Strange Paradise: Episode 170
Episode 170a:  Slideshow
Episode 170b:  Slideshow
 
Laslo backs away from Jean Paul. “No, no don’t. I’ll give you anything. I’ll promise anything you like, only let me live.” Jean Paul steps closer to him. “You were sent to me to die and you will die!” Jean Paul grabs him around the throat and starts to strangle him.  Cort enters the room and rushes over to Jean Paul. “Jean Paul no! Stop it!” He pulls Jean Paul away from Laslo.  Jean Paul clutches his hand and sits on his bed.  “He tried to kill me.” Laslo tells Cort.  “Get out of here!” Cort tells him.  “If you hadn’t saved me he would have choked me to death.”  “If I saved anyone it was Jean Paul.”  “You’ll pay for this Jean Paul Desmond. You’ll regret the moment you met me!” Laslo shouts as he walks out of the room.  “He’s right you did save him from me.” Jean Paul tells Cort.  Cort sits one the bed next to Jean Paul. “What was he doing here?”  “He came to warn me not to marry.”  “Is that why you tried to kill him?”  “I tried to kill him because of the mark on my hand.” Jean Paul says as he opens his hand and looks down at it. “It’s gone.” Cort says as he looks at his hand. “So is mine. It was there when I came in. They must work against each other or we would each killed someone.” Jean Paul glances at Cort. “Why did you come to my room?”
“Raxl sent me.” “She wanted you to kill me.” Jean Paul says as he looks away.
“She said the mark would go away.”  “And so it did but why? The star wanted me to kill Laslo.” He glances at Cort.  “Then why did it send me to stop you?” Cort asks Jean Paul.
 
Raxl faces Jacques’ portrait. “Force Cort to his duty. Take Jean Paul’s life for him, free him from our service. Cort will become Master of Desmond Hall. He will link my life to your once more. Make him do your will Jacques Eloi Des Mondes so that I can serve you as I have in the past.” Raxl bows to the portrait. Julian stands in the shadows of the Drawing room; he steps out and walks towards Raxl. “You have failed again Raxl.” “You lie.” “Ask Jacques Eloi Des Mondes. Ask him if you have failed or succeeded?” Julian walks towards the portrait. “Shall I ask him for you?” He stands next to the portrait. “Jacques and I are old acquaintances aren’t we Jacques?” “You have conspired against me.” Julian turns and walks towards Raxl. “You have conspired against yourself Raxl. You have confused the star. Caused the same heartbeat to sound in two people. Placed the Mark of Death on two hands.”  “No!”  “Each protects the other from your purpose. Now prepare yourself for your departure.” He says as he walks away from her.  “I cannot leave until I resolve what I have put in motion.” “It will resolve itself.” Julian says as he walks away.  “No wait.” Julian turns and looks back at Raxl. “I have waited for centuries. I will wait no longer.” He walks through a secret doorway in the Drawing Room.
 
Cort stands at the window and turns and walks back to Jean Paul. “The star it’s gone.” Jean Paul sits on his bed and nods. “The night is nearly over. We survived.” “And without Orendo, only with ourselves.” Cort says to him. “Something is helping us.” “What?” Cort asks.  Jean Paul stands and walks across the room. “Something is interfering with Raxl’s plans.”  “She believes I came here to kill you.” Cort says a he looks at Jean Paul.  “She sent Laslo to me without knowing the mark was on me. Why, why?”  “She could accuse Laslo of killing you.” Jean Paul turns and looks at Cort. When there is a knock at the door. The door opens and Julian walks inside them room. “Years of living in hospitals have turned time upside down for me. I needed company.” Jean Paul steps towards Julian. “Julian did you see Laslo?”  “I saw no one. I heard your voices and thought I’d join you.” “What did you hear?” Cort asks. “Don’t worry your secrets are safe with me.” Julian tells them.  “I have no secrets.” Cort says then turns away.  “Nonsense Cort all the Desmonds have secrets.” He says as he looks at Jean Paul. “Don’t they Jean Paul? Sooner or later the Desmond dreaded secrets come to each of us. Each of us must work his way free of it in his own fashion.”  “Will you help your Grandson work his way free?”  “Yes if he’ll let me.” Julian says as he turns and walks towards Cort. Standing behind him he holds him by the upper arms. “Courage boy, the past has more to offer the present than you can imagine.”  Cort turns and looks at his Grandfather.  “Let’s let Jean Paul go to his bed. I’ll take you to your room and we will discuss what we have in common. Grandfather, Grandson your present and my past.”  Cort looks at Jean Paul as he gives him a nod. Cort nods back.
 
Raxl stands in front of Jacques’ portrait with her head bowed. Hearing someone in the foyer she glances at the doorway.  “You sent me to Jean Paul. He was to kill me. Why?” Laslo asks from the doorway.  “I did not send you anywhere. Your greed for the Desmond fortune sent you there.”  Laslo walks towards her. “You intended Jean Paul to kill me.”  “What purpose would your death have for me?”
“It is you behind everything that happens at Desmond Hall.”  Raxl glances away.
“Yes we all dance to your tune.”  “I am only a servant.”  “If there is a Desmond curse it is you.”  “I warn you of danger that’s all.” Raxl says to him.  “If you are the yardstick of danger then why did you send me to what might have been my death?”  ”Would you have believed me?” Raxl asks.  “I might have died.”  “But you didn’t. You’re safe.”  “Only because of Cort.”  Raxl looks at Laslo. “Cort!”  “Yes Cort came in as Jean Paul’s hands clutched my throat.”  “Where is Master Cort now?”  “With Jean Paul.” Raxl walks towards the doorway.  “Where are you going?”  Raxl turns towards him. “You have no further need of me.”  “You will not leave until I know the truth.”  Raxl walks towards him. “The truth is the curse of the Desmond family leads them to kill.”  “I don’t believe it.”  “Shall I name the evidence? Agatha Pruett, Annie Harrigan and Miss Holly.”  “Miss Holly went away.’ Laslo says to her.  “Did anyone see her leave?”  Laslo turns away in shock...  “And Quito too.” Raxl adds.  Laslo glances back at Raxl. “But Quito died before my eyes. There was no murder.”  “Are you sure? Or did someone put a spell on him. We do not know how Quito died. If a man tried to kill you would he hesitate to kill others?”  “But why? Why should he?” Laslo asks.  “He came here a haunted man, ill in a delirium. You took him in, you and your wife. Brought him back to health and now he tries to kill you.”  “Perhaps we should turn this matter over to the police.” Laslo says as he looks at Raxl.  “Oh surely you can make better use of this information rather than turning it over to the police.”
 
Julian stands at the window in Cort’s room, he turns towards Cort. “Why is it so difficult to talk to my generation?” He asks Cort.  Cort is sitting in a chair with his head lowered.  “Am I an old man?”  “You’re a stranger to me.” Cort tells him.  “I don’t want to be. I want to know everything about you.” Julian says as he sits on the edge of Cort’s bed facing him.  Cort stands and walks to the window. “I would disgust you.”  Julian stands and walks over to Cort. “Very little disgusts me any more.”  Cort turns towards Julian. “Grandfather do you know anything about...”  “Speak up, say it.”  “Do you know anything about the Desmond mark?”  “Yes.” Julian says looking at him.  Cort steps away from him. “It appeared on my hand tonight.”  Julian steps up behind him. “It appears on every Desmond at one time or another.”  “What is it?” Cort asks as he turns towards Julian. “What does it mean?”  “It’s a medieval sign of a pact with the devil.”  “Has it appeared on you?”
“Only once. Just after Jean Paul’s father died.”  “Did you do anything? I mean did you...”  “I tried to kill my wife. We were walking in the woods in the evening. I tried to strangle her. I was lucky a stranger passed by and we went back to the house with him.”  Cort turns away. “Was there a star that night?”  Julian steps away. “Yes the star was out, the heartbeat sounded and the sign came on my hand.”
“What did you do?”  “I left her that night.” Julian says as he turns towards Cort. “I took a boat to France. I was trying to trace the mark back to its source. I heard stories as a child and then story became reality. The Desmonds have been haunted by that mark for centuries. I wanted to find the beginning, the source.”
Cort steps up to him. “Did you find it?”  “The boat caught fire and sank. I was saved.”  “And the mark never returned to you?”  “I’ve been free of it ever since.”
“Why? How did you free yourself?”  Julian turns away. “By giving up everything I loved. My wife, my child, my name. I rejected my fortune and became a wanderer. When I gave up being a Desmond.” He looks at Cort. “The curse left me.”  “It left you to go to others.”  “I understand that now.”  “It came to me Grandfather.”  “I know that. That’s why I’m here.”
 
Laslo looks at Raxl. “Then we have made a bargain. I will hold you to it.”  “We must work together. Only then will we both be safe.” Raxl says to him.  Jean Paul enters the Drawing Room. “Why did you send Laslo to my room?” he asks Raxl.
“She did not send me. I wanted to talk to you.” Laslo tells him then glances away.
“I know perfectly well that you came directly to my room after talking to her. She told you that Philip and I had tricked her into believing that Emily was dead.”  “What does all that matter? The fact is that you tried to kill me.” “Will you listen to me? She sent you as she sent Emily to Cort hoping that you would be killed!” Jean Paul says to Laslo. “They were not her hands that reached for my throat.” Laslo says as he turns and looks at Jean Paul. “The next time I will carry a gun and if you make even one move towards me I will shoot you. There isn’t a jury in the word who would convict me if I told them what I know now. Do you understand?” Laslo tells Jean Paul then walks out of the room.  Jean Paul walks to the doors and closes them. He smiles as he walks towards her. “We have a stalemate haven’t we Raxl? No Laslo, no Cort.”  “Time Jean Paul time.”  “You wanted Laslo to be killed. By me and then you wanted Cort to kill me. Once you got rid of Laslo and I then Cort was in your hands.”  “Cort is already mine.”  “He must obey.”  “He will obey when the time is right as you have.” She says as she glances away.  “You know that he came to my room with the mark on his hand.”
“I know.” “And the mark was on my hand too.”  Raxl looks at him. “No, no it wasn’t!” “And I did hear the heartbeat.”  Raxl shakes her head. “I don’t believe it.” she glances away.  “Cort and I both heard the heartbeat. The star is caught between two Masters. The mark is on both of us.”  “No, no that cannot be!” She says as she looks at him.  “Yes Raxl it can be. The secret curse that you said that only one Desmond can carry now comes to Cort and to me. You have pitted Desmond against Desmond and you have failed!”  Raxl glances away.
 
Raxl enters Philip’s secret room carrying a candelabra. She sets it down and faces the skeleton. “Oh Master am I betrayed? Is there nothing but destruction for us all? No way but death for the Desmonds? And their death is mine!” She cries out.  From the skeleton Julian Desmond materializes and steps away. “It is dawn; it is time for you to return.”  “No, no you cannot take me back!”  Julian steps up to her. “I follow instructions so must you.”  “You are not Monsieur Lacombe.”  “No.”  “You made me believe you were.”  “You made yourself believe I was. Centuries of having your way with the Desmonds have blinded you to your mission.”  “That is not for you to judge.” Raxl says to him.  “Arrogance Raxl arrogance, that was always your fault. Setting yourself above those you serve.”
“They serve me!” Raxl says to him.  “They serve your Master not you.”  “It is the same.”  “Poor Raxl it is just as I said. Now you will have to prepare yourself for the journey into the other land.”  “You cannot take me there.”  “We shall see.” Julian tells her.  “Only the ancient one I summoned can make me return. And you are not him.”  “Who am I then?”  “You are not him, I know.”  “No?” asks Julian.  “No and you are not Julian Desmond. Those who die in flames can never return in this life or the other.”  “How many times my dear Raxl must I have to tell you that I did not die in flames.”  “Who ever you are you cannot make me return if I refuse to go!”  “Nothing holds you here on earth any longer.”  “Cort holds me.”
“He disobeyed you tonight. He saved Jean Paul tonight instead of killing him.”
“He will try again and again until he succeeds.”  “For the first time since the trials when you sent one brother against the other two Desmonds combine against you. Your time is coming to an end.”  “No I will not go back to the flames that await me!” Raxl shouts.  “Very well then they will wait and so will I.” Julian says then walks towards the skeleton and disappears.
 
The next morning Jean Paul is getting dressed when there is a knock on his door. Laslo walks in.  “Well Laslo I thought you would be afraid to come in here.”
“It is morning.”  “Things that happen during the night can also happen in the day.”
“I may be many things Jean Paul but I am not a coward.”  “Oh what are you then?”  “I am a businessman and I have come here with a proposition.”  “A proposition?” Jean Paul asks.  “Yes I now have the weapon I have always needed. I can use it on Emily. Shall I tell her about the death of Agatha Pruett and Annie Harrigan?”  Jean Paul walks across the room and picks up his jacket. “Emily knows.” He tells Laslo as he puts on his jacket.  Laslo steps up to him. “Shall I tell the police?”  Jean Paul turns and looks at him then steps away. “If you meant to do that you wouldn’t have come here.”  “Yes I’m holding that as a last resort.”  Jean Paul puts his wallet in his inside pocket. “And in the mean time?”  “And in the mean time I want you to sign over the power of attorney for me to handle all of your affairs.”  Jean Paul turns towards him. “And what else?”
“This morning you will go to your lawyers and have them draw up trust funds. One for Ada, another for Cort naming me as chief executive.”  Jean Paul nods. “And if I refuse?” he asks as he walks away from Laslo.  “You will be hanged for murder. The estates will come to me eventually.”  Jean Paul turns and looks at Laslo. “They go to Cort.”  “I will take care of Cort.”  Jean Paul nods with a smile. “And what does Raxl get out of all of this?”  “Raxl?” Laslo asks.  “Yes, why else would she agree to your plans?”  “Raxl will be repaid.”  “Oh I’m sure she will ask a higher price than you’re willing to pay.”  “She will be satisfied.” Laslo says to him.
“Oh I’m sure she will be but I don’t think you will be.” Jean Paul says as he walks towards Laslo. “She’s using you Laslo. She needs an ally.”  “For what?”  “To maintain her power over the Desmonds as she has for all these years.”  Laslo glances away.  “Oh she told you nothing has she? She needs a Desmond, without one of us her life is nothing.”  “She told me of the curse. And the murders you have committed to maintain it.”  “Has she told you the part she has played in it? Why don’t you ask her for that information before you strike up a bargain with her? Then you come back to me with your proposition and I may consider it.”
Laslo looks at Jean Paul.
 
Cort stands at his dresser as he straightens his tie when the door opens and Raxl walks into his room. “You failed me tonight Cort. But you will not fail me the next time.”  “There will be no next time!” Cort tells her.  “There will be many more times. I will take your hand in mine and you will do as I say! Or you will die!” Raxl says. She then turns and walks out of the room.  Julian walks up to Cort’s door and watches Raxl walk down the hallway. He turns and knocks on Cort’s door then walks into the room.  “Grandfather?” Cort says as he glances away. “Do you know what she said to me? She said she would take my hand in hers.”  “Don’t be upset. I will take your hand in mine.”  “You heard her?”  “I didn’t have to hear her. I’ve heard her before. I know what she says.”
 
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Summaries written by Debby Graham .  The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
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Episode 171

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