Chapter 19: Our Son
^^ Late Afternoon ^^
Date: Two months, and one week+ since Tris was found
*Tobias POV*
Tris and I shower quickly, check out of our hotel, and then need to rush over to Johanna's management offices. Amar has many connections in the Bureau Security department that he trusts. He has assembled a small team that has been working off the information Tris and I transferred to them late last night. Zeke and Johanna have been helping as well.
As I usher Tris in ahead of me she is immediately approached by Amar and Zeke.
"Tris! I knew you were alive, but actually seeing you…wow!" Zeke smiles at her as he pulls her into his arms. For one moment I see something flash across Tris's face when she looks at him, but then she smiles politely back and the first thing she brings up how much she cared for Uriah, and how sorry she was that he passed. It has been over a year for Zeke, therefore thinking about Uriah is not as raw for him anymore. I cringe for a moment, remembering my involvement in his death. I cared for him too.
Johanna called me over talk and now I can't hear what Tris and Amar are saying. He pulls her into a brief hug as well. As I am listening to Johanna and keeping an eye on Tris, Zeke joins us to help Johanna explain their progress. Two of the men that were already in the room join Tris and Amar to review some documents. One of them puts his hand on Tris's arm and leaves it there too long for my liking. I also don't like the way he looks at her when no one is looking at him. He is blatantly checking her out, the word leering being a better fit. I breathe in and out to calm myself.
"Johanna, I'm gonna borrow Four for one minute if that's ok?" Zeke says smiling.
Johanna nods and then walks over to someone who is examining data over a computer screen.
I glance at Zeke for a second before I turn my attention back to Tris and that guy that is checking her out. Zeke steps into my line of sight, blocking my view. I frown at him.
Zeke's eyes are wide, "Four, what the hell man? You are watching Tris as though you are going to charge over there and pound any guy that looks at her." He pauses as though thinking about his words, "I know it is hard seeing her, but you said you were done chasing her. I just don't want to see you make a fool out of yourself...again."
I remember that Zeke doesn't know what Tris and I have been through the last couple of days, and that we have found our way back together. "Zeke, I love her and she loves me. We are going to give it a try, and all I can say - - I'm completely devoted to her." I smile at him.
Zeke's brows knit together as his jaw drops. He then closed his mouth and nods as though he is choosing his words carefully.
"Um, wow! I am shocked, after months of chasing her and being shot down...also…isn't she engaged? I just saw that boulder of a diamond she has on her finger." Zeke frowns, looking at me as though I'm an idiot.
My cheeks flush, I don't like feeling as though what Tris and I have is under scrutiny. I also hate she is still wearing that fucking ring.
"It's complicated, ok? I know that. She knows it. And right now – I have a son, a six month old baby that I need to worry about. So stop judging us, please. I need your support, not your wagging tongue," I snap.
"Well shit, excuse me for saying something to you. I don't want to see you get hurt...again. I didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to ask a simple question. Which by the way, why is your great 'love' wearing another man's ring, is a simple question," he says. I can hear the disappointment dripping from his tone.
"Tobias?" Tris interrupts, she is now standing right behind Zeke and me. She looks between us both, "If you two are done talking about me...Amar has something important to tell us about the investigation."
I purse my lips, and Zeke looks crestfallen. Zeke tries to get her attention, "Look Tris, I'm sorry. It's just –"
"Zeke… It's fine," Tris says over her shoulder as she is already walking to the group. She then pauses to turn to us one last time. "Oh, to quickly answer your question – the ring was recently insured, so I know it is a 6-carat diamond and worth over seventy-thousand dollars. I am not going to risk losing it or toss this ring away in a rage…and then owe money to James for the rest of my life. I hope that answer satisfies you." She then turns and walks back to the group.
Zeke's cheeks flush and he mumbles, "Great, so glad your woman and I are off to a great start."
I shake my head at Zeke, "She's fine, she has a lot more on her mind then a ring…she is really worried about our son. Forget about it."
As we join the group I immediately stand behind Tris and wrap my arms tightly around her stomach and pull her close to me. I lean down and kiss the side of her neck once before whispering in her ear that it's ok, not to worry about Zeke. I can almost feel the tension leaving her body and she rests her arms on top of mine and leans back into me, while releasing the breath she had been holding.
We then notice that Johanna and Amar's mouths are hanging open, as well as that guy that was checking Tris out earlier.
"We worked things out, and…well…we love each other," Tris says confidently. I smile at everyone and give her squeeze.
Johanna and Amar are so happy that they come over to give us each a hug. I hear Tris quietly whisper to Johanna about the ring, and that she wants to hand it back to James in person and obviously with his involvement in this horrible scheme they are done. I cringe, "his involvement"...is that the only reason she isn't with him? Stop, I need to stop worrying. I just hate James so much.
I hear Tris ask Johanna if she was able to use the banking and payment transaction information she gave her when they last spoke. Johanna nodded vigorously, and assured Tris that no matter what, James and his campaign team were going to pay for all they did to the Jones family. I will have to ask Tris later what that is about.
Johanna tells her that above everything else, she is so glad Tris was able to see what he is really like before it was too late. She also tells Tris how nice it is to see me so happy now that we have reunited. Tris blushes and thanks Johanna. I smile to myself, Johanna always has my back.
"Guys! Um, this is great – I don't really know any of you personally, so congrats on your love-life but we have a serious issue to deal with right now!" a man I don't know calls over to us. He is standing over a computer and frantically waving for us to join him.
"What is it, Jonathan?" Amar barks, sounding concerned.
"I did it. I found what has to be the actual lab where Tris and the other women were kept. It is hidden here in the bureau," Jonathan says, I notice he looks pale, his hand is shaking while holding his computer mouse.
As everyone around me start celebrating and talking next steps I feel Tris turn around and hug me tightly, resting her head against my chest. I hold her tightly, wishing I didn't have a sick feeling in my stomach.
"What's wrong, Jonathan? What haven't you told us?" I ask quietly as Tris stiffens immediately and looks up to face me. Her smile fading. Her sense of security quickly dissipating.
Before he answers I lean to gently kiss her nose and then rest my lips on her forehead. I love this woman, and I would give anything to shield her from pain. She sighs and then pulls away to smile at my bravely.
We turn to look at Jonathan, all eyes are on him.
He clears his throat.
"This lab is still functioning, there are women there that appear to be in comas and there also appears to be some kind of nursery for kids."
+++++++o+++++++
We quickly assemble a team to infiltrate the lab. Johanna has just brought in the head of her personal security and we are moving quickly. I'm impressed at how swiftly we make it to the secret lab, law enforcement apprehending the people we suspect are involved as we work our way through the corporate offices of Whole Genetics Corporation.
Tris is by my side the entire time, we are both armed and on the lookout for our child.
Overnight they used the information we found to make a list of all involved, many of whom are important members of society and involved in government and the private sector. Tris also gave the police the locations and combinations of the two safes in James's apartment. When she described the contents of the safe in which she had found my letter, I immediately remembered the pictures James has of Christina and me. I shake it off, I was honest with Tris. I hope she never has to actually see them, it is in the past and we have our future now. May she never see those graphic pictures, for her sake and mine.
Tris told them that his business trip was to run for another two days, and he is in Providence. So now is the perfect time to search his apartment.
Tris also told them her suspicions regarding OBGYN Dr. Young, but there was no concrete proof he has done anything illegal. The investigators hoped they could scare him into flipping on Wilton.
As the head team finds our way to the control room of the hidden compound we are shocked to see how elaborate it is. This facility is huge compared to the fake lab where Tris and the others were found. The main control panel shows three separate compounds that are connected by secret passages. One is a morgue and our team does a quick sweep to ensure there was no one alive. The initial count is five bodies, all female adults. The second is a medical ward and lab, there are four women that are sedated and seem to be in a coma by induction, not because of medical need. I cringe when they advise us that two of the women appear to be pregnant.
When will this nightmare end?
Lastly, to the far side is what appears to be an orphanage of sorts. The halls are cheerfully decorated, there are signs everywhere and there are different nurseries that are organized by the children's ages. We note there is also a separate medical ward that is part of the orphanage.
"Tobias, I'm terrified…our son could be there!" Tris whispers to me, I see the concern on her face. I want to be strong for her, but my anxiety is through the roof. I just repeat to myself again and again, our son will be ok. He has to be.
I grab her by the shoulders and face her, her eyes search mine frantically. I lean down and kiss her firmly on the lips. Her arms wrap around my waist tightly, I can feel her hands roaming up and down my back.
"Tris, no matter what happens, no matter what we find…I love you. We can face anything, as long as we are together. I want to take care of you, I want to protect you and our son." I smile at her as tears fill in her eyes. She bites her lip and nods.
"Thank you. Thank you for loving us," she whispers and gently puts her arms around my neck and pulls me back down for another kiss.
"Guys, its time. The team that is going to storm the orphanage is heading out now." Zeke calls to us. His face etched with concern.
I nod at him and pull Tris close to my side.
It is time to go find our son.
++o++
++o++ ++o++ ++o++
++o++
*Tris POV*
As Zeke hands me a glass of water I smile at him. I've always liked Zeke a lot. I was very close to Uriah and I know as brothers what a special bond they shared. As I'm sitting here I can't stop myself from replaying Tobias's earlier words about everyone pressuring him to move on. To live.
To be with Christina.
He specifically mentioned Zeke was one of those people. And then when I overheard Zeke questioning my motives…it just hurt.
I fight to push these negative thoughts out of my mind. I can't worry about that now. Or ever, really. If Zeke believes Christina is better for Tobias than I am, I doubt I'll be able to change his mind.
Soon we are called to go over the plan. Tobias, Zeke and I are part of the second team that will enter the orphanage. I begged the leader of the first team to be careful with all of the children, and then explained my baby may be there. He assured me he is a father and his team has strict instructions to save every child that is found. I'm thankful Amar was allowed to go in with team one. He squeezes my hand while patting Tobias on the back. We have to trust him, and we do.
+++++++o+++++++
When it is our turn to enter the orphanage all of the caregivers are seated and being interviewed by team members. Many are openly crying. Some of the older children are frightened and screaming for their caregivers. It is heartbreaking to see. My stomach drops, the sound of any child suffering makes my heart ache. We look at all the kids, the only infants that could be our child, are girls. I push my panic away, I have to believe our son is ok
"Tobias, Tris, over here!" the leader of team one calls us over. He introduces us to the director of the orphanage. She is an older woman and looks very pale, tears streaming down her face as she is wringing her hands.
"This is Janice, she is in charge here. It appears that all of the caregivers are just employees that were hired by Whole Genetics Corporation. They were all under the impression that this is an orphanage for children that have serious health issues," the team lead shares.
I feel my stomach drop, a bubble of panic is about to consume me, "Are the children sick?!"
"That is what we were told, that is the reason that the children have never left this facility. There is an entire staff of doctors that are here around the clock in shifts, as we are too," Janice cries.
Tobias is studying her intently, he moves to stand in front of her and sits back on his haunches so they are eye level. His face is kind, not the Four-Face I come to expect from him when interrogating someone. "We want to believe you, we want to believe that all of the children that are here were not being raised by monsters. Help us to understand what is going on here," he says smoothly.
Tears stream down her face as she nods, "I'll tell you everything; can we go sit in the conference room?"
Tobias, Zeke, Johanna, Amar and some key leaders of the investigation join the director as she begins to explain that when this facility opened four years ago there were no children, they were told that there was a group of children from the fringe that have been identified as having a terrible illness that did not allow them to have natural sunlight or be around others that were not vaccinated against the disease they already carried.
Janice was tasked with hiring a team of caregivers to work as nannies for the children, as this would be an orphanage. She said the children identified in the fringe were without any family. She explained that the children were always infants when they arrived. Infants that had been saved from their mothers that died in childbirth due to the illness.
I cringe over that lie, I am one of those mothers. They stole my baby from me. Tobias is now holding my hand and rubbing his thumb across it reassuringly.
She explains that each nanny had signed a non-disclosure agreement as the secrecy of this project was important. They were told there would be a terrible panic among the fringe if this illness had been made public.
"So if they were able to vaccinate you, why not just do the same for everyone in the fringe?" Tobias asked.
Janice frowns, "I asked that question as well. I was told that the vaccine only worked on women and men that were not carriers. As part of our job interview we needed to submit to extensive medical tests. I even had some wonderful candidates that did not pass the physical exam required. The doctors were frantically researching to enhance the vaccine. The children….were always being taken for hours at a time to the lab. We were never allowed to enter."
She begins to cry loudly as she looks even more pale than earlier, "Saying it out loud sounds terrible now. But we trusted these people. They really seemed to care for the children as much as we do! I am sick thinking that we just sat back and allowed our children to be hurt. I just can't believe that either!" she paused to blow her nose. "All of the children were happy, they didn't mind at all when medical personnel came to get them. This is a good place, I've devoted my entire life to the well being of kids. I'd never work somewhere I thought was hurting a child. I just feel terrible over all the lies."
I had been sitting there in shock listening to all of this information, trying to process that my baby may have been raised here, repeatedly tested in a lab, and who knows what else. I desperately need my son.
Suddenly there is a terrible commotion outside, a caregiver runs into the room with one of our team members on her heals.
"Janice! In all the commotion we just realized that JJ is missing! Someone stole him from his crib, and Nancy, who was watching him was shoved in a closet and she is still unconscious!" the younger woman cries, her arms flailing hysterically. "JJ is gone!"
Janice jumps, "What?! This is impossible, this is a secure facility. No – ask everyone again, someone may have grabbed him when the commotion started. Check again." She turns to all of us, "Please, the baby…he is only six months old. His name is JJ, he has dark brown hair, beautiful grey eyes. He is precious. Please help us!"
I feel as though the room is spinning, the name JJ. Could that by our son?
Tobias is pulling me up, his hand clenched around my elbow. We follow Janice as she runs over to where the nanny is getting medical attention. They are using special smells to help her wake up. She is complaining of a pounding headache and disoriented. She said a man in a dark mask came into the room and put a cloth over her face and that was the last thing she remembered.
I look around the room as she is speaking, I see two cribs, and the one with blue bedding and little whales draws my attention. I step closer to it, I see that the blanket has the letters JJ embroidered on it. I run my fingers gently across it, I need to know if this little boy is my son. I also need to know that he is safe, whether he is mine or not.
I look up as Tobias wraps his arms around me. I turn my body around to face him, tears fill my eyes and roll down my cheeks. It almost shatters my heart when I see the fear in his eyes. He is scared too.
Janice run back into the room while holding a few photos of baby JJ, Tobias meets her halfway and asks to take one. Janice then works with the investigators as Tobias and I are forgotten. He begins to walk towards me and I watch as his eyes search the photo intently. I study Tobias to see his reaction.
Then he smiles. He looks at me and nods, "This has to be him Tris. He looks just like me and has your eyes."
I bite my lip and nod, my son is alive. For the first time I am able to breath, he lived after being taken from me. All this time he has been here, with his little blanket with the whales on it.
Tobias shows me the photo, I burst into tears as I look at a photo of my baby for the first time. He is gorgeous, like his father. Dark hair, his features and my eye color and shape. Tobias pulls me into his arms and kisses me deeply.
"I love you so much," he whispers and pulls me even closer to him.
Breaking our trance, "We have video! Of the kidnapping of the baby," someone yells from the conference room. They set up the projector and put it on the large screen so we can all see.
Just as the nanny said, she was assaulted and then dragged into a closet. The time stamp shows this happened thirty minutes before we stormed the orphanage. Even with the commotion of the raid, the missing baby was discovered just ten minutes after team one arrived as they performed a roll call with caregivers assistance. Janice then confirms that the timing of the kidnapping was perfect. Baby JJ was being put down for his nap and then the nanny was to sit quietly in the room while she filled out paperwork. That is why no one immediately noticed that they had been missing.
The surveillance video is able to follow as the man in the mask takes the baby and leaves undetected and out of the back emergency exit. Once in the elevator the man takes off his mask.
It's James.
James Wilton stole our baby.
I feel the blood drain from my face, oh my God. No. No. This can't be happening.
I am in a daze as people around me begin talking. I sit quietly, I don't even flinch when Tobias cries out in pain and slams his fist on the table. Zeke immediately at his side to try to calm him.
I feel nothing, aside from cold. I am suddenly freezing and all I can think about is how close we were to seeing our son. So close.
Janice is quiet for a moment and then finds her voice. "I don't understand. James Wilton is one of the top benefactors of this orphanage, he is very involved. He even stays on site at times…" the director's voice trails off. She seems genuinely confused.
"What?! Why would a politician be sleeping at an orphanage? What the hell is going on here!?" Tobias hisses. He is quickly losing his cool.
"Four, stay calm. We need her to keep talking, we can't scare her," Zeke says firmly, then apologizing to the director and letting her know this is a very emotional time for us.
She nods her head, appearing shell shocked.
She then looks at me, it seems like for the first time she is really seeing me. "Your eyes…" her eyes widen with recognition, "I see it now. JJ has your exact eyes…is he? Are you, somehow…how can this be?"
I burst into tears and weep. I am inconsolable and I bury my face in my hands and sob. Suddenly Tobias pulls me into his lap and hugs me tightly to him. So tightly that it hurts, but I don't care.
After a few moments I control my cries and beg her to continue. Tobias nods as well, apologizing for getting angry earlier.
"James…why was he so involved here? What was he doing here?" I mumble.
"He was one of the top contributors to this orphanage, as it was a secret orphanage and lab we were unable to do fundraisers, he told us that he was very dedicated to the cause. He also bonded with baby JJ from the first day he came to us," she says, her voice shaking as she looks back and forth between Tobias and me. "In fact, Mr. Wilton was the one to name the baby, JJ's full name is James Jay."
I feel Tobias flinch, even Zeke looks appalled. I hear Amar scoffs angrily from the other side of the room.
She opens James's file that had since brought over to her. She opens it and with trembling hands pulls out a photo, it is of James holding our child. Janice tells us that was taken three and a half months ago. I feel a chill; the photo was before I was even woken up from my coma.
I notice how happy James genuinely looks, while he holds our son. I feel Tobias angrily flinch under me. I can feel the tension radiating off him.
I slide back into my seat so I can lean closer and get a better look at the photo. Looking even more uncomfortable Janice clears her throat, "There is more. James told us that he had recently gotten engaged, and that he and his fiancé were going to adopt baby JJ… That the medical trial on baby JJ had been successful, so in a couple of months the baby would be able to leave with him and his soon to be wife."
And that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"Son of a bitch!" Tobias shouts. I sit back in my seat, I am unable to wrap my mind around this. What?! James was going to have me adopt my biological son, that I didn't know existed?
I know Tobias is about to lose it.
Zeke again tries to reel Tobias in, to no avail.
Tobias picks up his chair as though it weighs nothing and hurls it across the room where there is no one standing. Tobias is seething mad, and I don't blame him.
"That asshole was going to raise my son with Tris, while we were none the wiser!" Tobias is now pacing the room and both Zeke and Amar are near him, ready to step in this time.
"All these months, that bastard has been bonding with my son! I am going to fucking kill him!" Tobias shouts, his face red with anger.
I feel the room closing in on me. I love Tobias and it pains me to see him like this. I am reeling with worry about my baby. I am sick knowing that my "fiancé" is an evil monster that kept my baby from me, all so that he could have me raise him later…while making me think my own flesh and blood was not mine biologically. Everything was a lie. All of it.
I need to get away, I feel as though my skin is on fire. I quietly slip out of the room and run back to JJ's room. Once alone I burst into tears as I grab his blanket and press my face into it I sit on the floor next to his crib. I bury my nose in it, and then I cry harder as smell the sweetness of my son. Our beautiful boy, who looks just like his father.
I close my eyes and imagine if roles were reversed.
If I had chased Tobias for months, only for him to angrily push me away and then get engaged to another woman. A woman who turned out to be insane and she was secretly bonding with my child and then planning to raise him. Raise my child with Tobias.
When will this end? How much more can we take? How much more can Tobias take?!
As I weep into the blanket I don't hear as Tobias quietly enters the room. He sits down next to me and gently rubs my back, as though waiting for a sign from me that I am ready to talk to him.
I look up and bring my hand to his cheek, I see he now has tears streaming down his face. I feel pain in my chest, I hate this. I hate all of this.
I open my mouth to speak and Tobias grabs my face and kisses me fiercely. I am stunned for a moment and then my instincts take over. I need him, I need his strength now more than ever. We kiss desperately for a few moments, neither one of us pushing for the kiss to go any further.
The kiss is enough. This kiss is everything.
His voice is hoarse from yelling, "I'm sorry, I lost my temper. I shouldn't have-"
"Tobias stop! You don't need to apologize. I am the one who is sorry, I let this monster manipulate and control me…I did things with him…I feel like I am going to be sick," I admit to him as my stomach does flip flops. The terrible guilt I feel is smothering me.
Tobias breathes to calm himself. I see the pain in his eyes. He looks at me intently, as though trying to will our situation to be different.
I would give anything not to be in this mess.
He sighs slowly,"You don't need to apologize either. This asshole was obsessed with you and our son before you were even out of your coma. There is nothing that could have been done. If anything, you and I getting together from the start may have set him off earlier. It would have been worse if we had reunited right away, while having no idea we a child. He would have taken the baby and run even sooner," Tobias says firmly, looking me in the eyes and trying to comfort me.
In that moment I feel his love for me, such an ugly situation and instead of throwing blame at me he is finding the positive to help me feel better.
With our arms tightly around each other, I lean in and firmly kiss his lips again when Zeke bursts into the nursery and sees our passionate embrace.
"Guys! Really? Right now?" Zeke chastises. I notice that his lips turn up in a smile as he is turning away from us.
Tobias scowls at him and he stands and pulls me up. Zeke frantically motions for us to follow.
We run back to the main control room that is located in the main research lab. There has been a message delivered, from James and it is addressed to me.
Once we enter the room they start the video message that is streaming directly to us.
It prompts me to enter a password, asking for the day and month of our planned wedding. I cringe as I enter the information. Tobias looks away from me and crosses his arms.
Then the video begins to play.
James is sitting at a desk and being recorded, he has our son in his arms. The baby is smiling and looks unharmed and happy.
My heart lurches at seeing my baby on the screen.
++o+ James's recorded message +o++
+o+ While talking into the camera he is playing with JJ and giving him hugs and kisses. The baby is very at ease with James and is laughing +o+
"Well Tris, I hate where we find ourselves…but here we are. I can only imagine how upset you must be with me. But I want to assure you, I still love you and I want you in my life. We belong together. We have to raise our son - together.
What was it you just told me the other day? Oh yeah, you aren't ready to be a mother, you are too young. You are only eighteen, blah, blah, blah.
I also have to take into account what happened at the water reservoir.
Now that I know what you are really like, I could never let you just have JJ. My son deserves better.
But don't worry! With both of us to raise him, I will be able to guide you. You won't be able to let either of us down.
These are the reasons I just can't hand over this sweet baby over to you. I just can't trust you, Tris. You are such a weak and selfish girl. It is sad, really.
Oh, and if you are so delusional to believe that Tobias will help you. You are being ridiculous, soon he will see you for what you really are and toss you aside. Once he really learns what you are, you will be cast aside. I'm sure he will know that Christina, just as an example, is much better suited to raise JJ. You would be left with nothing.
Again, I'm just trying to protect you, Tris. I'm the only one who will ever really love you.
There have been many lies. I know that. But what has always been true, I want you, Tris. And only you.
All I want is to make you happy. That's all I've ever wanted. To take care of you and JJ. And soon we would have more children of course.
So here is my offer.
You need to sacrifice everything and everyone. You will leave your life behind you and come to be with me and JJ. No more damaged-Tobias, no more annoying opinionated girlfriends, and no more nerdy brother. You will leave everyone behind and belong to me in every way. You will be mine, forever.
In case this needs to be said, I have eyes everywhere. If you think the authorities will be able to help you...just try it, and see where it gets you. This is your warning, if you do not comply: I will take that as a no and JJ and I will be gone forever. Don't be stupid and think you can outsmart me, I've been ten steps ahead of you the entire time. Tell no one else what is happening...or else no JJ.
You have until ten tomorrow morning to decide and if you can't give up your precious Tobias, then you can forget about me and your son. I will contact you with further details tomorrow morning.
I think we've already established I'm able to satisfy you in every way. We belong together. Together with our son.
Choose wisely Tris. I love you!
++++ James turns JJ to face the camera, the baby giggles when James kisses his cheek. I see my own eyes staring at me through the screen. In a playful voice James whispers into the baby's ear, "Say goodbye to mommy. We will see her soon." (Then the video cuts out) ++++
++o+ Message end +o++
The room is completely silent. No one knows what to say.
+++o+++ Chapter End +++o+++