Disclaimer…I do not own GH or the characters….No copy write infringement intended…..For entertainment purposes only….
Chapter Thirty-One
"What else could you possibly have done that Johnny wants kept covered up?"
As the words left her mouth Johnny caught the way she inhaled sharply and her brown eyes glazed overly briefly. When she skirted around him and stumbled back toward the door he took a small step in her direction but paused when she flinched. "Georgie?"
"I need some air," she muttered before throwing open the door, practically running into O'Brien in her haste.
Coop chuckled while Johnny stared down the hall long after she moved out sight. "I guess the answers she needed so badly weren't important after all. Or maybe she's starting to remember after all this time."
"You find humor in hurting her?"
Shrugging as much as the restraints allowed, Coop ignored the dangerously low tone. He knew he was dying tonight. Pretending no longer mattered. "She forced the issue, not me. All I ever wanted was to be the one she turned to."
His fist connected to Cooper's jaw before he realized he'd even closed the distance between them. Tightening his fingers into the skin around his neck, Johnny cut off his air supply. "If I had my way you'd suffer to the point of death and then I'd let you rest before starting the process all over. My father isn't even as twisted as you are, Barrett, and that's a feat in itself." Slackening the hold enough to hear him gasping and wheezing while shakily filling his deprived lungs of oxygen, Johnny roughly shoved his head back before releasing him. "Hope you enjoyed the last glimpse of Georgie that you'll ever see. By morning you'll be nothing but another dead body."
"Not to her," he rasped heavily. "Georgie will never forget me."
O'Brien grabbed the furious younger man and physically dragged him out of the room while Barrett's laughter taunted them. He slammed the door before letting him go. "If you don't get a hold of yourself the plan won't work. We're doing it this way for Baylor. For her sake, stop and think. Don't let that psychopath provoke you, Zacchara. It's what he wants, you to lose it."
He attempted to calm his breathing, knowing that giving into the murderous urge to torture the bastard would indeed ruin what needed to be done. "Where did she go?"
"Bathroom. Logan followed her after she nearly flattened me." His green eyes hardened. "We knew her being near him was a bad idea, Zacchara. Short of gagging him, there was nothing you could do to keep him from bringing it up."
Johnny miserably ran his fingers through his short hair. "He didn't have to. I think she remembered something after he hinted around. Fuck. This is bad."
"Does she know that you knew?"
"Probably. He certainly implied it."
"Let Logan take her home. Being close with Baylor will help her right now, more than you could." The anguish on Zacchara's face made it clear he didn't like that suggestion. "Georgie is going to need space, Johnny. Especially is she picked up on you knowing. Let her be. You need to finish this tonight," he added.
Kicking the wall in frustration, he sighed. "I should check on her at least."
Logan cleared his throat, gaining their attention. "She wants to leave. Cody already walked her to the SUV."
"Did she say anything else?"
"No, but she didn't have to." Logan jingled the car keys, avoiding looking at Johnny. "I just wanted you to know she's leavin." He glanced quickly at the closed door that Cooper was behind before grimacing in disgust. "Wilson's at the house. I'll make sure Brooke gets home before going back."
"No. Let Wilson take her back to the Quartermaine's. I want Milo called and at the house. You stay inside with Georgie in case she needs anything," Johnny instructed. "I'll be there as soon as we finish up."
O'Brien waited until they heard door shut behind him. "Maybe you should let me handle this."
"Not a chance," he hissed, fists clenched. "You and Hayes took out Spinelli. This one, I need to take care of."
The gloating expression mixed with fanatical bright eyes greeted the two men when they reentered the room where the prisoner sat calmly. The lifestyle and people associated with the business was a diverse combination of personalities mingling together. But as O'Brien impassively studied the man serenely waiting on their move, he couldn't help but wonder why the public insisted they were the scum of the earth. Cooper Barrett hid in plain sight among society and fooled everyone he met. Charismatic or not, the sociopath tendencies should have been picked up on before the situation escalated to the level it was now at, with Georgie once again toeing the line of falling into the abyss.
"Anything you want to say before you die?" he asked without emotion, curious if he'd answer.
"While I regret leaving Alcazar alive, I do look forward to Georgie picking him over you, Zacchara. You know as well as I do that she's going to, especially after I gave her reason to doubt you tonight. Tsk, tsk," he teased arrogantly.
Cody entered the room, his face serious. "Corelli just called. The warehouse on Pier 6 exploded in a ball of flames. So far nine men are missing and presumed dead."
"Shit!"
"Morgan wants you both to end this tonight. He said that he and Corelli will handle the explosion. He just wants you to join them after you wrap this up."
"Fine with me because I'm not leaving here until he's dead," Johnny agreed with a thumb jerked toward the chair in the room. "Let's get it done so I can head to the site." He paused and looked back at the former military man. "Any idea of who is starting a war?"
"Not yet. They haven't been able to search the site because of the police and arson investigators. I'll keep you updated."
"Don't worry," Johnny injected darkly. "This won't take long at all."
Cooper winked as they unchained him and had him write the confession. In the end, he took pride in claiming all he'd done throughout the years. Since death was imminent, less than minutes away, he happily pictured Maxie's face when she read the letter. Zacchara and O'Brien refused to let him include the reason why and a few of his favorite deeds, but he had no doubt Maxie would reach the correct conclusion. He'd heard her crying all over the rich boy who'd been Georgie's first love. Irony certainly was a fickle lady.
Opening his mouth docilely and accepting the handful of pills they fed him one by one, Coop decided to give Johnny a farewell present of sorts. "By the way, Zacchara, Anthony removed Diego from Helena and Jerry. The old man's taken great pleasure in updating him on Georgie's choices these last few months. I don't think he likes you very much," he added with a faint smile. "If you get one last chance between those soft thighs of hers, you'd better enjoy it because it'll probably be your last."
O'Brien didn't even bother stopping Johnny after that remark. They could always pay someone to say they'd fought with the prick. Money tended to buy cooperation from petty criminals and drunks that frequented the bars.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
"Who do you suspect?" Francis wondered as they watched the last of the police vacate the docks.
Jason's head throbbed. Of all nights to suffer such a loss, whoever had the courage to hit them had to pick tonight. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he released a groan. "I could name them all night. Donley, Anthony, another organization thinking we are weak or distracted, if he had brains I'd consider Spencer but he's not exactly this smooth, Helena or Jerry. Hell, it could be fucking Jerome for all I know. Our guys need to sift through everything. I want nothing left overturned. Nine of our men died, Francis. The doors barred from the outside rules out accident, not that I even really thought it possible." Anger consumed him. "I just don't know at this point."
The older blond rubbed his chin. "You shouldn't rule out Alcazar." Seeing Jason look at him in surprise, he met his gaze steadily. "We can't locate him at Wyndamere and Cody thought he spotted Helena's henchmen scouring the island for the past couple days. You can't ignore the possibility that Diego will wage a war. Zacchara is living with the woman that he came out of hiding for and his daughter. It has to eat at him. Then to add fuel to the fire, Zacchara is controlling his family's assets."
"You think he'd hurt Georgie like this?"
"Depends on what a load of crap he's been fed."
"Johnny's worried he could hurt Georgie."
"I' not saying I think he will," Francis responded after a minute, "but it shouldn't be assumed that he'll be happy with her marriage. We all remember and think of her three years of hell, Jason, but he hasn't exactly escaped unscathed in this mess."
They both dropped the topic when they heard heavy footsteps approaching. Cody scanned the smoldering mess as he joined them.
"Zacchara and O'Brien were finishing up and then meeting us here."
"Spinelli?"
"Taken care of," he remarked softly before glancing around to ensure they were alone. "There's a chance that Zacchara could toss his plan for Barrett. Georgie left there practically in a trance. Whatever went on in that room, it wasn't good."
"I told him that letting her talk to him would not end well."
"Jason, I don't think he could have stopped her. Georgie doesn't respond well to orders," Francis reminded him. "From everything that O'Brien shared about her time with him before she came back to Port Charles, Georgie's developed quiet the independent and stubborn streak. The difference between her and Lizzie is she's had to deal with a side of this life by herself. For too long her and Baylor skirted the edge. Georgie's harder than she lets other people see. John reads his wife very well. For him to go along with it there was a very good reason."
Pulling his phone from his pocket when it rang and looking at the ID, Jason flipped it open. "Morgan." The rest watched as his eyes narrowed before all emotion fled and they became blue mirrors of concrete. "How in the hell did you lose him?" he growled. Listening for a few more minutes he released a string of curses that had Cody and Francis exchanging looks. "Put her somewhere out of sight and then get every available man searching for him. I need to finish up here and then check on Elizabeth. I'll take care of her later. Just post a guard and make sure that she's confined. If the guard loses her, they die," he stated simply before snapping the phone shut.
"McCall?"
"Yep. Marco caught her watching the house and is moving her now."
"Spencer with her?" Cody assumed. The two lacked any real smarts.
"No," he bit out while dialing his phone. "Ritchie caught sight of Alcazar near John and Georgie's place. They lost him in the side streets."
"Jesus Christ! That isn't going to go over well," Francis predicted.
"No shit, genius." Getting voicemail, Jason sighed before leaving Johnny a message to call him immediately.
Max whistled from where he stood several yards away. "Lots of plastique," he called out while standing next to the material that had not been fully incinerated in the blast.
Jason quickly strided over to the half destroyed bomb and bent down to inspect the material. Based on the building being completely leveled, he knew there had been more than one explosive set around the perimeter. The device Max had found appeared to be made from high quality materials. Whoever formed the bomb knew their craft well. "Anyone recognize anything to help identify the maker?"
Francis shifted uncomfortably. With the previous phone call, he wasn't sure that he had good news or not. "Its high end and used frequently in government raids in South America. It could tie back to Donley or Alcazar. Either is bad because they are tapping a resource that we will have trouble shaking for information."
"Have our guy on Donley report and let me know if he's made any moves recently that could tie to this," Jason instructed Cody who instantly complied, walking away to make the call. "Max, go and check in on the guys at my house and Zacchara's. I want them to check in frequently until I say otherwise."
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Sam cursed against piece of duct tape acting as a gag, shooting glares at the guard she recognized from being with the man stealing bitch lately. If it hadn't been for Lucky calling her phone and alerting the men of her presence, no one would have been the wiser that she had been snooping around the property. This was all his fault! The damn morons would have never spotted her hidden among the brush. She'd been so close to the bitch's house.
Marco smirked when she huffed and stomped her feet in the ridiculous hooker boots she wore. "Might as well just set back and give up. You aren't going anywhere, Miss McCall. My boss wants you detained."
Puffing out her chest in attempt to get him on her side, her scream was muffled when he rolled his eyes.
"Sorry, but I like the real things, not plastic. Also, you really should know that men like to unwrap their packages for personal enjoyment, not have them on display to every eye that just roams about." Shaking his head at the squeaks and squeals coming from her, he shrugged. Even without deciphering the words, Marco knew his remarks had pissed her off.
Her eyes widened when her phone vibrated on the table that he'd tossed the device onto. Struggling against the bonds keeping her on the hard chair, she became frantic when he picked up the phone. Too many messages were being communicated by the group working to take down the saint. This could blow their plan sky high if it was from the wrong person. Thankful she erased each text after reading it, Sam took solace in they wouldn't learn everything.
Scanning the message and noting it was from Maxie Jones, Marco kept a neutral expression. The clearly worried blond suspected that her boyfriend had taken off. But it was reading that she blamed his odd behavior on her sister's return that had left him astounded. Even in only print, he sensed the bitterness and jealousy Maxie carried over the fact that she was obviously aware of Cooper's attraction to Johnny's wife. Forwarding the text to his own phone, he tossed hers back on the table without acknowledging her attempts for attention.
Frustrated at being unable to read the man's face, she howled. Unlike popular census, Sam was intelligent enough to know her time was up. After Jason's blatant avoidance and the man's lack of remorse in trussing her up like a holiday turkey, she only prayed that Jason would give her a chance to speak before killing her. He'd always bought her poor me act and maybe she could pull it off again. The Manny Ruiz shooting usually garnered some sympathy, but if not she was prepared to pull her ace. The loss of her child never failed to evoke the needed response. As long he ungagged her, Sam had faith that he would only force her to leave PC. She could do that, she thought with a growl. But she'd be back. Goody-goody Elizabeth who fooled everyone into thinking she was a poor victim would pay dearly for stealing what belonged to her. One way or another, Sam would have Jason back. She'd even be gracious enough to accept Jake too. An added bonus of Elizabeth crumbling at the loss of her weapon to wield against Jason only made the prospect that much sweeter.
Marco lifted a brow at the excitement on the face that currently held a dreamy eyed look. The skank really was as stupid as everyone tried to tell him. Morgan wouldn't be saving her like she seemed to think, he'd be putting an end to her miserable life.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
"Do you want stop by Elizabeth's?" Logan asked the woman sitting quietly in the passenger seat of the SUV. He worriedly glanced over at her when she didn't answer. "Talk to me, doll," he coaxed. "I bet she wouldn't mind you waking her."
"I just want to go home," she responded flatly.
Logan hadn't been told exactly what Morgan and Zacchara learned from Coop when they had questioned him before allowing Georgie to confront him and Spinelli, but he knew from her behavior that it must have been worse than he imagined. That one statement was all he'd managed to get her to say since they'd left the safe house after she had emptied her stomach in the bathroom. The last month and half proved that Georgie could more than stand up to a challenge. So for her to be this despondent and broken, he hated his former friend more than he'd ever thought possible.
As soon as the vehicle stopped in front of her house, Georgie darted out the door before he even turned off the ignition. Milo and Wilson both looked at him quizzically but he only shrugged.
After reassuring her friend that Georgie wasn't hurt when she failed to stop and talk to her before shutting herself in the bedroom, Logan passed her over to Wilson to be driven home. Upstairs he peeked in Baylor's room and only saw the little girl curled up, sleeping with her stuffed elephant. Moving to her and Johnny's bedroom door, he knocked once before attempting to open it. "Georgie, unlock the door, doll," he called softly after finding it locked.
No answer.
"Damn it, girl. You're making me worry about you. Open the door or I'll do it myself."
Nothing.
Frustrated and starting to get a really bad feeling, Logan easily finessed the lock and turned the knob slowly. Georgie was standing unnaturally still a few steps into the room, her attention riveted to the bed. His eyes landed on the objects that had captivated her completely and his stomach sank.
"I take it those weren't here when you left?" Jerking his head to look at her when she didn't answer, he wondered how her face could display wonder, awe, fear, and anguish all at the same time. "Georgie, please look at me."
Unable to tear her eyes from the red tulips and white carnations covering every inch of the bed, she barely blinked.
Concerned about how fascinated she appeared to be, Logan dialed the programmed phone number and waited for it to be answered. "We have an issue unless you placed hundreds of flowers on the bed before you left." Pulling phone back at the loud cursing, Logan rubbed the back of his neck. "No, Wilson said everything was calm. Baylor's asleep in her room. I already checked on her. Brooke also reported an uneventful couple hours." The last question had him glancing back over at Georgie. "Transfixed. She hasn't moved or uttered a word since I followed her upstairs and saw the present left for her. Okay, hold on."
Taking the phone away from his ear and stepping directly in front of the statue like woman, Logan placed two fingers under her chin and tilted her head up. Once her glazed brown eyes connected with his pale blue ones, he watched as what could only be described as a fog lifted and she blinked, her eyes focusing once again. "Can you think of anything significant about those flowers, Georgie?"
"Diego," she breathed before clearing her throat. "Diego always gave me the same combination. He's really alive, isn't he?"
Without responding Logan lifted the phone back up just as a dial tone filled the now disconnected line.
A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews!
The next chapter will pull more characters back into the fold. For those thirsting for Sam's demise, you'll definitely want to tune back in. Georgie's response will also make more sense. My friend who is sick, I read her the chapters before I post them and I think she might have hurt me if we'd been in the same room. LOL-Thanks again for reading and commenting!