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When Cassidines Fall
Playing Catch Up
Ricky pulls up to the ELQ building. He parks the car in the
visitor parking. He glances up at the huge building and whistles.
Evidently the old dude had it going on. Course that begged the
question. What the hell is he doing calling him? Setting the car
alarm over his shoulder, he strides up to the oversized glass
doors and to the reception area.
''May I help you?'' The receptionist asks politely. Her
appearance is perfect but too perfect.
''Edward Quartermaine, please.'' Ricky replies just as politely.
''Do you have an appointment?''
Ricky shrugs. ''I have no idea. The old man called me.''
''Your name please?'' The receptionist punches the buttons to
Edward's
secretary. She repeats it to the person on the other end of the
line. ''Thank you.'' She disconnects the call. ''Please take the
elevators to the top floor. Mr Quartermaine's secretary will meet
you there.'' The receptionist points out the direction of the
elevators. Before Ricky can leave she hands him a visitors badge.
''Please keep this with you at all times.''
Ricky clips it on his jacket like one would a ski lift ticket.
''Yeah,
whatever.'' He moves over to the bank of elevators and pushes up.
The
elevator doors are already opening. He steps in and the doors
close behind him.
The receptionist makes the next call. ''AJ Quartermaine wanted to
know when Richard Robideau stopped by to see Mr Quartermaine.
He's in the building now.'' She disconnects after relaying her
message.
Edward meets Ricky at the elevator doors and climbs on before
Ricky can even step off. He hits the down button. ''They probably
already know you're in the building. You should have called my
direct line. I would have met you outside.''
''Excuse me?'' Ricky takes half a step closer to Edward. ''Why
don't you tell me what is going on?''
''Not here.'' Edward hisses. He looks up in the corner of the
elevator. Ricky notices something that hadn't even registered
before. Only about the size of a nickel... it even blended into
the woodwork of the elevator. At first glance it looked like a
knot in the paneling then he realized it is a camera. As soon as
they are on the street level again Ricky leads the way out of the
elevator and tosses the visitor's badge on the reception desk. As
soon as they are outside Edward slides his gloves on. ''Do you
have your car here?''
''What is this cloak and dagger crap?'' Ricky demands. ''Or is
this some kind of twisted Driving Miss Daisy thing?''
Edward makes a brushing motion with one hand, waving off Ricky's
concerns. ''There is something going on. I know there is
something going on. Jason has been in the building. Jason never
comes to ELQ. I want to know what AJ and Jason are up to.''
''What has that got to do with me?'' Ricky disengages the alarm
on his car. He climbs into the driver's seat and leans over to
unlock the passenger side.
Edward slides into the american muscle car. ''I know what you
were doing here in Port Charles. You have survellience experience.
And it didn't take much reading between the lines to know you
were there when everything went south in the courthouse.'' He
quickly fastens his seatbelt as Ricky pulls out of the parking
lot.
''You want me to spy on your grandsons?''
''It's my company.'' Edward blusters.
''Hell, maybe they're picking out your Christmas present or
something.'' Ricky suggests the alternative explanation humoring
the old goat.
Edward snorts. ''They are up to something. The last time it was
this... quiet. AJ snatched Carly and Michael right from under me.''
''She's a little young for you, isn't she?'' Ricky starts heading
out of town.
''AJ was suppose to bring my great grandson back to the mansion.
That was the deal. Not only did he not, but he also pulled a coup
on the company. Where are we going?''
''You want answers. I'm going to get answers.'' Ricky pulls up to
a gated house. He presses the intercom. ''Hey Carly let me in.''
Stefan Cassadine's office at GH. ''Yes, Dr Ryan's suite please.
No, no
message.'' Stefan hangs up the phone and leans back in his chair.
Where could she be?
Jax's office over at Deception. ''Yeah, Alexis? Can I talk to V?
Do you know where she went? Right. I'll try her at home.'' Jax
disconnects and calls V's apartment. All he gets is the recorder.
''Where the hell are you, V?'' Jax mutters.
''And then what happened?'' KC leans in resting her head on one
fist, her elbow on the table.
''Mark got Dad down.''
''No way! He's never been able to pin your dad.''
''The torch has officially been passed. The Ardanowski wrestling
champion is now Mark Ardanowski jr. Dad was taking it pretty well.
Talking rematch and that he'd gone easy on him. I think he's
already getting ready for Christmas.''
''You ever going to get in on this action? Or is the police
training an unfair advantage?''
''Oh please. I'm a girl.'' V rolls her eyes at her father and
brother's neanderthal tendencies. She catches the bartender's eye
and lifts her glass. ''Did you know I worked here once?''
''For like two minutes right?'' KC snorts. ''V, I love you, you
know that, even if I haven't seen you in years. But you in the
service industry? No. You're too bossy. You probably told the
customers what they should be eating. You've always been too
bossy.'' KC leans back to make room for Brian to drop off their
drinks.
''Police work is a service industry-- public service!'' V
protests.
''Yeah, where they don't mind you being bossy. What about the job
now? What are you doing?''
V shrugs. ''I guess you could say I'm working for a married
couple.''
''PI's kinda like playing Delores to Remington Steele and Miss
Holt?'' KC supposes.
''Oh you are so far off. Alexis Davis is a top attorney not only
here in Port Charles but in all of New York... and you know how
many lawyers there are! And Ned Ashton... well you might know him
by his stage name... Eddie Maine?''
''How did that happen?!''
''We all got to be friends when we went to Monte Carlo and broke
the bank.''
''You broke the bank at Monte Carlo.'' KC restates not sure if
she'd heard correctly.
''I just helped.'' V says modestly with a grin.
''What is he doing here?'' Carly demands blocking the back door
of the Happy Family house.
''He says there is something up at ELQ. If he says there is and
there
actually is then you know what it is.'' Ricky pushes past Carly
into the house. ''Hey Michael, how you doing, man?''
Carly turns around to confront Ricky. ''You can't bring him here.''
Edward uses Carly's distraction to ease into the house. Ricky
looks up from the floor where he is kneeling next to Michael.
''Why not? You pushed yourself into my place. So is he getting
paranoid? Or is that Old Timers Syndrome kicking in.''
Carly looks from Ricky to Edward. And then back again. ''No. But
it's got nothing to do with ELQ.''
''See I told you so. They're probably just working on your
Christmas present, old man.''
Carly snorts. ''Yeah, that'll be the day.'' She slams the back
door shut. Going over to the stove she puts the kettle on.
''You do know what is going on!'' Edward says triumphantly.
''What is Jason doing coming to ELQ? What is the big secret?'' He
plants himself at the kitchen table. Deciding he isn't going to
leave until this is cleared up.
Carly sighs and then sighs again. ''You might as well know.''
''Damn straight. It's my company. They're my grandsons.'' Edward
demands. He looks around the kitchen. It's the first time he'd
been to Carly and AJ's house since they moved in. He hadn't been
able to get past the gate since his arrest for trespassing. The
smell of dinner being prepared wafts in his direction. He glances
at the clock. AJ would be home any minute. ''Well?!''
Carly pours the hot water from the kettle to the teapot. ''It's
got nothing to do with ELQ.''
''He's not using my company for his damn business?!'' Edward
straightens and blusters. ''We get enough looks from the RICCO
people for having him and Corinthos on the board.''
''Oh please! AJ would never do that.'' Carly brings over the tea
tray to the table and starts pouring, handing cups to the guys.
Ricky takes a seat at the table holding Michael in his lap. He
grabs the cup of tea holding the whole cup in one hand not
bothering with the dinky little handle. ''I already tried to talk
Jason out of it. AJ tried to talk him out of it not too damn hard.''
Carly mutters under breath. ''Jason is hitching a ride on the ELQ
junket to Hong kong cause he is looking for someone over there.
It's got nothing to do with ELQ or the... coffee warehouse.''
''That's what this is about?!'' Ricky looks at Carly.
''You know about this?!'' Edward looks at Ricky.
''Rita filled me in.'' Ricky nods in Edward's direction. ''Rita's
friend Mei... her Great uncle was arrested in Shanghai or
something and his family went into hiding. Nobody's heard from
them in about a week.'' Ricky looks over at Carly. ''And Morgan
thinks he's just going to go over there and pick them up? How is
he planning on getting them out of there if by some miracle he
finds them? It's a fool's bet.''
''You think I didn't tell him that?'' Carly says impatiently.
''Nobody can tell Jason anything. Well maybe Sonny... but I get
the feeling that Sonny is okay with this since it's for the
church.''
The Recovery Room. Father Frank and Jason are over in a booth.
Both have beers in front of them. Father Frank has a map out in
front of him. Jason is shaking his head. He can't visualize from
flat to 3D. Maps just give him a headache. Directions are fine...
turn left at such and such street but this... nope. Jerry walks
into the pub. He sees Jason and Father Frank and walks over. He
pulls out a chair and flips it around so he is sitting across it
leaning his hands on the back of the chair. Jerry takes in the
map at a glance. ''So I guess it's a go.''
''Jacks.'' Jason mutters trying to rub out the headache that the
map is giving him.
''I touched base with AJ. He told me you were over here.'' Jerry
pulls out the itinerary. ''I'm going along as a spare pilot.
You're going as a member of the board. Leave tomorrow. Fly into
Hong Kong do the meet and greet with the brass over there. Then
you and I fly up to Shanghai to do a look see on the plant. Among
other things. Do the tourist thing there. For as long as that
takes and then fly back to Hong Kong to pick up the rest of the
party-- head back. Piece of cake.''
''And if you find them?'' Father Frank wonders.
Jerry grins. ''That's when it starts getting interesting.'' Mike
brings over an extra glass for the pitcher of beer on the table.
He leans over the back of the booth to see what Jason is up to.
Jason growls. ''You coming along was not part of my plan. Since
I'm not planning on blowing anything up. Why are you in such a
hurry to get out of town?''
Jerry shrugs as he pours himself a beer. ''It's been awhile since
I was over there. There was this great restaurant up in Shanghai
I haven't been to in years. And the food in Hong Kong...'' Jerry
kisses his fingers.
''We're not going for the food.'' Jason says flatly.
''Nope, that's just a side benefit.'' Jerry gets serious. ''If by
some
miracle you pull this one off and actually find the people you
are looking for what were you planning on doing then? This isn't
the border between Canada and the US.'' Jerry points on the map
to three different points on the map of asia. ''I have contacts
in each of these places that will take care of your package until
the heat is off and we can arrange for them to get into the US
all nice and legal.''
Liz and Lesley come into the back of Wyndermere Lite. Liz helps
her with her poncho. Lucky is about to reach for the crock pot
lid. ''Leave that be, Lucky!'' Liz demands as she hangs up both
her jacket and Lesley's poncho.
''I'm just seeing if it's ready.'' Lucky says defensively. His
stomach
growls.
''The cookbook said it'll be ready so it will be.'' Liz says and
then bites her lip. She goes over and looks into the glass top of
the crock pot. The sauce is gentley bubbling. She glances up at
the clock. ''I guess we should be working on the other stuff.''
Lucky goes over to the menu posted on the fridge. They are still
working off of Mrs Lansbury's list. ''This says we can't do
anything until Nik and Maddy get home. Cause all that's left to
do is the pasta.''
''Well then I guess we have time for a before dinner drink.''
Lesley sighs as she takes a seat at the breakfast bar. ''Lucky,
break out the pepsi.''
''Rough day at the office, Gram?'' Lucky pours Lesley a pepsi
over ice.
''It's good to be useful.'' Lesley takes a grateful sip of the
beverage. ''I can understand why Alan would rather be working at
the clinic than at the hospital. You get immediate feedback from
the patients. He and Val have a good crew down there. And Alan
has a rotation working with Bobbie as far as Nursing students so
they get experience in hands on medicine too. I think it'll be an
asset when they do their ER rotation. You definitely see all
kinds there.'' She sets down her glass. ''What about you, Lucky?
What was your day like?''
''Jason wants me to cover the motorcycle shop for him since he's
going out of town. Means I'll have to start doing mornings again
but just until Christmas.''
''Oh please, not Christmas.'' Maddy says from the door. She hangs
up her coat and kicks off her boots. ''I don't even want to think
about it. You know Louise up the street already has all her
shopping done?''
''Bitch.'' Liz mutters. ''I haven't even started on mine.''
''I don't see what the big deal is.'' Lucky asserts. ''You just
go to
Wal-mart on Christmas eve. Or do everything online. They'll even
wrap the stuff for ya and mail it to the right address.''
''Hit him for me. You're closer.'' Maddy demands. Liz swats Lucky
with a tea towel. ''Thank you.''
''No problem.''
''Gram, they're picking on me.'' Lucky complains.
''Poor baby.'' Lesley's sympathy is in short supply.
Nik comes in from the cold. He has a folder under his arm with
all the tasks left to be done for the Children's Christmas Party.
Lucky perks right up. ''Thank goodness you're home. I'm seriously
outnumbered here.''
''Don't look at me.'' Nik denies. Mrs Lansbury didn't raise any
fools.
Liz grabs the big pot and fills it with water. She sets it on the
stove and puts the burner on high. She adds a little olive oil
and a dash of salt then covers it waiting for it to come to a
boil. ''Looks like you're on you're own, Lucky. Maddy, Em takes
Thursday afternoons off. What are the chances of doing another
ladies night out... only making it a mass shopping trip?''
Maddy flips through her book. ''This Thursday is already solid. I
could work next Thursday in.'' She marks in a block of time.
''I'll talk to Em tomorrow and let her know.'' Maddy moves into
the working area of the kitchen. She grabs out a cookie sheet and
taking a loaf of french bread slices it almost all the way
through. Maddy slides the whole thing onto a sheet of tinfoil and
then goes over to the freezer, grabbing a container of whipped
garlic butter. She spoons a bit into each slice and then wraps
the foil tight around the loaf. Maddy puts the oven on warm and
slides the french bread in the oven.
Nikolas starts grabbing dishes and silverware to set the table.
''So Liz are you up for being an elf again this year?''
''Elf?!'' Maddy looks at Liz who is already shaking her head
vehemently.
''No, no and in case you didn't hear me.... NO.'' Liz protests.
''I've done my time, Em's done her time. Get Maddy to do it.''
''Do what?''
''Be an elf at the GH Christmas party. Hand out presents to the
kids. It's a lot of fun.'' Nikolas suggests.
''Pass.'' Maddy declares. ''I'm getting a sexist vibe off of this.
Where are the little boy elves hunh?'' She looks first at Lucky
and then at Nik who find other things to be looking at. ''Sign me
up for whatever passes for an elf on the fourth of July. No more
projects. I'm booked.'' Maddy pulls the parmesian cheese out of
the fridge and hands it to Lucky along with the grater. Liz takes
the linguine out of the cupboard and seeing that the water is
boiling, takes off the glass lid and dumps in the package. ''You
and Lucky can handle this one.''
''I guess this means you shopping for the presents is out.'' Nik
quips.
''Watch out, Bro. They're being wicked with the tea towels
tonight.'' Lucky warns. Then he shrugs. ''How hard can it be?
You're buying right? Get a bunch of gameboys and some stuffed
animals. Piece of cake.'' Maddy snickers. Lucky had evidently
never set foot in a toystore in the weeks before Christmas either
that or his memory is decidedly selective.
She looks over at Lesley who winks back at her. Lesley declares.
''Why you're absolutely right, Lucky. Which is why you should
handle it.''
''Yeah, how hard could it be?'' Lucky shrugs. He puts the bowl of
grated parmesian in the middle of the table. He tests one of the
strands of linguine... done enough. So he dumps the pot into the
collander that is waiting in the sink and rinses the noodles.
Maddy slides an huge stoneware flat platter out on the counter
next to the sink. Lucky shakes the water from the noodles and
then dumps them on the platter. Liz ladles out the sauce from the
crockpot on top of the noodles and then carries it to the table.
Maddy grabs the french bread from the oven. She finishes tearing
the bread apart and puts is in a basket that is lined with a
napkin. She carries it to the table and then sits down. ''Oh and
Mr Block Commander, Louise thinks that you should start putting
out a neighborhood newsletter. So everyone can keep up with
what's going on.''
''What do we need one of those for?'' Nik asks. He dishes up
Lesley's
spagetti and hands her back her platter. ''When we have Louise?
She's faster than any newsletter could be.''
Hours later at the Brownstone. Jerry cuddles up with Bobbie on
the couch in front of the fire. ''I'm going to miss this.''
''How long are you going to be gone?'' Bobbie asks.
''I don't know.'' Jerry shrugs one shoulder. ''Christmas on the
outside.''
''When does Maddy get the papers?''
''About 20 minutes after my flight pulls out.''
''It's sneaky, Jere.'' Bobbie says disapprovingly.
''Being straightforward didn't get me anywhere. You got a better
idea, Red?''
''A couple, not better but different. It means you have to be
back by Christmas in order for it to work.''
''You aren't going to have another family holiday are you?''
Jerry rememembers with some dread Thanksgiving with his parents.
''Yes, I am. Maddy's family. I've already put invitations in to
Pete and Miz Sophia. They can stay here at the Brownstone.''
Jerry nods. ''I do like the way you think.'' Then he smirks.
''Taggart is going to love it-- not.''