Chapter 645
HEATHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - LONDON, ENGLAND
Cassie and Nicholas disembarked from the plane.
CASSIE: I still don’t get why we’re doing all of this.
NICHOLAS: Let me ask you something, Cassie. Who are your parents?
CASSIE: Kate Roberts and Roman Brady.
NICHOLAS: Interesting. You see, up until a few days ago, you swore that André DiMera was your father.
Cassie hesitated.
CASSIE: You’re right. When did-
NICHOLAS: Your real memories come back? During the drive from Alamainia to Switzerland. That long nap you took during the drive was brought on by those pills I gave you when you said you had a headache.
CASSIE: I’m confused.
NICHOLAS: It’s fairly simple, really. I got the pills from a doctor friend of mine before we left Salem. The pills contained a substance that would get rid of André’s brainwashing. I needed to take you on a long drive so that the pills could work and help you regain your memory. I couldn’t do it in Alamainia, because Aunt Viv has eyes all over the place there. So, I told everyone there that I was taking you on a drive of the surrounding countries and would be gone a few days. A lie just convenient enough that nobody would suspect anything. Aunt Viv knows that I like to travel. So, here we are.
CASSIE: So, all of this, André making me think I was his daughter again, the marriage, faking a pregnancy, it all happened.
NICHOLAS: Yep, unfortunately.
CASSIE: Why would you help me? I was horrible to you.
NICHOLAS: Because I could tell it wasn’t the real you. I never met the real you, of course, but I could tell the evil seductress wasn’t you. I also couldn’t let Aunt Viv get to you. She really was going to try to kill you if I hadn’t gotten you out of there. We had to come out all this way so Aunt Viv wouldn’t find out my plan.
CASSIE: But, won’t Vivian think it’s weird if I don’t show up with you when you get back to the Mansion?
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS - SPRINGFIELD, IL
WHITEHOUSE: Miss Anders, please state your case.
Reagan stood up.
REAGAN: Thank you, Your Honor. My client, Steven Olson, has more than made up for his crimes. He has attended every mandatory counseling session and rehabilitation program that this court has seen fit to throw at him. He is also a model prisoner, helping his fellow inmates reform from their ways. He has shown deep regret for his actions in the past, and his actions while in the prison system show that he is, indeed, a different man than he once was. To keep him in the prison system, even for the short remainder of his sentence, would, I believe, be a miscarriage of justice. I suggest that he spends the remaining time of his sentence performing community service. He has four months left to his sentence, either way, and after spending years in the prison system, I believe community service would be a good way of reintegrating him into the world. I have called his closest living relatives, his sister Julie Williams, and son, Spencer Olson, to be here today. I propose that while Mr. Olson is performing his community service that he be put in the care of one or both of his living relatives, as they know him better than anyone else and would be more likely to spot negative behavior patterns in him recurring.
WHITEHOUSE: I see. Mrs. Julie Williams and Mr. Spencer Olson, would you come forward, please?
Spencer and Julie got out of their seats and walked to the front of the courtroom.
WHITEHOUSE: Should I agree with Miss Anders’ suggestion for parole, would either or both of you be willing to take Mr. Olson into your care for the remaining four months of his sentence?
JULIE: I would.
SPENCER: As would I, though as we live in separate parts of the state, an arrangement would need to be made.
WHITEHOUSE: Indeed it would. You may return to your seats.
Julie and Spencer went back to sitting by Doug.
WHITEHOUSE: I shall take a few minutes to deliberate and will return shortly with my ruling.
Judge Whitehouse banged his gavel.
BAILIFF: All rise.
Everyone stood as the judge went into his chambers.
ALAMAIN MANSION
Vivian chuckled slightly.
VIVIAN: Do you honestly think I feel threatened by you?
ANDRE: Oh, I’m not naive enough to know that you think you’re better than me. But you should be very afraid. I’m not sure if you’re memory’s slipping in your old age, but I’m sure you know of my lengthy list of past crimes.
VIVIAN: As I’m sure you’re well aware of mine.
Now it was André’s turn to chuckle.
ANDRE: Oh, please. Your crimes are nothing compared to mine. Drugging people? I can do that in my sleep. As for burying people alive, while I admire the macabre sense of humor, you’ve failed at it. Twice. Whereas I have killed a list of people as long as your arm.
VIVIAN: Half of whom have turned up alive again.
ANDRE: You may also remember that time I cloned half the town and trapped them on an island identical to Salem all while blaming Dr. Marlena Evans.
VIVIAN: Ah, yes. I was particularly fond of that. Shame Bo Brady and John Black ruined it all for you.
ANDRE: As it is that Bo Brady and Carly Manning ruin your plans for you. Now, fun as this little exchange is, you still haven’t answered my question, and my already limited patience is wearing very, very thin.
André put the blade of the carving knife just in front of Vivian’s face.
ANDRE: Now, tell me where Cassie is, or I may have to make an Alamain skin rug.
Vivian opened her mouth.
ANDRE: Oh, I wouldn’t bother calling your little servant boy. You see, he’s all tied up at the moment.
André pulled out his phone and showed Vivian an image of Ivan tied to a chair in one of the upper rooms of the Mansion.
ANDRE: Now, I believe it is time that I got my answer.
André raised the hilt of the carving knife. Just then, a gun went off.
