CHAPTER TWELVE "We've got to get the Doc down from the tree," Luke told the boys who were standing below the psychiatrist. "Otherwise, the guy's gonna fall and scramble his brains but good." "You think it would make a difference?" Lucky asked. "Good question," Luke commented. "Look, I'm going to climb up and see if I can pry him loose from the tree. You guys wait down here and catch him if he falls." "Right," Nik muttered. Bad enough that he had to be related to this bunch of wackos, now it appeared that they were shaking the trees for more of the same. Still, he'd signed on to do his part, and to learn the Spencerian way of the world, so if this was what it took, he'd do his best. He watched as his father scrambled up the tree, wondering what had possessed Dr. Collins to climb the tree. "They messed with his mind," Jeremy confided softly to Lucky. "Just like they did to my buddy. Look at him, man! The guy looks like he's lost it completely." "That's nothing new," Lucky told him. "Dr. Collins has been through a lot in the last few months, but I thought he'd finally gotten it back together." "Hanging out hugging trees in the Alps isn't the most together thing a guy can do," Jeremy pointed out. "Especially if the tree is overlooking Rose Academy." "Hey Dad," Lucky called out. "Did Doc attend Rose?" "No idea," Luke grunted as he hoisted himself up into the branch next to Kevin. He reached out and touched Kevin's face. "Kevin. Doc?" But, Kevin just sat staring at the building down below. "Kevin, we've got to get you outta here, buddy. The guys in the white suits are gonna show up again, otherwise." "Can't do it," Kevin muttered. "Can't kill anybody. 'Specially not him. Or her." Tears trickled from his eyes, and he shook his head, and spoke, as if explaining to some unseen presence. "You can't make me do it. Not even for him. Please don't do that.....Oh, God!!! Please!!! I can't!!!" With that, he released his grip on the tree, and began to topple forward. Luke reached out, and caught him by the arm as he fell. "Of all the times...." Luke began, cursing steadily as he struggled to maintain his hold on a branch and Kevin who was unconscious. "Nik!! Lucky!! Jer!! Help me out down there! I can't hold him much longer." "I've got his feet," Nik said, as he grabbed Kevin. "Lucky-Jer-get ready to break the rest of his fall. Okay, we're ready. Let him go." Seconds later, the boys and Kevin all lay on the ground. "Damn! He's heavier than he looks," Lucky grumbled. Kevin lay still, bleeding from an injury to his head. Nik was checking Kevin's eyes, looking at his pupils. He shook his head. "Nothing to make me think that he's on drugs, but the guy was clearly upset about something." "No sh** Sherlock," Jer commented. "But about what, and why is he hanging around here?" "Another good question," Luke said, brushing himself off now that he'd gotten down the tree. "Remind me to never try climbing a tree in a dress again." His saffron robe looked a little the worse for the climb. "So what do we do with him?" Nik asked. "He's got a cut on his head from the fall-but I don't think that he's suffered a concussion." "Then we get him out of here, and hang onto him until we can find out what's eating him," Luke told them. "If it pertains to Rose Academy, then we need to know about it. And, even if it doesn't, he's Lucy's husband and I owe her." "Does this mean that you're going to call his wife and tell her where we are?" Jer was concerned. "No," Luke answered him. "In fact, it seems to me that the Doc has spent a little too much time with civilized people lately. Look what it's done to him. He spends his days in power suits, painting weird stuff, talking to ducks. Before that, he spent his time listening to other people's problems. No wonder he's slipped a cog. This guy has been educated nearly out of his mind, and it's up to us to repair the damage. "Boys, what the doc needs to get him back on the straight and narrow is a little quality time communing with nature. Bonding with the boys, as it were. Sitting around the campfire singing 'Kumbyah' and roasting marshmallows." "So how are we going to get him to do that?" Lucky asked. "As soon as he wakes up, he's going to want to head right back to Lucy." "Probably not for a couple of weeks," Luke grinned. He strolled over to his knapsack and fished around in it. Pulling out his shaving gear, he added, "Hell, Kevin may want to stay for a month or more." "You did the right thing," Marty told Reggie and Winston as they stood just outside the door of the room where Ned lay. The room had a two way mirror, and was, for all practical purposes an intensive care unit. She'd had a WEB affiliated doctor check him out. "He's apparently suffering from extreme stress, exhaustion, but so far, the tox screen has shown nothing illegal or exotic." "I've seen this sort of thing before," Jared commented. "This stuff was a lot more common during the Cold War, but it still goes on, and it works about the same. An agent, frequently unaware of his or her mission, is set up well in advance and programmed with instructions to be carried out at an unspecified later date when the agent is given a special cue, or when a certain set of events occurs." "You think that Ashton has been given a post hypnotic suggestion?" Winston asked. "That's one way of describing it," Jared nodded. "If it turns out that I'm right. You both heard what he said-about not wanting to hurt her. Whoever 'her' is. It was as if he was talking to someone else-someone real that was giving orders to him. Ned was in the inferior position-taking orders, or receiving instructions." "Mr. Ashton prefers giving orders," Reggie pointed out. "He's a leader, not a follower." "Which is why he's managing to fight this thing," Marty suggested. "Ned has a very forceful personality-very dynamic and strong. Hmmmmm. Reggie, didn't you say that this thing involves roses?" "Yes," Reggie answered. "Mrs. Quartermaine said that she'd look into what could possibly upset Mr. Ashton about roses when she's had them around the house for the entire time he's been there." "Strange," Jared injected. "Anything unusual about the roses that bothered him?" "They were odd," Reggie told him. "Deep red, with gold edges. Very fragrant. Mrs. Quartermaine loved them." "And they've been around for years?" Marty asked. "Not these roses. They're new....maybe they're the cue?" "Maybe," Jared said. "But you said that Lila indicated that he'd been acting strangely for weeks." "Jumpy," Reggie said. "My buddy in the Port Charles bar says that Mr. Ashton has taken to hanging out in the bar until all hours. Not drinking heavily-just like he doesn't want to go upstairs to bed." Marty paused, and asked, "Reggie, there's no way I can put this delicately, so I'll ask outright. Did your friend notice if Ned went upstairs alone all the time? Was he meeting anyone?" Reggie looked uncomfortable, and then answered. "Marty, there's no way that I can answer this other than outright. He's been seeing Alexis Davis. You remember her? Stefan Cassadine's cousin." Julian looked down at Katherine Bell Rose, who lay quietly in his bed. "You know what you must do. Now, there is no time to waste-your flight will leave in the morning." "But I'd hoped to spend more time with you, darling." "There will be time for us after you've done what must be done." He smiled. "This is what you were born to do, my little Kat. This will be your shining moment." "Yes," Kat nodded, her eyes never leaving his. "I'll do as you ask." "He has always been fond of you. He'll fall into your hands like a ripe plum." "But Julian, I only want you." "Then you'll do this one thing for me. To erase all doubt from my mind. You left me once before, little Kat, and I need to see that you will do as I ask." Julian turned to his night stand, and took out a small wrapped box. "This is for you, my love. A token of my affection for you." Kat sat up and opened the box, taking out a small ring in the shape of a rose. The petals were open, and in the center, sat a diamond. "It's lovely," she said, taking it and holding it to him. "Put it on my finger." Julian smiled, taking the ring. He slid it onto her left hand, and said, "Now, I have one more gift for you." He brought out a bottle of perfume. "It has been designed especially for you. I call it 'Rose of My Heart.'"