Nikolas: What do you think? You think people will be able to recognize Colleen from these photographs?
Emily: I think the pictures from the airport security video are pretty grainy, but it's worth a try.
Nikolas: Whew. I think maybe we should just admit that Spencer's been kidnapped.
Woman: Welcome.
Colleen: Thanks. I can't wait to get started.
Woman: Well, first day at a daycare center is always a little challenging.
Colleen: Huh. Well, I love working with children.
Woman: Hmm.
Colleen: This job is the perfect way for me to start my new life with my son.
Nikolas: All right. I think going public with Spencer's kidnapping is the simplest solution, right?
Emily: Yeah, except it would take away the element of surprise.
Nikolas: Yeah, I know. Colleen would know that we're searching for her, change her disguise, you know, move on --
Emily: Yeah.
Nikolas: While I'm inundated with false leads provided by publicity seekers hoping -- hoping to get a reward. At worst, Colleen could panic and abandon him or who knows what else.
Emily: Look, Nikolas, Colleen seems to care about Spencer. I -- I really don't think she would ever do anything to hurt him.
Nikolas: No, this is a risk that I can't take. Look, I'm -- I'm sorry. I know I keep going around and around.
Emily: No, no, no, no, no.
Nikolas: It's just that --
Emily: It helps for us just to think things through.
Nikolas: Right, okay. Um -- okay, so you and I are married.
Emily: Yeah.
Nikolas: Spencer is our child and Colleen is my sister.
Emily: Look, like I said, I mean, the -- the problem is you look like who you are -- upper class, wealthy, cultured.
Nikolas: Okay, so I'll change my clothes, whatever.
Emily: No -- Nikolas, it -- it's your whole manner. It's your -- your bearing, your way of speaking. They're -- they're dead giveaways to your -- your breeding and your background.
Nikolas: Well, what do you want me to do? Huh? My son's been kidnapped. I can't just sit around and wait for somebody else to find him.
Emily: I know, I know. I want this to work as much as you do. I --
Nikolas: Well, we have to practice. And I have to look, act, think like somebody else, like not me. Colleen won't expect it and hopefully she won't see it coming.
Colleen: Okay. Oh. This job is ideal. I get to make a living and spend the day with my baby at the same time.
Woman: Your job application said you were a single mother?
Colleen: Randy's father is involved with another woman.
Woman: Oh.
Colleen: She's spoiled and selfish and wants him all to herself.
Woman: Oh.
Colleen: I had hoped he'd want to be a good father to his child, but he chose to be with her instead.
Woman: You must have been devastated.
Colleen: I was, but I had to do what was best for my son.
Woman: You could always sue for child support.
Colleen: I don't want to be reliant on him in any way.
Woman: I know.
Colleen: I have a wonderful little boy whom I love and that's enough. I doubt I'll ever see Randy's father again.
Emily: We need to replace this with something more functional. And then we're going to stop by a chain store and get you some casual clothes.
Nikolas: Fine -- whatever it takes.
Emily: Most importantly, don't let your anger or frustration show through, Nikolas.
Nikolas: How can I help it, Emily? My son is missing because of my own arrogance.
Emily: You did your best.
Nikolas: I did -- "my best"? Well, by refusing to hear your warnings, not acknowledging that I might be wrong about my handpicked nanny? What -- what's wrong with me? Huh? How could I have missed the fact that Colleen was capable of this? How could I have neglected my own son that blatantly?
Emily: You've got to stop blaming yourself.
Nikolas: The decisions were all mine. I keep going over all the months that Colleen worked for me, wondering how I could be this blind and I just --
Emily: And looking back is pointless, Nikolas, unless you can remember something that -- that's going to help us figure out our next move, something that Colleen said or did.
Nikolas: No. I keep replaying all the conversations we had in my head. And all I'm left with are lies.
Nikolas: Excuse me, I'm sorry, this is -- this is my wife, and -- here, this is my sister --
Emily: Mm-hmm.
Nikolas: With -- with our little boy, Spencer. I was hoping that you might have seen him somewhere.
Emily: Okay. And why are you looking for him?
Nikolas: Well, my wife and I -- we had a disagreement, and then she --
Emily: No, we were going to say we were going overseas. Colleen was taking care of him.
Nikolas: I know, I know. See, it's already -- it's not going to work, Emily. Look, it's not --
Emily: Okay, okay. Well, we're going to have to rethink our approach.
Nikolas: How can you be so calm about this?
Emily: I get that you're terrified. I'm terrified, too. But Spencer needs us, so let's just figure out a way to find him.
Emily: So we're all set with the new cover story?
Nikolas: It's at least as plausible as the old one. Colleen's less likely to be on the lookout for a woman asking questions, I suppose.
Emily: If you want me to do this alone --
Nikolas: Yeah, you know, you probably -- you probably should, but I want to be there for any possible leads on his whereabouts.
Knock on door.
Woman: Maid service.
Nikolas: No time like the present to see if this works.
Emily: Yeah.
Nikolas: Hi, hi.
Maid: I brought some fresh towels.
Emily: Oh, I'll take them. Thank you.
Nikolas: Thank you. I -- look, I'm sorry -- I'm sorry to bother you. Um -- this is my wife's sister here, and she took her baby son, right here, and ran away from her husband. We just want to help her, and I was wondering if you may have seen her.
Edward: Excuse me, elizabeth. Have you seen that worthless son of mine?
Elizabeth: I'm sorry , Mr. Quartermaine, I just came on duty.
Edward: Oh, I swear, if I've driven all the way down here, and I find out that alan was too incompetent to even schedule another cabinet meeting, I -- oh -- of course, I don't know what I would threaten him with. Certainly could never disinherit Emily. Not that she needs a dime from me now since she went over to the Cassadines. I don't suppose you've heard anything from them about little Spencer, huh?
Elizabeth: Well, Nikolas and Emily are in Denver, but they don't have any leads.
Edward: Hmm, okay. Well, listen, you mark my words. You're going to find out that that demented grandmother is behind all of this. And sometimes, I can't say I blame her.
Elizabeth: Excuse me?
Edward: No, no, don't get me wrong. I have no sympathy for Helena Cassadine. But I know what it's like to have a grandson who embodies all your hopes for the future and spits in your face at anything you -- you want to give him. Now, all the Cassadines are just a -- a dynasty of dysfunctional psychotics. But when I think of -- of the jeopardy that Jason is in and how easily he could be killed, well, I -- I could almost kidnap a child that he had myself.
Elizabeth: Almost, but you -- you would never really do it, right?
Edward: Desperate times call for, you know -- and besides, you were at the house the last time that we heard he had been shot.
Elizabeth: Yeah, but he survived. I mean, Jason's okay.
Edward: But for how long? He will probably die in an alley somewhere, alone and childless. All that potential wasted. Yeah. And the Quartermaine fortune will be squandered away by that pack of dysfctiounl hyenas that I call family. Oh, God, what a depressing way to start the new year.
Elizabeth: Mr. Quartermaine?
Edward: What?
Elizabeth: Jason's resilient. I mean, maybe one day, he will have a family.
Edward: Huh.
Nikolas: Does either of them look familiar to you?
Maid: I'm sorry. I haven't seen him or his mother. Good luck finding your sister.
Emily: Thank you.
Nikolas: Thank you. Thank you. Well --
Emily: Yeah?
Nikolas: Think she bought it?
Emily: Definitely. And -- and she was sympathetic. I mean, she -- she wanted to help.
Nikolas sighs.
Emily: You were right, Nikolas. That story is so much better than the last.
Nikolas: All right. So, how do I look? Like a middle-class brother-in-law?
Emily: Yeah, let's put it this way. You're about as close as you're going to get.
Nikolas: Good enough.
Emily: Okay. So only one thing is missing.
Emily: We have to look married, right? So --
Nikolas: Right.
Emily: Here's your ring. Huh.
Nikolas: Thanks.
Emily: Are you okay?
Nikolas: Yeah, yeah. Just had this quick fantasy of remarrying you, with Spencer at the wedding.
Emily: We're going to find him, Nikolas. I promise.
Nikolas: Yeah.
Nikolas: Let's go find my son, okay?
Emily: Okay.
Colleen: Oh. You're being such a good boy. Hmm. You getting sleepy? Huh? You must be ready for your nap.
Woman: Could you clean up the play area when you get a chance? A couple prospective parents are coming to visit after lunch.
Colleen: Oh. Um, sure.
Woman: No big deal. Just be friendly and answer any questions.
Colleen: Do you get a lot of visitors?
Woman: Two or three a week. Why, is that a problem for you?
Colleen: Oh, no. I was just being silly. Thinking how nice it would be if Randy's father tried to make contact. But I know that's impossible.