FADE IN

On the same scene. Livia comes closer to Darion.

DARION (surprised):
     Eve!

Livia stops and looks bewildered for a moment as Darion runs up to her.

DARION:
     Where are you going? (Livia doesn't answer and Darion's eyes widen as he sees what she is wearing) Wow! Cool outfit! (he begins to touch her armor; Livia looks down at him with a bit of annoyance) How come everyone else gets to wear all the cool clothes? This is even better than Xena's armor!

Livia looks at Darion curiously.

LIVIA:
     You know Xena?

DARION (laughs):
     You're funny. Do I know Xena!

Pan to one of the Amazon girls, who has noticed Livia. She looks surprised.

AMAZON GIRL:
     Queen Eve?

LIVIA (looks at her in bewilderment, then mutters to herself):
     Queen?

Pan to Klymene, whose eyes widen in shock as she comes closer to Livia and Darion.

KLYMENE:
     Eve? Why are you dressed like...like that?

LIVIA (narrows her eyes at Klymene, curling her lip in a sneer):
     Tell me something, little girl. Are you a friend of Xena's too?

KLYMENE:
     I--I don't understand...

LIVIA (walks slowly toward Klymene):
     Tell her Livia said hi.

She flips her sword in her hand and hits Klymene on the head with the hilt of the sword, knocking her down. The other Amazon girls shriek and run in terror. Darion starts to cry and runs toward Klymene but Livia catches him.

DARION (crying and struggling):
     Why did you to that, Eve? What's wrong with you?

LIVIA (grins):
     Not a thing. (She kneels in front of Darion and takes his tear-stained face in her hands; a close-up of Darion as he stares at her, clearly terrified and confused) You're going to come with me, little boy. Are we going to do it the easy way...or the hard way?

Livia takes Darion's hand and leads him into the forest.

CUT TO

Inside the queen's hut. Ares is now gone; Xena stands leaning against the wall, thinking; Gabrielle is sitting at a table; Eve I stands in the middle of the room, nervously twirling the pendant that symbolizes her queenship; Eve II still sits on the bench.

XENA (grimly):
     Livia. This is just getting better and better.

GABRIELLE:
     It seems like Eve's past selves have manifested as separate people with their own bodies. (shakes her head; quick pan to Eve, who looks away guiltily) I've never heard of anything like this.

XENA (very grim):
     I hope it's not something that's going around.

Gabrielle gives her an intensely uncomfortable look, realizing what she meant, then looks over to Eve.

GABRIELLE:
     So far, it looks like Eve is the only one affected. Eve, do you have any idea about why this is going on?

EVE I (hurriedly glances up at her):
     No. Why would I?

EVE II (pensively):
     So I become an Amazon queen. I can't believe it. (rubs her face) And now, Livia is back... (looks at Xena) I know you're worried, Mother. But you've got to have faith that everything will be all right.

GABRIELLE:
     It's hard to have faith knowing that Livia is out there somewhere.

EVE II:
     Maybe having all three of us here is a good thing.

GABRIELLE:
     How to do you mean?

EVE II:
     Well, I'm the pacifist--Livia's the killer--and (nods toward Eve II) she's a combination of the two. Maybe...Livia and I were brought here so we could balance each other out. Everything happens for a reason.

XENA (dryly):
     Fascinating. We can discuss this theory when we don't have to worry about a murderer on the loose. (to Eve II, briskly) You stay here and make sure no one sees you. We're going to try and stop Livia.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Eve I coming out of the hut.

GABRIELLE (suddenly looks worried):
     Darion--and the other kids--they're out there by the creek all by themselves. Now that Livia's on the loose...

EVE I:
     We'd better send someone out to bring them back to the village.

GABRIELLE:
     What are we going to tell the Amazons?

Screams are heard off-camera. Gabrielle turns pale.

OFF-CAMERA VOICES:
     -- My queen!
     -- The children have been attacked!

GABRIELLE (whispers):
     Darion...

She races in the direction the screams came from, followed by Xena and Eve.

We see the Amazon girls who were by the creek. Two of them are holding up Klymene, who has blood running down her face.

EVE I:
     Klymene!

She rushes toward Klymene.

KLYMENE (weakly):
     It's okay... I'll be okay...

Eve I starts to inspect her cut.

GABRIELLE:
     Where's Darion?

KLYMENE (looks at her guiltily):
     She took him... I'm sorry--I couldn't stop her...

XENA:
     Who was it, Klymene?

AMAZON GIRL #1:
     She looked just like Eve! Only she was wearing silver armor and a red cloak--

Antiope brings a basin and a washcloth; Eve I starts washing the cut on Klymene's head.

KLYMENE (winces):
     She said...she said her name was (with disgust) Livia. (She pulls back and gives Eve I a wary, puzzled look) What's going on, Eve?

EVE I:
     I'm sorry, Klymene--I'm so sorry...

ANTIOPE:
     Livia! How can Livia be here?

Pan to Eve II, who stands, unnoticed by anyone, behind the crowd that has gathered around Klymene and the other girls. She has an anguished look on her face. She turns around and walks away quickly, still unnoticed.

Pan back to Eve I, Klymene and the others.

GABRIELLE (a look of terror, rage and intense focus on her face; she grips Eve's arm so hard that Eve starts):
     She's got Darion. We've got to find him.

XENA (gently):
     We'll get him back, Gabrielle. (comes up to Klymene) What else did she say?

EVE I (gives the washcloth back to Antiope):
     Somebody get some balm to put on her cut.

KLYMENE (still in shock, looks at Xena):
     She--she knew that Darion and I knew you... She told me to tell you that Livia says hello.

Xena's mouth tightens, her face set.

XENA:
     I don't think she'll hurt Darion--yet. She wants to use him as bait.

GABRIELLE (fiercely):
     We've got to track her down!

Close-up on Eve I's face. She is obviously going through an internal struggle, and then makes a decision.

EVE I:
     Mother--Gabrielle--I need to talk to you...alone. Klymene... (strokes Klymene's hair) ...Antiope will fix you up, okay?

KLYMENE (does her best to smile):
     Yeah.

EVE I:
     You're very brave.

Antiope leads Klymene away as the crowd starts to disperse. Eve I, Xena and Gabrielle start to walk briskly toward the queen's hut.

XENA:
     What is it, Eve? (pauses) You know why this is happening, don't you?

EVE I (nods, looking down, and speaks in a near-whisper):
     Yes.

GABRIELLE (angrily):
     Why didn't you say something?

EVE I:
     I was so ashamed... It's all my fault.

XENA:
     Your fault...?

EVE I (nods):
     Last night I went to Alcinoe, the shamaness, hoping that she could rid me of my memories...Livia's memories. (Xena gives her a pained, sympathetic look) I wanted them to be gone forever. Alcinoe said she knew a ritual that could purge me of my past selves. But she didn't know for sure what it did.

GABRIELLE (angrily):
     And what it did was send your past selves out into the world as real people.

XENA (puts a hand on Eve's shoulder):
     Oh, Eve...

EVE I:
     And now Darion may die because of my selfishness... I'm so sorry... (she is close to tears)

XENA:
     We'll fix it, Eve. We'll fix it. Let's go see this shamaness and then maybe--

GABRIELLE:
     No! We've got to track down Darion first.

XENA (looks at her thoughtfully, nods):
     All right--I'll organize a search party. You and Eve go talk to the shamaness.

GABRIELLE (harshly):
     You're not going out there to look for Darion without me.

XENA (her voice steely):
     Gabrielle--you are not going out there to confront Livia. That's my job.

EVE I:
     Or maybe mine.

Close-up of Eve's face as she stares at Xena, guilt and bitterness reflected in her face.

CUT TO

Eve II is wandering by the creek where Livia kidnapped Darion. She stares intently at the ground, obviously trying to read the tracks; then she kneels on the ground, examining tracks, and then rises and walks away into the woods.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Eve I standing outside the queen's hut.

XENA:
     All right--Gabrielle and I will go find Darion. Eve (gently, putting a hand on Eve's shoulder), go on and talk to Alcinoe. Maybe she knows how to undo this spell.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle riding out of the Amazon village.

CUT TO

Alcinoe's hut. Eve I knocks on the door; in a moment, it opens, revealing Alcinoe.

ALCINOE:
     Eve. What brings you here again?

EVE I:
     It's about the spell. We need to talk.

ALCINOE:
     It didn't work?

EVE I (bitterly):
     Depends on what you mean by "work." I still have all my memories, if that's what you're asking.

ALCINOE:
     I'm sorry. (looks at her questioningly, sensing there's more to come) That's not all, is it?

EVE I:
     I'm here about the side effects.

Alcinoe stares at her worriedly, then beckons to her to come in.

CUT TO

Wide shot of a green hillside; on the side of it is a cave, its entrance overgrown with roots and hanging branches. The camera moves in on the entrance of the cave and then inside, where it's damp and half-dark. Finally the camera zooms in on Darion, who is sleeping on the ground; he is shirtless and his head is resting on his rolled-up shirt. His face is twitching restlessly.

Livia is sitting on a rock nearby. She unhooks a flask from her belt and drinks, then wipes her mouth and puts the flask back on her belt.

LIVIA (mutters):
     Come on, Mommy. Come and claim your prize. (grins) If you can.

Darion stirs and opens his eyes; he sees Livia and his face collapses. He sits up with a gasp.

LIVIA (gives him a sarcastic look):
     What's wrong? Had a bad dream?

DARION:
     Why won't you let me go?

LIVIA:
     Because I still need you.

DARION (close to tears but trying to be brave):
     You know, Xena is going to come after me and then you'll be sorry.

LIVIA (laughs):
     Oh, I'm counting on it. What did you think I grabbed you for, little boy--your pretty eyes? And why do you think I left so many clues that even (her mouth twitches in a crooked sneer) Auntie Gabrielle could track me down?

DARION:
     I don't understand...

LIVIA:
     You don't have to. You're just the bait.

A rustle is heard outside the cave. Livia perks up; so does Darion.

LIVIA:
     Maybe your wait is over.

She walks toward the cave entrance and looks out. We see Eve II walking up the hillside. A close-up of Livia's shocked face.

EVE II (stares straight at Livia):
     Hello, Livia.

Pan back inside the cave. Darion sits up, joy flashing across his face.

DARION:
     Eve! It's the real Eve!

CUT TO

Inside Alcinoe's hut. Eve I is kneeling on the floor inside a charcoal-drawn circle, her eyes closed. Alcinoe, wearing a feathered mask, is walking around her chanting and swinging an incense stick that emits a ribbon of blue smoke. She is holding a small bowl in her other hand.

Alcinoe's voice rises higher until she shouts out the last words of the chant and dips the incense stick in the bowl, then sprinkles liquid from the bowl over Eve I. Then she puts down the bowl on a wooden table, takes off the mask and puts it down next to the bowl.

ALCINOE:
     It's done, my queen.

Eve I opens her eyes and rises.

EVE I:
     So what happens now?

ALCINOE:
     At the next sunrise, the spell will be reversed--Livia and the other Eve will disappear.

EVE I:
     Next sunrise... (sighs) I just hope that's not too late.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE