Subj: DS:Truth 10
Date: 2/8/02 12:40:27 PM Central Standard Time
From: Aesgaard

Sam was in the mausoleum helping Stokes put the chains on Barnabus's tomb. Joshua held the lantern close to his face and cast an eerie glow on the spectacle.

"Thank you, Mr. Bradford." Joshua spoke. "You're one of the few most trustworthy individuals I've ever met. You'll be repaid for this trust."

"That's not necessary, sir." Sam beamed with humility and headed out of the crypt. Al was outside.

"You should have killed him."

"You know better than I that his destiny is in the Twentieth Century." Sam replied. "He can get cured there and have a normal life. Why haven't I leaped ?"

"Let's see," Al rose the comlink. "Ziggy can't get a lock on Vicki. Gooshie says she's back in 1967. This is interesting...........she marries Peter Bradford in 1968, but their son is born in 1801."

"She comes back ?"

"Apparently." Al puffed on his cigar. "Can't get a lock on Trask either. He's missing. Joshua Collins raises his last surviving son Daniel alone and he has three children: Josette in 1810, Quentin in 1812 and Gabriel in 1814..........."

"Well," the two talked as they wandered down the hill from the mausoleum. "If Vicki's safe, Trask is gone and Barnabus's future is preserved, why haven't I leaped ?"

"Because I'm keeping you here, Dr. Beckett." A figure emerged out of the shadow of the caretaker's cottage. She was tall and blonde and very beautiful. She wore a very modern mink wrap and tailored clothes.

"Sam, this is Angelique Bouchard.........."

"Very astute, Admiral Kalavicci." a Martinique accent bounced on her words. A proud grin formed on her lips.

"You know who I......you can see him ?"

"Of course," Angelique grinned in Al's direction as she took Sam's arm to escort her. "When Barnabus and I married in 1972, I promised him any gift in the world. When he asked that I save Josette, I balked and we finally settled on fair Mrs. Winters. That's why I leaped you into Bradford, and myself into my counterpart in this time. Otherwise, my counterpart would have killed you the second you arrived."

"You still going to kill me ?" Sam asked. Angelique laughed.

"I'm not the person I was." Angelique smiled. "The Titanic taught me that. When you leap, you will take Peter Bradford with you, and without you, he and Vicki will fall in love as they are meant to. Good bye, Dr. Beckett."

Angelique watched the brilliant flash of light envelope Sam, but instead of leaving Bradford behind, they both vanished. Al just winked out as their link was severed. Angelique looked up to the mausoleum on the hill.

"My dearest Barnabus," she replied. "Dinner will be on the table as I return." She vanished too in a similar burst of light leaving behind a very confused and distracted Eighteenth Century Angelique.

"What is going on here ?" she looked around. "What has conspired ?" She noticed Joshua and Ben in the distance as her eyes fell on the mausoleum. "May you have eternity to change your mind, Barnabus. I will return to check your tomb from now till forever.........."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.