The Mall
Kris: (plaintively) How long are you going to spend on dresses? Oh, and let
me guess-- shoes and jewelry are next, right?
Staci: (calling out from the dressing room) Do you have sisters or
something? (Coming out of the dressing room she is wearing an emerald wrap
dress that appears to be closed with a single button. While long sleeved
the dress exposes cleavage and also a long expanse of leg. Slowly she turns
around.) What do you think?
Kris: (pupils dilating) I think you're making my job harder. I'll have to
start packing a nightstick to beat the guys off of you.
Staci: (Looking in the mirror, Staci tilts her head as she studies her
reflection and smooths the dress over her hips.) Definitely Anya Kates
rather than screaming Cassadine.
Gina: (Coming out of the dressing room also) You sound like a candidate for
medication when you talk like that.
Staci: (laughing and crossing her eyes) I'll know who to come to. (Just
then Kris's cell phone starts to ring)
Kris: Yeah? What! Okay I have Staci and Dr. Williams with me. We're on
our way. Current location is the Outlet Mall. ETA to the launch is about
twenty minutes; have the boat waiting for us.
Staci: (scared) What's wrong?
Kris: That was your dad. Your mom's building was firebombed. He wants
both of you on the island about ten minutes ago. Let's move.
Staci: I need to change . . .
Kris: BULL. (Pulling out his wallet he throws the money for the dress on the
counter) you're wearing it out. Let's MOVE! (Kris takes the lead to the
door. Catching John's eye and making a hand signal for trouble, but it is
too late. There is a spat of gun fire and John falls. The front window of
the dress shop shatters. Gina dives on top of Staci bringing her to the
floor. Kris looks around from behind a decorative pillar and sees the
gunman. Bringing up his pistol, he fires causing the assailant to duck
behind cover.) WHERE THE HELL IS THE LIMO!? (Just then a cotton candy
convertible Cadillac pulls up to the store and a door is flung open.)
Lucky: You need a lift?
Kris: Damn straight. Gina and Staci move; I'll cover you. (Gina and Staci
streak toward the car as Kris maintains fire on the gunman, not allowing him
to get a good shot on the target. Once both women are in the car, Kris
starts to move. Rising from behind his cover, the assailant opens fire
striking Kris in the side. He half collapses into the Caddy. Gina and Staci
haul him into the car. Allowing him to recline on the back seat, Staci
curls up behind the drivers seat trying to make herself as small as
possible. Lucky jumps back into his seat. Before the door is shut, Cari
hits the gas, allowing the forward motion of the car to slam the door shut.
Lucky: Haul Ass Kid!
Cari: (scared) Don't you think you should drive?
Lucky: (Seeing a car pull in behind them) No time for that. Besides do you
want to be the one shooting? (He opens the glove box and pulls out a pistol)
Kris, man-- How you doing?
Kris:(gasping) Had better days. I take it we still have company?
Lucky: Yeah, but they don't know what they've bitten off.
Cari: (Looking in the rearview, sees Gina trying to staunch the bleeding of
Kris's wound) Dr. Williams, we bought towels. In fact, I think you're
kneeling by some.
Gina: (Absently, focused on the wound and seemingly oblivious to the chaos
around her.) Thanks Cari. Baby, could you get those for me? Fold them up
into pads. Lucky, we need to get him to the hospital.
Kris: (Shaking his head) Not with those guys still on our tail. We either
need to lose them or find ourselves a police escort.
Cari: COPS! I don't have a license! I don't have a permit!
Lucky: Then you'd better lose them, little girl. And fast. (Just then the
car pulls along side with a sudden acceleration) RAM THEM!
Cari: What?
Lucky: RAM THEM! (Cari swerves the Caddy into the other car. She
automatically recoils as the two cars hit. Lucky leans over and grabbing
the wheel rams the Caddy back into the other car.) We're heavier than they
are! Run them right into that wall, baby! (Cari takes back the wheel with
renewed focus and starts to maneuver the bad guy's car toward the wall,
squeezing them like a pimple between the caddy and the wall. The force of
hanging onto the wheel causes her knuckles to turn white and the muscles and
tendons of her arms to strain. The squeeze finally causes the hood of the
other car to pop open. Cari quickly swerves to miss an obstruction and
floors it, hearing the crash of the other car as it became airborne after
hitting a curb.)
Cari: Got 'em! Any one else?
Lucky: (his adrenalin pounding) Not that I can see. As soon as you get a
license, Babe, it's demolition derby for you! How is everyone back there?
Kris: There should be a launch to the island waiting for these two.
Gina: (Shaking her head) We need to get you to General Hospital. You may
have punctured a lung. I'm a shrink, not an ER doctor. My last slice and
dice was as an intern.
Kris: IT CAN WAIT! The hospital is going to be packed with people from the
fire anyway.
Lucky: What fire?
Staci: (Wadding up one of the towels to put under Kris's head, she brushes
his hair back) Mom's building was firebombed.
Lucky: (Horrified) LU!
Cari: (equally dismayed) And Georgie.
Lucky: Get to General Hospital, kid! Kris, you still got your cell phone?
(Staci finds the phone on the floorboards beside her and hands it up to her
uncle. Lucky dials the island quickly) Mom, What's going on? ... Staci
and Gina are fine; they're with me. We're on our way to GH. No, they are
okay but there was a hit on them. Kris took a bullet. Any word on Lu or
Georgie? ... Okay, have Nik meet us at the hospital. As soon as we get
Kris in, I'll check the hospital for Lu and Georgie. I've got Kris's cell
phone. Call me with word . . . Are you okay there? ... Right. Heads up
Mom; this is too much stuff. I'd say someone just brought the war to the
Cassadines.
At what remains of the apartment building. Stefan Cassadine has found Alex
Garcia who observes the efforts of the firecrew to put out the blaze.
Stefan: (losing it) Lesleylu is in there! I'VE GOT TO GET IN THERE! (He
starts to move through the barricade to get into the building. Garcia tries
to restrain Stefan who fights him, trying to shake Garcia off. Just as he is
about to break free, Georgie comes running up. Her clothes are soaked with
perspiration; her eyes move constantly assessing the crowd, She overhears
Stefan's cry)
Georgie: Stefan wait!
Stefan: (relieved) Georgie! Where is Lesleylu? Is she with you?
Georgie: No. But Stefan, she got called into the club. Have you called there?
Stefan: (frantically reaching into his coat, grabs his phone and dials the
number to the club. His legs go weak as he hears a familiar voice. Georgie
supports Stefan briefly as he regains his momentum.) Angel, is that you?
Is it really you?
Lu: Daddy? Are you okay? You sound funny.
Stefan:(breathing heavily) I'm okay now. Haven't you been watching the news?
Lu: I've been stuck in the walk in with the repairman. Why?
Stefan: Close the club and get to the island. They firebombed your apartment.
Lu: Oh God! I'm on my way. Be careful, Daddy.
Stefan: (closing his eyes) You too, Angel, you too.
Garcia: "They firebombed the apartment"? I take you know what this is about?
Georgie: Alex, Can we talk in the limo please? I don't think that Stefan
should be out in the open. (The three move to the back of the limo. When
everyone is seated, Stefan's cell phone rings. He picks up on the first ring.)
Stefan: Lasha? ... They're all right? Georgie is with me. Lu was at the
club. She's on her way to the island now. Where's Nikolas? ... Will you
let them know what's going on? ... I'll be back to the island as soon as
possible... What did Lucky say? ... Yes, I see that . . . He's correct.
Inform the guards there, if they don't already know.
Garcia: So Georgie, where were you when all this was happening?
Georgie: Running. I'm glad that I couldn't sleep or I'd be in there.
Garcia: When did you leave?
Georgie: I don't know. About an hour I think. What kind of casualties are
we talking here?
Garcia: Many people were home. We won't know the number of fatalities for
a while. The hospitals are swamped with smoke inhalation, burns, and people
cut by flying glass. Mr. Cassadine, you seem to know who did this?
Stefan: I don't know their names but I may know why. The Quartermaines and
the Cassadines were cooperating with the WSB to interrupt the flow of
weapons to terrorist groups. It appears reprisals have started. But they
shouldn't have known for a few more days. This is very distressing.
(Alex's cell phone rings)
Alex: Garcia . . . The outlet mall? ... Who's the registered owner of the
vehicle? ... Cassadine Enterprises and the other vehicle? ... a rental car.
Okay. It may be related to the fire. Interview everyone. That rental car
appears to be our best clue so far. Assign someone to trace it. Check back
with me. Good Work. (He hangs up the phone) I've got three people dead
over at the outlet mall. One is on the way to the hospital in critical
condition.
Stefan: Who is on the way to the hospital?
Alex: The driver of a rental car. I'm going over to GH. He may be our
best lead.
Stefan: Georgie and I will be on Spoon Island if you have more questions
for us.
Georgie: Actually Alex, if you'd give me a ride to the hospital I'd really
appreciate it. They could probably use an extra hand about now.
Stefan: (warningly) Georgie . . .
Georgie: (with a crooked grin) Go back to your wife, Stefan. (She waits
until Alex exits the limo and is holding the door open for her to kiss
Stefan on the cheek and whisper in his ear.) I'll call you and Jerry with
whatever I find out. Let him know I'm okay.
Stefan: Be careful, Georgie.
Georgie: Me? Never. (She shuts the door to the limo.)
Stefan: That's what I'm afraid of. (Stefan calls the club one more time
and is reassured when the machine picks up. He instructs his driver to take
him to the launch.)
The Warehouse in the Jacks apartment. Billy and Jerry are kicking back and
leisurely concocting an elaborate brunch from the leftovers of the party.
Billy goes to turn on the radio to find some music when he's struck by the
newsbreak. Quickly turning off the radio, he turns on the television to WVPC.
*... firefighters have the fire contained now and hopefully will have it
extinguished within hours. It is impossible to estimate the damage to the
structure or the number of fatalities until the fire is out and it's safe
for the firemen to search the building. If you think you know someone that
lives in this building, hotlines have been set up at both General and Mercy
Hospitals. Those numbers are running along the bottom of your screens now.
Both hospitals have been receiving people injured from the blast. Once
again-- witnesses to the fire suggest there was an explosion and then the
building burst into flames and quickly filled with smoke. It's too early to
speculate whether it was a catastrophic failure in the gas line or perhaps
even a bomb. Members of the arson squad are here waiting for the fire to be
put out as well. Commissioner of Police Alex Garcia was here earlier as can
be seen in this footage . . . *
The station starts playing a tape of Garcia talking to Stefan and Georgie.
Billy: Isn't that . . .?
Jerry: Yeah. And that building is related to your story, son.
Billy: So the Cassadines and Georgie are up to their ears in it?
Jerry: Nik owns that building and Georgie lives . . . lived there.
* In other news . . . The outlet mall of Port Charles was the location of a
drive by shooting this morning. The clerk of Designers direct had this to
say . . .
"These customers got a phone call and all of a sudden, they were in a
hurry to leave . . . they hadn't even made it to the door when the bullets
started flying. Suddenly, this huge pepto bismol pink Cadillac pulled up
and the customers made a run for it. The people that were shooting at them
took off after them. I called 911 right away."
Serena, two were found dead here. One of the cars involved in the chase
hit a curb and went airborne flipping over. The driver of that vehicle was
life flighted to General Hospital in Critical condition . . . *
Jerry : Oh my God, OH my God. ( All color leaves his face as he sits abruptly)
Billy: (concerned) Jerry, what is it?
Jerry: Cari . . . Lucky owns a pink Cadillac. Cari went driving with him
this morning. She said last night she wanted to go to the outlet mall.
(Billy reaches for the phone to call the GH hotline number running along the
bottom of the tv screen when the phone rings. Answering it; he sighs and
hands the phone to Jerry)
Billy: It's for you. (Jerry hesitates to take the phone) Good news, Dad.
It's Carida.
Jerry: (reaching for the phone) Darlin? Are you okay? ... Yeah, I'll tell
him. (Looking up at his son with eyes clouded with tears) Your sister says
her name is Cari and she hates being called Carida. (Wiping his eyes with
one hand) Where are you? ... GH, but I thought you were okay? ...How is
Lucky? ...Good. I'll kill him later. Do you need a ride home, darlin? ...
What do you mean the cops want to talk to you! NO! Absolutely not! Not
without a parent present. You just tell the officer he can interview you
here. Georgie is there? Good let me talk to her . . . Georgie? Saw you
on the telly. How's Cari? How are you? Is this all tied together? Okay,
I want Cari back here, you too if possible... All right but first thing.
It's safer here than at the brownstone. And I don't want attention pointed
there anyway. I need you here to keep an eye on Cari... Yeah darlin, I can
come up with all kinds of reasons . . . that bomb may have been meant for
Brooke, Lu or YOU. If your cover is blown, you're just as much a target.
We were both on that tanker remember? ... Get the info you can; then get
the hell out. (Jerry hangs up the phone and looks into the curious eyes of
his son)
Billy: Where to have you start . . . covers? Tankers? Bombs?
Jerry: (running a hand through his hair) You better have a seat. All of
this is off the record, son. You'll have to verify everything through other
sources. You know I'm a trouble shooter for J&J right? (Billy nods) And I
am, but mostly I'm an agent for the WSB, and Georgie is my partner. (Billy
is flabbergasted. He'd expected something-- but not this.)
Wyndemere: Stefan strides into the house and is met by Laura who gives him
a needy hug. Squeezing her back, he asks
Stefan: Where is she?
Laura: She's in the study. Having a very large brandy.
Stefan: (sighing in relief) I think I may join her. (He walks into the
study; Laura follows him. Lu runs into Stefan's arms as soon as she sees
him, burrowing under his coat to press against him. His eyes close
emotionally as he gathers her close and speaks raggedly.) Don't ever scare
me like that again, Angel.
Lu: (Shaky) I was supposed to be there. I would have been asleep except
work called. This was meant for us; wasn't it?
Stefan: (Rubbing her back, kissing her on the forehead and then moving over
to the liquor cabinet pours himself a brandy) All the information isn't in
yet, but Lucky thinks so. And so do I. Lasha, what do we know?
Laura: Lucky, Staci, Cari, Gina and Nik are at General hospital; they're all
fine. Kris was shot and is in surgery to remove the bullet. John and
Staci's driver were both killed.
Lu: (confused) That didn't happen at the apartment; did it?
Laura: No, it was at the outlet mall where Gina and Staci were shopping.
Jason has been busy getting most of the Quartermaines to GH because of the
alert. All the doctors have been called in. Alexis brought Stone here.
He's upstairs. She went to GH because the police are there interviewing
everyone. Georgie's at the hospital.
Lu: (concerned) Is she okay?
Stefan: She's fine, Angel. She hadn't gotten back from her run before the
explosion. We arrived at about the same time. Georgie thought she might be
needed at the hospital and refused to come back to the island with me.
Lu: (laughing briefly) Yeah, that sounds like her.
Stefan: She's going to need clothes. All of hers were destroyed in the fire.
Lu: I'll go sort through my closet. Is Georgie going to stay here once she
gets off work?
Stefan: I don't know. I hope so. (Lu goes upstairs to her old room.
Stefan's eyes follow her until she is out of sight.) Lasha, What are Lucky
and Carida doing at General Hospital?
