Chapter Eighteen

/

Faison's expression was one of shock. "What do…alive? How is that possible? I blew that boat…"

Demetrios sneered. "You survived, Anton. Is it so hard to believe that Robert and Anna Scorpio did as well?"

"I saw them die," Faison said. "I saw my beloved Anna…"

Demetrios chuckled. "You saw what I wanted you to see. You saw what Sean Donnelly wanted you to see."

"Donnelly," Faison spat. "That incompetent fool. He wasn't…"

Demetrios pinned Faison with a glare. "Donnelly was…useful, to a point. Not so regrettably, he is now dead."

The door suddenly slammer open. "You killed my nephew?"

Demetrios and Faison turned to face an angry Helena Cassadine.

/

"Who are these two?" Robin asked, pointing at the two me she didn't recognize.

Frisco pointed to the first one. "Former FBI agent and current WSB agent John McBain."

John inclined his head. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Drake."

Robin nodded, but her attention had turned to the other man. He was tall, about the same height as RJ. His dark eyes were a match for her own and he had dark, spiked hair.

"You look…familiar," she said.

He smiled. "So do you. I'm Aidan…Aidan Devane. Newly-minted WSB agent."

Robin gasped at both his British accent and his surname.

"Devane?" she questioned softly; her brothers and Luke now interested as well.

Aidan nodded. "Yeah, Devane. Why? You know that name?"

"It's my…was my mother's maiden name," Robin told him. "Anna Devane."

"Anna Devane," Aidan repeated. "My mum, Lindsay, she had a…a younger sister named…Anna."

"Oh, my God," Robin said. "My…a long time ago, my mother mentioned her older sister, Lindsay. I think…"

"…we're cousins," Aidan finished.

"Hey, listen, this is all great, really," Luke said. "But we've got a situation to handle. Where's that tracker?"

Robin pointed and Luke picked it up. "The signal is coming from about 50 kilometers north of here, in the mountains. It's stationary now. They must have stopped."

"What do we do?" Patrick questioned.

"You learn how to shoot yet Drake Junior?" Luke asked.

Patrick nodded. "Yeah."

Sean glanced at his brother-in-law. "Can you do it under pressure? Can you, a doctor, fire at another human being with the intent to kill?"

Patrick looked at Robin. He saw a strong, passionate, obstinate, bold woman. But he also saw his wife, who he had taken a vow to love and cherish for all his days. That meant protecting her at all costs.

He met Sean's stare. "Yeah, I can."

"Good," Frisco said. "Now, we need to put together groups and decide on our way in. Luke, you and Aidan go together. I'll lead Sean and Jamie. John, you take Robin and Patrick. Robin knows her way around these things, but…keep a watch on Drake."

If Patrick was offended, he didn't let it show. Instead, he like everyone else, began slipping into their combat gear. Weapons were checked and ammo was stored on ballistic vests. Patrick watched as Robin expertly tested a pair of night-vision goggles.

"Okay, folks, this might get a little…hairy," Frisco said. "Everyone watch everyone else's backs and we'll come through just fine."

Just as they headed for the door, there was a knock. Luke opened it and was stunned to see none other than Victor Cassadine standing there. His eyes widened and he was about to lunge at Victor before he was restrained by Frisco.

"Explain yourself, Cassadine!" Luke hissed.

Victor stepped into the room and gave Robin a smile. "Wonderful to see you again, my dear. I've come to offer my assistance in the search for my nephew."

"How did you know RJ's missing?" Robin questioned as she stepped forward.

"I put a surveillance team on both of you when you left my office," he revealed. "Newly discovered we may be, we are family. I…failed in my attempt to protect Larisa's son. I won't fail in protecting his children."

"How magnanimous of you, Cassadine," Luke sneered, having been let go by Frisco.

Ignoring Luke, Victor turned to Frisco. "The cabin where my nephew is being held is an old Cassadine property. My family have used it for generations."

"You know the layout?" Frisco asked.

"Very well," Victor acknowledged. "Our father used to take Mikkos, Tony and myself there as children all the time."

"Who else knows about this place?" Aidan wondered. "What's security like? Who are we likely to run into?"

"Other than myself, I'd venture a guess that Helena knows," Victor answered. "As far as I'm aware, there is no security. My father only employed security when the family was in residence. As for who we may run into, your guess is as a good as mine, young man."

The questioning went back and forth for the next ten minutes before Frisco finally held up his hands to stop the bickering.

"Look, we need all the help we can get," he finally said. "We've got Cesar Faison, Cassadine's unknown and whoever else we may run into. Cassadine, you and your men are with us."

From there, things began to get chaotic again as more plans were laid out. Watching the others with a critical eye, Patrick missed Robin coming to stand beside him. He felt her smaller hand take hold of his.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked her husband.

He looked down at her, mouth agape. "Me? What about you? This is all so…"

She chuckled. "It's all so Scorpio."

She tugged on his hand and pulled him over to the small sofa in the corner of the room. Together they sat down and Robin began to speak.

"When RJ and I were little kids, we didn't go to birthday parties or skating rinks," she said softly. "We learned how to tie people up, we took swimming lessons because you never know when you may need to swim away from an enemy. We were taught self-defense and how to handle most firearms. We were…we were sort of built for this kind of thing."

Patrick just shook his head. "I don't…"

She squeezed his hand tighter. "I know. You don't truly understand, even after everything you've been told and seen. Maybe because of everything you've been told and seen. Me being a doctor and a mom; that's who I am. But I'm also…this; this person you see now. This is what it means to be a Scorpio. I wish so much, now, that I had told you everything before we…"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "Would have, should have, it doesn't matter now. This is what is, Robin. We're here now. I just…I worry about Justin and Emma with both of us here."

Robin looked down at the floor and Patrick knew there was something else he didn't know. So he took to his new custom and asked the question.

"What is it?" he wanted to know. "Something about Justin and Emma?"

She looked up into his eyes and nodded. "If anything…if anything happens to us, Lucky and Elizabeth have instructions to take Justin and Emma and…disappear."

Patrick's eyes widened. "You're serious?"

She nodded. "Scorpio-Spencer pact. We watch each other's backs, no matter what. Stefan will make sure Lucky had everything he needs, and he and Elizabeth will take their kids and ours out of the country to protect them."

Patrick let out a breath as he shook his head. "Okay. Well, while I trust Lucky and I know he's a great cop, how about we both go home safe when this is all over and…no need for any of that other stuff."

Robin smiled and held out her hand. "Okay. Scorpio-Drake pact."

He grasped her hand and pulled her close. Their lips met in a soft kiss as Patrick ran his fingers through Robin's long hair.

"I love you, Robin Scorpio-Drake," Patrick whispered as he pulled back.

"I love you, Patrick Drake."