Chapter 9
Lucas walked over to a silver car parked in the alley behind Mythic Communications and put his hands on the glass to try to look inside the tinted passenger window and jumped back startled when the window rolled down.
"Get in the car, Lucas," Celeste commanded from the driver's seat. "Hurry up before someone sees you!"
Lucas shook his head, opened the door and got in the passenger seat.
"So, Celeste, what's so urgent you needed to see me right now," Lucas huffed.
"Well, it's incomplete information, but the spirits tell me that you are the key to me finding my Alexandra
"The spirits tell you I can help you find Lexie? That's why you called me? What a freaking joke," Lucas said rolling his eyes and putting his hand on the door handle. "I'm getting out of here. Maybe you can call up Miss Cleo and get her help unraveling your voodoo mystery."
"So you won't help me find Lexie even if my tarot cards tell me she is alive and with your wife, Samantha?" Celeste said.
"Sami?" Lucas said, as if saying her name caused him physical pain rather than just emotional pain. "But Lexie disappeared so long ago. Long before Sami ran off with E.J."
Celeste surveyed the anguish on his face and knew she couldn't tell Lucas about the entire reading, that Sami and E.J. were together with Lexie. If he knew, he wouldn't help her.
"You really believe that?" Celeste asked. "After all the years Sami had spent fighting for you, trying to win your heart, trying just to get through one wedding ceremony, you think that once she finally got married she was just going to give it up on a whim and throw it all away for some affair?"
"It wasn't just that Celeste," Lucas said. "E.J. is the father of her child. Sami said so in her letter. That's why she had been so secretive all that time."
"Well if she is carrying a DiMera child that would explain why the spirits say it is Stefano who holds her captive," Celeste said.
"Stefano? If that's the case then they could be anywhere," Lucas said. "I mean it's been months since our honeymoon in New Orleans and that night in the mansion when..."
"Did you say New Orleans? Mansion?" Celeste asked as her mind churned. "Of course…"
"Yeah, I know. Pretty ridiculous they sent us to help fix up a mansion that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, right?" Lucas said with a chuckle. "I don't know what that charity was thinking sending us to rehab that spooky old place, but…"
"We have to go there. Now," Celeste said.
"Go where?"
"Maison Blanche."
"Maison what?"
"Maison Blanche. I don't have time to explain that now. There will be time to fill you in on the plane," Celeste said.
"Well, I can't just up and leave… I mean… I just got to work…" Lucas said.
Celeste slid down her sunglasses with her index finger to eye Lucas skeptically and take in his disheveled visage.
"Is that beer I smell on your breath?" Celeste asked. "Are you drunk?"
"No, I'm not drunk. I may have had a beer, one beer, for lunch, but… but… but I think you're the one who's totally plastered if you think your spirits are going to lead us to Sami and Lexie," Lucas said.
"Well, there's only one way to find out if the spirits are telling the truth," Celeste said. "Come on. Let's see if I'm right. If you love Sami, you will fight for her. What do you have to lose if I'm wrong?"
"Nothing," Lucas said flatly. "I have nothing to lose. OK. I'll go with you. We'll go back to the mansion. Just give me an hour."
"I'll be back here in 30 minutes with our plane tickets," Celeste said. "And don't tell Tony where you're going. For all we know he could be mixed up in this."
Chapter 10
Tony sat at his desk at Mythic Communications waiting for the call back from Dr. Rolf about his father's condition and wondered if he was doing the right thing.
He contemplated why he was so loyal to his father even when his family had a hand in costing him the love of every woman he ever cared about… Kristen, Renee… well then he realized that wasn't quite right. He had messed up his relationship with Anna for the most part all on his own.
He pulled a picture frame out of his desk of the two of them in happier times, but when he heard someone coming in his office he quickly shoved it back into the desk drawer.
"Kate, my dear," Tony said flirtatiously, getting out of his desk chair and walking over to Kate to kiss her hand. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"Your charm is wasted on me, Tony," Kate said brushing him off. "Not today. Not when I'm sick of holding this company together all by myself and I need you to pay a little bit more attention to Mythic Communications and a little less to whatever strange tasks you're required to perform as a DiMera."
"Well, I'm sorry you feel I haven't been attentive enough as your partner, Kate," Tony said with a knowing smile hinting at all the ways he had been her partner. "But I thought you and Lucas were quite capable of running things day to day. Lucas is helping you run things, isn't he? Because if he's not then he can be easily replaced by…"
Kate sighed.
"Yes, Lucas is helping me just fine," Kate lied. "It's just… just… well I miss spending time with you. You've been so distant lately."
Tony knew it was true. Even as he carried on an affair with Kate, his heart still belonged to Anna. But Anna only wanted to be with Roman, or so he thought. Tony tried to put thoughts of his ex-wife out of his mind and snapped back from his daydreaming.
"Well, I know a way that we could be close again," Tony whispered, pulling Kate in for a long, slow, passionate kiss.
With one seasoned pro swipe of her arm, Kate slid all of the contents of Tony's desk onto the floor. He picked her up and put her on the desk while she began to remove her suit blazer when they were rudely interrupted by someone who failed to see the importance of knocking.
"Mom, I need to speak to you…" Lucas said before stopping when he looked up to see his mother and Tony DiMera about to have sex. "Oh God, can't you guys keep in your pants until after work?"
Lucas turned away as Kate and Tony both strived to smooth out their rumpled suits.
"Can't you learn to knock before entering someone else's office, Lucas?" Tony said huffily.
"I'll be right back, Tony," Kate said while she walked with Lucas out to the hallway with equal embarrassment and exasperation at her son's interruption.
"So just what was so damn important you came barging in there, Lucas?" Kate asked angrily.
"Keep your voice down. I don't want him to hear you," Lucas said.
"Who?" Kate asked.
"Tony," Lucas said.
Kate laughed. Yet Tony did hear them because his ear was pressed against the door.
"Lucas, you are acting ridiculous." Kate said. "Is this a drinking thing?"
"No, Mom. It's not a drinking thing." Lucas said defensively. "It's about Sami."
"Sami?" Kate said rolling her eyes. "Well, then it is a drinking thing except I'm going to be the one in the drunken stupor."
"Could you just save your wise cracks for five seconds so I can explain?" Lucas asked. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to be gone for a couple days so I can search for her and I wanted to know if you could cover for me."
"Cover for you? So you can go on some wild bimbo chase?" Kate said. "Lucas, I know you still have a lot of feelings for that heartless wench and I'm sure the alcohol stirs those feelings up, but I don't know what you think you're going to accomplish pretending that she's out there just waiting for you to rescue her."
"I'm not pretending," Lucas insisted. "She could really need me to rescue her."
"Rescue you from whom?" Kate asked dismissively.
"Stefano DiMera." Lucas said flatly.
"Stefano?" Kate scoffed. "Where did you get that idea?"
"It's not important," Lucas said.
"Actually it is important, Lucas," Kate said. "I know your work attendance hasn't been so great lately but in case you haven't noticed, we're in business with the DiMeras."
"Oh, believe me, I've noticed," Lucas sighed. "Look, the truth is, if you must know, I'm going back to New Orleans. I think Sami's there or at least I think I can find some kind of clue of where she is by going back to that old mansion we were at on her honeymoon the night she disappeared."
Tony heard this news and beads of sweat began to form around his neck. All his plans would be ruined if Lucas returned to Maison Blanche. Tony would have to go to New Orleans and stop Lucas from exposing the truth. Unless Kate was able to help him once again and convince Lucas that going to New Orleans was a bad idea.
"But Lucas, you know as well as I do that there's nothing there," Kate said throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "We looked over every nook and cranny of that place and there was nothing. Not one shred of evidence that anything Sami said in her letter about wanting to be with E.J. wasn't true. But… I guess the sooner you realize that the sooner you can move on with your life."
"Damn," Tony whispered to himself. He walked over to the phone to put in a call to get the Mythic jet ready for a flight to New Orleans.
"You're right, Mom," Lucas said. "I do need this to move on with my life. One way or another. Thanks for understanding."
Kate watched as Lucas got in the elevator to head toward New Orleans and kicked the air in frustration about the hold that Sami still held over Lucas's heart. Seeking to forget her frustrations she walked back into Tony's office hoping they could pick up where they left off, but found Tony with her back to her and heard him on the phone lining up a flight to New Orleans on the Mythic jet. Tony slammed down the phone unaware that Kate was listening.
Chapter 10
"Just what business in New Orleans does Mythic have, Tony?" Kate asked to Tony's surprise.
"Oh, hi Lucas," Anna said politely, but uncomfortably as she stepped onto the Mythic elevator and recognized her rather pathetic ex-son-in-law of just a couple of months. "It's so nice to see you."
"Uhhh, hi Anna," Lucas said gruffly as he moved to step off the elevator. "Sorry I don't have much time to talk, but I'm in kind of a hurry."
Anna nodded but when the elevator door closed she shook her head and thought he almost looked and sounded like he'd been drinking. She was so glad her daughter, Carrie, was no longer married to that particular spawn of Kate Roberts.
But she quickly shook away thoughts about him and her children as she opened up the palm of her hand and looked at the large, glittering rock Roman had used to propose marriage at their date at Chez Rouge. It was a beautiful ring, she thought, but before she could agree to start a new life with Roman she had to know whether her old one with Tony was really over.
She walked up to the executive floor and when darted past the receptionist toward Tony's office when she wasn't looking. Not only was Anna too impatient to wait, but a part of her was afraid Tony would tell the receptionist that he didn't want to see Anna and she just wouldn't stand for that.
Anna crept down the hallway and discovered Tony's office door wide open, but when she noticed Kate Roberts was inside and talking to Tony she decided to linger outside the door and listen before making her presence known.
Tony attempted to brush off Kate's queries about his mysterious trip to New Orleans, but to no avail.
"Tony, we're partners," Kate said. "You need to tell me why you're taking the Mythic jet to New Orleans."
"It's not important," Tony said dismissively.
"Like hell it isn't," Kate insisted.
"All right," Tony said. "I'll tell you. I need to get to New Orleans to stop your son. Sami is being held captive there and I need to make sure he doesn't find her."
Anna's heart broke at hearing Tony's cruelty toward Roman's daughter. She quickly headed toward the elevator dialing her cell phone so she could call him and tell him what she found out.
Meanwhile, Kate pressed Tony to explain what was going on.
"Oh, like you care about Sami Brady," Tony said. "You helped me after all. You covered for me when Roman asked how I found you all when I crashed your search party. And Lucas was so close to finding her when he was outside that attic door and you got him to give up on her and walk away."
"I… I… I didn't do anything," Kate said in a fit of conscience. "Lucas made the decision to walk away. I just helped him see that was the right decision."
"Well, you failed to help him make the right decision just now so I need to see to it myself that he never find her," Tony said vaguely.
"What does that mean?" Kate said.
"Nothing," Tony said kissing her cheek. "I'm sorry Kate. But I have to go."
Kate sighed as Tony grabbed his briefcase and headed out of his office. She sat at his desk chair and noticed a picture frame that he had been holding and looking at while he was on the phone. It was of Tony and Anna. Kate threw the picture down on the ground and it shattered.
Chapter 12
Lexie walked over to Stefano sleeping in his hospital bed and grabbed his hand.
To her surprise, Stefano clutched her hand back and opened his eyes.
"I heard you just then, Alexandra," Stefano said. "And I just want you to know that I appreciate all the sacrifices you have made for the family."
"Oh, Father," Lexie said uncomfortably. "You should get your rest and not worry about Sami."
"But I need to tell you something, Alexandra," Stefano insisted. "Something very important."
"Well, what is it?" Lexie asked curiously.
"I need you to know I've decided about my inheritance," Stefano said.
"Oh you shouldn't be worrying about that," Lexie said. "You're not going to die yet. We're going to have you back to normal in no time."
"Maybe so, Alexandra," Stefano said. "But this experience has been quite humbling for me. And it's taught me a lot about my children."
"How so?" Lexie asked.
"It's taught me that you are the only child that I can count on," Stefano said to Lexie's surprise.
"But Father… what do you mean?" Lexie asked. "I haven't always been the most dutiful DiMera."
"No, Alexandra, you haven't," Stefano said. "That's why your loyalty to me now, when I'm most vulnerable, means so much to me. You are willing to protect this family's secrets for my welfare. And that means I can trust you, and only you, to carry on the DiMera legacy."
"Me?" Lexie asked taken aback. "Are you sure you couldn't use some more rest? Maybe I should leave you alone so you can get some shut eye."
Lexie started to walk out but Stefano grabbed her hand.
"I mean this Alexandra," Stefano said. "I've made a decision. I admit I had wanted E.J. to produce this family's heir with Samantha as my ultimate revenge on the Brady family, but I've realized now that it will never work. E.J. will never put this family first, before the woman that he loves, even if we wipe away all memories he has of loving her he will just fall in love with her over again. But you, Alexandra, of your own free will, you demonstrated loyalty to me just now when I have been such a poor father to you. You have cared for me all these months even as you have been kept from your husband and from your son, yet you haven't held that against me. I know I wasn't there for you when you grew up, and even if that was no choice of mine but that of your mother, I still regret that."
"Father, you need to calm down…" Lexie said pushing him back as he tried to sit up the hospital bed before Stefano interrupted her.
"No, I will not calm down," Stefano said. "Until I know that you are willing to accept what I am offering to you, the chance for your son, Theo, to carry on the DiMera family legacy."
"What do you mean?" Lexie asked.
"Just what I said," Stefano explained. "I want Theo to inherit all this family's wealth and all this family's power. That is if his mother is willing to accept it on his behalf."
"Father," Lexie said in shock. "I would be willing to accept whatever gift you wanted to provide Theo but are you sure this is what you really want? I mean what about Tony… and E.J.?"
"Well as you now know from Samantha," Stefano said. "Tony is E.J.'s son. And if Samantha breathes a word of this to either of them, I know I will have lost both of them forever. And I am prepared for that, as long as I can trust that you will teach your son what it means to be a DiMera."
Lexie contemplated what Stefano had told her. She knew that the DiMera name was both a blessing and a curse, but as she contemplated the wealth and power that would be hers and hers alone if she accepted she couldn't resist.
"Well, I just want you to know Father, both Theo and I accept," Lexie said, "whatever it is that you want to leave for us."