Conversion

by suerum

Jaspin. Kinda of different, I guess just read, a little bit of a PSA. Difficult to categorize...

2. Kelly's

A/N: I have no rights or affiliation with the characters presented within this piece

Conversion

Part II: Kelly's

Jason and Spinelli entered Kelly's which hadn't been open long. They were the only customers. Mike greeted them as they came in, used to these periodic early morning forays of theirs, "Hey, guys, how you doing? Another late one, eh?"

"Hey, Mike." Jason responded as he sat down, emitting something between a sigh and a groan. "Yeah, I think I'm getting to old for this bullshit." It was the closest he could ever admit to Sonny's father what a truly awful night he and Spinelli had just endured.

Mike came over wiping his hands on a towel, it was too early in the morning for him to require the help of a waitress. "What can I get you gents?" He looked inquiringly at Jason and then his expression became concerned as he took in Spinelli's wan and drawn appearance. "Hey, you okay, Spinelli? You look beat."

Spinelli looked up at Mike with tired eyes, he hadn't even registered his presence until he spoke directly to him. "Indeed, the Jackal is at the peak of health, just somewhat fatigued by the activities of the evening."

Mike didn't look convinced by Spinelli's response but after a quick glance at Jason who shook his head, he didn't pursue the matter. "Well, then it sounds as though you both should have worked up quite an appetite. What would you like to order?"

Spinelli just sat there, not saying a word. So, with a sigh, Jason ordered for each of them. "He's going to have a glass of milk and orange juice and an order of French toast with a side of bacon…" One look at Spinelli's face made him stop and amend the order. "Okay, skip the bacon and bring a big bowl of oatmeal instead." This time Spinelli just curled his lips in distaste at the mention of oatmeal but he knew he'd be required to eat it if he planned on getting out of the diner anytime soon. "I'll have scrambled eggs and a side of…" Jason had been planning on ordering sausage but he supposed he could afford to be a little sensitive this morning. As he amended his order he wondered if this was the start of the slippery slope towards vegetarianism that he had been pondering earlier. He certainly hoped not. "A side of hash browns and coffee, black hot and keep it coming."

"Got it!" Mike turned back towards the kitchen.

"You okay?" Jason didn't think he would get anymore of a truthful answer than Mike had but he was compelled to try.

"Stone Cold," Spinelli chose to answer his question with one of his own. "Are you happy?"

"Happy?" Jason echoed trying to recall the last time anyone had bothered to ask him that. "Why do you ask?" He wasn't just attempting to evade answering though he wasn't sure what he would say. He was also curious as to what had made Spinelli inquire into his level of contentment at this precise moment. Spinelli's happiness or lack thereof seemed the more salient issue to him.

"It appears that to the Jackal's observations over the time he has known his Master that he is not someone to either advertise his joy in life or announce his sorrow. He recognizes that stoicism is perhaps the single most valued characteristic in his emotional quiver. Still, it seemed that when the Jackal first came to reside at Casa de Stone Cold there was more…" Spinelli paused, searching for the appropriate word as Mike brought over the beverages. "Contentment-perhaps? You and Fair Samantha truly cared for one another and then there was Noble Emily and Michael and even the life altering advent of Jake, forbidden connection though he was. Sadly, all of that was stripped away over time, a series of inestimable losses for anyone to have to suffer. Yet, Stone Cold did not break, did not lose his sense of purpose, of loyalty, of commitment to those still remaining in his orbit, in his life. Still, the Jackal cannot help but perceive that of late, Stone Cold has little that he cares about, little that brings him recompense of a cheerful nature."

"That's not true, Spinelli," Jason protested, "I have Carly, and Sam is back in my life, Jake is happy and healthy and I have you." He looked directly into the hacker's green eyes. "I think you underestimate," he too was choosing his words with care, "how much you are valued, that you bring me…to use your term-cheerful recompense. Honestly, Spinelli, your support, your friendship enabled me to get through so many of those losses…I don't know what I would do without you." It was an awkward speech, but heartfelt and, as Jason recognized, long overdue.

Spinelli blushed, he ducked his head in embarrassment. "I hope that Stone Cold doesn't think the Jackal brought up the topic to hear such a declaration of friendship delighted though he is to receive it. I asked because it seems that one area of Stone Cold's life which is definitely not providing him with much satisfaction is in his business pursuits with Mr. Sir."

Jason gave him a warning glance to be quiet as Mike came over with their food. Spinelli heeded it as they received the food with appreciation and for a few moments both just concentrated on eating. Even Spinelli discovered he had an appetite. Once most of the French toast was ingested and only the hated oatmeal remained, Spinelli tried to divert Jason's attention as he surreptiously moved the bowl off to the side of the table.

"So, as the Jackal was saying," he began once again. "He doesn't see Stone Cold as enjoying his role as Mister Sir's second in command. The Jackal isn't just referring to the unpleasantness that occurred tonight. He is speaking in broader terms. He fears his Master goes through the motions but that he doesn't enjoy his labors-caught up in paperwork, settling disputes, and having to supervise the arrival of all the shipments. None of these activities catch your interest or even employ your unique skill set."

"Spinelli," Jason looked over at the uneaten oatmeal and then back at his roommate. With a long suffering sigh, Spinelli pulled the bowl over and began eating with a marked lack of enthusiasm. Jason's lips lifted in a half smile. "My skill set?" He started in where Spinelli had left off. "What would you consider that to be," he inquired curious as to what his friend would say.

"The things that Stone Cold does enjoy doing and performs par excellence as well. The adrenalin producing thrills of adventure, danger, and the chase. Capturing wrong doers and bringing them to justice, helping the wronged and punishing the wicked."

Jason brought the palm of his hand up to his mouth in order to cover his mouth, he felt like laughing as he looked at Spinelli in bemusement. "You're making me sound like Captain America, Spinelli not a career criminal."

"The Jackal would appreciate his Master not referencing himself in such derogatory terms. He is not naïve, he recognizes that Stone Cold walks on the dark side of the legal line but he feels that he exists very much in the light when it comes to his moral code. He has seen too many instances of his coming to the aid of those who are in need or being preyed upon to ever be dissuaded from his viewpoint." Spinelli ate a final spoonful of the oatmeal as a defiant counterpoint to his statement of complete and total faith in Jason's constancy.

Jason knew well that this was an argument he could never, would never win and really he didn't want to either. He wasn't sure what it would feel like if Spinelli ever did stop believing in him or looking up to him. He usually tried his best to make sure it didn't happen. So, instead he admitted the truth of what Spinelli was saying. "Yeah, you're right. I'm not very satisfied working with Sonny this time around. It's harder to tolerate his demands and I am spending way too much time on labor disputes and paperwork and not enough out in the field."

"So, then why doesn't Stone Cold consider a career change?" Spinelli was all eagerness now and Jason could see that they had reached the crux of the matter.

He sighed to himself, he had lost track of the number of times this conversation had occurred with a wide multitude of people from Robin to Monica. He was somewhat surprised to find Spinelli as the instigator this time. "What would I do, Spinelli? It's all I have ever done, all that I know how to do. As you said, I need the adrenalin rush, the action to keep me interested."

"Yet, you yourself just said that aspect is currently lacking in your life and doesn't look to make its reappearance in the foreseeable future. With Mister Sir in sole charge of the illicit elements of Port Charles there are no serious challenges to his authority."

Jason rubbed his brow, the kid had a point. "I know you, Spinelli. Other people may think you just ramble on without a point, but that isn't true. I presume you have some suggestion as to a new direction I might pursue in my 'career'."

"Indeed," and now Spinelli's patented smile was back in full force, lighting up his face and putting a sparkle in his eyes. Jason couldn't help smiling tiredly in reaction. "Fair Samantha and I have a proposition for you and I was requested to bring it up at an apropos moment and the Jackal feels such a moment has arrived. We would like you to join McCall and Spinelli as a partner!"

It certainly wasn't what Jason had expected, "You want me to be a partner in your detective agency?"

"Yes, Stone Cold not only do we both wish it. We are actually in dire need of your services."

"In what regard?" Jason was puzzled.

"You remember when Fair Samantha asked you to help her several months previously to find those two bail jumpers?"

Spinelli tended to work as tech support at the agency, doing background checks, establishing surveillance links and any other chores where his computer expertise came in handy. He also took the lead whenever they encountered a case of corporate malfeasance or espionage. Sam worked on most of the day to day cases ranging from divorcing spouses to finding runaway children.

When the bail jumper case had come in, Spinelli had been forceful in insisting that Sam consult with Jason about the best approach. She would never admit it but she was glad she had. Sam McCall was tough but even she wasn't up to taking on two ex-jailbird, Aryan nation adherents. They had tracked them down to a rundown house in the country. Jason had thrown a smoke bomb in a window to get them to come out where disoriented and coughing they had been taken with only token resistance. Jason had quite enjoyed the experience of coming into the Port Charles Police Department to hand over prisoners rather than entering as one himself. The look on Mac's face had been priceless.

"Well, ever since the successful conclusion of that case, the bails bondsmen of Port Charles have been clamoring for our services. Fair Samantha and I have taken on a few of the less intimidating cases with mixed results."

Jason remembered the time Spinelli had come home bruised and battered and had refused to talk about it. "You and Sam went after bail jumpers without me?" He was upset. "You both could have been killed."

Spinelli wore a hangdog expression. "There were many more such cases I prevented Fair Samantha from taking on. The particular one that Stone Cold is alluding to seemed safe enough. It involved two elderly ladies wanted for social security fraud. The Jackal will never again look at a cane without shuddering...Yet, this is the very reason why we need Stone Cold's invaluable assistance. He can have all the excitement of the hunt whilst keeping Fair Samantha safe and ensuring the agency's growth. It is, as they say, a win-win situation for all involved." Spinelli sat back in his chair, grinning as he reveled in presenting such an incontrovertible argument.

Jason looked at him considering. "It's an intriguing offer," he said slowly. In reality it was almost a perfect solution. It would get him out of a job he was beginning to despise and it would keep Spinelli away from anymore soul leaching encounters with illegal wildlife shipments. "I'll think about it and let you know soon, okay?"

Spinelli's smile faltered a little as he realized he wasn't going to get an instantaneous agreement. Still, it looked as thought Stone Cold was seriously thinking about the position and that was more than he would have expected before this morning's events. "Fair enough, Stone Cold. McCall, Spinelli and Morgan has quite the ring to it, does it not?" He said attempting to sweeten the pot.

"Morgan, McCall and Spinelli sounds about right to me, "Jason responded repressively as he smiled inwardly.

Spinelli started to protest in indignation but then thought the better of it. "A small concession indeed and I am sure even Fair Samantha could be persuaded to accede to it."

"Spinelli,' now that he was relaxed and more like his old self, Jason had his own agenda to tackle. "How do you know so much about what goes on with the trade in those animals?"

The transformation in Spinelli's attitude was immediate. It was as though a cloud had passed across the sun. He looked down at the table and mumbled. "After the first shipment, the Jackal was appalled by what he had seen. He felt it was his duty to research the topic but all that did was provide him with more in-depth knowledge as to the fate of those unfortunate creatures with no commiserate increase in the power to impede the practice."

"What did you discover?" Jason wasn't sure he wanted to walk further down the path of more impotent information but he felt it only right that he share Spinelli's burden.

"The trafficking in illegal wildlife is either the second or third largest worldwide smuggling enterprise after drugs and armaments. The fact varies dependent on the source utilized." Spinelli made this astounding statement in a somber tone.

"It's that big?" Jason was shocked.

"Indeed, Stone Cold, though I suppose there is a caveat that by its very nature it must eventually be self limiting since unlike drugs or even illegal arms it isn't a renewable resource. Of course animals reproduce but if their populations are eroded enough, they reach a tipping point where they move from being endangered to extinction." The harshness of the concept lay in the air between them cold and undeniable especially when measured against what they had both just experienced."

Spinelli reached for his laptop, pulling it out of his bag and placing it on the table. "With your permission, Stone Cold," he was typing, his fingers moving rapidly. "There's a video on the web called "The Black Market". It's a good introductory primer to the trade, all its parts and ramifications. It is the result of the painstaking work of a photojournalist who became interested in the topic and then immersed himself in the culture-visiting markets and stores, bear farms, and traveling with rangers on raids. It's short but informative, if Stone Cold would care to view it…"

He really didn't want to but he also recognized that in a way-for himself, for Spinelli, for the animals-he needed to watch it. "Okay," he said reluctantly as Spinelli swiveled the computer around in order for him to see the screen.

"Just hit enter…" he reached over with a long suffering sigh as he marked the total lack of comprehension on Jason's face, "There. It should run now."

It wasn't a long video and except for the sequence about bile extraction set at a Chinese bear farm and a short piece on the exotic restaurants, wasn't even particularly graphic. Most of the pictures were black and white still photographs taken in a variety of locales from street markets to stores and restaurants to the countryside of various Asian countries from which the animals were extracted. Still, with everything Jason now knew and had experienced first hand, it had a powerful impact on him. There was even a flash of a picture of a little monkey and once again Jason wondered about the immoral fate that the primate sleeping in his vehicle had narrowly avoided.

When the video was over, Jason looked up at Spinelli who was watching his mentor with a guarded expression on his face as he tried to evaluate Jason's reaction to what he had watched. "I can see this is a starting point, but it doesn't go into nearly the depth of information that you obviously have accumulated about wildlife smuggling."

"Indeed, as would be expected Stone Cold is very perceptive. There are many aspects to the issue-the countries, the people, the animals themselves to explore. The Jackal has done exhaustive research since his first exposure to the phenomenon." Spinelli was still anxious, he was scanning Jason's face as though waiting for some response from him that was still forthcoming.

"I wanted to say how sorry I am, Spinelli. I should never have involved you in any of this. I just…had no idea." It wasn't an explanation or an excuse. No, it was the pure unvarnished truth. "I still didn't until tonight and I know that even with all I've seen it probably barely scratches the surface. I wish that there was someway I could erase all this for you but I know that's impossible. So, instead, I'm going to make sure that you never have to be exposed to it again. This was the last shipment you'll ever inventory." He said it with finality.

"Does Stone Cold still intend to monitor the shipments?" Spinelli's gaze was direct but his eyes were clouded.

Jason shrugged wearily, "Well, it doesn't look like Sonny's ever intending to meet another shipment again. So, I guess I'll have to."

"Then the Jackal will be there. As long as his Master is involved in the shipments he will be as well. I understand that you wish to protect me from further exposure to this unsavory trade but in all good conscience I could not let you go meet shipments unattended by your loyal grasshopper. Anyway, my services are valuable upon such occasions." Spinelli spoke with a quiet fortitude.

"Yeah, of course you're efficient, Spinelli but we can do the inventory without you. I don't see why we both have to be exposed to it." Jason wished that he would just concede, agree to leave it alone but he knew how truly pigheaded his roommate could be. He attempted another approach. "What if I take you and Sam up on your offer and come and work at the agency? Then say Sonny continues with the shipments, what would you do in those circumstances?"

Jason didn't miss the sudden gleam that appeared in the depths of Spinelli's eyes. It appeared that this is exactly what he had been waiting for Jason to say. "Ah, well then, in that case, Stone Cold to use a cliché-all bets are off. Were you to no longer be affiliated with Mr. Sir and by extension the shipments, the Jackal would not feel himself ethically bound to continue to turn a blind eye towards the plight of those unfortunate animals. Which is not to say," he added hastily as he noticed the uneasy look on Jason's face as he spoke, "That I would act without your approval. Still, the Jackal doth indeed have a proposal in mind to nullify the operation in a most beneficial manner to all concerned…"

Jason was intrigued, he should have known, the kid was always thinking. "What is it?" He inquired, his interest aroused.

Spinelli looked around the still deserted diner, he was trying to locate Mike. When it became clear that he was currently in the back somewhere, he leaned forward and began speaking softly to an intently listening Jason.

Ten minutes later when the door to Kelly's banged upon and Sonny Corinthos made his unexpected entrance; Spinelli was just finishing outlining his concept to Jason. The instant he recognized who had just come in, he paled and sat back in his chair, his eyes downcast as he ceased talking. Jason turned to see who it was that had caused such a reaction in Spinelli and he frowned as he saw his partner striding angrily towards their table. He knew that for Sonny to be showing up at the diner at such an early hour and with such a grim expression on his face it was because he had been informed about everything that had occurred this morning.

"Jason!" Sonny had reached the table. He ignored Spinelli and focused his jet black eyes on his associate. He jerked his head impatiently as he strode off towards a table in the back corner. "We need to talk, now!" He didn't bother to check and see if Jason was coming, he simply expected that he would.

Jason didn't respond immediately to Sonny's order. Instead, he leaned in towards Spinelli. "Hey," he waited for the young man to look up at him, his face filled with trepidation. "Don't worry. I'm going to take care of this and everything's going to be fine." Spinelli gave him a small nod as he glanced nervously over his shoulder at a glowering Sonny.

He had seated himself and was tapping his knuckles edgily on the table while he waited for Jason to come over. Mike came out to see who had come in and he greeted his son with surprise. "Sonny, what brings you out so early?"

"Business," Sonny said abruptly, "Mike, get me a cup of coffee, will ya? Jason!" He had lost the last shreds of his patience. "Get over here, now!"

Slowly, Jason pushed his chair back and stood up. He patted Spinelli's shoulder reassuringly as he passed him on his way to Sonny. "Yeah, Sonny, what's up?" He was practically drawling, it was an indicator of how unimpressed he was with another one of Sonny's temper tantrums. "Something or someone get you out of your warm bed this morning?" He asked insolently.

"Don't take that attitude with me, Jason," Sonny was practically snarling. He almost knocked the coffee cup out of Mike's hand with his elbow as he gestured for Jason to sit down. Mike took one look at the two men and with a quick glance of sympathy for Spinelli opted for retreat.

Jason ignored his request or command, it didn't really matter which, and remained standing. His arms were folded defensively across his chest and his eyes had frosted over, a sure sign that his temper was engaged.

"I got a call all right, a wakeup call at some ridiculous hour this morning. It was all about you, Jason and how you couldn't seem to handle off loading one little shipment without causing all sorts of problems."

"Well, Sonny," Jason was entirely unaffected by Sonny's attack. "It was your shipment too. If you can't trust me or you think I'm incompetent, then by all means start meeting them yourself. I wouldn't mind a chance to sleep in for once."

Sonny narrowed his eyes at Jason's insubordinate response. He didn't like it when people didn't quail under the force of his disapproval. "Yeah, well, maybe I'll just replace you as supervisor, find someone who can do a better job. What were you thinking of Jason-starting fights, threatening to throw men in the harbor, offering unsanctioned bonuses, stealing a monkey for God sakes! That's something I would expect from him," he pointed contemptuously over at Spinelli, "not you. That's it isn't it? Freaky boy has corrupted you, got you feeling all touchy feely about the poor little animals." He snorted his censure at Jason's actions.

Jason felt his grip on his anger slipping as it turned from an icy rage to red hot fury. "Sonny," he gritted out, "Don't call Spinelli names and don't try and put any of this on him. Yeah, he's opened my eyes to quite a few things lately but I was getting there on my own anyway. I got into the fight with Lindstrom because he was contravening your instructions about the shipment. Then, with him out of the picture, I had to do something to earn the men's trust since the whole organization is so polarized between the Zacchara's men and our men. As to the monkey, you won't lose by it, I will reimburse you whatever you would've gotten for him." It was a long speech and by the end of it Jason was done justifying himself.

"Look, Jason," now Sonny was recognizing that he might have gone to far, that Jason wasn't in the least repentant and it looked like he might match him anger for anger and even possibly trump him. "Why do these shipments upset you much? It isn't like you don't eat meat or wear leather," he indicated Jason's jacket. "What's so different about us providing animals for food, medicine, and pets?" Now Sonny had engaged his reasonable and charming mode through which he usually managed to sway his opponent to his point of view.

"It's pretty obvious that this isn't the same thing, Sonny. If it were then it would all be legal and aboveboard and we wouldn't be meeting shipments in the middle of the night with armed guards. You're right, I do eat meat and wear leather but I'm pretty sure that the cow who died to make my steak and my jacket wasn't the last one on the planet. I'm also fairly certain that while they might not have a good death at least they're not tortured for some outmoded custom that has absolutely no place in the modern world."

Sonny rolled his eyes in frustration at Jason's sanctimonious viewpoint. Once again he looked over at Spinelli, who was trying to shut out the sounds of the argument by concentrating on something on his laptop. "This is all him," he hissed furiously, jabbing his finger at Jason in pointed emphasis. "It has his new age, conscience raising bullshit covered fingerprints all over it. Since when did Jason Morgan let some computer hacking idiot savant dictate what he can and cannot do, what he can and cannot think?"

Jason didn't like how focused on Spinelli, Sonny was. His vindictiveness made him uneasy and he intentionally placed himself in between the two, blocking Sonny's line of sight towards his roommate. By now his tolerance for the interchange was fraying and he found Sonny's last accusation incredible.

"I see, Sonny," Jason said, his voice low and rough, with an edge of injured pride to it. "It isn't so much that someone is thinking for me, shaping my ideas and opinions. Your problem is that you think Spinelli is the one influencing me instead of you. After all, that's your job isn't it? Always has been, always will be-thinking for me because I'm brain damaged, not capable of doing it for myself. Well, if that is the case, if I can't make up my own mind, draw my own conclusions then I'd sure as hell rather have him doing it than you. Spinelli has a heart and a soul and he worries about things beyond himself, beyond what's best for him."

"Yeah, he's a regular Mother Teresa, helping the downtrodden of the world on MY dime!" The venom in Sonny's tone was clearly evident.

Jason moved a step closer to Sonny, his arms were now down by his side and his fists were clenched as he fought against the urge to hit Sonny. "Get one thing straight," his voice was vibrating with passion, "I took that monkey-me! It had nothing to do with Spinelli, with any of the men. It was my decision and I would do it all over again except this time I think I would take every one of those animals and find some safe haven for them." He was beginning to think that the fact he hadn't done exactly that might be something that would start haunting his dreams in the near future. "Spinelli, on the other hand, he's made of sterner stuff. He knows better than anyone what fate has in store for every one of those miserable creatures and he managed to stand there recording a totally accurate count-looking at the dead, seeing the live, knowing what was going to happen to them all-and not doing a thing about it. He wouldn't touch a hair or a scale of one of those animals as long as I was tied into it, as long as it was my business. Do you know what he cost for him doing nothing was, Sonny?" Jason paused, his chest was actually heaving, the realization of the damage done to Spinelli as he worked each one of those awful shipments finally becoming clear to him. "Well," and the scorn now present in Jason's voice rubbed against Sonny's nerve endings. "It's not much, not by your reckoning anyway. It was just his soul and I guess that doesn't count for anything if you've been without one yourself for so long."

Sonny rocked back in his chair, he was astonished at Jason's words, the way he had attacked him personally. He didn't even know how to respond. Still, he tried to reach him by beginning with the one word that used be guaranteed to garner his attention, "Jason," It was two syllables with years of history, of camaraderie behind them but this morning they had lost their power to engage.

Jason didn't let him talk, he cut him off with an abrupt chopping motion of his hand. "No, Sonny, I'm not finished. You need to hear this, have it clearly spelled out for you. It isn't just Spinelli or me. The men are fed up too. They grew tired of being a part of this, maybe if it were just the crated materials they wouldn't have cared or realized what was happening. I know I wouldn't, probably he'd be the only one," he pointed back at the hunched figure of the hacker who was failing miserably at blocking out the carrying sounds of the fight and the frequent repetition of his own name. "After tonight, even with the additional bonuses on offer, the majority of the men don't want anything more to do with the shipments. Yeah, I know you can rotate in a fresh crop of men and that Lindstrom is just like you and could care less what comes off the ships as long as it all goes smoothly and is profitable. You can do that if you want, but it will have to be without me." There it was, he had made the statement and looking inside himself, he found it wasn't an idle threat, a way to manipulate Sonny. No, Jason meant it and what was more he knew that it came from his own convictions, not ones borrowed from Spinelli.

Sonny just gaped at him in open amazement. He had been woken this morning by the shrill, insistent sound of his cell phone. When he had answered and heard Lindstrom's persistent almost sullen tone on the other end of the line, he had groaned. Then when he had been treated to a run down of the entire episode at the docks, starting with Jason's unjust bullying of him and ending with his walking out with a live piece of the consignment sitting on his shoulder, he had felt his own temper began to flare. By the time he had reached Kelly's he was in a full blown Sonny tantrum. He didn't give a flying fuck about Lindstrom's injured feelings but the assault on Sonny's pride, his control of the operation-that was an entirely different matter.

He knew that it was Jason's and that punk kid's routine to come to the diner after a night on the docks. So, he had haphazardly thrown on clothes and headed down to confront Jason about his poor choices. He had simply expected, as had happened so often previously, that he would call Jason to account for his behavior. Jason would then see the error of his ways and return to the fold and everything would go back-well, not exactly to normal-but what passed for it these days. He never imagined that the kid had such a hammerlock on Jason's commonsense that he would issue an ultimatum, forcing Sonny to choose between running the business the way he saw fit and keeping Jason as his partner. Well, there were some things Sonny Corinthos just didn't respond too and blackmail-emotional or otherwise-was one of them.

Still, he was willing to try to get past what Jason had just said, to overlook it and find some common meeting ground. "You're copping an attitude with me, threatening to quit-all over some ecological bullshit. You're saying that's not the kid's whiny voice I hear talking through you?" Maybe it wasn't quite as conciliatory as it could have been but he was royally pissed at the way Spinelli had somehow managed to ruin his best friend, he used to be a man, now Sonny hardly recognized him.

Jason took a deep breath and, with an effort, managed to ignore Sonny's carping at Spinelli. He was going to give this one-just one-more shot and then he was through. "Look, Sonny, I know asking you to give up the wildlife smuggling is a financial hardship. I get that, but what if there was something else out there that could still bring in big money but didn't cause the same damage?"

"Something else?" Despite himself, Sonny was intrigued, he liked the idea of more money coming in, who wouldn't and a new challenge, he was always up for that. "What is it?"

Jason wasn't giving it up that easily. "You would have to agree to stop the animal shipments first, Sonny. Then Spinelli can explain it to you…"

The words weren't even out of his mouth before Sonny had exploded. "Goddamnit, Jason! Does anything coming out of your mouth these days not involve one of freaky boy's ideas? You like those strings he has attached to every part of you body? Well, he may tell you whether you're coming or going and what color the sky is today; but I think for myself and I have no intention of giving up such a lucrative mainstay of my business based on Frick and Frack's whining about global warming or whatever the fuck it is!" Sonny had stood up and he kicked back at his chair trying to vent a little of the rage he was feeling. He sent a murderous glare over towards Spinelli.

The young man was standing as well but he wasn't paying any attention to Sonny he was looking intently at Jason with a worried expression on his face. "Stone Cold?" He said it tentatively, seeking reassurance.

Jason had remained unmoved in the face of Sonny's outburst. He spared a glance for Spinelli and made a calming motion with his hands. "Everything's fine, Spinelli. Don't worry. Could you go out to the SUV and get those boxes from behind the driver's seat and bring them to me?" He threw the keys to Spinelli who caught them awkwardly and then headed out to do his mentor's bidding. Speaking in a measured tone, Jason inclined his head towards Sonny's vacated chair, "Sit down, Sonny."

Sonny was surprised to find himself doing as Jason requested, there was something about the tone of command in his soft voice that mesmerized him. Mike had appeared in the door from the storeroom, he looked anxiously at the two men, trying to gauge the tension between them. "Everything all right out here?" He asked cautiously.

It was Jason who answered him without moving his eyes from Sonny's face, "Yeah, it's all good, Mike. Sonny and I just need to resolve a few business matters and then we'll be out of your hair."

Mike just grunted in response and once more vanished from view. Spinelli was back and he walked over to Jason and Sonny carrying the two boxes. He placed them on the table and looked at his hand in perplexity. "There seems to be some leakage from one of the containers in the bottom package. The Jackal hazards that one of the containers containing Mr. Sir's condiments has fractured."

"You broke my marmalade!" Somehow this final indignity penetrated the state of compliance that Jason had temporarily instilled in Sonny and he turned all his bile on Spinelli. "You little idiot, can't you do anything right if it doesn't involve a computer?" He was poised to lunge at the hacker, every muscle in his body was tensed, and Spinelli stepped back out of reflexive fear.

"Sit down, Sonny!" This time it was Jason who had lost his composure. He towered over Sonny who sat back down in his chair with a suddenness that jarred his tailbone. He had never seen Jason so openly furious. "For the last time, I am warning you leave Spinelli alone or you will answer to me!"

Jason turned and looked at Spinelli, he jerked his head towards the computer sitting at the other table. Spinelli looked at him shock clearly written on his face. Jason just indicated the computer again and gave him a slight nod. Spinelli needed no further urging, he ran back to the other table and flinging himself in the chair begin typing so fiercely that the clacking noise reverberated within the walls of the diner. Sonny was oblivious to the silent exchange as he absorbed the humiliation of being ordered around like a rebellious child by Jason Morgan of all people. The embarrassment faded away and was replaced by an all consuming wrath at the unmitigated gall of his erstwhile friend and partner daring to publicly dishonor him like this.

Jason wasn't paying any attention to Sonny or his rapidly building ire. He had grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the table and bending over was rapidly scribbling something on it with a pen. When he was finished, he finally seemed to notice Sonny again and his lips grew thin as he recognized the tell tale signs of a brewing full scale eruption.

In an attempt to forestall another flare-up, he started talking in a conversational tone of voice as he pointed at the sticky box containing the marmalade. "See, that right there is one of your problems, Sonny. You think it's just fine to use a shipment to bring in some little indulgence for yourself without considering the time or trouble or expense it might involve. You can buy that marmalade just down the street here, no broken jars to deal with and no early morning assignations with freighters. Nope, you just walk in, point, say "I'd like a couple of jars of that," plunk down your money, and you're done. You'll never do that though because it's too ordinary and the great Sonny Corinthos doesn't do ordinary does he? Then when some of the jars of your oh, so special jelly get broken in transit you throw a fit because you're inconvenienced. Those are the actions of a spoiled child, Sonny. If there's one true thing about this business it's absolutely no place for children and you, of all people, should know that."

Sonny was stung by Jason's oblique reference to Michael getting shot on his watch. It seemed that Carly and Jason were never going to let him forget what had happened. They had no idea about how it haunted him, how he could never forget, how he wished that he could back in time and change the outcome. They had absolutely no right to judge him, they had each made more mistakes than he could count but he didn't keep rubbing their noses in it, keep bringing them up over and over again. Then to top it off, he called him-Sonny Corinthos, ruthless mob boss-a child!

"Jason," he began, entirely unwilling to let him get away with this bullshit, these insults. "Remember who you're talking to here." He said it as a warning, the first and last one he was planning to give. If he pulled in his horns, admitted he was wrong, and got rid of the computer geek-then maybe, Sonny would forgive him, would take him back but he would never look at him the same way again, never trust him fully. Their bond had been too damaged to ever be restored to what it once was.

Jason actually had the audacity to give a little laugh in response to Sonny's entirely serious counsel, he didn't seem to understand on what thin ice he was treading. "How could I possibly ever forget, Sonny? I mean really, how? You never, ever let me forget how much I owed you, how you made me, without you I was nothing-just dirt. If I did what you said, followed your orders, went where you sent me, acted as your enforcer then everything was okay and I was allowed to hang around you and your associates and your family. If I ever disobeyed you or challenged you or tried to have an opinion that wasn't sanctioned by you, I was being disloyal, disrespectful. Then I would be out in the cold until I came crawling back, ready to apologize and do your bidding once more."

"That's how you saw it?" Sonny was incredulous. "I opened my home to you, took care of you, made you part of my family. We put our lives on the line for each other more times than I can count. Yet, all you see it as is me taking advantage of you, of using you…"

Jason cocked his head as he listened to what Sonny was saying, his eyes had softened slightly. "Yeah, maybe so." He agreed. "Maybe, at times, in the beginning what you're saying is true, it was like that." There was a visibly melancholy cast to the planes of his face. "It hasn't been like that for a long time now, Sonny. We both did things, said things. This isn't all on you, I know that but I also know that you can't go backwards. You can't recreate something that's gone and that's us, Sonny-we're done. I guess neither one of us wanted to admit it and we hung on until things went from bad to worse. I just know that I can't do it anymore…here." He thrust the napkin he had been writing on at Sonny.

"What's this?" Sonny took it unwillingly, knowing instinctively he wasn't going to like it whatever it was. He scanned what was written on the napkin and looked up at Jason in disbelief. "Your resignation, this is your resignation? You're leaving me?"

Jason nodded, he wasn't angry anymore, he was a little regretful but the main emotion he was feeling was relief. It felt entirely right to be getting out from under the yoke of oppression that being Sonny's right hand man had become. "Yeah, I'll have Spinelli type up a more formal copy and send it on to you. I just needed you to see this before we finished things…" He trailed off as he turned to glance at Spinelli. The hacker felt his mentor's gaze on him and paused in his frenetic typing long enough to send him a quick thumbs up. Jason took a deep breath and looking once more at Sonny said "You need to know what's happening."

"What's happening?" Sonny was dazed. He had never expected things to come to this. Jason resigning, saying that their relationship, their friendship that had endured through so much was over. Now, it appeared there was something else as well.

"Well," Jason actually seemed uncomfortable, unsure as how to proceed or what to say. "I'm afraid you didn't give us any choice, Sonny. We're…shutting you down."

The words were small and innocuous and at first Sonny couldn't understand what Jason was referring to, what he was talking about. "Shutting me down," he repeated dully, not getting it.

"Yes, Spinelli has just eradicated all the records of your various suppliers and the receivers as well. Your wildlife connections are wiped out." Jason said it in a matter of fact tone as a fleeting pang of guilt coursed through him.

"What the…" Sonny looked up at Jason as though he hadn't heard right, that he couldn't have meant what he just said. When one glance showed him that he was totally serious, he once again started to his feet. He had one and only one goal to go wrap his hands around the little creep's neck and twist until it popped.

He only got half way up before a hand placed squarely on his chest pushed him back into the hated confines of the chair. "Don't, Sonny. Leave him alone." This time he was being warned and it was delivered in an icy voice that gave no quarter.

"You…you can't do this to me…" he was stammering out his bitterness and his fierce anger. "You have no right!" He would kill them both. Jason no longer had any claims on him, could not expect to invoke his protection, not after this complete and utter act of treachery.

"It's already been done, Sonny. As to rights, well, I am only interested in protecting the rights of those animals, their right to be allowed to survive." Jason looked at him, dispassionately, with perhaps a hint of pity evident in his stare.

Sonny's lip curled in disdain as he glared dismissively at Jason. "Your precious hacker has only destroyed the computer files, I still have invoices, shipping manifests…It will take a little longer but I can reconstruct the records. You can't stop me, I'll continue importing the animals, the rarer the better." He spat the words out viciously.

"That's right, you could do that but I really wouldn't bother if I were you, Sonny. You see, Spinelli isn't just expunging your records. He's also in the process of notifying the appropriate authorities in countries and cities around the world about the existence of these people. In the next several days, there will be plenty of raids-smuggling rings, restaurants, poachers-they'll all be arrested or disbanded. When you send your next order out, there won't be anyone left to receive it and even if there were they wouldn't be interested in taking it. Spinelli is making sure that all this intelligence is being presented to the cooperating agencies in your name. Sonny, he's making a hero of you in the fight against wildlife trafficking." Jason couldn't help the cold, ironic smile that came to his lips as he delivered this last coup de'grace.

Sonny sat there stunned by the trap they had created for him. A preternatural calm settled over him and he spoke the actual words that he had merely thought a few moments ago. "I'll kill you both for this." It was said quietly, a promise not a threat.

Jason simply nodded his head resignedly as though fully expecting such a response. "Yeah, I knew that's what you would say. So, let me be clear. You can try but I will be on full alert. In order to protect Spinelli and myself, I'll do whatever it takes. Also, know that if you somehow succeed in your goal, if you kill or hurt either of us, then information about all your activities will make it to the appropriate Federal agency. These won't be Ricco violations, Sonny, they'll be the real thing-you'll be facing the death penalty."

"Bastard!" was all Sonny could manage through gritted teeth. He knew that Jason didn't make idle threats.

Jason inclined his head as though gracefully accepting praise. "I learned from the best." He said quietly, able to be generous in his victory. "You better hope Spinelli and I live long, injury free lives for your own sake, Sonny." He felt it prudent to clearly underline what was at stake in the situation.

Spinelli had come up next to Jason. "Stone Cold," he wasn't sure if he was interrupting them but his task was done and he needed to know the outcome. "How goes it?" He inquired cautiously as he tried to ignore Sonny's hateful gaze aimed directly at him.

"Sonny and I have reached an amicable agreement. Haven't we Sonny?"

Sonny just growled, refusing to give them any answer. He wasn't a good loser. Not once in his career had he suffered such a loss of prestige as he was facing now. He knew he would never recover from Jason's perfidy, never!

"Did Stone Cold broach the additional topic?" Spinelli prodded gently.

Jason sighed and wiped his hand over his face. He looked down at the hopeful, peace seeking eyes of his protégé and relented. "Sonny," he knew it was unlikely that he was in the mood to listen to anything Jason had to say but for Spinelli's sake he would try. "If it were up to me, I would have just left matters here. It isn't as though you don't have a lot of other business interests. You certainly have more money than you could ever spend. All this," he gestured between the two of them, "Is mostly a matter of injured pride. Something that was due to happen one way or the other. Still, Spinelli feels badly having participated in depriving you of a lucrative source of income and he would like to make amends…"

"Amends!" Sonny couldn't believe his ears, "His head on a platter is about the only amends I could think about possibly working for me!"

"That's it!" Jason's patience had evaporated. "Let's go," he had an arm on Spinelli's shoulder and was turning him around in order to leave Sonny to his sulking.

"No, Stone Cold," Spinelli had twisted out of Jason's grasp and was turning back towards Sonny. "Mr. Sir is just understandably upset at the Jackal's role in his downfall. It is up to me to offer the olive branch to show him that it wasn't a malicious act but simply a humane one."

"I don't want any fucking olive branch from you, geek!" Sonny was fast approaching apoplexy.

"You heard him, Spinelli, let's go." Jason was so close to punching Sonny that his fingers were actually aching from the visualization of the impact.

Spinelli was practically dancing in his frustration. He had achieved his most desired goal and he wanted to share his euphoria. The good guys had definitely won this round and he didn't want anyone to lose by it or be punished not even a very surly Mr. Sir. He started speaking, thinking maybe he could wear both Jason and Sonny done with his verbal prowess. "The Jackal has a connection. When he was briefly in Los Angeles, he was shanghaied by a glamorous art thief. She required his technical know how to open a state of the art safe in order to purloin a famous impressionist painting worth ten million dollars on the open market." He had intentionally mentioned the price tag in the hopes of hooking Sonny and the sharpness of his gaze as he looked at Spinelli with something besides total annihilation gave him hope.

"Go on," Sonny had after all been known to partner with the devil himself when the profit margin was high enough.

"Well," Spinelli ducked his head, unwilling to look any longer into those intensely unsettling eyes. He was just glad Stone Cold was standing right next to him. "It appeared that she had heard of you. She was interested in a possible alliance but then…things came up and she was arrested. Well, it appears the charges were dropped on a formality. So, she is once again free and searching for someone to partner with her in her illegitimate forays into the world of art and antiquities. Just a minute!" He spun around and headed back towards the other table where he proceeded to forage in his messenger bag.

Sonny stared at Jason with a jaded look that spoke volumes. The implication was clear, "This is the idiot you chose over me. In that case, you deserve whatever you get."

Jason was impervious to Sonny's attempts to goad him. He would let Spinelli make his pitch and then they were leaving. He quite liked the idea of a future free from ever having to follow another one of Sonny's orders. Spinelli was back and he held a black velvet box in his hands which he eagerly presented to Sonny.

"What is it?" Despite his deep seated dislike of the kid and his fervent desire never to be indebted to him for so much as a swallow of water, his curiosity was piqued.

"Open it," Spinelli urged, practically shoving it in his face. "It's a gift for you from the Art Goddess. To be more specific it's intended for Vix…"belatedly remembering Sonny's moratorium on that nickname, he clumsily adjusted what he was saying, "Mrs. Corinthos."

Sonny flipped open the lid and gasped, even Jason leaned in for a closer look, while Spinelli stood there beaming happily at the success of his ploy. It was a delicate gold necklace with a clearly Egyptian female head attached to it. Her profile was refined and delicate and shone with the allure that gold never seemed to lose.

"It's exquisite," Sonny said reverently speaking as an expert in female beauty.

"It's a representation of Nefertiti's eldest daughter-Meritaten-she was quite famous in her own right." Spinelli looked at the necklace awed to be this close to a piece of true history.

"How much is it worth?" Sonny cut right to the chase.

Spinelli was affronted. "Worth? Its worth is priceless, Mr. Sir, the replica is lying in a glass case in a small museum in Spain. It is more than three thousand years old and to have survived and to be in such mint condition…" He didn't understand how someone could try and put something as crass as a monetary value on an object that was purely aesthetic in his view.

"She sent it for Claudia?" Sonny was musing aloud, it was a world he knew nothing about-fine art and jewelry. He had been in a rut anyway and getting bored, maybe this was just the new fresh connection he needed to make things interesting again. "There's more where this came from?"

He looked up intently at Spinelli. A wistful look passed across the young hacker's countenance as he correctly interpreted the expression of naked greed in Sonny's eyes. "Yes," he sighed, "Miss. Prescott indeed assures me of that fact. She will procure the pieces and with the aid of Mr. Sir's associations and distribution network she foresees a long and profitable alliance."

"Good!" Sonny had made up his mind. The offering had pleased him. It would look breathtaking around Claudia's neck.

As though reading his thoughts, Spinelli spoke up, "Mr. Sir must caution Mrs. Mr. Sir to never hint as to the necklace's origin, lest she arouse someone's suspicion."

Did the kid not know exactly how many times Sonny Corinthos had traveled around this particular block? Barely able to control his rising irritation at the superfluous advice even with a warning glare from Jason, he grudgingly said, "This Prescott woman, can you have her contact me? We need to set up a meet, come to terms and conditions." Despite himself, he was actually starting to feel excited about the new endeavor. "She's attractive you said." He couldn't resist fishing. He preferred it when business and pleasure mixed.

"Very attractive in a rather Modesy Blaise snap your neck in between her thighs if you displease her manner. What a way to go!" He closed his eyes, remembering.

Jason jabbed him in the ribs. "She was intending to kill you!"

"Indeed, my point precisely, Stone Cold. Such is the attraction that the black widow holds for all red blooded males." He actually had the audacity to wink at Sonny in an inclusive 'we're all men of the world together' sensibility. "She appeared to find the Jackal pleasing in the time we spent together as captor and captive."

Sonny had long since passed his daily quota of Spinelli inanities. He abruptly rose from his chair, now that Jason was no longer shoving him back down into it every other minute. "Tell her to contact me." He said brusquely, scooping up the jewelry box as he brushed by them. He didn't say a further word. They were no longer considered a part of his world, his future as he stalked out the door of the diner letting it bang behind him.

"Well, that's Sonny all over again," Jason said with a disgusted cynicism. "You hand him an entirely new profitable venture so as to salvage his pride and give him a new toy to get excited about and he takes it and spits on you on his way out!" He was becoming more incensed on Spinelli's behalf as he spoke. "You know, you don't have set him and Cassandra up, you can make him go looking for her. You don't owe him a thing."

Spinelli walked back to the table where his laptop was patiently waiting. He answered Jason as he packed up his cyber companion. "The Jackal believes that Mr. Sir's surly demeanor and abrupt, ungracious departure were outward signs of how truly distressed he is. In an extremely short space of time he was humiliated, had to sit to by powerless while a major aspect of his business was dismantled, and most grievous of all, he lost the friendship and good opinion of one who was most valued by him. I do not begrudge him his gruffness or his lack of gratitude towards myself. In truth, it would be hypocritical for him to have felt or acted any differently as I was the perceived cause of all his difficulties up to and including his fall from grace with you, Stone Cold. I know how the loss of Mr. Sir's esteem must grieve you as much as the abruption pains him." He paused at the door Jason was holding open for him to pass through and looked up at him with compassion. "The Jackal would entirely understand if he were to be held culpable by his Master for the discord between two formerly staunch allies as it was entirely due to the pursuit of a personal agenda on the part of his grasshopper."

Jason pushed the button on the key chain to open the SUV doors. He shook his head in reply to Spinelli's involved justification of Sonny's typical behavior and his own not unexpected assumption of all the blame for the unpleasant confrontation just passed. "No, Spinelli, this was all a long time coming. It's been building for years and the shipments and your plan may have given me the push I needed to end it between Sonny and me. Yet, I don't feel grief or sadness, I feel relief." He stopped and grinned over at his roommate as he was gently picking up the little monkey, who was just waking up. "Actually, it's more than that, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and it's due to all kinds of things. I know I don't have to ever see one of those damned shipments again or deal with Lindstrom or answer to Sonny or do paperwork. That's part of the deal right, if I come on board with Sam and you, I don't have to do any paperwork?" He looked anxiously over at Spinelli, waiting for his reply.

Spinelli grinned at him, the monkey cradled contentedly in his arms and quietly chattering to itself. "Well, Fair Samantha and I have been looking for a bookkeeper cum bounty hunter. If the description doesn't fit Stone Cold he's sure to find employment else…" Jason swatted at him in mock outrage and Spinelli held the palms of his hands out in a gesture of surrender. "Agreed, Stone Cold will only have to do a minimum of paperwork. You can sign your name with an X if it so pleases you." He sat back in his seat with a contented sigh. "The Jackal is well satisfied with this morning's outcome. To go from the depths of despair to the heights of Mount Olympus in the course of a few short hours is an exhilarating experience."

"We did good today," Jason agreed flashing him a rarely seen full fledged smile.

They entered the penthouse slowly, all their energy drained. Spinelli went to hang his and Jason's jackets in the coat closet, the monkey sitting on his shoulder. When he turned back towards Jason, who had sunk tiredly down on the couch, he was holding a cardboard cylinder in his hand.

"What's that?" Jason asked idly unable to muster much interest.

"The Jackal has had occasion to note during his time residing at Casa de Stone Cold, that his mentor likes art," he waved vaguely around the living room and towards the stairs where quite a few large, unframed canvases adorned the walls. "Yet, it is all of an abstract nature-all line and color-form is mostly absent, he has noted."

Jason yawned and nodded, "I like the colors and the simplicity," he agreed.

"Art, what is preferred, admired, chosen, is indeed a subjective pursuit. Still, I could not help but notice that worn tome on American art that holds pride of place on the coffee table." Spinelli pointed at a large book entitled, 'American Artists'. "It seems an anomaly given the starkness and minimalism that Stone Cold appears to find pleasing."

Jason looked thoughtfully down at the indicated book. "It was my grandmother Lila's. Monica gave it to me when she died. She loved beautiful things-pictures, flowers, sunsets." The unspoken and "I loved her" dangled in the air between them.

"That explains the incongruity so noted by the Jackal. He has perused the book a time or two and on each occasion it has fallen open of its own accord to a certain page…" He was looking intently at Jason, trying to measure his reaction.

Jason had reached for the book as Spinelli spoke, he gently opened it, laying it flat on the table's surface. "She loved this painting. She talked about it often, the composition, the light, the colors, the brush strokes. She never tired of looking at it." He was in a reflective mood, his fingers running softly up and down the smooth surface of the paper as though attempting to feel the actual texture of the paint on the canvas.

Spinelli cleared his throat in a gentle attempt to bring Jason out of his reverie. He looked up at the young man, slightly irritated at being pulled away from a warm memory of his beloved grandmother. The hacker was thrusting the cardboard tube towards him, forcing Jason to take it to avoid being poked in the eye. "Spinelli!" Jason was exhausted and not in the mood for one of his roommate's intrigues.

"When the Art Goddess contacted the Jackal and proposed an alliance with the Godfather of Port Charles, she offered the necklace as a sign of both her good faith and her ability to procure illicit goods. Yet, the Jackal was still miffed at her callous and unwarranted treatment of himself upon our first meeting in the City of Angeles. So, he thought to test her once more and in so doing perhaps accrue something of value for his Master. He did not know until just now the story behind the painting in the book but he thought it must be of sentimental value to Stone Cold. Thus, it was clear the challenge that the Jackal would offer Mistress Cassandra before he should agree to do her bidding and present her case to Mr. Sir."

Spinelli was speaking even more rapidly than usual and Jason wasn't able to process everything he was saying, his brain was on overload. "Spinelli, can't we finish whatever this is later. I just want to take a shower and go to bed." He didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm but he was bone weary.

Spinelli realized that Jason wasn't capable of processing the details of the tale so he managed to pare his usual convoluted speech patterns down to a simple, "Just open it, Stone Cold!"

Sighing, recognizing that the only way he was going to get out of the living room and to his inviting bed upstairs was by indulging, Spinelli, Jason yanked the plastic cap off the end of the tube. He reached in and pulled out the rolled up fabric that was inside it. He found his interest to be renewed as he placed the canvas on the sofa and carefully unrolled it. Jason was speechless as he stared mesmerized by what was revealed. The picture lay on the couch, glowing as it seemed to capture and reflect back all the ambient light in the room. Jason put out a trembling finger and ran it cautiously down the painting, this time he could feel the coarseness of the canvas, the rough ridges of the paint-it was real.

"How…where…" Jason was stammering as he looked up at Spinelli who was beaming down at him well satisfied with his mentor's reaction to the gift. The monkey was intrigued as well and he started to swing down from Spinelli's shoulders to the couch, intent on running his little simian paws along the canvas just as Jason had done. One look into the Stone Cold eyes forestalled him and he hastily climbed all the way onto the top of Spinelli's head for additional security.

"The painting was actually located at a nearby museum. I had researched its whereabouts. I told the Art Goddess to bring me the 'The Goldfish Window' by Childe Hassam if she wished me to intercede for her with Mr. Sir. It was delivered last week."

Jason barely absorbed what Spinelli was saying as he stared down at the painting that was simultaneously entirely familiar and alien. All those years that he had sat admiring this painting with his grandmother and later on his own in her memory, he had no idea of what he had been missing. The vibrancy, the colors, the subtle shadings, all those had been nothing more than pale imitations on the printed page.

The painting was all light-beautiful, wondrous, sensuous light. It was a simple scene, perhaps even a little awkwardly constructed. An auburn haired young woman wearing a kimono stood in a room next to a table in front of a window. On the table was the ostensible goldfish bowl with two fish swimming in water that captured and mirrored the scene outside the window, the green and gold of a perfect summer's day. It exuded a sense of peace, of serenity, of longing for that perfection which is never quite attained in life…

Jason looked up at Spinelli with awe. He thought if he knew him for a hundred years that he would never cease to amaze him. "You did this for me?" He didn't understand it, not really. How he had ascertained the emotional value of this painting through such subtle clues was beyond Jason. He wondered if he kept anything of himself truly hidden from Spinelli. "Thank you." It was simple but heartfelt.

Spinelli inclined his head but it was difficult to tell if it was in acknowledgement of what Jason had said or in an attempt to dislodge the monkey from his head, more than likely it was both. "The Jackal is gratified to have both surprised and pleased his Master." It was entirely true, Spinelli always wanted to make Jason happy and it was often difficult to find ways to do so, he was such a self contained and internalized individual. He would have done far more than he had in procuring this painting to see such a genuine reaction of pure joy on the face of his mentor.

Jason recalled the long harangues he had been subjected to upon Spinelli's return from Los Angeles, after being forced to open the safe with the famous painting in it. "I don't understand, Spinelli. I thought you were firmly against stealing art. You said it wasn't just theft but that it deprived the people that they are the actual owners of the great and timeless works of art." It was a direct quote from one of Spinelli's rants at the time. "What changed your mind?" Jason was really curious because he knew how impossible it was to sway Spinelli from a stance if he felt strongly enough about it.

Additionally, he didn't want to carry the guilt of having Spinelli go against his ideology in order to please him. Still, no matter what, Jason wasn't giving up this painting. Now that it was in his possession he wasn't relinquishing it even though he knew with a pang deep in his soul that Lila might not approve of the method through which he had attained it. On the other hand, people forgot that Lila had chosen Edward Quartermaine as her soul mate and he wasn't exactly the most principled man on the planet.

Spinelli had wrestled the monkey down from his head. He now had his arms curled around Spinelli's neck as he peered with bright eyes over his shoulder at Jason. "Well, the Jackal reconsidered his position when he started contemplating various ways of encouraging Mr. Sir to discontinue his participation in the heinous act of wildlife smuggling. He knew that he would have to offer him something equally as profitable and alluring to replace the lost endeavor. That was when the Jackal first was contacted by the Art Goddess. Initially, I had no intention of responding and for the very reasons that Stone Cold mentioned. Yet, upon reflection as I compared the two activities I found the one to be much less offensive than the other. The loss of species diversity, the suffering of those animals, their deaths all that is unacceptable, unendurable to the Jackal as it ought to be to people everywhere. The theft of a piece of art-a painting, sculpture, jewelry-is as nothing by comparison. They are beautiful, irreplaceable objects perhaps, but not worth a single life be it human or animal. As to art belonging to the people, what does that really mean? To visit something in a museum, it is a trip many people never care to or manage to take. This painting your Grandmother so loved was just a short journey northward and neither she nor you ever undertook it. When art is stolen, unlike the thieving of those animals from their habitats, it is well cared for, stored in vaults or well lit private galleries-seldom is it destroyed or damaged. Oftentimes, as is the case with this picture." Spinelli nodded at the painting on the couch. "The theft isn't even discovered and a forgery exists in its place providing the same enjoyment as the original, sometimes forever. The Jackal recognizes that his line of reasoning might be considered rationalization, might be unprincipled even-so be it. He has made his peace with it and is well content with the trade-art theft in exchange for a chance at species preservation."

Even by Spinelli's standards it was a long monologue but Jason understood it and appreciated it. Essentially he had made the case, as man had done throughout history, for the lesser of two evils.

"Where will Stone Cold hang the painting, in your bedroom?"

Jason shook his head, "No, I'll hang it over the mantelpiece so everyone can see it. Lila would have liked that."

"It will need a frame and the Jackal advises that his Master undertake the construction of it himself." Spinelli's warning was clearly understood by Jason who nodded his head. Now Spinelli was yawning as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "If Stone Cold will permit, I think I will retire to my regrettably pink room. I hope that sleep will come without any accompanying nightmares for once."

Jason fervently hoped so as well. He regretfully began to roll the canvas up and replace it in the tube. He would build the frame and then it could be on permanent display. "Spinelli," his roommate turned around, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Today," he hesitated, not quite sure how to say it, "Today, you turned my life around. I am indebted to you."

"Well, the Jackal perceives no debt. He is satisfied that his Master is content with the choices made today. Still," he stepped closer to Jason, "If you do feel that something is owing the Jackal, the simian one," and with that he flung the monkey across the few feet of space separating them and Jason caught him," Perchance requires sustenance and care. If Stone Cold would tend to it, I would account the obligation discharged." He was up the stairs and gone out of sight before Jason could react, never mind yell at him.

With a martyred sigh, he looked down at the little creature staring up at him with his huge humanoid eyes. "Let's go into the kitchen and see if we can find you a banana or some nuts or something. Then I am going to take a shower and a nap and you aren't invited along for either activity. I hope you like pink, because I think you're going to be spending a lot of time in Spinelli's room. It's about time he learned what it's like to be me…"

Jason talked on as the monkey listened to every word, occasionally adding in his own comments. For the first time in a long while, Jason found himself looking forward to what the rest of that day and the next and the one after that would bring. He had a family and a future and life was good.