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"Did he just say what I think he did?" Billy demands in a whisper.
"Yes, he did," Akilah says. "He's going to... what the hell is with everyone today? Why do people keep wanting to kill people?"
"It's not like he doesn't deserve it, but... what the hell did Aaron ever do to Blake?"
"I think it's a lover's spat," Akilah answers. "They've been sleeping together."
Billy shakes his head in disbelief. "This fucking town."
"Tell me about it," Akilah says. "But... wait a second! You want to kill him too! We have to stop..."
Billy covers Akilah's mouth with his hand and pulls her back into the bushes. "Don't make me hit you again, okay?"
As Akilah nods her head silently, Blake and Aaron are oblivious to the interaction going on behind the row of bushes. Blake stands before Aaron, a tense, dark look on his face. "I said I'm going to kill you for what you've done to me."
"What the hell have I done to you?" Aaron demands.
"You raped me, you son of a bitch," Blake says. "And now you're going to pay with your life."
"I'm supposed to get a phone call!" Sean shouts.
Hearing no response, Sean sinks to the cot in his cell and buries his face in his hands. This is where his life is going to end. In a French prison. This has to be some kind of karma.
As he sits in silence, Sean is stirred from his self-pity by the sound of heels clacking along the floor. He can smell the strong scent of perfume twinged with the aroma of cigarette smoke. He looks up and notices that his cell has been approached by a sexy brunette in a corseted mini-skirt and five-inch stiletto heels.
"Bonjour," the woman says. "You will give me answers."
"Are you... are you the police?" Sean asks, stunned at the woman's appearance.
"Non, I am Monique Davenport," she says. "And you are a liar."
"Excuse me?" Sean demands. "You're... you're the woman that was having the affair with Marcus?"
Monique flicks her cigarette at Sean, burning his arm. He cries out and jumps to his feet, stamping the cigarette out. "You are not Sean Moore."
"Like hell I'm not!"
"Why don't we just see about that, mon ami?" Monique shakes her head, removing a cell phone from her pocket. She dials a number and waits a few moments until a man answers. "Sean, it's me Monique. I need you to get down to the police station immediately."
MATA HARI'S
"Simon hasn't told Felicia yet," Valerie Holden hisses, stalking toward the table where Robert Bale pours himself a drink.
He sighs with annoyance and looks up at Valerie, the woman who he has gone into the business of revenge with. He can't stand her, and yet in order to accomplish what he wants, he will need to be in bed with her... so to speak.
"Valerie... do get a grip," Robert says with all of the kindness he can muster. "The day is hardly even over. And we did have a wedding to get through."
"I just want to speed this up," Valerie insists. "So I can take over Hanley Enterprises. Do you know that he wouldn't give me my job back? My own brother wouldn't give me my job back! He gave it to that pregnant woman over there."
"Denise is perfectly capable," Robert says. "And you were in prison."
"Well, whatever. I'm taking over, and then we're streamlining," Valerie insists. "Hanley is going to become young and hip. And I'm going to change the name of the company to Valerie."
"That seems ill-advised," Robert mutters. "Why don't you just start your own company?"
"You want to take over as well."
"I want to oust Michael. I could give a damn about that company," Robert says. "I've actually been considering getting back to my acting roots from college. Maybe get involved in producing some theatre..."
Valerie rolls her eyes. "You are such a fag, Robert. Really. You just love sucking..."
"You two look awfully cozy."
Robert and Valerie turn to find Simon Holden approaching with a suspicious gaze.
"Cozy? Hardly," Robert scoffs. "Tell your ex-wife to crawl back into the cell she escaped from."
"Says Chester the Molester," Valerie quips, brushing past Robert. "Excuse me."
As she leaves, Robert shakes his head in disdain. "You don't know how lucky you are to be free from her."
"Trust me, I know," Simon says. "Have you seen Felicia? I need to... I need to speak to her about something important. Michael as well."
"I think I saw her headed to the restroom," Robert answers.
"Thanks," Simon says, hurrying off to find her.
"Have fun chasing after Felicia while you can," Robert mutters, downing his drink in one gulp as if it were a shot. "Bastard."
MATA HARI'S
OUTSIDE PATIO DECK
"Let's get out of here," Billy says, dragging Akilah away from the bushes. "We can't let anyone find me out here."
"But I'm supposed to stay at the wedding," Akilah whispers. "I'm grounded!"
"Okay, seriously? Get a grip," Billy says, pushing forward.
As he and Akilah slip away from the bushes, he fails to notice as his gun slides from his pocket and falls onto the ground. They shuffle off, leaving Aaron and Blake alone to continue their clash.
"Rape you?" Aaron demands. "I didn't rape you, Blake. We made love last night."
Blake laughs. "Is that what you call it? Brutalizing me like that?"
"Blake... you're confused," Aaron insists. "We've been together before. You were in love with me, weren't you?"
"You're disgusting. Some closeted faggot that doesn't deserve to live," Blake spits. "I'm going to enjoy killing you."
Aaron raises his hand and slaps Blake across the face. "Don't speak to me like that. Do you understand?"
Blake reaches for his lip, realizing that Aaron drew blood with his blow. He wipes it away then advances on Aaron, grabbing at his arm. As he does, the cross hanging from Aaron's neck dangles in front of Blake's face. It causes his eyes to flash a bright red color before causing an onset of migraines.
He loses balance and stumbles back, falling onto the ground.
"Where... where am I?" Blake wonders aloud. "What happened?"
"You son of a bitch," Aaron snaps, kicking Blake in the stomach. "You're turning on me too? Do you know what I had to do to Alec when he turned on me? Start whining about me molesting him when he was a kid? I tore into his mind and made him forget all about those lies!"
Aaron kicks Blake again, then balls his hands into fists. "But that didn't solve all of my problems. No, my life didn't become less complicated until he died in that goddamn hospital. So I think the only solution here is killing you too."
As Blake gasps in pain and prepares for another blow to his stomach, he hears the sound of a loud scream nearby. Aaron spins around, horrified to find Felicia Bale standing at the patio entrance with the door open wide.
"Felicia," Aaron says, scrambling to compose himself. "I can... I can explain what you're..."
"Get away from him," Felicia says, pointing an accusatory finger at Aaron. "Get away from him now."
