Underneath the ashes

Summary: This story is about the Karpov/counterfeit drug storyline, with a Jasam twist

Chapter 1

Jason stood at the docks he had a lot on his mind; like the fact that his best friend and former business partner, Sonny Corinthos was working as a consultant for the Karpov crime family. They were well known throughout Europe as being ruthless, and they in the process of trying to make Port Charles part of their empire. Apparently, one of the other crime families, daughter, Claudia Zacchara had found out this information by witnessing the meeting between the head of the Karpov organization and Sonny.

Sonny had recently decided to sever all ties between him and the mob, because his son had gotten struck by a stray bullet while he was visiting his father at one of the many warehouses on the owned. Michael was now in a coma in critical condition at General Hospital. The doctors were unsure is Michael would ever wake up.

I should have been there, I promised him when he was a little boy that I'd always be there for him and to also protect his family, for the first year of his life he was my son. I knew that Sonny would make a great father for Michael. I thought Michael would be safer with him. Away from the danger, away from the constant violence that I have to deal with every day, but look what happened to him as a result of Sonny being in the mob, he's hovering between life and death as we speak. No 10 year old little boy should have to go through what Michael is experiencing right now. What about my son Jake? Did I really make the right decision, by letting another man raise my son as his own? What does the future hold for me? Am I destiny to walk this life alone?

Before Jason could finish his train of thought, he was interrupted by his cell phone ringing; Jason reached into his left pocket and pulled out his cell phone, "Morgan."

"Jason. Its Stan I've been watching Pier 30, and you'll never believe who I saw, talking with Karpov, it was Sam, and they seem to be discussing some sort of business transaction.

Jason was totally caught by surprise, "Continue surveillance and make sure you remain unseen and wait till I get there. With that Jason abruptly ended the call and began walking the 2 ½ blocks toward the pier.

Jason had always prided himself on being able to sense danger. It was something that he had perfected throughout the years it pretty much came with the territory of being a mob enforcer. And his instinct was telling him that Sam was in more trouble than she ever bargained for.

When he reached the pier, he surveyed the area nothing was out of place except a very unsettling discussion that Sam was engaged in with a notorious Russian mobster.

"Thanks, for handling the situation Stan, I really appreciate it." Jason said, letting his presence been known to Stan.

He just nodded and handed over an extra pair of binoculars and that he just happened to have.

--

Sam had to stop herself from shivering, not from the cold but from the man standing before her. Andre Karpov was a very powerful man, based on the research that Sam had conducted before this meeting ever took place.

"…So the merchandise you will be handling has to be transferred from Massachusetts Bay to the harbor in Port Charles. The shipments and the size of the cargo are subject to change as time goes on. I may also ask you to go to different ports for me on the eastern seaboard. I trust that you will be able to handle this, Miss McCall?

"As long as you can pay me in cash, Mr. Karpov, I won't have any problem getting or receiving any of your merchandise." Sam stated confidently.

"Excellent, welcome to the Karpov organization, I shall contact you in a few days to give you the instructions for the first shipment." Andre said as he turned on his heel.

Sam waited until she couldn't hear any more footsteps, and then she pulled out her cell phone and pressed eight which was Lucky's entry on her speed dial it was then that she remembered that she couldn't call Lucky because she supposedly had a very public breakup. Sighing she turned, and began walking towards where she had parked her car.

--

Jason watched as the meeting wrapped up and saw Sam take out her cell phone and press a button before snapping it shut again and turned toward her car. Jason jumped in his black Ford Explorer, following Sam home.

--

Sam had just gotten herself some mineral water, and was about to turn on the television she heard a knock, having no idea who it could possibly be since it was after nine o'clock in the evening. She knew for a fact the lucky didn't get off work until 11. And he usually called at around 11:45 to make sure she was okay and to see if it was possible for him to come over. Regardless of who it was Sam knew from the way it than knocking was that the person was definitely not going away.

She opened the door and much to her dismay, there stood her ex-fiancé, Jason Morgan, Sam's mood changed instantly, and it wasn't a good change, her posture became stiff and rigid and her eyes were filled with hatred.

"Can I come in? Jason asked.

"Do what you want; it's a free country, although for the life of me I don't understand, what the hell you're doing here." Sam spat out.

Jason knew that was as close as he was going to get to an invitation into her apartment as he was going to get so he stepped across the threshold.

a Sam finally spoke, "I wish I could say that I'm glad to see you Jason, but that's obviously not going to happen, so why don't you tell me what you want so you can get the hell out of my house."

As usual Jason's face did not change in the slightest, he simply asked, "what were you doing on Pier 30 talking with a man in the Russian mafia?"

"What the hell difference does it make to you anyway, you made it clear that you didn't care if I lived or died two months ago. I don't have to justify my actions to you anymore." Sam stated.

"Ever since Sonny signed over his rights to Michael and Morgan he's been acting very strange towards me." Jason started.

"Gee I wonder why it couldn't possibly be the fact that you had the man sign over his rights to his children, by blackmail." Sam said with complete disdain, wondering why she had ever fall in love with someone who is an egotistical jackass.

"Sam and you know it was for the best."Jason desperately failing to convince Sam that he was doing what he thought was for the best at that time.

"Says who oh that's right, the Almighty Jason Morgan." Sam said, taking a drink of her vodka and tonic, as she sat down on her couch.

"What were you doing on Pier 30 with Andre Karpov the head of the Russian mafia?"Jason asked again.

"Well if you must know I'm the pilot of one of his ships." Sam answered.

"What!! You have got to be joking, from what Spinelli and I have uncovered about him. He deals in illegal drugs." Jason said flabbergasted.

"Now before you say anything let me explain, the new clinic than Nikolas just opened, has treated several patients, from the surrounding hospitals come to find out that the drugs that those patients were subscribed or counterfeit drugs. I came up with the idea of me going undercover to try to figure out who's supplying the illegal drugs. There was only one potential problem with me going undercover. The fact that I'm Lucky's girlfriend wouldn't help the situation and in fact it would make it worse. So in order for this undercover operation work, we had a very public breakup. If I find anything I will take that information to the police and continue working with Karpov as long as I need to in order to get the counterfeit drugs off the market." Sam replied matter-of-factly.

"So, now that you're broken up with Lucky you decide to risk life and limb to bring down a world-renowned drug dealer do you even care that you're putting your life in unnecessary danger?" Jason asked.

"Technically Lucky and I aren't broken up. We staged a very public breakup to make sure that my cover was not blown." Sam said.

"Oh, was the only thing that Jason managed to utter with that, he said goodbye and told her that he would check in on her occasionally to get more information on Karpov's dealings.