Chapter 4

Nikolas Cassadine walked into his study at Wyndemere. He was not surprised to see Kylie sitting behind his desk. She hadn't changed much in the five years since he'd last seen her in Greece. She was more reserved and more vigilant, perhaps, but physically she hadn't changed at all. He saw the invisible scars in her. She had changed so much, but she was the same; from Kymberly Cassadine to Kylie James.

"Nikolas."

"Kylie," he said with a smile. He hugged her. "Where is the little one?"

"Downstairs with Emily and Robin."

"And your husband?" He asked with a grin. Kylie was like an older sister to him and he never believed she would settle down long enough to get married. He didn't think she would ever find someone who could keep up with her world of intrigue and espionage. He had been shocked when he'd heard about the marriage but once he'd met Aidan Devane he understood.

"Somewhere in this maze, I think. He was working with Sean and Frisco on security."

"And you're not? I'm surprised."

She smiled and shrugged. "I need your help with something else, Nikolas, not connected to this, at least not directly."

"Kylie, I'm swamped as it is and I would think you wouldn't have time to worry about anything else."

"It's about my father. He's alive." She looked away and walked to the window. "I've known for years. When Frisco and I went to Africa, Robert was there with his new wife. He didn't even care. He called me last night to ask about Paris…I don't know what to do, Nikolas."

He walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders. He could always count on Kylie knowing what to do. "What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Right now I want to know where he's at. He can destroy this plan and we can't afford that."

"I'll see what I can find out. It will look cleaner if I'm looking into things."

"That's why I asked you. Thanks, Nikolas." They were silent for several minutes. "How did Alexis react?"

"As you expected," he answered. "She didn't believe it for a long time. Lucky and I finally convinced her. She could become a problem."

"I know. I was going to bring her in on this, but I'm not going to make her a target when she doesn't have the reason to be. Did she insist anything about Andi?"

"Just that she wanted Andi to stay with her. I forbade it telling her you had declared Andi was to stay with me if something ever happened. She might try to challenge it."

"She won't have time. If everything goes according to plan, by the time she tries anything, we'll be almost finished here."

He shook his head and walked over to the desk. "I imagine Luke will be here soon."

"Joy. For you."

"I'm tempted just to tell him you're here."

Kylie crossed the room to the desk and leaned across it. "Try it, Prince. Luke doesn't need to know what is going on any more than Alexis does. Alexis has more of a reason to know what we're doing, but you are not going to say a word to either of them. It's bad enough you're involved. I wanted this to stay between Mother and I but that is impossible."

"I should be involved. Helena has as much destroyed my life as she has yours."

"Ah, but there is a difference. I am her daughter. You are the Prince. She hasn't a reason to be loyal to me."

He held his arms up in surrender, not wanting to get involved in that conversation with his aunt. "Okay, but you and Robin should probably disappear before Luke gets here. Frisco and Anna too."

"We're never far, but we won't be close enough for him to find us." She smiled. "Luke is good and he can see through an act. It won't take him long to come up with ideas about what's really going on here. Make sure those stay ideas. We don't need him going to Mac or Alexis and start asking questions." Kylie walked to the passageway entrance. "You acted for me before, Nikolas, do your best for me now."

Mac grew tired of the questions everyone asked. Why had a Cassadine been visiting his home at such an hour? Did he know why she had come to Port Charles? How did he know her? Did her death have anything to do with the recent recapture of Helena Cassadine? And his favorite; what did he speculate would happen to the Cassadine family? He didn't care about the answers to any of those questions. All he wanted to know was if Kylie's death had anything at all to do with Robin's kidnapping in Paris.

He'd kept Kylie's bag and now had the contents dumped out on his desk. There had to be something inside. He didn't think Kylie had told the entire truth about what was going on in Paris. She had been too calm and too much like a Cassadine when she was talking. The only time he remembered her showing any emotion was when she and Felicia had been talking and even then, it had only been a small flicker.

He hoped something would shed some light on what had happened the night before in front of his house. Kylie'd had dangerous enemies; Faison and, if she had been telling the truth, Stavros Cassadine. He didn't think either of them had anything to do with the shooting, though. He didn't know much about Cassadines but a drive-by shooting wasn't Cassadine style and it certainly was not Faison's. It meant she had another enemy or that something else was going on.

The car used had been found near the docks, clean and abandoned. The plates were unregistered. The car itself had been reported stolen two weeks before. Mac was lost. The only clues he really had were Kylie's life and Paris.

She had kept everything organized. Mac had never suspected she would be like that, but he knew he shouldn't be surprised. She had been a Cassadine. He searched through her wallet but found nothing of interest; pictures of Andi, Robin, Anna, and a man he didn't know, there was several hundred dollars in cash. Her credit cards and other identifying information were under the name of Kylie James. There was nothing.

"Mac, I got the information you wanted from the WSB," Alex Garcia said, entering the office. He closed the door behind him and sat across from him. Mac could usually count on Alex to be level headed, but now he looked shaken.

"And?" Mac asked. He hoped something would have come up in that search. Kylie had worked for the WSB for a long time as a freelancer. They had to have some information about who she really was and what things she was involved in.

"Do you know what a Black Box order is?"

Mac looked up startled. Black Box. He knew what it was, one had been ordered on Anna years ago when they thought she was working as a double agent for Faison. "Yes," he answered.

"I ran a search through the WSB database and got hits for both Kymberly Cassadine and Kylie James. They are two of numerous aliases used by Kylie Devane. Kylie is married to a former British Intelligence officer named Aidan Devane."

Mac looked up. Anna's nephew was named Aidan. He was in Port Charles now, at Wyndemere. Anna knew about it. That could only mean Anna was involved in whatever was going on. He shook his head. Anna was doing it again. She was putting everyone in danger because of Faison but now she'd gotten someone she claimed to care about killed, just like Robert.

"The WSB ordered Black Box orders for the Devanes, Frisco Jones, Anna, Robin, and the list goes on. Everyone connected to Kylie Devane is to be either captured or killed depending on what the bureau suspects they know about her activities."

"Could you find out where the orders originated from or why?"

"Where was easy. All orders came from the office of Raphael Carnis, the new director. Why, however, I don't believe."

"Why? What is it?"

Alex sighed. "Carnis claims Kylie and Aidan tried to kill him and that Frisco and the others were helping them at the time and are continuing to aid them."

"But?" Mac asked.

Alex leaned forward. "Mac, Raphael Carnis is the only son of Cesar Faison."

"There is no possible way that could be," Mac said. "The WSB I remember would have killed him."

"It's true. I called a friend at Interpol. Carnis is Faison's son. Anna and Kylie both went to Interpol in London and in Paris because Kylie was being stalked by Carnis. After her daughter was born, Carnis quit being overt about his activities, he gained control of the WSB almost three years ago. Mac, Carnis kidnapped Kylie and from what I've been able to find out, I think he is her daughter's father."

Mac thought about it. Anna had said Kylie's life had been ruined by Faison. He wouldn't have thought it was a direct connection. "Did you find anything else, Alex?"

"Something you would like. My friend at Interpol said Kylie has learned from the best how to make everyone think she's dead. He said he wouldn't believe she was dead until he saw the body from the time she was shot until she was buried. He doesn't think she's really dead."

"How does your friend know her?"

Alex looked at him. "He investigated her as a part of an ongoing Cassadine investigation. It seems this isn't the first time Mrs. Devane has been declared dead. Once in 1997, 1999, and just last year."

"This doesn't make any sense. Assuming she has faked her death this time, why would she do it?"

"If Carnis is still after her or after her daughter, she could see it as being the only way to protect them."

"Aidan Devane is out at Wyndemere. I think I'm going to go talk to him about his wife."

"I don't know Mac. Maybe we shouldn't put too much emphasis on this."

"I want to know if Kylie's death has anything to do with Robin's kidnapping, Alex."

"I called around in Paris and found her landlord. Robin hasn't lived in her apartment in over six months. She hasn't even been there. Before that, a woman matching Kylie's description was staying with Robin, but she didn't have a little girl with her. I'm guessing she put Andi somewhere else."

Mac sighed. He didn't like the way this entire situation was beginning to look. Alex didn't seem to think Kylie was really dead and Mac was beginning to question that too. Anna was involved in what was going on, but he couldn't think of a possible reason why. Anna wouldn't do anything to put Robin in danger on purpose if she could help it. What was so important about Kylie that would make Faison and his son chase her? For what reason would they still be after her? How did Frisco fit into the situation? Mac had too many questions and no answers and he wasn't happy about it. One of his nieces was dead and the other was with a psychopath. Something wasn't right and Mac wanted to find out what it was.

"Another member of your favorite family died last night," Skye said, walking onto the Haunted Star. "Luke? Luke, where are you?"

"Right here," he whispered in her ear, grabbing her waist from behind. He pulled her to him and let his head rest on her shoulder. "Now what are you yelling about."

"I wasn't yelling," she began, but gave up when he grinned at her and walked to the bar. She sighed and followed him, putting a newspaper on the table. "Do you even look at the news?"

"Now why should I do that when I have you here to tell me what it is?"

"Luke." He poured a drink and set it aside. "A Cassadine was killed last night in front of Mac's house."

Luke looked at her. "Which one?"

"Not one we know," she answered. "Kymberly Cassadine."

Luke downed the drink and poured another. "Kylie? Nope, it's not a dead Cassadine."

"Luke she was shot to death in front of Mac Scorpio's house."

"I know Kylie. She wouldn't die for nothing." He laughed. "She's probably out at Wyndemere with the Prince. She'll make an appearance in a few days."

"What makes you so sure?"

"She's my goddaughter and this isn't the first time I've been told she was dead…although it is the first time I wasn't told about it before it happened."

"Why Mac Scorpio, though?"

Luke shrugged. "Depends on what she's trying to accomplish. Although she's not going to get Bubba's trust soon if she's getting herself killed in front of his house. Maybe I should go out there and see."

"Luke, what's going on?"

"Haven't a clue, Red." He downed another drink. "I'll find out though."

Kylie walked through the passages of Wyndemere, thinking about what she and Frisco had talked about the day before. She hated the person her father had become. Once, she had loved him, adored him.

When she had first been taken to Greece, she had wished and prayed that the explosion had been a set-up and that Robert Scorpio was really alive and would come find her. Every night for the first year at least, she dreamed he would come for her and save her from Helena. But Robert never did. In his place, however, was Stefan. Stefan had treated Kylie like she was his own daughter. He paid for her private tutors and everything else she needed. He made sure she never spent took much time around Helena and allowed her to use the Cassadine name. In his eyes and under his tutelage, she had become his sister in name and blood. He had known the truth, but kept the secret to protect her. She owed Stephan everything.

When Nikolas told her about Stephan's death by Luke's hand, she'd been devastated. No matter what Stephen had done to anyone, she had still remained loyal to him and loved him. She wished she had his help now. No one knew Stavros better than he had and no matter how much she had been told about him, Kylie didn't think she knew him well enough to plot his next moves. She had tried to remember something of Stavros but Robert had taken her from the island and so she knew very little of her older brother. He would be a wild card. She didn't like wild cards. They were impossible to plan for and the consequences could be irreparable.

"Hey."

Kylie jumped. She hadn't heard anyone approach and if she had, she had been too lost in her thoughts to comprehend what sound was made.

"Lucky," she said. "You shouldn't be here."

"I came to check on things," he said. "See if anyone needed anything or if we were good to go."

"I think we are. Robin and Andi are leaving tonight. Nikolas and Emily tomorrow after the wake." She cocked her head. "Something is going on. What is it?"

"Mac is looking more into this than you would like. I thought you might want to know."

"I thought he would," she said. "I knew he wouldn't let it go if he thinks it has something to do with Robin."

"Perhaps you should give him a chance to help. He loves Robin and would die to protect her, just like you would. Don't throw him to the side because of whatever feelings you have against him."

"He despises me, Lucky," she told him with a sigh. "I wished it was different, but it's not."

"And how much of the truth have you ever told Mac? I doubt anything you've ever told him is the truth. He won't trust you if he doesn't have a reason to."

"Have you seen Luke?"

Lucky sighed in resignation. "No, but I imagine he'll be here soon."

"Take care of him. The last thing we need right now is to have him getting involved in this. Do what you have to and get him out of here."

"He could help."

"No. He'll drag it out and go after Stavros alone. We can't allow that if we're going to end this now."

Lucky shook his head. "You're taking on one hell of a task here, Kylie. You know once Helena finds out Faison is here, she'll find a way to escape."

"Anna already has that taken care of. We have someone in place and ready. Once Helena makes a move, Interpol will grab her." Lucky didn't say anything and Kylie's cell phone rang. "Yes. I'll see what I can find out. Don't do anything until one of us arrives." She slid her phone into her pocket and looked at Lucky. "I have to go. Try to stay out of trouble."

He nodded and she rushed down the length of the passage away from him. Her contact had to be wrong. Robert could not be in Paris right now. Kylie knew if he discovered Robin wasn't really missing he'd come to Port Charles first thing. Why, why had he gone to Paris? How had he known what had happened there in the first place? She had made sure things were kept quiet to keep people like him from finding out.

And now this. With Charlotte Devane in Paris as well. This wasn't shaping out the way she had hoped. She needed to get to Paris and find out what was going on before Charlotte found out something she didn't need to find out. They didn't need Charlotte involved as well. No one would survive with the combined forces of Faison, Charlotte, and Stavros.