3. The Magic Mountain and Beyond

Cassie teases a border patrolman, as she and Gideon cross into Canada.  She peppers Gideon with questions about her promised rise to stardom, the policeman who retrieved her from the ice cream shop, and the intrusion into her apartment. Gideon offers answers unsatisfactory to Cassie, who demands trustworthiness in their prospective partnership.  

Gideon navigates away from the highway.  He names their destination as a mountain, to which they must hike some distance.  Cassie worries about the suitability of her footwear and resolves to walk barefoot.

Naming Reis as his target, Gideon denies a murder plot.  Cassie deduces that she is to seduce Reis and extract information from him.  She demands one hundred thousand dollars as the price for her assistance.  Amused, Gideon describes his fruitless, high-dollar negotiations with the President.

Cassie asks about Reis, and Gideon supplies her with a pair of photographs.  He describes the dangers posed by their mission.

Parking on the roadside, Gideon leads Cassie into the wilderness.  He describes the power of the mountain and its role in magnifying Cassie’s underlying abilities.  The ground quakes, shaking Cassie’s incredulity.

Cassie and Gideon summit the mountain and locate an altar at its peak.  Gideon builds a ceremonial fire and directs Cassie to look at the moon overhead.  As Gideon speaks, wings unfold behind him.

Waking at home, Cassie is disorientated and unsure of the night’s events.  She examines her apartment to find the doors locked and the alarm set.  Noticing her torn stockings in the hamper, she is reminded of her rugged ascent with Gideon.