Greenland

Taggert was looking for Trina, searching every room, nook, and cranny in the building. A frantic banging and yelling from the room at the very end of the hall caught his attention. A very scruffy, unshaven face peered out the dirty window.

"Have you been infected with anything like a virus?" Taggert yelled through the door.

"Not yet," the man yelled back, "Though Victor Cassadine did plan to use me as human guinea pig for it."

"You're absolutely certain?" Taggert asked, "It's a doozy of a virus. We have an antidote, but I'd have to get Dr. Obrecht."

"I wouldn't put anyone at risk if I thought that was the case," the man said, "I just want to get out of here, Taggert."

Taggert looked surprised the man knew who he was. Taggert tried to figure out who else Victor Cassadine could have been holding captive here as he proceeded to pick the lock. While something seemed familiar about the man, Taggert couldn't quite place him.

Taggert opened the door as the man stumbled out. Taggert caught him and helped him stand up straight while finally getting a clear look at him.

"Charles Scott!" Taggert exclaimed astonished.

"That's me," Charles said understatedly.

"I'm trying to figure out how this is possible," Taggert said, "A lot of people watched you die, including your daughter-in-law and fiancée."

"I will happily tell you the whole story later," Charles said, " I'd like to get out of here before Victor Cassadine or his men come back."

"Can't argue with you there," Taggert said as they moved along, "Have you seen my daughter, Trina?"

Charles shook his head and said, "I heard voices I didn't recognize as being Victor's men. I was still pretty sedated. Why would Trina be here?"

"She was on the Haunted Star when Spencer Cassadine and Liesl Obrecht were kidnapped by Victor," Taggert replied, "Why were they keeping you sedated?"

"I decided that pretending I had lost my mind was my best shot out of here," Charles said, "Hopefully to deter them from brainwashing me if that was in Victor's plans and use the ruse as a way to find an opportunity to get out of here. However sometimes, they felt I'd gotten a little out of hand and.."

"Did it work as far keeping them from trying any brainwashing?" Taggert asked, "Although I guess there's also a possibility you wouldn't know."

"As far as I know I don't think I was brainwashed," Charles said, "But I'll need to have the WSB's brainwashing experts or something check me out to be sure."

"I'd probably talk to Anna Devane," Taggert said.

"I'd like to do that before anyone else finds out I'm alive," Charles said, "I'd prefer that no one else from Port Charles know. If it turns out I have been brainwashed and I'm not fit for society I'd rather not come back from the dead. Kellie and my grandkids shouldn't have to grieve me a second time if that's the case."

"Charles, there's no way I'm risking your daughter-in-law's wrath if she were to ever find out I knew you were alive and I didn't tell her," Taggert said, "Not to mention, I'm not the only one from Port Charles here on this rescue mission, Anna, Holly, Laura, Valentin, Drew, Curtis, Dr. Obrecht, Trina, and Spencer. Besides, if the roles were reversed, we both know you wouldn't let Kellie pull that stunt…again."

"No," Charles said, "Do you have any idea how Kellie is? I worried about her the most with how everything happened on the island."

"It rough was for a while. She's doing better now from what I can tell," Taggert said, "But word on the street was Kellie was on the verge of taking over Sonny's business or joining the five families separately after you died, or we thought you died. Jason ousted Sonny. Max's cousin took the spot with the five families that was rumored to have been offered to Kellie."

Charles nodded, visibly relieved.

"I know Kellie has the ability to run Sonny's businesses if she thought it was absolutely necessary," Charles said, "We'd discussed the possibility of that before I was shot. And I would have supported her if she had. But I'm relieved to hear she didn't. It sounds like I may have my brother to thank for that."

"Maybe. She's partnered with her sister, Kristina, to open a full casino in Port Charles," Taggert said, "although I think she's more of a silent partner in that as well the shipping company she now owns part of. No one's sure who her business partner there is. Personally, I think the shipping company was about leverage for her against Sonny and Jason's enemies and associates."

"I could see that," Charles said, "Especially with facing the possibility of getting back into the Mob actively."

"But what you should really hear about is her new project," Taggert said, "You'd love it. She's a freelance security and investigative consultant. While she does take paying clients, she tries to focus on taking cases for people that need that type of help but can't afford it."

"Good for her," Charles smiled.

"She used her resources and contacts to help with this operation," Taggert said, "Although we're hoping to keep her and her people off the WSB's radar."

"Kellie running an unofficial operation," Charles said, "That sounds about right."

"That unofficial operation is the only reason I could get here to look for my daughter in person," Taggert said, "Between you and me, her set up is impressive. She bought the other half of the building her self-defense studio is located in. Officially, it's storage space. But it's really a situation room that would be every law enforcement agent's dream. However, you didn't hear about any of this from me."

"Hear about what?" Charles replied.

Author's Note: Yep, so Charles is back from the dead. Totally was not what I intended because when I wrote "Dark Nights." I wrote the death scenes committed to him staying dead. Even when I pondered writing Charles's death with more wriggle room, I opted not to leave that sort of wriggle room. I got all the way to writing the last two chapter of Dark Nights when the plot bunny of him actually surviving really wouldn't go away. Being as that I write for a soap opera, I realized it could very much be possible that he survived. I had already written chapters for this Ice Princess adventure and realized having Victor holding him hostage could work. Charles will explain Victor's involvement in the next chapter. Have a great weekend!