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Chapter 51

Jason was at his desk when Chris knocked on the door. "Boss, you have a visitor."

The mob boss got himself ready to listen to Carly rant about Brenda. "Okay."

"Hi." Cameron popped out from behind Chris's leg where he had been hiding. He was grinning like he'd just pulled the best prank ever.

"Hey buddy." Jason said coming around to get his son. "What are you doing here?"

"Ms. Webber is at one of the tables with her Grandmother." Chris informed him grinning as well.

"Thanks." Jason stepped out and Elizabeth smiled at him. "Hi." He said coming over and pulling out a chair. "Finished shopping?"

"Not quiet but I put a good sized dent in what we needed." Elizabeth moved Jake's stroller from between her and Audrey to between her and Jason. "You want me to take Cam?"

"No, we are good." He reached out and adjusted Jake's blankets some. "So you ladies had a good day?"

"Yes." Elizabeth said sharing a look with her Gram.

"I heard about Carly." Jason said looking at Audrey. "Thank you for chasing her away. Marco said he couldn't have done it better."

"Thank you." Audrey said smiling. "She looked pretty rough."

"Who did that?" Elizabeth had seen the bruising too. She knew it wasn't Jax. Even with the distance Jason was putting between him and Carly he wouldn't stand by if the Australian was hitting her.

"Brenda." Jason said trying not to smirk.

"Good old fashioned cat fight." Audrey said chuckling.

"Exactly. Cody said that Brenda looks better than Carly, but far from her normal flawless self." Jason really should check in on her.

"Carly hits really hard." Elizabeth noted.

"Why do you know that?" Jason's head whipped around.

"Relax Jason it was a long time ago." Elizabeth patted his arm. "We exchanged words and she slapped me. It was back during the time you were gone. The only reason I didn't hit her back was because she was pregnant. Not Morgan, the other baby." She further explained.

Jason still didn't like hearing that Carly had hit Elizabeth. He wonder what else he didn't know. He'd been guilty of being blind to Carly's faults. Thankfully he was doing better now. Cam held up a piece of cookie and Jason let the little boy put it in his mouth. "Thanks." He tickled Cam and the little guy squirmed on his lap.

Audrey just took it all in. Jason was very good with Cameron. It was not a side to him she expected. She had seen him with Michael and Morgan but it was easy to be kind to children who you weren't with all the time. Cam was a happy and well-adjusted child. He was also very comfortable with Jason, which led the older woman to suspect they spent a lot of time together. Audrey guessed that Elizabeth and Jason had been seeing each other long before Jason made his announcement in the ER. "I should go. I had a good time today Elizabeth."

"Next week?" She wanted to keep working on her relationship with her Grandmother. Today was nice and she wanted more of that.

"Absolutely. I'm also hoping that soon you'll allow the boys to stay over." Audrey knew they weren't there just yet. She also knew that was completely her fault.

Jason looked at Elizabeth. She shrugged leaving the decision up to him. "There are some things happening in Port Charles at the moment."

"Involving you?" Audrey asked cautiously.

"Not directly, but they may affect me." Jason couldn't tell her much. "I'd like to make some security upgrades to your house. That way you, and the boys when they are with you, will be safe. If the boys come they will have guards." In the past that was a problem for Audrey.

"I understand." It was something she was going to have to get used to. Audrey was willing to accept their presence.

"If things get dangerous, I will want to assign a guard to you as well." Jason wouldn't let anything happen to the older woman. If it came down to it he'd have someone shadow her without her knowledge.

"I doubt anyone will bother with me." Audrey protested.

"Gram. Jason won't take that step unless it's absolutely necessary." Elizabeth said reaching out and placing her hand over the older woman's.

"Alright." Audrey relented. "If it becomes necessary I won't argue."

"Thank you." Jason said with a half-smile. Audrey really was trying.

"I'm going to go." She rose and so did Jason.

The mob boss nodded at Paulie. "Thank you again, for stopping Carly."

"Family sticks together." Audrey said turning to go. Paulie followed her out.

"So what did Carly say when she came to see you?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"She hasn't come by yet." Jason was relieved but worried. Carly wasn't known for her impulse control. "Stay with Marco."

"I will." Elizabeth promised. "We are heading home."

"Hang on a second. Let me finish up what I was doing and we'll go together." Jason requested.

"We can do that." Elizabeth smiled over at him.

"Come on buddy, you can help daddy." Jason said to Cam as they headed back into his office.


Jerry looked at the paper that Vincent had given him. Both the nurses were working in the ER today. He picked up his phone. "Let's have a test." He said before hanging up. It never hurt to see how those you considered to be the enemy reacted to a crisis.


Johnny was with Francis at the warehouse going over what they were going to do tomorrow night. That was when Sonny was having his meeting with Zacchara. Jason and Johnny were staking that one out. Francis along with Cody was taking the meeting in the park. Max would be present for both and would fill them in on anything that the sound equipment missed.

"So we are all set. I still can't believe that Sonny is going to try to play them off one another." Johnny said shaking his head. "If they find out one of them will try to kill him."

"You mean if Claudia doesn't try to kill him first." Francis smirked. "That whole family is nuts. I can't believe Sonny considered marrying into it."

"If Karpov had a daughter Sonny would have considered that as well. It's about the power for him." Johnny said wondering when Maximus was going to give the order to have their former boss taken out. Hopefully soon. Johnny's phone rang and he grabbed it. "O'Brien." He was up and heading for the door.

Francis had no clue what was going on, but he followed. Johnny had looked upset. Sliding into the car he looked over at his friend who was paler than he'd ever seen him. "What happened?"

"There's been a shooting at the hospital. In the ER." Johnny looked over at Francis. "You better drive." He was shaking too bad.

They quickly switched places. "What was the report?" Francis asked as he floored it.

"Ritchie was hit, so was Vincent." Johnny was trying to stay calm. "Nadine and Epiphany are both working tonight."

Francis's phone buzzed, but he was driving too fast to answer. Johnny's phone rang, but he was too focused on praying to answer it. Francis pulled into the first spot he saw open and the two men sprinted into the hospital. It was chaos. The normally efficient ER was filled with crying people, staff was trying to treat those who were injured.

"Epiphany." Francis said pointing. Both men headed over.

She was wrapping a woman's injured arm. "Nadine was hit." She knew Johnny would want to know.

"How bad?" He'd been shot before, and he didn't want to think of his girl going through that kind of pain. Although he wanted to panic that wouldn't help so he forced himself to stay calm.

"Trauma room three." Epiphany was worried about her nurse but she was needed out here. They had several staff members down including Nadine. Looking up she saw Alan along with Monica come into the ER. Neither one of them was scheduled to be back until tomorrow but it wasn't surprising they would come in.

"How bad is it?" Alan asked his head nurse. Looking around he didn't see Dr. Ford who was in charge of the ER.

"Dr. Ford, Nadine, and Leyla were all hit. A man came in and started shooting. He didn't say a word, just started shooting. He was shot by the man Johnny had watching Nadine." The head nurse was barely hanging in there herself, this was not something she had every expected to have happen at work. "But he was wearing armor, he shot the two guards and then fired at some of the people who were running for safety. When his gun was empty he ran out."

"A typical gun holds nine rounds." Francis provided, knowing that a modified gun could hold more. "How many injured do you have?" He asked the nurse. Jason's parents were still listening.

"Seventeen, but some of the injuries are shallow." Epiphany pointed to the woman who she was treating. Her injury was just a graze.

"A high caliber bullet can go through one person and injure another in the area. Some are also probably ricochets or injuries from a bullet shattering when it hit a solid surface. How would I find out about our guys?" Francis knew Jason would be arriving soon so the more information he had the better.

"Look in the trauma rooms." Alan told him. Nothing would be in the system at this point. "I need to do that so you can come with me." Monica was already being called to offer assistance.


The first room held Dr. Ford he took two bullets to the chest. Monica was assisting another doctor in there. Leyla was being treated by Kelly. She and Matt were leaving when they got the call to come in. Leyla took a bullet to the leg. Nadine had a gunshot to the shoulder, a through and through. She was being stitched up while Johnny held her hand, Matt was treating her. Ritchie was in surgery Leo Julian was working on him. Vincent had taken a bullet to the head and was lying on the ground covered with a sheet.

The PCPD arrived and began processing the scene. Francis was reaching for his phone when Jason came in. "What happened?"

"How did you keep Elizabeth from coming?" Francis wanted to know.

"No one to watch the boys. I need to call her soon so what happened?" Jason asked again. Francis gave him the full report. "Body armor."

"I don't like that either. So far we don't have any proof that they were here for anyone associated with us. Epiphany said he was aiming for staff members in the beginning then anyone he could hit." Francis knew that the PCPD would be questioning them because their guys fired at the gunman. Also because one of their guys was dead.

"Spinelli." Jason called the hacker. "I need you to get a copy of what happened in the ER before the police confiscate the footage. Go over it I want a detailed report of the gunman's movements." Jason looked at Francis. "It feels wrong."

"I know." Neither one of them could put their finger on why exactly but something was off.

"Let me check on Nadine." Jason watched as his father got on the elevator with a gurney. He had hoped to talk to him this evening about what was happening with Emily. Down the hall he found Johnny sitting next to a sleeping Nadine. "How is she?" He asked quietly.

"She'll be fine." Johnny said staring at his girl. "She got hit when she pushed someone else out of the way."

"Your girl is a hero." Jason said putting his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I know." Johnny had to swallow to keep from bursting into tears. "She said Ritchie and Vincent tried to stop him."

"Not surprising. Vincent didn't make it, and Ritchie is in surgery." Jason filled Johnny in. "I need to call Elizabeth."

"Will you ask her to make a list of what I'll need to do to care for Nadine? I should know because I've been shot more than once but I can't seem to think right now." Hell he couldn't tell you his name right now if his life depended on it.

"Is she staying tonight?" Jason nodded at Nadine.

"No, there's no need. They don't let you stay in the hospital these days if they can help it." Johnny said on a watery laugh. He was close to cracking.

"Come stay with us. Elizabeth can take care of you both." He knew his girl would like that.

"Jason you just had a baby and you have another little one, the last thing you need is a house guest." Johnny pointed out.

"You can stay with us because it's easier than having us move in with you." Jason said with a half-smile. "Let me call her." When Jason stepped out he spotted Milo and Georgie.

The young guard walked over. "Francis told us what happened, what can I do?"

"I need a guard on Johnny." Jason looked back at his friend.

"I can do that. Georgie is offering what assistance she can. Francis called for a few more guys just to be on the safe side." Milo told Jason.

"Good. I need to make a call if anyone is looking for me." Jason told Milo. Actually he needed to make two.


Elizabeth was waiting at the end of the walkway when the car pulled up. Marco got out first and opened the passenger side back door. Johnny carefully maneuvered him and a sleeping Nadine out of the car. Without a word Elizabeth turned and hurried to open the front door.

Inside she led them to the guest room that was already set up. Johnny carefully put the sleeping blonde on the bed. Elizabeth went right into nurse mode. She checked Nadine's pulse and blood pressure. She also checked for a fever. Carefully she looked at the entry site before asking Johnny to help her roll her friend so he could look at the exit site.

"Matt did a good job with the sutures, she'll still have a scar but it won't be too bad." Elizabeth said carefully getting off the bed. She walked over and gave Johnny a hug.

He grabbed her tight and just let her hold him. "I was terrified when I got that call." His eyes were sparkling with tears. "All I could think was that I'd go mad if I lost her. I just met her and now I can't imagine living without her."

"Looks like love snuck up and bit you on the butt." Elizabeth was so happy for him.

"Yup." Johnny wasn't even going to fight it. "Thanks for letting us stay."

"This way I get to fuss over you both. My Gram is down the hall. Jason had a crew pick up her spare bedroom set and move it here." Elizabeth told Johnny. "She's going to help with the boys. Nadine is going to be okay, we will make sure of it."

"Yeah we will." Johnny leaned against his friend.

"I'll get you a pair of sweats and one of my sleep shirts for Nadine." Elizabeth gave him one more squeeze. When she came back she could hear Johnny crying and leaned against the wall to give him a minute. This had been too close. Elizabeth had a lot of friends in that ER. She'd worked that shift on more than one occasion when the hospital was short staffed. When she heard Johnny walk into the bathroom she straightened up and took in the clothes.


"We put the picture of the shooter out on the wire." Harper told Mac. Looking around the ER was empty. Until the crime unit was done it was shut down. This was wrong on so many levels and the last thing they needed. They still had to catch the TMK lunatic, they were investigating Spencer's death, and the hostage crisis was still an active case. They were getting stretched thin.

"All the statements have been taken." Mac told the detective. "Epiphany was a big help."

"She's sharp." Harper had been impressed with how calm she was. "One of Morgan's men went with her."

"She is close with O'Brien, plus Elizabeth would want to know she was safe." Mac filled in the blanks.

"Morgan's other guy is out of surgery. The doctors think he will make a full recovery." Jagger said as he walked up. "The nurse Leyla Mir is also in recovery and is expected to be fine. Dr. Ford didn't make it. Neither did the security guard."

"More than one of the witnesses said that both of Morgan's guys returned fire." Mac would make sure that the surviving one didn't face charges. "The gunman staggered back but didn't fall."

"Armor." Jagger said shaking his head. "These lunatics are getting smarter. That makes our jobs harder. His image on the security film is not the best." Jagger couldn't believe he was about to suggest this. "Morgan is going to have his guys all over this. I bet his tech guy will be able to boost the image."

"That hurt didn't it?" Harper said with a small smile.

"Yeah." Jagger admitted.

"It's a good idea." Mac couldn't believe they were going there either. "I'll ask. With O'Brien's girl getting hit they may not want to share."

All three men were thinking that if the guy was lucky, they'd find him first.


Jerry smiled. His test run had gone well, but not perfect. The objective had not been achieved. It did give the cops something else to investigate. Vincent was gone which was unfortunate but in the next week lots would be going on so Jerry wouldn't have needed him anyway. He had all the pieces he required for this game. The nurses' schedule was on the desk next to pictures of Elizabeth, Nadine, Epiphany, and Georgie. With that set he could turn his attention back to the diamond. Nikolas Cassadine was out of town but he'd be back eventually. When the prince returned they would have a talk.


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