Anna Is the Key to Johnny and Wendy’s Plan — and Ava Calls EJ With a Warning

In the DiMera boardroom, a conflicted Chloe pulls away from Stefan’s kiss. He points out Brady isn’t wasting time moving on, so why should she? Chloe agrees, and Stefan moves in close. She holds him off, wondering how’d it look with HR if they started dating. Stefan points out they are on equal ground at work, so all they have to do is let HR know first.

Stefan’s ready to go public about how he feels. “Are you?” Chloe doesn’t care what people think, but wonders if Stefan’s feelings for her are genuine or if someone else put them there. He reports that Gabi believes Rolf’s hands are clean, and so does he. He’s been confused about a lot of things lately, but not about her. Stefan wants to take his second chance at life with Chloe and make her forget about Brady. He suggests they jet off to anywhere she wants to go. She agrees, and Stefan calls to arrange the jet.

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At Allie’s apartment, Wendy and Johnny hope that finding the pilot, Ned Granger, will lead them to Rolf. Johnny wants to call Tony about Ned, but Wendy thinks he could be in on it with EJ. Johnny agrees, but grins as he says Anna has a soft spot for him.

Anna and Tony return to the mansion after a turbulent flight home from Zurich. They need a drink so they head into the living room and find the crystal heart in pieces on the floor. Anna frets over the one-of-a-kind item Tony had commissioned for her birthday. Tony rolls his eyes. EJ enters with catfish nuggets for Susan, wondering where she got off to.

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As Tony reluctantly samples the nuggets, Johnny calls Anna for help. However, Tony and EJ can’t know about it. He charms her until she agrees to come over. Anna lies to Tony that she was just talking to the artist about fixing her sculpture and she needs to go see him right away.

After a worried EJ calls Susan, who doesn’t answer, he fills Tony in on Stefan’s brainwashing. Tony is incensed, but EJ implores him not to tell a soul — not even Anna. When EJ defends it as protecting Stefano’s legacy, Tony’s outrage downgrades to feeling conflicted. EJ calls it progress.

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Anna comes to the apartment and learns of Johnny and Wendy’s suspicions about Stefan’s brainwashing. Thanks to Stefano, she knows what it’s like to be manipulated, so she agrees to call Ned. When she does, she tells the pilot Tony died, and she needs Rolf to bring him back from the dead. Ned tells her he’s in Jakarta. After Anna leaves, Wendy jumps online and makes the DiMera jet look like it’s being serviced, so no one will see where they took it.

Back in the DiMera boardroom, Stefan discovers the jet’s being serviced. Chloe takes it as a sign they should slow things down. He agrees to go as fast or as slow as she wants.

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As Ava and Charlie revel in EJ’s pain over his kidnapped mother, she gets a text from Xander confirming he has Susan. When Charlie suggests she make her demands to EJ, she states that EJ can’t know she’s behind it. If she is forced to go on the run, she will never see Tripp again. Charlie declares the Johnsons are Tripp’s family now, so all Ava is him. As for Henry, they’ll take him with them. He convinces Ava to make sure EJ knows she’s behind his pain. Then, once she gets his pile of cash, they will take Henry someplace they’ll never be found. Ava smirks.

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Sarah comes to see Maggie at home to return her check. Sarah has faith in Xander who’s at a mysterious job interview right now. Maggie asks if she’s concerned he left her in the dark. Sarah defends her husband who swore he’s a changed man. Maggie knows from her own changed husband that old ways are tough to shake. Maggie loves Xander and believes he wants to stay on the straight and narrow, but he’s under a lot of pressure. Which is why she’s worried. Sarah promises Xander is only interested in honest work. Maggie asks her to call him about the interview.

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Xander carries a limp Susan into the garden shed. When Susan stirs, Xander ties her to a chair and puts a burlap sack over her head. She panics and begs him to take it off. He puts on the evil clown mask before obliging. Xander ignores a call from Sarah and disguises his voice as he tells Susan he’s stepping outside.

Outside the shed, Xander calls Ava, demanding she get their money — now! Clown Xander returns to Susan, who thinks he’s less evil and more sad. She doesn’t think he wants to do this. Xander says what he wants is irrelevant. As long as EJ does what he’s told, no one will get hurt.

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Sarah takes it as a good sign that Xander didn’t answer her call. She believes Xander will be bringing in the big bucks soon. A not-so-confident Maggie nods and gives her a thumbs up.

Alone, EJ answers the phone to Ava, who assures him Susan is being well taken care of — for the moment. If he does exactly what she tells him to, maybe, just maybe, she’ll return his mother in one piece.

Next on Days of Our Lives: it’s election day in Salem, and Chad opens up to Stephanie.

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