Chapter 36

Panic. Panic was something that neither Sam nor Jason have felt. The overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety that appears to render the person paralyzed completely uncontrollable of their emotions or actions. At seeing the black van suddenly screech around a street corner, panic is exactly what they both felt at the time.

"We need to go after them Jason." She says as she tried to free herself out of his grip. Tears uncontrollably streaming down her cheeks at seeing her sister and her sister's cousin kidnapped.
"Let go of me, let's go after them, we have to follow them…"

"Sam, you need to calm down." He tries to soothe her as she still struggled from his grip. He can see the fear in her eyes mirror his own, but he couldn't give in to it, he couldn't surrender to the fear. "We don't know where they are headed. If we follow them now, we may just very well lose them."

When her brain finally takes over instead of the fear and sheer panic she felt, she realizes that he is right. "Fine, what should we do now?"

"We have to tell Sonny what happened. Let's go!" He shouts out to Max and Milo who were standing behind the couple.

"Michael!" She runs to hug Michael as he was standing by the car feeling totally useless. He looks at the Jason over Sam's shoulder and Jason can see the fear in his eyes as well. Sam pulls back to look Michael over. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." He says nodding his head. "I shouldn't have let them cross the street like that…." He starts to blame himself but is quickly quieted down by Sam.

"No, don't you dare blame yourself, we had no idea what was going to happen. And it was you that saw what was happening first."

"She right Michael you can't blame yourself, if anything…"

"No Jason! Look we are just wasting time here, we need to find Molly and Morgan!"

"Sam's right, let's go to Sonny's." They looked over to the car that Max, Jason, and Milo came in and they saw that the entire car looked like Swiss cheese and there was smoke coming out from under the hood. "We have to take your car." He tells Sam as he opens the door and ushers them inside. Michael jumps in the back with them as Max drives with Milo in the passenger seat. Before the doors are closed, Max peels out of there, heading to Greystone.

Jason keeps one arm around Sam as she lays her head on his chest crying, he pulls out his cell phone with his other hand. "Spinelli, where are you?... Meet me at Sonny's NOW!" He yells into the phone and hangs up. "We'll trace the license plate and hopefully track them down." He tries to reassure Sam and Michael but himself as well.

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On the phone, the driver's of the black van called their boss. "Boss, we got Lansing's daughter and Corinthos' son."

"Good, where are you?" Sandoval said grinning mischievously, plans and images of Sam suddenly started to run through his mind.

"We're on our way. We'll be there in ten minutes."

"What about my beautiful Samantha?"

"We couldn't get to her boss, Morgan and his men were there, we had to let off a few rounds."

"No matter, I will have her soon." He said before he hung up the phone. It's time to execute the next part of his plan.

Picking up the phone, Sandoval dialed Sonny's phone number. "Corinthos'."

"What can I do for you?" Sonny asked recognizing Sandoval's voice.

"It's more like what we can do for each other. You have something I want and I have something you want."

"And what would that be?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Give me a call when your enforcer comes by." And with that he hung up the phone knowing that he would here from Corinthos again.

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Thirty minutes later they entered Sonny's living room, they saw Sonny standing over at his desk looking a little nervous, Alexis and Diane sitting on the couch with papers sprayed out on the coffee table talking and Ric was pacing along the far side of the wall by the patio doors. The second Sonny saw Jason he immediately knew something was wrong. He looked over to see Michael standing in the corner with what looked tears in his eyes and fear on his face.

"What's going on? And why did I just get a call from Sandoval saying that he has something that I want? What's going on Jason?" Sonny questioned his enforcer.

As soon as he heard Sonny say Sandoval, Ric stopped pacing and stared hard at his brother. Suddenly fear crept up through him and he just had an overwhelming urge to pick up his phone to talk to his daughter. Molly, he knew it, something happened to Molly. He didn't take Sandoval's threat to heart and now he has Molly, Ric could tell just by looking at Sam. It seemed the entire room was silent now, Alexis and Diane immediately stopped talking and looked up. Alexis stood up and instinctively took a step closer at seeing the distressed look on her daughter.

Looking down at Sam, Jason knew that he was going to be the one to tell them. "Sandoval took Morgan and Molly." Jason tried to remain calm.

"What?" Jason heard from different directions, but before he could repeat himself, he saw come towards him. "How did you let this happen? Where the hell were you? Where is my daughter?"
As he was about to blast another round of questions, his own cell phone rang. "Lansing." He answered without looking at the caller ID.

"By now you should know that I have your daughter." Sandoval's voice was heard but Ric couldn't bring himself to answer, panic started to set in. Sandoval continued to talk. "I told you what I would do if you didn't bring me my Samantha."

Finally Ric found his voice. "You bring me back my daughter you Son of a BITCH!" He yelled out but not fast enough. Sandoval already hung up. He looked up to see them all looking back at him.

"Sandoval?" Sonny asked a little confused. "How would Sandoval know to call you? How do you know him?" Sonny's voice the same question running through everyone's mind.

Suddenly there was a change of atmosphere in the air and it revolved around Sam. "You… you did this… you were Sandoval's contact here in Port Charles… you worked with that bastard!" She said getting louder as she took her steps towards him. It all came together for her.

"You don't know what the hell you are talking about and now my daughter is missing because you!" Ric accused her ignoring the growling coming from Jason.

"That's what you were ranting about the other day, that I messed up your plans, this is what you were talking about. You were working with Sandoval and somehow you pissed him off and now he has Molly. That's why you said that I was bad for my sisters. And you knew, you knew that he was after her, you bastard and you didn't say anything!" Anger coursed through her veins and she wanted to jump on Ric and kick his ass. "YOU SON OF A BITCH, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING!"

"Sam, what are you talking about? What's going on, who has taken Molly? Answer me now damnit!" Alexis started to hyperventilate but Diane was there to help her out.

"I ruined your plans to take Sonny down. You wanted him behind bars but I married him so I wouldn't have to testify against him. And then I ruined your plans again when I went down to Puerto Rico. Those were the plans you were talking about, wasn't it? I ruined the plans that you made with Sandoval to take Sonny down." Sam was on a roll and suddenly it clicked for Jason and Sonny.

"That's why you switched his medication, you wanted him unstable." Jason chimed in walking towards him with Max and Milo behind him.

"You don't know what the hell you all are talking about, this bitch is crazy and you believe every word coming out of her lying mouth." Ric barely before he saw Jason take a step towards him but was suddenly stopped when Spinelli came barreling through the doors with his laptop under his arms.

"Stone Cold, what can the Jackal do for his master?" Spinelli asked as he set the laptop down by the desk.

Looking away from Ric in the moment, Jason walked over to Sonny's chair and pulled it out for Spinelli. "I need you to sit. Tap into the camera that we have located outside of your office building, go back about 30 to 45 minutes and look out for a black van. I need you to find me a license plate, trace it and get me the address."

"Yes Stone Cold, right away."

"Mom needs to know." Michael chimed in for the first time.

"Please somebody tell me what the hell is going on?" Alexis asked no longer keeping quiet.

"Is that why you dropped the charges baby brother, you didn't do it for brotherly love, you did for protection. You laid in bed with Sandoval and now you need my help."

"Help with what?" Alexis asked again.

"You're going to believe this little tramp that you married instead of your brother?"

"Is that really a question Ric?" Sonny asked knowing that he would always believe anyone except his brother. "I need to call Sandoval." Sonny said picking up the phone. "Where is my son?" He asked over the phone.

"You will get your son and your niece back when I get my beautiful Samantha." Sandoval said then hung up.

"What did he say?" Jason asked anxiously.

Without looking up, afraid to look at Sam, Sonny started to shake his head. As soon as he looked up to his enforcer's ice blue eyes, he could see the recognition in Jason's face. He knew what he was thinking, Jason knew what Sandoval wanted.

"It's me isn't it, it's me he wants." Sam said noticing the looks between Sonny and Jason.

"Sam…" Jason tried to control the situation, he knew that at any moment Sam was about to lose it.

"No! It's me he wants. Fine, when do we make the switch?"

"No! Sam, that's not happening…"

"I have to Jason, he has Molly and Morgan, what am I supposed to do?"

"Look, we'll find a way, ok, just give me some time."

"Stone Cold, the van is registered to this address." Spinelli wrote the address down and gave it to Sam. She took a quick look at it to memorize it and then handed it over to Jason.

"That's Lorenzo's old address."

"Yes, I hacked into a video feed on that street and the same van was seen passing there."

"Well at least we know where they are at."

"Please tell me what is going on, and I want to know everything!" Alexis couldn't take being ignored anymore.

Feeling that he couldn't prolong the conversation, Jason started to tell the group what happened that day. He started to tell them about the shoot out not noticing Sam walking backwards towards the door. She kept quiet when Alexis asked hoping that Jason would jump in and he did. She took the opportunity to sneak out the living room. As she ran to her car, tears ran down her cheeks at what she was about to do. She had to do something, she couldn't let her sister suffer in the hands of a sick bastard while she sat back and watched. Sandoval wanted her and he was going to get her. She put her car in gear, typed in the address in her navigation, and took off.

Just as Jason finished telling them about what happened that day, Michael thought about how Sam helped him when she threw him down to the ground and shield his body with hers. She always protected him, for so many years of his life, she was always there for him. Looking around he didn't see her anywhere. "Where's Sam?" He spoke up looking around confused.

Hearing Michael's question, Jason immediately tensed up. He turned his head around to look for her. Not seeing her anywhere, he felt as if he couldn't breathe, his stomach bottomed out when he realized what she had just done. "NO, NO, NO, NO!" He ran out the door.

"What?!" Alexis was startled at Jason's panicked voice.

"Jason wait!" Sonny shouted out then followed his enforcer as they ran out the door.

"I'm coming too…" Michael tried to follow but was stopped by his father.

"No! I need you to stay here, you need to call your mom."

"But dad, I wanna go."

"No Michael! We don't have time to argue, stay here!" Sonny yelled and jumped in Jason's SUV along with Max and Milo. "Go!" He shouted to Jason.

Driving, Jason grabbed his phone and started to dial her number. "I can't fucking believe she did this." He kept on saying over and over before she picked up.

"Jason…" She answered as tears streamed down her face, her heart breaking for the man that she loved more than anything. She could here that he was in the car. She instinctually looked up to her rear view mirror, but she knew she wouldn't see him. She had a good five minute head start but she knew that he would probably catch up if she didn't speed up.

"Sam…" Jason gripped the steering wheel tighter. His heart skipped a beat hearing her voice. "Baby, what are you doing? Please Sam, please don't do this." Knowing that she was going to trade herself for Molly and Morgan.

"I have to Jason, it's the only way."

"No baby, it's not, Sam, please, we'll figure out another way, you can't do this."

"It's me he wants."

"No Sam, please, just stop the car and let's talk about this." He says as his own tears roll down his face, unable to stop them and not caring who saw.

"I can't." She choked out as she sobbed over the phone.

"Yes you can, just stop the car."

"No, Jason ." She shakes her head.

"Baby please, just stop the fucking car Sam! STOP THE CAR! DON'T DO THIS TO ME! I love you."

"I… I love you too Jason."

"Then prove it me, stop the fucking car and come to me."

"I love you Jason, I love you with all my heart…"

"Sam, please…"

"I have the compass you gave me around my neck…"

"Please, I'm begging you…"

"I promise you, I will find my way back to you."

"Sam don't do it, don't do this to me, Sam, please, I can't be without you."

"I love you Jason with all my heart and soul."

"Sam, stop please!"

"Goodbye Jase, I love you!"

"NOOOO, SAMMM!" But it was too late, she had already hung up. He picked up and dialed again, only this time he reached her voicemail.

After Sam had hung up, she couldn't help the sobs that escaped her. She loved him and now she was choosing to leave him, but not without just cause. She needed to save her sister and cousin from a mob boss that only wanted her. She had to do this. She took a deep breath as she pulled up to Sandoval's driveway. The guards at the gates seemed to know that she was coming and the let her pass.

After getting her voicemail for the tenth time, Jason threw the phone down and banged his fists on the steering wheel. "DAMMIT!"

"Jason, you need to calm down." Sonny tried to reason with him.

"How the fuck am I going to calm down Sonny! She's giving up, she's giving herself to him!"

"She's doing it for my son, she's doing it for her sister. You would have done the same thing if it was you. How many times have you risked your life for my children, for those you love?"

"We could've found another way."

"Maybe, but maybe not, maybe he would've had hurt one of them, he certainly doesn't need them both. Look, once we get the kids back, we will work on getting Sam back."

Feeling helpless, Jason knew deep down inside that Sonny was right, what Sam did was right. This was the only way to ensure that both kids were to get home safe and then he would spend every waking moment of his life to get the woman he loved back.

Walking up the steps to the mansion, Sam held her ground feet away from the entrance. One of the guards at the post approached her. "Boss has been expecting you."

"You can tell him I'm here." She said trying to keep her voice calm and cool. She didn't want to give away the real fear she felt, not for herself but for her family.

"No need to tell me." Sandoval's venom voice was heard as he walked out the door. "I'm right here my dark angel. You are even more beautiful than I remembered." He said as he eyed her up and down.

"Send them out and I'm all yours."

"Did you come on your own?"

"They are at the end of the driveway." Sam said referring to Jason and Sonny, she knew that they would have been there by now, she was actually counting on it to get the kids away. "Just let the kids go, you don't need them, you have me now."

"You're right." He said as he motioned to the guard. "They are more trouble than they are worth."

As Sam was about to say something, she saw Molly and Morgan run towards her. She threw herself down on her knees to hug them completely engulfing their bodies with her own. "Oh God, I'm so glad you guys are ok."

"Sam, you came, you came for us." Molly spoke up with tears running down her face.

"Of course Miss Molly, I will always come for you, and you little man." She looked over at Morgan. "Now, I need you to do me a favor ok." She started as she held her tears back. "I need you to hold each other's hand really tight and run as fast as you can down the driveway. Your father and Jason are there, they will take you home."

"What about you Sam?" Morgan asked.

"Don't worry about me, I need you to be a man and take care of your cousin. Do not stop for anything until you reach your father ok."

"No Sam." "We're not leaving you." Both kids protested.

Sam went in for another hug, tighter than the one before, enjoying the warmth of her family. "Listen, I need you to do this for me, I promise you I will try to find a way to escape." She whispered in their ears. "And tell Jason that I love him and that I will find my way back to him." She pulled back. "Ok?"

"Ok." They both agreed in unison. "I love you Sam, you are the best big sister anyone can ask for."

"Thank you baby, I love you too, with all my heart." She couldn't help the tear that escaped.

"I love you too Sam, please come back to us." Morgan cried out.

"I love you too sweet boy." She stood up, squeezed their hands and placed them together. "Now go, and don't let go of each other." She took a step to the side so that they passed her. "Run!" She yelled out. Both Molly and Morgan took one last look at the woman that gave herself up to save them and ran down the driveway.

"You know, that sister of yours reminded me of you, such fire in her spirit, she actually tried to escape a time or two. And that boy, he has so much of his father in him." Sandoval said as he stepped down to stand right behind her. He lifted his hand up to move the hair off of her shoulders wanting to see her soft lovely neck. He leaned down and placed a small kiss to the base of her neck that met her shoulders.

Sam didn't notice, she didn't even care, she was too busy staring at the love of her that was standing right next to his car. Jason. He was all she saw. Sam. She was all he saw. He stood there, watching as she knelt down to talk to the kids. He watched as Molly and Morgan ran towards them. And he watched as his blood boiled to see the bastard put his hands and his lips on his Sam. He pulled out his gun ready for a fight but was quickly shut down by Sonny. It was too risky, one of the kids could get hurt. Instead, he stood there, feeling completely useless and helpless as the love of his life was taken by one of his enemies, again. His tears ran down his cheeks, he couldn't breathe, and his heart felt like a vice was constricting it. He once told her that loving her was necessary to him like breathing. Without her, he had nothing left, no love, no live, and no air.

He stood there helpless, watching that bastard snake his arms around her waist and pull her inside the mansion. After the reunion with Sonny, Molly and Morgan made their way over to Jason. They both stood to either side of him, wrapped their arms around him and buried their faces into his sides crying. He gave them a tight hug, enjoying the warmth, thinking about how Sam just hugged them moments ago.

"She promised that she will find her back to you Jason." Molly looked up with tears in her eyes. "Sam never lies to me, she always tells me the truth. She will come back to us."

"I know Molly, I know, and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to get her back." Jason said as he leaned over to give Sam's younger sister a kiss to her head and did the same for Morgan. Yes, they will find their way back to each other. She was his life, she was his love, and she was the air he breathed and one way or another, he will find a way to get her back.