Subj: Collinwood 2001 Part 41
Date: 11/29/01 5:24:26 AM Central Standard Time
From: N.E. Collins

Nora Collins and Victoria Winters had gone in early to the Collinsport Hospital to have Vicky's blood drawn. The exhumed body of her late brother, Jamison, had already been tested and his results had been finalized. Now all they needed were the girl's to prove once and for all that she was a Collins. The press was there to cover the event, but not in large quantities like before when Nora Collins had held her first press conference a few months back. The world had turned a few times since then and the recent terrorist attacks in nearby New York City and now the harsh weather that had moved in on the area had taken precedence over an orphan girl coming into her own. Vikkie Gee was getting Miss Winters test results in order and she was putting the final touches on her paperwork.

"Excuse me, young woman?"

Vikkie almost came out of her skin! She turned around and there was a man standing not 2 feet behind her. "Who are you? And how did you get in here? I didn't hear you come in here."

The man smiled. "I'm very quiet, and please forgive me if I gave alarm. The last thing I want to do is scare you." He took another step closer and reached up and touched her right arm at the elbow.

Vikkie did not like the familiarity and she started to pull angrily away, but something came over her and she just stood there. "Who are you? What do you want?" She inquired again of the man and this time her voice had taken on a calmer melodic tone.

"Who I am is not important. What I want is vitally so. Are those the DNA test results of Victoria Winters you have there before you?"

Vikkie just nodded her head for yes.

"Good. Now I need you to do a little something for me and rest asssured Miss Gee you will be more than amply rewarded. My employer can be most generous."

The head nurse, Rosemary, made angry sounding steps as she marched down the sterile hallways of Collinsport Hospital. She burst through the lab door and laid into Vikkie Gee. "What in the world is taking you so long? How hard is it for you to put a few papers together and deliver them to Doctor? Do you realize that we have the press out there? Do you have ANY idea how critical they can be of a hospital that is thought to be run inefficently? I will NOT have some fly by night reporter rummaging around my facility digging up dirt to fling in our faces! Rosemary stopped to take a breath before she continued her tirade. "Report to the tech storage room. You are going to clean all the shelves and put it into immaculate order."

Vikkie moved toward the door with Miss Winters folder still clutched in her hand. Rosemary took the folder away from her. "I will take that, thank you! I don't understand what is wrong with you today, Miss Gee, and I don't paticularly care, but I can assure that before this day is over we WILL get the lead out of your butt!"

Vikkie left the room and as soon as the door closed behind her the temperature of the room seemed to fall dramatically. It was near to freezing! Rosemary stepped over to the thermostat and saw that it was set on the proper temperature. She said to herself, oh great, another problem. I swear, this whole place is falling apart! I wonder what will happen next?

The press was getting antsy and when they saw Nurse Cruz hand the Doctor a most official looking folder they surged forward and began their assault. Flashblubs were popping and cameras were rolling and questions were flying from twenty mouths at once. "Are those the test result?"

"What are the test results?"

"Why did it take so long?" Doctor Reeves was not used to all this intrusion in his facility, but he had learned to handle himself in a manner most diplomatic. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press all of your questions will be answered in due time. Now, if you will excuse us as I and the ladies step into my office."

A reporter threw a question at Vicky before she joined the doctor. "Miss Winters, if you find out that you are a Collins what's the first thing you're gonna do?"

Vicky answered the question as she answered most question that were posed to her. "I don't know. But I do know that I will be happy. Happy that I finally belong to a family."

Vicky joined Nora Collins and Doctor Reeves in his conference room. Nora sat down, but Vicky was too excited to take a seat. Doctor Reeves opened the folder and began looking over a sheet of paper with some odd markings on it. He then pulled a similiar paper out of the folder of the late Jamison Collins and began to compare the two. His face betrayed no answer. Vicky's palms were sweating and Nora's adrenalin was rising. "Ladies, I have carefully looked over the evidence before me and I must conclude that there is absolutely, without a doubt, no chance that this young woman could be the daughter of your late brother."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.