Out of Time
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious
A/N:
Chapter 21 (Shadows Unravel)
"At least, I hope, our baby will never go through anything like this." Jade curled her fingers around Beck's hand and smiled as she watched Gary and the twins at a table across from the diner they were at. It had been an hour since everything at the park, each had given their statements to the police; and now, they were trying to settle down at a nearby restaurant.
Beck squeezed her hand, gently sweeping his thumb across the surface of her hand. She closed her eyes and leaned back, breathing in as a warm tingling surged up her arm. "I'd never allow anything like this to happen to you or our baby." She put her head to his shoulder.
Jade wished she could know what Gary and the girls were talking about, but it wasn't hard to guess. There were no dry eyes among them, each were clearly emotional. It was when Sam's phone started to ring that Jade grew more curious. She leaned forward and squinted when she saw Sam frowning deeply at the screen.
Making use of reading lips, she could almost detect what they were saying. "It's my 'mother'," Sam remarked while rolling her eyes. Melanie dropped her head and Gary extended a hand.
"Here, let me answer." Sam pursed her lips and shrugged, pushing the phone towards him. He hit the answer button and immediately. Surprisingly, the woman on the phone was much louder and Jade could hear her.
"Samantha, I just received a text message from your father that he's been arrested. I thought we made it perfectly clear that if you went to the cops, if you said anything at all, you would be in hell. I'm going to find you, you little bitch; and when I do, there will be hell to pay."
Gary cleared his throat and leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "Hi there Ms. Puckett."
"Who the hell are you?"
"The father of these two girls that were stolen from my wife. Sam, and Melanie are perfectly safe with me and yes, Mr. Puckett has been arrested." He tilted his head and his eyes narrowed further. "And I'm sure you can feel the heat yourself, because the police are already on their way to you. I wish I could be there to put the cuffs on myself, but that's alright. My wife died knowing what was happening, but never knowing if our babies would ever find their way home." He tilted his head to the side. "So I want to thank you. Because of your own behavior, your own antics and how you treated my daughter, she got as far the hell away from you and found her way to me. I'll be more than happy to visit my wife's grave and tell her that her daughters are just as strong as she was in life. Goodbye Pamela, enjoy prison."
Just before he could hang up on her, there were three loud, firm knocks on a door in the background. He smirked, ended the call, and handed Sam her phone. "I don't think she's going to bother you much longer." Sam raised her shoulders and leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly.
Taking Sam's age into consideration, Jade figured she and Melanie may have been among the first victims of La Sombra. Perhaps the first indicator that they were going to be bigger than some two-bit gang.
The celebration and reunion was short lived though, because not much later than the phone call with Pam ended did Gary get a call from the police. When he answered and listened, his eyes grew with surprise.
"David has just been arrested." He rose from the table. "I thought he'd already been, so somehow he got out." Beck and Jade got up from their seats and hurried over, shocked as well by this turn of events. Gary looked to them with bewilderment. "But it appears he made contact with Tori, and apparently, Spencer."
Jade's lips parted but she couldn't form any words. Rather, Beck filled the air with a similar thought. "Why in the hell is Spencer here and how did he make contact with Tori?" Sam glanced at her phone and brought her hand to her forehead, groaning loudly.
"Carly."
"Either way, we have to get down to the station." Gary grabbed his wallet from his pocket and threw the money for the dinner onto the table. "See if you can get in touch with Carly, find out what happened." Sam nodded and hurried out with the group while calling Carly's number.
Once in the car, she put the phone on speaker. Sam didn't wait for her friend to speak once the call was answered, her voice was urgent. "Carly what happened?"
"I wanted to introduce Spencer and Tori, but I set up the meeting at a public location. Stupidly. I thought the place was empty but one of the customers must have recognized Tori as a runaway…They called the police and David intercepted the transmission on the radio."
"Are you kidding me?"
"No. He came in like he was about to shoot Tori; but Spencer got between them. David tried to mock him, Sam, but it didn't work. Spencer sprayed the guy with some sort of paint can." Jade jerked her head back and raised a hand over her mouth. "He shot himself in the leg just as the police arrived. I mean, he dropped the gun and that happen."
Gary waved his hand at the phone. "This is why I said what I did before: Don't let witnesses and bystanders become deeply involved in an investigation." Jade glanced to her right, where Melanie was sitting and watched as the girl raised a nervous hand. Gary looked to her with a soft smile. "Yes?"
"I'm sort of a bystander, right? Witness. I guess. I still need to go to the station, right? I mean, it's not like Sam and I are minors anymore, but um…yeah…"
"Don't worry. It's up to you what you want to do. Once we get to the station, we'll have to listen to statements and all that. You don't need to."
"I'll just wait around then."
Carly chimed out. "Wait, I recognize that voice. Is that Melanie? Hi Melanie!'
"Hi."
"How are you?"
"Um….it's been a hell of a day."
"I'll say, I'm just glad everybody's okay. There is something else guys, Mr. Vega said something that kind of made Spencer tick. I think Sasha's still alive." Gary slammed the breaks and everybody jolted forward a bit. Jade shook her head in disbelief while Gary shouted out his surprise.
"What do you mean she's still alive?" Granted they suspected that at one point, but none of them thought it was possible.
"David said his wife was torturing her because apparently her mom did something to her sister-or she thinks she did. I don't know much about that, neither does Spencer. What I do know is I heard the man state very specifically that Sasha was still alive. He actually said 'she wants to die', but that Holly won't let it happen."
"Jesus."
Jade wanted to comment, but was alerted to her cell phone vibrating. Curious, she checked her phone and saw a text message from Trina. "Hey guys, I just got a text." The others looked to her and she raised her phone, her eyes wide with surprise. "Trina says she's going to the station with information and wants me to tell my boss she's going to be giving a statement….now that her dad's in prison."
"He's not exactly in prison yet, but definitely headed that way. The café probably has cameras too, and other witnesses. The guy's either a moron or desperate." Gary cleared his throat. "So it will be interesting to hear what Trina has to say. I'm curious why she's coming out now."
"Maybe she's not afraid of her mother?" Beck curled a finger on his chin and cocked his head to the right. "Which would be strange if Holly's the psychotic shithead she sounds like. David's in custody, Andre's grandmother is in custody, Holly is likely in hiding; so Trina has a bit more freedom now."
Jade saw where he was going with his thoughts and she agreed, especially if Trina's own child was safe. "Jason and their kid are probably somewhere out of harm's way." She crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. "And the last of her fangs has just been put behind bars. She's a rabid dog without teeth now, right?"
"Right. So if Trina's going to act against her, now's the perfect time to do so." Beck sighed. "Just wonder how she knew both her father and Andre's grandmother had been taken out?"
"Her dad's not hard to figure out, given the status he just fell from." Jade was perplexed as well, unless Trina had somehow been in the vicinity when they were ambushed. "I guess we're about to find out."
Arriving at the station, they met up with Carly and almost immediately Sam wanted to get onto her for overstepping and putting not only herself but Tori and Spencer in danger. However, Jade reminded her that she had essentially done the same thing, so Sam didn't bother.
Rather than be angry, the two friends shared a long embrace. Likely a much needed one after such a stressful day.
In the corner of her eyes, Jade saw the officers carting David to an interrogation room. His face was red and blistered, his expression filled with hate. "What happened to his face?" Carly pulled away from Sam and looked over her shoulder.
The girl snapped her fingers after a second. "Oh, I think the paramedics said he had an allergic reaction to whatever that paint can Spencer sprayed him with." Jade cupped her hands over her mouth and raised her eyebrows. "So, he's probably coming out of this with some scarring." Carly put her hands to her hips and bowed her head. "I don't want to sound mean or spiteful, but I think he deserves to have some lasting scars after what he did to Spencer and to Tori."
Jade had to agree, though she tried not being spiteful anymore, she honestly hoped David would so scarred that he'd remember this every time he looked himself in the mirror.
"So, Trina should be here as well, right?" Jade looked around the station and Carly started to nod.
"I think I saw her a little bit ago. The guards said something about making sure she's in a different part of the building than David, so I'm guessing maybe she's trying to stay out of his way?"
"Makes sense if she doesn't want him or Holly knowing she's here."
Gary spoke to some of the officers at the station and was informed that Trina would speak only with them but was willing to wait. So, they attempted to speak to David first.
It was surreal to see in the interrogation room, Gary sitting across David. How the mighty had fallen, once nearly having the whole world in his hand, David's own police department was finally free of his control.
Now, disheveled, hunched over with shoulders slumped, David was reduced to his truest form-that of a two-bit thug. A gangster, nothing and nothing less.
"I have nothing to say to you." David leaned back slowly, sneering at Gary. His eyes were pale, making Jade think he may be on the verge of losing his eyesight. "This is nothing but a small hiccup."
"I wouldn't say that." Gary pat the table with his hand and glanced down at his fingers with a subtle hum. "As long as I've been trying to bring this gang down, the chips were always stacked against me. Now, you've slipped up and the cracks have appeared. Through those cracks, several things have come out…such as your wife's apparent habit for record-keeping."
David grunted and Gary pushed a manilla folder towards him, opening it up to reveal the document Melanie had given them. "Look at this. The seller…" David looked away with a huff, shrugging Gary off. "It doesn't matter if you talk or not, David."
Gary folded his arms and leaned back, his shoulders broadened and his forehead creased. "It's honestly not looking good. With your star lawyer murdered by La Sombra's elderly enforcer, the whole of the LAPD out from under your thumb, and half the county's legal defense team scrambling to find someone that really wants to defend you…I can't help but to feel you're not going to find a favorable outcome."
"So, what have you got?"
"What do you mean, 'what have I got'?" Gary narrowed his eyes. "Evidence that you abducted the child of a known missing person." He raised a single finger and rolled his head to the side. "The surviving witness placing you at the scene of a double homicide near twenty years ago." He raised another finger and David started to shuffle his body a bit. "Now, you've attempted to murder that same witness in a café with multiple people around and it's caught on camera." Gary raised a third finger and dropped his head. "Not to mention multiple counts of extortion, bribes, attempted murder, criminal organization. You went into the police force, likely with corrupt motivations; but you still know the lingo and you still have a vast knowledge of the criminal justice system."
David's eyes glinted back to Gary, his lips turned to a vicious scowl. Gary raised a hand up and rose to his feet. "I don't have to tell you what you already know." Gary walked around the table and started to pass behind David, stopping to place a hand on the man's shoulder. "You need a damn good lawyer, Dave; and the best one that could help you is dead."
"That's not on me, that's on my wife. Psychotic woman was pissed he didn't finish the fucking job twenty years ago and had him shot down." Gary raised an eyebrow and David shook his head. "We put him in a position of power as gratitude, so Holly took it away and ordered his death."
"I see." Gary pat David's shoulder and smirked as David slowly shut his eyes and visibly cringed. "Kicked out of the police force and you're already forgetting your rights. Go ahead, keep talking. I'm listening." Gary leaned down, chuckling softly. "In fact, the FBI and the whole of the LAPD is listening. Do you know how many of your former officers are talking about all the abuses they suffered from your control? How the department's reputation suffered? Face it, it's over. The tough guy act isn't winning you any favors."
"I'm done talking to you." David's voice was low and menacing, but Gary seemed unfazed. The man nodded slowly and started for the door, leaving the LAPD officer and FBI agent in the room to drag David to the nearest prison cell.
Inside the observation room, Jade had to comment about David's eyes and how they appeared to her. "Did anyone else notice his eyes were really pale? Like there's something wrong there."
"Could be an infection," Beck replied, "Wouldn't be surprised considering he just got sprayed by aerosol and had a reaction to it." Beck shrugged and leaned against the nearby wall. "I almost feel sorry for him. Almost."
"Still, you get the feeling all these years he's just been used by that wife of his?"
"Probably. They're both a sack of shit either way."
Next up was Trina, how was waiting patiently in her interrogation room. As Gary took his seat before her, she was leaning back almost casually with her right leg crossed over her left and her arms folded over her stomach. "Before I even begin, I want to say that my boyfriend and our daughter have nothing to do with La Sombra and I sent them away for their safety."
Gary made a notation in his booklet and lifted his gaze towards Trina. "Okay. I've made a note of that. We would still like to speak with Jason." Trina waved her hand through the air.
"I'd prefer not to have him involved in this disgusting mess. His only involvement was meeting me." Trina's forehead creased and her eyebrows started to come together. "As for me, I was supposed to be part of this organization's next group of leaders. Myself, Andre Harris, Robert Shapiro and Catherine Valentine."
Jade's eyebrows shot up and she looked to the others, seeing equal surprise on their faces. None of them expected Trina to tell all in such a manner.
Trina swept her hand through her hair, brushing it over her shoulder. "My mother is the overall leader of La Sombra, and she leads with an iron fist. She's psychotic, abusive, controlling; and above all else there's no end to how vengeful she can be."
"Is that why you sent your boyfriend and your daughter away?"
"Yes." She closed her eyes and uncrossed her legs. "I was tailing my father when he went to that café, he had quite a number done on his face." She chuckled softly. "The only 'threat' that remains to me or Jason and Rachel now would be my mother…Cat and Robbie are in line to become the newest enforcer and potential lawyer, but let's be honest." She thumbed her chest and narrowed her eyes. "I could take them and Andre down blindfolded if I really wanted."
"Okay, so you're poised to take over this crime syndicate. Why are you coming forward now?"
"Because I don't give a shit about them." Trina's eyes narrowed and she looked towards the observation window. Though Jade knew she couldn't see through the glass, she felt the woman's gaze upon her. "If mom knew Jade had been pregnant, she'd try to take her…throw her into one of the prostitution rings, sell Beck into slavery, and put their kid up into auction." Jade's stomach flipped and Beck closed his eyes, the muscles in his body tensing. "Beck's scrappy, strong, intelligent. You know how much he might fetch in one of Sombra's fucked up slavery auctions?"
"How much?"
"Probably about five or six grand. He'd make a good butler for some rich fuck in England." Jade cringed and looked at Beck with a frown. "That's all my mom knows is how to pin a price on a human being." Trina looked away, her expression growing somber. "As if they were cattle."
"I understand." Gary shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "It must be painful, knowing that you would inherit that."
"I would love nothing more than to be with Jason and to be with my daughter. So long as that bitch walks, they'll never be safe." Trina folded her hands on her knees and looked down, struggling on a breath. "But I know." She raised her head, the moisture in her eyelids reflecting in the light. "I know I won't be able to join them in the end."
"We'll see, you're willing to cooperate. Willing to testify against your parents?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
"There's also something more. My mother is held up in a bunker like area underneath the hospital." Gary straightened his posture, his eyebrows shot up and his lips separated. "She has a woman down there with her, and a bunch of babies stolen from the delivery rooms in the hospital."
"Okay, and this woman that's with her?"
"Her name is Sasha." Jade leaned forward, putting her hands to the glass. She felt her heart begin to race as she watched a look of disgust come over Trina. "I never knew the story until recently when I was down there. She mocked her, told her the only reason she was alive was to let her suffer until she could put Tori in the same boat. That woman is tortured because, supposedly, her father picked her mom over Holly's sister."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously, my mother is that crazy." Trina shuddered and closed her eyes. "I can't be party to that. Sasha is dying, though. I know she's not going to last much longer…"
"What makes you say that?"
"She hasn't been eating, has barely moved, overall the woman looks the weakest she's ever been." Trina glanced down and smacked her lips. "I moved her to a hospital room this morning and tricked my mother into the stupid cell she has down there."
"What?"
"She's locked up in her hideout. I wanted her to check something, made it seem like Sasha was trying to escape through some hole in the wall…stepped out and shut her in the cage." Gary raised a hand over his mouth and chuckled for moment. "As for Sasha, you can tell Spencer and Tori, she's in room number 340." Trina rolled her head to the left and narrowed her eyes. "I would send a few teams to the hospital first, if I were you. Quite a few doctors and nurses at that hospital are loyal to Holly, so if they find out she's stuck, they'd let her out. Not to mention, they have no idea about Sasha, she's listed as 'unknown' in the room she's in."
"Is the room hard to find?"
"It's on the top floor in one of the back hallways, it's not hard to find but it's obscure enough that no one would think to look there first."
"Thank you for your help today, Katrina."
Trina released a heavy sigh and shook her head. "I just want my daughter to grow up safe, I don't wish any more harm to Sasha either. She deserves to at least see Spencer, and her daughter. She doesn't deserve to die in a cold, dark room." Trina's voice cracked and she swept her fingers across her eyelids. "She did nothing to deserve what my mother did to her. All the people that my mom victimized, everyone, it has to end."
Trina's breathing quickened and she leaned forward, putting her hands onto the table. "It ends here. Mom and Dad wanted me to take over, to do what they do; but that's impossible. I'd sooner destroy the whole organization if I could, and here, this is the only way I know how."
Gary furrowed his brow and set his pen down. He took a few seconds to collect himself then spoke once again. "Are you their actual daughter? They've been active a very long time…"
"I am their child." Trina moved her head slowly from side to side, breathing in deep. "Much as I despise it. Their blood runs through my veins and my daughter; but I will never be my mother, and my daughter will grow up happy, at peace. She'll have the life I never had, the life Tori and her mother deserved to have." Trina looked to Gary for a moment, then to the observation window. "The life your girls deserve…" He opened his mouth and Jade did a double take, shocked but not surprised Trina knew this information. She looked to Sam, watching as the girl turned away and raised a hand over her eyes.
"I can't undo years of damage my mother did, and nothing I can say would ever make it right. I'm sorry for the hell suffered and lived by her victims. The least I can do is hand her to you on a silver platter."
Seems David being hauled in was just the thing Trina needed to take action-after all her parents were never separate. There's a lot to take in here, but it looks like the syndicate's days are numbered. She's right, she can't undo years of pain, but damned if she can't bring down the entire organization in one foul swoop.
