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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Eighty Three
Deception.
The heavily wooded property above the Deception Spa. A four wheel drive bronco slides on the rutted gravel road before coming to a stop in a clearing. As soon as the vehicle comes to a stop Carly pops out of the passenger side. "Oh it's glorious." Carly takes in a deep breath. "Will you look at all those trees? I think I'm in heaven."
Jordan looks around. "It's nice. How big is the property?"
Carly pulls out the information and reads it off to Jordan. "Twenty acres. You'd need horses to really explore up here." Jordan takes the information from Carly and starts trying to get his bearings. Included in the information were the outbuildings on the property and a topgraphical map that shows elevation. Jordan finds their position in the map and having been informed of their purpose locates the water source that feeds the spa below. Jordan checks his backback with the emergency supplies that he always carries while hiking. The 9mm with spare clip is a recent addition but the first aid kit, cell phone, bug repellent, water purifiers and MRE's where a given. Carly takes out the baby carrier and setting it up, slides Michael into it-- fastening him in. Gingerly sliding one strap over her injured arm to her shoulder she thanks Jordan for his help as he helps her with the other strap. Carly fastens the waist strap firmly and adjusts Michael's weight on her shoulders.
"I should be carrying him." Jordan protests.
"Nah, Cause you'll be carrying both of us when I get tired. My Mr Man doesn't know you yet." Carly loads up her fanny pack with a camera. "This would have been so much easier when the spa was inside the PC Hotel. AJ's grandfather owes me big time right now. But I like this better. The spa is a stand alone now in its own building outside of town. If it were still in the hotel then I'd have to deal with not only Katherine Bell but also the Q's. Kitty still runs the company out of the hotel but now the spa is more of a retreat."
"You really don't like this woman." Jordan says noncommitally.
"You'll meet her soon enough. I wouldn't want to prejudice you. Oh screw that. The woman is a cradle-robbing, money-grubbing, social-climbing creature that won't die. And believe me people have tried. But you'll find out." Carly grins. "Lets check this place out. Which way to the water?"
Jordan verifies his bearings one more time and then points the way. "Right this way."
Jax's suite at the PC Hotel.
In an attempt at fence mending Jax has invited Jerry over to go over some of the research that he had found for Deception. "Jerry, come on, this is nothing. You could have the spa like that." Jax snaps his fingers. "ELQ, Cassadine Industries, Hell there are a dozen different companies that we could be looking at." Jax is trying to get Jerry interested in getting back into the family salvage business. "How long are you going to be satisfied with these small potatoes? Our year is almost up, we can start getting back in the game."
Jerry doesn't look up from the files that he is examining. "Carly isn't ready for the bigs yet. She is just getting her feet wet. The spa is a good place to start. Gonna do better by her than Dad did by you. No demolitions on the first job out. She's got good instincts but she needs to brought around slow."
"Yeah, I saw that at the house-- the instincts not the need to be brought on slow." Jax admits and then a thought occurs. "How much stock does she have in ELQ?"
"All of it is nonvoting." Jerry informs Jax absently. "As long as AJ is CEO, Carly won't do anything to the company; it's her son's inheritance."
Jax sighs slumping back against the couch. "You've changed, settled down. Don't you want to get back in the game?"
Jerry looks up appalled. "Bite your tongue. Who's the one off to Jakarta at the drop of a hat? Or breaking into the secured files of a mental hospital? I'm staying quite busy, thank you very much. I've got some irons in the fire but I've also got my priorities here. I can't just pop off and disappear for weeks at a time anymore." Jerry shudders. "God knows what I'd come back to."
There is a knock on the door. Jax gets up to get it expecting to see V and is surprised to see Robin there. "Hi. I was hoping that I could talk to you." Robin looks up at Jax. She bites her lip as she sees the dismay in his eyes.
"I'm out of here." Jerry rises and gathers the files from the coffeetable.
"Jer...." Jerry doesn't even slow as he brushes by Robin and grabs the elevator. "DAMN." Jax walks back into the suite leaving the door open Robin closes it as she enters.
"Do you want me to talk to him? Explain to him...." Robin offers.
"Don't bother; it'd be a waste of breath." Jax exhales heavily and crossed over to the window overlooking the city below. "What can I do for you, Robin?"
"I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. I haven't seen you since we went over to AJ's house."
"Well I'm kind of up to my arse in alligators right now. If it were just you and Carly, I'd say go for it. Hell, I would have sold tickets and held your coat. But it would have been a good thing to know that you were testifying for Tony Jones against Bobbie Spencer. I had the feeling before but it's gelled even more-- Bobbie is family now, Jerry's family. And me supporting you, after you went after Bobbie would be like Jerry supporting someone that went after Brenda. Jerry didn't have much use for Brenda but he wouldn't have done that."
"Excuse me, Jerry got Brenda shot! While he was using my uncle Mac to try to kill Jason!"
"Mac and Jerry have a checkered history that predates you. Jason is a gangster. And Brenda forgave Jerry 'cause she knew it was an accident. What you did was on purpose. So my question back to you-- What have you got against Bobbie Spencer?"
"Nothing. I like Bobbie. But it isn't fair that Tony should lose his son because of Carly. He's lost so much already." Robin pleads tearfully.
"Including his marbles. But that has nothing to do with Carly. The custody hearing had nothing to do with Carly."
"But don't you see? It does. Carly broke Tony; she destroys everyone in her path.
She lies to EVERYONE."
"And you didn't? I'll not deny Carly destroys the people standing in her way but doesn't that make you nervous, Robin? I mean, you're standing in her way. She isn't coming to you; you're taking it to her."
"She wouldn't dare." Robin says flatly.
Jax shakes his head. "She has dared. Look at your life, Robin. Actually I take it back, you can't blame any of it on Carly." Jax shakes his head again. "You were the one that went back to Jason after you found out that he was sleeping with her. You're the one that went back to him after he was shot in your living room for goodness sake. You're the one that lived with him while she was away."
"Jax, she was in a mental HOSPITAL and she was faking the whole time anyway!"
"Thank God for that." Jax mutters to himself. "And what about now? Carly's out of the picture, Robin. She's living with AJ and doing just fine. I've seen it for myself. She's got a life, a damn full one. Where's yours? Why isn't Jason with you now? Where is Sonny? You and Brenda used to pal around with Emily sometimes-- Where is she?"
The Port Charles building of ELQ.
Jerry has AJ's secretary announce him. As Jerry walks into the office he whistles and nods. "Nice digs."
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean much. I've always had a nice office. Now I have work to do too." AJ grins.
"Anything that you want to run by me?" Jerry grins back.
AJ is momentarily tempted. "Nope, I'd better not. It would give the old man a coronary."
"Ah then to the business on the table. Carly's ferncliffe file is destroyed-- ashes to ashes and all that."
"Did you read it?" AJ asks knowing the answer.
"Yeah." Jerry takes a seat across from AJ's desk and stretches his legs out. He stares at his feet. "One of those things that you can't resist at the time and damn well wish you had after. Bobbie didn't see it. How is Carly doing?"
AJ shrugs but his face is serious. "She's keeping busy with the spa project. I'm going to take her out of town this weekend. Estate shopping if the spa project doesn't get too involved between now and then."
"Well here is the information on it." Jerry hands over the file. "Got all the info on the owner there. All the rights that go along with the deed. Current assessed value. It looks blue chip enough for Michael."
AJ looks confused. "You said that before to Carly. Blue chip enough for Michael."
"Carly is splitting her investments. Conservative in Michael's name and the riskier, more lucrative, investments are in her name. Property is blue chip with the exception for those poor blokes that owned the top of Mt St Helen's. Their investment got scattered all over Montana."
"But you're putting a buy recommendation on this property?"
"Yeah. We're set to go forward on it. You're picking it up right?"
"That was the deal." AJ looks at the file. "Is this Jax's handwriting on some of this?"
Jerry nods. "He got involved after he and Carly had that little chat. Don't think that he'll be in on anything in the future though. I just left his flat when the charming Ms Scorpio showed up."
AJ shakes his head. "Damn, I'd hoped that she went back to Europe. Jerry, I really have NO idea how Carly is going to react to her. Robin isn't my favorite person by a long shot but she doesn't even have to INTEND to say the wrong thing to Carly right now. I'm not going to lose Carly because of Robin."
"Think that you better be sticking close then until Robin goes back to school. Where is Carly now?"
AJ looks at his watch. "Inspecting the property with Jordan."
"Okay, I'm ready for a break now." Carly pants. Looking around she finds a coveniently downed tree and gingerly sits down.
"Do you want me to take Michael?"
"Nah, I'm okay just let me catch my breath." Carly cranes her neck to the side to get a glimpse of Michael out like a light. "Well Mr Man doesn't seem to impressed with the great outdoors."
"We only lost him in the last half hour or so. The squirrels were keeping him perky there for awhile." Jordan spots a rundown cabin in the distance. "I think that is your outbuilding over there."
"Give me a hand up then." Carly extends her strong hand to Jordan who gives her a boost up. They stroll leisurely up to the cabin. Jordan raps on the door once and opens it. He checks the one room cabin out and then lets Carly in.
"What is that smell?" Jordan asks getting a sour expression. "It smells like a dozen cats got locked up in here without a litter box."
"Oh ****!" Carly exclaims. "Get us out of here. FAST. And be on the lookout for boobie traps." Carly turns around and holding her breath gets out of the cabin as soon as possible. Once outside she takes a deep breath. Jordan is automatically reaching for the fanny back where his sidearm is stored.
"What's the deal?" Jordan starts scanning the area as well.
"Meth lab. It's a **** ing meth lab." Carly starts looking around her looking for drug fiends behind every tree. "How long til we can get to the car? Oh this ruins everything. Everything." Carly and Jordan start double timing it to the car not stopping until they are back in the car. This time had they drive out Jordan notices what he hadn't before-- the road looked disused purposively. Camouflage.
"I'm starting to miss Jakarta." Jordan quips. Carly climbs from the back seat where she had been fastening Michael into his car seat and buckles herself in. "It seems peaceful in comparison."
"Let me have your cell phone." Carly holds out her hand. Jordan hands it to her without a word his focus on making the most out of the gravel road and insuring that they weren't being followed. "Lt Taggart please." Carly waits on hold. "This guy has got to love me. I keep giving him all these great busts.... Taggart, it's Caroline Benson. Yes, they are still hanging out at the foot of my gate but that's not why I called you. I think I found a meth lab. How did I know-- by the smell. Do you want the address or do you want me to call Garcia? Well then quit being such a putz. I've been giving you great stuff and you always sound so put upon when I call. NO, this has nothing to do with Sonny and Jason! When are you going to get it through your head that they don't do drugs, they don't deal drugs and they don't like people who do." Carly grimaces. "We can meet you in the parking lot of the Deception Spa." Carly disconnects the call and calls AJ. "AJ, it's Carly. DON'T buy the property.... 'Cause Jordan and I found a meth lab on it... We're fine. Michael is asleep in the back." Carly looks over her shoulder to make sure that she's telling the truth. Jordan and I are suppose to meet Taggart at the Deception Spa. Damn drug dealers are going to mess up all my plans. AJ? AJ?" Carly shuts the phone. "He hung up on me."
"Any bets that he meets us at the Spa?" Jordan glances over momentarily to the blond looking with disgust at the cell phone and raking her fingers through her hair.
"Sucker bet." Carly sighs. "You have to swear to tell him that this was NOT my fault."