Man hunting
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Whereas he tries to trap the man who pursues Mason Capwell for several days (Mason leads his own investigation to discover the identity of the murderer of Mark McCormick), Cruz is hit by an unknown guy. Without any news from him, Mason, Julia Wainwright and Eden Capwell then start some researches; they do not know that Cruz was left as dead, in an adrift boat.

On board of his boat of fortune, Cruz, always unconscious, continues to derive. For hours, it traces its road following the streams and ends up failing on a deserted beach. When he wakes up, Cruz realizes that he became completely amnesic, being unaware of his past very. He is thereafter joined by a man, named Oscar, who teaches him that he stranded on an island at 100 miles of the Californian coasts. This island is a little like the Bermuda Triangle, a trap in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

In Santa Barbara, Eden, very anxious, warns the police of Cruz's disappearance. As for Mason, who judges himself the only person in charge for Cruz's disappearance, instead of facing the facts, seeks a remedy for his remorses in alcohol.

When Cruz refinds conscience, he is lengthened in a room, the hands linked to the bed bars. A young woman at his sides takes care of his wounds. She introduces herself to him : she is Sylvia and she is Dr. Willoughby's daughter, the owner of this island. Always amnesic, Cruz can only count on Sylvia's help to learn some more. Sylvia explains to him that there has been many other shipwrecked men there before Cruz : some of them were authorized to leave the island, as for the others... Before she can say some more to him, a man makes irruption in the room. This is Dr. Willoughby, the lord of the island. Willoughby describes himself as a man impassioned of hunting. Not daring to imagine the fate prepared for him, Cruz struggles. Willoughby then makes him an injection which very quickly makes him lose conscience.

A few hours later, Cruz refinds his spirits. Sylvia, who is still close to him, proposes to him to drink and eat. Even if she does not know Cruz, she feels safe near him, as if he could be the only man able to deliver her from her father's claws. This is why, when Cruz requires some help to escape, Sylvia accepts. And while Cruz wins some forces again, Sylvia asks him about Eden, because on several occasions he murmured this name in his delirium.

While Sylvia helps Cruz to get rid of his links, they are surprised by Willoughby, who enters the room. Mad of anger against his daughter who openly disobeyed to him, he promises that she will be punished too and that she will know the same fate as Cruz. But Willoughby has not the time for the moment to take care of them. He takes with him a shotgun and leaves the house. He must go hunting his new prey, Oscar, whom he surprised wanting to escape with Cruz...

Always without news of Cruz, Eden learns that Cruz was abandoned on a boat, alone on the ocean. As the coast guards refuses to intervene, Eden claims for Victoria Lane's help. At the port, they rent a boat and, close to the island, Eden decides to go alone to search her beloved husband. She asks Victoria to go back with the promise to warm her family if she has no news from her in the next twenty-four hours.

Weary of her father's intrigues, Sylvia entrusts to the prisoner, perhaps cherishing the hope that only Cruz will be able to survive the madness of her father. We thus learn that Willoughby is a dangerous maniac, who takes pleasure with big man huntings. And his next victim is in fact Cruz Castillo...

The winds, the chance, the destiny, or the incredible love which units her to Cruz, led Eden on Dr. Willoughby's island. Arrived on the island, she finds a wooden cabin, at the edge of the ocean. By pushing the door, she discovers Oscar. While trying to hide himself, he falls on the floor; some blood flowing from his back... Eden, in panic, comes close to him. She can not do anything for him, it is obvious that Oscar is going to die. Eden shows him a photo of Cruz. Right before dying, Oscar indicates to her where he is. Filled of hope, Eden runs to his side.

Arrived at the sides of her husband, Eden questions him on what happened. Impassive, Cruz looks at the face of this fair woman, face that he does not recognize. Eden vainly tries to provide him some explanations, when Willoughby and his henchmen enter the room. Eden has just the time to hide. Sure of his power, Willoughby announces to Cruz that the hunting game will start in the night. "Coward !" Cruz shouts... Having nothing to fear anymore, the police officer dares to defy his jailer : he must be a coward to hunt men, leaving them any ways of defense. Excited, Willoughby recognizes that he is proud and that he is in a hurry to hunt Cruz Castillo. This is when Willoughby notices the presence of Eden. Captured by Willoughby's men, this latter learns, with horror, that she will be also a prey during the big hunting of the evening.

And at the evening, Eden and Cruz are released and, such as savage animals, they are tracked by Dr. Willoughby and his dogs. After a long race, Eden and Cruz find refuge in a cave, on an isolated part of the island. In the cave, the feelings which link Eden with Cruz are going stronger, and this in spite of Cruz's amnesia. Enjoying their reunion, they kiss... and make love, unconscious of the danger which watches for them. And thanks his wife's attention, Cruz refinds the memory slowly.

Victoria, without news of Eden and faithful to her promise, went to inform C.C. and Sophia Capwell of Eden's actions. Immediately, C.C. makes his helicopter being prepared and, preceding the helps, he leaves with Sophia for Dr. Willoughby's island. At the same time, whereas C.C. and Sophia land, Willoughby discovers Eden and Cruz's lair. This last one, who refound all his memory, makes fun of his attacker, again treating him of coward and timid. And whereas Willoughby is going to shoot, Sylvia appears. Also armed of a shotgun, she orders to her father to put a term at this hunting. Sure of his authority, Willoughby refuses. Sylvia shoots a summation blow to assure him of her determination. Willoughby has no other choice than to surrender.

A few minutes later, the insane scientist is arrested by the Santa Barbara police. Eden and Cruz cordially thank Sylvia to have saved their life. And Cruz promises to her to come back to take her with him in an immediate future. Before taking off for Santa Barbara, C.C., Sophia, Eden and Cruz take the time to enjoy their reunion, perfectly conscious of the danger which has just passed very close to them. And if C.C. and Sophia worry of what could have occurred, Eden is more serene, because she knows inside of her that there is an indestructible link which units her to Cruz and which makes that nothing, absolutely nothing, will be able to separate them.

Occurring during an intrigue vaster and more dramatic (the research of the murderer of Dr. Mark McCormick), the meeting with Dr. Willoughby plunges us in a completely surrealist environment. And even if it is a secondary intrigue, these characters are caricatural, not very developped. Moreover, the violence which emanates from Dr. Willoughby is completely gratuitous. And even if Cruz and Eden cross some real dangers, there is no suspense as for their future. Without quality compared to the other developed intrigues, this man hunting will not mark Santa Barbara.

Text written for this site by Lilian