Chapter 5: It's Showtime!

The Group Leader paces around the room, he holds his walkie talkie continually pressing the button, the tone of his voice full of concern with a higher pitch every time as he exclaims into the it," PRESTON DO YOU COPY! DON'T DO IT!"

The rest of the team looks on with fear and confusion on their faces. Liam looks around at the rest of the team and says," He's been doing that for about 10min now! Think someone should say something to him?" "You can go right ahead if you want but I learned never to step in when someone obviously seems so volatile." , replies Axel "Everybody feel the same? .. It's getting a little scary!", Liam says. Hannah with a look of empathy on her face looks around at everyone, stands up and says," I'll do it!" As Hannah is about to make her way over to the Group Leader, Greg exclaims," If you need help restraining him, just signal and I will come over and do it!" Hannah stops and turns her head, the brownish blond hair in her ponytail flips over towards her right shoulder and she responds," He's not dangerous! He's just scared!... Can't you tell? " "What the fuck is he scared of?", exclaims Greg. "Of losing one of us!", replies Hannah as she turns her head back around and walks towards the Group Leader.

Hannah approaches the Group Leader as he is about to once again yell into the walkie talkie. She gently places her petite right hand on the muscular shoulder of the Group Leader. A familiar feeling of calm runs through his body, he lowers the walkie talkie to his side as Hannah gently says to him," Please stop! It's going to be alright!" The Group Leader turns around to see the soft kind green eyes of Hannah and pauses for a few seconds and than in a calmer voice replies," But the storm! If they try to climb up through the outside it could kill them! " Hannah takes her hand off the Group Leaders shoulder and places it on the side of his face and says," It will be alright! You told me that earlier and there was something in your voice that made me believe it. If anyone can make through that obstacle it's Preston. I just know it!" The Group Leader looks down at Hannah, he places the walkie talkie back on his belt and says," How did you know to do that? " "Do what?", replies Hannah. The Group Leader replies," Instantly calm me like that! I only knew one other person who could do that!" "She must have been very special!.. Was it that Samantha that you mentioned earlier?" The Group Leader pulls away from Hannah, he starts to make his way towards the rest of the team and says," We better go back over to the others! I think I've freaked them out!" "Okay! Lets's go!", responds Hannah in a confused tone. 

Greg and Axel look on as Hannah and the Group leader start to walk back towards them, he leans in a bit closer to Axel and asks,"Is it just me or do you think there is something going on there?" Axel nods his head in agreement. " I don't care what it looks like though I still don't trust him!", exclaims Greg in quiet tone. Grace catches the words of the silent conversation between Greg and Axel, she walks over to them and with a serious tone to her voice she says," What business is it of yours if there is! Are you jealous or just paranoid?" The Group Leader with Hannah walking close behind him says as he approaches the team says in an apologetic tone," Can you guys please forgive me for getting so crazy there! It's just that I don't want to lose any of you! And it worries me that I might, so it makes me come off as a little neurotic!" The team sits in silence for a second and Grace breaks the silence by exclaiming," It's all good sir!.. We've gotten used to your weirdness by now! Besides I'm sure the others will be just fine!"

Dust and drywall shake off the walls and ceiling of the 9th floor creating a similar cloud of dust from Keith,Maria and Paulina experienced back on the 7th floor. As the dust cloud slowly dissipates as all three of them cough through the balaclava's they wear on their face. Keith pulls down his balaclava and exclaims," I don't think we are going to be okay!" Maria and Paulina look at each other with a mutual annoyed expression. Maria looks at Keith, picks up a small piece of drywall from the floor and throws it at Keith saying,"You are so positive! ..Glad we have you around to keep moral up!" "Would you rather have Emil here!", asks Keith. Maria thinks for a split second and starts to laugh, Paulina replies,"I think you got your answer there Keith!""I knew it!... You're into me!", exclaims Keith sarcastically. Maria continues to laugh as she places her hand on the back of left shoulder of Keith and says," Now I know why we keep you around...... for your sense of humour! Think we should make our way back down like Preston asked and help the others!", Maria replies. Keith waves his hands in front of his face to clear some dust still in the air. The dust starts to clear slowly revealing the doorway to the north stairwell completely blocked by pieces of concrete from the stairwell. "Well that plan is shot to hell and the south one has a huge chunk of stairwell missing! Any suggestions?", says a frustrated Keith.

On what little remains of the landing to the 10th floor Preston looks up at the large hole in the copper roof as the rain comes pouring in towards what remains of the of the north stairwell. Large flashes of lightning fill the sky in bunches and the thunder continues to shake the building. Emil walks up beside Preston and with a arrogant tone says," If we didn't need to get up to peak room I so would have pushed you off here! But because I need you to get us up there, it can wait!" Preston looks Emil in the eyes and replies," Well!.. You just try it and we will see who finishes who! Because I bet you cannot fly asshole!" Priya standing right behind the two men in shock says," Ummm, this is awkward!.. So if you two are done freaking me out and measuring your dicks than are we going up on the roof or just stand here to admire the storm before what's left of the landing collapses and takes us with it!" Preston and Emil continue to stare at each other for a few seconds, Preston turns around and back into the corridor of the 10th floor saying as he walks in," Come on dickhead!.. I have just the thing in my backpack to get us up there!" Emil turns back around and follows Preston into the corridor. Preston removes the backpack off his back and places it on the ground in front of him, bends down and pulls out a grappling hook attached to the end of a rope. Priya and Emil look on in amazement as Preston does this and Priya asks in sarcastic tone," Oh of course you happen to have that in your backpack!.. Did you take the Group Leaders backpack or just steal that from him?" "No he had me pack this!", replies Preston. " I'm surprised you didn't have a grappling gun to shoot that out of!", Emil says arrogantly. Preston winds the rope up leaving a small piece of it free, he stands up and replies," This isn't fantasy!... This is real life!.. Besides, I don't need one!" Preston walks out onto the broken concrete landing and starts to swing the small  section of rope attached to the grappling hook faster and faster to build momentum to throw it. Priya looks at Emil and than back at Preston as he swings the rope and grappling hook with greater speed until he hurls it with great force at the opening in the roof catching it on an steel beam near the hole in the roof just out of reach of the rainfall. Preston pulls on the rope tightly to check the hooks security as Priya says," But of course you don't!" Preston ties the other end of the rope to a small piece of metal railing still secured to the wall by the entrance to the 10th floor and begins to climb up it. Halfway up the rope he stops and looks back at Emil and Priya and asks" Are you two coming?" Preston continues to climb up the rope towards the opening in the roof like Spiderman, he stops near the top and grabs the beam in front of him hanging for a few seconds on it and than grabbing a piece of the roof and lifting himself onto it. Emil and Priya watch on in amazement, Priya turns to Emil and sarcastically says," Oh yeah!.. He will definitely kick your ass if you try anything! If you don't mind I'll go next, ladies first you know!" Emil nods his head as Priya starts to make her way up the rope and as Priya gets to the top and Preston helps her onto the roof Emil says sinisterly," Looks like I am actually going to have to put in an effort to kill you!" Emil grabs the rope and starts to make his way up it quickly as the storm starts to pick up even more shaking the hotel more violently.

Across the street from the hotel and a few feet down the block sits the old federal courthouse the glass all broken in the large panes that once filled the grand old concrete buildings stairwell. Fallen oak trees from the storm lye in once was a roadway now overgrown with weeds and grass. Rain pelts against the side of the faded concrete blocks thrown with great force by the powerful winds. Within the flash of an eye the storm clouds shoot down a cluster of four lightening bolts from the heavens above striking the building completely destroying it, sending pieces of it hurdling everywhere.  Some of the pieces of concrete fly across the street striking the old brick walls of the Bessborugh, one of them even breaks through one of the steel window covers landing in a 3rd floor room. 

The force from the storms violent destruction of the old courthouse shakes the the inside of the hotel as well causing the remaining stairwell to the basement to collapse making it impossible for any kind of rescue to to take place and trapping the team of 7 in the basement.

With the hotel shaking from the lightning strike and the sound of the remaining stairwell collapsing and hitting the floor startles the basement team. The all look towards the entrance of the hallway as the crashing concrete hits the floor of the basement shooting a huge cloud of dust down the hallway corridor and into the mechanical room. Sounds of coughing fills the room as the dust starts to dissipate. Through the dust the voice of Axel exclaims,"What in the fuck was that!"The Group Leader waves his hands in front of his face and responds," I think the stairwell just collapsed!" "Well I am going to go and check to see just how bad it is! Are you coming Axel?", says Greg with a tone of panic in his voice. Greg and Axel leave the mechanical room through the cloud of dust and into the corridor out of sight. Joan a young woman in her mid twenties with shoulder length black hair with streaks of green in it and an average build asks," So if the stairwell is completely gone, how are we going to get back up or anyone rescue us?" The Group Leader stands in silence oblivious to the question asked to him by Joan. Grace walks up to him and waves her right hand in the face of the Group Leader and exclaims," Hey! Did you hear her? Or are you just ignoring?" The Group Leader turns with a stunned look on his face and see's the figure of Samantha standing right beside him and she says to him as she places her hands on his face," Was this all worth it my love?.. You have trapped these poor people down here!" " It is all worth it Samantha my sweet, trust me!" , replies the Group Leader. The feeling of a hand slap against the side of his right shoulder breaks the trance that the Group Leader is in and he turns to see the face of Grace instead of the Samantha with Hannah standing right beside her. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking!" "Yeah thinking about someone named Samantha!", exclaims Grace  in a sarcastic tone. "What? That's crazy!.. I was thinking about how we could get out of here if the situation is really bad.", replies the Group Leader.  "You think we are going to be able to get back out? ... That it is not that bad out there!", cries Hannah in a sense of panic. The Group Leader turns to a distraught Hannah, he places his hands on her shoulders to ease her anxiety and says in a comforting tone," I am positive!.. You'll see, when Greg and Axel return, Preston will turns on generator one and we will flip this one on, than we will make our way out!.. You can trust me, I wouldn't have brought you down here without a plan otherwise." Hannah 's fears start to ease as a big smile comes across her face. Through the door of the mechanical room Greg and Axel make their way back in with a look of disappointment and anger on their faces. The Group Leader looks at the two men as the approach him and says," Look here they are now!.... So what's the good word guys?" Within a flash Greg makes a beeline straight to the Group Leader with intent, he grabs the Group Leader by the collar of his tan canvas jacket and slams his body against the wall. A look of discomfort from the pain of the jolt against the wall comes across his face as does a look of surprise. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!.. You trapped us down here and for what?.. To reboot a generator older than time!!. Half the group is scattered in the upper floors of the old hotel, that we don't even know is alive thanks to your genus invention that crapped out and now we can't even communicate with them! While the rest of us are trapped in this basement now!" The grip of Greg's grip on the Group Leader tightens on the collars of the jacket pushing his massive knuckles up against the throat of the Group Leader making it hard for him to respond. Grace and Hannah approach Greg as the others look on in shock. Grace says to Greg in calming tone," Ease up big guy!.. Let go of him so we can here what he has to say!.. He more than likely knows a way out of here anyway, he wouldn't have brought us all down here if he didn't have a backup plan!" The grip of Greg's hands on the Group Leader does not ease up as he glares at him with such anger that it could cut a hole through solid steel and concrete. " I seriously doubt it!.. It would give me no greater pleasure than to end him right here and now!", exclaims Greg. "But if you kill him we will never know if he does and than we all die down here!.. Now I know you don't want that!", replies Grace. "Please Greg, let him go! He said he has a way out!",pleads Hannah. The grip of Greg's large hands ease up and he lets go of the Group Leader dropping his arms to his side as the Group Leader regains his bearings and says in a serious tone with his baritone voice," Well asshole!.. What have you got to say?" 

Back on the roof as the storm continues to grow increasingly violent Preston,Emil and Priya slowly start to climb up the roof all tied to each other like group climbing up a mountain. Preston yells out over the howling wind and rain," Now take it slow!.. I'll take the lead and just step as I do!..It's going to be difficult, we are going to be moving slow!" Priya and Emil nods their heads in agreement as they check the security of the rope tied around their waists. Preston pauses for a second grabs the walkie talkie from his waist and says," Anybody, if you can hear me we are starting to make our way up the roof now! Will lets you know when we reach the peak room!" The voice of Keith comes over the walkie talkie responding," Roger that buddy!..I will forward it to the Group Leader!" "Thanks Keith.",replies Preston and places the walkie talkie back on his belt. Preston followed by Priya than Emil slowly start to climb up the outside of the roof as the rain comes down like a raging waterfall. 

Keith places the walkie talkie down at his side for a minute minute as he stares around the abandoned and dishevelled 9th floor. "Why didn't you tell him?", with a curious tone Maria asks. "He doesn't need to know, he's got a lot to worry about right now as it is trying to get up the roof in this storm!.... Now let's take a look at that elevator shaft to see if we can't make our way down onto another floor and back on the stairwell!" Keith,Maria and Paulina walk towards the closed metal doors of the inactive elevator shaft. Keith observes it to find the best way to open it and says," Well if we can find something like a pry bar to open this we could get the doors open a bit and than pull them the rest of the way!""How do you know that will work?",asks Paulina. Keith looks around the room for something to use to try and pry open the doors responding," Structural engineering, it's what I do!" "Okay!, replies Paulina. Keith walks down to the end of the hallway and towards the blocked entrance to the north stairwell and begins searching through the rubble of broken concrete and rebar. "What the fuck does he expect to find in that pile?.. I don't think a piece of old shattered concrete will open that door!", Paulina says to Maria as they stand watching Keith. " He's getting some of the rebar in the concrete to pry open the door.",responds Maria. 

As Keith searches through the pile in an empty old room standing on the left hand side of the doorway in the shadows stands the mysterious Shadowy Figure that has been watching the team since they arrived with great interest. "Very good idea!.. You are a clever one aren't you Keith! He did well when picking you guys, but will you all help him finally accomplish his goal?", says the Shadowy Figure quietly to himself. The Shadowy Figure continues to watch as Keith looks through the rubble and the voice of Maria can be heard in the hallway calling out asking," Is there anything there that you can use?" Almost immediately after Maria says that, Keith pulls out a piece of metal rebar about an arms length long and also grabs a piece of concrete big enough to fit in the hand of Andre The Giant. Keith carries both pieces back down the hallway towards the elevator door past the empty hotel room unaware of the Shadowy Figure watching them. The Shadowy Figure walks up to a broken mirror in the empty room and grabs a large piece of glass off the ground and places it against the right side of the doorframe to watch Keith,Maria and Paulina as they try to open the elevator door.

Back in the basement Greg stands in front of the Group Leader his arms crossed showing intimidation with his large body frame and the anger in his eyes as he continues to glare at him. " Well,what's your big plan?..Hmmmmm! You don't have one do you? And how we are going to tell if Preston gets generator one back up or if they are still alive!",asks Greg. "Umm can you let him respond?...This might go quicker if you didn't keep talking before he can speak!", exclaims Hannah. "Yeah Greg, let the man answer!", replies Liam and Joan simultaneously. Just as the Group Leader is about to speak, the voice of Keith comes over the walkie talkie saying," Group Leader do you read me?... Preston,Priya and Emil are currently making their way up the roof and will radio me when they reach the peak room! We are trapped on the 9th floor due to the storm causing the stairwell to the 10th floor to completely collapse and block our way-out and the south stairwell has no way down unless we had a parachute!" The Group Leader reaches for the walkie talkie on his belt, pulls it off and says into it," Roger that Keith! We are currently facing the same kind of predicament with whole basement stairwell collapsing! Is everyone alright?" "Yes we are alright and as far as I can tell so is Preston and the others!", replies Keith. "Can you get through the rubble at all? Or is it completely blocking the north stairwell?", asks the Group Leader. " We are opening the elevator shaft to see if we can get down, these old elevator shafts had service ladders in them to climb down. If it is intact we will use it and make our way down!",responds Keith. "Okay!..Let me know if it is! I was going to check the one down here!..Over and out!" The Group Leader places the walkie talkie back on his belt and looks at Greg as if to say there does that answer your question? Greg looks at the Group Leader, uncrosses his large arms and pushes the Group Leader back forcefully into the concrete wall behind him hitting the back of his head to it. The Group Leader takes his right hand and feels the back of his head and than pulls it back in front of him looking for blood. "You lucked out asshole!.. I seriously doubt that you have a plan but Keith saved your ass on all accounts!.. Come on Axel lets go check out that elevator shaft!", exclaims Greg. Axel grabs a large old toolbox abandoned in the maintenance room from a work bench near the door and follows Greg out into the hallway to check the elevator shaft. Hannah walks up to the Group Leader, places her hand on the back of his head and says," You alright? Feels like you might have a little bump!.. I have freezing spray in the medical kit,  I'll go get it!" Hannah walks towards the second generator where her backpack is lying against the wall, she kneels down and beans to search through it! Grace standing beside the Group Leader says to him," Greg is right you got lucky! Hannah may believe you, but I know better!.. There is something you are not telling us like who this Samantha is you have mentioned a few times already!" The Group Leader looks at Grace with a surprised glare. Hannah pulls out a medium sized red bag out of her large backpack labelled "Medical" on it and makes her way back towards the Group Leader and Grace. " You have some explaining to do later because right now Hannah is the only one who still trusts you fully!... You better hope that elevator shaft is intact because next time I will let Greg kill you!", says Grace with intent in her voice. Hannah approaches Grace and the Group Leader,kneels down beside him and opens the first aid kit. She pulls out some antiseptic a bandage and some freezing spray to bring down the swelling. Hannah looks at Grace and asks," What were you guys talking about?" "Oh just how we could use one of his Pops Brilliant stories once you get him all bandaged up!" "Oh that would be fantastic!", exclaims Hannah.

Greg and Axel approach the door to the elevator shaft. Axel puts the toolbox that he is carrying down by the elevator doors, he opens it and pulls out a small crowbar. Axel places the straight end of the crowbar in the the separation point of the doors and begins to push it towards the left hand side to try and force it open. Try and try as Axel might the door barely budges, he stops for a second to catch his breath, looks at Greg and says," This fucking thing must be really be rusted shut from all the years of sitting idle!" "I seriously don't think that, that fucking liar had this idea!..In fact I don't think he knew a way out in the first place!....... I don't trust that son of a bitch as far as I could throw him!", exclaims Greg.  Axel continues to move the crowbar back and forth to try and pry open the elevator doors replying," That's not what I was asking but yeah!.. There is something really strange going on here!.. Like how come he had Preston recruit us and the others to follow him here?.. I mean sure we all have our individual skills but how are we all needed and what's the relationship with Preston?" As Axel continues to struggle with the years of rust and corrosion keeping the doors from opening a moment of relief comes as he finally gets them separated. Greg grabs the door from the left hand side and Axel from the right, the two of them pull the elevator doors open completely. Axel holding the right hand elevator door open with his body and reaches in the toolbox lying just behind him against the wall and pulls out two flathead screwdrivers. He hands one of the screwdrivers to Greg and they each prop there respective door open. " Well as for how Preston knew him, my cousin has a soft spot in his heart for people like the Group Leader and felt sorry for him being a hermit and all, they started talking one day and they just became friends I guess!.. I have no idea either why he recruited us and you are right,  how do we all fit in here? I can see some of the others but how does the town whore fit in here?",exclaims Greg. " Yeah I seriously think there is any one out here for her to screw unless the old man there had that in mind and that's why he brought her along!.. But have you noticed he sure has a thing for her!", replies Axel. Greg picks up his lantern from off the ground in front of the elevator and shines it in the empty shaft filled with cobwebs and dust icicles he looks up to see an intact service ladder and off in the distance on the 7th floor sits the empty elevator car. " This looks good!.. We can use this to get out once we get that generator going! . But, yeah I have noticed that and Emil warned me that he thinks that the Group Leader has an unhealthy obsession with Hannah and even threatened to kick him out if he talked to Hannah again!" "That's fucked up!.. We need to keep a close eye on him!", replies Axel. The two men finish observing the elevator shaft and back out of it, Greg sticks out his hand to shake Axels and says," It's a deal! ...Now let's go and tell the others that the elevator shaft will work!" Axel shakes Greg's hand and nods in agreement.

Keith takes the piece of steel re-bar he had earlier removed from the shattered remains of the concrete steps from the north stairwell and forcefully shoves it in between the separation point on the elevator doors. The re-bar goes in a couple of inches, Keith takes the large concrete block min his right hand and starts to hit the end of the re-bar forcing it in even more. " I'm going to try and get this open a bit, when I do you two grab the doors and start to pull them as much as you can!... Ready? ONE!... TWO!..THREE!", exclaims Keith as he shifts the re-bar from side to side opening the doors a crack. Maria and Paulina grab the doors and start to pull them open fully with little resistance. Keith places the re-bar in the left hand door and the concrete block against the other. Maria grabs the lantern from off the floor and hands it to Keith who shines it down the elevator shaft revealing the empty shaft covered in cobwebs and dust icicles hanging off the shaft walls. Above them the empty elevator car sits abandoned on the 10th floor. Keith looks to his left and see's that the access ladder for the elevator shaft is in tact. He climbs into the shaft on a metal beam and walks over to the ladder to inspect it closer. Keith pulls on the ladder and steps on it to check it's security. "What are you doing?", asks Maria. Keith continuing to check the ladder replies," I'm checking to make sure that the ladder is still strong enough for us to make our way down! A few loose bolts and that ladder comes off and we go splat!!" " That sounds horrible!... Keep checking!", Paulina responds with disgust in her voice. 

Off in the abandoned hotel room the Shadowy Figure continues to watch Keith, Maria and Paulina. " No!.. What are you doing?.. That's a bad idea!" He stares at the shard of glass some more observing, his breath getting faster and faster showing the nervousness in his voice as he waits for Keith to come out of the elevator shaft. Outside the sound of the howling wind and light thunder claps fill the empty halls. "Hurry up get out of there!", exclaims the Shadowy Figure.

"Come on Keith, get out of there!. You are making me nervous and with this storm, one violent thunder clap or another big lightning strike and you will be as you put it, splat! On the bottom of the shaft.", says Maria with a worried tone. Keith starts to make his way towards the open elevator door to get out of the empty elevator shaft. As he approaches the open doors Maria extends her right hand and Keith takes hold of it saying in a sarcastic tone," I didn't know you cared so much about me? You must really like me!" All of a sudden the storm lets out a large violent thunder clap that starts to shake the entire building. Keith loses his balance and begins to fall into the empty elevator shaft, Maria grabs ahold of Keith's hand even tighter as he hangs suspended over the empty deep void of the elevator shaft. All the remaining dust icicles quickly fall down the shaft as Maria struggles to hold on to Keith. "Paulina come help me pull him up! I'm losing my grip and can't hold him!", yells Maria to Paulina who is standing  frozen in fear. "DID YOU HERE ME?..GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE NOW!", Maria yells even louder shaking Paulina out of her frozen state and rushes over to help. Paulina grabs the left hand of Keith and the two women start to pull him up with all their might as the    violent thunder shakes continue to rock the foundations of the hotel. Over head the elevator car starts to shake and shift slightly off it's position.

"Come on ladies! Get him up here! That car could let go!", says the Shadowy Figure as he stands watching from the hotel room.

The rain pelting down so hard on their heads continues to make the progress of Preston,Priya and Emil slow down even more as the scale up the sloped copper roof. As the violent thunder claps shake the hotel Emil loses his balance sending him sliding down the wet sloped roof and pulling Priya and Preston with him. As they continue slide faster towards the edge of the roof, Preston pulls a large hunting knife from off his belt and shoves it into the roof as hard as possible in one of the weathered cracks suddenly stopping the three people with a jolt just before the edge of the roof. Preston grimaces in pain as the weight of the two other people dislocates his left shoulder. Preston leans his head back for a second to regain his bearings and with his right arm pulls Priya up closer towards him closely followed by Emil." Good save superstar!.. You just couldn't let me go!", remarks Emil with a cocky demeanour. The three people sit on a flat part of the roof  halfway from the edge of the roof as Preston tries to move his shoulder with no luck and groans in pain saying," Yeah well if I let you go than we all would have went!" Emil slides his body over to Preston and says," You dislocated your shoulder let me put it back into place!" "I'll be fi..", responds Preston as Emil grabs Prestons shoulder and pops it back into place. Preston yells out in pain,"SON OF A BITCH!...Thanks!" " This doesn't mean anything!.. You saved my life just returning the favour, I still will end you if I get the chance!", replies Emil. Preston rotates his shoulder and says," I didn't think that!.. But thank you anyway!.. Well, looks like we are stuck here until the thunder calms!" The storm continues to shoot out violent bursts of shaking thunder as the 3 people sit on the roof unable to move getting soaked in the rain.

" Come on, pull that elevator car looks like it is going to fall!', Maria yells as Paulina and herself pull Keith back up slowly out of the elevator shaft and onto the hallway floor away from the elevator shaft just as another violent thunder burst shakes the hotel again breaking the elevator car off its cables. The empty elevator car goes crashing down the elevator shaft breaking the access ladder off it's supports and hitting the bottom with a loud boom! " See!... I knew you couldn't live without me!", Keith says sarcastically to Maria. Maria rolls her eyes and slaps him on the chest saying," You wish!" Keith gets up off the ground, walks over to the elevator shaft and shines the lantern down it noticing the destroyed access ladder, turns back around and says in a worried tone of voice," Looks like we can scratch that idea!.. Guess we will have to check the other elevator shaft!"

The elevator car comes crashing to the ground on the basement floor exploding out into the hallway, some of the pieces fly out of the shaft so hard from the impact that they stick into the concrete wall. A  few of the pieces fly into the mechanical room. The team startled dive to the floor avoiding the flying debris, feeling the full effect of the shaking foundation of the building as the storm outside continues to rock the old hotel. Axel with his hands over his head to cover himself from the debris looks up and asks," What in the fuck was that!" The Group Leader who had pulled Hannah down with him as they dove to the floor shielding her from any debris with his own body looks down into Hannah's eyes asking," Are you okay?' "I'm fine!", replies Hannah with a smile on her face. The Group Leader gets up from on top of Hannah, helps her up as the others stand up as and says," I think the elevator car might have came crashing down!" Greg runs out into the hallway and quickly comes back in and walks up to the Group Leader exclaiming," You weren't kidding and it took out most of the access ladder in the shaft!..So now what fearless leader?.. You seem to have the master plan, how do we get out now?" " Well lets hope the other shaft is still intact and we could use that one to get out of here!" Joan walks up to Greg and the Group Leader holding her left side, blood on her hands and a jagged pice of broken metal sticking out of her the size of bread knife and she says," Umm sir I think I have a problem!" Joan begins to fall onto the floor and is caught by the Group Leader, Hannah lets out a scream so loud it could wake the dead. The Group Leader lies down Joan gently on the floor and uses his backpack as a pillow to support her head and takes of his jacket to cover her. Joan grabs the hand of the Group Leader and with fear in her eyes she asks," Am I going to die?" The Group Leader pauses for a second and replies," You are going tot be just fine!" Hannah hysterical with tears flowing down her cheeks walks over to the Group Leader who gets up off the ground and says to Hannah," Can you look after her and see if there is anything you can do?" " But I don't know what to do?.. I've never..." ,replies Hannah. " That's not true!.. I heard that you were once a nurse on her way to becoming a doctor!", exclaims the Group Leader. Hannah looks down at the ground in front her  and than looks up and to her left looking of a second at Joan saying," That was a long time ago!.. I left that life behind!.. You know what I do now!" The Group Leader puts his hands gently on Hannah's shoulders and says," Nonsense!.. I believe you can, you still love the your old job!.. You just got lost in that life you chose to do and that is not who you are!.. You are better than that, you love to help people and want to save their lives whether it be physical or mental. After all, look how you have helped me!" Hannah pauses for a second, looks down at Joan and replies," Okay." Hannah goes and grabs the medical bag from by the door to the hallway and comes back beginning to tend to Joan's wound. Maria's voice comes from the walkie talkie projecting out into the room saying," Hello Group Leader!..I guess you know that the elevator shaft is too damaged to use now from the car crashing down!.. Keith is going to look at the other elevator shaft to check it out! and Preston got ahold of us they are making their way up the roof but said it would take a while because of the storm!" " Roger that Maria!.. Let us know what he finds and when Preston contacts you again!"

Keith repeats the same procedure that he, Maria and Paulina used to open the other elevator shaft. Keith, Maria and Paulina all look into the empty elevator shaft to see that it is even more damaged than the other. Pieces of broken metal, holes in the wall from where the access ladder once was are easily seen through all the dust and cobwebs." Well we can scratch that idea!.. This one is worse than the other, looks like it was damaged some time ago!..Guess I better tell the Group Leader", exclaims Keith. " No, I'll do it, they need to know before they check on their end!", replies Maria with a cloud of disappointment in her voice. Maria grabs the walkie talkie from off her belt and says into it,"Hello Group Leader!. Keith just checked the other shaft and he said not to bother looking on your end.... the other shaft is even more damaged than the other!" There is a slight pause and a sense of disappointment in the voice of the Group Leader as he replies back," Roger that!.. I will think of something to try and get us out of here!.. You guys do the same and get back down here as quick as possible!" " Will do!.. Over and out!", replies Maria. Maria puts the walkie talkie back on her belt and turns to Keith standing right beside her and asks," Well, how are we going to get down now?.. The only ways back down are gone!" 

 

In the darkened room where he was watching all that was going on with Keith, Maria and Paulina on the 9th floor the Shadowy Figure carefully moves to the wall on the other side of the room and opens the passage concealed behind it, walks in and says," Not the only way down." The Shadowy Figure leaves the passage door open and makes his way up the ladder at the back of the secret passage.

The Group Leader runs his hand over the skin of his bald headland begins to pace back and forth. He closes his eyes and opens them again.The figure of Samantha dressed in a white sundress places her hands on his face and says," Look what you have done!.. You can still get out though and get them out of here before anyone else gets hurt!.. Don't continue on my love, let go of this obsession!" Greg's  large left hand is waving in front of the face of the Group Leader saying," Hello! Earth to asshole!" The Group Leader comes out of his trance and replies with a stunned look on his face saying," Yes!..What do you want?" " Hannah wants to see you.", responds Greg. The Group Leader walks over to Hannah as she kneeling by the badly injured Joan. Large pieces of blood soaked gauze lies on the floor beside Joan's body, the large piece of metal still stuck in Joan's lower left abdomen covered with tons of gauze and a large bandage that has blood seeping through it!"What is it?", asks the Group Leader. " Hannah stands up and quietly whispers to him," I've done all I could!.. That wound is worse than expected, I've slowed the bleeding but it doesn't look good!.. She's going to die and if I pull out the metal she will bleed out and die quicker!" "Does she know?", asks the Group Leader. "Yes she does and she asked for me to leave it in!... Says she wants to hear one more of your stories before she dies.", responds Hannah. The Group Leader nods his head, walks over to Joan, sits down beside her, holds her hand and says," I didn't tell you what happened after Pops got his show going! believe me you are going to want to hear this!"

The voice of the Group Leader narrates as the scenery changes to Mr.Pervus's office in Toronto," The year was 1954 and the show has become a huge hit..."

Mr. Pervus sits behind his opulent oak desk, the sine shining in through the window into his office illuminating the beautiful architectural wood carvings and numerous pieces of art work that make up the decor. He leans back into his large brown leather office chair, the view of the city behind him a glass of 25 year old Scotch on the desk in front of him. On the other side of the desk Agent Greene sits in the same classic Louis the 16th armchair with red cloth that he had sat in in his previous visit to the office. In the other armchair Mike Banning sits his left leg crossed resting on the top of his right. Both Agent Greene and Mike Banning also both hold a glass of Scotch. " So the show has been a hit so far gentlemen!... The people seem to love Pops!", remarks Mr.Pervus. Mike Banning takes a final sip of the remaining Scotch in his glass and replies," It wasn't easy keeping him from speaking his mind like he does with us, but Agent Greene has done a great job of keeping him in line!" Mr.Pervus leans forward in his chair, crosses his hands as if he is about to pray and places his arms flat on his desk and says," Yes Agent Greene, you have done a fantastic job!.. Your hard work will be rewarded, there is a project we are working on down the line that can put you back in the field again!" "Thank you!.. It has not been easy, but Pops has seemed to be very willing to listen & learn, he really is fascinated by being an agent. It's his desire to do this that keeps him inline!", replies Agent Greene. " Just keep it up, we can't afford any slip ups! The PM is watching us closely on this, particularly the next episode of the show!", exclaims Mr.Pervus. Mike Banning moves his let leg back down onto the floor, places the empty glass on the front of the oak desk and says as he leans back into his chair," Don't worry sir it will be a great show!.. We expect to get tons of viewers on with Vice President Nixon, Sen. McCarthy and up and coming young actor James Dean." Mr.Pervus still as a statue in the same body position, stares out at the two men sitting in front of him and remarks," Well, it better be!.. The PM arranged for Nixon and McCarthy to be on the show, our relations with the Eisenhower administration is important!.. Keep Pops on point!.. No insults, no controversial topics and for the love of God don't let him swear! The moral standards for television have to be kept!" "No problem sir! Myself and Mr.Banning will make sure that this episode is perfect!", replies Agent Greene. " That's good! If we want to keep our power in the world we can't afford to slip up, Nixon doesn't trust us as it is and wants to find a way to rival us!.. That's why they started The Tonight Show!", says Mr.Pervus. "Yeah, don't mention that around Pops!.. He has a hate for that show, says he will do whatever it takes to be on top and take it down!", responds Agent Greene. A look of devious intent comes over the face of Mike Banning as Mr.Pervus's attention is focused on Agent Greene and he replies," We have it all planned out perfectly, Agent Greene and myself will make sure that the PM's concerns are eased!" "Very good gentlemen! because the PM will be watching that night right here with me and let me tell you all our asses are on the line!" The voice of Miss Sutherland comes over the intercom box on Mr. Pervus's desktop saying," Sir, Dr.Gunn is here with Agent Brilliant!" In the back round before Miss Sutherland shuts off the intercom on her end the sound of a hand slapping the backside of Miss Sutherland and the voice of  Pops can be heard saying," Thanks doll, but you can call me Pops!" " Why you little.....", replies Miss Sutherland before her voice cuts out. "Thanks Miss. Sutherland, you can send them in!" 

The large wooden white doors with carved gold coloured moulding on it opens and in steps Miss. Sutherland, behind her is Dr.Gunn holding the hand of young John "Pops" Brilliant.  As Pops and Dr. Gunn step past Miss.Sutherland and into the office, Miss. Sutherland steps back moving her back against the door so Pops cannot touch her backside again! As Pops walks past Miss.Sutherland he stops for a second and looks at her and she says," Just keep walking Hans Groper!" " HaHa!.. I like that name!.. Your frontside is just as nice as your back!", exclaims Pops as he stares at the perky breasts of Miss.Sutherland. Miss.Sutherland turns quickly and closes the door behind her saying,"Little pervert!" 

Pops and Dr.Gunn make their way towards the desk of Mr.Pervus. The zipper on the pants of Pops is undone. He and Dr.Gunn sit down at the two remaining armchairs. Pops immediately reaches down at his zipper as if to pull it up but starts scratching his crotch instead. As he finishes scratching himself Pops looks at everyone who is staring at him and says," What?..Like you never had to scratch yourself before?... I've seen Dr.Gunn do it before when she didn't think I was looking" With a look of horror on her face Dr.Gunn responds," Mr.Pervus I have never done that!.. I don't know where he would get that from?" Pops pulls up his zipper and says," Yeah you have, and quite often!.. Think you might want to get that checked out!.. Think someone gave you something!" Pops starts to laugh uncontrollably and loudly with his raspy baritone voice, he slaps Dr.Gunn on the shoulder and says," I'm just kidding!.. I know you don't date!" A look of anger comes over the face of Dr.Gunn and she replies," I have plenty of dates!.. In between watching over you, you little monster!.. When are his parents coming back, he needs discipline and it's been 2 years since they have actually spent time with him!" Mr.Pervus looking on at the exchange between Dr.Gunn and Pops replies,"No time soon, in order to have Pops do his job perfectly and for us to keep training him, they need to be kept out of the picture for the time being! Why don't you take a break Dr.Gunn and go out and get yourself some lunch why we chat!.. Pops will be fine for a while." Dr.Gunn nods her head in agreement as a sigh of relief comes over her face, she gets up to of the chair and makes her way towards the office door. The sound of Pops can be heard saying," Try not to scratch yourself out in public!" Dr.Gunn stops for a second and breathes in deeply to calm her anger, walks towards the door, opens it and walks out slamming it behind her in frustration.

Pops's Attention is focused on on Mr.Pervus siting behind his desk and he asks," Okay Pervert!... What was so important that you got me away from my reading and research for my show that you called me here to your office in Toronto?" " It's about tomorrows show, the one with Vice President Nixon!.. I know you have been doing a great job of listening to Agent Greene's advice but we need you to be extra careful of what you say and do with Nixon!",responds Mr.Pervus. "Oh yeah!!! Don't worry I've got a whole pile of good things to say to Trickie Dick!", remarks Pops with a laugh. Mr.Pervus sighs and says," That's just what I mean you can't call him that, Agent Greene & Mr.Banning will have to look over this questions you want to ask!" Pops a little irritated by this stands up on the armchair and exclaims," That's bullshit!!!!! I never have had to before!" "Because you are a fowl-mouthed child that doesn't think before he speaks and offends everyone!", replies Mike Banning. Pops's attention is now turned to Mike Banning and he angrily replies," No one asked for comments from the asshole department there Mike Bastard!" Mike Banning gets up out of his chair and stares down Pops saying,"It's Banning you little shit!" Pops not backing down replies," I like Bastard better!... It suits you!" Agent Greene walks over to Mike Banning and Pops as their stare down continues and calmly says," Now Mr.Banning please sit down and Pops please have a little respect! Remember a CBC agent needs to be professional, we all need to work together." Mike Banning returns to his seat in the armchair and Pops sits back down in his chair saying," Your right Agent Greene!..I apologize Banning, I will do  abetter job of working with you!" "Thank you!.. So will I!", replies Mike Banning. "Now that we have that settled can we get back to the business at hand!... Agent Greene will you please explain?", replies Mr.Pervus as he leans back ingot his office chair again crossing his arms in front of him. Agent Greene leans against the front of the oak desk of Mr.Pervus and says," Now Pops, like I said we need to work together and it is very important for the agency that you let us look at your questions for Nixon because with the emergence of The Tonight Show we could lose some of our power in the USA if their rival agencies show takes off!" Pops thinks for a second and says with a slightly annoyed tone," Of course! I'll do whatever you say Agent Greene!" "Good now we better get back to New York so we can go over the details for the show!", remarks Agent Greene. "You three take the train! I will send Dr.Gunn later... She needs a break!", replies Mr.Pervus as opens the door to the secret elevator by moving the pen holder on his desk. Mike Banning, Agent Greene and Pops get in the secret elevator and Pops says," I love this train!... You know what I don't have any love for Agent Greene?" "What is that Pops?", asks Agent Greene. "Steve Allen! How dare he try and steal my thunder!... There is nothing so funny about him or cute!.... I am both...Plus I serve toast!..YEAH!!!!!!!", replies Pops as the elevator door closes in front of them. Mr.Pervus grabs the glass of Scotch from his desk top and finishes it in one big sip saying with a hint of nervousness in his voice," Dear God let this go over well!"

"HaHaHa!..Oh that hurts to laugh!", says Joan lying on the floor of the mechanical room. The Group Leader looks at her and replies," Yeah it would!.. But it's not over!! There is more to go!" "Oh good lord do we really need another one of these stupid stories while we should be looking for a way out of here!", exclaims Greg. "It's what Joan wants now shut up and listen!.. We have to wait till Preston gets the other generator going anyway!", responds Hannah in an annoyed tone. The group surprised by this are all silent and the voice of Keith comes over the walkie talkie saying," Yeah Greg, we're with Hannah on this one! Shut up and let the man finish the story for Joan!" Greg humbled by the remarks and the looks of disgust from everyone in the room says,"Okay, I'm sorry!.. Finish please!" The Group Leader looks down at Joan and continues his story," Now Agent Greene, Mike Banning and Pops all got on the train and headed back to New York and are now getting ready for the show which is about to air in a few hours. Agent Greene has looked over the script for the show to keep Pops on track but things are about to take change!..."

Pops sits in the make-up chair as an attractive brown haired girl in her early 20's named Rachel applies some makeup to his face. Her perky c-cup sized breasts stand a a few inches away from the face of Pops. A look of enjoyment comes over the face of Pops in the form of a giant smirk that goes from cheek to cheek. He doesn't say a thing and just lets Rachel do her job. As Rachel finishes applying the makeup to the face of Pops, she turns away to place the makeup container in her hand back on the table behind her with a small mirror attached to it surrounded by light bulbs on the frame of the mirror. Pops looks at Rachel's tiny waist and firm backside, lens over in his chair and whispers to Agent Greene," I could really get used to getting makeup put on!..YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" A light-hearted look comes over the face of Agent Greene as he fights back the urge to laugh and he leans down and whippers to Pops," Now, now Pops!.. A little respect remember?... But I like your taste though!" " Thanks Hoss!.. Can't wait till I am old enough to date someone like that!", remarks Pops in a silent voice. " You've got a ways to go!... How do you even feel this way? Most kids your age don't even know these things until they start to reach puberty!", asks Agent Greene. Pops turns and glances again at Rachel cleaning up the makeup table diligently, unaware of the people around her, Pops looks at Agent Greene and replies," Yeah well I'm a 30 year old man stuck in the body of a 5 year old, hahaha!!!"  Agent Greene shakes his head in disbelief. Through a green metal door behind Pops and Agent Greene, Mike Banning makes his way out of and towards the two men and he says as he approaches," Well are we all ready to go?" Rachel turns, smiles and nods yes in agreement than promptly goes back to organizing the makeup table. " Hey, Bastard!", exclaims Pops sitting in his cast chair. Mike Banning walks over to Pops and leans in saying,"Yes, what do you want Pops?... And the names Banning, not Bastard!" "Yeah! But I like Bastard better it suits you!... Are the guests here yet? Particularly Nixon!", exclaims Pops. "Yes, Mr.Dean and Mr McCarthy are both here, Vice President Nixon will be here in a bit!", replies Mike Banning. Agent Greene looks down at Pops and says," Now remember Pops to stay on topic like we practised earlier on the train!.. Absolutely no mentioning the congressional elections, calling him Tricky Dick or even making fun of the nickname!" " YEAH!!! HAHAHA! Tricky Dick! Sounds like his penis can perform feats of wonder! Hahahaha!!", Pops laughs out exuberantly Agent Greene with a really serious look now coming across his face replies," That's exactly what I mean!... Also no insults about his appearance and for the love of god control your temper and the urge to urinate on him or some other form degradation!" Pops looks at Agent Greene, raises his right hand and gives him thumbs up in agreement and says," No problem Hoss!.. I just needed to get it out of system now before hand!" "So long as it is!.. But you have always followed instructions completely, we are in very delicate relations with our neighbours at the moment and with their NBC agency and The Tonight Show on we could lose some of our power we have!...", replies Agent Greene. A look of contempt comes over the face of Pops and he growls out in his raspy baritone voice," That fucking Steve Allen!!! I will show him who is the Toastmaster of television!!" "Easy Pops! Just take a few deep breathes and I am going to go and and make sure that the toast is all ready for the show, for you and the guests!", responds Agent Greene as he walks away towards the green stage door behind Pops. Mike Banning, standing a few meters away from Rachel the makeup artist staring at her backside in the tight grey pants she is wearing. Pops noticing this reaches out and grabs her on the posterior and quickly sits back in his previous position in his cast chair. Rachel quickly turns around and immediately slaps Mike across the face so hard it would make Mohammed Ali envious. Mike Banning stumbles back from the force of the slap and falls flat onto his own butt. "Don't you ever touch me!... I am not that type of girl!.. I take my job seriously and will not stand for any man thinking he can just grab me because he feels he can!", exclaims Rachel with anger and frustration in her eyes as her shoulder length brown hair sits on either shoulder. Mike pulls himself off the ground and in a stunned and apologetic voice replies," But it wasn't me!" Rachel exclaims as she starts to walk away," Oh sure it wasn't!.. Typical pig of a man blaming it on a innocent child!.. You try that again and I will kick you so hard your balls will be in your throat!" Rachel walks away in a fury of frustration and anger. Pops starts laughing uncontrollably and extorts," That was funny!.. I got you good Bastard!! Hahahaha!!!" Pops laughs so hard tears flow down from his eyes and he begins to snort and fart as the laughter gets stronger. Mike irritated by the cruel prank played by Pops composes himself and replies with such smoothness that would make a politician jealous," That was a good one!..You get points for it, I was totally caught off guard!" " Nice to see that your sense of humour is coming around", replies Pops. " Well it took some time but I think we can be great friends Pops, I like your style!", says Mike. " With a confused look on his face Pops replies," I thought you hated me?" " No, on the contrary I love how you are so honest and your sense of humour is like nothing I have ever seen and I believe the whole world would love to!.. You should use it tonight in your interview with Nixon, throw out the whole plan and just be yourself!", replies Mike. Pops stunned by the words that Mike had just said replies," But what about what we were told?.. Don't want to fuck things up for the agency!" "On the contrary, it would be perfect to show we are not intimidated, I was in those meetings and that was the first option but decided to go the more diplomatic route!.. Besides if you want to take down Steve Allen and the Tonight Show than this would do it!.. It would be huge, people will be talking about it for years! The man who challenged Nixon!"A look of mischievousness and pleasure comes over the face of Pops as he says," YEAH!!!!..I'll do it! That will show them who is the king of television!.. But won't the PM and Pervert be mad?" " Oh I think they will be pleased that you took the initiative, but if they don't I've got your back!.. Because friends always do!", replies Mike as he sticks out his left hand to shake Pops  hand. Pops places his right hand in the sweaty hands of Mike's and the two men shake hands in agreement with Pops exclaiming," This is the start of a great friendship Mikey!" A devious smile comes over the face of Mike Banning as he agrees,"Yes it sure is!"

"Son of a bitch!!", the voice of Keith projects through the dimly lit mechanical room illuminated by only the individual lanterns. "Is there something wrong?", asks Grace through her own walkie talkie. "No!.. I just can't believe that Banning would do such a thing to Pops!", Keith voice replies from the walkie talkie speaker. " Well just wait till you hear what happened next!.... So McCarthy has already been interviewed as has James Dean... And Pops is in the middle of interviewing Nixon and the PM is watching from Toronto with Mr.Pervus....", remarks the Group Leader.

The glow of the black and white screen illuminates out into the office of Mr.Pervus as he and Prime Minister St.Laurent watch Pop's show sitting in the Louis the 16th armchairs a glass of scotch in their respective hands and a cigarette burning out in an ashtray beside the chair of Mr.Pervus. Prime Minister St.Laurent's gaze goes unmoved from the television screen as he says to Mr.Pervus," Very well done Pervus!.. He's doing well and it should take Nixon and Eisenhower's focus off our agency and keep the peace between our two great countries!" "Yes it should! Agent Greene has done a great job!.. Looks like we won't have to use operation "Bonanza" after all!", replies Mr.Pervus. " No we won't it seems! Only a little bit of show left and Pops is doing fine!.. I was a little sceptical at first with his demeanour and all but he is turning out to be a fine agent!", responds Prime Minister St.Laurent. "Yes he has and he....", responds Mr.Pervus as Prime Minister St.Laurent interrupts him," Hold that thought Pervus, the commercials over and the shows back on!"

Pops sits in a raised office chair behind a small tan coloured wood desk, to his right Vice President Nixon sits a blue clothed armchair. Right beside him is Sen. McCarthy and than James Dean. On the front of the desk is a plate filled with some toast coved in peanut butter. " Thanks Mr.Vice President for answering all my questions!.. I've just got a few more!", says Pops. Vice President Nixon with a  look of satisfaction on his face replies," You're welcome Pops!.. It has been a pleasure to be on this show talking to you!... What do you have to say?"

Behind the television cameras in the control room Agent Greene looks through the script and see's no further questions and turns to Mike Banning and in a confused tone asks," What is he doing?.. There are no further questions!.. It's not like him to go off script!" "I don't know!.. He must have one more question!", replies Mike. "We need to cut him off!.. If I think he is doing what I fear than we are all screwed!", exclaims Agent Greene. "We can't!.. Besides what if we do and what he says is not that bad, than we would be even more screwed!", responds Mike. Agent Greene lets out a worried sigh and replies," Oh well! I used to like my job!...Lets see what he has to say!"

Pops leans forward into his chair and in a sarcastic tone asks," So how did it feel to do all that campaigning and still lose both houses in the election despite all your campaigning there Tricky Dick!" A stunned look comes over the face of Nixon as he tries to respond," Well you see the Democrats obviously are trickier and lucked out a win!' Pops in an even more aggressive manner continues on and replies," Yeah!!!.. No! I don't think that happened!.. You just lost your touch and people didn't believe all the bullshit coming out of your mouth!" "You are quite the rude child! you need to be taught some manners!", exclaims Nixon in a irritated tone. "You want to talk about manners how about you show me some fucking respect and answer my question!..Or the fact that you and Sen. McCarthy there are good buddies, but you keep your distance!... Or that sham of a speech during the presidential election about the political fund maintained by your backers that reimbursed you for the political expenses! It may not have been illegal but it sure is fishy!!.. But I have to give you one thing though That nickname sure suits you Tricky Dick!... You're a talented liar and you really fucked the people over telling that wallop of a story in your Checkers Speech!.. Guess your penis is talented!" Nixon's face turns bright red with anger as tries to restrain himself and he aggressively replies back," I don't have to sit her and be talked to like that!.. Such language coming out of your mouth on television in front of the people out there watching!.. Someone ought to wash it out with soap and give you a good old fashioned spanking, isn't that right Sen.McCarthy?" "Oh so you like spankings! You pervert!.. And you admit that you and Sen.McCarthy are bosom buddies? ", replies Pops. Sen.McCarthy gets up to defend the Vice President and exclaims," We are work colleagues, share some of the same views and we both do not tolerate being talked to like that young man!" " I will talk to you anyway I want!... I am Pops Fucking Brilliant and this is my show!", exclaims Pops.

Prime Minister St.Laurent in a fit of anger gets up from his chair and says to Mr.Pervus," What is he doing?.. That child is ruining everything!.. You know the retaliation we will get now!.. Cut that feed now before it gets worse!" Mr.Pervus gets up from his chair and rushes to the direct line telephone to the studio in New York . He reaches for the receiver and says to the Prime Minister," Don't worry we will get to the bottom of this!" Mr.Pervus quickly lifts the telephone receiver and yells into it,"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON THERE!!!! GET ME AGENT GREENE!"

The stunned young man in the control room hands the phone to Agent Greene saying,"It's Mr.Pervus and he is very angry sir!" Agent Greene takes the phone and says," Yes sir!.. I understand sir!" The voice of Mr.Pervus can be heard yelling through the other end of the telephone in the control room saying," GET HIM OFF THE AIR RIGHT NOW AND YOU BRING HIM AND BANNING RIGHT HERE NOW!" " Yes sir!..Of course we will!.. Good bye sir!", responds Agent Greene in a compliant manner. Agent Greene turns to Mike Banning and says,"Cut the feed now!.. I don't care what excuse we have to use but we will come up with something! But the PM wants him off the air now and our asses back in Pervus's office asap!" Mike nods his head as a devilish grin comes over his face replying," You got it!' Mike motions his hand to a middle aged balding man at the control board and exclaims," You heard the man!... Cut the feed!" The middle aged balding man shifts a lever on the control board and the camera feed is shut off to the world. Mike turns to Agent Greene and replies,"There you go!.. It's cut but you better go in there and calm down Pops!" Agent Greene rushes out of the control room replying," You're right!" As Agent Greene exits the room a huge devious grin comes over the face of Mike Banning as he whispers under his breathe saying," That should do it!"

Agent Greene runs up to Pops and an extremely irritated Vice President Nixon now being held back by Sen.McCarthy as James Dean sits calmly in his armchair smoking a cigarette watching the whole scenario unfold with great interest. "The feed has been cut!.. Please calm down everyone!.. I am so sorry Mr. Vice President!", exclaims Agent Greene." Calm you want me to be calm when that little foulmouthed, disrespectful brat insults and embarrasses me on national television!", yells Nixon. " Who you calling a brat asshole!", replies Pops. "You you little shit!.. Your parents need to discipline you better!", exclaims Nixon. A look of fear comes over the face of Agent Greene as he knows of the impending retaliation coming Nixons way," Don't you ever talk about my parents you big nosed jerk!.. Guess you have two dicks one on your face the other in your pants!.. But my guess is the one on your face is bigger!", replies Pops as he grabs a pice of toast off the desk and rubs it in the face of the Vice President smearing the peanut butter all over his face. Nixon wipes the peanut butter from his face with a handkerchief in his front lapel pocket in a fit of anger throws the peanut butter covered handkerchief to the floor saying," That's it this means war!.. Your agency has used its influence long enough to get what it wants!.. I am going to make it my personal goal to ruin you all and bring you down!" Nixon followed by McCarthy walks away with a couple of secret service agents following close behind them. Pops yells out at them before they leave the studio," Hope you liked the penis butter from the toast I rubbed on your penis shaped nose!" Nixon, McCarthy and the secret service agents leave the studio. Agent Greene looks at Pops and says," Do you know what you have done?.. We will all be lucky to still have jobs when we get back to Toronto,which is where we have to go immediately on orders from the PM!" "Oh well!.. They will should give me an award!.. We can't be intimidated and I showed them that!", replied Pops. Agent Greene lets out a sigh of frustration, James Dean walks up to Pops and remarks," This was the most fun I've had!.. You've got some attitude little man, you're a real rebel!...A rebel without a cause!" James Dean shakes the hand of Pops and walks out of the studio a cigarette hanging half out of his mouth.

" No way that happened?", responds Greg. Joan in extreme pain and with what strength she has left replies," Could we finish the story without any interruptions, I'm the one near deaths door!...Continue please!" The Group Leader continues," So Pops, Agent Greene and Mike Banning all go on their way back to Toronto, on the train Pops informs Agent Greene of why he chose to deviate from the planned interview. But once they got to Pervus's office it all came to light and from what I heard that office discussion was really heated..."

The elevator doors open from the secret elevator in Mr.Pervus's office. Pervus stands waiting a look of disgust and anger on his face, his arms crossed ready to dish out punishment standing in front of the elevator as Mike Banning, Agent Greene and Pops start to exit. Standing in front of the large office window with his back to them looking out at the city in silence Prime Minister St.Laurent stands as still as a statue. Mr.Pervus uncrossed his arms and points his left arm with authority towards the waiting empty armchairs in front of his desk ordering them to sit like a general in the army," Get over there now and sit down! I don't want to hear any talking, comments or heavy breathing until I am done saying what I have to say!.. The first person to do so will end up spending the rest of their time in Antarctica counting snowflakes, GOT IT!" The three men quickly make their way towards the empty chairs and sit down not saying a single word as Pervus recrosses his arms and walks behind his desk standing and staring at them for 5 and a half minutes without saying a word. The three men sit in their chairs intimidated by the silence and intense glare of Pervus. Than as the the second hand touches the 6 on the clock Pervus breaks the silence exclaiming," You all really fucked this up!.. Do you realize what happened? ..NO scratch that!.. Of course you do, because you all knew that the interview had to go just as planned and now we have a big target painted on our back!.. Retaliation was threatened to our secret empire with the new NBC agency to bring us down!.. For hundreds of years we have secretly been pulling the strings, making people think we are this nice, polite and unassuming country and we almost lost our power!" Mr.Pervus uncrosses his arms and places both of his hands on his desk top looking out at the three men continuing his stare down. Agent Greene raises his hand slowly like a young child scared to answer a question in school. "Yes Agent Greene, you can speak!", replies Pervus. " You said almost?", asks Agent Greene. Pervus walks around the desk and leans on the edge of it recrossing his arms continuing to glare at the 3 agents and replies," Yes, I did!..  Luckily for all of you Prime Minister St.Laurent was able to come to an agreement with President Eisenhower saving all we worked for!" "That's fantastic!!!", exclaims Pops. " No, it isn't! We still have to tread carefully, but can still operate as before but there are a few conditions!", responds the Prime Minister as he moves away from the window and walks towards the others, stopping beside Pervus staring at the 3 agents with the same stance. " What are the conditions?", asks Agent Greene. " Well they are this, after 1967 the Maple Leafs cannot win a Stanley Cup for over 50 years, we give some control of the airwaves to them but can still keep our interests around the world but the get a 5 percent interest, Toast Time With Pops Brilliant is officially off the air until further notice. Lastly Pops is to apologize to Vice President Nixon and put on temporary suspension until further notice!" A huge grin come dover the face of Mike Banning as he hears all this thinking no one noticed it. " That's bullshit!! I was just doing what Mikey there told me to do!", exclaims Pops.  Banning with a look of innocence on his face and in his voice replies," I never told you to do such a thing!.. You told me when Agent Greene left us at the makeup table that you were going to do what you wanted to show whose boss to our neighbours and how great of an agent you were!" Mr.Pervus  and the Prime Minister look at Pops and Pervus asks," Well Pops, what do have to say to that?" "Pardon my language but, he's fucking lying! He pretended to be my friend and now is setting me up as the fall guy because he can't take some teasing and a few jokes!" " Is this true Mr.Banning?", asks the Prime Minister. Mike Banning looks at the Prime Minister square in the eyes and replies," No it's not sir!. This child we call an agent is out of control!.. He inappropriately grabbed the backside of a young female makeup artist and than went off the rails with Vice President Nixon!" Prime Minister St.Laurent starts to pace with his arms crossed and replies," That's interesting!.. But you see I just don't believe that last part and I will let Mr.Pervus tell you why Mr.Banning!" Mr.Pervus moves away from his desk and stands in front of Banning , reaching into the pocket of his suit jacket he pulls out two devices. One a mini camera and the other a miniature voice recording device. Pervus shows them to Mike Banning and responds," You know what those are Mr.Banning?" "No!", replies Mike Banning. " One is a miniature camera, the other a miniature voice recorder!.. They were placed at the makeup table by the young female agent posing as a makeup artist. You see we have suspected you of being a spy for a Russian agency for a while now!..So with the help of our American friends particularly the Vice President we put this whole ruse together to catch you and it worked out perfectly!.. But if you don't believe me I will play the recording of you telling Pops to change the plan!" Mr.Pervus reaches around and presses a button on his desk playing back the whole exchange between Pops and Mike Banning. Pervus stops the playback, looks at Banning and asks," Do you have anything to say before we have you taken away as to why you did this?" " Only that I was tired of being made a fool by a child making bupkiss for it all!.. The Soviets offered me big bucks to help bring this all down!", replies Mike Banning. A group of six CBC agents walks in and towards Banning, Mr.Pervus says to them as they approach,"Take him away out of my site please!" The agents motion for Mike Banning to stand up, as he stands two of the agents handcuff him and the other injects him with a small explosives device in his neck and begin to grab him out of the room. Fighting off the momentum of being dragged out of the room Mike Banning yells out," You haven't heard the last of me!" Pops gets out of his chair and asks,"May I say something?" Prime Minister St.Laurent nods his head in agreement and Pops quickly walks up to Mike Banning and stands looking up at him saying in an arrogant and boastful tone," Not so smart now, are you asshole! You've just got burnt by the Toastmaster!..YEAH!!!!!!.. But I do have a parting gift for you!" "What is it you despicable little shit!", asks Banning. Pops unzips his pants and precedes to urinate all over the legs of Mike Banning remarking," How do you like that? A little shower for you!" "You disgusting example of a human being!.. I will get back at you for all of this!", replies Banning as the agents drag him out of the room closing the doors behind them. Agent Greene walks up to Pops and asks,"Was the urination really necessary?" "It's a classic and classics never die like me!. Besides I had to mark my territory, hahahahaha!" Mr.Pervus presses the button on his intercom and says,"Miss Sutherland can you please get janitorial in here to clean up a mess please? and tell them to bring a mop!" "Yes sir!", replies the voice of Miss.Sutherland. Pops and Agent Greene walk back towards Mr.Pervus and the Prime Minister as they approach the two authority figures the Prime Minister shakes the hands of both agents and says," Very nice work gentlemen!.. You did that perfectly!" " So was the Vice President really mad?.. I mean Pops here did rub peanut butter toast in his face and he looked pretty irate!", asks Agent Greene. "No he wasn't and all those conditions we said aren't really happening, it was all a smoke and mirror show for Banning!.. But we did realize something and that is that Pops does need to spend some time with his parents so until further notice you are on paid vacation Agent Brilliant!... You earned it" A shocked look comes over the face of Pops as he replies," Thanks but..." "But nothing take a break and we will go back to work after you've had some rest and act like a kid for a while!", replies Mr.Pervus. "I've got another question though sir?", says Agent Greene. "Yes, what is it?", responds Mr.Pervus " How do we explain to the public about the whole show?", asks Agent Greene. "Not to worry the only place it was broadcasted to was here and the White House. Pops looks at the Prime Minister and Mr.Pervus and remarks in a loud tone of voice that it echoes in the office," YEAH!!!!!! I Fucking love it!...That's Brilliant!" The four men all start to laugh uncontrollably and Pervus replies," No you are Brilliant!.. After all it's in your name and blood!" 

" Okay that was straight up funny!.. These stories get better and better each time!", the voice of Keith says over the walkie talkie. "Thanks Keith, what did you think of it Joan?.. Did you like it too?" The Group Leader looks at the tear filled face of Hannah who had been holding the hand of Joan and shakes her head in sorrow and remarks," She's gone!" A look of sadness comes over the face of the Group Leader, he presses the button on his walkie talkie and says," Joan didn't make it!.. Lets have a none of silence in her honour everyone ." The Group Leader walks away into the corner of the room as the others hang their heads in silence where no one can see him and starts to cry. The image of his long dead girlfriend Samantha appears again and places her hands on his shoulders saying," It will all be fine!.. I'll look after her!"