Show: General Hospital
Title: Las Vidas de los Corinthos' II: Chapter 22
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
A/N: This self-confessed junkie apologises for her tardiness and thus begs profusely for forgiveness with a new chapter.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Their butts hadn't even begun to warm their seats as they sat down for Awkward Corinthos Dinner no. 1001 when the telephone rang. The adults' heads whipped towards the sound whilst Kristina continued to nibble on her bit-sized cuts of lasagna; in their world, the telephone was never a bearer of good news after a certain time.
Sure enough, when Alexis crossed to answer it, her face had been drained of colour when she'd turned to her family. "It's Benny; there's been another murder."
That had been just over fifteen minutes ago and Alexis, Sonny and Jason had rushed onto the scene – Jason and Sonny to see if it was another of their employees; Alexis to see that they didn't wind up in jail if it was.
That had left Ric and Elizabeth alone with Kristina and, appetites gone, Liz had started to put away the food and clean up whilst Ric carried Kristina upstairs to get ready for bed.
Tasks done, he padded back downstairs to find Elizabeth staring at a painting directly across from her whilst she nursed a glass of the wine they'd planned to sip during dinner. He poured himself a glass and sat down beside her, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt and toeing off his shoes.
"Why are they doing this?" Elizabeth wondered out loud. "Why are they trying to hurt our family?"
Ric was exhausted in both mind and body and heaved a sigh as he answered, "I don't know, Liz… but one thing I do know is they aren't going to stop until we stop them."
"Is it wrong to say I hope we stop them first when we know what that entails?"
Once upon a time, Ric would have actually debated his response, but not anymore. "We have to do everything we can in order to protect or family and that includes our employees."
*~*~*~*~*~*
There were so many people… so much noise… so much light. It's a miracle no one saw him. But he was wedged between the Dumpsters at the edge of the alley, the only part of the narrow strip not bathed in harsh fluorescent light. He was hiding… hiding from the people teeming about taking pictures and gawking at the man in the middle of the alley with the white plastic sheet covering his body… hiding from The Man, who had stole in and taken the life of the man whilst he was vulnerable… but most of all, hiding from her… that evil woman with no remorse in her eyes.
He started to cry softly, his sobs unheard in the din surrounding the crime scene.
**Oh why can't I just go home?**
*~*~*~*~*~*
Taggert held back his acid remarks the second he saw Alexis Davis hurry onto the scene behind her two clients. He wasn't quite ready for the level of emotions that flitted across the two Mobsters' faces as, without even asking for permission, they strode past the crime scene tape and unzipped the sheet-like body bag.
"Shit," Sonny cursed softly, looking away upon recognizing the person.
Jason grimaced while Alexis gasped in shock and closed her eyes.
**Rhys** they all thought simultaneously.
"He's got no ID," Taggert informed them from behind. "Care to identify him?" he asked snarkily.
Alexis schooled her features into a businesslike visage, skillfully hiding her irritation with the Detective. "Rhys Samuels, Lieutenant. He was an employee of Mr. Corinthos."
"I'll bet," he muttered beneath his breath.
Jason heard his comment and reflexively his fists clenched, but a look from Alexis halted him.
**Let it slide** she insisted. Instead she turned to the Detective, her voice dripping with icy venom. "My clients and I would appreciate it if you kept your prejudice removed from this case. If you and your 'esteemed' associates over at the PCPD were doing your jobs, maybe we would not have to be constantly gracing you with our company, Detective," the 'esteemed' was dripping with sarcasm and Alexis's brown eyes were flashing like a fuse of dynamite.
Taggert was reduced to making excuses – Alexis was a bit disappointed; Taggert was in fact a good detective – when his prejudices weren't placing a pair of blinders over his eyes, that is. "The killer leaves no calling card, Ms. Davis. He's clean as a whistle – there simply is no evidence!"
"Maybe you're just not *looking* hard enough, *Detective*," Sonny spat out, coming to stand beside his fiancée and lawyer.
The look Alexis shot to him was clear: **Let me do my job, Sonny!**
She turned back to the bald-headed Detective. "As I've told you on numerous occasions, Detective Taggert, there is an obvious pattern. All the victims have been employees of my clients – have you tried looking in *that* department?"
Taggert resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the esteemed and beautiful lawyer. "Forgive me for my sarcasm, Ms. Davis, but the list of your clients' enemies would take an army of three thousand men a year to sift through."
Alexis's eyes narrowed. "Then I suggest you gather your army then, Detective." Without even waiting for a reply, she strode past the police officer to the edge of the crime scene.
The whispers seemed to follow her whenever she was in the company of Sonny and/or Jason – this time was no exception. She knew their presence was going to spark the rumours that someone was out to get the Corinthos family… again. This would probably work to the killer's advantage. Alexis inadvertently shivered when she wondered if the killer was somewhere close by watching the aftermath of his work.
Sonny noticed this action and moved close to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and asking what was wrong. "I was wondering if the killer was still close by. Some do that, you know. They want to see what happens after they've committed their crime."
Jason nodded in understanding. He had wondered the same thing. "After the PCPD leaves I think I'll stick around and see if I find anything."
Alexis shook her head. "As much as I hate to admit it, Taggert was right when he said the killer's clean as a whistle… you didn't find anything the last time you checked, do you think you'll find anything now?"
Sonny squeezed her shoulder. "Since when did you become so pessimistic?"
Alexis managed to smile, albeit wearily and without good humor, "You pay me to 'keep it real', as some misguided hip-hop teenager would say. That's what I'm doing."
Jason shrugged. "Maybe we're just grasping at straws, but I'd feel better if I stayed behind to have another look."
"Fine," conceded Alexis.
"Sonny," a voice called. Lucky Spencer was heading towards them. "We need to inform the next-of-kin. Have any idea how to contact them?" he asked.
Sonny shook his head. "Rhys was a foster kid from Chicago. He's got nobody."
That statement nearly broke her heart. Rhys had been a bodyguard and maybe worst for Sonny but no one deserved to die like that knowing there's no one to mourn for them.
Lucky nodded. "You and Alexis need to come down to the station then and sort out the paperwork."
Jason watched them go as Lucky headed back to the other congregating police officers and Alexis and Sonny headed to their car that would take them to the PCPD station. He whipped out his cellphone and dialed a familiar number. "Yeah, Francis," he called when the person answered, "It's Jason. I need you to get here ASAP. I'm in the alley behind Louie's on the docks."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Jason disappeared from the scene soon after Sonny and Alexis had left to go to the Station. Francis had arrived soon after that, armed with a duffle with plastic Zip-loc bags, surgical gloves and tweezers. They were waiting in the shadows just beyond the alley and were set to do their own set of detective work after the 'professionals' vacated the scene, though it was doubtful they would find anything.
Jason checked his watch – it was just approaching midnight. **Maybe I should call, Elizabeth** he thought. Resigned to see that the PCPD still had not all left, he whipped out his cell and called Elizabeth's. She answered on the third ring.
"Hello?" came Elizabeth's voice.
"Hey."
"Jason?" she called, immediately flooded with warmth, coupled with concern. "Where are you?"
"I'm on the docks. I want to check out the scene after the PCPD leaves," he explained.
"Who was it this time?" she asked softly.
"Rhys," he replied after a short pause.
Elizabeth gasped on the other end. She knew Rhys had been instrumental in retrieving Kristina after she's been kidnapped not so long ago. "How?" she asked, though not terribly sure she wanted to hear the answer.
"His throat was slashed," he answered immediately – it didn't make sense fudging; she would probably find out how the man had died from tomorrow's papers anyways.
"Oh no…"
"I'm probably not going to back for a while," he continued in explanation. "Are you going to stay at the Penthouse?"
Inwardly Elizabeth smiled. She knew Jason had never done this before – called in to let her know where he was and what he was doing – she would treasure this call. "No, I'll wait till my parents get back then let Ric drop me back to the studio."
"Ok, fine."
"Jason," she hurriedly called, before he could end the call, "be careful," she implored.
"I will."
"I love you," she continued.
"I love you, too," he automatically replied before terminating the call.
Jason uncharacteristically rolled his eyes as, beside him, Francis shot his a smug grin. Finally the last of the flashing lights from the police cruiser disappeared. It was time to get cracking. "Let's go," he said, opening the door and getting out. Francis followed, the duffle bag in hand.
They had decided to split the alley in half, Jason combing the entrance and the area above the chalk-mark; Francis covered the other side behind the chalk mark. There was so much to sift through – it was difficult to discern what was evidence from what was garbage.
They'd been at it for a good hour when a small shriek rent the air and Francis jerked back as though he'd been burnt. "Sweet Mother of God!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide and his mouth dropping open.
Jason turned to the guard and reached for his gun to help defend himself just as Francis started to wave him over frantically.
"Jason, you need to get over here, now!"
Jason hurried over, pulling his gun from his holster, just in case. What he saw halted him in his tracks. Shoved in the corner between a fetid Dumpster and the dirtier brick wall, tear-streaked, soot-stained and recoiling from the two men with his arms around his knees and rocking back and forth was a little boy….
TBC…
A/N: Dun-dun-dun! Whoa, Nellie! Questions, questions… who is that little boy? Did he see the crime? So many questions, so little time. Drop me a line to let know what you thought.
Cara
Title: Las Vidas de los Corinthos' II: Chapter 22
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
A/N: This self-confessed junkie apologises for her tardiness and thus begs profusely for forgiveness with a new chapter.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Their butts hadn't even begun to warm their seats as they sat down for Awkward Corinthos Dinner no. 1001 when the telephone rang. The adults' heads whipped towards the sound whilst Kristina continued to nibble on her bit-sized cuts of lasagna; in their world, the telephone was never a bearer of good news after a certain time.
Sure enough, when Alexis crossed to answer it, her face had been drained of colour when she'd turned to her family. "It's Benny; there's been another murder."
That had been just over fifteen minutes ago and Alexis, Sonny and Jason had rushed onto the scene – Jason and Sonny to see if it was another of their employees; Alexis to see that they didn't wind up in jail if it was.
That had left Ric and Elizabeth alone with Kristina and, appetites gone, Liz had started to put away the food and clean up whilst Ric carried Kristina upstairs to get ready for bed.
Tasks done, he padded back downstairs to find Elizabeth staring at a painting directly across from her whilst she nursed a glass of the wine they'd planned to sip during dinner. He poured himself a glass and sat down beside her, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt and toeing off his shoes.
"Why are they doing this?" Elizabeth wondered out loud. "Why are they trying to hurt our family?"
Ric was exhausted in both mind and body and heaved a sigh as he answered, "I don't know, Liz… but one thing I do know is they aren't going to stop until we stop them."
"Is it wrong to say I hope we stop them first when we know what that entails?"
Once upon a time, Ric would have actually debated his response, but not anymore. "We have to do everything we can in order to protect or family and that includes our employees."
*~*~*~*~*~*
There were so many people… so much noise… so much light. It's a miracle no one saw him. But he was wedged between the Dumpsters at the edge of the alley, the only part of the narrow strip not bathed in harsh fluorescent light. He was hiding… hiding from the people teeming about taking pictures and gawking at the man in the middle of the alley with the white plastic sheet covering his body… hiding from The Man, who had stole in and taken the life of the man whilst he was vulnerable… but most of all, hiding from her… that evil woman with no remorse in her eyes.
He started to cry softly, his sobs unheard in the din surrounding the crime scene.
**Oh why can't I just go home?**
*~*~*~*~*~*
Taggert held back his acid remarks the second he saw Alexis Davis hurry onto the scene behind her two clients. He wasn't quite ready for the level of emotions that flitted across the two Mobsters' faces as, without even asking for permission, they strode past the crime scene tape and unzipped the sheet-like body bag.
"Shit," Sonny cursed softly, looking away upon recognizing the person.
Jason grimaced while Alexis gasped in shock and closed her eyes.
**Rhys** they all thought simultaneously.
"He's got no ID," Taggert informed them from behind. "Care to identify him?" he asked snarkily.
Alexis schooled her features into a businesslike visage, skillfully hiding her irritation with the Detective. "Rhys Samuels, Lieutenant. He was an employee of Mr. Corinthos."
"I'll bet," he muttered beneath his breath.
Jason heard his comment and reflexively his fists clenched, but a look from Alexis halted him.
**Let it slide** she insisted. Instead she turned to the Detective, her voice dripping with icy venom. "My clients and I would appreciate it if you kept your prejudice removed from this case. If you and your 'esteemed' associates over at the PCPD were doing your jobs, maybe we would not have to be constantly gracing you with our company, Detective," the 'esteemed' was dripping with sarcasm and Alexis's brown eyes were flashing like a fuse of dynamite.
Taggert was reduced to making excuses – Alexis was a bit disappointed; Taggert was in fact a good detective – when his prejudices weren't placing a pair of blinders over his eyes, that is. "The killer leaves no calling card, Ms. Davis. He's clean as a whistle – there simply is no evidence!"
"Maybe you're just not *looking* hard enough, *Detective*," Sonny spat out, coming to stand beside his fiancée and lawyer.
The look Alexis shot to him was clear: **Let me do my job, Sonny!**
She turned back to the bald-headed Detective. "As I've told you on numerous occasions, Detective Taggert, there is an obvious pattern. All the victims have been employees of my clients – have you tried looking in *that* department?"
Taggert resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the esteemed and beautiful lawyer. "Forgive me for my sarcasm, Ms. Davis, but the list of your clients' enemies would take an army of three thousand men a year to sift through."
Alexis's eyes narrowed. "Then I suggest you gather your army then, Detective." Without even waiting for a reply, she strode past the police officer to the edge of the crime scene.
The whispers seemed to follow her whenever she was in the company of Sonny and/or Jason – this time was no exception. She knew their presence was going to spark the rumours that someone was out to get the Corinthos family… again. This would probably work to the killer's advantage. Alexis inadvertently shivered when she wondered if the killer was somewhere close by watching the aftermath of his work.
Sonny noticed this action and moved close to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and asking what was wrong. "I was wondering if the killer was still close by. Some do that, you know. They want to see what happens after they've committed their crime."
Jason nodded in understanding. He had wondered the same thing. "After the PCPD leaves I think I'll stick around and see if I find anything."
Alexis shook her head. "As much as I hate to admit it, Taggert was right when he said the killer's clean as a whistle… you didn't find anything the last time you checked, do you think you'll find anything now?"
Sonny squeezed her shoulder. "Since when did you become so pessimistic?"
Alexis managed to smile, albeit wearily and without good humor, "You pay me to 'keep it real', as some misguided hip-hop teenager would say. That's what I'm doing."
Jason shrugged. "Maybe we're just grasping at straws, but I'd feel better if I stayed behind to have another look."
"Fine," conceded Alexis.
"Sonny," a voice called. Lucky Spencer was heading towards them. "We need to inform the next-of-kin. Have any idea how to contact them?" he asked.
Sonny shook his head. "Rhys was a foster kid from Chicago. He's got nobody."
That statement nearly broke her heart. Rhys had been a bodyguard and maybe worst for Sonny but no one deserved to die like that knowing there's no one to mourn for them.
Lucky nodded. "You and Alexis need to come down to the station then and sort out the paperwork."
Jason watched them go as Lucky headed back to the other congregating police officers and Alexis and Sonny headed to their car that would take them to the PCPD station. He whipped out his cellphone and dialed a familiar number. "Yeah, Francis," he called when the person answered, "It's Jason. I need you to get here ASAP. I'm in the alley behind Louie's on the docks."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Jason disappeared from the scene soon after Sonny and Alexis had left to go to the Station. Francis had arrived soon after that, armed with a duffle with plastic Zip-loc bags, surgical gloves and tweezers. They were waiting in the shadows just beyond the alley and were set to do their own set of detective work after the 'professionals' vacated the scene, though it was doubtful they would find anything.
Jason checked his watch – it was just approaching midnight. **Maybe I should call, Elizabeth** he thought. Resigned to see that the PCPD still had not all left, he whipped out his cell and called Elizabeth's. She answered on the third ring.
"Hello?" came Elizabeth's voice.
"Hey."
"Jason?" she called, immediately flooded with warmth, coupled with concern. "Where are you?"
"I'm on the docks. I want to check out the scene after the PCPD leaves," he explained.
"Who was it this time?" she asked softly.
"Rhys," he replied after a short pause.
Elizabeth gasped on the other end. She knew Rhys had been instrumental in retrieving Kristina after she's been kidnapped not so long ago. "How?" she asked, though not terribly sure she wanted to hear the answer.
"His throat was slashed," he answered immediately – it didn't make sense fudging; she would probably find out how the man had died from tomorrow's papers anyways.
"Oh no…"
"I'm probably not going to back for a while," he continued in explanation. "Are you going to stay at the Penthouse?"
Inwardly Elizabeth smiled. She knew Jason had never done this before – called in to let her know where he was and what he was doing – she would treasure this call. "No, I'll wait till my parents get back then let Ric drop me back to the studio."
"Ok, fine."
"Jason," she hurriedly called, before he could end the call, "be careful," she implored.
"I will."
"I love you," she continued.
"I love you, too," he automatically replied before terminating the call.
Jason uncharacteristically rolled his eyes as, beside him, Francis shot his a smug grin. Finally the last of the flashing lights from the police cruiser disappeared. It was time to get cracking. "Let's go," he said, opening the door and getting out. Francis followed, the duffle bag in hand.
They had decided to split the alley in half, Jason combing the entrance and the area above the chalk-mark; Francis covered the other side behind the chalk mark. There was so much to sift through – it was difficult to discern what was evidence from what was garbage.
They'd been at it for a good hour when a small shriek rent the air and Francis jerked back as though he'd been burnt. "Sweet Mother of God!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide and his mouth dropping open.
Jason turned to the guard and reached for his gun to help defend himself just as Francis started to wave him over frantically.
"Jason, you need to get over here, now!"
Jason hurried over, pulling his gun from his holster, just in case. What he saw halted him in his tracks. Shoved in the corner between a fetid Dumpster and the dirtier brick wall, tear-streaked, soot-stained and recoiling from the two men with his arms around his knees and rocking back and forth was a little boy….
TBC…
A/N: Dun-dun-dun! Whoa, Nellie! Questions, questions… who is that little boy? Did he see the crime? So many questions, so little time. Drop me a line to let know what you thought.
Cara
