Author's Note: I finished this chapter just before Christmas, but since I'm in a particularly less than happy part of the story, decided to wait until after the holidays to post. Hope you all had a great holiday and New Years and find yourselves well. Wishing you all a fantastic 2022.
Lenny called 911 to report the fire, seeing the smoke, as a police siren was heard in the distance.
"Hold on, one at a time," Jax said as Phyllis and Nina tried to explain talking over each other, also coughing from the smoke.
"Kellie didn't get out," Nina said, "She came into arrest Peter. Peter had tied us up."
"He lit the place on fire even after Kellie shot him," Phyllis said, "Kellie freed us."
"She should have been right behind us with Peter," Nina said, "She shot him once in each leg already."
"Well, Peter August isn't going to go down without a fight," Jax said.
"What's going on?" Sonny asked as he caught up to the group, "Why is the Tan-o on fire?"
"Your daughter came in to arrest a fugitive," Phyllis said, "A fugitive that was going to kill Nina and I. She got us out, said she'd be right behind us with this Peter guy. But she's obviously not…."
"My daughter's still in there," Sonny replied, "What about her guard?"
"We saw him headed towards back entrance when we got outside," Phyllis said.
"He was supposed to come through the front," Lenny said, joining the conversation.
"Maybe Peter barricaded the front entrance and he couldn't get in that way," Jax said as Sonny ran towards the building,
Jax chased after Sonny and stopped him from throwing a chair threw the window when he couldn't get the door open.
"Don't you'll create a backdraft," Jax said, "We'll try the back entrance. Obviously if her guard couldn't get in this way, he would have gone to the back."
"What did this Peter August do?" Sonny asked, "Why is he in Nixon Falls?"
"He's the son of Cesar Faison and was involved in the disappearance of your best friend for five years," Jax replied.
"Wait you know me too?" Sonny asked.
"Yeah," Jax said, "Though we're not always on the best terms. Peter August is more recently suspected of killing your best friends brother, poisoning a cop, blackmail, killing Franco Baldwin, and kidnapping his pregnant wife."
"Do you know why my daughter would try to arrest him?" Sonny asked.
"She was an agent for the WSB," Jax said, "When she saw Peter August here, she called in the sighting. The WSB asked her to apprehend him on their behalf."
"What about the cops?" Sonny asked.
"Called," Jax said, "We're not sure what the delay is?"
"A fire better get their attention," Sonny said.
Meanwhile, Johnny came into the back entrance and tried to see through the smoke and fire. He could barely make out two figures struggling on the ground. Johnny made his way into the smoke and flames. Several steps in, the crashing of a beam behind him, caused him to jump. He looked to see the beam blocking the back way out. He could barely make out Sonny and Jax stuck on the other side.
"I'll get her and hopefully get out the front door," Johnny yelled.
"It's jammed. There's an emergency exit down the hallway by the restrooms," Sonny yelled.
Peter had kept trying to get control of the gun from Kellie. Kellie kicked him and managed to crawl away from him towards the bar.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you," Peter said, finding his gun that had gotten lost in the scuffle and dragging his body towards her, "No guard, no father, no husband here to save you. No cops even. I wonder why that is. Looks like you've been abandoned once again. Fitting isn't it for the abandoned little girl to die abandoned by everyone that should care about her or gets paid to care about her."
"Good thing I never assume anyone will come to my rescue," Kellie quipped as Peter aimed his gun at her. But Kellie was quicker firing off a shot at Peter, hitting him squarely in the chest, leaving him incapacitated and motionless on the floor.
Kellie tried pulling herself up against the bar and failed feeling weak from blood loss and the struggle with Peter.
"I got you, kid," Johnny said, finding her, and grabbing her before she completely hit the ground.
"He shot me," Kellie said.
"I can tell, kid," Johnny said coughing, "Can you stay standing if I support you? There's an emergency exit we can hopefully get to."
"I don't know," Kellie said, weakly.
Johnny scooped Kellie up and headed towards the emergency exit. The hallway while filled with smoke was at least not totally up in the flames yet once they got past the debris.
Using his back, Johnny forcefully opened the emergency exit, carrying Kellie out. He tried to quickly move further away from building, but collapsed to his knees, coughing from all the smoke.
"I got her," Sonny said, taking Kellie from Johnny and laying her on the ground. He saw Kellie's eyes flutter before she passed out. Then the saw the blood from the gunshot wound.
"Here," Jax said, handing Sonny his jacket.
"Thanks," Sonny said, putting pressure on Kellie's wound, "You've got to wake up. Not when you just found me again, I guess."
"I could try Nina to tell her the fire and paramedics to get back here," Jax said as Johnny tried to catch his breath, coughing.
"She's probably being treated for smoke inhalation," Sonny said, using his free hand to grab his phone out of his pocket and handing it to Jax, "Call Lenny."
Once Jax got off the phone and handed it back to Sonny, Johnny had recovered enough to speak dryly, "Do you want to explain why you left out Nina Reeves being in Nixon Falls, Jax?"
"What does Nina have to do with any of this?" Sonny asked.
"I promised Nina I'd let her explain," Jax replied.
"Explain what?" Sonny asked, "You know Nina?"
"You did too in Port Charles," Johnny said, "Where you're from."
"Are you saying that Nina has known who I am all this time?" Sonny asked, looking at Jax. Jax grimly nodded.
The paramedics and fire crew came rushing over, led by Lenny, to attend to Kellie.
"Is there anyone else inside?" the fireman asked as the paramedics took over putting pressure on Kellie's wound.
"Peter August," Johnny said.
"Witnesses say he was shot at least once in each leg," the fireman said.
"I couldn't tell," Johnny said, coughing.
"Okay, we'll get someone to treat you," the fireman said, "We should try to move away from the building."
"I'm not moving until she does," Johnny said.
"I'll stay with her," Sonny said, "Get the help you need."
"You might need to donate blood for her," Johnny said, "In the case the hospital doesn't have her type on hand. She has a semi-rare antigen in her blood. It was how you found out she was yours. She gave your son, Morgan, her blood when the hospital supply was low."
The paramedics quickly worked to get Kellie stabilized and loaded on to a stretcher.
"This Peter guy," Sonny said, "Do know what he looks like? There was some guy Nina around a few weeks back. I think his name was Peter."
"Here," Jax said, showing Sonny his phone.
"That's him," Sonny said, "Would Nina have known he was a fugitive?"
"Yes," Johnny rasped.
"You really should let your throat rest," one of the medics said.
Once Kellie was loaded on to the stretcher, Sonny followed the paramedics wheeling her towards the ambulance. By this time, police were also on the scene.
"Oh my god," Nina said, seeing Kellie's condition, "Is she okay?"
Sonny glared at Nina, "I don't have time for whatever lies or games you're trying to play, Nina. My daughter was shot by a fugitive you let run around wreaking havoc for weeks. Don't get me started on the fact you've known who I am this whole time."
"If you'd just let me explain," Nina said as Sonny walked away towards the ambulance.
"Now's not the time," Phyllis said, "Lenny, maybe you could meet Mike ..errr. Sonny at the hospital."
The Hospital
"Any news?" Lenny asked when he met Sonny there.
"They took her straight into OR," Sonny said, "She's stable, but it's not good. She's lost a lot of blood and the smoke. How could Nina do something like that? Know who I was and not tell me. The fact she let that sick freak run around, knowing he's a danger. My daughter paid the price for that one"
"I don't know why Nina did what she did," Lenny said, "Right now the important thing is your daughter. She's going to need you."
"Does she really?" Sonny replied, "I don't know who she is. I don't remember her. According to her, I wasn't a part of her childhood. She didn't choose for me to find out she existed. I don't even know who call for her, Lenny. Not even her husband that I'm apparently in business with."
"I'm sure her bodyguard knows who to call," Lenny said, "Sounds like Nina and Mr. Jacks could help with that too. Just you being here for her is enough. Has anyone asked about donating blood for her?"
"No," Sonny replied.
"Let's find a nurse," Lenny said, "And see what you need to do. Better to be prepared if they do need you to give blood."
Port Charles Airport
Meanwhile, Jason's flight was getting ready to leave when the flight attendant informed him they'd be delayed a few moments.
"What do you mean delayed?" Jason asked.
"Two more passengers requested passage to Nixon Falls," the flight attendant said, "We're waiting for them."
"Who are these passengers?" Jason asked, "I paid for a private flight."
"Tell that to the WSB," the attendant said.
"The WSB?" Jason replied, "Anna Devane?"
"I'm not at liberty to say," the attendant said.
"Sorry for the delay," Anna said, as she and Valentin appeared, "Jason?"
"Of course, Kellie called her thug husband for back up," Valentin groaned as Anna and Jason glared at him.
"I appreciate your willingness to assist in bringing Peter August to justice," Anna said, "But the WSB might frown on your involvement."
"What's Peter August got to do with Nixon Falls?" Jason asked.
"So you're not going to Nixon Falls to take care of Faison's son?" Valentin replied, "That's a shocker."
"Just be quiet," Anna said, "If you're not headed to Nixon Falls to help Kellie with Peter, then why are you going there?"
Jason considered how much he wanted to tell Anna and Valentin.
"You can come to Nixon Falls," Jason said to Anna, "Valentin is a different story."
"Not your call," Anna said, "The longer you stonewall me, the longer this plane gets delayed."
"We can't afford that," Valentin said.
"Kellie and I have business down there," Jason said, "It's need to know. Now why is my wife going after Peter?"
"You first," Anna said, staring Jason down.
"Sonny's alive," Jason said, "I'd appreciate it if you'd keep that news quiet for now."
"Did Sonny get tired of being a criminal and decide to disappear?" Valentin replied.
"That's enough, Valentin," Anna said, "Sonny's really alive?"
"Kellie stumbled on him in a bar down there," Jason said, "He's lost all his memories. I'm headed down to Nixon Falls to figure out what we do next, how and when we tell everyone."
"I can imagine the turmoil that must cause you and your associates," Valentin said.
"That's it," Jason said, standing up, "Get off the plane, Valentine. I won't ask again."
"Or you'll what?" Valentin said.
"Sit down, both of you," Anna barked, causing them both to sit, "I know that you and Valentine have had your issues in the past. But those differences are in the past and nothing to do with the current situation."
"We're getting ready to take off," the attendant said.
"Thank you," Anna said, sitting down, "Valentin has been working with me to find Peter. He's coming with me. Unfortunately for you, Jason, that's on your plane since it was already going to Nixon Falls."
"I obviously don't have a choice," Jason said, "Now what's this about Peter August and what's Kellie got to do with it?"
"She spotted him in Nixon Falls," Anna said, "When she called me, I reactivated her agent status and asked her to work with the police to apprehend him until we could get there."
"What do you know about the Nixon Falls Police?" Jason asked.
"Not much?" Anna said, "I spoke to their police chief and let him know I expected him to work with Kellie."
"I'm concerned about the fact they should have run Sonny's fingerprints," Jason said, "and figured out who he was."
"His prints would obviously be in the system," Anna said, "Maybe the Nixon Falls police don't have access to those databases."
"Unlikely," Valentin said, "As much as I hate to agree with Morgan."
"Fine," I'll make some calls and see if his prints were ever run," Anna said.
