February 3, 2003 Transcript
"Zander is Your Son?"

Alexis continues to gaze at herself in the mirror while dressed in a red wig. Cameron knocks on the door and we hear him yelling through it.

Cameron's voice: Alexis? Open the door.

Alexis: (Quietly into her mirror) Why doesn't he realize that Alexis doesn't live here anymore?

Cameron: (Knocks again) Alexis, I know you're home. Open the door or I'll assume something's wrong.

Alexis, sitting on her desk chair, puts down the mirror on the desk and gets up.

Cameron: (Knocks) Open the door, Alexis, now. (Knocks again) Alexis -

She opens the door dressed in a white bath robe.

Alexis: What is the problem?

Cameron: I was concerned.

Alexis: Well, I was about to take a shower. If you feel a need to supervise that, then suit yourself.

She spins around and walks into her apartment.

Ned, dressed in his bathrobe, opens the door of Faith's hotel room only to find Sonny.

Sonny: (Walking in) Pardon me. I had a very interesting day, Ned.

Ned: What makes you think I care?

Sonny: I don't care if you care because I'm going to tell you about it anyway. I spent the afternoon with my wife in her new place of business, and out of nowhere, somebody opened fire on me.

Ned: (Chuckles) Just another day in the office, huh?

Sonny: Yeah. Well, as you can see, I'm not dead, but I would have been if the gun wasn't shooting blanks. Whoever planned this made a serious error in judgment because, if I had been killed, I wouldn't be able to retaliate. (Cameron shows Faith listening through the open bathroom door) But, as you can see, I'm alive and I'm angry because my wife got upset and I now have an enemy. I got to admit, I didn't see you coming.

Ned: Why wouldn't you be surprised? You've wreaked havoc on me and my family for years. And the Quartermaines are just as powerful in our world as you are in yours. Are you so arrogant that you thought I would never fight back?

Sonny: Well, I knew you hated me and you blame me for Kristina's death, but I didn't think you were desperate enough to step into my world. You're way in over your head here, Ned. This isn't kids playing in a school yard with water pistols and cap guns. You talk about your world? Let me tell you a little bit about mine. You pull out a weapon, you better make sure the other guy is not standing. Because as sure as you're still breathing, it'll come back to haunt you.

Alone in Alexis' living room, Cameron looks in a box sitting on the fireplace mantel. Alexis walks out of the hallway dressed and showered and putting on earrings and holding a blazer.

Alexis: Did you find what you were looking for?

Cameron: Interesting things. Not very revealing.

Alexis: I'm sorry that it wasn't fun for you. If you'd like, you can leave now. As you can see, I'm fine.

She walks around the couch away from him.

Cameron: I followed you today.

Alexis: You did what? (She puts her jacket on the couch)

Cameron: To your sister's memorial.

Alexis: Is nothing sacred to you at all? You know, just because you have those alphabet initials at the end of your name doesn't mean that you can root around in my life. I don't like being stalked.

Cameron: How about being investigated, or have you conveniently forgotten the little dossier you prepared on my personal life?

Alexis: I see. So this is payback?

Cameron: You could call it that. Or you could admit that your recent behavior has been cause for concern.

Alexis: I've been under a little stress lately, in case you haven't noticed.

She turns away from him and listens a little nervously.

Cameron: Losing time, finding yourself with things you don't remember buying, ending up in places without a clue how you got there --

Alexis: Cameron --

Cameron: Is that your definition of "fine"?

Alexis: What is it that you want?

Cameron: Can you tell me what you did today?

Alexis: Why should I? You know, don't you?

Cameron: Indulge me.

Alexis: Will it make you leave?

Cameron: You never know.

Alexis: (She sits down on the couch and he follows suit) I went to the cemetery to see my sister, which I do once a month without fail. I came here to accept the delivery of something that I bought -- and I remember buying it. Then I thought, wouldn't it be nice -- I have this one second to take a nice, hot, relaxing shower. And then I was interrupted by you. I went ahead and I took the shower anyway, which wasn't relaxing at all because I knew that you were down here rummaging through my things. I think that brings us up to date. Did I answer all your questions?

Cameron: Not even close, so I'm going to give you a choice.

Alexis: You're going to give me a choice?

Cameron: Mm-hmm. You can continue stonewalling, in which case I will continue following you day and night, wherever you go, or we can have dinner and I'll let you try to convince me you're as sane as you claim.

Alexis folds her eyes and sighs staring straight ahead in frustration.

Sonny: You'd love to come after me on your own, man-to-man, but you're no street fighter. So you went looking for backup, somebody who's more comfortable with the messier side of things, somebody who understands my methods, who's not afraid to get her hands dirty.

Camera shows Faith listening in.

Sonny: That's where Faith comes in. She hates me, too. She blames me for her husband's death. (Ned pours a drink to ignore him.) But she doesn't have the money to take me down. You two must have looked real good to each other. How am I doing so far, Ned?

Ned: I'm fascinated. (Takes a drink)

Sonny: Well, you know what? Not bad as plans go. But the problem is you don't have the guts for violence, and that's what it always comes down to. Somebody dies, somebody ends up in prison, looking over their shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop. You don't want that, do you, Ned?

Ned: Maybe you underestimate me.

Sonny: No, maybe you overestimate yourself. You thought by setting up a phony attempt on my life it would make me run to the table to open up negotiations on whatever you think you need from me. But you miscalculated because you know what you did? You gave away the one advantage you had. And you know what that is, Ned? The element of surprise.

Ned: You escaped prosecution for the murder of Alcazar by the skin of your teeth, so the last thing you want or need is to call attention to yourself. Remember that. So why don't you just take this warning in the spirit that it was intended, and that is Faith and I can hurt you unless you figure out a way to deal with us.

Sonny: You really want to do this, Ned? Hmm? Let me give you a warning -- get out of this as fast as you can. Otherwise, you're not going to have another opportunity.

He smiles evilly and then turns to leave. He stops short and the door and then yells out so Faith can hear.

Sonny: Big mistake, Faith. And you're not going to have a way out because this one's going to cost you.

Sonny leaves. Ned is furious.

Ned: (Yelling) Faith!

She comes out of the bathroom.

Ned: (He shakes his head at her) That was the sweetest double-cross I have ever seen.

Ned is now fully dressed and getting ready to leave.

Ned: Don't think it hasn't been stimulating, but this partnership is over.

Faith: That's it? You run for the door as soon as we get the first threat from Sonny?

Ned: I don't give a damn about Sonny. I want a partner I can trust. I get all the back-stabbing I need from my family. I certainly don't need it from you.

Faith: Fine. You want honesty? I sent the gunman. I wanted to see what Sonny would do, and he reacted exactly as I hoped. In this business, it's about who's got the power, Ned. You make the opposition come to you, and that's exactly what we did. Sonny came in here making threats, handing out warnings.

Ned: And you think that's a good idea?

Faith: Yeah. He came with words, not weapons. That's the point.

Ned: And what if you'd been wrong? What if he sent one of his thugs to come and kill us?

Faith: He wouldn't. He's got a family -- pretty little wife, cute little boy. And this messy Alcazar business has sent his media profile through the roof. Feds, locals -- everybody's watching him. There has never been a better time to put pressure on Sonny, and we are perfectly positioned to do it. Now, are you going to help me take advantage of a moment we may never see again, or are you going to walk just when things are getting good?

Ned: You made a big mistake, and Sonny called it. You gave away the element of surprise. But you're also right about another thing, and that is Sonny will wait as long as possible before he resorts to violence, so we still have a window.

Faith: Are you saying we're still partners?

Ned: I went -- I went to a lot of trouble to put this plan in motion, and we still have a chance of bringing Sonny down, and I am not ready to cut my losses. So we're going to continue as partners. But if you ever -- if you ever make another move against Sonny behind my back, I will walk. I will walk, and I will take my money with me. And you can go up against him all by yourself. You'd also be wise to remember something -- I'm a Quartermaine. Sonny's going to go out of his way to avoid killing me. You, on the other had, are the widow of a mobster. You disappear, no one will blink an eye.

Ned leaves.

Alexis and Cameron arrive down at the docks after their dinner.

Alexis: As far as coerced therapy, that wasn't too bad.

Cameron: Yeah, I would think the Grille would be a nice change of pace from the hospital cafeteria.

Alexis: This the part where you lecture me that I'm spending too much time at the hospital with my daughter?

Cameron: No, this is where I ask you why you're so hard on yourself. Anybody ever suggested that you slow down?

Alexis: My sister - (laughs) -- all the time, actually, even when I didn't want to hear it.

Cameron: That was brave of her.

Alexis: She was very brave.

Cameron: What else?

Alexis: Why do you want to talk about my sister now?

Cameron: I know the circumstances surrounding her death, I know how she died, who you blame for it. But I know very little about the woman herself.

Alexis: All right. She was the total opposite of me. She was everything that I am not. She was quirky and spontaneous, fun, trusting. She loved surprises. She believed in crystals and yoga and herbal tea and Feng Shui, and she was filled with joy and hope. She loved being alive. And now she's dead.

Alexis turns away and walks out toward the end of the dock.

Cameron: Because of you. You don't come right out and say it, but I know you blame yourself for her death. Think you can tell me why?

Alexis: Well, you're wrong. (She turns and walks toward Cameron) I don't blame myself. I know exactly what happened. My sister went to Sonny Corinthos to tell him something in the warehouse the night that Luis Alcazar decided to blow it up. It was very simple cause and effect -- someone took an action, and my sister paid with her life.

Just then Zander walks down the stairs.

Zander: Leave Alexis alone.

She turns to see him.

Zander: Is he bothering you, grilling you about me? If he is, just tell him to back off and mind his own business.

Alexis: (She peaks at Cameron and then turns to Zander confused) Why -- why would he grill me about you?

Cameron: What Alexander's trying to tell you in his own unique fashion is that he's my son.

She looks at Cameron stunned and then looks back at Zander.

Alexis: Zander is your son?

Cameron: That's right.

She turns to Cameron.

Alexis: Zander is your son, the one that ran away?

Zander: Oh, so he's told you about me.

Alexis: (She stares at Zander) Oh, my God.

She spins back toward Cameron angrily.

Alexis: Do you know that he's been in Port Charles for years, working for the mob? Do you know that -- do you know that he's been shot twice? Where the hell have you been all this time?

Cameron: It's a long story.

Alexis: Before you start dispensing advice about my family, oh, you really need to take care of your own.

She looks back at Zander.

Alexis: I'm sorry.

She walks away.

Cameron: You feel better now?

Zander: As a matter of fact, I do. Alexis happens to be a very good friend of mine, and I thought she should know the kind of jerk she was dealing with, and now she does.

Zander walks away.

Ned arrives down at the docks. He pauses at the top of the stairs and notices a red-haired woman standing on the docks fussing with her purse.

Ned calls out to her.

Ned: Excuse me. Excuse me.

The woman hurries off down the steps.

Ned: Wait.

The woman is Alexis. She hides down the steps where Ned can't see her.