Chapter 22

Maxie slowly opened her eyes and looked around her surroundings. She saw plastic crates and old boxes so she knew she was in one of the many warehouses located in Port Charles. She slowly started to remember what happened, as she was starting to get in her car after her shift at Metro Court someone grabbed her but she couldn't tell who because it had been so dark. She tried to move but couldn't because her hands were tied tightly behind her back. Before Maxie could do anything else she heard an eerily familiar voice.

"I see you're finally awake," Craig said.

"I thought you left Port Charles, I mean considering your role in the hostage crisis,"

"I couldn't leave just yet because of unfinished business," Craig explained.

"Okay what do I have to do with this unfinished business?"

"You're the leverage, I've taken away one of the people Cooper cares about which means he has to keep his mouth shut about my involvement in the hostage crisis in order to keep you safe,"

Maxie felt herself getting angry.

"Do you know how sick and twisted that sounds?"

"Yeah isn't it great?" Craig asked in an amused tone.

Maxie's only reply was a cold stare.

"Well since you don't seem to be up to talking I guess I will take care of other things," Craig said as he started to walk to the other end of the warehouse.

Maxie just stared after him while she tried to untie her hands.

The next morning Craig came back to the warehouse to find the chair Maxie was sitting in moved half an inch.

"I see you tried to untie yourself,"

"Well I had to at least try," Maxie replied.

"That wasn't a smart move, doing stuff like that could get you in trouble with me,"

Maxie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew Craig was a ruthless jerk and that was putting it nicely but, she knew he was throwing his weight around because if he killed her he wouldn't have anymore leverage against Cooper.

"You can't hurt me; if you did Cooper wouldn't have any reason not to rat you out,"

"Very true, but if Cooper did rat me out I wouldn't have any reason not to hurt him and I can guarantee you that I could get to him before the cops ever got to me,"

"I swear if you hurt Cooper--" Maxie started feeling herself go into protective mode but was cut off by Craig.

"You'll what? You can't stop me anymore than he can. You know it's really cute how you two try to protect each other; it's too bad it won't work,"

Maxie didn't say anything she just sat there and tried to think of any way to get out of that warehouse.

"Well I have to go deal with some more unfinished business," Craig said walking out of the warehouse.

Maxie sighed and looked around the warehouse again and her eyes landed on the stack of crates. She noticed something she hadn't before; they had the number fifteen stamped on them.

Warehouse 15. Maxie thought to herself.

Okay she knew which warehouse she was in now all she had to do was find a way to get out. As she tried to untie herself Maxie felt her cell phone in her back pocket and that gave her and idea…She just hoped it worked.

Back at Kelly's Cooper and Chasity were having breakfast before he had to go to Metro Court for his shift. After a few minutes of silence Cooper spoke up.

"Okay you're never this quiet unless you're mad or upset about something or you're thinking about something, so which is it?"

"Well I've been thinking, since spring break is almost over and I really don't want to go home and deal with mom could I transfer to PC High so I could stay in Port Charles?"

"I don't have a problem with you staying but mom might," Cooper pointed out.

"Yeah well mom can just---" Chasity was cut off by the ringing of Cooper's cell phone.

Cooper opened his cell phone to see a new text message. It read: Craig. Warehouse 15

"What's wrong?" Chasity asked seeing the look on Cooper's face.

"Craig has Maxie,"

"That was the leader of the hostage crisis wasn't it?" Chasity asked.

Cooper nodded.

"I better go," Cooper said starting out the door.

Chasity stopped Cooper by grabbing his arm.

"Be careful, please,"

Cooper put his hand on Chasity's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll be careful, I promise,"

Chasity nodded.

With that Cooper walked out the door and Chasity got on her cell phone. She wasn't going to let Cooper go find Craig without back up.