Daily Updates

From: rika@netcom.com (Melissa Martin)
Subject: PC: Update, Tuesday 7/8/97
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 03:42:19 GMT

                       PORT CHARLES UPDATE
                     Tuesday, July 8, 1997

TODAY'S STORYLINES:
-------------------
* Eve's Reeeeally Bad Day
* "Kind, Self-Restrained Kidnappers"???
* A Snake in the Grass

EVE'S REEEEEALLY BAD DAY
------------------------
Agent Conklin shoves Eve, who was just arrested for passing marked
bills from the unused ransom money, into the on-call room while she
protests.  Scott asks for a minute alone with Eve, but "if she runs,
shoot to kill."  Eve, who is beginning to have a reeeeally bad day,
snaps back, "Don't do me any favors."  Scott smirks at the prospect of
Eve in the "big house."  He wonders how a doctor could stoop to
stealing the ransom money.  Eve explains that she didn't take it until
Serena was safe at home, and she goes on to explain how the money more
or less accidentally fell in her purse, and she felt that "God wanted
me to have it."  She then explains how ashamed she felt, and the
steps she took to return the money (she replaced what she took from
the bundle with money that Scott later gave her in payment for medical
services).  Scott asks why she didn't just get a loan; Eve says
insulting things about Canada (but don't take it personally, you nice
folks in Canada; she's an equal-opportunity insulter) and tells him
to go back there - she'd rather deal with the FBI.

They rehash Scott's scam to escape from the hospital, and she accuses
Scott of making her a "social pariah" among the interns.  He points out
that she could have backed Joe Scanlon at the hearing if she wanted to
be liked - and if she needed money, she could have come to Scott and
asked.  Eve doubts he would have given her any - he's been nothing but
bad luck for her ever since they met.

Conklin comes back in, and Scott covers for Eve, claiming that he gave
her some of the ransom money, not knowing it was marked (and he throws
in some digs about how the money wasn't supposed to be marked).
Conklin, disgusted, hopes that Scott is going back to Canada very soon
(he and Kevin should commiserate about this over a couple of Akavits),
and tells Eve she is free to go.  After Conklin leaves, Scott points
out to Eve that he's not *always* bad luck.  No thanks are forthcoming
from Eve.  Scott leaves; Eve regretfully watches him go.

Eve's reeeeeeally bad day isn't over yet.  She arrives back at the
Scanlon's to find her luggage out on the porch with a copy of her
lease attached, with the word "VOID" scrawled across it in large
letters.  Eve gets mad first, but then she sinks into a chair and
begins to cry.  (It's her bad day and she'll cry if she wants to -
you would cry too if it happened to you!)

"KIND, SELF-RESTRAINED KIDNAPPERS"???
-------------------------------------
Mac has come to the Lighthouse at Kevin's invitation; Kevin wants to
talk to Mac about his worries about the kidnappers.  Kevin can't see
why they settled for $5 million when they could have gotten much more;
further, he wonders why "the nice lady" worked at developing a
relationship with Serena.  Mac suggests that they were "kind, self-
restrained kidnappers."  Mac proposes another theory - the kidnapping
was just the first step in a bigger game.  This is what Kevin
believes, though he's not sure what the kidnappers want.  Mac says the
diamonds were fenced in Hong Kong - since that is so far away, maybe
they should just relax.  Kevin figures that is precisely what the
kidnappers want.

Mac asks if Kevin has told Scott about his concerns.  Kevin hasn't; if
he did that, Scott would "pick Serena up and bolt out the front door
with her tucked under his arm like a rugby ball....." (at this point
a smile of discovery comes over his face) "and I'd never have to
listen to him again."  Kevin admits that he would like that - but he
can't do it because of Lucy's feelings for Serena, so he's keeping his
mouth shut.

Kevin goes on to tell Mac that he would have "happily needled Scott out
of town days ago if it hadn't been for Serena."  She's the most
wonderful child he's ever met, and then there are Lucy's feelings to
consider.  Mac asks if Kevin is jealous.  He's not, but the problem is
that "this man has come into our home and taken over our lives," and
the way Scott treats Lucy makes Kevin want to throttle him.  No
problem, Mac assures him - there are lots of folks in town who feel
the same way.  If Kevin thought Scott would let Lucy stay in contact
with Serena if he left town, he might share his suspicions with Scott,
but as it is he has to keep his mouth shut.

Kevin has to leave - he has a meeting at the hospital.  Mac is going
to "follow the diamonds" to see if he can dig up anything.

A SNAKE IN THE GRASS
--------------------
In a resolution of Monday's "will-she-or-won't-she-hanger," Serena
doesn't seem to recognize Danielle.  Serena graciously thanks Danielle
for retrieving her ball (Scott taught this child excellent manners -
one wonders how, given the example she had to learn from); then Lucy
calls Serena back to their picnic area and asks her not to talk to
strangers.  Lee plays ball with Serena, while Rex slithers up behind
Danielle, who is watching Serena.  Danielle almost wishes Serena *had*
recognized her; Rex gazes gleefully at Serena, practically licking his
chops.

Lee has to leave, but before he goes, Lucy tells him that she believes
her plan to keep Serena in Port Charles will succeed - she can manage
Scott.  Lee admits that she's done well so far.  Back in the bushes,
Rex is spying on the "happy family" through mini-binoculars while
Danielle fights back tears behind him.  If she had her way, she'd throw
her arms around Serena and apologize.  Rex points out that, since
Serena didn't recognize Danielle, they can move on to "Act III" and
then the "grand finale" of their plot - the "happy ending."  Danielle
doesn't see what's so happy about it.

Rex leaves Danielle and, as Gustaf Bausch, joins Lucy and Serena for
lunch.  He positively oozes charm when he meets Serena; she surprises
him by saying, "Guten tag, Herr Bausch."  He continues to slither his
way into the good graces of both ladies while Danielle watches from
her hiding place.  When we return to them, lunch is over and Rex is
drawing a map of Europe in the dirt with a stick to show Serena where
Russia is; she points out, "It used to be the Soviet Republic."
(They're teaching world politics *and* German in kindergarten these
days, huh?)  Lucy asks "Gustaf" if he has children; he says he has
spent his time on business instead, and he considers the people he
invests in to be his family.  He remarks, "I'm sure that investing in
you will bring a substantial return.  And who knows - after that,
perhaps there will be a little one just like this in my future."
<shudder>

Danielle comes to the hospital to find Jake, but he's busy.  She turns
to go and collides with Kevin.  He apologizes, and notes that she
seems upset.  She explains that she was looking for her friend, an
intern, who is always busy.  Kevin responds, "Oh, yes, I remember
those days well."  Danielle asks if Kevin is a doctor, and he answers,
"Sort of."  Danielle further explains that she's new in town and
doesn't know anyone.  Kevin, who has apparently developed Lucy's
psychic powers, responds, "Yes, I figured that much."  He goes on to
offer his own sympathetic ear; she mistakes this for a come-on, and
then manages not to faint dead away at the full-dimple megawatt smile
Kevin unleashes as he explains that his motives are pure.  Kevin's
new psychic powers, though, apparently squeezed out some of his memory,
because he inaccurately explains that "I used to be a psychologist."
Danielle doubts that a shrink - or anyone else - could help her, and
she wanders off, leaving a pensive Kevin looking after her.

Meanwhile, Rex has slithered home and is hissing in his pit (if you've
never heard this joke, it's a good one).  He sits in an armchair, feet
up, with a slide projector at his side.  He is perusing slides of
Scott and Serena in Canada.  He says, "That's right, Baldwin, smile
while you can.  Until I clean up all your mistakes."  The slide on
the projector melts away as Rex watches, smirking.

Lucy is back at the Lighthouse, busy at her laptop, and Scott strides
in carrying a box.  He scans the room and demands to know, "Where is
Serena?"  She's upstairs, being read to by Gail; Lucy points out that
she is sitting between the front door and the upstairs, and the
windows are locked.  Lucy confesses that she took Serena to the park;
Scott is furious that Lucy exposed Serena to strangers.  (Well, okay,
in *this* case he was right......)

Lucy asks what is in the box - it's the directional gyro of his
airplane.  And why is it with him and not in the plane?  (Because he
needs direction in his life?  Because he was hungry for a Greek pita
sandwich?  I give up.)  Because his plane is in thousands of pieces
right now (Oh - I knew that!).   Scott, who is apparently becoming
more intelligent through daily contact with Kevin, has figured out
that Lucy made the phone call requesting that the plane be over-
hauled, and it's safe to say that he is not even a tiny bit amused.
He insists that he is leaving town, and that Serena is coming with
him.  (Leavin'-on-a-propeller-plane-hanger).

-------------------------
by Rika, 1/2 of the Tuesday Update Team