Episode 31:
Slideshow
In the crypt the cryonics chamber starts hissing. Dan is
down in the crypt, he sees steam pouring out of the cylinder with the gauges.
Dan tries stopping it, but turning knobs doesn't stop it. He rushes out of the
crypt into the Great Hall, to the staircase, hollering for Alison. When she
doesn't answer he rushes to the laboratory. "Alison!" he yells rushing through the
doorway. "What is it? What's
wrong?" "Erica! The cryonics
capsule, something’s happened to it."
"No, no!" Alison rushes past Dan, heading for the crypt. Alison and Dan
rush into the crypt. Alison works on the chamber. Finally the hissing and steam
stops. Quito watches them from
across the room, he is hidden by an alcove. "There was a short I think." Alison
tells Dan. "Is it ruined?" "The cryonics freezing?" "Yes." Dan says. "I don't know, we will soon find out. If
it is ruined and Erica is doomed to eternal death Jean Paul will hold us all
accountable! What were you doing down here?" "I was looking for the missing
poison." "But I told you Raxl
already searched the crypt for the missing cyanide." says Alison. "That's what she says, but I don't know
if I trust her or that zombie."
Quito walks out of his hiding place, he clenches his hands into
fists. Dan and Alison walk out of
the crypt to the Great hall. "First Holly Marshal is pushed down the stairs by
some character unknown and now maybe the same one has tampered with the cryonics
capsule." Dan says to her. "Perhaps
you inadvertently crossed the wires."
'You're saying one thing and implying another." Dan says walking away.
Alison follows him. "Look Alison, I did not deliberately do it!" Dan stops and
faces her. "Then this must have
been a malfunction." Alison walk to the doorway that leads to the lab. Quito has come up from the crypt. He is
standing next to the staircase watching Dan and Alison. Dan stops Alison. "I don't buy that
either. We are all in danger here, even the dead." Alison and Dan walk through
the doorway. Quito is still watching
them.
On the Mainland Vangie is talking to Jean Paul. "Even the
dead are being disturbed by your strange obsession." "I must have Erica back. Don't you
understand that Vangie? The cryonics process is my only hope." "But everyone has told you it's
success if ever is in the far distant future." Jean Paul nods. "And now even you are
telling me." "Perhaps there is a
possibility for a new life for Erica but..." "It will happen. I made that vow the day
my darling wife was stricken in spite of God!" "Thereby releasing the evil from the
past." says Vangie. "Witchcraft?
Vangie sometimes I wonder if it all isn't too
real."
Raxl stands in front of Jacques portrait. "If Mr. Forrest
did not tamper with the Mistresses capsule, then this devils evil is growing
even more powerful." Raxl turns to Quito. "Quito we must find the doll and
silver pin before Jacques Eloi des Mondes possesses us all!" Quito covers his
face with his hands in fear. Raxl
reaches up to his hands. "The Master must be protected from all demons. From the
past and in the present, especially the witch who seeks to own
him."
Elizabeth walks back to Jean Paul's table. "So if you want contact with Erica now,
spiritualism can reveal the truth from the other side." Vangie tells Jean
Paul. "Would you be willing to go
to Maljardin to conduct a séance? Even though you feel that there is where you
will eventually die?" Jean Paul asks.
"Many others beside me has died fighting evil. Some offering good, some
sort of..." Vangie tells Jean Paul as she notices Elizabeth standing near the
table. Vangie stands. "I must make arrangements." Jean Paul also stands. "Excuse
me." Vangie says then leaves. "Did I hear something about a séance? How
exciting." Elizabeth says taking a seat.
Jean Paul looks at her. "It is not a game Mrs. Marshal." He sits
down. "The two of you seemed to be
in another world. I didn't want to intrude. Perhaps I should have Quito take me
back right now." "He has returned
to the Island. We have no alternative but to wait." "Otherwise you would let me go." asks
Elizabeth. "Back to Maljardin
only." Jean Paul tells her. Elizabeth looks
away.
Raxl is walking down the staircase to the Great Hall, she
then walks through the doorway to the lab. Alison is at work in the laboratory.
She takes notes from a drawer when a small notebook falls out of them and lands
on the floor at her feet. She bend and picks it up. As she is looking through it
Raxl walks through the doorway. Alison sits on a stool reading the notebook as
Raxl walks up to her. Alison
jumps. "Oh Raxl, I was expecting Mr. Forrest." "It is he I have come to talk of." "Why?" asks Alison. "His continuing arguments with the
Master. Prying about where he should not be." Raxl looks away. "There are many things around here Raxl
that needs explaining, Mr. Forrest is just looking for some answers." Raxl looks at Alison. "In the crypt? The
dead do not speak." "He was looking
for the cyanide." "But I have
searched! Or does he not trust me?
Quito heard." "Raxl, now
listen. So many things have been happening around here that we're all at the
point none of us can take another’s intention for granted. Good or bad." Raxl looks at Alison. "Not even Mr.
Forrest?" "Do you think he
purposely tried to ruin the cryonics process?" "I looked, you know those gauges are
carefully checked and accidents like this just do not happen." "It's a machine Raxl. It can break
down!" "Or can be made
to." "I know Mr. Forrest too well
to even remotely suspect him to do such a thing," Alison says getting
upset. "I don't know Mr. Forrest
that well nor does Quito." "Why? Is
Quito going to do him some harm?"
Raxl doesn't answer. "Where
is Quito?" Alison rushes past Raxl. She stops when Raxl answers her. "Double checking the gauges to be sure
nothing like that ever happens again."
Dan walks in the doorway, he walks up to Raxl putting his hands in his
pockets. "Hello Raxl, I didn't know you were interested in lab experiments
too." Raxl turns and looks at Dan.
"I'm interested in all experiments." she says then quickly leaves the room. With a smile Dan tells Alison. "I've
never seen her like that before."
"Neither have I. Dan, do me a favor Don't make anymore waves around
here."
Quito is in the crypt checking the gauges. "Quito before you return for the Master
and Mrs. Marshal we must trace our every step until the conjure doll and silver
pin are recovered. We will begin here with the devil himself, Jacques Eloi Des
Mondes." Raxl walks over to Jacques
crypt. Quito pulls the casket out.
"Let Raxl think whatever she wants! I'm after facts!" Dan
says angrily. "If the cryonics
process is ruined, Jean Paul will be after you!" Alison tells Dan. "I did not do anything to the
capsule!" "Well I think we adjusted
it in time." Alison says in a calmer voice. "It's bad enough I'm a prisoner on this
Island. Now I'm being regarded as a criminal!" Dan says angrily then leaves the
room.
Jean Paul looks at Elizabeth. "Excuse me." He stands. "I
have to check if all the supplies were picked up by Quito." As Jean Paul walks
out he passes Vangie. Vangie walks
around the room when Elizabeth stops her. "You know Mr. Desmond so much better
than I." "Yet I barely know him at
all." says Vangie. "You also find
him a man of strange complexities?" asks Elizabeth. "Because he lost the woman he loves more
than life itself. More than anyone’s
life."
Raxl is in the Great Hall searching the fireplace. Not
finding anything she stands and walks through the room. Quito walks in. "No
success?" Raxl asks him Quito shakes his head. "No doll and no pin in the
fireplace." Raxl looks back at the fireplace, then looks at the staircase. "The
rooms, all of them." she tells Quito rushing up the staircase. Quito
follows.
Alison is in the lab looking over the notes from the small
notebook. Dan walks in coming up to her. "I came to apologize Alison. I'm sorry
I blew up the way I did." He says putting his hands on her shoulders. "Oh that was all right, we're all on the
verge of explosion." Alison says. Dan drops his hands. "Dan, look at this."
Alison hands him the notebook.
"What is it?" asks Dan handing it back. "Doctor Menkin's notes. Erica was my
sister, but I'm beginning to wonder if I'm loosing my memory?" "Well, what does it say?" "Perhaps I'm making to much of this. You
know Doctor Menkin was working on cellular chemistry, reproduction, construction
and so on. Well he made a lot of experiments here, they were mostly
failures." "Failures at what?" Dan
asks sitting on the stool. "Look I'm a lawyer, you have to brief me." "Well you see a living cell can multiply
and differentiate. In fact it can recreate a whole body that it feels it belongs
to. From these notes here Menkin was trying to discover the process of
recreation of the human body." "But
he died before succeeding." Dan says.
"Well all I know is he didn't discover anything six weeks before Erica’s
death." "But why stop there?" Dan
asks. "Because every experiment and
note from there on, is missing."
Dan glances at the notebook, then looks up. "Cyanide missing, experiments
missing, Erica dies, Doctor Menkin dies. And you tell me not to make waves." Dan
stands up and walks over to Alison. "What do you think is going to be missing
next and who do you think will be the next to die?" "Dan the intrigue you build is beginning
to frighten me." "It's not intrigue
it's truth." "There's got to be a
file . It's got to contain the story of Erica’s death." Alison says walking up
to the file cabinet. "What are you
saying, now you're not sure how she died?" Dan asks walking up to her. "Well I don't know. I never saw the
body." "You're not talking about
murder again are you?" "I'm
just saying I don't know. But I do know I'm going to stay here on Maljardin
until I find out." Alison tells Dan.
"You think Jean Paul is concealing something?" "No comment." Alison says walking away
from Dan. She leans on the center lab counter. "Well if there was a candidate for
murder, Doctor Menkin was the lucky one." Dan says standing next to Alison. "I don't know. I never saw his body
either. And I'm not sure he wasn't
murdered."
Raxl and Quito walk down the staircase to the Great Hall.
They walk to Jacques portrait. "Where is the doll and silver pin that curse you?
Jacques Eloi Des Mondes, the evil you are spreading belongs sown in your soul
for all time. And it will be. It will be!" Thunder and lightening crash on the
Island.
On the Main Island Vangie hears the thunder and jumps up.
"If there is a storm coming up our trip will have to be delayed." Elizabeth stands and walks up to Vangie.
"And the séance?" "Perhaps the
spirits are not willing yet." "Or
is the flesh weakening Miss Abbott?"
In the Great Hall Alison and Dan walk in. "I need a
drink." Dan says picking up a decanter.
"Dan that's brandy not sherry." Alison tells him. "The stronger the better. Want
one?" "No thank you. My mind is
clouded enough as it is." Alison says sitting down. "You know if I were a doctor I would
want to look into Raxl's brain to find out what she really believes, thinks and
knows." Dan says. "I am a doctor
and I'd hesitate." "Afraid of what
you'll find out?" "Exactly." says
Alison. "Like where the missing
cyanide is, or Doctor Menkin's notes." Dan says walking to the fireplace,
carrying his drink. "Dan, don't
joke about things like that."
"That's just what I'm not doing, although you seem to think I'm going
around doing the whole cloak and dagger bit." "Dan, supposing Erica was murdered?"
Alison asks rising to her feet and standing next to Dan. "And Doctor
Menkin." "Why do you think I made
such an issue of Erica's death certificate? To this day we're not sure one was
ever filed." "Jean Paul said that
Doctor Menkin issued one and he said that more than once." says Alison. "There is only one way to make certain
and that is to inquire with the authorities. Which is exactly what I'm going to
do just as soon as I get off this blasted Island. If I ever do." "Your doubts grow." "Two deaths, what's one more. Especially
to a man with a power fixation." Dan tells Alison walking around her. "You seem more and more convinced Jean
Paul is at fault." "Whether he can
control it or not is what I'm concerned about." "I'm not sure I follow your
convictions." Alison tells Dan.
"Are you certain you're not or is it no comment again." Alison turns away. "Dan, there are some
sea caves about five hundred yards from the cove." she says walking a few
steps. "When did you find that
out?" "In a book of legends that
Raxl leant me. It would make a good hiding place." Walking up to Alison, Dan says. "In a
sense we're going in a search to a place that Raxl chooses to send us to." "Dan why must you insist on making
everything seem like some sinister trap?"
"Because everything seems to have a sinister aspect to
it."
Jean Paul and Elizabeth are sitting drinking coffee. "Do
you think she will be long?" Elizabeth asks, then looks at Jean Paul. His mind seems to be far away. "Jean Paul?" "Hmm, what?" he answers looking at
her. "Do you think she will be
long?" "Well the storm has
subsided, we're in no rush. Quito hasn't returned yet, and Vangie needs time.
She needs to pack for a few days."
"Oh, just for a few days?"
Jean Paul looks at her. "That seems to please you." "It should complement you." "Should? Why?" "I feel already I have enough
competition on Maljardin."
"Competition? For what?" Jean Paul asks angrily lowering his coffee
cup. "For you." Jean Paul looks away. "Or rather for your attention." "I haven't that much attention to give."
Jean Paul says putting his cup and saucer on the table. "I feel I really haven't had a fair
chance to attract it." Jean Paul
clutches his temple in pain. Jacques ring appears on his hand. As Elizabeth
watches him she becomes upset.
Jacques smiles as he lowers his hands. "What was it, I thought you were
..." "It's all right, it's
just a headache my darling." Forgive me, now what was it you were saying?"
Jacques says. "That I really
haven't had an opportunity to attract your attention." Jacques smiles. "Oh I assure you will.
And the pleasure will be all mine."
"I was worrying about Miss Abbott and that séance." "Ah yes, she seems to fancy that she can
make contact with Erica." "You mean
you really don't believe in that sort of thing?" "Disembodied spirits?" Jacques laughs.
"I'd stake Jean Paul Desmond’s life, virtually every day." "You talk as if you're another
person." "Well what's one more life
more or less. It doesn't even matter whose life. Take your daughter for example.
Before she's twenty-one and inherits all those millions." Elizabeth looks at him, shocked at his
comment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summaries written by Debby
Graham . The slide
presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
