Chapter XXV

Bart's Cabin, Northern Ontario, Canada

"Where's my mom?"

"What are you doing up?" Shawn O'Malley asked Robin, ignoring her question.

"Alex was kind of restless, so I couldn't sleep anymore…" Robin got up from the sofa, looking around the room, glancing at the flames in the fireplace. "I was hoping she'd be up and we could, I don't know...chat for a bit?"

"She's…in the bathroom." Shawn wondered how long he had until Faison left with Anna. How long before it was safe for him to leave the cabin with Robin and Bart. A half hour...fifteen minutes, is that enough? He looked at Robin, unable to meet her eyes. How in the world am I going to explain this to her?

Robin nodded, "I'm going to check on Bart."

"Sure."

She turned around. "You look pretty glum…did something happen during the last few hours? Did you and Mom have an argument? Is she driving you nuts yet?"

Shawn caught his breath. "No...it's just been hard... to accept that we're not in control of this situation."

"Yeah…Mom's not very good at that either. I've had to learn. Having HIV gives you a quick reality check of just how little control over our lives we have."

Shawn frowned, knowing she'd probably already run out of the protocol. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she gave him an awkward smile. "You're the one who looks like you just lost your best friend."

He wanted to say something, but found neither the words nor the voice. 'Robin's never going to forgive me for what I did. Never.' He watched her walk into Bart's room, and raised his eyes towards the ceiling. Do I even have a best friend?

A sudden chill swept through his body, as he heard Anna's voice. I don't want to do this, I don't want to lose my baby again…and I definitely know I don't want to die.

He took a deep breath. "As soon as Robin gets her medication and Bart gets to a hospital, I'll find you and get you away from that monster. Because...I could sort of use a best friend."

Outside the cabin

Cesar Faison's heart was racing.

This is it. She's finally going to be mine. I've waited so long. So unbelievably long…

It was impossible for him to think of anything else but her and he was grateful for Jan's presence, as it offered at least a minor distraction from his thoughts.

"If it is Anna, we should head out of here as soon as possible," his assistant told him.

"Of course it's Anna. She would never do something as stupid as send anyone else out out in her place."

He picked up his walkie-talkie and heard Moyo's voice on the other end. "I have Anna Devane here with me. She's unarmed and we're heading towards the tent together."

Faison frowned. Of course, she wouldn't be armed. The Anna he knew and loved would never jeopardize Robin's life by showing up armed. "Tell Michaud to keep a close eye on the cabin and to report any suspicious activity to me immediately." He trusted Anna not to do anything foolish but he didn't have the same faith in the others. "Meanwhile, I want you and Jan to start getting the boat ready to leave. I want us out of here in twenty minutes." He wouldn't bother taking their supplies with them. He had no further use for them. Instead they'd make a beeline for the boat.

"It'll be almost an hour before sunrise," Moyo told him over the radio. "We shouldn't leave until we have sufficient daylight."

Faison liked the woman but if she was going to work for him in the future, she'd have to learn that when he issued a directive there was no questioning it. "I said we're leaving as soon as possible. Over and out." Faison put down the walkie-talkie and grabbed a flashlight to head outside.

He couldn't wait another minute.

He turned on the flashlight and saw two figures approaching in the distance. His lips widened into an uncontrollable smile.

"Well hello, Anna. Welcome back."

Inside the cabin

Robin looked tired when she emerged from Bart's room.

"How is he?" Shawn asked.

Robin frowned. "It's bad, Shawn. Alex was right. If we don't get him out of here, we're going to lose him. We don't have anything here to help him fight off the infection." She took a sip of coffee, from the steaming mug she held in her hands, noticing her mother was still nowhere in sight. "Is Mom still in the bathroom?"

Shawn nodded.

"Is she okay?"

"Sure…"

Robin's didn't miss the hesitancy in his voice and she looked at him skeptically.

Shawn could almost sense the feeling of dread washing over her. Robin set down her mug, "I…I'm going to knock on the door."

Shawn said nothing and closed his eyes. He knew it was only a matter of time before she'd find out and he steeled himself for the inevitable.

Robin ran towards the bathroom door. "Mom? Mom!" She knocked before pushing the door open, shocked to find the room empty.

"Mom?" She gasped the word, her voice barely a whisper. The she looked at Shawn, back in the main room, "Shawn, she's not there! She's gone!"

"Did you hear me?" Robin moved to step in front of him, her face a mask of panic, "Are you listening to me? My Mom's gone…we have to find her before it's too late! We have to go…"

Shawn got up and put a hand on her shoulder. He was calm now. Calm. Cool. Collected. He had to be. There was no other way. "Robin, calm down, please... I know. I know she's gone."

Robin shook her head, uncomprehending. "What do mean you know she's gone?"

"She left to because…because she believed it was the only way to get us out of here. She knew that your protocol ran out. She knew Bart's situation was desperate."

Robin face was pale as a sheet. "No…no…no you didn't let her go. You didn't…you couldn't..."

Shawn put his arms around her, trying to get her to sit down. "Robin, take a deep breath...you're starting to hyperventilate…"

"How could you?" She glared at him with accusation and disbelief. "How could you let her do that? How could you…how could you…?" She said the words over and over, as if it might get her an answer that made sense. As if any answer could. Make sense.

Tears streamed down her face.

She refused to sit down.

Shawn wouldn't force her. He knew that telling Robin would be hard. What he didn't know was that her reaction would affect him the way it did, threatening to tear out his heart with one look at her.

"Robin…please…"

She pushed his hands off her, still glaring at him. "Don't you touch me! Get away from me!" She ran towards the door of the cabin and attempted to push away the heavy cabinet and Shawn ran after her, trying to pull her away.

"Robin, stop…"

She pushed him away again. Her tear-streaked face turning towards the door of her mother's room. "Alex! Help me!"

Robin ran to where her aunt was sleeping, and promptly collided with her as Alex came out of the room. "Robin, what's going on? I heard you yelling…"

"She's gone, Alex. My mom's gone," she struggled to speak between her sobs. "He let her go to Faison…"

Alex brushed sleep from her eyes, as she held on to her niece. "What?"

Shawn looked at Alex. "Anna left because it was the only way to get Robin to Bear Lake and Bart to a hospital right away."

"I don't understand…"

Shawn knew that Alex wouldn't understand no matter how he attempted to explain it. How could she? I don't understand it myself. Both of them had counted on him to protect the woman they loved and he'd failed them.

If Anna had the guts to do what she did, then I can face their anger.

Not that their anger mattered right now. Nor did it matter that both Robin and Alex would hate him for what he did. The only thing that mattered was getting Robin back to Bear Lake and Bart to a hospital. 'Because I'll be damned, if you walked into Faison's arms for nothing…I owe you that much.'

"Anna knew that Robin was out of the protocol, and that Bart's life was hanging by a thread," he tried to explain to Alex. "She decided she had to do something." He paused as Alex stared at him in disbelief unable to say anything as his words sunk in, Robin still wrapped in her arms.

He went on, matter of factly, "I want to get to Bear Lake at the first hint of sunlight." He couldn't see outside but he knew from looking at his watch that the sun would probably rise in less than half an hour.

Alex looked utterly shocked.

"Do you have any idea what sort of hell you let my sister walk into?" she demanded.

Shawn glanced at his watch again. It had to be enough time. Faison had to have left the area by now. With Anna.

He pushed her from his mind. Anna didn't matter right now, Robin did.

He ignored Alex's question. "Robin…I want you to get dressed. You're coming to Bear Lake with me to get to your meds and to get help for Bart. You should stay here with him, Dr. Marick, just long enough for me to call in a medevac chopper."

Robin shook her head, angrily, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere with you…I'm going to find my mother."

"You are coming with me. If I have to pick you up and carry you to that boat, you're coming."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" She faced him now, her eyes red and furious, "You bastard…you said you'd protect her…" She hit him angrily, pummeling his chest with her fists. "I hate you for what you did…I hate you!"

She hit him again, and Shawn let her, making no efforts to stop her. "I hate you so much…" Tears were still tumbling down her cheeks. "You let him take her away from me. Again."

"Robin stop it…this isn't going to help your mother..." It was Alex who pulled Robin away from him.

She pushed off her aunt. "Then help me move the cabinet…help me get out of here. Help me find my mom."

"Robin, you've got to calm down."

Robin glared at her too. "Don't you tell me to calm down…" She started to push the cabinet again, visibly frustrated when it barely budged in spite of her efforts.

Alex put her arms around her again, "Robin, stop it!"

"Help me, damn it!"

"Robin!" Alex stood helpless as she watched Robin frantically pushing the heavy piece of furniture away from the door. "Robin…"

She ignored her and Shawn saw Alex doing the one thing that made sense. She slapped her.

Robin stopped what she was doing only to glare at her aunt in shock. "Oh my God…you're on his side…I thought maybe you'd understand…that I can't lose my mom again. But you don't…you're on his side."

"Robin, sweetheart…I'm not on anybody's side. I love you so much, but Shawn's right. Trying to get to your mom is pointless right now. Faison's men are armed and probably halfway to Bear Lake or the lumber camp by now…who knows. Bart's fighting for his life in that room. We have to get him to a hospital and your body needs those pills to survive."

Robin started to cry again. "I don't want to lose my mom again, Alex…I can't…it hurts too much." Her body shook as she finally let Alex embrace her.

Alex held on to her tightly. "We're going to get her back…I promise you."

Outside the cabin

"Welcome back, Anna." The exhilaration at seeing her was written all over his face.

Anna said nothing as she stared at him, feeling a shiver run down her spine. She remembered him now. Remembered all the pain and misery he'd caused her. And you're still doing it. So many years later, you're still trying to break me. She steeled herself against his voice and his stare. 'I'm going to kill you, Cesar Faison,' she decided, then and there. 'If it's the last thing I do.'

"Do you remember me, Anna?" he asked her, unnerved by her stare.

"Unfortunately, yes." She also decided that trying to deceive him was pointless. Even if he thought she couldn't remember the things he'd done in the past, his current actions would have been more than enough to make her furious. Trying to make him think otherwise was foolish.

"I know you're angry with me right now…" he started.

"Angry isn't the word that comes to my mind," she cut him off.

He reached out to touch her face and bit his lips in excitement. "You look tired, Anna."

"The past three days haven't exactly been very relaxing."

"I know you don't agree with the way I brought you here…"

She cut him off again, furious. "You killed my dog, and then you shot my friend."

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone…"

"But you did. Again."

"I know you don't like me right now. But that will change, Anna…I've always only wanted what was best for you. I don't know why you could never to see that." He couldn't stop staring at her. "And let's be honest, my love, would you have come, if I had knocked and asked?"

His psychotic justification of it all just made Anna shiver more. In spite of her bravado, all it took was one glance at the man in front of her to realize the god-awful truth.

Cesar Faison terrified her.

Faison reached out to touch her again, placing his hands on her shoulders, a move that made her tremble. "You're cold, Anna," he told her softly, frowning, a trace of obvious concern lining his thin, pale lips.

She shook her head, "No…I'm not cold. I'm used to the cold."

He saw the fear in her eyes, in spite of her efforts to hide it. It was a reaction that hurt him. "Don't be afraid of me, my love. I don't ever want you to be afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Good," he said.

Anna knew he didn't believe her. "Stay away from my daughter and my sister and we'll get along just fine."

He caressed her face with one of his hands and it took all of Anna's efforts not to slap him in return.

It was too soon to infuriate him. She just wanted him to make his way out of here with her, so that Bart and Robin could safely leave. He then pushed back the hood of her jacket and ran his fingers through her hair. "I know you hate me right now, Anna. I'm not a fool. It will take time for you to trust me again, just as it will take time for me to trust you. But time is a luxury we have, my love. We have all the time on the world for you to learn to love me once more. I'm going to take care of you from now on. You're never going to want for anything in this world again."

'Except for the one thing that means to most to me…my beautiful daughter,' she thought bitterly, afraid that if she so much as mentioned Robin's name, it would occur to Faison to take her as well.

Her thought was interrupted by the voice of the same woman who escorted her to Faison. "Sir, the boat is ready. Jan and Michaud are already waiting inside."

Faison acknowledged her announcement with a nod. "Good." He pulled out a pair of metal handcuffs from his jacket pocket. "I'm sorry, Anna, but I have to do this," he said. The regret in his voice was sincere, as he gently took her hands and cuffed them. "I love you, Anna but you know I can't trust you yet." He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them. "Once you're on my estate in Europe, you'll be free again."

'I bet,' she thought, cynically. 'Behind a stone wall surrounded by a moat and guard dogs, I'm sure.' She briefly closed her eyes as he moved his arms around her waist and nudged her towards his boat.

'It doesn't matter,' she thought, a morbid smile raising her lips. 'Because I'm going to kill you before we get to Europe.'