"Q.E.D." Part 17
The xray waiting room was a sea of faces, and she was drowning.Questions shot at her from everywhere, and she lost track of who wasspeaking, her brain combining the voices into a blast of whitenoise.
"Mrs. Spencer?"
She looked up at Reginald, who had the anticipatory look of one who'dasked the same question many times.
"I'm sorry Reginald. What is it?"
"I was just asking if you were all right. You look very pale." Notwaiting for a response, he shoved his arm out in front of him, movingthe reporters back. "Could you please give her some air?" he asked,"She needs to talk to the police, and not to you."
"Thank you, Reginald," Laura said gratefully. Then she turned herattention back to Mac. "I really don't know what else I can tell you.I handed Lulu over to that... woman," she said, "and when I went backinto the xray room, they were both gone."
"Well, I've called the FBI, since this appears to be a kidnapping..."Mac began.
"Kidnapping? Of course it is! But you're gonna need more than the FBIfor this one, Bubba!" Luke's voice cut through the clamor ofreporters.
"Oh god, Luke!" she said, "I'm so glad you're here!" She pushedthrough the crowd and hugged her husband. "I'm so sorry, Luke," shesaid, her tears starting anew. "I lost our baby!"
"It's not your fault, honey," said Luke.
She pulled away, looking up at his face. "Where's Lucky and mymother? Are they all right?"
"Yeah, they're back at the house. Sonny and his men are with them.Amy's there too." He looked over at Mac. "So, what's happening?"
"We sealed off the hospital, but we're pretty sure they've alreadyleft. We're questioning the personnel, asking if anyone saw that xraytech leave, but so far, we've had no luck." He glanced down at hisnote pad. "Along with Elizabeth Sunnarborg, there are a couple other'missing' staff members: Robin McGuire, a pediatrician and MarkFranz, one of the lab techs."
"You can add one more name to that list, Mac," said AlanQuartermaine, elbowing past a cameraman. "Doctor Pierce Dorman nevershowed up for his scheduled surgery." He turned to face the throng ofreporters, raising his voice to outyell the crowd. "I'd like themembers of the press to leave this area immediately. You may wait inthe conference room where I will issue a formal statement. You aredisrupting patient care."
When Alan was satisfied that the area had been cleared, he turnedback to Luke and Laura. "I am so sorry about this. I hired some ofthose people. And to think that I reinstated Dorman..."
Laura placed her hand on Alan's arm. "Don't blame yourself Alan. Howcould you have known?"
"Yeah," agreed Luke, "especially since we all know who's to blame."He reached over and grabbed Mac's notebook. "I got one more MIA foryou, Mac.... Stefan Cassadine."
"Cassadine?" Mac asked, "Are you sure?"
"I can guarantee it," Luke replied. "He came by the house thismorning looking for Laura, and he got real upset when I wouldn't tellhim where she was."
Mac pulled out his cell phone and moved away to make a call.
Alan squeezed Laura's shoulder. "I have to go feed the news hounds,"he said, "If there's anything I can do for you, let me know."
"Thank you Alan," replied Laura.
"Yeah, thanks," echoed Luke, shaking Alan's hand.
"Well, the Cassadine jet left the airport this morning, heading forGreece," said Mac, pocketing his cell phone.
"See?" said Luke, "I told you!"
"Yeah, but his plane took off before your daughter was abducted," Macreplied.
"That's because he doesn't like to get his own hands dirty. You canbet that my daughter's headed for Greece, too." Luke handed Mac'snotebook back to him. "Mac," he pleaded, "you gotta call in theinternational fuzz on this one. He's takin' her to Greece, I'm sureof it."
"Wait, Luke," said Laura, physically and mentally reigning herhusband in. "Stefan tried to warn me. He wrote me a letter. ReginaldJennings brought it to me..." she paused, scanning the floor for theenvelope, but neither it nor Reginald was anywhere in sight. "Thatwas when I realized that Lulu might be in danger."
"That was just another move in his sick little game! Don't you seewhat he's doing? Don't you see what he's been trying to do allalong?" Luke opened his hand, preparing to enumerate the sins ofStefan Cassadine on his fingers. "First, he gets into your goodgraces by bringing in Stavros' kid as Lulu's donor. Next, he hasNikolas drop off this mysterious Faberge egg. Then, he goes and dropsclues as big as boulders to lead us to Lesley. And finally, he usesYOUR MOTHER as his mouthpiece to let us in on his 'master plan'!"
"What are you talking about, Luke?" asked Laura.
"Do I have to spell it out for you? Think about it! That fairy taleshe told us about the prince with no kingdom, who would do anythinghis jailors told him to in order to see HIS SISTER again?" Luke'svoice crescendoed to a yell. "Well, I'll tell you who the littleprince is, babe, his name was inside that ring... NIKOLAS! And I'llgive you three guesses who the sister is!"
Laura put her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god..."
Luke's voice softened and he put his hands on Laura's shoulders."It's timoria, honey, plain and simple. What better way to punish usthan to take away our baby?" He turned and looked at Mac. "So are wemoving on this, or what?"
Mac's gaze drifted to the waiting room entrance. "It looks like theFBI is here," he said, nodding at a couple of gray suits in thedistance. "I'll go fill them in, and then I'm sure they're going towant to talk to you."
Laura nodded. "Sure Mac, we'll wait right here."
Luke waited until Mac was out of earshot to reply. "No Laura, you'llwait right here. I gotta leave."
"What?"
"Look honey, by the time Mulder and Scully over there get donecrossing their t's and dotting their i's, Cassadine'll be long gone.I've gotta go after him myself."
"Luke, she's my daughter too. I'll go with you."
Luke smiled and squeezed her hand. "I know we make a great team,babe. But you gotta stay here with your mother and Lucky. They needyou."
"Okay," she relented. "But I want you to promise me that you'll getNikolas out of there, too."
"Aw geez Laura. The kid is with his own kind. He can fend forhimself."
Laura folded her arms, standing her ground. "According to that story,he's just as much a victim as Lulu is. Promise me Luke. He's myson..."
"Oh, all right," he said, drawing her in for a kiss. "I promise."
"Be careful, Luke."
"Aren't I always?"
"And Luke," she said, her eyes icing over with rage, "if StefanCassadine is the one responsible for this... I want him dead."
Luke flashed a menacing smile. "I wouldn't have it any otherway..."