Mucho writing credit to my secret gatekeeper for a BIG assist in this part. Kisses.
Part 12
Robin looked at her companion for the flight to the Markham Islands. She couldn't help but smile at the irony as she thought back to the stories of Robert and Luke's adventures; now it was their daughters trying to find their renegade fathers and doing it on the plane belonging to the family of their sworn enemy the Cassadines.
For the first time in ages she felt like Robin Anna Soltini Scorpio, daughter of super-spies. She honestly would rather trek through a jungle and face the crooked cops and bounty hunters that Sean Donely said held their fathers than deal with the mess she had made with Patrick Drake. While it had seemed brave at the time to embark on the casual affair with him, from this vantage point it seemed like nothing but cowardice. Cowardice not to admit to herself that she had strong feelings for him, cowardice to not hold out for what she wanted or walk away with her pride intact and certainly cowardice not to tell him how she felt now.
Well, she vowed, she would tell him at the next opportunity and deal with whatever the outcome was. It was time to show everyone and herself what she was made of in all areas of her life.
Shaking her head, she refocused her attention on the matter at hand. They had a rough idea for a plan, but they were honestly going to pretty much wing it. She suspected despite the tales her father, Luke, Sean and Frisco used to tell that this was how their fathers generally handled things anyway.
The plane began its descent and Lulu and Robin buckled in. They looked at each other and smiled. "You do know what you're doing with that gun don't you?" Robin asked.
"Do you?" Lulu challenged.
"I'm a Scorpio." Robin shrugged.
"And I'm a Spencer." Lulu raised her chin imperiously.
Both spoke at once. "Of course we do." They grinned at each other.
>>>>>>>
Robin and Lulu were standing on the tarmac insisting to Nikolas' overzealous staff that they could carry their own luggage when a sharp clearing of a throat behind them interrupted. Robin turned around and her jaw dropped for the second time in as many days. Standing in front of her looking both pleased and outraged was one Anna Devane Scorpio Lavery Scorpio Hayward.
"Mom! What are you doing here?"
"I imagine the same thing as you, luv, looking for your idiot of a father. And Luke of course. "She turned her attention to Lulu. "You must be Lulu. You are the spitting image of your mother, thank goodness."
"That's me." Lulu laughed and shook Anna's outstretched hand.
"Have you talked to Uncle Sean?" Robin interjected.
Anna nodded and pointedly told the Cassadine staff they had things under control. The staff listened and Robin and Lulu flipped their bags into their back and followed Anna to a waiting Jeep on the other side of the tarmac. They dumped their bags in and Anna pulled a map from her shoulder bag and spread it out over the hood of the vehicle.
"Sean has gotten reports that they are being held somewhere in this area." With her finger Robin drew an imaginary perimeter.
"My sources have confirmed that," Anna said, smiling proudly at her daughter.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Robin and Lulu said at the same time.
"That's my girl. I have a safe house near there where we can get our plan together. We don't want any nasty surprises. Do remember what I taught you?"
"Be fast, be flexible and be aware." Robin grinned and they all got into the vehicle.
After two hours drive in the stifling sun they reached the small house that Anna had obtained through her connections; which ones Robin didn't want to know. In the house they ate, drank and formulated their strategy.
Once dark came, Anna reached into a trunk and pulled out two guns for the two younger women. Robin and Lulu reached into their bags. "It's already taken care of."
>>>>>>>
Anna used a spyglass from the perimeter and looked in the window of the decrepit plantation house that Sean and her local source had said the aging adventurers were being held. She frowned and pulled it away from her eye and looked at her companions.
"What is it Mom?"
"Well your father and your father," looking at Robin then Lulu, "are in there and so is Holly." Given Holly's role in the virus that almost killed her daughter her pronunciation of the woman's name came out like a curse. "There are two other young men in there."
Robin took the spyglass and took a look for herself. "What the hell?" she whispered and handed it to Lulu.
"It's Dillon and Patrick. What are they doing here?" Lulu asked, her eyes wide with shock.
"Your Patrick?" Anna looked at her daughter, an indescribable expression on her face.
"Patrick Drake and Dillon Quartermaine." Robin ignored her mother's reference to Patrick as "your". "Do you think they were kidnapped and brought here?" She couldn't figure out why though.
"Every bit of intel we've gathered said this is local in nature – your dumb ass fathers chasing after that woman and local law enforcement bounties - and not related to the Cryllium or the virus, although we've all been fooled before. They might take Patrick to get at you, my daughter. And maybe Dillion because he's Luke's stepson, but it's highly unlikely that those behind this have the money, ability or desire to pull that off."
"This makes things more complicated, doesn't it?" Robin sighed and looked again. They were all tied up, but only Dillion and Patrick were gagged she noticed.
"This might be bigger than we think. Without knowing exactly what we're up against this part is going to be risky."
"I should still play distraction, I'm small and non-threatening and while everyone is focusing on me, we can get the advantage," Robin said.
Anna shook her head. "I don't like that idea at all now. Too dangerous."
"Are you saying that because I'm your daughter? Would you say that to someone you work with? I'm perfectly capable, Mother."
"I never said you aren't capable, Robin. But you aren't a trained agent, no matter how good a shot you are."
"What other options do we have? Can your source gather us an army? I think the smaller the group the better anyway."
"We need to watch these people for a while and see what we are up against."
Suddenly Robin realized Lulu wasn't standing there. "Where is she?"
"Dammit! Those bloody Spencers!" They saw Lulu jimmy the servant's door and enter the side entrance.
Anna took her gun from its holster and walked quietly toward the door with Robin following her with her gun also drawn. Robin circled around the back way, while Anna followed Lulu the direct route to the parlor, each party taking out the guards they crossed path with. Minutes later they all stood facing each other from the corridors flanking the closed parlor doors, each giving the pre-arranged signal. Within seconds the two guards were neutralized and Anna was kicking in the locked inner doors.
"Well, well, well, rescued by three beautiful women. Could this day get any better, Robert?" Luke quipped as his daughter ran up to him and began to undo his bindings. Luke went to undo Holly as Lulu untied Dillion.
"Nice gag," Lulu chuckled.
"We had to beg our captors to gag them, but not too hard, they wouldn't shut up, either of them" Robert said, clearly irritated as Anna used unnecessary force on his bindings to make sure they cut into his skin before being released. He massaged his wrists and wisely withheld comment as Anna handed him a spare gun.
Robin sliced through Patrick's bindings and let him undo his own gag. "Here, take this. You're a surgeon; you ought to be able to handle a knife," Robin said before he could say anything. He glared at her and took the knife. Robin sighed inwardly, understanding that if he was kidnapped and dragged halfway around the world just for knowing her he had a right to be pissed off at her.
"We have a half a mile through the jungle before we reach a safe house. Can everyone walk?" Anna asked.
"Actually, that won't be necessary. The cavalry has arrived," Luke pointed through the window.
Anna snorted. "And here I thought that's what we were ladies. See the appreciation we get from these men?"
"Now, now, Anna, once again you underestimate me. I had it all in hand."
"I could tell. Are you sure those aren't more people looking to lynch you and make sure that Robert Scorpio is really dead?"
"Now, I know you want first crack, luv."
"Don't 'luv' me!"
Robin couldn't help but smile at the brisk remarks flying between her parents. It felt like home. Out of the corner of her eye she was Patrick watching avidly and frowning.
Moments later a group of men were bursting into the house. Dillion jumped behind Lulu and Patrick stood in front of Robin. Robin rolled her eyes and pushed him out of the way.