"Frisco, all the access codes and contact numbers have been changed. The
entire changeover is going smoothly. None of Alcazar's contacts are
showing any signs that they suspect us. With all the people in this town
who wanted him gone, no one is looking in our direction. We have heard
from everyone except those in the no contact zones. We aren't expecting
any contact from those groups for three days. There is nothing we can do
about them for now."
"That is good work. Let me know as each of the teams in those zones check in."
He nodded his head. "Wasn't that dangerous?" he asked.
"What?"
"Telling Mrs Jacks about us. You could have given her any number of stories and we would have made it look like the truth. Lord knows we have done it several times before. Yet you stuck with the truth. Why? It seems to me that the truth is a lot more than she needed to know."
"Actually, I didn't tell her anything she didn't already know." I replied.
"What? I was watching from the window. I didn't see anything in her behaviour to indicate that she had heard of us."
"She's good, isn't she. She was testing us. She wanted to know how much of the truth I was willing to share with her. The only new information I gave her was about Alcazar."
"How does she know about the WSB?"
"She has helped out some of our agents in the past."
"That's not in the records."
Laughing, "You my friend are to much of a desk jockey. You should get out more. You would be surprised at how many things aren't in the records. I found out about Skye from a couple of ex-agents. They made references to her but they left her name out of the actual reports. It was the first thing that I checked when I decided to contact her. Alcazar had access to our files. If her name had come up anywhere, he never would have let her near him. It is the same problem se had every time we tried to send in an agent to get close to him. It didn't matter what cover we used. If the agent was anywhere in our files, Alcazar would find that file and then he eliminated the agent."
"We could have done the job without her."
"Eventually, yes. But she was in the right position at the right time for us to do the job now. There is a second reason we used her for this job. We need her for something else. But she isn't someone who trusts easily nor can she be approached directly. We needed to start building that trust and those ties now if we want her to go along with what the bureau has in mind later."
"I think I understand the strategy. Trust her with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Make her feel part of some conspiracy. Are you sure this isn't going to make her run in the other direction?"
"She is a lot tougher than she looks. We are filling a basic need for her. We are giving her trust. We aren't just telling her we trust her. We are giving her proof that we do. We are letting her do things for us. That will reel her in a lot quicker than all the fancy words and promises in all the world will do. For Skye, actions speak a lot louder."
"Sounds like a lot of work. I hope it will be worth it in the end. So Frisco, Where is Sam? He is usually hanging around looking for something constructive to do, basically driving us nuts after an assignment. Yet today he disappeared right after filing his report. Chris said he took his gear with him. What happened? Did you finally manage to convince the man to take a vacation?"
"Not yet. I sent him over to the hospital to make sure everything goes smoothly. He called a few hours ago to inform us that switching the toxicology reports went smoothly. Skye is still sleeping off the effects of the sedative he gave her. He expects her to wade up sometime this afternoon."
"That explains why he isn't here looking over our shoulders but what about his gear?"
"After he made sure that everyone at the hospital was falling in line with our plans, he moved into Skye's lake house, changed; and went back to the hospital to establish his new cover. He will be taking care of Skye.
"Aaaaaaahhhhh, Do you think that it is wise to put him in the same room with her. I mean, from what I have read in her file, she can be somewhat vindictive. He did leave some nasty bruises."
Laughing, "Yes she can. Actually it was part of the deal I made with her. She insisted that whoever created the bruises should be the one to take care of her afterwards. I wouldn't be surprised to find that she keeps him busy and has a few surprises in store for him. She will keep him running for a couple of days. And he is feeling guilty enough to endure anything she throws at him for at least that long. Besides, it falls in nicely with my plans. I wanted someone next to her. Now I just have to find a way to keep Sam there."
At the Hospital Where the HELL is her family? Sam thought as he looked at his watch again in frustration. I know damn well that they called her father. The guy is the administrator of this bloody hospital. Where the hell is he? Jesus Christ, if a child of mine had been brought in to the emergency room drugged and raped, I sure as hell wouldn't be taking my precious time getting down to see her. Sure that isn't what really happened, but they don't know that.
And isn't there a brother or something? If they think so little of here that they don't bother showing up two hours after being told that she is in the hospital; then they probably didn't bother to call him either.
What about the husband? Is he to busy screwing that bimbo Alcazar was sleeping with that he can't take the time to find out how is wife is. They called him. I know they did. I heard the nurse leaving a message on his voice mail. So much for love, honour, and cherish. What a jackass! Surely she could do better.
No wonder Frisco figured that she would need be down here. She is going to wake up in about an hour and a half and not one of her so-called family has made an appearance. If someone doesn't show his or her face down here by then, I am going to spring her from this place. That detective can question her at home. The hospital has everything the need. The lab report clearly states that she was drugged. All the bruises and physical evidence has been gathered, recorded, reported, and properly documented. The only thing left was to establish the story with the family. If this is all the response that lot can give to her being here, then we might as well leave. She can deal with their false concern at home.
With family like this, who needs enemies? Where is her family, friends, hell even her husband? Is this what she has dealt with all her life? I mean, if you are going to scream that you don't really give a damn about someone, not showing up when something this bad happens is definitely the way to do it.
Damn it! I wanted to establish my place in her life with her family. I wanted to start the gossip mill rolling. Nothing works better for establishing an identity than having everyone talking about you. How the hell am I going to do that if no one ever shows up? When people ask who the hell I am, I wanted her family to have some sort of answer. Like maybe that's Sam Gemins, Skye's friend, he is staying with Skye for a while. It wouldn't hurt to have that bit of news fall into her no show husband's lap. Why not let the bastard think that he was easily replaced? He obviously isn't showing any concern for his wife's feelings.
It is going to make my job that much harder if everyone is shaking there heads like they don't have a clue. Obviously they must do that way to often. Doesn't anybody take an interest in what she is up to? This situation is unacceptable. Living so isolated isn't healthy. And it also makes it harder to establish my cover. When she is back on her feet, I am definitely going to have to do something drastic to make my new identity known.
Sam walked up to the counter again. "Excuse me, nurse Marcy."
"Yes Mr Gemins."
"Has any of Mrs Jacks' family called?"
I think she took pity on me because I was the only one here to see Skye. "Her father asked to be called when his daughter wakes up."
"Thank you"
Asked to be called when she wakes up! What about coming down here and giving her some damn support? Or is that too much to ask? What kind of wake up call does that family need in order to act like a family? Screw family, how about some humanly concern? Yes something has to change and I am just the person to do it.
I picked up my phone and dialled. "Frisco here"
"Frisco, it's Sam."
I immediately had his attention. "What's wrong?" I could hear the worry in his voice. I don't call in outside of my normal check in times unless there is a problem.
"No, no problem." I could tell that Frisco wasn't convinced without his ever saying a word. I could hear him shifting about like he was going to give an order to fix whatever disaster he imagined I had come across.
"Really, all I need is more information about Skye's family. I was wondering if you would send me their profiles."
I could hear Frisco relaxing on the other end of the phone line. "Sure, I will have Henry download them to the usual account. Do you want to tell be what this is about Sam?"
"I just want to check up on who I will be dealing with."
"Henry says that his downloading them now. You should have access to them in about five minutes."
"Thanks Frisco."
"Any time."
I hung up. Five minutes. That is about how long it will take me to set up. I pulled my computer from my briefcase. Time to do a little research.
Back at headquarters
Frisco hung up. Hmm. Sam seems to be getting into this assignment. Good. Maybe he can find something we can use. He is already digging into the profiles of the people around Skye.
Skye isn't going to be easily sold on this idea. Ideally, this job is perfect for her. We need someone just like her, someone who doesn't become squeamish over our tactics. Someone who not only won't get upset if we ask her to lie to protect our people, but also can lie well. Someone with business experience. This job requires running a company. She will not only have to run the company, it will have to be successful, very successful. Our WSB connections will only go so far. We need this company to be legitimate. Which means it has to not only make a profit, it has to catch the eye of the business world and hold it. If this is going to work, the World Security Bureau can't be bailing this company out. It has to be able to hold it's own to face the kind of scrutiny that will eventually be thrown at it.
Skye's more than qualified. She has the appropriate degrees. Her marks are quite impressive. She studied under Adam Chandler, her adoptive father, a wise move. The man obviously taught her something about making money. She has several good investments. Luring her in with the promise of money isn't going to work. The lady is already set for life.
The challenge might be an incentive. She managed to take over her grandfather's business without spending any of her own money on the venture. That says a lot. She is smart, persuasive and devious. It also says that she didn't really want the company. It was a challenge. When she took ELQ public, she could have boughten controlling interest. She didn't. She chooses instead to practically hand it over to the corporate raider she later married.
Why? Maybe she wasn't really after the company. Maybe she was after something else, something more personal.
Her personal history is definitely more colourful.
Sold as a black-market baby, raised by one parent who was an abusive drunk and ignored by the other. Hell, boarding school was probably the kindest gift those two ever gave her.
Three failed marriages, perhaps four. This latest husband is looking more and more like another deadbeat. It is just as well. We might have had problems getting her to agree to this if he was to close to her. She might not have wanted to keep secrets from him. This way, if he ever does come back, I don't believe that she will have any problem lying to him. Finding that your husband is bedding another woman tends to do that.
Maybe we could use the relationship angle to lure her in. Let's see. Husband number one and three don't look like such bad guys, just unfaithful. Husband number two, what was she thinking? The guy had mob connections. He drugged her, locked her in an attic and tried to kill her. I notice that she later used some of her husband's mob connections. The latest is a billionaire who moved in with his ex-fiancé. None of these guys have anything in common. There is nothing here to distinguish the type of man she would be attracted to. She has dated artists, mechanics, cops, doctors, lawyers, and actors. Some she supported. Some supported her. They all have varying backgrounds and income brackets. There aren't any physical similarities between them. Tall, short, handsome, average, hell a couple I would even describe as ugly. Blond, brunette, bald, it doesn't seem to matter. I can only find one defining characteristic in all of these relationships. While she was with them, she was with them exclusively. She must really think that it is over with her current husband then, to have slept with Alcazar.
We aren't going to be able to use the boyfriend/relationship angle. It is just as well. She understands sex as a weapon. Hell, didn't she just use it to get to Alcazar? If an agent started getting serious with her right when we need her to do this, she would see through it immediately. It would most definitely backfire in our faces.
No, I think our current angle is the best one. We start with her insecurities. The big ones being trust and support. Skye is very much the lone wolf. Teaching her to play on a team may not be so easy. I am sure though that she will see the advantages to having someone behind her that will back up anything she says and does.
Then there is what isn't in this profile. What the WSB doesn't know. If it hadn't been for Anna and Robert's recommendations, I never would have looked at her. I never would have known what she is really capable of. Of course if either Anna or Robert were aware that the other was still alive, they might tell a different story. I sure as hell am not going to tell them. Or maybe they wouldn't. It wasn't her goal to keep them together. All they asked of her was to keep them alive and safe until the WSB and all the other forces that wanted them dead stopped hunting them. Safe just long enough for the pressure to die down. Not any easy task. Yet she did it. The safeguards that she put in place so many years ago are still protecting Robert.
That's why her name isn't connected to us in the files. She may have stopped the WSB from making the mistake of executing two wrongly accused agents, but she did so by convincing everyone that Anna and Robert were dead. Even I have to admit, it was a brilliant manoeuvre. Hell, Even Anna and Robert were convinced that the other was killed. The WSB wouldn't like knowing that she managed to dupe them for how many years? The last thing the big shots at the World Security Bureau needs to know is that she managed to infiltrate our organization and switch the DNA files that identified them as dead. Until Anna resurfaced, no one realized that it had happened. No, no one needs to know that she is the one who did it. Robert's file still lists him as dead.
She could probably teach the witness relocation programs a thing or two about hiding other people.
She probably won't thank Anna and Robert if she ever discovers that as a thank you for saving their ass, they recommended her for this.
Back at the hospital
Jesus Christ, Sam swore as he finished the last of the files. What the hell do these people have to feel so smog about? Some of these profiles make Skye look like a bloody kitten.
One thing is certain, none of these people have the bloody right to sit in judgement to anything Skye has done. Quite the family really.
A gangster half brother whom the family is desperately trying to drag back into the family. It is amazing that this family can seemingly forgive this Jason character who routinely breaks any number of laws from physical violence, extortion, and even murder on the say so of a certain crime lord yet they seem to have trouble with the occasional lie or blackmail that Skye might tell on occasion. What? Has her crimes just not been great enough to gather their respect yet. These people really need to get their priorities straight.
Her cousin, Ned Ashton has been married four or is that five times. I don't know. Does one count the time he was married to two women at the same time? Amazingly he wasn't sued over the incident. After all it is a crime. Those two girls could have thrown his rear in jail for it. And how did a man who slept with his uncle's wife, Monica, get to be the families gatekeeper? Then there is this latest business of having gotten his ex- fiancé pregnant while courting the woman's sister. I would think they would look to someone with a little more moral backbone. But then, I guess they really don't have that much to choose from. I see the one wife, Lois, left him with their child to give the child a healthier environment to be raised in. I can't say that I blame her. Finding out her husband married another woman within days after wedding her couldn't have been much of a confidence builder.
AJ Quartermaine, the only one of the lot who seems to realize that he can't judge his sister. An alcoholic, but I can't hold that against him because so is Skye. He has a son. There apparently was some confusion over the child's paternity. He has an ongoing feud with his ex-wife's current husband/his child's adoptive father, Sonny Corinthos. He married Corinthos's sister, but there seems to be some question as to his motives for being involved with his enemy's sibling.
Alan and Monica Quartermaine, a more confused and deranged couple, I have rarely had the chance to read about. What haven't they done? They cheat on each other. They stab each other in the back, blackmailed, schemed, divorced, and remarried each other several times. Interesting couple.
Someone could probably make a fortune on a tell all book about the sex scandals that rock the Quartermaine family.
Edward Quartermaine. What isn't this man guilty of? Blackmail, Extortion, insider trading, black market ring. He even sold his granddaughter on the black market. For a so-called legitimate businessman, he sure has some unique connections.
There is a daughter Tracy. But she's not in Port Charles at the moment and I doubt that she will put in an appearance.
Then there is Justice Ward. Child by one of Edward's known and acknowledged illegitimate children. Interesting record. But no one seems to know where he is. I will have to have him located. I hate surprises.
The only people here who don't have a long dossier are Lila and Emily Quartermaine. Emily Quartermaine besides a rather questionable taste in boyfriends, her record is fairly clean compared to the rest of the family. She is probably to young. Give her a few years. I'm sure she will catch up.
Lila Quartermaine. A completely clean record. How can anyone be a part of this mess of a family and have a completely clean record?
I looked up and around. Almost noon and no sign of any of the Quartermaine tribe. Well, I guess I'm not going to have to worry about them interfering with our plans. She should be waking up about right now.
Sam shook his head. There is nothing wrong with her that I can't take care of. As soon as she wakes up I'm going to spring her from this place. Anyone wanting to share get well wishes or false sympathies can damn well take the time to visit her at home.
I put the computer away and studied the comings and goings in front of Skye's room. Getting in was easy.
I saw her lying there. Pale, unconscious, bruised and dressed in a hospital gown and the woman still manages to look gorgeous. She also looks so frail. I would never have guessed by looking at her now that this was the same woman who did everything in that profile. Probably more if I go by what few hints Frisco has given me. I moved up closer to study her. I winced a little with guilt when I saw the bruise on her face. Maybe I went a little overboard.
I could see her stirring in bed. Inwardly I cringed as a grimace of pain showed on her face. She is going to be sore for a few days. She slowly opened her eyes and gave a blurry look, like she hadn't quite managed to focus yet. I could see her moving to stretch and I knew the second she felt her bruised muscles move.
I moved into her line of vision. "Don't move yet. Those bruises are going to hurt for a few days. It would be better if you just took it easy for a while. I don't want you to over tax those muscles while they are healing." I studied her face as her emotions briefly passed across it. First confusion. Then recognition. I waited. I knew she recognized me. I'm not sure exactly what I expected her reaction to be. Anger, maybe upset, a temper tantrum. After reading her profile yesterday I sort of expect to be thrown out of the room. The reaction she did finally give me practically knocked me to my knees in surprise. She smiled.
Oh the poor guy looks so guilty. Skye thought while a rather self- satisfied grin crossed her face. I can tell from just looking at him that Frisco hadn't told him that I asked that he be here. He probably thought that I would slug him or something. I probably would have if A) I could comfortably move and B) I hadn't asked for him in the first place. The poor man looks so bloody contrite. Oh good. This is going to be so much fun.
"That is good work. Let me know as each of the teams in those zones check in."
He nodded his head. "Wasn't that dangerous?" he asked.
"What?"
"Telling Mrs Jacks about us. You could have given her any number of stories and we would have made it look like the truth. Lord knows we have done it several times before. Yet you stuck with the truth. Why? It seems to me that the truth is a lot more than she needed to know."
"Actually, I didn't tell her anything she didn't already know." I replied.
"What? I was watching from the window. I didn't see anything in her behaviour to indicate that she had heard of us."
"She's good, isn't she. She was testing us. She wanted to know how much of the truth I was willing to share with her. The only new information I gave her was about Alcazar."
"How does she know about the WSB?"
"She has helped out some of our agents in the past."
"That's not in the records."
Laughing, "You my friend are to much of a desk jockey. You should get out more. You would be surprised at how many things aren't in the records. I found out about Skye from a couple of ex-agents. They made references to her but they left her name out of the actual reports. It was the first thing that I checked when I decided to contact her. Alcazar had access to our files. If her name had come up anywhere, he never would have let her near him. It is the same problem se had every time we tried to send in an agent to get close to him. It didn't matter what cover we used. If the agent was anywhere in our files, Alcazar would find that file and then he eliminated the agent."
"We could have done the job without her."
"Eventually, yes. But she was in the right position at the right time for us to do the job now. There is a second reason we used her for this job. We need her for something else. But she isn't someone who trusts easily nor can she be approached directly. We needed to start building that trust and those ties now if we want her to go along with what the bureau has in mind later."
"I think I understand the strategy. Trust her with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Make her feel part of some conspiracy. Are you sure this isn't going to make her run in the other direction?"
"She is a lot tougher than she looks. We are filling a basic need for her. We are giving her trust. We aren't just telling her we trust her. We are giving her proof that we do. We are letting her do things for us. That will reel her in a lot quicker than all the fancy words and promises in all the world will do. For Skye, actions speak a lot louder."
"Sounds like a lot of work. I hope it will be worth it in the end. So Frisco, Where is Sam? He is usually hanging around looking for something constructive to do, basically driving us nuts after an assignment. Yet today he disappeared right after filing his report. Chris said he took his gear with him. What happened? Did you finally manage to convince the man to take a vacation?"
"Not yet. I sent him over to the hospital to make sure everything goes smoothly. He called a few hours ago to inform us that switching the toxicology reports went smoothly. Skye is still sleeping off the effects of the sedative he gave her. He expects her to wade up sometime this afternoon."
"That explains why he isn't here looking over our shoulders but what about his gear?"
"After he made sure that everyone at the hospital was falling in line with our plans, he moved into Skye's lake house, changed; and went back to the hospital to establish his new cover. He will be taking care of Skye.
"Aaaaaaahhhhh, Do you think that it is wise to put him in the same room with her. I mean, from what I have read in her file, she can be somewhat vindictive. He did leave some nasty bruises."
Laughing, "Yes she can. Actually it was part of the deal I made with her. She insisted that whoever created the bruises should be the one to take care of her afterwards. I wouldn't be surprised to find that she keeps him busy and has a few surprises in store for him. She will keep him running for a couple of days. And he is feeling guilty enough to endure anything she throws at him for at least that long. Besides, it falls in nicely with my plans. I wanted someone next to her. Now I just have to find a way to keep Sam there."
At the Hospital Where the HELL is her family? Sam thought as he looked at his watch again in frustration. I know damn well that they called her father. The guy is the administrator of this bloody hospital. Where the hell is he? Jesus Christ, if a child of mine had been brought in to the emergency room drugged and raped, I sure as hell wouldn't be taking my precious time getting down to see her. Sure that isn't what really happened, but they don't know that.
And isn't there a brother or something? If they think so little of here that they don't bother showing up two hours after being told that she is in the hospital; then they probably didn't bother to call him either.
What about the husband? Is he to busy screwing that bimbo Alcazar was sleeping with that he can't take the time to find out how is wife is. They called him. I know they did. I heard the nurse leaving a message on his voice mail. So much for love, honour, and cherish. What a jackass! Surely she could do better.
No wonder Frisco figured that she would need be down here. She is going to wake up in about an hour and a half and not one of her so-called family has made an appearance. If someone doesn't show his or her face down here by then, I am going to spring her from this place. That detective can question her at home. The hospital has everything the need. The lab report clearly states that she was drugged. All the bruises and physical evidence has been gathered, recorded, reported, and properly documented. The only thing left was to establish the story with the family. If this is all the response that lot can give to her being here, then we might as well leave. She can deal with their false concern at home.
With family like this, who needs enemies? Where is her family, friends, hell even her husband? Is this what she has dealt with all her life? I mean, if you are going to scream that you don't really give a damn about someone, not showing up when something this bad happens is definitely the way to do it.
Damn it! I wanted to establish my place in her life with her family. I wanted to start the gossip mill rolling. Nothing works better for establishing an identity than having everyone talking about you. How the hell am I going to do that if no one ever shows up? When people ask who the hell I am, I wanted her family to have some sort of answer. Like maybe that's Sam Gemins, Skye's friend, he is staying with Skye for a while. It wouldn't hurt to have that bit of news fall into her no show husband's lap. Why not let the bastard think that he was easily replaced? He obviously isn't showing any concern for his wife's feelings.
It is going to make my job that much harder if everyone is shaking there heads like they don't have a clue. Obviously they must do that way to often. Doesn't anybody take an interest in what she is up to? This situation is unacceptable. Living so isolated isn't healthy. And it also makes it harder to establish my cover. When she is back on her feet, I am definitely going to have to do something drastic to make my new identity known.
Sam walked up to the counter again. "Excuse me, nurse Marcy."
"Yes Mr Gemins."
"Has any of Mrs Jacks' family called?"
I think she took pity on me because I was the only one here to see Skye. "Her father asked to be called when his daughter wakes up."
"Thank you"
Asked to be called when she wakes up! What about coming down here and giving her some damn support? Or is that too much to ask? What kind of wake up call does that family need in order to act like a family? Screw family, how about some humanly concern? Yes something has to change and I am just the person to do it.
I picked up my phone and dialled. "Frisco here"
"Frisco, it's Sam."
I immediately had his attention. "What's wrong?" I could hear the worry in his voice. I don't call in outside of my normal check in times unless there is a problem.
"No, no problem." I could tell that Frisco wasn't convinced without his ever saying a word. I could hear him shifting about like he was going to give an order to fix whatever disaster he imagined I had come across.
"Really, all I need is more information about Skye's family. I was wondering if you would send me their profiles."
I could hear Frisco relaxing on the other end of the phone line. "Sure, I will have Henry download them to the usual account. Do you want to tell be what this is about Sam?"
"I just want to check up on who I will be dealing with."
"Henry says that his downloading them now. You should have access to them in about five minutes."
"Thanks Frisco."
"Any time."
I hung up. Five minutes. That is about how long it will take me to set up. I pulled my computer from my briefcase. Time to do a little research.
Back at headquarters
Frisco hung up. Hmm. Sam seems to be getting into this assignment. Good. Maybe he can find something we can use. He is already digging into the profiles of the people around Skye.
Skye isn't going to be easily sold on this idea. Ideally, this job is perfect for her. We need someone just like her, someone who doesn't become squeamish over our tactics. Someone who not only won't get upset if we ask her to lie to protect our people, but also can lie well. Someone with business experience. This job requires running a company. She will not only have to run the company, it will have to be successful, very successful. Our WSB connections will only go so far. We need this company to be legitimate. Which means it has to not only make a profit, it has to catch the eye of the business world and hold it. If this is going to work, the World Security Bureau can't be bailing this company out. It has to be able to hold it's own to face the kind of scrutiny that will eventually be thrown at it.
Skye's more than qualified. She has the appropriate degrees. Her marks are quite impressive. She studied under Adam Chandler, her adoptive father, a wise move. The man obviously taught her something about making money. She has several good investments. Luring her in with the promise of money isn't going to work. The lady is already set for life.
The challenge might be an incentive. She managed to take over her grandfather's business without spending any of her own money on the venture. That says a lot. She is smart, persuasive and devious. It also says that she didn't really want the company. It was a challenge. When she took ELQ public, she could have boughten controlling interest. She didn't. She chooses instead to practically hand it over to the corporate raider she later married.
Why? Maybe she wasn't really after the company. Maybe she was after something else, something more personal.
Her personal history is definitely more colourful.
Sold as a black-market baby, raised by one parent who was an abusive drunk and ignored by the other. Hell, boarding school was probably the kindest gift those two ever gave her.
Three failed marriages, perhaps four. This latest husband is looking more and more like another deadbeat. It is just as well. We might have had problems getting her to agree to this if he was to close to her. She might not have wanted to keep secrets from him. This way, if he ever does come back, I don't believe that she will have any problem lying to him. Finding that your husband is bedding another woman tends to do that.
Maybe we could use the relationship angle to lure her in. Let's see. Husband number one and three don't look like such bad guys, just unfaithful. Husband number two, what was she thinking? The guy had mob connections. He drugged her, locked her in an attic and tried to kill her. I notice that she later used some of her husband's mob connections. The latest is a billionaire who moved in with his ex-fiancé. None of these guys have anything in common. There is nothing here to distinguish the type of man she would be attracted to. She has dated artists, mechanics, cops, doctors, lawyers, and actors. Some she supported. Some supported her. They all have varying backgrounds and income brackets. There aren't any physical similarities between them. Tall, short, handsome, average, hell a couple I would even describe as ugly. Blond, brunette, bald, it doesn't seem to matter. I can only find one defining characteristic in all of these relationships. While she was with them, she was with them exclusively. She must really think that it is over with her current husband then, to have slept with Alcazar.
We aren't going to be able to use the boyfriend/relationship angle. It is just as well. She understands sex as a weapon. Hell, didn't she just use it to get to Alcazar? If an agent started getting serious with her right when we need her to do this, she would see through it immediately. It would most definitely backfire in our faces.
No, I think our current angle is the best one. We start with her insecurities. The big ones being trust and support. Skye is very much the lone wolf. Teaching her to play on a team may not be so easy. I am sure though that she will see the advantages to having someone behind her that will back up anything she says and does.
Then there is what isn't in this profile. What the WSB doesn't know. If it hadn't been for Anna and Robert's recommendations, I never would have looked at her. I never would have known what she is really capable of. Of course if either Anna or Robert were aware that the other was still alive, they might tell a different story. I sure as hell am not going to tell them. Or maybe they wouldn't. It wasn't her goal to keep them together. All they asked of her was to keep them alive and safe until the WSB and all the other forces that wanted them dead stopped hunting them. Safe just long enough for the pressure to die down. Not any easy task. Yet she did it. The safeguards that she put in place so many years ago are still protecting Robert.
That's why her name isn't connected to us in the files. She may have stopped the WSB from making the mistake of executing two wrongly accused agents, but she did so by convincing everyone that Anna and Robert were dead. Even I have to admit, it was a brilliant manoeuvre. Hell, Even Anna and Robert were convinced that the other was killed. The WSB wouldn't like knowing that she managed to dupe them for how many years? The last thing the big shots at the World Security Bureau needs to know is that she managed to infiltrate our organization and switch the DNA files that identified them as dead. Until Anna resurfaced, no one realized that it had happened. No, no one needs to know that she is the one who did it. Robert's file still lists him as dead.
She could probably teach the witness relocation programs a thing or two about hiding other people.
She probably won't thank Anna and Robert if she ever discovers that as a thank you for saving their ass, they recommended her for this.
Back at the hospital
Jesus Christ, Sam swore as he finished the last of the files. What the hell do these people have to feel so smog about? Some of these profiles make Skye look like a bloody kitten.
One thing is certain, none of these people have the bloody right to sit in judgement to anything Skye has done. Quite the family really.
A gangster half brother whom the family is desperately trying to drag back into the family. It is amazing that this family can seemingly forgive this Jason character who routinely breaks any number of laws from physical violence, extortion, and even murder on the say so of a certain crime lord yet they seem to have trouble with the occasional lie or blackmail that Skye might tell on occasion. What? Has her crimes just not been great enough to gather their respect yet. These people really need to get their priorities straight.
Her cousin, Ned Ashton has been married four or is that five times. I don't know. Does one count the time he was married to two women at the same time? Amazingly he wasn't sued over the incident. After all it is a crime. Those two girls could have thrown his rear in jail for it. And how did a man who slept with his uncle's wife, Monica, get to be the families gatekeeper? Then there is this latest business of having gotten his ex- fiancé pregnant while courting the woman's sister. I would think they would look to someone with a little more moral backbone. But then, I guess they really don't have that much to choose from. I see the one wife, Lois, left him with their child to give the child a healthier environment to be raised in. I can't say that I blame her. Finding out her husband married another woman within days after wedding her couldn't have been much of a confidence builder.
AJ Quartermaine, the only one of the lot who seems to realize that he can't judge his sister. An alcoholic, but I can't hold that against him because so is Skye. He has a son. There apparently was some confusion over the child's paternity. He has an ongoing feud with his ex-wife's current husband/his child's adoptive father, Sonny Corinthos. He married Corinthos's sister, but there seems to be some question as to his motives for being involved with his enemy's sibling.
Alan and Monica Quartermaine, a more confused and deranged couple, I have rarely had the chance to read about. What haven't they done? They cheat on each other. They stab each other in the back, blackmailed, schemed, divorced, and remarried each other several times. Interesting couple.
Someone could probably make a fortune on a tell all book about the sex scandals that rock the Quartermaine family.
Edward Quartermaine. What isn't this man guilty of? Blackmail, Extortion, insider trading, black market ring. He even sold his granddaughter on the black market. For a so-called legitimate businessman, he sure has some unique connections.
There is a daughter Tracy. But she's not in Port Charles at the moment and I doubt that she will put in an appearance.
Then there is Justice Ward. Child by one of Edward's known and acknowledged illegitimate children. Interesting record. But no one seems to know where he is. I will have to have him located. I hate surprises.
The only people here who don't have a long dossier are Lila and Emily Quartermaine. Emily Quartermaine besides a rather questionable taste in boyfriends, her record is fairly clean compared to the rest of the family. She is probably to young. Give her a few years. I'm sure she will catch up.
Lila Quartermaine. A completely clean record. How can anyone be a part of this mess of a family and have a completely clean record?
I looked up and around. Almost noon and no sign of any of the Quartermaine tribe. Well, I guess I'm not going to have to worry about them interfering with our plans. She should be waking up about right now.
Sam shook his head. There is nothing wrong with her that I can't take care of. As soon as she wakes up I'm going to spring her from this place. Anyone wanting to share get well wishes or false sympathies can damn well take the time to visit her at home.
I put the computer away and studied the comings and goings in front of Skye's room. Getting in was easy.
I saw her lying there. Pale, unconscious, bruised and dressed in a hospital gown and the woman still manages to look gorgeous. She also looks so frail. I would never have guessed by looking at her now that this was the same woman who did everything in that profile. Probably more if I go by what few hints Frisco has given me. I moved up closer to study her. I winced a little with guilt when I saw the bruise on her face. Maybe I went a little overboard.
I could see her stirring in bed. Inwardly I cringed as a grimace of pain showed on her face. She is going to be sore for a few days. She slowly opened her eyes and gave a blurry look, like she hadn't quite managed to focus yet. I could see her moving to stretch and I knew the second she felt her bruised muscles move.
I moved into her line of vision. "Don't move yet. Those bruises are going to hurt for a few days. It would be better if you just took it easy for a while. I don't want you to over tax those muscles while they are healing." I studied her face as her emotions briefly passed across it. First confusion. Then recognition. I waited. I knew she recognized me. I'm not sure exactly what I expected her reaction to be. Anger, maybe upset, a temper tantrum. After reading her profile yesterday I sort of expect to be thrown out of the room. The reaction she did finally give me practically knocked me to my knees in surprise. She smiled.
Oh the poor guy looks so guilty. Skye thought while a rather self- satisfied grin crossed her face. I can tell from just looking at him that Frisco hadn't told him that I asked that he be here. He probably thought that I would slug him or something. I probably would have if A) I could comfortably move and B) I hadn't asked for him in the first place. The poor man looks so bloody contrite. Oh good. This is going to be so much fun.
