The swat team begins to storm the Metro Court. (2007)
In early 2007, Jerry Jacks reappeared in Port Charles after undergoing plastic surgery and assuming the alias "James Craig." He and his team of masked gunmen held the lobby of the Metro Court Hotel hostage to steal a briefcase from the vault belonging to Equinox Defense Arms Corporation which had been deposited there by the mobster Lorenzo Alcazar. This storyline lead to the death of long-time character Dr. Alan Quartermaine.
The story was shown in real time and influenced by the show "24".[1]
Storyline[]
Metro Court Hostage Crisis (2007)
Sam McCall, clad in black, rappels down the side of the Metro Court Hotel and warns the SWAT team encircling the building of a bomb inside. Simultaneously, Nikolas Cassadine dashes out of the hotel, cradling an unconscious Dr. Robin Scorpio. As he hurries back in to rescue medical student Emily Quartermaine, the hotel detonates. Abruptly, the clock rewinds 16 hours...
In the Metro Court lobby, Jerry, also known as "Mr. Craig," along with his men dressed in ski masks and black clothes, burst in and commanded everyone to stay still. They intended to gather valuables into bags. Sam tried to activate the silent alarm at the service desk, but Mr. Craig caught her and ordered her to raise her hands. Despite this, she managed to set off the alarm, leading the PCPD to converge on the hotel's entrance and trapping Maxie Jones and the third gunman, later identified as Cooper Barrett, inside. Carly Spencer informed Craig that the vault would be locked for twelve hours.
The voice of Police Commissioner Mac Scorpio echoed from outside, announcing the police's arrival and the encirclement of the building. Mr. Craig declared there was no escape and took everyone hostage. He started a game with a black box; when tossed to someone, they had to state their name and choose a nickname that revealed something personal, with rhymes earning extra points. The hostages engaged, passing the box and following Mr. Craig's rules. Paralyzed by fear, a hotel clerk failed to think of a nickname. Brandishing a gun, Mr. Craig threatened the clerk, disarmed Sonny Corinthos, and, without any apparent reason, shot Robin. He proclaimed this an exhibition of his power, warning the hostages to obey or face similar consequences. Dr. Alan Quartermaine, Emily, and Elizabeth Webber hurried to Robin's aid. Infuriated, Alan demanded Robin's release for medical care but was rendered unconscious for his defiance. Det. Lucky Spencer and Cruz Rodriguez managed to evacuate the building and determined who was still inside. Meanwhile, at General Hospital, Lorenzo Alcazar revealed his business arrangement with Craig to Skye Chandler-Quartermaine, while Craig was attempting to retrieve a briefcase from the Metro Court vault. Afflicted by a head gunshot wound from Sonny, Lorenzo emphasized the need to enter a code into the briefcase every 24 hours to avert an explosion. Stricken by a severe seizure before revealing the entire code, he required urgent surgery.
Amid the hostage crisis, the tension mounted. Emily and Carly, with Dr. Patrick Drake's guidance over the phone and under intense pressure, performed an emergency surgery to save Robin's life, relying on Elizabeth's surgical nursing skills to stop Robin's bleeding. With Damien Spinelli's assistance, Jason Morgan successfully infiltrated Craig's crew, disguising himself as one of Craig's henchmen. Meanwhile, Alan appeared to be having a heart attack. Despite Emily's efforts, his condition was dire. Elizabeth, stressed and pregnant, began experiencing severe cramps, signaling the onset of labor. Faced with a grim decision by Craig, Emily had to choose whom to save—Alan or Elizabeth—as Robin was not an option.
Emily selected Alan to be released from captivity. As he exited, gunfire erupted from Craig's men at the PCPD, causing Alan to suffer another heart attack. The Quartermaines could only watch in despair on television as Alan collapsed, clutching his chest just outside the hotel. Lucky and Luke Spencer quickly came to his rescue, ensuring his safety. In the hospital, Dr. Monica Quartermaine conducted emergency surgery, but Alan's heart had sustained severe damage, and his outlook was bleak. She briefed the family, bracing them for the worst. The Quartermaines, enraged with Skye, accused her of prioritizing Lorenzo's safety over their own and consequently disowned her.
Spinelli successfully breached the vault prior to the 12-hour deadline. Sonny interpreted the code on the briefcase, realizing that the digits could correspond to letters on a telephone keypad. Carly, who possessed the crucial clue, remembered that Lorenzo's first love was named Sophie-767443. Although the numbers were meant to secure Carly's release, she opted to remain. Jason gestured for Sam to leave quietly, and she stealthily exited to warn the police that the lobby was rigged to detonate. The standoff reached its peak when Craig revealed the contents of the briefcase—slides indicating biological warfare—and the power was cut. In the ensuing darkness, Jason tackled Craig, while the hostages sought refuge as SWAT deployed tear gas and began their entry into the building. Jason subsequently located Liz inside and managed to escape via the elevator. Nikolas swiftly carried Robin to safety, but upon realizing that Emily was still inside, he rushed back in to save her just as the hotel exploded.
Following the explosion, it became apparent that only a small number of gunmen had perished. Lulu Spencer, suffering from severe injuries, was promptly transported to the hospital for surgery, which ultimately stabilized her condition. Robin also underwent surgery to recover from the bullet that had been extracted, while Nikolas successfully located Emily, who was trapped beneath debris but otherwise unharmed. Sonny discovered Carly, who was unconscious under rubble, and quickly rendered assistance; both sustained only minor injuries. In the aftermath of the explosion at Metro Court, Elizabeth, who was trapped in an elevator, confided in Jason that she had promised herself to cease lying if she survived the incident. She then revealed the true paternity of her child to Jason, who was initially shocked and troubled by her late disclosure. Jason and Elizabeth were the last individuals to be rescued. Meanwhile, Craig regained consciousness after the incident and attempted to escape, prompting Jason to pursue him. However, Jason halted his pursuit when Spinelli informed him that his father, Alan, had suffered another heart attack. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Jason rushed to General Hospital, only to arrive too late, Alan had passed away.
Mr. Craig later escaped all charges after his lawyer, Diane Miller, secured his exoneration. It was then revealed that Craig was actually Jerry Jacks, who once again took up residence in Port Charles. However, many citizens could never forgive Jerry for his role in the hostage crisis and treated him with disdain.
Trivia[]
- This storyline would introduce the initial appearance of ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith, who makes a brief cameo as a reporter. Smith would subsequently reappear as a new recurring character named Brick in 2016.