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By Any Means Necessary: Steve (Stephen Nichols, l.) ponders drastic measures to safeguard John (Drake Hogestyn) from Konstantin.
As Konstantin ups his game against John, Steve realizes the man he originally considered a nuisance is far more dangerous than he ever suspected — and that he might have to go to greater and riskier lengths to save his friend.
“Steve is considering drastic measures to get rid of Konstantin,” says Stephen Nichols (Steve), who adds that he’s enjoyed working — and forging an adversarial on-screen relationship — with John Kapelos (Konstantin). “John is a real pro and a great scene partner,” Nichols praises. “He brings so much energy to the work. We just fell into it right away. I had a good time sparring with John. It didn’t hurt that the story and the scenes were very well written.”
While meeting with John, Konstantin is amazed to see him transform into The Pawn right before his eyes. Konstantin relays a story from the past, then commands John to take his own life. When John begins to comply, Konstantin stops him, since he has other plans for him.
John snaps out of the trance and is left feeling confused. When he reconvenes with Marlena, he covers with Marlena about his encounter with Konstantin, unable to remember the details and concerned that his past might not truly be in in the past. Later, though, John does discuss the unsettling matter with Steve.
“John doesn’t tell Steve that Konstantin had temporarily transformed him into The Pawn again,” recounts Nichols. “However, he tells Steve that Konstantin wanted to meet with him about ‘Victor’s Pawn’. Then John tells Steve that Konstantin said he had ‘the eyes of a killer’, and he mentions the name Catharina. All of this leaves Steve very concerned.”
A desperate John asks Steve to fill him in on anything he knows about the Greek scoundrel, but Steve deflects. “Steve avoids the subject by saying that Konstantin obviously knows how to get to him, [but] not to worry because he and The Pawn are not the same person anymore,” Nichols explains. As the actor sees it, Steve has been “cryptic with John about his past as The Pawn because he is trying to protect him. Steve doesn’t know how much John remembers about their time in Greece, or what happened. Steve knows that John recalling specific events could be devastating for him.”
Nevertheless, Steve is walking a fine line dodging John’s questions at every turn, knowing that it could eventually backfire. And the situation is weighing on him. “Steve is worried about keeping what he knows from John and that it could destroy their friendship,” notes Nichols. “But he believes the alternative would be worse for John. The only thing Steve says to John is that they must get rid of Konstantin. He believes if he can just get rid of Konstantin, no one will have to know [the hidden secrets from John’s past as The Pawn].”
