Chapter Ninety-One:
Manipulations

Jason's Penthouse

Jason pour himself a glass of orange juice from the breakfast spread Graciela has left for him on the table, while the guards frisk an uptight Luke. Luke submits to the ordeal with uncharacteristic silence, watching Jason, darkly. Satisfied, Renaldo nods to Jason, who indicates he wants to be left alone. Renaldo and Johnny head out the door. Jason looks at Luke and gestures to offer him some food. Luke, stone-faced, shakes his head.

Luke: This isn't a social visit.

Jason: I didn't think it was. (He crosses to the couch).

Luke: My boy's been hospitalized.

Jason: I know.

Luke: I figured you would.

Jason: My sister's there, too. (Luke nods slowly)

Luke: Yeah.... How is she?

Jason: She's going to be fine.

Luke: Glad to hear it. (He sits down in the armchair and leans forward, his elbows propped on his knees. He give Jason a long intense stare, which Jason endures without a moment's embarrassment. Luke, satisfied he's made his nonverbal point, sits back in the chair) I want to know what's going on here.

Jason: Ask Lucky.

Luke: I'm asking you.

Jason: Why? (Luke shakes his head slowly)

Luke: None of your concern.

Jason: Well, I have nothing to say to you.

Luke: (growling) Listen here, Morgan --

Jason: (tossing a folder across the coffee table) Here.

Luke: (thrown) What's this?

Jason: The paperwork for the end of our partnership. You made it clear you don't want me as a part of Luke's anymore. (Luke stares at the folder. He had said that. And he'd meant it. He just didn't expect it to resolve itself so darn quickly. He picks it up)

Luke: Fine, but that is not why I'm here.

Jason: I don't think there's much I can tell you that Lucky can't.

Luke: Lucky isn't much in the mood to talk.

Jason: (heavily) I know.

Luke: You KNOW?

Jason: I just saw him.

Luke: (deadly quite) You what?

Jason: I had some things to discuss with him.

Luke: (instantly on his feet) Maybe I didn't make myself clear! I don't want you within shouting distance of Lucky, you hear me? You have things you need from him, you go through me.

Jason: Luke...

Luke: Don't push me on this, don't even try me. You don't want to know --

Jason: I have business with Lucky that doesn't concern you.

Luke: EVERYTHING that has to do with my son concerns me! (Jason sighs and looks down at the table top, waiting for Luke to calm down) TWO THINGS, I need from you, Morgan, and then you are out of our lives. One. I want to know EXACTLY how much of a chance there is that the hit and run had anything to do with you.

Jason: Not much.

Luke: Define that for me. I want a mathematical estimation, I want percentages.

Jason: I thought you weren't good with numbers

Luke: TELL ME!

Jason: (heavily) I'd say there is almost NO chance that it had anything to do with the business. (Luke studies Jason's face intently. No way in hell he'd ever trust this guy, except... he doesn't lie. Not like this. He nods slowly)

Luke: All right. (His voice gets very quiet) Two. How deep have you pulled my son in?

Jason: (shaking his head firmly) I deal with Lucky. Not you.

Luke: Oh, you're dealing with me now, Jason. You crossed a line. A line Sonny NEVER would have crossed. You think he would have approved of this?

Jason: Sonny didn't try to control me.

Luke: Yeah, but he taught you about loyalty, didn't he? Do you think this is something he would have pulled?

Jason: I told you from the beginning..... You were a friend of Sonny's, I respect that. But I have to do what's good for my business. You wanted me to keep it away form the club, I did.

Luke: BY DRAGGING MY SON INTO IT?

Jason: (calmly) I didn't force Lucky to do anything.

Luke: You don't know a damn thing about kids, do you? I thought maybe you'd have picked up a thing or two when you were shacked up with my niece. You don't hand a kid a loaded gun. And you don't give them a job in the mob!

Jason: Lucky isn't a kid.

Luke: Lucky's out of prove something. To me, to..... You, I don't know. You're just the way he's gonna do that.

Jason: I don't see what that has to do with you.

Luke: You really don't get it, do you? Lucky is a PART of me. You can't divide us.

Jason: (firmly) I don't discuss Lucky's involvement in my business with anyone but Lucky.

Luke: I WANT ANSWERS! And I want them now. (The door opens and Renaldo steps in, heading for Luke. Jason puts a hand up, signaling him to stop. Renaldo hangs back, eyes trained on Luke.)

Jason: I don't have any answers for you. You want to know what's going on, go to Lucky. I have nothing else to say to you.

Luke: You better have nothing else to say to Lucky, too, Morgan, because I SWEAR to you, you're not getting anywhere near him.

Jason: Luke. He's going to do what he wants, you can't change that.

Luke: Yeah? Watch me.

Hannah's Apartment, Bedroom.

Hannah rolls over and looks at the clock. It's still early.... She's impressed she slept. It was her only recourse, really. Either that or stay up all night driving herself crazy with questions she had no answers to. She sits up and takes her head in her hands. She can feel incredible tension in her head, her sinuses, her jaw. She feels ill. That's not new. And this horrible shakiness..... How is this ever going to go away? Just going through the possible scenarios of what Helena has in store for her is terrifying... but she HAS to get a grip. She pulls herself up out of the bed, catching her reflection in the mirror. She looks like death warmed over. She runs her hands haphazardly through her hair, and grabs her robe off the back of the arm chair in the corner of the room. She pulls it on, painfully, and wraps it around her, trying it tight at the waist, so that it is enveloping her protectively. Ok, she says to herself. Time to face the day. She walks to the living room and stops dead at the sight of Helena once again, standing patiently in the middle of the living room. She puts her hand to her heart, mostly out of habit.... It's not like she can feel her heart anymore.

Helena: Good morning.

Hannah: (numbly) Good..... Morning. (she crosses the room mechanically)

Helena: You are startlingly easy to surprise, Corrine.

Hannah: I... I thought I'd see you today, just not... now. (She sinks into the couch, tucking her feet under her. She knows how she must appear -- dark circles under her eyes, face pale and washed out, shaking slightly, even as she wraps herself up in the warmth of the robe. Helena regards her, amused. Hannah looks back at her, and feels an immediate flush. God, she's sick of this. She's sick of being scared, she's sick of playing along. And she's endlessly sick of this permanently tightening knot in her stomach. Her face darkens slightly, and her voice becomes cold) What do you want?

Helena: (sitting down, regally) My, my. What a coarse attitude you've suddenly developed.

Hannah: There's no point in putting this off. I wan to know what you need from me. You want .... You want me to follow orders, you don't want me to make any emotional attachments, fine...

Helena: Oh, on the contrary... you seem to make my grandson quite happy. I have to applaud you for that. He has a tendency towards the morose. (Hannah frowns at her. Ok.... What game is this? She realizes she's been trying to handle this woman the same way she did Lucky. Difference being, Lucky had some humanity lurking under the surface some place. This woman.... No. With Lucky there was something to be gained by letting him see how scared she was. Not this time. She isn't playing victim anymore. She smiles, as well as she can manage)

Hannah: I've noticed.

Helena: (coldly) Nonetheless, you've done little to assuage my concerns regarding your loyalties. (she leans forward) I want to make this clear, Corrine. This is your last chance. If I detect even a HINT of impropriety on your part, I will not wait to have my suspicions confirmed, do you understand? (Hannah bows her head. She can feel herself begin to tremble, and struggles valiantly against it. She tenses all her muscles, forcing them to still, and looks up, meeting Helena's gaze)

Hannah: Yes. I understand. (Helena smiles)

Helena: You'll be glad to know I've released you from the bother of attending to your own listening devices. No, I shall attend to that myself. From this moment on, I believe you can safely assume that your every word is being closely monitored. (Hannah nods mutely.) If anything should interfere with that... I will not be so understanding next time. (Hannah looks up at her)

Hannah: I think I see how this is going to go.... (She takes a deep breath) I'm submitting to you, Mrs. Cassadine. That's not in question. What you want, I'll provide.

Helena: (sitting back in her chair, a look of delighted surprise on her face) Well, well... You have given this some thought.

Hannah: I have. I'm just wondering if you've really considered what it is you're doing. (Helena's charmed expression snaps off, revealing itself to be, like everything else, complete artifice.)

Helena: You're questioning me.

Hannah: I'm... No.

Helena: Then please, explain to me... what IS it you think you're doing?

Hannah: I... (she takes a deep breath and steals herself, attempting to push all her fears and shakiness down into a tight ball in her stomach) I admit I was not entirely.... (She looks up at Helena and smiles slightly, falling into Helena's speech pattern) I was not entirely forthcoming about Nikolas's feelings for Lucky. The truth is... They don't get along, I wasn't lying to you. They fight all the time, they drive each other crazy. But Nikolas does care about what happens to Lucky. And... (She takes a deep breath, preparing to lay down her trump card) If Lucky dies before Nikolas makes.... Some kind of peace with him, then... It will kill him.

Helena: I think you greatly underestimate my grandson's resilience. He's a Cassadine. He will preserver. (Hannah gulps, and looks away. There has to be some way... This is insane, she has no idea what is to be gained from killing Lucky.)

Hannah: I know.... I know you don't like his family. And I'm sure that killing Lucky would be about the best revenge you could have against his father --

Helena: (sharply) Don't presume to understand the first thing about what exists between the Spencers and the Cassadines. It is beyond your scope, little girl. (She leans forward, eyes flashing) Luke Spencer took not only my husband from me, but my son as well. And in the process managed to do incredible damage to a family name that had survived the tests of time and still maintained it's dignity. But I assure you, the pain of seeing his only son on a morgue slab, while it does warm my heart... that is merely an added benefit. The icing on the cake, if you will. (Hannah sits back, staring at her)

Hannah: But... I'm telling you, the honest to God's truth, Nikolas will NOT accept Lucky's death. It'll--

Helena: Spare me the details. Do you not think I've noticed my grandson's growing attachment to the Spencers? First his sister... harmless enough at first, but she is growing up to become one of them. I saw that for myself yesterday. She's bound to become an unfortunate influence in time. Then there is that unfathomable attachment to Laura, a mother who abandoned him.... And now you tell me he wants a relationship with LUCKY? (she shudders, dramatically) Before long, he'll have made some sort of peace with Luke! No... I realize that Nikolas feels that there is something those people can give him that apparently my worthless excuse for a son cannot. But I am going to show him how wrong he is. Everything he needs, he can get from me. (Hannah stares at Helena, struggling not to let the disgust she's feeling register on her face. The idea of Nikolas turning to this woman for the kind of unconditional love he gets from his sister, the understanding he wants from Lucky and Laura....)

Hannah: (voice trembling) Killing Lucky isn't the way to get Nikolas to turn to your side! You can't just eliminate the competition and think that he won't hate you anymore!

Helena: (hissing) I would snap your neck on the spot if I didn't find your naivete so entertaining. You really have underestimated me.... It's fascinating. This isn't a game I often get to play. So Nikolas "hates" me, does he?

Hannah: He knows.... If Lucky dies, he'll know it was you.

Helena: Oh... I don't think so. (The light and airy tone in Helena's voice sends a violent chill down Hannah's spine)

Hannah: Wh... Why not?

Helena: Because.... This shall be orchestrated into such a way as to make the guilt fall squarely on another's shoulders. There will be no doubt in his mind who is to blame.

Hannah: (mouth going dry) Me.

Helena: No. (She leans across to Hannah, her eyes gleaming) Himself. (Hannah stares at Helena a long moment)

Hannah: You... wouldn't.

Helena: I will. And you're going to help me.

Lucky's hospital room.

Once again, Lucky's sunk into sleep, and doesn't feel like leaving it again. However, he's coming back to the surface again, and he becomes aware of the smell of stale cigar smoke. His father's back. He feels a wave of relief, and opens his eyes before really remembering what his father's presence means. Luke is hunched over, his elbows resting on his knees, head bowed. He seems to instinctively realize his son is awake, and his head jerks up. Their eyes meet, and Lucky feels his breath catch. He waits for a reaction, for the return of the look his father had last night. After a moment, Luke cracks a lazy smile.

Luke: (gently) Hey, Cowboy. (Lucky blinks a few times... He can't help but feel comforted by Luke's tone. He rubs his eyes)

Lucky: Hey.

Luke: How's your head? (Lucky sighs and makes a small gesture with his hand that answers the question for Luke. He sits back, reassured that they CAN actually communicate with each other). Doctor been in yet?

Lucky: Yeah.... She didn't say much.

Luke: Hear you're under the care of Baldwin's offspring.

Lucky: Huh?

Luke: Your doctor. What's her name?

Lucky: I don't know. (pause) She smiles a lot. And she thinks I'm difficult.

Luke: Ah, you're a typical Spencer. We make lousy patients. (Lucky smiles slightly) The word is, you're not going to have to do it much longer. They're going to discharge you. (Lucky, instantly more aware, pushes himself up)

Lucky: When?

Luke: I called your mother, you can leave as soon as she gets here with your clothes.

Lucky: Yeah... I figured she'd have cleaned this place out.

Luke: Don't tell me you didn't investigate it. (Lucky closes his eyes. He's still tired. It feels like he could sleep for a week)

Lucky: Not really....

Luke: (unconvinced) Uh huh. Look, Lucky... before you fade out on me again.... (Lucky opens his eyes again, looking up at him.) There's something we have to talk about.

Lucky: Dad... not now.

Luke: No, no... this has to be now. They're releasing you, Lucky... but there's something else. (Lucky struggles up onto his elbows, looking at him seriously)

Lucky: (tightly) What?

Luke: You're not going back to the apartment. (Lucky stares at Luke a moment, not comprehending)

Lucky: What?

Luke: I want you at the house. (Lucky looks at him as the words sink in) I know, you don't want to be there right now, but there is no way in hell your mother and I are leaving you alone. And besides, with Madame Cass in town, I want my family under one roof, where I can --

Lucky: No way.

Luke: Lucky.

Lucky: No way in hell am I going back to the house.

Luke: Oh yeah? Then where the hell are you going to be? Because I'm your landlord, Lucky --

Lucky: What, are you going to evict me?

Luke: And I'm YOUR FATHER! And you are not going to take off right now.

Lucky: I'm not GOING to take off, but I'm not going to the house.

Luke: It's your home, Lucky.

Lucky: (under his breath) Right.

Luke: What was that?

Lucky: You can't make me... you can't just come in here and decide what I'm going to do like I'm six or something.

Luke: I don't care if you're sixty. As long as I'm here, I'm looking out for you.

Lucky: (raising his voice) You can't make me do what you want, don't you get that?

Luke: I can make you do this!

Lucky: (falling back onto the bed) No, you can't.

Luke: LUCKY! Look. This isn't up for negotiation. (Luke stops and regroups a moment, taking a deep breath. He looks down at Lucky, who is now staring at the ceiling and tries to read his expression. He's not sure, but there seems to be a flicker of fear under this irrational anger. ) God, Lucky.... What is going on here? Why are you fighting me on this?

Lucky: (through gritted teeth) Why are YOU trying to control me?

Luke: That's NOT what I'm trying to do.

Lucky: You want to get me back there, get me into your house, where I can't leave so that you can interrogate me like you were yesterday!

Luke: That's not what I'm doing.

Lucky: Then why can't I just go back to the apartment?

Luke: BECAUSE! You're hurt, Lucky. And maybe they don't think you need to be in a hospital anymore, but you still need to have someone else with you. And I can't divide my attention like that! I can't be with you, and make sure your sister's Ok at the same time! I need all of you under one roof.

Lucky: (stubbornly) You don't have to be with me.

Luke: SOMEONE does. You can barely lift your head off the pillow (Lucky sits up, suddenly)

Lucky: I can do whatever I need to do!

Luke: (angrily) NO YOU CAN'T You can't take care of yourself right now. And your mother and sister want you at the house. I want you at the house. Like it or not, we're your family, Cowboy. You're not going to be able to shake us.

Lucky: (darkly) I don't want to get INTO this with you.

Luke: You come home, that's it. That's all. I don't care about the rest. Not tonight. (Lucky closes his eyes. His heart is pounding and he's just seconds away from surrendering to complete panic. He can't even think about it. He can feel old feelings stirring in him, ones he's been pushing away so long, he'd almost forgotten what they feel like. He slumps back onto the bed).

Lucky: You're not giving me a choice.

Luke: (quietly) No. I'm not.

Lucky: Fine. Then I don't have anything else to say.