Majestic Theater
Fragments of the marquee glass scattered in the howling winds. Torrential rain hampered visibility. The harsh wind stripped store awnings with frightening ease. Tree were set bending nearly to their breaking points. Display windows rattled until they inevitably surrendered. Loose debris blew about triggering car alarms up and down the street. Inside, Larry Ashton paid more attention to his phone than the maelstrom swirling outside. Brows furrowed, he studied the display.
The Quartermaines had rushed to the hospital to be by Lulu's side. It was time that he got somewhere safer. Unfortunately, his options were few. His townhouse was too far away. He had no excuse to be at the hospital. His son and grandchild were far away and safe. He had made sure they would be occupied elsewhere.
BEEP! BEEP!
He looked at the text message. It was brief and hours delayed.
"It begins," Ashton read the message under his breath. "I suppose I'm destined to stay here for the night."
Backstage
Standing at the stage wings, Anna was barely aware of an assistant adjusting her small hat. As the veil of black lace was lowered over her face, her thoughts were decades in the past. Flashes of memories whirled through her mind - meeting Gabriel, the shock and delight of being accepted into the WSB's new early training program, the series of mini-missions and experimental training techniques Sean had employed to accelerate her training, the fateful day she was briefed on Cesar Faison and the surprise addition to the alpha team of O'Reilly, Scorpio and the Swede.
They were her best and worst days. She couldn't forget them no matter how hard she'd tried. She had relegated her past to a corner of her mind rarely visited. Gabriel's name had opened the floodgates. Once unleashed there was no putting them back inside. She glanced at Sean.
Standing beside her, Sean avoided meeting her eyes. After so many years of acquaintance, he could read her moods accurately. Her enthusiasm was convincing but Sean sensed her pensiveness. He wanted to comfort her with an easy word or a gentle touch on her arm or shoulder but he didn't dare. Frisco hovered around them like a watchful mother hen.
"You're on," said Frisco to Anna.
On automatic, Anna stepped towards the runway entrance. Her distracted state translated to a haughty aloofness which suited the mystery she had been ordered by the designer to project on the runway. As she strutted down the stage, her eyes sought only one person - Robert, the man she would be betraying by ten o'clock the next morning. Even as she found him in the front box, she heard Faison's voice in her head repeating a line from a recent conversation.
Sometimes I think that you were made for me.
Robert and Faison. Both had changed her life for good and bad. Robert had been her choice while Sean had chosen her for Faison. He had molded her into someone to intrigue the DVX mastermind. She had done her job all too well leaving Faison convinced that their relationship was entirely due to fate. In reality, the secret stratagem had been the checkmate to end all checkmates and like all secrets they couldn't remain hidden forever.
Villa Scorpio - Command and Control Center
Edgar bounded down the stairs into C and C. He'd taken a few minutes to change into dry clothes. "SIt rep! I'm behind by hours."
Dani pointed at Genji who was closing the secure door to the Blue Room below. Nestor sat typing furiously at a console across the room.
Genji crossed his arms and began the situational report. "Emma is with Andrew, Belle and Robin in the main house. Nyssa is prepping the Kestrel for bad seas. Ivan and his team have completed a full physical perimeter patrol of all properties. Lars and the others will be remaining at the Majestic with Anna and Robert. The chat with the Gem Group has not had the desired effect. They have not left the theater. I've checked all electrical and support systems. All green above and below. SIMON reports normal operation."
"Good." Edgar turned to Dani.
"All comms are operational. We have full contact to all teams on the command channels," said Dani.
"That's amazing in this storm," said Nestor.
Dani shared a look with Genji. "Well, we had some help."
"I routed the command channels to an unused frequency band and amped the transmitters here and at the Majestic to full power," said Genji.
"That's about four, no five, possible violations," said Edgar.
"Just about."
"Fine. Anything else?" asked Edgar.
"Andre passed on that Fedosya Shikova's group is sending two people to Faison's last known location. She believes he may still be in the area," said Dani. "She wants proof that he's NOT in Russia."
"Tenacious. I like that," said Edgar. "Any new data on our other persons of interest?"
"Helena avoided using airports, buses and trains to leave Conclave. Andre reports that checks with taxi drivers and other private livery services operating in Paris have generated a few strong leads," said Dani. "At least two drivers recognize Helena. Andre paid one of the drivers a year's revenue."
"And?" asked Genji.
"She was driven by car from Paris to the Italian border. The driver saw her get into another taxi and overheard her telling the driver to take her to Aosta. Andre is picking up the trail from there," said Dani.
"Not quite the needle in a haystack but not the progress we had hoped to make," said Edgar.
"Does Fedosya have a network in Italy?" asked Dani.
"We have better. Pass the info to Vincent to pass to his mother," said Edgar. "Get him down here. I want fresh eyes on the information we have. He studied Faison. He may see something we haven't. Bring Ivan in on studying the supplier data, Genji. It's time we used him more efficiently."
"He would certainly appreciate the work now that he's physically recovered," said Genji.
"His mother?" asked Dani.
"Study Ava and Pavla Nemcova. Or ask Alys about them over a bottle of Chianti," said Edgar. "What about the reverse engineering of the money trail for Compound X?"
"Moving slowly and understaffed on that project. Most of the company data we've sifted through show that orders for ingredients ended once the Heritage Foundation stopped production," said Genji. "Based on increasing public availability, we do know that Fly is being manufactured. The ingredients must come somewhere. We need to keep digging."
"Compound X was originally a Faison creation right? Why not check eastern European suppliers? Russian ones?" asked Dani. "If one end of the vector pans out, check another."
"Have those locations been checked?" asked Edgar.
Genji shook his head. "We researched those linked to Cassadine companies and those names that Robin remembered. Most were Western European." He grinned at Dani. "We'll start checking out Eastern Europe. Alys' analysis lessons must be rubbing off."
Dani grinned, "A little bit."
"Weather report?" asked Edgar.
"According to the weather service, conditions are improving but that's not what my readings are telling me," said Genji.
"Coming back here was an exercise in offensive and defensive driving. I had to take local roads," said Edgar. "The rain is worse and I saw at least three lightning strikes myself."
"I've been logging all my half hour readings, Edgar. The readings are all strange," said Genji.
"Strange?"
"Based on my numbers, what we have outside is a hybrid combination of a hurricane with lots of rain and wind and a classic electrical storm. While anything is possible, this storm is … atypical," said Genji. "The eye of the storm is directly over us, too. "
"And the eye of a hurricane is supposed to be the calmest," said Edgar. "It is far from calm out there."
"Exactly," said Genji. "What's really going on?"
General Hospital
Nikolas barged into Lulu's room startling awake a dozing Luke. Tracy's eyes were drawn to Thanos D'Ercy who trailed Nikolas.
"How is she?" asked Nikolas looking down on his half sister's sleeping form.
"She has a mild concussion. We're waiting on test results. She could be released tomorrow," said Tracy.
Nikolas released a breath. "Thank god. Does Mom know? Lucky?"
"Phones are down or all busy. Texts aren't going through either. Laura doesn't know yet," said Luke. "Lucky knows but he's working. She's going to be fine."
"I'll take care of calling Mom." Nikolas began introductions. "Luke, this is my uncle Thanos D'Ercy Cassadine. Thanos, this is Luke Spencer."
The two men shook hands warily.
"I'm sorry I'm not familiar with the secondary lines of the family," said Luke.
"I am not secondary in any way," replied Thanos dryly.
Nikolas added, "There's been changes in the … the family, Luke. Thanos is the head of the house now. Not me."
"Nikolas is my named heir however," clarified Thanos. "He will lead the house in the future."
Luke took a step back. "You're a son of Mikkos? A brother?"
"Please, Mr. Spencer, do not mistake me for a direct relation of that man. As Nikolas has said there have been changes," said Thanos. "I am aware of the … history you and your family have with the Cassadines. I must stress that the Spencers are of no concern to me."
"No?" said Luke.
"One more thing. Helena is no longer a part of the family. The feud with the Spencers is truly over," said Nikolas.
"What's this about Helena?" asked Tracy.
Nikolas sighed then straightened. "I've stripped her of the Cassadine name. She's sort of been disowned. She's out of our lives now. Think of her as … as dead." A small smile played on his lips. "Actually, Alexis has taken her place."
"Natasha?" asked Luke.
Thanos nodded. "She is embracing her heritage to the fullest."
"Natasha?" repeated Luke.
"She did seem different at the party," mused Tracy.
"B-b-but Helena would never stand for that and-" began Luke.
"Helena's personal feelings are no longer valid or recognized, Mr. Spencer," said Thanos. "She has no name. No power. No wealth outside of her own resources. She is moot."
Thanos and NIkolas excused themselves. Nikolas to try to make contact with Laura and Thanos to make calls of his own.
Luke sat digesting the recent news. "He can't be a Cassadine. He's too much of a cold fish." He shivered. "He could give anyone a bad case of instant frostbite."
"I haven't seen Nikolas this happy in a long time. I think Thanos is a good influence," said Tracy.
"That whole family is off kilter. He's got his own brand of crazy I bet. We just haven't seen it yet," said Luke.
"Give it a rest!" said Tracy. "The feud is over. The Ice Princes is a fraction of its former size thanks to you pawning off pieces over the years. Ding dong the witch is dead!"
"But the curse lives," said Luke.
"Yeah, in your head," insisted Tracy.
"You don't understand how it works."
"The curse works because you believe in it. You blame every catastrophe you have on it," said Tracy. "Helena wouldn't dare show her face around here again. Move on, Luke."
Luke erupted, "What the hell do you think I've been doing? What I keep doing? Nothing I try works out the way I thought they would. I can't run to daddy when I get into a jam!"
Tracy looked hard at her husband and said, "You can tell your wife your problems. I'll always listen."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Are you in trouble? How big? How expensive?"
"Nothing I can't handle. Trust me I'd tell you if I … if I get over my head," said Luke. "You'll be the first to know." He snapped his fingers. "Helena's gone. They did it."
"Who did what?" asked Tracy.
"Robert and Anna warned me off Helena. They said that things had changed. How would they know if they didn't have a hand in it?" said Luke.
"Scorpios work in mysterious ways," said Tracy.
"Speaking of mysterious, you've known more about their activities than you let on. You, Monica and Edward. Don't deny it," noted Luke. "Would you tell me if YOU got over your head?"
Tracy smiled sweetly, "Only if it was good for you. Wife's prerogative."
Elizabeth Webber's Residence on Lexington Avenue
BANG! BANG!
Liz jumped to her feet at hearing the banging on her front door. Jake and Cameron huddled close on the sofa.
"Hey, Liz! It's me Brian!" yelled her next door neighbor on the other side of the door. "It's the end of the world! Time to party!"
Liz rushed to the door but something in Brian's tone of voice - an almost manic quality - made her pause. She turned on the porch light. "Brian?"
"Mi casa, su casa, Lizzie baby," crooned Brian.
Liz's eyebrows rose in surprise. Shy, introverted Brian had never sounded so casual and relaxed. He was usually tongue-tied around her. "Are you all right?"
"Never felt better, oh fair Miss Webber," said Brian. "Oh, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"
LIz moved to the window and peered at the front door. She could see Brian standing on her porch. He was soaking wet and naked.
BANG! BANG!
"C'mon, let me in! It's me Brian! I just wanna talk," said Brian.
Liz double-checked the locks on the front door. She dragged a recliner and propped it against the front door. She hustled her sleepy children upstairs to her bedroom. She ignored Brian's continuing banging on the door. She ordered the boys to lie quietly on her bed as she turned on a small lamp.
"I want to call Daddy …t-t-to come back," said Cameron.
"He has to work, sweetie. There are many people who need help." Liz maneuvered a nightstand against her locked bedroom door.
Jake pressed his palms against his ears. "Make the bad man stop."
"He will. We just need to wait. We'll be okay. Go back to sleep." Liz sat down on the edge of the bed and listened for any other noises from outside. Her cellphone rang. She fished it out of her pocket. "Gran?"
She listened for a few seconds. "We're fine, Gran. Don't worry. Yes, I'll call if I need anything. Take care of yourself first. Tommy's here? The kids will love to see him." The conversation ended a few minutes later.
SHARATAK!
Blinding white light illuminated her window. Sparks erupted from the top of the electrical service pole that overlooked her backyard. The lamp blinked out.
"No power and the crazies are out on the streets. Just wonderful," said Liz.
The Writers Room at the Majestic Theater
Augusta watched Anna sashay down the runway. She fiddled with the controls to change the camera angle.
"I couldn't protect my brother but I mean to protect my niece," murmured Augusta.
The door opened and Mr. Hare stepped inside. Augusta's eyes never left the screen.
"Was your venture successful?" asked Augusta, the Red Queen.
"Yes. I visually verified the ambassador but could not discern his purpose beyond the social context. However, I did glean several pieces of possible concern," said Mr. Hare. "I feel secure in saying that the King would find the information worthy."
"Very good."
"I feel moved to apologize, my Queen."
Surprise made Augusta turn and look at him. "Apologize for what?"
"For belittling your mission after the King alluded to woman's intuition. I felt it was driven by emotional motives and thus frivolous," said Mr. Hare in his most contrite tones.
"It WAS entirely emotional."
"It was the correct decision nonetheless," said Mr. Hare. "I feel as you do that the time has come for action. I shall say the same to the King."
Augusta nodded. "I understand my husband's reticence. He cannot bear the thought of another defeat. The losses will be too great. He waits for the optimum time to play on the board. But that time may never come. It must be created."
"You are set on your course?"
"This time I shall not be swayed by anything," said Augusta. "Or any one."
"Triumph or not, we shall exert all our powers to carry the day," said Mr. Hare.
"To checkmate," said Augusta.
Mr. Hare looked into his Queen's determined features. "Checkmate."
Ural Mountains, Russia
Cesar Faison took in more details of the circular room where he was sitting. A circular table was the centerpiece. The floor was smooth cold cement but overhead stalactites hung down from the cave ceiling much of which was too high to see clearly. Two large and dated computer monitors sat next to each other on the table. Two scientists monitored the current experiment and kept a manual log by their side. Faison had one large display to himself.
Professor von der Recke conferred with the lead scientist Professor Helmut Egerhoff by Faison's side. "The issue is not with power systems, Helmut. It must be your calculation."
"A decrease of six percent indicates power fluctuations not algorithmic entropy," argued Egerhoff. He was a tall, silver-haired, barrel-chested man with a long face and intense blue gray eyes. He looked to be in his late sixties but appearances can be deceiving.
"Power generation levels have been consistent. If it were the power, the decrease would be greater," countered von der Recke.
"My calculations are perfect."
"I am certain they are but it does not change the facts. Facts I dislike," said Faison. His fingers twitched as if holding his accustomed cigarillo. "Perhaps atmospheric conditions have changed. How long before new calculations may be applied?"
"Three hours at the least if it was necessary, Herr Krieg," responded Egerhoff.
"That is unacceptable for such a crucial test," said Faison.
"If the homing target were properly powered as was originally required, the test suite would be more controllable and statistical accuracy would be improved," said Egerhoff.
"That was not possible at the time. It was difficult enough to hide it with the resources I had at the time - my two hands," said Faison.
"It is a mark of your foresight that the target has remained viable all this time," said von der Recke.
Faison smirked. "I was particularly motivated. The island has been quite useful to me over the years."
"Conditions are degrading as we await a decision," said von der Recke pointing to the monitor. "We have worked for this moment for decades. How can we fail now?"
Egerhoff looked over the shoulder of a scientist. He quickly interpreted the data charts on display. "In one hour, conditions will reach a point where our … efforts … will lose their value. Changing the calculation at this stage may have unpredictable results. I cannot recommend it."
"We can do nothing?" asked Faison.
"I shall increase power input by a factor of two. That may be enough," said von der Recke. She excused herself to make the adjustment.
"I knew she would see reason," said a smiling Egerhoff.
Faison shot the scientist a sharp look. "You are most certain that it is power related?"
"Sixty years of research tells me that there can be no other explanation," replied the scientist. "We have taken into account every natural factor from barometric pressure to the effect called El Nino. The fault is in our own equipment."
"They are quite old," said Faison. "I shall see to new equipment immediately."
The professor chuckled. "They are not as old as I am. They are well built, Cesar. They will last as long as we will."
Faison studied the rejuvenated scientist then whispered, "How long will that be, onkel?"
Faison's uncle looked up at the stalactites. Areas of the ceiling glowed on and off in blues and greens like fireflies in the night sky. "For as long as I may be blessed, I shall never leave here. There is still much to learn and knowledge to apply."
"The world has changed. New scientific discoveries are-"
"Any of them greater than what we have here?"
"Of course not."
"Then they do not matter to me."
Professor von der Recke entered with clipboard. "Power levels have been increased by three not two. That adjustment should be sufficient to counteract changing conditions at the site."
"I concur," said Egerhoff.
"How soon will the test reach its full intensity?" asked Faison.
"In minutes." Von der Recke gestured at the monitor image. "They will be in for a surprise."
On the monitor, Susan Quincy's image read off the latest weather report. "The good news is that the storm is beginning to subside. According to our local meteorologist, wind strength is decreasing quickly. Hang in there, Port Charles. The worst is over!"