IMPORTANT NOTE: During this scene, Viki has been "replaced" by one of her alternate personalities, Niki Smith. Only the audience is aware of this change -- the other people in this scene aren't aware that anything is wrong. For clarity's sake, all of "Viki"/Niki Smith's lines and actions will be recorded in this transcript as Niki.

Niki Smith is stuck at the Llanview Airport because her flight to Aruba has been delayed due to fog. She approaches the airport bar.

Niki: (to the bartender) Hi, honey. (sitting at the bar) You better make it a double scotch neat, 'cause I ain't goin' any place for awhile.
Bartender: I'm not complaining.
Niki: Yeah, well, you don't have a ticket to Aruba, do ya'? All that fun and sun waitin' for me -- I'm stuck here!
Bartender: Well, look on the bright side -- maybe today's your lucky day. (he pours her drink) What's your name?
Niki: Friends call me Niki. What's yours?
Bartender: Lou. (he shakes her hand)
Niki: Hey, Lou. Hoo. Here's lookin' at you, Lou.

She tips her drink to him, and when he grins at her, she looks back at him, seeming to consider something. Then she hears a voice over her shoulder.

Todd: That you, sis?

Niki, surprised, turns around and sees Todd standing behind her.

--end scene--

Niki: Hey, what are you doin' here?
Todd: Me?
Niki: Yeah.
Todd: In a bar? This is my natural habitat.
Niki: Oh.
Todd: The question is, what are you doin' here? I pictured you more for the tea-and-crumpets type, sis.
Niki: (laughs)
Todd: Oh, sorry. I'm supposed to call you "Mrs. Carpenter," right?
Niki: You know what? I don't care what you call me. But don't throw me in with tea-and-crumpet ladies, huh? Not my scene.
Todd: Whatever. Still doesn't tell me what you're doin' here. I mean, I've got an excuse -- my flight was delayed. Yours too?
Niki: Yeah, mine too. Sittin' right out there in the fog. I just hope they don't cancel the flights, 'cause I have gotta get outta here!
Todd: They won't cancel flights 'cause of fog, will they? I mean, I gotta get to Chicago.
Niki: Chicago. That's your hometown, right?
Todd: Yeah.
Niki: Yeah.
Todd: But I'm going for business this time -- newspaper business.
Niki: Mmm.
Todd: I guess you heard I'm, uh, not selling my paper to The Banner, right?

Todd clearly thinks this should get a reaction out of "Viki," but Niki could care less.

Niki: Hmm. Your life. (she sips her drink)
Todd: Yeah, I guess it is. Well, I'll let you get back to your drink. Good luck gettin' out of here, sis.

Todd turns to go, but Niki stops him.

Niki: Hey, bro! We're both stuck here. Why don't you let big sister buy you a drink, huh?

Todd seems surprised, to say the least.

--end scene--

Niki: What's the matter? You never saw a lady offer to buy her kid brother a drink before?
Todd: Not this kid brother, no.
Niki: Hey, at least you're company!
Todd: You flatter me.
Niki: Oh, come on. Sit down. You're gonna cramp or something. (laughs) You can tell me all about your plans for The Intruder.

Todd reluctantly takes a seat next to Niki at the bar.

Todd: (to the bartender) Can I get a beer? (to Niki) You havin' another drink?
Niki: Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. So, tell.
Todd: Well, first thing I'm gonna do is change that stupid name. Sounds like a sleazy supermarket tabloid, right?
Niki: (laughing) I got news for you -- it is a sleazy supermarket tabloid!
Todd: Yeah, well, not for long. See, I've been studyin' up -- I've been reading The Lord of the Banner. My old man -- your old man -- he turned The Banner into a national contender.
Niki: So, like father, like son, eh?
Todd: Well, no offense, but I think I'm going to turn my newspaper into something that's gonna knock The Banner flat on its butt.
Niki: (flippantly) Oh. Cool. (toasting him) All right, here's to, uh, good, healthy sibling rivalry and, uh, everything that goes with it.
Todd: Cool.

After Todd and Niki clink their glasses together, Todd takes a big sip of beer. Niki notices that he gets some foam on his mustache, so she reaches over and wipes it off, her fingers lingering a little too long in the process. Then she grins at him.

Todd looks appropriately weirded out.

--end scene--

Niki quickly realizes that she's strayed too far from the "Viki" persona.

Niki: Sorry. I mean, I got kids your age, you know? It's natural -- I just clean up after everybody. Sorry.
Todd: (brushing it off) No, no, no, it's cool, man. It's actually -- it's a relief not to be treated like a total -- what do you call them, the little dudes in India? (hitting on the word) Pariah. Yeah, it's nice not to be treated like a total pariah.
Niki: (looking around the airport) Well, I mean, no guy's a complete pariah, right?
Todd: So...
Niki: A couple come close...

Of course, viewers know that Todd's interest in his parents is never far from his mind. The last time he saw "Viki" (really one of her other alters, Jean Randolph), she was cold to him and made it clear that she was finished answering his questions about his parents. But now that "Viki" appears friendlier, Todd seizes the opportunity to learn a little bit more.

Todd: Tell me about Victor Lord. I mean, besides all the babes he had on the side.
Niki: You're readin' the book. What else do you need to know?
Todd: Well, growing up with him must have been different from reading a book, right?

Niki laughs loudly.

Niki: Yep. Growing up with him was a lot different from reading a book.
Todd: Lots of fun, huh?
Niki: It was a lot of years ago, you know. (looking at Todd intently) I gotta tell you something -- you're a lot like him. You really want to know what life with Father was like? Look in the mirror and use your imagination.

--end scene--

Todd: I've seen all the pictures of Victor Lord in the book. I don't look anything like the guy.
Niki: I didn't say you looked like him. I said you are like him. Like, your personality, you know, your intensity. You're a lot more like him than ya' think.
Todd: Careful. You're taking the Lord's name in vain. (takes a drink) I'm just a local rapist. A far cry from our publishing magnate of an old man in his Taj Mahal mansion. Well, you know, it looks like I might get the mansion, too, you know? Our old man, he understood -- well, I understand, too -- money and power...the only two things you need to get by.
Niki: Mmm.
Todd: And once I get those things, everybody in this town -- including the people who hate me -- they're gonna have to treat me a little differently.

At that moment, the airport's intercom broadcasts a message for all passengers on the flight to Chicago to report to the ticket counter. As soon as Niki hears that the message is for the Chicago flight and not her flight to Aruba, she slumps down in her seat in disappointment. Todd, meanwhile, drains the rest of his drink and stands up to leave.

Todd: Thanks for the drink, sis. Good luck gettin' out of here.
Niki: Yeah, so long. And good luck becoming Victor...Junior. I hope it's as much fun as you think it's gonna be.

Todd gives Niki a strange look.

Niki: (with emphasis) So long.

Todd turns and leaves. Niki turns back to the bartender.

Niki: Too bad I ain't gonna be around to watch. It's good for a couple of laughs. (to the bartender) Hit me again, would ya'?

--end transcript--