January 17, 2006
Week 36 - Impossible Dreams 17
Episode 2
Lamont stretches forward his arm. "Must... reach... panel..." he says, through gritted teeth. He twists and strains and his face begins to turn bright red. Suddenly, he screams in pain. His free hand clutches his chest.
Powell rushes toward him.
Phillip loosens his grip and stares at him, uncertain. Lamont's body convulses on the floor and he groans.
"Pan Boy!" Lamont shouts, in a broken voice. "Pan Boy!"
Powell leans down next to him. "I'm here, Coyote Man..."
"Being hit... by some sort of... energy beam..." Lamont mumbles. "The pain... unbearable... You have to... to destroy the control panel... cripple the satellite!"
Lucy stares in horror as Dr. Seren runs up to Lamont and feels his pulse. "This man is having a heart attack!" he yells. "Somebody call an ambulance, quickly!"
Powell steps to the panel. He picks his foot up and stamps down on it hard. It smashes into pieces. "It's... it's destroyed Coyote Man," he says. "The satellite will burn up in the atmosphere without hurting anybody."
Lamont nods. He looks at Mark, who stands several feet away, and he grins through the pain. "You've lost, Michael," he says. "I've beaten you at last." He turns back toward Powell. "Take... take the Talisman..." Powell stares at him. "Do it!" Lamont insists. "Take it and put it on yourself." Powell pulls the necklace and fang from around Lamont's neck. "Carry on my work, son." Lamont says. "Promise me... There must always be a Coyote Man!"
Powell slowly nods and puts on the necklace. "I... I promise, sir."
Lamont smiles. His body convulses fiercely.
Then it relaxes.
Dr. Seren leans down and feels Lamont's wrist. He frowns and holds his palm in front of Lamont's mouth. He pushes down hard on the old man's chest several times and then tries once more to find a pulse. After a moment he stands up and shakes his head. He looks at Lucy. "I'm sorry," he says. "I'm afraid he's gone." Lucy screams and runs to Lamont. She cradles his head in her hands and begins to sob.
Powell turns away. He runs his fingers along the fang that hangs from his neck and his eyes begin to tear.