Chapter 10
An hour later sitting back in his chair he looked across the table at Alexis. Zander could not believe he was once again being welcomed into her home. More than anywhere else he had ever been, with her he felt at home.
"Thanks, Alexis."
"For what? I should be thanking you. You've improved. That was an excellent omelet. You should be very proud of yourself."
"Thanks for making me feel comfortable here. You always come through for me. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it."
"Zander, you are one of my favorite people. Why you were able to wrap yourself around my heart so tightly I'll never know, but you did and now you're stuck with me. But enough of the mutual admiration society stuff, we have a job to do and it's time we get started."
"Are you sure this is how you want it played out?"
Reaching across the table she laid her hand on his and squeezed it.
"I'm sure. It could get a little dicey for you; are you up to it?"
"Now more than ever. As long as you're here and Sonny backs me up we've got a chance to pull this off."
"Ok then, 'Operation Kristina' is now in progress. Let's get to it."
Walking Zander to the door she couldn't let him go without one more hug. She loved him just as much as she loved Nicholas. Lifting her head slightly she whispered,
"Please take care of yourself, Zander. I need you in my life too much to lose you now."
Choking on the lump in his throat Zander gave her an extra squeeze careful of the baby and whispered back. "I promise." He quickly closed the door behind him embarrassed once again with his lack of control over his emotions.
Looking toward Johnny once the door was closed he waited to see if anything was amiss. Seeing Johnny relaxed against the wall he headed out the front of the building and carefully looked around for anything that might seem out of the ordinary. He had three calls to make. He started walking away from the building as he pulled his cellphone out. He needed to put distance between him and Alexis' place quickly. Dialing Sonny's number he waited for him to answer as he walked.
"Corinthos here."
"Sonny?"
"That you, Zander?"
"Yeah. If you meant what you said to me earlier, you're fixing to get a chance to prove it."
"Where are you?"
"I just left Alexis."
"Is she ok?"
Hearing the hesitancy in Sonny's voice Zander grinned. Some way or another he was going to have to see about getting those two back together. But, that problem was going to have to wait a while.
"Yea, she's fine. Sonny, you laid a lot on me this afternoon and in effect you are asking me to trust you again. Am I right?"
"It has to be a two way street, Zander but you're right. Why?"
"I am going to trust you then and expect you to trust me now. You have to remember who we're dealing with though. Alexis knows Johnny is outside her door and she's willing to let him remain for the time being, but it comes at a cost."
"How does she know Johnny's watching her, Zander. You didn't..."
"No, Sonny, I didn't. But, you seem to be forgetting how well she knows you. She told me Johnny was there. Anyway, she is going to be leaving the apartment in a few minutes and asked me to have you call Johnny and make sure he stays out of sight. She has also asked that you respect her enough not to ask any questions of her or Johnny about where she is going."
"Zander, I don't like this. It is too dangerous out there for her."
"I understand where you're coming from, Sonny. But, I am asking you to trust me on this one. I know what she's up to and I know why. You need to let this go. Johnny will be with her. She won't be out long and she has promised to leave her cellphone on and connected to me the whole time she is out. There was one other thing she asked me to pass on to you if you gave me too hard a time about this."
"Tell me. Word for Word."
"Quote, 'Everyone around me has seen fit to take control of my life away from me. At this moment the only way I see of regaining control is to leave Port Charles. Don't make me leave my home and what's left of my family.' Unquote."
"Ok, Zander. She wins this one. Call me when she returns. And Zander, thanks."
Ending his call with Sonny he called Roy.
"Roy, it's Zander. I need to see you, but I'm being followed. Give me thirty minutes to lose this guy and meet me at Jake's in my old room. I wouldn't ask, but it's urgent... Thanks, see you then."
Two down, one to go. Zander knew he was playing with fire, but this was a plan that had been concocted by one smart lady and he wanted this, needed this. He needed to come through for her. Dialing the final number he childishly crossed his fingers.
"Port Charles Police Department, Commissioner Scorpio speaking..."
"Mac, it's me."
"It must be pretty big for you to be calling me off the schedule. What's up?"
"Do you believe I want this war over as much as you do?"
"That's a loaded question, but I'll bite. Why?"
"Let's just say a lot of it has to do with Alexis and Kristina Cassadine."
"I'm listening."
"Mac, I need to see you in person. And I need it to be off the record."
"That's a tall order. You're asking a lot."
"I know, but the request is not mine, it comes from a certain lady lawyer we both know and respect."
"Ok, wait a minute, tell me you did not get her involved in this."
"No, it is her choice. And she has a message for you."
"Spill it."
"Quote 'For the three most important girls in your life... Trust me.' Unquote."
"Where will I be meeting you... Off the record."
An hour later sitting back in his chair he looked across the table at Alexis. Zander could not believe he was once again being welcomed into her home. More than anywhere else he had ever been, with her he felt at home.
"Thanks, Alexis."
"For what? I should be thanking you. You've improved. That was an excellent omelet. You should be very proud of yourself."
"Thanks for making me feel comfortable here. You always come through for me. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it."
"Zander, you are one of my favorite people. Why you were able to wrap yourself around my heart so tightly I'll never know, but you did and now you're stuck with me. But enough of the mutual admiration society stuff, we have a job to do and it's time we get started."
"Are you sure this is how you want it played out?"
Reaching across the table she laid her hand on his and squeezed it.
"I'm sure. It could get a little dicey for you; are you up to it?"
"Now more than ever. As long as you're here and Sonny backs me up we've got a chance to pull this off."
"Ok then, 'Operation Kristina' is now in progress. Let's get to it."
Walking Zander to the door she couldn't let him go without one more hug. She loved him just as much as she loved Nicholas. Lifting her head slightly she whispered,
"Please take care of yourself, Zander. I need you in my life too much to lose you now."
Choking on the lump in his throat Zander gave her an extra squeeze careful of the baby and whispered back. "I promise." He quickly closed the door behind him embarrassed once again with his lack of control over his emotions.
Looking toward Johnny once the door was closed he waited to see if anything was amiss. Seeing Johnny relaxed against the wall he headed out the front of the building and carefully looked around for anything that might seem out of the ordinary. He had three calls to make. He started walking away from the building as he pulled his cellphone out. He needed to put distance between him and Alexis' place quickly. Dialing Sonny's number he waited for him to answer as he walked.
"Corinthos here."
"Sonny?"
"That you, Zander?"
"Yeah. If you meant what you said to me earlier, you're fixing to get a chance to prove it."
"Where are you?"
"I just left Alexis."
"Is she ok?"
Hearing the hesitancy in Sonny's voice Zander grinned. Some way or another he was going to have to see about getting those two back together. But, that problem was going to have to wait a while.
"Yea, she's fine. Sonny, you laid a lot on me this afternoon and in effect you are asking me to trust you again. Am I right?"
"It has to be a two way street, Zander but you're right. Why?"
"I am going to trust you then and expect you to trust me now. You have to remember who we're dealing with though. Alexis knows Johnny is outside her door and she's willing to let him remain for the time being, but it comes at a cost."
"How does she know Johnny's watching her, Zander. You didn't..."
"No, Sonny, I didn't. But, you seem to be forgetting how well she knows you. She told me Johnny was there. Anyway, she is going to be leaving the apartment in a few minutes and asked me to have you call Johnny and make sure he stays out of sight. She has also asked that you respect her enough not to ask any questions of her or Johnny about where she is going."
"Zander, I don't like this. It is too dangerous out there for her."
"I understand where you're coming from, Sonny. But, I am asking you to trust me on this one. I know what she's up to and I know why. You need to let this go. Johnny will be with her. She won't be out long and she has promised to leave her cellphone on and connected to me the whole time she is out. There was one other thing she asked me to pass on to you if you gave me too hard a time about this."
"Tell me. Word for Word."
"Quote, 'Everyone around me has seen fit to take control of my life away from me. At this moment the only way I see of regaining control is to leave Port Charles. Don't make me leave my home and what's left of my family.' Unquote."
"Ok, Zander. She wins this one. Call me when she returns. And Zander, thanks."
Ending his call with Sonny he called Roy.
"Roy, it's Zander. I need to see you, but I'm being followed. Give me thirty minutes to lose this guy and meet me at Jake's in my old room. I wouldn't ask, but it's urgent... Thanks, see you then."
Two down, one to go. Zander knew he was playing with fire, but this was a plan that had been concocted by one smart lady and he wanted this, needed this. He needed to come through for her. Dialing the final number he childishly crossed his fingers.
"Port Charles Police Department, Commissioner Scorpio speaking..."
"Mac, it's me."
"It must be pretty big for you to be calling me off the schedule. What's up?"
"Do you believe I want this war over as much as you do?"
"That's a loaded question, but I'll bite. Why?"
"Let's just say a lot of it has to do with Alexis and Kristina Cassadine."
"I'm listening."
"Mac, I need to see you in person. And I need it to be off the record."
"That's a tall order. You're asking a lot."
"I know, but the request is not mine, it comes from a certain lady lawyer we both know and respect."
"Ok, wait a minute, tell me you did not get her involved in this."
"No, it is her choice. And she has a message for you."
"Spill it."
"Quote 'For the three most important girls in your life... Trust me.' Unquote."
"Where will I be meeting you... Off the record."