Madness Chapter 25

By: Deedubya

They had left her to her own devices today. It was a nice change of pace from the usual leering, cat calls, and just all around general uncomfortable feeling that the guards gave her when they watched her every move.

Dakota Morgan had spent her entire day thanking the Mother Mary for her captivities end. Granted, she had no clue when it was going to end, she was just ecstatic that she had spoken to Jason and that people knew of her existence now. And while she doubled that she would need a bridal registry or a wedding announcement for the papers anytime soon, the knowledge that she wasn�t some secret to be held over Jason�s head any longer made her heart ache a little less.

Even their unborn child had began to settle down a little and not toss and turn or kick quite so hard since she had heard those two magical words. �I�m free�.

But she was still worried, as she knew full well that Jason wouldn�t call again unless it was either an emergency, or it were late enough at night that the guards would be deep enough asleep that the shrill ring of the phone wouldn�t disturb them.

�Oh God,� she raised her eyes skyward. �I cannot thank You enough for seeing me through this. And I will thank You everyday for the rest of my life for this. Just please watch out over whomever they send to rescue us.�

Jerry looked at his wound once more with a loud groan as he resituated himself in the nook of his hiding spot. �Fricken fantastic time to get yourself shot, mate. Just fricken fantastic,� he thought to himself incredulously. �At least it�s only me flipping leg and not me flippin� head.� He chortled humorlessly.

�Well, I think it�s safe to say that infection is setting in, as I am talking to myself and answering.� He snorted, as he wiped the beads of sweat from his brow with the back of his well worn leather jacket.

He heard the snapping of twigs and stiffened. Cocking his gun, he carefully, slowly peered around the corner with his guns barrel peeking out just before his head.

A cat.

�Scat you bloody cat.� He hissed shoeing it off.

The cart hissed at him, startled, before running off.

He drew back into his hiding spot in a ramshackle adobe hut just outside of Corinthos� territory with another deep wince. It was a bloody cat, but he couldn�t allow himself to lulled into a false sense of security. Corinthos� guards had chased him this far before they had shot him, so they knew where he was. And he was certain that they hadn�t just left him there.

In fact, he was not only certain they were still there, he could, in fact, smell the sweaty fat bastards. �Of all the times for me nose to start working hard now is a bloody bad time, dammit.� He cursed his own damn bad luck as he peered around the corner once more and saw three of them. �Loverly odds, really.� He thought with a roll of his eyes.

He sunk back into the darkened, cool-- well, by comparison cooler than the raging heat that Sonny�s unlucky guards/henchmen/armed thugs had to contend with-- corner and closed his eyes. �God, I wish Bobbie were here. She�d fix me up good and not make me feel like an imbecile for getting shot in the first place.� He thought with a sad tearful smile. �After this is over, I don�t care if the feds get me, I�m gettin� back to me Bobbie one way or another.�

�Oh Fuck me.� He cursed under his breath, before closing his eyes and saying a quick pray.

�Dearest God: Please send back-up.

Lucky, Luke and Lucas were going over maps and the lay out of the island when over the intercom they were told that they would be landing.

Lucas gulped.

�You okay, Lucas?� Luke asked, putting a concerned hand on his nephews� forearm.

�Yeah, yeah.� He nodded, but he didn�t sound convincing to himself of the others.

�You checked your levels since we left PC? Maybe that might be it.� Lucky offered as Luke put away the maps in his canvas nap sack.

�Yeah, yeah, that�s it.� He nodded, and went about testing his levels. Lucky and Luke watched pensively, each wincing slightly as he drew his own blood.

They all breathed a sigh of relief when it was his blood sugar running low that was making him so antsy.

�You think you�re ready for this?� Luke asked as the jet approached it�s final descent.

Lucas nodded. �As ready as I�ll ever be.� He smiled broadly, a wicked glint in his eye.

Lucky laughed. �Yeah, that�s what I said my first time too, and BOY was I wrong!�

�Don�t scare the boy, now Lucky.� Luke playfully punched him in the arm.

Lucky brushed it off and leaned over to Lucas as Luke got up to check in with the pilot. �You think I�m kiddin� with you now� let�s just put it this way. Beforehand I made sure he had a plan, otherwise I wouldn�t have offered you this opportunity.� Lucky slapped him on the back, but his eyes told him that he wasn�t kidding about it. �And for the record, I did think I was ready my first time, and maaaan, was I ever wroong!�

Lucas gulped as Lucky got up and joined Luke. �Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?�

Jax stared off into space thinking about Jerry. �What have I gotten you into this time? In a foreign country, wounded, and you don�t speak a lick of the language. Dammit Jax, you should have known better. You should have gone yourself� No, No I couldn�t have. I can�t leave Skye,� He sighed thinking of his lovely wife. �She needs me, and she is always my first priority.� He smile thinking of her, but even thinking about Skye couldn�t keep him from worrying about Jerry and soon his eyes gained a far off look about them.

Skye sat down next to her husband and laid her head against his shoulder, but noticed, sadly, that he was distracted. �Jax?�

�Oh, hey, sorry there, Skye. I was just thinking---�

�More like worrying.� She corrected with a smile.

He nodded. �You always could read me so well.� He returned the smile and brought his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. �Sooo, how�s Jason?�

�Nice seg-way by the way. Jason�s doing fine. Azora gave him a mild concussion.�

�Good for her!�

She punched his arm. �Oow! What was that for?�

�Be nice, Jason was unbelievably kind and understanding to me last night when I was panicking about AJ. He let me vent and he �� she hesitated to tell him anymore.

Jax raised an eyebrow. �He??� He prodded. His face turned red when Skye didn�t offer an answer. �Did he threaten you?� He jumped to his feet, grinding his fist into his palm. �I�ll kill that--�

Skye jumped to feet and turned Jax around. �No Jax, that�s not it. It�s just that� Well, he told me a secret that he�s been keeping for a very long time. But he doesn�t have to keep it anymore because Sonny�s in a jail and being taken care of. But it�s not my place to tell anyone his business.� She explained cryptically. �No, he didn�t threaten me, but thank you for your offer to pummel him. I just don�t think it�s going to be needed. We kind of came to an understanding of sorts, okay?�

He groaned. �And here I was looking forward to pummeling him.�

She laughed. �Now, now boys, we don�t need any more drama.� We have more than enough of that already. She thought to herself sadly.

Eduardo carefully laid Azora down on the hospital bed, stepping away only when he was sure she wouldn�t fly out of the bed and attack the closest person in reach. He and Gia both stepped back as Rhiannon hooked her up to machines and checked her pulse and did all the doctorly things that they didn�t understand. Eduardo for his part was damn near going out of his skin trying to restrain himself from telling Rhiannon to STOP TOUCHING her. Gia sensed his discomfort and started massaging his the middle of his shoulder blades in an attempt to calm him.

He shot her an appreciative sideways glance as he chewed nervously on his thumb nail waiting for Rhiannon to speak.

�Has she had a check up lately?� Rhiannon asked as he continued his check up. He could hear Eduardo�s groan from across the room.

�No, as I told ya out in the hall way, she don�t much like doctors.� He said lowly between gritted teeth.

�Does GH have her current medical files?� He asked calmly, ignoring Eduardo�s tone, and chalking it up to nerves.

�No, but I have a copy out in my--� he cursed under his breath. �I usually carry a set with me in my brief case for emergencies.� Rhiannon looked at him as if to say �Isn�t THIS an emergency?� Eduardo shot him a nasty look. �We were in a hurry, she had been totally fine up until that point. We were on a mission. Get AJ here and to his son. And that is what we did. Okay?!� He spat defensively.

�Eduardo, he�s just trying to get some answers.� Gia reassured him softly, giving his tense shoulders a comforting squeeze.

�No, please, don�t apologize.� Rhiannon said as he stepped away from Azora. �I shouldn�t have done that. It was in bad taste. I just need to know her medical history, that�s all. Her allergies� anything that might have brought this on.� He explained calmly, on the outside he was doing a good job of bullshitting them, on the inside, however, his nerves were frayed, and this wasn�t helping him. �Hypocrite! You damn well know her medical history! HELL! You helped CREATE her medical history.� He chided himself. But this gi-- correction, WOMAN, laying in front of him was not the same girl he had helped raise. No, she was different. She was older, taller-- though not by much-- and more feisty, or was that violent?

Either way she had changed, and he hoped to God that it was for the better and not to her detriment.

He also worried what seeing him might do. Cole had screwed with her head so much, and then Petra had done her most bizarre-- but with the best of intentions-- attempt to unscrew them up as she possibly could� �and then you went and pissed him off and got yourself killed-- or at least you got �Brian� killed.� It was little consolation to him that he was taller, more filled out, that his hair was longer and he had grown a beard. It might not be enough to trigger her memory, he hoped. Otherwise things were going to be set it motion waaaay ahead of schedule� again.

He turned to Gia and Eduardo. �If you don�t have her medical history on you, could you at least tell me what you saw from your perspective� How was she up until you got to the hospital?�

They looked at one another, as though trying to discern whether or not he could be trusted. If they only knew, he thought, wryly.

Eduardo nodded. �Okay, Up until the moment that Jasper Jacks alerted me that something as wrong with Azora, she was fine.� He told the doctor, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice, but failing miserably.

�No signs of hypothermia? Frostbite? Dehydration? Exposure to the elements?� He listed all the ailments that came to mind when he thought of the fact that everyone knew that she had been running in frigid cold last night.

�Nothing. She was fine.� He insisted.

Gia nodded her head. �She was fine. A little wet, and a lot jumpier than what I�m used to, but in the altogether, she was fine.�

Rhiannon shook his head in disbelief. �I don�t understand it then. Her pulse is normal, but her heart rate is off the charts.. It makes no sence.� He muttered to himself, as he shook his head again in frustration.

That wasn�t what worried Eduardo. Not by a long shot. If motherless nothing that happened to Azora was logical to the point of sheer and profound annoyance to the medical community. What worried him was that she fainted. She never fainted-- correction, she hadn�t fainted since South Caroline when he had nearly lost her. That was the last time she had fainted. We were doing so well. He thought grimly.

�I need her files, young man.� The doctors serious tone brought him out of his revelry. �I desperately need to see her files. Perhaps then I can make some since of all of this.� It was no lie, not really. It was deeply disturbing to him that she body was acting so erratically.

Eduardo gulped, he didn�t want to leave her, because if she woke up and freaked out on him and hurt yet another innocent bystander-- he�d never forgive himself.

�Why don�t I go and get them for you, Eduardo?� Suggested Gia. Eduardo turned to her.

�Would you?� He asked, as even his countenance softened and relaxed a little, as he was relieved beyond words. �I mean-- if you don�t mind��

�No, no.� She was quick to calm him, knowing full well that if one of them wasn�t okay, then when the other regained consciousness, she wouldn�t be �okay� either. �I got it. I saw your briefcase when we were in there earlier. Just give me the keys and I�ll only take a second or two to get my coat and scarf and I�ll be back in a few minutes.� She smiled warmly. His heart melted.

He let out a sigh of relief. �Thank you, Gia Thank you so much.� He leaned in and gave her an impulsive kiss on the cheek, before handing her his keys.

She blushed. �Don�t think about it, it�s nothing.� She mused, as she got up to leave. �I�ll only be a second.�

�Be careful, it�s slick out there!� He called out to her retreating form.

� if only �

�How the hell are we suppose to grab the bitch?�

�How the fuck am I suppose to know!?� Spat his partner. �I was in charge of distracting and whacking Cree�s Private Investigator. You�re in charge of grabbing the girly type!� He snapped.

He groaned. �But she�s in the damn hospital all the damned time, surrounded by that other bitches muscle!� He complained petulantly.

�Just watch and wait you pee brained ninny.� He snipped back as he puffed on his cigar from the drivers side of the �get-a-way� van. It was a typical non-descript black van with painted windows and no visible license� plates. The front and passenger side windows were dark tented as an added precaution, that was Marvin�s touch. Marvin was �all about� the �touches�. �Have patience, David.�

David snorted. �Momma always said patience was a virtue I wudn�t born with.�

Marvin looked at him strangely. �What the fuck are you talking about? Vur--what?! You know, you really oughta see a doctor about that!�

�Oh shut UP, Marvin!� David growled, throwing a discarded napkin at him.

�HEY! I was just tryin� to be helpful! Gawd! SOME.TIMES!!--�

David sat up suddenly, something grabbing his attention at the entrance of the ER. �Hey! SHUT UP and look!!!� He smacked him up the back of the head and pointed out the windshield.

�Gia! Gia!!�

She heard someone calling out her name and stopped.

�Oh good, you stopped.� Bobbie said, breathlessly, as she had been jogging after her.

Gia laughed. �I think you�ve been raising a teenager too long if you think I was just going to ignore you.�

Bobbie laughed as well. �True. But anyways, you aren�t leaving just yet are you?�

Gia shook her head, her hair bouncing as did so. �No, I have to go and get some documents that Eduardo forgot by accident in our rush to get here.�

�Oh. Okay, because I was going to say--� they laughed at it all.

�Yeah, kind of hard to leave when everything is happening here.�

Bobbie shook her head sadly.

�How is Carly?� Gia asked softly, the laughter gone from her voice.

Bobbie smiled sadly. �She�s still sleeping, but I expect her to explode any second now, that�s why Audrey is with her� there�s very little chance that Carly will hurt Audrey� I hope.� She laughed.

Gia couldn�t help but giggle. �As long as Audrey doesn�t attempt to keep Michael from her she should be okay��

�SHOULD being the operative word.�

�Yeah, well listen, I need to get-- Oh wait. I need to ask you a favor. If one of the boys calls would you take a message for Eduardo and Azora? He�s a little on edge right now and would probably bite one of the boys head�s off if they talked one-on-one.�

Bobbie nodded. �Yeah� Were you as surprised as everyone else when--� she saw Gia wince and understood. �When did you find out?�

�Actually, about a half hour before everyone else.� She answered honestly. �I really need to get going� It�s only outside, but I think between Carly�s collapsing in his arms and Azora�s collapsing in his arms, Eduardo�s on egde� I�ll only be a few, but I�ll stop by when I�m done okay� to talk and stuff.� She promised as Bobbie gave her a quick squeeze.

�You got it, see you in a few.� She called out as Gia waved, walking away.

�No. Way.� He breathed excitedly.

�Wow!�

�Talk about speak of the friggen DEVIL!!!� Marvin almost squealed with delight.

�Well IDIOT! Put the car in motion!� David yelled. �She�s not gonna be out there forever!!!�

�Oh, shit, sorry.� He apologized as he put the van in gear. He even remembered not to start speeding until they had her.

Gia pulled her coat closer around her body as the wind kicked up around her. She shivered as she made her way to Eduardo�s jeep. �That�s funny. It didn�t seem this far when we were running into the hospital.� She giggled at the absurdity of it. �Well duh, we were running.� She giggled to herself and she pulled her gloves on a little more snuggly and reached for Eduardo�s keys.

She made quick work of the lock, opened the door, and bent over to grab his briefcase.

As she did so she heard the distinct sound of tires squealing in the background.

�What the--�

�Go! GO! GO!!!� Marvin shouted as he slammed on the breaks.

David threw open the door and ran up behind Gia.

Her heart pounding, Gia took off one of her gloves as she fumbled with the briefcase�s hand.

�GOTCHA!!!�

She barely had time to let out a scream of the chloroformed came over her mouth and nose.

�OH GOD! NOOOO� She thought her brain racing a mile a minute.

�FIGHT IT!� She heard her brothers words over and over in her brain in that one millisecond. �ALWAYS LEAVE EVIDANCE! BITE! Something! Just don�t be passive.�

With her last conscious breath Gia yanked the rag away just enough to scream, bite his ungloved hand and rip off her necklaces. In her haste she accidentally scratched her neck, causing it to bleed.

�FUCKING BITCH!!� She heard the assailant bite out as he shoved her away.

She fought off the affects of the drug and tried to get inside the hummer.

Her assailant recovered from the initial shock of being bitten and grabbed her around the waist as she scrambled to get away.

She wriggled all she could to get out of his grasp.

Taggart�s words kept repeating in her head and she kicked off one of her boots.

When her assailant hand his arms around her and her body against his, she fought as hard as she could, leaving as much damage as she could with a few swipes of her finger nails across his face and neck and a few good hits with her balled up fits.

�DAMMIT! HOLD STILL!!!� He growled grabbing for the chloroformed soaked rag once more as he carried his uncooperative guest to the van.

�Hold still he says! HOLD STILL MY BLACK ASS!!! He can hold his own self still!!� She thought to herself incredulously as she continued to struggled.

Soon her mouth and nasal passages were once more filled with the bitter sweet smell of the chloroform.

Her last thoughts were� �God, Eduardo�s gonna have a hissy fit. I hope these bastards have life insurance. They�re gonna NEED IT!� Before she passed out.

David threw her now rag doll like body into the back corner of the back of the van. He slammed the door shut. �GO!! GOO! GOO!!� He urged as he nursed his wounds.

�OH SHIT!� Marvin could barely contain a laugh as he sped off for the landing strip.

�Did you see what that bitch did to my FACE!!!�

Marvin chuckled. �Boy DID I!!�

Taggart walked up to the nurses station. �Hey Bobbie.� He greeted as drummed his fingers on the desktop.

�Hey there yourself, Taggart. You just missed Gia.�

�Oh man, how long has she been gone?� He asked, wondering if he still had time to catch up with her.

She looked at her watch. Her eyes widened. �Oh dear--�

Eduardo came around the corner like a bat out of hell. �Has anyone seen G--� He slowed, then stopped when he saw Taggart�s and Bobbie�s expression.

�No� No� Sh-she just went outside�� He said slowly. �She just went to m� briefcase.� The words were no sooner spoken before he ran outside.

Just as he and Taggart exited the ER they heard tires squealing, horns honking, and a crash of wood.

Taggart�s heart fell to the soles of his shoes.

They both turned just in time to see two planks of wood fly, splintered, into the air as tires squealed once more, and the security guard hollered at them, shaking his fists in the air angrily.

�GIIIAAA!!!!� He bellowed, his heart hammering to chest, a huge lump rising to his throat. �GIIIIAAA!!!� He shouted, running to his hummer.

What he saw turned his stomach. �No� No�� he shook his head. �No, no, this isn�t happening again� this isn�t happening again!!� He said to himself in a small voice. But even his own ears didn�t believe him.

He backed away from the scene, his hands in the air to prevent even accidental contamination. Before he knew it his knees buckled, dropping him with a slushy thud to the cold snow covered ground, he put his head in his hands and he wept.

�No, not again, not again� not again� not again.�

Taggart sucked in his breath sharply at the scene. He didn�t want to go any farther for fear of seeing something he shouldn�t but even from behind Eduardo he could see her jewelry. �That�s my girl,� he thought to himself, his chest tightening. �Leaving behind evidance� that�s my girl.� He shook his head bitterly as he numbly opened his cell phone.

�Yes� I�d like to report a kidnapping--� He said his voice tight with emotion.

Bobbie clutched the phone as she scribbled a note. �Uh huh� uh huh� Weird how?� She queiried, pausing, before scribbling some more. �Oh. Hurry. Yes, I�ll deliver the message myself.� She hung up the phone quickly and scurried out of the ER�s bay doors without even bothering to grab her coat.

She stood there, waving the note in her hands, calling out for Eduardo, when it happened.

He didn�t know why or how, but it didn�t matter.

Because all of a sudden time slowed to a crawl.

He looked up and saw Nurse Spencer waving something and calling out his name.

He saw Taggart reach out to give him a hand.

They both started for the nurse when the ground and the buildings around them started to shake.

Suddenly the world was mute.

Everything stopped as he and Taggart ran towards Bobbie and knocked her to the ground as debris� flew around them They both shielded her from anything and everything they could.

And then time started again.

And the noises began.

Alarms, car alarms, fire alarms, store alarms, cars honking� any kind of sound you could think of was going off.

Slowly Eduardo and Taggart helped Bobbie to her feet. She looked behind her and gasped. Eduardo and Taggart turned.

�Holy crap.� Eduardo muttered.

�I second that.� Said Taggart.

�Thank you, thank you both.� She gave each a hug.

They all three turned to look at the license plate that was lodged cattycorner in the post that Bobbie hand been standing in front of just about where her head would have been.

Eduardo yanked it out. �Someone probably missing th--� His face paled.

�What? What is it!?�

�My boys.� He gasped.

�What?�

�This license plate� it belongs on the flat bed my boys were driving.�

Taggart anticipated his next move and grabbed him from behind and held him back.

�LET ME GO!�

�Can�t do that!�

�You don�t know what�s happened! They could NEED me!!� He shouted back angrily.

�They�re okay Eduardo� at least they should be.� Bobbie tried to reassure him, she reached for her note.

�What?!� He asked, confused.

�Here, the note says. E-- that�s you. E, Owner started acting fruitloops. Fricked out the boys some. We vamoosed with Z�s stuff, real careful like. But we skiddadled none the less. See you back at Phoenix-- da boys.� She looked at him. �Did you understand that?�

He nodded relief flooding him. �Yes,� he sighed in relief. �Thank you.� He looked up at Taggart. �You can let go now.�

Just as he was about to let him go six EMT�s ran out the exit and started to get in their ambulances.

�What happened? Did something blow up?� Bobbie asked the hurried men.

�Kinda.� One answered.

Another punched his shoulder. �Show some respect, she�s a vet of GH, man.� He turned to Bobbie. �A local dive blew to smitherinies just after a bunch of guys left on a flat bed. It blew right as they got a block away.�

Eduardo didn�t hear the rest, his eyes grew wide, his face paled and he started to struggle with Taggart more vehemently. �Lemme go! My boys NEED me!! They could be hurt!! LEMME GO TAGGART!! LEMME GO!!�

�Could I borrow a syringe of--�

The second EMT held up his hand. �Here,� he handed her the sedative.

She smiled. �Thanks, you�re such a sweet heart.� She turned to Taggart. �Would you hold him still??�

Eduardo�s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to protest, but the he could feel the faint prick of the needle and the warmth of the sedative before he could say anything in protest.

His head lolled to one side. �Thanks� I think�� before he passed out cold.

Fowler and Faith were ushered onto the private jet. They both gaped at the sight of the young African American woman laying bound, gagged and blindfolded on one of the couches.

As soon as Miles left Faith rushed to her side, quickly discarding the gag and blindfold while Fowler attempted to undo her hands and feet.

�Who the hell is she?� He asked irritably.

�I don�t know. But I get the feeling this is about to get a whole hell of a lot more complicated.�

He nodded just as the young woman moaned, her head lolling from side to side.

They looked at one another, Fowler nodded and they both backed up.

Gia shook her head, but then regretted it as it made the spinning worse. She moaned, allowing her head to once more fall to the cushion of the jets couch. �Wait� this isn�t GH!!� Her eyes fluttered as she replayed the her last moments of consciousness. �Oh SHIT!� She thought suddenly, her eyes popping open. She sat up bolt straight, her eyes darting wildly around the room as she tried to undo her hands and feet.

�You�ll just make the knots worse.� Fowler spoke without thinking and regretted, because as soon as the words had left his lips she was in the corner, hands fisted, eyes defiant and intense.

�Where am I!?� She demanded. �And who the HELL are you!? And what the HELL am I doing here!!!� She demanded, her bravado as false as the �leather� she sat on.

Faith turned to Fowler and punched him in the shoulder.

He scowled, winced, and rubbed his shoulder. �Owe! That hurt!!�

�It wasn�t suppose to feel good.� She snipped back before turning back to Gia.

�You�re on a concord--�

�Whatever, everyone knows that the Concords have been retired.�

Fowler smiled at her obvious breadth of knowledge. �Well, not this Concord.�

Faith scowled at him once more. �Whhhhat!?�

She rolled her eyes, before approaching Gia, sitting next to her, and undoing the knots. �We don�t know where we�re going.�

Gia�s rude attitude softened as she untied the ropes. �Thanks�� She smiled, rubbing her wrists and ankles.

�No problem.� She smiled back, patting her forearm. �Anything else?�

�Yeah, answer me this. Who. Are. You?�

They both winced.