General Hospital Recaps: The week of September 11, 2023 on GH

Martin's ex-wife Blair Cramer arrived in Port Charles. Sonny enlisted Drew's help. Maxie fired Brook Lynn. Nikolas decided that it was time to resurface. Anna's stalker left another ominous message. Tracy's true motives for the lawsuit were revealed. Cody told Sasha that Gladys and Montague had been working together. Jake and Charlotte spent time together.

Spencer has a gift for Trina

Monday, September 11, 2023

by Steve Holley

At the Savoy, Curtis received a round of applause from N'neka and the rest of his staff. Curtis thanked everyone that had gathered. As the club opened its doors for the night, guests started to appear, including Jordan, T.J., and Molly. Molly told Jordan and Curtis about the surrogate the couple had found.

Jordan complimented Curtis for having returned to work, and she said that she would always think of him as family. Molly and T.J. returned with drinks, and the two rambled about parenthood. Curtis left the table to return to work. A short while later, N'neka found Curtis alone in a back room at the club. Curtis shared that he was contemplating whether he still fit in at the Savoy.

At Laura and Kevin's house, Spencer was excited as he sat down with food for two people. Esme thought that the food was for her and Spencer. Spencer answered a knock at the door, and Trina entered. Trina excitedly told Spencer that she was starving, but the excitement left her face when she saw Esme. Spencer invited Esme to join them, but Esme declined before leaving.

Afterwards, a visibly annoyed Trina told Spencer that she was no longer hungry. Spencer scoffed, but Trina remained firm. "You and Esme have been spending so much time together taking care of Ace, it just feels like you and Esme, as roommates, as Ace's caretakers... it feels like the boundaries of what you two are to each other, they're blurring," Trina said.

Spencer placed Trina's hands in his, and he said that he knew that the "old Esme" was still somewhere inside Esme. Spencer admitted that he hadn't hated living with Esme as much as he'd thought he would, but he said that the only relationship he wanted with Esme was as co-parents to Ace. "The only one who I want to be with, the only person who I feel for, is you. And I can prove it," Spencer told Trina.

Spencer returned moments later with a small box that he presented to Trina. Trina opened the box, and she smiled as she saw the turtle doves that Cyrus had given Spencer in 2022. Spencer recalled that Victor had gifted the doves to Spencer in his will.

Spencer thought that Trina wouldn't want something that had once been in the possession of both Victor and Cyrus. "So, you know what? I'll just take these back," Spencer teased. "Uh, no, no, no, no. No, you don't. You just gave me this gift. You can't just take it back," Trina said.

Spencer shared that the doves reminded him of how much he had missed Trina when he had been in Pentonville. Trina smiled as she said that she wanted to keep one of the doves for herself while Spencer kept the other. "It's a reminder that just like these two doves, we are a matched pair. And just like these two doves, we belong together," Trina said warmly. Trina and Spencer kissed.

At Maxie's new house, Mac and Felicia congratulated Maxie, Georgie, and James on their new home. Maxie told Felicia that she was worried about her financial future, given that Tracy was suing Deception with the help of Jackson Montgomery. When Felicia made a face, Maxie deduced that Felicia knew Jack.

Mac upset Maxie when he said that Jack had recently been on the verge of having Felicia arrested. After Mac left with Georgie and James to give Maxie and Felicia some time alone. Felicia recalled how she and Lucy had broken into Jack's office in Pine Valley several weeks earlier.

Maxie warned Felicia against similar endeavors with Lucy, and she said that Felicia was too important to their family. Felicia brought up her new career as a patient advocate at the hospital. Felicia recalled that she had been recently motivated by Stella, as well as by Maxie's heart transplant many years earlier.

At Kelly's Diner, Elizabeth told Carly that she was sorry to hear about Sonny's arrest. Carly said that she had considered attending Sonny's arraignment, but she claimed that Sonny's business was no longer a part of her life. Esme entered with Ace, and she asked for a menu. Elizabeth said that she was glad Esme and Ace were doing well.

Jake told Elizabeth that he would join her, Finn, and Violet for a softball game later. Elizabeth surmised that something was wrong with Jake, who remained tight-lipped about why he didn't want to leave. After Elizabeth left, Jake moved to another table.

Not long afterwards, Charlotte entered. Jake enthusiastically said that he had reserved a table for him and Charlotte. Charlotte smiled at Jake as the two of them sat down. Over ice cream sundaes, Jake told Charlotte that he had started a painting of a horse, given how much Charlotte loved horses. Charlotte said that she couldn't wait to see the painting. Jake and Charlotte smiled warmly at one another.

Nearby, Esme told Ace that nothing else mattered as long as they had each other. A short while later, Esme asked if Carly had any vacant rooms to rent upstairs above the diner.

Outside Kelly's, Georgie told Mac that she was worried about Maxie. Mac assured Georgie that the two of them would take care of Maxie. James grew sad when he told Mac that a little league teammate had asked about Nathan. James said that he had told his teammate that Nathan had been a hero and that the teammate hadn't believed James. James added that Mac was his hero. Mac smiled warmly at James.

At the courthouse, Michael, Kristina, Dante, and Nina met for Sonny's arraignment. After Sonny was escorted into the courtroom in handcuffs, he tried to assure Kristina and Nina that he would be fine. Sonny added that he appreciated Dante's presence, but he implied that perhaps Dante should leave.

Dante said that he didn't care how his presence at the hearing might look to anyone else. "I'll tell you what I told Mac: nowhere in my oath I took with the PCPD does it say that I can't support my father. So, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere," Dante said before he hugged Sonny in view of everyone.

A bailiff called the court to order, and an angry-looking judge named Jarret announced that Sonny had been charged with seven violations of the National Security Act -- all related to the unauthorized transportation of classified weapons. Just then, the courtroom was stunned when a prosecutor announced that the government wished to withdraw all charges without prejudice against Sonny.

At the same time, Sonny flashed back to telling Ava that he had laid a trap for Betty to find phony Pikeman documents at Sonny's penthouse. "When we brought the federal charges against the defendant, we thought we had overwhelming amounts of evidence. Turns out, we didn't," a member of the prosecution said.

Judge Jarret announced that the charges had been dropped. "But as a reminder, Mr. Corinthos, the charges against you have been dismissed without prejudice, so they may be refiled at any time... The next time I see any of you in my court, I want the case to be fully prepared!" Jarret angrily bellowed before adjourning court.

Afterwards, Nina excitedly hugged Sonny. Kristina and Diane were relieved by the news. Michael and Dex seemed confused as they stood in the back of the courtroom. Dante wondered how the government hadn't had the evidence it had thought it had.

Nearby, the elder, bald-headed FBI agent that had been present during Sonny's arrest whispered that the government had been tricked. "We got false information from a source that has always been reliable in the past. It's obvious that Corinthos pulled a fast one so that no weapons would be found," the agent groused.

Sonny thanked Diane, who said that she couldn't take credit for the charges being dropped. "Appears the U.S. Attorneys thought they had something that they didn't. It also appears that this comes as no surprise to you. Not one bit," Diane surmised.

Outside the courtroom, Michael called Carly to share the news about Sonny. Carly was relieved by the news. Kristina and Dante left after congratulating Sonny. Nina asked if Sonny was ready to leave. Sonny asked Nina to give him a moment alone with Dex, who had waited for Sonny.

Sonny told Dex that the government would have no choice but to drop the charges against Sonny's crew. Dex asked how it was possible, and he noted that the crew had been caught with multiple Pikeman crates. "When they opened the crates up, the Feds, you know what they found? Incredible coffee beans," Sonny gloated.

Sonny added that Dex had done a good job, and he told Dex to take the rest of the night off. Sonny then walked out of court hand in hand with Nina.

Cody makes a promise to Sasha

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

by Steve Holley

At Charlie's Pub, Port Charles residents gathered after the annual softball game between local businesses. Dante, Sam, and Kristina celebrated Sonny's release from custody earlier in the day. Dante and Kristina said that they wanted to focus on mending their family.

Nearby, Elizabeth entertained Violet and Finn before Jake and Charlotte entered. Jake and Charlotte wished to be alone, and the two left for a corner nearby. Charlotte asked Jake to tell her more about his painting. Charlotte added that she liked to write and that she was thinking of writing a graphic novel. When Charlotte offered to have Jake do some of the drawings for her novel, Jake agreed to help.

Elsewhere at Charlie's, Willow and Michael were happy that Willow felt well enough to be out and about. Michael expressed regret that he had let his "self-righteous anger" consume him in his plot to send Sonny to prison. Michael left to visit Sonny.

Afterwards, after Violet had repeatedly tried to insert herself into others' business at the pub, Willow asked Violet to respect others' privacy. Later, Willow told Kristina that she was relieved that the charges against Sonny had been dropped. Outside Charlie's, Chase told Dante that two patients had escaped from Ferncliff. Dante immediately surmised that the patients were Sasha and Cody.

At Ferncliff, Gladys panicked when she learned that Sasha had left with Cody. Gladys feigned outrage and concern for Sasha. Nurse Janice pushed back when Gladys accused Cody of having kidnapped Sasha. Janice added that Sasha and Cody had appeared to leave Ferncliff willingly.

Later, at Sam and Dante's penthouse, Dante said that Sam had known about Cody's plan to rescue Sasha from Ferncliff in advance. Exasperated, Sam asked what Dante wanted her to say. "Nothing. I guess. I just hope everything works out, and Cody and Sasha are safe," Dante said warmly.

At Sonny's penthouse, Sonny and Nina were elated to be home together, and they kissed. Sonny surprised Nina when he said that he had known he wouldn't be convicted. Nina asked what Sonny meant. Sonny told Nina about having used coffee beans to trick the authorities.

Sonny added that he had meant for someone else to find the phony intel that Brick had planted about Pikeman. Sonny apologized for not having told Nina about his plan sooner. Nina swore that she had known what she was getting into when she had entered into her relationship with Sonny. Sonny and Nina started to kiss, but they were interrupted when Frank opened the door to Michael.

Nina received an urgent text from Gladys, and she left. Afterwards, Michael said he was happy that the charges against Sonny had been dropped. Michael said that he needed to tell Sonny something. Michael said that he regretted how badly his and Sonny's relationship had deteriorated, and he mentioned trying to "destroy" people.

Sonny asked what Michael had meant by "destroy" and what Michael had gone to tell Sonny. Michael said that he had previously hoped that Sonny would be convicted, but he didn't tell Sonny that he had spent the past year trying to send Sonny to prison. Sonny and Michael said that they loved one another. Michael left.

At an abandoned cabin in the woods, Cody helped Sasha inside for the night. Inside the cabin, Sasha hallucinated that Cody was Dr. Montague, and she screamed hysterically for Cody to get away from her. Cody managed to convince Sasha that he wasn't Montague.

Cody convinced Sasha to drink water in order to flush whatever drugs Montague had given her out of her system. Sasha expressed regret that she had ever arrived in Port Charles in 2018. Cody told Sasha that plenty of people loved her. Sasha said that she had no one left. "You have me," Cody said.

Cody promised that he wouldn't leave Sasha, and he encouraged her to sleep. Cody added that he would be nearby the entire time. "No one's going to hurt you, not while I'm here. I promise," Cody said. As Sasha was falling asleep, she reached her hand out and felt for Cody's hand.

At an unknown location, Nina met with Gladys, who said that Sasha had been kidnapped by Cody. Nina was skeptical, and she suggested that Cody had gone to Ferncliff to rescue Sasha. Desperate, Gladys claimed that Montague had ordered Cody to kidnap Sasha. Gladys claimed that Sasha was in more danger than ever.

Tracy reveals to Lucy what she's really after

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

by Elisabeth

Lucy stopped by the Quartermaine mansion to talk to Tracy about the lawsuit. Lucy wanted to know what Tracy's evidence was, but Tracy pointed out that Lucy's attorney would receive everything during the discovery phase. Ignoring Lucy's continued demands for answers, Tracy suggested that Lucy could easily resolve the lawsuit by signing over 75 percent of Deception to Tracy. Lucy informed Tracy that she had no intention of settling the lawsuit because she didn't believe that Tracy had the schematics for the Deceptor. "Prove you got something. Show me what you got," Lucy said.

Tracy explained that she'd been advised by her attorney not to discuss the case. Frustrated, Lucy accused Tracy of trying to steal the Deceptor through "legal intimidation" because Tracy was out for revenge. Tracy didn't take the bait. Instead, Tracy fetched the contract for Lucy to sign, but Lucy tore it up. Lucy insisted that she had put her heart and soul into Deception, and she refused to give it away for a measly percentage. Tracy invited Lucy to make a counteroffer, prompting Lucy to suggest a 50 percent split.

Tracy laughed and countered with 65/35 percent split, but Lucy rejected the offer. Tracy warned Lucy that Lucy's options were limited because Deception would slide into oblivion as the case dragged its way through the court system. Lucy agreed to settle if Tracy agreed to take 60 percent of the company and a clause in the contract that would protect Lucy's position as CEO and any position on the board. Tracy admitted that she'd always been able to bank on one thing about Lucy. "You're a grifter," Tracy said.

"How about 51/49?" Tracy asked. Lucy's eyes narrowed. "Deal," Lucy replied. Tracy revealed that the agreement would be contingent on Lucy returning the one percent voting rights in ELQ. Shocked, Lucy accused Tracy of waiting years to spring that on her because Tracy hated that Lucy had the one percent interest in Tracy's family legacy. Annoyed, Tracy insisted that Lucy had wormed her way into the Quartermaine family and exploited Alan's weakness by having an affair with Tracy's brother while he'd been married to Monica. Lucy argued that Monica hadn't been without blame because Monica had slept with Ned.

Tracy reminded Lucy that Lucy had blackmailed Tracy into appointing Lucy as co-CEO. "That is one of my biggest regrets," Tracy admitted. Lucy insisted that it was ancient history, but Tracy explained that she wanted to prevent the Quartermaine ship from running aground, and it was up to Tracy to get the family back on course. Tracy revealed that it was time to scrape everything off that didn't belong, including Lucy. "One percent voting rights in ELQ, and that's my final offer," Tracy said. "Never," Lucy replied.

After Lucy stormed out, Tracy called her mystery partner to report that their "mutual friend" had just left. Tracy was certain that Lucy would fold, and she assured her partner that it was the perfect time for a visit. "Port Charles is beautiful in the fall," Tracy said.

At Chase and Brook Lynn's apartment, Brook Lynn and Chase shared a kiss. Brook Lynn wanted Chase to call in sick, but she knew that he wouldn't. Chase suggested that he could be late, and he kissed her again. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Maxie. After Chase left for work, Brook Lynn tried to break the tension by asking about Maxie's move, but Maxie explained that she wasn't there to catch up. Maxie wanted to know why Brook Lynn had helped Tracy.

Maxie accused Brook Lynn of taking advantage of her friends and Maxie's trust in order to steal information about the company's most valuable product. "Yes, Maxie. That's exactly what I did," Brook Lynn tearfully admitted. Brook Lynn apologized, and she promised that she'd had no idea what Tracy had intended. Maxie was skeptical because Tracy always had an agenda. Brook Lynn explained that she'd been desperate and indebted to her grandmother. "And this is how she collected," Brook Lynn said.

Brook Lynn confessed that she had reached out to Tracy for help securing a second hearing with the review board for Chase, and Tracy had collected on the favor by blackmailing her. "Stop! I have heard enough," Maxie shouted. Maxie reminded Brook Lynn that her actions had put Maxie's job and livelihood at risk, all because Brook Lynn had been unable to be honest with her boyfriend. "Didn't he break up with you once before because you lied to him? Have you learned nothing?" Maxie asked.

Brook Lynn explained that she loved Chase, and she'd been weak because she'd feared losing him. Maxie was unmoved because Maxie and Brook Lynn had been through a lot with Bailey Lou. "Why didn't you trust me, Brook Lynn?" Maxie asked. Maxie was certain that she and Brook Lynn could have thwarted Tracy. "Instead, you betrayed me," Maxie said. Brook Lynn claimed that she'd been too ashamed and stupid, and she had thought that she could handle Tracy on her own; however, she hadn't foreseen Sasha's meltdown on television or the Deceptor being their only moneymaker.

Brook Lynn promised to do everything in her power to fix things by waging a social media campaign against Tracy, but Maxie explained that Brook Lynn was untrustworthy. "You're fired," Maxie said in a cold tone. Brook Lynn tearfully pleaded for another chance, but Maxie left.

At the Jerome Gallery, Ava was not pleased when Mason strolled in during closing hours, but he was unapologetic because the door had been unlocked. Ava made it clear that she had nothing to say to him, but he told her to shut up. "You set us up. The boss is pissed. That's not good," Mason said in a menacing tone. Ava remained calm as she ordered Mason to leave, or she would call the police. "You're trespassing," Ava said.

Mason reminded Ava that he had evidence to prove that she had murdered her ex-husband, but Ava insisted that she had done her part. Mason accused Ava of double-crossing them, because the evidence that Betty had retrieved had been false. Mason suspected a setup because Sonny had been warned. Ava reminded Mason that she wouldn't have wanted Sonny to know about her role in Nikolas' death, and she quickly put the blame on Betty. She pointed out that Sonny was a smart man, and he'd been more than capable of picking up on the "sociopathic gleam" in Betty's eyes.

Ava suggested that Betty's sweet act hadn't been convincing, and Sonny had figured out that Betty was a plant. Ava could tell that she had planted some doubt, so she assured him that she had no desire to endanger her life or the lives of those she cared about by telling Sonny anything. "We'll be in touch," Mason said. After Mason left, Ava called Austin. She left him a voicemail message informing him that his cousin had stopped by and made "crazy accusations." Ava warned Austin that if Mason dragged her down, she would take Austin with her.

At Carly's house, Sonny joined Carly in the living room after spending time with Donna and her paper dolls. Carly admitted that things hadn't been great in Donna's doll world, and she was curious how he had explained his absence to their daughter. Sonny revealed that he'd told Donna that the FBI had made a mistake, and he had stayed until it had been cleared up. He promised that he'd assured Donna that everything was good, and there was nothing to worry about. "We both know that's not true," Carly said.

Sonny and Carly sat down and talked about the arrest. "It's almost like you knew the FBI was going to bust you," Carly said. Sonny confessed that he'd left some false breadcrumbs for his enemies. "What enemies?" Carly asked. "That's what I'm going to find out -- and I will," Sonny vowed. Sonny opened up to Carly about Austin and Mason's boss pressuring Ava to help, but he was careful not to share any details about the blackmail against Ava. Carly asked if Sonny was protecting Ava, so he clarified that it wasn't good for Avery's mother to be caught in the middle of something shady.

Sonny told Carly about the plot against Pilar and that he had fed false information to Betty, which Austin and Mason had taken back to their boss. Carly suddenly recalled Sonny asking about Austin's visit to Pentonville. Sonny confirmed that he suspected Austin's boss was in Pentonville because the only connection between Betty stealing the false information and Sonny's arrest was Austin's visit to the prison. Sonny explained that he'd had both men followed, and Mason had spent time with a "working girl" while Austin had gone to Pentonville.

Sonny theorized that Austin had given the information to the boss, and the boss had passed it along to the FBI. Sonny suspected that Austin's boss had hoped to take him down or score points with the FBI -- or both. Sonny admitted that he needed Carly's help, but Carly wanted to know if it would endanger Drew or affect his sentence in any way. Sonny promised that it wouldn't. Relieved, Carly acknowledged that things had changed between her and Sonny, but she would help.

"What do you need me to do?" Carly asked. Sonny told her that he would tell her on their way to Pentonville.

At the police station, Mac asked for an update on the search for Sasha and Cody, but a police officer behind the desk reported that there hadn't been any new information. Moments later, Jordan walked in and asked to speak to Mac privately. After Mac led Jordan to the interrogation room and closed the door, Jordan asked Mac about Sonny's arrest and the escape from Ferncliff. "What the hell is going on here, Mac?" Jordan asked. Mac assured Jordan that he knew Cody, and he was certain that Cody had no intention of hurting Sasha.

Jordan reminded Mac that the incident had been reported as a kidnapping, but Mac admitted that he suspected otherwise. Jordan trusted Mac's instincts but reminded him that both Cody and Sasha remained fugitives, and they needed to be found.

In the squad room, Chase overheard Agent Moss ask for Mac. Chase offered to take the FBI agent to the interrogation room, so Moss followed him. When Moss saw Jordan, he asked to speak to Mac privately, but Mac assured the agent that both Chase and Jordan could be trusted. Mac explained that Chase was a detective, and Jordan was the acting mayor, who had also been the previous police commissioner and was an ex-DEA agent. Agent Moss revealed that Sonny's arrest had been a result of a tip that Sonny had been illegally transporting "classified weapons," but the charges had been dropped because the confiscated crates had been filled with coffee beans rather than restricted weapons.

Jordan suggested that Sonny had been a step ahead of the FBI, but Agent Moss assured her that it wouldn't always be the case. Moss explained that the FBI had reason to believe that Sonny was involved in the trafficking and sale of restricted weapons, and the investigation remained ongoing because there were possible ties to both the government and private sectors. Mac offered to help, so Moss asked to be notified if there was any reason to suspect Dante of feeding his father information or aiding Sonny in any way.

At the penthouse, Dante was on the phone with Anna when Sam arrived home from yoga class. He promised to call Anna when he had an update and ended the call. After he greeted Sam with a kiss, he suggested that they talk about Cody and Sasha. Sam was reluctant to share anything with Dante because she wanted him to have plausible deniability, but he explained that he couldn't ignore what had happened with Cody and Sasha. Dante assured Sam that he appreciated her concern, but he wanted to protect her because she had become an accessory to Cody's crimes, including the assault of Dr. Montague.

Sam was shocked to learn that Dr. Montague had been Sasha's doctor. She told Dante about her encounter with the doctor at the hospital during Cody's initial evaluation and the phone call that Montague had received from "Gladys." Sam pointed out that it was not a common name. She retrieved Montague's business card and showed it to Dante as she explained how she and the doctor had discussed card games and his invitation for her to join a high-stakes game. Dante realized that Montague had been referring to the card games at the Savoy. "And we both know that Gladys loves to gamble," Sam said.

Dante was certain that Gladys had met Montague at the card games, so Sam reminded Dante that Cody had played poker for Selina Wu, and Cody had revealed that Gladys had lost a lot of money. Dante realized that it was convenient for Gladys to have access to Sasha's money, but he wondered if Gladys would use Sasha's funds to repay her debts. "It certainly seems like that," Sam said. Sam pointed out that -- until recently -- Sasha had been doing well and taking steps to end the conservatorship. "Gladys had to make sure Sasha stayed mentally unfit," Sam said.

Dante was furious that Gladys and Montague had been working together to keep Sasha under their control. He admitted that he had never liked nor trusted Gladys, because she continually lied, but he'd thought her harmless and that she would do right by Brando's widow. Dante regretted that he hadn't listened to Cody, but Sam reminded him that Cody had given Dante reason to distrust him. However, Cody had rescued Sasha. "I think he saved her life," Sam said. Dante explained that he needed to talk to Cody, so he asked Sam to take him to where they were hiding.

At an undisclosed location, Cody woke up alone in the cabin. He frantically looked around for Sasha, but he quickly relaxed when he found her on the porch, enjoying the fresh morning air. Sasha confessed that she recalled lying in her bed at Ferncliff, wishing that she could be outside with the sun on her face. "And here I am -- because of you," Sasha said. Cody worried that she might be angry, but she assured him that she'd never been more grateful to anyone in her life.

Cody was curious what Sasha recalled, so she told him that she had been in a lot of pain, and she'd been afraid that someone -- Cody -- would hurt her. However, she acknowledged that he'd sat with her and helped. Cody explained that she'd gone through severe withdrawal symptoms. Sasha frowned because she'd been accused by her doctor and nurses of using drugs in Ferncliff, but she promised that it hadn't been true. Cody assured her that he believed her, and he knew who had been drugging her.

"It was Dr. Montague," Cody said. Sasha recalled that Montague had given her injections, but he had claimed that they had been to help her get off drugs, even though Sasha had insisted that she hadn't been taking any. Cody asked about the medication that Sasha had been taking. She revealed that she'd been on antidepressants for months without any issues, but things had suddenly changed when Dr. Montague had prescribed her medication for anxiety. Cody was curious what the name of the medication was, but Sasha confessed that she had no idea because Montague had handed her a bottle of pills with instructions.

Sasha admitted that the shoplifting incident had happened shortly after she had taken Montague's medication. Cody was certain that the doctor had drugged Sasha, but she wondered what would motivate Montague to take such a step. Cody explained that Montague had been paid by the person who had motive to drug Sasha. ""Your mother-in-law, Gladys," Cody said.

Sonny and Carly ask Drew for help

Thursday, September 14, 2023

by Marissa PD

At the safe house, Cody warned Sasha that someone was approaching. He instructed her to go out the back exit of the house on his say-so, and he would meet her at the car. He grabbed a hammer and opened the door, and he was shocked to find Sam and Dante there. He called Sasha back out, and Dante remarked on how much better she looked. She gave the credit to Cody, who praised Sam for her help.

Dante apologized for not believing Cody, as he would have been able to act sooner otherwise. Sasha tearfully wondered why Gladys would betray her like she had. Cody told Sasha about the poker games and Gladys using Sasha's money. Sasha regretted not listening when Cody had tried to tell her before, and she wondered what they were supposed to do as fugitives. Dante and Sam promised that they would figure a way out of the situation for Cody and Sasha together.

Drew entered the visitors' room at Pentonville and sat down with Sonny and Carly. Sonny updated Drew on his arrest and what had led to it. He continued that he believed his enemy was in Pentonville, and he needed Drew to try to find out who it was. Drew agreed to help, but Carly was worried for Drew's safety. Drew promised he would be careful, and he left. Carly didn't like involving Drew, but Sonny assured her that all he needed was one name, and Sonny would "take care of the rest."

A guard led Cyrus into Warden Garten's office, and the warden dismissed the guard. When they were alone, she tore into him for bungling Sonny's entrapment. Cyrus assured her that he was angry, too, but her tone caused him to remind her of how she'd become the warden. He promised to clear her name, and he added that Mason's usefulness would be ending soon. He tasked her with finding out how Sonny had gotten out of the charges, but she didn't want to be on the chopping block.

Cyrus praised Warden Garten and reminded her that he'd donated a lot of money to a cause near and dear to her heart. He warned that he could easily reverse everything, and she demanded to know if he was threatening her. She ordered him to keep his nose clean. He figured that neither of them had anything left to say, and she buzzed the guard back into her office. The guard escorted Cyrus out.

Drew returned from the visitors' room and made small talk with the guard about his son, who was graduating from PCU in the spring. Drew offered to get the young man an internship at Aurora Media. The guard wondered what Drew wanted in return. Although he would organize the internship, anyway, he revealed that he needed a little bit of information. As he asked the guard who Austin had visited, Cyrus listened in unseen.

Dex found Nina at the Metro Court restaurant, but his phone rang before he could say anything to her. He answered the phone to Josslyn, who made sure that he would still help her move back into her dorm room that day. He promised to be there as soon as he was done with work, and he hung up. Dex advised Nina that he had a message for her from Sonny. He relayed that Sonny would be unreachable for a few hours, but she shouldn't worry, as Sonny was visiting Drew at Pentonville with Carly. Nina wanted more information. Dex answered that Sonny was stingy with details, and he left.

Olivia arrived at the restaurant, and Nina observed that Olivia appeared to be in a good mood. She revealed that Eddie had taken her and Leo to the recording studio, and Eddie had been great with Leo. She continued praising him, and Nina wondered if Olivia was falling for Eddie. Olivia's face suddenly fell. She said that she had to get back to work, and she left.

Josslyn read in her dorm room as she waited for Dex to arrive. When he finally did, she was struggling with a minifridge, which he put into its place with ease. Adam knocked on her door and observed that they would be neighbors again. He invited her to join his study group, and she said she would let him know after she checked out her schedule. She told him that they were in a rush to set things up by the time Trina got there, so she closed the door. Dex thought she should join the study group, and he kissed her. They ended up undressing each other and making their way to the bed.

In his office, Austin was on the phone and telling someone that he'd done everything they'd asked. Ava burst into the room and demanded that he hang up, so he did. She blasted him for not answering her phone calls, and she complained about Mason threatening her and her family. She threatened to go to Sonny and tell him everything if Mason didn't return Nikolas' body. She reminded Austin that he knew what she was capable of.

Austin was truly sorry that he'd gotten Ava into the situation, and Ava agreed that she would also change things if she could. Austin wondered if she was sure that Nikolas would have hurt Avery. She wasn't sure, but after losing Kiki, she refused to take any chances with Avery, who was all she had left. He promised to do everything he could to help her as long as she promised to be patient. She reiterated that she would go to Sonny if she didn't get what she'd been promised. She glared at him then she left.

At the gallery, Trina had music on her earbuds while working. Spencer arrived and called out for her several times until he was right next to her, and she was startled off the ladder she was standing on. Spencer caught her, and she sheepishly put her earbuds away. He promised that he would always be there to catch her, but she'd saved him a few times, too.

Trina explained that she was there because she'd gotten an urgent call that Ava had left out some details with the artist's people. She'd noticed that Ava had been distracted. Spencer wondered why Trina didn't just work at the Chuck, which would be a better steppingstone for her career. Trina answered that Ava's gallery was more fulfilling for her. She added that working there gave her more time for school and her family. Spencer wanted to spend as much time with her as he could, and he revealed that he might have fixed their problem of no alone time. He wanted to take her to New York City and Turks and Caicos.

Between school starting and it being hurricane season, Trina turned the big trip down, but she did agree to go to New York City with him. Spencer, beyond excited, told her about all the places he was going to take her in the city. He was ready for some uninterrupted time with her, and he kissed her. He left to go make some calls. Trina picked up her dove from the desk and smiled.

Outside, Spencer told someone on the phone that he wanted only the best, as it was going to be "a very special weekend."

Tracy meets with Martin's ex-wife, Blair Cramer

Friday, September 15, 2023

by Steve Holley

At the Metro Court restaurant, a fashionably dressed lady in high heels and a white dress approached Tracy. The woman was revealed to be Blair Cramer from Llanview. Blair shook hands with Tracy before they sat together at a table. At the same time, Martin had entered the restaurant with Lucy. "God, not her," Martin muttered as he spotted Blair.

Martin tried to keep his face hidden by a menu at a table across the room from Blair and Tracy. Lucy fretted about Tracy's lawsuit against Deception. Martin swore that he'd had nothing to do with the origins of the Deceptor. Lucy reminded Martin that they both knew that Martin had given her the idea for the product.

Nearby, Blair revealed to Tracy that Martin was her ex-husband. Blair claimed that the Deceptor had been her idea, and she said that she knew that Martin would do anything to win Lucy over -- including giving Lucy the design idea for the product.

Blair hoped to stop paying Martin each month in alimony payments. Tracy assured Blair that a judge could keep the Deceptor sales frozen, and she posited that Deception would be "practically worthless" by the time the case went to court.

Tracy said that Lucy had been using ELQ to "ruin" Tracy's family's company for years, and she added that she wouldn't rest until she had obtained Lucy's one percent stake in the company. Blair asked why Tracy hated Lucy so much. Tracy called Lucy a "cockroach" that had wreaked havoc on her family.

Tracy and Blair admitted that they each had dysfunctional families. Blair surmised that there was more to Tracy's plan than getting Lucy's ELQ shares. Tracy said that she never did anything for only one reason. Tracy recalled having learned about business from Edward, and she said that opportunities were made -- not given.

Tracy and Blair shook hands before Tracy left. Blair was sipping a glass of red wine when she spotted Martin after Lucy had left to freshen up. Blair approached Martin, and she sensually put her arm around him. "Hello, sweetheart," Blair whispered into Martin's ear before she kissed him on the cheek.

In Alexis' office at the Invader, Spencer noted that it had been over six months since Nikolas had disappeared. Spencer presented Alexis with a document from the lawyers of the Cassadine estate. As the sole heir to the estate, Spencer noted that the lawyers wanted him to take control of the estate.

Alexis agreed to help Spencer with the "legalese" behind the document. Spencer thanked Alexis, and he said that he was grateful to have her in his life. Spencer added that he had another favor to ask. Spencer mentioned Ace. Nearby, Esme had approached, and she stood lurking outside Alexis' office.

Esme listened as Spencer excitedly told Alexis that he planned to take Trina to New York City for a weekend getaway. Spencer asked Alexis to keep an eye on both Esme and Ace. Outside the office, Esme seemed on the verge of tears.

Spencer noted that Esme had threatened to run away with Ace in the past, and he said that he would feel better knowing that Alexis was keeping an eye on Ace. Esme dropped some papers that she had been carrying. Spencer glared scornfully at Esme as she entered the office with paperwork that required Alexis' signature.

After Esme had left the room, Alexis encouraged Spencer to trust Esme, and she raved about Esme as a mother. Spencer and Alexis left together. Esme returned to Alexis' office a few seconds later, only to find the room empty.

In Josslyn and Trina's dorm room, Josslyn told Trina that she and Dex had had sex. Trina asked if Josslyn had been nervous the first time that Josslyn and Dex had had sex. Josslyn wondered why Trina was asking. Trina flashed back to her and Spencer having kissed on board the Haunted Star months earlier when Trina had said that it might be her and Spencer's only chance to make love together.

Trina grew excited as she told Josslyn about her planned trip to Manhattan with Spencer. Trina noted that the trip would be her and Spencer's first time alone since Greenland. Josslyn asked if Trina had thought about sex. "I've done nothing but think about it," Trina said with a chuckle.

Trina gushed with excitement as she thought about her and Spencer's trip to New York. Trina said that she and Spencer would stay at a hotel with a heated pool. Trina smiled when she noted that it would be her and Spencer's first time completely alone together. Josslyn asked if Trina trusted Spencer. Trina said that everything felt just right to her.

Josslyn grew excited, and she said that she was happy for both Trina and Spencer. Trina said that Josslyn's words meant a lot to her. Josslyn said that Spencer was a good person, and she added that Trina was the best thing that had ever happened to Spencer. Trina and Josslyn smiled as the two friends hugged.

At Carly's mansion, Ava surprised Carly by dropping Avery off to spend the night. Carly noted that she had just visited Drew in Pentonville. Ava was surprised when Carly said that Austin also had been spotted at Pentonville.

Ava tried to play coy when Carly noted that Austin and Mason's boss had ties to the FBI. Frustrated, Ava yelled for Carly to give things a rest. "You know what I think? I think you did something, and Mason and Austin found out about it. And they're threatening to tell their boss, who could take it to the FBI," Carly said.

Ava said that her situation was fraught, and she said that she would like Avery to stay with Carly for a week. Carly agreed, and Ava started to leave. Carly offered some advice for Ava. "Whatever you have going on with Austin? He's keeping information from you. Do not trust him," Carly warned.

At an unknown house, Nikolas told Austin that he was leaving town. Nikolas said that he had loose ends to tie up in Europe, and he added that he couldn't allow anyone to know that he was still alive. Nikolas noted that Laura was also in Europe, but he said that he had no intention of seeing Laura.

Nikolas said that the Cassadine estate was controlled by a trust, and he noted that he was the current owner of the estate. Nikolas said that the current owner of the estate would be presumed dead if the owner disappeared for six months. Nikolas added that control of the estate would then automatically pass to Spencer.

Nikolas said that he needed to prove that he was still alive in order to keep Spencer from inheriting the Cassadine estate. Nikolas claimed that Spencer hated him. Austin noted that it was the second time that Nikolas had pretended to be dead. Nikolas said that he didn't have to explain himself to Austin.

Nikolas received an alert that his rideshare had arrived, and he thanked Austin for his help. Austin asked where Nikolas was going. "It's time for a family reunion," Nikolas said with a smile before he left with his suitcase.

On the rooftop of the Metro Court restaurant, Anna and Valentin prepared to have dinner. Anna was handed an envelope by a waitress, who said that Dante had left a message for Anna. Anna discovered Valentin's name on a passenger manifest from a private flight that Pikeman had chartered on August 11 -- the night that Anna's house had been set on fire.

Anna handed Valentin the copy of the passenger manifest, and she asked if he had been on the flight. Valentin admitted that he hadn't been at ELQ when Anna's house had been set on fire. Valentin added that Pikeman had summoned him to a meeting in New York City that evening.

Anna asked what had been so urgent for Pikeman to fly Valentin to Manhattan in the middle of the night. Valentin said that Pikeman had wanted to discuss an urgent matter regarding Sonny. Valentin added that Pikeman had deemed it safer to have a meeting in New York City instead of Port Charles.

Anna asked what else Valentin was keeping from her. Valentin said that he loved Anna, but Anna pushed back. "Just because you say that you love me, I'm supposed to accept everything that's going on? Do you know how it felt when Dante told me that you just blatantly lied?" Anna asked.

Valentin said that he had lied to keep his relationship with Pikeman separate from Anna. Valentin noted that it had been a mistake to involve Anna when he had used her to relay a message to Sonny on the night of the shooting at the Metro Court pool. Valentin added that he knew he had given Anna a reason to distrust him, but he insisted that he wasn't lying about anything else.

Anna asked if she and Valentin could return to their suite, and Valentin agreed. A short while later, Anna and Valentin entered the suite to find that the room had been trashed. Someone had used red ink to emulate blood stains throughout the suite.

Anna drew her gun as she entered the bathroom to search the rest of the suite. Anna sighed before she turned and spotted the bathroom mirror. The intruder had used red ink to leave a dire warning for Anna. "You didn't think you got away with it? You didn't. You think you're safe -- you're not," the person had written.