Act I

It is the early 2000s and the main character Corey Snr. is telling the story of his Senior Year at William Ocean High School.

On the first day of senior year, the math teacher, Mr. Cocker, and the senior student co-ordinator, Ms. Brannigan, welcome the students to the school with an assembly. They announce that elections for senior school president will be held the next Friday. Young Corey Palmer is running, with his best friends Alf Bueller and Kirk Keaton running as his VPs. Running alongside them are Micheal Feldman, the hottest, most popular boy at school, his VPs being his friend Tiffany Houston and Cyndi Gibson, a cheerleader who is very popular with the boys. Also in the running is Feargal McFerrin III, the school nerd, backed by his VPs Laura Wilde and Debbie Fox. From the attention he garners from the female student population, it is clear the Michael is in the lead to win.

After the assembly, Corey seeks out Tiffany Houston, his lifelong neighbor whom he has been in love with since they were children. Tiffany is nice and friendly towards Corey, but is oblivious to his feelings for her. Instead, Tiffany admits to Corey that she likes Michael. Cyndi enters and introduces her friends Melanie and Kimberly Easton, or Mel & Kim as they prefer to be called. They are twins who are Cyndi's friends from dance class. They immediately fit in with the popular kids, unlike Corey, who slinks away dejected. Cyndi introduces Mel and Kim to the popular boys, and plans to set the two of them up with Huey and Lionel. The popular kids, led by Tiffany, talk about their summer vacation, the girls talking about how they got home late from many parties, irritating their parents ("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun") while the guys, led by Michael, talk about how they spent all summer working, Michael saving up to buy a car ("Footloose").

After school, Corey, Alf and Kirk begin work on an election campaign. Tiffany tells Corey that her team is having trouble with getting Michael to actually focus on creating a campaign. As they are working, Feargal enters, dictating that in the 1990s, technology will advance. He is thoroughly mocked. Corey then reveals his election plan to Alf and Kirk - a concert, similar to that of the Live Aid concerts, to help fund the school prom. However, after a small scuffle, Michael Feldman and Billy Arnold, together with Lionel Astley and Huey Jackson, end up stealing Corey's concert idea without his knowledge.

On election day, Michael recruits the cheerleaders to help make his presentation extra flashy ("Mickey"). He takes the stand and pitches the concert idea to the student body. Everyone reacts positively to the idea ("Michael's Election Rap"). Corey is next up to pitch his campaign, but with his only idea stolen, he bombs his presentation. Feargal, Laura and Debbie are next up, and Feargal's pitch includes the advance of technology, informing the students (to their horror) that CDs will replace cassette tapes ("Video Killed the Radio Star"). The election commences and Michael wins by a landslide.

Corey Snr. takes the stage again to tell the audience about how, after election day, he started having nightmares. Corey Jnr., Kirk and Alf are all hanging out at Corey's place, and strike up conversation about Feargal's presentation. They all agree that the things they love from the 1980s, like ''Star Wars'' and the Atari, will be around forever. Kirk and Alf leave when Corey starts getting ready for bed. He falls asleep, and dreams of a world in which he is a Luke Skywalker character, and Tiffany is his Princess Leia. They dance together, madly in love, before Darth Vader enters, stealing Tiffany away. Darth Vader reveals himself as Michael. Corey wakes in a cold sweat ("Glory of love")

Halfway through the school year, a new girl by the name of Eileen Reagan comes to the school. She is taunted by Cyndi for liking the band Air Supply, but is fast friends with Laura and Debbie, who lie about their multiple boyfriends, telling Eileen that they are on "business" in Miami ("Let's Hear It For The Boy").

After class, Mr. Cocker surprises Ms. Brannigan with flowers for their one-year anniversary. Mr. Cocker wants to be more open about their relationship, but Ms. Brannigan wants to stay professional at school. Just as they are about to kiss, Laura and Debbie run in, alerting Mr. Cocker that Feargal is being beat up by two junior girls. Before leaving to go help, Mr. Cocker sets a date with Ms. Brannigan.

At lunch, Corey is preparing himself to ask Tiffany out. Unbeknownst to him, Michael is preparing to do the same. They compete for her affection ("I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"). Tiffany chooses Michael, telling Corey that she sees him as a brother. Corey Snr. enters the stage, reminiscing on how hurt he was ("You Give Love A Bad Name").

After lunch, Michael, Huey, Lionel and Billy slip a fake love letter into Eileen's locker. In another part of the school, Mr. Cocker has confiscated a dirty magazine from Huey. Huey tells his friends that he found the magazine in his dad's cupboard, and it is from the 1970s. They laugh together, and Huey jokes that Mr. Cocker is probably in his office "having a perve". While looking through the magazine, Mr. Cocker recognizes one of the models as Ms. Brannigan. He confronts her about it, and she admits that she did pose for the magazine when she was 18. Mr. Cocker is angry that she never told him, and refuses to see her ("You Give Love A Bad Name (Reprise)").

Michael has forgotten about the concert idea that helped get him elected, and so Corey steps up, asking Mr. Cocker if he can put on the concert. Mr. Cocker agrees, and calls an assembly where he announces the concert will commence, under Corey's direction. At first, the students are unenthused, but with some urging from the faculty, they eventually come around ("Man In The Mirror").

Act II

The concert is a huge success, with the cast lined up in full 1980s garb to sing to their parents ("We are the World"). Corey's parents are away in Indianapolis, so he throws a huge party at his house ("Dancing on the ceiling"). It is there that Mr. Cocker officially ends things with Ms. Brannigan. The whole party is ruined when Corey's parents come home early, and Corey is grounded.

After the student body scatters from the scene, Corey begins cleaning up. Outside his house, he accidentally interrupts Michael and Tiffany kissing. Ms. Brannigan returns to fetch her sweater. She and Corey share a moment of shared disappointment at having lost their loves ("Total Eclipse Of The Heart").

Back at school, Michael, Huey, Billy and Lionel continue sending Eileen fake love letters. Feargal has taken up Karate from the unseen groundskeeper, Mr. Miyagi. Prom is fast approaching, and everyone is anxious to find a date. Eileen finds another letter in her locker, this one actually signed by Michael, which states that he is in love with her. The girls, overjoyed, celebrate ("Walking On Sunshine"). The boys continue placing letters in her locker.

Tiffany, Cyndi, Mel and Kim are gossiping about the boys. They are all getting cars, but Kim tells the girls that Michael's car is nothing to be seen. Michael shows up in his new car, along with Huey, Billy and Lionel. Corey tries to compete with Michael's new car with his two-seater bike, but to no avail ("Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car)").

Before class, Ms. Brannigan attempts to talk to Mr. Cocker because she misses him, but Mr. Cocker cannot get over the magazine incident. He goes to teach his class but becomes distracted by the memory of the picture, and in his head, the class starts to taunt him ("Centerfold").

After school, Eileen reads from one of Michael's letters what Michael is really saying to Tiffany ("Lost In Your Eyes"). Billy has recruited some girls to help him ask Cyndi to the prom ("Never Gonna Give You Up"), but Cyndi coldly rejects him, telling the story to her friends later on ("Material Girl").

As Michael and his gang are putting another letter into Eileen's locker, Eileen, Laura and Debbie stumble upon them. The girls mistakenly believe that Michael has come to ask Eileen to prom, but Michael and Huey tell them the truth in the most cruel way possible. Laura and Debbie take a sobbing Eileen away. Tiffany, having seen the whole thing, angrily breaks up with Michael in front of the whole school. Michael and his gang tries to leave the scene, but Feargal stops them, demanding they go apologize to Eileen immediately. They refuse, and Michael engages Feargal in a fight, causing Feargal to get a bloody nose. Then, Mr. Miyagi, in Feargal's head, guides him through what to do, and he beats Michael to the ground in front of Huey, Billy and Lionel.

In the schoolyard, Eileen is sobbing by herself. Corey enters and starts trying to comfort her. She confesses that she feels that she does not fit in. She thought that she had found her place, but now she knows that everyone has been laughing at her behind the back. Corey calls over Alf and Kirk, and together the three of them assure Eileen that she is well-liked, and that Michael and his gang are the only jerks ("Come On Eileen/Don't Worry, Be Happy"). Kirk and Alf reveal that Feargal defended Eileen from Michael, and Eileen happily runs off to thank him, followed by Alf and Kirk. Tiffany enters, praising Corey for being supportive of Eileen. She confesses that she wants to go to prom with him, but thinks he's going with Eileen. Corey tells her that he turned down every invitation he got because he did not want to go with anyone but her.

Before the prom, Mr. Cocker and Ms. Brannigan make up and resolve their differences. At the prom, the students enjoy the band ("Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Reprise)"). The popular boys (Huey, Billy and Lionel) go to prom with the popular girls (Cyndi, Mel and Kim), however, Michael is left without a date. The students begin to dance together, Corey and Tiffany together at last (" The Time Of My Life"). Corey Snr. comes back out to tell the audience where everyone in his class ended up ''(see below)''. He recalls his high school memories fondly, and leaves the stage, telling his younger self to have fun.

The home that belonged to Angela Toussaint's late grandmother is so beloved that townspeople in Sacajawea, Washington, call it the Good House. But that all changes one summer when an unexpected tragedy takes place behind its closed doors...and the Toussaint's family history -- and future -- is dramatically transformed. Angela has not returned to the Good House since her son, Corey, died there two years ago. But now, Angela is finally ready to return to her hometown and go beyond the grave to unearth the truth about Corey's death. Could it be related to a terrifying entity Angela's grandmother battled seven decades ago? And what about the other senseless calamities that Sacajawea has seen in recent years? Has Angela's grandmother, an African American woman reputed to have "powers," put a curse on the entire community?

The novel is written as a first-person narrative, the narrator being a young attorney from New York named John March. While investigating the disappearance of Evelyn Rand, a young heiress, March is transported across time and space. He finds himself on a strange world which is inhabited by bizarre tentacled creatures who claim to be the descendants of the human race. There he finds Evelyn Rand, abducted as he was, and the two fall in love.

Also present are many historical people who disappeared mysteriously, including the poet François Villon, King Arthur, the lost Dauphin, John Orth of Austria, and the Prophet Elijah. The seven band together to confront their captors, demanding to know why they are there. Two chapters are devoted to an exposition of the history of the human race in evolutionary terms. Despite their technological prowess, the "future men" have lost certain human qualities – including love, loyalty and faith – which they now believe vital to their survival. They will stop at nothing to wrest these "secrets" from their abductees. Horrified by their inhumanity and ruthlessness, the seven vow to stop them at any cost.

As the creatures suffer an attack by mindless monsters which they themselves created, John March and Evelyn Rand are transported back to 20th-century America. March decides to publish a record of their experiences in the hope of changing the direction of human civilization.

At a port near Mt. Kinka, the only whaling base in Japan, Okabe, the captain of the whaling ship Tianjin Maru, said that he would settle the past prodigal life and seek a stable life in old age by his daughter Sonoko, who has a reputation for the town's restaurant Kiraku. It was sent to Maru's young driver Shinuma. Okabe hit eight on Shinuma because he went out and missed a big whale, but that night Shinuma was drunk and made a big blow to Okabe. As a result, Shinuma was newly assigned as the captain of the Tokumaru, and the natural Tianjin Maru and the Tokumaru were competing for fishing. Shingo Nishizawa, who gave birth to a woman Okabe abandoned a long time ago, has longed for her father, but she was attached to Shinuma with love for her father who was fighting for a woman against Niinuma. However, when Okabe's ship ran aground in stormy weather, Shinuma and Shingo bet their lives and rescued the crew of the Tianjin Maru. There is a man-to-man relationship, and on the deck of the new ship that will soon sail to the Southern Ocean, the bright smiles of Okabe, Shinuma, and Shingo are lined up, and Sonoko and Shingo's lover Akemi are on the pier to see off.

Young ama diver Noe (Yukiko Shimazki) falls in love with the town's new lighthouse attendant/school teacher Nishida (Ryō Ikebe), who recently moved in from Tokyo. Nishida's outsider ways inspire Noe to abandon her unwanted arranged marriage and hard life of diving. The couple's love is scorn by the locals and the two are split apart by Riu (Yuriko Hamada), a former ''ama'' diver, who returns from Tokyo after 2 years. Noe's parents forbid her from seeing Nishida and Riu seduces Nishida in her absence, spreading rumors that Noe is pregnant with his bastard child. The two women try to settle their score by diving to retrieve the legendary ''Dai nichi ido'' pearl, said to bring about true love, however, the locals fear it is cursed and should be left undisturbed. Riu finds the pearl but her hand gets stuck between rocks and drowns. Noe nearly drowns trying to save Riu. Believing her responsible for Riu's death, the villagers demonize Noe, who is guilt-ridden and haunted by the voice of Riu calling from the sea. The film ends with Noe advancing the sea, following Riu's haunting cries.

In California, an alcoholic named Julia (Tilda Swinton) is out of control, partying every night, and waking up in unknown homes with no memory of the previous night. Her reckless behavior costs her her job and she begins to go broke. She soon meets a mother, Elena (Kate del Castillo), at an AA meeting. Elena takes Julia into her apartment after finding her passed out on the pavement one night. The following morning Elena explains that she wants to kidnap her son Tom (Aidan Gould) from his wealthy grandfather and asks Julia to participate for $50,000. Julia declines, but after some time changes her mind. She visits an old friend to ask for his cooperation, but her offer is refused. She rides to the Mexican border, kidnaps the little boy and blackmails Elena's father-in-law for $2 million. The police discover her whereabouts and she flees, accidentally crashing her car through the wall dividing the United States and Mexico. There, the boy is kidnapped in turn by Mexican kidnappers. Her friend Mitch (Saul Rubinek) arrives in Mexico and gives Julia the ransom money. During the exchange, the Mexican kidnappers escape with the money, leaving the boy safely with Julia.

Mary Cameron (Cormier) lives on the Canadian island of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. There, she enjoys a warm relationship with an old woman she calls Nanny (Garbary), who regales her with stories of the Gaelic past. The rest of her time, when she isn't working at her father's pharmacy, she completes paint by numbers artworks. On discovering that she is pregnant by her boyfriend, she decides to go to Halifax, to have her baby. After giving birth, she starts modeling for life-drawing classes and eventually picks up the skills of an artist herself. Soon, she has become a successful artist and moves back to the house her friend Nanny left her to fill an entirely new role in her community.

University student Nishida moves into a rundown area near a US military base, where he gets acquainted with waitress Shizuko. Shizuko is raped by local gangster boss Joe and, although she despises him, is unable to put an end to their subsequent affair. Joe also helps Nishida's landlady to throw Nishida and the other tenants out of their flats in a scheme to make room for a new hotel, leaving them homeless. After a confrontation between Joe and Nishida, who has fallen in love with Shizuko as she has with him, Shizuko kills the drunken Joe by pushing him in front of a passing army truck.

During the First World War in 1917, in the British trenches at Passchendaele, an army private, Arthur Hamp (Tom Courtenay) is accused of desertion. He is to be defended at his trial by Captain Hargreaves (Dirk Bogarde). Hamp had been a volunteer at the outbreak of the war and was the sole survivor of his company, but then decided to "go for a walk"; he had contemplated walking to his home in London but after more than 24 hours on the road, he is picked up by the Military Police and sent back to his unit to face court-martial for desertion.

Hargreaves is initially impatient with the simple-minded Hamp, but comes to identify with his plight. Following testimony from an unsympathetic doctor (Leo McKern) (whose solution to all ailments is to prescribe laxatives), Hargreaves is unable to persuade the court to consider the possibility that Hamp may have been suffering from shell shock. He is found guilty, but the court's recommendation for mercy is overruled by higher command, who wish to make an example of Hamp to bolster morale in his division. He is shot by firing squad, but as he is not killed outright Hargreaves has to finish him off with a revolver. His family are informed that he has been killed in action.

Casey Beldon has nightmarish hallucinations of strange-looking dogs in the neighborhood and an evil child with bright blue eyes following her around. While babysitting Matty, her neighbor's son, she finds him showing his infant sibling its reflection in a mirror. Matty attacks Casey, smashing the mirror on her head, and tells her: "Jumby wants to be born now". She puts him to bed and leaves in shock.

Casey's friend Romy tells her of a superstition that newborns should not see their reflections in the mirror for at least a year because otherwise they will die soon. Casey's eyes begin to change color; a doctor asks if she is a twin, and explains the change as tetragametic chimerism and heterochromia, and that it is completely normal. Her neighbor's infant dies, supporting the superstition.

Casey's father admits that she had a twin brother years ago who died while he was in the womb when her umbilical cord strangled him, and whom he and Casey's late mother, Janet, had nicknamed "Jumby". She begins to suspect that the spirit is haunting her and this is the spirit of her unborn twin, wanting to be born so it can enter the world of the living as evil.

Casey meets Sofi Kozma (whom she later learns is her grandmother). Sofi explains that as a child she had a twin brother, Barto, who died during Nazi experiments conducted by Dr. Josef Mengele in Auschwitz during World War II. A dybbuk brought the brother back to life to use as a portal into the world of the living. Kozma killed her twin to stop the spirit, and now it haunts her family for revenge, which is why Casey's mother became insane and committed suicide.

Kozma gives Casey a hamsa amulet for protection, instructs her to destroy all mirrors and burn the shards, and refers her to Rabbi Joseph Sendak, who can perform a Jewish exorcism to remove the dybbuk out of her soul. Sendak does not believe Casey's story until he sees a dog with its head twisted upside-down in his synagogue. The dybbuk kills Kozma, then Romy soon after. Casey and her boyfriend Mark both see the spirit after it kills Romy and realize that it's getting stronger.

Sendak, Mark, Episcopal priest Arthur Wyndham, and other volunteers begin the exorcism, but the dybbuk attacks them and several are wounded or killed. The spirit, having possessed the priest, chases Casey and Mark. Mark knocks Wyndham unconscious but gets possessed. Casey stabs Mark in the neck with the amulet. Sendak arrives and he and Casey complete the exorcism. The rite draws the dybbuk out of the human world, but Mark falls and dies during the separation.

Casey mourns her boyfriend but wonders why the dybbuk suddenly became active in her life now and why it didn't attack her earlier. She takes a pregnancy test and learns that she is pregnant with Mark's twins.

On an alternate reality Earth overrun with mutated nano-machine-beasts called Filth Monsters (Contaminoids in Funimation's translation), humanity is forced to live in large mobile cities called Regios and learn to use weapons called DITE (pronounced Di-Te) and harnessing the power of Kei to defend themselves. The truth is that these are people lost in an alternative reality caught between struggling as pawns of the founders of this space and those trying to destroy it. Only upon its destruction can everything revert to the real world. However, many generations have passed since the creation of the world and naturally the citizens who inhabit it fight for their lives. In the Academic City of Zuellni, Layfon Alseif is hoping to start a new life without Martial/Military arts and forget his past. However, his past has caught the attention of Kalian Loss, the Student Council President and Nina Antalk, a Military Arts student and Captain of the 17th Platoon, who instantly recognizes his abilities and decides he's the perfect candidate to join her group. The series follow Layfon's life in Zuellni and occasionally has flashbacks of his life in Glenden as a Heaven's Blade.

After the death of his wife Emily, readers can infer that Leibowitz takes vows to become a priest, and that he establishes a religious community dedicated to preserving history for generations to come. They smuggle books for preservation and act as "memorizers" who remember the books in case the books are destroyed. This religious community feels it important, and indeed, its calling, to preserve scientific documents, from blueprints to texts, so that humankind in the future will be able to educate itself about their heritage. The world is going through a simplification. All knowledge, especially written words, is deemed evil. He is considered a martyr, caught and strangled while smuggling books. The mob destroys documents and books hidden in kegs so only a few books and documents remain.

Saint Isaac Edward Leibowitz is a pioneer archivist. He is revered, especially by the monks. Centuries after his death, other monks continue the work of preserving written documents. Saint Leibowitz's foresight prevents future generations from being deprived of their heritage, but ...

Barry (Frank) is a formerly successful insurance executive whose career and life are being destroyed by alcoholism. As the day ends, he is sent to a notorious New York City housing project, the Lincoln Towers, to try and complete a life insurance policy sale to a nice elderly woman named Elva (Frances Foster). Meanwhile, a man named Will (Parker), a soft-spoken but tough employee of the telephone company, also heads to the building to hook up with his girlfriend and repair the phone lines. Unfortunately for Barry, while inquiring where Elva's apartment is, he taps a boy, Decon (Theo Caesar) on the shoulder and quickly becomes the hated target of a savage, fanatical gang called the Vampires, who run the Towers. They're led by their ruthless but charismatic leader the Count (Tony Todd), who runs his gang like a cult and is seen to be indestructible by himself and his followers. An attempt to kill Barry leads to the deaths of the building's security guard and Decon. With Barry's entrapment inside the building, he crosses paths with Will and makes his first reluctant ally willing to help him. They take safety in Elva's apartment but escape when the Vampires trap them. Leaving Elva behind, they find Elva's determined granddaughter Toni (Stacey Dash), visiting with her neighbors. Toni suggests they go to the apartment of Mr. Parker (Vincent), a bigoted, crippled and unstable but yet still vicious Vietnam vet the gang fears (along the way Barry is forced to kill one of the gang members leaving him with mild PTSD). Paid for his help, Parker lets the trio in (revealing he's modified a wheelchair with an arsenal of concealed weapons). Then Toni leaves to check on her grandmother, but when she arrives, she discovers Elva had been beaten and forced to reveal where Barry and Will are.

The Vampires, holding Elva and Toni hostage, arrive at Parker's apartment with Barry surrendering himself to save them. As Barry and Will exit, Parker and the Vampires engage in a shootout. In the midst of the gunfire, Barry, Will, and Toni escape. When Elva and Parker retreat back inside his apartment, Parker is shot in the chest and a short time later dies as Elva struggles to save him. Next, the trio head to the apartment of Chet Cole (Deon Richmond), a little boy, living with his mother, whom they heard is the only one who knows a way out of the building that no one else knows, not even the Vampires. According to Chet, the way out is in the building's basement, with Chet offering to show them, but his mother sends him to bed, leading him to sneak out.

After saving them from being killed by Psycho (Robert Lee Rush), the Count's crazed relative (by knocking said gang member down an elevator shaft with a baseball bat), Chet joins the trio as they descend to the basement through the said elevator shaft. In the basement, Chet shows them the way out, but the opening is too small for either Barry or Will to fit through. Toni, however, is able to fit through (but as she is leaving, gets grabbed by a badly injured Psycho who Barry forcibly finishes off with Chet's baseball bat) and runs to get the police. But when she arrives at the station, the officers refuse to help, due to two cops being shot on a previous visit to the building.

While Barry and Will wait, Will comes up with another plan. Using the money that Elva gave Barry earlier in the film, they send Chet back upstairs. With sunrise approaching, Chet litters the money out a window to the Vampires guarding the basement door to the outside. At the same time, the Count and other Vampires realize that after checking every apartment in the building the basement is the only place left to look (on entering said basement the Count is stunned to see Psycho is dead). When the money distraction works, Barry and Will escape just as the Count and his remaining Vampires arrive, and Barry is shot in the ankle.

Outside, Will and a wounded Barry start running as they are being chased and tormented by the last of the gang (with the Count ordering his followers to let him avenge Decon and Psycho). Cornered, Will uses the one and only shot he has left in his gun to protect Barry and himself, he does this by having a final showdown with the Count. As the Count closes in, Will shoots and struggles with him, until he knocks him briefly to the ground. The Vampires are momentarily demoralized when they see the Count is not invulnerable, despite his claims he still is, with Barry using this distraction to slam a swing seat into his head until the Count collapses and dies while the other Vampires, now enraged at their leader's death prepare to gun down Barry and Will. But Elva, using Parker's machine gun, fires shots at them from the apartment window to hold them at bay. Seconds later, Toni and the police finally arrive, with the remaining gang members fleeing. Having survived a deadly night against a vicious gang, the film ends with Will and Toni accompanying Barry as he is taken to an ambulance.

Police detective and part-time novelist Gene Ralston (Scott Glenn) wakes from a nightmare in which he struggles with another man at a sand quarry, falls, and suffocates when he is covered with sand. In the morning he notices that a new neighbor has moved into the house across the street. Introducing herself to him, Tory Bass (Lara Flynn Boyle) exhibits a skittish manner and admits she is preoccupied by the feeling that someone has been murdered. Gene tells Tory that he is a policeman, and she admits that she was involved with a man who is also a cop.

That evening, Gene has his partner Larry Talbert (Anthony LaPaglia) and his wife Emily (Sheree J. Wilson) over for dinner and they talk about Gene's developing career as a writer, but Gene has his mind on Tory and occasionally glances over at her house across the street. The next day Gene goes to visit Tory and there is an immediate attraction as she opens up to him, and they make love on her living room floor. Later in the day a delivery man brings Gene some roses from Tory with a note inviting him to come over after dark, but when Gene arrives he discovers that she's been murdered. Larry heads up the murder investigation and orders Gene off of the case due to his involvement with the victim.

Nevertheless, Gene investigates anyway, and discovers that the dead girl's body isn't marked by a distinctive cut on her hand that Gene knows was there. Further complicating matters, Emily attempts to seduce Gene.

In the squad room, when Gene starts to discuss the case, Larry has no idea what he is talking about, as Larry is unaware of any murder. And when Gene goes to the house where he met Tory, another woman is living there. It is as if Tory never existed. Confused, Gene consults Police Department psychiatrist, Dr Bert James (David Ogden Stiers), who admits he doesn't understand what Gene is experiencing. As Gene continues writing his novel, he wonders what is going on. Further investigation reveals that, under a different name, the woman that Gene knows as Tory was involved in a previous homicide case and that Larry knows about it.

Following Larry to a hospital, Gene discovers that he has been dreaming, as he awakens from a coma he has been in for 13 months since he actually ''was'' buried in a sand pit and had his oxygen supply cut off. What we have seen to this point has been the attempt of Gene's unconscious mind to forge a coherent story out of a mélange of true memories, such as the sand pit, misremembered items, like the "Tory" character, and what has filtered through while in the coma, as for instance Dr James, who is, in reality, Gene's attending neurologist.

Now that he is awake, he is contacted by "Tory" who has been waiting for him to come out of his coma. It turns out that there was more to the murder case she was involved with than Gene and Larry exposed before Gene fell into the quarry. Rearranging clues that his subconscious was playing with while comatose, Gene works to finally crack the case.

Ellis (Onslow Stevens) runs Trans-Andean Air Service, a run-down company transporting supplies from Delgado, a tiny, remote outpost, over the Andes Mountains to some mines. To save money, Ellis uses worn-out aircraft and "black sheep" pilots and crew no one else will employ. He hires George Wilson (Van Heflin), and is surprised when he brings his new wife, Lee (Whitney Bourne). Chief pilot Paul Smith (Chester Morris) tries to get her to leave, but the Wilsons have no money. As time goes on, George proves to be a drunk. Paul protects him as best he can, as he has fallen in love with Lee. She eventually confesses that she loves him.

After Hanson (Richard Lane } , an experienced pilot dies in a crash witnessed by George, he begins to crack up. When George is too drunk to fly, Garth Hilton (Douglas Walton) takes his place and is killed in yet another crash. Distraught and seeking revenge, George then forces Ellis at gunpoint into an aircraft and takes off. In the mountains, George jumps to his death, leaving Ellis to die like too many others he had hired. Smith is left to take over, but decides to join Lee and leave together. "Mousey" Mousialovitch (Solly Ward), the chief mechanic and former pilot, takes over the operation, with the mine owners promising new aircraft will be delivered.

The film starts Part 1 in December 1916, at a lavish ballroom gathering just before the Russian Revolution, and moves to the 1917 February Revolution, the family's forced exile to Siberia that summer after Nicholas II's forced abdication in March, the late 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, the communist takeover, the start of the Russian Civil War, and the July 1918 mass shooting of the Romanov family. The film then revolves around Anna Anderson, who believes that she is Anastasia Romanov, the daughter of Nicholas II of Russia. Anna first tells her story in the 1920s, when she was an inmate in a Berlin asylum after her suicide attempt. Her story of escaping from the Bolsheviks, who killed the rest of her family in 1918, seems so vivid that many Russian expatriates are willing to believe her. She slowly gains more trust, but Europe's Romanov exiles are very hesitant to believe her tale and send her away.

In Part 2, she travels to the United States branches of the family in New York City in 1928, and Nicholas's mother, Maria Feodorovna, dies in her native Denmark. America's expatriate Romanovs also eventually publicly denounce her as an impostor and coldly snub her at Feodorovna's funeral, which causes her to leave the country in 1931 to return to Germany. The film culminates in 1938 with Anna deciding to sue the Romanovs in German courts to force them to recognize her as Anastasia but never reveals if Anna really is Anastasia. The epilogue's narrator states that the court case ended in 1970 with Anna not being able to prove herself or to be disproven as Anastasia Romanov and that she eventually moved back to the United States and settled in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she died in 1984.

Set in 6th century Europe after Arthur's death, the novel retells part of Merlin's life using the Black Book of Carmarthen, Robert de Boron, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and other sources. Elements of the childhood of Taliesin are also used. The novel covers Merlin's life from infancy to adulthood as well as British and Saxon conflicts, climaxing with a battle at Dineirth in Wales.

Historical and legendary figures appearing in the novel include Cynric of Wessex, Maelgun Gwynedd, Beowulf and Taliesin himself. Merlin serves as mentor to Maelgun instead of Arthur as popularized by Thomas Malory and others. The novel also features mythological figures like the gods Woden and Lir as characters.

Young amateur sleuth Terence "Slip" Mahoney works cleaning offices in a New York highrise building when he comes across a letter addressed to Terence Mahoney, Esquire. Believing the letter is meant for him, he opens and reads it. The letter tells of an inheritance waiting for him. A wealthy uncle, living in a large house on Long Island, has left him a fortune. He is expected at Mahoney Manor, immediately.

Slip is not aware that the "real" Terence Mahoney, heir to Mahoney Manor, and his young daughter Teresa, are waiting to receive the letter. Slip brings his friends from the gang and goes to the Manor to receive the inheritance.

Upon his arrival to the Manor, Slip hears a shot ring out. Slip does not let this scare him, and enters the house and meets the person taking care of the property, Digger. It turns out Digger is really a goon representing a smuggler, Count Boris Petrov, and that he is running the illegal business from the Manor.

Although Digger is welcoming when the boys enter the manor, Petrov sets out to scare them off the property, since they are interfering with his business. The boys are not so easily discouraged, and the next day they find a secret passageway in the fireplace. As they enter the hidden room behind the door, Petrov locks it from the outside, trapping the boys in the basement.

The other Terence Mahoney arrives at the manor with his daughter, tired of waiting for the letter. They settle in at the house and Petrov goes on to try and scare them away in the same way he tried with the boys.

In search of Slip and his gang, a reporter called Gabe arrives at the manor, finding the other Terence Mahoney in his bed at night. Gabe also sees flash lights across the bay sending morse code signals, and his suspicions are raised as to what business Digger is running. He watches as Digger escorts a woman and a captain ashore up to the manor.

Gabe sees the woman give Petrov a huge diamond and hears one of the boys call from the basement. He sets the gang free and reveals what he has discovered to them, that there is a smuggling operation going on at the manor and that he suspects Mahoney of being the smuggler boss.

The gang confronts Mahoney but finds out he is the rightful heir to the manor. Instead the gang, with the help of Gabe, sets out to catch the real criminals and ultimately take back the diamond. Mahoney feels that country living is far too exhausting for his taste and leaves the manor to Slip.

Four men rob a bank in Wickenburg, Arizona. One man is shot and killed, and the other three flee to the wilderness. One of the fleeing men has a gunshot wound in his shoulder. They encounter a woman in labor in a covered wagon who delivers a baby, entrusts the child to the men's care (asking them all to act as godfathers to the child), and then dies. The men then try to get the baby back to civilization; two of them die on the way due to the lack of water. The final man, suffering from extreme thirst, carries the baby to the town of New Jerusalem, pursued doggedly by coyotes and aided by a burro.

A week before Christmas, four bandits ride through the desert and pause on a rise over the town of New Jerusalem: Bob Sangster, returning to his hometown; Doc Underwood, a cultured man with a Ph.D.; Gus Barton; and Pedro, who always plays his guitar and sings as he rides.

The whole town is at a Christmas social, celebrating a few days early. Doc and Gus are welcomed, but Bob's arrival casts a chill on the festivities. When he meets Molly, the girl he loved, his face changes, briefly. They dance. Bob offers her a watch that he says belonged to his mother. He insists that she still loves him, even though she is going to marry Frank Benson. When Bob seizes her, she slaps him, then thanks him for showing her the truth. She gives the watch back, telling him to return it to the woman he stole it from, and walks away. Bob goes to the bodega and finds solace in the arms of Blackie, a girl who works there.

The next morning, Frank, the young bank president, is trying on a Santa Claus outfit when the bandits come into the bank. Benson offers no resistance, but Bob shoots him in cold blood, saying, "There ain't no Santa Claus." As they flee, Pedro is killed by the dentist, and Doc is wounded in the arm.

Reaching the first waterhole, the robbers see it is marked as poisoned. On the way to the next watering spot, they find the body of George Marshall, a tenderfoot who shot himself. At the waterhole, they find a wagon sheltering a dying woman—Marshall's wife—and her baby boy. The waterhole has been destroyed: Marshall dynamited it, trying to get water, then set out to get help. Knowing it is too late for her, she commits her child to their care. After she dies, they camp for the night.

Doc and Gus want to take the baby with them, but Bob is in favor of "putting him out of his misery." In the morning, they find that their horses dead from drinking at the dynamited well. They must go back to New Jerusalem.

Bob hands a can of milk to each man and starts to drink his. Doc buys it for the baby with his share of the stolen gold. His arm is festering, but he carries the child. He writes out a will that he gives to Gus. Finally, unable to go any further, Doc tells them to take the baby and leave him. As Gus and Bob walk away, a shot rings out.

Later, while Bob sleeps, Gus hesitatingly says a prayer. He leaves his share of the gold and the will beside the baby and walks into the desert.

In the morning, Bob reads the will, which is actually a note to him from Doc asking him to "give the kid an even break." However, he leaves the baby behind. When the child wails, Bob shoots a rattlesnake near the baby. Telling himself that he is crazy, he picks up the baby and sets off. He gives the child the last of the water. Eventually, Bob drops everything except the boy. At last in despair, he falls to his knees and prays. Suddenly he sees the signposts at the poisoned well. They are 5 1/2 miles from New Jerusalem; he remembers Doc saying that it would take an hour for a man to die from the poisoned water. Saying "Here's to you kid," he drinks deeply.

Bob stumbles into town. Everyone is in church. He staggers in, kneels and gives Molly the baby. He struggles to his feet, turns and falls, dead. As Molly carries the baby down the aisle, someone notices that he is using Bob's watch as a teething ring and wonders where Bob stole it. Molly says it was his mother's.

Christopher Gill (Rod Steiger) is a serial killer fixated on his late mother, a noted stage actress. Gill preys on older women. A Broadway theatre owner and director, he adopts various disguises, e.g., priest, policeman, plumber, hairdresser, etc., to put his victims at ease (and avoid being identified) before strangling them and painting a pair of lips on their foreheads with garish red lipstick.

Detective Morris Brummell (George Segal) is investigating the murders. Brummel is quoted in the newspaper that the latest murder was well-planned and well-executed. This appeals to Gill's ego, so he starts telephoning Brummel to chat about the murders and the state of the investigation. Brummel is able to elicit a few scraps of information about Gill, but for the most part Gill succeeds in taunting him without giving away his identity.

Away from work, Brummel's own overbearing mother (Eileen Heckart) wants her son to be more like his doctor brother and settle down. She is scornful of his career choice. Brummell's new love interest is Kate Palmer (Lee Remick), who glimpsed Gill minutes before he committed the first murder, though not well enough to identify him in a way that would aid the investigation. Palmer manages to win over Brummell's mother by claiming she is planning to become Jewish, and by pretending to dominate her son.

In what turns out to be their last phone conversation, Brummel turns the tables on Gill and insults him. Gill subsequently targets Palmer. This is obviously for reasons other than his mother fixation, as Palmer does not fit the profile of his previous victims. He may be jealous of Palmer, or perhaps wants revenge on Brummell for the insults.

Gill attacks Palmer in her apartment, but is forced to flee before he can do her serious harm. During the police manhunt that follows, Gill is seen entering his theatre via a side door. Investigating the sighting, Brummell chats amiably with Gill (the detective at that point cannot be sure the man before him is Palmer's attacker). When he sees in the theatre lobby a painting of an actress with her lips highlighted in deep red lipstick, which Gill volunteers is a portrait of his mother, he knows he has his man.

Brummel confronts Gill with his suspicions, but Gill remains cool. Brummel goes to check out the costume room, and on his way back, as he is passing the theatre stage, Gill attacks him with the backstage rigging. Brummel is staggered, but is able to fatally shoot Gill before he attacks again. In his death swoon Gill revisits the murders he committed, as his deranged mind has recast them.

"He" wakes up on a prison ship, and discovers that "he" is a copy. He learns that he is in the body of a notorious killer of women named "Park Lacoch", and that he is very short. At the orientation on Charon, a hot and steamy world of jungles and deserts, he learns that magic works. Magic here means that some individuals can sense, and learn to control, the Warden organism that pervades everything and everyone. It is possible to fool the Wardens into believing they are something else, such as converting a fruit juice to poison, or changing a person into an animal. One's status depends a lot on how much of the power one can learn to use.

Park is singled out early, during the placement interviews the newcomers are getting. He is told that the leadership of the planet is aware that there is a Confederacy Assassin planted on Charon to kill the Lord of Charon, Aeolia Matuze. The agent "Park" is well aware of this, as he is that very agent, just arrived. Fortunately for him, the security interviewer is under the impression that Park's new girlfriend, Zala, is the Assassin, as she has a genetically created double mind.

Park is assigned as a Town Accountant to a town where the authorities believe he will be contacted by a well-organized group of revolutionaries seeking to re-install a former Lord of Charon that Aeolia displaced. After a series of adventures, Park gains much control over the power, and with Zala (aka Kira) and his new girlfriend Darva, assists in an attack on the palace where Aeolia Matuze resides. This attack is a coordinated one, coinciding with the overthrow of the government everywhere, and prompted by Dr. Dumonia of Cerberus, a Confederate plant with many agendas.

The attack is successful, but the former Lord of Charon cannot go through with killing Aeolia, who was his ex-wife that he still had feelings for. Aeolia, not as sentimental, kills him. When it seems that all is lost, Kira kills Aeolia, with the tacit approval of Aeolia's Chief of Security, Yatek Morah, who as it turns out, is really in the employ of the aliens. Yatek having no love for the late Aeolia, is willing to discuss matters with Park, and there is the implication that Park will have a chance to become the new Lord of Charon.

The book closes with the Agent in the picket ship being even more affected by this latest experience. He more than ever questions the values and efficacy of the Confederacy, and wishes to delay making a final report because he fears what his government's response will be. The computer shows that it is more than merely an assistant or partner, by nearly overriding him, and almost not letting him out of the capsule. "Mr. Carroll" manages to convince the computer that he will return, and only wishes to gather the final report from Medusa before making his report to the Confederacy.

The saga continues in the fourth and last book of the series, ''Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail''.

The poem talks about a person witnessing the execution of a queen.

The story begins when a drunken human insults a mech in a bar. The resulting fight nearly kills the human, who is saved only by the mech's kindness. As the mech starts to leave he is invited to sit and talk with an old man and his granddaughter. They have a discussion about what it would really take to build a machine that would last forever.

As the sixth anniversary of Turk and Carla's first date approaches, Turk, in order to surprise Carla with a thoughtful gift, has been learning Spanish for the past few months. Meanwhile, one of J.D.'s patients, Emory, pleads to attend his graduation though he is in severe burn treatment. Unable to make a decision, J.D. seeks advice from Elliot; she agrees that Emory has treatable burns but that she wouldn't get his hopes up, but J.D. ignores her and gladly tells Emory he can attend his graduation. Later on, however, Dr. Cox reveals that the Emory's leg has become infected and that there is no way he is going to his graduation. Later on that day while Carla is on the phone, Turk is bugging her about "brinner" (breakfast for dinner), she comments on the idea by saying, in Spanish, that she would cook breakfast for dinner every day if he would clean the house. Turk, upon hearing that, quickly cleans the apartment, which Carla sees as a coincidence, and rewards him with flapjacks for dinner. Turk realizes that understanding Spanish without Carla knowing could actually be an advantage, and so decides not to tell her. To deal with the guilt of lying to his wife, he tells her she can pick out anything she wants from the jewelry store.

Dr. Cox and Dr. Kelso tell Turk that he has a massive advantage over other married men: he can 'spy' on Carla without her knowing. However, Dr. Cox eventually sells him out and says to Carla in Spanish, "Your husband thinks you're an overbearing control freak with Izzy", which Turk then denies, revealing his secret. Carla is upset at first, but at the end of the episode realizes that Turk was trying to do a nice thing, and that now they can talk privately to each other when J.D. and Elliot are around. They end up commenting in Spanish that Elliot and J.D. will probably be back together in five weeks, as the pair appear to be getting closer than they have been in years. Elsewhere, Dr. Cox decides to get on Dr. Kelso's nerves by messing around with his food.

The action is centred on the town of Tewkesbury, scarcely disguised by the fictional name Norton Bury, in Gloucestershire. The story is narrated by Phineas, a friend of the central character. John Halifax is an orphan, determined to make his way in the world through honest hard work. He is taken in by a tanner, Abel Fletcher, who is a Quaker, and thus meets Phineas, who is Abel's son. John eventually achieves success in business and love, and becomes a wealthy man.

A photographic postcard, probably from the early 20th century, depicts Dunkirk Mills, Inchbrook, near Nailsworth and Stroud, Gloucestershire, stating it was the "original Mills of 'John Halifax Gentleman'".

A discussion on a Stroud Fakebook [''sic''] page suggests that Enderley and the cottage were modelled on an area near Avening.

A group of field trip students and a teacher discover a woman's dead body at the beach. Two Los Angeles Police Department detectives, Phil Gaines and Louis Belgrave, are assigned to the homicide investigation. The case appears to be a suicide but things do not add up. The deceased, Gloria Hollinger, overdosed, yet the trail leads back to Leo Sellers, a wealthy and corrupt attorney. Gaines and Belgrave do not believe Gloria's death to be suicide based on information from Gaines' girlfriend, Nicole, a call girl. But they cannot close the case. Along the way, the detectives learn that Marty, Gloria's father and a headstrong veteran of the Korean War, did not believe the official report either and attempts to solve the case himself. He goes after Sellers and learns that Sellers was responsible for his daughter's death. Gaines and Belgrave track Marty to Sellers' mansion where they find Marty has just killed Sellers. Gaines stages it to look like self-defense, letting Marty off the hook for the crime. Gaines calls Nicole to reconcile, and they plan a trip to San Francisco. On his way to the airport, he stops in a convenience store and walks into the middle of an armed robbery. He trades fire with the assailant but is killed in the exchange. Belgrave goes to the airport terminal to inform Nicole, and without a word, she realizes that Gaines is gone.

A wealthy widower locks up his two grown-up children, afraid that they will go mad, as did his wife. He then invites a doctor of dubious reputation to supervise their mental health and cure them of the unnatural attraction they have for each other. Meanwhile, in the vicinity of the mansion, murders are happening in the local village and a travelling priest arrives to help drive out any local demons.

A woman's fiancé played by Marcus Collins is killed by a drug dealing gang. For revenge, the woman conjures up a zombie to hunt down the gangmembers and kill them.

The game takes place directly after the events of ''Gravity Rush'', and a prequel anime called ''Gravity Rush: The Animation ~ Overture ~.'' In the city of Hekseville, reconstruction is progressing after the incident caused by the former mayor, D’nelica. After a gravitational disturbance is reported in the floating district of Neu Hiraleon, Kat travels there with her gravity shifting partner Raven, and Syd, a police officer, to investigate. Following a fight with mysterious androids, the three are sucked into a gravitational vortex and transported to a different world, along with the entire district.

The events of the game begin when Kat and Syd arrive in the impoverished Banga Village. They befriend a girl named Cecie, who also arrived in mysterious circumstances, and work to mine Gravity Ore, traveling into Rift Planes to harvest it to sell to unscrupulous trader Vogo Sun. After preventing his attempt to shortchange the village, they travel to the floating city of Jirga Para Lhao for supplies. There, they realize that the city's rich are oppressing its poor through military force, and the use of Raven, who has been brainwashed to believe she is called Night Gale. Kat battles Raven, freeing her and sparking an uprising against the Council, the city's usurping rulers. The insurrection succeeds, restoring the people of Banga to their rightful rule of Jirga Para Lhao.

However, Neu Hiraleon appears, having become a giant Nevi after landing in a Rift Plane, and kills the Council. Kat and Raven defeat it and rescue Cecie, who it was using as a power source. In doing so, Kat is again sucked back into Hekseville. There, she meets Kali Angel, a mysterious Shifter who replaced her as the city's hero, and Dr. Brahman, a brilliant scientist who designed a city-wide, robotic, Nevi defense system. Brahman becomes mayor despite an attack by rebels, but it is soon revealed that the rebels are right, and Brahman is a madman who plans to use the crystal-induced powers of his kidnapped "daughters", Kali and Cecie, also known as Durga Angel, to stop time itself. Kat and Raven, who arrived back in Hekseville along with Cecie, defeat Brahman and his daughters, killing both him and Kali, and saving the city, with the help of the city of Jirga Para Lhao, which came through a tear in space.

In the game's final chapter, Kat encounters a glowing girl, who tells her that the "dark ocean" under the city will destroy Hekseville and the world. On the advice of Alias, Kat and Raven travel to the top of the World Pillar, finding the frozen city of Eto. King Cai informs her that she is the former queen, and cloisters her in the castle due to an "illness", but Kat realizes she was brainwashed and that he is holding Raven prisoner. After fighting off Cai's Nevi minions, Kat is rescued by Creator Bit, and forced to remember her past. She realizes that Syd is Alias, and one of her former retainers, and that they were betrayed by her other retainer, Xicero, for wanting to save the people below from the dark ocean. However, the Creators decided to save them, as they were swayed by Kat's altruism.

King Cai releases the glowing girl from a crystal, revealing her to be Elektricitie, the personification of electrical energy, and expressing an intent to hasten the world's demise. The people of Hekseville are unable to stop her, but are able to stall until Kat arrives and defeats her, albeit through the sacrifice of the other Creators. King Cai is slapped by Kat, and merges with his Guardian, Wolp, into a giant monster that is the manifestation of the black hole below the city. This dark being offers Kat a deal to make her survive the end and eventual rebirth of the world, but she chooses to defeat him with the help of the populace, and seal the black hole by sacrificing herself. A year later, Kat makes a return, much to Raven's shock, while Cai mysteriously escapes from police custody.

Anna is happy when her parents announce to her that they are having a baby. She sees this as her opportunity to show that she is grown-up and can take care of the family. But Ben's birth is overshadowed by the fact that he is born with Hydrocephalus. At first, Anna finds it extremely hard to cope with the new situation, but she really loves Ben and does her very best to take care of him. At school, she has problems explaining to people what is wrong with her brother because she thinks that they will not understand and she doesn't want their sympathy.

Soon after Ben "meets" Anna's school-mate, Miranda, for the first time, the word of him being disabled quickly spreads to the rest of Anna's classmates. Anna becomes angry, but then breaks down, and all her friends feel sympathetic toward her. After one of the popular girls, Debbie, comes to visit him, Anna realises that she should not be ashamed of Ben and that all her schoolmates love him too, especially Miranda. During the summer, due to Ben's disability, the family cannot afford to go on a holiday. To compensate the girls for their disappointment, Mr Peacock signs them up for some summer activities, and in the end they both go for tennis coaching.

During one of her coaching sessions, Anna meets Tony through Miranda, who became her good friend, and instantly becomes infatuated with him due to his looks. And throughout the whole summer, she is always looking out for him. Once school starts again with all the classes switched around, Anna finds she's in a literature class with Mrs Hamilton, who keeps up with the trend despite her age. Anna aspires to be like and admires her. After Miranda meets Ben, she adores him and frequently visits Ben. During one of her visits, Anna learns about Miranda's sad family background, and when Mrs Peacock later speaks about Miranda, Anna gets upset and calls her intolerant. Later when Miranda comes around on Saturday, Anna finds out Miranda has her sights on Tony too, and gets a little annoyed with her.

Then soon after, Anna is invited to the youth club and is reluctant to go at first, but after one trip she realises she enjoys it. Through the youth club she gets to know Jeff, whom she thought has invited her on a date at first, but the vicar at the youth club got the name wrong, and through this she realised she might not actually have real feelings for Tony. In the next chapter, it mainly centres around Katy's obsession with her birthday. When Mrs Peacock denies her a birthday party, Katy gets upset and Anna buts in, trying to resolve the situation by volunteering to plan the party herself. Katy is really grateful to Anna for helping her.

Later after the party, Mr and Mrs Peacock discuss about the difficulties with Ben and in order to be at home more, Mr Peacock promises to get a new job. Everything slowly falls into place for the family. Anna then decides to get a job but gets her chances sabotaged by Emma. Later when Anna is buying envelopes from Mrs Chapman, Mrs Chapman instead decides to hire Anna. Through this job, Anna meets all kind of people and learns what it is like to be a shopkeeper.

Then after Katy got a fever, she spreads it to Anna and Ben too. Due to his disability, even a small illness like this caused him to have difficulties breathing, and he passes away. Anna has trouble coping with the news and does not know how to respond until her dad comes home and they cry together. At first she doesn't confide in her schoolmates but after Debbie, in her straightforward manner, gets Anna to confide in her, she breaks down and after the lesson is over she feels better. After that, Katy gives Ben one of her most beloved toys and Anna feels closer to Katy after this.

The story progresses with how Anna copes with Ben's death when he was 2 and meets Jackie who turns out to be Tony's handicapped sister.

The book is set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and begins with a crime that at first seems straightforward, but quickly expands into a thicket of complications. On the way home from a night of drinking, three men—cafe manager Eric Cash, bartender Ike Marcus, and a friend of Marcus'—are accosted by two muggers. Marcus is shot and killed, in a manner echoing the real-life murder of Nicole duFresne. NYPD Detective Matty Clark winds up investigating the crime, and keeping an eye on Ike's distraught father Billy, whose behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Cash is initially arrested for the crime, but later released when the accounts of other witnesses back up his own; his own behavior is affected as he has difficulty coping with the memory of the incident and the stresses of the police interrogation. Interwoven with the main plot are vignettes of the Lower East Side and the waves of immigrants that have come through there and lived in its tenements over the years.

Two young women arrive in a nameless British small-town. Their names are not their own. They don’t declare their ages. Their relationship with each other is not clear. Are they sisters, as their assumed identities declare? Or are they mother and daughter? The eldest, Claire, takes a job in a pub. The youngest, Eleanor, goes to school. During a truth exercise in her drama class, Eleanor confesses that she has been alive for over two hundred yeas and has survived by drinking human blood. Her classmates think she is utterly crazy and Mint, her teacher, puts her in touch with the school counsellor. She makes one friend, Frank, a boy who has been home educated and is as much of an oddity as Eleanor. He tries to get to the bottom of her vampire delusion, thinking it an epic and compelling psychosis. Why would anyone want to be undead? Frank's parents believe that Ella is an anorexic - why does she never eat? Eleanor has started to write her life story as a play. She describes Claire’s background as a prostitute in 19th century London and her own as a child in a private orphanage. Meanwhile, things are falling apart. People are disappearing. Are Eleanor and Claire vampires? Or are they troubled young women on the run?

Sources

http://www.ntconnections.org.uk/?lid=3897

80.0.69.210 (talk) 21:02, 16 March 2008 (UTC)

20px '''Declined'''. This suggestion doesn't sufficiently explain the importance or significance of the subject. See the speedy deletion criteria (A7) and/or guidelines on notability. Please provide more information on why the subject is worthy of inclusion in an encyclopedia. Thank you. Someguy1221 (talk) 22:17, 16 March 2008 (UTC) |- | style="text-align:center;" | ''This is an archived discussion. '''Please do not modify it.''''' | }

"The Sad Fortunes of the Reverend Amos Barton"

The titular character is the new curate of the parish church of Shepperton, a village near Milby. A pious man, but "sadly unsuited to the practice of his profession", Barton attempts to ensure that his congregation remains firmly within the care of the Church of England. His stipend is inadequate, and he relies on the hard work of Milly, his wife, to help keep the family. Barton is new to the village and subscribes to unpopular religious ideas; not all of the congregation accept him, but he feels that it is especially important to imbue them with what he sees as orthodox Christian views.

Barton and Milly become acquainted with Countess Caroline Czerlaski. When the Countess' brother, with whom she lives, gets engaged to be married to her maid, she leaves home in protest. Barton and his wife accept the Countess into their home, much to the disapproval of the congregation, who assume her to be his mistress. The Countess becomes a burden on the already stretched family, accepting their hospitality and contributing little herself. With Milly pregnant and ill, the children's nurse convinces the Countess to leave.

Milly dies following the premature birth of her baby (who also dies) and Barton is plunged into sadness at the loss. Barton's parishioners, who were so unsympathetic to him as their minister, support him and his family in their grief: "There were men and women standing in that churchyard who had bandied vulgar jests about their pastor, and who had lightly charged him with sin, but now, when they saw him following the coffin, pale and haggard, he was consecrated anew by his great sorrow, and they looked at him with respectful pity". Just as Barton is beginning to come to terms with Milly's death, he gets more bad news: the vicar, Mr. Carpe, will be taking over at Shepperton church. Barton is given six-months notice to leave. He has no choice but to comply, but is disheartened, having at last won the sympathies of the parishioners. Barton believes that the request was unfair, knowing that the vicar's brother-in-law is in search of a new parish in which to work. However, he resigns himself to the move and at length obtains a living in a distant manufacturing town.

The story concludes twenty years later with Barton at his wife's grave with one of his daughters: Patty. In the intervening years much has changed for Barton; his children have grown up and gone their separate ways. His son Richard is particularly mentioned as having shown talent as an engineer. Patty remains with her father.

"Mr. Gilfil's Love Story"

The second work in ''Scenes of Clerical Life'' is entitled "Mr. Gilfil's Love-Story" and concerns the life of a clergyman named Maynard Gilfil. We are introduced to Mr Gilfil in his capacity as the vicar of Shepperton, 'thirty years ago' (presumably the late 1820s) but the central part of the story begins in June 1788 and concerns his youth, his experiences as chaplain at Cheverel Manor and his love for Caterina Sarti. Caterina, known to the family as 'Tina', is an Italian orphan and the ward of Sir Christopher and Lady Cheverel, who took her into their care following the death of her father. In 1788 she is companion to Lady Cheverel and a talented amateur singer.

, where Eliot's father was estate manager, and the model for Cheverel ManorEliot, p. xxiii

Gilfil's love for Tina is not reciprocated; she is infatuated with Captain Anthony Wybrow, nephew and heir of Sir Christopher Cheverel. Sir Christopher intends Wybrow to marry a Miss Beatrice Assher, the daughter of a former sweetheart of his, and that Tina will marry Gilfil. Wybrow, aware of and compliant to his uncle's intentions, nonetheless continues to flirt with Tina, causing her to fall deeply in love with him. This continues until Wybrow goes to Bath to press his suit to Miss Assher. He is then invited to the Asshers' home, and afterwards returns to Cheverel Manor, bringing with him Miss Assher and her mother. Wybrow dies unexpectedly. Gilfil, finding a knife on Tina, fears that she has killed him, but the cause of death is in fact a pre-existing heart complaint. Tina runs away, and Gilfil and Sir Christopher fear that she has committed suicide. However, a former employee of Sir Christopher and Lady Cheverel returns to the manor to inform them that Tina has taken refuge with him and his wife. Gilfil seeks her out, helps her recover and marries her. It is hoped that marriage and motherhood, combined with Gilfil's love for her, which she now reciprocates, will endue her with a new zest for life. However, she dies in childbirth soon afterwards, leaving the curate to live out the rest of his life alone and die a lonely man.

"Janet's Repentance"

''Janet's Repentance'' is the only story in ''Scenes of Clerical Life'' set in the town of Milby itself. Following the appointment of Reverend Mr Tryan to the chapel of ease at Paddiford Common, Milby is deeply divided by religious strife. One party, headed by the lawyer Robert Dempster, vigorously supports the old curate, Mr Crewe; the other is equally biased in favour of the newcomer. Edgar Tryan is an evangelical, and his opponents consider him to be no better than a dissenter. Opposition is based variously in doctrinal disagreement and on a suspicion of cant and hypocrisy on the part of Mr Tryan; in Dempster's wife, Janet, however, it stems from an affection for Mr Crewe and his wife, and the feeling that it is unkind to subject them to so much stress in their declining years. She supports her husband in a malicious campaign against Mr Tryan, despite the fact that Dempster is frequently drunkenly abusive to her, which drives her to drink in turn. One night her husband turns her out of the house; she takes refuge with a neighbour, and, remembering an encounter with Mr Tryan at the sickbed of one of his flock, where she was struck by an air of suffering and compassion about him, asks he might come to see her. He encourages her in her struggle against her dependence on alcohol and her religious conversion. Shortly afterwards Robert Dempster is thrown from his gig and seriously injured. Upon discovering what has happened, Janet, forgiving him, returns to her home and nurses him through the subsequent illness until he dies a few weeks later. Tryan continues to guide Janet toward redemption and self-sufficiency following the death of her husband. She, in turn, persuades him to move out of his inhospitable accommodation and into a house that she has inherited. It is hinted that a romantic relationship might subsequently develop between the two. His unselfish devotion to his needy parishioners has taken his toll on his health, however, and he succumbs to consumption and dies young.

Pierre (Habich) is a photojournalist from Montreal who's working on a reportage in Nicaragua. There he sees many people being executed and he takes photographs of them, even of the death of a young child and of his mother crying.

Back home in Montreal, his ten-year bisexual ménage à trois is over. Sarah (Tremblay) and David (Voita) have moved out, leaving Pierre wondering why. Pierre is haunted by his experiences and memories of war, and those of his relationship with Sarah and David. The memories in his mind are mostly shown in black and white movies with emotional background music. After some time stalking David and Sarah with his photo camera, he meets the young deaf-mute Quentin (Pichette). After a while, he's able to begin a new life with Quentin.

The show contained clips of different interesting events all around the world. The show was probably the first show of its kind on Nepal Television.

In 1942, both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union are gathering forces and supplies in one particular sector of the Eastern Front for a major attack. By night, the Soviets are secretly constructing a bridge across a river. To avoid detection, it is being built underwater, 500mm (20 inches) below the surface.

In an attempt to find out where the Germans plan to strike, Colonel Semenov (George Macready) has a small paratrooper unit dropped behind enemy lines to attack a divisional headquarters and hopefully take an officer prisoner for interrogation. The local partisans, led by the wily Kostyuk (Roman Bohnen), provide a guide, Lisa Elenko (Marguerite Chapman).

The attack succeeds at first. Alexei Kulkov (Paul Muni), one of the paratroopers, takes seven Germans prisoner in the basement. Then, just as Elenko brings him a message, German artillery hits the building, causing part of it to collapse. They are trapped in the spacious cellar.

Kulkov is in no hurry to dig out. Though the prisoners rank no higher than a sergeant, he is convinced one of them is an officer in disguise, based on a monogrammed pistol and a monocle he has found. He begins questioning the men one by one, but while he rules out ex-miner Stillman (Rudolph Anders) and a former magician (Philip Van Zandt), he cannot pinpoint his man.

Meanwhile, Kulkov's dog sniffs out where his master is buried and starts digging. This alerts one of Kulkov's comrades, who communicates with him by tapping on a metal pipe in code. Told that Kulkov has caught an officer, he leaves to get help.

An eighth German soldier, thought to be dead, wakes up and attacks. In the struggle, the lone lantern is extinguished and Elenko is stabbed in the shoulder. However, Kulkov kills the man and regains control of the situation. Oddly, Elenko is certain that one of the Germans tried to help her in the darkness.

Kulkov decides to try a ploy. He orders the magician to go around the corner of the main room out of sight of the others. He knocks the German out and then fires one round, making the rest think he has exacted revenge for the attack. He repeats the charade with the defiant sergeant (Ivan Triesault). The third man Kulkov picks admits he is Major Erich von Sturmer (Harro Meller). Stillman cannot hide his anger against the major for allowing two of his men to be "shot" before revealing his identity.

A cat and mouse game ensues, as Kulkov and von Sturmer try to extract from the other the enemy's plans. Finally, they make a deal; as each is confident of being rescued by his own side, he will reveal what he knows. Kulkov cleverly tells the truth, but in such a way that von Sturmer does not believe him. But then, during a heated exchange, Kulkov reveals the secret of the bridge.

When Elenko weakens, Kulkov has to guard the prisoners by himself without rest. She urges him to kill them immediately, but Kulkov refuses, hoping he can find out what he came for. Finally, he dozes off, but is awakened by a shout from Stillman, who joins the Russians. He is given a rifle (shown in the end to have no bullets) to stand guard, though Kulkov is careful to stay behind him.

Then, digging is heard. To Kulkov's dismay, he hears German voices. Von Sturmer taunts him, revealing the truth about the German attack and boasting about his earlier lie. When he rushes to the blocked entrance, Kulkov shoots him and prepares to kill everyone else. But to his delight, his dog is first through the opening in the rubble. The Germans digging were prisoners; the Soviets have launched their offensive and reached the building. Kulkov passes along the vital information he has obtained from von Sturmer to Colonel Semenov before falling asleep.

Judd Nelson plays a wealthy but unstable hermit, Jonathan Usher, who is convinced he will soon become insane much as his father did; his father actually did go insane and murdered Jonathan's mother.

He hires a private investigator (Vincent Spano) to look into his wife's possible motives for helping drive him insane. The wife, Jennifer O'Dell, is a sort of trophy wife; Jonathan is certain that she is out to both drive him insane and rob him of his fortune.

An electric storm raging in France as a result of the breakdown at one of the electric stations accidentally puts in contact George Lorris and Estelle Lacombe who meet each other via the téléphonoscope. George, a lieutenant of the French army in the corps of chemical engineers, is the only son of the great scientist and inventor Philox Lorris. Estelle belongs to a middle class family. George is planning to marry Estelle, a plan which encounters opposition from his father. The latter wants to marry George to either La Doctoresse Bardoz or La Senatrice Coupard, de la Sarthe, either of which is a woman of great accomplishments. George insists on his original intention, and when he and his bride embark on a pre-nuptial journey, Philox Lorris employs his colleague Sulfatin to break the relationship of the couple. Instead of the tour over the factories and scientific laboratories suggested by Philox Lorris and intended to fatigue the young pair, George takes Estelle and Sulfatin to a quiet village whose inhabitants resist modern technology and live in the traditions of the 19th century.

Sulfatin takes along on a journey his ward and patient, an invalid Adrien La Héronnière who is suffering from the exhaustion of the body due to an intensive mental work during his lifetime. Despite the instructions of Philox Lorris, Sulfatin does not meddle in the relationship of George and Estelle, apparently trying to make his boss disinherit George. This would make Sulfatin the sole successor of the great scientist. Philox Lorris seeing the failure of his plans, engages George in military maneuvers where George excels and advances in esteem of his bride even further. When George returns from his trip, more than ever convinced in the rightness of his decision to marry Estelle, his father becomes furious. Still, Philox Lorris believes he can alter the choice of his son.

Philox Lorris is working on his two novel scientific applications: a biological weapon and a vaccine that is meant to give boost to one's health. To promote these achievements and lobby them on a political level, he organizes a large party at his house to which he invites various dignitaries, including Arsène de Marettes, a prominent political figure. George is asked to collect the video-recordings of the greatest singers and performers of the past and play them for the audience. Unfortunately, as the party begins and the videos are played out, the sound quality turns out to be mediocre. The voices recorded on the tapes sound as if their owners caught a cold. This is due to Sulfatin's absent-mindedness: he took the tapes out to a chilly air last night. Due to this unforeseen circumstance, the video concert is going to be stopped in the middle. However, Estelle had taken the copies of the tapes for her personal enjoyment, and since the copies have not been affected by the cold air, she is able to replace the originals with them after which the concert continues with great success.

Meanwhile, Philox Lorris explains his inventions to politicians. Sulfatin who is assisting him with the demonstrations, confuses the health vaccine with the biological weapon and lets some of the latter escape into the room where the guests are gathered. Panic ensues; and many people including Philox Lorris and Sulfatin are poisoned. Luckily, the weapon is not lethal, and only incapacitates the affected. The house of Philox Lorris is transformed into a hospital where the guests (named the martyrs of the science in newspapers) occupy sick-beds. Philox Lorris and Sulfatin quarrel, but soon notice that Adrien La Héronnière recently cured by Sulfatin by the vaccine is immune to the poison.

Philox Lorris has an idea: he tries the vaccine on himself and in two days recovers completely. He repeats the application of the vaccine on the rest of the sick and achieves the desired effect. This makes a phenomenal advertisement of the vaccine which is immediately accepted as panacea on a national level. George marries Estella, and Philox Lorris has to save his face before La Doctoresse Bardoz and La Senatrice Coupard, de la Sarthe having previously offered the hand of George to both. He escapes the looming lawsuits by managing to marry La Senatrice Coupard, de la Sarthe to Sulfatin and La Doctoresse Bardoz to Adrien La Héronnière.

''The Ravenous'' introduces us to Eddie Spears, a teenager who is into video games and hanging out with his best friend, Jess Brown. Eddie has a problem: he can hear distant whispers and this causes severe headaches. When he discovers the true cause for his town's prosperity: a sacrificial pseudo-Druid cult, Eddie comes to realize he has a special gift—but can he use it in time to save his sister's life?

Category:2003 American novels Category:American horror novels Category:Novels set in Maine

A French Army colonel (a Pole whose name is never given) in late 1871 retires from military service. He is a veteran of "five military campaigns," which may be identified from the names of military commanders and politicians, and of the Battles of Solferino and Gravelotte, mentioned in the story, as likely having been: * the Polish November 1830 Uprising against Imperial Russia; * the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 against the Austrian Empire; * the Franco-Sardinian Campaign against the Austrian Empire (1859); * the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71); and * the Paris Commune (1871).

In the last, the Paris Commune campaign, the Colonel would have fought on the side of the Versailles forces, not the Communards (and thus against other Poles, including the Paris Commune's military chief, Jarosław Dąbrowski).

The Colonel has thus participated in campaigns against each of the three imperial powers—Russia, Austria and Prussia—that, acting in concert, had in the 18th century wiped his country, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from the political map of Europe. (Poland will be restored to independence only with those empires' collapse in World War I, in 1918—six years after Prus' death in 1912.)

On his retirement, the Colonel decides to return to his homeland, to Russian-occupied Poland. His departure is delayed by the arrival in Lyon of three of his Polish compatriots and comrades-in-arms from, apparently, the 1830–31 Uprising. But eventually all three die and at last the Colonel, having sold his house and garden, departs for Warsaw.

The Colonel is shocked by the changes that have taken place in his native land since his youth. He hardly recognizes the streets of Warsaw, now built up with unattractive tenements; he finds no common language with the people in his social circles, who are absorbed by material concerns and a superficial social life; the very natural landscape of his native country appears, to the Colonel, unrecognizably altered. Disillusioned by the contrast between the country that he had remembered from his youth and the country that meets his gaze, the Colonel contemplates returning to France.

Just as he is pondering whether to leave for France that day or the next day, the Colonel's mind is unexpectedly changed by a chance encounter with an impoverished shoemaker who wishes to show the Colonel to his little son, whom he wants in the future to emulate the military hero of Poland, Hungary and France. The Colonel finds himself at a loss for words; the two men barely exchange glances, but the brief encounter with this rough member of Polish society suffices to change the Colonel's mind. His old vision of his native land is restored, and he decides to stay in Warsaw after all.

Synopsis in brief: Three friends — Jānis, Zigis and Ričards — are mobilized into the Latvian Legion during World War II, where they fight against the Red Army in the Volkhov Marshes. Zigis is killed while attempting to desert to the Soviets. Twenty years later the two surviving friends meet again. Jānis has stayed in Soviet Latvia and accepted the new order, while Ričards arrives from abroad, having become an agent to the Western powers hostile to the Soviet system.

While produced during the Soviet period and being full of Soviet propaganda clichés, the film rather objectively describes the events surrounding the participation of Latvian Legion in battles against Soviets on the Leningrad Front during World War II.

''Somers Town'' follows several days in the lives of two teenage boys, Tomo and Marek, who develop a mutual trust and form an unlikely friendship. Marek, a Polish immigrant, lives with his father, who drinks too much. The film begins with Tomo running away to London from a lonely, difficult life in Nottingham. When Tomo arrives at his destination, he attempts to enjoy cans of Carling that he asked a stranger to purchase for him. His luck changes when three boys approach him and ask him questions. The gang robs Tomo of his bag, which contains all of his money and clothes. They also beat him up, leaving him severely bruised.

In a local café Tomo approaches Marek who has taken photographs of the beautiful French waitress. To tease Marek, Tomo runs away with Marek's photographs, but then gives them back, and they become friends. Marek explains that the woman in the photographs is his girlfriend, and her name is Maria. Since they have neither kissed nor done anything remotely sexual, Tomo thinks she is just a friend of Marek's.

Tomo then lives clandestinely at Marek's place. The latter is adamant that his father not discover Tomo's existence at the flat. When Tomo and Marek find a wheelchair left in the street as rubbish, they offer to take Maria home in it. They describe it as being her 'special taxi.' She enjoys the ride, and she kisses both boys upon arriving at her flat. Maria tells them she likes them equally. The next scene shows Marek outside the door of the toilet. He encourages Tomo to hurry up. Tomo is in the bathroom and cannot be hurried. Marek is worried that his father has only gone to the shops and will catch Tomo. Marek then catches a naked Tomo sitting on the edge of the bathtub masturbating while looking at a picture of Maria. Tomo, however, is not embarrassed and laughs at the interruption.

Tomo and Marek then pass by the café where they learn that Maria has gone home to France because one of her family members fell ill. The boys are upset that Maria did not inform them, and that they bought food for her that she will not be able to eat. Troubled, the boys become drunk on the wine that they bought for Maria and make a mess of Marek's flat. Marek's father catches the pair, throws Tomo out of the flat, and tells his son to clean up the mess. Marek then expresses to his father how lonely he is. A neighbour lets Tomo live with him, on the condition that Tomo perform whatever tasks he demands. Tomo and Marek come up with an idea to save up money to travel to France together.

A hand-held camera reveals the two boys travelling to France. They meet the waitress, who embraces them and is very affectionate towards them. The last shot of the film shows Marek and Tomo each giving the French waitress a kiss on the cheek, as she smiles. The trip to France is filmed in colour.

The book is set in the fictional town of Winthrop. The protagonist of the book is an unnamed African-American "nomenclature consultant" who has had recent success in branding and selling Apex bandages, which come in multiple colors to better match a broad array of skin tones. The novel begins with the main character being contacted by his former employer, which he had left after losing a toe. He travels to the town of Winthrop after requests from the town council, which has proposed that the town be renamed. However, three key citizens disagree what the name should be: Albie Winthrop, descendant of the town's namesake (who'd made his fortune in barbed wire); Regina Goode, the mayor (descendant of one of the town's two founders); and Lucky Aberdeen, a software magnate who's leading the drive to rename the town. Winthrop wants to keep the name; Goode wants the town to revert to the name it bore at its founding as a town of free blacks, Freedom; while Aberdeen wants to call it "New Prospera".

As the consultant talks with the residents of the town and investigates its history, the backstory of his injury is gradually revealed. After repeatedly stubbing his toe and covering it up with Apex bandages, the consultant accidentally stepped into pig feces during a company team retreat. Because of the colored bandage, he never discovered how his toe was badly infected, and fainted on the sidewalk after fleeing from an awards party. This led to the amputation of his toe, his departure from the nomenclature firm, and the beginning of his hermetic lifestyle.

After much deliberation, the consultant decides on the name "Struggle", the original idea of the other of the two original founders, Field. Following this, the consultant promptly returns home, where his foot injury continues to bother him even more than before.

The show was about the married couple Bernt and Vera Brantenberg. Bernt is a moody tram driver and his wife, Vera, owns a kiosk. They live in an old apartment on the east side of Oslo.

The show was based on the American sitcom ''The Honeymooners''.

Urban Tassing publishes men's magazines, while his sister Susanne is more serious. She is married to Stig Benny Tyllingseter, a priest in Frogner. Kurt Uglesett is a photographer and Urbans friend. The receptionist is the Russian import Marika. The plot is centered on the publishing house Hibischus and their two heirs.

Masklin the Nome and his companions flee their unsustainable motorway-verge home and discover an alien race of tiny Humans known as ''Nomes'' living in a department store scheduled for demolition. Things are complicated by the store Nomes' religion, which states ‘The Store’ consists of the entire universe, and denies the existence of the ‘outside’.

Masklin discovers from a mysterious object simply called 'The Thing' that all Nomes are descended from extraterrestrial explorers who crashed on Earth thousands of years ago. The Thing, actually a sentient computer from the original Nome starship, helps Masklin plan the escape from the doomed store. Through skill, courage and sheer good luck, Masklin and his friends manage to successfully evacuate the store Nomes before their home is destroyed.

Pam (Pam Ayres) and Gordon (Geoffrey Whitehead) are a long-married couple who run a small garden centre. Gordon is a creature of habit while Pam longs to break out of her humdrum routine. The humour revolves around her efforts to persuade him to try something new, or at least stop holding her back. For instance, for their annual holiday, Gordon is content to return to their caravan which has been parked for years in Swanage, while she tries to organize a trip to some exotic location overseas, or at least somewhere other than Swanage.

Other employees also appear including teenager Carol, the cashier, who is a modern girl and has an array of boyfriends, naïve deputy manager Dave who has an attraction to Carol, and bizarre elderly gardener Roy who occasionally has a good idea.

''First Lensman'' picks up more or less where ''Triplanetary'' left off. The story follows the doings of the "First Lensman" Virgil Samms. The Arisians know that he is incorruptible, a paragon of bravery and virtue, so they have chosen him to be the first entity to wear the "Lens of Civilization".

Samms has a dream. He wants to establish the Galactic Patrol to protect civilization from the forces of evil for which he needs to have a reliable (unfakeable) symbol to identify its members. He is guided by one of his trusted subordinates to Arisia, a previously unapproachable planet, where he is greeted by a benevolent and telepathic Arisian who presents him with a "Lens". The Lens is a device that can only be made by the Arisians and that can be worn only by the person that it is exclusively attuned to. It gives its wearer the ability to communicate telepathically with any being or animal with a mind, as well as other powers. The Lens underlies all the remaining stories in the series. Samms is charged with locating all "Lens worthy" individuals and directing them to Arisia to have their own Lens bestowed upon them.

Once he has a cadre of Lensmen available to defend civilization, Samms uses them to begin tracing leads to the major threats to civilization. Corrupt politicians, illegal drugs, and pirates attacking merchant ships in space. To fight the crooked politics all they can do for the moment is gather evidence and hold it until the campaign and elections. The leads to the pirates hit a blank wall and stall (for now). Combating the drug traffickers yields the most success. Breaking the drug smuggling turns out to be the key to getting a handle on all the other threats. As the Lensmen trace the trade in "thionite", a mind-altering drug, from the source to the end user, they find the different leads all coming together, and all leading straight to the corrupt political machine that was then running North America.

While following the leads, the Lensmen visit alien planets and encounter bizarre life forms (and attempt to recruit representative members of as many species as possible as Lensmen). They build a fleet uniting all the continental fleets of Tellus (Earth) into the “Grand Fleet of the Galactic Patrol”, and engage in a massive space battle in defense of their headquarters, “The Hill”. The upper levels of the Patrol are starting to realise that the beings that they have been calling pirates are actually members of another civilization, a civilization at least as big and as powerful as that of the Galactic Patrol. Having beaten off the pirate fleet attacking The Hill, it was time to cut off the head of the dragon by defeating the corrupt political machine in the next election.

The second half of the book tells of a North American presidential election fought by the officers of the Triplanetary Service (as 'Cosmocrats') to elect Roderick Kinnison North American President, and the crooked political machine (as 'Nationalist') to keep the corrupt incumbent in office. After a knock down, drag out fight between the two parties, another battle in space even bigger than the first, and the release of all the evidence of corruption gathered and held on to before, the Cosmocrats win the crucial election. The continuation of the Galactic Patrol and the safety of Civilization are secured.

The plot of the adaptation largely follows the first two Discworld novels, ''The Colour of Magic'' and ''The Light Fantastic''. The story follows the misadventures of Rincewind, a wizard who is expelled from Unseen University after spending 40 years failing to learn even the most basic magic. In fact, Rincewind's head holds one of the eight spells from the Octavo, the most powerful spellbook in the Discworld, and he has been unable to learn others because "they were afraid to be in the same head" as the Octavo spell. Rincewind is forced by the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork to act as a local guide for Twoflower, a property insurance salesman and the Discworld's first tourist, who is visiting Ankh-Morpork, and Twoflower's luggage, which is made from Sapient Pearwood and can run on its own legs.

After a misunderstanding over an insurance policy causes the owner of the inn where Twoflower and Rincewind are staying to commit arson, the pair flee the city. They proceed across the disc, encountering a variety of mythical creatures, most of which lead to near-death experiences for Rincewind. Fortunately for Rincewind, the Octavo spell in his head precludes him from actually dying, resulting in several comic encounters with Death. Meanwhile, a significant power struggle is occurring within the Unseen University. Narrator Brian Cox explains that "in the competitive world of wizardry, the way to the top is via dead men's pointy shoes... even if you have to empty them yourself". The power-hungry wizard Ymper Trymon (Tim Curry) plans to become Archchancellor. Trymon assassinates several faculty members but is thwarted by the incumbent Archchancellor, Galder Weatherwax, and his superior magical knowledge of the Octavo. Trymon knows there is no point in deposing the Archchancellor until he learns how to control the Octavo, which is growing increasingly restless as Rincewind (and the spell in his head) moves further away from Ankh-Morpork and into greater danger.

Rincewind and Twoflower are eventually washed rimwards to the kingdom of Krull, which lies on the very rim of the disc, where they are taken prisoner. The astronomers and "astrozoologists" of Krull have for many years attempted to determine the sex of Great A'Tuin, and are on the verge of launching a space vehicle to carry a pair of "chelonauts" on a new mission over the rim of the disc. Unaware of this, Rincewind and Twoflower take the place of the two chelonauts and 'escape' to the spacecraft, which they accidentally launch, catapulting them off the rim. The prospect of losing the eighth spell in this fashion prompts the Octavo to act, causing A'Tuin to perform a barrel roll to recapture Rincewind, landing the pair near the centre of the disc. Watching the Octavo's restlessness, the Archchancellor reveals his intention to use the Rite of AshkEnte to ask Death about the Octavo and also about a large red star that has recently appeared in the sky. Now knowing all he needs, Trymon throws Weatherwax from the Tower of Art and becomes Archchancellor in his place.

The red star grows steadily larger, and the worried people of Ankh-Morpork mob the Unseen University because the wizards appear unable to save the disc from it. Trymon learns from Death that all eight spells of the Octavo must be said together at the solstice to save the disc from destruction and that Great A'Tuin is flying towards the red star for a purpose that Death says is "nothing to do with me." Trymon dispatches a group of mercenaries, led by Herrena, to capture Rincewind and retrieve the eighth spell, along with a force of wizards. Meanwhile, Rincewind and Twoflower encounter Cohen the Barbarian (87 years old and retired), and Twoflower rescues Bethan, a human sacrifice in a druid ritual. A battle between the wizards and Rincewind leaves Twoflower in a coma; Rincewind rescues him from Death's door, and Cohen in turn rescues Rincewind and Twoflower from Herrena and the mercenaries.

The four take a ferry to Ankh-Morpork, where the populace is rioting because the star is now larger than the disc's own sun. Trymon assembles the senior wizards of the University, and orders them to unchain the Octavo. When they release the spellbook, Trymon steals it and locks the wizards in its chamber. Rincewind releases them and they follow Trymon to the top of the Tower of Art, afraid that he will attempt to say the spells and that they will destroy his mind (and the rest of the world). Trymon, however, says the first seven spells successfully and gains near-ultimate power, and turns the wizards to stone. Rincewind fights Trymon, who is eventually killed, returning the spells to the Octavo. Rincewind expunges the eighth spell from his head, completing the set, and reads the entire spellbook.

The red star is finally revealed as a world-turtle breeding ground: the Octavo spells prompt several eggs orbiting the star to hatch into juvenile discworlds, which follow Great A'Tuin as it returns to deep space. The narrator tidies up a few loose ends: the Octavo is eaten by the luggage, which Twoflower donates to Rincewind. Rincewind, now able to learn new spells with the departure of the 8th spell from his head, re-enrolls at Unseen University. Cohen and Bethan decide to get married (despite the 60 year age difference), with Cohen celebrating by commissioning some Din Chewers, made from troll's teeth (pure diamond). Twoflower presents them with a dozen gold coins as a wedding gift. Although Twoflower, who comes from the Counterweight Continent where gold is extremely common, considers this a small sum Rincewind comments that in Ankh-Morpork a dozen gold coins is enough to buy a small kingdom. Twoflower returns home on a ship and Rincewind returns to the Unseen University with the Luggage happily following.

Differences from original texts

Although the film generally remains true to the original novels, several scenes and characters were removed or merged with others to bring the script to a reasonable length. Noting that "there wasn't time for everything", the producers cut completely the scene in the Temple of Bel-Shamharoth and the associated plotline about the significance of the number eight; Director Vadim Jean defended the decision, saying "we could have gone there, but we went to the Wyrmberg instead. There [were] time constraints and we could have gone one way or the other, so we went the whole hog on just one." The scenes in the Wyrmberg were themselves shortened and simplified, reducing the character of Li!ort to a cameo and losing the characters of K!sdra, Greicha and Hrun completely.

The inter-wizard rivalry at Unseen University, by contrast, was expanded and spread out throughout the film, while in the novels the sequences are short and mainly found in ''The Light Fantastic''. This established Trymon as a more easily recognisable antagonist.

To avoid the necessity of explaining the deus ex machina in detail, the Octavo in the film simply causes A'Tuin to roll to recapture Rincewind, whereas in the novel, a complicated "change spell" returns him to the disc. The creatures from the Dungeon Dimensions which invade reality at the end of ''The Light Fantastic'', and Rincewind's fight in the Dungeon Dimensions themselves, are completely omitted, and Trymon is simply driven mad by reading the Octavo spells at the end of the film version. Galder Weatherwax is also killed by Trymon in the film version, whereas, in the books, he is killed by accidentally summoning the Luggage instead of Rincewind.

In the book, Rincewind never attempted suicide, whereas in the film version, he tries to take his own life by jumping into the river Ankh. His circumstances of spotting the Luggage are additionally different: in the book he spots it while sitting in the Broken Drum, while in the film he spots it while being carried up from the River Ankh on an empty pallet.

In the book, Twoflower was toothless and wore dentures. In the film, Twoflower's teeth were his own.

The boys receive a letter from Alfred Hitchcock requesting they visit a friend of his, Professor Yarborough, who has a mummy along with other artifacts in his house. The mummy has been whispering in a strange language, but only when Yarborough is alone in the room. They also receive a letter from a Mrs Banfry in Santa Monica, whose distinctive cat has gone missing.

They meet with the Professor and his butler, Wilkins, who is convinced the whispering is an ancient curse. They also approach Yarborough's neighbor, Professor Freeman, for help on the language. Jupiter gets the mummy to whisper to him while disguised as the professor. Pete tackles a boy hiding in the grounds of the house, and later befriends him. The boy is named Hamid and believes the mummy is one of his ancestors. Pete and Hamid hide in the mummy's case when thieves steal it and take it to a warehouse. They escape, but can't find their way back until they get a lead from placing a series of telephone calls to friends, who then call their friends and so on. Jupiter calls this a '''Ghost to Ghost Hookup.'''

The boys learn that the mummy and missing cat cases are connected, and when Jupiter happens upon the warehouse and the thieves, he must hide in the mummy case to avoid being caught. The case is taken to a familiar location and Bob and Pete quickly arrive on the scene and the villain is caught.

The game starts with the defeat of Orochi at the end of the first game, the new land consisting of the warriors from the Three Kingdoms Era of China and the Warring States period of Japan found peace. It was, however, not destined to last. Former officers under the Orochi army broke away and formed their own armies, while others not affiliated with Orochi began to create armies of their own as well. All the while, an evil plot is in motion behind the scenes, to revive the greatest evil the world has ever known: Orochi himself.

As in the first game, the game is told in several subplots that connect with each other. Each subplot is named after the three kingdoms from the Three Kingdoms era of China and one from the Warring States period of Japan. The game adds one more subplot titled "Orochi" which is actually a prequel of the first game told from the Orochi Army's perspective, showing his rise of power. Again, the characters are scattered to join different kingdoms due to the plot, though they are still placed in their original kingdoms in the character selection screen.

Shu story

In the Kingdom of Shu story, Liu Bei is concerned with the growing threat of his enemies fighting for power over the dimensional world after Orochi's defeat. He soon forms an alliance with several allies, such as Ieyasu Tokugawa, Yoshimoto Imagawa, and Sun Shang Xiang to defend Shu from collapsing. They are soon joined by a mysterious mystic named Taigong Wang. Trying to capture Da Ji (who has escaped after Orochi's death), he asks Shu for their assistance.

Wei story

In the Kingdom of Wei story, Cao Cao begins reforming his forces when he sees that the Orochi Army has started to grow in strength despite Orochi's death. He is joined by a mystic named Nu Wa who, despite her assistance to help Cao Cao, refuses to answer questions regarding anything related to Da Ji or the monkey king Sun Wukong, who recently leads an army of "circus". Regardless, both try to uncover the secrets behind Da Ji and Sun Wukong, who seem to be working for the same goal.

Wu story

In the Kingdom of Wu story, Wu has lived in peace following Orochi's death. The leader of the kingdom, Sun Jian does not build an army despite the other warlords such as Cao Cao forming their own. He does, however send several of his men as spies in anticipation of their attacks. One of his sent officers, Ranmaru Mori reports the sighting of a man named Yoshitsune Minamoto battling Lu Bu. After rescuing him, he requests Wu's help to find his nemesis Kiyomori Taira, who actually has a secret plan in progress.

Samurai story

In this story, after Orochi's defeat, Sakon Shima is on his way to visit Shingen Takeda when he sees the Yellow Turbans (led by Zhang Jiao) being attacked by Dong Zhuo. Realizing the threat caused by the hunger of warlords, he begins forming his forces by inviting the three daimyōs Shingen Takeda, Nobunaga Oda, and Kenshin Uesugi. He also meets a mystic named Fu Xi, who tells him that the Orochi Army is planning something.

Orochi story

This story is a prequel of the first game, showing how Da Ji frees Orochi from the mystic world and him twisting the Three Kingdoms era of China and the Warring States period of Japan to form a new dimensional world. Joined by Dong Zhuo, they begin their quest to defeat all warriors and make them their slaves. Meanwhile, a group of mystics led by Taigong Wang, Fu Xi, and Nu Wa, try to stop Orochi and imprison him again.

In 1944 London, Major Julien Howard (Nigel Patrick), a British MI6 intelligence agent, meets Captain Bill Ranson (Jeffrey Hunter), his new American security officer. As Howard was previously picked up by German Abwehr counter-intelligence, Ranson soon realizes that their assignment is to feed misinformation to the Germans about the location of the D-Day landings; they are to make it look like it will be in the occupied Netherlands. Howard tells him the rest of the unit must not know the truth.

One night, while on a date with Rolande Hertog, the unit's radio operator, Ranson becomes concerned and returns to the offices. He is shot at and wounds an intruder. He leaves the unconscious man with Hertog to search further but the man's accomplice gets away. Hertog kills the captive, claiming he tried to grab her gun. A romance quickly develops between Ranson and Hertog the same night. When Ranson gets back to the office, Howard criticises his actions; MI5 had tipped him off that the Germans were planning to search his offices, so he made it easy for them to get the planted misinformation, until Ranson intervened. Further, he suspects that Hertog is a German agent; Jan Guldt, their liaison with the Dutch underground, had been sent back to The Netherlands, only to be captured immediately. Ranson does not believe it.

Howard sends Piet van Wijt to The Netherlands, supposedly to evaluate the effects of a bombing raid, but actually to test Hertog. They do not hear from van Wijt again. Meanwhile, Howard receives news that the Germans are redeploying troops into the country.

Howard orders Ranson to keep seeing Hertog so she will not become suspicious but Ranson is an unconvincing actor. Now suspicious, Hertog goes to her sector commander, Hauptman Hans Faber, who is posing as a dentist. Faber is not fully convinced by her claim that it is all a fraud but needs to make sure. He arranges for the young son of Dr Mulder, Howard's psychological warfare expert, to be kidnapped. Mulder is forced to reveal the supposed invasion location to save his boy's life. However, he later confides to Hertog that he does not believe that the Netherlands is the place. The two men who were sent behind enemy lines were not given poisonous cyanide capsules to avoid capture. If they had, they could have taken them; then they could "count five and die". She tells Muller to go home, that she will alert Ranson. Instead, she tries once more to persuade Faber to change his mind but without success.

Howard and Ranson speak to Mulder and realise the situation. They manage to capture Faber and free Mulder's son although Martins gets away and Faber bites his cyanide capsule. Meanwhile, Ranson tracks down Hertog but not before she sends a radio message unmasking the deception. Ranson takes a big gamble, telling her that she did exactly what they wanted her to do and that it was all a "double bluff", then lets her grab a pistol and forces her to shoot him by advancing on her. She transmits a second message, then leaves, believing Ranson to be dead. He is still alive, however. Martins then shoots Hertog.

The epilogue states that on D-Day, "ten German divisions were not in the line. They were north in Holland, waiting for an invasion that never came."

A woman has a brief affair with the contractor (Richard Dean Anderson) who is renovating her apartment and he refuses to accept the end of their relationship.

Every day life for Jake is a struggle due to his mother's horrible and violent boyfriend, Steve. To escape his problems, Jake dreams of having his own tall tower where he can be peaceful and safe. In his pretend tower he daydreams of his father, who gave him a hug and a fluffy duck when he was born. Though certain he will never see him again, Jake believes that he might somehow get to meet him one day.

But when the struggle becomes too much for Jake and his mother, they run away from Steve to Jake's grandmother (his father's mother, Mrs. Judd). While Mrs. Judd had not believed that Jake was her grandson, upon meeting him she sees his resemblance to his father and accepts and protects him from the danger that he is in. However, Jake's mother insists on fighting for Jake's custody, resulting in a case conference between Jake's mother and his grandmother.

Meanwhile, Jake befriends Kieran, a boy from school, and they agree to go to and from school with each other. When Kieran is sick one day, Jake takes a shortcut, only to be apprehended by the one person he did not want to meet: Steve. Steve grabs Jake, but immediately releases him when Jake's teacher come out. However, when his teacher leaves, Steve starts to intimidate Jake again. Jake manages to escape to his grandmother's house, where Mrs. Judd manages to get rid of Steve when he follows Jake.

The following day Jake returns home from school while Mrs Judd and his mother are at his case conference. Suddenly the door opens - standing at the living room door is Jake's father.

It tells the story of Mamo and Dani. Mamo is from a very poor family where everyone has died except for him and his sister, Tiggist. Mamo goes with a man who claims to be his Uncle Merga but is in fact probably one of his deceased mother's lovers. Before Mamo can realize it, "Merga" takes Mamo far from the city and anything he's ever known and sells him to a farmer as a slave.

Dani comes from a rich and privileged family in Addis Ababa. His father, however, wants him to send him away to Jigjiga to make him learn something useful and toughen up. Dani's mother is sick and flew to London, England, to receive better medical care. Dani runs away to escape his father. At the same time, Mamo escapes from the farmer after attempting suicide caused by physical abuse and hitch-hikes back to Addis Ababa, and hides in a graveyard. There, he meets Dani who is also hiding. They form an unexpected alliance and together join a gang of beggar street boys. The members of this gang are using nicknames because they do not know their actual names, or have forgotten them. Their nicknames are Million (The ''Joviro'' or gangmaster), Shoes, Getachew, Buffalo and Karate. Karate has a bad sickness that usually makes him go into coughing fits. Later on in the book, Karate passes away from his sickness.

Shingo, an aging businessman, sees the marriage of his son Shuichi and his daughter-in-law Kikuko, who live in the same household, fall apart due to Shuichi's coldness and adulterous behaviour. Flattered by Kikuko's overt adoration for him, he tries to act as a cornerstone for her. His own daughter Fusako, who left her husband and moved back into her parents' home with her children, blames Shingo for her arranged and failed marriage and for his preference of Kikuko over her. Shingo accompanies Kikuko to a hospital visit, only to learn later that she aborted the child she expected from Shuichi. A secretary from Shingo's company helps him to find Kinu, Shuichi's mistress and an independent businesswoman, who tells him of his son's abusive behaviour. Kikuko finally decides to divorce her husband and, meeting Shingo in a park, tells her father-in-law that she wants to try to live a life on her own.

Kiyoko lives with her husband Shinji and Shinji's mother in the family's house, where the married couple runs a not-too-successful food store. Although their marriage is not happy, it is pragmatic, and both agree on the plan to open an additional coffee shop in the house, despite the mother's objections. Kiyoko asks her friend Sumiko's brother Kenkichi, a bank clerk, for a loan, which he approves. Shortly after, Shinji's older brother Zenichi loses his job. Together with his wife and mother, Zenichi puts pressure on Kiyoko and Shinji to give the money to him to start his own business. Although both Kiyoko and Shinji are against Zenichi's plan, they slowly retreat. Kiyoki feels humiliated when she is told that Shinji visited a hot spring with a friend and two geisha. At the same time, she and Kenkichi develop a mutual affection, which they never openly acknowledge. When Shinji learns that Kiyoko was seen with Kenkichi in public, he offers to let her go, but Kiyoko eventually stays with her husband, affirming that they should carry on with their project to open a café.

''The Cometeers''

Young Bob Star—the son of hero John Star and Aladoree Anthar, the Keeper of AKKA—lives in the Purple Hall on Phobos, feeling like a prisoner. Grim news arrives about a "comet" approaching the solar system, a green comet that moves about as if managed by intelligent beings. These presumed aliens are referred to as The Cometeers by the news media.

After the Cometeers penetrate the secret archives of The Green Hall and carry out the information that a man named Merrin is alive, the Council of The Green Hall decides to destroy the comet with the secret weapon AKKA. However, Jay Kalam, the commander of the Legion, seeks peaceful contact with the aliens first. The Green Hall rescinds its order to destroy the comet. Kalam draws up a plan to protect the Keeper, safeguard Merrin, and attempt contact with the Cometeers.

Merrin is actually Stephen Orco - Bob Star's acquaintance at the Legion Academy. Merrin is in fact a psychopath, but also an extremely brilliant, former Legionnaire who once subjected Bob Star to horrific torture with the help of the Iron Confessor device developed by the "Reds" of Old Earth. Kalam tells Bob that an entrepreneur, Edward Orco, found in space a life-support space capsule with a child inside who Orco adopted under the name Stephen. Stephen Orco, after being graduated from the Academy, was assigned to Callisto. There he created a vortex gun based on the plasma weapons of the Medusae, and raised a revolt against the Green Hall.

Aladoree Anthar's attempt to destroy the rebels with AKKA failed, as Stephen Orco has managed to duplicate the same weapon. However, the Legion was able to develop its vortex cannon and forced Orco to surrender. Orco bargained for his life, and wrung a concession that only Bob Star would henceforth have the right to kill him. Kalam gives Bob Star orders to make sure Orco does not escape the prison, implying that Star should execute him if necessary to fulfill that order. Star accepts the duty, but is uncertain he could kill Orco.

Kalam leaves Star on Neptune, where Orco is kept in a secret prison, and goes off on a mission of goodwill to the Cometeers. At the prison, Bob Star sees an image of a girl, who begs him with gestures to kill Orco. Suddenly the Cometeers attack the prison. Before Bob Star can bring himself to kill Orco, the Cometeers free the prisoner and murder all his jailers. Surviving legionnaires Giles Habibula and Hal Samdu, along with Bob Star, find the wrecked ship of Jay Kalam, which had been destroyed by a Cometeer spaceship not long after leaving Neptune. Then they locate and commandeer a rebel ship, the ''Halcyon Bird'' and fly away. But a lone Cometeer overtakes them and destroys the ship's engines.

The heroes land on a mysterious asteroid - the base of a brilliant scientist (but they also find traces of the Cometeers having preceded them). Jay Kalam finds an encrypted journal, which he endeavors to decipher. Bob Star once again sees the girl – this time the girl becomes real and joins him by using a kind of teleportation. She speaks a language unknown to the Legionnaires. She is desperate to tell them something, but all they understand is her name – Kay Nymidee.

The asteroid is drawn into the green comet. It is really no comet, but a vast structure filled with planetoids and an artificial sun. Giles Habibula, who was once a thief and an expert lock-breaker, finds a hidden cache of fuel and with it the four Legionnaires and Kay fly the ''Halcyon Bird'' to the main comet planetoid, where are captured by Cometeers.

They are thrown into a prison ship along with hundreds of other humans. Kalam suddenly recognizesthe language that Kay Nymidee speaks. She is a descendant of the Spanish crew of a research spaceship captured by Cometeers, centuries earlier. She knows that in the center of the main planetoid is a weapon that can destroy the incorporeal Cometeers. Bob Star is able to rouse the prisoners to revolt; they seize the prison ship and bring the Legionnaires and Kay to the central planetoid. After many challenges, they enter the locked chamber holding the weapon, where they find ... an empty box!

The ruler of the Cometeers arrives, along with Stephen Orco, who has been transformed into a Cometeer. They plan to kill the humans. Kalam stalls for time. He reveals to Steven Orco that Orco is an android, an artificial person, created on the mysterious asteroid by the exiled scientist Eldo Arruni. Realizing what a dangerous being he had created, Arruni placed Orco in a capsule and sent it into space. While Jay Kalam stalls, Giles Habibula is seeking to open a hidden compartment in the box. He does so, and inside he finds a mysterious weapon, which he passes to Bob Star. Star, now knowing that Orco is not human, overcomes his Iron Confessor conditioning and by means of the weapon destroys both Orco and all the Cometeers.

With the Cometeers vanquished, their alien slaves are no longer hostile to the humans. All captured humans are freed: Bob Star's parents are found safe and sound among them. With the death of Orco, AKKA is once more a force that can be used to protect humankind. The slaves of the Cometeers agree to take the comet beyond the Solar System. Bob Star introduces Kay to his mother, and names her his bride-to-be. Giles finds Hal Samdu and encourages him to come along to “see if we can’t find some proper human food and drink – “.

''One Against the Legion''

Captain Chan Derron of the Legion of Space is given charge of a particularly important task: overseeing the construction of a locked chamber on a remote island, where a famous scientist will field-test his latest invention. This device has such power and capability that the scientist – Dr. Max Eleroid – fears it himself, and wants to turn it over to the Legion as an adjunct weapon to AKKA, in the defense of humankind.

Once the chamber has been constructed, the work crew is shuttled away, leaving Derron behind as a sole guard. Eleroid and an assistant soon arrive with a heavy box. They enter the chamber, and close and lock the massive door. Alone on duty outside, Derron suddenly realizes his weapon is missing from its holster. Over his communicator he hears a cry for help from Dr. Eleroid: “Help! Thith man – he ith not – “.

Derron cannot open the door – it's locked from the inside. But when the Legion flagship lands, they find the door unlocked, and Dr. Eleroid dead on the floor, stabbed with the bayonet affixed to Derron's service weapon. The assistant, also dead, is there, but Eleroid's fearful device is missing. Derron is arrested, interrogated, imprisoned. He is branded a traitor and a liar. He survives for two years in prison. Then he escapes.

Two years later, Derron is still on the run, and the Legion faces a different crisis. Someone calling himself the Basilisk is kidnaping people – mostly wealthy people, successful gamblers at a famous orbiting casino. They are later found dead with a small clay figure of a snake, curled into a letter B, on or near them. No one understands how this is being accomplished. Many think the Basilisk is Chan Derron. Derron, who is angered because the Basilisk has been planting evidence implicating him, has made the capture of the Basilisk his life's work.

Jay Kalam, Commander of the Legion, agrees to meet with Gaspar Hannas, the casino's owner, along with Hal Samdu and Giles Habibula. Minutes after he agrees to this, he receives a message from the Basilisk, along with one of the clay figurines. The message states that the Basilisk will kidnap the highest winner at the casino every night henceforth.

At the casino, a lot is revealed about Giles's past, filling in background that was only hinted at in the previous Legion of Space novels. Besides being an able cook, an expert geodesic engine man, a legendary lock-picker, and an epicurean, he is a peerless pickpocket, a skill he uses to identify Chan Derron, who is at the casino under a false identity – Charles Derrel. The Basilisk makes good on his threat: despite the presence of Kalam, Samdu, Giles, and a number of Legion agents, an addicted gambler known as Abel Davian, that night's biggest winner, is snatched from the middle of a police guard and replaced with a ferocious, winged creature of a species no one can recognize.

After killing the monster, the Legionnaires realize that Davian is gone. Two other people are also missing: Charles Derrel, a.k.a. Chan Derron, and the extremely beautiful woman who accompanied him. (Derron had involuntarily become partnered with the strikingly beautiful woman, Vanya Eloyan, whom he suspects to be a wanted fugitive, a female android known as Luroa.) Jay Kalam orders Giles Habibula to use all of his marginally legal abilities to find and follow Derron; the Legion forces will in turn follow Giles.

Derron, having been separated from Vanya is delayed in getting away. He finally escapes from pursuit and gets back to his hidden spaceship, the Phantom Atom, which was docked in the vicinity. There he finds that Giles has preceded him (Giles had figured out where Derron's spaceship was from info he filched from Derron's pocket). Pretending to admire Derron, Giles convinces him to take him along. While Derron is involved with navigation, Giles sends a short message to Jay Kalam, and the Legion begins pursuit.

Meanwhile, the Legion has received terrible news: the Basilisk has whisked away the entire Green Council, all sixty members, along with a number of other important people, including the Keeper of AKKA. In all, ninety-nine persons are now stranded on a small, rocky island in the middle of an ocean on an inhospitable planet, eighty light-years from Earth. He announces his plan: to round off the number of hostages to one hundred, then let all of them die save one, whom the Basilisk will return to the Solar System to give testimony about the Basilisk's enormous power. Jay Kalam becomes the one-hundredth hostage.

There is a third person aboard the Phanton Atom: Vanya Eloyan. She is bent on killing Derron, whom she is convinced is the Basilisk. Giles discovers her and, after a confrontation, becomes convinced that she is not the dangerous android Luroa, but the person she says she is: Stella Eleroid, the daughter of the murdered Dr. Eleroid. She also knows the operating principles of her father's stolen invention (she calls it a geofractor), and it explains the Basilisk's ability to transport people and objects at will. Chan Derron bursts in on them, and disarms them. He then convinces them that, whether they believe it or not, he is innocent, and is trying to take down the Basilisk as well. Giles suddenly asks him about a ring he is wearing. Derron says he received it from his mother, who received it from her mother. Giles recognizes it as the ring he gave to the long-lost love of his life – Chan Derron is his grandson! The three form a tentative alliance.

Giles sends a message to the pursuing Legion fleet to back off, that Derron is innocent (they don’t believe him, suspecting he's being tortured). Giles tunes up the Phantom Atom's geodesic engines, allowing it to outpace the fleet. Their destination is an anomaly Derron had discovered, ten billion miles from the sun and above the plane of the Solar System – he suspects it is connected to the Basilisk.

When they reach the object, Stella Eleroid recognizes it as an immense copy of her father's invention - she is familiar with it, having worked as her father's assistant. The three board the immense, deserted structure, and Stella begins to accustom herself to the controls. They locate the hundred missing persons, but cannot remove them immediately: the rocky island, fast being flooded by the rising waters, is shielded from the geofractor's effects.

Chan Derron suspects that the Basilisk is among the hostages, and is somehow operating a second geofractor from that location. The Basilisk plans to be the sole survivor who returns. Derron volunteers to be dropped into the sea alongside the island, because he thinks he can identify the Basilisk. Remembering details from his trial, he suspects that the Basilisk had killed Max Eleroid's assistant and taken his place before Eleroid arrived at the location to test his device (Eleroid was extremely nearsighted and even with glasses would not notice the switch). Stella uses her father's invention to transport Derron. He reaches the remaining hostages, now crammed into the small remaining space, and contrives to test his hunch on Abel Davian, the winning gambler who had been one of the Basilisk's victims. Davian is proven to be the Basilisk. Derron smashes the small hand-held calculator Davian was using to remotely control a backup geofractor: almost immediately, hostages begin to disappear from the island, as Stella can now reach them.

Davian pours out his bitter motivation: restoration of his family to the glory they enjoyed under the old Empire, and revenge against the casino for ruining him through his gambling addiction. Soon only Chan Derron and the Basilisk are left on the island. A smaller twin of the massive geofractor – the backup geofractor - is falling through the atmosphere straight at them. Derron feels himself being transported back by Stella as the last person rescued from the island, leaving the Basilisk to meet his fate.

Wilson (Scoot McNairy), a 29-year-old man who has just endured the most miserable year of his life, newly arrived in the City of Angels, is alone and penniless as New Year's Eve approaches. He vows to lock his doors, pull his blinds, and climb into bed – until best friend Jacob (Brian McGuire) talks him into posting a Craigslist personal ad. In seemingly no time at all Vivian (Sara Simmonds) responds, determined to be with the "right" man at the stroke of midnight.

In the year of 189–, an international auction is organized to define the sovereign rights to the part of the Arctic extending from the 84th parallel, the highest yet reached by man, to the North Pole. Several countries send their official delegates, but the auction is won by a representative from an anonymous United States buyer.

After the auction closes, the mysterious buyer is revealed to be Barbicane and Co., a company founded by Impey Barbicane, J.T. Maston and Captain Nicholl — the same members of the Baltimore Gun Club who, twenty years earlier, had traveled around the Moon inside a large cannon shell. The brave gunmen-astronauts had come out of their retirement with an even more ambitious engineering project: using the recoil of a huge cannon to remove the tilt of the Earth's axis — so that it would become perpendicular to the planet's orbit, like Jupiter's.

That change would bring an end to seasons, as day and night would be always equal and each place would have the same climate all year round. The society's interest lay in another effect of the recoil: a displacement of the Earth's rotation axis, that would bring the lands around the North Pole, which they had secured in the auction, to latitude 67 north. Then the vast coal deposits that were conjectured to exist under the ice could be easily mined and sold. The technical feasibility of the plan had been confirmed by J. T. Maston's computations. The necessary capital had been provided by Ms. Evangelina Scorbitt, a wealthy widow and ardent admirer of Maston.

The cannon needed for that plan would be enormous, much larger than the huge ''Columbiad'' that had sent them to the Moon. Once the plan became public, the brilliant French engineer Alcide Pierdeux quickly computes the required force of the explosion. He then discovers that the recoil would buckle the Earth's crust; many countries (mostly in Asia) would be flooded, while others (including the United States) would gain new land.

Alcide's note sends the world into panic and rage, and authorities promptly rush to stop the project. However Barbicane and Nicholl had left America for destination unknown, to supervise the completion and firing of the monster gun. J. T. Maston is caught and jailed, but he is unwilling or unable to reveal the cannon's location. Frantic searches around the world fail to find it either.

The cannon in fact had been dug deep into the flanks of Mount Kilimanjaro, by a small army of workers provided by a local sultan who was an enthusiastic fan of the former Moon explorers. The projectile, a steel-braced chunk of rock weighing 180,000 tons, would exit the barrel at the fantastic speed of 2,800 kilometres per second — thanks to a new powerful explosive invented by Nicholl, which he had called "melimelonite".

The cannon is fired as planned, and the explosion causes huge damage in the immediate vicinity. However, the Earth's axis retains its tilt and position, and not the slightest tremor is felt in the rest of the world. Alcide, shortly before the cannon was fired, had discovered that J. T. Maston, while computing the size of the cannon, had made a calculation error; he had accidentally erased three zeros from the blackboard when he was struck by lightning during a telephone call from Ms. Scorbitt. Because of that single mistake, twelve zeros got omitted from the result. Because Maston's calculations were undoubtedly considered correct when they were discovered, this error was not discovered early enough. The cannon he designed was indeed far too small: a trillion of them would have had to be fired to achieve the intended effect.

Riduculed by the whole world and bearing the bitter resentment of his two associates, J. T. Maston goes back into retirement, vowing to never again make any mathematical calculations. Ms. Scorbitt finally declares her feelings to Maston, and he gladly surrenders to marriage. Alcide gains worldwide recognition by revealing the cause of the failure of the operation to the public.

The film tells the story of Zack (Syamsul Yusof) and Sham (Farid Kamil), twi close friends who share a passion for drift racing. Though the sport is popular with men, Zack's girlfriend (Fasha Sandha) took up the sport and became competitive in it. Zack is an elite racer who runs a workshop while Sham is more down to earth and always has problems with his racing car. Zack is unhappy with drug pushers selling on his racing patch, but Fasha (who is a former user) is friendly with some of them which leads to a confrontation between her and Zack. The pushers are sent to their boss Joe (Aaron Aziz), also a drift racer who uses race meets to sell his product.

A rift continues to grow between Zack and Fasha. Sham becomes a middleman between the two, but ends up also having feelings for her. Zack wins a challenge against Joe but falls out with Sham, despite the latter's numerous apologies and attempts to distance himself from Fasha. Zack and Fasha also confront each other but solve nothing, with Fasha conflicted over her dwindling feelings for Zack and her growing attraction to Sham.

Joe's gang is not happy with the result and murders one of Zack and Sham's friends/mechanics. Zack angrily walks into the club Joe uses as a front but is almost killed by the gang. He is saved by Sham (and another friend called Muz) but does not acknowledge or thank Sham. Muz convinces Zack that the police should be left to deal with Joe, before someone else dies. The police raid the club and arrest many gang members including Joe's henchman Karl, though Joe is not caught.

Sham meets Fasha to clear the air, stating that he is unwilling to lose his brotherly friendship with Zack, and that he wants Fasha to stop contacting him altogether. Zack arrives and totally misreads the situation, forcing Fasha to follow him home. Joe arrives in his racing car and attempts to ram Zack and Fasha. They are saved by Sham, who pushes them out of the way at the cost of great injuries. Zack chases Joe down, resulting in Joe crashing head on into a truck and his car flipping over.

Things finish with Sham in hospital, presumably in a coma. Zack is chastised by his team members and a sobbing Fasha, though he and Fasha sit by Sham's bedside.

''Galactic Patrol'' introduces '''Kimball Kinnison''', who will be the hero of the next three books - ''Gray Lensman'', ''Second Stage Lensmen'' and (to a lesser extent) ''Children of the Lens''. Kinnison and Clarissa MacDougall are the penultimates of the human breeding program the Arisians set up many eons earlier.

The book deals with the earliest stages of Kinnison's career, starting with his graduation as a Lensman from the Patrol's academy. Organized pirates, known as Boskonians, have gained a great advantage with a new type of space drive, making their ships far faster than anything the Patrol can build. That is, with the exception of one ship, the Britannia. New and experimental, built to be the fastest thing in space, she has abandoned the traditional ray armament of a space ship for an offensive weapon much older - explosive artillery, fired at an opponent held in place by unbreakable tractor beams. Her mission is to capture a Boskonian ship of the new type intact enough to get the secret of her speed (hence the artillery, which the scientists of the patrol think can damage another ship enough to disable it without destroying the information they require). The experimental nature of her weapon means that she would be useless to a man experienced only in using the standard weapons of the time, so she is given to the inexperienced Kinnison to command.

Kinnison is successful in capturing a ship, but must flee the converging pirate raiders. Much of the first third of the book is taken up with his efforts to evade his pursuers and return the priceless information to Tellus (Earth). In the process, Kinnison finds and frees a previously unknown, mentally enslaved race (the Velantians) from their masters (the Delgonian overlords), making valuable allies and adding a new member race to civilization. He also destroys several pirate ships, completely frustrates the main villain of the book "Helmuth speaking for Boskone" and deduces the location of one of the pirates' secret bases.

Kinnison successfully returns to Earth in a captured pirate ship and is promoted to the exalted rank of Unattached Lensman. Unattached Lensmen (commonly called "Gray Lensmen" because their uniform is made of plain gray leather) are endowed with virtually unlimited power and authority. He immediately sets out to infiltrate what he believes to be an important pirate base. Unfortunately, Kinnison is in over his head and the telepathically capable "Wheelmen" who man the base discover and almost kill him before he can escape. While in the hospital recovering, Kinnison is assigned the pretty, but tough, nurse Clarissa MacDougall. He behaves badly and is rude and condescending to her, blindly lashing out because he blames himself for his abject failure with the Wheelmen. Kinnison, once recovered, goes to Arisia to learn how better to use his Lens. Kinnison is the first Lensman to be accepted for further training by the Arisians, and leaves weeks later many times stronger and with numerous additional capabilities. He is now a Second Stage Lensman.

For practice, Kinnison tries out these capabilities by infiltrating a Patrol base and trying to control the mind of a base member from a distance. After he reveals himself to the base commander, he is asked to judge a murder case that the local authorities have been unable to solve. He then reads the minds of the two accused men, finds which one is guilty, and using his mental powers, executes the culprit.

Using the information that Kinnison brought back about the new space drive, the Galactic Patrol quickly rebuilds its ships and goes out pirate hunting again. The Boskonians are being beaten back with the new ships when suddenly all Boskonian ships disappear from space. When they appear again, they have also been rebuilt and are now equal to the best that Civilization has to offer. The bloody war goes on. Every time Boskone and Civilization meet, ships and men die but neither side can gain a decisive advantage.

Kinnison locates the headquarters of Helmuth who “speaks for Boskone” and, with the help of the Grand Fleet of the Galactic Patrol, destroys it and kills Helmuth.

Zack Conroy (Matt Lanter) and former lover Celeste Mercier (Sarah Gadon) lose the gold to rivals Jason Bright (Ben Hollingsworth) and Cindy Halyard (Stéphanie Valois) at the International Figure Skating Conference in Tokyo. Zack and Celeste resolve to win the gold at nationals, but Celeste falls in a practice and fractures her ankle. Coach Bryan Hemmings (Stefano Colacitti) initially encounters difficulty in his search for a replacement partner for Zack.

Enter Alexandra Delgado, alias Alex (Francia Raisa). Zack realizes her potential as a professional skater when he loses to her in an ice hockey match. Hemmings, however, is unimpressed and refuses to coach the pair. Jackie Dorsey (Christy Carlson Romano) reluctantly agrees to serve as coach instead. She leads Zack and Alex into a strong first performance in the nationals, but a lapse in Zack's concentration causes Alex to fall.

Despite the blunder, the two make it to the International Skating Conference in Paris. There, Jason and Cindy engage in subterfuge and display a photo of Zack and Celeste kissing. Alex, hurt and betrayed, storms out of the press conference. She attempts to leave the next morning, but is swayed when Zack pleads with her and professes his love. They go on to skate in the final competition and execute a move which has only been done once before: the Pamchenko. That move wins them the gold, and upon completion of their program they seal their love with a kiss.

Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Butters are being forced to watch the live political debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton when an emergency news bulletin interrupts to report that Britney Spears has been spotted in South Park peeing on a ladybug. The boys decide to find her in order to take a picture they can sell to the tabloids. They pass the security at the "Komfort Inn", where she is staying, by claiming to be her children. Britney is elated that her children have come to see her, but once she realizes the truth, she falls into deeper depression. Finally overwhelmed by the constant harassment and jokes, she attempts suicide by shooting herself in the head with a shotgun. In order to not get involved, Cartman and Butters quickly leave the scene, but unfortunately for Butters, it would later be revealed in the episode that he is mistaken for an actual squirrel (who thinks it's a "person") by an animal control officer and is taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Incredibly, though the top two-thirds of her head is missing, Spears survives. Guilt-ridden, Kyle and Stan visit her in the hospital to apologize, telling themselves that they should have left her alone, just like Butters said before. When one of the paparazzi breaks through the window, Spears' manager sneaks her and the boys out the back into his car but the paparazzi chase them. They escape to her recording studio, where she is made to record a comeback song, although Stan and Kyle insist that this will only make matters worse. She later performs at the MTV Video Music Awards, where the crowd nitpicks her "flaws", almost completely overlooking the fact that two-thirds of her skull are gone and she can only communicate by making gurgling sounds.

The boys decide they need to help Britney and devise a plan to take her to the North Pole by train to escape from it all. Kyle diverts the paparazzi and eventually confronts them for abusing her, pointing out that she is no longer in any condition to handle it and that she might die from it. To Kyle's horror, they explain that she "has to die". A narrator announces Stan's mission to take Britney to the North Pole. The train engineer notices Spears on his train and stops at a village site where the paparazzi, villagers, and Kyle are waiting. The villagers explain to the boys that ritual human sacrifice is needed for a good corn harvest; however, in modern, more civilized times, people prefer to drive their sacrifices to suicide rather than stoning them to death. The crowd overwhelms Spears and proceeds to somehow photograph her to death, leaving Stan and Kyle in shock.

Months later, South Park residents comment on the good corn harvest while at the supermarket. A newsflash appears on TV, informing the townspeople that Miley Cyrus (star of ''Hannah Montana'') is quickly becoming a major superstar. The townsfolk of South Park see her as their next target. Stan and Kyle reluctantly go along with them, having given up all hopes of reasoning with them.

The story starts with a group of young men attending school drills under the direction of Mr. Omura (Tatsuo Saitō). Shinji Okajima (Tokihiko Okada) is seen goofing off, misbehaving, and upsetting his teacher. Okajima is disciplined, the drills resume. and the boys eventually graduate and go into the working world. Okajima has grown up, has a family, and works as an insurance salesman. On the day of their annual bonuses, the men are all anxious. Okajima's son (Hideo Sugawara) has his heart set on a bicycle. After receiving his bonus, Okajima writes the list of presents he will buy for his family. A co-worker named Rou-Shain Yamada (Takeshi Sakamoto) is laid off because his last two clients died shortly after signing their policies. Upset for him, Okajima gathers the other workers to "protest at least once" to the boss, but the others back down, and one such worker (Isamu Yamaguchi) challenges Okajima to make the protest himself. Okajima takes the challenge. While in the office, the boss is offended at the subject, and the two begin a comedic fight. By the end of the fight, Okajima is fired and bows as he leaves. He returns home with a scooter for his son, who immediately is disappointed and throws a tantrum. His wife Tsuma Sugako (Emiko Yagumo) returns from the market and tries to calm the boy while Choujo tells her what happened.

Sugako scolds her husband saying he should not lie to children. He eventually shows her his discharge notice, and she tries to get her son to accept the scooter. Chounan refuses, and Okajima says quietly that they should buy him a bike, which by the next scene they apparently have. Still looking for employment, Okajima does his best to be pleasant. He sees his son playing with a group of boys and their bikes only to be told that Miyoko is sick with "childhood diarrhea". Upset, he takes his son and rushes home to find it is true. Sugako informs him the doctor wanted Miyoko to stay at the hospital, but due to money concerns, she waited. Okajima says he will make the money somehow and tells his son to summon a rickshaw to take them all to the hospital. At the hospital, Miyoko recovers apparently quickly, but they are forced to sell Sugako's kimono to pay the bill.

Still in need of work, a well-dressed Okajimo encounters Mr. Omura, his old teacher. Omura has quit teaching and now runs a restaurant called The Calorie Café that mainly serves curry rice. He offers Okajima a temporary job holding a banner and passing out flyers; the very job Douryou ended up with earlier in the film after he was fired. Okajima is disappointed as he feels it is beneath him; but takes it for his family. Sugako is distraught at the thought of her husband working such a degrading job, but decides to join them at the restaurant.

One day, Sugako, Tsuma, Mr. and Mrs Omura (Choko Iida) are cooking big plates of curry rice. Omura invites his schoolmates to the restaurant for a meeting. The class sits at the table and drinks happily. As they eat, a letter arrives from the Ministry of Education; it is a notification of a job for Okajima, teaching English in a small rural town at a girls school. After discussing the matter, Okajima and his wife return to the dining room, and the final student arrives "late as always". Everyone celebrates and breaks out into song.

''Dog Altogether'' is the story of Joseph (Peter Mullan), a man who is plagued by a violence and rage that is driving him to self-destruction. As he falls further into turmoil, Joseph scours the landscape in search of a single grain of redemption that might restore hope to his fractured life.

Taking place after Getter Robo Go and before Getter Ark, The series features an older Hayato, one of the original pilots of Getter Robo, who leads a new team of 3 youngsters who pilot a new machine: Getter Robo Hien. Together, they face an army of plant monsters led by evil Professor Jacov. Jacov seeks to eradicate all human life, because he believes plants are the rightful heirs to the Earth because getter rays influenced their evolution long before humans even existed.

Twelve Norwegian contestants drive a herd of cattle through Arizona's desert. The show tests cowboy knowledge and eliminates contestants along the drive. The winner receives a sum of money for cattle at a cattle auction in Willcox, Arizona.

Amoranda's father was primarily interested in "whoring and drinking" and her mother was a "Lady clandestinely." Her father's brother had made a fortune as a merchant and repurchased the family's estate, which he gave to Amoranda's father. When Amoranda's parents die, her uncle is made her guardian. Because he is engaged in his business, he sends an elderly man, Formatter, to be a mentor.

The years had given her much appeal and grace, and she was greatly desired "for ten Parishes round." Lord Lofty was chief among her admirers, and while he was waiting to visit her one morning, he found a letter on the ground, written by a woman and directed to Amoranda, warning her that Lofty "carries nothing but Ruin to our whole sex." He proceeded to put the letter in his pocket and did not mention it to Amoranda. Amoranda later realised that Lofty had stolen her letter, but she remained mute on the matter. The arrival of the letter's author, Altemira, disguised as a young man, causes his deeds to be revealed. Lord Lofty had promised to marry Altemira, or pay her ten thousand pounds. However, the night before they were to be married, he convinced her to sleep with him, and had a maid steal the contract he had written. Pitying her, Amoranda successfully schemes to make Lord Lofty marry Altemira to salvage her reputation.

Later, Amoranda's childhood friend, Arentia, with her friend Berintha, come to visit. They are suspicious of Formator, and Formator is suspicious of Berintha actually being a man. Nonetheless, Amoranda spends a good deal of time with them. After a few days, they desire to go on a boat trip down the river with her. Amoranda goes with them against Formator's advice, and Berintha reveals himself to be Biranthus, a man. Biranthus, aided by his barge-men, attempt to kidnap her, and he runs ashore with her and Arentia. Arentia gets bitten by an adder, or venomous snake, and dies. A man who names himself as Alanthus shows up on horseback, and Amoranda pleads for his help. After Biranthus attempts to shoot Alanthus with a pistol, one of Alanthus's men kills him with his sword. Meanwhile, barge-men friendly to Amoranda have retaken her boat and they return to her home.

Later, Amoranda's stables catch fire in the night and Formator hastily runs to her bedroom. In doing so, he forgets to put on his beard, and when Amoranda looks at him she sees Alanthus. He hands her a letter from her uncle stating that Alanthus, a marquis, is the man that he has chosen for her to marry if they like one another. Shortly thereafter, Lady Betty and Amoranda's uncle both show up and the couple are married that afternoon; a week later they all go to London.

A warm-hearted comedy about a compulsive soccer mom who masquerades as a famous Italian soccer star hired to coach her daughter's floundering soccer team, the Mar Vista Galaxy, then struggles frantically to keep her wacky charade going long enough to see the girls win their big tournament.

Sweeney Cassidy starts out as a freshman at University, where she meets the mysterious Angelica and falls in love with the strange and beautiful Oliver. She gets tangled up in sinister, supernatural events involving the awakening of an ancient, malevolent goddess.

According to the afterword for the short story "The Bacchae", found in the collection ''Last Summer At Mars Hill'', it is another trope on ancient Greek myth that prefigures ''Waking the Moon''. They both involve murderous cults of women. Elizabeth Hand has said that she wanted to show that ancient goddess cultures were not all as peaceful and idyllic as we tend to think.

Five years ago. Ray Koval (Clive Owen), an MI6 agent, meets Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts), a CIA officer, at a party in Dubai. He is unaware of her identity and attempts to seduce her. Claire drugs him and steals classified documents from him.

Three years later in Rome, Ray and Claire meet for the first time since Dubai and spend several days together at a posh hotel. They imagine leaving their government jobs for work in an intensely competitive area in the private sector. They contemplate using their skills in intelligence to enrich themselves. After exploring possibilities over several months, including companies vying for the market in double-crust pizza, they settle on cosmetics and personal hygiene. How they will turn their positions to their advantage is unclear even to them, but they will be ready when the opportunity presents itself.

Claire accepts a job in counter-intelligence at Burkett & Randle. After more than a year, Ray takes a position in intelligence at Equikrom, where he will act as the handler and Claire as one of his agents.

Aware that Ray's new employer will be spying on him to assess his loyalty, he and Claire first practice how they will pretend to be meeting in New York for the first time since Dubai, reprising much of the dialog of their actual encounter in Rome. They are unaware that Claire's employers at Burkett & Randle are spying on her and hear this rehearsal, which blows her cover. Burkett & Randle CEO Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) decides to keep Claire in her job, even though she is a mole, and to manipulate her in his rivalry with Equikrom.

Claire and Ray, working as mole and handler, reprise the dialog yet again and, as they anticipated, Ray's employer is listening in and is persuaded that Ray is loyal.

Throughout the weeks that follow, Claire and Ray remain wary of one another. Both are experienced in double-dealing and despite their romantic connection and plans to escape with new identities once this operation is complete, neither is entirely free of the other's suspicion.

Tully makes a speech to his intelligence team, including Claire, that paints his company as the innovator defending itself from duplicity and theft. He underscores how the unannounced new product makes vigilance even more urgent. He and others in his organization plant information that they know she and the intelligence team at Equikrom will steal as they try to understand what that "major development" might be.

Claire provides a copy of this speech to Equikrom CEO Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti), who plots to steal whatever Burkett & Randle has developed. His team, including Ray, devote themselves to stealing information from Burkett & Randle's offices, in the course of which Ray seduces one of their travel office employees and he and several others visit a casino in the Bahamas.

Thanks to information from Ray, Claire is able to appear a hero to her employers, catching Equikrom's spying activities after the fact or preventing them in some measure in the Bahamas. Tully at Burkett & Randle pretends to be impressed, thanks Claire for successfully defending the company's new product, and he reveals to her that it is a cure for baldness. She informs Garsik at Equikrom, who leaves for a shareholders meeting in Las Vegas expecting she will obtain the chemical formula and he will announce the new development to his shareholders before Burkett & Randle goes public with the information.

Excitement builds as the Equikrom team, using Claire as their principal source inside their rival's offices, succeed in acquiring a copy of the formula. Claire and Ray rendezvous at the Zürich Airport, each with a copy of the formula that they plan to sell to a Swiss company for $35 million. At the same time, Garsik tells his shareholders that they are in the final stages of testing for a product that cures baldness. The formula, the Swiss announce to Ray and Claire, is not what they think, just a harmless lotion. They in turn are disappointed, but impressed by how completely they were manipulated. They have only each other now, and a thank you bottle of champagne from Tully.

In 1972, John J. Armstrong, a physically large and powerful inventor from New York, becomes concerned by the failures of seventeen crewed and uncrewed rockets to reach the Moon. Professor Bob Mandle, a young scientist, dies mysteriously while discussing the rocket failures with Armstrong. Armstrong learns that the only remaining authorities of comparable stature are Professor Claire Mandle, the dead man's sister, and a Viennese scientist named Horowitz. Armstrong visits New Mexico, where the eighteenth Moon-rocket, to be piloted by George Quinn, is being built under the supervision of the obstructive Ambrose Fothergill. Armstrong also consults his friend Ed Drake, who worked on one of the earlier failed rockets, and Claire Mandle, to whom he feels an immediate attraction.

Armstrong hires Hansen, a private investigator, to research politicians and other opponents of rocketry. He has dinner with Claire Mandle, who tells him she is being followed; with Hansen's help, Armstrong learns she is being tailed by the FBI. Rocket scientist Clark Marshall is murdered in Armstrong's apartment by a sandy-haired man. Armstrong visits the Norman Club, to which many space travel opponents belong, where he is imprisoned and given two days to answer the question "''How do you know you're sane?''" He is then brought to meet Senator Lindle, the Norman Club director in New York and a leading opponent of rocketry. Armstrong tells Lindle that he does not know that he is sane. Lindle says that sanity can be proven and subjects him to a bizarre machine called a psychotron, which is operated by the scientist Horowitz. Lindle then tells Armstrong that the results show that he is sane. According to Lindle, all Earth humans except the Asian peoples are descended from insane Mercurians, Venusians and Martians exiled to Earth thousands of years earlier. Lindle claims that humans of European descent, including himself and Armstrong, are actually Martians, and that their loyalty should be to the people of Mars, whom they should help by preventing the spread of Earth's lunatics into the Solar System.

While Armstrong is telling Hansen about Lindle's claims, Hansen's office is invaded by the sandy-haired man and three others. They claim to be insane Martians who have been exiled to Earth and demand information on the nineteenth and twentieth Moon-rockets, of which Armstrong is unaware. Armstrong, Hansen and the police kill the four men, who were armed with torch-like devices that coagulate blood (the way Mandle and Marshall died). Armstrong kills two more "Martians" who try to kill him, and goes on the run after another of their devices sets fire to his apartment. He flies to New Mexico, where he becomes convinced that Fothergill knows about the other two rockets. In Washington, D.C., Armstrong enlists the aid of General Luther Gregory, who supports rocket development for military reasons. The world is on the brink of global war incited by the Norman Club to prevent travel to the Moon. Armstrong learns that Quinn, accused of Fothergill's murder, and Claire Mandle have both disappeared.

Armstrong kidnaps Senator Womersley, another Norman Club member. With Ed Drake's help, he interrogates Womersley using a device that forces him to tell the truth. Womersley reveals that Fothergill was killed on his orders and that Quinn is being held by Singleton, the leader of the Norman Club in Kansas City. The next two rockets are secretly being built at Yellowknife, Canada, and are nearly ready for test flights. Armstrong, Drake and Hansen go to Kansas City, where they find Lindle, Claire Mandle and Horowitz at Singleton's house. Drake, whose brother was killed when one of the sabotaged rockets exploded, forces Singleton to order that Quinn be brought to the house. A gun battle ensues in which Lindle, Singleton and Drake are killed. Claire had contacted the Norman Club to investigate Quinn's disappearance, and Horowitz, the Norman Club's mastermind, brought her to Kansas City.

Armstrong's party, now all wanted men, travel to Yellowknife, where Quinn and Armstrong commandeer the two rockets in the hope of defeating the Norman Club's purposes and averting world war by making a successful flight. Armstrong crashes in the Pacific Ocean, but Quinn lands safely on the Moon. The Norman Club, which was a fraud perpetrated by Horowitz and was not Martian in origin, is broken up, its purpose lost. General Gregory exonerates Quinn and Armstrong, who is reunited with Claire.

Mario Ilari, a young unemployed worker, is unjustly accused of killing a girl he knows of him. Once arrested, he manages to escape and hide in the house of his partner Gina, but ends up in prison again. The lawyer Roberto Marini agrees to take his defense after being contacted by Luisa, a friend of Gina, convinced that the trial will give him the opportunity to assert himself. The situation, however, is complicated by the fact that Calì, a homeless man, says he saw Ilari at the scene of the crime. Ilari confesses that he met Greta through a female friend, who should have facilitated his expatriation. When the lawyer Marini accuses Calì of perjury, he kills himself. The situation is resolved when the body of Greta is found, killed by the real culprit after being kidnapped. Ilari is freed and Marini and Luisa confess their mutual love.

Jamie (Erin Fisher) arrives in New York City, where she is supposed to meet her friend Samantha at a diner. After getting off the subway, she asks a man named Charlie (Cris Lankenau) for directions. Charlie escorts her to the diner, but Samantha never shows up and does not answer her phone when Jamie tries to call her. Charlie invites Jamie to his apartment, where they play music on his toy keyboard. The next day, the two go to visit Charlie's friend Adam and eat coleslaw. Then, they break into Samantha's apartment; she is not there. They decide to go to an art show by Jamie's friend Robin. They meet Robin and Charlie's acquaintance Kyle, who chastises Charlie for never socializing. Everyone then goes to Robin's place for an after-party. After spending some time talking to the other people there, Jamie and Charlie leave and take the subway back to his apartment.

In 1958, popular rock and roll star Conrad Birdie receives an Army draft notice, devastating his teenage fans nationwide. Despite his doctorate in biochemistry, unsuccessful songwriter Albert Peterson schemes with his secretary and long-suffering girlfriend Rosie DeLeon to have Conrad sing a song Albert will write. Rosie convinces Ed Sullivan to have Conrad perform Albert's song "One Last Kiss" on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' and then kiss a randomly chosen high school girl goodbye before joining the Army. After this succeeds, Albert will feel free to marry Rosie, despite his widowed, meddlesome mother Mae's long history of interfering with her son's life.

Columbus, Ohio, is chosen as the location for Conrad's farewell performance. The random lucky girl chosen, Kim MacAfee, is thrilled, unlike her high school sweetheart, Hugo Peabody. The teenagers of nearby Sweet Apple, blissfully unaware of their town's impending fame, are spending the "Telephone Hour" discussing the latest gossip: Kim and Hugo have just gotten pinned (a tradition where a boy gives a girl his fraternity pin, indicating a serious commitment to each other) and Kim feels grown up ("How Lovely to Be a Woman").

Upon Conrad's arrival, the teenaged girls sing their anthem, "We Love You Conrad", but the boys despise him for stealing their girls' attention ("We Hate You Conrad!"). Sweet Apple becomes very popular, but some local adults are unhappy with the sudden celebrity, especially after Conrad's song "Honestly Sincere" and his hip-thrusting moves cause every woman, including the mayor's wife, to faint.

Pressured by the town's notable citizens, Kim's father Harry declines to allow her to kiss Conrad on television, until Albert placates him by promising that his "whole family" will be on Sullivan's TV show ("Hymn for a Sunday Evening"). Albert reveals to Harry that he is actually a biochemist who has developed a miracle supplement for domestic animals that will make a hen lay three eggs a day; they test it on the family's pet tortoise, which speeds out the door. Harry, a fertilizer salesman, sees a great future for himself marketing this pill with Albert.

Hugo feels threatened by Conrad, but Kim reassures him that he is the "One Boy" for her. Rosie, meanwhile, feels unappreciated by Albert, who persuades her to "Put on a Happy Face". Albert's mother Mae shows up, distressed to find the pair together; Harry is also agitated about Conrad's monopoly of his house and Kim's behavioral changes. Both lament the problems with "Kids" today.

During rehearsal for the broadcast, an impatient Conrad kisses Kim (who swoons). Hugo is hurt and Kim and Hugo break up, with all three asserting that they have "A Lot of Livin' to Do". Informed the Russian Ballet has switched to a different dance requiring extra time, therefore eliminating Conrad's song and farewell kiss to Kim, Albert unsuccessfully attempts to convince the Ballet's manager to shorten its performance, and he dejectedly decides to drown his sorrows at Maude's Madcap Café.

Surprisingly, he finds Mae there, playing canasta with the café's owner Mr. Maude, also a widower. Rosie, fed up with Albert and his mother, also goes to the café for "a night to remember". After ordering three drinks (but only gulping down one), Rosie goes into another room where the Shriners convention is taking place. She starts dancing and flirting with the men ("Sultans' Ballet"), but when the scene becomes too wild, Albert rescues her from the crazed Shriners.

The next day, Rosie formulates how to get back Conrad's spot on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' that evening. She slips one of Albert's pills into the orchestra conductor's milk, which speeds up the ballet, amusing the audience, offending the Russians and placing Conrad back on the show to sing "One Last Kiss". However, just as Conrad is about to kiss Kim, Hugo runs onstage and punches him out on the live telecast, which shocks Albert and Rosie.

Kim and Hugo reunite. Albert is free to marry now ("Rosie") and his mother agrees, revealing her own marriage to Mr. Maude. All three couples live happily ever after. Kim, now wiser, bids Conrad a fond goodbye in "Bye Bye Birdie (Reprise)".

In 2183, shortly after the events of ''Mass Effect'', the SSV ''Normandy'', while patrolling for geth resistance, is attacked by an unknown vessel, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Shepard pushes Joker into the final escape pod before being blasted into space. After a suit breach, Shepard dies via asphyxiation as their body is pulled into the orbit of a nearby planet. The body is recovered by Cerberus, who begins the "Lazarus Project" with the sole purpose of bringing Shepard back to life. Two years later, Shepard is revived on an operating table and escapes a research station under attack by its own security mechs alongside Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson. Shepard is brought to meet the Illusive Man, who reveals that entire populations of human colonies have been disappearing all over the galaxy. Now working with Cerberus, Shepard is sent to investigate a recently attacked colony and encounters Tali and a contingent of quarians searching for their missing colleague. Clues uncovered by Shepard's team suggest that the Reapers are working by proxy through an insectoid alien race called the Collectors, who have abducted the colonists.

The Illusive Man explains that the Collectors reside beyond the Omega-4 Relay, a place from which no ship has ever returned, and tasks Shepard with assembling a team to stop them. Shepard is also given command of a new starship, the ''Normandy SR-2'', piloted once again by Joker and equipped with an onboard AI named EDI. Shepard recruits Mordin Solus, Garrus Vakarian, Jack, and (optionally) Grunt, before the Illusive Man informs them that another human colony is under attack. With the help of Mordin's studies on Collector biology, Shepard defends the colony, but is unable to stop a large portion of the population from being captured. Shepard can then recruit Tali'Zorah, Thane Krios, and Samara (who may be optionally replaced by Morinth), before being sent to explore a supposedly disabled Collector ship. There, Shepard learns that the Collectors were originally Protheans that were turned into slaves of the Reapers. With EDI's help, Shepard also finds out how to bypass the Omega-4 Relay before being ambushed by the Collectors. Although Shepard's squad escapes, their relationship with the Illusive Man is strained due to his prior knowledge of the trap.

Shepard visits a derelict Reaper and acquires an IFF necessary to safely travel through the Omega-4 Relay. Shepard also acquires a disabled geth that, if activated, joins the squad as Legion. While Shepard and the squad leave in a shuttle, the ''Normandy SR-2'' integrates the IFF into her systems. During their absence, the Collectors board the ''Normandy SR-2''. Only Joker avoids capture and, with EDI's help, extracts the ''Normandy SR-2'' to safety. When Shepard's squad returns, the team uses the Omega-4 Relay to reach the Collector base, located in the Galactic Center. The team rescues any surviving crew members and fights their way to the central chamber. Squad members will either survive or perish depending on the upgrades made to the ''Normandy SR-2'', their loyalty to Shepard, and the tasks they are assigned in battle.

In the central chamber, Shepard discovers that the Collectors have been constructing a new Human-Reaper made from the genetic material of the abducted colonists. Shepard destroys the machine powering it and prepares to destroy the Collector base. However, the Illusive Man proposes sterilizing the base instead with a timed radiation pulse so that the Collectors' technology can be used against the Reapers. After deciding the fate of the base, Shepard destroys the awakened Human-Reaper and escapes with the surviving squad members. If no squad members survive, Shepard fails to escape and dies. Back on the ''Normandy SR-2'', after speaking with the Illusive Man one last time, Shepard meets the survivors in the cargo bay. There, Joker gives them schematics of a Reaper. The final scene shows the Reapers awakening in dark space and descending upon the galaxy.

Leo is 12 years old, imaginative, sympathetic, but often lost in his large family, with his busy parents, older sister, two younger brothers, and large extended family. He has just tried out for the school play, a fantasy about an old man who accepts two lost children into his life and regains some of his childhood magic, and Leo is cast oddly as "the old crone". At the same time, Leo is learning more about his father after finding an old autobiography his father wrote at 13 and has had stashed in his attic along with some tap shoes. Part of the discovery is of the existence of a long-lost aunt. Leo's friend Ruby, who plays a donkey in the play, also reveals the death of her younger brother. Leo is trying to make sense of losses, life-changes, and regrets as the play and his life lead to mutual revelations.

Leo wonders about the mysteries of his life, not least of all, why his father is so sad and what happened to Rosaria, his sister, and why no one mentions her. Leo feels lost in the sea of people that are his family. He dreams of changing the world, or at least getting his family to notice him. Leo's family is very busy with their own problems, and hardly talk to him besides to tell him to do one chore or another. Near the beginning of the book Leo joins a play.

The story revolves around the high school student Akira Nikaido, a typical slacker living a normal life. That is, until he meets the mysterious Shirogane, a man who suddenly appears and tells him that they have a destiny together. When Akira hears this, he is shocked and doesn't believe a word of it. Suzuno Aya, a friend of Akira, forgets something in the school one night, and asks Akira and Kengo to help her and go find it. He agrees, and while there, he gets attacked by a shadow monster. Shirogane convinces him that the balance between the human world and the shadow world has been distorted and that Akira must become a "shin"- a creature of the shadow world- in order to help restore the balance. But if Akira stays as a "shin" he will become a shadow himself, and normal people will not see him any more. Shirogane wanted to be with him and lied that if he became his shadow he will be seen by other people again. Soon after a person called "master" told Akira that he did not need Shirogane to become his shadow because he has an object that, if he steps on it, would become his shadow, which made Akira angry at Shirogane. After, Akira notices that his friends Aya and Kengo could see Akira and Shirogane when they are "shin," so Akira decides that the two could join them and help Akira and Shirogane to get the balance back to normal.

Giuseppe (Raoul Bova) and Yousef (Giovanni Martorana) are two fishermen bound by a long friendship. Giuseppe, an Italian, and Yousef, an Arab, both work together on the same boat. Out at sea, the two share everything, even the same first name.

One day, Giuseppe hears a disturbing report on the ship's radio. The report is a warning about a suspected terrorist who happens to have the same name as Giuseppe's trusted partner: Yousef Ben Ali. Giuseppe suspects that he is being double-crossed by his once faithful friend.

A cat-and-mouse game ensues, as the two try to outwit each other aboard the ship, alone in the middle of the sea.

A Russian spy is found murdered in Japan, with the only clue to the reasons for his death being a memory chip he managed to hide from his murderer. The Third-I branch of the Public Security Intelligence Agency recruit Fujimaru Takagi, a brilliant hacker known as "Falcon", to decode the chip, which contains a video file documenting a viral outbreak in Russia where thousands are killed, known as the Christmas Massacre.

Things become further complicated when Fujimaru's father, a high-ranking official within Third-I, is falsely accused of murdering his superior when he receives further information related to the Christmas Massacre, and the code name "Bloody Monday".

The terrorist Maya Orihara, who was responsible for the incident in Russia, is now in Tokyo in order to recover the memory stick to stop Third-I from knowing the truth of a terrorist plot in Japan. She goes under cover as a teacher at Fujimaru Takagi's High School. From there it becomes difficult for Fujimaru to determine who he can trust as he uses his high-level hacking skills to try to save the country and unravel the mystery of Bloody Monday and the cult behind it.

Paul Blart lives in West Orange, New Jersey with his teenage daughter Maya and his mother. Aspiring to join the New Jersey State Police, he trains at the police academy, but his hypoglycemia causes him to collapse before finishing the exam. Blart works as a security guard at the West Orange Pavilion Mall.

Blart patrols the mall on a Segway and begins training Veck Simms, a new hire who shows little interest in the job. Meanwhile, Blart becomes acquainted with Amy Anderson, a vendor of a new kiosk. Paul meets her one evening at a restaurant with other mall employees. Things initially go well, but when Blart participates in a nacho-eating contest with his friend Leon, the jalapeño peppers are too spicy for him and he chugs two glasses of margarita, mistaking it for lemonade. He gets drunk and makes a wild exit by falling through a window.

Two days later on the night of Black Friday, an organized gang of thugs disguised as Santa's Village employees begin a heist inside the mall. They take Amy and others inside a bank hostage, and Simms is revealed as the gang’s leader. The crew force the majority of shoppers to exit the mall and place motion sensors at each entrance to detect any attempt to enter or exit the building.

Blart is oblivious as he plays ''Rock Band'' before walking back into the mall to discover that it is nearly empty. He calls the police and plans to leave the mall, but he realizes that Amy is still inside and returns to the mall to look for her. A SWAT team arrives with commander James Kent at the helm. Kent, a former classmate and bully from Blart's childhood, takes control of the police units and orders Blart to let them handle the situation. Blart refuses and attempts a rescue. Vastly outnumbered, he takes a stand against Simms' crew, improvising to take them down one by one. He discovers credit-card codes written in invisible ink on the burglars' arms, realizing that their plans go beyond robbing the bank.

Maya, unaware of what is happening, shows up at the mall to bring Blart some food, but Simms' henchmen seize her and add her to the hostages. Blart manages to subdue all of Simms' accomplices and attempts to rescue the hostages by pulling them up into the air vent. The plan fails when Leon does not fit. Simms enters the room, capturing Blart and forcing him to give up the credit card codes recorded on his cell phone. Simms flees, taking Amy and Maya with him. As the SWAT team raids the mall, Blart borrows a display minivan with Kent, pursuing Simms to the airport, where he is attempting to escape to the Cayman Islands.

After a brief scuffle, Blart overpowers Simms and puts him in handcuffs. Moments later, however, Kent pulls his gun on Blart, revealing that he was working with Simms. Kent demands the phone containing the codes from Blart, who refuses and destroys the phone. Before Kent can retaliate by shooting Blart, Chief Brooks of the mall security team arrives and shoots Kent in the arm. Kent and Simms are arrested, and Amy and Maya are returned safely. For his bravery and assistance, Howard offers Blart a job with the New Jersey State Police. Blart declines, preferring to remain in mall security. Blart and Amy are eventually married in the mall, where they exchange vows on a set of black and white Segways.

The expanded version of the story from the original ''Gothic II'', told by the addon, introduces a new world called Jharkendar. Situated in the northeast of Khorinis, Jharkendar is presented as an ancient, deserted city. The player helps the Water Mages, also present in ''Gothic'', but which were missing in ''Gothic II'', open a portal, found in an old temple in the land of Khorinis. The developers have also included several cut-scenes that add to the flavor of the game by referring back to events that take place in ''Gothic''. This provides a greater sense of continuity for players that have played both games.

After managing to open the portal to the ancient city of Jharkendar, the hero learns about the dangers threatening the island. With the help of the pirates (also a new guild introduced by the addon), the hero manages to defeat Raven (an old character from the first ''Gothic'', which also was not present in the second part of the franchise). Following the defeat of Raven, the hero recovers Beliar's Claw, an ancient artifact.

In the continuation of the story, the player is confronted with the same plot present in the original game.

In addition to this new area of the world, many seemingly meaningless locations (and characters) in the original Gothic II were modified and found a purpose in the expansion – namely, the ancient ruins in the northeast, the Stonehenge-like structures scattered throughout the countryside, and the bandit camp near the landowner's farm.

Jennifer (Alicia Silverstone) is a beautiful teenager who is hired to babysit the children of Harry Tucker (J. T. Walsh) and his wife, Dolly Tucker (Lee Garlington), while they attend a party hosted by their friends, Bill Holsten (George Segal) and his wife, Bernice Holsten (Lois Chiles). Harry often fantasizes about Jennifer, while Dolly misinterprets Bill's compliments as a sign of attraction and fantasizes about him. Meanwhile, Jennifer's ex-boyfriend Jack (Jeremy London), with whom she broke up when he started pressuring Jen for sex, runs into his estranged troublemaking friend Mark (Nicky Katt), Bill and Bernice's son, who once had a fling with Jennifer and still harbors feelings for her. Throughout the night, Harry, Jack and Mark have increasingly racy fantasies about Jennifer.

Jack calls Jennifer and asks to visit her at the Tuckers' residence, but she refuses. Mark later steals beer from Bill's party, where they run into Harry, who becomes fixated on the notion Jack might go to his house to have sex with Jennifer. Jack and Mark get increasingly drunk and show up uninvited to see Jennifer, but she refuses to let them in. They then spend the rest of the night stalking around the house and spying on her through the window. Meanwhile, Harry gets drunk and falls asleep in his car, where he has a nightmare of Jennifer and Jack having sex, which drives him to rush home and confront them. In his absence, Dolly makes a pass at Bill, who rejects her, but agrees to keep her secret and offers to drive her home.

At the Tuckers' residence, Jack and Mark force their way in while Jennifer is taking a bath and, after a tense argument, Mark knocks Jack unconscious and attempts to rape Jennifer, who runs out of the house. Mark pursues her and ends up being fatally run over by Harry, who is arrested for drunk driving just as Bill and Dolly arrive and hear about the accident. Before being escorted home, Jennifer confronts Jack, who is being questioned by the police, and asks him, "What were you thinking?" before leaving an ashamed and guilt-stricken Jack behind.

The story is set in suburban Melbourne, Australia. The protagonist, Lisa Trelaw, is a teenage girl who is overly concerned about her weight. Other characters include her brother, Nick, who frequently teases her; Lisa's hard working father and over-weight mother; and her best friend Penny.

The narrative follows Lisa through a series of life changing events. First, the 'Dog Squad' food van her parents bought and she worked in. Also, the cliff accident where a large rock fell, crushing two of Lisa's friends and narrowly missing her.

The story has an ambiguous climax when Lisa is offered a modelling contract. By this stage Lisa's attitude had gone full circle. She had started out obsessed with her weight, always binge eating and then starving herself. In the end she is confident, eating healthy, with no eating disorder.

The novel begins in the final days of Nazi Germany with Hitler sheltering in his bunker. Adolf Hitler officially commits suicide along with Eva Braun. However, after Eva kills herself, a pre-selected double takes Hitler's place and is disposed of along with Braun in the Chancellery yard for the Russians to find. The real Hitler escapes the bunker along with Colonel Günther Brumm, a German commando officer and together with a rag tag team, escape Berlin. It is also revealed that Hitler never in fact had Parkinson's disease, but was injecting himself with a substance to make his hand tremble and thus give others the appearance that he was a sick man. In reality, Hitler had kept himself in good physical condition and had been planning his escape after the war for nearly a year.

Joseph Stalin meanwhile has intuitively deduced that the psychological make-up of Hitler is not that of a man who would commit suicide. Hence he sets up a special team of five operatives with wide ranging powers to round up Hitler and bring him back for Stalin's personal revenge. The novel soon becomes both a thrilling chase and a ruthless game of cat and mouse. Hitler and his protectors make their way across Germany, a charred wasteland where Hitler's dreams of glory lie in ruins and ashes. After spending some time in a hide-out located within the Harz mountains, Hitler and his protectors set off for Italy (where they have been promised sanctuary) but the Russian team is in hot pursuit.

Along the way, Heywood provides an unforgettable historical snapshot of the aftermath of World War II. It is worth noting that many of the German survivors are depicted as admirable, while Red Army and (especially) United States Army personnel are shown to be either timid, short-sighted, or corrupt. In one particularly chilling sequence, US Army Major Rosemary Wilson, a rich older woman, stumbles upon Waller, the beautiful German girl who is carrying the plans for Hitler's escape. Instead of interrogating the girl or turning her over to the American MPs, Major Wilson insists on renting a room for Waller and taking her to dinner at a small, dimly lit restaurant nearby. Wholly intent upon a classic lesbian seduction, Rosemary Wilson proves no match for the highly disciplined German girl. She drinks far too much at dinner and falls into bed in a state of blissful anticipation, only to be found dead the next morning with an SS dagger buried in her breast.

The Russians ultimately catch Hitler and bring him back to Stalin in Moscow. Hitler is secretly imprisoned in a hanging cage in a sub-basement of the Kremlin which is too small for Hitler to either stand or lie fully. He is fed scraps through the metal bars of the cage and is not allowed toilet facilities. Over the years, Hitler changes to a filthy, senile beast who has his right leg amputated above the knee and his left leg amputated above the ankle as gangrene sets in. He is finally executed by Petrov when Stalin dies in 1953, after which the sub-basement in which Hitler was kept is walled off forever.

Marcus Yallow is a 17-year-old hacker/techno whiz from San Francisco. One day Marcus and his best friend Darryl play truant from school to play an Alternate Reality Game. A terrorist attack is perpetrated against the city, and the four are captured and detained under suspicion of terrorism.

After a series of interrogations that take place over a period of six days, Marcus, Jolu, and Vanessa are finally released; Darryl's whereabouts are unknown. The DHS tells Marcus that they will be monitoring his actions and moves because he is still a suspect. Marcus is "infuriated at how his civil rights [are] ignored."

In response to the increasing surveillance of the city and its citizens, Marcus creates Xnet, a private mesh network intended to allow people to communicate freely while fighting "the surveillance state." Through XNet, using his pseudonym 'Mik3y', Marcus encourages his peers to rebel against the DHS surveillance.

While introducing a group to Cryptography during a key signing party, Marcus meets Ange, and shortly thereafter they begin to date.

When a former prisoner who was held by the DHS tells Marcus that Darryl is still alive, Marcus tells a reporter and his family about his actions taken against the DHS. The journalist's story is then published and the DHS takes Marcus into custody again. On order from the governor, California highway patrol troopers raid the DHS compound during a waterboarding interrogation and arrest the DHS agents. Darryl is subsequently freed and Marcus, after his parents have to pay his bail to make sure he doesn't go to prison, finally returns to his life the way it was before the terrorist attacks.

Two young bachelors take separate skiing holidays at the same resort. Clive Morton and "Humpy" Miller have nothing whatsoever in common—except for one thing: both men fall for the hotel proprietor's daughter Mary. Clive (a debonair soldier and sportsman) gets quickly into his stride, whilst poor "Humpy" - a clumsy, incongruous fellow - looks on dumbly. However, "Humpy" has a secret weapon: Miss Cartwright, his former nanny, who arrives just as the pair are quarantined in the hotel attic after contracting chicken pox. Quickly realising Humpy's predicament, she skillfully arranges for the removal of the opposition, leaving the way clear for "Humpy".

The Farthest-Away Mountain is about a fourteen-year-old girl, who when she was small was asked what goals she has for her life. She responds that she will travel to the Farthest Away Mountain, meet and speak to a gargoyle, and marry a prince. One morning, she wakes up early having heard someone call to her in her dreams. She looks out the window and sees the Farthest-Away Mountain nod. She takes that as a sign that the time has come to complete the three goals,

The Farthest Away Mountain was a place of magic and the Mountain itself was alive. It called good people to come and live upon its slopes, and for many years everyone that called was very happy and lived in peace. But more than two centuries ago, a young man living in the village Dakin had come from, had been called to the Mountain. He was a teacher and among his pupils was the son of a wicked magician whom he hoped to help and keep away from evil. So he took the magician's son with him on his journey to the Mountain. This turned out to be a grave error, for the son was also very wicked and turned everything on the mountain to his own purpose, becoming the Master of the Mountain. He turned his teacher into a frog – Croak – and every person then living on the Mountain fled from before him.

It was not until years later that the Master discovered a ring that had great power and sent his four gnome slaves (Og, Vog, Zog and their fourth brother Gog) to steal it – the Ring of Kings. The gnomes were successful, but Gog stole the ring from his brothers and refused to return with it to the Mountain, so the master sent a spell down the mountain and turned him into a bronze statue. Then the Master turned the other three into gargoyles and forced them to bar the path up to the summit of the Mountain, to protect himself.

Dakin learned all of this and decided it was up to her to stop the Master – who during the night, spent time about the Mountain in the form of the Witch. She formed a plan based on what she had heard the giant on the Mountain speaking about, and went to see the Witch. She told the Witch that she herself had seen the Ring of Kings sparkling at the bottom of the Lithy pond and could get it for her. The Witch at first does not believe her, for the Lithy pond is believed to have no bottom, but Dakin convinces her. The Witch transports them both there and Dakin confuses her further by shoving her white cap in front of the Witch's eyes, then pushing her straight into the pond. This is what Dakin had overheard the giant saying. The good magic of the Lithy pond destroys the Master and the Mountain is freed.

All of the master's spells are now broken, and Dakin returns to find Gog and return the Ring to the royal family, now hoping to fulfill her third goal to marry a prince. She is appalled to find, however that the prince is rather unintelligent and dull, and decides not to marry him. She takes Gog back to the mountain to reunite him with his brothers and encounters Croak – now a handsome young man once more. They marry and become the Prince and Princess of the Mountain, completing her final goal.

Toni (Nardi) is the director of a staged rendition of ''Othello'' in Montreal. It is a pet project of his, financed by his mafia uncle. Unbeknownst to him, the audiences are also rounded up and paid by the same uncle. Some of them have seen every performance of this tragic play, and are understandably bored, so when the backstage romantic events of the actors result in absurd situations onstage, the audience is delighted. There are a huge number of romantic situations going on in this film at the same time. One of them involves Gaston (Lapointe), a somewhat world-weary jazz musician, and Florence (Marleau), a glamorous middle-aged woman who has been pining for him for years. Another involves two members of the musician's jazz trio. Yet another involves the play's Desdemona, Soledad (Laurier), the girlfriend of the man playing Othello, who can't keep his hands off his dresser. She is also Florence's niece.

An elite group of three young Ninja Commandos (Joe Tiger, an American descendant of the Kōga-ryū ninja whose weapons are shuriken, Ryu Eagle, the 23rd descendant of the famous ninja Fūma Kotarō (from the ''World Heroes'' series), who is using ninja magic fireballs in combat, and Rayar Dragon, the female ninja of the group, a British girl who has learned the ways of the Iga-ryū ninjutsu and whose weapon is a bow with flaming spirit arrows) from around the world must team-up to stop the villain Spider and his Mars Corporation from using a time machine to destroy the past and control the future. The three heroes chase after their enemy in seven time periods, including the Sengoku period in Japan (where Ryu avenges his ancestor by killing Oda Nobunaga), Ancient Egypt (fighting a floating recreation of Tutankhamen), the Stone Age, China in the era of Three Kingdoms (fighting against Lu Bu), and World War II.

The Great Depression is over. King of the con men Fargo Gondorff is released from prison and reassembles his cronies for another con, out to avenge the murder of his lifelong pal Kid Colors.

Gondorff's young protege Jake Hooker attempts to pull a scam on wealthy "Countess Veronique," who instead pulls one on him and turns out to be a grifter herself named Veronica.

Coming up with a boxing con, Gondorff's goal is to sting both Lonnegan, the notorious banker and gangster who wants revenge from a previous con, and Gus Macalinski, a wealthy local racketeer. One or both of them is behind Kid Colors' death.

Hooker pretends to be a boxer who is about to throw a big fight. Macalinski is not only hoodwinked into losing hundreds of thousands of dollars, he is talked into changing his original wager by Lonnegan. While one gangster takes care of the other, Gondorff and Hooker head for the train station with a bag full of money, tickets out of town and a final twist from Veronica.

In the beginning God created the world in seven days. Edoneh was born from the solitude of fortitude. As stated earlier god created the earth in seven days, but the great god gave it to Ian as a gift, Ian in turn gave birth to the five minor gods: Roha, Gale, Marea, Flox, and Silva.

Ian set his creations, known by scholars as "The Lesser/Lower Gods" down on the earth and each of these gods in turn created a race for this new world. Roha created the Humans, Gale created the Giants, Marea the Elves, Flox created Dökkálfar and Dark Elves, and Silva the Halflings. The Lesser Gods placed their creations on separate regions of Rohan, but Ohn felt this task was too important to be left in the hands of the Lesser Gods, so Ohn created Dragons to divide and patrol the regions.

Peace insured in this early time, but like in all things, everything good must come to an end. In the Human Kingdom, Claut Del Lagos (believed by many scholars to be the world's first Dhan) assassinates his older brother, Penkel Del Lagos (king at that time), and usurps power. Thirteen long years later, the late king's son, Selio Del Lagos, forms a rebellion and ends Claut's regimen. Claut and his followers flee to an island in the northern reaches of Rohan and settle there, and called themselves as Dhans.

The Elf Queen calls for a gathering of the races, but only the Humans and Halflings show up. The Giants and Dark Elves have formed a secret alliance in order to cleanse Rohan of the Humans and Elves. When the Humans, Halflings, and Elves counter this by allying themselves, the Giants extend their hands to the Half Elves. The Dhan and Dekan, having already lost many in their ten-year war remain neutral as this new war unfolds, but their land is now being threatened by monsters from all sides.

The story progresses and determined by the outcome of in-game events dubbed as Story Arc event. Successful events rewards players with experience or drop modifiers, depending on the GM.

''American Raspberry'' tells the story of what happens when some strange unknown sources takes over the air waves and replaces the normal programs with rude, crude, and politically incorrect programming and commercials. The president of the United States demands that something be done about the distasteful programming.

Memorable commercials and TV shows

Celebrity Sportsman Presents: The Charles Whitman Invitational; A parody of the famous shooting that took place in Austin, Texas on August 1, 1966. The Sexual Deviation Telethon; A telethon hosted by a transvestite. Peterson's Dog Food; A dog food commercial, with a ''Soylent Green'' twist. Die Tough Battery; A parody of Sears' DieHard batteries that power an execution. Manny's Nymphs; a direct parody of TV series ''Charlie's Angels''. Mamorax Cassette Tape; a commercial with Adolf Hitler's voice on tape with a very antisemitic ending. *Stay Down; a parody for a spray that will stop unwanted erections.

Karol Borowiecki, a Polish nobleman, is the managing engineer at the Bucholz textile factory. With the help of his friends Max Baum, a German who is the heir to an old handloom factory, and Moritz Welt, an independent Jewish businessman, they embark on setting up their own brand new textile plant.

Borowiecki's affair with Lucy Zucker, the wife of another textile magnate, gives him advance notice of a change in cotton tariffs and helps Welt to make a killing on the Hamburg futures market. However, more money has to be found so all three characters cast aside their pride to raise the necessary capital.

On the day of the factory opening, Borowiecki has to deny his affair with Zucker's wife to a jealous husband. But while Borowiecki accompanies Lucy on her exile to Berlin, there is a fire in the factory, which leaves Borowiecki bankrupt. The same night his father dies. Subsequently, Borowiecki decides to break up with Anka and marry Mada Mueller the daughter of a wealthy German industrialist.

"Dracula's Guest" follows an Englishman (whose name is never mentioned, but is presumed to be Jonathan Harker) on a visit to Munich before leaving for Transylvania. It is Walpurgis Night, and in spite of the hotelier's warning to not return late, the young man later leaves his carriage and wanders toward the direction of an abandoned "unholy" village. As the carriage departs with the frightened and superstitious driver, a tall and thin stranger scares the horses at the crest of a hill.

After a few hours, as he reaches a desolate valley, it begins to snow; as a dark storm gathers intensity, the Englishman takes shelter in a grove of cypress and yew trees. The Englishman's location is soon illuminated by moonlight to be a cemetery, and he finds himself before a marble tomb with a large iron stake driven through the roof, the inscription reads: "Countess Dolingen of Gratz / in Styria / sought and found death / 1801". The Englishman is disturbed to be in such a place on such a night and as the storm breaks anew, he is forced by pelting hail to shelter in the doorway of the tomb. As he does so, the bronze door of the tomb opens under his weight and a flash of forked lightning shows the interior, revealing a "beautiful woman with rounded cheeks and red lips, seemingly sleeping on a bier". The force of the following thunder peal throws the Englishman from the doorway (experienced as "being grasped as by the hand of a giant") as another lightning bolt strikes the iron spike, destroying the tomb and the now screaming woman inside.

The Englishman's troubles are not quite over, as he painfully regains his senses from the ordeal, he is repulsed by a feeling of loathing which he connects to a warm feeling in his chest and a licking at this throat. The Englishman summons courage to peek through his eyelashes and discovers a gigantic wolf with flaming eyes is attending him.

Military horsemen are the next to wake the semi-conscious man, chasing the wolf away with torches and guns. Some horsemen return to the main party and the Englishman after the chase, reporting that they had not found 'him' and that the Englishman's animal is "a wolf—and yet not a wolf". They also note that blood is on the ruined tomb, yet the Englishman's neck is unbloodied. "See comrades, the wolf has been lying on him and keeping his blood warm". Later, the Englishman finds his neck pained when a horseman comments on it.

When the Englishman is taken back to his hotel by the men, he is informed that it is none other than his expectant host Count Dracula that has alerted the Maître d'hôtel of "dangers from snow and wolves and night" in a telegram during the time the Englishman was away.

The novel narrates the story of Peruvian Army Captain Pantaleón Pantoja, whose superiors involve him, despite his reluctance, in a mission to satisfy the sex drives of soldiers stationed in the Peruvian department of Amazons. Pantoja is chosen to carry out the mission by virtue of being a model soldier, free from vices and without children of his own.

At first Pantaleón rejects the idea since it contradicts his principles, but nonetheless finds himself forced to carry it out. He decides to clean up the zone and military base since they are in terrible condition, and does not say anything to his wife Pochita, since his mission is top secret.

The services—which are designated by the term “benefits”—that Pantoja tries to provide are called ''Servicio de Visitadoras para Guarniciones, Puestos de Frontera y Afines'' (SVGPFA) (Audit Services for Garrisons and Border-Related Posts), and consist in supplying prostitutes (“visitadoras”) to the barracks in Iquitos, where they are supposed to sexually satisfy the enlisted soldiers first, and to then be made available to the officers, while being an entirely secret matter. Among these prostitutes is a very seductive woman, Olga Arellano (nicknamed “the Brazilian”), who becomes involved with Pantaleón, as the latter winds up being unfaithful to Pochita.

''Pantaleón is a man who is drowned by the solidity of his principles.''—Mario Vargas Llosa

After “the Brazilian” is assassinated by a group of furious locals, Pantaleón shows up at her funeral dressed in military uniform (thus going public with the nature of the audit services and revealing the secret which he was obliged to keep) in order to raise the morale of the prostitutes. Due to the SVGPFA receiving a series of internal and external complaints from the Army, Pantaleón is thus forced to shut down the service under pressure from his superiors. The ensuing complication leads him to believe that his military career has come to an end, but his superiors grant him a last chance and send him far away, to Lake Titicaca (Peruvian Andes), to take charge of a garrison located there.

A brash American actor, Robin Grange, goes to London to feature in a major new play. The playwright of the production, Felix Webb, is having an intense affair with the leading lady, Hilary Rule. His wife of fourteen years, Elena, suspects that her husband is cheating and cannot suppress her rage. Robin comes up with an intriguing plan; to seduce Felix's elegant wife to end hassling her husband. In desperation, Felix agrees, but soon faces a dilemma in that he feels increasingly jealous of Robin's attempts to seduce his willing wife, especially when he charms (and attempts to seduce) Hilary and the other members of the production and becomes too popular at Felix's expense. Felix is caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, prompting him to seek revenge on the opening night of his new production.

Sergeant Jack Wells, a tough country cop, discovers a bag of cash after a shoot out. He decides to keep the money so he and his wife Leanne can start a new life. However Leanne has a lover.

The King of Fighters is a tournament held in an alternate dimension. When contestants are issued challenges, they enter the tournament via a special Bluetooth headset.

Mai Shiranui and her boyfriend Iori Yagami attend a private unveiling of three relics at a museum in Boston: The Kagura Mirror, the Yagami Necklace and the Kusanagi Sword. Rugal Bernstein storms into the exhibit and steals the three relics, and uses them to disappear into a dimensional portal to awaken the mythical entity known as the Orochi, which grants limitless powers. The sword is revealed to be a fake and the quest is delayed. Mai is told by an injured Chizuru Kagura the real sword is with Saisyu Kusanagi at a mental institution. She is warned that Iori should not be involved in her quest to defeat Rugal. At the institution, Mai meets a catatonic Saisyu and his son Kyo but Iori's presence suddenly breaks Saisyu's catatonic state, and the elder Kusanagi threatens to kill Iori before losing consciousness and dying.

At another hospital, Chizuru is informed by her colleague Scott that Rugal has altered the King of Fighters database and issued challenges to fighters around the world. CIA agent Terry Bogard enters Chizuru's room, demanding information on Rugal's whereabouts and the tournament. She tells that different dimensions exist, but when he does not believe it, she tells him to go to Seattle and ask Mai, who is an undercover operative sent by the CIA to infiltrate Chizuru's organization a year ago.

At a cemetery in Seattle, where Saisyu is buried, Kyo and Iori confront each other. Iori explains that both Kusanagi and Yagami clans were destined to be enemies. Mai hitches a ride with Kyo to his home, where she explains that she is looking for the Kusanagi Sword. Kyo tells her that centuries ago, a Yagami ancestor attempted to release the Orochi, but it consumed him with murderous rage. Kyo's ancestor killed the Yagami and returned the Orochi into its world. Mai tells Kyo that Rugal is out to unleash the Orochi. Kyo wants to confront Rugal, who destroyed his father's mental state.

At a hotel, Mai and Kyo meet up with Iori and Terry. Rugal is using the tournament dimension to merge it with the real world. After Mai blows her cover in front of Kyo, Iori puts on his Bluetooth headset and enters the tournament dimension to confront Rugal. There, he defeats Rugal's servants, Mature and Vice, only to have his mind consumed by the Orochi.

The next day, Kyo is lured into the tournament dimension, where he first fights Rugal and loses, but is allowed to live as a warning. Kyo brings out his ancestral sword and joins Chizuru and Terry into the tournament after Mai is dragged in by Rugal. When the four meet up, they are separated into different dimensions, with Kyo fighting Rugal, and Mai and Terry facing Mature and Vice. Rugal is about to decapitate Kyo, when Iori appears and intervenes. Rugal reveals to Kyo that several years back, he battled Saisyu, Chizuru, and Iori over control of the Orochi. During that fight, Iori allowed the Orochi to take over his body, defeating Rugal, but also destroying Saisyu's mental state by bashing his head against a wooden barrier several times. This leads to a fight between Kyo and Iori until Kyo slashes Iori in the back, releasing the Orochi from his body.

Disappointed by the outcome of the fight, Rugal sends Kyo, Iori, and Mai into another dimension to face them with his full potential. Chizuru and her multiple clones appear, revealing that she has found the mirror and the necklace. The heroes fail in their first attempt to combine the relics and trap Rugal, with Chizuru mortally wounded. Mai takes her place as the mirror holder, but as she, Kyo and Iori corner Rugal, they are once again overcome by his powers. Rugal destroys Kyo's sword, but as he is about to finish him off with a fireball, Kyo magically generates a new sword to block it. He then throws the sword and destroys Rugal.

Back in the real world, Scott places a lantern on the ocean in memory of Chizuru. Kyo decides to keep the family tradition by continuing with the tournament. He reflects on his late father's teachings while Iori stares at him from the other side of the pier.

'''Time and place''': Vienna and environs, beginning of the 19th century

'''In short''': Lisi falls in love with Aloisius, but they have no future for the lack of money. Peperl lends them money to open an inn, but the jealous Plunderer schemes to the couple's business failure. Princess Marie visits the inn incognito and falls in love with Peperl, a musician. The Princess gets found out, but her patronage turns the inn's fortune. Sadly, forced by court protocol, the Princess has to marry Prince Victor. She makes the best of the situation by appointing Peperl as music teacher to her younger siblings and making him Hofkapellmeister (conductor of the court orchestra).

Act 1

'''Room at the Gaudenzdorfs'''

Dominik Gaunzendorf celebrates the 25th year in his occupation. He is anxious to see his daughter Lisi well married, preferably to the rich inn–keeper Plunderer. But Lisi is in love with the poor Aloisius Strampfl. Strampfl wants to buy the inn ''The Silver Pretzel'', but has no money. The music teacher Peperl Geschwandtner is a good friend of the couple, and he lends them the money for a deposit, hoping the enterprise might further his ambition to be appointed as Hofkapellmeister.

Plunderer arrives at the festivities and is arrogantly confident of obtaining Lisi in marriage. But Geschwandtner teases him about his prospects, and Lisi tells him outright she does not like him. His misery is complete when Strampfl, now an inn–keeper himself, gains Lisi as his bride.

The young couple see a rosy future, but Geschwandtner receives a message that his appointment will not be forthcoming.

Act 2

'''The inn ''The Silver Pretzel'''''

The young couple has no luck with ''The Silver Pretzel''; the competition across the road, Plunderer's inn ''The Golden Ox'', is too successful with its orchestra, so much so that Geschwandtner has to work as waiter in ''The Silver Pretzel''. But soon he manages through clever newspaper advertisements to lure increasing numbers of eligible young ladies and gentlemen into ''The Silver Pretzel''.

By chance, Princess Marie—tired of the rigid court life—appears incognito at ''The Silver Pretzel''. Geschwandtner takes her to be a domestic and falls in love with her. The Princess enjoys the situation enormously and secretly orders the orchestra from ''The Golden Ox'' to come and play. She and Geschwandtner join the throng of waltzing couples.

When the court carriage arrives to drive the Princess home, her incognito is lifted, much to Geschwandtner's surprise. As a consequence of the noble visit, the inn's reputation is greatly enhanced and future customer numbers are secured.

Act 3

'''Ante-room in the castle of Princess Marie near Vienna'''

It is the wedding day of Princess Marie; following court protocol, she is to marry Prince Victor Bogumil. She reflects with sadness how much happier a marriage to the plain but sincere Geschwandtner would be, but they both know that society conventions will not allow it. However, she contributes to his fortune by making him the music teacher of her younger siblings, and appointing him to the post of Hofkapellmeister. Geschwandtner should be blissfully happy, now that his life–long ambition as a musician has been fulfilled, but he remains of course sad.

The story picks up immediately where ''Gray Lensman'' left off as Kimball and Clarissa are heading off to get ready for their impending marriage. Mentor of Arisia stops them by commanding Kim to "think" before he acts, and Kim, of course, immediately realizes that the Boskonian organization was probably not destroyed when Jarnevon was cracked between two other planets and still poses a grave threat to Civilization. The wedding is put on hold as Kinnison and the other Lensmen set about coming up with a defense for the expected attack upon Earth. Since one of the themes of the series is that as soon as one side develops a particular weapon, the other soon figures out how to duplicate it; the Lensmen assume that Earth will be subjected to an attack using either a negasphere (negative energy that consumes anything it touches) or two high velocity planets, used like a nutcracker. Earth is attacked, and by the slimmest margin, the enemy fleet is defeated. As before in this series, the ultimate weapon featured in the previous book becomes the standard for the opening stages of this one, and newer, more powerful weaponry must be developed to deal with the new danger. In this case the weapon developed is the “Sunbeam”, where the entire output of the sun is converted to an energy beam and used to vaporize much of the Boskonian fleet when it shows up. By now everyone has "thought screens" (developed by the Velantians) rendering the ability of the Lensmen to read others' minds only useful when the opposition is captured or sloppy, so the Lensmen must find new ways to gather information.

Kinnison's investigations take him to the planet of Lyrane, ruled by a matriarchy of women who have advanced mental abilities, but apparently little or no art, literature, music, or other cultural assets. The Lyranian who meets Kinnison when he lands immediately tries to mentally kill him, as does every other Lyranian. Kinnison handles their mental attacks easily. They don't want to cooperate in handing over the "zwilnik" (the series' slang for a Boskonian drug dealer) he came for, but knowing they can't stop him from taking her, they let them go. After Kinnison's ship leaves, Lyrane comes under attack by two Boskonian ships and the matriarchs, who are helpless against thought screened pirates with advanced weapons, have to call Kinnison and the Patrol to come back and help them.

On the way back to Tellus (Earth) with the zwilnik, Kinnison decides that, in some way, Lyrane is connected with Boskone. He knows that no male, except a Lensman, could survive a minute in that man-hating culture, and even a Lensman would have to spend all his time protecting himself. Only a female could be effective, but there were no female Lensmen. Kinnison makes the decision, after consulting Mentor, that the best person for the job is Clarissa MacDougall. She flatly refuses to have any contact with Mentor, so it's up to Kinnison to give her the mental training needed to make her a Lensman. Mentor sees to it that her Lens is delivered, and as Civilization's first female Lensman, she goes to Lyrane to try to find its link, if any, to Boskone.

After sending Clarissa to Lyrane, Kinnison and Nadreck set about following a lead to the main Boskonian threat by tracing an enemy communications line leading into the second galaxy. The Galactic Patrol is by now ready to begin a full-scale invasion of the second galaxy, so Port Admiral Haynes mobilizes the Grand Fleet. With the patrol invading their home galaxy in overwhelming force, the Boskonians are too busy to worry about a communications line, so Kinnison and Nadreck trace it all the way back to the Thrallis system. Nadreck takes on the Boskonian headquarters on the frigid world of Onlo and sets about carefully fomenting discord by tampering with the minds of the various Onlonians he finds there. Kinnison infiltrates Thrale, inhabited by a near-human race that forms the core race around which Boskone's strength is built.

Kinnison infiltrates the Tyrant of Thrale's personal guards. Since advancement within Boskonia is based on deceit and assassination, and as a second stage Lensman is much better at anything needing intelligence than the average Boskonian, he soon rises to a position just under the Tyrant. Soon he finds a way to assassinate the Tyrant and take his place. only to find the real power is in the hands of Fossten, the Prime Minister. Kinnison must not give the mentally super-powerful prime-minister any reason to doubt that he is anything but a loyal member of Boskonia, so he does just what the former Tyrant was planning to do, he directs the construction of a massive fleet to attack the Patrol's foothold in the Second Galaxy: the massively fortified planet of Klovia.

He keeps the Patrol advised of the construction and the progress of the fleet via his Lens, so when Thrale launches its attack, they sail into a carefully planned trap. Since the Boskonian fleet that attacked Earth was completely destroyed by the Sunbeam, and no word of the weapon could be sent back to Boskonia, the Tyrant's fleet sailed directly into the path of the Sunbeam, and between Sunbeam and the Patrol Grand Fleet, it was totally destroyed. The ship Kinnison and Fossten were on wasn't destroyed because Kinnison disabled its drive and it dropped out of the fleet just before the battle was joined.

While the patrol was taking care of the Boskonian fleet, Kimball faces off against Fossten. A battle royal ensues, deadly to the crew members even though it was fought with mental weapons. The spent forces bouncing off the mental shields of the two combatants were enough to destroy the minds of all the crew members of the ship. Kinnison at last beats down Fossten's mental shield and what he sees before him is basically just a brain, looking enough like Mentor of Arisia to be his brother. Kinnison sends a lensed thought to Mentor and asks what an Arisian is doing leading Boskone? Mentor's explanation satisfies Kinnison so he never realizes that in actuality, he has just defeated and destroyed Gharlane of Eddore, the entity who, as Nero, Gray Roger, and many others, was responsible for most of the death and misery in Earth's history. Mentor has used his mental power to make Kinnison see what he thinks is an Arisian instead of Gharlane's actual form. The time has not yet come for any member of Civilization to see what the ultimate leaders of Boskone actually are.

Kimball Kinnison returns to Thrale with agents of the Patrol to begin the slow and painful process of bringing Thrale and the rest of Boskonia into Civilization. While Kinnison is taking over the warm-blooded, oxygen-breathing part of Boskonia, Nadreck is doing the same with the Onlonians, leaders of the frigid world dwellers of Boskonia. Nadreck isn't Kinnison and goes about it in a completely different way, but the results are the same and Onlo falls. Civilization and the Galactic Patrol are now in control of both the first and second galaxy.

The book ends with Kinnison being made Galactic Coordinator of the Second Galaxy and finally marrying Clarissa MacDougall.

The film tracks the sexual awakenings of three 15-year-old female friends in a middle class suburb of Paris over the course of a single summer. Finding privacy in the solitude of the swimming pool locker room, blossoming teens Marie, Anne and Floriane come to learn the true meaning of arousal and the power of sexual attraction.

After observing a school synchronised swim competition, Marie becomes interested in Floriane, the team captain of The Stade Francais Swimmers. Marie's best friend, Anne, is also on a synchronised swimming team. Anne develops a crush on François after he walks in on her changing in the pool locker room. Marie expresses an interest in joining the team in order to become closer to Floriane, whom the other girls regard as a "slut". Floriane and Marie make a deal; in return for helping her sneak out to meet François, Floriane will get Marie into the team meetings. As they spend more time together, Marie starts to see less of Anne.

Anne becomes resentful towards Marie for ignoring her. Marie tells Anne that she was just spending time at her cousin's. Anne accepts this explanation. Floriane confesses to Marie that she has not yet had sex, despite her reputation. Floriane tells Marie that the rest of the girls on the team make up rumours because they do not like her. In fact, Floriane does not have many female friends.

Floriane recounts instances of sexual harassment she has experienced at the hands of older men. When Floriane asks Marie if she has any similar stories to tell, Marie is quiet and Floriane tells her that she is lucky. After a swim practice, Marie feels affronted when she sees Floriane kissing François. Floriane tells Marie that she is afraid of what will happen if François discovers that she is a virgin.

Floriane and Marie spends the night at a nightclub, where Floriane attempts to find an older man in order to lose her virginity. Floriane then finds a man and kisses him in his car, but is interrupted by Marie. Floriane thanks Marie for the interruption, and later tells Marie that she wants Marie to be her "first", but Marie rejects Floriane. Later that day, Marie meets Anne at a shopping mall, where Anne shoplifts a necklace. When the two eat lunch at McDonald's, Marie tells Anne that she is repulsed by Anne and her immature behavior and leaves. Anne enters the male swimming pool locker room and gives François the necklace, which he then gives to Floriane. Floriane tells Marie that François wants to see her tonight when her parents are not at home. Marie accepts Floriane's request for her to be her "first", and uncomfortably fingers her in bed.

François and Anne later have sex at Anne's house but François avoids kissing her. The next day, Anne tells Marie that Floriane did not have sex with François, and admits to never have been kissed. Marie kisses Anne, and tells Anne that she likes somebody. Anne assumes that Marie has a heterosexual crush. At a swimming team party, François's attempts to have sex with Anne a second time but she spits in his mouth instead.

In the locker room, Marie and Floriane finally share a passionate kiss. Floriane indicates that she is going back to the party. Floriane tells Marie to 'save her' if the guy she talked to earlier at the party turns out to be 'an ass.' Marie and Anne jump into the pool fully clothed. They float on their backs in the pool together, while Floriane dances alone at the party, oblivious to the effect that her actions have had upon Marie and Anne.

The President has been kidnapped by a mad professor, who has left a ransom note telling of an evil dastardly plot to brainwash the leader into a warmongering maniac. Agent X must find the professor's lab, rescue the President and take him to safety, before picking up a bomb and destroying the professor.

April Kyle appears in Spenser's office after several years without any contact. She's been put in charge of a new upscale brothel by her mentor, the madame Patricia Utley. She says she's being harassed by someone who wants her to pay an extraordinary protection fee. Thugs appear and scare off her customers. Spenser and Hawk manage to fend off the thugs, but things are not as they seem as soon as Spenser starts asking questions. April begs him to stop investigating, but, Spenser being Spenser, can't stop until he unravels the mystery. What surfaces is a web of deceit, greed and the fragile psyche of April Kyle.

Setting and characters

''Persona 4'' takes place in the fictional, rural Japanese town of , which lies among floodplains and has its own high school and shopping districts. Unexplained murders have taken place in the small town, where bodies are found dangling from television antennas and their cause of death being unknown. At the same time, rumor has begun to spread that watching a switched-off television set on rainy midnights will reveal a person's soulmate. The game also follows the main characters into the TV World, a fog-shrouded realm filled with monsters called Shadows, which can only be accessed through TV sets.

The protagonist is a high school student, named Yu Narukami in later media, who has recently moved from the city to attend school at Inaba. At school, he quickly becomes friends with Yosuke Hanamura, the somewhat-clumsy son of the manager of the local Junes megastore; Chie Satonaka, an energetic girl with a strong interest in martial arts; and Yukiko Amagi, a calm and refined girl who helps out at her family's inn. A few days into the game, the protagonist, Yosuke, and Chie follow the "Midnight Channel" rumor, which leads them to discover the TV World and meet Teddie, a friendly creature that appears as a hollow bear costume. Using Personas, the students form an Investigation Team to investigate the connection between the TV world and the murders, and possibly capture the culprit. As the game progresses, the group gains new members, including: Kanji Tatsumi, a male delinquent who has a talent for feminine hobbies; Rise Kujikawa, a former teen idol trying to find her identity who moves to Inaba as a transfer student; and Naoto Shirogane, a young female detective investigating the case with the local police who wears masculine clothing and presents herself as male due to fear of rejection.

Story

On April 11, 2011, Yu Narukami arrives in Inaba to live with the Dojimas, consisting of his uncle Ryotaro and his cousin Nanako, for one year, as his parents are working abroad. Just after his arrival, a TV announcer is found dead, her body hanging from an antenna; Saki Konishi, the high school student who had discovered the body, is later found dead herself, hung upside-down from a telephone pole. After Yu and his friends accidentally enter the TV world, they encounter Teddie, who helps them travel freely between the TV and real worlds. They awaken their Persona abilities, realizing that the murders stem from attacks by Shadows, beings native to the TV world created from repressed emotions, and are able to rescue several would-be victims. Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, Rise, and Teddie one by one come to accept the parts of their psyches they rejected, which manifest as giant Shadows in the TV world, allowing them to wield Personas whilst each joins the group in turn. Mitsuo Kubo, a student from another high school who disappears following the death of Kinshiro Morooka, Yu's foul-mouthed homeroom teacher, claims credit for the murders; it is eventually learned that Kubo only killed Morooka and played no part in the other murders, having murdered Morooka simply to gain credit for the other murders. Naoto Shirogane, a nationally renowned "Detective Prince" investigating the case, is also rescued and gains a Persona, and joins the group who learn that "he" is actually a girl who assumed a male identity to avoid the police's sexism.

Events come to a head when Ryotaro Dojima mistakenly accuses Yu of being involved in the murders after seeing Yu reading a threatening letter from the killer. Nanako is kidnapped during Yu's interrogation, leading Ryotaro to engage in a vehicular pursuit with the culprit. The chase ends as they both crash; the kidnapper escapes with Nanako through a television set in his truck, and the gravely-injured Ryotaro entrusts her rescue to the group. The group tracks them down within the TV world; the culprit, Taro Namatame, becomes Kunino-Sagiri which attacks them but is defeated, and both he and Nanako are taken to the Inaba hospital. During Nanako's stay at the hospital, the fog persists in the real world beyond the deadline, causing increasing panic among Inaba's inhabitants. When Nanako appears to die, the group furiously confronts Namatame, and a pseudo-Shadow Namatame appears on the Midnight Channel to goad the devastated and emotionally vulnerable group into throwing him in; as Yu, the player must help the others realize that Namatame is not the killer by pointing out the lack of a proper motive. Deciding to throw Namatame into the TV results in Nanako remaining dead, while sparing him will result in her being miraculously revived. Failure to deduce the real killer's identity results in the mystery going unsolved. Killing Namatame or failing to solve the mystery results in the recurring fog permanently setting in, which will eventually lead to humanity's demise.

Upon being questioned by the Investigation Team, Namatame explains that his kidnappings were an attempt to protect those who appeared on the Midnight Channel from the killer, not realizing that the TV world was dangerous and that trapping them within was how the murder victims were killed; he also denies sending Yu any letters. Upon looking over all of the evidence they have gathered, the Investigation Team determines that the real killer, and the writer of the threat letters, is none other than Ryotaro's assistant, Tohru Adachi.

Having identified the culprit as Adachi, the party chases and locates him within the TV world. Adachi explains that his actions were out of both boredom and the belief that humanity is better off believing what it wants, revealing that he tricked Namatame into throwing people into the TV world and observed the Investigation Teams subsequent rescues for his own amusement, and that he additionally threw Mitsuo into the TV world himself in order to ensure the "game" did not end prematurely; his claims are dismissed by the party as the rantings of a madman. After fighting Adachi, he is controlled by Ameno-sagiri, who reveals that the fog is harmful to people and will eventually cause humanity to fall into a permanent state of ignorance and transform into Shadows. Upon his defeat, he agrees to lift the fog, congratulating the party on their resolve. Defeated, the wounded Adachi agrees to assume responsibility for his actions and turns himself in. The game moves forward to the day before Yu must travel home. If the player returns to the Dojima residence, the game ends with the party sending Yu off as he departs Inaba. Alternatively, should the player be able to identify the unexplained cause of the Midnight Channel and attempt to resolve this plot element, Yu meets with the party, and together they decide to end the case for good.

Yu confronts the gas station attendant encountered at the start of the game, who reveals herself to be Izanami, the "conductor" behind the game's events. The cause of the recurring fog is established as an attempt to create a world of illusion by merging the TV world with the human world, all for the "sake" of humanity. The group tracks Izanami down within the TV world and battle her, but is at first unable to win; the defeated Yu is given strength by the bonds he has forged with those around him, and with this power awakens a new Persona—Izanagi-no-Okami—which he uses to defeat Izanami. In doing so, the fog in each world is lifted, and the TV world is restored to its original form. The party sends Yu off the following day, and the game concludes with a post-credits scene depicting the group resolving to remain friends forever, as Yu examines a group photo of himself and the rest of the Team.

''Persona 4 Golden''

''Persona 4 Golden'' adds two new Social Links to the game; Adachi and Marie, a mysterious girl who becomes an assistant in the Velvet Room and wishes to uncover her lost memories. If the player advances Adachi's Social Link to a certain level, they are given the choice to withhold his identity as the killer from the rest of the Investigation Team, thus leaving the mystery unsolved. On Yu's final day in Inaba, he may choose to visit Adachi and destroy a crucial piece of evidence related to the case. Adachi then blackmails Yu, threatening to have him arrested for destroying evidence if he does not answer his calls. The game's ending then plays out the same, after the credits, Yu passes by Adachi at a level crossing. He clutches his phone in his hand as a smirk forms on Adachi's face.

After the Investigation Team defeats Ameno-sagiri, Marie disappears from the Velvet Room, and Margaret promises to find her for Yu. The Investigation Team decide to take a skiing trip together, during which time they stumble upon a cabin with a TV inside. The TV turns out to be a portal to the Hollow Forest, where Marie has fled to. With the Hollow Forest on the verge of collapsing, the Investigation Team rushes to save her; if they fail to do so, Marie disappears from their memories. They find Marie, who reveals that she is Kusumi-no-Okami, created to act as a spy for Ameno-sagiri in order to learn what humanity wished for; with Ameno-sagiri defeated, the fog has now been absorbed into her body. Marie's plan is to kill herself so that the fog will not spread over the world again, but the Investigation Team refuses to allow her to die, defeating her and freeing her from the fog's control.

After defeating Izanami-no-Okami, Marie reveals that she is actually Izanami-no-Mikoto, who originally wished to both protect humanity and grant its wishes, but as people changed and stopped wishing for truth, her wishes splintered into her and Izanami-no-Okami. With Kunino-sagiri, Ameno-sagiri, and Izanami-no-Okami fused with her, she becomes whole again and disappears from the Velvet Room. Should the true ending play out, the game will skip to late August, five months after the last scene of the true ending and two months after the events of ''Persona 4 Arena Ultimax'', where Yu returns to Inaba for the summer. Upon exiting the train station, he discovers that Namatame is running for mayor in order to atone for his previous actions. Yu eventually meets up with his friends, who have all changed since the last time they all met, and heads to the Dojima household, where a surprise party was set up earlier by Dojima.

While eating, Yu learns about the recent changes in the neighborhood, is informed that Adachi has become a model prisoner, and sees Marie on the news as the popular new weather girl. Depending on the player's choices, she may also declare her love for Yu while the main group watches on, much to their disbelief. Nanako will then whisper something into everyone's ear before they all welcome Yu "home". As the rest of the Investigation Team starts to criticize Kanji for saying something different than everyone else, Yu responds by smiling brightly, and a new post-credits scene shows another group picture of Yu and his friends including Marie all smiling together.

The series takes place in a bleak world ruled by mega-corporations and corrupt politicians that prey on the weak and poor members of society. In this world, all manners of outrageous habits exists: Slaughterbowl (a hyper violent sport comparable to football) and government controlled euthanasia centers are among them.

The series begins with the city in an uproar due to the new law passed by corrupt city ruler, Boss Angel. He has just made being a mutant in Big City illegal and has ordered the "Mutant Clearance Act" by banning mutants on Earth, capturing them and shipping them off to work on off-world work colonies. He claims the decision was decided by ORCOM, the living organic computer that makes all of Big City's decisions.

Kaine Salinger, the rich daughter of slain Public Defender Salinger and herself a mutant (in secret), recruits a resistance group of mutants and misfits to discover the truth behind the Clearance Act. Her team is composed of cyborg ex-Slaughterbowl Superstar B.D Rickenbacker, the cursed to be immortal Yancy Queeg and blue-skinned Dag Skinnard AKA Shock, a mutant with powers of electricity who is out to avenge the death of his girlfriend by Big City enforcers.

Kaine's mutant power is eventually revealed: anything she touches ages and dies. She is shown to touch a flower and it wilts and dies instantly. In order to live, Kaine must occasionally suck the lifeforce out of living beings. Her victims do so willingly, in exchange for money. Since they are poor and the Big City streets are tough, they sell their lifeforce to her. Kaine's dedicated robo-servant, Joseph, recruits her victims for her and maintains the Outcast headquarters.

On various raids and excursions, the team discovers and obtains proof of the horrible truth; all male mutants taken off-world are killed and their remains destroyed. The women are kept alive for breeding purposes because mutant children produce a certain enzyme in their heads that has healing properties and can prolong life, keeping them young and vital. Big City's rich and corrupt desperately want to be inoculated with this serum, named Immortalis, so they joined with Boss Angel and outlawed mutantism.

Boss Angel learns the identity of B.D. Rickenbacker during one of their raids and hires the psychotic mutants The Satan Brothers to find him. They start at B.D.'s last known address and torture his father for information, ultimately killing him.

The Outcasts watch the news and it is reported that they have been killing off all of Big City's corrupt City Council Officials one by one. It is reported that at each murder scene, the killer writes the word "OUTCASTS" in its victim's blood. The actual Outcasts have not taken part in any of these murders and wonder who could have done it in their name. During the same broadcast, B.D. learns about his father's death and abandons the team abruptly to investigate, followed by Yancy and Shock.

Kaine decides to storm the popular weekly live television broadcast "Fozzy's Fabulous Freakshow" and reveal the truth to the world on live TV. She does this alone, since the rest of the team left after B.D.

B.D., Yancy and Shock battle the Satan Brothers and defeat them, although Shock is critically injured. They take him back to Outcast Headquarters and Joseph tells them that Kaine left for the TV station.

Racing to aide Kaine, they learn that she has been gunned down on the air and is barely alive. They hijack the ambulance containing Kaine and Yancy, angry that she won't be able to finally end his life of immortality by aging him to death, grabs her bare skin as he yells at her to get up. Touching her allows her body to inadvertently absorb his lifeforce and brings her back to life while Yancy ages, withers and collapses to the floor in a heap of skin and bones.

B.D. gets them back to Outcast headquarters, makes sure that Kaine is treated for her wounds and realizes that Yancy is not dead. Yancy's eyes open and B.D. can communicate with him via Yancy's blinking eyes (one blink for yes, two blinks for no). B.D. grabs a red bucket and puts Yancy's bones and head in it and carries it with him, talking to his old pal as if nothing happened to him.

With Kaine and Shock incapacitated and Yancy out of the game, B.D. takes it on himself to recruit new Outcasts. He invites his former Slaughterbowl teammate Nigel "Killer" Kowalski to join in the struggle and assist him in springing another ex-teammate Professor W. R. Watson. AKA "The Prof" from a mental institution. Together they kidnap Boss Angel from a public appearance at "Suicide Park", a funpark where the people can go and end own life instead of choosing the boring alternative of euthanasia.

However, The Prof is killed and the entire team is captured by Big City enforcers and brought before ORCOM, the living organic computer that runs the city. ORCOM reveals that it was the one who had killed the corrupt City Council members and that it considers itself a mutant and part of their team. ORCOM promises that they will be free if they join him.

Shock refuses to accept ORCOM, realizing that it is responsible for the death of his girlfriend and attacks. ORCOM asks him to stop, but he does not and ORCOM kills him. The rest of the team attack ORCOM and B.D. smashes open ORCOM's braincase in the melee. Kaine touches ORCOM and he withers and dies.

Kaine has absorbed ORCOM's brain powers and now has incredible powers including telepathy. She tells Boss Angel that she is now in charge of Big City and she will allow him to work for her to set things right if he plays along. He agrees begrudgingly.

Kaine asks Yancy if he truly wants to die and he blinks twice, so she finally puts Yancy to rest. She tells the last 2 surviving Outcasts, B.D. and Killer that the time for Outcasts is over. B.D. begins to protest, but she teleports he and Killer back to the streets of Big City.

They decide that they better keep Yancy's head around for a few days, just in case he returns to life. They stalk off into the night, wishing that Kaine had kept the team together, clutching the bucket and yelling their battle cry... "Outcasts! Outcasts! Rah! Rah! Rah!"

After years of undertaking confidence tricks, Moist von Lipwig is caught by the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, and is sentenced to death under his current alias, Albert Spangler. After a brief spell in prison he is hanged by the neck, but not killed. He is brought before Patrician Havelock Vetinari who likens himself to an angel, offering Moist a change of life. He gives Moist the choice to either become the new Postmaster or be executed by falling down a deep pit.

Moist immediately attempts to escape but is caught by his parole officer Mr Pump, a golem, and brought to the rundown post office where he meets his two staff: the elderly Junior Postman Tolliver Groat and his assistant, the pin-obsessed Stanley Howler. Moist learns that the post office has been superseded by semaphore towers known as "Clacks" which send messages using light signals which are faster than sending letters by post and owned by the unscrupulous Reacher Gilt.

Initially Moist attempts to escape his duty, but realises that he cannot get away without overcoming Mr Pump, so he goes to the Golem Trust to help understand how golems are created and controlled. There he meets Adora Belle Dearheart for whom he begins to develop feelings. His skills prove to be useful in making the post office popular again; he invents the postage stamp in an attempt to raise money (which proves to be highly successful), starts an express post service to neighbouring cities and hires every available golem in the city to supplement his workforce.

While staying in the post office Moist begins to experience visions which show him that some of his confidence tricks led to tragedies for those he conned, which result in him having feelings of remorse for the first time. These feelings are heightened when he discovers that Adora Belle's father, Robert Dearheart, was indirectly a victim of one of his cons, and as a result lost ownership of his invention, the Clacks. Moist confesses his past misdeeds to Adora Belle just as the post office is set afire. Moist sets his own safety aside and runs into the burning building to rescue Stanley Howler. Before finding Stanley, he encounters Mr Gryle, a banshee assassin, who confesses that he killed the previous four Postmasters on behalf of Gilt. Just as Gryle is about to strike, Moist calls on the haunted letters in the post office to stop Gryle, which they do.

The burning of the post office means that the people of Ankh-Morpork are turning back to the "Clacks" for sending their messages, so Moist comes up with a plan to draw people back to the post office by pretending that he has experienced a vision telling him where the gods have buried money to help repair the post office (in reality the money was a hidden stash from his past cons). This succeeds, so Moist announces a new long distance delivery service.

Meanwhile, Adora Belle Dearheart is working on a way to jam up the Clacks with the help of a group of hackers (clacks-crackers) called "The Smoking Gnu" which they succeed in doing temporarily. The Clacks' chief engineer, Mr Pony, finds a way of preventing the jamming process, but Pony begins to see that working for Gilt is wrong and presents Adora with evidence to prove that Gilt had the past four postmasters, as well as Adora's brother, killed.

When an attempt to jam the Clacks fails Moist challenges Gilt to a race to the city of Uberwald, Clacks versus post office. The message to be sent is a biography of Havelock Vetinari. Moist and Adora employ a disused Clack tower to intercept and successfully change the message from a biography to the content of Gilt's ledgers, providing evidence of the hired murders, which is witnessed in Ankh-Morpork. Gilt flees before he can be arrested and Adora is made manager of the Clacks and begins a relationship with Moist. At the end of the story Gilt, having been tracked down by a Golem the same way Moist was, is awoken in Vetinari's office who asks Gilt if he knows anything about angels. When a postman (played by Terry Pratchett) later arrives at Vetinari's palace to deliver a letter to Gilt, Vetinari implies that Gilt killed himself by falling down the deep pit.

In a post-credits sequence, Groat and Stanley are sore and exhausted after making the round-trip to Überwald with a mail coach, but excited because they bet on Moist to win the race at odds of 50-1. Then Groat remembers that he left the betting slip in Überwald, so they immediately set off again in the desperate hope of finding it.

Ogata Natsuki loves to play basketball. His passion for the game and his effort compensates his short stature. Encouraged by his Junior High teammates to try out for the top High School basketball team, Fujiwara Academy. After his tryout, he meets Tachibana Mitsuki who is St. Mariannu High School's basketball team's manager. Ogata goes to watch St. Mariannu 's exhibition game against Fujiwara Academy. After an injury of St. Mariannu player, he decides to substitute in for the player so the game can continue. Afterwards he finds out that he made the team for Fujiwara Academy by their coach. After seeing the difference in sportsmanship between the teams, Ogata decides to attend St. Mariannu and try to help them defeat Fujiwara Academy.

Keita Asakura, an elementary school teacher who has no interest in politics, suddenly gets taken to the position of the Prime Minister. He is forced to campaign in the Fukuoka Prefecture for a seat in the House of Representatives for the Seiyu Party when his father and brother, both involved in Diet politics, die in a plane crash ''en route'' from Vietnam. Asakura wins the prefectural elections, and heads to Tokyo to take his father's place in the House.

After being sworn in, Asakura is dubbed the "Prince of the Parliament" (''kokukai ouji'') by the news media. The current Prime Minister is embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal and resigns, leading Kanbaya, one of the most senior politicians in the Seiyu Party, to propose that Asakura run for the party's leadership. This puts Asakara in the running for the premiership should the Seiyu Party win a majority in an upcoming general election. Nirasawa and Hikaru arrives in Tokyo from Fukuoka and stays over at his residence, in time becoming his trusted aides.

One night, Asakura escapes from the Prime Minister's residence at night and goes to his parents' house, conducting research on the Yakushima affair with the help of Nirasawa and Hikaru. He promises Miyama that he will not neglect his official duties. Onoda, a senior Seiyu politician involved in the Yakushima affair, is asked by Kanbaya to dissuade Asakura's crusade against the dam. However, Onoda comes to respect Asakura and ultimately helps him. Asakura apologises to the public at a press conference and vows to compensate all those affected by the dam.

The tale proper begins as a chronicle-like entry: “Within twelve years after bringing the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas from Kherson, the godless Emperor Batu invaded the Russian land with a great multitude of his Tatar warriors and set up a camp of the river Voronezh in the vicinity of the principality of Riazan.” [В лето 6745. В фторое на десят лето по принесении чюдотворнаго образа ис Корсуня прииде безбожный царь Батый на Русскую землю со множество вой татарскими, и ста на реце на Воронеже близ Резанскиа земли.] We soon learn about a betrayal of Riazan by its neighbors. This is significant because it points out to the theme of disunity between the Russian princes, as a source of Russia's many misfortunes. The Riazan Prince Yury Igorevich calls for an assembly. After a closer historical investigation, this meeting would have been impossible to take place. The council included Prince Vsevolod who could not have present, already dead at the time of the councils and the battle. Possibly, in an effort to simplify the story and add to pathos all of the mentioned princes were made brothers. The Grand Prince Yury Igorevich sends to Batu his son Fedor Yurevich with gifts of supplication. The merciless Batu accepts the gifts and gives a false promise not to invade Riazan. His lust fueled by storied about Prince Fedor's beautiful wife of Byzantine noble blood, Batu demands for himself concubines from Riazan's ruling families. Angered by Fedor's proud refusal, he puts the Prince and his retinue to death. One servant survives to tell the story to Fedor's wife Eupraxy. She is seized with grief and throws herself from the window with the child in her arms. Great Prince Yury Ingarevich prepares for the battle, which takes place on the border of the principality of Riazan. The outnumbered Russians fight fiercely and bravely but they lose the battle. Many receive martyr-like deaths. The accursed Batu successfully storms the city and kills all of its inhabitants. A small detachment led by Evpaty Kolovrat hurries to Riazan from Chernigov (where it was at the time of the battle with Batu). Engaging in an uneven battle, Evpaty Kolovrat manages to significantly undermine the Tartar army, exhibiting extreme heroism, inhuman strength, and endurance. The story about Evpaty Kolovrat's bravery and his joust with Tatar warrior Hostovrul add an epic flair bringing to the story stylistic features found in Russian byliny. Eventually Evpaty is killed. Batu is amazed at the bravery of Evpaty's warriors and honors his dead body, releasing Riazan prisoners with the body without harm. The part of the tale is told in ornate yet vigorous style using phraseology of Old Russian military tales. Prince Igor Igorecivh (the brother of Great Prince Yury Igorevich of Riazan) returns from Chernigov having been visiting his relatives, at the time of the destruction of Riazan. Having found his fatherland devastated, he searches through the bodies to find all of his relatives dead. He falls to the ground and utters a lament. Having commemorated the dead he rebuilds the city and restores the land of Riazan. The story ends with him taking the throne of Riazan.

Dr. Victor Reed (Jeremy Childs) is a humorlessly committed biological scientist with a privately funded genetic experimental laboratory secreted away on a locked floor in a hospital. We first encounter him as he's delivering Elizabeth, a seemingly normal infant who's nonetheless very special as the first of her kind. Reluctantly if cryptically announcing this breakthrough to the public (he refuses to name anyone involved in the baby's conception or birth besides himself, or to let her be seen as yet), he braves an immediate firestorm of pushy press inquiries, as well as outrage from those who believe such scientific explorations represent a grave offense against God and nature. Others note the great medical advances that cloning might help instigate, but they're generally shouted down by the pious and appalled.

The outcry is such that government authorities are pressured to drum up criminal charges against Victor. Worried about security, he transfers the baby from the lab to his own home, a gated country estate where wife Claire (Shannon Hoppe) is already fed up with his workaholic neglect of their own “normal” family, including two preschool daughters. While she can't help but take a maternal interest in Elizabeth, the tense atmosphere worsens as protestors and media discover the baby's new location — as leaked by lab assistant Laura (Emily Landham), who has serious ethical and safety worries over the doctor's treatment of his experimental progeny.

Perhaps even more perilous than the rising clamor outside, however, is a ticking time bomb within: A couple (Shelean Newman, David Alford) who work for the household are also charged with minding a murkily explained older child who is evidently the product of a less successful, earlier cloning attempt. Kept in barred quarters away from the main building (and little seen until the end), the increasingly violent, misshapen Ethan (Isaac Disney) inevitably busts out to go on a rampage, terrorizing all in the climactic reel.

Racehorse trainer Gerald Coates argues with his alcoholic wife Babs on the evening after his horse has won the Grand National. There is a struggle with a knife and she dies. He drives her to Liverpool and leaves her there in the car which belongs to a friend of hers. He takes a train home and waits for police investigation.

Four young compulsive gamblers come up with a radical plan to get out of debt with a fixed race. Their plan seems to work in the end.

The story begins with Betty dreaming of the perfect birthday party, complete with a horse and carriage and her boyfriend Henry as her knight in shining armor. Her alarm wakes her and her family wishes her a happy birthday with Hilda giving her a pat on her butt, Justin giving her a customized cellphone, and Ignacio making her pancakes, before she leaves for her planned trip to the Poconos with Henry.

But as she arrived to Henry's place, she knocks on the door and shouts "Birthday girl's here!", only to have the door be opened by Henry's very pregnant ex, Charlie. Turns out she is in town for a parenting seminar that had a last-minute opening on the same weekend of Betty's birthday. Henry explains that Charlie just showed up and she can go to the parenting seminar alone. Betty suggests that they just stay in New York, so Henry can be a parent and still partake in some birthday festivities. Betty kisses Henry and says she will see him tonight.

As for Wilhelmina, the former Mode diva is trying to hide the fact that she has Christina at her house—and Christina is carrying the dead Bradford Meade's offspring. As Christina attempts to open the window in her room, Renee comes to her rescue. After she thanks Renee, Christina decides to light a candle and Renee freaks. She extinguishes the flame and says, "No. Candles. Ever." Christina calls Betty to tell her about Renee, but unfortunately Betty's cell phone does not have good reception, so Betty misses every other word. Hoping to get evidence, Christina put a baby monitor in the pantry, determined to find out what is going on. Wilhelmina shows up at Daniel's place to warn him about Renee, who is dating Daniel, and tells him to ask Renee about Stony Brook.

Meanwhile, Betty enters the office and approaches Amanda, who is decked out in a Kiss T-shirt. Betty notes that she is turning 24 (Amanda first guessed 40, and later 50) and asks Amanda what is the most romantic restaurant in New York. Amanda suggests Pemberley Inn, which makes Amanda want to lick Betty with her tongue. Betty then enters Daniel's office (just as he is Googling "Stony Brook".) He appears to have no idea it's Betty's birthday, and in retribution Betty talks him out of taking his tickets to see the New York Philharmonic in Central Park.

As Claire prepares to launch ''Hot Flash'', Daniel and Alexis become concerned that the budget for the magazine's launch, so Alexis tells her mother that she will cut off the funding. This did not sit well with Claire, who is upset that her own daughter, the company CEO, would tell her this. Moments later in the bathroom, Betty sees her and as Claire tells her about what happened, Betty tells Claire that she shouldn't give up. Claire takes that advice to heart.

Renee enters Daniel's office and announces that she found an apartment right around the corner from his place. He balks a bit, and then asks her about Stony Brook, which Renee says is a state college on Long Island where she went to school. She is furious that he would even listen to Wilhelmina, and tells him to call her when he is ready to trust her a little. Back at the Slaters, Renee confronts Wilhelmina and asks why she is trying to break up her and Daniel. Wilhelmina says they both know what happens when Renee gets too serious with men. Renee claims that this is nothing like Stony Brook, and Wilhelmina reminds her that it took a lot of work to clean up that mess. Renee warns her sister to leave them alone or she will regret it, adding that she is sure she is not the only one around with secrets unaware that Christina is listening via the baby monitor and writes "Stony Brook" on a notepad.

As Betty makes reservations at the Pemberley Inn, Gio emerges from his sandwich cart to sit on her desk. Betty explains that it is her birthday and details the romantic night she has planned with Henry. Gio says that the only thing missing is a carriage ride. When Betty asks why he would say that, Gio just thought it was something she would be into. Betty tries to escape, and Gio says he is sorry they don't talk as much anymore. Betty says she has been busy working and living, then walks away. Betty then gets a call from Henry as Amanda listens in (only to have Betty to tell Amanda to butt out). Henry is carrying a big bouquet of gerbera daisies. As Betty gets off the phone excitedly as she sees Daniel coming toward her with a big present, but it is for Renee.

At the Suarez house, Ignacio is upset that Betty's weekend has been scrubbed because of Charlie, then pouts because he likes to have the family together for birthdays. Hilda thinks they can take the cupcakes to Henry's, so he and Betty can eat them under the stars at the Philarmonic. As Hilda drops off the cupcakes at Henry's place, Charlie is there to receive them. She tells Hilda that there is not going to be a birthday date, but Hilda corrects her. Charlie insincerely says that is great, and adds that Betty does not let anything get in her way. Hilda says she does not. But if anything is to happen, Hilda has her back. As Hilda exits, Charlie bites into a cupcake fiercely, then smiles. Hours later, Henry leaves a message for Betty, saying that he has to take Charlie to the doctor and tells Betty should not go to the restaurant, saying he will meet up with her later. He adds that he is so sorry, and that he loves her. But Betty's cellphone only gets part of the message as she heads to the restaurant.

Back at the Slaters, as Marc drops off baby supplies, Renee is there and tells him that her sister skipped the infant CPR class and made Christina go alone, in favor of a deep tissue massage. Renee offers to make Marc a chocolatini, not knowing that this was the opportunity that Renee was waiting for, as hours later, in a drunken moment Marc nearly ruins everything by spilling the beans to Renee about the baby Christina’s carrying. Renee later tells Wilhelmina that she has taped Marc's conversation and if she interferes, she'll expose her. When Wilhelmina becomes threatened that if the Meades find out that she stole Bradford's sperm she will go to prison, she sends Marc to break into Daniel's apartment to retrieve the recording, but while he is there Daniel arrives, Marc pretends that he is there to seduce Daniel, but Daniel knows that Wilhelmina is behind it all, so Marc leaves before Daniel can call the cops.

At the Pemberley Inn, Betty waits. To buy some time, she orders cheese fondue from the waiter, who thinks she is there by herself. Back at Casa Suarez, Ignacio takes a call from Henry and learns that he is canceling his whole night with Betty because Charlie is not feeling well, so the family decides to put a party in place. As the hours passed, the waiter grows impatient with Betty's presence, and asks her to leave. Back at MODE, Amanda sees Gio bring a piece of pie for Betty, then reveals to Gio that Henry called to cancel his plans with Betty but never bothered to give Betty the message, so Gio steps in and gives Betty a night to remember as he shows up at the restaurant with a carriage and shows her a night on the town. As Betty and Gio paint the town red, the family thinks that Betty maybe on her way home. However, it is Henry at the door instead. He says the doctor could not find anything wrong, and so he thinks Charlie was just trying to ruin his night with Betty. Hilda is quick to forgive, but Ignacio isn't so sure.

Back at ''MODE'', Alexis sees Claire in the meeting room with other older women. Claire then tells her that ''Hot Flash'' will be ready for launch, as she has outsourced former ex-cons to help finance the magazine.

Back at Daniel's apartment, he tells Renee about Marc, and apologizes for letting Wilhelmina get to him earlier. Renee is sorry, too, and says that she hasn't told Daniel everything. He says she can trust him, so she tells him about Stony Brook. She was in college and had a breakdown, and then went to a treatment facility. She still sees a doctor and has to takes daily medication. It was a long time ago, she says, but she is still a little sensitive about it. Daniel thanks her for telling the truth, and assures her that he still wants to be with her, so Daniel asks Renee to move in with him. Unbeknownst to Renee, it looks like Wilhelmina has played her; as Renee called her sister with her plans, Marc told Wilhelmina that he had "retrieved" it (her prescription pills) which she hopes will make her go crazy. As they returned to the apartment, the two noticed the baby monitor, which had Christina fearing that they might be on to her.

Betty gets back from her evening with Gio and finds Henry sleeping on her living room sofa, but it is Ignacio who greets her. Betty is sad to have missed all of her family's efforts, but Ignacio admits it is mostly for him, because he likes to feel like he's still taking care of his little girl. Betty still needs him, she says, and his cupcakes. It is then that Ignacio stands up and walk to a small table where he retrieves a small box, it a present for Betty, left two weeks earlier by Daniel because he was afraid he will forget her birthday. As she go over the couch, Betty wakes Henry and he says that he is sorry that her birthday was not perfect. And as they embrace, Betty seems to have something else on her mind.

Three spinster sisters, Imogene (Dench), Helen (Crosbie), and Lily Langrishe (Williamson), lose their equanimity — and in the case of Imogene her virginity — when a mature German student (Jeremy Irons) rents lodging from them while he works on his thesis.

The series was about three more or less successful couples in their 30s. The cast consisted of three couples: Ivar Nergaard as Aksel and Linn Skåber as Liv; Arvid Ones as Arne and Siv Charlotte Klynderud as Kirsti; Tore Chr. Sævold as Karsten and Jasmin Aasland as Lotte.

''Aftenposten'' gave the sitcom a mediocre review. Linn Skåber received attention for her role. After 13 episodes the show was deemed to be successful, and TV 2 signalized that a second season was to be made. Some months later it was decided to stop the show, after Linn Skåber pursued other projects.

Ahvren's people, the Vivitare, have conquered the T'Chin confederacy. After spending two years fighting a brutal war on another world, Ahvren welcomes peace. However, he is suspicious of his people's easy victory, wondering why the T'Chin surrendered.

It is rumored that the Vivitare emperor is in danger of being assassinated and Ahvren offers to uncover the plot, in return for the freedom to choose his own path. To do it, he must understand what motivates the T'Chin.

Whilst growing up in rural Thailand, a young orphan girl named Dau (Suangporn Jaturaphut) is taught the ways of magic by her grandmother. But when the grandmother falls sick, Dau is lured to Bangkok to find work so that she can buy medicine. She finds herself working in a go-go bar, and her journey from naiveté to maturity is swift. She uses the magical skills her grandmother taught her to her advantage, but in doing so makes enemies within the bar. As her magic gets darker, and the consequences increasingly horrific, she gradually loses control, and something evil takes over.

Ga-hi, a kindergarten teacher, is raped one night while on her way to meet her boyfriend, Young-woo. She later recognises her attacker as Hwang Sa-bin, a boxer, and after seeing him lose a fight begins to develop feelings towards him.

Twice widowed, Pilnyeo vows never to marry again and takes a job at a coal mine. One day she is raped by her supervisor, but later marries him. Pilnyeo continues to be abused by her new husband, but later risks her own life for him.

Jeong-ah, who grew up at an orphanage, works as a maid, and is raped by Yeong, the son of her employer. Yeong was engaged to Hyeon-ju, but dislikes her and decides to marry Jeong-ah instead. He takes Jeong-ah to a church and celebrates their own wedding by themselves. Yeong's parents and relatives learn of the fact and go late to the church to celebrate with the new couple.

One day, Kōji Sugimoto, a young man who works as a mechanic at a car maintenance shop, inadvertently gets into the "Slave Trooper MADOX-01," a new anti-tank land weapon that was being transported in secret. He is unable to get out of the MADOX-01 due to a software bug. He can't figure out how to use the suit, and is subsequently chased by the military. Kōji, still stuck in the suit, heads for the building where he is to meet his girlfriend Shiori Nagura, but Lieutenant Kilgore, an American soldier with a personal grudge against MADOX-01, is waiting for him in a tank. With the advice of Eriko Kusumoto, the developer of MADOX-01, Kōji is able to battle Kilgore.

The film starts out at The Merrill Department store where a very exhausted stockgirl named Maggie Johnson (Mary Pickford) is given a moment to attend to the sales counter. There she encounters a charming handsome man who pretends to be interested in purchasing some children's toys but, after many humorous demonstrations by Maggie, the manager comes over and gives the man his time card. The man is said to be Joe Grant (Buddy Rogers) though in reality he is the son of the owner; making him Joseph Merrill. To prove to his father he is ready for his engagement, he has taken the job of stockboy under an assumed name.

Annoyed, Maggie takes Joe back to the stockroom and tells him to get to work. He is so inept that she calls him, 'The Dumbest Stockboy in the World' though she promises to take him under her wing, much to his amusement.

A few days later, after her shift, Maggie is outside waiting for Joe. She appears to have a crush on him. Some of her coworkers tease her but eventually warn her that Joe is coming, causing Maggie to hop on her ride home from work: the back of an open truck. Joe is swarmed with salesgirls who try for his attention causing him to not focus on Maggie. Determined Maggie throws her bag on the ground as the vehicle pulls away. Joe picks it up and chases the truck down to give it to her. After three more times of this, he finally grows weary and jumps in the truck to join Maggie, who feigns innocence.

The two flirt and Maggie shows him pictures of her off-kilter family. Once they reach her home, she invites him in for supper only to find her family is causing a commotion. Her father (Lucien Littlefield) is an elderly postal worker who is meek and easily subdued. Her mother (Sunshine Hart) is a dramatic woman who enjoys going to random funerals and makes frequent use of smelling salts to avoid fainting. Her sister Liz (Carmelita Geraghty) is a flapper who has a boyfriend who gets her into trouble. Maggie does her best to hide the goings on but eventually caves and sends Joe on his way hoping to have dinner with him another day.

Time passes and Joe's mother is planning his engagement announcement party. However, she has not mentioned it to him, hoping to make it a surprise. Joe has been promoted and is now Maggie's boss. However, he still eats lunch with her every day in the stockroom. During one such lunch, after receiving the note to join his parents for dinner (for the surprise party), Maggie gives him a watch for his birthday. He is touched and puts it on. Shortly after this he accidentally catches his sleeve on a nail. Trying to pull himself free, he accidentally puts his arm around Maggie, and after the mutual surprise the two kiss.

Enamored with each other they head out on the town to walk in the rain. Joe begins to spend money and she tells him he'll end up in the poorhouse. Joe offers to buy her dinner at a nice restaurant but, embarrassed by her shoddy work clothes, Maggie declines. Joe gets the idea to tell her they should follow the store's company motto, "We're all a family" and that, if they ''were'' family, they could eat at the Merrill Mansion. Maggie, thinking he is joking, agrees. Meanwhile, her sister is arrested because of her association with her boyfriend and is taken to night court. Her family frets at not being able to find Maggie, who they believe needs to help Liz out of the mess. Maggie had tried to call them, but after a few rings (while her father made his way to the phone) she hung up.

Arriving at the Merrill Mansion, Maggie is amazed that it is the real deal. Joe is amused by her reluctance but eventually gets her into the mansion, much to the butler's amusement. Maggie is extremely reluctant until Joe convinces the butler to say 'a Merrill employee eats here almost every night!' Maggie relaxes and tells Joe they should pretend to be Mr. and Mrs. Merrill. Joe is extremely amused by this, and at her lack of formal dinner habits.

At the surprise engagement party, Joe's family sits concerned. They return home to find Joe and Maggie, who has hidden under the table. Joe admits he is 'Joseph Merrill' but before he can explain further his fiancée (Avonne Taylor) arrives and kisses him in front of Maggie. Maggie, heartbroken leaves. Joe, upset, tells his fiancée he had broken Maggie's heart and must go after her.

Maggie walks and walks until she returns to where Joe and her shared a moment which happens to be by the night court. She sees her family arrive and after they chasten her they enter the court to try to save Liz from prison. Meanwhile, Joe arrives at the same spot only to be helped by a homeless man who had watched their interactions. Joe enters the court to hear Maggie's passionate plea for her sister, whom the judge eventually lets go.

While Maggie fetches water for her 'on the verge of fainting' mother, Joe walks over to Maggie and apologizes, saying he did not love his fiancée and would not marry her. He then proposes to Maggie which causes (for a change) her sister to faint. While everyone tries to revive Liz, Liz's boyfriend makes a remark to her father about Maggie 'taking up with the Merrill boy' implying that it was only for sex. Joe, offended, punches him and begins to fight in the courtroom.

The next day, Maggie is back home, reading the paper which has headlines about their romance. Joe's father (Hobart Bosworth) arrives at the home. He tells Maggie he wants to send his son to Hawaii until the scandal blew over, which Joe agreed to. However, Joe apparently made plans to bring Maggie as well and marry on the boat. Mr. Merrill, not happy with this, tries to buy Maggie off with a check for $10,000 just as Joe arrives, unaware his father is there. Joe tells Maggie his plans and she becomes upset. Angry, she begins a whole tirade against him trying to find out if he really loved her or not. She begins to claim she is just a jazz girl and knew who he was all along. That she was a gold digger and just after his money and, thanks to his father, she now had what she wanted. She even plays a jazz record and puts on lipstick in an attempt to prove her point.

Joe begins to cry, and Maggie, touched, breaks down and admits that none of it is true and the real reason she cannot go away with him is because of her family (who had been listening in the living room the whole time) who needs her more than he does. Her father becomes livid and declares it was time 'he became the father of the family' and takes charge of his wife and daughters. In a comedic scene he commands everyone (including both Merrills) to pack Maggie's things for the ship which leaves in ten minutes.

After an extreme car ride, the couple barely make it to the departing boat. Once boarded, the father realizes he never gave Maggie her suitcase. He tries to throw the suitcase onto the boat, but it ends up in the ocean. The couple waves goodbye and eventually get crowded back from view. When the crowd leaves, we see the couple kissing.

The film opens in the Ozarks where a distraught Pollyanna (Mary Pickford) is comforting her father the Reverend John Whittier (Wharton James) as he dies. After his death, Pollyanna is sent to live on a New England plantation with her rich Aunt Polly (Katherine Griffith).

Aunt Polly is extremely harsh with Pollyanna by not allowing her to speak of her father in her house and choosing the attic for her bedroom. She even takes Pollyanna shopping for new clothes. One day, while playing on the plantation, Pollyanna gets in trouble with a servant woman and runs to hide in a haystack. There she meets Jimmy Bean (Howard Ralston), an orphan her age. Taking pity on him, Pollyanna is certain eventually Aunt Polly will let him live with them. So she hides him in the cellar. One day, Aunt Polly insists on going into the cellar, despite Pollyanna's pleas for fear Jimmy will be discovered. Jimmy is asleep and Pollyanna believes they're in the clear; until Jimmy starts shouting in his sleep, having a bad dream about turnips chasing and trying to eat him. Pollyanna is amused but Aunt Polly is not. After some pleading, Aunt Polly relents and tells Pollyanna to bring some good quilts for Jimmy.

One day, as Jimmy and Pollyanna play with the other children, they decide to try and steal some apples from a tree belonging to John Pendleton (William Cortleigh). John catches Pollyanna in the act, but forgives her, realizing she is the exact image of her mother, a woman he once loved deeply, but she loved Pollyanna's father instead. He tells Pollyanna this as he shows her a painting of her mother. Meanwhile, Jimmy fights his way in, fearing that Pollyanna is in danger. He tries to defend her but finds that everything is normal.

As Pollyanna settles in she seems to bring optimism to those she meets. She is insistent on playing a game her father taught her called "The Glad Game," where one counts the things they are glad for. She visits an old shut-in who is supposedly grateful for nothing. Pollyanna brings along an old blind and deaf friend who plays the accordion. Upon discovering the woman is blind and deaf, the shut-in proclaims her gratitude for still having her sight and hearing.

One day after a fight with Jimmy in which he "wishes she would die," Pollyanna heads into town. She notices a little girl playing in the middle of the road, oblivious to a car coming. Pollyanna leaps in front of the car, throwing the girl to safety, but in the process is hit herself. Jimmy and John both take her back to her Aunt's place. Aunt Polly becomes frantic and places her in her own lavish bedroom. Realizing the error of her ways, Aunt Polly declares how attached to Pollyanna she is; even giving her a kiss on the forehead, much to Pollyanna's delight.

Realizing they could have lost the little girl forever, many succumb to her wishes for them to be happy. John promises to adopt Jimmy the next day. Aunt Polly refuses to call Dr. Tom (Herbert Prior), who broke her heart years before. Pollyanna pleads to send for him but she refuses, bringing in another doctor. After several days, they discover Pollyanna is paralyzed from the waist down. Pollyanna becomes distraught; however, Jimmy comforts her, insisting she play the Glad Game.

Months pass and Pollyanna begins to use a wheelchair. One evening with Aunt Polly, she pleads one last time for her to send for Dr. Tom and Aunt Polly finally relents. With the help of Dr. Tom, Pollyanna is eventually able to walk again.

With the success of her walking comes the realization of her wishes. Aunt Polly reunites romantically with Dr. Tom and John adopts Jimmy. One day, she asks for Jimmy and he comes to wheel her around the garden. He gives Pollyanna a ring and promptly runs off out of fear, not realizing Pollyanna is able to walk. She is excited at the ring and happily runs after him.

The player takes control of a female ninja named Nina (a sister of Ninja, the deceased hero of the original ''Saboteur''), who must break into a dictator's high-security compound to alter the course of a nuclear ballistic missile and then escape. The enemy’s command centre and office complex is being built on top of a mountain filled with tunnels and caverns. An armoury building is on the top left of the mountain, a missile silo is on the top right, while the central top area is still being developed; there is only one way out of the mountain, which is the long entrance tunnel on the bottom left.

''Children of the Lens'' is the sixth and final book in the Lensman series. The story takes place twenty years after the close of ''Second Stage Lensmen'', and focuses on the five children of Kimball and Clarissa Kinnison: a boy and two pairs of fraternal twin girls. As Kimball and Clarissa are both Lensmen, their offspring are dubbed the "Children of the Lens". They are also the ultimate product of a two-billion-year-long Arisian breeding program that has molded them into "third-level" minds with such potential power that not even the Arisians themselves fully understand their capabilities.

The story of the children is intertwined with the story of the five Second Stage Lensmen: Kimball, Worsel, Nadreck, Tregonsee, and Clarissa (who becomes a Second Stage Lensman). Spurred into action by a series of seeming untraceable terrorist attacks, and other unexplainable events in both the First and Second Galaxy, Kimball asks the other Second Stage Lensmen to help him trace down the source of the troubles. Each of these Lensmen rushes to his aid and each pursues the task from a different angle. The Second Stage Lensmen address the problem in their usual style: Kimball is energetic and direct, Nadreck is cautious and thorough, Clarissa gets sent to Lyrane II again, and so on. They are each assisted, more or less covertly, by one of the children but seem unable to get a grip on the problems. One at a time, each of the children realizes that they need additional training, and travel to Arisia to obtain it. They are then able to help their Lensman complete their missions. All of the lensmen are led to essentially the same conclusion: the hitherto unknown planet of Ploor is the location of the race controlling the remnants of Boskone.

As with the other books in the series, the technology in this book far surpasses the technology of the previous books. Whereas in earlier books free planets were set astride target planets and used like giant nut-crackers or negative energy "negaspheres" were the ultimate in weaponry, unique items constructed with great difficulty, in ''Children of the Lens'' these weapons are deployed in the hundreds by both sides. The Eddorians develop their own version of the Lens, permitting the creation of "Black Lensmen" who, because of the basic flaws in the way the Eddorians deal with their subject races, turn out to be surprisingly ineffective. The hyperspace tubes, rare in earlier books, are now the standard way to insert an invading fleet into enemy territory. Not only are the massive fleets of Civilization equipped with single-shot "primary" and "secondary" beam weapons, they now have super-atomic (total conversion of mass to energy) bombs, also deployed by the thousands. The Patrol eventually revisits the strange alternate universe called "Nth space", where nothing goes ''slower'' than light. There they render two superluminal planets inertialess to use as the ultimate weapons in destroying both Ploor and its sun. Soon two Patrol hyperspace tubes open, one aimed at Ploor and another one aimed at its sun. The Ploorians are confident that their world's defences are powerful enough to handle anything the Patrol can throw at them. The two planets, traveling faster than light, erupt from the ends of the tubes and strike the planet and its sun. The Ploorian solar system simply ceased to exist.

After the destruction of Ploor, Mentor of Arisia alerts the children to the Eddorian threat, pointing out that unless they are dealt with quickly, they too will figure out the secret of obtaining superluminal planet busters and destroy Arisia, Earth, and Klovia in short order. The Eddorians must be destroyed immediately.

Mentor sends out a call to every living Lensman and using the combined mental energy of all the Lensmen in two galaxies, the entire Arisian race, and the Children of the Lens they prepare to launch a mental bolt against the Eddorians. The children have learned to form a five-fold super-mind called "The Unit". This was what the long Arisian breeding program was trying to achieve. The Unit is so advanced that even the Arisians don't know what it is capable of doing.

The mental bolt, with the massed power of every Lensman, every Arisian, and the Children of the Lens behind it, and guided by the Unit strikes, and penetrates, Eddore's defenses. With the failure of those defenses, the ancient enemies of Civilization are defeated and cease to exist. The long struggle against the Eddorians is finally over. At this point, Mentor reveals that the Arisians are passing on to the next plane of existence, their job as the guardians of Civilization finished. They have succeeded in developing a race far better than they to protect the galaxies, the Kinnison children. With this statement, the voice of Mentor, the last Arisian, fades and they are gone.

In an epilogue, Kit Kinnison leaves a message in a time capsule for a future civilization, presumably under threat from a new enemy, but so far in the future that the events of the long struggle between Civilization and Boskone may have been forgotten. This message tells the story of the war against Boskone and tells how to contact the Children of the Lens.

One foggy night in Devon, Gail, a working border collie Herding dog, gives birth to a litter of three puppies, cozy in a barn on Borough Farm. As she lies quietly with her newborn litter, her father, Sir Gregory, walks inside, not realizing she had her puppies until she summons his attention and he spots them curled up next to her. She has already named two of them Storm and Drift but she thinks Sir Gregory should name the third. He looks out of the window and names her Mist after the "misty" night she was born. All the other dogs, Swift, her son Ernie, and Jake, are delighted to meet the puppies at last but Fern doesn't seem to like puppies and is not happy to be their auntie.

When the puppies realize they can finally see things, Mist looks out of a nearby window and sees a flock of sheep pass by, but does not exactly know what they are. She points them out to Storm and Drift, but by the time they come to the window, the sheep are gone. They think Mist is making it up, and they playfully tease and wrestle each other around the barn. This soon tires them out, and they slowly fall asleep side by side.

Mist seems to like the idea of working the flock more than her brother and sister. Later that day, Sir Gregory talks with Gail about how well Mist is doing compared to Storm and Drift. Gail realises it is finally time to choose which of the puppies will stay on Borough Farm to be trained as a working sheepdog, and which have to leave. One day the puppies are playing in the yard when two different families come to take Storm and Drift away. They are placed in the cars and Gail sadly watches them drive away.

Winter arrives at Borough Farm, but Fern has still not warmed up to Mist. One day Mist gets giddy and runs off into the woods; a dark place where she soon gets lost and has to be rescued by the Boss and Sir Gregory. This amuses Fern.

Mist wants to be a working sheepdog more quickly and gets bored of her training as the days pass by. So when her first test arrives, she gets over excited and fails. She is given the walk of shame by the Boss which pleases Fern very much.

Mist begins to doubt she will ever become a real working sheepdog and decides she needs more practice and rounds up some ducks that she befriends from a nearby pond, pretending they are sheep. With their help, she slowly manages to control herself and learns what it takes to be a good sheepdog.

Fern does not want everyone to think Mist is better than her, so she tricks Mist into breaking one of the rules and rounding up rams. After a narrow escape from them Mist is harshly told off by her mother and Fern watches with pride. The next day, Mist succeeds in her next test. Sir Gregory is very proud of her and thinks of how far she has come from being a puppy as he goes to sleep, deciding to remember to tell Mist that in the morning. "And with that happy thought lingering in his old wise mind, Sir Gregory closed his eyes, for the last time"

Everyone misses Sir Gregory but do not let it interfere with their work. Without Sir Gregory though, Mist starts to lose confidence. One misty day, Mist and Fern (still not friends) are sent to save a ram, named MacPhereson, from a cliff. Mist has to go alone since Fern is terrified of heights, but Fern helps Mist go in the right direction with her "amazing" hearing but Mist is attacked and pushed off by MacPhereson. Fern, the Boss and MacPhereson think she is dead and Fern feels sad and guilty, but it turns out Mist survived, and she moves McPherson off the cliff with the skill sir Gregory taught her: "The power is in the eyes". Fern is amazed and glad to see Mist safe and sound, and they climb back up the cliff together.

Back on the farm, Fern says she is extremely proud of Mist and concedes that she is a brilliant sheepdog, burying their rivalry at last. As the film ends, we see Mist happily working the flock with her family, having now claimed her place as one of the pack, enjoying every moment.

Lisa tries to sell Girl Scout cookies to Mayor Quimby, but finds the entire town treasury empty. Quimby explains the city spent their money on a new slogan, "Springfield: Good." A town meeting is held to inform the town they have to raise money. They try faking a natural disaster in order to get relief money from FEMA, but the officials turn out to be fakes and they end up in more debt than before. Lisa then reveals Springfield has millions in uncollected taxes, and Springfield soon starts hitting up its most notorious tax evaders (save Quimby and Mr. Burns).

In a news report, Kent Brockman reveals that all tax evaders have been caught, and the only one remaining is Lurleen Lumpkin, a country music star who was once managed by Homer and fell in love with him. As the city searches for her, Homer finds a nerve-wracked Lurleen hiding in his car, and learns that after leaving her, her career had gone into a downward spiral and she is now broke. After comforting her, Homer agrees to take her home, but Marge remembers how Lurleen caused a huge rift in her marriage, and demands that she gets out. Angrily driving her away, she discovers that Lurleen is homeless and begins to pity her, and reluctantly allows her to stay with the family. As a thank you, Lurleen cooks a barbecue for the family and forms a friendship with Marge. Soon, though, Lurleen is arrested by the police and taken to court. Judge Snyder decides to go easy on her, with one exception: Lurleen must find an immediate way to pay off her debt to society. When the trial finishes, she explains how she cannot pay off her taxes because all her money went to her ex-husbands (who all resemble Homer).

Lurleen becomes depressed, and the whole family soon hears her singing through the vent about her father, Royce. Marge realizes that after Lurleen's father left her, she had given up faith in all men. Marge decides to get the two Lumpkins back on a proper parent-child relationship. Scouring Springfield, she finally finds a deadbeat Royce and reunites him with Lurleen, who forgives him and writes a new song to celebrate their reunion: "Daddy's Back". The two appear to have a newfound happiness, and spend a lot of time together. But Royce eventually leaves Lurleen again, depressing her. Soon, a new song from the Dixie Chicks plays on TV. Lurleen's father is in the music video, and one of the Dixie Chicks claims that he wrote the song, which is a clear plagiarism of the song Lurleen wrote for their reunion. She goes to the basement to sulk. Homer, in his Colonel Homer attire and "Major Marge" come to her, and tell her to take control of her destiny. Lurleen tells the Dixie Chicks that her father stole her song and they proceed to hit him with their instruments as payback. Lurleen becomes the new opening act for the Dixie Chicks and finds a new boyfriend (who also has a resemblance to Homer), and Marge and Lurleen embrace. Out of earshot, Marge warns Lurleen never to come near Homer again.

''Insoumise et devoilée'' is the story of Karima, a 32-year-old Muslim woman from Belgium who talks about her life and her violent education, from her childhood to her forced wedding in Morocco. She was beaten by her father to get her to follow their conservative traditions. This book was a real catharsis for the young woman. She broke the silence, but was threatened with murder even before the release of the book. The Muslim community of Verviers wanted to stop her from releasing the book and took her to court.

Oliver Twist is born at the workhouse of Mr. Bumble, where he is left an orphan as his mother dies shortly after giving birth to him. Mr. Bumble, just as he does with all his other orphans, puts Oliver to daily work, giving him in exchange little more than a daily bowl of porridge. One day, outraged that Oliver would dare supplicate for more food, Mr. Bumble sells the boy to Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker, who makes him an apprentice at his funeral home. There, Oliver is humiliated and insulted by Noah, Mr. Sowerberry's other apprentice. Tired of this life, Oliver runs away from the funeral home and heads for the city of London where he meets the Artful Dodger. The Artful Dodger takes Oliver to the home of Fagin, a seemingly kind old man who turns homeless boys into shameless pickpockets. There, Oliver is trained to wander the streets stealing from ladies and gentlemen. When Oliver witnesses the Artful Dodger and another boy named Charlie stealing the handkerchief of Mr. Brownlow as he browses the books at a street bookshop, Oliver flees. The suspicious act on Oliver's part arouses the attention of Mr. Brownlow and accuses him of theft. When caught, Oliver is taken before a magistrate treated as a cold-blooded criminal and sentenced. Mr. Brownlow confronts the magistrate, telling him that his sentence is too harsh and that he never did see Oliver actually steal the piece of cloth. Mr. Brownlow takes a liking towards Oliver and invites him to live in his home. Mr. Monks, a sinister man, seeks information about Oliver from Mr. and Mrs. Bumble, when they present him with a locket that the old nurse Sally had taken from Oliver's mother. Mr. Monks wishes Oliver to be involved in a crime and imprisoned, so he may claim the inheritance that is rightfully Oliver's.

The narrative of ''The Macdermots of Ballycloran'' "chronicles the tragic demise of a small Catholic landowning family in the Protestant-dominated Ireland of the mid-19th century. It focuses on the struggle of Thady Macdermot to keep his sinking property afloat. Thady lives with his father Larry Macdermot in a dilapidated mansion in Co. Leitrim, which is mortgaged to their enemy, the vulgar builder Joe Flannelly. They cannot keep up the payments on the mortgage. Enmity between the Macdermot and Flannelly families is sharpened by Thady's having declined to marry Joe's daughter, Sally. Larry Macdermot's daughter, Feemy (christened 'Euphemia'), is seduced by Royal Irish Constabulary officer Captain Myles Ussher, who is hated by the local Catholic majority for his brutal enforcement of the excise laws against poteen distilling. One night Thady comes home to find Ussher abducting Feemy and kills him in the ensuing struggle. Despite the mitigating circumstances, the Protestant-dominated courts find Thady guilty of murder, in the context of a panic about crime, and fears of Thady's potential connection to Irish nationalist groups. Thady is hanged, his father Larry goes mad, Feemy dies bearing Ussher's bastard and the Ballycloran house is finally vacated of Macdermots."

Ren Hiyama, a genius student was tired of the boring world. While he was thinking of recreating the world, he realizes that with hypnosis, he may be able to do that. After a year of testing with his classmates, recreation of the world begins.

20 boys and girls in their teens live like teens did in 1955. The teens live several weeks at a boarding school and live under the rules they had in the 1950s.

Hope (Heather Graham) is a night shift waitress who has made several mistakes in her life. She leaves Ohio for Los Angeles, trying to make a living as an entertainer. The film jumps back and forth between her arrival in LA to her present life as a waitress. She meets Will (Jeremy Sisto) when she gets to LA, and in the present he is desperate to win her back. They get involved with drugs. Hope realizes that she needs to break free from drugs, if she wishes to make her dream come true; so she cuts off all ties to Will. After leaving Will while Hope is working one day she meets Sara (Jessica Stroup) who comes in with two guys and after taking their order goes to the back with Sara following her. After catching up with Hope, it's revealed that Sara is on the same drugs that Hope used to take when she was with Will and that it's her first time on them. While Sara loves the feeling of the drugs and wants her and Hope to do more together it's at the two guy's house with her telling Hope that they are club owners. Sara reveals that she doesn't want to be alone and doesn't want to be with the guys anymore, saying that she will wait for Hope to get off working until she can come back with Sara to her place. As they talk Sara slowly starts hitting on Hope with her asking Hope if she has a boyfriend, when Hope says no Sara reveals that she has one and that she's considering breaking up with him, but that even if she doesn't she feels she has enough room in her heart to love more than one person and tries to kiss Hope. When Hope rejects her saying that she has to get back to work and leave her, Sara becomes embarrassed while calling herself stupid after which Hope tells her not to consider herself stupid. With that Sara slowly walks to Hope and they begin to have a lesbian make out session with Hope remembering her time having sex and doing drugs with Will. She goes back to her job, and speaks with others. Will, however, is prepared to go to any length to ensure that they stay together - even to the extent of committing murder, robbing her workplace and taking her hostage. Towards the end of the story, Hope is shown instead of her own regular customers, while one of the customers is the waitress.

The novel concerns the adventures of George Hanlan, a secret service agent who has the ability to read minds, on the planet Estrella.

24 Santas are gathered in a barn to compete for the title of the best Santa. They are split into two teams, the grey beards (''gråskjeggnissene'') and the white beards (''hvitskjeggnissene''). Every day they compete in contests related to Christmas. The losing team has to meet in "låvetinget" ("the barn parliament") to vote out a member of their team. They're voted out one by one until the strongest Santa is left on Christmas Eve.

The opening scene of the series consists of new LAPD Captain David Aceveda, of the infamous Farmington District, giving a press conference discussing how crime rates as a whole have been down for the past few months. This is juxtaposed with scenes of Vic Mackey, along with his Strike Team (Shane Vendrell, Curtis Lemansky, Ronnie Gardocki, and Terry Crowley), chasing a drug dealer through the district. When Mackey and his team corner the dealer, Mackey strips the dealer with various citizens watching. Doing this, Mackey finds the dealer's stash taped to his scrotum, and removes the baggie with excessive force.

Meanwhile, seasoned Detectives Dutch Wagenbach and Claudette Wyms discover a murdered woman in her home. It is revealed that her daughter is missing. Back at the Farmington Precinct (known by the detectives as "The Barn"), Aceveda calls Vic into his office. A Mexican gang member who Vic had previously apprehended is filing a brutality complaint against Mackey, claiming he was harmed with a pair of pliers during his arrest. Aceveda reprimands Vic, saying that this is his fourth excessive force complaint since David was made Captain. Mackey feigns innocence to the pliers complaint. He later accosts the man who filed the complaint, and terrorizes him into dropping the charges.

Later on, Vic and his partner Shane Vendrell pay a visit to notorious drug dealer Rondell Robinson. Unbeknownst to them, they are being watched by fellow Strike Team member Terry Crowley. After this, Terry has a meeting with David Aceveda and an associate from the U.S. Justice Department in a park. It is revealed here that Crowley has been gathering intel on Mackey and the Strike Team's doings for some time. When Terry tells Aceveda about the meeting with Rondell Robinson, Aceveda begins talking about building a federal case against Mackey. Crowley relents, only wishing to do so if he receives a job with the Justice Department, plus a new car and moving expenses. Aceveda agrees to the demands. When Terry asks David what he (Aceveda) is getting out of all of this, Aceveda replies "I just want a dirty cop off the streets." To this, Terry responds "You wanna be mayor someday? You better learn to lie a hell of a lot better than that."

Still on the hunt for the missing girl, Dutch and Claudette dig up info on her father, Lonnie, who has become a crackhead. After bringing him in, an interrogation reveals that the crackhead broke into his ex-wife Nancy's house, killed her, and kidnapped his daughter. The distraught father reveals that he sold his daughter to a pedophile named George Sawyer to feed his crack cocaine habit. After bringing in Sawyer, Dutch proceeds to manipulate him in the interrogation room; he's polite, brings him refreshments, and levels with him by claiming to have a desire for one of his daughter's thirteen-year-old friends (in reality, Dutch is childless). It is also during this sequence that an animosity between Dutch and Vic is revealed (Vic steals some Ding Dongs from Dutch's desk, which Dutch was planning to eat during what he expects to be a very long interrogation). The interrogation is successful, however, as Sawyer reveals that he didn't have the little girl in his possession, stating that she was "too young," and that he preferred them a little developed, like what Dutch was talking about. So he traded her to another pedophile, a Dr. Bernard Grady, for "a girl to be named later."

Dr. Grady is brought in, but denies any knowledge of the girl to Wyms and Dutch. Reluctantly, Aceveda brings Vic in as interrogator. Vic brings in a telephone book to the interrogation room. A smug Dr. Grady says to Vic, "Are we playing 'good cop, bad cop' now?" Vic then retorts and smiles, "Good cop and bad cop left for the day. I'm a different kind of cop." He then proceeds to beat Dr. Grady senseless with the phone book as the other cops look away nervously. Afterwards, Vic gives the girl's location to Aceveda. In a deleted scene, Dutch goes up to the interrogation room, where a terrified Dr. Grady is sitting in the corner in his own urine, hysterically crying for help.

At a cookout at Vic's home, Crowley approaches Vic about going along on an upcoming raid. Vic agrees. The Strike Team prepare for the raid, on a dealer (and rival of Rondell's) nicknamed Two Time, at his apartment near Dodger Stadium. Two Time is caught unaware, with Vic, Shane, and Terry confronting Two Time directly, and Lem and Ronnie covering the other exit. Two Time becomes trapped in his bathroom where he fires several shots at the Strike Team. Vic and Shane return fire, killing him. Vic lifts Two Time's gun out of his hand, looks Terry right in the eyes, and shoots him in the face. As Terry Crowley lies dying, Vic Mackey stands over him, shaking his head with a smirk.

The criminal Pål Skogland has been sitting in prison, where he got information on 354 million he could get his hands on. Skogland puts together a team. He gets Manne af Ejderhorn, an upper class kid, and the two brothers Victor and Emil Carlberg. The two works in a financial company they are going to steal the money from. The 354 million is going to be transferred to a bank in Majorca, Spain. Everything seems to be going their way until they arrive in Majorca.

When Max Taylor (Benny Young) wins the ancestral home of Callum Chance (Christopher Lee) in a game of poker, little does he realize that the game is far from over. Max Taylor chooses to ignore Chance's ominous warning and moves into the house within days. After moving into the ancestral home with his family the nightmare begins after Max spins a wheel of chance, (a wheel with four parts, two saying win, and two saying lose). It lands upon lose, and this awakens a demonic creature that lives in the soil of the ancestral home. Soon, one by one, Max's family are murdered by this strange creature known as the Funny Man (Tim James), a Mr. Punch-like jester with a varied and imaginative repertoire of homicidal techniques and a highly irreverent sense of humor. This sense of humor is shared with the audience. He is the only character that addresses the audience directly, as in a pantomime.

He kills off Max's wife and both kids in gruesome yet humorous ways. Max's son being the 1st, after walking around a pillar in circles playing with Funny Man, he stops and is killed off screen. After, Funny Man changes his voice to sound like Max's son and talk Max's wife while looking at her through a key hole, he is then seen dragging the child's body away and telling the audience "when hosting a party, it's always good to put the little ones down first." Max's wife is beaten to death with a club after failing to escape an endless room. Max's daughter is killed while playing a Game Boy after Funny Man hooks jumper cables up to her head, electrocuting her to death to the point where she catches fire.

Meanwhile, Max's brother, Johnny Taylor (Matthew Devitt), is on his way to the mansion with a bunch of hitchhikers who will be lucky to survive the night. Among the hitchhikers is a voodoo woman (Pauline Black) who after using tarot cards later learns about the awakening of the Funny Man. At first, after arriving at the ancestral home, everything seems fine. But the Funny Man has made his targets, and his evil game has begun. It soon becomes a Scooby-Doo Rock'n'Roll madhouse with bizarre scenes, gruesome kills and many humorous moments.

Friday and four of his friends arrive in a canoe on the island on which Crusoe has been stranded for years. When they start to consume a deceased comrade in a reverent form of ritual cannibalism, Crusoe kills Friday's friends and takes the latter to his camp as a prisoner.

Friday is very quick to learn the English language. Crusoe then tries to teach him Western concepts like property, sports, punishment, fear of God and so on, but Friday's reaction is only one of bewilderment and amusement. He begins to question and mock these concepts that seem senseless and destructive to him. One day he rebels, refusing to be a slave anymore. After some conflict, Crusoe has to admit that he could not live in solitude anymore, so he concedes in regarding Friday as a human being, although not as an equal. To do so, he starts to pay Friday one gold coin per day for his labour—an ambivalent sign of respect, as there is no use for money on the remote island.

When an English ship appears, Crusoe is overjoyed. Two men arrive in a boat and are invited for dinner but it turns out that they are slave traders who want to capture both Crusoe and Friday. So the latter collaborate in killing the intruders when their violent motives are revealed, and the ship sails away, leaving the protagonists stranded as before. For a while, a kind of friendship develops between Crusoe and Friday. Friday thinks that he maybe can teach Crusoe his more relaxed way of living, and not to be controlled by ''"thoughts of power, guilt and fear"'', which are very strong traits in Crusoe's personality.

One day, Crusoe falls back into his old delusions of being a superior being. He had been trying to teach Friday in a mock-up school for a while, ridiculously complete with a chalkboard. We see that the topic of the day, written on the chalkboard, is ''"civilization"''. Obviously, for Crusoe this is a culmination point, where his concepts are ultimately confronted with those of Friday. He gets in a frenzy and binds Friday to a pole, then holds a frightful, lunatic sermon about the superiority of his ways while threatening Friday with his gun. In the end, he shoots, but not at Friday, but at his own talking parrot, which had been his sole companion before Friday's arrival. After that shocking experience, Friday gives up his attempts to change Crusoe; the friendship also ends, leaving only the relationship of Crusoe as master and Friday as a paid servant.

After several years, Friday has accumulated 2,000 gold coins, the price that Crusoe once mockingly called for the hut and all his belongings. Friday now turns Crusoe's western ways against him. Catching him by surprise, he throws the gold on a table, declaring himself the owner of the material property; swiftly, he takes control of baffled Crusoe's gun, and coldly declares that the master-servant-relationship is inverted now. He forces Crusoe to build a solid raft, and both men put to sea for Friday's home island. When they have arrived there, Friday tells the story of their relationship to the gathered tribe, which reacts with astonishment and amusement about the strange ways of Crusoe. When the latter requests to join the tribe, proposing that he could teach the children, Friday strongly speaks against him, saying that "the only thing he (Crusoe) teaches is fear." So Crusoe is rejected and returns to his solitary island, where he commits suicide.

The story involves a man's return to Earth after a multi-year contract job on another planet. The Earth he comes back to, however, has undergone a devastating social upheaval. Apparently, a new race of "Synthetic Humans", or "Syns" has been created and is now intent on taking over the world. Meanwhile, the real humans are trying to destroy them. The problem is, the only way to identify a "Syn" is by a highly sensitive ECG's reading of a particular brainwave pattern, and the Syns are said to have the ability to fool the test much of the time, so they can "pass" many such tests before being detected. When they are detected, they are arrested and sent to be exterminated.

In charge is a supercomputer that only the protagonist truly understands. After much adventure and tragedy, he realizes what has truly happened to humanity and his planet, as well as the computer's role. He resolves to prove his theory and save the world, or die trying.

Police detective Kang has resorted to illegal activities to pay for the medical bills of his wife, who is in a coma. One day he is approached by a man named Min-woo, who confesses to killing his own wife. Kang realises that the murder and his wife's accident are in fact connected.

Nicholas, as third son, is third in the line of succession of the Kingdom of the Isles. However, due to his gentle nature and a deformity, an underdeveloped left foot, his father, Prince Arutha, decides that Nicholas would benefit from a rougher lifestyle than he is used to in Krondor. Arutha sends Nicholas to stay with Martin, Duke of Crydee, Warden of the West, and brother to Arutha and King Lyam. Nicholas is to learn what life is like outside the comforts he is used to as son of the Prince of Krondor, and Arutha deems that the distant town of Crydee, though twice the size of when he was a prince there, is rough enough living to make Nicholas learn to think for himself.

Nicholas is accompanied by his faithful squire and friend Harry, and sails on the ''Royal Eagle'', captained by Admiral Amos Trask, to the small town of Crydee. While there, the boys become friends with two girls of the court, Martin's daughter Margaret, and Abigal, daughter of the Baron of Carse. However, after about a month, Crydee is attacked, along with the other coastal towns of Carse and Tulan, by a well-organized army of pirates, hired Tsurani assassins, and Durbin slavers. All three towns are destroyed, and many are taken prisoner during the attack, including Margaret and Abigail. With Martin injured in an accident following the attack, Nicholas vows to rescue the prisoners and takes command. He is accompanied by Trask, Harry, Martin's son Marcus, Calis, son of Tomas and elf queen Aglaranna, the magicians Nakor and Anthony, Ghuda the mercenary, and a company of sailors and soldiers of the Kingdom that survived the attacks. They sail to the island city of Freeport, where Nicholas kills his first man, a pirate named Render who was involved in the attack. Through the encounter with Render, and with the help of a girl thief named Brisa, they learn that the captives were taken on a giant ship to the southwest, across the Endless Sea.

The crew of the ''Royal Eagle'', now disguised to hide its origin and renamed the ''Raptor'', follows the captives across the sea with guidance from Anthony, who can sense the whereabouts of Margaret. After two months at sea, they nearly overtake the slave ship, but through magic are first becalmed and then sunk. The survivors wash up on the shore of the distant, unfamiliar continent of Novindus.

The crew first must find a way up the cliffs that surround the northeastern edge of Novindus before they starve. After a few days, Calis, Marcus, and Nicholas find a way up the cliffs, but their men are tired and hungry, and many have died. At the top is an oasis, and the last water to be seen for miles. After some deliberation, Nicholas decides to head southeast, in the direction the captives' ship was heading.

After crossing the Hotlands, Nicholas and his company stumble upon a plot that appears to be intended to overthrow the Overlord of the City of the Serpent River. However, it turns out that the Overlord is a pawn of the wizard Dahakon and the Lady Clovis, who in turn are in league with the Pantathian Serpent Priests. After some time, Nicholas gains the trust of one of the clans of the City, Calis learns of the whereabouts of the prisoners, and Nakor is able to learn more about the Overlord, Dahakon, and Lady Clovis.

When Nicholas's men infiltrate the compound where the prisoners are being held, Anthony makes a terrible discovery: the Pantathians have devised a plague that will kill over half of the people in the Kingdom, throwing it into turmoil, allowing them to reach the Lifestone below Sethanon and accomplish their master plan which will destroy Midkemia. The Pantathians have made copies of the Kingdom prisoners, which are infected with the plague and are to be returned on nearly perfect replicas of two Kingdom ships, including the ''Royal Eagle''. Nicholas and his allies, both those from Crydee and those that joined during their time in Novindus, manage to free the prisoners, capture the copy of the ''Eagle'', and begin the journey home following its sister ship, a replica of the ''Royal Gull''. As Trask is seriously wounded during the capture of the ''Eagle'', Nicholas takes command, despite his relative inexperience at sea.

After trailing the ''Gull'' closely for the long journey back to the Kingdom, Nicholas and his crew finally engage the ship in battle, burning it and sinking it to destroy the plague-carrying copies. During the battle, a bireme driven by the wizard Dahakon appears, and when all attempts to defeat him fail, Anthony summons the magician Pug, who appears riding the great dragon Ryana and destroys the evil necromancer and his ship and crew of undead minions.

Nicholas returns home with his crew to a heroes' welcome, having saved the Kingdom from destruction, and proven his worth as Prince as well.

In the São Paulo suburbs, Ângelo is thinking about coming back to practice wrestling. Then, he decides together with Totó to promote a women's wrestling gym, called Duras Na Queda (Hard on the Fall). There that they enter in scene Tereza de Ogum, Alma and Arlete, always surrounded by the Limovi (Liga pela Moral e Virtude-League for the Moral and the Virtue), led by the moralist Coriolano.

Joe Scot is a British actor living in Los Angeles whose once successful career is flagging and spends most of his time indulging in alcohol, drugs and one-night stands. The only person he has in his life is his personal assistant Ophelia who is growing tired of his antics. He receives a call from his mother to say his childhood best friend, Boots has died unexpectedly. Shaken by the news, he attends a disastrous meeting with an up-and-coming director and his agent. Joe learns he will not get the part he had hoped would restore his career and publicly berates his agent who quits. Upset, Joe walks to the beach and swims out to sea contemplating suicide. Floating in the waves, he thinks back to the final summer holiday he spent with Boots.

The story flashes back to a teenage Joe and Boots. Joe lives with his mother, aunt and younger sister Jesse in a small town on the English coast. Boots has epilepsy and has recently had an attack in the cinema. Joe's next-door neighbour, young and bored housewife Evelyn kisses him in an attempt to seduce him. He later goes to her house, where she kisses him again and removes his trousers before her unsuspecting husband returns home. The next day, Joe bumps into a popular but quirky girl his own age from town, Ruth. She invites him back to her parents' house and he accepts, leaving Boots alone and angry. Joe is impressed by Ruth's affluent home and her parents' record collection. Ruth applies make up to Joe's face, making him resemble Bryan Ferry. They dance to ''If There Is Something'' by Roxy Music before Ruth asks him out on a date.

The following day, Evelyn convinces Joe to go into her home on the way to his date and they have sex. Joe arrives late to meet Ruth, who has been kept company by Boots. Ruth sees love bites from Evelyn on Joe's neck and storms off. Joe tries denying his affair with Evelyn, but ends up fighting with Boots who punches him. The next day, Evelyn apologizes for making him late but admits she thought their lovemaking was amazing and asks if he wants to repeat it. She forces her daughter Jane out to play so they can have the house to themselves. While they have sex, Jane finds a washed up sea mine and climbs on it, causing it to detonate and kill her instantly. Joe blames himself, runs away on the day of Jane's funeral and doesn't return.

Back in the present, Joe wakes up as he is washed ashore. He returns to England to attend Boots' funeral but he is too late. His mother and Aunt tell him that Boots married Ruth and that he died of an aneurysm, leaving behind four young children and a lot of debt. Joe is taken by Jesse to the church graveyard to meet Ruth. She tells him how much she loved Boots and what a wonderful person he was but she cannot cry, even though it is the saddest moment of her life. Joe also spots graves belonging to Jane and Evelyn. Jesse tells him that Evelyn's marriage broke down after Jane died and she married a man who beat her. Evelyn later found the courage to leave but was killed in a car accident. Joe goes back to the house he purchased for his family when his career was going well. He listens to the same music he and Ruth listened to on the night they first met and decides to write her a cheque to clear the debt. He encloses with the cheque a letter, containing the lyrics to ''If There is Something.'' When Jesse gives it to her, Ruth initially refuses but finds the lyrics and breaks down crying. Brought down to earth by Boot's death and Ruth's grief, Joe returns to Los Angeles where he is met by Ophelia and hopes to start his career afresh.

The story follows the overlapping lives of three high school seniors, with the chapters alternating between their different points of view. Jason Carrillo, the popular jock, finds himself questioning his sexuality and decides to attend a meeting for gay youth. He does not expect to see his classmates Kyle Meeks and Nelson Glassman at the meeting. Afterwards, Kyle, the mostly-closeted swimmer, decides to help tutor Jason in math. It is revealed that Kyle has had a crush on Jason for the past three years of high school. They bond over their shared feelings towards coming out and their families, which leads them to become more than friends. Nelson, the flamboyant class clown, has conflicting feelings towards Kyle and their relationship. He's very close to his mother who claims to have always known about his homosexuality, but rarely sees his father. After getting into an argument with Kyle, he decides to hook up with an online stranger named Brick. He has sex for the first time, and fears he has contracted HIV since Brick didn't use a condom. He becomes friends with HIV-positive Jeremy, and they begin a relationship.

It is the final semester of Jason Carillo's, Kyle Meeks's, and Nelson Glassman's senior year of high school. In the beginning they write letters expressing their past experiences and their current issues. They face the issues of coming out to the public, deciding which college to go to, and the ever-present threat of HIV/AIDS.

Nelson Glassman

Nelson is relieved to discover he does not have HIV, but his boyfriend Jeremy is HIV-positive. Nelson thinks Jeremy is pushing him away when Jeremy is just afraid of infecting Nelson. Nelson's mother keeps wanting to meet Jeremy and approves of their romantic relationship until she discover that he is positive. After a while, Nelson suspects Jeremy wants to break up with him, so decides to break up with Jeremy first. They meet in a cafe and Nelson still is undecided about breaking up with Jeremy but eventually Jeremy decides to break up their relationship. Nelson is hurt when Jeremy is immediately content with the idea. Jeremy and Nelson stay friends (or try to), and go to the prom on a platonic date. He is also upset because his best friend Kyle might be going to Princeton without him, leaving him to go to Tech (a boring, nerdy school in his opinion) alone. He feels insecure about his loneliness and his friends, and feels a little left out sometimes. Nelson ultimately decides to not go to Tech since he wants to figure out what he wants to do with his life.

Kyle Meeks

Kyle faces the problem of deciding which college to go to: Princeton or Tech. Jason may be going to Tech, so Kyle invests his hope in the possibility of going to Tech with him and his best friend Nelson. He encourages Jason to come out and hopes that he and Jason will be able to be open about their relationship. There are also problems on the swim team when someone has their parent write a letter to the coach saying that they don't want to shower with a homosexual. Forcing Kyle to wait until he gets home to shower. When the team stays in a hotel for a big swim meet, Kyle gets upset when his teammates refuse to share a room with him and almost walks out of frustration. Coach threatens to take him out of the meet and calls Kyle's father. Kyle apologizes (his father told him to) and he's able to swim in the meet. Later Kyle's father talks to the swim Coach and defends his son and his homosexuality. In the end, Kyle decides to go to Princeton, and goes to the prom with Jason.

Jason Carrillo

Jason wants to come out to the team but is afraid that he will lose his scholarship from Tech. He tells his Coach who handles it very well and so does the team. The team wins state. Jason and Debra have a civil conversation. Jason's confused on why Kyle would give up Princeton for him. He doesn't want Kyle to throw his life away. Jason gives a TV interview about his homosexuality and when asked if he had a boyfriend he says no. Kyle is upset about this. When the team wins state he and Kyle kiss on the court which makes up for the interview. Jason's mother is still having a hard time accepting his sexuality. Tech takes his scholarship away saying that it was due to an altercation earlier that year. Jason thinks that this is false. He and Kyle finally go to the prom together. And he and Kyle have sex together.

Category:2003 American novels Category:Sequel novels Category:Gay male teen fiction Category:2000s LGBT novels Category:Rainbow Boys Trilogy Category:American young adult novels Category:Hispanic and Latino American novels Category:LGBT-related young adult novels

After her mother was murdered by a yellow hair warrior and her family's house on the island of Shalott was burned to ashes, the 8-year-old Elaine of Ascolat goes to live with her two brothers, Lavain and Tirry, and her father in a British army encampment. She quickly makes friends with many of the camp's occupants, including Arthur, Lancelot, Tristan, and Gawain. Over the years Elaine grows into a beautiful 16-year-old girl and performs all of the menial, household tasks and healing for the camp's soldiers. She also falls in love with her childhood playmate Lancelot, who has become Arthur's right-hand man- a position made even more important after Arthur is forced to assume leadership after the camp's leader Aurelius is poisoned. Many of the other leaders resent Arthur's youth despite his experience and some leave the camp. The night that Arthur is proclaimed leader, Lancelot tells Elaine that he will be sent to win over Lodengrance because he will be needed at Arthur's round table. Arthur is then given his title by the Merlin, Taliesin.

As one of the only two women in the camp (the other being Morgan), Elaine feels somewhat awkward but finds herself flattered when Lancelot tells her that she is a grown woman. The two part ways and soon after Tristan comes up to tell Elaine how he came to be part of the army. The following day Elaine pricks her finger while sewing Tirry's clothes, which she sees as a bad omen. She begins crying and runs from the tent, only to be found and comforted by Morgan in the other woman's tent. Arthur then enters the tent to discuss the planned attack on the Saxons. While he doesn't want to murder anyone, he knows that this must be done to protect the people. A few days later Lancelot returns from his mission with Lodengrance and his beautiful daughter Gwynivere. She is set to be wed to Arthur, which makes Gwynivere unhappy. Lancelot confesses that he is in love with Gwynivere and ultimately considers Elaine a child, which crushes her. To make matters worse Gwynivere treats Elaine cruelly and views herself as superior to Elaine. To get back at her Elaine and Tristan place a frog in Gwynivere's embroidery pouch.

Afterwards Tristan warns Elaine not to follow the men to the Saxons. This warning ends up being in vain as Elaine sets off after the men shortly after their departure. She almost dies crossing a river and is eventually caught by Saxon soldiers. Gwynivere, who had been following Elaine, then appears and the two try to fight off the attackers. They are unsuccessful and they are taken to the Saxon camp as prisoners. Elaine later awakens to the sound of Arthur's army fighting the Saxons. She begins talking to Gwynivere about her worries and her own senselessness. This softens Gwynivere towards Elaine and she admits her own personal worries and jealousy. As the two women spend more time in the camp they overhear the Saxons planning a surprise attack on Arthur, which prompts them to begin planning their escape. They escape by digging their way out of their prison and Elaine decides to serve as a distraction for Gwynivere, who runs off to warn Arthur. Elaine manages to make her way to the river and just before she can climb inside a boat and escape, a Saxon arrow pierces her chest. She then crawls into the boat and floats downstream, where she blacks out and is found by Arthur's men.

As Elaine heals from her wound Arthur decides to move the camp back to Carelon-Usk, a process that is very tiring for Elaine. During this time she receives visits from many, including Lancelot and the two reconcile and rekindle their friendship. Tristan also joins Elaine at one point, where he confesses that he has been jealous of Lancelot because he has been in love with Elaine. This shocks Elaine, who realizes that she's in love with him as well. Upon returning to camp they all gather at the round table where Arthur invites everyone to start a new life and city with him in that very location. Elaine and Tristan, Elaine's family, and many of Elaine's friends stand with their consent to build their new city and establish their freedom in Camelot.

A discovery of gold in the Dakotas on Sioux lands in 1877 provokes a gold land rush. Numerous people come to Custer for their chance to claim land and possibly gold when the proclamation to explore the lands goes into effect, such as singing cowboy Dan O'Malley, the Carltons, and a group of outlaws headed by "Bull" Stanley. On their way to steal a bunch of horses, the outlaws save Lee Carlton from a different sort of outlaws, who had killed her father. Instead of taking the horses for themselves, the three outlaws decide to head to Custer as her protectors. The town is plagued with corruption and injustice headed by the Sheriff Layne Hunter, who learns where gold is located and wants to find it before the others. Meanwhile, the three "bad men" decide to arrange marriage for Lee, who soon meets up with Dan. The three outlaws must deal with that unexpected romantic attraction along with the looming sheriff's gang and the race of wagons for gold. Dan and Lee find love with each other while the outlaws kill each other in a last stand.

Directors and producers Ivan Kral and No Wave filmmaker Amos Poe use behind-the-scenes footage of punk musicians before they became icons.

The film includes footage of Blondie, Patti Smith, The Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, The Heartbreakers, The Shirts, and Robert Gordon as visitors to New York's CBGB's.

Man-seok is an executioner from the butcher caste and therefore discriminated against. One day, he receives a request from a noble family that one of their condemned be executed without his head being cut off. Man-seok does as instructed, but when his payment is delivered by Sug-young, the daughter of the executed, he rapes her, motivated by his deep resentment against the ruling elite. Later, she is arrested and sold into slavery. Feeling guilty, Man-seok buys her freedom, and the two eventually fall in love and settle down to a peaceful married life. However, their happiness is threatened when they are involved in a conspiracy against the enemies of Sug-young's family.

The premise of the show revolves around the four main characters, four girls who all go to a performing arts academy and live together: Cemre, Eren, Gülçin and Yasemin. They face tragic and comic events each week. They also have a hard debt to pay off, due to Yasemin crashing her boyfriend Korkut’s car. Overnight they find themselves in the spotlight performing at a club, now risking their places at their school due to the headmaster, Mr. Erol not allowing his students to become famous whilst in education. The girls struggle to hide the secret from Mr. Erol, who eventually finds out because a newspaper reporter, impressed with the girls' performance, came looking for them. Once the girls are found out, they insist they won’t do it again. The reporter then creates a competition, the winner being able to make an album, as the reporter believes that the students at the academy are very talented. Of course, the girls win and are signed to an album deal however the girls are yet to release the album.

Along with the fame side of the show, the girls also deal with their love life. Each girl having a match: Cemre – Emre, Eren – Bariş, Gülçin – Mert and Yasemin – Korkut.

Old Ebenezer Scrooge is a cruel man for whom money has become life's only passion; he hates Christmas, even the very mention of it, lives alone and only to work. He is very strict with his sole underpaid, overworked employee, Bob Cratchit, and does not believe in donating to charity or showing kindness to anyone.

One Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge receives a ghostly visit from his former partner Jacob Marley, who had died on that date seven years earlier. In his life, Jacob Marley had been just as selfish and uncaring as Scrooge was now. He tells Ebenezer about how his soul has not had a moment's rest since his death and how his spirit has been doomed to wander the earth looking down at what might have been, had he been a different man. He tells Scrooge that he wants to spare him that same fate and that he will receive the visits of three other spirits that night.

As Jacob Marley had predicted, the first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past arrives at one o'clock. He and Scrooge depart together for the Christmases that have already been and, from the experience, Scrooge gains a painful memory of the person he was, and how he became what he is.

The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shares with Scrooge the Christmases being celebrated on that same year, especially the merriment being had at his nephew Fred's home; Fred had invited him to dinner and Scrooge, as usual, had declined the invitation. From this experience, Scrooge also learns about Bob Cratchit's family, and how his youngest son, Tiny Tim, is a fragile creature supported by a crutch who may be doomed to die unless he receives better nourishment, more than his father can provide.

Finally, Scrooge receives a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and finds himself a changed man after he learns of the cruel fate in store for Tiny Tim, as well as the even crueller fate reserved for himself. Tiny Tim would die and be mourned by his loving family, while Ebenezer Scrooge would die alone and unmourned.

Spared by the spirit, Ebenezer Scrooge wakes up on Christmas Day determined to keep the promise he had made to the spirits the night before and, before setting off to accept his nephew's invitation and join them for dinner, he has a huge turkey delivered to Mr. Cratchit's door. From that day, no one in London would know how better to celebrate Christmas than Ebenezer Scrooge—and Tiny Tim could wish for no more a caring friend.

In the Edwardian era music halls of London, popular singing star Harriet Green delights audiences with her coy rendition of "Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow Wow." Harriet, who has an illegitimate baby daughter that she keeps secret from the public, is blackmailed into leaving the stage, so she moves to South Africa to raise her daughter quietly. Years later, her daughter Harriet Hawkes, who strongly resembles her mother, returns to London to break into showbusiness. Handsome young publicity man Tommy Thompson convinces a theatre producer to feature Harriet Hawkes in a new revue as the "remarkably preserved" original Harriet Green. The ruse works, but when Harriet Hawkes and Tommy fall in love, the public believes that Harriet is her 50-year-old mother and that Tommy is her son. The masquerade is revealed when the younger Harriet performs a strip-tease dance to the Harry M. Woods song "Over My Shoulder."

Working as a television writer for a low-rated sitcom, ''Those McAllisters'', Taylor Peters (Matthew Broderick) has developed a few vices, such as drinking, drug abuse and compulsive gambling, which have previously damaged his career to the extent that he takes sessions with an analyst only so his wife Lorraine (Maura Tierney) can feel he is taking the cure. Adding to this stressful home life is the discovery that their 20-year-old niece Amanda (Brittany Snow) has run away from home to Las Vegas to work as a prostitute. Although he writes a good comic scene for his lead actor Ed Begley, Jr., Taylor still has the need to run off to the track to play the horses, his only vice, but when his wife discovers it and threatens him with divorce, Taylor agrees to go to Amanda and try to get her into a rehab community in Malibu. Taylor goes to Las Vegas and locates Amanda and realizes that, even though she is involved in a dangerous profession, she has accumulated wealth and retained a relatively refined attitude about life. During the rescue, Taylor's drinking and drug addiction returns and his relationship with his wife crumbles, but he learns a large lesson about life and bonds with Amanda, entreating her to make some positive choice about her own life.

According to one of Nostradamus' supposed prophecies, in July 1999, a great leader would come from the sky to rebirth an old ruler over a lost province on Earth. In the game's story, this prediction comes true in the form of an alien invasion. Originating from Saturn, the alien invasion force quickly attacks many locations on Earth in preparation for an even bigger assault and possible complete global domination. Efforts are put into the design of advanced space fighters and mecha along with the best fighter pilots - in this case, pilots Dalas and Joanna - to combat the Saturnites and dispel any further doom prophecies from materializing on Earth.

In ''Zombie Broadway'', the human population of Manhattan has been decimated to the point where the only survivors are a few unlucky civilians and a bunch of stuck-up Broadway effetes. The acting mayor (the others have been eaten or killed) of New York has convinced the President to try taming the zombies through theater before the ultimate resolution of dropping a nuclear bomb on the city. The story of ''Zombie Broadway'' takes the form of an ensemble black comedy, full of violence and humor.

The Potato Elf whose real name is Fred Dobson is a dwarf who works in the circus where people laugh at him. After a tour through the Continent, he has returned to England. He gets beaten up when he tries to kiss a ballerina. Shock, the conjuror, takes him home so that he and his wife, Nora, can nurture him back to health. Nora and Fred have a one night affair, - Nora to get back at her husband who always does tricks, but Fred is in love. He quits the circus, plans to go to the north of England, and expects Nora to follow him. He tries to tell this to the conjuror who does not seem to listen. But in the evening, Shock pretends to have poisoned himself because of his wife's unfaithfulness, and Nora, in despair, realizes that she loves him. Fred moves to Drowse and receives Nora's letter: she will not come and will be going with her husband to America. Fred retreats from life and lives like a recluse. Eight years later Nora visits him and announces that she had a son from him. Fred wants to see him but Nora leaves abruptly. He runs after her, excited to have a son, happy, and collapses at her feet. As people realize he is dead, Nora denies him:"I don't know anything. My son died a few days ago."

Brothers Nat and Alex, aged twelve and nine respectively, are members of a rock band called The Naked Brothers Band. The film begins with the group—along with their ditzy nanny, Jesse—eating outside on a table in Pawnee Junction, Missouri. The cellist, Thomas, shows the audience a magazine which features a "Nat Wolff Exclusive." It shows "five reasons why Nat Wolff isn't perfect," and much to Nat's denial, the first one is: "he slurps his soup."

The group has been touring the country in their psychedelic tour bus and their final stop is to New Orleans, Louisiana.

While they are traveling on the bus, Jesse conducts a "manners class" for everyone, apart from Alex because he is "too young to play with knives". This is arranged by Jesse, as Nat's table manners are not approved by the restaurant ballroom. While Jesse was in the middle of her lesson, Alex walked into the room. Jesse urged Alex to watch a digital versatile disc that she bought for him. Alex replies: "And what movie is this my lovely sugar plum?" Jesse recalled that a salesman from Blockbuster recommended buying this old humorous film called ''The Awful Truth'', starring Cary Grant. After watching it, Alex comes back into the room explaining that she made a mistake; the film was actually called ''An Inconvenient Truth'' that featured Al Gore. Alex also recalls that "...Polar bears die in it, because the earth is too hot so their homes melt." That night, Alex becomes overly concerned about the polar bears losing their homes, so Nat suggests they gather all the money they make from their upcoming concert and give the proceeds to the environment. The next morning, Alex shows the viewers a list of things that he will be doing to preserve the environment. He wrote it on his arm so he does not waste paper and it includes recycling and not taking baths — except for "foot baths and butt baths."

When they arrive to New Orleans, they meet up with the siblings' dad—along with the Wolff family's dog Lucky—waiting for them at the bus stop. They later arrive at Onita's (Donna Lynn Leavy) family's house, and everyone is overjoyed that they have reunited. Onita's family has been friendly with the boys, their father and late mother since the siblings' early childhood. The band members also interact with Onita's daughters, "Big Ella" (Saorise Scott) and "Little Grace" (Grace Cartwright), despite "Big Ella" being the younger sister and "Little Grace" being the eldest.

The next day, the flooding from Hurricane Katrina flew Onita's house away, and because of this, the family had to move into a trailer home. Over dinner that night, to be well-mannered, Qaasim puts his napkin on Little Grace's lap. Little Grace did not seem to show much interest in what he did for her, and so Rosalina explains to Qaasim that Little Grace obviously dislikes guys who are polite and to be more of a "bad boy". On the other hand, Nat begins questioning Little Grace as to whether Rosalina likes him more than just a friend. Little Grace explains that it seems like Rosalina actually has a crush on Qaasim because Rosalina was telling her how she was fascinated by his table manners. Nonetheless, Rosalina only made that remark to have Little Grace fall in love with Qaasim. Following Rosalina's advice, Qaasim sits down next to Little Grace and pinches her butt. Little Grace becomes furious and she ensues his actions by taking her bowl of spaghetti and pouring it over his head.

Thereafter, the entire group speaks at a press conference, to where Alex looks at a calendar placed on the wall. Alex says, "Look at the calendar. Our picture. It's bigger. We're bigger than Santa Claus." News reporters falsely claim that he said, "Santa is a big fat blubber belly." The journalists get mad and they subsequently chase the band to Onita's trailer where they hide from the reporters. The misinterpretation causes the band's state dinner party to be cancelled.

Later on, Alex and Big Ella show Nat the documentary cameras which reveals Rosalina actually being attracted to Nat instead of Qaasim. The footage depicts Qaasim and Rosalina talking that night at dinner, and prior to when they were talking on the tour bus. They were discussing how they both agree that Nat is attracted to Little Grace. Then, while watching the tape, Nat starts shouting, "No! No! I'm in love with you, Rosalina. How could she not know that I love her?" Alex replies, "She does now." Instantly, Nat finds Rosalina smiling in the kitchen doorway. They begin to hug and kiss each other, to show their forgiveness.

The next morning, Big Ella wakes everyone up explaining that she provided evidence on a newscasting that the reporters made false accusations about Alex. Alex does not believe her and so she turns on the television to the media explaining: "Alex was framed by nasty reporters who just wanted a story." Big Ella, who is obsessed with Santa Clause, is shown on television explaining to reporters that "Alex loves Santa Clause. All Alex wanted to do was tell you that he was giving all his money to save the polar bears. The polar bears are Santa's neighbors. Santa loves them and he loves Alex too, and so do I." Everyone applauses the actions that Big Ella took to save Alex's reputation and the group's state dinner. That following night, the band raises money from that state dinner and donated it to a charity that helps global warming.

The story centers on two teenagers, Kishin Aiba and Aiko Sasahara, struggling to learn more about an incident in what may seem to be the events before the Chuai incident all the while being under siege by the monster itself before its untimely attack in New York City.

The first part centers on one of them, Kishin Aiba, and partly about the creature being taken captive by Tagruato. The second part centers more about Aiko Sasahara herself, her esteem to make Kishin acknowledge himself more and the assault of the monster on the Tokyo coastlines. Several third party characters from Tagruato and the ships make several appearances, such as the sailor Kurosaki.

In the second part, Mr. Aiba in the Tagruato headquarters gives an ominous warning about the events about to happen. After hearing it all on a news broadcast, Kishin and Aiko set off for shelter, the two bond together along the way. They arrive in Aiba's apartment, to acquire autographs from one of the popstars that promotes the drink Slusho! at the behest of Aiko. Kishin, reluctant at first, sees medical records of himself. The two come into an encounter with a mysterious cult intending to use Kishin in a twisted experiment or a dark ritual that heavily ties him to the monster and some of Tagruato and Slusho!'s darker intentions, the two separate after a struggle with the cult. Aiko encounters the military and tells them to help Kishin, but they tell her that they'll only do it if she leaves with the rest of the troops to a nearby shelter. Aiko goes to the shelter, however they ignore her demand. Aiko vows to rescue Kishin. The cult is depicted bearing masks that resembles the monster's face and carries beads or charms that holds the design of the monster's claws at every member's person.

In the third part, Mr. Aiba arrives and kills the cult members. He tells Kishin that Mrs. Aiba sabotaged a Tagruato experiment involving the monster called Splinter of Amnion (known to the cult as God's vestige) and fused its DNA (in the form of a tiny ball) with Kishin's in order for the cult to use him as a vessel to control the monster, as the Splinter requires a host. She was killed by Tagruato as a consequence. Kishin is the only person on the planet who has the monster's DNA inside his body, and he can also control it. Mr. Aiba tells Kishin that he has to die for the sake of humanity, and he is willing to die along with him. Mr. Aiba activates a switch that causes an explosion, but the monster arrives and shields Kishin with its hand. Meanwhile, Aiko escapes the shelter and kills one of the monster's parasites. She then witnesses Kishin standing in front of the monster. Kishin communicates with the monster and recalls his past. He realizes that his entire life has been nothing but misery and betrayal, and ends up succumbing into madness and rides on top of the monster's head. Kishin decides to abandon his useless self and destroy the cruel world that had been tormenting him. Kishin and the monster begin to mobilize.

In the final installment of the manga, Kishin and the monster cause havoc throughout the city before returning to the school. A group of parasites begin to attack three bullies, and they are shocked that when Kishin walks up to them, the parasites are not attacking him. He orders the parasites to assault the bullies, knocking out two of them. However, the third is saved by Aiko. Aiko then forcefully talks some sense into Kishin, revealing that she has feelings for him and after saving her from falling rubble, they get the two other bullies with one assisting them and take shelter in a room. While in there, Kishin cuts his hair, signifying his apology and new resolve and announces that he will face the creature alone. He runs outside, and comes to a stop right in front of it. He tells the monster that he has the Splinter of Amnion. The monster is in dismay (as can actually be seen in one panel). In rage, it consumes Kishin with one of its underbelly feeding tubes. While trying to use the orb to project Kishin's emotions, it flies into a rage after feeling the many emotions Kishin had felt over his life, until stopping at the one thing that he cared for most: Aiko. After a soldier shoots the monster in the eye, it roars one more time. Wounded and shaken by Kishin's revelation, it returns to the ocean and sinks down. While going down, it sees what appears to be a giant egg, before allowing itself to be absorbed to be at peace. It is then revealed that there are several more eggs akin to a nest, implying that there are actually many more monsters (and that the monster from the manga is different from the one from the film). Kishin is found floating on a piece of wood, and is brought back to the ravaged city to a joyous Aiko. They embrace as they reunite, Kishin finally having found the one true thing he cares for in his life.

The episode is set on December 27, 2004, the survivors' 97th day on the island. At the beach camp, the corpse of Dr. Ray (Marc Vann), the freighter ''Kahana'' doctor, washes ashore. Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) calls the freighter and asks what happened to Ray via morse code. Daniel lies about the response, saying that rescue helicopters will be sent soon; however, Bernard Nadler (Sam Anderson) calls him out on this and correctly interprets the freighter's message: "What are you talking about? The doctor is fine." Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox), who suffers from stomach pains throughout the day, forces Daniel to reveal that it was never their intention to rescue the survivors.

Meanwhile, Alex is captured by Martin Keamy (Kevin Durand) and others from the freighter. As they take her to the Barracks, she sets off an alarm heralding the arrival of Ben's enemies. Ben, John Locke (Terry O'Quinn), and Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia) fortify Ben's house, while James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway) goes to retrieve the other survivors in the Barracks. He is partially successful, as he saves Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin) from her exploded and burning house, but three survivors (portrayed by extras) are shot to death by the mercenaries. Keamy finds and frees Miles Straume (Ken Leung), giving him a walkie-talkie to take to Ben. Ben communicates with Keamy, who threatens to kill Alex if Ben does not surrender. Ben attempts to negotiate and is shocked when Keamy executes Alex. Locking himself in the house's secret room, Ben enters a hidden chamber. He re-emerges shortly after covered in soot, and the smoke monster attacks Keamy's henchmen. The survivors flee for the forest, with Ben lingering briefly to grieve over Alex's body. Afterward, Ben and Locke depart to locate Jacob for further instructions. Sawyer, Hurley, Claire and Aaron turn to return to the beach with Miles, but Locke holds them at gunpoint, successfully demanding that Hurley goes with him (as he has found Jacob's cabin before).

Flashforwards show Ben on three continents in autumn 2005. Ben is startled when he wakes up in the Sahara Desert wearing a winter jacket and with a large cut on his upper arm; challenged by two armed locals, he kills one of them (Nick Hermz) and knocks the other (Sammy Sheik) unconscious and travels on horseback to Tozeur, Tunisia on October 24, 2005. Ben journeys to Tikrit, Iraq, where the funeral of Sayid's wife Nadia Jazeem (Andrea Gabriel) is taking place. Ben tells Sayid that Widmore ordered Ishmael Bakir (Faran Tahir) to kill Nadia. Ben lures Bakir into a trap to be killed by Sayid, who shoots Bakir repeatedly. Ben recruits him to become his assassin, and leaves for London, where he breaks into Widmore's penthouse; although he cannot kill Widmore, he states that he is going to kill Widmore's daughter Penelope (Sonya Walger) in retribution for Alex's death. In their conversation, Widmore claims that the island is his and that he will take it back from Ben one day.

The story takes place in Iceland around the height of the Viking Age, where a young man, Kjartan (Ralf Möller), must defeat a horde of evil Vikings, intent on taking over his father's land and stealing his girlfriend Gudrun (Ingibjörg Stefánsdóttir) from him too. To help him in this task, Kjartan seeks help from the older Viking Warrior Gunnar (Sven-Ole Thorsen), who trains him to become a fierce fighter, and later aids him in his quest against his archenemy Ketil (Hinrik Ólafsson).

Lorna, a young Albanian woman living in Belgium, is in a sham marriage with a drug addict named Claudy. She dreams of owning a snack bar with her boyfriend, Sokol, and agrees to have another fake marriage with a Russian man to earn the money for it. Fabio, a petty criminal who orchestrated the whole plan, pressures Lorna to kill Claudy via an overdose. Moved by Claudy's determination to stay clean, Lorna pleads Fabio to hold off with the plan.

In order to obtain a quick divorce, Lorna decides to hurt herself and make it look like Claudy abused her. After a second attempt where she enlists a nurse at a drug rehabilitation clinic to act as the witness, she receives approval for the divorce, while Claudy gets out of the hospital. She asks Fabio to wait a month before she has to marry the Russian. At home, she kicks out a drug dealer who almost tempted Claudy into a relapse, has sex with Claudy and reconciles with him. The next day, Lorna and Claudy agree that she will help him stay clean.

After a time skip, Lorna is seen collecting Claudy's possessions in his apartment and from a morgue worker, revealing that Claudy was killed, though Fabio made it look like an overdose, supposedly thanks to "Lorna's silence". Fabio claims the murder was necessary as the Russian man was growing impatient and offers Lorna an extra thousand euro for putting up with Claudy. While Fabio and his accomplice Spirou leave, Lorna is interrogated by two detectives.

Afterward, Lorna makes plans to open up the bar with Sokol and has a meeting with the Russian man, taking more money from Fabio, including the thousand she refused prior. Feeling ill, she suspects that she is pregnant and visits the hospital to get an abortion but backs out. Fabio pressures her to go through with it but she refuses, trying to open a bank account for her unborn child, giving Claudy's last name when asked for information. During a second meeting with the Russian, she reveals her pregnancy and he tells her the baby is out of the question. Fabio later accosts Lorna and tells her he will take her to get an abortion, after which Lorna clutches her stomach in pain. Later, at the hospital, the doctor insists that Lorna is not pregnant but asks her to stay in the hospital overnight.

Fabio realizes that he can no longer use Lorna, meets up with her and Sokol and takes back most of the money he had given her. The next day, Lorna packs up her possessions and Fabio takes away her SIM card, sending her off with Spirou. In the car, Lorna asks Spirou why he has not taken the highway, as he claims the he needs a gas station, yet passes one on the way. Realizing that Spirou intends to kill her, she asks him to stop the car so she can pee. Lorna grabs a rock while she's urinating and hits Spirou in the head with it, running off into the woods. The movie ends as Lorna arrives at a cabin in the woods where she decides to spend the night. She goes out to find firewood and talks to her imaginary baby, telling it that she will not let it die the way she did with Claudy.

A young child is stranded in Tonga when his plane crashes and his father is eaten by piranhas. There, he trains in a dojo until he earns the name Tongan Ninja. The Tongan Ninja is dispatched to the island nation of New Zealand in order to help the brother of his master with his floundering Chinese restaurant. But the mysterious Mister Big stands in the eatery's way as he sends numerous villains such as Knife Man, Gun Man, and Action Fighter to keep the restaurant closed and the employees in fear. The Tongan Ninja must travel to Mr. Big's ninja headquarters at the So-Called-Syndicate to put a stop to his criminal empire once and for all.

Photographer Bob Griffioen (Waldemar Torenstra) is in Afghanistan with his girlfriend when they witness rebels attacking a car. His girlfriend wants to flee the scene but he wants to photograph it, resulting in his girlfriend being killed. (This part is not in the book.)

Later, Bob is doing nature photography in the dunes near a beach on the island of Texel. The beach appears to be deserted, until he sees the naked Kathleen (Sophie Hilbrand) emerging from the sea. He boldly photographs her. A little disturbed she asks whether he has photographed her. He denies it, but she sees the photographs on his camera screen. She says he should undress too because it is a nude beach, just like one should be dressed when in the street. He takes off his shirt only.

Kathleen is paid by an older man (who we later discover belongs to a drug gang) for allowing him to watch her fingering herself. She also socialises with the gang. Bob meddles with the gang's affairs and uninvitedly comes to their parties. This causes the gang to get hostile to him: they throw him into the water, damage his belongings in the house where he is staying, and kidnap him. The kidnapper is accidentally killed. Bob throws him into a shallow lake in the dunes, with a heavy bag with drugs strapped to his body to keep him underwater.

Bob and Kathleen have sex, although he is not sure on which side she is, especially when she steals the gun Bob had taken from his kidnapper. Later she lies to Bob that she has got rid of it.

Kathleen refuses fingering herself in front of the older man anymore, after which he forces her, threatening with a gun. A moment later he has been shot. According to Kathleen it was suicide.

Bob and Kathleen are both kidnapped, but due to the gun Kathleen has with her they can escape. Bob now trusts her. Together they flee the island: Kathleen pretends to have a stroke (even toward Bob), and they are taken off the island by a medical emergency helicopter.

Later they live together abroad, and a suitcase with money is brought to them as a reward for what they did on Texel.

Emerson "Em" Watts accompanies her sister, Frida, and her best friend, Christopher, to a Stark Megastore opening in SoHo, which is attended by teen supermodel Nikki Howard and British musician Gabriel Luna, who Frida hopes to meet. Protesters attend the event because the Stark Megastore has replaced a locally owned grocery store, and one of the protesters shoots a plasma screen with a paintball gun, snapping the wires. Em saves her sister from being hit by the falling plasma screen but takes the hit herself. At almost the same moment, Nikki faints.

A month later, Em finds herself in the hospital, trying to recall what had happened. She finds out she is in Nikki's body when she is kidnapped by Lulu Collins, Nikki's roommate, and Brandon Stark, her on-again, off-again boyfriend and heir to the Stark fortune. Em tries to remember the events that led to her current state and finds out that not only did she die during the accident, Nikki had collapsed from a brain aneurysm at the same time. In an effort to save Em, her parents agreed to a controversial brain transplant offered by Stark Industries, transplanting her brain into Nikki's body, on the condition that Em continues Nikki's career as the face of Stark Industries; the penalty for breaching this contract would be two million dollars.

Em is forced to take on the role of Nikki Howard, all the while struggling with the fact that she does not have control over her life. She tries to let go of her tomboyish ways to take over Nikki's glamorous lifestyle. Although she is now dealing with Nikki's job, friends, and various boyfriends, she fights to keep some of her old life by going back to school and facing Christopher, whom she has a secret crush on. As Em follows through with Nikki's commitments, she realizes that the supermodel lifestyle is a lot harder than she perceived it to be. When Em notices that Christopher is now a mess because of her supposed death, she goes out of her way to talk to him, and try to make him realize that she is still alive in someone else's body.

The novel ends with Em bringing Lulu to her family's house for dinner, Em learns that Lulu doesn't have a family and spends most of her time drinking and partying. When asked by Lulu how she knows her family, Em answers, "I don't know where to begin".

The eldest daughter of a pioneer family is kidnapped by a mysterious Indian tribe and the eldest son pursues. In order to win back his sister's freedom, he must sacrifice his own life by passing the test of "Crooked Sky" and shield his sister from an executioner's arrow. Along the way, he recruits a broken down, drunk prospector and his dog to help him track down the unknown tribe and rescue his sister.

The narrative begins with the auction by the US Government of the fictional Spencer Island, located 460 miles off the California coast ( ). The island is uninhabited and there are only two bidders: William W. Kolderup, a very wealthy San Franciscan, and his arch-rival J. R. Taskinar, a resident of Stockton, California. Kolderup wins the auction, buying Spencer Island for four million dollars. Taskinar mutters, "I will be avenged!" before retiring to his hotel.

Godfrey, an idle twenty-two-year-old, lives with Kolderup (his uncle) and Kolderup's adopted god-daughter, Phina, whom Godfrey has grown to love. Prior to marrying Phina, Godfrey asks to undertake a world tour. Acceding to his nephew's desire, Kolderup sends Godfrey on a sea voyage around the world, aboard one of his steamships, the ''Dream'', commanded by Captain Turcott. Godfrey is accompanied by his mentor, teacher, and dance instructor, Professor T. Artelett (aka "Tartlet").

After some time at sea, Godfrey is awakened one foggy night and told to abandon ship as the ''Dream'' is foundering. After jumping into the sea, Godfrey is washed ashore on a deserted island, where he soon finds Tartlet has also been marooned. Godfrey, with scant help from Tartlet, will have to learn to survive, organize his life, face hostile intruders, and overcome other obstacles. Eventually, they are also joined by the African slave Carefinotu, whom Godfrey rescues from Polynesian warriors visiting the island. By the end of the story, the formerly-jaded Godfrey has discovered the value of independent effort, and he gains poise and courage. The marooned group are rescued and returned to San Francisco, where Godfrey is reunited with Phina. They agree to marry before continuing Godfrey's world tour, this time together.

The story begins at a family dinner where Saša ( ), a discontent Belgrade Law School student still living at home while dating water polo coach Stefan ( ), informs her parents about the decision she made to move to Canada, following her boyfriend who had already accepted a job offer to coach water polo there. The parents, who thought the young couple were about to announce their intention to get married, can hardly hide their shock and disappointment at the unexpected development. Saša's father Miloš (Bogdan Diklić), a conservative judge, is particularly not happy with the fact she's leaving her studies. Saša also tells them about moving in with Stefan right away, even before her visa application is processed. The young couple then leaves the dinner in a bit of a huff.

While driving back to Stefan's apartment, they get into a car accident. Luckily both survive: Saša only with scratches and Stefan with minor head and leg injuries that require hospitalization. In the hospital Saša meets Stefan's sister Lana (Jelena Đokić), a charming Paris-based photographer who's come to Belgrade in order to take care of her injured brother. While Saša gets released from the hospital the same day she wakes up, Stefan is being held for a few more weeks.

While he recovers, his sister Lana seems to have forgotten the original intention of her arrival to Serbia, and spends all her time with Saša. Saša, who initially finds Lana to be very irritating, is being slowly seduced by her, and goes through the path of anger, denial, acceptance and outing in the time span of only few days.

Her parents, busy with their own separation and divorce, don't notice their daughter's love life confusion right away - more precisely, they have to be told so. Both of them react very differently. Mother (Mira Furlan), who has just realized that life should not be wasted in compromises but should be lived to the fullest, is very happy that her daughter has finally found her true love. On the other hand, Saša's father, who tries to keep his family together at all costs, becomes very unstable and angry after hearing these news, which for him represent the last drop.

Releasing all his suppressed anger, he has Lana followed and arrested for one night on a traffic violation account, which results in Lana's change of spirit - from a joyful but a little superficial and inconsiderate girl she becomes a crushed pessimist, decided to escape the troublesome situation. She confronts Stefan and breaks up with Saša by telling her that "it was a nice dream" and that "she wishes for her to fall in love again", suggesting that she herself could not love again. She leaves for Paris, and things eventually work out for Stefan, who splits for Canada with a nurse from the hospital, and for Saša's mother too, who moves to Vienna with her new husband and her little stepdaughter. Saša's father dies on, so to say, the consequences of his bogus heart condition and Saša is left completely alone to stand still in a world where everybody else seems to be going places, even though in different directions.

A viewer is being left with a distinct feeling of "plots behind the plot", i.e. there are several stories from the life of the protagonists, which are implied to but not quite revealed. Those are for example: the story about Stefan's and Lana's childhood and their relationship in general; the story about Saša's father's youth and marriage; the relationship between Saša's father and his assistant; and the most important - what has happened that night in prison and why has Lana decided to drop the fight so quickly. Although it may sound as a disadvantage of the scenario, it actually complements it (except, maybe, the unclearance of Lana's mindchanging).

The summary is four kids from the United States and four kids from the United Kingdom go to Florida. They have many adventures such as feeding Orcas at Seaworld and cleaning up after animals at Busch Gardens. Adventure Camp aired in March 2008. It was being shown on Discovery Kids. Many of the adventures are exciting, thrilling, and sometimes gross, but at the end someone who showed a quality such as teamwork would receive a necklace and the honor to get to go on an extra special adventure the following day.

Each camper received a necklace and were told that if they earned 20 beads on the necklace by the end of the trip, then they would get a close encounter with an animal of some kind, which turned out to be swimming with dolphins. Domonique was the only one not to earn enough beads, but Melissa felt that Domonique deserved them more and then gave two of her beads to Domonique. The counselors then gave Melissa a chance to earn the extra 2 needed by participating in a manatee release.

A struggling artist immerses himself in black magic in order to further his career. However, once he has everything he has ever desired, the demons return to plague him, his work, and his family.

An eight and a nine-year-old boy living in Belfast during The Troubles, one Catholic, one Protestant, become friends. They are obsessed with the film ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' and dream of robbing banks and emigrating to Australia.

Although the boys are from completely different backgrounds, they bond quickly. After watching the film together, they take on the characters' personas. Later, believing that they will get blamed for an old man's death, they go 'on the run,' trying to escape to Australia.

Their journey towards the ferry (which they believe will carry them to Australia) is a series of misadventures, including a 'bank robbery', riding a horse/ponies, a fire in a stable, escape from a police car. Once re-apprehended by the police, they did discover they had crossed the Irish border.

Upon their return, one of the boy's fathers is killed in a sectarian-related shooting, driving a wedge between them. In the closing scene, 30 years later, Mickeybo opens a large envelope from Jonjo, which contains the toy sheriff's star and a photo of him with his family living in Australia

'''Mickybo and Me film 2 coming out june-25-2007'''

When 30-year-old Daikichi Kawachi returns home for his grandfather's funeral he learns about the existence of Rin Kaga, his grandfather's illegitimate six-year-old daughter by an unknown mother. The girl is an embarrassment to all his relatives and is treated like an outcast.

Annoyed by their attitudes, Daikichi decides to take care of Rin himself, even though he is single and has no experience in raising a child. As Rin becomes part of his life, Daikichi experiences the hardships of being a single parent. He is befriended by the single mother of Kouki Nitani, a young boy that Rin meets in nursery school, who gives him advice on raising Rin. After a year has passed, Daikichi acknowledges his sacrifices for Rin have been worth it. The first half of the series focuses on Daikichi's perspective and struggles raising Rin.

Ten years later, Rin is a high school student and the remainder of the series focuses on her trying to figure out how to deal with her feelings for Kouki, and her decision for a career. Rin discovers that she is not actually related to Daikichi by blood, and the series ends with Rin wanting to have a child with Daikichi.

The anime and live-action adaptations do not depict this revelation, and instead end before the time skip.

A woman off camera explains how she has difficulty trusting people, especially men, because of things she saw when she was young. This comment introduces a prologue in which a little girl watches helplessly as a man (Syd Brisbane), presumably her father, appears at the door, douses her mother with petrol and sets her alight.

The young girl, now a woman in her twenties, is Nikki Davies (Frances O'Connor). Nikki and her boyfriend, Al Fletcher (Matt Day), are small-time criminals who target married businessmen. Nikki picks up a charmless patent attorney in a bar and accompanies him back to his room where she slips something in his drink. The man passes out, Nikki lets Al into the room and they begin casing it for valuables.

Then things start to go wrong. Al discovers their mark is not merely unconscious but dead. They flee the scene but back at their place the situation gets more complicated. A video in the patent attorney's briefcase features a famous ex-footballer, Zipper Doyle, engaged in pedophilia. Enraged, Nikki leaves an abusive message on the answering machine at Doyle's gym. Meanwhile, Al fast-forwards to the next scene in the video. Doyle is with a woman who looks disconcertingly similar to Nikki.

At the break of day, the lovers depart Adelaide, setting out across the Nullarbor Plain for Perth. Soon they are being pursued by Doyle - who wants his tape back - as well as the police. That night they stop at a motel in the middle of nowhere, run by a lonely eccentric by the name of Stan (Max Cullen). Stan's attempts at hospitality backfire when Nikki's shirt catches alight over a dinner of fondue. This incident and a sleepwalking episode later that night not only underscore the lovers' precarious situation but also serve as reminders of Nikki's horrible past.

At a truck stop the next morning, Nikki overhears that Stan has been murdered. She demands to see Al's wallet and finds it stuffed full of cash. Al insists he only robbed Stan. Back on the road, the couple become aware that they are being followed. Al realises it's Zipper Doyle and veers off-road. Doyle fires at them and chases after in pursuit. Fortunately for Nikki and Al, Doyle's Jaguar can't manage the territory their 4WD can.

Pulling over to get their bearings, they make a bizarre discovery. Adler Jones (Barry Otto) has been hiding in the boot. While Al is on the verge of attacking Adler, Nikki is persuaded by Adler's offer of help. Adler suggests the couple stay at his place nearby (amusingly located in a former nuclear testing site). When they arrive and meet Adler's wife Bel (Jennifer Cluff), Al acknowledges the apparent wisdom of Nikki's instinct to trust Adler.

The next morning Nikki discovers Adler and Bel dead in their beds, their throats cut. Al appears and knocks Nikki out. Evidently he has decided Nikki must be committing the murders - only semi-consciously in her sleep - and ties her up at a safe-house. It is here that the police finally catch up with the couple. However, after a night in a cell a strange lawyer turns up and organises bail. He drives the bemused lovers to a motel where he instructs them to wait. Suddenly Zipper Doyle appears and forces them at gun-point to get into his car.

By now the police have discovered Doyle's participation in a pedophilia ring and are pursuing him as well as Nikki & Al. When Doyle sees a road-block he begins issuing commands to Nikki who is in the driver's seat. Nikki ignores him and drives straight into the road-block. Doyle is killed in the crash, the lovers are only wounded. In a concluding voice-over Nikki explains who was responsible for the murders on the road and how they got off for the death of the patent-attorney (always wipe your prints and only target pedophiles).

The film centers around the Sex Pistols 1978 tour of the United States which ended with the group breaking up. The tour was the only one the group played in the U.S. during their original run. Film director Lech Kowalski followed them with handheld cameras through the clubs and bars of their seven-city Southern tour. Mixing this with footage of other contemporary bands, trends in the fashion capitals, and punks of all shapes and colors, Kowalski created a grainy, stained snapshot of a movement at its peak, showing how certain authority figures saw the movement as a threat.

It features interview footage (including the famous interview of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen in bed), and behind the scenes shots from the tour as well as interviews with audience members who had strong and widely varied reactions to the group.

The majority of the material surrounds the Pistols tour as well but it also included other performances by first wave Punk acts such as The Dead Boys and Generation X with Billy Idol.

This indie film was shot mostly in bars and clubs on 16mm film, and documented early years of punk from both in front of and behind the stage.

The film's poster is featured prominently in one scene of the 1981 film ''Neighbors''. ''D.O.A.'' also featured in ''The Filth and the Fury'', a 2000 rockumentary film about the Sex Pistols directed by Julien Temple, and in the 2002 television series ''Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s''.

The story follows the experiences of a rocking chair, from its creation from a tree through its time as a member of a Canadian farming family.

Waylander, the assassin anti-hero of Waylander and Waylander II, is now a rich old man looking for a world that will give him peace and atonement for his crimes. However, his relatively quiet peace is broken by the appearance of old demons from the past, and enemies from the present. Faced with enemies he cannot easily fight, even a magical sorcerer working for an unknown cause, he is forced to take up his crossbow and sabre to once again become Waylander. Aided by an idealistic warrior, a braggart with a stolen sword, a girl with a special talent, and a mysterious priestess and her followers, he seeks to close the chapter of his life by destroying the evil he has created by his own hand.

Category:2000 British novels Category:British fantasy novels Category:Drenai Category:Novels by David Gemmell Category:Bantam Books books

Helen Mallory is a beautiful young woman who has been unable to speak a word since seeing her husband and daughter die in a fire. She visits the home of her elderly, invalid grandmother and meets her uncle, Joe Sherman, a respected psychiatrist. The visit turns into a nightmare as she encounters Joe's brash brother Steven, as well as a pretentious Southern belle named Blanche and other mysterious characters in a house where everyone's life seems to be in grave danger.

Hank Pym is under house arrest at Ultimates Mansion. One of Pym's Ultron robots drugs him and leaks a sex tape of Tony Stark and the Black Widow to the Internet. These distract from the robot's fatal shooting of the Scarlet Witch. Magneto abducts Scarlet Witch's corpse and retreats to the Savage Land, where he is confronted by the Ultimates. Pym and Wasp discover the truth about the Ultron robot, which has adopted the identity of Yellowjacket, and uses the Ultimates' DNA to create a series of android duplicates. Although the true Ultimates destroy their android counterparts and Yellowjacket, Quicksilver is apparently killed by Hawkeye. The Wasp then invites Pym to return to the Ultimates, and he accepts. The mastermind behind the robot's plot is revealed to be Doctor Doom.

Deaths

Ultron Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde) Scarlet Witch Quicksilver *Unus, the Untouchable

A year after the end of ''The Ultimates'' public opinion has turned against the team when it is discovered that Bruce Banner is in fact the Hulk and was responsible for hundreds of deaths. The team is undermined further when Thor is accused of being an escaped mental patient and is incarcerated. This is the doing of his brother Loki, who also facilitates the creation of a new team of anti-American multi-nationals called the Liberators. With the aid of the Black Widow - who betrays the team to the Liberators - the Liberators conquer the United States and capture the Ultimates, but the Ultimates eventually escape. With the aid of Asgardian warriors and American and European heroes, the Ultimates defeat both Loki and the Liberators.

In Romania, an anaconda that was captured from the Amazon River is being held at a genetic research facility owned by Wexel Hall for experimentation where Professor Eric Kane has developed a serum for the Blood Orchid (the one recovered from the fountain after the ruins of the Borneo jungle). The research project is led by Dr. Amanda Hayes and funded by Peter "J.D." Murdoch, a well-known industrialist. While visiting the facility, Murdoch provokes the anaconda with a large flashlight, and has it gassed to calm it down. However, as Murdoch, his assistant Pinkus and Daryl are about to leave, the anaconda kills Daryl and breaks through the enclosure's wall. As it escapes, it kills many of the people working in the laboratory. In looking through the facility, Amanda and the professor realize that the anaconda also freed the queen anaconda. The anaconda soon sneaks up behind them and crushes the professor to death in its coils and bites his head off. Murdoch calls in a team of animal hunters, led by Stephen Hammett to capture both snakes. Amanda and Pinkus go with them. At a small farm in the middle of the woods, the owner is eaten alive by one of the snakes.

The hunting party arrives later and begin formulating a plan of attack. During the first confrontation with the snake, two of the party are killed: Grozny is stabbed by the genetically altered anaconda's very sharp tail and Dragosh gets his head bitten off by the snake. Hammett arrives and gives the team a lecture on how to kill the snake. As the group splits up, Amanda heads off in a car with two other team members, Victor and Sofia. During the next confrontation with the snake, the anaconda spits acidic venom in Victor's face, burning it. The car crashes and Sofia is thrown from the car, breaking her leg in the process. As Amanda tries to leave the car to help her, the snake reappears and devours Sofia. Amanda is rescued by Hammett and both of them escape.

As they regroup, Amanda reluctantly reveals that the queen snake is pregnant and will give birth to more genetically "special" offspring in less than 24 hours. The teams want to call in the military, but Hammett forbids it and threatens Amanda with jail for her role in creating it. In the morning, the party begins searching for the snake, but Pinkus is stabbed in the chest by the anaconda and is killed. While Hammett searches for the snake on foot, Amanda and one of the three remaining hunters, Nick, spot the snakes first going into an old factory and follow them in to plant explosives around the building. Before they can finish, the snake attacks. Nick helps Amanda escape, but is wounded by the snake as it impales him with its tail, but Nick is able to discharge a grenade, killing both him and the snake. Hammett and his last remaining hunter, Andrei, arrive after hearing the grenade go off. As the two of them meet Amanda inside the factory, Andrei moves to set the charges, but Hammett kills him, causing Amanda to realize that Hammett is working for Murdoch who wants a live baby anaconda. Inside the building, the queen gives birth. After wounding Hammett, Amanda sets the timer on the explosives and escapes from the building, leaving Hammett to be attacked by the baby snakes while he tries to reach the bomb. Once she is at a safe distance, the explosives detonate, killing Hammett and the baby snakes. As she squats by a roadside burning all of her documentation on the snake research, one of Murdoch's men named Peter Resyner drives by heading for the factory where he finds one baby snake still alive and delivers the snake to Murdoch.

Francis Bernardone (Bradford Dillman) is the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi. He joins a military expedition, but deserts when an inner voice commands it. He gives up all his worldly goods to dedicate himself to God. Clare (Dolores Hart) is a young aristocratic woman who, according to the film, is so taken with St. Francis that she leaves her family and becomes a nun. By this time (1212 A.D.), St. Francis has a well-established reputation for his vows of poverty. The movie goes on to note miracles (such as the appearance of the stigmata on Francis's hands and feet) and other aspects of his life, up to and including his death on October 3, 1226. The funeral befitted a man loved by man and beast alike, and ended with the birds he loved doing a flyby.

Michael Makeshift is a lonely, sad man who can't get over the fact his fiancée dumped him. He regularly attends various support groups to meet people. To make matters worse, his landlord is beginning to bug him for long-overdue rent.

It seems that things for Michael's brother Reggie are much better. A con, he regularly dupes his family, all of whom are oblivious except for Michael. He appears on his doorstep, newly married to Valerie. Reggie asks him to look after her, who's puzzled when she awakes at Michael's apartment after Reggie left her there whilst she was drunk and unconscious.

Valerie also does not know that Reggie has paid Michael for the favor, while he 'takes care of some business'. Disoriented when she wakes up, Valerie slowly warms to Michael.

Despite his well-laid plans to rob the credit union where his own mother works, things go badly for Reggie. His henchmen mutiny and force him to reveal that the clueless Valerie carries the security codes they need to pull off the job in her suitcase.

A chase ensues. While Michael helps Valerie escape, he reveals the truth about Reggie. At the same time, she becomes increasingly attracted to her new protector. Staying overnight in his dad's now closed hardware store, Reggie's henchmen find her, forcing her and Reggie to hit the credit union.

In the end, the henchmen are arrested, Reggie and Michael are released, and the later and Valerie (who hadn't married Reggie after all) declare their mutual love and kiss.

In 1950s Yorkshire, Betty Stevenson, a married mother of one, falls in love with her Polish neighbour, Alex Crazenovski aka "Craze." The two begin an affair and Craze sends a letter to Betty asking her to run away with him. She responds in kind and her letter is found by Craze's pregnant wife, who promptly seeks him out at the fairground where he works and shoots him dead. With her lover dead, Betty continues her life with husband Donald and baby Mark.

The story then moves forward to the 1980s as Mark gets married and her affair becomes public knowledge.

Roger is having trouble getting a team together for the afternoons fixture against the British Railways Maintenance Division Yeading East but this proves to be the least of anyone's worries. Bob is having marriage trouble as he is still doing odd jobs for his ex-wife behind his current wife Ginnie's back. Dennis is also having marital trouble as his wife seems intent on moving house despite the fact they only moved recently. When he finally puts his foot down she sets fire to his new car. Kevin is trying to fight off his over affectionate wife Maggie while at the same time nurse his injured spinning finger and Alex's new girlfriend ends up shutting herself in the toilets having hysterics. Even Roger's seemingly perfect marriage to Miriam hits the skids when she discovers he was playing away from home in more ways than one on a trip to Dorking last year. Just when it seems things can't get any worse for them, it starts to rain.

As the youngest of the family, Joyce is preoccupied with her love life. She wants to be married but can't make up her mind to accept Eric, who has just joined up and is eager to settle the matter before he is posted abroad. As Joyce's confidante, Helen tolerates her sister's agonies of indecision while hiding her own frustration. With her pronounced limp, Helen assumes that no man will ever want her.

The elder members of the family pursue their diversions from the daily routine. With George (Dad), it is his addiction to the piano which he plays with more enthusiasm than skill. "Mam" takes refuge in her fervent Catholicism while Andie (Grandad) has more regard for his pets than for his family.

When they hear the air raid siren for the first time, the Stotts are in confusion, stuffing tablecloths under the back door to stop the poison gas, desperately chasing about for gas masks and diving under the table when a long high whistle warns of an approaching bomb. By the time that Helen realizes that the whistle is actually from the kettle that Mam had put on for a cup of tea, Joyce has made up her mind to marry Eric.

Alice is sitting by the riverbank all alone reading her book entitled ''The Principles of Logical Calculus'' when she decides she simply could not stand to read any further. She's bored and she hates being stuck in that "horrible place", as she refers to her beautiful outdoor garden. Suddenly out of nowhere, a talking white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and a pocket watch appears, and Alice sees that he is in a big hurry. Running with curiosity, Alice follows the white rabbit down his rabbit hole, and the girl soon finds herself falling deep into the hole. Amazingly, her dress balloons out and she begins to float down past shelves and cupboards, mirrors and other curious objects, which are lined up on shelves.

Alice continues to float until she lands and is then in a place called Wonderland. Inside a hall with many different passages, Alice opens a tiny door leading to what she believes is the most beautiful garden she could have ever imagined. In the distance, Alice spots a very curious sort of race, a caucus race, and watches the animals cheer as a small snail defeats the other animals.

During her day in Wonderland, Alice questions all of the interesting characters she meets, including the Duchess and her Cheshire Cat about the beautiful garden and how to get there. The girl attends a very extraordinary tea party with two very unusual characters, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, and is finally invited for a game of croquet with her majesty, the Queen of Hearts. When the Knave of Hearts is unjustly accused of stealing some of the queen's tarts, Alice confesses the truth and tells the jury that it was really she who took the tarts when they had been offered to her. Thus ends Alice's day in Wonderland, and upon finding herself once more in her own garden, Alice for a moment believes to have at last found the beautiful garden she had sought; only then does she realize that she's really at home. After a long day of nonsense and topsy-turvy madness, Alice embraces her book on "logical" calculus and smiles back at the wonderful world she had the pleasure of visiting, if only in a dream.

A group of three couples, old friends and all married on the same day in the same chapel, gathers at the Helliwells’ home to celebrate their silver anniversary. When they discover that they are not legally married, each couple initially reacts with proper Victorian horror – what will the neighbours think? – and all three couples find themselves reevaluating their marriages; hovering closely over the proceedings is the ''Yorkshire Argus'' alcohol-soaked photographer, keen to record the evening's events for posterity, and a wickedly destructive housekeeper who is hoping to use the couples' mortification to her own advantage. In the end, of course, everything turns out well, and the play ends on a happy note.

Act I

The play begins in darkness with a muffled gunshot and scream. Lights are turned on to reveal a drawing-room containing four women who have been listening to a radio play after dinner. Two of them, Freda and Betty, are the wives of directors of a publishing firm. With them are Olwen, a close friend of Freda and Betty, and Maud Mockridge, a novelist whose books are published by the firm.

Their chat has turned to the suicide the previous year of Freda's brother-in-law Martin Caplan when they are interrupted by the entry of the husbands, Robert and Gordon, along with Charles, who works at the firm. They discuss whether it's best to always reveal the complete truth; Robert argues that it is, while Charles believes that doing so is dangerous. Gordon tries to find some dance music on the radio, but it stops working. Freda offers Olwen a cigarette from a musical box which Olwen recognizes as having belonged to Martin. Freda insists that Olwen couldn't have seen the box before because Martin hadn't had it when last Olwen saw him. Olwen accepts Freda's correction and the matter is about to be dropped, but Robert detects that Olwen, despite her verbal acquiescence, isn't really convinced. He pushes the women to be honest about their disagreement. In examining the question of how Olwen could have previously seen Martin's cigarette box, each woman reveals that she has been keeping secret the fact that she had visited Martin shortly before his death. At this point, with tensions rising, Maud takes her leave, and soon all the guests depart except Olwen.

The revelations lead Robert, Freda and Olwen into a deeper discussion of the circumstances surrounding Martin's death. The firm had suffered a theft of £500 the previous year. The group members had assumed that Martin's suicide was an indicator that he had been the thief. But Olwen now admits that on her final visit to Martin, she learned that he hadn't stolen the money and further that he believed the thief to be Robert, having been led to that suspicion by Charles. She hadn't previously mentioned this because she was secretly in love with Robert, which prompts Robert's admission that his and Freda's marriage is unhappy. Robert is shocked both at the accusation that he's the thief and at hearing that Charles had suggested such. Robert snatches the telephone and demands that Gordon and Charles return.

Act II

Charles admits that he deliberately led Robert and Martin to suspect one another to cover the fact that he'd taken the money himself. But he insists that he was planning to return it within a week and that it was not the cause of Martin's suicide. As others try to blame him for Martin's death, he remains defiant in his insistence that Robert should never have begun the process of revealing secrets. Increasingly angry over having been forced into his confession, Charles admits to having had a personal contempt for Martin and suggests that there are still more secrets being kept that are the reason. Knowing that hers is one of the secrets to which Charles is referring, Freda now confesses that the reason her marriage to Robert has been unhappy is that she was having an affair with Martin and had long been in love with him. A jealous Gordon then proclaims that he too was in love with Martin, and he declares himself to have been a much greater object of Martin's affection than Freda had been. At this point, Betty arrives at the house, indignant at being left out, to discover the men on the brink of fighting.

Act III

As the group continues to angrily blame Charles for causing Martin's suicide, Olwen finally offers that Martin's death was not a suicide. Rather, she accidentally shot Martin while struggling with him; in a drug-fueled rage, he had lunged at her with a gun and tried to rape her. Afterward, she had driven to Charles's cottage for help, but left immediately after realizing that Betty was spending the night there. This leaves Robert crestfallen, as he had been in love with the highly idealized view he'd had of Betty. Charles's on-going affair with Betty had been the reason he'd become cash-strapped and stolen the money. After a great deal of bitter discussion, all the guests but Olwen leave, totally alienated from one another.

The firm is certain to collapse. Robert realizes that his happiness had been entirely built upon illusions and that as such, he'd been foolish to insist upon pursuing the complete truth of the situation. His illusions, and with them his happiness, are now destroyed beyond all hope for repair. In despair, he goes into his room and Freda suddenly remembers that he keeps a revolver there. As she tears out after him, the lights fade, and we hear a shot and a scream.

When the lights are turned back on, we find ourselves at the beginning of Act I. The opening scene is repeated in a shortened version. As before, Olwen recognizes the cigarette box, but this time, before Freda can object to that recognition, Gordon interrupts upon finding the dance music he was searching for on the radio. He calls everyone to listen, diverting the conversation before it leads into any of the particulars of Martin's death. With all of the secrets remaining unrevealed, a happy after-dinner party commences for all.

Sameer "Sam" Acharya, a male nurse and Kunal Chauhan, a fashion photographer are fun-loving, womanizing bachelors in Miami. They first meet at a friend's place after a night out with girls and run into each other again when they are interested in renting the same apartment. The apartment belongs to Neha Melwani, who works for ''Verve''. She lives there with her aunt Ishita "Ishu" Melwani, who refuses to sublet the apartment to either of them since Neha wants girls as flatmates. After meeting a gay soldier, Sam persuades a reluctant Kunal to pretend that they are lovers so they can rent the apartment. They regret their decision when they meet Neha since they are attracted to her. The three become good friends, and Sam and Kunal fall in love with her.

As Sam and Kunal continue the charade, Kunal convinces Sam to apply for a domestic partnership with him, as Sam is a US citizen and Kunal is not. Unknown to them, the approval letter is sent to Sam's conservative mother Rani, who lives in London. Neha's gay boss, Murli "M", resigns as ''Verve'' s editor and must choose his successor. Hoping to impress him and get the job, Neha invites him for dinner at her house and asks Sam and Kunal to entertain him. A U.S. immigration agent visits them for a surprise inspection and joins the party. Chaos ensues when Rani arrives from London to confront her son about his newfound sexuality. Sam tries to deny his relationship with Kunal, but the immigration agent affirms that they are a couple. M becomes upset because Neha had told him Sam and Kunal were both single, and leaves.

At Neha's office the following day, M announces that Abhimanyu "Abhi" Singh will be the new editor. Neha, upset at being passed over for promotion, goes home and is consoled by Rani; in turn, she helps Rani accept her son's sexuality. Kunal and Sam help Neha with a project assigned by Abhi, who is impressed with her work. They later take Neha on separate dates, both telling her that they love her. Neha, convinced that they are gay, sees the dates as friendly outings. When Abhi and Neha begin dating, Sam and Kunal sabotage the budding relationship by giving Abhi inappropriate advice; this irritates Neha, and she and Abhi quarrel. When Neha discovers Kunal and Sam's plan, she misinterprets it as Abhi's jealousy.

Sam and Kunal redirect their efforts into frightening Veer, Abhi's five-year-old son, about his future with Neha. During a basketball game, Neha discovers that Abhi plans to propose to her and asks for Kunal and Sameer's advice. They ask her to turn him down, admitting that their homosexuality is a ruse and they both love her. Veer tells Abhi about his fears, and during the game, Abhi breaks up with Neha. She tearfully evicts Kunal and Sameer from her apartment, and resigns from ''Verve''.

A few months later Kunal and Sam meet in court, where they are picking up residence permits. Recognizing the value of their friendship with Neha and each other, they reconcile. They find Neha at a fashion show and try to apologize, but she refuses to see them. Unaware of Neha and Abhi's break-up, they ask about the wedding and Neha tells them about Veer's fears. Kunal and Sam admit that they manipulated the boy, angering Neha and Abhi. Kunal and Sam climb onto the stage and beg Neha's forgiveness. The crowd encourages them to beg on their knees, say that they love her and blow her kisses, but nothing softens her. When the crowd tells them to kiss each other, they refuse. Neha and Abhi turn to leave, and Kunal kisses a reluctant Sam. Abhi and Neha are both amazed by the lengths to which they will go to regain her trust; Neha forgives them. Kunal and Sam then get down on their knees and propose to Abhi on her behalf. Amused, Abhi agrees.

Two months later, Neha playfully asks Kunal and Sam if they felt anything for each other when they pretended to be gay; they say "no", remembering their kiss.

After meeting new nurse Margie Cutler together, Hawkeye and Trapper each are determined to become her lover. While they are all discussing surgical procedures in the mess tent Major Houlihan tells Cutler she needs to see her. After they leave, Hawkeye and Trapper both try to let on that they're going back to sleep or work. However, they both go to Cutler's tent and find her packing her things; Houlihan had her transferred to another unit because she was a distraction.

Hawkeye and Trapper go to Col. Blake's office to demand that Cutler's transfer be stopped. He tells them that Major Houlihan makes all the decisions about the nursing staff, but if one of them would box in the tournament he's having with Brigadier General Barker, he would see what he could do. After sadly watching Cutler drive off in a jeep, Trapper decides to fight.

Hawkeye spends some time training Trapper but neither are really confident about winning, especially after they discover Trapper has a "glass stomach". While the two are relaxing in the Swamp, Radar comes in and tells them that Trapper's opponent has arrived and that he heard that the guy is remarkably tough. They decide the only way Trapper is going to survive is if they cheat. Ugly John's plan is to rub ether on Trapper's boxing glove and then to get his opponent in a clinch so that the ether's fumes will knock him out.

Later on, Pierce, McIntyre, Blake and Burns are sitting in the mess tent talking when General Barker and his boxer come in. After they leave, Henry asks Trapper if he wants to reconsider and Hawkeye tells Henry and Frank about their plan to use ether. During the introductions of the boxing match, Burns and Houlihan switch the ether with distilled water. When Trapper gets clobbered in the first round, Hawkeye discovers the switch and runs to get real ether. During the second round, Trapper, with real ether on his glove, gets his opponent in a clinch, until he falls out of the ring, out cold, on top of Burns and Houlihan. Henry holds up his end of the bargain and gets Cutler transferred back to the 4077, where she is so impressed that Trapper fought for her, she completely ignores Hawkeye.

This episode marks the first appearance of William Christopher as Father Mulcahy rather than George Morgan, who had had the role in the pilot episode. William Christopher would later become a regular cast member with his name in the opening credits. Also first appearing in this episode is Marcia Strassman as Lt. Margie Cutler, a nurse assigned to the 4077. She would be the central target of Hawkeye's desires for the first season, but would not appear further in the series.

Sorrell Booke, who portrayed visiting General Barker, was a veteran of the Korean War. He would reappear in the following episode as the same character.

Alpha Protocol is a highly classified black ops agency whose existence remains unknown to many—even those in the highest echelons of the United States government—as a means to operate outside of the confines of government oversight. Recent inductee Agent Michael Thorton is given his first assignment; the assassination of Sheikh Ali Shaheed, the leader of the Saudi Arabia-based terrorist group Al-Samad, which used American-made missiles to shoot down a civilian airliner. When confronted, Shaheed claims Halbech, an American defense contractor, provided him with the weapons and target. Thorton neutralizes Shaheed and recovers his intel, but his position is struck by missiles and Thorton is presumed dead. Thorton survives with the aid of his handler Mina Tang, who warns him of the attack and that the agency has been infiltrated by Halbech operatives.

Shaheed's intel reveals three key locations tied to the conspiracy; Rome, where an Al-Samad cell has been activated; Moscow, through which the missiles were routed; and Taipei, where Taiwanese President Ronald Sung is under threat of assassination. The locations can be visited in any order and events that take place may influence interactions that occur in other locations. Thorton deduces that Halbech's plan is to raise global tensions and cause a new cold war, turning the world into its private marketplace.

In Rome, Thorton meets Madison Saint James, with whose help he discovers the private security firm Veteran Combat Initiative (VCI), which is run by Halbech's former security chief Conrad Marburg, who is planning a false flag operation to blow up a museum to influence harsher anti-terrorism legislation in Europe using Al-Samad as a scapegoat. Marburg kidnaps Madison; Thorton must choose between saving her or preventing the museum's destruction and innocent deaths. Afterward, Marburg escapes unless Thorton can persuade him to finish their fight to the death. If Thorton chooses to save Madison over the civilians, she leaves out of guilt.

In Moscow, Thorton tracks weapon shipments to Konstantin Brayko, a Russian Mafia underboss with apparent ties to Halbech. During his investigation, Thorton can encounter German VCI-affiliate mercenary SIE, and Sis, a mute in-service to Albatross, the leader of the G22 paramilitary group. Thorton, aided by either G22 or the VCI, infiltrates the American embassy to contact Russian Mafia boss Sergei Surkov. After discussing the arms deal with Surkov, Thorton confronts Brayko in his mansion. After defeating Brayko, Thorton can learn that Surkov worked with Halbech and framed Brayko. If he learns the truth, Thorton confronts Surkov, whom he can either work with, arrest or kill.

In Taipei, Thorton uncovers a plot by Omen Deng of the Chinese Secret Police to assassinate Ronald Sung and incite riots at a political rally to provoke a conflict between China and the U.S. With aid from Triad leader Hong Shi, and/or G22, and Steven Heck—a psychotic man claiming to work for the CIA—Thorton counters an assassination attempt by Deng and obtains a disk containing the plot. When the disk is analyzed, a security protocol starts to erase data, forcing the player to choose to save files detailing either the assassination or the riot instigation. Eventually, Deng and Thorton duel on a building overlooking the podium, after which Thorton can either kill or spare Deng. If Deng is spared, it is revealed that both he and Thorton were tricked into thinking the other was the assassin, allowing the real assassin to shoot Sung. If the assassination data is saved, Thorton persuades Sung to wear body armor and survive, but hundreds are killed in the riots.

Along the way, Thorton encounters Scarlet Lake, a photojournalist with many contacts. After completing the three operations and optionally contacting some affiliates, Thorton — needing to expose Halbech's activities before World War III starts — surrenders to Alpha Protocol and is brought to Henry Leland, CEO of Halbech and acting commander of Alpha Protocol. Leland and Thorton discuss his activities; if the player has a high reputation, Leland subsequently attempts to recruit Thorton. If Thorton refuses, he escapes the Alpha Protocol holding facility and with the aid of his prior contacts — if any — fights or sneaks through the Alpha Protocol facility. After confronting Leland himself, Thorton may either execute or capture him, but Leland is killed if caught.

If Thorton agrees to work with Leland, or if he spared Shaheed and obtained the information against Alpha Protocol from him in the endgame, he also escapes the Alpha Protocol facility and eventually confronts his former superior Yancy Westridge. Shortly after executing or sparing Westridge, Thorton can choose to partner with Leland or betray him. If the player confronted Westridge using Shaheed's information instead, Thorton will have the option of executing or sparing Leland as well. Additionally, Thorton can learn that the real assassin in Taipei was Scarlet Lake, who is in Leland's employ, and he may choose to either execute her for justice, let her go, or invite her to team up with him.

Escaping into a bay on a motor yacht (potentially with a number of allies), Thorton considers his next move and wonders whether his life will continue to be exciting.

In a cold open, Sonic is pursuing his nemesis, Doctor Eggman, bounding around a fleet of spaceships. After the defeat of several of his robots, Sonic transforms into Super Sonic and corners Eggman on the main spaceship. However, Eggman traps the hedgehog using the energy field of a powerful new ray weapon called the Chaos Energy Cannon, which robs him of his Super Sonic power and removes the Chaos Emeralds out of him as well as their power, causing them to turn grey and useless. He then uses the Emeralds' energy to fire an enormous laser and unleash a powerful beast, Dark Gaia, from the center of the planet, which has devastating consequences, shattering the planet into seven pieces. In addition, the process has the unforeseen side-effect of transforming Sonic into a "Werehog" — a beast form that loses speed but gains greater strength and abilities — at night. Eggman ejects Sonic into space, who then lands safely onto the planet below thanks to a strange green shield.

After landing along with the Emeralds, Sonic encounters a friendly creature who appears to suffer amnesia. Assuming he has caused it with his fall, Sonic decides to assist him in his quest to find out who he is, and the creature becomes a guide for the player; Sonic soon gives him the nickname Chip. Sonic's quest begins, and with the help of some old friends, such as Amy and Tails, he attempts to solve the crisis by traveling the world's continents, finding Gaia Temples that will restore the Emeralds' power, in order to return the world, and himself, to normal.

After six out of the seven continents are returned to normal, Chip is able to regain his memory; he is in fact Dark Gaia's opposite, Light Gaia. Since the beginning of time, the two of them had been in a cycle where Dark Gaia would break the planet apart, and Light Gaia would put it back together. Chip was released along with Dark Gaia, but because both of them were released prematurely, he lost his memory, and Dark Gaia was broken apart. They are able to place the last Chaos Emerald in the shrine on the final continent at Eggman's new empire, "Eggmanland", but are interrupted by him; Sonic then defeats Eggman who is using a robot that utilizes Dark Gaia's power. During the battle, the three sink into the core of the Earth and encounter Dark Gaia. Eggman orders Dark Gaia to destroy Sonic, but it turns on him, knocking him away with one of its tentacles, and absorbs the power that turned Sonic into a Werehog, curing Sonic of lycanthropy.

Dark Gaia then attacks Sonic and Chip, but Chip protects Sonic and calls all of the Gaia temples together to form the Light Gaia Colossus and fight Dark Gaia. The Gaia Colossus seemingly destroys Dark Gaia, but Dark Gaia is not finished with them or the Earth yet, and consumes the entire world in darkness, becoming Perfect Dark Gaia in the process. Chip then gives the restored Chaos Emeralds to Sonic, allowing him to turn into Super Sonic and continue their fight, until he finally destroys it; Dark Gaia sinks back into the planet, but the battle takes its toll on Super Sonic. Chip saves Sonic by throwing him to the surface, before returning himself to the inside of the planet; he leaves behind his necklace and some parting words. Sonic places the necklace on his hand as a bracelet to remind him of their adventure together before speeding off with Tails, flying alongside him on the coastline in the Tornado plane.

Abdelazer is a captive Moor living at the court of King Philip of Spain, who had killed his father some years earlier. Abdelazer seeks revenge, and becomes the lover of the Queen. Together, they poison King Phillip, and also murder the young King Ferdinand.

Abdelazer and the Queen try to disinherit Prince Philip, the rightful heir. Another Moor, Osmin, warns the Prince and Cardinal Mendozo to flee. During subsequent battles, Mendozo (who is in love with the Queen) abandons Philip and is even persuaded falsely to admit to being Philip's father.

Abdelazer betrays the Queen and has her murdered by one of his henchmen. He courts and tries to rape Princess Leonora (she is saved by Osmin), but rapidly falls from power. The Queen is killed, and Abdelazer is captured with Osmin's help. Mendoza repents, Philip ascends the throne, and Abdelazer is killed.

Vernon Heath (Edmondson) is a 49-year-old former front man for a punk rock band called "The Plague". After living off his wife for the last two decades and spending most of his time in the pub, the two are getting a divorce, and Vernon is forced to move into a student flat in Kilburn, London, occupied by his children Max (Ed Coleman) and Milly (Laura Aikman), as well as their flatmate David (Jonathan Chan-Pensley). Vernon believes that moving in with them will rekindle his old world. However, Max, Milly and David are disgusted by him, and his best friend and former Plague member Bryan (Mark Arden) appears to have "sold-out", now working as a deputy head teacher of a primary school and happily married.

In Ancient China, Po Ping has a dream of bringing down the Blackhoof Boar Clan as the Dragon Warrior, the most powerful Warrior in the land, before his father Mr. Ping wakes him up for work at the family's noodle shop. The next day, the Tournament of the Dragon Warrior is held at the Jade Palace to determine which of the Furious Five (Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Mantis) are worthy of being the Dragon Warrior. Attempting to view the tournament, Po lands in the center of the palace and is chosen as the Dragon Warrior.

As Po's training begins, Shifu receives word that Tai Lung, his former apprentice, escaped from prison and is coming for the Dragon Scroll, the key to ultimate power. Po, after napping inside the Palace, stops the Blackhoof Boar Clan from stealing treasures. Po and Crane are sent to Lotus Lake and find that the Golden Croc Gang have taken over and are demanding the villagers give up their egg hatchlings. Po rescues the eggs and the leader's grandchild after Crane saves him from the sergeant in a fierce chase.

Po and Shifu head to Wudang Mountains to find some relics of Master Oogway, but they discover that Great Gorilla and his soldiers have arrived first. While Shifu defends the Wudang Temple, Po grabs the relics and defeats Great Gorilla. Back at Lotus Lake, Po and Shifu save several villagers from the Croc Gang, who returned despite Po's interference. After their victory, Shifu tells Po that the Furious Five have gone to fight Tai Lung themselves and leaves Po to find his way back to the Jade Palace.

When Shifu arrives back at the Wudang Mountains, a Wolf Slasher tells him that Tai Lung has already defeated and captured the Furious Five. Shifu fends off the Lang Shadow Army and the rest of the Great Gorilla’s Army, rescues the Furious Five and sends them back to the Jade Palace. Po, wandering the Lands, is looking for his way back to the Palace, but not before stumbling upon Tai Lung's training grounds and finding the Lair of the Wu Sisters. He is able to invade the Lair and defeat the Wu Sisters and finds a map back to the Jade Palace.

At the Palace, Shifu fends off the rest of the Lang Shadow Army and confronts Tai Lung himself. Po, who learns about this from Mr. Ping upon his arrival in the village, goes to the palace to stop Tai Lung and save Shifu. In an attempt to comfort his son, Mr. Ping tells him that his secret ingredient soup has no secret ingredient and is only made special by his belief in it. Po realizes that the same applies to him and that he has to believe he's the Dragon Warrior. Po gets help from Monkey and heads for the Jade Palace. Tai Lung fights and defeats Shifu and demands he give up the Dragon Scroll. Shifu refuses, saying he'd rather die than give it to him. Po arrives in time and takes on Tai Lung himself. After a fierce duel, Po uses the Wuxi Finger Hold and defeats him. Afterwards, the Valley celebrates Po’s victory.

Sam Carter (Nigel Patrick) is a jeweller's clerk who dreams of stealing a fortune in diamonds and eventually does so but kills a man in the process. He then embarks on the highlife but is pursued across Europe by Milo March (Jack Palance), a private detective who suspects that not all is above board. However, March is not alone in his pursuit, as Trudi Hall (Anita Ekberg) has her own ideas as to how the money would be best spent. Also two thugs, Martin Lomer (Bonar Colleano) and Gerard Heinz (Robert Stone), are after the largest diamond in the stolen hoard. All of these characters end up fighting and trying to outwit each other over the largest diamond, which is worth $700,000, on a train travelling to London. This precious diamond is described by March as "$700,000 of unhappiness", because people are willing to do anything, even kill, to get it.

The title page carries a quote from ''Shakespeare's sonnets'', Number 144, "Two loves I have of comfort and despair":

The better angel is a man right fair;

The worser spirit a woman colour'd ill.

While returning from a visit to Julia’s family in the city, Joseph is involved in a train crash. He is cared for by a fellow passenger, Philip Held, who is moving to the countryside to oversee a forge. Philip is worldlier than Joseph, and is charmed by Joseph’s innocence. Joseph and Philip immediately take to each other, and soon develop a strong friendship. The romantic undertones of their relationship is evidenced in Philip’s profession of love and “a man’s perfect friendship.”

After he marries Julia, Joseph quickly discovers that she is manipulative and cold-hearted. Julia pushes Joseph to invest more and more in an oil operation on behalf of her father. Meanwhile, she squanders Joseph’s existing wealth on unnecessary and ostentatious additions to his farmhouse. When Joseph finally visits the oil well he has been investing in on the Blessings’ behalf, he discovers that it has little monetary potential. He returns to the countryside, reveals his imminent losses to Julia, and demands that she give up her scheming and greed. Julia’s excitement and anger at Joseph culminate in a fit; when the doctor is called, he explains that she has died, likely from consuming arsenic.

The community comes to suspect that Joseph was involved in his wife's death. Philip launches an extensive investigation to prove Joseph’s innocence. Over the course of a trial, it is revealed that Julia’s death was accidental, and that she had been regularly consuming arsenic in order to improve her complexion.

After the trial, Joseph leaves his community and travels through the frontier on Philip’s advice. When he returns home, he is worldlier and happier with his farming life. Philip realizes that Joseph has fallen in love with Madeline Held, Philip’s sister. He laments that Joseph and Madeline’s romance will “take Joseph further from [his] heart,” but decides that he “must be vicariously happy” for their sake.