Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three:
Making the First Move

PCPD Station House.

Taggert hangs up the phone and puts his head in his hands momentarily, then looks up at his partner. A cocky grin slowly spreads across his face. Garcia, knowing the look all too well, shakes his head.

Garcia: Good news?

Taggert: Oh, yeah.

Garcia: What now?

Taggert: (very cat-that-ate-the-canary) You'll never guess what name has suddenly gotten all tangled up in the Springside Apartments murder.

Garcia: You mean on top of Spencer and Cassadine?

Taggert: (tasting the word) Morgan. (Garcia looks heavenward)

Garcia: Three years you've been after that guy, Marc, and what has it got us?

Taggert: What? You want me to just lay back and let him run roughshod over this town?

Garcia: I'm just saying, this case doesn't smell good.

Taggert: Yeah, and now it makes sense. Just connect the dots.

Garcia: I have been. And all I'm coming up with is a big mess.

Taggert: It makes sense to me.

Garcia: How? This guy says he was protecting the girl from a mob-hit put on her by her ex-boyfriend… what's the guy's name?

Taggert: Taggliati. Oliver.

Garcia: (whistling) Big name. I've never heard of him, though.

Taggert: He's a playboy, never really got into anything too heavy, but his family… now they don't take well to him being jerked around. This Jacob guy says there's been a mark on the woman's head ever since she ran out on him seven years ago.

Garcia: That's a hell of a grudge. How much money did she abscond with?

Taggert: That's where the facts get fuzzy. I suspect it wasn't money so much as… goods.

Garcia: Drugs?

Taggert: Taggliati's been up on possession charges a couple of times, always dropped. Seems that's the one area of the family business he'll get his fingers in.

Garcia: Wait, wait, wait… you're loosing me. Go over this one again.

Taggert: He showed up here first thing this morning. Told me the victim's name wasn’t Hannah Hargreaves, but Corrine Gibbons, and the she'd been living in New York in the early nineties under another name… (He checks the file) Jesus, this is complicated. Sophia Clark. Sophia Clark, she showed up outta nowhere, took up with this guy Oliver. Kinda a good time girl, heavy into drugs, drinking… Jacob says she was up for anything. Except our boy Oliver had a bit of a temper, she decided she wasn't up for it. She took off in the middle of the night on him, with something he didn't want to lose. (He looks at Garcia pointedly) That's where I think the drugs come in.

Garcia: Ok, so this woman just up and disappears for seven years and shows up in Port Charles under another name. Why?

Taggert: Jacob didn’t have an answer. He said he'd been working for… wanna fill in the blank?

Garcia: Let me guess. Our friendly neighborhood Racketeer.

Taggert: He's been driving for Morgan up until a couple of weeks ago. Then he was unceremoniously canned.

Garcia: Right… and the thing you do when you're fired by a mob boss is run to the cops, right? That's REAL healthy.

Taggert: Give the guy a break. (He bats his eyelashes at Garcia) He was “in love”.

Garcia: (getting frustrated) Are you serious? I mean, listen to yourself. We're supposed to believe that… Ok. (He puts a hand to his head) Your “theory” here is that this guy came in here this morning because he wanted to make sure we knew this was mob related. THEN he lets you know he used to drive for Morgan. And what… What connection does Morgan have to Taggliati? (Taggert raises his eyebrows) I'm serious, man. Morgan's careful, he's not going to be executing hits, not ones this personal, just because of professional courtesy.

Taggert: Nah, probably not. But if he found out about this woman, knew who she was, and could use it to get something out of the Taggliati family… Well, well… He *is* a businessman.

Garcia: I'm not going to be dumb enough to try and talk you out of this one.

Taggert: I'm doing a background search on the real name. We'll see what that turns up. (Garcia stands up, and gathers the report off the desk) You gotta admit, it's interesting.

Garcia: (heavily) What about the Spencer kid? And Nikolas Cassadine? What do they have to do with any of this?

Taggert: Spencer's dating Morgan's sister. Works at his father's club, there's a connection there.

Garcia: You think Spencer's working for him?

Taggert: I wouldn't… But I don't like this disappearing act of his. (He looks up on him) Then there's the fact that his girlfriend was seriously injured in a car accident and has already been discharged from the hospital.

Garcia: Emily Quartermaine? No, she can't be involved. If she'd left with the kid that old coot would be kicking down out door.

Taggert: Still doesn't make sense.

Garcia: Sooo… We go out to the mansion and wait for the guy to start throwing Ming Vases at us again?

Taggert: If we can't talk to Spencer, we better talk to the girl. *If* she's not gone too. Either way, that's important information. (He shakes his head) Can't believe I let that kid walk.

Garcia: (wryly) That's been crossing my mind too.

Taggert: He called the ambulance. He was there with his brother. And there weren¹t any turncoats wandering around giving this kind of information back then, anyway.

Garcia: Feels a little convenient to me.

Taggert: Look, I'm open-minded here. I'm not hanging anyone out to dry. YET. We'll just find someone who knows where Lucky Spencer went and why.

The Wyndemere Docks.

Nikolas stares out across the lake, deep in thought. It's taking him forever to make any action today. There is this overwhelming urge to just decide nothing hold any point to it at all. It took a phenomenal amount of energy to get himself to Wyndemere, and now that he's spoken with Alexis… certainly the easier of the two conversations he'd expected to face today… he's not sure he has the energy to face his father.

Nikolas closes his eyes, and breathes in the familiar air for a moment. He hears a creak on the stairs behind him.

Stefan: Nikolas! (Nikolas turns and takes in his uncle without emotion. Well, it saves him the trip, at least.) I didn't… I wasn't aware you were here!

Nik: Disheartening, isn't it?

Stefan: Ah… I see we're still treading that path.

Nik: No, I'm over it. (He crosses his arms) You know about Hannah, I guess.

Stefan: excuse me?

Nik: I know you know about Hannah. I saw Alexis, it was written all over her face.

Stefan: I was concerned…

Nik: I asked you to stay out of it, I told you I didn't want the family involved in this.

Stefan: And I respected your wishes up until the point that I began to be concerned about your company.

Nik: I see. So once again, you've passed judgment on her.

Stefan: Nikolas…

Nik: Is it really that hard to understand why I would want to keep her a secret, uncle? As if I had the power, in any capacity, to keep those things I want secret to myself!

Stefan: Nikolas! Please… I do not intend to fight with you this afternoon.

Nik: Then what do you intend to do? Can we have a straightforward conversation for once?

Stefan: Nikolas. (He walks towards him. Nikolas immediately moves back, but becomes aware that he is right at the dock's edge and has little room to maneuver) Let's not do this out here. Come to the house.

Nik: I like it here. It helps me keep my mind clear.

Stefan: The water always did.

Nik: Don't. (Stefan furrows his brow at him) Don't, don't point out something, or remind me of how well you know me, of… history, all of that. I don't want to THINK about it right now.

Stefan: (quietly) I understand how you're feeling, Nikolas.

Nik: How? How CAN you?

Stefan: Because you told me you were in love with this woman. And I believed you.

Nik: Right. In love, like you loved Katherine? (Stefan's face darkens) A woman you must have mourned for all of five minutes before her death became fodder for your war?

Stefan: (dark) Don't question my feelings for Katherine, Nikolas.

Nik: (angrily) Why not? Why shouldn't I question everything you've ever told me? You said yourself, you… You let me think you were… (He stops, tears springing to his eyes) You don't get to do what you did then turn around and tell me you know what I'm going through. You have no idea.

Stefan: No? Though you may not wish to think about it right now, Nikolas… I do know you better than anyone on this earth ever will. I have been there for every important event of your life, through the stumbling blocks and the triumphs, and you cannot expect me to walk away from you now.

Nik: You didn't know her. And if you did, you wouldn't have approved of her.

Stefan: Because she worked for Luke Spencer? No, I would have questioned that, I don't deny that.

Nik: Good.

Stefan: But I would have respected your feelings. I always have, Nikolas, you've never given me any other choice! You think that if I allowed you to forge a relationship with your mother, a woman who I know all too well has the ability to hurt you like no other ever could hope, that I would dare to make pronouncements over your affairs of the heart? (He smiles) I know you far to well to dare to take those sorts of actions. (Nikolas has a hard time arguing with this).

Nik: That's not my point…

Stefan: (resting a hand on his shoulder) Nikolas. I understand your anger. I can feel it, it emanates off of you. I felt the same way when Katherine died. And I chose to channel it, to put an end to that sort of violence. (Nikolas closes his eyes, the tears leaving his eyes and streaming down his face)

Nik: (unsteadily) Then WHY did this happen. (Stefan is seized by a wave of culpability and protective anger. He gives up on the “hands off” approach, and pulls Nikolas into his arms, holding his head against his shoulder.)

Stefan: (fiercely) I'm so sorry, Nikolas. This never should have happened, and I'll swear on my life, I'll do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't happen again. (Nikolas, aware he's dangerously close to loosing it completely, stays in the embrace momentarily, then extricates himself, moving past Stefan, and down the dock.)

Nik: (quietly) I want to believe that. (Stefan turns and regards Nikolas)

Stefan: Are you telling me you don't?

Nik: I don't… (He turns back to Stefan) I don't know how to trust you anymore. (Stefan's face flushes, the only sign of his anger) I trust you to take care of me, to protect me, at all costs. But what happens when we disagree on how to do that?

Stefan: What do you mean? (Nikolas sighs, and looks up at the sky. It would be so easy just to return to the family fold, to let Stefan work things out for him. But there 's one thing he just can't let go of. He looks back at Stefan and steadies himself. There's an easy way to figure this out)

Nik: There are people in my life that you don't approve of. It's been that way since I came to Port Charles… But right now… (He looks at Stefan intently) I can't come back here until I know… For absolute certain… that you are willing to do things my way, at least in some capacity.

Stefan: I have told you before. Just tell me what you need, and I will deliver.

Nik: All right. Would you go as far as to help Lucky Spencer? (Stefan visibly tenses).

Stefan: Lucky Spencer.

Nik: (firmly) No question, no secrets. Just attend to something because I ask you to.

Stefan: If that is what you want.

Nik: I told you… I told you that I want the bank account problem solved.

Stefan: I… I've…

Nik: No questions. Just look at… I know you can do this. Access his bank account, it's a Port Charles branch… and solve the problem.

Stefan: I take it the problem will be self-evident.

Nik: It certainly should catch your attention. (Stefan nods slightly, deciding against telling Nikolas he's already started to have this matter looked into)

Stefan: Very well. By tomorrow morning I should have something to tell you.

Nik: That's all I ask. (Stefan and Nikolas lock eyes, silently sealing their agreement. When Stefan speaks again, his voice is light and aloof)

Stefan: Mrs. Lansberry is preparing a late tea. Shall we expect you?

Nik: I'll be up in a moment… (He glances out at the lake) I have to get some more perspective.

The Spencer House.

Laura comes up the steps with a bag of groceries in one hand, and her other hand clasped around Lulu's. Lulu looks morose, watching the ground as they make their way up to the door. Laura drops her daughter's hand, and starts fishing through her purse for her key. She stops a moment, feeling like someone is walking over her grave. She looks down at her daughter.

Laura: Lu… (She frowns. Lulu looks up at her, her eyes large. Laura reaches out and turns the doorknob on the door. It's not locked and the door pops open easily. Laura's heart catches in her throat. She puts a hand on Lulu's shoulder.) Wait here. (She pushes the door open and walks into the room hesitantly.) Hello?

Luke: (standing by the draped windows) Hey. (Laura stares at Luke, her heart making no downward motion whatsoever.)

Laura: You're home.

Luke: I'm back. (Laura nods slowly, aware that the lines have been drawn. She hears a gasp behind her, and turns to see Lulu standing just inside the door. Lulu looks at Luke with a mixture of apprehension and joy. Luke's heart melts at the sight of her. He smiles as best he can in his current disposition. Lulu drops the book she was holding and flies across the room into her father's arms. Luke holds her close against his chest, cupping the back of her head with his hand and rocking her back and forth. Laura turns quickly, and busies herself, picking up the book and closing the door, organizing the groceries.) Hey there, Sunshine…

Lulu: I missed you. (Hearing the catch in his daughter's voice, Luke's heart breaks a little. He sets her down on the floor, and kneels down facing her)

Luke: Hey… You know I'll always come back, little girl. (He lifts her chin to face him) I need some kinda light in my life. (Laura tenses. Lulu frowns at him)

Lulu: Are you staying? (Luke's face clouds. He looks up at Laura)

Luke: Still got some stuff to work out there. (Laura comes over and puts a hand on Lulu's shoulder)

Laura: Lu, Daddy and I have to talk. Do you want to wait for Daddy upstairs? (Lulu looks up at Laura, anxiety landing in her stomach with a thud. This is too much like when Nikolas comes over. She nods, and turns quickly, running out of the room without another word. This action stuns both Luke and Laura. She turns on back to him) She slept on your side of the bed last night. She's… She's worried.

Luke: (clearing his throat) Where's her brother? (Laura starts to answer, then hesitates. Luke's jaw tightens) I mean Lucky.

Laura: You… He didn't leave you a message at the club or anything?

Luke: If he did, I'd have spoken to him.

Laura: Oh… Luke… (She frowns, unsure of how to say this) I… I don't know where he is.

Luke: Just tell me he's still in Port Charles.

Laura: He's left. He's left with Emily, by the looks of it. The Quartermaines are keeping it quiet, or at least, Monica is trying to. (Luke just stares at her)

Luke: How'd you find out?

Laura: Nikolas. (Luke's expression darkens)

Luke: And you trust that kid?

Laura: He's my son, Luke.

Luke: Who's never had a moments concern for your OTHER son.

Laura: So we're back here again.

Luke: I want to see my son. I want to talk to my son.

Laura: I don't know where he is! We both knew there was a chance he was planning on leaving that night…

Luke: He didn't say anything to you before he left?

Laura: He didn't say much of anything to anybody. (Luke closes his eyes, assaulted once again with the cold look in Lucky's eyes. He's known this was coming, but he a part of him still can't believe Lucky would leave things with them like this. Laura fumbles to change the topic) Where have you been staying? I went by the club…

Luke: (harshly) I've been trying to track down my son.

Laura: Luke…

Luke: You know, for two years I've tried to figure out what must be going on in that kid's head. It kept me up nights. You know that. Every time I thought I had it figured out, he'd pull something else that made no sense. And I never imagined it would turn out to be something like this. (He looks at her, pained) How could you do it? Laura, how could you do this to him?

The Quartermaine Mansion, Living Room.

Things are uncommonly quiet. Monica is standing by the patio doors, looking out at the lawn, while Edward paces, Lila frets, and Alan and AJ attempt to read different sections of the paper. Edward makes an occasional “harumphing” noise that is ignored by all parties, until he finally explodes.

Ed: I don't know WHY we're not going to police with this!

Monica: (at the end of her rope) EDWARD!

Ed: It's kidnapping, is what it is! He's an adult now, and he's taken off with my Granddaughter! Tell me how that's not kidnapping.

Monica: Take it up with Jason.

Ed: Oh, don't give me that.

Monica: WHAT are your options, Edward? Tell me. Have the police DRAG her back here when we know she's in danger? Or have her out there with someone who knows, if nothing else, how to keep her hidden? I know what choice I'm making, and this is, in case you've all forgotten, MY daughter!

Alan: She's my daughter too, Monica. (Monica shoots him a withering glare).

AJ: I think Mom's right.

Monica: Thank-you!

Ed: WHAT?

AJ: Look… if that woman… If Hannah wasn't dead, I'd probably feel differently, but we can't ignore the fact that someone killed her!

Alan: We don't even know why this woman was killed, why would someone want to hurt her? Can somebody answer that?

Monica: Do they HAVE to? Obviously she's in danger.

Ed: Why is that obvious?

Monica: Why else would Lucky leave town with her?

Ed: Oh, I'll tell you why else!

Alan: No, don't even go there father, I don't want to hear it.

Lila: That makes two of us, Alan. I for one believe that Jason and Lucky have her best interests at heart, and we should trust that Monica does as well!

Monica: Thank you, Lila.

Alan: (exhausted) I just want a reason. I just… (He stops and shakes his head) I want someone to explain to me why she was hit by a car, who this woman was, why this woman is now dead, and what all of this has to do with Lucky.

Monica: I think what it has to do with Lucky is that he's familiar with this sort of situation and reacted the only way we could reasonably expect him to act. He was raised to behave this way…

AJ: Was he ever.

Monica: AND I think we should trust him.

AJ: Well, I wouldn't go that far!

Monica: I trust him to keep her safe, that much I trust him with.

Alan: Oh, for God's sake, Monica! You're a doctor, you know EXACTLY how crazy that statement is! He knows NOTHING about what she needs right now! Even if we do agree that he has her best interests at heart…

Monica: Jason supports this, do I have to remind you of that?

Ed: Don't even SAY that miscreant's name in my house! (Monica just shoots Edward a look)

Alan: Jason was a medical student… a brilliant one, yes… but no one involved in this is any sort of specialist! What do they know about head injuries? Is she in any shape to be running across the country when the physicians wouldn't even have let her out of the hospital?

Monica: Alan, I know the dangers as well as you! And don't think I'm not obsessing over them every single minute. But we are lucky that car didn't kill her! And if it comes down to the risks of leaving the hospital too soon versus having her shot like… (Monica stops suddenly, clamping her hand over her mouth. Alan, immediately repentant, though still thoroughly shaken, rises and crosses to his wife, taking her into his arms. Edward turns away, while AJ reaches out and takes a silent but disturbed Lila's hand. This distressingly familial tableau is interrupted when Reginald pulls open the doors to the living room. He sees the family, and starts visibly before sliding into butler mode)

Reg: Excuse me… (Alan and Monica part, Monica discretely drying her eyes. All turn to Reginald expectantly) Uh… Detectives Taggert and Garcia are here. (There is a moment while the family soaks this in).

Monica: Who do they want to see, Reginald?

Taggert: (appearing behind him) Ah, the way I feel today? I think I could take you all on.

Wyndemere Docks.

Nikolas, having spent an excessive amount of time moodily staring out at the water, pulls himself to his feet just as his cell phone rings. He sighs, half prepared to just ignore it, then decides to embrace the distraction. He pulls it out of his pocket and flips it open.

Nik: Nikolas Cassadine.

Lucky: No one just says hello anymore, you ever notice that? (Nikolas pauses.)

Nik: Lucky? (Lucky sighs, leaning against the side of the phone booth near Niagara Falls. Count on Nikolas to be subtle.)

Lucky: For your sake, you'd better be alone.

Nik: I… I didn't…

Lucky: (heavily) I said I'd keep in touch, didn't I?

Nik: Yeah, I just didn't think I'd hear from you so soon?

Lucky: (impatiently) A lot can happen in two days.

Nik: Yeah… I've noticed.

Lucky: So, like I said, you better be alone, or willing to do some fast talking to whoever might have heard you.

Nik: I'm alone.

Lucky: Good. Don't do that again, ok?

Nik: (bristling) What does it matter, I don't know where you are!

Lucky: The whole point in all of this… ok, at least HALF the point here is that no one is actually going to THINK you know anything about what's going on here, right? That's what was supposed to make you a safe contact.

Nik: That might not be as much of a given as it used to be. I've been asked about you a couple of times all ready. (Lucky focuses on the light panel on the phone, counting down the remaining time he has for the call in order to detach from a confusing swirl of emotions in his stomach).

Lucky: Yeah, well… shrug it off.

Nik: I know how to handle it. How's Emily, anyway?

Lucky: She's ok. Going a bit stir crazy, but she's fine other than that.

Nik: Say hi to her for me. (Lucky flips the coin return on the phone)

Lucky: Yeah, fine. Look. Time is money here, literally. What's going on with your psycho-granny?

Nik: Nothing.

Lucky: Nothing?

Nik: Not a word, not a sound, nothing.

Lucky: Are you sure about that?

Nik: Pretty sure, I just talked to Alexis. She didn't seem to know anything.

Lucky: Is she more likely to be straight with you than Count Vlad?

Nik: (ignoring the nickname) Alexis… I don't know. But when she's lying she tends to say something ominous.

Lucky: Great. A family that talks in code, this is helpful.

Nik: It's not a problem if you know the code, you should know that. (Lucky says nothing.) Lucky?

Lucky: What?

Nik: (after a moment) I saw Laura yesterday. I took Lulu home, she's fine. (Again, no response). Your father wasn't…

Lucky: I've got thirty seconds, do you have anything important to say? (Lucky closes his eyes, aware that he's coming off as thoroughly spun. He forces himself to loosen the grip on the receiver).

Nik: (heavily) Just check in later, ok? I don't have anything to tell you now.

Lucky: Fine. You'll be hearing from me.

Nik: Fine. (The dial tone interrupts Nikolas mid-word, and he looks down at the phone in his hand.) Just as congenial as ever. (He closes the phone and tucks it back into his jacket, then turns and heads up the steps to the house).