Author's Note: After the last chapter with Kellie at the PCPD, it felt like Jordan would end up standing around confused what just happened between Kellie, Michael, and Valentin and trying to make sense of it. I thought she'd probably ask Dante why Michael dragged their issues into the PCPD. It ended up being a longer scene than I originally expected and I've been on the fence about posting. I thought I'd write the next chapter and see if this still fit or maybe would fit better later with some tweaks. But I'm still working on the next chapter with Kellie and Lorenzo and then Kellie and Jason. So here it is. The whole chapter is Jordan, Dante, and later Mac discussing Kellie, Michael, Valentin, and the rumors coming out of the meeting with the five families. Hope you enjoy. If not, there's always the next chapter. Happy reading! Have a great weekend!
"Is Detective Falconari still around?" Jordan asked Detective Bennett.
"I think he was finishing some paperwork and about to go home for the night," Detective Bennett said, "Do you want me to find him for you?"
Jordan shook her, "I'll text and ask him to come to my office if he's still around."
Jordan's Office
"You wanted to see me, Commissioner," Dante asked when he arrived in Jordan's office.
"Yes," Jordan said, "Usually I wouldn't ask you questions about your family. But some things happened today, I can't make sense of."
"What kind of things?" Dante asked.
"Your brother, Michael, accused one of the shipping companies ELQ works with of intentionally withholding or delaying some shipments and was looking to press charges," Jordan said, "Turns out your sister, Kellie just bought that shipping company. Do you know anything about that or why Michael and Kellie would compete with each other corporately."
Dante let out a long sigh.
"You know something," Jordan said.
"Kellie buying a shipping company is news to me," Dante said, "All I can really tell you is Kellie wasn't happy with Michael actively trying to compete against Sonny in the coffee market. She asked Michael to back off which he wasn't receptive to. Is there any proof to what Michael is saying? I can't see Kellie doing something like that just to get back at Michael."
"No there's no proof. Here's where it gets weirder," Jordan said, "We brought Kellie in for questioning. She of course lawyers up and then has Valentin Cassadine come to the station. Valentin already knows about the shipping delays and says Kellie dealt with the situation to his satisfaction. That Michael was acting outside his authority with regard to the matter."
"You're telling me Valentin Cassadine came to my sister's defense?" Dante asked, surprised.
"That was my reaction too," Jordan said, "Last I checked Kellie and Valentin have been at odds ever since Charlotte and Rocco were kidnapped by Garrett Esoterra to get at Kellie…
"And then Valentin allegedly interfered in us apprehending Esoterra which led to Kellie and Alyssa being kidnapped," Dante said.
"I'm at a loss for how we get from Kellie and Valentin being openly hostile to each other to less hostile," Jordan said, "And how your brother fits into this."
Dante let out a deep breath, thinking.
"In my experience, Kellie has two categories of enemy," Dante said, "There's the obvious kind of enemy like the Esoterra brothers, Luiz Alcazar, Helena Cassadine, Cyrus Renault, Calvin and Shiloh that basically come after her or the people she cares about. Those enemies there's no question that Kellie's not just going to let that go."
"And the other kind of enemy she has?" Jordan asked.
"You're going to know she doesn't like you," Dante said, "But whatever they did, not worth the time or effort for her to doing anything about. And while Kellie's grudge against Valentin is valid, I would guess that she could also respect that Valentin was just trying to protect his daughter when he allegedly botched our arrest of Garrett. If an alliance was to her advantage, she might go with it."
"But what's in it for Valentin?" Jordan asked, "It still wouldn't explain why he would defend Kellie."
"Let's suppose Kellie did intentionally delay Michael's coffee shipments," Dante said, "I can't imagine Valentin would be happy about that or about Michael using ELQ resources to go against Sonny."
"Didn't Valentin engage in a corporate takeover of ELQ from the Quartermaines?" Jordan asked, "So I would guess Michael probably wasn't happy about that. It's safe to say Valentin and Michael have some kind of feud going on."
"Him and half the Quartermaines," Dante said, "I guess I could see where Valentin would back Kellie because she's possibly given him ammunition against Michael however things went down."
"That still doesn't explain why she might intentionally delay the coffee shipments," Jordan said, "The thing with Michael seems like it falls into her second category of enemies. Not worth her time…unless….."
"Unless it's part of a bigger strategy," Dante said.
"Kellie certainly would have incentive to engage in some sort of long game," Jordan said, "We know that Sonny and Jason's enemy see her as threat and able to takeover the business in their place. Sonny's position has not been stable. Your sister is securing her position, trying to get herself some kind of leverage to encourage whoever's going after Sonny and Jason to back off of her."
"So delaying Michael's shipment would be Kellie's way of sending a message?" Dante said, "What type of shipping company did my sister buy?"
Before Jordan could answer there was a knock at the door.
"Hold on," Jordan said as she went to answer the door. Mac was standing there.
"Is this a bad time?" Mac asked
"No," Jordan said, "Dante and I were just trying to make sense of Michael Corinthos accusing Kellie Corinthos-Morgan of intentionally delaying some ELQ shipment and Valentin Cassadine clearing the allegations."
"It's Kellie Corinthos,"Mac said, shaking his head, "I stopped trying to make sense of her alliances a long time ago and telling a circus like that to just go home. Coincidentally, Kellie is part of the reason I'm here to see you."
"I'm not sure I want to know what else my sister's been up to?" Dante said.
"Word on the street is the Five Families had a meeting tonight," Mac said, "The rumors flying are doozies."
"What sort of rumors?" Jordan asked.
"The Buscema Territory is now the Zacharra territory," Mac said, "Actually that one has been confirmed."
"No surprise, Johnny Zacharra would go back to what he knows," Dante said, "Now that he's out of jail. Nothing we can revoke his parole on I assume."
"Not without being accused of harassment," Mac said.
"We'll keep an eye out," Jordan said, "I still can't believe he got parole."
"Neither can I," Mac said, "On the other hand, his presence might fill the power vacuum within the five families."
"If he can hold on to the territory," Dante said, "What other rumors are there? You mentioned my sister was involved."
"Kellie is reported to have been at the meeting," Mac said.
"Wouldn't be the first time she's crashed one of those meetings," Jordan said, "It would make sense she might offer assurances with regards to her purchase of the shipping company in the event her father and his associates use that company."
"As much I want to believe that's not the case," Dante said, "If she bought the company as leverage, that would make sense. I'd really hoped my sister wouldn't get involved in Sonny and Jason's war."
"She still might pull that off," Jordan said, "The company she bought is a legal company. Any less than legal shipments are not on the shipping company the way it's set up."
"I'm the first to say I wish your sister would stay on the right side of the law," Mac said, "But she always straddled that grey area. But after what happened to Charles Scott on the island, I can't say I blame Kellie for getting involved. She took her kids and left Port Charles. They came after her in way that put her kids at risk."
"She can't run, so she has to fight," Dante said, "I know. But I wish that wasn't the case."
"If the last rumor is true," Mac said, "Then Kellie made a smart move with this shipping company."
"What rumor's that?" Jordan asked.
"Sonny has been ousted as the head of the five families," Mac said.
"I knew Sonny's position wasn't stable," Jordan said, "But that does surprise me. Do we know who might be head of the five families now?"
"Still working on that," Mac said, "My guess is Brick or Selina Wu. Zacharra just got back in the game. He wouldn't get the votes."
"Brick is loyal to my father," Dante said, "I can't see him making that kind of move or voting against him. That would leave Mrs. Wu. But what I can't figure out is how the votes played out that way. The Five families is actually only four now."
"As you said Brick is loyal to Sonny and those would be two votes for Sonny," Mac said, "Zacharra would vote against Sonny any day of the week. If Selina saw a shot to become head of the five families, I think she'd vote for herself. That would be a tie. Do you know how they settle ties?"
Dante shook his head, "That's usually why it's an odd number of families at the table."
"But if Kellie was at the meeting," Jordan said, "Maybe she was the tie breaking vote. I think this particular group would respect Kellie's insight."
"No one would assume she'd automatically support Sonny just because he's her father." Mac said, "They might even bank on her siding against Sonny if they think she's at odds enough with him."
Dante shook his head, "No matter how upset Kellie is at Sonny, not her style to let that influence her business related decisions. If she was the tie breaking vote and voted against Sonny, it's because she thought it was the right move business wise and to protect her family."
"I guess we wait and see if what happen last night eases the current tensions our alleged dons have been encountering," Mac said, "Or makes it worse."
"The Buscema territory now has clear leadership," Jordan said, "Even with challengers to Zacharra's rule, that solves one problem. Obviously if Sonny wasn't taking care of business of his own territory and as head of the families, a new head of the families probably helps. If what we suspect about Kellie's shipping company purchase is true, that may deter some outside influences from trying to take advantage. That really just leaves two major issues The Five Families Face, one being Sonny's weakening influence over his territory and the fact that the Five Families are really only four."
"Unless Kellie is now the fifth family," Mac said, "She's no stranger to sitting at that table."
"Mac, there's no way my sister would make that kind of commitment," Dante said, "She's always tried to stay away from being that involved."
"Dante, I know she's your sister," Jordan said, "But given her recent activity, we have consider the possibility. If she did intentionally hold up ELQ shipments, that's something like Sonny or Jason would do. She seems to be making activity moves to shore up how unstable the alleged criminal organizations have been from what I can tell. Can you honestly tell me your sister wouldn't make that decision if it the only option she felt she had to protect her children?"
"God, I hope not," Dante replied, unconvincingly.