Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving!
"Thanks, Uncle Lo," Kellie said after Sonny left.
"I'd be lying if I tried to pretend I don't still get some pleasure out of putting your father in his place," Lorenzo supplied, "That said, how is it you've only been back in town two seconds and you and Sonny are already fighting with each other?"
"He started it," Kellie replied as Lorenzo raised an eyebrow at her, "He's the one who showed up uninvited when he knows I don't want to see him."
"You know he can't help himself," Lorenzo said, "He will try and tell you what he thinks you should do. Which I'm assuming he did based on his parting comment to stay out of whatever he thinks you shouldn't be involved in."
"In which case, his godfather complex needs knocked down a few pegs," Kellie said, "I will happily remind him of that. Especially now, when he's not…"
"Not what?" Lorenzo asked.
"Obviously, not as feared and respected as he used to be in the business," Kellie responded, "That's actually why I asked you to meet me here."
Lorenzo cursed, "I was hoping a lot of it was more rumor than anything especially after what happened on the island."
"I've been waiting for months now for Sonny and Jason to figure this out," Kellie said, "I haven't seen Sonny do what he needs to do to stabilize things with all the changes. It's not just Cyrus and the people wanting to takeover Sonny's territory are gunning for me too. They already killed Charles and didn't care that my kids were hurt."
"What do you need?" Lorenzo asked, "I mean if we need to move you and the kids elsewhere we can do that. Or a flight to the Dominican Republic if divorcing Jason is what needs to happen."
"I don't think there's anywhere I can go right now that they won't try to find me," Kellie said, "I've been on the island away from all of this for months and I'm still seen as a threat to whoever might want to take over for Sonny. I don't want to keep moving the kids around either. Especially, they've finally come to see Port Charles as home."
"Then it's a valid assumption you're considering options to handle the situation in Port Charles yourself," Lorenzo said, resigned.
"To do that, I need some kind of leverage," Kellie said, "that also makes people think twice about coming after me. When you got out and signed over the Alcazar holdings to Sonny as part of whatever deal you made for protection years ago, did you sign everything over? Or did you hold anything back in the event, you couldn't trust my father to hold up his end of the deal."
Lorenzo shook his head as form of trying to deny where he knew the conversation was going, "I signed over the allegedly illegal holdings and except personal properties and investments."
Kellie looked at him as if she knew he was omitting something
Lorenzo contemplated his next sentence, "that included a shipping company of sorts. No one knows I own it. But it's more of a logistics company that facilitates moving product where it needs to go, including the east coast."
"Including the five families and other associates?" Kellie asked.
"I don't know what they're shipping," Lorenzo said.
"Technically legal and you're not responsible if they're shipping something that's not legal because you don't know what's being shipped," Kellie said, "And if someone got out of hand, I assume you'd have some kind of authority to hold up shipments."
"That was the theory," Lorenzo said, "Other than a couple of insignificant hiccups in the beginning, it's hardly been necessary. But I didn't trust Sonny. So I made sure I had some sort of leverage if needed."
"Is there any chance you'd be willing to allow me to have some control of that leverage?" Kellie asked.
"You know my first reaction as your uncle is to say no," Lorenzo said.
"And as my uncle and also former head of an alleged crime family?" Kellie asked.
"You might have a valid point," Lorenzo said, "Are you sure you can't just walk away, leave town?"
"I'd essentially be taking the kids on the run," Kellie said, "Find some little place to hide and hope no one comes to find me. It's not any way to live, not for a child that's for sure. It's was hard enough when it was just me. Not that my life really ever been child friendly, but it's gotten a lot more complicated the last few years."
Lorenzo groaned, "I should have never gone along with the idea of you marrying Jason. I should have just admitted I owned this company and used all that leverage then. I thought marrying Jason when you came back to Port Charles would smooth the ruffled feathers with the other families over about your return and you'd just stay out of everything else."
"You weren't wrong, Uncle Lo," Kellie said, "Let's face it, using that leverage after all this time is well kind of the nuclear option. You would have been dragged back in and had a target on your back for no longer being content to sit in the background. That would have had no effect on the threat Garrett was. They definitely wouldn't have trusted you for working with the WSB and government to bring down organized crime in Port Charles. That was half the five families' issue with me and the rumors I'd been working with you as well as my work with law enforcement to stop human trafficking. Besides, I know if you'd thought it was an option or absolutely necessary at the time, you would have used it then."
"And now half the Port Charles Underworld is effectively in shambles," Lorenzo said, "If someone were to discreetly acquire the company and make changes, it can't actually make things worse. You still might have a target on your back."
"They're trying to kill me anyway," Kellie replied.
"But it might actually work to ward off outsiders taking shots at you and by extension Jason and Sonny," Lorenzo replied, "They just have to sort out their power struggle within Corinthos organization."
"Unless I do it for them," Kellie muttered under her breath.
"This might buy them time to do that," Lorenzo said.
"Or provide me with additional resources if they can't sort it out," Kellie replied.
"Well let's hope it doesn't come to that," Lorenzo said, "What's the remaining families feeling towards you now?"
"Selina Wu has made it clear she'd welcome my interference if it mean things stabilize," Kellie said.
"Considering she just split the Novak territory with Sonny, I have to say I'm kind of surprised," Lorenzo said, "But she is a smart business woman. Just be careful with her. She's no one to mess with."
"I'm aware, Uncle Lo," Kellie said.
"Brick and Brando are handling Cyrus's territory," Lorenzo said, "More likely to side with Sonny, but you're family. So they'll likely just keep things running and let you all sort it out. Brick may be able to talk some sense into Sonny."
"If he's willing to listen," Kellie said.
"Unfortunately a valid point," Lorenzo said, "That just leaves the free falling, Buscema territory. That's just a wild card. Outsiders are interested, but don't seem to have the clout or reach yet. Probably part of the reason they're trying to chip away at the Corinthos organization to some degree. If any of the current players in Port Charles try to take over, it'll be perceived as a power grab as the balance will be extremely unequal."
"I might have some ideas about that," Kellie said, "I'm looking into them and laying the ground work if it looks like it's something to pursue. Which it's looking more and more like it's headed that direction."
"Unless you bring in someone with a prior history in Port Charles," Lorenzo said, "Preferably with power. Possibly a better chance of them gaining a foot hold…but most everyone fitting that description that's still alive hates Sonny and Jason."
"Not everyone, sort of," Kellie replied.
"You already know of someone," Lorenzo said, "Wait….I heard Johnny Zacharra is up for parole. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
"I've heard about it," Kellie said, straight in the eye, "But who hasn't?"
"Hypothetically, if Zacharra were to be released on parole and takeover the Buscema holdings," Lorenzo said, "What do you think would happen? Sonny definitely wouldn't be happy about that."
"He'd lose his prison informant," Kellie said, "But Johnny would be loyal to Sonny for the protection he provided in Pentonville and loyal to anyone who helped him get a parole hearing."
"Do you know how many people would be pissed off if he got released?" Lorenzo asked, "The father and daughter that were killed when he was going after his father. His family won't be happy. If I recall the mother's father is some sort of journalist."
"Won't be the first or last journalist to run my name through the rags," Kellie said.
"Todd Manning may not be content with just that," Lorenzo said.
"Do I like the solution I came up with, no?" Kellie said, "But short of ousting Sonny and my husband."
"You do what Sonny should have done, but stay behind the scenes," Lorenzo said, "If Sonny balks he risks losing face with everyone watching. If he's smart he goes along with what you put into place. How does Jason feel about this?"
"He knows I'm looking at options," Kellie said, "I just haven't discussed them with him. He hasn't pushed for details, but has an idea it's more about stabilizing Port Charles. He's still hoping Sonny will step up."
"You don't really know how things will fall with him if Sonny doesn't figure it out," Lorenzo said.
"No, I don't," Kellie said, "He understands I'm need to do what I need to do to stay safe. It's kind of like when I first came to town and he convinced Sonny to let me do what I needed to. Except this time he doesn't know the plan."
"He trusts you," Lorenzo replied, "That means a lot when this shakes out."
"I hope so," Kellie said, "So about the shipping company..I haven't heard you say no."
"I want to say no because I know what this means for you," Lorenzo said, "You won't be running the business, but you'll have a dubious foothold in connection with your father's business, which you've obviously thought about. Staying out of it and out of Port Charles hasn't made you and the kids any less of a target."
"I'd be using the shipping business for exactly what you've kept it for," Kellie said, "Rather than you using it to protect yourself, I'll be using it instead."
"The plan is brilliant," Lorenzo said, "It's not without risks, but it takes the risks from all out mob war to more personal skirmishes we'll call them."
"So you'll sell me the company," Kellie said.
"Heaven help us, but yes" Lorenzo said, "Although you're not purchasing anything. I will sign over a controlling interest in the company to you."
"I was hoping to buy it outright from you," Kellie said, "Set it up so you have some distance from it. Hopefully, no one realizes I bought it from you. If they did, I'd still make sure you were protected."
"I think we both know that's unlikely," Lorenzo said, "You'll still have control of the business to do what you need to do. I'll be more of a silent partner."
"I can't drag you back into this with me," Kellie said.
"What is it you've so frequently told me, we could never really be completely out," Lorenzo said, "I've obviously tried to pretend I was more out than I was for far too long. Not using this company when you came back to Port Charles is going to weigh on me for a long time."
"The real issue then was Garrett who was obsessed with me," Kellie said, "And out for revenge. Do you really thinking throwing your weight around with company then would have changed that?"
"No," Lorenzo said, "He wasn't going to be reasoned with. If he wasn't a factor, the families he worked with would have fallen into line more easily at that time. Are Johnny and Francis on board with your plans or inquiries?"
Kellie nodded, "They're helping me."
"I'm glad that you are surrounding yourself with your own counsel," Lorenzo said.
"I'll try to leave you out of this as much as I can," Kellie said, "I don't want to mess things up for you and Alexis."
"You let me worry about Alexis and myself," Lorenzo said, "You just worry about you and the kids. The only thing that matters is keeping you safe, however that comes about."
"Thank you for understanding," Kellie said, "or at least not arguing with me."
"You're not doing anything I wouldn't have done in your place," Lorenzo said, "Just promise me that if you need help with any of this or things get dicey and Johnny and Francis or Jason can't back you up, you'll call me. Even you're unsure about something or direction. That isn't up for negotiation or argument."
Kellie glared at Lorenzo.
"You're not in this alone if I have anything to say about it," Lorenzo said.
"I promise," Kellie said, "But I will try to avoid it if at all possible."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Lorenzo said, "Now I think you've been couped up in your office all day. So what do you say we go to Kelly's for lunch and maybe a chocolate milkshake?"
"You had me at chocolate milkshake, Uncle Lo," Kellie said.