Chapter 26
Lucky and Cia were walking along the docks towards the launch to Wyndemere. They were going to wait for Luke and Laura and they would all go over together. They sat down on a nearby bench and looked at the island looming in the distance. Something wasn't right. Lucky could feel it. Things were a little too calm for the current situation. He turned and looked at Cia. She felt it too. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the ground when two gunshots rang out.
"Lucky," she said. He looked at her. He quickly made a decision. He pulled her towards him and the two stood up and ran as rapid shots were fired after them.
~~~
Jason and Maria waited. No more shots. He stole a glance around the corner. People were coming outside to investigate the disturbance. He put his gun away and motioned for her to do the same. He glanced around the corner again before they ran down the alley into the darkness.
~~~
Alexis sighed as she sat down on the sofa in her apartment. Why did Danielle always have to be around? Even when they were kids, Mikkos doted on her, worked with her until she 'died'. Danielle was the one who took after him, she was the scientific one. There was always a new project that she was working on. Stavros had loved her.
It was always the same. Whenever Danielle was around, she didn't exist. Of course, on the island, she had never wanted to exist.
But later, after Danielle came back to the family with her son, Aiden, things remained the same. She was the one that everyone cared about.
The only person that seemed to hate her was Helena. Alexis figured that was because they were so much alike. Neither were willing to back down in their constant battle. Danielle had always had something on Helena, something that no one else knew, but the family would kill to have if only to get Helena away from family affairs. Danielle had never told anyone though despite the family's assurances that she would still be considered part of the family if Helena was exiled. By this time, everyone knew that Danielle was not Mikkos's daughter, but they knew that he did have a daughter. No one knew who this daughter was though, lucky for everyone involved.
When Alexis had been in law school, she had been summoned to Danielle's estate in South America. She had been snooping around her office when she found a document stating that Stavros was not Mikkos's son. She hadn't believed it until Mikkos had told her. Now she didn't know what to think.
She stretched as she stood up. She turned and saw her son standing there, watching her.
~~~
Mikkos Cassadine had never in his life been betrayed like he had been by Robert Scorpio. People feared Mikkos, they didn't betray him. But Scorpio had and he had done more. He had taken Danielle and her children, he had gotten their trust, their help.
It was time for Scorpio to pay for everything that e had done to the Cassadine family. He would learn, just like everyone else. No one betrays the family and lives to see the light of the next day.
Mikkos knew that he couldn't just kill him, no, that would be too easy for everything that Scorpio had done. So he had contacted Joshua who needed something that Scorpio would have soon, someone who was more precious to Robert than he would ever get to know. Cia.
Inside her mind were secrets of long ago conspiracies, associations that were long dead, but there was something else too, another secret, one that only Joshua knew and he would never tell a soul. Mikkos wanted to know that secret, more than anything. He would find out, sooner or later.
~~~
Joshua sat behind the desk, still, contemplating his past and future with Alicia. She was, by all accounts, his wife, the Countess Dubrois. It wasn't official. It could never be made official. Making it official meant records, documents that could easily be found, making it official meant a secret coming out, a secret that Joshua had worked long and hard to make sure never reached the ears of anyone who would use it.
The secrets of Joshua and Alicia would never be found out as long as they were both alive. She knew the danger of telling anyone the truth, but Joshua knew that she had told at least one person. Lucky Spencer now had to be eliminated. Just another Spencer. He didn't matter. Once every secret was exposed, none of it would matter and all three families would be destryoed.
~~~
Sonny walked into his office at the warehouse. Before he even got to his desk Johnny walked in. "Sir, there's been a problem."
Sonny turned to face his bodyguard. "What?"
"Jason was shot at outside Jake's. Max is dead."
"Where's Jason now?"
"We don't know. He was with a young woman."
"Who is she?"
"All we have is a first name; Maria."
"Find Jason and have him come back here. Danielle Cortez may be responsible for this." Johnny nodded and left the office. Sonny pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Has Danielle Cortez left yet? When she does, follow her." Sonny left the office. He hoped to have a little talk with Danielle.
~~~
Lucky led Cia into the catacombs. One man had been following them, but Lucky was fairly certain that they had lost him when they had entered Sonny's territory. What the hell was going on?
Cia was shaking, scared. Lucky wrapped his arms around her as she quietly sobbed. What did Joshua want from her? What was so important?
"Cia, are you hurt?" She shook her head and pulled away from him.
"I...You were almost killed back there," she said. "I can't allow you to put yourself in that kind of danger. You have a family, parents, sisters, a brother."
"Cia, I'm going to stay with you to keep you safe."
"No, get away from me." She turned and ran out of the catacombs. Lucky ran after her.
~~~
Danielle shook her head. "Well, history has been known to repeat itself. Maybe this will be the end of the war," she said to Robin. They were talking about the blossoming relationship between Lisa Marie and Zander. The two had gotten really close in the short time that they had known each other.
"I hope so," Robin said as Jordan walked in with Rayna.
"Now what are you two plotting?" she asked fixing herself a cup of coffee.
"Nothing," Danielle said as Robin started laughing. "I'm going to take off. I have to met with Robert before this little party at Wydemere."
"You think this will work?" Robin asked.
Danielle glanced between her niece and Jordan. "It has to." She gathered her things and left.
Once she was out in the hall, she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Silent tears ran down her cheeks.
~
Sonny's man, Kyle, watched from the end of the hall as Danielle stayed in that same position. His human side told him to go check on her, see if she was okay, but his career side, the side that wanted to survive, told him to stay where he was, to observe.
After a few seconds she walked towards the elevator and went down.
~~~
Sonny walked into the lobby of Harborview Towers and to the elevators just as Danielle walked out. He grabbed her arm and dragged her to a hallway. He was angry, knowing that she had something to do with Jason's disappearance. He wasn't stupid. She was his enemy, what better way to take him down than to get rid of Jason?
"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded when he didn't let go.
"Tell me where he is," Sonny said coldly.
"Who?"
"Don't play this game with me Danielle. You know what I'm talking about." He still hadn't let go of her, his fingers digging into her skin. She twisted her arm until she had a hold of his.
"Do not touch me again, Corinthos. I will kill you."
"Don't you dare threaten me," he said.
"You should heed your own advice, Corinthos, I'm sure Luis told you that I am not someone to anger."
"You sent Alcazar to see me," he noted.
"Give the man a prize," she said sarcastically. "Luis was doing my brother a favor to stay out of prison. Now, why the hell did you drag me over here?"
~~~
Jason and Maria ran to the docks, towards the Corinthos/Morgan warehouse. Maria stopped and sat down on a bench to catch her breath and to think. Who would shoot at them? Lieman? Helena? Or someone else? The mob? She didn't know who would be stupid enough to do that. She needed to talk to her mother but she couldn't do it with Jason around. She knew that he had questions, she'd seen them in his eyes when the shooting began and she pulled her weapon. She'd have to tell him something.
But what?
"Who are you?" he asked.
Well, there's a question she can answer. "Maria Scorpio," she said, seeing the shocked look in his eyes. "Yes, I'm related to Robin. She's my cousin."
"She's dead."
"She's not. She's alive and staying in Harborview Towers. I can take you to her, if you want."
~~~
Robert walked into the study at Wyndemere. He and Sean had gone through the catacombs instead of taking the launch to the island. They were going to have a talk with Mikkos before things got started. Sean didn't know what they would talk about and he hadn't asked, Robert was grateful for that.
Mikkos was standing by the window, staring outside when Robert cleared his throat. Mikkos turned, a hateful look in his eyes.
"You interrupted my evening brandy," he said lifting the glass in his hand. "Care to join me?"
"No," Robert said coldly. "This ends now."
"It will never end."
"Wanna bet?" Robert said menacingly.
"You won't kill me, Scorpio. You wouldn't hurt Danielle like that."
"My sister doesn't need you, Mikkos. She needs her family, the people who really care."
Mikkos threw his brandy glass across the room and walked to the desk. Robert stood across from him. The two men stared at each other. Mikkos laughed and walked to the sofa. Robert watched his movements, unnerved by his actions. Without warning, Mikkos lunged at Robert with a knife in hand.
~~~
Sonny watched Danielle's faial expression. There was a fire in her eyes unlike any he had seen. She was unique and he wondered why Alexis hated her. He couldn't see anything to hate except the fact that she was running one of the largest territories in South America. And she was a Cassadine, maybe not by blood, but she'd been raised by them.
She pushed him away from her and stormed out of the building. He watched as she got into a limo. Something was going on and SOnny intended to find out what it was.
~~~
Luis Alcazar walked into the darkened hotel suite. He hated his impromptu meetings with Anna and Robert Scorpio. He didn't mind meetings with Danielle Cortez. He found her to be intriguing and mysterious. Perfect.
Luis knew that he had fallen in love with Danielle years ago, but her husband had been in the way, but that problem was easy enough to solve, but then the Scorpios and Cassadines came back into her life and he couldn't get any time with her to draw her to him like he wanted.
Either by her choice, or by his drugs, Danielle would be his.
~~~
"Zander," Alexis breathed. How was he here?
"Hello, Alexis," he said awkwardly.
"How?"
"It's a long story."
"Where have you been?"
"Downstairs," he answered with a grin. "And Pine Valley. We should talk."
She nodded and they walked to the sofa. She sat down and he sat in the chair.
"So where do we begin?" he asked.
Lucky and Cia were walking along the docks towards the launch to Wyndemere. They were going to wait for Luke and Laura and they would all go over together. They sat down on a nearby bench and looked at the island looming in the distance. Something wasn't right. Lucky could feel it. Things were a little too calm for the current situation. He turned and looked at Cia. She felt it too. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the ground when two gunshots rang out.
"Lucky," she said. He looked at her. He quickly made a decision. He pulled her towards him and the two stood up and ran as rapid shots were fired after them.
~~~
Jason and Maria waited. No more shots. He stole a glance around the corner. People were coming outside to investigate the disturbance. He put his gun away and motioned for her to do the same. He glanced around the corner again before they ran down the alley into the darkness.
~~~
Alexis sighed as she sat down on the sofa in her apartment. Why did Danielle always have to be around? Even when they were kids, Mikkos doted on her, worked with her until she 'died'. Danielle was the one who took after him, she was the scientific one. There was always a new project that she was working on. Stavros had loved her.
It was always the same. Whenever Danielle was around, she didn't exist. Of course, on the island, she had never wanted to exist.
But later, after Danielle came back to the family with her son, Aiden, things remained the same. She was the one that everyone cared about.
The only person that seemed to hate her was Helena. Alexis figured that was because they were so much alike. Neither were willing to back down in their constant battle. Danielle had always had something on Helena, something that no one else knew, but the family would kill to have if only to get Helena away from family affairs. Danielle had never told anyone though despite the family's assurances that she would still be considered part of the family if Helena was exiled. By this time, everyone knew that Danielle was not Mikkos's daughter, but they knew that he did have a daughter. No one knew who this daughter was though, lucky for everyone involved.
When Alexis had been in law school, she had been summoned to Danielle's estate in South America. She had been snooping around her office when she found a document stating that Stavros was not Mikkos's son. She hadn't believed it until Mikkos had told her. Now she didn't know what to think.
She stretched as she stood up. She turned and saw her son standing there, watching her.
~~~
Mikkos Cassadine had never in his life been betrayed like he had been by Robert Scorpio. People feared Mikkos, they didn't betray him. But Scorpio had and he had done more. He had taken Danielle and her children, he had gotten their trust, their help.
It was time for Scorpio to pay for everything that e had done to the Cassadine family. He would learn, just like everyone else. No one betrays the family and lives to see the light of the next day.
Mikkos knew that he couldn't just kill him, no, that would be too easy for everything that Scorpio had done. So he had contacted Joshua who needed something that Scorpio would have soon, someone who was more precious to Robert than he would ever get to know. Cia.
Inside her mind were secrets of long ago conspiracies, associations that were long dead, but there was something else too, another secret, one that only Joshua knew and he would never tell a soul. Mikkos wanted to know that secret, more than anything. He would find out, sooner or later.
~~~
Joshua sat behind the desk, still, contemplating his past and future with Alicia. She was, by all accounts, his wife, the Countess Dubrois. It wasn't official. It could never be made official. Making it official meant records, documents that could easily be found, making it official meant a secret coming out, a secret that Joshua had worked long and hard to make sure never reached the ears of anyone who would use it.
The secrets of Joshua and Alicia would never be found out as long as they were both alive. She knew the danger of telling anyone the truth, but Joshua knew that she had told at least one person. Lucky Spencer now had to be eliminated. Just another Spencer. He didn't matter. Once every secret was exposed, none of it would matter and all three families would be destryoed.
~~~
Sonny walked into his office at the warehouse. Before he even got to his desk Johnny walked in. "Sir, there's been a problem."
Sonny turned to face his bodyguard. "What?"
"Jason was shot at outside Jake's. Max is dead."
"Where's Jason now?"
"We don't know. He was with a young woman."
"Who is she?"
"All we have is a first name; Maria."
"Find Jason and have him come back here. Danielle Cortez may be responsible for this." Johnny nodded and left the office. Sonny pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Has Danielle Cortez left yet? When she does, follow her." Sonny left the office. He hoped to have a little talk with Danielle.
~~~
Lucky led Cia into the catacombs. One man had been following them, but Lucky was fairly certain that they had lost him when they had entered Sonny's territory. What the hell was going on?
Cia was shaking, scared. Lucky wrapped his arms around her as she quietly sobbed. What did Joshua want from her? What was so important?
"Cia, are you hurt?" She shook her head and pulled away from him.
"I...You were almost killed back there," she said. "I can't allow you to put yourself in that kind of danger. You have a family, parents, sisters, a brother."
"Cia, I'm going to stay with you to keep you safe."
"No, get away from me." She turned and ran out of the catacombs. Lucky ran after her.
~~~
Danielle shook her head. "Well, history has been known to repeat itself. Maybe this will be the end of the war," she said to Robin. They were talking about the blossoming relationship between Lisa Marie and Zander. The two had gotten really close in the short time that they had known each other.
"I hope so," Robin said as Jordan walked in with Rayna.
"Now what are you two plotting?" she asked fixing herself a cup of coffee.
"Nothing," Danielle said as Robin started laughing. "I'm going to take off. I have to met with Robert before this little party at Wydemere."
"You think this will work?" Robin asked.
Danielle glanced between her niece and Jordan. "It has to." She gathered her things and left.
Once she was out in the hall, she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Silent tears ran down her cheeks.
~
Sonny's man, Kyle, watched from the end of the hall as Danielle stayed in that same position. His human side told him to go check on her, see if she was okay, but his career side, the side that wanted to survive, told him to stay where he was, to observe.
After a few seconds she walked towards the elevator and went down.
~~~
Sonny walked into the lobby of Harborview Towers and to the elevators just as Danielle walked out. He grabbed her arm and dragged her to a hallway. He was angry, knowing that she had something to do with Jason's disappearance. He wasn't stupid. She was his enemy, what better way to take him down than to get rid of Jason?
"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded when he didn't let go.
"Tell me where he is," Sonny said coldly.
"Who?"
"Don't play this game with me Danielle. You know what I'm talking about." He still hadn't let go of her, his fingers digging into her skin. She twisted her arm until she had a hold of his.
"Do not touch me again, Corinthos. I will kill you."
"Don't you dare threaten me," he said.
"You should heed your own advice, Corinthos, I'm sure Luis told you that I am not someone to anger."
"You sent Alcazar to see me," he noted.
"Give the man a prize," she said sarcastically. "Luis was doing my brother a favor to stay out of prison. Now, why the hell did you drag me over here?"
~~~
Jason and Maria ran to the docks, towards the Corinthos/Morgan warehouse. Maria stopped and sat down on a bench to catch her breath and to think. Who would shoot at them? Lieman? Helena? Or someone else? The mob? She didn't know who would be stupid enough to do that. She needed to talk to her mother but she couldn't do it with Jason around. She knew that he had questions, she'd seen them in his eyes when the shooting began and she pulled her weapon. She'd have to tell him something.
But what?
"Who are you?" he asked.
Well, there's a question she can answer. "Maria Scorpio," she said, seeing the shocked look in his eyes. "Yes, I'm related to Robin. She's my cousin."
"She's dead."
"She's not. She's alive and staying in Harborview Towers. I can take you to her, if you want."
~~~
Robert walked into the study at Wyndemere. He and Sean had gone through the catacombs instead of taking the launch to the island. They were going to have a talk with Mikkos before things got started. Sean didn't know what they would talk about and he hadn't asked, Robert was grateful for that.
Mikkos was standing by the window, staring outside when Robert cleared his throat. Mikkos turned, a hateful look in his eyes.
"You interrupted my evening brandy," he said lifting the glass in his hand. "Care to join me?"
"No," Robert said coldly. "This ends now."
"It will never end."
"Wanna bet?" Robert said menacingly.
"You won't kill me, Scorpio. You wouldn't hurt Danielle like that."
"My sister doesn't need you, Mikkos. She needs her family, the people who really care."
Mikkos threw his brandy glass across the room and walked to the desk. Robert stood across from him. The two men stared at each other. Mikkos laughed and walked to the sofa. Robert watched his movements, unnerved by his actions. Without warning, Mikkos lunged at Robert with a knife in hand.
~~~
Sonny watched Danielle's faial expression. There was a fire in her eyes unlike any he had seen. She was unique and he wondered why Alexis hated her. He couldn't see anything to hate except the fact that she was running one of the largest territories in South America. And she was a Cassadine, maybe not by blood, but she'd been raised by them.
She pushed him away from her and stormed out of the building. He watched as she got into a limo. Something was going on and SOnny intended to find out what it was.
~~~
Luis Alcazar walked into the darkened hotel suite. He hated his impromptu meetings with Anna and Robert Scorpio. He didn't mind meetings with Danielle Cortez. He found her to be intriguing and mysterious. Perfect.
Luis knew that he had fallen in love with Danielle years ago, but her husband had been in the way, but that problem was easy enough to solve, but then the Scorpios and Cassadines came back into her life and he couldn't get any time with her to draw her to him like he wanted.
Either by her choice, or by his drugs, Danielle would be his.
~~~
"Zander," Alexis breathed. How was he here?
"Hello, Alexis," he said awkwardly.
"How?"
"It's a long story."
"Where have you been?"
"Downstairs," he answered with a grin. "And Pine Valley. We should talk."
She nodded and they walked to the sofa. She sat down and he sat in the chair.
"So where do we begin?" he asked.