An unfamiliar chauffeur stood waiting beside an idling limousine. He was not the same driver who'd met her at the airport. At Jessica's approach, he opened the rear door. "Good evening, Miss Griffin," he said with a slight accent. "Mrs. Lucinda Walsh has called with instructions to transport you to your accommodations for the night."

Jessica shook her head and hung up her phone. She should have known that Lucinda would have taken care of the situation. For all her flaws, Jessica knew Lucinda to be a conscientious - if sometime overbearing - friend.

The chauffeur climbed behind the wheel and pulled away from the police station.

"Where are we going?"

"Wyndemere. It is a very luxurious dwelling, I assure you, Miss."

As the vehicle stopped for a red light, the driver looked back over his shoulder and said, "If I may say so, I do believe you will be impressed."

Alexis sat sprawled in a chair, boneless with fatigue. She desperately wanted another drink, but couldn't muster the enthusiasm to rise and fix it.

'I am tired of this,' Alexis thought. 'When will all the games stop?'

She was worried about Nikolas. As quickly as he had broken down, he'd pulled himself together. At least that was the facade he tried to present to her.

After Nikolas' plaintive question about Stefan's actions he pulled away from his aunt's embrace, his face averted as he wiped away the evidence of his sorrow. From that point on, no reassurance on Alexis' part was able to penetrate the wall Nikolas had erected.

With a slight groan, she rose from her chair to go and check again on her nephew. The last time Nikolas' soft snores could be heard through the darkness of the room. If he was still asleep, she would leave him in Mrs. Landsbury's very capable care and begin negotiations for Stefan's release.

Not that he deserved any consideration from her. Alexis would be well within her rights to let him rot awhile in the Port Charles jail. But when all was said and done, Stefan was her brother. For that reason alone she would help.

As Alexis reached the doorway, she came to an abrupt stop in order not to collide with someone entering the room. Looking up, she stared into a familiar pair of cool green eyes.

"Hello, Alexis."

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