Ok, I freely admit that I am having a hard time with this chapter and the next. I knew everything up to chapter 7 and how I was going to end the standoff. However, getting everyone into the right places for that final act was the hardest thing. Hope you enjoy. As always, please reply. I know you all are reading. Let me know what you think.
Chapter 8
Angela walked up to the path that led to Wyndemere. She and Mickey had come up with the plan to get into the house and subdue Helena. Mickey and Sergei were around the back, while Angela tried the proverbial direct assault. She found the front door to the main house was open. As she entered, she found a gun in her face. Raising her hands in surrender, she allowed the gunman to direct her into the conservatory.
"So, how many are there of you, besides your boss, that is?" she asked. He didn't answer but opened the door for her.
She walked into the house. "I figured that you would want her with the rest," the gunman said.
Helena and Alexis turned towards the door to find Angela there. Helena smiled sinisterly, while Alexis, Mikkos and Nikolas stared in shock. Angela merely shrugged, saying airily, "Sorry I'm late, but I was held up at the docks by Alfred."
Sergei and Mickey managed to take down three guards on patrolling the grounds. They knew that there were at least two in the house. Then, Mickey heard Angela's comment about being late on the wire he wore, provided by one of Alcazars' tech wizards, a college kid named Spinelli. Mickey signaled to his father, indicating that Angela was indeed in the house. At that, Sergei called the mainland, to Luke Spencer's cell phone.
"Spencer, it is Villianov," he stated simply.
Luke looked around, finally noticing that Sergei wasn't on the docks. Luke waved Robert over to him, mouthing Spoon Island. "Hey, what are you doin' over there?"
"Angela has taken action. She is in Wyndemere. We could use some backup, unofficial of course," Sergei asked.
"WHAT!?!" Luke exclaimed. Thankfully, there was too much noise on the dock to hear him, but he moved further away, just in case. Robert, Laura and Lulu moved down with him. "What the hell is she doing out there?"
"She's trying to get something done, instead of waiting for anything else to happen." It was Mickey on the line now, having heard Luke through the phone and, he could swear, across the river. "Look, can you get out here? We may need more backup."
Luke nodded, saying, "We'll be there in a few. I know a boat that's tied up there for just such a reason. Don't do anything until Robert and I get there, ya hear?"
Mickey nodded. "We'll wait, but not for long. You have a half-hour, then we're going in." With that Mickey ended the call, and Luke turned to Robert. "Mickey and his father are over at Spoon Island. Angela walked into the house."
Robert shook his head. "We should get over there right now, before this entire situation gets worse." He started down the docks as Luke looked at Laura.
"You don't even have to say it, baby. I'll get Nikky out of there." He gave her a quick kiss and kissed the top of Lulu's head, turned and followed Robert.
Melanie entered Greystone, smiling at Milo. He smiled back and opened the door to the family room for her. As she entered, it was chaos, as Michael, Morgan and Kristina were running around and poor little Molly was sitting on the floor looking confused. Carly looked like she was trying to manage the disaster
"Hey, kids. Hello? HEY!" she had to shout over the noise. Everyone stopped and Kristina yelled, running and hugging her big sister. Melanie picked her up, embraced her tightly and turned to pick up Molly. The littlest princess babbled and hugged her sister. Michael looked on curiously.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, quickly.
Melanie turned to him. "I decided to come home and Angela asked me to come here and watch all of you."
Carly gave her a suspicious look, then suggested the three older kids go upstairs. Michael knew from experience that his mother wanted to talk in relative private, so he herded his younger brother and sister upstairs. He would settle them in then come back to listen in. He knew it was wrong, but it was the only way he would know what was going on.
After the kids left, Molly was sitting contentedly on Melanie's lap as Carly joined them on the couch. "What's going on down at the docks? I came home from the Metrocourt and Michael told me that Lorenzo and Diego came by and Sonny left with them. What the hell would those two want with Sonny?" Carly shot off suddenly.
Melanie tried to calm Carly down. "Helena took my mother, grandfather, Nikolas and Ric hostage on Spoon Island. Angela sent Lorenzo to get Sonny because she knew he would help. Your uncle and Robert Scorpio, Mickey and Sergei are over there now."
Carly looked stunned. "What do they intend to do? And how did Lorenzo get involved in this? Last time I checked, he hated Alexis for his brother's death."
Melanie sighed. "It turns out that Lorenzo is a Cassadine. He and his brother Luis are the products of an affair their mother had with my grandfather's brother, Victor Cassadine, who is also down at the docks. This is what Diego told me when he picked me up at the docks." Finishing her comment she turned to Molly, trying to distract her baby sister. "Right now, my whole family is in danger. Angela wants me to stay here and protect Kristina and Molly. We are the continuation of the legacy, should anything happened to grandfather and Mom and Angela."
Carly could tell there was more and did her best to provoke a response. "What legacy? What, are you all some kind of princesses?"
Melanie turned to Carly and Carly recognized the look. It was a patented, derisive, Alexis Davis stare, one that she used whenever she was looking down her aristocratic nose at Carly. Carly, at that moment, realized how on target she was. "Wait, Alexis is a Princess? I thought that Nikolas was the head of your crazy clan."
Melanie broke the stare then softened. "My mother, since birth, was recognized as the future of the family. Helena has spent all those years trying to destroy my mother's position but today she was to be restored. Helena took her hostage as a result."
Michael ran down the stairs at that comment. "We have to protect Kristina and Melanie!"
Carly gaped at her son's presence. "Michael, what have your father and I told you about eavesdropping?"
Michael glared back at his mother, not budging. "Mom, this is important. You can lecture me later."
Melanie smiled. "Michael, trust me, since you've been in this house, there have been plenty of extra guards added. We are very safe here." She saw Michael was a little crestfallen when he heard about the extra protection. "However, I give you the mission of keeping an eye on Kristina. She tends to wander off and you have to keep her safe at all times until my mom gets back here. Can you do that for me?"
Michael nodded eagerly. "I won't let her out of my sight." With that, he ran back upstairs. Carly was impressed and Melanie gave her a wan smile, still worried about her family.
For seeming to be a stranger, Darius Carleson knew his way around Spoon Island. He remained hidden near the long abandoned guesthouse. He heard and saw the Villianov men. Staying away from them was imperative. He was here for one reason. He would have to wait though. But that was one aspect of his personality that would benefit him. Carleson was always a patient man.
Carleson was overcome with memories as he waited. He remembered a young girl coming out of his grandmother's room with a servant. This must be an important girl, if she was to see the Dowager. He had not even seen her since his grandfather's funeral. Carleson also remembered the girl as she grew. He should have seen this years ago, but he was too much of a fool to see it. He allowed greed and ego to rule him, shielding him from the truth. He should be the one protecting the princess, not this motley group of spies and gangsters. Yet he could not deny how much they all loved and admired Alexis and her daughters. They would sacrifice their lives for her, as Ric Lansing had already done.
Yes, he would continue with this plan. When the time was right, he would strike and destroy the evil that had nearly destroyed his beloved sister for years. Yes, he would wait.
