Chapter 4

Luke, Laura, and Robert were sitting on the cot in their room and they were trapped in discussing escape plans when they heard the door unlock. The trio looked at each other in confusion.

"Should we open it?", asked Laura.

"No", said Luke, "It could be a trap".

A loud voice blasted through an intercom that they didn't even know existed, "Luke Spencer, Robert Scorpio, and Laura Spencer Collins. Please exit the room. Jean Claude will guide you to the control room".

The three of them stood up and began walking towards the door when Robert said, "The control room? Man, are we in 1981 again?".

Luke replied, "Shut up, Robert. And keep walking. And the rule in 1981 still stands: protect Laura. She comes first. Always".

Luke, Laura, and Robert followed the tall, muscular body guard Jean Claude to what they assumed was the control room. The trio tried to pay attention to their surroundings. They were looking for anything suspicious or anything that could give them a clue to what was going on. The only picture hanging on the wall in the hallway was of the Cassadine family tree, but on this picture the Cassadines who have died names were crossed out with blood. Whoever is behind this is a cruel and lethal person. Laura whispered to Luke, "Did you see that? Blood! To cross out the dead Cassadines. That is the only piece of decoration I have seen so far. I told you Valentine is lethal! He killed Nikolas for God's sake!"

Luke whispered back, "Laura, what if it isn't Valentine? What if Helena is alive for the twentieth time? You know she is like a cat, with nine lives".

"No Luke. I am telling you that Valentine is behind all of this. In all of our past adventures, you took the lead and I just followed. Well, this time is going to be different. I know Valentine is behind this. And, to think of it, you and Robert haven't faced Valentine before. You have never gone head to head with him. I have! I know this man and he his deadly."

"Fine Angel. I believe you. But if things get ugly in there, you get out immediately. Everyone at home needs you. They could do without us two old guys."

"No Luke! Once a team, always a team. I am not letting you men boss me around again. This time I am your equal. I have fought the Cassadines just as long as you have. I am fighting with you until the bitter end!"

Luke and Laura stopped their conversation when Jean Claude announced that they were at the door of the hallway that was the entrance to the control room. He told the trio to wait in front of the door until it opened. His master would let them in when he was ready for them.

Once Jean Claude left the three of them alone, the trio was awkwardly standing outside the hallway door wondering what is going to happen once they walk in. Even though Luke and Laura have been over for a long time, he could still tell when she was nervous. He noticed Laura chewing on her bottom lip and playing with her engagement ring. Luke knew he had to calm her down before entering unknown territory with whom they assume is Valentine Cassadine, the man who didn't even care that he killed his own nephew, Laura's son. Luke stretched out his hand, grabbed her left hand, and gave it a squeeze. Laura looked up at him and gave him a grateful smile. Even though they ended up with different people, Laura understands that Luke knows her inside and out. Laura squeezed his hand back and didn't let go.

Robert watched the interaction between the two exes. He witnessed them fall in love almost forty years ago. Though sometimes he is surprised that they still aren't together, he knows they ended up with people who understand their wants and needs best. From way back in the 80s, Robert knew that Laura wanted adventure, but deep down she also wanted a home and a stable life. He knew Luke only ever wanted adventure, but would give Laura anything she wanted because she was and always will be will be his "Angel". He looked over at his best friends and couldn't believe they were back on Ice Princess Island again and fighting off most likely another demented Cassadine with an evil plan. Robert spoke up and said, "So, what I am thinking is for me to take charge when we get in there. Laura, love, you have to much emotion when dealing with this man. And Luke, because he hurt Laura and LuLu, you'll want to wring his neck as soon as he speaks. So, that leaves me. I'll be the one to speak to him and find out what he wants".

Luke replied, "Robert, don't tell me what to do. I have a calm demeanor when I need to have one".

Robert scoffed and Laura let out a laugh. "Since when, Spencer? You go from zero to sixty in five seconds" Robert said.

"Yeah, Luke. Just let Robert handle the talking for now. We have too much emotion going into this. I despise the man because he killed my son, shot Kevin, tried to kidnap Spencer, and kept Charlotte from LuLu for years. And you hate him because he hurt me and LuLu. Anytime someone hurts one of us, you want to kill them", said Laura.

"This man shot Doc? I thought he only had it out for the Spencers and Nikolas", replied Luke.

"Um. Yeah. He was actually going to shoot me, but Kevin jumped in front of me. He saved my life."

"Wow. Um. Wow. Doc is a brave man."

"Yes. He is. But back to the topic at hand, I think Robert should take the lead. Robert will give us a signal when he needs us to speak up, right Robert?"

Robert replied, "Yes. I'll take the reins, but when I think one of you needs to speak I'll pat my thigh once for Luke and twice for Laura".

"Fine. I'll let Robert take the lead. But remember the rule, Laura's safety comes first." Luke noticed Laura roll her eyes, so he added, "I am serious Laura. I understand that we all are equals going into this, but your safety comes first. Don't try to fight me on this".

Laura nodded and didn't fight Luke on this. Deep down, Laura was appreciative of Luke's protectiveness of her. Through all their trials and tribulations, Luke constantly remained protective of her. She was grateful. She didn't want to admit out loud that she was nervous and petrified. The three of them weren't young and vibrant anymore. They lived their lives and are older now. They don't have the strength and vitality they had when fighting the Cassadines once before. But as scared and nervous as Laura was, she knew Luke and Robert would do anything for her. Interrupting her thoughts, a loud voice came over another intercom and said, "When the door opens, I want Laura to enter. Alone".

The door opened and Laura's heart jumped to her throat.

Laura let go of Luke's hand and walked towards the door. Before she entered, she turned around and looked at Luke. No words were said, but Robert knew they were communicating through their eyes. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but he knew when he saw Laura walk back towards the door that Luke told her something that gave her the strength to go in there. As soon as Laura disappeared down the hallway and they heard the door close, Luke began to freak out. "This man is a psycho! How could he just ask for Laura? He's playing mind games! He's going to trick her! He's going to use LuLu, Spencer, Lucky, Kevin, or even me against her! We need to get in there, Robert!", rambled Luke nervously as he banged on the wall.

"Spencer! Calm down! Laura is going to be okay. She is not as weak as you are making her seem. She has fought off Cassadines before and she'll do it again", said Robert.

"I swear to God if this man harms Laura in anyway, I will kill him."

"And I'll help you hide the body."

"Thanks. I know Laura is a grown woman and she made a life for herself without me. But, every time I look at her, I see the eighteen-year-old girl who helped me out of the water and just ran off with me. She saved me so many times. I just want to save her. No. I need to save her."

"Spencer, you said it yourself. Laura is a grown woman. She can fight off bad guys just like you and me. And probably better. No one wants to be at the end of Laura's wrath. She'll be fine without you. She's been fine without you for years. Don't worry."

"You're scared too, Robert. I can see it."

"I'm like you, Spencer. Every time I look at Laura, I see the young girl who stowed away on a boat with us and fought off Cassadine and his minions with a gun in a ball gown. But then, she talks about her life today. She talks about losing Nikolas, falling in love with Kevin, and raising that little Cassadine boy. She grew up."

"Do you think she's happy?"

"What do I look like, a shrink? But to answer your question, after everything that has happened, yes, I think she's happy."

"She deserves it. She deserves all the happiness in the world. I gave her a rough life."

"But she loved you. She would have done anything for you."

"She did. She traveled the world with me while raising Lucky and being chased by Frank Smith. But I wasn't able to give her what she wanted: a stable life."

"Laura understands. She always understands."

"I know. She was too good for me. She's too good for everyone."

"Even that doctor husband of hers? She seems to really love him."

"He's given her what she always wanted. He's a stable guy who doesn't mind staying home, cooking dinner, taking out the garbage, and paying bills. And I'm sure if that Cassadine kid lived at home with them and went to school, Doc wouldn't mind PTA meetings and school functions. He is the exact opposite of me. We have nothing in common. It's like Laura went from one end of the spectrum to the other."

"The two of you have one thing in common."

"What, Robert? Because what does a noble shrink have in common with a low life like me?"

"You both love Laura. Yes, in different ways. But you both put Laura ahead of yourselves."

Luke remained silent for a few minutes. He didn't want to talk about Laura's love life and how he disappointed her anymore. He carries that guilt with him everywhere he goes. He has Tracy now, and he's happy. She understands him and allows him to be free roaming and seek adventure. She never asked him to change. She takes him as he is. But, he hurt Laura in the process of finding Tracy. From the moment he met Laura, he knew she deserved the world, but he also knew he wasn't the one who could give it to her. He tried, boy did he try. But there is too much hurt between the two of them to ever go back. Luke understands that Tracy is his future and Kevin is Laura's. He just wishes that he and Laura could take back all the years of lies and pain. Luke used to wonder if he just accepted Nikolas for who he really was, Laura's son, from the beginning, then maybe their marriage wouldn't have fallen apart. Nikolas to his core was just Laura's son. If they get out of here alive and well, Luke was going to try to apologize to Laura. He realizes he has said his apologies before when they were at the Triple L Diner looking for Lucky. But, he really wants to apologize for putting her through hell when she never, ever deserved it.

Robert interrupted Luke's thoughts when he asked, "Spencer? You okay?"

Luke responded, "Yeah. Just needed to think for a while. Did you hear anything while I was zoned out?"

"No. Nothing. But, I am sure Laura is doing just fine."

"She probably is. I trust her, but I am also scared for her. This man has taken a lot from her. She's angry at him. I'm scared she'll let her emotions overtake her mind and decisions. But, I would feel better knowing we were in there with her."

"Soon. If this man doesn't let us in soon, we'll find a way to Laura ourselves."

"Hopefully, it doesn't come to that. I'm hoping that the door will open and we go in there and get Laura out. I'm going crazy thinking about what that guy is telling her or what he's doing to her. If he lays one finger on her, I will rip his arm out of its socket."

Immediately after Luke finished speaking, a voice over the intercom said, "Luke and Robert. You may enter now".