Unlikely Allies
A door closed behind her. True to her word, Alexis had waited for that sound before removing the blindfold. It had been a part of her agreement with Helena. Stefan would be removed from his subterranean chamber to better quarters, which she would be allowed to share.
Slipping the cloth from her eyes, she looked around. This was no suite she remembered seeing in Windermere. But since she knew that they hadn't left the island, Alexis realized that this must be a hidden suite, secreted somewhere in the warrens and passages that she knew Helena knew all too well. Who would ever find them now? She thought to herself with a new sense of despair.
Dwelling on that wouldn't help matters. She had to concentrate on the here and now. One thing at a time she told herself bravely. She'd gotten Stefan out of the caves, and she would see to it that he got better. And after that, well, she'd worry about tomorrow - tomorrow.
It was a bargain made with a silver-haired devil, Alexis thought. But for Stefan's life, she'd do it again, without a second thought. She stood up and began to explore their quarters; Alexis had been deposited in a small sitting room. The room was comfortably furnished, a far step above the bare cave walls where she'd seen Stefan. Just inside the door a serving cart had been left, with the delicious smell of a variety of foods coming from several covered dishes, along with a large assortment of fruits and drinks. From there, she looked around. On the opposite wall, there were two doors; their bedrooms, she supposed. She stood and opened one door. It led to her bedroom. But most important was the door set in one wall that led directly to the other bedroom.
Alexis hurried to it. And there, to her immense relief, she saw Stefan, asleep in his bed. Helena had promised to reduce his amount of medications. "Reduced, my dear, not halted. It wouldn't do to send him into complete abstinence all at once." she had told Alexis. Alexis had been forced to agree that cutting off the drugs so suddenly might be too much to Stefan's already compromised system.
Alexis went to Stefan's side; he was sleeping now. Alexis supposed that it was only her imagination, but to her eyes, he seemed to be resting easier already. more at peace. There was a chair placed solicitously by his bed. The relief pouring through her made her weak in the knees and she sank gratefully into it.
The chair was very soft and very plush and no doubt put there as everything had been, for her comfort. Helena had made a great to-do about keeping Alexis happy physically as well as mentally, for the health of the baby, of course.
A baby. Alexis still had to come to grips with that. Sonny and I are having a baby. She thought with a sense of wonderment. She had never even given thought to bringing children into the world. But how else, but a child conceived in … love. If she had ever questioned the depth of her feelings for Sonny before, there was no doubt any longer. Alexis placed both hands on her abdomen, as though to caress the miracle that was growing within her. But now, would Sonny ever even get the chance to know of the life they had created?
"Oh, Little One," she murmured. "Let Daddy come and find us soon…" She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. All of a sudden, the memory of her leaning her head on Sonny's shoulder came back to her, and that sense of comfort came back as though he were there with her. Just for a moment, she could feel his presence, her hand held in his once more.
Sonny sat back in the limo and closed his eyes briefly. He exhaled slowly. He could almost sense Alexis' presence in the seat besides him, almost smell the scent of her. Unexpectedly, he was remembering the night they had come back from the Caribbean, when Alexis had fallen asleep, when her head had rested on his shoulder and all he could remember was the fragrance and the silkiness of her hair and the feel of her slender fingers as they had slipped trustingly into his. Without opening his eyes, Sonny could see hers, soft and luminous as they looked at him. How beautiful she'd looked as she'd awakened when they'd gotten home.
Home. His penthouse was so empty now without her. His life was so empty without her. When he caught up with Mason Lane, he was going to regret that he ever dared to so much as glance at Alexis.
The limo slowed and came to a stop. Sonny opened his eyes and waited. Five minutes later, the door opened and Jax slid in and took the seat opposite him. He nodded sharply to Sonny in greeting.
"So? Have you found out anything?" Sonny asked.
"Have you?" Jax countered. Without waiting for Sonny to answer, Jax pulled his briefcase across his lap and opened it. "Mason Lane has dropped out of sight. I think it's safe to say that it's no coincidence. The last time we spoke, he told me that he was heading to NYC But he didn't take any commercial flights out and I can't find any private chartered flights that can verify that he took one of them out of Port Charles."
Sonny pulled out his own set of papers. "I've gotten a hold of Carly's phone records. There are some numbers that go out of town, but I'm thinking they're business calls." He handed Jax the list.
Jax looked them over. "Some of these I can vouch for, some of them I don't recognize either." He pulled out a pen and started marking out the phone numbers he recognized. "Why are you so sure that Carly is a willing participant in all of this?"
"Because I haven't got a reason to think otherwise."
"I know you say that Carly can come up with plans, but kidnapping?" Jax shook his head. "I just can't believe that." He looked up from the lists. "What if she was forced into this? What if Mason is behind that too?"
Before Sonny could answer him, his phone rang. He was not expecting the voice on the other end of the line.
"We've got business to discuss."
"Luke?"
"The one and only. How soon can you get yourself over to the Haunted Star?"
"Now is not a good time."
"Now never is." Luke said. "This is something that needs to go on your high priority list."
"I already got enough stuff there, Luke." Sonny told him. Like he needed reminding of his priorities at the moment. Jax sitting across from him was proof positive of that. "I'm very busy."
"Aren't we all? But this is a deal I'm sure you need to get in on. You owe me a listen for old times sake, if nothing else."
Sonny tensed. How dare Luke call him up out of the blue and lay that on him. Sonny was torn between cursing the man or just hanging up on him without another word. But Luke's next words stunned him into a momentary silence.
"What say we sit down over some coffee and some Russian vodka and talk it over? "
"Coffee and…"
"You heard me the first time." Luke spoke before Sonny could repeat himself. "We've got business to discuss…hold on…"
There were some other noises coming from Luke's phone. Sonny barely registered them, his mind whirling with implications; Luke's words had set of alarm bells in his soul. While he sat, speechless, there was sounds Sonny couldn't quite recognize coming from the other end of the phone. He heard voices in the background, a quick exchange, then Luke came back on. "Ah, your partner just arrived. He agrees with me; I suggest you talk this over with him. But don't take too long. Time is of the essence."
"What's going on?" Sonny said as soon as he heard Jason on the phone.
"Sonny, Luke is right. This is something that we need to get in on. How soon can you get here?"
"Are you serious?..." Sonny began but for the second time in the last few minutes was cut off.
"You know I am. Trust me when I tell you that."
Of course, Sonny trusted Jason. He trusted him with his life. And if Jason was with Luke, then it was somewhere Sonny needed to be. Without any more arguments, Sonny agreed to the meet.
"What's going on?" Jax asked. Sonny had flipped his cell phone closed and was staring at it silently, trying to calculate what was going on in Spencer's head.
"I'm going to see Luke." Sonny said. He related the strange phone call.
"We're going to see Luke." Jax corrected him. "Russian vodka? Luke knows something."
Afraid to hope, Sonny had been thinking the same thing. If there was a chance that he knew anything, then Sonny had to take it. "Were you seen coming here?"
"I tried not to be."
"Then let's meet up at the Haunted Star the same way."
