Chapter 12:Rescue and destruction
Freedom comes at a cost
Jeff took the list out of his pocket and out of the corner of his eye watched the man following him. Deciding enough was enough, he called 911 and informed them he had a stalker.
When Harper arrived, he found Lucky following the man and walked over to his old partner. "I don't want to know why you are doing this, but stop. Go home,"
"He knows where my son is, I won't let him get away with keeping him away from me." snapped Lucky.
"Officer, if he doesn't stop, I will insist on you arresting him." said Jeff. "As for the boy, here. I have legal papers."
Harper read the blue backed papers and turned with sympathy to the former detective. "Lucky, I get it, it is hard to face it when those you love are lost to you, but stop. Jacob isn't yours, and if you continue we will have to arrest you. Is that what you want?"
Turning to Jeff, Lucky said "You are not going to keep my son, I won't allow it. All you want is the money that Morgan left to Jake."
"Sorry, there is no money. Elizabeth gave it back the day of the explosion." Jeff replied cheerfully.
Harper saw how gobsmacked Lucky looked and gave a sigh. When the man protested that Jeff was lying, he said "Lucky, not another word, You are on probation as it is, don't make me arrest you. You will be facing prison time."
Stomping away, Lucky decided to find that geek Spinelli and have him do something about this. He could track them through the camera's all over the city for him. Arriving at the house on Spoon Island, he found Carly and Sam shrieking at each other at the top of their lungs.
"What the hell is the problem?" he asked.
"That bitch is helping Jax." said Carly. Walking to the door, she added "Don't think I won't tell Jason."
"Go right ahead, Carly." When the woman had left, Sam asked Lucky "What do you want?"
"To talk to Spinelli." Looking at the geek he said "I want to hire you."
"I would never work for you, you snake in the grass, you adulterer, you knave." said the geek. "I won't take your dirty money that you got for wrecking the love between my lady and I."
"Okay, fine." With that Lucky stormed out, but Nik stopped in the door. Telling him what the others had found, he said "Sounds more like Morgan, just how sure are you about him, Sam?"
"What do you mean?" asked Nik.
"Red Glass, Elizabeth had a piece of red glass in her memory box. He also has the money and the connections to ruin you, Nik. But why would he when he never gave to thoughts to Elizabeth beyond her lies?" asked Lucky while Sam shifted where she stood, she knew that answer but would gain nothing by revealing the truth and could lose her free squat if she opened her mouth.
"Morgan, isn't this sophisticated when it comes to business, these aren't thug tactics more like a master tactician." said Nik.
Lucky left, heading back to shore, knowing he had to track down his son on his own. Stopping in at his Aunt's, hoping to get some information since she had been talking to the man, he got an earful about Maxie instead from her mother.
Felicia only told Bobbie that Mac had asked her to stop in town with Frisco that it involved the girls. "Girls?" asked the red head. "I wonder what is up with Robin?"
"I don't know but Robert and Anna are joining us as well." she replied. "I have a few things to do, including tracking down my daughter."
Johnny saw Maxie sitting on the dock, and walked up. Not saying a word, he waited to see if she would speak to him. "Hey, I need to talk to you."
"If this is about Spinelli..."
"No, see I slept with Lucky the other night. I think I did it on purpose. I wanted to end things, but didn't know how. It was awkward. After we were done, I took a walk, something I haven't done since the day I got my driving permit. I walked home from the Spencer house to mine."
"And I care?" he asked.
With a sad sigh, she said "See when I left the house, I had my week planned. End things with Spinelli, deal with my screwed up head and help Sam win you back. Then what Lucky said hit me and I finally got it around Oak Street. Elizabeth truly wasn't lying to me, Lucky had been. Sam told me that you two slept together and the condom broke; I now know that was not you."
"I said that from the beginning, that I couldn't be the father." he said. "Why do you care?"
"I shouldn't. I mean I never got why I was so upset about Elizabeth being with you, I mean that freed Lucky up to be with me. But he wasn't with me and I didn't care anymore. Sam was sort of my friend, but I know what kind of person she is. So why did I help her?"
"And the answer is?" he asked.
"I don't know. See I talked to Spinelli that night. You don't love Sam, my guess is you never did, not like a certain annoying brunette. Yet you are sleeping with her. You hate yourself don't you?" she asked looking at him.
Seeing his eyes, she said "You do, then why are you doing it and this mess with Carly as well?"
"Sometimes to keep us from chasing after what we want, we need something, a barrier in the way." he said.
With a sad snort, she said "Poor deluded Sam, she thinks it is true love, Spinelli as well."
"Maybe it is for them. Maybe given enough time, they will figure out they are the great love of one another lives." he said.
"Cold, Jason. Even for you." she said while giggling. "I AM sitting here, because I don't know what to do with myself. I mean who am I? I have no idea, not any more. Yet, I don't want to be the old me at but I don't want to lose the good parts."
"Make a list, separate the good from the bad, then work on improving the one and deleting the other." he said. "It's not hard, just time consuming."
Seeing Alexis arriving at the shuttle, Johnny stopped her and said "Spencer is the father of Sam's kid."
"That isn't good news. I would almost prefer Sonny." she said with a sigh. "What is going on, 'Jason'?"
"Nothing." he said.
"Don't mess with me, I get the feeling that you know exactly what is happening in this town." she said.
"Just accept the invitation, you will learn the truth then." he said.
!!*!!
Monica and Audrey had decided to give in to Johnny's suggestion of taking the Amtrak, the boys were loving it and they wouldn't arrive in PC before the rest of them.
Steven entered the car with the boys snacks and found himself mobbed for the strawberry milk. Looking out the window he said "We should be in California by now."
"I wonder if they are on the boat to this Island?" said Monica.
Jason and Elizabeth were walking over the wooden footbridge, then past the library before arriving at the music store named for Ben Franklin. Following the trail, they saw the cemetery then the small hotel with fifty rooms each one decorated by state.
"Okay, what is next?" she asked.
"Chinese restaurant." he pointed out.
"What about the waterfall, down there." she said.
"And that would be the dam." He said. Taking out the binoculars, he saw the Island in the distance. "Take a look."
Elizabeth said, "Well now we know why it is called Bird Island. We have to go get everyone."
"We can't do anything until night time." he reminded her. "Lets stop at that coffee shop back by the Music store."
With a smile she said "Okay, do you think we can call and check on the boys?"
"Sure, I was surprised you hadn't done so already." he said as they retraced their steps.
Just outside of the shop, Elizabeth said with a grin. "My phone is in Port Charles and I am sure they turned it off since dead people don't make phone calls."
Startled, Jason then got she was teasing. Pulling out his phone, he said "Press One."
As they took turns holding the phone to their ears talking to the boys and Audrey, they never saw the waitresses talking and money passing hands. Finally the older one came over and said "Settle a bet for us. Married with children or not?"
Before Jason could answer, Elizabeth grinned then said "With, two boys. They are on a trip with both of their grandmothers."
Jason felt his heart clench in awe of that being true, then said "We had better head back."
After paying off her friend, the blond sighed. Too bad her husband didn't look at her like that.
!!*!!
Jeff made a point of meeting with Diane and Alexis, then informed them that if Lucky pushes things, he is going to press to have him committed.
"Jeff, Lucky isn't crazy, greedy, selfish and a moron, yes. But those aren't reasons to lock someone up, otherwise you would have to lock up most of the town."
"No, but his previous brain damage added to his drug addiction might be." he said. "He has a family history of mental instability as well."
"Yes, but he can claim Laura's past was behind her..."
"No, Miss Davis, try we can go back all the way to her biological father. See Laura was my brother's step daughter, Lesley knows that I am aware of the truth. Her entire family line is suspect."
Taking the offered file, Alexis grimaced at what she read. "Crap, I have to tell Nik about this, if you would let me."
"I won't." he said. "Your nephew is an SOB, Dr. Winters and I talked yesterday. Turns out she told him she suspected Elizabeth was suffering from PTSD, as a result of everything that had happened in the last few years. Instead of getting his friend help, he initiated an affair, knowing she was spinning out of control."
"You must be wrong, Nik would never..." Alexis thought about Johnny O'Brien and that the real Jason was out there, and more than likely furious. "Oh my god, he did. He took advantage..."
Seeing her shock, Jeff handed her a bottle of water from the shelf behind him. "Yes, he did. Dr. Winters warned him, wanting to prevent Elizabeth from marrying Lucky while she was sick, your nephew knew that hyper-sexual activity and lack of normal actions were part of the symptoms. He put himself into her life, I have no proof, but I would bet that some part of it involved pushing Lucky knowing Elizabeth would panic and do something to ruin things."
"Ruin things?" asked Diane.
"My daughter had a hard time saying no to Spencer out of guilt for the past, her sense of obligation to him. With the way her mind was working an affair with his brother was a way of breaking this so called permanent lock."
Alexis felt her hands tremble, if Jason was angry about Elizabeth's death... then had gone after Nik, what would the real Jason do to Sam. She finally got what was going to be happening at the Metrocourt.
Recalling that Carly was his co-host, she couldn't help thinking back to her visit to Johnny. "OH MY GOD."
Diane got it, she had been there through most of it, she knew that Jason had loved Elizabeth with everything in him. "Scorched earth policy."
"Yes." was all Jeff said. "Now, I am just here to make sure things go smoothly. Alexis, I understand you know that Sam is your daughter, that you ran tests."
"She is a Cassadine." she said with a sigh.
"But she isn't yours." he said silkily. "Try your cousin Stefan's."
Her head came up, shocked. "But-"
"Yup. She isn't yours. Those oh so secret tests, weren't so secret. We have proof that Damien Spinelli altered the tests, giving Sam what he thinks she wants. The same thing he did with the fake tests on file in regards to Jake."
Diane closed her eyes, knowing that Alexis wasn't going to take this well. "And my real child?"
"I don't have a clue, I only know about the woman who thinks she is your child." he said shrugging his shoulders. "This Spinelli has a lot to answer for. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go and rent an apartment."
"I thought you weren't staying in town?" asked Diane. She had been admiring the handsome middle-aged man and had asked.
"I'm not, my son is though." he replied. "Miss Davis, good luck with your younger daughters, but a word of advice, never take them for granted."
Getting the underlying message, Alexis went home and asked the girls if they were ready to pick out a Christmas tree?
"Can we cut one down today?" asked an excited Molly.
"Uh, I think we need someone with a saw." she said regretfully. Then thinking on it, made a call. "Detective Harper, I know you are looking for ways to earn a little extra money for the holidays. I don't suppose you own a saw and are free this afternoon?"
When she nodded, both of her excited girls rushed off to get dressed in appropriate warm weather gear. Hearing a knock on her door, she saw Nik and Sam waiting. "Make it quick, we are going to get our tree."
"Maybe Spencer could go with you." suggested Nik.
"No, this is just the Davis women. What can I do for the two of you?"
Explaining their theory, they never saw Alexis tense then pretend to relax. "Wrong, I hate to say it, but Nik is right. As for Elizabeth's family, you couldn't be further from the truth, Sam."
"How would you know. Elizabeth had red glass." she stated.
"Yes, but do you really think that the Webber's would name a company after glass that Jason Morgan gave her. From what I recall, he bought it in Italy. This was when he left the second time. I can still recall how they greeted each other the day he returned. It was beautiful to see young love reunited." She said wistfully, but knowing the affect it would have on both of them.
Sam snapped her jaw tight to keep from making a response but Nik said "That was right before he took up with his sister-in-law, Courtney, so how love could they have been."
Alexis never heard the sound of the footsteps, but was amazed to hear Tracy Quartermaine snap. "We you should know, didn't you take up with the same blond while claiming to love my niece or was your love for Emily a lie too?"
Nik glared at the woman, then said "What are you doing here?"
"I needed to speak to your Aunt on a legal matter." she said haughtily. "So you need to leave."
When the two had left, Sam and Nik were both pissed, but Nik was getting the idea that maybe Morgan had someone advising him on how to take down his company. Someone like Edward or Jax. Deciding to pay a visit to both men, he told Sam he was sure his Aunt was right.
"Oh please, my mother hasn't been right in anything for a very long time." she said heading back to the Island.
"Tracy, I am busy." she said.
"Good, because I lied. I just came to give you a message. Monica needs you to call her, immediately. And a word of the local gossip. Your daughter, Spinelli, Nik, Lucky and Jason Morgan were banned from Jake's today. Do you know why?"
"I have my suspicions." she said with a sigh. "Look, we are going to get our tree, so if you will excuse us."
The two girls came down the stairs as the truck pulled up. Seeing David Harper, they asked if he was coming with them. "Yes, while I would trust your mother with any legal brief I needed, the idea of her in the woods with a saw, is scary."
Meanwhile, Cameron was getting restless so Monica proposed they get off the train for the day in Salt Lake City. After a visit to the Hogle Zoo and the Museum of Natural History with a visit to McDonalds in between, they were soon back on the train.
Monica had been looking forward to creating memories with the boys, and this was turning out better than she expected. She couldn't wait until they were older and she could take them to the bigger zoo's and to the various spots she had taken her own boys.
Audrey just enjoyed the time, with Steven there to chase after the boys, and Monica to help keep up with them, it hadn't tired her out like it normally would have. When they had picked up reminders of their day in the city, she had been happy when without prompting, Cam had suggested getting Jason souvenirs along with Elizabeth.
Once back on the train, Monica took Cam to the day car while Audrey got Jake to lie down for a name. "Monica, are you our grandma too?"
Not sure how to answer, she asked why he wanted to know. When he repeated his version of the conversation between Jason and Elizabeth, she made plans to call the couple only to reach their voice mail. When they had talked earlier, she knew they were heading out but had hoped to reach them first.
"Tomorrow, we will talk to your parents, but yes, I am your grandma too."
"Good, now can I tell Jake?" he asked excitedly.
"Let's let your little brother sleep. But for now, why don't you tell me all about what you want for Christmas." she said "In fact, why don't we write a letter to Santa."
"Okay." he said then sat down next to her. As she spelled out the words for him, she couldn't help ruffling his hair when he looked up at her and grinned.
!!*!!
Johnny sat quietly on the boat as they slowly floated out to the Island. His mind couldn't get over his conversation with Olivia and then Lulu. The first had been short and final. He was glad, he had been looking for something, anything to hold onto after realizing his mistake with Lulu and Olivia had been great for that.
He had offered his condolences on Dante, feeling awkward about the whole thing. She had just cried, then said. "Sonny killed his own son, I just don't... the world you and he inhabit, I stayed away for so long. This was my fault. I should have told my son years ago who his father was. But I was scared of Sonny. I guess I was right to be. Who I was in Port Charles, that wasn't the real me. And I am sorry I dragged you into it."
With a sad laugh, he said "I get that, trust me this time away, pointed out a few things for me. I was searching for something I tossed away years ago. You, though, you might not believe it, were good for me. It made me face a few things about myself."
"Care to share?" she asked sitting down next to Kate and resting her head on the back of the sofa.
"That I do deserve to be happy. I think I can finally find peace."
"What about that girl, the one you talked about." she asked.
"No, she is living a happy life someplace. Besides, I never knew her name or even what she looked like. She could sit down next to me and I would never know her. That's good, though."
"Why?" she asked. "My one regret, is that Dante never found true love. Never had the chance. You have to know of a way to chase her down, don't give it up."
"I am going to move on." he said watching Jason and Elizabeth entering the restaurant. "I have an idea of what I am looking for, now I just have to find the girl."
"Good luck." she said then hung up. Turning to Kate, she said "It's time to move on. So where are we going?"
"I was thinking Paris." she said. "You can run my offices there. We only have to return for the lawsuit you brought."
As his mind skipped to around, Johnny winced thinking about his quick call to Lulu. He had wanted to believe that his past with her hadn't been based on lies, that she wasn't that way. But instead during that quick call, he had mentioned something that made him realize Elizabeth was right about her.
"What are you thinking on so hard?" asked AJ. "Are you worried about what is on the Island?"
"No, just. I talked to Olivia, the woman I mentioned earlier, then to Lulu. I guess..." he trailed off.
"You wanted to believe she wouldn't lie to you. That she wasn't that kind of person." he said knowingly. "Been there, done that. First with Carly then with Courtney. With Carly I knew she was trouble, I just thought I was sober enough to handle it. With Courtney, I wanted to believe she was the opposite of her brother. Instead she was worse."
"What do you mean?" he asked having known Sonny and heard about his and AJ's contentious relationship.
"Sonny, whatever else I have to say about the man, at least knew work would be involved in getting out of the gutter. He lied, stole and used others, but he did work at it. With Courtney, she wanted to take the easy way. She believed her looks would get her out, they did but then I lost everything and she moved on to the next rich man."
"Your brother." said Johnny.
"Yes, but the only reason that mattered was that Sonny knew that I would be competitive with Jason. For Courtney, it was about how my brother looked, the fact he had power and a girl friend. She liked the idea of making herself feel better by hurting women. What she didn't get until afterwords was that she got Jason's body, but not his mind or soul. They were still wrapped up with Elizabeth."
Looking at the couple standing quietly at the stern of the boat, Johnny said "They are it for each other. It's why they self-destructed without one another."
"You're right. The good thing is that they have finally figured that out, the bad thing is that when we return to Port Charles, there is going to be a firestorm of objections. I only hope they are strong enough to withstand the heat." he said.
Seeing the Island getting closer, Johnny checked the equipment and said "Sensors ahead, we need to travel around to the left."
Wincing at going further out into the ocean, Mac turned the boat that way. "Tell me when."
"Okay, along that inlet." he said looking up at the cliff. "How are we going to get up that?"
"Maybe we should take the cave." said Mac. "Remember what I said about them mining here. That leads to the main house, all of them do. They didn't want anyone using them to steal gold from the mines."
Bundled up, Jason stopped Elizabeth and handed her the gun. "I know you know how to shoot this. Are you sure about having it, after what happened?"
"Jason." She looked at him and knew she had to clarify something. "Shooting and killing the man who got in wasn't what triggered the PTSD, it was the abandonment. Don't you get that, yet?"
"I know, I just... Elizabeth, taking a life isn't easy." he said gently.
"I know." she retorted. "Jase, losing you, was worse. No matter what the cause. Like you said about my dying, I feel the same way about you."
Gingerly pulling her in, Jason kissed her on the lips quickly then retreated. "Okay, let's do this. Mac, do you want to take the lead since you know where you are going."
"He might, but I don't think he should." said Johnny. "I should. Of all of you, I have the least to lose."
"Don't think like that." warned Mac. "We stay together until we get inside. There are only four bedrooms upstairs and two down. A living room, a dining room and a kitchen. There is a study and a laundry but that is all."
Hoisting the medical equipment, AJ nodded at Jason and said "I remember being here. Whoever is here, is on the second floor."
Entering the very quiet house, Elizabeth cringed at every footstep worried about loose floorboards and creaking steps. As they tried each door, they found no one on the first floor and the first door on the second was unlocked.
Jason found the next door to be locked and silently picked the lock. Opening it, he froze at what he saw. His father was lying in the bed, looking sallow. "Elizabeth.
Moving in, she quickly took the medical equipment bag and started to check on him. "AJ, get me out the small defibrillator."
Taking it out, he handed it to her and she said "Now everyone clear."
Shocking her son's grandfather, she was relieved to see he had a pulse again. "Jason, we need to get him to a hospital quick."
"AJ, stay with Elizabeth. Jason, I need you." whispered Mac. "Two more locked doors."
Picking the next lock, Jason and company found no one inside but the clothes were of a young woman. "AJ said the first room was his. That only leaves one room."
Praying he wasn't too late to rescue his daughter, Mac stood impatiently by the door while Jason got it open. Seeing the form on the bed, he thanked god and went over to wake whoever was there only to find pillows and clothes.
"I am going back to Elizabeth and AJ. Johnny, you and Mac search the rooms again. We have to have missed something." snapped Jason. Mac was in shock, he had gotten his hopes up of seeing his little girl again.
Numbly he followed the young Italian as they went down the stairs and searched each room. Johnny sighed when he saw Mac standing at the mantle staring at a picture of the Jacks' family.
Moving by himself to the last room, he entered the laundry and saw there was no place for anyone to hide and started back. He had entered the kitchen and was moving towards the dining room when he felt a gun nozzle being held firmly to his neck.
"Where is your boat?" said the voice.
"What? No thanks for the rescue?" he asked. "Uh, could you put that down before someone, and by someone I mean me get's hurt?"
"Answer the question. See someone is going to die tonight, so if you don't want it to be you, tell me where your boat is?"
"Uh, look. I think you have the wrong idea. I am here to rescue you. My name is John Zachara, I am here with your dad and Jason Morgan."
"I don't think so. See, I know your sister was working with Jerry, that man likes to brag." she said removing the safety from the 9mm and repeating her question.
"Look, let me call out for Morgan, he is here with Elizabeth."
"Do you take me for a fool, I know Elizabeth Webber is dead. Killed in a warehouse explosion. Jerry actually felt bad about it. Seems he likes her." she said "Don't you dare call out, I won't hesitate to shoot."
Trying to find a way out of this without hurting the woman with the gun, Johnny couldn't help smiling a little.
"What is so funny?" she snapped. "You are the one being held at gunpoint."
"I just, your sister or Lulu would be shaking in their boots or calling for help by now. You intrigue me. Why don't you tell me how you ended up here."
Johnny felt the gun lift and was starting to relax until he realized she had a silencer on the weapon and had just shot the front cushion on one of the bar stools. "Next one hits your torso." she said.
Starting to get that she wasn't going to ease up, he said "Look, Georgie, I am telling you the truth. I am here with Morgan."
Jason thought he heard something, looking at Elizabeth and AJ he said "Stay here."
Walking down the stairs, he found Mac transfixed on the picture and went to find Johnny. What he saw would have been amusing if it hadn't been so serious. The younger man's gun was on the ground and he was holding his hands out away from his body while Georgie Jones was holding a gun on him.
Worried that if he startled the young woman, she would shoot Johnny, he backed up and went to get Mac. "Mac, snap out of it. Georgie has Johnny at gun point."
Rapidly blinking as he processed what Jason was saying he said the first thing that popped into his brain. "Where did Georgie get a gun?"
"We can worry about that later, she has already fired one shot."
"Where did she shoot him?" he asked quietly.
"She didn't hit him, just the counter." replied Jason as they moved down the hallway.
"Then she must have been aiming for the counter, Georgie is a pretty good shot." said Mac with pride.
"Can you be proud later, we have to stop her before she kills someone trying to rescue her." snapped Jason.
Upstairs, Elizabeth was checking Alan's pulse again, and gave a sigh of relief. "He is doing fine. But he needs a hospital." she said.
AJ was looking at his watch and said. "We have to head out in an hour so we can return with the tides. I hope Jason remembers that, just keep dad stable until we can get him back to the mainland. What can I do?"
"T-tell, tell me about my grandbaby." said the hoarse sounding man lying on the bed. "Tell me about Jake."
AJ felt the tears in his eyes and saw the same in Elizabeth's. "Where do you want me to start?"
"Well, Emily gave us some information and Georgie more, but what is he doing now?" said the man growing stronger.
"He, uh, Cameron and he are traveling with Monica and Audrey on a trip home." she said not wanting to give too much away in case Jerry had the place bugged.
"What is his favorite thing to eat or does he like cookies like Cameron does?" he got out.
"No, he is more of a chocolate sort of kid." said Elizabeth. "Dr. Quartermaine, where is Emily?"
Seeing the sad expression on his face, Elizabeth found herself losing her best friend yet again when he said "AJ? Jerry was telling the truth, he made you forget, didn't he. Then Georgie and Emily's idea worked. Thank god."
"Dad, Em?" he asked.
"You left to find help. She died two days later. We had nothing we could do for her. The cancer was too strong and too quick." he said.
Elizabeth felt her hands shaking as the guilt for what happened with Nik ate at her. "Don't cry, Elizabeth. Trust me, she wouldn't want that. All her last days were of talking about the great future Jason and you were going to have. She made us promise to tell you not to burden any little girls with her name. She was accepting of death, when she died." said the man in the bed.
AJ turned her head into his shoulder, letting her hide the sobs. He had a good idea what she was feeling and knew that only time would cure this. Time and his brother. "Where is Jason?"
"Your brother is here?" asked Alan. "Tell him to get all of you away. I don't think I am going to make it."
Downstairs, Johnny felt his arms getting tired. "Look, just call out Jason's name or your dads. Please? For me?"
Looking sideways at him, Georgie said "Will you please shut up unless you are going to tell me where your boat is?"
"I'm impressed, polite even when threatening someone. Your dad would be so proud." he said annoyed now.
"I am." said Mac when he saw Georgie's finger wasn't on the trigger.
"Daddy?" she asked standing stunned. Then it seemed to hit her that this was real and the DADDY became a shout as she pushed Johnny out of the way. Falling into the wall, Johnny just shook his head while laughing.
Jason let the reunion continue for a few minutes then said "I am sorry to cut this short, but we have to get moving. Georgie do you know where Jerry is?"
Not leaving the safety of her father, she said "He brought over food for the winter again and the guard."
"Where is the guard?" asked Mac. "We haven't seen anyone."
Looking down at the linoleum flooring, she said "I knocked him out and tied him up. He is in the old barn."
"Why there?" asked Johnny who saw her shiver.
"I don't want to talk about it." she said tensing.
"We need to get back to Alan and Elizabeth." said Mac thinking his daughter might need to be checked out.
Moving back to the small room, Alan looked at Georgie and said "Looks like you won't have to make that boat trip by yourself after all."
Jason saw Elizabeth's tears and AJ's set face and said "What is it?"
"Emily." was all his brother said.
"What about Emily?" he asked. "Is she here?"
"She was. She didn't make it. The cancer came back and without treatment... Jerry took her body away. I saw him put it in the boat." said Georgie wiping away the tears.
Swearing he would make Jerry Jacks pay, Jason started to find a way to get Alan to the boat. "We have a portable stretcher."
Alan grumbled that he could walk out on his own steam only for Elizabeth to point out she was in charge of his medical care and he would do what she said. "Bossy boots." he complained while sighing as they bundled him up.
Johnny pulled Georgie off to the side and said "Where is this barn?"
Giving him directions, she went to get into the warm clothes that Elizabeth offered her. "I guessed on the sizes."
Putting them on, joyous at the idea of getting away, she laughed when she returned at how loose the outfit was. "Did you think I was fat?"
"No, but I had a limited choice." said Elizabeth as they packed up the medical supplies.
As they slowly made their escape, Johnny returned and nodded at Mac. About ten miles away, they all turned as the Island exploded.
"The man in the barn?" asked Mac.
"Dead. And not by Georgie." he said. He had seen what the guard had intended and had no feelings of guilt about killing the would be rapist.
Once in town, Alan refused to let them have him admitted, pointing out that a local hospital was the first place Jerry would look. "What do I need to get?" Jason asked Elizabeth.
Giving him a list, he quickly went to gather the items while the others moved to the small airport. Strapping themselves in, Jason returned with the equipment and the well paid bush pilot took off to Juneau.
!!*!!
As they transferred to a taxi in Chicago, Monica felt her phone buzz. Reading the text message, she closed her eyes in gratitude. "They are safe. Will meet us in two day in Port Charles.
"Good, we should arrive just before they do." said Steven as they went to the hotel so the boys could have another day of freedom before catching their next train to Syracuse.
"Did they say who they found?" asked Steven.
"No, they just said they would meet us at the hospital." she replied.
Back in Port Charles, things were starting to unravel. Jax had gotten the photos of Jason with Carly and had called Carly over. Tossing copies down, he said "Sigh off on custody or these go public."
Calmly and coolly, she said "Do you really think that Jason will allow you to do this. I don't think so. So enjoy your victory. Next Monday, my children will be home with me."
"Here, take a copy, keep them for your scrapbook." he said. Then once she was gone, he listened to the audio on the television again. He didn't know what was going on, but he did know one thing. Whoever that was, it wasn't Jason Morgan.
"Mr. Jacks. Your mother is on line one." said his assistant. "and Miss Jones is here wanting a word with you."
"Tell her to have Kate contact me directly." he said then went to talk to his mother. "Lady Jane, what is it?"
"There was an explosion on Bird Island, the police said it leveled the place. Jerry has been spending time there and I can't locate him on his phone. What is going on Jasper?"
Shocked, he said "I will have someone track down Jerry."
"No, please. I need you to find your brother, he would do it for you." she said sobbing.
"I can't." he relied. "I have Morgan and Jocelyn to take care of. Mother, for once I have to take care of my own stuff before heading off to save my brother."
Hanging up in tears, convinced her eldest was dead, Jane realized that Jasper wasn't going to be the one to help his big brother. Thinking on the phone Jerry had left there, he went to call the woman he said was his girlfriend.
"Hello." was the reply.
"Miss, you don't know me, but I am Jerry's mother. He told me you two were seeing each other, I need you help. I think he is dead."
Sam was doing a happy dance on the other end, but played the sympathetic girlfriend. As soon as she had gotten the old lady off the phone, she called Spinelli and said "Put it all on Jerry, he is dead."
"Are you sure Goddess?" he replied looking at the file he had acquired on Elizabeth Webber and her family. He regretted not doing so before as he got that things weren't as he had thought.
"Yes, he is dead. We can come out of hiding. I have to track down, Jason." she said excited. "WAIT! Isn't tonight the party at the Metrocourt. Get dressed, we can see him there."
Carly was soon in her gown and left a message for Michael. "When you get this, come to the hotel, I have good news."
Meeting Jason at the entrance, she couldn't help feeling he was acting a little distant but put that down to how much he loathed parties.
Johnny saw that everyone on his list had come including Robin Scorpio and her husband who were going to be playing a very big part in his plan.
The police commissioner swore and said "Are you sure?"
"Yes. The only prisoner missing is Sonny Corinthos." replied the warden. "It was a set up. Do you think he will show up in town or head out right away?"
The Commissioner didn't know, but did want to have his men blanket the party at the Metrocourt. There was always a chance that Corinthos was as dumb as he thought the man was.
The two men got into the vehicle and Sonny quickly got out of the orange jumpsuit. Driving away, he asked Michael to check the glove box. Seeing the money, he gave a quiet chuckle. So far his partner hadn't betrayed him. All he had wanted in exchange for Sonny's freedom was Sam McCall and his former partner dead.
Looking sideways, he saw Michael dressed in the tuxedo and said "Did you find the gun?"
"Yes, are you sure that you trust me with this? I just can't believe Jason would betray you." Michael just didn't believe that his uncle would go that far.
"I told you, he is angry about Elizabeth's death. Mainly because it means his son is gone. He could care less about her, but he wanted Jake. Why do you think he started to abandon you?"
Michael felt his teeth gritting. Feeling his phone buzz again, he listened to his mother's message. "Uncle Jason is at this party Mom is throwing, I will get him off to the balcony and take care of things."
"Just do what I told you. Then meet me at my old strip club." he said not planning on being there.
Michael entered the party and saw his mother arguing with Sam McCall. Shaking his head in embarrassment, he saw several guests including his grandmother looking at him.
Sneering, he walked to the edges, certain he would find Uncle Jason there. Instead he overheard Jax talking to Nik Cassadine. "I still think it was Jason."
"No, I mean, maybe your Island in revenge for Jerry, but he doesn't have the ability to take out my company like that."
Not caring, he quickly moved past them to see Lucky confronting an older man about Jake. "Where is my son?"
"Don't you mean Morgan's son? Jake is safe, why don't you do some soul searching and find out what it is you want in life. If you don't, I am going to have the police arrest you." said Jeff.
In one day his family was going to be coming home to this mess and all Jeff could do is mark time like requested. Seeing Jason talking to Alexis Davis, he moved back inside going to find the nurse who seemed to have been friends with his daughter.
"This is Robin and Patrick Drake." said Epiphany.
"Noah's son?" asked Jeff. "Did you follow your father into brain surgery?"
Meanwhile, Sam had slipped past an irate Carly and saw Jason sliding out onto the balcony. Following, she had to skirt several drunk male guests who were interested in the exposed wares.
Finally arriving onto the stone balcony thanks to Spinelli blundering around in front of her, she stopped several feet away when she saw Jason talking to her mother.
Whatever the discussion, it seemed intense to both Spinelli and her, as they smiled thinking he was finally coming to his senses.
Johnny leaned in and said "No, I know nothing about an island exploding, but Alexis, Sonny escaped today. I was a bit busy."
"Please tell me your new partner didn't help with that?" she asked annoyed.
"No, he wants him locked up." he replied unknowingly confirming to Michael the story his father told him. He had hoped to talk to his Uncle, sure that something had to be wrong. Instead he went back inside making plans for his escape for later.
"When this wraps up, what is next for you?" she asked. "I miss my friend."
With a soft chuckle, Johnny said "Well, you did say you were attracted to the real me. Maybe I should go back to that, but first."
Leaning in he kissed her, only to find she hadn't reacted. "Uh, lips moving, helps."
"You were sleeping with my daughter." she whispered then had a thought. "Wait, that's right, you weren't. But this is only for old time's sake. I am not inter--"
The second kiss caused Sam to screech to the heavens and pass out into Spinelli's waiting arms. As she hit the deck since he couldn't hold her, the geek shouted for help.
In the confusion, Jason moved inside worried that his plan was shot, only to see Michael standing there holding a gun on him.
"You lied." he told the man who had raised him for the first year of his life. "You said I would always come first. Then you betrayed me, you betrayed my dad."
"Kid, I never promised you a thing, as for your dad, I never did anything to AJ. Sonny on the other hand, got everything he deserved. I want to be there when the bullet hits his heart or the chemicals from the lethal injection kill him. I don't care which happens first."
"Why? Uncle Jason, he gave you everything."Carly had just come from the ladies room when she saw Michael holding a gun on Jason.
"Everything? He took away everything that Jason ever wanted. He has been jealous of Jason for years. You, you are a pathetic little boy playing at what you think is life. This--" he said with open arms and spinning around. "This isn't life. This party, the money, the power, they aren't what is important at the end of the day."
"You don't know what you are talking about, with money and power you can buy anything you want." retorted the young blond.
"No, you can't. Money can't buy you a smile from the woman you love after she has just given birth to your child. It can't buy you watching that child's first steps. It can't buy you a beautiful sunset with your family." he said. "The twisted values that your parents gave you, they are nothing but an illusion. Even your mother knows that, as moronic as she is. That is why she hates Elizabeth Webber so bad."
"No, she hated Elizabeth for stealing you away from us." he said.
"Elizabeth didn't steal anything. She didn't have to, it has been hers all along." he replied. "And your mother knows it. It is why she was so desperate to ruin things, because Elizabeth was born with natural beauty that outshines the stars, an innate sense of class and most importantly a loving heart where your mother has a cash register."
"No!" shouted Carly.
Johnny looked at her with scorn and said "Yes, and you know it. You, you are an easy lay. You just have the sense to do it with rich men. Like Jax, like Sonny and like Jason."
"Stop talking about yourself in the second person." snapped Michael as his hand began to waver.
"Certainly, Master Quartermaine. You should know, Sonny isn't at the strip club where you left him. He is on a jet heading out of town. But he won't arrive at his destination. Instead he is going to land someplace a little closer, on a base filled with Marines. He is going to disappear legally." said Johnny.
"NO! You are lying!" he said while Carly stood there froze. The whole of the Port Charles police department rushed in just as the boy fired his weapon.
Johnny looked down at his chest and the claret color spreading out and then up at the blond who fired at him. "I was right, you are a killer."
Carly saw the bullets hit, and pushing her son out of the way, screamed for help as she tried to stop the bleeding. When Patrick and Jeff Webber, got there, they did their best and soon had the man on the way to the hospital with Bobbie holding back a screaming Carly.
Michael just stared, he had done it. He had shot someone. Turning to his mother, he said "I'm sorry, but he was lying. Dad wouldn't abandon me that way. He just wouldn't."
The huge crowd stood there stunned, when Carly walked over to her first born, her favored son and spit in his face. "You are dead to me."
Bobbie let her go, she had seen the empty look in Micheal's face and knew that something had broken in that little boy. "Carly, you don't mean that."
"Yes, I do. He is just like his father, just like AJ. Jason is the one person in this world that I love. He is the person who I would die for, yet Michael shot him. He shot the man has never abandoned me. He is no better than AJ."
Alexis had seen the whole thing and went to the new commissioner and said "I am riding with my client."
Carly gave a bitter laugh. "He can't afford you. He is broke."
"Carly, you are a piece of work. I will take care of things." said Jax looking at his soon to be ex-wife. "You know, I expect you to put Jason before Morgan and our daughter, before me, but the one person I always thought came first was Michael. Now I know even he is expendable to this great love you think you share with Jason. Look at your son, he is the way he is because of you, you created this. And like usual it will be others who clean up your mess. Get out of here, I can't stand the sight of you."
Alexis called Diane and gave her a quick rundown, the red head told her she would see her at the station then made a quick untraceable overseas call. "Max, what you said. It happened."
Bowing his head, Max said "They screwed him up good, didn't they?"
"Did you talk to your father?" she asked.
"He agreed no retaliation for the attempted hit once I explained." Max didn't tell her that in exchange he had agreed to marry a local girl and start a family. Diane and he had ended, but he still would miss her.
"I have to go." she said knowing it would be the last time she talked to him.
"Take care of him. He is going to need you." said Max who then hung up and left a voice message on another phone.
Jerry left the airport and changed out of his overalls. The plane took off and ten minutes later the vapor trail stopped as pieces of jet started to fall out of the sky. "Good riddance, Corinthos."
TBC