She knew he’d come. A man so high on himself, so filled with the notion that all the world revolved around him would never resist the urge to assert himself when beckoned.
She only needed an opening. She only ever needed an opening.
He approached the table, flanked by two burly, rather strapping young guards and for a fleeting moment, she wondered how quickly they would react to a seemingly withered and fragile old woman if she were to behave in an entirely ungrandmotherly fashion. Would they hesitate in drawing their weapons, even for a moment? Shake the image of the stereotype so ingrained into their minds that precious moments would pass before they’d react, and then realize how fatal their misstep was?
A delicious smile crossed her crimson stained lips. She wasn’t as quick on her feet, and her hands would begin their dull ache just as dusk approached, but her age had brought her a bevy of new talents and manipulations. What she lacked in some areas could be easily supplemented in other ways.
“Helena.”
His curt greeting already struck an amused nerve. No matter how straight the posture, how expensive the attire or how entitled the demeanor, nothing could mask the true nature of an uncultured person. Of course, a more socialized individual would have never addressed her so informally. He’d learn his mistake.
“Michael.”
Ahhh, there it was. The brief look of ire that crossed his formerly controlled expression. He was a child. For a man of his supposed stature, verbal barbs volleyed in his direction had quite the impact. Nevertheless, he took a seat opposite her, waving off the approaching waiter while his guards took their position behind him, taking care to give their boss the necessary privacy to conduct business but still exuding their presence.
“What can I help you with?” His eyes fixed on her, and for a moment, she saw what foolish Alexis had seen in his piercing orbs. She had no doubts he was a seductive, charming man who had effortlessly eased himself into her world. Alexis had always had a strange attraction for men who were never afraid to use her affections for them against her and he was no exception to the rule.
The foolishness had gone on for too long.
“Quite a bit, it would seem.”
A muscle along his jaw flicked impatiently, but Helena took a sip of her ice cold water before continuing. “If all proceeds accordingly, I think we’ll emerge both satisfied with the results.”
Lowering her gaze slightly to the leather encased dossier on the table before her, she slid it across towards him. “Have a look. My employees are quite thorough.”
Sonny said nothing as he opened the file and saw a 3x5 picture of young Michael, smiling and laughing on the playground.
With A.J. Quartermaine, his Father.
He stiffened at the sight, memories of Carly’s tears and cries as Michael was whisked from their world, flooding him. A.J. had never revealed how he had secured the custody agreement and Jason, for all his efforts, had produced nary a slip of evidence to indicate who A.J.’s backer had been. In the end, it didn’t matter, Sonny had been unable to do anything about it. Ample proof hand delivered by A.J. Quartermaine’s attorney would have sent himself, Carly and Jason to prison for an indefinite period had they not agreed to the strict demands.
“What is this?” he hissed, shoving the now closed folder back at her. His guards took a step in their direction but he waved them back. “Explain yourself.”
Helena arched a brow. “A smarter man would need no explanation provided. However, in your case, I’ll make things easier.” Leaning forward, she pushed the dossier back. “The first picture is a blunt reminder to you that ultimately, you are powerless. This particular situation had nothing to do with me and yet with a few well placed phone calls, I changed your world.” Pausing deliberately, she gave a small smile. “Or rather, I devastated it.”
Sonny gripped the dossier, attempting to muster all his strength to reign in his volatile emotions. He wanted to throttle her, but Helena Cassadine was not someone he could easily dismiss. Or remove from existence. Patience was a virtue, and now was the time to be heeding its call.
“So why am I here?” he finally asked, unable to think of anything less inflammatory to say. Helena brightened at his deferring tone. That was more like it. As he perused the dossier, she unveiled her proposal to him. “My offer is quite simple really. To atone for the untimely death of my beloved’s youngest child, you will give up your own.”
Sonny stilled at her carefully chosen words. He regarded her with serious eyes and was met by her frosty gaze as she waited patiently for his answer. His spine tingled with uncertainty and he knew he needed to proceed carefully. He wasn’t handling the likes of Jasper Jacks here. “Michael,” he said quietly. “You want us to give up Michael completely. That’s ridiculous.”
Helena threw her head back, her throat offering up a hearty laugh. He really wasn’t seeing the entire picture. Sonny’s lips thinned with anger as her delight bounced off the walls of the enclosed space. “My dear child, Michael is already gone! He never belonged to you to begin with. I am a firm believer in families being bound by blood.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Sonny’s informal threat calmed Helena’s gale of laughter and she returned to her formerly composed self. Her posture hardened and her manner became more imposing as silent seconds passed. “If you are attempting to threaten me Mr. Corinthos, it is a futile choice. I have dealt with men more powerful, more murderous and more handsome than yourself and did not hesitate to remove them from my path.” With a wave of her hand she dismissively stated, “Michael is a dead issue. His Father has been kind enough to allow the Mother to be involved in the boy’s life. I wouldn’t have recommended it, but for some absurd reason, there is a kinship between men and the women who father their children.”
Sonny slowly shook his head, nauseated by the sight before him. “Junior has no idea what he’s gotten himself into.” He’d expected stupid things from AJ Quartermaine, but nothing this pathetic.
Helena shrugged elegantly. “There will come a day when he’ll be expected to act on my behalf, but you see, it’s of no consequence to him. His child back in his life is worth whatever payment he must make in exchange.”
Sonny stood abruptly, he’d had enough of this pointless meeting. “This meeting is over,” he said. “Come near my wife or my family and you’ll regret it,” he added fiercely. His eyes flashed menacingly and for the first time, Helena believed him. Not that she would regret any action she brought against him, just that he would retaliate as strongly as possible. Nevertheless, she hadn’t dismissed him yet. “Sit down.”
Sonny rolled his eyes before turning on his heel and walked straight into the mammoth physique of what appeared to be Helena’s guard. Johnny and Max were off to the side, having been silently and effectively subdued by two other guards and stood, helpless to aid their boss. The towering man glared at Sonny. “You will listen to Madam,” he ordered in a thick Russian accent.
“I would do as Ivan asked. I find he’s quite persuasive,” Helena injected wryly as the sounds of Ivan’s knuckles cracking filled the room. Ivan stared murderously at Sonny, ready to act on Helena’s word. Sonny expelled an angry breath, but reluctantly returned to his seat. “Bravo,” he drawled, “do I get popcorn to go with the show?”
Helena leaned back in the plush chair and smoothly crossed one slim leg over the other. Placing her hands in her lap, her movements were relaxed and in control compared to Sonny’s rigid posture in his own seat. “No popcorn,” she said as another Armani clad employee of Helena’s came forward and placed a pile of documents in front of Sonny, a fountain pen on top of the papers. Sonny’s gaze flicked to the papers and back up at Helena.
“A Kristina for a Kristina and all that I could bring to your life vanishes without a trace.”
Confidence radiated from her as she watched Sonny take a longer look at the papers. A myriad of emotions crossed his countenance and Helena would not contain her gleeful smile this time. It was quite a sight, watching someone silently put the pieces together to finally view the devastating picture before them. These moments were hers to treasure.
A chill coursed through Sonny like lightening, striking his heart with a ferocious sting. It couldn’t be. “Kristina’s mine?” he exclaimed before a gasp escaped him. His head throbbed as the events of the past year pounded in his mind. His fingers clutched the papers, but he did not hear the furious tearing that followed. All he could hear were the lies that had been spouted at him by the Mother of his child.
“Alexis lied,” he spat out viciously, banging his fist on the table. The dishware jangled violently but Helena remained still, waiting for his outburst to pass. “I’ll fuckin’ kill her!” Before he could leap from his seat, Ivan placed his hands on Sonny’s shoulders, holding the man in place. “You will stay,” he said firmly, squeezing Sonny’s shoulders painfully to emphasize his order.
“So now you have been updated.”
A new set of papers was produced to replace those previously torn. Sonny shook his head. “No goddamn way! She’s my daughter!” he shouted at Helena, squirming furiously under Ivan’s iron grip. “I’m not signing anything!”
Helena gave a dissatisfied cluck and opened the dossier. Efficiently, she laid out pictures in a row in front of Sonny. “Pick one,” she instructed. Sonny’s eyes roamed the faces before him. Mike, Jason, Robin, Brenda, Carly and Courtney gazed back at him silently, waiting for his selection. But it was the solemn, cherub face of Morgan, his youngest child, that gripped Sonny’s heart the tightest.
“Pick one and I’ll decide if they die first or last,” Helena said sharply, pulling out her cell phone. She paused, changing her tone. “Most people find my killing to be lacking in originality. Of course, I disagree. Look how I involve you in the decision making process,” she declared merrily, as though they were discussing a trivial matter. “Not many would think to do such a thing.”
Helena turned her head slightly, glancing at each face. “Who shall it be? The sister you barely know? The woman you have always loved? The Father who abandoned you? The sickly girl? The right hand man who will eventually overthrow you? The wife who will spend the remainder of your marriage blaming you for all of her problems?” A pause passed as tension filled seconds passed. “Or the wee one? Morgan is it?” Helena paused once more, she was enjoying herself completely. “Or would you like me to choose? I’m quite effective at making hard choices.”
Sonny said nothing as he sat, defeated and pale. This couldn’t be happening. Not to him, not this time.
Helena’s hand reached out and slid under Sonny’s chin. Slowly she raised it until their gazes met. “Everything begins and ends within the family. A Cassadine is a Cassadine is a Cassadine. The only way a Cassadine is permitted to leave this world, is at the hands of another Cassadine.”
Sonny slapped her hand away and was met with a swift punishment. Ivan expertly twisted his right arm behind his back and slammed his head against the table. “You are a very stupid man,” he spat against Sonny’s ear.
Helena gave a knowing chuckle. Picking up the fountain pen in her hand, she placed it in his. “Only you can save them all, Michael.”
It only took a moment to decide. Numbly, Sonny scrawled his signature over and over again, with each stroke, knowing that he was only condemning himself even more than he already had. He had just seen Alexis a few days before, playing with Kristina at the park. The little one’s mop of dark brown curls and a sunny smile as she enjoyed the attention her Mother lavished on her. He would never experience that for himself. He barely felt Ivan grip his arms and escort him from the room where his guards anxiously rushed up to him. Helena rose from her seat triumphantly. “Mr. Corinthos,” she called after him. Sonny slowly turned.
Helena smiled brightly. “The pen is mightier than the sword,” she announced elegantly. “How appropriate, wouldn’t you agree?”