Reggie felt his body smack hard against the cold steel of Jason's black Porsche. He heard himself groan as a searing pain rippled through his rib cage. Reggie watched Jason's mouth moving but his brain wasn't able to process the words. His mind was too focused on how to get himself out of this mess.

"I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING!!" Jason's voice was cold and hard as he pressed Reggie's body firmly against the side of his car. Reggie heard himself stammer unable to form even a syllable of a word in response to his attacker's question. Jason slammed him against the car once more. "I KNOW YOU ARE FUCKING WORKING FOR MALUCCI!! WHAT'S HIS NEXT MOVE!?!"

Their confrontation went on like that for what to Reggie seemed to be hours until finally the barrel of Jason's gun pointed between his eyes was too much for Reggie to take. He told Jason Morgan everything he wanted to hear. Reggie took a ragged breath and winced in pain as his fingers made contact with the bloody gash on his forehead. When had his life gotten so complicated, Reggie thought to himself as he tried not to glance at the gun still resting on Jason's lap. Why the hell had he taken on this job in the first place, he questioned his motives. It would have been much simpler if he had just stuck with what he knew best, small heists, a shakedown or two, collecting points or even the occasional hit if the money was right. This last job had put him well out of his league and Reggie knew it. He knew it from the very beginning but the purse had been too great for him not to be lured into accepting the job. Looking at Jason Morgan, Reggie wished now he hadn't.

Jason did his best to keep his eyes trained on the road before him, to keep his thoughts focused on his destination. However that wasn't an easy task. His mind kept drawing him back to thoughts of Elizabeth. Jason clenched his jaw as a way to stop the tears he could feel beginning to sting his eyes. The pictures that paraded through his mind were disjointed at best. Jason couldn't stop himself from wondering if the bastard sitting next to him had helped Anthony prolong the cruelty that Elizabeth was subjected to. Nothing would surprise Jason at this point. The horrific tale that the man cowering in the seat beside him told had Jason's head spinning. Because of Anthony Malucci and his warped vendetta, Jason and his family had already lost so much. That coupled with the notion that there was a good possibility that Elizabeth might not make it through this whole ordeal was too much for Jason's tired brain to bear. He shook his head in an outward attempt to clear the murky fog from his mind. Again he couldn't let himself get caught up in the tricks his mind was playing on him. Jason pushed back his memories of Elizabeth to the farthest corner of his mind and locked them there. He knew that his love for Elizabeth was the fuel he needed to stoke his raging inferno of emotions but that that could also be his downfall. In order for Jason to get his father to see the light where Anthony Malucci was concern, he knew that Elizabeth couldn't play any part in this.

Jason lifted the gun from its resting-place on his lap as the Porsche rolled to a stop alongside the massive garage. He used the gun barrel as a way to signal Reggie that he was to follow. The other man made no attempt to do anything but follow his captor's orders. Jason whipped Reggie forward by the arm as he buried the gun's cold steel point in his back and pushed him forward toward the Morgan mansion. "STAY PUT!!!" Jason growled as he shoved Reggie into a tiny room. Before he was able to offer a response Jason slammed the door shut. Reggie heard the lock click as the deadbolt slid into the strike plate. He leaned against the cool wall surface feeling like a caged animal and wondering what his fate was to be all the while in the back of his mind knowing.

Jason strode through the hallways of his home with a purpose. He was in search of his father. It was time that Joseph Morgan acknowledged the menace that Anthony Malucci was and high time he did something about it. He heard the muffled sounds of voices as he drew closer to his father's study. He was unprepared for the sight that met his eyes. Right before him standing among the men that headed the other families in the organization was Anthony Malucci in the flesh. All the blood drained from Jason's face as his memory bombarded him with images of Elizabeth and what she had done to herself. The purple bruises that Anthony had inflicted on her beautiful face leapt to his mind's eye. Elizabeth was fighting for her life while the monster responsible for it was drinking from a bottle of Joseph Morgan's best scotch. "Cozy aren't we?" Jason asked sarcastically as those in the room turned and centered their attention on the younger Morgan. "What the hell is HE," Jason pointed directly to Anthony, "doing in our house?" Jason bit the inside of his mouth hard enough to draw blood in a vain attempt to corral his frenzy of anger.

"We were waiting on you, son," Joseph lied as he crossed the room leading Jason deeper inside. After what he had been told by Jason's secretary Joseph hadn't any idea if his son would show or not.

"For what?" Jason asked suspiciously as he removed his arm from his father's grasp.

"A few of us felt that in our haste to execute Rocco's wishes we over looked the fact that Anthony could be vital asset to the organization. We thought the situation deserved further discussion."

"WHAT?!?" Jason wasn't able to contain his rage. "NO WAY!! NEVER... ... I will NEVER be part of any organization that that BASTARD is!!" Jason turned to look at his father as his voice bounced off the walls. He narrowed his eyes as his menacing gaze fell on the man he had called father for so many years. A man that at that very moment Jason didn't see as a shred of sanity in.

Jason's hands went to his hips. Immediately the tips of his fingers made contact with the hardness of his gun. He toyed with the handle as the images of Anthony's bleeding body besieged him. Without a moments hesitation, Jason could have drawn the gun and Anthony Malucci would cease breathing. The very thought caused every nerve in Jason's body to sing in anticipation. What pleasure he would have derived from ending Anthony's life right then, however the voice of reason that Jason had been holding at bay finally burst forth. "I need a word with you," Jason said to Joseph without giving him a chance to decline the request.

"If you will excuse me gentlemen," Joseph offered as he and Jason exited the room. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded as he followed his son down the hallway. "Jason!!" Joseph grabbed for his arm when his son failed to respond to his inquires.

"This!" Jason stated as the door to the room where Reggie had been left fell open.

"What's his problem?" Anthony asked the remaining men in the room. To which their only response was silence. "It's nice to see that you all have come to your senses," Anthony continued as he poured himself another glass of scotch from the bottle Joseph had set in front of him. "I don't know what my father was thinking when he asked for the Malucci family assets to be divided among you all. He wasn't quite himself towards the end. I am glad that you all have come to understand that." Anthony's monologue proceeded with still no words from the others in the room.

Joseph went forward to the corner of the room where Reggie was slumped over in pain. "Are you all right?" he asked as he assisted the battered man to his feet.

"What the hell's going on here?" Jason asked exasperated by his father's concern for a man who had been responsible for so many atrocities against their family. "Why the hell are you so fucking worried about a guy who has been paid by Anthony to systematically destroy our family?!?" Jason gasped.

Anthony poured himself another drink as his anxiety began to get the better of him. Joseph and Jason had been gone from the room for quite some time now. Anthony couldn't shake the gnawing in his gut. The silence that filled the room wasn't helping his anxious state either.

"Jason, Anthony only believes that Reggie is working for him," Joseph simply stated.

Jason's jaw scraped the floor. "WHAT?!?!"

"I am sure you heard me. He's been working for me since the night of the benefit."

"What?!?!" That was the only word that Jason could get his brain to form. He's father's explanation was making very little sense to him.

"I understand your shock... ..."

"SHOCK!?!?" Jason interrupted him. "SHOCK... doesn't nearly cover it!" Jason almost laughed.

"Jason, please just calm down and let me explain."

"Yes – please do explain. This...this...this," Jason couldn't find the word to adequately describe what this animal had put the Morgan family through. "He helped Anthony terrorize our family and you expect me to believe that you sanctioned such actions? My god Pap, AJ and Courtney lost a child!" Jason cried.

"NO! I never would have sanctioned the things that happened but I can't...."

"CAN'T WHAT?!?!?" Jason demanded unable to fathom what his father was trying to say.

"I regret what happened but I can't change that now." Joseph's eyes fell hard on Reggie as he thought of the grief AJ and Courtney were still dealing with at the loss of their child.

"So what you are saying is the ends justify the means?!?"

"Sometimes yes," Joseph sighed.

"What a fucking hypocrite you are, Papa!" Jason yelled.

"Son please." Joseph moved closer to Jason. "There is by far more going on here than you are aware of."

"All I need to be aware of is that you had the chance to stop this a long time ago and you didn't!" Jason seethed as he stormed from the room unable to look at the man he called father.

Anthony looked on as Jason and Joseph entered the study finally. The tension between father and son was obvious. Anthony smirked as he imagined that 'Prince Jason' was irritated by the fact that Joseph had finally seen the error of his ways where the Malucci family was concerned. "I'm sorry for the delay gentlemen," Joseph offered his apologies to the others. "Let's all take our seats and begin."

"Yes let's," Anthony agreed in a cocky tone. He was suddenly full of himself, confident in the fact that everything he wanted was just within his grasp.

Jason felt his hands ball into fists. Having to sit across from Anthony, no matter what his father did or didn't have in store for the bastard wasn't something that Jason could easily do.

"As I mentioned before," Joseph started. "We have been seriously rethinking Rocco's request concerning the function of the Malucci family."

Jason shifted in his seat as Joseph spoke. He was doing his best to keep from heaving. "What's the matter Jason?" Anthony asked with a shitty grin.

"Excuse me?" Jason countered.

"What don't you like sharing? I mean hell I have been sharing my wife for months now. Don't you think it's time that you did some sharing of your own?" Anthony sneered. He was happy to divulge Jason's affair with his wife to the other men in the room.

With the mention of Elizabeth even if not by name, Jason stood as if he had been shot from a cannon as his chair sailed to the floor with a thunderous crash. Jason's actions had taken on a life of their own as he lunged forward to grab Anthony by the throat.

Joseph pulled at his son's shoulders as he put a stop to the ensuing brawl with a simple statement. "All in due time son. All in due time." Anthony shot a quizzical look across the table confused by the statement. "Gentlemen, there's someone that I believe it's time you all met." Joseph motioned for Reggie to be escorted to the room.

All of a sudden Anthony felt as if he was in some sort of suspended animation. "YOU'RE A FUCKING DEAD MAN!!" Anthony bellowed in Reggie's direction. "IF YOU THINK THEY BEATING THEY GAVE YOU WAS SOMETHING... ..."

Joseph spoke over Anthony's frenzied tirade. "This is Reggie. He had been on the inside of the Malucci organization for quite awhile and the information that he was able to provide – I am sure you will find very interesting."

With a shaky hand, Anthony lifted the half-empty bottle to his glass again. Quickly he downed the amber liquid and filled the glass once more while Joseph watched. Joseph couldn't contain the smug smile that filled his features.

"I WANT TO SEE MR. MORGAN RIGHT NOW!!!" A woman's voice filtered its way into the study. "NO THIS CAN'T WAIT. A WOMAN'S LIFE DEPENDS ON MY SEEING MR. MORGAN!" Suddenly the body that voice belonged to burst into the room followed by another man Anthony knew all too well.

"I'm sorry boss," the man said as he directed his comment to Joseph instead of in his direction as Anthony had expected him to. "I tried to stop her but she wouldn't hear of it."

"That's fine Marco."

Anthony's eyes grew wide as he watched and listened to the conversation taking place between the man who had been in charge of Elizabeth for weeks now and Joseph. Add to that the fact that his housekeeper, Helena, was also standing in the room with some sort of tie to the Morgan family. The confusion that now encircled the room was noticeable. The men at the table were talking among themselves while Joseph had his attention centered on Helena and Marco.

"What the hell's going on here?!?" Jason's voice silenced the room.

"I apologize for the interruptions," Joseph said.

"Who are these people?" Jason questioned.

"This is Helena Marsters, Rocco's housekeeper... ..."

"And him?" Jason's patience was wearing thin.

"This is Marco. He's been at the Malucci compound since just before Rocco's death... ..."

"For what?" Jason prodded.

"If you would let me continue," Joseph huffed angered by his son's insolence. "He was placed there to serve as protection for Elizabeth."

"Did you say he was there for Elizabeth's PROTECTION!?!?" Jason asked with a mocking tone.

"Yes."

"Well then I think he needs to be schooled in exactly what the word protection means!" Jason felt his breathing quicken as his fury was all consuming.

"What are you talking about?" Joseph questioned.

"Anthony's been terrorizing Elizabeth right under this oaf's nose. While Anthony's been using her for a damn punching bag what the hell has this lout been doing – watching?" Jason came forward to stand nose to nose with the man whose job he was now questioning.

"What are you saying Jason?" Joseph asked.

"I'm saying that Anthony finally pushed Elizabeth over the edge. He pushed her far enough to think she would be better off dead!" Jason choked on that single syllable word.

"WHAT?!?" Helena gasped unable to believe what she was hearing. "She's all right, isn't she?" her eyes implored Jason for the answer she so desperately needed to hear.

"I don't know," Jason returned somberly.

Joseph felt his blood begin to rise. His eyes rested hard on Anthony. A pang of guilt ran down his spine as he thought how he had failed his long time friend. The idea that Elizabeth had tried to harm herself, and indeed may have wore heavy on Joseph's heart that he hadn't acted sooner.

Anthony's eyes darted to the small group of people that he had considered his allies in his fight against the Morgan family. To now know that they had been working on the side of his enemy was a hard blow for him and his ego. He felt the beads of sweat forming on his brow. He loosened his shirt collar. Suddenly he felt like he couldn't breath. Anthony took slow deliberate breaths. Each on that filled his lungs caused a tightness to radiate through his chest.

Joseph's intent gaze took notice of Anthony's sudden quiet and panic in his eyes. A broad sardonic smile engulfed Joseph's face. He looked down at the nearly empty bottle of scotch that he had given Anthony hours before. He knew that the drug-laced amber liquid was finally taking affect. "Something wrong, Anthony?" he asked innocently.

"Is it hot in here?" Anthony shot back.

"No."

"I can't catch my breath... ..."

"You don't look good," Joseph tried to hide a smile.

"I don't feel too good." Anthony agreed as he held his left arm that was now almost numb. "Ahhh... ..." He gasped as a stabbing pain in his chest crippled him.

"How does it feel?"

"What??" Anthony closed his eyes and opened them again trying to clear his blurry vision while hanging desperately onto his chair for support..

"How does it feel to know that you are dying?"

"What?" the sheer terror in Anthony's voice rang in the ears of those in the room.

"Yes Anthony, you are indeed dying," Joseph jeered. "What does it feel like to know the same horrible death you forced on Rocco, your own father for god sakes, to endure?" All eyes were now drawn to Joseph. "You were so easy to play," he continued. "Your ego always – always is the thing that drives you, Anthony. Now it's going to drive you to your grave!"

Each member of the group stood in silence as Anthony died slowly before them. A tear wound its way down Helena's cheek. Not for the loss of Anthony's life but for the horrific way that Rocco Malucci had been forced to die.

Reggie looked around the room at the others focused their attention on Anthony. Quietly he began making his way to the exit. "Where do you think you are going?" Joseph asked as he motioned for the doorway to be blocked by two members of his army.

"No where," Reggie stuttered.

"Good. I believe we have some unfinished business."

Reggie gulped as his arms were taken into the strong grasp of the men closet to him. "Unfinished business?" he squeaked.

"Did you really think that I would let your offenses go without some sort of retribution?

"But ... you just said ... the ends justify the means." Reggie now began to sweat.

"So I did," Joseph concurred. "Consider yourself just part of the means!" Joseph nodded to the men to remover Reggie from the room. His screams could be heard throughout the Morgan mansion.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?!" Marco's voice permeated the room. "What are you doing?" he asked the men who had been his friends yet that were now holding him in much the same manner as Reggie had been.

"Given the information gathered here," Joseph began as he ran his hand across his face, "It appears that you need a lesson on what it exactly means to protect a person in your charge. Terror isn't a part of that protection!" Joseph bellowed as he drew his own gun and rested it at Marco's temple. "Letting your charge be beaten isn't part of that protection!" Joseph slapped Marco with enough force to send him stumbling. "You have failed in your duties for this family. Such a failure can not be overlooked." Joseph threw his hands up in the air disgusted by the man before him. "Get him out of my sight!" With those words Marco was escorted from the room to suffer the same fate as Reggie. "Pete," Joseph turned to the man dressed in a suit.

"Yes boss?"

"Jeff Webber's debate is set to begin in less than an hour. Here." Joseph handed the man over a large envelope. "You know what your instructions are, and now you also know your fate should you fail." Joseph raised his brow to make his point.

"Yes sir, I do."

"Good. Be on your way."

Joseph gathered those in the room and ushered them toward the door. "I wish to thank you all for coming today. Your cooperation was paramount. Rocco can finally rest in peace now," Joseph said as he closed the door. The soft click of the door hitting the frame was the last sound Anthony Malucci heard as he drew his final breath.