Michael watches the other boy warily, waiting for the catch, the trick in this plan. It has to be somewhere. “A choice?”
“You can do just that – escape. I can get you out of the country without anyone ever knowing anything.” Johnny supplies. “Or, we can go back to the truck. My guys are still there. You can play hero, stick around, maybe get a reduced sentence for doing the right thing. I’ll say I saw it all, saw you save them just before the truck blew – we have it rigged – they’ll say you saved them.” He shrugs as if the options are equal in the end-game. “I’ll back whichever play you want to make.”
Michael just stares at the dark floor. How is he supposed to make that decision?
“Whatever you decide, but it has to be soon.” Johnny presses when a long moment passes and no answers comes.
“Dad would run.” He says aloud. “Wouldn’t he?” Johnny doesn’t answer which is all the response he needs – after all, that’s what Sonny had made him do before. “Stay.” He says, voice somehow calm and level despite the sheer amounts of panic he’s feeling.
Johnny grins at him, as if he’d known what Michael would pick all along. “C’mon, then, hero. We have a show to put on.”
---
So, that’s the how.
Michael acts the hero just as the news crews Johnny summoned show up. Johnny backs his story, challenges the judges and lawyers to send him off to prison now, when he could have so easily just run away from the wreckage and been in the wind. With that as a precursor, Claire and Diane talk the judge down to a few months of probation. Sonny and Jason are fuming mad about having failed at getting Michael out of the situation themselves and even more ticked off when Michael’s loyalty sways from Corinthos-Morgan morals and values towards Johnny’s way of thinking.
Maybe someday he’ll figure out why. Why Johnny chose to act to save him, why Johnny had faith he’d make the right decision, why his allegiance lies with his father’s sworn enemy.
Allies 2/2 (Johnny/Michael)
“You can do just that – escape. I can get you out of the country without anyone ever knowing anything.” Johnny supplies. “Or, we can go back to the truck. My guys are still there. You can play hero, stick around, maybe get a reduced sentence for doing the right thing. I’ll say I saw it all, saw you save them just before the truck blew – we have it rigged – they’ll say you saved them.” He shrugs as if the options are equal in the end-game. “I’ll back whichever play you want to make.”
Michael just stares at the dark floor. How is he supposed to make that decision?
“Whatever you decide, but it has to be soon.” Johnny presses when a long moment passes and no answers comes.
“Dad would run.” He says aloud. “Wouldn’t he?” Johnny doesn’t answer which is all the response he needs – after all, that’s what Sonny had made him do before. “Stay.” He says, voice somehow calm and level despite the sheer amounts of panic he’s feeling.
Johnny grins at him, as if he’d known what Michael would pick all along. “C’mon, then, hero. We have a show to put on.”
---
So, that’s the how.
Michael acts the hero just as the news crews Johnny summoned show up. Johnny backs his story, challenges the judges and lawyers to send him off to prison now, when he could have so easily just run away from the wreckage and been in the wind. With that as a precursor, Claire and Diane talk the judge down to a few months of probation. Sonny and Jason are fuming mad about having failed at getting Michael out of the situation themselves and even more ticked off when Michael’s loyalty sways from Corinthos-Morgan morals and values towards Johnny’s way of thinking.
Maybe someday he’ll figure out why. Why Johnny chose to act to save him, why Johnny had faith he’d make the right decision, why his allegiance lies with his father’s sworn enemy.