Nikolas was getting off the phone with the housekeeper as Ethan paced impatiently. "I have a lead." Nikolas called.
"One that's actually going to get us out of this hotel?" Ethan questioned.
"There's an abandoned mental facility that Grandmother has been frequenting for the past week. I want to go to the library and see about getting the blue prints to find an alternant route in."
"Mental facility? As in insane asylum? I can't imagine why that would be Helena's bat cave of choice. Where is this library?"
"You are staying here." Nik instructed.
"What? Says who?"
"Says me. I want you to call Spinelli and find out if there's anything he can find out about this building." He replied showing him the address to the facility.
"So you get to take in the sights while I stay put? Yeah, that sounds fair." Ethan sneered.
"I can fade into the environment better; just do this."
"Aye, aye captain." He saluted before Nikolas walked out, although he did as commanded and used his cell to call Spinelli.
"Greetings, any word on the fair Samantha?" Spinelli answered.
"Maybe, er, not really. Do you have your computer nearby?"
"Affirmative, the Jackal always keeps his trusty…"
"Of course, Nikolas wants you to look up an address believed to be an abandoned psych hospital." He replied giving the address.
Spinelli went online with the information given. "The Cassadine Prince is correct. The residence possesses a lengthy history; the origin was that of an educational institution modeled after that of the teachings of the 'Father of Medicine' himself and served as such for years until turned into an asylum nearing the turn of the last century. That was shut down and the establishment abandoned during the Mental Health reform approximately three decades ago."
"So it's set up as a medical establishment?" Ethan questioned.
"The Jackal assumes unless stripped of all equipment the residence could be used as such. Although that does beg the question; if that is where the Ice Princess contains the fair Samantha what purpose does she have in keeping her captive?"
"I could find out, with your help." Ethan offered.
"What would the Outback Bandit ask of the Jackal?"
Ethan laughed at the nickname. "Could you set me up with one of those European scooter things outside the hotel?"
"Are you sure…?"
"I won't cause any problems; I just want to check the place out." Ethan assured him.
XXXXX
"I think I'm going to be nauseous looking at that thing." Claudia mentioned.
"Her trip here didn't go so well." Stella explained as she wheeled Joey through the runway.
"The pilot knows to try to avoid turbulence, and swears that the weather is cooperating." Sonny assured her as he held on to his wife while the climbed the steps to enter the private jet. Johnny and Stella helped Joey board the plane. His doctor was cautious about him leaving the hospital so quickly after surgery but decided that as long as he stayed sedentary he would be fine.
"Claudia, are you doing okay? You look pale." Johnny noticed as they took their seats.
"He really doesn't like these things." Claudia insisted.
"The captain is going to want us to keep our seatbelts on until we hit altitude, do you think you're going to be able to do that?" Sonny asked stroking her hair. She nodded her head and rested against him.
"Have you contacted the PCPD?" Stella asked Sonny.
"Yes; they are aware of the situation and will be at the airport upon descent."
Johnny snickered. "So, if we're planning an escape now is the time to do it."
"I still think we should have gone the route of eloping." Joey looked to Stella.
"I don't think nine months of conjugal visits is a reason for two people to get married." She shook her head.
"I'm just saying; if that parole doesn't go through you're going to regret it." He smiled. "Or, of course, we could just join the mile high club."
"Uh… hun, I don't want to be the reason your stitches come undone." She quipped back with a sultry grin.
"Ooooh." Johnny reacted to the response.
"This is your captain speaking." They heard from the loud speaker. "We have been cleared for take off. Please stay seated and buckled until I indicate otherwise." He gave some information about landing time and weather conditions that Claudia ignored as she silently talked to her baby willing him to cooperate with her.
"Here we go." Sonny whispered to her as the jet darted forward.
XXXXXX
"Molly?" Kristina lit up after Dante brought the kids home after church.
Molly ran towards her sister with a big hug. "Dad just dropped me off; he said he has work to do."
"Right, work to get done." Michael grumbled. Morgan was the next in line for a hug.
"Morgan, I don't know what to say." Molly said gripping on.
"How about you tell what it was like in California." He suggested.
"Well, there are palm trees in January. Palm trees? Do you believe that?" She said as they went inside to see Alexis and Jax.
"So, Michael what's up?" Kristina questioned once the younger two were inside.
"Nothing." He shrugged.
"Do you actually expect me to believe that? You've been off since last night."
"Kris, I think he has reason to be a little…" Dante replied.
"No; this is something else. Come on; whatever it is you shouldn't have to go through it alone." Kristina insisted.
"Okay; but you two have to promise this doesn't get out. Krissy, you know why Ric is back right?"
"To re-tri Claudia's case, yeah."
"Caitlyn told me about it. I'm sorry Michael; I know this isn't what you and your brother need right now. God, Claudia getting off because…"
"That's just it. Claudia might not get off, not if I… Krissy, your mom talked to me last night. The case may just hinge on my testifying." Michael explained.
"Why would you…?" Kristina questioned.
"Claudia confessed to me. Or Johnny did, and she confirmed it. I told her then that I wanted it to be over, and that her child shouldn't have to suffer because of a mistake she made, and now… I don't know what to do. I have never seen mom so nervous as she was during that trial. She would wake up screaming because of a nightmare she had about me being shot."
"It had to be hard for her going to trial everyday and reliving everything that happened." Kristina sympathized.
"If Claudia goes free was that all for nothing?"
"Michael, it was your mom's wish not to involve you in that trial." Dante argued. "You can't think that you're betraying her memory of you decide to stay out of it."
"I think Dante's right." Kristina added. "I think Carly would understand; I mean, it's not only about Claudia now, it's also about our baby brother or sister."
"So you think I should…?" Michael started to question.
"Do whatever you think you can live with." Dante replied.
XXXXXX
"Look who I brought home with me." Laura said coming through the Spencer house with Lucky walking gingerly behind her.
"Daddy!" Cam and Jake ran up to greet him.
"You're looking good, Cowboy." Luke replied. He brought Bobbie over for the homecoming while Lulu and Matt got the house ready.
"Thanks. I'm feeling better, should be ready to go vampire slaying soon enough."
"I am going to put a kibosh to that notion." Bobbie said standing up to greet him and offering Lucky her seat.
"That makes two of us." Laura concurred. "How are you doing?"
Bobbie sighed. "I don't know. I really couldn't tell you."
"Lainey have you on the good stuff, too?" Lulu questioned holding Bobbie's hand in sympathy.
"Where's Lucas?" Lucky asked her.
"He decided it was time to go back to school before he got too far behind. I think part of the decision was all of the memories he had around here. He told me he was going to visit you before he left."
"He did, yesterday. He just didn't say anything about taking off."
"Bobbie, if you need anything, company, it's just one call." Liz insisted while putting together a puzzle with the boys at the coffee table. Lucky attempted to help Jake place the correct pieces.
"I know, and I am aware of the one day at a time rule. Today we are celebrating and once it's time for Lucky to lay down the plan was to take the kids over to see Michael and Morgan, right?" Bobbie questioned the boys.
"Yeah!" Jake replied.
"And Britni." Spencer added.
"Granny Laura, do you still have the card we made?" Cameron asked her.
"Yes; it's right here. It was Cam's idea to do this for his cousins." She explained holding it out for Bobbie to look at.
"It's beautiful. They are going to love it." Bobbie replied.
"Daddy, when is Sam coming back?" Jake asked him.
"Jake, we already talked about that." Liz replied knowing it was a sensitive subject.
"No; it's okay. I am wondering that exact same thing, bud. All we can do is pray it is soon." Lucky replied.
"Can we call dad and Uncle Ethan and find out?" Spencer suggested.
"I think it's better that we wait for them to call us." Lucky replied.
"Why?" Jake questioned.
Luke stepped in. "Well, sometimes when parents are working they need to stay really focused on what they are doing and a telephone ringing can be very distracting."
"What if it's an emergency?" Cam asked.
"If it's an emergency then we can call." Liz replied. "But your dad is right; your Uncles will call us when they know something."
"Hey guys, how about some pancakes." Matt suggested coming into the room.
"Yeah!" They rushed towards the kitchen. Lulu followed behind.
"What do you say; are you hungry?" Luke asked his son.
"Anything beats hospital food, right?" He replied as Luke helped him up.
XXXXXX
"Anything interesting going on out there?" Jerry asked Carly as she stood by the window.
"Seth is out on the jet ski again." She pointed out to the sea. "I did have a good time last night. I hope I didn't ruin the evening…"
"You could never ruin the evening." He replied standing close behind her wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I don't understand the point of having a personal physician here if there's nothing he can do for me." Carly confessed.
"I scheduled an appointment for you at a nearby clinic for Tuesday. Seth thinks it's best if we get a CT scan to see if the tumor really is growing, and maybe see if there's anything we can do about it."
"But you said…"
"I know, and that's what the doctors in New York were saying, but maybe it is best if we get a second opinion."
Carly started to get hopeful with the suggestion. "If there is something… do you think he might be able to restore my memory?"
"We'll have to see. So far, have you been able to recall anything?"
"I don't know if it was a memory." She admitted. "Last night while we were dancing I got really dizzy and couldn't see straight. When I looked up, it was like someone else was holding onto me."
"Really?" Jerry questioned.
"I don't suppose you were ever a blonde?"
"My hair has gotten darker over the years. Do you think there was a flash to a previous occasion?"
"Maybe."
"Well, maybe that's a good sign." He encouraged.
"A good sign? If all glimpses of memories come with dizziness and migraines I think I will leave them behind."
"Are you keeping up with your meds?"
"Do you need to ask me this every day? Yes, even with a doomsday prognosis and mind splitting headaches that the medication doesn't seem to help I am keeping with my pills. What are half those things for anyway? I feel like I'm a walking pharmacy."
"You would have to ask the doctor; I'm not even sure."
"So what am I doing taking all of those?"
"Cora, we've talked about this."
"I know we have, and I know you want to pray for some kind of miracle, but… I'm not a doctor, or at least I'm pretty sure I'm not. That was a joke." Carly responded hoping to get him to smile. "But the signs are all saying the same thing. The memory loss, headaches, double vision, dizziness. Vic, I'm not… I guess I just don't understand the point."