Luke was trying to make sense of the plans that the men were making around him. They were all convinced that his son was alive, but he couldn't let it process. 'It can't be true...but if it is...that would be so ... amazing ... God I've let him down...She's had him all this time and I haven't done anything ... I knew my son could never sleep through a raging fire ... What has she done to him? Is he safe? I need to listen. I need to focus. I need to make a plan.' But his mind was spinning out of control along with his world.
Mike took one look at Luke's pale face and knew he was loosing it. He crossed the room to Luke offering him a shot of whiskey to clear his had and told everyone to shut up. "Give him a minute, guys. I know your eager to get started but he needs to get his head clear first." Everyone complied.
Luke downed the drink. He told himself that he could blame himself later. He could worry about what was done to his son, what he had allowed them to do to his son later. For now, he had to go into planning mode. The sooner his son was in his arms the better. "Let's get down to business."
Roy was stunned by Luke's ability to take control of the situation even in his apparent emotional distress. He put a hand on Luke's shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze of encouragement.
When Luke was done relaying his plan to all, Roy slapped his thigh and said. "Sounds good to me. Let's go get your boy, " he said to Luke.
They decided to meet at the airport in 2 hours. They were going on Jax's jet and submitting a flight plan that was phony as a '24-dollar bill' as Luke had put it earlier. Sonny had told Jax that he needed to take Johnny with him to the hotel to get cleaned up. Jax wanted to argue but there wasn't time so he just went along with it. Alexis needed him to cooperate.
Jax and Johnny left first. Followed shortly by Luke and Roy. Roy and Luke exited the building finishing a conversation they'd started on the elevator. "So they took Alexis, cause she was getting too close to the truth." Roy asked sounding confused.
"That's what it seems like."
"But she's one of them, right? They won't hurt her, will they?"
"God Roy, who knows what they'll do to her now that they have the opportunity. Helena hates her, the same as she hates the Spencer's, maybe even more."
"I've only had one experience with her, but I was impressed. I didn't have a chance to really get a feel for her you know. What kind of woman is she?"
"Well, I'd deny that I said this if it ever got out but, if you want my expert opinion, but she's a good woman. She gets in over her head sometimes and looks before she leaps, but that's all part of her charm.
"Sounds like good people to me," Roy said smiling as he closed the passenger door of the Cadillac.
Luke jumped in the drivers seat and slammed the door. All of a sudden his fear and confusion turned to excitement. "I'm gonna find my kid." He said banging on the steering wheel. He turned the key in the ignition. "My son's alive." He took off in a puff of exhaust.
Ned came out of the shadows. He was furious. 'Someone has Alexis, and Jax can't swallow his pride long enough to let me help.' Ned was angry but noticed Mike leaving so he went back to his hiding place. Sonny had walked him out.
"Are you sure you should be doing this Mike? You aren't as young as you used to be." Mike acted as if he hadn't heard a word Sonny said.
"I'll see you." He said pointing, "In 2 hours at Gate 19, and I promise I won't be late." Mike walked off towards the recovery room to pack.
"Gate 19." Ned said out loud, knowing that the airport was his next destination. He had enough clothes in his suitcases to avoid a trip to the gatehouse. He knew he should call Chloe but he was still to angry. He started to make a plan. He knew he had to find a way to hide on the jet until they were too far away from Port Charles to turn back.
Luke and Roy entered Kelley's. Roy took the Caddy keys and was going to drop by Laura's pick up some clothes come back get Luke and take off to the airport. "I'll be back in 2 shakes and we'll head to the airport." Roy told Luke.
"You better be. My boy's waiting for us and Roy. do me a favor. Don't say anything to Laura. I don't want her to worry. Besides she'll want to go with us and I don't want her disappearing on us like Alexis."
"No problem, buddy." Roy said running out the door.
Luke went back to his office without realizing Taggert had overheard there conversation. Taggert was sitting at the bar after a long day's work accomplishing nothing. He was so looking for a challenge, looking for something to do to make him feel like the law could win. Taggert couldn't believe what he had heard. Luke had said 'my boy.' Could it be? Could Lucky be alive? He also had heard that Alexis was in trouble he had known there was more to the break-in then they let on. But what? How could he help? Taggert was too smart to ask Luke what was going on, he knew he'd get nowhere. The airport, that's where he had to go. He had to see what they were up to.
~~~ Alexis hugged Lucky fiercely. It surprised him but it felt good. It was the first real human contact he'd had in quite awhile. Alexis cried despite her self. "You must think I'm crazy. I hardly know you. But Lucky, oh my God, I wanted to believe that this was true, for your father's sake, and for Nikolas' but I still had doubts. Now I know it's true."
"What are you talking about? Did you know I was here?"
"Jax and I found papers of Helena's that led us here but before we had a chance to do anything they got me."
"What did they do to you? What happened to your face? Are you hurt?"
"They did this to me. But it was a while ago, it's been treated. I'm okay. Where are we?" She said trying to ignore her pounding headache from the chloroform they'd used to drug her.
"Your asking me? I have no idea, I lost track about 3 tombs ago. I've had no watch. I've had no calendar. I've had no idea how long I've been dead, how long I've been here. All I know is that for the last month or so I've been able to see the sun rise and set. Before that I didn't even have windows. I didn't know if it was day or night and now they are going to be doing the same thing to you. "
He looked so sad. They'd broken him somehow and it tore at her heart.
"We'll get out." She said trying to sound confident.
"How?"
Jax knows they have us. He's probably already gone to your father and asked for his help. They are probably already on their way.
If Jax was with you when they brought you here, he's probably already dead.
The thought of that panicked her so deeply she had to shout out. "No, he's not dead. He can't be." Lucky came over and stroked her hair. He knew it was a big possibility that Jax was dead. He also knew it was a definite in everyone's mind that he was dead, so maybe Alexis faith wasn't so misplaced.
"I'm sorry. It's hard to be here day after day and not get pessimistic."
"I know, I'm sorry. I know, why don't you let me catch you up a little while we wait for our rescue?"
"You sound so sure." Lucky was skeptical.
"Jax once told me that a Jacks could never be stranded." Alexis said trying to smile.
"Since when are you a Jacks."
"That's a long story, boring at times. We'll get to that but I'm sure there are other things that you'd like to know. So, ask away. I'll tell you what I know. It might not be a lot, but I'll try."
His questions flowed. He didn't wait for answers. There was so much he wanted, needed to know. "Have you seen Elizabeth? How's Dad? Do you ever see my Mom? My brother? My sister? What year is it? What month is it? It feels like its been years how long has it been? Did they ever wonder if I was alive?"
"I don't know exactly how much light I can shed but I will try. It's mid-February, 2000. You've been gone about 10 months." He couldn't believe it had only been 10 months. "As for Elizabeth I've seen her at Kelley's quite a few times through out the year. She seems to be doing okay but I've noticed her staring off in the distance quite a lot. She seems like she's so far away. She's probably here with you. I can tell that she misses you."
As for your father.... She told him all she knew about everyone. She told him every single thing she could think of good and bad. She was surprised and delighted at his enthusiasm at every little measly detail. Maybe they hadn't broken him. Maybe there was still hope for him, for them.