| Chapter 22 The first Monday after Luke's memorial, Steven and Sonny sat down and talked about his price for his share of the club. By the time the meeting was over with, Steven was Laura's partner in Luke's and Sonny was no longer in the picture. So, after Steven left the meeting, he went to the office to check things out. He knew the club had been neglected for awhile and he wanted to see how things were running. Steven was surprised when he walked into Luke's office to find Lucky sitting behind the desk. "Hi," Lucky said as Steven walked into the office. "Hi, what are you doing here?" He asked. "I had to get out of the house for awhile. Liz is at school and Nikolas went somewhere with Robin. So, I came here," Lucky told him. " I can understand that. What are you doing?" Steven asked as he sat down in the chair across from the teen. "Looking over the list of acts that Luke's could book this next few weeks. Dad hated any other music other then Jazz or Blues to be played here but I was thinking that maybe we could have one night for popular music. It brings in more money and there are more choices out there," Lucky said as he looked over the list of acts that they could book. "You know a lot about booking acts?" Steven asked surprised. "I know all about it. I helped Dad book the acts for awhile now. So, are you now my partner or is Sonny still my partner?" Lucky asked him. Steven noticed that Lucky didn't say his mother's name and this took him off guard for a few minutes. Then he realized that Lucky might be fighting to understand what Helena did. He was still very much the same person other wise and if he treated the boy differently. He would not be helping him get any better. "I'm now your partner." Steven told him finally. "Good. So, how do we run this partnership?" Lucky asked him. "You are not old enough to by alcohol. So, I handle that part of things but as the rest. We can do it together," Steven said. "Deal," Lucky said and he held out his hand of Steven to shake. Steven smiled at this and took the boys hand and shook it. "So, tell me what acts do you have in mind?" he asked. Lucky handed the list over and together they booked Luke's for the next two months. Then they looked over the books and bought supplies. Steven noticed that the staff should have been paid a week ago and he quickly wrote out the checks and with Lucky's agreement the staff all got a little extra for being so patient and not demanding the money. It was just before noon and Lucky was hungry for the first time in weeks. So, he talked Steven into going to Kelly's. Steven as a little unsure about this but he went along to humor the kid. Kelly's was packed and the only place to sit was at the counter. Steven felt even more out of place and he tried not to show it. Lucky noticed it and leaned over and said, "Welcome to the working class." "Watch it," Steven said back to him. Lucky just laughed at this and they both ordered lunch. They were almost done eating when Carly stormed into the dinner all upset. Lucky noticed this and he listen closely at her conversation with Ruby. "You seen my mother?" Carly asked. "No, not today," Ruby said and she tried to walk away but Carly grabbed her arm and demanded attention. Ruby looked at the young woman in frustration but didn't say anything while Carly vented. "I don't have time for this. I need to talk to my mother now!" Carly yelled. Lucky looked at Carly and said, "Carly, she doesn't know where Bobbie is. What's wrong?" "Nothing that you can help with" Carly snapped at him. "Hey, that isn't nice. He was only asking," Steven told her. "Stay out of this Stefan. I don't need you to tell me what is nice or not," Carly said. "Ok, Carly. That is enough. If you are going to treat people like that I don't want you around," Ruby said. Carly looked at her and then lost it completely. "I don't get you. I come to town and you treat me like dirt before and after you knew I was Bobbie's daughter. He tried to destroy every Spencer's lives but you openly except him when you find out he are Luke's son. Tell me Ruby do you just hate me or does everyone hate me! Don't you care that AJ is not only threatening to take my son from me but says I will never see him again," Carly yelled as tears started to fall down her cheeks. Lucky reached up and pulled Carly toward him. He then guided her a stool and requested, "Tell us what is going on." "What isn't going on? I married AJ because I was pregnant and thought the Quartermaine money was worth it. It wasn't and my life been a nightmare ever sense. All they do argue and knock each other down. I get my grammar corrected at every turn. I have to stand around and look nice for AJ's business friends so AJ can still be ELQ's president. I hate all of them and I asked to get out. AJ tells me that I can leave any time I want but Michael stays with him. God, I hate that man but I love my baby. I'm trapped" Carly cried. She felt so much alone and lost at that every moment that she was willing to take just about anyone help to get out of this mess. Steven heard this and an idea started to form as she talked. "Cousin, I want you to go talk to Alexis and tell her this story. If she asks, tell her that I sent you and I'm asking her to help you. After you are done talking to her. Have her come by the club because I have away to help you keep Michael and maybe start a life for me and Nikolas," Steven said in a very mysterious tone of voice. Lucky looked at him and wondered what Steven was up to. Carly did to but she was just too grateful for help of any kind to argue with him. She headed off to find Alexis and Lucky and Steven went back to the club. Steven was lost in thought and he didn't say a word all the way back to the club. Lucky was dying to know what he was up to but every time he asked. Steven told him "he would explain later" and then he went back to his thinking. Steven called Nikolas and had him come to the club for a meeting. Lucky was so wired by the time his brother got there that he wanted to strangle Steven. Nikolas walked into the office and asked, "What's up?" "That is what I want to know," Lucky snapped ready to blow at any moment. "Sorry," Steven said addressing Lucky. "I should have warned you. I don't discuss things until I have everything worked out in advance," Steven told him. "Great, now you tell me. Hey, I like to hear what people are thinking so. Please don't do this to me again," Lucky told him it was very clear to Nikolas that Lucky was frustrated and that his father was up to something. "What's going on?" Nikolas asked again as he took a seat in one of the chairs that were placed in front of the desk. Lucky took the other one and waited not very passionately for Steven to start explaining. Steven ignored him and started to explain things to both teens. "Carly is having a little problem and I think we can take advantage of it. AJ and her marriage is just about to end and he is threatening to keep Michael from her. I think that maybe we can help her keep Michael plus win some capital or even a few companies from ELQ along the way." "How are you going to do that?" Lucky asked as his mind tried to figure out what Steven was up to. Something did tell him that Steven's old persona was more in command then he was at this moment. "AJ is a fool. I know for a fact that the right person with the right capital could over take ELQ from him at anytime. As the Cassadine heir apparent, I kept an eye on his dealings I know his strength and weakness. I also know a few things about Miss Carly that most people don't know about," Steven said with a smile on his face. "Like what?" Lucky asked very skeptical about what was going on at the moment. Steven noticed his tone of voice and decided to change is tone of the conversation. "Lucky, I'm not going to use this information to hurt anyone in your family and in fact, I think it could help everyone out. I need to start a life outside this club and Carly needs her son. We can use the Quartermaine's to get both," Steven told her. "You are not planning on take over all of ELQ?" Nikolas asked in shock. "No, not all of it. I'm just going to take a small portion of it and teach young AJ a lesson in manners. You see, he knows that Michael isn't his son and so does Carly but he has been blacking mailing her with the truth of the babies father to get what he wants and that is control over ELQ and on his grandfather's good side," Steven told two shocked teens. "If AJ isn't Michael's father then who is?" Nikolas asked him. "Jason," Lucky replied for Steven. Then all those little meetings he saw before his father's death between Jason and Carly were about Michael. He also understood now why Carly wanted the baby to be named Michael even when AJ wanted the boy named after him. "Yes, Jason Morgan is the boys father but because of his line of business Carly kept this news from him. He has his suspicions but he doesn't know if it is the truth or not," Steven told them. "So, what's your plan?" Lucky asked with a sly smile on his face. He would be glad to help take down AJ and even Edward a few pegs. The little he had been around both men, they treated him like white trash and he saw they treated Carly in the same manor. He might not like Carly all too much but she was family and family looked after each other. Nikolas and Lucky leaned forward and listened closely to Steven's plan. Alexis showed up a few hours later puzzled about what was going on but she soon learned everything. She knew the perfect person to help bring down AJ and she called Ned for help. It took them awhile to get Ned on their side but finally he agreed as long as Steven left some of ELQ in tact and that none of their plotting hurt Monica, Emily, or Lila. Steven promised he would and that only AJ and Edward were the targets. Ned liked the plan and he had away to help get them into ELQ. They were going to buy up Tracy's, Jax's, and Sonny's stock and with Ned's share. They would have enough votes in the family to control ELQ. Steven liked this and left the gathering of the stocks to him. He would start doing some insider trading and undermine AJ's latest business dealings. Ned said he could take care of all of them but Tracy's. His mother would smell an underhanded deal a mile away and she would want in. Steven thought about this and decided to go after Tracy himself. He had a knack of dealing with women like Tracy after years of dealing with his mother. The group broke up right before supper and they would meet a week later for progress reports on their assignments. 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