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Chapter 7

"Corelli." Francis answered his phone on the first ring.

"I'm at the mansion." Jason told his longtime friend. Despite the older man leaving Port Charles they had stayed in touch. Something Sonny didn't know. "Where are you?"

"Rochester." Francis had received a phone call from a woman named Diane Miller, who said she was Jason's lawyer. When she said his former boss was alive and on his way to Port Charles he hadn't believed her. The news coverage of Jason's death had been extensive. The relaying of a private password had changed his mind. If Jason was heading back he would need back up, so Francis had left Italy and returned to New York State.

"That close." Jason said laughing.

"I figured it was time for a visit." Francis had already known about the baby and the trust. Jason called him when he set it up before leaving for the trip.

"You figured right." Francis had always exceled at strategy. "Where do you want me?"

"We are basing this operation at the mansion." Jason told his friend. "Working out of the cottage." Francis had been on the grounds a time or two so Jason knew that he didn't need to say anything more.

"Who are we looking at?" Francis knew who he had suspected, and some digging had proved him correct. It was something he planned on correcting when he arrived after the will cleared. He didn't know how far in his thinking Jason was.

"Sonny and possibly the Zaccharas." Jason said letting a coldness come into his voice. "Which I'm guessing you already know?"

"I do. I have the proof you will need." Francis explained. Jason had worn blinders for years about Sonny. Even the mob boss ordering Johnny's death hadn't been enough to tear them off. So Francis expected this to be a bit of a hard sell. That Jason came to this conclusion on his own saved them a lot of time.

"Are they in it together?" Jason would take Francis's word.

"Sonny, Claudia, and Anthony." Francis told Jason. "Sonny wants more power and he is aligning himself with the Zaccharas to get it. It is something you would never have allowed." Francis thought the Zaccharas weren't anything more than thugs. They had no problem killing women and children to get at their enemies. Rudy, before his death, had abided by the old rules. John, the son was not part of this life. Anthony and Claudia however were just crazy. They killed anyone they saw as a threat. Which meant they were a danger to Liz. They would eliminate her just in case she might speak up.

"Is he looking at moving to Italy?" Jason wanted a feel for what was happening.

"No. Maximus took the Zacchara territory in Sicily. He would not give Anthony that kind of power. Crimson Pointe was meant to be a punishment. No one saw Sonny turning on you. Before you got on that plane Sonny was yelling how the Zacchara's had to go." Francis filled in Jason on what had been going on. "Claudia was the one who approached Sonny. Combining the territories gives them more power."

"What happened to Kate?" Jason wanted to know.

"She didn't want to play mob wife." Francis reported. "I have a guy inside the Zacchara organization. He tells me that Claudia and Sonny are talking marriage."

"What about the Ruiz family, they are allies of the Zaccharas." Jason was covering all his bases.

"They will not want to cross you. Hector has already lost one son to you, he will not wish to lose more." Francis knew that for a fact. "Anthony has someone watching Elizabeth."

"You as well?" Jason expected the answer to be yes.

"I do. I can have him meet with us tonight." Francis was already packing his suitcase. "I'll be there before midnight. There are no rumors of your return."

"That's good to know. I have managed to stay below the radar, but that won't last. If nothing else when Elizabeth goes into labor I will be seen at the hospital." Jason told his friend.

"How long until she is due?" Francis wanted to know. Jason hadn't mentioned that during their talk.

"Any day now." Jason said smiling.

"We are cutting this close." Francis wasn't sure they could arrange for all those who needed to be eliminated to be handled by then. But they would certainly try. "We may need to use unorthodox methods."

"What did you have in mind?" Jason was open to all ideas. The clock was ticking.

"I'll tell you when I arrive." Francis told the younger man. "I'll call the crew. They are all also in the area."

"Good to know." Jason heard the unspoken message. Francis wasn't going to come to Port Charles until it was necessary, but Elizabeth was still being cared for. If Sonny had made a move he would have been handled even if Jason hadn't returned from the dead. "She'll be happy to see you."

"I can't wait to see her too." Francis had missed Elizabeth. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"I look forward to it." Jason ended the call and stood outside enjoying the night. He watched a car pull up and figured that Carly had arrived. This would be interesting. Hopefully she would do what he asked with a minimum of fuss. Carly wasn't known for her ability to follow instructions, but in a world where she and Elizabeth were friends anything was possible.

"I'm here, what's wrong? Is it the baby?" Carly asked rushing into the parlor of the mansion.

Monica quickly shut the door behind the couple. She didn't want Michael to know his mother was here. "Elizabeth and the baby are fine." Monica answered before Elizabeth could.

"Then why did you say it was urgent?" Carly wanted to know. "Is it one of the boys?"

"Carly, calm down." Elizabeth walked over and took her friend's hand. "I have no idea how to even explain what happened tonight." Elizabeth said smiling.

"Out with muffin." The hated nickname had become a term of affection between the two women. "I was about to watch the Real Housewives of Atlanta when you called. I don't miss them for just anyone."

"I think this is worth it." Elizabeth said looking over to the terrace doors. The shadow on the curtains was getting larger which meant Jason was walking toward them. "Look." She told her friend just as the doors opened.

Carly turned her head and her knees gave out. Jax was right there to catch her, but he too was staring at the blonde man now standing in the parlor. "Jason?" Carly said on a hoarse whisper. She looked at Liz in shock before looking back at her best friend. "How?" She couldn't even move from the spot she was in.

"Hello Carly." Jason said not coming any closer.

"How?" The blonde woman repeated still trying to believe that he was here. That he was alive.

"It's a long story." Jason said giving her a small smile.

"Does Sonny know?" She asked straightening up. Carly still didn't trust her legs to support her.

"No." Jason said waiting for her to pull out her phone to call him.

"Good." Carly sank into the armchair still not taking her eyes off of Jason. It was almost too much to wrap her brain around. "The boys know?" She asked looking at Elizabeth.

"They do." Jason answered walking further into the room. He hadn't expected that answer from her.

"They haven't called Sonny?" Carly found that to be surprising.

"I took their phones, and turned off the house phones." Monica answered.

This conversation was not going at all like he thought it would. Jason stopped in front of Carly. "Why don't you want Sonny to know I'm here?" He finally asked.

"He's different." Carly said finally gaining her feet. She looked at Jason and smiled. "Welcome home." Moving forward she gave him a big hug, as the tears came. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Jason said returning the gesture.

Carly pulled back suddenly and looked up at Jason. "Who are you?" She said stepping back. "Call the police, this isn't Jason."

"Carly." Jason started.

"No, I don't know who you are, but you aren't Jason." She said staring at him. "Elizabeth get behind Jax."

Jason just stood there and took it all in. Carly really had changed. She was protecting Elizabeth. "Carly let me explain." He said holding up his hands to show he meant no harm.

"There is nothing to explain. Jason hates hugging." Carly told the imposter. "You should have done your research better." She looked at Monica. "Do you have any rope?"

"Carly, it really is Jason." Monica assured the upset woman. "The plane crash changed him."

"Changed him, how?" She asked looking back at Jason.

"I have all my memories back." He told her. "All of Jason Quartermaine's memories." He further explained. "So I'm not exactly the Jason you remember."

"Then who are you?" Carly wanted to know. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"I'm Jason Quartermaine Morgan." He told her. It was the closest he could come to explaining. "I'm both men, and I'm still trying to figure out what that means."

"You picked a really bad time to become acquainted with your softer side." Carly told him. "Sonny is making some very bad choices, and I think he's going to do something stupid. Something that is going to make it dangerous for us to stay in Port Charles. He's running around with that crazy bitch Claudia Zacchara."

"I'm far from soft and cuddly." Jason assured her. "I will handle Sonny." He promised. He expected Carly to ask how. She always had to know what was being planned.

"How can I help?" Carly suspected that her ex-husband was not going to come out of this on top. He'd be lucky to come out alive. She had tried to talk to Sonny a few months ago, and she didn't recognize the man across the table from her. He had in fact scared her badly. It was like he lost all his humanity. She had been keeping the boys away from him, something Michael didn't like.

Jason smirked. There was the Carly he knew. "I'd like you to take the boys and leave Port Charles." With them away he wouldn't have to worry about them getting hurt.

"When?" Carly asked her friend. Or at least she hoped he was still her friend. He was different, she could tell by the way he carried himself. She had no doubt that Jason could still be lethal if the situation called for it. In fact Carly was thinking that with emotions Jason might be even more lethal. He had no desire to feel the hurt that losing his loved ones would bring about. So he might be more apt to remove a threat.

"Now." Jason told her.

Carly looked at Jax. "I'll tell them to get the plane ready." The Australian said pulling out his phone. "Michael will not want to go."

"He won't have a choice." Carly could handle her son. "We will need to keep him away from all phones and computers."

"We'll take them to the cabin." Jax told his wife. The family owned a rustic cabin in Alaska. The last time they went Michael had complained bitterly about the lack of phones, cell phone signals, and internet.

"That will be perfect." Carly agreed. "What about Cameron? Should we take him too?"

"No." Jason answered before Elizabeth could. He had something else in mind for his son. The little boy would be leaving Port Charles but not with the Jacks family. "Mom, I need you to call Emily. Ask her to come home tonight." He requested of Monica. His plans were adapting as needed.

"Jason she won't want to leave once she sees you." Elizabeth knew what he was thinking. While she didn't want to be away from Cameron, she wanted him safe more.

"Wait, I'm your birthing coach." Carly said to Elizabeth.

"I'll be with her." Jason told his friend. No matter what was happening he was going to be in the delivery room.

"You don't know what to do." Carly pointed out.

"I actually do." Jason said smiling. He laughed at the dumbstruck look on Carly's face.

"I'm just not used to seeing you smile." She told him. "It looks good on you."

"Thank you for being there for Elizabeth." He told her.

"It started out with me wanting to be near your child." Carly admitted. Losing Jason had forced her to grow up. She like mature Carly. "It turns out Liz isn't that bad."

"Right back at you Carlybabes." Elizabeth said laughing. "It was pretty rough in the beginning."

"Yeah, it was." Carly said smiling wide. "I thought you were going to kill me the time I walked in on you getting out of the shower." She started laughing.

Elizabeth was laughing too. "You came really close to being drowned in the toilet." She admitted.

"We found our way." Carly told Jason. "I'm the baby's godmother." She said proudly.

"Not Emily?" Jason asked surprised.

"Emily is also the baby's godmother, but Carly has earned it." Elizabeth said putting her arm around her friend.

"Okay, the plane will be ready when we get to the airport." It helped that the family was going away tomorrow for a long weekend anyway. "Where are the boys?"

"I'll get Morgan and tell Alice to bring Michael." Monica said leaving the room.

"Take care of her." Carly said to Jason. "I'm glad you're home. You cut it really close."

"I'm not going away anytime soon." Jason promised her.

"Good. You can handle the strange cravings with the next baby. We'll catch up when we bring the boys back." Carly promised knowing time was critical.

"I'll try not to let this drag out." Jason wanted things settled quickly.

"Be safe." Carly said giving in and hugging him once more.

"Call me if you have the baby before we get back. Or you could just keep baby Morgan in there until I get back." Carly figured Jason wouldn't need long to fix this. While she was away she would make peace with the fact that Sonny had finally done something Jason couldn't forgive.

"The boys are coming." Jax said stepping back into the parlor.

"Keep your feet up." Carly admonished giving Elizabeth a hard hug. "And watch your blood pressure."

"I will." Elizabeth promised.

"I'm so happy for you." Carly whispered to her friend. Jason's return was just what Elizabeth needed. When the drama was done they would figure out how they all fit together.

"I'm happy for you too." Elizabeth whispered back. Losing Jason had hurt Carly deeply even while it had been good for her.

Carly walked out into the foyer. "Mom, uncle Jason's alive." Michael told her giving his grandmother a smug look.

"I know. Get in the car." She said giving her son a push toward the door. Life without Sonny would be good for Michael.

"Aren't you going to tell dad?" The red head demanded.

"Already done." Carly lied. "Get in the car."

"Are we going to Greystone?" Michael asked his mother.

Morgan was keeping his mouth shut. It was odd that his mother was leaving after learning that uncle Jason was alive. Something was up. He could tell even if Michael couldn't.

"Michael, get in the car and I'll explain everything." Carly told her son. She had no intention doing any explaining, but Michael didn't need to know that.

With a smile and wave Carly followed her guys to the limo.

"I called Emily." Monica said to Jason. "They are in Vermont and will be home in about ninety minutes." Emily had the private jet with her. It was a short flight. "I'll call and have them refuel the jet when it lands." Emily wouldn't be home long.

"I'll go pack a bag for Cameron." Elizabeth told them.

"I'm sorry he has to go." Jason told Elizabeth before she could move off.

"I understand. Honestly I want him away until this is settled." Elizabeth said hoping to ease Jason's guilt. With a quick kiss she headed upstairs.

Watching her go Jason vowed that Cameron would be back home before his little brother was born. That all his family would be home to celebrate the occasion. Even if he had to put a bullet in Sonny's brain himself.

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