Risk

Chapter XXXVIII

"Is the coast clear? Oh dear!" Bobbie exclaims as she sticks her head into Stefan's office. She quickly comes into the office and shuts the door behind her. "What have you two done?!" She takes in the damage at a glance. "X-ray right now."

"Barbara, that is unnecessary." Stefan protests.

"Aw Lay off, Barbara Jean." Luke grumbles.

"Don't think I'm playing, fellas! Marcus Taggart is right outside that door and I'm sure he'd be happy to help me."

"Taggart?! What is old Baldie doing here?"

"I suspect the same thing you are." Stefan says wryly. He straightens away from the wall wincing as he does so. Then he carefully brushes his hands down his clothes and looks around for his handkerchief.

"If you are trying to convince him you weren't in a fight you are so SOL." Bobbie hands Stefan his handkerchief.

"SOL?" Stefan starts to button the top button of his shirt but has difficulty raising his hands that far up and instead sighs and satisfies himself with wiping his hands on the kerchief then sticks it in his pocket.

"Shit out of luck." Luke answers cheerfully.

"So outta luck." Bobbie answers overtop of Luke's answer.

"I will speak to the Lieutenant out in the hall." Stefan takes charge. He puts on his game face and steps out into the hall where Nikolas is standing with Marcus Taggart.

"Gia. Your answering machine isn't going to be much of a road block to us having it out, little girl. So you better call me back!" Marcus hangs up the phone as he spots Stefan coming out of his office looking battered. Ignoring the evidence of an assault, he cuts to the chase. "Rumor has it your brother is alive-- harboring a fugitive, Mr Cassadine." Marcus goes straight to the attack. The quicker he gets this over with the sooner he can track down his little sister and get a few things straight.

"I am scarcely harboring him." Stefan says stiffly trying to disguise his current physical ailments. But he can feel his bottom lip swelling even as they speak.

"When did you realize your brother was alive?" Marcus pulls out his notebook and flips to a clean page.

"When I received a collect call from my mother."

"Your mother is also a fugitive." Marcus looks up from the notebook. I'm going to be here all day. why can't these people just kill each other and do society a favor?

"Which is why I didn't send her any aide. I'm sure the phone records at Wyndemere will give the number and country from which she was calling. I'll call my housekeeper..."

"We'll come back to Helena. So..."

"I went to Greece." Nikolas says helpfully. "...But my father wasn't there. He arrived later."

"From Istanbul. I believe." Stefan offers just as helpfully.

"So he's in Greece?" Marcus starts to reach for his cell phone.

"No, then he left for the Dead Sea." Stefan corrects.

"The Dead Sea? Really? I'll notify Israel. Their security forces will be able to track him down."

Stefan shakes his head. "From there he went to Puerto Rico."

"That's a US territory!" Marcus is starting to get his hopes up when Nik again shakes his head.

Stefan answers. "Europe. Hence the recent picture in the tabloids." Knowing that Taggart will find the information anyway. "Switzerland. Of course that was yesterday."

"You think he's already moved?!"

"It's a small world really, Lieutenant. And my brother a very rich man. I wonder if Stavros bothered to have his diplomatic passport renewed?"

"You're having too much fun with this. Do you think this is a joke, Mr Cassadine?! A woman is dead!" Marcus snarls. These rich bastards are playing with him, playing with the system.

"A woman I loved and was charged with murdering!" Stefan snaps back. "Stavros claims he did not kill Chloe either and I begin to believe him. If you pursue this then exhume her remains, Lieutenant. I think you'll find that Chloe was actually poisoned."

"But your brother's DNA..."

"They fought but it was my mother who sent Chloe to her death."

"How do you know that?"

Stefan winces now comes the difficult part. "My brother told me. And it does fit with my mother's... style. Chloe and her visions were a threat to Helena."

"Oh Gee. Your brother says he didn't do it. That's convincing." Taggart rolls his eyes.

Stefan stuffs the outburst rising up his throat. Fighting with Spencer had set him in a mood to rip off just about anyone's head. "Can we agree, Lieutenant, that my brother is... arrogant."

"The lot of you are. Self important, self righteous smug...."

"Yes, you hold us in equally high regard." Stefan interrupts. "If my brother had killed Chloe, he would have no reason to hide it. Because he never believes he will be caught or prosecuted." He leaves off the part about the PCPD being little threat to anyone.

"Nobody is above the law, Cassadine." Marcus snarls.

"My brother wouldn't agree."

"How do you get hold of him?"

Nikolas answers this one. "The Estate Lawyers, cell phone, email. If he wants to talk to us.. he calls."

"What's his number?"

"I don't have it memorized." Nik temporizes. "I can get it for you, of course. But I understand your sister has it on her speeddial."

"MY sister?! Gia?!"

"Yeah, evidently she'll return my father's calls even if she won't return mine."

"Nikolas." Stefan rebukes. "That was unnecessary. If you are finished with us, Lieutenant. There is hospital business to attend to. I will have my housekeeper furnish you with last number Helena used to contact me.

Gia steps out of the Harbor View Towers and takes a deep breath smiling as the chill air seems to freeze her lungs. But at least there was sunshine. Okay so it wasn't Greek sunshine. It wasn't actually hot. It wasn't actually even warm. But it was sunshine. And the sky is blue-- not grey and gross. Extending her hands over her head she stretches-- she tilts her head from side to side and then twists at the waist. And then leaning up against the wall of the building starts stretching out her legs.

"Howzit going, Gia."

"Hey Max. Good. You?"

"You up for around the harbor and back?"

"You think you can keep up?" Gia teases. "You don't exactly look like you're built for speed or endurance-- just power."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, little girl. We'll see who's talking and who is sucking wind at the end. From here to the Quartermaine sea crane and finishing up back here and the loser cooks breakfast."

"Finish up at Kelly's and the loser buys breakfast." Gia counters.

"Deal. Ready, Set... Hey wait up... that's cheating!" Max takes off after Gia who is already racing toward the crane.

Marcus hangs up his cell phone after leaving another message for Gia. Nikolas walks out of General Hospital and stands next to him. "Still no answer?"

"It's not your business anymore, Little Prince." Taggart says coldly. "And if there is anything coming out of this mess that I appreciate it's that fact. You've done nothing but put my sister thru hell for as long as she's been hanging with you."

Nik stiffens. "Perhaps. And I didn't handle things well. How did you describe us? Smug, self rightious, self centered, arrogant."

"Stefan said arrogant but yeah, I'll go with all that." Taggart nods.

"What was left out was distrusting. I love your sister, Lieutenant, but I didn't trust her love for me. I blew it. But I will make it up to her. And where I'm standing, Gia is in more danger away from me than with me. First my father and now..."

"Your mother." Taggart's jaw clenches. "I'm not one to believe in suing after things go wrong. I believe in addressing issues before they go wrong. My sister isn't going to be used as bait in whatever game you're playing-- your mother is playing."

"Agreed." Nikolas says frostily. But Taggart can tell that the chill isn't aimed at him or his sister but at Laura. "And within 24 hours I plan on my mother having no say in Gia's security measures. As long as Gia wishes to be the Face of Deception it will be a positive, profitable venture for her. I will make it so."

"And how do you think you can arrange that?" Marcus rolls eyes. "Look.. all I want is my family as far away from yours as is possible."

"It's impossible." Nik says flatly. "I love your sister and I'm not going away."

Taggart steps closer to Nik-- there is maybe a shirt button's width between the two of them. "Then let me make my position clear. Badge or no badge. You make my sister cry and I'm going to make you cry. Know that going in, Little Prince. Your connections don't mean jack to me, your money doesn't mean jack to me. You're a whiney little punk who is taking a little too long to grown up. Time to step up and be a man, Cassadine. If you love my sister then do what's best for her. Walk away." Taggart steps away from Nikolas and without another word climbs into his car.

Nikolas watches him pull out of the parking lot. "No."

"Lady, you cheat." Max bends over to catch his breath and then starts pacing the area in front of Kelly's. Using it as his cool down.

"It was a headstart. Only fair." Gia paces in the opposite direction. "Besides you were the one taking the shortcut thru the park."

"No rule gainst that." Max mutters. "You said from the crane to here... you didn't say what route."

"Yeah, I know. I'm buying; come on." Gia sighs in resignation.

"Don't worry about it." Max holds the door for her.

"A bet's a bet. And I'm no welcher." Gia comes into Kelly's and then stops in her tracks.

Max enters behind her and sees what she sees. "Mr Morgan."

"Max. Gia." Jason takes the two of them in at a glance. "Nice run?"

"Very." Gia retorts. "Come on, Max lets sit at the counter. Mr Morgan snitches other people's breakfasts if you eat with him." Gia takes a seat at the counter.

Max pauses at Jason's table. "Mr Morgan..."

"Don't keep the lady waiting. I need to see you today down at the warehouse when you start your shift. There are a few things that need to be gone over."

"Of course, Mr Morgan." Max nods and then goes over to join Gia at the counter.

"Everything okay?" Gia asks.

"Yeah, it's all cool. Jase is a good boss." Max pulls out the menu from between the napkin holder and the sugar container.

Penny makes the round with the coffee pots. "You need anything else, Jason?"

"I'm good. Bring me their ticket too." Jason nods in Gia's and Max's direction. He glances down at his watch. "And a coffee to go."

"You got it." Penny does a quick circuit of the tables keeping an eye on the duo at the counter. As soon as they set their menus down she is right there with her order pad. She writes down the order in a familiar shorthand totaling it and marking it paid. Then puts it up on the wheel. "Order UP!" She gets Max and Gia their beverages and then takes Jason his coffee to go. Picking up his ticket from the table she adds the additional breakfasts to it and sets it back down. Jason picks it up glances at the total and checks the math automatically. Shifting his weight to one hip, he pulls out his wallet and puts down the ticket and a bill that will cover the breakfasts and tip. Penny picks it up. "Thanks Jason."

"Have a great day." Jason beats her to the auto response. And rising to his feet he gathers his papers and tucks them under his arm and grabs the coffee to go.

Marcus takes a call from dispatch on his cell phone. "Yeah, thanks dispatch. I owe ya on this one." Taggart hangs up the phone and pulls a quick U-turn and heads over to Kelly's. "Time for a little conversation, sister. And if you think you're going to avoid me. Then I'm calling Mom." Taggart mutters as he threatens to pull out the big guns. The trip to Kelly's is made within the speed laws barely. Taggart whips his car into a space and shuts it off already half out of the door. He stalks to the door to Kelly's pausing at the window and not liking what he sees. He slams the door open. "Gia."

"Uh oh." Gia mutters. "I really don't like that tone."

"You want me to stick around?" Max offers.

"No thanks. Big brothers." Gia explains with an eye roll. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Sounds good." Max reaches for the ticket but Gia beats him to it and snatches it up. "Fine. But it's on me tomorrow."

"Deal." Sighing and throwing her shoulders back. Gia spins around on the counter stool. "Marcus! How you doing?"

"OH you don't wanna know, Little Girl. We gotta talk." Taggart indicates with a crook of a finger that he wants Gia to come to him. "Guess what I found out today?"

"Tampa bay finally found a head coach?"

"Not funny and not kidding." Marcus turns the chair around and sits down on it backward. Gia pulls up the chair across from him. "What's this I hear about you and Stavros Cassadine, a man wanted for murder, being on each other's speeddial? What the hell are you thinking?!"

"I don't have Stavros on speeddial. I have Carly on speed dial. They just happen to share a cell phone."

"Carly? Carly Corinthos? I thought she was dead?"

Gia closes her eyes and shakes her head. "Marcus."

"Carly is with Stavros? Stavros Cassadine!"

"Oh Marcus."

"When in the hell did that happen? And what the hell you think you're doing going to Atlantic City... and almost getting jumped by two drunks? What the hell were you thinking?! And hanging out with Corinthos' goons? Are you crazy or what? I never thought I'd be saying this but... You're going back to Columbia! Now Missy!"

Gia just keeps shaking her head. "You never really believed Carly was dead."

"Corinthos is capable of anything." Marcus says defensively.

"You want me to answer your questions or you wanna keep interrupting?"

"Start talking."

Showered, shampoo'd, shaved and shined, Max arrives at the warehouse and goes directly up to the offices above. He raps briefly on the door and then opens it at Jason's come in. "You wanted to see me, Boss?"

"Yeah. Time to call Johnny back from Puerto Rico. We're going to need the coverage around here."

"Right."

"Encourage Ms Campbell to use the gym at the Harborview. Being on the streets is too risky. She's paying for it as part of her rent along with the dry cleaning service. Or vary your routes if you're going to continue running.... don't make anything too routine."

"You heard something?"

"I'm still waiting for all the info... it's just gut."

"Your gut is good enough for me, Boss." Max nods. "Watcha need me to do?"

"Go put your ear down on Courtland. That's normally where the crap starts. Bust a few heads if you need to but don't get cornered."

"I'll take care of it." Max says confidently. That's what he likes about working for Jason: direction, explanation and confidence in his people. Sonny didn't run things that way. Sonny runs things from the top down. Jason from the bottom up-- using every person to their maximum potential while trusting their judgment.

"Send Zander up on your way out."

"Right, Boss." Max nods and he steps out of Jason's office closing the door behind him.

"Don't touch my phone. Don't go thru my drawers. I'll be right back and I'll know." Gia warns as she heads off to the fastest shower in womankind history. The only way she'd gotten Marcus to shut up was to bring him over to her apartment but dang if she was going to leave him alone for long.

Marcus grunts. That leaves plenty of room to play. He starts checking the locks on all the doors and windows. Goes into the kitchen and makes a positive note of the the empty sink but wonders... so he opens the fridge and grunts again. He starts going thru the cabinents.

"Hey wait a freaking minute!" Gia comes out of the bathroom dressed in jeans and her New york New york sweatshirt. "I told you not to go thru my drawers!"

"You didn't say anything about cupboards." Marcus keeps searching. "You don't have any food in the this place. Your locks are crap. You need to have a bar on the sliding glass door. You are a floor too high for optimum fire safety. Where are the smoke detectors? Have you checked the batteries?"

"Mom did when she was over." Gia says resignedly. Why did she expect any different? Florence had done the same thing.

"I don't like it. You should move into the Brownstone. I'm sure that Bobbie has a vacancy. All the buildings in Port Charles, all the apartments in Port Charles and you move into Mob central."

Gia brushes Marcus aside. She turns on the oven and reaching into the freezer brings out the frozen cookie dough. Breaking them off and putting them on the a quickly sprayed cookie sheet, she pops them in the oven. Maybe chocolate chip would mellow her brother out. "Make up your mind, Marcus. You want me in Cassadine territory or Mob territory?"

"Why does it have to be either? and what do you mean Cassadine territory?"

"Haven't you noticed Bobbie hasn't been around much lately? That's cause she and Stefan Cassadine have been...." Gia makes a little motion with one hand in a close fist. Gia sets the timer on the oven. "And Bobbie adores Nikolas. If I'm suppose to keep any kind of distance then I need to stay away from Bobbie too."

"But Mob central, Gia!"

"The Harborview has the best security in town."

"It has to! Considering who lives here!"

"I need the security, Marcus. Be realistic. You know what nutcases are out there stalking models. I don't want to be a statistic. So I'm taking precautions. You should be happy. There is no reason for Nikolas to be here. He won't get pass the doorman."

"Happy! Ha! And what about his Aunt? Hunh? Alexis Davis lives up on the Penthouse floor."

"Not anymore." Gia takes out the quart of milk from the fridge and checks the date carefully before pouring a glass for herself and Marcus. "She is on extended Cassadine business and can't be reached-- cept by email."

"Excuse me?" Taggart takes a seat at the breakfast bar. And the hits just keep coming. "What kind of extended Cassadine business?"

Gia shrugs. "Stavros didn't tell me. He really didn't want Alexis bothered. So he just gave me an email address and told me not to give it out."

"Give it to me."

"Can't sorry. I wrote it down but then I gave it to Zander Smith."

"Where is the notepad you wrote it on?" Marcus grabs the notepad by the phone then a pencil from out of a cup next to the phone. Very carefully and lightly he starts scribbling across the page. Finally he gets an impression of the email address and transcribes it to his notebook.

"What you think you're doing, Marcus?" Gia protests as she realizes what he is doing.

"First Carly disappears then reappears with Cassadine, Corinthos disappears and Morgan shows up, now you're telling me the good counselor has disappeared too. Nobody can tell me where Stavros Cassadine or his psycho bitch mother is. I'm going to get answers!"

"From a lawyer? I don't think so!" Just then the buzzer goes off on the oven. Gia uses a dishtowel to pull the cookies out and grabbing a spatula slides them onto a plate. Marcus was never one to let things cool. Maybe if he burned the roof of his mouth he'd just listen. Sure enough as soon as she sets the plate within reach her brother is reaching for a cookie passing it between one hand and the other before popping it in his mouth and chasing it with a swig of ice cold milk. "Look, Marcus, I'm not going to tell you your business but..."

Marcus snorts. The but said it all.

"...Stavros and Carly move around a lot. Most people dream about going someplace, someday... Carly or Michael say something and Stavros gets the jet fueled. When Nik and I were there, they'd just gotten back from Istanbul and Michael was already scamming a way to get to see the Dead Sea. By the time we got back to Port Charles... they had already left Greece. If you go chasing after Stavros and Carly all you are going to get is frequent flyer miles and jetlag. And there is no real reason involved in their trips as far as I can see, as I could tell. If Michael can come up with many reasons to go... that's four reasons. Then they go! If he can find four reasons for them to go to Antarctica, Tahiti, the great wall of China, or the Amazon basin..." Gia snaps her fingers. "...They are gone. Michael has access to the net okay? He can find four reasons to go anywhere in about 30 minutes!"

"He's got a kid making his travel plans?! You have got to be pulling my leg. People don't do that."

"Stavros Cassadine isn't people." Gia says wryly. "And Marcus?"

"Yeah?"

"He knows everything that goes on here in Port Charles and I don't think he is getting most of it from Carly."

"Stefan or Nikolas."

Gia shakes her head. "Stefan and Stavros don't get along. And I speak to Stavros more than Nikolas does. Fact is Stavros is probably ticked at me for moving out on Nik. Because at least then when Carly was calling me-- he had a chance of actually talking to Nikolas if by accident if nothing else."

"Is there going to be a problem?" Taggart worries. "I can assign someone to you."

"No, I asked Stavros if there was going to be a problem because I broke up with his son. He's backing me. He knows Nik did me dirt. And if you assign someone they will probably run into whoever Stavros has assigned to me. He was very unhappy about Atlantic City and had a few things to say about it too."

Marcus takes that one under advisement but doesn't say anything about that. That might be a route to Cassadine. Catch one of his goons watching Gia and twist him until he coughed up whatever he knew. "I want you to sign up for another self defense course. You do that... and go... I won't tell Mom."

"How long have you known?!" Monica stalks into the x-ray lab. "How long have you known where your bitch of a daughter is?! How could you, Bobbie? Stavros Cassadine! Lord knows what he is doing to Michael!"

"Good Morning to you too, Monica." Bobbie sighs. She glances over to the door at the back of the lab. It's ajar and there is little hope that Stefan hasn't heard every word.

"Don't good morning me! What kind of friend are you? What kind of Grandmother are you? It's bad enough that Michael is with that nutcase you call a daughter... that we've had no contact for months! Do you have any idea what this has been doing to AJ? But Stavros Cassadine? He's insane and a murderer."

Bobbie winces as she hears the door swinging open. Stefan hadn't even bothered putting his jacket on after the x-ray but instead has it folded over his arm. "Who continues to finance this hospital. Insane of him I know. Probably not what he intended on doing until Caroline convinced him otherwise."

"Stefan? What are you doing here?"

"That, Dr Quartermaine, is none of your business. Barbara, are you ready to leave."

"Sure. Talk to you later, Monica." Bobbie starts out the door before Monica can get her second wind.