[Saints & Martyrs]
Okay, couple things. One: lots and lots of character death. It's the Saints, what did you expect, puppies and - you know what? Let's stay away from the Saints and animals. Just to be safe. Two: Ugh, also, this fic takes place in kind of an AU where the Zacchara's aren't around. Three: OC's are mine. All 3 parts are done, I'll post the next one... on Sunday, maybe, or late tomorrow night. Character's you recognize aren't mine. Enjoy!
-I-
Just shy of midnight, an exhausted and haggard looking Jason Morgan steps into Sonny's office in the newly remodeled coffee shop. He stops just in front of the desk and waits for Sonny to end his phone call.
"You handle it?" Sonny inquires, once he sets the phone down.
"Donovan's shipment is somewhere at the bottom of the Atlantic." Jason assures. "It went down near Pier 13."
The elder nods, absorbing the information. "So they were trying to slip through our territory?"
Jason is hardly surprised, Spinelli had been the one to find the intel that said so, and very rarely was Spinelli's information incorrect. "You know they're going to retaliate, four of their men went down with the boat."
"And you'll be ready when they do. Better yet, get your freak boy," He rolls his eyes at Jason's automatic glare. "Sorry, computer geek? To try and figure out what they're up to before they do it."
"Spinelli's already working on that angle," He sighs, and decides instead to explain the plan that he and Spinelli had concocted earlier. "I'm sending a decoy shipment out tomorrow with our real one, so if they do strike back at us, we'll be covered."
Sonny seems to like that idea, and he hums in approval. "Make sure the cops stay away from this, Jason, I don't need more problems running around. The damned Irish are enough of a hassle." The Irish Mob have been a presence in Port Charles nearly as long as the Corinthos-Morgan Organization has, but the Irish have had more of a penchant for gun running and prostitution as opposed to the always lucrative drug trade, until recently, anyway. Now they're running product through Sonny's territory, and an all out war has arisen as a result of their actions.
"I know." Jason replies, just as the door opens and Spinelli appears.
"Pardon the interruption, Mr. Sir, Stone Cold," The hacker waves nervously, his trademark messenger bag slung over his shoulder and laptop balanced in his hands, "but the Jackal has discovered some most interesting information on the implementer of Irish actions."
Jason steps toward the door, and Sonny waits for the English version.
"Donovan's enforcer, as it were." He amends, when he notes the intense staring coming from the older man.
"Alright, let's go." Jason presses, a hand on Spinelli's shoulder as he leads him safely away from Sonny. "Show me what you've got."
***
"Look'it this." A folded over newspaper lands, quite unexpectedly, on a sleeping Murphy MacManus' stomach, pulling him abruptly into consciousness.
"Th' fuck is it?" The younger brother grumbles, grabbing the paper and trying to will the words into focus on the page. 'Trio of Boating Accidents Ruled Mob Related – 12 Dead' the bolded headline reads.
Conner sits down beside him, producing another article – 'Mob Violence Builds in Port Charles' – and then another – 'Morgan and Corinthos found Not Guilty in Mob Death'.
"Our next targets, then?"
"Aye, Port Charles, New York." The elder answers, and grabs Murphy's pillow out from under him. "I'll pack us up, yer gonna call Smecker."
***
The penthouse is dark when Jason returns after a lengthy interrogation with Commissioner Scorpio. He can't believe that their plan fell apart so spectacularly. Three of his men are dead – nothing compared to Donovan's nine, but still – and both the real and decoy shipments joined Donovan's underwater. There's nothing else that he can do now, except wait for Spinelli to figure out the next move.
"Stone Cold," A voice greets, and evidently the penthouse isn't as dark as he thought. Spinelli is jogging down the stairs, a bottle of orange soda in hand. "Perchance you have a moment?"
"Did you find something on Donovan's plans?"
Spinelli bites his lip and frowns. "Alas, no. Not as of yet, but I assure you, the Ace of Cyberspace has several quite promising leads and will undoubtedly find something soon." He pauses, and the two of them end up seated on the sofa. "What the Jackal wanted to speak to you about was of a decidedly more… personal nature."
Jason knows where this is going now. "About what happened last week?"
"Affirmative."
The incident in question was also one attributable to the Irish. The leader of the Irish Mob, Callum Donovan, thought it a nice touch to ambush Jason and Spinelli on their way home. Both escaped unscathed, but Donovan's three men had not. The adrenaline rush from their close encounter had ended with Spinelli pinned to a wall in a nearby alleyway by a Jason in fierce over-protective mode, and a rather heated make out session.
Neither had spoken of it since.
"What about it?"
Spinelli stutters for a moment, undoubtedly trying to regain the nerve to say whatever it is he's attempting to. "Well, that is… the Jackal… I think that perhaps we should take the opportunity to explore the avenues that were discovered as a result of our unanticipated encounter in the alleyway. That is, if Stone Cold would be at all inclined to-"
Jason cuts off Spinelli's rambling suggestion. "This isn't really the time to be talking about what happened. There's too much going on, with the Irish, and now the cops. Sorry, Spinelli, but not now." He stands and makes for the stairs and the chance to get some sleep before he has to go impede another of Donovan's attempts at control. "I'm going to bed. Wake me up if you find anything on the Irish."
"Very well, Stone Cold."
***
"Agent Thomas Raynor, FBI?" An unfamiliar voice calls out from the station entrance.
"Yes?" The man in question answers, stopping in his path toward his desk. "Can I help you?"
The man who called him offers a hand upon approach. "Agent Paul Smecker, also FBI. I'm here with orders to take over your investigation of mob activity in this town. I'll need any files you have on our players, your desk, and an onion bagel with cream cheese."
Raynor looks quite irked by the newcomer's request, and rightly so. However, upon investigation of those orders – 'What do you mean 'off the case'? I've been working this case for almost a year! What do you mean 'exactly'? Very well. Yes, I would like to continue working for the FBI – Smecker's claims prove true, and after clearing off his desk and leaving the files, he sends one of the cops out on a bagel run and takes his leave.
Once alone with the files, Smecker picks up his cell phone and dials the number Murphy left him with. "Alright, boys. I've got the information."
***
The phone is on speaker as Smecker reads them off the names and pertinent details of the targets of the FBI Investigation. Conner scribbles down the information and Murphy works on inventorying their freshly obtained supplies.
On the Irish side of the mob there are five major players.
The Mob Boss, Callum Donovan. His enforcer is known as Seamus O'Malley, he does all the dirty work for the organization. Donovan, however, is never without his two personal body guards - Adam Lyons and Kevin Wheaton, who both have records as long as Smecker is tall, apparently. The lawyer that continues to get them off on any and all major charges is Peter Doyle. Numerous underlings and soldiers abound, but none are as involved as those five. Due to their previous dealings, Smecker warns, they have both a plethora of firearms on hand, and are likely to have some company of the female persuasion around as well. Notably, Shannon Connolly, supposed girlfriend of O'Malley.
On the opposing side, there are six persons of interest. Sonny Michael Corinthos Jr., the leader of the organization. Enforcer and occasional leader, as well, is Jason Morgan. He's been arrested countless times, but never convicted, except for on one occasion, where he supposedly shot his roommate in the foot. Two main bodyguards are charged with protecting the two of them – brothers, Max and Milo Giambetti. Another man, Cody Paul, seems to be one of their strongest powers after Morgan. Their insanely talented lawyer – Diane Miller, won't be a target, but is still worth mentioning. The last player is a computer hacker that the FBI seems terribly interested in. There are even charges of treason against him. Damian Spinelli, his name is, with known aliases – The Jackal and the Assassin of Cyberspace, and he lives with Jason Morgan. The Corinthos-Morgan organization has its soldiers and lesser players as well, but none of remarkable interest after the six main players.
Upon the successful relay of all required intel on Smecker's part, the call ends, and the MacManus brothers are one step closer to carrying out their newest project.
***
Spinelli and Maxie walk slowly along the docks in the early afternoon. Jason likely doesn't know that his self proclaimed protégé is out and about unprotected, but the young hacker felt it important to talk to Maxie concerning Jason's avoidance of certain topics.
"Give me a minute here, Spinelli." She half laughs at him. "I'm still registering the idea of, well, Jason and any sort of romantic activity. And I mean, I know you and I didn't work out, but that's not really what I expected out of you, either." Maxie muses in contemplation as they continue their wandering. "He won't let you talk about it all?"
"The Jackal only made the one attempt, and indeed Stone Cold has a point as to the nature of the timing of such an inquiry…"
She shakes her head. "Nonsense. He's not out here patrolling every second of every day."
Spinelli loses the chance to respond to Maxie's argument when they hear voices around the corner.
"What's that?" Maxie asks, but she nor Spinelli recognize the voices speaking. Two in unison. Something in Latin.
"In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti." The rapport of two guns firing echoes and Spinelli pulls Maxie further back, ducking them behind a stack of crates.
"Did they just shoot someone?" Maxie whispers to him, but Spinelli shushes her further when he hears footsteps approaching. Two shadowed figures walk past them in silence, and luckily don't notice them in their hiding place. "Spinelli!" She hisses at him once they've gone. "Those guys just shot someone!"
Bravely – or stupidly, as Jason would probably argue – Spinelli slips out from behind the crates, motioning for Maxie to remain, and ventures around the corner. Abruptly, as his stomach turns and his feet turn to concrete, he wishes he hadn't.
There, right there, on the dock, lays the body of what was once a human being. Most of it is intact, but for the head, which has twin exit wounds from where eyes should have been. On them rest pennies.
A hand held over his mouth to contain himself as he draws even closer, he realizes that the body is that of one of the Irishmen. Their lawyer – Peter Doyle.
He returns to their hiding spot speechless and unable to make his eyes focus. "The Jackal vehemently insists that Maximista not glimpse the sight I just witnessed." He says, when he can finally form words again. "I need to inform Stone Cold."
"You mean the police," She corrects. "Those guys just shot and killed someone, Spinelli. Right in front of us!"
"Technically, they were graciously unaware of our presence, which means they did not do so right in front of us. Additionally, their unfortunate fatality was part of the opposing organization and therefore Stone Cold and Mr. Sir need be made aware of the issue, as well."
Maxie sighs. "You call Jason, I'll call Mac."
"Very well." Spinelli answers.
***
"Ya would think they'd give the man a fuckin' body guard." Conner snorts, as he sets his gun on a cardboard box table in the vacant house they're squatting in during their stay in lovely Port Charles.
"Shame ev'ry one isn't that easy." Murphy snorts. "Might actually get boring."
The blonde rolls his eyes. "Yer turn ta pick a mark." He tosses their list to his younger-by-moments brother (as they did finally work that one out) and waits for his choice.
"I say we go fer Corinthos' soldier. Cody, aye?" He suggests, after drawing a line through Doyle's name. Typically, they go for underlings first, because it gets the higher ups to make stupid mistakes and so that there aren't a bunch of frantic soldiers running around endangering innocents.
Conner nods in agreement. "Mm. Good choice, Murph."
***
Commissioner Scorpio gets to the scene before Jason arrives. And upon setting his forensic team on the body and setting up a perimeter, he turns to Maxie and Spinelli. "Let me guess, Spinelli, you know absolutely nothing about any of this, is that right?"
"That would be correct, Your Commissionership." Spinelli answers, managing as much of a smile as he can with the images of Doyle's body still fresh in his mind. "In fact, I don't know anything about it at all. Maximista and I did, however, hear two men speaking prior to the gunshots."
Curious, though always doubtful of involvement, Mac presses the statement. "And what did you hear?"
"It wasn't in English." Maxie answers before Spinelli can. "They were both saying the same thing, though. At the same time."
"Indeed, as fair Maximista said. It was in Latin." Spinelli amends, and Mac takes notes before one of his men wave him over.
"Spinelli," Jason calls, spotting his roommate. "What happened? What were you doing out here without a bodyguard?" He demands, protectiveness having returned as he drags the young hacker a few feet away from Maxie. "Did Donovan's man come after you?"
Spinelli shifts uncomfortably. "He didn't. In fact, someone went after him. It was Doyle – Our Irate Irishmen's lawyer who was so violently slain." Quickly, while Mac is occupied with forensic findings, he relates the story in full to Stone Cold, who looks less than pleased with the information. "From your expression, I believe I can extrapolate that it was not anyone linked to the Corinthos-Morgan Organization that acted in this."
Jason shakes his head. "No one I know of. And two of them? No."
"Perhaps someone has gone rogue on Donovan's side of things?"
"Two people on his side is just as unlikely as two people on our side." The elder reasons and they're back to square one. "Come on, Mac can take Maxie home." He says, as he spots an unfamiliar character cross the tape. He's clad in an FBI windbreaker, and that is about the time Jason decides Spinelli needs to be away from there. "You're coming with me."
***
Conner and Murphy find themselves sneaking into the basement of a small restaurant called Kelly's. The basement used to be a club, but is now little more than a dusty hangout for teenagers. However, it is evidently a place that Cody occasionally uses to have meetings with some of the other Corinthos-Morgan soldiers. Tonight being one of those nights, the Saints have come prepared.
"Oi, there's seven of 'em, countin' our guy." Conner sighs and then moves out of the way so Murphy can block the back exit of the club. Only one way in and out, now. "Finally, somethin' a bit challengin'."
"Ya ready?"
Conner chambers a round in his gun.
***
"You wanted to talk." Jason says, once they're off the streets and back at Casa De Stone Cold. "Talk."
Caught rather off guard, Spinelli stares for a moment before he realizes what Jason is suggesting. "Oh. Well, as you know, things between Maximista and I did not work out. And, since it has indeed been a while since those events… Ugh, as I said before, I think we should give… what happened in the alley… a serious chance." It's not as eloquent or he had been hoping for, but put on the spot as he was, it comes out nicely.
In answer, one of Jason's hands fists into his shirt, hauling him closer as the other finds its way into his unruly hair as he is drawn into another kiss.
***
Bullets fly in a rather intense firefight as Conner and Murphy take on Cody and six of Corinthos' men. With the element of surprise on their side, and that back exit blocked, Cody is incapacitated and the other six fall in a rather short amount of time.
"Fuck!" Murphy shouts, as one of the men get a shot off as he goes down.
"Y'alright, Murph?" Conner demands, even as he sends another down.
The younger pauses long enough to reign himself in and ignore the pain, making quick inventory of his injury. "Yeh. Flesh wound, s'all." He says, as he takes his place beside Conner behind the dubiously conscious, kneeling, Cody Paul.
"And shepherds we shall be, for Thee my Lord, for Thee…"
***
A rather insistent knock on the door disrupts the impassioned series of kisses that have managed to multiply between Jason and Spinelli as they explore the beginnings of their newly discovered relationship.
But, given the circumstances, both take the interruption seriously. In the midst of a mob war, there are more important things to be dealt with. Especially when they learn what their impatient guests are attempting to tell them.
It's Max and Milo, looking quite shell-shocked by whatever news they bring.
"There was a shootout in The Cellar. Mike called it in when he heard the gunfire. Six of our men and Cody are dead." Max somberly informs Jason and Spinelli, who both find themselves frozen as the news sinks in.
Jason is the first to return to reality. "Did any of our guys take out any of the shooters?"
"Not a trace of any hits on their side. Most of them didn't even get a chance to fire. Cody was killed the same way that Irish guy was earlier. Pennies and all." Milo elaborates, having been the one who spoke with Commissioner Scorpio. "Maybe it was Doyle's buddies retaliating, if they thought it was us."
"It wasn't us, and the even more Irate Irish ones would not be using a method they thought was attributable to us to kill our men. They would have employed their own signature in carrying out the attack." Spinelli counters, and the realization strikes him. "Perhaps we have a vigilante type involved? Going about dramatically slaying known mobsters on both sides of the playing field."
Jason doesn't agree or disagree with Spinelli's theory for the moment. "Milo, you are now Spinelli's personal body guard. Max, we're going to check this out and then I want you to stay with Sonny. We need to make sure we're covered from all angles on this." He casts another glance at Spinelli before he ushers Max out the door. "Stay here."
***
"For Christ's sake, Conn, would ya get on with it?"
"Well, if ya could hold still fer one fuckin' secon'! Oi." Conner grumbles, as he works to patch the not-serious wound on Murphy's side.
The younger huffs and stops his squirming, which allows Conner to successfully bandage the gash just above his brother's hip.
"Aye, wassat so hard?" The elder snarks, and tosses a grumbling Murphy a fresh shirt. "Now c'mon. We're hittin' the Irish bodyguards next."
***
"What the hell is going on today?" Mac groans in exasperation as he ducks under the yellow crime scene tape with Lucky on his heels. Two forensic techs are already examining the scene and one of them motions the Commissioner over. "What've you got?"
"Seven bodies. All but this one were killed by bullets in active stances. They were all fighting back or running. This guy is the same as the one from the docks earlier. Two shots – probably from two guns, just like before – to the back of the head. All of the bodies have pennies on the eyes, though." The one whose speaking explains, as his partner finishes with bagging their evidence. "We'll let you know more later."
Mac nods, and steps aside to let the men pass. "Alright. What do you make of this, Lucky?"
"Maybe someone not in either of our gangs. The Irish wouldn't be using the same M.O. as whoever killed the lawyer, but they certainly have motive. Maybe a hit man or a concerned citizen taking the law into their own hands whose making plays against both sides?"
"Go interview Mike Corbin, see if he heard or saw anything that could help us." He instructs, just as the annoying FBI Agent who replaced Raynor shows up. "Great."
"Ah, Commissioner Scorpio. Is upstairs a good place to find a decent café latte, then?" Smecker inquires, as he nonchalantly enters the crime scene. "I, ooh. This is messy." The man kneels beside the body of Cody Paul – or what's recognizably left of him, anyway.
Mac ignores the coffee comment and instead relays what they've learned as well as Lucky's vigilante theory.
Smecker doesn't seem convinced. "Maybe that's just what they want you to think." He's become somewhat of an expert at making local cops stray from vigilante theories. He simply twists all arguments he made to the contrary in the original investigation in South Boston.
"Corinthos isn't that smart. And I don't see either side killing their own men, anyway."
"They would if they had traitors among them. Really, what is Cody Paul, known associate of Corinthos and Morgan, doing down here with a bunch of men? If he were organizing some sort of rebellion against his bosses they would have had to kill him."
The Commissioner looks less than thrilled in having to acknowledge the credibility of that theory, but begrudgingly, he does so. "We'll look into it."
***
Jason and Max burst into the office area of Sonny's house without so much as a knock on the door. "We have a problem, Boss." Max says, before Jason can, and that certainly does get Sonny's attention.
"Donovan tried something?"
"Someone had Cody killed." Jason answers, and flips on the television to one of the various news stations reporting the scattered details they've uncovered. "And six others."
"It is unknown at this time whether or not this massacre is related to today's earlier incident on the docks. The police have yet to confirm or deny how these killings play into the rising incidents of mob violence." The reporter on channel 2 accounts, set up in front of Kelly's.
As expected, Sonny skips the logical thinking step of absorbing this news and slams his fist down hard on the table. "And you're plan to retaliate is?"
"I think we might have a bigger problem than the Irish." Jason answers, opting to go with Spinelli's theory for the moment. "Cody and Doyle were both killed the same way. Which means either the Irish killed their own lawyer and then went after our guys, or, someone outside of both organizations killed them."
Sonny waves off the theory. "Donovan's behind this, Jason. I'm sure of it. He's trying to throw us off. Now, get over there and deal with this before it gets even more out of hand."
Jason sighs. No convincing Sonny now. He'll just have to figure it out on his own. "Yeah, whatever." He nods to Max in parting, who mirrors the movement, but Sonny stops him.
"Go with Jason, I'm going to go to the safe house for now. I don't need any protection." Sony waves dismissively, and Max follows Jason as he takes his leave.