Disclaimer: I own a few, rent a few, abuse a few…
Babble: Please let me know if you like my little adventure fic or not. Tell me what you would like to see happen. I only have one more stored chapter of this, from then on it's all new, meaning your replies could shape things.
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One of Those Days
Part IX
~Water~
Elizabeth's lungs were burning, her energy rapidly being depleted. The sunlight flickering down through the water was gradually beginning to fade. Some part of her began to realize that Jason, in spite of his promise to the contrary, wasn't coming. With her last reserve of strength she bent down and focused on the weeds that had wrapped so tightly around her ankles. Maybe because her struggles had slowed, or maybe because it was almost too late to do any good, whatever the reason, a calmness descended over her and she managed to free one leg, and then the other.
Looking up, the surface seemed like a tiny pinprick of light, very far away. Kicking weakly she tried to propel herself towards it. She managed two kicks before she wondered why she was even trying. Her lungs didn't burn anymore, she didn't even feel anything anymore, it just seemed easier to just float. And without consciously being aware of it that's exactly what Elizabeth began to do. Though free of the weeds she continued to float below the water in her watery grave. The pinprick of light faded until there was nothing left but the comforting blackness.
~Cliff~
Jason hit the ground hard. His attacker's weight propelling the air out of him in a rush. The stunning surprise he felt lasted only an instant, but an instant, was an instant too long. The sound of the hammer being cocked on a handgun, sounded very loud next to his ear.
"All right this is what we're going to do." Came a heavily accented masculine voice. "On the count of three you're going to get up slowly, keeping your hands where I can see them at all times. If you don't," he pressed the barrel of the gun against Jason's cheek. "I'll shoot you. You understand?"
"Yes," Jason agreed immediately. A portion of his brain was busy counting the seconds since Elizabeth had jumped. If he didn't jump soon she would start calling for him, and his attacker would know where she was. There was a chance, a small chance, but a chance, nevertheless that the man thought they had split up. He wanted to reiterate that chance, and give her as much of a lead as he could.
The weight on his back eased as his attacker regained his feet. Biding his time Jason obediently waited for the man to count to three before he began moving. Getting to his knees his eyes scanned the ground looking for anything he could use as a potential weapon, but he saw nothing. Placing his hands in the dirt he pushed his way to his feet, keeping his back to the man with the gun.
"Turn around slowly, and keep your hands out to the side."
Doing as he was told Jason turned and faced the man. The man was about 2 inches shorter and thirty pounds heavier than Jason and was standing about 3 feet away. The gun aimed in his direction was very steadily aimed at his chest. The man obviously wasn't a novice.
"I've seen those movies too my friend. Open your hand." The man ordered.
"What?"
"You're hand," he gestured with his free hand keeping the gun level. "Open it. I'm not stupid I know what you did."
Sighing Jason reluctantly opened his left hand releasing the handful of dirt that was there.
"Did you think I was an idiot?" The man demanded stepping closer in outrage.
The minute he moved so did Jason. Throwing the other handful of dirt in the man's eyes Jason took him down in a tackle. The man's yelp as the rock stung his eyes quickly turned into a groan when Jason's weight hit him. The height advantage Jason had, was offset by the weight advantage of his opponent but as they began rolling on the ground each fighting for leverage, fighting for control over the gun, neither one had the advantage.
Jason had been in many fights and so apparently had his foe. His hands tightened on the barrel of the gun trying to shift the direction of it away from his chest. Gaining the advantage for a minute Jason rammed a knee in the man's unprotected groin. His foe screamed in agony and his hold loosened on the gun. Jason wasted no time in wrenching it free, but before he could get a proper hold of it, the man hit his hand sending the gun flying and launched himself at Jason's throat. The momentum took Jason off his knees and the man landed heavily on top of him, his hands wrapped around his throat.
The fight began in earnest, Jason recognized the drug-induced madness he saw in his opponent's eyes. It explained the strength the other man shouldn't have had, it also explained why he exhibited almost no reaction to Jason's blows. The hands tightened on his windpipe cutting off his air supply, and all during the struggle, a part of his mind was screaming that he was taking too long, that he had to get to Elizabeth now. Trying to banish the thought before it could distract him Jason clasped his hands together and brought them down hard on the other man's back.
The blow was enough to weaken the other man's grip and Jason grabbed the man's hand and pulled it free of his neck by wrenching hard on his thumb. Caught off-balanced by the pain the man leaned heavily to the left trying to ease the pressure. Jason kept his right hand flat and slammed it palm first into the other man's sternum as hard as he could. Resistance gone the other man began to wheeze in agony.
Jason swung again this time a punch to the man's throat. The punch caused him to groan and collapse back on the ground. Hitting him twice more to make sure he was out, Jason then checked the man's pockets. Coming up with a compass, a lighter and two additional clips of ammunition Jason looked around for the gun and pocketed his supplies.
Spying the gun a few feet away he hurried to it and picked it up, checking to make sure the safety was engaged he jogged towards the cliff anxious to find Elizabeth. Bullets riddled the ground in front of him sending dirt and debris flying, stopping him in his tracks.
"Drop the gun and turn around." Came the terse command.
~Trail~
"Take it easy there man. What's your problem?" Manny tried to speak calmly.
"Who are you?"
"Ease up," Manny cried when the gun pressed harder into his neck. "I'm nobody. Just someone who made a wrong turn somewhere and got off on the wrong island. I'll just correct myself, and head back to my boat. You'll never see me again."
"I don't think I believe you."
"Wait." The words were cutoff when he was struck hard at the base of the neck by the gun. Stunned Manny fell to his knees then slumped forward.
"No I definitely don't believe you." Each word was punctuated with a vicious kick to Manny's unprotected ribs and kidneys.
Eyes crossing in pain Manny fell hard to the ground, too dazed to do anything but groan.
"If you are just a tourist why do you have a gun?" His attacker demanded, yanking the gun free of Manny's holster. "No you are a thief. And on this island we execute thieves."
Forcing his eyes open, in spite of the pain, Manny looked up into the barrel of a shotgun. He had time for a brief thought of his sister before the shot rang out.
~Fire Trail~
"Jesus Hawk if you keep driving like this we won't have to worry about dying by bullets, we'll die by your hand instead." Jessica warned her companion.
Yanking hard on the wheel, Hawk managed to maintain a somewhat semblance of control as he made a sharp turn, only one tire had been in space, he considered that an accomplishment. "Look sweetheart anytime you want to drive you're welcome to the wheel. But until then you want to try something useful like maybe taking out one of those snipers in the trees?"
"It's kind of hard to shoot someone you can't see," Jessica pointed out tartly.
"Well you better start seeing them, because judging from the way this road keeps narrowing with every turn we make, and the fact the cliffside drop keeps getting closer, I'd say we're almost out of road. Once that happens we'll be running," risking a glance in her direction he grinned rakishly. "And I run so much better without any lead additives."
Jessica ignored him, concentrating instead on loading the other guns with live ammunition. Another bullet went into the dash in front of her drawing her focus on the tress. Whoever was shooting at her seemed to be playing with them. She didn't think anyone was that bad of a shot that meant as long as they wanted to play her and Hawk would be fine.
"Hold on!"
The warning had barely reached her ears before she felt Hawk's hand on her chest trying to stop her forward momentum as the jeep rammed a log that was blocking to road. Even with the seatbelt she was wearing and his hand her head still managed to connect with the dash.
That was all she remembered.
~Airport~
"Your father? What the hell do you mean your father?" Sonny demanded. "According to Luke he killed your old man years ago."
"Surprise Luke is wrong yet again," Nikolas couldn't help but snap back. "Stavros Cassadine should be dead. He would be dead if my Grandmother hadn't interfered and played God. It's a long story that we don't have time for. I need you to tell me where you sent Elizabeth. I need to find her before he does."
"Tell me the story Nikolas," Sonny ordered.
"Tell me where Elizabeth is," Nikolas countered.
"The plane is fueled and ready to go." Johnny entered the room interrupting the staring contest. "What's going on?"
"Where are you going?" Nikolas demanded.
Ignoring the question Sonny asked one of his own. "What's this about your father going after Elizabeth?"
"I got the information on the plane crash." Benny entered the room with his eye on the file in his hand, and failed to notice Nikolas until it was too late.
"What plane crash?" Nikolas asked.
Sonny leveled a long look at his accountant/fact finder and debated what to tell the kid.
"She called from an airport." Nikolas' mind raced working through possible scenarios. The only scenarios he could think of made him feel ill. "Was Elizabeth on an airplane?"
Sighing Sonny realized he was going to have to tell the kid something. "Maybe. We have a report that says she was but we don't know for sure."
Somehow Nikolas managed to get the next question past the lump in his throat. "And that plane she was supposedly on, was that the one that crashed?"
"Yes."
Nikolas staggered back. It was all his fault. Everything was his fault. This had been his plan, and he'd dragged Elizabeth into it. It was his Grandmother that had put Elizabeth in danger in the first place, and the only reason his Grandmother was around at all was because of him. It was all his fault. "We're there any survivors?"
Sonny couldn't help but feel for the kid. After all he was feeling many of the same emotions himself. Anger, disbelief, guilt, always guilt, he could see that reflected in the younger man's eyes. "A witness saw a single parachute."
Hope, it crashed into him. "One?" Swallowing hard Nikolas forced himself to look at the other men in the room. "Who else was on the plane?"
"We're not positive how many were on the plane," Sonny hedged.
"He," Nikolas pointed to Benny who was doing his best to blend in the background. "Said he had a report on the crash. So let's hear it."
"Nikolas I think you need to…"
"I think he needs to answer my question." Incensed the Cassadine Prince straightened his spine and met the mobster's look with one of his own. "Now."
Suddenly finding himself faced with a man instead of a boy Sonny wearily shook his head. He really didn't have time to deal with this. "Fine. Jason was on the plane with at least two other men, besides Elizabeth. Only one parachute came out of the plane, so there was only one survivor out of a possible four."
"1 in 3 actually," Benny interrupted.
"What do you mean?" Sonny turned away from an ashen-faced Nikolas.
"Divers reached the plane. The pilot's still strapped in his seat, so he definitely wasn't the one in the chute." Benny glanced needlessly at his already memorized file before going on. "He also didn't die in the crash. He was shot repeatedly. Apparently they found bullet holes all through the cockpit and in the instrument panel. Preliminary thinking is indicating that the bullets are what caused the crash."
Closing his eyes Sonny briefly sent up a prayer in thanks or in concern he wasn't sure. "Did they find anyone else on the plane?"
"No. Both the NTSB and the DEA have taken an active interest in the crash, both because of where the flight originated from and also because of the way it crashed. The Feds are crawling all over things." Benny grinned, they'd caught a break with that. "That means they'll be enough leaks that we'll know everything they do within an hour of them knowing."
"Keep listening." Sonny pointed towards the plane and jerked his head at Johnny getting him to move as well. Soon only him and Nikolas were left in the small room.
"You think its Jason don't you? You want him to be the one in the parachute."
Hearing the accusation Sonny couldn't help but wince. "Yes I think Jason was the one who survived. Do I want him to the one who lived, even with Elizabeth on the plane? Yes."
"Bastard." Nikolas managed before stepping away trying to control his anger, his frustration, his … grief?
"I know I am." Sonny agreed quietly. "I also know that you're hoping its Elizabeth that survived even though you know Jason was on the plane."
"It's different. Jason worked for you he knew what to expect. Elizabeth went to you for help. She went to you for protection. We both trusted you to provide her with that protection. You were supposed to save her life not kill her." Nikolas remarked scathingly hoping to inflict damage on the man before him.
Sonny nodded again, quietly taking the blame on his shoulders. The weight he already bore on his shoulders almost overwhelmed him at times, but he accepted the new weight, all of it was a burden of his making. He'd been thinking the same thing for hours now, but finally hearing the words aloud seemed anti-climatic somehow. "I know."
"Where did you send her?" Nikolas asked roughly. There was still a chance she'd never gotten on the plane at all. As small of a chance that was Nikolas was willing to take it, to cling to it, to hope.
"I can't tell you that. Believe me Nikolas I have people searching for both of them. I'll keep you informed."
"I don't think I can believe you Sonny. You haven't kept me informed about anything so far, and you have this bad habit of missing things. Like missing Sorel, like missing the fact my aunt was still nearby when you blew up your penthouse, like sending Elizabeth into an even more dangerous situation than she was in here." Not caring that he was coming dangerously close to threatening the mobster Nikolas moved closer. "So you're going to tell me where you sent her and I am going to find her, while you concentrate on finding Jason which is all you want to do anyway."
"You're walking a fine line Nikolas," Sonny warned him. "I'll only tolerate so much from you. I told you, we will find out what happened to her."
"But your focus in on finding Jason not Elizabeth right?" Nikolas pressed. "That's what you want to do the most isn't it? Find Jason?"
"Boss?" Johnny stuck his head back in the room interrupting the tense scene. "The pilot says there's a storm front moving in. We need to leave if we want to get out ahead of it."
Sonny nodded and Johnny withdrew.
"You're upset and concerned about your friend so I'll let what's been said here, stay here, and I'll keep you informed," Sonny stated in conclusion. He'd wasted enough time with Nikolas.
"You don't get it do you?" Nikolas cried. "This isn't only about you or Jason, or even Elizabeth anymore. This is also about my father, whom I afraid to say, is every bit the monster that everyone says he is."
"And?"
"And for some reason he's focused on Elizabeth. He knows I was supposed to kill her and instead I got her away. He knows I care for her, and he's very much like Helena. He likes to take people away from people who care about them and break them. He was there when I got Elizabeth's message. He heard what she said, and he disappeared right after he heard that and even Helena doesn't know where he is." Nikolas reasoned aloud trying to pull out a coherent reason for the sinking feeling in his gut. "Maybe he's trying to bring her back to me. Maybe he thinks she left me for Jason, maybe he just want's to see if he can still stalk someone, I don't know. All I know is he's going after her, I know he is, and he won't stop until he finds her or unless someone stops him."
Uneasy at the image Nikolas' words were creating in his mind Sonny tried to deny them. "There's no way he could know where she is."
"I was with my father, whom I thought was dead, when I got her message. I went straight to you. I thought I heard someone behind me once or twice but I didn't seen anyone, you remember you heard something too. After I left how focused were you on watching your back?"
Sonny grew quiet remembering all the orders he'd been distracting Johnny with as they walked to the car.
"It is possible that he followed whomever you sent to find Jason and Elizabeth. And it is possible that he is still following them."
"Why?"
"Again I don't know for sure," Nikolas all but shouted in frustration. "Helena once tried to gain my favor by brainwashing Lucky into pushing Elizabeth at me. Maybe Stavros is trying to gain it by bringing back the woman I spent the last few weeks telling everyone I not only wanted but was obsessed with," he theorized. "How the hell should I know what is going on in his mind? He should be dead. Helena froze him for 20 years who's to say his brain has even unthawed yet?"
"Froze?" Sonny repeated in disbelief.
"We don't have time for this," Nikolas snapped. "Let me ask you something. How hard would it be for me to find out where a plane crashed landed that was carrying a pilot that was shot to death? How hard would it be for me to start searching the surrounding islands until I found the correct one? How difficult would it be for me to start dropping names like Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan on those islands until every authority and enemy of yours in a 100 mile radius is crawling all over them searching for Jason?"
Incensed Sonny moved closer. "Are you trying to threaten me?"
"I'm not trying anything," Nikolas corrected his voice as cold as Sonny's was angry. "And if you have any idea about ordering that mountain outside to make me shut up you might as well erase it now. I'm well prepared for this. I've documented everything that has happened these last few weeks, including your involvement. People like Taggert and the Feds will find it very interesting reading believe me."
It wasn't often that he underestimated people, but he had definitely underestimated Nikolas. All those long ago warnings he'd heard from Luke about how diabolical the Cassadine's were, came back to him just a little too late. In spite of himself he couldn't help the modicum of respect he felt over Nikolas' actions.
As bluffs went, Nikolas thought it was a pretty good one, and kept his face calm as he waited to see if Sonny bought it.
"Johnny, Max." Sonny bellowed and the doors on either side of the room opened to admit the respective guards. "Give me your sat phone Johnny."
Puzzled Johnny handed it over.
"Here," Sonny shoved the phone in Max's hands. "You're accompanying Mr. Cassadine."
"Where am I going?" Nikolas asked.
"The island and beyond. You'll find your crazy father and Max will take care of him. We'll keep you informed of our progress and you'll keep us informed as well." Sonny snapped angrily.
Nikolas nodded knowing better than to speak.
"Your father has a day's head start on you so you better move your ass." Sonny focused on Max and lowered his voice when Nikolas stepped away to make a call. "Keep a close eye on him," he paused for a beat before going on grumpily. "While you're at it, keep him alive."
Max nodded his eyes focusing on the Cassadine Prince who had just become his charge.
"We need to get airborne, Johnny will call you and fill you in on the details we have so far." Sonny called out instructions not really caring if Nikolas was listening or not and moved towards the door.
"Thanks Sonny."
Pausing at the door Sonny turned around and grinned a little nastily. "I'm sending you to the Devil Nikolas. You shouldn't thank me for it."
Chilled more so by the grin than the words Nikolas didn't know how to reply.
~Trail~
Manny collapsed back on the ground caught off-guard by the unexpected weight of his attacker. Puzzled he worked up enough strength to push the man off of him and over to the side. Sitting up gingerly, the gaping hole in the back of the man's head quickly explained to Manny what had happened to him. Pushing the body the rest of the way off, Manny began the laborious process of getting to his feet.
"Francis?" Manny looked around expecting the older man to come out of the bushes with a blistering lecture on his lips. But Francis remained stubbornly absent.
Pulling the gun from the man's lifeless fingers Manny continued to scan the area. Francis should have alerted him to his position by now. Unless, his hand tightened on the gun, unless Francis wasn't the one who had saved him. But if he wasn't the one then who did? And why?
~*~*~
Stavros hummed softly under his breath, keeping the sights of his gun trained on Manny who was searching the area.
The gun in his hand pleased him. It wasn't the specially crafted colt that he'd had made especially for him years ago, but it fit his hand well, and the kick was minimal. He also approved of the power he realized with a smile. He'd taken the man down with one shot. The specialized load of the ammunition also left a larger than normal hole in the victim. He'd always been fond of larger than life things.
He was pleased to note that he hadn't lost his knack for killing. Of course he never really thought he had. Killing was a craft he'd been honing since he was 12 and killed his first. He had a vague recollection of the slovenly stable hand that had missed the warning signs of distemper in his favorite stallion. His punishment killing of the stable hand had been his first kill but certainly not his last.
Humming again he kept the gun on Manny who was relieving the weapons from the slain man before moving away. Debating Stavros wondered if he should take him out now or wait until later. Before he could make up his mind Manny disappeared into the bushes.
Reluctantly pocketing the gun Stavros began to move again. It was for the best he always enjoyed the hunt almost as much as he enjoyed the kill.
~Cliff~
"Drop the gun." The order sounded again.
He could spin, firing the gun at the same time hopefully hitting the man without getting hit himself. As soon as the thought crossed his mind he banished it. This was real life not one of those larger than life brainless action flicks that Johnny seemed to live on. As such Jason reluctantly dropped the gun.
"Put your hands on your head and turn around nice and slow."
Jason complied turning until he focused on the man holding the gun. This one was at least 7 feet away and was showing no inclination to move forward. The diminutive man's hand shook as he pointed the gun at Jason and he felt uneasy. Unlike the unconscious and much larger man on the ground this one was decidedly nervous, and that made Jason nervous. Shaking fingers against a trigger were never a comforting sight.
"Just take it easy," Jason murmured quietly.
"You be quiet," the man stammered back before looking at his partner on the ground. "Jorge wake up."
As soon as the man's eyes left him Jason inched closer.
Catching the movement from the corner of his eye, the man focused on Jason again. "Don't move."
Jason shrugged his shoulders. "You might want to check on your friend, he doesn't look so good."
The gun wavered then shifted slightly as he looked at his friend on the ground again. "Jorge?"
Again Jason took advantage of the man's inattention by moving closer.
The man holding the gun was torn and that wasn't good. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Jorge had said all he would have to do was walk around the island with a gun and wave it at the workers to keep them in line. He wasn't supposed to have to fire it, he wasn't supposed to chase people and shoot at them with it. And now Jorge was on the ground and the tall gringo who put him there looked like he could break him in two without much effort. In spite of the fact that he was the one holding the gun he felt intimidated. "Jorge," he pleaded with his cousin to wake up.
His attention was diverted too long and Jason took advantage diving the few yards separating them and driving them both back into the bushes. The man he'd hit immediately dropped the gun and began screaming, begging him not to hurt him. In frustration Jason brought his elbow up catching the simpering man under the chin. Jason watched the man's eyes roll back in his head before passing out.
Barely resisting the impulse to hit the man again out of sheer frustration for delaying him. Jason got to his feet and moved towards the gun on the ground. Picking it up he moved to the cliff and scanned the water below. Frowning slightly when he didn't see Elizabeth he had to remind himself that she was probably directly beneath him clinging to the cliff like he'd told her too.
Jogging back a few steps he paused long enough to survey the bushes behind him, he was tired of being caught off-guard. Seeing no one he took off for the edge of the cliff in a dead run. Keeping the gun held high over his head he jumped for the water below.
~Fire Trail~
Jessica became aware that she was still alive merely because of the throbbing in her temples. At that precise moment she would rather take death. Groaning, her eyes fluttered open, only to close again when her feet began to spin dizzily. Pushing back from the dash she kept her eyes closed until the strange sensation of vertigo passed. The buzzing in her ears gradually faded and she became aware of another noise. Forcing her eyes open she focused on Hawk who was unconscious, his head on the steering wheel, blaring the horn.
Temporarily forgetting her own aches Jessica focused on her companion. "Hawk?" Checking for a pulse she was ridiculously relieved when she found it. Uncomfortable with that she eased his head off the wheel and back against the headrest, blessing the silence that occurred at her move. His angelic face was smooth and clean of bruises, except for a small red mark just under the hairline on his temple. It figured he was the only person who could come out of a head on crash looking better than when he went into it.
Her attention shifted beyond him when she heard the sounds of someone approaching through the bushes beyond. Pulling the gun free of Hawk's holster she leaned over him until she was resting her head on his chest. Jerking her head, so her hair fell over her eyes partially shielding her face, her hand tightened on the gun. Watching through the strands of her hair she played possum and waited for the bushes to move again and tell her where the visitor was coming from.
~Bushes~
Francis picked his way carefully through the underbrush, his eyes continually searching for the hidden snares and traps that he knew were liberally littered throughout the island. He had particularly vivid memories of this part of the island and the pits he'd been made to dig here, and he quickly banished them. Life on this island had been a particular brand of hell that he'd love to forget especially the last days of it.
Manny had disappeared quite some time ago. He knew he should have gone back for him the moment he'd realized that Manny wasn't behind him, but the sound of gunfire had been so close, he'd been compelled to keep going. By the time the sound of gunfire had faded Manny had been left far behind.
Francis had the advantage in the fact he knew the island like the back of his hand. He had to believe that Manny had learned enough, and was good enough to keep alive on his own until Francis could get back to him.
Knowing he was close to where the final shots had come from Francis slowed his pace even more. Checking his gun carefully, Francis flicked off the safety. Moving stealthily through the bush and trying to avoid the leaves that would give his presence away, he neared the edge of the bushes, preparing to move out into the clearing.
~Water~
Jason hit the water hard and immediately kicked his way to the surface, trying to get the gun out of the water as fast as possible. Breaking the surface he blinked the water out of his eyes and turned his head looking for Elizabeth.
But she wasn't there.
Frowning Jason moved his arms keeping himself afloat while scanning the shoreline expecting to see a familiar brown-haired woman giving him the glare she seemed to have perfected in the past couple of days.
But she still wasn't there.
"Elizabeth?" Trying not to be heard he called out her name quietly while beginning to swim towards the cliff. Maybe there was a cave. A cave that he couldn't see and she was hiding inside of it. Within a few strokes he knew that wasn't the case.
"Elizabeth?" He called again a little louder this time.
There was still no answer.
Fear. It wasn't an emotion he was familiar with so it took a minute for him to identify the emotion that was clogging his throat. His focus shifted to the clear water surrounding him.
Not caring who heard him he screamed her name, throwing the gun he once thought was so important away, Jason dove under the surface of the water. The sun streaming through the water gave him plenty of light and he used it to search the depths for her.
Moving frantically through the water Jason searched, hoping to find her, and at the same time hoping he wouldn't. He had taken too long. His lungs were already burning for air. If she had been underwater this whole time that would mean she was dead. Shaking his head Jason broke the surface gasping for air.
I promise you I won't leave you alone.
Rocked by the memory of his vow Jason dove under the water again desperate to find her. The water soon stilled, waiting for the latest emergence. But when Jason finally did emerge again, he was alone.