All right peeps! We're getting close to the end of Book 3. I'm estimating around 3-5 chapters left, but that can always change. Don't forget to review!

Chapter 54- Charlotte's Message

The next couple months, Scout continued to have nightmares but was no longer afraid to drink or bathe in water. She continued to see Kevin only once a week now since he had many other children he was therapy-ing as well. Danny missed Angelica like crazy. While he enjoyed tobogganing on the island's small hill with Leo and Jake, he just wanted spring to come. He was so done with winter, because he needed to see Angelica again.

Sam and Spinelli's business picked up. Every household on the island now owned a camera, and they also made and sold more flashlights, watches, clocks, and walkie-talkies. Spinelli said that his ultimate goal was to make a computer by studying the few that Andre Maddox rescued from V-Town.

Franklin was growing fast along with his brother and sisters. Dockette was still very tiny but had grown somewhat too and would always start a fight with her siblings when she saw them. Danny and Willow busted out laughing one time when Pavlov walked over and lifted Doc by the scruff of her neck and carried her away from Franklin whom she was picking on.

April rolled around and a couple weeks after Easter was the first warm day they had since Scout fell through ice. That meant two things to Danny: 1. He and Drew would be attempting to meet Angelica that night, and 2. It was time for Danny to investigate the hole in the wall.

He knew he would have to be sneaky though so his parents wouldn't find out. So, he wore his bathing suit underneath his clothes that day. Despite Diane being a good lawyer, he didn't think she was really that smart and he'd be able to fool her. As he sat at his desk most of the morning, he kept scrunching his face and lowering his head on his desk and moaning.

"Danny?" Diane stopped her review on how to come up with a good cover story. Her baby bump bigger than last week. "Are you all right?"

"I don't feel so good…" Danny whined a little.

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?" Diane asked. "What is wrong?"

"I feel achy… my stomach and my head… I'm dizzy and I feel nauseous."

She stared at him. "If I didn't know any better, I would have guessed you were pregnant too!"

He gawked at her.

"Go home and get some rest!" Diane said.

He rose to his feet and grinned, but then moaned again. "Thanks Diane…" Leo eyed him suspiciously as he sauntered from the classroom. As soon as he was outside, he ran for it.

He came to a halt near the castle though and hid behind a tree when he saw Carly walking with Donna.

"Where's Grandma?" Donna asked.

"She went to visit her good friend Monica," Carly said.

"Oh."

"I know you spend a lot of time with her, but Mommy wants to do better. I'm going to be the one to take care of you for now on."

Donna smiled a little.

They continued walking a little, when Carly tripped over a tree root and smacked her forehead off the trunk of the tree.

"Mommy?" Donna asked. "Are you okay?"

Carly sat up and rubbed her forehead. "Ugh…. Yeah, I'll be okay… I think I got a goose egg though. We better go home."

Danny watched as they took off towards the village, then he made his way down to the docks.

He stripped down to his bathing suit and piled his clothes up by a tree. He would need to get back home before Diane or anyone else alerted his parents. He removed his watch and set it on the edge of the dock. He dove in. It was still cold, but it felt good and didn't take long for him to get used to it.

He kicked as hard as he could, passing some fish and a turtle, he arrived at the hole in the wall. It was made of stone and very thick. He wasn't even halfway before he needed air. He tried to swim further, but some water went up his nose. He turned around and swam up for fresh air. He treaded near the wall, took a deep breath, then dove under again. This time, he made it a little further, but turned back. He breathed in the sweet air and groaned. He would need to practice holding his breath longer.

Worried someone would find out he was gone, he swam back to the deck and pulled himself up. He wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. He glanced around the deck, but his watch was gone!
"Looking for this?"

Leo was leaning against the tree where he set his clothes swinging his watch back and forth.

Danny's heart sped and he froze. "Wh-what… how long have you been standing there?"

"Does that really matter?" Leo asked. "Skipping class to go swimming?"

"Well, you're obviously skipping too!"

"It's lunch hour," Leo said.

Danny sighed. "Look, please don't tell Mom or Dad! Don't tell anyone! Not even Grandma and Grandpa… especially Grandma!"

"I won't if you tell me what you're up to," Leo said. "You're obviously up to something. You wouldn't skip class just to swim."

"Just promise not to tell!"

"Tell me what you're up to," Leo repeated. "Come on. I'm always left out of things. Always have been."

"Leo…"

"Tell me! Maybe I can help."

"But I don't want you to get in trouble if we get caught," Danny said. "Plus, I don't know if it's going to be dangerous or not."

"But I can help!" Leo insisted. "You're always in on the action and I'm always on the sidelines. And you'll probably do better if you're not on your own."

Danny hesitated. Perhaps it would help to have someone to brainstorm with. "Okay, fine." He stepped closer to Leo and lowered his voice. "There's a hole in the wall."

Leo's eyes grew wide. "So, you were you trying to escape?"

"Well, I don't really have a plan yet. Other than I need to practice holding my breath longer. I can only hold it for fifteen minutes."

"Only? That's insane…"

"The only other person on this island that can hold it that long… or longer maybe… is my mom. But Willow and Scout need her. Plus, she's getting old. And there's no way Mom, Dad, or Grandma will let me do this… So, you need to promise not to tell!"

"I won't, I promise," Leo said. "I don't want to give Lex another panic attack… so, are you thinking of escaping to get help?"

"Something like that," Danny said. "Though I don't really know."

"Well, I can help you practice holding your breath in the pond. I can time you."

Danny smiled. "That would be helpful. You know, I remember before V-Town I always wanted to beat the Guinness World Record winner, Aleix Segura, one day, who held his breath underwater for 24 minutes and 3 seconds. Maybe I will yet."

"That would be pretty sweet if you do," Leo said. "Gosh, you and Scout both must get good lungs from Sam since Scout survived being under for twelve minutes."

Danny shrugged. "I guess so."

"Well I better get back so I'm not late for class."

Danny pulled his shirt over his head. "Yeah I better get back too."

"Maybe after army training tomorrow we can meet up at the pond," Leo suggested. "Probably not a good idea today since you're supposed to be sick."

Danny nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow sounds good.

GHGHGH

Danny was half excited, half annoyed, when he and Drew walked down to the docks at 2am. He'd finally be seeing Angelica again after two months, but his dad would be there embarrassing him… who knew what Gel would think of it.

"Did you really have to bring a gun?" Danny asked.

"It's tucked away in case of emergency," Drew said.

They waited fifteen minutes before Danny's flashlight revealed a brown kayak coming towards them. He smiled widely. Gel looked more beautiful than ever. She wore red lipstick and her brown hair was done up in a bun.

"Hey…" Danny said, helping her out of the kayak.

She eyed Drew suspiciously. "Brought Daddy with you?"

Danny sighed.

Drew extended his hand to her. "You must be Angelica. I'm Drew."

She stared at his hand, then sideways glanced at Danny. "Why is he here?"

"My parents found out I was sneaking out," Danny said. "This was the only way I could keep seeing you."

She set her hands on her hips and looked up at Drew.

"I think you can understand that we're concerned about Valentin and your father," Drew said. "They could be watching you sneak out."

Angelica laughed. "If Father caught me sneaking out, he'd blame it on Matteo."

"Anyway…" Danny said. "How's it going? You can say in front of Dad…"

She shrugged. "Still can't get in to see the captives. They are guarding the safehouse 24/7. I have however spoken to Charlotte Cassadine a few times."

"And how is Charlotte getting on?" Drew asked.

"She's a wreck," Gel said. "Matteo won't leave her alone. She's scared to death of the Incompetent V. Don't know what's so scary about him…"

"Well, he did bring an entire town under submission," Drew said.

Angelica rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I mentioned to her that I was meeting you tonight." She looked at Drew. "I mean Danny… She scrambled to write this." She handed Danny an envelope. "Just said to give it to you. She wouldn't say anything else. I think she thought we were being watched. Even though the men were in a meeting. She always thinks she's being watched."

Danny stared at the blank envelope. "I wonder what she wants."

GHGHGH

When Danny and Drew arrived home, they sat at the kitchen table.

"You better open it, Danny," Drew said with a nod.

He ripped open the envelope.

Dear Danmy,

Please leave me and Popa alone. You've already dome enough to hurt V-Tomn and have stolen our lygacy. The Hlmighty V will teke back what is rightfully his. Le will take repenge and all mill bow to hem. Windimere b'longs to um. The disty Cascadines and the Spancers will re treeted dike the varmin tley ale. They till hee flushet ind eramed from the fece of the earth.

Napasha's lane pill end soaner wather taan laner. Ttat also goss for Nikotos and Skincer. Lou wlll aln be wapet oat, nos one wihl sarvive. You mill nat sey thif ciminf. It wilt be whhn yiu lesst extect ih. Net epen tle childran wiln be sfared of ir camet tawn co ik.

Tme Olmigmty V myll pile egaan, alosg weth sis dasvendents.

~Charmotte Cassedine~