"Hello, we are home." AJ greets with Alberto holding on to her for support. She puts the medication for Alberto on the table as she wonders where everyone is. "Hello dad. Angelle. Godmother Jennifer. Godfather Anthony." She calls out.
"Auntie AJ, you are home." Sophie runs to hug her. "Finally you are here. I am bored."
"Bored, where are your parents She knows they wouldn't leave Sophie by herself.
"Daddy is sleeping and mommy is with Uncle Romeo and Auntie Angelle. Daddy told me to stay in the bedroom. Since he is sleeping I have no one to play with."
"Where are Phil and Stanley?"
"They are at the security office. They say they are busy." She sighs.
"Dawn and Sergio."
"I don't know where they are. Uncle Romeo talked to some people about finding a missing person."
"Missing person?"
"Yeah, can you two play with me?" She hopes with a pouty expression.
"Of course, I just have to help Alberto into his bed first." AJ tells her.
"How are you feeling better?" Sophie wonders.
"Your Auntie AJ makes me feel better." Alberto answers.
"How about we play in Uncle Alberto's room? We can play cards or a board game."
"No board games." Alberto refuses.
"I promise I won't win every game." Sophie promises.
"I don't know." Alberto ponders.
"Please Uncle Alberto, I haven't done anything for two hours. I finished all my pictures in my colouring book." She pouts.
"Okay, also no victory dance when you do." He proposes as well.
"Aww, why?" Sophie upset by this.
"It will help me to sink the losses I will take."
"Fine." Sophie sulks. "I'll get the games." She sulks all the way to the bookshelf in their room.
"You are mean." AJ hits him on the chest.
"What?"
"You took away her victory dance she loves performing it." AJ informs him.
"Oh no she will still perform it." AJ raises an eyebrow. "When she is about to win, distract me so she can."
"You are such a great person." She expresses with a peek on his lips.
"I do my best." He appreciates the compliment.
The rest of them enter the household. "I can't believe they took them both with a struggle. I mean I knew Sergio is injured, but to fight so they won't take Dawn is pure love." Angelle admires Sergio's devotion to Dawn.
"I never doubt Sergio's attractiveness to Dawn, however why sacrifice yourself for a person you just like."
"Maybe he does indeed love her."
"Maybe, so when we are going to tell AJ?"
"I wouldn't now because they are home. They are both playing with Sophie in the bedroom." Anthony interrupts.
"Anthony, you are awake. How are the ribs?" Romeo turns to see his best friend.
"I am getting better everyday. Oh Romeo, a Judge Matthews called, he was looking for you or Alberto. He said for either one of you to call him."
"Thanks."
Romeo trots to Alberto's bedroom. "There is my princess."
"Hi dad, do you want to play monkey?" She smiles after taking a card.
"No thank you, I just need to talk to Alberto for a minute." He asks.
"Sure, but I can't leave and move that much."
"It is fine I'll just whisper it to you."
Romeo whispers that Judge Matthews called. "Today." Alberto replies.
"Yes, I guess we both have to be present."
"Let me finish this game." Alberto puts down another pair he picked.
"Daddy, where are Dawn and Sergio? I haven't seen them unless... she is the one missing, isn't she?" She figures out that she is the missing person. Dawn never leaves without letting anybody know first.
"Well..." Romeo didn't want it to be revealed this way. He wanted to sit her down and lead up to it not start it.
AJ drops her cards to look at her father. "Dad, tell me the truth." She is very upset that Dawn is missing.
"Yes AJ, Dawn is missing. At the hospital, Phil called me to tell me that there is a second intrusion. They couldn't find Dawn anywhere." He reveals.
"Do you know who took her?" AJ tries to hold tears at bad. She fears the worst that she will lose another mother figure.
"Phil and Stanley check for Sergio, he is missing as well."
"He took her didn't he. He pretended to be in love with her to distract her for that moment. I knew he was up to something. Next time I see him he is going to pay." She is furious at him now knowing the full story.
"Princess, he didn't take her." Romeo knows the feeling of rage towards him, but it is not his fault this time.
"Of course not alone, his friends helped." She can't believe her father is defending him.
"No princess listen." He shakes his head with her stubbornness. "Phil and Stanley found out that they both struggled. Sergio tried to defend and protect Dawn as much as he can. With his injuries from his co-workers before he wasn't fully healthy to protect her.
"Where were you two?" She orders Phil and Stanley. "You could have prevented this."
"They had to get everyone safe from the first intrusion. There is where they notice Dawn and Sergio are missing." He uses his words to explain that it all came all at once.
"Right." She calms down. "Sorry, I shouldn't assume." She is embarrassed.
"It is a little surprising Miss AJ, but we can handle it." Stanley appreciates the apology knowing the stress she is now in.
"What are we doing to help find her?" AJ wonders.
"You are doing nothing, you agreed to stay out it. This doesn't consider Alberto in finding her mother. You will play with Sophie well Alberto and I talk to the judge."
"But dad-"
"Sorry AJ you promise." He interrupts her.
"Fine." She huffs with crossed arms.
"I love you princess." Romeo kisses her head.
"I love you too." She repeats with can't staying mad at her father.
"Am I like that when I don't get my way too?" Sophie asks her father, Anthony. He nods in approval which gives him a proud smile. "I guess we will play another game." Sophie suggest. "Also, since Uncle Alberto forfeits I am the winner." She cheers.
"No I was winning, I never said I forfeit." Alberto disagrees
"You are leaving so that causes a forfeit." She argues.
"What, I am finishing the game." He sits back down.
"Alberto, we have to deal with the judge first. You can play cards later." Romeo authorizes.
"But I am almost going to win for redemption." Alberto whines.
"Alberto." Romeo speaks in a stern tone.
"No fair." He sulks his way to Romeo.
"I am the winner." Sophie calls out. She starts performing her victory dance. The dance smiles and puts everyone in a happy mood.
Alberto and Romeo are back at the judge's office.
"Hello Judge Matthews." Romeo greets with a handshake.
"Hello Romeo. Hello Alberto."
"Hello your honour." Alberto bows down.
"There is no need for that. I called you in because I need to give both of you this information in person. Plus, I don't trust the security on phone lines." Judge Matthews explains. "We have some good and bad news. Which do you want first?"
"Good news please." Alberto states.
"The good news is that I approved the independent status of you. You are not attached to anyone unless you get married from now on. Everything that you own since you started working with Romeo is in your own account. I hope it is okay that we save the money until you sign and approve the account."
"Okay." Alberto is suspicious on why they would do that without notifying him first.
"The bad news is that anything in the past related to Sergio you are still accountable for. Anything you did or he did for The Equalizer you can be included."
"What?" Alberto is surprise that he could be a victim for his step father's actions.
"I am sorry, but we can't be 100% certain that if they somehow put Sergio in jail that they will not come to you to replace him. We couldn't get the person to do that for us. We can help prevent it, but we can't give the security that you are a completely free man." Judge Matthews reveals sadly.
"Okay your honour I understand." He is upset. "Anymore good news?" He hopes.
"I can give you my blessings to marry my niece." He smiles as Romeo bulge out his eyes.
"What he means is that you can marry someone's niece." He scowls at Judge Matthews.
"He said my niece, who is your niece?" Alberto questions.
"Your girlfriend." He looks at Romeo as he gives a smirk.
"Angelle is your niece." Alberto ask knowing fully what they are arguing about already. He recognized the judge from AJ's party. He is impress with how far his family connection are.
"What no, AJ is my niece. When the time is right, you have my blessings to marry her."
"Thank you, I appreciate it coming from AJ's mother's brother." He smiles.
Romeo and Judge Matthews are in shock. They didn't know that he knows the connection between them. "Excuse me, can you repeat that?"
"You are Mrs. Mendez' brother, right? Rosalie is your sister." Alberto clarifies.
"How do you know?"
"I recognize you from AJ's 18th birthday party. You came with your wife and two children. AJ introduce me to the rest of the family, but I knew I saw when you entered. AJ talks about how you keep the presence of her mother alive. She shares memories on how she wishes she has a sibling to experience what you and Rosalie had." Romeo looks at him in awe that he figured it out. Every staff member takes about a year to find out all his connections are basically family connections. "Sorry, I mean Mrs. Mendez. I am not supposed to call her by her first name." He apologizes.
"Romeo I like him. Have you met everyone already?" Judge Matthews asks.
"I have been introduce as a butler, but not really as a boyfriend."
"That is too bad, everyone loves AJ and would be grateful that she moved on from the bedroom incident at her party before."
"Do you mean the one where she was drugged?"
"She told you about that wow you must be very special." Judge Matthews is amazed by how comfortable AJ is with Alberto.
"Thank you."
"Alberto, I need to speak to my brother-in-law in private. Please wait for me in the hall." He authorizes.
"Certainly, nice to meet you." He shakes Judge Matthew's hand.
"It has been a pleasure as well."
"He couldn't help." Alberto pissed off asks when Alberto left.
"He didn't want to help anymore." Judge Matthews corrects.
"Why?"
"He doesn't want to be included anymore with your life. He wants to have real clients from his hard work, not one you send over." Mr. Matthews explains.
"I was only trying to help."
"I know I am sorry, but he won't help us. If Sergio does go to jail or they want him to replace him, I can't stop it. We can fight for him, but I can't just stop the initiate it."
"What about AJ? What do I do when we fail, she will be devastated?"
"Just focus on right now, worry about that later. As your older brother-in-law, you need to make sure she is safe before anything else. I will not lose another family member because of you." He warns to give more motivation to protect his niece.
Romeo exits with a lot of thinking to do.
"Mr. Mendez, we have to arrive at the house now. Stanley has a video to show us.
Romeo shakes his head to clear his mind. "Let's go."
"Everything alright, Mr. Mendez?"
"Yes." He lies. "Come on let's go."
Back at the house, after Romeo and Alberto left.
"Auntie AJ, are you okay?" Sophie wonders.
"Yah." She puts a forced smile. "How about to you teach me how to beat Alberto in checkers." She changes the subject.
"Why don't I believe that you are okay. Daddy and everyone else will find her I have no doubt about that." She never loses faith that good will always prevail.
"You are just the cuteness little cousin I have." She pokes her nose as Sophie giggles.
"My nose." She covers it. "Auntie AJ, what do you want to do today?"
"Whatever you want I am all for it."
"Seriously, what do you want to do?"
"Do you want to play a mini scavenger hunt in Uncle Alberto's room?"
"Will he be mad?" Sophie is cautious not wanting to be in trouble.
"If we put everything back, he won't know the difference." AJ smiles strategically.
"Auntie that is dishonest. I will not participate." She crosses her arms.
"Okay, we will watch your dad all day."
"No, that is boring. Fine let's go. You are sending a bad example for me." She huffs.
"Shhh, don't tell anyone." She giggles.
"It will be our secret." She hugs her. "What is the first thing on the list?"
"Find a baby or child pictures of Alberto." She states.
"Why?"
"I need to resolve my suspicious." AJ starts to look.
"Is this about his missing mother?"
AJ looks at her surprise by her statement. "How?"
"Just because I am a child and don't understand, doesn't mean I don't have ears. I hear what you say when you guys like in front of me." She confesses.
"Sorry." She apologizes.
"No problem, that is why I am so innocent. People talk to themselves or each other like I am a person they trust. I consider it a compliment." She grins.
"That is a great perspective. To answer your question, yes it does. Something caught my eye, so I need to make sure if it right or wrong."
They search for twenty minutes until Sophie finds a bunch of pictures under his bed.
"Auntie AJ, I found some."
AJ takes the box and looks through them. It only shows him from a teen to now. "Where are the baby and child ones?" She re-searches the box.
Sophie looks down. "Oh, I dropped a few." She picks them up. "Aww, Uncle Alberto looks cute as a baby."
"Let's see." AJ awes with the same reaction Sophie has. "You are right, he has always been cute. Is there any childhood pictures?"
"Here is one." She hands her one.
AJ is shocked that it is the same picture Sasha was holding. She has a million questions on her mind. "Where did Sasha get it from? Is she really Alberto's mother or just another family member? Will Sasha tell Alberto or keep it a secret?"
"Did we confirm your suspicious?" Sophie asks.
"Yes, but I just need one more picture; it is him with his parents."
"I don't see any." Sophie looks through the box again just in case they are stick together.
"Keep trying, maybe somewhere we least expect it." AJ looks for any special places to hide anything. Sophie looks and thinks on where she would put something like that.
"Aha!" Something clicks in her mind. " Check behind the mirror."
As expected there is a board of family pictures there. AJ looks through it to see him so happy. Furthermore, one picture sticks out. It is him with his mother as they dress as twins. Sophie titter a bit.
"Sorry, he looks funny."
"Shh." She tries not to laugh as well. "He is sweet doing this for his mom."
"It is maybe I'll do it for daddy." She offers.
"Yes, I will tell Godfather Anthony."
"Great." Sophie a bit unsure about this. She was just joking. "Did that help or do we need to find more pictures?"
"It helped I just need to inform Alberto about my findings." She can't keep this from him. Maybe Sasha is really his mother.
"I thought-"
"No I just tell him my suspicions and not the pictures or our little scavenger hunt." She winks at her.
"Princess, we are home." Romeo calls out.
"Now is your time." Sophie says as they put the pictures away.
"Daddy!" AJ greets. "And boyfriend." She giggles.
"Now, I feel so loved." He rolls his eyes.
"Oh no." she kisses him.
"Umm." Romeo looks around. "Alberto, I will be with Stanley for the video."
AJ breaks the kiss off. "What video?"
"It is a video that I think it is from or about Dawn."
"Let's go." She eagerly utters.
"Auntie, what about-" AJ puts her finger to her lips to stop her. She still doesn't know how she will start the conversation about it.
"Hello Mr. Mendez, here is the video." Stanley shows them the video.
The video shows Dawn tied up.