Chapter 23
The next morning when they woke up Ryan turned around expecting to find Alex still asleep as always, but he got a surprise instead. She was sitting in bed with one of his t-shirts on eating ice cream out of the tub. "Isn't it a bit too early for that?" he asked checking the time. She shook her head. "Nope. It's never too early for ice cream Ryan Booth." She answered licking the spoon. "Well are you going to share with me or are you still mad at me?" He asked hopeful that she'll say yes to sharing some with him and no the fact that she isn't mad anymore. "You're forgiven, but you're limited to two spoons of ice cream then I'm taking it back again." She replied feeding him two spoonful's and then retreated to eating some herself again. "What's the plans for today?" he asked hoping she won't have to go into work early since he had another surprise up his sleeve. "Same old same old." She answered feeding him another spoonful. "Well, I was thinking, how about we go to Starbucks for breakfast?" He questioned hoping she'd give in. "What happened to you making breakfast? You don't stray from tradition Ryan Booth!" She tried to sound shocked but she really didn't mind. As long as she was with him all is well. "Your coffee and flapjacks are so much better than the ones the serve at Starbucks." She whined with lips pouting. "You can have whatever you want, I'll pay tis time." He prompted hoping she'd give in now. She didn't need to be told twice she got up out of bed, leaving the half eaten tub of ice cream on the bed and made it for the shower. He smiled shaking his head to her as she disappeared into the bathroom. He took the tub of ice cream and finished the other half before joining her in the shower.
They drove the thirteen blocks to Starbucks, ordered their coffees and took a seat at one of the tables in the corner. They had about an hour and a half to kill before they had to get to work. "So, I was thinking about what you said last night and I'm sorry. I'm totally fine with a black and white wedding. I'll even be okay with a yellow and neon pink color, I don't care, as long as you're there." Ryan answered taking her hand from across the table playing with her fingers. "You don't have to apologize anymore, Ryan. Last night's apology made up for that." She answered with a small smile. "Well I figured we could start planning right now." Ryan said as he slid a small notebook across the table towards her. Alex didn't wait any longer and opened up the first page, grabbed a pen out of her bag and made a to do list on the first page that they'll cross out as they go along.
By the end of their hour and a half they had more things covered than they thought they would. They've decided on an outdoor wedding in a private wine estate. They drew up a guest list of 40 people each since they wanted it to be small and intimate with only close friends and family, so they figured 80 – 90 people would be enough. Bridesmaids would obviously be Shelby, Natalie and Nimah since they'd never talk to her if they couldn't be in the wedding. On Ryan's side he decided on Caleb, Ethan and Rob. Two guys who were in the war with him they're still in close contact today and see each other regularly on scheduled visits. He needed to confirm with them first but he's certain they wouldn't have a problem with it. With the outline of the wedding done they had to get going so they'd make it in time for work.
Alex didn't even make it to her desk when Simon grabbed her by the arm. "Let's go. Today is the day we nail him." Simon said as he left the office to go into the computer room to inform the rest on what they need to do today. It's a big case and they'll need all hands on deck. They all headed into the computer room and Simon briefed them on Stanley Brown.
"All right guys, we're dealing with a Stanley Brown here. He is part of the Russian Mafia Family. He has teenage girls who h keeps hostage all around the ages of 16 and 18. We need to get to his house as soon as possible and expect the worst. We don't know how dangerous this guy is but we can't take any chances, since here are innocent lives on the line." Simon said as he pinned a floorplan of Stanley's house onto the whiteboard. "Basic setup. Back doors open up to a large living area. We will cover have to cover each other and cross that open space as quickly and safely as possible." Alex answered. "Once the ground floor is cleared we take the rooms upstairs one at a time." She concluded and everyone got dressed in their gear, got to the house and waited for orders. "There are over 5000 square ft. to clear so be on point. And please people there is no margin for error." Liam said as they all walked up to the front door entering the premises with weapons pointing forward. There was a gate in front of the door and it was locked, the broke the lock and entered, but once they got inside it was a whole different ball game.
"What's going on in here? This is not the same floorplan we saw and what are all these small rooms?" Alex asked surprised. "I don't know but check all of them just to be sure." Liam answered. They entered every small room on the ground floor that had at least one single bed and no windows in all of them. "What is this?" Maranda asked since this was really confusing now. "Home make over Russian Mafia edition." Simon replied standing next to her as they viewed the ground floor of the house. They came across an office where a laptop was standing in the desk and the bookcases were filled with lubricants. "Something is very wrong here." Natalie answered looking around. Ryan, Maranda and Caleb went downstairs to the basement to see if they can find some explanation for all that is going on. "What the hell is this?" Ryan asked as he scans the basement. In the dark basement they could make out the muffled cries of people. They saw 10 girls with blue eyes and blond hair sitting behind locked steel gates, eyes wide with fear. "Call the paramedics." Ryan ordered waling back upstairs to where the other half of the team was.
Back in the office Alex and Nimah checked what information was on the laptop that would give them a lead to where Stanley might be. "What do those numbers mean?" Simon asked. "Delivery dates and prices for the girls." Nimah answered scratching her head "That's how the Russian's run their sex trade. I've never seen this in the States before though, the human trafficking operation has been strictly international. "Until now, maybe they're expanding." Ryan said. "Alex talk go back to the hospital and talk to the girls, see if you can find out anything about them and what they're willing to tell us about what happened. Be gentle they've been through a lot." Liam reminded her. Alex, Natalie and Maranda headed for the hospital while the rest still searched the house for more evidence.
Maranda was talking to the nurse behind the counter about what happened and that she's part of the FBI needing to talk to the girls to find some information. The nurse was busy looking for some identities of the girls but no luck. "Alex did you find anything about the girls?" Maranda asked as Alex walked out of the hospital room of one of the victims. "No they're too afraid to talk. Too scared of the Russian Mafia Family. They think we can't protect them. Natalie went back into the room and heard the girl say something in Spanish. She talked to the girl a bit and found out that they're a small community of German Emigrants who crossed the border looking for a better life over here. Which could explain the blond hair and blue eyes. "What's your name?" Natalie asked the girl. "Zelma." She replied in a whisper. "You don't have to whisper, Zelma. You're safe now okay. You don't have to be afraid anymore." Natalie told the girl and a single tear rolled down Zelma's cheek. "What is it? Why are you still afraid?" Natalie enquired. "What if the guy comes back looking for me? I'm scared and I just want my baby back." Zelma cried. Concern grew on Natalie's face. "What do you mean you want your baby back?" Natalie asked. "They kept all of us locked in that house, man after man until….until we got pregnant. They blind folded us and drove us away to some place. Gave us medicine to make our babies come faster We never even saw them. Then they'd take us back and it would all start over again." Zelda cried. "We'll try to find your baby. But I need you to try and remember anything about that place where they took you. Anything, a sound, a smell anything you can remember." Natalie whispered. "It smelled like bleach and dogs were always barking." Zelma answered, and with that Natalie went out and informed the rest about what she just found out.
They headed back to the FBI offices to find some more info. They just knew that this would be one of those long shifts and they'd probably get home by midnight if not later. They all met up in the computer room once again. "Zelma said it smelled like bleach and there were dogs barking." Natalie said when Simon searched some things on the computer. "Why would there be dogs barking at the hospital? Maybe he is a veterinarian." Alex said while Simon ran Stanley's ID through the computer again and his name popped up. How could they not notice this from the first time they searched for him . They headed back to the address of the clinic they found, maybe he'd be there.
As soon as they got out of the van they heard the barking dogs. They searched the outside of the premises first before they went inside. They heard a girl scream somewhere at the end of a corridor and entered there. They found a girl on an operating table giving birth while a midwife talked her through it. They walked pass a storeroom where there were at least 10 babies in plastic cribs. Some crying and the rest sleeping soundly. They all breathed a sigh of relief to see the girls babies were unharmed and made a quick call to social services and told the paramedics to come check the babies out, once they were done with the mom and the midwife. Liam asked her where Stanley was and she started crying motioning that he's outside. They once again called the paramedics to take the girl on the table while the midwife was ordered to go with her but neither of them were allowed to leave the hospital not until the FBI was done with their statements. Outside Stanley was smoking and when he saw Ryan and Lam approach he slowly walked backwards and bumped into Alex and Simon. He tried to run away but Ryan caught up with him and jumped him to the ground putting handcuffs on him. Ryan was so mad he didn't even think straight and he punched him in the face a few times until Liam grabbed hold of his arms. "That's enough Booth." Liam said holding Ryan in a firm grasp. "Why did you do it? Why did you take these girls!" Ryan asked as Stanley spit blood onto the floor. "Those girls are precious. With their blond hair and blue eyes. They're baby making machines and can spit out babies as if their lives depends on it." Stanley answered. Ryan was enraged again and came loose out of Liam's grip, ripping out his gun and pointing it at Stanley. "Put the gun down Ryan." Liam tried once again but Ryan didn't listen. "You heard the man, Lopez Back off, that's an order." Maranda said from behind where she appeared out of no where. Ryan put his gun back in its holster and walked away, but not without throwing one last punch at the guy. Alex and Simon told him his rights as they took him away in the back of the car.
Alex and Natalie made one last stop before going back to the FBI headquarters to hand in their reports. They went back to the hospital and after some tests gave Zelma her baby. Social services arrived at hospital to ask the girls some questions and let their families know that they're okay and where they are. They'll update them on what happened as soon as the get there.
Outside the room Alex and Natalie saw Zelma kissing her baby continuously and rubbing the few hairs on his head smiling from ear to ear. "This has been one hell of a day." Natalie said and Alex nodded. "Let's head home and write those reports." Alex said as she and Natalie walked out of the hospital.
Hey guys! The Stanley drama solved at last. If I've offended anyone by writing something in that line I'm sorry and I apologize. This is the longest chapter I've written and it's taken quite a bit of research and I had to watch some old FBI series I have on my laptop to come up with something like this. Hope you guys enjoy and once again sorry if I've offended any of you. This is all fictional and non of it is real even the names I've used is something I've thought out except the Quantico cast obviously. (So please don't sue me!) Hope you enjoy. Read, review and let me know what you guys think. Lovies-S
