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When Cassadines Fall ~ The Detour
Stefan is familiar with the schedules of the occupants of Wyndemere Lite. He knows their comings and goings on a daily basis. So he knows from his conversation with Maddy the day before exactly when is a good time to talk to Nikolas alone. So while it is still dark he is knocking on the door to the building on the corner.
"I wasn't expecting you." Nikolas unlocks the door and opens it for Stefan.
"Not as this hour I'm sure. But you were probably expecting me." Stefan counters.
Nik winces. "This isn't just because you're investigating my expenditures on this project."
"Madeliene stopped by yesterday."
Nikolas walks away and strips off his gloves. Unfortunately everything that needed to be smashed or torn up has already been removed. "You have something to say."
"I could be selfish and tell you I have no intention of losing my chess partner." Stefan says quietly. He goes over to the office area and takes a seat. He keeps his coat on as the room is chilly. He fusses with the crease on his trousers even though he knows it's a waste of time in a construction zone.
"And that's true... but." Nikolas turns to face the only father he's ever known.
"Telling Madeliene you will kill anything that harms her is counter productive. It is just such proclamations that set her fleeing from Robideau down in New Orleans."
"I know." Nik says flatly.
"And yet you that is the avenue you took."
"Maddy is... careless."
"I have never found her to be so."
"Let me put it another way... she'll be more careful now. Not for herself but for me."
Stefan nods. "Flawed reasoning but I see where you're going."
"You think you could do better?! Please enlighten me!" Now Nik is starting to get more than a little ticked.
"Back in November it was made more than clear that Madeliene would do anything to get this street person out of whatever institution he found himself in." that I arranged for him to be in and Maddy ruined my plan.
"I remember..." ...Exactly what you did and where are you going with this?
"I realized then if Madeliene is willing to waste a quarter of a million dollars of insurance settlement to free this person it is equally clear she would be returning the man's dog when the time came. That was reinforced on her birthday when Cinnamon and her human were reunited at the party."
Nik winces. He'd been there and seen the same things Stefan had but had been more focused on Maddy. "What did you do?"
"Started planning for the day when Madeliene would be needing her own dog. It is a security measure she appears to not only accept but relish. I made the calls after her birthday."
"That was over three months ago." Why am I not surprised?
"The kind of dog that will satisfy all of the conditions of Madeliene's life can't be picked up at the local pound." Stefan sniffs. "Unlike Wolf, Fang and Honey this will be dog comfortable indoors and out, a constant companion in Madeliene's van. Not a threat to Lesley Lu or her grandmother but an animal not to be crossed. Protective to an entire family but loyal to only one."
"And you found this paragon of the canine kingdom?"
Stefan pulls out a picture and hands it to Nikolas. "Ovcharka. They are guardian dogs: bears, wolves or thieves. They fear nothing. They don't chase threats; they don't leave what they are guarding. Of course someone who owns such an animal must be as smart and stubborn as the dog."
Nik gives a short laugh. "Yeah, I think Maddy has it covered." He hands the picture back. "How soon can it be ready?"
"He is ready now but there is the matter of bringing him in from Poland. Madeliene said it would be a couple of weeks before her friend is released from General Hospital. I suggested to her that he obtain an apartment nearby." Stefan indicates the length of the street. "Thus if there is any difficulty you will be contacted rather than the police."
Nikolas nods. Find a place for The Chows. Find a place for Crazy Larry. At this rate what I should be buying is the real estate agency. His eyes narrow. There is blight on the neighborhood. Ricky Robideau had moved up here from New Orleans. His past with Maddy is... suspect. "Maddy will be taking over here. It will give me more time to find the necessary accommodations."
Enough of that. "Madeliene indicates you were able to obtain... this. I find it unlikely that you will be able to make of it what you did of your house."
Nik laughs. "I'm not even going to try-- this will not be fanciful but functional. You didn't go inside of Monroe's down in New Orleans. As long as it is an asset to the community rather than a deficit I will be satisfied." Nikolas grabs the project book from the desk and hands it to Stefan. "And it will be in my care for only a couple months before Maddy sells it to Jason Morgan."
"Morgan." Stefan's voice is disapproving.
"Yes, he doesn't like you either I'm sure. He will turn around and either sell it or give it to the Chows, the missionaries."
The ringing phone wakes Father Frank from a sound sleep. "Hullo?"
"Damn. What time is it there? Frank, sorry, it's Greg Munion, US Embassy Shanghai."
"I'm awake. I'm awake." Frank sits up in bed and leans over to his bedside lamp and turns it on.
"I have no idea what you people did but it worked. Harry Chow is not only going to be released but they are kicking him out of the country. I just got the word. I'm packing as we speak to go pick him up. I'm taking an embassy medic along. I'll know what we're dealing with in a few hours."
"Right. Paperwork. Emergency paperwork."
"I'll handle that. I need to know where."
"Hawaii. I'll get you an address. Doctor. I'll find you the name of the doctor. A doctor will meet the plane."
"You make whatever arrangements you have to on your end. I'll call again as soon as Harry is in the embassy. I have to get going before they change their minds."
"Go! Go!" Father Frank waits until there is a buzzing in his ear as the call is disconnected. He holds the phone to his forehead. "Thank You, God." He hesitates and then makes a quick call.
"Wei?" A sleepy child's voice answers the phone.
"Hello? MeiMei?"
Father Frank? Is Uncle Harry okay? You've heard something. She's wide awake now.
Now he's wondering if he should have called or if he should have waited for the second call. "It might be good news, MeiMei. I should be receiving another call in a couple of hours." Father Frank can hear the sound of conversation in the background. Harry Chow's sister's apartment is so small, his call probably could be heard in the neighbor's place.
"Grandmother will come with me to school. That way if something happens we'll know straight away."
"Very well. I'll see you before first bell." Father Frank says his goodbyes and then makes the other call.
"Somebody had better be dead, or someone is going to be." Jerry growls into the phone.
"I apologize for the early hour, Mr Jacks. I just heard from Greg Munion at the US Embassy in Shanghai."
"So he's not dead." If the missionary were dead then the call could have waited until light outside.
"Greg believes he is going to be released and is driving to pick him up. He'll process the emergency paperwork that will get him into the US. Do you want me to call my resources in Hawaii?"
"No. I'll handle the calls. Leilani works at the airport. She can make sure that everything goes smooth at that end."
"I thought you said she sold leis?"
"You mess with one Samoan; you mess with them all. Leilani has connections all over the airport, hell, all over the island. Leave it to me, Padre."
Jerry hangs up the phone and climbs from bed. He checks his watch on the bedside table and does the math too freaking early in the morning here equals too freaking late to call Leilani.
"What kind of condition is he going be in, Jerry?" Bobbie's voice is wide awake.
Jerry looks over at his shoulder at his wife who should be sleeping. "I don't know, Love. Won't know until that Embassy suit actually sees him."
Bobbie does the math a little slower than Jerry. "There is no way you can call. There is nothing they can do until the morning. And if he isn't stable they won't put him on a plane. Even factoring in the length of the flight; there is time. And Harry will be legal?"
"Yeah, the embassy will give him emergency papers. They'll call it medical reasons whether it is or not to cover their asses."
"Wouldn't it be faster to have him flown to Darwin?"
"Oh yeah." Jerry agrees. "Course that would give the US time to throw up some roadblocks if they felt the need. There would be no way for Yuen to go see him without risking being caught in two different countries coming and going..."
Bobbie holds up a hand in a stop motion. "Got it. Hawaii. Hawaii is good." Reaching across Jerry's pillow she grabs the phone and hits a preset. She winces and waits as the sound of the phone being picked up and flung across the room. "AJ?! AJ? Pick up the phone!" Bobbie calls out loud enough so that she will be heard. Finally the phone is picked up. "What's the score now?"
"Carly 17, Clocks zero. The phone is actually holding up pretty well. The wall on the other hand.... What's up, Bobbie?"
Jerry takes the phone from Bobbie. "Just got a call about that package in Shanghai that needs to be transported to Hawaii. The one that was going to fit just perfect with all the medical supplies."
"Ah. I'll call the pilot and let him know that there is going to be an extra delivery."
Enough of the cloak and dagger crap. As long as they didn't mention Yuen and Li. Harry is going to be legal afterall. "You handle that end. I'll take care of the layovers."
"Talk to you later."
"Hello?" Because the phone is her business much of the time, Maddy has the cell phone set up to be hands free in the van. Because driving is the other part of her job and the two parts aren't a healthy mix.
"Maddy, it's Mei."
"What happened?" If it had been Nik that would be one thing but this early in the morning anyone else just had to be trouble.
"Father Frank called. He has news about Uncle Harry. They're going to release him! They don't really know anything yet, not really they were on the way to pick him up but Grandma and I are going to wait at Queen of Angels because that's where they're going to call when he's released...."
"Mei! Take a breath!" Maddy orders.
"But it's good news!"
"It's great news, Mei. Guess I better get busy on the store. Give me a call when there is more news, okay?"
"You got it, Maddy! I have to leave. Grandma is ready to go." Mei hangs up.
Maddy clicks the cell phone to off. And lets a big breath out. "No pressure. So much for nine weeks. Try half of that. Or half of half of that." Maddy hits a preset. After the other person answers. "Hey Niknik, Harry Chow is being released, Mei and Grandma received a call. I think you're going to have call in that graveyard crew for the store. We're not going to have as much time as I thought."
"Madeliene," Stefan interjects. Nik had hit the speaker phone as soon as he'd heard Harry's name. "...might I suggest a change in priority? I believe it... unlikely that this missionary will be any condition to take over this endeavor even with your current time frame. Restoration to full health and then acclimation are the priorities. Much as it will be if my uncle were to be released from his south american prison."
"Right. Gotcha, Mr C." Maddy nods. "Practice run for Victor right? We'll work all the bugs out. I'll talk to you later." Maddy hangs up.
At the corner store, Stefan winces. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."
Nikolas grins. "Nice. You were critiquing my handling of the Cinnamon situation? Might as well get comfortable now with the idea of Uncle Victor being in Port Charles. You should probably have Mrs Lansbury get his rooms ready."
Stefan gives Nikolas a look. "I will get Maddy's new guardian brought to Port Charles. You have time to mend fences for your... outburst yesterday."
"Nikolas?" Louise Wells knocks on the door. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize that anyone else was here."
"Louise, you've seen my uncle before I'm sure. Louise Wells, this is Stefan Cassadine. Stefan, this is my neighbor, Louise Wells."
"Oh pleased to meet you." Louise smiles at Stefan. "You must be so proud of what Nikolas and Leiney have done with their place. Nikolas has been such an asset to the neighborhood. With his work on the house and Leiney's with the neighborhood boys, they've both been such positive catalysts for change."
"Louise." Nik is beyond embarrassed.
"He is the best of The Cassadines." Stefan says simply. "I am happy to hear that he is living up to his potential."
"Oh!" Louise remembers what she is there for. "I have the number of the agency that is handling the rental. After you threatened the owner with a lawsuit, he turned everything over to a professional. I hope you don't mind but I found out that it's been split into a fourplex. There are two coming available Feb 1. A studio and then a two bedroom. The two bedroom is upstairs up by Ricky's place. The studio is on the ground floor." Louise hands over the information to Nikolas.
"Did you find out about dogs?" Stefan asks.
"I didn't ask. Should I have asked?" Louise looks from Stefan to Nikolas.
"I'll check on it, Louise. I really appreciate this. And it's very timely. We just received this word this morning that the Harry Chow is being released."
"Oh that's wonderful news!" Louise smiles. "So he and his family will be here soon."
"Very soon."
V can tell there is someone in the L&B building when she arrives in the morning and immediately reaches for the 9mm that is tucked at her back. She has her investigator hat on today rather than her L&B frontwoman hat. She'd planned on heading out into the field after checking her messages. Since she knows every nook and cranny of the L&B building and is just as clumsy in the dark as with all the lights on she leaves the light off as she stealthily makes her way up the stairs. The light is on in one office. Once V sees who it is she puts her firearm away. She raps on the door. "Dara?"
Dara's head whips off the desk. "What? What? What did I miss?"
"What did I miss? Have you been here all night?"
Dara looks at her wrist watch and winces. "Marcus is going to kill me."
"He's probably awake by now."
"He's probably at work by now." Dara reaches into her bag and pulls out her cell phone. "Hey it's me. I fell asleep in a book. I don't know. I have my cell. Okay, okay, I'll leave it on. Yeah, me too." Dara hangs up the phone.
V comes over to the conference table and turns around a couple of volumes. She glances thru the cases. "It's big?"
"It's one I don't want to lose. I might have to start paying Alexis rent." Dara answers. She collects all of her things and stuffs them in her briefcase. "I have to get going. I've got to go see a Fed about a favor."
"So we meet again." Nikolas looks around. The last time he'd been here he'd been buying the corner store, and hadn't stuck around too long.
"Mr Cassadine." The real estate agent jumps to her feet. "Is there a problem?"
"Not at all. I understand this office does the management for the property..." Nik gives the address where Ricky Robideau lives.
The woman picks a sticky up from the desk and shows it to Nikolas. "It was on my things to do list. You're still looking for an apartment for the store managers?"
Nik nods. "Them and a single man with a dog. One of my neighbors indicates there are two vacancies in that building."
Two vacancies? Since when? Why didn't I know there were two vacancies?!"How big of a dog?" The Agent covers as she pulls the file on the house.
"You've met her-- Cinnamon. Maddy's been taking care of her while Larry's been... out of..." touch "...town." Nik watches the Agent's reaction.
"It's a pitbull." She looks up as she's shoving the drawer shut.
"A very nice pitbull."
Huge deposit. Huge. "I'll work on it. Won't the dog need a fenced yard?"
"Larry walks the dog; she's never unsupervised." except if he has an episode then we have to worry about the dog catcher getting her first. "A fence would be nice but not necessary. Do you want me to drive?"
"Did you bring the Jag?" The real estate agent perks right up.
"Yes, I did."
"Yes, I do."
"She's waiting in your office." A young woman in a blue suit and white shirt blurts out as her boss starts walking by her.
"Who is waiting in my office?" Agent Ford looks at his secretary blankly.
"Her." The secretary's voice drops to a low hiss. "Dara Jensen."
"And you put her in my office?"
"Well I wasn't going to leave her out here!"
Ford gives his secretary a look. "You do realize that we're the FBI right? We're the tough guys with guns. The agency that took down Pretty Boy Floyd, Machine Gun Kelly, Bonnie&Clyde... Dillinger."
"Yes," Dara says from the doorway. "But what have you done for me lately?"
"You're on your own." Ford's secretary reaches for her headphones. She'd find something to transcribe even if it is pages of the phone book.
"Ms Jensen, you're here early."
"And without an appointment. For which I apologize." Dara replies just to be polite.
"My wife will deny that she knows me for saying this but... Ms Jensen, You look like hell."
"And so she should, Agent Ford." But Dara shakes her head with a self mocking grin. She knows she doesn't look her best and considering that Ford had seen her the day after she'd gotten back from her sister's funeral when she'd only had about three hours sleep, had interrogated her for half a day with his partner and her boss both there and then blew her world apart-- him saying she looked like hell said quite a lot.
"What's up?" Ford goes over to his desk and puts his briefcase on the floor.
"How are you doing with those smugglers moving illegal aliens thru New York?"
Ford takes a seat and looks Dara in the eye. "You know how I'm doing. I know they landed a shipment. I know they're going to do it again because it worked the first time. I'd really love to have intel that put me infront of the parade rather than cleaning up after. I had enough being in the dark when I was partnered with Larkin."
"At least now you know what you don't know." Dara leans in. "And that's no disrepect. I know that Larkin... ah screw Larkin. He isn't the reason I'm here."
"What do you have, Dara?"
"And this is where the prosecutor in me just wars with the lawyer. Cause I want these guys too. I want them as badly as you do."
"Make it hypothetical." Ford demands. She's got something. He knows she does. And considering the way she'd taken down Larkin... whatever she had he wanted-- bad and now.
"Lets just say what if there is someone that could talk. That has descriptions of the snakeheads on the mainland side, that's what they call the coyotes... snakeheads. That she, oh I mean her contract was sold, hypothetically, right here in Port Charles. That she was given a phone number of an attorney to call if the massage parlor they placed her in was raided."
With every point Ford leans in closer. "I want her."
Dara shakes her head. "No way. That's why it was a hypothetical. Can we get out of here... go for a walk. Have a cup of coffee?"
"Yeah, I'll buy."
Dara doesn't say anything more until they are out on the street. She sees the man behind the coffee cart eyeing her carefully and knows that it will be back to Maddy before they are even to the corner. "Immunity and a green card."
"I want it, Dara. But this is hypothetical. I have to know what she knows. I have to talk to her. I can't sell this to my supervisors without it."
"Sure you can. Tell them I'll settle my lawsuit-- make it all go away– reasonable settlement, quick and without the press being involved. Immunity and a Green Card. Guaranteed up front and then even if you don't talk to her I'll give you enough information to take these bastards down-- there, here and the lawyers too."
"That is not going to make you too popular at The Bar dinners."
Dara shrugs. "I'm not too worried about it."
Maddy is waiting around the store for the plumbers to finish up and to take delivery of the supplies that the next subcontractor is going to need. She'd already been out to the van to get the fax that had been sent by the liquidators of their current inventory. With the timetable being moved up, she really doesn't want to have to wait for something to come half way cross country. It's going to limit options but it would be good enough. Cinnamon is kicking on a carpet just for her in the office.
Maddy's brow goes up when a limo pulls up where the pumps used to be. The founder of ELQ climbs from the back of the car. Edward looks at the place and shakes his head. He walks into the store as if he owns it. "This is what you're doing? This?!"
"Missing me, Mr Q?"
Edward comes over and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Of course I am. I should have never given you girls the option of finishing up school early." He looks at his shiny shoes sheepishly. "Did you hear what I did?"
"Yep. I don't know how you do it, Mr Q. How can you be so smart and so sneaky-- and that is a compliment."
"Thank you." Edward takes the seat behind the desk. It's a metal desk and a chair that has probably been around since the sixties but it's the desk and the chair.
Maddy takes a seat on the corner of the desk. "And at the same time such a blockhead."
"Have you been talking to Monica?" Edward asks suspiciously.
"Somehow I missed that one. She was always already at the hospital by the time I showed up at the mansion. Besides I think she thinks I'm on Carly's side. Aunt Dara I can understand. She never had kids. But you?"
"I know. I know." Edward sighs. "Lila's already given me the look. But she managed to convince Emily and John Cook to come to the house for dinner on Monday."
"Johnny's bringing dessert?" Maddy waits until she sees Edward's nod. "Well that's good. And at least Em isn't staying with Carly and AJ. That would have been a pain for both of us."
That gets Edward's attention. "What's Carly done to you?"
"She's like someone with a loose thread on a sweater. Pick- pick- pick. Jerry this. Jerry That. No way could I spend an extended period of time on her turf. If she finds out when I have my hair appointments, I'm screwed-- I'm having myself listed under an alias! Three plus hours of pure unadulterated pick-pick-pick. I'm the one that is going to come undone." Maddy shudders and then shakes it off. "So you want to see what I'm doing?"
"Madeliene, this isn't up to your usual standard."
"Mr Q, This place is a quality of life issue for me. A quality of life issue for the neighborhood. The boys were just using this place as a place to tag and I'm not just talking spraypaint. Anyone could have broken in and used it for whatever-- but no good you can be sure of that. This is the place I'm going to be coming when we run out of milk or eggs at the house and I don't want to go to the grocery store and make it an hour long project. This is the place I'm going to come in the summer to get soft serve ice cream and maybe an icee. And if I can talk them into it... this is going to be the place I'm going to come to get pralines."
Edward perks up at that. "Candy. They're going to have candy?"
Maddy walks out to where the register is going to be and holds both arms wide. "Right here. Right up front. Because you know the kids would rob them blind if it wasn't. I have to find out if Mrs Chow is willing to put in a real candy counter with real chocolates and real pralines and real fudge."
"Stop, Maddy. It's not fair to tease an old man."
"I know. But I couldn't resist." Maddy strings an arm thru Edwards. "I've told you everything that this place is giving me. Wanna know what it's giving Em? And how important this is to her and Jason because this is for the missionaries that had been working at their church? Of how about for little Rita Porter since her best friend is the great niece of the couple?"
"It's a basement, Nikolas." Elizabeth protests wondering what the hell she is doing here.
"Yes."
"A base-ment." Elizabeth enunciates very clearly so there is no misunderstanding.
"Yes."
"Why am I here?"
"This is being rented for Maddy's friend, Larry. On the plus side: it's inexpensive-- within his budget; it's close to our house. And the apartment will let him keep Cinnamon with him."
"Cinnamon?! Our Cinnamon is going to be living here."
"As it's been pointed out to me a number of times, Cinnamon is Larry's dog." Nik reminds.
"Well yeah, but.." Elizabeth sighs. "Okay. Why am I here?"
"Larry is evidently PTSD from being a POW during vietnam. He can't be closed in. The studio apartment is hopefully wide open enough that walls closing in won't be a problem but I was thinking a mural something not tropical."
"Right." Liz nods. "Fir trees, northern woods something like that." Liz turns around slowly and then points. "That wall for the scene. And then mirrors on that wall and that wall."
"How long should it take you?"
"About 3 hours."
"What?!"
"There is a wallpaper that does the whole thing. No mural needed. Course it kinda dates back to the shag carpet and wood paneling days. Lucky will be able to find one for me I'm sure and I'll be able to knock it out in an evening." Liz grins as Nik looks at her slackjawed. "I'm going to head back to the house. I have homework. Weren't you and Lucky going to go over to your Mom's? I know you wanted to give her a day to settle in...
"Oh hell." Nik looks at his watch. He hands the keys over to Elizabeth. "You're in charge of the mural." On his way out of the house he runs into Ricky Robideau on the landing.
"Cassidy." Ricky eyes Nikolas Cassadine suspiciously. He was just back to drop off his books before heading out to the Girl's Basketball game at Queen of Angels.
"Ricky." Nik sighs.
"What are you doing here? Maddy kick you out of your house?" Although it has happened before, that isn't what is going on now. But the hesitation is enough for Rick to know that it has happened. He smirks at Nikolas.
"A friend of Maddy's is going to be moving into the basement apartment."
"Ricky?" Elizabeth comes up from the basement.
"You moving out on Spencer?" Ricky teases.
"No, I'm in charge of decorating the apartment for Larry unless you want me to call Carly in?"
"No, no. Don't do that!" Ricky says in a hurry. He'd been in the center of Hurricane Carly's decorating sprees and knows enough to move out of the way. He looks down at his watch. "I'm supposed to meet Old Man Quartermaine to go to a basketball game. Gotta go." Ricky doubletimes it up the stairs.
Elizabeth looks at Nikolas and shakes her head. "You're a Cassadine of The Cassadines. Ricky hangs with Edward Quartermaine. He's likethis Johnny's mother and Cookie is postively scary. And he runs like a little girl when someone mentions Carly?! There is just something seriously off about this town." Elizabeth starts back across the street to Wyndemere Lite.