Somewhere on the road between Pentonville and Port Charles, Julian drove the police transport van as Sonny, Ava, and Franco kept an eye on the car quickly closing in on them. Moments later, Julian lost control of the van and crashed.

Sonny was the first to regain consciousness, so he called out to Julian. Instead, Ava woke up then checked on her brother, but Sonny assured Ava that Julian was alive. He told her to see how Franco had fared, so Ava crawled to the back of the van, where Franco was unconscious. She shook Franco until he suddenly sat up calling out Nina's name. Franco was determined to get to Nina before Heather hurt her, but Sonny warned Franco that they had bigger problems. Julian woke up just as Johnny and Carlos pulled up in another car.

Sonny reminded Franco and Julian that they each had guns, so all three men needed to be prepared to shoot their way out because Johnny and Carlos were armed. Moments later, gunfire erupted as Johnny and Carlos opened fire on the van. Sonny and Julian managed to make their way out of the van as Johnny and Carlos ducked behind a guardrail to discuss strategy. Johnny pointed out that their boss wasn't interested in killing Franco, so Carlos suggested that Johnny focus on Sonny and Julian because Carlos wanted to kill Ava.

At the van, Ava begged Franco to give her the gun, but Franco refused because he needed it when he confronted Heather. Ava promised that Franco could have the gun back, but she was desperate to protect herself from Carlos because she was certain that Carlos intended to kill her. Franco argued that she would use up all of the bullets, but Ava changed tactics by demanding that Franco hand her the gun. Ava turned when she suddenly heard a noise behind her. It was Carlos.

Ava was shocked when Carlos and Franco exchanged friendly greetings. Franco explained that he and Carlos had bonded in jail over their hatred for Ava. Carlos assured Franco that his boss didn't have a problem with Franco, so Franco was free to leave. Ava was stunned when Franco started to walk away. She implored Franco to help her because Carlos would kill her, but Franco smirked as he reminded Ava that she had always insisted that she wanted to be left alone. Ava stared in disbelief as Franco left.

Desperate, Ava implored Carlos not to shoot her, but Carlos was unmoved by Ava's pleas. She managed to distract him with her begging long enough to knock him off balance and then flee. Carlos quickly gave chase and caught up with her on a little bridge. "This is happening," Carlos warned Ava with menace as he aimed the gun at her, so Ava cried out for help. Carlos chuckled and revealed that Julian would not be saving her. He taunted her that she might have had a chance with Franco, but Franco had left her to die, so Carlos imagined that she wished she had been nicer to Franco.

Nearby, Sonny and Julian exchanged gunfire with Johnny until Sonny offered to cover Julian while Julian ran for safety. Julian quietly confessed that it would not be possible, so Sonny glanced to where Julian was seated on the ground, leaning against a tree because Julian's leg bled from a gunshot wound. Sonny went to help Julian, but Julian insisted that Sonny find a way to return to Port Charles to warn their sons, Michael and Lucas, of the danger. Sonny froze when he saw Johnny suddenly appear with a gun aimed at Sonny. Johnny grinned with delight because Johnny finally had Sonny where he had wanted Sonny for years.

At Shadybrook, Heather admitted that she was surprised that Nina hadn't figured out Heather's true identity sooner because Heather was certain that Franco had told Nina about his mother. "Only to tell me how much he hates you," Nina replied. Heather wasn't hurt by the insult because she hated Franco and wished him dead. Nina was skeptical that a mother would want her own child to die, but Heather assured Nina that it was true because Franco had disappointed Heather time and again even though Heather had gone to great lengths to help Franco on a number of occasions.

Heather resented that she had been locked up for her trouble. Nina tried to calm Heather by explaining that Franco had been angry but quickly adding that it didn't have to be that way. Nina offered to help facilitate a reconciliation between Heather and Franco, but Heather was more interested in revenge. "And now I have exactly what I need to get it," Heather added with a malicious gleam in her eyes. Nina was curious what Heather meant by that.

"I mean you," Heather clarified with a satisfied smile. Nina immediately tried to downplay her relationship with Franco, but Heather knew better because Heather recalled all the things Nina had shared about Franco. Heather also knew that her son had a soft spot for "Fruit Loops" like Nina. Nina offered to write a letter to Franco, severing all ties with him, but Heather violently shoved Nina against the door as Nina tried to leave on the pretext of fetching paper. Nina fell to her knees as Heather warned Nina that Nina would not be going anywhere.

Heather feigned regret by apologized for hurting Nina and then retrieved the knitting bag as she confessed that she had lied to Nina about not having any needles in the bag. Heather opened the knitting bag to pull out a syringe filled with a clear liquid. Nina nervously asked what was in the syringe, so Heather bragged that it was a special recipe that Heather had concocted years earlier when Heather had first given it to Diana Taylor. Nina stalled for time by inviting Heather to tell her about Diana.

Heather admitted that she had laced Diana's iced tea with the drug, but Heather had accidently ended up drinking the drugged iced tea. Heather advised Nina to relax and revealed the syringe was filled with an overdose of LSD. Alarmed, Nina warned Heather to back off because Nina was stronger than Heather and wouldn't hesitate to hurt Heather. Heather wasn't intimidated as she wished Nina a "bon voyage," but Franco suddenly burst through the door before Heather could inject Nina with the LSD.

At the police station, Sam confronted Jake in the interrogation room about breaking into her penthouse to steal the phoenix figurine. Jake claimed that he had no idea what Sam was talking about, but Sam was certain that Jake had been responsible for the break-in and theft. She was just grateful that her brother had found the figurine, but Jake had no idea what the disappearance of a cheap figurine that he could buy for a dollar at any store in the Asian quarter had to do with him. Furious, Sam explained the figurine had been found on the same pier where Jake had been discovered passed out.

Sam told Jake about the special significance of the phoenix and dragon figurines to her and Jason, so Jake quietly apologized for the pain she clearly felt. Sam ignored him as she tearfully explained that Jason had had the phoenix figurine on him when Cesar Faison had shot Jason in the back and had tossed Jason's body into the harbor. Sam admitted that she had gone diving to find her husband's body, but all she had managed to retrieve from the harbor was the phoenix figurine. Sam wiped away her tears as she angrily demanded to know why Jake had broken into her penthouse to steal the figurine, but he insisted that he had no idea where she lived then added that he didn't have any reason to break into her apartment or steal the figurine.

Sam didn't believe him, but Jake was curious what her theory was. Sam confessed that she had no idea why he had done anything he had been accused of, including taking her hostage and helping Faison escape. Sam dared him to deny it, but he admitted that he couldn't. He explained that he'd had flashes of images, but whatever he had done, he hadn't done willingly. Sam scoffed at the suggestion that he had somehow been forced to do the things he'd been accused of, so she decided it was time to leave. She started to walk out, but Jake asked her to wait as he suddenly had a brief recollection of holding the phoenix figurine.

In the squad room, Jordan pretended to be annoyed that she had been dragged to the police station for questioning. She demanded to know why, so Nathan admitted that he wanted to talk to her about Sonny's escape from Pentonville.

Nathan took Jordan to a quiet corner to discuss the escape but Jordan chastised Nathan for jeopardizing her cover by having her taken to the police station. Nathan pointed out that he had simply been hiding her in plain sight, but he needed to know what she knew about Sonny's escape. Jordan confessed that she hadn't been kept in the loop, but she had gleaned information by spying. Jordan told Nathan about how she had helped Shawn dig up Bill Eckert's grave.

Nathan was stunned that an impostor was still in place, but Jordan questioned why Dante hadn't mentioned meeting with her earlier that day. Nathan confessed that he had hadn't seen his partner all day, but he was curious what Jordan had shared with Dante. Jordan quickly filled him in about Sonny's suspicions and Dante's decision to go to the Spencer childhood home on Elm Street to look for the real Luke. Nathan decided to put the escape from Pentonville on hold until he tracked down his partner, so he grabbed his coat and left.

On the pier, Nikolas warned his grandmother that he refused to succumb to her intimidation tactics, so Helena ordered her two goons to restrain Nikolas. Nikolas was outraged because the men were part of his security team, but Helena informed her grandson that the men answered to her. Furious, Nikolas demanded to know how much money Helena had paid the men to betray him, but the men admitted that they hadn't done it for monetary gain. One of the men confessed that Helena had threatened their families.

Disgusted, Nikolas demanded to know why Helena was determined to keep him from attending the party, but Helena refused to tell him. She urged her grandson to forgot about the party and just go home to spend the evening with Spencer, but Nikolas wanted an answer. He pointed out that he couldn't be expected to lead the family if he didn't know what was going on. Resigned, Helena admitted that the Haunted Star -- and everyone on it -- would go up in smoke. Horrified, Nikolas reminded Helena that both Lulu and his date, Ivy, were on the ship, but Helena argued that neither woman was a Cassadine.

Nikolas refused to allow his grandmother to commit "mass murder," so he redoubled his efforts to break free from the grip of the two men restraining him until one of the goons was forced to knock Nikolas out. Helena ordered the men to load Nikolas onto the launch and take him back to Wyndemere because she didn't want her grandson anywhere near the Haunted Star when it blew up.

On the Haunted Star, Lulu checked her cell phone for a text message or missed call from Dante. Maxie hovered next to her as she asked if Dante had called, but Lulu shook her head. Lulu suspected that Dante would rather be anywhere than near Lulu.

Nearby, Patrick greeted Michael, Lucas, and Brad. Lucas was curious where Sam was, so Patrick explained that Sam had stayed at the police station because Jake had been taken into custody. Brad thought it was a little excessive for a stolen phoenix figurine, but Patrick admitted that the charges Jake faced were unrelated to the theft of the figurine. Michael revealed that he'd thought Jake had been a decent guy when he had met him months earlier, so Patrick admitted that Jake had fooled a lot of people including Elizabeth, who would be devastated when she learned the truth about Jake.

At the bar, Tracy noticed that "Luke" seemed positively aglow. She credited Michael's waterfront clinic project because it appeared to have done "Luke" a world of good. The impostor smiled as he assured Tracy that by the end of the night, everyone would be glowing. Bobbie was curious what that meant, but Tracy answered for "Luke" by pointing out that the party was for a worthy cause. Tracy confessed that she was in Michael's debt, so the impostor suggested that they get the show on the road.

As the impostor called out to gain the party guests' attention and offer a toast to Michael and Lucas, Ivy sent Nikolas a text message wondering where he was. She told him the toasts were about to begin, so she invited him to find her when he arrived.

Everyone clapped when the impostor sang the praises of the staff for the new free clinic and reminded them of the good the clinic would do for the waterfront area. His speech took an unexpected turn when he mentioned that the clinic would be built on the site of his old childhood home, which had been filled with many unhappy memories. However, the impostor assured everyone that he was confident the new clinic would benefit the community, especially since it had recently begun to attract "vermin." The party guests chuckled, while Tracy and Bobbie quietly confessed that they had never seen "Luke" quite that talkative.

The impostor changed the subject again by seizing the opportunity to talk about everything that had happened to him over the past year when no one had realized that someone had been pretending to be Luke. The impostor claimed that he had been hurt at first because no one had noticed that Luke had been behaving strangely by hurting those Luke had cared about. Luke's loved ones smiled awkwardly as they waited to see where the speech was headed. The impostor admitted that he had been furious at those who had claimed to know him best until he'd realized that his own past had damned him.

Lulu stepped forward to assure her father that he was wrong. She refused to allow "Luke" to compare himself to the person who had stolen Luke's life because Luke and the impostor were nothing alike under any circumstances, since the real Luke would never try to kill his own nephew. The impostor smiled indulgently as he assured Lulu that he had merely wanted everyone to know that he had forgiven them. Everyone appeared to relax and then smiled when "Luke" turned things over to "Michael Quartermaine."

As Michael made a speech about how the free medical clinic would help the waterfront community, Maxie urged Lulu to call Dante. Lulu refused because she wasn't ready to talk to her husband, so Maxie offered to call Dante herself. Lulu shook her head and explained that she didn't have her phone on her because she had set it down somewhere.

In the basement at the Spencer house on Elm Street, Dante stumbled to the chair to check on Luke but recoiled in horror when he realized the man seated in the chair was a petrified corpse dressed in an orange jumpsuit. "Luke," Dante whispered sadly as he realized that he had been too late to save his father-in-law. Dante noticed the bomb ticking in the lap of the corpse, so he slowly made his way to the basement steps and weakly crawled halfway up the stairs before his legs gave out.

Frustrated, Dante slid down the steps and looked for his phone, hoping to call for help. He finally located it, so he called Lulu. However, the impostor answered the phone. Dante accused the impostor of being Bill Eckert and murdering Luke, but the impostor suggested that Dante be more concerned about the bomb ticking down in the corpse's lap. The impostor gloated that Dante's time was running out, but assured Dante that Lulu would soon join Dante when the bomb on the Haunted Star detonated a few minutes after the one in the basement.

On the Haunted Star, Michael turned to offer a toast to "Luke," but he and all the guests were surprised when they noticed that "Luke" was on the phone. Lulu asked if her father was on her phone, so the impostor pretended to be in the middle of a bitter argument with Dante. The impostor accused Dante of being needlessly jealous of Johnny and demanded that Dante treat Lulu with respect or stay away from her. Lulu was shocked when "Luke" suddenly slammed the phone down on the bar with such force that it broke.

The impostor pretended to regret his outburst, so Lulu admitted that her father had overreacted to the situation. The impostor apologized to everyone and confessed that he needed to step outside to get some fresh air and calm down. Tracy offered to go with him, but the impostor insisted she stay because he wanted her to "have a blast."

Nearby, Sabrina asked Ivy if Ivy had heard from Nikolas, but Ivy confessed that her date had disappeared like Sabrina's date.

Meanwhile, Maxie suggested that she and Lulu track down Dante to hear his side of things.

In the basement on Elm Street, Dante realized that his phone battery had gone dead. He threw his phone across the room in frustration and staggered over to the corpse to look at the bomb. He saw that there were only forty-one seconds left on the timer, so he resigned himself to die, since he didn't have the strength to make it up the stairs. Dante knelt as he began to tell Rocco how much he loved him but quickly stopped when he heard a noise.

Filled with hope, Dante called out for help. Moments later, Nathan raced down the stairs. Dante urged Nathan to get them out of there as the bomb showed seven seconds left on the timer, so Nathan wrapped his arm around his partner and ran.

On the docks, the impostor greeted Helena. He wasn't surprised that she was there, since he knew that she loved a good explosion. Helena told him that it was a good thing she had been on the piers because she had managed to stop Nikolas from boarding the Haunted Star. The impostor smiled sinisterly as he noted that the revelers on the ship had no idea that they were enjoying their final few minutes on earth, while Dante had mere seconds left.

At Shadybrook, Franco warned Heather to put the syringe down, but Heather suddenly grabbed Nina and held the syringe threateningly close to Nina's neck. Heather was pleased with her son's perfect timing, but Franco assured his mother that he wouldn't hesitate to shoot Heather if she tried to harm Nina. Heather doubted that Franco would risk hitting Nina, so she ordered Franco to hand over the gun. Nina quietly warned Franco not to, but Heather moved the syringe closer to the side of Nina's neck.

Alarmed, Franco agreed to put the gun in a cabinet across the room, so Heather watched him closely until the gun had been put away. Franco tried to lower his mother's defenses by asking what was in the syringe, but Heather flashed him a devious smile as she revealed that she intended to melt Nina's brain with an injection of LSD. Heather insisted that it was payback for Franco turning against Heather.

Franco surprised both Heather and Nina by inviting Heather to do her worst because he claimed that he barely knew Nina and didn't care enough about Nina to fight Heather. Heather didn't believe Franco because Franco wouldn't have shown up at Shadybrook with a gun to rescue Nina if Nina had meant nothing to him. Franco realized that he couldn't lie to Heather, so he conceded that Nina was important to him even though he hadn't always treated Nina right.

"What about the way you treated me?" Heather hissed. Franco admitted that he deserved Heather as a mother because he had been a terrible son by adding to the craziness rather than rising above it. Nina disagreed, but both Franco and Heather ignored her as Franco invited Heather to inject him rather than Nina with the LSD. Heather was not moved by the selfless gesture, but Nina caught Heather off guard by suddenly stomping on Heather's foot then wrenching out of Heather's grasp.

Franco quickly sprang into action and wrested the syringe away from his mother. Afterwards, he ordered Heather to leave but she dashed to the cabinet to grab the gun. Franco managed to get to the cabinet before Heather, so he snatched up the gun then aimed the gun at his mother until she retreated to the door. Heather smiled with satisfaction as she warned both Franco and Nina that their reunion would be short-lived because Franco would soon return to Pentonville, while Nina would remain locked up in Shadybrook. Heather suggested that Franco and Nina enjoy what little time they had left, and she took off to alert the authorities.

Nina thanked Franco for saving her from Heather then confessed that she had known that he would get to her in time. However, Nina hated the thought of losing Franco all over again, so Franco announced that there was one way to make certain it didn't happen. Nina was stunned when Franco suddenly picked up the syringe and injected himself with LSD.

Somewhere between Pentonville and Port Charles, Ava stood on a bridge as Carlos aimed a gun at her. She begged Carlos not to kill her, but Carlos was unmoved by Ava's pleas. Ava implored Carlos to give her an opportunity to work something out with him, but he argued that she didn't have anything he wanted. Ava's temper flared as she insisted that Carlos couldn't simply kill her. "Yes, I can," Carlos assured her.

Ava reminded Carlos that they had known each other for years, so Carlos conceded that there had been a time when he would have done anything for Ava. However, he assured her that things had changed when she had threatened both Sabrina and Sabrina's baby to force him to confess to A.J.'s murder. Ava apologized, but Carlos doubted she would have been remorseful if he hadn't had a gun aimed at her. Ava switched tactics by assuring Carlos that he could make her pay for her crimes by returning her to Pentonville, but he refused to consider it.

Ava warned Carlos that killing her wouldn't give him back the time he had lost in jail, but Carlos didn't care because it would make him feel better. Ava doubted Carlos could kill a woman and a mother, but Carlos reminded Ava that she had spent most of her life trying to play with the big boys, so she couldn't have it both ways. Ava begged for mercy as someone who had once been Carlos' friend, but he recalled once begging Ava for mercy too. "How'd that turn out?" Carlos snidely asked her as he pulled the trigger.

Ava was stunned when she realized that Carlos had shot her in the shoulder, but he insisted that she had deserved it. Furious, Ava lunged at Carlos until he once again aimed the gun at her. Ava quickly stepped back but stumbled and suddenly tumbled over the bridge's railing. Shocked, Carlos raced to the railing to look for any sign of Ava in the water.

Nearby, Johnny aimed a gun at Sonny as Sonny kneeled close to an injured Julian. Johnny was delighted that he finally had Sonny where Johnny had wanted his nemesis. The three men heard a loud gunshot ring out, so Johnny smiled as he informed the two men that it appeared Ava had met her maker. Johnny was curious if Sonny was ready to do the same, but Sonny refused to cower. Johnny was certain that a part of Sonny had always known that Sonny would have to die to pave the way for Johnny, so Johnny told Sonny to send his regards to Anthony.

"I'll see you in hell," Johnny said, but Johnny was caught by surprise when Julian suddenly shot Johnny in the shoulder. Johnny staggered back as he clutched his injured shoulder then fled. Sonny tried to help Julian, but Julian urged Sonny to find Ava.

Meanwhile, Johnny caught up to Carlos on the bridge, so Carlos quickly filled Johnny in about Ava's fate. Carlos didn't regret shooting Ava because Carlos knew that Ava would have shot Carlos if their roles had been reversed. However, Carlos was curious if Johnny had killed Sonny and Julian, so Johnny admitted that Julian had taken a bullet in the leg but had managed to shoot Johnny before Johnny could kill Sonny and Julian. Johnny wanted to leave to regroup, but Carlos feared that their boss would be furious. Johnny admitted that he didn't care then left, so Carlos followed Johnny.

A short time later, Sonny called out to Ava as he arrived on the bridge. Ava, who had been holding onto the support beams under the bridge, quickly replied. Sonny leaned over the bridge and saw Ava, so she told him that Carlos had shot her in the shoulder. She begged Sonny to pull her to safety, but Sonny's brow furrowed. "Why would I do that?" Sonny asked.

Horrified, Ava pleaded with Sonny to help her, so Sonny reluctantly reached down to grab one of her hands. He instructed her to give him her other hand, but Ava feared that he would drop her. Sonny barked at her to grab his other hand, so Ava complied. As Ava held on tightly to Sonny, Sonny angrily demanded to know if Connie had begged for her life too. Ava tearfully assured Sonny that she was sorry for killing Connie, so Sonny made it clear that he had decided to save Ava because it was what Connie would have wanted.

Sonny tried to pull Ava to safety, but her hands began to slip. Frantic, Ava begged him not to let go, but Sonny struggled to pull Ava up. Sonny's efforts were in vain as Ava's hands slid out of his grasp. She screamed his name as she plunged into the churning water below. Moments later, Julian limped onto the bridge, so Sonny admitted that he had tried to save Ava, but she had fallen into the water. Shocked, Julian wanted to search for his sister, but Sonny insisted that they needed to get to the Haunted Star.

Julian pointed out that his injured leg would slow Sonny down, so Julian implored Sonny to get to Lucas and Michael before it was too late. Julian decided to remain behind to search for Ava. As Sonny walked away, Julian called out his sister's name, desperately searching the water and ground below with his eyes.

At the Spencer house on Elm Street, Dante prepared to die as the bomb ticked down to mere seconds. However, Nathan arrived in time to race down the stairs, grab Dante, and help his partner up the stairs and out of the house as the bomb detonated.

At the nurses' station, Elizabeth listened to a news report on television about Jake's arrest for helping Cesar Faison escape. Moments later, a special news break announced that there had been an explosion at a house on Elm Street while two police detectives had been on the scene.

A short time later, paramedics arrived with an unconscious Dante. Elizabeth turned to Nathan for answers, so he explained that he and Dante had made it out just as the house had exploded. According to Nathan, Dante had taken the brunt of the impact. Dante was taken to a nearby trauma bay as Nathan followed. Nathan was anxious for word on Dante, so Elizabeth suggested that Nathan call Lulu to let her know that Dante had been injured.

Nathan stepped into the waiting area and made the call, but it went to voicemail. After Nathan left Lulu a message, Nathan returned to the trauma bay to check on Dante. Dante remained unconscious, so Elizabeth assured Nathan that the doctors were still running tests. However, she was confident that Dante would make a full recovery. She then asked what exactly had happened, so Nathan told Elizabeth about the bomb and announced that he intended to arrest the culprit.

A short time later, Dante slowly woke up. Elizabeth explained that Dante had been in an explosion but assured him that both he and Nathan were safe. Elizabeth added that Nathan had left Lulu a message, but Elizabeth suspected that Lulu hadn't heard the phone because of the party at the Haunted Star. Dante suddenly recalled the impostor taunting Dante about the second bomb, so he warned Elizabeth that there was a bomb on the Haunted Star.

In the police station's interrogation room, Jake admitted that he recalled Sam giving him the phoenix figurine. Confused, Sam asked him to explain but Jake didn't have an answer. Sam accused him of stealing the figurine but he denied it until he suddenly had a flashback of taking the figurine. Jake confessed that Sam was right but added that he only had hazy disjointed images of being in her home. Sam wanted to know when Jake had broken into the penthouse, so he revealed that it had been the night she had spent with Patrick.

Sam realized she had been right to suspect that an intruder had been in her home, but she demanded to know if Jake had watched her and Patrick in bed together. Jake admitted that he hadn't. "I was watching you and me," Jake confessed. Sam's expression clouded with confusion, but Jake couldn't explain what was going on with him or why he recalled what he had. However, he had images of him doing things that he hadn't willingly done.

Sam wondered if Jake were suggesting that someone had been controlling him, so Jake recalled Helena ordering him to kill Sam. He shared the memory with Sam, so she suspected that Helena had given him the order because Helena feared that Sam had gotten too close to uncovering the truth about Faison's escape. Jake continued to have flashbacks about his encounters with Helena, including Helena's admission that Jake was under Helena's control.

Sam reached out to squeeze Jake's hand in a gesture of comfort, but he jerked away because he thought she should be afraid of him. Sam admitted that she was, but she also wanted to help him. Jake recalled Helena revealing that he had been conditioned to follow Helena's orders, so Sam imagined that Helena hadn't been pleased that he had failed to kill Sam. Jake confirmed that Sam was right as he suddenly remembered Helena ordering him to plant a bomb on the Haunted Star. Sam was shocked when he told her about Helena's plan.

On the Haunted Star, Bobbie admitted that her brother had made quite a scene. Tracy took a sip of a cocktail as Bobbie wondered what had gotten into Luke because Bobbie had hoped that Michael's project would pull the family together. Tracy agreed, so she decided that it was time to get some answers.

On the piers, the man claiming to be Luke gloated about Dante dying in the basement on Elm Street with unanswered questions. "Such as 'Whose corpse is keeping me company in these darkest of final moments?' Hmm?" Helena asked with a mischievous smile as she lovingly stroked "Luke's" arm. "Luke" claimed that he didn't want to dwell on the identity of the corpse in the house, since it was likely a pile of ashes because of the explosion.

"Luke" imagined that the explosion had already made the news, but he insisted "that shack" had meant nothing to him except pain and misery, so he had been freed from the shackles of his past. "Luke" relished the idea that there was nothing to stop him from doing what he had been born to do, but he was frustrated by the "idiots" in town. Helena confessed that if it weren't for Nikolas, Spencer, or "Luke," she wouldn't have any use for Port Charles. She then shifted gears as she assured "Luke" that they were perfect for each other because no one understood him the way she did.

"Luke?" Tracy suddenly asked as she spotted "Luke" and Helena on the pier. Tracy was surprised that Helena was in town instead of on the run with Faison, but she coldly ordered Helena to step away from "Luke." Helena smirked as she ignored Tracy by looping her arm through "Luke's" and then lovingly kissing his cheek. Stunned, Tracy demanded to know what was going on because Luke would never in a million years cozy up to Helena.

Tracy suspected that "Luke" was not in his right mind, but he resented the accusation because he was of sound mind and acting of his own free will. Tracy argued that it was impossible because Luke despised Helena. "Apparently not," Helena gloated. However, Helena decided to excuse herself to leave "Luke" to deal with Tracy.

After Helena walked away, Tracy demanded an explanation for "Luke's" sudden closeness with his sworn enemy, Helena. Tracy insisted that Luke had hated Helena with the heat of a thousand suns for what Helena had done to Luke's family including Lucky, Lulu, and Laura. "Luke" assured Tracy that he was well aware of Helena's history, so Tracy asked if "Luke" was Faison. "Luke" denied being Faison, Larry Ashton, or Bill Eckert; he insisted that he was Luke Spencer.

"Why can't you people get that through your heads?" "Luke" asked. He suddenly shifted gears to suggest that Tracy return to the party, but Tracy refused because she intended to have a talk with Helena to get some answers. After Tracy marched away, "Luke" grinned because Tracy had unwittingly saved herself. "Luke" started to leave but froze when he suddenly encountered Sonny at the top of the stairs, armed with a gun.

On the Haunted Star, Patrick stood at the bar with Maxie and Lulu as he commented that there was never a dull moment with Luke around. Lulu looked at her phone, but Maxie feared that it was broken beyond repair. Lulu admitted that the phone was the least of her worries, so Maxie conceded that Luke's behavior had been "weird." Lulu argued that both Luke and Dante's behavior had been strange, but Maxie admitted that she had doubts about Luke's claims regarding Dante because Dante wasn't the type to get upset enough to skip a party, especially since Johnny had left.

Meanwhile, the bomb under the bar continued to tick down, with thirty-six minutes left on the timer. Unaware of the danger, Lulu wondered if Maxie thought Luke had been lying about Dante. Maxie wasn't certain but she admitted that it wasn't like Dante to hide out and sulk. Lulu agreed that Luke had overreacted to the entire situation and that it was out of character for Dante to avoid talking to Lulu. Maxie feared that something was going on, so Lulu decided to track down her husband to get to the bottom of things with Dante.

Nearby, Lucas approached Michael to tell Michael that Carly had called to warn Lucas that Sonny and Julian had escaped from Pentonville. Michael was furious because he suspected that Sonny had intended to escape all along, which meant that Sonny's willingness to take responsibility for A.J.'s death had been an empty gesture.

A short time later, Lulu approached Michael at the bar to apologize for Luke's behavior. Lulu begged Michael not to allow Luke's actions to overshadow the wonderful work that Michael intended to do in A.J.'s name. Michael seemed unusually silent, so she asked what was troubling him. Michael revealed that Sonny had escaped from Pentonville.

Meanwhile, Patrick assured Sabrina that he was glad that Sabrina and Carlos had found their way back to each other. Sabrina admitted that she was happy, but she was curious how things were between Patrick and Sam. Patrick confessed that Sam had been dealing with something, but he hoped Sam found closure soon because he was ready to move forward.

Moments later, Nathan arrived looking for "Luke." Maxie revealed that "Luke" had left, but Lulu had overheard Nathan, so she wondered what Nathan wanted with her father. Nathan explained that he was there to arrest "Luke" for what had happened to Dante.

On the bridge, Julian desperately called out to Ava as he scanned the river below for any sign of his sister. Moments later, Kyle Sloane, flanked by several police officers, appeared and ordered Julian to drop the gun. Julian immediately complied as the police officers swarmed the bridge to take Julian into custody. Kyle demanded to know where Julian's fellow escapees were, but a police officer pointed out that Julian had been shot and needed medical help. Unconcerned, Kyle continued to question Julian.

Julian started to explain that Carlos had shot Ava, but Kyle was more interested in Sonny's whereabouts. Julian insisted that Ava needed help because she had gone over the railing after she had slipped out of Sonny's grasp. Julian begged Kyle to search the waters for Ava, but Kyle refused until Julian cooperated by revealing where Sonny was. Julian recalled urging Sonny to get to Lucas and Michael at the Haunted Star before it was too late, but he denied that he had any knowledge of Sonny's destination.

However, Julian revealed that Franco had gone to Shadybrook to save Nina Clay from Heather. Kyle ordered a couple of police officers to pick up Franco then added that they should "shoot to kill" if necessary because Franco was armed. Julian and Kyle were startled when they suddenly heard a loud boom in the distance near the waterfront area. Julian immediately became alarmed, but Kyle suspected that Julian knew something about the explosion. Julian explained that he was worried because Julian's son, Lucas, was at a party on the Haunted Star.

At Shadybrook, Franco assured Nina that he would not leave her. To her horror, he picked up Heather's syringe and injected himself with the LSD intended for Nina. Franco stumbled back and landed on the bed as Nina rushed to his side demanding to know why he had injected himself with the potentially fatal overdose of the psychedelic drug. Franco insisted that it had been necessary because he had promised Nina that he wouldn't leave her. Franco was certain that the overdose of LSD would guarantee he'd remain at Shadybrook.

Nina was stunned by the sacrifice, but Franco regretted that he had taken advantage of Nina's fragile mental state rather than getting her the help she had desperately needed. Nina argued that she would have attacked Silas and taken Ava's baby regardless, but she was grateful that Franco had been an amazing friend who had never left her side. However, she feared that she might lose Franco to the effects of the LSD, which had been intended to "fry" her brain.

Franco assured Nina that everything would be fine because he would fight to return to her as long as he knew she would be on the other side. Nina promised him that she would be waiting, but he warned her that he might get dark, seem crazy, and turn violent. Nina insisted that she didn't care, but she begged him to promise her that he would return to her. Franco smiled softly as he assured her that he would, but he wanted something to remember her by, so Nina kissed him with all the passion she felt.

Franco and Nina continued to kiss until Franco suddenly flopped back on the bed then began to laugh as the drug kicked in. Nina watched helplessly as Franco's hallucinations grew increasingly more vivid, so she assured him that he was not alone. She reached out to kiss him, but Franco jerked back as a wave of paranoia washed over him. Nina desperately tried to calm Franco, but things took a turn for the worse when police officers suddenly charged into Nina's room. Nina immediately blocked Franco with her body as she repeatedly promised the police officers that Franco was unarmed.

Franco continued to babble, so Nina claimed that Heather had injected him with an overdose of LSD intended for Nina. A short time later, a doctor instructed two orderlies to strap Franco down to a gurney. Nina wondered if it was necessary to restrain Franco, but the doctor insisted that it was for Franco's own safety. Franco remained agitated until Nina kissed him firmly on the lips and reminded him of the deal they had made. Franco immediately calmed, so the orderlies moved him to another room.

On the piers, Sonny aimed a gun at "Luke" as the impostor admitted that he had heard about Sonny, Julian, and Ava's escape from Pentonville. "Luke" assumed that Julian would be with Sonny, so Sonny explained that Julian had been shot. "Luke" was disappointed when Sonny added that it hadn't been a fatal injury, so "Luke" decided to finish the job. Sonny ignored the threat as he accused "Luke" of being Bill Eckert then vowed that he would not allow Bill to hurt anyone.

"Luke" merely smiled as he informed Sonny that it was too late because Dante had already died in an explosion at the Spencer house on Elm Street. Shaken, Sonny threatened to shoot the impostor in the knee and then the head, but "Luke" warned Sonny that it would be a waste of valuable time because another bomb had been planted on the Haunted Star. "Luke" smirked as he added that there were just two minutes left before the bomb detonated and killed everyone at the party, including Michael.

In the police station's interrogation room, Jake warned Sam that he had planted and activated a bomb on the Haunted Star, so they had to find a way to get everyone off the ship before it detonated. Sam started to leave, but Jake explained that she wouldn't make it in time to evacuate everyone. He asked if there was anyone at the party she could call, so Sam called Patrick, but the call went to his voicemail. Frantic, Sam called her brother, Lucas, to warn him about the bomb.

At the hospital, Dante was dazed as he tried to warn Elizabeth that a second bomb had been planted on the Haunted Star, but Elizabeth assumed that Dante was confused because he had just survived an explosion at the house on Elm Street. Desperate to get to his wife, Dante crawled out of bed. Elizabeth tried to stop him, but Dante pushed her away. However, he only made it a few steps before he collapsed.

Elizabeth ran to help Dante back into bed as she assured him that Nathan had left Lulu a message about the explosion. Dante asked where Nathan was, so Elizabeth explained that Nathan had mentioned arresting the person responsible for the explosion. Dante realized that his partner was on the Haunted Star, so he begged Elizabeth to call Nathan.

On the Haunted Star, Nathan explained to Maxie and Lulu that he was there to arrest "Luke." Stunned, Lulu asked what her father had done, so Nathan told Lulu about the explosion at the Spencer house on Elm Street and Dante's injuries. Nathan conceded that Elizabeth had seemed confident that Dante would make a full recovery, but Nathan had been concerned because Dante had remained unconscious when Nathan had left the hospital. Lulu quickly excused herself to race to her husband's side.

Meanwhile, a bartender checked on the bomb behind the bar as he loaded bottles of Champagne on the shelf.

On the deck, Brad approached a troubled Lucas. Lucas admitted that he was worried about Julian, so Brad suggested that Julian might have reached out to someone other than Lucas. Lucas decided to check with his sister, Sam, so he stepped away to make the call.

Inside, Ivy approached Patrick to remark that it appeared that his date had never shown up either. Patrick explained that Sam had been in the middle of something, so Ivy changed the subject by asking if she could borrow Patrick's phone because the battery on hers had died. Patrick handed his phone to her, so Ivy walked to the bar to call Nikolas. She appeared annoyed when Nikolas' voicemail picked up, prompting her to ask where he was.

Moments later, Patrick's phone beeped to alert her that he had an incoming call. Ivy glanced at the screen, saw that it was Sam, and then sent the call to voicemail so she could continue leaving a message for Nikolas by asking if she should take his absence as a sign that he was no longer interested.

Nearby, Michael approached Lucas to ask if Lucas had heard any news about Julian. Lucas admitted that he had tried to call Sam to let her know about the escape, but he had failed to reach her. Lucas was surprised when his phone suddenly rang because it was his sister. He quickly answered the call but was startled when Sam anxiously asked if Lucas was on the Haunted Star. After Lucas confirmed that he was, Jake snatched the phone out of Sam's hand to explain that there was a bomb on the ship.

Michael overheard Lucas' end of the conversation as Jake explained that the bomb had been planted under the left-hand side of the bar, so Michael checked under the bar. He was stunned when he saw the bomb. Everyone began to panic when they realized there was a bomb onboard, especially when Michael admitted there wasn't enough time to evacuate everyone.

To everyone's amazement, Michael picked up the bomb and ran out to the deck, careful not to jostle the bomb. Michael stopped short when Sonny suddenly appeared. He warned Sonny to get away because the bomb was set to explode, but Sonny refused to risk Michael's life, so Sonny plucked the bomb out of Michael's hands and jumped into the water. Seconds later, the bomb detonated. "Dad!" Michael cried out as the explosion lit up the sky.

At the hospital, Elizabeth returned to tell Dante that Nathan hadn't answered the call. Distraught, Dante insisted that they needed to warn everyone about the bomb on the ship but he immediately calmed down when Lulu suddenly entered the trauma bay. Lulu ran into his outstretched arms as he asked if she was okay. Lulu assured him that she was fine, but she was curious why he was concerned about her safety. Dante realized that she had no idea about the bomb.

After Lulu made a quick call to check on the situation at the Haunted Star, she assured Dante that everyone was safe thanks to Sonny. She filled him in about Sonny's escape and selfless act by jumping into the harbor with the bomb. Dante asked if his father was okay, but Lulu confessed that there hadn't been any sign of Sonny. However, she insisted that Sonny had been a true hero.

Later, Lulu admitted that she was disappointed in herself for falling for the impostor's lies about Dante. Dante realized that Lulu had no idea who the impostor was, so he revealed Cesar Faison had been used as a decoy to divert suspicion from the real impostor, Bill Eckert. Lulu was confused because Bill had died a couple of decades earlier, but Dante shook his head because Bill's grave had been empty. He told her about his discovery at the cemetery and his decision to search the house on Elm Street. Lulu's eyes filled with tears when Dante admitted that he had found a corpse in the basement, but it had been decayed beyond recognition.

Dante conceded that nothing about the impostor was what it seemed, so there was a slim possibility that the corpse hadn't been Luke. Lulu remained uneasy because she feared the worst.

In the interrogation room, Sam anxiously waited as Jake told Lucas where to find the bomb. She noticed Jake's troubled expression, so she demanded to know what had happened. Jake confessed that he had heard an explosion. Sam took the phone out of his hand and yelled for Lucas until Lucas finally returned to the phone. Lucas assured Sam that everyone was okay, but Sam wanted to talk to Patrick to make sure Patrick was safe too.

Nearby, Ivy returned Patrick's phone as she asked if they had just narrowly escaped death. Patrick noticed a missed call from Sam, but Lucas called Patrick over to talk to Sam. Patrick took the phone from Lucas then assured Sam that he was unharmed. Relieved, Sam warned Patrick not to go on any more adventures without her because she had been terrified for him. She admitted that she had tried to call him to warn him about the bomb, but the call had gone to voicemail.

Patrick explained that someone had borrowed his phone, but he was curious how Sam had known about the bomb. Sam admitted that Jake had confessed to planting the bomb on the ship, but she quickly changed the subject by asking how everyone had survived. Patrick credited Michael.

At the Haunted Star, Nathan, Maxie, and Bobbie ran out to the deck to check on Michael. They were relieved when they saw him, but Michael was still in shock after witnessing Sonny jump into the water with the bomb just before the explosion. Nathan promised to get a search started for Sonny, but Maxie was reluctant to let Nathan out of her sight because she was still shaken by what had happened. Nathan assured her that he was fine, but he insisted that he needed to do his job.

After Nathan and Bobbie left, Maxie asked how Michael was holding up. She thought it had been brave of him to risk his life by trying to toss the bomb into the water, but Michael couldn't understand why Sonny had risked his life by taking the bomb from Michael. Maxie reminded Michael that Sonny was Michael's father. Maxie appreciated that Michael and Sonny weren't in a good place, but she suggested that they check on the search for Sonny.

Meanwhile, Brad was relieved that he and Lucas had escaped certain death, but he warned Lucas never to play hero again. Lucas was shaken because he realized that he might have lost his nephew, Michael, if Sonny hadn't shown up in time. Brad agreed that Sonny had saved everyone, but he also realized that it confirmed that Sonny and Julian had truly escaped from Pentonville. Lucas confessed that he remained concerned about Julian because he had no idea where his father was or what would happen to Julian.

In the interrogation room, Jake asked if Michael was okay. Sam admitted that it was chaos on the Haunted Star, but Jake was desperate for news about Michael. Moments later, Patrick stormed into the room and attacked Jake. Jake easily overpowered Patrick then restrained him as Jake asked for news about Michael. Patrick calmed down as he admitted that Michael was fine. Satisfied, Jake released his hold on Patrick, but Patrick remained furious because Jake had put dozens of lives in peril.

Patrick quickly filled Sam in about Sonny's unexpected arrival and sacrifice but admitted that he had no idea if Sonny had survived. Patrick demanded to know why Jake had planted the bomb, but several police officers entered the interrogation room and ordered Sam and Patrick to leave.

In the squad room, Sam explained that Jake had recalled planting the bomb, but she added that Jake had been under Helena's control. Patrick scoffed, but Sam argued that Helena had once done the same thing to Lucky with the intention of hurting Luke and Laura. However, Sam couldn't figure out why Helena would do the same thing to Jake.

On the piers, "Luke" smiled with satisfaction when he heard the explosion then saw the sky light up. He started to celebrate with a cigar until he heard Nathan approach while calling out to Sonny. "Luke" stepped into the shadows as he attempted to slip away unnoticed, but Nathan heard him. Nathan quickly drew his gun and aimed it at "Luke" as he ordered "Luke" to stop.

However, Michael suddenly ran up to talk to Nathan, which gave "Luke" an opportunity to flee. Nathan fired off several shots, but Luke managed to get away. Michael immediately apologized as Nathan called in an APB for "Luke Spencer a.k.a. Bill Eckert."

A short time later, Maxie approached Nathan to ask if there had been any sign of Sonny. Nathan assured her that they were still searching, so he ordered her to go home because he needed to focus on his job. Maxie agreed when he promised that he would call her with an update every hour on the hour.

After Maxie left, Michael opened up to Nathan about the harrowing moments when Michael had tried to get the bomb off the ship and how Sonny had saved Michael's life by taking the bomb. Michael realized that Sonny had likely perished because Sonny had been in the frigid water for far too long, even if Sonny had survived the blast.

On the bridge, Kyle told Julian it was unclear what had transpired at the Haunted Star. Julian was desperate for news about Lucas, so he insisted on going with Kyle to the piers, but Kyle insisted Julian needed medical care. Julian shifted gears to ask what Kyle intended to do about Ava, but Kyle pointed out that Ava had been shot and had fallen into the river. "You do the math," Kyle said.

Later, Julian arrived by ambulance at the hospital. Elizabeth assured him that a doctor would be with him shortly, but Julian wanted information about Lucas. Moments later, Lucas and Brad walked up. Julian was relieved when he saw his son, so Lucas revealed that Sonny had saved everyone. Julian wished that he could say the same about Ava.

Meanwhile, "Luke" strolled across the bridge with a smile of satisfaction.

Carly ran up to Michael when she saw him standing on the piers. Frantic to ensure he was unharmed, she ran her hands over him, looking for injuries, but he gently pushed her away. Carly knew about the bomb and explosion, so she asked where Sonny was. Nathan reluctantly explained that Sonny's body hadn't surfaced after the blast, but Carly insisted that Sonny was alive. Nathan appeared skeptical, but Carly was adamant that Sonny had survived.

Carly turned to Michael for details about what had transpired on the Haunted Star, so Michael quickly filled her in about "Luke's" outburst while on the phone with Dante and the suspicion "Luke" was really Bill Eckert. Nathan added that Bill, or whoever the man might be, was extremely dangerous, so Carly asked what the police were doing to apprehend the impostor. Nathan admitted that he had an idea then quickly excused himself when he saw Kyle Sloane arrive.

Nearby, Kyle ordered several police officers to keep their eyes out for Sonny because Kyle didn't want to risk Sonny getting away if Sonny had survived the blast. Nathan assured Kyle that there were plenty of personnel looking for Sonny, but Kyle would not rest easy until Sonny had been found. Nathan shifted gears to explain that he wanted to chase down a suspect, but Kyle insisted that locating Sonny was their top priority. Nathan argued that the impostor had been seen leaving the docks, but Kyle didn't care.

Frustrated, Nathan returned to Michael and Carly to let them know that he had to leave. Carly wanted Nathan to stay, but Michael pointed out that there were helicopters and divers searching the waters for Sonny, so Nathan couldn't do much from the piers. After Nathan left, Michael quietly admitted it was unlikely that Sonny had survived, but Carly didn't want to hear it. "Good, bad, right, or wrong, Sonny was the father who raised you," Carly told Michael.

Michael explained that there simply hadn't been enough time between when the bomb had detonated and Sonny had landed in the water. He admitted it wasn't easy for him to accept that because the last thing Sonny had said to Michael had been that Sonny refused to let Michael die. Michael didn't know how to feel about that or what Carly expected from him, so Carly reached out to hug her son, but Michael jerked away before she could touch him. He reminded her that Sonny had hated A.J. for years and had murdered AJ, so Michael despised Sonny for it.

Michael explained he had spent his entire life idolizing Sonny and wanting to be like him because Sonny had taught Michael about honor and loyalty -- qualities Sonny had never possessed. Michael acknowledged that Sonny had saved Michael's life, but Michael was confused because he had gone from having two fathers not too long before to having none. He suddenly tensed when he saw something going on behind his mother's back, so he grabbed her arms and tried to prepare her for what she would see, but Carly wrenched out of his grip to follow his line of sight. She was distraught when she saw Sonny's body had been pulled out of the water.

A paramedic worked on Sonny but eventually announced that Sonny was gone. Carly refused to accept that, so she ran over to begin CPR. She turned to Michael for help because she couldn't do it alone, but he hesitated until Carly cried out in desperation. Michael ran over to begin chest compressions as Carly breathed life-saving air into Sonny's lungs, but it became clear to Michael that Sonny was past saving. Michael finally gave up, but Carly refused. She reminded Sonny that he couldn't leave them, so Michael walked over to comfort his mother.

Suddenly, Sonny began to cough then spit up water. Michael quickly stepped away as Carly hugged Sonny. Sonny weakly asked if everyone on the Haunted Star was safe then asked about Michael. Carly promised that everyone was fine as she silently beseeched Michael with her eyes to let Sonny see him, but Michael stood rooted to the spot. Oblivious to the exchange between Carly and Michael, Sonny sagged with relief because all that mattered to him was that Michael was safe.

After the paramedics loaded Sonny onto a gurney, they informed Carly and Michael that they had room for one more in the ambulance if one of them wanted to ride with Sonny. The paramedic asked if either Michael or Carly was Sonny's family, so Carly stepped forward when Michael remained silent.

At Silas' apartment, Kiki watched the local news on television in disbelief as the reporter revealed that Julian had been taken to General Hospital after escaping from Pentonville and that there hadn't been any word on Ava. Kiki wondered where her mother was just as someone knocked on the door. It was Morgan. Morgan quickly hugged Kiki as he asked her if she'd had any news about the escape.

Kiki admitted that she had been frantic for an update from the police and wanted to check on her uncle, but she couldn't leave because she had Avery to consider. Morgan admitted he wasn't too concerned about his father because Sonny had an underground network that had probably taken Sonny to Sonny's private island. Morgan was certain his father would soon be sipping on cocktails on the beach, but Kiki remained uneasy because she had no idea where her mother would go. However, Kiki assumed that Ava's first stop would have been to check on Avery.

Morgan and Kiki were startled when someone suddenly knocked on the door. It was Kyle Sloane, accompanied by several police officers. Kyle handed Kiki a piece of paper as he explained that it was a warrant to search the apartment for Ava. Kiki warned Kyle and the officers to be careful because Avery was asleep in the bedroom, so the police officers quietly fanned out as Kyle asked if Ava had been in contact with Kiki. Kiki shook her head.

A few minutes later, one of the police officers reported that there hadn't been any sign of Ava. Kyle apologized for the inconvenience, especially since he hadn't held out much hope that they would find Ava after what had reportedly transpired on the bridge. Alarmed, Kiki asked what Kyle was talking about, so he told her about the shooting and Ava's fall off the bridge. Stunned, Kiki asked if Kyle was trying to tell her that her mother was dead, but Kyle admitted he wasn't sure because Julian might have lied to cover for Ava.

Morgan tensed when Kyle revealed that the police were also searching the waters for Sonny. A short time later, Kyle received an update about Sonny, so he shared the news with Morgan then gently advised Kiki to be prepared for the worst because Ava's chances of survival were slim if what Julian had told him was true.

Meanwhile, Sabrina arrived home and discovered Johnny Zacchara on her sofa, bleeding from a gunshot wound. Carlos explained that they needed her help, but she demanded to know what was going on. Carlos insisted that he didn't have time to explain, but Sabrina quickly realized that Carlos had lied about leaving the mob. Sabrina was disgusted that she had ignored the signs, but Carlos warned her that Johnny might bleed out and die if she didn't act quickly. Sabrina reluctantly instructed Carlos to fetch her medical bag but made it clear that she expected Carlos to answer her questions in exchange for her help.

A short time later, Johnny suddenly woke up from the pain as Sabrina cleaned the wound. Sabrina advised Johnny to brace himself because he needed stitches, so he asked if she had any pain medications in her bag. Sabrina shook her head, so Carlos offered Johnny a wooden spoon to clamp down on to keep from biting his tongue in half as Sabrina stitched Johnny up.

Meanwhile, Sabrina demanded that Carlos explain what had happened, so he told her about Sonny, Julian, Ava, and Franco's escape from Pentonville. Carlos revealed that his boss had ordered Carlos and Johnny to kill Sonny, Julian, and Ava, but the plan had gone awry. According to Carlos, Johnny had managed to wound Julian, but Julian had returned fire and had struck Johnny, so Carlos and Johnny had fled. "And your Sonny problem took care of itself?" Sabrina asked.

Later, Johnny rested as Sabrina promised to get some antibiotics for Johnny. She changed the subject by asking what had happened to Ava. Carlos began to squirm, but Sabrina reminded him that he had promised to tell her the truth. Carlos confessed that he had cornered Ava on the bridge. Sabrina was shocked when he admitted that he had shot an unarmed Ava, but Carlos insisted that he had snapped because Ava had been about to get away with everything she had done, including forcing Carlos to falsely confess to A.J.'s murder.

Sabrina asked if Carlos had at least called to get Ava help, but he admitted that it had been pointless because Ava had fallen from the bridge. Carlos conceded that he wasn't proud of what he had done, but Ava was gone.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Alexis grabbed a tissue to wipe the tears after she and Ned had watched an emotional ending to a movie Alexis had picked out. Ned also grabbed a tissue, but he was sick with the flu. Alexis promised to let Ned pick the next movie, but Ned assured her it was fine. Alexis smiled then suggested they watch the local news because she was certain Michael's party would be mentioned.

However, Alexis was shocked when the news started with a story about the escape from Pentonville. She was visibly shaken when the reporter added that Julian had been rushed to the hospital after being shot, so Ned suggested that Alexis go to the hospital to check on Julian. Alexis refused to leave Ned, but he assured her it would be fine.

Alexis passed Tracy in the doorway as Tracy arrived home. Ned was surprised Tracy was home early, so she quickly filled him in about Luke's odd behavior during the party and the shocking encounter she'd had with Luke and Helena on the docks when Tracy had followed Luke to check on him. Ned suggested that perhaps something had been wrong with Luke, but Tracy assured Ned that Luke had assured her that Luke had been of sound mind and acting of his own free will.

Tracy admitted that she had tried to talk to Luke after Helena had "swanned off" but he had refused to answer her questions, so Tracy had gone looking for Helena to get to the bottom of things. Tracy revealed that her efforts had been in vain because the servants at Wyndemere had denied seeing Helena and the launch's captain had refused to take Tracy to Spoon Island. However, Tracy admitted that it wasn't about Helena; it was about Luke.

Tracy didn't know if it had been the months that Luke had been locked up or the drugs Luke had been given, but Luke was no longer the man Tracy had fallen in love with. Tracy felt like a fool. Dejected, Tracy sat on the sofa but noticed a DVD of her favorite movie. She confessed that the movie had always made her cry, but for some reason Tracy couldn't cry about Luke. Ned was certain it would hit her eventually, but Tracy disagreed because something about the situation with Luke had hardened her. She suspected it had been the endless hurt and betrayal.

Moments later, Nathan, accompanied by several police officers, arrived looking for Luke. Tracy was stunned when Nathan explained that the man claiming to be Luke was an impostor who Nathan suspected was Bill Eckert. Tracy realized it made sense, but Nathan insisted it was simply a theory, which was why it was imperative to find "Luke." Nathan was curious if Tracy knew where "Luke" might be, so she told Nathan about her encounter with "Luke" and Helena on the piers and suggested he check at Wyndemere.

At the hospital, Julian was handcuffed to a bed as he waited in a trauma bay for a doctor to return. Suddenly, the impostor pushed the curtains aside and greeted Julian. Julian immediately called for the guards, but the impostor warned Julian to be quiet, or Lucas would pay the price. Julian demanded to know what the impostor wanted, so the impostor admitted that he intended to exterminate everyone in his path, starting with Julian and Sonny.

The impostor was pleased that both Sonny and Ava were out of the way, so Julian accused the impostor of being a "son of a bitch" for sending Carlos to kill Ava. The impostor merely smiled as he vowed that Julian would be next and picked up a pillow to smother Julian. Julian yelled for the guards, but the impostor simply covered Julian's face with the pillow. "Luke? What the hell are you doing?" Alexis demanded as she suddenly appeared in the trauma bay.

Julian began to cough as the impostor lifted the pillow. Frustrated that he had been thwarted, the impostor vowed that he and Julian weren't through, and he stormed off. Stunned, Alexis asked if Luke had actually been trying to kill Julian, so Julian admitted that the man she had seen was not Luke Spencer. Julian quickly filled her in about the likelihood that Bill Eckert had been passing himself off as Luke then confessed that Bill had been calling the shots from the beginning. Alexis wanted to call the police, but Julian argued that it was pointless because the impostor had successfully eluded capture for a year.

Alexis wasn't satisfied, so she called the police. After the call, she told Julian that an APB had been issued for "Luke." Julian decided to tell Alexis everything, including the impostor's order for Johnny and Carlos to kill Julian, Ava, and Sonny. Alexis was shocked when Julian added that he had falsely confessed to Anthony Zacchara's murder to avoid an assassin's bullet and that the evidence to exonerate Johnny had been fabricated. The conversation then turned to Ava as Julian told Alexis about the shooting on the bridge and Ava's fall into the river.

Julian confessed that he didn't want to believe it, but he was certain his sister had perished. Alexis felt terrible for Julian, so he admitted it gave him hope that she still cared about him. Alexis tried to deny it, but Julian easily saw through the lie. He admitted that knowing she cared would help him get through the grief.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas decided to check the local news on television for information about what had happened at the Haunted Star, but Helena's guards stopped him. Moments later, Helena arrived to assure Nikolas that the Haunted Star remained afloat because Sonny had saved everyone by jumping into the harbor with the bomb. Helena dismissed the guards, but Nikolas vowed to make Helena pay for trying to kill dozens of people including Lulu. Helena warned Nikolas that she would not overlook his defiance, but she decided to deal with her grandson's poor manners when her partner arrived.

Nikolas pointed out that the real Luke Spencer would never willingly endanger Lulu and other family and friends, so Nikolas suspected that "Luke" was either an impostor, playing Helena, or Helena had done something to "Luke." Helena smiled as she suggested that perhaps Luke had been playing everyone in Port Charles for years, but Nikolas didn't care because Helena had crossed a line by threatening Nikolas' family despite assurances that she wouldn't. Helena was disappointed by Nikolas' lack of insight because the rules of conquest required a person to adapt.

Helena knew that Nikolas could never be a true Cassadine by getting his hands dirty, but Nikolas surprised her by suddenly producing her knife and pressing it threateningly against her neck. "Really? Is that Cassadine enough for you?" Nikolas asked. Helena advised him to stop his insolence, but Nikolas was tired of Helena hurting and terrorizing everyone he cared about like Emily, Elizabeth, and Alexis. He reminded his grandmother that he knew she had killed Katherine Bell, so he refused to allow Helena to take everything he loved and leave it either broken or damaged before once again vanishing, while Nikolas was forced to piece together some semblance of a life.

Helena assured Nikolas that she loved him and that he was the only person she had ever truly loved, but Nikolas warned her that he would never be like her. He accused Helena of mistaking the ability to kill on a whim for power. He pressed the knife closer to her jugular vein as he pointed out that he was the one with all the power at the moment, but Helena doubted that he would kill her. Nikolas disagreed because she had gotten away with her crimes for far too long. Helena beamed with pride because Nikolas was finally behaving as a true Cassadine.

Helena ordered Nikolas to put the knife down, but Nikolas refused. Moments later, "Luke" entered with a gun aimed at Nikolas. "Luke" informed Nikolas that he couldn't allow Nikolas to kill Helena until "Luke's" plans with Helena had been completed. "Luke" gave Nikolas until the count of three to put the knife down, but Helena warned "Luke" not to harm her grandson. "Luke" began to count down, so Nikolas reluctantly complied. "Luke" warned Helena that Nikolas couldn't be trusted and needed to be dealt with, so "Luke" decided to take care of it because Helena's judgment was clouded.

To Helena horror, "Luke" ordered Nikolas to kneel as he aimed the gun at Nikolas. Helena called for her guards, but no one appeared, so she implored "Luke" not to shoot Nikolas. "Luke" ignored her as he made it clear that he wouldn't hesitate to kill Spencer if Nikolas failed to kneel. Hatred simmered in Nikolas' gaze as he asked if "Luke" was prepared to hurt Lulu and Laura by killing Nikolas, but "Luke" admitted that he didn't care about Lulu or Laura.

Resigned, Nikolas slowly kneeled as Helena continued to beg "Luke" to spare Nikolas' life. "Luke" appeared ready to pull the trigger when Nathan and several police officers suddenly swarmed into the room. "Freeze!" Nathan shouted as he aimed a gun at "Luke."

At the hospital, Olivia pushed Dante's wheelchair to the elevator as he grumbled about not being allowed to walk on his own. Olivia reminded him that it was hospital policy as she pressed the button for the elevator, so Dante admitted the only reason he didn't object to her hovering was because he had done the same with Sonny minutes earlier when he had checked on his father.

Moments later, Lulu walked up. Dante greeted his wife with a smile then assured her that Sonny was expected to make a full recovery. Lulu was relieved but shifted gears as she expressed her frustration about the lack of updates from Kyle Sloane about the impostor and her father. Dante offered to go to the police station to see what he could find out, but Lulu declined because she had another idea.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas read the newspaper over breakfast when Ivy suddenly marched in demanding to know why he hadn't returned any of her phone calls or sent her a text message to check on her. Nikolas assured her that he had been concerned about her, but his cell phone had been confiscated. Ivy was livid because she suspected that Nikolas had deserted her on the Haunted Star intentionally, but Nikolas promised her that she was wrong. He reminded her that both his sister and his cousin had been on the ship, so he would never have left them to perish. Ivy didn't believe him, but she credited Sonny Corinthos with being a hero.

Ivy told Nikolas to lose her number then stormed out as Lulu arrived. Nikolas was relieved that his sister was fine, but she angrily demanded to know what he'd known and when. She revealed that Dante had been trapped in the house on Elm Street until Nathan had saved him, so Rocco might have been an orphan if Helena and the impostor's plot hadn't been foiled. Nikolas admitted that Helena had been staying on Spoon Island since Thanksgiving and that he had recently discovered that Helena and Luke had been in cahoots, but he promised Lulu that he hadn't known the man had been an impostor.

Lulu was outraged that Nikolas had been harboring his "homicidal maniac grandmother" for months, but Nikolas explained that it wasn't as cut and dry as Lulu tried to make it because Helena was family to him. He appreciated that an "outsider" might not be able to understand the dynamics of his relationship with Helena, but Lulu's temper flared. She reminded Nikolas that she was his sister, so nothing excused Nikolas from hiding the truth from her.

Nikolas reiterated that he hadn't known the man claiming to be Luke had been an impostor, but Lulu wasn't satisfied because Nikolas should have known her father would never team up with Helena, Luke's lifelong enemy. Lulu couldn't understand how Nikolas could choose Helena over his own sister, so Nikolas conceded that he should have told Lulu that Helena and Luke had been conspiring. Disgusted, Lulu told Nikolas that he was not the brother she had grown up idolizing.

According to Lulu, that Nikolas had been a decent man who had always done the right thing even when all the maniacs around him had whispered for him to do terrible things. She told him that he was as unrecognizable to her as the man locked up at the Port Charles Police Station, and she left.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael read the morning edition of the Port Charles Press, which featured a picture of Sonny and heralded him as a hero as well as a picture of Luke, proclaiming him a villain. Michael glanced down when his phone vibrated, but he let Kiki's call go to voicemail. Moments later, Tracy approached the table and saw the newspaper. She imagined that it wasn't easy for Michael to owe his life to the man who had killed A.J.

Michael grunted then reminded Tracy that Sonny would soon be transferred back to Pentonville to serve out his sentence. Tracy wondered why Pentonville didn't put in a revolving door at the facility but conceded that it had been a good time to let a bunch of criminals loose. Michael noticed Tracy's sadness as the conversation turned to the bombs and the impostor, so Michael tried to comfort her by reminding Tracy that he knew what it was like to find out a trusted person was not who they seemed. Tracy appreciated that Sonny had been a crushing disappointment to Michael, but she pointed out that Sonny hadn't been an impostor.

Moments later, Dante entered to talk to Michael. Michael was concerned about Dante, but Dante promised he was on the mend. Tracy seized the opportunity to question Dante about the impostor, so Dante explained that his investigation had led him to the house on Elm Street. Tracy tensed when Dante quietly confessed that he had discovered a body wearing a Miscavige patient's jumpsuit in the basement and gently added that it appeared the person had been dead for quite some time. Tracy was shaken by the news because she realized that Luke might be dead, but Dante quickly reminded her that the police still needed to run various tests to confirm everything.

Tracy excused herself when Dante revealed that the remains recovered from the house on Elm Street had been taken to the morgue. After Tracy left, Dante confessed he was there to talk to Michael about visiting Sonny. Michael didn't see the point, since Sonny was expected to make a full recovery, but Dante reminded Michael that Sonny had taken a ticking bomb out of Michael's hand and had jumped into the water to save Michael's life. Michael conceded that Sonny was a hero, but Sonny had also killed Michael's father.

"Welcome to my world," Dante replied. Dante admitted that he had his own conflict with Sonny because while one part of Dante felt a strong connection to his father, another part hated Sonny. Dante understood why Michael was reluctant to see Sonny, but Dante feared that Michael would regret not thanking Sonny for saving Michael's life. Michael confessed that it felt disloyal to thank the man who had murdered his father.

In Sonny's hospital room, Morgan was concerned that Sonny hadn't woken up, but Carly assured Morgan that Sonny was expected to make a full recovery, so Shawn stepped forward to add that Sonny was a strong man who would bounce back quickly. Moments later, Sonny opened his eyes and groggily asked about Dante. Carly smiled with joy as she assured Sonny that Dante was fine and had just left. She added that everyone else, including Michael, was safe because of Sonny's heroic act. Sonny weakly insisted it had been necessary to save Michael.

Carly fetched Sonny some water then held it to his lips as he took a sip. Sonny remained concerned about Michael, so Morgan made a snide remark about his brother. Carly glared at Morgan but told Sonny that Michael had helped her save Sonny's life after Sonny had been pulled out of the water. She assured Sonny that Michael still cared, but Morgan argued that Michael wasn't there. Morgan suggested both Sonny and Carly accept that Michael would not show up because Michael was too busy "nursing his little grudges" to thank Sonny for saving Michael's life.

Sonny tried to defend Michael, but Morgan refused to listen to his parents make excuses for Michael's behavior. Carly suggested that Morgan calm down and show some empathy for Michael because Michael had taken a great risk by carrying the bomb out of the Haunted Star. Morgan continued to simmer with anger because he was furious that Michael hadn't even reached out to Kiki, who might have lost her mother, Ava.

Sonny opened up about the events on the bridge after Ava had been shot. He confessed that he had been tempted to let her go, but he had refused to put his daughter, Avery, though the same pain he had put Michael through by killing A.J. Sonny assured Morgan that he had done everything within his power to pull Ava to safety, but it hadn't been enough, so Morgan promised he believed his father. Sonny asked about Avery, prompting Morgan to show pictures of the baby as Carly noted Avery had Sonny's dimples. Sonny confessed that he wanted to see Avery before he was sent back to Pentonville, so Morgan promised to return with his sister.

Shortly after Morgan left to check on Kiki and the baby, Shawn entered the room. Sonny ordered Shawn to increase Carly's guards, but Shawn assured Sonny that Duke had already taken care of it. Satisfied, Sonny asked about Johnny and Carlos, so Shawn explained that the search for the two fugitives remained ongoing. However, Shawn was pleased to report that Helena and "Bill Eckert" had been captured and were in custody at the police station.

After Shawn left, Carly broached the subject of Sonny refusing her visits while at Pentonville, but Sonny didn't want to talk about it. Moments later, Dante entered the room. Sonny became choked up with emotion as he told Dante what it had been like to be told that Dante had died in an explosion. Dante admitted that it had been close, but Nathan had saved him. Sonny said he owed Nathan a debt of gratitude, but Dante argued that Sonny had saved a lot of people. Dante was impressed but glad that Sonny had survived, so he hugged his father.

Moments later, two police officers walked in pushing a wheelchair as they announced that Sonny had been deemed well enough to return to Pentonville. Carly immediately objected and turned to Dante for help, but it was the first that Dante had heard of it. Carly was upset because she had hoped that Michael would have a chance to visit, so Dante admitted that he had talked to Michael but had failed to get through to his brother.

Meanwhile, Michael exited the elevator and approached the nurses' station. He noticed a commotion down the hall as Sonny, wearing a Pentonville prison jumpsuit, was wheeled out of a hospital room with Carly and Dante trailing behind. Dante approached Michael while the police officers continued to the elevator with Sonny and Carly. Dante was glad Michael had made it, so Carly asked the police officers to give Sonny a minute with Michael.

After the police officers stepped aside, Sonny confessed he had been told that Michael had helped save his life, but Michael insisted that Carly deserved most of the credit because she had refused to give up on Sonny. Sonny assured Michael that he was proud of Michael's bravery, but Michael appeared uncomfortable with the praise, so he started to say something to Sonny when Ivy suddenly walked up to thank Sonny for saving her life. Annoyed, Carly informed Ivy that Ivy had interrupted a private moment.

Michael tensed when Sonny added that he had been speaking to his son, but Ivy explained that she had wanted to show her appreciation for what Sonny had done. Just then, an elderly gentleman walked up, and Ivy introduced him as her father -- Governor Gatling. The governor shook Sonny's hand as he thanked Sonny for the selfless act of heroism that had saved many lives, including Ivy's, and announced that any man willing to risk his life for others shouldn't have to spend another day behind bars.

In the local jail, Helena paced in her cell as the impostor glared at her from his cell across the room. He ordered her to sit, but Helena explained that she was not well suited for confinement. The impostor had little sympathy for her because he blamed her for their predicament because she had trusted Nikolas. Helena argued that if the impostor had put "the mongrel" down as they had discussed, then Sonny couldn't have thwarted their plans. The impostor resented Helena blaming him, especially when they had bigger problems to contend with.

Helena encouraged her cohort not to worry because she had a get-out-of-jail-free card. As if on cue, Kyle Sloane appeared. "Ah, here he is now," Helena said with smug satisfaction as the police commissioner approached her cell. The impostor perked up as Kyle dismissed the guard so Kyle could speak privately to Helena and her partner. After the guard left, Helena demanded to know when she and her co-conspirator would be getting out of jail, but Kyle explained that it wouldn't be that easy. Helena threatened to expose Kyle's role in the rigged mayoral election, but Kyle insisted there would be a public uproar if Helena and her partner were released from jail.

Kyle pointed out that the police department would also be subject to close scrutiny, which would expose his connection to the Cassadines and pave the way for Anna to return. Kyle was certain that Anna wouldn't hesitate to build an airtight case against both Helena and the impostor. However, Kyle assured Helena that he had done everything he could by stalling the investigation to buy Helena time to figure something out. Helena wasn't satisfied, but the impostor assured her it was fine because Kyle could still be of use to them. The impostor had always known the truth would be exposed, so it was time to run his fingerprints.

In Silas' apartment, Kiki left Michael a voicemail message explaining that she needed to talk to him about everything that had happened, including her mother's possible death. She admitted that she was hurting, and he was the only person she felt might be able to help her. After she ended the call, Silas arrived home. Kiki prepared to tell him about what had happened, but Silas had already heard. He quickly hugged his daughter and apologized for not getting home sooner. Kiki assured Silas that she understood he had been with a patient and added that Morgan had been with her when the police had arrived.

Silas was surprised the police had suspected Ava might hide out in his apartment, but Kiki reminded him that both Ava's daughters lived there. Kiki became upset as she quietly confessed that the police didn't think Ava was alive, but Silas urged Kiki not to give up hope. Kiki explained it was difficult because her mother had been shot and had fallen off a bridge. She told her father about Sonny's attempt to save Ava, but Silas sensed that Kiki had her doubts.

Kiki confessed that she needed Sonny to look in her eyes and tell her that he hadn't dropped Ava into the water intentionally. She needed to know that it had been an accident rather than the opportunity he had been waiting for. Silas wondered if Sonny could truly give Kiki the assurances she needed, but someone knocked before Kiki could reply. It was Kyle Sloane.

Silas asked if there had been any news about Ava, so Kyle revealed the search had been called off because there hadn't been any sign of anyone making it to shore, and the water was too cold for anyone to survive for long, especially injured. Kyle admitted that Ava was presumed dead.

At the hospital, Liesl hugged her son tightly because she was relieved that he hadn't been injured in the explosion on Elm Street. Nathan assured his mother he was fine but admitted he was there for answers about the man claiming to be Luke Spencer. Liesl led Nathan to the morgue as she revealed that all the answers Nathan was looking for could be found there. She lifted a sheet off a table to reveal the few scattered human remains recovered from the house on Elm Street. Nathan reeled from the smell, so Liesl offered him a mask, but he declined.

Liesl shifted gears to express her displeasure at Nathan's career choice, since he had been shot, kidnapped, and nearly blown up several times. She suggested farming or perhaps modeling, but Nathan refused to discuss it, so he returned to the reason for his visit by asking if there was enough to identify the deceased person. Liesl warned him that it would take time, so Nathan asked if she could determine how long the person had been dead. Before Liesl could reply, Tracy barged in but stopped short when she saw the remains on the table.

Tracy was upset, but Nathan quickly explained that he was trying to identify the body. Tracy pulled herself together as she asked how long they would have to wait for answers, but Liesl confessed that the police commissioner had prohibited any testing. Tracy refused to let that stop her, so she suggested that Liesl run the tests anyway. Nathan tried to pretend he hadn't heard Tracy and Liesl conspiring, but the issue became moot when Kyle called to clear Liesl to run all the necessary tests on the remains.

Meanwhile, Nathan was called to the police station to supervise while the impostor was fingerprinted. Nathan told Tracy with any luck they would soon have answers. Shortly after Nathan left, Lulu arrived. Lulu was shaken when she saw the remains on the table, but Tracy forced Lulu to focus on her as she quickly updated Lulu on what was going on.

In jail, Helena warned her partner that it had been a mistake to allow Kyle to authorize the tests. "Maybe so," the impostor replied, but he advised Helena to buckle up because it was about to become a bumpy ride. Helena was surprised by his attitude, but the impostor was ready for the next chapter to begin, since he had always known he couldn't keep his secret indefinitely. He looked forward to seeing the expressions on the faces of Sonny, Tracy, and Lulu when his identity became common knowledge. The impostor laughed because everyone had been chasing their tails, trying to figure out who he was, when the answer had been staring them in the face the whole time.

Later, in the morgue, Liesl returned to tell Tracy and Lulu the preliminary tests had confirmed the remains had been deceased for decades. Stunned, Tracy and Lulu argued that it couldn't be Luke because Luke had only vanished a year earlier. Tracy pointed out that Bill Eckert had died two decades earlier, so perhaps someone had dug Bill's body up.

Moments later, Nathan returned. Nathan revealed that the impostor's fingerprints had been a match to Luke Spencer.