Show: General Hospital
Title: Las Vidas de los Corinthos'- Chapter 19
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
A/N: Thank you for the wonderful comments I really appreciate them. This chapter hopefully
should start to bring things to a head and I think is what should precede some really cheesy
action, so bear with me if it's not exactly well written. R&R as always…Enjoy!
* * * *
Joseph Taggliatti broke the one rule of simple common sense. He arranged to see Ned Ashton…
from inside the Pentonville Penitentiary Prison. He didn't even want to speculate on just how
many greenbacks had been used to grease the palms of the warden and the guards to arrange
this covert meeting. He also didn't have to speculate what could happen if Sonny Corinthos ever
got wind of his association with the Quartermaines.
But business was business and despite their vast differences, he and Ned Ashton had one thing
in common – a distinct hatred for all things Corinthos, although Ned's was rooted in feelings that
were purely personal. Taggliatti wanted one thing – Sonny's territory – and he was willing to sell
his soul to the devil in order to make this a reality. And this devil happened to be Ned Ashton.
Ned sat across from Taggliatti, no bulletproof Perspex divider acting as a barrier. He shrewdly
observed the man sitting across from him. He might have been dressed in a fancy three-piece
suit, and he in nothing but a shapeless orange jumpsuit, but Ned still viewed him as nothing but a
two-bit thug. One who, on any other day and for any other reason, he would never even have
condescended to being associated with. But this 'two-bit thug' would be instrumental in the
downfall of Sonny Corinthos.
"So we finally meet in person," began Taggliatti, breaking the silence that, truth be told, was
slightly unnerving.
"It would seem so," replied Ned.
"I'm curious as to why you wished to meet me in person. Never thought a Quartermaine would
want to dirty his hands dealing with riff-raff."
Ned found his statement funny and he released a harsh crack of a laugh. "Normally we wouldn't,"
his smug condensation evident, "but some things are simply too important to leave to the help."
Normally, Taggliatti would have taken offence at the arrogance in the other man's tone, but he
held his tongue. This meeting was too important to become angry over insults. " Especially when
these things deal with the almighty Sonny Corinthos."
Ned took special note of the way the other man all but spat out Sonny's name. Indeed he had
been correct in gauging Taggliatti's grave dislike for Sonny. "Indeed," he replied. "I see that we
are both agreed in our dislike of him."
Taggliatti's eyes narrowed. "Corinthos has been a thorn in my side for too damn long, Ashton. But
then again, you already know that, or I wouldn't be here."
Ned chuckled again. "True. Just stating the obvious, Taggliatti."
Taggliatti shook his head. "What do you want from me, Ashton? You keep hinting that you want to
get rid of Corinthos, that much is obvious. But what do you want from *me*?"
Ned sat forward, staring into Taggliatti's cold black eyes. "You and I are two very different men,
with one thing in common… our hatred for Corinthos. We've both tried to get rid of him in our own
way, and we've both failed. Civility hasn't worked… violence hasn't worked. I've tried them both
together and *that* didn't work. Maybe I didn't choose the right partner. But that is a mistake that I
do *not* intend to repeat."
Taggliatti's eyes narrowed as Ned continued. "I like you, Mr. Taggliatti," Ned said, speaking to
him as though he were an indulgent uncle. "I like how you work… how you handle your
'business'. I admired your efforts in the past to bring down Corinthos, but honestly, I don't think
that this could be done using your resources alone.
"Together, my money and your street ties could bring around his destruction."
"How do you presume to do that?" asked Taggliatti, intrigued my Ned's words.
"Undermine everything that he does in the underworld." At Joseph's confused look, Ned
continued. "You push, and he'll push back, so on and so on until he loses his patience, and blows
up."
"You make it sound so easy. Sonny Corinthos can be *very* patient when the situation warrants.
My messing around with him in the underworld will only get me in hot water, Ashton. Why would I
do this for you? You still haven't given me a good reason why I should stick out my neck for you."
Ned's eyes narrowed. "Your business is flagging because of competition in the coffee business
and also because Sonny has forbidden anyone in the organization to bring in drugs or guns. But
*you* Mr. Taggliatti have been a very bad boy and you've got a ship full of weapons out in the
Atlantic and nowhere to dock them."
If Taggliatti was surprised at the revelation of knowledge, he didn't show it. Ned continued, "I
could make your life a living hell by letting dear ol' cousin Jason know what's up. But I won't. I'm
perfectly willing to allow your ship to use the Quartermaine docks… for a small price of course."
"Of course," Taggliatti replied sarcastically. "And what would this price happen to be, huh,
Ashton?"
"Your partnership of course."
Taggliatti sat in silence observing the man across from him. He'd thought of Ashton as nothing
but a jilted snob, who had a bone to pick with Sonny. But this man seemed utterly ruthless. He
didn't have to accept his offer, but the thought of besting Corinthos was an opportunity too great
to miss. "Any particulars?" he asked.
"Not much, except for a certain level of… discretion. You have to admit, Taggliatti, you're not
exactly known for this."
Taggliatti once again refused to rise to the arrogant baiting. "I can be patient," he stated through
gritted teeth.
"Be sure that you do," Ned replied coldly. "My last partner wasn't, and we all remember what
happened to poor old Faith. I wouldn't want the same to happen to you."
Taggliatti laughed at the complete insincerity of Ned's statement. "No, of course not. Is that all?"
he asked. "I really ought to be heading back to civilization."
Ned's eyes narrowed at the insult. "No. There is one thing we have to discuss further."
Taggliatti's forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"I want Corinthos to suffer… like I've suffered. In order to do that we have to strike close to home.
*Very* close to home." Through narrow eyes, cold as marble, Ned stated… "I want his family…
preferably dead."
TBC…
A/N: R&R as always. Tell me what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Title: Las Vidas de los Corinthos'- Chapter 19
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
A/N: Thank you for the wonderful comments I really appreciate them. This chapter hopefully
should start to bring things to a head and I think is what should precede some really cheesy
action, so bear with me if it's not exactly well written. R&R as always…Enjoy!
* * * *
Joseph Taggliatti broke the one rule of simple common sense. He arranged to see Ned Ashton…
from inside the Pentonville Penitentiary Prison. He didn't even want to speculate on just how
many greenbacks had been used to grease the palms of the warden and the guards to arrange
this covert meeting. He also didn't have to speculate what could happen if Sonny Corinthos ever
got wind of his association with the Quartermaines.
But business was business and despite their vast differences, he and Ned Ashton had one thing
in common – a distinct hatred for all things Corinthos, although Ned's was rooted in feelings that
were purely personal. Taggliatti wanted one thing – Sonny's territory – and he was willing to sell
his soul to the devil in order to make this a reality. And this devil happened to be Ned Ashton.
Ned sat across from Taggliatti, no bulletproof Perspex divider acting as a barrier. He shrewdly
observed the man sitting across from him. He might have been dressed in a fancy three-piece
suit, and he in nothing but a shapeless orange jumpsuit, but Ned still viewed him as nothing but a
two-bit thug. One who, on any other day and for any other reason, he would never even have
condescended to being associated with. But this 'two-bit thug' would be instrumental in the
downfall of Sonny Corinthos.
"So we finally meet in person," began Taggliatti, breaking the silence that, truth be told, was
slightly unnerving.
"It would seem so," replied Ned.
"I'm curious as to why you wished to meet me in person. Never thought a Quartermaine would
want to dirty his hands dealing with riff-raff."
Ned found his statement funny and he released a harsh crack of a laugh. "Normally we wouldn't,"
his smug condensation evident, "but some things are simply too important to leave to the help."
Normally, Taggliatti would have taken offence at the arrogance in the other man's tone, but he
held his tongue. This meeting was too important to become angry over insults. " Especially when
these things deal with the almighty Sonny Corinthos."
Ned took special note of the way the other man all but spat out Sonny's name. Indeed he had
been correct in gauging Taggliatti's grave dislike for Sonny. "Indeed," he replied. "I see that we
are both agreed in our dislike of him."
Taggliatti's eyes narrowed. "Corinthos has been a thorn in my side for too damn long, Ashton. But
then again, you already know that, or I wouldn't be here."
Ned chuckled again. "True. Just stating the obvious, Taggliatti."
Taggliatti shook his head. "What do you want from me, Ashton? You keep hinting that you want to
get rid of Corinthos, that much is obvious. But what do you want from *me*?"
Ned sat forward, staring into Taggliatti's cold black eyes. "You and I are two very different men,
with one thing in common… our hatred for Corinthos. We've both tried to get rid of him in our own
way, and we've both failed. Civility hasn't worked… violence hasn't worked. I've tried them both
together and *that* didn't work. Maybe I didn't choose the right partner. But that is a mistake that I
do *not* intend to repeat."
Taggliatti's eyes narrowed as Ned continued. "I like you, Mr. Taggliatti," Ned said, speaking to
him as though he were an indulgent uncle. "I like how you work… how you handle your
'business'. I admired your efforts in the past to bring down Corinthos, but honestly, I don't think
that this could be done using your resources alone.
"Together, my money and your street ties could bring around his destruction."
"How do you presume to do that?" asked Taggliatti, intrigued my Ned's words.
"Undermine everything that he does in the underworld." At Joseph's confused look, Ned
continued. "You push, and he'll push back, so on and so on until he loses his patience, and blows
up."
"You make it sound so easy. Sonny Corinthos can be *very* patient when the situation warrants.
My messing around with him in the underworld will only get me in hot water, Ashton. Why would I
do this for you? You still haven't given me a good reason why I should stick out my neck for you."
Ned's eyes narrowed. "Your business is flagging because of competition in the coffee business
and also because Sonny has forbidden anyone in the organization to bring in drugs or guns. But
*you* Mr. Taggliatti have been a very bad boy and you've got a ship full of weapons out in the
Atlantic and nowhere to dock them."
If Taggliatti was surprised at the revelation of knowledge, he didn't show it. Ned continued, "I
could make your life a living hell by letting dear ol' cousin Jason know what's up. But I won't. I'm
perfectly willing to allow your ship to use the Quartermaine docks… for a small price of course."
"Of course," Taggliatti replied sarcastically. "And what would this price happen to be, huh,
Ashton?"
"Your partnership of course."
Taggliatti sat in silence observing the man across from him. He'd thought of Ashton as nothing
but a jilted snob, who had a bone to pick with Sonny. But this man seemed utterly ruthless. He
didn't have to accept his offer, but the thought of besting Corinthos was an opportunity too great
to miss. "Any particulars?" he asked.
"Not much, except for a certain level of… discretion. You have to admit, Taggliatti, you're not
exactly known for this."
Taggliatti once again refused to rise to the arrogant baiting. "I can be patient," he stated through
gritted teeth.
"Be sure that you do," Ned replied coldly. "My last partner wasn't, and we all remember what
happened to poor old Faith. I wouldn't want the same to happen to you."
Taggliatti laughed at the complete insincerity of Ned's statement. "No, of course not. Is that all?"
he asked. "I really ought to be heading back to civilization."
Ned's eyes narrowed at the insult. "No. There is one thing we have to discuss further."
Taggliatti's forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"I want Corinthos to suffer… like I've suffered. In order to do that we have to strike close to home.
*Very* close to home." Through narrow eyes, cold as marble, Ned stated… "I want his family…
preferably dead."
TBC…
A/N: R&R as always. Tell me what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.