Chapter 22

Location- Harold Street, outside of a abandoned house in New Jersey

Jason drove past the address Stan gave him. He turned left at the next block and Carly said, " You passed it up. That was the place back there."

"Did you see that car across the street from it?" Jason asked. " There were two guys in it. They could be lookouts."

"Then Michael is in there!" Carly said, as Jason turned into the alley directly behind the building they wanted to check out and parked.

Jason pulled out his cell phone, dialed and said, "Are you close? And the other men? Good. Ya, let me know when you are in place."

He hung up and told Carly, " I had men searching areas Morales had been known to frequent around Jersey today. They are all heading here now. Those ten men and I will go in and find Michael if he is in that house. We have to assume Antonio is our guy and he has, at least, some kind of back-up."

"But there was no ransom demand? What are they hoping to use Michael for?" Carly asked

"There are a couple of plays they could be trying to make." Jason said " The most obvious one is to let us find out where they are and then when Sonny or I go in they try to take us out. That moves Antonio Torres

to the top of the food chain and he has the respect of the rest of the Morales family. Then Antonio can make his move to try and take Jose's place."

"So this is all about killing you or Sonny? And Sonny is at home with guards and you are here? Jason are you going to be able to get out of there alive?"

He looked around, keeping an eye out for lookouts in the alley. Jason wouldn't lie to her or even give her false hopes so he said nothing.

And she didn't tell him not to go. She needed her son back. But Carly reached out and put her hand on Jason's jaw, turning his face toward her. "Get him and come back to me, okay?"

Jason nodded. Then his phone vibrated. He answered it. "Ya? Move in now." He hung up. Looked at Carly once more in the eyes and said, "Lock yourself in here, keep the engine running, and stay down. And if anyone gets near you, Carly, put it in drive, stomp the gas and do your best to not run into anything."

"Don't worry about me, Jason. Just find Michael."

Jason jumped out of the car, pulled out his gun and before he slammed the door shut said, " Don't you get out of this car for anything. I mean it."

I could walk through fire,

I can feel it burning


And I could walk through fire,

to get

right back to you


And as the flames get higher,

you know I'll get stronger


Baby I could walk through fire

Bad Company Lyrics

Less than five minutes later, the bullets were flying as Jason and his men took out the guards stationed at the back door. Jason and his men moved through the dark kitchen to the living room where two more guys tried to fire on them. Pinned down and over powered those men surrendered.

The lookouts Jason spotted in the car out front burst threw the door, guns drawn, and got off a few shots.

A moment later they both fell to the ground, wounded in the legs.

Jason stuck his gun at the temple of one of the men in the living room. "Where is Michael Corinthos?"

"Basement."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

Jason ordered some of his men to search the upstairs and some to guard the Torres' crew. Jason had not seen Antonio Torres himself yet and knew he might not be in the house, preferring to leave the dirty work to others. Jason moved back into the kitchen and saw the door for the basement. He kicked it in and yelled " Michael!"

"Jason! Here I am!"

"Get me some light! " Jason yelled to his men but he didn't wait. Jason moved into the darkness, walking down the stairs with his gun drawn. " Are you hurt, Michael?"

"I'm okay." Michael said and Jason could hear how brave his was trying to me. Just like his mother always did.

Jason moved slowly through the basement. One of his men came down the stairs with a flashlight. He pointed it around until he found Michael.

Michael stood there, dirt covered and looking exhausted but unharmed. Jason scooped him into his arms, " Alright buddy, let's get out of here."

Michael said, " I can walk. I'm fine. Really."

Jason put him down and said, " Stay behind me. Your mom is right outside waiting for you."

"Did you get the bad guy?"

"Some of them. But I will get them all. You can be sure of that."

"Can I help you?"

Jason wanted to stop walking and turn around and tell Michael, No you will never be part of this life. But there was no time for that and the truth was Michael already was a part of it. And if Sonny and Jason stayed in the business one day Michael would be the one caring the gun. If only to protect himself from things like this.

Time to get out of here and then out of the mob life. There had to be a lifestyle they could live that would let them all be safe. Jason was determined to find it or die trying. Carly and her boys were worth that risk to him.

And I would go anywhere,

I would do anything,

I'll do what you want me to...


Oh, wherever you are,

no matter how far,

you know I'll be coming for you

bad company lyrics

Carly kept her eyes focused on the back door of the house. She wanted to go in there and look for her son herself. She put her hand on the doorknob.

Jason will be pissed, she thought, But Michael needs me.

She opened the door and climbed out, leaving the car running. Carly spotted a 2 by 4 laying in by the garage of the house. She picked it up as a weapon.

No one could stop her from getting to her son and making sure Jason was not hurt.

She crept up to the back door. Carly peeked inside and saw a dead man laying on the floor of the kitchen.

She heard voices in the next room. Carly raised her two by four and headed toward them.

"Carly!" Jason said

She jumped and turned to look through the open door in the kitchen that led down to the basement.

Jason was just getting to the top of the stairs. Carly dropped the piece of wood.

"Is Micheal-?" Carly asked, fear in her voice.

Jason stepped aside and Michael was there. He rushed up the last few stairs to her.

She hugged him, " Are you okay, baby? Did they hurt you?"

"They wouldn't dare." said Michael, looking down at the dead man on the floor.

Carly gave him a questioning look. He looked different. Not hurt but broken in a more terrifying way. Carly recognized that look like the back of her own hand. She had lived with that feeling for years before she met Jason. The cold empty numbness, the nothing can hurt me because I can't feel, feeling that blocks out the ability to feel joy or pain.

She looked up and caught Jason's eye. "We should get him to the hospital."

"I'm fine," said Michael

"Let's keep moving." said Jason motioning to the back door. He called out "Hector, handle this. Check in with me when you are done."

Carly took Michael's hand and they followed Jason back to the car. She sat next to Michael in the back seat and pulled him close to her. "Are you sure you are okay?'

Michael squirmed from her arms. "This was no big deal, Mom. All part of doing business, right?"

When did her little boy turn into this hardened world weary young man?

Carly bit her lip and vowed not to cry. She had all her guys safe now. The rest could be fixed, somehow.