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Lucky and Nikolas entered Jason’s room to find Mac, V and Luke already there. Jason was on the phone barking orders at Renaldo. “Don’t leave the penthouse and keep Robin there as well, we don’t know what AJ is planning next.”
V was standing in the corner reviewing the video-tape of AJ’s visit with Jason. The quality wasn’t great, but it was good enough for even an unpracticed eye to identify AJ and for the complete lunacy of his presence to shine through. She was rewinding to the part about Lucky loving to have Liz lie beneath him. What did AJ mean when he said that in a way she still was? Did he mean she was already dead and he had buried her? Was she underground? The catacombs perhaps? V shook her head in frustration when she saw Lucky out of the corner of her eye. She hadn’t meant for him to hear that, but she could tell by the look on his face that he had. He lunged for the television.
“Rewind that right now!” V sighed and pressed the rewind button. She watched as a myriad of reactions crossed Lucky’s face. Her first thought was that he was too young to experience this kind of horrific act, her second thought was that if he ever caught AJ Quartermaine he would kill him himself. V was almost envious of the love he had for Elizabeth Webber and in that moment she knew that if they found Liz in timeshe would survive because of Lucky’s love for her.
Lucky watched AJ three times through, the third time he had been joined by Nikolas. When the video ended Nikolas took the remote from his brother and stopped the tape. He turned to Luke and Mac. “Where did he go? We need to find him now. There is no telling what he is going to do to them.” Nikolas was concerned for his brother and Liz but the thing he wanted most was to have Emily back in his arms.
Mac cleared his throat. His men had again tailed AJ to the Quartermaine estate and were waiting until he appeared again. He knew this news would not be what Luke, Lucky, Jason and Nikolas wanted to hear, but it was all he had. “He was last seen at the Quartermaine estate. He has not left the grounds yet.” Luke slammed his fist on Jason’s bedside table. “What do you mean he hasn’t left the grounds. How do you know? Did you know last time? We need to know where he is going!”
Though Mac saw Luke’s point he still took offense at his tone. “Look Spencer, my men are doing the best they can! What do you want them to do march in there and blow any chance we may have of ever finding them? We need to concentrate on this video tape.” He turned his attention away from Luke and focused it on his son. “Lucky, do you have any idea what he means by this?”
Lucky had been wracking his brains. He thought back to the time when he and Liz had lived in the catacombs. That couldn’t be it, it was too obvious, everyone in town knew about them. What had AJ meant? Kelly’s didn’t have a basement he was at a loss. “No, I wish I did. The only thing I can think of is if he has her near Kelly’s. That would really be the only thing that makes sense, but there is no basement there.”
Jason had been watching and listening carefully. He was thinking about Paul, the man who had originally discovered AJ. He had said that AJ just seemed to appear where he was least expected. Often times Paul hadn’t seen him approaching, he was just there as though he had taken an alternate route. Then it clicked. “They are in the sewer.”
The entire room was in an uproar. “Impossible” Luke said, no one knows a sewer system like that, besides who would be twisted enough to do that?”
“AJ Quartermaine would,” said a voice from the door. They all turned to find Emily standing in the doorway.
<Sewer system>
Liz cringed as she heard the approaching footsteps. She quickly went over the plan again in her mind. Calm down and prepare yourself Liz, she told herself. She closed her eyes and feigned unconsciousness. She only hoped the Emily had gotten to Lucky by now. Liz shifted slightly to hide the piece of two-by-four that she had found. When Emily left she went on a search for anything that could be used for protection. It hadn’t taken her long to find the three-foot long board. She had hurried back to the spot that AJ had left her in and retied her legs together. She would just have to leave her hands untied. She felt AJ’s footsteps getting closer and struggled to keep all emotion off her face. An unconscious person did not register emotion she reminded herself.
“What the hell is going on here?” AJ crouched down and ran his finger down Liz’s cheek. There was a large bruised area that felt hot to his touch which started at her nose and spread from there. It angered him that someone had hurt his angel. “Hello angel. Wake up for AJ.” AJ watched in satisfaction as Liz’s eyes fluttered open.
“What? Where am I?” Liz hoped she sounded convincing. If this was going to work she would have to make it look like she had tried to stop Emily. She winced slightly as she tried to sit up.
AJ watched his angel move. “That’s exactly my question. What happened to Emily?” AJ was glaring at Liz and the first tendrils of fear stretched into her abdomen. She gave one last silent prayer before she answered him.
“Emily got the ropes undone. Then she untied my hands. She tried to convince me to leave with her, but I couldn’t leave you. When I grabbed her and tried to tie her back up she punched me in the face. That is the last thing I remember.”
AJ was taken aback. It was then that he noticed the swelling around her nose. She put up a fight to keep Emily here? She wanted to be here with him? He had known that she would come around some day. Now that the wait was over he could barely contain himself. He reached out again and stroked Liz’s cheek.
Chapter 85
Nikolas rushed to Emily and wrapped his arms around her. Tears were streaming down his face by the time he reached her. He cupped her face in his and searched her eyes. He saw exhaustion and fear, but nothing else. “Emily, I’m so glad you’re alright. I don’t know what I would have done if he had hurt you. He brought his lips down on hers and roughly kissed her. He had wanted to be gentle, but raw emotion took over. He broke the kiss and pulled her against him.
Lucky watched as his brother held Emily. He was truly relieved that she was safe, but he wished he was holding Liz as well. He walked over to them and touched Emily gently on the shoulder. Her eyes met his. “Oh Lucky, Liz made me leave her there. She said that if we both left it would be worse.” Emily was crying and Lucky saw the difficult decision she had had to make.
Mac approached the trio. “Emily, why don’t you sit over here and explain everything to us. Tell us everything you remember.” Emily nodded and followed Mac as he led her to a chair next to Jason’s bed.
Emily looked at her brother and moved toward him. “I’m so glad you’re alright. I knew you would be.” She bent and kissed him on the cheek. Since she knew the urgency of the situation she didn’t linger with him. She moved to sit in the chair Mac had indicated and began her story. She looked at all the faces in the room. She met Nikolas’ eyes last and held them as she spoke.
She told them about how she had discovered AJ in the boathouse and how he had dragged her into the sewer. She told the whole story up to the point when she left Liz alone in the sewer to face AJ. She had tears in her eyes and welcomed Nikolas’ supportive hand.
“Emily how did you find us?” Luke asked suddenly worried that their cover had somehow been blown. “I came out of the sewer right next to Kelly’s. I went in and the only person there was Ruby. She told me that Nik and Lucky had rushed here after your phone call."” Emily stood and walked into Nikolas’ arms.
Luke let out a bark of laughter. “Never could hide a thing from that woman.” He turned his gaze to his son. “We better get a move on. Now that we know where he is we have the advantage.” He looked back to Emily. “Can you remember how to get back?”
Emily nodded. “No problem. I committed the whole thing to memory.” Luke nodded quickly. “We’re set then, let’s go. Nikolas you explain the plan to Emily on the way. Now that we have her here she can be the diversion we were looking for.”
<Sewer System>
Liz had to fight not to cringe at AJ’s touch. She knew that her survival depended on her turning in an award winning performance. She had to convince him that she wanted to be with him so the he let his guard down enough for her to strike.
“I knew you would come around eventually. Do you remember our first encounter? Valentine’s Night how appropriate. That evening was so special to me. I have relived it over and over my angel.” AJ placed his hand under Liz’s chin and lifted her eyes to meet his.
Liz struggled inwardly and thought it most convincing to be honest. “How could I ever forget. It was one of those life-altering moments for me. Believe me when I tell you that every detail of that night is forever etched in my memory. I could never forget it no matter how hard I tried.” She was commending herself on her calmness when she felt his hand move from her chin to her neck then to her chest. She flinched and quickly moved out of his grasp. She noticed the anger flash in his eyes and tried to recover. “I want the next time to be special AJ. Now that we are together I want it to be perfect.” Liz swallowed hard and hoped she could hold on a little while longer.
AJ felt his blood coursing through his veins. He wanted her now, but she was right, it had to be perfect and even in his deranged state he knew that the sewer wasn’t perfect. “I understand. I have waited so long for you my angel, I can wait a little longer.”
Liz sighed, relieved. She only hoped Emily got back in time. “Why don’t you untie me and we can cuddle over there by the ladder?” Liz watched the conflicting emotions cross his face. Finally he spoke, “alright, but just for a few minutes, I need to get back. I’m sorry angel, but you will have to stay here a little while longer. I have some loose ends to take care of before we leave this godforsaken town.” He bent and untied Liz’s legs and she rubbed her feet pretending that there was no feeling in them. He watched momentarily then turned away from her and walked toward the ladder.
Liz watched as he spread a blanket and she smirked at the fact that he wouldn’t sit on the floor yet expected her to. She stood quickly and lifted the board she had been concealing over her head. Just as she was about to smash his head in with it he turned and caught her arm forcing her to drop the board. It fell to the cement, the sound echoing through the tunnels.
<Outside>
Lucky was standing at the entrance to the sewer. He had just watched Emily disappear down the ladder and was now waiting for her signal to enter. Luke, Mac, Nikolas and Jason were up the street at another entrance rigging the explosive devices to the water doors.
Lucky was reviewing the plan in his head. Foolproof, he thought to himself. Then he heard the screams.
<Inside>
Liz felt AJ’s breath on her cheek as he whispered in her ear. “I knew this was too good to be true. You will pay now for sure.” He reached for her chest and tore her shirt in one fluid motion. He pressed his body into hers and ran his tongue across her lips.
Liz screamed as she felt her world crashing down around
her. Not again she thought. “Lucky help me,” she said to no
one in particular. AJ only laughed “No one is going to help you now
my angel”.
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