A/N; Sorry for the update taking so long. My Internet service has been on
the fritz. I made it longer than normal to make up for it. Enjoy!
"So, how long have you and Zander been close?" Courtney asked, curious.
"For a while. But we had a falling out over Jason a while back and I chose Jason over him. My mistake."
"Oh." Courtney said, not sure how to avoid the topic of Jason.
"But it's better this way. I know that no matter what, Zander won't lie to me. Sure, he's far from perfect, but I'm not going to let Jason ruin my life more than he has."
Courtney said nothing, still not sure that Elizabeth was being honest. Something still seemed off.
"What's with the clothes?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't hit a sour note.
"Oh, these old things.", Elizabeth said as she looked down at her outfit, "I use to dress like this all the time."
"Use to?"
"Long before you came to town. Even before I met Jason. I dressed all goody-goody for Lucky and then Jason; he goes after that type to. And who was I not to oblige?"
"So it was all just an act?" Courtney asked, still not believing what Elizabeth was preaching.
"I wouldn't call it an act. But everyone does it. Around this guy you dress one way but you run into someone else who likes it another way and you change your life to suit theirs. That's how it always happens."
"So Zander likes you like this?"
"He likes it, but this isn't for him. This is for me. I've decided that I'm not going to be whom everyone wants me to be, or expects me to be. I'm just going to be myself." She said, despite the fact she was looking down at the outfit in pure disgust.
Courtney didn't catch on.
After their conversation, Elizabeth spent most of the morning in the back washing dishes, not wanting to be seen by the public in her outfit. Having not worn anything this revealing since before her rape, she became very nervous. The idea that Tom was out, something she had tried to block out by planning revenge on Lucky and Jason, brought back many feelings that were becoming more overwhelming by the minute.
Courtney noticed the change but said nothing, still not wanting to get on Elizabeth's bad side again. She had not meant to hurt her and hoped that she could win back her friend's trust.
The bell above the door jingled and Courtney, who had been sitting at the counter reading a magazine, looked up. She recognized the man from the day before. He had come into Kelly's after her fight with A.J.
Last time he had just come in and looked around and left. She had wondered if she would ever see the strange man again or if he was just merely passing through.
"Hello, again." She greeted him cheerfully as he sat down at a table.
"Hello."
"The specials today are tuna salad on wheat, chicken salad on . . ."
She got interrupted, "Not another word, sweetie, I know just what I want."
The way he said it made her seem very uncomfortable in her own skin. She instantly went on alert as the last phone call from her stalker came to mind.
"What would that be?" She asked, trying to remain calm.
"Bacon, eggs, and toast with orange juice. I want the eggs over easy, the bacon on the side with some pepper, and the toast not burned. . ." He started.
Courtney hastily wrote down the order.
". . . got all that, sweetie?"
"Yes. I'll get your juice and give your order to the cook."
As Courtney dropped the order off she noticed that Elizabeth was now just sitting in the back next to the sink still full of dishes.
"Something wrong?" Courtney asked, hoping she wouldn't regret it.
Elizabeth snapped out of her trance, "I'm sorry. It's just . . . never mind."
Courtney did not want to pry and make Elizabeth feel uncomfortable but it was pretty obvious that something was wrong.
"Elizabeth, if you need to go home, I can take care of everything until Penny comes in."
Elizabeth looked up at Courtney and for a moment wanted to tell her everything on her mind. How at that very moment she felt something she had not felt in many years, HIS presence. How she felt like jumping out of her own skin and running into the arms one person, one man. But then she realized that she was about to pour out her weaknesses to the same person that had helped Jason break her heart and she closed off once again.
"Cold shiver down my spine, that's it." She said, getting back up and starting on the dishes.
"I know what you mean." Courtney mumbled as she went back outside with the juice for her only customer.
* * * Jason did not want to admit it, but he needed help from Lucky and Nikolas. They had firsthand witnessed what Tom had done in the past.
"You two are the experts." He said, stolid.
"We could alert Taggart that Tom might be back in town." Nikolas suggested.
"If Tom doesn't make a move, Taggart can't do anything." Lucky stated.
"Elizabeth is missing! Her rapist is out on the street as of a week ago. That is enough information for him to look into it." Nikolas added.
Jason got an idea, "Tom was a photographer. If he got out of jail then he would have to find means to support himself."
Lucky agreed, "I can go back to where he use to work and check a few things out. I'm a photographer so it would make sense for me to look for studio space."
"What can I do?" Nikolas asked.
"Use your resources to find out all you can about Tom. Especially if he has a family residence nearby." Jason suggested.
"Then what are you going to do?" Lucky asked.
Jason considered his options, "I'll talk to Taggart."
Both men were stunned by his admission.
"You go to Taggart?" Nikolas asked, almost on the verge of laughter.
Jason did not want to explain himself to Lucky or Nikolas, but he wanted to stay at least civil with them in hopes that their combined efforts could help Elizabeth.
"He helped me before." He said, and with that was off.
Both Nikolas and Lucky looked at eachother.
"You do realize that the second he finds anything he is going to run and try to be her savior, don't you?" Nikolas stated.
"I would too, especially if she is in the hands of that creep." Lucky stated, and took of in the opposite direction.
Nikolas let out a sigh and went on his way.
"I hope we're wrong." He mumbled to no one.
* * * When Courtney delivered the juice, he thanked her with a smile. But something about the smile seemed sinister and she just turned away.
"Miss?" He called.
She turned back around, "I was just wondering, how long have you worked here?"
"Why?" Courtney asked, suspicious.
"I use to be intimate friends with a waitress who worked here. I was just wondering if you could possibly give some information about her."
Courtney did not relax, "I haven't worked here that long."
"Oh, I see. It has been a few years so she must've left before you came."
Courtney studied the man's features and deduced that she had never seen him in the strip club. Perhaps she was getting nervous for nothing.
"A few of the waitresses here have been here for years. She could still work here." She offered to the man who seemed a little eager.
He took a sip of his juice and then licked his lips. The same sinister smile appeared before he began, "Off the top of my mind I cannot remember her name," He started, "She was a brunette naturally, but had the softest color dye in her hair then. It was down to her shoulders, at times she wore it straight but other times she wore it curled. Very petite girl, slender, soft flawless porcelain skin. And bold blue eyes, large, with such passion within them."
Courtney said nothing, the man's description of the woman made her even more uncomfortable.
"Anyone you know?" He asked, sounding a little to eager.
"Order up." Elizabeth called from the back.
His focus went towards the voice and instantly the pieces fell into place. Courtney realized he was describing Elizabeth.
"Another waitress in the back?" He asked.
"No. The owner is here." She said, stating the first thing that came to her mind.
"Invite her out. I'd love to compliment her on her diner." He said, a strange look in his eyes.
Before anything came to her mind to say, she walked towards the back. Elizabeth was still washing dishes.
"I was about to call you again. I thought you didn't hear me." She said, and then turned to face her.
Elizabeth could tell that something was amiss.
"What?" She asked, worried.
Courtney did not want to frighten Elizabeth and have her inadvertently alert the man in the diner. But the way Elizabeth looked at her she could tell that Elizabeth just knew that something was wrong. And then Courtney remembered something.
**"A few years ago I was raped."**
**"I use to be intimate friends with a waitress who worked here."**
"Elizabeth, go home." She suggested.
"Why?"
"You don't need to be here. It's slow. Penny comes in soon. Don't worry. Take some time off."
Elizabeth did not take Courtney's concern as sincere and instantly went on the defensive, "Have you got Jason out there? Want some alone time? Don't want to get interrupted?"
"No. It's not that."
"It is him, isn't it? Now he cannot even face me?" She asked, her voice higher than normal.
"Miss?" The customer's voice could be heard through the back from the diner.
"We have customers, guess no time for touchy-feely with Jason. Save that for your lunch break." Elizabeth said, and then turned around to do the dishes again.
"I'll be out in a second sir." She yelled.
She got closer to Elizabeth, "Get out of here. Call the police. Call Jason. Call Sonny. Just get help." Courtney said, and then left to go back out into the diner.
Was the diner being robbed? What was the trouble? Why did Courtney want her to leave? She started walking towards the front but the clicking of her heals on the linoleum was making a lot of noise. She unzipped the boots and left them there. She walked slowly towards the front and then ducked behind the counter.
"Ms. Spencer didn't want to come out. She says she a mess from cooking." Courtney stated, and then Elizabeth could hear her place the plate down on the table.
"Spencer, you say?" The man inquired.
"Yes."
"Is she any relation to Lucky Spencer?" He asked.
Elizabeth tried to listen close to his voice but still could not identify him.
"Yes. Do you know Lucky?" Courtney asked, taken back by the man's knowledge of Lucky.
"Not very well. I wanted to share something with him but he got a little greedy and wanted it all to himself. Is Ms. Spencer his wife?" He said, with the same sinister look.
"No, his aunt. His aunt and father run the diner."
"Oh, I see. Did Lucky ever get married? I heard he was going to."
"No, he's not. I mean-he didn't." Courtney said, feeling in her gut that this was the man that had raped Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, still crouched behind the counter could not for the life of her identify the speaker. Why would Courtney want her to leave and get help?
"Would you like anything else?" Courtney asked.
Elizabeth heard some change jingle. "Please, put some music on." he said, offering it to her. Elizabeth heard her shoes click as she walked over to the jukebox.
Believing this was her chance; Elizabeth raised her head slightly above the counter so she could see the man Courtney was so afraid of.
When she saw him she froze momentarily but had enough sense to duck out of view. When she had felt his presence earlier, she had been correct. How come she didn't instantly recognize his voice? Elizabeth realized that she should've listened to her instincts and punished herself mentally for just ignoring them.
But what she had told Zander that very morning was still true, no matter the circumstances. She was no longer going to let anyone walk all over her, especially HIM. She took a deep breath and started to silently crawl back into the kitchen.
She could softly hear music playing but the words did not register. She had to get out without alerting him. She looked towards the back door but knew she would never be able to move the refrigerator in front of it by herself.
She silently cursed herself as she looked around for any other escape.
Back in the diner, Courtney had retreated to the counter and heard nothing from the back. She hoped that Elizabeth had gotten out and found help. At this point, she wished for anyone to come, even if it was Coleman.
Her spirits rose briefly as the bells above the door jingled. She looked up to see Zander come into the diner.
"Hey Courtney," he said, coming up to the counter, "looks alive in here."
"Yeah." She said, trying to say it as calm as possible.
"So, where's Elizabeth? Kitchen?" He asked, and Courtney swallowed hard.
She did not even look over to see the man's expression. At that moment Zander was her only hope but she instantly thought of a way to throw the man off track and hopefully help save herself.
"She left with Jason five minutes after you dropped her off. They looked pretty . . . close." She stated, making sure to emphasize the fact that Elizabeth was not there.
Zander banged his fist on the counter.
"Thanks." He said harshly and walked off.
Courtney hoped that Zander would go straight to Jason.
But the second she turned back towards the man, he was staring directly at her.
He stood up and walked over, "I need some answers and I'm sure you have them for me."
Courtney then realized that she had sent someone away who could have been her only hope. She silently prayed that it wasn't a deadly mistake.
* * * Lucky's heart became black with anger as he saw the building where Tom use to have a studio. For a second his mind flashed back to the night he pulled Elizabeth up from the snow. She looked so terrified and at that moment he had wished nothing more than to find the man who did it and kill him.
But Elizabeth had needed him to help her rebuild her life. He had just pushed down his anger, assuming that he would never have the chance to act on it. And when Tom was arrested, Lucky had felt a slight bit of justice had been served. But now, nothing stopped him from killing the man.
Lucky was not violent by nature but he wanted so much to hurt this man. He wanted to beat him bloody and watch him suffer. But he knew that if he did this then he would be no better than Tom. So he pushed these thoughts aside, and opened the door.
As soon as the door was opened he was encountered by the smell of decay. Everything around him was dusty and broken.
He was about to leave; believing an investigation of the building would be fruitless, when he noticed shoe prints disturbing the dust. He followed the tracks down some stairs into the basement of the building.
Lucky pulled out his lighter, something he had always carried per Luke's advice, and lit up the area with the small flame. He followed the footprints to the farthest corner of the room. As the light from his flame fell upon the wall he stopped short and gasped.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Nikolas.
* * * The moment that Jason stepped into the police station, Taggart's eyes fell upon him. He pulled the toothpick that he had been chewing on since lunch out of his mouth and could not help himself from smiling arrogantly.
"Jason Morgan coming into the PCPD without police escort? Another one of Sonny's goons get arrested that I don't know about?" He heckled.
Jason said nothing and Taggart wasn't the least bit surprised.
"Okay, you're giving me the silent treatment. Not surprised." He said, and with that went back to filling out the case reports he had been working on.
But then Taggart momentarily thought back to the last time Jason had been here without police escort. He didn't even think twice, "Please tell me I'm paranoid, Morgan. The last time you were here, without cuffs, Elizabeth Webber was missing. Is that why you're here?"
The last thing Jason wanted to do was deal with Taggart and his arrogance but he knew that the cop had a soft spot when it came to Elizabeth Webber. Taggart had seen her suffer through the rape investigation and watched as she mourned Lucky's death. How could anyone not feel something for her after witnessing her outpour of emotions?
"Tom Baker is out of jail." He informed Taggart.
For a moment Jason could almost see something in Taggart's eyes.
"I didn't get that memo, Morgan." He said, standing up from his desk and searching around in his stacks of paper.
"Let me guess, inside information from one of your lackeys?" Taggart asked.
"She didn't show up for work this morning. She didn't come home last night. She hasn't been heard from since yesterday afternoon."
"Maybe she's trying to avoid you." Taggart suggested, picking up his coat and badge.
Jason said nothing, not wanting to give Taggart any satisfaction.
He started walking towards the door, "Morgan, which one of Sonny's enemies is out to get you? That would be the first place I'd start."
Jason said nothing and just followed. As the got out of the building, Jason turned off his cell phone. He did not want work to interrupt his search.
* * * "Thanks, Andreas." He said, and then turned off his phone.
He got out of his car and walked into the building. His mind occupied with a thousand images of Tom, Emily, and Elizabeth from years ago.
"Lucky?" He called into the vacant building.
"Down here." Came his voice, from somewhere deeper into the building.
"Lucky, I can't see. Can you come to me?" He asked.
Nikolas could see nothing inside the building but heard his brother approaching. He could see the small flame, as it grew larger.
"What did you want me to see?" He called out to the flame.
A moment later he could see Lucky. Lucky took hold of his arm and maneuvered him through the room to the stairs that led into the basement. Once there he led him across the room again to the farthest wall.
Lucky held the flame close to the wall to help Nikolas see what he had called him there to see, the hundreds of images and clippings.
Nikolas focused on one article specifically:
"FIRE AT LOCAL DINER CONTAINED
Small blaze, at local diner Kelly's, was started in the kitchen yesterday evening. Owner of the diner, Luke Spencer, was on the scene as well as Felicia Scorpio-Jones, the former wife of Police Commissioner Mac Scorpio. Fire fighters at the scene blame the fire on a small grease fire that went out of control due to improper methods to distinguish the flame. Four borders with rooms above the diner got out safely. No injuries reported at this time."
Next to the article was the accompanying picture of the front of the diner with smoke coming through the front door. To the side of the doorway was Elizabeth standing with Lucky looking terrified.
Nikolas glanced at other articles, each having something to do inadvertently to Elizabeth, have mention of her name, or contain a photograph that included her. Then there were separate single photographs taken after her rape. The last picture taken shortly before Tom was sent to prison.
Nikolas glanced at Lucky.
"That fire happened after he went to prison." Nikolas noted.
"Most of the articles pertain to events that took place after. Prisoners have access to the paper. He must have collected them." Lucky added.
Nikolas focused on another article that littered the wall:
"DECEPTION PRESIDENT'S SON TO MARRY SPOKESMODEL
Lucky Spencer, son of Laura Spencer and photographer for label, to wed Elizabeth Webber. Readers may recall Ms. Webber as one of the choices for the 'Face of Deception' campaign. In a shocking similarity, Nikolas Cassidine, estranged son of president Laura Spencer, is currently dating the second candidate for the position of the 'Face', Gia Campbell. Neither Ms. Spencer or the couple had any comments at press time."
The picture to the right of the article featured Elizabeth with Lucky, according to the caption. However, Lucky's face was cut out of the picture.
"That sick bastard."
"Any idea where he's headed?" Lucky asked, hopeful for any leads.
"His mother lives in Port Charles. Her house is barely a block away from Audrey's house."
Without wasting anymore time, the two started out towards the car.
* * * "I'm not sure what you're talking about." Courtney said, playing ignorance.
"You know." He said, then took hold of her arm and forcefully dragged her out from behind the counter.
He pulled her towards the doorway despite her efforts and locked the door. He shoved her into a chair at the corner table and sat down next to her.
"Elizabeth. Where is she?"
"I don't know." She answered, scared.
"You told that kid that she went off with Jason? Who's Jason?"
"Jason Morgan. He works for Sonny Corinthos." She answered.
"I'm familiar with the name, sweetheart." He said.
"I'm Sonny's sister. If anything happens to me . . ."She began.
He laughed in her face, "Yeah, and I'm Elvis. You look nothing like Sonny. Don't pull that shit with me, girlie."
She said nothing. He pulled out of his coat pocket some thin rope that almost looked like a clothesline. He tied her to the chair and then started pacing the floor of the restaurant.
"Her and her friends got me convicted. I'm never going back there. She is going to pay." He mumbled to no one imparticular.
"Where does she live?" He demanded.
"I'm not sure. We're not that close . . ." She started.
He banged his fist on the table, "You're not helping yourself, blondie."
He started rubbing his brow in frustration when a noise came from within the kitchen. Courtney tried not to flinch at the sound but could not help herself from peeking. He noticed.
The man went towards the kitchen to investigate the noise. Courtney eagerly and hastily pulled the rope around her wrist. It came loose rather quickly and she jumped out of the chair and lunged towards the door.
She unlocked it and thrust it open and ran, leaving Elizabeth alone to fend for herself against her rapist.
* * * Elizabeth had been in the back to hear the entire conversation. However, she was only partially listening as she tried to figure a way to escape without alerting Tom.
She had been hopeful when Zander came in that he would save them, but Courtney sent him away with some lame story.
Her next plan had been to run up the steps into Lucky's room. She still had the key in her purse and then she could climb down the fire escape. Of course, she hadn't thought of that before crawling back into the kitchen. And when she did think of it, Tom was in a position that he would catch her long before she made it to her purse.
With no other means of escape, Elizabeth started to think of tools she could use to protect herself and Courtney. She took a spray bottle and filled it pepper, chili powder, and water from the sink where she had been washing the dishes. She cut off the end of the sprayer with a knife to make sure that the pepper and chili would make it through the little filters of the bottle.
She considered pouring a slippery liquid on the floor but thought against it when she realized it might deter her own escape.
Then she set a pan full of water on the burner at full heat it hopes that she might be able to use it in the future.
In her search for anything else to use as a weapon, she knocked a can off the shelf. She turned in time to see him approach but luckily he did not see her. Just as he was about to, the diner door slammed and Tom turned back around to see that Courtney was gone.
"Shit." He muttered to himself.
"So, how long have you and Zander been close?" Courtney asked, curious.
"For a while. But we had a falling out over Jason a while back and I chose Jason over him. My mistake."
"Oh." Courtney said, not sure how to avoid the topic of Jason.
"But it's better this way. I know that no matter what, Zander won't lie to me. Sure, he's far from perfect, but I'm not going to let Jason ruin my life more than he has."
Courtney said nothing, still not sure that Elizabeth was being honest. Something still seemed off.
"What's with the clothes?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't hit a sour note.
"Oh, these old things.", Elizabeth said as she looked down at her outfit, "I use to dress like this all the time."
"Use to?"
"Long before you came to town. Even before I met Jason. I dressed all goody-goody for Lucky and then Jason; he goes after that type to. And who was I not to oblige?"
"So it was all just an act?" Courtney asked, still not believing what Elizabeth was preaching.
"I wouldn't call it an act. But everyone does it. Around this guy you dress one way but you run into someone else who likes it another way and you change your life to suit theirs. That's how it always happens."
"So Zander likes you like this?"
"He likes it, but this isn't for him. This is for me. I've decided that I'm not going to be whom everyone wants me to be, or expects me to be. I'm just going to be myself." She said, despite the fact she was looking down at the outfit in pure disgust.
Courtney didn't catch on.
After their conversation, Elizabeth spent most of the morning in the back washing dishes, not wanting to be seen by the public in her outfit. Having not worn anything this revealing since before her rape, she became very nervous. The idea that Tom was out, something she had tried to block out by planning revenge on Lucky and Jason, brought back many feelings that were becoming more overwhelming by the minute.
Courtney noticed the change but said nothing, still not wanting to get on Elizabeth's bad side again. She had not meant to hurt her and hoped that she could win back her friend's trust.
The bell above the door jingled and Courtney, who had been sitting at the counter reading a magazine, looked up. She recognized the man from the day before. He had come into Kelly's after her fight with A.J.
Last time he had just come in and looked around and left. She had wondered if she would ever see the strange man again or if he was just merely passing through.
"Hello, again." She greeted him cheerfully as he sat down at a table.
"Hello."
"The specials today are tuna salad on wheat, chicken salad on . . ."
She got interrupted, "Not another word, sweetie, I know just what I want."
The way he said it made her seem very uncomfortable in her own skin. She instantly went on alert as the last phone call from her stalker came to mind.
"What would that be?" She asked, trying to remain calm.
"Bacon, eggs, and toast with orange juice. I want the eggs over easy, the bacon on the side with some pepper, and the toast not burned. . ." He started.
Courtney hastily wrote down the order.
". . . got all that, sweetie?"
"Yes. I'll get your juice and give your order to the cook."
As Courtney dropped the order off she noticed that Elizabeth was now just sitting in the back next to the sink still full of dishes.
"Something wrong?" Courtney asked, hoping she wouldn't regret it.
Elizabeth snapped out of her trance, "I'm sorry. It's just . . . never mind."
Courtney did not want to pry and make Elizabeth feel uncomfortable but it was pretty obvious that something was wrong.
"Elizabeth, if you need to go home, I can take care of everything until Penny comes in."
Elizabeth looked up at Courtney and for a moment wanted to tell her everything on her mind. How at that very moment she felt something she had not felt in many years, HIS presence. How she felt like jumping out of her own skin and running into the arms one person, one man. But then she realized that she was about to pour out her weaknesses to the same person that had helped Jason break her heart and she closed off once again.
"Cold shiver down my spine, that's it." She said, getting back up and starting on the dishes.
"I know what you mean." Courtney mumbled as she went back outside with the juice for her only customer.
* * * Jason did not want to admit it, but he needed help from Lucky and Nikolas. They had firsthand witnessed what Tom had done in the past.
"You two are the experts." He said, stolid.
"We could alert Taggart that Tom might be back in town." Nikolas suggested.
"If Tom doesn't make a move, Taggart can't do anything." Lucky stated.
"Elizabeth is missing! Her rapist is out on the street as of a week ago. That is enough information for him to look into it." Nikolas added.
Jason got an idea, "Tom was a photographer. If he got out of jail then he would have to find means to support himself."
Lucky agreed, "I can go back to where he use to work and check a few things out. I'm a photographer so it would make sense for me to look for studio space."
"What can I do?" Nikolas asked.
"Use your resources to find out all you can about Tom. Especially if he has a family residence nearby." Jason suggested.
"Then what are you going to do?" Lucky asked.
Jason considered his options, "I'll talk to Taggart."
Both men were stunned by his admission.
"You go to Taggart?" Nikolas asked, almost on the verge of laughter.
Jason did not want to explain himself to Lucky or Nikolas, but he wanted to stay at least civil with them in hopes that their combined efforts could help Elizabeth.
"He helped me before." He said, and with that was off.
Both Nikolas and Lucky looked at eachother.
"You do realize that the second he finds anything he is going to run and try to be her savior, don't you?" Nikolas stated.
"I would too, especially if she is in the hands of that creep." Lucky stated, and took of in the opposite direction.
Nikolas let out a sigh and went on his way.
"I hope we're wrong." He mumbled to no one.
* * * When Courtney delivered the juice, he thanked her with a smile. But something about the smile seemed sinister and she just turned away.
"Miss?" He called.
She turned back around, "I was just wondering, how long have you worked here?"
"Why?" Courtney asked, suspicious.
"I use to be intimate friends with a waitress who worked here. I was just wondering if you could possibly give some information about her."
Courtney did not relax, "I haven't worked here that long."
"Oh, I see. It has been a few years so she must've left before you came."
Courtney studied the man's features and deduced that she had never seen him in the strip club. Perhaps she was getting nervous for nothing.
"A few of the waitresses here have been here for years. She could still work here." She offered to the man who seemed a little eager.
He took a sip of his juice and then licked his lips. The same sinister smile appeared before he began, "Off the top of my mind I cannot remember her name," He started, "She was a brunette naturally, but had the softest color dye in her hair then. It was down to her shoulders, at times she wore it straight but other times she wore it curled. Very petite girl, slender, soft flawless porcelain skin. And bold blue eyes, large, with such passion within them."
Courtney said nothing, the man's description of the woman made her even more uncomfortable.
"Anyone you know?" He asked, sounding a little to eager.
"Order up." Elizabeth called from the back.
His focus went towards the voice and instantly the pieces fell into place. Courtney realized he was describing Elizabeth.
"Another waitress in the back?" He asked.
"No. The owner is here." She said, stating the first thing that came to her mind.
"Invite her out. I'd love to compliment her on her diner." He said, a strange look in his eyes.
Before anything came to her mind to say, she walked towards the back. Elizabeth was still washing dishes.
"I was about to call you again. I thought you didn't hear me." She said, and then turned to face her.
Elizabeth could tell that something was amiss.
"What?" She asked, worried.
Courtney did not want to frighten Elizabeth and have her inadvertently alert the man in the diner. But the way Elizabeth looked at her she could tell that Elizabeth just knew that something was wrong. And then Courtney remembered something.
**"A few years ago I was raped."**
**"I use to be intimate friends with a waitress who worked here."**
"Elizabeth, go home." She suggested.
"Why?"
"You don't need to be here. It's slow. Penny comes in soon. Don't worry. Take some time off."
Elizabeth did not take Courtney's concern as sincere and instantly went on the defensive, "Have you got Jason out there? Want some alone time? Don't want to get interrupted?"
"No. It's not that."
"It is him, isn't it? Now he cannot even face me?" She asked, her voice higher than normal.
"Miss?" The customer's voice could be heard through the back from the diner.
"We have customers, guess no time for touchy-feely with Jason. Save that for your lunch break." Elizabeth said, and then turned around to do the dishes again.
"I'll be out in a second sir." She yelled.
She got closer to Elizabeth, "Get out of here. Call the police. Call Jason. Call Sonny. Just get help." Courtney said, and then left to go back out into the diner.
Was the diner being robbed? What was the trouble? Why did Courtney want her to leave? She started walking towards the front but the clicking of her heals on the linoleum was making a lot of noise. She unzipped the boots and left them there. She walked slowly towards the front and then ducked behind the counter.
"Ms. Spencer didn't want to come out. She says she a mess from cooking." Courtney stated, and then Elizabeth could hear her place the plate down on the table.
"Spencer, you say?" The man inquired.
"Yes."
"Is she any relation to Lucky Spencer?" He asked.
Elizabeth tried to listen close to his voice but still could not identify him.
"Yes. Do you know Lucky?" Courtney asked, taken back by the man's knowledge of Lucky.
"Not very well. I wanted to share something with him but he got a little greedy and wanted it all to himself. Is Ms. Spencer his wife?" He said, with the same sinister look.
"No, his aunt. His aunt and father run the diner."
"Oh, I see. Did Lucky ever get married? I heard he was going to."
"No, he's not. I mean-he didn't." Courtney said, feeling in her gut that this was the man that had raped Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, still crouched behind the counter could not for the life of her identify the speaker. Why would Courtney want her to leave and get help?
"Would you like anything else?" Courtney asked.
Elizabeth heard some change jingle. "Please, put some music on." he said, offering it to her. Elizabeth heard her shoes click as she walked over to the jukebox.
Believing this was her chance; Elizabeth raised her head slightly above the counter so she could see the man Courtney was so afraid of.
When she saw him she froze momentarily but had enough sense to duck out of view. When she had felt his presence earlier, she had been correct. How come she didn't instantly recognize his voice? Elizabeth realized that she should've listened to her instincts and punished herself mentally for just ignoring them.
But what she had told Zander that very morning was still true, no matter the circumstances. She was no longer going to let anyone walk all over her, especially HIM. She took a deep breath and started to silently crawl back into the kitchen.
She could softly hear music playing but the words did not register. She had to get out without alerting him. She looked towards the back door but knew she would never be able to move the refrigerator in front of it by herself.
She silently cursed herself as she looked around for any other escape.
Back in the diner, Courtney had retreated to the counter and heard nothing from the back. She hoped that Elizabeth had gotten out and found help. At this point, she wished for anyone to come, even if it was Coleman.
Her spirits rose briefly as the bells above the door jingled. She looked up to see Zander come into the diner.
"Hey Courtney," he said, coming up to the counter, "looks alive in here."
"Yeah." She said, trying to say it as calm as possible.
"So, where's Elizabeth? Kitchen?" He asked, and Courtney swallowed hard.
She did not even look over to see the man's expression. At that moment Zander was her only hope but she instantly thought of a way to throw the man off track and hopefully help save herself.
"She left with Jason five minutes after you dropped her off. They looked pretty . . . close." She stated, making sure to emphasize the fact that Elizabeth was not there.
Zander banged his fist on the counter.
"Thanks." He said harshly and walked off.
Courtney hoped that Zander would go straight to Jason.
But the second she turned back towards the man, he was staring directly at her.
He stood up and walked over, "I need some answers and I'm sure you have them for me."
Courtney then realized that she had sent someone away who could have been her only hope. She silently prayed that it wasn't a deadly mistake.
* * * Lucky's heart became black with anger as he saw the building where Tom use to have a studio. For a second his mind flashed back to the night he pulled Elizabeth up from the snow. She looked so terrified and at that moment he had wished nothing more than to find the man who did it and kill him.
But Elizabeth had needed him to help her rebuild her life. He had just pushed down his anger, assuming that he would never have the chance to act on it. And when Tom was arrested, Lucky had felt a slight bit of justice had been served. But now, nothing stopped him from killing the man.
Lucky was not violent by nature but he wanted so much to hurt this man. He wanted to beat him bloody and watch him suffer. But he knew that if he did this then he would be no better than Tom. So he pushed these thoughts aside, and opened the door.
As soon as the door was opened he was encountered by the smell of decay. Everything around him was dusty and broken.
He was about to leave; believing an investigation of the building would be fruitless, when he noticed shoe prints disturbing the dust. He followed the tracks down some stairs into the basement of the building.
Lucky pulled out his lighter, something he had always carried per Luke's advice, and lit up the area with the small flame. He followed the footprints to the farthest corner of the room. As the light from his flame fell upon the wall he stopped short and gasped.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Nikolas.
* * * The moment that Jason stepped into the police station, Taggart's eyes fell upon him. He pulled the toothpick that he had been chewing on since lunch out of his mouth and could not help himself from smiling arrogantly.
"Jason Morgan coming into the PCPD without police escort? Another one of Sonny's goons get arrested that I don't know about?" He heckled.
Jason said nothing and Taggart wasn't the least bit surprised.
"Okay, you're giving me the silent treatment. Not surprised." He said, and with that went back to filling out the case reports he had been working on.
But then Taggart momentarily thought back to the last time Jason had been here without police escort. He didn't even think twice, "Please tell me I'm paranoid, Morgan. The last time you were here, without cuffs, Elizabeth Webber was missing. Is that why you're here?"
The last thing Jason wanted to do was deal with Taggart and his arrogance but he knew that the cop had a soft spot when it came to Elizabeth Webber. Taggart had seen her suffer through the rape investigation and watched as she mourned Lucky's death. How could anyone not feel something for her after witnessing her outpour of emotions?
"Tom Baker is out of jail." He informed Taggart.
For a moment Jason could almost see something in Taggart's eyes.
"I didn't get that memo, Morgan." He said, standing up from his desk and searching around in his stacks of paper.
"Let me guess, inside information from one of your lackeys?" Taggart asked.
"She didn't show up for work this morning. She didn't come home last night. She hasn't been heard from since yesterday afternoon."
"Maybe she's trying to avoid you." Taggart suggested, picking up his coat and badge.
Jason said nothing, not wanting to give Taggart any satisfaction.
He started walking towards the door, "Morgan, which one of Sonny's enemies is out to get you? That would be the first place I'd start."
Jason said nothing and just followed. As the got out of the building, Jason turned off his cell phone. He did not want work to interrupt his search.
* * * "Thanks, Andreas." He said, and then turned off his phone.
He got out of his car and walked into the building. His mind occupied with a thousand images of Tom, Emily, and Elizabeth from years ago.
"Lucky?" He called into the vacant building.
"Down here." Came his voice, from somewhere deeper into the building.
"Lucky, I can't see. Can you come to me?" He asked.
Nikolas could see nothing inside the building but heard his brother approaching. He could see the small flame, as it grew larger.
"What did you want me to see?" He called out to the flame.
A moment later he could see Lucky. Lucky took hold of his arm and maneuvered him through the room to the stairs that led into the basement. Once there he led him across the room again to the farthest wall.
Lucky held the flame close to the wall to help Nikolas see what he had called him there to see, the hundreds of images and clippings.
Nikolas focused on one article specifically:
"FIRE AT LOCAL DINER CONTAINED
Small blaze, at local diner Kelly's, was started in the kitchen yesterday evening. Owner of the diner, Luke Spencer, was on the scene as well as Felicia Scorpio-Jones, the former wife of Police Commissioner Mac Scorpio. Fire fighters at the scene blame the fire on a small grease fire that went out of control due to improper methods to distinguish the flame. Four borders with rooms above the diner got out safely. No injuries reported at this time."
Next to the article was the accompanying picture of the front of the diner with smoke coming through the front door. To the side of the doorway was Elizabeth standing with Lucky looking terrified.
Nikolas glanced at other articles, each having something to do inadvertently to Elizabeth, have mention of her name, or contain a photograph that included her. Then there were separate single photographs taken after her rape. The last picture taken shortly before Tom was sent to prison.
Nikolas glanced at Lucky.
"That fire happened after he went to prison." Nikolas noted.
"Most of the articles pertain to events that took place after. Prisoners have access to the paper. He must have collected them." Lucky added.
Nikolas focused on another article that littered the wall:
"DECEPTION PRESIDENT'S SON TO MARRY SPOKESMODEL
Lucky Spencer, son of Laura Spencer and photographer for label, to wed Elizabeth Webber. Readers may recall Ms. Webber as one of the choices for the 'Face of Deception' campaign. In a shocking similarity, Nikolas Cassidine, estranged son of president Laura Spencer, is currently dating the second candidate for the position of the 'Face', Gia Campbell. Neither Ms. Spencer or the couple had any comments at press time."
The picture to the right of the article featured Elizabeth with Lucky, according to the caption. However, Lucky's face was cut out of the picture.
"That sick bastard."
"Any idea where he's headed?" Lucky asked, hopeful for any leads.
"His mother lives in Port Charles. Her house is barely a block away from Audrey's house."
Without wasting anymore time, the two started out towards the car.
* * * "I'm not sure what you're talking about." Courtney said, playing ignorance.
"You know." He said, then took hold of her arm and forcefully dragged her out from behind the counter.
He pulled her towards the doorway despite her efforts and locked the door. He shoved her into a chair at the corner table and sat down next to her.
"Elizabeth. Where is she?"
"I don't know." She answered, scared.
"You told that kid that she went off with Jason? Who's Jason?"
"Jason Morgan. He works for Sonny Corinthos." She answered.
"I'm familiar with the name, sweetheart." He said.
"I'm Sonny's sister. If anything happens to me . . ."She began.
He laughed in her face, "Yeah, and I'm Elvis. You look nothing like Sonny. Don't pull that shit with me, girlie."
She said nothing. He pulled out of his coat pocket some thin rope that almost looked like a clothesline. He tied her to the chair and then started pacing the floor of the restaurant.
"Her and her friends got me convicted. I'm never going back there. She is going to pay." He mumbled to no one imparticular.
"Where does she live?" He demanded.
"I'm not sure. We're not that close . . ." She started.
He banged his fist on the table, "You're not helping yourself, blondie."
He started rubbing his brow in frustration when a noise came from within the kitchen. Courtney tried not to flinch at the sound but could not help herself from peeking. He noticed.
The man went towards the kitchen to investigate the noise. Courtney eagerly and hastily pulled the rope around her wrist. It came loose rather quickly and she jumped out of the chair and lunged towards the door.
She unlocked it and thrust it open and ran, leaving Elizabeth alone to fend for herself against her rapist.
* * * Elizabeth had been in the back to hear the entire conversation. However, she was only partially listening as she tried to figure a way to escape without alerting Tom.
She had been hopeful when Zander came in that he would save them, but Courtney sent him away with some lame story.
Her next plan had been to run up the steps into Lucky's room. She still had the key in her purse and then she could climb down the fire escape. Of course, she hadn't thought of that before crawling back into the kitchen. And when she did think of it, Tom was in a position that he would catch her long before she made it to her purse.
With no other means of escape, Elizabeth started to think of tools she could use to protect herself and Courtney. She took a spray bottle and filled it pepper, chili powder, and water from the sink where she had been washing the dishes. She cut off the end of the sprayer with a knife to make sure that the pepper and chili would make it through the little filters of the bottle.
She considered pouring a slippery liquid on the floor but thought against it when she realized it might deter her own escape.
Then she set a pan full of water on the burner at full heat it hopes that she might be able to use it in the future.
In her search for anything else to use as a weapon, she knocked a can off the shelf. She turned in time to see him approach but luckily he did not see her. Just as he was about to, the diner door slammed and Tom turned back around to see that Courtney was gone.
"Shit." He muttered to himself.
