CHAPTERS 71 & 72
GH2017.71 Men At Work
Early afternoon in a luxury suite of a hotel near the arena. There's a
knock on the door. Mark, drawing his pistol, moves to the door checking
through the peephole. Silently he replaces his weapon shaking his
head. Recognizing the visitor, he opens the door.
Mark:(uncommittedly) Mr. Cassadine, I don't think Brooke is expecting
you.
Brooke: (coming from the bedroom wearing casual attire and bare feet)
Gees Mark! Ease up! Hiya Stefan, How are you? I just talked to Nik
last night.
Stefan: (Gives her a hug and then drawing back, holds her face between
his two hands- concern in his voice.) You're tired. I can see it in
your face, and so pale. Are you all right?
Brooke: I think I may have caught some kind of stomach virus. You
really shouldn't be so close to me...you don't want this.
Stefan: Have you been to see a doctor?
Brooke grimaces as Mark gloats: I'm really glad you showed up, Mr.
Cassadine. I was going to suggest the same thing. In fact, I made an
appointment for her.
Brooke: You are a worrywart!
Stefan: But since the appointment has already been made...
Brooke: Fine, fine! I'm not going to argue with both of you. When's
the appointment?
Mark: You have enough time for some tea and a visit with your friend.
Brooke: (indignantly) TEA!
Mark: I'm glad that you approve. (he walks into the kitchenette)
Brooke: He is always like that; Mark is worse than my cousin for bossing
people around!
Stefan: (curious)You care for him?
Brooke: (shrugging her shoulders) Sure. He's been a good friend. (Then
louder) and like any friend, he can also be a pain in the ass!
Mark: (laughing as he calls out from the kitchenette) I heard that.
Brooke: (Shaking her head) Nothing phases him. He just does what he
thinks he has to and drags me along.
Stefan: That hardly sounds comfortable.
Brooke:(pointedly) No, but it's hard to argue with someone who believes
they're always right.
Stefan: (Silently smiles waiting as Mark places a tray on the coffee
table) I can drive you to your appointment if you'd like?
Mark: That won't be necessary, sir.
Brooke: (ruefully) He'd just come with us, Stefan. How is everyone back
in PC?
Stefan: (Studying Mark closely) Carida passed her driver's test.
Brooke: That's great! So when's the party?
Stefan: I think Georgie and Laura are planning one. How is it you
missed such an important American rite of passage?
Brooke: I've lived in the city all my life; I haven't needed one.
Besides, (she grins) I just met Lucky this year.
Stefan: (Nodding) Yes, since a truce was declared between the families,
the only pleasure he gets is giving me gray hair: Lucas, Lesleylu,
Georgie, now Cari...
Brooke: (grin broadens) Plan on leaving town before he starts teaching
Staci?
Stefan: ( with a small smile and a nod)Perhaps. Lu is staying on the
island as are Staci and Stone. (Stefan watches as Mark eyes his watch
discreetly) I should be going.
Brooke: (protesting) But you just got here?!
Stefan: Yes, but how can I counsel Nikolas to be discreet when I fly off
to see you on a moment's notice?
Brooke: When I talked to him last night, he said he'd try to come to a
show. (Taking his hand as then both rise from the living room couches.)
Give everyone my love.
Stefan: (Again framing her face) I'd like to paint you again. Something
about your face has changed...
Brooke: (laughing)What a lovely way to tell me I have bags under my
eyes!
Stefan: That is not what I meant and you know it. (He kisses both her
cheeks.) I'll see you soon . Be careful, Brooke.
Brooke: You too. I've gotten kinda attached to ya.
Wyndemere. Nikolas is furious.
Nik: I've dug through everything I can think of. I couldn't find out
who the new owner of the Herald is.
Laura: When did the Herald change hands?
Nik: Only a few months ago, but not a peep from anyone. The previous
owner was reasonable.
Laura: You mean he was willing to see things your way.
Nik: ( throwing up his hands as he paces the room) Fine! He saw things
my way. You cannot tell me that you are not as upset as I-- having
Staci and Cari's picture all over the front page!
Laura: You know it bothers me. Keeping distance from the press is
necessary for our continued wellbeing. You and Stefan don't have to
explain to me that the risk to both girls has just gone up exponentially
now that the scum of the earth has faces to go with the names. Cari
might still be okay but Staci is front and center. Just as she was
after she was kidnaped.
Nik: (enraged) THAT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! I WON'T ALLOW IT!
Laura: (soothing) No, it won't. Honey, we're already on our guard. You
said you had dug through everything YOU thought of?
Nik: (nodding impatiently) Yes, yes... ( he pauses to look at his
mother) What are you thinking?
Laura: We have resources now within the media: the television station
or Billy Onassis. Billy in particular would be able to ferret out
information that you might not. Georgie told me that he's already been
spending some time in the Herald morgue. He wouldn't stick out like a
sore thumb.
Nik: (crossing his arms stares out the window and his eyes focus on a
distant point.) That was foolish of me.
Laura: What do you mean, Nikolas?
Nik: (turning to face his mother) Acting as if I had to do this on my
own.
Laura: (shaking her head) It's understandable, Nikolas. This is too
close to home... for both of us.
Nik: You seem to be taking this ...well.
Laura: Don't worry; I'm not at the cracking point yet. Not as long as
I feel we still have options. I've already been on the phone to
Alexis. She was going to talk to her least favorite principal because
it was a school picture of Staci. Alexis wants to know if he released
it and to whom.
Nik: Alexis has also been working hard as a trustee of Timoria
Communications. Now she knows people within the industry.
Laura: Yes. We'll find out who is behind this soon enough. But I
have a bad feeling about this, Nikolas.
Nik: Have you been on the phone to Lucy again?
Laura: Of course, but that isn't it. There are so many curious things
about this situation. How did that creature get hired by the Herald to
start with? And Staci's photo: okay-- that was local. Someone might
have gotten it by going through a yearbook... But Cari? And Kris?
Someone is watching and I don't mean Bowles.
Nik: (his eyes narrowing)You believe she's a tool for someone else?
Laura: Perhaps. Stefan may be able to see a pattern when he gets back.
Nik: Where is he today?
Laura: Stefan had some business he had to take care of out of town.
Nik: This mess explodes all over the front page and he takes off? What
could be more important than this?
Laura: Stefan didn't see it before he left. If he had, I'm sure I'd be
dealing with both of you, how did Staci put it... "imploding" about the
story.
Nik: I'm glad to see my daughter knows me so well. Mother, I think I'll
head over to the Warehouse to talk to Jerry and Carida. They might have
noticed something. I'll also speak to Mr. Onassis. When Stefan comes
back could you keep him on the island until I talk to him? I think
we'll have some information to exchange. (Nikolas walks out of the room
without waiting for a reply.)
Laura: (softly to her oldest son retreating back) I don't think that'll
be a problem.
Quartermaine Mansion. The study that Justus uses as an office when he's
in Port Charles. The doors are closed.
Emily: ... And that's the whole thing. So how much of a mess am I in?
Justus: Divorce is never fun, Emily. Although there are some in this
family that keep sticking their fingers in the flame never quite
figuring out it's hot.
Emily: Well I've been burnt. It's not a lesson that bears repeating.
Justus, he was so angry; it was scary. I think that his pride was
hurt. He can't really care about me and be with Maxie; unless he's
toying with both of us? I don't want this to get ugly but I want it
over...yesterday.
Justus:(shaking his head) Tommy's always been about control; I remember
that from when I was dating his mother years ago. Hopefully, he's
calmed enough by now to listen to reason. I'll talk to him if you like?
Emily: (sighing in relief) I'd really appreciate it.
Justus: Worse case scenario-- he'll come after a piece of your shares
of ELQ.
Emily: That's why I contacted you so quickly. Gina mentioned that it
might be possibility. Basically she explained what I already knew...
civilized divorce is an oxymoron. I have to work with Tom and his
father at the hospital; I want to preserve the working relationship if I
can. That's why I'm going to leave everything to you. You and I both
know Tommy cannot have any part of ELQ. Jason would have a conniption.
The shares were mine long before I married Tommy but if it'll make
things easier offer him up to seventy-five percent of the value of the
shares. I don't need the money but I do need the peace of mind.
Justus: I'll feel out the situation. I can have some separation papers
drawn up this afternoon; I'll serve him myself. I need you to get me
all the details of marriage financial-investments, common property etc.
as well as the personal information. Here is a tape recorder. Just
talk it all out and I'll have it transcribed.
Emily: Thanks Justus. You've made this a lot easier.
Justus: It's hard enough as it is. There's no need to make things more
difficult. (Standing he comes around the desk to squeeze Emily's
shoulder.) I'll give you some time to work on that information for me.
Emily: Justus? ( He pauses at the door) I don't know how much Jason and
the rest of the family know. I don't know what to tell them. I'm sure
that they've figured out that Tommy has moved out but not why.
Justus: Em, we're all here for you. When you're ready...
Emily: Okay thanks. I'll try not to take too long.
Police Headquarters. Alex Garcia's office, getting on to quitting
time. Evan Scorpio wanders in, his tie loosened and his hair mussed. He
carries a half-filled coffee cup that is rapidly cooling.
Alex: Now you're starting to look like a real cop rather than an FBI
robot.
Evan: It was a lot of information to go through. Your guys are
thorough.
Alex: Trained by the best.
Evan: (grinning) You bragging?
Alex: I'll take some of the credit but your father still puts on
trainings. While he was hell on rules and loyal to a fault which didn't
endear him to the idiots in charge when he was a cop, twenty years in
the PI business made him an expert in evidence collection, interviewing
and surveillance.
Evan: Whenever I speak to him, he tells me he's keeping a chair warm for
you over at Scorpio Investigations.
Alex: And there are days when it looks tempting. Today for one. (Alex
rocks back in his chair and waves Evan to another.) Well what's your
take on the situation?
Evan: (musing) It's not domestic at least not on the surface.
Alex: (nodding) The violence may not be but the roots have a domestic
element. Cassadine believes that this is about international weapons
trafficking. The WSB was in on this from the get go.
Evan: Well let's start pulling this sucker apart and it'll collapse
like a house of cards. You already have that Russian in custody.
Alex: (Nodding) Kidnaping gone wrong. He gave up a few contacts down in
Florida where he entered the country but nothing local. The interesting
thing was the total denial of the bomb. He seemed rather ticked. The
blast actually screwed up their plans.
Evan: (leaning forward in his chair) And that's where I'll be able to
help. I have an appointment with your forensic expert tomorrow. I
should be able to get a M.O. on your bomb builder. I'm also running the
pictures from the apartment building through Langley and department
files. I called one of my buddies over in customs. They have a watch
list of terrorists. We were incredibly lucky that the vids survived the
blast.
Alex: That's Cassadine for you. The family is a bunch of paranoid,
information junkies. High tech all the way and cautious.
Evan: Well you know what they say-- just 'cause you're paranoid...
Alex:... doesn't mean they're not out to get you. Yeah, I know.
