Chapter 2: Making Observations
**Outside of Sullivan Manor**
“We’re here,” Carly announced from inside the limousine. She looked out the window and noticed the downpour.
“Lets go!” Michael said eagerly. But Carly held him back to the seat.
“Hold on Michael, it’s raining pretty hard,” she said, her eyes still searching the view. From what she could see, they were parked on the front entrance of Sullivan. A minute later a man with a butler’s wardrobe came towards the limo with an umbrella. Carly opened the car door. “Please step inside the umbrella, madam,” the man said politely.
Carly moved aside to let Michael and Leticia out first. Once she got out, the three huddled into the umbrella. She turned to the man who was now partly wet from the drips on the side of the umbrella. “So I’m guessing the parking is already validated.”
**Taxi outside Sullivan Manor**
“You dragged me out of OR for this?” David claimed as he looked out the rain-streaked window at the mansion.
Anna turned her head to face her husband who was sitting next to her. “I didn’t drag you out. You were on probation. AGAIN.”
David frowned and put his hands across his chest like a disappointed school boy. “Why is it whenever I wanna sweep you into a vacation you refuse? But when you---.”
“David.” Anna cut him off. “We never had time to go anywhere before.”
“And now we do?”
“Yes.” She said sharply, getting aggravated. She had thought after two years she would’ve gotten used to David’s tactics.
“Well, why here? And why are we still in the car. Driver can’t you go forward?” David asked, but the driver simply sighed and ignored him.
“Why not here? I here it’s a wonderful resort.” Anna lied, hoping David wouldn’t realize the real reason she brought him here.
“Are you ignoring me?” David asked leaning in to look at the taxi driver. He sat back and looked at Anna. “He’s ignoring me.”
“Smart man.” Anna frowned. “He can’t go forward until that limo moves.” Anna explained. “Look, this will be over before you know it.” She hoped.
***Sullivan Manor – The Lobby***
“We have the third floor.” Carly handed Leticia the keys to the suites while Michael flopped on the settee. Michael Vaughn walked into the lobby and looked around. From the profiles Cannes had loaded for him he could identify the blonde as Carly Corinthos. He cautiously walked around the room towards the mantelpiece and pretended to be intrigued by a painting that hung above it as he nodded to the bellboy standing over Michael. Carly took a glance at Michael and noticed that the bellboy was loading their luggage. “Michael,” Carly said loudly.
Vaughn quickly turned around. Not many people had called him by his first name. His eyes searched around the lobby until he saw Carly tickling her son. He had almost forgotten that her son’s name was Michael. Carly released Michael’s hand and allowed him to go to Leticia. Standing up she noticed the handsome man watching her. Vaughn gave a cordial smile as she caught his eye, and then turned and walked off.
As he headed out of the lobby, Anna and David made their way in. “Excuse me,” Vaughn said taking one quick glance at Anna from the doorway.
“Wow. Look at this place.” David said in amazement as he walked in and observed the splendor in the manor, not realizing the exchange in glances Anna and Vaughn had given eachother before he headed out towards the hall. “If this is the lobby I wonder what the rooms must look like. What do you think Anna?”
“Mm-hmm. It’s quite extraordinary.” Anna said, her eyes not leaving Vaughn.
**Sullivan Manor**
“Shit.” Leo frowned as he stood up and observed the pool board. Realizing his attempt to drop the eight ball was unproductive, he looked up at his component, “Two out of three?”
“Yeah right.” Zander grinned sneakily. “Rack’em.”
Leo shrugged as he set aside cue stick. “What the hell. I’m just glad this place has got a pool room.” The pool room wasn’t the old greasy table one would find at Jake’s. It was a perfectly squared room with an extensively varnished pool table, a large rack on one wall to hold the sticks and a terracotta table covered with a long burgundy sheet, and right above it were goblets and two wine bottles.
Zander nodded as he walked around the table. “Yeah, it wasn’t easy finding this place. Especially when all the doors look alike.” He had forgot to mention the fact that there was a chandelier in every room and an expensive painting decorated practically on every wall, and a red rug formed above the floor as if it were meant for loyalty. But he was sure Leo had gotten all of that by now.
“So,” Leo began as he gathered all the balls, “How do you know my wife?” He was surprised to find how the word ‘wife’ melted so easily in his sentence. “As a matter of fact how does she know your girlfriend?”
Zander thought for a moment, uncertain of how to respond. How was he supposed to explain that Gia blackmailed his ex-girlfriend; but that was ancient history to Zander. As far as he knew, Gia and him had gotten along for some time. Her and Elizabeth was a completely different story. “Well, I guess you can say there’s allot of history involved. I’ll tell you about it sometime.”
“No time like the present.” Leo looked up. “Your shot.”
***Third floor Hallway***
Elizabeth slowly walked threw the extended hallway. A smile coming to her face as she examined each painting on the wall. The colors and enigma had brought some sort of sensation to her that she really couldn’t understand. She was taken aback as she heard a soft voice call her name from behind.
“Elizabeth!” Michael said loudly running up towards her.
“Michael.” Liz smiled and pulled the boy into a hug. “It’s so good to see you again.” She knelt down to reach his height. “But if you’re here that means---.”
“You can bet on that!” Carly said as she shadowed above her son. “Just what the hell are you doing here?” She asked with one hand on her hip.
Elizabeth stood up. “That’s really none of your business, but if you must know I’m here with Zander.”
“Well, he certainly has my condolences,” Carly smirked putting her hands gently on Michael’s shoulders.
“Are you going to be staying here, Liz?” Michael asked, not finding the rigidity between the two women.
Ignoring Carly’s smirk, Liz looked down at Michael and smiled. “Sure, why not?” She said taking his hand.
All three of them turned at the sound of the door from room number 32 opening. Gia got out, while fixing her purse up. As her face stood up she was taken back at seeing Carly and Elizabeth. “Well isn’t this just f**king dandy,” Gia frowned.
**Sullivan Manor – Second Floor: Pool Room**
Vaughn walked threw the second floor, glancing back every now and then. He paused as he heard voices come from a nearby room. He slightly cringed open the door as he overheard…
“So I guess Gia and Liz aren’t in the best of terms?” Leo laughed.
“You can definitely say that.” Zander chuckled. The two men both turned to the door when they heard Vaughn clearing his throat.
“Mind if I play?” Vaughn asked shutting the door behind him.
“Go ahead.” Zander shrugged. “It’s an open game.”
“Here you go.” Leo said throwing him a cue stick.
Vaughn catched the cue stick and placed it by his side. He took off his suit and pulled back his sleeves as he sharpened the cue. “I’m Mike by the way.”
“Zander.”
“Leo.”
He already knew who they were, but the first step was to detect the liars. “You two here on vacation?” He asked looking back and forth at them.
“Well not together if that’s what you mean,” Leo said holding up a bottle of wine. “Drink?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Zander said. Leo nodded and turned to Vaughn.
“I’m fine, thanks.” Vaughn said leaning in to make his shot. “But uh, you still haven’t answered my question?”
Zander arched a brow. “Why are you so curious?”
“I’m not.” He fibbed. “I just hate questions that go off unanswered.” He said making the three ball go on the quarter pocket.
Zander examined the man carefully but then shrugged off his thoughts. “I guess you can say I’m here on vacation,” he said, taking a swig out of the glass of merlot, Leo just handed him.
Vaughn nodded casually and looked at Leo. “And you?”
“Oh well,” Leo sited his drink on the nearby table. “Me and the Mrs. decided to go for that honeymoon.”
A bolt of thunder came from the atmosphere. “Looks like its going to be a storm,” Leo said looking at the inundation from the window.
Leo and Zander leaned back on the wall, watching Vaughn make a difficult shot as easily as breaking a toothpick.
“Yep. He’s a hustler alright.” Leo said loudly.
“Then he’ll fit right in,” Zander inserted. Vaughn just shook his head and continued with the game.
**Back in Port Charles** Alexis’s Office
“Well if it isn’t America’s favorite stand-in attorney.” AJ said huskily as he sat on the leather chair of Alexis’s desk with his feet on the table and his hands on the back of his head.
“How did you get into my office?” Alexis asked instantly after she shut the door behind her. She had finally managed to get her own full-size office in a PC firm. AJ was one of the last people she wanted to see when she checked in.
“Next time try locking the door.” AJ put his feet down and stood up. “Baldwin’s out of town. So he recommended you.”
Alexis nodded, remembering how she promised to handle Scott’s clients while he was out on his honeymoon with Bobbie. Sighing noisily, she sat down on her chair and fixed up her notepad on her desk. “What did you do this time, AJ?” She asked, putting on her glasses.
AJ shrugged, sitting down on the client’s seat. “I got a subpoena in the mail yesterday, compelling me to go to Manhattan,” he said straightforwardly as he handed her the papers.
Alexis spread the papers out on her desk, reading them fast yet carefully. “You’re wanted in a federal grand jury. Why?”
AJ shrugged again. “I honestly don’t have a clue.”
Alexis wasn’t sure whether or not to believe him. She looked back at the paper and continued, “This paper isn’t disclosing a word about why your part of the government’s inquiry.”
“What exactly is supposed to happen? Do I go or just call in sick like I do for jury duties.”
“It’s a little more extensive than that. And you definitely have to go. In a federal grand jury there are a few rights.” She clarified. “Nothing that comes close to a cross-examination though. No rights to counsel inside the jury room and there are no actual rules of evidence. The only thing they can’t do is torture you and on that you have to take the government’s word. Did you get a target letter?”
“I don’t know. All I got was that piece of paper.”
“That’s good. If you received a target letter you’d be an aim at whatever investigation. Since you didn’t get one your probably just a witness.”
“A witness of what?”
“They probably think you have information they want.”
“What kind of information?” He was beginning to get apprehensive.
“Think about it,” she told him, “Anything to do with your business? ELQ?”
“I don’t associate with ELQ anymore.” He informed.
“I’m sure. But my bet is still on ELQ.” Alexis stood up and opened a few blinds as she got two cups of coffee ready. “I recommend you demand immunity, just to be on the safe side.”
“Won’t anyone be suspicious if I demand immunity?”
“If you didn’t do anything, there’s nothing to be suspicious about. And since you’re not a target the government shouldn’t care about granting you immunity.” She clued-up, as she gave him a cup of coffee.
AJ sighed and massaged his spare hand around his temple in confusion. “I think I’d rather do jury duty.”
“You still have a few days before you have to go off to Manhattan. As your temporary attorney, I’ll have to accompany you.”
AJ nodded. “That’s fine. Just do whatever you can to get me out of this mess. Oh and by all means, keep this confidential.” The last thing AJ wanted was for Courtney to worry about how her husband screwed up again.
“Are you sure you don’t know why you got a subpoena?” Alexis asked, returning to her seat.
“Nope. I’m sure of it,” AJ said frankly before taking a sip of coffee. Alexis was rewarded with the grimace on his face as he drank it. “Ugh, what the hell is this?!”
“Coffee.” Alexis said genially. “I made it myself.”