| Subject: Dangerous Chapter 3 |
Author:
Becca
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Date Posted: 19:09:22 10/24/02 Thu
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Becca
's message, "Dangerous" on 13:16:20 09/27/02 Fri
Dangerous 3
**The National Gallery, London**
Elizabeth stared at the painting, mesmerized. It wasn’t the particular painting that captivated her, it was the idea of art. Of putting your soul down on a canvas for all to see. Whenever she was in London, Elizabeth would spend hours strolling through the gallery, wondering what it would be like to actually be an artist.
Sure, she liked to sketch and even painted on occasion, but she wasn’t an artist. Unless of course seduction really was an art. She never told anyone about her dreams. It was just a hobby, a way to relax, something to do when bored. But it wasn’t a dream. That would mean she wanted more, wanted something that didn’t involve laying and stealing.
Elizabeth knew Emily had dreams and wishes. Emily wanted to someday settle down and get married. Emily wanted to be a mother. Emily even wanted a legitimate career. But that was Emily. She was the rational one, the level headed one, the smart one. Sometimes it was obvious that the only reason Emily continued to do what she did was because she made a promise to Elizabeth years ago. They were partners and nothing would break it up. But Elizabeth knew all she had to do was say the word and it would be over. Emily wasn’t going to need much convincing to leave their life behind.
She wanted to, Elizabeth really wanted to. But unlike Emily she had nothing waiting for her. Sure, she was dating Jason, but there was something missing there. It was like the only reason they were together was convenience. Jason had his life, which Elizabeth couldn’t be involved in, and she had hers, which didn’t involve him. It was easy to be together because nothing was on the line. Jason wanted more, but what he wanted Elizabeth couldn’t give him. He needed someone who would be the good wife, someone who would go to her room when he and Sonny discussed business, someone who could accept living behind bullet proof glass and with guards tailing them at all times. Elizabeth was used to danger, she even found it exhilarating, but she couldn’t imagine playing the dutiful mob wife.
Most people thought she and Jason lived similar lives. But they didn’t. Jason’s life was in Port Charles, protecting Sonny’s territory. Elizabeth’s wasn’t. She didn’t even live in Port Charles. She called Manhattan home, but she spent very little time there. With Emily she traveled. The world was her office and she loved it. Maybe someday she’d want to put down roots somewhere, but she had yet to meet the person she’d want to put those roots down with.
“Excuse me,” she said, absently bumping into someone as she walked to the next painting.
“It’s alright,” the man said with a smile.
Elizabeth looked at the man, a hint of recognition flickered in her blue eyes. He was tall, but not very, with light, almost blonde, brown hair, and an earring dangling from his left ear. His smile, well, that she knew she had seen before, it was distinctly beautiful.
‘Time to go to work, Webber. This guy looks like he could be fun,’ she thought, curling her lips into a ‘come hither’ grin.
“Is there something on my face?” he asked self-consciously.
“No, why, was I staring?”
He laughed, “Just a little.”
Elizabeth tossed her head back and laughed, “I’m sorry, you just look so familiar. Have we met?”
“Lucky Spencer,” he said, extending his hand. “We met last Christmas at the General Hospital Christmas party.”
Elizabeth looked up at him, trying to remember Christmas. It was vaguely coming back to her.
“Spen—so that would mean your father is Luke? He owns that blues club, right?”
“That would be right,” Lucky grinned. “Have you been?”
“Long ago, I don’t actually live in Port Charles,” Elizabeth explained. “I’m Elizabeth by the way, but you can call me Liz.”
Lucky nodded. “So, Elizabeth, what brings you to London?”
“The usual,” she said coyly, “Vacation. You?”
“Same thing. I needed some time off, thought I’d visit the Queen,” he said with a smirk. “Well, it is good seeing you, Elizabeth. Maybe we’ll run into each other again, soon.”
Flirtatiously Elizabeth ran her hand up Lucky’s arm, smiling the entire time. “I think that would be great. I’ll keep my eyes out for you.”
“Me too.” He quickly winked at her and turned to leave.
“Good bye, Lucky.”
He grinned and walked away. Elizabeth watched him until he disappeared around the corner.
Yes, he’d be a lot of fun. First, she had to do the job, and avoid that Nikolas guy, and then find Lucky again. Good thing she was good at that sort of thing, because she’d hate to miss out on what Lucky could do. She just wished she could remember something about meeting him at Christmas.
“The paintings are over here, Liz,” Emily said, tapping her friend on the shoulder. “What are you looking at.”
“Lucky Spencer,” she said mischievously. “Or at least I was. He’s in London.”
“Apparently,” Emily muttered. “Wait, Lucky Spencer?”
“Yeah, his dad owns that club in Port Charles. He says we met at the Christmas party last year, but I can barely recall last week let alone last Christmas,” Elizabeth explained. “He’s really hot though, that I remember.”
“Oh, Liz, you don’t remember him?” Emily asked as the Christmas party came rushing back to her.
“Should I?” Elizabeth asked, biting her bottom lip. “I didn’t sleep with him, did I?”
Emily laughed, “No, I think you’d remember that.”
“Maybe not. Remember, last Christmas there was that rumor Jason was going to propose so I basically drank from Christmas Eve to New Years. It is possible I would forget something,” she noted with disgust. “But if I didn’t sleep with him, what should I remember?”
“There was someone with him, a girl,” Emily prodded.
“Ah crap,” Elizabeth muttered, thinking back to their encounter seconds ago. Yep, he was wearing a wedding ring. “He’s married, huh? Crap.”
“Not quite, Liz.”
Elizabeth was getting frustrated. “Then WHAT, Em?”
“He has a daughter, a little girl. She was really cute, remember?”
Elizabeth thought for a moment, the Christmas party coming back to her. “Lacey, blonde, big blue eyes—she was adorable. That was Lucky’s kid? Is he still married?”
“I think his wife died,” Emily noted.
“Oh,” Elizabeth gasped. “He still wears his wedding ring.”
“He’s probably still in love with her,” Emily suggested.
“I guess I should maybe not try to seduce him, huh?”
Emily shrugged. “That is really none of my business.”
**
“She was flirting with you!” Zander declared when Lucky climbed into the car. “She wanted you.”
Lucky looked at Zander and frowned “I didn’t notice.”
“Totally, she wanted you,” he laughed. When Lucky didn’t laugh, Zander straightened up, “But that is beside the point. Did you do it?”
“Yup,” Lucky grinned. He knew Elizabeth would be at the art gallery, and that was where he’d make contact and bug her—with a transmitter. Now, all they had to do was turn on the receptor and wait to see where she went. It was rather easy, and the whole of their mission would be surveillance. They didn’t need to use the transmitter, but Lucky was going to use every gadget the WSB would give him for the sole purpose of sticking it to Frisco.
“So, what do we do from here?” Zander asked. “Just follow them?”
Lucky nodded.
“Exciting,” Zander deadpanned.
“Well, how would you feel about, maybe, meeting Emily?” Lucky asked.
Zander looked at his partner. “What? Meet her?”
“Make contact, when she’s around her car—put a transmitter on Emily’s car,” Lucky explained, pulling out the other bug.
“Oh, ok,” Zander said, taking the bug from Lucky. “Which car is hers?”
“I don’t know, which is why you have to make contact with Emily. From there, use your skills to get near her car and plant the transmitter,” Lucky informed with a grin. He leaned across Zander and opened the door, “Now go, they should be leaving soon. Don’t forget, we’re undercover, they can’t know we’re in on this.”
Zander glared at Lucky. “Listen, man, I know how to go under cover. I was in the FBI, I’m not just some green rookie you have to explain everything to.”
“Sorry,” Lucky said honestly.
“Now tell me how do I get this thing to stick to Emily’s car?” Zander asked angrily.
**
Emily and Elizabeth left the museum and headed towards the parking lot. Elizabeth nudged her friend in the side.
“Ow, what was that for?” Emily groaned.
“There is a hot guy checking you out—nine o’clock,” Elizabeth said excitedly.
Emily turned around to find a man who was definitely hot coming her way.
“No wedding ring,” Elizabeth observed. “Go for it!”
“Quiet,” Emily hissed, suppressing a giggle.
“This is going to sound strange, but I’m lost,” he said once he was in front of the girls.
“Hello Lost, I’m Liz and this is Emily,” Elizabeth joked.
“Huh?” he muttered. “No, my name is Zander—Zander’s lost, I mean, I’m lost.”
“What were you looking for?” Emily asked.
“I’m meeting a friend at a place—a restaurant, like a café, in Soho. But I don’t know my way around London at all, and I think I missed the buss that would take me there, and I lost my wallet and . . .”
Emily reached out and touched his arm, “You know what, say no more. It sounds like you’ve had a pretty bad day. Why don’t Liz and I give you a ride?”
“Are you sure? Cause, I just really need to find the buss stop.”
“I’m sure,” Emily insisted. “We’re going to Soho anyway.”
Zander looked at Elizabeth, “You don’t mind, do you?”
Elizabeth grinned proudly, “Never. I always trust Em’s judgement.”
June 1999
**Washington, DC**
Julia looked in the mirror and yawned. Her hair was still damp from her shower and her muscles still ached from a long workout at the gym. But she could only think of one thing.
Kissing Lucky.
It had been two weeks since Mexico and she had barely seen her new partner. Of course, they had been given a couple of weeks off after the big case, but still, she thought he would have at least called. Or maybe stopped by. Hell, they had run into each other at the grocery store dozens of times before Mexico, and now Lucky was as elusive as a pennant for the Cubs.
“Stupid boy,” she nearly yelled, tossing her brush across the room. “You just had to go and kiss me, didn’t you?”
The last thing Julia wanted to do was have someone in her life. Someone that mattered, someone that she had to, wanted to care about. In the past, that had only caused her pain. First, there was her father, who left when she was six years old. Then, in high school, homecoming night, her best friend was killed by a drunk driver on the way to the dance. Her boyfriends broke her heart. Her mother found a partner in alcohol when her husband was gone. The only constant in Julia’s life was her brother Dan, but even he had his own life, his own things to worry about.
She had done just fine on her own. She didn’t need someone to mess that up. But it was getting harder to stay convinced.
Julia picked up her brush and groaned. “Great, now I’m talking to myself. At least I’m not answering myself.”
Feeling silly for having a crush on her partner, Julia went to the window that looked out at the street. She wanted to scream, to push out of her mind Lucky’s face and voice and everything about him. Instead she heard the roar of someone revving a motorcycle. She looked down and there he was, taking off his helmet without a thought in the world.
Julia waited a moment and debated whether or not she’d go down and see him or let him come to her. Realizing she was acting like a schoolgirl, Julia pulled on a pair of tennis shoes and left to go downstairs.
When she got there, Lucky was leaning against his motorcycle, his leather clad arms folded across his chest, smiling at her.
“What do you think?”
Julia looked at him and laughed, “How could you afford that?”
“I’ll have you know, I’m a very responsible person. Since I was little I’ve saved every extra cent I earned. Of course, it used to be because I thought I’d need it to use on the run. But I don’ t have to worry about that now,” he explained. “Nobody is chasing me, so I don’t have to worry about needing money in case of an emergency. And it is not like I spent all the money I’ve saved on the bike.”
“But a motorcycle?” she questioned, unable to take her eyes off him. He looked good, leaning against the bike, smiling at her.
“It’s part of my new, not responsible image,” he declared. “You’re looking at the new bad ass Lucky.”
She choked on a laugh. “The bad ass Lucky? That’s a joke, right?”
“No, I’m a bad ass—I’ve got a Harley, I’m a bad ass.”
“No, you’re not,” Julia informed him. She walked closer to him and the bike. “You’re sweet, and smart, but if you want to be some hard, cold, tough guy you’re pretty stupid.”
Chomping on a piece of gum, Lucky shrugged. “That is one woman’s opinion,” he said with mock tough guy attitude.
“I see, so my opinion means little to you, now?” she questioned, slightly hurt.
Lucky motioned for her to come closer. “Tell you what, you go for a ride with me and I’ll drop the tough guy act.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Only if you have--.”
Lucky pulled out an extra helmet and handed it to her. “Any other objections.”
She was going to say something but decided against it. “Just not too fast.”
Lucky looked at her intensely. “I’ll go as fast or as slow as you want, it’s all your call.”
**
“So, how’d you find this place?” Julia asked as she lay back on a blanket. It felt like they rode forever and when they finally stopped it was in one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen.
“One day I was hiking out here and I just stumbled across it. I’m surprised more people don’t know about it, being so close to the road and all. But really, I’ve never seen anyone out here,” Lucky explained, sitting next to her.
Looking up at him, “So you come here a lot?”
“As much as I can,” he noted.
“Oh, I see,” she said, a slight hint of jealousy in her voice.
“Yeah, I bring my guitar and just play. I feel like I can be at peace here, free to write,” he explained, sensing that she thought he took other women out there. He turned and looked down into her eyes, “You’re the first person I’ve brought out here, though.”
Julia shook her head, embarrassed that Lucky could tell what she was thinking. “I didn’t mean—I didn’t think . . .”
“Yes you did, but I understand,” he admitted. “I mean, if you took me somewhere this beautiful I’d think ‘oh, right, she must take all her potential conquests out here’. Admit it, that’s what you thought.”
She sat up, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Hardly.”
Lucky scoffed. “Yeah, right.”
“I don’t really know what I thought. You confuse me, Lucky,” she confided. “First, we’re in Mexico, and you kiss me and it is amazing. We come back to DC and I don’t see you for two weeks. I don’t run into you at the market, you don’t call, you don’t even send me an email. And yet all I can think about is that kiss. And then today you come riding up to my apartment and whisk me away to this magical, secret place of yours. I don’t get it, Lucky, I just don’t.”
“You could have called me. How do you know I wasn’t sitting at home waiting for you to call?”
“Because you’re not that type of person. You’re not afraid of anything. I’m terrified . . I don’t know, I couldn’t call you because I was afraid you maybe regretted what happened in Mexico,” she admitted, turning away from Lucky.
How did he do this? How could he get her to say things she could barely admit to herself, let alone say out loud? What was he doing to her?
“I didn’t regret it, Jules,” he whispered, hoping she’d look at him. “And you may not believe it, but I’m just as scared as you. I’m actually not very experienced with this stuff. I’ve never been in love, hell, I’ve barely dated. I just don’t want to do anything to drive you away.”
Slowly she turned to look at him. “So . . . we’re both just being idiots?”
Lucky touched her hair and nodded. “I guess so.”
“How do we stop being idiots?”
“Well, I’m going to kiss you and then tomorrow I’m going to call you,” Lucky told her, completely serious.
Julia smiled. “Oh.”
“Oh,” Lucky repeated before leaning forward and kissing her. It was much like their first kiss, but with a little more confidence, a little more passionate.
Letting her guard down completely, Julia wrapped her arms tightly around Lucky’s body. It felt so right, so perfect.
“Maybe . . . I . . . won’t . . . call you tomorrow,” Lucky said in between kissing her lips and neck. “Maybe . . . if you want . . .we can just do this . . . until tomorrow.”
“That is a line of reasoning I can’t argue with,” she said, delighting in the feel of his lips against her skin. “Though, I have a feeling our bosses will not be happy with this development.”
Lucky laughed, “I think all partners should get along this well.”
“Maybe not all partners,” she joked. “However, for us, this could work out well.”
“Very well,” Lucky murmured before shutting her up with a deep, unquestioningly passionate kiss.
**No. 5 Maddox Street, London, England**
Prince Nikolas Cassadine nearly paced a hole in the carpet as he waited for the important phone call. The two women he met a day ago had yet to phone him about their plans. He hoped, potentially uselessly, that they’d agree to work with him and not his grandmother. His entire life there was one thing Nikolas knew and that was not to trust Helena. If a person with a soul could be evil, Helena would be that person.
It because of her that he had never gotten the chance to meet his mother or siblings. But now he had the chance to finally end her threat and reunite with his family, or at least make his presence known. Though he had grown up hating them, he no longer wanted to. Life was too short, too precious to even hate people you didn’t know.
There wasn’t a particular event that caused Nikolas’s change of heart. His life had been far too uneventful to possibly contain such an event. He was the dutiful Prince, the scholar, the European bachelor. But that was all he was. Other than his uncle, Nikolas felt as though he was completely alone in the world. He was the only person in the world who could change the situation, who could make his life better. Nobody was going to come along and grant him all of his desires. If Nikolas wanted happiness he’d have to chase it on his own. The first step in doing so would be to reconcile with his past. And that meant meeting his half-brother.
And the only way to do that was to finally make sure his grandmother was out of the picture.
Frustrated, Nikolas grabbed the telephone and dialed down the front desk.
“Hello, this is Nikolas Cassadine, has anyone left me a message in the last 24 hours?”
“I’m sorry, sir, but no.”
Nikolas clenched his jaw, wondering how hard a decision it was to make. Didn’t these women realize exactly with whom they were dealing? Helena wasn’t a funny little grandmother who simply had a thing for diamonds. She was a psychotic megalomaniac.
“Do me a favor, forward all calls directed to my room to my cell phone,” Nikolas insisted. The man at the front desk complied immediately, knowing that when Nikolas Cassadine asked for a favor it wasn’t really a favor. It was an order. It wasn’t something Nikolas wanted to do, he wanted to be treated like an average man, but his money and his family’s notoriety made people pay him a twisted version of respect. “And please tell my driver I’d like to go out. I’ll be down shortly.”
**Soho, London**
Lucky sat in the tiny café as he waited for Zander to return from his “ride” with Emily and Elizabeth. He was trying to read the book he had brought with him, trying to act normal. But he couldn’t concentrate, all he could think of was the last time he was in London.
He and Julia were married a year and out on a relatively easy case. The details of the case Lucky could barely remember anymore, but the way his love looked was burned into his memory.
They were sitting in a café carrying out a very similar surveillance operation. Julia’s hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a pair of glasses as she read from a battered paperback. Lucky was on his computer, trying to get some work done, but all he could do was stare at his bride. Every so often she’d look up to see if their mark was around them, only to find Lucky staring at her, a love struck look on his face. And she just smiled, gently, reassuringly letting him know whatever he was feeling she felt it too.
That moment when she looked up at him with that simple yet breathtaking smile was all Lucky could think about. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice Zander approaching him.
“Got to say, partner, I’m pretty good,” Zander declared, a triumphant bounce in his step.
Lucky shook himself out of his thoughts. “What? Why, what did you do?”
“I got a date with Emily, for breakfast tomorrow,” Zander said quickly. He groaned at Lucky’s disapproving look. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you? Do you really know, Zander?”
“Yes, I know. I know that by getting closer to Emily I can possibly get her on our side before she even does the job,” Zander noted. “And by doing that, it’ll make our situation a lot less messy. Maybe you can do the same with Elizabeth.”
Lucky looked at Zander skeptically. He knew his partner was right, that his idea was probably a good one. But Lucky doubted he even remembered how to get close to a woman.
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