Seven Days in August

(A Days of Our Lives Alternative Reality)

This story is set in Salem, August 1998. The characters include everyone in Salem at the time of the July Brady/Horton barbeque, with the addition of Kim and her children. A few things have happened since the barbeque that differ from the show’s version of events. After a couple of days on the road, Bo came home to work on his relationship with Hope. Roman declined the ISA assignment and stayed in Salem for his children’s sake. Billie went shopping in New York. John and Marlena took Belle and Brady to Colorado for a vacation and now they’re back home in the penthouse. Lexi is pregnant. Sami’s wedding has been postponed for a few weeks while Roman checks out Franco. The art festival in Bulgaria is scheduled for late-September. Other storylines are the same as their televised version.

Day One – “Kingdom Come”

Day Two – “Brothers’ Keeper”

Day Three – “Thy Will Be Done”

Day Four – “The Living and The Dead”

Day Five – “Heaven and Earth”

Day Six, Morning – “Deliver Us From Evil”

Day Six, Afternoon – “Revelations”

Day Seven – “On The Seventh Day”

Prologue

“What God Has Joined”

August 22 was John and Marlena’s wedding anniversary, so they decided it was the perfect day to get married again. They started making elopement plans before they even got out of bed. Marlena called in sick. John called the Justice of the Peace and got an appointment for early afternoon. To spare Roman’s feelings, they decided not to ask the Bradys to attend. Marlena wanted to invite Sami and Eric, but she was sure they wouldn’t come. They called Abe at the cop shop and Lexi at the hospital and asked them to be their witnesses. Both happily accepted. Just then, Belle and Brady ran into the bedroom and jumped into bed with their parents. When John and Marlena told them they were getting married that day, the kids squealed with delight.

Alice, who was volunteering at the hospital, overheard the call to Lexi and swung into action. She called Hope, who called Laura, who called Mike, who called Carrie, who called the pub. At the pub Shawn, Caroline, and Kim felt bad that John and Marlena thought they wouldn’t want to attend. Sami and Eric were also at the pub and heard the news. They declared they would never accept John as their stepfather! Shawn and Caroline reminded them that John was their *only* parent for many years and never stopped loving them, despite all the disrespect they showed him later on. Sami didn’t want to hear it and left, but Eric stayed and thought about it. Roman, who had come into the pub earlier, overheard everything and left without being noticed.

Within an hour Kimberly was on the phone to Lexi, who was amazed at how quickly the grapevine worked. She told Lexi that Alice had a plan and Lexi had to stall the ceremony for a few minutes. Lexi called the justice, who was happy to oblige. John and Marlena and the kids arrived at the courthouse at the appointed time. It was a hot and humid summer day. John and Brady were wearing matching khakis and shirts, Marlena was wearing a white sleeveless sundress, and Belle had on a white and yellow flowered dress and a little straw hat. The receptionist told them the justice would be with them shortly. They were giddy with happiness, nervous, and eager to begin: the kids ran back and forth in the waiting room shouting “we’re getting married!” Marlena was sorry that Eric and Sami didn’t support the relationship, but John assured her they would come around in time. Abe and Lexi arrived with bouquets of flowers for the bride and Belle and carnations for the groom and Brady.

Finally the justice arrived and invited them to join him in the main courtroom for the ceremony. Just as the ceremony was about to begin, the back door opened and a smiling Carrie and Austin came in with flowers in their arms. John grinned and Marlena cried. “We brought others,” said Carrie, and in walked Laura, Mickey, Maggie, Mike, and Alice. More hugs. “Hey, save a hug for me!” and in walked Hope, Bo, and Shawn-D. Then Kim and her kids, Shawn, and Caroline. Everyone brought flowers and greenery, cut from their own gardens as per Alice’s instructions. Kim, Hope, and Laura arranged them around the room and soon they were surrounded by a blaze of color. John and Marlena were stunned and touched. Marlena said ”Everyone is here, but…” ”Me!” and Eric came in the room. More hugs and kisses. He apologized for his former rudeness and told Marlena that her happiness was important to him. Then he turned to John and told him that Grandma and Grandpa reminded him of something he had tried to forget – John’s unconditional love. Shyly, he wondered if John could spare him a little bit more…

Sami stood outside the half-open door but couldn’t bring herself to enter. She laid a single daisy on the floor and walked away. Marlena saw her out of the corner of her eye and ran to stop her, but Sami was gone. Marlena picked up the daisy, threw down her bouquet, and carried Sami’s flower with her for the rest of the ceremony. Sami, looking through a window, saw this and was filled with an emotion she couldn’t describe. John and Marlena recited their vows and the Justice of the Peace declared them husband and wife.

Roman stood outside the courthouse, trying not to be upset about the activities inside. Sami saw him and they hugged. He told her to go back inside if she wanted to, but Sami refused and said she wanted to be with him instead. Grateful for her support, he hugged her again and they left together. Sami glanced back at the courthouse and saw Marlena at the door looking for her. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other.

A block away from the courthouse sat a black car with tinted glass. The person in the car watched as John came out of the courthouse, stood behind Marlena, and whispered something into her ear that made her laugh. They walked arm-in-arm back into the building where their impromptu wedding reception was underway. The courthouse door closed behind them. A moment later, the black car drove away.

* * * * *

Day One

“Kingdom Come”

It’s the evening of their wedding day and John and Marlena are exhausted. The kids had been totally wired by all the excitement and nearly impossible to put to bed. It had taken the combined efforts of Mom and Dad and to get them settled down. John had read story after story to distract them long enough for Marlena to take a quick shower, then she had done the same to give John a chance to clean up. But now, all was blessedly silent. Chelsea had taken the week off, the upstairs bedroom was quiet, and all the visitors were gone. It was just John and Marlena, alone at last in the living room. John walks over to the front door and secures the lock and turns down the lights. Marlena stands in the middle of the room, her damp hair tucked behind her ears, wearing nothing but a soft white terry bathrobe. John is wearing black pyjama bottoms and his wet hair is slicked back from his face. They come together and melt into each others arms, kissing deeply. Their hands start to roam around the other’s body. John unties Marlena’s robe as her hands explore the bare skin on the small of his back… *Thump Thumpthump* Both stop and look upstairs. Another thump, then some giggling, a crash, and shouts of surprise. “NOW what are they doing?” John says with a hint of exasperation.

“Don’t you think you’d better find out?” asks Marlena sweetly.

John sighs, then smiles. “Don’t go anywhere,” he tells her. He then gives her another surprisingly deep kiss before going upstairs to check on the kids, taking the steps two at a time.

Marlena lets out a swoon and twirls around the room in happiness. The doorbell chimes. “Who could that be at this time of night?” she wonders. She pulls her robe together, runs her hands through her wet hair, and opens the door slightly. Out in the hall are three unknown men. One is dressed in an unfamiliar police uniform. Another has the look of a FBI agent or police detective. The third is an elderly gentlemen with a dignified air dressed in formal eveningwear and carrying an attache case.

“May I help you?” Marlena asks from the doorway.

“Good evening,” says the policeman. “We are here to talk with Mr. John Black on a matter of great urgency. May we come in?”

Marlena studies them closely. “Show me your IDs,” she orders.

“Of course,” the man replies, and pulls out his badge which identifies him as Rene Martin from the Paris Metropolitan Police Department. The agent is Matthew Baker of the ISA, and the elderly man’s business card identifies him only as Paul Blair, Esq. She invites them inside and is about to ask them their business when John comes bouncing down the stairs again. He stops and stares at the visitors with a puzzled expression, then breaks into a wide grin and comes forward to shake Rene’s hand.

“Mon ami!” John exclaims.

”It’s been too long,” Rene answers. “What a pleasure to see you again!”

Marlena watches the reunion with interest, and John quickly makes the introductions: Rene was a friend from his “Roman” days with the ISA, and he had been instrumental in helping him find Marlena in Paris. Marlena greets him warmly, and then excuses herself to put on some clothes. John asks Rene what he’s doing in the States, and Rene gets very serious. “John, I have very bad news for you. Please let us sit down.” John leads the trio to the sofa. Rene briefly introduces the other two men, and they sit in uncomfortable silence until Marlena returns. She sits down next to John and takes his hand.

Rene begins somberly “John, I’m sorry I must tell you this. Your brother, Lawrence Alamain, and his wife Katerina are dead. Their son Nicholas is gravely wounded and may not survive. We are convinced that Mr. Alamain and his wife were murdered, the victims of an assassination plot.” He pauses to let his words sink in. “John, Mr. Alamain was a shrewd and often ruthless businessman. He had many enemies who might want him dead.”

John is stunned. “Dead?” he echoes. He stands up and paces the room. “Are you SURE?” He directs the question to the ISA agent, pinning him with a hard glare. “The ISA has been known to make mistakes.”

“Yes, we are sure,” Rene replies for everyone. He explains that a plaza-full of witnesses saw what happened. The family got into their car and the car pull away from the curb. Moments later it was hit by a mortar shell launched from the back of a van parked on a bridge hundreds of yards away. There was a tremendous explosion. Many spectators were also injured in the blast, some seriously.

“A mortar shell? You’re serious? Incredible!” John paces some more. “And Nikki. You said he was hurt. Is he really dying?”

“His injuries are extensive. He is being treated by the best doctors in Europe, but the prognosis is grim. He hasn’t regained consciousness yet, so he still doesn’t know that his parents are – gone.”

“Oh, that poor kid,” John moans and sits down again. Unshed tears come to his eyes as he remembers the bright, handsome boy and his beautiful mother who had been such a good friend to him and Isabella. As for Lawrence, he had disliked him and despised everything he stood for, but John felt great sadness that his life had been cut short by violence. Marlena grabs John’s hand and squeezes it tightly. The tears on her cheeks express her feelings better than words.

Rene pulls him out of his thoughts. “John…”

“Now what?” John asks bleakly.

“John, I’m sorry, but there are a dozen decisions you must make immediately, and each one is a matter of life and death.”

Baker of the ISA speaks up for the first time. “Mr. Black, the assassination of Lawrence and Katerina Alamain is being investigated by every law enforcement agency on the continent. At the moment we are gathering physical evidence and talking to witnesses, but we still have no suspects. All we know is that the assassins targeted Mr. Alamain *and* his family, and that makes us concerned about you and yours. You need our protection, sir.”

John and Marlena lock eyes and turn as one toward the bedroom where their children are sleeping. John starts shaking involuntarily and Marlena wraps her arms around him and whispers comforting words. He hears them and wills himself to calm down, but his thoughts are spinning wildly – “my children – oh God – my children – not even Stefano tried to hurt my children…” Marlena hides her own fears for now.

“Has Vivian Alamain has been notified?” she asks.

“We planned to talk with her tomorrow, after speaking with Mr. Black.”

“She needs to be here. I don’t want her to hear about this on the news. It will be on the news, right?”

“The story has already hit the wire services. She motions to Rene to sit with John while she pulls herself together and calls Vivian.

*

Vivian is comfortably settled in bed, reading a book and sipping a glass of wine. The last thing she wants is to have her evening at home interrupted, but just then the phone rings. She is snippy with Marlena at first but she soon changes her tune. “You didn’t even invite me to your elopement and now you want me to come over in the middle of the night? Can’t it wait until morning? Oh. What? NO! Not Nikki! Yes, yes, tell John I’ll be there immediately – of course, Ivan too – we’ll be there – goodbye.” Vivian throws her book aside, gulps the last of her wine, and jumps up to leave for the penthouse. Only when she reaches the door, purse in hand, does she notice she’s still in her bedclothes. “I can’t go out like this! What am I thinking? I have to put some clothes on!” she tells herself rationally. She heads to her closet and flings open the doors and starts rummaging around frantically. “I have to wear something. What am I going to wear? I have nothing to wear!” She crumples to the floor and starts sobbing uncontrollably. Ivan, alerted by her shouts, comes in and asks what is wrong. “Nikki! There’s been an accident! He’s dying!” Ivan lifts her up off the floor and comforts her with a hug. There are tears in his eyes, too.

*

Back at the penthouse, John is sitting at the dining room table with the men and Marlena and a fresh pot of coffee. He is dressed in slacks and shirt now, calm again, but grim. He grills Baker and Rene on every detail of the case, but there is little they can tell him. In answer to their questions, John says he hasn’t had personal contact with Lawrence since he left Salem – no, he didn’t see him during his last two trips to Europe – all of their mutual business dealings were handled by intermediaries. Marlena calls the hospital in France and talks to Nikki’s doctors, who tell her he is still in intensive care and in a coma. John calls his pilot and tells him to have his jet on one-hour standby.

Paul Blair has barely said a word all evening, but he has been watching John intently. And John is getting increasingly annoyed by the scrutiny. Finally he has had enough. Before Rene can ask him another question, he turns to Blair and looks him in the eyes. “Why are you staring at me? What is so interesting? Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

Blair offers a small thin smile. He is about to speak when the chime of the doorbell interrupts him. Marlena opens the door and Vivian and Ivan come in, anxiously looking for answers. John jumps up and greets her with a long hug that both warms and worries her. Rene and Baker stand up and introduce themselves, and then Blair stands up.

Ivan sees him first. “Blair.”

“Ivan. Miss Alamain.”

Vivian stares at him. “Blair, what are you doing here? I didn’t think you ever left the office, let alone the country. What could possibly be serious enough to bring you all the way to the States? Oh my God! John, you’re holding back on me. Tell me the TRUTH!” She grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him.

“Sit down, Vivian. Please.” She numbly complies. Marlena lends a hand to Ivan, who has suddenly gone very pale. John sits on the coffee table facing them and holds Vivian’s hands.

“These gentlemen came here to tell us some terrible news.” Pause. “There is no way to make this easier. Lawrence and Carly are dead. They were murdered by unknown assailants.” Vivian looks like she’s going to faint. “Nikki was injured in the attack and is fighting for his life.”

“John! Please tell me there’s been a mistake, a horrible, stupid mistake…”

“I’m sorry, Vivian. Ivan. I can’t do that.”

She closes her eyes and sits in silence, letting her memories and emotions wash over her. Ivan does the same. The others wait in respectful silence until they compose themselves. When she opens her eyes again, everyone is shocked by the bleakness of her expression.

“Lawrence and I were once very close,” she explains needlessly.

“We know, Vivian,” Marlena responds sympathetically. “And Nikki is like a son to you.”

“We have to help him!” Vivian exclaims urgently. “We have to get there right away…”

“Of course we’ll help him. He’s going to need all of us.”

Ivan wipes away a stray tear and reaches over to take Vivian’s hand. She permits it. “Mr. Black?” Ivan asks, taking refuge behind a mask of formality, “what can you tell us about the attack?”

“Ivan, all I know is what these gentlemen have told me. Rene from the Paris Police Department, and I’ll let him give you the details. Baker can tell you what the ISA has learned. And as for Mr. Blair, well, I’m not quite sure why he’s here or even who he is.”

“We know him,” Ivan informs him. “Mr. Black, may I introduce Mr. Paul Blair, Chancellor of the House of Alamain.”

John looks a bit perplexed. “I don’t understand. What exactly is a chancellor, and why does a “House” need one?”

Blair’s voice is polished and condescending. “Mr. Black, if you were aware of your family history, you would know that the House of Alamain is not just a residence or the people related by blood and marriage to the Alamain family line. It was chartered by the King of France nearly 800 years ago as an independent mini-state. The House has property and land holdings on every continent, a dozen different commercial enterprises, and a political/economic presence in countries around the world. It is a legacy to be cherished and defended…“

John cuts him off “Fine. Now I know what a “House” is. But you still haven’t told me what a chancellor does.“

Blair looks on him with pity. “Allow me to enlighten you, sir. As Chancellor, my job is to do whatever is necessary to ensure the long-term survival of the House. I manage all the personal property, financial matters, and staff for the family. I serve as confidential advisor to the master of the House on all important issues and ensure that his directives are carried out precisely. Without me, the House would soon fall into total disarray.” (Vivian and Ivan roll their eyes.)

John notices their reaction and sees a faint smile on Marlena’s face. “Oh, so you’re the butler!” (Vivian and Ivan guffaw and Rene cracks a grin, but Blair’s face turns to stone.) John give him his brightest smile. “No offense, man. I LIKE butlers!” he reassures him, but his eyes hold a hint of challenge.

Blair responds with wounded dignity. “You underestimate my position and authority, Mr. Black. Your father and brother entrusted the most important family and business matters to me, and my only desire is to carry out my responsibilities to the best of my ability.”

John accepts the statement for now. “So why *are* you here? What do you want from me?”

Blair collects himself for a moment. Then he reaches for his attache case and places it on the table before him. Everyone’s eyes are focused on him. “Mr. Alamain left precise instructions as to what should be done in case he and his wife died before Master Nicholas came of age. He gave me full power of attorney to act on his behalf until you, sir, were contacted.”

John is intrigued. “Go on.”

“Mr. Alamain was quite specific. He wanted you to be his son’s legal guardian until he reaches the age of twenty-five, when he comes into his rightful inheritance as the Head of House, a role traditionally passed on from eldest son to eldest son.”

John and Marlena are stunned, as are Vivian and Ivan. Marlena is the first to speak. “Mr. Blair, I would like to see a copy of your instructions.”

“Of course, Madame,” he replies. He opens his attache case and hands over an official document marked with a crest and wax seal. She reads it, shakes her head, and shows it to Vivian and Ivan.

John keeps his eyes focused on Blair. “Doc, tell me what it says.”

“Just what Mr. Blair told us. Lawrence and Carly wanted you to be Nikki’s guardian until he turns twenty-five.”

“Why not Vivian? She raised him and knows him so much better…”

“The document is clear. He doesn’t want Vivian anywhere near him because of what she did to Carly.” (Vivian hangs her head.)

“Blair, I don’t understand,” John continues. “I didn’t know anything about this, and Lawrence and I were not on good terms. Why did he expect me to agree to this arrangement?”

“Mr. Black, I am fully aware of the differences between you and your late brother: I was not privy to all of Mr. Alamain’s thoughts. But I know he received regular reports about you and your “adventures”. He knows you served as a priest, and he followed your trial in Aremid with great concern.” John and Marlena exchange glances. “He knows you have always made supreme efforts on behalf of the people you care about, and Mr. Alamain felt confident you would agree to this request, for Master Nicholas’s sake.”

“Are there any alternative guardians?” John asks, seeking to understand this strange situation. “What about Carly – um – Katerina’s family? Wouldn’t they be in a position to care for Nikki?”

“Mr. Black, Mrs. Alamain has chosen to separate herself completely from her family for personal reasons which shall remain confidential. She wanted you to take care of Master Nicholas, too. She often commented on how much she valued her friendship with you and your late wife, Isabella. I also know that Master Nicholas considered his years in Salem to be among the happiest in his life. Their reasons for choosing you as guardian are sensible.”

“But you’re still not happy about it, are you, Blair?” John notes astutely. “That’s why you’ve been staring at me all night, scrutinizing my every word and action. Are you looking for a way to discredit me?” Blair says nothing, so John decides to confront the issue directly. “Tell me something. If you don’t approve of my selection as Nikki’s guardian, can you veto my brother’s wishes?”

Blair is taken aback. “Of course not, sir.”

“That’s good, because I intend to do everything in my power to fulfill my brother’s request and provide a home for Nikki until he becomes “Man of the House” himself. I could use your help and support, but if you have any problems with this turn of events I will be happy to accept your resignation now.” The room holds its collective breath.

“Mr Black, I am at your service for as long as the House of Alamain needs me.”

“Thank you.” The room exhales. Vivian and Ivan watch this interplay with a combination of dread, fascination, and approval. John stands up decisively. Everyone else stands up at the same time. “Vivian and Ivan. I need to know what’s happening in Alamania, the funeral arrangements for Lawrence and Carly, that sort of thing. Will you find out for me? You’ll know who to ask.”

“Certainly, John.”

“Blair?”

“Yes sir.”

“Tomorrow I want you to call a meeting of all the Alamain executives and brief them, and me, on any changes you foresee may occur because of Lawrence’s death. I want everything to run as smoothly as possible during this transition.” Blair nods in agreement. “Rene, I hope you will stay on the case. Tell me *anything* you learn that might affect my family’s safety.”

“I will.”

Finally, he turns to the ISA man. “Baker, do you know Roman Brady?” 

“Of course, sir. He’s a legend!”

John and Marlena wince at this remark. “I don’t like the idea of ISA protection, but if it’s necessary I’d like it to be coordinated with people I trust. Contact Roman Brady and Commander Abe Carver of the Salem Police Department. Brief them on the situation and ask them if they are willing and able to help.”

“Yes sir.”

John turns to Marlena. “And that’s about all we can do for now.” He turns to the group. “Please leave. My wife and I want to spend the rest of our wedding night alone.”

Day Two

“Brothers’ Keeper”

It was after midnight when Marlena closed and locked the penthouse door. Finally everyone was gone – well, almost everyone. ISA agent Baker insisted on standing guard in the living room until morning, and Marlena and John were too tired to argue. They went upstairs and fell into bed, but John was too exhausted and too upset to sleep. Marlena massaged his shoulders and encouraged him to tell her what was on his mind. And John did – he talked urgently about Carly and Nikki, his brother Lawrence and their turbulent relationship, the shock of learning they were brothers, the mutual animosity that developed, the terrible things Lawrence had done, Carly’s relationship with Bo, the terrible things Vivian had done to her, Carly’s friendship with Isabella… After a while he finally talked himself out and closed his eyes and fell asleep. Marlena curled up next to him and listened to the even rhythm of his breathing. She was glad he was sleeping: it was going to be a busy day tomorrow and John needed all his strength.

John was restless. It was nearly dawn and the penthouse was silent, but he couldn’t sleep. He pulled on a robe and quietly left the bedroom, being careful not to wake Marlena who was sleeping peacefully. He slipped into Belle and Brady’s bedroom and looked down on his sleeping angels. He sent up a quick prayer to God, asking Him to look over them always. Then he sat down on the top of the staircase, sighed and laid his head in his hands. “Oh God,” he prayed silently, “how am I going to handle this? What am I going to do?” As he sat there quietly in the dark penthouse, he gradually became aware of a strange noise – a faint high-pitched hum that was getting steadily louder. The sound seemed to be coming from outside, beyond the balcony doors. He noticed that the room was getting brighter – but it was too early for the sun! Then he felt a vibration that startled him and the hum expanded into a buzz then a screech and the light got too bright to look at and CRASH! A torpedo broke through the glass and blazed across the room and up the stairs and around the corner and SMASHED into the children’s bedroom where it EXPLODED in a deafening roar that threw John against the wall, dazed and bleeding, his ears ringing. ”NO!”

John bolts upright in the bed, sweating and shaking from the vivid intensity of the nightmare. Marlena, awakened by his shout, leans up against him and holds him tightly. He touches her hand but doesn’t speak. The phone is still ringing. “Get that, please,” he murmurs. Not taking her eyes off him, Marlena reaches for the phone.

“Hello, Black residence.”

“Oh, Marlena. It’s Bo. I’m sorry to call so early but I have to talk to John immediately. Something has happened.”

“That’s alright, Bo. We already know”. “You do? How?”

“We were notified last night by the authorities.”

“Um, Marlena that’s impossible. They only found out this morning.”

“This morning? Bo, what are you talking about?” 

“Victor, of course.”

Marlena closes her eyes. “Tell me, please.”

Bo speaks slowly and carefully. “Victor is dead, Marlena. The doctors at the nursing home just called. They said he died in his sleep last night, but they’re not sure exactly why. Marlena? Are you still there?”

“Oh, Bo.”

“Marlena, what did you think I was talking about?”

“Bo, last night John and I were notified the Lawrence and Carly…they’re dead. They were murdered. And Nikki is in the hospital and may not survive.”

Silence. “Oh God. Carly. Marlena, is John there? May I speak with him?”

“Yes of course. Just a moment.” John is fully awake, listening to Marlena’s side of the conversation with questioning eyes. Marlena tells him to just listen to what he has to say. John nods his head.

“Bo, it’s John.” He listens, and his shoulders sag when he hears the news about Victor. He makes short responses to Bo’s questions and asks short questions of his own. He invites Bo to come over this morning to meet with his visitors, and Bo agrees.

By now Marlena is out of bed and standing by the window in her robe, looking down on the sleeping city. John gets up and stands beside her. “First Lawrence and now Victor. This is one hell of a wedding night, huh?”

She laughs weakly and looks into his sad eyes “Not what I expected, no. But I always knew my life with you would be full of surprises.”

He kisses her. “I’m sorry.”

“It will all work out, John. You’ll see.”

“As long as I have you with me, I’ll be okay. I’m going to be leaning on you a lot, though.”

“That’s what wives are for,” she answers. They hug and share a long deep kiss. “I know something else wives are good for…”

He grins, “and husbands, too!” They fall into bed and make love like it’s the first time, or perhaps the last.

*

By 8:00 AM the household is wide awake. The kids are playing peacefully in their bedroom and are blissfully ignorant of their parents’ concerns. Still haunted by his disturbing dream, John goes out to the balcony to spend some time in private prayer. It helps – subconscious memories of morning Mass return to comfort him. Marlena sends up her own prayer on his behalf.

The rare moment of serenity is broken by the sound of a ringing phone. Bo’s call had been only the first of many that morning. Caroline, Vivian, the “Spectator”, other press outlets, Abe, and Blair had all called the penthouse in the past hour. This time it was Roman, checking on their situation. When Marlena tells Roman how disruptive the phone calls have become, Roman takes quick action. Within 20 minutes an ISA communications officer arrives to set up extra lines and monitor the calls. All the questions and “request for comments” from the press are about Lawrence and Carly’s death: Kate has managed to control news of Victor’s death for the time being.

Bo comes over about 9:00 AM and gives John and Marlena a big brotherly hug. They talk about Victor and the impact his death will have on his loved ones, especially his young son, Philip. Bo says he’s talked to Shawn, who, despite his feelings for Victor, has been a rock of support for him and Caroline. John says he’s talked to Roman, who is helping Abe and the ISA set up security for the family. Bo tells him not to worry about Victor’s funeral – Kate told him she is handling everything with help from Lucas, Billie, Austin, and Carrie.

John asks, “Do you have any more news about Lawrence’s case?” Before Bo can answer, the doorbell chimes again – Abe and Roman have arrived. They all greet each other solemnly. Marlena, who had been playing with the kids upstairs, comes down at the sound of the doorbell and welcomes everyone. Abe and Roman describe their security arrangements: it will be airtight, non-intrusive, and effective immediately. John gets a call from Blair and excuses himself. They all ask Marlena how John is doing: she tells them about Lawrence’s wish that he be Nikki’s guardian. Bo volunteers to help in any way he can, and Marlena thanks him and takes him up on his offer. Abe has some questions for Bo about another case, so he and Bo step aside to talk privately.

Roman comes up to Marlena and wraps his arms around her. “And how are you doing?” he asks her.

“Shaky”, she admits. “It’s been a pretty overwhelming 24 hours. But it’s John I’m worried about. His life has been turned upside down so many times, and now this…”

“I wouldn’t worry about John. He’s a very strong man, and now he has a wife to help him.” She avoids his eyes. He reaches out and touches her cheek. “Doc, it’s okay. You don’t have to hide your feelings from me any more. You love John and you chose him to be your husband. I accept that and I will do everything in my power to make sure the two of you live a long and happy life together. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. Thank you,” she whispers. They hug each other tightly.

John returns just as Roman and Marlena break their embrace. “Excuse me. Marlena, that was Blair. He says the Alamain executives have assembled and are waiting for me to talk with them. I don’t know what the hell they expect me to say but I’d better go and check on things. Will you be okay?”

”I’ll be fine, John. Take care of your business – we’ll make up for lost time when you get back.”

“That’s a plan!” he agrees enthusiastically. They kiss goodbye and he picks up his keys and heads for the door, but something holds him back. Roman thinks he knows what the problem is.

“John, I’ll stay here and look after Marlena and the children while you’re gone,” offers Roman.

John considers the suggestion. He looks over at Marlena for any objections. There are none. She, too, is more frightened than she cares to admit. “Thank you. I would feel better knowing they are protected.” Hesitantly he adds “Roman, about our wedding yesterday…”

“Stop. No explanations are necessary. And it has nothing to do with the situation today.” He extends his hand to John, who takes it willingly, relieved that the tension between is gone for now.

Abe and Bo offer to go with him: Abe wants to get home to Lexi, who hasn’t been feeling well lately, and Bo wants to go by Titan and pay his respects to Kate. They all leave. Baker takes up position in the hallway outside the door and Agent Daniels moves her communications equipment to the lower level bedroom.

Roman and Marlena are alone. She walks around and looks at the pictures scattered throughout the penthouse, including the photo of her with Roman, Eric, and Sami taken last Christmas. She starts laughing quietly.

“What’s so funny, Doc?” Roman asks.

“I was just remembering *our* honeymoon – the one I spent with my ex-husband because *you* had to leave to take care of business. Isn’t it ironic?”

Roman laughs sympathetically. “I’m sorry it’s turned out this way, Doc,” a statement loaded with many layers of meaning. Marlena catches all of them.

“So am I. But I’m glad we’re both alive to talk about it…” Another loaded statement.

He smiles. “So am I.” Just then the kids come racing down the stairs, the phone rings again, and life goes on.

*

John comes out of the meeting at Titan shaking his head and rubbing his neck to relieve the tension. Kate sees him and chuckles at his discomfort. “Tough meeting?” she asks innocently.

“You said it. I honestly don’t know how you do it, Kate. I’d rather face a swamp full of alligators than a room full of corporate executives.”

Kate laughs. “Sometimes they’re one and the same. So how are things at Alamain Industries?”

“Actually, everything is pretty calm, considering. Various stock markets around the world have rumbled since the news of Lawrence’s death, but the executives are confident that if they stick with standard operating procedures, the crisis will soon blow over. I have to hand it to Mr. Blair. He’s an arrogant SOB but he really knows his stuff.” Kate nods politely but doesn’t seem to be listening. John touches her shoulder to get her attention again. “What about you, Kate? How are you holding up?”

Kate smiles at the sincere concern in his voice. “I’m fine, John. Really. It’s just hard to comprehend that I will never have my old Victor back again. I was hoping for a miracle, you know,” she adds softly. “I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

“I’m sorry, Kate. I know how much you loved each other and wanted to be together. You made Vic very happy – just try to remember that.”

“Not half as happy as he made me. He was the only man who truly loved me for who I was, not for what they could get from me.”

“Um, I don’t think I understand.”

“It’s not important. Let’s just say I never met a man that measured up to Victor, and I don’t know if I ever will again.”

“What happens now, Kate?”

“Now I keep busy, not that I have much choice – there are a thousand-and-one details to take care of. First of all, as soon as the coroner is finished with his report, we’ll have the reading of Victor’s last will and testament. I haven’t actually seen it myself, but I have a general idea what it says. You’re a beneficiary, you know.”

“I am? That’s a surprise.”

“Why? Don’t you know how much Victor cared about you?”

“I know our relationship was getting closer all the time… and I will never forget what he did for me in Aremid. If he hadn’t called in his political markers and won that first reprieve for me, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today.”

Kate touches his arm. “Victor was glad he could help. He considered you family – you and Bo and my children and Philip…” Kate chokes up. “That’s the worst part of all, the fact that Philip is going to grow up without a father, just like Lucas did.”

John takes Kate’s hand. “I’m sorry about Philip’s loss. I wish every child could grow up with a loving father to guide and protect them. But he’s going to get plenty of male parenting from Bo, Austin, Lucas, *Me*… I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Kate smiles faintly. “Thank you, John. And don’t forget Justin. He, Adrienne, and the kids are all flying in today to attend the funeral.”

“That’s wonderful! I’d love to see Justin again. You said “the funeral”. Have you set a time yet?”

“I’m hoping to have it as soon as possible – a small affair with just family and close friends. Victor would want it that way.”

“I agree. Just let me know the time and place and Doc and I will be there. At least I’ll *try* to be there. But with everything else going on in my life, I may not be able to make it.”

“I’m sure we can work it out. John, this must be really difficult for you – two family deaths in two days. How are *you* doing?”

“Okay, I guess. Lawrence was family, but we weren’t very close and I hadn’t seen him for several years, so the news didn’t affect me to the same degree it would affect someone like Vivian, who knew him all his life.”

“So how is Vivian taking it?” Kate asks politely.

“Not terribly well. And it’s going to be that much harder when she finds out about Victor.”

At that moment Vivian comes around the corner. “What about Victor?”

Kate growls, “What are you doing here? I kicked you out of Titan. Shouldn’t you be minding your own business?”

John scowls at her. “Kate…”

Vivian cuts him off. “Don’t worry about it, John. You can’t expect civilized behavior from someone with her pedigree… woof woof.”

“Vivian! That was uncalled for.”

“Oh, but it was. Now then, what were you going to tell me about Victor? Has his condition changed?”

John sighs and faces her. “I have some more bad news for you, Vivian. Victor passed away in his sleep last night.”

“No,” she whimpers as she crumples into his arms.

Kate stands with her hands on her hips and smirks at Vivian’s theatrics, but then she sees John’s glare. “Open a door,” he demands, and she sheepishly complies. John half-carries/half-leads Vivian into the office and helps her sit down. She looks dazed.

“Oh, no” she mutters to herself “It can’t be. Not my Victor…”

“He wasn’t your Victor, he’s mine!” Kate insists angrily. The two women get into a spirited argument. When John tries to intervene, both women tell him it’s none of his business. He throws up his hands in disgust and leaves.

Although he is aching to be in Marlena’s arms again, he has one more stop to make before going home.

*

“Yup, he’s there,” Shawn said to himself “Just where I expected.” After talking with Bo and Roman about John’s situation, Shawn had a feeling John would be feeling a wee bit of stress, and he knew him well enough to know where to find him. As Shawn approached the pier, his practiced eye took note of the grimy fisherman in the anchored rowboat, the young woman talking on the pay phone, and the old man sitting on the bench reading a paper… Security was tight, just as Roman promised. Pacing slowly back and forth, John was deep in thought and didn’t hear Shawn’s footsteps until he was only a few yards away.

“John.”

He looks up, startled. Then he smiles brightly. “Shawn! It’s good to see you. How are you? How’s Caroline?”

“We’re both doin’ fine, son. She’s feelin’ a little sad about Victor, of course, but I think we all recognize that his passing wasn’t a surprise, and in some ways it might even be considered a blessing.”

“I understand. I just talked to Kate and Vivian, and as much as they’ll miss him, I doubt that either one was truly shocked by his death.”

Shawn nods. “It’s funny, though. Bo seems to be takin’ it harder than the ladies. You too, for that matter.”

“I don’t know about that,” John says uncertainly. “I can’t speak for Bo. As for myself, I do know that we started out enemies and ended up friends, and I’m sorry that a friend of mine is gone, but I can’t say his death is going to have a big impact on my life. On the other hand,” he continues, “Lawrence’s death was a terrible shock. Even though we didn’t get along, I always thought there would be time for us to reconcile. And I feel terrible that he died by violence at such a young age and left a son behind. When I think about Brady…”

Shawn decides to change the subject slightly. “I remember Nikki… he was a bright and charmin’ lad, and I thoroughly enjoyed his company. Who is going to take care of him now?”

“I guess Bo didn’t have a chance to tell you. Lawrence wanted me to be Nikki’s guardian. I just hope Marlena and I can give him the love and security he needs.”

“Of course you can! I have no doubt about that!11 Shawn states firmly. “After all, Marlena had no trouble acceptin’ Carrie and Brady as her own children, and I know you still treat Eric, Sami and Carrie as your own flesh and blood. You were even a papa to little Elvis! So I’m sure there’s plenty of room in your heart for Nikki.”

“Thanks, Shawn,” John says sincerely. “I appreciate your vote of confidence.”

Shawn continues. “But I’m real sorry to hear about Carly – she was such a lovely girl. I’m assumin’ someone has contacted her brother Frankie in Africa?”

John stares at him, dumfounded. “I don’t know! That’s an excellent question.” John gets out his cell phone and calls Blair. In a few moments he has his answer. “Yup, Carly’s whole family has been contacted, including Frankie. He and Eve are on their way home as we speak.”

“Poor lad. I know he and Carly were very close. Do you know when the funeral is going to be?”

“Not yet. Carly’s family is making all the arrangements. I imagine we’ll be leaving Salem very soon, but I hope we’ll have time to attend Victor’s funeral before we go.” A wave of weariness sweeps over him and his shoulders sag a little.

Shawn claps him on the back. “I know this has been a rough day for you. But I don’t want you to think you’re going through this alone, son. Me, Caroline, Kimmy, the Hortons – we’ll help you and Marlena, and Nikki, any way we can.”

John smiles. “Yeah, the Bradys and Hortons are well known for taking in strays…” He looks Shawn in the eye. “I am so lucky to have you in my life.”

“No, I’m the lucky one, to have such a fine son.” John’s response is cut off by the ringing of his cell phone. He offers an apology for the interruption, but Shawn graciously waves it aside and takes his leave.

*

That night in bed, John tells Marlena everything that happened to him during the day, including the fascinating facts he learned in the meeting at Titan. ”Did you know Alamain Industries is building a skyscraper in Hong Kong for the Chinese government? That we own 1000 square miles of Brazilian rainforest? We’re also part-owner of the Largest casino in South Africa. We make our own award winning wine -Blair said he would send us some, it’s only sold in Europe – and we have 10,000 head of sable on a farm in Siberia. Imagine!” Marlena chuckles at John’s boyish enthusiasm. She also notes that John, for the first time in her memory, is refering to Alamain Industries as “we”. Very interesting. “It makes me dizzy just thinking about everything Alamain is involved in. I never realized how hard Lawrence must have worked to keep it all together. Despite his faults, he must have been a very smart and talented man.“ Marlena understands John’s need to describe his brother in the most charitable way, but she makes another mental note to remind him, if necessary, that Lawrence was also ruthless, violent, and unscrupulous in the pursuit of his goals…

John’s voice takes on a note of urgency. “We have over 200,000 people employed directly or indirectly in Alamain businesses and they’re all depending on me. I don’t know if I can do it, Marlena! I don’t know anything about making money! And then there’s taxes and payroll and investments and loans to worry about… Man, that priestly vow of poverty is looking better all the time!” He laughs, but his doubts are real.

“John,” Marlena says, “don’t worry about it tonight. You are a very intelligent and resourceful man. What you don’t know about the business world, you’ll learn. You’ll find just the right people to teach you, and you’ll hire the right people to manage the day-to-day operations of the company. You’ll be in charge and you’ll earn the respect of everyone at Alamain, and by the time Nikki is old enough to assume a role in the company, it will be in better shape than at any time in its history.”

John marvels at her confidence in him. “You sound really sure of that!”

“That’s because I know you so well. I know you can do anything.”

“But only with your help and guidance, of course”, he says with a smile.

“Of course,” she answers with mock smugness. “I’m indispensable.”

“You can say that again.”

“Okay, I’m…” but he cuts her off with a finger placed across her lips.

“Enough talking. Kiss me,” he commands playfully. Marlena happily complies.

Day Three

“Thy Will Be Done”

The beautiful Eurasian woman sat forward on the seat of the limo, nervously tapping on the partition to urge the driver to go faster. She was running out of time – she HAD to get there – but the notoriously heavy traffic in downtown Hong Kong was slowing her progress. Her face was a mask as she looked out the window at the teeming people going about their business amid the grand skyscrapers and spectacular views of the mountains and the sea. Julia saw none of it: all her thoughts were focused on her beloved Grandmother, who had raised her ever since her parents died 25 years ago as victims of the Cultural Revolution. They were a family of two, and the thought of losing Grandmother made Julia’s heart pound. When she found the note an hour ago, she thought it was some sort of sick joke. Julia knew that Grandmother was depressed about her financial situation and her declining health, but the idea that she might take her life was laughable. She LOVED life! She had hundreds of friends and admirers, all the money she could spend, and the undying curiosity of a child. Julia had assured her the market would rise again, as it always did, and the doctors would soon discover the cause of her mysterious illness. She thought Grandmother had believed her. But then she found the note…

“Huny!” she shouts again at the driver. Like clouds after an afternoon shower, the cars ahead of them evaporate and the limo races unimpeded to the Hei Long Tower. They come around the corner and, without warning, the limo screeches to a halt. Something is happening ahead: flashing lights, rescue vehicles, and gawkers are gathered at the edge of the plaza. Julia leaps out of the car and runs to the site, but a compassionate security guard detains her. “You don’t want to see it,” he tells her. Tearing away from his grasp, she inches closer to the scene of the crime and sees the broken body lying motionless on the ground. “NO!”

* * * * *

The investigation into Victor’s death was complete: the medical examiner ruled that Victor had died of natural causes. The ME assured the family that it had been a relatively quick and painless death. Kate was heartbroken but grateful that he hadn’t suffered. The reading of the will was scheduled for that afternoon at Titan. His lawyer notified all the beneficiaries mentioned in Victor’s will – Kate, Vivian, Caroline, Bo, John, George Nelson (the General Manager of Titan), and Justin. At the appointed time, they and their respective spouses gathered at Titan and took their seats around an oversized conference table. (John and Marlena exchange knowing glances). Everyone was on their best behavior, but there was a lot of speculation and second-guessing taking place. Several people wondered why Vivian was there, including Vivian herself.

*

The lawyer walks in and immediately gets down to business. First he explains that the Will was written shortly after Philip was born and updated after Kate’s return from the dead. It was properly signed and filed: everything is in order. The first part deals with tax, business, and personnel matters concerning Titan which he’ll discuss with Mr. Nelson later. Part two of the Will contains Victor’s personal bequests. Victor asked that it be read aloud to the assembled group as a farewell message to the people he cared about.

With the introduction out of the way, the lawyer starts to read.

“To my beloved Kate. I will always be grateful for the life we shared and the family we created out of our love. In our short time together we formed a bond of friendship, respect, and love that will last forever. Although we were never legally married, I consider you my wife in every way. I give you all my shares in Titan, as well as complete financial and executive control of the company. I also bequeath to you my house, assets, and personal property, except for the items I am specifically leaving to other people in my will. I know you will provide a secure and loving home for our son Philip. Tell him how much I loved him.”

Kate closes her eyes and hugs herself, trying to keep her composure and contain the emotions surging through her. “Oh, Victor! I miss you so much.”

“To my son Philip. Philip, your mother holds all my wealth in her hands and someday it shall be yours. But I would trade it all to spend just one more day with you. The Kiriakis family is ancient and proud, and I expect you to live up to your legacy. Look to your brother Bo and your cousin Justin for examples of how to be a man worthy of the Kiriakis name.”

Bo and Justin, sitting on opposite sides of the table, smile at each other in acknowledgment. They will take good care of Philip.

“To my son Bo. Under normal circumstances, you, as my oldest son, would have inherited the bulk of my estate upon my death. But instead, you have inherited something far more valuable than wealth: the strength, kindness, and integrity of your father Shawn. You never asked for anything from me except that I be worthy of your respect. I hope I earned it finally. In honor of the one love we share, the love of the sea, I bequeath to you my boat, along with a trust fund to pay for her upkeep. May you always have smooth sailing.”

Bo stares at the lawyer in astonishment. The will was written before the Fancy Face was destroyed, so how could Victor guess that another boat was Bo’s unspoken dream? He looks up to the ceiling and whispers “thank you”.

“To my son-in-law John. When I think about how I treated you in the beginning, I am ashamed. When I reflect on the fact that you repaid my cruelty with kindness and acceptance, I am humbled. Thank you for your precious gifts to my daughter Isabella: a son, Brady, and a husband’s love and strength that sustained her to the end of her life. In Isabella’s name, I bequeath a sum of $5 million to the Toscano Foundation, with the stipulation that you continue to serve as director. I trust you will use the funds as Isabelle wished.”

John smiles and shakes his head, incredulous. The monetary gift to the Foundation was very generous, but to him it paled in comparison to the gracious words from a former enemy who later became a trusted friend. Once again John is reminded of God’s power to change lives.

“To my nephew Justin. You are the one person in the world closest to me in spirit. Your father Alexander entrusted you to my care when you were a young boy, and one of my greatest pleasures has been to watch you grow into a fine man. Your father would be very proud of you. Just as I was responsible for teaching you what it meant to be a Kiriakis, I ask that you assume the same responsibility for the next generation. Teach my son Philip and my grandchildren Shawn-D, Brady, and Belle everything that I taught you about our family history. I bequeath to you Kiriakis Island and everything on it. I ask only that you share it freely with all the other members of my extended family. Let the Kiriakis name be synonymous with gracious hospitality and generosity.”

Adrienne and Justin beam with pride, confident that they will be able to justify Victor’s faith in them.

“To Caroline. We were together for a moment in time, and then we were separated forever. But for me, the moment we shared has warmed my heart all my life. Remember me with fondness, Caroline, when you look at our son and grandson. To you I bequeath a small token of my affection, a gold and garnet ring that once belonged to my Grandmother. I ask that you keep it safe for me and pass it on to Shawn-Douglas at an appropriate time. Let it be a reminder to him of his Kiriakis heritage.”

Caroline is deeply touched by Victor’s gift, but she wonders if Shawn feels uncomfortable about the reminder of her long-ago affair. Not to worry: Shawn wraps his large, comforting arm around her and gives a brief squeeze, telling her everything is okay.

“To Vivian. I’ll always remember the good times we shared, the sound of your laughter, and the light in your eyes. I’ll always remember the love I once felt for you, and I thank you again for bringing my son safely into the world. For these reasons, I forgive you for the pain you inflicted on me and on people I love. I wish you joy and happiness in the years ahead. To you I bequeath another treasure from my Grandmother, a brush and hand mirror made from the finest Spanish silver. May you never look in the mirror and be ashamed of the woman you see.”

Vivian blushes with a combination of embarrassment and gratitude. She’s surprised that Victor gave her *anything*, given his anger toward her at the time he wrote the will. The others in the room politely stifle their amusement at the intended irony of a vain and narcissistic woman receiving a mirror as a gift.

The lawyer calls for everyone’s attention. “There are more bequests in the will, including words of appreciation and bonuses to Titan employees and his personal staff, which I will pass on to the appropriate people at a later time. But there is one more relevant section. Victor has given precise instructions for the disposition of his earthly remains.” Everyone looks a little discomforted by the thought. “Allow me to read further.”

“I want my body to be cremated and the ashes placed in the Greek urn in my office. I want my ashes scattered in three locations: in Salem, where my sons were born and their mothers still live, in Italy near the site where my daughter Isabella and her mother Loretta are resting in peace, and in the sea that surrounds Kiriakis Island, where I was born and where my parents are buried. Then I want the empty urn to be tossed back into the sea from whence it came.”

Kate murmurs, “But that urn is priceless!”

Caroline overhears and berates her. “So was Victor, but which would you rather have with you today?” Kate shuts up. Everyone sits quietly for a moment, immersed in their own memories of the man, and then they stand up and start conversing with each other.

Marlena comes up to John, who wraps his arm around her waist and draws her close to him. “It’s fitting,” she says. “The will. It was an accurate reflection of the man he had become.”

“I can hardly believe that once upon a time we were running for our lives from that man. It seems like a lifetime ago.”

“Several lifetimes.”

“Marlena, I’m going to take Victor’s ashes to Italy. Will you come with me?”

“Of course I will, unless you would prefer to be alone with your memories of Isabella.”

He shakes his head. “Actually”, he starts slowly, “I was wondering if this would be a good time to share those memories – with Brady. Is he old enough to comprehend that his mother is dead and buried in Italy but still alive with God and in our hearts? Will seeing her grave hurt him, or will it help him understand what happened?”

“Those are very good questions, John. Let’s sit down and talk about it.”

“I want to, but I don’t know if I have the TIME! I’ve been so busy the past two days… and there’s so much more I have to do.”

“We’ll find the time, don’t worry,” she reassures him. They kiss tenderly.

Other conversations are taking place around the room. Bo and Justin are looking at legal documents on the table, one of the lawyer’s assistants is talking to Vivian and Caroline, Kate is making a phone call, etc. Bo and Justin put the documents away and come over to John. “We have some plans to make,” they remind him. He excuses himself and goes with them to Kate. They hug her and start discussing how they will carry out Victor’s will.

*

The hazy summer sunset as seen from the roof of the Titan Building is glorious. The color of the sky spans the spectrum from pale turquoise in the west to cobalt in the east. The sun is below the horizon, but lingering rays of light are painting the clouds in extravagant shades of orange, purple, and scarlet. A large group of people stand quietly on the rooftop terrace. From their vantage point they can look up at the fabulous sky, down on the city twinkling in the twilight, or out to the black gash of the Salem River in the distance.

The mood is solemn rather than sorrowful. Justin and Adrienne hold the precious Greek urn with Victors ashes. John stands with Marlena, who carries a photo of Brady and Belle. Bo, Hope, and Shawn-D form another group, and Shawn-D likewise carries a photo of an absent relative – his Aunt Isabella. Kate, dressed in a stylish black business suit; stands with Billie, Lucas, Austin, Carrie, and Sami. Kate holds a photo of Victor, Philip, and Will taken shortly after Philip’s birth. Caroline, with Shawn by her side, wears the ring Victor gave her. Kimberly is also present, though her reasons remain private. Vivian is dressed in a somber black evening gown, complimented by a large black hat and veil. Ivan, naturally, is at her side. Also there to pay their respects are several Titan employees and a few personal friends. Present, but unseen, are Roman and the ISA security detail.

The Greek Orthodox priest arrives and the ceremony begins. The priest intones the funeral service, John reads some bible passages, and a brief eulogy is delivered by George Nelson. The service concludes with several prayers. Afterward, Justin signals to Caroline, Kate, and Vivian, and the four step to the edge of the terrace. A warm steady breeze is blowing toward the river. He uncovers the urn and gives Caroline a small silver cup. She reaches into the urn and scoops up some ashes, cradles the cup in her hand, and closes her eyes for a moment as she says goodbye. “Earth to earth,” she recites as she flings the ashes into the wind. She gives the cup to Kate, who repeats Caroline’s actions, “ashes to ashes”. Kate turns to Vivian, and the shared sorrow she sees in Vivian’s eyes melts her cold heart. Vivian performs the ritual one last time, “dust to dust”. She hands the cup back to Justin, who replaces the lid and puts the urn into a velvet bag. The priest offers a final benediction and invites everyone to go in peace.

An uninvited guest watches the mourners disperse.

*

Stefano is walking around his living room listening to music and sipping on a glass of brandy when Bart comes in with his report. “The funeral is over. Everyone is back home now. Vivian went back to the penthouse with the Blacks.”

“Don’t call them that!” he snaps, disgusted with himself for not anticipating their elopement and preventing it.

“Sorry, Boss. And there is a tight guard around them. Evidently they are still concerned that whoever murdered Alamain may try to take out John as well.”

“Any news yet about the case?”

“No sir, and the authorities are getting anxious. It’s already been more than 48 hours and they still have no positive leads.”

“What about our own sources?”

“Nothing. It’s a gigantic mystery. How could someone murder someone is such a spectacular way and escape so cleanly?”

“Good question. Find out. NOW.” Bart hurries out the door.

Rolf, who is sitting nearby nursing a drink, clucks at him in disappointment. “Stefano, really, you had no reason to get upset with the man. You can’t blame him for the incompetence of Interpol and the ISA.”

“Yes, yes, I know you’re right,” sighs Stefano. “It’s just so frustrating. There’s a new player in the game and I need to know who it is.”

“Any guesses?”

“No, not yet, but I fully intend to find out.”

“In the meantime, are you planning to continue your efforts to get back your possessions from Vivian?”

“What? Oh yes, but not at the moment. She is in distress right now, with the death of her nephew and Victor, and I’m not one to kick a person while they’re down.” Rolf rolls his eyes skeptically. “And besides, she’s been spending so much time with John and Marlena lately, they would be very suspicious if I tried to use the device on her now. Let it rest. There will be plenty of time to finish the job when she gets back from Alamania.”

“What do you think will happen with the Alamain empire now that Lawrence is dead?”

“It doesn’t look promising,” Stefano says with a grin. “Oh, I know he has some competent underlings and business will carry on as usual for months, perhaps years, based on their operational plans. But the strategies, the vision, the audacity that Lawrence Alamain brought to the table is gone forever, and his empire will soon start to crumble.”

“You seem very sure about that. But what about John? Isn’t he slated to take over leadership of the House?”

“John? JOHN? You actually expect me to take John seriously as a business rival? Hah! The man has precious few talents, and enterprise is not one of them. He was a PRIEST, for God’s sake. All he knows how to do is live off charity and spend other people’s money. Actually, if John does decide to take an active hand in managing the Alamain empire, I predict it will crumble even faster.”

Rolf chuckles. “And then there’s Victor. Poor man. What a pity – to go from a formidable opponent to a helpless old man who dies in his sleep. I hope I never suffer such a fate.”

Stefano is silent and thoughtful. He goes over to the bar, pours himself another drink, sips it and turns to Rolf. “You should be so lucky.”

Rolf is incredulous. “Lucky? How can you say that?”

Stefano picks up the Spectator, which was laying on the table near the bar. “Did you read Victor’s obituary in the paper this morning?”

“That screed? Romanticized drivel. The stuff of a lovesick woman.”

“Yes, Kate loved him. And so did Caroline, and Vivian, and his daughter Isabella. The obit mentions all of them, along with his sons, pseudo-stepchildren, his nephew, and John, who evidently forged a close relationship with him. Imagine! Victor lied to him, manipulated him, and even tried to kill him, but all is forgiven now. And do you know why? Because he reinvented himself. He wanted to become worthy of his children’s respect.”

“And in the process he lost his edge and became as soft as a marshmallow. Totally spineless. It seems an awfully high price to pay for a Father’s Day card.”

“Rolf, do you have any children?” Stefano asks cooly. 

“None that I know of.”

“Never underestimate what a man will do to secure the love of his daughter.” Rolf just nods his head agreeably and says nothing. He can see that Stefano is feeling sentimental and decides it is best to leave the matter alone for now. Stefano puts down his empty glass and heads for the door. “Stefano, where are you going?”

“I have some personal business to take care of. I’ll see you later.” He leaves. Rolf sits a little longer, pondering Stefano’s speech. Stefano pauses outside his door, thinking to himself. “Victor’s family and friends are mourning his passing. Will anyone mourn for me?” Then he walks away, intent on his mission to find and talk to Lexi.

Someone watches him leave.

Day Four

“The Living and the Dead”

As soon as he heard about Lawrence, he started making plans to flee. Some men relished a knock down drag-out fight to the finish, but Lane ”Fast Lane” Tracy always preferred discretion. He was a lover, not a fighter, but now he was forced to fight for his life and the life of his beloved Rebekah and their sons. He had immediately sent them, against tearful protests, to Bulawayo. They would be safe among her Ndebele kinfolk. Then he announced to his staff that he was going to London on business for a few weeks, but he went south to Durban instead. A trusted Indian friend lent him a sleek, perfectly-equipped sailboat, and within 72 hours of the Alamain murders, Lane Tracy was on his way to safety. Years ago he had set up a second headquarters in the Seychelles islands, a cluster of green rocks in the middle of the Indian Ocean. He knew that once he got there no one would be able to reach him. He needed time to figure out what his next move would be.

Poor Lawrence and Katerina! They had been frequent guests at his lodge on Lake Kariba, and he and Rebekah had visited the Alamains whenever they went to Europe. They were a compatible foursome; four young, beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, and wealthy people who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. Tracy’s oldest son was only a year younger than Nicholas, and the thought of Nikki losing both of his parents so violently sickened him.

As he single-handedly skippered his sailboat across the gentle sea, Tracy used the lonely hours to consider who was responsible for the wanton attack that killed the Alamains and shocked the world. Who did it? The authorities were tight-lipped, but Tracy had his own list of suspects. It certainly wasn’t Kiriakis – the stroke had left him totally helpless. Besides, he had gone completely legit before his stroke, or so they said, and Tracy had no reason to believe otherwise. The Dragon Lady was also a long shot. Although the animosity between her and Lawrence had been fierce, she was also a “lover” and usually got what she wanted through seduction rather than blood When he heard about their deaths on the day of his departure, Tracy knew with certainty: the only suspects that remained were the two most dangerous ones.

And so here he was, running away, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. He had a great life and he didn’t want to die. And if survival meant hiding in a hole for a few weeks or months, or even years, he was willing. Especially if it meant protecting his wife and children at the same time.

The winds started to pick up and storm clouds were building in the south, but Tracy wasn’t concerned. He was only a few hundred miles from his destination, a short hop for a man who once sailed around the world, and tropical storms were rare at this time of year. But as he tended to his sails, he never noticed the “something” that came to the surface behind him. He never saw the frogman that boarded his boat. He never heard the “swish” of the swinging boom that struck and killed him, or felt the splash when his body was thrown overboard.

* * * * *

Immediately after Victor’s funeral, half of Salem boarded two jets for Europe. On the Titan jet bound for Greece was Kate and her family (Billie, Austin, Carrie, Lucas, Will, Philip), Justin, Adrienne, and their 4 children. Sami remained in Salem with Roman and Eric. At first she demanded the right to come along as Will’s mother, but Kate refused. She told Sami that only people who loved and respected Victor would be allowed to participate in the ceremony in Greece, and Sami did not qualify. Then Sami tried to keep Will in Salem with her, but Austin convinced her to let him come as a playmate for Philip. Eventually she relented. On John’s jet to Italy were Marlena, Belle, Brady, Bo, Hope, Shawn-D, Vivian, Ivan, Blair and Rene. Both Hope and Billie knew Victor and wanted to honor his memory, but to keep the peace they decided to fly on separate planes to separate destinations. Billie would go to the island, his final resting place, while Hope would go to Italy with John and Bo for the scattering of ashes there. The plan called for John’s jet to drop off the family and continue on to Alamania with Vivian, Ivan and the others. Kate’s jet would pick up John’s party and bring them to Greece the next day, and later take them to Alamania for the funeral of Lawrence and Carly.

*

It was a long flight from Salem to Italy. To pass the time, John embarked on a short but intensive course of study on what he needed to know as CEO of Alamain Industries and head of a House that went back 800 years. Blair, once he realized that John was a sincere student, patiently led him through the intricacies of international deal making and court politics, using actual case studies and vivid analogies to make his points. John found himself strangely fascinated by this study of motives, opportunity, risks, rewards, and penalties. It somehow reminded him of detective work. Marlena fully participated in the discussions and impressed Blair with her keen and analytical mind. Although she thought the subject was more tedious than John did, she wanted to have a thorough understanding of the challenges John would be facing in the future.

While instructing John, Blair brought up a late-breaking news story to demonstrate the global reach of Alamain Industries. According to a report on CNN that morning, Sun Lu-Xin “Lucinda” Bonner, the 90-year-old matriarch of a powerful Chinese/American family, had apparently committed suicide by leaping off the roof of a 72-story building in Hong Kong. The report said Mrs. Bonner, the founder and CEO of Black Dragon Inc., had been suffering from health problems and was depressed about heavy financial losses her company had suffered in the latest stock market collapse. The report also stated that her death had created a power vacuum; rumors were flying that Black Dragon would soon be swallowed up by a rival firm.

John asked why this was relevant, and Blair revealed that the company planning to take over Black Dragon was Alamain Industries. Dragon had been a rival for decades, and now was the perfect time to eliminate the competition. With Mrs. Bonner’s death, the only thing that was standing in their way was her granddaughter and heir-apparent, Julia Bonner, and Blair was certain she would be too grief stricken to put up much of a fight against the takeover. John was appalled by the idea that Alamain Industries would exploit a family’s personal tragedy for corporate gain, but Blair bluntly told him that was how the game was played. At that point John called the lessons to a halt.

Later, as a diversion, Vivian and Ivan led their own seminar, briefing John and Marlena on the intrigue, personalities, and situations they would encounter in the Alamania court. John, who had tried his best to ignore the subject for years, resigned himself to listening to what he considered pointless gossip, but soon he was drawn in by Vivian’s and Ivan’s lively narration. Marlena was impressed with Vivian’s insight into human nature, and for the first time in their acquaintance they conversed at length with each others as equals. Bo wasn’t the least bit interested in the discussion until Vivian started talking about Carly’s family. Hope was interested too – she had never met Carly Manning and wanted to understand her relationship with Bo. (Bo took her aside later in the flight and they had a private discussion.) John and Vivian talked at length about Nikki. She asked if he intended to keep Nikki away from her as Lawrence and Carly had demanded, and he replied that it depended on many factors, including Nikki’s emotional and physical well-being and Vivian’s behavior. He warned her point blank that he would not allow her to be a negative influence on the boy.

*

It was a small, quiet group that passed through the ornate gates of the cemetery, just John, Marlena, Belle, Brady, Bo, Hope, and Shawn-D. Isabella was buried in an old but well-kept cemetery used by her mother’s family. Her mother Loretta and sister Marina were buried a short distance away. The landscaping was beautiful: walls covered in ivy, large and small statues, bubbling fountains, generous plantings of flowers, a creek spanned by footbridge, trees of every description, stone pathways, and a hodgepodge of new and old, weathered tombstones dating back centuries.

They had come on a lovely warm and breezy late-summer day. Isabella’s pink granite marker was rough on the top and sides but polished smooth on the front. It was engraved with the words “Isabella Kiriakis Black – Beloved Daughter, Sister, Wife, and Mother” A small statue of the Virgin Mary stood at the foot of the grave, watching over it with outstretched arms.

They approach the gravesite. Bo carries the urn, wrapped in its velvet bag. Shawn-D carries a large bouquet of flowers. John holds Brady by the hand while Marlena holds Belle, who is still very sleepy after the long flight from Salem that day. Shawn-D puts the flowers on the grave and Brady helps by rearranging them to his satisfaction. It’s the first time John has been back for a visit since Isabella’s death, and he is gratified that the site is well maintained and fresh flowers were already there. No one says anything for a moment.

“John, this is a beautiful place” Marlena tells him. “You chose well.”

“I thought Isabella would like it here. Her mother and sister are nearby” he gestures around him “and it’s so easy for me to picture her in this classical setting.”

“Yeah, me too” Bo agrees. “She was a classy lady.” Bo looks around the grounds. “Nothing but the best for my sister” he says, trying hard to hide his emotions behind casual comments.

John moves over to a bench a few steps away and sits down, pulling Brady close to him. “Now Brady, do you remember what I told you this morning?”

Brady nods seriously. “You said Mama is alive in heaven, but this is where her body is sleeping.”

“That’s right. Sometimes it is good to have something solid and real to look at to help us remember people in heaven, so that’s why we have cemeteries and stones with their names on them.”

“So Mama is over there? Under the flowers?”

“Only a part of her – the part that we could see and touch. But the part of her that we love the most – and that loves us – is right here” he touches his heart “and up in Heaven with God.”

“And then when we get to heaven, we can see and touch her again, right?” Brady reasons. 

John hugs him. “Absolutely.”

Brady looks around. “I’m glad Mama is sleeping in such a pretty place.” John and Marlena smile fondly at him “Can I go play now?” he asks.

“You may look around, but don’t bother any people you see and don’t run.”

“Okay!” and he scampers off, investigating the fountain and walls and statues nearby. 

Marlena moves over and sits next to John. “You did that very well,” she tells him.

John smiles briefly and then gets serious again. “I’ve had lots of practice,” he reminds her. “I had to tell the same thing to the twinners and Carrie when we lost you.” Tears of sympathy form in Marlena’s eyes. “And then I thought I’d have to give the same speech to Belle when we lost you again… She hold his hand in both of hers and kisses it, then kisses him gently. “If I had my way” she says softly “no child would ever lose a parent and no parent would ever lose a child.”

“And no man would ever lose his wife” he murmurs, looking bleakly at Isabella’s grave. (Beloved wife…)

John and Marlena notice Bo, Hope, and Shawn-D standing at the side of the grave and reminiscing about Isabella. Bo recounts the thrill of discovering a new sister and how close they became in such a short time. Shawn-D surprises Bo by remembering a lot more about Isabella than Bo suspected – she had made a strong impression on him. John and Marlena, still holding a sleepy Belle, join the group and they all start sharing their favorite memories of Isabella: her fabulous curly hair, the way she kept getting into trouble, the effect she had on Victor, her generosity and cleverness, her unconditional love for her family, and of course her wedding to John that was interrupted by Brady’s untimely arrival. Bo reaches into his pocket and brings out two small gifts for Isabella; a smooth stone from the Salem River and a small silver cross that belonged to Caroline (a token of affection from the rest of the Brady family) and places them on her grave.

John’s mood has lifted considerably. He laughs as he runs over to rescue Brady, who has nearly fallen into a fountain reaching for a gold coin. After a brief discussion, they all agree it’s time to fulfill “Part 2” of Victor’s last request. John squats down and looks Brady in the eye. “Son, I think this would be a good time for you to say something to your Mama.”

Brady nods and steps a little closer to the her marker and starts chattering. “Hi, Mama. I hope you like the flowers. We bought them from a man by the hotel and I thought they were the prettiest ones. I brought Belle along, too, I hope that’s ok. We came all the way here on an airplane. It was neat! I could see the clouds from the top! Can you see the clouds too? You’re lucky. Daddy says you live up in heaven now, so you can look at the clouds all the time. Have you talked to Grandpa Victor yet? Daddy says he went up to heaven, too. I miss him, but I guess you’re glad to have a Daddy to talk to, right? Daddy always shows me pictures so I remember what you look like. He says I look just like you, but that’s silly’ I’m not a girl!…”

John and Bo can’t help it – they burst out laughing at Brady’s last remark. Brady turns around and glares at them, and they both are instantly contrite. “I’m sorry Brady,” Bo tells him. “I didn’t mean to laugh…”

Brady crosses his arms and pouts, which gets Hope and Marlena laughing because he looks just like John standing there. John scoops up his son and swings him high overhead, eliciting uncontrollable giggles from the little boy. He tosses him to Bo, who hugs him tightly and then dangles him upside down for a moment before putting him back on the ground. “Brady,” says Bo, stroking his hair affectionately, “I thought what you told your Mama was just right. I’m sure she was listening and heard every word you said.”

Brady ducks his head and squirms a little. “Daddy, are we leaving now?”

“Pretty soon. I want to say goodbye to your Mama and your Grandpa Victor, but it won’t take too long. I’d like you to go back to the car with Shawn-D and Aunt Hope and wait for me.”

“Can we come back again? I like it here. It’s pretty.” John looks back at Marlena with a sad smile. “Of course. We’ll come back a lot. I’m sure your Mama would like it.”

“Okay.” Hope takes Brady’s hand and heads back toward the car. Shawn-D tags along.

Bo hands the urn to John. “It’s your turn, bro,” he tells him, and then he follows his family down the path. Marlena looks around for Belle, who had been so quiet since they arrived, and sees her walking up to the statue of Mary at the foot of Isabella’s grave. John moves to grab her but Marlena stops him. “Let her look,” she suggests, and they both stand by and watch her.

Belle gets very close and pats the statue’s arm and then its head. She rubs her hand on the statue’s face, feeling the softness of the carved stone. Then she measures it against her own height and realizes they are about the same size. She turns and asks “Mama, is this Brady’s mama?”

“No, sweetheart,” Marlena answers. “That’s a statue of Mary, the mother of baby Jesus.”

John adds, “she’s here to keep Brady’s mama company when we’re gone.”

Belle accepts their answers on faith and looks into the statue’s face again, then smiles. “I like her,” she declares, and she gives the statue a big hug.

“And I’m sure she likes you, too.” John answers, his voice choking with emotion.

Then Belle boldly walks up to the marker and touches the rough-hewn top with her hand. Her small fingers find the engraved letters on the smooth front and she starts tracing them one by one, reading them off as she learned in preschool. “I-S-A-B-E-L-L-A” she announces triumphantly to her enthralled parents. “ISABELLA! That’s my name too!”

John sets down the urn and lifts Belle into his arms. “You’re right! Isabella is your name! A beautiful name for the most beautiful girl in the world!” He starts tickling her and she squeals in delight, wiggling and trying to tickle him back. After another quick hug he sets her down and Marlena takes her hand. Recognizing his need for some time alone with his thoughts, she tells him they’ll wait for him by the car. He smiles and reaches out to caresses her face, thankful for her understanding. Watching Marlena and Belle walk away, hand in hand, their blond hair shining in the sunlight, he says another prayer to God for bringing them into his life.

Then he picks up the um again and looks all around. It is late in the afternoon and the cemetery is deserted and utterly peaceful. “Brady is right. This is a pretty place. Izzy, you would be so proud of him. He is so bright and so lively. Everybody loves him, just like everybody loved you. Like I loved you. And your namesake Belle, well, she just takes my breath away.”

Marlena and Belle walk a few dozen yards together, and then Belle breaks away to chase some butterflies up ahead. Before running after her wayward daughter, Marlena pauses and takes another look back at John. He is standing silently, his head up but his eyes closed, as if concentrating on distant voices. His dark suit and serious face are at odds with the warm and lush surroundings. Long rays of sunlight pass through the branches of the trees, illuminating the dust stirred up by the light summer breeze, the tiny flying insects buzzing around the flowers, and the silver strands in John’s thick dark hair. She can’t remember a time when he looked more beautiful, or when she loved him more completely.

She continues to watch respectfully as he comes out of his reverie and walks to the top of the small footbridge. From there he surveys his surroundings and seems pleased by what he sees. He removes the lid of the urn, reaches inside, and lifts up a silver cup. John scatters Victor’s ashes into the air. Some are carried away by the breeze and some land in the creek below. Then he replaces the cup and lid, lays it down on the bridge, and bows his head in prayer. Marlena takes one more look in John’s direction and leaves quietly. She knows they will have a lot to talk about tonight.

Day Five

“Heaven and Earth”

Kate’s jet arrived early in the morning to pick up John et.al in Italy and bring them to Greece. From the mainland it was a quick and invigorating boat ride to the island. Everyone gathered on the upper deck to bask in the bright sun and admire the stunning scenery. They cruised by jagged islands that seemed to float like icebergs and marveled at the villages that hugged the narrow slice of land between the mountain and the sea. Brady and Belle took special delight in the dolphins that frolicked in the wake of the boat and the seabirds that circled overhead, while Bo, Hope, and Shawn-D made a game of guessing the passengers and cargo of all the various ships and vessels that shared the water with them.

*

Much too soon they arrive at Kiriakis Island, a private paradise owned by the Kiriakis family for generations. The island, a remnant of an extinct volcano, rises nearly 1000 feet above the sea, and its once-rugged slopes have been shaped and rounded by eons of erosion. It is covered with pine forests, olive groves, pastures, wheat fields, and gardens, and it is encircled by a pristine beach. A narrow road leads from the landing dock to a modest stone house located high on the hillside. An ancient footpath/staircase rises from the beach and winds through the olive groves and past several guest cottages on its way to the small ruined temple on the summit. Just below the house is an expansive green lawn, a stone terrace overlooking the ocean, and a cool, inviting swimming pool.

The travelers are warmly welcomed at the dock by Adrienne and Justin, who had arrived the previous day with their children and Kate’s family. Friendly staff members gather up their luggage and load it on carts to take to the house, but Adrienne and Justin insist that everyone must walk up to fully appreciate the beauty of the island. Brady and Belle scamper off with the other kids while the adults take their sweet time, pausing now and then to catch their breath and admire the views. Adrienne acts as tour guide and describes the history of everything in sight, including the church where she and Justin were married. She mentions to Marlena that “Roman” came to their wedding with Diana, but then she apologizes for bringing up what could be a delicate subject. Before John can say anything, Marlena smiles and puts Adrienne at ease. But the look she gives John tells him it’s something they should talk about later.

Eventually they make it to the house, where Kate and the others are waiting. Everyone agrees there is no reason to delay Victor’s last request, so they continue climbing and soon reach the temple on the top of the hill. Incredibly, the other side of the island is missing – a vertical cliff drops all the way to the crashing surf below.

Bo has the urn. He uncovers it and hands the lid to John. With a simple “Welcome home, Victor,” Bo pours out the last of the ashes into the sea below. He turns to John and says “Toss it, bro.” John winds up and pitches the lid as far as he can – it sails over the cliff and plops into the water. Then Bo gives the urn to Justin. Justin walks a short distance down a path to the very edge of the cliff. Like an Olympic discus thrower, he holds the urn in one hand behind his back, swings it forward once, then twice, then flings it in a lazy arc into the surf. Everyone applauds his mighty throw.

Kate wipes away a tear, smiles and says “We’re here to celebrate Victor’s life. So let’s eat!” They all troop back down to the house and attack the delicious brunch set out by the staff After they finish eating and unpacking, there is only one thing left to do – hit the beach! The kids are excited, and within minutes Adrienne, Marlena, and Kate have them suited up and slathered with sun screen. The men take them down to the beach while the ladies get ready. By the time they arrive a few minutes later, the kids and men are already playing together in the water and having a terrific time.

John sees Marlena standing on the shore. He peels off three clinging kids and hands them to Austin, who gleefully tosses them into the waves. He walks out of the water and joins her for a stroll along the beach. It was time to discuss Diana.

*

Marlena had heard about Diana Colville from Carrie and knew that she and John had been in love and engaged to be married, but from what she understood, Diana had broken the engagement and left town without warning. It must have hurt him badly, and it didn’t surprise her that John had been reluctant to talk about it, though she suspected the real reason was to spare her feelings by not mentioning *another* woman he once slept with. Marlena wanted to reassure him that she was glad he found someone else to love after her “death”. She considered John’s ability to love to be one of his finest qualities.

The situation was a little different from John’s point of view. Although Doc knew his heart and soul so well, there were still some details about his life as Roman he had never shared with her. John had tried to protect himself when Roman returned by shutting those memories away in a small dark corner of his mind. Whenever he remembered his years as Shawn and Caroline’s son, Abe’s partner, the twinner’s father, Bo’s brother, or Diana’s lover, it simply hurt too much.

But now everything is different with Marlena by his side. Her love gives him the courage to face all his painful memories. So John tells her everything. He describes the agony of the months after her death: the loneliness and guilt, how he buried himself in work to forget his pain, how difficult it was to be strong for the children when he could barely make it through the day… he never thought he would be happy again. And then he met Diana. She was lovely, smart, sexy, aggravating, and kind, and he soon grew to love her. The main reason for their trip to Greece so long ago was to build a case against Victor — he never dreamed he would come back with his wife and children as a member of Victor’s extended family — but he admits that he and Diana turned it into something more. They were together for about two years, and they shared a lot of fun and passion, something he desperately needed in his life at that time. But in hindsight, John admits there were fundamental differences between them, and her lies and schemes made it difficult for him to ever trust her completely. In her defense, however, she had the impossible task of competing with a ghost. Even death could not destroy his love for Marlena, and Diana knew it.

As he finishes his tale, they are both close to tears. Marlena knew John had suffered when she “died”, but to hear him tell the story in his own words breaks her heart all over again. And hearing how Diana left him without saying goodbye makes her irrationally angry at a woman she had never met. But most of all, hearing his declaration of undying love makes her feel like the most cherished woman on earth. First to herself, then to God, then openly to John, she repeats her marriage vow that they will be together for as long as she lives.

*

John and Marlena walk in companionable silence along the beach. They stop at a particularly lovely spot and decide to take a swim. She removes her long wrap-around skirt and lays it on the sand: she’s wearing a sexy swimsuit underneath. John’s baggy swim trunks are slightly more conservative than Marlena’s suit but he still looks very fine to her. He leaps into the waves and urges Marlena to join him. She hesitates just long enough to force John to take action – he wades back to shore, picks her up, and carries her kicking and screaming into the water. Marlena soon gets her revenge when her well-executed knee-hook sends John backward with a splash. Marlena’s concern when he doesn’t immediately surface turns to indignation when “Johnshark” attacks her legs and flips her upside down into the shallow surf. Marlena halts the game long enough to untangle her hair and remove sand from a sensitive part of her body – John gallantly offers his assistance. Before she can respond, half a dozen kids come running in their direction. “Mama! Daddy! Uncle John! Aunt Marlena!” John and Marlena know their private time is over. They play with the kids for a little while, but soon the sun gets very hot and they decide it’s time for everyone to go back to the house for a shower and a nap.

Marlena takes her shower first. While John is cleaning up, she goes to the window of their modest guestroom and flings open the shutters, letting in the warm fresh sea air. When John returns he sees her standing in the sunlight gazing at the sea. Her golden hair and long white dress make her look like a Greek goddess. When Marlena sees John wrapped in a short towel, one thought comes to mind: he looks like a god. Their lovemaking that afternoon is heavenly.

*

Around 4 PM the family gathers on the terrace to spend some time together before dinner. The adults sit in the shade of the pergola and talk while they watch the kids expend boundless energy playing hide-and-seek and other games. Dinner is a wondrous feast: fried fish, grilled chicken, vine-ripe tomatoes covered in olive oil and feta cheese, fresh bread dipped in honey, grape leaves stuffed with rice and lamb, olives, fresh fruit, ice cream, cold beer, wine, lemonade, and sweet tea. Time passes so gently that no one can quite recall when the sun set and the stars came out. Now it is time for Justin’s surprise. To the delight of the kids, and the adults, Justin brings out a huge box of firecrackers, roman candles, and sparklers. The pops, sizzles, sputters, and booms keep everyone entertained far into the night.

*

Sometime later, the kids have been put to bed and the adults have returned to the terrace to enjoy the balmy evening. John is lying in a hammock – no one has heard him speak for 20 minutes. Bo, Shawn-D, Justin, and Lucas are sitting in Adirondack chairs on the lawn, sipping drinks and talking about nothing in particular. Marlena is floating in the pool on a mattress and appears to be sleeping. Hope and Adrienne are dangling their feet in the water and chatting about the challenges of raising sons. Kate and Billie are sitting at a table playing a vicious game of gin rummy. Carrie and Austin went back to the house a while ago and no one expects to see them again until morning.

Adrienne and Hope decide to get wet again. They jump in, swim some laps, get out and start diving off the board. Marlena paddles herself to the shallow end to stay out of their way. The men, not moving from their chairs, comment on the dives and begin rating them on form and degree of difficulty. After Justin offers a particularly scathing critique of one of Adrienne’s dives, she rises up in mock indignation and dares him to do better. Eager to defend his masculine pride, Justin jumps up and drags Bo and Lucas with him to the diving board. He climbs onto the board and does a nice back flip. Everyone claps politely. Bo is next – he hops on the board, takes a deep breath, starts running, and performs a perfect cannonball. Everyone laughs, including John, who apparently isn’t sleeping after all. The shock wave nearly knocks Marlena off her mattress, but she recovers nicely. Then Lucas takes his turn. He stands motionless on the end of the board for several seconds, eyes closed in concentration. He leaps high in the air, bounces hard, and performs a flawless one-and-a-half with a full twist. Everyone gasps in amazement and applauds wildly. When he comes out of the pool, they all run up and bombard him with questions. “That was amazing! How did you do that? When did you learn to dive?” Lucas smiles broadly and basks in their praise. “Two years on the varsity diving team,11 he happily informs them. “Didn’t I tell you?” As the ladies gush over him, Justin, Shawn-D and Bo huddle conspiratorially. They creep up behind Lucas, count silently to three, then grab him and toss him into the pool again! The girls respond by pushing Bo and Justin into the pool and jumping in themselves. Billie stands on the deck and laughs until Lucas reaches up, grabs her leg, and pulls her into the pool, too.

Marlena decides to avoid the melee that ensues. She slips off her mattress into the water and climbs up the ladder. John doesn’t move a muscle as he watches the water drip off her breasts and down her legs. Marlena notices his attention and does her best to ignore him. She dries herself more slowly than necessary, making sure to rub the towel over every part of her body. John is grinning now. Marlena takes the time to fold the towel neatly and comb her hair before walking over to the hammock.

“Hey, mister. Is that thing big enough for two people?” 

“Only if they lie very very close together.”

“I think I can handle that.” She climbs into the hammock and molds herself to his body. He wraps his arms around her and they sway together ever-so-gently, perfectly content. Kate enjoys their happiness, but it pains her, too. She pulls her shawl around her shoulders and walks back to the house and her empty bed.

Day Six- Morning

“Deliver Us From Evil”

Vivian paces restlessly in the private reception room of the Alamania Airport, waiting for John and the others to arrive. Ivan is calmly sitting nearby, sipping on a cup of tea. She is furious – not at John, but at those barracudas who are keeping her away from her darling Nikki. As if she would do anything to harm him! For 24 hours she had tried to see him, touch him, get the doctors to explain his condition to her … but Carly’s family had thwarted her at every turn. They even had a guard on his door to keep her away! “Well, just you wait,” she mutters under her breath. “Everything will be different when John gets here.“Shortly thereafter, Kate’s jet arrives from Greece and John and his family disembark Vivian pounces on him the moment he comes into the room, greeting him with the welcoming words, “Do something, John! They won’t even let me see him!” Hiding an exasperated smile, he assures her that she’ll get a chance to visit with Nikki. Mollified for the moment, she urges them to go to the hospital immediately – Nikki could be waking up at any time. That’s when Marlena breaks the news – Nikki is already awake and his condition is improving by the hour! Vivian, ecstatic, leaps forward and gives Marlena an enthusiastic hug. Then she starts running to the waiting limousine, pausing only long enough to shout “Come ON! ‘What are you waiting for?” They laugh and hurry after her.

*

Everyone is gathered in a waiting room in the ICU, including several members of Carly’s family, the Von Leuschners, who have been caring for Nikki since the attack that killed his parents five days before. Introductions are made and then the room falls silent as they wait nervously for the doctor to arrive. Finally, a dignified older man in a white coat approaches.

“Bonjour, I am Dr. Delacourt, the leading physician in this case.”

Marlena steps forward. “Dr. Delacourt, I’m Dr. Marlena Evans, and this is my husband, John Black. We spoke several times on the telephone.”

He greets them politely and goes directly to the point. “As I told you on the telephone, Nicholas’s medical condition has improved markedly in the last 12 hours. He came out of his coma without any ill effect, and the deadly staph infection in his leg has been controlled. He is still in serious condition, but we now believe he will make a full recovery.”

Everyone celebrates the great news. “When can we see him?” they all ask.

“Soon. He is sleeping now and I don’t want him to be disturbed, but later today I will allow short visits from his family and friends…”

While this conversation is going on, Shawn-D wanders over to the curtained room where Nikki is sleeping. He wants to go in, but the armed guard at the door refuses to let him in without permission. Shawn-D backs off: but when the guard’s attention is distracted by an orderly who drops a tray of surgical equipment, Shawn-D takes the opportunity to slip into Nikki’s room unnoticed The dimly-lit room is filled with various types of medical equipment connected to the patient by a dozen cords and tubes. Nikki is laying quietly in bed – his eyes are closed and his heavily-bandaged leg is in an elaborate traction device. Shawn-D steps closer. “Nikki?” he whispers. Nikki opens his eyes and grins widely when he sees his friend.

“Shawn-D! You’re here! Hey, man, it’s so good to see you!”

“You too, man, though you’re not looking too good, if you know what I mean.” He points to the leg. “Does that hurt a lot?”

“Oh yeah. They give me drugs that kill the pain, mostly, but it keeps coming back. The docs say I’m going to get better though, so I guess I’ll just have to grin and bear it a little longer.”

They grin at each other, but then get serious again. “Nikki, I’m really sorry about your mom and dad. I kinda know what it’s like, and I know it’s hard.”

“Thanks, but you know what? It still doesn’t seem real to me – one minute my mom and dad are alive, and the next minute they’re gone. I can’t even remember what happened – that whole day is a just a blur to me. Maybe it’s a good thing I can’t remember,” he continues thoughtfully. “Maybe the amnesia is God’s way of protecting me from the bad memories.”

Shawn-D nods his head in agreement. “You should talk to Uncle John about that. He’s the family expert on amnesia.”

“Uncle John? He’s here too?”

“‘Course – he and my dad and mom and Aunt Marlena and your Aunt Vivian…” 

“Aunt Vivian!” he says excitedly. “She’s here!?”

“Sure. Do you want to see her? I’ll go get her for you.”

“YES!” he shouts. ” Please!” he says more calmly “I would really like that.”

Just then the door flies opens and the security guard bursts in, followed closely by John, Bo, and the doctor. “Shawn-D!” scolds Bo. “What are you doing in here?”

“Don’t get mad, Dad. I just wanted to see Nikki. Look, he’s awake now!”

“I see that,” says the doctor mildly. He goes over and quickly examines his patient. “Very well, you may stay for a few minutes. But I don’t want you to exhaust him.”

John steps forward. “Hello, Nikki. I’m so glad you’re awake and feeling better. The doctor tells us you’re going to make a full recovery.”

“Hello, Uncle John,” he replies politely. (John is pleased to hear Nikki call him “uncle”). Then Nikki looks at Bo and a big smile spreads across his face. “Hi, Mr. Brady! Thanks for corning and bringing Shawn-D. It’s really nice to see him again.”

“And we’re really glad to see you, too,” Bo says with a smile of his own. “You two will have plenty of time to get reacquainted, Nikki. We’ll be staying here for quite a while – at least until you’re ready to leave the hospital.”

Voices are heard outside the door – “let me in, I demand to see him NOW!” The door bursts open again and Vivian comes in, looking anxious and concerned. She locks eyes with Nikki and moves toward him, but then stops herself, unsure of his reaction to her presence.

“Aunt Vivian!” he exclaims, and holds out his arms to her. In an instant she is at his bedside, arms wrapped around his body, hugging him tightly and rocking him back and forth. Their tears mix freely as they console each other in their grief John motions to Bo and Shawn-D and they discreetly back up and leave the two alone.

*

John and Marlena are waiting outside of Nikki’s room for Vivian to finish her visit when Dr. Delacourt approaches them. “Dr. Evans, you have a telephone call from Salem.”

“Salem! Is everything alright?”

“Doctor, I don’t know, You may take the call here,” he says, indicating a phone in a nearby private office.

”Doc?” John asks worriedly. “One of the twins?”

“God, I hope not!” She reaches for the phone and picks up the receiver. Taking a deep breath, she says “This is Dr. Evans.”

“Doc, it’s Roman. I need to talk to you and John. Is he with you?” 

“Yes, Roman, he’s here.”

John’s ears pick up and he moves closer.

“Are you alone?”

Marlena looks around. There are other people in the waiting room but they are standing far away. She closes the door to the office. “We have privacy. What’s wrong?”

“Doc, sit down.”

She sits down with a thud and gets a sick feeling in her gut. “I’m listening,” she tells Roman.

“I’m at the morgue, Doc. I’ve been here since 9 o’clock last night our time. Watching over a body. Doc… Stefano is dead.”

“Dead?” She holds the receiver at arms length and just stares at it, incredulous. (John closes his eyes in pain. “Now who?’) “Roman, I hate to ask you this, but are you SURE?”

Roman chuckles bitterly. “Yes, Doc, I am. This time there is no doubt. I was tempted to pound a wooden stake through his heart, just to be sure, but I watched the ME perform the autopsy instead. It was equally convincing.”

Marlena recognizes the exhausted, over-extended tone in his voice. Before she can answer again, John touches her on the arm.

“Who died?” he asks simply.

“Stefano,” Marlena replies, with a ghost of a smile. John sits down with a thud. “John, are you alright? Talk to me …” He waves her off but doesn’t speak, seemingly stunned by the news.

“Doc, DOC,” comes a tiny voice from the phone. “What’s happening there?”

Marlena puts the phone to her ear but doesn’t take her eyes off John. “I just told John. He seems to be taking it well…”

John interrupts. “Let me talk to Roman, please.” Wordlessly she hands the phone to him and sits back, watching him intently. “Roman, how did it happen?”

“John, he had a heart attack.”

“Impossible,” he replies automatically. “He never had a heart.”

Dry chuckles from Roman. “Maybe not, but that’s what the ME ruled. ‘Massive heart attack, instantaneous death.”’

“When did it happen?”

“Last night, our time – early morning for you. Lexi and Abe had invited him and Celeste to dinner at “Omega”, the new Italian restaurant in Salem Place, to announce Lexi’s pregnancy.” John nods absently – he and Marlena learned about the baby during their wedding reception, but it wasn’t common knowledge yet. Roman continues, “Abe wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but Lexi figured she couldn’t keep it a secret much longer, and she hoped that by including him from the start, it might have a beneficial influence on him, the way Victor cleaned up his act for Isabella and Brady.”

John nods again. “That sounds like Lexi – always trying to find the good in any situation.” He notices Marlena listening anxiously to the one-sided conversation. “Just a moment, Roman,” he says, and then fills her in on what Roman just told him. He sees the speaker button the phone and pushes it. “Roman, I put you on speaker so we can both listen.”

“Fine. As I was saying – the four of them went to dinner. Abe says that Stefano was on his best behavior all evening and the dinner was going quite well. Abe was a little suspicious, but later Celeste told him that Victor’s death had been something of a wake up call for Stefano – that in fact *nobody* was immortal and if he didn’t change his ways nobody would care if he lived or died. Anyway, during dinner Lexi told him the news and he was ecstatic – he went on and on about how pleased he was and what good parents Abe and Lexi would be – he ordered the finest wine in the house and toasted the baby, Abe, Lexi, Grandma Celeste, the chef… and then he clutched at his chest and dropped dead, right there on the floor of the restaurant. Lexi tried CPR, Abe called 911, and Celeste called me. I was there before the ambulance left the scene. They were still working on him but even I could tell it was useless. Abe and Lexi rode with him to the hospital. I drove Celeste.” Roman pauses, and then continues. “Mike Horton declared him dead, and after the incident with Peter, he made DAMN sure this time. I stayed with the body to give Abe and Lexi some time alone. Celeste came by and told me she sensed Stefano’s spirit was gone.”

John involuntarily crosses himself – a soul was not saved. Marlena shivers from the memory of a deep chill and deeper blackness that once possessed her: she knows where Stefano’s soul is residing. She knows that God’s justice has finally prevailed. And with that thought, a fear that had oppressed her for nearly 20 years was unmistakably gone. Peace. She felt peace at last. A man was dead, and she rejoiced without guilt. “Thank you, God,” she prays silently. Stefano was out of her life FOREVER – out of everyone’s lives – and no one would mourn his passing…

“…Lexi is taking it pretty hard…” Roman’s voice comes over the speaker, bringing Marlena back to the present. (“Lexi! She cares. And Celeste, too.” Marlena chastises herself. “Forgive me, God It’s not my place to decide who deserves life – or salvation.“) Roman continues “… She had such high hopes that she could be a good influence on Stefano – that his love for her would be enough to make him want to live a respectable life, but now she feels like she failed somehow.”

Marlena is sympathetic. “Roman, I’m sure Abe and Celeste will help her deal with her loss. But tell me, why are you calling from the morgue?”

“Call me superstitious, but I still have a hard time believing he isn’t going to rise from the grave one last time.”

“Tell me about it.”

“So I’m just going to sit here, or have one of Abe’s people sit here, until it’s time to put this body into the ground.”

No one speaks for a moment. It suddenly occurs to Marlena that Stefano would be highly amused at the sight of Roman standing guard over his dead body. “Roman,” asks Marlena, “has anyone notified Peter?”

“Celeste made the call. I think Abe is going to arrange a furlough from prison so he can attend the funeral, which by the way will be in two days. Lexi isn’t sure where he wanted to be buried – right now the choices are between here in Salem, with Kristen, or in Aremid with Tony From what I understand, Lexi is going to wait and talk with Peter first and see what he has to say. Maybe Stefano has a will somewhere with instructions… the police have sealed his house and Lexi and Abe are going over tomorrow with some lawyers to look over his papers.”

“Make sure she looks in the Secret Room,” Marlena advises strongly. “There’s no telling what he has stashed away in there.” John blushes with shame, remembering how he couldn’t/didn’t find Marlena in the Secret Room when he was living in the house with Kristen – and Susan. Marlena senses his discomfort and takes his hand. “It’s alright, John, all is forgiven,” she whispers, and then she smiles. John smiles back, comforted.

John turns back to the phone. “So Roman, how is everyone else taking the news?”

“Well, so far, only the people immediately involved know what happened. It hasn’t hit the news wires yet, but I’m sure the story will be in the paper in a few hours. And then word of his death will spread far and wide.”

“I imagine the vultures will be circling by noon to pick over the carcass of his empire. Have you notified Shane? I’m sure the ISA will be interested in the turn of events.”

“They know – they’re already on the scene. And some of Stefano’s known associates have already disappeared, like rats off a sinking ship.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. It sounds like you have everything under control back home. You’ll be sure to keep us informed if anything unusual develops, right?”

“Of course, John. And I’d appreciate it if you would pass on the news to everyone on your side of the Atlantic. It’s going to be public real soon, but I think the family would like to know beforehand.”

“Understood.” He turns to Marlena and mouths the word “Susan”. Marlena replies, “and Edmund”

“Well, then, I think I better get back to work. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, Roman” says Marlena. “We know you must be tired, but we really appreciate your call.”

“No problem. Take care. Goodbye, Marlena, John”

“Goodbye” they both reply, and the phone goes dead.

They just stare at each other for a moment, then both stand up and give each other a long, comforting, celebratory hug. “It’s over,” they whisper to each other. “We’re free.”

Day Six- Afternoon

“Revelations”

Oh man, what a day! It was only 4 PM and already John was exhausted. He escaped to Lawrence’s darkened office and propped his feet on the desk, hoping to hide out for a while. He needed time to absorb everything that had happened on this extraordinary day.

It began with the early morning flight from Greece. Before their departure, John and Marlena received word that Nikki had come out of his coma, so they went directly to the hospital. They were overjoyed to find him awake and alert, and bringing Shawn-D along had been an excellent idea. Nikki needed a friend very badly, someone who understood the losses he had suffered John ached for the physical pain Nikki was going through, and after seeing the X-rays of his leg and pelvis, Marlena was amazed that the doctors had been able to reassemble them. But they both knew the emotional pain of losing both of his parents was going to last a lot longer. Nikki seemed to be putting on a brave front, but Shawn-D had confided to him that Nikki really wanted to cry. He was going to need all their love and attention, but at least he was alive and would recover. John was gratified that Nikki seemed to quickly accept the idea of having John as a guardian. Although they still had a lot to learn about each other, John was hopeful that they would get along fine, unlike his still-fragile relationship with Sami and Eric. Marlena spoke with the doctors and learned Nikki had to stay in the hospital for at least a week. The funeral for Lawrence and Carly would be delayed until Nikki could attend.

He met the Von Leuschners for the first time at the hospital – what unpleasant people! No wonder Carly and Frankie left home! John was usually the most charitable of men, but he found them hard to tolerate – controlling, aristocratic in the worst possible sense, and extremely possessive of Nikki. Although Lawrence and Carly’s wishes concerning Nikki’s custody were well documented, John was quite sure that they were going to contest the arrangement. Another court case <sigh>. It was definitely something he was not looking forward to.

Frankie and Eve’s arrival later that morning had been a welcome relief. They had been on vacation at the time of Carly and Lawrence’s death and came as soon as they heard the news. Frankie and Eve joined the Salem bunch for lunch and regaled everyone with tales of their great African adventure as documentary film makers. Their most successful production to date was a 4-year old bundle of boy energy named Thomas ”Tiger” Brady, a strikingly-handsome little boy with Frankie’s dark eyes and his mother’s blond hair. John was amazed at the couple – Frankie was essentially the same pleasant young man who had once been his adoptive brother, but Eve had matured into a gorgeous, vivacious woman. He remembered her turbulent adolescence, her association with prostitution, and her stormy history with Kim and Shane, but all her problems seemed behind her now. Maybe if she talked to Sami…

After the casual Brady-style lunch, they took Frankie and Eve back to the hospital to visit Nikki, and it was obvious from the warmth of their reunion that they were a big part of Nikki’s life. Frankie assured Nikki that Salem would be the best place for him to live, at least until he was fully recovered and still in school. John urged them to visit Salem before they returned to Africa – the Bradys and Hortons would be delighted to see them. They said they would seriously consider it. Eve got a nostalgic look on her face when she learned Kim was in Salem for the summer. “I would like to see her again. I think we have lot to talk about.” 

Later in the afternoon, John visited the mortuary with Marlena, Vivian, Ivan, Bo, Hope, Frankie, and Eve for a private family viewing. It had been highly emotional – everyone cried when they saw the closed coffins topped with handsome photos of the deceased couple. The countless bouquets of flowers lent a beautiful touch to the sad room.

Marlena returned to the hospital after the viewing to discuss Nikki’s recovery plan with the doctors and psychologists. All well and good, but John wished she’d been there for his latest confrontation with Blair and the Von Leuschners. The issue was the funeral. John wanted a private funeral and burial in the Alamain family plot, but the others wanted a state funeral with thousands of guests, a public mourning period, and elaborate pageantry. Frankie agreed with John, but the “Von Lucks” refused to listen to them. After giving it some thought, John finally figured it out. They obviously resented the fact that John and Frankie had separated themselves from their families by choosing other names – ”Brady” and ”Black”. In their eyes, the two men were traitors. And now they were planning to take the Von Leuschner heir out of the country! The fact that Nikki would have more genuine love, care, and attention in Salem didn’t affect their thinking-appearances and tradition mattered much more. “No wonder Carly and Frankie left home,“he mused for the umpteenth time. If he had been raised in this environment he would have runaway, too – which only led to him to wonder about his own childhood, as he had been doing more and more since the plane landed in Alamania. How was he raised? In poverty? In privilege? Where? By whom? There had been so many crises to deal with during his life as “John Black” that he hadn’t had much time for introspection. But now, maybe he did – another benefit of Stefano’s death. (”Forgive me, rather, but I’m glad he’s out of our lives forever.”)

Finally, to end the arguments, he put Viv and Ivan in charge of the funeral. The Von Lucks hated the idea, which in John’s opinion made it the perfect decision. Of course he had his own misgivings, which he made clear to Vivian. (“I remember what happened the last time you planned a funeral – Carly wasn’t even dead!” Viv had looked at him with wounded dignity. “I know I’ll have to pay for that someday,“she told him, ”but the circumstances were very different. I want to do this, John. I need to do this, to make amends to my family for the pain I put them through. Please understand!” So he relented.)

The biggest surprise of the day had been Roman’s call, telling them of Stefano’s death. Although he had never consciously admitted it, John had harbored a secret desire – unworthy though it might be – to kill Stefano himself. In his dark fantasies he saw himself strangling Stefano until his eyes popped out of his head, or sentencing him to the gas chamber and dropping the pellets ever-so-slowly himself, or chaining him naked to the dungeon wall of Maison Blanche and leaving him to starve to death in the dark … The wellspring of anger that Stefano’s abuse had created in John’s heart was very deep and very strong, and now the focus of that anger was gone. A world without Stefano was a new experience for John. He had been the most important person in his life, even more so than Marlena. What now? He was no psychologist but he instinctively knew that the adjustment was going to be harder than he cared to admit.

But that would have to wait. He had more immediate concerns. First he had to deal with the Von Lucks, the funeral, the will… but his mind kept drifting back to that cool upper room on the island with the large comfortable bed and the sea breezes and Marlena standing by the window in her white dress, sunlight shining in her hair, smiling at him, moving toward him, hands at the strap of her dress, untying it, the dress sliding off her body…

*

“Mr. Black.” A voice interrupts.

“What!” he snaps back, more irritably than he intended.

Blair is standing at the door, a thinly-veiled expression of disapproval on his face. John sighed. He was getting really tired of the way Blair was always around and interrupting his thoughts, making demands on his time, setting the agenda, and lecturing him in that condescending way of his. It was the same attitude that had rubbed John the wrong way in Salem. He thought they had come to some sort of accommodation during the trip to Europe, but ever since his arrival in Alamania, Blair’s turf, John had felt at a distinct disadvantage. Marlena had urged him to show patience – Blair was under a lot of stress himself, both personal and professional, and he was undoubtably going through a mourning process of his own. All of which John could understand, but Blair’s attitude still bothered him. The man supposedly worked for the House, and thus for him, but John’s suggestions were met with skepticism, his decisions were second-guessed, and his orders were carried out grudgingly. The same disrespect did not seem to color Blair’s behavior toward Marlena, Bo, Hope, or even Vivian, who obviously knew him well and took delight in baiting him. So what was the problem? Was it personal? All he knew was that unless he got some answers, the tension between them would cripple their working relationship and ultimately hurt Nikki and the House. But how could he get Blair to talk? The man certainly wasn’t going to volunteer anything!

“Sir, you asked me to inform you when Miss Alamain returned to the house. She’s back.”

“Thank you, Blair. Would you ask her and Ivan to come see me? I need to talk to them about some family business.”

Blair nods curtly, but John, watching closely, notices how he bristled at the request. John suddenly decides, somewhat recklessly, that Blair is not going to leave the room until he gets the answers he wants.

“Will there be anything else?” Blair asks automatically. “Yes there is. Come in and sit down. I want to talk to you.” “I would prefer to stand, Mr. Black.”

“As you wish.” John takes his feet off the desk, sits up, swivels to the left, stands up, and walks very deliberately around to the other side of the desk. He perches himself on the corner and crosses his arms. Blair remains standing calmly a few yards away. “You don’t like me, do you?” John asks mildly.

“Sir? I don’t understand.”

“Me. John Black. The vulgar American black sheep of the Alamain family. I’m a big disappointment to you, aren’t I?”

“Mr. Black, my opinion doesn’t matter. You are the master of the House and I must accept it.”

“But you don’t like it. Oh, I know you’ve always been very polite and you would never say anything to my face, but your disdain has been apparent from the moment we met. My only question is why? What have I done to displease you?”

Blair blinks. This was a conversation he never expected. How could he answer without being offensive? “Sir, you must be mistaken. You have carried out your responsibilities admirably, as I have always tried to carry out mine. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“Don’t go.” Blair stops in his tracks. “This conversation isn’t over yet.” 

“Please, Mr. Black. I have work to do.”

“And I’m in the way, right? I barge in here, order you around, change traditions, live in Larry’s house, sit at his desk, eat his food…”

“You are within your rights, sir.”

“I bet you think I’m a real pain in the butt. I don’t know the first thing about being an Alamain, and I never took the time or trouble to find out.”

“No, you didn’t,” Blair retorts heatedly. (“Aha!” thought John. “Now I gotcha going.”) “You had many chances to show that you deserved the wealth and privilege you inherited from Leopold Alamain, but instead you turned your back on the family and all it stands for.”

“You’re right, I did, and all this time you remained steadfast and devoted. What do you have to show for your loyalty?”

“I have the satisfaction of knowing the House has flourished under my care.”

“But none of it belongs to you! If it wasn’t for me, you would have *so* much more freedom to do as you please with the Alamain assets. Vivian has no legal standing and Nikki is a minor, so all this” – he spreads his arms expansively – “would be yours to command.”

Blair glares at him with contempt. “You peasant!” he spits. “You know nothing about me or my motives. You know NOTHING about the work I’ve done or the sacrifices I’ve made to keep this House functioning properly.” John lets the insult pass. His plan to provoke Blair was working… he HAD to hear what else Blair would say. “If it wasn’t for me, the whole family would have gone bankrupt decades ago.”

“And you would have lost the good life you enjoy so much – the thousand-dollar suits, the limos, the palaces, the power… Admit it, Blair! You’d be happy to see me disappear just like Lawrence, wouldn’t you?”

Stunned silence. John realizes he may have gone too far, but holds his tongue nevertheless. The silence lengthens.

Blair bows his head, seemingly studying the pattern of the oriental carpet. He sighs heavily, looks up, – and meets John’s eyes. His face is a mask. “No,” he replies simply. “That is not what I want. But I understand why you might believe it.”

John is taken aback. He was just about to offer an apology to Blair for his implied accusation, and now Blair was making a confession. “Tell me,” he urges him gently.

Blair tiredly walks over to one of the ancient high-backed wood-and-leather chairs near the window and sits down. John comes over and pulls up another chair to sit next to him.

“Mr. Black, I am the one who arranged your death.

*

John shakes his head. “I don’t understand.”

Blair starts again. “You know what happened to you when you were a child.”

“Yes, I understand I nearly drown in a pool. I can’t recall the details.”

“You know it wasn’t an accident. Your brother was having emotional problems and acted with hostility toward you.”

“That’s what I was told,” John responds guardedly. “How do you know?”

“I was Leopold Alamain’s personal secretary. I was there when it happened. The family doctor told Mr. Alamain, your mother, and a few select members of the staff what really happened and what might happen in the future if Master Lawrence didn’t get the professional help he needed. I was the one who suggested that you be sent away so his parents could give him their undivided attention. Mr. Alamain agreed. After all, Lawrence was the heir, and his needs easily superceded yours.”

John protests, “But I was just a little child! How could they send me away from home, when Lawrence was the guilty one? And why did they tell everyone I died?” Despite his efforts to discuss the situation as a mature adult, a part of him was aching for little Forrest, already a pawn in a larger game.

“It was a crisis situation. Many decisions were made hastily, with good intentions but little consideration for the consequences. I don’t know why it was decided to tell the world that you had died, only that it was my job to make the world believe it. So I notified the authorities, arranged for a casket and burial, planned the memorial service, issued the invitations… I am good at my work, Mr. Black. Everyone was convinced. And then the service was over and everyone went back to their normal lives.”

John stares at him. “That’s so cold.”

“It’s the way it happened. A short time later your mother died in a car accident.” He pauses. “There had been considerable tension in the marriage before the accident, but Mr. Alamain’s grief was genuine. He loved your mother, Mr. Black, despite their disagreements, and I believe he went a little insane for a few days. He spent hour after hour in your mother’s room, handling her personal items, stroking her clothing, talking to her as if she were still alive… but then he realized a horrible truth. Blair pauses again, wondering if he should continue.

John, who had been leaning forward in his chair and listening intently to Blair’s story, jerked his head up. “Don’t stop now! Tell me everything!”

“As you wish.” He takes a deep breath, then exhales. “Your mother had made all the arrangements when you were sent away. She was the only one who knew where you were, and now she was dead.”

John’s eyes widened in shock. “You lost me?”

“In a matter of speaking, yes. Oh, we looked for you, believe me! Mr. Alamain hired the best detectives on the continent and spent a fortune searching for you – discreetly, of course, to avoid any embarrassing questions from the authorities. As I understand it, you were last seen in the company of a friend of your mother’s, who was supposed to take you to England for a short time – a few months at most. But we couldn’t find you. She and you had vanished without a trace. And so, after several weeks Mr. Alamain called off the search. He told us that it was hopeless, but I suspect he simply didn’t have the heart to spend more time looking for his unfaithful wife’s bastard son.”

The ensuing silence is broken when Vivian and Ivan burst into the room. “John, there you are!” she says brightly. “I was looking for you. I wanted to tell you what we decided about the funeral… ” She notices the tension in the room. “What’s going on here?”

“Blair just called me a bastard and I’m waiting for his explanation,” John replies tightly.

“Blair! That’s unforgivable. Apologize to my nephew immediately.”

“I will not. Mr. Black insisted on the truth and now he has it. The only question is whether he’s man enough to hear the rest of the story.”

“Go on,” John orders grimly.

“A few months before her death, Mr. Alamain found evidence in your mother’s diaries and letters that proved she had been involved in an extramarital affair. When he confronted her, she admitted her guilt. They separated, but she died before any divorce proceedings were started.” Blair continues. “In his search for clues to your whereabouts, Mr. Alamain forced himself to read the incriminating diaries again and found something he had missed before – entries that spoke of your mother’s abiding fear that her lover, a man she referred to only as Rudolfo, would learn that you were his son. Evidently her infatuation had turned to loathing, and she was desperate to keep you away from him.”

Vivian gasps and grabs the back of a chair to support herself. Ivan manages to cover his own shock and helps her to a seated position. John, intent on his discussion with Blair, misses her dramatic reaction.

John asks, “Why? What was she afraid of?”

“The diaries were not specific.” Blair cooly replies.

John turns to Vivian, who has managed to hide her dismay. “Vivian, did my mother ever speak to you about a man named Rudolfo?” Vivian swallows and shakes her head. “No, John,” she answers honestly. “Sorry, but I only met her a few times and we never became close. I’m afraid I was a little self-centered in those days.” Ivan rolls his eyes and John winks at him. Then he gets serious again.

“Blair, where are the diaries and letters now? Do they still exist?”

Silently Blair goes to Lawrence’s safe, works the combination, and opens the door. He reaches into an inside drawer and pulls out a small briefcase, which he lays on the desk in front of John, Vivian, and Ivan’s astonished eyes. The briefcase is also locked, but Blair opens it without hesitation. Inside are two expandable folders, each tied with cloth ribbon. One folder is labeled “Diaries” in faded ink; the other is labeled “Letters.”

John looks at him in wonder. “How did you know where they were?” 

“I put them there.”

He gives one to John. With trembling hands John opens the folder. Inside are five diaries. Two are schoolgirl diaries – small, flower-covered books with rounded edges and a tiny lock holding them closed. He opens the first, and on the inside cover a round girlish hand admonishes him “Private Property – Keep Out.” He skims through it quickly, notices the dates, does a quick calculation, and realizes the earliest entries were written when his mother was 18 years old, a few months before her marriage. (“Younger than Sami!” he marvels).

He notices a reference to his father Leopold and starts reading aloud. “Leo called again last night, the 4th night in a row – isn’t that crazy! Annie thinks he’s too old for me, but he’s so cute, and he’s taking me places I NEVER thought I’d go. This weekend we’re going to a polo match – can you believe it? And he’s going to buy me a new outfit to wear! I like him more and more every day…”

John skips to the next diary in sequence and opens it at random – the words jump off the page and he imagines he can hear his mother’s voice. “I met another new relative today – Leo’s little sister Vivian, finally home from school. What a bitch! I hate her already. The first thing she asked me was if I married her brother for love or money – it’s obvious what she considers most important. And how can she insult Leo like that! But he said don’t worry, she’s harmless, and never home anyway. That’s good, she gives me a headache…“

John stifles a laugh at Vivian’s indignant expression. “Well, Auntie Viv, I see some things never change.”

In better spirits, John opens the next book, a leather-bound journal with the name “Alamain” stamped on the cover in gold. He picks a page and starts reading again.

“Today we took Lawrence to the country house to see the baby animals. I loved watching him toddle after the ducklings and try to pick up the lambs and carry them – they’re bigger than HE is! The weather was perfect and it was so peaceful – until “they” showed up and spoiled everything. Why can’t they just leave me alone?” John sends a questioning look to Vivian. ‘Don’t look at me’ she silently answers back. He continues reading. “Grandma and Grandpa (they hate it when I call’em that) just took over like they always do. “They” decided he needed to see the ponies (he’s too little, but they never listen to me) and whisked Larry away and I didn’t see him again all afternoon! And Leo said nothing! Why won’t he back me up?”

The problems that Blair had mentioned were already obvious. His mother was feeling ignored by her husband and in-laws, and a custody battle for Lawrence’s “heart and mind” was already underway. He didn’t like where the story was going, but he felt compelled to continue.

Journal number four was also leather and gold, and fatter than the others. He opens it and several items fall to the desk. With a look of wonder he picks up the first – a plastic hospital bracelet with the name Baby Boy Alamain and a birth date typed on it – HIS birth date. There is also a small photo of a fuzzy-haired newborn with wide eyes and a tiny clenched fist against his cheek. John turns over the photo and looks at the name “Forrest Ian” written in his mother’s handwriting. He smiles broadly and shows the photo to the others in the room. “That’s me!” There are two other photos – the entire family gathered around the baptismal fount for his christening, and a picture of him as a laughing little boy riding in a red wagon. His favorite item is a crayon drawing, folded and refolded until it nearly falls apart in his hands. It shows stick figures of a lady, man, little boy, baby, lady, old lady and old man standing in front of a tree. Each figure had been laboriously labeled by the artist –“mama”-”papa”-“me”-”fory”-“anty”-“grama”-“grampa” – and the proud mother had obviously treasured the drawing. John shows it respectfully to Vivian. She holds it gently in her hands and looks at John with a hint of tears in her eyes. “I remember this!” she exclaims. “It was a Christmas present from Lawrence to your parents when he was only 4 years old – Leo displayed it in his office for months.”

John smiles and takes the drawing, carefully smoothing it out on the top of the desk. “And I’m going to display it in MY office from now on.”

He opens the diary and reads his mother’s words. “Forrey is such a good baby, always smiling and flirting with the ladies. It’s going to get him into trouble someday, I’m sure of it.”

This time Vivian laughs out loud. “You’re right, John. Some things NEVER change.”

He huffs at her and continues reading. “…I just wish Leo would take more interest in him – but no, he only has time for that damn winery of his. And Lawrence, of course, the heir to the throne. But where does that leave Forrest? Will he ever be part of the family?”

John looks up, puzzled. “I wonder what she meant by that.”

Blair, who had been listening and watching from the shadows, steps forward and picks up the fifth and final journal. Wordlessly he opens it to an entry marked with a ribbon, flips the book around and hands it to John with both hands. “Read this,” he tells him.

John takes the book and skims the page. He closes his eyes and clutches it tightly against his chest for a moment. Then opens his eyes again and reads aloud.

”At last. Leo knows. I should be ashamed, or scared, or SOMETHING but all I feel is a deep sense of relief No more lies! Finally I can be honest with myself and with Leo – he deserves that much, at least. But I suspect he always knew, somehow. Otherwise he wouldn’t have hired that man to follow me around or snuck into my room to read my diaries and letters. Of course now he thinks the worst of me, and the names he called me – Lord, I never heard him use those words before. He’s so angry and so hurt. He thinks I was betraying him all this time – I tried to explain that it only happened once, and it was over almost as soon as it started, but he’ll never forgive me for the affair, I know it. He practically threw me out of the house, suggesting I go back to “Rudolfo”, but how can I? The man is a monster. If I knew then what I know now… But it’s too late. My marriage is over. Leo wants a divorce. It will cause a scandal, but it won’t be a surprise to anyone. Everyone knows we were having problems long before the crisis with Lawrence. At least Forrey is safe. Annie is taking good care of him, and I can’t wait to see him again. I know I’ll never get custody of Lawrence – he belongs to the Alamains now – but Forrey is MINE. Nobody can take him away from me – not Leo, not the family, not his father. I’m sure we can work something out – he’s already dead to them, so they won’t even miss him. I don’t think they’ll miss me, either.”

John shuts the book again and closes his eyes. (“Mother. You loved me. You wanted me. You were going to fight for me. Thank you.”)

He turns to Blair. “Did Lawrence know?”

“Yes. I told him everything I told you, and he read the diaries himself.”

“And he still wanted me to raise Nikki?”

“I believe his wife influenced his decision. She told him that in the eyes of the law you “are” Forrest Alamain. To reveal otherwise would expose a deep family secret and hurt the reputations of your dead parents and the House. It would serve no purpose.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“No. She also reminded him that you were an excellent father to Brady and Belle and continued to love and care for the Brady children even after you learned they weren’t your own. She felt you would be able to provide a good home for Master Nicholas if it became necessary.”

“And how do you feel about this?”

“My feelings don’t matter in this situation.”

“Of course they do, Blair. You called me a bastard. Technically, you are correct. And you have the knowledge and the power to destroy me. Are you going to let a bastard raise the next head of the Alamain family?”

“The choice isn’t mine, it belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Alamain. I have to respect their decision.”

“But you don’t even know me. What if I’m unworthy? What if I’m not up to the job? If my mother is right and my father was a monster, then what am I?” For some reason, John feels a strong need for Blair’s approval.

“Only you can answer those questions, Mr. Black.”

John lets his mind drift back to the days immediately following the revelation that he was Lawrence Alamain’s brother. All of his insecurities and unanswered questions from that time – Who? Why? How?- came rushing to the fore, threatening to overwhelm him again. And now they were joined by a host of other questions… If Leopold wasn’t his father, who was? Why did his mother lie to everyone? Who WAS he? He felt his heart race, and willed himself to be calm again. Later. The answers would come later. Right now, Blair was waiting for a response.

“Blair,” he starts slowly, feeling his way, “I don’t know who raised me, or where I lived, or how I survived. But somewhere along the line I received everything I needed – faith in God, the ability to love and trust others, an understanding of the difference between right and wrong, the willingness to fight for my beliefs… I wish I could thank whoever was responsible for these gifts, but that may be impossible now. So I’ll thank God instead. You see, Blair,” John says with growing confidence, “I recognized a long time ago that my life is out of my hands. It belongs to God. And everything that has happened to me, both good and bad, has served His purpose. Removing me from the Alamain family as a small child may have been *exactly* what He had in mind for me. It may be the only reason I’m alive today and able to take care of Nikki and this House.” Although he is speaking the words for Blair’s benefit, John knows instinctively that they are true, and his heart is filled with peace. He extends his hand. “Will you help me?”

Blair glances at the outstretched hand. He looks up into John’s face, searching for signs of mockery or cynicism, but all he sees is sincerity. Tentatively, he reaches out with his own hand, and John takes it and gives it a warm, firm shake. Vivian and Ivan are astounded when Blair breaks into a genuine smile, the first one they had ever seen on his face. It made him seem almost, well, human.

“I’d be honored, sir” he replies with gusto, prompting a bright smile from John.

“Then let’s get to work!” With that the two men stand, give a brief nod to Vivian and Ivan, and exit the room together.

“Well!” declares Vivian, plopping down in one of the vacant chairs. “Lord, you can take me now” she proclaims to the heavens. “Blair smiled – I’ve seen everything!”

“It certainly was an amazing sight,” Ivan agrees. “And I thought he and John disliked each other.”

“Obviously we’ve all underestimated John’s powers of persuasion.” She looks at the door through which he and Blair had just exited. “It’s the last time I’ll ever make *that* mistake,” she adds thoughtfully.

“Other people have made the same mistake,” he reminds her. “Stefano always found him to be a formidable opponent.”

“Oh GOD!” Ivan looks at her, startled. “What if it’s really true! What if Stefano was actually… No, I won’t even say it. Ivan, I want you to promise me.” She stands and confronts him. “PROMISE me that you will never EVER breathe a word of our suspicions to ANYONE. No one can know, especially John. It would break his heart, and I don’t want him to get hurt. Do you understand? Just say nothing and forget everything you’ve heard.”

“Of course, Madame” he replies with sincerity. “I understand completely. Let the truth stay buried with the dead.”

* * * * *

The man was tall, slender, and dressed in an expensive suit that called attention to itself. He puffed on his cigarette nervously as he checked his Rolex. “It’s late,” he muttered to himself. One of his bodyguards, a brick of a man in a black suit, stepped forward in response to the comment: the man waved him back. He glanced up at the sky looking for the late-afternoon sun, but it was well hidden behind the thick clouds and pollution that so often blanketed the city of Leningrad. 

Mikhail Petrovich, otherwise known as Petrov, Tzar of the Mafia Russya, looked at his watch again. Although he was well protected by the steel gates surrounding his pre-revolutionary villa and the bodyguards deployed nearby, the limousine’s delay had kicked his survival instincts into high gear. If his conjectures were right, then he would be the last one to die. And it would happen today.

Victor’s death had been overshadowed by the fiery murder of Alamain the day before. Two deaths in two days; two of the original seven members of the Club were gone forever. Petrov and the other members recognized the pattern and increased their security measures, but the deaths continued. Bonner’s “suicide” had been planned with such precision that even her family didn’t suspect the truth, while Tracy’s attempted retreat to his island fortress in the Seychelles met with disaster. The rescuers found parts of his body, still undigested, in the belly of one of the sharks found swimming around his unoccupied sailboat. By that time Petrov was sure Stefano had been behind the crimes. It seemed so logical! First he won a pardon for himself, established an open presence in Salem, and built up his legitimate business interests. His position was stronger than at any time since the early 1980’s, when his attempt to obtain the Prisms had failed. What better time to eliminate his old rivals and pick up the pieces of their empires? Petrov and his partner had been prepared to recognize Stefano’s supremacy in exchange for a guarantee of protection, but their attempts to contact Stefano failed. Now he knew why: Stefano had died of a heart attack witnessed by his daughter, her mother, and the chief of the Salem Police Department. It was being called a natural death because of his history of heart disease, but Petrov knew better. And he was terrified.

A cool breeze from the northwest brought the scent of the sea and the first hint of autumn, which meant that winter was only a few more weeks away. Petrov breathed deeply the sweet air and smiled involuntarily. Foreigners were often under the impression that Russians hated the long, dark, cold winters of their country and envied the lands where summer lasted months instead of weeks. It was true that every Russian, with the means to do so, owned a tiny dacha in the countryside and fled to it every weekend in the summer. There they would relax with their comrades and cultivate their private gardens, where vegetables and flowers seemed to magically spring from the ground during the long summer days. The white nights of midsummer, when the sun set at 10 PM and the sky stayed bright until midnight, invited people to sit outside and talk and drink and revel until dawn.

Yes, summers could be glorious, but they also meant mosquitos, heat, humidity, and mud. And all the flaws and shoddiness of post-soviet Russia were thrown into sharp relief by the harsh summer sun. But all that vanished with the arrival of winter. The clean white snow that blanketed the countryside hid a multitude of sins. The cold air stimulated the body and cleared the mind, and the long silent nights encouraged the intimate gatherings and shared confidences that were so much a part of the Russian character. Petrov understood what all his compatriots knew – Russians were made for winter.

And now another winter was on the way, but would he live to see it? First he had to get to the airstrip and fly to the safe house, an abandoned lodge on the shores of Lake Baikal in Central Russia which once served as a guesthouse for Communist cadres. He needed time to think and plan his attack. He and his partner, Larry Chorvatsky Welch, had to locate the man they now knew was responsible – a man who hadn’t been seen in almost 1O years – a man with the cunning and brutality to execute six perfect murders in six days. But where to start? Petrov pondered the question. “He” must have had help from outside the Club to survive and carry out his plan… that’s it! They would concentrate on the renegades, those criminal elements that usually worked alone but could be bought for the right price.

As Petrov mentally reviews the list of possible co-conspirators and considered the inquiries he’ll have to make, his bodyguard’s cell phone rings. The bodyguard answers it and listens briefly. “Sir, a phone call for you.”

Petrov nods absently and takes the phone. “Petrov,” he announces. There is no response. “Who is this?”

“This is the last voice you will ever hear. Goodbye, Petrov. “

“Toscano!” He hears a click and spins around to see his second-in-command pointing a gun at his head The shock in his eyes fades to resignation. He knows he’ll never see another winter.

Day Seven

“On the Seventh Day”

Ernesto Toscano’s descent into his personal Hell started with the Cruise of Deception, his elaborately scripted plot to get revenge on his enemies. Aside from revenge, the Cruise also promised to be profitable. Toscano had made an arrangement with Stefano DiMera to exchange Hope Brady for a valuable cache of weaponry Toscano wanted for his private army in Central Asia.

Unfortunately, everything went wrong. His “disappearing act” in front of the passengers began perfectly, but in executing the final escape with Hope, a small amount of corrosive acid splashed into his eyes. Despite the searing pain, Toscano managed to carry out the escape and make it back to the safe house, where he handed Hope over to Stefano as arranged. The pain was unbearable and he knew his eyes had been damaged by the acid, but the doctor’s diagnosis was even worse than he imagined – total and permanent blindness. Infection set in a few days later, and the doctors were eventually forced to remove both eyes in order to save his life.

Toscano fell into a deep depression, exacerbated by the news that Victor and his bastards Bo and Isabella had made it safely back to Salem. As he lay suffering in the painful darkness, he took comfort in knowing that the code of the Club would protect his interests until he was ready to resume control of his criminal empire. “Honor among thieves” was a tradition often ignored by the upstarts and renegades, but it was a code that the Club of Seven had upheld for generations.

His physical and emotional recovery took nearly a year. Imagine his outrage when he found out what the other six had done in his absence! Alamain, the vulture, had taken advantage of the situation to organize a hostile takeover. Like a group of colonial masters from a previous era, they essentially sat at a table with a world map spread out before them and carved up his empire, dividing among themselves all the assets that the Toscano family had acquired over the centuries.

They thought they had gotten away with it, but at last everyone had been punished for their crimes:

– Alamain, who fancied himself a feudal lord, took for himself vast tracts of valuable Toscano property in South America and Africa. This alone warranted a sentence of death. His role as leader of the assault on Toscano’s empire meant that his family must die as well. A fiery public execution was just punishment and fair warning to the others. Toscano was displeased that Alamain’s son had survived – he would deal with the problem later.

– DiMera assumed a blind man had no use for art, so he robbed Toscano of all his treasured paintings and sculptures. But as much as Stefano cherished the Great Masters, Toscano knew that nothing meant more to him than his children, even though he tended to treat them with contempt when they failed to please him. How fitting, then, that DiMera should die from poisoned wine served to him by his daughter during a celebration of the impeding birth of his grandchild! Now everything he had bought or stolen over the years would be gone with the wind. Better yet, DiMera died without an heir to carry his name into the next generation. His line was now extinct.

– The Dragon Lady of Hong Kong, Lucinda Bonner, had wasted no time moving in on his operations in Asia. Within weeks, and with the acquiescence of the others, she had bribed several key Toscano employees to betray him and work for her instead. Soon dozens of his projects in Asia were wiped out and Bonner’s syndicate was in total control of the Hong Kong scene. Toscano had thoroughly enjoyed setting the stage for Bonner’s suicide. First he ruined her financially: shaking the Hong Kong stock market had been easy. Convincing the old woman that she was dying from a crippling disease had been a little harder but the results were highly satisfying. Everything went according to plan, thought his watcher admitted that Mrs. Bonner changed her mind at the last minute and had to be “persuaded” to jump to her death.

– Lane Tracy’s crime was thoughtless greed. He decided he always wanted to own an Italian villa, so he blackmailed some local officials to allow him to purchase the empty Toscano country home for back taxes and had it dismantled, packaged, shipped, and reassembled on his ranch in the mountains of Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, he couldn’t bring along the prize-winning Toscano vineyard and winery, so Tracy he gave it to his friend Lawrence in exchange for a stash of illegal ivory that Alamain owned. The man who got his start as a loan shark and graduated to casinos and smuggling should have known that stealing from Toscano was extremely risky. Tracy gambled and lost.

– Toscano had nothing but contempt for Mikhail Petrovich, who once worked for him but later became a bitter foe. The conflict was bloody: for years, Petrov’s army had been fighting Toscano’s army for supremacy in Central Asia. When Petrov learned about the “arms for Hope” arrangement, he offered DiMera a much better deal. Instead of giving the arms to Toscano’s representative as promised, Stefano could sell them to Petrov at fair market price instead. DiMera agreed, and Petrov’s army, now well-equipped, was finally able to destroy Toscano’s army and seize a major trading/smuggling route across Asia that had been controlled by the Toscano family since the days of Marco Polo. Toscano decided that since Petrov had shown no loyalty, it was appropriate that he should die at the hands of an underling who was also willing to betray his master for a price.

– Victor had declined to participate in the feeding frenzy following the accident, but in Toscano’s eyes he was guilty of the most unforgivable offense of all: stealing Toscano’s wife. Toscano could have destroyed the incapacitated Victor at any time in the past two years, but this way had been so much better. If only he could have seen the execution for himself! His watcher described the abject terror in Victor’s eyes when he realized that the nurse in his room was actually the agent of his death. Unable to speak or resist in any way, Victor had watched helplessly as the lethal drug was injected into his body and gradually paralyzed his respiratory and circulatory systems. Finally, moments before he took his last labored breath, the nurse leaned down and whispered the answer to Victor’s unspoken question of “Why?” with two simple words – “for Loretta.”

They all got what they deserved. Toscanos’s watchers had seen it all unfold and had reported back to him. Now that he had stirred up the hornet’s nest of the criminal world, he would sit back and enjoy the havoc. He was fascinated by the ripple effects of his actions — families in mourning, businesses in-distress, schemes and scandals unearthed, the mad scramble for power among the lesser crime lords, futile efforts by law enforcement bodies to make sense of the situation… The criminal world was in chaos, but not for long. In due course he would step in and impose his own brand of order.

* * * * *

Epilogue

“Omega”

All my best, Kim.

Shane Donovan sat at his cluttered desk in his small office on the 10th floor of a nondescript building. He put down the letter and gazed out the window at the city below, which was bathed in brilliant sunlight pouring out the stunningly-blue sky. Autumn in Paris was even more beautiful than spring, in his opinion. After six years at the ISA European office in Paris, he had come to love the city and its people greatly, but it still wasn’t home to him, and neither was that old pile of English stone and moss known as Donovan Manor. Although he had been gone for almost 10 years, his heart was still in Salem, USA. Kim’s most recent letter only reminded him how much he missed the place. Despite their divorce, Kimberly had kept him fully involved in their children’s lives and regularly sent him long, lively letters filled with detailed accounts of Andrew’s and Jeannie’s adventures. Looking at the enclosed photos of Jeannie wearing a baseball cap at a picnic and dressed up for her first date with a local Salem boy made Shane realize just how fast she was growing up. His son, Kim said, had recently discovered that his musical talent was a great way to meet girls. His recent supporting role in a summer community production of Grease had done wonders for his social life. “That’s my boy,” Shane said proudly, looking at the photo of his handsome dark-haired blue-eyed son dressed in a 80’s leather jacket for his role.

And again he felt the pangs of homesickness. Since he broke up with Kim, he had played the field and even married briefly, but the demands of his job had ruined the relationship. Now he was alone again, with nothing but his job to occupy his time.

Fortunately, his job was keeping him very busy lately. The criminal world seemed to be spinning out of control. The ISA was seeing strange shifting of alliances, uncharacteristic violence, escalating turf battles, and shadowy splinter groups emerging out of the muck. The chaos was keeping the ISA and her sister agencies on their toes. It all seemed to start about the same time as Lawrence Alamain’s murder, which was still unsolved, but if there was a direct connection it was extremely well hidden.

According to Kim, one place that Alamain’s death had made a direct impact was Salem. His son Nicholas had come to live with John and Marlena and was adjusting fairly well despite his serious injuries and the shock of losing his parents. He seemed to enjoy being part of a large family, and Belle and Brady loved having a big brother in the house. Mike and Laura were overseeing his physical and emotional recovery, with valuable help from Jeannie, who was showing a natural gift for nursing. Andrew, Shawn-D, Nikki, and Eric had formed a close cousin-relationship and the foursome were getting into all sorts of mischief Shane laughed out loud when he read about their latest escapade – Andrew and Shawn-D had convinced Eric to help them stage a “break-out” for Nikki (who was still in a wheelchair) and take him on an unauthorized visit to the Cheatin’ Heart, where Nikki tried to convince the bartender that American drinking laws didn’t apply to foreigners like him. Kim was surprised but delighted when the kids asked if they could live in Salem with their cousins, so she and Philip decided to move the family to Salem permanently. Her husband thought it was an excellent idea. He didn’t think LA was a good environment for teenagers, and he could just as easily commute to his location shoots from Salem. And now Kayla was talking about coming back to Salem, too!

Kim said that aside from Nikki, Lawrence’s death probably had the greatest impact on John. His new responsibilities as Nikki’s guardian and head of the Alamain family had matured and steadied him. He and Bo were closer than ever, his marriage to Marlena was rock-solid, and he seemed more at peace with himself than at any time she could remember. As for Marlena, she had never been happier. She was married to the man she adored, deeply involved in all aspects of his life, and surrounded by children who loved and needed her. They bought a large modern home with half-a-dozen bedrooms and it was always filled with friends and family, laughter, music, and controlled chaos. To top it off, Stefano’s death had lifted an enormous psychological burden off her shoulders: Marlena was like a nightingale set free. John and Roman, on the other hand, both seemed reluctant or unable to totally let go of the past. Perhaps they had defined themselves in opposition to Stefano for so long that they didn’t know how to live without that presence in their lives. Shane understood. Sometimes your enemies were just as important as your friends.

In other family news:

“Eric enrolled in a graduate photography class at Salem U and hopes to get an internship next year at National Geographic, though the competition is fierce and there is no guarantee he will get the job. He is dating a lovely college girl named Taylor, whom the Bradys have already adopted as one of their own.”

Of course. The Bradys always had room for one more. Despite his divorce from Kim, Shawn and Caroline had made it perfectly clear that he would always be a well-loved member of their family. He wondered if Roman and Bo had any idea what that promise meant to him. He knew John understood.

“Sami is still recovering from the debacle with Franco and adjusting to partial custody of Will. She’s living with Roman in their old house and is considering taking college courses next semester. In the meantime she’s helping Mrs. Horton, who had hip surgery last month.”

Oh, Sami. She reminded him so much of Eve it was almost frightening — another beautiful child pretending to be a woman, making the wrong decisions, trusting the wrong people, and spurning the genuine love she was offered. He was glad to hear she was spending time with Mrs. Horton. If anyone could get through to her…

”Bo and Billie agreed to divorce. She went back to Europe and he is remodeling Victor’s boat into a home for himself. Hope and Shawn-D have been spending a lot of time at the pier, giving advice and helping out. Although they deny it, the rest of the family is sure they’ll be back together by Thanksgiving.”

Shane smiled. He was very fond of Hope and Bo and sincerely hoped that Kim was right. As for Billie, he knew exactly how she planned to move on with her life — her application to the ISA training school was sitting on his desk waiting for his approval. She looked like a very promising candidate.

”Roman is keeping busy at the cop shop and the pub, but he’s starting to get restless again.”

Oh, Roman. What a difference a year makes. Shane hadn’t agreed with Roman’s decision to tell the family he was dead, but Shane honored his request out of friendship and ISA loyalty. No one was happier than Shane when John brought back the cure. Roman should have been content with one miracle, but he could be forgiven for hoping for another one – reconciliation with Marlena. That didn’t happen, but he had health, home, and family… why wasn’t it enough?

And there was more!

“Eve and Frankie’s visit to Salem in September was a great success. We were all thrilled to see them again, and Ma and Pop took great delight in finally meeting their grandson, “Tiger” Tom. He and Belle make the cutest couple! Eve told me Frankie inherited a large amount of money from Carly’s estate and they were considering starting their own film company (now that their former employer, Tracy Images, has gone out of business). Maybe Philip can help them out. And speaking of Africa, Jennifer and Jack came home just in time for Abby to start school, and they brought back a surprise — Bill! It looks like he’s going to stay home for good this time. Mike got him a job at the hospital, and he and Laura are dating again. He’s also spending time with Lucas, trying to build a father/son relationship that never existed before. Jennifer, of course, is thrilled that her father is home to walk her down the aisle when she remarries Jack next month.”

As much as Shane enjoyed reading about the family, other tidbits of information in Kim’s letter were even more intriguing.

– Peter, released from prison on furlough to attend Stefano’s funeral, escaped and vanished without a trace. A confidante of Stefano’s, Dr. Rolf, disappeared at the same time and presumably orchestrated Peter’s escape.

– Lexi Carver and her mother, Celeste, inherited almost all of Stefano’s known legitimate assets and are now fabulously wealthy women. They sold all of their Titan stock to Kate Roberts and are happily giving away the rest of Stefano’s money to charity. Strangely, though, they boarded up Stefano’s house and refused to put it on the market. (Shane knew why. The material and equipment Abe and Lexi found in the Secret Room was still being analyzed by ISA experts. He had seen the preliminary reports- they were astonishing.)

– Kate Roberts is having serious problems at Titan – some of Victor’s former business partners have abandoned ship. It seems they only supported her out of respect for him, and now that he’s dead and the truth about her past is out… Business is bad and Kate is scrambling to meet her payroll. Austin quit to open an exercise club and Lucas is considering an offer from Vivian.

– Vivian Alamain is now CEO of Alamain Industries. The woman has problems with ethics, to put it mildly, but she is a crackerjack businesswoman, and frankly, John isn’t much of a businessman, so it was logical for her to take on the job. John is watching her very closely, though, and forcing her to stay on the straight and narrow. He and Ivan, who agreed to be his personal secretary, have already uncovered some shady Alamain business practices (with the help of a few discreet inquiries to the ISA, Shane notes) and put a stop to them. Kim was confident that in a few years, when Nikki is ready to take over some of the responsibilities at Alamain Industries, the family business will be in fine shape.

*

Shane carefully folded up Kim’s letter and put it into his coat pocket. He attached the new photos of Andrew and Jeannie to his filing cabinet with little magnets and gazed at them fondly. Compared to Salem, his “exciting and glamourous” life seemed very empty. He would rather have supper at the Black house than dinner at the Ritz any day, and he would gladly exchange his season tickets to the Paris Opera for a bench seat at the Salem Community Theatre to watch his son perform. Kim’s new husband had been a marvelous stepfather to Jeannie and Andrew, but Shane vividly remembered that brief time when *he* was the most important person in their lives.

Was it too late? He was on good terms with his children and saw them several times a year, but he was missing so much. Was it possible to go home again? Shane though about Roman’s experience. Separated from his children for so many years by Stefano, then for several more years by voluntary exile, he had managed to connect with them again and play an active role in their lives while staying friends with Marlena and John. Maybe he should go to Salem and talk to Roman about it – and see his kids – and spend some time with Kimberly. And while he was there, he could ask Roman and John’s opinion about an ominous riddle the ISA received yesterday. Maybe Roman would be interested in working on new case…

Die by fire

Die by sleep

Die by flying

Die by deep

Die by family

Die by friend

Die by me

I am The End