Part Ten

Dead, or Not, Here We Come

January 27, 2000:

Many hours later, after nightfall

Melpomene:

Faison's Study

Faison sits at a desk, sketching a picture of Anna on a legal pad, glancing at the clock, obviously waiting for something. Next to him, a tray of tea, jam, cheese, and bread sits on the desk, barely touched.

The door opens, and he stops his sketching and looks up expectantly. When Stefan enters, his face changes – this is obviously not the arrival that he was anticipating.

"Can I help you, Mr. Cassadine? I advise you to be quick; you won't want to be seen, will you?"

"I'm here to inform you that I'll be in the passage, Cesar."

"Excuse me?"

"I intend to listen to your conversation – I thought it only fair to warn you of the limits of my patience. I know how you love torturing women, but you may only go so far here. Remember, that you are speaking with my sister," Stefan told him coldly. "The news itself will be upsetting enough."

"You don't trust me to handle the situation, then?" Faison asked with a wicked smile. "Very well. Possibly very wise of you, Cassadine."

He stands and pulls out a book that reveals a lever. The wall slides open, revealing a passageway, which Stefan enters.

"Enjoy the performance," Faison calls.

"If you even attempt to hurt my sister, you'll wish I'd let the WSB take you to prison," Stefan threatened. "That hell will look like paradise compared to your fate."

Faison laughs. "Such melodrama."

"Do we understand each other?"

"I understand you perfectly," Faison answered, flashing another creepy smile, and Stefan's frown deepened. "Don't worry. I don't intend to hurt her."

Stefan sighed and presses a button inside the passage. It closes, and Faison's eyes twinkle. "Not too much, at least," he called out, with obvious mocking.

A knock interrupted before Stefan could reply from his hiding place.

"Enter," Faison calls gruffly.

Two guards enter, one of them literally pushing Alexis along. She is bruised, but barely, and a bit disheveled, but generally more angry than hurt. "I'm sorry it took so long. She's been difficult, sir," One of his guards informs him.

Faison smiles. "That does not surprise me. How are you, Ms. Davis – or shall I call you Mrs. Jacks, still? Or Miss Cassadine? I'm Cesar Faison – I was a friend of your stepmother's."

Alexis just glares at her captor, and he laughs. "Leave us," he orders. "But stick outside."

The guards disperse, and Faison leans against his desk. "Sit down, Alexis. May I call you Alexis? The surnames may get confusing."

She doesn't sit, doesn't answer either.

"Helena complained of your impertinence," he said, still smiling but moving towards her. He grabs her shoulders. "But I do not find them amusing, either. When I say sit, you sit," He orders and pushes her roughly into the chair. He leans down, staring at her. "And when I ask a question, you answer me. Politely and promptly."

Hidden

Passageway

When Faison pushes Alexis down, it sounds like the beginning of a scuffle. But nothing follows but normal-sounding speech.

Stefan puts his hand on the wall, obviously disturbed, glaring at the wall and glancing at the button which would open the door.

"Just tell her," He hisses almost silently.

He is slightly relieved when he hears, "Fine, then. What was the goddamn question, again?" He smiles at her tartness.

Faison's

Study

He smiles. "May I call you Alexis?"

"No."

"You look a great deal like my Anna when you glare at me like that – she was never one to mince words, either, not when we first knew each other. Eventually, everyone can be broken." He smiles. "I doubt you'd even provide such a challenge, of course. It's been done once before, as I understand – at least once."

"Helena doesn't scare me anymore. And neither do you."

"Fear is one way to break someone," Faison mused. "But it is just one way – there are others. Grief, perhaps? Or will there be grief at all? I hear you were estranged…"

Alexis looks up. "Where's Jax?" She asked, in a steely voice, but her eyes revealed her feelings. She understood the implications of his suggestion.

Cesar doesn't react to the question. "Drink this. It'll help you sleep."

He hands her the glass. She doesn't drink.

"I'll administer it by syringe if I have to," he warns, and she gulps slowly. "Thank you. It will make the move easier on all of us. Things have been rather hectic on the island, what with the preparations, and with the visitors playing hide and seek. But I guess that's none of your concern, is it?"

"If you hurt Jax…"

Faison laughs.

"I'll kill you."

"History proves that harder than you think, Ms. Davis," Faison replied with a smile. He sat down across from her. "I do hate to be the one to give the widow the news, but nobody can hurt Jax. Anymore." Faison lies a golden wedding band down on the table. "You'll no longer be needing a divorce."

Alexis stares at the ring and recognizes it as Jax's. She took in a sharp breath, understanding. Jax was dead. Because of her. Suddenly, she couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. She just stared.

"He was shot once. In the head, I think, and I'm afraid it was fatal. I only watched from here."

Alexis looks up at Faison. "Bastard," she hisses coldly.

"That's a bit of the pot calling out the kettle, isn't it?" He stood up. "Then my guards buried him in – well, you know the place fairly well, in fact. They buried him in the South orchard. He's in good company now."

With those words, Alexis lunges at Faison with an unexpected fury, grabbing a vase from the desk and throwing it on him. It hits him, shatters, cuts him, but Faison laughs lightly at her, regaining his composure and she slumps, the sedative in her drink taking affect.

He yells for his guards, and when they enter, instructs them, "Take her back to her room. Sedate her again if you need to." He holds Alexis by the shoulders and pushes her forward; she moves like a rag doll. "I'll be seeing you later, Alexis."

As soon as one door shuts, another opens. Stefan's body practically flings from the passageway – he's heard the shattered glass, not knowing what it was or why.

"You are a goddamn bastard," Stefan hisses and grabs Faison by the throat. "What exactly happened?"

"The scuffle was hers," Faison said, not losing his smile still as Stefan held his throat. "Your sister felt the need to throw a vase at me. Violence must run in the family. My, you Cassadines don't have great manners, do you?"

Stefan let go of him, throwing him backwards slightly. "All you had to do was convince her of Mr. Jacks' death, not torture her with the past. What was all that about the South orchard?"

"A little impromptu fun."

Stefan glared at him. "You will stay away from my sister until we leave. She's not coming with us. She'll be taken to another island, where she will be safe from the explosion. She will be 'found' at Euterpe, in no more than twenty-four hours, and begin her journey back home in peace. Am I understood?"

Faison smiles. "I have done my part already. Those arrangements are yours. We have under nine hours left here."

8 hours, 37 minutes

Melpomene:

Cave, Campsite

The group huddles around lanterns in the small cave, all stooped or sitting in the short space, many wrapped in blankets. They look like refugees. In a way, they are.

Sean stands just outside, pacing. Mac and Robert talk quietly in one corner. Robin is there, too, asleep, leaning back against the wall, but Robert has his arm around his daughter and touches her hair and face constantly, as though afraid she might disappear. Luke cannot take his eyes off of Lucky, who cannot sit still and continuously fidgets. Ned looks ahead blankly, but jumps at every noise, hoping for good news, dreading the worst. Frisco sits calmly, taking the situation in.

"What are you waiting for over there, Donnelly?" Frisco called, finally. "Shouldn't we go in and get Duleon soon."

It had been thirty minutes since the time they'd last agreed to meet Danielle. She'd somehow gotten the original prisoners out, but she'd gone back in for Alexis and Jax, to see where they were being held – or if they were – or what had happened, since no one had been able to find them.

Sean stopped walking and turned around. "She's coming." His voice was clear, no fear, no doubt. He wasn't trying to convince himself; he knew.

"I know that," Frisco said, smiling as Sean looked over. "Just wanted to get you to stop pacing. You're making everyone who doesn't know any better nervous."

Sean laughed and came to sit next to Frisco, not far from Ned.

"You know, we don't know that your friends ever came to the island for sure. They might be safe somewhere else," he pointed out, seeing the look on the man's face.

Ned just nodded. "Might be."

A few feet away, Robert hears them talking, but turns back to Mac.

"That was the worst part," he said softly.

"What?"

"Not knowing where Anna was," he said softly. "Just knowing that I had no power to keep her safe." He looked over at his daughter. "Or see my daughter grow up, and know that she was safe."

Mac patted his brother's shoulder. "Well, you can see her now. And you know Anna's safe now. With Felicia. And we'll all be off this island soon enough. Alexis and Jax, too, hopefully."

8 hours, 35 minutes

Melpomene:

Forest

Jax trails behind Danielle, holding his hand away from himself, now wrapped up in a swirl of medical gauze and silk scarves, a makeshift bandage. Truthfully, he had been shot but not mortally wounded and while escaping, not after capture. He had lost his ring somehow, probably when Danielle cleaned the wound.

"Who are you, exactly?" He asks her, but she just presses forward silently. "Where are we going? Where's Alexis?"

"To the others; they will keep you safe. Hurry."

"What about Alexis?"

"We will sort that out when we get there." Jax looked behind them, unsatisfied by that answer. "Look, I don't think she'll be hurt up there. Mr. Cassadine is her brother, and they're close, yes? He wouldn't let Faison hurt her, would he?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. But I certainly don't trust Stefan."

"With good reason, it seems, Mr. Jacks," Danielle agreed, "but either way, we can't waste time if you want to have any hope of getting Alexis back tonight."

Jax shut up and caught up quickly, grimacing as his bad hand scraped and stumbled against the surrounding brush.

7 hours, 56 minutes

Melpomene:

Cave, Campsite

Another rustling. Ned stands quickly, hitting his head on the cave, as it's fairly low where he sits, and at most places. Anna and Robin clutch hands. All eyes turn expectantly towards the woods, although none of the rustlings have preceded actual event for some time.

This time Danielle emerges, with Jax close behind and a dark expression.

Ned stares at Jax, who stoops and enters the cave, as Danielle pulls Sean aside. "Alexis?" Ned asks, his eyes clouding.

Jax shrugs. "Somewhere in the house." He stares at the ground. "Faison has her."

"But not you," Ned says, his tone more than a little accusatory.

"No. Not me."

"How's that arm?" Frisco interrupts.

Cave's

Entrance

"I should be getting back up there." Danielle looked up at Sean steadily. "They may be missing me up at the house. And suspicions beget danger. "

"So do impulses," Sean warned, knowing the look in his daughter's eyes. "Be careful, Danny."

"I always am." She assured him coolly.

But he knew better. They were two of a kind, very much alike, easily kin. They had the same kind of soul, and he knew she was anything but cautious. She was reckless when it was serving justice, or herself, two which she -- like Sean in his younger days -- sometimes confused.

"No, you're not, Danny," Sean said simply. "I mean it. Be careful. I'm counting on you. Keep things going smooth. That's your job. You've been doing it wonderfully for months." He paused. "I was wrong when I said you were the wrong girl for this. Don't screw it up now."

"What makes you think I'm going to?" She challenged, flipping her flaxen hair over her shoulder and giving him a look of sheer annoyance.

"That look," Sean said, just as coolly. "I know you, and I know that look, like I know myself."

"I can't imagine, Daddy," Danielle said slowly, playing one of her favorite cards, "why you think you could possibly know me. I only met you twice before you pulled me from Alexandria." But it wasn't bitterness in her voice, it was spite. She was pushing buttons, and that was one of his.

Sean had plenty of regrets, many about the girl in front of him, and she knew it. "I'm giving you an order, Agent. Stay clear of Faison."

"Don't worry. I've got everything under control."

"That's what I'm worried about. You feel in control, and you want to get him yourself. You think you've got it covered."

"How the hell would you know what I think? Or what I'm capable of? You've been undermining me since you pulled me out of the Alexandria office."

Undermining her, he thought softly. No, just trying to keep her alive. But he could see how that could be the same thing, in their business. He'd tried to stop her from this assignment – done everything in his power – but he'd already called in too many favors, and she'd charmed someone over his head, somehow.

"Don't talk to me like that, Agent Duleon. I'm a chief of European divisions, and you're a three-year agent. Or you'll hope not to get back to WSB headquarters for the reckoning. You're to be a cautious messenger, and no more. Absolutely no more. This is a direct order. Understand?"

"I understand, and you know what, Sean -- excuse me, Chief Donnelly?" She challenged coldly. "Go to hell." She said, stalking up the hill.

"That went well."

He turned and saw Robert behind him.

"Yeah," Sean answered, running a hand through his hair. It was starting to thin, he realized. We're getting old, he thought, and his friend felt the same.

"Are my old eyes mistaken, or is that your daughter, all grown up?"

"You recognized her from the pictures?" Sean asked, nodding. "Yeah, she still looks the same. She had those eyes even when she was four."

"Yours. And she's trouble, the same as you," Robert said, smiling. "But with the eyes and the trouble also come nine lives, at least. Just 'cause we're old men, and feeling like we've used up ours, doesn't mean she's going to listen."

Sean laughed. "So, this is payback, you're saying?"

Robert nodded. "Now, stop worrying, and let's form a plan. If what she said is right about when the bombs are set for, we don't have much time left, before we all need to be off this island."

7 hours, 43 minutes

Inside the

Cave

Sean enters after this and stares at his companions, agents and civilians, strangers and friends, with tired eyes. Robert follows him in.

"What's next?" Frisco asks.

"Well," Sean sighs. "Faison is planning on blowing up the island in," he glances at his watch to check the time, "less than eight hours. He has a hostage in his house somewhere. And he knows that we're here, at least some of us. That's the situation." He wants to bury his face in his hands, but can't show weakness. He's the leader.

Robert senses his weariness and puts in, "The way I see it, we have two choices. We either retreat, or we attack. We go after the hostage, and after Faison, or we leave the island now."

"We can't leave Alexis here," Ned protests.

"I'm not going without her," Jax agrees.

"We can't just leave her there," Robin agrees. She'd been awakened by Danielle's approach earlier. "Not with that monster."

"Well, I came for Faison," Frisco injects, "And I'm going after him."

"Me, too," Mac states coldly.

"I certainly want to kill the bastard," Robert agreed darkly, looking at Sean.

"Sounds like a plan," Luke stated. "I always liked Lex."

"I'm in," Lucky says, shrugging.

"Okay," Sean says nodding. "Let's work on a plan."

Guesthouse,

Melpomene

Stefan had set up office there.

His phone rang, and he answered. "Nikolas is, what? Do not let that plane land on Melpomene. I will not have him here when the island explodes."

He sighed, wondering how his family had suddenly gotten so tied up in Melpomene.

Faison's Mansion:

Alexis' Room

Alexis sat hopelessly, staring out of the window. The thin line of rising smoke was gone now. The trees rustled in the soft wind, and she lie in bed, under the sheet with the covers thrown off. She lie there, feeling numb and shattered at the same time. She'd changed into a pair of blue pajamas that had been laid out for her. She knew she had been drugged. The tears had dried completely, not threatening, nor offering to come to her again. She felt weighted down, as if she was under water. Yet, she felt glad they had drugged her, glad for this relief of some of the pain.

Earlier:

Terpsichore

"It's almost time," Jax said, staring out at the water. "The tide is changing. We should hurry."

Alexis stared at the water too. "It's early today."

"We don't have to go, you know. Or you don't. You could stay here, call for help if I don't come back?"

"You don't know the island. You can't possibly go without me," Alexis pointed out.

"Draw me a map. Stay here where it's safe."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You should. Forget about all this, and just worry about yourself for once.

"Have you been talking to Ned?" Alexis teased. "Because you're beginning to sound a great deal like him. I've heard all this before, in Paris."

Jax just looked back out at the sea.

END FLASHBACK

He'd been so worried about her, but she had led him to his death. She hadn't thought one second about him, not really – not about the cost.

Alexis closed her eyes tight, praying to forget, to be forgiven. Jax was already gone. She just wanted out now, living or dying didn't matter, just out of this room. Somebody had to help her. Somebody had to find her. Nikolas, or Ned, or Jerry, or anyone... They just had to come... Somebody would, wouldn't they? Ned knew where she was, but could he possibly get there in time? They were moving tonight, Faison had said.

It seemed hopeless as she lie there, eyes unglazed, but fuzzy with confusion. It seemed hopeless.