Part 21:

 

Salem Hospital:

 

Bo1 is awake now in his hospital bed. His arm is bandaged as is his head but he seems alert and fine otherwise. Roman enters the room followed by Shawn and a uniformed police officer.

Bo1 sits up very alter and says, “Shawn! Roman! Thank god. What the hell is going on?! No one will tell me anything.” Roman puts up a hand to quiet him and says, “Bo before we can talk I need to let officer Daniels do his job.” Bo1 looks confused. Roman tells the officer to go ahead. Daniels says, “Bo Brady, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and…” Bo1 interrupts, his face stunned, “WHAT?!” Roman tells him to let Daniels finish. Daniels continues obviously very uncomfortable. He finished the Miranda Rights and asks, “Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?” Bo1 says to Roman, “What is going on Roman?” Roman sighs and says, “Do you understand your rights Bo?” Bo1 yells back, “Yes I understand my rights I’m a cop for god’s sake! But what I don’t understand is what the charges are!?”

 

Roman nods at the officer and Daniels’ reads “You are under arrest for two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and three counts of attempted murder. If Miss Benson does not survive surgery one of the attempted murder charges will be dropped and one count of murder will be added.” Bo1 literally jumps out of bed at this, “What?! Chelsea?! Where is she?!” Roman then tells Bo1, “Sit down or I will have you restrained.” Roman thanks Daniels and tells him he is dismissed.

 

Outside the room we see Daniels take up post outside the door. Billie comes over and acting upset and faint he helps her to his chair that is seated outside Bo1’s door. She says she is okay just a little shaken and asks him if he can get her something to drink from the cafeteria. He looks towards the door and Billie sensing his hesitation says, “Isn’t Roman Brady in there with him? It’ll be fine. He’s not going anywhere.” Daniels agrees and says he’ll be right back. As soon as he is gone Billie wiggles around so that she can open the door a crack an listen to the conversation inside.

Back in the room Bo1 is freaking out and near the end of his rope. He forces himself to sit down and asks in a forced calm tone. “Roman, where is my daughter, and how this happened?… please.” Roman and Shawn exchange looks. Roman says, “Chelsea is in surgery, Lexi is hopeful but it is too soon to tell is she will survive.” Bo1 is devastated. He blinks in confusion and asks, “Daniels said there were three counts? Who where the other two?” Roman glances at Shawn as Shawn answers coldly, “That would be me and Mimi. You tried to kill us, Chelsea got in the way and you shot her.”

 

Bo1 looks like he is having a bad dream he can’t wake up from he is speechless. Roman breaks the silence, “Bo… what is the last thing you remember.” Bo1 blinks and stammers out, “I… I was at home…. Chelsea was watching TV, Billie was out shopping… I don’t remember anything after that.” The group is quiet for a moment and Bo1 asks again, “This must be a mistake…What happened? What did I do?” Roman sighs and then relays the story to Bo1 who is beside himself with shock and confusion.

After Roman finishes Bo1 just sits there for a long moment in stunned silence. He finally looks up and says sincerely to Shawn, “I would NEVER hurt you Shawn. I would never hurt you, Mimi or Chelsea. I know you hate me but you have to know that.” Shawn looks at him for a long moment and says, “I know.” Bo1 gives a thankful half smile at this even though Shawn’s face is not one filled with love at the moment. Bo1 then looks at Roman and asks him, “And what about you? What do you think?” Roman looks at him and says, “I know my brother would never raise a gun to his children.”

Bo1 says, “So if you two believe me then what happened here?” Roman and Shawn share a knowing look. And Roman says, “Well there are two theories on that. One is that you’ve somehow been brainwashed or controlled.” Shawn chimes in with the second theory as he looks at Bo1 with a stony expression, “Or… you are not my father at all.”

 

Outside the room Billie listens intently. She mutters to herself, “No… he HAS to be Bo.”

 

Bo1 scoffs, “What?! Come on, you two can’t really believe that?! I mean how could I NOT be me!?” Roman sighs, “I don’t know. I agree it is far fetched but as you said, you’d never hurt Shawn. But there is one way to be sure? We can do a DNA test and Lexi has a new drug that apparently once it is made may dissolve any brainwashing or programming you may have been subjected too. I’d like your permission to do the DNA test and administer this drug to you after it is made?”

 

Before Bo1 can respond Billie enters the room and says, “He will do nothing of the sort! I can’t believe you… either of you!” She snaps at Shawn and Roman and walks to stand beside Bo1. She continues, “This man is your brother! And your father! How can you sit there and accuse him of… of being a spy or something!” Shawn yells back, “How dare you barge in here! I don’t give a damned what you think or what lame proposal he made you, but this man… father or not just tried to kill me and may have killed YOUR daughter. I’d think you of all people would want to know who exactly you are sleeping with!” He practically spits these last words at her. She does not bulk and counters, “I don’t need any test to tell me that.” She turns to Bo1 and says, “Don’t agree to their tests. Whatever happened that made you do this we will work it out together, we will get you counseling. It could be post traumatic stress… from loosing Zack and all that’s happened lately.”

Roman steps in and tells Billie, “Look, I know this is hard on you too but you aren’t helping anything being here right now and you are walking a thin line in a police investigation. I think you should leave…. Now.” Billie glares at him. She tells Bo1, “Don’t agree to ANYTHING until you talk to your attorney.” Bo1 says, “Billie… I want to know WHY I did what they say I did. If I am a danger I need to know.” Billie smiles and kisses him and says, “I do too, but… just wait and let me talk to Frankie okay?” Bo1 gives a reluctant nod in agreement. Shawn looks on in disgust and leaves. Roman tells Billie that she needs to go. She kisses and hugs Bo1 again and leaves. Daniel is back now and offers her her drink asking if she is feeling better now. She watches as Shawn goes back over to Mimi and says, “For the moment.” She thanks him and walks off.

 

 

Giovanni’s Jet:

 

Hope, Patrick, and Bo2 are on Giovanni’s private jet as he if flying them home. They are all sitting in back talking as Hope says again how she does not like leaving Steve like that and Bo2 reminds, “We didn’t really have a choice, Shawn needs us… I mean you.” Patrick assures her he will be fine. Hope says, “I wish I hadn’t promised not to call Kayla.” Bo2 says, “Call her anyway.” Hope looks at him surprised but he explains. “Hope, you know what Steve is going through better then anyone… and… well under the circumstances I feel I understand too.” He looks deeply at Hope as he continues, “He needs her, more then ever now… no matter what he says, what he has done… she’s the only one who can help him.”  Hope and he stare at each other for a long moment and we can tell that Bo2 isn’t just talking about Steve and Kayla but also he and Hope.

 

Hope blinks away and says, “Yes… you are right. I will call her after we hear back from Steve’s doctor with an update.” She sighs and brings out the laptop. “In the meantime… there are some things I should fill you two in on… namely… Chelsea.” She opens the file and spins the laptop around to face Bo2 and Patrick as they lean forward to read.

 

Salem Hospital:

Billie goes to a nurses desk and asks the nurse for a copy of her daughter’s files. The nurse asks for ID and Billie complies. The nurse says that Chelsea is over 18 and that she can’t release her files to her. Billie give the nurse her ISA badge and says, “My daughter is also the victim of a shooting, I need her files.” The nurse is obviously young and gets rattled. She hesitates but then goes and gets her files and hands them to Billie she says, “I’m sorry Ms. Reed… it’s my first week here.” Billie smiles and says, “It’s okay. Thank you.”

Billie steps into an empty room nearby and opens the file. She looks through and finds what she is looking for and reads aloud. “Paternity test for Chelsea Benson matched DNA sample taken from Beauregard Brady taken in…” she sighs and is obviously greatly disappointed in what it says, “….2005.” She looks up and down the way towards Bo1’s room. She says to herself, “So you are Chelsea’s father…” She looks distraught and says, “Please…. Please be Bo… this can’t be happening.”

 

Giovanni’s Jet:

 

Back on the plane Bo2 and Patrick have obviously finished reading the file. Bo2 stands up in fury yelling, “I don’t believe this! Billie… she had to know all along.” Patrick steps up saying, “Hold on… we really don’t know what Billie knows or not.” Bo2 yells back, “Come on! It’s right there!” He points to the laptop. Patrick says, “I know what it says but it is also has some huge question marks there… like does Billie know Chelsea is who she is?” Bo2 isn’t listening he says to Patrick, “How can you defend Billie to me after all you said she has done in the past 5 years? And don’t forget that I was there for her games prior to that! Trust me on this one, Patrick… don’t fall blind to her games… she’s good at it.” Hope is watching and listening silently. She then calmly says, “I don’t disagree with you… but… Patrick may be right.” Bo2 screws up his face unable to believe Hope is actually defending Billie but Hope stops him from interjecting and continues, “I know Billie’s games better then anyone… and I’ve NEVER been blind to them.” She gives Bo2 a look. “But I’ve seen Billie this entire time with Chelsea and with Bo… I’m not convinced she knows. And Patrick is right that the files are ambiguous at best on that point. As much as I would love to nail Billie to the wall on this we have to give her the benefit of the doubt.”

Bo2 walks over to Hope and says solemnly, “And what about this girl’s start in life huh? Can we excuse Billie on that?” Hope sighs and looks solemn too and shakes her head saying, “No… that I can’t understand… especially from Billie considering all that’s happened. I don’t care what spot she was in… it is unforgivable. But that is for Chelsea and her to work out.”  

 

Patrick says, “Well… Bo is right that we do need to know what part Billie has had in this.” Hope nods and then smiles and says, “I have an idea.” She picks up the jet’s phone and makes a call she says, “Lexi? Its Hope… I need your help with something.”

 

Undisclosed Location:

L and Mason are in what looks like a very swanky European flat. L is furious obviously Mason has just told her some bad news. She storms out onto the flat’s deck that over looks a lake. Mason hesitantly follows her. He stands at the doorway of the deck and dutifully waits for her to speak first. After a moment L says without turning around, “How?”

Mason takes a timid step forward and says, “Chelsea Benson interfered. She warned Shawn’s wife, then followed after him… there was a struggle. Chelsea was shot and they don’t know if she will survive or not. But our man failed… Shawn Brady was able to incapacitate him.” L still looking out over the lake says, “So let me see where we stand; Our facility in Paris was obliterated, we lost Julian, Bo, Patrick, we missed out on our best chance to capture Hope, and our man in Salem is in custody and we can only assume or girl is now racing back to start dulling out doses of Stefano’s miracle deprogramming drug!” She turns and paces obviously angry beyond words.

Mason says, “We can salvage this.” L stops and looks at him. She says, “Oh we will. I have not spent the last 10 years crawling my way through the ranks of the 12 to quit now.” Mason says, “Ma’am… the other members of the twelve… they respect you… more then anyone. You won’t lose standing with them over one failure.” L turns on him and says, “I do NOT fail. And the twelve? The twelve only respect those with power and those they fear. I’ve held this rank among them because I moved quickly when DiMera’s empire fell… because I picked up the pieces of his projects and have used them to collect information. The twelve fear what secrets I have learned…. And they know I’m the only one with any chance of getting the information locked away in Hope Brady’s mind. If I lose that edge… if another member of the twelve gets to her first or they feel I’ve lost any hope of getting to her… their fear and ‘respect’ will begin to fade.”

Mason listens and waits until she is finished. He then calmly says, “What is our next move?” L says, “You are going to Salem. You will clean up this mess. Kill Lockhart and anyone who even remotely looks like Bo Brady. Take care of the son and the daughter too if she doesn’t die on her own. And I want Hope… alive if at all possible.” She turns to face Mason and says, “But if you can’t get her… make sure no one else can either.”

 

Mason nods and asks, “And what about Julian?” L sighs and says, “Steve Johnson is surrounded by ISA and mafia… of all the people for Hope to make friends with she picks a millionaire with mafia ties. If it wasn’t such a problem it would be funny. Steve we write off for the moment. I don’t think he will be anxious to tell people what he’s been up too so we will deal with him when he is easer to get to.” Mason says, “Understood.” and turns to leave but L stops him, “Mason… the gloves are off… anyone in Salem gets in your way… take care of them. And Mason… do not fail.” Mason nods with a look of determination and fear at the thought of failing her. He leaves as L turns back to her view.