There was nothing in sight
But memories left abandoned
There was nowhere to hide
The ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in
Between where we were standing
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
– New Divide, Linkin Park

---

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Maslak: Warehouse

Britt waited in the driver’s seat, the engine idling, the warehouse’s cargo door open. “Come on, come on.” Just let him get here without a tail, so Britt didn’t have to drive. The last thing she wanted was to be in charge of the final escape — she’d just screw it up. What if she crashed? What if she killed them both? What if she took the wrong turn—

Headlights flashed and a van squealed to a stop. Lucky shoved the door open and ran towards the sports car, sliding through the open window. “Go, go, go, go!” he roared. “They’re right on me!”

Britt stepped on the gas pedal and the car jerked forward. She yanked the steering wheel so that the car skirted the van and headed for the other cargo door — but before they cleared the exit, she heard a car behind them. She took a second to look in the rearview. “Holy shit, they’re right there—”

“Yeah, yeah, I got stuck behind a goddamn truck and couldn’t get around it. Faster,” Lucky bit out, twisting in his seat. “Take the first turn up here—”

Britt did as she was told, and actually felt the car tilt to the side as she did a hard bank to the right.

“Okay, maybe not that fast,” Lucky managed. “Take the next two lefts. And don’t look back. That’s my job.”

“Yeah, if they catch up to us, do we have a plan?”

“Nope, so better not let that happen.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s comforting.” Britt jerked the wheel again and wondered if the car would end up airborne at some point. “And what if the cops get on us?”

“Well, then we’re fucked. So don’t let that happen either.”

“I hate you.”

Atatürk Airport: Terminal 230A

Nikolas was still glaring at his phone, willing the Zafer to make the turn towards the airport when Luke loped up, a bag slung over his shoulder.

“No sign of Cowboy and Little Obrecht?” Luke’s tone was easy, casual, but his blue eyes were worried.

“Still east of the D100,” Nikolas said tightly, his fingers wrapped around his phone. He looked at Luke. “Where—where is he?”

Luke’s expression was somber. “He wasn’t conscious. I can’t tell you if it’s the type of coma Morgan was in or something else. We need the doc. He’s loaded onto the plane, disguised as a cargo. I watched myself before I came to the gate.”

Nikolas exhaled slowly. It would have been too easy, too simple, for his uncle to have been up, walking around. “But you saw him.”

“With my own eyes. We got him. All we need now is the doc and my boy.”

Nikolas looked down, and saw with relief, that Lucky’s car had finally crossed the D100 highway. “He’s on the highway, driving straight now. I’ll go tell them to make ready for departure. I want to be wheels up as soon as they’re on board.”

Istanbul Airport: Plane

Jason buckled himself into the seat, then leaned back to look out the window, at the dim lights of Istanbul. “Feels like we just got off the plane,” he said.

“And somehow, like it’s been a hundred years,” Drew said, fastening his own belt. “You really think Nikolas is somewhere out there, don’t you? That’s why Spinelli couldn’t track the location.”

“Lucky didn’t care if we knew Britt was with him or if we put trackers on his devices. But he made sure to shield where they were staying. Yeah, I think Nikolas was here.” The longer Jason let it sit in his head, the more sure he was that somehow, the Cassadine prince had survived his fall into the ocean.

“If he’s alive — if Lucky and Luke are working with him — ” Drew shook his head. “We’re going to need more than our gut before we bring that theory home.”

“I know. But it’s the only thing that feels right. Elizabeth will understand that, and she’ll bring Laura around.”

Drew frowned. “If Britt hasn’t been with her father, and no one has seen Obrecht in months — just where the hell are they?”

“That’s a damn good question.”

The engines below them began to rumble, and then the plane began to move, taxiing down the runaway.

And within a few minutes, they were in the air, leaving Istanbul and whatever secrets the city still held, behind them. They flew towards Port Charles, where the day still stretched ahead of them.

Atatürk Airport: Parking Lot

Her hands were still shaking as she pulled the car into the spot. She stared straight ahead, her heart pounding in her ears.

They were alive. Barely. They’d clipped a few cars, and there had definitely been a cop somewhere, but—

Lucky leaned across her, turned the key to switch off the ignition.  “You can get out now,” he said. He pushed at his door, then looked back at her. “Britt.”

“Can’t move.” Her knuckles were white, and she continued to stare straight ahead. “Can’t breathe.”

“Well, at least you waited until we were safe to lose it.” Lucky sighed and slid of the car. He walked to her side, tugged it open, and took her. “Let go. Come on, Britt. We’ve got a plane to catch.”

“How can you—” Britt finally let go of the steering wheel and let Lucky pull her out of the car. Her knees buckled and she nearly fell. Lucky caught her, braced her against his body as he nudged the car door shut. “How can you be so calm about this? I nearly killed us.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I could have.”

“But you didn’t.”

“This isn’t—” Her voice faltered. There were white spots in her vision. “I almost killed us.”

“You keep saying that. Okay. Let’s just take a second. Here…” Lucky gently lowered her to the ground, leaned her against the car, then crouched down next to her. “Hey. You did a good job. Not everyone nails their first car chase. Full marks. Tens across the board.”

She closed her eyes, resting the back of her head against the cool metal of the car. “How are you doing this? It’s like nothing happened.”

“Listen, this was my childhood, okay? Constantly on the run, always looking over my shoulder. My old man taught me defensive driving before he gave me my first condom. And he did that when I was twelve.”

“What?” Britt opened her eyes. “What?”

“Yeah, I think I was ten when he took me out in the Cadillac. Up in Canada, where we were living for a minute. He always worried they’d get him or my mom and I’d be on my own, so he taught me to drive when I was ten. And I always knew where I was supposed to go if anything happened. Straight home to Port Charles and Aunt Bobbie.”

“That’s twisted. Nice, but twisted.” She exhaled slowly. “I’m okay now.”

“Yeah? Good.” He stood, then pulled her up. She stumbled a bit, and he put his arm at her waist. “You ready? Hard part’s over, Britt. Well, except for sitting on a plane with Dad and Nikolas for a few hours. That’s not much fun.”

“No, it’s not.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry. I don’t — I don’t usually fall apart.”

“Yeah, well, at least you waited until we parked the car. Smart.”

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