oldEpisode One-hundred-two:
Because of her Involvement
Hiding Isabella, Jennifer Is
Stalked by One of Victor's Goons.

SCENE ONE: JENNIFER IS AT THE HOSPITAL WHERE SHE BUMPS INTO JO. SHE ASKS JO IF SHE HAS SEEN JACK BECAUSE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET HER THERE AN HOUR AGO. JO SAYS SHE HAS NOT SEEN HIM. JENNIFER SAYS SHE HAS A FAIR IDEA WHERE HE IS. AS THEY ARE TALKING, VICTOR GETS OUT OF THE ELEVATOR AND OVERHEARS JENNIFER'S COMMENTS.

SCENE TWO: MEANWHILE ISABELLA IS STILL HIDING OUT AT STEVE'S. STEVE IS THERE GETTING READY TO GO TO WORK WHILE ISABELLA HIDES IN THE ATTIC. STEVE GOES OUT THE FRONT DOOR, PAUSES AND THEN WALKS ON. JACK APPEARS FROM BEHIND THE BUSHES AND BREAKS INTO THE HOUSE USING HIS CREDIT CARD. HE IS JUST INSIDE THE DOOR.

 

JACK: Isabella, Isabella!

 

JACK GETS OUT A SMALL RADIO TRANSMITTER.

 

JACK: Testing, testing.

 

SUDDENLY HE HEARS A NOISE.

 

STEVE: Peek-a-boo! (Beat) What are you doing here Jack?

JACK: What am I doing here? What am I doing here. That's a very good question.

 

HE HIDES THE TRANSMITTER.

 

JACK: I'm glad you asked me that Steve because....

 

JACK WALKS INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND HIDES A MICROPHONE IN THE PLANT.

 

STEVE: Where are you going? What are you doing in my house?

JACK: I'm here because of Kayla. That's why I'm here.

STEVE: Did you hear something?

JACK: No. I didn't hear anything. I'm just here to help you find her.

STEVE: Why?

JACK: Why do you think? I care what happens to her.

STEVE: You don't care about anything but yourself.

JACK: Isn't it enough that we're....I'm just trying to help you find her that's all.

STEVE: You want to help me? You tell me where Isabella Toscano is.

JACK: I....I can't.

STEVE: You know don't you?

JACK: I didn't say that. I didn't....

STEVE: You didn't have to say it. I want to know why the hell you're helping her.

JACK: I.... I never said that. I'm not helping anybody.

STEVE: You're not helping her? You helped her break out of the Sanitarium, then you hid her. That's not helping her?

JACK: No, no. She just disappeared on me Steve.

STEVE: And you didn't lift a finger to try to find her, did you.

JACK: I tried to find her but I was busy.

STEVE: You're not busy. You know what you are? You're in cahoots with her. It's you and Isabella all the way down the line.

JACK: Wait a minute, you can say all you like about me but Isabella is nothing like Marina.

STEVE: She's just like Marina. She'll do whatever she can do to get what she wants.

JACK: No, no. Now you of all people should know how different two siblings can be.

STEVE: (Beat) Alright Jack, if she's so different then why is she hiding out? Why didn't she come forward and help us?

JACK: I don't know. Maybe she's scared.

STEVE: I don't understand how you can make Kayla suffer. How you can make Kalya suffer over another woman.

JACK: No, I would never make Kayla suffer....

 

JACK PAUSES REALIZING THAT STEVE WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM.

 

JACK: It's always going to be there, isn't it?

STEVE: You got yourself to blame for that Jack.

JACK: I'm trying to change.

STEVE: You want to help me now? You know what you have to do. You gonna do it?

JACK: Ah....

STEVE: (Disgusted) Get the hell out of here. Don't you come back. Don't you break into my house again or I'm going to call the police!

 

ISABELLA HAS HEARD THE WHOLE CONVERSATION AND SHE IS WORRIED AND UPSET THAT STEVE CAN TREAT JACK SO BADLY.

SCENE THREE: BACK AT THE HOSPITAL, JENNIFER SEES VICTOR AND TAKES JO ASIDE AND TELLS JO THAT JACK IS HELPING STEVE AND KAYLA AND THAT SHE IS VERY WORRIED THAT HE WILL GET HURT IN THE PROCESS. JO REALIZES THAT JENNIFER REALLY CARES ABOUT JACK, AND TELLS JENNIFER THAT THEY WOULD BE VERY SPECIAL TOGETHER. JENNIFER THINKS SHE IS NOT THE ONE TO HELP HIM. JO TELLS HER NOT TO GIVE UP ON JACK BECAUSE HE NEEDS HER. JENNIFER GETS A MESSAGE TO MEET JACK BACK AT THE OFFICE. SHE HURRIES TO THE ELEVATOR AND IS FOLLOWED BY A BAD LOOKING THUG.

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER NOTICES THAT SHE IS BEING FLLOWED AND IS VERY SCARED. SHE RETURNS BACK THE LOFT, AND LOCKS HERSELF INSIDE.

SCENE FIVE: BACK AT STEVE'S, ISABELLA GOES DOWNSTAIRS AND GETS THE MICROPHONE TRANSMITTER THAT JACK HAD HIDDEN. JACK IS IN HIS LIMO TRYING TO SPEAK TO HER.

 

JACK: Isabella, Isabella, can you hear me?

ISABELLA: Yes I can hear you.

JACK: Oh there you are. So you found the transmitter.

ISABELLA: I saw you put it in the plant.

JACK: Okay! Good. (Beat) Then you heard everything.

ISABELLA: Yeah.

JACK: Sorry about that.

ISABELLA: You don't have anything to be sorry for.

JACK: Ah....we can't get into this now but....ah....I tell you what. Why don't we meet....it isn't good for me to go up the house right now. We can meet....there's a woods right behind the house. There's an oak tree down by a pond. Can we meet there right away?

 

HIS CAR PHONE RINGS.

 

JACK: Ah, just a minute. Just a minute. Hello.

JENNIFER: Jack!

JACK: Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Oh Jack, hi. Yeah it's me.

JACK: Did you get my message at the hospital?

JENNIFER: Um....yeah I did Jack but something happened.

JACK: Wh....what happened? Are you alright?

JENNIFER: Yeah, I'm okay now but I need you. Do you think that you could come here right away?

 

JACK GLANCES FROM THE TRANSMITTER TO THE PHONE AND BACK AGAIN, CONFUSED ABOUT WHOM TO SEE FIRST.

 

JENNIFER: Jack will you come?

JACK: Ah....Jennifer where are you?

 

ISABELLA CAN HEAR THE CONVERSATION AS WELL.

 

JACK: Look I want you to lock all your doors, lock your windows. Don't let anybody in, even if they start knocking. I'll be there as soon as I can, okay. Good. Isabella are you still there?

ISABELLA: Yeah I'm here.

JACK: Okay, good. Something just came up. Look let's meet down at the oak tree down by the pond in exactly one hour. You got that?

ISABELLA: I understand. I'll be waiting.

JACK: Good. Good. And hold onto the transmitter. We may need to speak to each other. I speak to ya. See you then. Bye. (To the Chauffeur) Get me over to the loft as soon as you can. Hurry!

SCENE SIX: MEANWHILE JENNIFER HAS LOCKED THE DOORS AND WINDOWS. SHE IS WORRIED AND IS SITTING NEXT TO THE FIREPLACE, A FIRE IS BURNING.

JACK HURRIES IN THE DOOR AND SHE RUNS INTO HIS ARMS AND HE HOLDS HER TIGHT AS THEY TALK. JACK IS CONCERNED AND WORRIED ABOUT HER.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, oh Jack. Thank god you're here.

JACK: Everything's going to be alright.

JENNIFER: I was so scared.

JACK: You don't have to be. I'll take care of everything. You'll be alright.

JENNIFER: I'm so glad you came.

JACK: You know I would. Come on now. Don't worry about a thing. I was a little worried about you though. You called and didn't tell me what happened.

JENNIFER: What about Isabella?

JACK: Don't worry about Isabella. You don't have to worry about anybody or anything now. Right now the only thing that's important is you and me. Nothing else in the world.

 

HE BENDS DOWN AND KISSES HER TENDERLY ON THE LIPS....

THERE IS A LOUD KNOCK AT THE DOOR THE WHOLE THING WAS ONLY JENNIFER'S FANTASY.

 

JENNIFER: Oh who is it?

JACK: Jennifer, it's me. It's Jack. I'm coming in.

JENNIFER: Jack! Jack! I'm so glad you're here.

 

SHE THROWS HER ARMS AROUND HIM AND HE RESPONDS AND LIFTS HER INTO THE ROOM.

 

JACK: Wait a minute. Are you alright?

JENNIFER: Yeah, I'm fine. I was just scared.

JACK: Okay, everything's going to be alright now.

JENNIFER: Alright. I'm so glad you came here.

JACK: You know I would. You worried me. You called and you didn't tell me what happened.

JENNIFER: What about Isabella?

JACK: Well what about her?

 

JENNIFER'S FEARS ARE REVEALED, IT APPEARS THAT REALITY IS MIRRORING HER FANTASY.

 

JENNIFER: Well I hope I didn't interrupt anything.

JACK: Well as a matter of fact you did. But that's alright. Don't worry about it.

JENNIFER: Are you sure?

JACK: Yeah. I'm going to see her in a little bit. But tell me what's going on.

JENNIFER: I think someone's following me Jack.

JACK: Who?

JENNIFER: I don't know. Some really strange, weird guy.

JACK: Strange! Are you sure?

JENNIFER: Well I wasn't sure at first but I keep seeing him and when I left the hospital he got in the elevator with me. And I know he keeps watching me. I think he's been watching me ever since we tried to trick Victor into him that Isabella left the country.

JACK: I wish I hadn't gotten you into that.

JENNIFER: But I wanted to help.

JACK: Yeah but now I've dragged you back through the whole thing.

JENNIFER: It's okay Jack.

JACK: No it's not okay!

JENNIFER: Look, if you're worried about getting me into danger again, don't Jack, because we're in this together and I know you won't let anything happen to me.

JACK: NO! That's not it at all! You blew the whole cover!

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: You blew the whole cover. You messed up the whole thing. From now on you're out of it.

 

JACK IS DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR HER, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO LET HER KNOW. HE PUTS ON HIS USUAL ACT OF INDIFFERENCE. JENNIFER IS BROKENHEARTED, BELIEVING THAT JACK WILL NEVER FEEL FOR HER AS MUCH AS HE DID IN HER FANTASY.

 

JENNIFER: (Almost crying) What about the man that's following me?

JACK: Listen, I'll call my security company and I'll have one of the guards come up and take care of you. I'll even pay for it.

JENNIFER: NO! I don't want some stranger watching me.

JACK: Jennifer don't be a baby, alright. We....we'll....look, we'll try and find Emilio. How about Emilio? I mean he's always into flexing his muscles. Look, I gotta go back. I gotta see Isabella and it's going to be alright. We....we'll work something out....just say hello to Emilio for me.

 

JACK HURRIES OUT THE DOOR TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM SHOWING HOW WORRIED HE IS ABOUT HER. HOWEVER, SHE THINKS HE IS JUST PUSHING HER AWAY ONCE AGAIN. JENNIFER SITS DOWN AND CRIES WHILE JACK IS VERY WORRIED ABOUT HER AND KNOWS HE MUST KEEP HER SAFE BY KEEPING HER AWAY FROM ISABELLA.

SCENE SEVEN: JENNIFER GOES TO SEE EMILIO AND ASKS HIM TO BE HER BODYGUARD. HE RELUCTANTLY AGREES. SHE SAYS THAT THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT IS IF HE STAYS AT THE LOFT. HE AGREES BUT SAYS HE CANNOT STAY TOO LONG.

SCENE EIGHT: JACK GOES BACK TO STEVE'S TO MEET ISABELLA.

 

ISABELLA: Jack.

JACK: Isabella, I was wondering where you were.

ISABELLA: I was wondering the same thing about you.

JACK: What do you mean?

ISABELLA: Well I couldn't help but hear you on the phone with Jennifer. Is she alright?

JACK: Yeah, yeah. She'll be alright, now that she's out of the picture.

ISABELLA: What?

JACK: I told her to start minding her own business.

ISABELLA: Is that what you want?

JACK: Yes, yes. That's what I want. She's in a lot of trouble if she's already got one of Victor's people following her around. She's going to be alright now as long as she's not involved.

ISABELLA: I'm sorry.

JACK: You're sorry, about what?

ISABELLA: Well you could be with Jennifer right now if it wasn't for me.

JACK: Will you stop worrying about Jennifer?

ISABELLA: I can't, and maybe you should forget about me.

JACK: I can't. I can't stop worrying about you.

ISABELLA: I'm ruining your life.

JACK: Why would you think that?

ISABELLA: Jennifer and your brother.

JACK: You're not coming between Steve and me.

ISABELLA: Yeah, well you were fighting about me.

JACK: We were fighting about a lot of things.

ISABELLA: I'm only making things worse.

JACK: Now look, Steve doesn't know you. If he knew you he'd know you are nothing like Marina.

ISABELLA: I appreciate you defending me Jack but I can't stand by and watch what this is doing to your life.

JACK: Hey, you want to help me. You really want to help me? You going to help me but not by trying to run away again.

ISABELLA: What?

JACK: Let me tell Steve where you are. (Beat) You said you wanted to help me.

ISABELLA: I do. But I can't tell your brother where I am.

JACK: If you tell him it's going to be alright. I mean it.

ISABELLA: It's not. You heard what he thinks about me. He thinks I'm the same as Marina and he blames her for everything. He'll blame me too.

JACK: Not when he meets you. Not when he gets to know you.

ISABELLA: I can't risk it Jack. Someone who hates me that much would expose me in a minute. I'm sorry.

JACK: No, I'm sorry. I think if you started to trust people you'd be doing a lot better right now.

ISABELLA: Well that's easy for you to say.

JACK: No it's not easy for me to say. I feel the same way you do. I don't trust people either and it's hurt me. It's cost me a lot of relationships with people who would trust me and probably accept me for who I am.

ISABELLA: Like Jennifer?

JACK: (Beat) The point is I....just don't make the choices that I've made....I mean you've got a chance here to start trusting people again. You kind of trust me don't you and I haven't exactly failed you have I?

ISABELLA: I do want to help Jack but you're asking me to trust my life to someone who obviously hates me.

JACK: Well he hates your sister. He doesn't hate you. He doesn't know you.

ISABELLA: Yeah well I don't know if that would make a difference. He's so upset about Kayla. I don't blame him.

JACK: Alright. Okay. Let's forget the whole thing. We'll just drop it. We'll just go back to our original plan and we'll just keep looking for the key.

ISABELLA: Well maybe we'll find it and this whole thing will be over.

JACK: Yeah, maybe we will. Well I hope you keep thinking about it, because this may not be over for a long time.

ISABELLA: Thank you Jack. For sticking with me.

JACK: Oh I gave my word. I mean it may not mean much to other people but I hope it means something....

ISABELLA: It does mean something.

JACK: I'm kind of afraid to get back up near that house. Can you find your way?

ISABELLA: Yeah, don't worry about me.

JACK: I do. You know I do. I'll see you later.

 

JACK LEAVES AND ISABELLA TAKES THE EARRING OUT OF HER POCKET AND LOOKS AT IT.

 

ISABELLA: Oh Jack, if you only knew what I've done.