Vienna, Austria
Mr. and Mrs. Horace Hendricks, American tourists from the great state of Texas, had checked into the small, family run hotel for one night on their way to Salzburg where they eagerly anticipated the Sound of Music tour package. The hotel's owner was duly impressed. The couple was obviously devoted to each other.
In their room, Frisco cleaned his gun while Felicia took a shower. They would be meeting with Shane and Nestor the next day. In the meantime, he watched the television and listened to the radio for any mention of the fire at the Foundation. They were well away from it but the first twenty-four hours of a getaway were always the most vulnerable. Felicia was certain that the Foundation would have some footage of her given the number of cameras. Roger Barrett was no fool. He would know the fire was intentional sabotage and he would go looking for the culprit. Elena wouldn't let him rest if he didn't. That was certain.
Frisco would keep watch tonight while Felicia rested. She'd take point tomorrow. After that, they'd improvise. His mind drifted to memories of Robin and times in Port Charles. Every day he grew more and more homesick. He and Felicia had decided he would retire after his latest WSB assignment.
"I babysit some bigwig and then we go home," muttered Frisco as he put his gun flat on the table and picked up Felicia's smaller weapon. "It's time to face the music and Maxie."
The Hill Donely Building
Piles of boxes, large trunks and hatboxes were scattered in the hallway and seemed to form a haphazard trail to a condo unit to the left of the elevator. Maxie exited the elevator pulling a rack of plastic-wrapped clothes. She expertly wove her way around the obstacle course of her belongings and entered the unit calling out, "Lulu! A little help here!"
"I can't believe you got this place. What a deal!" said Lulu taking possession of the rack and pulling it into the living room.
"It helps to have guilt-ridden godparents like Sean and Anna," said Maxie. "Patrick's got the cottage for the foreseeable future. Tiff offered me this place. And, it's not the deal you think it is."
"It looks pretty good to me. Living room, two bedrooms, custom kitchen, breakfast nook, two decadent bathrooms, a view to die for and underground parking. How can you complain?"
"Andrew's unit is across the way. Do you realize what this means?" asked Maxie.
"Tell me."
"It means that I, Mariah Maximilliana Jones, will be on duty as Auntie Maxie 24/7 just like his security team who'll be in a unit on this floor," said Maxie. "Plus, I've got Dad's wedding and the fashion show. I've also lost my weekends because a part of my deal with Tiffany is that I would show units in the building on Sundays. Every single Sunday."
"Andrew's sixteen. The last people he wants around are his relatives. Don't stress about it."
Maxie began to pace. "You don't understand. I'm the last one of ... of the girls. I have to watch over him and Emma. That's what ... Robin and Georgie would want."
"That doesn't mean that you have to make yourself miserable in the process."
Maxie crossed her arms. "I'm not!"
"I hardly ever see you anymore. You're obsessed at work. You rack up the miles between the Villa and the city. Then you got school starting after the holidays," said Lulu. "I know you like to be busy but this is ridiculous."
"What should I be doing? Taking long lunches, twiddling my thumbs at the office and going to lots of promotional parties?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing. But I want more. I want to try and see how far I can go," said Maxie. "So far I'm handling things. Thanks to my SIMON." She took her phone out of her pocket, kissed it and returned it to her pocket.
"You are getting stranger and stranger," said Lulu. "Are the security guys young and hot?"
"They're all experienced men and women dedicated to their job."
"Translation: Old with no sense of humor or lives outside of work."
Maxie listened in half amusement to Lulu's off the mark assumptions about the team. She said, "It's four blocks to the office. The build out of the lower floors into luxury studios and one bedroom units is nearly finished."
"I'll think about it," replied Lulu.
"Don't forget the full service, 24 hour concierge. Once the ground floor Galleria is fully rented out, every convenience will be at your fingertips."
"Maxie!"
"Sorry. Just practicing my sales pitch. My commission goes straight to my school fund you know."
"You're really determined about that."
"The past is done. I can't change it but my future is straight ahead. I don't know what I'll be in a year but I'll be somebody that I can be proud of," said Maxie. "Besides, BJ and Georgie are cheering me on. How can I disappoint them?"
"And Robin, too."
Maxie swallowed past a sudden lump in her throat at the mention of her missing cousin. "Yeah, especially Robin."
"I didn't know you felt so strongly about changing."
"Now you do," said Maxie firmly.
Tiffany's distinctive voice sounded from the hallway. "Maxie! Sweetie!"
"My boss bellows," said Maxie as she hurried to the hallway.
In the hallway, Tiffany gestured to two familiar figures standing on either side of her. "Look who wants to look at units!"
"Wait a minute, Tiff. I wanted to look at office space not-" Bobbie began to say.
"Tosh! What would it hurt to look at one of our models?" Tiffany looked at Bobbie. "I have to get Belle to school. By the time I come back, Maxie's tour will be done and the three of us can go to the Villa."
"Tour?" asked Maxie.
"I need you to show our residential models to Bobbie and Matt here," said Tiffany. "One of the rules in showbiz is to never turn away a friendly audience or any audience, really."
"Sure. It would be my pleasure," said Maxie. She ushered Bobbie and Matt back into the elevator leaving Tiffany and Lulu standing alone together.
Lulu looked shrewdly at her godmother. "You want Maxie to get her commission."
"Am I that transparent?" asked Tiffany.
"No. It's devious though."
"Maxie would never accept charity from me or Sean. She WANTS to pay for her unit. What could I do but be underhanded? And, she does have the sales skills. She just needs a little nudge to get her moving. I remember when Felicia got movin' on something, you might as well be standin' in front of a rolling train goin' downhill. The trick was to get her started in the right direction."
"I approve. But, as Maxie's best friend, I SHOULD tell her about this plot against her."
"Tell your poor suffering godmother what bribe would buy your silence."
Lulu's response came fast. "Multi-page ads for Temple Court in Crimson for the next six months? Kate, my boss, would be ecstatic. I would more than make my sales quota."
"You may look like your mother but that's all Luke talking, darlin'. It's a deal," said Tiffany. "Speaking of your father, where is Luke lately?"
"On the Haunted Star as usual," said Lulu.
"Nope. I've been tryin' to find him but haven't had any luck," explained Tiffany. "When you see him, tell him to give me a call."
"Why?"
"Sean's looking to rent the Haunted Star for some kind of benefit. I said I'd negotiate the terms with Luke," said Tiffany. "When Luke comes out of whatever hole he's in this time, tell him to call me. So, godchild of mine, interested in a unit? I'll put together a sweet deal."
"I don't think so."
"Why not? Give us a few months and we will be THE prime address in Port Charles. The plans that Trident has for the Megaplex would blow your mind!"
"Yeah, that's wonderful but ..." Lulu's voice trailed off.
"But what?"
"I'm sure this place will be hiring the best security and law types. It's going to be a bit claustrophobic for me."
"With shootouts, explosions and vendettas going on nearly every week, a little security doesn't hurt," said Tiffany. "It's one of our primary features."
"It's fine for Maxie because she's suddenly transformed herself into Ms. Serious Thang but I want excitement and fun. I'm not going to get that around stodgy guards and grim ex-spies."
"Plenty of excitement and adventure possible without waving a gun 'round or lettin' the bullets fly. I know I've lived through a few." Tiffany glanced at her watch. "Oh, look at the time, gotta run. Belle hates to be late." As she walked briskly away, Tiffany called back, "Remember what I said about Luke! Let's do lunch again soon! Ta!"
Frisco and Felicia sat hunched over the single computer in the cramped room that served as a common study. The hard drive hummed and the status light flashed as the computer accessed Felicia's USB flash drive.
"C'mon, c'mon," said Frisco impatiently.
"I took a lot of data and this isn't the newest computer. It could take time," said Felicia.
"Well, darlin' I just want to make sure our arrangements in Salzburg are set," drawled Frisco for the benefit of any potential eavesdroppers.
"Our travel agency is top of the line. I'm sure everything is fine," Felicia replied.
The screen flashed and window appeared listing the directory of files on the USB stick. Felicia pumped a fist.
Frisco dropped a kiss on her head. He whispered, "Good job, sweetheart."
"Made the risks worth it?"
"I wouldn't go THAT far." Frisco pulled another flash drive from his pocket and handed it to Felicia.
Felicia plugged the other drive in and began to copy files from one drive to another. Next to her, Frisco scrawled a Paris address on an envelope. Whatever happened to them, Andre would get a copy of the data via mail. Old spy school precautions in a high tech world.
"I think the tour is going to be wonderful. Simply marvelous," said Felicia keeping up the conversation per their cover identities. She kept one eye on the status light and another on the door. Her IPhone vibrated inside her pocket. She answered it.
Frisco slid the envelope towards Felicia. He strode over to the window and peered out unto the quiet semi-residential street. "You have the itinerary memorized don't you, darlin'?"
"Oh, yes. We drive into Salzburg and join the Sound of Music tour then register at our hotel," said Felicia. "I can't wait to see our friends there." She showed Frisco the text message on her phone.
"Too bad they couldn't come here. We're all alone," said Frisco. "I feel like a walk. Was that a cafe we saw on the way here?"
"I think it was. I'm getting hungry," said Felicia.
"I like that whatchamacallit we had yesterday."
"The veal schnitzel?"
"And that cake, hmm, only your apple pie is better."
In sickly sweet tones, Felicia responded, "Oh, stop, you silver-tongued devil."
"You really want me to stop?" asked Frisco playfully.
Felicia rolled her eyes and let out the expected girlish giggle. The status light stopped flashing. The copy was complete. Deftly, Felicia removed the second drive, wrapped a piece of paper around it and then wound a rubber band around the makeshift bundle several times. Frisco held his envelope open and watched Felicia drop the bundle inside. He sealed the envelope and put it into his coat. Felicia executed a command from her flash drive to erase her activities on the computer. The command finished executing in a minute. She removed and pocketed the drive.
They stopped at the front desk and very conspicuously told them where they were going.
"Say, is there a place I can buy stamps?" asked Frisco.
"I shall be happy to mail anything for you," answered the clerk. "I can put the cost of international stamps on to your bill."
Frisco waved the envelope around. "I forgot that I still had the key from our hotel in Paris. I just want to return it. I wouldn't want to get billed for the key." Frisco let loose an irritating, braying laugh.
The clerk opened a drawer and removed a sheet of stamps. "Allow me." He affixed a few stamps on the envelope. "There is a post box just outside."
Felicia and Frisco left the hotel hand in hand. They pretended to drop the envelope into the post box outside the hotel. They walked several blocks in a wandering, zigzag route. They found themselves at a busy intersection. On the side of a bank building was a post box. Frisco dropped the letter into it. They continued to walk and window shop down the block. They kept the cafe within sight distance. Within the next two hours, they would connect with Shane and Nestor in the vicinity of the cafe.
They stopped at a news agent's stand where a small television was displaying the local news. The Foundation was the day's top news item. They browsed the newspapers while looking at the images of authorities swarming around the Foundation amidst fire trucks and other emergency personnel.
Walking away from the stand, Frisco whispered into Felicia's ear. "You're turning into a pyromaniac. Love it."