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Message: <blockquote data-quote="80&#039;s Cha Cha Cha" data-source="post: 430818" data-attributes="member: 6964">Chapter 10CALIFORNIA-Dominique and Garrett returned to California, courtesy of one of Blake’s planes. Garrett was on the phone with Andrew Laird, being filled in on all that was being wrought on to the Carrington family.Dominique’s family.  And all she could think about was Jonathan and whatever he had planned for Jackie.  It was in that moment, that she decided that she would have no choice but to go to Zachary Powers.  Someone as vile as him could protect Jackie—his daughter.Of course, how she would explain all of this to Garrett, without revealing Jackie’s true paternity, Dominique would never know.Once they landed, she sat quietly in a car Jason Colby had sent for them.  Garrett had to juggle Carrington problems, and the unfortunate fact that Colby Enterprises wanted a pipeline built in New Moldavia…“I do not understand, how so many people do not realize what a horrible place New Moldavia is!” Dominique sighed.Garrett rubbed her arm.“This is Colby Enterprises business, Dom. And we will keep our daughter out of it. I suppose she’s at Lake’s house?” Garrett asked with contempt.“I don’t know.  I can’t seem to get her on the phone these days.  I plan to find her and let her know what is expected of her.” Dominique replied.  She noted that Garrett didn’t respond and she didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.It turned out to be a ‘good thing’.“I was about to give up on this ‘Lake Infatuation’ and let it play out.  But that man and what he’s in to, is too dangerous for our daughter to be around.  Didn’t you tell me that he used some line on you, about how he almost killed himself after his wife’s death? Something about a song of yours kept him from doing that?” Garrett asked.“Well…I believe that.” Dominique sniffed with pride.“Now, now! I’m not saying it couldn’t be true.  But his wife was killed by some wild animal, as was Camden Danvers mother and Camden Danvers wife! There’s some ‘wild animal club’ going on here, where in which when someone connected with Moldavia, wants out of a marriage, a wild animal shows up and takes care of the problem! Now I plan to find out just what kind of ‘animal’ we’re talking about here! I sure as hell don’t want Jackie to become a target of this beast, if there even is one!” Garrett griped.Dominique looked at her fiancee with horror!“What are you saying? That there is no animal?”“I don’t know, Dom! That’s the problem! The police report on Lake’s wife lacked details! But there were some witnesses, so I’m going to have some investigators talk to them.”“We need to find Jackie. I’ll find her, tell her that Blake wants her to work for Denver Carrington in International Relations.  I think if I make it clear that Blake wants this and not myself, we may get her to at the very least, move to Denver.”  Dominique said.Garrett nodded but he still looked unhappy.  And Dominique knew why.  For even if Jackie agreed to leave California and move to Denver, Jonathan Lake would probably be by her side as well.Dominique reached for Garrett’s hand and squeezed it.  She planned to speak to Zachary first, before finding Jackie.  If he could find a way to extricate Jonathan from Jackie, in a way only Zachary knew how to do, then everything else she and Garrett wanted to do to protect their daughter, would fall into place.***CARRINGTON MANSION-Blake came home early from the office so that he could engage everyone in another family meeting.  Needless to say, Kirby, who was still unsettled by her secret call from Jean-Paul, didn’t exactly want to be there…She looked over near the fireplace and saw Amanda standing next to it. She was glowering at Fallon, who was sitting on one of the leather sofa’s next to Jeff.  The two of them looked quite cozy, huddled up on that couch.  Kirby dragged her eyes off of Jeff and Fallon and found herself meeting Adam’s gaze.   Adam had entered the library shortly before Blake and Krystle.  Kirby knew Adam had wanted to fill Blake in on what they had found out from Duchess Elena, but she could tell from the general vibe in the room, that there had been no time for Adam to fill Blake in on anything. And that was because whatever Blake needed to say, was worse than anything she and Adam had found out.Blake turned and nodded to Gerard, who closed the study door as he was leaving.  Once that was done, Blake began to speak.“I’ve had had Andrew looking into New Moldavia,” Blake began, before walking over to Amanda, “honey, if I had had your husband’s family, thoroughly looked in to, as I should have, none of this would have happened.”Amanda only vaguely knew who this ‘Andrew’ was.  But that was not important right now.  The grave look on her father’s face was.“What did you find out?” Amanda asked, hoping her words hadn’t come out sounding dry.  For that was how her throat felt.  Dry.  Dry with fear.Blake reached for one of her hands and turned to look over at Adam.  Adam and Amanda.  His two children he never got a chance to raise under this roof.“The New Moldavian government has someone else they want to put on to that throne.  So Andrew does not believe it matters  if Adam is regarded as King Galen’s son or not.”  Blake announced.Kirby began to feel uneasy! Someone else is going to sit on that throne that has some sort of claim? Adam folded his arms.“This is someone from Galen’s family?  A blood relation?” Adam asked.“We’ll discuss that later, Adam, in private.” Blake told him.But Fallon didn’t like the secrecy in what her father was saying! And why couldn’t everyone in this room know everything?“Michael told me that Galen was an only child.” Amanda said, curiosity brimming in her tone.“The heir is from Michael’s mother’s side of the family.” Blake said.“Which isn’t an ‘heir’ at all.” Adam said with a raised brow.“Oh God, Adam,” Jeff said tiredly, “what the hell do you care? Now you’re off the hook! Or did you really want to be the next King of Moldavia?”Before Kirby could tell Jeff to shut-up, Blake said something else…“Andrew looked into Alexis as well.  He saw nothing that indicated that she went back to Galen during our marriage.  You are MY son, Adam, as I always believed you to be.”Adam smiled at his father’s words, before looking over at Kirby, who smiled as well.  “What else did Andrew have to say, Daddy?” Fallon asked.  Blake had called this meeting for a reason.“The heir, this man that New Moldavia wants on the throne, is named Camden Danvers.  His mother was a woman named Cordelia Danvers and she was Prince Michael’s aunt.  She was also originally betrothed to Galen.  She ran away and came here, where she met and married an American named David Torrence.”  Blake said grimly, now looking at Adam again.Adam stared at Blake, and Krystle walked over to him.  Kirby looked at Blake, but was not really seeing him.  She kept hearing her conversation with Jean-Paul in her head.  He said he had had a ‘legitimate claim’ to the throne of Moldavia.  Was Blake talking about Jean-Paul?  He couldn’t be!Then, Blake dragged his eyes off of Adam and looked directly at her.  It was then that Kirby knew.  Knew that the connection between this Moldavian heir, and herself, was just as bad as she suspected it was.Fallon and Jeff looked from Blake and Kirby and sensed trouble as well.  Amanda let go of Blake’s hand and spoke.“What are you saying, Daddy?  Just say it!” “The accident that killed David Torrence and his wife, who we now know was really Cordelia Danvers, was no accident.  The child, Michael, survived and was taken back to Moldavia.  Apparently, he was raised by his maternal grandparents.  Cordelia’s younger sister, a woman named Vivien, took her sister’s place and  became Galen’s wife…Michael’s mother.”  Blake said grimly.Adam moved away from Krystle and walked over to his father.“You’re telling me that the real Michael Torrence survived and has staked a claim to the Moldavian throne?” Adam asked Blake. If the woman that had raised him, Kate, had known that her grandson had survived…if she had had a chance to raise him, then maybe he himself wouldn’t have been taken from his real family!“Yes.” Blake said and his eyes fell on Kirby again.  But this time Kirby did not shrink away from his gaze.  She stood up.“Adam, I think that this heir is more than just a man named Michael Torrence.  I think he is someone I knew once and thought I would marry.”  Kirby said quietly.Jeff and Fallon glanced at one another, as did Krystle and Amanda.Adam’s jaw tightened before he answered his wife.“Michael Torrence is also Jean-Paul Gadot?” he asked Kirby.Kirby nodded before confessing something else.“Jean-Paul called me a little while ago.  He asked about your claim to the throne and I didn’t get why he was asking.  I told him to never call me again and hung up.” Kirby admitted.Fallon found herself turning to look at Amanda, who’s eyes met hers.  It was clear to Fallon that this was just as much a surprise to her little sister, as it was to her.  Jeff stared at Kirby and Krystle walked over to her.“Why do you think he called you, Kirby?” Krystle asked gently.Kirby looked at her.“He said he had a claim to the Moldavian throne and he said his wife died.”  Kirby explained.Blake made a sudden announcement.“I need everyone to leave this room but Adam and Kirby.”Jeff stood up and faced Blake!“I don’t think it’s a good idea to shut all of us out, Blake! Now Steven and Claudia could be in real danger here! I think we all need to know what’s really going on!” Jeff half yelled.Blake didn’t respond to Jeff.Kirby did.“Adam and I have been the ones most affected by this ‘Adam is the true ruler of Moldavia’ nonsense.  So we’re the only ones that need to know what’s going on, Jeff.”“I think we get the gist of what’s going on, Kirby.  Your old boyfriend, the one you claimed to be engaged to for years, is really Michael Torrence, the man that Adam here thought he was, most of his life.  His wife, the one he lied about to you, is now dead and he wants you back.  He wants you to be his queen.” Fallon theorized.Before Kirby could tell Fallon to shut-up, Amanda did!“Shut-up, Fallon! If any of this is true, then I am not about to allow my husband’s family lineage to just disappear like this! And neither will Mummy! She will rescue Galen and he will get his throne back from this Danvers pretender!”Amanda then skulked from the room and Krystle hurried after her!  Blake gave Fallon a hard look.“Your sister is going through a very hard time.  I wish you would try to be more of a comfort to her.” Blake chastised.Fallon stood up and walked over to her father.“I get that, Daddy.  But the truth is that without an heir, Amanda doesn’t have any footing and neither does former King Galen.  If Amanda had had Prince Michael’s child, some relation on Galen’s wife’s side of the family, couldn’t have gotten a foothold on to that throne.” Fallon said.Adam spoke.“It’s much worse than everyone thinks.  Kirby and I found out from the Duchess of Branagh, that Matthew Blaisdel and Caress, are working together to have Sammy Jo impersonate Amanda.  And yes, while that sounds ludicrous, the point of this plot is to have ‘Amanda’ renounce any claim to that throne in her late husband’s name.”Jeff gaped at Adam!“They’ll never pull that off! Sammy Jo doesn’t look anything like Amanda!” Jeff exclaimed.“She does if they say she was shot up at the wedding and had reconstructive surgery.” Kirby said quietly.Fallon slowly sat back down and put her head in her hands.  She muttered ‘oh my God’.  Jeff sat down next to her and put his arms around her.Blake sighed deeply.  He had not even gotten to the part about the Moldavians and the ‘dead wives killed by wild animals’, thing that seemed to be going on.  And in the back of Blake’s mind, he had to wonder if Jean-Paul a.k.a, Camden Danvers wife, was killed so that he could have Kirby?  ***NEW MOLDAVIADaniel drove a white, Chevy cargo van while wearing a priest apparel and wire rim glasses.  Claudia sat next to him wearing a nun’s habit and wire rim glasses and Alexis sat near the passenger side window, wearing Claudia’s exact get up.In the back, Creigh, Dex and Steven sat, holding guns…There was only one checkpoint before they reached the palace.  And the assumption was that things would not go smoothly.  They reached the the checkpoint and found a steel toll booth, with a guard in it.  He was smoking and looked up with genuine surprise when the their van approached.  Daniel rolled down the window and went into his spiel…“Good Morning, Officer! I’m Father Riley! This is Sister Susan(Claudia) and Sister Rowena(Alexis).  We’re headed to the camp town to minister to the needy.”Yes, unfortunately, many of the people of Moldavia, that had supported King Galen, had been thrown out of their homes and forced to live out in the woods in tents.  Once a week, troops went out into the woods and harassed, beat or shot some of the now transient people.“The needy would be fine if they would just bend the knee to King Danvers.”  the guard said in a surly manner.Daniel glanced over at Alexis who shrugged slightly.  Neither of them knew who this ‘King Danvers’ was.  In the back of the van, Creigh, Dex and Steven looked at one another in confusion as well.  Creigh was especially kicking himself!  He had had things checked out before they came here!  The only big wig he knew about was Minister of the Interior, Warnick!“Sorry son, but we’re confused.  I was under the impression that Minister Warnick was the leader of Moldavia?” Daniel asked.“He was shot last week.” the guard said casually.“Does he need medical aid?” Daniel asked.“I think he died.  I can’t be sure.  Open up the back of the van.” the guard ordered, tired of all of the questions.“We just have supplies back there.” Daniel told him.“True Moldavians could use supplies.  Open up the back so I can inspect them.” the guard ordered.Daniel turned off the engine and got out of the van.  Claudia looked at Alexis!“What are were going to do?” she whispered.“What we came here to do.  We knew this would not be easy.” Alexis whispered back.  But she did glance back at Steven.  He was holding a gun.  She nodded to him, Dex and Creigh, before turning around to face front, as the back door of the van opened…Creigh leaped out and onto the guard! They fell to the ground tussling, as Dex jumped out and looked around for any other threats! Creigh punched the guard twice in the face, knocking him out! Daniel hurried over to the guard’s booth and looked around inside, while Steven got out as well, just to stretch his legs.Daniel came out of the booth with a large file folder with a clasp on it!  Alexis got out on the passenger side and walked over to him.“What is that?” Alexis asked.“Hopefully something we can bargain with, if one of us gets captured.” Daniel said.  Creigh and Dex dragged the guard off into nearby woods to hide him.“How long until someone realizes this guy is missing?” Steven asked.“Until the next vehicle.” Daniel told him.  “So let’s get out of here.  We now know that Warnick is either hurt or dead and there is King called ‘Danvers’.  This changes things.”“Yes it does.  But not completely.”  Alexis said as she took off her classes and removed the top of her nun’s habit.  Her dark hair was soon revealed and she began to run her fingers through it.“Mother,” Steven asked hesitantly, “what are you thinking?”“I’m thinking that Galen had no one but Michael as an heir.  He had no siblings or cousins that I know of.  We need to find out who this Danvers character is, so that we can stop whatever Matthew Blaisdel is planning.”  Alexis said.“No.” Dex said.  “You can’t just waltz up to the palace front door as Amanda’s mother! You’ll be thrown in a cell with Galen!“Maybe,” Creigh said, “or maybe not.  If there is a new regime then there are probably new guards.  We need someone on the inside to let us in quietly so we can get to Galen, Luke and Lindsey.”Claudia said nothing during all of this.  That God awful Warnick had been shot and probably killed.  What did that mean for Lindsey? Was she okay?  Claudia looked at Steven.  She could see his worry as well.  Claudia looked to Daniel.“You are the leader of this rescue, Daniel.  What do you think?”“I think,” Daniel said grimly, as he tore his eyes off of Claudia and looked at Alexis, “we allow Mrs. Dexter to do her thing and find us a way into the palace.”Alexis smiled and patted Daniel’s cheek.“We will be back at that airstrip by nightfall.  And Galen, Luke and Lindsey will be with us.”  she purred.</blockquote>

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