Chapter 9
The halls inside the abandoned building were dark and smelled vaguely of mildew. Sami jumped as the doors to the entranceway slammed shut with a loud bang. She made her way down the unlit hallway, the only light coming from the sunlight streaming through cracks in the boarded windows. She entered one room that was a classroom and spied a candle on windowsill with a pack of matches next to it. Praying that the matches would still work, she took one and struck the back of the matchbook with it. It sparked to life and she lit the old yellowed candle quickly, grateful for the light. A rat scurried in the corner and Sami gasped in fright. If there was anything she hated, it was rodents, but she held the candle high and took in her surroundings. It looked like any ordinary classroom might look. There was a blackboard, with chalk and erasers and desks and chairs that looked nothing if not ordinary. Disappointed, though she wasn't sure what she'd expected to find, Sami continued on her way through the building. She came to a flight of steps at the end of the long hall and began to mount them, the strange feeling of déjà vu coming over her with each ominous footstep.
The group in the hospital marched into the lounge, Marlena having suggested they speak somewhere more private. Once they were all inside Marlena locked the door and turned her attention to Professor Xavier. "Now Professor," John began, "What did you mean you know why Samantha might have left and where she's gone to? I mean it must have been a very long time since you've seen her." "Indeed, it has been many, many years since Sami and I have encountered one another. However I have a habit of keeping tabs on all of my students, both current and former." Xavier said. So naturally when I learned of Samantha's latest accident," Here the professor paused and looked straight at Tony, who felt a chill go down his spine. Then he continued, "I made sure that I was informed of her condition. Which is why I knew the moment the chip was removed and Samantha disappeared. And which is why I am here now to help you find her." "What chip?" Roman asked. "You haven't told them?" Xavier asked John "Not yet." John replied. "We're still testing it." "What chip?" Roman shouted this time "John, what da hell is he talking about?" John looked at Xavier, who merely nodded at John, before he answered Roman "When Samantha was being operated on Doctor Ramoray pulled something out of her neck and asked me to try and find out what it was." John said. "And what was it?" Roman asked. John hesitated before answering. "I sent it to the ISA for testing and it turned out to be a microchip." "Oh my God!" Marlena gasped. "Like the ones Stefano put into you and Hope?" Kate asked. "Not quite." John said looking at Tony. "The microchips in Hope and I were put there to control us and induce certain types of behavior. "And this one?" Tony asked. "This one it seems was put there to block Sami's memories and to keep her from acting a certain way." "Goddamn it John, why the hell didn't you tell us about this?" Roman exploded. "I'd like to know the answer to that as well?" Marlena said coldly. "Because I was waiting for more information." John answered looking at his wife, whose stony expression spoke volumes as to her anger. "I'm sorry Doc, but I just felt I needed to know more before I started a panic. "Would everyone please calm down!" Tony said. "We're not going to get anywhere by attacking one another." Roman rounded on Tony menacingly. "You!" He said "Your stinking father did this to my daughter and you have the nerve to tell me to calm down! Roman launched himself at Tony, who jumped away as John managed to restrain Roman.
"Ahem." The professor cleared his throat and everyone stopped looked at him. "Actually Captain Brady you are incorrect in assuming that Stephano Dimera had anything to do with placing the chip in Samantha's neck." Roman shrugged John off and faced Xavier. "Well." He said to the professor, "If Dimera didn't have anything to do with putting the chip inside my daughter, then who in da hell did?" "Well that's simple," The professor announced calmly. "I did."