Dallas 2022/3

stevew

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Dallas (2022/3)


What I’m going to do next is create a continuation series in the not too distant future, but in a way it will be an all new series (and even have a reboot feel with certain character in similar original roles). ONLY Lucy will be carried over from the original. This allows for a satisfactory (at least in my opinion) wrap up of the original characters stories and for entirely new stories which then will have no real impact on the original story - hopefully satisfying original fans and creating a new show. The concept is the same as the original, a wealthy Texas family in business together and living in the same house on a cattle ranch.

I am also looking to do the posting’s different this time – so as to just continue with this concept and not keep changing up stories, I’m going to post 1 new episode per month (by the end of the month). And yes, there are details purposefully NOT explained (yet), like who’s someone’s mother is.


So here we go . . . . .



Start with the opening credit, original music and triple split screen, starring (the idea would be to start with strong actors with big recognition and focus on 3 Ewing sibling’s, main cast:



Starring:


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Amanda Seyfied as Ellie Ewing (JR's daughter raised in Europe, a common theme amount wealthy people with hidden families, see H. L, Hunt and Gordon Getty, alluded to in TNT)


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Logan Lerman as Bo Ewing (JR's son with Calley raised in Florida, almost another secret family, though Calley is a not character)


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Jake T. Austin as Aaron Ewing (JR's youngest son, more of a secret child, a young man when both his father and mother, an unknown character at the start, died, taken in by John Ross and raised by Lucy who helping her cousin out is a mother figure to him)
 
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stevew

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Laurence Fishburne as Jake Rosemont (yes, that’s a Falcon Crest reference, kind of like a Digger Barns if Digger made anything out of himself)

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Diggy Simmons as J.T. Rosemont (Jake’s son)

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Selena Gomez as Amy Anderson Ewing (yes, the granddaughter of Punk and Mavis)
 

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and Charlene Tilton as Lucy Ewing

And now DALLAS . . . . .

The camera runs up the driveway of South Fork with the ending of the theme song . . .

Establishing shots of the ranch: the work out in the pasture, up by the barns, the cook house and then move in closer to the main house itself where Aaron walks up out of the pool in swim trunks and Lucy sits at a table reading a book while enjoying her tea, very much like her grandmother . . .

Lucy looks up to see a car coming around back, setting her book down, look perturbed to have her peace interrupted.

Aaron dries off with a towel and then raps it around his waist, walking over to join Lucy.
 
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stevew

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The car, a long black limousine, stops behind the garage. The driver gets out and walks around to let out his passenger, Jake Rosemont, in his usual suite and tie under the hot Texas sun. The tall man, with a serious look walks up to the pool deck, “Always good to see you Lucy.”

Lucy, looking up from her book. “Well, I’m not sure I can say the same about you; all depends on what you’re here to talk about.”

“Is this Aaron?”

“Yes.”

“JR’s youngest boy.” Jake holds out his hand to the young, virial man, mostly naked, standing next to Lucy. “Nice to meet you, son. I’m Jake Rosemont. I work with your brother.”

Lucy scoffs, “He’s more like a henchman for John Ross.”

Aaron shakes the man’s hand. “You’re the President and CEO of Ewing Industries. You have your MBA and JD from Harvard and your Ph.D. in Economics from Chicago. Prior to Dallas, you worked in New York and before that London, mostly big finance companies. You’re also one of my brother’s CIA contacts, or former CIA, who put together Branch Water for him.”

Looking at Lucy Jack says, “I see you’ve been talking about me.”

“All good things. Why don’t you sit? Can I get you something to drink?”

Sitting Jack answers, “Tea would be nice.”

A servant, very much like Teresa, puts a tea cup in front of him, as if she had been just waiting for the right moment.

Lucy pours the tea and looks over at Aaron. “I’ll fill you in later,” she says as if dismissing him.

“Actually,” Jake says, “My visit is more about Aaron.”

“What about Aaron?” Lucy asks as if she’s ready to be upset.

“Well first off, John Ross isn’t coming home.”

“He’s not coming home from Hawaii? What’s going on?”

“He feels it’s better for his wife’s mental health, if they stay on a permanent trip.”

“Did Pamela have another episode?”

“She’s fine.”

“Not that I don’t believe you, but I’d prefer to see her for myself.”

“John Ross said you’d say that and expects that you’ll be out to check on her, soon.”

“And so what does this visit have to do with Aaron?”

“John Ross and Pamela never had any children.”

“Not for lack of trying. As if that family doesn’t have enough mental issues to deal with, five still births.”

Aaron asks, “The Barnes’s?”

“Yes. I told you about them.”

“Pamela’s father, Cliff Barnes, he killed my father.”

“I don’t know that for certain. That’s John Ross’s story. It was 2010 and JR had spent years lobbying to get rid of the national estate tax. That was the one year without it. He dies days before the end of the year with probably with only a few months left.”

“You said he was battling cancer.”

“I’m just saying. I wouldn’t put it past your father.”

Aaron says, “Still.”

Lucy continues, “Still, it was the right thing to do, framing Cliff Barnes, if that’s what he did. Cliff was really out there and if they hadn’t got him into Mexico, well who knows what else he would have done. And, there’s his sister, Katherine, no one knows what ever happened to her. She tried to kill Uncle Bobby. And Cliff’s sister Aunt Pam.”

“I remember going out to California to meet Uncle Bobby and Aunt Pam, I think I was twelve or something like that.”

“Aunt Pam lived in a place that took care of her in Switzerland. Your father found her there, and she agreed to return with Uncle Bobby, but only if they didn’t return to Texas. Which sounds like John Ross’s situation. Uncle Bobby was also dealing with Chris at the time.”

“After the explosion?”

“Yes. So he took the two of them out there to live with my mom and dad and my brother and sister on the West Fork ranch.”

“Which is when Uncle Bobby sold you his half of house.”

“Something like that. They’re all a bit mentally ill, the Barnes.” Lucy looks at Jake, “So yes, they’re probably better off not having children.”

“Well, John Ross needs someone to take over when he’s gone. Someone to take his place with Ewing Industries.”

“Aaron?” Lucy questions.

“John Ross wants to see which of his siblings is fit to take over.”

“What do you mean fit?”

“He’s proposed a contest between sister and brothers.”

“Oh hell if he has,” Lucy declares.

“He’s turning over the trust funds JR left to the three of them to see what they do with the investments.”

“What?” Aaron says as a huge smile crosses his face.

“No!” Lucy says. “I’ve been through this before and I’m not doing it again.”

Jack says, “I’m sorry, Lucy. I tried to talk him out of it.”

“Well I’ll do more than talk, if I have to,” Lucy says standing and walking into house.

“So Aaron, you just moved back”

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s the reason for the timing. John Ross wanted to wait until you’d finished with college.”









The sun, having set the night sky on fire, gives the last glimmers of light before darkness falls on the ranch while cars roll down the driveway.



Inside Aaron and Jake play chess in the living room and Lucy reads her book. Ellie walks in the front door as Bo and Amy walk in from the back. Lucy stands and greats them, hugging Bo and then the beautiful woman standing next to him. “Amy. Let me see.” Lucy then holds up Amy’s hand to examine a large diamond engagement ring. “I can’t tell you how exciting it is to see the two of you together. Jake. You remember Bo?”

Jack comes over to join them. “Hello Bo. It’s been a very long time.”

“It has. It’s good to see you.”

Lucy adds, “And this is Amy Anderson, his fiancée, the granddaughter of very old family friends. And of course you remember Ellie.”

“Of course. Hello Ellie. Please everyone, take a seat. Nice to meet you Amy.”

Bo says to Amy as they sit, “Jake’s John Ross’s right hand man.”

Ellie says, “Where’s John Ross?”

Lucy answers, “He’s not coming. He invited you all here but isn’t showing up himself. In fact, Jake is filling us in.”

“Jake?” Ellie says.

Jake answers, “Yes. John Ross is still in Hawaii. He’s decided to stay traveling.”

“What’s wrong?” Ellie asks.

“He just feels it would be best for Pamela’s shake if they don’t return.”

Ellie looks saddened, but maybe not sincerely. “Oh that poor girl. She’s suffered so much. Everybody could see that she's been cracking up. Slowly and surely. And who can blame her? I mean, she had to deal with her daddy, Cliff Barnes, who albeit was mentally deranged, was better than nothing, and now he’s dead, and she grew up with an abusive stepfather and her mother's a whore.”

Lucy snaps, “That’s enough Ellie. Just sit down and let Jake get this over with.” As they all take their seats Lucy quietly says to Ellie, “You don’t need to work so hard to remind us of your father.”

Jake begins, “Well I’m just going to cut to the chance. John Ross has proposed a contest between the three of you, JR’s three other children, to determine who will replace him at Ewing Industries. In fact, without children of his own, who should be his heir.”

Bo says, “He’s going to leave one of his company?”

“That’s my understanding.”

Lucy asks, “What about James?”

“JR did set up trust funds for James and his children before he died, John Ross does not consider him to be his brother; he’s a Beaumont, and so he’s not including him in on this.”

“What trust funds?” Ellie asks.

“JR left one hundred million dollars in West Star stock to each of his five children, James, John Ross, Ellie, Bo and Aaron.”

Lucy says, “I wasn’t aware JR remembered Jason.”

Ellie says, “I thought he just left us one sixth of South Fork’s oil to share.”

Jake continues, “He did. He also left John Ross a set of instructions on how to put together Ewing Industries. He did just what your father told him to do. John Ross didn’t find out about the trusts until a year after JR died. Believe me, they are well invested. If you except the challenge, you will have one year to invest the money in a way that proves yourself to him.”

“Proves?” Ellie says. “Proves what?”

“Just that,” Jake says. “There’s one rule. You must move into this house and stay her for the year, living with each other. At the end of the year he’ll make his determination about the future of Ewing Industries. Your brother sold his soul to build the company out of nothing. As you’re all aware, the mineral rights to South Fork were quickly taken from him and as it turns out from all of you, from Sue Ellen, and Bobby and Gary. Everything Ellie Farlow had she’d given away before she died. Her will simply said that everything she had left would go to the Farlow Foundation, something her second husband had set up. As she never gave Bobby the mineral rights with the ranch, the Farlow Foundation was able to make a strong case, leaving John Ross and the three of you with nothing. So, the three of you have a marked advantage from where John Ross started.”

Ellie looks at Lucy. “You sued my brother, Uncle Bobby, your own father?”

Lucy says, “I didn’t sue anyone, the foundation did.”

“You’re the only living board member. You are the foundation.”

Jake interrupts, “Well it turns out she did do your brother a favor. Without the oil from South Fork, Ewing Global collapsed and John Ross, with Carlos Del Sol’s help, was able to take it over, acquiring Ewing Alternative Energies, Wentworth Tool and Die and Barnes Global. Today Ewing Industries is a multinational, multibillion dollar privately held conglomerate, with many subsidiaries.”

Ellie leans over to Aaron and boastfully says, “John Ross got Judith Brown appointed to the U.S. Senate after squeezing out Governor McConaughey for his old friend Lieutenant Governor Bret Gillis. Senator Brown then sold him Ryland Trade and Transport and put him in charge of her blind trust.”

Aaron smiles as if impressed.

Ellie then says to Jake, “You still haven’t defined proven.”

“I don’t have a definition for you.”

Lucy says, “I don’t like this one bit. I mean living here at South Fork, yes. I agree. Bo, I know you’ve spent your whole life in Florida but Amy, she was raised here in Texas, and Ellie well you were in Switzerland and everywhere, but there is something to be said about living here at South Fork. It’s how the old ranch family’s use to do it. And, with that, I think John Ross is right. But, as for this fight or contest or whatever, this is a bad idea. It was a bad idea when my grandfather pitted Uncle JR and Uncle Bobby against each other and it’s a bad idea now.”

Ellie says, “Well I’m for staying here for the year, for a share of Ewing Industries, but as for a contest, I’m not committing to anything until I speak to John Ross myself.”

Bo says, “I agree with Ellie.” Bo looks at Jake, “Once we get a hold of him, we’ll let you know. Are there any other stipulations? He just wants us to manage our trust fund on our own and live here?”

“At the end of the year he’ll evaluate what you’ve done. I’m not saying the biggest profit wins. That’s too short term. He and I’ll sit down and go over what you have and make a decision. Then I’ll gather you back here and let you know who he’ll bring into Ewing Industries.”

Lucy stands. “Well that’s enough of that. Dinner’s ready and I’m hungry. This has to have been the worse cocktail hour I’ve ever had here at South Fork, and that’s saying something with this family.”



Across the entry hall Lucy shows Amy around, “That’s John Ross’s chair,” pointing to what was once Jock’s chair. “And Pamela sat on his left. I sit at the other end where my grandmother use to sit. Aaron sits on my right and Bo on my left. Ellie likes to sit in the center, over there, between Aaron and Pamela. You can sit across from her, next to Bo, keep an eye on her. And Jake always sits here, on John Ross’s right. It’s sort of our guest of honor chair. Oh and, besides that poor display across the hall, there’s no talk of business at dinner, nor cocktails before or after. And dinner starts at six sharp.”

After they all take their seats, food is brought in and placed in front of them. Lucy brings up the Oil Barron’s Ball and Amy’s help with it. Jack asks Bo about college and Bo mentions having graduated with Jack’s youngest son, J.T. - fading to black as they all enjoy a South Fork dinner together, a tradition older than anyone sitting at the table.
 
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stevew

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In the bright morning off the back of South Fork Lucy, sits at the table eating breakfast when Bo and Amy come out to join her. “Good morning. I hope the two of you slept well.”

Amy says, “Pretty good. It’s nice to be back in Texas.”

“And Bo?”

“Well, we were having this very discussion on the way here yesterday, where were we going to live. Seems John Ross kind of answered that for us.”

“That’s my old bed room you slept in last night. I hope you like it.”

“It’s nice,” Amy says, almost sincerely. “We were thinking more about our own place in the city, maybe Preston Hollow. But, I told Bo if he wants to do this, I’m fine living here for a year. Then we could get a place in the city and maybe spend weekends out here.”

“I think that’s a marvelous idea. Bo?”

“We’ll see.”

“You know you could get married her at South Fork.”

“I said that,” Amy says.

“And I agreed.”

Lucy smirks at the thought. “Boy you weren’t even finished with college when your dad died. A dad you barely knew. The impact that had to have had on you.”

“When John Ross showed up to tell me, it was just a story. It didn’t mean anything to me. He promised he’d get me through college. Thought at the time I guess even he didn’t know about the trust fund. He just said he was going to make it happen.”

“You majored in economics.”

“Because my father said it was a good idea.”

“Is economics and business what you want? You went around ranching for a while.”

Bo laughs. “Yeah. John Ross has his oil rigging stories and me with a Ph.D. in economics was a Florida ranch hand.”

“Well John Ross never really liked school. He dropped out to work on oil rigs, and he hated that too. He hated business too. I’m guess I’d say, I’m glad he’s decided to finally make a life for himself. And he’s turned out to be a better husband than I would have ever guessed.”

“And you’ve had your fair share of husbands,” Ellie says, walking around the corner from the back of the house.

“I’ve have more than my fair share over the years.”

“Seven,” Ellie states as fact.

“Seven marriages. Six husbands. I married Mitch twice.”

“Oh that’s right. You married Pamela’s uncle. Does this family every consider branching out in its relations?”

“Well you tell me. You’re the one who’s been seeing Gordon Wendell.”

“Oh he’s on his way over now. We’re going horseback riding.”

“And how do you know Gordon?” Lucy asks.

“I know every one worth knowing.”

“You do know the story with his father.”

“That he was after Ewing Oil and my father put him in prison.”

“Something like that,” Lucy states. “The Wendell brothers have made no secret of their dislike of this family, particularly your brother.”

“You don’t build a business like Ewing Industries without making a lot of enemies along the way. I guess they went up against each other a time or two.”

“A time or two. Listen Ellie. Bo. This fight . . .”

“There’s no fight,” Ellie says.

“Competition then. I don’t think you’ll be able to get a hold of John Ross. I’m gonna head there soon, to check on Pamela. I hope you mean what you say, that there’s no fight.”

“There is one thing my father said to me,” Ellie says, “which he said to never forget, something his mother said. ‘We may be wrong, we may be right, but we're Ewings, and we stick together. That's what makes us unbeatable!’”

“Who’s unbeatable?” Aaron asks walking around the corner.











Ellie walks into the stable to find Lucy walking out with the ranch hand, a Hispanic man, nearly Lucy’s age. Ellie walks up near the doorway, but tucked behind to eavesdrop as they walk away.

Lucy says, “You’ve known John Ross your whole life. What do you think he’s tryin’ do?”

“He’s been through a lot. He use to talk about having a son and naming him John Ross the forth and running this ranch. But then he use to dream about Elena.”

“Have you spoken to your cousin?”

“No. Tia Carmen hasn’t gone to see her either. Tia Teresa has. A few times. Tio Raul drove her up. He wouldn’t let her walk into a prison alone but he had no intention of laying eyes on Elena.”

“I’m surprised John Ross kept his sanity through all of that. I still feel bad for her.” Lucy takes the strong man’s arm and lays her head on his shoulder.

“I don’t. She knew what kind of person Joaquin was.”

“You don’t think she really laundered drug money do you?”

“I don’t know.”

“John Ross didn’t confide in you that he has that money, did he?”

“Lucy,” the man says as if admonishing her for even asking.

“It’s just I can’t blame her for believing Cliff Barns.”

“It was a lie. He used her.”

“True. But we’re talking about my Uncle JR, so of course she believed he ruined her father.”

“Her father ruined himself, even if JR did what Cliff said he did, which it turns out he didn’t. And still, it wasn’t JR she went after. No, I’m not surprised John Ross wanted to getaway or that Christopher stays away.”

“Well I’m not surprised she believed JR set her father up and stole his land. That’s the kind of person he was.”

“True. But it’s Bobby she blackmailed. It’s her brother Drew who was killed by those people she recruited to get even. The same people who almost killed Chis and cost him how many years of his life recovering. She’s family. I don’t wish her any ill will, but we’re safer with her where she is . . .” Their voices trail off as they get too far away from Ellie for her to hear.



Ellie then jumps as a tall, handsome man standing behind taps her shoulder, her sun dress, barely covering her bottom to begin with. Turning around she see the man, she slaps his chest. “Gordon! What the hell is wrong with you?”

Grinning, suppressing a laugh, “I waited for you to finish eavesdropping. Did you learn anything?”

“Nothing. Other than Lucy’s sappy for the help. Oh and she did talk to my brother.”

“And?”

“Nothing.”

“And he’s not returning your calls?”

“Oh I get his secretary and she’s polite enough. I just have questions. I know my brother . . .”

“Are you sure?”

“For whatever reason, my father thought it was best we all be raised separately. He’d say that we all needed our own identities.”

“This was when you he we walking around the Alps like a modern day Von Trap family of two?”

“There wasn’t any singing, but yes during our long walks. The thing is he’d tell me all about them. I use to hero worship John Ross. I couldn’t wait for the day I’d meet my big brother. But, they didn’t know about me, or about each other.”

“But your father told you all about them?”

“Yes. He’d show me pictures and tell me how strong and fearless John Ross was. You know he once grabbed a hose and fought a brush fire to save the ranch, him and Uncle Bobby. A ranch hand fell down, from smoke inhalation I think, and John Ross grabbed his hose and wouldn’t back down. Uncle Bobby came running and tried to relieve him. This was before John Ross even knew that Grandma had left him half the ranch, bypassing our father. Anyway, John Ross wouldn’t back down.”

“That was your father’s story?”

“Uncle Bobby confirmed it was true . . . But I remember Uncle Bobby wondered how daddy knew the story because he wasn’t around when it happened and he was sure John Ross wouldn’t have told him because they weren’t talking. Plus, he said daddy wouldn’t have approved of John Ross risking his life like that. You know the biggest compliment my daddy could give anyone, he’d say, John Ross is just like his daddy.”

“And Bo and Aaron, what’d he say about them?”

“That Bo is smart. In fact, if this competition is about profit, I need to know what he’s already invested in.”

“I can get you a report, sure. I’m sure its extensive. Nothing like Ewing Industries, but Bo knows investing. And Aaron?”

“Well there wasn’t much to say about Aaron, he was just a little kid when my daddy died,” Ellie says staring off into the distance. “Aaron barely remembers him. I try to share stories, but I’m sure Lucy’s stories aren’t as flattering.” Snapping out of it and looking up at Gordon. “I need to know everything about Bo. Everything.”

“Done.”

“Jake said the trust funds have been liquidated and are waiting for us. Bo went into town this morning, to the bank.”

“And Aaron?”

“He went with him.”

“And you?”

“A lot to think about.”

“What is it you’re thinking right now?”

“That this isn’t my brother’s test, this is my father’s. This is the last stand of JR Ewing.”











Bo sits on the edge of a lounge chair by the pool, under the hot Texas sun, in swim trunks with Amy behind and over him, in a bikini, rubbing suntan lotion over his shoulders, arms and back. “You’ve got this she says.”

“Don’t under estimate Ellie.”

“I’m not, but investing is what you do. Jake was clear, this isn’t about making money. John Ross knows how to do that, through sheer will.”

“That your polite way of saying he’s ruthless.”

“He bankrupted his own mother and your Uncle Bobby.”

“Nearly. And that had as much to do with Lucy as it did with John Ross.”

“OK nearly.”

“Uncle Bobby walked away, sold Lucy his half of South Fork and he and John Ross gave the land to the foundation to protect it. Uncle Bobby also sold his half of the house to Lucy and his half of the South Fork Cattle Company to Ewing Industries and that was it. Just like that all the fighting stopped. Uncle Bobby had to take care of Aunt Pam, Chris and Chris’s son. I don’t know how he did it. But I know he’s happy. That’s what I want. Just to be happy with you and our children.”

“Oh I agree. If you don’t want to do this.”

“No. No I do.”

“John Ross knows to make money. How many companies has he pulled together to make Ewing Industries?”

“Dozens.”

“And didn’t you say he plays as risky as your father?”

“Yes.”

“So maybe he’s not looking for growth and profit and high risk, but someone steady and secure, capable of managing a portfolio with reasonable growth. Otherwise why didn’t Jake just say, the sibling who makes the most money gets the company?”

“I don’t know.”

“Everything’s there?”

“Yeah. I’m already looking into an investment. There’s an electric car business I was looking at a small investment before this, now I’m thinking something more substantial.”

“So you’re already stated. Good. You’ve got this.”

“But, I’m not sure I want it. I think I’d rather just share it with Ellie and Bo.” He turns around in her warms and looking up at her says, “What I want is to start a family. What I want is for you,” placing his hand on her stomach, “to carry my son.”

“And don’t you want to give that son your family’s legacy, this ranch, the company? Teach John Ross Ewing the forth what it means to be a Ewing.”

“I don’t know if I know what it means to be a Ewing.”

“Yes you do.” Amy leans down and kisses his lips. “What you need to do is stop underestimating yourself.”









An ally in Dallas and a single steal door with a sign which reads, ‘The Polo Club.’



Inside Aaron walks up to a bar of this huge cavernous space, lit from flood lights above, a big dance club set up for a rave. “There he is,” the bartender says coming around to hug Aaron, a long hug, his hands sliding down his back as he pulls him in tight. “You coming in tonight with your friends before the big match tomorrow?” The man backs off and checks Bo out, head to toe.

Aaron wears tight clothes, a shirt that shows off the solid musculature of his torso, collar up and several buttons undone halfway down his chest, tight chinos rolled up and sockless deck shoes. “Of course, as always. You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen this place with the lights on.”

“Different effect. Get you a drink?”

“Ginger Ale.”

“One soft one coming up. So what brings you by.”

“You mentioned the debt on this place was killing you.”

“Well hard to turn a profit when all the money’s going to the bank.

“How would you like a partner?”

“What you mean, you thinkin’ of making an investment?”

“Sure. If you write it up, I’ll have my people look it over.”

“Yeah, of course.” The big lights go off and black and strobe lights come on. John Ross says, “Looks like show time.” The techno music starts up.

The bartender yells, “Let the show begin!”





The club fills up with young people and music so loud you can feel it in your chest. In a cover away from the dance floor, on a gathering of sofa’s, a group of young people in polo shirts hang out, drinking, laughing. Aaron leans over to make out with the girl next to him while the guy on the other side of him rubs his hand up his thigh.











Ellie watches a location movie set, a couple of young cowboys on horseback talking about raising hell when they get into town. The director yells cut.

She approaches the two as they hop off their horses and says to the one, “Ian Abernathy?”

“That’s me. What can I do ya?”

“I’m Ellie Ewing. I’d like to talk to you in private about a project I have in mind.”





Inside an onset trailer Ellie tosses a script in front of Ian. “I heard you were trying to get this?”

He looks at it. “Hell yeah. Written just for me, I think. Don’t you?”

“Well I picked it up for a pretty good deal. I’ve got some production people lined up to make it happen and I heard you were interested.”

“Damn right I am.”

“Well I’ve got a proposition. I can make it happen and we can all make a little bit of money and you get a little bit more fame and I get to enjoy you.”

Ian smiles a devilish smile. “Go on.”

“I’m well aware of your professional talent and it isn’t acting. I can give you the break out part you’ve been trying to get your hands on and you can show me in private what you do best.”

He pulls off his shirt.











Bo steps out of his bedroom into the wide upstairs hall of South Fork at the same time as Ellie, in the early morning light streaking through the window at the end of the hall. He quietly shuts his door and she whispers, “Is everything OK?” as they walk away and down the stairs.

“Oh its just Amy gets these headaches. She’s lying down.”

“Has she seen a doctor?”

“She says they’re not that serious.”

“That should be a doctor’s call. I’ll set something up.”

“I don’t know if she’ll go.”

“She’ll go. Has she agreed to a South Fork wedding?”

“Actually she did. She’s looking forward to it. She’s got a million ideas.”

“I’ll talk to her after dinner tonight.”

“You’re not going to take over, are you?”

“Since when do I take over?”

“Since always. She’s not like Pamela. She’s not gonna just let you run things. It’s her wedding.”

“Of course it is. Don’t worry.”

“Ellie.”

“Boaz.”

“So, Gordon Wendell,” Bo smirks devilishly. “You know what both Lucy and John Ross have to say about the Wendell’s, especially Gordon’s brother.” The two stop at the bottom of the stairs.

“They hate us because daddy put their father in prison for over ten years, blah, blah, blah. But, Gordon doesn’t hate us. He barely knew his father even before he went to prison. I think his mother was his father’s third wife. I don’t know. Gordon didn’t even visit him in prison.”

“I bet his brother, Paul, did.”

“I’m sure he did. Now he hates us, J. Paul Wendell really hates, maybe more than his father did. Did you know that their father had a mad crush on John Ross’s mother?”

“No, but wasn’t every man in Texas supposed to have been in love with Sue Ellen Ewing?”

“Something like that.”

“Do you really want an enemy like that around?”

“Like what? Paul’s harmless.”

“He’s the Chairman of a supermajor oil company.”

“The Trident Corporation is powerful, sure, but Paul’s just a hired hand over there.”

Behind them Lucy comes walking down, a head of a woman frantically taking notes, followed by a train of servants carrying luggage. Lucy issues directions to the woman, including notifying the DOA of her absence until further notice, “Amy will be able to handle the Oil Barron’s Ball without me . . .”

Ellie says, “And where are you going?”

The luggage handlers continue on right out the back while Lucy stops to talk to Ellie and Bo. “Hawaii, to check on Pamela. I thought I told you.”

“I’m supposing you’ll be seeing my brother. Will you kindly tell him to call me?”

“He’s not going to but I can mention it. I might be gone a while. John Ross is going from Hawaii to the Porcupine Mountains.”

Bo says, “His annual gathering. I’ve been asking for an invite for years.”

Lucy says, “You’re not old enough to say years yet, nor is the event.”

Ellie says, “Well if I just show up . . .”

Lucy says, “He’ll turn you away.”

“I’m sure I can keep out of sight among fifty thousand acres and the finest shoots in America while his little group of executives discuss the global economy and politics.”

“I’m sure you can’t. After that he’s headed to England. Apparently he’s been patching things up with his mother. He plans on staying there for a while. I’ll return as soon as I’m satisfied that Pamela is OK and maybe a bit longer. Don’t break anything while I’m gone.” Lucy then hands them each an envelope.

“What’s this,” Ellie asks.

“I spoke with John Ross about it. I agree with him, having family here, so we made an arrangement. It’s a trust for South Fork, this house and ten buildable lots. In case after the year the three of you don’t want to stay in my house.”

“Your house?”

“My house. I’m the executor of the trust. There are also investments enough to cover the expenses of the property.” Lucy pats Bo on the arm. “Best of luck staying here for the year. It’s not easy to live all together.”

Bo says, “We’ll make it work. We’re family.”

“And after you?” Ellie asks.

“You’ll just have to wait until I’m dead to find that out.”

“Well don’t hurry on my account.”

“Oh I plan on being around for a long, long time. Oh and your friend, Gordon Wendell, I know the thinking is fill this place up with kids, at least among the two of you, and yes, I’m sure that would make John Ross very happy to see the next generation, but a Wendell isn’t on top of anyone’s wish list. Keep that in mind.” Lucy walks out the back with her secretary following.

Ellie says to Bo, “Well we’re on our own.”

“Ellie, I really don’t want this contest to turn us against each other.”

“It won’t. We’re Ewing’s. We don’t fight each other. We stick together and fight others.”

“Like the Wendell’s?”

“Like the Wendell’s.”

“What are you playing at, Ellie?”

“Did you know that the foundation is developing part of South Fork’s land into a vineyard?”

“No. Why?”

“My guess is for Lucy’s sister. That’s what she does. Her and her husband are in the wine business in northern California. And with a possible lot for her to build on, maybe Lucy’s going to have her living here in Texas. She already shares her brother’s work, raising horses.”

“You think Lucy can get them to move from California?”

“Sure, why not? I bet they’re included in this trust,” Ellie says holding up the envelope. “It’s all her and John Ross ever talked about, having the family all back her at South Fork.”

“That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“I’m thinking once you start filling this house with children of your own we’ll be a bit crowded, especially with Lucy here.”

“I don’t know about that. Amy and I’ve talk about kids, once were married, but no more than two. I just worry, having seen all Pamela went through. What did John Ross say, she’d been pregnant five times? I can’t even imagine what once must have done to her.”

“Amy’s not Pamela. I wouldn’t worry. I was thinking about talking to Aaron. What do you think about him moving into the cottage out back? Give him more privacy as a bachelor and you another bedroom to fill in this house.”

“That’s fine but like I said, we’ve talked about one, maybe two children.”

“Well, once you get started, you’ll change your mind. Now where to move Lucy?”











Ellie walks through a glass door labeled “Ewing Oil” and is greeted by two secretaries in the reception room on her way down the familiar hall to an office door with the name plate, ‘J. R. Ewing, President.’ She walks in to find a handsome Hispanic man, about her age, looking over maps in what appears to be J.R. Ewing’s office. “Juan Carols DelSol,” she says with a huge grin.

“Ellie Ewing,” the gorgeous man says with great excitement, walking about to hug her. “It’s been way too long.”

“Way too long. What is this place?” Ellie asks.

“This is your grandfather’s office.”

“I don’t understand. You can’t run Ewing Oil out of these offices.”

“No. No I suppose not. The offices to Ewing Oil are on several floors in this building. This is just something your brother put together, kind of a museum to your father, and your uncle’s office next door and your grandfather’s at the end of the hall.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know. This is actually the office your brother was using when he was in the city. He ran most of the company from the ranch. People went out to see him. But when he came into the city . . . and those women you meet on the way in are his administrative assistants.”

“That’s why you asked to meet here, to show me this museum?”

“To show you your brother’s thinking. What matters to him. This matters to him.”

“And Ewing Oil?”

“Ewing Oil is a subsidiary of Ewing Industries. It engages in oil and gas exploration, making deals anyway. Ewing Construction develops oil and gas fields. Ewing Fossil Fuels manages the operations. Ryland Trade and Transport ships the product. Ewing Energy sells the natural gas directly or uses it to produce electricity and if it’s petroleum, West Star refines and markets it.”

“And what’s your role in all of this?”

“My father and your father worked out a deal to get John Ross to create Ewing Industries. In return my father got sixteen percent of the company and now with him gone, I oversee the trust with those shares.”

“Alright. I see. And Jake Rosemont, where’s he fit in. He seems to run everything.”

“I suppose he does. You know as well as I do the real play is power not money. Jake Rosemont is a very powerful friend of your brother’s. Don’t make a mistake and think otherwise.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

“John Ross has friends. A great many friends. They call themselves the cartel. Like Jake and Don Lockwood.”

“His stepfather?”

“The Earl of Maitland, yes. Like Jake Rosemont, he’s more than he appears. Your brother barely graduated high school, dropped out of college.”

“I know, to work the oil rigs. He has a learning disability.”

“Yes. He finds reading painful. Lockwood introduced him to Rosemont years ago. And to Richard Channing.”

“The Seer of ‘Cisco?”

“Yes. He’s a friend, and mentor to your brother. They advised him on putting together the Ewing network.”

“The Ewing Network?”

“The political causes, PACs and think tanks, your brother has given to, they all amount to heavy political influence. Regardless of what you’ve heard, he’s created President Bower and he destroy him.”

“I heard he’s,” Ellie says with air quotes, “Thanked,” “Senator Manning for his help on forwarding some education bill John Ross wants passed.”

“Yes and President Bouton has said he’ll sign it. Think of your brother as a classical capitalist. He’s read two books in his life, cover to cover, the Art of War and the Wealth of Nations. He believes that a complete overhaul of education in this country is essential and that everyone must have access to the best education possible. That’s competition. That’s what he wants to see.”

“Really? My brother, who dropped out of college and only graduated high school because his parents were so generous to the boarding school they couldn’t afford to say no, and he’s advocating for education?”

“Difficulty with traditional school doesn’t mean your brother isn’t a smart man. He recognizes we have to have the best paid teachers in the world so that we have the best teaching in the world because they create the minds which are your county’s greatest capital asset. People like our cousin Christopher.”

“Ewing Oil owns the Ewing Process, something, I’m sure, you’re aware causes a great deal of tension between John Ross and Christopher.

“The fact is this technology allows the company to get at endless supplies of methane. But still, methane is a fossil fuel, albeit cleaner than most, Ewing Alternative is still focused on the future, batteries in particular. That takes well educated people. People who are highly specialized. Your brother realizes this. Just like he realizes we have to have a setup which attract the best and the brightest all over the world to our schools.”

“Kind of liberal sounding.”

“Not in the least. Ewing Industries is too tied to fossil fuels, even Wentworth Tool and tie. Two thirds of its business has to do with oil drilling, but that's decreasing, rapidly.”

“What about CMBC?”

“A small, local bank. The old Cattleman’s Bank yes, but not much more than it was under the old name. The South Fork Cattle Company raises beef cattle and sells it to processors. Branch Water provides security services. It’s not enough diversification. Branch Water is a mercenary and intelligence company and most of its clients are big oil, protecting their global sites. CyberByte provides software, two thirds of its clients are fossil fuel companies.”

“Barnes Global?”

“Media and entertainment assets and yes not tied to fossil fuels in anyway. Radio and television stations throughout the county. Hotels, resorts and casinos. One of our most highly profitable divisions.”

“The Barnes Report, one of the nation’s most conservative news magazines,” Ellie states.

“Yes that’s right. Cliff Barnes built a reputation around it as a highly trusted news source, and your brother took it into a very right leaning direction.”

“And Lucy owns the Pacifica, a magazine and multi-platform publisher, founded in 1857, and generally a left leaning source.”

“It’s owned by the Thoreau Collective, which is owned by Lucy.”

“Interesting. Playing both sides.”

“They were on the same side opposing former President Bower.”

“I’ve noticed. So Barnes Global is really the most promising piece of Ewing Industries right now.”

“And Rio Blanco.”

“Which is?”

“Mining. Especially rare earth. Jake grabbed it up out of bankruptcy before the Trident Corporation could get its hands on it. He also bought a company called Emerson, which manufactures the most advanced batteries on the market, using small amounts of rare earth. One battery they have, the size of a briefcase, could power South Fork for a few days.”











Bo meets with engineers looking over a prototype car. He says, “So I have to put you guys in touch with Ewing Alternative. The key here isn’t the car or the engine. It’s the battery.” The lab is a hug cavern designed for creating cars and the sign on the wall says ‘Ewing Motor Company.’









Amy sits in a doctor’s examination room. The doctor walks in and says, “The good news is you are pregnant.” Amy looks extremely worried. “But, I’m going to have to take you off your medication for your migraines. I’m really concerned about how we proceed.”











Bo dances, bumps and grind with two different girls on the strobe lit dance floor of the club. Next to him another young man dances with two other girls, just as much foreplay as prancing. The music load and techno inspired, a heavy beat deep in their chests. Bo yells, “I saw your father the other day?”

“What?” the other young man says.

“I saw your father, at South Fork!”

“How was that?!”

“Interesting!”

“I bet! He told me about this contest!”

“What do you think?!”

“I think you’re gonna take it all!”

“Really, J.T., you think I can?!”

“Hell yeah!” J.T. kisses him, full on the mouth.











Out in the dark, empty night sky of the Gulf of Mexico, an oil rig lights up an island spot among the black water with a million tiny lights just before it explodes, sending a mushroom cloud of smoke and flames into the air.













Bo’s eyes roll back into his head as he leans back on the head board of a hotel bed, his hands playing with the hair of a face deep in his cotch, a woman who’s not Amy.











Ellie sits in a chair in a hotel room when Ian and another very handsome Hollywood man walks into the room. Ellie smiles, “You seem to really want this part?”











Jake looks out the black window of his penthouse onto the sky line of Dallas saying, “Like my father use to say, if you’re at a meeting and can’t figure out who’s being screwed over, it’s you.”











A jet lands on a private runway and taxis to a stop in the dark of night. The door opens and slowly lower into a stair case. A young man walks steps out and walks down onto the tarmac. A chauffer standing next to a limousine says, “Mr. Lucas Krebs?”

“Yes.”








In the dusky morning light crude oil washes up on the shoreline of the Texas coast.
 
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stevew

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Episode 2 - by the end of August
Sorry should say by the start of August. My plan will be to make a post at the start of each month, or I might bump it up - maybe once every Friday evening.
 

stevew

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Out behind the garage of South Fork, Bo and J. T. play skins against two other young guys in muscle shirts at basketball, the hot Texas sun leaving them sweating profusely, the hard play leaving them bent over breathing deeply.

Ellie walks up to Lucy by the pool reading a book and says, “What’s with the rainbow tribe?”

“What?”

“Aaron is supposed to be working on investing his money, not playing games. Every time I turn around he’s got a gang of friends over playing ball or something.”

“Well actually, if you really want to know, the boy in the orange shorts, that’s J. T. Rosemont, Jake Rosemont’s youngest son, so I’d say that he’s doing a bit of both, working him into his friends group. And the other two boys are Dia-Li Chi and George Lockwood, connections to two other friends of John Ross’s.”

“Why, I’ll be damned.”

“Probably, but not for underestimating your brother.”









In an enormous corner office overlooking the Dallas skyline out floor to ceiling windows, Jake welcomes Bo. “You’ve been filled in on the explosion?”

“From the news and what you send me, but I’ve still got a lot of questions.”

“So do I but at the moment no answers beyond what I sent you. But, I want you to be the point man. The face of the company.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I want you to go down there, talk to families and that people that got hurt. I’m sending you a team to take care of anything and everything. No budget. You’ll also have to talk to the media.”

“Why me?”

“You’re a Ewing. You’re likable.”

“Yeah but I don’t really know anything about what’s going on and I don’t work for Ewing Industries.”

“No but again you’re a Ewing and this just might be more impressive to John Ross than any portfolio development you can show off. Show him that you can handle a crisis.”

“Oh I see.”











Lucy sits in the living room of South Fork talking to a reporter with note pad and recorder on the table between them. “Thank you Betsy for taking the time to speak to me.”

“Of course Lucy. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to exclusively write about the Clayton Farlow Foundation. The size of it’s endowment makes it a significant player in Dallas.”

“It does. Yes. And, I want to assure you that we are sending down a team to Galveston to help with the Ewing Industries off shore explosion. We’re not affiliated with Ewing Industries in anyway, but both the foundation and the company are affiliated with various members of the Ewing family and we want to first and foremost make sure the people hurt in this tragedy are taken care of and also that any environmental damage is mitigated.”

“Yes this has been horrific news. Do you have anything you can tell me about the explosion?”

“Nothing at all, nothing the media hasn’t reported. Like I said the foundation is not affiliated with the company and I don’t play any role in the company or own any piece of it. That does bring me to the second reason for asking you here. The foundation was set up by my grandmother’s second husband, Clayton Farlow, but the largest single contributor has been the oil from the South Fork Ranch, which is Ewing oil. And since my grandmother’s passing, I’ve been sort of on my own, though we have a very competent advisory board. My grandmother, Eleanor Ewing, did have three children and I thought each of the three should be represented on the board, so joining me will be my cousin Christopher, he’s my Uncle Bobby’s only son, and my cousin Aaron, he’s my Uncle J. R.’s youngest son. As such, I thought it better to also change the name of the foundation to the Ewing Foundation and part of that be the Clayton Farlow Fund focused on children as he intended.”

“So starting?”

“Today actually.”

“OK, so the Ewing Foundation retains the original mission you set up, that is supporting economic improvement, education equality, democratic expansion, world peace and environmental health?”

"Yes.”

“Doesn’t it seem a bit odd that a family enriched by oil and a foundation still filling it’s endowment with oil revenue, be so concerned with environmental health, especially given the recent events in the Gulf of Mexico?”

“It does. But I assure you, no family is working harder to replace oil and all fossil fuels than the Ewing Family. John Ross has pushed Ewing Industries into the development of the world’s most advanced batteries. And like all technologies, batteries have issues as well, regarding waste and mining, but again electric cars are a marked improvement over internal combustion engine. My cousin Christopher’s Ewing Process for extracting methane, again, lots of issues, but a marked improvement. We’re not sitting back and championing big oil, or the lies of big oil, we’re fighting for a sustainable future while living with the realities of today. My cousin Bo has got himself involved in electric cars. He’s a huge advocate of mass transit too. You know he moved in here recently, South Fork being the family home, and you know his complaint is we’re too rural here to do anything but drive. And frankly he’s not a fan of driving. We’re making a difference with a realistic view of things. Years ago my father jumped into harnessing tidal energy. It wasn’t realistic at the time. We have to be realistic as we push forward for change. But we must push forward. The renaming of the foundation helps make that point, I believe. One day the Ewing Foundation won’t be making any money off of oil rights and that day can’t come soon enough for me.”







The back door of a Rolls Royce is held open by a driver and Ellie steps out walking up to a film crew. She says, “What’s everyone standing around for?”

“Waiting for that cloud to move on,” the man in the director’s chair says.”

“Well that’s annoying. So you just have to stand around and wait?”

“Pretty much. Listen, I wanted to talk to you about the changes to the ending.”

“You should probably direct your questions to the producers.”

“OK cut the crap. I know the changes came from you, and that you don’t want your name in the credits but you’re the only producer that matters. You changed the villain to look like a hero in order to justify your father and his business types, a sort of end justifying the means. It ruins the story.”

“I beg to differ. People like a guy makes good story. They love the tough guy who does whatever he has to, to succeed. In fact, most of them wish they could be that guy.”

“That guy is morally bankrupt. A lot of people get hurt between here and your contrived ending.”

“What’s the saying about egg shells getting broken?”

“These are people we’re talking about. The original story, he gets his comeuppance. It’s the whole lesson the author was trying to get across.”

“I didn’t see it that way.”

“Of course you did.”

Ellie smiles. “You know you’re cute when you’re trying to be strong. Just do what you’re paid to do. Make that cloud move, make the movie, and get Ian an Oscar.”

“Or I can walk away.”

“Or you can walk away. Just don’t forget, our actions have consequences. Don’t go whining later on when yours come to you, OK?”









Bo attempts to talk to a gathering of journalists in front of a hospital in Galveston. He seems very nervous and keeps tripping over his words and painfully obvious in trying not to say too much when asked about the cause of the explosion. Aaron steps up and says, “What my cousin is trying to say is that we’re here for the families. The people inside this hospital are suffering and they’re part of our family. As for what happened, we will get to the bottom of it, but I assure you that no one here is the cause. Safety is Ewing Industries number one concern.”

The crowd in front of them calmer to ask the next question talking over each other, waving about, shoving their microphones forward.

Aaron says, “I’m sorry, unless you have something not relate to the cause, I think we’re done here. We don’t have anything we can say and we’ve got a lot to do inside.”

“Is there oil coming up from the sea floor?”

Bo says, “We don’t know. There’s a team working on that right now and as soon as they know, you’ll know. We’re ready either way to address the results.”

Aaron says, “And the Ewing Foundation has people out on the shore to jump on what happens. One of the missions of the Ewing Foundation is environmental health. We’ll take care of whatever we need to, to make this right.”

Again they calmer again.

Aaron says, “I’m sorry. Bo has been trying to get back to the families inside. As soon as we know more, we’ll be back out to talk to tell you, but right now our place is with them.”

Bo and Aaron walk back into the hospital, across the lobby and to the elevator. Inside the elevator Bo says, “Thank you. How did you know that there’s people looking into oil leaking out?”

“I didn’t. So you better get ahold of Jake and tell him right now to send them down, if he hasn’t already.”

“Oh yeah sure. You’re right.” Bo begins to text while saying, “And the Ewing Foundation?”

“Lucy changed the name of the Farlow Foundation to Ewing. First thing she sent monitors out to watch the shore line.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“This isn’t about building a company, or running one either, this is about appeasement. That’s all we really have to worry about right now.”









In a family waiting room of the hospital, families cry while other’s waiting patiently. Bo and Aaron walk in to find J. T. holding an older woman in hysterics over losing her husband and not being able to go on.











Ellie meets Jake in his office. “Just give me answers,” she says walking in, in a huff.

“I assume you mean the explosion,” he says standing up from his desk.

“Drop the crap Rosemont. What the hell is going on?”

“We haven’t ascertained the cause of the explosion but my son and your brothers are down there trying to help the families. Five have died so far and we’re arranging the funerals.”

“Bo and Aaron?”

“Yes.”

“They don’t work for Ewing Industries.”

“No they don’t but Aaron can handle this. People like him. And that’s what I need down there right now. And Bo needs to watch. Sometimes a manager forgets how important an appeaser is in times of crisis. They need to learn to work together.”

“I would agree. My father use to say that to me all the time, no fighting, just get along, appreciate each other’s role.”

“And you have a role too, much like John Ross your thoroughly unlikeable, but your two brothers do seem to like you, and they trust you. Let’s hope you live up to their faith in you.”











A helicopter lands in the pasture behind South Fork.



Bo and Aaron walk in the back of the house, thoroughly exhausted, into the entry hall where Lucy says from the living room, “I wasn’t sure when or if you’d be home, but I can get Sophia to make you dinner, if you’re hungry.”

The two step into the living room archway. Bo says, “No I’m going to head up to bed. I need to see Amy. Thank you though,” and he turns around and leaves up the stairs.

“Aaron?”

“Yeah, I’m starving.”

Lucy picks up here phone and texts while talking to Bo. “I heard about this idea of you moving into the cottage.”

“Oh, yeah, something Ellie brought up. I told her I’d think about it. I mean, would be nice to have my own space.”

“The cottage wasn’t John Ross’s rule. Besides, when and if Bo needs the room for his children, I’ll move out and you can have my room, our grandmother’s room.”

“Oh. Oh I see.”

“Besides, Amy’s already talking about the sort of house she wants to build on the property. So that’ll leave this house all to you.”

“Or Ellie.”

“To you and your children.”

“I don’t know if I’ll have children.”

“Well, we’ll see.”

The housekeeper walks in with a TV tray and a plate of food. Aaron sits down and she places it in front of him.

“Thank you.”

Lucy watches.









In their bedroom, Bo leans on the bed and over to kiss Amy who smiles and turns over, waking up, “Is everything OK?”

“No. No it’s not. We’ll head back first thing tomorrow morning . . . Oh damn.”

“What?”

“I forgot, I’ve got a meeting tomorrow morning. I’ll talk to Aaron. Are you OK?”

“I’m OK. Lucy and I worked on wedding plans today. I want to get this done before I start to show.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“John Ross called me today,” Amy says.

“And?”

“He’s excited. Pamela is too. I asked them, if it’s a boy, could we name him John Ross the forth.”

“And?”

“They both agreed. They seemed very happy about the idea. Pamela was saying they’ll be back for the birth and maybe they’ll stick around and help out.”

“Help out?”

“Well when I go back to work. Lucy’s offered me a job with the foundation. Part time advisory regarding education grants.”

“But you work in an art museum.”

“Well I also have my teaching certificate.”

“Just seems like a lot to take on, two jobs, a baby.”

“It’ll be fine. I don’t have to take care of the house. Lucy has that covered and honestly, I kind of like it, at least until we build our own place, but I’m in no hurry. And Pamela’s willing to help with the baby. It won’t be a problem. Not like you’re gonna quit working, are you?”

“No. And I don’t’ expect you to either.”

“So, I think it would be great having Pamela to help. She’s always wanted children.”

guess if you think it’s a good idea.”









A sign next to a driveway cut into a forest off a major highway reads ‘Trident.’ The camera rising up above the threes, a massive office complex sprawls across several red roofed, four to five story buildings, surrounded by woods.

In an office Lucas is introduced to J. Paul Wendell and vice versa. They shake hands. “Please take a seat,” Paul says as he sits behind the desk. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

“Well your invite was intriguing.”

“I bet it was. I hope your flight was enjoyable.”

“Uneventful. Can we cut to the chase?”

“Did you verify my revelation with your parents?”

“I did. Though we’re all curious as to why you would know anything about it.”

“Let’s just say I’m digging really deep all around the Ewing family. As you’re here, I’m assuming you have some interest in my proposal.”

“I’m not sure what you want me for. You don’t seem to lack resources, at least not as to where I can help.”

“Have you heard your cousin, John Ross, is dividing up his empire?”

“I’ve heard John Ross Ewing is doing something like that, among his siblings. As to being cousins, I don’t really know them, nor do I want to.”

“He built a fortune leaving your father bankrupt.”

“My father is far from bankrupt. If you’re referring to Bobby Ewing, I don’t know him either and I really don’t want to now.”

“He’s your father.”

“He’s my father’s step brother, a very big and wide step. He lives in California. We live in Europe. My father never spoke very highly about J. R. Ewing, but as he’s dead, I’m not sure what that has to do with John Ross or Bobby or me for that matter.”

“Don’t you think John Ross would want to know he has another cousin out there? He’s found three siblings, which he has taken fully into his family. Don’t you think he’d welcome you? You’re here. You must have some interest.”

“John Ross Ewing is worth thirty-five billion dollars.”

“And he’s in search of an heir. On the one hand he has his sister, Ellie, I’d put nothing past her. On the other, his brothers, Bo, he’s just a good guy, too good, too weak, and Aaron, Lucy’s favorite. Then there could be you.”

“Why would John Ross consider me over his brothers and sister?”

“He actually knows you better, doesn’t he?”

“He knows Chris better than me, he’s not in the running.”

“True, but they have a past.”

“You know way too much about my family.”

“I know that everything Jock Ewing lived and died for is in the hands of John Ross Ewing the third and you were cut out. I know Bo’s successful at investing and Aaron’s wet under the ears.”

“And Ellie?”

“I know how she makes her money.”

“Which is?”

“She attended a private boarding school in Switzerland and then the Sorbonne, majoring in networking. She makes arrangements for people trying to buy things.”

“Keep going.”

“Weapons.”

“Are you serious? Ellie Ewing is an arms dealer?”

“I’ve spent a very long time collecting information on the Ewing clan. I’m a very patient man. You’re very smart yourself, acting as a perfunctory middle man who one day will inherit a share of an impressive chunk of change that you’ll share with the rest of the Krebs clan, but isn’t something missing? Christopher’s share of Ewing Alternative Energy is making him a billionaire several times over.”

“I thought he was a Cal Tech professor.”

“He is. Nice little life on the West Fork Ranch with his parents and his son, but he owns a substantial share of Ewing Alternative, and you heard about that off shore rig explosion.”

“Oh course.”

“There’s no oil leaking into the Gulf. That’s methane gas. The Ewing’s are finally putting the Ewing Process into play, and pissing off some very powerful people.”

“Why would anyone care about the Ewing Process?”

“You raise the supply of natural gas significantly and you lower the price significantly. That explosion was no accident. Once the Ewing’s get that up and going, Chris will have more money coming in then he’ll know what to do with. J. R.’s kids have Ewing Industries. Gary’s kids are even worth billions, well married, in the case of Lucy several times, and she runs that foundation with more billions in it. And you? You’re not just one of Ray Kreb’s sons. You’re Bobby Ewing’s son. Discarded to the illegitimate side of the family so poor Pam isn’t upset by Bobby’s little bastard. So that’s why you’re here. Why I invited you. And why you accepted. I want to put you into play, to bring down the Ewing’s, once and for all, from the inside out.”








Bo watches a single car race around a track with several engineers by his side. He says, “Almost twenty-four hours?”

“And at top speeds.”

“I’ve got a meeting next week with the event planners. We’re looking at a Michigan LeMans, a twenty-four-hour race up the center of Michigan to the Keweenaw Peninsula. We’ll get the attention of the world and show off how our electric car can compete in a mixed race, over a long-haul trip.”

They continue to watch the laps without the sound of a roaring engine but the wisp of a two hundred miles per hour electric motor.

Bo says, “We need faster. We can average one fifty, one sixty, but we need faster top speeds.”

“We’ve got to two ten.”

“I want it over two fifty.”










Amy walks into her room, stumbling, flinging the door closed behind her, unable to keep her eyes open, stretching to grab the shades, pulling then down, stumbling to the next window to do the same, before falling into bed, face here, holding her head.








The family gathers for cocktails in the living room where Lucy is joined by Jake Rosemont. She hands him a scotch on the rocks. “I remember John Ross kept this tucked away for you.”

“Thank you Lucy.”

“Of course.

“Everyone should be here soon. I’ll give you cocktails to talk business, but that’s it.”

“I understand. How is the planning for wedding going?”

“Very good. Amy’s not been feeling well, so I’ve done most of the work, but all the decisions are hers. Of course Ellie’s been too busy to but in.”

Jake chuckles. “That’s probably for the best. And preparing for the baby?”

“We’ve been turning John Ross’s room into a nursery. Imagine that, J. R.’s old room for his grandchild. I hate to think how happy it would make him.”

“I heard he’s got an architect building a cottage for him on one of the lots you set aside.”

“Yes. Something else keeping me busy. He turned over the whole project to me. It’s on the old Kreb’s property, where the big fire a few years ago took out all the buildings. He likes the idea because it created sort of a blank canvas. He’s hired a landscape architect too. It should be very nice when it’s all done.”

“And the vineyards?”

“My sister and her husband come out next week to look things over. I’m hoping to get her to build a house herself sometime in the near future.”

“Everything’s coming along nicely.”

“I think so,” Lucy says just as Ellie walks in from the front.

“What’s coming along nicely?” Ellie asks.

“The work on John Ross’s cottage.”

“Oh good. It’ll be nice to have him and Pamela here with us. I hear you’re moving out into the cottage outback.”

“If Bo needs it for another nursery, but no plans any time soon.”

“Well you might like it. It’s more private.”

“Oh I don’t mind the lack of privacy.”

“It’s just I saw some stuff being moved in there this morning before I left and I thought.”

“I’m turning it into an art studio. I’m taking up painting. Amy’s going to work with me.”

“Oh how nice. Look at that, how well you’re getting along. So Jake, you needed to talk to us.”

“As soon as Bo and Aaron are here. It’s about the explosion. We’ve got evidence that is was arson.”

“Evidence. Like a terrorist group?”

“I don’t know, but it is our first rig to use the Ewing Process.”

“Chris’s methane extraction process?”

“That’s right. There are some that don’t want to see it go on line.”

“Like who?”

“That’d just be guess work at this point.”

“What, the Russians, the Saudi’s, the Venezuelans? Not hard to come up with a list. Trident?”

“Good list,” Jake says as Aaron walks in from the back with J.T.

Aaron says, “Hey Jake, I didn’t know you were gonna be with us. Look who I brought with me.”

J.T. says, “Dad.”

Jake says, “J.T.,” neither sounding too friendly.

Lucy says, “Oh J.T. what a pleasant surprise. Your dad and I were talking about the Oil Barron’s Ball earlier, and I mentioned how you’re putting together a private train up from Houston you believe you can get down to two and half hours with cocktails on board.”

“I’m working on it. Once the high speed rail is up, we’ll be down to an hour and half, but the private cars I’m looking at will be a lot more comfortable than any plane. They’re like living rooms. And, they’ll be pulled by their own engine, nothing getting it it’s way and non-stopped, I’m hoping it will be something special.”

At that point, Bo walks in from the back with Lucas, “Look who I ran into today.”

“Lucas,” Lucy says with excitement and makes her way over to hug him. “I didn’t know you were in town. How are you?”

“I’m doing well. I was in the states on business and thought I’d swing down to Dallas. I was at the Cattleman’s Club with Bo walked in celebrating some new car of his.”

“Well you should have called and planned to stay at South Fork for a visit. You are staying now aren’t you?”

“I hadn’t planned on it. I’ve got a room in the city.”

“Oh no. We’ll have your stuff brought out here. John Ross’s room is empty. You’ll stay there. Jake this is my cousin Lucas Krebs. Lucas, Jake Rosemont, he sort of runs everything for John Ross. And This is Jake’s son J.T. And, I don’t think you’ve meet Aaron. I don’t think you’ve ever meet Ellie, J.R.’s daughter, either. Ellie this is Lucas, Ray’s oldest son.”

“Ray?” Ellie says.

“Your Uncle Ray.”

“Oh Maggie’s brother. I’ve meet your sister in D.C. on several occasions. She does some lobbying work for Ewing Industries and others. Now I’ve meet her mother, a former Secretary of Energy and current Pennsylvania Senator, but I haven’t meet the second Mrs. Krebs and any of you all.”

Lucy says, “Well there’s Ray and Jenna, they live in Switzerland, and their daughter Charlie, and Lucas here, and their youngest, Alex. Oh Lucas, you look well. You’ll have to tell us all about yourself. What you’ve been up to. You know the South Fork Cattle Company recently bought the old Wade property. They’re in the process of turning over the land to the Ewing Foundation to protect it. It’s an arrangement we have with the company, they run cattle operations, we least them the land for a dollar a year. It works out well for everyone.”

“I’ve heard the Ewing’s have gone green. At least that’s what Margret tells me.”

“Well not entirely,” Bo says, “But we’re getting there.”

“Yes. You should have seen Bo celebrating his electric car today. They were all excited to have hit a 24 hour run without having to stop and recharge.”

“It’s a lot of batteries and I wouldn’t call that very green, but it’s not fossil fuels.”

Lucy says, “Well congratulations. Sounds like something to celebrate.”

Then they hear a fall in the entry hall and all rush in to find Amy having fallen down the stairs, laying lifeless on the hard floor. Bo rushes to her and Lucy yells to Aaron to call 911. Bo picks her up, “Never mind them.”

Lucy says, “Aaron, run out there and get the helicopter started. He’ll need you to fly them in. Ellie . . .”

“I’m calling the hospital to tell them they’re on their way,” Ellie says as she dials her phone.

Jake helps Bo get Amy out the back.





Out back Aaron is in the pilot seat ready to fly the helicopter as Bo gets up inside and Jake hands Amy up to him. J.T. jumps in next to Aaron. The family looks on in horror as the helicopter lifts off.








The family gathers at the hospital in a private waiting room. Lucy sits next to Jake with her head on his shoulder and her eyes closed. Bo and Ellie are missing from the room while everyone else sits quietly. Ellie walks in and says, “I’ve got an expert in pregnancy migraines coming in from the Mayo Clinic to consult. She just stopped taking her medications all together.”

Lucy says, “Is she OK?”

“Both her and the baby are fine, but I guess she’s been getting these migraines since she was a teenager.”

Aaron asks, “What causes them?”

“I guess they’ve never figured that out, but we’re going to figure it out now. We’ll get the best neuroscientists on this. But for right now, no stress. She’s agreed to a low key wedding, just family.”

“The Anderson’s?” Lucy asks.

“Just her father. I mean her mother passed away. And her sister. And us. Will John Ross be showing up?” Ellie asks looking straight at Lucy.

“I doubt it. I did call him. He wants me to keep him posted, but I doubt he’ll be returning for a wedding or if he does, I’d guess he’d be alone. I’ll go call him.” Lucy walks away while taking out her phone.

Ellie says to Jake, “This going through you and Lucy to contact our brother is ridiculous. She could have died tonight. Bo needs his brother here.”

“He’s got you and he’s got Aaron. He’ll be fine. If he truly needs John Ross, I’m sure he’ll show up.”

“You can tell my brother for me I’m pissed. Family comes first. He needs to be here.” Ellie walks back from where she came.

Aaron says, “She’s right.”

Jake replies, “I know she’s right. But you get that through to your brother. Last time I saw him Pamela was in a psych ward and he was in a waiting room just like this, drunk out of his mind. I don’t know that kid’s demons . . .”


“I do,” Lucy says returning. “He’s spent his whole life fighting or being fought over or just plain beat up. Ain’t no one ever had his back. Not even me or you,” looking at Aaron.

“What? I was a kid, I just lost my parents, I was angry.”

“I’m not saying there’s not a reason for it, but he took you in when you had no one and you took it out on him. Bo and Ellie were never there. Hell he didn’t even know they existed until after his father was dead. And J.R., one fight after another, stay in school, marry the girl he picks out, run the company just the way he tells you to and Uncle Bobby sided with Christopher no matter what he did. Goes off and screw’s his fiancé who later turns out to be such a crazy bitch she nearly kills Christopher but Uncle Bobby stood right there when Christopher was with her and John Ross was hurting. And Sue Ellen. Don’t get me started on her. And the world. Oil’s bad so he’s a bastard for drilling for it, but we need oil. Pamela marries him for a business deal, and all of a sudden Pamela loves him. Pamela tries to kill herself and lays the blame on John Ross. Pamela throws in his face about sleeping with some guy. So you want to know why he’s not coming home, because this isn’t home to him. This is my home. Yours. Even Christopher’s. I hope even Bo and Ellie’s. And my brother and sister, maybe one day. But not John Ross’s.”

“You said Grandma left him half of South Fork.”

“He didn’t know that until after J.R. died. As far as he knew she left him nothing. Bobby never bothered to tell him, even tried to sell it out from under him once. He didn’t even know about the trust fund Grandpa left him until after J.R. died . . .” Lucy stops and thinks. “Clayton.”

“What about Clayton?”

“Clayton left him a box of stuff after he died. All his personal things and an allowance the Foundation use to pay out to him every three months, until John Ross declined it, once he had made a success out of Ewing Industries. I one saw him beat the hell out of a guy who badmouthed Clayton. He didn’t really, but that’s how John Ross took it. I’ll never forget, it was probably six months after J.R. died and John Ross was crying that he was all he ever had whoever cared about him. I thought he meant J.R. He meant Clayton.”

“Wow.”

“So no, before you go judging a man, you better size him up right. ‘Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is,’ Lucy quotes from ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ before sitting down to take it all in. “So many people are gone. So much has happened.” Jake offers her his hand and she takes it. “I miss him. I really miss him, but I think I finally understand. I get it. I get it now.”

J.T. steps up behind Aaron and puts his hand on his shoulder.
 

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A warm day under the Texas sun in the garden off the side of the South Fork house, a reverend marries Bo and Amy, Aaron standing in as Bo’s best man, a young girl, Amy’s sister, standing next to her as her maid of honor, the Ewing’s watching with Jake next to Lucy and J.T. next to Aaron, and a lone man, the father of the bride standing watching as they are pronounced man and wife. Afterwards Lucy says, “I think that’s the quietest wedding South Fork has ever seen.”





Back by the pool a few round tables are cleared of a meal while everyone watches Bo and Amy dance. When they’re finished Jake stands up, “I know we’re all done with the toasts and everything but John Ross asked me to read a letter at some point and I guess this is as good as any, considering you’re about to leave on your honeymoon to the hunting cabin.” Everyone chuckles.

Lucy says, “As soon as the baby’s born you can fly anywhere on a proper honeymoon.”

Jake reads, “Dear Bo, I am very sorry I could not be there. I hope and pray your memories of South Fork are happy ones and that you stay on long after the year to raise your children in a place with so much history for our family. I worry every day about you and about your baby and about Aaron and Ellie, but I know you are all strong. You’ll make a family out of this and I hope you never stop keeping me posted. Take care of each other. And, Amy, my mother and I would like you to have something that is very dear to our family. My grandmother’s pearl necklace. I can think of no one who would be more thrilled to welcome you to the family than her.” Jake hands her the box with the pearl necklace inside. “Love always and forever, your devoted brother, John Ross.”

Amy takes the box, opens it, tears up and hugs Bo.









Aaron, Lucas, J.T., Dia and George all sit down at a whole in the wall bar, Aaron telling them that this is a favorite watering whole of the Ewing’s, on South Fork property, rented out to an old friend of the family. He then orders four bourbon and branches.

A young guy, their age, wearing a muscle shirt with a Confederate flag, taps Dia on the shoulder. Dia turns around to see him standing with a gang of his own. “We don’t want no Kong Flu in here, Chinaman. I think you need to leave.”

Aaron says, “You better watch your mouth. He’s with me.”

“Well then Mex-i-cally, you must be a carrier too. So you better up and leave here with your mongrel friend and your darky.”

J.T. stands up, “What the hell you just say, red neck?”

Aaron puts his hand across J.T.’s chest. “This ain’t no body, no body throwing me of Ewing property. I’m Aaron Ewing.”

The guy laughs, “Bull. I know the Ewing’s. Ain’t no way a poof like you is a Ewing.”

“A poof,” Aaron laughs. “Boy I could buy your sister and mom to screw ‘em together all night long. I could make you take it.”

The man takes a swing at Aaron and Aaron blocks it and then punches him right in the face. A fight starts which quickly turns into a full on bar fight.








In the very early morning, the sun not even above the horizon, Jake walks in to the study of South Fork from the outside to find Ellie behind her grandfather’s desk reading over papers. “Morning Ellie.”

“Jake.”

“I see you’re doing the homework I gave you, everything you want to know about Ewing Industries.”

Ellie looks up and looks him straight in the eye. “Except for one thing. Who set the explosion on our off shore rig?”

Jake takes a seat across from beautiful young waif. “I’ve got several names, associates really, opposed to the Ewing Process, Vicktor Sechin, whom you’re very familiar with.”

“So the Russians?”

“Of course. The Sauds. The Iranians. The Venezuelans. The name De Le Vega comes up, going back to your father and grandfather. The list is pretty extensive.”

“And in the mean time we take the blame, calling it an accident, and bearing the cost. Thank God it wasn’t petroleum or we’d have an environmental disaster on our hands.”

“Our official statement was human error. I’m most worried someone dig up some of the fall out to the original testing Christopher did in Southeast Asia. There were some things he really should have been held accountable for.”

“I want a name.”

“Vicktor Sechin. He ordered it, from what Branch Water tells me. We’re working on the repairs now and making sure the site is far more secure.”

“If you knew that this was a possibility, why wasn’t the site far more secure before hand?”

“I was well aware of what Vicktor Sechin intended. Hubris requires that he get away with what he believes sheer will made happen.”

Ellie thinks about his statement. “What else should I know?”

“The Chinese government stole the process from us a short while back, and are developing it in the South China Sea.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“It’s fine, John Ross approve the theft.”

“He approved the Chinese stealing our technology?”

“He meet with Chong-Li Chi and work out the arrangements.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“The Chinese nation is fracturing. Chong-Li is a friend of his, a very good friend, and while their communist government thinks they got away with something, we know better.”

“Still, why would he approve such a thing?”

“You’ll have to ask him that.”

“You weren’t there?”

“Of course I was. I arranged the meeting. You’re not the only one with contacts capable of bringing people together. By the way, John Ross was very impressed by your sale of arms to the Mongolian Liberation Army. Most impressed by how you got them smuggled in.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do. What you don’t know is how I know. There’s a group of people I’d like you to meet. Friends of your brothers. I call them the Cartel because I don’t’ have another name for them. Chong-Li is a member. So is Don Lockwood and Richard Channing. Names you might know. And other names you won’t. So am I.”

“You want me to meet these people?”

“Soon.”

“John Ross is a member?”

“Adjunct.”

“OK.”

“You play a very important role in this family. Bo knows how to run a business, day to day. He can be liked or not. He’s a task master. Aaron is a diplomat. You have another set of skills. We both know what those are. People like you and me, we understand power.”

“My grandfather use to say that real power was something you take.”

“In a way he was correct. It certainly isn’t given to you. What would you say?”

“Real power is something you earn. The people who surround you know you’ve earned it and they respect you for having done so.”

“Well said.”

Ellie notices with curiosity car lights shining through the window of the study and the sound of a car arriving and parking.







In the kitchen of South Fork Amy and Bo walk in with J.T., Lucas and Aaron, all three looking pretty beat up.

Jake and Ellie enter the kitchen and Jake says, “What the hell happened?”

Bo answers, “The boys got in a fight at a hole in wall bar and interrupted my honeymoon to bail them out.”

Ellie looks pissed. “What the hell were you doing in a place like that?”

Lucy walks in, “What’s going on? Oh Aaron.” She gets out the first aid kit and begins to tend to his wounds. “How many times are we going to do this?”

Ellie asks, “This is a regular occurrence?”

J.T. says, “A bunch of racists went after Dia. Just stupid stuff.”

Amy tends to Lucas’s wounds and Jake hands J.T. the medical kit as if to say, take care of yourself and walks out of the kitchen.

Bo says, “Damn, wish I’d been with ya.”

Amy admonishes, “Bo!”

“Well, nothing wrong with a little fight now and then.”

Lucy says, “Since when have you ever been in a fight in the whole of your life?”

“You should have seen Dia,” Aaron says. “Like his great uncle, they called him the Great One, was this Buddhist monk who taught him how to defend himself. He was taking on two and three and four guys by himself.”

Ellie says, “Why and in the world would you hang out with this sort of whatever they are?”

“What are you talking about? Dia was bad ass. Sorry Lucy,” Aaron says.

“Not your friends. These bar animals. And look at you. God knows what you could have caught from them. You’re a Ewing. Act like it.” Ellie walks out of the kitchen.

Lucy chuckles, “Just like her father,” as she tends to J.T.’s wounds.

Aaron says, “Don’t worry we taught them a thing or two.”

Lucy says, “That not the point. You need to stay away from these places, when you know they cause you nothing but trouble.”







Ellie walks back into the study to find Jake waiting. “I want to know who they were fighting.”

Jake says, “Already done,” looking at his phone. “Few local ranch hands.”

“South Fork ranch hands?”

“Oh God no. The Jackson place.”

“Andrew Jackson, the old Wade ranch? Didn’t we just buy that?”

“In the process. I’ll handle it.”

“Speaking of Wade, Lucas Wade, I want to know more about him. Why is he here?”
 

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I'm trying to post this series once a month by the end of the month while working on writing other things. I love to write, just for the fun of it. I'm hoping that stretching out this story, I will get some more original content. Some of it is similar to other stories I've posted, but this time, I'm focused on a new generation (minus John Ross and Chris, though they're often mentioned), with Lucy as the sort of "matriarch," to JR and Bobby's later in life children.
 

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Episode 3:

Lucy sits by the pool with her finished lunch plate in front of her, reading a book. A very noticeably pregnant Amy sits down next to her, a nurse helping her sit down. Lucy asks, “How are ya doin’?”

“Tired of sleeping.”

“I can only imagine. I use to love to sleep. It was like my favorite thing to do. But any more, four hours sleep, two, two hour naps during the day, and I’m good. The sun not bothering you?”

“Not today. I’m also sick of my diet.”

“Yes it’s certainly bland.”

“But it’s helped with the headaches.”

Lucy says, “Well that’s good. I’ve had migraines, but like two in my whole life. I can’t imagine living with them regularly.”

“Things have finally got better actually. Better than in a long time, but all I do is sit in the dark, sleep and eat bland food.”

“Yeah I get it. You’re bored.”

“Don’t you get bored? I mean since we’ve been here all you seem to do is read and the weakly DOA meetings.”

“Well I did take a trip to Hawaii and then to Michigan and then London with John Ross and Pamela.”

“True.”

“But it’s not like it used to be. I use to have apartments in Knot’s Landing, New York, London, and Monte Carlo and I never stopped moving. Nothing better than a great dinner party, collecting the most interesting people to just listen to them talk.”

“Really like celebrities?”

“Sometimes, but not necessarily. A lot of artists. I’d take these university classes just to learn something new and meet all sorts of people. I still don’t understand the slightest thing about physics but there was this group from Cal Tech that were just fascinating.”

“Who was your most interesting dinner guest?”

“Of that’s easy. Tom Daley.”

“The British diver?”

“And his husband, the writer, Lance Black. But it’s not their careers I enjoyed so much, it’s their family. I don’t think they talked more than two minutes about their work before they switched up to talking about their son, their parents, who had passed and Tom’s mom, and friends who are like family. It just was so wonderful. I mean I grew up here, on a ranch where family never seemed to leave. I have a brother and sister and lots of cousins, and I never talked about any of them.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know. I missed my grandparents and talking about them hurt. But somehow not with them. I couldn’t stop talking about my grandparents. I ended up making them my grandmother’s chili. Lance’s from Texas. And it was pretty remarkable because I don’t think at that point I’d been in my kitchen more than three or four times. But it felt great to talk about Grandma and make her chili. Got me thinking about the rest of my family, how we'd all gone out separate ways."

“You’re pretty much like Aaron’s mom.”

Lucy laughs. “Maybe his grandmother. After J.R. died John Ross found out about his sister and both brothers. He had no idea they existed, but then they had no idea about him, well other than Ellie for some reason, she knew about everyone. Any way it was really weird, Aaron’s mom knew nothing about J.R. beyond he worked for an oil company and traveled a lot. She even called him Johnny. She had no idea who he really was. Her image of him was nothing like the man I knew. She did know about Sue Ellen, but she thought she died.”

“Really?”

“Gets weirder. She was jealous of Sue Ellen. She thought she was jealous of a ghost. She didn’t know. But he talked about Sue Ellen like he couldn’t fall out of love with her. I went to meet them on John Ross’s second trip. He was the most adorable little boy with the biggest, wettest eyes.” Lucy stops.

“Are you OK.”

“I remember I walked into his room and he was drawing. I sat down and talked to him about J.R. I was curious. The next thing I knew he was holding me crying. He asked me not to tell his mom because he had to be strong for her. I promised him his secret was safe with me.”

“What happened to her?”

“She died in a car accident about eight months after J.R. John Ross and I jumped in a plane. By the time we got their she was dead and he was in surgery. He held me. He was in terrible pain but he held me and cried. As soon as John Ross entered the room he stopped. Like nothing had happened. John Ross promised he’d take care of him, bring him to South Fork to live. And from there I gave up my life for his. Best thing I ever did. I hate that it cost him so much for him to be with me. I mean he had a great dad and great mom and all of a sudden they were gone.”

“Wow. But it’s good he had you and John Ross.”

“I don’t think I ever thanked John Ross for letting me be part of his life. He was busy building his business and Pamela kept getting worse. She kept trying to have a baby only to go through all these still births. Then her dad died. You could see her slowly losing it. Aaron tried to help. He was taking care of her, more than she was taking care of him.”

“Well, you’ve done a good job. He’s a great kid. Well, young man.”

“He is. But he's been through more than anyone ever should at such a young age.”






Aaron walks into a studio apartment, the kind with exposed brick and hand-hewn beams overhead. He calls out, “J.T. . . . J.T.,” as he walks around the open space and then up a flight of industrial steel stairs and into a room. “J.T.” He then sees J.T. squeezed between the dresser and the corner of the room, sitting on the floor with his face in his bent up knees. “J.T.!” He runs over to him, getting down on the floor. “I came as fast as I could. Are you OK?”

“I can’t do this anymore Aaron,” he cries.

“Do what?”

“He wants to be open when we’re apart and I can’t do it. I tried.”

“OK. You can’t. Just tell him you can’t.”

“I don’t want to be without him. It hurts so bad.”

“It’s OK. I’m here. We’ll get through this. But J.T. if you can’t you can’t.”

“I love him.”

“You can love someone without being able to be part of their life. Just let him go.”

“How do you do it. How do you make love out of nothing?”

“J.T. It’s gonna be OK.”

“I’m so alone. I don’t have any friends. Nobody.”

“That’s not true. I’m here.”

“You don’t even know me. Four years of college and we barely ran into each other.”

“We’re hanging out now.”

“I just don’t want to be alone anymore. Please Please, Aaron make this go away.”

“Come on. You’re coming to South Fork with me. You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Why can’t I be more like him? Like you? What’s wrong with me? I can’t do this. Please.”

“Come on J.T. Stand up. You’ll be fine at South Fork. Lucy will know what to do and say. Come one.”

J.T. stands on collapses into Aaron’s arms sobbing.








Ellie gets out of a hotel bed and slips a silk robe onto her naked body, walking to the bathroom door. She turns around, “Of course you can win an Oscar.”

In bed, Ian sits, naked from the waist up, a sheet from the waist down. “It just doesn’t feel like me. It’s doesn’t feel authentic.”

“Oh come on. You’re a celebrity. Nothing about any of you people is real. OK maybe a glimpse or two, but those are isolated bits. Then you give each other awards and chanter on your justifications to do just what everyone else is trying to do, make yourselves feel better.”

“I can’t see you doing any of that.”

“Of course not. I don’t need to justify myself. There’s no justification for who I am, other than my father was J.R. Ewing.” Ellie turns and walks into the bathroom.








Lucy sits down with her tea next to JT by the pool as Aaron and some friends swim. “So how ya doin’?”

“I’m OK. Thank you Lucy.”

“Tell me all about this guy.”

“I don’t really want to talk about him.”

“Of course you don’t. As long as you can just think about him, he’s still be yours and things will work out. It’s when you start to talk about him you start to think, yep it’s over. Believe me, I’ve had more than my fair share of great loves and horrible men.”

“Was there ever just one? One you really, really loved?”

“Oh you mean a soul mate? Yes, I’d like to think there was.”

“And what happened?”

“He died.”

“Oh I’m so sorry.”

“It’s OK. If he was a soul mate, somehow it will all work out, right? That’s the point of a soul mate.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“So where did you meet this guy?”

“St. Lucia. A big party. Funny we’d been to two Olympics at the same time before but never ran into each other.”

“You’re an equestrian, right?”

“Yes. It’s how I meet Aaron, we boarded our horses off campus at the same place.”

“Aaron doesn’t take Polo very serious, but you are very serious about it, I take it?”

“Very. It’s been my life. Almost an obsession.”

“Well, you probably have an obsessive personality. Might explain a lot. And help. I mean if this thing with this guy is just an obsession, maybe you just need to replace it with something else. So you were partying with the rich and famous in St. Lucia.”

“Something like that.”

“I own an island near there, Coromoto.”

“You own the whole island?”

“It was a gift from my third husband. See I refer to them by numbers, I don’t like to talk about them myself.”

J.T. chuckles. “Wow, that’s pretty cool. Owning your own island and near St. Lucia.”

“Castries is our closest town. Don’t talk about it with Ellie though.”

“Why not?”

“Ellie hates the crowds of annoyingly rich and famous.”

“She’s something else. I’ve never meet someone like her. She’d out snooty the Queen.”

“That she would. It’s not that I disagree with her. I abhor the vulgar rich and their hangers-on. I think that gymnast friend of yours fits into that category.”

“Oh I don’t know. He’s OK.”

“I’ve been listening to you. His father was some midlevel account and he progressed at gymnastics mainly off of scholarships and the like. I’m not bad mouthing him, but I’m pretty sure he’s awestruck in the circles you were traveling.”

“Yea I suppose so.”

“Perfect isn’t it. The sandy beaches and the warm sun. And all the perfect bodies.”

“Seems that way.”

“But nothing’s as it seems. I always feel bad for your generation with all this reality TV and video blogging. The world in snips of so called reality and it’s all just grand and exciting and beautiful. Even the conflicts and the way they handle exclusion. No one’s every really depressed.”

“Has Lucy Ewing ever really been depressed.”

“Suicidal.”

“No!”

“Are you kidding me. Of course I have. I’ve been so desperate and alone nothing else would fill my mind but a desperate need to give up. Make it all go away.”

“I’m sorry, it’s you’re . . .”

“What?”

“You're Lucy Ewing. Your gorgeous.”

Lucy laughs, “Oh if that were only enough.”

“Like when you lost that soul mate?”

“That was one time I was pretty depressed, but no, I’ve been much worse off. I don’t know why. I just moved on. He was gone, but not really gone from me, I realized that. You know?”

“Yea.”

“No there were men I loved that weren't very good to be around. Men who hurt me emotional, physically, sexually.”

“They hurt you? I mean, I don’t get it. How? Weren’t they scared?”

“Oh me?”

“Of your family.”

“I guess not. The worst were the men who you just couldn’t get out of your head but, you knew you had to.”

J. T. laughs, “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you. You just don’t know what it means to me to talk to you about all this and to hear you say like you’ve felt this way. It’s like you really hear what I’m saying.”

“Yea I do. I do. You know the most important thing in this world is to find people to talk with. People who just let you talk and talk and talk. It’s how we get heard. How we feel accepted. How we experience love. Of course some monsters out will do that too, just listen to every word like they’re reeling in a fish.”

“Yeah. Yeah exactly.”

“And of course we sacrifice for them because we love them.”

“Right.”

“And it’s only through sacrifice that another person can see our love. But then some people only pretend to sacrifice.”

“Oh my God. Yes. Yeah. Oh my god, if I were only straight and you were like, well I mean, you know, my age.”

Lucy laughs. “Oh yea because we’d then have so much in common.”

“Right.”

Lucy smiles an endearing smile aimed at J.T. “Wrong. I don’t think you and I would have anything more in common even if we were the same age. But that’s OK. Vivre la difference.”

“So what, you saying you fancy me?”

“Oh God no. I’ve had my fill of men, including gay men. And I’m not interested in women. But I do enjoy a good book.”

“Boring.”

“Never. Do you get bored J.T.?”

“Sometimes I guess. Don’t you?”

“Oh no. I mean, not for long anyway. I figure if you’re boring you’re way too narrow minded. But, if you’re open minded, well there are countless things to keep you interest. Like a good book.”

“Maybe I should read more.”

“Maybe you should. But you know, sometimes, when I read, I get awfully depressed when it’s over.”

Lucy holds his hand on the table, “Oh J.T. we have so much in common, if only you were straight and much, much older.” She smiles.

J. T. laughs.









In her bare feet Ellie walks down the log, wood dock of a marina up to big yacht where Gordon holds out his hand and helps her across the plank, up onto the after deck. “Nice,” she says.

“I really want your opinion. I won’t buy it unless you approve.”

“It’s a bit much don’t you think?”

“I’m thinking of sailing around the world in it.”

“By yourself?”

“No of course not. I mean it takes a pretty big crew and then my guests.”

“I suppose it would depend on the guests. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, but I don’t see myself out to sea for days on end. And everything’s so, polished. And big.”

“So you wouldn’t be joining me?”

“Oh God no. I mean here in Houston, if you had a gathering, maybe take it out to an island for the weekend. I’m just not the lay around in the sun type of person.”

“I think you deserve to be pampered.”

Ellie gives him a disgusted look. “And what ever does that mean?”

“It means you should be waited on and taken care of and spoiled.”

You are not my father. And I am not a child. But, I did come here about something you can help me with. Vicktor Sechin. I want to meet him.”

“Why would you want to meet Vicktor Sechin?”

“They say he’s the J.R. Ewing of Russian Oil. I’m curious.”

“I’ve never heard that.”

“But you meander around the same social circles, right?”

“I suppose. We’ve run into each other here and there.”

“Well there aren’t many people in the world,” Ellie says, looking around, “with big boats like this.”

“No, I suppose not.”

“You can arrange it then?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Good. Now let’s get off this thing and go get something to eat where there are people.”

“You do love to people watch.”

Ellie takes his arm. “It’s a hobby.”





In the early hours of the morning Jake walks into the South Fork study from out back. Ellie looks up from the papers on his desk. “I’m reading all about Vicktor Sechin. He’s an interesting man. Do you know he’s the money behind a lot of the white supremacist crap on the internet?”

“No, do tell.”

Ellie gives him a dirty look. “Yea OK, you’re aware.”

“Aware that in the late eighties and early nineties the American plan to take down the Soviet Union was from the inside out and now they’re using the same game plan on us. You know my father use to say, knowledge is power, knowledge is freedom. And he was right. But I’ve come to realize that the lack of knowledge and downright misinformation, lies and cons, cons which psychologically too many people are afraid to admit they’ve been conned, that’s weakness, that’s really slavery.”

“He’s more dangerous than I realized.”

“He is, yes. So what do you intend to do?”

“About what?” Bo asks, entering the room.

Ellie says, “Vicktor Sechin. He’s the guy who ordered the rig blow up as a warning to us about progressing with the methane extraction process.”

Bo says, “I’ve been thinking about that. I mean really, is it that much better than petroleum to be burning methane. Chis called it the future, but really?”

“It’s marginally better and on the way to be, what was it the constitution said, more perfect, it’s a step.”

“But if we’re going to have mad men blowing it up and killing our people, is it worth it?”

“Ewing’s don’t back down from fear.”

Jake watches the two banter back and forth like a tennis match.

“I’m just saying Ellie, maybe we need to stick more to the issues of mining and the future of rare earth.”

“Maybe we need to hit Vicktor Sechin where it hurts.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He thinks he has his grandchildren in a safe place. But does he?”

“I’m not hurting kids.”

“I’m not talking about hurting them, just, maybe, moving them a bit.”

“No. There has to me a moral line somewhere we don’t cross. You’re talking kids, what like preschoolers, toddlers. No. Maybe confront him first."

“Our father use to say, don’t speak, do. Before you threaten to kill a man, just kill him. Threatening is weak. It means you don’t really want to do it. It’s puffing your chest out. If there’s something for someone to be scared about, it’s not what's been said, but what they will do. Make it known, not too know as to be caught, but known enough that there’s no doubt it was you.”

“And then what, he comes after us? After Amy, after my baby? No.”

“You act as if he isn’t already coming after you, me, Amy, your unborn son. His recklessness is driving this planet to not too distant disasters and using his ill-gotten-gains to fuel the breakup of the greatest intellectual experiment in social science to ever occur. You can cower but I intend to confront the man.”

Bo sits down, in deep thought.

Ellie sits down behind the desk.

Jake watches.









Federal Department of Justice office building, Dallas.

Upstairs in a conference room, Paul meets with several federal lawyers. “You’ve got this mountain of evidence, why aren’t you going after John Ross?”

“What you see as evidence gets ripped apart by a competent lawyer in any court, much less one overseen by a Ewing friendly judge. We can’t go in there with anything other than a slam dunk.”

“What then exactly do you need from me to get you that slam dunk?”

“I’m not sure you can. You want to use private investigators to get us evidence that can’t legally be obtain.”

“But it’s a start.”

“It’s been a start. It’s just not leading to what you want. I’m not dragging this office down a rabbit hole for your personal vendetta.”

“It’s not a personal vendetta, it’s a crime against this nation. I’ve shown you where to look. I’ve shown you a money laundering scheme to keep billions unaccounted for in off shore accounts, money that should be taxed, money that he’s got access to that adds up to power, power to manipulate the U.S. government. He’s running his own shadow government operation with dark money. That’s not a personal vendetta. That’s fighting domestic terrorism.”

“I’m not saying I disagree with you. I’m saying that I don’t have the ability to prosecute your claims. You want my opinion, yes he’s buying elected and appointed government officials. Yes, he’s got money that’s not accounted for and not taxed. That doesn’t change the facts in court.”






Lucas grooms a horse when Ellie walks out to see him in the stables of South Fork. “Enjoying your stay?”

“Oh Ellie. Morning. Um, yea. It’s quite here.”

“That it is.”

“Except that private jet you have. Lucy said John Ross put in the runway.”

“Needed something close.”

“Yeah you seem to fly like most people drive.”

“I grew up in Switzerland too, like you.”

“Really? Small world.”

“We lived sort of rural, a sheep farm, but I could walk to a train station, and from there the world.”

“Yeah not that way here.”

“So why are you here?” Ellie asks.

“A visit.”

“Cut the crap. You’re hear for a reason. I haven’t figured it out, but I will. Kind of save us both the hassle if you just come clean.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“Bo and Aaron said you were talking to them about the competition. Why do you even know about it?”

“Uncle Bobby mentioned it to my father.”

“So someone mentioned it to Uncle Bobby, and because it reminded him of the competition his dad put him and my father through, he thought he’d reminisce to your father, who happened to mention it to you because, well, not much else to talk about.”

“I don’t know. I suppose something like that.”

“I don’t much care what you or pretty much anyone thinks about me, but thinking I’m a fool pisses me off.”

“What in the world are you going on about?”

“OK, we can play it your way. So, when are you going to get around to talking to me about the competition?”

“I don’t know. It just came up. I was curious as to what they had to say. I’m not going to sit here and discuss it with you, like my conversations with my cousins are any of your business.”

Ellie chuckles, “You really think you’re a big boy. I know they told you there really isn’t a competition between the three of us. Aaron’s going into the night club business because it’s something he wants to do. He’s bought a restaurant too. The old Cattleman’s Club that's been through good times and bad. It’s a pretty impressive come back. His company is Ewing Ventures. And Bo’s investing in a car company they’re renaming the Ewing Motor Company.”

“Sure.”

Ellie smiles. “Except they left off one thing, and I know they left it off because they both told me they did, the fact that we have invested equally from our trust funds in these venture. Oh and, my company, Triad Ventures, is headquartered in Switzerland. So there you have it. Everything you need to know. Unless you’re curious in something more.”

“I’m not curious in any of it. It was just small talk.”

“Taking me for a fool is not going to turn out well for you, Lucas, Lucas Krebs.” Ellie walks away from him.









Up in the hay loft of one of the other barns, Aaron and two young girls roll around naked.






Lucy walks out of the back of South Fork to see J.T. walking up and out of the pool, grabbing a towel and drying off. She asks, “Where is everyone?”

“Oh the party kind of moved on elsewhere.”

“You didn’t go on?”

“No. Don’t feel much like partying.”

“You need to go out this evening. I’ll text Aaron and tell him to get you out clubbing. You need loud music. Something to get your mind off things.”

“Maybe.”

Lucy picks up her book, quickly to put it down when a car pulls up behind the garage.

Bo comes walking up from the driveway. “Have you seen Aaron?”

“He went off with some friends of his.”

“He’s supposed to be working on getting me this computer programmer on my team. Someone he knows that’s interested in car automation.”

J.T. speaks up. “Oh he’s working on it. He went off with her and her girlfriend about thirty minutes ago.”

“Oh good. I spoke to some people today. They said she’s like nineteen, but she’s the one we want. The big car companies are chucking money at her. Teslea and Google too. He assures me that he can bring her over to Ewing Motor.”

“Oh I’m sure he can,” J.T. says with a smile.









Out in the hay, Aaron and the girls still play with each other’s bodies, their moans echoing below.
 

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Lucas steps off an elevator to face Paul Wendell. Paul says, “You’re late.”

“It’s not like I know my way around Dallas.”

“I should have sent a car for you. I’ll make a note of that. Let me introduce you.” He takes him in through glass doors with the writing, ‘Caviler Exploration’ on them. Inside he introduces Lucas to two secretaries and then a man in his mid-fifties. “This is Scott Bergmoser. I’m his silent partner in this company. Basically what he does is exploration work, for Trident and other supermajors.”

Scott says, “We do consultancy work for everyone from big oil to small individual companies.”

Lucas says, “But I don’t know anything about the oil business, let alone how to find it.”

Paul says, “I understand that, but you need a job that’ll keep you here in Texas. So Scott is going to put you on the pay roll as Vice President of the Caviler Cattle Company, something we just set up, call it a diversification.”

“So basically I’m a rancher with a corporate office.”

“You won’t have an office. You’ll just have Scott here to pay the bills. The ranch we bought is sort of a mess. Your job will be to fix it, while living at South Fork.”

“I’m not sure how any of this helps you with the Ewing’s.”

“You need to learn patients.”

Scott says, “Please excuse me. I’ve got a call from Venezuela,” and leaves the room.

Paul asks, “So, how have you settled in?”

“I’m there. Lucy seems happy about it.”

“And J.R.’s children?”

“Not so much. Bo and Amy are working on building a house together on the ranch that they’ll move into once the competition is over. I don’t know where Ellie’s going to go. She is something else.”

“Be careful what you reveal to her.”

“They don’t seem to be in a competition with each other. Every investment they’ve made they’ve shared equally, according to Ellie, even the Ewing Motor Company, the three of them put in equally.”

“Along with a substantial loan from Ewing Industries, or so I've heard.”

“Really? That more of your deep dive into the Ewing family?”

“I’ve got people in places to let me know what’s going on.”

“I don’t understand. How do you expect to hurt them? I can’t even see how anything you could do would impact John Ross at all, let alone get me a share of things.”

“Believe me, you’re in a den of wolves. Every last one of them. They don’t think anyone is paying attention. But, I am. Very close attention.”












J.T. quietly knocks on an upstairs bedroom door in the middle of the night and then walks in, closing the door behind him. “What are you up to?” Showing him the screen of his phone.

Aaron sits up in in bed, only a sheet covering him from the waist down, otherwise naked. He holds up his phone to show him. “Just board.”

“Since when do you go trolling gay websites?’

“What are you doing on a gay website? You really think a quick hook up is gonna help you get over what’s his name?”

“Not around here. Other then you being twenty-feet away, everyone’s at least a mile away.”

Aaron smiles, “The bunkhouses for a majority of South Fork ranch hands are at least a mile away.”

“Oh are they.”

Aaron says, “Why don’t you join me,” patting the bed next to him. “We can see who we can mess with. You ever done any stuff on camera?”

“That’s personal.”

“Oh you have. Shhhhhhh. I won’t tell. Come on. Let’s give someone a thrill.”

J.T. runs and hops onto bed with Aaron.









Scott Bergmoser steps out of a helicopter onto the deck of a super yacht in the middle of the vast and endless ocean. He’s escorted to the aft deck. A large man holds out his hand and says with a thick Russian accent, “Vicktor SeSechin. And, this is Antonio De Le Vega. Antonio, Scott Bergmoser.”








Lucas walks up to Lucy and Amy, Amy giving Lucy a painting lesson out on the pool deck of South Fork. Lucas says, “Can I talk to you, Lucy?”

“Oh sure. I need a break. This is far harder than it looks. Did you know a little blue goes a long ways.”

Amy says, “I’ll go get another couple of canvases.”

“It’s nothing you can’t hear.”

“That’s OK. We’re gonna need them anyway.” Amy leaves out toward Lucy’s studio.

“So what’s up?” Lucy asks.

“I found a job here in Dallas.”

“Really? Well congratulations.”

“Managing the Cavalier Ranch.”

“I’ve heard about them. They’re kind of South Fork’s competition in gobbling up the old ranches around here. Though we’ve got much deeper pockets with the foundation buying the land to preserve it.”

“They’re the business I was on in the first place. They were looking for someone and I was looking to try out living in Texas.”

“Away from your family?”

“Well, it’s not like I can’t go back and forth.”

“True, but correct me if I’m wrong, even your sister Margret has a house in Switzerland near the rest of you.”

“She does.”

“It sounds pretty nice to me. You can all walk to each other’s houses. And your father has a beautiful cattle farm. It’s sort of what I’m trying to do here. My brother and sister are building places on South Fork, and Bo, and hopefully Ellie will so she can move out of here, and then with me and Aaron here, and John Ross is building a new cottage. Maybe even Chris one day. But, you want to leave that kind of thing you have with the Krebs family?”

“It’s not that I’m leaving anything, as much as I’m curious about something.”

“Curious about here, Texas, Dallas?”

“It’s a big part of my family’s history, the Wade and Krebs families.”

“There aren't any Wade's left and the Krebs family is from Kansas, but I suppose that’s true in someway. We did recently acquire the old Wade Ranch, in fact we outbid Caviler.”

“They mentioned it. But I’m not going to be involved in any of that.”

“What if I were to get you the same job running South Fork? The old Wade house still exists. It needs a lot of attention but it’s there and the foundation owns it.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because you’re a Ewing. I spoke to Ray.”

“Oh you did.”

“He’s been a great father to you, and he’s a Ewing, every bit as much as Uncle Bobby. But he’s not a Southworth. You’re more than welcome to be part of this family. You're a Southworth. That’s why I invited you to stay. I guess I just got tired of waiting for you to tell me that you know Uncle Bobby is your biological father. But, it’s your call.”

“I don’t want a job because of my biology. I want it because I earned it.”

“You earned the job at Caviler?”

“I must have. Why else would they have given it to me?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“I know how to run a ranch.”

“Well there you have it. You’re not being given a job. You earned it. And if you earned it with them, you most certainly earned the same job with us.”

“I don’t know. I’d have to really think about it.”

“I get it. You think about it and let me know. It’s a great opportunity, to be a Ewing, but we’re not exactly a normal family. John Ross is one of the wealthiest men in the world. And the foundation, which I run, has one of the largest endowments in the world. My brother and sister, Bo, Ellie, Aaron, they’re all more than well off than the average rich person. And in your mind you’re not part of this group. But you are. And everyone here will welcome you.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“OK, Ellie might be a bit challenging, But, she’s challenging for all of us. I’ll have John Ross talk to her.”

“I’m not trying to stir up any family dynamics.”

Lucy smiles, “Coming from a family where you’re the only boy. I don’t think Margaret or Charlie or Alex are going to stop looking at you as their brother just because you tell them you’re a Ewing. This is South Fork and you belong here.”

“We’ll see.”











Ellie sits on a private plan by herself when she excitedly answers the phone. “John Ross . . . Yes, I am. Jake’s introducing me to the Cartel, or some members . . . How are you? . . . Please tell me you’re coming home soon . . . Well of course I understand . . . . . . Lucas? . . . You’ve got to be kidding me . . . No, he’s a Krebs . . . But . . . I understand that, but he’s a Krebs . . . So is he changing his name? . . . Then I’m right, he’s a Krebs . . . But . . . . . . Alright, alright . . . . . No I don’t like it and I don’t trust him. He’s meet with Paul Wendell a few times since being here . . . You’re not the only one who keeps an eye on everyone. Well, I don’t like it, but of course I will . . . Yes, you’re right, better to keep a close eye on your friends. . . yes, and family, because your enemies will take care of themselves, but don’t you forget, don’t forgive and never forget and do unto other before they do unto you. He messes up and I’ll do unto him before he knows it’s coming . . . Yea family is different, they’re more dangerous . . . I’m glad to hear your voice too . . . Everything really is OK? . . . A year is a long time . . . True,” Ellie smiles an enormous smile.









Paul sits at a table in the Cattleman’s Club when Lucy sits down with him. “Long time no see.”

“Lucy Ewing. What are you doing here?”

“Well I heard you were having lunch with some people.”

“Yes, I’m afraid I don’t have time to play catch up.”

“Oh you do. They’re not coming.”

“They’re not?”

“No they’re not. They did me the favor and backed off so we could talk, while you were in town.”

“We need to talk?”

“You’re going after my family, that’s a given.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because your father was a looser. Right? He lost the war. So you think that you’ve got some vendetta to accomplish. Whatever. It’s just we don’t have time right now for this.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

Lucy snickers. “I don’t mind being underestimated. I get a kick out of it actually. But, right now I need to make some things clear.”

“And that is?”

“Lucas is off limits.”

“Who’s Lucas?”

“You’re a dumb bitch of a liar. I hate doing this kind of thing, because honestly, most people who make threats only do so because they don’t want to follow it up. And I don’t. I don’t want a fight with the Wendell’s. I’ve seen what a feud can do to people. I’m gonna suggest you let this go and live your own life. Just enjoy. Your daddy didn’t leave you so bad off. And, today you run a very large corporation. You’ve got a good life. Forget about Vicktor Sechin and your dreams of revenge.”

“Maybe I have under estimated you.”

“You’re over your head Paul. And I wont’ let Lucas get caught in the middle. He’s a Ewing. John Ross and Chris will never return to Texas, but my brother and sister are going to be here and now Lucas. I won’t let you get in the way.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’ll hurt you Paul. I’ll hurt you in a way your father never understood, in a way J.R. never considered. And I’ll sew the field with salt so nothing every grows there again.”

“You’d be more terrifying if you weren’t so cute.”

“That’s where the smart and the stupid separate. Don’t make me do this Paul.”

“Or what? Like Cliff Barnes, I’ll die in a nut house in Mexico with my daughter and sister married to a Ewing. I’m not worried about this feud ending like that. Even Gordon isn’t dumb enough marry Ellie Ewing. The Wendell’s won’t just go away. Your family has a debt to pay.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Paul. Really I am. You did forget the worst casualty of the Barnes Ewing feud.”

“And who was that?”

“My Uncle J.R. He got everything he ever wanted, and died alone in a sleazy motel in Mexico, all alone. His own mother had walked away from him. Do what you have to do Paul. Just remember, so will I.” Lucy hands him an envelope and then stands up and walks away.

Paul opens the envelop to find pictures of Scott Bergmoser meeting with Vicktor Sechin.
 

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Next posting by the end of September (mid - end). I hope people like this and I'd appreciate any comments. In the mean time I'm going to work on other writing ideas of my own. Take care and if you stick with it, I hope you'll enjoy the spring (May if the target), cliff hanger.
 

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Lucy's Living Room

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Lucy's Dinning Room

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Lucy's Entry Hall

It's a good thing that when Lucy moved in she redecorated Bobby and Ann's monstrosity, maybe she kept their open kitchen, but certainly the upstairs hall wouldn't have changed much:

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The doors into her bedroom.

I wonder if Pamela left any of her touches before she left with John Ross leaving things in Lucy's capable hands?
 
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