image courtesy of Maurice Benard Connection

a Sonny & Brenda Story
by scullysboy

Chapter 11

Sorel was greeted by Jason, who was waiting for him at the bar. "I need to frisk you," was all he said to the man. Sorel chuckled, "you must be Morgan, Corinthos' loyal guard dog." Jason didn't reply, but patted him down thoroughly, even checking his ankles and shoes for hidden knives or blades. "No wonder Sonny's stayed alive this long," Sorel thought. Jason escorted him into the office and shut the door. Sonny stood near the desk, sipping a scotch. "Mr. Corinthos! Thank you so much for meeting with me!" Sorel said cheerfully. Sonny didn't smile, but extended his hand which Sorel quickly shook. "Have a seat Mr. Sorel. Would you like a drink?" Sorel sat down, ever aware that Jason was standing behind him. "No thank you." Sonny walked back to behind his desk and sat down. "So Mr. Sorel. It appears you think we have something to discuss. I'm unclear as to what that could be." Sorel bit his tongue; Corinthos wasn't going to make this easy. Then he replied, "I think there are some opportunities for us to work side by side in Port Charles; each of us attending to our own affairs, staying out of each other's way, and possibly finding some mutually beneficial enterprises." Sonny stared at him for a moment, then replied, "there's one thing you mentioned that I agree with whole heartedly." Sorel was encouraged. Then Sonny continued, "us staying out of each other's way. More specifically, you staying out of my way. I'm not sure where you got the impression that I was looking for any 'mutual beneficial enterprises' or working side by side with anyone other than Mr. Morgan here; but you were misinformed." "I came up with the idea myself," Sorel replied. "Well then, you're not too bright, are you?" Sonny retorted. Jason prepared to take hold of Sorel, assuming he was going to lose it and make a move on Sonny. But Sorel knew he was outnumbered and had few options. He gave it one more shot. "Perhaps you would allow me to explain what I had in mind?" Sonny thought about it; it might be good to know what the guy was planning, even if he'd never get the chance to make it happen. "You have five minutes," he said. "Thank you. I am well aware that, for reasons that are unclear to me, you've been reluctant to transport and deal drugs. I feel there is a huge, untapped market here in Port Charles, and if you don't want to take advantage of it, I would like the opportunity to do so. We're talking a lot of money here." Sonny tried to quell his rage. He'd always known that drugs were a messy business. Transporting them meant dealing with drug cartels, who had no morals or code governing their conduct. It also meant bringing down multiple law enforcement agencies on your head: FBI, DEA, Interpol, to name a few. And dealing drugs meant killing innocent children, and Sonny wanted no part of it. He'd always known it, but Stone's death solidified it for him. Stone contracted AIDS by having unprotected sex with a girl named Crystal, who was an IV drug user. She died of a heroin overdose, which shattered Stone. It wasn't until years later that Stone was diagnosed with AIDS and they realized he must have been infected by Crystal.

Sonny looked over Sorel's head at Jason; "Mr. Sorel is leaving now." Sorel was incensed, "that's it? I don't even get the respect of a response?" Sonny glared at him, "you don't deserve any respect from me Mr. Sorel. You have 24 hours to get the hell out of my town. You won't get another warning. Jason!" Jason grabbed Sorel by the arms and pulled him from his chair. Outside in the restaurant, Brenda had arrived early for work. The truth was, she was hoping Sonny was there and that maybe they could spend some time together in his office before she had to start setting up for the night. When Jason opened the door, he saw her in the room and let go of Sorel. "Walk," he quietly told the man. Sorel saw Brenda too, and knew she was his only way out of a situation he had grossly miscalculated. There was no way Sonny Corinthos was going to give him those 24 hours and Sorel knew it. He'd be dead that night if he didn't act fast. As they walked towards her, he noticed some cutlery on a nearby table. Sonny stood in the doorway of the office watching them leave. He saw Brenda, who smiled at him. She wondered who the man with Jason was, but was more interested in getting to Sonny. She started walking towards the office. When she reached Sorel, he saw his chance. He quickly grabbed a steak knife from the table with one hand, and Brenda with the other. Brenda screamed as Sorel put the knife to her throat. Sonny yelled, "Brenda!" and ran towards them. "Hold it Corinthos!" Sorel warned. Both Sonny and Jason stopped in front of him. "Let her go Sorel!" Sonny exclaimed. "Sonny?" Brenda questioned, "what's going on?" "Just take it easy baby," Sonny replied. Sorel gripped her tighter around the waist, her arms pinned down by his arm. "Oh I see," he said with a sneer, "this is your lady friend Corinthos? I'm sure you enjoy kissing this beautiful neck here; it'd be a shame if I had to cut it." Brenda was terrified, and so was Sonny, but he couldn't show it. Jason wasn't afraid in the least, he was incapable of feeling fear, another remnant of his brain damage. "Let her go Sorel. There's no way you're walking out of here with her." "And who's going to stop me Morgan? Step any closer and I'll cut her, I swear I will. I don't think your boss would be too happy with you if you make me do it." Jason glanced at Sonny for guidance, and was dismayed when Sonny said, "back off Jason. Let him go." 

"Sonny!" Brenda screamed as Sorel started dragging her towards the door. "Sonny, what..." Jason whispered. "He can't hold on to her, the knife and the door at the same time," Sonny told him in a low voice. "He's got to ease up somewhere, then we move in." Jason acknowledged the order with silence, and they both watched as Sorel reached the door. "Open it," he told Brenda, releasing her arms, and allowing her to move away from the point of the knife. Sonny and Jason started forward. Brenda started to reach for the door, then turned and punched Sorel as hard as she could...in the balls. Sorel groaned, and instinctively dropped the knife and put both hands on his crotch. Brenda ran to Sonny and Jason ran to Sorel. "Sonny!" she cried as he took her in his arms. "I gotcha baby, you're OK." He kissed the top of her head as he hugged her tightly, and looked back to the two men. Jason had Sorel on the floor, and was tying his hands behind his back with a large zip tie. "Good work," Sonny told him. Jason smiled, "Brenda did all the work." He hauled Sorel to his feet. The man was white as a sheet and still swooning from Brenda's assault. Jason dragged him towards the back of the restaurant; this time, they'd go out the back door. Sonny took Brenda's face in his hands and kissed her. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered. Brenda kissed him back. Then, the full realization of what just occurred hit her, and she pulled out of his arms. "Brenda?" "Get away from me!" she cried, and ran for the front door. "Brenda!" Sonny yelled, and ran after her. He stopped her before she got out and pinned her between himself and the door. "Let me go!" she yelled. "Honey you need to calm down," Sonny said. "Calm down? Calm down? I was almost kidnapped, killed, raped...God knows what, and you're telling me to calm down? Go to hell Sonny!" Sonny stepped back at her words. She was right; Sorel would have most certainly raped and killed her...because of him. He couldn't let that ever happen, he loved her too much. "I love her," he thought, having a whopper of a realization himself. "You're right," he told her in a low voice, "you should go." Brenda watched, confused, as he backed away from her, averting his eyes. She expected him to try to convince her she was wrong, but he wasn't even going to try. Maybe she was wrong about him; maybe he didn't care for her at all. She burst into tears, opened the door, and ran.

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