Written in 57 minutes. No time for spell check or typos. made a mistake in part 2 — Jake is turning 6 in 2013, not 5

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Port Charles Airport: Private Hangar

Elizabeth wasn’t expecting both of the men who met them at the steps of Sonny’s private plane, but she was touched to see Sonny Corinthos standing next to Spinelli. Since his botched wedding to Kate a few months ago, Sonny had been laying low, struggling with Kate’s relapse and struggle with her dissociative identity disorder.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” Jason said, echoing Elizabeth’s thoughts as Laura and Spinelli boarded to get started on retcon — Elizabeth knew Spinelli was planning to pull anything Laura remembered from her time on the island to help them put together everything they could before they landed in Mykonos, the closest airport to the Cassadine’s private, unnamed island.

“You tell me there’s a chance your son is alive,” Sonny began, “and I’m not staying home. How many times did you put yourself on the line for my kids?” He set a hand against his chest, his voice a bit rusty.

“Thank you,” Elizabeth told him. She squeezed his other hand. “Did you put Carly on guard to make sure Joss doesn’t find a way to get to Jax’s plane?”

Sonny grinned, his dimple flashing. “Funny thing — Carly was still on the phone with me when she caught Joss trying to sweet talk Jax into coming back from Sydney.”

Jason just shook his head lightly. “They were really planning it,” he said incredulously.

“You mean Robin, Elizabeth, and Carly’s kids were planning to help?” Sonny snorted. “Of course they were.”

“I think that was half compliment, half insult—” Sonny just laughed as he turned and boarded the plane.

Elizabeth looked up the stairs after him. Once she boarded, once the plane took off this — this was real.

“Whatever we find in Greece,” Jason told her, his voice quiet against her ear, “we’ll get through it.”

“The hope hurts more than anything else,” she murmured. “If Luke is lying to us—if he’s wrong—” She looked at Jason. “I’m just barely getting past losing him.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “But if there’s even a small chance he’s out there—”

“We’ll bring him home,” Jason told her.

Inside the airplane, Spinelli had already set up mission control at a large table, his fingers flying over a laptop. He said something to Laura who was peering over her shoulder.

“You need to get belted in for take set off,” Jason told him as he stored his and Elizabeth’s bags in one of the compartments. “We can get back to this—”

“I can’t believe you’re tapping into active satellites,” Laura said, a touch of wonder in her voice. She sat next to Sonny in one of the take off chairs, pulling the seatbelt across her lap. “When I was on the island with Luke back with the Ice Princess, all we had were the crappy maps Robert pilfered from the WSB—”

“Speaking of Sir Robert,” Spinelli said as Jason grabbed him by the shoulder and all but shoved him into his takeoff chair before returning to the table and closing the laptop and securing it for take off. “Have we considered calling in reinforcements?”

“Not until we know more,” Laura said. “Luke—I’m sure there’s more he’s not telling me. How did he and Lucky get on this trail in the first place? Robert will want to call in Anna, and Luke does not want that—”

She sighed, looked at Sonny as if noticing she was next to him for the first time. “Thank you. For the use of the plane.”

“Almost like old times,” Sonny said. “You still handy with a shotgun?”

About twenty minutes later, the plane had taken off and made it to cruising altitude. Spinelli threw off his seatbelt and rushed back over to his computer.

“Can you zoom in with the satellites?” Sonny asked as they crowded him. “Get some eyes on who is where?”

“No so much,” Spinelli said with a frown as he continued typing. “But once we’re on the ground in Greece, and closer, I can use the satellite connection to pick up any security camera feeds. Once I know what I’m looking for, I can hack in and get some better information.”

“Can he really do that?” Elizabeth asked, folding her arms. It had been years since she’d seen Spinelli at work. She bit her lip.

“I used to doubt him, too,” Jason admitted, putting arm around her shoulders. “But he was able to get me inside the Metro Court when it was taken hostage.” They traded a glance, both remembering that because he’d been there, he’d been able to save her life—and she’d told him about Jake.

“I have it!” Spinelli announced. He grinned at Laura. “Does this look familiar?”

“Yes—” Laura gestured at the screen. “That’s the main estate. The house that Mikkos’ father built when they came to Greece after fleeing Russia. It was built into the cliff, and—” She took a deep breath. “It’s where I lived.”

“What about the grounds?” Jason said , and she blinked. “What other buildings?”

“There was a dower house,” Laura continued. “In the gardens. There’s a vineyard, of course. And orchards. And Stavros had elaborate English gardens planted while I was there.” She nodded as Spinelli moved the satellite. “Yes — the dower house was in the English gardens. Mikkos’ mother lived there, but I think she’d died. Just before the Ice Princess, maybe.” She squinted at the screen. “That wasn’t there when we came in 1980,” she said. “And I don’t remember it from my time.”

“But it could have been added since—” Sonny began, but Laura shook her head.

“Stefan never cared much for Greece,” she told him. “He preferred the London house and the estate in Scotland. He raised Nikolas there most of the time to keep him from Helena as much as possible. He never added on. This wouldn’t have been there before 2003.”

“Added in the last decade doesn’t mean much,” Elizabeth said, then she paused. “Spinelli—” She leaned into the screen. “Am I wrong, or does that building look wrong?”

“Wrong?”

“It doesn’t fit,” Laura said with a nod. “If Nikolas had added it, he’d have made it match the rest of the estate. But this is an ugly, square building. A concrete block.”

“Wait—zoom out—” Jason waited as Spinelli obeyed. “And it’s set apart. Not the way the other house is—but—”

“Isolated,” Sonny said.

“We’ll want to start there for camera access,” Laura decided. “It’s probably one of Helena’s labs. She always had a hole to run to. She has something on Spoon Island, I’m sure of it. She’s able to slip in and out too much.”

“All right,” Spinelli said. “I’ll keep mapping the island, and try to get a sense of what kind of activity we can expect. I can probably find out if the coast is heavily guarded. It’s going to be hell getting on and off the island—”

“Luke will have that covered,” Sonny said. “He was always handy with a boat.”

Mykonos, Greece

Luke sat on the terrace of the flat he had arranged for him and Cowboy, lingering over a cigar as he looked out over the Adriatic Sea and the dim lights of the Cassadine estate in the distance.

Behind him, Lucky was pacing and raging—another day with bad tides meant another scuttled rescue plan to the island. Luke glanced down at his phone when it lit up. His chest eased as he saw Laura’s text.

On my way. In the air now. Bringing Jason and Elizabeth. And friends. Don’t go to the island until we get there.

Then another message.

Luke, tell me again that you’re sure. Tell me we’re not doing this to Elizabeth without proof.

Luke exhaled, picked up the phone and opened up the message app. He’d held this back, had waited until he knew Laura was coming. Had worried if he sent this — she might not come, too.

He needed her. Cowboy needed her.

Angel, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole life. If that’s not our boy, then he’s got a twin.

He hit send, then attached the photograph. He turned to look at his son as Lucky flipped a coffee table, wincing. He just hoped they had enough time.

Plane

Laura made a face when Luke’s first message came through — if he Angel’d her one more time—

And then the bottom fell out of her world as the photograph loaded. She brushed her fingers on the image, then zoomed in. She looked up to find Elizabeth sitting on one of the sofas, talking quietly to Jason. He said something, and Elizabeth smiled at him.

Laura looked back at the image of the little boy sitting next to Nikolas on a bench in the middle of a garden — at the grinning, blonde boy with his father’s eyes and mother’s smile.

If this wasn’t Jake—

“Elizabeth,” Laura managed. She looked up, tears spilling over her cheeks. “Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth got to her feet, alarm spreading across her expression as she rushed across the plane. “Laura—”

Laura handed her the phone and Elizabeth stared at the photo—Jason was right behind her and they both paled as they took in the little boy.

“He’s—” Elizabeth’s voice faltered. “He’s there.”

“He’s older,” Jason said roughly. “He’s—”

Jake had left them just before he’d turned four. He’d be six in a few months.

“And Nikolas is right there. Jake is smiling at him. He knows him—” Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh, God, oh, God, it’s real—it’s real—he’s real—” She turned to Jason, clutching her hands in his shirt. “You see him, too, don’t you?” she demanded, shrilly. “Tell me you see him, too!”

“I see him.” Jason framed her face in his hands, leaned his forehead against hers as his voice dropped. “I see him. He’s real. He’s alive.”

Spinelli rose from the desk and approached the two of them. “If I could,” he said gently, “if I could see the phone—I could give you reassurances. I can look at the image on my computer and tell you if it’s real. When it was taken. Where.”

With a trembling hand, Elizabeth looked at the phone, shook her head. “N-No—” She clutched it to her chest. “No, I can’t—”

“Come with me,” the younger man said. “You can hold the phone. I’ll put the cord in. I don’t have to touch it. You just—just save it to the camera roll.”

Elizabeth sucked in a shaky breath, the sob rolling through it as she looked down at the photo. Her fingers were shaking so hard she could barely following Spinelli’s instructions so Jason’s larger hand covered hers and he saved the photo so that Spinelli could attach the cord and transfer the photo.

“Luke had that photo the whole time,” Sonny said, his tone tense. “And he held it back.” He traded a troubled look with Laura. “What the hell else is he hiding?”

“I don’t know, but if we can just bring Jake home—” Laura closed her eyes. “I’ll kill my husband later, Sonny. Just—God, I pray Spinelli doesn’t say the photo is fake or altered. I’m not sure she can handle it.”

“She’s stronger than she looks,” Sonny murmured, “but she shouldn’t have to it. If Luke is screwing with them about this for one of his stupid plans—” He shook his head and sat down, putting his head in his hands.

Cassadine Estate: Lab

Nikolas sighed and pushed open the heavy metal door, walking into the square room with its work station and cot. He closed it, then leaned against the door frame. “Hey.”

A woman with dark hair looked up from the desk, the skin beneath her eyes dark purple. “Hey,” she said dully. She cleared her throat. “What time is it?”

“Nearly nine,” Nikolas said. “In the morning,” he added because she was never allowed to leave the lab and there were no windows. “You didn’t sleep again.”

“Couldn’t. If I sleep, I’m wasting time.” She bit her lip, met his eyes. “I think it worked this time. I think the message got out. I just don’t know—God I don’t know if he’ll understand it. Nikolas—” Her voice broke. “I just want this to be over.”

“I promised Jake he’ll be home by his birthday,” Nikolas said with a false smile. “So, let’s hope Patrick can understand what you sent him, and that he gets it to Jason and Elizabeth.”

“Yeah.” Robin Scorpio dragged a hand through her hair. “Yeah, well, when Jason finds out that your family faked Jake’s death—” Her smile was humorless. “Your grandmother is going to wish she’d picked any other enemy. Jason will take her apart.”

“I’m counting on it,” Nikolas admitted. “How soon will you know?”

“I don’t know.” Robin stared at the terminal in front of her. “He just needs to reply to it. C’mon—”

“It’s after midnight there—”

Robin sighed. “You’re right. He’s probably asleep. I guess I should go back to working on Helena’s project. Though why she wants Stefan to wake up when she has Stavros to do her bidding—” She jerked a shoulder.

“It’s best not to expect rational explanations from my grandmother.”

Drake House: Bedroom

Patrick glared at his cell phone as it lit up. He’d just barely managed to break up a fist fight between Cameron and Spencer before Aiden had started to cry, missing his mother — and Emma had started to cry because she wanted to know but her why people came back from the dead but her mother couldn’t —

He just wanted to go to sleep, and nearly ignored the message. But the doctor in him didn’t know how to do that, so Patrick stopped pulling off his shirt to reach for the phone on the table beside his bed.

Then stared at it for a long moment, unable to believe what he was seeing.

race cars. our special code so you know its me. am alive. trapped on cassadine island. world is going to end. need jason and the cavalry. i love you.

Race cars.

The pulse in his temple began to throb as he remembered the night they’d laughed about her parents in the WSB and running operations and having code words— She’d been so beautiful, laughing, and teasing him — telling him that if she were in trouble, she’d send him the words race cars because of their first real date in his hotel room.

He’d laughed at her, but here it was—here it was. Her code. Their code.

His heart pounding, Patrick typed in his code and replied.

pain in the ass. jesus christ. please don’t be a dream please dont be a lie. cavalry already coming. i love you.

He hit send, then dialed his mother-in-law. “Anna? Get Robert on the line. As soon as I find a babysitter, we need to go to Greece. Robin is alive.” Patrick scowled. “No, I’m not on pills again—damn it, Anna—she used our code.”

The other line was silent for a moment.

“I’ll call Mac and Felicia to stay with Emma,” Anna said. “Wheels up in an hour—”

“Great. Oh, and Cameron, Aiden, and Spencer are here, too because Laura, Jason and Elizabeth flew to Greece because Jake is alive, too. See you in an hour—” Patrick hung on Anna’s protestations as he stared at himself in the mirror.

His phone beeped again.

race cars. i can’t believe you really weren’t joking when you said my code name would be pain in the ass. honestly. we’re changing it. can’t wait to see you.

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