SCENE: LUCARD'S STUDY. STILL PRESENT ARE LUCARD, SOPHIE, MAX, AND AMY.

Lucard: (sits, waves a dismissive hand) Never mind what I want. What do you want?

Amy: Want?

Lucard: Yes, want. What is your motivation? What do I give you in return for your services. Simply looking at my collections is surely not enough, not with the time frame I shall be forced to impose. I don't want you under my feet whenever you feel like it for the rest of eternity. What do you want, Mademoiselle?

Amy: I'm older than you.

Lucard: I beg your pardon, Madame. What do you want?

Amy: Complete access to all your information resources for the rest of eternity. If you insist on a shorter time frame, would five years be satisfactory to you?

Lucard: If you simply tell me what information you need, I can have people familiar with my systems work on it. We should have it in a week.

Amy: I'm afraid it's confidential.

Lucard: So are my files. All of them. As are my artworks and libraries.

Amy: (frowns) What do you want?

LUCARD GLANCES AT SOPHIE AND CHRIS, WHO LOOK LIKE THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION FAR FROM WHERE ANYONE CAN HEAR THEM. AMY LOOKS AT THEM ALSO.

Amy: I thought you said we could discuss anything in front of them.

Lucard: I don't like to compromise loyalties.

Chris: That's all right. We're not loyal to you.

Lucard: Christopher.

CHRIS LOOKS SUDDENLY NERVOUS.

Lucard: Be silent!

CHRIS JERKS BACK INTO THE CUSHIONS ON THE COUCH. SOPHIE TRIES NOT TO SEE THIS. AMY STARES OUT THE WINDOW AT THE LIGHTENING DAY.

Lucard: Madame, would you care to step outside for a moment?

Amy: I like it fine right here.

Lucard: Surely you're not afraid of me?

Amy: Afraid of a vampire in the daytime? Of course not.

Lucard: Then you have no objection to . . .

Amy: (her lips not moving and with reverberation, in the accepted manner of indicating that there is communication going on mind-to-mind) Is this a satisfactory method of communication without allowing prying ears to hear that which it might be dangerous to hear?

Lucard: (shaking his head, but with resignation, and replying the same way) If you insist.

Amy: No, no, only if you insist, my dear Dracula. If you do not insist, then there is no need for secrecy. I want access. You?

Lucard: The boy, of course. But not tortured too much.

Amy: Dracula, I'm certain that my cousin will not allow torture beyond what is necessary to restrain him.

Lucard: Then what did you mean about the 'right frame of mind?' I assumed you meant he would be more accommodating.

Amy: (shrugs) Yes.

Lucard: Then what besides torture? The two of you are an elf and a human. You have no means of mind control.

Amy: He will be in the right frame of mind. You will have to decide what that frame of mind is for you. I leave it to you to contact us the next time we must speak.

AMY GIVES LUCARD A BOW, FOLLOWED BY A MOCKERY OF HIS USUAL SPIN INTO BAT-HOOD, WHICH TURNS INTO A PIROUETTE, AND VANISHES IN SILVER LIGHT. LUCARD JUMPS TO HIS FEET, THEN SLOWLY SITS. HE BENDS BACK TO HIS WORK FOR A MOMENT, THEN THROWS HIS PEN DOWN.

Lucard: (aloud) Argh! I cannot concentrate with these riddles on the brain. Come, Sophie, Christopher. It is time for breakfast. Then we will go to Lucard Industries, and thence . . . well, I have an effective means of seeing that you remain in my realm.

~

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