Authors: Leen Elle
Diana turned to Robert. "If I was going to threaten you, I wouldn't do it in such a sloppy manner."
"Everything you're saying confirms my assumptions." Robert seemed like he understood where she was coming from.
Sophie vaguely remembered Robert saying something about Diana's true motives being innocent. At the time she hadn't thought it was plausible, but now it was gradually becoming easier to understand.
"I specifically came to New York earlier to meet the two of you." Diana's voice lowered. "Now that we're done catching up, it's time I got down to business."
"Yes, please do tell us why you're here." Sophie didn't hide her hostility. No matter how clear Diana's motives became, the woman had still initiated the events that led to Rylan getting shot.
"Don't get an attitude with me." Diana snapped. "I'm trying to help you all out of this mess."
"How exactly are you going to do that?" Robert leaned against the back of the couch, crossing his arms pensively. "Max's thief has declared war on his boss and Cleo. Our connection to him has us on the run as well, with little to nothing to work with. We're no closer to finding the stolen paintings than when we last spoke to you, and there's the possibility that we may be killed before we can find them anyway. The resources we have available are limited and running out faster than we can manage." He let out a heavy sigh. "Basically, we've run ourselves headfirst into a wall. So, anything you can do that is less than handing us the stolen paintings is worthless."
"Running away isn't an option anymore." Sophie chipped in from beside him. "I'm not sure if you really wanted me to run away before, but that's not a choice I can make now. There are too many lives at risk for me to leave the kids behind."
Diana thought for a moment, her dark eyes processing. "Running away is the safest option for you, Sophie. If you are so concerned about the children living in Cleo's care, I may be able to secure them a place as well."
"You can't promise us safety forever." Sophie wanted nothing more than to believe in this offer, but she'd been fed too many lies to blindly trust in Diana's words. "Any protection you give us will only be temporary. Even my grandparents knew that Max would discover me eventually."
"You're putting me in a difficult position." Diana clenched her fists. "I owe your parents so much, but I can only do so little for you."
"Let's not lie to each other, Diana." Robert broke in, his eyes narrowed. "I know you can do better than this."
Sophie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't put a reason behind her suspicion, but it felt like he was bluffing.
"How did you know how to get here? Who told you? Someone as important as yourself wouldn't come here to offer Sophie such a weak plan. You know things about her parent's past that could help us. I'm willing to bet there are many things you didn't tell Slavsky when he came to investigate her parent's disappearance."
Diana pursed her lips, lifting her chin defensively. He'd broken through one of her defenses.
"Max's thief, Luke, contacted me."
Sophie raised her eyebrow, shock radiating through her. "Why?" She asked reflexively.
"He knows I hate Cleo and Max as much as he does. I was able to escape from them by building my own business, but he doesn't have that luxury. He contacted me a few hours ago, having secured a number to a cell phone I only use for private calls." Her eyes flashed with a mix of anger and awe. "I was impressed by his skills, so I let him fill me on everything that had been happening while I was away."
"I'm not surprised he went to you." Robert mused, his expression thoughtful. "Luke knows we wouldn't be able to help him, so he went straight for the person who stands the best chance against Cleo and Max."
"You're giving me too much credit." Diana replied, her voice faltering for the first time. Sophie was shocked that such a strong looking woman could appear nervous.
"Am I? You came from nothing, just like Luke did. Using your skills, you built your own empire of a business, and gained enough influence to scare off both Cleo and Max. If anyone can stand up to them, it's you."
"My influence may be broad, but that doesn't mean I want to give them reason to take me down. They're still more powerful than I am, Robert."
"I doubt that." Robert smirked. "Anyway, if you didn't want to start a battle with them, you wouldn't have come all the way here. You've already signed on to this fight."
Sophie turned to Robert, her eyes wide. "Exactly what fight are you talking about? I thought the plan was to find the paintings, not bring down Cleo and Max. Are you trying to get us killed?"
"Sophie, let's go ahead and admit we have no idea how everything is going to work out." Robert turned to her, his voice strict. "We can both assume we know how the two of them are going to react, but by now they're both wild cards. I can't promise that Cleo's going to be appeased with those paintings, but it's the only strategy we have. If we find them, there's nothing to say she won't have us killed on the spot."
"So we're dead if we don't find them, and dead if we do?" Sophie's voice rose in pitch. "Then what the hell can we do?"
"Either way we turn, it's going to be a gamble." Robert glanced back at Diana. "We're either putting all we've got on those paintings, or all we've got on taking the two of them down." He paused for a moment, his eyes flickering with an idea. "There may be a third option though. We can gamble on both of those plans."
Diana nodded curtly. "I see where you're going with this. Considering the situation you're in, it may be the best plan you have."
Sophie shot Robert a confused glare and he raised his hand for her to be patient.
"First, let's outline what each of us wants, since we're attempting to be a team. Luke obviously wants for Cleo and Max to lose everything. It's the only way he'll feel vindicated for his life as a thief. Diana, I hope I'm not making any leaps by saying you wouldn't mind taking down the two of them either. I understand you want to protect your business as well." He waited for Diana to argue, but when she remained silent he continued. "The only thing I want right now is for the kids and Sophie to be given a clean slate to live their lives. I want them all out of this business."
"I speak for the kids and myself when I say that I want Rob out of this too." Sophie interrupted Robert, and flashed him a stubborn frown.
"I don't matter right now." He replied, responding with the same level of stubbornness.
"If the kids and I leave Cleo, we're taking you with us. End of story."
Sophie and Robert glared at each other, both scowling.
"Should I leave the two of you to figure this part out yourselves?" Diana asked, calling them both back to the conversation at hand.
"No, we'll discuss this part later." Sophie replied, turning back to Diana before Robert could disagree. "Now that we're all on the same page, what's the plan from here on out?"
"Have we all agreed that Max and Cleo will be our targets?" Diana's voice held in it a warning. "This means risking everything. Once we choose a side there's no going back."
"Why choose a side?" Robert broke in. "We'll continue to play the role of Cleo's minions, while preparing ourselves for their eventual betrayal. We can't play this like a war, or we'll undoubtably lose to their influence. Cleo has information that could put both of us in prison, but she won't use that unless absolutely necessary." His smirk returned. "Plus there's another player in the game you two haven't considered."
Sophie realized who Robert was speaking of before he had to explain. "Agent Marshall?" She asked in shock.
"Exactly." He turned to Diana. "Marshall is an FBI agent that we picked up while you away. He's been snooping around Cleo and Max, and may give us the edge we need."
"Cops are worthless." Diana reminded them in disgust. "Max and Cleo can just buy their way out of trouble."
"It can't hurt to have him as a back up plan." Robert replied. "Now, all we have to do is find the stolen paintings and bring down two of the most dangerously influential individuals in the country."
"No big deal." Sophie muttered under her breath.
"Now that we've all decided to work together, what's next?" Robert's eyes focused on Diana. "Since you're so keen on helping us, why don't you start? What can you offer us?" He paused before continuing. "I'm not in the mood for games right now, so get to the point. My tolerance for bullshit is nonexistent."
Diana didn't seem concerned by his rudeness. She seemed to appreciate his honesty. "I'm already risking everything by being here, so I might as well give you everything I've got. Even though I don't trust you," she motioned to Robert, "I'll tell you everything I know about your parents, Sophie. Everything from the beginning."
"That's better than nothing." Sophie was too burdened by their task to feel the least bit of hope at this news.
Hope had left them a long time ago.
"I can also give you one more thing." Diana's expression relaxed momentarily. "I can tell you where Luke is hiding out."
Sophie lifted her head at his new bit of information. "He told you?"
"He was in New York when he contacted me. He was set on finding me whether I answered or not." Diana noticed the eagerness in Sophie's face and frowned. "It wouldn't be smart to meet with him, but if you want to..."
"Of course I want to!" Sophie nearly shouted. She muted her excitement for a moment to glance at Robert. "Should we go?" She knew he was an integral part in her decision. "Is it too soon?"
Like always, everything that was happening around them was occurring too quickly for her to keep up. Now that the events had fallen into place, they had no choice but to react on impulse. The alliance that was forming now was nowhere near perfect, but it was all they had to work with. Sophie was so set on moving forward, she didn't know when to step back and think about where they were headed.
"The sooner we meet him the better." Robert did not look happy with this decision, but his reason overcame his emotions. "I promised him our help, and we have to get him to trust us again. We have to get him to stop acting on his own, before he gets us into a worse situation."
"Thank you." Sophie whispered, grabbing Robert's hand tightly. "Really."
Robert smiled briefly before turning back to Diana. "It's been a long day, but we'd appreciate it if you would take us to him."
Diana raised her eyebrow in silent surprise at their intertwined hands. "Fine, if you must." She motioned for them to follow her. "Let's go. The longer we're together, the less safe I feel."
Sophie started to follow after her, but Robert held her back for just a moment.
"I know this is all insane." He whispered, placing his free hand on her cheek. "I promise we'll come out of this okay."
"You can't possibly promise me that." Sophie whispered back. She allowed herself this one moment of vulnerability.
"Yes, I can." He leaned down to kiss her briefly. "We may be headed for hell, but I'll get us out. Trust me."
"Okay." Sophie wanted to smile at him, but she was too hurt, scared, and anxious to feel relieved. Instead, she hugged him tightly, until he reluctantly pulled away.
"Let's go." He squeezed her hand as he led her out of their hotel room.
Sophie felt numb as she followed after him.
This was just the beginning of their struggle.
What if running away is the only option? Is it cowardly or brave to leave behind a lost fight?
Questions were the only thing Sophie was holding on to now.
Finding answers to everything that was happening was her number one priority. She had to make sense of what was going on, and she felt like Luke was the key to understanding.
For too long it'd felt like she'd blindly accepted everything that had been thrown at her. Luke had set fire to Max's home? No time to look for proof. Cleo was not to be trusted? It was too risky to assume otherwise. Diana wasn't the villain they thought she was? No choice but to accept her help anyway.
Sophie wanted to scream for it all to stop. Was it too much to ask for a little stability to their fight? Did she have to keep moving despite not having a steady grasp on where they were headed?
Robert was used to this constant wheel of motion. He'd lived like this for eleven years, always knowing when to jump into action, or when to relax. He knew how to clear these hurdles without hesitating, and he'd learned not to question his gut instinct.
Unfortunately, Sophie was a decade away from that kind of acceptance and skill.
By the time they'd arrived at Luke's temporary hiding place, Sophie was almost shaking with nerves. She was trying to prepare herself for being disappointed, but her anxiety was making it difficult.
Diana's car pulled up to a shabby looking motel, which was similar to what Sophie had figured she and Robert should've been staying at. The neighborhood surrounding it was dark and grungy, with worn, toughened individuals roaming the streets with sharp, untrusting eyes. It was this kind of setting that fit the image of being a runaway.
"Call this number and we'll come to pick you up." Diana slipped a small piece of paper into Robert's hands. "My car stands out too much for this neighborhood. We do not want to attract attention."
Sophie felt like they were being abandoned, but Robert didn't seem to think anything of this plan. He thanked her for the ride, and helped Sophie out of the car.
"It may take awhile." He informed Diana, who nodded curtly.
Sophie couldn't look at either of them. She was too focused on examining the rows of aging green doors.
"He's room 132." Diana pointed to the farthest end of the building. "Be careful. He doesn't know you're coming so he might be defensive."
Robert had been the one to decide not to call Luke. He believed that Luke would run if they gave him the chance. Sophie hadn't had the will to argue. Diana and Robert were calling the shots now, and she was just along for the ride. She'd been secretly worried that if she argued, they would refuse to let her see Luke at all.
Sophie unconsciously grabbed Robert's hand as they walked towards the building. He squeezed it reassuringly.
"Still mad that I paid for an expensive hotel?" He asked, trying to calm her. "We could always switch here if you like it better?"
"Not funny." She whispered, though her lips curled into a brief smile.
Her smiled faded when they reached the door to Luke's room. She'd begun to think Diana was lying, and had dumped them here on purpose. The line between lies and truth was beyond blurred in her mind, making her suspicious of everyone.
She raised her free hand to knock, but Robert stopped her at the last second.
"I'll be right back." He released her hand, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. "Give me one minute, then knock."
She wanted to ask why, but he'd already disappeared around the corner of the building.
Sophie scowled as she counted to sixty under her breath. A wave of anxiety crashed over her, and when the time came to knock, she almost decided to run away.
Hesitantly, she knocked on the green wood. Her knock was so soft she could barely hear it, so she knocked again loudly.
She was only answered with silence, and she let out a long sigh. Luke wasn't home. She didn't know if it was relief or disappointment that calmed her nerves.
The sound of trash cans clattering to the ground startled Sophie, causing her to jump. The sounds of fighting grew louder, and Sophie rounded the corner of the building, heading straight towards the noise.
Images of Robert flew through her mind, causing her to choke with fear. She couldn't manage to call out his name.
"Don't worry, everything's fine." Robert assured her when she'd found him.
He was kneeling down on the back of a struggling figure beneath him. The person wore a black hoodie that covered their face, and their arms were locked tightly behind their back.
"Luke?" Sophie rushed towards them, ignoring the trash scattered in the alleyway.
"He tried to escape through the back window." Robert eased up his grip on Luke, who broke free easily. "He's fast, I'll give him that."
"Are you okay?" Sophie helped lift Luke to his feet, but when he was steady he shoved away from her.
"How did you know I was here?" His voice was hurt, like he'd been betrayed. His hoodie shadowed his face, so Sophie couldn't see his eyes clearly.
"We joined forces with Diana. You aren't the only one who ran out of options." Robert's tone was as cold as ice. "I know what it feels like to be running away from something. I figured you would try to escape."
Luke didn't reply. He turned his head in the opposite direction, and Sophie wondered if he was considering running away again.
"Please talk to us." Sophie pleaded, grabbing onto his jacket. "Talk to me at least."
He brushed her arm off like she was an insect, but consented to letting them inside. Robert caught her hand as they followed him into the motel room.
The room itself was just as dingy as the outside of the building hinted. The mattress of the single bed was yellowed with age, as were the sheets. The furniture in the room clashed with the green carpet, which at some places looked to be stained with blood.
Sophie sat down on the bed, while Robert remained standing by the door. Neither seemed comfortable in the room.
Luke closed the window he'd tried to escape out of, and turned towards them, his expression still hidden. "What exactly do you want with me?"
"We want to help." Sophie knew her offer sounded weak.
"How?" Luke's stiffened in defense. "I know you believe everything you've heard. You honestly think I set fire to Max's house."
The room fell silent. Sophie knew this was the point where she was supposed to say she believed in him. She was supposed to be the friend who had never lost faith, who had kept believing in him despite the facts.
That response was simply a lie. Right now, she owed him the truth.
"Would you have faith if you were in my shoes?" She tried to mask her pain. "When you left our house, you seemed like you would do anything to escape."
"You haven't seen any evidence that it was me!" He hissed.
"I haven't see any evidence that it wasn't." She replied coldly. "Luke, I truly want to help you, but I'm done with all this bullshit." Her eyes welled with tears, which she brushed away in frustration. "Our house was targeted and destroyed, the kids are in hiding, and we're on the run for a crime we didn't commit. From where I'm sitting, it seems like you're the catalyst for all of those things."
He didn't reply, and her temper flared.
"Luke, you're my friend. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, but I'm also mad as hell right now." Sophie stood up from the bed, her fists clenched. "If you are responsible for this tell me. I know how to forgive for a mistake, but if you've just lied to me then we're done. I'll walk out of this room and never turn back."
Luke took a long moment to think up his reply. "I didn't lie to you." He finally whispered. "I didn't set fire to Max's house. I may hate him with everything in me, but I'm not stupid. I wouldn't drag you into this fight."
Sophie felt her rage die away. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "Okay." She replied, unclenching her fists. "Okay, I'll believe you." Luke was one of the few people she felt like she could take at his word. She believed in him just like she believed in Robert. It may have been foolish, but it was all she knew.
She walked towards him, and gently reached up to pull down his hood. She'd suspected from the beginning that he'd been hiding something, and her suspicions were confirmed.
Luke's face was marred by three long cuts. One stretched across his left cheek, while two more formed an X on his forehead. He'd tried to stitch the wound on his cheek, but the work was sloppily done. The other cuts were partially covered by bandages and she could barely make out the beginning of large bruises along his chin and neck.
"What happened to you?" Robert asked when he realized Sophie was too shocked to speak.
"Car accident." Luke answered. "Max's men are quick. They caught me off guard. I didn't know what was going on when they hit me. It was chaos for a few hours."
"Did you go to the hospital?"
"Yes, because that would've been a brilliant plan." Luke snapped. "Might as well just walk right into his hands."
"I'm sorry, stupid question." Sophie winced, not expecting Luke to be this defensive.
"No, don't be." He shook his head, obviously angry at himself. "It's been a long day."
"I know." She whispered, taking his hand in hers. She led him to the bed, and pulled him down beside her. "I know you've been through a lot today."
Luke's eyes locked with hers, and she saw a glimpse of the innocent young man she'd once known. He'd changed so much since they'd met, but a part of her wondered if this was really a change after all. It felt like he'd let out the darker side of himself, the side that he'd been hiding since day one.
She knew she couldn't do anything for him. She couldn't heal him, or say anything to make this better.
"I'm sorry." She began, not knowing what else to say. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop you from falling this far down."
Luke's gaze fell to the floor, focusing on the faded green carpet. "Is this rock bottom, Sophie?" His voice was barely audible. "I don't know what rock bottom is, but this sure as hell feels like it."
Sophie bit her lip, wanting to comfort him in some way. She didn't have the confidence that she could help him, but she knew she had to try. If she remained silent, she would simply be repeating the events from the night when he'd asked her to run away with him. Sophie had to do something, even if that something wasn't going to work.
"If this is rock bottom, then this is me picking you up." She placed both her hands over his. She glanced over at Robert who nodded once in support. "We're not going to let you stay like this, Luke."
"We?" Luke glanced over at Robert, his expression disbelieving.
"I'm not the only person who decided to come find you." Sophie smiled as best she could. "You've been by yourself all this time. Why don't you join our family?"
"Your what?"
"Family." She paused, letting the word sink in. "It's this thing where we lift each other up when we feel like we're drowning, and support each other when we're most alone." She watched him carefully, wondering if she was reaching him. "It sounds kind of cheesy, but it's been working for us so far. You think I've come this far on my own? This family is my reason to keep fighting."
Robert crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "She's not lying right now." He reminded Luke. "She honestly believes in this family stuff. I've tried talking her out of it."
"He believes in it too." Sophie flashed him a half-amused glare. "From experience, I know that there's exactly one good thing about hitting rock bottom." She motioned to the ceiling. "There's no other direction to go but up."
Luke's expression was impassive. "I've tried being optimistic before, Sophie. It doesn't work for me."
"Try being practical." Robert interjected. "Max and Cleo are already out for you, and there's a certain FBI agent who wouldn't mind catching you either. You're on the run, with no money to work with whatsoever. The only way the situation could get worse is if you were dead." He shrugged, his tone nonchalant. "Right now, we're offering you our support, so that's something to be happy about, right?"