A/N – Thanks for the comments! ROFL Vlalita! * lrobinson01 – You'll find out more. Some of it is explained this chapter and the rest will be explained when she tells Maximus. If you're goal is revenge, keeping her away from her family would be the ultimate form of torture.

Chapter 21 – Free At Last

Zander watched Mario drink the water he had spiked. It was everything he could do but laugh as the guard started to nod off. He waited until he passed out and grabbed the keys off the table and headed to the basement. When he got to the door, he had to try several keys before one worked.

Elena could hear him and she stood up, thinking Mario was bringing her dinner.

Zander slowly pushed open the door and his mouth dropped open. It was her. She looked a little older but it was most definitely his mother.

Elena couldn't move. She hadn't seen Zander since he was three years old. Frank was scared that if he let the boy bond with her much longer, it would lead to problems. So, he made the decision to keep her in the basement because he couldn't bring himself to kill her. Part of him hated her for not being able to return his affections. But, for the most part, he loved her.

"Zander." She said, not even realizing her lips had moved. "Oh my God, you're so big; a grown man." She said as the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"You're dead. He told me you were dead." Zander said as tears welled up in his eyes. Taking a few steps forward, he shut the door behind him. "I don't understand."

"Please, sit down."

Zander somehow made it to a chair and sat down as he studied his mother carefully as if she'd vanish if he looked away.

Elena took a deep breath and then began to speak. "My name is Elena Cosgrove Giambetti. Fourteen years ago, your father threatened my family and I agreed to leave them so he wouldn't hurt them. I was of course devastated. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Frank thought he was in love with me. He was bitter that I had chosen Maximus over him. So, he did what he had to do for revenge."

Zander was staring at her like she had three heads. It would almost be comical if the topic matter wasn't so serious.

"He wanted me to love him but I couldn't. My family were the only ones I allowed into my heart. And that made your father very angry. "

Tears were starting to stream down her face and her legs got a little wobbly and Zander jumped up and steadied her and led her to the bed to sit down.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"If you didn't want him, then how did you get pregnant with me?" He asked, not really wanting to know the answer. He could see the pain in her eyes.

"I 'm sorry Zander, but your father forced himself on me and I got pregnant with you."

Zander broke down as Elena put her arms around him and tried to soothe him. "I love you Zander. It didn't matter how you came to be. What matters is that you are my son and a part of me lives within you."

"How could you love me when he did that to you?"

She rubbed his back and rocked him. "Because you were innocent. You were the only gift that came out of that awful night."

Zander pulled away from her. "I'm not a good man. I've done horrible things for him. You don't understand." He said sobbing.

Elena stood up. "Alexander Smith, we all have choices in this life; ones we can't always take back. But, we also have the capacity to change. Frank molded you to be what he wanted to be. Now you have a choice. You can either keep going on the path you were traveling or start walking on a new path. I will be there for you no matter what. I will explain everything to Maximus. Please, let me help you."

Zander looked like a man defeated. "I still—I still can't believe you are alive. I carry your picture with me in my wallet. I talk to you when I'm a mess. I missed you so much mom." He said emotionally.

Elena held open her arms and embraced her son. "I love you." She whispered into his ear.

There was an explosion and they abruptly broke apart.

"Stay here." He said to his mother. "I'll come back for you. I promise."

She nodded. "Zander, please be careful."

He ran out of the room and shut the door and locked it. There was rapid gunfire outside and he knew he was in deep shit. Running up the steps, he locked the door from the inside and then ran back down to the rooms. He opened the door to Liz and Emily's room and to his surprise, they jumped him.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

Jason and Nathan made their way through some trees. They had night vision goggles on and Jason could see the mercs landing. "They are here." He said alerting Spinelli.

They set up their sniper rifles and began picking off men left and right. Jason saw Johnny get grazed by a bullet to the arm and took out the man who shot him.

"Johnny, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He said as he fought his way towards the house.

"Rocket one." Jason said as everyone suddenly crouched and someone shot a rocket launcher towards a small cottage that housed some of their guards. It exploded, momentarily distracting Smith's men for a moment while the mercs started taking them down.

"Let's move." Jason said to Nathan.

They left the sniper rifles and grabbed a few automatic rifles and started to move towards the house.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

Zander threw Emily off of him as Liz kneed him in the groin.

"Run." Emily yelled.

She sprinted out of the door and ran down the hallway, just as the door to the basement exploded. She was knocked on her ass as she tried to focus. Mario was on top of her. "You bitch." He yelled.

She struggled with him as he choked her. And just before she lost consciousness a shot rang out and Mario collapsed on top her. She could feel liquid running down her arm and knew it was blood.

"Elizabeth." Emily said running towards her. She pushed Mario off of her and pulled Liz into a sitting position.

"You shot him." Liz mumbled as she tried to catch her breath.

"No, Zander did."

"Get back in the room." Zander said firmly.

"No, I'm not going back in there." Emily said loudly.

"It's the only safe place." He said. "Please, I'm not going to hurt you."

Elizabeth stared at him. "I don't believe you."

"I swear."

He looked at his sister and he hated himself. He wanted so badly to tell her but he didn't feel like this was the time or place. "Please hurry."

Liz's eyes grew big as Zander raised his gun and fired.

She screamed and covered her ears. Looking towards the door, she saw that Zander had killed another one of his men.

"Come on Emily." She said grabbing Emily's hand.

"Are you crazy?"

"He's not going to hurt us. Don't ask me how I know."

Emily followed Liz back into the room and Zander stepped inside. He dragged one of the beds against the door. "Get over in the corner." He said looking over to his right.

They got into the corner and held each other tightly. It sounded like a full fledged war was going on above them and Elizabeth and Emily were terrified even though they knew it was probably Jason.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

"Stone Cold. For some reason, Zander is protecting them."

Jason frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. They had attacked him but he didn't hurt them."

Jason looked over at Nathan. It made no sense.

"There is some bad news."

"What?"

"Frank escaped. There is a tunnel that connects to the next building and somehow he was alerted and took it. Our men went inside and found it."

"He'll probably be heading this way. Alert everyone to take him before he gets to the house. I want him alive if at all possible."

Jason wanted him to suffer for taking the Elizabeth and Emily.

"Copy." Spinelli said. Sonny was sitting next to him intently watching the computer screens. He made a few calls per Jason's instructions. Thank God Frank lived out in the middle of nowhere or the cops would have surely been there by now.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

Johnny and Milo made it down to the basement. They approached the first room and Johnny shot the lock off and threw the door open.

"Please don't hurt me." Elena said as she cowered in the corner.

Johnny frowned and looked at Milo. "Go grab her." He said not understanding what they had walked into.

Milo reached down and pulled her up and he gasped. "Mom?"

Elena started to cry. "Milo?"

He pulled her into his arms and began to cry.

Johnny's mouth had dropped open. "Holy shit." He muttered.

"I can't believe you're here."

"Mom, how?"

"It's a long story. We need to get out of here."

Jason ran up to them. "Where is she?"

Johnny looked over at him. "We haven't gotten to her yet."

"Why not?"

He pointed over to Milo and Jason was shocked. "What the hell is going on?" He asked.

Milo turned and looked at Jason. "This is my mother. She's alive."

Jason stepped into the room in shock as Cody covered the hallway. "How?"

"Frank held me here all these years."

"Mom, this is Elizabeth's boyfriend, Jason."

Elena smiled. She studied Jason. He was very handsome and fit. But, he looked very serious.

Jason's face softened for a moment. "Mrs. Giambetti, it's an honor."

She smiled and walked up to him and hugged him. "How is my Elizabeth? I bet she's beautiful."

"She's gorgeous." He said. "She's been through a lot. When you left, she was very hurt."

Elena nodded and wiped some tears away. "I know. Is she close by?"

Jason nodded. "Closer than you realize."

"There is something you must know. Zander is my son."

Milo fell into a chair and Jason felt all the air being sucked of him.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

The men finished securing the house and Milo took his mother upstairs while Jason went to Elizabeth.

"Zander it's Jason Morgan. I won't hurt you. The house is secure. Please open the door."

Elizabeth gasped. He was there. "Oh my God Emily, suppose he won't forgive me. I don't think I could take it." She said starting to cry.

"If he doesn't, I'll kick his ass myself." Emily said angrily.

Zander pushed back the bed and opened the door. Jason ran inside and when he didn't see Liz at first he panicked.

He coughed a movement and turned and saw them in the corner. "Elizabeth." He said softly.

"Jason."

Emily growled. She had enough and wanted out of there. "Oh for God's sake, kiss her already." She said standing up. She kissed Jason on the cheek and Nathan rushed inside and picked her up and spun her around.

He checked her out. "Are you okay?"

She smiled. "I'm fine now." She said kissing him.

Zander chuckled and shook his head.

Jason walked over to Elizabeth who was still sitting in the corner. She wouldn't look at him.

"Elizabeth."

"I'm sorry. I know you hate me. I really didn't mean to hurt you."

Jason sat down and put his gun next to him on the floor. "I heard what you said on the elevator." He said.

She looked at him confused. Her head was a mess right now. She hadn't told Emily but she had hit it hard when she fell in the hallway.

"You said that you loved me. Did you mean it Elizabeth? Do you love me?"

Tears were coming down her face. "Yes Jason, I love you."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately until he felt her tense up. "What's wrong?"

"My head is fuzzy and you kissing me is doing me in."

Jason smiled through his tears. "Are you alright?"

"I hit my head pretty hard when someone attacked me in the hallway."

He felt around and soon his fingers connected with a very large bump. "That had to hurt." He said softly.

He looked her over and saw the bruises around her neck and winced. "I think you're going to be due for a spa day after this."

Liz smiled. "I will hold you to that."

Zander cleared his throat. "We probably should go upstairs."

Jason nodded and stood up, pulling Elizabeth with him and they slowly made their way upstairs.