Something Wicked This Way Comes
Later in the day, Jax stood on the edge of the Cassadine launch pier, oblivious to the wind and rain pounding down on him. The storm had intensified throughout the afternoon and he could barely see the profile of Spoon Island across the water. He stared through the dark mists, worrying in spite of himself.
Gusts of wind and torrents of rain ripped against his body as Jax turned and fought his way back to his car. Once inside, Jax raised his hand and wiped the cold water from his face, then sat back for a moment. He tried to think about what he should do next, but his worry began to eat at him in ever increasing amounts.
After he'd left Club 101, he'd tried to go on with his own plans for the afternoon, but Sonny's visit –and more importantly, his words - had stuck with him. The fact that Sonny had come to him in itself spoke volumes. That prompted him to try and reach Alexis himself several times through the afternoon, but hadn't been able to get through to Windermere at all. He told himself it was just interference from the storm, but that still didn't dispel the nagging bite of uncertainty that stayed in the back of his mind. Finally, it grew to the point to where Jax shelved all hopes of getting any other work done. He canceled the rest of his schedule and had gone down to the docks, hoping against hope that the launch would be at the pier, but he hadn't been surprised that it hadn't been.
Sonny was over-reacting, he told himself. It was just a storm and Alexis was fine. Well, as fine as she could be, given what she'd been going through lately. He'd seen her do this a hundred times. It was just like her, to not want to ask for help, to even hate want to need it, but choosing to stand on her own two feet and handle things all by herself. It was, wasn't it? This was crazy. And damn Sonny for putting those worries into his head.
"Alexis, honey, what's going on with you?" He murmured aloud.
It was shortly after lunchtime, Alexis figured, before she was brought into Helena's presence once again. Thankfully, Mason had been gone when she'd awakened. A tray had been brought to her by a stranger, a guard who would neither look at her or engage her in any sort of conversation. The breakfast served was quite substantial and if she had to admit it, very good. Eggs, croissants, fresh fruit and coffee. After a momentary hesitation, Alexis decided to eat. Helena had her, she reasoned; if she had wanted to simply poison her, she could have done so already without Alexis ever setting her eyes on her. No, Helena had something else in mind for her, and she would need all the strength she could come up with. That decided, Alexis surprised herself at her appetite.
She'd been left to herself the rest of the morning. A bit of exploring revealed that her own clothes and toiletries from what she'd left at Windermere previously had been transferred here, and so she showered and dressed. In a defiant mood, Alexis chose a red silk blouse and navy pants. She even applied her make-up with her usual care. Helena was not going to find her whipped and cringing, whenever she designed to make an appearance.
That done, Alexis spent more time exploring the rest of the suite, looking for anything she could use in any way. Nothing was left that could possibly be used as a weapon or to aid in an escape. The tower windows were sealed shut, there were no phones, and the door impregnable. Helena had been too thorough. Alexis had known she would be, but she'd had to try. At last, she settled down in one of the window seats and stared out over the storm tossed river, doing her best not to give in to the fear Helena no doubt intended her to. Instead she let her mind wander over happier thoughts, memories that would give her strength and courage.
Even if worse came to worse, she'd had a good life. She'd loved and had been loved. Her mind dwelt over memories of Stefan, Nikolas, Ned, Kristina and Sonny, thinking only of the happy times she'd shared with them. She could almost hear the echoes of laughter and feel the embrace of phantom arms enveloping her. The flush of first young love she'd experienced by Stefan's championing her through her earliest years, the familial pride that she'd felt as she watched Nikolas grow into young manhood, a fitting heir to the Cassadine legacy, formed and framed by Stefan's sensibilities, a young man full of honor and old-worldliness that lent a gravity to him that Kristina's presence had begun to alleviate. And Kristina... exasperating, maddening, she was a blast of fresh air into what had become her rigid life, a titian-headed hurricane that breathed fresh feelings into Alexis' existence and had blew open the doors to her soul. Even Ned had had her place in her life, her first taste of adult love, of finding a heart simpatico with her own, even if it had not turned out to be forever. All that they had brought to her life had brought her to this point; the where the sum of her life had led her to finding a new love, a lasting love in the most unexpected places - in the arms of a man who was her opposite in so many ways, but at the same time had turned out to fit all the uneven/broken, empty places in her heart and fill them to overflowing. Alexis reached out and traced Sonny's name on the condensation of the window pane.
And if Helena thought she was going to take that from her without a fight, she was dead wrong.
The sky had been leaden since the dawn and she watched throughout the morning as the clouds lowered until their was no distinguishing between river and sky. The winds whistled around the tower walls. Alexis curled up, arms around knees and let her thoughts take her away from the present. She roused when she heard sounds outside her door. Two guards entered, one only speaking to inform her that Madame Cassadine had requested her presence. Alexis kept her composure as best she could; there was no use in playing defiant at the request. They would either escort her there or drag her there. Choosing the lesser of two evils, Alexis chose to walk.
Head held high, she walked into the room where Helena was finishing the last of her own meal. She made a gesture, and the two guards left them alone.
"Well, my dear, you are looking well, considering the circumstances." she said to Alexis with her usual chilling smile." And dressed in red. Defiant to the last, hm?"
"What are the circumstances, Helena?" Alexis replied evenly, proud that her voice remained steady despite the nervous flutterings of her stomach. Like it or not, a part of her remembered the fear that that smile could evoke. "You wanted me, you got me. Check and checkmate. So what now?"
"Curious as to my plans?" Helena raised an eyebrow. " I'm sure you're wondering why it is you're still alive. The answers will come, all in good time. Suffice it to say, we both know that you've done work for me before. I require your services again, for the good of the Cassadine clan.."
"Any decisions to be made for the Cassadines are going to made by Nikolas. He has my complete and total loyalty and that is something you will never have. I'm through being intimidated by you, Helena. The little mouse is gone forever."
"Is she?" Helena's voice was faintly amused.
"She is. You know, Stefan spent his entire adult life fighting you and protecting Nikolas. I won't desecrate his memory by letting you rule me through fear. He lived everyday with the knowledge that you wanted him dead. And yet, he did his duty. I won't do any less. You can only kill me once, Helena. So if that's the price that I have to pay to keep Nikolas safe from you, then I'll gladly do it."
To her surprise, Helena laughed and clapped her hands. "Oh, Brava, Alexis. Well done, little nothing! You've grown a backbone. I'm sure Mikkos would be so proud." A second later, her amusement disappeared from her expression, replaced by a sneer. "A true Cassadine at last."
"That's what you've always hated about me, isn't it? That I am a "true" Cassadine, with a blood-born right to the name. And that I was born out of love."
"Ah, l'amour - that overrated sentiment. Is that what's given you your new-found resolve?"
"Has anyone ever loved you, Helena? And I'm not talking about that twisted parasitical relationship you shared with your eldest son, but love that touched your heart. Love that took away your worse fears and heals every wound your heart has ever held? No, you never have. And that's why you are what you are."
"How sentimental. It's a revelation to discover how you've become so discerning, as well. Stefan has taught you well - for all the good it did him - or you - in the end. He wouldn't co-operate with so many of my plans, and actually thwarted a fair share of them. He abused the power he was privy to, and so I had him - removed."
"Stefan loved me. He taught me that, without words, but just in being. So - are you planning to remove me as well?"
"You, unlike Stefan, still have a measure of usefulness left. So you see, I actually have no plans to dispose of you just yet. Your expertise in handling Cassadine affairs is still very much needed."
"Nikolas is the Prince. No matter what you do, you can't change that. And he will not bow down to you, not even for me. Stefan taught him well, too."
Helena continued to speak as though Alexis hadn't said a word. "First off, you're going to make a phone call. It wouldn't do for either your current paramour or your best friend, the delectable Jasper Jax, to be concerned about your disappearance." Helena studied Alexis' face. "And don't start getting ideas about dropping any secret clues as to your whereabouts, either. I have no intention of allowing you to speak to either Corinthos or Jax directly. You'll call that Club 101 and you'll leave a message saying that you had to go out of town suddenly."
"Why Club 101?" The sudden realization came to her – she heard Carly's voice in her head: . "I love my son, Alexis. Whatever I do, I do for him."
and she let out a gasp in spite of herself. "Carly was a part of this!"
"She was a useful pawn for a time. But only useful to a point."
Despite her own feelings for Carly, Alexis shivered inwardly. Carly hadn't known the devil she'd allowed herself to get involved with.
"I wouldn't worry overmuch about her. I assure you, she didn't worry about your well-being at all." Not precisely true, but what did it matter at this point? "Let's stay on track here, shall we? About that phone call..."
"I know you think that holding me will guarantee your grandson's compliance, but Nikolas won't co-operate with you, no matter what you do. And neither will I. Nikolas is the most important thing in my life. And I won't be the instrument you use to hurt him."
"Do you really believe that, dear Alexis? Well, well, that will be an interesting plot to watch play out. If Nikolas does decide to sacrifice you to retain control, well, I can understand the choice. In fact, I applaud the decision; it would only prove that he is more than ready to fully accept his heritage as the Cassadine Prince. It would interfere with my present plans, but I'd learn to live with the disappointment. You, however, would not - unfortunately."
Helena stood and summoned the guards. When they had reappeared, she walked to one wall and activated a switch that opened one of the many secret passageways of the mansion. "But enough of your defiance. It's a waste of energy that you will need elsewhere." She turned and entered the tunnel and Alexis was left with no choice but to follow.
Helena continued to speak, almost conversationally. "I've found, that to do what needs to be done, all anyone needs is the right incentive. I believe I have the coin that will buy you, Alexis. First of all, there is the matter of your loyal bodyguard," she reminded Alexis. "You begged so prettily for his life once. And if his life isn't enough, I believe I have other resources."
One guard walked beside Helena with an electric lantern, the other kept a firm but polite grip on Alexis' arm. As she talked, Helena led them on a path that took them downward for a time and then upward through what quickly became a maze of twists and turns that would only be recognizable to Helena. Alexis knew that she'd never be able to find her own way back.
All of her earlier bravado began to waver. The walls seemed to close around them, the only light was what came from the two guards lanterns, but Helena continued on as though she were merely taking a stroll around the grounds. At last, they came to a halt; their last turning brought them to a massive metal door. At a gesture from Helena, one of the men unbolted it and swung the heavy door open.
The interior was totally lightless and Alexis could barely make out the room's windowless interior. All of her childhood fears came rushing back at her, of locked closets and endless dark and Helena's presence looming monstrously over it all. It had been one of Stavros' greatest amusements when they were young, to lock her away after she'd performed some imagined faux paux or displeased his mother in any small way. Alexis clasped her hands together, determined not to show Helena the terror that was building inside her. Was this her plan, to torture her by forcing her to relive her childhood fears until she broke? Or would she leave her here until she died, to repay her for her defiance? Without realizing it, she took a step backwards.
The guard holding her moved Alexis forward. She moved stiffly, but halted at the threshold. The other guard stepped to her other side; they both looked at Helena, awaiting her next orders.
Helena glanced at Alexis' face and laughed. "Don't be so dramatic. I see you do remember the games you and Stavros played, but I had no intentions of inflicting that particular horror on you. Unless it becomes necessary, of course. Don't worry, you'll be comfortable enough here. And look, I've even provided you with some companionship." She flicked on a light and Alexis' eyes moved swiftly, taking in the room's interior. The room was sparsely furnished with only a bed lying against the far wall.
There was someone in it. The figure stirred, turning weakly towards the door. As the light shone on his darkly-golden hair, Alexis' knees buckled beneath her. Only the guards' quick actions kept her from falling.
"Stefan." She breathed. Alexis stepped forward, only to be halted by the guards' grip on her arms.
"As you can see, he's alive. For now. If you'd like his well being to continue..." Helena handed her the cell phone. "Make the phone calls, my dear."
