Short backstory: The heroine (Sheridan Keyes) is an artist whose bread-and-butter work is restorations. She was hired to redo an 1890’s Museum painting on the ceiling of one of the halls. During her research, she went through some unmarked papers and unknowingly turned up a rough draft of Leng’s immortality formula. Fairhaven found out. He searched her apartment; kidnapped and tortured her lover, Jackson Lisle. When that didn’t turn up the formula, he went after Sheridan in the Museum in his Surgeon guise, but she escaped. He held Jackson as hostage, but she circumvented him by hiding the formula and turning herself in to a couple of cops sharper than Braskie. Unfortunately, Fairhaven killed them—and after a prolonged nasty chase through the Museum, grabbed Sheridan. She refused to reveal where the formula was, but was too badly-injured for him to torture her. Fortunately, his attention was distracted by Smithback poking around the mansion upstairs, so he left Sheridan in the operating room next to her lover’s body—where Pendergast saw her during his confrontation with Fairhaven. Afterwards, Pendergast had Sheridan taken to the same hospital he recouped in. During that time, she tells him what parts of her story he hasn’t...   read more »

Diogenes: “When I was young—just a vile little kid.
Few noticed curious things I did
Like piercing peacocks with a crossbow gun
I’d slash up horses—and when I was done
I’d seize some random fool and scoop out his head
But then my family’s portraits said...”

Various Heads Floating in Jars: “What did they say?”

Diogenes: “They said my boy we think someday...
You’ll find a way
To make your natural tendencies pay...
So... be a genius.”

Heads: “Free-range sadist”

Diogenes: “You have a talent for causing things pain.
So, be a genius...”

Heads: “Total badness.”

Diogenes: “The world will tremble when you’re inhumane.
Your temperament’s wrong for the priesthood
And law enforcement would suit you still less
So, be a genius...
And be a success...”

Head One: “There he is, folks—the leader of the wack!”

Head Two: “Watch him tech-out that tomb—oh, my God!”

Head Three: “He’s so brilliant, he’s just too damm good.”

Heads: “Whoever heard of some Marquis de Sade?”

Viola: “Ouch, that hurts. Dear, I’m not numb.”

Diogenes: “Oh, shut _up_. On your knees! Here I come!
I am a genius.”

Heads: “Joy-filled psycho.”

Diogenes: “And I enjoy the career that I picked.”

Heads: “He loves it.”

Diogenes: “I am a genius.”

Heads: “Global menace.”

Diogenes: “And I get off...   read more »

“I see a silver phoenix circling
As I escape from the train...
I barely dodge a red cat
Staring evilly through the rain...
I’m having ghastly, ghastly visions...
You vixens—you’re in every one, yeah!
And it’s only luck I dodged those shots—
From that young’ freak’s smoking gun.

How dare you try to end me...
(Granted, _I’ve_ had most all the fun—)
And you knew that my affections...
Were ne’er confined to four—or one
Between you all, me, and my ego...
Hey, isn’t that an even sum?
You should _worship_ my gen’rous, blood-red heart
and my still-hot smoking gun.

(instrumental bridge)

I can hear...   read more »