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Wyndemere.
Mariah sat with her eyes
closed, motionless in an overstuffed chair as the
morning sun cast a beam of light into the study. She raised her
head as Alexis
entered the room.
"Has there been any word?"
She asked.
"I just got off with Stefan,
Laura is still surgery." Alexis moved to close
the drapes.
"Leave them open, please."
Mariah said.
"I thought...."
"As long as I stay out of
direct contact I'll be fine."
"Actually I was going to
say that I thought you needed to sleep during the
day."
Mariah laughed. "We
can move about during the day. Just not in direct
sunlight. Like you Alexis, I sleep when I'm tired."
Alexis sat down on the couch
across from Mariah. "Nikolas is still sleeping.
Will he be okay?"
"I believe so. I have
removed the mental commands that Stavros placed and
erased his memory of these events."
General Hospital.
Luke winced slightly in pain
as he paced the floor.
Stefan looked up at him.
"Luke please sit down. You're not helping Laura, all
you're doing is agrivating your bruised ribs and making me nauseous."
"At least I'm doing something
right."
Stefan actually smiled at
the half-hearted jibe. Lucky and Liz walked up
carrying coffee from the cafeteria and while Lucky sat with his father,
Stefan
pulled Liz aside.
"Room 512." Liz said
before he had a chance to say anything.
The practice hall.
"Why don't you go to a real
gym?" Lois shouted at Brenda who was busy punching
a heavy bag. "You know, one with real equipment and hunky instructors
with no
shirts on."
Brenda tried not laugh and
concentrate on her workout. "I like this place."
Robin's voice startled them
as she came downstairs. She was dressed in a pair
of blue jeans and a white silk blouse. From the way she was tucking
it in it
was clear she had just gotten out of bed.
Lois hugged her. "I've
barely seen you since I got back. How ya doing?"
Brenda continued to work out, while the two women sat on the couch
and talked.
"So how's Jase?"
The penthouse.
Sonny handed the box back
to Jason. "You sure about this?"
"I've never been more sure
of anything in my life."
Sonny smiled. "I guess
that settles it." He embraced his friend. "I seems
there's nothing more to say, but.... good luck."
Down in the lower level
parking garage a man steps away from Sonny's limo. He
takes a cell phone from his jacket.
"It's me." He says.
"All set."
"Good." The voice on the
other end says.
"I hope you know what you're
doing, because if this goes wrong...."
"You let me worry about
that." Detective Taggert hangs up his phone and
scribbles something in his notepad. He then waves Garcia over.
"What's up Marcus?"
"I just got a very interesting
tip from one of my snitches." He handed his
notepad to him.
"Is your snitch sure about
this?" Garcia asked and Taggert nodded. Garcis
broke into a wide grin. "We've got him Marcus, we've finally
got him."
Port Charles Hotel.
"I'll get it!" Eve
shouted to Methos in the bedroom. She opened the door.
"It took you long enough...." She stopped when she realized it
wasn't room
service. "I'm sorry. I thought you were.... Can I help
you?"
"Please tell me they brought
coffee." Methos said running a towel over his
damp hair. "Julia." He said surprised.
"I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to interrupt.... I'll go."
"No, please come in."
Eve kissed Methos on the
cheek and went to take her own shower.
"I'm really sorry.
I didn't know you were with someone." Julia said sitting
down.
"It's alright." He
said. "Now what brings you here."
"I saw him last night."
Julia explained. "I saw Christian."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
GH parking garage,
the previous night.
Chris Ramsey looked cautiously
around him as he walked to his car. He was
about a dozen feet from car when the buzz hit him.
"Hello Christian."
Came a female voice from the darkness.
Ramsey whirled around in
shock. "Julia!"
"I'm so glad you remember
me." She walked slowly toward him.
As she approached, Ramsey
backed away and toward his car. "I could hardly
forget one of my dearest friends."
"Friends?!? Is that
why you destroyed my life? Is that why you killed my
husband? Because we were friends?"
"I didn't kill Jonathan.
He took his own life."
"Because YOU drove him to
it!" She shouted at him. Ramsey saw her hand on the
hilt of her sword. "He was a proud man and you used that against
him." Julia
was crying now. "He didn't deserve what you did. You were
like a son to him."
Ramsey laughed. "A
son? He treated me like dirt. I was nothing to him and
when he was offered the chief of staff position I became an obstacle
in his
way." Ramsey fingered his keychain. "I only did to him
what he would have done
to me."
"You aarogant bastard.
He didn't want that job, he was going to retire so we
could be together. It would have been yours anyway." Ramsey
looked surprised.
"But no. You couldn't wait another few hours. You had to
come to my home and
blackmail him with the story that his wife was nothing but a whore."
"I'm sorry." He said
insincerly.
"You're sorry?!? YOU'RE
SORRY!!!" Julia screamed at him and swung her sword.
Ramsey ducked and the sword
hit the roof of his car sending sparks into the
air. He pushed a button on his keychain and the trunk popped
opened. Ramsey
reached in and brought his sword out to defend himself.
He barely got his broadsword
up when Julia at him again. Ramsey was shocked by
the sudden ferocity of Julia's attack. Within seconds the garage
echoed with
the sounds of steel against steel.
The force of his opponent's
blows drove Ramsey back against the wall. As he
blocked and countered Julia he spotted his only hope to get out of
this
situation alive. As Julia moved in again Ramsey kicked her in
the stomach and
lunged for the stairwell door. Once inside he pulled the fire alarm.
Alarms went off all over
the hospital. Julia knew that this fight couldn't
continue. "This isn't over." She spat at him. "You're
still a dead man."
Breathing hard Ramsey held
his sword before him and watched as Julia calmly
turned and walked away.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Methos sat and listened.
He was disappointed that his old student had allowed
her anger and desire for revenge take control of her like this and
fought the
urge to admonish her for it.
Eve tiltd her head as she
listened at the partly opened door while Julia
finished her story. When it was clear that there was no more
Eve closed the
door again.
"Ramsey?" She whispered
to herself.
General Hospital.
Sarah opened her eyes.
"Good morning." A voice spoke to her.
Sarah shot up in bed.
"Stefan!" She started to cry as her arms wrapped around
the man sitting on her bed. "I was so worried about you."
She kissed his face.
"What happened?"
"That's not important."
Stefan held her hands tight. "It's over, that's all
that matters." He kissed both her hands.
Sarah kissed him again and
just sat there with her head buried in his chest.
Stefan held her close to him and closed his eyes.
Luke sat across from Lucky
and Liz and smiled to himself as his son tenderly
kissed the head of the young woman napping in his arms.
He looked up and saw Bobbie
come out of the OR. "Barbara?"
Bobbie regarded her borther.
His face was torn and tired, the strain, worry
and fear were etched into every line on his face. She spotted
the sleeping
couple and pulled Luke aside.
She took a deep breath.
"She's out of danger. We've stopped the internal
bleeding, but Luke...." The tone of his sister's voice made his
heart jump.
"Laura has suffered a severe spinal injury and I think.... I
think you need to
be prepared for the possibility that Laura my never walk again."
The practice hall,
two hours later.
"So where's Brooke?"
Robin asked.
"She having playtime with
Daddy" Lois answered as she walked around the hall.
"Where does this go?" She said pointing to the frieght elevator.
"That goes to the second
loft. The one Aaron is renovating for him and Terry."
Robin explained.
"Sure you don't want to
join us for breakfast?" Lois asked Robin. "Of course
by the time Bren gets out of the shower.... it'll be lunchtime!"
She shouted up
the staircase.
"Thanks, but I'm going to
wait for Jason get home. Let's do something
tonight."
Lois opened the door to
the hall and stepped outside. "You two gonna stay in
all day." Robin blushed at the inference. Lois strode over
to her. "Girl you
have got to get out there and smell the roses." Lois grabbed
her by the arm.
"Not to mention darken yourself up a bit, you're gettin' awfully pasty."
"Lois don't... I can't...."
Robin tried to tell her, but she kept pulling her
toward the door.
"Trust me. You'll
feel a lot better once you get out there. It's a beautiful
day."
"Lois!" Robin's voice
was becoming more urgent. They were almost to the door.
"Lois! STOP!!!"
Robin pulled her arm back
and almost as if she weighed nothing Lois was sent
sliding across the hardwood floor and into the far wall. As she
shook herself
back to reality Lois looked up at Robin's face.
Gone were the soft brown
eyes. In their place were a pair a glowing yellow
ones. Robin opened her mouth to speak and unintentionally flashed
her fangs.
Lois screamed.
CHAPTER 24
"Lois wake up."
The voice echoed in her
ears and Lois slowly opened her eyes to see Brenda
kneeling next to her with Robin standing directly behind her.
"Wha.... What happened?"
She asked as Brenda helped her up into a sitting
position one of the couches.
Brenda eyed Robin.
"You slipped and gave yourself a pretty good knock on the
head."
"I don't remember that."
Lois said as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Why don't you go upstairs
and splash some water on your face. It'll make you
feel better." Robin suggested.
Lois regarded Robin strangely
for a moment before smiling and heading up the
stairs. She swayed slightly and almost lost her balance, but
Brenda grabbed
her. "I'm okay. I can do it."
After she disappeared Brenda
turned to Robin and breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was close. For a minute there I thought she remembered."
"Yeah, so did I."
Robin sighed and sat down on the nearest couch. "I really
hate having to put the whammy on her like that."
Brenda sat down next to
her. "I know, but you didn't have much choice, it was
either that or get a little name tag that read.... Hi, I'm a vampire!"
Robin
laughed. "I think that we've had enough people find out about
vampires in the
last 24 hours, don't you?" Robin nodded. "What about that?
Did Terry say what
Mariah was going to do about Luke, Laura and the rest?"
Robin took a deep breath.
"Nikolas has no memory of anything that happened to
him. For whatever reason, Mariah decided to let Alexis keep her
knowledge of
us."
Brenda thought to herself
for a moment "Maybe she thinks that since she's
affiliated with the Watchers she knows how to keep a secret.
What about the
others?"
"She took care of Luke and
Stefan before they left for the hospital. She left
most of what happened intact, but she erased everything that had to
do with
Stavros and herself. As far as Luke and Stefan are concerned
they were all
kinapped by an agent of Helena's in revenge for her death." Robin
got up. "As
for Laura.... We'll have to wait until she wakes up to see what she
remembers."
General Hospital.
Stefan waited patiently outside
Sarah's room. Inside Sarah was busy getting
dressed. Stefan had left the hospital and returned a short while
later with a
shopping bag containing new clothes for her. The door opened
and Sarah walked
out.
Sarah was wearing a white
silk blouse with cream colored trousers. The outfit,
though simple, made her appear older and more sophisticated than her
21 years.
Stefan helped her into a wheelchair and pushed her through the corridors
to the
elevator. Amy Vining stared at them as they passed the nurse's
desk.
"I would like to stop and
check on Laura Spencer's condition before we leave,
if you don't mind?" Stefan said as they waited for the elevator.
Sarah looked up at him.
"I don't mind at all."
The elevator doors opened
and Amy's eyes widened as she saw Stefan kiss Sarah
just before the doors slid closed again.
Back at Wyndemere, Alexis
handed Mariah a cup of tea and was pouring herself a
cup when Nikolas came in. "Alexis, is there any news about my
mother?"
"I'm sorry Nikolas there
isn't, but I expect your father to call anytime."
Nikolas refused the tea
Alexis offered him. After a few seconds he finally
noticed that there was someone else in the room with them.
Alexis introduced them and
as Nikolas took her hand he couldn't shake the
feeling that she was somehow familar. After a few pleasant words
Nikolas
excused himself and left the room.
"He doesn't remember you
at all." Alexis said in amazment.
Mariah slowly sipped her
tea. "No. He remembers only what told him to, the
same story I gave to Luke Spencer and your brother."
"Amazing."
"Yes, it is isn't."
Port Charles Hotel,
Methos' suite.
Eve and Methos were seated
around the table having a rather pleasant late
breakfast.
"So who was that woman here
earlier?" Eve asked him.
"That was Julia. She's
an old friend."
"How old?"
"Old." Methos said
with a grin.
"What did she want?"
Eve asked as she drank her orange juice.
"You know why she came by
because you were listening at the bedroom door."
Eve choked on her OJ causing
him to laugh. "Caught me." She wiped her mouth
with a linen napkin. "What was all that about and how is Chris
Ramsey
involved?"
Methos told her the entire
story of how Ramsey was an Immortal and the three of
them, Julia, Ramsey and himself used to be friends until the night
that Ramsey
drove Julia's husband to suicide because of a vicious lie.
"The truly tragic thing
is...." Methos finished. "....that Jonathan had no
intention of accepting the position. All he wanted was to retire
and spend time
with his new wife. The job was going to be his anyway."
Eve just shook her head.
"What's Julia going to do?"
Methos didn't look at her.
"She's going to kill him."
The loft,
late afternoon.
"Okay. Thanks for calling
and letting me know."
Robin hung up the phone
as Jason came in.
"Who was that?"
She didn't move. "That
was Liz. Laura is going to be okay, but...."
"But what?" Jason
came up behind her.
"The doctors said.... they
said that there's a pretty good chance that she'll
be paralyzed from the waist down."
"Luke must be a wreck."
Jason turned her around and she fell into him.
"What? What is this?"
Robin said sticking her hand into the pocket of Jason's
jacket. She pulled out a small box and opened it. "Ohhhhh
boy! This.... is
this what I think it is?"
"Yeah. I was going
to give it to you before everything fell apart." He took
the box from her and removed the diamond ring. "And when you
left for Paris, I
tried to return it half a dozen times, but I couldn't let go of it."
He took
her hand. "I guess I somehow knew that you'd be back to wear
someday." A
single blood tear rolled down her cheek. "Robin, will you marry
me?"
Robin turned back to him.
"Ohhh Jason, you don't know how long I've waited to
hear those words. Are you sure you want to do this? What
about what I am?"
Jason touched her hair.
"That doesn't matter to me. Throughout our entire
relationship your HIV hung over heads. It intruded into every
moment of our
lives even though we tried not to let it and with it came the knowledge
that you
were going to die." He turned her around. "But all that
has changed, you're
going to live Robin. Live a very long time. And I can't
see any reason to wait
one minute longer."
"Yes." Robin interupted
him.
"Yes?"
Robin smiled from ear to
ear. "Yes! I'll marry you!"
Jason picked Robin up in
his arms and twirled her around the room before
carrying her to their bedroom.
The penthouse,
early evening.
"I got it Sonny!" Brenda
answered the ringing phone. "Hello?.... Robin.... No
were not doing anything tonight.... Luke's at nine o'clock.... Okay....
See you
then.... Bye!"
"See who when?" Sonny
asked as he dried his hands with a dish towel.
"Robin invited us to Luke's.
She said she had something important to tell us."
Sonny broke into a wide grin. "Wait.... you know what it is,
don't you?"
"I don't know anything."
He lied.
"Yes you do. Now tell
me what it is."
"I 'm telling you I have
no idea."
"You're lying and I know
just how to get it out of you." Brenda started to
unbutton her blouse.
Sonny held his hands up
and backed away. "No. Now that's not fair."
Brenda arched an eyebrow.
"I know." She tossed her shirt onto the floor. A
moment later her bra followed. She wrapped her arms around his
neck and kissed
him passionately.
Toronto, the Raven nightclub,
about the same time.
Derek entered the crowed
club. As he walked to the bar patrons would step
aside and allow him to pass. Behind the bar stood an attractive
young woman
with short curly blond hair, clear blue eyes and elfin features.
"Can I...." She stopped
mid-sentence. It has been a long time since she saw
him last and although they were friends in a way, Urs couldn't help
but react as
the others do when they come face to face with an Enforcer. "Derek.
What?
What can I get you?"
"Michelle." Was all
he said.
Urs stood as still as a
statue for a moment before pointing to a table in the
back. Derek nodded to her and headed in that direction.
There was a slim black
woman seated the table Urs indicated. She looked more like a
fashion model than
one of the most powerful members of the Community in the city.
"Michelle?" She paid
him no heed. "Michelle." He said again, a bit more
forceably this time.
"Derek." Michelle
said smiling at him. "It's so nice to see you again." She
extended her hand and Derek kissed it. "Please sit."
Derek pulled out his chair
and sat down. "What is this about Michelle? I'll
have you know that I'm not in the habit of being summoned like some
fledgling."
Michelle could hear the
annoyance in his voice. "I am sorry about that, but I
felt this couldn't wait."
"What couldn't wait?"
Michelle hesitated answering
him. "I've heard some rather disturbing rumors."
"Concerning what?"
"Concerning you. You
and a mortal woman." Michelle leaned in a little closer
to him. "Oh Derek, how could you be so foolish." Michelle
sat back in her
chair.
"Excuse me?"
"You know what I mean.
There are no laws forbidding this kind of relationship,
but for god's sake couldn't you have been a bit more discreet."
Derek ran his hand through
his hair. "How many know?"
"That doesn't matter.
You are an Enforcer." Michelle looked around the club.
"And contrary to what these others think, our positions are not always
as secure
as we would like them to be."
"You actually think someone
will challenge my right to be an Enforcer?"
"It's happened before."
"What do you want me to
do? Give Emily up? I won't do it."
Michelle touched the back
of his hand. "I would never ask that of you, but
what I will ask is that you watch yourself. These relationships
can be very
dangerous. If your caught being derelict in your duties to the
Community...."
"I know. I'll die."
"And your Emily with you."
Port Charles Hotel,
later that evening.
Methos answered the ringing
phone. "Hello?"
"Who is it?" Eve whispered,
then she watched her lover's face fall.
He hung up the phone and
went into the bedroom. He came out a minute later
wearing a long gray trenchcoat.
"Who was that?" She
asked following him. "Who was that? Methos?"
"Stay here!" He shouted
at her not bothering to close the door behind him.
CHAPTER 25
Luke's.
Liz and Lucky sat at a table
and laughed as Ned and Brenda danced circles
around Sonny and Lois. Lucky had to admit that Liz was right.
After spending
all of his time at the hospital, a night out with friends was just
what he
needed to recharge his batteries.
Liz leaned over to Robin.
"So what's the big news already?"
Robin just smiled.
You'll have to wait until Jax and V get here."
As if on cue the couple
walked through the door. "Sorry we're late guys." V
said as she grabbed a chair. "But we got ah...." She looked
at Jax and blushed
slightly. "Hung up."
Brenda wiped the sweat off
her brow with a napkin. "Okay now that we're all
here. Tell us!" Robin laughed at her. Despite all
her best efforts Brenda
wasn't able to get Sonny to tell her what Robin's news was, and boy
did she try
hard.
Robin lifted herself Jason's
lap, his hands still on her waist. "Okay. Here
we go. No more beatin' around the bush. I'm just gonna
come out and say it."
"We're getting married."
Jason told them.
Before anyone had a chance
to react a voice boomed. "You're what?!?"
"Uncle Mac!" Robin
said surprised.
Wyndemere.
"Stefan you don't have to
do this."
"Your doctor said you need
rest." Stefan told her as he gently set her legs
down on the pillow. "Now you stay there while I see if Mrs Johnson
has your tea
ready."
Sarah had just closed her
eyes when a voice startled her. "Moving right in I
see." She opened her eyes to find Nikolas standing over her.
"New clothes?"
He touched her blouse.
Sarah jerked her arm back.
"What do you want?"
Nikolas just smiled.
"I wouldn't get too comfortable playing lady of the
house, because you won't be here very long."
"Sarah will remain in this
house for as long as she likes." Nikolas turned
around surprised. Stefan placed the tea tray in front of Sarah.
"May I speak
to you alone Nikolas."
The tone of his father's
voice told Nikolas that it was not a request and he
followed out into the foyer.
"Explain yourself."
"No. You explain yourself.
What are you doing? You're letting her stay here
now?"
Stefan tried surpress his
anger at his son's insolence. "Wether or not she
stays here with me is not your concern."
"I think it is." Nikolas
was pacing the foyer. "It seems I'm the only one in
this house who's concerned about what that woman is doing."
"And what exactly is Sarah
doing?"
"She's using you father.
Why can't you or Alexis see that. It's as plain as
day, but Alexis seems to think that this is some second chance for
you to happy
and you...."
"I'm what?"
Nikolas stopped in front
of his father. "Father I know you've been lonely
since Katherine died." Stefan stiffen at the mention of her name.
"Sarah is
playing you for a fool father."
Stefan placed his hands
behind his back. "So I'm a fool now. Because I've
found someone who I enjoy spending time with, and who enjoys my company
as well,
that makes me a fool." There was an icy calmness about his voice.
"Because
I've found someone who cares for me, despite her knowing everything
about my
past, that makes me a fool. Because I've found someone I can
love, I'm a fool
am I?" Nikolas stood there in silence. "You've accused
Sarah of still having
feelings for you, perhaps you should examine your feelings for her.
Maybe that
will explain your resentment of us being together."
Back at Luke's, Mac pulled
Robin aside. "Tell me I didn't hear what I think I
just heard. Tell me you're not actually considering marrying
that man."
"Uncle Mac please understand...."
"Understand what Robin?
Why on earth you would want to marry a criminal.
That's what he is and it's just a matter of time before Jason is thrown
in jail
or killed by some rival mob." He held onto her shoulders tightly.
"I don't
want you getting caught in the crossfire."
"I would never allow anything
to Robin." Jason said as he came up to them.
Mac scoffed. "You'll
forgive me if I don't believe anything you say." Mac
turned his attention back to Robin. "Honey come home with me
and we'll talk
about this."
Robin shook Mac's hands
off her and backed into Jason's arms. "Talk about
what? About what a huge mistake I'm making or about how much
you hate Jason."
"I don't hate Jason."
"Yes you do. I can
see it in your eyes." Robin was trying not to get upset.
"Uncle Mac I know you're worried about me and I can understand that
and I love
you for it, but I am marrying Jason no matter what you say."
Robin kissed his
cheek softly. "I wish you could be happy for me." Jason
and Robin went to the
backroom of the club followed by Sonny and Brenda.
Mac watched them go.
He reached into his coat for his cellphone. "Garcia?....
Move in as soon as they try to leave." Mac then turned and left.
Eve crouched behind one of
the buildings trying to stay hidden. She had wanted
to do what Methos had asked, but she couldn't help following him, she
was so
scared that she would never see him again. He had recieved a
call and while he
wouldn't tell her what it was about, the expression on his face told
her it was
bad news. Eve slipped into the shadows to watch the two Immortals
face each
other.
Methos approached Ramsey
and tried to push back the anger that was growing
inside him as Ramsey tossed Julia's sword at his feet.
"You should have seen it
Methos. I was magnificent. I will admit there were a
few times there when she actually had me worried, but I'm glad to say
I
triumphed and won the day."
Methos pulled his Ivanhoe
sword from his coat. "I hope you've got your affairs
in order Christian, because I'm sending you to hell, you bastard."
He closed
the distance between them and they began to circle each other.
Ramsey lunged and Methos
jumped back easily parrying the younger man's blows.
Eve watched from her hiding place as Methos stayed on the defensive,
easily
keeping his opponent outside his guard. Methos waited for his
opportunity and
then went on the offensive.
Driving Ramsey backwards
he lost his momentum and his balance. With one swift
thrust Methos was inside his guard. He reached out with a leg
and Ramsey
suddenly found himself diarmed and on his knees. Ramsey looked
up at Methos
with a panicked expression. Methos paused only for a second and
held his sword
at the aarogant young man's throat.
Methos was trying to catch
his breath. "I'm giving you this one chance to walk
away. Leave Port Charles and never come back."
Ramsey nodded and Methos
lowered his sword. Unnoticed by Methos as he was
turning to leave, Ramsey had removed a small dagger from behind his
back. Eve
screamed Methos' name just as Ramsey had gotten to his feet.
Without a moments
hesitation Methos came around with a smooth backhanded swing that severed
his
foe's head from his neck.
Eve watched in shock as
a white fog rolled away from the headless body. Methos
screamed as the first electric pulse hit him. His arms flung
to his sides and
away from his body as the second pulse hit. The streetlamp and
windows in the
nearby building exploded because of the tremendous energy, sending
shards of
glass flying in all directions. Methos fell down on his knees
gasping for
breath.
Eve ran to him and kneeled
down beside him, grasping his arm. "Methos, are you
alright?"
"Eve? What are you
doing here." His voice was raspy. "I told you to stay at
the hotel."
"I know, I'm sorry, I was
worried about you." Eve pulled him into her arms,
holding him tightly.
Methos shut his eyes and
leaned against her, his body still shaking from the
experience. He was grateful for her presence, grateful that she
was safe and
that the sight of the power of the Quickening hadn't sent her running
into the
night and away from him.
Eve stroked his hair as
his trembling finally stopped. "It's alright." She
whispered to him. "I'm here, I'll always be here."
Luke's,
a couple of hours later.
Despite Mac's appearance,
Robin and Jason impromptu engagment went on.
Everyone drank and danced and it looked like it would go on all night,
but the
couple of honor had other plans. They said their goodnight to
their friends and
went outside.
In the parking lot, Brenda
was hugging Robin. "Oh, my little sister's getting
married." She couldn't fight the tears.
"Are you okay with this?"
"I'll admit that if this
happened a year ago I would have done everything in my
power to try and talk you out of it. You know.... Jason is no
good for you, his
business will put you in danger and get you killed, he doesn't know
how to love,
but I was wrong then. I know now how much you love Jason and
how much he loves
you. All that matters to me is that you're happy."
Robin broke into a wide
grin. "I am. What about you?"
"Am I happy?" Brenda
looked over at the limo where Sonny was standing with
Jason. "Yeah, I'm happy." Sonny looked over and smiled
at her. "Happier than
I've been in a long time."
"I'm glad." Robin
said as they approached the limo.
Sonny kissed her cheek and
got inside while Brenda hugged her again. "I'll
talk to you tomorrow okay?" She started to cry again for upteenth.
"I love
you."
"I love you too Bren."
The two women let go of
each other and Brenda watched as Robin and Jason walked
off together into the night. Having seated herself inside, Sonny's
limo barely
moved out of the lot before it was surrounded by police cars.
In seconds about
a dozen officers were out with their weapons drawn.
Sonny exited the back just
as Garcia and Taggert came up. "What the hell is
this about Garcia?"
"You know exactly what it's
about." Taggert answered for him. "Pop the
trunk." He told the driver.
The driver looked at Sonny
who nodded. The trunk popped open and Garcia and
Taggert looked at each other.
Garcia came around.
"Michael Corinthis Jr, I'm placing you under arrest."
"What?!?" Brenda shouted.
"What the hell for?"
"For possession with intent
to sell narcotics." Taggert said holding a kilo of
cocaine in his hand.
As Garcia read Sonny his
rights and placed him in the back of a squad car,
Taggert approached Brenda. "You bastard! You did this didn't
you? You set him
up."
Taggert just smirked.
"That's a pretty wild accusation you're throwing around
there Miss Barrett. I hope you don't go repeating it to anyone.
You never know
what might happen."
Brenda slapped him hard
and Taggert just smiled. He motioned for one of the
uniformed officers. "Take Miss Barrett into custody for assaulting
a police
officer."
Brenda shot daggers at Taggert
and tried to hit him again but she was
restrained by the officer. He opened his cellphone and smiled
smugly to himself
as Brenda was taken away in handcuffs.
Within hours the news was
out. Early editions of all the leading papers had
pretty much the same headline. "MOBSTER SONNY CORINTHOS NABBED
IN DRUG RAID."
There was also some minor stories about the arrest of his girlfriend,
the famous
model Brenda Barrett and the engagment of his right-hand man to the
niece of the
Police Commissioner.
The penthouse,
two days later.
Brenda paced around the living
room. "There has to be something you can do
Justus."
"Unfortunately there isn't
Brenda. The police have a pretty strong case."
"It's a set up!" Brenda
shouted at him. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"You know Sonny and Jason,
you know that neither one of them is involved in
drugs."
"I know, but how can we
prove that Taggert is the one who set Sonny up."
Brenda didn't have an answer
for him. She just sat down on the couch and
buried her face in her hands.
PCPD, Detective Taggert's desk.
"Taggert." He said
picking up his phone.
"Well done."
Taggert looked around.
"I told you never to call me on this line."
"Relax. I was just
reading the paper, you're getting some really nice
headlines. Too bad you couldn't have gotten Morgan as well, it
would have made
things a lot easier."
"Yeah well, gimme a little
time."
"Unfortunately my friend,
time is running out for both of us."
"Did you call to tell me
that or was there something else?"
"I just wanted to let you
know I'm in town."
"You're in Port Charles?
Why?"
"Because we need to have
a face to face."
"What about?"
"You'll find out.... Got
to go, bye!"
"Wait!" Taggert rubbed
his temple. "Damn."
The stranger hung up the
phone just as the door sung open.
"Jerry!" Jax said
taken completely by surprise.
"Hey little brother."
Jerry said as he gave Jax a bear hug. "And who is this
lovely creature?" He took V's hand, but she pulled it back before
he could kiss
it.
Jax sighed. "Venus,
this is my brother Jerry Jax. Jerry, this is Venus, my
wife."
"Your.... wife?" It
was Jerry's turn to be surprised. "Well, well, well, way
to go little brother."
Denver, Colorado,
A handsome young man sits
in a diner eating breakfast. He picks up the morning
paper and turning the page he sees something that almost makes him
choke.
He studies the photograph
in detail and reads the caption below. He looks at
the photo again and smiles. "So that's where you've been hiding
yourself."
The PC Grill.
"Have you heard?" Carly
says tossing the newspaper down in front of Nikolas.
"Yes, I've heard."
Nikolas said as he continued to sip his coffee.
"What are we going to do
about it?"
"Let me worry about that."
"I'm sick of letting you
worry about it." Carly threw up her hands in
frustration. "I want to know what you're going to do to stop
this wedding."
Nikolas rose. "Carly
relax. Everything is proceding just as I planned." He
placed his hands on her shoulders. "I will handle it. All
you have to do is to
continue to play the devoted mother and trust me. That wedding
will never take
place."
EPILOGUE
Toronto, the waterfront,
around 3am.
The silence of the night
has been shattered by gunfire. A woman dodges and
weaves through the abandoned buildings along the river. Stopping
for a moment
she catches her breath. She doesn't know why but for some reason
she feels
relieved that the ones after her this time are only Hunters and not
agents of
HIM.
She's come to end of her
cover. It's now a dash across a hundred or so yard
long field to safety. They're coming closer. She takes
several deep breaths,
then goes for it.
"There she is!" One
of the gunmen shouted.
Suddenly there is an explosion
of gunfire. She is hit in the leg, the arm, the
side, but she keeps running. Halfway across the field she is
finally brought
down.
Her pursuers, thinking they
finally have her, stroll leisurely toward her.
Taking those few precious seconds to gather some small measure of strength,
she
surprises them by getting up again and rushing for the river.
The lead hunter see this
and empties an entire clip into the woman's back. She
falls face first into the river dead. As they aproach thier quarry
the sound of
sirens in the distance are heard.
The others scatter while
the leader walks to the edge of dock and spits at the
woman's body. "Next time."
Metro Police Station,
a short while later.
An attractive woman with
short cropped blond hair strolled in the squad room
and stopped at a desk. "Nick?"
Detective Nick Knight raised
his head from his computer and looked at partner.
"What is it Tracy?"
"We got an ID on the Jane
Doe from the river." Detective Tracy Vetter handed
him the fax.
Nick looked it over.
"Is this right?"
"I had them double check
it." Tracy perched herself on the edge of Nick's
desk.
Nick frowned as he again
looked at the fax. The picture was somewhat faded and
the hair was now shorter and lighter, but it was definitely the same
woman
fished from the river.
Tracy leaned in. "So
partner, what do we do?"
Coroner's Office.
Doctor Natalie Lambert stretched
and yawned as she walked down the corridor.
It's been one of those nights where she wishes she studied dentistry
rather than
forensic medicine.
Crushing the paper cup and
tossing it into the garbage, she headed for her
final autopsy of the night. She looked over the police report
muttering to
herself.
"Jane Doe, aproximately
35-40 years of age.... multiple gunshot wounds....
sounds like fun."
Coming to the morgue she
felt the presence of a nearby Immortal. Walking
slowly into the room, she quickly made her way over to the place where
she kept
her sword.
"Looking for this."
Came a female voice from behind.
Before Natalie could turn
there was a forearm around her throat and the woman
held Natalie's own sword before her.
"I haven't come to fight
you. I'm a doctor here. See...." Natalie opened her
coat so the woman could see her ID badge. "Please.... we don't
have to do
this."
She didn't know why but
she believed her. The woman held Natalie tight for a
moment then released her. Natalie turned around and faced the
woman. She was
about her height, maybe a little taller, with light brown shoulder
length hair
and brown eyes that seemed to cut right through you. Natalie
slipped off her
lab coat and handed it to the naked woman.
"Thank you." She said
as she handed Natalie back her sword.
Natalie tucked it back into
it's hiding place and offered the woman her hand.
"Natalie Lambert." She smiled.
"Anna." The woman
smiled back and took her hand. "Anna Scorpio."
The End.
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