GreyStone. Morning.
Claudia was up in her bedroom again.
She'd gone out early that morning. Sonny had had one of his men tail her, but the guard had reported back that Claudia had simply walked around the park three times, rested for a few minutes and then walked back home.
While she was gone, Jason had had Spinelli check her computer. There was nothing on it but downloads of Frank Sinatra and a history of a search into some Chinese company. He'd have to find out what that was about.
Sonny knocked on Claudia's door.
"Come in," she said.
He opened the door. She was on her bed, reading a book.
"You all right?"
"Yeah," she said. When he went to leave, she said, "I went for a walk because I need light exercise. For the baby. It'll probably be safer for me if your man walks with me from now on. Instead of twenty feet behind."
"Just keeping an eye on you, Claudia."
"I know. But it took me five minutes to figure out it was one of your people. I was about to try to lose him. Might as well make this easier on everybody."
Sonny didn't say anything, just stared at her. Then he left the room and closed the door. Claudia was up to something. He was going to find out what that was. He checked his watch. Time to leave for his morning meetings. Claudia would have to wait.
**************************************
Somewhere outside of Milan. Chiarelli Compound. Evening.
Nikolas had never quite been in this position before. He was being patted down in front of his three year-old.
"It's just a game, Spencer," Nikolas said. "You can pat me, too, if you'd like."
The Chiarelli guard finished patting down Nikolas. Spencer toddled over and patted Nikolas' leg a few times. Nikolas ruffled Spencer's hair.
The guard left, and returned a few moments later with more guards and an older, stocky, grey-haired gentleman.
"Mr. Cassadine?," the gentleman said. "I am Rudolfo Chiarelli. You wished to speak to me? Come."
Nikolas picked up Spencer and followed Uncle Rudy into a large ornate office. All of the guards followed.
Nikolas looked around the room. Portraits everywhere. Jesus on a cross. Madonna and child. And a mantle with photos, including one of --
"Claudee!"
"That's right, Spencer. Claudia used to live here." He looked apologetically at Uncle Rudy. "I'm a friend of Claudia's. She and my son are fond of one another."
Spencer began to struggle in Nikolas' arms, and Nikolas put him down.
"I pirati ... ballano ... sul ponte ... delle ... delle navi,"sang Spencer, tripping over the words. Then he stopped, having lost the words.
"She had just started him on that one. He's a little uncertain of the words."
"E le casse scassano," sang one of the guards.
"Se perdono le chiavi," the rest of the guards joined in.
"Gira, Gira!," said Spencer, turning around twice and then stopping.
Nikolas explained, "I think he only learned the song so he could turn."
One of the guards knelt down to Spencer, "Buono!" Good.
"Dove รจ Claudee?," Spencer asked the guard. Where is Claudee?
"Yes," Uncle Rudy said to Nikolas. "Where is Claudia?"
"May we speak privately?," Nikolas said to Uncle Rudy.
Uncle Rudy studied Nikolas carefully, and then turned to the guards. "Prendete il ragazzo al di fuori a giocare." Take the boy outside to play. He turned to Nikolas, "This is okay?"
Nikolas nodded.
The guards left with Spencer.
"I thought you didn't speak English," Nikolas said.
"While Claudia was growing up, I did not," Rudy replied. "But as our business -- how do you say? -- expanded, Claudia felt it would be best if I learned. Please. Sit." Uncle Rudy took a seat behind the desk, and gestured for Nikolas to sit down across from him. Nikolas sat down. "I take it you are not here to show me the singing skills of your son," Rudy said.
"No," said Nikolas. "Claudia is in trouble. And I need your help."
*************************************************
GreyStone. Noon.
Sonny and Dominic came home from the morning meetings to a delicious smell. Someone was in Sonny's kitchen.
Sonny rushed through the dining room into the kitchen. Dominic followed. Claudia was holding out a ladle of sauce for Max to taste.
"Careful of that sauce, Max," Sonny said.
Claudia pulled the ladle away from Max and tasted it herself. "It's fine," she said. "But you should really call it 'gravy.'"
"Yeah," said Max.
"That's right," said Dominic.
Sonny pointed to Max. "You. Come with me." He pointed to Dominic. "You. Stay."
Max and Sonny left. Probably to discuss her. Claudia looked over at Dominic. "How's your palate?," she asked. "My taste buds are a little off from the pregnancy," she explained.
He came over, and out of the corner of her eye, Claudia saw something by the cuff of his pants. Interesting.
Out in the dining room, Max was explaining himself to Sonny. "She always cleans up after herself. And her taste buds don't work the same. Since she's with child."
"Listen to me," said Sonny. "All I'm saying is be careful. Don't taste anything you don't see her try first."
Claudia entered the room. "I think I've got it now," she said to Max. "Try it one last time." She turned to Sonny. "Dominic was watching me the whole time."
"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," he said to Max. Max went into the kitchen.
Claudia drew closer to Sonny and whispered in his ear, "Dominic is wearing a wire. One of yours?"
Sonny's face turned burgundy. He ran into the kitchen.
Now this was a distraction she hadn't even created. This was a gift from the gods. Claudia smiled. She rubbed her belly. Hang in there, kid, she thought. I'm going to get you to Nik.
*********************************************
Uncle Rudy's office.
"He has no regard for the mother of his child?"
"Unfortunately, Mr. Chiarelli, I'm afraid Mr. Corinthos sees Claudia as an incubator."
Uncle Rudy did not respond for awhile. And then, "If we are to follow your plan, and it works, there is no guarantee that Claudia would be safe later on. Once Anthony is released from prison, he will want to take custody of his grandson. By any means."
Nikolas flushed with anger. "That won't happen. Claudia and her son will be safe with me."
Uncle Rudy looked at Nikolas with understanding, and a little pity. "Love," he said to Nikolas, "is a dangerous thing. Love kills."
"Yes, I've heard Claudia say the same. And look where not loving has gotten her," Nikolas said.
"You think our ways are strange and wrong."
"I don't know. Most people think I'm odd, so I can't comment on that. And Claudia came out of your way of life and she's the smartest person I know. She may even be smarter than I am. But I don't envy her life. And I think she deserves more."
Uncle Rudy silently considered this. "If your plan does not work, I will have to resort to our usual methods."
"I know."
"It would be helpful if we could let Claudia know that there is a plan."
"I have a way of doing that," Nikolas said. "Does Sonny Corinthos know you speak English?"
"He thinks I can stumble around in it."
"Does he realize that you know he understands Italian?"
Uncle Rudy leaned forward as if he were a professor dropping gems to an eager student. "It's always best to appear less skilled and knowledgeable while you get the lay of the land. That is how you say, no? Lay of the land?"
"Yes," Nikolas said.
"As far as I know, Mr. Corinthos is unaware of the scope of my knowledge."
There was a knock on the office door and a woman in a suit entered. She handed a file to Uncle Rudy and left.
Uncle Rudy passed the file to Nikolas. "This is a copy of what you asked for. Be discreet."
"Thank you," said Nikolas. "I will." It was almost time to go. "You need to know two things: one, Sonny Corinthos is a very suspicious man. And two, he isn't as smart as he thinks he is."
Nikolas continued with the rest of the plan.
*********************************************
Greystone. Living room.
"What is this?! Huh?! What is this?!"
A battle was raging in the kitchen. The sounds made their way through two sets of walls. Claudia would have given anything to see it. But instead she was on the couch with her feet up.
Claudia wasn't sure if she had any virtues, but if she did, patience wasn't among them. It was almost physically painful for her to be not doing anything. But she needed to wait.
She heard muted voices outside the living room door and then Olivia came into the living room, wearing her usual combination of Smug and Disdain.
"He's in the kitchen," Claudia said. Might as well see your loverboy in all his Mobbed up glory, she thought.
Olivia didn't say a word, just headed into the kitchen. And in five, four, three, two...
"Sonny! No!"
"Stay out of this, Olivia! Get her out of here!"
"Sonny, please!"
"I know how this looks, but you don't know what he is!"
"He's my son! He's your son!"
Wow. Sonny really was the Johnny Appleseed of Port Charles. Too rich! Claudia was never going to have to worry about creating a distraction again.
Claudia was about zoom into the stratosphere when she felt a twinge. "Oh," she said to her belly. "Too much excitement for you? Okay." She got up off the couch. "Let's go upstairs and do a crossword puzzle." She started climbing the stairs, still talking to the belly. "Once you pop out, you better not be this much of a killjoy." She groaned as something else occurred to her. "My gravy is probably ruined..."
***********************************************
Cassadine Jet.
Spencer watched a dvd from his seat.
Nikolas cracked open the file Uncle Rudy had given him. It was all here. He just hoped something could be done. Nikolas closed the file again.
Next stop: France.
