Anna and Cesar come face to face
The setting is a dark night at Wyndamere, Cesar's quietly waiting in anticipation in the study when his security man interrupts.....

Cesar: "Yes, what is it Brenner?"

Brenner: "A boat was seen leaving the southside of the island. It could have dropped someone off."

Cesar (smugly): "It could, and it did."

Brenner: "I'll release the dogs."

Cesar: "No, no dogs, no guards. Tell the sentrys to lay low, and let the "intruder" pass."

Brenner: "That's not..."

Cesar: "C'mon Brenner, I know what I'm doing."  (He's Annoyed now) "And please, just follow my orders."

Brenner: "As you wish" ... (and leaves the room... )

Cesar turns around to watch intently a tv monitor which shows Anna walking towards the house....Fade to commercial.... returns to show Anna cautiously entering the darkened mansion, Wyndamere, with her gun ready. She makes her way quietly into the moonlit study, eventually ended up in front of the desk, where she picks up a book, "The Crystalline Conspiracy". Placing the book down, she eyes a closed, carved box on the desk, and moves towards the box, reaching down to open it when......

at the doorway, he emerges from the darkness...   Cesar: "You haven't lost your touch."

Anna whirls around with her gun, as Cesar turns the lights on.... A stunned Anna points the gun at Cesar, who replies...  Cesar: "So good to see you again.... dear Anna."

Fade to commercial- returns to show Cesar making his way into the room, picking up a ashtray to put out his cigarello, then moves over to the bar.....

Cesar: "Would you care for a glass?" (a speechless Anna just continues to point her gun at him while he begins to prepare drinks) "I believe it's your favorite"... (then chides her when she continues to point her gun at him)... "Need I remind you it's very poor etiquette to point a gun at your host?"

(Anna reluctantly lowers her gun, and he turns to offer her a glass)
Anna: "They (referring to the WSB) told me your were dead."

Cesar: "Well, I let the world think so."

Anna: "Why?"

Cesar: "Eh, so I could stay alive. You know as well as I, it takes a very good reason to leave the DVX, and even they can't argue with death."

Anna: "I should have known, shouldn't I?  Some things are too good to be 'true'."

Cesar: "Oh Anna, still your sharp tongue."

(Turns to take a sip.... and Anna reaches behind her, picks up the book again, and says angrily....)
Anna: "This could kill me."

Cesar: "It's only words on paper. It's a book Anna, ramblings, fiction."

Anna: "Liar!" (and throws the book at him, which he catches)

Cesar (amused, he can't seem to take his eyes off her): "Even hostility becomes you. What have I done to deserve that?"

Anna: "That (pointing to the book), is about me.. and you, isn't it, and what I did for you."

Cesar: "I write about Davnee..." (which incidently is an anagram for Anna Devane)

Anna (accusing): "That's me.  And this is just your.....'Your preoccupation' with our relationship."

Cesar: "Even if I did indulge that 'preoccupation', as you call it, what's the harm?"

Anna: "Because it could ruin me. It could ruin my entire future.. with some romanticized verion of what happened."

Cesar: "That's a strange choice of words." (Testing her...) "You seem to feel I have recorded an accurate description of what went on between you and me so many years ago."

Anna (Interrupting....): "It was a 'business' relationship, that's all..."

Cesar: "I had to make sure." (and walks away......)

Anna (Angrily....): "What's that suppose to mean?"

Cesar: "Oh Anna, questions, all the time, and I freely offer you the answers, don't I?" (Sigh..)  Please, have a little wine. Yes, I had to make sure, and that's the way I did, by writing about it. Through my books, I put you and my memories of you behind me, ...they've (referring to the books) been my catharsis."

Anna (in a hurt and accusing tone replies): "You did it publicly!"

Cesar (shaking his head): "No, no, no, no, no... Davnee was public. I was the only one who knew about the real Anna. It's a strange compliment perhaps, but nevertheless."

Anna: "It's a violation."

Cesar: "That's not quite fair... Now how can you say that, if you have read the books you would know..."

Anna (Interrupts...): "I've read them. I hate it!"

Cesar: "So do I. We didn't end up together, and while that saddens me, isn't that enough to calm your fears?"

Anna (Bitterly...): "No."

Cesar (walking towards her...): "Anna..." (...she steps back wearily, both surprising and delighting him...) "Anna..... I haven't seen that fire in your eyes for well, how long has it been?"

Anna: "Thirteen years."

Cesar (delighted): "You remember?"

Anna (bitter again): "I wish I could forget!"

Cesar: "I was curious if you did remember."

Anna: "What do you want?"

Cesar: "Certainly not to harm you, or to unsettle you. Isn't my silence all these years proof enough?  I haven't done anything to get in touch with you. And tonight, you came to me, I didn't go to you. (Shaking his head...) Eh, How could you possibly think I would do you harm, that I am a threat to you?"

Anna: (Glaring at him) "Because the last time I saw you, you said you'd kill Robert, that's how come I could possibly think you're a threat to me!"

Fade to commercial.....returns with Cesar walking away from her, denying her accusation.....

Cesar: "I have nothing to hide."

Anna: "Why can't you just be honest with me then?"

Cesar: "Still more questions."

Anna: "Yeah, why are you here?"

Cesar: "Well, do I have to have a reason?"

Anna: "Yes. " (Eyes the box on the desk and starts to move slowly towards it.....)

Cesar: "Well, all right, I like the scenery, the hills, and the trees, and the water..... (senses her interest in the box, in which he's keeping his piece of crystal)

Anna: "Now you're a nature lover, are you?" (still moving...)

Cesar (moves in her path to block her from desk and box): ".....the wildflowers, Anna, you should see the wildflowers. It's a pity you didn't get to know me better. You don't believe me?" (He narrows his eyes...) "You don't believe me, I can read it in your eyes, they always give you away."

Anna: "Why don't you just tell the truth then."

Cesar (Sternly admonishing her....): "You ought to know better than that. Your late husband (referring to Duke) had to do it."

Anna (weary now): "What do you know about him?"

Cesar (slyly...) "Quite a bit, only because I made it my business to know all about you." (Stares closely at her now...) "Now you do believe me, don't you?" (Then in a more soothing tone.) "It's alright."

Anna (A moment of silence...): "Go on."

Cesar: "Well, like your dear Duke or so......"

Anna (Interrupts angrily...): "Don't talk about him!"

Cesar: "Oh what I hear he is worthy of you, or was worthy of you..." (looks and walks away from her, jealously adding...) "...as, if you permit me, were the other men in your life...."

Anna (refusing to let him walk away): "We're talking about you now..."

Cesar (raising his voice): ".....even Scorpio! And what about me? Oh yes, as a dead man, you have to move around in order not to be discovered, recognized." (Pause) "One has to be a artful dodger. But you understand, you've done quite a bit of it yourself, haven't you?" (Pausing, then stares hard at her) "Always the apprehensive one. Good. In our business it guarantees a long life." (he takes a sip of his drink, then slyly replies.) "Please Anna, you've nothing to fear from me. I'll keep your secrets, and you'll keep mine."

(Anna let's out a loud gasp of disbelief at his arrogance)

Cesar: "I'll keep you're secrets." (He then pours half of his drink into another glass, which he hands to Anna....she sniffs the drink, looks at him, and drops it to the ground in defiance)

Anna (sneers): "I don't make deals with the devil anymore."

She then walks away with her gun at ready, Cesar silently watching her. Afterwards, he moves back to the desk, picks up the book illustration board of his upcoming novel, "the Crystalline Conspiracy" (which has a drawing of Anna in the center), and toasts it....

Cesar: "To you Davnee, for bringing back Anna."

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