CHAPTER 5
"Ms. Webber, a trade has been arranged," Luis said.
"When and where?" Elizabeth asked.
"Tomorrow night at Pier 52," Luis said.
Elizabeth laughed and Brenda went pale.
"What?" Luis demanded.
"Well there are two possibilities," Elizabeth said. "The first is that they put it off until tomorrow because they know where I am and are going to rescue me before the trade and kill you and all your men while they are at it. The second is that they will have an ambush in place at Pier 52 and will kill you, your men, and your brother after I am safely out of the way."
Luis looked at Brenda and said, "Do you agree? You don't seem at all surprised by what she has said about your ex-lover."
"That's exactly what Sonny will do," Brenda said.
"Then what do you suggest?" Luis said.
"We take her back to Sonny, right now," Brenda said.
"So you're going to deliver your boyfriend to his death?" Elizabeth said.
"Sonny won't kill him if I ask him not to," Brenda said.
"True but what about Jason?" Elizabeth asked.
"Like I said, Sonny won't order the hit if I ask him not to," Brenda repeated.
"Sonny won't order it but he also won't order Jason not to kill the man who kidnapped me and twice tried to kill him," Elizabeth said. "And Jason couldn't care less what you want."
"You could ask him not to kill me," Luis said looking at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth looked at him for a moment and said, "I could but I won't."
"Why not?" Brenda asked incredulous. "You weren't harmed."
"I would never ask Jason not to kill someone who has tried to kill him," Elizabeth said. "For that matter I would never presume to suggest how he should do his job."
"So you'd just let him execute a man who did no real harm?" Brenda demanded.
"No real harm?" Elizabeth repeated her eyes narrowing. "Jason had a bullet hole because of this man. He's probably completely frantic right now because he doesn't know where I am or if I'm okay. There was a massive influx of drugs on the streets and in the hands of children. That is a great deal of harm especially when Luis should have known better."
"How should I have known better?" Luis asked.
"Brenda told you not to move drugs here," Elizabeth said. "All you had to do was take a vacation."
"She wouldn't tell me why," Luis said.
"And you'll pay for being a stubborn jackass who wouldn't listen to his girlfriend," Elizabeth said.
The three sat there in silence for a while, each contemplating their thoughts and next moves.
"Alright, let's go," Luis said.
"What? No, Luis, if Elizabeth is right, Jason will kill you on sight," Brenda said.
"Maybe, but I'm betting that Corinthos's cooler head will prevail and it will mean something that I gave a show of good faith," Luis said. "Especially if I promise not to do any business in their territory ever again."
"I'm coming with you," Brenda said. "If Jason is going to kill you, Sonny is going to have to look me in the face and tell me that."
"Okay, let's go," Luis said. "Ms. Webber, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes but followed them out.
A few minutes later, the trio walked into a deserted Harborview Towers. They took the elevator to the penthouse and could here Sonny yelling from outside. Elizabeth walked up and without knocking, entered Sonny's penthouse. Sonny went silent and stared as Elizabeth and Luis walked into the room. Max turned and smiled at Liz.
"What the hell is going on?" Sonny demanded finding his voice. "Elizabeth, are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Sonny," Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Hello, Sonny," Brenda said walking in from the hallway.
Once again Sonny was stunned silent but Alexis came out of the kitchen and shrieked. She dropped the bowl of ice cream she was holding and rushed over, grabbing both Liz and Brenda in a hug.
"Elizabeth, you're okay! And Brenda, you're alive!" Alexis said and started crying.
"Alexis," Sonny said softly. "You need to calm down. Come on, sweetheart, sit down."
Brenda's eyes widened as she comprehended what Sonny had just said. "Sweetheart? Liz, you managed to leave out a few details when you were telling me about the changes in Port Charles."
"Oops, guess I forgot to mention that Alexis and Sonny are living together," Liz said.
"And having a baby," Sonny said.
"Oh, Sonny, congratulations," Brenda said walking forward and giving him a hug.
"Thanks. Now you want to tell me where you've been when we thought you were dead and how you ended up back here with a dead man walking?" Sonny said. "Wait, I need to call Jason first."
"I'll do it," Elizabeth said. "I need to hear his voice."
Liz walked over and picked up the phone on the desk while Brenda explained what had happened to her, from the car in the ocean to the false diagnosis to the good news.
"Jason?" Liz said into the phone.
"Elizabeth, where are you? Are you okay?" Jason asked frantically.
"I'm fine. I'm at Sonny's," she told him.
"I'm on my way. Don't move," Jason said and hung up.
"How did he sound?" Sonny asked.
"Like he was about to go crazy," Liz said.
"I think he passed that stage after you were missing for an hour," Sonny said. "I've never seen Jason that out of control."
"I know," Elizabeth said. "I hope you aren't too attached to this carpet."
Max grinned, instantly understanding her reference. It took Sonny a few seconds but then he too looked amused.
"Sonny, I have to ask you not to kill Luis," Brenda said.
Max snorted and Brenda glared at him.
"He kidnapped Elizabeth, Brenda. You expect me to turn a blind eye to that? And even if I could, Jason couldn't," Sonny said.
"You could order him not to touch Luis," Brenda insisted.
"You want me to order Jason not to protect himself and his girlfriend?" Sonny asked.
"No. I'm asking you to order him not to retaliate," Brenda said.
"That's the same thing," Luis said, speaking for the first time.
"Then you understand that Jason is not going to let you walk away," Sonny said.
"I understand that if Jason is to be taken seriously in this business, I need to disappear," Luis said.
Before Sonny could reply, Jason burst into the room looking around the room frantically. Spotting Elizabeth, he rushed over and grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug.
Elizabeth embraced him back and said, "I'm okay, Jason. I'm okay."
"Are you sure? You weren't hurt? They didn't hurt you?" Jason asked, not letting her go.
"No, I'm fine. No one hurt me," Elizabeth said.
Jason finally eased his hold on her and looked up. When he spotted Brenda, he blinked rapidly.
"Why aren't you dead?" Jason asked bluntly.
"Gee, it's good to see you too, Jase," Brenda replied sarcastically.
"You went off a cliff. People grieved for you," Jason said.
"You grieved for me?" Brenda asked incredulously.
"No, I said people grieved for you. I didn't say I was one of them," Jason said.
"Is he always like this?" Luis asked.
"Yes," Alexis and Brenda said at the same time as Jason turned to Luis.
"I kidnapped your girlfriend," Luis said not flinching from Jason's glare. "It was a mistake and I brought her back unharmed to try to make up for that mistake."
"Kidnapping me wasn't your only mistake," Elizabeth reminded him.
"True, but it is the one that is going to get me killed," Luis said.
"No, shooting Jason is the one that will get you killed," Elizabeth retorted.
"No one is going to be killed here," Alexis said.
"Of course not," Sonny said trying to keep the amusement out of his voice.
As Jason just continued to give Luis his trademark icy glare, Brenda approached the enforcer and said, "Jason, I love him and I don't want you to kill him."
Jason's eyes never left Luis but he replied, "I don't care how you feel, Brenda, and I don't care what you want. He tried to kill me twice and he took Elizabeth against her will."
"But he didn't kill you and we brought her back in twenty-four hours, unharmed," Brenda said.
"And you actually think that makes it okay?" Jason said incredulously.
"You are conveniently forgetting that you have his brother locked up somewhere," Brenda pointed out.
"I am not going to argue about this with you," Jason said.
"If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too," Brenda said.
Jason finally shifted his gaze to her but didn't say anything.
"Why do I get the feeling you are okay with that?" Luis asked and Jason shifted his eyes back to the other man.
"Jason," Elizabeth said shifting his attention to her. "If you aren't going to kill him right now, can we please go home?"
Jason nodded and looked at Sonny saying, "Make sure he doesn't leave town."
Elizabeth and Jason walked out of the penthouse and stopped in the hallway.
"Which…where did you want to go? The studio or this penthouse?" Jason asked.
"Studio," Liz said.
Jason nodded and led the way to his motorcycle.