The Melaswen Paradox (Read 329,226 times)

[heroicmuse]

Ooh. I'm glad Joy got the better of Charlie.

I knew Hope would be of little help.

Great chapter André DiMera

[tghca]

Joy is a highly trained ISA agent...she's a spy so she knows how to fight and defend herself but being a spy she knows how to kill people. With Joy, she handled Charlie with ease. I wonder how long before Joy figures out that Charlie is the one killing people around town?

Allie and Meadow should have known that Hope couldn't do much for them...why didn't Allie just go to her step grandfather John in the first place? Or go to her great uncle Steve?

[Kpatch]

I hope Joy has the evidence she needs to nail Charlie. I want to know if he's holding anyone hostage in the warehouse.

[mae00]

Oh I sure hope that Joy keeps the upper hand on Charlie. And I really really hope that she tells someone about this.

[André DiMera]

Tuesday - 3/15

WAREHOUSE
CHARLIE: What the hell are you doing?! Get off me!
JOY: Is that what they said to you?
CHARLIE: Who?!
JOY: You know who. Those girls. All those young women whose lives you cut short.
CHARLIE: I have no idea what you’re talking about!
JOY: Meadow Cole, Rayne Gilmore, Mandella Morales, just to name a few. How many are there, Charlie?
CHARIE: You’re crazy!
JOY: And you are in big trouble.
CHARLIE: You don’t have anything on me!
RAFE: Actually, we do.
Though Joy still had him pinned to the ground, Charlie could move his head, which he turned to see Rafe walk over.
RAFE: We have D.N.A. evidence that was found on the throat of one Mandella Morales. Evidence that matches your fingerprints. Evidence that points to you being the person who murdered her. Like Agent Wesley here said, you’re in a lotta trouble, Charlie. Agent Wesley, you wanna do the honors?
JOY: Sure.
Joy looked Charlie in the eye.
JOY: To paraphrase what you tried to threaten me with just a few minutes earlier, don’t move, or you’ll make this a lot harder than it has to be.
Making sure to keep Charlie restrained, Joy turned and was given a set of handcuffs from Rafe. He helped Joy get him into a standing position. Joy put Charlie’s hands behind his back and began cuffing him.
JOY: Charlie Dale, you are under arrest for the murder of Mandella Morales. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?
CHARLIE (quietly): Yes.
JOY: Let’s go, then.
RAFE: The car’s waiting just outside.
Joy nodded and guided Charlie out of the building. As he was leaving, Rafe noticed a scrap of paper with some writing on it on the floor. He knelt down and looked at it.
RAFE: Huh, must have fallen out of his pocket. Looks like there’s some kind of website written on it.
Rafe rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a pair of tweezers and a plastic bag. Using the tweezers, he picked up the scrap of paper and put it in the bag. After sealing the bag, he looked at the paper within.
RAFE (thinking): Oh, this just keeps getting better. If I’m right, this looks like a link to a site on the Dark Web.
He considered the paper, then walked out. Joy and Roman were waiting for him.
ROMAN: Thank you for agreeing to be bait for us, Joy.
JOY: No problem. I’m glad I could help, since it’s a slow day at the office. He’s ready for transport, Officer Hernandez.
RAFE: Thanks. D’you think you’ve got a little bit more time to help us out with something?
JOY: I’ll have to check in with either Special Agent Black or Special Agent Johnson, but if they’re cool with it, sure. How can I help?
RAFE: Steve’s told us about your “abilities”, shall we say.
JOY: No need for euphemisms, Officer, I’m not ashamed of being a white hat.
Rafe showed Joy the contents of the bag he was carrying.
RAFE: This fell out of Charlie’s pocket as you were taking him away. Because of the URL, I have a suspicion this may be a link to a site on the Dark Web.
JOY: You’re not wrong, it has all of the classic hallmarks.
RAFE: Exactly what I was thinking.
JOY: You want me to see what it’s all about?
Rafe nodded.
RAFE: I think it might be connected to the case.
Joy pulled out her phone and took a picture of the scrap of paper.
JOY: I’ll get in touch with my bosses, then ride over to the P.D. and take a look at this with you.
ROMAN: Thanks a bunch.
Joy nodded and started typing on her phone.

CAR
Allie was driving herself and Meadow back to college.
MEADOW: Well, that didn’t go well.
ALLIE: Nope.
MEADOW: So…what now?
ALLIE: I don’t know. But, if Aunt Hope thinks talking to Johnny’ll make a difference, she’s wrong. He’d just lie about who he was talking to, like he did with you.
MEADOW: We can’t just do nothing, though. If this André guy is as bad as you say he is, Johnny could be in real trouble.
ALLIE: I know. We’ll have to think of something else.

[tghca]

I wonder if Meadow and Allie go straight to the source themselves and they go to the ISA prison Andre is being held at to talk to him or confront him? That would be unwise especially on their part if they do that

Joy managed to end this serial killer case single handedly...doing what the Salem PD couldn't and she managed to neutralize Charlie but have him arrested

It seems the cops got him dead to rights

[heroicmuse]

Uh oh! I wonder what Meadow and Allie will do. I have a feeling this is going to get worse before it gets better.

I'm glad Joy got the better of Charlie and he was arrested! I hope that he doesn't get out on bail! I bet that Dark Web site has photos of his kills too so that'll help with the case.

Great chapter André DiMera.

[Kpatch]

So relieved Charlie's in custody. I don't know what a white hat is.

I'm concerned about the future of Meadow and Johnny's relationship if she's trying to get information on him behind his back.

[André DiMera]

Kpatch - a white hat is a term for a computer hacker who uses their skills for ethical purposes (e.g.: helping police investigations) as opposed to malicious purposes.

[mae00]

Oh I'm so glad to know that this was a trap and Joy had backup all along. I'm so glad that Charlie is in custody now. I hope they throw the book at him and then some for all of this.

Oh no. I really hope that Meadow and Allie don't go and do something stupid. Allie should know by now not to tangle with Andre.

[André DiMera]

Wednesday - 3/16

SALEM P.D.
Rafe, Joy and Roman sat in the conference room. Joy had set up her laptop and was typing on it furiously. After a moment, she stopped and stared at what was onscreen.
JOY: Well, damn. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this is not it.
RAFE: What’d you get?
Joy turned the laptop to Rafe.
JOY: Take a look. I just hope you haven’t eaten recently.
Rafe’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned in to get a look at the screen. As he scrolled down, his eyes went wide.
RAFE: My god…
He turned the laptop back to Joy.
RAFE: Can you, um…
JOY: Yep.
RAFE: Much as I never want to see that again, save that link. We’ll need it later.
JOY: You’ve got it.
ROMAN: So, what is it? From the looks on your faces, it must be something pretty bad.
Rafe exhaled deeply.
RAFE: It is, quite literally, torture and death porn.
ROMAN: Come again?
JOY: It seems that Officer Hernandez’s hunch that Charlie Dale is the killer was right on the money. The link on the scrap of paper that fell out of Charlie’s pocket takes you to a site on the Dark Web, which can only be accessed if you have certain portals. I won’t get into the technical side, but suffice it to say that, while there’s some interesting stuff on the Dark Web, there’s just as much disturbing material. Charlie is the murderer. He’s been kidnapping women from Salem University since Halloween night, taking them to remote locations, and taking pictures as he tortures, mutilates and kills them. To our knowledge, Halloween was his first kill. Or, at least, the first post on the website he was using, a website which hosts torture porn, dates to late Halloween night, and is a series of pictures of who I assume is Meadow Cole.
RAFE: You’ve got it.
ROMAN: You’ve gotta be kidding me.
JOY: I wish we were.
RAFE: I really wish we were.
ROMAN: Well, this guy is one sick puppy.
JOY: You can say that again.
RAFE: Joy and I arrested him for killing Mandella Morales, but this…
JOY: This is enough, more than enough, to bury him. Not only is he a sadistic murder who takes pictures as he’s committing the crime…well, I can’t say for certain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these girls are underage.
RAFE: I wouldn’t be surprised. The youngest students at Salem U are seventeen, according to their records.
JOY: So in addition to murder, multiple counts of murder, he can be charged with child pornography.
ROMAN: If we can make the charges stick.
RAFE: After the things I’ve just seen, those charges are gonna stick. There’s no “if” about it. Charlie Dale is in those pictures committing those acts.
JOY: There’s more than enough proof here, plus the D.N.A. evidence you guys recovered from the most recent murder. Charlie Dale is going down.
RAFE: Well, thank you, Joy, for coming over and helping us figure this out.
JOY: You’re welcome. If there’s anything else I can help with, let me know.
RAFE: We will. If this thing goes to trial, which it likely will, we may need you to testify, explain certain things.
JOY: If it helps get this creep what he deserves, I’ll do it.

[heroicmuse]

I hope Joy is right that they can get all the charges to stick. I have a feeling Charlie has some tricks up his sleeve. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to intimidate witnesses out of testifying.

Great chapter André DiMera

[tghca]

I can see Charlie being let out on bail or some mysterious benefactor pays his bail but if there is a trial, Charlie may try to intimidate witnesses out of testifying against him or he might just try to kill one of them so that way there are no witnesses to testify

Or if someone pays his bail, what is to stop Charlie from jumping bail and going on the run as a fugitive?

But they have evidence to bury him not just for Manny's murder but for the other kidnappings and murders as well

I wonder if Ricky will confront Charlie? Or Ricky's parents will confront him? Or if Allie will?

I wonder if Johnny will considering they were roommates?

Great episode André DiMera and tomorrow is St Patrick's Day so I can only imagine how festive the Brady Pubs in Salem and Ireland 🇮🇪 will be

[Kpatch]

Charlie is scum.

[André DiMera]

Thursday - 3/17 - St. Patrick’s Day

BRADY PUB
As it is every year at this time, the Pub was decked out in shamrocks and various other St. Patrick’s Day decorations. The Bradys, as well as some of the other denizens of Salem had gathered together to celebrate.
KENNEDY: This is really nice. The decorations are beautiful.
THEO: Yes, they are.
KENNEDY: Do you know if they have Green River to drink here?
THEO: I do not, but I would assume that they do. Ever since Max and Chelsea started running the Pub, they have always had Green River for the people who cannot or should not drink. We should go ask.
KENNEDY: Okay.

J.J.: I really am sorry about how I reacted, Mom.
JENNIFER: Oh, sweetheart, I know. I know what a big change this is, it will be for all of us.
J.J.: Well, if this is what you want, moving out to D.C. with this Frankie guy, I’m happy for you.
JENNIFER: I’m so glad to hear you say that! And, hey, you and Paige need to come and visit as often as you can.
J.J.: Try and stop us.
Jennifer and J.J. hugged.

Claire had a laptop set up on one of the tables and was talking to Aisling. From what we can see on the screen, the Brady Pub in Galway, Ireland was just as packed as the one in Salem, except the one in Galway was decked out in mostly orange, with some green.
AISLING: It’s a wee bit loud in here. Sure, everyone’s carrying on for Paddy’s day, so they are.
Claire chuckled.
CLAIRE: I know what you mean. It’s kinda loud in here, as well. I hope you’re having a good day!
AISLING: Aye, it’s been grand. I went with Granda and Great-Uncle Colm to the parade in town this morning. How’s it by you?
CLAIRE: Really good! Chase and I watched the parade in Chicago on TV this morning, and then came over here.
Aisling was handed a glass of green beer.
AISLING: Cheers, love.
KADY (from offscreen): Who’s that you’re talkin’ to, then?
AISLING: Our cousin.
KADY (from offscreen): You mean Claire?
Kady popped up on the screen when she sat down next to Aisling.
KADY: Hi, Claire!
CLAIRE: Kady, hi! How are you?
KADY: I am absolutely buzzin’ about the holiday today! Granda’s brought me on to help cook, and says if I do well today, he’ll take me on full time here!
CLAIRE: That’s awesome! I know how much you love cooking, so that’ll be great for you!
KADY: Cheers. How’re you, then?
CLAIRE: I’m good, really good.
KADY: That’s great!
She looked up.
KADY: I need to get back to the kitchen. Brilliant to see you, Claire!
CLAIRE: Bye, Kady.
Kady got up and walked offscreen.
CLAIRE: She looks like she’s doing well.
AISLING: She is, aye. Glad to hear you all are, as well.
CLAIRE: Thanks! You too.
AISLING: I should be getting back to the party, but it’s awesome to hear from you!
CLAIRE: You too! We’ll talk soon!
AISLING: Definitely!
Aisling picked up her drink, as did Claire, who was drinking Green River.
AISLING: Slainte!
CLAIRE: Slainte!
AISLING: Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Claire.
CLAIRE: You too!

Roman and Carrie hugged.
ROMAN: It is so good to see you again! I didn’t expect it so soon, but it’s a wonderful surprise!
CARRIE: It’s good to see you, too, Dad. And Austin and I had to come, Philip’s wedding’s in a day or two.
Roman nodded.

MEADOW: Thanks for inviting me.
JOHNNY: Yeah, no problem. I hope you’re having a good time so far.
MEADOW: I am. It’s awesome that you have a big family that gets together like this.
JOHNNY: Yeah, it’s pretty cool.
Meadow looked like she was going to say something, but then decided better of it and took a sip of her soda.
JOHNNY: Something on your mind?
MEADOW: It’s not important right now.
JOHNNY: You sure?
MEADOW: Yeah. It can wait until later. I’m good.
JOHNNY: Okay, if you say so.

ABBY: Oh my gosh! I love Dani’s dress!
MELANIE: Thank you! Philip and I picked it out.
ABBY: It’s adorable! And I’m sure she’s gonna be just as adorable when the big day comes up.
MELANIE: Yeah, it’s coming quickly.
ABBY: You excited?
MELANIE: Absolutely! I can’t wait for Philip and I to spend the rest of our lives together!

SONIA: This party’s great, Kay.
KAYLA: Thank you! My youngest brother, Max, and his wife are the ones who put it together.
SONIA: Well, they did an awesome job!
KAYLA: So, how are you?
SONIA: I’m good. I know I wasn’t too sure about moving here when Peyton announced that she was going to Salem U, but having spent some time in town, I like it.
KAYLA: Well, it’s good to have you, Peyton and Steven in town.
STEVE: You got that right, Sweetness.
Steve put an arm each around Kayla and Sonia.
SONIA: And it is awesome to see you up and in full health again!
STEVE: Well you knew I wasn’t gonna stay down for long. It’s good to be back.

Don and Max shook hands.
DON: Thanks for having me.
MAX: No problem. Any friend of Marlena’s is a friend of ours. A friend of the whole Brady family, really.
DON: Well, it’s certainly appreciated.
MAX: So, you knew my parents from years back, huh?
DON: I knew Shawn and Caroline way back when they first moved to Salem and opened this place as a fish market. It’s come quite a ways since then, and I’m sure they’d be proud to see how you’ve done running the place.
MAX: Thanks.

A little while later, a few of the tables had been put to the side at one point, and a makeshift stage area had been put together, complete with microphones. Claire, Chase, J.J. and Alanis walked up to it.
CLAIRE: Hi, everyone! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Several people cheered in response.
CLAIRE: The four of us were talking a little while ago, and we decided we’d like to do something a little special for this St. Patrick’s Day. While Chase and I were in Ireland last year, our cousin, Aisling Brady, shared some Irish music with us, both modern and traditional. J.J., Alanis, Chase and I learned the song, and we’re gonna perform it for you now.
J.J.: There’s a bit of audience participation involved. When you hear us sing the line “and it’s no, nay, never”, clap your hands or stomp your feet four times. Then, when you hear us sing the line “no, nay, never no more”, clap or stomp twice.
ALANIS: Okay, here we go! The Wild Rover!
There were a few claps from the audience, then they began playing their instruments and singing. CLICK HERE to listen to the song they’re performing. Each took a turn singing one of the verses, and they harmonized on the chorus. Some of the people who knew the song joined in on the words they knew, and everyone joined in to clap. There was a huge round of applause once it finished.
CHASE: Thank you all so much! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Joey and Alanis hugged.
JOEY: That was awesome!
ALANIS: Thanks. I’m glad you liked it!

A short time later, the food had been brought out, and everyone was sitting down, except Kayla, Roman and Max.
MAX: Thank you all for joining us today. As most of you will likely know, St. Patrick’s Day was a favorite holiday of our parents, Shawn and Caroline Brady, and I know that they’d be thrilled to see so many people here.
KAYLA: Before we begin dinner, we’d just like to say a few words.
She cleared her throat.
KAYLA: May the road rise up to meet you.
MAX: May the wind always be at your back.
ROMAN: May the sun shine warm upon your face…
KAYLA: …and rains fall soft upon your fields.
MAX: May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Next, Eric said a prayer, and everyone began eating, enjoying the company of family and friends, and celebrating their Irish heritage.