Chapter Four-Hundred-Forty-Nine
“I feel like the fucking Phantom of the Opera, Sean…” Trevor whispered as he and Sean lie on their stomachs on the floor of the catwalk and they peered down at everybody who was currently taking refuge in the auditorium below.
“So what’s wrong with the phantom of the opera?” Sean whispered back as he lie there eyeing Ashley who was currently wrapped in Nick’s protective arms as they conduct the kids in a game of Mother May I. Trevor glanced at his lover with an arched eyebrow.
“I never had you down as an opera loving man…”
“I’m not, I can’t stand fucking opera. But the Phantom himself is a pretty cool villain you have to admit.” Trevor stared at him for a long moment as he watched Ashley, and then spoke up.
“Okay what’s bothering you?”
“The fact that Nick is so close to Ashley…” Trevor rolled his eyes.
“When is he ever not Sean? You had to of expected that.”
“Not this time I didn’t…I was hoping that his grief over Angel would put a wedge between them.” It took everything in Trevor not to laugh upon hearing this confession.
“Well that was your first mistake right there, underestimating their relationship.”
“You told me that nearly losing Dakota to another set of parents distracted him back when you went undercover for me.”
“Yes but they are a lot closer now baby,” Trevor reminded patiently. “They’ve had plenty of time to grow together as a couple it’s not going to be that simple anymore. Hell I had a hard enough time when they were just starting out even. I have a feeling that even if he was so consumed with grief that he became distant from her you still couldn’t break that bond even if you wanted to. He will never go very far from her.” Sean’s eyes wandered over to Kori then, who was currently lying under a chair at a distance from everybody but still close enough to be there if needed. He watched as she and Scott talked quietly to one another and he watched with disgust as he went out of his way to touch her or kiss her. He knew she wouldn’t be able to keep him away for long it’s almost like looking in on his past through a crystal ball or something. He lay there watching in silence for a long while just thinking about different ways he could torture her in without even having to lay a single hand on her when suddenly his Ellie radar was going off inside his head. Before he even had the chance to look her way, Trevor reached out and gently pushed his head down against the floor as he did the same and they peered down at her cautiously. She was staring up in their direction with an arched eyebrow and she looked long and hard. When she didn’t find what she thought she saw up there she eyed the catwalk confused for a moment, and then was interrupted by Chris waving his hand in her face.
“Hello, earth to Ellie are you even listening to me?”
“Sorry…I thought I saw…” She trailed off.
“What?” Josh asked concerned.
“Nothing I’m just seeing things, that’s all…” She answered deciding that was just the case – a trick of the eye. He is just on her mind and therefore it’s playing with her – eating at her conscious…that’s all. Chris snickered.
“You know, they say seeing things is one of the first signs of insanity cuz.”
“I’m...going to go spend time with my Kota. I’ve kept my distance long enough” She insisted and then walked off in the direction her best friend was sitting and Josh watched her with great concern. After watching her sit down next to Dakota, wrap her in her arms, and Dakota rest her head against her shoulder and snuggle into her he glanced up at the catwalk where Ellie had been looking and saw nothing. After a few moments he shrugged and brushed it off and then walked off to go find Brian.
“This connection between the two of you is going to be a real problem, Sean” Trevor whispered softly in his ear.
“Well, it’s not something that I can just shut off or trust me I would’ve done it a long time ago.”
“What are you waiting for anyway? Is there a specific time you want to attack?”
“As soon as I feel at home and that door is safely boarded up so no one will get in and no one will get out.”
“And what about Ben, Darrell, and Curtis? We will be cut off from them.”
“They know what they’re supposed to do,” was all Sean said and Trevor didn’t need any explanation. He had been there when Sean gave his orders – he was the one who made sure he wasn’t a monster toward them in fear he might piss them off which was the last thing they needed. Sean watched the unsuspecting people down below for a few moments and then he got up and after making sure Ellie wasn’t paying attention, he slipped down from the catwalk as swiftly as the phantom himself till he was standing just in front of the door to the control room and Trevor followed him just as easily. Sean pushed the door open and the two of them slipped inside, Trevor shutting and locking it behind them and they worked on making it their room.
~*~*~*~*~
“Aaron what’s wrong?” Detective Benson asked worriedly as they came out of the second lake house that they’ve searched and so far came up empty handed and she noticed Aaron rubbing his forehead like he might have a migraine. “Besides the obvious…”
“I haven’t heard Angel in over an hour.”
“When was the last time that you did?” Detective Stabler asked seriously.
“Just a little over an hour ago when Sean pulled her from the closet she was in. She’d kicked him in the balls and ran off only making it to the end of the driveway before he caught her…and he went apeshit on her…and then she went silent.”
“Maybe she locked you out?” Conner asked softly.
“No, I would know it. There’s no barrier between us, she’s just plain non responsive.”
“You can’t even hear her thoughts?”
“Nothing...”
“She can’t be…” Conner couldn’t even finish the sentence as tears filled up in his eyes.
“I would know it if she was,” Aaron insisted firmly.
“How?”
“I just would okay?” Aaron snapped emotionally. He does not want to go into detail on how he would feel his twin slipping away from him and leaving him forever. It’s just not something he wants to think about.
“Then why can’t you hear her?” Conner asked feeling frustrated by this whole situation.
“I don’t know…I can feel her presence a tiny bit – that’s how I know she’s still alive but I really have to work to hold onto her so something must be really wrong with her…”
“What can you tell us from what little you have of her?” Detective Stabler pressed.
“She’s having trouble breathing…and every now and then I can feel her thinking my name but it’s very faint. That’s all…” Detective Benson looked at Detective Stabler worriedly.
“He could have her under water…”
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Detective Stabler shrugged. “But I think Sean saves his drowning for special occasions.”
“And Angel isn’t one of them?”
“If you really think about him and his twisted mind…no. He’s only ever really tried to drown Kori and Ashley…with an exception for one other time and that was completely random and had nothing to do with anything. Ashley and Kori are connected to childhood scars concerning his mother somehow and Angel is simply just being used as punishment…so while I wouldn’t completely put it past him, I don’t think he’s going to drown her.”
“Then why is she having a hard time breathing?” Aaron demanded tearfully. When neither detective’s answered, Aaron became impatient and frustrated and his migraine was pounding.
“ANSWER ME!”
“There could be several reasons Aaron…” Detective Benson told him softly. “All we know is that we need to get to her soon.” Aaron whimpered and leaned forward in his seat in the car and he placed his head between his legs.
“God why does it hurt so much?”
“Are you sure it’s just your headache you are channeling?” Conner asked softly.
“I’m not sure of anything; I just wish I could hear Angel. Any sign that she is okay would make me feel a whole lot better.”
“And so will this,” Detective Stabler added while passing back an ibuprofen container and a water bottle. “Take that…and then just close your eyes for awhile and try and focus. We’ll be at the next lake house in just a few moments. Aaron complied and as soon as the pills were taken and he had swallowed them down with some water he once again placed his head between his legs and he closed his eyes and tried very hard to get that tiny connection with Angel again and then hold onto it. Conner meanwhile, turned toward his window and sat there quietly staring out of it at the full blown hurricane that had just begun moments before. The wind was blowing so hard that they could actually hear it. Trees were going crazy, things were flying everywhere and here they were driving around in it. When they arrived at the next house Aaron looked around and saw that it was similar to what Angel told him but he doesn’t see a Darkroom anywhere.
“I don’t think this is going to be it either,” Aaron insisted. “There isn’t a darkroom and Angel said she saw one.”
“And like we told you before it wouldn’t hurt to check anyway. Angel was/is under a lot of distress,” Detective Benson explained patiently.
“And like before, we also need you two to sit in the car incase this is it. We don’t know what we’re walking in on so it would be for your own safety,” Detective Stabler added. “Do I need to handcuff you two to those handles back there to make sure you obey us this time?” Aaron rolled his eyes.
“Just go, you are wasting time that we could be using to save Angel.” Detective Stabler got out of the car and followed Detective Benson who was already out and headed for the door without him.
“Hang back Elliot,” Detective Benson called behind her. “I don’t like the idea of leaving them completely alone.”
“It’s not like they’re here anyway,” Aaron insisted from the back seat of the car. He had rolled his window down slightly so he could hear what was going on. “Angel may be under a lot of distress but I saw the image of the darkroom in her head and she was sure about it.” Detective Benson ignored him and continued on her way to the house and Detective Stabler hung back like he told her to but remained ready to have her back if she should need it. She tried the knob already knowing that nobody should be living here and the door came right open and she ventured on inside causing Detective Stabler to go and stand in the doorway. When she discovered that it was clearly empty Detective Stabler allowed Aaron and Conner to get out and they all looked around to make sure Sean hasn’t been there. When they found nothing and were just beginning to leave and go to the next one on their list Detective Stabler’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, slid it open, and put it to his ear and answered straight away.
“Yeah?”
“Elliot we’ve found the right house. She isn’t here and it’s obvious that Sean has abandoned it but they left a few things behind.”
“We’re on our way,” Detective Stabler replied and he closed his phone put it in his pocket and ran out of the house toward the car causing Detective Benson, Aaron, and Conner to follow him.
“What’s going on? What’s happened?” Aaron demanded as he jumped into the back seat and put his seatbelt on.
“They’ve found the house.”
“Is she there??” Conner asked anxiously.
“No, Sean has abandoned it for some reason but Fin says they’ve left a few things behind.” Detective Stabler glanced back at Aaron through the rearview mirror as he sat in the passenger’s seat and watched as his face fell.
“We’re hot on his trail buddy…I promise. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
“Anything out of Angel yet?” Detective Benson asked while driving to the house Detective Stabler told her to go to.
“Not a thing,” Aaron sighed. “She’s knocked out, or sleeping or something…”
“But not dead?” Conner double-checked.
“You will know it if she is I promise,” Aaron reassured patiently, trying to keep in mind that he is just as close to losing his mind as he is.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Daddy,” Dakota said softly as she walked up to Nick while holding Lily in her arms. He was sitting on the stage with Ashley beside him who has Abbie lounging across her lap and she is giving her belly rubs and such. Denise currently has Bella at the moment, which gives Abbie the free time to spend time with her puppy.
“Yeah honey?” Nick asked gently and he reached out and wound his arms around her before pulling her near.
“Lil’ Rok pooped.” Nick chuckled softly.
“Then why don’t you go find your Uncle Kevin and tell him huh? Daddy is only responsible for Lily’s poop.”
“Well because he pooped in your shoe.” Nick stared at his daughter incredulously upon hearing this news and Ashley burst into laughter. “Right after he decided to pull your sock out of your backpack and get into a fight with it.” Nick turned and looked for his band mate then and when he found him he was sitting across the room on the floor with Ellie snuggled against him and her thumb popped in her mouth. Just by looking at her, he can see that she is beginning to realize that there is a storm going on outside.
“Yo Kevin!”
“What?” Kevin asked while arching his eyebrow at the younger man.
“I thought that you should know that your puppy left you a present over in my shoe.”
“…In your shoe?”
“According to Dakota. And apparently my sock must’ve looked at him wrong too or something because he got into a fight with that as well.”
“Well,” Kevin replied and a smirk formed on his face. “If it’s in your shoe then the present must’ve been intended for you.” Nick gave Kevin what he thought was a light hearted annoyed look but he must’ve revealed some of the emotions toward his sister that he was hiding in his attempt to be strong for his other two sisters and his daughter because Kevin turned serious real fast and even looked sympathetic as he spoke again. “I’ll go clean it up buddy,” he said gently and then got up and headed for the bathroom after putting Ellie down and Ellie instantly crawled into Jerald’s lap instead. Nick looked down at Dakota then and kissed her forehead softly.
“Why were you sitting over there by yourself baby?”
“I wasn’t,” Dakota shrugged.
“I don’t want you distancing yourself baby all right? Angel wouldn’t want you to. I know that wherever she is right now she’s trying her very hardest to be strong because that’s just the way she is and she would want you to do the same thing.”
“I know daddy,” Dakota began softly but Nick continued.
“You weren’t talking to anybody earlier and it really scared me. I don’t want you to stop talking to me the way Sarah did it would just kill me.” Dakota reached up and cupped his face in her hands so he would look at her and she spoke up again.
“I wasn’t alone daddy, Ellie sat withs me for awhile, an’ then Josh came an’ lay with me an’ Lily.”
“Oh yeah?” Nick asked and he couldn’t help but grin a little. “And what were you and Josh talking about huh?”
“Nothing, we didn’t have to say anything he just hugged me lots.”
“It takes something very special to be able to have a friendship where words aren’t needed like that” Nick told her softly and he kissed her cheek and hugged her close as she snuggled into him.
“Like you an’ Ashee daddy.” Nick chuckled a little but otherwise said nothing as he tightened his arms around her and hugged her close. As they sat there in silence the wind could suddenly be heard blowing around outside and did something just bang against the building? Nick looked down at Dakota who of course became slightly worried at the noise.
“Why don’t you go play with the other kids’ baby?”
“I don’t want to,” Dakota insisted and she placed herself right in Nick’s lap before popping her thumb in her mouth. Nick sighed softly, exchanged worried glances with Ashley and then leaned down and kissed Dakota’s forehead softly before beginning to gently rock her in his arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When Detective’s Stabler, Benson, and Olivia arrived at the Lake House that Detective’s Munch and Tutuola had discovered they found a full blown investigation going.
“Was Sean stupid enough to write all of his plans in his laptop and then leave it behind again?” Detective Benson wanted to know as she entered the house. Detective Stabler followed with Conner and Aaron at his side.
“No, not this time” Detective Munch answered while going through a filing cabinet. Detective Benson ventured into the office anyway and she sat at the desk and went through all of the papers and drawers until suddenly she came across a notebook. She opened it up and began flipping through the pages. When she got to a really interesting one she paused and read through it.
“ELLIOT! GET IN HERE QUICK!” She yelled after reading the information in front of her twice. Detective Stabler and Aaron and Conner ran to the doorway then.
“What is it?”
“We need to get some more of our people at the orphanage right away! This bastard is planning on attacking it!”
“I’m on it,” Detective Stabler answered and had his phone to his ear and already waiting for an answer on the other end.
“But he can’t get into the Orphanage,” Aaron insisted confidently. “Security is there.”
“Yeah but it doesn’t mean they won’t try Air and they’re at their most vulnerable state right now – it makes sense that he would take advantage of it.” Aaron stared at her for a moment, and then frantically pulled out his cell phone and he proceeded to call Nick. While he was doing that and Detective Stabler was getting back up to head over to the Orphanage, Detective Benson continued to read through the notebook of Sean’s carefully laid out plans in hopes that she will find out where Angel is being kept. Conner shook his head in amusement at this.
“Only Sean would be dumb enough to leave shit like this behind…Trevor should’ve known better.”
“Yeah well, let’s be thankful that he has his dumb moments – if we’re lucky this will tell us where Angel is,” Detective Benson replied while not even looking up from the notebook.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“You’re going to love me for what I’ve done for you Seanie,” Trevor informed after quietly sneaking back into the control room and Sean looked up from his laptop and at him curiously and Trevor who had his shirt full of stuff dumped it out causing cell phones of all kinds to fall onto the desk and Sean arched his eyebrow at him.
“I jacked every single cell phone in that room for you – they’re all turned off and everything. This way no one will be able to call for help.” Sean laughed.
“No fucking way. Baby you are a genius,” he insisted and pulled Trevor into his lap and Trevor smirked. “I know right? Always taking care of you.”
“How’d you do it without being seen?”
“I have my ways,” Trevor told him mysteriously and he gently tilted Sean’s chin up and brushed his lips lightly over his. Sean slid his arm around his waist and when he pulled back he looked back down at his laptop.
“What are you going to do when your battery runs low? We may not have electricity for very much longer you know.”
“I packed my backup notebook in my bag.” Trevor kissed his forehead softly.
“But I’m hoping that we do have electricity because I want to force the security guards to turn their cameras back on so we can see the whole building.”
“Pray for a miracle that’s all I can say. You picked a trying day to plan a hostage situation.”
“We’ll manage,” was all Sean said and Trevor rested his forehead against his and the two of them sat there discussing their next move.
“Have you decided when we’re attacking?”
“As soon as I get a text message from Ben telling me they did their part of the job.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
