| Chapter 48 The next morning five automobiles liked up out front in the driveway of the house in St. Petersburg. Luke�s Caddy and Lucky�s vet as among them. Mikkos had the cars brought in from the Castle in the country. He figured that since Luke and Lucky both had done what he had asked them to do that this was his way of saying thanks. Everyone was in the breakfast room eating breakfast and talking at one time. They still didn�t have a good idea what the castle looked like or what to expect when they got there. Mikkos was keeping mum on the details and just told them to wait and see. Everyone had an argument on that point. BJ wanted to stay in town to stay close to the shops, mainly because she had a small shopping addiction. Stefan tried to talk his father into staying one more time by saying that it might be wise to stay close just in case any of the deals they brokered these two weeks would fall through. All the others didn�t mind going; it was not knowing what they were going to find was the problem. The only town was twenty minutes away and from what they were told it wasn�t that big. They might be ready for a break but sitting out in the country without just themselves to look might be going to far. �Enough,� Mikkos finally yelled getting sick of the bickering. �Everyone is going and we will have fun just trust me.� Mikkos sighed in frustration as he stood up and walked out of the room. Everyone looked at Stefan and asked, �Do you know what is waiting for us?� �I know what it cost but I don�t details either,� Stefan told the group. Right now Stefan wasn�t worried about money but the cost of life. He just couldn�t get over the feeling that something bad was going to happen there. An hour later, Luke and Lucky were leaning against their cars waiting for the others to come out. Luke looked at his watch and sighed. He couldn�t understand it. When they were running around playing prince. They weren�t late once but now that it was over with. No one in this family could even get their acts together for five minutes to get ready to leave. Victor was the first one out the door. He was talking on his cell phone giving orders to his men that were about ready to get into the air. If Victor had a choice in the matter they would all be flying to the castle, but because Alexis hated flying in anything smaller then a jet and Mikkos thought a drive would get everyone out of the moods they have been in. Victor idea was axed. This meant he had to get everyone there in one piece. He still didn�t know what was going on with the search of the hotel and the bugging of Lucky room and a few of the others rooms. He did know though that an ex KGB agent was behind both events. He just hasn�t figured out whom the guy was working for. So to keep everyone safe, Victor was going to keep people on them at all times. He was going to have three copters flying around them with two-car load of men in front and behind them. He was even going to drive the lead car with Jason bring up the rear. He would rather have Zander back there but because Nikolas was riding with him. It would be better if Sonny and Jason were in the rear car. At least they both knew how to deal with the danger and knew how to handle guns if needed. �Trouble?� Luke asked as Victor walked towards them. �Not if I can help it,� Victor said putting away his phone and looking at Lucky. �You stay behind father. I don�t want you taking off by yourself.� �What�s up?� Lucky asked. He knew Victor wouldn�t say something like that unless there was danger. He also was smart enough to do exactly what the man ordered. He wasn�t about ready to forget his last kidnapping. �I don�t know yet but I�m working on it,� Victor said walking to this car. Luke eyed Victor for a moment but didn�t ask what he meant by that. He would ask him later once Lucky wasn�t round. It wasn�t that he was trying to keep anything from this kid but he just didn�t want to worry Lucky needlessly. He knew the kidnapping did a real number and Lucky. One that he was just starting to get over. He didn�t want to do anything to cause needs harm to the teen. It took a bit longer for others to come out. Luke was leaning against the caddy smoking a cigar when Alex walked out the door. She took on look at him and said, �Put that out!� �Yes, doctor,� Luke said putting out his cigar. He didn�t know what bugged him more about having her around all the time. Her constant nagging about what he ate, drank or smoked, or having her ask him how he was feeling. All he knew was that he couldn�t wait to finally get better so he didn�t have to listen to her any more. Lucky was giggling at this, as Alex, Ruby and his grandfather walked past him. Ruby winked at Lucky as she passed and Lucky kissed her on the cheek. They didn�t care how long it took as long as Luke got better. The last of the family walked out of the house right then. Nikolas was helping Lu carry her trophy. �Ah, Lu?� Lucky asked as his sister walked towards his car. �That isn�t going to fit in the trunk.� �I�m holding it,� Lu said smiling. Luke smiled at his daughter. �How about putting my trunk and that way you can enjoy the drive better,� Luke said as he walked towards Lu. �It won�t break?� Lu asked looking at her prize concern. �It won�t break,� Luke promised his daughter as he took the trophy and took it towards the caddy. Lu watched as Luke put the trophy in the trunk and put blankets around it to make sure nothing happened to it. After Lu was satisfied that her trophy would be safe, she climbed into the front seat of Lucky�s car. BJ and Josh sat in the back. As for the others, they road to the castle in this manner. Victor, Alex, Ruby and Mikkos were in the lead. Luke, Laura, Stefan and Bobbie were next, while Zander, Robin, Nikolas and Gia went in the car right behind Lucky, and bring up the rear with the kids, was Jason, Carly, Alexis and Sonny. They were the only ones that drove in a van and lucky Sonny and Alexis. They got the very back seat. As Sonny pulled himself into the van, he called out to Jason asking, �How did I get this seat?� �Carly gets car sick and it is because of your wife we aren�t flying,� Jason said reminding Sonny. �You better open a window or two,� Sonny told Jason. He wondered if his claustrophobia would kick in with him just in the back. �Don�t worry honey,� Alexis said as smiling at Sonny as she buckled up Tasha in her car seat. �You�ll be find. I�ll be with you.� �Thanks and sweet heart and darling, we are going deal with your flying problem because I�m not doing this again,� Sonny told her as he looked around the small back seat of the van glad that their was windows everyone so he could look out and see the outside world. As the cars hit the open road, Luke looked back to see Stefan trying to read a file but because of the wind from the open top. He found it hard to keep the papers in line. Luke reached back pulled the file out of Stefan�s hands and said, �This is a vacation. You can work any time. It is time to relax.� �Some of us have work to do,� Stefan said trying to grab the file but Luke just opened the glove compartment tossed it in. Stefan tried to get it but Luke warned him, �Next time I�m letting it fly!� Stefan was about to say he wouldn�t but, then realized that he would. So, Stefan sat back and forced himself to relax. Bobbie and Laura were fighting the laughter. They always found Luke and Stefan�s relationship a bit interesting. Here were two men that could easily be enemies but in some way they found a strange friendship. Oh, they fought but they still respected each other. They just never went out and said it. Lucky was driving behind the caddy listening to a song that Lu had picked out from his CD collection. He happened to catch BJ and Josh�s conversation. BJ was talking about the killing she made on the stock market. �This for real?� Lucky asked her looking in his rear view mirror at his cousin. �Yeah, Stefan is teaching me,� BJ said sounding very pleased with herself. �So, you are learning to make money and not spending it,� Lucky said teasingly as he ducked his head a bit to keep BJ from slapping it. Josh started to laugh at this and said, �Spencer, stop picking on her. She is doing great with the market.� �You know, It might not hurt me trying to learn the market a bit. How about teaching me?� Lucky asked. �Sure,� BJ said. She didn�t see the harm in it. �Great,� Lucky said and BJ started talking about the concept of playing the stock market. Mikkos noticed that Ruby was a little antsy. �What�s wrong?� He asked kissing her hand. �I just realized a mouth from now we will married again. I�m not sure what to think about it,� Ruby said smiling at Mikkos. It wasn�t that she didn�t want to marry him. It was all the came with it that bothered her. �You have second thoughts?� Mikkos asked her. Ruby shook her head no and said, �No, I�m ready to spend what little life I have left with you. I just realized that no matter how hard I�ll try to keep old life. It will not be the same. I�ll be your wife.� �Ruby, if you want to keep running the diner then do it but remember you promised me that you rest too. Monica told you the more take care of yourself. The more time on this planet you will have and I want as much time as I can together. Mikkos, Victor and Alex were the only ones that knew Ruby had a heart condition. Ruby took medication and Mikkos forced her to rest as much as possible. He did it because he loved her. He did it so they as much time as they could get together. �I know and I promised. If it wasn�t for you, I would have worked myself to death because work would all I would have beside Luke and Bobbie,� Ruby said hugging Mikkos. �Well, you have me,� Mikkos said smiling as he kissed Ruby�s hand. Carly and Jason were talking. When Alexis broke into their conversation. �I have been meaning to ask you two something.� �What�s that?� Carly asked. �I was wondering if you would want to be Godparents again?� Alexis said grinning. �You�re kidding,� Carly said with a big smile on her face. She would love to have another child but because the twins took a lot out of her. Jason and her decided to wait at least until they were a bit older. Until then she was going to enjoy every moment she had with Victoria and Michael. �No, were not,� Sonny said smiling like a proud papa. �When you do?� Jason asked. �Seven mouths. I knew I was pregnant when we left Port Charles. I just didn�t feel like everyone fussing over me with the press around. I figured I would wait to tell the family after things cooled down,� Alexis admitted. �Well, you will have three mouths of Uncle Mikkos hovering over you now,� Carly said giggling. �Yeah, I know,� Alexis said smiling as she leaned her head against Sonny�s shoulder. She never saw herself as a mother until she held her child in her arms that first time. She now couldn�t wait to have this baby. She didn�t care if it was a boy or a girl. All she cared about was that it was happy and healthy. �Zander, you know more about the running of this family then I do. What is grandfather hiding?� Nikolas asked as he leaned forward in the seat. �I don�t know what he is hiding,� Zander admitted to Nikolas. I do know that Victor has every inch of that place covered from every angle. Those copters you see flying by every now and then are ours. He had a landing strip built on the land. It can�t take the big jets we came over on but the smaller planes we fly to collage it can. There are about six of them on the landing strip now plus about five or more copters!� �What else?� Gia asked. She couldn�t believe how paranoid Victor was about protection. He has gone as far as moderating what comes in on the mail. If it wasn�t from a known family member, the mail got opened up to make sure that it was safe. She didn�t understand why but she did think it was bit much. �The top of the line surveillance equipment that money could by or make,� Zander said with a smile. �I can�t wait to see it,� Nikolas said just thinking what Victor had cooked up to keep them safe. Chapter 49 Back to Trials of Love |