The Deadliest Cast Member - Disneyland Interactive Thriller Series - EPISODE FOUR (Jack Duncan) (SEASON ONE) (3 page)

“Wow Jack, I honestly don’t have a clue what any of that means?”

“Why did Walt write your name down, of all people, in the last few days of his life?”

“I don’t know Jack, that’s always been a mystery to me. The image of that piece of paper is burned in my mind, but I honestly don’t know why Walt would have mentioned me like that.”

“What else was written on the paper?”

“Something about Ron Miller, the Way Down Cellar, and the CIA or something like that.”

“Wasn’t the Way Down Cellar a live action story for the weekly TV show?”

“I think so,”

Jack quickly Googled it on his device and scanned the article.

“Wait, this Way Down Cellar was a story about a few kids who lost their football and discovered an entrance to a secret tunnel. They followed the secret tunnel to a Haunted House.”

Kurt was silent on the other end.
 

“Did Walt ever talk to you about playing a part in this show?” Jack asked.

“Not that I can remember, but Walt always liked me, I think. After my first movie, he put me under a 10-year contract, which was unheard of at the time. He would often pick my brain about movie ideas. I think he was curious to find out what I thought about things from a kid’s point of view.”

“Did he ever mention Jean Lafitte to you?”

“He did mention Lafitte to me one time, it was strange because it was a few months before he died, and he was telling me a story about these gold plates. I thought it was a movie pitch at the time, but when I thought about it years later, I think he was trying to teach me a lesson. He talked about how Lafitte hid treasure towards the end of his life, gold plates, and other things. Walt always talked about the future.”

Kurt continued, “I was young at the time, so I didn’t really understand what he meant. Several years later, Gore Verbinski approached me about the first Pirates movie they were making, and he wanted my opinion of it. I remembered the talk I had with Walt and I told Verbinski about what Walt said about Lafitte. He was pumped about it—since Lafitte was someone who inspired Walt to build the attraction, he was a legendary and historical figure, and a major part of Disneyland history. I thought for sure they were going to include Lafitte in the movie, but they ended up not including him at all.”

“Who shut the idea down?”

“I have no idea. Jack, what’s wrong?”

“I will tell you everything next time I see you, right now I’m running out of time.”

“Hey Jack, one more thing,” Kurt paused, “something that always stuck with me was the last thing Walt said to me after that talk. He said that he’d made the
discovery of a lifetime
and that he didn’t think he’d be around for much longer.”

Jack paused to think, but he couldn’t figure out what Walt would’ve been referring to.
 

“Thank you Kurt, I appreciate it.”

“You got it Jack.” The legendary actor disconnected the line.
 

“Luke, get Johnny Depp on the line for me.”

“Sure, Jack.”

Jack racked his brain. Walt was obviously referring to the tunnels when he wrote the
Way Down Cellar
reference. He was trying to tell Kurt something, but what?

“Jack I have Mr. Depp on the line for you—and I haven’t been able to reach anyone at your dad’s house—I’m getting worried about him.”

“Ok, keep trying Luke.”

“Jack! How’s it going my friend?” Johnny’s unmistakable voice came through Jack’s earpiece.
 

“Johnny, I need your help. Why was Lafitte excluded from the Pirates franchise?”

“Jack, did you take my advice and find that underground tunnel?”

“You don’t even know the half of it, Johnny.”

“Ha!” Johnny’s voice was distant and cutting out, “I think your dad put an end to it. He had the final call on everything since the movie was based on the attraction.”

“Why did he stop it?”

“No clue, Jack. Probably for the same reason he stopped a lot of things. If things weren’t going to be done exactly the way that Walt would’ve wanted it, your dad put an end to them.”

Jack paused to think.
 

“Jack?”

“Thanks Johnny, I need to call you back.”

“Wait, Jack, I do remember something. Someone in upper management at the Park was seriously pushing for the inclusion of Lafitte based on something that Kurt Russell had said. I vaguely remember seeing your dad at the Studios talking to Verbinski, it looked like they were arguing and it got pretty heated. Verbinski was frustrated with the whole thing.”

“Gaur.” Jack said softly.

“Who?”
 

“Never mind, thanks Johnny, you’ve been a big help, I appreciate it.”

August 11, 2010

Main Street, U.S.A.

Disneyland Park

Jack limped out of what was left of the Control Center. The security nerve center of the Disneyland Resort containing millions of dollars of state of the art equipment was no more.
 

“Jack!” Bill Gaur appeared out of the ashes. Gaur had been in senior management overseeing attractions since the 70s.
 

“When did you get here? Have you been here all day?”

“I’m off today. I’m here with my wife and kids. I saw Ruddy at the front gate, and he told me what happened.”

“Ok, well we’re kind of busy right now, make sure no one finds out about this, we need to keep this extremely quiet.”

“I can help you figure out how to get inside those doors, Jack” Gaur said.
 

Jack stopped in his tracks.

“Remember,” Gaur continued, “I’m the one who was in charge when Sotto tried to unify the attractions, and I spent a lot of my own time and money researching the Lafitte legend. Let me go with you to examine the clues you’ve found, I know I can help you put the pieces together.”

Jack wanted nothing to do with Gaur. They never got along, and Jack kept his distance from him when he was at the Park. At this point, however, he didn’t have a choice—he needed all the help he could get.
 

“Ok, come with us, but do you realize how much danger you’re in?”

“Yes, Jack, but there’s too much at stake, I need to help.”

Ruddy walked up as they were getting ready to leave, and Jack bolted in his direction.
 

“Where have you been?” Jack’s eyes locked on Ruddy.
 

“I’ve been at the front gate.”

Jack glared at him suspiciously.
 

“Are you trying to imply that I had something to do with this?” Ruddy said as he looked around at the destroyed Control Center, “Really Jack? After the information I gave you today? I can’t believe that you think I would be a part of a terrorist plot against the place I love.”

Jack grabbed Ruddy’s shirt under his neck and brought him close. “Someone here is working against us, and I think it’s you.” Jack’s piercing eyes surged deep into Ruddy’s eyes as if he was trying to penetrate his mind.
 

“That’s ridiculous. I’ve never liked you, Jack, but that doesn’t automatically make me a part of a terrorist plot to destroy the Park.” Ruddy’s eyes bulged and his face was beet red.
 

Jack didn’t know what to think, his whole body ached, and he was confused.
 

Ruddy took short breaths as he remained helpless in the grip of one of the most dangerous men alive.

“Look Jack,” Gaur interrupted, “I was with Ruddy at the front gate when the bomb went off, he brought me up to speed in hopes that I could help. I don’t think Brett would be involved in something like this.”

Jack looked at Gaur and back at Ruddy, who was on his tippy-toes due to the stronghold Jack had on his shirt. Jack realized the death grip he had on Ruddy, and let him go. He looked back at Gaur.

“Ok, Gaur let's go, we’ve got work to do.”

Jack entered the Park through the Cast Member entrance near the Opera House in Town Square, and Gaur followed close behind heading for Main Street.
 

Jack quickly listed the clues for Gaur to bring him up to speed as they walked, “The park bench, the golden spike, Lafitte, a secret attraction under Pirates, a secret door by the Haunted Mansion, and 1764 is everywhere—what do you make of all that?”
 

“A secret attraction?”

“Yes, under Pirates—Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop.”

Gaur stopped in front of the Magic Shop on Main Street’s red-colored brick sidewalk.
 

“Jack, I’m almost certain the only ones who knew about this tunnel were Walt and your dad. And your dad has to be the one who orchestrated these clues. We have to examine them through his eyes because they were probably meant for you. There has to be a device that unlocks those doors, and it’s based on something inside your dad’s head.”

Luke’s voice shot through Jack’s earpiece, “Jack, Kim has been analyzing the clues, and she thinks they have to do with your mom and dad’s wedding inside the Park.”

“Their wedding?”

“Yes, Kurt Russell and the golden spike are both related to their wedding. Your dad proposed to your mom on the park bench, and Fortune Red was the basis for the talk he had with you about Kate.”

“Ok, but none of this tells me how to get in those doors?”

“I know, I’m still working on it.” Luke said.
 

Jack focused in on Gaur.
 

“Why did my dad kill Sotto’s unification plan in the 80s?”

“I’m not sure Jack, your dad put a stop to a lot of things, and he rarely gave reasons for them, he didn’t have to.”

Jack analyzed every word that came out of Gaur’s mouth and looked him square in the eyes.
 

“Look Jack, obviously your dad wanted to leave a way for you to gain access to these tunnels if something happened to him. Take me down there so I can help you figure this out.”

“He also might have wanted this secret to die with him.” Jack said.
 

They continued to walk towards
Pirates of the Caribbean
.
 

Jack’s phone buzzed from a blocked number.

“Jack,” Nikolai’s calloused voice came through his earpiece. “Meet me at Lafitte’s Blacksmith shop in one hour.”

The call disconnected.
 

Luke’s voice came through Jack’s earpiece, “He obviously didn’t want to be traced this time.”
 

1994

Rivers of America

Disneyland Park

Stan, Jack, and Kendall stood on the top deck of the
Mark Twain Riverboat
as it gently pushed through the dark waters of the Rivers of America, sailing around
Tom Sawyer Island
.

Stan had a satisfying grin on his face as he took a deep breath and admired the mature trees on the Island. He believed the air was cleaner in this area due to multitude of mature trees. “You know, a few days before the Park opened, Walt and Lilly had their 30
th
Anniversary on this boat. I can remember it like it was yesterday. Walt was so stressed out getting the Park ready for the opening, but he still wanted to give Lillian a memorable day on the boat. He invited 300 people, and we raced to get everything ready.”

Jack and Kendall smiled at Stan as he reminisced. Listening to his stories about Walt never got old to them, or anyone else.
 

Stan chuckled as he put his hands on the railing of the
Mark Twain
.
 

“Admiral Fowler and I were doing everything we could to get the boat ready. I remember I was doing final security checks and I saw Lillian sweeping the deck. I took the broom from her and told her that she didn’t have to do that, but she grabbed it back from me and told me she wanted to help. Walt and Lillian were ordinary folks, they didn’t view themselves as CEO’s who were too big to associate with the underlings. They both pitched in to help wherever they could, no matter how famous or powerful they became.”

“We really owe so much to them,” Kendall said with a smile, “what a childhood we had! I can still remember running all day long through the caves of the Island with Jack. We got to play at Disneyland all day, every day. It was like an adventure that never ended.”