Victor tells Brady he knows who took Tate
While pacing the floor of the prison cell he shared with Clyde, Orpheus complained about the smug people of Salem, starting with Roman Brady. "The man shot and killed my wife and could still act like I owed him an apology," Orpheus grumbled. Clyde informed Orpheus that Roman hadn't changed a bit over the years. "I've waited twenty years to wipe that smug grin off his face, and now he's just down the road," Orpheus mused. He added that if he ever got the chance, he'd first take out Roman as a way of avenging Rebecca's death then take out Marlena and John as an encore.
Later, Clyde ran into Xander in the common room and wondered where he'd been hiding lately. Xander explained that he wasn't as sociable as Clyde and sometimes needed time to himself to think about things. "[Like] what you're gonna do when you get out of here?" Clyde guessed. Xander confirmed that he had been thinking about how satisfying it would be to get back at "those little bitches" Nicole Walker and Theresa Donovan. "They are going to get what they deserve," he vowed. As Clyde started to point out that it would be hard for Xander to get revenge from behind prison walls, Orpheus arrived and announced that the transport van was waiting outside.
Theresa ran into Kate in the Horton Town Square and started lashing out at her for something. Assuming that Theresa had learned the truth about Tate's abduction, Kate started to stress that what she had done hadn't been personal, but Theresa interrupted and spat, "Not personal? You called me unreliable and said I had to go back to the drawing board!"
Confused, Kate wondered what Theresa was talking about. "You blabbed to Haute Couture Monthly that D.J. Wear didn't launch because my designs weren't ready!" Theresa reminded Kate. Theresa couldn't believe that Kate had taken advantage of the real reason for the delay -- Tate's abduction -- to spread lies about her. Kate tried to feign innocence, but Theresa told her not to bother. As Theresa turned her attention to Tate, who had just started fussing, Kate said she was glad that he was back where he belonged. Meanwhile, Theresa received a phone call about a problem with one of her designs.
Kate took advantage of the distraction to quietly greet Tate, wondering if he remembered her. With a smile that failed to hide her regret, Kate silently recalled how she had assured Tate, weeks earlier, that he would be in good hands while away from his parents and would be back with them soon enough. Kate had also tried to assure herself that what she was putting Tate's parents through wasn't as bad as what Curtis had put her through because she wasn't planning to make them think that Tate was dead, but she had soon admitted to Tate, "That's [a] really pathetic [excuse]. I hate that I'm doing this. I hate it. But I hate Victor and Deimos more."
When Theresa ended her phone conversation, she was surprised to see that Tate had stopped fussing while Kate had been talking to him. "He's not comfortable around strangers anymore, so why is he all right with you, of all people?" Theresa wondered. "Well, what can I say? Babies and puppies love me," Kate coolly replied. Kate walked away after adding that she hoped Theresa, Brady, and Tate would have a happy life together. Theresa knelt beside Tate and asked if "the Wicked Witch" had scared him. "Well, she is right about one thing -- we are going to be very, very happy together," Theresa promised Tate.
Victor contacted Brady and asked him to head over to the hospital so they could talk about Tate's abduction. When Brady arrived, he wondered if Victor was finally ready to confess. "Oh, for God's sake, Brady, I did not kidnap your son -- and I can prove it," Victor insisted. Victor blamed the crime on Titus Drew, claiming that Titus had secretly been harboring a long-standing grudge against him and Deimos and had abducted Tate in an effort to pit them against each other. "I confronted him, and he admitted to everything," Victor continued.
"Out of nowhere?" Brady skeptically asked. Victor vaguely clarified that Titus had been encouraged to talk, and Brady took that to mean that one of Victor's goons had forced a confession out of Titus. "I had him dead to rights. He's a low-level punk; there's no way he could have pulled off this sham after we got onto him," Victor insisted. Still not convinced, Brady demanded to see Titus. Victor took Brady to the morgue and explained, as they stood in front of a covered body, that his goon had been forced to kill Titus after Titus had pulled a gun during the confrontation.
Later, Victor filled Roman in on what had happened. Brady still thought it was pretty convenient that Titus had been killed after confessing only to Victor and one of Victor's goons, but Roman revealed that he could actually tie Titus to the Chopin organization as well as the known accomplice in Tate's abduction, Lauren Cartwright. "[That] would have been enough to convict him without the confession," Roman added. Roman left after asking Victor to visit the police station as soon as possible so someone could record his official statement.
Brady regretted that he had been willing to believe the worst about Victor, but Victor assured him that his skepticism had been understandable, given the circumstances. "Let's move on. And if you need some ways to show that you're still having remorse, I'll help you out there -- you can start with some visits to my great-grandson," Victor added. Brady agreed and gave Victor a warm embrace.
"Did I miss something?" Theresa asked as she stepped out of the nearby elevator. Brady pulled away from Victor and filled Theresa in on what had happened. Theresa apologized for doubting Victor and thanked him for figuring out the true identity of Tate's abductor. Victor stressed that he would do anything for family. When Brady asked about Tate, Theresa explained that the boy was at home with his nanny, who had told her where to find Brady. Victor noted that it felt like it had been ages since he had last seen Tate.
"Well, you could see him tomorrow -- at the wedding," Theresa suggested, surprising Victor. Theresa reasoned that his presence would mean a lot to Brady -- and, after all, he was family. Victor said he would be happy to attend the wedding -- as long as Brady and Theresa agreed to have it at the Kiriakis mansion. Confused, Theresa pointed out that the place no longer belonged to Victor.
"Eh, it's all in the family. Deimos has asked Maggie and me to move back in. He's agreed that we can hold the wedding there, and he'll even disappear for the day," Victor explained, adding that he had taken the liberty of planning ahead in anticipation of his reconciliation with Brady. "That house needs a good wedding every few years," Victor continued. Theresa deferred to Brady, who happily accepted Victor's offer.
Later, Victor went to the Martin mansion to assure Kate that everyone had bought their cover story. Kate guessed that Victor had killed Titus to provide the police with a body. Looking somewhat irritated about the accusation, Victor clarified, "I paid off one of the technicians at the morgue. He used a body that's been in a very bad accident. Titus is on his way overseas -- permanently."
Kate complained that Victor had left a loose end, but he was confident that Titus would never return to Salem. "What about Lauren?" Kate asked. Victor said Lauren had agreed to back up the cover story in exchange for generous compensation and a forgiving judge to oversee her case. "All's well that ends well," Kate cheerfully concluded. Victor warned that he didn't intend to just forgive and forget, but Kate wasn't worried, countering that she could do just as much damage to him and Deimos as they could do to her.
Claire rushed off so Belle could talk to Shawn privately, but before exiting her grandparents' townhouse, she advised Shawn, "Don't blow up. Just [listen]." Belle told Shawn about the job opportunity in Hong Kong, and when he got upset with her for making such a huge decision without bothering to discuss it with him first, she clarified that she had tried to call him earlier and had even gone to the police station in search of him. "I want your blessing. I mean, as great as this is, my family does come first," she stressed.
Shawn softened and wondered when Belle was planning to leave. "Soon," she replied. Shawn assumed that Claire was planning to accompany Belle to Hong Kong, but Belle clarified that Claire was too concerned about her music career. Belle added, however, that she had at least managed to convince Claire to attend Salem University while pursuing that dream. Impressed, Shawn admitted, "You've got skills, Belle." When he started to add that it was good to know that he'd still have plenty of time to spend with Claire, Belle interrupted and admitted that she had been hoping he would agree to move to Hong Kong with her.
Belle pointed out that Shawn would have plenty of career opportunities in Hong Kong, and she added that he had been complaining about his job at the Salem Police Department lately, anyway. "Listen, I know this is bad timing, and it's really fast, and it's really hard to move just to support me..." she continued before letting her voice trail off. Shawn acknowledged that Belle had moved to Maine years earlier to support him. Belle insisted that she didn't want Shawn to feel obligated to her because of that, and he assured her that he didn't. He added, however, that he was proud of Belle and wanted to support her.
"But why?" Shawn asked, struggling to understand Belle's motivation for accepting a job that was such a great distance away from Salem. Belle explained that she wanted to be part of Chad's attempt to finally turn the DiMera legacy into a positive thing, especially given everything the DiMeras had put her family and Shawn's family through over the years. "I mean, it feels like why I went to law school -- to be ready for right now, this moment," she continued. Shawn absorbed the weight of her statement as she took a phone call from Chad.
After a quick conversation, Belle ended the call and explained to Shawn that Chad needed someone to leave for Hong Kong that night to broker an important deal there. "You just say the word, Shawn, and it's off," she stressed, but after a moment of hesitation, Shawn encouraged her to call Chad back and accept the job. Belle hugged Shawn and happily assured him that moving to Hong Kong would be an amazing new start for them.
"I'm not -- I'm not coming with you, Belle," Shawn sadly clarified. Belle protested that she didn't want to go without Shawn, but he insisted that he didn't want her to stay in Salem just for his sake. "I won't let us end over this," Belle tearfully maintained. Shawn assured Belle that they weren't ending. "Come on, it's one year, right? It's a year. We've been through much worse -- for much longer," he reasoned.
Later, Belle met with John and Marlena at Club TBD to let them know that she had decided to move to Hong Kong for a year or so to help Chad clean up DiMera Enterprises. "That's gonna take longer than a year," John warned. Belle countered that the Hong Kong portion of the process might not take longer than that. Belle asked John and Marlena to look after Claire, and they assured her that they would.
After Belle left, John and Marlena stared sadly at their glasses of Champagne, struggling to think of something worth celebrating. Pointing out that Brady was living his dreams, Marlena raised her glass and suggested, "To Brady and Theresa." John wasn't quite ready to toast to Theresa yet, but he conceded that she made Brady happy and was trying to be a good mother. Accepting John's response, Marlena changed the subject, suggesting that she and John could instead toast to their impending nuptials. John teased that he had a surprise or two in store for the event, but he refused to elaborate.
After learning that Shawn had decided not to accompany Belle to Hong Kong, Claire tracked him down in the town square and tried to change his mind, pointing out that he and Belle had always loved going on adventures together. Later, Claire went back to John and Marlena's townhouse to drive Belle to the airport. While Claire was carrying Belle's luggage out to the car, Shawn arrived with some luggage of his own and asked Belle, "Are you ready for an adventure?" Elated, Belle rushed over to Shawn and happily wrapped her arms around him.
Gabi ran into Paul in the town square and decided to grab a drink with him before picking up Arianna, who was with Sonny at that time. "Isn't it great to have him back?" Gabi not-so-subtly asked Paul, who laughed and evasively replied that he would always consider Sonny a friend. Changing the subject, Paul asked about the many shopping bags Gabi had with her. After telling Paul about her new job, Gabi wondered how his was going. Paul reported that he liked spending time with John. Nodding, Gabi sadly admitted that she missed Eduardo, who wouldn't be returning to Salem until he was sure that doing so wouldn't put his family in danger.
As the transport van took Clyde, Orpheus, and Xander down the highway, the guard who was sitting across from them suddenly punched a fourth prisoner then put him in a chokehold. "Just to be clear, you will never threaten my family again!" the guard -- Eduardo -- whispered to the prisoner while tightening his grip. Orpheus seized the opportunity to grab the driver from behind, sending the vehicle crashing into the woods.
When Eduardo regained consciousness a short time later, his victim's lifeless body was lying next to him on the floor of the van, but Clyde, Orpheus, and Xander were gone.
At Club TBD, Chloe asked Philip about when he had kissed her during her song. With a shrug, Philip said he had enjoyed kissing Chloe. Philip kissed Chloe again. Chloe told Philip that she was confused because, until recently, he had been in love with Belle. Chloe added that she was afraid that Philip was moving too fast. Philip swore that he would keep Chloe's secret. As Philip started to leave, he went to kiss Chloe again, and she turned her head so that he would kiss her cheek.
At the hospital, John stopped by to pick up Marlena from work. When Marlena commented that John looked nervous, John shook his head no. John said he was stunned when he thought about what a difference a year had made in his life. As John threw his arm around Marlena and they turned to leave, they walked past a website article on a nearby computer about the prison escape. Neither saw the photo of Orpheus on the screen.
In the town square, Nicole met up with Deimos before the wedding. Nicole and Deimos talked about the prison escape. Acting tough, Nicole said she was not scared. Deimos said he had once visited Xander in prison, and he described Xander as deadly. Shaking her head, Nicole said she did not believe that Xander would return to Salem. Nicole changed the subject to the wedding, and she thanked Deimos for allowing Brady and Theresa to hold their wedding at the Kiriakis mansion. With a sly smile, Deimos thanked Nicole for helping him and Victor solve the kidnapping case.
Across the square, Chloe walked into view. When Deimos tensed at the sight of Chloe, Nicole turned around. Smiling, Nicole greeted her friend. Noting the shopping bags, Nicole asked Chloe what she had purchased. When Chloe admitted that she had gone to a sale for baby clothes, Deimos growled that Chloe should not purchase clothes for his child off of the sales rack. Nicole asked Deimos to leave her alone with Chloe, and Deimos said goodbye.
Once alone, Nicole apologized to Chloe for mentioning the shopping bags. Nicole added that if Chloe chose to remain in Salem, she would not be able to avoid Deimos. Chloe complained that Philip refused to leave town. Nicole urged Chloe to push Philip harder to leave.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady told Victor and Maggie that he was overwhelmed with emotion. Brady thanked Maggie and Victor for setting up the wedding at the mansion. With a smile, Maggie told Brady that she was happy he had reconciled with Victor. Brady agreed.
Outside the mansion, Sonny hesitated on the front porch and stared at the door. Paul approached and said hello. As Sonny smiled sadly, Paul asked Sonny if it was difficult to attend a wedding at the Kiriakis mansion. Sonny admitted that since the last wedding he had attended at the mansion had been his own wedding to Will, he was emotional. Sonny added that Will was always on his mind, so that day would not be any different. Shaking off his melancholy, Sonny told Paul that he was glad Paul was there.
In the town square, Chloe ran into Deimos. Nervous, Chloe asked Deimos if he was lurking around, stalking her. Deimos assured Chloe that he did not want to have an antagonistic relationship with her. Deimos said that he could not leave Chloe alone if she was carrying his child. Shaking her head, Chloe said that Deimos had lied to her from the start, and she could not trust him.
Deimos swore that he had changed. With a sad smile, Deimos said he was optimistic about the future. Deimos then apologized to Chloe for hurting her in the past but added that he resented that Chloe was shutting him out. Unfazed, Chloe wished Deimos the best and told him that she hoped he had changed for good.
At the police station, Roman and Abe talked about the prison escapees. Roman had confirmed that Xander and Clyde were two of the escapees, but he had not heard about the third inmate yet. While Roman watched the governor's speech on the television, another police officer printed out a photo of the third escapee, Orpheus. When Roman returned to the bullpen, the officer informed Roman that the third inmate was named Milo Harp. With a raised eyebrow, Roman sat down at the computer to look up Milo in the system. Before Roman could see the results, Abe told Roman that Xander and Clyde had been arrested in Missouri.
At Theresa's apartment, Eve helped Theresa don her wedding dress. Eve gushed over how beautiful Theresa looked in her gown. As Theresa wiped away happy tears, Eve's face fell. Eve chastised herself for forgetting to follow traditions in Caroline's absence. Theresa assured Eve that Brady was all the luck she needed, but Eve dug through her purse to complete her mission. Eve announced that she was the something old, then she handed Theresa a blue eyeglass case and murmured that it would be her something borrowed and blue. Eve then handed Theresa a new lipstick, and hugged her baby sister.
Theresa exclaimed how happy she was to share the day with her sister. Eve said she was proud of how much Theresa had changed and cleaned up her life. With a sigh, Theresa admitted that she was disappointed that her family from California had not been able to attend the wedding, but Eve reminded her that until the night before, Theresa and Brady had planned a five-minute quickie wedding at the courthouse. Smiling, Theresa told Eve that Eve was the only family she needed.
Nicole arrived and attempted to fix Theresa's makeup. When Nicole and Eve bickered about Theresa's eye shadow, Theresa laughed and told them to stop fighting. Nicole mentioned the prison escape, and Theresa said she knew that Xander was on the loose. Nicole promised that Roman would take down Xander if he turned up anywhere near the wedding. Theresa's phone buzzed with a text message.
Elated, Theresa told Nicole and Eve that Xander had been captured. With a melodramatic sigh, Nicole said she was relieved that she no longer had to pretend that she was not frightened. As the bridal party started to leave, Theresa accidentally spilled diet soda on the front of her dress. Eve fished in her purse for a stain stick, but Theresa encouraged Eve and Nicole to head over to the mansion. Theresa promised to clean up the stain then meet them at the mansion.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady and Victor talked about the prison break. Brady explained that he had been receiving updates on his phone. Brady noted that the last report was that the escapees had been headed west. With a growl, Victor promised to deal with Xander if he showed his face on the property. Brady thanked Victor for being supportive of his wedding.
Brady asked if Victor could accept Theresa. With a furrowed brow, Victor admitted that his opinion of Theresa remained unchanged. Brady asked Victor to make an effort. With a nod, Victor promised to do his best to tolerate and keep an open mind about Theresa.
John was thrilled to see both his sons in the Kiriakis mansion. Shaking his head, Brady said he was amazed to see John standing in front of him after John had almost died the year before. John noted that he had said the same thing to Marlena.
When Philip arrived at the wedding, Brady rushed to greet him. Philip wished Brady well. Brady alluded to Belle's move, but Philip had not heard the news. Brady told Philip that Belle had moved to Hong Kong with Shawn. Clearing his throat, Philip said he had moved on and was with Chloe. When Philip announced that he and Chloe were expecting a child, Victor interrupted to remark that it was typical of Philip to get Chloe pregnant.
Brady asked Victor to get along with Philip for the wedding. Though Philip agreed, Victor said that he could not forgive Philip's betrayal. Philip argued that since Victor could put his thirty-year feud with Deimos behind him, he should be able to forgive his son. Victor refused, noting that Philip's treachery was worse because he was Victor's only son. With a nod, Philip wished Brady happiness, and he left. John interrupted to inform Victor that the police had arrested Xander and Clyde.
At the police station, Abe informed Roman that the search for the inmates had expanded to three counties. Confused, Roman made a call and confirmed that Xander and Clyde were still on the loose. The inmates that had been picked up by police were from another escape in Missouri. Roman retrieved the file on Milo Harp, and he was stunned to see the picture. Roman announced that the name of the third inmate was Orpheus.
At the Kiriakis mansion, a worried Eve went outside to look for Theresa. As the guests milled about the living room, there was a blood-curdling scream from Eve. Victor opened the living room doors and found Orpheus with one arm around Eve's neck and the other arm holding a gun to her head. Across the room, Marlena gasped and said, "Orpheus."
After cleaning the stain off her dress, a distracted Theresa did not hear Xander break into her apartment. As Theresa turned to look at herself in the mirror, she noticed a picture of her and Brady on the mantel. Theresa smiled at the photo as she picked it up. From the corner of her eye, Theresa spotted Xander, and she dropped the photo on the ground.
Xander taunted Theresa, informing her that Brady wouldn't be rushing to her aid because he had his own problem to deal with at the Kiriakis mansion. Xander proceeded to lash out at Theresa for telling a lie that had gotten him sent to prison, and although she tried to dodge the blame at first, she eventually admitted that what she had done had been selfish and stupid.
"For what it's worth, I didn't think that you would go to prison," Theresa stressed. Xander explained that he had Victor to thank for that, and he vowed to make him pay, too. "But not until I'm done with you," Xander added, clenching his fists as he advanced toward the cornered Theresa. Fearfully warning that Xander would just get more prison time if he hurt her, Theresa tried to convince him to instead flee the country, even offering to give him plenty of money to do so. "The only thing I want is to watch you die," Xander replied as he wrapped a hand around Theresa's neck.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Orpheus kept his gun aimed at Eve's head, warning that he would put a bullet through her brain if anyone tried to advance toward him. When Brady demanded to know where Theresa was, Orpheus revealed that she was with a friend of his -- Xander. Brady fretted that Xander would surely kill Theresa. "Well, I can't have all the fun myself, can I?" Orpheus replied.
John wondered how Orpheus, who had been presumed dead years earlier, had wound up in a nearby prison without any of his past victims realizing that he was still alive. "Well, you weren't looking for Milo Harp," Orpheus explained. Orpheus told Maggie, Sonny, and Nicole to leave, but Maggie refused. As Eve struggled to free herself from Orpheus' grip, Paul urged him to release her, pointing out that she was a lousy bargaining chip. "Take me instead," Paul suggested. Sonny tried to protest as Orpheus wondered why Paul would make a better hostage. "Because I'm John's son," Paul explained.
"Sorry, I don't see the resemblance," Orpheus skeptically replied, eyeing John and Marlena. Paul clarified that Marlena wasn't his mother. "Well, you've been busier than I thought, John," Orpheus observed. John suggested that he and Orpheus could go grab a beer somewhere and catch up. Orpheus sarcastically agreed then ordered everyone to leave except John, Marlena, Victor, and Paul. Shoving Eve aside, Orpheus took Paul and pointed the gun at his head, warning everyone that it was a semiautomatic weapon and could therefore take them all out in a flash.
John told Sonny to let the police know what was going on. "Fast. [Orpheus is] a marksman," John added. As Sonny reluctantly exited the mansion, Brady asked Nicole to look after Tate then rushed off in search of Theresa. Eve left with Nicole and Tate, and the priest also made a hasty retreat from the mansion. Maggie refused to leave without Victor. "You definitely married down, lady," Orpheus told her.
Theresa kneed Xander in the groin and tried to flee the townhouse. Xander quickly recovered and started to chase after her, but he turned and ran the other way when Brady arrived. After making sure that Theresa was okay, Brady rushed off in pursuit of Xander. When Brady returned a short time later, Theresa was telling a police officer about what had happened. Brady reported that Xander had escaped through a bedroom window and had managed to lose him. The police officer assured Brady that Xander wouldn't be able to get very far.
Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor impatiently asked for Orpheus' terms. Orpheus insisted that there was no need to hurry things along, but Marlena disagreed, warning that the police would be arriving shortly. "If you value your freedom --" she began to add. "You care about my freedom? That is so sweet," Orpheus sarcastically replied. He added that he only needed one hostage to get out of the mansion alive, even if the police showed up first -- but he definitely wasn't going to choose Marlena, who was still just as pompous and defiant as she had always been.
"Look, I don't like kidnapping now any more than I did in Stockholm. You separated me from my family then," Marlena reminded Orpheus. "Your husband [Roman] stole mine! A wife for a wife -- it was only fair," Orpheus countered. He admitted, however, that he could understand why Marlena still held a grudge against him. Marlena protested that she hadn't said anything about holding a grudge.
"Oh, you forgave me?" Orpheus asked skeptically. John spat that no one had forgiven Orpheus for anything, prompting Orpheus to counter that he wasn't the one in need of forgiveness. "You shot me [and] left me for dead!" he reminded John. Marlena wondered how Orpheus had managed to survive that fateful encounter with John. "Sheer force of will. I tried to start over; [in fact], I did, as Milo Harp," Orpheus explained.
"And yet you still ended up in prison," Marlena mused. Resenting the implication, Orpheus told Marlena to shut up. John wondered where Orpheus had gone after their last encounter. "You want to chat?" Orpheus asked incredulously. "Don't you? Come on -- it's got to be a good story. I mean, you won; you survived. Don't you want to gloat?" John reasoned. Orpheus insisted that he wasn't interested in sharing his story with John and the others. "There's only one thing I want," Orpheus continued, prompting John to ask for his price.
"My price? I want you to watch, as I did, when the people you love die one by one -- starting with him," Orpheus replied, pressing the barrel of the gun against Paul's head. Victor warned that if Orpheus left a pile of corpses behind at the mansion, he would be hunted for the rest of his life. John knew that Orpheus wouldn't walk out of the mansion without something, so Victor offered to provide him with enough cash to evade the police -- and fill a bank account in the Cayman Islands with enough money to keep him satisfied for the rest of his life.
"You'd do that? For me? For someone who screwed you over [in the past]?" Orpheus asked skeptically. Victor insisted that the past didn't matter, prompting Orpheus to disapprovingly observe that love and old age had mellowed him. "At least I've got my priorities straight," Victor countered. John urged Orpheus to take the deal, but Orpheus suspected that there had to be some sort of catch. Victor said that Orpheus could complete the transaction himself using a computer in an adjacent room. "You remember how to make money untraceable, don't you?" Victor guessed.
Orpheus confirmed that he hadn't lost any of his old skills. He insisted, however, that Victor couldn't just offer him a bribe and expect that to be enough to convince him to let everyone go. Victor argued that Orpheus didn't really want to kill anyone. "If you wanted us dead, you'd have come through the door firing. You're bluffing," Victor reasoned, prompting Orpheus to shove Paul aside and aim the gun at Victor.
Maggie screamed and sprang from her wheelchair, shielding Victor while telling Orpheus that he would have to kill her first in order to get to her husband. "She's healed!" Orpheus dramatically observed, but as Maggie collapsed back into her wheelchair, he teasingly added, "Oops, maybe not." Victor told Maggie he was thrilled with the signs of progress she had just shown. "Now, don't do it again," he added.
The sound of approaching sirens prompted John to urge Orpheus to take him as a hostage and let everyone else go. Marlena tried to protest, and Orpheus sarcastically observed that the protectiveness of the wives was kind of sweet, in a smug sort of way. Marlena urged Orpheus to take Victor's earlier deal and leave before the police arrived. "No! You need to die! You need to die -- all of you. All of you need to die -- slowly. You need to suffer," Orpheus insisted, turning his aim from person to person as he spoke.
As John, Marlena, and Victor tried to change Orpheus' mind, with Marlena reasoning that living well was the best revenge of all, Paul took advantage of Orpheus' momentary hesitation to lunge forward and try to take him down. The gun went off in the ensuing struggle, and the bullet hit John, who had made a sudden move to try to help Paul. Orpheus punched Paul then ran off without the gun, which Paul had managed to wrench from Orpheus' grip. Paul went to check on John, who insisted that he was fine then told Paul to go after Orpheus.
Marlena tended to the gunshot wound in John's upper left arm, which wasn't particularly serious. As the police started securing the area, Paul returned and reported that Orpheus had managed to scale a wall and escape. "Maybe he'll just keep on running," Marlena hoped. She suggested that Victor might have been right about Orpheus' reluctance to kill people, but John doubted that Orpheus had spared everyone out of the goodness of his heart. "He wants a slow torture, and he's not going anywhere until he achieves that," John guessed.
At the police station, Abe assured Eve, Nicole, Sonny, and Philip -- who had heard about what had happened at the Kiriakis mansion -- that Theresa was fine, as were the people Orpheus had held hostage. Sonny contacted Brady and filled him in on what had happened to John. Brady was relieved to hear that John was going to be fine. Theresa fretted that Xander and Orpheus were still out there somewhere, ready to wreak more havoc, but Brady assured her that they would be caught -- and that nothing was going to stop their wedding a second time.
When Theresa called Nicole to check on Tate and Eve, Eve couldn't resist taking the opportunity to urge Theresa to reconsider marrying into the Kiriakis family. Nicole quickly intervened, snatching her phone out of Eve's hand and ending the call after reassuring Theresa that Xander would be apprehended soon. Later, Eve apologized to Nicole, who said she understood. "But do you really feel that way about the Kiriakises?" Nicole wondered. "Yeah, I do. Don't you? I mean, has that old man ever treated you decently?" Eve replied.
Nicole admitted that Victor had -- but only for a few minutes, back when she had been married to him. "And yes, there is some shady stuff that follows that man around. But you can't blame the whole family. I mean, Justin -- he's a good man, and Brady's great. Deimos...well, he's a work in progress," Nicole continued. Eve was shocked that Nicole had once been married to Victor. "How did I not know that?" Eve wondered. "Uh, I wish I didn't know that, actually. You know, I wish I could just press the 'select all, delete' button on that entire period of my life," Nicole admitted with a laugh.
Eve mused that she and Nicole definitely should have hung out more back when they had both been living in the same town. Having bonded earlier over their recent losses, the women agreed to keep in touch after Eve returned to New York. Nicole said she could use a martini, and Eve agreed, so they decided to get Tate home to his parents then go somewhere for drinks. While following Eve out of the police station, Nicole spotted one of Xander's mug shots and tensed as she recalled what he had put her through the previous year.
When Abe arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, he assured a worried Maggie that Orpheus would be caught before he could cause any more harm. Meanwhile, Philip wordlessly approached Victor and embraced him. Victor thanked Philip for rushing over to check on him and Maggie. "Of course I did," Philip replied. Victor asked about Brady and Theresa, and Philip explained that they were fine -- but Xander had managed to escape.
Sonny joined Paul and praised his earlier display of heroism. "[But] now [Orpheus is] gonna be gunning for you, too," Sonny warned. Meanwhile, Abe ended a phone conversation with Roman, who was at the prison, and filled John in on how the search for all three escaped convicts was going. John was sure that Orpheus would be able to avoid capture, even if the other two failed to do so.
After Abe went to ask one of the police officers to drive John to the hospital for medical attention, John tried to assure Marlena that everything was going to be okay. "Is it? You know, Orpheus won't stop until he gets what he wants -- and what he wants...is us," Marlena worriedly replied.
At Shady Hills, Aiden announced, during a meeting with one of the administrators, that he planned to transfer Chase to Portland, where they had lived before moving to Salem, and place him back in the care of his old therapist. The administrator tried to object, but Aiden said he didn't need the man's approval because a judge had already signed off on the idea.
"Do not fight me on this, because if you do, I will exercise every legal option I have to make your life a living hell," Aiden added with a smile. The administrator wondered if Aiden had even bothered to consider how Chase would feel about the move. In response, Aiden asked for a moment alone with Chase. After the administrator left the office, Chase confirmed that he would love to leave Shady Hills, and he would definitely feel more comfortable with his old therapist. "But...I just can't help but think that you're trying to get rid of me," he added, knowing that Aiden planned to stay behind in Salem.
"Do you think sending me away is gonna help you win back Hope?" Chase asked. Aiden insisted that he wasn't trying to get rid of Chase; in fact, he planned to join Chase in Portland within the next month or so -- along with Hope. Chase doubted that Hope would ever forgive Aiden for the many lies he had told her during their time together, but Aiden cryptically assured Chase, "She won't have a choice."
Chase wanted to know what that was supposed to mean, so Aiden elaborated that he had learned something about Hope that she would prefer to keep secret. "What, so you're gonna blackmail her into being with you?" Chase asked incredulously. Aiden innocently replied that he planned to spend some time alone with Hope, and he was confident that during that time, she would realize that she still loved him and wanted to be with him. Chase doubted that Hope would ever agree to move away from Ciara, but Aiden clarified that Ciara would be accompanying her to Portland. "I know how to make it happen," Aiden added with a wicked grin.
At the police station, the search for the escaped convicts continued. Hope mused that Orpheus and Xander's willingness to take hostages had proven that they weren't concerned about keeping a low profile. "Or maybe they're just not very smart," J.J. suggested. Hope assured J.J. that Orpheus was very smart -- and had a lot of scores to settle in Salem.
When Abe asked about Clyde, Hope reported that he was supposedly on his way to Poplar Bluff. Rafe added that Jordan hadn't heard from Clyde and hoped to keep it that way. Abe warned that Rafe, Hope, and J.J. needed to stay on high alert, just in case, because they had all played a part in taking Clyde down the previous year. Abe added that there were other individuals in Salem who were walking around with targets on their backs due to previous encounters with Clyde, Xander, or Orpheus, and protecting them needed to be the Salem Police Department's top priority. As if on cue, Rafe received a call from a frantic Kate.
When Rafe and Hope arrived at the town square a short time later, Kate explained that she had spotted Clyde earlier. Rafe and Hope were skeptical because they had gotten many other reports of sightings from concerned citizens since the news about the escaped convicts had first gone public, and each one had turned out to be a false alarm. They assured Kate, however, that she could safely return home because a security team had already checked the Martin mansion for signs of Clyde. "Mall security? You outsourced the search to rent-a-cops? Really? Well, we're all gonna rest easy knowing that," Kate sarcastically replied.
"If it was Clyde who was after you, and he came here to harm you in any way --" Rafe began to point out. "What, I wouldn't be here right now? Is that what you're saying? Or are you saying that, actually, I would deserve whatever happens to me 'cause I'm the one who brought him to Salem?" Kate asked defensively. Rafe clarified that he actually believed that Kate had already been punished enough for that mistake because, after all, she had dated Clyde for a while. Rafe told Kate to feel free to make another call to the police if anything else happened. "Oh, yeah, I'll call you -- if I'm still alive," Kate replied.
In an effort to ease Kate's mind, Hope offered to escort her back to the Martin mansion. Rafe tagged along, and after he and Hope checked the place, Kate wondered, "So, that's it, right? Just lock everything up and call you if I'm about to get murdered? I don't rate very high on that priority scale, do I?" Rafe and Hope told Kate that they were taking her concerns seriously but had very limited resources and weren't even sure that Clyde was actually in Salem at that moment. Kate insisted that she had seen Clyde with her own two eyes, but Rafe pointed out that she had admitted earlier that she hadn't gotten a good look at the man she had spotted.
Hope recalled that Julie had mentioned that Andre was living with Kate at the Martin mansion. "That's bound to keep any mortal away," Rafe joked, but Kate wasn't amused, and she explained with a sigh that Andre wasn't around. Rafe offered to have a squad car stationed outside the mansion to keep an eye on things, but Kate irritably rejected the offer, insisting, "I'll get my own security here. I don't think I would trust yours, anyway." With the matter settled, Hope and Rafe excused themselves so they could get back to the search. Hope urged Kate to stay safe. "Oh, I will...no thanks to you," Kate replied.
Later, Hope realized, while passing through the town square with Rafe, that Aiden probably needed to be warned about Clyde's escape, since he had been instrumental in getting the charges against Clyde to stick the previous year due to his knowledge of additional crimes Clyde had committed in Florida. Rafe insisted that Hope didn't need to be the one to handle that task. Relieved, Hope thanked Rafe, who quickly changed the subject, wondering if Aiden had said anything else about reopening Stefano's murder case. "No. I'm not sure if I should feel relieved about [that] or really nervous," Hope replied.
Joey, Theo, Claire, and Ciara went to Club TBD for coffee at the end of their first day of college classes. Each teen seemed unimpressed -- especially Claire, who insisted that she wasn't going to attend another class. "Good luck with that," Joey muttered. He soon conceded, however, that Claire's plan could actually work, since one of the cool things about college was that no one ever took attendance.
Ciara pointed out that passing classes was still mandatory, even if attending them wasn't, but Claire argued that her parents were in Hong Kong and would never know the difference. "I mean, I know I promised, but really, like, I'm taking biology. Why? I want to be a singer, not a brain surgeon," Claire continued. Joey joked that everything about Claire screamed "brain surgeon" to him, but Theo supportively countered that Claire could be whatever she wanted to be, including a brain surgeon. Claire thanked Theo and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and Ciara pursed her lips as she watched.
Later, Joey opened a textbook and started highlighting everything on one of the pages. Ciara teasingly agreed that doing so would make studying much easier. "Hey, don't you have somewhere better to be, like playing patty-cake with a baby?" Joey countered. Ciara clarified that she was no longer Thomas' nanny. Surprised, Joey said he had been under the impression that Ciara had loved that job. Ciara didn't bother to respond, so Claire changed the subject, wondering why Joey wasn't with Jade. Joey explained that Jade had been forced to go out of town with her parents to take care of her ill grandmother.
When Claire went back to complaining about her college classes, none of which appealed to her, Ciara got fed up and started doing things on her cell phone. Ciara soon set the device aside and announced that she had pulled some strings to get Claire into a music class. Claire assumed that Ciara had hacked into the enrollment system, but Ciara clarified that she had simply convinced a friend to drop the class, creating an available slot for Claire. In exchange, Claire promised to put real effort into college for a whole month before making a final decision about skipping classes.
Meanwhile, Joey checked Claire's YouTube channel and announced that people were going crazy over the new stuff she had uploaded. As everyone leaned in to check out what Joey was looking at, Abe arrived to pick up Theo. "This is why I need a driver's license," Theo quietly muttered before greeting Abe, who wondered how the teens' first day of college had gone.
"Good. Better than good, actually," Theo reported. Abe was happy to hear that but quickly changed the subject, insisting that the teens needed to return to their respective homes right away because it was too dangerous for them to be out after dark. The teens were confused until Joey checked a newsfeed and saw the headlines about the escaped convicts and the recent hostage situations.
Claire was relieved to hear that the injury John had sustained hadn't been particularly serious. However, she wasn't interested in returning home yet. "My grandparents' Wi-Fi sucks," she explained. The other teens agreed to let Abe give them a ride, and he reluctantly left Claire behind after making her promise to return home within the next hour. Once she was alone, Claire began taking pictures of herself for her followers.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad received an unexpected visit from Gabi, who had plenty of things for him to try on. As Chad reluctantly began to unbutton his shirt so he could try on a new one he wasn't quite sold on yet, Gabi stole a few quick glances at his naked upper body. "[Not] quite what it was when we were modeling, but it'll do," Chad joked. Gabi seized the opportunity to apologize for the lengths she had gone to back then to get Chad's attention, and she admitted that she was grateful that he hadn't gone straight to the police after figuring out what she had done, because if he had, she would have been arrested, and Arianna never would have been conceived.
Later, as Gabi was helping Chad put on a tie, J.J. arrived and wondered what was going on. Gabi explained that Chad had hired her to be his image consultant. J.J. was surprised that Gabi hadn't said anything about her new job during their recent conversations, but she shrugged off the omission, insisting that she simply hadn't had a chance to mention it yet.
Changing the subject, Chad wondered what J.J. wanted to talk to him about. J.J. warned that Clyde might not be headed toward Poplar Bluff, after all, and Chad might therefore want to stay on high alert, especially where Thomas was concerned. J.J. wanted to see Thomas, but Chad apologetically reported that Adrienne had taken the boy for a walk earlier. Gabi interrupted to excuse herself, promising to return with more clothes the following day. J.J. followed Gabi out of the mansion, and Chad quickly contacted Adrienne and asked her to return to the mansion right away.
A short time later, Chad received a call from Kate, who warned that she had spotted Clyde earlier. "Hope and Rafe just left, but they -- they didn't take me seriously, okay? I have security coming, but listen to me -- I need you to be safe. I know that Clyde is gonna blame you for what happened to Ben. Who knows what he's gonna do," Kate added. Chad offered to head over to the Martin mansion to check on things, but Kate assured him that she would be fine until her security team arrived. After ending the call, Kate nervously checked to make sure every door and window was locked, jumping at every little sound she heard during the process.
J.J. and Gabi went to the Brady Pub to get some food, and while they were eating, J.J. stayed glued to his cell phone. Gabi eventually complained, and when J.J. apologized and set the device aside, promising to give her his full attention for the rest of the meal, she made a snarky comment about how blessed she was. Ignoring Gabi's irritation, J.J. changed the subject, warning her about the dangers of being around Chad. "You know what? Just go back to texting," Gabi suggested. J.J. explained that he was simply worried about Gabi because he cared about her, but she countered that her job was a lot safer than his was.
"That's a whole different thing," J.J. insisted. Gabi assumed that J.J. was implying that she was more vulnerable to danger because she was a woman, but he clarified that his concerns had nothing to do with her at all. "Chad leads a complicated life, and because of his name, he has a lot of enemies. I tried to warn Abigail about that, too," J.J. explained. Gabi argued that what had happened to Abigail had been Ben's fault, not Chad's, but J.J. countered that Chad's involvement with Abigail had provoked Ben. Gabi maintained that Chad had never meant to provoke anything; he had simply wanted to be with Abigail because he had loved her deeply.
"Yeah, well, a lot of DiMera men have loved their women so much, and they all [ended] up getting hurt badly -- or worse," J.J. pointed out. J.J. admitted that even though Chad might not have been directly responsible for what had happened to Abigail, he still felt like he had lost his sister to the DiMeras. "And I am not gonna lose you to them, too," he vowed. Gabi assured J.J. that she could take care of herself, and she insisted that it wasn't fair for him to judge Chad, especially since, thanks to Thomas, they were family. Gabi added that, if anything, she was the one who should be worried about J.J., since he had helped put Clyde behind bars.
Gabi wondered if J.J. had ever had second thoughts about being a cop. J.J. said he hadn't, and he pointed out that Gabi's brother was also a cop. "You're not my brother. You're...um, you're..." Gabi started to reply, but as she struggled to complete the sentence, J.J. received a call from someone at the police station. J.J. apologetically excused himself so he could get back to helping with the search for the escaped convicts. "Hey, are we okay?" Gabi asked. J.J. gave Gabi a kiss and assured her, "Of course we are."
After hearing another troubling creak, Kate grabbed her purse and started rummaging through it, muttering that she wasn't going to stay at the Martin mansion alone for another second. "You lookin' for these, darlin'?" Clyde guessed as he appeared in the doorway, holding her keys in his hand. Kate warned that she would call the police if Clyde didn't leave right away. "Sweetheart, you move, you're a dead woman," Clyde countered as he drew a gun on Kate, unaware that Chad had just arrived.
In the police interrogation room, Theresa wrapped up her statement about Xander's attack, and Nicole met up with Theresa and Brady to hand off Tate. Theresa and Nicole worried about Xander, but Brady swore that both women would have police protection. After leaving the police station, Brady, Theresa, and Nicole walked Tate over to Club TBD for food. Theresa lamented that she was not sipping Champagne at her wedding reception. Nervous, Theresa kept looking at the door. Brady suggested they get the food to go, but Theresa did not want Xander to keep her upset.
As Nicole chimed in that Xander would avoid town in order to avoid jail, Deimos walked into the club. Deimos asked to join the table, and Brady reluctantly agreed. When Brady asked Deimos about Xander, Deimos admitted that he had visited Xander once in prison and had determined that Xander belonged in prison. Deimos swore that he had no connection to the prison break. Deimos swore that he would keep his family safe, and that included Brady, Theresa, and Tate.
In the kitchen, a glass shattered. Theresa jumped and covered her son. Brady and Nicole calmed Theresa and explained that it was only a broken dish and not Xander. When Brady suggested that they go home, Theresa resisted. Brady promised that his security would look out for them, but Deimos argued that security could not vet every resident in the high-rise apartment house. Deimos asked Brady and Theresa to move into the Kiriakis mansion.
Brady flat out refused the move, citing that Xander knew the mansion like the back of his hand. Deimos assured Brady that he had vetted the security staff, and Victor had agreed with Deimos. With a groan, Brady argued that Victor had wanted him to move back in, but he had resisted because Victor hated Theresa. Deimos told Brady that the move was temporary, and once the convicts were caught, they could leave the mansion if they wanted. Worried about Tate, Theresa said she wanted to move into the mansion. Brady nodded.
While Brady and Theresa went to the bathroom to change Tate's diaper, Deimos renewed his invitation to Nicole to move into the mansion. Nicole refused. Smiling, Deimos theorized aloud that Nicole was afraid to be dependent on him. Deimos asked Nicole if she was more afraid of needing him than she was of Xander. Nicole countered that she needed to take their relationship slowly. Deimos asked Nicole if he could hire security for her instead. Nicole immediately agreed.
When Brady and Theresa returned to the table, Brady announced that they would head home to pack. Deimos offered to join Brady and Theresa. When Brady asked about Nicole, Deimos noted that security was waiting outside to take her home. Stroking Nicole's face, Deimos asked her to call him at bedtime and when she woke up so that he knew she was safe. Nicole agreed.
After Brady, Theresa, Tate, and Deimos left, Nicole's phone rang. It was an unknown number. Nicole tentatively answered the phone, and Xander said hello. Xander promised to see Nicole soon then he mentioned that the French fries on Nicole's plate looked delicious. Baffled, Nicole looked around the room. Nicole hung up the phone, and she thought about when Xander had attacked her at the news station. Nicole rushed over to the nearest security guard, and she headed home.
At the hospital, John told Marlena how relieved he was that no one else had been shot at the Kiriakis mansion. John said he would do anything to keep Orpheus from taking Marlena or hurting anyone John loved. After checking in with Roman, John told Marlena that the police had found no trace of Orpheus. John blamed himself for not killing Orpheus when he had had the chance all those years before.
In Kayla's hospital room, Steve sat at her bedside and asked her if there was hope for their relationship. As Kayla furrowed her brow in thought, Steve noted that when Kayla had been groggy from the anesthesia, she had said how happy she'd been to see Joey and Steve at her side. Kayla quietly said that she was not ready to make any decisions about their future. When Kayla suggested that they take things slowly, Steve disagreed. Steve expressed his worry that there would not be enough time in their lives to reconcile.
"I love you and our kids. You're all I live for," Steve said. Kayla said she was worried that Steve would hurt her again. Steve offered to back off until Kayla had made up her mind. Steve left and ran into John and Marlena in the hallway. While Marlena went in to see Kayla, John told Steve that Orpheus had shot him. After John informed Steve of all the details, Steve begged John not to tell Kayla. John countered that Marlena was most likely telling her about Orpheus already.
In Kayla's room, Marlena told Kayla about the three convicts that were on the loose in Salem. Kayla was worried about Joey and anxious to leave the hospital. Marlena argued with Kayla and ordered her to stay in bed.
Steve called Joey to warn him about the escapees and to assure him that Kayla was fine. Worried, Steve announced that he was going to make the doctor keep Kayla in the hospital. Unfortunately, Kayla was walking out of her room with Marlena and overheard Steve's plan. Annoyed by Steve's announcement, Kayla asked Marlena to take her back to bed. Across the hallway, John suggested to Steve that he talk to Kayla first before he proceeded with any plans to protect her. John reminded Steve that Kayla hated it when Steve took action without consulting her.
In Kayla's room, Kayla muttered that she would kill Steve. Marlena urged Kayla to keep calm. Steve entered the room, and Marlena stepped out to give them privacy. Steve told Kayla that he had started to talk to her doctor about keeping her in the hospital, but that he had realized that Kayla deserved to have a say in how to deal with the Orpheus crisis. Kayla smiled.
Kayla called Joey to check in. Joey promised Steve that he would head over to Roman's house to wait out the manhunt. After hanging up the phone, Kayla asked Steve to update Dr. Winters on the situation then send the doctor in to talk. Steve nodded. When Steve asked if Kayla wanted anything else, Kayla asked Steve to go home with her when she was released from the hospital. Unsure, Steve asked Kayla if she was asking him to move back home. Kayla nodded yes.
At the Martin house, Kate was surprised to find Clyde in her front hall. Clyde held Kate at gunpoint and growled about how disappointed he was that Kate had turned on him. Unfazed, Kate argued that she was angry she had believed Clyde when he had said that Jordan had lied about her childhood. Kate cried out that her children's father had beaten them -- and Clyde was no better than her ex. In the foyer off the front hall, Chad crept into the house and listened to Kate and Clyde argue.
Clyde warned Kate not to talk back to him. When Kate told Clyde there was nothing for him in Salem, Clyde mentioned Thomas. Kate said that the paternity test had been wrong, but a subsequent DNA test had proven that Chad was Thomas' father. With a grunt, Clyde said he knew the truth because he had been the one to pressure the lab technician into naming Ben the father. Clyde argued that Ben still thought of Thomas as his son, and he intended to collect his grandson.
Furious, Kate argued that Ben had killed four people, including Will. Kate said that Clyde, not Abigail, was the reason that Ben was crazy. Clyde grabbed Kate and threw her against the wall. As Clyde cocked the gun and told Kate it was over, Chad leaped out of hiding and struggled with Clyde for the gun. Chad knocked the gun away. As Chad and Clyde fought, Kate ran across the room to look for the gun. Clyde knocked Chad to the ground, and as Clyde ran out of the house, he swore that he was not done with Kate.
Kate thanked Chad for ignoring her request to not rush over. When Kate asked Chad what he had heard, Chad admitted that he had heard about Clyde's plan to take Thomas. Chad called Lucas to update him on the situation, and Lucas promised to stay with Thomas at the DiMera mansion. After the phone call, Kate thanked Chad for not telling Lucas that Clyde had attempted to kill her. Kate then thanked Chad for saving her life. With a shrug, Chad told Kate that she had helped him many times. When the cops arrived, Chad left for home.
In a windowless garage somewhere, Orpheus thought about when he had shot Marlena with a tranquilizer to terrorize John. Orpheus had explained that he had wanted John to experience the pain of losing the woman he loved. "Who says you can't go home again?" Orpheus said aloud as he thought about the memory of John and Marlena.
Xander and Clyde joined Orpheus in the garage. When Orpheus asked them about their missions, both admitted things had not gone their way. Orpheus noted that he had made a mistake ambushing the wedding and tipping their hand. Orpheus added that the people of Salem were scared. All three swore that they would not give up on revenge, and they agreed to work together to make everyone's life a living hell.
