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Deb's Email: dswanson97123@yahoo.com
The Jason Detour
Maddy has the file open on the counter of Wyndemere light, a victorian style grand lady that had fallen on hard times but then been rescued by Nikolas Cassadine. Her cell phone is at her ear. And since she is on hold she's making a note of the time in the file. Might as well set this up like billable hours. Someone comes on the line with the intention of putting her on hold longer but Maddy has had enough. "Look do you want to sell the damn property or not? It's not that hard. Get one of the agents down to the property and I'll meet them there in twenty minutes. If you're not there then I know to find something else." Maddy hangs up the phone. "Idiots."
Liz drops her books and reaches for the vacumn pot that is always filled with coffee and ready to go. "Careful there or Nik is going to start claiming you're spending too much time with Johnny's mother."
"He's the one that spent all the time with her putting together that gingerbread house of GH before Christmas." Maddy defends herself.
"What's this?" Liz sees the open folder on the counter that is labeled Corner Store. "Oh my gosh, did you decide to buy the property on the corner instead of getting your own place?" Since they all lived together on the same property... Nik and Maddy in the big house and Liz and Lucky in the carriage house apartment.. they are very much in each other's business. Which is a benefit or a bane depending on the day.
"Not me-- Jason Morgan is going to buy it."
"Oh hell no." Nikolas comes into the kitchen in time to hear the last two comments. He'd been feeling pretty good with the idea of Maddy buying the corner property until he'd heard her answer. Now he has to worry that Maddy will decide which school she is going to be attending in the fall and that she'll buy a place and move there rather than stay in the house that she'd made into a home. "I'll buy it myself first! He won't be in this neighborhood. Not on my watch."
"Down boy." Maddy shakes her head. "I said it once-- I'll say it again. You Cassadines are the conclusionest jumping bunch."
Nik takes a deep breath before smiling and saying softly between gritted teeth. "Then by all means. Enlighten me."
"It's for the Chows. The missionaries in China who were working for Queen of Angels and then got caught? From talking to Em and her brother, it sounds as if the same kind of rules apply to immigrating to the US as when I was emancipated. I had to prove that I had a roof over my head, income so I wasn't taking money from the state-- community support system, family support. Instead of it being Monroe's Corner Store like down in New Orleans it's going to be The Chow's Corner Store. When I talked to Em last night she said that the Chows ran a fish market back in Shanghai so they've got some experience. Chow's daughter is already in the country." Maddy looks over at Liz and gives her a warning look. "And that's a secret I'm not telling anyone with connections to the cops-- including my Aunt. Anyway, I think she's' going to be taking an English emersion course over at the University of Technology. It's an eleven week course. So I've got eleven weeks to get the business ready to open."
"But the tanks!" Liz protests knowing exactly what is wrong with that property. When ever they talked about the neighborhood they'd brainstormed what to do with that eye sore. And had made all the phone calls to find out all about it. But it has just been talk... well that and Maddy's folder. But Maddy has lots of folders. "That property is a money pit until the tanks are removed."
"They aren't going to be pumping gas. The tanks can be removed last thing... even after the store opens. If the parking lot is torn up... oh well. The store is for the neighborhood anyway." Maddy looks at Nik. There isn't going to be an apology. She knows it already. But he would be extra sweet to her for awhile to make up for jumping to conclusions. Might as well take advantage of it while it lasts. "I was going to ask for help even before I started getting the run around from the real estate agent." Maddy admits to get Nik buttered up. "I have no idea if you speak Chinese but Em says that Li speaks French. Damn. I have to go. I have to get down there incase the real estate agent actually does show up."
"I'll walk down with you." Nik waits for Maddy to put her shoes back on and holds her coat while she slides her arms into it. Normally they walk the neighborhood when the day is done to give Cinnamon her exercise and to wind down from the day but the corner store had been his idea really... in an effort to make Maddy more comfortable here, in this house. Maddy grabs her notebook and after zipping on her coat slides on her gloves.
Together she and Nik walk down to the corner property. "How is your mom doing?"
"Still upset whenever she sees me. I look too much like my father. But she knows who I am even if she only remembers me as a baby. Which makes me better off than either Lulu or Lucky. The car accident robbed her of them and them of her. The only people that really have any luck with her from the family are Luke, Grandma Lesley and Stefan."
"Stefan?" Oh that is going to be a storm felt around the world if Luke found out.
"Another thing that is just between the two of us. Luke would... not be pleased. Grandmother isn't happy either but she is willing to take the results. And I think that she knows that Stefan has moved on which makes it easier."
"With K.C. Who I really like by the way even though nobody has asked me. Do you know that the last chess match I had with your uncle he was rushing me? Mrs. L told me later that he had a date." Maddy snuggles up closer to Nik. The guy is like a walking furnace. He's what every southern girl needs in a New York winter.
"If this real estate company gives you the run around we can always call the agent that helped me with the house. She knows how to get things done."
"I gave them twenty minutes when I made the phone call. If it takes 21 then we'll call her that way they have to split commissions. Serve them right." Maddy sniffs.
"Li?!" Jason calls out as he enters the penthouse.
"I am here." Li calls out from the kitchen. Amazingly enough since Jason never watches television there is one in the kitchen. And it has expanded cable. And even more of a miracle there is a station that has Chinese news on it. It's out of Taiwan but she understands most of it. Li is seated at the desk in the kitchen concentrating on the paper in front of her and listening to the news. On the paper it's written over and over again in western style cursive-- Li Chow. "I am practicing as you said. But I don't know why."
"Show me." Jason looks over her shoulder.
Li carefully writes out her name. Since she's been practicing ever since this morning before Jason left the motion is automatic even if it still looks more drawn than written. "Is it okay?"
"Yeah, it'll work." Jason leans up against the fridge.
"Why?"
"You owe me fifteen thousand." It didn't seem as if Li was going to let that one go, so he's just going to have to work with it.
"Shi." Li nods.
"I put it on my Visa Card. So what I'm going to do is take you down to the bank and I'm going to add your name to that card. That way you can make the payments on it. The bank I deal with puts people's pictures on their card. That way nobody will be using the card but you and they won't ask for more identification. ID you don't have. While I'm at it, I'm going to open up another account. It'll be a checking account. Same way. Both our names on it. Because you don't have ID. I'll put money in on a monthly basis. You can use it to pay on the visa-- minimum payments if you want. The interest payments on the card is 13% per year rather than 13% per month like at the massage parlor. How long you take to pay it off is up to you. As long as you're making the payments we don't have a problem."
"But if I take money from you to repay you." Li shakes her head no. That doesn't work in any language.
"I won't be giving you money. You and Michael got on great. You'll be taking care of him when he's here. Taking care of this place-- cleaning, laundry, cooking. Whatever needs to get done. Leticia, the woman who normally takes care of Michael, is getting married. And Graciella, the housekeeper has never liked working for me. $2000/month plus room and board."
"It's too much."
"It's not a good deal." Jason warns flatly. "You might get time off but you don't get a day off. If Michael is here you're responsible for him the entire time. There is no overtime. You set your own schedule-- what needs to get done... you get it done no matter how long it takes. And you don't ask any questions about my business. If Sonny comes over you go upstairs. If I have to go out of town nobody knows I'm gone and nobody knows where I'm going. If you need anything while I'm gone..." Jason can't believe he's saying this. "...Call Jerry." It's only cause he's the only one that speaks Chinese.
"You're leaving?" Li worries.
"Not right now. But we have to have a plan for when I do go out of town because I travel a lot."
"Oh. Okay."
"Okay. That's 20 minutes plus one. Give me your phone." Nikolas demands. Standing outside even if dressed appropriately is stupid. Even though it was just down the street they should have brought Maddy's van so they could wait in comfort and warmth.
"Are you telling me that after all this time you have the number memorized for your real estate agent?"
"If it was just from when I bought the house back before Emily was kidnapped-- probably not. But the real estate agent sent a Christmas Card."
"Yeah, I bet she did." Maddy hands the phone over.
Nikolas dials the cutesy number that made it easier to remember. 555-0911 for all your real estate emergencies. He asks for the agent by name and is immediately put thru. "Yes, this is Nikolas Cassadine. I appear to be having a real estate emergency."
"Mr. Cassadine, there can't be anything wrong with your house!" The real estate agent practically yells in his ear. "I show your house before and after pictures for everything I sell in that neighborhood! You can't do this to me."
"Good then if you've been by the neighborhood lately you're familiar with the only remaining eye sore-- the abandoned gas station on the corner." Nikolas counters.
"Are you there now?"
Nikolas can already hear the drawer slamming on her desk and the sound of a chair being pushed back. "Yes, bring coffee; it's cold."
"I'm on my way. Coffee. You got it." The agent hangs up without saying goodbye.
"Coffee is just going to slow her down."
"Not by much." Nikolas comes up behind Maddy and tucks the cell phone into her pocket and then wraps his arms around her and brings her close. "Tell me about the Chows. Since it appears they are going to be coming to the neighborhood."
"You know most of it." Maddy turns around and cuddles next to Nikolas wrapping her arms around his waist under his coat. That way his coat is wrapped all the way around her. "I met Mei's grandmother when she was trying to buy an industrial sewing machine and she was getting blown off by just about everybody because she doesn't speak English. I told her to get her friends together, we'd make a wholesale deal and I'd take the difference between wholesale and retail as commission. So I thought of her when you needed curtains for the house. Mei, who is the same age as Rita Porter, acts as a translator for her grandmother."
"Why is she living with her grandmother?"
"'Cause her parents are trying to get a restaurant going in Seattle. They work insane hours. Since Grandma works out of the house she is always home. Always busy-- but always home. The only time you can't bug her is when Perry Mason is on television. And because Harry Chow is working as a missionary sponsored by Queen of Angels, Mei gets free tuition at a good school."
"It was after Thanksgiving."
Maddy nods. "Laura had her accident down in North Carolina. You brought Granny Lesley and Lulu home. She didn't have a coat for this stupid weather up here."
Nik rubs Maddy's back, feeling her shiver and tucks his coat closer around her.
"... So I went to Mei's grandmother and had her make the poncho."
"The wool one that is lined with silk." That his grandmother still wore constantly, even though she is now out of the Frankenstein cast and into something a little more flexible for the final month until the cast came off and she starts physical therapy.
"...And then wouldn't let me pay for it because she was picking up jobs from Partner. He had been so impressed the way she got the curtains done on your place considering how oddball the sizes are. Anyway. I gave Mei a ride to school one day and cause I'm nosey asked how she managed to go to Queen of Angels cause the place is spendy. She told me about her Great Uncle who is a missionary in China. It's a high risk profession over there. When he got caught he was thrown in jail. His wife had started getting a hinky feeling and was sewing her gold into the hem of her coat... don't ask... it would take too long to explain. Anyway she and her daughter got away and headed inland away from Shanghai. Harry's wife, Yuen, knew people who she figured would hide her until she could get her daughter on a boat out of China."
"And that's how the daughter got into the states." Nik realizes and adds. "She's illegal that's why you don't want Liz talking to her friends down at the PCPD."
"Candy, Jason was looking for Yuen and Li before Christmas. He's been searching for Li ever since he came back from that ELQ junket-- you have to figure that's when he found Yuen. He's got her stashed somewhere. But it took longer to find Li. He missed Christmas with Lila?! He missed Em's graduation? He was looking for the missionary's daughter the whole time. The only reason he'd do that is if he knew she was in terrible danger and every day that he didn't find her was a day she was in hell. Do you know what a coyote is?"
"Small wild dog. A scavenger."
"Yeah, it will pick the bones of any down on it's luck morsel. Normally when people are talking about coyotes, the human kind, is people being brought illegally over the border from Mexico. They charge them huge amounts of money and then they have to work it off once they get to the US."
"They're indentured."
"They're slaves." Maddy says flatly. "Pure and simple. They never work it off. They never can. Their "contracts" are sold to whoever will buy them: Pimps, drug dealers, sweat shops. What they're doing is illegal so the only jobs available are illegal. I didn't know it until Aunt Dara told me.. Did you know that while slavery was outlawed for blacks back in the 1860's that slavery didn't end for Chinese women until after 1914? And then it was because they outlawed prostitution not slavery. They'd lock them up in stalls half of the size of what you have for your horse up at Carly's stables complete with the bars on the windows and they'd have to take any thing that came thru the door with fifty cents in hand. Only the price has changed."
"Morgan found her."
"After two months." Maddy sighs. "I'm telling you all this and now I want you to forget it. You know there are just some things you really don't need to know about your neighbors."
"The Chows are fleeing religious persecution." Nikolas proclaims. As far as the neighborhood is concerned that is exactly what will be said from then on.
"Exactly." Maddy agrees with a nod.
"I'm here! I'm here!" The real estate agent pulls up next to the abandoned pump as if getting a fill up. "And yes, I have coffee."
"You're a goddess." Maddy pulls away from Nik and grabs a cup of coffee. "Do you have keys?"
"Don't need one, it's on lockbox." The agent uses her master key to opens the lock box and then opens the door. "The gas station closed up shop in December of 1998 when the federal laws about underground fuel tanks took affect." Might as well get the bad news out of the way. Full disclosure is the only way to do repeat business. And repeat Cassadine business would pay for her kid's braces... all her kids.
"Has a soil inspection been done?" Nik is noncommittal but asking the questions so that Maddy could start really looking at the place and figuring out how exactly it would work.
"Yes, and it looks okay. But the tanks still have to come out, and okay may mean just a little contamination rather than the whole property. The difference between $50,000 and $300,000."
"December 1998. It's January of 2001." Maddy calls out from across the bay. "It's been sitting vacant for three years?! So in addition to all the environmental problems all the plumbing seals are shot and will have to be replaced?" course the plumbing needs of a corner market are totally different from a gas station. Probably put the bathroom over there. Seal off the outside entrance to it. Install a sprinkler system for the produce. Definitely going to have to have an ice maker...
"Now, Mr. Cassadine, I know you love a challenge." The real estate agent laughs but it's kind of a nervous laugh.
Nik smiles his most charming smile. "Yes, I do-- but you'll remember that while I take on a project it has to be worth my while. And the listing price for this... is not. What Maddy and I need here is someone that understands that and will be acting as our agent. You've dealt with me before. We will have the same arrangement. Your commission is based on the listing price so you won't lose any money by working with us. But really-- don't you think they should be paying us to take it off their hands... as is."
"As is." The agent repeats the magic phrase. "You mean.. as is."
"And remember when you gave the offer for my house I told you to drop the offer price $5,000 if they attempted to counter?"
"Oh yeah." The real estate agent grins. Some days she loves her job and that had been one of them. "But I don't think it would go over well for me to go from just sign the title over to sign the title over and give me $5 grand."
"True. So this time when they try to dicker it will go like this. Sign the title over and it's as is-- we'll handle everything. Dicker and we pay $5,000 and they have to pay the taxes. Dicker some more and it's $10,000 dollars and they have to pay the taxes and pay for the tanks removal. Try some more and it'll be taxes, the tanks, and the soil. You see where I'm going with this?"
"I've never heard anything like it before. Never in my whole life. But if that's what you want me to do. And I get my commission no matter what the price is?"
"Along with the reputation as a barracuda of a buyer's agent. You'll make the community newsletter." Maddy interjects. "Come on. Whatever Nik does with this place would bring up the property values for a block going in all directions. You said it yourself. This is your turf now."
"Exactly." Nik puts his arm around Maddy's shoulders.
"Give me a day. I'll find out how they want to handle things." The agent walks out of the building and waits for Nik and Maddy to leave to secure it again. "Talk to you soon!" She gets in her car and heads back to the office already on the cell phone.
"Community newsletter?" Nik raises a brow. "Last time I looked we didn't have one of those."
Maddy shrugs. "So I'll tell Louise down the block. Same dif."
The bank manager isn't surprised when Jason does all the talking. And true to the half owner of the Morgan Corinthos Coffee Warehouse that isn't much. Things had been set up in advance. There would be no pesky questions about social security numbers or questions about ID. He had Mr. Morgan's ID and the social security number if there was ever any questions on the account. Mr. Morgan's accounts both personal and corporate are worth... well. Don't even go there. Too much to lose over a pesky bit of paperwork.
"Sign here and here." He puts a little x next to where he needs a signature. "And then we'll need to get a picture."
Li has an idea of what he'd just said but only because Jason had forewarned her of what they'd be doing so she could fake her way thru it. She takes the pen and carefully writes her name where the x's are.
"Right this way." The account executive rises from the desk and goes over to the camera. "Just stand against the wall so I can get your picture."
There is a space on the wall that is painted in a box so that is easy enough to fake too. Except with all the adjustments to the camera the executive still can't bring her into frame.
"I'm really sorry this just isn't going as smoothly as normal." The exec apologies.
Jason rolls his eyes and going over to one of the other exec's desk grabs the yellow pages. Going back over to Li, he waves her aside and then once Jason drops the phone book on the floor. Offering her his hand, "Li."
Li takes his hand even though she doesn't really need it for balance and steps up on the phone book. She takes a deep breath and looks unsmiling straight at the camera. The extra three inches of the phone book had done the trick.
"Smile and say cheese."
"Just take the freaking picture." Jason growls. "We've got places to be."
"Of course, Mr. Morgan.." The personal banker takes the picture and then another just to be on the safe side. "All done. You'll receive the card in the mail within in the next couple of business days, Ms Chow."
"Thank You." Li says carefully. She leaves with Jason after he unlocks her door she leans across and unlocks the driver's door for him before fastening her seat belt.
Before fastening his seat belt, Jason turns to look at Li. "You know you could have just signed anything and would have had no clue as to what it was." Jason states. "For all you know I could have just sold your contract to the guy back there in the suit. If you're going to be taking care of Michael, you're going to have to learn English, Li-- read it, write it, speak it."
"How?"
"There is a place called the English Language Center here in town. Eleven week course. It'll give you the basics so you don't have to fake thru like you did back there. When your parents get here they are going to be in the same boat. Your dad speaks some English I know-- he sent progress reports to Father Frank.. but your mother?"
"No."
"I'll have Jerry find out of there is a program in Hawaii she can be going to, to get a head start."
"I will owe you for this course too?" Li asks.
Jason sighs. "Yeah. I guess. But on the plus side when you get done with the course you'll be able to find a job that will pay you more than 2g a month."
"But I have to work for you."
"No. All you have to do is pay the money back. You've got the job but if you find a better one..." Jason shrugs. "So you want to go find out about this course?"
"Yes, please."
"Good. Cause that's the deadline I'm setting. When you finish the course your mother is coming to Port Charles. I haven't quite figured out how yet. But one way or another she's coming to town. And you can either make it easy on her by already knowing the way things work. Or make it really tough and let her figure it out for herself without you or her husband to help her."
"She would have my aunt."
"Your aunt doesn't speak English either. A twelve year old girl would be taking care of both of them."
Nik throws together a salad to go along with the contents of the crock pot. Since moving into Wyndemere Light everyone had become proficient in the art of crock pot. They all worked crazy schedules but tried to eat dinner together to touch base on the day. Maddy is willing to keep Nik company while he made dinner but it's his night and she's not going to help him.
Lucky stomps his feet as he comes in the back door. "I'm never going to get out of the doghouse with Audrey."
Maddy starts in a sing song voice not looking up from the sketch she is making. "OH sure. No problem. How hard could it be to buy all the presents for the GH Christmas Party?!"
"Yeah, Yeah. And if it would have worked I would have been the hero." Lucky grumbles. "How was I supposed to know that the internet company would go belly up right before the holiday?"
"So instead you're the goat." Maddy grins at him. "And I'm the hero because I got Elaine to open up the Wyndam's toy department after hours for little ole me."
"I wrapped them! I put them together. I delivered them. I dressed as an elf." Lucky laments. "How long can my girlfriend's grandmother hold a grudge against me?"
"I know what she wants for her birthday." Maddy studies her manicure.
"Tell me."
"I don't think you've groveled enough." Maddy shakes her head.
"Maddy." Nik gives her a look.
"Aren't you supposed to be making dinner?" Maddy counters before turning back to Lucky. "You're not worried that Audrey is mad at you because of the presents. You figure that way she won't ask you to help out next year. You're just afraid she won't make you any snickerdoodles." Maddy reads the truth in his expression. "HA! I'm right! Suffer bitch."
Lesley comes in from outside brushing the snow from her hair. "What did you do now, Lucky."
"Nothing!" Lucky protests his innocence. Lesley always seemed to take the girl's side on things. "Really Grandma. Maddy's being mean to me." Lucky helps Lesley with her poncho.
"Maddy?" Lesley quirks a brow in Nikolas' girlfriend's direction.
"Granny Lesley, Niknik and I got into the gas station down on the corner today." Maddy changes the subject.
"The one you want to turn into a Corner Store?" Lesley has been living at the Wyndemere Light house since the accident that had broken her arm and has heard all the plans. Liz and Maddy had become very dear to her since she moved in and been able to observe the way the girls kept Lucky and Nikolas grounded and away from each other's throats, especially in light of the stress of Laura's disability.
"Nik is going to get it for nothing." Maddy brags.
"It's not going to be nothing." Nik counters-- resisting the temptation to look at the contents of the crockpot. "The tanks are going to have to come out. It'll take money and effort to get that place back and that's only if they agree to my terms."
"Pfft. You'll get it for nothing." Maddy leans across the table after Lesley takes a seat. "He went all Cassadine Prince-- you know all the charm and all the teeth. Resistance is futile-- she caved within minutes. And he's not even buying the place."
"What's going on?" Lucky looks from Maddy to Nikolas.
"What did I miss?" Liz asks breathlessly. She'd had to run back to the garage apartment after dropping Lesley at the back door of the house. "Did you tell them about Jason buying the Corner Store for the Chows?"
"That's what's going on." Nik tells his brother. "I think this is ready to dish up if everyone wants to get their drinks." Nik waits for the flurry of movement and then once everyone is settled takes the place at the head of the table. "Em has talked about the Chows' before and the troubles they've been having in China." Nik looks around the table. "Since Jason has commissioned Maddy to get the property on the corner ready to be used as the store... I'd say that the Chows are soon going to be in the US and away from the religious persecution that they faced in China. So anything I can do to help Em or the Chows, I am happy to do." in other words this has nothing to do with Jason.
"Bobbie gets restaurant supply catalogs at Kelly's sometimes." Liz suggests. "It has display cases and things in it. I'm working tomorrow; I can snag one. It would at least be a place to start as far as pricing."
Nik frowns.
"What are you thinking, Bro?" Lucky asks.
"Carly still gets faxes on whatever auctions are coming up. I think I remember some business liquidations."
"Oh that would be perfect." Maddy reaches for her notebook.
"There will be time enough after dinner, Madeleine." Lesley declares.
"Yes, Ma'am." Maddy focuses on the meal. Lesley is like any of the other grannies. If she pulled out the full name you knew she was serious.
Chinese Slave Girls in California-- http://www.webroots.org/library/usahist/tbcsfca4.html
