Daily Updates

Port Charles Update for Tuesday, 5-Jan-1999

First of all the bad news first. Brace yourselves. I really mean in - you may want to sit down. Are you ready? Are you sure? Don't say I didn't warn you - take a deep breath and -

The Beach Bimbos weren't on today. No Joe and Courtney and their miser- I mean mesmerizing adventures on the beach. I know - it took me the whole episode to recover. I am still wiping the tears away -

On a more serious note (removing tongue from cheek) - where exactly are Matt and Ellen? I hope they are fun celebrating Matt's recovery - of course I would like to privy to part of that - ah - celebration! (Wonder if it includes strawberries in the shower )

Now to today's episode -

Mary thinks Victor hasn't been exactly truthful with her. Victor wouldn't mind explaining, he says in his perfectly evasive manner, but it's such a long story and it is kind of personal and - he is trying to sell but Mary ain't buying. Garcia and Scott wonder how Lucy managed her mansion breakin. Scott says it's typical Lucy - and typical Scott he's not about to sit around waiting for Lucy to be rescued. Cooper informs his captive audience that he has booby trapped the coal chute Lucy tumbled down in so there will be no more surprise visitors. Kevin nobly asks to be traded for the women - he is willing to be walled up. Cooper wants Kevin to watch his loved ones die - Kevin lunges for Cooper in fine Ryan mode but Cooper is holding all the cards - not to mention Lucy's gun. Julie is amused that both Lucy and Eve are so concerned for Kevin and his fate. Kevin intensely stares at the women in his life as Julie prepares to tie him up (not fair - what has she done to be able to fulfill one of my fant - Oh I meant how awful that Julie tied up poor Kevin.)

Mary realizes that she really doesn't know Victor and who he is. And he can forget the toothpaste story - it didn't wash with her. Victor finally decides it's sharing time - the guy after him thinks he's dead. It seems that Victor kept fake blood around just in case someone was trying to shoot him (taking that Boy Scout motto of being prepared just a little too far) and is pretty darn good at faking dead (neat trick should you run across a bear or a madman). Victor hasn't lost his preparedness obsession - he has a shortwave radio he was saving for just such a special occasion. As he gets all hooked up Mary demands to know just who this jackofeverytradeintheworld is.

Kevin's hands are taped together and he is tied to the chair. (Okay you are going to have to give me a minute here. Imagination break - all right I'm ready to soldier on.) Cooper adds a few finishing touches to the future best seller of 1999 "General Homicide's Homicides". (Maybe there is a reason Cooper never wrote anything before). Lucy and Eve try to convince Mar'lie that Cooper is using her - but Julie thinks she has it made. the police aren't about to shoot a pregnant woman. (Can you just imagine this child? Frankenstein and Mansonette for parents. Play dates will be few and far between.) Cooper can't imagine Lucy risked her life to save Eve - it must have been Kevin. (Duh)

Cooper taunts Kevin about Lucy dying to save him - I mean dying because she tried to save him . Kevin responds with - and I quote - "Lucy has an inability to stay out of things." This remark pleases Lucy much - she smiles. It unpleases Cooper who thinks Kevin in being ungallant (as if). Kevin replies that he can say with all his heart that he wishes Lucy wasn't there. Eve doesn't seem to be as thrilled with this exchange as I was for some unknown reason . Kevin is trying to break the bonds that bind him by using the sharp edge of the chair to shred the tape.

Chris and Scott decide to team up - after agreeing to leave the psychoanalysis of each other behind. Scott has found the coal chute and the detectives in training agree that this was Ms. Lucy's self made doorway. Scott gives Chris the great honor of opening up the chute door. Proving he is not always brilliant, Chris does.
Frank and Garcia attempt to outjibe each other and then Frankie talks to Julie on the phone. Julie is stalling as Cooper is walling. Julie pretends to be oh so worried about the fate of the hostages and warns Frank that the police had better not storm the place. Lucy and Eve decide to work together (is the sound I hear the crashing down of the SFIDH?) and bump the bricks to loosen them. Cooper is more than happy to inform them that their bumping exercise didn't work - the mortar is fast drying and the wall will stand the test of time.

Victor calls Gunter and warns him Schotsy is on to him and they arrange a get away after changing frequencies. (Let's see I can't remember what I ate for dinner last time - what are the chances of me remembering what radio frequency I used to use well over 20 years ago?) Mary warns "Vladimir" that it's truth telling time. Frank and Julies fascinating phone talk is ruined - ahhhh-by loud noises. Booby traps smiles Cooper. Garcia wants Frank to continue to chat with Julie. More loud noises. Chris and Scott are in the house, trying to find their way around. Cooper is almost finished with the wall. Julie hangs up the phone and Lucy asks her to point the gun at Cooper - show the police she is cooperating. Cooper realizes he is being watched and finds the view finder thingy in the fireplace. He rips it out and presents it Lucy. He has one finally gift for the doomed duo - the gift of light which he gleefully informs them will last longer than they will. He wishes them pleasant dreams as he places the last brick in. Kevin yells at Lucy and Eve to hold on the police are coming. Cooper doesn't hold much stock in the police saving them (gosh with PCPD"s excellent and untarnished record why would he say that?) Cooper, Julie and Kevin leave. EVe and Lucy realize they are alone.

And finally - the moment we all have been waiting for - the unveiling of Victor's past. It seems that one fateful day Victor paid a visit to an old math professor residing in Munich and decided to be helpful with a mathematical problem. But Victor being Victor - this wasn't as simple as it sounds - it was actually a code sent from Russia to W. Germany. A spy? Asks Mary - well Victor never really liked that term. However, it turned out that solving codes based on mathematical formulas wasn't the only thing Victor was good at - he also was good at languages. One thing led to another and Victor found him out in the field and using his talents as an employee of COMMIT (Communications Intelligence - maybe a subsidiary of WSB?) Victor admits to Mary that while he was out saving the world, his family was falling apart as Melanie was too much alone with Ryan. Eventually he quit to try to save them all - but it was too late. Now history is repeating itself - his spy past is biting him on the butt (My term not Victor's) while her - and his - family is in jeopardy. Suddenly there is a tapping noise. Victor prepares for an intruder.

KEvin almost has the tape loose as Cooper locates a tunnel. When Cooper accidentally knocks Kevin down, or Kevin just goes kaboom, Kevin takes the opportunity to pick up a stone. (Being prepared is apparently his motto also). Lucy is nervous (natch) and Lucy nervous means Lucy's mouth is a runaway train full of doomsday of tight spaces and bombs and on and on despite Eve's warning that Lucy may literally talk them to death. Meanwhile, Get Smart and Agent 99 (I'll let you decide which is which) find the room. Scott eagle ears picks up a sound and realizes Chris has stumbled on a booby trap. If Chris moves, it will set off something that will probably be bad. What to do? What to do?????

Stay tuned til tomorrow when I am almost sure our Almost Heroes save the day. Hopefully!

Ta -------------------- Tammy