|
|
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
As she approaches a row of flickering lights, Jessica Bale holds her own candle close to her chest. She stands before a series of memorials set up outside the remains of the hospital, the place of so much death and destruction less than a week ago.
There are photographs of victims of the destroyed hospital, surrounded by candles, flowers, rosaries, and an assortment of personal mementos. Several people have already adorned a photograph of Alec Bale with flowers. In the photograph, he sits in a hospital room, holding his newborn son Phillip in his hands.
"Go ahead," Vincent Moore says, resting a hand on Jessica's shoulder. "I'll be standing right here."
"I don't even know what to say," Jessica says, steeling herself so she doesn't break into tears before she's even able to speak. "I was just so awful to him before he died. We all were."
Vince frowns. "None of us knew that he was..."
"Molested by his father?" Jessica says. "That can't have happened, Vince. Robert is such a great man. He was always such a wonderful father to Alec, and even to you."
"Better than my own."
As much resentment as Vince has always had toward Robert for siding with Alec during their many disputes, particularly their early dispute over Jessica's affections, he knows deep inside that what Jessica is saying is true. Robert isn't that kind of monster.
Sean Moore, maybe. Michael Hanley, possibly. He has no idea what those men are capable of. But Robert, even when he was being an asshole, was pretty much an open book.
"Alec was so screwed up, but I could have helped him," Jessica insists. "We both should have. We both loved him."
"Then that's all he needs to know. That's what he does know," Vince amends, correcting himself. "I think that's what you need to say to..."
Noticing Vince's voice trail off, Jessica turns back toward him, confused. "What's wrong?"
She follows his gaze and finds that two familiar faces are approaching them. Rather than wonder as to why they're together, Jessica is more shocked that Farrah Louis has dared to show her face here. And just how she'd managed to get her hooks into Kane Li so quickly.
"Dear God in heaven!" Aaron gasps, realizing that the large mass is none other than Rebecca Li.
He climbs out the car and slams the door shut, glaring at her with an irritated intensity.
"I just had to get my car repaired after it was scratched all to hell by asteroid rock," Aaron snaps. "Get your five dollar acrylic Chinatown press-on nails off my new paint job!"
"That's awfully knowledgeable for a straight man," Rebecca says, turning onto her back on the car. She pushes up her bra, grinning at him. "Wait, that's right...you like boys! Don't you?"
"This conversation is over," Aaron says, heading toward the building entrance.
"I don't think it is," Rebecca insists. "You've been blackmailing me for months, getting me to do your bidding on the hospital board and now you want me to just ignore this delicious piece of blackmail against you?"
Aaron leans in closer to her, sneering. "You are very lucky we're standing outside a police department."
"Oh, hit me again, Doctor!"
Ignoring Rebecca, Aaron strides into the building and marches toward the desk where he recognizes the man who called him. Joel Kincaid glances up, noticing Aaron's arrival.
"Dr. Maddock," Joel says. "I'm glad you came so quickly. We need to talk about your niece..."
Joel gestures toward an interrogation room.
"...Alexis."
THOMAS HOME
He is no stranger to the darkness.
It engulfs him everywhere he goes, and it remains everywhere he's been. And it is all do to him...the young man cowering in the corner. Damon Johnson would love to kill Chris Server now. Watch the life bleed from his undead body. But what would be the fun in that?
When Damon was murdered, Blake Thomas danced with his body. Tore out his heart and used it to resurrect his worthless brother. To simply kill Chris would be a disservice to the deal Damon made when he was murdered. Asked by Satan himself, perhaps...of that Damon isn't quite sure, but the main point is that he was made a deal when he died. He was allowed to return to Marquette Cove and seek his revenge.
When he first returned, he only wanted to kill Blake. And he was given the opportunity to do so when Blake was lying in a hospital bed, already on the verge of death. But Damon wasn't strong enough to do it on his own...he was stopped by Chris.
Of course, now that Chris is dead...he will be more susceptible to Damon's manipulations. And so will...
"Shit!" Damon cries as the lights flicker on the in basement, his eyes taking their leisurely time to adjust. He fades back into the remaining shadows of the room as Blake enters, setting a pair of grocery bags on the basement floor as he flicks on the lights. Chris too scurries to the side of the couch, cowering from the sudden brightness.
"I'm sorry," Blake says, quickly dimming the lights. "I thought you weren't...afraid of sunlight?"
"I've been in...the dark all day...it's bright," Chris stammers.
"Oh. Right," Blake nods. "I brought you..."
"You're hurt," Chris says. "I smell blood."
"That's the blood I brought you from the clinic," Blake says. "I had to...um, steal it. But that's better than you, um, killing people?"
Chris frowns.
"There was an accident at the hospital. I'm fine."
"There's someone. You were intimate with someone," Chris says. "I can...sense it."
"Well, stop it," Blake snaps. "Stop sensing things about me. I'm just here to help you with...I don't even know what. But until I figure that out, you just stop it. All right?"
Chris nods. "Okay."
"Good," Blake says, pulling a packet from one of the bags. "Now come and drink your blood in peace."
As Blake offers up the blood to Chris, Damon rolls his eyes and prepares to exit the basement. But before he can, he senses someone else in the house. A second living, breathing person.
He glances up at the stairwell, catching a glimpse of someone hurrying away from sight. Someone he knows all too well.
Someone who will be of great use.
KATHARINE DEXTER'S OFFICE
Vanessa Watson turns around in her chair, surprised to find the private investigator Katharine Dexter talking to Sean Moore in the hallway. She rises to her feet to get a closer look, but accidentally knocks a folder from Katharine's desk onto the floor.
"Oh shit," Vanessa grumbles, reaching for the folder. As she picks it up she finds a sheet of paper sticking out from it. It already has her name on it, yet she didn't arrange to meet with Katharine until today.
A closer look reveals that the names Michael Hanley, and the father of her child, Ryan Phillips, are on the sheet as well.
"What in the hell is going on here?"
She continues poring over the files until she hears a twist at the doorknob. Vanessa tosses the folder back onto the desk and grabs her purse, pulling it close to her.
"Are you leaving, Miss Watson?" Katharine says.
"Actually, yes," Vanessa says, nodding. "I have an appointment. Do you think I could speak with you, um, later in the week?"
Katharine nods. "Of course. You have my number."
"Thanks. Thank you, thank you," Vanessa mutters quickly, heading for the door. As she slams it shut behind her, she hisses Sean's name and hurries toward him before he can exit the building.
"Vanessa? Why do I keep running into you?" Sean asks, smirking.
"I'd say it was some sort of odd pattern, but I think it's more of serendipity," Vanessa says. "Last time I saw you, I left so quickly because I was...I was horrified at what he'd done to you. I read it in the paper."
"Thank you."
"It seems he hasn't changed a bit since I've left town," Vanessa says, sighing. "But I left Katharine's office just now because I went to her for help instead of Michael. Only to just find out that she's apparently on his payroll."
Sean frowns. "She is? That's...unfortunate."
"Why do you sound so disappointed?"
"I was contemplating hiring her," Sean says. "I have some blank places in my memory still, from when Michael was...well, you know. And I need help recovering them. Finding out where I was. What I did. What happened to me."
"I understand," Vanessa says. "I feel the same way. I need to find out what really happened to my sister."
"Your sister?" Sean says, reaching for the door. "Why don't we grab some coffee, and you can tell me about it. If Michael's got this woman reporting back to him on everything we do, then we don't need her. Maybe we could help each other out."
Vanessa steps through the door and glances back at Sean, returning his smile. "I'd like that."
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
"Thanks for calling a tow truck for me," Farrah Louis says, grabbing Kane Li's arm as they walk toward the row of memorials. "I was just coming to visit a dear friend, and who'd have thought my car would like, combust or something."
"Don't worry about it," Kane says. "So did you lose someone in the accident?"
"Yes," Farrah says, wiping away a new set of tears. "Alec Bale. He was a close friend of mine."
"Alec...Alec Bale? What did you say your name was?"
"It's...shit."
Kane furrows his brow. "Pardon?"
He soon realizes what Farrah meant, as Jessica Bale marches toward them, a fury in her eyes. Vincent Moore trails behind her, looking helpless to stop Jessica's oncoming tirade.
"What in the hell are you doing here?" Jessica demands, pointing an accusatory finger at Farrah. "Haven't you mocked me enough?"
"You know, not everything's about you," Farrah snaps. "I was a friend of Alec's too. I'm allowed to mourn him."
"Friend? You were his piece on the side," Jessica insists. "He never loved you. He could never love a piece of trash like you."
"Jessica, try to calm down," Kane says, interjecting. "She didn't mean any harm."
"Why don't you mind your own business, buddy?" Vince offers.
"I think I'm fine," Kane answers, standing his ground.
"Get out of here," Jessica continues. "Kane, I can't believe you'd be seen anywhere with her."
"You know, at least Alec never beat me," Farrah chirps.
Jessica lashes out, ready to throttle her, when Vince pulls Jessica back. He takes her aside, rubbing her shoulders gently. "Jess, stop it. I'll take care of this." He turns back to Farrah. "Say your goodbyes."
"I already have," Farrah says. "I was just waiting for a tow truck."
"I have my car. I'll drive you home," Vince insists.
"I don't want a —"
"I wasn't asking," Vince says, grabbing Farrah by the arm and dragging her off.
"I'm so sorry, Jessica," Kane says, waiting until Vince and Farrah have left to speak. "I had no idea she was the one who..."
"It's okay," Jessica says, embracing Kane. "I just need someone to keep me from falling apart."
Kane nods, allowing Jessica to rest her head on his shoulder. "I can do that."
MARQUETTE COVE POLICE DEPARTMENT
"I know Melissa would have wanted you to have protective custody of Alexis," Joel says, handing a stack of forms to Aaron.
Aaron nods. "And what of this...this Ryan's claims that she tried to kill him?"
"Baseless," Joel says. "Ryan Phillips is a nutjob. Alexis will be released into your custody seeing as how you're a psychiatrist and there's no hospital anymore. But I will have to notify Robert, of course. Since he was Melissa's husband, that makes him her next of kin."
"Yes...of course," Aaron says softly. "I suppose that will be a matter for the courts to decide."
"I heard what he did to his own son," Joel says. "Doesn't seem like there'll be much of a choice, huh?"
Aaron nods. "Right. Well, you can help. In court, perhaps."
Joel shakes his head emphatically. "I'm sorry, but I'll be gone. I learned some news about my brother and I'll need to leave town by the end of the week."
"Nothing horrifying I hope."
"I hope," Joel says, heading off. "Excuse me."
"Robert is still a lawyer," Rebecca whispers, appearing at Aaron's side. "He could take everything from you."
"No he won't," Aaron insists.
"You may be right...if you could show a judge that you were more fit to have Alexis in your custody, perhaps you could even take everything from Robert," Rebecca says. "Like his other son? Hunter? Your nephew?"
Aaron's eyes widen. "That's true. I could convince a judge..."
"Or, we could," Rebecca offers, extending a hand.
"Excuse me?"
"We'd certainly be a formidable team in court against a single, carousing bachelor like Robert Bale," Rebecca explains. "Especially if we appeared in court as Mr. and Mrs. Maddock."
FARRAH LOUIS' APARTMENT
Vince pulls up to the sidewalk, parking just outside Farrah's apartment complex. "Here we are."
"Thanks for the ride," Farrah says, reaching for the door handle.
Vince grabs her arm. "You were there when Alec beat Jessica and sent her to the hospital. And yet, you still want to cause her pain."
Farrah slaps Vince across the face. "Stop manhandling me!"
"Get the fuck out of my car," Vince growls. "That's the last time I try to show you any kindness."
Farrah pushes the car door open and climbs outside. As she reaches back in for her purse, Vince grabs onto it.
"I'll just tell you this once. Stay out of our lives. Let Jessica mourn her husband in piece."
Farrah snatches away her purse. "Last time I checked, your chica didn't corner the market on grief in Marquette Cove."
She slams the door shut and makes a beeline toward her apartment. She unlocks the front door and makes her way to the elevator, fuming the entire time.
Those goddamn Bales were always trying to make her feel awful. She was the queen of their high school, the one with the best clothes, the fastest cars, and the hottest body. But that all ended horribly once she took up with Alec.
Her reputation was trashed when he dumped her for Alec, and after a fallout with her parents, she had to seek other means to finance the lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to. Her family might have lost everything in the current economic crisis like most of the other rich people in town who weren't named Hanley, but Farrah herself was doing just fine.
As she exits the elevator, Farrah reaches for her apartment door and prepares to unlock it...but she stops short when she realizes that it is already unlocked.
"What in the..."
She reaches into her purse to remove her cell phone, but before she can go any further, the door flies open and a man's arm grabs her and yanks her into the apartment. The door slams shut behind them and Farrah begins to scream bloody murder.
The man clasps his hand over her mouth, shutting her up.
"Will you stop screaming? Someone might realize I'm here!"
As Farrah's eyes adjust to the dimmed lights in the apartment, she suddenly realizes who is standing before her. "Oh my god...you can't be...you can't still be alive, Alec!" "Yes, I am," he whispers. "And I need your help, Farrah. Desperately."
