."
"Hugh Rogers? The man responsible for pimping out my sister? Whatever for?"
"I found out while I was there that he was blackmailing Aaron over something he did to you when you were younger," Robert answers. "I know it's probably very painful for you to talk about this, but I know what Aaron did to you."
Kyle's lip begins to tremble. "What Aaron..."
"I know he molested you."
Kyle wants to reach out and grab Robert, shove him to the ground and shut him up. But he can't. He can't allow himself to lose control. To let Robert know the truth.
Because digging into the past is not something Kyle can afford.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kyle insists. "Why would you...why would you make something up like this?"
"Kyle! I know that it's the truth, I found —"
"Found out what? Something from a man so low in the gutter he wants to bring my entire family there with him?" Kyle demands. "He's disgusting. And honestly, if you want to believe these lies so that you can come up with some sort of out to the stories Alec has been spinning around...you know what? This makes sense."
"Excuse me?" Robert demands.
"You're making this all up," Kyle says, frowning. "You're pathetic, Robert. You are certainly not the man that I remember."
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
THE BLACKTHORNES SET
Blake crouches next to the chair Akilah is seated in. "Akilah, can you please just hear me out?"
"I don't want to talk about South Africa," Akilah insists. "Can't we just leave it dead and buried? Excuse the pun."
"I just want to know about Chris!"
Akilah raises her head, frowning. "I'm sorry, Blake. I'd forgotten that you and Chris were...I'm sorry."
"I just want to know what happened to him," Blake insists. "He means a... he meant a lot to me."
"He was killed by Quentin," Akilah says. "Just like Kelli and Sara."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Look, a lot of crazy stuff happened there. I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you."
"I've seen my share of crazy. You know what town we live in," Blake reminds her.
"Would you believe vampires?"
Blake laughs. "Actually? Yeah."
"Fine," Akilah whispers. "You didn't hear this from me. But Quentin was a...well, he was a vampire. And he turned Chris into one. And we killed him. End of story."
"Chris was..."
"I know you loved him. And I'm sorry," Akilah says as her Blackberry vibrates. "I'm really sorry."
She gets up from her chair and hurries off, reading the message she's finally received from her brother. As Blake watches her go, he wonders if he should feel horrified about what happened to Chris in his final hours.
But instead, all he feels is afraid of what's to come.
HANLEY HOME
"Thank you for not testifying against me," Michael says, shutting the door behind them.
Sean scoffs at Michael having the nerve to even utter those words. "Are you kidding me? You've ruined my life."
"You played a part in it yourself."
"Don't remind me," Sean says. "I'm disgusted by how I treated Leslie... but I wasn't playing with a full deck, so to speak. I never completely had all of my memories back. And I don't now."
"What a shame."
"I want them back," Sean says.
"Your memories...or your family?" Michael asks. "Because if it's the latter, I don't really see that happening. Leslie is pregnant with my child. She and I are going to raise —"
"You really are that crazy, aren't you?" Sean laughs. "You think Leslie is going to let you anywhere near that child? She'd kill you first. And if you go anywhere near my children again, I'll kill you."
"Idle threats are just that, Sean."
"I didn't come here to demand my family back. I'll accomplish that myself in time," Sean says.
"Then what?"
"I need you to get my memories back. All of them."
Michael frowns. "I'm sorry. I can't do that either."
"Do this one thing for me!" Sean cries. "You owe me this much!"
"I can't," Michael insists. "Victor...Victor is dead. And he's taken his secrets to the grave with him. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait for all of your memories to return on their own."
"Thanks for nothing," Sean grumbles, storming out the office.
As Michael follows him, he glances around the living room to search for Vanessa. But she's nowhere to be found.
"Where did Vanessa go?" Michael demands, noticing her barely sipped glass on the table.
"I think she got a refresher course on the Michael she missed while she was gone," Sean says, picking up the morning newspaper from the coffee table and waving it in Michael's face. "What do you think scared her off? The kidnapping or the attempted murder charges?"
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
"Don't call me by that name," Tom King snaps, rising to his feet. "That was my former name, when I was a two-bit hack. I've grown as an artiste."
"So, you've moved on from plagiarizing the lives of some nobodies in a random ski town to writing a television show about the famed Blackthornes?" Isoke says. "Haven't you ever wondered how you managed to avoid being sued?"
"I assumed the Blackthornes were fans of my little show."
Isoke laughs. "No one is a fan of your little show."
"Can we move whatever it is you want along?" Tom demands. "I have an asteroid scene to film."
"That's what I'm actually here for. The Powers that Be, or rather, those that I work for, are tired of me playing your little games. Just like we were tired of kidnapping people and sticking them in a ski resort years ago, we're tired of this as well."
"What do you mean grown tired?"
"Your show is canceled. Effective immediately."
"You're not Dawn Ostroff! You have no clout!" Tom snaps.
"Yes, we do," Isoke insists.
"But I have revenge I need to get," Tom says, reaching for the DVD on his desk. "I've carried this around with me ever since I was nearly burned to death in that motel fire. This DVD is going to destroy Blake Thomas' life forever...and I will finally have my revenge for his brother ruining my life!"
Isoke shakes her head. "Um...yeah. No. You're canceled."
"I have an asteroid scene!"
"No, you have an actual asteroid," Isoke says, picking up a clock from the desk. "I was going to give you an estimate, but I don't have an exact time frame...never mind. You're going to get your asteroid scene. It's rather poetic, I think."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Christ, are you dense?" Isoke says, smiling at Tom's idiocy. "Your show is going to be canceled because it's going to be completely wiped out when an actual asteroid takes out this set and all of Marquette Cove. Maybe if this town doesn't exist anymore...you'll finally leave it alone."
