REWRITEN NOW

A little look inside the wax museum in old Newport, Oregon. I think that's where it was anyway.

Onward:
( I WILL BE REVISITING THIS SCENE AS I DID NOT LIKE THE WAY THE CONVERSATION WENT.)

SCENE 4: Still Vienna. Adalind has arrived at her hotel, the same one she was staying in prior to the birth of her child. She is tired from her trip. The concierge discreetly opens the door to her room and takes her bag inside. He leaves it inside the doorway and prepares to leave. Adalind tips him, closes the door, and walks into the room. A lamp is suddenly turned on. The woman Soleil is sitting in a chair in Adalind's room. Adalind immediately goes Hexenbiest and starts to rush toward Soleil. Soliel holds up her hand and Adalind is flung back against the wall. She can't move, she can't breath, her Hexenbiest look disappeared as soon as Soleil raised her hand. Soleil continues to sit in the chair and looks at Adalind who is wide eyed with panic.

Soleil: "What you are experiencing is something I call frozen time. All of the systems in your body have stopped functioning. You have about two minutes before your body will begin to shut down. As no system is working your mind will believe that it is dying and that is exactly what your body will begin to do. On the other hand, I can release you and we can talk like civilized adults about why I am here. I'm going to trust that you are able to contain yourself long enough for us to have a conversation." She looks at Adalind, then lowers her hand. Adalind falls to the floor gasping for breath, coughing as her lungs try to fill will the oxygen they were denied. Soleil sits quietly while Adalind recovers.

Adalind: "Who are you? What are you doing in my room?"

Soleil: " My name is irrelevant and my purpose is merely to inquire if you would like a job. I don't have time to go into a lot of detail at the moment but, I believe you and I could be mutually beneficial to each other."

Adalind looks at her in disbelief: " Thanks but no thanks. I already have a job."

Soleil smiles: "I think we both know that the royal family no longer has any use for you regardless of what you have done for them in the past. You no longer have the child and even if you did, they would simply kill you and keep the child."

Adalind looks confused and angry: "What do you know about my child?"

Soleil waves her question aside: "It doesn't matter at the moment. All you need to know is that she is safe and being well taken cared for and before you can ask, no, I do not have her."

Adalind looks at Soleil sharply: "But you know who does?"

Soleil looks at Adalind a little impatiently: "Again, that is not what we are here to discuss. As the child's mother I felt I should let you know that currently she is safe. As her mother I would think that would be the most important information for you to have."

Adalind has been hesitantly walking toward the chair facing Soleil.: " Why should I believe you?"

Soleil leans back into the chair, " What you believe is entirely up to you. What I can offer you now is only the knowledge that she is well cared for. If you wish to see for yourself, then I suggest you consider my job offer."

Adalind: " What kind of job and why are you offering that job to me?"

Soleil: " Let us say that I have an interest in you and your child's welfare. At this time I find it prudent to keep you both out of harms way. Having you work for me will allow me to do that more easily." She waves aside any questions before Adalind can ask.

Soleil continues: "Tomorrow morning two messengers will arrive here from the king. At that time they will hand you an envelope. In the envelope will be a very generous severance check along with an apology from Prince Viktor that he does not have your daughter." Adalind starts to protest again but Soleil waves her hand, "Let me finish first. The money will allow you to obtain a home in Portland and all of your necessities associated with that. I have many corporate interests throughout the world and I maintain my own legal counsel who have the job of looking after those interests. They work only for me. If you decide to accept," she reaches for an envelope that was lying on the table with the lamp," you will first spend three weeks in London at the main office becoming familiar with various legal matters associated with my businesses and charities. After that time you will be sent to the office in Portland, where I expect you to reside. It is convenient for me to go to the law offices I maintain there. In the envelope is a contract, airline tickets to London, the name of the person who will pick you up at the airport and be your instructor and guide while you are there."

Adalind looks at her in bewilderment: " Why are I and my daughter important to you? Why do you want to do this."

Soleil looks at Adalind : "Let's just say that I have no love for the royal family. If you want to put it on a personal level or need a reason, I enjoy them being, shall we say, inconvenienced." Adalind continues to look at Soleil, not believing what she is saying.

Soleil reaches into her purse and pulls out what looks like a square compact. She opens it, and leans across to Adalind passing the square to her.

Soleil:" This could be your first bonus. There will be others if you decide to accept my offer. " Adalind takes the object and opens it. She sees it's not a compact but a mirror. She looks to Soleil, again in confusion.

Soleil, "Wait." The mirror begins to waver and an image begins to unfold. In the image Diana appears asleep in her crib. The image solidifies and Adalind sees her sleeping child in the mirror. She gasps and holds the mirror tightly in her hands looking at it desperately.

Adalind softly; "How? Where is she?" The image starts to waver and then is gone. "NO!" She looks desperately into the mirror.

Soleil: "The looking glass only works if your true desire is only to see her. If you try to discover where she is, the image will fade." She holds her hand out for the mirror. Adalind reluctantly gives it back. "At this time, even if you are unaware or chose not to believe it, being with you would put her in great danger and I cannot allow that."

Adalind: "What are you talking about?"

Soleil shrugs: "It isn't important for you to understand at this time but, my only interest is to protect her and to be honest, I would like to keep her mother close. That said, are you interested in the job and yes, the job is my means to keep an eye on you for my own reasons. I have also taken into the equation that you are a skilled lawyer as well if you were wondering."

Adalind just looks at Soleil. "Why do you want to protect her? You don't know us. Why should I work for you? I could spend the money you say Viktor is paying me off with to search for her."

Soleil, "Yes you could." She takes the now closed mirror and hands it back to Adalind.  Adalind reaches for it eagerly,"For as long as you work for me you may keep the mirror. If you want to see your child you only have to open it with a pure desire to see her. If you try to use the mirror to find where she is, only know that she is safe, and that the mirror will not show you. The mirror is very old and one of a kind." Adalind looks at the mirror as if it were a lifeline.

Adalind looks at Soleil: "Ok." Soleil hands the envelope with the tickets and contract to Adalind.

Soleil: "You will find the work contract to be a standard employment contract, binding for two years and I think you will find the salary generous. The ticket to London is open-ended. Take the paperwork with you and turn it into your contact there. I believe you will find it expedient to leave tomorrow after your conversation with Viktor's minions. The mirror is just between the two of us."

 Adalind holds tightly to the mirror.

Soleil stands up and walks across the room to the door:  She turns to look at Adalind who has opened up the mirror and is immersed in the image of her sleeping child. Soleil closes the door softly behind her.

END SCENE

Little Captain says welcome back.

SCENE 3: Vienna, night time in the King's bed chamber. It is a large and long room with a huge  fireplace at one end with a large sofa and several chairs grouped together to take advantage of it. All along one wall are floor to ceiling windows covered with rich velvet curtains, pulled to shut out the night. Beautiful old world masterpieces adorn the walls. The rest of the room is richly appointed. At the other end of the room is a large antique king size bed. The king is asleep in the bed. A lamp on a desk across the room glows softly. At the end of the bed, a dark figure waits silently watching the sleeping king. The king tosses in his sleep and jerks awake. He sees the figure at the end of the bed, he switches the lamp on the night stand on
.
*King: "Who are you? How did you get in here? "
The woman at the end of the bed doesn't move.
King calls for his attendants:"Josef! Hans!"
Woman: "That won't do any good. They won't hear you."
King: "What have you done to them?"
Woman, softly, "Nothing. They are taking a very long nap. Your entire palace is filled with people dreaming deep in a sleep that only the morning light can break."
King, sits up straighter in the bed, " Do you know who I am? Do you want money? Is this a kidnap attempt, because I can tell you now your life will be worth nothing if anything happens to me."
The woman smiles and walks around the end of the bed, closer to the side. "Oh, I have no interest in your money and your life means very little. What I want is a little chat and an understanding." She pulls a chair from against the wall to the side of the bed by at the end.
Woman: "You've been looking for a child and I'm here to let you know you need to stop."
King, indignant: "I don't know what you are talking about and whatever I do is my business and none of yours."
The woman lazily raises her left arm until it is fully extended. She slowing begins to close her hand into a fist and stops when it is halfway. The King reaches for his neck and futilely claws at an invisible noose that he feels around his neck. He begins to have trouble breathing. He looks at the woman wide-eyed.
Woman.: "Good. It looks like I have your attention now. I will say this only once. Leave the child alone. She is no longer your concern. If I have to repeat this warning and come back, someone here will die. Perhaps it will be the little Prince Viktor." She looks levelly at the King, "Perhaps it will be you. My reasons are my own but, you may now consider the child under my protection. I take it quite seriously and I do not like interference. Nod your head if you understand."
The King can barely breathe, his hands continue to try to loosen the invisible hold from around his neck. He looks at the woman and nods. The woman opens her hand. The King gasps taking in large lungful's of air as the pressure is removed from his neck.
Woman: "As for the child's mother, I know she use to be in your employ. Prince Viktor has caused me a certain amount of inconvenience by interfering with her and the child. You are going to pay her this sum as severance pay," She lays a sheet of paper at the end of the bed, "thank her for her service and let her know it is no longer required. You will do nothing to harm her nor will you impede her departure from Vienna. She is on her way here now. You will also have Viktor explain to her that he does not have the child. I don't care how he does it but, I will not have the child used as a pawn for your or Viktor's ends. Is this clear to you?"
King, his voice is raspy from the chokehold but angry, " You come in here making demands. Why should we do anything you ask? Who do you think you are?"
The woman raises her arm again and the King cringes back against the headboard and raises his hand in a motion of defeat.
Woman: "Who I am concerns you only if you do not grant my request. Honor it and nothing will happen. Fail to..." the Woman stands up and her eyes glow a faint purple. Things in the room begin to fly around and crash against the walls, it feels like a hurricane wind is destroying the room. The curtains are ripped from their rods, paintings and furniture in the room fly around and crash into each other. The fireplace suddenly blazes up and out, catching flying bits on fire. The King clings to the headboard as the wind comes to a crescendo and then it stops, as suddenly as it started.
The woman stands where she was, unfazed by all that has happened in the room. It is wrecked, ripped paintings and broken furniture, smoldering bits of carpet and debris litter the floor. Nothing has been left whole except for the King's bed and the chair the woman was sitting on.
Woman: "Now, as long as we understand each other, I will leave. It will do you no good to try to rouse anyone here and, just to make certain you do not invite the outside authorities in, I have disabled all communications devices and none of the locks on the doors will open for you or anyone else until morning."
The King glares at her but, nods his head. The woman begins to walk away but stops halfway to the door and turns around. The King looks at her reflexively reaching a hand to his neck.
The Woman smiles without humor: "Should you forget our talk I want you to remember one name." The King looks at her, waiting.
Woman: "Baron Reine. I have not forgotten him. I hope you have not." She looks at the King and continues to the door. She opens it and leaves. The door locks quietly behind her.
All the color has drained from the King's face. There is pure terror reflected in his eyes. He shivers and draws the covers up around him to wait for morning. He knows the woman wasn't lying about the people sleeping or the locks. He hungers for the morning light.

END SCENE

.

Little Captain asks, "Where were we, oh yes, Big Captain is in surgery...SCENE 2 CONT."

(Surgery suite at a hospital somewhere in Portland. Tubes are running out of the Captain as the surgical team tries to stabilize him.)

Nurse: Blood pressure is dropping.
Surgeon: He's lost a lot of blood. Hang another unit. I need another clamp here. Suction.
(Nurses follow the orders and attend the surgeon. Blood is flowing freely from the Captain's wounds.)
Anesthesiologist: Blood pressure is dropping...I've lost rhythm...He's crashing...
Surgeon: More suction! Get the paddles.
(Captain jumps as he is shocked)
Nurse: No reading
Surgeon: Clear. (Shocks the Captain again. The Captain's body jumps with the shock.)
Nurse: Still nothing! (The heart monitor is a flat line)
Surgeon: Clear (Shocks the Captain again. Still nothing. He manually tries to start the Captain's heart. Nothing. The surgeon takes off his mask with an air of defeat)
Surgeon:That's it people. Call time of death. (Looks at clock on wall says the time. Shakes his head. The doctor and others walk away leaving only one nurse left in the surgical unit. The nurse looks around to make sure the others have left. She hurries across the room and opens the door gesturing to the woman waiting on the other side of the surgical unit door. She hurries to the door and enters the surgical unit with the nurse.
Woman: The others are gone?
Nurse: Yes
Woman: How long has he been like this?
Nurse: Less than two minutes.
(The woman takes a syringe out of the white lab coat she is wearing. As she holds it up to the light a small amount of bright white liquid gleams in the syringe. She takes the Captain's arm and injects the contents of the syringe into it. The nurse turns on the heart monitor again glancing quickly around the unit as she does so. For a moment nothing happens then a blip, then another on the heart monitor. A steady rhythm. Machines start to sound alarms. The nurse and woman nod at each other and the woman slips out of the operating room. The nurse goes out a different door quickly finding the surgeon as he is preparing to get out of his scrubs. He and the others become aware of the alarm noises coming from the unit.)
Nurse: Doctor!! I don't know what happened but he's back!!!
(The doctor and the others rush back into the surgical unit. It's as the nurse says. The Captain is still under anesthesia but he's breathing and there is a rhythm on the heart monitor. Doctor pulls his mask back up saying,
Doctor: Damn! I don't know what's going on but, he's not ready to give up. Let's go to work people!!!
(Everyone begins to furiously work over the Captain.)                        
(The woman on the other side of the door smiles and walks away. As she does, Sgt Woo who has arrived at the hospital with his partner Franco sees her walking away. He and a few other police officers have arrived to check on the Captain. He looks confused for a moment, then shocked. She walks through a pair of swinging doors at the end of the hall that leads to the front of the hospital and the exit. Sgt Woo does nothing for a moment and looks torn. After a moment of indecision he starts walking rapidly toward the doors the woman has gone through.)

Outside the hospital:

(The woman is preparing to walk across the road to the parking lot. Sgt Woo comes out of the hospital and sees her.)
Sgt Woo: Ma'am! Excuse me, Ma'am!
(The woman stops and turns to look at Sgt Woo. She smiles.)
Sgt Woo: I'm sorry I stopped you but, do I know you? (He looks confused again.)
Woman: Drew! I would like to think you remembered me. (She continues to smile at him. Her red blond hair gleams softly in the light from the street. Sgt Woo gasps and takes a step back.)
Sgt Woo: NO. You can't be her. They told me I made you up. You're not real. (He looks at her almost accusingly. She laughs softly and shakes her head slightly. Looks jokingly at her hands holding them up as if seeing if they are real.)
Woman: Well, I remember you and you look real to me. (She looks at Sgt Woo a small smile playing on her face. Sgt Woo looks faintly sick, like he might pass out. Still in denial he says,
Sgt Woo: You can't be the same person. That woman would be old by now. It was over 30 years ago! You look the same! (We know that she is Soleil the woman he met as a little boy in the woods all those years ago.)
Soleil: I don't think I've ever been insulted for aging well before. I would think after your recent experience, the realms of what is and isn't in the world would have opened up for you. (Again Sgt Woo looks taken aback even more confused)
Sgt Woo: My recent experience??
Soleil, talking patiently as if Woo is again the lost child in the forest: Did you really think it wasn't real, the Aswang? I told you a long time ago that you were going to see unimaginable things in your life. Did you forget the story? I thought you would have seen one of the books by now as well.
(Sgt Woo takes another step back looking at Soleil in disbelief.)
Sgt Woo: It wasn't real. It wasn't.
Soleil, kindly: Well, I can see you're still not ready.(She starts to turn away.) Maybe when I come back tomorrow we can talk more, if you're up to it. (Sgt Woo stares blankly at her.)
Sgt Woo: Come back? (Soleil turns back to him.)
Soleil: Yes, I'll be back tomorrow to check on my husband. I believe you know him.
Sgt Woo: Your husband? You have a husband. (Soleil laughs.)
Soleil: Yes, your Captain. Sean Renard is my husband.(Sgt Woo seems to collect himself and replies with his usual moxie.
Sgt Woo: Of course he is.
Soleil: Goodbye until we meet again Drew. (She continues across the road where a car is waiting for her under the street lamp in the darkened parking lot. A man gets out of the front of the black Mercedes  and opens the back door for her. She gets into the car. She waves to Sgt Woo as she is driven away. Sgt Woo stands at the entrance of the hospital for a long time looking down the road Soleil drove away on, seeming unaware of all the activity going on around him.)

END SCENE:

NOTE: When I think of Soleil I think of the wonderful actress LESLIE HOPE. I never saw her on 24 but, I did see her guest appearances on The Mentalist and in one of the Jessie Stone movies. I think she epitomizes the character of Soleil.