Chapter 60
Alex had now been at Anna's for five days. Thankfully, it wasn't hard to keep the fact she was there under wraps. No one was looking for her and if anyone came by the house she just stayed out of sight. It was nice having her around and Alex was grateful to be there and not still locked up. That didn't mean when Frisco showed up at Anna's on Friday that they weren't all glad to see him there. Hopefully, his presence meant that the WSB was finally ready to move against Peter.
Frisco followed Robert into the sitting room, "It is so good to see you," Anna said happily, as soon as he walked into the room.
"I'm going to pretend that is because you've missed me so much, not because you want to know what's going on," Frisco said as he walked over and gave her a big hug. "This is a nice place, no wonder you both like working from here."
"We have our own workspaces and if we want to work in our underwear, we can," Robert offered with a silly grin.
Frisco just grinned seeing Anna rolling her eyes, oh how he misses these two. "I take it, Alex is close by," Frisco said as he looked back out into the hall.
"Yeah, she went to my office when you knocked," Robert said as he walked away from them. He had already turned to go ask her to join them.
Frisco turned back to Anna, she looked happy. They are still dealing with a man that would have no qualms with ruining her life, they are all aware of that but she really does look happy. Frisco knew Robert had a little something to do with that but he wondered if Alex being here did as well. "How has it been, suddenly having your sister staying here?"
"Good," she gave him a little smile. "I am actually enjoying having her here. She and Robert have gotten to know each other better. One night she sat and told him about how she ended up helping me and what we had both been dealing with at that time. What I went through finding myself again." She tilted her head, "Even after all this time it was very emotional to think about that but I am glad Robert heard it from her. That he understands that better now."
"There's been no drama? No problems?" he asked.
"No, she keeps to herself a fair amount of the time, especially if we're busy working. I think Alex is still struggling to accept what she has been helping Peter accomplish even if it was unwillingly," Anna told him.
"Yeah, she was talking about that when I escorted her here. We talked about a lot actually," Frisco admitted just as Robert and Alex entered the room.
Alex hurried over to him, "Hi Frisco. Am I ever very happy to see you again? Does this mean I'm closer to having my life back?"
"Yes, it does," he told her with a smile. "Why don't we all get comfortable?"
They all took a seat, except Frisco who was now standing close to Anna's desk. "Well, you'll all be glad to hear that we have what we need to arrest Peter. We found a lot, I mean a lot, and most of it isn't good. He has been very busy and it has become crystal clear that his goal was to eliminate Faison. I have talked to Alex about some of the charges he will be facing."
Alex nodded, "Henrick Faison even outdid his father in some ways," she said quietly.
Anna looked over at her, disappointment was the best way to describe the look on her sister's face. Alex hadn't mentioned that she knew what Peter was being accused of, what charges he's facing. Anna knew it couldn't be easy learning the truth when that truth proves her son is a horrible person.
"He's hurt too many people I care about already," Robert said from the other side of them.
"That bastard killed my son in law! Even if he didn't pull the trigger. He's the reason my grandson will never know his father! He's the reason Faison came here. He's the one Faison wanted to kill." Frisco had been trying to keep his emotions out of this but it wasn't easy and these are his friends, they understand. Their lives have all been infected by the Faisons as well.
"This is personal for all of us," Robert said as he looked around at the others.
"The plan is to pick him up at The Invaders office. We're hoping by doing it there it would at least be private and hopefully, there would be much of a scene when he's brought in. Might as well let his paper have first crack at the story," Frisco said with a grin. "Alex, if you still want to confront Peter then you should be there for the arrest."
"Wait, what?" Anna asked, looked at her old friend not sure she liked what she was hearing. Why does Alex need to be involved?
"I want him to know he doesn't have control over me now," Alex told her. Anna turned back to her, she was sitting beside her on the couch. "I need to do this. I want Peter to know I was involved with stopping him."
Anna touched her hand, "I think that is a very good idea. I was just a little surprised to hear it." She fully understood why Alex wanted to confront Peter. To confront the man that took her life and twisted it to use in his plans.
"How are we getting them both there without someone finding out and warning Peter?" Robert asked as he stood up.
"That's where you come in. Don't worry, you are all going to be there for this. Robert, you are going to go to the Metro Court with Alex, Anna you will arrive with me. We won't enter the building until Robert tells us they are about to enter The Invaders office."
"By then if someone is wondering if they're seeing double it won't matter," Robert offered with a grin.
"Exactly," Frisco agreed with a nod.
Alex squeezed Anna's hand, "I want him to face justice for what he had done." Anne saw the tear roll down her sister's cheek as Alex struggled to find her words. "That's my son. I tried, I wanted him to be a wonderful man that I could be proud of. That would find happiness in his life away from his upbringing. How did he turn out so much like his father?"
The sadness in her eyes was heartbreaking to see. "You're doing the right thing, he can't be allowed to keep hurting people," Anna told her.
"The evidence that we have uncovered. Even though he's here trying to pass himself off as a changed man proves that is far from true," Frisco told them. "Peter has been working with his associates to make sure his actions aren't uncovered, a few people have been murdered to make sure his secrets, stay secrets. He is still pulling the strings at some of the businesses Faison owned and there are several investigations still going on with that. He is not a changed man in any way shape or form."
"Do we get to know what all he has been up to?" Robert asked as he walked over to Frisco. It was time to get to work and he wanted the details now.
"Well, he was very involved with what was done with the three sets of twins. The initial one, Cabot's first experiment on Anna and Alex, he wasn't but after seeing what was possible it seemed to spark something in him. The experiments that were done on Kevin and Ryan, he requested. He wanted to know what else Cabot could do. We weren't able to fully figure out how Faison got involved with them when Jason and Drew were taken. What we do know is Peter was working with Henry Archer, now calling himself Shiloh. Once he was in prison Shiloh was willing to talk a lot about what he did for Peter. He was the one that lured Drew to a meeting Peter was also at where he was abducted and taken to the same facility where Jason was already a prisoner. Faison believed he was building the perfect weapon. What he didn't know was that Peter had always been planning on having Jason kill him. When he escaped Peter appears to have moved up the release of that book of his to get Faison here a lot sooner."
"The fact this was all coming to light around the same time can't be a coincidence," Robert insisted. "Why did Valentin tell Anna about the baby when he did?"
"We think that was actually because of Peter as well. We weren't able to find much but there was a lot of communication between the two men shortly before he told Anna about the baby she apparently had." Frisco then went on to explain the crimes Peter committed to set his plan in action. The ones he was still committing to try and hid his past and what all he will be charged with. It was a long list and he talked for almost forty-five minutes explaining it all. "I am very grateful that you warned Maxie about him. How much harder would it have been if they had become close friends, then to find out that he was the reason Nathan was killed. That would have broken her. No matter what he's done since then."
Alex had sat quietly while Frisco had explained all of that. He had already gone over it with her but it still was not easy to accept the monster her son really was. Knowing he had plotted to draw not only Faison but Anna out as his parents and then to threaten Anna's life after Faison was dead. He had known full well that she wasn't his mother but that didn't stop him from pointing a gun at her head, meaning to kill her. Alex still couldn't believe that her son had wanted to kill her sister. Peter had told her it was easy to hate Anna but there has to be more to it than what he had told her. Yes, Anna had gotten to have a life with Robin. She was there until their lives had been torn apart but that shouldn't be enough for him to want her dead. Alex knew this was something she needed Peter to explain, something she would never understand but still needed him to tell her why.
"When do you want to do this?" Anna asked. Then she leaned in a little closer to Alex. A little quieter she asked, "Are you ready to face him?"
Alex nodded, "Whenever you want to start this, I'm ready." Then she looked up at Frisco, "What do we do now?"
"I want you and Robert to head to the Metro Court, the team has already positioned themselves to be close by and ready to move into action with a few calls. "Just head up to his office, there will be an agent already in place close by so there is nothing to worry about. Robert will be right there with you, he will be armed just in case anything should happen. Anna and I will come in after you are in position. Um, I mean in the office talking to him, not just inside the Metro Court. We will give you time to talk to him, Robert will be wearing a camera and everything will be recorded. At the slightest sign of trouble, agents will move in," Frisco assured her.
"How much time will I have with him?"
"We will give you time to talk to him once he is in custody as well but I understand you want to confront him and you might get him to admit some things. You will get to say what you need before we come in, as long as Peter doesn't try anything that is."
"Thank you." She stood up and started to leave the room. "I just want a little time to think about what I want to say to him."
"Yeah, that's fine. We have a little bit of prep work to do before we leave," Robert said then turned to Frisco. They needed to talk about exactly what was going to happen once Peter knows what's going on. He will only take Alex to Peter when he knows they will all be safe.
…
Alex took a deep breath as she looked at the main doors of the Metro Court as they approached. Then she felt a comforting hand on the small of her back, "You'll be alright. Once you're looking at him you'll know what you need to say." Robert had leaned close and whispered that in her ear.
Alex nodded, "Thanks." She glanced up and Robert smiled at her then they started walking. He's right, once she sees Peter, she'll know what she wants to say to him. She will face him, he will know he is no longer controlling her.
As they walked through the lobby towards the elevator Robert noticed her tense a little. "Just relax, we can take a moment if you need. There is no rush."
She stopped and looked up at him, "Yeah, I might need a moment." She's about to confront her son then the WSB is going to take him into custody for his crimes. The child she brought into this world, that she only wanted the best for, is about to go to prison. He is going to prison because he is a criminal and needs to be stopped. She let out a long breath, "Alright what are we saying when we walk in, again?"
"I'll be the one doing the talking at first. If he doesn't figure out who you are right away that is. We are there to talk to him about the fact he requested another visit with his mother."
"Right, okay."
"You'll be fine. Just relax." Alex nodded then they turned and made their way to the elevators.
…
Finn had been waiting for Alexis when he saw Anna and Robert enter the lobby. As he watched them it struck him that he does miss her but he knows she is with the person she's meant to be with, that man that truly loved her, for her. He will always care about Anna, maybe he will always care about what happens with Alex as well. Since finding out that she has been cleared of the charges against her, he has found himself wondering about her. If she will be able to get back the life Peter had slowly taken her away from.
When they stopped a short distance from the elevators, Finn found himself wondering what they were talking about. Their body language told him it was serious. Could they be here to talk to Peter, was something finally going to happen to him? There was something else bothering him he realized as he watched them. What was it?
"Why are you staring at Anna?" Alexis asked, looking over Finn's shoulder.
Finn jumped slightly, not expecting anyone to speak. He looked back at her, "Because," he glanced around then leaned a little closer, "I don't think that's Anna." That was what was bothering him, he realized as he said it out loud.
Alexis tried to be subtle as she studied the woman standing with Robert. "If it isn't, then what's going on?" Finn had told her that he had talked to Alex the other day at Anna's house and how she had ended up there. He'd said that he had felt a lot better after that conversation. That was good but why would Alex be here with Robert?
"I don't know, I know they were keeping her under wraps until the WSB had whatever it needed to move against Peter. Maybe that has happened and something is about to go down."
"Go down?" she repeated questioningly, with a grin and a raised eyebrow. "So they're here to arrest Peter but are letting his mother, who is a doctor, if I'm not mistaken, arrest him?" she asked sceptically.
"How would I know what the WSB has planned? I just don't believe that's Anna."
"Why not? What makes you believe that?" she asked, just wanting to understand this better.
"Look at how they are standing. She is too stiff, too far away from him."
"What do you mean, she's standing beside him," Alexis noted as she continued to watch the two people talking.
"I always found it a little annoying that personal space wasn't really an issue for them. Touching, leaning on each other, hugging. It's all a little, this is how it is, so get used to it. As the guy that had to get used to it, that is not what I am seeing."
"Maybe they had a disagreement on the way over," Alexis suggested.
"I don't think so." He turned to her more, "Since we were meeting for lunch, might I suggest we go up to the restaurant and wait for the fireworks?"
"Alright, if nothing happens you're paying for lunch," Alexis said with a smile as she saw Robert and Anna step onto the elevator.
"Deal! But you pay when it does," Finn agreed then they turned to head for the elevators as well.
…
That same afternoon, Lulu was on her way back to the office when her phone rang, "Hello."
"Hello Lulu, it's Anna. Are you at the Invader office?"
"No, but I'm on my way there. Why, what's going on?"
"I can't actually tell you that but I think you want to get back to the office. A big story could be unfolding and I thought you might want to know about it."
"Oh, alright," Lulu said, not fully understanding why Anna was calling her. What could be going on at the, then it hit her. "Oooh! I should be at the office." It was happening, whatever they had been working on must have finally paid off she realized.
"Yes, you should. Just don't bother Peter when you get there," Anna advised, she knew Lulu had figured out what was about to happen.
"I won't, thank you for calling." Lulu smiled, knowing Peter was finally going to pay for what he had done. What Mac had told her and Maxie had painted a picture of a cruel man that would do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Was he finally going to be stopped? "I need to be somewhere, so I should let you go, bye."
Anna smiled as she ended the call, why shouldn't Lulu be the one to break this story, she thought to herself.
…
Sitting in his office going over sales numbers Peter looked up when there was a knock at his door, "Anna, Robert, hello. What can I do for you?"
They stepped into the office, "We wanted to come down and talk to you about another visit with your mother," Robert told him as they got closer to his desk. "The WSB is just wondering if it's a good idea and we offered to come see what you were hoping would come from another visit."
"Oh, well that's simple," he replied in a casual tone. "I want a chance to get to know her. I feel like even though she wasn't a part of my life I would at least like to know the woman that gave birth to me. My father was a terrible man and I guess I want to know more about my other parent."
"You lie so easily."
"Excuse me?" Peter said a confused look on his face as he looked at her.
"You lie far too easily. Is that a skill Faison instilled in you? Were you ever telling me the truth?"
"What?" Then it started to dawn on him. Peter looked over at Robert, then back to the woman standing in front of him. "How is this possible? What is going on here?"
"You think you are so smart. That no one will ever discover what you are doing, what you've done. No one will ever know you set out to kill your father and your aunt. No one will ever know you used mind control on your own mother and so many others to get what you want," she accused.
"Mother?" Peter asked in disbelief as his mouth hung open.
"You used me." She pointed her finger at him not able to say what she needed to. "You made sure I wouldn't try and stop you. You stole that money to fund your revenge plot against your father." Alex knew she wasn't making much sense at the moment but seeing him made it that much harder to accept what he had done. Everything she now knew he had done was just slipping out.
"How are you here?" Peter couldn't believe his mother was standing in his office, never mind focus on the things she was saying.
"Once I started working with Andre Maddox, he was able to uncover and reverse what you had planted in my head. What you had done to me!" She shook her head in disbelief, "How could you? All I wanted to do was love you, to be a part of your life. To watch my son grow into the wonderful man I knew he could have been. I wanted you to be free of your father, not turn out exactly like him."
"I am not like my father!"
"I beg to differ," Robert said. Alex looked over at him and he held up his hands. He had promised her he would stay out of this and he will try.
"How long were you planning it? How long did you wait to take your revenge on him?"
"I have hated that man most of my life."
"You should have put as much effort into changing your life as you did into destroying his. Why couldn't you do that? I was there for you, I would have helped you. You could have separated yourself from him but you didn't want that. You wanted to make him pay, you wanted him to suffer, to die."
"So what if I did? I would never have been free of my Father no matter what I did. Look at what he turned me into."
"You did that all on your own sonny boy." Again Alex looked over at Robert when he spoke. "Sorry."
"He's right. You had the power to change the direction your life took. You could have made different choices."
"What good would that have been, Mother?"
"You chose to take revenge. You chose to have your father killed. That was not the life you should have wanted. Peter, you could have done anything you set your mind to."
Peter looked over at Scorpio, he had moved away from them and was now standing by the door as if to ensure no one could leave. What has been going on and for how long?
"You wanted to make your father pay. You wanted to be the person that did it. Why?" It felt like this was the first time she had ever scolded her son. All she had ever wanted to do was make him see he was loved, now she can see that he had needed some tough love as well. "What did you want to happen when you finally unleashed Jason Morgan on Faison?"
"I wanted him to know who had kept him from his family for all that time. I wanted it to be easy for Jason to find him," he admitted angrily. "Faison wanted to turn Drew into the perfect weapon. The only problem with that was he did call the shots and it was Morgan that was going to be the perfect weapon."
"You came here. You made sure Faison came here. You made sure Valentin talked to Anna about the baby you knew he thought she had given up. You wanted Anna to believe she was your mother. It was your idea to plant that memory in her head. It wasn't to protect anyone. It was so you could blame her. You wanted her to pay but I don't know what for. Why did she have to pay?"
"It's her fault!" Peter yelled. "I should have been raised by you!"
"What are you talking about, Anna didn't even know I existed when you were born."
"He knew about her! He wanted a family with her. He would have gladly raised her brat but his own son he wanted nothing to do with. Well until I became useful for his little research projects," he said bitterly. "She got to have a life with her daughter and be happy with the father. Where was our happy home? You couldn't be in my life and he didn't want me. She took that away from us. He only wanted her!"
What the hell? Robert wondered as his anger grew. Could Peter really blame Anna for Faison's obsession with her? He was trying to stay out of this but had made sure to position himself to get a nice clear view of what was going on. What was being said here was going to help ensure Peter's conviction.
"Anna can't be blamed for any of that. You wanted her to be punished for having a sick twisted man believe she was meant to be with him. Is that why you wanted it to happen here, were you hoping Anna would somehow be caught up in all of this and wind up dead?" Alex couldn't believe what she was hearing, could Peter be as twisted as his father was? "You caused your own brother's death by bringing Faison here."
"So what? He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some cop he was, at least I was smart enough to wear a vest. Faison shot me just above the heart that night. I had a bruise there for a couple of weeks and every time I saw it I smiled knowing he was dead and I had survived. The fact he killed the son he never got to mess up is priceless," Peter said with a laugh, a cruel grin on his lips.
…
Frisco had been watching the feed with Anna in the hall not far from Peter's office. To hear Peter first talk so coldly about wanting Anna dead, now to hear him laugh about Nathan's death. That was too much, he might not have the best relationship with his daughter but no one got away with causing her that kind of pain.
As soon as he turned Anna started walking as well. The amount of things he is admitting to needs to be on the record and if she didn't go with him, Anna got the feeling Frisco may tear Peter apart for hurting his little girl.
When Lulu saw Anna and Frisco walking towards her she knew this was what she was waiting for. Frisco didn't stop, he just walked up, opened the door and stormed in. "Peter August, you are under arrest." Lulu didn't know what was going on or how there were now two Anna's in Peter's office. Frisco read Peter his rights and started listing off what he is being charged with. Lulu quickly hit record on her phone, she knew there was no way she would be able to remember everything that was happening in front of her.
"How could you do this to me?" Peter asked, staring at the woman that had been in the room with him.
"I had no choice. You took that away from me the first time you used what your father had taught you on me," she said bitterly.
Lulu looked back at Anna, she had been the one out in the hall, this other woman must be her twin sister Alex, Peter's mother. Oh, this story just got even better she thought with a smile.