Happy reading everyone! I hope you all enjoy the chapter! :) Comment below.
Chapter 25
Tobias P.O.V
My phone rings and at first I decide who ever it is, isn't important. Nothing is. My number one priority is Ethan and Tris. Work can wait. Life can wait. Its when it rings again I decide to finally look down at my phone. The caller ID is blocked, deciding to answer it I push the answer button.
"Yea, this is Four." I greet the caller.
"Well... Well... Well... Look who finally decides to answer my call, number boy." The voice sounds similar. Eric.
"Eric." I purposely say his name as a greeting, knowing that would grab both Tris and Detective Caldwell attention. It works they both look at me wide eyes, eyebrow raise.
"You think you are so clever don't you? You think you have everyone fooled, including Beatrice. But I know what you really are. You are just a ticking bomb, any minute now you will explode. But here's the thing Four, you are not taking my family down with you." Eric says, I swear he sounds insane. What the hell?
"Eric, do you have Ethan?" I ask, hoping that I can tell something positive to Tris. The last thing I would want is to hear he has done something to him.
"Of course I have MY son and now you will bring me MY girl. And YOU will leave MY family alone!" With every my and you he sounds more and more agitated.
"Eric. Is Ethan ok?" I need to know. I don't hear anything. Ethan would normally roar, act like a TREX. I hear nothing in the background.
"Oh he is fine. He is... sleeping." Eric says. Oh god. Ethan never takes naps.
"Where are you?" I say. My need to get to Ethan is on overload. Max holds up his index finger signaling me to keep Eric talking.
"I want my woman. You will bring her to me. NOW. This is my family. Not yours. It shouldn't have been like this. I should have stayed." Eric confesses his regrets. Honestly I don't care what he regrets I just want my son away from him.
Its this moment that I wish I could tell him everything I think about him. How one mans trash is another man's treasure. Ethan and Tris are the most precious treasure to me. I would never hand them over to a lunatic like him. I wish somehow I could reach through the phone and strangle him. I wish I could tell him I will make his death a slow and painful one if he harmed Ethan in any way. But I can't. That might drive him to do something stupid. I need him to stay calm right now. Or else I might bring Ethan home to Tris in a body bag. Nothing scares me more. This past month has meant everything to me. For once I have a family, I thought I would never have one. I wont let some lunatic take them away. Suddenly the nightmare I had back in the hotel in Orlando come to mind. I hope this doesn't end that way. I know I wont survive it. Stay focus Tobias. Stop being an idiot. Focus.
"I want you and Tris to meet me at the abandon warehouse on Amity boulevard. Come alone, just you and Tris. Got it?" Eric asks. I look up at Max who nods his head with a thumbs up. "YOU GOT IT!"
"Yea. I got it. We will be there." I say.
"Two hours. Better not involve any cops or else I wont hesitate killing myself after I kill Ethan. Than you can tell Tris how you killed our son." Eric says.
"Yea. I get it two hours." I say pressing the end button.
We have an hour and half until we have to be at the warehouse. I hate the thought of having Tris anywhere near that lunatic. The thought that I might lose Tris or Ethan or even both, scare me more than anything ever has I know if she dies, I will die too.
I race across town, I know Tris is anxious and in shock. But I'm not stupid. We are about to walk into crossfire and I refuse to go in unarmed.
"Tobias, where are we going? We have to get" I cut her off before she can finish.
"I know. I know. We will make it Tris. I just need to get something from my apartment, first." I answer her.
"Need? Tobias." She began again.
"Tris, please trust me. I will stop at nothing to protect my family. Even from that crazy lunatic." I explain to enough for her to understand. We will make it.
I don't bother to park in the underground garage. Instead I park on the curb. I give Tris the choice to come up or stay in the car. She decides to come in with me. I have always hated the thought of Tris stepping one foot into this apartment. But right now I cant think about those reasons... I need to get what I came for and get the hell out of here. I need to get to that warehouse.
We run up to my old apartment, I don't bother to close the door as we step in. I head straight to my bedroom to grab my gun that I keep between my mattress and box spring. Tris jumps back a few steps when she realizes that I am holding my pistol, opening the chamber to make sure its loaded with bullets.
"Tobias, what are you doing?" Tris asks.
"I'm going to do everything necessary to protect my family." I say standing up, tucking the gun in the back of the hem of my pants. I will stop at nothing to ensure my family's safety.
We arrive at the warehouse with minutes to spare. Eric didn't say exactly where in the warehouse he would be. The place looks like a mansion. I told Tris before getting out of the car to stay close behind me at all times. Hoping to keep her shield and protected using my own body. The gun is still stashed in hem of my pants, covering by my shirt.
Tris told me in the car that once this is all over and done with, I am to get rid of the gun. She wont allow this in our home. Not with children. I want to argue with her, but at the same time I understand. Guns are not safe for kids. But it has also gave me a sense of security over the years after leaving Marcus. But I guess that discussion will have to wait for another time.
We walked in unison together into the doors of the warehouse. My hands ready to fly behind me to retrieve the gun if needed. It seems way too quite. I silently worry about Ethan. Ethan who spends more than eighty percent of his day acting like a T-REX and I don't hear one single roar. Ethan who doesn't know Eric, should be louder and possibly having a melt down. Yet no noise. We continue to search the down stairs and decide to head to the second floor when we haven't found anything. I know Tris must be thinking the same thing with every empty room I feel her grip on my arm get little tighter. Even though she hasn't spoken one word.
The stairs creaked with every step we took. I hated it. Eric would have the upper hand, knowing that we would be approaching. Tris continues to be behind me holding me arms across her body. I silently pray that I can get both her and Ethan out safely and unharmed.
"Well. Well. Well. It's about time you two showed up." We hear Eric's voice but haven't seen the sight of him yet. I take another step and another, when I finally see him through a open door. He is sitting in an old wooden chair, with what looks like a big kitchen knife in his hand. I take a deep breath hoping to help calm that chills that run down my back. I still don't see Ethan anywhere.
"Eric, where is he? Where's Ethan?" Tris yells from behind me. I know she is wondering the same thing.
"Uh. That spoiled brat, he is just fine. Come here and see." Eric says waving the knife back and forth.
Tris and I slowly make our way towards Eric, my eyes keep moving around looking to see if he has any help with him or any signs for Ethan. We are just inches away from the door entrance of the room, when I finally see him. Ethan is laying on the mattress that sits on the floor. He isn't moving.
"Ethan." Tris whispers and runs across the room towards Ethan before I can stop her. But before she can reach Ethan. Eric jumps out of his chair grabbing Tris' arm. He forces her to stop her advance towards Ethan turning her towards him. He closes the gap between both their bodies. My body goes ice cold at the sight of Eric holding Tris in his arms, the kitchen knife that he is holding up against her back. She stiffens, I can see she doesn't know what to do. She probably doesn't want to return the embrace but at the same time doesn't want to upset him further than he already is.
"Beatrice, I'm so sorry. I love you. Please come back to me. We can be together now. I.. did it... all for you. Lauren is gone. I wont fall for her slutty tricks any more. We can have the life you wanted us to." Eric says holding Tris tightly. Apart of me wonders if I can pull my gun out and shoot him. But I don't want to take the risk. That damn knife right up against Tris, piss Eric off he just has to apply pressure. He can kill her.
"Oh Eric, I love you" Tris says. I can see her arms that were stiff as a board at her sides begin to move around his waste. The sight would sicken me... The thought of Tris loving Eric as much or more than me. The thought of her choosing him over me. But that I see her hands are shaking as they move towards their goal. I mentally smack my forehead. Of course, she is playing along. She doesn't want to upset him more... too many possibilities can go wrong if she doesn't. I see him back away from her, just enough for one of his hands to reach her face to bring her face towards his. I look away. Even though I know she is playing him. I can't watch the woman I love kiss another man. Especially a lunatic like Eric.
"You lying BITCH!" I hear Eric yell out, causing me to turn back towards them. Just in time to see Eric slam Tris to the floor. I see her wince. He than grabs her arms pulling her back to her feet, shaking her. "You think you can fuck with me. You think you can lie to me and I wouldn't figure it out. HUH?" I see him raise the knife into the air. I waste no time, I grab my gun from the hem of my pants. But he is quick and catches my movements, moving Tris to shield his body. Damn it. I hold my gun up, challenging him, while he holds the kitchen knife against Tris' throat.
"You will let her go." I say in a stone cold voice.
"Put the gun down." Eric says, I see he moves the knife little closer like he is ready to slice Tris' throat open. Damn it.
"Just don't hurt her." I say turning the gun to the side mid air and lower it to the ground.
"Kick it away from you." I do what he asks, kicking the gun out of reach but not in his direction. I know if I need to, I can dive for it.
"Ok now. Number boy, leave and don't look back. This doesn't concern you." Eric spits out.
"Like hell it doesn't." I fire right back. I'm not leaving not without my family. "This is my family. I'm not going anywhere without them." Eric erupts in laughter.
"How stupid are you? You do know that's my kid? It took my dick in Beatrice's sweet little pussy to make him. Not yours." Eric says. The knife no longer is against Tris' throat instead its pointed at me. Which is what I want. I need his attention towards me and off of Tris. I now mentally kick myself, and make a future mental note that if we get out of here, I need to teach her self defense. To my surprise Tris does what I hoped. She looks at me, than glances at the knife that was in the air. Her right hand swings towards the arm that holds the knife, and slams her heel of her shoe right into Eric's right foot as hard as she possibly could. Causing Eric to painfully wince and loose his grip on Tris.
I jump into action. I grab hold of his hand that still holds the knife, I hold it in its place with all my strength while I punch his jaw with everything I have with my right fist. "You son of a bitch!" I say, seeing red. I through one punch after another, after another. I swing my leg, letting my knee meet his groin. I see blood, and a sound of a crack. I know his noise is broken.
"Four, stop." I hear someone behind me. But I cant stop. "Tobias, please!" I hear the pleads. Than I feel an hand touch my shoulder trying to bring me out of that state I was in. I finally stop and look up. Somehow I am no longer standing holding Eric's arm in place. Instead I am straddling Eric's waist. The knife is on the floor, feet away from us now than before. Eric's face is pooling with blood and is unconscious. I stand from Eric's unconscious body and take Tris quickly into my arms. I breath her scent deeply in.
"Is Ethan ok?" I ask Tris pulling back from her. She turns taking the last few steps towards Ethan and kneeing down next to the mattress.
"Ethan. Ethan." Tris says shaking Ethan. She receives no response, she holds two fingers against his throat. "He has a pulse, he is breathing. Why wont he wake up?" She comments letting her tears escape her eyes.
I reach for my cell phone in my pocket and dial Detective Max Caldwell. "Detective, all clear. You can send your men in. We also need an ambulance. Ethan is unresponsive but he does have a pulse and is breathing." I say ending the call and putting the phone back in my pocket. I knee down next to Tris, placing a hand on her back. My other hand finds its way to Ethan's forehead wiping his hair away. Come on kid, wake up.
"His going to be ok, Tris. Well get him to the hospital, and they will take care of him." I try comfort her.
The sounds of voices and floor creak snap us out of our despair. "We're in here." I shot out.
The Detective comes in first, followed by several officers and EMTS. They all work fast, EMTS hurry to Ethan's side and start checking him out. They come to the conclusion that something must have been given to him to sleep. Seeing that he is stable and seems to be physically ok. They place Ethan on a stretcher and call for another ambulance to come and get Eric. Who is still unconscious. Tris follows the EMTS that have Ethan, and gets loaded into ambulance. I follow the ambulance in my car and we make our way to the hospital.
By the time I enter and get escorted to the hospital room that Ethan has been checked in. I am thankfully informed that Ethan has in fact woken up as they arrived. I enter the room and I see Ethan sitting up in bed with Tris' arms wrapped tightly around her. I remember Tris told me that Ethan at times need a tight bear hugs to help his anxiety and processing system. I step up on the other side of Ethan wrapping my arms around both of them just as tightly as Tris is doing. There are no words, no words are necessary my family, is safe and sound.