Well, one thing was certain, now that Zander was here, in the flesh and very much alive.
He had his Mother’s eyes.
“How are you feeling?”
“Groovy. Nothing like lead to perk up the system.”
He had her bite too.
Robert took a seat near the bed. Where should he start?
“I feel weird. Drained,” Zander admitted more softly.
Robert nodded. “Helena introduced a poison into your circulatory system. We have not seen this particular hybrid before and so we’re not entirely sure of just how long the poison has been ravaging your body and mind, although we anticipate that our research will confirm our suspicions that it began with your erratic behaviour and working with Faith Roscoe after your marriage fell apart.”
Zander turned over his wrist and gingerly rubbed the faint blue lines under the skin. “Is it still there?”
Robert shook his head. “It has a short life cycle. A new injection was required weekly.” It was pretty clear who’d been the culprit.
Zander lowered his gaze. “Faith.” He knew she was bad news and he knew better than to get involved with her. Of course she’d done this to him. Why else had she gotten chummy with him? Why else had she gone drinking with him and listened to his tales of losing Emily? Why else had she handed him a gun and enjoyed watching him self-destruct?
She’d never been his employer, let alone an ally.
Robert fell silent as he watched his son process the news of what Faith had done to him. Separating his own feelings on the matter was hard enough, watching Zander struggle with his inner demons was more difficult than he’d ever anticipated. He resisted the urge to reach out to him and pat his knee, like his Father had done with him when he was a young man.
“Don’t punish yourself.”
Zander gave a sad smile. “It’s what I do best.”
Robert shook his head. “It’s what you do all the time, not what you do best.”
Zander raised his head, his gaze connecting with Robert’s Why would he say something like that?. “How long have you been following me?” he asked suspiciously.
“Long enough.”
“Now I’m here.” Zander glanced around the room. “Everybody thinks I’m dead.”
Robert reached into his coat pocket. “Not everyone.” He pulled out an envelope and gave it to Zander. Out came a series of pictures of Alexis and Gia. It was obvious neither woman was aware their picture was being taken.
“They think I’m alive?”
“I left a strong enough hint for Alexis. Gia came back to Port Charles for the funeral and instead is out there hunting you down.”
Fear suddenly enveloped the young man and he glanced at Robert, concern evident. “You aren’t going to hurt them, are you?”
“Of course not!” Robert said, a little more insistently than he intended. “I orchestrated the clues and knowing Alexis like I do, I’m sure she’s in Athens right now picking up the newest piece of bread.”
“You know her pretty well. Funny how she never mentioned you,” Zander replied. The news that someone out there was coming for him renewed his efforts to get mobile sooner than originally predicted. Heck, it made him feel more alive. It felt good.
Robert sat motionless as he remembered the last conversation he and Alexis shared before she boarded the private jet to places unknown. It had not gone well. “She wouldn’t have mentioned me.”
“You were a bastard, huh?” Zander gave a shamefaced shrug. “Yeah, that’s pretty much what I did to Gia. I can’t believe she’s running all over Europe to find me.” He paused as he considered his friendship with Gia. “You know, she’s always been there for me. Even when people said she shouldn’t, she stuck up for me. She was a good friend.”
Robert watched Zander’s introspective features with wonder, careful not to overstep his self-imposed boundaries. To reveal too much to Zander right now would do more damage than good. “Did RJ tell you why you’re here?”
Zander shook his head. It couldn’t hurt to test the communication between Robert and RJ for weaknesses, if there were any to begin with. “No, he said you would tell me when the time came.”
Robert rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “We’ll see in the morning. You should rest. Victoire wouldn’t be too happy to hear about how late I kept you.” He gave Zander a curt nod and left the room, locking the door behind him.
He found RJ in the study down the hall, reading over files on the computer. “How’s the wee one?” RJ asked as he reclined against the chair. He waited a moment before flicking his head to Robert. One look at his partner said more than words. “Overwhelming, I expect. Meeting your son for the first time.”
Robert leaned against a nearby wall and let out a deep sigh. “What in bloody hell is wrong with me? I keep meeting my kids long after they’ve finished with their nappies.”
“Nappies?” RJ questioned dryly. “More of your funky Aussie speak.” With a few taps on the keyboard, the program up on the screen vanished. “Zander’s situation is different from Robin’s. You know that. Don’t blame yourself for what happened over 20 years ago.”
Robert remained unconvinced by his partner and close friend’s words. “Robin was young. She was happy and did fine without me.” He shook his head. “Zander’s life has not gone the way I would have wanted.”
“You know that’s not true. You’ve read the files on his life. He was adopted by a solid couple whom already had a child. They raised him well. When Zander became a teenager, things skidded off the tracks a bit, but he came home every night and he loved his parents.”
Robert frowned, “he had problems with his adoptive Father.” RJ let out an amused laugh. “Yeah, I can imagine a 15 year old version of you doing that sort of thing. He was a teenager Robert, he was bound to act out and clash with authority.”
“Maybe. I should have found him before Peter was murdered.”
RJ said nothing to that. Robert’s horror at learning too late about Helena’s threats to the Lewis family had been devastating. “She killed his brother and then he was alone for years,” Robert continued. “They just let him go.” The wounds of Helena’s vindictive behaviour was still fresh.
“You know Cameron did what he did to protect Zander. The plan worked. Zander disappeared so well, it took us years to pick up his trail and if we couldn’t touch him, then neither could Helena.” RJ clicked off the computer and headed out the door. “You had no control then. You do now. Work on the now,” he advised. RJ was interrupted by the chirp of his cell phone. Digging it out, he answered on the second ring.
“Yes...Excellent...That’s fine...You know what do to.”
He ended the call with the snap of his phone shutting. “They’ve arrived at the home. He’ll phone again when they depart.”
Robert was businesslike once more. “Good. Smooth sailing.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
A man stepped out into the light and peered at the cab. “Alexees?” he called out in a heavy German accent.
“Christoph,” Alexis replied, “it’s me.” With that, she and Gia grabbed their things and were ushered inside the cramped, but cozy home of Christoph Knapp.
“Tea?” he asked as he took the kettle over to the sink and quickly filled it up. Gia move to speak but Alexis vigorously shook her head. To start a conversation with Christoph was to write off an entire weekend. “No tea,” she said firmly as she took a seat at the kitchen table next to Gia.
Christoph turned and gave Alexis a surprised look. “Nein?” He looked hurt. “You love jasmine tea Alexees.” With his disheveled graying hair, square rimmed glasses and tatty plum coloured robe, he was a sight to behold. Confusion seemed to be a common occurrence in his life.
“No tea,” Alexis replied calmly. Christoph hovered for a moment as his mind processed the words and its meaning before putting the kettle away. He shrugged and took a seat opposite them.
“Spaeter,” he said firmly with a nod. Alexis reluctantly agreed. “Before we leave again, we’ll have some. Promise.” That seemed to soothe his previously hurt demeanor.
“You came,” he started with a beam. “To see me about your king.”
“King?” Gia asked. Christoph nodded brightly. “I know,” he said with a grin.
“Christoph, this is Gia, my friend. We’ve traveled a long way to come here. Where is he?”
Christoph blinked rapidly and leaned forward. “Yes, I know. Bobby told me you would come,” he said slowly, not used to speaking English. “He said to give you this,” he added, slipping a piece of paper across the table. Alexis took it and quickly glanced over the words before handing it to Gia.
“It’s an address,” Gia spoke a moment later. “Somewhere in France by the looks of it,” she guessed. Alexis nodded and it was then that Gia noticed the ashen look on Alexis’s face. “What’s wrong?” she asked, putting her hand on her friend’s forearm.
Christoph too, peered at her anxiously. “das boese, Alexees?”
Alexis shook her head. I’m fine. I just know the address.” She gave Christoph’s outstretched hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s from a long time ago.”
“die Erinnerungen,” Christoph said sagely. “I have many of this place as well, but they are good ones.” He gave her hand a gentle pat.
“What kind of memories?” Gia asked, feeling as though she was really out of the loop. Christoph, despite his overall weirdness, seemed to be deeply tuned into Alexis and what she spoke of.
As if on cue, Christoph presented a small hankerchief and Alexis gladly took it.
“When I was young, and stupid, I met a friend of Christoph’s named Robert Scorpio.”
“Scorpio? Like the Commissioner?”
Alexis nodded. “Mac is Robert’s younger brother. Anyway, Christoph and Robert were both members of an international organization called the WSB. Christoph was at the university I was enrolled in as a classmate of mine. His job was to get close to me and become a friend. I was a Cassadine and that was right around the time my Father started to build his weather machine.”
“The one that was supposed to freeze Port Charles,” Gia injected.
“It did freeze Port Charles,” Alexis corrected. “Only for a short while, but that was years away. I was experiencing freedom for the first time in my life.” She gave a small laugh. “I went to my first party that didn’t involve ballroom dancing. I learned about make up. I went anywhere and everywhere and soaked up all that I could. It was wonderful. Christoph and I met in an International Studies class. I didn’t know at the time he was there under the orders of the WSB. He was just a good friend of mine.”
She smiled warmly at Christoph. “Still is,” she added. Christoph grinned as though he were a small child earning praise.
“Then came along this man named Robert.” For a moment, Gia swore she could see a flicker of something mischievous behind Alexis’s dark eyes. “I thought he was just this dashing, older, more sophisticated, wordly MAN. It was just the sort of thing that would have driven Helena insane with jealousy.”
“And?” Gia asked impatiently. Jackie Collins was good, but paled in comparison to the real thing.
“And I pursued him. Shamelessly almost. In a brazen manner that was most certainly un-ladylike. I wasn’t an expert in the ways of romancing someone, but I knew what I wanted.”
“And you wanted him,” Gia finished. God, she could really go for some popcorn right now!
Alexis gave a wave with her hands. “I’m getting off track. Robert and I became involved, but all along, he was slowly easing information from me about my family. I told him things I didn’t even know I knew.” Alexis’s voice quieted as her demeanor became somber. “Then one day, he was gone. Christoph too. I was brokenhearted.”
“What happened?”
“I didn’t know at the time. I finally told Stefan in one of my letters. That was foolish on my part. I came home for the summer and Helena had me locked away in my room. I later learned that Stavros had beat Stefan to get to my letters. So Helena knew what had gone on. She swore revenge on the man who had sullied the Cassadine name even though she would have rather die than acknowledge me as a Casssadine. She called me every name in the book and threatened to keep me on the island forever.”
Ever so slightly, Alexis’s folded hands lowered to her lap. “Mikkos, my Father, stepped in and told Helena she was being ridiculous. Helena, of course, couldn’t tell him about my scandalous behaviour because she was supposed to be keeping an eye on me. To tell him what I had done would have reflected poorly on her and she was NOT going to do that,” Alexis said ominously. “Even she knew there were limits to calming my Father’s temper.”
“So did you ever see Robert again?”
Alexis nodded. “I went back to school in the fall.” He hand gently pressed against her flat stomach. “Only this time, I wasn’t alone.”
“You weren’t?”
“I was pregnant.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
“ALEC!”
Alec winced as Helena’s infuriated shriek pierced the calm afternoon sun. The morning had gone so well. Madame had even taken a dip in the Aegean sea with Alec after much cajoling. He placed the silver serving spoon down on the tablecloth and draped the tea towel on the back of the chair. Afternoon tea was minutes away from being served and he was just about finished polishing the silverware.
She came storming up from below deck, still wrapped tightly in her silver satiny robe. “Turn this stupid boat around!” she thundered to one of the crew members. Startled, he looked to Alec for direction. Alec winced further. He’d been teaching Madame nautical terminology but it seemed that she had little use for correct usage when angry. “Starboard beam,” he informed the captain quietly. “Back to port.”
He reached the dining area where 2 young cabin boys were scurrying about to clean up. By the terrified looks on their faces, it was clear Helena had already come by and had headed into the cabin. Spying the Chardonnay she adored, he grabbed two wine glasses and headed down to her private room as the last of the afternoon tea was put away. Damage control was in effect. He just hoped she hadn’t torn the room apart like the last time. “Madame?” he called gently after tapping her door. Getting no response, he cautiously opened the door and poked his head inside. The plush and expensive furnishings remained unharmed and still. He breathed a sigh of relief. Entering the room, he heard the shower running and immediately set to work. Out came the vanilla scented candles and he arranged them liberally around the room. He’d always found it odd that such a complicated and finicky woman had such simple taste at times. Carefully he lit the wicks, ensuring none were near flammable material. Then he went to her armoire and ensured that her evening wear was impeccable to his critical eye. She would need something that screamed power for when they docked. He dimmed the lights and poured the wine, turning down the bed just as he heard the shower turn off. Moving to the far side of the room, he grabbed the phone and immediately dialed in the number he knew by heart. His contact in Athens picked up on the first ring.
“Where are they?...Alright...No, I will contact you when necessary, just stay close to them. We’re returning to port shortly. I will contact you within the next 12 hours.”
Placing the phone back onto its cradle, he had just enough time to unbutton his shirt and dab liberal amounts of the cologne he knew Helena favoured best in the places she loved. A quick run of his fingers through his wavy black mane and the door to the ensuite bathroom opened.
“Dearest, I am in no mood to deal with incompetence this evening,” Helena murmured as she wandered into the room, toweling herself off delicately, her hair swept up. Alec took the towel from her and led her gently to the center of the room where she could stand on the mammoth sized bear skin rug while he dried her off. “What troubles you Madame?” he queried, handing her a flute of wine. She took it and freed her hair from the confines of the comb. “All I ask is that my weakling son’s movements be monitored and that if there are any changes in his routines, to inform me in a prompt and efficient manner.”
Rubbing her back with the towel in a soothing manner, he moved her hair out of the way, allowing his fingers to graze ever so slightly along her shoulder blades. “So Stefan has left the island?”
“He left 3 days ago!” she sputtered with an angry shake of her head. “Of course my informant tells me that he could not reach me. I will have to teach him what ‘a prompt and efficient manner’ means,” she promised. “What of the little mouse and Nikolas’s former trollop?”
“Athens, at Christoph Knapp’s home. Their departure is anticipated in the morning. As should ours.”
Finished toweling, he placed it neatly into a nearby hamper.
“When do we reach the port?” Helena finished her glass and poured another, this time bringing the second over to Alec.
“In a few hours Madame. You should rest in that time.”
Helena smiled deviously at her prey as she inhaled the cologne he’d put on, her spine tingling with anticipation. Thoughts of Alexis, Gia and Stefan were long put away as she gazed at her Adonis.
“I will rest only when you have finished tiring me.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Gia’s mouth dropped. “Pregnant?” she trilled, her wide eyes looking at Alexis’s abdomen, as if expecting the child to still be there.
Alexis nodded. “I knew just before I returned to school. I never told another soul. To try and contact Robert meant risking Helena’s discovery. This was my child,” she said softly.
“So you hid the baby.”
“Wearing loose fitting clothing and sweats isn’t so unusual for a student in pre-law. People rarely questioned me. I withdrew from normal social activities and became introverted once more. I was so terrified, I couldn’t visit a doctor, so I went to the library and read books on pre-natal care. I was alone and yet I was never lonely.”
Gia smiled sweetly. “You had your baby.”
As she said those words, Alexis’s eyes brimmed with tears and taking the hankerchief Christoph gave her, she dabbed them quickly. “Robert came back in my eighth month and he was very surprised,” she said with a teary laugh. “I was so furious with him, for how he’d left me without a word and pregnant.”
“What did he say?” Gia’s tone grew hard. Her own Father had abandoned her Mother during her pregnancy with Gia and she had grown up never knowing him.
“He was scared. He promised me that we would be safe if we came with him to Paris. He said Helena would never find us there. I agreed. Stefan had sent me a cryptic letter about Helena checking into my medical records. I feared she knew everything. We got to Paris and that’s when he told me about Christoph and the weather machine that my Father was building and the WSB.” She paused as she sadly considered her next words. “And how he used me for information.”
“Bastard!” Gia hissed angrily. Christoph startled at Gia’s outburst. “Bobby is a good man,” he insisted. Very little would change either opinion.
Alexis paid no attention to the remarks. Her voice became haunted as she continued her tale. “Helena’s men found us. It was terrible.” She gave her head a shake, as if fending off the sounds of the screams that night. So many men had perished in the gunfight. “I delivered that night. Robert caught him. We managed to get out, just the three of us. We got separated in the dark. Robert had the baby. I was bleeding. I blacked out.”
Gia was almost afraid to ask. “What happened then?”
Tears now cascaded freely down Alexis’s cheeks. “I woke up in the hospital. Robert was there. The baby was gone.”
“Gone?”
“Gone.”
“Where?”
“Dead. They found a baby boy in the river the next morning. It was believed that Helena’s men threw him in the river,” Alexis said hoarsely. “DNA tests matched. It was my baby boy.”
“Oh, Alexis,” Gia whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“I should have known better than to try and fool Helena like that. I certainly paid for it.”
Gia turned to Christoph who was also wrapped up in Alexis’s grief. “Christoph?”
“Yes?”
“Could you make us that jasmine tea of yours now?”
“Of course.”
“I blamed Robert. I threw the baby’s death in his face. He never denied my accusations. I just left him on the tarmac and boarded the plane home. Helena and I never spoke about the baby again and I went back to school. I buried the memory and the pain along with it.”
Gia fingered the slip of paper with the address on it. “This was where it happened?”
“Yes.”
“And Bert Cooee?”
“Bert for Robert. It was a stupid nickname I gave him one night. Cooee, is Australian and means great distance. Robert was telling me that he had Zander and was far away. Paris was where the safe house was. I had totally forgotten how to get there but I knew Christoph would remember. Robert knew once how I operated, I’m sure he anticipated my moves long ago. I’m sure we’re also being monitored from at least one side in the equation.”
“Wow,” Gia breathed. She was impressed with Alexis’s presumptions. Then again, those presumptions were what made her such a great attorney. Another fact occurred to her. “So Zander is really alive?”
Alexis smiled for the first time in a long time. “Yes, I’m almost certain. I just don’t know why Robert has him.”
“Ahh, ladies, jasmine tea for you both.” Christoph placed two steaming mugs in front of the women and sat down with his own cup. “Sadness over, yes?”
Both women let out gentle laughs that filled the room with a sense of hope. Alexis felt reinvigorated. She didn’t want to waste anymore time. With a final swallow of her tea, she stood. “We’ll leave in five minutes.”
“What?” Gia asked in complete confusion. “We aren’t staying the night or finding a hotel?”
Alexis shook her head. They’d need a car and then back the airport. She could line up tickets on the way. It wouldn’t be hard to catch a flight to Paris, even at this hour. Christoph stood and grabbed his coat and hat from the closet, along with a suitcase. “We all go!” he announced.
Now it was Alexis’s turn to be dumbfounded. “You’re coming Christoph?”
Christoph nodded. “I go and see my little Anais,” he said, his voice frail but brimming with pride. Alexis sucked in her breath as the realization dawned on her. Of course, Anais.
“Who’s Anais?” Gia asked as she and Alexis went upstairs to the washroom. “Christoph’s daughter. She lives out there with family.”
“He’s a bit weird, Alexis. What’s with that?”
Alexis peered down the stairs. No doubt Christoph was on the phone to one of his many friends at the local airport. With him coming, chances were that a private flight on a smaller plane could be arranged. With any luck, they’d be in Paris by morning.
“Anais is his daughter. His wife Marie-Therèse was murdered in a car bombing when Anais was a baby. It was a retaliatory strike from Helena.”
“Jesus, how many people has that psycho killed?” Gia emerged from the bathroom to allow Alexis a chance to freshen up.
“It was a WSB mission. Have you heard of how my brother Stavros died?”
Gia furrowed her brow. “She kill him too?”
Alexis opened the door. “No, he fell down a flight of stairs. Officially he died in the hospital.”
“Officially.”
“Real story is Christoph created a poison and injected it into Stavros’s system.” There was no trace of emotion in her voice as she informed Gia of the real story.
“You don’t sound too upset.”
“Stavros was a brute. Christoph killing him made him my ally for life. I would do anything for him.”
“Alexees! Ready to go!” Christoph called up excitedly as he grabbed their suitcases and put them into his run down vehicle.
“Is that why he’s like this?” Gia indicated to Christoph’s seemingly simple and childlike manner.
Alexis nodded. “When his wife died, a huge part of him died with her. He couldn’t handle things anymore. Helena did that to him.”
“Bitch,” Gia muttered. She was starting to get a really good feel for the hatred the Cassadine family held for their Matriarch.
She was starting to appreciate it too.
*~*~*~*~*~*
He slept. Up down, up down went his chest. A wisp of hair covered his right eye. Robert had been watching Zander sleep for nearly an hour. His son’s tranquility brought him his own sense of comfort. He had missed so much. Just sitting here eased the ache in his heart for the time being as he reminded himself that Zander was alive and safe.
And soon, would be reunited with his Mother and told the whole truth of his life.
It was a daunting truth for anyone to swallow, but he felt certain that his boy could handle it. He was his Mother’s son, after all.
Gently, he reached out and brushed the lock of black hair from Zander’s eye, pushing it back. His feathery touch lingered for just a moment before Robert pulled back. The last time he had held his son was in the race from the villa, just before he’d been hit from behind and everything went black.
He did not imagine that it would take another 23 years before he touched him again.
And he would be damned if he’d let anyone take him away this time.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Translation:
Nein-no
Spaeter-Later
das boese-feeling sick
die Erinnerungen-memories
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