THE GRAY GHOSTS: THE CURSE OF SANCTUARY PART 2-THE CARROT AND THE STICK.

EXT. SANCTUARY-NIGHT

JOHN KENYON, a handsome, athletic man in his early 30’s, rides through the snowy streets of a small frontier town. From the stubble on his cheeks and the condition of his clothes he has been on the trail for some time.

John brings his horse to a good-sized building identified by the sign on its roof as the FANDANGO SALOON. He dismounts, ties his horse to the hitching post and heads for the swinging doors.

INT. FANDANGO

John enters the Fandango and looks around, taking in the atmosphere. A motley CROWD of frontier types congregates in a saloon that’s fancily decorated in the best Victorian tradition of shining brass and crushed velvet.

Lovely SALOON GIRLS graciously mingle and converse with the customers while the men drink, carouse, and play at the various gaming tables. After a beat of checking this out John shakes his head and laughs.

JOHN

Looks like Babylon is open for

business.

John heads for the bar. And passes by a table where FRENCHY LE CLERC, a luminous French-Creole beauty in her mid-20’s deals poker to a group of PLAYERS, including SEAN O’HARA, a handsome young 2nd lieutenant in the US Cavalry.

John and Frenchy barely exchange glances as he passes by. Without batting an eye, she turns back to her players with a charming smile and tosses some chips into the pot with a chipper demeanor.

FRENCHY

House sees 20…

She tosses some more chips into the pot.

FRENCHY

…And raises 50.

Sean looks nervously at his hand, aces and tens with aces high. Then he stares at his nearly empty chip pile. Frenchy looks at him almost sympathetically.

FRENCHY

Raise or call Lieutenant?

Sean tosses his last chip into the pot, and pulls the West Point class ring off of his left hand.

SEAN

I see your 50…

He tosses the ring into the pot.

FRENCHY

Are you sure you want to do that,

Lieutenant?

He gives her a dirty look.

SEAN

Yes I do.

Frenchy sighs, rolls her eyes, and shakes her head.

FRENCHY

Alright, let’s get this over with…

House calls.

Sean lays his hand down.

SEAN

Full house, aces high!

Frenchy lays her hand down, a straight flush.

FRENCHY

Straight flush…

Sean gasps and stares in shock at Frenchy’s cards. With a graceful sweep of her hand, Frenchy scoops in the pot.

FRENCHY

Sorry, Lieutenant…but that’s the

way it goes sometimes.

An elegant female hand tosses a gold piece onto the table.

Frenchy looks up to see the BARONESS LIESL VON HEXENBERG, a very beautiful and elegant woman in her late 20’s smiling down at her.

BARONESS

Give him his ring back, Frenchy.

FRENCHY

As you wish, your Excellency.

Frenchy picks up the ring and tosses it back to Sean.

FRENCHY

Take better care of this in the

future, Lieutenant.

Sean nods graciously at Frenchy as he puts the ring back on.

SEAN

Merci, Mademoiselle…

The Baroness glides over to Sean and places a hand on his shoulder.

BARONESS

Sean, we need to talk.

(tightens grip)

Now!

Sean smiles at her, and rises.

SEAN

Of course, your Excellency.

The Baroness makes for the back with Sean following close behind like an eager puppy. Frenchy watches them as they go, and turns back to her players.

FRENCHY

Another hand, M’sieus?

BARONESS’ OFFICE

The Baroness takes Sean into her office. Once inside Sean is grabbed from behind by TOOMEY, a muscle bound goon dressed to the nines. DODD another expensively clad gorilla walks up to Sean grinning in anticipation.

BARONESS

Sorry, mein schatz, but you’ve been

told, no more gambling…

Dodd drives his fist into Sean’s gut. Sean gasps in pain.

BARONESS

…Gambling draws attention, and

makes commanding officers suspicious…

Dodd gut shoots Sean again.

BARONNESS

…And we don’t want that, do we?

Dodd slugs Sean again.

BARONESS