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Mike and Carrie Saga Eric needed to talk to Mike alone so he convinced Carrie to ride over to the hospital with Marlena. They sped off down the driveway while Eric waited outside for Mike. He ran his hand down the cool metal surface of the '57 Corvette. Not a scratch. Not a dent. Just pure perfection. Such a nice piece of machinery, and Eric imagined one day having a similar vehicle. But right now that dream was out of his reach. He wiped a small bit of dirt from his hands as Mike walked out of the mansion with a black doctor's case in his grasp. "Sorry about the wait. I just wanted to check on Roman one last time before we left." Mike threw the bag onto the floor board of the car and climbed in. The engine roared to life, and he turned to his young friend. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Mike tried to appear sincere about the question, but he was afraid Eric was going to bring up his relationship with Carrie. And he wasn't quite ready to broach such a delicate subject yet. Mike was very surprised by what Eric really had on his mind. "What do you know about Dr. Barnes?" Eric said it so calmly that at first Mike thought he had heard a completely different question. When the true question registered in his mind, Mike's eyebrows shot up and head tilted to the right in contemplation. "Actually," said Mike. "Not that much. We never worked the same hours and he kept pretty much to himself. Why do you ask?" They drove down the dusty country road. The town of Salem only miles away. "Because I think he's working for Stefano DiMera." "Excuse me?" Mike managed to choke out the words as he uncontrollably coughed. The name of Stefano caught in his throat. What could Dr. Robert Barnes have to do with Stefano DiMera, questioned Mike silently to himself. Before he could think much more on the subject of Eric's question, his beeper droned it's annoying high-pitched squeal. The number on the digital read-out was Wiley's secret code for an emergency. What else was new? To him, everything was an emergency. Mike pulled the car to the side of the road and made a quick call to the hospital. He had learned over the years not to call the administrator's cellular phone, because the man was so cheap, he never turned it on unless placing a call. God forbid, he'd have to charge up the battery once in awhile like the rest of the world. The number he punched into the tiny lit display was to the fifth floor nurses' station. It seemed to be Wiley's favorite place to confront unsuspecting victims, and Mike wasn't surprised when Wiley's nasal voice sneered at him through the phone line. "Dr. Horton. This had better be you." Mike could just see him standing next to the nurses' station in his usual black jacket that was a little too worn around the edges to be considered professional, and a tie straight out of the eighties. Wiley lived in the past so Mike wasn't surprised by his choice of wardrobe either. He was a regular fashion faux-paux. "Wiley," Mike dead panned. He looked over at Eric and smiled. Then pulled the Corvette back onto the road. "Who's that?" Eric silently mouthed. Mike put the phone to his chest. Wiley was only screaming and answering Eric's question would kill time until the administrator decided to get to the point of the conversation. "It's the hospital's administrator. He's the most annoying person I know." Mike had never felt comfortable enough to tell anyone of his secret dislike of Wiley Thompson before. It wasn't very Horton-like to hate your neighbor, but it was very difficult not to dislike Wiley. He took annoying to a new level. Mike was glad Eric was back in Salem. It gave him another trusting male to talk to. He pulled the phone back to his ear and listened for a moment before disrupting Wiley's tirade. "What's the disaster this time?" Mike could imagine the steam coming out of his ears. "You think you're funny, doctor?" Wiley's voice edged an octave higher. "I'm not in the mood for funny." "Wiley, you're never in the mood for funny." Mike wheeled his car into the hospital parking area and slid into his usual spot under a shady tree near admitting. "Never mind that, get your butt back here, pronto! I want you to be here when the inspectors arrive." Mike and Eric strode through the automatic sliding doors. He was still gripping the phone to his ear. The reception became a bit muffled in the elevator but cleared up once the doors opened to the fifth floor. Mike could hear Wiley scream at him in stereo. Once from the phone and once from the echo down the hallway. "And I have yet to see that new MIS person I hired. I'm making it your personal responsibility..." Wiley's voice trailed off as he turned to find Mike standing right behind him. Mike smiled and clicked his cellular phone shut right in front of Wiley's line of vision. The small man's head jerked back reacting to the loud snap. "You said pronto." Mike said, shrugging his shoulders. Wiley sneered and frowned at the same time. Then when he saw Eric, marched over, looked him up and down and reached for his ear. He gave it a good tug. "What do you think you've been doing, young man?" Eric yelped and instinctively grabbed the man's pinky and yanked it backward as far as he could. Wiley immediately released Eric from his death grip and let out the funniest girly yell either one of them had ever heard. They both tried hard not to laugh. And even Dr. Harris began snickering as he came upon the scene. Harry consciously stifled his laughter. "Was that really necessary, Wiley?" said Harry in his most authoritative doctor voice. Dr. Harris had appeared in time to see Wiley try to intimidate Eric. Who was he kidding? Wiley Thompson couldn't intimidate a baby much less a grown adult. Although, he tried with great regularity. He rambled on ignoring Harry's comment about his odd behavior toward Eric. "There will be one inspection team. Harry takes them first half of the day, Mike the second." Before either of them could protest their sudden appointment to such an arduous task, Jamie walked by on her way to a patient's room. Wiley pulled her aside. "Take him around and show him what to do?" Wiley pointed to Eric. Jamie stared blankly at him. Eric was the last person she wanted to see much less show around. But this job was important to her, so she swallowed her pride and agreed. "Yes, Mr. Thompson," said Jamie in a less than convincing tone. Wiley gave her what he considered to be the evil eye but it looked more like indigestion. Jamie was glad when Wiley Thompson stomped over to the elevators and disappeared behind the sliding silver doors. Mike curiously looked from Eric to Jamie. There was definitely unspoken tension between the two. Jamie rubbed her head, complained of a sudden headache and went off in search of some aspirin. Mike and Harry threw questioning glances at each other displaying their mutual confusion. "What was that all about?" they both said in unison. Eric looked at them, shrugged and rubbed his tender ear. "He hired me to be the hospital's new MIS person. I guess with all that's happened with dad- a new job was the last thing on my mind." Mike slyly smiled. He wasn't getting out of it that easily. "No, I meant between you and Jamie. I didn't know you two knew each other." Harry pulled back his sleeve and noted the time. "I'd love to stay and hear the end of the story, but I have an appointment-" He looked at his watch more closely. "And I'm late." Dr. Harris left to keep his appointment while Mike threw his arm around Eric's shoulder. "You probably want to see your sister." Eric nodded. "We can talk about Jamie on the way." Eric glanced up and Mike could tell he was not in the mood for such a conversation. __________ Angela sat in Dr. Harris' outer office flipping through an outdated issue of Time Magazine. One leg was daintily crossed over the other and her foot tapped in mid-air to an unspoken melody. She had her head down in the magazine when Dr. Harris walked in. Harry glanced from Angela to his secretary. "Did my appointment show up yet?" Harry whispered. The secretary pointed to Angela in answer to his question and returned to her paperwork until Harry placed his hand atop the stack of manila envelopes she was filing. "My appointment was with an Angela somebody. Not with Hope." Harry watched Angela as she turned the page and continued reading. "That IS her. That's your appointment." Angela registered that they were talking about her and approached them. She extended her hand to Dr. Harris. "Angela Walters. It's a pleasure." Harry tried not to appear as shocked as he felt. The woman in front of him so greatly resembled Hope, it was scary. He accepted the handshake and led her into his office. Harry tried to compose himself, but seeing her and knowing he wasn't looking at Hope, made it a difficult task. But even in his shock, he immediately recognized the name. "What can I do for you Miss Walters? Are you planning on writing a medical thriller? We at University Hospital would be happy to provide you a look into a true medical environment." Angela fidgeted in her seat. She never made a public statement that she'd gone into retirement but it always felt awkward explaining it to people. "No. Actually, I don't write novels any longer." Angela could tell Dr. Harris was surprised by that. It surprised many people since her last book was still on the New York Times' Best Sellers List. "I'm here about an article I'm writing for Bella Magazine." Harry listened as Angela explained what she was doing in Salem. It wasn't surprising that Kate Roberts had hired her. He had read many of her books and enjoyed them immensely. She told him of Bella's article on Hot Docs and that Mike was the first doctor they would be interviewing in a series of world renowned physicians. Harry sat back. It never ceased to amaze him how often people came to him wanting to interview Mike Horton. Mike was either too busy or not interested in a puff piece on his personal life. It would be a miracle if this woman could convince Mike to do an interview with her. Angela noticed Dr. Harris' skeptical attitude, but he didn't know her very well. Mike had once told her that she could talk anyone out of anything. And she was counting on that talent to see her through this interview. "I hope it's not a problem. Interviewing Mike, I mean. Mr. Thompson assured me that Dr. Horton would encourage such an interview. He said it would bring the status of University Hospital into the national spotlight." Harry had to laugh. It sounded exactly like something Wiley Thompson would say. Wiley had virtually volunteered him as a human guinea pig. But he had to agree that this guinea pig had an immense talent, not to mention he had followed in his grandfather's illustrious footsteps. Mike wasn't going to like this. ___________ Mike and Eric walked into the room to find Marlena and Carrie standing behind a white drapery. Occasionally, one of them would peer around the curtain and then quickly pull their head back before either Sami or Austin could notice them. Mike was relieved to see Sami has regained consciousness. Carrie pulled Eric and Mike back into the hallway while Marlena stayed planted in the spot she stood. "Is something wrong with Sami?" Eric asked, his concern mounting. "No, she seems to be fine. It's Austin. He's been acting rather odd." "You have to remember- he too had a head injury. He's probably only a little confused and worrying about Sami doesn't make it any better. I'm sure he'll be back to his old self by morning." Mike tried to reassure Carrie but her concern for Austin hit him in the gut. She was a caring woman and would always hold a special feeling in her heart for Austin. But that knowledge didn't lessen the pain it caused. "How odd is odd?" asked Eric. He watched Sami and how close she appeared to be with Austin. "My sister is in a very fragile state right now. She's just recovered from paralysis and still has partial amnesia." Even though we all think she's faking it, thought Eric to himself. "I don't want to see her hurt by Austin's phoney concern." "We're talking very odd. Eric, Austin says he's in love with Sami." Mike and Eric looked to each other then back to Carrie. Austin now stood behind her hovering like a lost boy. His facial expression became hard and callous when he saw Carrie in front of him. "What are you doing here, Carrie? Don't you get it? Why don't you leave us alone? I'll never love you. Sami and Will make my life complete. And there is no room in it for you." With that, he turned on his heel and strode back to Sami's side. "What was that?" Eric was dumfounded. That knock on the head must have been harder than the doctors thought. Mike and Carrie were still speechless. Mike was the first to return to his senses. "That was probably the most bizarre thing I've ever seen." Mike rubbed his head. He had never heard of a case of reverse memory. If he didn't know better, Austin was acting like Carrie had Sami's personality and vice versa. This could be one for the record books. copyright © 1998, w3PG, inc |