Subj: Soap Pt.10
Date: 11/6/99 4:56:59 PM Central Standard Time
From: marcos1

"Is she dead?" Miranda asked. She was standing in the doorway, looking at Jade. The strange woman had been sleeping for several days. Jade was in the servants quarters. A room once occupied several centuries before by Angelique.

"No, darling," Julia Hoffman replied. "She will be fine." Julia reached for Miranda's hand. "She is just suffering from a lot of stress and is very tired...now come on...we have to get you ready. Your brother Adam is speaking tonight."

"That should be very cool!" Miranda said smiling. "He will be opening that new museum."

~~~

Later that night at the new Collinsport Planetarium

Adam stood in the middle of the room. The building was very large and dome shaped, rows of seats formed a circle around a center. Adam was dressed in a black suit, a yellow rose was in his lapel. This was his baby. He had worked hard to raise money for this project. Adam believed in the future of humankind among the stars. It wouldn't be a StarTrek or Star Wars type future. There would not be wars in space. Space was too large. It was a deep, boundless region of unfathomable possibilities. He smiled at Miranda, Julia, Vicki and Barnabas, sitting in the front row. This was his family. He had never been more proud.

Outside of the building, Deputy Derrick Tyburn stood watch. His men were lined up along all the adjacent streets, armed with shotguns. Brain Blankenbecker had been found dead, outside of the Mayor's office. They were prepared for the worse. Adam was a very dangerous man.

~~~

Howard Grundy had been returning from picking up his sister at the Tasty Delight. He had noticed the body of the Brain. He hadn't moved an inch, since the earlier incident, still sprawled out on the sidewalk.

"Howard," Selma asked, very alarmed, "why is there a dead man on the sidewalk?"

"Adam Barnabas Collins," Howard replied. "This fellow said something bad about his sister."

"Well, call the Sheriff... you idiot!" Selma shouted, hands on her hips. She was wearing her uniform. It had a very large picture of a chocolate ice cream cone on the front. It had been a very bad day for her. The shop had been full of loud, nasty, greasy, kids. How she hated those little devils!

"Okay," Howard replied. He reached into his pockets. "Have you got a quarter?"

"Idiot!" Selma exclaimed, reaching into her purse.

~~~

Adam smiled. "Good evening everyone, and welcome to the future. There will be a future time, when men and women of all colors, beliefs and nations, will form one united world. There will be no more wars. People will live in peace and love. The pursuit of knowledge will be the most respected goal." He dimmed the lights and switched on the stars. It was a beautiful sight! The Milky Way galaxy. "This will be our new home and frontier."

There was a jingle jangle sound, as Deputy Derrick walked to the center of the room. It was the sound of handcuffs and a gun belt. Adam looked at him and smiled. "Derrick...please have a seat."

"Professor Adam Barnabas Collins, I am here to place you under arrest for the murder of Brain Blankenbecker," Derrick said, releasing his handcuffs from his belt.

The whole room was silent for a moment. Barnabas was the first to speak. "Derrick, what the hell is going on?" He stood up and glared, balling his fists. His face was red with anger. He hadn't felt such fury since being cured of his vampirism by Julia.

"Mr.Collins," Derrick said, "I'm here to arrest your boy. He's done wrong." He was chewing a mouthful of redneck tobacco. It was his favorite brand. He spit on the floor. "Now com'on Adam...let me cuff you."

The punch seemed to come out of nowhere. Adam hit Derrick and ran out of the building. He jumped over two police cars and started to run down Smith Avenue. He knew where to go, the woods near the old house. There were plenty of hiding places there, old root cellars and such.

Sheriff Patterson was just returning to town. He had been at a national cosmetic convention. It had been his second job for a long time. Hopefully, his sales would increase enough. He was just dying to own one of those red pick-up trucks that Tammy cosmetics gave to their best. He had received word about the Adam situation on his radio. He was just pulling down Smith Avenue, when he saw that giant running. He stopped his squad car. "Adam," the Sheriff called out, hands on his shotgun, "stop...or I'm going to have to shoot you."

Adam just keep running towards the Sheriff. His big feet making a loud noise, like stampeding cattle. Sheriff Patterson felt his heart begin to flutter. He had no doubt that Adam would kill him. The gentle giant was just too big, too strong. He prepared to fire. Suddenly there was a burst of wind and Barnabas Collins appeared. He was walking in front of Adam, definitely in the line of fire. The buckshot pellets hit Barnabas in the chest, but he appeared to be unhurt. His eyes glowing yellow. "Sheriff," Barnabas growled, "I can't allow you to hurt my son." He walked over to the Sheriff and twisted the shotgun, like it was plastic. His vampire fangs emerging from his mouth.

Adam ran past them, to the woods and safety.

Julia watched from a distance. She couldn't believe it. Barnabas and his love for his son, had done the impossible. Barnabas was a vampire, once again.

Still sitting in the Planetarium, Vicki held Miranda's hand. "Don't worry...your brother Adam will be all right. I'm sure that he didn't kill anyone." Vicki said, softly.

"But that man," Miranda said, "Brain is dead." She rolled her two bars of soap in her hand. "Vicki," she asked looking up at her, "if he wasn't dead...would Adam still be in trouble?"

"No," Vicki replied, "but honey when people die...it is a final thing." She stroked Miranda's long blond hair. "I'm sure there must be some other explanation for all of this."

At the Collinsport morgue, Brain lay dead. His body lifeless and cold. But then he started to move.

To be continued--