SCENE ONE: IT IS STILL THE WEDDING DAY AND JACK IS STILL WAITING FOR JENNIFER TO ARRIVE. HE'S TALKING TO SOME GUESTS.
JACK: Oh sir I feel terrible under-dressed for this whole thing. I'll see if my suit's cleaned. I'm going to go check and....
HE BUMPS INTO POLDY.
JACK: Oh I'm sorry.
POLDY: No I'm sorry. It was my fault. My mind was preoccupied. I can't imagine why Lawrence and Katerina have not come down. You don't suppose something's gone wrong do you?
JACK: Ah.... wrong?
POLDY: Yes. I have a nagging feeling that somehow this wedding is not going to come off as planned.
SCENE TWO: DOWNSTAIRS, LAWRENCE TELLS JENNIFER THAT IF SHE DOES NoT GO THROUGH WITH THE WEDDING THEN FRANKIE WILL COME TO GREAT HARM ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN SALEM. SHE REALIZES THAT SHE HAS NO CHOICE.
SCENE THREE: IN THE BALLROOM POLDY IS STILL WORRIED ABOUT LAWRENCE; JACK ABOUT JENNIFER.
POLDY: I can't imagine what's causing this delay?
JACK: I really feel there is nothing to worry about sir.
POLDY: You don't understand. Lawrence has always been the very epitome of punctuality.
JACK: Well that's funny I think I see him right over there right now.
POLDY: Where?
JACK: Right over there. Overrrr there. There you go, over there. Keep going, over there.
AS POLDY GOES LOOKING FOR LAWRENCE, JACK SNEAKS UP TO THE BEDROOMS TO FIND JENNIFER BUT GREGORY SEES HIM. JACK FINDS LAWRENCE'S ROOM AND IS JUST ABOUT TO BREAK IN USING HIS CREDIT CARD WHEN A GUARD STOPS HIM.
JACK: Right! Alright, here we go. OUCH!
GUARD: What are you doing there?
JACK: Ah, well...what...what am I doing here. That's a very good question. See I'm here.... I'm here to wish my good dear friend Lawrence to break a leg or a shoulder or a vertebrae or something.
GUARD: You're a friend of Mr.. Alamain's?
JACK: Yes, yes, I'm an old dear friend of master Lawrence's way from back to the reform.... back to the.... we used to play polo together. We even used to see the same girl. Yes.
GUARD: I'm sorry to disappoint you sir but no one is permitted to see Mr. Alamain before the ceremony.
JACK: Well I thought that sort of thing was just bad luck for the bride, you know.
GUARD: I have my orders. Might I suggest you back to the living room? The ceremony should be starting soon.
JACK: Right, rrrright. I'm going to go back there and I'm going to catch us the bouquet. How's that for you?
JACK GOES BACK TO THE BALLROOM AND IS STILL TWITCHY.
SCENE FOUR: SUDDENLY LAWRENCE COMES IN AND ANNOUNCES THE CEREMONY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.
JACK: Excuse me Mr. Alamain. I need to talk to you for a minute if I can.
POLDY: Certainly, what is it my boy?
JACK: I need to talk to Katerina, right now.
POLDY: I'm afraid that's highly irregular.
HE PINCHES JACK'S CHEEK.
JACK: Ah, sir it's a matter of life and death.
POLDY: Well it may also be too late.
POLDY TAKES HIS SEAT. J JENNIFER WALKS OUT ONTO THE LANDING WITH HER VEIL NOW ON AND CARRYING A LARGE BOUQUET OF WHITE ROSES. SHE LOOKS EXQUISITE. JACK WATCHES FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM AS SHE GOES UP THE AISLE. JUST AS THE CEREMONY BEGINS, JACK TRIES TO MOVE FORWARD TO STOP IT BUT GREGORY GIVES A SIGNAL AND THE GUARDS KNOCK JACK OUT AND DRAGS HIM OUT OF THE ROOM.
SCENE FIVE: THE CEREMONY PROGRESSES AND JENNIFER MARRIES LAWRENCE. DURING THE CEREMONY, LAWRENCE DAYDREAMS THAT HE IS MARRYING KATERINA. AT ONE POINT JENNIFER HESITATES BUT LAWRENCE TURNS TO GREGORY, READY TO SIGNAL SOME HARM TO FRANKIE, SO JENNIFER GOES AHEAD.
SCENE SIX: MEANWHILE JACK IS BLINDFOLDED AND GAGGED AND IS TAKEN IN THE SECRET ELEVATOR DOWNSTAIRS. THERE GREGORY REMOVES HIS BLINDFOLD AND HE IS THROWN IN A LOCKED BEDROOM.
GREGORY: Welcome home Mr. Deveraux. There'll be no point in resisting Mr. Deveraux. You're going to be our guest here whether you co-operate or not. I think you'll find the accommodations very comfortable. Take him away. I've got a wedding to attend. And I'll be sure to give your regards to the bride and groom.
JACK: Oooh.... ah.
HE IS IN THE ROOM NEXT TO FRANKIE AND THERE IS AN AIR CONDITIONING GRATE IN EACH ROOM. FRANKIE HEARS WHAT WAS SAID AS JACK WAS LOCKED UP.
FRANKIE: Hey, who's there? What's going on? Is someone there?
JACK, STILL WITH THIS GAG ON AND HANDS TIED, LISTENS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL.
JACK: (The gag over his mouth muffling his voice) Hey, hey, help, let me out of here.
FRANKIE: You're wasting your time.
HE MANAGES TO SPIT OUT THE GAG.
JACK: Hey, hey, you know I could keep this up all night if I have to.
HE KICKS THE DOOR.
FRANKIE: Yeah, well I'd save your breath. They're not coming back.
JACK: They?
FRANKIE: Yeah that's right. The guys that threw you in the room. The enemy.
JACK: Oh I see. I suppose they also threw you in your room? So just who the hell are you? Come on now, speak up, who are you?
FRANKIE: What do you want to know?
JACK: Well first of all I'd like to know where the hell I am.
FRANKIE: Welcome to hotel Alamain.
JACK: Hotel Alamain, huh. You can check out but you can never leave, huh. Alright, what's next?
FRANKIE: Well that's up to you pal. I don't plan on sticking around here though.
JACK: Oh I see. We've got a Get Out of Jail Free card, do we?
FRANKIE: Better, I got a plan.
JACK: Oh a plan, I see, I see. A plan. You dirty rat, see. See, I got a plan, see. I'm going to be togglin' out, see. See I'm going to carve guns out of soap, see. See....
FRANKIE: Look I'm only going to ask you once, see. Now look if you want in that's great but I'm out of this place with or without you and soon so what's it going to be, in or out.
JACK: See.
SCENE SEVEN: AS SOON AS THE CEREMONY IS OVER, JENNIFER RUSHES OVER TO SEE POLDY WHO IS EXTREMELY EXCITED THAT SHE IS MARRIED TO LAWRENCE.
JENNIFER: I appreciate your good wishes. Have you seen my friend Jasper by any chance? My good friend Jasper, have you seen him?
POLDY: Oh yes Jasper. Well he.... he was here just a moment ago.
JENNIFER: He was?
POLDY IS DISTRACTED BY OTHER GUESTS SO JENNIFER DECIDES TO GO TO LAWRENCE'S ROOM WHERE JACK SAID THEY WOULD MEET IF THERE WAS ANY TROUBLE.
SCENE EIGHT: BACK DOWNSTAIRS, JACK AND FRANKIE ARE STILL TALKING THROUGH THE WALL. NEITHER OF THEM HAS ANY IDEA WHO THE OTHER ONE IS.
JACK: I tell you, let's just back up a wee bit in this conversation. What say we go over a little bit of background?
FRANKIE: Like?
JACK: Like what brings you to hotel Alamain? Did they catch you with a pocket of the family jewels?
FRANKIE: Look not that it makes any difference. Let's just say that I'm here because of my sister.
JACK: Oooh your sister brought you here. What's she like, is she like the Wicked Witch of the West?
FRANKIE: Her name is Katerina, okay. Katerina von....
JACK: .... Leuschner of the von Leuschner clan to be married to Lawrence Alamain on her Twenty-fifth birthday to honor the age old family pact, etc., etc., etc.
FRANKIE: Wait a minute, how do you know so much about this?
JACK: Laddie, the reason I'm here is I'm supposed to be looking after the young lady who's masquerading as your sister.
FRANKIE: Why would somebody be pretending to be Katerina?
SCENE NINE: MEANWHILE JENNIFER HURRIES TO LAWRENCE'S ROOM BUT JACK IS NOT THERE. SHE THINKS BACK OVER WHAT JACK SAID.
JENNIFER: Jack where are you?
JACK: Alright, if we get into any trouble at all, we're going to meet back in Lawrence's room and we're going to make our way out through the tunnels. I'm telling you, I won't screw up this time. Count on me.
JENNIFER: Alright, I'm counting on you Jack.
LAWRENCE WALKS IN THE ROOM AND JENNIFER IS TRAPPED.
SCENE ONE: BACK DOWNSTAIRS, JACK IS DESCRIBING JENNIFER TO FRANKIE.
JACK: Well she's stubborn, arrogant. She's out of her mind and has been since the day I met her. There's been trouble all this....
FRANKIE: Sounds to me like you're stuck on her.
JACK: No, no, sir, you don't understand. You see the problem with this girl is....
FRANKIE: You really love her don't you?
JACK: Oh laddie.... I suppose I do.
FRANKIE: She love you too?
JACK: Well I suppose that is the 64 dollar question, isn't it? I.... I think so. She's.... ah.... she's kind of special that way.
FRANKIE: I had someone special once. Yeah it was the first girl I ever loved.
JACK: Alright lad, turn about, it's fair play. You tell me all about her.
SCENE TWO: UP IN LAWRENCE'S ROOM, JENNIFER LIES TO HIM AND SAYS THAT SHE IS THERE TO SEE HIM. SHE POURS SOME CHAMPAGNE IN AN EFFORT TO STALL HIM.
SCENE THREE: BACK DOWNSTAIRS, JACK AND FRANKIE ARE STILL EXCHANGING STORIES.FRANKIE'S VERSION OF JENNIFER IS TOO IDEAL, UNREALISTIC, AND TOO ANNOYINGLY PERFECT.
JACK: Oh come on now laddie, you're pulling my pipes. No girl is that good.
FRANKIE: She was, really.
JACK: Oh really, huh. The one that got away.
FRANKIE: Actually I was the one who left. Yeah I left her, left home. Couldn't be helped. I tell you, I've met a lot of girls since but none of them was as sweet and honest, innocent. I really loved her.... a lot. Hey, sure sounds a lot different than the girl you've been talking about, huh?
JACK: Yeah night and day.
FRANKIE: Hey that doesn't mean we can't work together on getting out of this place, does it? Right?
JACK: I'm thinking.
FRANKIE: Oh come on, take a look around. What are our chances here? Come on face it our options are limited here.
AT THAT MOMENT, A MAID OPENS JACK'S DOOR.
JACK: Oh I wouldn't exactly say that. I wouldn't say that at all. Oooh now I spy a pretty little face.
MAID: I'm not to talk to you, just change the linens.
JACK: Oh I wasn't talking, I was.... I was thinking or actually I was just looking.
MAID: Are you playing with me?
JACK: No, no, I can't play with you because my hands are tied up. Of course you could help me with that too, if you would be so kind. Look at that pretty smile. Come on now, I'm not going to bite you. I'm safe really.
SHE UNDOES THE ROPE AROUND HIS WRISTS.
JACK: Oh thank you, my hands thank you, my wrists thank you. Now, thank you, thank you, that's really wonderful. Ahhhh! I tell you what, maybe we could continue this conversation in another part of the building. Some place a little more private. Perhaps .... HELLO!
SUDDENLY A GUARD COMES IN AND GRABS JACK.
GUARD: You had your warning and one is all you're going to get. Try any of that game again and I get to play one of my little games with you.
JACK: Sounds pretty jolly.
GUARD: Oh it will be for me. Remember what I said.
JACK: I will.
THE GUARD DRAGS THE MAID OUT AND LOCKS THE DOOR.FRANKIE: Way to go Cassanova! So, you ready to reconsider?
SCENE FOUR: UPSTAIRS IN LAWRENCE'S ROOM, JENNIFER IS STILL STALLING FOR TIME BUT SHE'S RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS. SHE TRIES TO CONVINCE HIM TO GO BACK TO THE GUESTS BUT HE KNOWS SHE'S PLAYING FOR TIME. HE INSISTS ON KNOWING WHY SHE IS IN HIS ROOM. SHE TELLS HIM THAT SHE WANTS TO BE HERE HOPING THAT WILL PLEASE HIM. LAWRENCE BEGINS TO IMAGINE SHE IS KATERINA.
LAWRENCE: Do you want me, do you really want me?
HE IMAGINES THAT KATERINA TELLS HIM THAT SHE WANTS HIM SO MUCH AND THEN HE BEGINS TO KISS JENNIFER. SHE PUSHES HIM AWAY AND STRUGGLES BUT HE IS BEYOND REASON. HE TEARS OFF HER TIARA AND THROWS HER ON THE BED. SHE SCREAMS FOR HIM TO STOP BUT HE CONTINUES INSISTING THAT SHE SAY SHE LOVES HIM. SHE STRUGGLES HARD BUT HE RAPES HER.
SCENE FIVE: DOWNSTAIRS, FRANKIE IS STILL ASKING JACK TO GO WITH HIM.
FRANKIE: It's your last chance. Going once, twice....
JACK: Alright, alright!.... Alright I'll work with you.
FRANKIE: Great.
JACK: You see you don't understand. I just don't like jumping into something with somebody I don't know anything about. You do have a name, don't you?
SCENE SIX: UPSTAIRS, LAWRENCE HAS FALLEN ASLEEP AND JENNIFER IS ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE BED VERY SCARED AND HURT. HE STIRS AND SHE JUMPS OUT OF BED WRAPPED IN A SHEET. SHE HURRIES OUT THE DOOR. IN THE HALLWAY, SHE RIPS THE NECKLACE FROM AROUND HER NECK AND THROWS IT TO THE GROUND. SHE THINKS BACK OVER JACK'S WORDS.
JACK: I won't screw up this time, count on me.
THE WORDS "COUNT ON ME" REVERBERATE THROUGH HER HEAD AS SHE RUNS TO HER ROOM.
SCENE SEVEN: DOWNSTAIRS, JACK AND FRANKIE ARE STILL TALKING.
JACK: Well come on lad, they must call you something around here. Rumpelstiltskin? Rosebud?
FRANKIE: Alright, people round her call me.... Francois.
JACK: Ooooh Francois.... Francois.... Franc....
FRANKIE: Yeah great, what do they call you, huh, Spanky?
JACK: Heh, alright if you'd like to know, people call me.... Jasper.
FRANKIE: Jasper? Sorry I like Spanky better.
JACK: That's Mr. Spanky to you! Alright, alright, we're even. Now I've got another question for you. I would like to know....
FRANKIE: No! No hey man, that's plenty. I mean not that it's not a pleasure to almost meet you.... Spanky.... it's just that, well look, the less we know about each other, the better off we'll be, okay.
JACK: What does that mean, sir?
FRANKIE: Well it means that if either one of us gets caught the less we talk, the less we know, the safer our chances will be, okay.
JACK: Doesn't just go for us of course.
FRANKIE: That's right. There's no point in risking our necks here if we all end up killed, right?
JACK: Right.
FRANKIE: So I'll do whatever I have to do to save Katerina.
JACK: Right. Right, I've got to make sure my lady friend gets out of here in one piece. I mean I already messed up once today. She'll kill me if it happens again.
SCENE EIGHT: BACK UPSTAIRS, JENNIFER RUNS BACK TO HER BEDROOM AND LOCKS THE DOOR. SHE PULLS OFF HER WEDDING RING AND THROWS IT ON THE FLOOR.
JENNIFER: I can't be your wife.
SHE GOES INTO THE BATHROOM AND TURNS ON THE SHOWER. SHE STARTS TO CRY AS SHE STEPS IN THE SHOWER AND BEGINS TO RUB HERSELF HARD WITH SOAP. SHE SLOWLY SINKS TO THE FLOOR, CRYING.
JENNIFER: Oh.... oh. I needed you Jack.... I needed you.
[Transcribed by Carol Vaughan
added material by Sally A. Wilson]