A home video is being switched on and recorded. In the viewfinder we can see Dr. Arcane and a beautiful blonde woman. Arcane is younger; his
hair slicked back. They are both in evening dress, but are now back at home relaxing. Arcane picks up two champagne glasses and hands one to
her, proposing a toast; "Here's to us." He says. "And to your work," She adds, as he takes a drink. She starts to stroke him fondly and asks if the
camera is still on. "Positively awaits your every word." He says, with a slightly drunken slur to his voice. He seems relaxed and pleasant for once,
both from happiness and drink. She turns to the camera and tells it that he's a genius. He looks upwards, giving an embarrassed and humorous look
as she records, for posterity, that today his work achieved world-wide recognition. She seems very proud of his genius, and although he
acknowledges it, for once seems less concerned with his work than with the woman herself. He tells her that he's flattered, but wants to ask her
something. He prepares himself for a second, then asks her to marry him. She's taken aback and says nothing. She just gasps in shock. He prompts
her for an answer and she agrees instantly with great joy; "Oh God, Anton! Of course, yes...yes!" He's as thrilled as she is and they kiss
passionately. They move over to a sofa where they begin to get more intimate. She remembers the camera still filming. He suggests leaving it on. "I
don't think so" is her calm but adamant reply. He agrees and gets up to go to the camcorder, removing his jacket as he does so. He approaches and
switches it off. Everything fades into static. A few seconds later it comes back on, and we see Arcane and the woman now seated on the sofa. He's
kissing her all over (more like making a meal of her). She asks if he's sure the camera isn't still on. "Absolutely" he lies through his teeth. She smiles.
"You're such a devil sometimes" She says seductively (possibly indicating that she knows it's on and that it's all a game?). "I know, and you love it."
He answers as they begin foreplay in earnest.
Happy days....Before he was a psychotic homicidal maniac!
"What?" Exclaims Arcane's voice, as the image on the viewfinder suddenly becomes full screen, and a hand with a remote control freezes the
picture: Arcane's hand. The Doctor has been watching a video taped 11 years ago; of himself and his wife, Tatania, but has been broken off by a
phone call from Graham, telling him that an experiment has worked. As Graham confirms the news, Arcane's face registers shock and joy.
"Wonderful!" He exclaims; "We'll start the procedure tonight." Grahams queries this. "Yes. Tonight, Graham!" Arcane insists, barely containing his
excitement. He hangs up the phone and goes over to Tatania's glass coffin, bending down beside it. "Soon, my darling. We shall be together. Very
soon." He says to her softly, in eager anticipation.
Later, in the lab, Arcane and Graham are preparing for the procedure. Tatania is there, in her glass case. Arcane checks some overhead laser
equipment above Tatania, and tells Graham to begin positive ion reduction. Graham complies and Arcane then instructs him to introduce the Freon.
As Arcane moves the laser into position he's tense and excited; "Seven years of work, Graham. Seven years of searching." He says. Graham nods,
saying that he knows. Arcane is in a determined mood; "How many times have we failed? No matter. I WILL bring her back to me this time."
Graham informs Arcane that the Tritium extraction is complete. Arcane is pleased and tells Graham to activate the laser. As a red glow covers
Tatania, Arcane imparts to Graham that they have exactly 25 seconds to complete the transfer of fluids. "And....MARK!" He says, beginning the
countdown. Graham starts a clock. Arcane gazes down at his wife. "You gave your life for my work, Darling. Now I shall return it to you." He
promises. He stares at the clock, which reads 15 seconds and falling. "We're getting some adrenal activity, Doctor" Graham tells him. "Fusion,
now!" Orders Arcane. They watch intently, with 10 seconds to go. "It's happening, Graham!" Arcane gasps, as Tatania's eyes flicker open; "I've
done it! She's alive, Graham! I've done it!" Arcane exclaims with Joy. Graham stares, and Tatania blinks. Arcane gazes down at her in love, close to
tears; with an expression showing a little of the innocence he lost along the way.
Later on at the complex, Tatania is conscious and putting a dressing gown around herself. She seems confused, not knowing where she is. Her
voice is different as well, speaking in a deep southern drawl. Arcane is there, still metaphorically floating on Joy. With a grin like the Cheshire Cat he
explains that she's with him again; "I brought you back." he tells her proudly. He holds her face gently, barely believing she's alive. She asks him
what happened, and he lets her know that she was in a coma. She doesn't remember though. Arcane doesn't concern himself with this too much,
saying that it'll come back to her. "Who are you?" She asks. This does cause him concern, and he says that he's her husband. She still can't
remember and starts to panic. He reasons that her memory has been affected; "Speech patterns as well, I suspect;" he adds; "but it doesn't matter.
We're together now." He strokes her face gently. "I'll help you remember." He comforts her.
Arcane briefly wonders if Kitty got
hold of the key to Graham's Prozac collection!
"I'm sorry, but I still don't think that's me." Tatania drawls as she's shown some video footage of herself. "Well of course it is." Says Arcane. His
face is registering impatience, although his voice is restrained. Despite the exact likeness, she argues that it doesn't look or sound like her. Arcane
stands and holds his head in comtemplation and suppressed frustration. He gently begs her to remember; "You must remember something?" he says
desperately. She stays silent and he tells her that her memory banks have atrophied. She just needs a few moments of the laser. She looks at it
nervously. "Trust me. I wouldn't do anything to harm you." He reassures her.
Arcane and Graham are working with the laser on Tatania, who is lying down on a table. They both look at her expectantly, when she opens her
eyes and sits bolt upright. "Josephine Erlinson!!" She cries out with an exuberant tone of voice. "What?" Arcane approaches her, puzzled. She
repeats the name happily, adding; "Kitty Lane!" Graham now repeats the name in bewilderment. She says that she was dancing, and Arcane agrees,
reminding her that she loved to dance. But that's not what she meant. "At the Kit Kat Club in New Orleans." She says, with a big grin on her face.
Arcane and Graham exchange bewildered glances. She remembers (and we see) an exotic, nearly naked dancer, at a night-club.
Later on, she's remembered more. She tells them she was drugged and taken to some hospital. Graham thinks something's wrong, and Arcane tells
him it's like a short circuit; "Somehow the memory and the unconscious are intermixed." He reassures the woman; "Don't worry, Tatania." "Stop
calling me that! My name's Kitty!" She snaps at Arcane sharply. With more veiled frustration he reminds her that she's his wife: Tatania Arcane. He
picks up the video remote and switches the tape on. It shows the scene we saw at the very beginning. "You're crazy! That is not me!" Ignoring what
seems like an obvious likeness, she snatches the remote and switches the video off; "I don't sound like that. I don't even look like that!" Arcane,
without saying a word, calmly picks up a nearby mirror and holds it in front of her. Upon seeing herself, she double takes in shock, as though
suddenly seeing her face as that of a stranger's. Putting her hand to her face, she accuses him of doing something to her face. "He hasn't done
anything to you. He's trying to help you!" Graham speaks up for Arcane. Arcane goes up to him, putting his arm around the man. "Who could have
foreseen this, Graham. She's not herself at all. After everything I've worked for: Everything I've dreamed of." She looks at Arcane, now with
mounting fear. "Please, Mister. Just let me go!" she begs. "I'm going to have to stimulate the cortex." Arcane says clinically. "Uh huh! NO WAY!"
She shakes her head and makes a run for it. Arcane watches angrily as Graham runs and grabs her before she can get to the elevator. "Prepare the
anaesthesia, Graham." Arcane orders coldly.
Later on, Arcane is sitting at his desk, feet up and in deep contemplation. Tatania/Kitty is lying on the table beside him. He gets up and goes over to
her. He's back to his gentler self again. "Somehow I've failed you, Darling. But I won't give up. I brought you back; and I'll bring your memory back
as well." Graham enters and tells Arcane that he's done some checking. "She's not your wife, Sir." He says. Arcane tells him not to be absurd, but
Graham shows him a file. "Look at the date, Doctor. Your wife was already in a coma for weeks when the dancer in this article disappeared."
Arcane tells him it doesn't mean a thing. "Sheriff Andrews checked her prints with the New Orleans Police Department. They match a Josephine
Erlinson, a.k.a. Kitty Lane." With anger, Arcane finally realises that this Tatania is an impostor.
Later, Arcane is questioning Kitty. The remains of a syringe and bottle on the desk indicate that he's given Kitty Pentathol to help her remember.
She tells him she was taken to a hospital. She was out of it and didn't remember which one; "But I remember this guy;" She recalls in horror; "Oh,
he was a horrible man.....He was worse than you even." Arcane looks mildly affronted. She continues that this man was in a wheelchair, and; "his
voice; it was like out of a horror movie...like Darth vader. It was mechanical sounding: old, sick and horrible." Arcane thinks for a moment, and
realisation dawns on his face. "Sunderland!" He exclaims.
The General's idea of "A room with a view"
wasn't exactly what Tatania had in mind!
At General Sunderland's headquarters, guard are patrolling. In the General's private quarters, the real Tatania is alive and well; standing miserably
by a wall. Romantic music is playing, and a table, bearing a single red rose, is set for dinner. Sunderland enters, looking surprisingly fit and well. He's
now walking, albeit with a stick. His voice is no longer modulated. He asks her to sit with him. "I prefer to be alone in my cage." She says, moving
away from him. He gestures to all the finery around them, saying that all this could hardly be called a cage. "And what's this? A window on the sea?"
She snarls, opening a curtain to reveal a bricked up wall. He casually tells her that bricks can be removed as easily as installed, but she tells him he
disgusts her. He reminds her that it was he who saved her life all those years ago. "I'd rather be back in a coma than kept here a prisoner." is her
reply. "Anton will find me." She tells Sunderland, who replies that he won't; "I've told you many times. Your husband is dead."
As if to emphasise her situation as a prisoner, despite Sunderland's protestations, guards are patrolling the entire building inside. Meanwhile, back in
his quarters, Sunderland is walking around, albeit unsteadily. He tells her that he kept the voice box and wheelchair as reminders; and that he
endured the pain for her; "To become a man again." He sits down beside her. "Then you went to a lot of trouble for nothing, General." She says
coldly.
In his lab, Arcane is watching the video of his proposal to Tatania, as he readies a sight on his laser pistol. He's furiously brooding on Sunderland's
deception for all these years. Graham enters. Arcane has obviously summoned him. "Do something about Kitty!" Arcane snarls through clenched
teeth, with extra venom as he mention's Kitty's name. Graham doesn't know what he means; "I mean that loud mouthed whore desecrates the
memory of my wife." Arcane says bitterly.
Meanwhile, in her quarters, Kitty is smoking a cigarette and dancing sleazily in front of a mirror to some loud music. Graham enters. Kitty now
seems much happier and adjusted. Graham grabs her arm and tells her to come with him. She asks where they are going and he hands her a large
wad of money. "Whoa, Jack. That's not my style!" She says, getting the wrong idea. Graham puts her straight and tells her to use the money to
make a new start for herself. "But I'm starting to like it here." She argues, looking at the new dress she's wearing. Graham looks round uneasily and
tells her that she doesn't understand. She apologises for shooting her mouth off earlier. "You tell that Doctor to come see me. I'll make him forget his
wife." Graham tells her that Dr. Arcane doesn't want to see her. "Don't you get it? He doesn't want anyone to see you....ever again. I'm taking a big
chance trying to help you; so please don't give me time to change my mind." In an angst ridden moment of soft heartedness, he shoves the money
into her hand and they leave.
For a brief moment, the image of a threesome with Kitty,
Doctor Arcane and himself flitted deliriously through Graham's mind!
Later, at Sunderland's HQ, Arcane and Graham arrive. In a corridor they meet two guards walking towards them. They ask to see Arcane &
Graham's passes, but Arcane angrily tells them that they know who he is. They let him past and then leave. When they are gone, Arcane turns to
Graham. "This is above and beyond the call of duty, Graham." Arcane says to his assistant. Graham replies to Arcane that he's entitled to his
revenge. "Good man!" Arcane pats Graham in a gesture of genuine gratitude. A determined look crosses Arcane's face as they head for
Sunderland's private quarters.
In his quarters, Sunderland is being aided by a physiotherapist. He's impatient at the time his rehabilitation is taking, asking how long it will take. She
assures him that he's made amazing progress, but he's still not satisfied. She tells him that it's a miracle that he's come as far as he has. "It's a miracle
I haven't had you punished for gross incompetence!" Sunderland snarls at her, before ordering her to get out. As she leaves, Arcane and Graham
burst in. "Hello, General. You're looking remarkably well for a dead man." Arcane snarls with menace. Sunderland wants to know how Arcane
gained access to his private quarters, but Arcane gets back to the matter at hand, accusing the General of deceiving him. Sunderland feigns
ignorance. "I brought that little trollop you switched for Tatania back to life.". Arcane explains bitterly, adding that she told him everything on
Sodium Pentathol. "My mistake. I should have paid more attention." Sunderland says calmly. Arcane wants to know what he means. Sunderland
dismisses it as unimportant. "How important is your life, General?" Arcane threatens with determination, holding his hand out behind him and asking
Graham for the laser, as a surgeon would ask for a scalpel. Graham hands him the gun and Arcane aims it at Sunderland, who admits to sabotaging
and delaying "your trollop's" resurrection. Arcane asks him why, and Sunderland explains that it was to ensure Arcane's continued dependence on
him. Arcane would have left him years ago without some incentive to stay. Sunderland boasts that it wasn't hard: Arcane's employees were his
employees. In a fit of fury, Arcane pushes Sunderland back against the wall, putting the gun to his throat, and demands to know what happened to
his wife. Sunderland still seems to think he has the situation under control, telling Arcane that the comatose condition was temporary, and that she's
alive....and well hidden. He has a bargaining chip, and he knows it. Arcane asks if he's got her prisoner here. "One does not regard a possession
like her as a mere prisoner, Doctor." Sunderland says arrogantly. "She's not your bloody possession!!" Arcane screams, roughly forcing Sunderland
back against some window blinds; "SHE'S MY WIFE!" Arcane's finally going over the edge and Sunderland now starts to look concerned and
scared. Graham looks on intently. Arcane calms down for a moment and suggests to Sunderland that he has her very close. Sunderland makes the
mistake of glancing to the side. It's an almost imperceptible movement, but Arcane notices. He gives the gun to Graham, firmly ordering him not to
take his eyes off the General for a second. He then goes over to where Sunderland glanced to: Some curtains. He opens them to see a window,
behind which is Tatania in her room, reading a book. He gasps her name. Sunderland tells him that she can't hear him. Arcane nod to Graham, who
presses the gun further into Sunderland's throat. "Open it!" Arcane orders him. Reluctantly, Sunderland goes over to a control panel. He presses a
button and the entire wall behind some decorative shelving opens. Arcane enters the room.
Even in the middle of such a dramatic moment, Arcane
couldn't help wondering that after all the miracles modern science
had done for Sunderland....why couldn't it cure his nostril hair?
Inside, Arcane greets Tatania. Upon seeing him, she puts the book down and rushes to his arms, and they kiss passionately. "I've dreamed of this
moment for so long. I can't believe it's actually happening!" She cries. "I'm here, Darling. I'm here." He says softly. He can't believe she's been a
prisoner all this time and begins to get angry again, swearing revenge on Sunderland. "Anton, You don't mean that?" she asks. "Oh yes I do. He's
kept you from me. He used me. He mocked me. He'd be nothing without my work; my genius!" he says. "You worked for him?" She says in horror.
Arcane becomes flustered; "I had to. I had to finance my efforts to revive you." He explains desperately. "I thought you were in a coma!" She looks
saddened. "He told me you'd done terrible experiments on people.....Is that true?" Comes the condemning question. He stays conspicuously silent,
but his face shows the answer clearly. "Anton, what's happened to you?" Her voice is tearful, showing concern for him; but he can't see that. He
seems to see her negativity as criticism. He tells her that Sunderland has turned her against him. Anger mounts inside him, until, in a fit of blind rage,
he storms out of the room after Sunderland. Tatania rushes after to stop him.
Outside, Arcane grabs Sunderland, who warns him not to be foolish. "You'll never get out of here alive." Arcane's too far gone to listen or care.
He's insane with fury and undeterred; "Oh no, no, no, General. Accounts must be paid in full!" he gloats vindictively as he manhandles Sunderland.
He shows the General the gun, telling him that it's a laser and melts Steel. "Shall we see how it performs on the pins in your legs?" Graham and
Tatania look on in shock and horror as Arcane mercilessly shoots Sunderland in the knees. The General screams in agony and Tatania tries to
intervene and reason with Arcane. He just tells Graham to take her outside. Sunderland begs Arcane for his life. "Oh I'll let you live, General.... With
the plates in your spine melted into your liver!" He shoots, and throws the crippled and screaming Sunderland away onto a sofa, like a rag doll.
I'm sensing some tension here....How
about a break for a group hug?
Arcane leaves the room and joins Tatania and Graham in the corridor. Tatania is in shock after seeing his display of sadistic violence in torturing
Sunderland. Arcane can't see the problem, thinking he's solved everything. "It's all right, Darling. We can go home." He says pleasantly, as though
nothing has happened. "Get away from me!" She recoils in disgust; "You're a madman. You're worse than him!" She backs away as Arcane fiddles
with a security pass, opening a door. Graham restrains her and bundles her through the door as they all make their escape. Meanwhile, back in his
quarters, Sunderland drags himself across the floor. As Arcane, Graham and Tatania are running through the building, Sunderland manages the
strength to painfully reach the console, where he activates a 20 second fail-safe. "Do you wish to deactivate?" asks a feminine computer voice. "See
you in hell, Arcane!" The General snarls his last cursed words before collapsing.
As the three escapees run through the building, klaxons sound, and a self destruct sign lights up. In the building's basement there is an initial
explosion that activates a chain reaction. The building starts to break up and collapse around Arcane and company. Arcane looks up to see a huge
pillar come loose. He shouts a warning. A final explosion sends the pillar and other rubble crashing down on them.
Some time later, the chaos has died down. Arcane, Graham and Tatania lie buried under the rubble. A girder is covering Tatania and she's lying still,
and bleeding. Arcane and Graham are covered by debris, but begin to stir. Pained & gasping, they manage to shift enough rubble to sit up and
move. They get free. Arcane looks to his side and sees Tatania. He hauls himself over to her and removes the girder, before feeling her neck for a
pulse. "Tatania!" he gasps in fear; "She's dead, oh my God!" His voice is breaking with panic and grief. His mind races desperately until he thinks of
only one possible salvation: "Holland!"
Carrying Tatania's body in his arms, Arcane is in the swamp, calling for Holland. He screams his name, but no reply is forthcoming. It looks like he's
been searching for some time. He lays her body gently down by a stream. Tears are streaming from his eyes. "Holland! I know you can hear me!"
He shouts again; "PLEASE!" he adds with some humility and a lot of desperation. He hears a sound and looks up expectantly. It's only Graham
arriving though. A mere shake of Graham's head showing that he's had no more luck than Arcane. With a look of abject sorrow and fading hope,
Arcane lies down beside her, clutching her to him and biting his hand in bitter sorrow. He begins to cry softly.
No! You broke it....You can't have another!!
A wind starts up, rustling the trees. The aura of the place becomes more alive. Arcane and Graham look up to see Alec standing there, watching
them. With distrust oozing from his voice, he asks Arcane what he's doing here. Arcane gets up, filled with new hope, and grateful that he's here. He
tells Alec about an accident, and that his wife, Tatania has been killed. "Please....Please bring her back!" He implores, adding that there's still time to
do it. "You're out of your mind, Arcane!" Alec says bitterly. "You murdered my wife. You took from me the most important part of my life. You
stole from her....everything." Arcane looks sick when confronted with the truth. He doesn't give up trying to convince Alec though. "You hate me, I
know it. I deserve it; but please let's put our problems aside." He reasons with Alec that Tatania doesn't deserve to die. "Neither did Linda!!" Alec
says to him firmly. Arcane's floundering with reason, resorting to emotion; "I know!" he agrees with Alec, panicking and desperate; "I... I wish I
could bring her back, but I can't. Please... Please don't let her pay for my mistakes;" He's beside himself, falling to his knees before Alec, and
clutching him. "If there's still a human being inside there somewhere, please! I swear to God, please, I'm begging you, please! Bring her
back...PLEASE!" He sobs uncontrollably. Graham watches helplessly, looking like he's suffering for Arcane. Alec looks down at the whimpering
Arcane. He ponders, then walks away from Arcane towards Tatania, kneeling down beside her and putting his hand to her head. "Life is a precious
gift, Arcane. Perhaps now you will finally understand that." He lectures Arcane, who, now filled with hope, swears that he does. Alec concentrates
for a moment, then looks dismayed and shakes his head. "It's too late." he intones. Arcane doesn't believe it, arguing that he was brought back after
longer. "Try harder!" he orders Alec. "Her soul has left her." Alec gets up and tells Arcane, who says that he doesn't understand. "You wanted to
live;" Alec explains; "and for whatever reason; she did not!" Arcane knows, deep down, that the reason is him. Outwardly, he blames Alec though.
He becomes angry, calling Alec a liar. He pushes past Alec and kneels down by Tatania, holding her lifeless body to him, pleading with her as
though she may yet hear him; "Tatania. I love you. Please, please don't leave me. Please, please don't leave me!" He cries uncontrollably, burying his
face in her, oblivious to Graham and Alec who can only watch helplessly.
"What should I say, Darling?" Tatania's voice asks; her smiling face looking at Arcane from an old video tape. It seems an ironic and mocking
image: A bitter parody. Arcane is watching the tape in his lab. He's seated at his desk looking unkempt, sad and embittered. He switches the video
off and puts down the remote. Beside him, the phone is off the hook. He seems deep in melancholy thought and barely notices Graham, who enters
with some food and drink for him. "Go away." his depressed voice utters to his assistant without him even looking up to see him. "You haven't eaten
anything in quite a while." Graham says with concern as he puts the food down. "If only I hadn't had you dispose of the other one." Arcane moans.
His expression changes to one of positive contemplation, as though clutching for any salvation from his misery; "At least she looked like Tatania." He
says. It seems small comfort, but enough for him to grasp at. Graham looks thoughtful, pondering what to do. He decides to tell Arcane the truth
and risk the consequences of disobeying him. He tells Arcane he didn't dispose of Kitty. Arcane looks up at him with new-found zest. "What?" He
asks Graham, who shrugs nervously; "I let her go." Graham admits sheepishly. Arcane motivates and gets up, grasping Graham's face. The assistant
looks scared, but then relieved as a broad smile crosses Arcane's face. "Graham, you're brilliant!!" Arcane exclaims, and Graham looks pleased.
"Where is she?" Arcane asks.
At the "New Orleans Nightlife" the announcer introduces the next act. Tatania St. Clair is strutting her stuff to a cheering crowd.
Aaahh....it did have a happy ending :)
return to episode guide
return to main page