General Hospital Recaps: The week of January 26, 2009 on GH

Comprehensive daily recaps for General Hospital, dating back to 1996.

Monday, January 26, 2009

by Boone

Patrick continued to tell Agent Rayner his story about the events leading up to the catastrophe in Port Charles. Elsewhere Winnifred talked to officials higher up in the chain of command as she tried to determine who had been exposed to the chemicals that were released in Port Charles. She reported that Kate Howard was on the guest list.

Three Hours Before Surgery - 4:00 p.m.

Sonny tried to rekindle his relationship with Kate as they talked in the lobby of the Metro Court. He told her that whoever shot her would pay. Kate said that Karpov had already paid. Sonny told her it was not Karpov. She asked him when enough revenge was enough. He told her she had to understand that it was the way the business worked. Kate told him that what she understood was that he belonged with Claudia.

Sonny responded that he did what he had to do, but Kate did not see it that way. She told Sonny that they had been given a second chance to marry and live their lives without violence, but he chose money, power, and revenge over her. He said he had tried to go straight, but everything changed when she was shot. She told him to stop using her as an excuse.

Kate told Sonny that from her hospital bed, she had begged him not to take revenge, but he had ignored her wishes. He chose the mob life and he chose to marry a woman suited to that life. Kate said that Claudia was ruthless and dangerous, and it proved that Claudia belonged with Sonny. Kate stalked away and left Sonny scratching the back of his neck.

Over in the bar area, Anthony and Claudia conversed. Anthony would not admit that he had shot Kate or that he could walk, but Claudia insisted he could. Anthony needled Claudia about Michael's shooting, but she shot back that at least she had not pulled the trigger. Anthony and Claudia continued their verbal sparring. Anthony told Claudia that he might have to kill her. Claudia told him that she could be invaluable in his plan to have Sonny kill Jason, and then in Anthony's next step, to kill Sonny. Anthony told Claudia that he would never need her help.

It was a tough day for Jason, who was home and on the phone talking tough to Bernie. He was anxious to find the missing Equinox shipment for the Feds. Bernie did not have a clue to the hijacked truck's whereabouts. Jason talked tough and was still steaming when he answered another call. It was Agent Rayner getting tough with Jason and demanding to know the location of the missing truck. Jason told him he was working on it and hung up abruptly to answer the angry knocking on his apartment door.

Lucky was at the door because a friend had told him that Sam had been to see Jason on two occasions recently. He demanded to know what was going on. Jason told him they were working on something together. When Lucky wanted specifics, Jason told him to talk to Sam.

Spinelli breezed through the door and a very angry Lucky stalked out. Spinelli wanted answers from Jason, who put on his coat. As he opened the door to leave Jason was firm when he told Spinelli to drop his questions and stay out of Jason's business. Spinelli did not like Jason's answer. Before Jason could exit, Spinelli told him politely, but firmly, that Jason was treating him like a child.

Jason did not agree with Spinelli's assessment and told him in no uncertain terms to find legitimate arenas for his talents. Jason stated firmly that he would never reveal the terms of the deal he made with the Feds to Spinelli. Spinelli did not like that answer and retreated up the stairs.

Sam went to see Liz at the hospital. She wanted to talk about Lucky. Liz was reluctant to get involved and advised Sam to give up her undercover work if that was what was causing so much trouble in her relationship with Lucky. Sam said she could not, because she had to help a friend.

Monica, Tracy, and Edward were at home when Nikolas dropped by in remembrance of Emily's birthday. Tracy was snide when she thanked Nikolas for bringing attention to painful feelings. Nikolas apologized and was ready to leave when both Monica and Edward thanked him for bringing good wishes.

Monica asked Nikolas to stay. They looked through a photo album and talked about the happy times they had with Emily, and about how much they had loved her and how much she had loved them. Monica admitted that she was furious because both Alan and Emily had been victims of senseless violence. Nikolas admitted that he was angry, also.

Carly talked to Patrick about Robin's behavior. She was convinced that Robin was suffering from post-partum depression. Patrick tried to defend Robin, but Carly spoke from her own experience with the disease. Patrick became increasingly uneasy as he heard Carly's story.

As Emma cried, Robin also had tears in her eyes, but she would not pick Emma up. She apologized to Emma for being a bad mother, but told her that she loved her very much.

Robin answered the doorbell to a very bubbly Maxie, who had just purchased fashionable baby clothes for Emma. She noticed Robin's tears, but got distracted by Emma. After Maxie finished feeding and changing Emma, she rambled on to Robin about all the reasons she was glad not to have the responsibility of child. Maxie was oblivious to Robin's discomfort as she went on and on about what a good mother Robin was.

Just as Maxie remembered Robin's earlier tears, Patrick came home. Robin thought he was checking up on her. She got even more waspish when Patrick assumed that, because of the impending storm, she would stay home with Emma instead of attending the party at GH. Robin left the room and Maxie followed.

In the living room, Patrick found a teddy bear with a torn arm that Robin had hidden behind a sofa pillow. In the bedroom, Maxie said that Patrick was just being a typical protective male and she thought it was great to see a rake like Patrick become a home-loving protective guy.

Robin was temporarily mollified, but when Patrick asked if Maxie intended to stay until the babysitter arrived, Robin went ballistic and asked Patrick if he thought that she needed a babysitter, also.

Lulu and Carly were chatting about a job for Johnny in the lobby of the Metro Court when Kate saw them. She chastised Lulu for being away from her desk when a critical call had come in. Lulu said she was on break. When Kate ordered Lulu back to work, Carly jumped in and defended Lulu by attacking Kate.

Carly said that Jax would not let Kate fire Lulu and promptly sent Lulu home for the day. Carly let all her antipathy out of Kate. She gloated about her renewed relationship with Jax and Kate's loss of Sonny.

Kate wanted to know why Carly hated her so much. Carly said that she would always hold Kate responsible for taking Michael to the warehouse where he was injured. As a parting shot, Carly was smug when she said that when Sonny married Claudia, Kate became irrelevant to Carly.

At a sleazy motel, an unknown man took delivery of a box from the hijacked Equinox truck. The box contained five round objects, each about the size of a bonbon. He paid the delivery person with a sack of cash.

After the deliveryman left, the unknown man phoned another party and said that the Equinox truck would never be found. He also said that he had a plan for getting the goods to the next stop. When he put down the phone, he picked up one of the round balls and a glass of water.

Anthony went to visit Sonny and overheard Sonny cancel the shipment that Anthony had ordered. Sonny told Anthony that it was because of the weather. Anthony told Sonny that he had come to warn him about Claudia, who could not be trusted and was an accomplished liar.

Sonny thanked Anthony for his concern, but told him that he did not believe anything that came our of Claudia's mouth.

Claudia called Trevor to see if Anthony had arrived home.

Lucky met Sam at the Metro Court bar because he was afraid that she would be mad that he had gone to see Jason. She said that she was not mad, but thought that Lucky would be upset because she went to see Liz. Lucky felt better knowing that she still cared, and so did Sam. They seemed to draw closer.

Lulu called Maxie and left a message. Lulu told Maxie that she had been sent home and someone needed to cover the phones at Crimson. After she hung up, Lulu noticed Johnny's tie on the sofa.

As Jason reached for the door to leave his apartment, Agent Rayner knocked on it. He demanded to know what progress Jason had made in locating the truck. Jason said he was working on it. Rayner wanted to know why the truck had not been found when it sported an Equinox logo and had been spotted on Route 87. He asked Jason what he was missing. Spinelli eavesdropped on the conversation, unbeknownst to Jason or Agent Rayner.

Sonny had just popped a DVD in the player when Claudia walked in and demanded that he stop. Sonny wanted to know why.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

by LoraLu

Patrick talked to Agent Rayner about his efforts to contain the virus. They hadn't realized the deadly virus was being spread throughout the hospital through the main vents.

Winnifred talked on the phone and said she didn't know if Lulu was in the ballroom or not, but she knew the younger Spencer was at the hospital.

Previously...

Lulu called Maxie and left a message for her sometime-friend about the situation with Carly and Kate. Lulu was pretty sure she had been fired and worried about Maxie's job. Since no one was in the office to answer the phones, all the calls were going straight to voicemail. Lulu said on the voicemail that it was imperative for Maxie to get back to the office to get to those calls.

Johnny walked into the apartment and found Lulu just having hung up the phone from leaving the message for Maxie. Johnny had a present for Lulu, but she asked how he could afford to get a present without having a job. Johnny asked if she had been checking up on him. Lulu explained how she had called Epiphany when Lulu realized Johnny had left his cell phone at home that day. Epiphany had revealed the truth. Lulu thought they were supposed to be honest with each other. Johnny tried explaining that his family was the reason why he couldn't get a job, but Lulu wasn't buying that excuse. Lulu had her own trials and tribulations, but she had still managed to find a job. Johnny grabbed the present and walked out the door, commenting that the gift was returnable.

When Johnny came back, he offered some money to Lulu for the rent. Lulu tried not to take the money and apologized for what she had said earlier. Johnny said she was right previously. Lulu wasn't worried, because Carly had offered both of them a job. Johnny didn't want to take anything from Carly due to her connections with Sonny. He said Lulu didn't know Sonny the way Johnny knew Sonny. Johnny was afraid that he couldn't be the man Lulu wanted him to be.

Sam and Lucky relaxed in the hot tub and started to kiss. Things started to progress until Lucky mistakenly called Sam by Liz's name. Suddenly, everything was off and both Sam and Lucky were getting out of the hot tub. After they were both dressed, Sam told Lucky that he had given her hope when everything was going badly in her life. Lucky said it sounded like she was saying goodbye. Sam felt that it was time to end their relationship while they could still remain friends. She opened the door and asked Lucky to leave, which he reluctantly did.

Once Lucky left, Sam called Jason and said she was leaving to meet a shipment for Anthony Zacchara. She wanted him to come looking for her if he hadn't heard from her by 2:00 the next morning. Meanwhile, Lucky talked on his cell phone outside the hospital about meeting an associate as Rebecca listened in and played with her phone.

Maxie watched as Robin lit into Patrick about how she didn't need a babysitter and was perfectly capable of taking care of her own child. Patrick sulked out of the house after the bashing from his wife, and Robin noticed the look Maxie was giving her. Maxie wasn't about to comment for fear her head would also be bitten off, but Robin tried to explain that Patrick was overreacting and was just sure that his wife had post-partum depression. Robin was overwhelmed but was not sick.

Patrick arrived back at the hospital just in time to defend Michael's charity to Matt, who felt it was a waste of time. Patrick quickly got down to business and pulled Liz aside. He explained his concerns about Robin and post-partum depression. Liz asked if Robin was reluctant to hold Emma, and Patrick felt that she was. Liz seemed to think that Patrick might have cause for concern.

Meanwhile, Robin went through books after dressing for the party. Emma cried in the other room, but Robin did her best to ignore the little girl. The phone rang and Robin was anxious to answer it. Judy, the babysitter, was calling to say she couldn't make it due to car trouble. Robin immediately called Patrick at the hospital, and Patrick offered to come home as soon as possible. That wasn't what Robin wanted to hear, and she hung up.

A trauma patient from an accident was wheeled into the emergency room, and Patrick started to get the information on the patient. Matt stopped him and said he would handle the case. Patrick had promised he would go home and be with his wife.

Spinelli overheard Agent Rayner talking to Jason about the shipment from Equinox that Jason was supposed to be finding. Jason wanted more information, but Agent Rayner wasn't giving any additional information out. Before the FBI agent left, he warned Jason that they needed information soon to save innocent lives and to keep Spinelli out of jail.

Once Agent Rayner was gone, Jason called Spinelli downstairs and chastised him for eavesdropping on the conversation. Spinelli was upset and insisted on being able to help, but Jason wasn't about to risk Spinelli's freedom again. As soon as Jason stormed out the door, Spinelli made a phone call and said he and the individual on the other end of the phone needed to meet right away.

Spinelli walked into the Metro Court and met Winnifred. She immediately started to apologize, but Spinelli didn't need an apology. He needed information. Winnifred offered to help as long as Spinelli promised not to tell a soul. Unfortunately, Maxie walked in and saw Winnifred and Spinelli together. That upset Maximista, so she left with tears in her eyes. She didn't realize that Winnifred was giving Spinelli vital information about the delivery Jason was trying to intercept.

Spinelli rushed back home to tell Jason what Winnifred had told him. Deadly poisons were on the truck that the federal agents were trying to obtain. Jason wanted Spinelli to go to Maxie's, but Spinelli refused. He would reveal the rest of the information from Winnifred only if Jason agreed that they would work together. Jason finally admitted defeat and said Spinelli would help him on the mission.

Claudia walked into the living room and found Sonny messing with the DVD player. She flipped out and grabbed the remote away from him, making an excuse that she needed his full attention. Claudia said she was worried about a relationship between Sonny and Kate, but Sonny assured her there was no relationship with Kate.

Sonny turned the DVD on and started freaking out, which upset Claudia even more. Sonny asked if she had messed with the audio, and Claudia realized Sonny was upset with the quality of the DVD that had recently been transferred from a VHS tape. She apologized and realized it was a special DVD that Sonny was trying to prepare to give to Carly that night at the benefit. Sonny admitted he wasn't looking forward to the night. He didn't want to be going back to the hospital where his son had a bullet removed from his brain, and he especially didn't want to schmooze with rich people. Sonny explained that Monica and Edward would be there. Those were two people who felt Sonny had stolen Michael away from them. Sonny hadn't realized that he couldn't protect his son, and it was evident that he still felt responsible for Michael's injury. Claudia offered to stay home if Sonny didn't want her going to the party with him that night. Sonny said it was okay. Claudia could go if she wanted. They went upstairs to get dressed.

Kate approached Olivia about her suspicions with Jerry and Claudia. She explained that she had gone to Sonny's house and seen Claudia under the bed looking for something. Olivia thought it was just harmless, but Kate didn't feel right about the situation. She wanted Olivia to warn Sonny, but Olivia wasn't about to get involved any further than she already was. Olivia thought Kate was just trying to manipulate Sonny by pulling him back and forth and teasing him into contacting her. Olivia wanted no part of it.

Kate arrived at Sonny's house just as Claudia and Sonny had gone upstairs. She looked around briefly and easily found a DVD that looked remarkably like the one she had seen Claudia put in her laptop that Jerry had appeared on. Kate grabbed the DVD and tried to make a quick escape, but Sonny came downstairs and asked what she was doing there.

Maxie, still upset from seeing Winnifred and Spinelli together, drove in the snowstorm with tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, she crashed into a snow bank and appeared unconscious.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

by Boone

Patrick continued his story about the General Hospital Operating Room disaster. He shed tears as he told Agent Rayner that he had been thinking about OR nurse Liz Weber and her two boys, when he should have been thinking about Robin and Emma.

Elsewhere, Winnifred told a higher-up that Spinelli did not belong on a list of criminals. She was fierce in his defense when she said that Spinelli belonged on a list of heroes, because he knew the danger he was facing when he entered GH, but he risked his life to save others, anyway.

One Hour Before Surgery - 6:00 p.m.

Spinelli was on the computer and Jason was on the phone with the biker gangbanger who had hijacked the Equinox truck. He told Jason that the guns and other weapons were still on the truck, but one small box had been delivered to a man in a motel room. He gave a description of the man to Jason.

Jason warned the hijacker to leave the truck, keys, and cargo where it was and get as far away from it as possible, then Jason hung up. Spinelli wanted to track down the missing box, but Jason said he would give the information to the Feds and his job was done.

When FBI Agent Rayner arrived, Jason told him the location of the truck, and gave a description of the man with the missing poison. Spinelli overheard Rayner demand more from Jason and threaten to question the hijackers personally. Jason responded that if Rayner did that, he might as well paint a target on Jason's back.

Rayner said that he would do everything possible to protect Jason as a source, but he demanded the name of the hijacker. When Jason was reluctant to give it to him, Rayner was vociferous when he told Jason that Jason could either give up the hijacker's name or Spinelli could rot in jail.

After Jason gave Rayner what he wanted, Rayner reiterated that Jason's help with the Equinox truck in no way changed their original deal. Jason was to get information on Anthony Zacchara that would allow the FBI to prosecute him. Rayner cautioned Jason to keep violence to a minimum, because the FBI wanted Anthony alive so that they could have a public trial.

After Rayner left, Spinelli revealed himself and said that he was honored by Jason's sacrifice on his behalf, but he was also distressed that Jason had to betray his code. Spinelli suggested that it might aid Jason's cause and give him some leverage if they located the buyer and found the missing shipment for the Feds.

Spinelli pointed out that even if all they did were get the information and give it to the Feds, they would succeed in thwarting the plans of an "evildoer." Jason agreed. They figured the weather would make flying difficult, so Spinelli started searching car rental records in the Port Charles area and cross-referencing renters with driver's licenses of those who fit the description of the buyer.

Nikolas visited Emily's tomb in the Quartermaine crypt. He stood in the snow and told her how much he still loved her. He said that everything reminded him of her and he still looked up expecting to see her. He mentioned his interest in Nadine, but said that he did not feel the same way about her as he still did about Emily.

At the Metro Court hotel, it was all business for Olivia, who impressed Carly with her organizational skills. Carly had just told Olivia how glad she was to have her as an employee, when Lulu stormed in. Olivia went back to work while Carly spoke with Lulu.

Lulu told Carly that she was upset because Johnny was blaming his problems on her. Carly said that Johnny's pride had been hurt and sometimes it was not possible to make things better for someone else.

Sonny caught Kate as she was leaving his house. He wanted to know why she was there. She said that she had come to tell him that she would not attend Carly's benefit, though she would give a generous donation, because she still had too many memories of that horrific event, which she had come to see as the death knell for their relationship.

Sonny wondered aloud if someone besides the dead shooter had been involved. He said that if someone else had been involved, he would make that person pay if they were ever found out. Claudia, who had been eavesdropping at the top of the stairs, interrupted and joined them.

Before leaving, Kate told Sonny that, even if he did make someone pay for Michael's injury, it would not change anything. Sonny said yes it would, because he would finally get justice for his little boy. Outside in the snow, after she left Sonny, Kate pulled a DVD from her pocket that bore Jerry's distinctive logo.

Inside, Claudia assumed that Kate had told Sonny about finding Claudia in his bedroom earlier in the day. He said that Kate had not told, but Claudia just had. Claudia said she was just curious, but Sonny did not buy it. He told her to stay out of his bedroom unless she was invited. Claudia said okay. Despite the raging snowstorm, they left for the benefit together.

Sam was brought into the emergency room with a sprained wrist. Another driver hit her car, which skidded off the road. While Liz took her vitals, Sam said that the other driver was in much worse condition because his car had plowed into a pole.

Patrick was ready to do surgery on the driver whose car hit Sam's, but Matt told him to go home to Robin and Emma because he could handle the problem. The patient started moaning in pain. His abdomen was distended. As Matt and Patrick felt for the problem, Epiphany told Patrick that the man's name was Earl Bragg. He was the man who had hit Sam and also the man who took delivery of the missing Equinox shipment.

As Bragg's pain worsened, Matt was ready to open him up, but Patrick wanted to wait for the x-rays. Patrick moved on to another patient while Matt stayed with Bragg.

Patrick's next patient was Sam. He treated her sprain and said the other guy had serious internal injuries and would probably need surgery. He asked Liz to assist.

Sam said she was not surprised because he was driving much too fast for the blizzard conditions. Liz left to prep for surgery. Sam asked after Robin and Emma. Patrick spoke of his love for both, but Sam recognized the worry beneath his words.

Patrick ordered tests for Sam and she shared her experience after a c-section. She told Patrick that no matter how depressed and upset she had been, the one thing that got her through was that Jason was always there for her and gave her his boundless love. She told Patrick that if he could do that for Robin, she was sure that all the problems would work themselves out. Patrick said thank you.

At Crimson, Kate played Jerry's DVD and was stunned when Jerry sardonically complimented Claudia on her successful quest to hide her involvement in Michael's shooting. Kate listened intently as Jerry detailed Claudia's participation. He told how she had hired Ian Devlin to kill Sonny. He acknowledged that she did not intend harm toward Michael, but he insisted that she was responsible nonetheless.

After a taunting comment about Sonny's vindictiveness, he said that the next clue could be the gateway to her peace of mind. Then Jerry ended the recording.

Carly and Jax talked in the hotel lobby. She feared that the storm would spoil attendance at the benefit, but he said it was a worthy cause and the roads were still open. Carly was disappointed when she learned that Jax had to arrive late, but she understood that he had to help his mother, who was grieving for Jerry.

Bragg's condition worsened. He recognized that something was wrong and begged Leyla and Matt to get "it" out.

Nikolas pressed the elevator button at GH, but all he could think about was Emily and he flashed back to the first time that he realized he loved her. His reverie was interrupted when the elevator doors opened and Nadine was waiting for him. He was not very responsive when she hugged him and told him how glad she was to see him.

Carly greeted Claudia and Sonny, who were the first to arrive for the benefit. Claudia offered to leave if Carly would prefer, but Carly said it was a worthy cause and Claudia was welcome.

Edward arrived and grumbled that it was too bad that Carly and Sonny had not grown consciences before Michael was shot.

Bragg's condition went critical while Monica was checking on him. Matt wanted to operate. She agreed that they could not wait for the x-rays. She told Matt that she would meet him in OR because two surgeons might be needed.

As Monica walked away, Patrick walked in. Matt said they had to do surgery. Patrick said he would take over, but Matt told him to go home because Matt could handle it and, besides, Monica was assisting. Patrick reluctantly agreed.

At the hotel, Jax told Olivia to go to the benefit and let Carly know that he had to fly to Hong Kong to help his mother. He told Olivia to help Carly in any way she could, because it was going to be a very difficult evening for Carly.

Elsewhere in the lobby, Kate asked Lulu if she still wanted her job. When Lulu tried to apologize for taking orders from Carly instead of Kate, Kate said that Lulu could redeem herself by going to the benefit with Kate and running interference with Carly and Claudia, so that Kate could speak to Sonny alone.

Nikolas and Nadine arrived at the benefit and Edward immediately started flirting with Nadine. Sonny complimented Carly, and Nikolas chatted with Claudia.

Spinelli located three men who had rented cars in Port Charles, one of whom, Earl Bragg, had been transported to GH after an accident.

Patrick was in the Emergency Room when Earl Bragg's x-rays were delivered. He had just spotted the contents of Earl's abdomen when Epiphany answered a call inquiring about Earl Bragg. Patrick grabbed the receiver, identified himself and wanted to know why the caller was asking about Earl Bragg. Seconds later he said, "Poison. Yes, I know where that is."

Patrick hung up, told Epiphany to call OR and stop them from operating. Then he rushed off to OR. Epiphany dialed rapidly, but no one in the operating room noticed the flashing phone light.

Monica, Matt, Liz, and Leyla had Earl prepped when the blood arrived. Patrick took the stairs as Matt made the first incision. Jason and Spinelli rushed to GH. In her new home, Robin became increasingly tense as Emma cried forlornly. While making a call outside the GH boardroom, Nikolas spotted Rebecca Shaw, an Emily look-alike. Carly lost some of her smile when Kate arrived for the benefit. Johnny found Maxie after her car accident.

Patrick reached the OR as Matt opened Earl Bragg. Before Patrick could warn them about the danger, blood splattered the surgical team. Then Leyla, Matt, Monica, and Liz crumpled to the floor.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

by Elisabeth

While Patrick banged on the observation window, hoping to stop the surgery, pandemonium broke out in the Operating Room. As the doctors and nurses collapsed, Patrick was powerless to do anything but watch. Liz made it to the door and tried to get out. She was overcome before she could do more than open the door a crack. Patrick rushed to the nearest phone to call for help. When he spotted Sam, he asked her why no one had gotten through to the doctors in the OR. Sam said that Epiphany had tried, but she had been unsuccessful. While Patrick reached for the phone, Sam started to go to the aid of those who were trapped in the OR. Patrick stopped her. He reminded her that she was just as susceptible the poison in the room as everyone else.

Jason was in his car, racing to the hospital, while he updated Agent Rayner about what he had discovered. Jason told Rayner that a man named Earl Bragg had been taken to the hospital after a car crash. Jason was positive that Bragg was the man that Rayner was looking for. Jason went on to tell him that when he called Patrick to tell him that his patient could be carrying poison, Patrick had yelled for someone to call the OR to stop the surgery. Rayner was stunned. He realized that if they opened Bragg up, the poison could become airborne and kill everyone.

At home, Robin was on the phone with the pediatrics department at General Hospital. Robin wanted them to send over a nurse to watch Emma while Robin went to the benefit function at the hospital. To Robin's frustration no one was available to accommodate her demands. Robin ended the call then threw a vase across the room while Emma cried inconsolably. Robin ignored Emma's cries as she focused on cleaning up the mess that she had made. When Emma stopped crying, Robin tried to convince herself that her daughter was fine. She decided to check Emma but couldn't bring herself to pick her baby up.

Johnny found Maxie, unconscious, in her car on the side of the road. He scooped her up then carried her to a nearby abandoned garage. By the time he deposited Maxie on the sofa, she was alert. Johnny explained that he had found her after Maxie had nearly crashed into him. Maxie refused to believe that she might have been responsible for the near accident. She accused Johnny of driving recklessly and running her off the road. Johnny ignored Maxie's accusation to focus on discovering what had upset Maxie. With some prodding, Maxie admitted that she had been hurt after she had seen Spinelli and Winnifred huddled together at the Metro Court trading secrets in their special language. Johnny chuckled and accused Maxie of being jealous. Maxie denied it and deftly changed the subject to Johnny's driving. She quickly guessed that he had been driving erratically because Lulu had discovered that Johnny had lied.

To Johnny's annoyance, Maxie psychoanalyzed Lulu's behavior. Maxie thought that Lulu couldn't get past the legend of her parents, Luke and Laura. Maxie was convinced that Lulu had unreasonable expectations of romance, which prompted Lulu to turn her relationship with Johnny into a saga similar to Luke and Laura's. Maxie didn't think that Johnny could live up to the pressure that Lulu put on him. Johnny thanked Maxie for her insight, but insisted that he did not need it.

Later, Johnny returned to the front of the garage with two bottles of beer that he had found in the back. Maxie accepted the offer of one bottle then tried to steer the conversation back to Johnny's relationship with Lulu. Johnny refused to discuss it further, so Maxie switched gears. She thanked him for saving her life.

Anthony Zacchara was furious when he arrived at the benefit gala and spotted Ric. He demanded to know how Claudia had learned that Anthony wasn't paralyzed, that he had shot Kate on her wedding day, and the details of his plans to pit Jason and Sonny against each other. Ric was visibly nervous, but pretended that he had no idea how Claudia came by the information. Anthony didn't buy Ric's lie. He demanded to know whom Ric had talked to and what they knew. Tracy's timely arrival spared Ric from having to answer Anthony's uncomfortable questions.

Tracy was disgusted when she saw Anthony at the benefit. Tracy wanted Anthony take his dirty money and leave. Anthony declined.

At the hospital, Nikolas was shocked when he looked up, while on the phone, and saw Rebecca Shaw. Thinking it was Emily, Nikolas ended the call so that he could catch up to Rebecca. His efforts proved futile. Rebecca managed to give him the slip, seemingly unaware that he was following her.

When Nikolas joined Nadine a short time later, she asked him where he had been. Nikolas told her only part of the truth. He left seeing Emily's doppelganger out of his explanation. Unfortunately, the incident continued to haunt him. When he noticed someone wearing the same exact outfit as the woman he had seen earlier, Nikolas stared long enough for Nadine to notice. Nikolas was relieved when Nadine asked if he knew the woman. He realized that she wasn't a figment of his imagination. Nikolas excused himself, then approached the woman. It turned out to be someone other than Rebecca.

Later, Nikolas returned to where he had seen Rebecca. With Lulu's help, he set up the same situation. He wanted to make certain that he had seen the woman clearly. He quickly confirmed that he had an unobstructed view of her so he had not been mistaken by her appearance. Lulu was concerned. She demanded to know what Nikolas was doing. Nikolas reluctantly told her that he had seen someone who looked like Emily but had lost track of her. Lulu was worried that Nikolas' tumor had returned. Nikolas was also concerned. While Lulu hugged her brother, Rebecca appeared around a corner. She was on her cell phone, but her eyes were glued to Nikolas and Lulu. Neither sibling noticed her.

At Carly's request, Olivia approached her cousin and tried to reason with Kate to leave the fundraiser. She explained that the benefit was in Michael's honor and that seeing Kate upset Carly. Kate wasn't moved. She insisted that she needed to speak with Sonny; it was a matter of life or death. The more Olivia pleaded with Kate to leave, the harder Kate dug her heels in. Things turned ugly quickly. Kate wanted to know why Olivia was in Port Charles. She pointed out that for years Olivia had berated Kate for leaving Bensonhurst, yet Olivia had done the very same thing the first opportunity that she had. She asked Olivia why she continued to stay in Port Charles since Kate's wedding to Sonny had been called off. Olivia told Kate that she cared about her and had stayed because Kate had been shot. Kate didn't believe her cousin. Kate suspected that the real reason Olivia remained in Port Charles was because of Sonny. She told Olivia not to worry, because she didn't have any plans to tell Sonny about Dante-yet. Lulu's timely arrival gave Kate an opportunity to walk away from Olivia.

Olivia apologized to Carly for failing to persuade Kate to leave. She explained that Kate had no idea what it was like to have a child and therefore couldn't understand Carly's pain at seeing the woman she felt was responsible for her son's condition. Carly understood and appreciated Olivia's efforts on her behalf. While Kate stood nearby listening, Carly told Olivia that she refused to let Kate ruin her night.

Claudia was flabbergasted that Kate had the audacity to attend the benefit gala. When she asked Sonny why Kate was there, Sonny admitted that he didn't know. He suspected that perhaps Kate wanted to speak with him.

When Carly saw Anthony being wheeled into the event, Sonny offered to have Anthony escorted out. Carly said that if she could handle Ric and Kate being present, she could put up with Anthony, as well. Before she walked away, Carly made it clear to Anthony that she expected him to make a substantial donation.

As soon as Jason arrived at the hospital, he tried to get answers from Epiphany. Unfortunately, Epiphany had no idea what was going on. She told Jason that she had tried to call the OR but had not been able to reach anyone. Jason told Epiphany to expect a call from the FBI then dashed off to the OR.

When Jason caught up to Patrick, Patrick filled him in on what had happened after he had last spoken to Jason. Jason called Rayner then handed the phone to Patrick so that he could update the agent on what had happened. Rayner told Patrick that it was imperative that no one left the OR. The toxin was airborne and could contaminate anyone who came into contact with it.

Spinelli arrived at the hospital shortly afterwards. Jason instructed him to find out where the air ducts from the OR led. While Spinelli worked on that, Patrick donned a biohazard suit so that he could enter the OR. The first person he found was Liz. He picked her up, carried her out and gently laid her down on a gurney. Jason was rattled when he saw Liz's unconscious body. A quick check confirmed that she was alive but in critical condition. Medical personnel rushed her off to the Intensive Care Unit.

Patrick returned to the OR for the next victim, Matt. Matt refused to be rescued before the others. Jason received a second blow when Patrick carried Monica out. She was in the same condition as Liz. Other than the patient, Earl Bragg, the only other casualty was Andy Archer, the anesthesiologist.

Later, Jason, Sam, and Spinelli gathered in the hospital's lobby. Sam offered to help while Jason checked Liz and Monica, but Jason declined. He didn't think that he could help them by standing at their bedside. Patrick soon joined them bearing grim news. Only one sphere, out of five, of biotoxin, had been found inside Earl Bragg's body. The x-ray had clearly shown that there had been five just before the surgery. When Rayner learned about the four missing spheres, he ordered Patrick to return to the OR to find them.

Meanwhile, Spinelli had dire news. It seemed that one of the air ducts in the OR led to the room where the benefit was being held.

Kate tried to talk to Sonny but she had difficulty speaking. Before Sonny realized that something was wrong, Kate collapsed.

In the OR, the machines continued to hiss while one of the instrument panels displayed unstable readings.

Friday, January 30, 2009

by LoraLu

A strange man went behind the bar at the Haunted Star and started to grab hoards of money. Luke grabbed his shotgun and surprised the would-be robber. The man asked Luke if he was a gambling man. He thought Luke should get a towel before he fired the shotgun, and he explained to Luke that death was messy. Luke put the shotgun down after the robber put the money back on top of the bar. The two men started to talk about the storm and the gambling business until the robber took a brazen move and said Luke needed a bartender. Luke said he liked Naked Nymphs, which brought a smile and a chuckle from the would-be robber. Luke explained that a Naked Nymph was a drink, and he was testing the man by asking him to pour one for Luke to drink.

Luke tested the young man with various different drinks, and through the process, learned that the man's name was Ethan and he was from Australia. Ethan asked who Luke was, and Luke replied with his full name. Luke thought Ethan already knew who he was, though. Ethan assured him that he had no idea who Luke was besides the owner of the gambling establishment. Luke continued to drink but started getting sleeping and couldn't stop yawning. It wasn't long before Luke collapsed, and it was obvious Ethan had drugged Luke. He had just finished telling Ethan to recognize opportunity when it knocked, and Ethan couldn't agree more. Ethan started to pack up the money again, but Luke was smarter than Ethan anticipated. He was soon up on his feet with the gun aimed at Ethan, saying they were right back where they had started.

Patrick, Jason, and Spinelli told Agent Rayner that the dangerous toxins were being transmitted through vents into the boardroom where a charity event was taking place. Agent Rayner insisted they seal off the boardroom and not allow anyone in or out.

Patrick handed the phone back to Spinelli, and the FBI agent told the computer genius that Spinelli would need to hack into the hospital's mainframe to shut down the ventilation system. Although Spinelli was doing as he was told, he wouldn't admit what he was doing to Agent Rayner. Sam overheard Agent Rayner on speakerphone tell Spinelli that if he wouldn't cooperate, people would die. Sam grabbed the phone from Spinelli and explained that no one wanted to admit anything that could be used against them later on. Agent Rayner assured them that he wasn't concerned with prosecution at that time. Sam wanted to know exactly what they were dealing with, so the FBI agent explained that the toxin was a poison and not a virus. It wasn't contagious from person to person, but breathing even a little bit could be fatal.

Meanwhile, Kate collapsed in the boardroom after trying to speak with Sonny. Claudia immediately thought Kate was faking it, but Nadine examined the sick patient and realized Kate was in respiratory distress. Carly tried to call for help, but couldn't get anyone on the phone. When she couldn't get the doors open to go get help, she realized the doors were locked. Jason stood on the other side of the doors and told Carly that a bio-toxin had been released into the air and everyone was being quarantined. Everyone, even Carly, was concerned about Kate. Jason said they would get all of them out as quickly as possible, and he assured them he would get medical help for Kate as soon as he could. Trevor was frantic and tried to help Kate, but there was little he could do to help his former lover.

Before too long, Jason had arranged for a medic in a biohazard suit to come rescue Kate so medical professionals could treat her. Only Kate would be carried out, though, and everyone else had to remain in the boardroom. After Kate was gone, the rest of the group quickly found makeshift coverings for the vents to try to prevent any further toxins from entering the boardroom. Sonny was mad at Claudia for thinking Kate was faking her illness. As the agitation increased, Anthony started laughing and asked everyone if they would have ever thought the people around them would be the people they would die with.

In the boardroom, everyone tried not to panic and tried to make the best of the situation. Tracy was worried about her father, but Edward could only concentrate on her bad grammar. Trevor, meanwhile, started to panic and beat on the door. He threatened to sue everyone involved with keeping them in a toxic boardroom. Trevor continued to get more and more agitated, and Anthony seemed to enjoy Trevor's distress. Suddenly, Trevor collapsed and the group started banging on the door yelling for more help. Once a medical team evacuated Trevor, Sonny tried to reassure Carly that she would be okay. Claudia wasn't happy about their conversation, regardless of what was said. She went over to Sonny once he was alone and said she had something important to tell him. Sonny realized Claudia knew who shot Kate, but before Claudia could reveal anything, she also collapsed.

Patrick realized he needed to get into the operating room and shut off the vents so the toxins wouldn't spread any further. Sam tried to convince him to allow her to do it, and she reminded him that he had a family at home that needed him. Patrick was determined to shut off the vents himself, though. He put the biohazard suit back on and entered the quarantined operating room, quickly covering up the vents. He approached the patient and started looking around inside the wound to try to find the toxic balls. Once his task was complete, Patrick went back to the waiting area and called Agent Rayner to tell him he found all the toxic balls. One had been cut open from the surgery, but the others were severely compromised from the patient's stomach acid. It would be up to the FBI to retrieve them without endangering more lives.

Unaware of the toxic situation, Lulu reminded Nikolas that he had surgery to remove the tumor that had caused him to see Emily's ghost. There was no way he would have seen Emily. Nikolas didn't need that reminder, but he didn't have any other explanation as to why he had seen someone resembling Emily in the corridors earlier. Lulu and Nikolas walked around the corner and saw Spinelli and Sam in the waiting area. They revealed to the brother and sister duo the news about the deadly toxin that had been released. It had spread to the boardroom where the charity event was taking place. Lulu and Nikolas realized the full extent of what was happening, and they immediately rushed off towards the boardroom.

Nikolas and Lulu discovered the boardroom had been quarantined and there was nothing they could do to help the hostages. They went back to the waiting area and discussed the situation with Sam, Spinelli, and Patrick. Lulu's chief concern was that the toxin had been released at some extent into the main hospital before it was contained in the operating room. The FBI wanted to keep things quiet, so they were making no formal announcement. They all seemed to think that putting the entire hospital under quarantine would be the safest bet, though. Suddenly, Patrick looked over and saw a nurse collapse. Epiphany walked over and asked what was going on in her hospital. The team caught her up to speed while Patrick called and spoke with Agent Rayner. The entire hospital needed to be quarantined, and finally the FBI agreed with that decision. Jason rushed to the doors to lock everyone in as Patrick made the announcement. It wasn't long before Epiphany was at the door, trying to reassure patients and get them back in their beds.

Nikolas saw Jason coming from the boardroom area and asked for a status update. Nikolas learned that Kate had been evacuated, so he wanted Jason to pull some strings and get Nadine out of the boardroom. Jason said they were doing the best they could do. Nikolas started to freak out until Jason slammed him up against the wall and asked what was going on. Nikolas admitted he had left Nadine in the ballroom so he could chase a fantasy. Jason asked if the fantasy had anything to do with Emily, and Nikolas admitted that it did. He didn't feel like going into it then, though.

Unknown to everyone at the hospital, someone had entered the quarantined operating room and was trying to obtain the dangerous toxic balls from the deceased patient, Earl Braggs.

Robin tried to give Emma her bottle, but the little girl wasn't interested in eating. Robin told her daughter she didn't want to pick her up, because Emma would just cry anyway. Robin spoke out loud and said she felt like Emma knew that her mother didn't know what she was doing.

Robin was saved when she heard the doorbell ring. Mac was there to check on Robin and the new house. For some reason, Robin thought that was endearing coming from her Uncle Mac and not insulting as she felt with Patrick. Emma started to cry, and Robin told her uncle that the little girl was just getting up. Mac asked if he could get some baby time, and Robin was thrilled to have Mac there to take care of Emma. It wasn't long before Emma had taken her bottle and gone back to sleep. Mac realized there was something wrong with his niece and asked what was going on.

Robin said she was upset because her babysitter had backed out at the last moment, so Robin wasn't able to go to the benefit for Michael Corinthos. Robin asked if her uncle would mind staying and watching Emma so Robin could go to the benefit. Mac said he would love to help out, but he didn't want Robin going out due to the dangerous, snowy night. There was too much risk going out in a blizzard like that. Robin assured him her van was safe and equipped for their weather. Mac finally agreed to watch Emma, but just as Robin buttoned her coat to leave, Mac's phone rang. It was Agent Rayner with the FBI. Mac had to get to the station as quickly as possible. Robin thanked Mac for his efforts to babysit Emma but said she understood he couldn't stay. Once Mac rushed off, Robin sighed and realized it was just her and Emma again.