"Nathan, stop!" Sam screamed, her voice echoing in the dark alleyway. In a swift motion, she pulled out her gun and fired a warning shot into the air. They both stood there, panting heavily after the exhausting chase through New York.
"Who...The...Fuck are you?" Nathan asked, turning to face her, a mix of caution and curiosity in his eyes.
"My name is Samantha Morgan, I'm a detective from Port Charles," Sam replied, her gun still aimed steadily at him. "Why are you here?"
Nathan, catching his breath, flashed a wry smile. "Well, if we're talking philosophically, I've been asking myself that question for years."
Sam narrowed her eyes, not amused by the deflection. "No, why are you in New York?"
He shrugged. "Just sightseeing... and maybe a bit of treasure hunting."
Before Sam could press further, Nathan's demeanor shifted. Swiftly, he pulled out his own gun, mirroring her stance. The tension spiked as they both held their weapons trained on each other.
"Listen, Detective," Nathan began, his voice low and serious. "I'm here for a reason. These artifacts I've been collecting, they're not just random pieces of history. They're keys – seven keys to something much bigger, something that could change everything."
Sam's grip on her gun tightened, but before she could respond, the unexpected sound of gunfire erupted around them. Nathan reacted instantly, tackling her against the wall, shielding her from the line of fire. They crouched together, huddled against a dumpster as bullets whizzed by.
"Enemies of yours?" Sam gasped, peeking around the corner before firing back.
"You could say that," Nathan replied, returning fire. "When you do what I do, enemies are very easy to make.."
"That's good to know.." Sam replied firing two more shot; scanning the target. "I have a dark blue cadillac and two shooters; I need to call this in.." Sam reached to retrieve her phone and Nathan reacted instantly, stopping her. "No, calling it in will just complicate things for both of us right now," he said urgently. "Trust me, we need to handle this ourselves."
"What the fuck is this, Donnie Brasco? I am an officer of the law!" Sam, caught off guard, stood up from cover, and a sharp pain exploded in her stomach. She looked down, seeing blood – she had been shot. Nathan, reacting swiftly, shielded her with his body, firing back at the attackers.
"Sam, stay with me!" Nathan implored, but Sam's consciousness was fading. Sully, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, provided cover fire, giving them a chance. In a flurry of action, Nathan scooped up Sam in his arms, her blood soaking into his shirt. They made a quick escape, Sully leading the way to their hidden vehicle.
As they drove away, Nathan held Sam, applying pressure to her wound. Sully glanced back, his face etched with concern. "Nate, this is risky. Why'd we bring her along?"
"She's involved now, Sully. Couldn't just leave her," Nathan replied, his eyes never leaving Sam's pale face. The urgency in his voice revealed a deep sense of responsibility for her.
Sam's eyes fluttered open, a groan escaping her lips as a sharp pain surged through her stomach. Beside her, a woman with a gentle demeanor, her skin rich like polished mahogany, spoke in a soothing accent, "You must rest, child." Sam's gaze settled on the woman's kind eyes, framed by lines that spoke of both wisdom and warmth.
"Where am I?" Sam managed to ask, her voice weak.
At that moment, Nathan entered the room. "You're in Saint Martin," he said, his tone a mix of concern and defensiveness
"You kidnapped me!" Sam exclaimed, startled and confused.
"I did not kidnap you," Nathan countered quickly, his expression serious. "You were shot. I saved your life."
"Saved me? By dragging me to an island I've never heard of? This isn't saving, it's complicating things. I have a job, responsibilities..." Sam winced, trying to stand up, but Nathan quickly moved to keep her in bed. In a swift, reflexive motion, she socked him, her frustration and pain finding an outlet in his crotch. Nathan doubled over, groaning.
"I also have a mobster father who will bury you!" she added, her voice a mix of anger and frustration. "Taking me was a terrible idea."
Nathan, now recovering and standing up, positioned himself in front of the door, a serious look on his face. "Sam, if I'd left you in that alley, you wouldn't have made it. You were losing a lot of blood, and we had to get out of there fast. I brought you with us because it was the only option."
Sam let out a heavy sigh, the adrenaline wearing off, and turned back to the bed, her anger subsiding. Sully and the doctor watched the scene, their expressions a blend of worry and slight amusement at the intense exchange. "That was...entertaining. Kid, you got some spunk! There are very few who can go toe to toe with my boy.." Sully chuckled as Sam groaned easing back into the bed with Nathan helping her.
"Nathan, why are you helping me, you don't even know me." She gritted her teeth, before laying on her back. Nathan's response was thoughtful. "Sometimes, you don't need to know someone to help them. Besides, we're in this together now."Sully, observing the interaction, added, "He's got a point, kid. Nathan's not the type to leave someone behind, especially not in a situation like that."
"Y'all are the strangest duo of criminals.." She groaned out laying her head back on the pillow and drifting to sleep while the three of them slipped out of the hut. "I think she took off skin from my nut sack!" Nathan winced glancing down at his crotch.
Sully chuckled at Nathan's discomfort. "Kid, your nutsack is the least of our worries. We can leave her here, we have to get to the temple of Kazarim"
"Not without Sam," Nathan interjected firmly, his determination clear.
Sully, perplexed, pressed on. "Kid, she's a detective! What's with you and this broad? She made a good point – you don't even know her. Why are you so insistent on dragging her along?" Nathan gave him a glance that had Sully shaking his head before rubbing Nathan on the shoulder.
"Kid, she's not Elena; and I'll tell you, what happened to Elena wasn't your fault!" Sully assured Nathan as he shook his head. "She was killed because of me! and those men! They've seen Sam, and I can guarantee there were images and intel collected by them. If we leave her here, alone and unprotected, they won't hesitate to use her against us, or worse."
Sully nodded slowly. "We're in deep, Nate. But you're right. We can't leave her behind now. She's part of this, whether she likes it or not." Nathan slowly glanced at the hut before staring back at Sully who put both hands in front of his frame while shaking his head. "Oh no! My balls are too old and wrinkly to get pinched! You can tell her!" Nathan grimaced as he walked back towards the hut. "That was unpleasant..." he muttered. As he opened the door, a coconut suddenly struck him on the head. Stunned, he fell to the ground. At that moment, Sam dashed out of the hut, delicately holding her injured stomach.