Author's Note: So for those who are confused we're still within the first 48 hours after Carly's bombshell led to the aborted wedding. We're still in PC(as well as an undisclosed foreign locale) for this-although if you read my SOLE Claudia/Nik fic-teehee-you may have surmised a connection! Next chapter, we'll head back to LA to see how Carly's adjusting to LaLaLand... or more like how the inhabitants of LaLaLand are adjusting to the newest Spencers on the block... hmmm... Bill's last name is Spencer... you don't think...? Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

To MK, I agree! I LOVE me some Brooke Davis!

To Running-Wild22, HEY! I love my SJB more than I love GH! So when she brought Claudia to town like a MUCH-needed flame I was ALL for it.. As for her part in Michael's... mishap, well if you read my Naudia fic you'll see that's not a problem here!

I love ALL of my fellow Jarly fans! You ALL rock my world!

OXOXO,
Toni

Chapter 11: Plans Are In The Works to Remove Corrupt Officials

Nikolas Cassadine paced as he waited for the call verifying the courier had done their job.

"You need to relax, Nikky," she sighed from where she lay on her stomach with her legs swinging, knees bent, wearing one of his shirts and nothing else.

"We need his help to finish this, Claudia," he said urgently. "Only he and Damian Spinelli can help us with this now. If we get Jason's assistance, then young Damian's is assured."

"Nikky, if you don't calm down, you'll give yourself a heart attack, and we'll still be missing an important piece of this plan," she told him letting her feet swinging back and forth hoping to distract him. "If we can't get Jason and Spinelli, we'll come up with a plan B."

When he turned his head and simply raised an eyebrow in response, she rolled her eyes and nodded. "Ok, so I don't quite know what that plan would entail just yet," she tossed back with a touch of indignation, "but all of my other plans have been incredibly successful so whatever happens you already know the B in Plan B will stand for Brilliant."

"Oh, really," he drawled with humor. "I thought it would stand for Bungled like the hit on Corinthos or Back-up at best."

She stuck her tongue out and threw a pillow at him, which he caught while chuckling in amusement. "I'll have you know that was a perfectly good plan," she retorted, getting another raised eyebrow. "Ok, so maybe I was a little overly emotional during the planning stage and misjudged the players, but overall, in theory, that was a very good plan. The issues were ALL in the execution, which was NOT fault and we now know why."

Noting her tells, it became clear the she was equally unnerved, and it had a strangely calming effect on him. He nodded and moved to the window. Seeing Emily playing tag on the beach with Spencer as a smiling Alan watched on, .brought back memories of the day his whole world had turned on its head.

It was on that day that he learned his son might not be his son at all, and that the woman he had believed he loved more than any other might be gone, but Emily was not dead. Nor was her father. And, possibly, at least one other might have survived the supposed Text Message Killer. A few phone calls from a ghost, and nothing was what he'd believed it to be. He could still remember feel her breath on his neck as she whispered, "Mr. Cassadine." He'd believed that shiver had been caused by her proximity, but looking back, it had held a certain foreboding.

"Alan! EMILY!" he'd gasped.

"Surprise!" Claudia had drawled derisively.

Alan had lain back obviously exhausted against the seat, while Emily's eyes had darted back and forth from Claudia to him nervously. Spencer slid closer to taking his hands as his eyes bugged in shock. With his son's reaction jolting him from his own shock, he swallowed the questions he had been on the verge of unleashing. Instead, he turned to a very circumspect Claudia, his brow lifted in question.

She nodded, and began to speak, "Spencer, you remember Ms. Emily, right?"

When the boy nodded nervously after looking to his father for reassurance, she continued carefully, "well, she had an accident, and it made her forget almost everything except the things that happened before she met your daddy."

She looked up from Spencer's gaze and met Nikolas's eyes meaningfully, and realization hit him. Helena had performed some kind of procedure to erase him from her memory.

When Claudia's attention returned to Spencer, his followed, as he feared his reaction to looking into Emily's eyes as seeing the teenager he'd first met and not the woman that he had followed completely in love with. His little boy was frowning in confusion. "That means she's forgotten me, too, huh?"

Claudia gave him a gentle smile before nodding sadly, "Unfortunately honey, so let me introduce you ok?" at his nod, her smile brightened and she began introductions. "Now, Spencer, you remember Ms. Emily, but Emily, this is Spencer Stefan Nikolayovich Cassadine."

Nikolas felt his head snap back up to look at Claudia in surprise. She smirked and mouthed over Spencer's head one word that answered his question easily: Helena.

"Hello, Spencer," Emily replied softly with a nervous smile. "I'm so happy to finally meet you. You know I have a nephew named Michael, who is probably a few years older than you by now." Then she frowned.

"Do you mean Ms. Carly's big son? You remember him?" he asked in a heartbreaking combination of awe and disappointment.

"Kinda," she admitted with a sigh. "Can I tell you a secret?"

He nodded vigorously eyes wide.

"Sometimes, I get little flashes of memory, like I remember carrying you to see the boats or to feed the horses. I remember going with my brother, Jason, and my nephew, Michael, to docks. But they're all just little flashes and that's all," Emily explained.

Spencer's eyes had gotten EVEN bigger. "Oh."

Nikolas had chosen that moment to tear his focus from their conversation. "Where are we headed?" he asked in whisper to Claudia.

"The safehouse we've been using will be good for another 24-48 hours. Then we'll have to come up with something different," she explained, her gaze telegraphing that she meant "different" as a euphemism for "more secure." He nodded his acknowledgment.

Alan took that moment to speak. "Nikolas?" he asked softly.

"They're ok," he answered knowing the question. "They've been having a really hard time after losing both of you, but they've been holding it together. Getting you home will go a long way toward fixing what was broken."

Alan relaxed back into his corner averting his face in an attempt to hide his tears.

It had been just shy of three months since he had joined the battle to neutralize his grandmother for once and for all, but he had no complaints. He stared at the symbols of what he was fighting to protect and avenge and preyed he could truly trust Jason was finally free of Helena's little minion. If he was, then, finally they were in the home stretch.

They needed the true Jason Morgan, and not the shell, Helena and her minions had made of him. There had been signs that since the accident that had coincidentally allowed the mind control device to be removed that he had been fighting his programming, it seemed his obvious affection for Carly, and her recent revelations and current defection had been the final jolt needed to free him. Because it had been fear of Carly along with her hold on what was potentially one of the most brilliant, efficient, and lethal people on the planet that had made their connection so dangerous and impossible for Helena to allow.

According to the research he and Claudia had done, they had plumbed the true depths of Helena's depravity and had both been truly shaken. Claudia had explained the hole Carly's absence had left from her unique business perspective, Jason would have to be all that Helena feared most to survive and overcome what could easily destroy him and the organization he'd been running with basically half of his faculties, for over a decade.

If he came on board with Claudia's plan, they would kill two birds with one stone. And he would finally have the time and energy to find the truth about Aiden, rebuild his family, help Emily & Alan get their lives back, and marry the most spectacular woman he'd ever been blessed to know.

As if she could hear his thoughts turning to her, her arms slid around his waist. The last of his tension began melting away at her touch as she rested her cheek on his back. Placing his hands on hers, he whispered. "We have to do this right or none of us will be safe. And I can't make you my bride until I know you'll be safe enough for us to build on our family."

The twinkle in her eye as he turned in her arms and leaned forward to meet her lips with his own. But ringing of they had been waiting for filled the silence. She lifted a brow and smirked at the timing as she let him go to the phone. With a look to let her know he planned to finish what they'd been about to start, he hurried to pick up the phone. Locking his gaze with her, he rasped, "Speak."

"Delivered," the voice said before the line disconnected.

"The first step is complete," he acknowledged returning to Claudia's side.

"Now, the ball is in Morgan's court," she replied in cool tone turning coy to match the flirtatious sparkle in her eyes. "And it is T minus 12 hours or so before that disc self-destructs. We'll know when it's destroyed and if an attempt to dupe it is made. We'll also know if he tries to contact the wrong person. What I don't know is however will we pass the time, Nikky."

Nikolas could feel the smile the transformed his face as well as the desire filling his body shining in his eyes. "I guess we'll just have to think of something." And before she could respond, his mouth crushed hers as he lifted her to his body.

As Jason made his way down the stairs, he felt raw inside. He'd just found out the unbelievable might not only be possible, but likely. All he wanted was to go to Carly so she could reassure him that he was strong enough to handle this. But he couldn't, and he had no one to blame for his stupidity in driving her away, but himself. This was one mess he'd have to deal with without her.

As his foot hit the docks, his eyes cut to the bench—their bench. He quickly checked it to see if any packages had been left under, behind, or somehow attached to it. Satisfied there was nothing there and all was clear, he settled himself down to wait and fought not to be overwhelmed by the memories…

"You know what I shoulda done was hit redial on her cell phone and see who answers."

"I did—a guy answered."

"Her ex?"

"Don't know. When I didn't say anything, he said Hannah's name."

"You know what. This is really creepy, man. She has a phone—a cell phone that they only talk to each other on… You know what I was thinking?"

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do."

"I bet you ten thousand dollars you don't. I was thinking—"

"We should have phones like that!"

"No, forget it."

"Shut up! Oh, goodness. Ok. So. So, thanks. That's good."

"Thank you."

"See ya 'round."

"Be careful."

"I will."

He was jolted from the past by the creaking of the stairs. A delicate-looking young girl was making her way to his side. She appeared to be Asian and not a day over fourteen. Jason frowned when he noticed the bruising along her jaw as she quickly made her way to his side. Their eyes locked and saw past the illusion to what had his senses so heightened.

The woman's appearance encouraged the impression of the innocence & freshness of a young girl. Many would have seen the wide-eyed, petite, brunette beauty for the test she was, but Jason had known many from the darker sides of life who used illusions to hide behind, so he found himself simply cataloguing the details that made her ruse so effective. It all added up to project a very non-threatening package to the unwary. This was no sweet, innocent young girl.

After looking into her eye, he would put her age at about late twenties early thirties at least. Just that one look, allowed him to see through even the lies in her eyes a talent he'd thought he'd lost, but since the surgery, he'd felt different—or maybe the same in a weird way. He'd seen the lies and the truth people told for the first time in years, but having been so out of practice, he'd doubt himself and put it down to an effect of the surgery.

Until Carly had walked away and forced him to see what was right in front of him—that everything he'd thought and felt, all the things that had building to this point where his life was a mess of his own making had begun melting almost from the second he had woken up from that last surgery.

So he simply watched and read the woman before him. He would bet his whole organization that this woman had not only seen death, but had more than her fair share of blood on her hands. This was his courier.

"Mr. Morgan,;" she said with a questioning lilt. Her voice was soft, airy and pitched to convey enough gentleness and sweetness to disarm.

It failed.

Recognizing an equal in his ability to see through her façade without rising to the bait, she dropped her mask. She had been so effective in her role that even her body language shifted with the change. "I have the package, but please, be sure to advise Mr. Cassadine, he'll be doubling the hazard fee for the facial bruising."

Jason's only response was a nearly imperceptible nod.

"Good," she nodded sharply, her voice taking on a rasp that sounded more genuine with the women he was seeing before him. "Now, answer one question and we can complete our transaction." She paused, but continued at his non-response, "Where did the bullet pierce him the night you saved his life?"

"The parking lot in front of Luke's," Jason answered without hesitation.

She raised an eyebrow as surprised flickered through her gaze before disappearing as she turned to open her bookbag. Jason's hand immediately moved closer to his weapon causing her to smirk. She removed a small case from her bag and handed it off to Jason, which he immediately tucked securely under his arm.

"It will require a DNA sample to open and retina scan to activate." She also handed him a simple white business card with an email address on the side facing him. He flipped it over to find just one word, a name: Minh.

He lifted his gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"I perform various services outside of my duties as a courier, but I believe you and I could find an association mutually satisfying," she explained her voice deepening with obvious sexual interest as she gave him a slow once-over before turning and disappearing from sight.

If not for Carly, I might be tempted, he thought with a sigh, but there IS Carly. Shaking his head, he didn't notice that a cocky smirk had flitted across his face—a smirk that had not been seen in years, but the guard he gestured over to him did and it sent fear shivering down his spine. "Let's go."

Jason offered nothing more as they took the long route to their destination to guarantee they were not followed or ambushed along the way. Upon arriving at Jake's, he nodded the other guards over. He was slightly glad for the first time about Carly's little one-woman flame throwing performance. Not only because he could now acknowledge he deserved it or worse, but because it had caused Coleman to close down for a few days to complete the renovation.

Jason had bought the damaged pool table and jukebox and sent them to be repaired. Currently, Coleman was probably counting the bonus Jason had given him while he waited for his replacements to arrive along with the completion of all of the other minor adjustments he was making. After some discussion, it was clear that while he might make some minor alterations, Jason wouldn't be ok with any major changes. This was his place with Carly and NOTHING was allowed to change that. He was gonna bring her back once he proved to her that he understood his mistake and was ready to put their family back to rights.

Once all of the guards were surrounding him, he spoke, "You need to maintain constant surveillance of this building to include checking the interior of bottom floor in its entirety periodically. If you need more guards, get them. No one enters to include Coleman unless Johnny or I request or authorize it. Anyone tries, well feel free to discourage them, unless it is Carly or one of the kids. In case of emergency contact Johnny first because if I have to deal with it in this mood, it WILL be life or death."

He paused. "Don't make it yours. If it's Maxie Jones, tell her that she is Spinelli's friend NOT mine, and as the commissioner's daughter, I might not be the one she wants to try to talk to. If all else fails, send her to Spinelli at the penthouse and he can deal with her. Let's try to avoid going to war with the police department."

And without another word, he turned on his heal, and headed up the stairs to his meeting with what would likely be more of the impossible.

As he considered what he knew of Helena, a thought occurred: And I thought Carly had crazy plans.