Missing

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 25 (Last of the Shapiro Line)

"I want answers!" Andre listened as Holly screamed at Robbie. The man was drenched in sweat and covered in bruises from head to toe. The man had yet to reveal what Andre did, proving to be more loyal than he first assumed Robbie to be. "The people I hired to protect this place are being killed, and their deaths don't appear to be random."

"I don't know." Robbie threw his hands up and let out a grunt as Holly sliced her nails across his face. Andre poked his head around the corner and cringed. Robbie was on his knees and his right hand was clutching the scratches on his cheek. Blood flowed through his fingers and down his wrist and face, dripping onto the floor.

Holly grabbed his throat and dug her nails into his neck. "You're lying to me, and you know what happens when you lie to me." Robbie's body trembled with fear as the woman's nostrils flared out. "I don't like liars, Robert. You have two parents and one surviving grandparent left alive, unfortunately that grandparent has a terminal illness, so he is useless to me."

"No! Don't hurt my mom and dad!"

"Even after nine years, you still hold any faith you're ever going to see them again." Holly backhanded him, sending him to the ground. "You should have just told me the truth, Robbie. The truth sets you free, you know." He curled into a ball, whimpering as she stormed off.

Andre rushed into the room and crouched down, shaking Robbie's arm. "Hey man, it's all right." He watched Robbie's eyes enlarge and leaned back as the man pulled his blood covered hand from his face.

"W-What have you been doing, Andre?" Andre cringed as the man's eyes shot over to him. "What the fuck have you done!" He looked away, unable to bring himself to answer. Robbie lunged forward and shoved him back. "You're not supposed to be the one going insane here. I'm taking the rap for you, and I don't even know what the hell's going on."

"I am only trying to get those girls out of here alive." He brushed his hands down his shirt and stood up. "That is my priority, and nothing else. I'll do whatever it takes to get them out of here-even if it means decimating the people Holly's been hiring to take out the police when they find us."

Robbie's hands flew to his hair and he spun around, gasping for air. "Jesus Christ, Andre! What do Cat and Trina think about all this?"

"They…don't know." His hands balled into fists and his jaw grew tight. "I don't plan on telling them either, at least not until they're safe. I don't want to endanger their lives with that knowledge."

Half an hour later in Los Angeles, Holly met up with a tall dark haired lady outside of the woman's work. She flashed a smile as the woman stopped and recognized her. "Holly? Is that you? I haven't seen you in ages."

"Good afternoon, Becky." Holly approached the woman and put her hand to her chest. "I've been out of the country for a while and heard about what happened to your son. I'm terribly sorry." Rebecca's brow furrowed and her face grew long. The woman's eyes dropped and she lowered her head.

"I don't want to talk about it. Robbie, and my daughter, they're both…" Rebecca choked up and tears broke from her eyes. Holly frowned at her and reached forward, patting the woman's back.

"Oh Becky." She spoke with a sweet tone and gave the woman a reassuring smile. "It will be okay, I know. My baby's still missing too." Rebecca gasped out and brought her hand up to her forehead.

"The detectives came to my house. They told me-told me my boy might be involved in the kidnapping." Her eyes widened and Holly brought her hand over her mouth, gasping aloud for the woman. "I can't imagine. Robbie…he would never!"

"Come dear, let's talk over coffee?"

"I don't know, I should get home. My husband, Tom, he doesn't want me working right now anyway. The police told me to take time off-but how can I possibly rest at a time like this?"

"I understand completely. When my little girl went missing, I had to stay on at the hospital. Night and day, I couldn't be home…there were far too many memories." She pulled a tissue from her pocket and handed it to the sobbing girl. "Dry your tears sweetheart and lets have a chat. I don't know if I can make anything better, but talking about it does help."

"I should be going, though." Rebecca reached into her purse and Holly watched her fidget for her phone. "I need to call my husband." Thinking on impulse, Holly put her hand out over Rebecca's wrist, stopping the woman.

"No need. I'll drive you home, you're emotional right now and shouldn't be driving."

"You'll take me home?"

"Yes dear." She closed her eyes and stretched out her smile with a pleasant chuckle.

Andre sat at the kitchen table with Robbie and Cat. Cat had a look of distress on her face and was reaching across the table, cupping his hand with hers. "I never thought I'd say this." She took a deep breath and looked to Robbie. "But Robbie's right. Andre, even if they're criminals, killing them is…it's wrong." Robbie was the one who told Cat, much to Andre's dismay.

He pulled his hand away and leaned to the side while covering his mouth with his hand. "But Holly wants to use them to take out the police." He glanced to the bandage on Robbie's face and felt an overwhelming rush of guilt. "I was doing this to protect everyone. I'm sick of not having control, and now I finally have some control."

"I love that you're trying to save us, but this isn't the way to go about it." She curled her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes with a gentle smile. "You're not a killer, Andre. I know you're not."

"I am doing what I think is the only thing I can do." He removed the list of names from his pocket and set it in front of the two. "There were thirty people, it's closer to twenty now. All these people are waiting for the day Holly calls them to say there's an investigator at the door…"

Cat's eyes scanned the page and the distress in her eyes worsened. Her voice trembled with fear at one point. "N-Nora's on this list? How did Holly find her?"

"I wouldn't know, but Nora's been out of prison a few years now. It looks like Holly went for people who had criminal background. Maybe Holly knew what she put you through, and that's how she heard of her. I was…looking for her next."

"What! No!" He flinched as Cat's eyes narrowed. "No more killing, Andre. Don't kill these people, not even her. The police will catch them, you don't need to do it. Trina and I need you here, we need you to protect us-but not like this. Do you understand? No more killing unless it's absolutely necessary."

He started to make a rebuttal, but the sound of the door slamming from the other room startled him. He grabbed the list and shoved it back into his pocket, turning just in time to see Holly storming in with frightened woman beside her.

Robbie shot up, his scream filled the room. "Mom?" Rebecca's mouth was stuffed with a handkerchief, and rope had been tied around her face to hold it in. Holly shoved the woman down to her knees and held out her hand to stop Robbie when he tried to run for his mother. "Let my mom go. She's not a part of this, Holly!"

Andre's eyes widened and Cat clutched her chest. "She became a part of this when you lied to me," Holly remarked, "I wanted you to see what happens when you lie to me." Robbie looked towards his mother and started to whimper. Andre began to stand and looked over his shoulder to see Cat moving towards Robbie. She was staring at Rebecca and slowly shaking her head.

"What is the point of all this?" She asked. Holly's eyes darted over to the redhead and her nostrils flared angrily. "You have us all under your control, we're not leaving you or acting out, so why bring our families into this? Why kill them?"

"Because dear." Holly smiled tenderly and reached for the pistol in her back pocket. Andre tensed his muscles and watched the tears roll down Rebecca's face. Rebecca dropped her head and the room grew silent except for the woman's bitter, muffled sobs. "Sometimes you do silly things and need to be disciplined or reminded of what's right. Of what our goal is."

Robbie reached out to his mom, his body was shaking violently and his lips quivered as he begged with a whisper to talk to his mother. Holly paused and turned her head towards him, still holding her smile.

"Robbie darling, would you love to say something to your mother? Maybe goodbye?"

"P-Please." He whimpered. "I want to talk to her. I want to tell her that I love her, that it's not my fault. I-I didn't want to kidnap Trina, I didn't want Megan to die. I'm sorry. Let my mom go! Please!"

"Aw, so touching. Maybe I should let her have a moment with her son." Rebecca's eyes widened and she leaned forward, her muffled screams pierced the air. Holly twisted partially and rolled her head to the right. "Becky dear, would you like to talk to your son? I'm in a generous mood, I might let you go…"

He could feel his heart pounding each second they stood there. His fingers trembled and temperature began to rise. Before he could say anything, the room shook with a mighty explosion.

"On second thought…" Rebecca collapsed to the floor and blood flowed from her right temple. "You could tell the police where to find us." Robbie dropped to his knees and ripped out with a powerful cry. "And that's unacceptable."

"Y-You bitch!" Robbie cried. Andre froze as the man jumped to his feet and lunged for Holly. "You fucking bitch! I'll kill you myself!" Robbie tackled Holly, his hands wrapped around her throat and his tears dropped down to the woman's shirt. "How could you kill my mother? She wasn't a part of this, she wasn't involved, and you killed her! You fucking bitch!"

Andre looked towards the door and squinted when he saw a tall, semi-muscular woman with long sandy brown hair. "Get off her," the woman demanded. Robbie looked up and Cat screamed.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Your replacement. Holly contacted me on the way over. I'm Nora."

"R-Replacement?" Holly pushed Robbie off with a growl and rose to her feet, while rubbing her throat.

"Yes," Holly cracked her neck and narrowed her eyes. "I wasn't sure until you just did that, but I no longer have any use for you." Robbie pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, looking up to the woman in terror. "My office has a camera, Robbie. I saw you take that list from my desk."

"What? N-No, I-" Robbie looked over to Andre, then dropped his head with a defeated sigh. "It was me. You're right."

Nora moved beside Holly and crossed her arms. "Looks like he's been killing the people on your list too." Andre clenched his eyes and turned his head away. "I see Samantha's little friend is a part of this clan. Has she ever taken a life, Mrs. Malone?"

"No, she's too much of a goody-goody to do that." Andre's eyes shot open and he saw Cat stiffen under the two women's glares.

"I say you should give her a little bit of corruption, Mrs. Malone." Nora's lips curled into a smirk and Holly looked from Robbie to the gun in her hand. "Back in the day, she had a crush on that boy on the ground. Wouldn't it be poetic for her to take his life?" Cat's hands flew to her mouth and she began shaking her head.

"Good idea, Nora." Robbie's body started to fall as Holly forced the gun into Cat's hand. "Go on sweetheart, pull the trigger." Andre growled at the sight. He needed to act. Cat couldn't be forced to take a life, even if it was Robbie.

Cat aimed the weapon with trembling arms. Tears ran along her face as she started to whimper. "No. I can't, I don't want to." Holly repeated herself, but with more firmness to her tone. Robbie turned his head up and met Andre's apologetic stare.

"It's okay," Robbie whispered, "It's better I go this way…" He never fathomed Robbie could be this loyal, not after all these years. His stomach tightened and tears fought to flee from his eyes.

"Fucking shoot him!" Holly yelled. Cat screamed aloud and shook her head, causing Andre's rage and hatred to increase. "Shoot him, or your relative's next." Cat's eyes widened and she looked to Holly.

"No, please! Anything but that!"

"Then shoot the fucking bastard now."

Unable to stand it anymore, Andre rushed forward and grabbed the gun from Cat. The air in the room evaporated and all movement ceased save for his arm flying towards Robbie. Robbie closed his eyes and smiled as Andre pulled the trigger, shooting the man in between the shoulders and just underneath the neck.

"Cat is no killer," Andre panted heavily and turned to Holly. Cat dropped to her knees and let her hands fall to the floor. "I won't let you force her to take a life. Do what you want with me, do what you want to my family, but you willfucking leave her and her family out of this! Do I make myself clear?"'

"Who are you to make demands?"

"I'm the man holding the fucking gun, and the man who could just as easily shoot you where you stand if I wanted to." He narrowed his eyes and Holly brought her hand up to her chest. "You're the kidnapper, you shouldn't be stupid enough to give your hostages a weapon."

"Yes." Holly smirked and motioned to Nora, then the other room. "But both Nora and Gary are equipped to deal with you if you act out."

"Yeah, but you want us to be loyal." He sneered and turned the gun around, then extended it. "You just let your most loyal hostage die, but I'm giving you this gun so you'll see that Cat and I are loyal, and maybe you won't kill those loyal to you."

"Fine." Holly swiped the gun and walked away. "Nora, have Gary help you load the bodies in the car. We're dumping them." Andre took a deep breath and watched the two leave. Once they were gone, he knelt beside Cat and put his arm around her shoulder.

Her empty gaze broke and her hands covered them. "Why did you do that, Andre? Why did you shoot him?" He pressed his lips together and looked to the body of his old friend.

"Because, they were going to make you do it, and you've never committed any crime in these last few years. You don't need to start now…" She broke into a fit of sobs and leaned into him, dropping her head onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around her body and gently pat her back. His eyes fell onto Robbie, and his voice broke. "Robbie and I, we've had our disagreements sure, and I never pegged him to be so loyal. I think he wanted release more than anything, and now he's with his mom and his sister."

"We're never getting out of here."

"No. I promise, I'll get you and Trina out of here." He kissed her on the top of her head and glanced back to Robbie's body. Robbie died taking Andre's secret to the grave so that he could stay alive and protect the girls, so that he could find a way. "I won't let Robbie's death be for nothing. I promise you…"

Are you surprised? To his last breath, Robbie was loyal. He could have destroyed the entire operation by spilling everything, but he didn't. Let us all have a moment of silence. Though now things are heating up, and Andre won't be going after any more of those criminals. He will have to think of something else. One more thing will happen to put him on hot coals.