Chapter 36

"Dr. Drake!" Kavi ran into the lab carrying a padded envelope. "This just arrived for you."

Patrick took the envelope from the young man and carefully opened it. He was shocked when he looked inside and found a vial of clear liquid and a note. He quickly read the note out loud. "This is what you have been looking for." He looked at the blank envelope and then at Kavi. "Who dropped this off?"

"I don't know. Is that the counteragent?" Kavi couldn't believe that someone had just handed it to them.

"Only one way to find out." He handed the vial to Kavi and then pulled up the lab results from his blood draws on the computer. "You take a sample and breakdown the components and I will cross-reference that with the results of my blood samples. Hopefully we can isolate the active chemicals and create the antidote."

Kavi grabbed the syringe while Patrick studied his computer screen. Finally, they had a break.

"Welcome home grandmother." Nikolas escorted Helena to her private suite in Wyndamere. "I am so glad you could be here for the party."

"I am here to celebrate with you my dear boy but I will not be attending the festivities. There are far too many people who would love to see me behind bars coming tonight." Helena sat down at the desk in her room and smiled. "But I will expect you to bring your lovely bride to see me for a visit before you head down."

"But that is the advantage of the masquerade – no one will know that you are here." Nikolas sat down so he was able to look his grandmother straight in the eyes. "You promised me at Stefan and Katherine's engagement party that you would dance with me at mine – I am going to hold you to that."

"So everyone will be in masks that whole night?" Helena had thought the masks were a choice, not a requirement.

"In deference to my fiancée's family history, we felt a little mystery was appropriate. Besides, Jerry also wants to attend and he couldn't show his face there anymore than you could." Nikolas took Helena's hand in his and gave it a soft kiss. "At ten there will be a grand unmasking which will give you and Jerry both plenty of time to attend without being discovered. Please grandmother, dance with me at my engagement party?"

Helena shook her head but her voice softened as she answered him. "For you Nikolas, of course."

Mac paced the living room in his tails while calling Robert one more time. "Damn it Robert, you need to get here and you need to get here now. Tonight is Robin's engagement party to Nikolas and I know you don't want to come home to find Robin has changed her last name to Cassadine. No mission is more important than your daughter."

He slammed the phone shut and was about to throw it across the room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Mac, stop."

Mac turned around and found himself face to face with his wife. "But Felicia, they need to be here. Someone has got to stop this farce of an engagement."

"They went after Helena, not on vacation. You know as well as I do that stopping Helena is the key to stopping this wedding." Felicia handed Mac his mask and kissed his cheek. "Now let's go to this party and show Robin that, no matter what, we are here for her."

Mac grumbled one last time but took Felicia's hand and led her out the door.

Robin stared at herself in the mirror and tried to calm her still upset stomach. This party was not her idea and she hated that she had to participate in it. Her only comfort was that Emma was safely away from Jerry, Helena and Wyndamere for the night. The little girl was staying with Maxie and Nathan tonight – Georgie was visiting and Maxie didn't want to miss a minute with her daughter.

She took one last look and smoothed out a few wrinkles in the skirt of her ball gown. Her dress had been hand chosen by Jerry and she had to grudgingly agree it was beautiful. The dark green color was a perfect complement to her hair and eyes and the dress just swept the floor as she walked. Robin was just grateful that the mask would hide her true feelings about the party and her engagement.

"Jobbin Robin, you do clear up rather nicely." Jerry walked in the door and smiled at the woman. "But then again I have always had excellent taste."

"What do you want Jerry?" Robin had been waiting for Nikolas to come and escort her down to the ballroom.

"Nikolas has sent me to take you down to your party – he is dealing with a last minute guest." Jerry placed his mask over his face. "Shall we?"

Robin shook her head but did as she was told. Placing her mask over her face, she took Jerry's arm and headed down to the party.