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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Five
Michael
A doctor's office in general hospital. Mac, Taggert, and AJ are there. The office is located next door to Michaels' pediatrician's office where he has an appt in 15 minutes. Taggert checks his weapon.
"Is that really necessary?" AJ asks flinching at the slide of the barrel as a bullet is rounded into the chamber. "My son is going to be here."
"Well, Mr Quartermaine, you asked us to be here to enforce the order. I don't think Angerboy is going to just hand Michael over with a pretty please with sugar on top. If we make preemeptive moves then we keep everyone safe and this will go down easy."
"AJ, we actually practice scenarios like this all the time." Mac reassures AJ absently. "Taggert will eliminate resistance from the bodyguard. You take Michael and leave while I inform the parent that this is all legal and serve them with the order. You just do what you are suppose to do and nothing will go wrong."
AJ gives Mac a yeah right look. "Obviously you haven't spent much time with Carly and I've seen how effective you are in dealing with my brother. The only reason that this might work is because my sources tell me that Carly and the nanny are bringing the baby to the appointment today. Jason is out of town with Sonny."
"Your sources?" Taggert asks with a gleam in his eye. "I'd like to meet these sources. How much do they know about Corinthos business?"
"Are you sure that Robin didn't say anything to Jason?" AJ asks ignoring Taggert.
"Robin left yesterday on a plane to Paris. She said that she had seen Jason again after talking with you but you were not the topic of conversation."
There is the sound of voices next door as Carly and Leticia enter the doctor's office with Michael. AJ recognizes Carly's tones as well as the deep kindly rumble of the pediatrician who is talking both to Carly and Michael. "Show time!" Taggert smirks as he exits to the corridor. Coming around the corner he sees Johnny standing sentinal at the doctor's closed door. His weapon already drawn he places it in Johnny's ear then whispers. "Don't move. We had a report of a shady character lurking in the hallways here. And frankly I could think of only a couple more shady than you. Why don't you turn around and place your hands against the wall. No sudden moves, although if you want to-- go ahead you're in the right place to seek medical attention!" Johnny turns to the wall and is quickly patted down by Taggert who confiscates Johnny's handgun. "I'm just going to hang on to this until I verify you have a permit for it. You don't mind do you?"
"Mr Morgan is not going to be happy about this."
"Oh woe, guess he won't be inviting me to the prom. Just shut your yap or I'll run you in along with this concealed firearm."
"I have a permit for that."
"Happen to have it on you?" Taggert keeps Johnny both distracted and busy and shuts from his mind what is going on in the doctor's office.
INSIDE the office the exam room is opened and Mac and AJ come in. The pediatrician is holding the baby. Carly and Leticia are across the exam table.
"AJ? What are you doing here? Jason isn't going to like this." Carly reaches to the pediatrician to take back Michael but AJ beats her to it taking Michael into his arms. Michael looks up at him in bewilderment and frowns. "Give him to me, AJ. You've had your fun but this propensity to kidnapping has got to stop before Jason kills you."
AJ runs a hand over his son's hair smoothing it then kissing him on the top of the head. "Let's not talk about kidnapping, shall we? I think it is far over due for me to be introduced to our son. Don't you think so, Carly?" AJ moves back to the connecting door.
"Why are you just standing there? Stop him; he is hijacking my son!" Carly fumes at Mac while attempting to duck around him to follow AJ. Leticia stands back in the corner her jaw dropped and bewildered by the goings on.
"Ms Benson, I have a court order here awarding temporary physical custody of the minor Michael Morgan to his biological father, AJ Quartermaine." Mac slaps the paper into Carly's hand. Carly pulls her hand back and the paper drops to the floor.
"It's a lie! Don't you get it you are being used?! Or is this something that you and the perfect princess cooked up because I exposed her for being the vindictive snake that she is? Stop him; he is leaving with MY SON!" Michael begins to whimper then cry at the raised voices.
AJ pauses in the open doorway. "Don't raise your voice, Carly; you are upsetting Michael. Decide now, Carly; you can either come with me now with our son or you can stay here. But Michael and I are leaving, if you decide to stay then the next time you see our son will be in court."
"You can't do THIS!" Carly shrieks.
"Stay or go?" AJ steps across the threshhold of the doorway. Carly races to join him grabbing Michael's bag as she crosses the room. Leticia moves to follow. "Not you." AJ warns. "You get to tell my brother that this game that he has been playing with all our lives is over." Mac restrains Leticia from following as AJ and Carly leave the room. AJ doesn't speak to Carly as he follows a prearranged route down to the lobby and to a waiting limo. Climbing in he fumbles with the baby seat, he buckles Michael in securely.
"Jason is going to kill you." Carly hisses reaching for Michael. The limo pulls away from the curb.
"If you don't kill us first." AJ states matter of factly batting Carly's hands away from the baby. "You and I have ten days to come to an agreement regarding the custody of our son. So why don't you just sit back and enjoy the ride."
"ENJOY THE RIDE?! Have you been drinking? How long have you been planning this INSANITY?" Carly crosses her arms in front of her tears starting to streak her face. When had things gotten so out of control? Where was Jason? He'd said that they'd have time that there was no way that AJ could move this fast on Michael that he would have to go through the courts. That bitch Robin had just left how could AJ have moved so fast.
"Oh lets not toss around words like insanity, shall we? Unless it's to remind yourself that you don't have a prayer in hell of seeing Michael again after the custody hearing. I'm holding all the cards, Carly. You have to deal with me. This is a one time offer. Deal with me NOW or lose your son forever."
"Don't you get it? Robin LIED. Whatever she told you was a LIE. You are making a fool of yourself. She hates me she would say anything to hurt me and to ruin my life."
"Robin has nothing to do with this. She just moved up my timetable. I've known that Michael was mine for months. If Saint Robin would have told the truth back when she found out I would have been the one taking care of our son while you were away. Hell you might not have even had to shoot Tony Jones. Just think if you had trust me you might not have spent months in a mental institution faking a recovery. Unless you really liked that Dr Evans..." AJ shrugs. "I thought he was a quack myself but you spent more time with him."
"Months... timetable..." Carly repeats slowly. "What are you saying?"
"That I know you too well, Darling. You were too relieved when I thought that the baby was Jason's and wasn't going to ask for the paternity testing."
"THAT WAS A YEAR AGO!"
"It takes a long time to get the results back from DNA testing. Especially if you are doing it secretly and with three different labs. Are you starting to realize now, Carly? I hold all the cards. I have all the proof I need."
"What do you want?"
"I want it all. The whole package: Michael, ELQ and you -- especially you."
Carly shakes her head in disbelief. "I don't understand you-- you hate me. Your whole FAMILY hates me."
"What does that have to do with anything? My family hates me too." AJ laughs. "You think that they want the baby to be mine? They would all rather that I disappear so that they can use Michael to bring Jason back to the fold. Carly, we could be a family-- you, me and our son. Let's face it; Jason will never give you what I can and will if you let me."
"You have no idea what Jason and I have!"
"Darling, you and I both know what Michael and Jason have. As far as Jason is concerned you are just along for the ride. If you took our son out of the equation, which I plan to do by the way, how long do you think that Jason would put up with you? I mean you're fun but definitely high maintanence.... and now that Sonny is back..."
"What do you mean by that? Robin couldn't make Jason leave me; Sonny can't either."
"Robin couldn't make Jason leave MICHAEL. We're here. Are you coming or not?"
Carly looks out the tinted windows for the first time. "Where are we?"
"The airport. I'm going on vacation to get to know my son without interference."
"AJ, Michael doesn't know you; don't do this." Carly pleas.
"Our son will know me and sooner rather than later. Are you coming?" As the limo comes to a halt, AJ unbuckles Michael from his carseat and holding him gingerly opens the door. AJ covers Michael's ears to protect them from the roar of the waiting ELQ jet; he walks calmly to the jet and disappears within. Carly looks around the limo-- nothing-- no one is around, no one to help her. Grabbing Michael's bag she follows AJ into the plane.
Seeing Carly enter the plane, AJ thinks-- 'that's three.'