No Way Out
In bed, Maxie gushed to Nathan how glad she was to have time with him. She thought he was a "wonderful man," and she expressed her sympathy for what he'd gone through with Claudette. She promised to listen if he wanted to talk about Claudette in order to heal some of his scars. She went on about how awful and ungrateful Claudette seemed, but Nathan stopped her. He could tell that she was trying to "pump information" from him.
Maxie insisted that she had only been trying to "fill in the blanks." Nathan snapped at her to "drop it." After a moment of silence, they both apologized. She promised to stop trying to force him to talk about Claudette and kissed him. He thought that they were in a good place, so he urged her not to create problems that didn't exist. He had to shower for work, so he got out of bed. Maxie got out her laptop and searched for "Claudette West."
Sam was in bed when Jason jumped in with her. He was glad that she'd stayed while he'd gone to speak with Sonny. She replied that she'd wanted to stay in order to spend more time with Jason, but she'd also wanted to know what had happened. Jason admitted that he understood Sonny wanting to "right a wrong."
Sam's thoughts went to Nikolas. He'd stolen ELQ, he'd stolen Jason's life, and he'd gotten "violent," according to Jason. Jason promised not to hurt Nikolas again because "I have too much to lose." Jason had an idea about how to right Nikolas' wrongs and picked up his phone. A few minutes later, he hung up, and Sam and Jason left the apartment.
Ned entered Tracy's hospital room and expressed his relief that her surgery had gone well. She admitted to being more "emotional" than usual, but she felt like herself again after a long nap. She was "ready to take on the world" and asked Ned to get her phone. Ned refused to let her get herself "riled up." He finally agreed to send a text message for her. She instructed him to text Hayden and say "R -- I am awake in the ICU eagerly awaiting you visit." He wondered why she would address the text to "R." She assured him that Hayden would understand.
Hayden was looking at some legal papers when Nikolas entered the living room. She announced that she'd decided to turn him in to the cops for her attempted murder if he didn't sign ELQ over to her. She vowed that, if he didn't, the next time he would see Spencer would be from behind bars. He wondered what was keeping her from calling the cops anyway after he signed the papers. She promised to give a statement that would eliminate any suspicion of Nikolas being involved in the shooting. She wanted to move on. "The sooner the better," Nikolas added.
Laura entered the living room and realized that she'd interrupted something. Just then, Hayden received Tracy's text and excused herself to run an errand. She advised him to have the papers signed when she returned. When she was gone, Laura demanded to know what was going on with Hayden and with the bruises on Nikolas's face. Nikolas quickly explained why he'd gotten into another fight with Jason. He regretfully told Laura about Hayden's blackmail.
Nikolas cited Spencer as his reason for signing the papers, but Laura realized that Hayden had also threatened to turn in her and Elizabeth as accessories after the fact. Laura vowed to do anything she could to help. He asked her not to be there when the notary arrived and assured her that he'd be fine. Laura reluctantly left Nikolas, and he sat down to look through the papers.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Nikolas was not happy to open the door to Sam and Jason. They invited themselves in, and Nikolas wondered if Jason had returned to kill Nikolas. "If I was, you wouldn't see me coming," Jason replied. Nikolas demanded to know what they wanted. Jason divulged that he was there to "make an offer you can't refuse."
Hayden entered Tracy's hospital room and introduced herself to Ned, who remembered her from the Nurses Ball. Tracy asked for a minute with Hayden, so Ned left the room. Before talking "business," Hayden handed Tracy a box. Tracy was confused to find a cat figurine, and Hayden explained that it was supposed to symbolize "upcoming luck and great fortune." Hayden informed Tracy that Hayden would be keeping ELQ for herself.
Tracy yelled that she and Hayden had had a deal, but Hayden countered that the deal hadn't included blackmail. Tracy threatened to tell the world who Hayden really was, but Hayden informed her that the world already knew. Tracy called Ned in, and Hayden immediately introduced herself to him as Rachel Berlin. His phone went off. While he wanted to hear her explanation, he had to take care of an "emergency."
When Ned was gone, Hayden gloated about calling Tracy's bluff. Hayden promised to take good care of her ELQ shares. Tracy then threatened to tell all of Rachel's enemies where she was. "You won't get away with this," Tracy said. "You're wrong. I already have," Hayden replied smugly.
Handcuffed to a railing at Anna's, Paul stirred and awoke. He ripped the tape off of his mouth. "Damn it, Anna, what have you done?" he wondered. He tried to pull the cuffs off, but they wouldn't budge. He saw a pile of papers on the table next to him and pulled them down. He found a paper clip and tried to pick the lock on the cuffs. He finally succeeded and got to his phone. "I hope it's not too late," he muttered.
On Sonny's plane, Sonny showed Anna a map of the neighborhood that Carlos had been spotted in. He noticed that Anna looked distracted and wondered if she was having second thoughts. She brushed it off as a "loose end in Port Charles." Changing the subject, she wondered what they were going to do when they landed. She wanted to put Carlos on the plane back to Port Charles and warned Sonny not to be tempted to "end" Carlos himself. She was determined to jail Carlos, even if it meant going to jail herself.
Anna explained what she'd done to Carlos to a curious Sonny. He thought she'd had good reason to take care of Carlos. Anna felt guilty about abandoning her principles and not trusting in the justice system. She hoped that Carlos would at least turn on Julian. Sonny assured her that there was no proof of her crime, only Carlos' word. Anna had no intention of denying her crime, which shocked Sonny.
The plane landed, and two officers entered the plane. They scanned Sonny's passport and allowed him to enter the country. They scanned Anna's passport and revealed that she couldn't leave because there was a warrant out for her arrest. She demanded to know the charges, and she was told that she was being charged with assault and unlawful imprisonment back in Port Charles. Sonny said something in Spanish, and one of the officers threatened him with detention if he was offering a bribe. "My Spanish is rusty," he claimed.
Sonny asked for directions to the last neighborhood that Carlos had been seen in. An officer offered to give him directions and turned to leave the plane. Anna yelled that Sonny couldn't leave her, but Sonny replied that "crime doesn't pay" and left the plane.
On the plane, Anna tried to explain to the officer that the arrest warrant was just a misunderstanding. The officer's phone rang, and he answered it. He then handed it to Anna, who anxiously answered it. "You made a serious error in judgment," Paul told her. He was glad he'd had enough time to post her arrest warrant, since he had friends "around the world" to expedite it.
Anna informed Paul that she hadn't been alone. She continued that he could have easily fabricated charges on Sonny. She realized that Paul had deliberately let Sonny go, hoping that he would kill Carlos.
Later, Sonny showed a picture of Carlos to one of his men on the street. The man had asked around and had a lead on Carlos in another neighborhood. He promised to call if he heard anything and walked away. Sonny walked up to a church and went inside. He asked the preacher at the altar if he had seen Carlos. The man turned around, and it was a gun-wielding Carlos. "Time to die," Carlos said.
Seated on a bench in the park, Valerie was in the process of sending Curtis a text message when she realized she was late for work. As she rushed off, she crashed into Lulu, who had her head buried in a book. As she did, Dante approached from behind. Valerie said she was on her way to meet Bobbie to celebrate her graduation. Valerie asked Lulu about the book she was reading. Lulu explained that she and Dante were in marriage counseling.
Valerie appeared uneasy and prepared to walk away. Before she did, Lulu told Valerie they would be bumping into each other, and she didn't want past mistakes to stop them from being cordial when they met. She congratulated Valerie on graduating and said she would make a great officer. After Valerie left, Dante and Lulu started working on their homework to save their marriage.
Sam and Jason arrived at Wyndemere. Sam asked Nikolas where his wife was. Nikolas assured her that Hayden was alive and well. Sam told Nikolas that she knew that Hayden had found out that Nikolas had tried to kill her and that Hayden was blackmailing Nikolas to get back at him. Jason announced that he wanted to buy Nikolas' shares of ELQ. Nikolas said that the shares were not for sale.
Jason reminded Nikolas that he'd lost a year of his life due to the Cassadines. Before he could go on, Nikolas said that the matter was being handled in court and that he would answer Jason's charges there. Jason had another idea; he told Nikolas to sell him his entire 50% interest in ELQ. Nikolas shook his head in disbelief. "How many banks did you rob, Jason?" Nikolas asked. Jason said that the money would be wired to Nikolas as soon as the shares were signed over.
Nikolas again expressed disbelief, saying that Jason "doesn't have enough blood money" to buy his shares. Jason handed Nikolas a piece of paper with the amount he was willing to pay for the shares. Nikolas rejected the offer with a laugh, claiming the figure was a fraction of what the shares were worth. Jason informed Nikolas that if he didn't sell the shares to Jason, Nikolas would go to prison. Jason revealed that Nikolas had left a trail when he'd tried to kill Hayden.
"This isn't a negotiation. You sell me that stock or you go to prison," Jason growled. Nikolas accepted Jason's offer and asked that the money be transferred in Spencer's name. Nikolas told Sam that he would never forgive her. Sam pointed out that Nikolas had kept Jason away from her and Danny and added that Nikolas didn't seem to regret it.
Nikolas said Sam was right -- he didn't regret it and felt Sam and Danny would be better off without Jason. Nikolas realized Emily had been wrong when she'd said that Jason was good and honorable and only killed those who deserved it. Nikolas argued that there was no good in Jason and reminded Sam that Jason had tried to kill him twice. Jason said he hadn't tried, but if Nikolas ever put his hands on Sam again, he would definitely kill Nikolas.
Later, Sam asked Jason what he planned to do with the ELQ shares, since he was the majority shareholder.
Hayden met up with Curtis at the Metro Court bar. "Princess Cassadine," Curtis said with a smile, "always a pleasure to see you, cupcake." Hayden beamed that she had good news; her war with Nikolas was finally over -- and she had won. Curtis asked how she had managed to vanquish the prince. She said she couldn't have done it without him and explained how she had gotten Nikolas to sign over the ELQ shares to her.
After admitting to sleeping with an icepick handy, Hayden said that she had reevaluated her situation. Hayden explained that she'd given Nikolas an ultimatum: he would either sign the ELQ shares over to her, or she would report Nikolas to the police. Curtis noted that Nikolas wasn't the "type of dude" who would give up easily. Hayden added that she had also mentioned Spencer to tighten the screws. Since Nikolas' "insufferable mother" also knew that Nikolas had tried to kill her, Spencer would grow up seeing his father and grandmother rotting behind bars.
"Money and power aren't as important to Nikolas as Spencer and Laura are," Hayden said with a smile. When Curtis asked if Hayden had any regrets, she said that she had had more than she could count. Curtis asked what her biggest regret was. That, Hayden said, changed every day. She was disappointed that after everything she'd done to make a new life for herself, everyone was still going to find out that she was actually Rachel Berlin, "daughter of the world's biggest thief." Curtis assured her that with her shares of ELQ, she would soon have a lot of money.
Hayden admitted that Nikolas was at the top of her list of regrets. "Nikolas and I were very good at loving the people we wanted to believe we were," Hayden explained. She said she didn't want to stay at Wyndemere any longer and would not need Curtis anymore -- but once she had the money, she would pay Curtis with a bonus. Curtis stopped Hayden from leaving.
Hayden thought Curtis was going to hit her up for more money. He said that if Hayden wasn't planning to leave town after everything with Nikolas was resolved, he hoped she'd stick around so that they could be friends. Hayden remarked that Curtis' comment was the "nicest, sweetest thing" anyone had said to her in a long time. She gave him a hug just as Valerie walked in. Hayden left to "secure [her] funds."
Valerie confronted Curtis and said she had seen him with Hayden on more than one occasion and wondered what was going on. Curtis assured her that he and Hayden were friends, nothing more. Valerie was unsure about his explanation and left saying she would see him later.
Hayden returned to Wyndemere and asked if the notary had stopped by. Nikolas said that she had, but he had sent her away because there had been no need for her services. Hayden reminded Nikolas that he had to sign the ELQ shares over to her. Nikolas instructed Hayden to go check his safe because the stock certificates were no longer there. He then explained that he could no longer give her the shares of stock because they were no longer his to give.
Jordan received a phone call from Judge White as she was getting off an elevator. Her face twisted as she repeated aloud what the judge had said on the other end: a warrant had been issued for Anna Devane's arrest. Jordan hung up the phone and rushed off.
At General Hospital, Carly was worried about Sonny because she hadn't heard from him. She sent him a text message as she wandered the corridor and nearly ran into Franco, who chided that it was "dangerous to text and walk." Franco said he was going to check on Kiki. Carly advised him that Kiki was asleep, but Franco wasn't going to take her word for it. The two started to go their separate ways, but Franco asked Carly if she had a minute. Carly nodded. He thanked Carly for what she'd done for Kiki -- but his subsequent remark that Kiki wouldn't have been there in the first place had it not been for Morgan quickly put the two back at each other's throats.
Carly admitted that Morgan had made mistakes while dealing with his illness and that Franco should understand better than anyone, since Franco had been at the mercy of mental illness, "unless [his] big tumor was a big lie." Franco vowed to protect Kiki from Morgan. Carly insisted that Morgan was not a threat to Kiki; Carly said Morgan had been trying to help his father. Carly told Franco that he didn't know Sonny or what Sonny was risking at that moment.
Franco asked what was going on with Sonny. He apologized for any hurt or pain he might have caused Carly in the past but added that he was not sorry about Sonny because Carly had broken his heart and betrayed him when she had gone back to Sonny. If Sonny died, Franco said that he would not mourn him. Carly snarled that she had forgotten what it was like wasting her time on a worthless human being. Franco said the next time she spent any time with Sonny, it would all rush back to her. Carly proclaimed her hatred for Franco.
While on Sonny's plane, Anna was on the phone with Paul. She noted that he could have trumped up charges against Sonny and added his name to the warrant, but he hadn't. Anna accused Paul of wanting Sonny to kill Carlos. Paul demanded to know where Sonny was. Anna refused to tell him.
Paul sighed heavily and asked Anna why she was determined to go down a path of self-destruction. He asked why he was constantly trying to save her from herself. Anna commented that if they were to return Carlos to Port Charles, Paul would surely charge her with attempted murder. Paul wouldn't comment on Anna's theory. Anna accused him of trying to save his own skin because Carlos knew what Paul had done to Sloane. She said she was impressed with how Paul had manipulated Sonny to be his personal assassin.
Anna assured Paul that Sonny had given his word that Carlos would be taken back alive. Paul said there was little point in discussing things further and hung up. Anna panicked and told the officer that people were going to be hurt, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. She covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably. The officer leaned over to hand her a tissue. When he did, Anna knocked him out, grabbed his gun, and raced off the plane.
As Paul opened the door to leave Anna's home, Jordan was standing outside. Jordan wanted to know what was going on. She said that she had received a call from Judge White about the warrant for Anna's arrest. When asked why he was at Anna's house, Paul stated that he'd been the one to get the warrant issued. Paul said the Anna had lost her mind. He stated that Anna had gone after Carlos and gone to a foreign country, and she was attempting to bring Carlos to justice without any regard for the proper channels.
Questioned how he knew all of that, Paul said that Anna had told him everything right before she'd knocked him out with chloroform. Jordan thought Paul was using the warrant as a cover. Paul countered that the evidence would prove he was telling the truth. Jordan asked where Anna was, but Paul said that "God only knows."
Jordan questioned Paul's story, asking him if she was supposed to believe that Anna had rendered him unconscious, held him prisoner, inspired him to have an international warrant issued for Anna's arrest,and that he was concerned for Anna's welfare. Paul insisted that he did not want to prosecute Anna and that he'd had the warrant issued in order to protect her. He said he feared that if Anna found Carlos, she might try to kill him -- just as she had tried to kill Carlos before.
Sonny walked into a church, speaking Spanish, and told the padre, whose back was to Sonny, that he was looking for a man and wanted to know if the priest had seen him. When the priest turned, he revealed himself as Carlos. "Hola, Sonny," he sneered, "time to die." Sonny questioned if he'd walked into a trap or if Carlos had just gotten lucky. Carlos said it didn't matter because Sonny was a dead man either way.
Staring down the barrel of Carlos' gun, Sonny asked if Carlos had rented his outfit or stolen it from a priest. "I figure I'm going to hell anyway. Go big or go home," Carlos replied with a sinister laugh. A moment later, he assured Sonny that he had not killed a priest. He would, however, kill Sonny because "there is no sin in killing a killer." Sonny asked where Sabrina was.
Since Carlos was planning to kill Sonny, he saw no reason not to answer Sonny's question. Carlos said that he had taken Sabrina to Puerto Rico while he'd gone off the grid so Sonny and Anna would not find him. Carlos took delight in how Sonny had been delivered to him and that he would have a chance to finally kill a man who should have been dead a long time before. Sonny pointedly asked Carlos if he'd been the one to shoot Sonny and put him in a wheelchair. Carlos confessed that he had -- but that the "stubborn bitch" Sonny hadn't been able to stay in the wheelchair.
Sonny said that Julian had to be disappointed that Carlos hadn't killed him. Carlos ordered Sonny to kneel before the Virgin Mary and to pray for his soul for all the evil he had done. Sonny began to pray, and Carlos laughed. Carlos accused Sonny of sounding weak and pathetic, just like Duke had. Carlos was distracted when he heard the padre moan.
Sonny turned, punched Carlos, and grabbed Carlos' gun. Sonny told Carlos that it was his turn to pray. Anna arrived at the church as a gun-toting Sonny loomed over the fallen Carlos. She called out Sonny's name, and Carlos seized the opportunity to reach for Sonny's gun. A struggle ensued... and a gunshot rang out.
Sonny pointed his gun at Carlos, who was cowering on the ground. Anna burst into the church and called out to Sonny. Carlos used the distraction to lunge at Sonny, and the two struggled over the gun. A shot rang out, and Carlos fell back onto a pew. Carlos was hit in the shoulder. Anna pulled out her handcuffs as Sonny pointed the gun at Carlos. Anna reiterated him that they'd agreed not to kill Carlos. Sonny informed her that they had "different objectives" and that he would be considered "weak" if he didn't kill Carlos. He cited that it was "good business."
Anna reminded Sonny that Julian was their real target. Sonny promised that Julian would pay, just not in a way that Anna would condone. Anna demanded that, since Duke was the man she had loved, they would do things "my way." "What if I don't agree?" Sonny wondered. "Then kill me too," she stated. She begged Sonny to be a "gentleman" and let her give one last "gift" to Duke. "He's all yours," Sonny finally said, and he walked away as Anna cuffed Carlos and declared him under arrest.
Sonny found the robe-less priest, who was relieved that Sonny and Anna had taken care of the "criminal." As Sonny talked to the priest, Anna cleaned Carlos' wound. She explained that they had a long way home, and she wanted him healthy for when he stood trial. Sonny announced that he was ready to go whenever Anna was. She replied that the sooner Carlos was in jail, the better. Anna left the church, and Sonny informed Carlos that he owed Anna his life. Carlos responded that he would beat the charges. Sonny replied that Carlos was going to "die one way or the other."
A short while later, Sonny pushed a chirping Carlos into a seat on the plane. Anna offered Sonny chloroform in order to shut Carlos up, and he approved of her methods. Just then, the officer that Anna had knocked out entered the plane. He refused to let Anna leave after the assault. Sonny updated the officer on their situation, and the officer assured Sonny that he'd gotten a call from Robert that corroborated Sonny's story.
Sonny told the officer that he would have to call his "associate, Don Felipe." The officer instantly apologized for the misunderstanding, wished them a safe trip home, and deplaned. "Do I wanna know what kind of business you do with Don Felipe?" Anna asked. "Probably not," Sonny replied. Carlos told Anna that she would probably go to jail if he started talking. Anna had made peace with that fact, "as long as you pay." "He will. I give you my word," Sonny vowed.
Outside the visiting room at Morgan's institution, Carly told Michael that she didn't want to lie to Morgan about where Sonny was, but she didn't want him to have another episode either.
Morgan was video chatting with Kiki, and she showed him the scar from the bullet. She admitted that she didn't remember anything after leaving the wedding. Morgan asked how she was feeling, since she was being released that day. She insisted that she was fine, but Morgan wanted to be there for her to lean on. Ava entered Kiki's room as Carly and Michael entered Morgan's, so they said goodbye.
Ava happily told Kiki that Griffin was finishing up Kiki's discharge papers. She made sure Kiki knew that she had to "take it easy." Kiki suggested that Ava keep an eye on Kiki herself when Kiki moved in with Ava and Avery. Ava replied that she would love to have Kiki live with her, but she couldn't because Kiki wouldn't be safe.
Ava explained to Kiki that there were people who were unhappy with her for working with law enforcement. She hoped Julian would be able to handle it like he'd promised. Ava assured Kiki that she didn't need to worry and instructed her to focus on her recovery. In the meantime, Ava had called Franco, who was happy to welcome Kiki back to the apartment.
A few minutes later, Ava wheeled Kiki out into the hallway and walked away to check in with Franco. Dillon walked by, and Kiki recognized him from the infamous Haunted Star Halloween party. He recognized her as the girl who his father had indirectly gotten shot. They formally introduced themselves. Kiki remarked that Nina always talked about Dillon's "incredible" talent as a photographer.
Dillon apologized on Paul's behalf for what Kiki had been through. They were lightly commiserating about the questionable decisions of their parents when one of Kiki's balloons suddenly popped. She covered her ears and fell to the ground, screaming. Dillon made sure she was all right, and she explained that she'd just been caught off guard. Ava returned and wheeled Kiki away as she and Dillon said goodbye.
Carly observed that Morgan looked better, and she was proud of him. She apologized on behalf of Sonny for his absence, and Morgan wondered where Sonny was. Michael jumped in to report that Sonny was on a work trip. Morgan could tell they were hiding something, so Carly decided to use the information as a test of Morgan's hard work in overcoming his illness. She informed him that Sonny was in South America, chasing Carlos, who had turned out to be alive.
Morgan wished he could help Sonny, but he knew that Sonny didn't want him to. All he wanted to do was get back to Kiki. He explained that he'd realized the drugs couldn't fix his problems, and he had to do some work on his own. Michael expressed the faith he had in Morgan. While Carly was proud of him, she reminded him that he still had a long way to go.
Morgan yelled that he had set a goal to go home as soon as possible so that he could help Kiki get better. Carly warned him that he couldn't go home too soon and risk having another episode.
"You expect me to believe that Anna tried to kill Carlos?" Jordan asked Paul. He told Jordan the story of how Anna had shot the unarmed man four times as Jordan remembered Anna speaking vaguely about a "crime" she'd committed. Jordan wondered why Anna would ever tell Paul. He replied that it had seemed like a confession. He didn't intend to press charges against Anna, but he wanted her safe. He left, and Jordan left a message for Anna, asking that she immediately call Jordan back.
Jordan grabbed her evidence bags and opened the front door to leave. However, she found Andre on the doorstep. He claimed to be checking on Anna after she'd been acting strangely earlier. Jordan informed a surprised Andre of the charges against Anna. She added in what she'd heard about Anna's actions against Carlos, and she called him on his lack of reaction, accusing him of already knowing what had happened.
Jordan demanded to know if Anna had told Andre about what she'd allegedly done to Carlos. Andre reminded her that he couldn't tell her because he'd taken an oath, which he took seriously. He declared that they were at an "impasse," and she in turn declared the conversation "over." Jordan had to go back to the station but asked Andre to tell Anna to call Jordan if he happened to talk to Anna. She left, and Andre immediately called Anna, begging her to call him back.
Paul arrived at the hospital with a badly bruised wrist. He ran into Dillon, who assured Paul that Tracy was fine. He noticed Paul's wrist and wondered what had happened. Paul lied that he'd gotten "roughed up in a refresher training for the D.A.'s office." Paul urged Dillon to focus on his own life and have some fun. After the drama he'd had with Lulu, Dillon was glad to be settled down. He explained that he had a great job, and Tracy was doing better, so he had all he needed.
Paul hoped that Dillon's good life included him. Dillon assured him that it did, because it was nice to have a father to "pester" him, he joked. "I've heard worse," Paul cracked. Paul wanted the best for Dillon, and he was "honored" to be a part of his son's life. Paul had to get his wrist checked out, so he left.
Alexis and Julian sat at the Metro Court bar. Alexis was relieved to have smoothed things over with Kristina, and Julian agreed that things had gotten easier. "Until she tells Sonny," Alexis remarked. Julian gave Sonny the benefit of the doubt, which Alexis cited as an "advantage of getting out of the Jerome organization." Alexis got up to check on their table, and Julian's phone rang. He answered it to Hammer, who he threatened if the job wasn't done right. He reminded Hammer of their meeting and hung up just as Alexis returned.
As Alexis and Julian sat down at their table, Julian explained that the call had been about work. He told her that he had a confession to make. He told her about giving Crimson to Nina in exchange for her not turning him in to the police for attempting to sabotage the magazine. She thought it had all worked out in the end. She also had a confession. She divulged that when she'd heard the end of his phone conversation, she'd thought that he was back in the mob.
A short while later, Alexis had stepped away from the table, and Paul took the opportunity to approach Julian. He informed Julian that Carlos had been captured, and he could probably be convinced to turn on his old boss. He instructed Julian to "get all your ducks in a row, just in case" Carlos had to be taken care of. "Just giving you a heads-up," Paul said, and he sauntered away.
At Wyndemere, Lulu answered the door to Dante. She told him that Rocco was excited for his play date with Dante. Dante replied that he never got enough time with Rocco, but he was looking forward to "this," and he kissed her passionately. She remarked that she'd needed that, citing all the drama around the house. He asked her to tell him about it later, and they kissed again.
Laura walked into the living room at Wyndemere just as Nikolas was pouring some liquor into his coffee. He sorely informed her about the turn of events that had resulted in selling his ELQ shares to Jason. Lulu burst into the living room and demanded to know how he had been forced to sell ELQ. He replied that he owed her no explanation.
Laura had an appointment but wondered if she should reschedule. Nikolas didn't want to talk anymore, so he urged her to go. Lulu asked what kind of appointment, and Laura informed Lulu that she was meeting with a cryptographer named "Dr. K" to help with the mystery that Helena had left behind. She assured a worried Lulu that she would be fine, and she left.
Lulu was also worried about Nikolas, and she demanded to know why he'd sold ELQ. He replied that it was either give the shares to Hayden or sell them to Jason, and he'd chosen selling them. She warned him to "unload" Hayden immediately. He insisted he was "handling" it, but she realized that Hayden had something on Nikolas. She offered to have Dante arrest Hayden for extortion, but Nikolas yelled that if Hayden was arrested, multiple people that Lulu cared about would go to jail.
Dante entered and wondered what was going on. Nikolas explained it away as a "sibling disagreement" and left the room. Dante asked for Lulu's version of events, and she told Dante that Hayden was ruining Nikolas' life. She explained the situation to Dante, who informed her that no crime had been committed, since Nikolas hadn't given in to Hayden's demands. At any rate, he believed that it was a case for the federal authorities or the SEC.
Lulu wondered who else could go to jail with Nikolas. Dante urged her to leave it alone "for now," and the two went to kitchen for a snack with Rocco. Nikolas returned to the living room and gazed at his wedding ring.
Laura arrived at the Metro Court restaurant, and the hostess led her to Dr. K. The doctor stood, and she was surprised to find that the doctor was none other than Kevin. She revealed that she'd been expecting "some old guy." He divulged that cryptography was his "side passion." They eventually got down to business, and Kevin looked through Laura's book. She told Kevin all about the reading of Helena's will, and all she'd gone through just to find the book. She reluctantly confessed to Kevin that the book had once belonged to Scott. Kevin looked at her, slammed the book shut, and dropped it on the floor.
Laura wondered if Kevin was still willing to help her. He picked the book up and assured her that he would never let Scott stop him from helping her. "Every adventure needs its clown," he reasoned. Kevin asked if Laura was concerned that Helena was just manipulating Laura from the grave. "Should I be?" she inquired. Kevin admitted that he was as interested in solving the mystery as she was. "To solving the puzzle," they agreed as they clinked glasses.
Jason was looking through the ELQ stock certificates when there was a knock on his door. He was happy to answer the door to Sam. She advised him that he was doing a good, but it was a big step, and there would be no turning back. He thought it was the "best solution for everyone," and they left the apartment.
Michael arrived at the hospital and found Monica. He told her that he'd gotten a message from Jason saying to meet in Tracy's hospital room, and Monica told him the same. Michael jokingly wondered if Jason and Sam had gotten remarried, but Monica reasoned that Tracy wouldn't care about that. Michael and Monica were happy about Jason's growing interest in the Quartermaines.
Finn entered Tracy's hospital room, and she was getting ready to eat the breakfast that Cook had sent over. He thought she looked better, and she commented that she would be much better if she were home. He thought she didn't have much longer in the hospital. He wondered what she did in her free time and if she had a job. She explained that the family business had been lost, but she had a plan to get it back once she returned home.
Tracy wondered if Finn would consider staying at General Hospital. Just then, Michael and Monica entered. Tracy asked what it would take to get Finn on staff. Monica questioned if he was interested. "Sure! I could stay...or I could go," he muttered, and he walked out of the room. He stumbled into the hallway and leaned against a wall, wiping sweat off his face. Liesl approached and reminded him that he was to present his findings about Tracy to a group of residents later that afternoon. "Wouldn't miss it," he said, stumbling away.
Jason and Sam entered Tracy's hospital room, and Tracy immediately asked why they were there. Wanting to keep things short and simple, Jason stated that "you're looking at the new owner of ELQ." Michael and Monica looked through the stock certificates and wondered how he'd gotten them from Nikolas. Tracy cracked that he'd probably made Nikolas "an offer he couldn't refuse." Sam confirmed Jason's use of the same words, and Tracy only wanted to know what Jason's leverage was. "You're missing the point," Monica told Tracy.
Jason continued that he'd gotten a copy of Edward's will, and he wanted the shares dispersed as originally intended. Jason asked if Michael would want to run the company again, and he enthusiastically agreed. He hoped Jason would consider working for ELQ, but Jason refused the offer "for now." Monica wondered if Tracy could "muster a thank you." Tracy hadn't been given an opportunity to speak, but said, "What is there to say but thank you, Jason? Truly."
Jason turned to leave so that he could transfer the funds from his offshore accounts, but Tracy asked him to wait. She started that Jason had broken Edward's heart when he'd turned his back on the family, but she was certain that, "at this exact moment, he's smiling at you." Jason thanked her and left with Sam. Michael followed them out, and Tracy took the opportunity to express how glad she was to have lived to see ELQ back in Quartermaine hands. She assured Monica that she was proud of Jason, and a happy Monica left the room. "Daddy, I promise I'll never lose ELQ again," Tracy vowed.
Monica returned to the nurses' station, and Liesl approached, ranting about Finn missing his lecture. She explained that she'd been calling, texting, and paging him, but he wasn't answering. Liesl informed Monica that Liesl would install Finn on the staff "over my cold, dead body."
Back at Jason's, Sam marveled over how well things had gone with the Quartermaines. Just then, Jason got a text message from Diane. He broke it to Sam that he had to deal with his offshore accounts in person, and he was to leave that night. She told him that she would miss him, but he asked her to accompany him. She was tempted to accept the offer, but she needed to stay with Danny. He understood and kissed her, leading her to the bed.
Carly paced around her bedroom, worrying about Sonny. Just as she was about to call him, he entered the bedroom. She was ecstatic to have him home safe. He related the entire story of Carlos' capture to her. She was relieved that Carlos was in custody instead of dead, and Sonny partially credited her with his ability to stop himself from killing Carlos. He reasoned that killing Carlos would have been more trouble than it was worth.
A short while later, Sonny and Carly rested in bed. He told her that he loved being a father and husband, and he had been scared about not being able to be those things anymore if he went to jail.
Later, Sonny and Carly arrived at the Metro Court. "Uh-oh," Carly muttered when she saw Finn lecturing the hostess on how he liked his eggs. He walked by, and Carly introduced him and Sonny. She noticed he was pale and made sure that he was all right. He explained that he'd had a long night in surgery, and he just needed a "power nap." He walked away, and Sonny remarked on Finn's strangeness, but Carly insisted that she liked the doctor.
Sonny and Carly sat at a table and talked about Morgan. Suddenly, they both lost their appetites. Sonny got a text from Michael, who wanted to meet them at the Metro Court to talk to them. Carly got a call that was clearly about hotel business. When she was off the phone, she briefly explained that Finn had requested two cases of distilled water to be delivered to his room.
A sickly Finn entered his room and plopped down on the couch. He wrote in a journal then rolled up his sleeves. Breathing heavily, he retrieved the syringe and injected himself. He then passed out on the couch.
Michael arrived and told Sonny and Carly about ELQ and his new position in the company. They were happy for him and appreciative of Jason for giving Michael and the Quartermaines "a hell of a gift." Michael reassured his parents that he was a Corinthos, and he would be staying that way. Just then, the hostess approached the table and whispered something in Carly's ear. Carly needed to go take care of a "situation," and she left with the hostess.
Michael assured Sonny that he would always be a Corinthos but would also always be a part of the Quartermaine family. "I'm the man I am because of you," Michael told his father. He asked Sonny about Carlos, and Sonny informed Michael that Carlos would pay for his crimes. Michael wondered about Sabrina. Sonny reported Carlos' comment that Sabrina and the baby were in Puerto Rico, but he doubted the verity of the information.
Carly returned to the table and told Sonny and Michael that Finn hadn't taken any of the wake-up calls he'd requested, so she needed to make sure that there was no problem. She left, and Michael recognized the name as the doctor who'd correctly diagnosed Tracy. He hoped that Finn was all right. Changing the subject, Sonny related his worry about Michael. He told Michael that, if Sabrina wanted to talk, she would call. Michael admitted that he didn't know how he felt, but he was involved, so he couldn't just walk away.
Carly knocked on Finn's door and called through the door for him. When there was no reply, Carly cautiously let herself into the room. "Oh, my God," she uttered when she saw Finn on the couch and the syringe right next to him.
At Metro Court, Carly was stunned when she saw Finn unconscious on the sofa in his suite. She immediately noticed the track marks on his arm and the empty syringe and kit nearby. Alarmed, Carly called for help as she tried to shake Finn awake. Finn slowly opened his eyes and told her that he was fine. Carly reluctantly ended the call but demanded an explanation because she had feared that he had overdosed. Finn claimed that he was diabetic and suspected that he had injected too much insulin, but Carly didn't believe him.
Carly explained that she was familiar with the types of syringes used to inject insulin because her brother had diabetes. Finn stuck to his story and asked Carly to respect his privacy and how he treated his illness. Finn announced that he had to get to a meeting at the hospital, but Liesl appeared in the doorway to inform Finn that he had missed the lecture. Liesl was furious and wondered how she could be expected to have faith in his ability to save patients if he missed important appointments. Carly defended Finn, but he conceded that Liesl was right. Satisfied, Liesl told Finn that their business would be concluded once Tracy was discharged from the hospital.
After Liesl left, Carly was curious why Finn hadn't told Liesl about his illness, but Finn doubted Liesl would care. Annoyed, Carly started to leave, but Finn approached her at the door to thank her for everything and to remind her not to say anything about what she had seen. After Finn closed the door and returned to the living room, he looked at Roxy the bearded dragon and admitted that he had screwed up.
At Maxie and Nathan's apartment, Maxie and Nathan sat on the sofa as Nina glanced at her phone. Nina had no idea why Franco had called her seven times, since there was nothing to discuss. Nina thanked Maxie and Nathan for letting Nina stay with them, but their easy smiles turned strained when Nina admitted that she didn't want to be alone and wondered if she could stay a few more days. Maxie tactfully advised Nina to give Franco another chance and not to close the door on love. Nathan added that Maxie spoke from experience because it had helped him and Maxie clear the air when he had told Maxie about his ex-wife.
Maxie suggested that Nina take a day off from work to focus on herself while Maxie took care of things at Crimson. Nina happily agreed and asked Maxie to pick up some ice cream on the way home because Nina had finished the last of it the previous evening. After Maxie left, Nina questioned Nathan about his recent problems with Maxie. Nathan told his sister about his failed marriage to Claudette, his ex-wife's cheating, and how he had mentioned Claudette's name during his stay in the hospital. Nina empathized with Maxie because Nathan had lied by omission by not telling Maxie about Claudette.
Nina promised that she was on Nathan's side, but she sensed that there was more to the story with Claudette. Nathan became defensive and pointed out that Nina had deceived Franco by agreeing not to have children but then going through with the examination, which had ultimately confirmed that she was infertile. Nina didn't appreciate the direction of the conversation, but Nathan refused to drop it. He insisted that Franco comforting her had not been hypocritical -- it had been the act of a loving and caring boyfriend. Nina argued that Nathan was projecting and grabbed the computer tablet to work rather than listen to Nathan's lecture.
Moments later, Nina realized that she had picked up Maxie's computer tablet and that Maxie had been searching the Internet for information about Claudette West. Shocked, Nathan took the computer tablet from his sister and scanned the results of the search. He was relieved that none of the links were connected to his ex-wife, but Nina warned Nathan that it was only a matter of time. Nina advised Nathan to make things right with Maxie and to assure Maxie that he would give up everything to keep from losing Maxie.
At Nina and Franco's apartment, Kiki lounged on the sofa as Franco handed her a glass of green juice. Kiki didn't want it, but he insisted that it was not negotiable because she needed it for her recovery. He stepped away when Nina's voicemail picked up. Franco assured Nina that he loved her and warned her that he would continue to call until she answered. After Franco ended the call, Kiki invited Franco to talk to her because she wanted to help. He admitted that Nina wanted children, and he didn't.
Surprised, Kiki wondered why Franco refused to have children. He assured Kiki that he had been "over the moon" when he'd thought she was his child and admitted that it had crushed him to learn the truth, but Kiki was the only child he needed because she was the best of both worlds, since he could love her as a daughter without worrying that she had inherited his tainted DNA. Kiki was touched and respected his decision not to have children. Later, Kiki noticed that Franco continually glanced at his phone and warned him that a watched phone never rang. Franco agreed and decided to track down Nina.
Kiki insisted on going with Franco, but he reminded her that she was still recovering and needed to rest. Kiki promised that she was fine and refused to be left behind, but Franco sensed that there was more to Kiki's determination to go with him. Moments later, a car backfired in the street. Kiki screamed as she ducked into the safety of Franco's arms. Franco gently held Kiki and talked to her in a soothing tone until she slowly relaxed. Kiki apologized, but Franco assured her that it was fine and promised that she was safe.
A short time later, Franco closed Kiki's bedroom door, but stopped short when Nina arrived home. Franco smiled softly as he told her that he had been worried about her and was glad that she was home. Nina revealed that she'd had a long talk with her brother and had made a decision about her future with Franco.
In the park, Ava was perched on a bench, wearing a big floppy hat, dark sunglasses, and a trench coat. Julian walked up and chastised his sister for picking the most remote spot in the park to meet, but Ava was unapologetic because she was still afraid for her safety. Julian promised that Ava had nothing to worry about and was free to enjoy the spring and summer with her daughters -- unlike Julian. Concerned, Ava questioned her brother's odd remark.
Julian revealed that Paul had given Julian the heads-up that Carlos was in police custody. Ava was stunned that Carlos had been captured, but she was confident that Carlos wouldn't turn against Julian. Julian wasn't as certain because Carlos had a family and new priorities, which didn't bode well for Julian, since Carlos could testify that Julian had ordered the hit on Duke. Ava was stunned when Julian mentioned that he'd had several men in the Jerome organization looking for Carlos. It hit Ava that her brother was in deeper than she had realized, which upset her because she hadn't wanted Julian to get sucked back into the mob because of her.
Julian assured Ava that his involvement in the Jerome organization was temporary and that he would soon return to running Derek Wells Media. However, Julian had been determined to keep Ava safe and to protect himself from Carlos. Ava warned Julian that the only way to deal with someone like Carlos was to kill him. She advised Julian to order Hammer to take care of it.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Anna met Griffin at the bar and filled him in about Carlos' arrest. Griffin imagined that it hadn't been easy for Anna, but Anna assured him that she wanted the Justice Department to determine Carlos' fate.
Meanwhile, Maxie was on the elevator, leaving Lulu a voicemail message asking Lulu to return the call. Maxie explained that Nina had temporarily moved in, and Nathan had an ex-wife. After Maxie ended the call, the doors opened to the restaurant, and she nearly walked into Griffin. Maxie quickly backed away from him and assured him that she recalled how he felt about being around women he was attracted to but couldn't have. Maxie admitted that she suspected it was a lie to cover up a secret, but she wasn't interested enough to dig because he was just one more man who lied.
Offended, Griffin resented being lumped into the same category as the person she truly was mad at. Griffin added that he had his own problems to deal with because the man who had murdered his father had been arrested. Maxie's anger instantly vanished as she apologized for lashing out at him. Maxie and Griffin sat down at a table as Griffin opened up about how he hadn't even known who his father was until after his father's murder. As they chatted, Maxie was shocked to discover that Griffin was Duke's son.
Maxie revealed that Maxie's mother and stepfather had been close friends with Duke. Maxie smiled as she told Griffin that Duke had been a wonderful man, and she had been deeply saddened when Duke had died. Maxie recalled telling Anna at the funeral that love never truly died. Maxie admitted that she knew Griffin's pain and opened up about her sister's murder nearly nine years earlier. Maxie confessed that she could never forgive the man who had murdered Georgie, which Griffin understood. He explained that the idea of forgiveness had been easy when Carlos had been an abstract person, but things had changed when Griffin had been told about the arrest because it drove home what Carlos had taken from Griffin.
Later, Griffin thanked Maxie for listening, but he excused himself because he had to check in with the hospital. After Griffin walked away, Nathan entered the restaurant and approached Maxie's table. Maxie was startled and asked if something was wrong. Nathan took her hands in his and told her that she was the only woman in the world for him, and he loved her with every breath he took. Nathan promised that he would sacrifice anything for Maxie as long as she promised to spend the rest of her life with him. Maxie's eyes rounded with disbelief when Nathan went down on bended knee and asked her to marry him.
Nearby, Griffin saw Maxie and Nathan. "Oh, my God. It's him," Griffin whispered as he stared at Nathan.
At the police station, Paul approached Jordan to ask for an update on Carlos. Jordan explained that Carlos had been booked and taken to lockup. Paul wondered if Carlos had said anything, but Jordan was curious if Paul was worried that Carlos might reveal details about Paul's involvement in everything and the truth about Paul's allegations that Anna had tried to kill Carlos.
A short time later, Anna entered the squad room. Paul quickly approached her to blast her for dragging Carlos back to Port Charles because it might cost both Anna and Paul their freedom. Anna assured the district attorney that she was willing to face the consequences of her own actions, but she questioned if Paul was. Paul's temper flared at he reached for Anna. Jordan stepped forward to warn Paul to move away from Anna. Paul defended his actions by reminding Jordan that Anna had chloroformed and illegally imprisoned him.
Jordan decided to get to the bottom of things and invited Anna into the interrogation room for a private discussion. Jordan made it clear that Anna wasn't under arrest but offered Anna the opportunity to call an attorney. Anna declined and followed Jordan. Paul also followed, but Jordan blocked him from entering. Paul insisted that he had a right to be present during the interview, but Jordan argued that Anna wasn't under arrest, and therefore Paul's presence wasn't necessary. After Jordan closed the door, Carlos was escorted to a desk in the squad room and handcuffed.
In the interrogation room, Anna told Jordan about Anna's encounter with Carlos on the pier after Duke's murder. Anna revealed that it had been a setup because Carlos had been wearing a bulletproof vest as he'd goaded Anna about Duke until Anna had shot Carlos in the chest four times. Anna admitted that Carlos hadn't been armed, so she was prepared to face charges for attempted murder. Anna insisted that it would be worth it once Julian was locked up behind bars, but Jordan was curious how Paul had fit into everything.
A short time later, Carlos was escorted into the interrogation room. Anna gloated that she didn't have any regrets, despite the possibility that she would end up in jail. Carlos demanded to speak to Paul privately. Jordan objected, but Paul pulled rank and ordered both Jordan and Anna to leave. After the women reluctantly left, Paul advised Carlos to listen carefully because Carlos would only have to serve a few years in jail in exchange for testifying against Julian. Carlos was worried about his child, but Paul promised that he would make certain that "she" would be protected.
In the squad room, Jordan and Anna looked through the interrogation room window as Paul and Carlos talked. Jordan was relieved that Carlos hadn't made a statement against Anna, but Anna was certain that it was only a matter of time. Jordan and Anna each admitted that they were concerned about what kind of deal Carlos was trying to cut with Paul. Moments later, Paul emerged from the room, oozing satisfaction as he informed the ladies that Carlos was calling an attorney. Jordan and Anna were certain that Paul was hiding something.
In the interrogation room, Carlos called Julian. "Hey, boss," Carlos greeted his old friend. Julian admitted that he had been expecting the call and asked if Carlos had said anything. Carlos advised Julian to get to the police station to find out.
