Helsinki Public Library, Finland
A few magic words said in the right ears at the hospital saw to Faison's injured hand. Healing his wounded spirit, mind and pride was wholly another matter. Dressed to fit with the local citizenry, Faison tapped quickly on his laptop devouring all the news about the DVX changes and the pseudo-assassinations all over the world. His admiration of the utter ruthlessness of his yet unknown foe increased the more he learned. This was exceeded only by his simmering rage however.
The DVX was no longer under his control. The two heads of the organization had been assassinated. People he knew little about were occupying places of power and influence left vacant by death and sudden resignations. It had taken years of painstaking planning and effort to put his pieces in just the right positions. All that had been undone in a day.
People he had considered his friends had been targeted. Ava and her daughter had not reached home from Sochi. He could only surmise that they had been disposed of. Constantine and Ava's son Ivan was reported killed in a hospital in Australia.
His jaw clenched as he mentally added more names to the list of the fallen. Every one of them had been people he had himself turned decades ago. He had used each one to gather information consciously or not. In turn, he had protected their status within the DVX.
This had been a very personal attack on his person. Each death was like a body blow. No matter how far in the future retribution lay, he vowed to avenge each death, especially the Korolevs.
In his pocket, his phone vibrated. He had two contacts remaining. The call had to be from one of them. He took the call even as he closed his laptop and began to pack his things to leave the library.
"Yes?" said Faison.
"Where have you been?" hissed his cousin and confidant Donatella. "I've been trying to contact you for the last two days!"
Faison slung his bag over his shoulder and marched towards the exit. "I'm sorry. I've been ... distracted. What is your situation?"
"Systems are normal and unaffected. I will be evacuating in the next few hours."
"You may be under surveillance. You are certain you are safe?" asked Faison with a voice laced with unaccustomed familial regard.
"As safe as I have always been. Who would suspect a mousy, conservative librarian such as I? I am more concerned about you. You are the one most surely targeted."
"She ... they had opportunity to kill me and did not," said Faison. "They should have."
"There is one thing," said Donatella.
"What?"
"I can no longer access the ... family library. I can only assume that the gateway node I used was affected by the recent events at the DVX."
"That is unfortunate but not a complete loss. The data is intact and we have no immediate need of it," said Faison. "It is in the safest archive possible."
"What if the boy finds a way to access the quarantined section?" asked Donatella.
"Why would he? He sees the Library as his electronic tutor of childhood. He has progressed too far to look back at something so simplistic," said Faison.
"As long as the possibility exists, it is a factor."
"Agreed. One day he shall learn of the Krieg Legacy. He will understand and respect it."
"At this late date, it is fruitless to hope he was still firmly in our trusted family circle," said Donatella. "But he does remain useful. Since you are ingratiating your way back into the boy's good graces, perhaps, you could secure another access node for me. Think of it as my Christmas present."
Faison chuckled, "I shall do my best."
"I know what I ask may be futile now that things have changed."
His voice became firm. "You must end this suspicion of yours."
"I have never agreed to your continued association with the boy and his mother."
"That is under control," insisted Faison. "My son will never be far from my thoughts or my ... motivations. Ever."
"Then you shall always be vulnerable. Can't you see that?"
"I learned long ago that there are no safe places. Safety is an illusion. Only control is real."
"You've lost control then."
"Not all." Faison sat down at bench outside the library. "This is a temporary setback only. Nothing of material importance has changed. You do as you must as I will. This will be our last communication until I have dealt with my ... problems."
"What are your plans? Will P.K. Sinclair disappear again? Do I cancel all your appearances?"
"I think not," said Faison. "My next appearance is in four weeks. That will be sufficient time for me to ... to review my remaining assets and formulate a counter strategy."
"Do you know who has done this?"
"Charlotte Devane."
This was greeted by a few seconds of silence before Donatella asked, "Why her?"
"Because she caught me unawares once before and has done so again."
"I would think that Scorpio or Donely would have had more-"
"They would do their own dirty work and they would kill me with much satisfaction. They would not bother with those around me," said Faison. "They have a code - kill only when necessary and only who is necessary."
"No one hates you more."
"As much as Scorpio hates me, hurting me will hurt my son. I have never feared Scorpio going against me because of that," said Faison. "I did consider Donely as this reminds me of how byzantine his mind could work. However, it is not him."
"Why not? He has the knowledge and the resources."
"But not the inclination. He remains a formidable enemy but has left the spy world and our Game to pursue a real life," said Faison. "You do not know how ironic I find that to be. Given his past appetite for the Game, I would have thought he would have died rather than leave it behind. People keep surprising me."
"And what about Anna? You've always said that she was equal if not superior to Donely and Scorpio."
"Enough! She is not involved here. Her son's happiness drives her own. She would not hurt him for anything as petty as revenge on me," said Faison. "Though this plan has a distinct woman's touch - the elegance of a gloved hand executing the action with exquisite timing and the lethal taint of poison."
"They were ALL poisoned?"
"I have no proof but it is the only logical answer given the scope of the operation and deaths being due to ... natural causes," said Faison. "It was very cleverly done."
"But why Charlotte? I would think that she would never want to encounter you again."
"Current events have convinced me that she knows far more than I thought. She kept me in Bryn Wyd for months. I must have said more than I should have. Enough for her to piece together some accurate guesses," said Faison. "She has already exploited my one valuable WSB asset. She knows of my ... talents. From Hans Reinhardt, I must assume that she learned much more. Charlotte is power-hungry, intelligent, brazen and daringly ambitious. What she is not, is afraid of me."
"Does she know about MY network?" asked Donatella. Worry creeped into her voice.
"No. All her questions centered on my covert career. I was able to counteract her truth drugs enough to keep you safe," said Faison. "I cannot wait for Anna and Robert to find her. I must deal with her. Personally. I have some thinking to do.
"Before I forget, I have a report on our prodigal cousin, Peter."
"As I told you, according to Robert and Anna's sources, Peter is with Charlotte. Where are they?"
"I do not have that information," said Donatella. "You asked me to trace his activities from the time he left Skyview to the present. I have also cross-checked the information you received from the Scorpios. Peter's tracks begin to disappear after he left Vladivostok. There was a yacht registered to Valakos Holdings anchored in Vladivostok. Valakos is Helena Cassadine's family. The yacht was reported sank outside of Gibraltar. Her cousin Pompey was murdered in the same time period. That last is too convenient to escape scrutiny."
"Helena is the key that I must turn to my advantage," said Faison.
"Once my relocation is complete, I will continue to look for-" began Donatella.
"No need. I will utilize my other resources to find them," said Faison. "Your only mission is to remain safe and undetected no matter what happens to me. Anonymity is your best protection. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I do," said Donatella softly.
"While you live, our family legacy continues. That is as it should be. Now, I must go," said Faison. "Post on the website that I am resting in seclusion until my next appearance. Plead exhaustion."
"Can't you give me a hint about where you're going?"
Faison tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I am revisiting some extremely old friends in the Urals. Goodbye, Donatella."
On the road in Port Charles
The Jaguar sped down the highway. One hand guided the steering wheel expertly. The other hand lingered on a shapely thigh.
"If we didn't have this meeting, I'd pull us over and fog up the windows for an hour or so," said Robert.
Anna twined her hand with his. "Tonight is ours."
"I don't do waiting well."
"Maybe I can make it up to you."
"How?"
"I was thinking of ..." Anna leaned across the seat and whispered in his ear. He listened intently. His hand caressed her thigh. Around the sixth sentence, the car swerved sharply left before Robert regained control. Anna relaxed back in her seat with a sly smile playing on her lips. "What do you think about my idea, Robert?"
"I rested up on the plane," replied Robert. "I'm full of vim and vigor."
Anna was about to reply but her phone rang. She looked at the display. "It's Sean."
"Did we forget something in the office?"
"He was going to tell me something but we got off on another tangent." Anna answered the call. "Sean? I'm putting you on speakerphone."
"I'll make this quick. Tracy contacted me yesterday. She wants to go ahead with closing the noose on Ashton and Dopp Holdings," said Sean. "I told her I'd talk to you two then let her know. Also, she's going to be doing less at ELQ to allow her more involvement in the plan."
"I feel sorry for Ashton. Tracy's out for his blood," said Robert. "I don't blame her one bit."
"Andrew and Belle's analysis got us the proof to confirm our suspicions. But it's not enough for a court case," said Anna. "Technically speaking what they did was legal even if the original intent was fraudulent. Proving intent in court is not impossible but getting a conviction on intent alone isn't easy."
"The Quartermaines want their family shares back and Sonny out of ELQ," stressed Sean. "I don't think a court case is what they had in mind."
"The longer those shares stay on sale, the higher the chance that something will go wrong," said Anna. "The house of financial cards you and Andrew put together to buy the shares from Dopp can't last forever, Sean. We don't need the Securities and Exchange Commission investigating us. Next steps, gentlemen?"
"We all owe the Quartermaines a lot," put in Robert. "Whatever we can do to help, we should."
"Sean, you're more experienced in boardroom intrigue, would you mind helping out?" asked Anna.
"Of course not! Love to," said Sean.
"I'd like you to take lead, actually," said Anna. "You and Tiffany have a more natural reason to interact with Tracy or Edward than Robert or I would. We can't show our hand until very late or not at all."
"Fine with me but with a condition. I don't want Belle's name to appear anywhere - no documents, reports," replied Sean.
"Done and done," said Anna. "We'll use the PR agency as the source of the data analysis."
"Until we know more about the alliances and positions of people on the ELQ board, I don't believe we should make any definite plans."
"Agreed," said Anna, the team leader. "One other thing. I don't want OUR team involved. The Quartermaine case is to be treated as a separate operation not requiring any of our specialized skills unless absolutely necessary."
Robert nodded. "Time to dust off the old Donely charm and blarney."
"For this case, the PR office will be used to communicate and plan," said Anna. "Do I have an office there?"
"You sure do," said Sean. "I'll let Tracy know at the resident mixer tomorrow night."
"What about Lord Ashton? He's connected to Faison via the Cartel. Sooner or later, we HAVE to deal with him," said Robert.
"You had to mention the F word?" asked Anna.
"We said we'd deal with the Cartel once and for all. Ashton's that dangling piece of thread that you barely notice on the hem of your shirt. I know it's there and I want to cut it off."
"I agree," said Anna. "We'll deal with him when the time comes."
"He's got the most amazing ability to slip through unscathed. Nothing sticks to him," said Sean. "If I didn't know better, I'd think he'd had counterintelligence training."
"Getting the Quartermaine shares back is our top priority and, unfortunately, with that comes Sonny and Jason," said Anna. "And Robin."
"She's written them off. I don't see a problem," said Robert.
"Has she? I'm not so sure," said Anna.
"I know her dynamics with Jason and Sonny better than you two," said Sean. "Given a choice of saving one of them, Robin would choose Jason. In my book, that makes Sonny fair game. There is one other person affected if you go after Sonny."
"Luke?" asked Robert.
"Who else?" said Sean.
Anna looked at Robert. "I tried to mend the fence with Luke while you were gone. It didn't really work."
"I don't know if the fence needs to be mended," said Robert. "We're too different now to be the friends we once were."
"People change," muttered Sean.
"The Luke I knew would have come to me the minute, the second, he heard about my child becoming ill. No hesitation. He would have been there. He would have told me what he knew," said Robert. "He sided with Helena against me. Even after he knew the truth, he said nothing. That's all I need to know. He stays out of my way and I'll do the same to him. I won't be surprised if he sides with Sonny on this."
"What if he does?" asked Sean.
"That's his choice," said Robert.
"You owe yourself and Luke one more talk," said Anna. "Just try, Robert."
Robert sighed. "Fine. I'll talk to him. Once. And only because you asked."
"Years of friendship shouldn't be thrown away casually," said Anna. "Decision made. We help the Quartermaines and let the chips fall where they may."
"Something this simple and straightforward is a ... a step down for you two after your globetrotting the last few months," said Sean.
"Should be a piece of cake. We know the bad guys from the start. We know what we need to do. We're on home turf. There's no mystery to it," said Robert.
"Dead simple operation. Open and shut case," said Anna. "That's what I want."
"And that's what you'll get or my name isn't Robert Xavier Scorpio," said Robert with big smile. Sean ended the call after a few more details.
Robert spotted a familiar Mini Cooper speeding in the opposite direction across the highway median. "Andrew heading into town, luv?"
"Boarstones for a new bow tie and likely lunch at the Megaplex," said Anna. Out of habit, she used her phone to verify Andrew's location as well as his trailing security car. "I have to get a transdermal locator on Robin. Sometime this week. I hate not knowing where she is for certain."
"How are the kids doing? Miss me?" asked Robert.
"Horribly on both," said Anna. "Talk to Robin will you? I think she's feeling lost, adrift. Nothing I've said seems to help."
"I'll do my best. We have to go at her pace."
"How did you adjust after Africa?" asked Anna.
"I don't think I did. From prison, I went straight into a mission in the Balkans," replied Robert. "The need to survive won out over too much introspection in the short term. The long term you know about."
"Is that what Robin needs? Some direction?" asked Anna. "Are we handling her with kid gloves when she needs to be pushed into the deep end of the pool?"
Robert shrugged. "She's still driving you crazy after all these years."
"It must be a mother-daughter thing," said Anna. "Plus, she takes up after you. How could she not drive me crazy."
With a knowing grin, Robert said, "I know what you two need."
"What would that be?" asked Anna playing along.
"You and Robin should have one of your no-holds-barred arguments. That really clears the air. Robin's keeping a lot in. So are you. It's part of what makes you two such strong passionate women. You can handle anything but right now I think letting it all out will do you both some good."
"The Villa wouldn't survive."
"Probably not but it'd be quite a show," said Robert. "Andrew and I will have the popcorn ready."
Anna chortled. She leaned towards her husband and gave his forearm a squeeze. "I love how you make me laugh even when I don't want to."
"One of my MANY talents."
Leaning her head on his shoulder, Anna said, "I missed you."
"As fantastic as Heloise was, I wished it was you with me, Some things would have gone much easier," admitted Robert.
"Like what?"
Robert groaned. "Do I have a bedtime story for you later - a far out version of Alice in Wonderland."
"Really?"
"Really." Robert placed his right arm around Anna. "We'll have dessert then a story."
"One dessert? What happened to resting up? Vim and vigor?"
It was Robert's turn to laugh out loud. "I'll work on the menu."