The Penthouse--

The smoke from the explosion hours earlier had cleared the way for the sun that rose over the horizon of the harbor. Zander climbed out of bed and slipped on his robe and slippers. He looked back over his shoulder and saw her sleeping peacefully. He walked down the stairs to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee. After last night he need something stronger, but with the medications he was taking, coffee was the strongest drink he'd be having for a while. He noticed as he passed through the living room, Cord had already brought in the morning paper and laid it on his desk.

While the coffee was brewing, Zander walked out to his desk to get the newspaper. He stopped shy of the desk and read the big headlines on the front page. "Mob Takes Another Hit". He got closer to read the subtitle of the article, but he didn't have to read the rest of the aritcle to know it was about him and his feud with Sonny and Jason. "PC Businessman's Ship Explodes in PC's Harbor"

"Great! Just freakin' great! This is all I need, a front page story. Don't these people ever sleep?! Dammit!" he cursed as he heard the door open and Cord enter behind him.

"Sir? You alright?" his guard asked as Zander leaned himself against the desk chair.

"Call my brother, and get him over here. Now." Zander ordered. Cord did as his boss told him to and Zander picked up the paper and took it with him to the kitchen.

He was sure his shouting woke up Emily, and she was bound to see these headlines. He threw down the paper on the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. He went and sat down on the stool and opened up the morning edition of the Port Charles Herald.

Zander didn't hear Emily sneak up behind him as she looked over his shoulder at what he was reading. "That's a nice picture of you, honey." she snickered and then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Ya think? I thought the other one last week was better." he replied with sarcasm. "You're enjoying this aren't you?" he added, trying to make light of the situation. She turned around and looked at him.

"Now why would I enjoy seeing your picture on the front page and especially with the heading "Mob Takes Another Hit"?" she asked with a serious expression. "That ship last night could of been our limo or could of been this apartment, Zander. ... no I am scared to death and making a joke out of this is alot easier to do then face the fears that I'm feeling right now." she added with a scowl on her face.

"I'm sorry, you have every right to be afraid. You're right it could of been the limo or this apartment, that's why I have asked Ric to stop by. I'd like to have more security put in place around here." he replied as she took her first sip of her morning coffee that she poured herself.

Zander even hated to suggest what he was thinking, but he did anyway and waited to hear her object to it. "I think Devon should stay with your parents for while. I don't want him around this stuff going on right now. Maybe it would be safe for the two of you to stay at the estate for a while, at least till all this blows over." She stood and thought about what he said and she thought he was right.

"Maybe your right. I think it would be safer for us to stay at the house, at least for a while. I don't want to bring Devon home to this warzone, and that's what this is, Zander."

Zander shocked that she agreed with him, they were always on opposite sides when it comes to what was best for her and Devon. She set down her coffee cup hard on the countertop and walked out of the kitchen. He knew from the tone in her voice, she was upset with him for asking that she and Devon stay at her parents for a while. He thought it best for his family. "She'll get over it." he muttered to himself as he heard Cord calling him from the other room.

"Sir, your brother is here to see you." Cord announced as Zander appeared from the kitchen.

"Thanks Cord." he replied as Ric walked in the door.

"I take it you saw this morning's paper?" Ric asked as he followed his brother into the kitchen.

"Yeah I did and lets just say that on top of this, Emily's not happy with me this morning." Ric helped himself to a cup of coffee as Zander sat back down on the stool.

"Why is she upset with you this time, what did you suggest now?" Ric chuckled.

"I suggested she and Devon stay at the Quartermaines for a while till all this blows over. I'm thinking of their safety, Ric. I don't want what happened to the ship last night, happen to the limo she rides in or the apartment she lives in. At least if they are staying with her parents, she and Devon are our of harms way." Zander's explained.

"So she wasn't keen on the idea, huh?" Ric assumed.

"Oh she was all sorts of keen on this idea, it was the attitude that came with it, that gave me the clue she was pissed of with me for even suggesting it."

"So what did youu want to talk about?" Ric asked changing the subject as he refilled his coffee cup.

"I wanted to find out where I stand in all this sh*t that went down last night. I would assume, I'm at the top of the Commissioner's list to talk to. Since my name is now all over the front page of the morning paper." Zander replied as he pushed the morning paper towards Ric who could see the headlines from where he sat.

"If you didn't do anything to cause last night's attack on the ship, then you have nothing to worry about. Right?" Zander raised his eyebrow to his brother. "Tell me you didn't set up last night's explosion?"

Zander didn't answer his brother's question. "Oh my God! You did it .. you blew up your own ship to set up Sonny and Jason?!" Ric shocked to hear that Zander would take this feud that far.

"I'm not saying anything on the recommendation of my attorney." Zander smirked.

"Oh man you are not funny, Zander. This could end very badly you do know that right?" Zander nodded in agreement.

"Thus the reason for getting Emily and Devon out of this house. I don't want this to come crashing down on my family."

Ric stood in disbelief that Zander would put himself and his family in this position and a very dangerous one at that.

"You do realize now they are going to come after you and hard." Ric said as Zander read over the article again. "Little brother, you just put yourself in the line of fire, and Sonny is standing there holding the gun!"

"Zander for once listen to me! This plan of yours is going to back fire on you and you are going to lose everything you have worked so hard for. Your territory, power and not to mention your wife and baby. This is just suicidal. If you think that Sonny coming after you is in any way a good thing, God help you because it's not, Sonny isn't going to stop with just you, you have an organization to think about plus your family, your wife and your child. I'm not asking you to reconsider this plan, Zander ... I'm telling you to drop it before it goes any farther because in the end, you are not guaranteed that you will be the one left standing. And while your signing your death warrant, consider this ... What about Emily and your baby? If this goes wrong and Sonny kills you, what happens to your wife? She'll be left alone with a toddler to care for by herself, Zander. This plan of yours has way too much risk to even be thinking about." Ric finished his speech and left penthouse, leaving Zander to think about what the plan may cost him if he continues.