Sunday, March 9, 2014 – 9:11 AM EST – The Compound – Old Saybrook, Connecticut



I wake from my peaceful slumber already in a foul mood. I'm not sure why. I lean over the edge of my California King sized bed and I dread today. Again, I'm not sure why. I slept well. Thaddeus has started sleeping through the night so it's not like he wakes me up every few hours anymore. I didn't have any dreams that would make me feel like putting a bullet in someones head. In fact, I didn't have any dreams at all. At least, if I did dream, I certainly don't remember it. Yet something is off in my universe and I'll be damned if I know what it is.

I walk over to Thaddeus' crib and he lays kicking his legs and cooing. He smiles and laughs when he notices his daddy standing above him.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “C'mon my young Prince. Your Pap would love to see you this morning.”



After changing the diaper of the future King of the Church of the Illuminatus, I hold him in my arms and we head downstairs. Once downstairs, we make our way into the library where my father and Jacob are already sipping their coffee and conversing.



ASMODEUS: “Ahhh! Prince Thaddeus! Give me the boy, Sebastian!”



I hand my son over to my father.



ASMODEUS: “Come to Pap.”



My father sits on the sofa and lays the boy on the cushion. They play peek a boo.



JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “So, Sebastian. You seriously joined The Company?”

ASMODEUS: “You jump sides so often. The Black Circle, not The Black Circle, back to The Black Circle, now The Company.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Hold it right there. I am The Black Circle through and through. Joining the Company for the pay per view is a means to an end.

“The lesser of two evils.”

ASMODEUS: “Oh, in what way?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Eli James is a wolf in sheeps clothing. A tyrant from the religious realm. Joining Theo Pryce to end his reign is beneficial to the future of The Black Circle.”



Just then, a call comes through from the guard house. I hit the speaker button.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Yes?”

GUARD: “Mr. Duke, we have a Paul Heyman at the front gate. Says you're expecting him.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I wasn't expecting him until tomorrow. Just as well. Send him through.”



The call is ended and all four of us head to the front door. Once outside, the same armored black Cadillac limousine from the day before is pulling to a stop. Both the American flag and the Texas flag come to a rest, only slightly blowing in the ocean breeze.

Paul Heyman steps out of the limo.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I thought I told you...”



Just then Ann Fairchild steps out, and on the other side, a tall man rivaling myself, steps out wearing a nice dark blue suit and a tan stetson.

The Senator.



PAUL HEYMAN: “I got him here, Mr. Duke.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “So you did. I'm slightly impressed.”



Senator takes long, confident strides around the back of the limo and yanks Thaddeus from Asmodeus' arms. Senator lifts the child high then kisses the boy on his forehead as Ann snaps a photo. Senator brings the smiling child down to cradle him as Ann snaps another photo of the Texas Senator smiling from ear to ear. Heyman closes in on him and whispers.



PAUL HEYMAN: “John, what the hell are you doing? That's Duke's son!”

SENATOR: “I know Paul. He's also extremely wealthy. He could become a potential donor!”



Senator hands my son back to Asmodeus. He then begins shaking hands with Jacob then Asmodeus before arriving at me. He slaps my hand and shakes it vigorously.



SENATOR: “Sebastian Duke! Senator John Samuels! How the hell are ya!?

“Would ya look at this place! Fit for a King!”



Senator stands with his hands at his sides as he looks around the facade of the Compound.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Well boys, we are just waiting on the last person and then we will be good to go.”

SENATOR: “And here I thought you only wanted to meet with important people.”



I just look at Samuels.



SENATOR: “What? Something in my teeth?”



Samuels begins picking his teeth when suddenly the sound of a plane or helicopter can be hard in the distance. At once Paul, John and I look off to the left and a black Helicopter with the Pryce Industries logo is seen landing approximately 100 yards away. Out of the helicopter steps Theo Pryce dressed to the nines of course. Theo approaches the trio of men while removing his sunglases .


THEO PRYCE: "Well isn't this something. I bet you no one expected the 4 of us to be in a room together and yet here we are.


Theo walks over to his sometimes business associate Paul Heyman and the two exchange handshakes. Paul then introduces Theo to "The Senator" before approaching me.


THEO PRYCE: "Thanks for setting this up Duke."



Theo calling me by my surname rubs me the wrong way. I roll me eyes and forget it for now.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "It had to be done."

"This is too important."

"Now if you will all follow me inside we can get the ball rolling."



I turned around and ushered the trio of gentlemen to follow me.



SENATOR: "So not that I don't just absolutely love secret meetings in the middle of...Connecticut--but what exactly are we doing here again? Paul was a little tight lipped on the ride over here."

PAUL HEYMAN: "You fell asleep while I was explaining."

SENATOR: "Have you ever tried dealing with Eli's lackeys? It's exhausting. I think next time I want to deal with a bunch of idiots that can't figure out how to breathe through their nostrils, I'll just go listen to one of those baby killing hippies make up excuses for Obummercare."

"Oh and Mr. Duke, that was kind of a long trip. The kind of trip that might make a fella' a little parched, if you catch my drift."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Asmodeus, take the boy inside.

"Follow me, and touch nothing."



Theo, Paul and Samuels along with Ann Fairchild, follow me into the Compound. I lead them down the main corridor and into the library. The men take seats in various locations around the room.



SENATOR: "What the hell, Sebastian. Don't you got a bar or something in here? You got all these damn books and nothin' to wet your whistle with."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Most of the books are fake."



I pull a book on the shelf behind me and the entire shelf pops out and swings open revealing an opening in the wall.



THEO PRYCE: "What the hell?"

SENATOR: "Is that...?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Secret passage."

SENATOR: "You have got to be kidding me right now."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Follow me."

THEO PRYCE: "What the hell is this place?"



I lead the men through the passage. Inside the passage is a narrow hallway.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "It's the place I call home.

"240 years ago, it was how the Colonials broke free and annihilated their British occupiers. Early on in the war, the British took this fort and kept hundreds of Colonial Militia men, prisoner in the basement. The British didn't know it, but the Colonials did. This building has a maze of secret passages and tunnels within the walls and floors of the building, and the grounds outside."

PAUL HEYMAN: "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What's even crazier, is that some of the tunnels outside, when you navigate through them, you can view some of the skeletal remains of Revolutionary soldiers."



Just then, something crashes behind me. I stop suddenly and all of us turn around toward the noise. Paul Heyman stands like a deer in the headlights holding a piece of wall. Once he realizes we're staring at him, he hides the stone behind his back.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Mr. Heyman, I said touch nothing."

PAUL HEYMAN: "It just fell, I swear!"



I grab the stone from Heymans hand and lay it gently on the stone floor.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Hallowed ground, Mr. Heyman. I don't go to Anne Franks hideaway and piss on the floor do I?"



Heyman leans toward the Senator.



PAUL HEYMAN: "Who is Ann Frank?"



Senator just looks at Paul, but says nothing.



THEO PRYCE: "Really, Paul?

"You have to be the worst Jew of all time."



Heyman just stares. Senator comes in real close to Paul, Ann Fairchild stuck to him like glue.



SENATOR: "Damn it, Paul! If you keep breaking his house, he's never going to make a contribution!"

PAUL HEYMAN: "John, I swear! I barely bumped it and it fell off the wall!"



They aren't as quiet as they think. A rough and rugged Texan and a loud mouth Jew that hasn't shut his mouth since Ron Reagan was in the White House.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I trust you won't be touching anything else."



The men continue to follow me for a few more paces until the passage empties out in an underground bar room. Lined on the walls are hundreds upon hundreds of different liquors. Rums, Vodkas, Whiskeys. You name it, I got it. The men begin to check out the different selections as Ann takes a seat on one of the chairs inside.

To be Continued...