Chapter 23 - Playing With Fire

Spencer, feeling even more conflicted about his feelings for Trina versus wanting to find out if he was Ace's father than he had earlier in the day, walked in to find Esme sitting on the sofa in the living room. It looked like she was crying.

Spencer: Esme?

Esme: *Sniffle* He killed him.

Spencer: Who?

Esme: My father. He killed him.

Spencer: Who's "him"?

Esme: Leann.

Spencer: I don't understand what you're talking about.

*Esme looks over her shoulder, seemingly just now realizing that she had been talking to Spencer.*

Esme: Oh Spence!

Spencer: Esme, what happened?

*He walks over to the sofa and sits down next to Esme.*

Esme: You know my friend Leann?

Spencer: I don't believe I've met Leann, but I've heard you talk about her. Did something happen?

Esme: No. Well, sort of. I can't share all the details because it's private information, but basically Leann grew up believing she had been abandoned by her parents at the hospital where she was born when they learned she had a heart defect, but when we were in Pine Valley, she discovered that this most likely was a lie, and that her parents had actually been told that she had died during surgery to have a pacemaker put in. She feels strongly that her roots are in Pine Valley, and that her father was a well-known doctor there. He died about 5 years ago and they said his cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning, but a little while ago I was browsing and found part of an article with an interview with him, and it was published two days before he died.

Spencer: Okay, so how was your father involved?

Esme: If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll show you the article. The part I found anyway.

Spencer: I promise.

*Esme unplugs her phone from the charger, and searches to find the article.*

Esme: I'm going to have to remember what I was searching for when I came across the article. I was on Jan's computer so the search history isn't saved to my phone, so it might take me a while to find it.

Spencer: That's fine. I'm thirsty anyways so I was going to get some water.

Esme: There's some water bottles in the fridge, unless you want room temp.

Spencer: Okay.

*Spencer goes into the kitchen and returns with a water bottle.*

Esme: Found it.

*She hands him her phone and watches as Spencer reads the article.*

Spencer: Oh my god! This is horrible!

Esme: I know. I had no idea that my father was involved with something like this. As if being a serial killer wasn't bad enough. He was telling people that he wanted to save lives when he actually intended to do the exact opposite. And it seems like all this had happened before he came to Port Charles!

Spencer: So Leann thinks Dr. Hayward is her father?

Esme: Yes.

Spencer: Does she have proof?

Esme: No. She's trying to find potential relatives in Pine Valley who would be willing to do a DNA test.

Spencer: Well, regardless of whether he's her father, what made you arrive at the conclusion that Ryan killed him?

Esme: The article was published on May 10, 2019. Dr. Hayward was found dead two days later, on May 12. He mentioned at the beginning that he felt he could finally share the details about the project because both Dr. Clay and my father were dead. But as we both know, my father faked his death, and it was shortly after this that they discovered that my father was still alive.

Spencer: He definitely was good at faking stuff. But I still feel like we can't assume that Ryan killed Dr. Hayward based solely on part of an article you happened to stumble across. There definitely is more to the story, as it says 'Continued on next page' at the bottom.

Esme: Yeah, but the other pages won't load. And the article was uploaded to the Wayback Machine. The original seems to have been taken down. Not only that, but Leann had told me that she spoke to Brooke English, who said that she had done two interviews with Dr. Hayward but the more recent one hadn't been published. But I think the article was published but then taken down after Dr. Hayward died. And I stumbled upon this while browsing for something unrelated, so I'm not sure if Leann has seen it. I don't think she has though, because when I talked to her earlier, she sounded really excited about what she had uncovered, and I don't want to ruin her good mood.

Spencer: So don't tell her. Let her find this information herself.

Esme: I don't know if I can do that. After everything she's done for me, I feel like I'd be a bad friend to not tell her.

Spencer: Well, maybe tell her next time you talk, but I don't think it would be a good idea to call her when she's in a good mood and share this with her, especially since there's clearly more to the story, and therefore your assumption that Ryan killed Dr. Hayward might not be at all what happened.

Esme: I suppose you're right. It's still going to eat away at me. Speaking of which, do you still want to get a DNA test to see if you're Ace's father?

Spencer: I'm not sure. I want to be in Ace's life, but I also want to see if I can make things work with Trina.

*Esme feels her mood go from bad to worse.*

Esme: So what would you do if the test showed that you're Ace's father?

Spencer: Be a dad to him. Spend time with him, do fun stuff, help him through difficult stuff, watch him grow up, be there for him in the ways that my father wasn't there for me. And if you and I aren't together, I would pay child support, but I'd still spend as much time with him as possible, and let him know that I love him, and if he's struggling with anything, he can always come to me. And I would make it clear to whomever I may be dating that I have a kid with my ex, and would need them to be okay with me co-parenting him with you. If they aren't, then that would be a deal-breaker.

Esme: And if you're not his father?

Spencer: I nonetheless would want to be part of his life, as assuming Nikolas is his father, I would be his brother.

Esme: And if you're not Ace's father, then Nikolas is, because I haven't been with anybody else.

Spencer: And that's the most difficult thing about this situation. I want to be in Ace's life, but I don't think I can ever forgive my father for having sex with my ex-girlfriend. Even though our relationship was pretty much over, I still am extremely sickened by the fact that my father has a kid with my ex-girlfriend. Yes, the two of you are adults, but you're young enough to be his daughter. Hell, you're younger than me! Only by a few months, but it means that my father had sex with someone younger than his firstborn child!

Esme: You sound angry. I knew it! I knew it was only a matter of time before you and I started arguing again!

Spencer: I'm not angry at you Esme. Not anymore. I'm angry at Ryan Chamberlain for pimping his daughter out, and I'm angry at Nikolas Cassadine for not doing anything to put a stop to it!

Esme: Okay, well I agree that I was ignoring the giant red flags with my father, what he was making me do, and what he was doing to me. And even if he were still alive, he'd have no chance whatsoever of getting out of prison. But Spencer, he didn't tell me to record Joss and Cam having sex, and frame Trina for revenge porn. He actually reprimanded me for it. He said I had a "childish vendetta" against Trina, or something like that. But I did it nonetheless, and I feel like it had to have been because I was afraid of losing you. Spencer, I don't want to be like my parents. I want to be a good person who doesn't kill people, or pimp them out, or take advantage of them in some other way. But I'm the product of two serial killers! I have the wiring to be just as horrible as either of them.

Spencer: But you're working on becoming a better person. Yes, you're going to have to come forward with everything now that you have your memory back, and face whatever legal consequences are handed to you, but I think they'll see that you feel remorse for what you did. But you're not your parents. You're Esme. You're your own person. Yes, you have done some pretty bad things, but what both Ryan and Heather have done, to both others and to you, are worse. And while you are their biological child, you weren't raised by them.

Esme: But my adoptive family was just as bad.

Spencer: Did they kill anybody?

Esme: No.

Spencer: Did they pimp anybody out?

Esme: No.

Spencer: Well there you go! You were not raised by either of your biological parents, and neither of them shaped you into the person you are today.

Esme: That's even worse, Spencer! Like I said, my father may have been trying to break Nikolas and Ava up, but he didn't tell me to make the revenge porn video. And Spencer, had I not lost my memory, I might have done even worse stuff. Losing my memory was what made me realize that what I was doing was wrong, and helped me see that my parents were both monsters!

Spencer: There's no use dwelling on the past Esme. It's in the past. Ryan is dead, Heather's in prison, Ace is happy, and you're working on being a better person. That's all that matters. Look, why don't we talk about something else. I saw something interesting today.

Esme: Um, okay.

Spencer: So Trina and I went to Bobbie's and-

Esme: I KNEW IT! You and Trina are back together!

Spencer: No we're not! We met up for lunch and talked, and while Trina admitted that she shouldn't have suddenly dumped me the way she did and should have taken more time to think about what she wanted to do, we agreed that she should focus on her studies and I'd be too much of a distraction. She deserves better, and will probably be swept off her feet by a typical beau gosse and bring him back to Port Charles at the end of term.

*Esme notices the bitterness in Spencer's voice, but chooses to ignore it for now.*

Esme: *Sigh* Alright, what did you see?

*Spencer takes out his phone and shows Esme a picture of Carly talking to a man with short, grey hair and a dark goatee.*

Spencer: See that guy Carly's talking to? His name is Jack Brennan. At one point he was the director of the WSB, but he also has ties to the Pikeman Security Group. He might even be their leader. Carly doesn't know this. She thinks he's just another customer. A very friendly customer.

*Nelle is standing in the hallway listening to their conversation.*

Esme: How do you know about him, and Pikeman?

Spencer: I know about him through my great uncle Valentin. They used to work together. And I know about Pikeman because they're Uncle Sonny's latest enemies.

Esme: Why is it that danger seems to follow you everywhere? Sonny, Cyrus, Victor, now this Brennan guy? And me before I lost my memory?

Spencer: Well, Sonny, Cyrus, and Victor are my family, and so was Helena Cassadine. I didn't choose to be related to any of them. You of course are Ace's mother, and he's also family regardless of whether he's my brother or my son. But Jack Brennan doesn't know that I know who he is. I'm sure he'd recognize my name, but I'm not sure if he'd be able to put a face to it.

*Wanting to make sure she hears everything, Nelle inches closer to the doorway, hoping they don't see her.*

Esme: And why do you think there's anything going on between him and Carly? It looks to me like she's just taking his order, and probably engaging in small talk while doing so. You know, like most restaurant staff would interact with customers, unless they've done stuff to get on their bad side like recording their daughter-

Spencer: Esme, I get it, you regret what you did to Joss. You've made it clear, and you don't need to keep bringing it up.

Esme: Sorry.

Spencer: And regarding Carly and Brennan, I've seen them a few times, and they're doing more than just engaging in small talk while he's ordering food. He takes considerably longer to order stuff because they're spending so much time chatting, and shortly after I took this picture, she actually sat down with him at his table, and they were smiling and laughing until another customer came in. I can tell she likes him. But if what I hear about Brennan is true, it's all an act.

Nelle (to herself): You sure enjoy playing with fire, don't you Carly?

Esme: So, Sonny's ex-wife and the mother of three of his children seems to be falling for one of his enemies?

Spencer: It sure looks that way. Like I said, I don't know Brennan. I just know he and Valentin know each other. It seems as if Anna Devane knows him too.

Esme: Oh great, another…nevermind.

Spencer: What?

Esme: Private information that I can't share.

Spencer: Does this have something to do with Leann?

Esme: It does, but at the end of the day, it's not my business.

Spencer: Okay?

Esme: Though if this Brennan guy is as dangerous as you say he is, it's probably for the best that Leann chose to remain behind in Pine Valley. She actually was living in this house at one point.

Spencer: *Sigh* I think you and I should stay away from each other.

Esme: What about wanting to find out if you're Ace's biological father?

Spencer: It doesn't matter.

Esme: What about everything you said you were going to do for Ace even if he's not your son?!

Spencer: I want to keep Ace safe! And if it means staying away, that's what I feel I should do!

Esme: So you're basically doing the same thing Nikolas did, that you resent him for?!

Spencer: That's different though! Nikolas let me believe he was dead for three years. I was grieving for a man who wasn't dead! There's a HUGE difference between keeping your distance from somebody to keep them safe versus faking your death! Grief can take a huge toll on a person.

Esme: *Sigh* You're right.

Spencer: However, I don't think you and I getting back together would be in Ace's best interest. I will admit that there's part of me that misses what we had, but at the same time, that spark is no longer there. We're constantly fighting. That can't be good for Ace, and it's definitely not good for us. This isn't going to work.

*Esme looks at Spencer, tears welling up in her eyes once again, her bottom lip quivering.*

Esme: Spence, please give me another chance!

Spencer: No Esme. I will help you care for Ace like I said I would, but we both need to move on.

Esme: Spence…

Spencer: Goodbye Esme.

Esme: SPENCE!

*Spencer throws his empty water bottle into the wastebasket in the corner, then walks out the door.*

Esme: Oh Spence…

*Nelle emerges from the hallway as Esme breaks down sobbing once more.*

Esme: I need him Nelle! So does Ace.

*She looks over at the wastebasket with Spencer's water bottle before burying her face into Nelle's shoulder.*

Nelle: Don't worry Esme. We'll get him back. We have to get him back.

Nelle needed Spencer back as well, albeit for a different reason. He had seen and heard too much.

That night, Nelle made her way down to the pier and looked out at the water, hearing it splash against the edges of the docks. She remembered once again landing in the water after jumping from the cliff, and fighting the angry currents. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps approaching, and turned around to see a man walking towards her.

Nelle: I was worried you weren't going to show up. Thank you for agreeing to meet me here, Mr. Brennan.

Jack Brennan (speaking in a strong Australian accent): I'll admit I was more than a little skeptical when a random woman whom I have never spoken to contacted me saying she needed a favor.

Nelle: *Runs her fingers through her hair* That's right, I do.

*A sniper wearing a ski mask obscuring most of his face begins watching them closely from the rooftop of a nearby building.*

Brennan: I'd like to hear what it is that you're asking, though that doesn't necessarily mean I'm agreeing to it. But before I do, I want you to know that I expect something in return.

Nelle: I had a feeling you would say that, and I just so happen to have a very generous offer for you, or better yet, for Pikeman, in exchange for what I'm asking.

Brennan: Okay, well, I'm interested to hear the details.

Nelle: I'll tell you, but first I need you to agree to do what I am asking.

Brennan: This better be worth the effort.

Nelle: Oh it's not going to be much effort for you at all.

*Brennan hesitates*

Brennan: Okay fine. What is it you're asking me to do?

Nelle: Keep an eye on Spencer Cassadine.

Brennan: Keep an eye on him? Are you expecting him to do anything in particular?

Nelle: Word on the street is that he just broke up with his girlfriend, but I feel it's only a matter of time before they'll reconcile, and when they do, I need to know.

Brennan: Forgive me, but mediating relationships between two young lovers is not something that Pikeman specializes in, nor is it worth our time.

Nelle: *Tucks her hair behind her left ear* Would it be worth it if I helped you get Sonny Corinthos out of the way so you can continue using his facilities to transport your plastic explosives? And yes, I know what's inside those crates that you're transporting, and where you're transporting them to, so there's no use denying it.

*The sniper raises his gun and points it in their direction.*

Brennan: *Hesitates for a few seconds* How the…how would you go about doing that? I wouldn't expect the director of a parenting support organization to be very knowledgeable about the type of business we conduct at Pikeman.

Nelle: Well, our group doesn't specialize in transporting bombs, but I've got people who would be able to keep an eye on Sonny so you can arrange a hit on him.

Brennan: Oh really? You've got people?

Nelle: What is this, a commercial for a tax preparation service? Yes, I've got people. And my people are a lot less "sus" looking than your people are. No offense.

Brennan: I have no idea what "sus" even means, as I'm not fluent in Millennial dialect.

Nelle: Ever play Among Us? If not, you should. Spying on your enemies from within their ranks and sabotaging their operations can be quite fun, especially when eliminating someone who may or may not be an impostor simply entails chucking them out of an animated spaceship on their computer screen, and everyone is still friends at the end of the night. If only that were the extent of it. Unfortunately, there are those who take it just a little too seriously and end up getting in over their heads.

Brennan: And what if I can't take you seriously? Besides, my people at Pikeman are perfectly capable of handling this stuff on our own, no offense.

Nelle: It wouldn't hurt to have reinforcements though, as well as people who might be able to more accurately determine Sonny's "last-minute-change-of-plans" location.

Brennan: I'm still having a hard time understanding how someone like you could possibly be involved in our line of work. You seem like an average everyday mum who would spend the day shopping at the supermarket and watching soap operas while her kids are at school.

Nelle: Oh I'm not involved in your line of work. Not directly, anyway. We just have a common enemy, albeit for different reasons. But thank you for the compliment though. That goes to show me how seriously you actually are taking this. I am a mother, and I want what's best for my child, and what's best is protecting him from Sonny and his family.

Brennan: So it sounds like your reasoning for taking Sonny out is personal?

Nelle: You could put it that way, I suppose.

Brennan: *Hesitates* When you say you want us to keep an eye on Spencer, what exactly are you wanting us to do?

Nelle: Follow him. Keep me updated on where he is.

Brennan: Are you expecting him to go anywhere in particular that you want us to follow him to?

Nelle: Maybe. We'll literally cross that bridge when we get there.

Brennan: And what is it you want us to do when we get there? You're not asking us to kill him, are you?

Nelle: Oh no! I would never have you do such a thing.

Brennan: So what is it then, that you want us to do, if and when we get to wherever it is you're expecting Spencer to go?

Nelle: *Flips her hair behind her left shoulder* I thought you'd never ask.

*The sniper steadies his aim, his finger centimeters away from pulling the trigger.*

Esme, though feeling very hurt, accepted that she and Spencer would never be able to be in the same room with each other without fighting. She agreed that it probably would be in Ace's best interest if she and him stayed away from each other, and the constant arguing wasn't doing anything for her own mental health. But she felt that she needed to know whether Spencer was Ace's father, if nothing else but for closure. She knew that it was more likely that Nikolas was the father, but nonetheless was hoping that Spencer was.

Having gotten Ace ready for bed, Esme put on a pair of rubber gloves, took Spencer's water bottle out of the wastebasket in the living room and put it in a plastic Ziploc bag. She then went into the bathroom and took a Q-tip out of the medicine cabinet, then came back to Ace's room, where he had already fallen asleep. Being careful not to wake him, she swabbed the inside of his cheek, then put the Q-tip into another plastic bag.

Esme: I love you, Ace.

*She kisses him on his forehead, then turns out the light.*

Brennan: Well, that certainly wasn't what I expected you were going to ask me to do.

Nelle: But you already agreed to do it. Otherwise, you wouldn't have heard what I was going to do for you in return.

Brennan: And what if I'm having second thoughts about this agreement?

Nelle: Then I will rat you out to Carly Spencer, who will make sure that whatever new agreement you're trying to negotiate with Sonny regarding the continued usage of his facilities literally blows up in your face!

Brennan: How the hell do you know about me and Carly?

Nelle: Like I told you, I've got people.

Brennan: If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're blackmailing me.

Nelle: Oh that's exactly what I'm doing.

*She holds out her hand*

Nelle: So, do we have a deal?

Brennan: *Hesitates* I suppose I've got no other choice.

*They slowly shake hands*

Nelle: Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Brennan.

Brennan: I hope I don't regret doing so.

Nelle: *Moves her hair out from behind her ear* You won't. Trust me!

*The sniper lowers his gun as Brennan walks away, passing by a nervous-looking young woman who had been listening to them.*

Brennan: Well Miss Rutherford, there's your assignment. Do this for us and you're free to go back to life as you knew it prior to crossing paths with Mason Gatlin.

Betty Rutherford: I-I won't let you down…sir.

Brennan: Oh, and one last thing. *Whispering* Can you tell me what the hell "sus" means?

*Nelle looks out at the water with a triumphant smile on her face.*

Nelle (to herself): Still got it!

*She adjusts her hair and looks up at the rooftop where Jason is, barely visible in the dark, then smugly walks away. Jason removes his ski-mask and watches Nelle as she's leaving, looking as "stone cold" as ever*