Chapter Twenty-One: Humanity returns
Dubai
Sterling stopped and looked over his shoulder as Eliot staggered a little. Eliot glanced up at him and took a swing. Sterling stepped to the side and stared at the knocked out hitter. He stepped on the ear bud and removed the one the team gave him. He straightened his tie and smirked a little.
"Yes, I did put something in your coffee," Sterling remarked.
He pressed the code on the door and walked out. He had three other members to take out before he could make his final move.
"Spencer is napping peacefully. I need their Grifter next," Sterling said.
"Already sending information to you," Lauren said.
Sterling lifted his phone up and headed upstairs. He pushed his way through and stepped beside the player who was disqualified for his outburst. Sterling took a rolled up piece of reflective tape.
"I have some unfortunate news about your unjust disqualification," Sterling said. "Come with me."
He presented the tape to him and let him do the rest. It didn't take long for the upset chess master to seek out Sophie. This then lead to the outburst and called attention to the judges.
Sterling smirked and stepped away as chaos began to unravel. He glanced over at Olivia and Nate as they glanced up to see what the disruption was about. Sterling looked at his watch and headed towards the vault.
He pressed the button and watched as the door opened to the elevator. He stepped in and the alarms went off.
"Game over," he remarked.
Lauren was a key into his retrieval of Olivia and had made the right calls. She met him in the confusion and opened a door. He stepped in and gave a nod.
It was mere minutes that the door opened and Olivia was shoved into the storage closet. She jiggled the handle and threw her hands in the air. Sterling watched how upset she got, afraid that the plan to get out of the nightmare was lost.
But it wasn't, he was right there.
"Hello, darling," Sterling said.
Olivia turned around and her eyes lit up. The relief alone was worth the moment of panic. He pushed off the wall and embraced her tightly.
"Let's go home, darling," Sterling said.
He felt her embrace him tightly and heard the sigh escape her lips. She looked up at him and he kissed her head.
"How did you get in here?" she asked.
"Your aunt had her ways," Sterling said. "But that doesn't matter now."
He grabbed her hand and pulled out a key to unlock the door from the inside. He rushed her out into the crowd and escaped unnoticed. But they weren't out of the woods just yet. Sterling got her into the SUV and he pressed hard on the pedal.
"What about Aunt Lauren, Daddy?" she asked.
"She'll meet us there." Sterling looked at her.
Her fear had returned and Sterling wasted no time to keep a steady speed, unaware he was being followed by the red Ferrari catching up with them.
Sterling glanced in his side mirrors and saw the fancy sports car catching up. He swerved to keep the crazy driver from cutting in front of him. He couldn't risk anything.
It was only second that the Ferrari pulled ahead and sped past him. He did not have time to really think when he was forced to come to a hard halt inches from the car and the driver standing beside the car.
Sterling looked at Olivia. "Stay in the car."
He got out and casually walked around to stare at the only person who could really stand in his way.
"Leaving so soon and with no goodbyes?" Nate said leaned up against the car.
"I had to get my informant out," Sterling remarked. "She was in danger."
Nate shook his head as Sterling went to explain how Olivia became his informant.
"Stop lying to me, Sterling. I knew Olivia was your informant before the first match. But did your really think I wouldn't figure it out. Did you think I'd just over look the truth that she's your daughter?"
Nate watched as Sterling became speechless. He saw something he hadn't seen in Sterling's eyes for a very long time…his humanity. The idea that he could have lost what was important to him struck him then. And Nate knew that exact look because it happened to him.
"I don't understand why you didn't tell me the truth," Nate showed his confusion.
"Would you have come to Dubai if I had?" Sterling stuffed his hand into his pockets.
He rolled back on his heels using that as a buffer for the discomfort that was floating in the air. He didn't know what to expect would come next.
"No, I mean back when we were friends. You had it all a wife and a daughter." Nate looked at Sterling.
"It was my fault they left." Sterling swallowed the lump in his throat.
The door slammed and Olivia walked out with fire in her eyes. Nate looked at her as she came to defend her father.
"It wasn't his fault, I was in trouble. He's my dad and he came for me. What wouldn't you do for your kid?"
"Olivia, please," Sterling pleaded.
It was Nate's next comment that threw him back. "Why me and the team?"
Sterling looked over at Nate. He slightly stepped forward.
"Because you are the best thief I have ever known. I couldn't risk anything less," Sterling stated.
Nate nodded and knew that even though Sterling was a complete and utter bastard he still came through. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper.
"What's this?" Sterling reached for the piece of paper.
"A name. Find all you can and I'll make sure Eliot doesn't know where to find you."
Sterling unfolded the paper and glanced up at Nate.
"We're even right?" Sterling called.
Nate gave him a back hand wave as he left the scene. Sterling turned to Olivia and put one arm around her.
"Let's go home, Dad," Olivia said.
They headed towards the airport where a private jet was waiting for them. He glanced around to see his team standing there, but he didn't see one person.
"Where is Agent O'Conner?" Sterling asked.
"She said she had left something at the hotel, do you want to call her?" one of his agents asked.
He looked at Olivia as she stood there waiting for him to walk with her onto the plane. He turned back to the agent and shook his head. He turned and put one arm around Olivia.
"Olivia, get on the plane," he said. "I'm going back to get your aunt."
Olivia grabbed his hand.
"Let me come with you, Daddy," Olivia pleaded.
"No, darling, it's too dangerous back there." He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Please, do this for me. I promise we'll leave together. I just need to go get her."
Olivia wrapped her arms tightly around him and he kissed her head. He stepped back and took one of the agents with him.
They arrived at the hotel and Sterling rushed up the stairs. He had one of the room attendance open the room. He pushed the door open and found Lauren lying on the floor with a wine glass beside her.
Sterling rushed to her side. He lifted her into his arms and checked for a pulse.
"Lauren, wake up!" Sterling shouted.
"Sir," the agent who came with him said.
Sterling looked over and looked at the empty container and a note. He turned back to Lauren and shook his head.
"What have you done?" he whispered.
The agent handed him the note and he opened the folded up paper. He didn't have any intention of reading it; he already knew what it said.
"What do you want to do?" the agent asked.
"Just give me a moment," Sterling whispered trying to hide the hurt.
The agent nodded and walked out the room. Sterling looked at the lifeless woman in his arms; she had taken a whole dose of the powder that they put in Eliot's coffee. It took effect immediately because of the alcohol. Her body was still warm and her lips were still pink, but the color was fading.
"Damn you, O'Conner," Sterling cursed. "What drove you to do such a stupid thing?"
Sterling pushed some of her fallen hair and leaned forward and kissed her head. He only could think that his choice drove her to the edge. But he would have seen the signs, she hid them well.
It was a never ending cycle that people he cared about were taken from him. He felt guilty and perhaps that was Lauren's plan all along.
He lifted Lauren into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and stared at her.
"Good bye, sweetheart," he whispered.
Sterling turned to the table and stared at her badge and gun resting there. He walked towards them and collected them. His gaze stared at the badge and he traced the numbers.
"I'll keep you close."
He turned towards the door and walked out. The agent turned to him and he gave a nod.
"Make preparations, she was poisoned," Sterling said.
"Sir."
"Don't speak of any of this; report her badge and gun missing." Sterling looked at the younger agent.
He walked downstairs and told the agent to stay in Dubai until everything was prepared. He headed back to the airport and got on the plane. He looked at Olivia as she stared at him.
"Daddy?" Olivia's voice was full of question.