Stone Cold wasn't home when Spinelli got back to the penthouse, so he sat down and accessed the records his master needed so they would be ready when he returned. The Mob Lawyer showed up first, looking irritable.
"Welcome, tightly strung legal one. How may The Jackal be of assistance?"
She told him of her interrupted plans, implying that Stone Cold would not care or understand what she was doing. Spinelli began to apologize on his mentor's behalf when Jason walked in.
"Johnny got hauled in for questioning about Emily's murder," he told Diane. "I want you to get him released."
The Mob Lawyer tried to convince him to leave Johnny in jail, but Jason was insistent; he would not take "no" for an answer.
"Where did you get that?" she asked when Spinelli handed her two copies of Johnny's record. There was one for her and one for Commissioner Scorpio.
"I'm The Jackal," Spinelli said simply. "I rule the Internet."
She gave him a "whatever" look before leaving.
"Why would Stone Cold wish to procure The Warped One's release?" Spinelli asked. "If I may be so bold, are you really planning to facilitate his termination?"
Stone Cold said nothing. Then Spinelli had another idea.
"Or is Stone Cold wisely wishing for the Septic Son to owe him a favor, thereby furthering the possibility of a truce between the Zaccharas and Mr. Corinthos, Sir?"
"I don't think Johnny killed Emily and I don't want the cops wasting time trying to prove he's guilty while the real killer's out there picking out a new victim."
"What makes you think it wasn't him?" Spinelli asked, surprised.
"It's just a gut feeling. He was trying to stop his father; he helped me look for him."
"Do the Law Abiding Ones know this?"
"Harper's treating everyone like a suspect; he's being a good cop, trying to get all the facts. Lucky's all over the place. First he blames Anthony Zacchara, then he blames Johnny, but the person he really wants to blame is me."
"The Law Abiding One no doubt resents the fact that you're the father of baby Jake," Spinelli said.
He didn't want Stone Cold to dwell too long on the possibility that he was blamed for Emily's death; he knew instinctively that part of Stone Cold blamed himself for not being able to save her. He knew that would be how he would feel if someone close to him had been killed. It was bad enough that Stone Cold's own mother blamed him, irrationally; he didn't need the cops hounding him, too. Jason loved his sister and would never hurt her.
"He has every right to be angry about the situation," Jason said, "but not if it means Emily's killer goes free."
"Officer Spencer should be taken off the case; clearly his hatred precludes impartiality."
Jason nodded.
"Lucky keeps making it that much easier for the real killer to get away with it."
"Which also makes it that much easier for the killer to strike again," Spinelli said gravely.
Later, The Senior Sith Lord came to confront Jason about sending Diane to get Johnny released. Spinelli watched anxiously; he had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Sure enough, Trevor went too far. He threatened to kill someone else Jason cared about and Jason pulled out his gun.
"No, Stone Cold, don't shoot!" Spinelli said urgently, stepping in front of him. "The Jackal sincerely believes that ending the life of Senior Sith Lord Lancing would be most-"
"Spinelli, I want you to leave right now!" Jason yelled.
He didn't want Spinelli to see him do this, and he was going to do it. Lancing needed to die.
Spinelli spoke quickly, not wanting to make him angrier, but needing to make his point and protect his friend from starting a chain of events that could land him in jail for the rest of his life. Stone Cold had barely escaped being convicted of Evil Al's murder.
"Just think of the consequences. Not that he doesn't deserve Stone Cold justice, as it were, but maybe his guard's outside. Maybe some fair and lovely innocent bystander witnessed him entering the premises. The finger of guilt would point directly at you and you could be arrested and this time convicted of murder!"
His tone had become pleading by the end. Jason was like a brother to him; he didn't want to see him go to prison again. Trevor laughed.
"You are so right," he said to Spinelli.
"Shut up," Spinelli told him, wishing he could sound more like a man.
His voice had squeaked; that happened when he was experiencing intense feelings of anger, fear or frustration. Right now he was angry with Trevor, but scared for Jason. He was breathing hard, looking at Jason, praying to all the Gods and Goddesses that this would not end in violence.
Jason looked at Spinelli, then at Trevor and put his gun away. Spinelli breathed a sigh of relief.
"Get out," Stone Cold told Darth Lancing furiously.
"You can tell your boss," Trevor continued to Spinelli, "that he just started a conflagration." He looked at Jason and clarified, "a war."
Trevor closed the door and Jason's cell rang. It was Burney telling him about a shipment. Jason said he would meet him on the peer, then hung up.
"I hope preventing you from offing Darth Lancing hasn't created more trouble," Spinelli told him. "I was just trying to protect you from an act with dyer consequences."
"You did the right thing. I would never wanna make you an accessory."
Spinelli shook his head, realizing he'd gotten the wrong idea.
"Stone Cold, I wasn't thinking of myself. I was just thinking of you as a friend and a brother; that's how I consider you."
Jason smiled.
"You're family to me, too, Spinelli."
They were interrupted again by a knock at the door. This time it was Johnny Zacchara.
"The Jackal will absent himself to his regrettably pink room and contemplate the acceptance of color."
He went upstairs, feeling better than he had all day. Next to his Granny, Stone cold, Lulu and Georgie were the closest thing he had to family and he was glad Jason felt the same way. He smiled, thinking his baby was going to have the coolest uncle in Port Charles.