Chapter 12

Ariel says, "Sonny, I want you to met *the Boss.*" She turns toSonny,
"Sonny, this is Robert Scorpio. Robert, this is Sonny Corinthos."

Robert holds out his hand to Sonny. Sonny looks confused, but shakeshis
hand, "I thought you were dead."

"Well reports of my death are premature," Robert replies. "I'm gladI
finally got to met you. I have heard a lot about you from Ariel."

"I've heard a lot about you, too, from Ariel and from LukeSpencer."

"Luke!! How is that SOB???"

Laughing, "He's fine. Laura and the kids keep him busy when he isn'tat
the club."

"That's right he has a little girl, now, and Lucky must be aboutfourteen."

"Okay, you two. You can finish comparing notes later, since Sonny wasthe
lucky one to have the short straw," Frisco interjects.

"What short straw?" Frisco points over to the cots, "No way, I didn'tsign
on with the WSB to sleep in the sewer."

Ariel comes over to him and puts her hands on his shoulders,smirking,
"Welcome to the WSB, Sonny. You will find these accommodations not tobe
that bad. Besides you and Robert have a lot in common. The two ofyou
could swap stories for hours."

Robert looks over to Sonny, "Looks like we are going to beroomies."

Sonny looks disgusted, "I can't just drop out of circulation. If Ido
that, Jason will have everyone and his brother looking for me. I needto
tie us some loose ends before this will work."

"Anything you need to do you can do tomorrow morning and be hereby
midday," Robert says.
Sonny gives in and starts looking around the base. He picks up whatlooks
like a smashed Bud Lite can from a box. "Robert," holding up the can,"you
needed a little refreshment on your way here."

Robert laughs and pulls out another case and opens it on the table.He
removes a device and plugs it into the computer and then boots the upthe
computer. Frisco and Ariel move over to the table to see what Robertwas
doing. On the computer screen, they see an image of them at thetable.
"DA**," Frisco says. "Sonny, put that can on the table over there andcome
here."
Sonny does as Frisco asks and when he looks at the screen he says,"Hot
Da**. It's a camera."
"It is a little more complicated than that," Robert says as he doesa
couple of key strokes and the screen is divided into sixteenseparate
scenes from around the base. "Dr. Calahan and his cronies at the labcame
up with this. That can can monitor sixteen different views from whereit
is placed." Robert does a couple more keystrokes and one of he viewsfill
the full screen. "It also has the capability of night vision. Not toobad
for a new little toy. We are going to field test it. Tomorrow,Frisco,
you and I will find a place to sit this up out on the docks wherenoone
will grab it to turn it in for a nickel deposit. That little can isworth
a he** of a lot more than that."

"By the way Sonny, you live in Sean and Tiffs old penthouse, right?"Robert
asks.

"Yeah, I hear you used to live there before them."

"Is the *room* still intact?"

"Yeah. The equipment is still tied into the WSB main computer. I useit
occasionally."

"Great. Is there anyway, the Ariel can have access to it while youare here?"

"Sure, I guess. I'll just have to make up something to tell Jason asto
why she will be in and out."

"Do you have a pet?" Frisco asks?

"A pet? What are you talking about, Frisco?" Sonny asks.

"You know a dog, a cat, a hamster?"

"I know what a pet is? And no, I don't have one."

"Well, Ariel, you are going to give Sonny, here, a pet so you cantake care
of it while he is gone." Robert remarks.

Ariel turns to Sonny, "What do you want?"

"Nothing that is going to chew up my slippers or scratch up myfurniture."

"How about a snake, Sonny?" Frisco chimes in.

"Very funny, Frisco, I just love your sense of humor"

Laughing, "Okay, Sonny, I'll find something that will suit you andbring it
over tomorrow."

Chapter 13

Two bums are staggering down the pier. They are carrying brownpaper bags
with some kind of bottle inside. They stagger over towards the sideof a
warehouse and one leans against the wall while the other tries tolean
against the wall but slides down until he is seated on the ground.They
take swigs out of their bottles. Two longshoremen walk past them,throwing
obscenities at them.

The bum standing speaks to the one on the ground. "Okay Robert, doyou see
a place where you want to put this can?"

Robert nonchalantly looks around the area. "It would be better if itcould
be off the ground."
They look up at the surrounding warehouse and Frisco spots a lamppostthat
has something like a crow's nest about 15 feet above the ground.Frisco
gently kicks Robert and motions towards the lamppost. Robert lookstowards
the lamppost. "That would work, I think but, going to take some doingto
get it up there."

"It shouldn't be that hard, just a little toss and it is there,"Frisco says.

"I don't think so, if not done perfectly the can could be useless.Let's
see if there is somewhere else."

They continue to survey the surroundings. Robert then spots anoverhang
outside the third story windows in one of the warehouses. "Frisco, doyou
think you could get into that warehouse across the street and get tothe
third floor."

"Sure, why?"

"Look at the third story windows. See the overhang just outside them.If
we could get the can up there it would give us a good view of theentire
dock area and the Tracey."

Frisco looks around the docks he sees workmen going in and out ofthe
warehouse. Frisco goes around the corner and looks around making surehe
couldn't be seen and put down the brown paper bag and pull out ablack knit
cat out of the coat. He puts the cap on and then takes off theragged
overcoat. Frisco is dressed similarly to the other workmen in jeans,a
flannel shirt and a down vest. Robert takes the can out of his coatpocket
and kinda rolls it over towards Frisco. He picks it up and puts it inthe
pocket of the vest. "I'll see you back at the base in twentyminutes," he
tells Robert as he walks towards the warehouse.

Chapter 14

Later that evening Stefan is reading in his room at Wyndemere,he has a
half filled glass of brandy on the table next to him. He puts downthe
book and finishes the brandy. He could not concentrate on hisreading
because Ariel's words kept racing through his mind. "...he wouldlove
Nikolas more than his own child." What did she mean 'my own child'?She
and I never had a child. Or did we and she didn't tell me? And howdoes
Helena fit into this? Stefan's mind kept racing. He pours himselfanother
brandy. He notes that his discipline is gone as he drinks hissecond
brandy. He usually only had one brandy before bed. But this had nota
usual day. He could not get Ariel's revelation out of his mind, butwas it
a revelation or one of her observations? Was there a child or not?Did he
have a son he did not know about? Stefan finishes the brandy andretires
to bed, but sleep will not come. His mind sees Laura and himself atthe
cove; Ariel and him walking along the streets of Athens, smiling,holding
hands, enjoying each other's company; Ariel and him making love onthe
yacht - slowly, building each other's passion until they erupt in afrenzy
of needing each other; waking in the morning with Ariel lying in hisarms,
her head resting lightly on his chest - he was at peace. But whatabout a
child? If there was a child, that child had been conceived inlove.
'Conceived in love.' Yes, he did love Ariel, then, and she loved him,he
knew that. He had never forced a woman to have sex with him. Theyhad
always been willing partners, even the ones he paid. When he thoughtof
women Laura was always first, but Ariel was always the one hecompared all
the other women he had been with and none had compared favorably. Ifhe
and Laura had been together, would she have compared favorable toAriel?
Was there some truth in what Ariel said about the reason he lovedLaura was
because she was Stavros' wife and he wanted to take something awayfrom his
brother? Was that why he was so proud of Nikolas? Nikolas wasStavros'
son, but Stefan had reared him and Stefan's mark was much moreapparent in
Nikolas than Stavros'. Would he have raised Nikolas differently if hehad
his own son? Sleep did not come easily to Stefan that night.

CHAPTER 15

Robert and Sonny are at the base monitoring the dock via the'can'. They
each have a mug of coffee from which they occasionally drink. Thedocks
have been uneventful since the 'can' has been placed. Sonny says
sarcastically shaking his head, "The life of an WSB operative is*very
exciting* these days."

"This sure bets a desk job, though," answered Robert, "but I knowwhat you
mean. A little action would be appreciated. I've never been goodat
waiting for someone to make their move."

"I know what you mean. This sitting around could drive me crazy."

Robert starts to laugh. "Yea, I know what you mean. If you havebeen
around Luke for a while, you are used to having things hopping."

"You are right, Luke is worse at waiting than I am. He always has
something going."

"You never told me how you and Luke met?"

"Actually we met because of Frank Smith. At the time I was workingfor
Smith and Smith had offered Luke safety for himself and his family ifhe
helped smuggle certain men into this country. Luke was told that heand I
would be working together to do this. Then a rival of Smith's gotinvolved
and Lucky got shot; they then tried to get the Spencers again whileLucky
was in the hospital. Luke came to me then and we dealt withGarfield.
Luke worked for Frank for a while under me, then we helped Frankbreak out
of prison, but everything went wrong. I got shot. Luke tried tokill
Frank, but Frank grabbed Laura and got away. Eventually Luke and Ifound
Frank in Puerto Rico and Luke killed him in self-defense. Shortlyafter
that Luke and I became partners in a blues club he named Luke's.Luke
settled down and now runs the club."

"I can't believe Luke is just involved in a blues club and nothingelse."

"Well, there is the back room and this thing with theCassadines."

"Of course there's a back room. I can't imagine Luke's withoutone,"
Roberts chuckles. "How's the thing with the Cassadines going?"

"Laura is convinced that Stefan isn't like the others and she trustshimS
somewhat. When they returned to PC after Laura and Lesley's fakedeaths,
Lesley was a mess. Tom Hardy wasn't able to figure out what theCassadines
had been giving Lesley. When they returned Laura went to Cassadineand
begged him to help her mother. But Cassadine had already called inthe
doctors who were treating Lesley in Switzerland. They stabilized herand
she came out of her catatonic state and recognized Laura andCassadine. It
seems that Cassadine had visited her quite a bit while she was inthe
sanitarium and had told her all about what Laura, Luke, Lucky, LuLuand
Nikolas were doing all these years. He also knew exactly where theyhad
been when they were on the run from Frank Smith. He had keptLesley
updated all those years even though she never responded, but when shecame
out of the catatonic state she remembered everything Cassadine hadtold
her. Laura feels she owes Cassadine a great debt because of what hedid
for her mother and for raising Nikolas. She is trying desperately tobuild
a relationship with Nikolas. Lesley is helping her. Lucky has evencome
around and is seeing Nikolas. At times, when I see them together,they do
appear to be brothers. Luke is still skeptical of the whole situationand
there is still Helena."

"What do you think of Stefan Cassadine?"

"I don't trust him and for what he did to Ariel, I want toS"

Robert interrupting, "What did he do to Ariel?"

"Oh, Ariel hasn't told you."

"Told me what?" Sonny hesitates. "What, Sonny?"

"She should be the one to tell you, not me."

In the tone of a protective big brother, "Ariel is not here. Now tellme
what does she have to do with Stefan Cassadine?"

Sonny hesitates again, but see that Robert is not going to let thiswait
until Ariel tells him. "Ariel told me that she told you and Friscoabout
what happened to her six years ago." Robert nods. "She also saidshe
never told you who the man was."

Robert nods again then says, "He was Stefan Cassadine. So the motherwas
Helena. That bitch!!" The two men are silent for a while whileeach
contemplates how they are going to protect 'their little sister.' "Doyou
think she still loves him?"

"I know she does. She had a run in with him a couple of days ago.She
sent him packing again, but I don't know how often she will be ableto keep
doing that if she sees him often." Both men nod knowing that Ariel'sheart
belongs to Stefan Cassadine and will for the rest of her life.

The cell phone breaks the silence at the base. Robert reaches forit.
"Scorpio. Are you sure?S Do you have the timetable?S That would putthem
here the day after tomorrowS Keep me informedS Talk to you later."Turning
to Sonny. "That was Jefferson. The arms were loaded this morning andleft
KC about a half hour ago. They have a tracking devise in one ofthe
crates. They are expected to arrive here the day after tomorrow."

"Finally. Maybe we will get some action." Sonny checks themonitors.

Robert picks up the phone and dials. "Owens, Scorpio. The arms are onthe
road. What about Phiasal?S I see. Have you been able to get a nameof
someone here that is working for him?S Okay, keep me posted ofany
movement.S" He disconnects. "Phiasal hasn't moved yet. There is24/7
surveillance on him and his phones are tapped along with his hotelsuite."

"I wish I could have found out who was on this end."

"Don't sweat it. We will know soon. You have told me about how yougot to
know Luke. How did you get to know my daughter?"

Sonny broadly smiles as he thinks of Robin. "Stone introduced us. Heand
Robin had just started seeing each other and Mac was havingcoronaries. He
couldn't stand Stone at the beginning. He didn't think he was goodenough
for her."

Robert laughs, "He probably saw himself in Stone. I'm sorry, Sonny,go on
tell me about my daughter."

"Robin was good for Stone. She got him to do things he never wouldhave
done if it hadn't been for her." Sonny laughs, "Like the time she gothim
to do a scene from Romeo and Juliet for the Nurse's Ball."Laughing
harder. "When he first told me about it, I didn't believe him. Butthe
night of the Nurses' Ball, there he was in his tights up on thestage.
They did a great job. Everyone loved it, except for Mac. He wasfurious.
She later convinced Stone to see Dr. Collins about his readingdifficulties
and Dr. Collins discovered that Stone had dyslexia. He was overcomingit
when he found out he had AIDS."

Robert contemplates what Sonny has told him. "I don't know if I wouldhave
acted much differently than Mac." Sonny looks stunned by Robert's
revelation. Robert notices Sonny's look and continues, "The fatherthing
you know... 'Noone is good enough for *my* daughter'." Robert startsto
laugh, "I better get over that or I'm in for some very big battles.I
don't want to fight with my daughter."

Sonny smiles seeing where Robert is coming from and that he isn'tputting

Stone down. "I think you better. Robin can get very stubborn. She
wouldn't let Mac stand between her and Stone and I can't see herletting
anyone stand between her and Jason, even if the one standing betweenthem
is her long lost father."

"Boy, do I have a lot to get used to. The last time I was with hershe was
fourteen. Now she is a young woman who has loved and lost and istrying to
love again," Robert says introspectively.

Both Sonny and Robert looked at the monitors as soon as they heardthe
noise. On one of the monitors they see Frisco approaching the base."Hey
Frisco, what did you bring us?" Robert asks.

Frisco sets down a sack on one of the tables. "Just lunch fromKelly's.
Have you heard anything from Jefferson yet?"

Taking the sandwich which Sonny hands him, Robert replies, "The armsare on
their way. They left KC a couple of hours ago. They are to be herethe
day after tomorrow." Taking a bite out of his sandwich, "Boy, haveI
missed Kelly's food."

"Has Phiasal moved yet?"

"Not according to Owens," Sonny answers after taking swig of freshcoffee.
"Is everything on your end in place?"

"As much as it can be until the arms gets closer and I know anarrival
time," Frisco replies.

"We should have that tomorrow. Will that give you enough time to getall
the ends tied up."

"Should be plenty of time. One thing though, Robert, what aboutRobin? Do
you want some WSB men around her in case Phiasal gets cocky and goesafter
her?"

Robert contemplates what Frisco has just said. "No, I think if youput men
around her now, it would just alert Phiasal."

"I could have some of my people around her. Phiasal doesn't know themand
they have no connection to the WSB. If he has been watching her itwon't
appear to suspicious. I've done it before when something wasamiss."

"Thanks, Sonny. But I bet she won't like it."

"She won't know they are there."

CHAPTER 16

Sonny gets his cell phone out of his bag and dials. "Joseph.Sonny. Who
are the best bodyguards I have besides Jason and youS Okay. I wantyou to
take them and put 24 hour protection around Robin Scorpio at YaleS IfI
wanted Jason to know about it, I would have called him. Now keepher
protected, but don't let her know you are there.S I want reportsevery
four hours. Call me at this number." Sonny disconnects his call andturns
to Robert and Frisco. "It's done. Joseph will call with reportsevery
four hours."

"Thanks, Sonny, I owe you one."

"No problem, Robert. Robin is like a little sister to me. I won'tlet
anything happen to her."

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