 |
||
When Cassidines Fall
"Father Frank's man better come through." Jerry mutters.
"He'll come through." Jason replies calmly. "All
he has to do is check us out of the hotel and make sure all our
stuff is on the plane."
"Hell I don't even need the stuff. He just better have the
jet fueled and ready to go."
Jason looks at Jerry. Ever since the call yesterday to Bobbie
he'd been antsy and in a hurry. Now he's acting like a guy with a
rash. "What aren't you telling me, Jacks? I know we're time
critical but you seem to be rushing things."
"We've done all we can do here. All that's left is for
something to go wrong so I'd just as soon be hauling cookies out
of town." Jerry can tell Jason isn't satisfied with that
answer. "Look, we have to meet that boat. The one the
daughter is on. Finding Yuen was a walk in the park compared to
finding her daughter if that boat gets to the US before we do."
Jason shakes his head and swears as he makes the connection. He
might be officially out of the business but that didn't
mean that he wasn't aware of every racket and the families
running them. His voice goes grim. "I'll be able to find her."
"Yeah, what's left of her. And I don't want to have to look
that woman in the face. A mother who thought that she was protecting
her daughter and tell her that she bought the apple of her eye a
first class ticket to hell."
"Where are we going to stash Mrs Chow?"
"I was thinking in the Philippines with Miranda. She has her
own island there with a private runway... but you know that
already. You and Corinthos both. Now I'm thinking it's a little
riskier but it would be faster to stash her with a family I know
in Hawaii. Leilani and her clan would hide her out. And an
Oriental face doesn't draw much notice in the islands."
"INS." Jason gives the downside.
"Same thing. Small private runway on the windward side. On
the upside, it'll give us time to dummy up some papers for her
and then have her come into Port Charles on a commercial flight
from another part of the US. Should actually cut down on her
getting busted coming through from a foreign country."
Holiday Packages
Nikolas glances through the mail and finds the thin airmail
envelope addressed to Prince Nikolas Stavrovich Cassadine. He
tears open the missive. Much as Maddy had feared it is written in
Latin in a shaky but classically trained hand.
My Prince.
It was with surprise and relief I greeted your note and package.
I feared the family had written me off for dead in this hell
hole, or wished me so. The visit from the priest was the first
face I'd seen outside of guards for the last three years. At
least I think it's been that long, it is easy to lose days here.
Having dealt with the dregs of humanity these many long years I
was not surprised to find that the stipend my nephew, your uncle,
sent was diverted by corrupt guards. Here there are few that are
not. Already my situation has improved with the funds you
secreted away in the package. I was able to purchase a small
canister of propane since electricity is something not wasted on
prisoners. I was able to shave with hot
water as well as make tea like a civilized man for the first time
since before my incarceration.
I remember myself as a young man, a man in his prime, it was with
some reluctance I donned the reading glasses only to discover
what little I've been missing all these years. Even more than the
books, I appreciate the writing implements. I've been keeping
myself fit through a regime of Tai Chi and mental composing....
Nikolas glances through the rest of the note and then folding it
up goes out to the jag. Stefan would be at the hospital by now.
He needed to see this. There had to be a way of getting Victor
out of that prison.
"Oh hell." Liz says from the front passenger seat of
the van. "This is worse than last week."
"And it will keep being crazy until the day after the
holiday." Carly leans up to the front seats from one of the
captain's chairs in the back. "No way I was bringing Michael
to this zoo. Maybe just to get a picture with Santa but not on my
real shopping day."
Maddy looks in the rearview mirror. "Do not tell me we're
going to a toy store. Do not tell me that. Why
didn't you get it online like Lucky did?"
"And has Lucky gotten the stuff he ordered yet? This is my
son I'm talking about. I'm going to find it, make sure there is
nothing he can kill himself with, and then I'm going to buy it
and have it professionally wrapped and put it under the damn tree."
Carly's voice has a pro shoppers lock and load attitude toward
the holiday sales.
"Lucky has gotten the stuff for the
Christmas party right? The presents?" Emily leans forward
worry in her voice.
Maddy looks at Liz who grimaces and shrugs. Liz answers Em.
"I'll have him trace it tonight if it hasn't arrived. The
mail comes in the afternoon. Hopefully it will be there by the
time we get home."
Maddy finally finds a space whipping the van in neatly as another
shopper pulls out. "Okay everyone got their lists?
Synchronized watches?" Maddy calls out the time. "We
meet at the competition in two hours." There is a chorus of
slamming doors as everyone piles out of the van and heads to the
mall.
"I really should be shopping at the prominade." Emily
says guiltily.
"Oh we can shop there too. That one is actually easier. And
it's right on your way to Porter's or on your way to play chess
with Stefan." Liz suggests to Em and then Maddy. "You
know who should really be here? Rita."
"She has a game tonight." Em and Carly answer at the
same time. The four of them split up as they hit the doors and go
in four different directions. Maybe not the most efficient way of
doing things but clearly the most secretive.
Stefan looks up from reading the letter. His voice is grim.
"Was there a letter from the priest too?"
"No. Why?"
"To verify conditions."
"You don't believe him?"
There is a long pause before Stefan answers. "He was aligned
with your grandmother. It can't be ruled out. But yes, I do
believe it. mental composing. Maddy should send him a
flute. Victor preferred the piano but he was proficient in the
flute as well."
"I think we should help him get out of there. He's already
been there for two decades! Surely there can be some
accommodation made for the time he's already served or his age
perhaps." Nikolas protests.
"Did I hear time served?" Alexis asks from the doorway.
She walks over to the desk and takes up the chair next to Nikolas.
Stefan hands her the letter. Alexis groans when she sees the
Latin and then pulls out her reading glasses. "It would be
Latin. I hate Latin." Alexis slowly starts reading. "Victor?
When did you start writing to Victor?!"
"After Maddy put together a care package for him and asked
me to include a note." Nik explains. "As for how she
found out..." Nik shakes his head. "I think she has
been spending too much time with Stefan."
"Oh no. I shall not... take the heat... for this one.
Madeliene began her investigation prior to moving into your house."
Stefan denies.
Alexis mouths take the heat and grins. Then she quickly
camouflages it and goes back to her reading. "Sounds grim."
She hands the letter back to Nikolas since it had initially been
written to him.
"What do you think? Is there a possibility of getting him
out early?" Nikolas demands.
Alexis looks to Stefan wondering if he wants that question
answered. Stefan nods. "I don't know. From the sounds of
things if the bribe, um I mean fine, was big enough... Probably
should check first to find out if he has any outstanding warrants
here in Port Charles. He was up to his ears with Mikkos and Uncle
Tony in the Ice Princess project. Pentonville might be an
improvement over where he is now but it's not freedom."
Maddy is looking for something suitable for Granny Sophia at
Wyndams. It has to be purchased today if it was going to get in
the mail with plenty of time to New Orleans. It couldn't be
anything Granny Sophia could do better herself. So afghans etc
are out. Although there are things she could get here that were a
bitch to get down in New Orleans, not impossible but you really
had to look. "Down comforter." She realizes and heads
off to housewears. The display models are hung up on the wall and
she backs up abit to get the whole effect backing into someone.
"I'm sorry."
"No worries." John Jacks replies. "What bedlam!
I'm just here to pick up something for my wife." Maddy looks
with some suspicion at the older man. Okay so everyone with an
accent probably wasn't related to the Jacks but it sure seemed
that way at times. "What do you think? This or this?"
John holds up two items at random.
Maddy rolls her eyes. "Unless your wife has made you a
specific list I suggest you stick to jewelry."
Carly comes up at a charge. "You get away from her or I'll
finish the job I started at the horseshow, John Jacks!"
"Now Caroline..." John says soothingly.
"I'm not buying and neither is Maddy. You can't get to Jerry
through me and you won't through her either. Go back to Alaska--
hell go back to Australia and take Golden Boy and your nosy wife
with you! Jerry isn't doing your dirty work anymore."
"No, my dear, now he is doing yours." John says
cuttingly finally fed up. "And if anything happens to him in
China, it will be your fault."
Carly recoils as if struck and pales. Maddy jumps in front of her.
"I think you need to just back it off, buddy."
"I apologize for my tone." John nods and
sharply turns away and blends into the teeming masses of shoppers
in the aisles.
"Yeah, but not for what he said. Because it is true."
Carly starts tearing up. "I made Jerry go. I was afraid for
Jason."
"Oh Shut up." Maddy says impatiently. Carly's tears dry
up in an instant. Maddy looks around. "Come on. We gotta
talk. Somewhere quiet." Maddy starts half hauling Carly from
the store. "Gees you must be having hormones or something if
you are letting that guy get to you."
"Jerry wouldn't be in China..."
"OH bull. If he wasn't in China he'd have been off to
Iceland again or Timbuktu. Jerry left the country cause he was
too chicken to be around when the papers got dropped on me. It
was too planned for it not to be. He's a grown man and I'm
personal proof he likes stirring up hornet's nests. You had
nothing to do with it."
"Maddy..."
"Do not start with me. That topic is offlimits. This is
about Jerry being in China. Sonny Corinthos stopped by the family
here. He told them that Jerry and Jason were on their way back
with the sister in law. See-- mission accomplished."
"How do you know that?!" Carly asks suspiciously
"I know the family here. I talked to them yesterday when
they were hauled into the police station for even having a
meeting with Mr Corinthos."
"Don't tell me Taggart." Carly pulls out her cell phone
in a fury ready to hit the speeddial. "I am so getting sick
of him blaming everything on Sonny and Jason!"
"Nah it was the fed... the same one that went after My Aunt
Dara on the word of that loony tune Larkin." Maddy's voice
drops to a whisper. "And considering Jason and Jerry are
planning on illegally sneaking someone into the country maybe you
better be nice to Taggart for awhile."
Carly makes a pfft sound. "That would just make him
suspicious."
Maddy looks around. "Well then I guess we'll just have to
find him something else to do. Come on."
"Why are you dragging me into Victoria's Secret?"
"Getting something for Aunt Dara."
"Why? Oh ewww. Mental image-- get it gone- get it gone."
Carly screws up her face.
"Pick your battle. You want Marcus looking to bust Jason? Or
Looking at my Auntie's bust?"
"Ecru. She looks decent in ecru... and Taggart is such a guy.
He probably digs red."
Nik holds the elevator doors. Partner and Larry come out of the
elevator there is a sheet of plywood on a gurney. A cardboard box
that has been altered to cover the gingerbread house. "I
can't believe you got it done!"
"I can't believe it either." Partner says wryly. "After
you left a Mrs Porter stopped by the house? I told her what I
needed and she mixed it like that." Partner juggles the
plywood to snap his fingers.
"You drop your end and I'll drop you!" Larry growls.
Partner laughs. "Where do you want this?"
"The party will be in this conference room. But it isn't for
a days yet."
"No problem. Just make sure nobody eats it in the meantime.
You do it right and gingerbread houses can last for years."
Larry tells him.
Nik catches the other door and pulling a table over to the wall
gets out of the way. Larry carefully removes the cardboard around
the building. "Ta Da!" Partner makes a flourish.
"Nikolas, Amy said..." Stefan walks into the conference
room. "Impressive."
"Even more so since we all had a piece of it.... so to speak.
Not quite the project you were expecting last night, right?"
Nik says wryly as he checks out the scaled down version of GH
made of gingerbread. There is a small matchbox ambulance in front
of the ER doors and a smale scale helicoptor on the roof.
"It was a... unique experience." Stefan admits. "As
I was saying, I am leaving for the day but I left papers for you
in my office."
Nikolas quirks a brow. "You're leaving for the day?" He
glances down at his watch.
"I have an appointment outside of the hospital." Stefan
answers discretely before leaving.
"He's got a date." Nik can't resist telling Larry and
Partner.
"Where is Maddy?" Partner asks.
"She is with Elizabeth shopping over at the mall."
Em has her packages wedged between her feet and some strung on
her arm. She is out of the main flow of traffic and has her cell
phone pressed to her ear. Luckily with the Deception business she
didn't have to get a lot of personal gifts-- just for family and
friends. Liz spots her on the cell phone and makes her way over.
She drops her packages to the ground too and takes a seat on one
of the cement planters. Not wanting to interrupt Em on the phone
Liz people watches.
"Okay, Johnny, I got game room accessories for The Judge.
It's going to be a kick getting the pool table in the house
without him noticing! I stole Cookie's Williams and Sonoma
catalogue the last time I was over there.... You didn't know?
Your mom circles the things she wants out of it. It's like her
little wish book. She'd been doing that as long as I've known her.
I'm going to consult with Carly about what to get Rita. And I
figured you'd want to get Vicki some switches.... or maybe a
couple lumps of coal?"
"Oh Gees!" Liz exclaims. "I need to use your phone.
Tell him you'll call him back."
"Johnny, I got to go. Talk to you tonight. I'll try to make
Rita's game." Em hangs up. "What's up?"
Liz calls out the number. "No, you do it. I have to keep an
eye on something."
"Isn't this Lt Taggart's number?" Em asks as she dials.
"I should have him on speeddial like Carly and Rita."
"Maddy too. When he comes on tell him that the guy who
mugged Mrs Levy is hanging at the west entrance of the mall.
Right inside the doors. Prick. Probably nailed all the old ladies
he could when their social security came in and now he's going
for the presents. Prick."
Emily starts talking as soon as Taggart comes on the line. While
Liz watches the guy she feeds Emily the details of what the guy
is wearing. "Taggart says there is a sector car in the area...
a couple of them actually and he's relaying it to dispatch and
he's on his way over. Lizabeth, he wants to know how sure you are."
"Tell him he's got the tattoo that Mrs Levy described and
matches the sketch... and oh hell he just targeted somebody.
Watch my stuff."
"Elizabeth!" Emily protests loudly. "Look Taggart,
the guy just followed someone out of here and Liz followed him."
Em winces at the swearing at the other end of the line. "You
better get those sector cars here."
"They are already moving. You stay put."
Emily who is watching the doors sees the marked police car go by
the doors with the lights on top activiated. "I gotta go."
She hangs up the phone over Taggart's protest. Gathering up not
only her packages but Liz's too she starts to the exit. Her
progress is slow weighted down the way she is. By the time she
gets to the corner of the exterior of the mall, she sees that
Elizabeth is helping an older woman to her feet and the guy she
recognized from Liz's description is bent over the hood of a
police car. The other police car is blocking the other direction.
Officer Rick who'd gotten mall duty for the day shoves the guy
back down on the hood of the car as he tries to straighten up. He
kicks the guys feet apart and starts frisking him while his
partner keeps him within his sight. Rick finds the victim's purse
inside the guy's jacket.
"Rick, I saw the whole thing." Liz calls out. She has
her arm around the older woman. "He shoved her to the gound
and grabbed her purse then started running-- right into the hood
of the cop car."
"I can't believe it! It happened so fast." The woman
says in a pained daze.
"Are you alright?" Em asks the older woman. "Did
he hurt you? Do you need to go to the first aide office in the
mall?"
"I'm fine. It just happened so fast."
"It's a set up. Entrapment. Yeah, entrapment." The perp
hollars.
"Oh shut up." Rick cuffs the guy and then stuffs him in
the back of the cop car. With the prisoner secure he walks over
to the victim. "Ma'am, is this yours?"
"Yes, it's my purse. It has my ID in it. In the wallet."
The woman nods.
Rick opens the purse and pulls out the wallet. The ID is actually
in the exterior clear window of the wallet so all he has to do is
glance at it before handing it back to her. "Make sure
everything is there, please."
The woman quickly goes through her belongings. "He didn't
have time to mess with anything. It's all here." She sighs
with relief. "I don't know how to thank you, thank all of
you."
"By pressing charges." Liz suggests. "You're not
the first woman he's done this too. He could have hurt you badly
the way he shoved you down. You know you're going to be feeling
it in the morning anyway."
"I want that bastard locked up!" The woman has had
enough time to go from dazed to really ticked off.
"Yes, Ma'am." Rick waves over one of the other officers.
"This officer will take your statement." The officer
escorts the victim over to the other marked police car and
settles her in the front seat to start taking her statement.
"Rick, is it okay if I come in, in the morning and make a
statement? We're suppose to be meeting Maddy and Carly at the
coffee shop in the mall right now and they're going to freak if
we don't show up."
"Yeah. Go ahead. I have it from here." Rick nods. Liz
takes her half of the packages from Emily and starts heading back
to the mall. "Elizabeth?"
She turns around. "Yeah?"
"Great composite. It looks just like the guy."
"Thanks. I know Mrs Levy is going to be happy."
"I'll give her a call when I get back to the station... see
if she'll come down for a line up."
"Let me know how it turns out."
"You got it." Rick goes back to his car and climbs in.
He starts filling out his paperwork on the arrest ignoring the
ranting of the guy in the back seat. Only once all the i's are
dotted and t's crossed does he put the car in motion and
following every rule of the road to the letter makes his way to
the police station.