Written in 60 minutes.

Rivulets of water streamed down his arms, his wrists, hitting the floor beneath his boots, and the wind still swirled at his back, flashes and rumbles illuminating the dark sky. For one long ridiculous minute, he stood in the open doorway, staring stupidly at Elizabeth in front of the fire.

Of course she’d want to be dry. Of course she’d shed the soggy, water laden garments until the final layer of thin white cloth was all that was left. It fell down in a straight line just below her knees, leaving her arm and upper chest mostly bare. Her hair was still soaked, laying in wet ropes on her shoulders.

She shifted, a bit uncomfortably, looked down at the fire, then back at him, and the small movement broke the moment. Jason shoved the door closed and tossed the saddle bags to the ground. He dragged his own soaked hair from his forehead, kept his eyes averted so that he wouldn’t accidentally focus on the way the illumination from the fire revealed the long lines of her legs beneath the thin fabric. “The horses are settled. You should—” He cleared his throat. “You should look in the other room. It’s probably the—there might be some—” He gestured, words failing him.

“If it’s a bedchamber, there might be some linens or extra blankets. I’m cold, too,” Elizabeth offered. She raised her arms to gather her hair at her nape, and twist it into one long mass that laid against her left shoulder. “I’ll go look. You should get dry—”

She hurried past him, the shift fluttering as she moved, and he exhaled slowly, reminding himself that she’d spent the majority of her time isolated on the Cassadine estate and in Shadwell. She’d likely never spent any length of time with a man, and wouldn’t think of what she looked like standing in front of a fireplace wearing next to nothing.

He only hoped he’d be able to forget.

Jason dug through his saddle bag for dry clothes, and mercifully when Elizabeth returned a few moments later, she had some blankets in her arms.

“We don’t have a great selection — I think some of these are musty, and —” She made a face, dropping them in front of the fire. “Moth eaten,” she finished, holding one up to the light. “But I think this one might do.”

“Here.” Jason shoved one of his dry shirts at her. “You, uh, look cold,” he muttered, when she blinked at him. “I’ll go change.”

—

Elizabeth watched Jason head for the other room, a bit mystified, but then looked at the fabric in her hands. It was a bit rough, and clearly mended in several places, but it had been well-made once, she thought, running her fingers over the fine stitching around the hem of the collar.

She slid her arms through the sleeves, and wrapped both ends around herself rather than buttoning it. Then she went to investigate the status of her saddlebags. It would probably be better to wear one of her dry gowns, but she was more concerned for the status of her herbs and candles. She slid their container from the bottom of her bag, exhaling with some relief that all had survived the storm intact.

“You travel with your own candles?”

Elizabeth jumped at the sound of his voice, and turned, pressing the candles against her chest. He’d changed into a dry shirt and pants, his wet garments in a pile by the doorway to the bed chamber. “You should hang those up to dry,” she said. She laid the candles down and hurried over to get his things.

When she returned to the table, laying out his wet clothes, she found him studying the candles. “They’re not for light,” she told him.

“I realize that now. The colors,” he added, setting them back down. He shoved the wool stockings she’d packed. “You ought to put these on before you lose a toe to frostbite.”

Elizabeth made a face, but realized he was probably right. Her feet had dried and were now quite chilled. She pulled out one of the remaining chairs, perched on the edge and slid the stockings on, one at a time, tugging until they were snug at mid-calf. She glanced up to find Jason watching her. “What?”

“Nothing.” He rolled the green candle across the table. “What were you planning to do with this one?” he asked. “The only charms I know for green are curses.” He studied her with curiosity. “For Valentin?”

“For anyone who stood in my way.” She lifted her chin. “If you’d proved to be a problem, I’d have used it on you.” She snatched it away from him. “Is that something else your father told you about my family? Did he have nothing else better to do than to gossip and spread half-truths?”

Jason frowned, then cocked his head to the side. “Of course my father told me about the House of Nevoie. If you trained with him, you should have known, too. Why would your mother not tell you?”

Elizabeth opened her mouth, then closed it, confused. “What does that mean?” There was a large clap of thunder, closer than the last rumble, and she jolted. “The storm is only getting worse,” she murmured. “Do you think it will pass soon?”

Jason went to the window, peered out, at what she couldn’t have guessed. It was nearly pitch dark, and all sense of time had been lost. Was it night or simply the darkness of the season?  “I don’t know.”

“How far are we from Wymoor? You’d wanted to travel through the night. Is it just a day away?”

“We’re at least three days out. If we’d traveled tonight, we could have cut some of that time.” Jason exhaled slowly. “If we’re delayed too long, Valentin will grow suspicious.”

She pressed her lips together, repacked her candles and herbs, offering nothing in comment. If he wanted to worry about disappointing the man who had kidnapped her, she wasn’t about to challenge him.

“He targets family, you said so yourself,” Jason said. Elizabeth looked up, found him studying her. “If he thinks I’ve betrayed him—and I have—he won’t hurt me. Not right away.”

“Your father—”

“He’s not my family,” Jason cut in. “I’m not going to turn you over to him, but it’s foolish to think we can both disappear without consequences.”

“You needn’t have come with me. You could have told him I escaped—”

“It’s what I’ll have to do. I have a job to complete,” Jason said. He returned to the window, peered through the glass panes. “Your would-be sister contracted me to kill Valentin. I don’t intend to change that now.”

“You said that before,” Elizabeth said. She twisted the fabric of her borrowed shirt between her fingers. “You also said that you’d already planned to kill him before my sister asked you to. Is that what you—what you do? Are you an assassin? A m-murderer for hire?”

“No.” Jason came away from the window, then went to the fire. He found the woodstack next to the mantel, tossed a log onto the flames. “And she’s not paying me. She came to me for the same reason I’m helping you.”

Bewildered, Elizabeth rose to her feet, pulling the ends of the shirt more tightly around her torso. “I don’t understand. Why would you help strangers? Why would you agree to kill for strangers?”

Jason watched the fire for a moment, not answering immediately. The flickering lights cast his face partially in shadow, then he looked at her. “You really don’t know anything about your family, do you?”

“I was eleven when I lost them. Do you remember everything from your childhood?” Elizabeth challenged. “Why do you always answer with a question instead of the truth? Why would you help me when it could put you and people you care about in danger? Why do you think I should already know that answer?”

Jason dragged a hand down his face, then sighed. He returned to the table, to the saddlebags and drew out two lumpy rolls. He brought them back to the fire, released a string on both, and she realized they were bedrolls, laid flat on the floor. “It’ll warmer down by the fire, and your hair will dry faster,” he told her. He sat down, folding his legs.

Warily, Elizabeth dropped down to the fabric, tucking her legs beneath her. “Are you going to answer my question?’

“I don’t know. I’m going to try to. You know that most of the families, the oldest ones, they were once self-governing?” Jason asked. “Some of the old alliances were passed down the generations. Nevoie and Quartermaine — they’re borderlands.”

“I know that. I’ve visited the estate. And I know that my family were once more than just nobles. My mother’s title is old, and our religion goes back to the ancient ways. The Lady of Nevoie was a title on its own.” Elizabeth furrowed her brow. “It’s why Valentin targeted her, isn’t it? He wanted to eliminate powerful families.”

“Not just powerful. Rivals to the throne. The Lady of Nevoie was a queen once. Or had the power of one without the official title. The Quartermaines weren’t equal then, or now. They swore fealty to the Lady and that oath has been passed from father to son for generations. It’s why—” Jason looked away, then shook his head. “My father thought he was the last of his kind. The last protector to the Lady of Nevoie. When he taught me about your family, it was a history lesson. If he knew you’d survived, he’d have found you.”

“So you agreed to kill Valentin because of a generational oath?” Elizabeth asked dubiously.

“I would have helped your sister because of that oath, yes. To protect her, to see her safe. I’ll do the same for you. But killing Valentin? No, that’s not why.”

“Then—”

“My sister.” The words were low, and painful. Jason looked up, found her gaze. “Valentin murdered her so I intend to return the favor.”

+16

Written in 70 minutes. Epilogue took a few minutes to get right.

PCPD: Interrogation Room

Mac pulled out the chair, took a seat, then looked at the woman sitting across from him. Brenda, her eyes rimmed with red and tears staining her cheeks, lifted her chin. “I suppose you have some questions.”

Mac tipped his head, leaned back. “There’s no way you and Morgan came up with this plan. He might be a lot of things, but he’s not sending a woman to do his job.”

“That’s awfully sexist of you.” The corner of her mouth tipped up. “You haven’t read me my rights.”

“You’re not under arrest. Yet.”

She exhaled slowly, cast her eyes towards the ceiling for a long moment, then met Mac’s gaze. “If you’re asking me whether or not Jason knew what I was planning, the answer is no. He intended to play this straight. Whatever you think about him, whatever you suspect he’s done, the man’s not an idiot. With you and Scott looking over his shoulder, he was never going to take chances. He didn’t know I had the gun, and he didn’t know what I was planning.”

“So you planned it.”

“Do you mean did I ask Jason to agree to a plan that would send his pregnant girlfriend out into the night alone with nothing more than my charm to protect us? You’re damn right I planned it. Whether or not he was Luis or Lorenzo Alcazar didn’t matter to me. He was never going to stop, Mac. Revenge, obsession. Pick your motivation.”

She folded her arms on the table, leaned towards him. “This started because of me, and I ran last year. I let Sonny and Jason and Jax fight my battles. I kept running, Mac. Wasting my life, my time, my dreams. This started because of me,” Brenda repeated. “So I made sure I finished it. Whoever he was, whatever he wanted, he’s dead. They both are. You can sort out who’s who yourself. Arrest me, charge me, do whatever you want. I’ll sleep like a baby tonight either way.”

Mac studied her for a moment, then nodded. “At this time, the PCPD doesn’t intend to press any charges. And as far as I’m concerned, we don’t have your statement on record. If and when you’re charged, this conversation never happened.” He pushed his chair out, stood. “You’re free to go.”

General Hospital: Emergency Room

Elizabeth laid back on the hospital bed, trying to block out the bustling sounds of the hospital around them—the voices, the beeps, alarms. “I’m fine. Didn’t Dr. Meadows tell you I was fine? No one even touched me.”

“All of the same,” Emily said, hopping in before Jason could open his mouth. “Nothing wrong with getting your vitals checked and making sure my nibling is in good health. You’re doing this for me, not Jason. Be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad at anyone.” Elizabeth pressed the heel of her palm against her eyes. “But the lights are irritating me—”

“I didn’t know she was going to kiss me,” Jason said, and both she and Emily looked at him, confused. “But I had to—”

“Kiss her back, I know.” Elizabeth made a face, looked at her friend. “Can you go find me some water or something? We’re going to be stuck here all night.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t be stupid, big brother,” Emily told Jason, then left the curtained area.

“I didn’t—”

“Jason.” Elizabeth looked at him, a bit exasperated. “Look, was it a little more aggravating than I thought it would be? Sure. And maybe I laid it on thicker than I had to, but considering what I knew about your history with Robin, and well, what happened with us, it was just the first thing that popped in my head.”

“Because you think it’s true, and it’s not—”

She reached out for his hand, then settled for a piece of his sleeve when he just stood there. “I don’t think it’s true. We’ve talked about this, haven’t we? Even when you went chose Courtney, I knew you weren’t choosing her instead of me. You were choosing the life you had with her. The safety of that. The familiarity of something that sort of worked.”

Jason sighed, and some of the anxiety eased from his expression. He sat on the edge of the bed. “I didn’t know it was Brenda’s plan. Any of it. I didn’t know she was going to—”

“She knew it had to look good. She knew we’d have one chance to force Alcazar into making a move. If it was Luis Alcazar out there tonight, who would know better than Brenda how to manipulate him into showing his hand? As for how it ended—” Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip. “Well, I’m not mad. It’s over. Really over. No court. No trials. Nothing. Just a body in the morgue. I just hope she finds some peace.”

“I should have done a better job last year or this summer. I thought it was enough to help Brenda hide from him, but it wasn’t—”

“You thought he was Lorenzo Alcazar, looking for revenge,” Elizabeth said. “And it’s not your job to fix things for everyone. For Sonny and Carly, for me, for Brenda, for anyone but yourself.”

“I know. I know,” Jason repeated when she just lifted his brows, but then he sighed again, dragged a hand down his face. “But I still expect it, so maybe it’s a lesson I’ll have to keep learning for a while.” He focused on her. “You’re sure you’re not really mad about Robin or—”

“No. You’re not mad at me because I slapped you, right? Because I had to make it look good. And I’m sorry about the Courtney thing—” She wrinkled her nose. “It’d be stupid if we were mad at each other because we executed the plan perfectly, right? I mean, it worked and I barely got a scratch on me.”

“Just took a few years of my life when I heard the gunshots,” Jason told her, then leaned forward to kiss her forehead, his lips lingering for a moment against her skin, then she lifted her face to kiss him. “We’re going to be all right,” he murmured.

“We’re going to be great,” she corrected with a half smile. “All three of us.”

St. Timothy’s Churchyard

Courtney was laid to rest a few days later, on a gray November afternoon. The crowd at the graveside was sparse. Sonny had been given a day pass from Rose Lawn, and it had been a bittersweet reunion as he saw Carly and Elizabeth for the first time since that night in the courtyard.

He looked more like his old self — clean-shaven, hair neatly slicked back, lucid and clear-headed, but his eyes carried a terrible somberness. Carly attended in a wheelchair, still not strong enough to stand on her own feet for long periods. Sonny stayed on one side of the grave, with his father, and Carly had remained on the other, closer to the road and her mother. A gulf that only time and patience would heal, if it could be done.

Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she should go, even with the thaw between Mike and Jason, but Jason had assured her, and she’d wanted to show her support. For all of Courtney’s faults, she’d been almost a friend once and she hadn’t deserved the ending. She met Sonny at the cemetery, and they’d hugged. She assured him she understood what had happened, and that she was only glad he was getting help. It was easier to hold grace for him knowing she’d fully recover and that her child was safe.

Neither she nor Jason had told Sonny about the strange story Ric had told her that night on the phone — of Luis Alcazar’s convoluted belief that she was Sonny’s sister, and that she’d been a planned part of Sonny’s destruction.

Ric had repeated the story when Mac and  officers from the PCPD had raised Alcazar’s yacht, but the only  truth that had emerged was that Richard Lansing was nothing more than a con artist who had snowed every one in his path, from Luis to Sonny to Elizabeth. When his fingerprints had been run through a database, there were more than a dozen law enforcement agencies, international and national who were interested in him. Whoever he turned out to be, he wasn’t Sonny’s brother, and that was all that mattered in the end. He would be someone else’s problem to solve.

Courtney’s coffin was lowered into the ground, and even the few mourners had faded away, leaving Mike standing alone over the open space, looking at the wooden box holding his daughter.

“Mike?”

He jolted at the voice, looked up to find Brenda there. “Hey.”

“Hey.” She came up next to him, looking down into the grave. “I’m sorry I didn’t kill him sooner,” she murmured. She wound her arm through Mike’s. “I’m sorry you lost your daughter.”

“I appreciate that.” He patted her hand. “How are you? No one’s threatening charges, are they?”

Brenda’s smile was faint. “I think maybe Scotty’s mad he was deprived of his publicity, but Mac hasn’t said a word, and I’ve already booked our tickets back to Paris. Port Charles—” She looked around, saw the limo in the distance where Sonny was standing. “Too many memories to stay right now. I brought so much horror onto people I care about. What Luis did to Sonny, to Courtney—even what happened to Carly and Elizabeth—” Her eyes glittered with tears when she looked back to Mike. “I’m so sorry I brought him to all of you.”

“How are you going to apologize for the evil acts of an obsessed man? None of this is your fault, sweetheart.” He clasped both of her hands in his. “Just like what happened to Sonny isn’t your fault. Or Jason’s. Or mine. What happened to Courtney? Not on any of us. It’s easier to take the blame. To assume the guilt. Because then there’d be some control. No one wants to be powerless. But you and I and all of us had no power to stop a man who was determined to destroy anyone who stood in his way. You’re not to blame, Brenda.”

“It’s hard to believe that. All the way inside.” But she smiled at him. “But thank you for that. Take care of yourself and everyone else here. Even Carly.”

Mike smiled faintly. “That must have hurt to say.”

“You have no idea. Tell no one.”

Epilogue

Seven months later

General Hospital: Maternity Floor

“I’ve counted his toes and fingers twice,” Emily said, cuddling her nephew against her chest. She beamed up at her brother. “They’re so little and cute, and he’s so perfect.”

Jason put an arm around his sister, pulled her into a half hug, kissed her forehead then leaned down to brush his lips against the top of his newborn son’s. “I’m glad you were here.”

Laying back in the hospital bed, her face pale, but her eyes shining, Elizabeth grinned. “But Gram is never going to forgive herself for being in Memphis with Steven. I guess Cam didn’t want to wait another week.”

“Well, Cam just wanted his aunt in the room when he came into the world.” Emily smiled smugly, then gently handed the newborn back to his mother. “I plan to lord that over Carly for the rest of our lives.”

“Emily—” Jason looked at his sister. “Really?”

“Well, I can either brag about that or about the time I almost died, and now you two are married and have a kid.” Emily lifted her brows. “Either way, Carly loses, and I win, so really, no bad choices here.”

“She’s never going to let us forget about that,” Jason told Elizabeth, but he was grinning when he said it.

“No, she really isn’t. I guess we’ll have to let her have this one. I’m not complaining at the outcome.”

“Me either.” He kissed her forehead, and they both looked down at their son, ignoring Emily dancing out to the hallway and Carly’s wail of protest when she realized was too late.

THE END

+32

Written in 66 minutes. See you tomorrow!

Luke’s: Main Bar

The direction from Brenda had been simple. Wait for her cue, and react. No scripts, no hints for improvisation. Just imagine that everything you see and hear is real. And whatever your instinct is? Dial it up to a hundred.

In other words, make a scene and find a reason to storm out of the bar, out into the vulnerable, dark, cold night where Alcazar should be waiting to take advantage. Whether he was Luis or Lorenzo wasn’t important anymore. That was a problem for someone else to sort out.

Elizabeth’s only goal was to make sure no one else was gunning for Jason and the people important to him.

She flexed her hand again, and across the table Emily caught sight of her. She smiled faintly. “It’s better, right? You’ll get full range back?”

“I think so, yeah.” Elizabeth bit her lip, watching Brenda and Jason on the dance floor. Brenda was smiling, Jason look pained. She tapped her water glass, trying not to fidget. She had her own part to play, and she worried she wasn’t up to it.

And what scene was Brenda planning? Her feud with Jason had been off and on for years, but it had been publicly laid to rest. Robin’s conversation with Jason had been tense, but nothing that would make anyone flee the room—

“Is everything okay?” Emily’s foot nudged her under the table, and Elizabeth refocused on her best friend. “I was surprised when you and Jason decided to come. Even more, uh, surprised when Mike came with you guys. Considering.” She tipped her head. “Is there anything I should know?”

“Nothing I can tell you now. But, um, if I have to make a scene, I could use your help, no questions asked. You’re more dramatic than I am—”

Emily rested her chin on her first, then fluttered her lashes. “I’ve been known to throw a tantrum or two. What’s my motivation? What are my lines?”

“That’s the problem. I just know that Brenda is supposed to cue something that’s going to make a scene, and I’m supposed to storm out of the club with her rushing behind me to explain—”

Emily’s smile faded and she looked around to make sure Zander was still at the bar, ordering another round of drinks. She scooted closer. “That’s why she’s here? I knew it was odd. You don’t know what she’s going to do—”

“No, but it needs to look real. Like it’s not a trap we’re—” Elizabeth closed her mouth when Robin walked up to Jason and Brenda, and Brenda let her cut in as the music shifted to something slower.

“Is that your cue?” Emily asked, furrowing her  brow watching the exes trade a few words, then . “I feel like it’d be more dramatic than that—uh—more like that,” she said when Robin kissed Jason—

And he kissed her back.

Two minutes earlier

Brenda hadn’t been very clear on the details of her plan, and Jason regretted not knowing exactly how she intended to orchestrate causing Elizabeth to storm out with Brenda on her heels in a way that didn’t look like a set up. But he hadn’t tried very hard to find out —it was Brenda, after all, and Jason didn’t much care how it got done.

Just that they trapped Alcazar into something that could get him called into the PCPD and his yacht raided. Any other permanent ending was out of the question — Mac and Scott were wrapped into all of it too deeply to do anything but play this straight.

But now, as Jason waited for Brenda to make her cue, he realized that he probably should have asked for some details, but maybe he was supposed to look surprised when Brenda stepped away, letting Robin cut in just as the music shifted to a slower song.

“This is part of the plan,” Brenda said, patting his chest before turning a bright smile, knowing smile at her best friend. “There you go, just like I promised,” she told Robin, raising her voice slightly. Not enough to be heard across the room, but definitely enough so that people around them could hear it. “Now, you promise to hear her out, don’t you?” she told Jason.

He wanted to make a face, wanted to look over at Elizabeth, but didn’t. “Yeah, okay,” he said, realizing Brenda hadn’t told them the plan for just this reason. So that his reaction — and Elizabeth’s would be genuine.

Which meant whatever was on the menu was not going to be terrible.

Robin stepped into his arms, and they fell into a dance, like they had a thousand times or more during their relationship. “Well, some things never change,” she murmured, looking up at him. “You still have no rhythm.”

“No, I don’t. Robin—”

“She’s my best friend and I’ll do anything to make sure she’s free to live her life again.” Robin’s dark eyes searched his. “Wouldn’t you do the same for someone you loved? Whatever it took?”

“Yeah, yeah, I would—”

“Then you need to make this look real.”

Jason opened his mouth to ask another question, but she leaned up on her toes and kissed him, sliding her hands into his hair. His own froze at his side for a minute, his mind whirling at the familiar sensation of Robin’s mouth on his, the feel of her body pressed against his—

And the knowledge that Elizabeth was sitting a few dozen feet away—ready to play her part in the farce Brenda had designed.

Jason hesitantly laid his hands on Robin’s hips and kissed her back for just a moment. Then he gently set her back a step, licked his lips, raised his head—

To catch sight of Elizabeth striding across the dance floor, her face flushed, her eyes burning. The people around her stepped out of the way. She reached them just as Brenda danced back over to them.

“I knew it! I knew if I just got you together you’d remember,” Brenda said, clapping her hands together. “Oh—” She looked at Elizabeth, guilt flashing in her eyes. “Oh. I wasn’t thinking about—oh, I’m so sorry—” She pressed her hands to her mouth. “Oh—”

She closed her mouth abruptly when Elizabeth slapped Jason, his head snapping to the side. Elizabeth winced, holding her arm against her side, and Jason realized she’d used her injured arm out of habit. Tears glimmered in her eyes.

“I guess Courtney was right about you,” she bit out. “You’re never happy. There’s always someone else you want more. I hope you rot in hell.” She glared at Brenda. “And I wish you’d stayed dead.”

And then she stormed out, the people parting around her as if she were Moses parting the Red Sea.

“Oh, crud, I wasn’t thinking—” Brenda looked back at Jason and Robin. “I’ll go get her, okay? I’ll talk to her and make sure she understands you just can’t deny destiny—she won’t want to talk to either of you—and, oh—” She winced when she saw Mike and Emily coming towards them. “You’ll have your hands full with that. Good luck.”

“I am going to kill her,” Jason bit out, then glared at Robin. “And you, too. What  the—”

“Shut up,” Robin said, clenching her teeth. She grabbed his shirt sleeve and started to drag him through the club, towards the back. “I didn’t just embarrass myself so that you could screw it up now—”

They reached the back hallway and Jason pushed open Luke’s office door, stepping aside so that Robin could go in, quickly followed by Mike and Emily. He slammed it, and turned on Mike. “That was—”

“A plan,” Emily finished quickly. “Elizabeth warned me she had to make a scene, and I said I’d play along. So Mike and I are here to yell at you—”

“Who the hell came up with this idea?” Jason demanded.

Robin rolled her eyes, folded her arms. “Please. Brenda did. Do you think anything I’d come up with would put me anywhere near your mouth? Who knows if you bothered to bleach it after you were finished with Carly.”

“All right, let’s all take a deep breath,” Mike said, stepping between Robin and Jason. “Robin, it’s been a long time since you were here—”

“Not long enough. Brenda told me that you’d been engaged like two months ago, and that you got someone else pregnant. Are you actually this kid’s father or is it another lie?” she demanded. “Did you learn anything from all of that or did Carly warp your brain too much—”

Jason grimaced, dragged his hand through his hair, and went over stand by the window. He tugged the phone his pocket, willing it to ring again, to indicate that Alcazar was heading for the alley.

“Robin, maybe you take it down a notch, okay?” Emily said. “It’s not like you weren’t perfectly willing to lie to my other brother as long as Carly stayed away and you and Jason could play house with a baby you both knew wasn’t his. So just save the self-righteous act for someone gives a damn. Go away and stop pissing me off.”

“Whatever. I did what I had to do for my best friend, and now I’m out of it.” Robin yanked the door open and stormed out.

“Mike—” Jason looked at him. “I don’t know if—”

“I’ll go with her. Make sure she’s safe. You stick to the plan.” Mike closed the door behind him, and Jason exhaled in a low sigh.

“She doesn’t believe what she said, you know that,” Emily said, stepping up to her brother. “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know why you needed to make this scene, but it’s going to work. Elizabeth knows it was just an act. She just wanted to make it look real.” She tried to smile. “She did such a good job you think it was. So whoever you’re trying to trick probably does, too.”

Jason looked at his sister, then sighed again, looked out the window, wishing it had a view of the alley. “I made so many mistakes,” he muttered, then stared down at the phone, willing it to ring. “You know we were together that night in the hospital.”

“Elizabeth said as much. But you’re okay now. She’s having the baby, and you’re happy—I know it’s complicated with everything else that happened. But that part is good, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So what if you went home and picked the wrong woman? She picked the wrong guy. A lot. I mean, geez, Jase, she picked Ric, right? If anyone understands making the wrong choice, Elizabeth does.” She poked him lightly in the arm. “When this is done, and you guys are the winners at the end of the day, you’ll have all the time in the world to stop and take a breath. Robin can go wallow in her own acid, Brenda can have her life back, Sonny and Carly will figure out whatever they’re going to do, Mike will—well, we’ll be there for Mike. And you and Elizabeth can focus on each other and the baby.”

“When did you get so smart?” Jason wondered.

“I had a really great older brother.” Emily slid her arm around his waist, leaned in to hug him. He kissed the top of her head. “Also, I’m absolutely going to credit for being the reason you and Liz get together. I should almost die more often, huh?”

“Never again. I couldn’t even handle almost losing you.” He rubbed her back, his hand freezing when the phone vibrated in his hand.  “Thanks for playing a part and not asking questions, but—”

“But time for me to go, and for you to go save the world.” She kissed his cheek. “Good luck storming the castle.”

Jason made a face but his sister just waved and left the room. He went over to the desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out the gun he’d stowed there earlier that day.

Luke’s: Parking Lot

Elizabeth burst out the front doors, then made a beeline for the side of the building, her heart pounding, her throat so tight she could barely squeeze a breath through—

Jason had looked so stricken, so hurt when she’d slapped him and thrown that barb about Courtney, and even though she knew it was all an act, and so did he—

Damn Brenda for being right. For knowing that it would be more realistic without the details, because part of Elizabeth had been actually furious, and the words she spoken—the fear that Jason wouldn’t be happy with her—

They weren’t exactly untrue, and maybe that’s why they’d fallen so easily from her lips.

She heard heels clacking behind her, and Elizabeth turned, still in motion so that she walked backwards for a few more steps. “Go away, Jason—”

“It’s not Jason!” Brenda held up her hands in mock surrender. “I come in peace, okay? I just wanted to come out here. Make sure you were okay—”

“Oh, like you care about that now,” Elizabeth retorted, fisting her hands at her side.

“I didn’t tell Robin to kiss him, okay?” Brenda rolled her eyes, planted one hand on her  hip. “Please. Jason hates public displays of affection. When we were married, I tortured him all the time because he hated it—”

“This is your idea of helping—” Where are you, you asshole? Elizabeth thought. How long were she and Brenda supposed to pretend to fight?

God, what if they’d done all of that for nothing—

“No, but it’s not my fault that arranging for them to have a minute alone together—”

“Alone in the middle of a packed bar? Are you kidding me?”

“I repeat, I did not tell anyone to use lips.” Brenda wrinkled her nose with some distaste. “Or tongues. There better not have been tongues — ew, now that picture’s in my head—”

“You really haven’t changed in the slightest, have you, darling?”

The slow, silky tone was quiet and Brenda immediately closed her mouth, turning around and backing away at double speed until she was standing right in front of Elizabeth, her arm held out.

“Who’s there?”

“Oh, I think you know.” Alcazar stepped out from the back parking lot, a cigar in his hands, the tip glowing in the dark night. He brought it to his lips. “Hello, Brenda. It’s nice to see you again.”

Brenda’s body was trembling hard and she fumbled with the purse in her hand.

“Oh, are you calling the police? Perhaps Morgan? I saw him running towards the back office with his paramour—poor Miss Webber—” Alcazar said with a sad sigh.

Brenda retrieved something from her purse, the little gold bag falling to the ground—

“Go ahead, call whoever you want. It’s already too late—” Alcazar continued.

The single gunshot echoed along the walls of the alley, Elizabeth jolted from the shock of the sound. Alcazar clutched his hand to his chest, his eyes wide. He stared at Brenda with a stunned expression. “What—”

“This time you’re not coming back,” Brenda bit out. And pulled the trigger a second time.

Then a third.

Alcazar fell to the ground, knees first, looking at them both with such bewilderment, even as the blood trickled from his mouth.

Then he fell face forward into the dirt and gravel, and didn’t move again.

+25

Written in 59 minutes

Luke’s: Main Bar

Jason hadn’t spent much time inside the old club since his return to Port Charles the previous year but there had been a time in his life when he’d spent much of his time here. Prior to leaving Brenda at the altar and fleeing town, Sonny had operated most of his concerns from inside the club, using it as a meeting place. Jason had parked cars, worked inventory, security, and accounting and any other number of tasks.

Stepping inside the club tonight almost felt comforting, even with the noise of the crowd and music pouring out from the stage across the room.

He’d made sure to time their arrival after Brenda, knowing that she’d get most of the attention. She had one of Jason’s guards on her arm posing as her date but meant to stick to her side like glue. Jason intended to circulate and keep Brenda in sight at all times, but the whole point of this operation was to use Brenda as bait, and Alcazar would never strike if Jason was breathing down her neck.

It had seemed like such a simple idea when Baldwin and Mac had suggested it, and while Jason cared what happened to Brenda, he could focus on her without going out of his mind.

Elizabeth, on the other hand—

Jason was forced to keep his distance slightly from her as well, watching her cross the room on Mike’s arm. There were looks and whispers as Mike escorted her to where Emily and Zander with Nikolas. Mike left her, then went to the next table and an empty seat with Felicia, Kevin, and Mac. Elizabeth was smiling and looking at Mike, who was understandably subdued but not particularly somber.

That phone call had changed everything, throwing Jason’s entire perception in the air. Who was in danger? Who was the target? Had Ric called just to throw off the scent? What if Jason focused entirely on Elizabeth, leaving Brenda out to dry? Was that what Alcazar wanted? Or what if Ric had actually been trying to save his own skin and tipping Jason off to Luis’s plans for Elizabeth?

And how many cons had Ric been trying to pull at once? Sonny wasn’t his brother? Floating theories to Luis about Sonny’s dead sister?

Since the shooting, there had been too many players, too many pieces on the chessboard, and every time Jason wrapped his mind around the situation, someone flipped the board, and changed the game. How many opportunities was he going to get to reset the players and start over?

Jason edged around another crowd of people, then hissed when he bumped directly into Robin. He held his hands out to steady himself and to keep her from falling, but snatched them back before he could touch her.

Her hair had grown since the last time they’d seen each other — she’d cut it short, close to her head, and now it fell just below her chin. But she was older and her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Jason,” she said.

“Robin.” He cleared his throat, then looked over at the bar. “Uh, did you and Brenda get into the hotel okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. Thanks for the security.” Robin looked back the way she’d come, to the table where Elizabeth was flexing her hand, talking to Felicia. “So you’re dating Lizzie Webber. Wasn’t she in high school when I left?”

Jason exhaled slowly, then scratched his eyebrow. “Yeah. She graduated that year. How’s medical school?”

“Fine. Nice when I’m not being threatened at every turn by your latest enemy, so I’m glad I don’t have to dodge that anymore.” Robin folded her arms. “I hear you’re still having trouble being faithful.”

Jason flinched, then took another deep breath. “You want to take shots at me, that’s fine. But maybe it can wait until this is done—”

“Why? You can’t multi-task? You don’t have enough security to keep Brenda safe? I mean, you dragged her all the way here—”

“And if you were that worried about safety, Robin, you’d have stayed in Paris,” Jason cut in, and she closed her mouth. “Where you don’t have to dodge my enemies, right? You’re the one that put yourself in the middle again. I don’t have time for this,” he told her.

“No, you better go check on your mistress—oh, I guess it doesn’t matter now that your fiancée is dead, right?”

Jason was already striding away from her, but flinched again at the parting barb. Robin had every reason to be angry at the way they’d ended things, and the way he’d treated her those last few months, but he’d forgotten how cutting she could be when she wanted to unleash that streak of vindictiveness that she kept well hidden.

He reached the table where Elizabeth sat, jerked out a chair, angling so he could keep an eye on Brenda near  the bar. She was laughing, glowing, her dark hair in glossy curls, a wine glass in her hand. She turned to say something to Lucy, then laughed again.

Brenda had always been an excellent actress.

“We have guys on the docks,” Mac told Jason, his own eyes on his stepdaughters across the dance floor. “Ready to hit the yacht as soon as we can, but we don’t have probable cause. Not yet. They’re tracing the call from your place. If they can put it on the boat—”

“No sign of Alcazar,” Jason cut in, tense. And even if Alcazar showed up, it wouldn’t matter. He wasn’t a fugitive, and arresting him wasn’t going to solve anything. They needed to catch him in the act. He glanced away from Brenda to find Elizabeth at the end of the table, leaning over to say something to her Emily. “And we’ve got guys on every entrance, every possible street corner watching.”

“Things looked tense with you and Robin. Anything I have to worry about?”

“Not unless you’re planning to arrest me for something else I didn’t do.” Jason shifted away from the commissioner, towards Mike. “If we did this all for nothing—”

“Sometimes you gotta play a hand just to see what the other players will do,” Mike said. “Maybe he doesn’t strike tonight. Maybe he just watches. Or maybe—”

“Maybe we’re not giving him enough room to act.” Jason exhaled slowly, dragged a hand down his face. “Brenda’s surrounded by people—”

“And Elizabeth hasn’t moved since we got here.”

Jason looked at Mike, saw the worry on his face. “We’re being too careful maybe, but I don’t know any other answers.”

“No, and I’m not going to tell you to take chances. Not with Brenda who’s been through too much, and Elizabeth has a lot to lose.” Mike looked over at his son’s ex-lover. “I’m not interested in one more women paying for the obsession and failings of men.”

“That’s not on the table,” Jason began, but stopped when he saw Brenda coming towards them. He rose when she reached them, as did Mike.

“Well, if it isn’t two of my favorite people.” Brenda embraced Mike tightly. “Hey. I’m so sorry about Courtney,” she told him, the glow slipping slightly. “I know I can’t fix that, but I hope that anything I do helps.”

“Just being willing to come home, Brenda, it matters.” Mike kissed her cheek. “I can’t wait until you’re free to live and love the way you deserve.”

“Same.” Brenda turned to Jason, hugged him. “My favorite ex-husband.”

“The only legal one you have,” Jason reminded, and she smiled.

“I’m sorry if Robin bit your head off. Coming home—” Brenda looked around the room, her dark eyes somber. “It brings back memories, you know? Puts you back into a mindset. But when she insisted on coming back, I couldn’t stop her.”

“It’s her home, too,” Jason said. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m doing okay. A little shaky, but I know how to put on a show.” Brenda looked past him to Elizabeth who was doing a great job of not looking at them. “Lizzie Webber—”

Jason sighed. “Brenda—”

“Right. We’re friends now, so I’ll say that I’m happy for you if you’re happy. No matter what you had to do to get there.” She leaned in, made sure Mike had moved on, returning to the rest of the table. “I’m sorry she’s gone, but I never liked that other one. You know how I feel about mouthy blondes.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Speaking of her—” Brenda made a face. “How—how is she? Recovering?”

“Yeah. She’s doing good. Brenda, if this ends up being a waste of time—”

“No, not a waste. It’s never a waste to face your fears.” Brenda licked her lips, took another deep breath, trying to cover her nerves. “But we have to give him an opportunity, don’t we? So if you’re up to causing a scene, I think we might be able to force his hand.”

Jason furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“Well—Mac filled me in when I got here. You think there’s a chance Luis might go after Elizabeth or me. You don’t know who the target is.” Brenda met his eyes. “So why not let him try for both of us?”

General Hospital: Carly’s Room

Bobbie listened to the person on the other end of the phone, then laid her hand over the receiver to block her voice. She looked at Carly. “Dr. Winters thinks now is a good time if you’re up to a quick phone call.”

“Now? Like—like right now?” Carly blinked, looking at the phone. Was she ready to talk to Sonny? The first time since that terrible day at the penthouse, when he’d shaken her, demanding to know what she’d done with his wife— “Is she sure?”

“She is. She’s there, monitoring. But if you’re not ready—”

“Ready is a strong word,” Carly admitted, but she held out her hand for the phone.

“She’s up for it,” Bobbie said, then set the receiver in her daughter’s hand.

Carly lifted it to her ear. “Hello?”

There was a shuffle, some muffled voices, and then—

“Carly?”

She closed her eyes, the sound of Sonny’s familiar, beloved voice. “Sonny. Um, hey. Hi.”

“Hey.” The silence hung long on the line. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Yeah, I—I know what you mean. How—how are you?”

“Am I still a raving, violent lunatic?” The tone was clipped, irritated, but there was a different tenor to the words. More self-deprecating—his distaste was internal, not directed at her. “No. I still have some…I have some work to do. I promised—” There was a pause. “I promised Jason I’d stay here until I was sure I wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Jesus, Carly, I never—I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this. To hurt you, to hurt Elizabeth.”

“I know.” Her voice faltered, her head started to ache. “I know you, Sonny. Inside and out. I would have stayed if I could. I just—”

“You had to protect the kids. You stayed too long. Longer than I deserved. I hope—I hope when you’re up to it, maybe—maybe you could come see me.”

“I could bring the baby. Morgan. You should see him, Sonny. He looks just like you. Right down to the dimples.” Carly pressed two fingers to her lips. “As soon as the doctors say it’s okay, I’ll bring the boys to you. Okay? You’ll get better, and I’ll get better, and this—we’ll fix what was broken.”

“When you say it, I almost believe it. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Carly held the phone against her chest, even after  the line had gone dead, squeezing her eyes tightly. “I just want this over, Mama. I want Sonny to come home, and I want us to be a family again.”

Bobbie gently took the phone from her, laid it back on the base, then held Carly’s hands tightly. “And you will be. I’ll be right there with you, every step of the way. And we’ll trust Jason to finish this. He’s never let you down before, has he?”

“No. No, he hasn’t.” Carly smiled. “Sonny sounded good, you know. Like himself. That’s—that’s something. It’s everything.”

Luke’s: Main Bar

Brenda’s idea was perfect, of course, designed to create a opportunity that even a man expecting a trap couldn’t resist —

Jason hated every single detail, but once Brenda had pulled Elizabeth into the loop and given Robin her role to play, he’d been outvoted.

Especially since his only protest had been Please don’t put yourself in danger which was a personal request to Elizabeth, and nothing rooted in practicality. Jason had every inch of the alley covered, but they couldn’t put the plan into motion until there was a reason.

Until Alcazar’s location was determined. What good was dangling a carrot if there was no one to take it?

“If you think Robin’s going to screw this up because she’s still pissed,” Brenda said, dragging Jason onto the dance floor for another conference, “you’re just wrong. Her fight isn’t with me or Elizabeth, and we’d be the ones in danger.”

“That’s the part I don’t like,” Jason muttered, his gaze finding Elizabeth, still where he’d left. Just as she’d promised, she’d stayed with Emily all night, Mike close by. Nikolas had drifted back and forth between their table and another with Lucky and someone he’d brought.

But he couldn’t stop worrying, couldn’t stop thinking that Elizabeth might have survived the courtyard without lasting damage, but that it couldn’t last. Jason wasn’t supposed to have anything or anyone good in his life, wasn’t that what he’d told himself over and over again?

“Hey, focus—” Brenda said, jerking Jason’s attention back to her. “Robin’s going to do her part, I’ll stick with Elizabeth like glue, and you trust your guys, don’t you? You wouldn’t let Elizabeth be guarded by just anyone, would you?”

“No,” Jason muttered.

“Okay, then. So let’s go over it again—”

The phone vibrated in his pocket, but he didn’t touch it. Didn’t answer. His actual phone was with Elizabeth, in her little black bag. The phone he carried was only to ring if Alcazar was sighted. “Brenda.”

His tone clued her in, and Brenda closed her mouth. She kept the smile on her face, but her eyes shifted slightly. “Game on?”

They didn’t have a better plan, and as much as he hated it, Brenda’s was their best chance. And now that he had confirmation Alcazar had been seen in the area of the club—

“Yeah. Do it. Let’s end this. For good.”

+26

Written in 65 minutes .

Port Charles Hotel: Suite

“You don’t think it’s a little, uh, morbid to have booked the same suite?” Robin Scorpio turned away from the locked terrace doors to find Brenda by the fireplace, staring at the crackling flames. “We could have stayed with my uncle. Or Ned.”

Brenda looked at her friend, her dark eyes slightly unfocused, then sighed. “No. No. I wanted to do this on my own terms. To stop running. I’m so angry with myself for letting Lorenzo—Luis—whoever he is scare me away from the life I wanted to build. I’ve lost too much time. It ends here. Where it should have ended last year.”

“All right, you get to handle this however you want. I just wish I understood why this is the plan,” Robin complained. She crossed to her luggage, still piled by the door. “A Halloween party at Luke’s? It’s such an obvious trap—”

“It is, but if Scott and Mac are right—” Brenda folded her arms, wrapping them tightly around her torso, “if this is Luis, he won’t be able to resist. For all he knows, I’m really here to do Lucy a favor.” She hesitated. “But I understand if you’ve changed your mind about going to the party. It’s…it’s the first time you’ve seen Jason since you left—”

“Since I blew up his cozy little lie with Carly, you mean,” Robin said coolly, “and he told me he never wanted to see my face again. Yeah, that’s going to be a little awkward. But since he managed to Michael away from AJ again and he’s moved on with Lizzie Webber, I’m not worried about his reaction. And I’m not interested in what he thinks anyway. I came here to support you. He’s just going to have to deal with it.” She lifted her suitcase and stalked into one of the adjoining bedrooms, slamming the door behind her.

Brenda flinched, then looked back at the flames. One way or another, it was all going to end, she told herself. Even if she had to kill Luis or Lorenzo herself this time.

Morgan Penthouse: Master Bathroom

Elizabeth gripped the eyeliner more tightly and leaned in closer to the bathroom mirror. It was hell trying to apply this with her weaker hand, but after more than a week of using her left, she was starting to get the hang of it.

And then the liner slipped, and a streak of black hit her nose.

“Damn it.” Elizabeth nearly threw the little stick right in the trash, but took a deep breath. She slid her other arm out of the brace, and flexed her hand. She could move her fingers now which was an improvement, but—

She bit her lip, transferred the eyeliner to her right hand, took a deep breath, and tried again.

A few minutes later, the eyeliner had been applied, outlining her blue eyes with smoky black color, lightly smudged. She’d had to go very slowly and she hadn’t been able to grip very tightly, but—

It was progress. Real progress. Just maybe she’d be able to hold a paintbrush again one day or a colored pencil, and watch it fly across the canvas or paper, the images in her head appearing in front of her.

“I still don’t like this—” Jason began, stepping inside the bathroom. He hesitated, one hand on the door frame. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Nothing—and I’m not going to cry,” she managed, her voice thick, She looked at him, smiling tremulously. “I put on my makeup. And I used my right hand.”

Jason dropped his eyes to her hand, saw the eyeliner still clutched in her fingers and he exhaled slowly. “You used—you used your hand.”

“I think maybe it’s starting to—” She closed her palm around the stick. “I still don’t have fine motor control, but it’s like Tony said. Maybe the nerve just needs to heal.”

“That is—” Jason came forward, his hand sliding away from the doorframe, reaching out for her. He dipped his head down, brushed his mouth against hers. “That’s really good news.”

“I know.” She tipped her head back so that their eyes met. “And I know you don’t want me to go tonight. I don’t want to go either. But we agreed. We want this to look like a normal night. Lucy’s throwing a charity benefit for the pediatric AIDs wing. You’ve always donated to that. And if you bring me, it doesn’t look like you’re worried about my safety—”

“I am—”

“Nikolas is going to stick to my side all night. Emily offered Zander, but—”

“I don’t want him anywhere near this,” Jason muttered, and Elizabeth nodded in agreement.

“I won’t be alone. I’m not the target tonight, Jason. If we’re right, Brenda being out in public — he won’t be able to resist. And he won’t want to hurt her.”

Jason sighed, tugged her into an embrace, and she curled into it, ignoring the tenderness in her shoulder. “Even if we grab Alcazar, it doesn’t solve our Ric problem—”

“One psychopath at a time,” Elizabeth said. She kissed the edge of his jaw. “Now, go get ready.”

“I’m not wearing a costume,” he reminded her, and she rolled her eyes, leaving him behind in the bathroom to take his shower.

As if she were stupid enough to think he’d put on a mask or even a themed jacket. She’d found one of his all black suits, and figured that was good enough. She’d located one of her black dresses and Bobbie had brought her a pair of cat ears attached to a headband. That was as dressed up as she wanted to be tonight.

She headed downstairs, leaving the brace off. Maybe her hand would improve even more quickly if she used it more.

As she stepped off the bottom step, there was a knock at the door. There hadn’t been a call from the security desk so it meant someone on the approved list. When she pulled the door open, she found Mike on the threshold.

“Oh. Um, hi.” Elizabeth tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, stepped back. “I didn’t know you were coming by tonight.”

Sonny’s father stepped inside, his hands in his pockets. “I wasn’t—I wasn’t going to, but,  well, Bobbie filled me in when I went to see Carly and the baby today.” He furrowed his brow at the sight of her hand wrapped around the edge of the door. “Your arm is better?”

“Getting there.” Elizabeth released the door, flexed her fingers again. “It’s the best it’s felt yet.”

“I’m glad. Really. I know you were worried about your art, and well, that’d be a shame. I, ah, wanted to know if there was anything I could do tonight. Um, you know, to help.”

Elizabeth bit her lip, considered. “Well, Jason’s nervous that I’m going, and Nikolas is supposed to stick with me all night. But I know if you were there, too, he’d feel even better.”

Mike blinked. “You’re—you’re going? I would have thought—with the baby—” He cleared his throat. “I mean, you know best. I just didn’t think you’d risk it.”

“It’s important that tonight look normal, like any other charity. If Jason goes alone, it’s suspicious, don’t you think? He could just donate. So if I go, it looks like he’s doing it for me.” Elizabeth flexed her hand again, staring down at it. “I know it seems awful, going tonight with everything—”

“Life has to go on, Elizabeth,” he said gently, and she looked at him. “I’m trying to be a better father and better friend than I was a few days ago. Than I’ve been all my life. Jason’s a good man, and you and I have always liked each other. That doesn’t have to change.”

Her eyes watered, and she closed them. “Oh, man, it took forever to get this eyeliner on,” she managed, heading for the desk and plucking at a tissue. “It means a lot to me that you feel that way, Mike, and I know Jason’s going to be relieved.”

“If this man killed my little girl, then I want to make him pay. Whatever that takes, and if the best way to make sure Jason can focus is look after you, than that’s what we’ll do.”

“Good. Good—” Elizabeth leaned over to pick up the ringing phone, sure that it was someone at the desk. Maybe Brenda had decided to come here instead. “Hello?”

“Elizabeth? Oh, thank God. You’re the one that answered. You have to help me. He’s insane, and you’re the only one who can help.”

Elizabeth looked at Mike, her eyes wide, her blood running cold. She forced her voice to remain even. “After everything you’ve done, I wouldn’t help you across the street, Ric. Give a reason to change my mind.”

General Hospital: Hospital Room

“I told you, Mama, you should go tonight. I know you’re worried—”

“No, no, I’d be one more person for Jason to keep track of.” Bobbie folded her arms, tried to force herself to remain seated, but then was up and pacing the room again. “It’s just come together so quickly, and I’m worried. What if it doesn’t work? What if Alcazar just disappears?”

“What if the sky falls down?” Carly said, trying to tease, but her voice faltered. “We have to trust Jason—”

“I trust him. But he didn’t come up with this plan. Scotty did. And I wouldn’t trust him with an ant farm right now,” she muttered.

“It’s a good plan. It is. Trying to draw Alcazar out into the open, baiting him with Brenda.” Carly made a face. “Not that I’m happy she’s back. I was glad to be rid of her.”

“Oh, don’t start any of that again.” Bobbie looked back at her daughter. “She’s been through hell.”

“And she brought that pasty-faced brat with her for emotional support. Haven’t I been through enough?” Carly asked, turning her face to the ceiling. “Shot in the head by my own husband, and now the universe brings two of the most annoying people on the planet back to town. If Miss Goody Two Shoes tries to screw with Jason’s head again, I’ll get out of this bed and pop her—”

“You’re trying to distract me, and it’s not going to work.” Bobbie returned to her seat. “Brenda and Robin are here to help us, Carly. Not take your husband.”

“I just—” Carly closed her eyes. “I just wish I could talk to him. It’s been so long since we could even hear each other. Can you— I mean, could you find out if he…I just want to know how he is. To tell him I know he didn’t mean to do this. He’d never mean it. He was so broken, Mama.”

“I’ll reach out to Rose Lawn and find out.” Bobbie squeezed her hand. “We’re going to get through this. We’re almost done.”

“That’s what I thought when they brought me home from Venezuela, but well—” Carly sighed. “Here we are, still hoping it’s almost over.”

Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

Jason jogged down the steps, tugging the hem of his black suit jacket down to his wrist, coming to a stop halfway when he realized Mike was standing by the desk—and Elizabeth was on the phone, her face pale.

Mike saw him first, gestured for him to stay quiet. Jason, his heart pounding, came down the last few steps, crossing to them slowly.

“I don’t care what mess you’ve gotten yourself into this time, Ric. You’re nothing but a liar, and so far you haven’t given me a good reason to do a damn thing for you—”

Jason scowled, sent Mike an irritated look. The older man just shrugged.

Ric said something else on the phone and Elizabeth grimaced. “Well, thanks, but we already figured out that Luis was still alive. You have nothing we want, Ric. As far as I’m concerned, you can go rot wherever you are—” She stopped, bit her lip, then looked at Jason, something shifting in her eyes. “I need to talk to Jason. I’m not making any promises. Do you know the number you’re calling from?”

Mike was already handing her a pad of paper and a pencil. Elizabeth scribbled something down with her bad hand, but it was mostly legible.

“If we decide to do anything with this, you’ll hear from us. But don’t hold your breath—” She clicked the phone off in mid-threat, then looked at Jason. “He stole a cell phone from one of the guards on a yacht that’s docked in the harbor. That’s why he had service. Because Luis is here in Port Charles.”

Jason exhaled slowly. “A yacht. That makes sense. Easy for him to go off grid. Anything else?”

“He wanted to trade information for his safety. I wasn’t impressed by the Luis reveal, but he told me that Luis has a plan that isn’t about Brenda. Or he did. Ric doesn’t know if he changed it.”

“What’s the plan?”

Elizabeth exhaled slowly. “Get Sonny and me into a room so he can tell Sonny he nearly killed his sister.”

Mike jolted. “What?”

“It’s a lie,” Elizabeth added quickly. “Ric cooked something up — Luis thinks I’m Sonny’s sister. I don’t know what’s going on, but—”

“You’re not leaving the penthouse,” Jason said immediately, snatching up the cordless. “I’m calling Mac. As soon as we have eyes on Alcazar at the party, he can raid the yacht. But you’re not going anywhere near the party—”

“I have to go, Jason,” Elizabeth insisted.

“He’s right, Elizabeth. If there’s a chance Alcazar is going to try to get you—” Mike began, but she shook her head.

“We don’t know what’s a truth or a lie. Ric could be setting you up,” she told Jason who scowled. “All he does is play games. You said he worked for Luis before all of this started. He told me he came up with this ridiculous sister thing because he thought he could con Sonny with it. I don’t know why he thought it would work—”

“You’re the right age,” Mike said roughly, and both Jason and Elizabeth looked at him. “Adela. She was pregnant when she died. The baby died with her. It was the last time I saw Sonny at her funeral. He blamed himself. But you—you’re the right age. You and Courtney. Born the same year.” He dragged a hand down his face. “Christ. I haven’t thought about that in years. Sonny blamed himself for not getting rid of Deke sooner. Blamed himself for his sister’s death. And he’ll blame himself when we tell him about Courtney. I went to the funeral, and he saw—he saw a picture of Courtney in my wallet — I didn’t mean to — he was furious with me. Furious that I’d started another family while his mother was in her grave. It was the last time we saw each other until I came to Port Charles.” He looked at Jason. “Sonny, in the condition he’s in, he wouldn’t think about all the reasons it doesn’t make sense. If he thought for a second that he’d nearly killed his pregnant wife and his pregnant sister, on top of his mother and Lily—”

Jason scrubbed his hands through his hair, trying to absorb everything Mike had told him. It lined up with what Sonny had talked about that last night. The guilt. Ric finding out about that dead sister—

“Wait. Wait. That doesn’t make sense. Why would Ric think that would work?” Elizabeth asked. “He’s Sonny’s brother—how could he tell anyone I was Sonny’s sister— ” She stopped, looked at Jason. “Isn’t he?”

“I think,” Jason said, carefully, “that Mac needs to make sure we take Ric alive. Because if I go near him right now—” He shook his head. “One lunatic at a time,” he muttered. “I’ll call Mac, pass this information on. But you’re staying home—”

“I’m going,” Elizabeth interrupted. “Mike is going with us, and between him and Nikolas, I won’t be alone all night.” She lifted her chin. “Now do you want to keep arguing or get this over with?”

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