"Arizona ? Everything's alright ?" Tim came up from behind , slightly startled the younger blonde .
"God , Tim !" Arizona rubbed her chest , letting out a deep breath – realizing that she had been holding it since the whatever feeling she had crept into her mind .
"Why are you so jumpy over a box ?" Tim raised his eyebrows , unaware of what was currently happening .
"Tim , with your team – how do you usually confirmed if a package is safe enough to be opened ?"
"What are – you … Wait …?" Tim's eyes followed Arizona's . "That box ? How long it's been sitting there ?"
"Howard ?" Arizona's redirected the question to the man sitting behind the counter .
"Like half or an hour ago like that ."
"Did you move the box a lot during receiving it ?"
"The guy that delivered it put it over there and it just sat there ever since . I didn't get the opportunity to move it to somewhere else . Crowded morning ." Howard raised his eyebrows . "Is there anything wrong ?"
"Maybe I am just overreacting . Never mind , let me just open it first ." Arizona tried to shrug away whatever weird feeling she got in her stomach .
"Arizona , there is no such thing as overreacting . Especially with the situation you are facing right now ." Tim gave a hand signal to the nearby officers to come closer to him . He quickly explained the situation to him . "There's a weird package that came in early this morning today for Miss Robbins . We may need to evacuate this place , and we might need a set of bomb detector kit ."
"And you , you need to leave this building . George and Nathaniel are still at the garage . Go with them ."
It was only an hour after that Arizona and all the other civilians were legally authorized to re entered the building again .
Arizona was in the office in her home , staring down toward one fixed direction . Her body was trembling with anger , her jaw was clenching hard as she sat back in her seat . Her brain tried to suppressed this morning event at the lobby but to no avail , she failed . Arizona tried her best to halted everything that had been going inside her body , her mind .. Her heart ..
Her mind kept going back to what happened this morning . The scare she had .. The box she just received .. Turned out that the content was Callie's family necklace was inside of it – the necklace that the brunette always wore everywhere .
But the necklace wasn't the only thing that was found inside the box . The other thing that was also in the box – it was horrific . It was a human teeth . Along with the necklace and the teeth , there was also a taunting letter from the kidnapper .
The box and its contents , they were all immediately handed to the police . Arizona could look at them for only a minute but she swore the contents of the box – she couldn't deleted the image from her brain . She didn't see the letter long enough but somehow Arizona memorized every mocking and threatening words written by the bastard abductor .
You asked for proof . I give your proof . If you still demand for another proof , next will be both her ring fingers .
She took a deep breath as she remembered it . Exhaling slowly but in that one last attempt to calm herself down , the blonde just lost it . Arizona violently threw everything that was on her office desk , every books and papers , including her Whiskey glass that she filled earlier .
The sound of the glass shattered on the floor quickly caught everyone's attention . Tim arrived at the door with two police officers that had been on standby inside of the house for days now . The police wasn't being hard on Arizona now that she wasn't a person of interest in Callie's disappearance anymore . They were only here mainly to protect Callie's close contacts from getting hurt – until they caught the kidnapper .
Tim took a few moments to himself to understand what was happening inside the disorganized room before his eyes finally landed on the figure in front of him . "It's okay , I've got this ." Tim turned to the two officers , dismissing them from the room before he focused his eyes on his sister again . Arizona was defeated - she had her chin resting on the desk while both of her hands wrapped around her head , muttering incoherent words under her breath in between sobs .
It broke him to see Arizona like that .
It was almost unbearable for him to watch his little sister – in the midst of a meltdown .
Tim made his way to Arizona , carefully avoiding the broken glasses that were scattered on the floor . "Arizona ." Tim softly called , standing right next to the younger blonde .
"I – I .. I can't do this anymore , Tim . I can't ." Arizona shook her head , still hiding her face against the desk , under her hands . She always found herself uncomfortable to cry in front of other people – even it was only in front of her own brother . It felt like she was standing in between two walls and the two walls were trapping her . And now her area of safe space was slowly being crushed by the two walls . The walls were getting bigger , taller – invading her space . And she was just getting smaller and smaller . "I can't ."
"Shhhh ." Tim gave a back hug to her sister . "Don't you think that it's time for you to finally call Mom and Dad ? I can phone them for you . I think they would gladly flight up here , knowing if their presence could make you feel better . They surely will ." Tim suggested in low soothing voice .
Arizona wiped her tears away using her palms . She then looked up to her brother . "I don't think I will be able to look Dad in the eyes . I am not a good person in the storm , I am a disappointment ." She shook her head .
"You are not a disappointment , Arizona . Never ." Tim said . "It breaks my heart to see you like this . Just say what you need , Arizona . Anything that will make you feel better ."
Arizona stifled her sob . "I will not feel better until Callie comes home safely , Tim . Until then nothing will make me feel better . Not a single damn thing will make me happy ."
"Arizona ..."
"I'm fine , Tim . This is just me honestly reacting to one of those hard times ." Arizona let out a sad laugh . "I'm always good at hiding my emotions . Maybe just for a day , I just wanted to feel the emotions more openly . You don't have to stand there beside me , you can go ."
Arizona's phone rang . But in that moment she chose to just let it ring inside of her pocket and instead just looked at Tim , trying to convince the other Robbins that she was indeed alright . "I'm fine ."
"Okay ." Tim decided not to push it . "Do you want to answer that ?" Tim asked when Arizona's phone rang for the second time .
"Yeah .." Arizona nodded , sliding out the cell phone from her pocket . "Hello ?" She said to the other line .
"I don't know who you are with right now but I suggest you to act normal if you want Callie to lives . Don't test my capability ."
"Yes . I understand that ." Arizona sat up straight upon realizing the person that she was talking to right now was the kidnapper . She couldn't help it but noticed that the voice was very much different than the first phone call she received . But the voice – the voice was somehow quite familiar in her ears . Like it was a voice of someone that she already knew . She forced herself to kill away those thoughts as she glanced at Tim for brief seconds before focusing herself back to the phone call .
"Change of game plan , Arizona . Ten millions for Callie , ten millions dollars that comes directly from you . Not her family . Because after all , that money is supposed to be mine long time ago . And also , you . Other than the money , I want you in exchange of Callie . You will take her place ." The voice demanded . He knew that Arizona wouldn't turn down the deal eventhough it for sure meant that she would not come out of it safely . She loved Callie just that much .
"When ?" And true to that , Arizona didn't question much regarding the special condition he just laid out .
"Bright morning of tomorrow , 6AM . I will send the exact location tomorrow morning too , so have your phone close to you . Oh and , be sure to come alone ."
"That – um , will be a bit difficult ." Arizona gave another glance to Tim who was now bending down to picked up the broken glasses from the floor , unaware with the details of the conversation that was going on the phone right now . "I am not sure if I can do that . Especially during this time with everything's going on ."Arizona carefully picked her choices of words .
"Difficult but not impossible . Find a way , Arizona . You can always find another way . Lose the cops . Or the next thing you gonna receive is her cold – dead – body ."
Arizona bit her lip in frustration when nobody was looking . "I understand that . Totally understand . I will see what I can do ."
The call finally ended . Without realizing it , Arizona let out a small sigh which unfortunately caught Tim's attention – once again .
"Who's that ?" Tim raised his eyebrows .
"Nothing . Just a former employee asking for reference ." Arizona lied , focusing her eyes on something else and not Tim's .
"Bad timing much ?" Remarked Tim .
Arizona shrugged her shoulders casually in response .
"I will take this to the kitchen . " Tim pointed at the broken Whiskey glasses , deciding not to push it further . "You have me . Always know that ."
"I know ." Arizona nodded as she watched Tim slowly exiting the room . But then she called her older brother . "Tim !"
"Arizona ?" He turned , eyebrows quirked .
"I love you . Thanks , Tim ."
"Thank you … For picking up the glasses ?"
"No , thank you – for everything ."
It was fifteen minutes away before 6AM . She had slept for merely three hours before abruptly waking up at 3 in the morning . She just couldn't put her brain to rest , knowing the fact that an important phone call would come in ringing later . She waited for that call , impatiently , to be honest . It wasn't something that she could afford to accidentally missed . And surprisingly , it turned out that sneaking out from her own home wasn't that hard . The house was still dark when she left .
Arizona threw her gaze off the window as she parked her car by the roadside , just right in front of the rusty old metal signage of a vacation cabin . She took out that small piece of paper from her , rereading the direction that was given on the phone by the kidnapper . Oh , the phone ... she had left hers in her bedroom , underneath the pillow as instructed by the kidnapper . As crazy as it may sounded , Arizona came out here alone without her phone .
But ..
She did spend ten minutes of staring at her own gun in the dark of a quiet morning .
And after doing a bit of thinking , Arizona finally took it with her – the gun .
Arizona exited her car . According to the direction written on the paper – while standing right in front of the signage , she shall be on foot toward the forest beside her for the next two miles to the North West direction . And the abandoned warehouse should be there . Not wasting anymore of the time she got left , Arizona jumped into the forest – accompanying her in hand was a flashlight with the duffle bag gripped tightly by the other hand .
From the broken window glass , Jack observed the surrounding of the warehouse . The sun had started to rise and so did the fire of excitement in his eyes when he finally saw a hesitated figure coming out from behind of a tree with a duffle bag .
He quickly rushed to the Latina that was tied up to a chair in the middle of the warehouse .
"Get up !" Jack ordered to Callie as soon as he finished untying the knot . "She's here . Are you ready to meet her ?"
Callie tried to respond but her voice however was muffled under the duct tape .
"Oh I forgot that ." He forcefully removed the tape . "Don't worry , you look good for your long awaited last date ." He laughed sarcastically while still pointing his gun steadily on the right side of Callie's temple .
At the same time , the front door made a creaking sound — automatically announcing Arizona's arrival .
"Jack ?" Arizona slowly walked toward them .
The familiar's voice she heard on the phone .. It all made sense now but , still , she was slightly surprised .
"Stop right there !" Jack warned .
Stopping dead in her tracks , the blonde did just as what she was told . The pausing moment , she took it as an opportunity to processed everything in front of her . Arizona looked at the person standing next to Jack . Without realizing it , both her knees were shaking and her heart ..? It was breaking slowly . It was aching for her to see Callie's condition — the pale face and all the visible bruises , on her neck , on her cheeks and forehead .
"Callie ..." She wanted to run to Callie , to held her in her arms , to got her out of here safely but the kidnapper , Jack — he obviously got the upper hand . Any abrupt movement would be a deadly mistake that she couldn't afford . Arizona gritted her teeth , her heart may be breaking in silent but her whole body was now trembling in anger but somehow after a second or two , she managed to shake the feeling away .
"Ar — Arizona ." Callie's voice was almost like a weak whisper .
Tears were pooling in her eyes but Arizona made sure the watergate of hers still locked . She looked away from Callie and instead her gaze once again stabbing Jack's eyes . "Why are you doing this , Jack ? What it was that I did to you that made you go to this extent ?"
"You took her away from me !"
"Callie ? You didn't even know her ."
"You are really an obnoxious idiot ! Not her , of course !" Jack angrily slammed the mouth of his gun on Callie's temple , making the brunette grunted in pain . "HER !"
"Joanne ..?" Arizona guess , her voice was filled with confusion .
"She was mine ! Until you came along . I loved her . I could had make her love me back but you happened !"
"You were her uncle !" Arizona stated in a disbelief tone .
"See . How romantic it is that you and Joanne both having same opinion on that matter ." Jack laughed hysterically . "I was not his uncle by blood . The age gap between us wasn't even that far but still she gave me a disgusted face — the same one that you are giving me right now when I finally confessed my love for her when her father died . I spent years watching her from afar , playing the cool Uncle role while waiting for James to die and finally had the courage to ask her to marry me because the biggest obstacle was finally gone but .. she rejected me without even giving it a thought . The disgusting look that she gave me when she rejected me ... It mocks me everyday even until now ." Jack's voice was shaking hard , his face was cold .
"You were her uncle ."
Arizona looked at Jack , sickened by every words that came out from his mouth . But her mind was also wondering on why Joanne told her none about this .
"That night , when she said that she was getting married , to you . That was when my pure love for her turned into immediate hate . And that was also the starting of my downfall moment . Everything was moving so fast , she disconnected herself from me and clung onto you instead . She was leaning on you and you just pulled her more closer to yourself that it irritated me . Seeing you both very happy was very cringing image to me . It took me years to finally came up with a plan to kill her so that I could have a total control on Nathaniel instead ."
Callie could only watched as the blood quickly drained from Arizona's face .
"You — you killed her ?" Arizona stuttered , still searching for the real truth .
"Of course it wasn't an accident , Arizona ! It wasn't even a fucking race ! Everything was a set up ! You always wonder how the hell I spent so much money on such a short time , aight ? Yes , I do gamble but I also had to pay money for the families of the men that I hired to made it look like an accident ." Jack laughed at Arizona's stupidity .
"You had her killed ..." Arizona mumbled those words repeatedly as if she was still trying to wrapped her head around the newfound fact . "Aiden was with her too !"
"Obviously , made it even more hurting for you to bear . Also , I can't afford to spare that little one . He was the lovechild of both of you ." Jack grinned devilishly . "I know that I would never be in Joanne's will . And part of the reason I killed Joanne was to get the money but if she passed down most of her inheritance to her son or to Nathaniel , you would most likely to be the legal guardian that Joanne chose for both her son and little brother . And back then , I was really sure that you would handed everything to me since you were just a doctor and had no interest in their family business . But .. you are just something else , aren't you ?! You changed your career and then you controlled everything , including Nathaniel . Somehow , you always ended up getting what I wanted . THIS , IS — what you did to me if you are wondering !" Jack barked .
Arizona was speechless at Jack's confession . She felt her head was spinning . Her heavy emotion had started to gone up to her head , controlling her rationality . If only the gun wasn't being pointed against Callie's temple , Arizona would took out hers in one second and shot him dead right in the head . Just so that the man would immediately stop speaking awful things .
"The plan was simple . To wait for the old man to die . To marry the daughter . To own whatever she had while also being together with her . But you fucking ruined everything . Every perfect plan that I had ." Jack hissed angrily . "And now I have had your entire life in my hand again . Maybe I should just pull the trigger . And just watch your whole life breaks again . Maybe I should do that , should I ?"
"No , no ... I have the money ." Arizona dropped the duffle bag in Jack's direction . "And I am here . Please , just let her go . She's not part of all this mess . I am . I ruined your life . Take me ." Arizona begged desperately . "Take me ."
"You know that I will shoot you and run away with the money , right ?"
"I don't care . Ju — just let her go . okay ? Shoot me , kill me , do whatever you want but please don't hurt her . Callie is innocent ."
"Arizona , no . Don't ." Callie quickly protested on the blonde's death wish .
Arizona stared longingly at the precious Latina . "I know I have put you on so much pains and I know that you don't deserve to be tangled up in this mess , but please believe me this time . Just this one time . Th — that I love you . So much ."
From outside of the warehouse , it was totally a different story . The police had somehow secretly taken control of the warehouse from the outside and now slowly getting themselves inside of it .
"Sniper One , do you have a clear shot from the window ?"
"Negative , sir . I think it's better from the roof ."
"Sniper Two and Sniper Three , in position . We have our eyes on the target . Requesting permission to shoot the target ."
"Charlie , get ready at the front door . Sniper Two , request granted . Shoot the target ."
BANG ! The bullet went through the right arm .
BANG !
BANG ! It was the leg .
BANG ! The third bullets hit the back of Jack's body .
"GO , GO , GO !" The commanding officer yelled through the radio .
It all happened too fast . At the same time upon an advantage , Arizona had rushed forward to Jack that was on his knees — now suffering the agony due to all the bullets . The blonde gave a one hard kick on his chest before she kicked away Jack's gun as far away from them and for once , she gained the leverage on the situation . Arizona immediately pulled out the gun that she carried with her , pointing it at Jack with the all the built up anger she had inside of her heart . The anger that she had with her ever since Callie's been abducted .
And suddenly ... It felt as if whatever happened in the background was being muted . Arizona didn't hear any other voices but only Jack's .
She was in another world .
The time seemed to stop .
Everything else wasn't important .
"Yeah , shoot me ." Jack was coughing up blood but he still managed to let out a throaty mocking laugh . "I am your misery . Always has been . End me now ."
Arizona's right leg was pressing hard against Jack's chest . Those provoking words that came from the helpless man obviously didn't help much to ease down her rage . Jaw clenched , Arizona cocked her gun .
Arizona had him at gunpoint .
She would do it . She would shoot him . After all , it was what he totally deserved . It wouldn't fix any of the damages that he had done but it would equalize everything . It would satisfy her aching heart .
"Do it ." He smirked .
"Drop your gun , Arizona ." It was said in a commanding tone . "It's over ." Captain Carina DeLuca's said , standing just a few feets away from Arizona .
But the blonde just ignored the order . They didn't understand all those pains and miseries she had to carry her whole life to just ended up letting the bastard live .
"Arizona , no !" Tim suddenly appeared to the scene . "Don't do this . You don't want to do this ."
"I want to do this , Tim . He fucking killed my family ! He killed your nephew !" Arizona shouted , her furious eyes never left Jack's . Arizona's finger was fixed on the trigger . All she needed to do was to pull it .
"Yes , I killed your family ." Jack mocked again . "I'd gladly do it all over again ."
"We need medics in here !" Another voice suddenly yelled from the other side . It was Mark's .
"He shouldn't be your main focus . Callie is ." Tim was slowly approaching the blonde from behind . "She's hurt . And she's just over there . She needs you now ."
On instant , Arizona turned her gaze on Callie that was lying on the floor few feets away from them . She was too caught up with her rage that she forgot about Callie . Her Callie .
Callie was hurt ? Arizona had a confuse look on her face .
Somehow during the chaotic moment , Jack still managed to fire a shot toward Callie .
And she was totally oblivious to it .
"It's okay , just give me that gun , Arizona . I got him ." Tim persuaded , slowly taking the gun from Arizona .
It looked like as if Arizona was being brought back to the present time again . The anger — the tense look on her face . It all had disappeared , being replaced only by a concerning look .
"I fucking knew it ! You didn't have it in you !" Jack said half yelling , half groaning . "You are not going to avenge for their deaths . I loved Joanne much more than you did . I took three damn bullets for her !" Jack's definition on love was definitely out of mind and out of question .
"Shut the fuck up ." Tim could be heard shouting in the background .
"Callie ?" Arizona called , kneeling right in front of her girlfriend and next to the paramedic that was doing the best at his job .
Callie had somehow missed the bullet that Jack had fired earlier , thank god .
"Arizona ..." It was a weak respond from Callie .
"I'm here . I'm right here ." Arizona took Callie's cold hand . She soothingly ran her fingers on the back of Callie's hand , in attempt of sharing the Latina a bit of her strength .
Callie had her eyes closed , she felt safe , again . But she was also tired . Very tired .
"Stay with us , Callie ." Arizona's inevitable tears finally fell .
"Stay with me . I need you ."
A/N : Every reviews are always welcomed : ) What do you guys think for this one ? And ! Next chapter should be the last chapter . This story will finally end at Chapter 44 . Do expect a long rants at the end of next chapter , though . I have an important announcement in the last chapter , mainly to gather all your thoughts .
Also , the final chapter should be out by this upcoming weekend . Do remind me if the weekend almost over and I still don't give an update . I forgot things sometimes .
Anyway , until then . Stay safe , everyone : )
