The Rookie

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

Chapter 25 (The Reunion)

The rich caramel coffee enticed Beck's tongue as he took a long, slow sip from his mug. His gazed went past the mug, locked on the blonde seated at the other end of the interrogation table. There were many questions he had for her, but a great deal of the pieces were finally coming together. "I'm sorry to say," he began after swallowing the liquid, "Jackson did not survive."

Sam closed her eyes, bowing her head. Her shoulders were slumped and she sat with a slouch, either a sign of a woman defeated or of relief he couldn't be certain. "He's at peace then. Neither he or Nathan wanted to go back to prison, but there was no getting out otherwise."

Beck set his mug down on the papery coaster, his breathing calm still. "We found the schedules and paperwork left behind." He knew they had to act fast, that just because Sam and her crew had been brought in didn't mean the remaining victims were out of the water. "Care to elaborate on this contract and its terms? Seems to me that Sunday is an important day."

"Did you happen to catch the date?" Sam lifted her head and reclined a bit in her seat. "The anniversary of the day she miscarried." Beck furrowed his brow and parted his lips as if to speak. "She wanted me to take her life and then I would be dead as well. Nathan and Jackson didn't seem to realize I wasn't going to escape whatever fate they'd have."

"What was stopping you from walking out all these years?"

Sam shook her head. "I don't know. Messed up loyalties, sense of duty?" Raising her shoulders, she let them drop and then turned her head to the right. "At first it was friendship, a bond. She came from a fucked up family, so did I. We just clicked. The further things went, the more distant and emotionless she became. Her sense of justice was so warped she wanted to dispense what she felt was earned onto everyone that she felt was responsible for the way her life turned out."

Beck frowned, but said nothing. He could understand how Sam might attach herself to someone with a similar background and be so willing to follow her; but it was still hard to believe that she was willing to stay. "Once you saw the change in her, you continued to stay."

Sam tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed at him. "By that point I'd already set up my gang, I'd already committed myself to a criminal life and I was convinced there was no getting out of it." The woman folded her hands over one another, narrowing her eyes at them. "Of course, having stuck down that teacher, my course was already decided…Even if I wanted to release my team, Trina made it clear her intentions for them."

"What were those?"

"We were all going to die, almost as if we were following some sort of cult figure." Sam scoffed, her voice trembling with a sense of anger building within her. "The least I could do for them was convince Trina to allow them some free time, and of course she relented and decided to do so with the exception that trackers be hidden with everything they owned."

"I see."

"It was a job, they were paid; but it was also forced labor at the same time. As for the victims, I instructed my team that there was to be no abusing them. I had to be firm, but there were times Trina wanted me to make them afraid so they wouldn't try anything." Sam closed her hands firmly and narrowed her eyes. "I suppose I did try to grow closer to her, try to reach her and gauge just how far she really wanted to carry through with her plans."

"And what would you say to that?"

"I'm pretty sure after what that asshole did to Cat, she was losing a bit of her resolve. I could see it, and I'm sure the others could." The woman relaxed herself for a bit, shutting her eyes and shaking her head. "After all, she expected me to carry out the bulk of everything. I think in the end, she doesn't have the resolve to be the one to end their lives. She could be brutal, her rage was always powerful; but even still she never raised a hand to them."

"I understand Todd Williams was a part of your crew."

Sam waved her hand dismissively. "He was." Her tone fell flat and her eyes narrowed with sharpness. "A late addition to my crew, I didn't look into his background properly. It was my fault. Trina was so angry, she beat him to an inch of his life; but I felt responsible for even bringing him on, so I was the one that ended his life. I will say, I don't regret his death."

Beck nodded, his half-lidded gaze drifting to the coffee mug. Part of him wanted to agree, but he couldn't voice his opinion. His hand grasped the handle of the mug while his thumb lightly caressed the top of the rounded handle. "I understand you used your one phone call to Trina." His eyes drifted back in time to see her frown and then follow up with a curt nod of her head.

"Who do I have to call? My father? Melanie?" Sam shrugged. "At this point no one wants anything to do with me."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Carly seemed very eager for me to help you in some way." He caught a flicker of a smile on Sam's face. "Even Gibby was insistent on that, claiming he wouldn't so much as give a region for the victims until we found you."

"Probably wise." Sam let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand across her forehead. "You've met Nathan, you saw Jackson up there. If the police stormed the cave, there would be no doubt they'd shoot the victims on the spot."

Raising an eyebrow, Beck smiled at her. "Cave? Did you mean to say that just now?" Sam looked towards him, her eyes were soft and difficult to read; but there was a glint of honesty in her gaze.

"I did. As for calling Trina, well…I'm not blind, detective. My team didn't catch it, neither did Trina; but I saw Jade working out in her cell." Beck's heart came to a stop and his breath caught in his throat. "I could see her scheming whenever she looked out her cell door, trying to hide any trace of what she was doing. I thought maybe she was trying to plan an escape somehow."

"Escape? Really?"

"It would be difficult if my team were there. Us all being arrested and Trina being the only one there, well…" Sam chuckled softly and sadness replaced her tone, mingling with doubt. "It was a gamble really, there was could be no chance Jade would be planning one or if she even had an opportunity; but I wanted to distract Trina. I wanted to take her attention off the captives, if only for a moment, to create an opportunity for any one of them to get out."

"A high risk to take, especially when there's no real certainty."

"Yeah; but I could see the spark go back into her." Sam started to smirk. "She'd given up long ago, but all of a sudden she'd started picking herself up." Beck felt a sense of pride as well, relishing in the thought that Jade wouldn't stop fighting. "It was after Cat's death, but I saw that fire. I saw a lot of myself in Jade sometimes, even as I would sit there listening to her conversations with her friends. Especially Tori."

"Tori?"

"Oh yeah, the anger they had towards her for years." It was understandable, he had to think on the circumstances that led to it all. "But I knew if I were in her shoes, I'd try to get the hell out of there somehow."

"In a way, you were in her shoes."

"And what happened when the police arrived at the café? I was the one ordering my team to stand down. I saw the police as my escape. Maybe Jade found a way too?"

His heart sank as he entertained the possibility for a moment. "Cold as Trina's become, I doubt it would be simple. There's also no certainty that she would try to escape." He cleared his throat and lifted his coffee mug towards his mouth. "However, if you know the location, we can go rescue them."

Sam opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted when the door swung open. Turning, Beck lifted his head to an officer that just entered the room. "Sir, there's news."

"Should I wrap up this interview?"

The officer nodded. "A lifeguard down by a beach near Del Rey called in, said there's a woman calling for the police and asking specifically for you." His eyes widened and he looked to Sam in disbelief, his heart began to race and he nearly dropped the coffee.

Could it be? The unlikeliest of scenarios in his mind, but how possible was it that such a rare sliver of opportunity could present itself? He knew it could, things like this had happened before.

He recalled a case when he was younger, of three women locked up in a home for a decade and one of them escaped thanks to one small chance presenting itself in such rare fashion.

"Del Rey seems to pop up a lot. Would they even know I'm an officer?"

Sam nodded at him. "There's a small beach in the area that is less frequented than the main beaches, there's a path somewhat hidden away that leads to an obscure cavern. That's where Trina set up base, turning it into a prison." Sam raised a hand, poking out a finger in the air. "And yes, the three know you're an officer. You've been discussed on multiple occasions."

"Shit." He rose to his feet and turned away, grabbing his jacket off the chair. Glancing at the two-way mirror, he gestured to the door. "Dennison, we're going." There was no time to waste, if one of the victims had escaped then there was no telling how Trina may react to the others.

Before exiting, he paused and looked towards Sam once more. "You had a chance to take me out once." Sam pressed her lips firmly together and turned her head to the side. "What stopped you?"

"I told Trina it was her phone call that did. I simply chose not to carry out her orders."

Her words gave him pause, but unable to think more on the matter, he left the room in haste.

It wasn't long before Beck and Ian arrived at the beach, his eyes scanned the area hastily as if expecting Jade to materialize out of thin air. Of course, it could always be Tori; but something in his gut told him it wouldn't be.

Perhaps it was just a sense of hope, or longing, to think after all these years she'd been so close. He followed behind Ian, looking left and right down the beach, half expecting as well to see Trina. They hadn't drawn their weapons, but they knew to anticipate anything, and therefore had backup nearby.

Still, he knew Trina enough to not underestimate her. There was no chance she'd attempt to ambush a squad of officers, especially if she was aware they were looking to arrest her.

Hell, after Gibby's interview, Beck had ordered protective watch be placed over the Malone household where David was now staying. Sure, Gary could handle himself and protect Holly and David well enough, but even he agreed it would be better to have police presence near the place.

"Beck, over there." Ian pointed down the beach towards a small hut. A man in a lifeguard vest was waving in the air, trying to get their attention. Glancing around once more, they hurried over.

Beck had to fight to hold back his emotions as he still had a duty to perform. They needed to establish a presence and figure out what happened and what was going on. As if on cue, the blonde haired lifeguard began talking, his voice quick but calm.

"There weren't a lot of guests at our beach, they usually go to the main one down the road; so I was just sitting there not expecting any trouble. Most days are calm. Then out of nowhere, this woman comes running up looking like she'd just been in a fight." The man waved his hand to the hut. "She's just inside, I gave her some water and fresh clothes. She insisted I ask for Detective Oliver, she was apparently afraid of some other officer showing up."

Beck signaled to Ian. "Get that report, if you will." Ian nodded and a few officers circled the pair.

Stepping in front of the oak door, Beck felt a heaviness descending upon him. His pulse quickened and his body grew hot as he placed a trembling hand on the door's surface.

Closing his eyes, he tried to steady his heavy breathing. Try as he might, it was near impossible to push his emotions aside as he knew he ought to. After all, this was not a normal crime victim. No. Behind this door, he knew was either Jade or Tori. It would take everything he had not to collapse under the pressure.

Years of grief, anxiety, and depression had come down to this moment; and he felt those years pushing heavy on his heart.

Slowly he pushed the door open, allowing light to spill into the dimly lit room. Beck had been wearing his shades, but decided it was best to leave them on as he often did when wanting to mask his emotions.

"Forgive me," he whispered aloud as if knowing he needed to apologize for not being there or for taking so long.

When he saw her, his lips parted an he froze on the spot, unable to process what his next move should be. He had to be reserved, but he wanted to rush in and hold her.

Jade lifted her head to him, her teary gaze locked with his and both of them choked out a sob.

He heard Ian's voice call from outside, asking him if he needed a moment. "I don't know. Call it in, one of the kidnapped victims is here. Jade West." His body trembled as he approached her, his gaze never leaving hers as he knelt down in front of her. "Oh Jade…"

"You actually came." Jade shut her eyes, weeping as Beck gingerly wrapped his arms around her. She leaned in, allowing the hug. "I was so scared."

"I'm so sorry. I should've been there for you." He felt her hands clutching his shirt, her fingers seemed frail and for the first time he felt like she might shatter like glass if he held her too tight.

"Robbie and Tori, they're alive." Jade's breathing was raspy and wracked with sobs. "It was Trina, she's the one that held us."

"I know, the police are looking for her." Beck released her, standing upright and breathing in sharply.

In the next few moments, Beck had contacted Jack. Jade was going to be flown, via helicopter, to the hospital. Something that Beck found ironic in a mournful way; but she didn't want to go alone or with strangers, and he couldn't go with her as he and Ian needed to find this cave.

Fortunately, Jade's initial witness statement would give them a path. For Jack, it didn't take long for him to arrive, speeding down the beach to find his cousin. He'd beaten the helicopter by mere seconds. Beck hated not going with them, but he promised Jade he'd be with her soon, preferably in plainclothes.

Wiping the tears from his eyes as he watched the helicopter leave without him, he turned to Ian, who placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Let's find the others," Ian whispered. "It's better you go see her off duty, you know that. Besides, time's of the essence."

"Of course, it's just difficult after all these years. Seeing her alive again, knowing she was so close." Ian gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before withdrawing his hand. "You know, the only reason I wasn't taken with them was because I was off getting a brief helicopter ride around the city."

Beck chuckled vainly as Ian lifted his eyebrows. "Really now?"

"I was going to surprise her with a tour of the city in a helicopter, I was going to propose there too." Beck raised his eyes to the helicopter, now just a blip in the sky that could be mistaken for a fly if not careful. "Pretty sure she would've preferred that ride to this one."

"I'm sure…Come on, we need to get moving."

"Yeah, there's no telling what to expect. If Tori and Robbie are still alive, or if Trina's already…" He paused, his breath catching in his throat as fresh tears began to sprout. He shook them off with a sigh. "Hope for the best, plan for the worst."

"Worst case scenario, Katrina's waiting for us."

Beck looked over his shoulder at the various squad cars and sea of uniforms behind them and gave a dry chuckle. "She may have gone insane, but I don't know if she's crazy enough to stay put and take on what she knows is coming for her."

Well, a bit to unpack. So, thoughts?