Chapter Four

Robin was in her lab working when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

The door slowly opened and Emma peeked around the edge. "Mommy?"

"Emma?" Robin jumped up from her stool and picked the little girl up in her arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Daddy sent me to come and bring you home." Emma hugged her mom tight. "He said you needed to get your bottom home ASAP."

"He did, did he?" Robin leaned over and gently rubbed Emma's nose with hers.

"Well, daddy didn't say bottom, but I'm not allowed to say the word he used."

Robin laughed out loud. "Then let's not keep your dad waiting." Robin set Emma down and they headed towards the door. "So what did you do in school today?"

They stepped through the door as Emma started to answer her mom. "I started a new book…"

A pair of hands reached out and grabbed Emma, dragging the little girl away from her mom. "Emma!"

A second set of hands wrapped around Robin as she tried to get to her daughter. Robin fought to get out of them but they held her tight as Emma was dragged down the hall and through the door at the end. Robin began crying as she heard the click of high heels approaching her. "My little bird – did you really think I would let you be with her?"

"Damn you Helena!" Robin practically spat at the woman as she spoke. "She is just a little girl. Please let her go."

"But it's your fault that she is here." Helena walked over and stared Robin straight in the eyes. "I think it is time that Emma has a proper female role model." Helena nodded at the guard who began carrying Robin back to her lab. "Don't worry – I'll raise her as if she were my own."

Robin kept fighting as she was thrown back into the lab. The door slammed shut and she ran over, pounding on it wildly as she tried desperately to open the now locked door. "No! Leave her alone. Emma!"

"Robin?" Manrico was trying to wake her up from her nightmare. He ran his hand down her cheek. "Robin – wake up."

Robin's eyes flew open. She jumped off the bed. "I have to get to my daughter. I have to get her away from Helena."

Manrico stepped in front of the door and put his hands on both of Robin's arms, stopping her from going any further. "Robin, Emma is at home with her dad. I promise you, Helena doesn't have her."

Robin looked at the guard and remembered where she was. She stepped back and sat down on the bed. "She's with Patrick?"

"Yes, she is safe and happy – I promise." Manrico sat down with her on the bed and put his arm around her.

Relief filled Robin's body and she relaxed. "It was so real – Helena had her and she was going to…"

Robin dissolved into tears as the reality of her situation hit her once again. Manrico wrapped his other arm around her and held her tight while she cried. "It's alright Robin."

"No it's not." Robin began crying harder. "My little girl thinks that I abandoned her. What kind of mother lets her daughter think that?"

"Robin, you gave up your freedom for your child. You are protecting her and someday she will understand that." He began rubbing her back.

"How will she ever know if I can't get away from here?" Hopelessness overwhelmed her – these people would never let her go.

Manrico pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "I think I have a way of getting you out of here."

Robin knew her room was bugged she stayed in his arms. "How?"

He smiled sweetly at her. "It's time for you to die Robin."

"I promise – as soon as mommy is ready we will head straight to the house and join you and Aunt Felicia." Emma and Felicia had gone to a small villa outside of Normandy, actually a WSB safe house, to prepare for Robin's homecoming. "I love you. Be good and we will see you soon."

Anna smiled at him. "So are they all settled in?" Patrick nodded. "Good – now we can concentrate on saving our girl."

"I don't understand – why are we staying in Athens?" Patrick paced the hotel room while the rest of their party unpacked. He looked at his ex-in-laws and sighed. "We know she is on that island."

Robert shook his head. "We need to be smart about this."

Anna nodded in agreement. "Yes, the last time we visited Cassadine Island we ended up staying much longer than we had planned."

Mac walked over and attempted to comfort Patrick. "I understand your frustration but we need to make sure that we have everything in order before we go to that island." Mac placed his hand on Patrick's shoulder. "If we aren't absolutely certain where Robin is before we go to that island then we might alert them to our presence and they could have time to move her again."

"It's just," Patrick turned to Mac, "I let her down Mac. I missed all the signs that she was in trouble and now…"

"We are going to find her." Mac knew that Patrick wasn't the only one feeling guilty. "We are going to find her and we will bring her home to her daughter."

Robert looked at Anna. "Frisco has some men doing reconnaissance right now and we should have the information we need this afternoon. Then we can come up with a plan and get Robin." He was about to say something else when his phone rang. "Speak of the devil." Robert answered the phone. "What do you have for me?"

Mac looked at Patrick. "See, it won't be long and…"

"Son of a bitch! You get a boat ready to go – we leave in three hours." Robert hung up the phone and looked at the group. "Our man on the island was able to finally slip away and give us some intel. Helena Cassadine died a few days ago. Her partner in crime is preparing to leave the island but wants to clear up all loose ends before he does."

Patrick was almost afraid to ask. "What partner?"

Robert briefly hesitated before answering the man. "Jerry Jacks."

Mac asked the next question. "And clear up loose ends?"

"Jacks is currently having Robin collect all her research, organize it and then…" Robert didn't want to finish that sentence.

Patrick ran to the door. "What the hell are we waiting for?"

"Patrick wait." Mac stopped the man. "If Robert truly thought Robin was in immediate danger he would be on that island before you could blink."

"I swear to you Patrick – Robin is safe until morning. Jerry will not kill her until he is certain that he has gotten everything he can out of her and my daughter is brilliant." Robert looked at Anna. "She will be able to draw this out until we can get there."

"Robert," Patrick was not reassured, "I cannot lose her."

"None of us can and, if you follow my lead, none of us will." Robert led Patrick back to the couch and opened up a bag that was sitting there. Robert pulled out a handgun and handed it to Patrick. "Now, we don't have a lot of time but here are the basics…"