Wicked is the sequel to The Storm. This story picks up where The Storm left off at the end of Chapter 50. Wicked is being exclusively posted at the Heart of ZEm message board, until now. I suggest you read The Storm before beginning Wicked.
Chapter One
The rain pounded hard against the windows and the thunder rolled across the midnight sky as Zander sat in the wooden rocker just rocking himself back and forth. It had seemed to become routine for him to be restless at night, not being able to sleep, he had guessed because he had alot on his mind. He had yet to come to peace about his father's death, the only father he had ever known, and his killer still walked free from the responsibility of taking the life of another. His mind still wondering about the what ifs and where he would be at that moment if had known his real father, how would his life be different. His mother, would she still be running looking over her shoulder or would he have had the chance to live his life with her in a loving home the way a child should. His mind took him to an off distant place and it startled him back to the here and now as the lightening cracked outside. The storm raged on outside as well as inside him as he sat and rocked himself hoping to find some sleep tonight, and hoping that he would be able to come to terms with all that had transpired.
As he rested his head back against the wooden rocker, he closed his eyes in the hopes of some peaceful rest, but he knew that wouldn't come to him, not with all the memories of his past still haunting him. His past still very much lingering around him, and he wished like every night before that he could just rid himself of the demons. As he sat there resting his eyes, not keeping them closed for very long because of the images that flashed before him of Sonny and what he had done to his mother. Whether he liked it or not, Sonny was his father, he was the bastard child of rape, there was no denying it, it was staring him in the face every night since he remembered what had happened that night.
Zander had sworn when his son, Devon, was born that he would never become neglectful of him or never raise his hand to his child, he would always show Devon love and understanding, respect and honesty and he would never tell a lie to his child. He would never leave him, like his father had done. He figured what his mother had said to be true ..... any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy to a child. Zander had that with Frank. Frank was his father in every respect of the word. Frank was there to guide him, to listen to him, to give him all the love and support he needed growing up. Frank was the only father he had known and Sonny took all that away from him. Frank was dead and Sonny killed him, those were the facts, yet Sonny was not behind bars, he had not suffered as he had for the past 15 years, Sonny took no responsibility for what happened that night and it was time he did.
Zander sat and watched as the storm raged on outside the window, lightening flashed across the darkened sky and he could hear the thunder rolling above him. He wondered to himself why his mother seemed to recognize Emily's family, she hadn't mentioned the name Quartermaine as he was growing up, it intrigued him that his mother would have some connection to the most influential family in Port Charles. He was sure she wasn't about to explain it to him, he would have to find out on his own, what he wanted to know .. if he wanted to know. He wondered what deep dark secret his mother might be carrying around with her for all these years. It didn't make him feel any better to know that someone else besides himself, carried their own demons within them, he just hoped he could rid himself of his one day.
He was startled by the cell phone ringing in his jacket pocket and went quietly to answer it. He slipped out of the bedroom so he not disturb Emily who was sleeping peacefully, and he walked down the stairs before flipping the phone open and saying hello.
"Do you have any idea of what time it is?" he said to caller.
"I'm sorry sir but this can't wait." the voice replied.
"What can't wait Thomas?" Zander asked when he recognized the voice belonged to his foreman at the warehouse.
"Turn on the television, sir."
Zander walked into the living room and turned on the television and turned it to the local news station to see what was so important. As he stood and watched the news broadcast, his body tensed up and anger began to fill him up. He listened to the reporter at the scene and clinched his fist as the story unfolded in front of him.
"The criminal activity here on the Port Charles docks came to a head tonight, once again. Shots rang out on the docks earlier this evening and two men are dead, a few others were taken to the local hospital and are said to be in critical condition tonight. The Port Charles police are investigating this latest war, but are not releasing the names of those victims of tonight's attack. We will know more as it becomes available to us."
Zander turned off the television and focused his attention back on Thomas who was still hanging on the other end of the call.
"I need details and I need them now, Thomas! This war has got to stop, there has been too much bloodshed already." Zander demanding to know what happened.
"I'll see what I can find out." Thomas replied.
"Yeah you do that and report back to me as soon as you know anything." Zander flipped closed his phone and then ran his hands through his hair in anger.
He rubbed his hands along his face and sighed deeply. The latest attack was sure to bring more focus on him, something he didn't need after all that had happened over the past few months. More security was indeed the next step, he wasn't going to take the risk of losing his family and all of what he worked so hard to keep.
The rain still pounding hard against the windows, and the thunder rolled across the sky, it seemed the storm had been letting up just a bit, he thought, until a crack of lightening lit up the sky surrounding the cabin and the lights flickered. The storm had not let up at all, it just became more wicked.