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No. 52 - "The Light" 3/20/98Cast:
Guest Starring:
Executive Producer - Grant
Rosenberg Writer - Michael Ahnemann Director - Paul Lynch Ninth episode of the Third Season. We owe major thanks for this description to: Kris K. Cemetery –foggy night Delores Sanchez, an old woman, carries flowers as she walks through a foggy graveyard. She uses a flashlight to find her way. She finally stops at a grave and asks softly, "Are you resting Angel?" The inscription on the stone cross says "Angela Sanchez 1977 – 1997." She places the flowers on the grave and says she's prayed every day for justice but now that it's the anniversary of her death the gods will finally help them. Thunder rumbles in the distance. She takes a medallion off her neck and says that it belonged to her grandmother and her grandmother before her. She drapes the chain of the medallion on the upper part of the stone. Then she begins an incantation calling, "Xiuteuchtli, God of fire, God of our ancestors, to whom we sacrificed hearts and souls. I ask that you deliver justice to the enemies of my family." The medallion glows brightly and from within it a low growling is heard. She kneels then as suddenly a flame comes from the medallion and disappears into the sky as a fireball. Delores watches silently. Barnard Compound - that night Michael Barnard, who is working late in an office, speaks on the phone to a business associate. He ruthlessly instructs the man to purchase stock in a company knowing that it will put a man named Carlisle out on the street. Suddenly the fireball comes at great speed, melts the glass in the window and settles for a few seconds on the glass of the desktop. Then it suddenly ricochets back and strikes Michael, burning him to death and leaving him in a pile of ashes. Legacy kitchen – morning Nick, wearing jeans and a red sweatshirt, stands at the stove and makes pancakes. Rachel, dressed in a somber black suit, enters and announces, "I hate funerals." Nick solemnly replies "They aren't exactly the hottest ticket in the country." Rachel now pouring coffee responds that he makes it sound like she's going to a Broadway opening. Nick apologetically offers, "No disrespect intended." Rachel quickly replies "none taken," and goes on to say that when the Barnard sneezes it makes the front page and when one dies it rates the entire front section of the paper. Then she looks at what he's making in the pan and asks if she can have one. Nick replies "Sure" and places a pancake on a plate for her. She goes to the table and pours syrup on it while Nick puts a pancake on his plate and joins her. Nick asks if she was friends with Michael when she was a kid. Rachel replies that she'd see him around the house and he could be charming but he also had a temper so she tended to just stay out of his way. It was Melinda Barnard, Michael's sister, who was Rachel's friend when they were younger. As they eat breakfast, Nick mentions that it must have been weird hanging out with them as a teen. Rachel replies that it seemed kind of normal to her. "Depends on your definition of normal," Nick answers as he eats. Rachel nods her head and agrees, "It's whatever you get used to." Rachel tells Nick that there will be a gathering at the family compound after the funeral. Suzanne Barnard, the matriarch of the family doesn't think the death is as cut and dried as a simple accidental fire so Rachel had promised her they'd look into her son's death. She hopes Nick will be willing to come to the compound after the funeral to meet the family. She describes Suzanne as a strong woman who ran an empire and raised a family. She was tough and yet a wonderful person. Finished with her pancake, she rises and says, "This was great. I gotta go." She leaves to attend the funeral. Legacy – control room – later Nick sits at the computer and does research into the Barnard family. There are many news articles and magazine stories about them. Alex enters, looks at the screen and asks, "Homework?" Nick replies "I thought if I was going to spend time with the royal family, I should bone up on them." They discuss what they know about the family. The Barnard's have a reputation of being ruthless in business but committed to social causes. Suzanne, the mother, makes all the decisions. Alex recalls there was speculation that they used arson to burn out competition. Nick comments that perhaps Michael's death was "poetic justice." Rachel's friend Melinda committed suicide in college and left behind a baby son named Todd. The father of Todd was unknown and he was raised by a series of nannies. When Todd grew up he was driving his Ferrari at high speeds, went off the road and crashed the car. He walked away without a scratch, but the accident killed a female passenger. Alex nods; recalling the press had coined it, "Mr. Todd's Wild Ride." Nick sarcastically replies, "Cute." Alex wonders aloud if they're cursed or blessed to be that powerful. Nick replies that he wouldn't want to trade places with them. Especially now. Barnard family compound Suzanne makes some decisions with her staff regarding the business. She instructs them to call corporate lawyers to set a meeting regarding the family trust. Rachel is with them when another son, Trevor, comes in and thanks Rachel for coming. He then proceeds to tell his mother that he had heard from Jenkins regarding the merger. Suzanne firmly tells him that she's not interested in a merger anymore. He wants to talk to her about it but she says she made up her mind and the discussion is over. Shaking her head, she looks at Rachel before saying, "Listen to me, conducting business on the day of my son's funeral. Have we lost all sense of propriety?" Rachel quietly reminds her that "Old habits are hard to break." Then Nick is escorted into the room. He wears a dark suit, beige trench coat and a blue tie with grey stripes. As he is introduced to Suzanne Barnard, he offers condolences, "Very sorry for your loss. Mrs Barnard." She thanks him for coming and tells him if he needs anything he has only to ask. Nick leaves to see the office. Rachel decides to go see Todd and Suzanne informs her he is quite upset at his uncle's death. She tells Rachel that spending time with her will be good for him. Michael's office Trevor escorts Nick to the office and says they left it exactly as it was. Crime tape marks off the room and Nick goes underneath it. He puts on plastic gloves and kneels to get a closer look at the burned area. He uses his pocketknife to scrape some ash into an evidence vial. Trevor comments that the chief of police himself is heading up the investigation and asks what he expects to find that the police didn't. Nick simply replies "Something that might not have occurred to the chief." He sees the marks on the glass on the desk and asks to take it. Trevor agrees, "Be my guest." Compound – outdoors near pool Rachel and Todd walk along the pool edge while bodyguards patrol the perimeter of the area. He tells Rachel that Suzanne is very protective of him particularly since he's last in line. It's not easy being a Barnard, he tells Rachel, then he sadly adds that his mother couldn't live up to it so she killed herself. Todd replies that if he's the future of the family, they're in trouble. Rachel reminds him that his future is his to create. Her attention is momentarily diverted to the pool where it seems like there's a bright light inside it. Turning her attention back to Todd, she asks if they've received any death threats. He replies they do now and then and routinely just turn them over to the police and go about their business. Rachel continues to probe and asks if the Sanchez family ever threatened them. Todd says sadly that the only relative was a grandmother who went into seclusion after Angela's death. The grandmother had always believed he took advantage of Angela. Todd had tried to call after she died but Delores wouldn't take his calls. He tells Rachel he loved Angela and he still does. He notes that the papers didn't report that and he figures it was because disgrace makes better copy. Todd hugs Rachel and tells her sincerely how nice it was to talk to her again. He thanks her for always being there for him when he was growing up. She tells him that his mother would be proud of him. Rachel adds that he can call her if he ever needs to talk. Smiling, he says he might take her up on it. "I hope so," Rachel replies. They walk away from the pool. As they leave, one of the tall lights around the pool glows abnormally bright. Michael's office Rachel returns to the office where Nick is still looking around. She asks if the fire could have been from an incendiary device. Nick replies, "I don't think so," and explains that even a letter bomb would have left a signature. There's no shrapnel or pitting on the glass or the walls. He then looks away from the desk to the window. He sees a round area on the window glass where the fireball entered and decides to take that piece of glass back to the house with him as well. Legacy – Control room Nick, still wearing his suit, is scanning the glass into the computer when Alex enters and sits down next to him. She'd been talking to Derek on the Sat-link and filled him in. She deepens her voice and mimics Derek, who said, "Defy conventional wisdom. Throw out your first conclusion. Look for the least obvious." Nick, still looking at the monitor screen, replies seriously that they could be looking at a high-powered laser or spontaneous human combustion. Alex asks him which is the least obvious. "I don't know. You tell me," he replies. He then shows her the lumpy, distorted glass and explains that it was from a brief but intense surge of heat. It melted the glass in both spots. She asks, "ricochet?" Nick does a computer simulation that proves it's possible. "Could be, " he replies. Cemetery – night Delores Sanchez, Angela's grandmother, goes to her gravesite and puts down her framed photograph. Angrily, she notes she will never hear her laugh again, but that the gods are answering her prayers. She adds that soon her soul will be able to rest in peace knowing that justice is done. She takes the medallion off her neck and holds it as she intones to Xiuteuchtli, god of fire and asks that he continue to bring the rain of fire down upon their enemies. Barnard house – Trevor's office - night Trevor is working on paperwork when a floor lamp across the room begins glowing bright, and then dims. A low growl emanates from the lamp. The bulb activity distracts him so he gets up from the desk and approaches the lamp. He reaches up and turns the switch. The fireball that had been hiding in the bulb jumps out, goes to his face, and burns him up leaving a pile of ash. Barnard house – day In the living room, Rachel comforts Suzanne about outliving her children since she buried all 3 of them. Suzanne tells Rachel that all her life she's had to be strong but she doesn't know how much more she can take. Rachel promises to find out what's going on and stop it. In the burned office, Nick, wearing a blue pin striped suit, talks to Alex on the cell phone, and tells her that it's the same thing that happened to Michael, right down to the pile of ash. He advises her the police just left and it's obvious someone is targeting the family. She plans to research what she can find. Before hanging up, Nick tells her to keep him posted, then begins looking around the room. He looks carefully at the burned spot on the floor and glances up to the lamp nearby. He takes a cloth from his pocket and turns the switch. The lamp doesn't light so he looks at the bulb and sees that it's broken. He reaches in the lamp and unscrews it. The bulb has a hole in it. Control room Alex looks in the video archive and finds footage from San Francisco's Channel 23 news. The broadcast is from the steps of the courthouse after the trial, where Todd was cleared of all charges in the death of Angela Sanchez. The female correspondent is doing a live report. Behind her the press is interviewing Delores Sanchez, who's speaking Spanish. The correspondent tells the camera that Delores Sanchez refused to bring civil litigation against the family for wrongful death, instead saying that only god will bring justice and she hopes that the Barnard family will burn in hell. Alex, studying Delores face, frowns and rewinds and brings Delores' face in a close-up and studies her lips. Alex is able to translate that what Delores is actually saying is "The gods will deliver justice. Make them see the light. They will burn before they are in hell." Alex rewinds again and hears the broadcaster with her interpretation again. Alex replies, "That's not what she said at all, darlin'." Alex goes to close-up of the medallion that Delores wears. It has a crescent moon, a blinding sun and a man holding his arms up. University - greenhouse Edward Bishop, a tall young blind man, walks in a greenhouse full of blooming flowers. Alex walks in, smiles and says, "Still playing with flowers, huh." Edward grins, "Hello, Alex," and reaches out to touch her face as he reminds her there are flowers, and then there are orchids. He feels her face with his hands and complements her on what wonderful care she's taken of herself. He then notes she's not wearing Chanel anymore and asks the name of the new scent. "White Diamonds," is her reply and she notes it can't compete with the fragrances there. He tells her he's lucky the university gives him a small corner to indulge his habit. She reminds him that he landed a huge Inca exhibit for the university. He laughs and tells her that the Peruvian minister of culture took pity on him. She smiles and says, "right." They haven't seen each other in several years although are obviously friends since he has visited her at the Luna Foundation as well. She tells him the reason she came is for help with an artifact that stumps her. "Stumped you? Well then it must be an obscure piece," Edward says. She starts to describe it as being a round solid gold medallion. It has a crescent moon on the upper left side and on the right a blazing sun. Edward finishes the description at that point and adds that underneath a man is raising his hands towards the sky. She's impressed but he reminds her that's what he does for a living. He tells her it's Toltec, from the early 11th century. It is very rare and is used as an icon for magic by the 'brujas'; witches who are practitioners of magic. They had different medallions for different purposes, which included sacrifice on occasion. She tells him she knows who has it and he excitedly tells her it sounds mysterious. He offers to let her use the books in his study so she knows what she's dealing with. He warns her that some of them are grisly but she tells him not to worry because she's used to grisly. Barnard house Nick sits with Todd in the living room. A fire burns in the fireplace. Todd sadly talks about his uncles and his inability to believe they're dead. Nick tells him that something with high energy partially liquefied the bulb in the lamp. He tells Todd it means he isn't safe in the house. He tells him they have a house on Angel Island that's well protected and he wants to bring him there. Todd replies that he doesn't want to leave his grandmother and Nick tells him that Rachel is trying to talk sense into her. They want to protect him against that thing, whatever it is. Just then the fire in the fireplace roars up. Nick sees it and shouts "Down!" at Todd before tackling him and dragging him to the ground. The fireball leaps from the fireplace and strikes the chair Todd was sitting in and it bursts into flames. Nothing is left but a hole burned into the floor. Rachel runs in and asks what happened. Todd tells her that Nick saved his life. Nick replies, "The question is, from what?" Rachel reassures Todd that they'll protect him. She's heard from Alex who is on to something and will call when she has more details. Todd decides if he's destined to die he wants to go somewhere first. Nick wants to come along for protection, but Todd refuses because he doesn't want a bodyguard where he's going. He asks Rachel to go along with him for company though. She agrees Cemetery - afternoon Rachel and Todd walk along the path. Todd carries flowers and recalls that he met Angela in a dance club. They kept their relationship secret for a long time because there was too much prejudice from both sides of the tracks. Rachel gently asks what happened that night. Todd sadly relates that he was showing off, driving his Ferrari and going 80 mph when it hit a slick patch in the road and went airborne. The car flipped over a few times and landed hard on Angela's side. He tells Rachel that Angela loved him for himself. She didn't care about his family name, his money or his car. He lost her because he was too busy showing her what he was made of instead of who he was. With deep regret, he says although she loved him for himself, he couldn't accept it. They get to the grave then and Todd puts the bouquet of flowers down. Mrs. Sanchez confronts them and tells him to leave. He kindly says he was paying his respects to Angela and begins to tell her he's sorry but she won't listen. Rachel offers her condolences to Mrs. Sanchez. Delores thanks her and tells her brusquely to leave and to take Todd with her. Todd tells her sincerely that he is sorry and that he loved Angela. He concludes with the fact that he asks god every day why he didn't take him instead of her. Todd then turns to the grave and solemnly says, "Goodbye Angel." Mrs. Sanchez strikes his arm then and demands he leave them alone. She looks at Rachel and tells her to go and leave an old woman to mourn in peace. Todd walks slowly away. Rachel turns to Delores and tells her that Todd loved Angela and "no amount of hate is going to change that." Then she follows Todd up the path away from Angela's grave. Barnard house Nick is talking to Alex on the phone when Rachel enters. He puts the call on the speakerphone and Alex tells them what she learned about the medallion. Nick asks if she thinks Mrs. Sanchez is a witch and Alex replies that Delores can be very dangerous. She doesn't know why she waited an entire year but thinks it's possible that she summoned Toltec demons to get revenge. She's learned that Toltec demons come in the form of the elements, water, earth and fire, which is where they draw their power. Rachel then tries to get Suzanne Barnard to leave the house. She refuses because the explanation isn't logical and she has the best security money can buy. Rachel tries to convince her by telling her she's learned not everything has a logical explanation. In addition, over the last few years, she's also learned that evil is real and demonic forces exist. Rachel concludes, "Do you trust me? Do you? Would I ever lie to you?" Suzanne replies that she doesn't believe she would. Rachel firmly and with much conviction tells her the Barnard family is cursed and that Delores Sanchez intends to wipe out her entire family. She wants Suzanne to go with her to find Delores Sanchez and get her to stop the thing before it kills again. She agrees. Todd will go to Angel Island with Nick. Sanchez house There are many candles burning on the porch and bottles hang from its rafters. Suzanne and Rachel knock on the door and tell Delores they came to ask for her forgiveness. Suzanne begs her to spare the life of her grandson. Rachel tells her she knows she's a 'bruja' and "we know you have magic." Delores tells them she isn't a god and has no say over who lives or dies. She adds angrily that Angela would still be alive if it weren't for the Barnard family. Suzanne tells her she lost her daughter, Melinda, before she ever got to know her and that she didn't know how fragile she was. She's obviously upset that Melinda suffered and yet didn't know how to reach out for help. Rachel tells Delores they know about the medallion and tries to convince her that it's time for her to end it. Suzanne tells her they don't trust or understand each other but they've both suffered since she has also lost her sons. Delores replies that they all deserved to die. Rachel continues to try to reach her and asks how her legacy is served by pain, grief and violence. Suzanne extends her hand and says, "Please. We don't trust or understand each other but we both suffered." Delores slowly reaches out and grasps her hand. She sadly tells her she missies Angela so much that something inside her doesn't want to live herself. Suzanne replies that she knows exactly what she's going through. Rachel adds, "It's time for this to end." Delores picks up the medallion that she wears around her neck and says, "Come." They leave together. Legacy house – living room Nick introduces Todd Barnard to Alex. He expresses his worry about his grandmother. They reassure him she'll be safe. The demon doesn't want her because she's not part of its agenda. They explain that the demon does the will of whoever summons it and Delores Sanchez wanted revenge on his family. It won't stop until the bloodline is gone. Alex continues "De La Raiz means from the root," it goes from the oldest offspring to the youngest. They worry that if it's successful in killing him that it may continue killing. They hope that Rachel can convince Delores to remove the curse. When Todd wonders what will happen if they aren't successful, Nick declares, "we have to snuff this thing out." Cemetery – that night The three women walk to the grave. Delores kneels and kisses Angela's gravestone and tells her that she's made a horrible mistake and gave into her hate. She'd wanted to make things equal but instead it's more unbalanced than ever and her pain is worse. Suzanne tells her they have to put it behind them for the sake of their families. Rachel encourages, "Delores, it's time." Delores takes the medallion off her neck and drapes it on the gravestone, intoning, "God of fire, to whom we sacrificed hearts and our souls. I bring you a new prayer tonight." Lightning suddenly crashes in the distance and a brisk wind begins to blow. She holds the medallion in her hands. Reaching for Suzanne's hand, she touches it with the medallion and continues talking to the god, saying that Suzanne's warm flesh embodies the spirit of her enemy. She asks that peace be restored between them. She concludes by telling the god that his justice is done and begs, "Let there be no more blood shed." The medallion glows and the storm intensifies. Delores shouts over the storm, "Let the god of fire that lives in the light be contained once more and forever." She turns and tells the women that the god is coming and it's not safe for them to stay. They back up just as the god of fire appears in the form of a fireball. Delores, who hasn't moved, demands it be contained. Instead of returning to the medallion, it shoves Delores backward onto the ground and breaks the chain on the medallion, which causes it to fall to the ground. Delores tells the women the fire god cannot be contained. "I have failed. No one can control it now until it's finished what it began." They turn and run as the storm gets stronger. Legacy – living room – that night The sounds of an intense storm rumble in the distance. Todd, who is looking in reference books in the living room with Nick and Alex, comments that the sky had been clear and he wonders where the storm came from. Rachel then calls from her cell phone. She's still in the graveyard and shouts over the storm to tell them that something went wrong and they didn't contain it. Delores had tried to send the demon back but it got out of control. As the storm crackles around her and causes static on the phone she tells them that the incantation was to make it go back into the light. When it isn't attacking it lives in the light. That's where it draws its power. Her phone goes dead before she can continue. Since their only clue is that it hides in the light, they plan to black out the house from all light to be sure it has no place to hide. Nick notes that blacking out the house isn't going to be easy since they have moonlight pouring in and safety lights on battery charge. He wants to hide Todd in a closet where it's totally dark but he refuses and instead wants to help. They start by turning all the lights off downstairs. Alex and Todd start pulling the drapes in the living room and Nick goes elsewhere to begin to turn off the lights room by room. They meet in the kitchen. As they're about to leave, Todd goes to extinguish the pilot light on the gas range when the pilot light shoots upwards with a flame. They all run and barely make it to the next room before the fireball explodes into the decorative glass door in the kitchen, shattering it. Library Since they know they aren't safe anywhere with light and it's nearly impossible to eliminate all the light, Nick tells them they have to change the battlefield. He wants them all to get into a small place where they can shut out all the light, and by doing so, lure it to them. He has a plan to use mirrors to produce an image so the fire god will come to them. Todd volunteers to be bait. Nick responds that "We're here to save your life not cut it short." Todd replies "There's no other choice and you guys know it." They retreat to an area near the library. Alex is outside the room trying to locate the fire god. Nick and Todd have large mirrors ready and a small safe opened up in the room. They have lit several candles inside the safe. The plan is to reflect Todd's image in order to lure the being in the room so they can spring the trap. Todd comments that if it doesn't nest in the flames, he hopes they have fire extinguishers. Alex comes in then and says she located it in one of the wall lights in the hall. Nick reminds Todd he can say no if he wants to but he replies that he can't run forever. Nick then looks at them and says, "Its show time, stay on your toes." Going out in the hall, Nick looks at the wall lights. All those lights are lit, but one of the bulbs glows bright, then dims, then gets bright again. A low growl also comes from inside the light. He tells Alex to go back into the library and get ready. She does so and calls out to him to let him know they're all set. Alex is near the safe and holds one mirror reflecting the candlelight and Nick holds another mirror reflecting Todd's image. When she gives the ready signal, Nick turns off the switch for the wall lights. Only the fixture that contains the fire god still glows. "Come on. Come on," Nick coaxes. The fire god sees Todd's reflection in the mirrors and strikes out at it. It gets to the mirror Nick is holding and ricochets off it to Alex's mirror and from there into the safe and the candlelight. Alex reaches over, slams the door of the safe, and locks it. Growling noises come from the safe and it begins flying around the room as the fire god tries to escape. After awhile, it lands and the growling stops. Alex, Todd and Nick look at the safe, then each other. Cemetery - day Suzanne places a large basket of flowers at Angela's grave. Delores crosses herself before taking Suzanne's arm. Then they walk slowly away together while Rachel watches. Rachel's voice-over:
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