Port Charles

Jason was pacing in the living room waiting to hear news on the Kellie, Monica, Drew, the kids and the sniper situation at the island when there was a knock at the door.

He answered to find Max and Milo standing there.

"Have you heard anything more?" Max asked.

"No, not yet," Jason said.

"We figured we'd come wait with you for news or see if there's anything we can do," Milo said.

"I haven't heard much since we talked on the phone," Jason said, "Last I heard they'd arrested the sniper and were sending paramedics and cops into the court yard."

"Any updates on Uncle Charles?" Max asked.

Jason shook his head, "I probably should reach out to Sonny, see if he's heard anything."

Jason grabbed his phone. Before he could call Sonny, he saw Brick was calling.

"Brick, tell me you've heard something," Jason said.

"I was able to tap into the local law enforcement radio channels," Brick said, "What I can confirm is Cyrus Renault showed up, incapacitated O' Brien and took one of the kids as a hostage. Before the paramedics and cops could get into the court yard, Renault got in there with Jamie and held everyone hostage at that point."

"Do we need send more people into secure the island?" Jason asked.

"No, Renault is neutralized for the time being. He's currently unconsciousness and unresponsive," Brick said, "And being transported to the hospital. He has a knife wound to the back and a head wound. I don't have any details as to who subdued him."

"Max, call Diane," Jason said, "Have her get to the island and/or work with our lawyers there to ensure Kellie and everyone we know has legal representation. Tell her that Cyrus took everyone hostage and all we know right now is he subdued, probably by one of our people. But we don't have more details yet."

"On it," Max replied.

"If Max is there with you," Brick said, "You should probably put this next part on speaker phone. It's about Charles."

Jason's face fell hearing Brick's tone of voice and he motioned for Max to wait as he switched on the speaker phone function.

"There's no easy way to tell you this," Brick said, "But Charles didn't make it. Even if Cyrus hadn't have held up the emergency response, it's still questionable whether Charles would have survived. The bullet hit a major artery and punctured at least one of his lungs."

Brick stayed silent letting Jason, Max, and Milo process the news. Milo teared up. Max tried to pretend he wasn't on the verge of tearing up.

"There's a lot of information flying around and I haven't been able to solidly confirm all of it," Brick said, "But there's a good chance the first bullet was aimed at Kellie or the kids and Charles, he um…"

"He saved Kellie and his grandkids," Max said, solemnly.

"He wouldn't have had it any other way," Milo said.

"I'm going to call Diane," Max said, moving quickly out of the room, so no one would see him cry.

"Any word on how Kellie and Monica are holding up?" Jason asked.

"I couldn't say for sure," Brick said, "Not well I imagine. I'll keep trying my contacts in the area and let you know if I hear anything else."

"I'll try Kellie or Francis or Johnny again," Jason said, "And I'll go fill Sonny in."

"I can give him a call if you want," Brick said.

"No, I need to be the one to tell him," Jason said, "and let him know I'll be headed to the island tonight."

"Of course," Brick said, "I'll make the travel arrangements for you. The plane will be on standby whenever you're ready to go."

"I appreciate it," Jason said.

"Charles was one of the good ones," Brick said, "Give Kellie and your mom my condolences."

Max and Milo came back in the room having made their calls.

"Diane's looking into the situation and says she'll fly out as soon as she can get a plane," Max said.

"Brick is arranging a flight for me," Jason said, "I'll have her meet me at the airport as soon as I talk to Sonny."

"We can talk to Sonny," Milo said, "If you want to get going."

Jason shook his head.

"Just keep us in the loop," Max said, "And tell everyone we're thinking of them."

The Island

Sam found Drew in the hotel hallway.

"Scout's out for the night," Sam said, "along with the rest of the kids. They're all sprawled out in different spots. Kristina's got them thinking it's a slumber party."

"I'm glad they can have some fun right now after everything that just happened," Drew said.

"How's Monica?" Sam asked.

"Pretty wiped," Drew said, "She asked to be alone right now."

"It's understandable," Sam said, "She just lost the man she thought she was going to marry."

"Under somewhat similar circumstances as she lost Alan," Drew said, "A medical emergency during a hostage situation."

"I can't even imagine how she's coping," Sam said.

"What about Kellie?" Drew said, "She's known Charles longer than anyone else in her life, hasn't she?"

"She's just devastated," Sam said, "I know Kellie's been through a lot of awful things in her life. But losing her father-in-law this way, this was her worst fear come to life when it came to her family."

"The violence that comes from being connected to Sonny and Jason would cost someone who had nothing to do with it their life," Drew said.

"But Kellie would also be first to tell you, it was her decisions that put her in the line of fire the way she is," Sam said, "The decision to run Sonny's business years ago, to marry Jason, and who knows what decisions she's made since she came back to Port Charles. She stayed out of it, but when Sonny was in Nixon Falls, who knows what might have changed. People saw her as a viable replacement for Sonny whether she wanted it or not."

"With that came the target on her back," Drew said.

"She'll blame herself for this," Sam said, "Never mind that Charles would have taken that bullet for her and the kids every time. That's going to be a hard one for her."

"I was surprised she asked the paramedics to keep trying even after it was obvious that, well," Drew said.

"I think seeing Charles take a bullet for her and go that way, maybe she doesn't wasn't prepared for it," Sam said, "Knowing this could happen and experiencing it, two different things. If I'm honest, I'm having a hard time believing Charles is gone. He was just always there, especially for Kellie. But he was the kind of person that was there for people that you didn't always notice…"

"Until they're gone," Drew said.

"Yeah," Sam said, "It just makes me want to hold on to the kids, a little tighter. To not take the time with the people we love for granted."

"Maybe this isn't the best time, but is there a possibility that maybe I might be one of those people who you want to spend time with," Drew asked, "And not just because of Scout."

"I don't think this is a bad time at all to ask that," Sam said, "I'm hoping we can spend time together. Figure out if we still fit together. I don't want to assume we can pick up where we left before you disappeared. But I want to find out what we could still be."

"I like the sound of that," Drew said, "Sometimes the only thing kept me going at the compound was the thought of getting back to Scout and you. Even if you'd moved on."

"I don't know why, I just couldn't move on," Sam said, taking Drew's hand, "Some part of me wasn't ready to give up on you. I'm glad I don't have to."

Sonny's Penthouse

Jason found Sonny in the living room.

"Anymore news from the island?" Sonny asked, "It's sounds like Cyrus has been taken to the hospital. But I haven't heard much else."

"I talked to Brick and then Johnny on the way over here," Jason said, "Cyrus is currently unconscious."

"Hopefully, he stays that way," Sonny said, "So what exactly happened on the island?"

"It's early, but it looks like Cyrus hired a sniper to take out Kellie," Jason said, "He knocked out Johnny to take the kids hostage while they were headed to the panic room once the shooting started. I guess Jamie was able to help Jared and Kelsey get away. The sniper had been arrested when Cyrus showed up in the court yard holding Jamie at gun point. Sam and Kellie had to put their weapons down. But Kristina had just come back to the island and was able to surprise Renault with a knife to the back."

"Those knife-throwing classes paid off," Sonny replied.

"Looks like it," Jason said, "It gave Kellie the opening to put herself between Jamie and Cyrus. In the altercation, Cyrus fell, cracking his head on the floor. He's been unconscious ever since."

"Is Jamie okay? What Johnny? Was anyone else injured?" Sonny asked.

"Jamie's arm was grazed by one of the sniper bullets," Jason said, "Paramedics treated that on scene. O' Brien did recover and only accepted basic treatment to the scrapes on his head until he could be sure Kellie was okay."

"She is okay right?" Sonny asked, "You said she shoved Cyrus, but that doesn't mean she wasn't hurt when she did."

"Physically, yes," Jason said, "Emotionally is another story."

"What aren't you telling me?" Sonny said, "Tell me everyone else is ok?"

Jason shook his head, "Charles died before the paramedics could get on the scene. According to Johnny, he was first to notice a laser beam off the sniper rifle aimed at Kellie. He yelled at everyone to take cover and got between Kellie and the bullet. The bullet hit a major artery and one of his lungs. Monica's not sure he would have survived even if he'd been taken immediately to the hospital."

Sonny groaned, "He didn't deserve this….I'm grateful he saved Kellie's life, but….how's Kellie taking it?"

"Not well," Jason said, "I haven't even talked to her. She wanted the paramedics to keep working on him. It doesn't sound like she's been able to give a statement yet. Monica prescribed her something to help her sleep right now. It took a lot for Sam and Johnny to convince her to take them considering she hates sedatives and sleeping pills."

"We're sure that Cyrus hired the sniper," Sonny asked.

"That's is the running theory," Jason said, "We'll obviously be looking further into to it to confirm that and or if anyone else was involved."

"You said Kellie hasn't give her statement yet," Sonny said, "I know the casino has lawyers, but I'd feel better if…"

"Diane's already preparing to go down as we speak," Jason said, "She'll meet me at the plane and we'll both go down to the island."

"I know you want to be there for Kellie and the kids," Sonny said, "We need to hold our position here. I don't think you leaving will help us with that. Cyrus and maybe someone else came after us through my daughter. We have to make sure no one sees any additional opportunities to try again. People have been looking for signs of weakness."

"What does it say to our enemies about our position being so tenuous that I stay here rather than going to my wife and kids after what just happened?" Jason said.

"You know we've been dealing with the fallout from me being in Nixon Falls, Novak and Buscema's death, and the damage Renault did in Port Charles," Sonny said, "We can't provide another opportunity for someone else to swoop and target us again."

"Sonny, if the roles were reversed and it was say your significant other or kids that were on the island when a sniper and Renault attacked them, can you honestly say you'd stay here in Port Charles," Jason replied.

"I mean… yeah sure….I mean if it was necessary in circumstances," Sonny stammered.

Jason shook his head, "Kellie just lost the person that has been there for her longer than any of us."

"The island is obviously compromised," Sonny said, "She and the kids going to have to be moved any way to a safe house until we can get the situation here and in Port Charles under control."

"Kellie and the kids have been holed up on the island for how long waiting for us to sort this out?" Jason asked, "What's your plan?"

"You know the vacuum that occurs when two heads of family are gone like Buscema and Novak are," Sonny said, "We have to do what we've always done wait for the little guys trying to stick their necks into take over fail and everything calms down. Brando and Brick have Cyrus's holdings, Selina and I split the Novak holdings."

"And Bucsema holdings are still in free for all cause they can't decide who's in charge," Jason said, "While someone that obviously has power is coming after us. Maybe they were working with Cyrus or it's this threat Selina's mentioned off the west coast. But it's more than just a couple of small guys making waves and you know it. Johnny Zacharra's up for parole which while ago possibility still seemed unlikely at this point."

Before Sonny could respond, they were interrupted by a knock at door.

"Excuse me, I'm expecting company," Sonny said.

"We need to finish this conversation," Jason said.

"You're staying here," Sonny said, "We need to…"

"I will remain in contact with our people here," Jason said, heading to the door "My going to the island is not negotiable. I'll have Brick and Max work on extra security in the meantime."

"Jason," Sonny said, "Kellie has Francis and Johnny to help her with the kids and logistics. I'm sure Alcazar will help like he always has."

Jason opened the door to find Nina standing there.

"If this is a bad time," Nina said, "I can.."

"It's not," Jason said, "I have a plane to catch. Call me if anything comes up."

"Jason," Sonny said as Jason left.