Chapter Thirteen

"She has Jake. He is alive and with Helena in Ireland." Stunned silence greeted Nik's blunt outburst.

"What the hell! Are you absolutely positive that it is Elizabeth's son? That Jake is alive?" Johnny demanded as his mind whirled frantically at the information that he had just been given.

Nik nodded solemnly. "Yes, we are. One of the guards that she has was willing to talk for money. Her and Lucky faked the whole thing. They wanted Liz and Jason's bond broken so that she would need him. When that fell through, they decided to raise the boy to hate her."

Silence was thick around the table as Johnny processed the information. "Zander, was Lucky's body ever found? Does Helena know that he is dead?"

"I don't know if she knows for sure, but no body was or will be found," Zander vowed without a shred of doubt. "I took care of him just like Francis told me to."

"She has to suspect thought," Nik added quietly. "One thing she is besides evil is smart. I think it is why she is laying low right now."

"We have to get him him home and to Liz."

"No shit, Francis! I know that. I am trying to think of who will be going and who will stay here."

Francis nodded, knowing that Johnny had a lot to think about. "Are we telling Lizbits?"

Running a hand over his face, Johnny nodded. "We have to. There are no secrets between us."

"But what if something goes wrong? Can she handle losing him all over again?" Nik protested, worried about her mental health.

"I will not keep this from her. She has been lied to over and over again. I won't add to that, Nik." He turned toward Francis. "Do you have eyes on them right now?"

"Of course!"

"Get Zacchara over here. We are going to need him. Also Jerry. We are going to have to decide who is going on the rescue mission and who is staying. I hate to say it, but we also need to talk to Morgan. His resources could be a huge help added to ours and he is Jake's biological father even he was a worthless one." Quickly thinking through his options, Johnny sighed. "We can't waste time. Zander, you get in touch with Jerry and John. Francis, go see if you can find Jason. I am going to wake Liz."

Thirty minutes later everyone was sitting in the living room while Elizabeth stared at the solemn group. She looked over at Johnny and caught his eye. "What is going on? Why is Jason here?"

"I'd like to know that myself." Years in the business had taught Jason to read situations well and he knew that everyone of the men standing in the small living room was boarding on anxiousness and worry. He was also not so thrilled to be in the room with the people that he thought was hitting his organization hard.

Clasping her small hands into his larger ones, Johnny took a deep breath. He knew that he was going to shock them. "Nik came across some information that we have to deal with immediately. We had Jason come over because it concerns him too."

"Is it about Lorenzo?" she asked sadly with tears welling.

Jason looked up sharply at that. Why would she be asking about a man that had been dead for years.

"No," Francis rushed to assure her, hoping to keep that bit of information quiet for right now and until Johnny wanted it revealed.

"Um, it is actually about Helena. We tracked her to Ireland."

Elizabeth's confused eyes sought his. "Just tell me, Johnny. How could Helena being in Ireland have anything to do with me?"

"She was spotted and we had men investigating," Johnny stated slowly, watching her carefully. "She has a child with her that was recognized. It's Jake."

She jumped up from the couch and stared at him wide eyed while Jason stood motionless, shocked at hearing that.

"Her and Lucky faked his death. One of my men got confirmation that is Jake," Nik added sadly.

"Why would she do this? Are you sure? You have to get him, Johnny! I want my baby!" she screamed, falling against his chest as sobs tore from her.

"We will, I promise you. Jake will be coming home." Looking up at Jason, he noticed the happiness that was waring with rage in his normally flat eyes. "We are going to need to pull together our resources. We have to move before the bitch gets word that we are coming."

Looking over at a weeping Elizabeth, Jason nodded. "I will do anything to bring him home."

"I need to go too," she whispered to Johnny. "He will be scared and will need me."

"Elizabeth, you have to stay here. Cam needs you and this will be very dangerous." Holding up a hand, Johnny shook his hand. "I promise that I will get Jake back, but you have to trust me. You, Em, Cam, John, Zander, and Francis will be staying here with the other guards on the house. I am taking Nik, Jason, and Jerry. I have some men from the Zacchara and Alcazar holdings meeting me when we land. It is going to be a fast move in and rescue mission."

"But he will be scared. He doesn't know you guys," she protested.

"He knows Nik and is comfortable with him. Helena will not go easily, you know that. I can't have you in her grasp."

"Jake will be home soon, Liz. I promise," Jason offered softly, thanking God that his son was alive.

Her head jerked in his direction and fiery eyes glared at him. "Why do you care, Jason? You left him! You chose to not to be a parent to our son! Why the hell do you care now?"

Grabbing her softly and shooting Jason a lethal glare as he started over, Johnny shook his head. "Shh, I know that you are upset and worried, but Cam is upstairs. You need to stop, Liz. We need Jason's help. The more we have the better."

Deflating and nodding, she wrapped her arms around Johnny. "When are you leaving?"

"The jet is ready now. I called before I woke you up. You have to stay here, Liz. With so many of us going, I don't want to take any chances. If you do leave, you have to have John, Francis, and Zander with you at all times." He turned toward Jason. "Can you get away? We can't wait."

"I'll make calls on the way to the airport." Jason looked over and watched as Johnny handed a weeping Elizabeth off to John as she clung to him.

"Please, bring Jake back, Johnny! I need him!"

Cupping her face with his hands, he leaned in and caught her eye. "I promise, baby, he is coming back with us. Nothing will stop that." Turning to the group of men waiting to go, he nodded. "Let's go get in the air."

Holding a weeping Elizabeth, John watched them go and prayed that it was not a trap or trick. "It will be ok, Liz. Jason and O'Brien will get your boy home," he whispered as she collapsed against his chest while sobbing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jason stared out of the window of the jet and tried to think clearly. His emotions were on overload and it was taking everything in in him to sit still. Looking up as Johnny sat across from him, he scowled. "How did all of us miss this?"

"No one expected it. She was working with Lucky. It was a complete shock when they told me tonight. Jason, we have to put aside our differences right now. Jake is more important right now."

Irritated, Jason pinched his nose and glared. "I didn't attack you!"

"No, but you left Elizabeth unprotected several times throughout the years!" Johnny shot back. "You let Sam get by with all her shit and you never stood up for Liz. You left your son unprotected, Jason. None of us are saints, but you were the worst. I left because you tried to kill me and thought that you had! John left because you threatened to kill him if he didn't go. You took all her support away and left her vulnerable after you got what you wanted."

"She couldn't handle the life, Johnny! She is too good for it!"

"Bullshit, Jason! Elizabeth is the daughter of a mob boss and given up for adoption. Thank God that he had people watching her and keeping him updated. Without Jerry running interference to keep her safe, she might be dead already! Elizabeth is a survivor, Jason! She made it through your shit and Sam's. She lived through Lucky! She lived through thinking that John was dead, another freaking person connected to the business that you think she was too weak for. Jesus, she has two children that are heirs to organizations! Why do you insist that she is a fragile piece of glass that will shatter!"

Remembering his confusion over the Alcazar men that were waiting at the airport, Jason brain clicked. "She is the Alcazar daughter that no one knew where they were? Did she know?"

Smirking, he shook his head, amused at the shock of the other man. "She didn't know until I told her tonight. Lorenzo left everything to me to run, his only stipulation was that I protect and provide support for her and any children that she has. I am also controlling the Zacchara's business interests too. John wanted out. And Elizabeth is holding strong through all this hell." With a nasty smile, he chuckled. "With all that you know now, it's almost like she is the one that is destined for life instead of you. She was born into it and cannot escape no matter we all tried to help her do just that."

"I still care about her, O'Brien. That has never changed. And I do love my son."

"You have a really funny way of showing it, Jason. You raised Michael for a year, went to jail to help protect him. You never cut your ties from him or any of Sonny's children or Emma Drake. You and Sam may be having a baby. Why could you do all that and walk away from Jake?"

Struggling with the words, Jason sighed. "I thought that they would be better off."

Johnny snorted. "With a drug addict, abusive husband? Give me a break. Did you know that Jerry use to sneak in their house when Lucky was using to make sure that he was not hurting her. He shoved while pregnant and stalked her after they divorced. If you loved her, you would have known that."

Walking up to the two men that looked ready to shoot each other, Nik cleared his throat. "Jax just called Jerry. Shit is happening in Port Charles. I am worried."

"What? We just left two hours ago!"

Flinching under Johnny's ferocious temper, Nik took a step back. "Sam escaped. They are looking for her, but so far no trace has been found."

"Shit! Call Francis and tell him to move everyone to the safe house that we had Lorenzo at. If that bitch comes near Liz, Cam, or Emily, tell him to take her out."

"O'Brien, just tell them to contain her until we get back. She might be having my baby." Jason stopped and met the unbelieving stare of both men. "I agree that she needs to be taken out, but if that baby is mine, I want it."

"Too freaking bad," Johnny snapped. "She comes near those that we are keeping safe, she dies. You better hope and pray that the slut stays away if you are so concerned."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John leaned down and lightly shook Elizabeth. After she had cried herself to sleep, he had carried her upstairs and put her in her room. "Liz, baby, wake up."

Wiping her eyes, she looked up and noticed the tension that he was rolling of him in waves. "What is it? Have you heard anything from Johnny and the guys about Jake?"

"Not yet. They are still in the air. You need to get up. We have to leave."

Confused, she sat up and shook her head. "Why?"

"Elizabeth, sweetie, we have to go. Emily is getting ready now and packing up her and Cam some stuff. We need to move to a more secure location." When she still hesitated, John gently grabbed her arm and looked into her face. "We are in danger here. If you ever trusted me, you have to move quickly. Change and pack a small bag. I will get Cameron."

Nodding but still not understanding, Elizabeth rushed to change after he left to get Cam. She was just throwing a bag together when Emily rushed in looking as lost as she was. "What is going on, Em? John won't really tell me anything."

"I'm not sure, but Zander is anxious too. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I just need to get Cam from John and we are all set."

The two young woman started down the steps when the night was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Immediately fear ripped through Elizabeth's chest and Emily clutched her arm tightly. Francis appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Get back up there! Go to John. He is still up there." When Elizabeth hesitated, Francis gave her small smile. "Go, Lizbits! Now!"

Turning to run after Emily, she heard another round of fire much closer and Francis' muffled groan of pain. When she started to go back to her friend, John grabbed her roughly around the waist and jerked her against him as he took off toward the room where Emily and Cam were waiting.

"No! Francis! He is hurt!"

Holding her tightly so she couldn't run back into the fray, John started to pray that the men Jax was suppose be sending got here soon.