Deep Roots

Chapter 1: Caught in Traffic

(A/N) Flashbacks in italics

Anthony Zacchara had a heart attack and died.

It was as simple as that. Just as things were coming to a tense boiling point between all illicit organizations in Port Charles, the main issue simply kicked the bucket. He was not smothered in his sleep, shot by a sniper, or poisoned by his dinner. The old man died unexpectedly of "natural causes", leaving his enemies shocked at his unplanned departure. At first there was a sense of peace. Said peace was ironically disturbed by none other than the dictates of federal law enforcement.

Agent Raynor was adamant. There would be an arrest of a whale in the Port Charles mob ring, and Jason Morgan would hand deliver that person to the FBI. He dangled Spinelli's freedom in front of Jason like a pendulum that hypnotized him, bending the enforcer's mind just enough to consider alternative options that would counter balance the weight of one Anthony Zacharra-unfortunately, now deceased. Their intention was clear; they wanted Sonny Corinthos. Jason tried every evasive maneuver in the book-he stalled, he pleaded, he played nice, and he even, out of desperation, offered substitutes. Raynor would have none of it, he only smirked and shook his head at any frantic attempt of Jason's to put off the inevitable.

It was only a matter of time before Jason made his decision. Sonny had a sneaking suspicion that his old friend's vision of the future included him in a steel cage in place of the sniveling hacker whose insidious influence over Jason somehow made this a "complicated" choice. Years of loyalty, of being closer than blood had cracked and shattered somewhere along the line, Sonny and Jason were now only held together by the memory of such a link and not the connection itself. Somehow, their partnership which had always kept Sonny at the forefront of Jason's faithfulness had been traded in like it was last year's model and replaced with the somewhat more fuel efficient but ultimately puny replacement known by the idiotic title of the Jackal. Sonny scoffed, wishing this business was over already so he could be back in his home swirling a scotch in victory of a well developed plan. The audacity of even thinking that he would end up in the feds' net irked him. He wasn't going down like that, in place of some weirdo who couldn't even speak English properly.

The image of Spinelli stumbling through the universe causing nothing but confusion whilst he sat in prison, traded because of Jason's twisted sense of innocence made his blood boil. It didn't have to come to this, Sonny had made sure of that. He'd offered an opportunity that would fix things for all parties involved and Spinelli, fool that he was, turned him down. So, it was his own fault really. Just an hour earlier, Sonny ordered the hacker to meet him and proposed getting him a new identity with which to exit the country. Yet, the buffoon wouldn't dare do anything without either Jason's permission or knowledge.

Sonny remembered how the conversation had begun.

"Now," he had started, eyeing the confused young man poised on the edge of his seat, "Jason has an issue."

"Issue, Mr. Sir?" Spinelli chirped, bringing his messenger bag in front of his chest. Pathetic. Didn't this kid understand nervous habits like that showed inherent weakness? Sonny had made a career of understanding that half the battle of power was all a show of appearing secure. Don't be someone that looks like he could be easily messed with and nine times out of ten people would tend to simply avoid the issue-the result of such a strategy being gain without much expenditure of effort. Then there were people like the hacker, oblivious to the vibes they gave off onto the world, unaware of their own self image. This ignorance separated the powerful from the trampled.

"I think you know what I'm talking about, Spinelli."

"Uh."

Sonny gripped his scotch. "The feds."

"Oh. Yes, that is a most grievous topic, of which Stone Cold has been keeping me in the dark."

What was that? Grievous topics? He knew the word, he wasn't stupid, but Spinelli's insistence on showing off his vocabulary would not be missed by him at all. It was one god damned convoluted thing after another with this kid. Sonny spat out his suggestion for leaving the country as quickly as he could, hovering over Spinelli, waiting for him to seal his fate. It had been his assumption that Spinelli would see the logic, see how his worth could not compare to Sonny's in Jason's eyes. True or not…Sonny played on Spinelli's obvious self esteem issues to plainly paint that scenario for him.

"You have to know this is hard on Jason…he doesn't want to send you to jail…"

"The Jackal hates the predicament his malfeasances on the web have put his mentor in."

"Exactly, Spinelli…" Sonny grinned. Maybe plan B wouldn't be necessary after all. "So…make it easy on him…"

And what did he do? The kid "most humbly declined" Sonny's offer. No, no, Spinelli couldn't possibly just leave the country without even speaking to Jason about it first, without saying some sort of goodbye. Well, that wasn't going to happen. Sonny was sure Jason wouldn't be too pleased about him interfering with the kid's future, Jason being so weirdly possessive of him, to the point that it was obviously blinding his logic. Sonny would never understand how Jason tolerated the mumbling idiot. Not only him, but others seemed to be entangled tightly within Spinelli's universe. It boggled Sonny's mind. Claudia was fond of him. He'd even seen Maxie Jones follow him around, which was stranger. How could it have possibly come about that a gorgeous young woman like that went around parading after Spinelli like he was somebody that mattered? Hell, his own father praised the hacker's ability to fix damned appliances like he was some gift from god.

"Kid, you don't need Jason's permission to leave the country…come on…Make it easier on him…I'm offering you a ticket out of here tonight if you want it…Put this whole federal nightmare behind you, behind us, behind Jason-once and for all…"

Spinelli licked his lips, staring at Sonny as though really contemplating the offer. For a second, Sonny thought he would be able to forget about Plan B, probably the most brutal and unforgiving plan he'd ever thought up to save his own ass. If the kid just accepted his original offer, there would be no issue. This was his last opportunity to take control of his own destiny. Declining would mean that Sonny would have to take control of it for him…his future was intertwined now with the hacker's and Sonny was never the type of man to let others decide his fate. If sacrifices had to be made, they would be, just none that involved him.

"…Mr. Sir…" Spinelli looked down at his hands with a note of apology is his voice, and Sonny knew Plan B would be needed after all.

"Should've taken the deal, " Sonny thought to himself with the tiniest flicker of regret echoing down deep within his soul.

"Should The Jackal stand aside whilst Mr. Sir conducts his business?" Spinelli felt awkward, it was strange enough Sonny had wanted another meeting with him but now there were going to be third parties involved. It all felt off somehow but he couldn't quite put his finger on why he was nervous.

"…No…In fact…It's good you're here. Do you see those security cameras?" Sonny pointed up towards a pair of video cameras mounted on the building across the street. They moved in slow inescapable half circles as they monitored the comings and goings of anyone crossing their visual radius.

"Indeed, they seemed to be working in tandem as watchers for the adjoining grain warehouse." Spinelli's sense of unease escalated a notch.

"Think you can disable those?" Sonny felt a sense of pride, it wasn't often you could get a mouse to actually step into the trap before it was set. "Saved on cheese too," he thought to himself with an inward smile.

"Tis a simple assignment indeed, Mr. Sir. Do the ones we wait upon prefer their privacy, as it were?" He bit his lip, as he reluctantly pulled his lap top from its safe little nest within the messenger bag.

"Definitely." He was becoming impatient, he didn't want anything or anyone (Jason's face flashed across his mind and was gone) interfering with the implementation of this little idea of his.

"The Jackal couldn't simply leave without communicating his intentions with Jason first, at least…" Spinelli was attempting to apologize for his rejection of Sonny's plan to resolve the mess within which they had all been engulfed.

Sonny cleared his throat, ignoring the itch tingling in his hand as he longed to smack the innocent look right off of Spinelli's face. "You're absolutely right…Come on…We'll go find Jason and talk to him together, okay? Time is of the essence."

Spinelli didn't budge. "N-now? Mr. Sir wishes to discuss this with Stone Cold today? Might The Jackal be allowed a minute to think abo--"

"Now I think is best, don't you? Quick action win the day…Come on." Sonny grinned at him with all his dimples fully engaged.

"…If Mr. Sir thinks such a meeting to be best…"

"Yeah…I think this is a real situation we need to discuss with all parties involved…Ah…" Sonny glanced at his watch for effect. "Gotta make a side trip first though. Let's go."

"Uhm…Okay…"

"Clear day," Sonny mumbled. It was unusually mild that day, the blue sky completely cloudless, only the occasional plane streaking across the sky. The winter was not quite over yet but spring was close. The clarity of the day made Sonny wonder if perhaps things were on his side. A slight breeze traveled down the alleyway. Time passed as Spinelli clicked diligently away at his assigned task. Just as Sonny thought he would slip into quiet contemplation of a world without the Jackal, he heard the sound of grumbling gravel as a dark car approached and drove away all other thoughts except what was expedient to the moment. The vehicle slowed to a stop ten feet away. Spinelli shifted uncomfortably next to Sonny.

"You chose this," Sonny wanted to turn and say to him. He wasn't quite sure why his mind kept insisting on placing the blame on Spinelli. He didn't feel guilty about what was about to transpire. There would be Jason's mourning to deal with soon, and for that he did feel a little bad. Jason would miss the kid, feel guilty…Should've taken the deal…you chose this… He kept repeating that in his mind as three men stepped out of the vehicle, though it was clear that only one of them was the reason for the meeting,. The two groups began trudging towards one another, dust from the disturbed gravel floating delicately in the clear air.

"Corinthos." Paolo Santiago was a tall, distinguished gray haired man that could have just as easily been a lawyer or a doctor instead of who he actually was-the undisputed crime lord of the Venezuelan mafia.

"Santiago." Sonny shook his hand gravely, bowing his head slightly in a sign of respect for this man who was his equal in stature.

"Who is this little bird perched on our wire?" Santiago grazed Spinelli with his glance of mild curiosity, his eyes were gray and flint-like.

"Uh…" Spinelli found it hard enough to formulate coherent sentences in the presence of Mr. Sir with the addition of one more of his ilk into his proximity he was fundamentally speechless.

"He's my employee." Sonny actually shot a look of pride towards him that simultaneously flustered and elated the young hacker.

"What is he doing with the computer?" Santiago was not a mob boss known for his facility with or interest in modern communication and surveillance techniques.

"The Jackal is making sure that the cameras," Spinelli pointed across the street towards the offending sentinels, "Will have no knowledge of this encounter, as requested by Mr. Sir." With the surprising bestowment of Sonny's approbation he had found the courage to speak up in front of the visiting Mafioso.

"Who is the Jackal?" It was the most interested in him Santiago had been since he had arrived at the warehouse.

"I am…sir." Spinelli swallowed uncertainly, sometimes he forgot how peculiar outsiders found his use of nicknames.

"It doesn't matter, Santiago. The kid is a computer genius, all weirdness aside." Sonny sighed internally, somehow the kid always managed to find a way to embarrass him.

"And…he is disengaging the video footage…" Santiago approved of the concept. Caracas was an eyes only type city and he knew well how to control and neutralize any unfriendly sightings. These sleek, silent cameras were another matter all together and he was very grateful that Sonny was making sure they wouldn't cause either of them any problems.

"Si, Santiago. There will be no record of this encounter, as is best for all…Don't you think?" Now Sonny was looking Paolo directly in the eyes while he subtly inclined his head towards an oblivious Spinelli.

"But…he is the one erasing the video…" Santiago started to say before he realized he shouldn't. Internally he marveled at the deviousness of Sonny's plan and the way that he was actually utilizing the young man's skills in their plan to ensnare him.

"Spinelli is a talented guy," Sonny laughed easily. "He's an investment for any business. You ask him to do it and whatever it is he finds a way." He could say that easily enough, after all it was the truth. He just didn't want him up in his business anymore and more importantly, he definitely didn't want him around Jason.

"I…see…"

"Success!" Spinelli spontaneously erupted, bouncing slightly at his most recent victory. "The cameras have ceased functioning, Mr. Sir."

"That's real good, Spinelli." Sonny smirked.

"I suppose we should head out, then, Corinthos."

"…Well this meeting has been most brief…"

"Thank you for this, Santiago. My associate, Morgan, will appreciate this as well."

"Stone Cold?" Spinelli was suddenly on full alert at the unexpected mention of his mentor's name. All the fears, the anxiety, even the sensation of paranoia he had been fighting against for the last half hour came rushing back in full force.

A quick nod from Santiago to his men was all the warning Spinelli got. They were on him, his laptop sent crashing to the ground, pulling and pressing in on him so quickly that Spinelli couldn't even register if he was up or down. He tried to yell, but as soon as his mouth opened it was stuffed with a cloth. Choking on the fabric tangling around his tongue, Spinelli's eyes searched for an explanation and found nothing but the glare of Sonny Corinthos staring back at him. The man made no movement to help him, not a single note of confusion registered on his face. In one devastating moment of clarity, Spinelli realized Jason's old friend was going to stand back and watch the struggle, and in that moment bewilderment begat panic and hysterics. His feet barely grazed the ground, the arms of one of the men wrapped around him tightly. Thrashing, he pulled a muscle in his abdomen, but ignored the pain and tried to free himself from a grip that seemed to only grow stronger.

Someone was tugging up the sleeve of his shirt, but when he tried to look and see what was going on he felt his head whipped backwards and locked in place. There seemed to be a thousand hands pinning him down, restraining and touching and gripping. He wanted them off! Above him, the blue sky of a unexpectedly balmy day brought irony to the darkness on the ground. There was a pinching in his arm like a bee sting and Spinelli thought his blood was burning beneath his skin. A horrible though raced across his mind, realization that they had injected him with something, and Spinelli wondered if this was the last moment of his life, some lethal poison about to slowly channel through his veins and bring his short and sad existence to an end.

Moaning softly, Spinelli felt his eyes burning with tears and anger, knowing this was the last thing he would experience. He had planned to pick up some Kelly's take out and split it with Maxie for dinner, had papers that needed to be downloaded for Jason, had a life and things and expectations and people who suddenly were all very much off limits.

When his breathing began to slow, Spinelli realized it didn't matter how much he didn't want to go, death was swiftly flowing through his veins and was already quelling his natural instincts of panic and alarm. He wondered how long the soul lingered once the heart stopped beating, if he would feel the shift from this world to the next. Distantly, he recognized the hands were lowering him back to the ground, but his legs wouldn't hold him steady. He was a lump on the ground in seconds, kneeling in the gravel. Spinelli's eyes raked over small pebbles as if they could explain to him what was happening to his body. If this was death, it was numbing.

There was a ripping noise that made his senses tingle, setting off alarm bells that his hell wasn't quiet over, but Spinelli was too fascinated with the way his world seemed to be moving just slightly to the left to do much of anything about it. Someone's hand came into focus, removing the cloth from his mouth. At first Spinelli thought he could rejoice, that choking feeling was gone, but it was soon replaced by a suffocating sensation as thick grey tape was stuck onto his face, covering his mouth but thankfully not his nose.

"That must have been the ripping noise," he thought dimly.

Both hands were brought behind his back, but this time Spinelli made no move to fight as additional tape was wrapped around them. As his mind started dragging, only one thought was loudly screaming through his head. "Why?" He lifted his head slowly, trailing his eyes up over the perfectly shined shoes and custom fitted suit of the only person in the vicinity that was not a stranger to him. Sonny's black stare looked down at him. He was entirely unreadable, blank. He let his apathetic gaze fall back to the ground where it settled on his only friend that bore witness to the crime, his trusty laptop, which was lying a few feet away covered in dust. An irrational protectiveness surged through him. "What would happen to his trusted companion? "

His question was soon answered as Sonny stooped over and picked it up, weighing it in his hands. The mob boss paused, and Spinelli burned with rage, wanting to strike out at the foul creature touching his laptop after doing this horrible thing to him. Even though the urge to close his eyes and slip sideways was strong, Spinelli couldn't take his eyes away from the man who stood by and let this happen…made it happen…

"…Lookin at this?" Sonny spat. "Don't worry…I got it." He waved it carelessly in front of Spinelli's face.

Spinelli's growl of hate was muffled and pathetic.

Sonny shrugged at him. "…Sorry Jackal…Jason had a problem he couldn't kill."

Then he raised the laptop and brought it across Spinelli's head, and the urge to sleep was now a reality as the world went black.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews from the last chapter. I do apologize for not responding to them, things got SO crazy in my life. I promise though you will hear from me if you review this chapter.

Next Chapter: Spinelli's long journey.