From: Robert Willers <willers@trombone.sps.mot.com>

THE CITY Update for Friday, March 15:

STORYLINE: SYDNEY'S BIG SECRET
 (starting location: City Bar)
* Jacob wishes Nick good luck in L. A.  Nick says he'd still be out on
 a park bench if it weren't for Jacob.  Lorraine says that must mean
 that Jacob gets 10%.  No, better, says Nick.  Fifty?, asks Jacob.  No,
 my undying love and affection.  Jacob says he'll settle for 45%.
Richard enters and asks to speak to Nick.  They move away from the bar.
 Richard informs Nick that Jared had Sydney's apartment monitored.  Nick
 says he already knows about the bugs.  No, says Richard, cameras too!
 Nick just smiles.
[In the penthouse.]
Sydney is nervous about something.  She slams the cover to her laptop
 closed.  The door bell rings; it's Jared.  He compliments her outfit
 and she asks to skip from the small talk to the "extra-large talk,"
 starting with his sick fantasy.  "Which one?  I have so many."  The
 one about their marriage.  As far as she is concerned, it's over.  He
 says they have a difference of opinion on that.  She says she'd rather
 go to prison for the rest of her life than be married to him.  Jared
 says, "Darling, you cut me to the quick."  She says she wants that
 divorce.  He says that is not possible.  She says she doesn't need
 his agreement; she is going to start proceedings in the morning.  He
 asks if she is sure, since a certain secret (which she has taken great
 pains to keep secret) would come out.  "Don't even think about it."
 Jared takes her threat lightly, saying that "people would be fascinated
 to find out that that stillborn baby you had so many years ago wasn't
 born so still after all."
* [At the City Bar.]
Tess goes up to Tony, who is reading the newspaper, and says that must
 be interesting reading.  He says he is reading about Jared Chase.  She
 says she had a drink with him last night -- he's a great guy, very
 interesting, very charming.  Tony asks if both Jared's and Sydney's
 names were on the building lease.  She doesn't remember.  He says that
 Jared might want them out now.  No, says Tess, she talked to him about
 that and that he apologized for anything that was said.  She says she
 thinks they are a lot better off now.  He asks if Jared mentioned where
 he was all that time.  Tess asks why she is being interrogated.  Tony
 says he's just curious and asks if she considers them to be friends.
 She says they just had a drink together.  He asks if she could set up
 a meeting between himself and Jared.  Tess acts surprised.
[Elsewhere in the bar.]
Nick asks Richard how he knows they've been watched.  Richard says he
 has seen Jared's "video store."  How many tapes does he have?  He had
 about fifty.  "Had?"  Richard says he did a little "housecleaning."
 Nick is impressed that Richard "trashed the place," but he thinks it
 was stupid.  Richard says he has to find a way to bring Jared down.
 Nick says that if he does that, he'll bring himself and his mother
 down along with Jared.
Zoey interrupts, saying that it is *nice* to see Richard again -- she
 thought he had been abducted by aliens.  Nick excuses himself, while
 Richard says he's sorry, but he has been doing other stuff lately.
 She asks how hard it would have been to pick up the phone.  Richard
 smiles because she must have missed him.  He goes to hug her, but she
 pulls away.
[In the penthouse.]
Sydney says he *promised* -- it was part of their deal.  What deal?
 The deal that if she gave up the baby, he would never mention a word
 of it to another soul.  He "doesn't remember" that deal, and then he
 asks how it felt to carry the baby for nine months, give birth, hold
 him in her arms, then to just give him up to a couple of strangers.
 She says that's not the way it was -- she loved that child, but Jared
 hated him so much that he forced her to do it.  He asks how he forced
 her.  She says he gave her "the ultimatum."  Ah, so there *was* some
 choice involved.  "That was the hardest thing I have ever done in my
 life.  [...]  Not a single day goes by that I don't regret it."  He
 says she had plenty of time to change her mind.  He says he wants her
 to admit the truth: "I had a choice."  "Drop dead!"  "'I had a choice,
 but I chose Jared and his money over my little baby.'"  She calls him
 cruel.  He says he wasn't the cruel one -- the one who gave up a baby.
 "I wonder what dear old Nick would think about this."
* Sydney says they had a deal.  Yes, says Jared, that she would give up
 the baby and never look back.  He even shipped the baby halfway across
 the globe, but that wasn't far enough.  She had to keep tabs on him.
 She says she was curious.  Then, continues Jared, when Mr. and Mrs.
 Wilkins died, look who "swooped down" and took over: mother number 1.
 She says she couldn't just leave him in an orphanage.  He asks if they
 ever found the drunk who was driving the car that killed his parents.
 She asks what that is supposed to mean.  Jared says that she is a very
 resourceful woman, and he has often wondered if she *arranged* that
 little car accident.  She says he is sick.  He says that is because he
 has had to live with "that little bastard" living under his roof.  How
 *dare* she talk to him about deals?  "Jared, please.  He's my son."
 "Yes.  Yours and Nick Rivers'.  [...]  You have no idea how many times
 I have been tempted to tell Richard the truth.  Well now, perhaps the
 time has come."
[At the City Bar.]
Richard is completing telling Zoey the story about Jared.  She says he
 should let her have a go at him -- she could use her charms.  He tells
 her to stay the hell away from Jared.  He is a very dangerous man, and
 he doesn't want her around him.  She is glad he isn't from the same
 gene pool.  Richard says she would have loved his father: a practical
 joker.  Once, his mother sewed up the flies in all of his boxer shorts
 just to get back at him.  "They were the best."  She tells him that he
 should just remember that he comes from "the best."  They toast that.
[Elsewhere in the bar.]
Tess tells Nick that Jared isn't the "rasputin" he made him out to be.
 Nick says Jared is a wolf in sheep's clothing.  Tess says she can deal
 with wolves; she's had a lot of practice.  Besides, the reason Nick
 doesn't like him is that he stole his woman.  Nick tells her that he
 had video cameras in the Penthouse and the bar.  "Oh, so, he's kinky.
 In my book, that's no so bad."  She asks why he is going off to L. A.
 to make a record instead of saving the lady in the tower.  Nick says
 she isn't his lady any more, so he's saving himself instead.  Tess
 says she's not Jared's lady any more either -- he knows about the $100K
 she got from Sydney and he is "mightily impressed."  Nick smiles.
[In the penthouse.]
Sydney says if he tells Richard, it will be her word against his.  "Is
 that a fact?"  She says she has had all the records destroyed.  Really?
 Then what's this?  He produces a birth certificate.  "Imagine that."
* [At the City Bar.]
Nick tells Richard he's off to L. A.  Zoey tells him to not do anything
 she wouldn't do, then she realizes that "isn't very limiting."  Nick
 advises Richard that he not mess with Jared, but asks him to keep an
 eye on Sydney.  Richard says he didn't know he cared.  "Just do it,
 all right?"  "Yes."
[In the Penthouse.]
Sydney asks where he got that.  Oh, he says, he has had it tucked away
 for years.  She crumbles it up.  He says the original is in a safe
 with some letters Mrs. Wilkins wrote to her about Richard.  Sydney
 says those were destroyed, too.  Apparently, says Jared, a few slipped
 through the cracks.  Jared asks, "May we stop all this nasty talk about
 divorce?"  She says she is not going to stay in this marriage.  Then,
 says Jared, he will have to show Richard all of his papers.  She says
 it would destroy him.  No, just his relationship with her.  So, last
 chance.  Going once [he produces a cellular phone], going twice [he
 dials the phone], gone.  He completes the call, telling Richard that
 he wants to talk to him and asks if he could pop up to his mother's
 place.  
[At the City Bar.]
He says he'll be right up.  He hangs up and tells Zoey that he's going
 up to see the "great man himself."  He asks her to wait there for him.
 She says she will, and asks him not to do anything stupid.  "Me?"  He
 leaves.
[At the bar.]
While Lorraine deals the tarot cards, Tess asks Nick when he is taking
 off.  "Is now soon enough?"  Tess laughs.  Jacob asks him not to forget
 the "little people" back in New York.  Nick asks Jacob, "What's your
 name again?"  "Um, forty-five percent."  Jacob and Nick laugh.  Nick
 asks Lorraine what the cards say.  Shh, not yet, says Lorraine softly.
 Then she gets a worried look on her face.  "What day is it?"  The 15th
 of March, says Jacob.  Oh-oh, beware the Ides of March, says Lorraine.
 It is bad news.  "Just what I need to hear," says Nick.  Lorraine says
 this isn't about him, it is a man and a woman.  Nick asks if she really
 believes in this stuff, but Tess wants her to go on: "What else?"  "I
 don't know, but it's bad."
[At the Penthouse.]
Sydney asks him not to do that.  Oh no, watch me.  The door bell rings.
 "It's showtime!"  He answers the door.  "Richard, come in.  How nice of
 you to join us.  Your mother and I have something to tell you."

STORYLINE: ALLY'S CURIOSITY
 (starting location: Tony/Danny/Alex's apartment)
* Ally enters and gives Alex a hard time about being so dressed-up.
 She then asks if he has a hot date with Jocelyn.  "I wish," he says,
 and explains that he is getting ready for work -- something he doesn't
 want to talk about.  Ally offers to straighten his tie and, before he
 can stop her, she discovers his wire.  She jumps to a conclusion and
 says she won't let him do this.  He assures her it's all right, and
 she says that is what Casey told her.  He says there is NO danger in
 this, he's just going to go see a hooker.
[In Ally/Jocelyn/Molly's apartment.]
Jocelyn attaches her hose to her garter belt.  She sighs, then fluffs
 her hair.
* [In Tony/Danny/Alex's apartment.]
Ally asks what kind of business he's in.  "Haven't you heard?  I'm a
 pimp."  Actually, he says, he's a detective, so he isn't going to say
 anything more about it.  She asks if he is actually going to a brothel
 and he says no, it's all done by phone now.  Give them an address and
 suddenly they show up.  Sounds like take-out, says Ally.  Alex admits
 it _is_ like take-out.  She asks if it is expensive.  It can be, says
 Alex, $300-500 and up.  Ally asks what the girls are like.  Alex asks
 why she is asking all of these questions.  She says that it's a "woman
 thing," and that she certainly doesn't know anyone in the business.
 He says she wouldn't want to know anyone in the business.  She asks why
 they do what they do.  Alex says he has done some research on that, and
 it is mostly about money, but sometimes it is psychological: sometimes
 the women are victims of sexual abuse.  Ally says that doesn't make
 sense; that's the last thing you'd think they would want to do.  Yes,
 but it gives those victims a sense of power.  It's sad, says Alex,
 particularly for the young ones.  She asks if he is going to see a
 "young one."  No, these are all hardened pros.  "With hearts of gold."
 No, says Alex, this is strictly cold cash for sex.  "And these girls
 are [as the picture switches to Jocelyn] nobody that you want to hang
 out with."
[In Ally/Jocelyn/Molly's apartment.]
Jocelyn puts on some lipstick.
* Jocelyn puts on a pair of earrings [the ones her dad gave her, I
 believe] and goes downstairs.
[In Tony/Danny/Alex's apartment.]
Alex says this *won't* be a fun evening -- he'd much rather be spending
 the evening with Jocelyn.  Ally asks if she knows about this.  No, and
 she *isn't* going to find out from you, right?  Ally promises to not
 tell her, but says she wouldn't be too thrilled.  No, admits Alex, but
 he is strictly bait.  He pays his money and *talks* to the girls.  Ally
 asks exactly what he means by "bait."  "Can you keep a secret?"  She
 says she can.  He says they think this is an extortion scam: they bed
 down high-rollers, then turn right around and blackmail them.  "Good
 for them."  "Ally!!"
Tony enters.  Ally says she came by to find out if he wanted to go to a
 movie or something.  No, I can't.  Ally says she knows -- that he has
 to stay there to take the phone call for Alex's "hot date."  Tony asks
 Alex why he told her.  Alex says she found his wire.  [It seems to me
 that the first thing a hooker would do would be to loosen the client's
 tie...]  Tony tells her to keep it quiet.  She says her only worry now
 is for Alex to have safe sex.  "Ally, the mere thought of even touching
 these girls...I'm gone."  Tony says, "Don't work too hard, Romeo."
 Ally snickers.  Alex leaves, telling Tony he's a "big help."
Ally notes Tony's stack of newspapers and asks if he got a paper route.
 No, he has been reading up on Jared Chase: "he's one impressive dude."
* Tony and Ally are drinking beers.  He tells her that he talked to Tony
 today, and that Tony has been taken out of the loop.  He says maybe the
 bad guys got what they want, and they're going to leave them alone now.
 "And if not?"  "Then we all die and it doesn't matter, right?"  They
 laugh.  Ally gets serious and asks if he has been with a prostitute.
 Huh?  She wonders if he was ever young and curious.  "When I was young
 and curious, there was Cathy Caribase, and she taught me one very
 important lesson [...] that you don't go to bed with someone unless
 you're ready to wake up next to them."  Ally asks if he is jealous of
 Alex's assignment.  "Pumping a hooker for information while keeping
 his pants on?  Forget about it."
[In a hotel room.]
Jocelyn is primping while she waits.  Alex walks down the hall and finds
 the door.  He knocks.  Jocelyn takes a deep breath, then "gets into
 character."  She strides toward the door...

-----
|  "Half of the people are stoned and the              |  Bob Willers  |
|   other half are waiting for the next election..."   |  Phoenix, AZ  |
|   (Can anyone guess what this is taken from?)        | MY opinions!! |
+------------ willers@trombone.sps.mot.com ------------+---------------+

