Disclaimer: This is AU. I do not own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. I just manipulate them to my will. Also, any line or phrase or setting that seems remotely familiar from any other show, movie or book, also not mine.
AN: So far, it's peaceful. How long will that last? …Could be last chapter of today. Sorry. Enjoy!
Chapter 36 – The Trap
"So if I had crazy profiling skills like you… what would your chess game tell me?" Callie asks as she moves her queen across the board in a bold move. Something she wouldn't have done two months ago. The night has drawn one, and as with the last few nights, nothing has been up. So Callie and I decided to have alittle rematch to pass the time.
"I don't know… it's hard to profile yourself." I say, seeing a move that would give me a checkmate in 3 but decide to not take it. "Tell me what you see and I'll profile it."
She gives me a long look, then back down to the board. "Well… you're letting me win." We both laugh as Callie pulls her queen back, second guessing herself just like I told her after breaking down her moves during the first game of chess we played.
"Mmmm…. Letting you win? No. …I'm just not beating you… yet." I give her a sly wink.
She sits back, surveying the board, and says "And what would you take from that?"
"Well… from a profilers stand point… I'd say I had a problem with confrontation. Inability to take what's handed to me. …Maybe I don't like being in the spotlight or… I'm just not focused on the game and missed a move. …But, from a personal stand point? …Maybe I just want the game to last longer." I say, leaning in closer to her, my eyes locked on her luscious lips. She leans over the board and moves in for a kiss but her lips never make it. A loud crash from outside makes me bolt up out of the chair, knocking the game board to the floor. All three dogs are immediately up, hackles raised. My dad comes barreling out of the kitchen where he was making himself something to eat. Drawing my sidearm, I move to the light switch and cut the lights to the entire house. …I may not be able to see them, but they can't see us now either.
"Callie." I say pointedly and she immediately moves to the innermost corner of the room. Johnny moves with her and takes a stand in front of her. Seeing my Dad take up his shotgun and move to the center of the room, I glance back at a frightened Callie then give a sharp whistle. Jack and Jim are immediately at my side, ready for action. I slowly move to the front door, weapon raised, and crack the door just enough for the dogs to slip out. Watching out the window, I see them take off in opposite directions around the clearing. …please be nothing. Please be nothing. Please be a fucking raccoon again. A trap hadn't been tripped in over 24 hours and now, this sudden alert, I'm thinking the worst.
"Where are they?" My dad growls, getting anxious that the dogs aren't back yet.
"Stay frosty Pops…" I say softly, more to myself than to my father. Soon, I see both dogs reemerge and I let them in. "Dog's got nothing…" I say, seeing the relaxed state of the hounds, they are almost loopy. Pulling on my coat, I see Callie start to relax a little again, but Johnny is still all spun up. My dad notices too, but we just brush it off. …Jack and Jim would have caught a scent if there was one. Johnny's just being overprotective. Holstering my sidearm and grabbing a flashlight, I give a nod to my dad and slip out the front door to go fix the sprung line. I walk to the tree line and start sweeping the perimeter, looking for the fallen trap. When I move to the area behind the house, I see a patch of disturbed snow. It has snowed a couple times in the last few days, making a blank template for all animals to make their presence known. But now… its not just animal prints. My hand moves to my gun as I approach the tracks. Shining the bright light of the torch on the ground, it looks like a battlefield. Boot prints all over the place, as well as two sets of dog paw prints. And…blood. Fuck. Kneeling down in the disturbed snow, a small sheen of silver catches my eye. Reaching for it, I hold it up in the light of the flash light. …a needle?
Movement from within the forest draws my attention away from the evidence and my hand pulls my gun from my side. I freeze, waiting. Waiting for any sound, any movement. A small pop, almost like a broom stick breaking, and then a whistling past my ear and the shattering of metal hitting wood behind me. Turning towards where the stray bullet came from, I let off two shots. I hear a moan then movement to my left. I turn but it's too late. My gun is kicked from my hands and a solid fist lands on my already busted chin. I go to cry out but my throat is immediately wrapped by a strong arm, squeezing the life out of me. …fucking trap. They lured me out, meaning Callie is… Then shots are sounded from within the house and a piercing scream. …NO!
The man's grip on my neck is so strong. Stronger than any man I've met. …he's got to be on something. Screams from within the house, snarling and barking pulls my training to the front of my mind. My head is getting heavy and my eyes are watering from the amount of pressure being applied to my windpipe and jugular. My nails dig into the pressure point at his elbow, trying to get him to release but it's not working. …you got about 4 more seconds until you pass out. Calm down Robbins. Break the hold and get back to the house. Another try at breaking his choke but it doesn't work. My right hand reaches down and slides between his body and mine and I pull out my knife from the back of my jeans. Pulling it back around to my front, I wind up and shove the knife hilt deep into the man's midsection. A flashback starts tugging at the edge of my mind. This exact sequence of events happened that day, a man choking me and I stabbing him to death, but I push it down. ….I have to get to Callie. More shouts and gunfire from the dwelling pulls the haze from my mind. All of fifteen seconds have lapsed between now and when my firearm was knocked from my hands.
Two dark SUVs come flying up the drive just as I'm reaching the back door. Busting my way through the locked entry, I run through the house until I am in the living room. My Dad is in fighting off one guy who is yeilding a knife as best as he can. Callie is in the corner, eyes wide with fright as Johnny attacks the two guys trying to reach her.
I launch myself at one of the men and send him hurdling to the floor. Landing on top of him, my right fist connects with his face and he immediately hits back. The force sends a flash of pain across my body as I fall back. He gets to his knees and starts to lunge at me, but two quick shots halt him mid air. My backup is now grasped in my hands. Two shots to the man's chest that my dad is fighting send him falling to the ground. By now, there are two men dead in my dad's living room, and one getting the shit chewed out of him by Johnny. The next second, 5 more guys bust through the front door, guns raised. I bolt up and grab Callie by the material of her shirt.
"We got to move…" I say as I cover her with my body, firing at the men advancing on us, but its like not a single shot is being fired. They don't flinch. …they must be drugged out of their minds. We move to the back of the house and into the den. My dad's shot gun goes off and I feel Callie jump.
"Arizona…" She's clawing at my back, but I keep pushing her back into the room. Snarling, screaming, and cussing emanating from the front room makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. …dad, I need to help him. …NO, you need to protect Callie. He knows that. Two fallen forms lay to my left and I see our other guard dogs down. …they drugged them. That's why they were acting so funny. A man busts through the den room door. I push Callie under the den's desk and fire off two rounds. My back up being a 9 millimeter, the drugged up man just shakes the hits off like bug bites. Another pull of the trigger and an empty chamber fires. …fuck. The guy has me by the neck in a second. Pushing me against the wall, he stares deep in my eyes as he chokes me to death. A knee to his groin makes his grip falter for a second, but that's all I need. And elbow across his face and he falls back. The man quickly recovers and winds up for a deadly punch. He over swings and I dodge the fist, moving under his waving arm, coming up behind him and wrapping my arm around the guys neck. A quick pull at the man's chin and his spinal cord breaks, his body slumping to the ground.
Glancing to the desk, I see two eyes peeking out from under the wood. Another fighter enters the room and grabs the first thing he can, my father's decanter of scotch and lands a powerful blow to the back of my head. I fall to the ground, face down, feeling a gasp in my head start to seep blood. The darkness threatens to overwhelm me but the cries of Callie keep me fighting.
"ARIZONA!" She yells, the man having reached her. "ARIZONA! ..HELP!" She screams. The front room has fallen quiet. My hazy eyes make out the large man picking Callie up like she is a rag doll. The Latina fights like hell, but it's not enough. I watch helplessly from the floor, my body not willing to listen to me, as he hauls her out the room. …LISTEN TO ME MARINE, GET YOUR ASS UP. A groan of pain, I am finally able to haul myself up to the feet and move out the door. I see the retreating form of three guys, one having Callie slung over his shoulder. My head is spinning. My body soaked in blood and scotch. I see Johnny is laying limp on the floor next to two guys. My dad is on the ground bleeding. …what have I done? Why did I drag them into this?
"I'm fine Zona… go after them." I hear my dad gasp out. That's all I need. Grabbing one of the guns from a limp hand, I rush out the front door and see the retreating tail lights of one of the SUVs. Shaking my head of the last remaining fog, I jump into the second SUV and take off after them. I catch up to them as they are just hitting the black top. They turn south, away from town and peel out. I follow. The roads are slick with melting snow and freezing water. This route is only a two laner, and has multiple blind turns and dangers along the way. Luckily for me, I could drive this road with my eyes closed. We are doing almost double the speed limit, but still, I am lagging behind. Pushing the SUV even harder, I start to gain ground. It's dark, early morning, and the only ones on the road are ones intent on killing the other. …that's just it. How do I get Callie out of the car without risking hurting her. Wait, there's a ditch coming up. Snow will absorb the impact. I just need to get the car off the road.
Speeding up, I move next to the fleeing SUV and set up for a standard PIT maneuver. Just as my window of opportunity approaches, I see the light of an incoming tractor trailer. My survival instincts kick in and I swerve off to the left. Except, to the left is a weak guard rail, and twenty feet down is a frozen Devil's Lake. Crashing through the guard rail, the SUV dips and I see my world start to end. …They have her. And I'm going to die… unable to protect her. As my car makes contact with the frozen surface, the ice breaks and the SUV plows through into the freezing waters. My body goes into shock as the icy water hits me, the cab of the car slowly filling and pushing the precious oxygen up and out. As the waters hit my chest, then slowly build up my to my throat then my lips, I take one last breath of air and then I am consumed completely by the cold.
…I'm sorry Calliope. So, so sorry.
AN2: Game over? …Or has the game just begun?