Port Charles Chronicles: Chapter 52

         Sam was sitting at the desk in his room.  It was the first time he had been left alone since lunch.  He opened the computer and began searching for his brother on MyFace.  “Yesss!” he exclaimed as Jack’s page came up on the screen.  Taking his time, he started to write Jack a comment.  

Jack, I need help.  I’m with Dad.  He’s alive. You need to tell Mom.  

He paused when he heard footsteps outside his door.  The door was opening.  Shoot!  Sam shut the computer, turned on the TV and sat down in front of it.  The door opened the rest of the way, and his father stood there.

“Come here, Sam.”  Walker watched his son get up and walk toward him slowly.  He scowled. “Hurry up, stop taking all day.”  Walker’s hands clenched and unclenched...  Calm yourself, this is Blair’s fault.  You’re his Dad, he’ll learn, if he knows what’s good for him.  

          Sam reluctantly picked up his pace until he stood in front of his father.  He didn’t quite know what would happen next, but he could see his father meant business.  His father had slapped him earlier and he remembered when he had gotten angry and shook him because he had made friends with Uncle Todd.   He needed to wait and not get his dad any madder.  “I’m sorry if I made you mad earlier, Dad.  I’m glad you’re not dead.  Why can’t we call Mom and Aunt Tea.  I just want them to know I’m alright.”

         Walker frowned. “I told you, I want them to believe I’m dead.  Your Uncle Todd hates me for taking his place all these years.  I’m not going to give him another shot at me.”

         “He..”  Sam stopped himself.  He bit his lip and looked down at the floor.  Saying anything good about Uncle Todd was just going to make his dad angrier. “Okay, but Mom’s going to be really worried,” he mumbled in response, continuing to look at the floor.

        Walker decided to change his tactics.  He spoke softly.  “Hey Sam, what do you say about a movie night tonight?  I’ve missed those and I’ve missed you.”   Sam’s eyes lifted to meet his and Walker knew he had succeeded.  

        “You missed me?” Sam said tremulously.  “I missed you too, Dad.  I put the star on the tree at Christmas, and made a wish for you.”

        Walker smiled, that was what he wanted to hear.  Sam had a big heart and a gullible one.  You just need to make him feel comfortable, a little encouragement will keep him on your side. Walker dropped down to Sam’s level and held out his arms.  “How about a hug for your old man.”

       Sam hesitated for just a minute, then rushed into his father’s arms.  This was the man he remembered.  He might not look the same any longer, but he was the man who had made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and held him when they watched horror movies. He hugged his dad.  He didn’t understand what was going on, but his dad was alive.  “I love you, Dad”

      Walker didn’t say anything but hugged his son back. You did it, the kid’s all yours.  Just keep remembering to use a few kind words with him and he’ll soon forget this nonsense about going home to Blair.

****

Dante couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “Wait a minute.” He looked at Jack and Molly, “Are you telling me, you guys went to Alcazar’s apartment building?”

Molly nodded.  She knew her mom was going to freak when she found out what she did but she refused to let her cousin intimidate her. Jack found himself feeling protective of Molly. None of this had been her doing.  “It was my idea,” he said.  If the detective was going to get mad, he could be mad at him.  “Molly just came along to keep me company.  I wanted to see if there was a possibility someone was living there.   It was just bugging me that Tomas might be here in town. We never expected to find him in Alcazar’s apartment.  We went there on a hunch.”

         Starr was listening, she was astonished the Jack had done something so dangerous.  Would he never learn? “Are you crazy, Jack?”

         Jack rounded on her. “Hey, you two guys were following Zacchara.  That was just as dangerous.  You both knew what that guy was capable of.  Shit, we had no idea anyone was even at the apartment when we went.  We stayed out of sight after we found out Tomas was there.”

        John interrupted the siblings’ squabble. “Enough, I want to know where these pictures were taken.”  

        All of them responded at once  “Johnny’s apartment.”

        “So let me get this straight.  Starr, if I understand you correctly.  You and Michael confronted  Zacchara about Tomas and he said he didn’t know him, but after you showed him a picture of Tomas, he left abruptly.   Is that  right?” John looked down at the information he had ascertained so far. 

         “Yes.”

          “But you didn’t like his answer, I gather.  Is that why you followed him?”

          "I guess.  It seemed like after he saw the picture, he was spooked.  Michael knows what I mean.” She looked toward Michael.  She was pretty sure he had sensed Johnny’s bewilderment too.

“She’s right. Johnny began the morning acting strange.  First, he showed up at Kate Howard’s trial and when Starr asked him about it he said he felt he owed Kate and Starr.  Then he went on about the music contract and wanting Starr to start working with him.  When she showed him the picture, he suddenly excused himself and said he remembered an appointment.  It was such a 180-degree turn from what he had been talking about, we decided to see where he was headed.” Michael said.

John rubbed his chin, something was off.  Zacchara saw a picture of Tomas, but he still kept his meeting with the guy.  That meant he believed Tomas was Alcazar and didn’t want to let on to Starr and Michael the nature of his business. 

        Dante spoke up. “ Why is this Tomas posing as Alcazar?’

        John thought for a minute.  “Are we so sure that Tomas is posing?  What if Tomas is really Alcazar?   Michael said Alcazar disappeared in 2007.  If Tomas and Alcazar are one and the same, then Tomas has been playing on the wrong side for a long time.  Things got too hot for Alcazar and poof, he’s gone. Tomas could have simply taken back his real name and ended up in Paris.  Now for reasons we don’t know yet, he’s back here and doing business with Zacchara.” 

        The bullet lying on the desk in front of him caught his eye.  Could it be possible?  If it is, the kids could be in danger. You need to stop their participation right here. John stood up. “Look, let Dante and me figure out what Tomas is here for.  I’ll put a man on Alcazar’s apartment.  You four need to stay out of this from now on.”  Jack opened his mouth to protest but John cut him off.  “I know you’re worried about your mother. Don’t be.  We’ll handle it.  Go back home or the hotel. and stay away from this. Jack, I mean it.  Stay out of this.  Thanks for bringing this information in.” 

        Before Jack could get a word out, Molly grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward the exit.  Starr grabbed his other arm and also maneuvered him out into the hallway.  Jack shook off his sister, but she stepped right up into his face.  “Enough Jack, we said we’d bring the pictures to John and we did.  We’re not the police or detectives.  It’s up to them now.’

       Jack’s phone went off in his pocket. He glared at Starr and reluctantly pulled his phone out to look at it. 

      “See who it is, Jack, maybe Mom is looking for you.”

       He tapped into his email and saw a message from his little brother. “Hey, it’s from Sam. He’s not supposed to be on my MyFace page.  Boy, I’ll read him the riot act when I get back.”  He opened the message and stared at it.  “What the Hell?”

        “What is it?” Starr asked.  Jack passed the phone to Starr.  

Jack, I need help.  I’m with Dad.  He’s alive.  You need to tell Mom.

Starr looked at the words, “What on earth?  Why would Sam type this?  What does he mean, he’s with Dad?”

Jack was seething.  “I don’t know, but it’s not funny.”

        Starr was puzzled.  “I don’t think he was trying to be funny.  We better get back to the hotel.  This isn’t right.  Michael, can you give us a ride there?”

       “Sure, then I’ll take Molly home.  Come on,” Michael said and led the way out.

**** 

       Todd and Blair stepped off the elevator.    As they neared the door he grabbed Blair’s hand.  “Hold it.  I’m not sure I’m up to this after all.”  

      Todd’s hand was trembling and he did look a little pale. Blair smiled.  “I’ll be right there beside you.  Sam’s going to be tickled pink.  He already thinks you’re the greatest.”

       “He’s not the one I’m worried about.  If we do this, you might end up on Jack’s shit list, too.”

       Blair shook her head.  “It doesn’t matter.  He’s our son and he’ll just have to adjust.  I want us to be a family again.” She leaned forward and gently kissed his scar. “He’ll just have to accept that I’m in love with you.”  

      He took a deep breath and calmed his fear. Man up Manning.  He’s your son,  You need to show him you’re not going anywhere this time.  He ran his thumb over the engagement ring and nodded for Blair to opened the door to the suite. 

      “That’s strange, the lights are off.  Momma, Sam, Jack, are you here?”  Blair reached inside the door and found the light switch. The entrance was now illuminated.

       The sound they heard in answer to her question was muffled.  “What‘s that?’  Todd was as bewildered as Blair but as they entered the main room, they both saw the source of the sound.

       A few steps away from them lay Addie. She had heard them talking outside the door and tried to yell but she was almost hoarse from her earlier tries.

        Blair couldn’t believe her eyes. Addie was tied up and agitated. She ran to her mother and tried to remove her bonds.  Todd knelt next to her as she struggled with the tape.

      “Blair, let me.”  He pulled his pocketknife free and cut Addie’s hands loose. Addie moaned as he moved them in front of her and rubbed them to get her circulation returning, then moved to her feet.  “Addie, hold still, so Blair can get the tape off your mouth.  Do it quick, Blair.  It will sting but it will be over fast.”  As he cut the taped binding Addie’s feet, he admired his soon-to-be mother-in-law.  She had nodded to Blair, agreeing with him about the tape covering her mouth.

      Blair winced as she pulled the tape loose.  

       Addie cried out, but it came out a whisper.  She looked at Blair and croaked the word “Water”. 

       Blair ran to the bar for some water and watched as Todd gently lifted Addie into his arms.

      “Come on Addie, let's make you more comfortable,” he said and carried her to the couch.  He went back to work rubbing her hands and feet as Blair held the glass and gave her some of the water. 

      “Momma, take your time.”  She glanced at her mom’s hands. They were still very blue. and she knew they must be extremely painful, but Todd was stroking and rubbing them carefully moving the blood through her arms and hands until they started to pink up again.

     “Who did this?  Momma, did you see the person?  Where are Sam and Jack?”

     Addie knew Blair was concerned but she needed to hear everything.  Addie sipped and tried to talk again.  “Sam...”

     “What about Sam?”  Blair was scared of what her mother might say next.

      Addie tried again.  “Sam was taken.  The maid did it.”



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