Chapter 37
The Landing
------Observations-----
Observation 1: Plane landed.
Observation 2: Still alive.
Observation 3: Broken glass gone.
Observation 4: Iris gone.
Observation 5: Pilot asking a question.
"Mr. Spinelli, are you awake?" The grey haired sixty-year old man asked.
"Ye-ah," he yawned before looking out the window, "What time is it?"
"A little after ten."
"Ok well," Spinelli stood up from his chair before losing his balance.
"Why kiddo, you look like you've been hit by a train," the pilot grabbed hold of him.
"Uh yeah," Spinelli grabbed his head, "Kind of feels like that."
"We better get you on your way," the pilot motioned and Spinelli looked at the seats remembering just two hours ago he had a panic attack of some sort.
"Yes, I really need get over to the hospital," he turned away from the memory that seemed so long ago, "I'll take a commercial flight on my way home."
"Oh nonsense, Jasper Jax said to be available around the clock. So whenever you're done, you call us and we'll arrange for another pilot or myself to fly you home."
Spinelli nodded, impressed that working for Jax had such perks, "Well thanks, but it's late." He set his hand on the pilot's shoulder and walked with him to the plane's exit, "Why don't you and the other pilot along with the flight attendant check into a hotel for the night? Fly me home around seven? How does that sound?"
"Uh sure Mr. Spinelli, but flight attendant?" He looked at him quizzical.
"Yeah," Spinelli looked away from him and motioned to the stairs, "Who ever made me that Martini," Spinelli snapped his fingers remembering her name, "Iris. Make sure she gets a little extra."
"But sir," the pilot looked at him with slight worry.
"Ah don't sir me, call me Damian," he patted the man's shoulder, "Now get some rest." He turned away from him and descended down the stairs.
The pilot nodded his head in confusion, he had flown Jasper Jack's plane for almost ten years and never was there a flight attendant on it.
"Captain?" A young black haired pilot walked up to him, "You ready to…everything okay?"
"That guy," the pilot pointed to Spinelli, disturbed, "He said there was a woman on this plane."
"Really?" He looked from Spinelli to the old man with a sly grin.
"Ye-ah, the only women I've ever seen on this plane are traveling with Jasper...His wife, Ms. Howard, Ms. McCall, Ms. Beret. Hmm, I'm going to have to call Mr. Jacks about this." The old man walked away puzzled by Spinelli's words.
"That won't be necessary," the jet haired man turned away from the stairs Spinelli had almost walked down and came up behind the old man with a cloth in his hand.
"Shhh," he took the chloroform cloth off his mouth and lied the man gently on the floor. As he looked up to the window to see where Spinelli was, he saw a passport and the perfect excuse to stop Mr. Spinelli.
"Mr. Spinelli!" He heard his name and turned around to see a much younger pilot descending down the stairs of the airplane. Spinelli stood on the tarmac too tired to meet him half way.
"Sir!" The young pilot stopped in front of him, "You left this on the plane."
"Oh my passport, thank you," Spinelli smiled at him with thanks and then turned away.
"Um."
"Yes?" Spinelli looked back at him.
"I'm sorry to bother you again, but what flight attendant were you talking about with the Captain?"
Spinelli looked at him confused as to how he could forget a woman like her, "The one with short curly red hair and green eyes."
When the pilot didn't seem to recall any such person matching his description, Spinelli began to question his state of mind. She seemed as clear as daylight. Emerald eyes. Firry hair. Pink carnations. She was real! He was sure of it. He felt her touch. He smelled her scent. He heard her sweet caring voice. He saw her figure. His senses all told him she was not a figment of his imagination.
"Perhaps you've had a lot to drink tonight?" The pilot suggested almost insisting that he stop trying to convince himself that such a woman existed.
"Um ye-ah," Spinelli touched his forehead before shutting his eyes. The last thing he needed was to lose grip on reality so for the pilot's sanity she remained in Spinelli's head only.
"Are you going to be okay Damian?" The pilot tried to give the impression he was afraid to leave him alone.
"Oh yeah," Spinelli assured him and then opened his eyes, "I'm just um…" And just as he was ready to forget her, he saw a flash of red hair getting into a black vehicle two hundred yards away near an airplane hanger.
"Tired?" The pilot filled in the blank.
"Ye-ah," Spinelli answered monotone, distraught by the sight of her that proved there was something very wrong around him. The corner of his eye saw the once concerned pilot growing agitated. "What are you look-ing at?!" The pilot turned and Spinelli quickly touched his shoulder to prevent him from turning fully.
"The stars Captain." Spinelli covered in a cool calmed voice.
"Co-pilot."
"The stars Co-Pilot," Spinelli repeated correctly and then wrapped his arm around the man and faced him to the airplane. He pointed up at the glorious black sky with enthusiasm, "You ever notice how the stars look the same everywhere you go?"
"Sure," the pilot said hasty.
Spinelli was amused by the pilot's dubiousness, "Well I guess it could be opened to a matter of opinion, but I just figured a pilot like you would know more about it than me." Spinelli looked down to him with a friendly smile that made the pilot uncomfortable.
"Perhaps you should be on your way, it's a been a long night and it's probably not going to end anytime soon for you."
"Why do you say that?" Spinelli tried to question him in a casual manner that didn't seem suspicious.
"Uh Mr. Jacks," the pilot came to a quick response where he then changed his unnerved expression to sympathy, "We wish your mother the best."
Once again Spinelli was humored, he had caught him in a lie. He never told Jax he needed the plane because his mother was dying, he said it was for a family emergency. Spinelli half smiled and then looked up at the stars for guidance, but all he saw then was Maxie and Vista Pointe.
"Something I said Mr. Smith?"
Now that was eerie and way to convenient for his liking, Spinelli doesn't get mix up with Smith, "What'd you say?"
"Something I said Mr. Spinelli?" The pilot repeated, looking at Spinelli like he was really losing it.
"Um no," Spinelli stared at him with no expression.
"You don't look well," the pilot motioned to the yellow cab that drove up, "Why don't you get into your taxi?"
He didn't call a taxi.
"You're right."
The pilot opened the car door, but not before making eye contact with driver. Spinelli peered into the cab to make sure there was no one other than the driver in it before taking a seat. The car door closed and Spinelli stuck his head out the window with a smile at the sky.
"You should really pay attention to those stars Co-pilot, they follow you everywhere you go, you can't get rid of them," he implied blatant that if he was more than a pilot then Spinelli was onto him.
"Take care Damian," the pilot dipped his head and the taxi exited the runway. Spinelli watched the pilot until he could no longer see him and then peered back into the cab.
The driver smiled at him in the rear view mirror, "How was your flight?"
"Good, sorry to drag you out here so late, I had no idea they were going to call a taxi for me," Spinelli watched to see how he would react to knowing that it was the people he flew with who made the arrangement, not him.
"Oh no big deal!" He spoke jolly, "It comes with the job."
"I bet it does."
"So where…"
"This place hasn't changed a bit," Spinelli interrupted as they drove passed a familiar plane hangar.
"Oh ye-ah?" The driver looked up at the rear view mirror, interested.
"Yeah," Spinelli looked at him, "I had a friend growing up whose dad had his own airplane. He'd take us out all the time. We swore when we were old enough, we'd take the plane ourselves and we did one day."
"When you didn't know how to fly?"
"We were trouble makers, not stupid!" Spinelli rolled his eyes while laughing, "My other friend had just got his pilot's license and so we took the plane without a second thought."
"And what happened?"
"We worked in this airport for the next three months of our lives, repaying for all the chaos we created."
"Ouch."
"Yeah," Spinelli smiled in a daze like it was just yesterday, "I know this area very well…eighteen years." And that was the point of the story, to establish that he was very aware of his surroundings and the driver better not think to even so much as take a 'short cut'.
"Ah I feel the same way about Jersey," the driver looked away from him, taking a deep sigh in remembering the place he grew up in. Spinelli watched him carefully, trying to see if his emotions seemed authentic and so far they did. He sounded so normal that Spinelli was starting to wonder if he was just completely paranoid about the pilot. "Lots of memories. Sometimes it's hard not to get wrapped up in them when you return, ya know?" He looked up at Spinelli who couldn't help, but agree.
"I'm sorry where are you headed?"
"County Hospital."
"Oh I know where that is, Elm Hill Pike right?"
"Yeah, about twenty miles then a right on Wilmot?"
"I believe so," he pulled onto the empty highway.
"Thanks, if you could just get me there as soon as possible, I'd really appreciate that."
"No problem."
Spinelli leaned back in the seat not sure of what to do at the moment. Talking was an irritation. Closing his eyes was letting his guard down. Looking out the window was opening him to the hurt that drove him out of this town in the first place. Sitting wasn't any good either. It was dangerous to let the mind drift and wander and think about things that were in the past, no matter if they occurred five years ago or four hours ago. What's done is done, Spinelli thought, No going back. That was when he thought of Jason, the man who hardly if ever spent a day dwelling on what coulda, woulda, or shoulda been said or done. Never live in the past Spinelli, learn from it, but never live in it, it will eat you, words to live by.
-----------------You've got a friend in me-------------------
Claudia Zacchara looked out the window of her mansion in Milan, "I'm looking at it right here John, he and Spinelli used to be in business together."
"What kind of business?" Johnny asked discrete when he entered the Scorpio house.
Claudia swerved her leather chair back to her desk and grabbed her glass of wine, "The illegal kind."
"Claudia," Johnny rolled his eyes at her vague words.
"John," Claudia looked out at the sun starting to rise, "You woke me up very early to find information on a two bit con artist who used to run some software scam with Spinelli."
Johnny walked passed the living room, seeing Dillon and Ethan watching Pirates of the Caribbean, and entered the kitchen. He opened the door to the pantry and whispered, "Are you sure?"
"I only hire the best john."
"The best being Jerry Jacks?"
Claudia leaned up from her chair, "Johnny I got you your information. If you don't like it or trust it then get someone else to wake up at four in the morning and spend two hours of their time getting it."
"This can't be another mistake Claudia, there is something not right about this guy."
"Johnny I don't know what you're looking for. He's just a guy who Lulu happens to dig, I know that upsets you--."
"What upsets me is…!" He paused, thinking that he heard footsteps.
In the silence on the other end of the line, Claudia passed the time by drinking the rest of the wine in the glass. She looked down at its emptiness and frowned. All gone, she shook the glass wanting another serving. She turned to the desk and grabbed the family made, best selling Italian wine in the world, and filled up the glass halfway.
"John are you there?" She put the glass to her lips in waiting for his response where just as she arched the glass her fax machine started printing something.
Johnny stood in the kitchen doorway to see Dillon and Ethan still watching the movie. He needed a reason to be in there so he asked, "You guys want me to make some popcorn?"
"What's a movie without popcorn!" Dillon shouted like a typical film buff.
"Alright," Johnny walked back in the kitchen.
Claudia sipped the red wine as she read the new information Jerry faxed, "I think I just found your motive."
Johnny pushed the popcorn button and spoke back into the phone, "Give it to me."
Claudia sat in her chair and set the glass on the desk, "Ethan and Spinelli ran a five man con. Three of the five were murdered by Lorenzo Alcazar, including a girl, a girl who in the picture I'm looking at looked very close to this Ethan fellow."
"Hmm Spinelli said something about the two having a bad past, but he never said it was over a girl."
"Maybe it was about an action that resulted in a girl's death?"
"Maybe."
"Didn't Spinelli used to work for Alcazar before working for Jason?"
"Yeah?"
"Well I'm looking at some bank records of deposited checks," Claudia stopped her finger and the logging of a certain name, "Lorenzo is the last person listed where it says the check was canceled."
"Maybe he canceled the check when he found out Spinelli was working for Jason?"
"No, Spinelli started working for Lorenzo in September, this transaction is in August."
"So…"
"So," Claudia looked up from the paper, "What if Spinelli and Ethan were conning Lorenzo and he caught on at the last minute?"
"So he canceled the check and kidnapped him for wanting to steal his money in the first place? Why didn't he kidnap Ethan and the rest?"
"Maybe they discovered their cover had been blown and went their separate ways."
"Or maybe they escaped his ambush."
Claudia was just about to consider his theory when she saw at the very bottom of the page a final banking transaction, "Or maybe they abandoned Spinelli."
"What do you mean?"
"There's a withdrawal for half a million dollars here John and in his name."
The popcorn stopped popping and Johnny hushed his voice as he opened the microwave door and grabbed the bag, "So they let him take the fall?
"Spinelli get's kidnapped and Lorenzo says you either work for me and keep your life or you can die for your friends."
"He wouldn't save people who betrayed him."
"Bingo. Alcazar's men go after Ethan and the girl dies."
"Spinelli and Ethan mentioned an eye for an eye. What if he's here to…?" Johnny stopped at the thought that he was here to kill Lulu or Maxie out of revenge.
"Don't let them out of your sight."
"I don't plan on it," Johnny looked at Ethan in the distance.
"You want me to fly in?"
"No, I can handle this."
"I could call Jerry."
"If I have him killed Lulu will know it was me."
"Well what about the other bitch, wouldn't Spinelli want us to protect her?"
"Yes, but I need to confirm with Spinelli that he's a threat, just fax everything you have at the house."
"Alright little brother, I hope you know what you're doing."
"I do thanks, goodnight."
"More like good morning," Claudia amused at the little light shining on her face.
"Sorry for waking you."
"It was for a good cause, goodbye," Claudia looked down at the paper, casually looking over it when she saw something that caught her interest, "Oh and one more thing John, I don't know what this is about, it's probably just another identity, but there's another name listed here…Rob Sutton."
He had almost forgotten that was also his name when Lulu told him to start referring him as Ethan instead of Rob. He knew as the night would go on the plot would thicken and that by the time he got home, everything he ever wanted to know about the back stabbing asshole would be revealed to him.
"Dillon," Ethan looked at the film expert, "Do you think I could be Johnny Depp's stunt double?"
"No."
"Aw why not?"
"Because…"
"Because," Johnny interrupted as he walked into the living room with a bowl of popcorn and three beers, "You have to be talented."
Dillon chuckled at Johnny's lame insult and looked over to Ethan, "You can't because Johnny does his own stunts." He took the beer and a handful of popcorn.
"Oh," Ethan grabbed his beer, "Well hey does your film need any stunt doubles?"
"Why?" Dillon stared at him cautious.
"Oh just looking for a job."
"Well," Dillon shrugged his shoulders, considering him until Johnny interrupted his thoughts, "Don't trust him Dillon, he'll rob you."
Ethan eyed Johnny not at all amused by the continuation of this, "Don't you think we should cool it tonight for Maxie pad in the bathroom?"
Just the way he cracked a joke about Maxie when he was so considerate of her earlier proved just how two faced he was, "I was just stating the facts. Dillon should know he'd be hiring someone like his step father." Johnny looked at Dillon who appeared confused, "He and Spinelli used to run a little scam."
"You know nothing about it, so why don't you stop pegging everyone against me and say what you want to say."
"You know more than your letting on Lovett."
"It's not my place to tell."
"Guys," Dillon looked at them not to get into this again.
"You keep saying that."
Lulu exited the bathroom down the hall and Dillon grew worried, "Hey cut it out," he looked at Johnny and Ethan, "She's coming."
Lulu walked into the living room, "What are you guys watching?"
"Pirates of the Caribbean a totally B rated film, I could have directed it way better, but eer how is she?"
"She's okay, she just wanted to be left alone for a few minutes," Lulu took a seat next Johnny which put a smile on his face.
"You're tired Lu," Johnny wrapped his arm around her.
"Maxie needs me, I can't leave, but I get it if you two and Dillon want to leave."
"No no," the three said back.
"Guys," Lulu looked at them like it was sweet they wanted to be here, "Maxie appreciates your concern, but I think it's making her feel a little overwhelmed."
"You want us to leave?" Dillon said what she was trying not to be mean about.
"Uh, ye-ah. We'll call you for coffee Dillon and Ethan," she grabbed her purse and took out the keys, "Why don't you pick me up in the morning?"
Now that Johnny knew for sure he was a thief, he wasn't sure if he could let Ethan take her car, but he didn't want to cause a stir. She chose to snuggle up with him for a reason and he wasn't about to make her regret it. If he never returned, Lulu would find out the truth and Johnny figured he could cheer her up by buying her a new car. Sounded like a plan to him.
"Thanks," Ethan caught the keys she threw at him, but was meanwhile confused as to why it appeared Johnny was staying.
"John," Lulu looked up at him with a smile.
"Looolooo?"
"Um," she paused letting out a short giggle at the way he said her name like his father, "Um have you heard from Spinelli?"
"No," Johnny shook his head wishing he had.
"Oh, I thought maybe he would have called you."
Johnny looked down at his watch, "Well he would have landed by now."
"Could you call him?"
"Lulu," Ethan spoke up, "If Spinelli wants to talk he'll call."
She knew he was right, "I just wish I had something to cheer Maxie up."
"You could just make sure she takes care of herself," Ethan suggested.
"I agree," Johnny looked up at Lulu, "Despite what he said to her, he was pretty down at Jakes."
"He was," Dillon added, "He was drinking shots and got into some fight with a doctor."
"Oh no," Lulu sighed, "He didn't."
"He did, but he was surprisingly a good sport," Ethan nodded his head in disbelief still at how Spinelli bought Matt a beer and then gave him some ice when he was done beating him up.
"Good sport, I'm not sure if I like the sound of this," Lulu looked at Dillon, who she knew wouldn't hold any details back.
"Oh it's nothing to worry over Lulu. The jackal was pretty fly," Dillon went on to explain what happened.
"Wow," Lulu looked up at Johnny who confirmed it was indeed the truth, "I can't believe it."
"Neither could I," Dillon said for he really did wonder what happened to the geek he met a year and a half ago.
"Well," Lulu started with a cautious tone until she heard the bathroom door open. She saw Maxie walk out and then looked back at the three guys not to say anything.
"Hey," Lulu smiled as Maxie walked around the couch and took a seat next to her, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm…fine," Maxie said but with something else on her mind, "Johnny…Ethan, I know I'm too weak to be there for him, but I still feel like he needs a friend."
Johnny laughed inside at the idea of Ethan being a friend to Spinelli.
"Maxie darling like I said, I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why?" Maxie asked curious as to why he kept saying that.
"Yeah why?" Johnny asked with a sly smile and Ethan looked at him in annoyance that he wasn't on his side anymore.
"When I knew Spinelli at NYU…"
"Whoa you went to college?" Johnny interrupted.
"Yes believe it or not."
"Ethan," Lulu looked at him to continue.
"Anyway, Spinelli spoke about his family with utter disgust. Saying it was sick and twisted."
"And you know why," Johnny looked at him to spill something.
"I do and he swore me to secrecy. He would kill me if I said something, especially to you." Ethan looked at Maxie very serious, "There's something much bigger happening here than you and your child. All I can say is that nothing is what it seems."
That was for sure, Johnny thought in terms of Ethan and his identity. Johnny only wondered what that meant in reference to Spinelli.
"But Ethan," Maxie asked with something still troubling her, "If this is as serious as you say it is, he still needs a friend."
"It," Dillon cleared his throat hoping to put her mind at ease, "Sounded like he will." He smiled with the intention to comfort her, not bring up the girl's name.
"Like who though?" She asked wanting to make sure that if she couldn't be there to take care of him that someone else was, "Jason?"
"No," Johnny was amused by her guess, "Don't you remember? He's not allowed to be friends with Jason."
"John!" Lulu raised her voice thinking his antics from earlier had gone away.
"What?" Johnny retorted back, "I just find it funny that she thinks it's okay now for him to turn to Jason, but it wasn't before."
"She was scared Johnny."
"No she wasn't, she just used a baby she didn't even want to change his whole life…"
"Johnny!" Lulu interrupted him from finishing his thought, "Can you show a little compassion for our friend or is that something beneath Zaccharas?"
"I guess it is," Johnny glared at her, pissed that because a little boy was in a coma he would always be seen dispassionate. He got up from the couch no longer interested in staying, "I'm sure Spinelli will call you if he needs you."
"Johnny don't go," Lulu instantly regretted her words.
"No I'm tired and since you two don't need me and since Spinelli according to Ethan doesn't need nor want our help, I don't really see the point of staying." Although he wouldn't leave completely, he still didn't trust Ethan, so he figured he'd sleep on the couch outside.
Lulu looked away from Johnny, fed up that he was leaving over this, "Johnny."
"You know I think I'm going to go too," Dillon motioned out of the sofa where he looked at Ethan to do the same.
"Ladies, I think I'm going to hit the hay."
"No," Lulu got up from the couch, "Don't leave on the count that Johnny wants to play the poor me card."
"What?" Johnny turned to her, "I'm not playing any cards."
"Then stay."
"What for? To see you shoot smiles at Ethan all night? Or take cheap shots at me for things you know I'm right about? Sorry, but I'm a little too pissed off at Maxie to sit around on her account." If Lulu hadn't taken the blame for Maxie's lies, Claudia would have never turned on her and therefore she would have never met Ethan and he would have never set himself up to lose Lulu in a game of pool like he did tonight.
"Pissed off at me?" Maxie stood up, "Because of Spinelli and Jason?"
"Yes, but also because your lies broke Lulu and I. You ruined more than just one life Maxie and you can't just bat your eyes and say you're sorry." He turned away until he thought of one more thing to get his revenge on her. "And you're a fool if you think that's going to work on Spinelli when he gets back, if he comes back at all. Like I said if Spinelli wants to talk he'll call, but I'm sure he'll get all the comfort he needs from Tammy."
--------------The one that got away---------------
When the taxi finally arrived at the hospital, Spinelli didn't take a moment to say goodbye. He threw a wad of cash down on the seat and told him he was never here. He walked into the hospital with his phone to his ear, "Is this nurse Mancini?" He asked before seeing the waiting area to his left and took a seat in the first chair he saw.
"No, but I'll put her right through."
He had wondered which one she was at the Nurses Station. There was a blonde one and brunette one. He was favoring the brunette remembering how all the boys in school teased her as Kelly Kawposki, the cheerleader on Saved By the Bell. To his surprise though, the dirty blonde took the phone.
"Damian?" She whispered.
"You changed your hair," he admired from a distance where he saw her blush and then do that thing she always did with her lip. She pushed her hair behind her ear and he sat there like he was in class.
"Green is hard to get out, where are you?" She looked around the ER and he looked away remembering why he was here.
"I'm not here for a reunion, where is she?" He knew it sounded harsh, but he remembered what the cab driver said "lots of memories, sometimes it's hard not to get wrapped up in them when you return."
"Good to see you too Damian, um, let me see," she turned to the computer, "I'm not her personal nurse."
"Your not?"
"No."
"Then why'd you call?"
She stopped typing and grabbed the phone that was pressed against her shoulder, "Because no body else would."
"Oh."
"And," she paused to look around the room where a sincere smile grew on her face, "because I thought you deserved to know."
"Thanks," he said while looking right at her.
"Your welcome," she gave him a warm look, "Nice hair."
He rolled his eyes, "Airplane hair and your stalling."
"Right," she turned back to the computer, "Third floor room 309."
"I owe you," he got up from the chair.
"No, you could have gotten this information yourself," she turned to the waiting room to see him no longer sitting there.
"That I could have," he hid behind a pillar now where the stairwell was in the corner of his eye, "But I didn't have a computer on me when you ca-lled."
"What?" She laughed as she looked around wondering where he had gone to, "Damian Spinelli not have a computer on him?"
"Goodbye Tammy," he started to pull his phone from his ear.
"Damian wait."
"What?"
"I think she wanted to contact you."
"What gives you that idea?"
"You're still listed next of kin."
"That doesn't mean anything," he disregarded the information for old people forget to change things like this all the time.
"Her husband isn't."
"Her husband is dead," he thought she meant his "grandfather".
"Not him Damian, the guy she married a few months ago."
"She got remarried?"
"Ye-ah, I thought you knew."
"No," he sounded annoyed because he hated feeling out of the loop not because he really cared she re-married.
"Damian?" She ended the long silence, "You there?"
"I like your hair," he hung up and walked to the door that showed the stairwell picture.
She called his name and then redialed the number, but the time she heard his ring tone, he was gone and the stairwell door was closing.
------------------True colors of the Fed and the double agent---------------------------
Oakfield county hospital wasn't much different from Port Charles General Hospital, Spinelli decided as he wandered the shadowed halls. He looked at each room hoping the number 309 would appear and when it didn't he became more determined to find it. In the airplane and the drive over, he hadn't figured out what he was going to say to her if he was even going into her room at all. The dim lit hall diverged into two paths. He could continue straight or take a left. He looked to his right and saw room 308, so room 309 was close, but where? Common sense told him to keep walking, so he stepped forward only to be blinded by a bright light from a door opening on his left.
"I'll be right back peaches."
Peaches.
A traveling salesman often called his mother peaches. He pressed his back against the wall and listened as the lights went off and the door closed. The man's footsteps neared around the corner and Spinelli held his breath in fear of being seen.
"Sir."
Saved by a voice, a much younger voice.
"He's here."
The man turned around and Spinelli closed his eyes in relief.
"You're sure?"
"Yes, our contact on the plane…"
Spinelli tuned out and praised himself for being right.
"Do we know who contacted him?"
Spinelli tuned back in hoping he didn't get Tammy in trouble.
"No, but we're working on it."
"Eh it's not important, where's the boy now?"
"Weeeeell that's the thing."
"You lost him Pivens!?" The man raised his voice before stomping towards him, "Did I not tell you how important it was for you to keep tabs on him!"
Spinelli peered around the corner to see this 'Pivens' just as upset, "I know!"
"Well if you knew, you wouldn't have let him out of your sights! Ah," he backed away, "This is very unbecoming of you."
Pivens dropped his shoulders, disappointed in his self, "Sir I did have people waiting for him to hack the hospital's computers, but he never tried."
"Of course he didn't try! Rule number one agent, never expect the target to leave a trace where he's most expected to leave one!" The man walked away frustrated by his incompetence.
Spinelli looked away, but kept his ears open.
"Pivens, her son, my step son for god's sake, learned from the best at keeping a low profile."
"So what do you want us to do?"
"He'll be looking for a way in."
"We could alert security?"
"No those fucking idiots will create panic, he's a criminal not a terrorist. The fewer that knows about this the better."
Spinelli looked around the corner to see Agent Pivens watching the old man pace back and forth in thought, "Sir if you don't mind me asking, why can't he have just a few last moments with his dying mother?"
"She's not dying!" He snapped, stopping in place.
"Richard," the agent lost his professional tone and spoke to him like a friend, "Stage four brain cancer."
Spinelli was never told on the phone what his mother was dying of. Turning away from the scene, he leaned his head on the wall and wondered what shape she was in. It was then he began to concern himself with the idea if she would even be able to recognize him, talk to him, and see him. If she couldn't, could he live with that? Live with their last memory being that of hate and despair?
"She's blind in one eye, she can't eat or carry on a conversation without getting confused or sleepy, she has no control over her bodily functions, she loves you one minute and the next...Richard, it's not her anymore."
The thought of his mother being anything, but bitter and grumpy, was something he would love to have seen. Spinelli's hands spread against the cold wall as his eyes filled with tears. There wasn't a time he didn't hate her, but there was a time he never wanted any harm to come to her. They know where my granny is and she's the only one that's ever really given a damn about me. Although he never won her approval or love or any type of heartfelt emotion, he knew they existed within her. To the neighbors, the Friday night knitting club, the churchgoers and his first stepfather, she was a great woman. Spinelli looked around the corner again to see Richard leaning his back against the wall opposite to the hospital room.
"You can't save her," Pivens touched his shoulder.
"The treatment will work, we just have to give it time!"
"You heard what the doctors said, she's barely hanging on."
"If this is when you say she's hanging on for him, agent Pivens…"
"I'm not…"
"…Because if she can hang on for that little shit then she can sure as hell hang on for her husband! You know the man who would take away the pain if he could!"
"I know."
"I'm sorry Pivens," he sniffled.
"The Bureau will understand if you want to resign."
"Are you kidding me?" He leaned off the wall, "If she dies, all I'll have left is my career!" He walked to the window and looked in on his wife's room, "Now the doctors tell me she has at least one more day left in her." He placed his hands on the windowsill, "If she's dead before then, I will find Damian Spinelli and personally hold him responsible."
"You can't do that Richard!"
"I am the director of the FBI!" He grabbed Pivens by the collar, "I can do whatever I want!"
Silence fell between them as Pivens stared at his boss in shock and Richard stared at his young agent completely lost. Spinelli looked away from them and closed his eyes. He felt the weight of his decision now. What if the old bag was waiting for him? What if she croaked the minute he left? Would his stepfather really come all the way to Port Charles to arrest him? Could he face Maxie if the FBI did come after him? These were the questions running through Spinelli's mind at the moment. Was the freedom of guilt and pain worth the trouble? Spinelli seemed to think so.
"I'm…I'm sorry," Richard let go of him, "I just..." He turned away from his co-worker, ashamed that he took his anger out on him, "I just know if she sees him, she's gonna die."
"Rich," Pivens tried to reach out to him, but the man walked away somber, "Richard!"
The old man stopped reluctant. He glanced in the agent's direction and struggled with the words he was about to say because he knew they were that of desperation.
"Find him, kill him if you have too."
"You can't be serious," Pivens objected, believing this was something up for discussion still, but Richard walked away, dismissing his convictions, "DIRECTOR!"
"Agent Pivens!" Richard came to a quick stop, "Lower your tone."
"Fine!" Pivens stormed up to him, "But let me make sure I understand correctly, you're asking me to kill an innocent…"
"He's NOT INNOCENT!" Richard screamed, "He's a criminal and I will not have my wife spend the last moments of her life with a man who stands for the very thing I vow to bring down."
"So what? You want me to tell every agent to kill him on sight? Do you know how big of a deal he is in Port Charles?"
"It's time we send organized crime a message."
"No Richard," Pivens grabbed his arm, "He is that community's savior."
"Oh don't be ridiculous!" Richard tugged away wanting to laugh, but Pivens tightened his grip.
"He prevented a mob war, he saved the commissioner's only living daughter, not to mention he just donated a whole sum of money to the hospital that saved his life! He is a hero in their eyes. The first sight of hope that town has seen in months if not years, you take away their hero and you are going to have more than just the mob painting a target on your back."
Although Spinelli had refereed to himself as a hero in his fight earlier with Maxie, he never dreamed that he had this type of influence. Such power interested him.
"Agent Pivens," Richard pulled away from his grip not at all moved by his speech, "I expect you to deal with THIS."
"So you expect me…" He loath talking about such an unnecessary order, "To kill him then?"
"Or I'll get somebody else to and recommend them for promotion," Richard threatened before turning his back to him and walking away.
Pivens huffed in frustration of the man he once looked up to. As his boss walked passed his wife's room Agent Pivens couldn't help, but try one more time to remind him of the man he was supposed to be.
"I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," he spoke the oath.
Spinelli heard Richard's footsteps near and used the knowledge of every stealth action video game he ever played and the training from Stone Cold to remain unseen. Still as a dead body, quiet as a mouse, Spinelli eyed like a hawk, his stepfather just coming around the corner.
"THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE," Pivens raised his voice in hope that he would listen to him and to Spinelli's annoyance, he did, Richard came to a slow stop in the diverging hallway.
Pivens smiled at the small victory and pressed on, "In faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion."
Spinelli heard his voice grow louder and knew he must be coming towards them. He knew there wasn't anything he could do now without attracting attention so he prayed this little heart to heart of theirs would end soon.
"And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter," Pivens stood behind Richard, "Sssss…"
"So help me God," Richard finished as if something had been instilled in him again.
Spinelli wasn't sure how much longer he could hold his breath, not only because his throat was clogged with tears, but also their close proximity had made him feel claustrophobic. Ever since he spent nearly a month of his life in a hospital being told what to do, not to move, not to talk or think and just follow doctor's orders, he couldn't stand being in that type of controlled environment. Not being able to move, breathe or think in this very moment irritated him more than finding out his stepfather wanted him dead. People had wanted him dead ever since he started working with Jason; Alcazar, Mr. Craig, Anthony Zacchara, occasionally Sonny, hell sometimes his mother seemed to want him dead. Death was a part of life, a force that almost took him two months ago. There was no reason to fear it for as one of his high school teachers once put it 'you are dying from the moment you are born' so death was unavoidable. Why run from it? This though was an avoidable situation that he could have run from if he wasn't so damn intrigued by every little thing he heard from their mouths. His stepfather was a fed, which not only made things awkward for his line of work, but for Spinelli too. What would Jason think of him? Would he think he was some informant? Could one of the many friends he's made turn foe? Thank god his stepfather hated him enough to want to him dead. That was perhaps the only card he could play to the sharks of organized crime, if his immediate family hated him then why would he help them? Nothing to worry about right? Wrong. Spinelli had everything to worry about as he saw the old grey haired man seem to make a decision on what he wanted to do.
"I want a report on Mr. Spinelli's whereabouts by the time I get back," he turned the corner walking right in front of Spinelli none the wiser that the son he abhorred had been standing less than a foot away from him.
"Uh yes sir," Agent Pivens uttered and then turned back down the hallway he came.
What's that supposed to mean? Spinelli asked himself. Was there going to be an attempt on his life or not? Should he call for guards or should he use this time now to say goodbye and then doing a disappearing act? Spinelli would have loved to contemplate the issue with his conscience longer but was flustered by the sound of a phone ringing.
"Agent Piv-ens," he stuttered, distracted by having heard a ring tone fairly close by.
Spinelli silence his phone to see the call was from his Maximista, even when she wasn't around she was getting him into trouble.
"Uh hold on Fris," Pivens crept passed the room to the diverging hall only to see a nurse walking by talking on her phone.
Spinelli hid behind a trashcan near room 308, smiling at Tammy's perfect timing.
"Hey I'm just calling to let you know I'll be done early tonight."
Pivens watched her proceed down the hall and then spoke back into the phone, "Sorry sir." He turned away giving Spinelli just the opening he needed to crouch from the trash can and listen in on the phone call.
"Um I'm not any closer than I was before to getting his resignation…I am trying! But things have changed! He's gone from devastated to desperate. How desperate? Well he's got himself convinced if her son sees her, she'll die from a heart break or something."
Spinelli leaned himself against the wall where he heard Pivens laugh, "I know he's become borderline lunatic sending agents out to follow this guy and now he wants us to kill him…I wasn't going to, but if you want Richard for yourself, carrying out the code red would be the quickest way."
Code Red? Who the hell was this guy? Did Richard even know? Spinelli asked himself for it sounded like Agent Pivens was working for someone else other than the FBI.
"Why do you need him alive? Oh I didn't think you…Right sorry sir. Look resignation is completely out of the picture now, we either set him up or let his hate for Damian Spinelli get himself fired."
Spinelli peeked around the corner to see if he could get any closer, but couldn't. Whoever this man was on the other line would have to remain a mystery for now.
"Yes sir, I understand sir, it will be taken care of, I'll call you when it's done."
When what's done?
"This is Agent Pivens, I am under a direct order to cancel all further pursuit of the target. The director is ashamed of his behavior and would like nothing else if no one was to speak about this ever again. I am relieving you of your duty. Have a nice night." The agent hung up, thought for one second and then exited the hallway the same way he came in ten minutes ago.
Spinelli looked around the corner to see the agent long gone and then let out a deep breath of relief.
"Fuck," he looked away and leaned back on the wall. His hands covered his forehead and then ran through his hair as his mind tried to get a grip on what just happened. He had been this close to the feds discovering him and this close to being dead by them. It was a rush that he hadn't felt in a long time. To be safe one minute and then in danger the next in such a brief moment in time was a thrill, an excitement, a feeling that made him alive. He looked around the corner again to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him and when he saw an empty hallway, he huffed once more in disbelief that he overcame such a potentially life threatening situation.
"Shit Spinelli," he talked to himself, "You have got to get out of here," but he couldn't leave without seeing her.
------------Streets of Philadelphia er Oakfield---------------
He knew Richard was adamant about him seeing her, but Spinelli didn't believe he had enough influence on her life to end it. He entered her room when he felt the coast was clear. Leaving the lights off to avoid waking her up, he quietly shut the door behind him and walked to the foot of her bed. The last thing he wanted to do was put her in any more discomfort than she was already in. He heard the machines working to help her breathe and knew she must really be on her final bed. He knew it was Richard's idea to keep her here, here on earth that is because she would have never wanted to be seen like this; weak and unable to care for her self. He strolled to her bedside with his hands in his pocket, almost afraid to see her, to see what this disease had done to her.
I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell what I felt
He slid his hand over his mouth.
I was unrecognizable to myself.
He would never wish this on her. Never. He would never wish her to have a grossly thin face or hair that wasn't hers. He would never wish her to have no use for her favorite glasses, her glasses that she went to bed with every night hanging on a chain around her neck, her glasses that were now gone just like her.
I saw my reflection in a window I didn't know
She took care of him when he had been sick, of course the chicken pox and the flu were different, but hell, had she called, he would have came. Why didn't she call? Huh? Why not! He would have taken her somewhere, anywhere just so that no one could see her waste away like this.
My own face
…Displayed that of a son having compassion for his mother.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you."
His knees gave out and he collapsed in the chair behind him. Cupping his cheek, he stared at the sleeping figured and thought hard about the things he wanted to say to her and the things he wanted her to tell him.
"You're uh husband is a real piece of work, I haven't had the privilege of meeting him, but I'm sure I will," Spinelli kid and then realized perhaps this was not the scene to be cracking jokes. He wiped his hands through his hair, taking a quiet deep breath, and then formed his hands into a fist over his mouth.
You know what's worse than you lying to me? You know what's worse? That you're my mother! Ahh! You know how sick and twisted that is!
Damian no, your father's enemies would have kidnapped you or killed you, you were all I had left! I love you!
No! Let's get this straight Miriam! You know what you did? You let a little boy hate himself for your mistakes!
No you wrong!
Shut up! I'm not finished! What you did wasn't love, lying isn't love it's betrayal!
He opened his mouth wanting to say something that reflected the last moment they were together, but stopped himself. She didn't love him like she claimed and it wasn't fair to excuse everything she had done because she was dying. At the same time though, he didn't come here to blame her for it because all the decisions she made in turn affected the decisions he made. He might not have met Jason, Lulu or even Maxie if it weren't for her and in that case, he couldn't hate her.
"I don't hate you, I want you to know that," he lowered his hands from his mouth and looked at them. He rubbed his knuckles, staring at his palms, not sure of what to say next.
"I...I know you don't like me. Truth is a lot of people don't like me. I don't even like me at the moment." Spinelli frowned, thinking back to his fight with Maxie with the things he said and the things he did haunting him. He cleared his throat in a quick manner before scooting his chair forward. "You um, you once told me that love is complicated and it's messy and it's a whole lot of things that you don't expect...I never thought I would say this, but I understand now. I understand when you say it never pans out the way you want it to." Now that he knew the truth about Maxie, how she really felt about the baby he thought they had created out of friendship if not love, he knew that all his dreams of their future would be nothing more. He refrained from touching her hand, not wanting to disturb her deep sleep, and touched the bed instead. With his hand resting on the bed, his other covered his eyes, "I'm not the man I thought I was, but you always knew that."
He looked down at the floor until he felt something touch his hand. He pulled away and glanced up at her, "I thought you were asleep!"
"Well you woke me child."
"I'll go," he parted from the chair, not wanting to upset her.
"Get back here boy."
Spinelli looked at her wondering if she really meant her words and the longer he waited to believe her the more frustrated she got, "Just because I'm too weak to swing that belt, doesn't mean I won't get it."
He half smiled, she might not want to show her true self to Richard, but she sure couldn't resist showing herself to her son.
"Come on," she motioned with her hand, "You and I have things to talk about."
"We do?"
"We do," she enthused, "Your father, your confidence problem and this girl that's troubling you, that doesn't leave us much time before Richard gets back."
He stood near her bed, feeling like this was a trick, "On one condition."
She huffed, "Is everything always a business proposition to you?"
"Mother," he said with agitation.
"Okay," she backed off, "What do I have to promise you?"
He strolled to her bedside and looked directly at her, "You don't die until tomorrow afternoon, if that is you have to die at all."
"Deal."
He was pleased by her quick answer. For the first time in his life, she seemed to actually want to know her son. Taking her hand, he leaned forward to kiss it, "Hello Miriam."
She welled up and pulled him into a hug that made Spinelli realize just how much he was missed, "Hel-Hello Dam-i-an."
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Next Chapter: The journey home. Spinelli makes a decision after what he discovers about himself.
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