Chapter 12: The End is only the Beginning

Jack and Anna watch dumbfounded, as Vanessa's eyes go wide as she's seemingly forced backwards, blood beginning to spill from her chest. Vanessa's grip on Dylan tightens and then goes limp as she falls backwards.

Dylan screams and Anna kneels down as he flies into her arms. Anna holds him tight as he sobs in her arms, " Oh, it's ok it's ok, you're safe now." She says tearfully, as Jack moves to check on Vanessa.

" She's dead." He says a few seconds later.

Anna nods pulling Dylan closer. Jack turns around slowly, his eyes scanning the hanger to find where the shot came from.

His eyes land on a young man standing in the doorway of one of the other side entrance. The man nods to Jack and drops his gun on the ground.

Sirens begin to blare in the distance as Jack walks to the man in the doorway.

" Is she really dead this time?" He asks as he holds out his hands for Jack to cuff him.

Jack nods as he takes out his cuffs, " Good. And Dylan, he's not hurt?"

" He's fine physically." Jack says handcuffing one hand behind the man's back.

The man shakes his head, " I didn't want to take him in the first place. But she would have killed me if I disobeyed her."

Jack cuffs his other hand behind his back, " What's your name?"

" Legally it's Ben…Ben Shepard, but I go by Trey."

" Are you the same guy who called the station?"

Trey nods as Jack continues, " How'd you get mixed up in this Trey?"

Trey looks over at Dylan as he continues to cry in Anna's arms, " She was my mother, someone had to be loyal to her. She crossed the line this time, she would have shot him…I had to stop her." He says simply as the PVPD burst through the door.

" His name is Ben Shepard, he claims to be Vanessa's son." Jack tells Derek as he hands Trey over to the police.

" Vanessa's son…ya right." Derek says as he takes hold of Trey's cuffed arms, " Don't worry Jack, we'll get the truth out of him and the other one, one way or another."

" Thanks Derek." Jack says his eyes not on Derek or Trey but on Anna as she walks towards them.

Derek nods and turns around as he and Trey start to walk away.

" Ryan is going to take Dylan home. I told him to call David and Erica, and let them know that he's safe." Anna tells Jack.

" Why didn't you go?" Jack asks as Anna looks past him at Vanessa's body.

" I have a job to do."

" How's Dylan?"

" He's still pretty upset. We did our best to shield him from what happened here, but he's a smart kid. I think he'll be ok though."

Jack nods as Anna takes a few steps away from him. " What was his story?" She asks her eyes still on Vanessa's body and coroner's team surrounding it.

" Said his name is Ben Shepard, claims to be Vanessa's son."

" Vanessa's son? Hmmm." She muses her eyes still focused on Vanessa.

" He said that this time she crossed the line, and that he had to stop her."

" This time?" Anna says dryly, her back still to Jack.

" Anna…what Vanessa was saying, about her secret. You know what it was, and who the first Proteus was, don't you?" Jack asks hesitantly.

Anna nods silently still refusing to look at Jack.

" Who was the real Proteus? Was it…was it David's father?" Jack asks hesitantly.

Anna turns around slowly, not saying anything. " What Vanessa knew dies with her, and what I know I will take to my grave." She tells Jack as tears roll down her cheeks. " She wanted to destroy David, change his whole life…I won't let that happen."

" You're doing a lot better then I would be. If it were my baby doll missing I would have lost my mind hours ago." Krystal tells Erica as she sits down next to her. " Your little boy is tough as nails, Vanessa is no match for him."

Erica flashes her a sad smile, " Thank you. It's the not knowing that I can't handle."

" It might be better that we don't know anything yet." Kendall tells Erica as she and Bianca walk towards the couch.

" You're probably right, I just…" Erica starts but stops as the phone rings.

The room falls silent everyone's eyes landing on the phone as rings.

" I'll get it." David says, taking a deep breath before hesitantly picking up the phone. " Ryan, Ryan slow down. Oh my god, is he ok?"

Erica looks up at David, as he continues his conversation with Ryan. " Thank you Ryan." David says a minute later, before hanging up the phone.

" David, what is it?" Erica asks quietly.

David turns around slowly his eyes locking with Erica, as he flashes her a bright smile. " They found him. He's fine, he's safe. Ryan said they'll be here in a few minutes."

" Oh my god." Erica sobs happily as Kendall and Bianca hug, and Tad and Krystal smile at each other.

" Vanessa had him at the old airfield off I-86. Ryan, Boyd, JR and Jamie found them off Kendall's tip." David announces, flashing Kendall a smile. " Jack and Anna got a tip from one of Vanessa's men."

" He's ok?" Erica says as she walks slowly towards David.

David nods happily as Erica falls into his arms. " Thank god." She sobs happily as David tightens his arms around her.

Kendall and Bianca look at each other, and their smiles start to fade as something dawns on them. " David, they caught Vanessa didn't they?" Bianca asks quietly.

" Vanessa's dead." He tells them simply as Erica lays her head against his chest. David smiles down at her before placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

To be continued…