Friday, March 14, 2014 – 4:09 PM EST – The Compound – Old Saybrook, Connecticut



I was still reeling from the events of last night. I'd summoned Nova. He crashed through my Compound, then took me on a trip I'll never forget. In a lot of ways, I'll be forever indebted to him. There really is nothing I have or could give to him that will ever repay him for what he's given me. He's awarded me a second chance. My beloved Caitlyn has returned to my time. She's alive. She's well. She's my wife. She's also the very first female member of the Brotherhood of the Illuminatus.

I try to stay quiet, for the most part, when Caitlyn is home. I'm not yet aware of what changes, if any, have occurred with the changing of history, or at least, this time lines version of history. Nova had warned me of doing such a thing. Bringing Caitlyn back from a past time line could cause a butterfly effect. If you go back in time, and change just one tiny thing, something as silly and inconsequential as killing an insect, then return to your designated time line, the effects of such an act could prove to be disastrous, or it could change absolutely nothing, or at the very most, barely anything.

It's never been mentioned by me. In fact, I've never showed it to the cameras of the XWF. On the third floor of my Compound lies a large training facility. That's where I spend my free time. I help my little brother, Eric (Enigma) improve upon his skills. He's the current XWF Xtreme Champion. His first taste of XWF gold. He's following right in his big brothers foot steps. Now though, we're headed downstairs. We have major plans today.



[u]ENIGMA: “You know, he's going to try and bail.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Most likely, yeah.”

[u]ENIGMA: “Then what do we do?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Oh, he's going. Ain't no one got time for these shenanigans.”

[u]ENIGMA: “I wish you would have let me sign up for World War X. I could have shown the world why the Duke boys should be the most feared brothers in the industry.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “First off, don't ever refer to us as the Duke boys. And second, you're not quite ready yet for the big time.”

[u]ENIGMA: “But guys like Radio are?”



We come to the ground floor landing. I stop and stare at my little brother. Why must people around me make good points?



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad is in the library. Let's go get him.”

[u]ENIGMA: “I'm tellin' ya Sebastian, he's gonna bolt.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “He's taught me a lot of things in my thirty-one years, Eric. One of those, is to not take no for an answer.”



We make our way into the library and Jacob is reading a newspaper.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Jake, where's Asmodeus?”

JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “This disappearing Malaysian jet is fascinating.”



He's apparently in to whatever he's reading.



JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “It just fell off the radar while at cruising altitude. They suspect it may have had a catastrophic failure.

“Ya think?

“Who the hell runs these investigations?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Was the jet filled with Catholics?”



Jake looks up at me.



JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “What? No. Though I suspect their were probably a few on board.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “JAKE! WHERE'S ASMODEUS!?”



He looks up at me from the newspaper.



JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Sorry. He's in his lab.”

[u]ENIGMA: “I told you, he's bolting.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I can get into the lab.

“C'mon, follow me.”



We head out of the library and out of the Compound. A few hundred feet ahead lies Asmodeus' cottage. Below his cottage lies a secret, state of the art laboratory. Inside that laboratory, is my fathers collection of genetically engineered rabbits... oh... and there's also a captive Catholic Cardinal.

We enter the cottage, and don't the super secret hatch we go in to the super secret mad scientist laboratory he has going on down there. A quick press of my thumb and a high tech verification of my identity slides the doors open. Eric and I pass through the door. Asmodeus is working with the bunnies.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad, time to go.”

ASMODEUS: “Fantastic!”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad?”



He only just now realizes his sons are staring at him.



ASMODEUS: “Oh! Hello boys.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “What are you doing?”

ASMODEUS: “We've made a breakthrough. The rabbits and I. I have trained one rabbit to successfully carry around a weapon.”

[u]ENIGMA: “Why is that a breakthrough?”

ASMODEUS: “Monkey see, monkey do. Or in this case, bunny see, bunny do. With one well on his way, the others will follow.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad, it's really time to go. Caitlyn will be home any second, and we need to get you to Brooklyn.”



Asmodeus stops what he doing and stares into space for a moment before turning toward Eric and I.



ASMODEUS: “I can't. Not today.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “That's unacceptable. You're not bailing on us.”

ASMODEUS: “Son, I have work to do. I can't just stop everything. I've made too much progress.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Caroline.”



He looks down at the floor for just a second.



ASMODEUS: “I'll get my cane.”



It was easier than I thought it'd be. Now that Caitlyn has re-joined our time and her and I apparently being married, I assume it has softened my fathers stance on how we deal with women and the Illuminatus. Within just a couple of minutes we're out of the cottage and headed toward the garage on the far side of the Compound as Caitlyn pulls up. She brings the Chevy Tahoe to a stop and gets out.



CAITLYN: “Sebastian, I need a new car. Driving this gigantic thing is not that easy, nor is it fun.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Hello to you too, dear.”

CAITLYN: “Where's Thaddeus?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Uncle Jake is babysitting today. We're headed to Brooklyn.”

CAITLYN: “Sounds like fun.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “You're still coming, right?”

CAITLYN: “Of course. I wouldn't miss Asmodeus' trip to see the love of his life for the first time in 25 years! That's like fairy tale stuff! Who doesn't love a good fairy tale!?”



The four of us pile into the Tahoe. I drive, Caitlyn the passenger in the front. Asmodeus sits behind me, and Eric behind Caitlyn. We get on our way within minutes of Caitlyns arrival home.



ASMODEUS: “I have to tell you, I'm quite nervous.”

CAITLYN: “Why be nervous? I'll bet you she's excited to see you again.”

ASMODEUS: “I've not exactly had the best luck with the fairer sex, Miss Caitlyn.”

CAITLYN: “Well, if you stop killing every woman you fall in love with, who knows what could happen?”



He stares out the window as we drive.



ASMODEUS: “How did you take it? I mean, learning what Sebastian does in his free time. It's not an easy thing to hear and many are quick to jump to conclusions.”

CAITLYN: “Well, he told me about it on the roof of the hospital. At first I just wanted to scream and run away. But, I kept listening. I'm not sure why. There's something about Sebastians voice that commands attention when he talks.

“From the outside, you'd think he was a murderous asshole. Once you get to know him, and what he really does and why he really does it, you realize he's not really that different. Underneath the war hardened shell, he really is a gentle, caring man.

“He was himself that night. He was honest about what he does and I respected that, even if I didn't agree with what it is that he does. He cared more about being forthright with me, than anything that might come his way from telling someone outside of the loop.

“I fell in love with him that night. I knew then, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.”



I look in the rear view mirror and see Asmodeus looking down at the floor.



ASMODEUS: “How long until we're there?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Twenty minutes, maybe.”

ASMODEUS: “Dear lord! I'm so nervous.

“Miss Caitlyn, did you know I wanted Sebastian to kidnap you and end your life?”

CAITLYN: “Yes, I heard all about it. I forgive you.”

ASMODEUS: “I never thought in a million years that any outsider would see what we do and also be okay with it.”

CAITLYN: “That's certainly understandable, Dad. But, sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind. Take a chance. Give love a chance, old man.”

ASMODEUS: “I suppose you're right. I mean, Sebastian gave it a chance. And here you are. Caitlyn Duke. The first female member of my Illuminatus. Mother to my amazingly handsome grandson. Maybe you're just one of a kind.”

CAITLYN: “And don't you ever forget that!”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “We're here!”

ASMODEUS: “Jesus Christ! You said twenty minutes!”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I lied.”



My father starts touching his head.



ASMODEUS: “How's my hair look!?”



Everyone just looks at each other in silence.



[u]ENIGMA: “You.......... don't have hair.”

ASMODEUS: “Oh yeah. I forgot.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Get out. Go knock.”



He hesitates, of course. But soon, his nerves settle and he exits the Tahoe. He goes up to a door, the wrong one of course, and knocks.



[u]ENIGMA: “Should I...”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “No way! This will be hilarious!”



A haggard looking woman answers the door and my father steps back and looks back at us. After a short conversation between the two...



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Oh God! Here it comes!”

CAITLYN: “What? Here what comes?”



He plants a kiss on the womans face. She shoves him away and hits him over the head with her purse before disappearing back inside. The three of us burst out in laughter. Asmodeus walks back to the truck in shame.



ASMODEUS: “Let's go.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “What happened?”

ASMODEUS: “She changed her name to Wilma and disowned Eric.”

[u]ENIGMA: “What do you mean?”



All of us try hard to contain our laughter.



ASMODEUS: “She claimed she had no son. Let's go home.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad, that wasn't Caroline.”



He looks up at us, then notices us smiling and keeping our laughter bottled up.



ASMODEUS: “I hate you all.”



Commence intense laughter.



ASMODEUS: “You think that's funny? Playing a trick on an old man using his old flame as bait is funny?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad, relax. Now we know what expect when you do meet her. Don't go right for a kiss. Just talk.”

ASMODEUS: “I don't think I want to do this now.”



I pull back onto the street and stop one block later.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Okay, this really is the place. Dad, remember, don't go right for the damn kiss. Relax, play it cool.”

CAITLYN: “Be yourself. Chicks dig that.”

[u]ENIGMA: “She's dying to see you. She'll be nervous too. So, you'll already have something in common.”

ASMODEUS: “Right.”



The old man steps out of the truck and heads into the building. The three of us head to a local diner for a quick dinner, allowing my father and Eric's mother time to get reacquainted with one another. Perhaps, we'll begin to see another Duke, finding his one true love.

Fade to Darkness.