It seems pretty safe to assume that Jason isn’t about to be dispatched by the would-be assassin’s bullet. Yes, when Steve Burton returned to the soap, rumors circulated that he’d only be appearing for a few weeks before making another splashy, dramatic exit. In fact, what unfolded on screen this week seemed an awful lot like what some folks had been predicting.

That said, Burton himself made it clear that rumors of his character’s (latest) imminent demise were greatly exaggerated. “They said I only signed a three-month contract, and then I’m dying,” he told co-star Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) during an episode of their popular Daily Drama podcast.

So no, we don’t believe for a second that the show just offed Jason (again). Which leads to the next big question: Who tried to have Jason taken out… and might it have been his former best friend, Sonny?

It certainly looked as if that were possible given the tense encounter shared by Sonny and Jason shortly before the former was shot. “You don’t get out of my way, you’re done,” Sonny warned his unwanted business partner. “You’re gone.”

As if that wasn’t incriminating enough, Sonny later ran into Carly and explained that he was “dealing with” Jason. “I offered to buy him out of the coffee business, gave him a chance to walk away,” Sonny growled. “He refused, so what happens next is on him.”

Cue bullets flying in Jason’s general direction even as Sonny’s words were echoing in our ears.

However, we can’t help but think that whole conversation may have been a red herring designed to throw us off the scent of something equally fishy. Because dark forces have been aligning against Jason for some time. Both Brennan and Valentin know that Jason’s been working with the FBI. And surely it can’t be a coincidence that they recently discussed the possibility of killing two birds with one stone by having Jason eliminated and framing Sonny for the crime… right?

Of course, the real story of who shot Jason and why could become even more complicated thanks to the recent turmoil behind the scenes. With the show swapping headwriters the way lovesick teens do spit, there’s no telling whether the story currently unspooling will continue on its current trajectory or wind up going in a whole new direction!