Sonny shows his tender side. He apologizes for the guards and alarms and admits to Kate that he cares about her and wants her in his life. He then lays it on the line about the danger that Kate is in. Kate starts to weaken, but before she can answer, Alexis rushes in with Diane on her heels and accuses Sonny of trespassing and threatens to have him arrested. Kate admits to Alexis that she let Sonny in. Diane gloats and another verbal sparring match between Diane and Alexis begins. Finally, disgusted with the bickering, Sonny leaves. Diane berates Kate for hiring Alexis and leaves also. Kate goes to her community service job at the hospital where Jerry confronts her and tells her that she will no longer have a life if she does not stay away from Sonny. He warns her that a mob war is about to break out, that Carly and her children are guarded around the clock and she is obviously Sonny's most vulnerable point. Kate wants to know why he is concerned. He tells her that any time he sees someone about to walk in front of a moving train he has to give a warning. "Now," says Jerry, "I've done my part." Then he walks away.
When Georgie arrives home she sees a black clad figure dash out the back door. She finds Maxie on the floor unconscious, but alive, despite being strangled. She calls 9-1-1.
At the police station, Rick overhears Lucky as he tells Jason to stay away from Jake. Rick's interest is piqued, but before he can ask more questions, Mac calls on Lucky to go with him to see about Maxie.
Mac questions Maxie and Georgie. Georgie describes the strangler as medium height, brown hair and dressed in black. She tells Mac and Lucky that she thinks the killer sent a text message, because she received one earlier in the day that read, "Senior Sis."
Rick is unbearably smug while he has Jason in the interrogation room. Jason calmly asks for a lawyer, so Rick takes the opportunity to tell Jason that he holds him responsible for trashing Liz's life and calls him a "shallow, heartless bastard." "Wherever you go," he tells Jason, "Death and destruction follow." Then he leaves. Detective Harper, who is handling Emily's case asks Jason if he noticed anything that might be a pattern, since he arrived first on the scene of both Emily's and Leticia's murder. Diane interrupts them and tells Detective Harper that unless he is arresting Jason for murder, they are leaving. The detective tells Jason that he owes it to his sister to help. Then he allows Diane and Jason a private conversation. Diane is fearful that the police will try to pin the murders on Jason. The detective comes back and tells them that Maxie was strangled with a phone cord and that the killer is almost certainly the same one that killed Emily. He asks Jason again what Maxie, Leticia, Emily and Carly have in common.
Meanwhile, at the Port Charles Hotel, Skye tells Trevor that she cannot sell Alcazar's waterfront property because it is tied up in the courts. Trevor responds that there are people in Albany and Washington that can help. Johnny interrupts them and castigates Trevor for not including him. Trevor responds that Johnny was late. Johnny, dressed all in black, shoots back that something came up that he "had to take care of personally." He goes on to tell Skye that he's taken over the family business and he wants the waterfront property. Skye says that she does not want to sell. Johnny urges her to take some time and reconsider. Rick arrives and sees the threesome. Johnny tells Skye that if Sonny gets the property there will be trouble and he does not want to see her in the middle. Skye asks if he is threatening her. He merely says, "Consider the offer on the table." He gets up and walks away. Trevor assures Skye that nothing will happen to her. She huffs, "Does this mean you can control Johnny as well as you did his father?" and walks away. She brushes off Rick when he tries to stop her. Rick follows his father to the bar and tells him that he will not let either Johnny or Trevor hurt Sky.
In Luke's hospital room, Tracy and Luke keep arguing. Luke does not want to change his habits because of his heart attacks. Tracy accuses Luke of quitting and being cowardly instead of having the operation, and making the changes that will save his life. It gets so intense between them that Tracy leaves in a huff. Sonny arrives a short time later and has a serious talk with Luke, who shares his fears about changing. Sonny says to him, "You fight to live or you choose to die" Luke responds, "Sometimes life can be death." He finally admits that he feels that Tracy will have no life if she has to hover around him. He tells Sonny that he would rather be a memory than a burden. Tracy has been eavesdropping and interrupts and asks for a moment with Luke. He leaves, Tracy and Luke talk but Luke still resists the surgery. Later Lucky comes by and they talk. He suggests that Luke is angry with his body for giving out. He shares this with Tracy when she returns. She asks him if he's come to a decision, but before he can respond, Monica comes in and tells him that they have to do the bypass immediately.
Jason goes to Johnny's house and tries to get information. He tells Johnny about the attempted strangulation of Maxie. Jason asks Johnny for a description of the killer, since Johnny interrupted the attempted strangulation of Carly.. Johnny says that the strangler was medium height, dressed in black and had brown hair. Before they can talk further, Lucky bursts in and tells Johnny that he is taking him in for questioning in the assault on Maxie Jones.
After work, Kate goes home to her palatial digs. Sonny knocks on the door and she lets him in. He wants to get back together. He accuses her of playing the grown-up version of leaving him on the street corner, like she did when they were kids. He accuses Kate of running away whenever it seems they might have a future. Kate admits that it is true. She tells Sonny "You scare me to death."
Coop, dressed in all black, looks in at Kelly's where Georgie is working. When he goes inside, she wants to know where he's been because he was not at the station. He tells her that he was running errands. She then tells him about Maxie's ordeal.
Believing Monica to be unsteady in the wake of Emily's murder, Tracy is adamantly opposed to her performing Luke's surgery. After emotional talks with Bobbie, Lulu, Lucky and Skye, Luke is wheeled off to surgery. At the same time, Nadine has an unsettling feeling that something bad is going to happen. During the surgery, Monica freezes up when she has visions of Emily assisting her in the operating room. When Luke begins to fail, he ends up in his own version of Hell.
Mac and Lucky are certain that Johnny is the text message killer. Desperate to punish the person responsible for the murders, a furious Mac loses it and attacks Johnny. For reasons of his own, Jason has Diane get Johnny released from police custody. Later, Johnny goes to the hospital to support Lulu, and sees her in Logan's arms. Threatening Jason to stay away from Johnny, Trevor warns him that someone else he cares about may die. Meanwhile, Georgie grows suspicious of Coop.
Monica begins to operate on Luke, but keeps seeing Emily's face. Dr. Julian comes in and takes over. Monica goes out to the family that has gathered and apologizes. She tells them that Luke was starting to slip away when she left. She should have never operated on him. Tracy is livid. Meanwhile, Luke dreams of his own personal hell. Skye escorts him around the Spencer house where a pregnant Lulu is living with her husband, Logan. Luke is to baby sit the 3 other children while they go to Lamaze. In this daydream, Tracy is married to Scott, and Scott is a successful business man with casinos in all different states. Luke is a cop and is partners with Lucky. Mac and Luke are best friends who play miniature golf together. The family and Luke are very relieved when he wakes up from his hellish nightmare and all seems to be ok. Outside Luke's hospital room, Lulu thanks Logan for supporting her.
Spinelli convinces Jason to let Trevor go. He doesn't want Jason to get into trouble. When Trevor leaves, he goes to his goons and tells them to strike the Corinthos organization. After Johnny is released from jail, he goes to the hospital. When he realizes that Logan is there with Lulu, he sneaks out. Johnny goes to Jason's place and asks what he wants in return for busting him out of jail. Jason says that he doesn't think Johnny killed Emily. He just wants them to focus on the real killer. He warns Johnny not to mistake his kindness for weakness. If he gets the order to kill Johnny, he will. When Johnny leaves, Jason goes to Sonny's to tell him about almost killing Trevor. Sonny is disappointed to learn that Trevor is still alive. Max walks in and tells them that their shipment was intercepted and two men are dead. Sonny realizes they are in the middle of a mob war. Johnny comes home to find that Trevor is mad and questions where he has been. Johnny also questions where Trevor was when he got busted out of jail. Trevor surprises Johnny by telling him that he just made a defensive move against the Corinthos organization.
Lucky stops by to see Sam at her apartment. She gives him a big hug and kiss since she hasn't seen him in awhile. Lucky tells her about how he is concerned for her safety since Johnny Zacchara may have started a mob war with Sonny and Jason by shooting and killing some of Sonny's men by intercepting a shipment that came in last night. Sam suggests that Lucky move in with her and that way he can protect her. Lucky turns down her offer to move in. He wonders what Sam's motives are with him and thinks she may still be trying to get back at Liz. Sam admits that a small part of her wants to get back at Liz but that it is different now because she has feelings for him. Lucky tells her he cares about her but that he wants to move slowly with their relationship. Lucky gets a call on his cell phone from the PCPD asking him to pick up a suspect.
Georgie talks to Spinelli at Kelly's about her suspicions of Cooper possibly being the "text-message killer." Spinelli asks her why she thinks that Cooper could be the killer. She tells him she saw him looking through the window at Kelly's and watching Maxie while he text-messaged something on his cell phone around the same time that Maxie got a text-message. Spinelli asks her if she has shared her suspicions with Maxie. She tells him she hasn't brought it up yet. Spinelli suggests that she tell her. Maxie comes downstairs with Cooper after spending the night with him in his bedroom upstairs. She says good morning to both Georgie and Spinelli in a cheerful manner. She asks Georgie why she is working when she thought she had the day off. Georgie tells her that Christina, the other waitress wasn't feeling well so she filled in for her. Maxie compliments Georgie on how nice it was for her to do that. Georgie tells her that she needed the money. Maxie tells her that she always does nice things like that. Georgie gets suspicious of her and asks her what she is up to. Maxie denies she wants anything from her. Maxie shocks Spinelli when she asks him about how his grandmother is doing in Tennessee. He asks her why she suddenly cares about knowing how his grandmother is. Maxie claims that her recent brush with death has changed her outlook on life now and she realized she wasn't a very nice person before. Maxie asks Georgie and Spinelli to join Cooper and her for breakfast. Georgie tells her she is working and Spinelli makes an excuse about how he has work to do. Maxie persuades them to join Cooper and her at a table. Maxie tells Georgie that she and Cooper were thinking about going to Vermont on a ski trip soon. Georgie doesn't like that idea since she thinks that Cooper could be the killer. She makes the excuse that Mac would be upset if Maxie wasn't around for Christmas. Maxie tells her that she would be back before Christmas Eve. Georgie still thinks it is a bad idea and suggests that the weather may get bad there and they may not get back in time. Cooper tells her that the weather is suppose to be good for the time they are going. Cooper tells Maxie he has to leave now for work. Georgie tells Maxie about her suspicions of Cooper possibly being the killer. Maxie tells her she knows him well enough to know he isn't the killer. Georgie questions Maxie about how well she really knows Cooper and what his background is. Maxie remembers how she first met Cooper, when he was one of the hostage takers at the hotel. She doesn't tell Georgie that information. Later, Georgie approaches Logan when he shows up at Kelly's. She tells him she would like to call a truce with him over their past altercations. She asks Logan what he knows about Cooper and tells him that she is concerned about Maxie getting involved again with him if he ends up being bad for her. Logan thinks that Maxie would more likely hurt Cooper than the other way around. Georgie ignores his comments and asks him to tell her what he knows about Cooper. Logan tells her that he got to know Cooper when they were in Iraq together as soldiers. He tells her that Cooper wasn't exactly a good soldier because he would get obsessed over a mission and wouldn't stop until he accomplished what he set out to do. Georgie becomes more concerned and goes to Spinelli's place to ask him to use his computer to find out all he can about Cooper. Spinelli takes some time to hack into Cooper's military file. He finds out that Cooper was trained in the Special Forces and was highly regarded in what he accomplished in Iraq and Afghanistan. Georgie thinks that Cooper could be brilliant enough to kill women and get away with it. Meanwhile, Detective Rodriguez runs into Cooper outside of Kelly's while Cooper is sending a text-message to someone. Rodriguez is all serious and tells Cooper that he has been caught and wonders how Mac would feel if he found out one of his men was text-messaging his girlfriend during his shift. Cooper gets serious and thinks he is in trouble at first. However, Rodriguez laughs at him and tells him he was joking. He thinks that Cooper was sending naughty text-messages to Maxie because he shut his cell phone off so suddenly when he approached him. Rodriguez admits that he sends text-messages to his girlfriend also. Cooper asks Rodriguez to tell Maxie that he was working if she asks him. Rodriguez asks him why he wants him to do that. Cooper tells him he has a surprise for Maxie and he doesn't want her to know about it. Maxie goes to see Sam at her apartment to bring her an outfit from Wyndam's. She tells Sam that she has been working on a surprise gift for Cooper. Sam is confused because she thought that Maxie broke up with Cooper. Maxie tells her about how someone broke into Mac's house and tried to strangle her with a cord when she went home to change yesterday. Sam fixes her a cup of coffee and they sit and talk. Sam offers to let Maxie use her apartment while she is out of town on business so she can have some alone time with Cooper. Maxie thanks her and takes her up on her offer. Sam warns her to be careful since someone tried to kill her and may try to do it again.
Sonny meets with Jason in his office about the recent ambush and killing of his men last night supposedly at the hands of Johnny Zacchara. Jason doesn't really think Johnny was behind it but Sonny thinks it could be him. Sonny decides not to retaliate against Zacchara at this time. Detective Harper shows up to bring Jason in for questioning concerning what happened last night. Jason leaves with him and Sonny tells him he will send Diane down there to represent him. Alexis comes into his office as Jason leaves with Harper. She is pleased that Diane will be busy at the PCPD with Jason and won't be around to bother her while she talks to him on behalf of Kate. She tells him that Kate has issued a restraining order against him. Sonny tells Alexis that he had a wonderful night with Kate the night before last and wonders why she would do that if he was such a threat to her. Alexis tells him that she thinks Kate is a good woman for Sonny and that he needs to start respecting Kate's boundaries. Trevor tries to advise Johnny about how to conduct business against Sonny without appearing weak. Johnny makes it clear to Trevor that he won't be starting any war against Sonny or Jason because Trevor has a personal vendetta against Sonny for stealing his girlfriend away from him. Lucky shows up to bring Johnny in for questioning. Meanwhile, Lulu talks to Logan at his apartment after bringing waffles to him for breakfast. She tells him about her father's surgery and how scared she was seeing him lying in his bed looking so weak and helpless. Lulu starts crying just talking about Luke. Logan holds her and tries to comfort her. They end up kissing. Lulu pulls away and tells him she can't do this with him right now. He apologizes to her for kissing her. She tells him that he has nothing to apologize for. She leaves and heads over to Johnny's house to talk to him. Trevor tells her that Johnny was brought into the PCPD for questioning about a shooting against Sonny's men last night at the pier. Lulu goes to see Sonny to convince him that Johnny had nothing to do with the shooting the night before. Sonny tells Lulu to stay out of his business and warns her that Johnny has decided to take over his father's business and knew what he was getting into. Lulu goes to the hospital to see Luke. She finds out that he isn't in his room and a nurse informs her that Luke has taken somewhere for testing and will be back in his room later if she wants to see him. Lulu gets a note from the nurse that was left for her at the front desk. Lulu reads the note that says to meet Johnny at Pier 52 at 7 p.m. It turns out to be a bogus note sent by Trevor, who plans to use Lulu to make Johnny think that Sonny and Jason are planning to kill her to get a message to him, hoping that Johnny will take the bait and start a war with Sonny after all. Johnny is questioned by the police after Jason is. Jason refuses to answer any questions without his attorney present. Detective Harper and Lucky ask him why he would retaliate against Sonny and Jason after Jason had his own attorney represent him the other day when he was being questioned. Johnny doesn't answer his questions accept to say that he was at the hospital during the time that the shooting took place on the pier. Jason watches Johnny through the window of the interrogation room and wonders if Johnny is behind anything that happened.
Sonny and Jason talk about how they know that the Zacchara's were behind the latest shipment disruption. They realize that Trevor was the one that orchestrated the whole situation, but Johnny will not allow Trevor to use him as a puppet. Jason asks how they should handle the situation. Sonny gives him a list of the Zacchara's warehouses. He wants Johnny to think they want peace. He wants to break Johnny free of Trevor. Sonny knows that Johnny is a damaged kid, but they want to try to make a deal and give him the benefit of the doubt. Jason leaves when Max comes in and tells them that Kate is there to see Sonny. When Kate comes in, she and Sonny talk about the injunction that Alexis has filed against Sonny. He explains about his affair with Alexis and how she's using Kate to get back at him.
Johnny is doing shots at the bar, and Trevor tells him to take it easy. Johnny is mad that he was taken in for questioning and Trevor did nothing to stop it. Trevor tells him that he's not going to jail, so he doesn't have anything to worry about. Johnny thinks they can negotiate and call a truce with Sonny. Trevor tells him he is being naïve. Sonny will take Johnny's efforts at a truce as a sign of weakness and an all out mob war will be started. He warns Johnny that Sonny will put a bullet in his back. A man comes in and gives Johnny a piece of paper. It's from Jason, asking to meet at 7 on pier 52. Trevor asks about the note, but Johnny tells him it's none of his business.
Georgie asks Spinelli if he has found anything on Coop, yet. He finds out that while Coop was in Iraq, a female soldier was strangled. The file is marked confidential, but Georgie has faith that Spinelli can get into it. She leaves to go to Kelly's and Jason comes home. He tells Spinelli that he has something for Spinelli to work on. Spinelli says that he is working on Georgie's suspicions right now about Coop and explains. Jason tells Spinelli that Georgie likes him, and he is stunned. He had no idea, but he's happy. Georgie is so smart and beautiful. She could have anyone she wants. Back on track, Jason asks Spinelli to get Coop's phone records.
Coop asks Maxie where they will be meeting, and she tells him the last place anyone will look for them. Sam's penthouse with the Jacuzzi and no interruptions. She wanted something special for them. She cares about him, and he says he cares about her, too. She just wants to be happy and together with him. Georgie runs into Coop and Maxie at Kelly's and asks to see Maxie alone. Coop has to go to the station anyway. When he leaves, Georgie tells Maxie about her suspicions. Maxie thinks Georgie is just jealous and tells her that Coop is not the strangler.
Lulu stands on the pier looking for someone. Logan approaches her and asks who she's meeting there. She asks him if he's been following her. He says he wasn't following her, but when he saw her car he wanted to check on her since she said she was going to be babysitting. Lulu makes excuses and says that Liz doesn't need her until 9. She stopped by the pier to pick up some cigars for her dad. It's obvious that he isn't going to be showing, so she turns to leave. He tells her that he cares about her. She seems to have a knack for hanging around dangerous people, and he just didn't want to see her hurt again. She tells him that just because he was there for her at the hospital doesn't mean that they're back together. They continue to talk and disagree with each other as they go to Kelly's for coffee. While there, Georgie waits on them and asks Logan if he knows anything about the woman that was strangled in Iraq. Logan doesn't know what she's talking about but tells her that Iraq is a big country. They turn to stare when Johnny walks through the door. Johnny asks for coffee. Logan approaches him and tells him to go get his coffee somewhere else. He gets his coffee and leaves. Lulu yells at Logan for treating Johnny so badly, but he points out that she didn't even look towards Johnny's direction when he was there. Lulu says she's trying to stay out of harm's way, but that's still no excuse for the way Logan treated her friend. He offers to give her a ride to Liz's, but Lulu says she's going to stay to help Georgie out for a bit. When Logan leaves, Lulu admits to Georgie that she lied. Georgie says she's got her own things on her mind, so her secret is safe. They tell each other good luck and part ways. Georgie gets a text message asking her to tell Maxie to meet at the park. Georgie goes to the park and looks panicked when she hears a noise.
Lucky stops by Sam's place where she apologizes for blurting out the offer to move in together. He asks her if she is having second thoughts. She just doesn't want to rush him. He surprises her by telling her that he thinks it's a good idea if they move in together. They decide that Sam should not move into Lucky's place since that's where the boys lived with Lucky and Liz. They leave it undecided for now, and Lucky leaves to go to a crime scene. He promises her that they will be together soon.
Sonny talks to Trevor on the phone about Johnny and Jason. Sonny says he isn't trying to start a war, and Trevor suggests that they meet somewhere to discuss a truce. They decide to meet at the Metro Court. Before Sonny gets there, Trevor sets a sniper up to kill Sonny during the meeting. He also has it set up for Johnny to be ambushed. Johnny's meeting was not set up with Jason. It's just a ploy of Trevor's to get Johnny killed and be able to pin it on the Corinthos organization. Sonny's death is being set up to be pinned on Johnny. When Sonny shows up, he's already suspicious. Trevor has hated him since Sonny was a little boy. What can he possibly offer? Trevor explains that the retaliation was for Jason holding a gun to his head. Johnny wanted to give them a sign that he's in charge now. Sonny says they're playing a new game now with his rules. Trevor says that Johnny can't be trusted. They continue to talk as the sniper takes aim. Kate suddenly appears and approaches Trevor and Sonny.
Maxie lights the candles she has out and goes out to the Jacuzzi with a bottle of wine. She leaves the door open. Meanwhile, Coop, dressed all in black, leaves his room. Maxie sits in the Jacuzzi and waits for Coop. Someone approaches from behind. Back at Coop's place, Jason snoops around. He hears someone approaching, so he hides and pulls his gun out.
Lulu shows up at the pier again. When she hears footsteps, she turns and smiles.
