Note: I hated killing Francis! But honestly, was anyone getting by him while he was still breathing?
Chapter 7
Jason returned to the hospital but hesitated outside Elizabeth's door. In the nine hours since Jake was taken, he felt like he had aged decades. So far there was no evidence that Martino Ruiz had left Port Charles and no evidence that he was still here. Taking a deep breath, he went in and found her awake.
He watched the hope die in her eyes as she realized he had nothing for her. "I'm sorry."
She held out a hand and pulled him onto the bed when he took it. "Stop. You're doing all you can. I know that."
He brought her hand up and kissed it. "How are you?"
Elizabeth touched her battered face gently. "I'm okay. Patrick is releasing me in a couple of hours. Milo is taking me to Greystone so I can be with Cam." She tugged on his hand and he allowed her to bring him in close. "I'm okay. I know in my heart that you will bring Jake home. I trust you."
Jason's eyes teared up. "I will." He kissed her gently, astonished by her faith in him. "I love you."
"I love you too."
-gh-
Mac arrived at the hospital to question Elizabeth shortly after. She told him everything she could remember. Jason stood by to support her. When Mac left, he helped her dress and wryly thought back to when his greatest desire had been to get out of jail so he could make love to her. Instead one of the first things he was doing was covering up all the places he dreamed of uncovering. It was only a passing thought as Jake soon retook prominence in his mind.
Handing her off to Milo after promising to keep her updated, Jason rejoined Max on the streets. Informants were paid, beaten and, in one particularly obnoxious case, shot as Jason sought his son and Martino. Each hour that passed without a lead heightened Jason's frustration and increased his brutality.
-gh-
Elizabeth held Cam as he watched a DVD. The lovable train onscreen didn't register at all. She kept hearing the gunshots and the cries of her children. She saw the kidnapper approach and strike her. She felt Jake leave her arms. When her clutch became too tight, Cameron squirmed away. He didn't go far as he was still traumatized from last night.
Elizabeth couldn't shake the belief that this was her fault. She set it all in motion by telling the world Jason was Jake's father on the witness stand. She tried to imagine how much better things would have been if she had lied. Jake would be safe at the Spencer home with Lucky as his father. And yet the truth would eventually have come out. It always did. Wasn't it better to face the danger with Jason at her side than alone? And weren't there other dangers like drunk drivers and freak accidents that could just as easily take her son?
Despite her regrets, she wasn't sure she would change things if she could. Jason needed her and she needed him. Jake deserved to be with his father. Once Jason brought their son home and Diane worked her legal magic, life would be better for all of them. She clung to that as the hours passed and Jason didn't call.
-gh-
Jason finally punched the right guy and got a lead. It wasn't much, just that some new guys had been spotted near one of the abandoned warehouses on Empire Avenue.
Max called Sonny, who sent other men to join them two blocks away. Jason wanted to do the surveillance but Sonny overruled him and sent Max. Jason fumed but could almost see Sonny's point. If he saw Jake, nothing would stop him from going after his son.
Max returned and mapped out the area surrounding the warehouse for them. He had seen three men inside, one of whom matched Martino's description. There was no sign of Jake.
With swiftness and efficiency, the Corinthos Morgan men overran the building and soon had Martino bound. Sonny paced in circles around this latest threat while Jason simply stared. Max brought in a wide assortment of tools to torture the South American mobster. Martino grinned the whole time.
Sonny broke the silence. "Where is Jacob?"
When Martino didn't answer, Max rammed the flathead screwdriver under his thumbnail. The man didn't even scream. More questions followed and so did ever more imaginative torturing. Jason remained still near one wall. Max was splattered with blood. Sonny never relented and soon enough Martino spoke his first words.
"Nunca lo hallarás en el tiempo." You will never find him in time.
Sonny slapped the bastard. "What does that mean? In time for what?"
"A tiempo para salvarlo." In time to save him.
Max moved forward with a staple gun but Jason intercepted him. "Tell me and I kill you now. Play games and you'll wish I did."
Martino grinned at the enforcer. "Vas a matar a su hijo, el Sr. Morgan. Yo no." You're going to kill your son, Mr. Morgan. Not me.
-gh-
Jason left the warehouse disgusted. No amount of pain could force Martino to tell them anything else. The afternoon was disappearing and he was no closer to finding Jake. The riddle tormented him. If Jake died, he would be the reason. His business brought Manny to town. He killed Manny. Martino took Jake in revenge.
All he wanted was to give Elizabeth the world. Instead, he was taking it from her.
-gh-
Milo hung up the phone and considered what to tell Elizabeth. Like most of the senior guards, he had grown to really like the young mother and he hated hurting her. She was watching from the doorway. "Miss Webber, um, that was Max. They are getting close."
Elizabeth read the lie in his eyes but didn't call him on it. As long as the words remained unspoken, her hope endured. Jason had never failed her and he wouldn't start now. She went back into the den and closed the door behind her.
Milo stood and thought over the obscure clue Martino left them. His cell buzzed again. It was the foreman of their demolition crew. The old department store on Front Street was ready for implosion so they could build new offices. Milo started to give the go-ahead when Martino's words ran through his head again. He yelled for the crew to cease immediately and ran out the door.
-gh-
Jason raced to Front Street after getting Milo's call. He got there just as the building collapsed from the explosion. Dropping to his knees, tears streaking down his cheeks, he stared at the disaster.