EPISODE 169

Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultant: C. Nathaniel Richardson & Nick Monarco

 

 

Hope stands in the Horton Square with John, her arms folded as she waits for John to answer her.

 

HOPE: John, whatever it is you're keeping from Marlena, I can tell it's connected to Bo and his mission. So you might as well tell me.
JOHN: Come on, Hope! You know I can't do that.
HOPE: Why not, John? This is obviously important enough that you're here, making Marlena crazy with your vague insinuations, and now you're telling me the same things. Why?

 

John leans in close to Hope to try to explain the situation to her without others hearing.

 

JOHN: Look, all I can say is that Bo is really close to being done this mission.
HOPE: How close? A few days? A few weeks? Months? I need more than that, John.
JOHN: I can't give you anything more than that. I'm sorry.

 

Hope sighs, frustrated by John's vagueness.

 

---

 

Off the shore of the island where Stefano's compound is, a small boat sails by the lone dock.

 

On it are two men. One anchors the boat to the dock, while the other looks through binoculars to see further inland at Stefano's compound.

 

Steve Johnson climbs up onto the dock, and holds his hand out to help his shipmate, who pulls his binoculars down from his face, revealing himself to be Bo Brady.

 

STEVE: Come on, partner. Let's get inside the compound and take DiMera down.
BO: I'm right with ya, my man.

 

Bo takes Steve's hand, helping him off the boat and onto the dock. They stare up at the island, where Stefano's massive compound sits, amazed by its scale.

 

---

 

Valerie sits at a booth at Club TBD, checking over the menu, as Marlena walks in. Spotting her friend at the entrance, Valerie waves Marlena over. Marlena obliges, a weak smile on her face, which Valerie catches.

 

As Marlena sits down, Valerie looks inquistively at her.

 

VALERIE: You okay?
MARLENA: (sigh) Not quite. Neither of the kids want to take a DNA sample to prove if this is the real Roman or not, and to top it all off, I just had a run-in with John. 
VALERIE: Oh dear. How'd that go?
MARLENA: He had the nerve to tell Hope not to give up on Bo, just as she's about to finally get out there and start dating again. Meanwhile, he still insists on divorcing me and he won't say why.

 

Valerie reaches across the table, taking Marlena's hand in hers.

 

VALERIE: I'm sorry to hear about John.
MARLENA: It's okay. Nothing much I can do about that.
VALERIE: You're right. But what I can do is give you some advice on how we can convince Sami and Eric to give the DNA samples you need.

 

Marlena looks up suddenly, intrigued.

 

---

 

---

 

Hope walks over toward a seat in the Brady Pub with John, having walked back over from visiting the Horton clan at a nearby booth where they're having a goodbye lunch for JJ.

 

Hope sits down, looking wistfully over at the group eating happily.

 

HOPE: I can't believe JJ's already heading to college. Where does the time go?
JOHN: You're tellin' me. Feels like just yesterday I was sending Belle and Brady off to their first day of kindergarten, and now look at 'em!

 

Hope and John laugh, then Hope sighs, a touch saddened. John knows instantly the cause of the sadness, and squeezes her hand.

 

JOHN: You're not gonna be alone for much longer, Hope. Ciara's gonna have both her parents see her off to school again real soon.
HOPE: How can you be so sure, John? Especially when you won't tell me anything?
JOHN: You have to trust me on this. This mission is too dangerous for you to be getting involved, especially this late in the game. But when it's all done, I promise you, it'll be well worth it.

 

Hope looks on, unsure whether she believes John or not.

 

Across the room, Jennifer, JJ, Abby, Laura, and Liam are eating lunch together at the largest booth.

 

LIAM: I know we were planning to drive you down there, JJ, but...are you sure you wanna go it alone?
JJ: Oh yeah. I don't see why not. You guys have enough to handle here.
JENN: Okay, well, just make sure you're safe on that highway. And call us every night. We'll miss you, and we'll worry.

 

JJ rolls his eyes slightly, slightly embarrassed by his mom's doting.

 

JJ: Yes, Mom.

 

Abby looks over at JJ from eating her lunch, speaking earnestly to her brother as the others continue to eat.

 

ABBY: JJ, I know I've been totally out of it the last while, but...I really am gonna miss you.
JJ: I'm gonna miss you too, Abs. But I'm gonna make sure I check in every few days, okay?
LAURA: You'd better. I'm gonna have so many questions for you.
JENNIFER: Me too. You need to behave. I don't want another incident like in England, okay?

 

JJ laughs at his past bad behaviour.

 

JJ: I promise, Mom. Besides, Rory and Bev are gonna be...thousands of miles away. You won't have to worry.
JENNIFER: I'd better not.

 

Jennifer wags her french fry at JJ, and laughs before taking a bite. As she does, Liam gets a call, and immediately gets up from the table, barely even checking to see who it is.

 

LIAM: Mm! I gotta take this.

 

Jenn looks up, concerned, as Liam has already been relatively quiet at the table, and is now quick to exit the pub to answer his call.

 

 

Outside the pub, Liam answers the call.

 

LIAM: (into phone) Yeah.

 

...

 

EJ stands in the DiMera living room, alone. He speaks matter-of-factly.

 

EJ (into phone)Where are you?

 

...

 

Liam rolls his eyes at EJ's presistence. His tone of voice noticeably curt over the line.

 

LIAM: (into phone) I'm at the pub with Jenn's family. JJ's leaving town. I'll be over after we're done.

 

...

 

EJ, holding a drink in his hand, slams the drink down on the bar, sounding displeased.

 

EJ: (into phone) No, you will not. I rang you hours ago, and I've got a lot to do today. I told you it was an emergency, so get over here now!

 

EJ hangs up the phone, sighing in frustration, trying to hold his simmering rage in.

 

...

 

LIam realizes EJ's hung up, and bites his lip, trying to hold in his own anger, as he steps back inside.

 

 

 

Inside, the rest of the family is still chattering away, laughing as they eat together. Liam returns, and Jennifer notices his troubled demeanour.

 

JENNIFER: Liam? What's wrong.
LIAM: I ahh...I got a call about a client at a clinic across town. I have to head out for a bit, I'm sorry, guys.
JENNIFER: It's fine. Are you alright?
LIAM: I'm fine, just...just disappointed, that's all. Look. I'll be back in time for JJ to get going, okay?
JENNIFER: Sure! 

 

Liam leans over and kisses Jenn quickly, before taking off.

 

As Liam heads off, Laura and JJ give each other a knowing look, both suspecting something big is going on.

 

---

 

Marlena sits across from Valerie at Club TBD, a curious look on her face.

 

MARLENA: Okay, I'm listening.
VALERIE: Well, from what tests we have done on Roman, it's suggesting he's suffering from an early onset Alzheimer's, which is genetic. Now, one way we can be sure of that is to test Eric and Sami's DNA against Roman's to determine whether or not they have the same markers as him for predisposition to the early onset Alzheimer's.

 

Marlena responds, clueing into what Valerie's suggesting.

 

MARLENA: ...And while you're at it, check the markers to see if there's any genetic match whatsoever.
VALERIE: Exactly. Plus, this can help us determine whether or not the origin of his memory loss even is Alzheimer's at all! It could be some other kind of damage.
MARLENA: And if Stefano's involved, you never know.
VALERIE: Right. Look, it can't hurt. But if you need any help convincing them to do the test, you let me know right away, okay?

 

Marlena smiles half-heartedly, nodding in agreement to Valerie's advice, though still wearing a trouble expression.

 

MARLENA: I will. Thank you.

 

---

 

Steve and Bo both walk quietly through a dark hall within the DiMera compound, having made their way past the guards.

 

STEVE: You're damn lucky the guard was on his break or we wouldn't have made it in.
BO: Tell me about it. Problem is now, we gotta figure out where Stefano is, and find the patients.
STEVE: Well, I'm gonna take this hallway here, since I think this is the access to the cellar, and you see if you can track down old man DiMera.
BO: Got it.

 

Steve bolts off down one hallway, while Bo walks down the other, leading to the large living area. Bo overhears the voice of Stefano and Dr. Rolf, and leans back against the wall, tucking himself quickly around the corner out of sight, as he listens in.

 

STEFANO: The Patient is making fantastic progress. Rolf, you have done it again.
DR. ROLF: All at your service, Stefano.

 

Stefano pours a drink from his bar, and offers one to Rolf as he takes one for himself.

 

STEFANO: Ahh, here. Salut!

 

The two men raise their glasses, as Bo looks on from the darkened corner of the room, studying them closely as they toast and down their drinks, laughing heartily at their work.

 

---

 

Downstairs, Steve makes his way into the darkened cellar. Fumbling in pitch darkness, he struggles to find a lighter to light his way down, trying to whisper in frustration so as not to tip off anyone.

 

STEVE: Damn it, why'd I quit smoking, man! HA, there!

 

Steve finds a lighter in the pocket of his leather jacket, and finds a gas-powered lamp at the bottom of the stairs on a table. Lighting it, he holds up the lamp, looking to see what he can find.

 

After a moment, his eyes spot something through the bars of the cell before him.

 

STEVE: My God. It's really you.

 

Steve smiles as he spots the Patient in his cell.

 

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