Stolen Hearts

Chapter Seven

The gruesome twosome of AJ Quartermaine and Elizabeth Webber silently opened the door to the Morgan Penthouse and crept inside. What they were attempting to do would change the lives of the Morgan family forever ~ the foes held destiny within their evil grasp.

Upon entrance Elizabeth immediately spotted Courtney passed out on the couch.She understood kidnapping Chance was dead wrong but decided to turn a blind eye. Elizabeth was focusing on reaping benefits ~ Jason.

“Poor Goldilocks!” Elizabeth taunted Courtney, moving so she was standing just above her sleeping form. “You’re about to lose everything and you don’t even know it yet!But don’t worry honey… I’ll take care of Jason for you!”

Elizabeth was not oblivious to Jason’s intense love for Courtney but was too delusional to acknowledge it. Presently she was too giddy, reveling in her newfound power. But not AJ ~ He was too focused on completing the task at hand.

“Elizabeth, knock it off!” AJ ordered.“We need to keep moving… Did you bring the stuff?”

The brunette nodded, displaying a kit for him to inspect. Their plan was to make it appear an intended robbery occurred that had turned into a kidnapping. To make Tony seem innocent, like the supposed thugs overpowered him, it was Elizabeth’s mission to apply special effects make-up. Create the illusion that Tony was disheveled and peeked.

“We have to work fast. The ‘Golden Boy’ may not be the brightest, but he cannot be underestimated when it comes to his family. I’m going to go fetch the kid!”

Taking a final longing look at his beloved Courtney, AJ lurked upstairs. Liz tauntingly mock-saluted AJ, a look of disgust claiming her lame features. Elizabeth was in no rush to work and took the liberty of exploring Jason’s home.

With the exception of the pool table, major changes had been made ~ the Penthouse looked cozy, warm and welcoming… like a home.  This irritated the hell out of Liz.  She sauntered over to a bookshelf, scanning the titles.  Nothing of interest caught her eye until she spotted some photographs ~ Courtney glowing with pregnancy, Wedding Photos and numerous others of baby Chance.  Liz picked up the closest photo of Chance and examined it, a smile tugging at her lips.  Chance had Jason’s eyes.

~ ~ ~ ** ~ ~ ~

During his brief marriage to Courtney AJ truly believed the ‘American Dream’ was his for the taking ~ the white picket fence, a gorgeous wife and children running around the yard, waiting to greet him when he returned home from work.

In AJ’s blurred opinion Jason robbed him of that dream.  Never mind that AJ only married Courtney in a desperate attempt to get Michael back, or terrified her within an inch of her life while stalking her.  In AJ’s mind Jason was at fault for the breakdown of his marriage.

His abrupt entrance into the Nursery startled a sleeping Chance.  His little blue eyes flew open, assessing the situation.  A paralyzing fear overtook the infant as he recognized AJ’s smarmy face.

“Daddy’s back!” AJ eerily announced, placing a gloved hand over Chance’s little mouth to silence him.  “And we’re going on a little trip…”

~ ~ ~ ** ~ ~ ~

“I’ve got the Brat, let’s go…” AJ ordered as he ran down the stairs toting a lifeless Chance.

In an inhumane and disgusting move AJ decided to chloroform Chance to insure that he did not make any noise, drawing attention while they made an exit.

“That wasn’t part of the plan AJ,” Elizabeth spat at her partner’s lack of morals, reaching for Chance.

Elizabeth certainly did not like Chance for he was the epitome of Jason and Courtney’s love, but a small maternal side of her felt it not necessary to harm him.

“It needed to be done.”

The stone cold look locked in AJ’s eyes signaled to Liz that she should back off on the subject.

“Tony…” AJ beckoned his accomplice.  “We will be lea….”

AJ halted mid-sentence once he cast his eyes on Elizabeth’s handiwork.  With blackened eyes and bruised cheeks Tony actually looked like he was badly beaten and scared.

“Nice work Webber!  For once you have proven yourself useful!” AJ chauvinistically teased.

“We will be leaving now… You know what to do!” Elizabeth commanded as she marched out of the Penthouse.

“Yes, Ma’am…” Tony nodded. 

“We shall meet again, my Love…” AJ promised to Courtney, hovering above her non-alert state.

AJ took a strand of Courtney’s golden locks and caressed it in his rough hands.  It had been too long since AJ was able to touch her, to be able to gaze longingly at her.  He wanted to ravish Courtney and reclaim her as his own but that was impossible at the moment ~ AJ had to stick to the plan.  He summoned every fiber of strength available in his soulless body and rose from the couch.  Quietly he left the Penthouse.

“Now it’s just you and me…” Tony smiled as he crept up to his Boss’s Wife.

~ ~ ~ ** ~ ~ ~

It was three thirty in the morning when Jason Morgan arrived back at Harbor View Towers.  After an intense night of work his focus was blurred.  All he wanted to do was crawl into bed with his Wife and sleep his troubles away.

Jason was so exhausted that he barely noticed that the posted Guard in the Lobby was missing. The discovery set an alarm off in Jason’s mind.  A terrible feeling washed over him as he raced toward the elevator.

After an eternity Jason reached the Penthouse floor, but he was not fully prepared for what he was about to see.  When his blue eyes fell upon a battered and broken Tony his heart sank.

Acting right on queue Tony doubled over with pain, moaning out.  “Courtney…. Chance… Gone…”

Jason did not wait for any further explanations.  He barged into his home, gun loaded.

“COURTNEY!” Jason yelled, his eyes furiously roaming the room.  He strained his ears waiting for a response.  “COURTNEY!”

Jason’s heart was beating out of his chest while he searched his home for some clue as to what had transpired.  Rushing into the Nursery Jason was devastated to discover an empty crib.

“OH GOD!” Jason hollered as he ran into the bedroom.

Jason found Courtney passed out on the bed.  He immediately went to her side, attempting to rouse her.

“Come on Baby.  Wake-up!” Jason pleaded.

“Mmmmm…. Jason?” Courtney groaned, still groggy.  “What’s wrong?”

Courtney began to sit up but the throbbing pain in her head made it too difficult.

“Baby… You have to listen to me!” Jason requested, placing his hands on Courtney’s shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact with him.

“Morgan… What’s wrong?” Courtney repeated.  “Where’s Chance?”

“I don’t know.  He is not in his Nursery,” Jason revealed.  “I came home tonight and the Guard in the Lobby was missing. The house has been ransacked.”

“What?” Courtney cried out, an extreme panic clouding her thoughts.

“Someone has stolen Chance.”

~ ~ ~ ** ~ ~ ~

“Sonny… Sonny!” Jason hollered, pounding on his best friend’s door.

It was still very early in the morning but Jason and Courtney Morgan did not care.  Jason’s street sense dictated that if they wanted Chance back unharmed they had to move quickly.  For this they needed Sonny’s help.

“What’s going on?” Sonny growled as he answered his door, grumpy from being taken from a peaceful slumber.

“Chance is missing!” Courtney cried, still trying to digest what had happened.

Carly’s heart dropped into her stomach.  Wordlessly she ushered the broken parents into her living room.

“Masked men wanted to rob our Penthouse.  They beat Tony into submission and gained access.  That’s when a robbery became a kidnapping!”  Jason explained in an unrepentantly calm voice.

“WHAT?  Where were you during all of this, Courtney?” Sonny asked, trying to organize the events of the evening.

“I don’t know… I don’t remember.  I was waiting for Jason on the couch and the next thing I knew Jason was waking me up in our bedroom.”

“We have to do something!” Carly shouted.

“Jason… I want to call the Police!” Courtney announced.

“Baby… they will be no help to us if one of our enemies took Chance,” Jason delicately explained.

“There was no ransom note!  Maybe it wasn’t one of your enemies!” Courtney countered, getting extremely frustrated at Jason’s lack of cooperation.

“It’s not a good idea,” Jason repeated firmly.

“Morgan…  Our Son is out there, scared and alone… I don’t know if their caring for him, feeding him … hurting him,” Courtney cried a fresh set of tears.

“Courtney, I promise you we will find him,” Jason reassured his Wife.

Jason gathered his weeping Wife in his arms, consoling her with his strength.  Right now was not the time for him to show weakness.  Jason needed to be the rock that Courtney could count on for support but that was easier said than done.  Courtney and Chance held all of Jason’s happiness and love in their hearts.  They were his life, his strength.  Now that foundation had been stolen.

~ ~ ~ ** ~ ~ ~

Like a hunter stalking his prey, Jason Morgan silently staked out the place he once called his home.  A hunch had guided Jason back here, his gut telling him that the Quartermaine’s may somehow be responsible for Chance’s disappearance.

The instant Edward Quartermaine appeared, ranting and raving as usual, Jason pounced.  He burst through the Parlor doors, grabbed his grandfather by the suit collar and violently shoved him against the wall.

“Where is my Son?” Jason barked, a lethal combination of anger and desperation propelling him.

Startled, Edward could hardly breathe, let alone speak.

“I…. I don-… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Edward managed to spill out.

“Don’t play with me old man!”

The ruckus soon drew the entire Quartermaine to the Parlor.  The Quartermaine’s had witnessed many a scandal or crisis in their day but they were definitely not ready to see their beloved son roughhousing the family patriarch.

“What is going on?” Monica demanded, her solid voice tearing through the intense silence.

“My Son was kidnapped last night and I want to know what Edward had to do with it!” Jason explained, through gritted teeth.

“I swear … I swear on Lila’s life … I didn’t take Chance!”  Edward blubbered.  “I am an old man – I don’t have a death wish!”

“But you do have an obsession with creating the perfect Heir!” Jason surmised.  “You lost me.  Did you try to replace me with my Son?”

“No, no!  I was here, with Lila the entire night!”  Edward revealed.  “Ask her, she will clear my name.  I promise…” Edward cried, the brute pressure of Jason’s force heavily weighing on him.

“Jase… He’s right,” Emily confirmed.  “Grandfather was with Grandmother.  I can vouch for him too.”

“Then he had help!”  Jason hollered.  “Where’s AJ?  What was he doing last night?”

“AJ hasn’t been in Port Charles for days,” Monica informed her frustrated Son.  “He is in an reclusive Detoxification Center in Los Angeles!!”

Jason begrudgingly released Edward and began to pace.

“Are you absolutely sure?”  Jason asked, looking deep into Monica’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry Jason,” Monica sighed.  “But I am positive.  Alan and I have him under surveillance to make sure he can’t check himself out!  We got an update last night.  He is still there.”

The shrill cry of Jason’s cell phone tore Jason’s focus.  He fumbled to bring the instrument to his ear.

“Morgan,” Jason answered.

“Jason… It’s Sonny.  I need you back at the Penthouse.  Now!”  Sonny informed his best friend and partner.

~ ~ ~ ** ~ ~ ~

Jason ventured back to the Penthouse in record time.  He roared through the empty streets of Port Charles on his motorcycle, racing at breakneck speed.  For the second time in twenty-four hours Jason felt sick to his stomach; it was a crippling fear of the unknown.

When he finally reached his destination the stoic man was stunned to discover members of the Port Charles Police Department scattered around his home.  His door laid open, yellow police tape draped across its frame.

Jason ducked under the tape, attempting to enter but was stopped by an Officer.

“You can't come in here Sir.  This is a crime scene.”

Jason roughly shoved the Officer aside.

“This is my fuckin' house!” He growled.  “Courtney!  Sonny!  Carly!  Where are you?”

A lump gathered in Jason’s throat at the wrenching sight of Courtney descending the stairs.  With red swollen eyes and a pale complexion, she was absolutely distraught and emotionally drained.

“I called the Police,” Courtney choked out through her tears.

Jason pulled Courtney from the earshot of looming Officers.

“I told you I would take care of the search.  I will do whatever it takes; go to any length to find our Son.  I told you to leave the Police out of it.”

“I don’t care what you said Jason!” Courtney cried.  “You are only one person and I want as many people as possible searching for Chance.  I will do anything to find my Son!”

“The Police cannot do anything if one of our enemies took Chance!”  Jason threw back, desperately trying to keep his emotions in check.

“I already told her this, she won’t listen!” Sonny explained as he approached the arguing twosome.

“She is a Mother whose child has be stolen from her.  She has every right to call the Police.” Carly added her two cents.

It was a science miracle that the room didn’t explode from all the erupting emotions.  Things were tense, but the ‘Fabulous Four’ had to remember what they were fighting for ~ the life of an innocent little boy.

“I'm Detective John Walker of the Port Charles Police Department,” a fair-haired man introduced himself.  “I just want you to know that we are doing everything in our power to find your baby.”

>“Thank you,” Courtney nodded.

“I have my finest team on the Case.  I wanted to know if you have a recent photo of the boy?  It would be very helpful.”

Courtney quietly walked over to the mantle, selecting a small-framed picture.  Courtney had taken it a few weeks ago ~ it depicted a smiley Chance displaying his custom-made leather jacket that matched his Daddy’s.  She handed it over to Detective Walker.

“Have you found any prints yet?”  Courtney questioned, motioning to the Officer surveying the Penthouse.

“We got a few prints around the door knob.  We'll run the evidence with the guys in Forensics.  We should have the results in a few days.”

Soon the swarm of Officer’s packed up their equipment and filed out the door.  Courtney observed them silently, wanting desperately to wake from this nightmare.  She turned towards Jason with a sad gaze.  It was a gaze he had only seen on his Wife’s face once before:  When Courtney thought Chance was in trouble after she gave birth to him.

“This cannot be real,” Courtney whispered brokenly to her Husband.

“It is going to be a hell of a lot worse now, Courtney!” Jason yelled at his frazzled Wife.

He had remained silent during Courtney’s conversation with Detective Walker, but chose now to speak up.  He too was exhausted and emotionally unstable.  Now he was letting loose on his Wife and her disregard for his orders.

“I distinctly told you to leave the Police out of it.  They are no use in our world!  You disobeyed me and went behind my back!”  Jason growled.

Never before in their relationship had he been so cold and superior with Courtney.  It was like a landmine had exploded.

“I did what I thought was right, Jason.  I am not apologizing for that!”  Courtney screamed back.

Jason and Courtney were not the type of destructive couple who intentionally hurt the other but now it seemed the bonded pair were falling apart, pushing each other away when they needed to be together the most.

“Just calm down!” Carly interfered in the argument.  “Getting upset with each other isn’t going to bring your Son back!”

>“Courtney betraying me isn’t going to help either!” Jason breathed.

“Watch it Morgan!” Courtney warned.  “I followed my instincts and did what I thought was right!  That is not betrayal.”

“Your instincts, huh?”  Jason screamed.

Jason was so overcome with anger and fury that he began wildly pacing the room.  The argument was turning volatile.  The entire town of Port Charles could hear it.

“I trust my instincts!”  Courtney hollered back.

“The same instincts that made you leave Port Charles when you found out you were pregnant?  The same instincts that fibbed to me and made me believe you were running around getting knocked up by some stranger?  Your instincts are wrong Courtney… Dead wrong,” Jason spat.

Courtney head was spinning and her ears were ringing.  She was seething with anger and her fighter instincts took over.  She slapped Jason across the face as hard as she could.  The sting sent Jason reeling.

“Stop it!  Just stop it!” Sonny howled.

“You two need each other right now.  Stop fighting!”  Carly tried.

“I think you should leave!”  Courtney said, boring her hurt eyes into Jason.  “I can’t bare to look at you right now!”

Courtney turned her back towards the mantel as sobs shook her body.  Jason felt absolutely horrible for what he had just said.  He let his anger at whoever took Chance get the better of him and took it out on his Wife.  Jason tried to reach out and embrace Courtney but she shrugged him off.

Not knowing what else to do Jason stormed out of the Penthouse.

“Jason…” Sonny called after him, but it was no use.  Jason was already gone.

“Let him go!” Carly spat.  “I know he is angry right now, but how dare he say those things to Courtney.

Carly went to embrace her friend, barely catching her as she collapsed on the floor.

“Oh my God!  Sonny, she isn’t breathing!”