GENERAL HOSPITAL #012
(the role of PETREV FEDOROV is played by "Liam Neeson")
A black helicopter came to rest upon the landing pad atop a sleek ultramodern yacht that was anchored off the coast of New York.
The doors of the helicopter's passenger compartment opened and a man stepped out, and he was soon escorted down into the bowels of the ship by two other men; crewmen of the ship.
Moments later the two crewman left the visitor alone in a very luxurious compartment that included three couches, a fire place, and a couple large TV monitors that were displaying two different signals; one of them was a financial program, the other was a live soccer match from somewhere in the world.
The door opened and another man entered the room, the owner of the yacht; Petrev Fedorov.
Both men shook hands and took a seat on two of the couches that faced each other.
"This ship of yours is amazing," Grant Putnam said with admiration in this words.
"Thank you very much," Petrev said with a proud voice. "It has all the modern luxuries you would expect for a 500 million dollar investment to have, including," Petrev added with a smile, "evasive contingencies that could even confuse an American or WSB surveillance satellite from space."
The two man smiled at that thought.
"I assume," Petrev continued, "that the information about Julian Jerome's missing years was successfully passed onto the District Attorney of Port Charles; one Paul Hornsby."
Grant nodded his head.
"Yes it was," Grant Putnam replied, "And I told him, like I told you when you approached my DVX superiors and put this into motion, that I wanted Jerome dead; sooner than later."
Petrev nodded his head than stood up and went over to the minibar and poured the two of them a drink. He handed Grant one of the glasses and then sat back down across from him.
"You intrigue me, Mr. Putnam," Petrev said. "In fact, I find you to be quite an enigma."
"How is that?" Grant asked as he sipped from the glass.
"Well, first off you should know," Petrev explained, "that while the rest of the world believes the DVX to be extinct, I am one of only a few civilians who know that is not true."
"The organization values your patronage," Grant replied.
"Yes…So when I hire outside help, especially DVX agents, I read up on them, out of my own curiosity. I read your profile," Petrev explained, "and your life is a tapestry woven with irony."
Grant nodded his head.
"I guess you could say that about anyone," Grant replied.
"You are humble," Petrev came back with. "Let me see if I got this right; you are the original Grant Putnam. Many years ago, you were attacked and thrown into a river in Europe, left for dead. You were, ironically, replaced by a DVX agent who was surgically altered to look, and sound, exactly like you as part of some long ago attempt to obtain the secrets of a failed energy source. But…"
Grant cut in.
"But when my doppelganger was exposed," Grant continued, "and I returned to reclaim my life; my fiancé had fallen in love with this imposter who had assumed my life."
Petrev nodded his head.
"But at least fate caught up with him," Petrev said, "and he left Port Charles in disgrace (all part of the Aztec Treasure plot, savvy GH fans will recall)."
"You know my story quite well," Grant said with cold eyes. "I tried to enact revenge against those I held responsible for my unfair treatment, chiefly Robert Scorpio…but again I was thwarted from killing Anna Devane…"
"And helping Scorpio save her," Petrev injected, "was Julian Jerome. So I can see why you want him dead. It won't happen as soon as you wish, but fret not; Jerome will soon be dealt with and then…"
"…and then," Grant cut in; his calm demeanor swept away by his hatred, "I will kill Scorpio."
It was at that moment when Grant started feeling queasy. He looked at his glass of wine and then over at Petrev's glass and realized the Russian had never taken a sip from his own glass. Grant came to the most obvious conclusion and looked up the now standing Petrev.
"Why…?" was almost all that Grant could muster to say.
This was due to the burning and soon to be fatal sensation he felt inside his throat. But he was able to continue to speak as he body began to become weaker. "I did what you asked…and infiltrated the WSB and copied Jerome's file."
Petrev smiled at Grant.
"My friend; you are too much of a wild card," Petrev said in pleasant voice. "And," he added as Grant's life ebbed away, "I can't stand poker. But know this as death finds you," Petrev said as he squatted down so Grant could hear him. "Those who you wish to find death will soon join you there."
Grant's life came to an end, with his eyes open. Petrev reached out with his hand and closed them.
A few minutes later, the two men who had escorted Grant from the helicopter dumped his body overboard near a cluster of sharks that had been riled up by the chumming of the ocean waters.
Petrev watched from the viewing platform as Grant's body was torn apart by the hunger fueled fray of sharks…sipping from an entirely new glass of wine; poison free of course.
Continued…the storm is getting closer! And next time, a beautiful stranger intrigues Jason