The Slippery Slope Of Lies

Lucas tells Kate it's no secret he's in love with Carrie, "Maybe that's why I fell in love with Sami. I couldn't have her big sister. You shoulda seen it. Things were going good in LA, then Austin showed up and ruined everything."

Kate asks, "Are you going to fight Austin?"

"No," says Lucas, "I'm not gonna get in his way, but if you are concerned about Austin's happiness, I'm not the one you gotta worry about."

Sami tells herself she has to play it so Austin will look bad in front of Carrie. She hates the idea of lying to Austin but if she tells him Carrie is the CEO, he'll back out of the takeover, "So I'll just play dumb, well, I'll just be myself, and the takeover will happen and that will be the end of Austin and Carrie forever."

A voice from nowhere says, "And here we have another major mistake by Sami." Sami wonders where the voice came from and discovers her old reliable conscience in the mirror. She argues with it, but her conscience tells her, "If you don't listen to me, you can kiss Austin goodbye."

Austin and Carrie stroll. Carrie says she's breaking the news about Mike slowly to her family. She tells him she was worried about seeing him.

They mop up at the penthouse. Lois gets up off the floor. Alex says, "This isn't what it seems."

John cuffs him and asks Lois if she wants to press charges. Lois shouts, "YES I DO!" Alex calls Roman and says he has a collar for him. Roman asks if it's who he thinks it is. John tells him it is. Roman can't wait for John to show up with the evil Dr. North.

Alex begs, "Marlena, don't let him do this." Lois limps as they haul Alex to jail. Marlena calls his name as they go out the door.

Alone, Marlena calls Alex' name again and remembers seeing the picture of her bruised and battered face. She remembers asking if a police report was filed and the rest of the scene. Marlena snaps out of it, "Alex would never hurt me. Dr. Banks seemed so terrified. There must be some misunderstanding. He wouldn't have attacked her."

John walks his perp into the police station.

"You're finally getting what you deserve," says Lois.

Lois tells Roman what happened. John shows him the pictures. Roman also asks if a police report was filed. Conveniently, there was none. Lois tells Roman by the time she talked Marlena into filing a report, Alex was presumed dead and they thought she was safe.

Roman tells officer Conway to get Lois' statement. Lois and the officer go into the next room.

John and Roman discuss the situation. Roman wants to give Alex the third degree. They confront Alex, "All right, North. Enough of this. We want the truth."

Alex sits cuffed in a chair, "If you care as much as about Marlena as you say you do, you will listen to what I have to say."

Kate thinks Sami will go after Austin. She wails, "Why can't she leave my sons alone and let them live their lives?"

Lucas slides in a zinger, "Why can't you do that? You and Sami have some things in common. You've had to fight and scratch for everything. If Carrie and Austin are supposed to be together then let it be that way. I'm disappointed in love. Every time I put my heart on the line it gets kicked around."

"Can I help," asks Kate.

"No," says Lucas, "I don't need any more 'help' from you after what you have done to Sami and me, not to mention paying Nicole five million to marry me."

Kate gets a call. It's the Tokyo office. She takes it in another room. Doorbell. Eugenia. She comes in with her report, "The word on the street is Austin's company is about to take over Highstyle. He's going to wipe Carrie Brady off the map."

Austin tells Carrie she doesn't have to be nervous about seeing him. Carrie points out she left him for another guy. She knew what she was doing was wrong.

"It takes two to break up a marriage," says Austin, "I should have been there for you but I was trying to help Sami."

Carrie says, "I made a huge mistake and I've never been able to forgive myself."

"I lost you," says Austin, "I totally wimped out. I could have fought harder for you."

Carrie asks, "Do you ever regret our marriage didn't work out?"

"Every day," says Austin.

"Me too."

Back to small talk. She tells him she's based in LA. He tells her he thought he saw her at the Stones concert. She tells him she was there and she saw him there. He wonders why she didn't say hi or something. Then he figures it out – because of Sami.

Sami wonders why her conscience is back. Her conscience lectures, "You have a real chance for a fresh start. But you are climbing the slippery slope of lies."

Sami argues, "Telling Austin Carrie is the CEO is Nicole's job. I've been good lately. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf."

"Well, turn it, then," says her conscience, "Carrie is still in love with Austin and he is still in love with her. Welcome to reality. What is bad karma is for you to try to take love that doesn't belong to you. So why don't you get your rear in gear and tell Austin that Carrie is the CEO of Highstyle!"

"I will not," yells Sami, "And there is nothing you can do to make me, so why don't you just go away!" She smashes the mirror.

Marlena goes through an album, "If only I could remember, maybe I could defend Alex. She flashes back to Alex giving her the pearls. The choking. The screaming... back to reality, "What if it's true?"

Alex protests, "I am not a threat! Lois, however..."

"You're not pinning this on anyone else," snarls John.

"I am not a predator," screams Alex, "Banks is. I didn't say anything at the penthouse because I thought you are a part of this, John. I'm telling you the truth." John scoffs.

Austin assures Carrie there is nothing going on with him and Sami. Carrie says she wants them to be real sisters who go shopping together and things, "It's pretty difficult to forgive and forget. And if things go the way I hope they do my relationship will get tougher with her. She must have been going after you."

Austin says, "I made her promise she would behave herself if I gave her this job."

Carrie asks the critical question, "And how's that working?"

Austin chuckles, "We're getting there."

Carrie wants to talk about his business. He tells her, "I'm not at liberty to discuss it."

He asks what she is doing. "Heading a small company. It's been my whole life recently."

"Your whole life," he asks, "Maybe we can change that. Would you like to spend New Year's Eve with me?"

She smiles, "Id' like that."

Lucas tells Eugenia to tone it down – Kate is there, "I don't want her to know what I'm up to."

"I can understand that," says Eugenia, "Because your mom's a b... great spy. My contact told me the takeover is ready to roll. Carrie is the CEO all right... for another few minutes. You must be feeling pretty good about yourself. When Austin's company takes over Highstyle he won't be her style any more. And you can walk in and pick up the pieces of her broken heart. You played this clean. There are no Titan fingerprints anywhere. The bad part is we didn't take over Highstyle. The good part is Carrie winds up in your bed."

Kate stands in the background and says, "I don't believe it."

Speaking of picking up the pieces, Sami is busy cleaning up a broken mirror. She picks up one piece and sees her conscience again. The conscience tells her she will get seven more years of bad luck for this. Sami dumps the mirror in the trash, "I've dreamt about Austin since I was a teenager. Now those dreams will come true if I keep my mouth shut."

Austin has to make a phone call, and then they can plan what they want to do tonight. As they approach the apartment door, Austin says, "It must be fate – us reconnecting like this. I'm really glad." Sami comes out at this critical moment.

John tells North he doesn't believe him. Alex insists, "That will put Marlena's life in danger. I swear I'm trying to save her life. If you don't do what I say she won't live until tomorrow!"

Marlena's phone rings. She picks it up, "ALEX?" It's John. Marlena is disappointed. She asks how Alex is doing.

"He's fine," says John, "We don't torture prisoners at the Salem PD. Just viewers."

He tells her not to open the door until he gets back... not to anyone.

Marlena paces. Right on cue the doorbell rings. Marlena looks out the peephole. She opens the door. "What are you doing back here, Lois?"

Kate can't believe Lucas hired Eugenia. Eugenia says hello to her old partner. "Don't you 'old partner' me you turncoat," snaps Kate.

Lucas says, "Eugenia has the ability to tell the truth. Something you don't possess. She's a good assistant."

Eugenia takes that little opportunity to ask for a raise.

Lucas plays the 'Will' trump card. If Kate doesn't back off, she'll never see her grandson again. Effective strategy. Kate throttles back for about a nanosecond, and then starts up again. Kate says Eugenia is probably recording the conversation right now. Eugenia tells Kate she needs to get over her taping the conversation.

"Get over it," says Kate, "OMG, you blackmailed me!"

Eugenia tells her, "We did a bad thing to Lucas, and Sami too. Those tapes were never supposed to see the light of day. But I knew you would turn on me. Lucas helped me. And he's about to give me a raise."

Lucas is out-manned, uh, out-womaned, "Eugenia, Let's not get carried away."

"Nothing major," she pouts, "Just a little something for when that girl needs a special new pair of shoes."

Lucas caves in, "Shoes, huh? I guess Titan can spring for that. No problem."

Kate is in the background yelling, "OMG! Fire her! Fire her immediately!"

"You know what, Mom," says Lucas, "You know the way out. I didn't hire Eugenia. Victor did. I wish I could take the credit but I can't. Look, I had issues with working with Eugenia because she helped break up Sami and me. But this resourceful young lady has been a great asset to me. She will help me get everything I deserve." Kate is blown away.

Austin asks if the information he asked for came. Sami lies. Austin gets a phone call and leaves to take it.

Sami and Carrie have an uncomfortable moment. Sami hugs her. She wants to move on. Sami tells her when they were kids Sami wanted to be like her. Carrie remembers. Sami would like to be like that again. Not wanting to be just like her but just getting closer, just talking and getting to know each other. Carrie doesn't think they can be close unless they are up-front with each other. "This could be the deal breaker," says Carrie, "I'm interested in Austin."

Eugenia is amazed Lucas actually stood up to Kate and stood up for her. Lucas tells her she is hard working and she never gives up.

"I kinda gave up on this Highstyle account," she says.

Lucas says, "We still got Countess Wilhelmina and Clear Visage. When Austin realizes that he stole Carrie's company... she's going to be heartbroken."

Austin tells the person on the phone he still hasn't been able to contact the Highstyle CEO.

Sami says she had already figured out Carrie cares for Austin. Carrie knows Sami wants Austin for herself. She says she heard her in the restroom in LA. Sami can't believe it. Carrie says, "I was the woman – you know – with 'the shoes.' What are the odds?" On this show, it's a sure thing.

Sami is magnanimous. No ulterior motive at all. She tells Carrie she should go for it, "Austin is more interested in you anyway. I've learned the hard way my dreams don't come true. It's pretty obvious Austin loves you and that's probably why things didn't work out with Mike."

"Sami," says Carrie, "There is a guy for you. A perfect guy." Hug.

Sami is uncomfortable, "So we're going to be huggie kind of sisters, huh?"

"That's not so bad," says Carrie.

"I just feel like nothing should standing the way of true love," says Sami.

Roman and John toss Alex in the hoosegow. Alex yells, "I'm not the one you have to worry about! It's Lois Banks!"

Lois tells Marlena she didn't know where else to go. She asks to come in, "Maybe spending time together might jog you memory."

Marlena says she is under strict orders not to let anyone in.

Lois presses, "Marlena, we were best friends. Please let me in... C-can't you see... I'm shaking. I'm really scared."

Marlena says, "I guess it's all right."

Marlena lets her in. Lois stands in the penthouse and puts on her evil zombie stare. FF.



Previews
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Hope says, "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to one of our kids. Whoa," says Bo, "Nothing's going to happen."

Shawn takes a knee, "Will you marry me?" Mimi gasps.

Marlena says to Lois, "Alex just warned me. He says you are some kind of a threat. Why did he say that?"

Lexie tells Phillip and Belle, "You should consider taking her off life support."