Chapter 15

The man doubled over in pain clutching his stomach.

"Tell me what I want to know and I can make this easier on you." Jason leaned down to grab Martinez's shoulders and shoved him against the wall.

"Mr. Morgan," Martinez panted trying to catch his breath, "I don't know anything."

He doubled over once more to Jason's reply. He fell to his knees in pain. Jason grabbed his head and pressed his face onto the cold concrete. "You're not listening to me. I know you work for Sorel. I know you were involved in the bombing of the warehouse. You will tell me everything I don't know or your family won't even have a little toe to place in your casket."

He continued his pressure until Martinez was sure his skull was going to crack. "It was Rick," he hissed.

Jason lowered his head so that he was even with Martinez's still applying his full weight to the skull. "What was that?"

Martinez could hear the blood rushing to his head, could hear his heart pounding in his ears. It was so loud, he could hardly hear the enforcer's question. "It was Rick," he said a little louder. If Jason didn't let up soon, he was sure his eyes would pop out of their sockets.

Jason continued until he was sure Martinez was close to passing out. He released him and allowed him to stand. Martinez swayed and reached for the alley wall for support. He sighed in relief until one word told him it wasn't over.

"Talk."

Martinez tried to focus on Jason, but his eyes were too blurry. "Rick came to me two months ago. He had a bag full of cash and told me that all I had to do was cause a few accidents at the warehouse, mess up a shipment here and there. Nothing big." He rubbed his eyes waiting for Jason's response. Jason remained motionless. He knew there was more.

"Rick told me to meet Roscoe. He wanted to know all the shipping schedules and he wanted me to plant drugs in an incoming shipment. The police would be notified and Sonny was going to get caught." Martinez began to shake with worry. Jason still hadn't moved. He face unchanged from the cold menacing stare. "I didn't bomb the warehouse. I swear. I was paid to plant the heroine. It was going to happen tomorrow. I was suppose to pick up the drugs from Roscoe tonight. I don't know why they changed the plans. That's all I know. I swear."

Martinez shifted from one foot to the other. He looked around the alley desperately searching for a way to escape, but he knew it was pointless. There was no way out. He was going to die in this alley. He didn't know what was worse, the brutal beating or standing there waiting to die. What was Morgan doing? Jason Morgan was sadistic, he thought. He enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering on others.

"Thank you," came from the still man.

Before Martinez could reply, he felt the bullets enter his torso. He fell back hitting the wall and slid to the ground. As the pain engulfed his body, his last image was of Sonny Corinthos' enforcer raising the gun to his head.

Jason stared down at the dead man. No one would know it, but he was shocked. Rick. Rick had betrayed them. Jason had trained Rick himself, had shown him the ropes when Sonny had brought him into the organization. Sonny had trusted Rick to guard Carly and Michael. Jason had trusted Rick to watch his back when they had dealing with their enemies. The angrier he felt, the calmer he became. He slowly removed the silencer and tucked his gun into his waistband of his jeans. He looked up and down the alley then stepped into the shadows and disappeared.

He stood outside of Kelly's wondering what he was doing there. It had been a long night and he was expecting an even longer day. Some time during the night Sonny had regained consciousness. Carly had left an excited message on his cell phone. Jason knew Sonny would be waiting for his report. He was ready to deal with Rick and Sorel. He just needed the word from Sonny.

Jason sighed. He was tired. He knew he should go to the hospital, but he couldn't. He just wanted to see her. He needed to know she was okay. He knew she didn't have the morning shift but hoped she might be having breakfast or something like that. He searched for her through the window, but she wasn't there. He turned to leave when he heard his name. He looked back just in time to see Emily race through the door and fling herself into his arms. She hit him so hard, he almost fell down taking her with him.

"Jason! I'm so glad you're all right," she wrapped her arms around his neck and wouldn't let go. "I was so scared. Elizabeth told me you were at the hospital, but when I got there, you had left. No one would tell me anything. All I knew was that there was a bombing at your warehouse."

Jason pried Emily's arms from around his neck and tried to quiet her. "Emily – Emily, I'm okay. I wasn't hurt. I wasn't in the warehouse when it exploded. I'm sorry you were worried."

Emily didn't look convinced, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied reassuringly.

She reached up to hug him again. When he thought he would have to force her off him, she stepped out of his arms and punched him. "Hey, what was that for?" he asked rubbing the spot she had hit.

"Where have you been?" She asked angry now that she wasn't worried about his safety. "You haven't called me in over two months. I had visions of you rotting away in some God forsaking South American jail with no way to contact Sonny."

He put his hands up to protect himself from another attack. "I'm sorry. I needed to do something for Sonny, and I didn't have access to a phone." He looked curiously at her. "Why? Did something happen? You know you just have to talk to Sonny."

"No, nothing happened, unless you call my parents sending me to boarding school and worrying about Zander and what Sorel might do nothing. But now that you're here, I know Zander will be okay. Sorel won't try anything with you around."

Jason smiled to himself. Soon Emily won't have to worry about Sorel ever again, he thought. He was going to make sure of it.

Emily grabbed his hand and pulled him to the Kelly's entrance. "Come on, I was just going to have some breakfast before school. Sit with me."

He was about to decline when he saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs. She stopped when she saw him. He stared at her while Emily sat and reached for the menu. He sat across from Emily never taking his eyes off Elizabeth. She looked unsure, like she didn't know what to do about him. It looked like she was about to turn around and go back upstairs when Emily called her over.

"Elizabeth, come and have breakfast with us," she said oblivious to the tension around her.

Elizabeth walked up to the table but didn't sit down, "Emily, I can't. I have class."

Emily frowned, "That's too bad. I guess I'll just have to wait to hear about your romantic Valentine's with Lucky."

Elizabeth gave a sad smile, "Yeah, I'll tell you all about it later." She looked uncomfortable as she shifted her gaze from Emily to Jason. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," he said, "Em, could you get me a coffee, black. I'll be right back." He stood and walked out the restaurant with Elizabeth following behind.

"Elizabeth," he began but she stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"I can't do this here. Lucky could come by and see us. I need to talk to you. Can we meet somewhere later?"

He nodded, "I'm staying at Jake's. You can meet me there tonight."

She nodded in agreement and walked away without another word leaving Jason standing by the entrance. Her eyes were cold, he thought. She was trying to mask her emotions from him, to hide what she was feeling, but he could still tell. He could see the hurt she was feeling. Maybe it was because he was feeling it too. He knew he wasn't going to like what she had to say. He could see she regretted what had happened. The realization cut his heart as easily as if he was stabbed.

"Jason?" He looked up to see Emily waiting for him by the door. After a final glance to her retreating form, he joined Emily in Kelly's and finished his coffee.

Jason had seen Sonny look better, but he was sure had never seen him look worse. His face was covered in cuts and bruises. His left arm was wrapped but didn't look broken. His eyes were closed making Jason wonder if Carly had been mistaken about Sonny regaining consciousness. Sonny opened his eyes at the sound of the door closing.

"Hey, man," he said sluggishly.

Jason walked closer to the bed and sat in the chair adjacent to it. "Sonny, how are you feeling?"

"I'm not dead," he grinned then winced when his face protested the movement. "You?"

Jason shrugged, "I'm good."

Sonny's face grew serious. "Tell me," he commanded.

"It was Rick. He's the one working for Sorel. He recruited Martinez to mess up some shipments." His voice was devoid of emotion even though inside his angered raged when he thought about Rick's betrayal.

"Who was it?"

"Rick. Martinez was ordered to hide a bag full of heroine in today's shipment for the police to find. He didn't know anything about the bomb yesterday."

Sonny sighed, "Sorel must have changed his plans when he knew I'd be at the warehouse for the meeting. I guess he figured since shooting me didn't work the last time, he would raise the stakes."

Jason didn't comment. He waited for the order he knew Sonny would give.

"Where is he now?"

"At the warehouse with the others."

Sonny was quiet for a minute then ordered, "Get Johnny to take him to the safe house outside of town and keep him there. I want to talk to him myself. I want you to make my little problem go away."

Jason nodded and got up to leave. Sonny stopped him at the door. "Jason, -- thank you." Jason nodded again and walked out the hospital room.