|
Steve Owen was being hunted by the mob. They were out to kill him. It was time he bailed out of Albert Square. He planned to leave for California with his wife Mel. Mark and Lisa Fowler were also in on the escape act. They hoped to whisk baby Louise away from her interfering father Phil Mitchell. But things didn't go smoothly...more with a bang!
Steve's leaving gesture would be to hurt Phil Mitchell as much as possible. As well as whisking his daughter Louise off to the States, he would break his little sister's heart. Sam Mitchell was certain that Steve wanted to leave Mel for her. She was blissfully unaware that it was all part of Steve's web of deceit.
Steve's plan had a fatal flaw, a secret Mark had been keeping. At the last minute, he announced that he couldn't leave for the States. He was HIV+, and the States wouldn't give him a green card. Mel tried to convince Steve to delay their flight as Lisa needed time to think. But Steve was adamant, the departure time couldn't be changed. He was forced to admit to her that his life was in danger. They had to leave as soon as possible.
With the clock ticking, Lisa had to decide whether to stay or go. On the one hand she was desperate to escape Phil Mitchell. On the other, she loved her life with Mark - could she really afford to leave it all behind? Steve realised that if Lisa didn't join them, part of his plan to ruin Phil would be lost. He drove off with baby Louise strapped into the back of his car.
In the Vic, Mark announced that Lisa was taking Louise out of the country. Phil was livid and charged into the Square. He spotted Mel and pursued her into her house. He seized her by the shoulders and shook her violently. He was determined to extract the truth from her. She managed to brush him off with a lie, but he was still on the warpath.
Phil finally caught up with Steve at a jewellers, just in time to see him driving off. He leapt back into his car. A frenzied car chase ensued with Phil attempting to force Steve off the road. When Steve's car ran into a wall Phil's prime concern was saving Louise. Steve passed Louise out of the car window to Phil, who whisked her away from the wreckage. Steve begged him to return and save him, but it was too late. Steve and his car exploded in a ball of fire.
|
