Earlier that morning Victor had warned his son about Alexandra's Collins family connections which didn't sit well with Chris and they hadn't spoken for the rest of the day. The full moon meant they had to take precautions--and soon.
Victor grabbed a leather satchel from his room that he used on nights like this. In it he carried a gun, flashlight, and vials of a sedation potion. Victor then scurried around the house looking for his son, but he couldn't find him. Then he looked at the basement door. A door that every full moon he and Christopher went into. A door that kept the people of Collinsport safe from something they wouldn't understand, something they would fear, something deadly.
Victor quickly opened the door to the basement and crept down the dark stairwell trying his best not to make a single sound. It was quiet in the basement, there was no light. He took a deep breath and lifted the flashlight over his right hand that pointing a gun...the light scanned the room but Victor was alone. When he felt safe enough he turned on the light of the basement. A giant steel cage emerged from the darkness, a cage that was open and empty. A cage for Christopher on nights of a full moon.
Victor began to panic, Christopher was missing and time was running out before the full moon's light hit Collinsport.
He whispered to himself "God help us."
* * * *
Collinwood manor was just as busy as Victor and Christopher's house. Leopold and Carolyn had just returned from the family cemetery where they had finally rid themselves of the witch who had turned their lives upside down.
Carolyn for her part felt strangely safe in Leopold's presence; protected and secure.
"What will happen to her?" Carolyn asked of Claudia pouring herself tea.
"She'll die. Her powers are gone, and she can't live forever on hallowed ground. It's over." Leopold said reaching for Carolyn for a hug. "We're safe now." He added.
They embraced, and Carolyn almost felt like she was hugging Jack. One last time.
"What will happen to you?" She asked.
And before Leopold could answer Caleb burst in, interrupting the private moment excited and happy.
"Carolyn!" He said loudly. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I don't mean to interrupt. But I have an amazing surprise!"
Carolyn and Leopold stepped away from each other in that somewhat awkward moment waiting for Caleb to reveal his surprise.
As Caleb stepped away from the door, the tall blond woman who came to see him at The Blue Wale while he was on his date with Kat stepped in.
Carolyn gasped in shock. "Kimberly!" She said.
"Oh Carolyn! It's been too long!" The blond said reaching out for Carolyn.
"Leopold, this is Caleb's mother Dr. Kimberly Collins; my cousin David's ex wife. What are you doing here Kim?" Carolyn asked.
"I heard about Jack, I'm so very sorry. I wish I could have been here for his funeral.
It's a pleasure to meet you.... mister?...." Kimberly said introducing herself with a formal handshake.
Leopold's eyes were fixed on the beautiful Doctor. He was instantly fascinated and attracted.
"Divernet, Leopold Divernet. And the pleasure is mine." Leopold said kissing Kimberly's hand.
Leopold could feel Kimberly's pulse, the blood raced through her body, it was as if her heart was beating in his ears. It was an incredible sensation that he hadn't felt before. It was invigorating and alluring. Something Leopold wanted more of.
Carolyn could see there was a spark in Leopold's eyes, Kimberly was, after all, incredibly beautiful. And even though she knew that Leopold was no longer Jack it still stung. It was like seeing her husband at a younger age flirt and kiss another woman's hand like he did when they first met. It was a stab to Carolyn's heart.
"I hope you don't mind, I've asked her to stay here." Caleb said to Carolyn who seemed surprised at his invitation.
"Oh! Of course. She's family." Carolyn said through a tight jaw. "I'll set up one of the bedrooms up stares. Excuse me." Carolyn continued, happy to make her exit.
Caleb followed.
"Carolyn introduced you as a doctor? What kind of medicine do you practice?" Leopold asked as he made Kimberly a drink from the bar.
"I dabble in DNA geneticists. I work with genetic medications to create new medications. But after my divorce from Caleb's father David, I took some time off. It was a bit hard on me." Kimberly said excepting the Gin and Tonic from Leopold.
"And you're originally from Collinsport?" Leopold inquired.
"No.... I lived here after the marriage but once David left I did too. Which I realize now I shouldn't have. I feel awful about leaving Caleb here alone when he was so young." She answered.
"All that matters is you're back. I'm so happy to meet more of the family." Leopold said sitting next to Kimberley on the sofa under the giant portrait of Barnabas Collins over the fireplace.
"And how do you know Carolyn?" Said said sipping her cocktail.
Leopold paused for a second to think, he couldn't come right out and say who he really was. The bizarre story would certainly confuse the good doctor.
"I'm related to Jack. He was my mother's nephew. And I came, like you, to be by Carolyn and Alexandra's side as they mourned."
The story seemed to work perfectly, Kimberly smiled kindly and continued to drink from her cocktail.
"Well, I'm sure they're all happy we are all here to be with them at this time." She said.
Leopold's eyes seemed to be smiling along with his whole face. It was love at first site.
Upstairs Carolyn and Caleb set up Kimberly's room. Carolyn made the bed...furiously.
"What's the matter?!!" Caleb said noting her icy body language.
Carolyn threw the large empire pillows on the bed and turned to Caleb. "Caleb this is not the time for visitors. How could you have invited her here! Especially after everything that she did to your father!"
"She's my mother Carolyn." Caleb said sternly. "I won't turn her away. No matter what she did. I've put that in the past. I think you should too."
Carolyn lifted an eyebrow cryptically "We'll see about that."
* * * *
Earlier that evening Alexandra had received a text message from Christopher to meet her at a coffee shop in downtown Collinsport, he said he needed to talk to her. She had a feeling it had to do with her father's death. The Jack/Leopold situation had progressed so quickly she hadn't had time to explain. Her nerves were on edge.
It was now just a half hour before the full moon was visible, and Christopher, unknowing was putting not only his and Alex's life in jeopardy but the whole town of Collinsport.
Christopher pulled into the parking lot and could see Alex waiting inside the coffee shop and as he got out his car his father's jeep quickly and recklessly turned into the parking lot too, throwing an icy sludge from the ground all over Chris.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Chris said to his father as he dusted the Ice off.
"You have to come home." Victor said.
"No!" Chris said defiantly.
"Get into the jeep Chris, right now! Do you hear me, there is no time!" Victor said grabbing his son's forearm.
"No time? What are you taking about?" Chris asked confused.
Victor grabbed Chris and they began to struggle in the parking lot. Pushing and shoving each other between the cars. Victor could not get a good grip over his powerful son who was stronger then he even knew, Victor feared Chris would soon overpower him.
"Dad, what are you doing!?" Chris said looking over at Alex in the shop hoping she wouldn't see them arguing.
As Chris turned to look Alex Victor removed one of the syringes filled with the sedative and plunged it into Chris' neck causing him to instantly faint in his father's Arms.
Victor quickly dragged his sleeping son to the back of his jeep and place him in the back tying his legs and hands together, then closing the back.
He jumped into the front seat and started to drive off just as the night clouds parted and the moon was revealed. A beam of lunar light seeped into Victor's jeep as they drove back home, and then just as Victor's worries began his sons transformed quickly, and fiercely into a sharp toothed angry werewolf, a beast.
