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

THE CITY Update for Friday, May 31:

STORYLINE: WHO IS TELLING MORE LIES?
 (location: Clinic)
* Angie asks Sydney why she tried to make a fool of her in front of Tess
 and Jacob.  She says that wasn't her intention.  "Your husband _raped_
 you."  She asks why Sydney said they have this marriage made in heaven
 now.  Sydney says Angie has a lot of nerve calling anyone a liar.
* She says she came down that night because she thought she could trust
 her to respect her privacy, and now she's just "grist for the gossip
 mill."  She says that as her doctor, she has certain responsibilities.
 Yes, says Angie, and one of those is to report rape to the authorities.
 Oh, says Sydney, "I didn't know Jacob and Tess were the authorities,
 and I would also like to quibble about your cavalier use of the word
 'rape.'"  Angie says that is the word Sydney used that night.  Sydney
 says she doesn't recall saying that.  Angie says she verified that by
 exaimining her.  Sydney asks if there is a record of that.  No, because
 you asked that I not keep one.  And now, I'm asking you to _mind your
 own business_.  Angie asks if she has decided to pretend this never
 happened.  Sydney says she doesn't owe her an explanation, but as far
 as Tess and Jacob are concerned, _my husband never raped me_.  Angie
 protests: it happened!  You can say it didn't, for whatever reason, but
 that doesn't change the fact that he raped you, and I am worried that
 it will happen again.  Sydney says that right now, it's Angie's word
 against hers, and right now, she's saying it didn't happen.
* Sydney says that is in the past, and what happened that night, she'd
 rather forget about it.  Angie apologizes for the way Jacob and Tess
 found out.  Sydney says no, it's my turn to apologize -- she just had
 to do something to neutralize the situation.  Angie admits that Jacob
 found out when she was sleepwalking and it was *his* concern which led
 her to call Tess over.  Sydney asks why either one of them needed to
 tell Tess.  Angie says she is worried about her seeing Jared.  Look,
 says Sydney, they have a _business_ relationship, that's it.  Angie
 reminds her that when they discussed the test results, Sydney had been
 concerned about his sexual behavior while he was "dead."  Sydney says
 she was just angry and she was lashing out at him.  Angie is baffled
 about why she is protecting him now -- and asks if he is threatening
 her.  Sydney says she doesn't want to discuss this any more and goes to
 leave.  Angie follows her, saying that she has a feeling something is
 going on.  Sydney asks her to forget it, and just go back to respecting
 her confidentiality and, better yet, pretend that this never happened.
 Angie says she isn't sure she can do that.  Sydney tells Angie that she
 took an oath, and even if she can't do this as a friend, to do it as a
 doctor.  Sydney leaves.
* Angie toes to a filing cabinet and pulls out a file labeled Jane Doe.
 "You're wrong, Sydney, I do have a record."
A volunteer enters, thinking she was talking to her.  Angie asks her
 to check on some forms they ordered.  She leaves.
Angie puts the file away (in a different filing cabinet).

STORYLINE: STAYING ALIVE
 (starting location: Penthouse)
* Jared is still on the phone [see below], saying that there's one other
 pressing matter.  "Joey Soleito needs to be silenced before he talks."
[In the hospital.]
Joey is waking up.  Tony says, "Hey, Joey.  How ya feelin', man?"
 "Like a truck hit me, but at least I'm still alive."  Tony says he
 appreciates Joey taking a bullet for him, Ally does, too, and he is
 going to pay him back.  "I'm going to do this, and you're going to help
 me by telling me everything you know, especially about Jared Chase."
* "Leave Jared Chase alone.  You hear me?  Just leave him alone."  Tony
 can't believe Joey is still trying to protect him.  Joey says he wants
 something, and he's going to keep going after it until he gets it.
 Tony says yeah, there's something hidden in the building.  "Oh, come
 on, not that again."  Tony says he knows because that's why he was in
 the garage (and tells Joey that story).  He says that's why someone
 was waiting to "pop" him when they showed up.  "You seem pretty sure
 of that."  Tony says he is sure.  He's also sure that Jared is behind
 everything that has been going on in the building.  He reminds Joey
 that when Jared came back, he told him that he wouldn't be able to
 take care of him any more because Jared had taken him out of the loop.
 He asks Joey how he knew when and where to show up and take the bullet
 for him.
* Tony says he doesn't care about their past.  "Blood is thicker than
 whatever you have going on with Jared."  "Look, you don't understand,
 man."  "No, *you* don't understand."  He says they're on the same side
 this time.  Joey thinks it over, then says "OK, it's like this..."
 A nurse enters, telling Tony that he needs to leave while she changes
 Joey's dressing.  OK, says Tony, I'll be in the hallway.  He leaves.
 Oh, I forgot, says the nurse, this was at the nurses' station.  She
 hands him an envelope.  He opens it.  It's a card: "Say anything to
 anyone and you're a dead man."  The nurse asks, "Get Well card?"
* Tony comes back in the room and immediately starts asking questions.
 Joey says he's beat, could we do this some other time?  "No, we can't
 do this some other time.  Now, talk to me."  "OK, you want the truth?
 It was me, all right?  I was hoping I could scare you and Ally off once
 and for all, for your own good.  Understand me?"  "Nice try, Joey, but
 no cigar."  "Look, Tony, it's the truth, I swear."  "You know, Joey,
 you're my brother, and I really do love you.  But you're lying to me,
 man, and I'm gonna find out why."  Tony leaves, as Joey calls after
 him, "Tony.  Tony!"
He pulls the "Get Well" card out, as a lady enters the room.  "You.
 Oh, I got your little message here."

STORYLINE: GETTING SQUEEZED
 (starting location: City Bar)
* Danny is on the pay phone, talking to someone about investing in the
 coffee bar chain.  He said he'd prefer a loan, but he would consider a
 limited partnership.  "$30,000, but if you can't come up with that..."
 The person who he is speaking to hangs up on him.
Molly is at the bar, getting a coffee to go.  Danny strolls up to the
 bar and asks the bartender if he has seen Sydney this morning.  No.
 Molly hears him ask and, just as Danny notices her, leaves in a huff,
 walking right by Danny and toward the door into the building.  Danny
 follows her.  "Molly?  Molly, wait.  Come on."
* Molly says if he keeps talking, he'll be wearing the coffee.  Danny
 says he knows he was a jerk for standing her up at the party, and for
 not picking up the phone and calling her to let her know.  Molly asks
 if he thinks that's all she's mad about.  Danny asks her to help him
 out.  "You made me believe in you, Danny, that's what you did wrong."
* They sit at a table.  Danny says that the fact that she believes in
 him is important to him.  What really hurts me, says Molly, is that I
 was the one who always stood up for you.  She says she was naive, she
 had stars in her eyes.  She says she can not do that any more.  Danny
 asks for another chance, "I won't let you down again."  She says she
 wishes she could believe him.  He asks what he can do to earn back her
 trust.  OK, says Molly, I know something's up with you, and it has to
 do with more than his coffee bar investors getting cold feet.  She says
 she wants to know what he's caught up in.  "It's business, Molly."
 Molly gets angry: "do not patronize me."  Mike walks up, asking if he
 is interrupting something.  Danny says yes, but Molly says no, we are
 *finished*.  Molly stomps out.  Mike tells Danny that he has a "hot
 little firecracker there, Danny boy."  Danny says the last person who
 called him that is still seeing his orthodontist.  Well, says Mike,
 since you're talking tough, that must mean you have the money -- along
 with the interest.  "Look, I know it was due today--"  "Aw, you don't
 have it."  Not yet, but--  "No, no violins, please.  I want money."
 "I'll have it."  "When?"  "Tomorrow.  Noon."  "It was due _today_."
 "I said I'll have it tomorrow."  Two installments, along with points,
 and if you miss that one, there'll be problems, _Danny Boy_.  "I said
 I'll have it."  Hmm, says Mike, that girlfriend of yours is named Molly
 and she lives in apartment 5F, right?  Danny grabs Mike's collar and
 tells him not to make threats to people he's close to.  Mike looks down
 at Danny's hands.  Danny lets go.
[Later.]
Danny tells him that this is business between the two of them.  Look,
 says Mike, you owe me $30 grand plus points, and you're not in the
 position to call the shots.  He doesn't mess around with repo guys
 and warning notices.  "One way or another, you're gonna pay.  Either
 a little bit of cash or a lot of heartache.  It's up to you."  Mike
 warns him one last time: "Tomorrow.  Noon."  He leaves just as Sydney
 enters.  Danny asks, "Where have you been?  I've been looking for you
 all morning.  I'm in serious trouble here."  He says he needs the money
 and he needs it now.
* Sydney says her finances are still all tied up.  Maybe she could get
 ahold of a few hundred dollars, but $30,000?!  That would definitely
 get his attention.  Danny says he doesn't much care.  She says that's
 because he doesn't know what Jared is capable of.  He says that the
 people he got the money from don't like being strung along, and when
 they're not happy, they're a lot rougher than her husband.  Sydney
 reminds Danny what Jared did to her.  "Yeah, I'm sorry.  It's just that
 I'm in such a bind, I don't know what to do."  "It's all because of
 Jared.  Sometimes, I wish that man would drop dead of a heart attack."
 "Yeah, well, that would certainly solve a few problems."  She mutters
 that he'll probably live forever.  Danny says, "Nobody lives forever."
[Later, in Ally/Jocelyn/Molly's apartment.]
Molly enters, still fuming.  She throws her keys down.  Then she sees
 something on the floor.  It's a dozen roses, with a card.  She takes
 the card.

STORYLINE: THE SECRET'S OUT!
 (starting location: Basement)
* Bernardo and Azure are naked in his bed, kissing.  "Bernardo, you feel
 so good."  "So do you."  "I'm so glad..."  "Azure, I love you so much."
 They kiss some more.
[In the penthouse.]
Jared is on the phone, confirming that the news about Azure will hit the
 streets in this afternoon's edition.  "Excellent.  Well, that should
 take care of the agency for us."
* [In the basement.]
Azure is crying.  "Hey, Azure, if I wasn't gentle enough --"  No, says
 Azure, you were wonderful.  "You sure, this being your first time and
 all...?"  "Listen to me.  You have no idea how many times I've dreamt
 what this would be like.  Being with you here, now, is like nothing I
 have ever imagined."  Bernardo reminds her that this is a basement.
 A basement with *you*, says Azure.  "I love you so much."  She puts
 her head down on his chest.
* They are dressing.  Bernardo asks if she's sure Tess won't mind him
 tagging along.  No, all big shot models have an entourage.  Well, in
 that case, maybe I should bring my whole family, says Bernardo.  He
 says he's joking, but Azure says she wouldn't mind, they're very nice.
 Bernardo says he's lucky.  Azure sits down, sadly.  She says she
 wishes her family could be so happy with the news.  She does want to
 call her mom.  He says while she does that, he'll go rustle them up
 some lunch.  He kisses her.  "I love you, Bernardo Castro."  "I've got
 to be the luckiest guy in the world."  He leaves.  Azure grabs her
 cellular phone.
* [Somewhere outside, presumably in "Bernardo's" neighborhood.]
Bernardo is listening to his personal stereo.  He walks around, smiling
 and absorbing the atmosphere.  Seeing a lot of people reading the paper
 and discussing something, he stops by a newsstand, asking a friend of
 his what's up -- another woman abducted by aliens?  No, he says, that
 I'd believe; read for yourself.  He hands him a paper.  His smile
 suddenly turns into a look of shock as he sees a photo of Azure on the
 front page.  "No!"

-----
|  "I'm surrounded by idiots!"                         |  Bob Willers  |
|  --Simba's uncle Scar (voice talent: Jeremy Irons),  |  Phoenix, AZ  |
|    THE LION KING.                                    | MY opinions!! |
+------------ willers@trombone.sps.mot.com ------------+---------------+

