Chapter 15
Port Charles
"Randall, thanks for coming on such short notice."
"No problem, Mr. Corinthos."
"Call me Sonny. I think it’s time for us to be less formal."
"Okay, Sonny it is."
"Thanks again for coming. I know you must be surprised that I’ve called you back to Port Charles. Do you have any idea why?"
"None."
"Well, I’ve been hearing rumors that our scheduled meeting has been…let’s just say compromised," he said with a cold smile which never met his eyes.
"How? My people have been very careful with the planning and preparation for the meeting."
"I know. But sometimes the best-laid plans are compromised. So I’ve planned the meeting today." Sonny hit a button and the room suddenly became a fortress. Steel walls came down and monitors rose from the floor. The lights dimmed and suddenly the screens flicked on. Randall J. Gannon was now in a meeting with the five families that controlled the organized crime of the Eastern seaboard.
Llanview Docks…
Sonia Toledo was moving slowly. She felt like a brick wall had fallen on her. She gradually came around, thinking what the hell happened? Her bodyguard and driver were coming around too, and she was processing. Something is really wrong, --- and I’m not going to like it.
"Juan! What happened? How long have we been out?" Sonia asked groggily, pulling herself up.
"I don’t know. It could be 10 minutes or an hour. Wait, we came out of the meeting at 6:00, and its 7:10 now… so over an hour."
"Well get us out of here and back to the mansion. Quick. Something is not right." Her gut was telling her she’d been set up. The question was who and more importantly, why?
Somewhere in Llanview, a private clinic…
"Michael, how does it look? Tell me, did I make it in time?" John tried desperately to hold on to hope for Evangeline and their baby’s lives.
"I don’t know yet. We are still accessing her condition and monitoring the baby. Look, I got to get back to her. I just want you to know everything is being done for her and the baby," Michael said to assure John. Michael hoped John wouldn’t lose it before they knew more about her condition and the baby’s.
"Any change Mickey, let me know immediately." Michael nodded, turning and walked quickly back into Evangeline’s room.
"John, you just have to have faith. You got to believe we got her out in time," Salina said gently, touching his arm comfortingly.
"I don’t know. I got this feeling that we may have been too late," he said almost to himself, walking off and sitting in the chair trying to hold it all together. He knew that time was his only friend. The waiting had begun.
Port Charles…
"Randall J. Gannon, I want you to meet the member of the five families. Gentlemen introduce yourselves formally," said Sonny.
R. J. quietly listened as the five families introduced themselves laid out each area that they covered. After the introductions, he waited. He knew that what was about to happen in this room would profoundly change his place in organized crime.
"Randall, I want you to know that we have all given careful consideration to what we are going to ask of you and we need your answer today. You know that the Santi organization was and spin off of our five families. The area controlled is not an area any of us want to be associated with. It is for that very reason that we chose the new head of that family very carefully."
Randall sat quietly waiting for Sonny Corinthos to continue. He knew better than to appear anxious or as if he was aware of the way he hoped the conversation would go. Each man had his eyes trained on him for any reaction. He kept a poker face; because he could not allow anyone of them to read his thoughts.
"Randall, we are offering you the title of ‘El Tiburon.’ Do you accept?" Sonny asked on behalf of the five families.
Somewhere in Llanview, a private clinic…
"She is stabilizing, but has not come out of the coma," the nurse said.
"The lab results should be back soon. Once I have those test results back, I can confirm my initial diagnosis and rule out any new problems. Without those results, I have no way of knowing if I’m dealing with an entirely different situation," Michael said worriedly.
"We are monitoring her vitals and we will keep you informed of any changes."
"Thanks, she means a lot to me and my brother." Michael left the room to give his brother an update; he knew how worried John was, because he was just as concerned.
Port Charles Hotel
Randall J. Gannon was the new boss of the most covert organization of the five families, a dream come true, or a nightmare. Thinking back to when the heads of the families waited on his response, he remembered the tension.
The air was thick with anticipation and expectations as to his response. When he finally uttered the words he had been waiting to say for over two years, he said them calmly.
"I would be honored gentleman, truly."
The room suddenly brightened. They all nodded at his acceptance. Sonny came to him shook his hand and stated, "On behalf of all of us, welcome. Remember, Randall, that there is no going back. This is a lifetime commitment. You do understand that?
He had looked at Sonny and with out hesitation, nodded, acquiesced by reaching for his new Padrones hand, and kissed the ring in keeping with tradition. Through this action he was stating his allegiance to the five families and accepting his new role, a boss among bosses. The men of the five families suddenly let their monitors go dark and he was alone with Sonny.
"Well Randall, I’m pleased. I don’t think you’ll regret your decision. I will look forward to doing business with you. I ordered a light lunch for us. Will you join me?"
Sonny showed Randall out to the sitting room where an elaborate feast was set fit for a king., El Tiburon had been crowned.
Five hours later, after he and Sonny had completed their talk, he still couldn’t believe how it all came together. He was now "El Tiburon" and no one would ever look down on Randall J. Gannon again. He smiled his amazing smile and gave out the biggest belly laugh, which he reserved just for moments like these. Sonia would be pleased. She seemed the type to be attracted to power and that was what he had now. Suddenly, his hotel phone rang startling R.J.; he turned and picked it up.
"Gannon."
"R.J. this is Sonia. You need to get home."
"Why? What happened?"
"Evangeline. She’s missing."
"You better be joking and if you are not, you better have a damn good reason as to how my sick wife just up and left our home."
"RJ, this is not my fault. I don’t know what happened. She’s just gone."
"Sonia, I’m on my way back. You better have more to tell me when I get there." He slammed the phone down onto the base. Evangeline couldn’t move. What happened and who could have the nerve to remove my wife from our home? Who? That and other thoughts were swirling around his head, as he made plans to return home on the next flight. He called Corinthos to say good-bye. After all one had to respect the Boss of Bosses, until the position became vacant. He smiled again his teeth gleaming.
