Episode 1504

Aired: Thursday March 29, 1972

After a replay of Wednesday's close and the titles, Quentin repeats his question to Harrison, who tells him that "You couldn't do anything for him now. His fate lies between two opposing forces greater than any of us." Quentin tells Harrison to "stop speaking in riddles." Harrison tells Quentin that Barnabas' fate is in Angelique's hands, and "I don't need to remind you what she is capable of." Quentin nods, but says "But I have to know... will he be all right?" Harrison thinks a moment and says "That depends on many things... mostly it depends on Barnabas himself..." We dissolve back to Barnabas beginning to stir in the laboratory with Julia at his side. He apologizes to her for "causing all of this trouble." Julia tells him that it wasn't his fault since he was "under Brian's monstrous control." Barnabas says that he "still feels Brian out there.... Brian must still be alive....I can feel his pull on my soul, Julia! I can feel it!' Julia tells Barnabas that he'll be all right "Once we find Brian and destroy him." Angelique comes back in and tells Julia and Barnabas that Brian escaped into the woods.

Julia tells Angelique that they must find Brian, and Angelique says that she knows. "Brian was hurt and bleeding... perhaps he won't last very long out there," Julia says. Angelique answers that "I don't know... he was freed for a reason. And I think I know what that reason was." We cut to Brian staggering through the woods, holding the wound at his side. He stumbles and falls to the ground. Brian examines the herbs he grabbed before escaping and smiles a little as he puts them into his pocket. "Only one way...." he gasps. He closes his eyes and begins to chant "Maggie...Maggie Evans... hear me, Maggie Evans...." We see an image form above Brian showing us how he sees Maggie...lying asleep in her bed at Collinwood. The more Brian calls her, the more she begins to stir. "Yes Maggie.... you must come to me again....you must come to me here in the woods.... I have a task for you." Maggie sits up awake and walks to the window. "I must go..." she says before putting on her robe and leaving her room. The image fades as Brian catches his breath and says "It won't be long now... now you will save me..... as your final act." At Collinwood, Maggie comes downstairs as if in a trance. Quentin and Harrison see her from the drawing room and Quentin says "Maggie? Where are you going?" She doesn't answer him and continues on towards the door. Quentin starts after her, but Harrison stops him. "Again?" Quentin snaps. "You know why she's here and where she's going?" Harrison says "Yes. She's fulfilling her own strange destiny." Quentin tells Harrison that he doesn't care "whatever supposed to happen if it means Maggie will be harmed." Harrison says "Don't worry... Maggie will not be harmed," though he says it ominously as Maggie walks out the front door.

In the woods, Brian continues to call for Maggie as he holds his bloody side. "I must...stay conscious...I must keep my mind about me..." he says. A small glowing light appears and then bursts into a ring of fire. Brian shields his eyes but sees a dark hooded figure step from the flames. "Have you forgotten your master so soon? Diablos says as he steps closer to Brian. Brian crawls backwards, afraid. "No, of course not..." Brian says. "It was I who allowed you to escape from the laboratory...who has kept you alive... have you not wondered why?" Diablos says, stepping closer to him. "If you're going to kill me, go ahead and do it," Brian says. "But you'll be depriving yourself of what I have planned for you." Diablos laughs. "Your plans are always so interesting. Trying to cheat your way out of our original bargain by obtaining immortality, stealing it from Quentin Collins...quite an original idea, I must say. But do you really think that I would allow that when you have promised me your soul?" Brian says "I can deliver more to you than just my soul." Diablos asks how, and Brian says "I control two souls that you desire more than mine. I control Barnabas Collins through my powers, as well as Josette DuPres through the vessel of Maggie Evans. I can give them both to you in exchange for my own...." Diablos says "I will not heal you in such an exchange. You are close to death, Brian Miller. If ye shall die on this night, I will still take your soul. However, if ye deliver Barnabas Collins and his precious love Josette to me while surviving this night, I will consider our bargain completed." Brian smiles and says "Done." Diablos says "Done," and steps backwards into the ring of fire before it and him vanish into a glowing light. Brian closes his eyes and begins to concentrate "Barnabas.... Barnabas Collins, hear me...." We cut back to Barnabas, who becomes more awake and starts to groan. Julia asks him what's wrong, and Barnabas says "Brian! He's...he's calling me!" Barnabas starts to get up.

Barnabas tries to stand as Julia tells him to "fight Brian." Barnabas insists that he "can't" and that he "must go." Angelique commands Barnabas to stop, and Barnabas says "Please... Angelique...I cannot fight his power over me! Don't you understand?" Angelique says "I understand, but my power is greater than his..." she puts her hands up and begins to cast a spell to keep Barnabas in his place, but he protests "No... don't....(and in his best James Dean impression shouts) you're tearing me apart!" Angelique continues her spell, but Julia shouts "Stop! You'll damage him!" Angelique snaps "How much more damaged can he be, while he's slave to Brian?" Barnabas shouts and tries to break free, knocking over some shelves. Julia shouts "You can't do this to Barnabas! We need to get to Brian and stop him somehow!" Barnabas smashes some test tubes on a desktop, and Angelique must raise her hands to block herself from the flying glass. When she does, her spell (and its accompanying music!) stops. Barnabas runs by her and out the door. Julia gets to Angelique and asks her if she's all right. Angelique says she's fine, but that they must follow after Barnabas "since he'll lead us right to Brian." They leave quickly, and we cut back to Brian calling for Barnabas. At the edge of the woods, Maggie appears and Brian sees her. He smiles. "Ah, Miss Evans..." he says. "You couldn't have come at a better time." She stands there innocently.