The PCPD

Alexis and Nikolas are at the PCPD when Luke comes racing in, followed closely behind by Robert. “Natasha! Helena was at your place? What happened?” Luke shouted belligerently. “Were you there? Did you see them?”

Nikolas was on the phone with Jason and handed Robert the picture of Spencer. “These were left at my house when I was out taking the girls for a walk.” Alexis pushed her hair back in frustration, “Nikolas is calling Jason right now. Maybe Jason knows where Sam might be hiding.”

“Scorpio! This woman shot me and my wife! What is this God Forsaken Task Force doing about this?” Luke shouted.

Robert scanned the photos and the note. “Spencer, don’t talk to me like that. I will not talk to you when you are flying off the handle.” Robert faced the cops in front of him “Not that it is going to do much good at this point, but we are going to send these to the lab for fingerprints. Also I want every photo lab in the city checked to see when they were processed. Taggert, these aren’t digital, these are a 35 millimeter camera. Take every available cop with you.”

Jason ran in, “What can I do? What’s going on, did someone see Sam?”

Robert ignored Jason. “I want the park searched with a fine toothed comb. Nikolas, can I send a team in to Wyndemere to see if there is any evidence?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “Luke, want to come out to Wyndemere with me? Jason, want to go to the park with Cruz and Castillo? They will be the lead detectives over there, but stay out of their way Jason. If you are in the way, the will arrest you.”

“Did you get that picture of Sam I gave Taggert?” Jason asked.

“I did and my brother is at the TV station right now. Her face will be all over the place in a matter of hours along with the fact that a threat was made against the children. I do not want the contents of the note to be leaked to the media because every crazy will be calling in. Is that understood?” Everyone nodded. “Luke, is that understood? I have no qualms in locking you up.”

Luke had a look of intense hatred in his eyes, “The Cassadines will pay and I will be the one to do it.”

Alexis broke in, “Robert, what can I do? She is my daughter! I refuse to sit by idly while you go…”

Nikolas laid his hand on her shoulder, “Alexis, I know you want to help in finding Sam. But remember Kristina and Molly. Do you really want Ric finding out about this on TV? Or Sonny. They have a right to know what is going on.” Nikolas said sympathetically, “You and the girls can always stay with me. I have more than enough room, even with Elizabeth and her two children then. I will hire the best security I can.”

“I will be there tonight Nikolas.” Jason said aggressively, “In fact, I want Elizabeth out of there.”

Alexis knew she was defeated, “Now is not the time for this. Just go find Sam and together away from Helena!”

Carly impatiently rang the doorbell at Sonny’s penthouse. Michael and Morgan at her feet. Banging on the door she called out, “Sonny! Come on, open up!”

Sonny opens the door and sweeps up Michael and Morgan in a big hug. “Hey boys! Daddy misses you!” He kisses each of the boys and puts them down. They run into the living room. “Hi Carly, come on in.”

Carly peers past him, “Is the tramp here?” Carly says sarcastically.

“All right, you can leave now Carly. I am not in the mood.” Sonny tries to close the door.

“Ok, ok, I won’t call her a tramp!” Carly throws up her arms and mutters, “Even though she is one.” She walks in and Sonny closes the door. “No Sonny, I want to talk to you about something. About Michael.”

Sonny instantly became concerned. “Why, what’s going on? He’s doing ok in school, right? I talked to the teachers and none of them indicated he was in trouble.”

Carly put her purse down and looked around intently, “Seriously, Brenda isn’t here is she?”

“Carly I promised you that when I have the boys for the day, it was just going to be me and the boys. If something were to change, I would tell you.” Sonny crossed his arms, “Now tell me, what’s going on?”

“I think he is a little upset with you and Brenda.” Carly started to say.

Sonny angrily responded, “Oh don’t give me that Carly. Don’t use Michael like that. I thought you were better than that but apparently I was wrong” Sonny walked over the table and poured himself a glass of water. “Don’t use our son because you are jealous that I am happy with someone that isn’t you.”

Nostrils flaring, Carly said, “I don’t think she is a good influence on you or our sons. And I don’t want to have to pull you out of a depression because she will leave you.” Carly put her hands on her hips and shot back, “What happens when she is forced to choose between you and James. Have you thought of that? She will choose James, you know that.”

Sonny’s earlobes started to turn red as he said, “Carly, I am warning you…” His cell phone rang and he barked, “What?” He listened and quickly hung up. “I have to go. That was Jason. He just left the PCPD.”

Carly instantly turned worried, “Is he ok? What’s going on?”

“Yes, it’s Sam. She left pictures at Alexis’.” As he was saying that, his phone rang again, this time it was Alexis. “Yes, I am on my way there.” He started to walk to the door. “Carly, I am going to get Kristina and then I will be right back. Can you stay here for a bit? Maybe an hour.” Without waiting for an answer, Sonny yelled, “Carly, I am warning you, don’t piss me off!”

Ned sat down in the Quartermaine living room and surveyed the room. Edward, Monica, Justus, AJ, Sarah, Emily and Dillon were there. They were just waiting for Tracy, who had stumbled in the front door moments earlier. She mumbled that she wanted a Bloody Mary and she would be down in a minute. Ned rubbed his hands together. He was going to tell everyone that James was his son.

Tracy walked in and grabbed her drink. She was still wearing yesterdays clothes and sunglasses. “All right, what is this family meeting about? Is ELQ about to go under because if it isn’t, I am going to be really mad.”

“No Mother. I have an announcement to make.” A feeling of expectation descended the room. “I have a secret to tell you. Something that I have been hiding for months but now I think it is important that you know.”

Dillon stood up, “Wait a minute, before you say anything else. I have to know. What is the date?”

Monica answered quickly, “It’s the 19th Dillon. Go on Ned.”

“Like I was saying, I have a secret.” He looked at Dillon strangely. “But first I want to say that I am so sorry that I have hidden it from all of you for so long. It was the wrong thing to do. I just didn’t want to make any mistakes. So I am sorry.” About to confess, he was interrupted.

“Ned, just spit it out!” Edward said, rubbing his hands together and smiling.

Annoyed and still hungover, Tracy half shouted, “Oh for God’s sake just say it Ned! You sound like you are about to tell us you are gay. We all know what it is. James is your son!”

Shocked Ned said, “You all know?”

“We sure have Ned! In fact we all have been making hundred dollar bets on when you were going to tell us. Hand me the money. I was the closest if I recall.” Edward said. “I bet he would tell us March 31st.”

Dillion went to the desk and pulled out a notebook. “Let’s see. I was way off, I said July 4th. Monica said February 15th. Tracy said, and I quote, “June 1st because he wants to torture me. He already made me a grandmother before so now he is doing it again.”

Tracy looked at Ned, “Congratulation Ned. I am off to bed. I didn’t sleep last night.” Tracy left the room.

“I can’t believe you all knew.” Ned said. “Why didn’t anyone say anything?” Stunned, he fell back against the pillows in his chair.

AJ gave Sarah a glass of iced tea, “We figured you guys would tell us in your own time. When my parents called about Felicia, they told me that you and Brenda had a kid but not to say anything because you two were being all secretive. But yeah, we all knew. James looks so much like you and Brenda.”

“I am just stunned.”

The door opened and Brenda walked in with James in her arms, “Hi everyone. Is this a bad time? I need to talk to Ned for a moment.”

Edward chortled, “Oh Brenda! Let me see that beautiful son of Ned’s. I am thrilled that you two have a child together and even more thrilled that I just made $700.” Dillion brought out the envelope with the money from the bet. “Come on Brenda, I want to hold the next Quartermaine heir!”

Brenda looked helplessly at Ned. Ned laughed, for the first time in days. “They knew.”