Chapter 2
General Hospital
Anna was waiting in the lobby for Robert, Mac and Sean. She ushered them into an elevator.
"Alex wants us up in the boardroom. Dimitri and Tiffany are waiting for us," said Anna.
"Where's Alex?" asked Robert.
"She's visiting with Robin. She'll be joining us," Anna replied. "How was Spoon Island?"
"Aggravating," growled Robert under his breath.
Mac clarified. "I'm getting a search warrant today. We'll turn that place upside down, Anna."
"Did Alex say anything? A clue? A hint?" asked Sean.
Anna shook her head.
Robert sighed. "That means it's bad news."
Anna slid an arm about Robert's waist. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
They waited a few minutes in the board room before Alex arrived. The others took their seats around the long table. Dimitri gave Alex a reassuring nod.
"What are the test results, Alex?" asked Anna.
Alex walked around the table to her sister and Robert. She placed the two printouts in front of them. "I've done two tests. The first was the mitochondrial DNA test. The results ... " Alex paused then continued. "The results say that the patient downstairs could not be Anna's child or related to Andrew or me. She says her name is Eve Montrose. I believe her."
Around the table the reactions were all of shock and disbelief. Robert bolted out of his chair to stand facing the window. Anna stood up and embraced him from behind. Sean covered his face with one hand while holding Tiffany's hand with the other. Tiffany hugged Maxie to her. Mac sat back in his chair stunned. Dianara stood behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. Andrew glanced worriedly at his parents.
Alex sniffed loudly. "I did a second test to be absolutely certain."
"That's why you were downstairs?" asked Dmitri.
Alex nodded. "I examined Eve's features, head and scalp very closely. I found very tiny incision scars on her scalp along the top hairline and the right side of her face. The scars are extremely small, well done and artfully hidden by her hair. I strongly suspect that some kind of facial reconstruction on a minor scale was done like hair plugs implanted on the scalp to mimic Robin's natural hair line."
"This was deliberate?" asked Sean.
"Very much so."
"But are you really sure, Alex?"
"Sean, the DNA test was the only proof I needed to be certain. I did the second test to ... to believe," Alex said. "General Hospital has all of Robin's records from the time she was six or seven until she left for the Sorbonne. If I do a complete comparison, I know there will be differences."
"This can't be!" protested Mac. "I've known her since she was thirteen! Thirteen! Even when she went away to school, we were never out of touch - postcards, phone calls, letters, emails. She always came home on breaks. No one else knows her more better except for Anna and Robby!" His eyes went to Anna and Robert who hadn't uttered a word aloud yet. They stood by the windows entwined and isolated in their pain. "There has to be a mistake, Alex. The DNA test could be wrong or misleading."
"SIMON analyzed the samples twice. I added myself to the sample as a check since I've tested Anna and myself before. SIMON correctly identified my sibling relationship with Anna. Then confirmed Andrew's maternal relation to Anna," explained Alex. "Robin ... Eve's samples were compared against mine and Anna's. There was no match. Andrew and Eve also had no match. There is no mistake. We have Eve Montrose. The question is who has our Robin?"
"Where do we begin to look?" asked Dimitri. "She could be anywhere."
"If she's alive," whispered Sean.
Tiffany's head shot up. "Sean!"
"She is. I'd know if she wasn't," said Anna. Then added uncertainly, "I think I would know."
"Presuming anything at this point is premature," said Dianara. "We need more information."
Andrew stood up. "We have a starting point with ... with Eve. I want to take Emma back home with me and start the investigation. This is our only priority starting now. Father, mum, you agree?"
Unable to speak, Robert kept his face towards the window and nodded. He held Anna's hand in his unwilling to let go of the one anchor in a world he no longer recognized.
"You go ahead home," said Anna. "Your father and I will be there later."
"I'm coming with you, Andrew," said Maxie wiping at her eyes. "Visiting hours are done. I want ... I need to be doing something useful. Maybe I can remember something that could help us find Robin."
Tiffany volunteered, "Belle and I will look after Emma, Andrew. We'll be there after we pack an overnight bag." She looked at Sean. "Honey, you coming along?"
"Ah, I want to make some calls first. I'll go to the Villa a little later."
"Alex, can you tell Patrick?" Anna requested. "I ... we can't."
Dimitri answered. "Alex and I will tell him."
The room emptied in a few minutes leaving Anna and Robert alone. Robert sat on the edge of the table. Wordlessly, he pulled Anna gently into his arms. Anna embraced him. He laid his head on her shoulder. She held on tighter as he began to shiver and shake. Soon, her cheeks and shoulder grew damp with tears.
Mac and Dianara stood by Eve's bedside. Mac held her hand.
"Thanks for understanding. I didn't think Eve should be alone while Patrick's not here," said Mac.
"She could wake up at any time. I think she'd like the company," said Dianara. "They say that sometimes unconscious people can still hear what's going on around them."
"Yeah, I heard that too," said Mac. "Eve, if you can hear me, I want you to know that I'm still your Uncle Mac."
"That's sweet of you," said Dianara.
"I know what it's like to carry the blame for something that … that impacts your family. You want forgiveness but nothing you do is enough. It's worse when the people you love turn their backs on you. It's brutal," said Mac. "As far as I'm concerned, Eve confessed. For me that means she took responsibility for her actions. End of story and end of blaming her for it."
"Anna and Robert are … shattered. Will they forgive her for what she's done?"
"Anna will but it won't be easy for Robby," said Mac. "When Robby and Anna were declared dead, my gut said it wasn't true."
"What is it telling you now?"
"My gut is completely numb. I want to hope and believe that Robin is still alive," said Mac. "I want that more than anything."
"We'll hope together," said Dianara.
Maxie poked her head into the room. "Dad, Dia, Andrew's dropping me off at the house. I want to see if there's anything in the attic we can use. Old journals or papers. Stuff like that."
"You want to say goodbye to Eve?" asked Mac.
Maxie hesitated. "I don't know what I'm feeling right now about her. I can only think that … Robin's out there waiting and waiting to be found and we've wasted so much time already."
"It's not Eve's fault, Maxie."
"I just can't relate to her the way I used to. It's all jumbled now," said Maxie. "Was Eve really Robin as she is or is Robin a completely different personality by now?
"She and Robin are one and the same until a few days ago."
"How could they be? I don't … I can't see that being true," said Maxie. "Robin babysat me and Georgie. She listened to my problems. She wasn't my big sister but that didn't matter to either of us. I want MY Robin back. We know that's not her on the bed."
"How can you be so … so dismissive?"
"I'm not!" protested Maxie. "But I can't do anything for her. What energy I have, I want to use towards finding Robin."
"We don't need to have this conversation now," Dianara placed a placating hand on Mac's arm. "Everyone needs time to accept all this. We'll follow you as soon as we're done here, Maxie, then we can all head for the Villa."
"Any minute now I'm going to wake up and … and Robin will smile at me and we'll have breakfast downstairs like we always do," said Patrick.
"It's not a dream," said Dimitri. "Unfortunately."
"I don't really know my wife, do I?" asked Patrick.
"You do. She's right here. She hasn't changed only … only her name," said Alex.
"Not changed?" She was pretending to be someone else," said Patrick. "I … I felt in love with Robin not Eve. That's not who's in the other room."
"Patrick, that's what your brain is telling you but that's not what matters," said Alex. "I have to believe that the part of her that was Eve is the person you fell in love with and married. No amount of brainwashing or therapy can erase who a person is in their innermost selves, in their hearts. Eve loves you. You and Emma were her family. She did what she could to be with you but it just wasn't enough."
"I … I don't understand any of this," said Patrick. He slumped on the couch in the waiting room. "How did this happen? How long ago?"
"The whys and whats don't matter. Not now," said Dimitri. "Be with her, Patrick. Her eyes will tell you who she is and your own heart will tell you who you love."
Vienna, Austria - The Heritage Foundation
The delivery truck backed into the loading dock behind the imposing edifice that housed the Foundation. Two people in uniformed coveralls went back and forth pushing dollies stacked high with boxes. A guard watched lazily from the entrance of the dock. One worker carried a large box out of the truck and the other pushed the last dolly full of boxes.
The first delivery person hid behind a tall stack of boxes. The other kept a look out.
"You be careful," whispered Frisco.
"I will," said Felicia handing her gray coveralls to Frisco.
"I still don't like you going in solo."
"This is the closest we've EVER gotten into this place. I'm not wasting it," Felicia insisted.
"Tomorrow's delivery is scheduled one hour earlier. Don't be late or I call Robert and Anna," sniffed Frisco. "See what they think of this scheme. As I recall, the order was to lay off this investigation for a while."
Felicia planted a quick kiss on Frisco cheek. "You're just sore because you didn't think about it."
"Damn right," admitted Frisco. "Do you have a Plan B in case I can't get the truck tomorrow?"
"No, but I have full confidence in you, Frisco." Felicia tucked her hair under the brunette wig.
"Liar," said Frisco. "Be careful. And ... and don't be afraid to blow this place sky high if that's the only way you can get out. Hear?"
"Aye, aye, oh, master spy," teased Felicia as she put her spectacles on. "I'll put in the colored contact lens later. How do I look?"
"Like no one I know," answered Frisco. "Love you."
"Love you, too." Felicia inspected her white top, dark slacks, lab coat and purloined Foundation ID card one last time. Her appearance mimicked the photo on the ID card.
Frisco turned his back while Felicia sauntered into the freight elevator as if she owned the building. Frisco tucked the discarded uniform under his arm and pushed his trolley forward. He nodded to the guard, said goodbye in German and got into the truck. The guard went back to reading his newspaper.
Frisco muttered, "I knew I shouldn't have let her work with Andre and Giles. They've turned her into Lara Croft." He took several deep breaths. "Well, as long as she doesn't take up after Anna everything's good. Right? Right."
Author's Note: This story was begun and posted on September 2010 on my home page. It's similarity to any current GH storyline(s) is coincidental. This is a sequel to The Telltale Lie. Though it's not necessary to read that previously, it would be helpful. Please see my profile home page on the status of this story.