When Caroline entered the plane Bret looked up in dread, fear and annoyance. He saw she was alone and knew not to ask any questions.

"Good evening Miss. Spencer."

She struggled not to laugh and channeled it into a gracious smile.

"Hello Bret."

That's the last words they spoke. Bret moved silently and quickly when entering the cabin. He got in and out as fast as he could. Caroline took that time to go over everything she and Jason discussed and tried to put that together with what Laura said. Jason's theory made perfect sense. Unfortunately, they still didn't have a clue where Bobbie was. She knew her mother was the bait and the bargaining chip. She also hoped Luke got the message and kept his head down. There was too much he didn't know and too much he did that she needed to learn from him.

She was traveling as a Canadian citizen throughout the entire trip. Caroline used a diplomatic passport so she wouldn't have to go through normal customs or metal detectors on arrival in Istanbul. It was a long time since she did something like this. Honestly, she was surprised how quickly she fell back into her old life. It was easy and its all she knew since she was 15. She liked it and wasn't going to apologize to anyone for it. When she considered her family and Jason she realized she didn't have anyone to apologize to. They were all just as bad, if not worse, than she.

Two hours into the return flight from Zurich she knew she had a problem. After contacting the pilot she placed a call to Jason.

"Morgan."

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"I'm going to be running late. On the way home I read an article about a sale and want to hit that store for some quick shopping."

He got it and he was very concerned. According to his calculations she was barely 2 hours into the flight. That meant whatever she read in the ledger was the cause of this.

"Ok. Do you want some company? I know how you like to buy everything in sight. You might need help carrying some of the bags."

"Thanks but I'm not going to spend all your money today. There are just a couple of special pieces I'm interested in. If I can find those, I'm all set."

"Got it."

"Bye."

Reinaldo didn't say anything but he heard enough to know that something was going on. This latest trip wasn't too much of a mystery considering what she found earlier but he got the definite impression it was directly tied to that long meeting with Emily. When Jason turned around his expression surprised Rey. It was intense concern. Jason said two words that chilled him.

"She's hunting."

Three days later Caroline entered the penthouse unexpected and it took everyone by surprise. Emily was sitting at the table with Jason, Johnny and Rey eating something that smelled wonderful so she knew Johnny cooked and not Jason. They caught her expression and nobody said a word. Her face was tight and her eyes colder than ice. She looked in Emily's direction and curtly tilted her head toward the stairs without a word. Emily saw that look, jumped from the table and ran up the stairs to boot up her lap top. She didn't know what happened but she knew Caroline wanted to read what was on those disks. Jason said nothing and simply took her in. She was beyond pissed. He couldn't tell if she got what or who she was looking for but he knew it wasn't good. For a moment, Rey and Johnny thought she just wanted Emily out of the room. Those thoughts only lasted a moment. When she said nothing but marched up the stairs all Jason did was lean back in his chair with his eyes closed. Johnny spoke.

"I know that look."

"Yeah, how?"

"It's the one she had right before she pulled out the garotte."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

Twenty minutes later Letisha came downstairs with Michael and Lucas dressed to go out. She moved quickly and everyone was on alert. When she spoke her voice cracked.

"Mr. Morgan, Caroline said I should take the kids to the club for lunch and then to the Brownstone so they can play in the back yard. We're to take two cars and double guards."

Jason just nodded. He and Rey were going over the accounts Emily traced and he was pretty pissed himself. Whatever they were doing up there was bad. Johnny was sifting though some of the transport and shipping logs trying to find a pattern and match it to what the others had. He got up to work it out with the guards and walk them out. When he came back a few minutes later the others were silent til Rey spoke.

"What do you think she found?"

"Haven't a clue but I'm more than positive I'm not gonna like it."

No more words, they went back to work. Two hours later Emily raced down the stairs with her lap top case and back pack. She looked scared out of her mind and was breathless. Jason knew it was time to intervene and stopped her mid stride.

"Em. What's going on?"

"She told me to go hang out at Justice's."

Emily said nothing else and flew out the door. After it slammed shut Jason squeezed his eyes tight and rubbed his temples. He was getting a major headache and he knew she was coming down soon.

Caroline took a quick shower and changed while Emily started the program to decrypt the first CD. She only got through part of it before sending Letisha away. By the time she finished working through the third one she knew Emily had to get out of the penthouse soon. Caroline couldn't actually form complete sentences though, so she used the few words that came to mind.

"Justices' NOW!"

Emily did not have to be told twice. She saw something worse than she'd ever seen from Jason. Oh, she had no illusions that her brother couldn't and didn't reach that state. He just shielded her from it. This was different. She didn't know what was on the disks but from the way Caroline was tensed then went ice cold, she knew it was bad. Her eyes kept getting harder and Emily kept getting more and more nervous. She really was not liking her job so much now. She knew Jason would be pissed as soon as he started reading what she found tracing the money. It was all bad.

About 5 minutes after Emily left Caroline walked downstairs. Johnny took one look at her, grabbed the files in front of him and rushed out. Rey was two steps behind him and hoped she wouldn't decide his back made for an attractive target. He was certain Jason was going to be just as bad or worse by the time she got through making her report.

Once they were gone Jason looked at her carefully. It was beyond rage and he'd never seen her like this. A new side of her. It didn't bother him but what caused her to reveal it did. He said nothing and walked over to the door. He opened it and told the guard that no one got in then locked it. Caroline was still standing at the bottom of the steps clenching and unclenching her hands. When she seemed to get herself under control she moved to the couch and sat down. He followed. Her words confused him and didn't make too much sense but he knew from what he'd seen so far all hell was about to break loose.

"Tell me everything that went down when Lily died."

While Jason spoke she was silent and asked no questions. He explained it all but at the mention of him going with Sonny to Puerto Rico and waiting with the other guards down the hall while he took care of business she went rigid. When Jason finished she was quiet for 5 good seconds then screamed. There was no fear or pain in that scream. It was pure venom and rage. Jason was bracing himself for what she was about to say 'cause he knew she was about to start talking. Through clenched teeth,

"Rivera is still fucking alive!"

His heart stopped. He just stared at her. There would be no comfort coming from either of them tonight. Then he exploded.

Francis was really getting scared and stepped away from the door. He didn't know what was going on but he'd seen enough from Carly—Caroline over the last week or so to know that her place around there changed dramatically. The fact that she was walking around without guards and that she'd taken two trips meant something. He also got the word on never calling her Carly again. It meant more. Add to that the way she was working on something and meeting with Johnny and Jason meant she was in all the way. But when she stepped off the elevator holding that briefcase looking like lady death, he knew some serious shit was hitting the fan. The way everyone raced from the penthouse confirmed it. But those two screams meant both Caroline and Jason were beyond pissed. That meant she found out something and it was hell and fire on the way.

When Jason finally got it together enough to hear everything else, his state of mind could not be considered having it together. At best, it was taking everything in him just so he could be in control enough to get the facts. That was all. Then he'd explode later. Puerto Rico made a hell of a lot more sense now. One word was all she got.

"Talk."

"If Sonny hadn't been such a little bitch and made the hit himself or stayed in the room he'd have known. Rivera fired the gun but not at himself. He's been recovering from the stroke getting himself together all this time. Carlos knew that. Has known from the beginning. That's why he kept running Puerto Rico the way it was always run after Sonny inherited it. You taking over was supposed to be the easy transition. Rivera would reclaim his territory and take upstate New York from you. But all your changes and expansion fucked up his plan.

He's not in Puerto Rico. I couldn't find his ass but I had a hell of a lot more people to track and not enough time. I was in the Carribean. That's worse shit and I have no idea how to tell the rest of the story.

Luke got shot in Puerto Rico 4 years ago watching Sonny's back when Sonny was trying to get Miguel out of his contract. That's when Brenda started snooping around and got caught by Rivera's men. Long story short, Luke had more problems getting out of there but did. Lucy Coe was deep in it and they did everything together. She's one you gotta watch. She isn't in the life and doesn't have any desire to be but if it's a scam, cover up or any kind of crime, she'll back Luke up and they'll work it together. She even got rid of a body for him once. Only for Luke though. Guess who was secretly down in Puerto Rico at the same time all this shit was going down?"

"Who?"

"Damian Smith."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

She exhaled and stood up to try to walk off.

"Damian wasn't as legit as Emily and Ned thought. He was waiting for a chance to make a name for himself so when Luke killed his father, Damian wanted to take over. Sonny got there first. He was already Frank's capo in Port Charles and had the loyalty of the men. Damian knew he couldn't just step in no matter who his father was. He agreed to bankroll Sonny as a silent partner but it was a set up. He just wanted to get a feel for things, then he was planning on taking Sonny out. Laura got there first for other reasons but those don't matter because unlike some other people, he's actually dead."

She stopped and leaned against the mantle by the fire place. Jason finally asked a question. He was all machine now and so was she.

"Back up. Why was Damian in Puerto Rico?"

"Good question. He was there to meet with Rivera."

"Shit."

"Puerto Rico was never part of Frank's territory but he and Rivera were around a long time. They worked a few deals together and had a pretty good relationship. Sonny would have been dead if Luke hadn't been there. They were gonna take him out then. He didn't have a clue anything was wrong. As far as Luke and Laura know, he still didn't know when he passed the business to you and took off."

Jason just nods slightly and leans back against the couch.

"Go on."

"Sonny got out clean. Came back to PC and started fucking up things. He got careless and Brenda overheard enough of his conversation with Harry Silver to go to Ned. That was the start of Sonny's problems with the Feds. Lily hooking up with Sonny just delayed things as far as Rivera was concerned. It gave him a good cover 'cause as far as he was concerned Sonny was still going down. Just for different reasons this time. Since Damian was dead, he was planning to take Port Charles for himself. "

She sat on the arm of one of the couches and starts up again.

"Luke is real thorough and he isn't so twisted some times when he's gathering information. He watches everybody and he finds out where their bodies are hidden eventually. Remember that."

"Back to Sonny after he married Lily. He got No Billed by the grand jury and figured he was in the clear again. Damian was still dead. Port Charles was still his. Life was good and he was riding high. Problem is, some of Damian's original bankroll didn't belong to him."

"You are not gonna fucking tell me what I think you're gonna tell me."

"Yeah, I am. When Damian died, Sonny had access to all the off shore and overseas accounts. He took them and had Harry Silver start moving them around. But, some of that money was Rivera's."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"Did he know where the money came from?"

"Luke thinks not at the time. At least that's what his notes say. Sonny would have been crazy to keep it even though Rivera didn't know where his money was and had no proof Sonny had access to it."

Jason is up pacing now. He knows there's a hell of a lot more coming and he still hasn't heard where Bobbie fits into this. Being Luke's little sister is enough to get snatched but he isn't buying that because he knows she was into something back in the day right along with Luke.

"Give me the Spencer angle."

She knew that was coming.

"Damian wasn't Frank's only child. He had a little sister named Jennifer. She wasn't involved in the business and wasn't interested in anything except her family and the money. Anyway, everyone thinks Damian and Jennifer were Frank's only kids. Nope. He had an older son named Anthony. Mama killed him 20 years ago. Frank never found out who took him out. Even had Luke searching for the killer when he was the one who actually helped mama move the body and do clean up.

That was a super Spencer secret for 20 years. Someone's been researching Spencer history lately. Doing their homework. Checking and double checking following up on all the loose ends and trying to put the pieces together. Trying to find a way to get rid of us instead of simply putting us on the run. That's the person who went after mama. The person working that angle is the one Luke's after for that and a few other reasons I don't know. Except they aren't alone. They have a partner and Luke doesn't know that."

"But, like you said, some of this is personal. The person coming after you has to have a reason other than money to work like this. Something big enough to sell all of us out. Like saving their ass. And they have to be able to touch some of your people. Turn Benny. They also have to know Spencers, Morgans and Port Charles enough to think through some of our potential actions and reactions. I'm supposed to be crazy and hysterical going to the cops. You're supposed to fly off the handle shooting people and finishing off Moreno. Luke—who's all about family—is supposed to surface to find mama. Except he doesn't know she's missing yet and that's fucking up the plan. They don't know what Luke's really doing, they think he's running."

Caroline stops with that. She looked at Jason sideways to see where he was in this whole thing before moving on.

"Do you know where Sonny is?"

Jason turned his head slightly to make sure he pinned her in his full gaze. It was a legit question considering all the stuff she was telling him but the tone wasn't right.

"Why?"

"Because if you did, it would help Luke narrow his search for the other person he doesn't know he should be after."

He didn't say anything. He stared at her then through her. Then his eyes glazed over and she knew Jason Morgan just left the building. Rage didn't cover what came next and she didn't even bother trying to calm him down as decanters, a considerable amount of expensive crystal and other breakables flew across the room. She, at least, got to kill a couple of people in the last three days while information gathering so she had a bit of release. Jason—not one since this whole thing started. She still had one more thing to say but wasn't sure she could get it out so she just sat there on one of the couches trying to channel something so she could be calm. They could both be pissed and enraged at the same time, but they both couldn't trash the place. He was the boss, it was his place. She figured the honors were all his.

Francis officially freaked out when the first decanter hit the back of the door. He took of like quick silver for Rey's place. Poor Emily was just across the hall and jumped so high off the couch once the stuff started flying that she actually ran upstairs to take cover. She had no clue which one of them was doing it and didn't want to find out. Francis ran into Rey's without even knocking. Bad thing to do considering. Johnny and Rey were already on edge. He didn't have to explain why he was there.

"What the fuck is going on and shouldn't someone go in there?"

Rey looked at Johnny with the he's out of his mind expression and turned back.

"Hell no."

Not the answer he thought he'd get.

"They could be killing each other!"

Johnny found nothing funny in what was happening because he knew that meant it was 1,000 times worse than what they already thought. He did find Francis amusing to the point of being ludicrous.

"I think they are the two safest people in Port Charles. They won't kill each other but they just might open fire on the rest of us."

Jason finally stopped. He probably wasn't tired but he must have remembered that trashing your own place means you have to clean up the mess. Or he decided he needed some clarification.

"How much of Rivera's money are we talking about and do I have any of it?"

It was the right question and they both new it.

"Silver said $12 million and the information on the CD confirmed that. He also said it wasn't part of the organization's accounts once Sonny found out about it. He moved that to a personal Swiss account. That was his get out of dodge cash."

That is the only good thing he'd heard in the last couple of hours but he was still pissed.

"You talked to Silver?"

"Yeah."

"He dead?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

Then Jason sat for a minute thinking through the other angle he had to deal with.

"Does River know I don't have his money and never did?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't care. Sonny gave away $30 million of his money to fund the AIDS wing out of guilt. You were around then. Laura said he called it blood money and didn't want to keep it. A fucking mobster who places ethical restraints on the way he gets money? That makes no sense."

That was the first thing that made Jason smile in all the time Caroline was gone.

"He still wants the territory. Sonny promised it to him. Saving his ass."

"How long has he known Rivera was alive? When did he make the deal?"

"You might want to go in the kitchen first to get some glasses and plates to throw."

"Answer the question."

"Just before he decided to leave Brenda at the alter and turn over control to you."

That was his suspicion as he worked through the information she gave him. He put his hands over his face to rub it then ran them through his hair before looking up at her.

"I'm killing him too."

"I figured. Make sure you find him before Luke 'cause I don't think he'll step aside if you both get there at the same time."

"I know. What about Bobbie?"

She blew out a breath to center herself again. This new twist and information was lessening her mother's chances for survival and she still didn't understand the situation.

"There are some problems with all of this and its not helping her chances of staying alive."

Jason walked over to sit next to Caroline on the couch when she said that.

"Explain."

"Mama being bait is one thing. She has been around. Don't let that nurse Bobbie routine fool you, she is a player from way back. Just anybody couldn't have gotten close enough to grab her. It had to be someone who either was close enough to her and turned—like Benny or Sonny—or whatever was in that packet from the process server lured her somewhere. She never made it home after her shift at the hospital. The problem with her being bait is that you, me and uncle Luke are fucking up the plan. How long are they gonna keep her alive when they figure out its not working and move onto something else?

Her being bait and revenge is something completely different and that makes it worse. Sonny didn't know anything about Spencer ancient history. Just the stuff since he met Luke. So that isn't part of his deal. But it might be to whoever he's partnered with. Rivera has a beef with Luke but it really isn't all that big. He ruined his plan to get to Sonny the time they were all down there. But, so what? Sonny needs all of us out way and probably doesn't care how it goes down. To make matters even worse, Luke doesn't know Rivera's still alive. If he did, he would have told you about Sonny having his money.

Mama was never as high profile as Luke. All her shit was low key because she had the advantage of being a woman. Nobody suspects women in this business. Luke's a bit flashy some times. Anyone having anything worth trading on her would have used it. Or they'd be saving it for something a lot better than throwing in with Sonny and Rivera. The person who has her wants more than crumbs from whatever Rivera might toss them.

Before I went down to Miami I used some of my own....contacts to get things started based on the Spencer history I did know and what I figured out searching the Brownstone and the club. None of that stuff would make the least bit of sense to anyone who isn't a Spencer and doesn't know how mama and Luke operate. But if hadn't lived the life I have, it wouldn't have clicked for me either.

The people I was tracking in Miami had access to certain information from the past even though they didn't know it was mama who took out Anthony Smith. The whole thing was clean. If she and uncle Luke hadn't included it in the Spencer records, they'd be the only two who knew. But mama and Luke didn't want anything to come back on Lucky, Lucas, Lulu, Michael or me that we wouldn't know about after they're gone so he updated the record to include that.

I work on a theory. If someone caves and will talk to me, they'll talk to the next guy. That's why I never let them walk away. They didn't know I'm a Spencer and didn't know why I wanted any of the information. None of them were ever tapped on some of the things I was after. Its old business. I'm the first one to come along asking certain questions. And, I didn't let any of them live to tell what they knew to someone else. But here's where things get confusing. The second person I got to said Port Charles once too often in the conversation. By the third stop someone said your name. At first, I'm thinking they know Luke's here and figured you guys had a connection. But Cantone knew too fucking much about you and he was supposed to be giving up shit to help me find mama. No way could I let that slide. That's one of the reasons I made Johnny wait in the car at the last place. I didn't know what was going on but it wasn't something I wanted anyone but you to know about just in case. It took some work, but I cashed in with the last group. Found a hell of a lot more than I bargained for."

Jason listened carefully to everything and had to agree it wasn't looking good for Bobbie but something wasn't right with what she said. Something didn't make sense. He also knew it was time for Laura to get a heads up. When Sonny left, Luke and he were alright. If Luke crossed his path now, he'd be walking straight into it. Then he closed his eyes and let his mind filter through all he heard while trying to put that together with how Bobbie was taken.

"Silver give up Sonny's Swiss account?"

"Yeah, not just the one hiding Rivera's money. Sonny's one stupid fucker. He let Silver walk after blowing up his pregnant wife and didn't change his accounts. I got all of them."

Jason smiled knowing how she got that information. When they had a minute together alone when they were both relaxed he was going to have to talk to her about what she wanted to do. He liked the way she worked. Exactly like him.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. He looked at it, nodded and went to the door. Absently, he realized there was a hell of a lot of glass and crystal to sweep up. When he opened the door he saw that Francis was standing across the hall to the left facing the door instead of with his back it. Jason couldn't blame him, he would have done the same thing.

"Get Emily."

Jason walked back over to the couch and pulled Caroline into his arms. He knew all this was hard on her. And he knew it had to hurt working through her theory on Bobbie. She didn't resist and leaned against his chest while wrapping her arms around his waist. Emily walked in cautiously, taking in the scene. Jason didn't say anything. She wanted it, she got it. Shit was bad and now she'd understand just how bad.

"Yes?"

"Pull Sonny's FBI file. Also Hernando Rivera out of Puerto Rico. He should be listed as deceased 2 years ago. Don't let that stop you. Get me everything. Files on all his people and associates."

She struggled to hold in her verbal reaction but her face immediately displayed her understanding of the situation. He'd never seen his sister shut down before. She was putting some of the pieces together and she was pissed. Neither of them said anything to her about that. He handed her the pieces of paper.

"Track the first Swiss account. All activity since it was opened. I need to know what bank the money was originally wired from and when. Then trace the others."

Before he said anything else he pulled Caroline even closer. She and Emily both thought he was finished. Jason had a new angle to play and that stopped Emily cold.

"Run a separate search on AJ. I need to know where he's been for the last year and who he's been talking to. Track all his money. The trust fund, credit cards and bank accounts. See if he applied for a visa anywhere in the last year or purchased any property in the states or overseas. Cross reference him with Tracy and Damian Smith's sister, Jennifer. Find him."

Emily stood frozen for a good 10 seconds and didn't speak. This was a day for surprises. In that moment, he knew he had to watch his little sister carefully in the future. The look on her face was all Morgan and it was all bad. He knew he had to distract her to pull her out of it before she went over the edge.

"Also, make a list of every piece of equipment you might need or want. If you want it, its yours. Doesn't matter how much the stuff costs or the hassle of getting it. You got a job and the study is now your office."

Emily didn't respond other than to nod then she went upstairs.

Caroline struggled against Jason trying to get free but he held on tight and spoke softly in her ear.

"I need you to stay with me. Stay with the job."

That did it. She stopped and turned her head to meet his eye.

"What's bigger than Rivera's crumbs and who could get that close to Bobbie? She's wise. Sonny in town or Benny approaching her would have instantly put her on alert. She wouldn't have spoken to them in private let alone go anywhere with either of them, especially considering the situation with Luke. And she would have called you immediately."

Caroline nodded. She was following this one.

"The process server. The papers had something to do with Michael. They're fakes because I checked and no one is suing mama or calling her as a witness. But while she's standing there reading them, she doesn't know that yet. Then AJ just happens by and starts talking about the Quartermaines going after us for custody. Edward wanted that. Threatened that. Monica and Allen were on the fence because they're still hoping to get you back. That would have cut them off for sure and they know it. Mama's known him almost his entire life and he is the family screw up. She wouldn't have a reason to think he was into anything. All of that could have distracted her enough. Do you think AJ suspects?"

"No. Its too much of a hassle doing it this way. Edward would finally have grounds to file papers and sue us for real. This isn't about you. I know that's what you're thinking. This is about me. A way to hurt me. AJ has been jealous of Jason Quartermaine his entire life. He doesn't get I'm not that guy. And when I didn't want to be whatever he wanted us to be he got pissed. Plus, for all that time after I left the mansion, they were all trying to find a way to get close to me. Have some kind of relationship—but only on their terms. Not good enough. AJ got kicked to the curb again. Then he caught hell for waking up in the laundry cart at the same time I was living my life. In a way, it is about you."

That made Caroline drop her head. Of all the things she's done in her life that were beyond illegal, a year as Carly Roberts was the thing that would end her mother.

"No, not like that. AJ wanted you. Always wanted you. Probably still wants you. You never gave him the time of day. And the one time you did, you were plastered and shit faced drunk waiting for me. That had to hurt. Now not only do I have you, but we have a son. Its about me. That's as personal as it gets. He's angry, jealous, pissed off and stupid enough to fall into something. It wouldn't take much to turn him. He can't kill me but he doesn't mind if someone else does."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

Caroline studied Jason for a few seconds before speaking.

"I'm gonna kill him."

"I know."

"We gonna have a problem?"

"Never."

Right about that time they heard a loud crash and a death howling scream of rage. They both looked to the stairs when another something breakable and probably really expensive smashed against a wall. Jason turned to Caroline. She just shrugged,

"She held it in longer than I expected."

"True."