Note: Martin Corville was a friend of Tony's from his days in Paris before coming to Salem. They raced cars together. I can't remember him ever appearing on the show, but he was mentioned during the Slasher storyline as being Tony's best friend.


Chapter Four

Time: A month later
Place: Paris


Anna opened the door as soon as she heard the knock. She’d paced up and down her living room all morning, drinking coffee and trying not to let her imagination and nervousness get the better of her though it had been difficult because after Tony called and told her he was coming she’d nearly talked herself in the idea he’d change his mind and stay away for whatever reason so when the knock on the door came, she rushed to open it. A sigh escaped her when she saw him. He was a gorgeous sight but looked tired and she detected more relief in his smile than welcome. “Hi,” she said kissing him and then reached for her wrap lying on a chair. “You look as though it was a long ride, sure you don’t want to come in and sit down for a while before we go?”

“No, no. We’re late as it is already and he’ll leave before we get there.”

“Who?”

He smiled and kissed her cheek as he gently steered her out the door. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“I don’t even know where we’re going,” she said, following him down the hall but then grabbed his arm to pull him around so she could see his face. “You’re not taking me to that awful house with your father.”

Tony made a face. “You’re kidding right?” and when she didn’t nod or say yes, he took a deep breath and said, “please don’t start getting paranoid on me too. One of us is enough.”

“Is there something I need to be paranoid about?”

“Come on,” he said, pulling her along. “We’ll talk on the way.”

When they reached the street, Tony started down the sidewalk and Anna said, “uh…darling, where’s your car?”

“Stefano insisted on sending a driver so I gave him a day off.”

“And we’re going to walk the whole way?”

“No of course not, just a bit and then we’ll catch a cab.”

“Wow, you are jumpy and slow down would you, or I’ll twist an ankle in these shoes. I didn’t plan on hiking.”

Tony stopped and looked remorsefully down at her heels. “Sorry. You want to go change them?”

“That depends, how much is a bit?”

“A block or so.”

She planted a quick kiss on his lips and said, “I’ll live I guess, but I’ll be expecting a massage later on you know.”

Tony laughed. “Anything else?”

“Yeah, I want to know what happened after you went back to make you behave this way.”

He resisted the crack lying on the tip of this tongue. The last thing he needed right now was Anna getting neurotic so instead he wrapped his arm around her and drawing her slender body next to his own, kissed her lovingly. After a minute he wasn’t even sure which one of them he’d done it for because it felt so amazing he didn’t want it to stop. Finally he broke away and smiled wryly at her.

She smiled back. “Good try,” she said, wiping lipstick off his face, “but I still expect to hear what is going on.”

“I wasn’t trying to change the subject. I missed you.”

She relented with a laugh and hugged him tightly. “Well in that case,” she whispered in his ear, “perhaps we should go back upstairs.”

“You know you’re an awful tease.” he said as he played with a strand of her hair that had escaped from a barrette and then stared into her eyes. Their blue depths were mesmerizing and abruptly he found himself back in the strange room, lying on the bed. It was so bright that the light hurt his eyes but he couldn’t close them, in fact he couldn’t move any part of his body or even feel it. The only sensations that existed were the pounding of his heart and a paralyzing dread. As quickly as it had come, the memory winked out of existence. He was on the sidewalk again only Anna wasn’t in his arms but several feet away, her hand reaching to touch his face and her eyes enormously round.

“Tony.” She grabbed his arm and hauled him over to a bench that stood outside the next apartment building. He sank down gratefully. “What is going on and don’t tell me it’s nothing because you just blanked out on me. What happened?”

“I don’t know for sure,” he said truthfully, and glanced over to her face. Her eyes were still full of concern and fear. “I keep envisioning being in this place although I can’t even be certain it’s real. Did I say anything?”

“No. Like what?”

Shaking his head, he said, “We better go.”

“Oh no, not until you tell me what just happened and what did you mean it may not be real?”

“I swear, I won’t leave anything out but if we don’t go now we’re going to miss him,” he said getting up. “Come on,” he reached for her hand, “we need to find a cab.”

Within another block they’d found a half way decent one without too much trouble and Tony handed the driver an address. Holding the paper, the driver said, “Sir, the address is, uh…far, in the country.” Tony assured him in French of the destination and sat back next to Anna who’d leaned up against the corner next to the door with an expression on her face of uncertainty. Tony knew she was wondering what she’d gotten herself into.

“Just so you know, we’re on our way to meet Shane.”

Relief spread across her face and she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you. I know you didn’t want to go to the ISA but after what I just witnessed out there, we need help.”

“I said Shane, not the ISA.”

“Well, I’m afraid one is not going to come without the other.”

“If he wants Stefano bad enough it will. At least I hope so. I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust who has the connections he does and after a couple days with Stefano, I…well, I had to admit you were right.”

“You mean there’s more than that little incident back there?”

Tony squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t think you’re going to like any of this but Stefano expects me to go after Marlena.”

“Oh God, tell me you’re joking,” she said with a groan.

“You think you hate it,” he said, “Can you just imagine John’s reaction?

“And that would be the point, no doubt.”

“Partially, but there’s quite a bit more to this than merely irking John.”

“Irking?” Anna’s look was almost a glare. “Tony, this is the man your father trained as a killer.”

He reached over stroke her face and said, “I’ll be careful. I’m not helpless you know and besides, the person we need to worry about is the man who trained him.”

“Well, you wouldn’t need to worry about him at all if you hired someone to shoot him. Hell, why not John?”

Tony’s smiled thinned. “I can just hear that conversation. And when did you get to be so bloodthirsty by the way?”

“I just want him out of our lives,” she grumbled in frustration, “whatever it takes.” He reached his arm around her shoulders to draw her closer but she pushed him away. “No, I want to hear the rest. Why did you ask if you said something?”

“The last time I had one of these episodes I was told I kept saying Marlena’s name.”

She laughed. “And who told you that, Stefano?”

Tony laid his head back on the top of the car seat and thought back to that day in his father’s study. “No, although the first time this happened was in his office after of course I stuck my foot in my mouth and said all I had to do to keep John occupied was chase Marlena. I just wanted to irritate him, but he liked the idea. Next thing I know, he’s standing next to this portrait of her which he must have had done when she was on the island and she looked amazing, like she was blissfully happy,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “He wants me to give it to her.”

He leaned his head over when Anna didn’t reply and found her looking at him. “I know I shouldn’t be surprised by anything Stefano does, but having you give her the portrait he commisioned when she was his prisoner? That man’s nerve is mind-boggling.”

“And he has copies of it, one for each of us.”

“You’re father has gone off the deep end, Tony.”

“Yes, years ago,” he said, checking the inside pocket of his jacket and pulling out a pair of sunglasses. “Anyway I stood and looked at the picture for a minute or two and then I see myself lying in a bed somewhere. It was gone almost in the blink of an eye so naturally when he tried to tell me it lasted several minutes I figured it was another one of his games.”

“Did you speak to a doctor?”

He smiled halfheartedly. “You mean the doctors that Stefano has paid all these years to take care of me? For all I know they’re the ones that did this.”

“What’d you mean before when you said you weren’t even sure it was real? You think this is a memory that he had the doctors, what…implant?”

“Maybe I’m wrong but I can’t help this feeling that I’m being pushed to want something.”

Anna’s brief smile was cynical. “You mean someone. Marlena.”

“I don’t know what else to think at this point.”

“Please tell me you’re not trying to made sense out of any of this,” Anna said, and he could tell she was seething. This is your father we’re talking about after all. The lunatic who set up such an elaborate trap to catch his enemies that the first person he killed was his own daughter.” She turned in disgust to look out the window. “You and Marlena. Oh that’s just fabulous. Like your brother doesn’t have enough reasons to hate you already.”

Tony quickly smothered his laughter and the urge to tell her that pissing off John would at least be source of amusement in the midst of this sorry mess. He didn’t have much else to look forward to.

Anna had been watching the scenery pass by for several minutes when she glanced back at Tony in surprise. “Is this the way to Shane’s house?”

“No. It’s the way to Martin’s house.”

She froze long enough for him to notice and then asked, “Corville?”

Tony nodded.

“I sure hope you called him first cause he’ll probably have a heart attack when you walk in the door.”

“I stopped by and talked to him on my way home last month.”

Anna stared back at him as though she wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not and then just the slightest bit of alarm crept onto her face.

But Tony just smiled and rubbed her arm playfully. “You can stop worrying. I certainly didn’t expect that you were living like a nun all these years.”

“Yeah, but Martin isn’t some strange guy you’ve never met.”

“Okay, you got me there.”

“Oh Tony, don’t do that,” she said, sounding miserable. My God, say something!”

“Like what? I went off and left you with no explanation and then married someone else. You didn’t expect me to read you the riot act about your choice in men, did you? I’m hardly in any bloody position to do that.”

“And that’s it.”

“As far as I’m concerned. The two of you needed each other and I’m glad it was Martin. He’d never treat you the way I did.”

“No, he’d just lie to me about knowing you were alive.”

“That wasn’t his idea.”

“I just can’t believe how smoothly he managed it, especially after we had dinner the other night,” she said, looking at Tony in amazement. “Not one tiny slip or gesture. That man should get a job working for Shane.”

”I know. You’d never suspect Martin of duplicity. He has such lovable, honest face that he fools everyone which is good because it solves our problem.”

Anna’s eyebrow shot up. “Our problem? You mean my problem.”

“Well, the thing with you and Martin wasn’t what I meant but you’re right, that’s between the two of you.”

The bewilderment on her face made her so adorable, he leaned over and kissed her. “Tony, this is so unlike you.”

“No it’s not. I didn’t raise a stink about Prince what’s-his-name, did I? Hell, you were going to marry him.”

“Well you never liked Alex.”

“Come now, you can hardly compare Martin to Alex.”

“Well, he sure as hell lies just as well as Alex ever did and I could name a few other attributes they share too but you wouldn’t want to hear about those. So, how is he going to help us?” she asked, but then shook her head and said, “ooh, I can’t believe he pretended like everything was normal. He is in so much trouble.”

Tony laughed at her. “No he’s not. Besides, if you want to be mad at someone, it was my doing. I’m the one who asked him not to say anything because I wasn’t sure what going on and then when I got home and learned how much more complicated it all was, I realized I needed a way to deflect Father’s suspicions about the two of us. I don’t want him to know that we’re seeing each other or talking and even better is to let him think that you and Martin are carrying on as usual so I want you to keep visiting just as often as you have been.”

Anna looked at him like he was crazy. “That’s asking an awful lot.”

“You’re friends, aren’t you?”

“It’s Martin I’m worried about, not me.”

“Oh, and you don’t think he already knows how you feel? You turned down his proposal when you thought I was dead so he’s definitely known all along what you wanted. According to him you never made a secret of it.”

“That’s lovely, makes me sound downright cruel.”

“I’m just trying to say that he doesn’t blame you and he’s not angry and,” he shrugged his shoulder.

“And you’d be okay with it if you were in his shoes?”

Tony looked away, out the opposite window for a minute and knew he’d be devastated if he were Martin. They hadn’t exactly discussed the subject in great detail, more like an awkward ten minute confession Martin blurted out quickly once he learned that Tony had spend the previous week with Anna. As soon as Tony heard him admit to proposing, he’d realized Martin was serious but the man refused to listen when Tony offered to walk away and though it was obviously painful, he’d admitted to Tony that he had no doubt about Anna’s true feelings. His sincerity made Tony feel like a heel. “Look we need to be able to communicate without Stefano listening to every word. I can’t put you in that kind of danger and if he even suspected how important you are to me, then he’d use it, so Martin has offered to help.”

“And,” she looked at him in confusion, “what, we’ll talk to each other from his house?”

Tony nodded his head, smiling.

“You know, I think that might be brilliant,” she said, smiling back but then her face turned sober. “You’re sure Martin is okay with this?”

“Well, you weren’t going to stop visiting completely, were you?”

“No, but you guys have been friends for so long. I don’t want to come between the two of you and I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“I’m trying to make sure none of us get hurt.”

Anna reached over and wrapped him in her arms. “I’m sorry,” she said, leaning her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer.

“Everything is going to be fine, you’ll see.”

I’d love to believe that,” she said, looking up at him with lopsided smile as her lovely eyes searched his face for reassurance. He managed a smile of his own but after a few seconds he didn’t care anymore about Stefano or Shane or Martin but only how much he wanted her and kissed her with a hunger that took her by surprise at first. “Hey,” she said breathlessly, “I thought you were the one dragged me out of the apartment earlier. We could have done this in privacy.”

Tony glanced at the cab driver who ignored him and then out the window. “Looks to me like we have a good half an hour’s drive still,” he said turning back to savor the beauty of her exquisite face, “so we can either continue this monotonous conversation about Stefano or…” He flashed a charming smile.

“Martin is right,” she said looking at him adoringly. “You’re evil.”

Tony’s smile got wider. “Yes, well he ought to know.”

Shane Donovan swallowed the last of his whiskey and soda. DiMera was late. The appointment was to have begun more than fifteen minutes ago and Martin Corville had already rung Anna’s apartment and her cell phone without getting an answer. Shane couldn’t help wondering if leaving wouldn’t be a prudent idea right now, after all, he’d had plenty of misgivings about coming in the first place and the more he considered the possibility, the crazier it all got. The man was legally dead. Shane had only agreed to his first meeting with Martin because he’d been assured of receiving information about the DiMera’s. And what an enlightening hour it had been. Still, if it was true and Tony DiMera was about to walk through that door, Shane had to admit that a part of him would be relieved. Despite the overwhelming evidence, he’d always had great difficulty accepting that Tony had really been the one that set up John in Arimed. The whole seedy, drawn out nightmare had smacked of Stefano. Tony was certainly as capable of murder, but the man that Shane remembered would have done it openly, probably in a fit of anger. Games and manipulation were just not the way Tony operated.

But despite his feelings, Shane felt it necessary to check into Martin’s story before agreeing to another meeting, this one with Tony. Digging up the body was out of the question of course as it would have alerted Stefano immediately, however there were some records remaining from the shooting and though he couldn’t prove whose body was in Tony’s grave, he was able to determine that the man who’d shot himself at the wedding reception had been Andre. But was Andre actually dead? According to Martin, the only assurance Tony had was Stefano’s word. Shane could hardly blame Tony for being suspicious. The reaction came naturally no matter what Stefano said or did and Tony certainly had even more reason than Shane to be paranoid where his father was concerned.

Unfortunately, suspicion about Andre’s death in turn called Tony’s identity into question. It was possible this was Andre and Shane had to at least consider the possibility though he was reassured to some degree knowing that both Martin and Anna were convinced otherwise. Martin had known Tony for years back when the two were young and raced together on the circuit and Shane had a pretty good idea of just how decadent life must have been for two rich boys in Paris during the seventies. Each had plenty of opportunity to see the other at his worst, so if anyone would know the difference between Tony and his cousin, it would be Martin. And then there was Anna. Shane couldn’t imagine her being with Andre for a second. He wondered though if she realized what she could be getting herself into because no matter how honorable Tony’s intentions, his father was bound to have a different agenda.

As he waited, Shane had moved near the window and when he turned to set the glass on the table, he caught sight of the cab pulling up to the door and watched as first Anna and then Tony climbed out. Martin stood on the steps to greet them. In moments they were in the doorway of the immense library that took up a sizable area near the front of Martin’s chateau. Martin and Tony were laughing about something and speaking French together and then Anna was walking towards him, elegantly dressed as usual and in his opinion, quite a stunning vision.

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek without formality. “Shane. Oh, it’s been way too long,” she said. “How is it that we live in the same city and never see each other?”

“Evidently I’m not spending enough time here,” he said eyeing her with appreciation before glancing over her shoulder at Tony who was still talking to Martin. Their demeanor had grown more serious.

She followed his eyes and her smile deepened. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”

“You’re sure about this, aren’t you?”

She looked at him, this time with a keen glance and said, “He’s not Andre.”

“I wasn’t worried about that exactly,” he said returning her gaze with a frank one of his own. “I hope this is what you want because you’ll probably have to fight to keep it.”

“Stefano.”

He nodded his head.

“Not exactly my favorite subject as you can imagine.”

“Well, you know the man even better than me, so I really hope you have taken some time and thought about this.”

She turned to look out the window and laughed. “Oh yeah, about every two seconds for the last month but it’s not doing any good unless of course you know some magic cure I’ve not discovered over the years.”

“I realize what you’re feeling now, but you ought…”

“Do you?” She stood quietly for a moment. “Funny, but I don’t see you moving on with your life,” she said, turning to look at him squarely. “If Kimberly was to come back and the two of you had a chance, what would you do?”

“Kimberly’s father is not Stefano DiMera.”

“That would stop you?”

Although the answer he knew she was waiting for came immediately to his lips, he managed to prevent it from slipping out. “I’m not trying to discourage you, only point out the danger you might be facing.”

“In other words, pointing out the obvious.”

He smiled, looking embarrassed. “Yes well, I wouldn’t want to see you get hurt, not the way quite a few others have been when they get between Tony and his father. It’s a dangerous place to be.”

“Sorry,” she said leaning over to squeeze his arm. “And I’m grateful that you’re concerned, I am.”

“But you’ve made up your mind.”

“I’m afraid my mind had very little to do with it.”

Shane smiled a bit sadly. “Just don’t let him forget how lucky he is…”

“Oh, he’s very well aware of that,” said Tony who’d walked up behind them. Anna felt the heat of his body as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her hair. “Martin would like to take you on a walk. I think he plans on groveling but just as a favor, I’d really appreciate it if you would at least try to be gracious.” She didn’t say anything but turned to kiss him. “Pretend if you have to,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“Stop worrying. I know how to behave myself,” she said flashing him a smile and then looked over at Shane and impulsively gave him another kiss on the cheek.

He smiled and watched her stroll over to where Martin stood waiting at the door. “She’s just as beautiful as ever.”

“Yes,” said Tony with an anxious tone in his voice as he went to pour himself a drink from the tray set up next to the bay window. “Would you like something?”

“No thanks,” replied Shane, choosing a comfortable old leather chair to sit in. “I have to say I was a little surprised to see you arrive in a cab. Not the typical DiMera mode of transportation as I recall or one that you’ve ever used.”

“Not the one I prefer, no, but Stefano has been over zealous since I was discharged…”

“From the hospital?” Shane asked as Tony brought his drink over and sat down in a chair directly across from him. “I’d heard you skipped that particular detail in your eagerness to reach Paris, or was it perhaps a desire to escape Stefano’s company?”

“I had no idea my life was so diverting.”

Shane ignored the sarcasm and smiled pleasantly. “Watching a dead man carry on with his life is quite fascinating really.”

Tony didn’t reply. He merely sat and turned the glass around in his hand as he stared out the window. The expression on his face was enigmatic.

“What exactly is it that you want Tony?”

It took another moment but finally he turned back and looked at Shane. “I want to help you put Stefano in jail.”

The look on Tony’s face was one of determination and Shane understood immediately that if he was serious and this wasn’t a trick of some kind that Tony had just crossed a line from which there could be no return. “I thought your family took care of obstacles such as this in a more permanent fashion.”

Narrowing his eyes Tony said, “You don’t believe that Shane. If you thought I was anything like my father you wouldn’t have shown up here today. In fact you’d have already been on the phone to John.”

“Well it would make everything simpler for all of us.”

“What?”

“Shooting him.”

Tony smiled coldly. “Yes that was Anna’s opinion too, however I’ve never quite picked up the knack for eliminating members of my own family though if I find out Andre is alive I’ll gladly make an exception.”

“Perhaps, but I have to wonder Tony. Stefano just saved your life,” Shane said with a frown. Why so bitter?”

“You’re kidding right?”

“Well, you did go back, even after everything that happened with Renee and your mother.…”

“That’s not the way it was, and you know it.”

“You didn’t have to stay; you could have left and walked away from all of it.”

Tony shook his head. “No wonder you’ve never caught Stefano. You really have no idea of how far he’ll push the limits to reach his goal or just how little regard he has for the lives that are wrecked.”

“I was married to a Brady,” Shane reminded him.

“I know what the Brady’s have endured but their family is intact. I can hardly say the same about my own.”

Shane drummed his fingers on the side table next to his chair for a moment and then, “Okay you’re family has not fared as well, but even you’ll admit that family has been the one thing Stefano always protected.”

“Yes, so he could use them,” said Tony in disgust.

“For what?”

“If I knew that I might not need your help.”

“Well you must have an idea, otherwise you wouldn’t have bothered coming to the agency.”

Tony leaned forward. “I am not coming to the agency Shane. This deal is strictly personal and the ISA is not invited.”

Shane shook his head angrily. “You know I can’t do that, it’s not even an option.”

Tony shrugged his shoulders and sat back in his chair.

“If you’re serious why on earth wouldn’t you choose to have access to the resources the ISA can provide?”

“Because Stefano would know in a matter of hours. Have you any idea the number of people he has working for you?”

“Yes, we know he has people on the inside.”

Tony laughed. “He knows exactly who you have in his organization which is why you had no idea I was alive until Martin called you.”

It was a statement of fact that Shane could no longer argue with considering the proof that was sitting in front of him.

“Oh, and by the way, he also knows about John.”

“Knows what about John?” Shane asked, his heart constricting in alarm.

“Basic Black. It’s a front that John set up specifically so that he could continue working for the ISA without anyone’s knowledge.”

“That is an interesting theory.”

Tony just smiled at him and shook his head. They sat for several moments in silence and then Tony pulled himself out of his chair and walked with his drink over to the window. “I realize what I’m asking of you Shane, believe me, I do. I know that trusting me and cutting out your friends and family is not an easy choice to make or something you’ll ever feel comfortable doing but frankly, I don’t have anywhere else to turn right now. What little I know scares the hell out of me and every tiny piece I add to the puzzle only makes it worse.” He stopped to take a drink and then, “I’m tired of Stefano’s games and I’ll be damned if I’m the one used this time.”

“You’re going to stand there and tell me that you have no desire to help him pay back John for what happened with Kristen?”

“She’s dead. What will that accomplish?” asked Tony impatiently, turning around to look at Shane. “What I want right now is my life back.”

Shane gaze drifted out to the window as he remembered the man he’d met so many years before, one who bore so little similarity to various other members of his family. Tony had cared nothing about money or power. Experiencing life and lavishing his charm on a lovely woman seemed far more important to him and Shane couldn’t help smiling whenever he thought about Tony and the craziness that had surrounded him but Stefano had refused to allow that to continue. And he knew Tony was right about Stefano. Both the protection he offered his children and his love came with strings attached. “Okay so what do you know?”

Tony stared at him a moment before he said, “Does that mean you’re willing to help me?”

Hedging, Shane said, “I’d like to know some more before I make that decision.”

“Not until I have your assurance,” Tony said with an even voice, “that anything I reveal goes no further than this room.”

“If you insist then you have my word.”

With barely a moment’s hesitation, Tony reached into the pocket of his jacket that hung on the back of the chair and pulled out a letter which he handed to Shane. He sat back down and looked out the window as Shane read the entire thing twice just the way he had back in the hospital the day Stefano had sprung it on him.

Finally after a lengthy silence Shane said, “I’m assuming this was given to you by Stefano.”

Tony nodded.

“And you believe it is the truth?”

“Unfortunately, yes. It explains too many things that never made sense before, especially Stefano’s hatred for John and why he’d never explain when I asked him. He’d just clam up. It was so infuriating considering what was happening between Kristen and John but now it all fits.”

Shane’s confusion was apparent.

“He wanted me to believe that John leaned about this eight years ago when Kristen and I were still married.”

“No Tony,” said Shane, looking back down at the letter again. “If John is your brother, he has no idea whatsoever. I can promise you that.”

“Then why would Stefano go to all the trouble trying to convince me otherwise?” They stared at each other for a moment until Tony saw that Shane had come to exactly the same conclusion as he and Anna. “You understand now?”

“He’s feeding your hatred of John.”

“Precisely. And why would he do that?”

“He’s not done with him apparently and thinks that you will be happy to complete the job for him,” Shane said, watching as Tony finished his drink and slammed the glass back on the table in frustration. “Come on Tony, you can’t tell me it’s not tempting.”

With an unflinching gaze, Tony shot back, “If you asking whether I hate John, the answer is yes.”

“Enough to kill him?”

The question made Tony pause and sit back. “Funny, Anna asked me the same thing last month and I found myself actually considering the possibility. She didn’t believe me. Said I wouldn’t be able to in the end because of my mother. Perhaps she’s right, but the issues I have with John are between him and myself and I’m not about to let Stefano use the situation, and anyway, besides Alexandra they’re the only family I have left.”

“Being family didn’t stop you from going after your cousin.”

A fire lit up in Tony’s eyes at the mention of Andre. “We both know who is to blame for Renee and Kristen’s deaths and I’ll not allow him to sidetrack me with some vendetta against John.”

“Kristen’s death was an accident.”

“And was it an accident that she ended up in Salem to begin with?”

“I’m sorry but you just lost me,” said Shane with a frown.

Tony sighed. He covered his face with his hands and rubbed his eyes as Shane tried to wait patiently. “It’s mostly a hunch I’m afraid,” he said, picking up his glass and walking over to the tray where he poured himself another drink. “I don’t have proof, just a suspicion that has grown stronger every day since I came out of the coma and it started with that letter.” He walked back to the window and sat down on the edge of a graceful bench carved beneath the old leaded panes. “I’m sure you can imagine the scene at the hospital after I found out about Andre. I was incensed, and then when he showed me the letter…oh God Shane, I’ve never come so close to killing him. I…” He shut his eyes and tried to compose himself. “Well, I wanted to inflict as much pain as he just caused me so I suggested that Daphne might have switched the two of us, John and I. I’ve thought about it since then and I’m sure it isn’t possible but you should have seen the look on his face. The last time he gave me a look like that was in Andre’s dungeon.”

“Back when he believed you were not his son.”

Tony nodded his head. “Yes.”

“But then why go to all the trouble of convincing you that Daphne lied? Why coax you back into the family and do everything in his power to get you to marry Kristen?”

“Because it’s possible that neither John nor I belong to Stefano.” Tony said, staring at him with an intensity that Shane found suddenly disturbing. “If Daphne betrayed him twice, what do you think he’d do to her sons?”

Shane stared back at him as the full extent of what Tony was suggesting sunk in and he recognized finally the desperation that had driven Tony to this meeting. Stefano had never stopped believing Daphne’s story that Tony was another man’s son. He’d merely changed his tactics. After Andre had failed to kill Tony in Salem and then again on the island, Stefano had set up a whole new game even more delicious than the first because it meant the two brothers would destroy each other and never even realize what they were doing. Persuading Tony that he was indeed a DiMera merely gave Stefano more opportunity to manipulate him and thinking back over everything that had happened between Tony and John, Shane had to admit Stefano had succeeded admirably. Both men had blindly followed the parts that he’d mapped out for them and now shared a mutual distrust and hatred for each other that was quite possibly beyond repair, and John was still unaware of why Stefano had spent years trying to ruin his life in the first place. “So what about your brother?” Shane asked.

“What about him?”

“Someone needs to tell him about this.”

Tony laughed and said, “He’ll find out soon enough I’m sure.”

“Tony, you can’t keep this from him.”

“Come on Shane. You know as well as I do he isn’t going to listen a bloody thing I say at this point. The minute he sees me, he’ll have only one goal in mind.”

“I think you could hardly blame him.”

“I don’t.”

“Then let me tell him.”

“That would be taking an awful risk.”

“It sounds to me like you need all the help you can get at the moment.”

“And can you absolutely guarantee that you’ll be able to convince him to trust me?”

Shane couldn’t bring himself to answer that question. He had to admit to himself that John might never come around and if he did, it would take work. Considering Tony’s disclosure of just how blind they were to Stefano’s movements, John as a loose cannon would be extremely risky.

“I know you want to warn John,” said Tony after a few moments of silence, “but I’m the one here with the preverbal noose around my neck so please understand that I’m not trying to leave him in the dark because of our past. Hell, if you could explain this mess to him, I’d be grateful. I’m not exactly looking forward to the poignant reunion that will be awaiting me in Salem.”

While he understood Tony’s misgivings, Shane hated the idea of having to lie to John. They’d covered each other’s back too often. They’d been family. To lie to him because of Tony was something John would simply never accept. If Shane could only come up with some kind of solid proof, something John couldn’t argue away then perhaps he’d have a way to persuade both men to work together but only one solution came to mind. “There is one thing you could do that would verify you story beyond a doubt.”

Tony leaned his head back against the wall, suspecting what was coming next. “Let me guess. A DNA test.”

“He could hardly argue the validity of that.”

“Shall we bet on it?” Tony laughed not sounded swayed in the least.

Shane was taken aback. ”Don’t you want to know for sure?”

Tony smiled but his amusement did not reach his eyes. “I understand that your memory is little hazy about the last time I learned Stefano and I were unrelated. After all, you weren’t around but I remember all too well. I still dream about wearing that bloody mask and those chains and listening to Andre describe what he did to Renee, but what’s even worse are the dreams I’ve been having lately, the ones where Anna is there with me.”

“You’ve been dreaming about Andre and Anna?”

“Those are just the ones I have when I’m asleep.”

Shane threw him a sharp look. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that I’ve been in a coma for the last seven years and I have no way of knowing right now what was done to me. I know what happened in that dungeon but I’m suddenly dreaming about things that I know never took place. I’m also seeing myself lying in some room and apparently I talk about Marlena, that she is the only one who can save me.”

“My God, what is he up to?”

“That’s what we need to learn and the only advantage we have right now is his belief in my ignorance.”

“I don’t like the idea of lying to John.”

“You think I do?” Shane raised and eyebrow. “Alright,” Tony said with a small smile, “I’ll probably enjoy it a little. Course I’d rather not be in this situation at all. I could live a happy life without ever setting foot in that miserable place again.”

“What about your sister?” His mention of Lexie did not bring a smile to Tony’s face as Shane expected. Instead he sat looking pensive. “You’re worried about her,” Shane said.

“Of course I’m worried. I can only hope that she has more luck than the rest of us so far, but it sure doesn’t seem that way right now. A few years of Stefano in her life and she’s lost her child, her sanity, and probably her husband.”

“Oh, I think Abe will come around. He just needs time.”

“I don’t know, the morality in that town escapes me. It works just fine as long as your father isn’t Stefano DiMera, otherwise the sins of the father is a concept that is carried out to the letter on every opportunity that presents itself. We’re guilty until, and sometimes even after we proven our innocence over and over again.

“I think you’re being paranoid.”

“Oh yes? I think you’re in for quite an education over the next few months.”

”Figuring out what he’s doing could take much longer than that.”

“Yes, I know.”

“What about Anna?”

After heaving a sigh, Tony turned to look out the window and sat quietly for a couple minutes.

“Sorry,” said Shane as the silence lengthened, “that is none of my business.”

Tony shook his head. “It’s not that. I know what I’m asking of her isn’t fair and I shouldn’t have gone anywhere near her considering what I knew when I walked out of that hospital but…”

Shane gave a short laugh. “Well, I like to see you try to walk away now.”

“I almost got her killed the last time.”

“The way I heard the story, it was Alex Marshall who got her involved and once she found you, it was her decision to help. If she hadn’t, we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now.”

“I suspect that might have been better for her.”

“Please Tony, don’t begin indulging in self pity on me now, not if you’re really serious.”

For the first time since he’d walked in the room, Tony flashed that enchantingly wicked smile that Shane remembered. “Sorry, a month with my father is a discouraging experience.”

“Just his company, or listening to his schemes?”

“We’ve got to put an end to this Shane, once and for all or I won’t have a family left and neither will John.”

“Yes,” said Shane, getting up to fix himself a drink. “I think you’re right.”

Hey Madeline, I really like what you wrote, I think Anna should come back to Days, that could boost up some ratings i bet.

P.S. I'm a HUGE Tony DiMera fan!!!!!

Thanks Dena...glad you're enjoying the story. I wish Anna would come back too, this show needs something at the moment, Anna, Eugune, Tony not being a nut case. I miss the humor!!!

next chapter will be done soon...

I can't wait to read the next chapter Madeline!

Chapter Five

Time: Late September, 2002
Place: Salem, DiMera Mansion


It was late, a couple hours past midnight when Tony entered the living room of the mansion. He turned on a light, then pouring himself a drink, sat down in one of the armchairs facing the mantle. On top, rested the urn that he’d convinced everyone else in Salem held Stefano’s ashes. Tony stared at it as the nightmare raced through his mind again just as it had the first night back in his father’s house. The two of them, him and Anna chained in the dungeon and then Andre barging through the entrance in the wall to grab Anna as Tony was forced to watch, knowing how thoroughly helpless he was to prevent his cousin’s attack. It never varied, and thankfully hadn’t grown in scope or detail but like his visions of the mysterious room, tended to occur when he was under more stress. Of course lately that was all too frequently, thanks to John. Tony had decided that the worst part about the bloody thing was that it always ended exactly the same way, with Anna’s screams echoing through the dungeon. He set his drink on the table and leaned his head back on the chair and tried to remember her as she’d looked the morning he’d left for Monte Carlo but instead of the vision that had kept him going when hardly anything else worked, it was the twin’s faces that materialized.

Twins, each with a phoenix tattoo. And imprisoned in some government laboratory being poked and prodded and questioned and analyzed and God knows what else. He had to get them out of there, and away from John, who no doubt had put two and two together and realized that Stefano had sent the twins to Salem and knowing John’s imagination, he’d jump to the worst possible conclusion. Not that Tony hadn’t done the same thing when Colin showed him the photos earlier that morning. He thought again how strange it felt to see them sleeping peacefully and looking so serene when he knew tranquility was the last thing their presence would bring to Salem, or to his own life. The key to his past and his future Stefano had said. That could only mean one thing and if it was true Tony understood immediately what they were meant to do, control him. He supposed it could be possible that they were just an insignificant pair of children his father had engineered to carry out his plan, or they might even belong to Stefano but somehow Tony knew they weren’t strangers and they weren’t his siblings. They were his children. And that wasn’t even the worst of his suspicions. He knew twins ran in Marlena’s family, and that along with his father’s sudden insistence he steal her away from John, not to mention the spells he continued experiencing all added up to one thing. She was most likely the twin’s mother. What a perfect way to drive another wedge between Tony and his brother.

Eyeing the urn on the mantle Tony cursed Stefano. The man was worse than a vampire, sucking the blood out of anyone who got close to him, those he loved as well as those he was bent on destroying and Tony had to wonder again, into which category did he fit? He’d spent hours determining how all the evidence tied together and was convinced that he’d been right. Stefano meant to destroy both him and John. But he couldn’t help but remember moments, when he realized his father’s affection for him was genuine. He thought back to the night of the ice show years before, when he’d caught Stefano sneaking into the theater and had dragged him back to the penthouse and locked him up in the same dungeon where Stefano had kept him for months. They’d argued fiercely. Tony had vented his rage about Renee and his mother but Stefano had sworn he still loved Tony. It wasn’t his father’s word that convinced him of course. Tony naturally suspected everything that came out of the man’s mouth as a matter of self preservation but he’d been unable to deny the pain he’d witnessed in Stefano’s eyes. His father loved him which only made everything he’d done to Tony since abominable. At least he hated John. How could Stefano do this to someone he loved?

“Up for a midnight chat with your father?”

Tony opened his eyes to find Celeste with a cup of tea in her hands, standing next to him and looking up at the urn. “No, he said more brusquely than he meant to.” She glanced down at him, trying to read his face, searching for clues as to what he was thinking. “Is there something I can do for you?” he asked, making an effort to sound courteous.

“I want you to speak to Alexandra.”

“About?”

“Moving out of the mansion.”

“Haven’t we been through this already?” he said impatiently.

She sat on the couch and looked at Tony earnestly. “Being in this house is a mistake that Abraham will never forgive.”

“And would that be because of me,” he smiled, “or Stefano?”

“This is not amusing Anthony. This is your sister’s life we’re talking about and I won’t stand by as it is ruined.”

Tony sighed. “You can’t save her from being a DiMera, Celeste.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked in a sharp voice.

“Oh come on, you ought to know the answer to that just as well as I do.”

Celeste had been trickier to fool than many in Salem, mostly because of the years she’d spent with Stefano. Alexandra had been easy. She had too many other problems of her own to deal with at the moment and it left her little time to examine Tony’s behavior, but Celeste was another matter. She knew Tony was hiding a secret and he still wasn’t sure he should have allowed her to move in with her daughter. After all, Celeste had just watched Stefano destroy Alexandra’s marriage and her happiness. She had an ax to grind and if she couldn’t get to Stefano, then Tony got the impression that she would happily make do with him.

“Does Stefano have something planned?”

“I don’t know, you think he can manage it from there?” Tony said, nodding at the urn.

Celeste frowned. “Why the worry then if he’s dead?”

“Considering that Alexandra and I are the only ones left, I’d say luck is something that is definitely lacking in this family.”

“Oh Tony, you’ve had more than your share of it,” she chided him.

“Yes, I can see how you’d believe that but you’ve also seen what has happened to Alexandra since she learned about Stefano and you know just as well as I do what happened to her sisters. If that wasn’t the case, you wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble of hiding her from him when she was born.”

“Ah, but that was Stefano,” she said, leaning forward and scrutinizing Tony’s face. “If he is truly dead than the only one left in her family who could cause her grief is you.”

“You think that is what I want?”

“Stefano always swore he wanted only happiness for his family, even as he wrecked their lives.”

Tony shook his head as he picked up his drink. “Why is it that everyone in this town seems to have forgotten how thoroughly he wrecked mine? You see me with a wife or children? You imagine this is the life I was looking forward to all these years?”

Celeste at least had the good manners to look embarrassed. “Anthony, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest you are anything like Stefano, but…”

“Yes, but. Everyone’s favorite word around here when it comes to me.”

“You have to understand how people feel about everything Stefano has done here.”

“Oh Celeste,” Tony said in disgust, “who do you think knows that better than me?”

“Then please, you must realize that by staying here, Alexandra is only creating more problems for herself. No one will believe she is trying to turn her life around as long as she remains here, especially Abraham.”

“I have to wonder how much he really loves her if it makes such a difference to him.”

“Anthony, you know him better than that.”

”I thought I did,” he said, looking down at the drink in his hand. “I thought I knew the people of this town but that that was a long time ago, before they started believing Stefano’s lies. Now it’s the only thing they see when a DiMera walks in the room. Any DiMera. They’re certainly not picky, are they?”

The bitterness in his voice seemed to take her by surprise. “You can’t blame them for being suspicious about your story after what happened to John.”

“John? No, I don’t blame John. He didn’t know Andre. But Abe and Roman and everyone else, they were all here the last time. They watched Stefano use my cousin. They spent months fooled by his impersonation and were none the wiser until Roman broke me and Anna out of that dungeon, so yes, I find their suspicion hypocritical. Tell me, when Stefano used John, was he treated with such distrust when he returned?”

“John is not a…”

“A DiMera, yes I know. It’s all in the genes I guess.”

“No,” she said shaking her head. “You know that is not true, but Alexandra did not know her father like you, Anthony. She would never accept his faults and insisted that Abraham accept him too but after everything that has happened that’s not possible, and by moving in here, he believes Alexandra is choosing Stefano.”

Tony sat quietly for a moment and then, “Celeste, I’m afraid you’re going to have to let go,” he said, swirling the rest of his drink around in the glass. “I know it’s something you probably don’t want to hear, but Alexandra’s marriage is something she needs to fix on her own.”

Rising slowly from her seat, Celeste stared down at him with pity. “You don’t know what it’s like to have children Anthony, how awful it is to see them in danger or in pain and feel helpless. I pray you never do.” She picked up her empty tea cup and left as silently as she’d come.

Tony covered his face with his hands and sat for several minutes with her words ringing in his ears. Children. How often he’d dreamt of having his own. He thought back to how ecstatic he’d been when he learned Anna was pregnant and then that terrible day on the boat. It had torn him up inside, but he told himself he was young, there would be plenty of time to think about children and when he and Anna had married again, he knew it would happen. But instead, Stefano had interfered and made the possibility of a life with Anna out of the question. When he’d married Kristen he could hardly wait for her to have children but their relationship had fallen apart before she was able to get pregnant. Now on reaching the point of believing that having no children was a blessing in disguise, they appeared, virtually out of nowhere. Compliments of Stefano. Knowing what his father had done to John, Tony knew he needed to be cautious when it came to the twins but how? To treat them as strangers didn’t seem natural, or fair. They were part of him and no matter what they’d been sent to do, he’d be unable to avoid forming an attachment. And who knew that better than his father. Stefano had always used Tony’s emotions against him, as a way to control him but Tony had to find a way to prevent it from happening this time.

Sighing, he got up but as he thought about making himself another drink, the cell phone in his pocket began to vibrate. He closed all the doors before he answered it. “Shane.”

“Tony, hello. Patrick said you wanted to speak to me.”

“Yes,” said Tony sitting back down and trying to clear his mind. “I do.”

“And it would be about?”

“I think its time you shared what you know about the twins, the ones John and your agent are holding down in the basement at University Hospital.”

Shane hesitated. “How did you find out?”

“Well, you’re probably going to laugh but it was plastered across the front page of the Spectator this morning.”

There was silence on the other side of the line.

“You can pull up their website if you don’t believe me.”

“You’re serious,” said Shane in astonishment.

“Thoroughly.”

“So, how much do you know?”

“Not enough and not nearly as much as John obviously knows.”

He could hear a sigh and Shane said, “Tony, we’re not going to get anywhere if you’re going to play games.”

“This isn’t a game,” Tony snapped at him. “Just who the hell do you think those twins belong to?”

“Okay, that is one possibility, but certainly not the only one here and even if they do turn out to be your children, you have no idea of what Stefano had done to them,” Shane argued. “You could be letting assassins walk into your life.”

“Is that what John believes?”

“Well, he’s suspicious, yes. Aren’t you?

“Whatever Stefano has got planned, I doubt it has anything to do with killing me. He’s had seven years to do that.”

“That doesn’t mean they aren’t a threat.”

“To me?”

“Especially to you. If you formed any kind of bond with these children, he’d be able to…”

“Yes,” Tony interrupted him impatiently. “I know, I know.”

Shane waited for him to calm down.

“Look, we’re never going to figure what they’re here for as long as you keep them sealed up in that laboratory,” said Tony, trying to keep the aggravation out of his voice. “You know Stefano. Whatever his game, the twins will be completely ignorant, just as John was. The only way we’ll figure out what he’s up to is to let them out and see what happens.”

“Oh it should be easy to convince John of that,” Shane said dryly.

“You don’t really expect me to just leave them there.”

“Tony, I know at the moment you want to jump in and help these children but…”

“They could be mine, Shane.”

“And they could belong to Stefano or any number of other people. We just don’t know.”

“So, what you expect me to sit back and wait until John figures it out? Come on, he had a solution the minute he got a look at those tattoos on their wrists.”

“That piece of information wasn’t in the Spectator, was it?”

Tony didn’t bother answering.

“I’d think,” Shane said after several moments, “that you’d want to find out if they’re dangerous first and put a stop to whatever Stefano has planned. Isn’t that why you came to me?”

“No, I came to you because we both want him in jail. I don’t see how we’ll accomplish that with what you know so far or you’d have done it already.”

“We’re getting there. It’s just going to take some time.”

Tony laughed. “You know Shane; I’d expect that out of John, but not you. John is only thinking about Marlena and his children. You know what’s at stake here. We’ve got to find out what he programmed them for and we both know that Stefano would never have been careless enough to allow your specialists to learn that little secret. The only way you can tie him to the twins is the phoenix tattoo and that isn’t enough to convict him, now is it?”

“Well, we know they were genetically engineered.”

“Which isn’t a crime we’d have much luck with either unless he used…”

“Unless he used what?” Shane asked but Tony wasn’t so sure he wanted to share his suspicion about Marlena quite yet.

“Nothing.”

“Tony, if there is something you’re not telling me…”

“I told you all of it back in Paris, everything he told me; about the key and how’s it’s linked to my past and future and the things he’s done to push me towards Marlena. Now you add that together and what do you think it means?”

“You and Marlena.” There was a brief silence and then, “Are you saying you think Marlena is the twin’s mother?”

“You have to admit, it’s the perfect way to control me and John at the same time.”

“Not to mention infuriating him to the point of wanting to kill you.”

“Oh hell, he did that the night I arrived in town.

“I don’t like the sound of any of this,” Shane said, in a worried tone, “but I have to admit it sounds like Stefano’s idea of a game.”

“Then you understand why I have to get them out of there.”

“No, not really. I mean, why the sudden concern, they were conceived in a test tube for heaven’s sake.”

“They are human beings Shane,” said Tony, desperately hanging onto what little patience he had left. “My God, they’ve been his guinea pigs for their entire lives. If they’re my children, the last thing I want if for that to continue. And don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel exactly the same way.”

Shane didn’t argue this time. “Alright, I understand how you feel but that doesn’t solve the problem.”

“It could.”

“How?”

“I understand the twins are quite intelligent. Perhaps the way to find out what is going on is allowing them to solve the problem for us.”

“What makes you think they’ll be interested?”

“Oh, come on Shane. I thought you were a professional. It’s just a matter of gaining their trust and confidence.”

“I don’t like that sound of that.”

“Really? And just how are John and your agent doing so far?”

“Tony, you could be putting yourself in a very dangerous position with Stefano if you get close to these children.”

“If they are mine, I’m afraid it’s already too late to be worried about that.”

“Damn it,” Shane swore, and Tony couldn’t help but agree with him. “John is going to have a fit if they’re released to you.”

“Yes, but I have a way to take care of it so that at least you’re not involved.”

“What are you going to do?”

“A court order getting them released into my custody.”

Shane actually laughed at this and said, “well, thanks for the heads up. I rather like knowing when to expect irate phone calls from your brother.”

“I doubt it will be any worse than the one you got the night I came back into town.”

“No, you’re right. That was quite memorable,” he said with a chuckle, and then, “Tony…”

“I can’t promise not to get attached Shane. I wish I could but I’m not Stefano and they aren’t just pawns in some game. They deserve better than that.”

“Yes,” Shane said with a sigh. “Well, than I guess the trick will be how to take them out of the game.”

“Is that possible?”

“I don’t know but I’ll work on it. You just concentrate on getting those kids to trust you and maybe we can find out what this is all about.”

more in a few days...

Hey Madeline,

You should send this story to Reilly, it would sure give him a run for his miney!!!

YOU should be the head writer IMO, cuz that was the most entertaining thing I've read!!!

I appreciate the vote of confidence Dena! Thanks...but not all that sure I'd want JER's position. He has to keep too many people happy though the money would be nice.

Snapping the phone shut, Shane tossed it onto the desk impatiently and looked over at the man who’d come in just moments before and was lounging on an old leather couch next to the door. He was younger with a casual attitude and a tendency to find his way around the rules if necessary that hadn’t endeared him to most of Shane’s ISA colleagues. Patrick Lockhart rubbed suits the wrong way and fought everyone who tried to change his attitude. In addition, he had a reputation for practical jokes that more experienced agents did not find amusing and it had nearly cost him his job at the agency twice. Luck had saved him the first time, but it ran out after he and another agent hacked into an assistant director’s computer and switched his screen saver, the one that usually displayed the man’s wedding picture, to one of the director entertaining a woman on top of his desk. That incident made its way through several review boards and he was on the verge of being fired when Shane stepped in. The two of them had worked together only a couple of times but Shane recognized attributes in his personality that he considered too valuable to loose and so he’d worked to convince the board to give Patrick another chance, and the young man had more than rewarded Shane’s efforts on his behalf. Other agents teased Shane about his protégé but it didn’t matter. Patrick’s discretion was absolute and over the last few months, something Shane had begun to depend on.

“I’m afraid I only caught the tail end of that,” observed Patrick as he sat up, “but I take it he found out.”

Shane nodded. “He said it was in the newspaper yesterday and I’m sure it was, but knowing Tony…” he leaned his head back on the chair for a moment and then, “He knew about the tattoos.”

“So he has access to other information besides the article. Murphy perhaps?”

“Maybe but its not important now.”

“Somehow I don’t think Mr. Black would agree with you.”

Shane closed his eyes and remembered John’s cold fury the night he’d called to inform Shane that Tony DiMera was in Salem, brazenly declaring his innocence and John demanded that Shane arrest him. It had been a painful conversation and Shane wasn’t looking forward to another. Lying to John and Roman had been more difficult than he’d imagined and he hated doing it just as much as Tony had predicted, but in just a few short months pieces continued to appear that fit ever more neatly into the puzzle Tony had laid out for him at the Corville estate. Stopping now was out of the question. “You’re right, John won’t like this one little bit but it’s not up to him.”

Patrick was looking at him quizzically. “Won’t he fight you on this?”

“Actually Tony didn’t ask me to get them released. He’s doing that himself. A court order to have them placed in his care.”

“A criminal associate that can take care of his own problems? What a novelty.”

Shane glanced at him. “Look, I know you’ve heard a number of tales about the DiMera’s but I need you to keep an open mind here.”

“About Tony DiMera.” Patrick’s voice was noncommittal but Shane sensed his hostility.

“You have a problem with that?”

For a minute Patrick sat quietly, staring into the empty space in front of him. They hadn’t discussed the subject of Shane’s association with Tony so far, even though Patrick was the only other agent who was privy to the connection. He was dependable and Shane hadn’t given a whole lot of thought to how he might feel about this extraordinary partnership, hadn’t even considered discussing the matter but looking at him now and recalling some of the things Patrick had shared about his past, Shane realized this conversation should have been initiated back when he’d returned from speaking to Tony. “You grew up on stories of Roman and John, didn’t you?” Shane asked him.

“And you.” Patrick said, grinning a bit self-consciously. “Hell, your lives beat mine any day for excitement. I spent my time in school, or babysitting, that is except for when I was trying to insure my mother didn’t drink or gamble away the money she made.”

“Your father around at all?”

Patrick shrugged. “Off and on.”

“That would be hard I’d imagine.”

He got a nod and then Patrick jumped up restlessly and headed over to the window where he fixed his attention on the view. “The Bradys and the DiMeras,” he said with half a smile. “Yeah, they were better than watching Saturday mornings cartoons and I was hooked, especially since I met most of the Bradys and I’d see them around town or when we’d go to the pub. The DiMeras, they were always these mysterious scoundrels, kind of like the Brady’s alter ego. As a kid it was exciting you know but a little unreal because of course I didn’t understand just how deadly serious it all was. I learned that when I got into high school. It was after I met John, which was a year or two before that and so I remember when he went on trial for killing Tony.” He turned to look at Shane. “Everyone my mom worked for told us this DiMera was different, that he’d never behave like his father, so when it finally came to light that he was the one responsible for John’s entire ordeal it seemed even more of a betrayal then if it had been his father or Peter.” He shook his head slowly. “I know you’re determined to finally catch Stefano, but I just can’t believe you’d trust any DiMera, let alone this one.”

Shane met Patrick’s gaze. “You believe his story about Andre is a trick?”

”All he had to do was stick his cousin’s body in the grave and say what he liked.”

“Except that the man who shot himself at the wedding reception that day was Andre DiMera. I would never have gone to meet Tony if I didn’t have proof.”

Patrick considered this information.

After another minute of silence, Shane said, “I suppose you’ve heard a number of stories since you arrived here, including the fact that I knew Tony before, when I lived in Salem.”

“I know you also voiced your doubts on a couple of occasion’s right after the incident about whether Tony was actually the one responsible for what happened to John.”

“Yes, I did,” said Shane getting up to pour himself a cup of coffee. After adding some cream, he took it over to a chair near the window and for some time sat stirring the liquid around in the mug unconsciously with a spoon. “I’m curious Patrick,” he said finally, looking up at the young man’s towering profile. “How much do you remember about the Slasher murders? You lived in Salem when they happened, right?”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t much more than a kid, so just the highlights mostly I guess, like the day we found out that Roman was the killer. That was some shock, along with his escape from jail. I know I’ll always remember the day he showed up again, after everyone believed he’d died in that explosion and revealed the person behind it all. Stefano.”

“You did know that the Slasher was Tony’s cousin?”

“I suppose so. I’m sure I read it or heard it around here.”

“And do you know where Tony was all that time?”

“Stefano hid him away somewhere while Andre took his place.”

“Hid him away,” Shane said, a cynical grin flashing across his face. “It sounds so benign, doesn’t it, as though he sent him off to a spa to relax but the truth was quite a bit uglier, and one of the primary reasons everyone was so convinced him and his father were nothing alike. You see, Tony spent those ten months locked up in a windowless cell in his own penthouse, chained to the floor.”

Wearing a frown Patrick said, “I can’t imagine Stefano of all people doing that to his son. Not from what I’ve heard about him.”

“But he did. And knowing Stefano, he thoroughly enjoyed sticking Tony’s nose in the fact that everyone in Salem believed it was actually Tony who was responsible. Sound familiar?”

“You mean the Count’s version of what happened in Arimed.”

Shane nodded his head. “Stefano even managed to make sure Tony lost the woman he loved, again.”

“What do you mean, again?”

“You recall who the Slasher’s first victim was?”

“No, not really.”

“Renee DiMera. She was the only one who recognized that something was wrong when Andre began his masquerade.”

“But weren’t they brother and sister, her and Tony?”

“They didn’t believe they were at the time. It’s complicated but the reason Stefano kept him locked all those months was because he learned Tony wasn’t his son. He was infuriated that Tony’s mother had lied to him and knowing Stefano’s pride, I suspect he wanted to punish Tony for having announced the fact to everyone in Salem.”

“So you’re saying that he imprisoned Tony and used him just like he used Roman.”

“Not only did he use them, they were supposed to be the last two victims.”

Patrick appeared stunned. “Then why on earth would he have gone anywhere near Stefano again when he came back to Salem?”

“A few years after the murder spree, Stefano convinced Tony that they’d been mistaken about his paternity. I’m sure it took a great deal of persuasion and I can’t even imagine the two of them living in the same house together, but by the time Tony returned to Salem, he’d found a way to come to terms with it apparently. Of course, everything went downhill from there, till he ended up in a coma.”

“I don’t know,” Patrick shook his head. “It just seems too incredible. I mean, why would he ever go back if…”

“If the father he’d adored all his life made amends? Went out of his way to prove his love and affection to his son, who I’m afraid has never been able to break away from the man. There is a bond between them unfortunately.”

“I can’t imagine forgiving my father for the things he’s done but he never tried to kill me. How do you get past something like that?”

“When it comes to family it’s really quite amazing what some people will forgive,” said Shane gently.

Patrick didn’t appear convinced. “Well, this has been an interesting little DiMera history lesson, but it still doesn’t explain why you’d trust Tony. According to you he’s forgiven the old man and he certainly owes him for saving his life this time.”

“Not necessarily. You remember that DNA test I asked you to run for me in July?”

“The DNA test,” said Patrick looking over at him. “The one you had me destroy afterwards, yeah I remember. It had no names…” his eyes widened. “And it was a negative match.”

Shane smiled.

“You think Stefano lied to him?”

“Tony does.”

Patrick whistled softly. “So all this time he pretended that Tony was his son while he used him to destroy John, though it’s kind of strange he would substitute Andre at the last minute.”

“Tony’s far more useful than Andre. For one thing, he’s not crazy.”

“Then he came to you because he believes his father is out to ruin him.”

Shane gave a small shrug. “Among others.”

“You mean John.”

“It seems that way.”

Patrick smiled sarcastically. “Kind of a leap to think he’d want to help the man who destroyed his marriage.”

“Yes, there’s no love lost, that’s true but like John, he’s spent quite a bit of his adult life at the mercy of a man who’s determined to wreak havoc on him. If he doesn’t put a stop to it he’ll end up dead. In fact they both will and I don’t think that is what he wants.”

“Why? I mean it’s obvious he still hates John.”

“As you said, John gave him good reason and feelings like that don’t just disappear overnight especially when Tony comes back to find that Kristen is dead and John has moved on to enjoy the good life. Witnessing that on a daily basis would be aggravating at best.”

“No more than watching a man enjoy his freedom when you believe he tried to kill you.”

Shane sighed and looked back down at his empty cup. He could hardly fault Patrick for his prejudice since it was shared by nearly all of Salem, and while he agreed that John had plenty of cause for suspicion why did the entire town feel the need to spread such hate? Tony had been right about that. Even proving his innocence wasn’t enough to change their attitude. They’d convicted him in his absence and they weren’t about to admit they’d been wrong about a DiMera. Perhaps they’d picked up too many of Stefano’s bad habits, including his pride.

“So you still agree with John that he’s lying?”

Patrick opened his mouth but then stopped. Shaking his head, he said, “No, obviously the DNA test proved he’s being honest, at least about his relationship with Stefano and it would explain why his father would set him up to look guilty, but if both he and John are in such danger, why haven’t you asked for John’s help? Or Roman’s?”

“Oh come on Patrick, neither of them have shown any more patience with his story than you have today, and the last thing we need is Tony having to explain his relationship with me to his father. I don’t see how that can help either of them.”

“What about showing them the DNA test?”

“That test doesn’t exist,” said Shane, eyeing him pointedly as he up out of the chair. “You understand? Tony was adamant about it not being done at all. He’s understandably worried that Stefano will learn it exists and considering his past I can’t blame him though I had to be certain but it needs to stay between us.”

“Alright. But I still think you selling John short here. Surely you don’t think he’d do anything that would jeopardize an opportunity to finally take down Stefano DiMera.”

Shane didn’t answer right away but walked back to the tray where the carafe stood and set his cup down. “In any other set of circumstances I’d agree with you, but this is different because it would mean he’d have to trust Tony and that’s just never going to happen, he’s made that quite evident over the last few months. I thought at first a DNA test might be enough to sway him but he doesn’t really want to believe Tony is innocent.”

“Even though the test implies that Stefano set Tony up?”

“Tony had evidence confirming he spent the last seven years in that hospital in Switzerland but John wouldn’t even listen.”

“There’s something else here,” said Patrick carefully, “something between these two you haven’t told me, isn’t there?”

Shane turned from refilling his cup to look at him. “What makes you think so?”

“I just feel like there’s a piece missing. Everything fits except Tony’s interest, for lack of a better word, in what happens to John. Why not just walk away and let Stefano destroy him? Like you said, there’s no love lost.”

“Walk away from Stefano DiMera? Where do you think he could go and hide that would be safe and for how long?”

“So you’re saying he’s stuck.”

“Rather something of a raw deal when you get right down to it.”

“Yeah,” said Patrick uneasily as he glanced at Shane and then away again. “So where do the twins fit into all of this?”

Dropping onto the couch, Shane set his cup down and tried to brush away the coffee he spilled on his sleeve. “I’m afraid I have to agree with John’s assessment when it comes to the twins. They’re a disaster.”

“Then you believe he’s right, that Stefano programmed them to fulfill some mission.”

“Oh there’s definitely a mission, he wants to control Tony.”

Patrick looked skeptical again. “Okay, correct me if I’m wrong but the guy hardly seems the type to be taken in by teenagers.”

“Not unless they turned out to be his children.”

“I thought Spector said they’d been unable to determine who they were because they couldn’t crack their DNA.”

Shane chuckled at the younger man. “I plan to keep you working on that DNA but I don’t need confirmation to know that Stefano’s weapon of choice when it comes to Tony would be emotional blackmail. He’s spent twenty years using it to control his children and it’s always worked.”

“And you’re still going to let him take those kids out of the hospital?”

“What would you suggest I do, Patrick?”

“They need to be confined somewhere. We don’t even know what they’re capable of and they could be very dangerous.”

“Maybe, but Tony isn’t about to go along with that and I do see his point. I wouldn’t either if I was in his shoes.” Patrick’s frustration was evident but he didn’t argue. “Besides,” Shane continued after a moment, “other than the fact they’re now able to communicate with us, we’ve learned exactly nothing about what Stefano did to them. Perhaps Tony will have more luck.”

“And the fact that Stefano could use them as leverage?”

“Yes, well we’ll have to work on that problem.”

“That’s what you were talking about when I came in, wasn’t it?”

Shane nodded.

“Any ideas?”

“No, but in the meantime I want you to work on the twin’s DNA. We need to know for sure who they belong to and maybe we’ll even learn if they were designed for something in particular.”

“If that’s what you want though I’m curious. Since DiMera believes the twins are his, does he have any idea who their mother might be?”

“A suspicion.”

Patrick waited but Shane was still hoping Tony could be wrong about Marlena. If he wasn’t, it would be a bombshell. And considering that Stefano was somewhere, just waiting to spring the news on John about his mother, Shane couldn’t help but worry that both revelations would be too much for him. It would be difficult enough to have to accept Tony as his brother. If he learned Tony was also the father of Marlena’s children, Shane wasn’t sure he could handle it or that he wouldn’t take matters into his own hands and go after Tony. If that happened Shane had no idea of what he would do. “Let’s just see what you find out first after you break down their DNA and then we’ll deal with whatever is there.”

“That bad, eh?”

Shaking his head, Shane glanced at him impatiently. “Patrick, you’re damn good at what you do, but even I get tired of being analyzed constantly. It’s annoying.”

“Keeps you on your toes though, doesn’t it?”

Shane raised an eyebrow but Patrick just smiled back at him. He had friends who argued that Patrick was way too cocky and while occasionally Shane agreed, the young man’s tenacity was the result of that exasperating attitude. There was no such thing as an unsolvable problem as far as Patrick Lockhart was concerned. It went beyond stubbornness. Shane had never seen anyone who stuck to something with such resolve until he discovered a solution, no matter how long or frustrating the process, and so far he had an unbeatable record. If anyone could find a way to break the twin’s DNA, it would be Patrick. Shane was counting on it. “Speaking of staying on your toes, you haven’t told me what you found out about those prescriptions I gave you.”

Patrick sat in the chair that Shane had left near the window and turned it around so it faced the couch. “Uh let’s see,” he said, thinking back. “One was pain medication which would fit the story that Roman underwent surgery. That’s what Tony said Stefano told him, right?”

“Yes, and the other one?”

“Allergy medication.”

This information surprised Shane who asked, “Does Roman have allergies?”

“According to his medical file, he’s allergic to several different kinds of medication. A couple of them are prescribed for pain. From what I can tell he wasn’t allergic to anything before Stefano provided his hospitality but it’s possible that was the first time he’d ever been exposed to that particular medication. Allergies to anything don’t surface until the person comes into contact with the substance, or their body reaches its tolerance level, so it could be legitimate.”

“But?”

“This particular medication is, well experimental. And it could be used to counteract allergies other than a reaction to pain killers.”

“You mean like hay fever?”

“Or pets, or food even.”

“So he could be allergic to almost anything and this medication would take care of the reaction?”

“Yeah.”

“Is there a way to find out if he’s using it now?”

“Sure, if you got him to take a drug test, or you could just ask him.”

“On what pretence exactly?”

Patrick shrugged. “It’s possible Stefano was testing the medication on him but I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”

“I guess it’s just that I agree with Tony that Stefano’s cover when he pressed him about the picture being in the house was lame. He’d never risk bringing Roman to that house. It doesn’t make any sense and I was hoping we’d get some answers after you analyzed the prescriptions but never mind,” Shane said as he finished his coffee. “I’ll make sure you have the DNA tomorrow and you can start playing around with that for the next few months.”

“Months? It’s not going to take that long,” laughed Patrick.

Shane smiled at him. “Considering who designed the twins, we’ll be lucky if you get an answer before next summer.”