September 17, 1999
Scene 1: Phillip Spaulding's Office
(Phillip is on the phone with Alan talking about business. He hangs up and about 3 seconds later the phone rings again. It's his secretary telling him that Danny is there.)
Phillip: Yeah? Danny Santos? Tell him to make an appointment. (Hangs the phone up just as Danny walks in, as cocky and arrogant as ever.)
Danny: Phillip Spaulding. We need to talk.
Phillip: I'm very busy.
Danny: It's about a problem we both have in common.
Phillip: We have a problem in common? The Spaulding's and the Santos? I don't think so.
Danny: Oh, you'll change you mind when you hear the name of our common problem, Ben Warren. I thought you might be interested in helping to solve our problem.
Scene 2: Company
(Michelle is sitting in a booth, writing something when Abby walks up.)
Abby: Hi, I'm sorry.
Michelle: Hi, finally.
Abby: I got your page, and the phone wouldn't stop ringing off the hook, so what's going on? Are you okay?
Michelle: I'm fine. I am going back to school.
Abby: You're kidding.
Michelle: No.
Abby: You are?
Michelle: Yes. Yes. I have all this paperwork, I'm just trying to sort it out but...pre-med.
Abby: You...Rick, does he know about this?
Michelle: No, he doesn't.
Abby: He's going to be so excited.
Michelle: I know. You're the first person I'm telling because I know you're speaking in Washington, and I was thinking maybe I could tag along? I just think it would be a really good learning experience for me to observe and get information.
Abby: No, that's...you're going really fast with this, you know? I mean, I would love to you with me, and I'm really glad you're interested but--
Michelle: Well, I'm more than interested. I mean, I'm really serious about this.
Abby: Yeah...yeah, I know I can see that. But, I mean, when are you going to have the time? You'll be in school 25 hours a day, so...
Michelle: Well, it's not that bad. I mean, you know, I need to jump into this thing, you know? I need to--I need to dive in. I feel like I've kind of been losing my identity since I've been with Danny. I feel like I've been devoting all of my energy towards him and his family and all the plans that i have have been put aside, and uhmmm, I can't do that anymore, you know? I need to have my own life.
Abby: Right. I understand all of that, I do, but why now? I mean, why the day after you spent that night away from Danny for the first time? You think that that might be some sort of reaction to the fight?
Michelle: Nope, nope. I don't think that I'm reacting to anything. That has nothing to do with this.
Abby: Yeah...yeah. Okay, well, you guys have split up before.
Michelle: Yes, we have. We've fought before, so...
Abby: Yeah, well, you didn't have a reaction like this before.
Michelle: Like what? I'm just going back to school, Abby.
Abby: No, I think it's more than that. I mean, I see you trying to distance yourself here. Just talk to me, okay?
Michelle: Okay...uh, Danny had a chance to walk away from his family, and he didn't take it. He didn't take it, so that means that he never will.
Abby: Does that mean that you are going to walk away from him?
Michelle: My head is telling me that I should and my heart is telling me that I can't just walk away from him, I can't libe without him anymore than he can live without me, but Abby, I have to develop some sort of life of my own. Someday I might not have a choice. I may have to live without him.
Scene 3: Phillip Spaulding's Office
Danny: Ben has recently made a move on the Santos family. He's wormed his way into our business, into our lives. Now he's living in my house.
Phillip: Sounds cozy.
Danny: Well, I want him out.
Phillip: I don't doubt that you do. (Pauses.) Why do I care what happens in the Santos house?
Danny: (Smiles. He looks very mischievious/dangerous, IMO.) Look, I know you don't trust me, that's okay. I don't need you to trust me. This would be strictly a one-time deal, we both get what we want and we walk away. Are you interested?
Phillip: Not in the least. What made you think that I would be? What...we both get what we want?
Danny: Ben stole Cyberlink from you.
Phillip: Yeah.
Danny: You want it back?
Phillip: Well, that depends. What do you know about that?
Danny: Well, I know that my family wouldn't have even bid on it if Ben hadn't had insider information.
Phillip: Inside information.
Danny: Someone in your organisation is obviously on the take.
Phillip: Well, I haven't been able to prove that.
Danny: Phillip, what makes you think you need proof? Ben screwed you. Would you not like to return the favor? And at the same time, you get Cyberlink back where I'm sure you want it, under the Spaulding umbrella.
Phillip: That's an awful lot for you to give. Why is it so important to you?
Danny: Hey, I just care about what goes on in my family and in my family's business, the same way I'm sure you care about what goes on in yours. And I'm not about to stand by and watch my family lose everything it has to anyone. Let alone Ben Warren. Look, with or without you, I am going to dispose of him. If you help, you get Cyberlink; if you don't, you get nothing. Are you in?
Phillip: What...what do you have in mind? (Shows Vicky in the hallway, listening to their conversation.)
Danny: well, first I need your guarantee that nobody else can know what we're doing.
Phillip: Obviously. If we're going to do something like this, it stays between us. That's the only way it can work.
Scene 4: Phillip Spaulding's Office
Phillip: Well, I like the concept, but I think it's a little thin. Why don't you let me think about it for awhile.
Danny: Hey, the longer we wait, the worse out chances are going to be.
Phillip: Well, do you want to do it fast or do you want to do it right?
Danny: Both. I've got alot riding on this.
Phillip: Let me think about it. Let me--let me kick around some ideas. We'll talk in the morning.
Danny: Okay. (Vicky walks in.)
Vicky: Phillip, I need a signature...Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were busy. (Liar, liar, pants on fire!)
Danny: No, no, no. He's not. I was just on my way out. (He leaves.)
Scene 5: Company
(Drew and Ben are at a table talking when Michelle walks over to them.)
Michelle: Uh, sorry. I don't mean to interrupt. Can I talk to Drew for a second? I'm sorry.
Ben: Oh, yeah, please, sit down. I'll make a phone call. Yeah. Yeah. (Michelle sits down as Ben goes to make a phone call.)
Drew: Hi.
Michelle: Hi. How's Selena?
Drew: She's better.
Michelle: I'm really sorry. I feel really bad about all this stuff happening at Danny's house. (Your house! Hello! You live there, too!)
Drew: Michelle, no one is blaming anybody, you know, it was an accident. They happen.
Scene 6: Outside of Company
(Abby and Michelle are walking out the door talking.)
Michelle: Abby, my mind's made up. I can't let my feelings for Danny interfere with me having a life.
Abby: That's fine. Just don't make a decision about this until you talk to him.
Michelle: I have talked to him, and all he's going to do is try and change my mind.
Abby: But have you considered the possibility that you might change his?
Michelle: You know, what I have to do is find courage somewhere to stand up for what I know is right. (She starts walking away, just as Danny shows up.)
Danny: Michelle, hey, I'm glad I caught you. Hey, Abby. (Abby goes inside to give them some provacy.) Uh, look, I want to talk about this situation that we've been trying to resolve, and I want you to know that I've been working on it all day, and I think I've got a solution. (What? "Disposing" of Ben is your solution?)
Michelle: Danny, I really don't think that that's possible.
Danny: What?
Michelle: I...(Walks away.)
Danny: Michelle? (Scene ends with Danny looking at Michelle walk away with a VERY confused look on his face.)
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