Danger in the Skies
A romantic getaway turns into a nightmare...
Brenda Barrett, the new owner of Deception, was surprised when she quite literally ran into Justus Ward one day. He too had return to Port Charles. There was an instant attraction and the two began to date. Justus asked her to go away with him for a weekend. He introduced her to Keesha, and he and Brenda grew closer. However, on the plane ride back disaster struck. Something happened to the airplane, and it began to go down. The people aboard feared for their lives! Also aboard was Emilla Cates, who was coming to Port Charles to worm her way in the lives of Sonny and Carly. As well, a pregnant woman named Lisa Graves was aboard. As the plane went down they all hoped they could make it through the crash...
The plane landed in the water off the coast of a tropical island. As it began to fill with water, Brenda and Justus worked to help Emilla out. Brenda also promised a dying Lisa Graves that she would tell her husband that she loved him. Once outside the plane, the three survivors swam to the island not knowing that they were about to put their lives in more danger. Once the reached the island, they found that they were in a compound. Hoping to locate a phone, they ran towards the house but were chased down by guards. Brenda and Emilla were taken prisoner by the dangerous Santiago.
Justus began to work to save the two women. But they were far from helpless. Emilla and Brenda began to work together to free themselves. A fight broke out and Brenda managed to get her hands on a gun. She held one the guards at gun point demanding her freedom. Justus showed up and entered the fray. In the confusion of the escape, Justus fell behind and the women had no choice to leave him there...knowing that they had just condemned him to die at the hands of Santiago. They managed to escape the island and headed back to Port Charles. Emilla asked how Brenda planned to break the news to Justus' family.
After parting ways with Emilla, Brenda was walking through the streets of Port Charles mourning Justus when she happened to run into Drake Graves. She remembered what she had promised Lisa Graves, and told the grieving widower that Lisa loved him. Drake was upset but thanked Brenda for bringing the message to him. The two continued down the street and suddenly spotted a man lying in the middle of the road!
Brenda called 911, while Drake immediately went to help. The man in the road asked for Brenda...it was Justus! He had not been killed in the explosion and had been brought to Port Charles by the evil Santiago. He came around to ask for Brenda. Drake called for her but she refused to come closer, insisting she didn't know the injured man. She had seen enough pain and suffering to last her a life time. She made sure the man was safely in the ambulence before going home to write the Quartermaines a letter telling them of Justus' "death".
Santiago, the man who had kidnapped Justus, had an ally in Port Charles - none other than the wicked Helena Cassadine. Together they had devised an evil plan to turn Justus into their loyal servant. Using drugs, they set about to convince Justus that he hated Jason and needed to kill him. Helena hoped that his death would weaken Sonny's defenses. Justus began to give in as he felt anger at the sight of a picture of Jason. The plan was foiled when Drake and Brenda figured it out. They all raced to Helena's castle and found Santiago's hideout. He was ready to take Brenda as his captive but Drake managed to call the police. Mac and Talon showed up and raced against a ticking bomb to save everyone. Santiago died when the castle blew up but everyone else- including Justus got to safety.
Brenda was overjoyed that Justus was alive. She watched as they took him in the back of ambulance and then rode with Mac to the hospital. On the way, the two talked about ways of getting Helena and making her pay for this. But they both knew in their hearts that Helena would get away with it in the end. At the hospital, Mac knew he should question Justus but decided to let Brenda see him first. Justus was comign around...muttering something about seeing the dead Zander Smith. Brenda came to his side and the two were reunited.