The Curse of the Jade Scorpion Page #11

- Meaning what?

- Meaning all of a sudden I'm handsome...

and I'm gorgeous and she

can't take her hands off--

Does that sound like Fitzgerald to you,

or a schemer trying

to play me for a sucker?

Actually, it sounds like that magic show

demonstration by Voltan Polgar.

That's right.

That was the night of the first robbery.

I don't know, C.W. I think

she has some real feelings for you.

Don't be ridiculous.

She hates me.

Wh- Wh-What is the name you said

of, of the magician...

who now I've completely repressed?

Uh, Voltan.

Voltan the Inscrutable.

The Jade Scorpion.

- What is his name?

- Voltan Polgar.

Eli Voytak Polgar.

I'm... just theorizing...

on an incredible

sequence of events.

You look like my Uncle Jerry right after

the United Parcel truck hit him.

What happened? I know you described

this before, but, but what happened?

Th- They brought me on stage--

brought me onstage.

He put you into a trance--

rather easily, despite your resistance.

Right. Yes. And then--

And then he brought Fitzgerald,

who was with me at the time--

And then you were awakened

in a posthypnotic state...

with a word that would, uh,

put you back under again.

Constantinople. Yeah,

then he started making these--

C.W.? C.W.?

Yes?

You okay?

I'm fine, Alvin.

How's your aging mother?

Obviously, he was never

released from the keyword.

Wake him up, George.

This is scary.

Don't be scared.

This stuff's right up my alley.

All right. Now, when I snap my fingers,

you will awaken.

Uh, you'll have no memory of what

has occurred. Is that clear to you?

- Yes.

- And you'll awaken...

feeling happy and, and, and refreshed.

- Is that clear?

- Yes.

So, the guy gets me onstage.

- Now, then what?

- What took place after that?

- Wait a minute.

I have an idea. Constantinople.

My God. What a sense of power.

do you think that you can get him

to recall everything...

- and then set him loose

- from the trance for good?

- All right.

Now, when I snap my fingers,

you will awaken.

Your memory will be clear--

crystal clear.

All the events of the past week

will come to you vividly...

and with no distraction.

You'll be completely freed

from your trance,

and the mention

of the word Constantinople...

will have absolutely no meaning to you.

It will not put you back

into your hypnotic state.

One:
You're coming out of it.

Two:
Your memories of

the past week are coming back.

Three:
You're fully awake.

- I took the jewels!

- The-- The Kensington jewels.

- What?

And the Dill-- Yes.

Yes, and of course.

And then he probably tried to get me--

couldn't get me, so he--

The Greenwood thing was her. Wha--

What is Fitzgerald's keyword?

Madagascar.

The Jade Scorpion

wants you to get the jewels.

Wrap them in plain brown paper

and bring them to him.

Mark down the following address

in Chinatown.

Miss Fitzgerald?

Miss Fitzgerald?

Miss Fitzgerald?

Sergeant, his name is Voltan Polgar.

Somebody just gave me

an address on him.

Oh, Miss Fitzgerald.

The Jade Scorpion welcomes you.

- You have my package.

- Yes.

Thank you.

You will now return home.

You will go to sleep.

It will be a wonderful sleep

from which you will awaken cheerfully,

and you will remember nothing

of these events.

In fact, you will have no memory

of any of this ever.

[Loud Crash ]

I was just passing through.

I... thought I'd... say hello.

- [Voltan] C.W. Briggs.

- Yeah.

I seem to have underestimated you.

Story of my life.

Everybody underestimates me.

They-- You know,

they think I'm a pushover.

It makes my work much easier.

I- I've seen some pretty exotic schemes,

Polgar, but this one was a beauty.

But I figured it out.

That's why I get top dollar.

Don't force me to take

extreme measures, Mr. Briggs.

Don't force me to take

extreme measures, Mr. Briggs.

You'd never pull that trigger.

Really? You think not. Why?

Murder's not your game. I have

just an instinct that tells me that.

You know, you're a jewel thief.

There's a big difference between doing

a little time for stealing jewels...

and, you know, frying

in the electric chair.

Once they pump 200 million volts

of electricity through your body,

you have a tendency to spend

the rest of your days in an ashtray.

[Tires Screeching]

For a minute, I thought

I overplayed my hand.

- [Siren Wailing]

- [Whistle Blowing]

You're the bravest, most brilliant,

most courageous man I've ever met,

and I would go to the end

of the earth with you.

You know, everybody should have somebody

that they feel that way about.

It's-- It's-- You know, it's such

a shame that you're gonna have to...

actually wake up from this,

this fabulous illusion.

Just--Just once...

before the ugly curtain of reality...

drops on both of us.

[ Fitzgerald ]

Oh, you kiss great.

- What a wrap-up, huh?

- Did you see the look

- on Herb Coopersmith's face?

- Serves him right.

- Hey, Al.

Where do you think Miss Fitzgerald

and Mr. Magruder...

are gonna go

for their romantic getaway?

His divorce doesn't come

through for months. I hear

his wife couldn't care less.

- I hear they're gettin' married in June.

- No.

I think I heard him

talking about going to Paris.

- Paris? Wow!

- [ Chattering ]

Mr. Magruder, I'm--

I just came to say I'm leaving.

Ah, C.W. Well, what can I say?

We all make mistakes, huh?

'Course, you've gotta admit, they did

have a pretty strong case against you.

- I don't know.

- I know you could get a job anywhere.

if you decide to go,

you'll have our blessings.

if you stay, you'll have a raise,

and I'll see to it Miss Fitzgerald

keeps out of your way.

Between us boys, once we marry,

she's gonna retire

whether she wants to or not.

I'm not having a wife at work

in my own office, for good measure.

Well, think positively. I'll be away

for a couple of weeks myself.

Miss Fitzgerald and I

are going to Paris.

- Oh, yes? The actual city?

- Huh?

- No. Nothing.

- You need a vacation.

Why don't you see if you can get

that Laura Kensington girl to go with?

I wouldn't mind

some of that action myself.

She seems struck by you.

She's a little demented, but, in

a hotel room, that can be a lot of fun.

Just came to say good-bye.

Right. Chris and I

have a plane to catch.

No, by good-bye I mean I'm leaving.

I'm quitting.

Oh?

Should make you very happy.

You can en joy your vacation now.

'Cause when you come back,

you don't have to see me again.

You can revamp everything here.

No static.

Want to have a parting drink?

A drink at 10:
00 in the morning?

It's only tequila.

What can you say about a woman who keeps

a bottle of Mexican booze in her desk?

Let's drink to both of our futures.

Yeah?

Today, Mr. Magruder.

Tomorrow, the world.

I will let that pass

because this is good-bye.

Mm. You're really gonna marry him?

I- I-- You know.

For a brilliant woman, I gotta say,

you have the worst taste in men.

I didn't take up with you.

How bad could my taste be?

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