At Laura and Kevin's penthouse, Cyrus was delighted that Laura had invited him to visit. Cyrus recalled his visit to Pentonville, and he said that O'Neil had been terrified of a person that went by the name Stone. Cyrus added that O'Neil had said that Stone had managed to convince the world that Stone was dead.
Laura mentioned that Cyrus' microphone had malfunctioned when he'd been speaking to O'Neil. Laura seemed to express skepticism that Heather's attack on Cyrus had caused the wire to cut out. Cyrus noted that Laura was still suspicious of him, and he swore on his mother's life that he hadn't done anything to cause the microphone to malfunction. When Ace began to cry, Laura left to check on him.
At the hospital, Elizabeth and Portia entered a patient's room and found Heather smiling widely while cuffed to a bed. Heather claimed that she was experiencing hip pain after having been restrained by prison guards at Pentonville. One of the guards was present, and he pushed back on Heather's claims. Heather rambled about her discomfort, then she asked if Elizabeth and Portia could remove the handcuff.
Portia reminded Heather that it was standard procedure for prisoners to remain cuffed to a bed, and she and Elizabeth stepped out of the room. In the hallway, the guard reiterated that Heather hadn't been roughed up by anyone at the prison. Portia used a nurses' station phone to call for an MRI of Heather's hip. "The sooner we get Heather to Pentonville, the better for everyone," Portia told Elizabeth.
A short while later, Laura and Cyrus appeared with Ace. Laura found Elizabeth, and she said that Ace was running a temperature of 104. Elizabeth agreed to examine Ace, and Heather was wheeled out of her room. Heather yelled for Cyrus to get away from Ace, and she said that Cyrus had killed Esme. Heather yelled at Laura, and she continued screeching that Esme was dead.
Laura said that she had tried to find Esme when she'd learned that Esme had regained her memories. Laura was shaken when Heather cruelly gloated that Spencer was dead. Laura and Elizabeth left together. Afterwards, Cyrus tried to make friendly conversation with Portia, who warned him to stay away from her family.
A short while later, Laura returned to give Cyrus an update on Ace. Laura claimed that Elizabeth holding Ace earlier had reminded Ace of all the times Esme had held him. Laura said that she "sympathized" with Heather's grief over Esme, as Heather was a mother who had lost her child and was entitled to her grief. She acknowledged that Esme had been desperate to get Ace back and had been willing to die trying, but she had taken Spencer with her. Cyrus reached for Laura's hand, and he sought to comfort her.
At the same time, back in Heather's room at the hospital, Heather used a paper clip to slowly begin picking the lock on her handcuff.
In the kitchen at the Quartermaine mansion, Brook Lynn admitted that she had gone to Maxie in an effort to oust Tracy at Deception months earlier. Tracy admired Brook Lynn, and she said that it was a "scheme worthy of a Quartermaine." Brook Lynn said that she had grown to genuinely enjoy working with Tracy at Deception. Tracy was confident that Brook Lynn could succeed as CEO of the company. "And when you do, if you still want out, you may leave with my blessing. And I will sell my stock back to Maxie and Sasha. Lucy gets nothing," Tracy offered.
Brook Lynn wondered why it was so important to Tracy that Brook Lynn run Deception. "Because it's something we can do together. You're a very smart woman. You can do anything you put your mind to. You remind me of myself. And believe it or not, I -- I like to have fun," Tracy said as she praised Brook Lynn. Brook Lynn was touched by Tracy's offer, and she agreed to stay at Deception.
Brook Lynn proposed that she and Tracy get to know one another better. Brook Lynn asked if Tracy had asked Gregory to the wedding. Tracy admitted that she had gone to the Invader to ask Gregory, but she'd learned that he had already asked Alexis. Brook Lynn encouraged Tracy to tell Gregory that Tracy was interested in seeing him. Tracy said she would take Brook Lynn's advice into consideration.
At an undisclosed warehouse, Sonny, Selina, and Ava were interrupted by a group of FBI agents and members of the Port Charles Police Department. John, Anna, Dante, and Chase led the group. The authorities told everyone gathered to freeze.
At the same time, two men dressed in all black clothing had entered the rooftop area that looked down into the warehouse. "Looks like we're late to the party," said one of the men, who had streaks of gray in the hair on the side of his head. "I can still get the shot," the man said to his partner, who was revealed to be Jason Morgan.
The man with streaks of gray in his hair retrieved a large sniper rifle, and he slid it through a skylight to aim it squarely at Sonny's head. A gunshot rang out just as Jason placed his hand on the man's trigger hand. Everyone in the warehouse sought shelter as Jason ordered the sniper out of the area. "They know the shot came from the roof. Cover's blown," Jason said.
Anna told everyone to remain sheltered in place, but Dante said that he could access the roof without being detected. Dante and Chase left the warehouse. Moments later, Chase returned to tell everyone in the warehouse that Dante was in pursuit of two men that he and Dante had spotted on the roof.
At the same time, at Pier 55 on the Waterfront District, Dante ordered a man with his back facing Dante to place his hands behind his head. The man complied, and he slowly turned around. Dante stared in disbelief when he saw that the man was Jason. "What the hell?" Dante said.
As Dante lowered his weapon, the sniper that had accompanied Jason to the rooftop and taken aim at Sonny earlier appeared from around the corner. The sniper fired at Dante and struck him somewhere in the abdomen or chest. Jason ran to check on Dante. "Jacobs, leave him," the sniper told Jason.
Back in the warehouse, Chase said that he and Dante had found an abandoned rifle positioned near the skylight above. John and Anna speculated that the rifle had been one of the weapons stolen from the WSB cache. Nearby, Ava noted that Sonny was bleeding. Ava felt the sleeve of Sonny's coat. "Sonny, that's a bullet hole," Ava said with alarm. John quipped that the shooter's intended target had been Sonny and that Sonny's trap to lure the shooter had worked. "Just not the way you thought," he said.
Anna ordered Chase to arrange for Selina to be transported to the police station for questioning. After Selina left with Chase, Anna scolded Sonny for trying to lure his enemy to the warehouse. John turned his attention to Ava, and he asked what she was doing at the warehouse. John noted that Ava had been the co-head of the Jerome crime family ten years earlier. Sonny told John to back off Ava. Ava grew incensed, and she accused John of harassing Sonny instead of protecting him.
Soon afterwards, Chase reappeared, and he said that Selina and her bodyguards were en route to the police station. John asked about Dante and whether Dante was in pursuit of the suspects. Chase noted that Dante had yet to contact him. Sonny turned to Chase, and he seemed worried.
Back on the Waterfront District, Jason told the sniper he'd accompanied to the rooftop to head on without him. "Your call," the sniper said before he fired a shot in the direction of Jason, who had already retrieved his gun and fired simultaneously at the sniper. The sniper fell backwards.
Jason stood up to check on the sniper before he returned to Dante. "All right. That's good. You're doing good, Dante. Just keep breathing, okay?" Jason said. Dante weakly called out Jason's name. "You're gonna be okay. I got you," Jason sought to assure Dante, who lay wheezing on the ground.
At Curtis and Portia's house, Curtis learned that Marshall hadn't been taking medication for almost a full year. Stella said that it was proof that Marshall had been misdiagnosed with schizophrenia years earlier. Stella formed a list of doctors that had treated Marshall, including the specialist that had signed off on Marshall's misdiagnosis. Marshall initially refused Stella's offer to confront the doctor who had made the diagnosis. After some convincing, Marshall reconsidered. Curtis agreed to help find the doctor that had misdiagnosed Marshall.
In the hospital chapel, Laura found Cyrus alone with his thoughts. Laura gave Cyrus an update on Ace. Cyrus said that he hoped Laura would keep Ace away from Heather. Laura said that Heather would soon be returning to Pentonville and that Heather wouldn't pose a threat to Ace.
At the same time, in Heather's room at the hospital, Heather had managed to pick the lock to her handcuff by the time the Pentonville guard had returned. When the guard's back was turned to Heather, she sneaked up from behind him and used the cuff to strangle him until he was unconscious. Heather stood over the guard, and she quipped that he would be fine. Heather waited until Amy and another nurse had walked past her room before slipping out into the hallway, undetected.
Back in the hospital chapel, Laura was relieved when she received a text from Elizabeth stating that Ace had been diagnosed with a relatively minor ear infection. Laura added that Ace would be fine. Cyrus asked Laura to keep him informed of Ace's progress. Laura agreed, and she seemed hopeful about Cyrus as she left the chapel. "Thank you, God," Cyrus whispered after Laura had left.
Just then, Cyrus heard the chapel door reopen. Cyrus was taken aback when Heather appeared. Heather yelled that it was unfair that Cyrus was alive while Esme was dead. Heather produced a large metal object, and she wielded it as she approached Cyrus. Heather vowed to avenge Esme and to become Ace's mother. "And, unfortunately, you will not be alive to see it," Heather yelled at Cyrus.
As Heather moved toward Cyrus, Laura had quietly reentered the chapel. Laura sneaked up behind Heather, and she knocked her to the ground with a heavy object. Cyrus gasped in relief when Heather fell. A moment later, a security guard appeared and placed Heather under arrest. As she was being led out, Heather began gasping, and she said that she couldn't breathe. Heather collapsed on the floor.
At the warehouse, Sonny and Ava refused to cooperate with John's investigation. Anna reminded Sonny that John had the authority to take Sonny and Ava into federal custody. "This has nothing to do with any case. Tell them what it has to do with, Jagger. It has to do with Karen Wexler," Sonny said.
Sonny explained to Ava why John had called himself Jagger. "Oh, back in the day, his name was John. And then it was too ordinary, so he -- he needed a cooler name, so he named himself Jagger," Sonny said mockingly. John grew more irate, and he told Sonny to tell everyone gathered what Sonny had done to Karen years earlier.
John recalled that Karen had been a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. "She repressed the memories, but it... it messed with her emotionally. Enter Sonny. See, he owned a strip club called Paradise Lounge, and he convinced Karen that she could empower herself. That she could take charge of her life... by stripping. Did I mention she was underage?" John said.
Sonny admitted that he had known Karen was underage. "Now, I will admit that Sonny didn't force her. He persuaded her. And when she got nervous about getting out there on that stage, he gave her drugs. And then in the end... you slept with her. That's the man you're standing next to, Ms. Jerome. And that's the man you've been defending, Anna," John said accusatorially after his voice had almost cracked.
Anna and Ava remained quiet as Sonny and John argued. Sonny said that he had "befriended" Karen and that he had "encouraged" her to strip. Sonny said that he regretted his decision "150 percent." "And if I had to do it all over again, I would do it totally different," Sonny insisted. Sonny noted that Karen had been abused, and he claimed that she had been "acting out" and "needed somewhere to go."
Sonny claimed that he had tried to help Karen. "By sleeping with her? By giving her drugs?" John asked incredulously. Sonny said there was a lot that John didn't know about Karen and that it was the true reason John hated Sonny. "You are like the Pied Piper from hell, Sonny. You find these damaged kids, and you pretend to save them when really, you're just exploiting them. That's what you did to Karen! And you did it to Stone," John said.
John pointedly accused Sonny of having used Stone to gain respectability in the community. "You were lower than dirt in Port Charles before Stone redeemed you. And suddenly, you were Sonny Corinthos, mobster with a heart of gold. Philanthropist. Who cares about his criminal record? All anybody could talk about was how good you were to my brother," John yelled at Sonny.
Sonny loudly protested that he had loved Stone. "And you know that!" Sonny yelled at John. John said that every moment Sonny had spent with Stone had still worked to benefit Sonny. "You're a shrewd investor, Sonny, and this paid off for you in spades, especially with Stone's girlfriend," John said as Anna and Ava continued to watch in silence.
John continued. "Robin treated you like a benefactor. She practically canonized you to the city of Port Charles -- and to her mother," John said as he turned to Anna. John said that the real reason Anna liked Sonny was because Robin loved Sonny. "Because he was there when Stone died... and you weren't," John told Anna.
An emotionally charged Anna asked if John was finished. John said that he was in Port Charles for a job, but he noted that his job wasn't to take down Sonny. "That's your job, Commissioner Devane, and I look forward to seeing you do it," he quipped. Anna swore that she would use every legal means at her disposal to bring Sonny to justice if she learned that he had committed a crime.
Ava went to Sonny, and she stood by him. John received an alert on his phone, and he stepped outside the warehouse. Afterwards, Ava, Sonny and Anna argued over whether John had the authority to work a federal case against Sonny. "After the show he just put on? Cates can't be objective. He shouldn't be anywhere near this case," Ava protested. Anna received an alert, and she stepped away.
Alone in the warehouse together, Ava told Sonny that she believed his story about Karen. "But Cates never will, and an FBI agent with a grudge is a bad enemy to have," Ava said. Sonny said that he and Ava had another problem, and he noted that Spinelli had planted cameras throughout the warehouse before the FBI's raid. Sonny said that he had to access the camera footage before John could.
On the rooftop, an FBI agent placed a camera he'd spotted into an evidence bag. John said that he wanted a full crime scene investigation into the area overlooking the warehouse below. "We need to know if there's any others like this here. These cameras are state-of-the-art. The surveillance was obviously part of Sonny and Selina's plan. I need to know what network these cameras are running on, what's on that footage, and most importantly, who's got it," John ordered.
In a car en route to Port Charles, Josslyn stared at an alert on her phone that noted a police scanner had reported gunfire on the Waterfront District. Dex said that the gunfire had to involve Sonny, and he and Josslyn sped up to get to the area.
At Pier 55 on the Waterfront District, Jason used a phone to call 9-1-1. Jason told an operator that a man had been shot twice in the chest. Jason removed the bulletproof vest from Dante to discover that Dante was bleeding. Jason worked to keep Dante alive, and he told Dante to hold on. "You can make it," Jason said softly. When Jason heard the sound of sirens approaching, he quietly slipped out of sight.
A short while later, Josslyn and Dex found Dante unconscious. Dex noted that Dante had a chest wound, and he speculated that Dante had suffered a collapsed lung. Chase and a fellow officer appeared soon afterwards. Chase said that paramedics were on their way, and he grew alarmed when he noted that Dante had no pulse.
Josslyn, Dex, and Chase worked to revive Dante. When the paramedics arrived, Josslyn told Chase that someone had already called 9-1-1 and that the operator had still been on the line when she and Dex had discovered Dante.
Back in the warehouse, Sonny told Ava to find Spinelli to access footage from the cameras. Ava surmised that Sonny trusted her. Before Sonny could answer, Anna returned. "Sonny? I have a squad car waiting to take us to the hospital. Dante's en route to ER. He's been shot. He's in critical condition," a worried Anna told Sonny.
In the kitchen at the Quartermaine mansion, Olivia spoke to Sam about Dante's childhood. Olivia said she was glad that Sam made Dante happy. Olivia recalled that Dante had been a different person after he had returned to Port Charles with PTSD years earlier. Olivia grew emotional, and she said that Sam had played a big part in Dante's recovery.
Sam was touched by Olivia's words, and she said that Dante was a brave man that had been able to overcome his demons. Olivia said that Dante had needed something to live for, and she said that Dante falling in love with Sam was a blessing. "Thank you for giving me my son back," an emotional Olivia told Sam.
Olivia had started to ask if Sam and Dante had thought about marriage when they heard a frantic knock at the door. Josslyn and Dex entered. Josslyn told a stunned Olivia and Sam that Dante had been shot.
At the same time, back on the Waterfront District, Jason panted heavily as he appeared from behind a fence near a Dumpster. Jason winced as he removed a glove from his right hand. Jason stared at his hand, which he discovered was marked with traces of blood. Jason briefly closed his eyes and sighed after spotting the blood.
In Alexis' office at the Invader, Alexis spoke with a reporter who had responded to a call about a shooting on the waterfront. After the call, she decided to meet up with the reporter, but Nina, accompanied by a man in a suit, waylaid her at the door. Alexis explained that she'd been on her way out, but Nina insisted that Alexis make time for the meeting. Reluctantly, Alexis returned to her desk as Nina introduced Adrian DeWitt, a popular columnist in search of a new opportunity. Alexis realized that Nina had plans to hire Adrian to write a gossip column for the Invader.
"I prefer the term social observer," Adrian said. Alexis carefully reminded Nina that Alexis had the final say about starting the column, but Nina recalled that the column hadn't been up for debate, only who would write it. Nina was confident that Adrian's name on the byline would bring in new readers and drive up revenue, so Alexis agreed to take it under advisement. When Alexis reiterated that she had to meet a reporter, Adrian stood to leave, as well, but he made his own pitch to Alexis by suggesting that his column might be an impactful and subversive tool to expose the corruption of the "oligarch class."
Adrian explained that an effective society column had the ability to shine a light on people from all social strata, and it would take a brave editor to recognize the possibilities. Nina smiled with satisfaction. Alexis conceded that she'd been impressed that he would frame his work in those terms. Adrian assured Alexis that those were the only acceptable terms to him because he had no interest in penning a scandal sheet. He believed that it was his job to help readers better understand the values of their contemporary world, and he was confident that Alexis felt the same.
After Alexis shook Adrian's hand and promised to be in touch, Adrian left. Nina was delighted with how things had turned out, and she invited Alexis to admit that Nina had been right. Alexis acknowledged that she had liked Adrian, and his values aligned with the newspaper's. Alexis even admitted that Gregory had been in favor of starting the column, but she was not sold on Nina because Alexis worried that the Invader would turn into something that she would not be comfortable with. Defensive, Nina pointed out her success at Crimson, but Alexis explained that she wasn't concerned about Nina's creativity.
Alexis pointed out that Nina had some bad history with people Alexis knew well, and she was unsure of Nina's motivation. "I'm afraid you'll just have to trust me," Nina said. Alexis wondered if that was possible, but Nina argued that without trust, their working relationship would be a nonstarter. "If that's the case, which of us goes first?" Alexis asked. Before Nina could respond, Alexis' phone rang. Nina immediately realized that something was wrong as she listened to Alexis' brief exchange.
Alarmed, Nina asked Alexis what was wrong. Alexis revealed there had been a shooting on the waterfront, and Dante had been shot.
At Deception, Maxie led Cody and Sasha into her office. Cody thanked Maxie and Sasha for accommodating his work schedule at the Quartermaine stables. He offered to reschedule if Maxie had other plans, but she cut him off. "I know what both of you have been up to," Maxie told Cody and Sasha. Maxie confronted her friends about playing matchmaker. Cody tried to deny it, but Maxie knew better.
Sasha assured Maxie that she and Cody had had the best of intentions because it had been clear that Spinelli and Maxie still had feelings for each other. Maxie conceded that Sasha was right because Maxie and Spinelli had confessed to being in love with each other, but they were further apart than ever. Maxie explained that Spinelli had moved in with her under false pretenses to help her financially. Cody was confused why that was a bad thing, so Sasha pointed out that Cody had never been treated like a "damsel in distress." Maxie agreed and clarified that Spinelli had disrespected her boundaries. Cody felt bad because he realized that both he and Sasha had done the same.
Maxie assured her friends that she was grateful that people wanted to help her, but she didn't like feeling handled, no matter how good the intentions were. Sasha and Cody apologized, so Maxie admitted that she had already forgiven them. Cody was curious if Maxie had also forgiven Spinelli. Maxie was surprised by Cody's concern, so he admitted that he had gotten to know Spinelli and thought he was a "cool guy." Cody assured Maxie that Spinelli thought the world of her, but Maxie said little. Sasha encouraged Maxie to talk to Spinelli because Maxie and Spinelli loved each other.
Maxie was curious when Cody and Sasha planned to take their own advice. Cody and Sasha had no idea what Maxie was talking about, but Maxie decided to end the meeting. She reminded her friends to stop meddling and to start looking inward. After Maxie left, Sasha announced that she was headed home to read Pride and Prejudice. Cody suggested that he might go home and watch one of the shorter movie adaptations of the classic story. When he mentioned a zombie version, Sasha chuckled.
Sasha admitted that she might not be ready to move on, so Cody reminded her that he was content just to spend time with her. Sasha smiled as she assured him that he didn't need to find excuses to keep doing so.
In Spinelli's small office, Spinelli tapped away on a keyboard as he reviewed surveillance footage from several vantage points around Selina Wu's warehouse and the waterfront. He was startled when he suddenly heard a knock at the door and Ava called out to him. When Spinelli opened the door, Ava explained that Sonny wanted to get the warehouse surveillance footage to Brick as quickly as possible. Spinelli insisted that it would take time because there was a lot to review, so Ava offered to help.
Later, Spinelli and Ava sat beside each other as they each reviewed the surveillance footage on individual monitors. When Spinelli realized that one of the feeds had inexplicably cut out, he suspected the camera had been discovered. Ava was curious if Spinelli had set up any cameras on the rooftop near the skylight. Spinelli revealed that he hadn't, but he'd had a drone silently circling above the rooftop. Spinelli quickly pulled up the footage and zoomed in on the two men who had hovered over the skylight.
"Oh, my God," Ava said as she looked at an image of the men. Spinelli stared in disbelief. Ava wondered if it was possible that someone had tampered with the footage. Spinelli conceded that it was possible but unlikely, so Ava urged Spinelli to download the image on a tablet because she would need to show Sonny. Moments later, Maxie knocked on the door, demanding to speak to Spinelli. After Ava snatched up the tablet and left, Maxie asked Spinelli what Ava had been doing there.
Still in a state of shock, Spinelli explained that Ava had been following up on a job that he'd been doing for Sonny. Maxie didn't push for Spinelli to elaborate because she had other things on her mind. She revealed that she had stopped by because they needed to talk about what had happened between them. Spinelli agreed, but he admitted that he wasn't up to the task at that moment. Maxie grew concerned because Spinelli looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "I have," Spinelli said.
At General Hospital, Sonny and Anna arrived to check on Dante. Chase met them and revealed that Dante had been shot twice in the chest and that the doctors were working on him. Confused, Sonny recalled that his son had been wearing a bulletproof vest, so Chase revealed that the bullets had likely been armor piercing. When Anna asked Chase to fill her in on everything, Chase told her that he'd been at the police station with Selina Wu when the call about the shooting had been reported. As Anna and Sonny listened, Chase explained how he had ended up on the pier where he had found Dex and Josslyn working to keep Dante alive.
Second later, Olivia, Sam, Dex, and Josslyn arrived. A distraught Olivia ran up to Sonny and asked where their son was. Sonny explained that he had just arrived, but Olivia glared at Sonny. "Did you have anything to do with this?" Olivia demanded. Anna gently told Olivia that Dante had been shot in the line of duty, but Olivia was focused on Sonny. "Would our son have been there at all if you weren't there first?" Olivia asked Sonny. Olivia had her answer when Sonny's expression clouded with guilt and he looked down.
Sam stepped forward and tried to guide Olivia to the waiting area, but Olivia wasn't done. Olivia angrily reminded Sonny that they were in familiar territory. Sonny had a flashback of Olivia finding Dante bleeding out on his living room floor and accusing Sonny of shooting his own son. He pushed the memory away. "I know," Sonny quietly said. After Olivia stormed off, Anna reminded Sonny that Dante had been chasing down two suspects. "Suspects that were shooting at me," Sonny said.
Sonny's voice filled with emotion as he told Anna about his encounter with Dante at the gym when Sonny had ordered Dante to get out of his way. Anna was certain that Dante had known that Sonny hadn't meant it, but Sonny was filled with regret. Tears filled his eyes as he acknowledged that his son had tried to protect him, despite what he had said to Dante.
Anna walked over to Dex and Josslyn to question them about the events on the pier. Josslyn explained that Dante had been alone when they had arrived, and he'd had a sweatshirt tied around his chest to act as a pressure bandage. Dex revealed that whoever had given Dante first aid had also elevated Dante's legs and called 9-1-1.
In an exam room, Portia and a fellow doctor worked to stabilize Dante. After Dante received a blood transfusion, Portia announced that the operating room was ready.
In the waiting area, Chase apologized to Olivia and Sam. Sam asked how Dante had been shot, so Chase filled them in about the shooting at the warehouse. Chase explained that Dante had told Chase to secure the scene and wait for backup, while Dante had gone in pursuit of the suspects. Chase regretted that he hadn't gone with Dante, but Sam insisted that both Dante and Chase had been doing their jobs.
Moments later, Portia walked out. Everyone ran over to the nurses' station to get an update on Dante. Portia revealed that Dante was in critical condition and would be taken to surgery. Just then, Dante's hospital bed was wheeled out. Olivia walked over and gently stroked her son's forehead as fresh tears filled her eyes. Sam watched silently as Dante was taken to the elevator. After everyone broke apart, Sam thanked Portia and the doctor who had worked on Dante.
Sam admitted that she had spent a lot of time at the hospital, waiting for word on loved ones, and it never got easier. Portia warned Sam that the surgery would take hours, but she promised to keep Sam updated. Grateful, Sam walked away. Moments later, Portia called Curtis because she needed to hear his voice.
Nearby, Anna and Chase questioned Dex and Josslyn. They gave Anna an edited version of how they had heard about the shooting and ended up on the pier. Dex revealed that someone had folded Dante's bulletproof vest and used it to elevate Dante's legs. Josslyn recalled finding a phone next to Dante, which had been on a call with 9-1-1. Anna praised both Dex and Josslyn for helping Dante. She admitted that she and the police department were indebted to them.
Later, Chase reported to Anna that there hadn't been any sign of the FBI at the crime scene. Anna was surprised because she had expected John to be all over it. Chase also revealed that they had recovered the cell phone and Dante's bulletproof vest. Anna suspected the cell phone was a burner phone, and she doubted that it would provide anything useful because Josslyn had handled it. However, Anna instructed Chase to get a copy of the 9-1-1 call.
In the chapel, Sonny knelt before an altar with lit candles and prayed. He tearfully promised to pay for his sins if God would spare Dante's life. He looked up when he heard the door open. Olivia stood in the doorway for a moment before slowly entering and silently kneeling beside Sonny. After she made the sign of the cross and prayed, she apologized to Sonny for lashing out at him earlier. She admitted that she'd been terrified that they would lose their son.
Sonny acknowledged that Olivia hadn't been wrong about his role in Dante's shooting, but Olivia insisted that Dante had been doing his duty. When Olivia's phone rang, she excused herself and took the call as she walked to the door, where she ran into Ava as Ava arrived. Sonny perked up when he saw Ava because he wanted to know if Spinelli had uncovered anything useful. Ava clicked on the tablet as she revealed that she had something important to share with him. Seconds later, she showed him the footage from the drone.
Sonny instructed Ava to send it to Brick because Brick might be able to identify the two men, but Ava assured Sonny that it wouldn't be necessary because she and Spinelli had been able to make the identification. "Who is it?" Sonny asked. Ava explained that some things needed to be seen to be believed. She pulled up an image on the tablet and showed it to Sonny. "It's him, isn't it? It's Jason," Ava said.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Olivia found Sam seated on a bench near the nurses' station. Olivia had an update from a doctor who had assured Olivia that Dante's will to live was strong. Sam smiled and hugged Olivia.
Jordan arrived at the hospital and found Laura, Sam, and Olivia. Olivia updated Jordan that Dante was still in surgery, and Jordan informed them that the search for the shooter was ongoing and included the FBI. Olivia knew that Dante would be all right, but she wanted whoever had shot him to be locked up forever.
Brook Lynn arrived at the hospital and found Chase. He was happy to see her, but he felt helpless and wanted to feel like he was doing something. Jordan approached as Chase decided that he was going to go donate blood. When he was gone, a worried Brook Lynn wondered if Jordan had been in a similar situation. "More than once, and it was a nightmare every time," she replied. Brook Lynn admitted how scared she was for Chase, so Jordan advised her to always be honest with Chase about her feelings.
Carly arrived at the Quartermaine mansion, and Drew explained that he was looking after Danny and Rocco for Sam. Just then, the boys emerged from the living room arguing about a handheld game that Rocco had broken. Rocco disappeared, and Danny explained that Rocco just wanted his dad. Drew's phone rang, and he answered it to Sam, who wanted to check on the boys. He admitted that Rocco needed a hug. Sam thanked him for staying, and she informed him that help was on the way. When Sam hung up the phone, she approached Laura and asked for a favor.
A short while later, Olivia worried about the lack of news, but Sam knew that Dante wouldn't give up. Chase rejoined Brook Lynn and told her that donating blood had helped to clear his head. Portia approached and announced to the group that Dante's surgery was going well. She continued that there had been a lot of damage, but his vitals were good. Sam and Olivia wished that Dante had become something other than a cop, but they knew it made him happier than anything.
Jordan found Portia, and they talked about what a good man Dante was. Jordan was reminded of Nathan and how his life had been cut short in the line of duty. She commented that everyone who put on the badge was a hero in her eyes.
Chase appreciated Brook Lynn staying with him, but he urged her to go home and sleep. He recognized that "this isn't what you signed up for." Brook Lynn admitted that she was scared for him every day, but she loved him too much to hide her fear. He gave her an out, but she made him promise to never tell her to go. He promised, and they embraced.
Portia returned to the group waiting for Dante and informed them that Dante was being moved to the ICU after his surgery. She added that he was in critical condition, but the doctors believed that they'd repaired all the damage. Olivia asked if he was going to recover, and Portia answered that it was a "huge step in the right direction." A relieved Chase asked Brook Lynn what he could do for her in return for her supporting him all night. "Take me home," she replied, and they left. Jordan followed Portia away as Olivia reiterated that Dante was a fighter. Olivia and Sam embraced tearfully.
Laura arrived at the Quartermaine mansion, and Rocco asked about Dante. Laura replied that Dante had the best doctors working on him. Drew excused himself to take a call, and Laura and Danny went into the living room. Carly checked in with Danny, who insisted that he was fine. Carly talked about how much Danny was like Jason. She assured him that it was all right for him to admit his feelings and that he was right where he needed to be with Rocco.
In the living room, Laura mentioned the video game that Rocco had broken, which rolled into a conversation about video games. He was surprised that his grandmother played them, and he suggested that they play them together when Dante was better. Laura invited him to talk about Dante, but he didn't want to. She assured him that it was all right to be scared, as she was, too, but they needed to stay positive. She promised to be there for him as long as he needed, and she hugged him.
A short while later, Drew returned, and Laura explained that she and Rocco were setting up a video game date for themselves and Dante. Laura suggested taking Rocco for a sleepover with her and Kevin, but Rocco wanted to stay just in case Scout woke up scared. In the foyer a few minutes later, Laura thought it was a good sign that Rocco wanted to look after Scout. When Laura was gone, Carly descended the stairs and assured Drew that Scout was asleep. She excused herself to relax at home after the long day. Drew thanked her for her help with the boys. He kissed her, and she left.
Rocco sat in the living room, looking at a picture of Dante on his phone. Danny sat down next to him, and Rocco scooted a little closed to Danny.
In the hospital chapel, a shocked Sonny saw Jason on the footage and reasoned that any digital footage could be manipulated. Ava informed him that Spinelli had verified the footage. Looking at all the facts, Ava believed that Jason was working against Sonny, but Sonny refused to believe it. She reminded him that the man behind the whole thing called himself "Stone," which was part of Spinelli's nickname for Jason, "Stone Cold." However, she reasoned that he knew Jason better than she did, so she would trust his judgment. She made him promise to be careful, and he thought it was funny that she was seemingly the only person he could trust.
Spinelli talked about how he'd seen a "dead man walking" in the footage, and he finally showed Maxie. They had no time to be shocked, as there was a loud knock on the door. Jagger announced that it was the FBI with a search warrant. Spinelli let him in and insisted that Maxie had no part in anything. Jagger demanded to see Spinelli's footage of the night, but he showed Jagger the computer, which read "no footage available."
A few minutes later, Spinelli and Maxie were both in handcuffs, and he insisted that she follow his lead. Maxie mentioned to Jagger that her stepfather was Mac, who absolutely adored Jagger. Jagger apologized that it had taken so long to recognize her, and he advised her to tell Mac that he regretted having to arrest Mac's daughter for obstruction of justice. Jagger also threatened to call Felicia, and Maxie begged him not to. She mentioned to Spinelli that Felicia would probably be proud of them for defending their friend who had saved their lives many times. Spinelli refused to let Maxie go to jail for something he'd done, so he informed Jagger that there was a copy of his drone footage in the backup drive.
Jagger grabbed the drive and asked for the password. Spinelli replied that the password was "Maximista," to Maxie's delight. Maxie couldn't believe that they'd given up their friend to the FBI, but Spinelli replied that he'd had good reason for his actions, as he needed to keep her out of jail. "You're the woman I love," he said, and they shared a kiss.
A few minutes later, Jagger looked at the footage of Jason on his phone. Another agent wondered what they were going to do with Spinelli. Jagger replied that they'd gotten what they'd wanted, and "now we're going after Jason Morgan."
In the hospital chapel, Sonny placed his arms around Ava, and they shared a close embrace. An overjoyed Olivia burst in to share that Dante was out of surgery. Sonny and Olivia shared a warm hug. When Sonny and Olivia started to leave, they opened the chapel door to Nina. Sonny stepped past Nina without saying a word. Nina asked Olivia to send her best to Dante.
Also at the hospital, Alexis and Kristina were relieved when Sam announced that Dante was out of surgery. A short while later, outside Dante's room, a nurse said that Dante could receive visitors. Sonny and Olivia were the first to step inside Dante's room. As Dante breathed through a ventilator, Sonny placed his palm on Dante's forehead, and Olivia did the same a few moments later. Kristina followed Sonny and Olivia. She told Dante that she'd recently found herself cheering for the Boston Red Sox in a spring training against the New York Yankees as a means of encouraging him to pull through.
Sam followed Kristina, and she held Dante's hand without speaking. Afterwards, Sam greeted Sonny outside Dante's room. They hugged. As Sam stepped back inside Dante's room, Sonny stared in at Dante through the room's window.
By the hospital elevators, Alexis worried that Diane had been avoiding her because Diane had chosen not to represent Finn in a malpractice suit. Alexis said she was "disappointed" that she hadn't been able to represent Finn. The conversation shifted to the Invader. Alexis said that Nina being in charge of the paper would be a "devastating loss" for journalism. Diane stopped just short of calling Nina a "bitch."
A short while later, Diane found Sonny near the nurses' station. He said he wanted to find the person responsible for Dante's shooting.
Back in the hospital chapel, Ava told Nina about the warehouse raid. Nina was relieved that Ava was okay, and she said that she didn't know what she would do if she lost Ava. Nina insisted that she still loved Sonny, and she expressed fear that she could lose both Sonny and Ava because of the attempts on Sonny's life.
When Ava denied knowing who was responsible for the shooting, Nina accused Ava of knowing more than Ava was admitting, and she admitted that she felt excluded. Nina noted that Sonny was still her husband, and she said that she wanted to support him. Nina pleaded with Ava to share what was going on. "Why won't you help me with my husband?" Nina asked.
Nina noted that she and Ava had been through a lot together, and she asked if they were friends. Ava said that no friend had been as loyal and generous to Ava as Nina had been. Nina was touched by Ava's words, and she asked again for Ava's help with Sonny. Ava paused to think before encouraging Nina not to sign the divorce papers. Ava said that she would develop a plan to help Nina save her marriage.
Nina worried that the longer she and Sonny were apart, the more his feelings for her would fade. "Or worse -- he's going to decide to... move on with someone else," Nina said. Ava flashed back to her and Sonny sharing a close embrace in the chapel. "Well... we just can't let that happen," Ava said before she and Nina began to chuckle together. Ava's face bore a pained expression as she hugged Nina.
In the gatehouse at the Quartermaine estate, Dex, Josslyn, Michael, and Willow gathered. They all wondered who had shot Dante. Josslyn said that she "couldn't think of" Dante losing his life. She blamed Sonny for Dante's shooting. Josslyn started crying when she second-guessed whether she had taken the right steps to help Dante when she and Dex had found Dante shot earlier. Josslyn soon headed upstairs with Willow. Alone with Michael afterwards, Dex said he had to do what was best for Josslyn. Dex added that he intended to leave Port Charles.
Back at the hospital, Anna's eyes widened when John showed her the surveillance photo of Jason that had been taken at the warehouse earlier that night. Anna said that it was impossible that Jason would ever work to target Sonny. When John asked where Jason might go after being shot, Anna said she had an idea.
At Carly's mansion, Carly was stunned when she heard a familiar voice call out from the darkness. "Carly?" the voice asked before Jason emerged from the shadows and into the light. Carly gasped, and she sobbed as she ran into Jason's arms. "You came back," Carly exclaimed through tears. "I'm sorry it took so long," Jason said as he held Carly.
Carly noticed that Jason was bleeding from the abdomen. Jason asked Carly for a bandage, explaining that the bullet had gone clear through, and he promised that he would still be there when she returned. Jason grunted in pain when he slowly sat on the couch. Carly returned moments later with a first aid kit to bandage a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
When Carly said that she wished she could call Bobbie, Jason learned that Bobbie had died. Jason and Carly heard a knock at the door. "Police! Open the door!" Anna yelled from outside. When Carly opened the door to invite Anna and John inside moments later, Jason hid out of sight. Anna told Carly that Jason was alive. Carly yelled at Anna and John for their "insinuation" that Jason was alive.
John presented the photo that Spinelli's cameras had captured of Jason at the warehouse. Carly pretended to be shocked. Anna asked if she and John could search the mansion. Carly yelled that Anna and John weren't allowed to search her home. John surprised Carly when he said that he and Anna had a warrant.
