| Chapter 18 Happy Belated Birthday, Stefan. I've sent you the best gift possible. Revenge. Enjoy. Love, Stavros P. S.. Have you seen Nikolas lately? "Please tell me there's no one in that coffin," Luke said, closing the small circle around the shiny wooden box. The summer air drifted through, carrying the lovely scent of the roses to play with his nose. "There's only one way to find out," Celine said, propping a foot on top of the coffin and rereading the note taped to the lid. "Hey," she said smiling, "Maybe it's Nikolas inside!" "Celine! I know you are not expressing glee at the thought of my nephew in a coffin." Stefan grimaced. "I wouldn't do that, Stef!" When you're around, anyway "I was merely deducing that as a possibility given the note. It asks if we've seen Nikolas. We haven't. Which means he's probably gotten himself into MORE trouble and POSSIBLY ended up in this, here, hunk of wood. That's all I'm saying." "What do you see in this woman?!" Alexis exclaimed, shooting her new sister in-law a look of disgust. "That is hardly the most pressing issue at this moment, Alexis. We need to locate Nikolas and find out who sent us this coffin." "Ummm...Doll, it says right here that your long dead brother sent it," Celine replied, underlining the name on the note with the tip of her lime green sandal. "Stavros is dead!" Luke yelled. "Dead, dead, dead. I saw him so myself." Celine looked interested, her face flushing slightly as she turned her soft gaze Luke’s way, "You killed him?" "Someone get the hose!" Alexis replied, standing closer to Luke. "Your little love puppet is getting all worked up, Stefan." "No one's getting a hose. First of all, Luke is...right. Stavros is dead. This is a ploy of some kind." Celine tapped her hands against her knee. She was pretty sure she loved Stefan, but she still recognized that he wasn't the omniscient demi-god he thought he was. As his wife, she knew that she should probably tell him how wrong he was. How Stavros was alive, and had been for decades. How, at this very moment, Stavros was probably twenty steps ahead of him. How she had known Stavros long before him, and had spent most of those years in his bed and in his employ. Yep...it probably was her duty to provide that information, but the chances of that happening were non-existent. Stefan might not be all-knowing, but he wasn't weak, either. Or forgiving. Clearing her throat, she agreed, "Yes, this has to be a ploy, Stef. And a very bad one at that. This must be Helena's work. Dang that Helena!" " 'Dang that Helena' ?" Luke parroted. "That's way too Hee Haw for me to stomach, Celine." "It really didn't sound all that sincere, either," Alexis chimed in. Celine gathered her thick heavy hair into a high ponytail, clamping it against her scalp with one hand. With the other one, she began to fan the back of her neck. "Is it hot, or is it just me?" "It's just you, Darling," Luke grinned. Celine dropped her hair, it fell in long black cascades down her back, waving around her face. Stefan swallowed, willing certain areas into control. Coughing, he said, "Celine, will you go up to my study and see if Nikolas is there. I wish to see him immediately." "Whatever you want, Stef," she replied, heading out the garden. "We need to get that coffin open," Alexis said. "It's nailed shut," Luke commented, examining the box. "There's a tool shed of some kind right down that path," Stefan said pointing. "Perhaps you can make yourself useful and select the appropriate apparatus for removing nails." "Yeah...I'd be happy to grab your apparatus in the tool shed." Luke and Stefan both stopped, turning to look at each other uneasily. Stefan smirked, his eyebrow raising in question. Luke just turned away. "I didn't mean it like that..." Alexis was still laughing as she watched him disappear down the path. "You and Luke are two sides of the same coin...you know that, don't you?" "I know no such thing!" Stefan said, thoroughly offended. "Okay!" Alexis held up her hands in surrender. "So, what is it? You sent everyone away, so you must want to discuss something with me." "The note." Alexis started to rub her temples in anticipation of the migraine she could feel building. "You think Stavros is alive?" Stefan clenched his fist, delivering a hard kick to the coffin. Pressing his eyes closed and trying to calm himself, he replied, "I don't have to *think* he's alive, Alexis. I know he is." * * * * * The strangest things happened to Gia Campbell. Starting with being jumped in an alley by a Russian Prince and then falling in love with him, all the way up to fifteen minutes ago when she had waltzed out onto the deck of Granny Psycho's yacht only to see Nikolas climbing into a limo after some old dude, these things just happened and she never really knew what the heck was going on or what she should do about it. So, in an attempt to find balance where there usually was none, she convinced herself that living on impulse was a good thing. What good was reason when things didn't make sense to begin with? It was exactly that question that lead her to her present predicament. She stood in the middle of traffic, her back hunched as she looked back and forth between Nikolas and the older man, her arm draped over the top of the limousine door. The red Jeep Cherokee idling behind the Jaguar laid on it's horn, the annoying squealing blaring through the air. Gia leaned up, smirking nastily at the man who gestured wildly at the traffic light. He rolled down his window, yelling," HEY, you idiots! The light is green. Get to moving!!!!!" "Why don't you mind your own business!!!!" Gia yelled. She knew they were holding up traffic, the limousine still stopped in the same place it had been when Gia had, following it all the way from the pier, finally caught up with it at the red light. Sticking her head back in the car, she realized that she really didn't care. Let the man go around. "Nikolas! What's going on and who is this?!" "Gia, this is complicated. Please, just go back to Wyndemere and I'll be back later." Nikolas replied, trying to ignore the smug look that appeared on Stavros' face. Gia rolled her eyes. "Yeah...like that's going to happen. I'm not THAT stupid Nikolas. I want to know what's going on!" "Gia-" Nikolas started, scooting towards his girlfriend. "It's a long story." "I have all day." "Nikolas," Stavros intoned, "I'm afraid Lucky does not have all day. Please send Ms. Campbell away." "Who are you?!" Gia sniped, taking in the man's mature handsome face and thick black hair. He looked familiar. "Do I know you?" "You don't...but you will soon, my dear..." Stavros replied. He turned back to Nikolas. "As I said before, I can lend you assistance. It must, however, be on my terms. Your indecision may very well cause your brother his life. What will you do?" "I want to help Lucky..." Nikolas responded, sliding across the leather seat towards the door. "Allow me a few moments to explain things to Gia." The older man looked at his watch, sighing in frustration. "Don't dawdle, boy, don't dawdle." Nikolas slid out, pulling Gia into his arms and kissing her lips. She pushed back, looking up into his face. "I came back from the kitchen and you were gone. Why did you just leave me?" "I thought I was going to be with you! I couldn't find you and..." Nikolas pointed towards the limousine, "he told me he had you." "WHO is that man, Nikolas?" Gia demanded again, her voice full of concern. Nikolas stroked her cheek, saying, "I'm not sure if I should tell you that or not. I don't really know what's going on. All I know is that he says he knows where Lucky and Emily are, so I'm going with him." "You can't! What if this is just a trick to kidnap you, too?" "Then you'll come save me, right?" he grinned. "Listen, Gia, I don't think that's going to happen. That man...well, I know who he is. I have no reason to think he'd hurt me-" "You can't know that for sure!" "I need your help," he started, putting his arm around her shoulders and walking her back to where the Jaguar waited. "I need you to go to Wyndemere and tell Stefan what's happened." Gia clung to him, the relief of being near him after the panic she'd been through flooded through her, making her hesitant to leave him. "What exactly do you want me to tell Stefan?" Nikolas ushered her into the car, kissing her forehead. He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing, but he didn't really have any other options. His nerves were working overtime at the thought of her being out alone when danger was everywhere. Closing the door, he hoped she'd be able to make it back to Spoon Island safely. She immediately flicked the switch to let the window down. "Nikolas!" she snapped, "What do you want me to tell Stefan?" Nikolas' face was grave as he locked her door. "Tell him the dead is arisen..." * * * * * Celine stood in Stefan's empty study. She hopped on top of the desk, crossing her legs underneath her as she reached over and grabbed the phone. She dialed quickly, waiting impatiently for the phone to ring and then be answered. "Bring him back!" she yelled immediately. "What do you want?" Stavros barked, checking to make sure that Nikolas was still outside the limousine with Gia. "Bring the kid back! I can't control Stefan if I don't have the boy to use as a weapon! And that's what you want, right? For me to be able to reign in Stefan when he finds out the ugly truth that you and your Mommy have been hiding?" "No, your job is to make sure that he doesn't find out the truth, Celine. And if you fail me in this task, I will break you, just as I broke your sister before you." Celine's heart began to race at the mention of her sister. Her jaw setting in anger, she railed, "Make all the threats you want! Just get that damn kid back here...or I won't be the only one being broken, Stavros. Stefan has a tendency to hold grudges." * * * * * Luke came back with a crowbar. Alexis and Stefan quickly broke apart. Luke noted this, knowing that those two were probably holding out on him. He filed that idea away for later. Right now, he was focused on the heavy black iron he weilded about like a sword. Finally, he pried the lid off, tossing it aside. Slowly, they all leaned over to peer inside. Stefan squatted down, looking intently at a vision he had wished for his entire life. Helena lay against the delicate satin lining, unmoving, her eyes closed. The only thing ruining the pure ecstasy that Stefan craved was the steady rising and falling of the woman's chest. Closing his eyes, Stefan whispered, "She lives..." * * * * * He was growing used to the perpetual haze that had come to inhabit his brain. It was as if he was layers removed from the actual world, from sight, from sound, from taste...from anything that was of the here and now. He lived in a cloud of pain and abuse, fighting to overcome the overwhelming urge to surrender completely to the fog. As he shifted on his hard cot, Lucky found that the urge was even stronger than usual. His vision was blurry as he gazed out over the plain cement room around him. He could just make out two other lumpy cots set up beside him. Lucky guessed that the lumps were probably Anders and Emily. Of course, he thought, who else would it be? Who else had endured that fiendish exercise in cruelty that Faison pleasantly referred to as a lesson? Only Anders had hung beside him in chains, his back being charred by a heat so intense it wiped out all thoughts. Only Emily had been forced to watch and then viciously drugged. The memories made him want to cry, but he held back, burying his face in the coarse pillow. He was laying on his stomach and decided to roll over. He braced himself, waiting for the rush of pain as he moved. He flipped completely over, stunned when he felt absolutely nothing. Nothing...nothing at all. There was no pain in his back, but also, he didn't really feel his legs twisting in the blanket, or his elbow bending, or his hand against the cot. He was numb all over. Looking back over his shoulder, he could see a large rectangular bandage on his back, but it might as well have not been there. "What the heck..." "Freaky, isn't it?" Lucky sat up, his eyes finally adjusting and making out the grim face of Anders Faison. "What?" "Not being able to feel your body...it's weird." Anders shimmied up to all fours, then reared up on his knees, looking across the room to meet Lucky's eyes. His chest was bare and firm, his ruffled hair falling against the nape of his neck. "But it's very much welcome. How are you, Lucky?" "I don't know..." Lucky stretched his arms out in front of him. He could see them moving but that was all. This strange sensation only furthered the odd disjointed feeling that was his life. "What did your father do to me...to us?" "He gave us some experimental drug...it numbs the entire body, but allows complete and unrestricted movement. It's one of Helena Cassadine's new pharmaceutical wonder drugs." "And we're the guinea pigs?" Anders grinned, "Someone has to be." "How do you know about this?" "My father told me when he deposited us in this pit. He intends to keep injecting us until we are healed enough not to have much pain." Lucky's eyes narrowed as he sifted through what Anders had said. "Why would Faison want to spare us pain? I know you're his son, so maybe it makes sense that he would give you the drug...I guess...but why me? The only reason I'm here is so that he can make me suffer. It doesn't sit that he would let me slide through third degree burns with hardly a whimper." "Don't look a gift syringe in the needle, okay? Just be grateful. Everything my father does serves his own purpose in some way. Evidently, he needs you to do something other than moan in agony. What that is, I can't say. He doesn't confide all his plots in me." Anders looked away, his eyes falling on Emily's still form. "I wish he did...After today, I'd do anything I could to save you and Emily from this nightmare." Lucky was saddened by the other man's hopeless tone of voice. He climbed off the bed, going to stand at the foot of Anders' cot. "Have you ever..." Lucky started, not sure if he should say it, but forging ahead, "have you ever thought about saving yourself, Anders? You're not a kid anymore. You could leave and never look back." Anders' eyes watered, and he blinked hard to keep the tears from falling. "I can't leave, Lucky. There's nothing out there for me. What can I do when the only thing I know about is how to be Cesar Faison's son? I wouldn't know how to live without him...I wouldn't know what to do." Lucky laid his hand on the other man's shoulder without thinking about it. "You'd find your way, Anders. You deserve a life away from Faison. We all do....if you can get away, you should." Inside, Anders was bubbling over at the slow rapport that he was starting to build with the young Spencer male. Trust me, Lucky, he thought. "What do you care if I leave or not? You should be worrying about freeing yourself." Lucky removed his hand, turning his back and focusing on the lines that cut through the hard stone. "Everyone who can be free, should do whatever it takes to be that way. Unfortunately, everyone can't be free..." "You sound like you think you're one of those people..." The younger man released a long slow breath, swiveling around to face Anders. "Is your father trying to starve us to death or what? How much groveling is it going to take to get some food around here?" "You're not that slick, kid," Anders smiled, "I know someone changing the subject when I hear it." He shrugged, “But that's okay....it's not exactly a lively topic of conversation. Especially not to have with the enemy." "I don't think of you as the enemy," Lucky said, realizing it was true. Somewhere along the way, he had started to see Anders as a victim too. After watching what Faison did, how could he see him any other way. "How could I? You saved Emily from those guards when you could have done nothing. You saved me from Faison twice! Even when it caused you trouble, you still stood up to your dad and took your punishment...I am thankful, not just for myself, but for Emily. I'm glad someone can save her..." And that someone is me! Give it up, Lucky! Anders screamed on the inside, but kept his face sad and humble. "Look at her, Lucky...I couldn't stop my father. She's been drugged and mistreated...I want so much to spare the two of you this..." Lucky looked into his eyes, a small smile playing with his lips. "Don't beat yourself up about it." "Of course, no need to beat myself up, my father is here to do it for me!" Anders began to laugh at the absurdity of it. He fell backwards on his bed. Lucky joined in. "See, I knew Faison served a purpose in life!" "Yes, yes...Cesar Faison has made kicking people when they're down into a fine art. People should pay to watch him in action. He's magnificent at work." "Magnificent as long as you're not the one being kicked." "Oh, but don't you see, eventually, everyone will get a turn. My father is a true operator. I fully expect for him to terrorize every single person in this hemisphere by next March." "March? That's a bit generous," Lucky smirked. "Have you seen the size of Brazil? The Amazon rain forest alone will take him months." "Okay, March is too soon...it must be my Faison family optimism kicking in. How about mid-May?" "Much better estimate. Once he finishes up in Canada, it ought to be a piece of cake. Some Napalm here...a few firing squads there...." Anders rolled over. "Toss in a few senseless beatings..." "Maybe he could even blow up a few nursing homes," Emily grinned, leaning up on her elbows. "Kick a few puppies..." "Emily!" Lucky exclaimed, racing to her bedside. "How are you? How long have you been awake?" Anders was right on the other man's heels with his own questions. "Do you need anything? Are you comfortable?" "Umm...I'm fine. I've been awake for most of the ‘Faison Murders the World’ conversation. I could use some water. And, no, I'm not comfortable. This stupid cot is hard as a rock. Does that cover all the questions?" Lucky looked around, but found no source for water. "Sorry, Em, but there's nothing in this room but us. No water." "Maybe I could get the guards to bring us some," Anders proposed, looking down lovingly at Emily's delicate features. "Don't bother," she said, swinging her legs over the side of the cot and standing up. "Hey!" Lucky said, "be careful. You don't know if you're okay or not." "I'm okay, Lucky. I'm standing, aren't I?" "Lucky's right, Emily. Take it easy," Anders warned. Emily smiled, trying to keep positive. They both worried too much and she wanted them to stop thinking that she'd break. She was strong. She could handle this situation. Besides, whatever Faison had given her had worn off. Whatever ominous warnings of death her captor had delivered as she lay writhing on the ground had obviously had been nothing more than head games. Faison delighted in torture. She'd be fine. Just like after the last time the man had drugged her. "So, when are we getting out of here? Or are these are new quarters?" Anders looked pensive. "I really have no idea. I'll see if I can slip back into my father's good graces. Maybe get us some food..." "Food would be good!" Emily said, walking forward, her legs tingling with what she guessed was the need to get her circulation flowing again. "What I wouldn't give for some ribs from Eli's right now-" Lucky's words lingered in the air, unheard and unimportant as both men turned to see Emily stop abruptly, clutching her stomach. "Oh my..." she wailed. "I don't...I don't feel too..." Anders raced forward, managing to catch Emily before her legs gave out. "What is it, Emily? What are you feeling?" "I...I don't know..." Lucky stood behind them, fear surging through him. He watched as beads of sweat began popping up in a jagged line along her forehead. She tried to talk, but couldn't, her mouth feeling dry and heavy. "Emily?" Emily's eyes rolled closed. "Emily!!" Anders and Lucky yelled in unison. "Get her to the bed!" Lucky shouted. Anders pulled her close against him, scooping up her now limp legs into his arms. He raced her over to the cot, laying her down gently. "Emily? Can you hear me? Please, answer if you can..." Emily's eyes opened again, wide and glazed. The deep brown had no focus. Lucky grabbed her hand. "Em?! Hey, can you hear us? Em...come back..." The only response was a constricting of Emily's back as it arched off the bed, a seizure gripping her body. When that one was finished, another one followed, it's strength causing her body to jerk and rise. Her eyes rolled up in her head, only the whites showing in her deathly pale skin. "NO!!" Lucky yelled in hysteria, roughly pushing Anders aside, "She's dying! Good God, she's dying!!!" |