It was dark at the docks, but in what light was offered by a distant street light, Felicia was able to see Angela pulled from the car, and dragged to a trio of other men. Stealthily moving closer, Felicia was determined to discover what was going on. Suddenly, she froze, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, and she held her breath, wondering who was watching her. Somebody was, she knew, and not for the first time in her life, she mentally kicked herself as she wished she'd asked Mac to join her. But, no, she had to do it herself, get the goods on the bad guys and risk everything for the sake of proving that she could. She could have called Mac from her cellular phone while tailing the other car, but no, she hadn't done that, either. Now, she had only herself to blame, which meant, she had to come up with a logical reason that she was lurking around here by herself at close to midnight.

The feeling of being watched was growing more intense by the second, and Felicia dove forward just as a pair of arms wrapped around her covering her mouth and holding her arms in place. Instinctively, Felicia bit down hard on one of the fingers, and she was rewarded with some serious whispered curses. Continuing to bite down, she was stunned when, instead of being strangled or murdered, she felt......Tickling! Her captor was tickling her as if his life depended on it. It was impossible to stifle laughter and bite at the same time, so within seconds, her captor's hand was freed, and Felicia found herself whirled around and soundly kissed. And by someone who knew how!!

"Uh, guys," came a whispered voice from very near. "Ahem!"

"Go away Jack," Felicia's captor managed. "Find your own girl."

That did it!! Jerked back to reality, Felicia hissed, "Let go of me!"

"And just when things were getting interesting," Jake complained. "Sorry, Ms. Jones, but your ex would have our...rear ends if we let anything happen to you."

"My ex has no say in what I do, or with whom I do it. He gave up that right long ago."

"In that case," Jake began, leaning down to kiss her again, only to find a knee ending his enjoyment. "I'd rather you didn't do that," he said, effectively blocking her from doing him serious bodily harm. "Our future children..."

"In your dreams, buster. I was..."

"About to make an unauthorized collar," Jack told her. "And we'd rather that you didn't. We need to find out where they're going and why."

"And how do you expect to do that from here?" Felicia demanded, as the people she'd been watching left the dock aboard a cabin cruiser.

"We're not alone," Jack told her. "I alerted some associates of ours who will tail them as soon as they leave the harbor. No way will they do anything to the two people they picked up until they're far enough off shore that they think they can dispose of the bodies without being caught."

"You think that they're going to kill those people?"

"I think that's the plan," Jake nodded. "But it's unlikely that they'll manage."

"I'd really like to believe you," Felicia said, "but this whole thing is a little strange. Who are you guys and what is going on here?"

"Jake Lowell, and Jack Johnson," Jake introduced. "And we've just been appointed your guardian angels."

"By whom?"

"We volunteered for the job."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"If we ask nicely?" Jake said, leading her away from the dock and back to their cars. "Look, Felicia. All kidding aside, there is a lot more going on here than you probably know."

"So tell me!! Do you think that I'd have been wandering around out here nearly getting myself mugged..."

"I beg your pardon," Jake interrupted. "You were getting kissed."

Jack shook his head in disgust. "For Pete's sake, Jake. This is one heck of a time to fall in love."

"Oh, good heavens," Felicia snorted. "What is this? You guys expect me to believe that you're agents of some kind? Give me a break!"

"Anything you want, love," Jake promised her. "Except for classified information, that is. The boss would have my......head."

Felicia regarded the two impatiently, then turned away. "Fine. You've got this situation in hand, so I'm leaving. I won't tell you it's been nice-it hasn't."

"But wait!" Jake began. "We were just getting to know each other."

"Get over yourself," Felicia tossed back over her shoulder as she stalked away.

Jack watched as she disappeared into the night, and then turned to Jake. "I can see why you're still single."

"Nothing wrong with my kissing technique," Jake told him, his rakish smile turning grim. "But I didn't want her sticking around if things got rough. You got that boat lined up for us?"

"Yeah. We'll meet the others shortly."

Alexis turned back to Stefan who was staring at his computer. "Do you really think that you dare execute the plan while Nikolas is held hostage by Helena?"

"What better time is there? I dare not wait. Indeed, if Helena chooses to act now, I may not be able to counter her. And, if not, there is no better plan. Luke cannot be working alone---but he did not name his coworkers. In the past, he has had assistance from Sonny Corinthos, but word was received this evening that he and his henchman, Jason Morgan, have died along with Robin Scorpio. He has a profound distrust for the law, but he was, at one time, very close to Robert Scorpio, Robin's father. It is my best guess that he will seek aid from Mac Scorpio. And, Mac, having lost everything and everyone important to him, will be a very formidable foe. Yes, Luke will turn to Mac. One man has lost everything, and the other has everything to regain."

"What can Mac do that he hasn't already done? How long has he been searching for Spencer's family? He was never able to get any charges to stick to Corinthos-he's been singularly ineffective as commissioner."

Stefan smiled grimly. "When one plays by another's rules, one may not always win, especially when one's foe plays by the rules of expediency. Mac has had his hands tied for some time, but I know of his past. This may reawaken the man for whom domesticity has been an ill-fitting suit. Stefan smiled. "Never mistake Mac Scorpio for a house cat, Alexis."

"This is great, Luke," Lucy commented. "I mean, it's good that Robin and Jason are all right, but to think that Sonny was a schmuck all along? I mean, I did business with the man! And now you are working with Stefan? Are you nuts or something? He's a Cassadine! A Cassadine! Hello, Luke, Cassadines are your mortal enemies, remember?? Didn't you track me down in San Francisco to find out where they were? You were certain then that the Cassadines were responsible for all your problems then. What's changed? Did Stefan just tiptoe in and sprinkle trust dust in your eyes?? Tell me, Luke. I need to know."

"It's a temporary truce, Luce. Nothing more. It appears that we're working against a common enemy-Helena Cassadine, whom you and I think is working with Faison. Don't worry-I didn't tell him anything other than that I was willing to lay aside our differences for the moment. He doesn't know about Corinthos-at least not that he may still be alive. I say still, as I don't know if Anna has gotten around to dealing with him as yet. She's got a special spot in her heart for mobsters, if you know what I mean."

"I'm aware of that, Luke. Just what do you expect to learn from Stefan?"

"I'll take what I can get," Luke told her. "He may have some clue as to what Helena is up to, what power trip she's taking, and why. For some reason, he seems to think that she's working against him, and frankly, I wouldn't put it past her to take him out. There's been a power struggle going on for years in that family. Helena always wanted to wear the pants, but it's a male patriarchy thing. According to their laws, as long as there is a male heir, she can't legitimately seize control. She had sons, and prior to this, apparently they did as she asked. Stefan, on the other hand, has a mind of his own. A Cassadine mind, which is a twisted mess at best, but it's all he's got.

"Anyhow, it appears that he's been trying to have Momma committed or declared of an unsound mind, but the fix was in and she escaped. Now, she's taken offense at this and I think that she considers him a pain in the a** which is understandable, but let's just say that her maternal instincts have dried up where he's concerned. She's got the heir and so Stefan's expendable." He grinned. "I could almost like the woman for that." Then, seriousness returned to his face. "Apparently, the old battle-ax also has my family, and for that, I'll never forgive her. For that, she's going to pay, Lucy, and if it means working with the devil himself to get Laura and the kids back, so be it."

"Hell has no secrets for you," Lucy observed almost quietly. "Like Kevin, you've been there and come back with a few souvenirs. Robert and Anna, too."

"You might say that," Luke nodded. "And this time, I'm returning with the head honcho's pitchfork which I intend to use to roast Stefan over a slow fire if he ever bothers me or my family again." Luke exhaled a cloud of cigar smoke. "I've had it with the Cassadine family, Lucy. This is it. I don't care what I have to do, but they're going down this time. The Spencers are settling accounts with the Cassadines this time and the debt will be marked PAID IN FULL."

8,935 Fans of "Web of Deceit" visited us previously