Their knocks on the door unanswered, Edmund and Jack began to think that Dimitri was trying to avoid them. Fortunately for them, their ally Gillian returned to the loft to pick up her belonging. Gillian held on to a spare key and opened the door to her cousin's residence. The trio entered the condominium and searched around for Dimitri, Gloria, or Maddie. No one was home. Gillian poked around the house and came to a startling conclusion. Earlier she'd found Dimitri and Gloria packing suitcases. As the time they'd claimed that they were packing Gillian's bags because she was being kicked out. But now that it was Gloria and Dimitri's clothing that was missing, she realized that they were the ones who were leaving! Edmund accused Gillian of telling Dimitri about his plans to have a second paternity test performed. Gillian denied the allegations and asked what she would have to gain by betraying Edmund. Jack hinted that Dimitri's attorney could have called him and forewarned him. Edmund regained his composure and apologized for his outburst. Edmund realized that Dimitri was on the run, desperately trying to hold on to a child that isn't really his.
On her final run before the big "Iron Person" triathlon, Allie dropped by Linden to check up on Bianca. Esther was perplexed by Allie's running in place and gave her directions to the bathroom. Allie laughed at Esther's comments and told her that she was running in place to stay warm, not to fight the urge. Esther allowed Allie to enter the house, but told her that Bianca had not yet returned home from her therapy session. A few minutes later, Jake, also on a run, showed up at Erica's residence. When he saw Allie, he decided that he should leave so as not to make Allie feel uneasy. They both told Esther that they'd had a falling out. Showing incredible instinct, Esther decided to hit the deck before a fight broke out. Allie and Jake opted to skip over their usual banter and get right to the heart of their problem. Jake insisted that he was only kidding when he made his somewhat sexist remark about Allie using her "feminine wiles" to get things done at the hospital. Allie told him that she didn't appreciate the joke. Jake figured that someone must have accused Allie of flirting or doing otherwise to advance her medical career. Allie nodded her head, but before Jake could pry an answer out of her, Bianca returned home and cut their discussion short. Bianca was pleased to see her two physician friends and asked them if they noticed anything different about her. They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Bianca beamed as she told them that she'd been "shoveling" the food into her body. In one day, she said, she'd eaten oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch, and a three-course dinner. Bianca refused to eat a cinnamon roll that Esther had baked, saying she was "stuffed" from lunch. The whirlwind known as Gillian stumbled into Linden with her suitcases trailing her. She announced that she was moving in. Bianca told her that she'd already heard about her arrival from her uncle and directed her to her room on the third floor. Gillian stated that she wanted to be a role model for Bianca, but things got off to a hairy start when she told Bianca that he baggy sweater was out of style. Bianca flipped out when Gillian recommended sleeker clothing. Allie pulled Gillian aside and told her that she'd help her unpack her bags. Bianca headed to the kitchen to eat a bowl of soup. While she was gone, Jack arrived and told Jake that he isn't too thrilled about living with "a middle-aged Tinkerbell and a princess."
Later everyone gathered in the livingroom to discuss their plans for the next day's big triathlon. Gillian mused that she doesn't run---unless an ex-lover is chasing her. Allie and Jake left for one final practice run.
At WRCW, Adam asked Liza for five minutes of her time so that he could "explain everything." Mateo ordered Adam to leave Liza alone, prompting Hayley to jab him with her elbow. She told her husband to let Adam and Liza have some time alone. Adam told Liza to hit him or curse him---anything that would make her feel better. Liza agreed to speak to him privately, but told Marian that she wouldn't be gone long. Tad warned Mateo to sleep with one eye open because he might be in danger of retaliation from Adam. Mateo claimed that he was not afraid of Adam. Hayley worried for her father. She said that he and Liza were so happy together and she feared that Mateo's announcement would tear them apart. Mateo asked that Hayley spare her pity, commenting that Adam deserves what he gets.
Edmund showed up at the station and asked for Tad's help in tracking down Dimitri. Tad called in some favors and learned that the travel restrictions placed on Dimitri had expired, meaning that Dimitri could have left the country. Rudy did some checking with the air traffic controllers at the airport and found out that Dimitri had, in fact, left the country. Three hours prior, Dimitri, Gloria, and Maddie had headed to Budapest! Edmund was furious that Dimitri was trying to escape. He was prepared to head to the airport and chase after his brother. Tad stopped Edmund and commented that Edmund could track down Dimitri on his own, but said that there was no need for that. Tad asked Rudy to call the airport and purchase two round-trip, first class tickets to Budapest. Tad was going to be going too!
By now, Hayley and Mateo had returned home. Matt put a call in to Jack to have him call Noah and Julia and tell them that the plane crash was not part of a Santos family vendetta. Hayley asked Mateo if his personal crusade against Corview was over. He'd gotten everything he wanted. Mateo shrugged his shoulders. Hayley told him that his mission had to end and that there is someone he needs to "connect with" in order to move forward with his life.
Liza couldn't bear to look Adam in the eyes. He begged her to look at him and she reluctantly agreed. Adam tried to impress upon Liza the fact that Mateo's comments were biased. He admitted to cutting the operating budget at TransGlobal but once again denied ordering faulty parts. He said that he is in the business of buying small companies and turning them into big companies. In the process, he stated, he cuts costs. He defended the practice as a widely accepted policy. There was no way, he said softly, he would ever sacrifice lives to make a quick buck. "I thought I knew you," Liza replied. She said that she thought she knew the timbre of Adam's voice and his every gesture. Liza felt like a fool when Adam reminded her that she once said they were the same person. She asked Adam how he felt when Flight 149 crashed. Adam answered in the form of a question. He asked Liza how she felt when Laurel Dillon murdered on the set of The Cutting Edge. The comparison was unbending in its implication. Was Liza on the same guilt plateau as Adam? Adam insisted that neither one of them were guilty for any of the deaths that occurred under their supervision. But the deaths weren't the sticking point for Liza. She wanted the truth from Adam. She was furious that her husband, her soul mate, hadn't told her about the problems at TransGlobal. She posed one final question and asked Adam to finally tell her the truth. She asked Adam to put himself in her shoes. She asked him if he would be able to forgive her if she was the one responsible for their child's death. Adam was speechless. After several minutes of careful thought, he told Liza that he loves her. That wasn't an answer to the question. Liza turned and started to walk away. She stopped momentarily to explain the key difference between her and her husband. Yes, they were both known for telling lies, but Liza said that she would never have kept a secret from Adam. Adam begged Liza to go home with him and give their marriage another try. He nearly sobbed as he told her that he has no future without her. Tears flowed down Liza's cheeks. "It's over," she said firmly as she once again turned and walked away.
Miles found Belinda's car on the side of the highway. He raced from his car and noticed that Belinda was slouched over in her seat. He frantically pounded on her window and called out her name. The ruckus roused Belinda and she once again became aware of her surroundings. She rolled down her window and snapped at Miles for stalking her. He told her that he saw her car on the side of the road and when he coupled that with her no-show on their date, he became concerned that something had happened to her. Belinda again snapped at Miles. She told him that her car had stalled. Since the side of the road was peaceful, she opted to lock her doors and take a nap. Not the smartest move, as Miles duly noted. Miles suggested that Belinda pop the hood of her car so that he could take a look at her engine. While he hovered over her car's innards, he quipped that Belinda's "yuppie" lifestyle must have made her go crazy; Here she was at the side of the road with no car phone, radio, or CD player. The comment drew Belinda's fire. She got out of her car and lashed out at Miles for talking badly about her. Miles assumed that Belinda had not seen or heard the news about Corview's owner. He told her what had taken place on The Cutting Edge. Belinda wasn't sure whether or not to believe him and informed him that she'd make some calls to verify his story. Miles assured her that he was telling the truth and added that Adam had kept him in the dark on most of the airline's operations. Belinda was stunned by the revelation that Adam had owned Corview. Miles reconnected a wire to the car's battery and Belinda was able to restart her car. She thanked him for his help, but her frigid demeanor towards Miles showed no signs of thawing. She once again stated that she's do some checking up on Miles to see if he told her the truth. Miles welcomed her investigation---and hoped that she would represent him in a lawsuit he plans on bringing against Adam.
Hayley led Mateo to the chapel at Wildwind. There they lit candles in memory of Maria, but Mateo doubted that "talking" to Maria would help him. Hayley urged him to tell Maria that he'd kept his promise. Mateo knelt down in one of the pews and told Maria how much he missed her. While he uncovered who was responsible for his sister's death, he vowed that his crusade against the airline was not over. He told Maria that he would remain vigilant in his pursuit to make sure that no other airline repeats TransGlobal's mistakes. Mateo's rage gave way to tears as he confronted the pain he felt over the loss of his sister. Hayley comforted him and urged him to vent his feelings. After he'd finished crying, Mateo asked Hayley if she would be able to handle her father's wrath, saying that Adam will more than likely retaliate. Hayley cited her wedding vows "for better or worse" and told Mateo that she'd be by his side.
Parents' Night at the elementary school brought an unlike pair together: Janet and Brooke. This was the first true one-on-one meeting between the two women since it was revealed that Janet had wanted to assume Brooke's life to land Pierce. Now bygones were bygones and Brooke assured Janet that she harbored no ill-will towards her. Brooke called Janet a "good mother" and was more than happy to work on a friendship.
While their mothers were out of the room, Amanda asked Jamie if he'd told anybody about Janet being a crowbar killer. Jamie swore that he'd kept his lips zipped, but the story had leaked out. "Crazy Katie," he said had been telling the kids about Janet during recess. Crazy happens to be Oyster Crackers' sister, and Oyster Cracker is the friend that Tim bragged to about his pumpkin prank. Janet and Brooke returned to the room and the chatter abruptly ended. Amanda claimed that her belly ached, a move that she hoped would thwart their plans to go to Parents' Night. Janet phoned the hospital to get some advice on how to handle Amanda's illness. Jake told Janet that she should give Amanda some ginger ale and put her to bed, but assured her that the condition wasn't anything serious. Janet told Amanda to get her coat and informed her that she'd take her home. After Janet and Amanda left, Brooke sat Jamie down and asked him if he knew why Amanda suddenly became sick.
At WRCW, Adam chased Liza through the corridors, desperately trying to convince her to give him another chance. Liza accused him of murdering their child, a claim Adam vehemently denied. Adam said he'd made "a mistake," and asked Liza not to let a mistake ruin their future together. Liza, however, was unable to forgive him. Even a crystal ball was not going to help her envision a future with Adam. By now, Adam's voice had raised to a point where he was almost yelling at Liza. He told her that she can say their marriage is over until she's blue in the face. That, he commented, doesn't change the fact that deep down she's still in love with him. "You killed whatever love I had for you," Liza responded. She turned to walk away, but Adam grabbed a hold of her and prevented her from leaving. Marian saw what was going on and raced to her daughter's rescue. She told Adam to get his hands off of Liza. Adam brushed Marian off and told her to let him speak to his wife. In a stunning display of maternal instinct, Marian hauled off and let Adam really have it. She told him that he has now wife. "You lost her when you let your third rate airline fly, but what do you expect from someone who's not even a third rate human being." Adam was speechless. He left the scene, but not before vowing to get Liza back into his life.
Liza called Marian a "mother panther" and thanked her for standing up for her. Marian confessed that she'd been living a nightmare ever since her dreams of becoming a grandmother were dashed. When Marian suggested that Liza try to forget about the tragedy that took her child away, Liza was noticeably upset. She told her mother that she will never forget what Adam had forced her to endure. "Adam is as good as dead to me," Liza snapped. Marian broke into misplaced laughter as she realized that the meal ticket she'd fought so hard to obtain he been taken away. The meal ticket, of course, was the cash cow known as Adam Chandler. Liza told Marian that she'd be moving in to the Valley Inn, and that in the morning she'd ask Belinda to start the divorce proceedings. After that, Liza mused that she'd alert the media that the Colby women are on the loose. A phone call came through on Liza's cell phone. She blasted the caller for wanting to talk about Adam. But after listening to what the person on the other end had said, Liza told him or her that she was "in" on the plan.
Janet and Amanda returned to the Dillon House. Amanda headed upstairs to change into her pajamas. While she was upstairs, the phone rang. Janet took the call, which turned out to be a call from Brooke. Brooke told Janet that she found out why Amanda developed a stomachache so suddenly: She knows about the infamous crowbar killing. Amanda wandered down the steps with a book she wanted her mother to read to her. Janet looked at her daughter with a heavy heart and repeated sobbed, "Oh, Amanda."
Adam went back to Chandler Mansion. Skye showed up a few minutes later and told her dad that she'd seen The Cutting Edge. Adam told her that Mateo's claims were only half-truths. He insisted that he was only conducting business as usual. He told Skye that he had no time for idle chitchat and asked that she allow him to make some phone calls. "Goodbye," Skye responded. To that, Adam bid her "goodnight." Skye corrected him by telling him that she meant goodbye. Adam turned and faced her daughter, asking her what she was talking about. Skye told him how she'd altered the paternity test results. Now that the truth was out, she said that she needed to get as far away from Pine Valley as possible so that she could avoid being prosecuted. Adam refused to let his daughter leave town. He told her that he was not about to lose another loved one. He offered to hire the best lawyers in the country to help Skye defend herself, but Skye declined his help. She said that a trial would force her to confront her past---her bad deeds, affairs, and drinking. Skye couldn't face reliving all of her mistakes. Adam called in a few favors and arranged for Skye to leave town and start a new life in parts unknown. "Once again I walk away from the mess," Skye sighed. Skye said that she was "out of steam... out of heart... and out of hope." Adam assured her that there is always hope. With a final embrace, Skye turned and prepared to leave Pine Valley behind. Adam plopped down on his bed and looked at photos of his family---Adam Junior, Hayley, Skye, and Liza. He'd lost them all, he thought. "There are no bodies to bury, no wakes to attend," Adam sighed. "But it feels just the same." He heard Mateo's voice accusing him of having blood on his hands. Adam's face formed an expression of total rage. "It's not my fault," he yelled. He called Mateo "self-righteous and smug" and vowed to make Mateo "wish he'd never been born."
Today's show marks the final performance for Carrie Genzel (Skye Chandler).
Summoned by Palmer to discuss business, Miles arrived at Cortlandt Manor still sporting the grease he'd gotten on his face while fixing Belinda's car. Flossie, the Cortlandt's head housekeeper, informed Miles that Palmer was running late. Mrs. Cortlandt, Flossie added, was upstairs getting her hair cut and styled. She told him to make himself at home and allowed him to roam freely in the livingroom area. Soon after Flossie left, Opal wandered into the room. She took one look at Miles and asked him to grab his toolbox and follow her to the bathroom. Miles didn't budge. Opal cocked her head to one side and asked him why he hadn't brought his tools. That is, she quipped, what a plumber is supposed to do. Miles chuckled to himself and told the woman that he was not the plumber. Opal noted that he had grease on his chin on apologized for the mistaken identification. He was a business associate of Mr. Cortlandt. It was then Miles' turn to put his foot in his mouth. He asked if Mrs. Cortlandt was finished with her haircut. Opal nodded her head and said that everything was finished. Miles asked the woman standing in front of him if she could fetch Mrs. Cortlandt so that he could speak to her. Miles mistook Opal for the beautician! Both laughed about their faux pas and quickly forgot about their discussion once Palmer returned. He'd bumped into Kevin outside. Kevin, who was there to pick up a desk lamp from his former room, was pulled aside by Opal for a few words. Miles and Palmer got right to business. Palmer commented that he was not surprised that Adam was responsible for the Corview debacle and asked Miles if he had any plans to leave the company. Miles replied that the new owners of the company offered him a fairly comprehensive package, but he feared that unemployment was just around the corner. As it turns out, Palmer and Miles' mother, Rachael, "go way, way back." They'd both been activists for world peace in their youth. Because of this connection, Palmer wanted to make sure that Miles was well taken care of. He offered him a job at Cortlandt Electronics. Miles wasn't sure that he was Cortlandt Electronics material, but Palmer insisted that the job he had in mind was tailor-made for Miles.
Outside the study area, Opal asked Kevin why he'd been avoiding her. She said that she'd left numerous messages for Kevin, but he'd never returned any of them. Opal was upset that Kevin had forgiven his mother, but still harbored a grudge when it came to her. Kevin had an easy explanation for his attitude towards both women. He said that his mother always chose "the path of least resistance." By that, he meant that she never committed to one side or another---she just wanted to keep the peace. Opal, however, had always made him feel like a son. That's why it hurt him so much when she knowingly allowed him to undergo Dr. Chapman's quackery. Opal acknowledged that she does, in fact, love Kevin like her own child. She apologized for thinking she knew what was best for him. Opal had her reasons for wanting to "protect" Kevin. She said that she's always felt like she was "on the outside looking in." For most of her life, she said softly, people treated her like she was "different." In all that time, she added, no one had ever wanted to hurt her because of her difference. That was not so with Kevin. Kevin understood that Opal wanted to see him as happy as possible even if he didn't agree with her methods. He forgave Opal and told her that he wants them to be close again. Miles and Palmer exited their meeting with news that Miles was the newest Cortlandt Electronics employee. Miles asked Opal if she could direct him to the bathroom, Opal obliged and mused that he should check out their all-copper fixtures. For his part in the running joke, Miles told Opal that he'd contact her the next time he needed his "ears lowered." Once Miles and Kevin were out of the room, Palmer demanded that Opal explain her exchange with Miles. Opal did and it didn't please her husband. He ridiculed Opal's outfit and told her that Miles never would have mistaken her for hired help had she been dressed like the wife of a businessman.
Janet told Amanda that Brooke had phoned and told her that the kids at school were teasing Amanda. Amanda's tummy suddenly started aching again and she asked that she be allowed to go to bed. Janet wanted to discuss the matter, but Amanda insisted that she didn't feel well enough to talk. Trevor returned home and asked what was going on. Janet informed him that the truth was out. Janet filled Trevor in on the events that took place at Brooke's house. Amanda felt badly for letting the news of Janet's crime come to light. She worried that Janet would have to go to jail. She had no idea, of course, that Janet had already served time for murdering Will Cortlandt. Janet told her that her time in jail covered all the bad things she'd done---tossing Natalie in the well and killing Will. Now, she said, she has no plans to ever return to prison. Amanda wondered why Janet killed someone, but concluded that Janet must not have been "well" at the time. Janet nodded her head as she reached for a photo. The photo was one of Amanda as a baby. Janet remarked that it seemed hard to believe that Amanda had, at one time, been unable to walk or feed herself. Janet used that as an example of how she'd changed. She said that she was no longer like the Janet Green of old---she was reformed. Janet thanked God for giving her a second chance at life. Amanda asked her father if he was going to make Janet stay away because of time's hatred for her. Trevor and Janet both asked how Amanda had arrived had that conclusion. She explained to them that she'd overheard Tim tell his friend that he had planted the jack-o-lantern at Janet's hotel room to "scare the crowbar killer." Her parents were floored by the news that Amanda had known about the crowbar incident for as long as she had. Tim came strutting through the door right on cue. Trevor picked up Amanda and carried her to her bedroom. While he was gone, Janet and Tim had another tete-a-tete. Tim asked her why things suddenly quieted when he entered the room. Janet assumed that he didn't care. She told him that she doesn't care if he has a beef with her, but told him that he has no business trying to hurt Amanda. She told him that Amanda had overheard him telling Oyster Cracker that she was a murderer. Haughtily, Tim asked Janet what she was going to do to shut him up---kill him perhaps? Trevor returned downstairs and ordered his song to shut up.
Vadzel loomed in the distance as Dimitri and Gloria were driven through the Hungarian countryside. When they arrived at the sprawling castle, they were greeted at the door by Corvina. Dimitri welcomed Maddie to her "new home," a comment that Gloria did not happen to overhear. Corvina followed tradition and referred to Mr. and Mrs. Marick as Count and Countess. Dimitri asked that his former lover forgo the formality. Gloria asked how Anton, Dimitri and Corvina's son, was doing. Corvina boasted that Anton was finishing up his final year at the university and was soon to be the world's newest pediatrician. Corvina asked to be given the latest Pine Valley news and offered her condolences on Maria's death. Corvina was also quite amused that Gillian was proving to be a headache for Dimitri. Gloria headed to her room to prepare for dinner. She found a stunning black gown laid out for her on her bed. Donned in her new frock, Gloria joined her husband for dinner. He looked her up and down and commented that she was missing something. He produced an antique necklace that belonged to his mother. He put the necklace on his bride and the two shared a waltz around the room.
Moments away from touching down at Ferihegy International Airport in Budapest, Edmund and Tad took time out to devise their Dimitri-busting plans. Edmund informed Tad that, as a Count, Dimitri caries a lot of clout in his homeland.
Once the plane had landed, the two Americans noticed that the customs agents were paying unusually close attention to travelers' visas. Edmund told Tad that he should be the first to go through the customs check. That way, he said, at least one of them would be sure to get into the country. Sure enough, Tad was allowed to enter the country. He was asked only brief questions concerning why he was interested in visiting Hungary. Tad said he was on vacation. When Edmund tried to pass through the line, his visa was revoked and he was told that he'd have to wait for his identity to be verified. Tad tried to vouch for Edmund's identity, but Edmund gave him a signal to keep his mouth close so that he would not get involved in the mess. One of the security guards told Edmund that he'd have to be escorted to an interrogation room. Then one of the guards called Count Andrassy to tell him that "the problem has been handled."
Now that Hungarian customs agents had detained Edmund, Dimitri was able to rest a little easier. He returned to the dinner table with his beautiful bride and the two dined on a multi-course meal prepared by the servants. The meal even featured a violinist's accompaniment. Dimitri spoke endless of his affection for his wife and praised her inner and outer beauty. After the meal, the stage was set for a nice of passion and romance for the Count and Countess. Gloria asked Dimitri about his memories of living at Vadzel as a child. Dimitri admitted to having many fond memories of growing up in Hungary, but he hinted to also having more than a few painful memories. He recalled being by his mother's bedside when she passed away. Seeing his mother slowly slip away propelled him to choose strong-willed women for wives. He informed Gloria that when he fell in love with Erica, he knew that she was too headstrong and vibrant to ever be overcome by illness. The two ended their discussion and fell into each other's arms.
Trevor asked that Tim contain his rage, but the request was more difficult that Trevor imagined. Tim told his father that he no longer feels like part of the family. And yes, there was even a hint of jealousy in Tim's comments as he stated that he feels like a second-rate sibling when compared to Amanda. Everyone, he said, is always going out of their way to please Amanda and it is left in the lurch. Tim ran up to his room, unable to discuss the matter any longer. Janet told Trevor that she could see fear in Tim's eyes. She commented that Tim is not the only person in town who is still afraid of her. Trevor asked that Janet forget about her past. Perhaps when everyone else had forgotten about the things she'd done, she sighed, she might be able to move on. Tim stomped down the steps and announced that he was headed for Oyster's house. Trevor nixed his son's plans and told him that he wasn't allowed to leave the house until after they worked things out. Amanda must have heard the commotion because a few minutes later she waddled down the steps and asked why everyone was so angry with each other. Everyone tried to downplay their anger, but even the kindergartner knew that things were not peachy-keen. Tim smiled unconvincingly and told Amanda that everything was "cool." He decided to take Harold for a walk. Trevor hoisted his daughter to his shoulders and told her how much he and Janet loved her. All three were all smiles and looked like one big happy family as Tim peered through the window from outside. In more ways than one, he felt like he was on the outside looking in.
In a voice that resembled a roar, Edmund told Tad that he should get Madeline in the event that he's forced to leave the country. Tad was either in the stratosphere or incredibly fast on his feet. He hollered that he was going to contact Madeleine Albright, the Secretary of State, and have her take action against the Hungarian government for blocking Edmund's entry into the country. From across the airport, two women giggled like school children when they realized that The Cutting Edge's host was standing but a few yards from their position. They wondered why the police were giving Tad such a hard time. An announcer on the public address system announced that a plane was boarding for a non-stop flight to New York. The police smiled evilly and told Edmund that he had two options: Return to the United States or go directly to jail. They handed him an airline ticket and returned to their stations. The two gawkers raced over to Tad and Edmund and asked if everything was okay. Their comments were laced with concern and adulation. Tad seized the opportunity to concoct a plan to escape the long-arm of the Hungarian officials. He shamelessly flattered the two women so that they would go along with his plan. One of the two women wasn't too sure about helping Tad evade the police. She worried that she might be tossed into a jail cell. The other woman was obviously enamored with Tad and agreed to help them out. A few minutes later, Tad and Edmund emerged from the restrooms as Tadetta and Edmundine. They'd convinced the two women to let them borrow some of their clothing so that they could pretend to be women! They weren't the most attractive women in the world, but Tad caught the eye of one of the Hungarian soldiers. Of course they were still confronted by the fact that they had no visas to match their new identities. Fortunately they didn't need them. The soldier might have let them enter the country, but he never got the chance to. A fire mysteriously broke out in the ladies' room. All the officers ran to the scene to help put out the fire. That gave Tad and Edmund the perfect opportunity to make a run for it.
Palmer summoned Hayley, Mateo, Jim, and Brooke to join him and Miles for a business meeting. The four newcomers were left to wonder what Palmer wanted. He didn't reveal any of his plans until after his final guest arrived. When Liza followed closely by her uninvited mother arrived, Palmer announced that he wanted them to unite with him to battle Adam Chandler. Mateo looked around the room and asked why Miles was in attendance. Palmer explained that Miles was an old family friend. Mateo became hostile and hinted that Miles and Palmer might be up to something less than honest. Jim was annoyed by Mateo's paranoia and asked him to settle down. Mateo remained insistent; He said that since Miles hid the fact that he knew Palmer, there must be other secrets that he's hiding. Hayley broke her silence and took to defending her father. She admitted that her father deserved to be punished for his part in the airline problems, but hadn't he suffered enough by being exposed on national television? Hayley doubted that Palmer was being sincere. She noted that he and Adam have been each other's nemesis since before she was born. He'd lost no one in the crash and feared that his "concern" was really a masked attempt at playing out another chapter in some demented vendetta. Hayley asked those gathered with her if they would benefit from getting money out of Adam. She commented that none of them were having financial woes. Miles interjected that he wanted his reputation restored. Palmer put it to a vote; he asked everyone who was in favor of taking Adam to court to speak up. One by one everyone agreed to side with Palmer. Brooke admitted that she question's Palmers motives, but felt the need to have a court find Adam culpable for all of their problems. The last person to speak out was Liza. She said that her husband had let her down and ruined dozens of lives. Therefore she said that she had to join their crusade. She rose to her feet and, in tears, she fled the house.
At Chandler Mansion, Adam watched and re-watched the tape of Mateo's appearance on The Cutting Edge. Concerned for his brother, Stuart entered the room and switched off the television. He told Adam that he knew all about the airline disaster. As can be expected, Stuart found a bright side. He told Adam that he knows he never meant to hurt anyone. Adam barely nodded, but said that even though he didn't mean to hurt anyone, it doesn't make the victims "less dead." The doorbell rang and Adam asked Stuart to send whoever was at the door away. Stuart honored his brother's request. He returned a few minutes later and announced that the visitor was a messenger. Adam jokingly asked Stuart to find out if the package was ticking. Stuart read the label and told his brother that the package was for Liza. Adam plucked the package from Stuart's hands and tore it open. Inside was a small jewelry box. Adam handed it to Stuart and asked him to open it. Inside the box was a man's platinum wedding ring. Stuart removed it from the box and read the inscription on the ring: Love is Eternal.
Now that Edmund and Tad had eluded, or perhaps duped, the officials at the airport, they were confronted by yet another obstacle: How were they going to get inside Vadzel? Edmund suggested that they scale the wall to avoid being caught by Dimitri's security guards. Having seen the castle and the twenty-foot high stone wall that enclosed the castle, Tad expressed concern that the drop over the wall would injure them. Tad concluded that they only way for them to infiltrate the castle would be to sneak in through one of the gates. That idea didn't wash either. Edmund pointed out that none of the castle's entrances were unguarded. One thought of being pummeled by one of the monstrous guards ended any desire to try Tad's plan. Tad refused to give up. He told Edmund that he hadn't flown several thousand miles only to have to return home without Maddie. According to Edmund they hadn't exhausted their arsenal. He flagged down a beautiful blonde woman named Sophia. Edmund introduced the woman to Tad and told him that Sophia was one of the servants at Vadzel. Luckily for them, Sophia had been Maria's personal assistant during their brief stay in Hungary a few years back. Sophia had become quite close with Maria and felt it her duty to assist Edmund in any way she could. Edmund asked that the woman keep his presence in Budapest a secret. In what wasn't entirely a lie, he said that Dimitri did not know that he was in the country and that he wanted to surprise his brother. Tad asked Sophia if there was a way to sneak them into the castle to make their surprise even more of a surprise. Sophia's mind ran empty. She could think of no way to help the two Americans get inside the castle. Seeing that there was still a glimmer of hope, Tad did what he does best; He flirted shamelessly with the woman in an attempt to flatter her into helping them.
On the day of the big Iron Person Triathlon, it was revealed that the contest was not a multi-person contest. This contest would pit only two competitors against each other: Jake and Allie. The events was about to get underway when Ruth told Allie that she had an urgent phone call on the line. Allie opted to take the call. On the other end was an unknown man who said that he'd learned of Allie's "battle of the sexes" in a newsletter. The man, however, was not a stranger. In case that Allie forgot who he was, he was about to tell her his name. She cut him off mid-sentence---and just before he would have mentioned his name. "I know who you are," Allie said unamused. "I thought we made an agreement that it's over." With that, Allie hung up the phone and mounted her bicycle. Bianca gave them the "ready, set, go" and the two titans were off on the first leg of their three-part contest.
The bike race took them through the park and up a steep hill to Tom Cudahy's gym. Jake entered the gym a few minutes ahead of Allie and dashed to the swimming pool for the second leg of the contest. Gillian commented that Jake and Allie's relationship befuddles her. She noted that Jake and Allie seem to be the only ones who do not realize that they're perfect for each other. Instead of sipping champagne and having a romantic dinner, Gillian groaned, they were sweating and grunting to prove a point. Ruth also hoped that after the contest the two doctors might focus on a relationship. Joe called her "incorrigible" and reminded her that she'd promised to keep her nose of off her children's affairs.
The final leg of the race consisted of a ten kilometer mini-marathon from Tom's health club back to the hospital. Everyone returned to the hospital to watch the finish... but Jake and Allie were nowhere to be found. Kevin watched Gillian's every move. That led Kelsey to believe that Kevin was attracted to Gillian in some way. He confessed that he felt a "morbid curiosity" about Gillian. Kelsey decided that she could become more like Gillian in an attempt to land herself a man. Kevin was slightly annoyed by Kelsey's yearning to change her attitude and appearance and told her to just be herself. Bianca told Joe that she would feel sorry for the person who did not win the contest. She reasoned that both Jake and Allie had devoted so much time and energy to the contest that it would be a shame to brand one of them a loser. Joe told her that their would be no losers. Jake and Allie had conditioned their bodies and gotten some exercise and the neo-natal unit would receive a large sum of money from the sponsors of the event. There was one burning question in the minds of those gathered at the finished line: Where were Jake and Allie?
In the park across from the hospital, Jake was well on his way to victory. Then he hit the wall. Actually, he hit a shrub. As he strided towards the finish line, he whacked his leg against a bush of some kind and developed a charley horse. He hobbled to a bench and sat down. Allie ran past him and cheered that she was going to win the contest. Then she figured out that Jake was "letting" her win to make her look good or to possibly make her have stronger feelings for him. Allie returned to the bench and sat beside her combatant. Jake insisted that he had suffered a legitimate injury. Allie noticed that Jake's leg was spasming and helped massage his leg. Allie confessed that she does have feelings for Jake, but refused to say exactly how she feels for her colleague. Jake decided to put her feelings to the test. He stared into her eyes and received no opposition from Allie. Then he gently caressed her cheek. There was still no hint that Allie wanted him to stop. Finally, Jake leaned over and the two shared a kiss.
At Vadzel, Dimitri and Gloria took a sleigh ride around the castle. When the returned to the castle, Dimitri told Gloria that she should get ready for their big shindig. Once Gloria was gone, Dimitri asked Corvina if anyone had called for him. Corvina detected some concern in her former lover's voice and asked him if everything was okay. Dimitri confessed that a potential problem was brewing. He said that Edmund has been spinning out of control since Maria's death and that he has a deluded fantasy that Madeline is his daughter. His smooth talking hoodwinked Corvina; She fell for the Count's not-quite-true story. Corvina promised Dimitri that she would do anything in her power to protect his wife and daughter.
Sophia entered the castle and looked around to make sure that the coast was clear. She waved in two delivery men toting some exotic flowers. The men, of course, were Edmund and Tad. The carried the bushy flowers into the main room, the large size of the flowers adequately shielded their faces. As they prepared to take the flowers into the ballroom, Corvina returned and ordered them to stop in their tracks. The jig was up, Edmund thought. Corvina walked over to the two men and hollered at them from bringing the wrong flowers. She ordered them to dump the flowers and get out of the castle. Sophia acted quickly and suggested that the flowers could be placed in another room. Corvina agreed and the two men to put the flowers in the smoking room.
In their master suite, Gloria and Dimitri readied for the gathering. Dimitri had ordered a stunning diamond studded Christian Dior gown for his wife to wear. Gloria couldn't fathom how much the gown had cost, but voiced her approval of the gown with a kiss. They two returned downstairs and waited for the guests to arrive. Dimitri asked Corvina to fetch a better vintage wine for the party. Using a slightly lesser quality wine, Dimitri proposed a toast to his wife. As they sipped their wine, Dimitri's hand shook erratically. Gloria heard a cry coming from Maddie's room and told Dimitri that she wanted to check to see that Maddie was okay. Dimitri offered to go with her or to dispatch one of the servants, but Gloria felt it was her duty to look after her daughter.
Upstairs, Edmund and Tad had waited outside Dimitri and Gloria's bedroom until they'd gone downstairs. Edmund raced into the room and immediately picked up Maddie. He prepared to make his big escape, but Tad reminded Edmund that they had no way to escape the castle. He suggested that they tell Gloria the truth---maybe that would convince her to give Maddie back to Edmund. Edmund laughed at the idea, saying that Gloria was too blinded by having a child to do the right thing. As they talked, Gloria approached from the other side of the door.
