From: Riley <LMT94002@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU>

I'm still having problems posting, so could you please forward this to the
list?  Thank you.  lmt.

Update-The City-8/30/96  (lots of good stuff today)

Storyline:  Tess/Buck-Tess's apartment-Tess and Buck walk in.

See, you're home safe and sound, Buck says.  The masquerader still has 4
hours and five minutes to get her, she sayd.  This guy's just playing
with her head.  He plays a good game.  No one's been killed so far but a
parakeet.  And Jared Chase, she reminds him.  If he hasn't made his move
yet, chances are, he's not going to, Buck tells her.  Tess looks on the
ground.  "What is that?" she says as she picks up a letter with her name
on it.  This may be the next move, she says.

Tess begins to open the letter, then hands it to Buck.  "Chicken."  He
reads, "This is to confirm our conversation this afternoon and put things
in writing just to keep things legal.  You have agreed to remove your
personal affects from the space formerly known as the Wilder Agency..."
Sydney, she interrupts him.  She never thought she'd be glad to hear from
her.  He continues:  "Please be at said space at 9 o'clock tonight.  I'll
arrange to have the place open as the locks have been changed and your
key will no longer work.  Wishing you all the best, I remain as ever,
Sydney."  Isn't she adorable?  They have a couple of hours to kill, does
he want to go down and get something to eat?  Buck stops her.  There's
no signature, just the type-written name.  So?  So, what if it's not from
Sydney?  Who else would have sent her that love letter?  He doesn't want
to scare her, but that could be from their masquerader.

Buck hands up the phone.  Sydney's not home.  Does he really think that
nut wrote it?  He doesn't know.  He just can't figure out why Sydney
would send her a note tell ing her what she already told her.  She
doesn't know, like she said, legal reasons.  Why did she make it 9
o'clock at the agency.  She said she would give her 24 hours.  Because
Sydney is a control freak and Tess wasn't exactly sweet to her this
afternoon.  It's still weird.  How would "Happy Now" have known what
went on between her and Sydney?  Tess asks.  She continues, "They would
have had to have been in the room with us...unless you or Jocelyn..."
Why don't they call Joc? Buck offers.  She would know if Sydney sent it.
After today, Tess doesn't ever want to have anything to do with Joc again
Why?  Because she works for Sydney? No, because Tess didn't like the way
she just stood there, not taking sides.  It was like someone she didn't
even know.  Tess thinks for a moment.  Maybe she's not too far off about
Joc being the masquerader.

She has to be kidding.  That's totally off the wall.  Joc hasn't been
herself lately, Tess reminds him.  "Have you?" he asks.  She's not the
one who was publicly exposed as a prostitute, abused by her father, and
nearly disbarred.  And Tess didn't get a tape of her dead father's voice.
This nut is going after Joc too.  Joc could have made that tape.  She has
access to home video and audio tapes.  Tess is playing right into his
hands.  They should just back off.  She's sorry.  She hasn't been herself
lately.  No one has, he tells her.  She needs holding.  That's easy, he
says as he wraps his arms around her.  He's not letting her go until
midnight and if their "Happy Now" nut is waiting for them in the agency,
he's going to have a very long wait.

Storyline:  Married to the mob

Joey, Alex, and Tony are in the detective agency, waiting for people.
Where is everyone? Tony asks.  It doesn't matter, Joey tells him.
Nothing is going to come out of it anyway.  Ally and Joc show up.  What's
going on?  Tony heard from the Feds.  They are ready to go ahead with
their case against Carla.  They want Tony to testify and won't give an
inch.  Neither will Uncle Gino.  If the Feds get their hands on the
Soleitos, it's the end of them, Joey says.  Joc is sorry but she hasn't
found a way out of it.  Looks like there isn't one, Ally says.  Maybe
there is, alex tells her.  That's why he called the meeting.  Carla and
Gino show up.  Gino assumes Tony's going to give him the tapes.  If not,
the meeting is over.

Everyone is here.  Carla doesn't appreciate beig "summoned."  Ally asks
her is she would rather be chloroformed and kidnapped.  Carla would kill
to know who does her hair.  They all have their secrets... "Which certain
people better be ready and willing to give up," Carla says.  Gino says
they're going nowhere.  They will be, Alex says.  Tony doesn't want to
harm him or Carla or anyone... Carla interrupts him, but Gino tells her
to be quiet.  Tony tells them the situation.  Carla says he should
destroy the tapes and refuse to testify.  If he does that, he can go to
jail indefinitely, Joc says.  Sounds good to Carla.  Alex brought every-
one there to find a compromise.  Gino wants the tapes.  There is no
middle ground.  Carla suggests a cemetary.  If he hadn't made the damn
tapes, they wouldn't be there.  Tony yells that she was threatening him
and Ally.  Alex tells him to calm down and turns back to Gino.  There has
to be a way out of this problem without sending his nephew to prison.
Carla says to let them know when he thinks of one.  Ally offers some iced
tea.  Carla says no, but Gino accepts.  Ally asks Jocelyn to help her,
ignoring a comment from Carla about being the "perfect hostess."  Ally
talks quietly with Joc.  She thinks she knows a way out.

What does Joc thionk?  She can't believe Ally is even suggesting it.
Will it work?  It might, but it's a little bit extreme.  Can Joc think
of anything else?  not really.  Ally wants to tell them, but Joc
convinces her to wait until she checks the law books.  Joc leaves and
Ally brings them the drinks.  Joc had to make some business phone calls,
Ally explains.  They aren't staying either, Carla says.  Gino asks her if
she's the boss now.  They'll go when he says so.  He's not finished yet.

Gino is very sad today.  They've had their problems.  What family doesn't
They've fought, they've screamed, they had arguments, but when it came
right down to it, they always stuck together.  Now he sees it all falling
apart.  He's there to tell him it won't happen.  No one is going to take
them down, as long as there is breath in his body.  Is that a threat?,
Alex asks.  Gino doesn't make threats.  He does what has to be done.  He
is going to leave, but Ally asks him to stay for a minute.  She's thought
of a way out.  Carla says to put a bullet in Tony's brain.  Gino tells
her to let Ally speak.  "A husband and wife can't testify against each
other," she says.  "What does that have to do with the price of pizza?"
Carla asks.  Carla and Tony could get married.

Storyline:  Mommy why'd you leave me?

Angie and zoey are talking.  Sydney is listening.  "You're not Nick's
child?" Angie asks.  No, Zoey's mother wrote her a letter before she
died.  She wanted her to konw who her father is and it's not Nick.  Angie
was hoping she might have a blood match for Nick.  She still might, Zoey
says.  Zoey walks over to Sydney and tells her that Nick could die.  That
means the game is over.  "Time's up."  Richard walks up.  "Time for what?

Angie walks over.  Zoey covers, saying that Nick is running out of time.
Angie says Nick may be okay, but he needs surgery for his internal bleed-
ing.  So, operate, Richard says.  Nick has a rare blood type and they
don't have enough of it on hand.  What type?  AB-  Richard is AB-.  Would
he be willing?  Yes, yes.  They leave.  Sydney thanks Zoey for not tell-
ing him.  Zoey is giving Sydney another chance to be human, but she's not
holding her breath.

Sydney and Zoey are still in the waiting room.  What is taking so long?,
Sydney asks.  He's giving blood:  AB- to be exact.  That takes longer?
Doesn't Sydney think Richard will find it a little strange that he and
Nick have the same rare blood type?  Let her worry about that.  How does
Sydney do it?  What?  Zoey has known for a couple of months and she can't
stand not telling the truth.  Sydney says it is difficult if one has a
tendency to talk too much.  Isn't Sydney sick of living in constant fear
of Richard finding out the truth?  It's Sydney's life.  Doesn't Sydney
ever want to just let it all out, tell him she's his mother, that she
gave birth to him, she loves him?  It's none of Zoey's business.  She
doesn't need her to write her dialogue.  She has no idea about her feel-
ings.  Zoey knows she loves Richard and she did love Nick.  Does she want
Nick to die without ever meeting his son?  Richard walks up.  He's sorry
it took so long, but they made him lie down and have some juice.  That's
for low blood sugar, Sydney tells him.  Zoey is going to go see about
Nick.  Richard asks what is going on between Sydney and Zoey.  The usual.
"Don't you think it's really odd that you and Nick have the same rare
blood type?" Sydney asks him.  Richard says it's uncanny, but she's
changing the subject.  She's not, there was no subject to chance.
Richard doesn't buy it.  Sydney suggests they take a walk.  They get into
the elevator and Zoey appears again.  "Tell him, Sydney.  Tell him."

Zoey is napping on a couch.  Angie puts Richard's coat over her and she
wakes up.  How's Nick?  They're giving him blood to build up his strength
Surgery in the morning.  Zoey prays he makes it.  She really does love
him, doesn't she?  As much as if he were her own "dad".  Nick doesn't
know that he's not and neither does Lorraine.  Zoey asks her not to tell
them.  Angie won't.  Zoey was going to, but she can't.  Angie suggests
she worry about it after he gets well.  "If he gets well," Zoey says.
Angie says Nick is tough.  Zoey wants him to know the truth before he
dies.  Angie tells her the truth is that she loves him and he loves her.
Does it really matter that she isn't his natural child?  Zoey starts
crying.  "It's so complicated."  Angie offer to take her home, but she
says she is waiting for Richard.  Nick was very touched that Richard gave
blood when Agnie told him.  Angie tells her everything will work itself
out.

The hospital chapel.  Richard and Sydney walk in.  Sydney has been very
quiet.  Is she okay?  She was just thinking about the first time she
ever saw him getting off the plane from Australia.  She remembers think-
ing how handsome he looked.  "If you like them chubby," he says.  She
also remembers how sad he looked.  He remembers that day too.  It didn't
hit him until then.  He knew his parents were dead, but it didn't seem
real until he got on the plane.  What did he think of her the first time
he saw her?  "She's pretty."  Sydney finishes for him, "...but, she's
not my mom."  Why are they talking about this?  Because he has become
such a happy, confident, young man, she says.  Sometimes, he says.  Most
of the time and Sydney would like to think she had a little bit to do
with it.  Of course she did.  "Don't say of course."  Less than a year
ago, he wouldn't have anything to do with her.  "Isn't there a song that
goes something along the lines of 'It's not where you start, it's where
you finish'?"  Shes loves him so much.  Why are they getting into this?
Sydney knows it's out of character.  Richard likes the character.  Does
it have something to do with Nick?  Actually, yes.  Is she going to tell
him?  He doesn't know how many times she wanted to.  She couldn't because
she knew how much it would hurt him.  But, he's not a child anymore.  He
is a man.  Is she going to tell him the facts of life?  Sydney laughs a
little, he could say that.  He knows the baby she had with Richard.  "The
one who died," Richard says.  "Richard, he didn't die."

Storyline:  "Happy Now"

The agency.  Joc walks in.  The computer is on and the screensaver has
taken affect.  That's funny.  She thought she turned the computer off.
She sits down and hits a key.  A menu appears in place of the screensaver
She sees the HappyNow.doc and opens it.  She gasps as she sees a list of
victims and dates.

Joc paces as the document prints.  Come on.  She sits down at the comp-
uter.  Someone comes up behind her and hits her on the head.  She falls
to the floor.

##################################################
"THE CHEAPNESS OF WRITING PAPER IS, OF COURSE, THE
REASON WHY WOMEN HAVE SUCCEEDED AS WRITERS BEFORE
THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED IN THE OTHER PROFESSIONS."
                         -VIRGINIA WOOLF,
                          PROFESSIONS FOR WOMEN

LISA MARIE TURCOTTE (RILEY)
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
STORRS, CT 06269
##################################################

