Chapter Text
Sophie woke up with a throbbing pain in the back of her head. She instinctively tried to rub the back of her head to realize she’s restrained to a chair with her mouth tapped. She looked around frantically trying to get a better sense of her surroundings but all she can figure out is that she is probably being kept in an old abandoned warehouse.
A flash of how she arrived in her current state quickly crosses her mind. That bitch Erin. She spots a piece of glass on the floor and tries her best to scoot her way over. She starts to make progress and she is close until she pushes too hard and tumbles to her side onto the floor in the chair. She smiles internally when she notices that her fall has put her even closer to her target. Her wiggles and grunts come to a halt when she hears the opening of doors followed by the sound of heels hitting the floor in her toward her direction. The footsteps come to a halt behind her and the person hoovers over her. She attempts to keep wiggling toward the glass when a hand reaches over her and takes it up.
“Now now Soph, that just won’t do.” She stepped over Sophie and lifts both her and the chair back into an upright position. As the chair is fitted upright, Sophie is met with a grin. She’s met face to face with Erin who rips the tape from Sophie’s mouth and stands back with her arms folded.
Erin smiled at Sophie’s silence. “You’re not going to plead or beg for your life? Where’s the entertainment Soph give me something.”
“I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction bitch. I do want to know one thing. Why are you doing all of this?”
Before Erin could respond Sophie immediately cuts her off. “For Kate right? You’re in love with Kate.”
“Great now what we’re all caught up how about..”
“No we’re not all caught up yet. You’re doing all of this for Kate but I don’t want Kate and I never will. So what’s the point of all this. Just go and be with her and leave me alone!” Sophie’s eyes well with tears.
“The problem is that Kate wants you and I want to give Kate whatever she wants.” Erin walked toward Sophie and placed a hand on each side of the chair and leans in toward Sophie.
“I see why she’s so enamored with you.” Erin runs her hand over Sophie’s cheek as she recoils from the other woman’s touch.
“You’re absolutely stunning.” She leaned in and whispers into Sophie’s ear.
“I’m almost tempted to take you right here right now. Your eyes are doing things to me.” Erin purred causing Sophie to wiggle her head in hopes of getting away from her.
“Anyway, now you’re awake you can watch phase two of my plan in real time.” She checked her watch.
“Would you look at the time. I have to skedaddle, it’s time for my main act.” Erin pulled out another syringe and injects Sophie into the neck once again.
“You’re not going to get away with this you know. Someone will come looking for me and they will find me.” Sophie slurred until she went unconscious.
“But you won’t be missing babes.” Erin laughs out comically as she walks away.
______________________
Ryan and Kelly were so deep into the files Luke sent over about Jada that they hadn’t even opened the bottle of tequila sitting on the counter in front of them. The more Ryan read, the angrier she became. Reading that Jada’s company spearheaded projects slated to help low income families and foster kids especially those aged out of the system hit Ryan particularly hard.
They were currently watching a speech Jada gave just a month ago at a charity event she hosted for the foster care system.
Kelly watched as Ryan zeroed in on her words as she spoke.
“No child deserves to have to brave this cold, lonely, unpredictable world alone. As a society, we must do our part to support those who are without. There is no reason that they should not be afforded a fair chance to play this game called life. It is because of..”
Ryan slapped the computer shut and walked over to the window and just stood there. Her anger now replaced by sadness. How could this woman say these things knowing she abandoned a child herself. Was this her way of trying to atone for her own mistakes? Ryan could barely think straight.
When Ryan was silent for too long Kelly stood and approached her.
“I’m so sorry Ry..” Kelly placed a hand on Ryan’s shoulder as she stood behind her.
“Why are you sorry? Did you subject a child to the foster care system and then decided to become an advocate for that same child?” Ryan turned with tears in her eyes.
“No but I’m still sorry, come here.” Kelly wrapped Ryan in her arms and allowed the smaller woman to cry.
The two were pulled out of their sisterly moment by the sound of Ryan’s phone going off.
“That’s probably your girl calling to check up on you.” Kelly teased as Ryan walked back over to the sofa and grabbed her phone. She was shocked to see Joey’s name on the caller ID but equally happy, the kid was growing on her rapidly.
Ryan quickly picked “Hey Joey, what’s up is everything ok?”
When Joey didn’t respond Ryan got worried.
“Joey you there?” Ryan pressed.
“Uh yeah, I’m good. It’s just that I have a bad feeling and I think you’re the only person who would understand what I mean.”
Ryan didn’t miss the panic in her voice. She knew it all too well. Children in the system who weren’t quite settled were always anxious about if their situation would change. They could go from stable to back in a home quickly.
“Tell me, Kelly is here too we would both like to help.” Ryan put the phone on speaker incase Kelly could help soothe whatever was going on with the girl.
“The felling isn’t about me, I think something is wrong with Soph.” Joey whispered. Ryan could tell she probably stepped away from the others to answer the call.
“What would make you think that?” Kelly cut in.
“I’ve called and I have texted her numerous times but she hasn’t responded. Plus the text she sent me earlier was weird.” Joey’s voice was thick with worry.
“She’s probably just caught up with her work but weird how?” Ryan said while she went through her own messages to see if she got anything from Sophie herself.
“No you don’t get it. Soph.. she always answers my messages and calls. It doesn’t matter how busy she is.”
Ryan also knew that about Sophie, when they were talking about Joey the older woman did mention that whatever she had going on she would drop immediately for the girl.
“What was the message you thought was weird?” Kelly cut in to ask.
“She told me to have a great day and not to eat too much ice cream but she knows I’m lactose.” Joey said which caused Ryan to raise her eyebrows.
“Well yeah that is strange, how about I head over there and get her on the phone to calm your nerves would that help?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah would you? I know I probably sound paranoid but I can’t help but shake how I feel like she’s in danger or something. I’m sorry to disturb you two.”
“No you’re good. You can always call me about anything. I promise.” Ryan looked at Kelly and smiled.
“We will call you back when we get there try to relax until then yeah?” Kelly laughed to try to sooth some of the girls worries.
“Yeah I will. Thanks guys. Bye.” Joey hung up and both women looked at each other.
Ryan looked at the message from Sophie one more time. It wasn’t an odd message but as Joey mentioned it just seemed weird. Sophie wishing her a good day seemed out of place for the kinda of morning she knew Ryan had.
“I really want to spend the day being mad and digging up things on Jada but right now my girl comes first. Something is strange, Joey is right.”
“Well let’s go figure out if I need to cut a bitch.” Kelly smirked before the two headed to change to head toward Sophie’s office.
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On the way to Sophie’s office, Ryan called Luke to update him and find out if he had received a strange text from Sophie and to her surprise he did and had also tried to call her on numerous occasions. He was currently sitting in his cave trying his best to reactivate the cameras at her office.
“Do you think this is Jada?” Ryan asked.
“I mean I don’t think so but I also don’t know. Based on what she pulled this morning it’s possible especially because she does have the tech to disable my codes.” Luke was typing away as he spoke to Ryan.
“I’m soon in it will only take five more minutes how far away are you guys?”
“We’re about to pull in, did you text me the access codes?” Ryan asked as she pulled up to the entry of the hidden underground parking.
“Yeah everything is there and guys?” Luke pleaded.
“Please be careful.” Kelly and Ryan glanced at each other as they pulled the car up next to Sophie’s.
“Well her car is here, so that’s either a good or a bad sign.” Kelly responded.
Both ladies got out of the car and Kelly immediately pulled out her gun.
“Is that a gun! Why do you have a gun!” Luke yelled.
“I take it the cameras are back online.” Ryan smiled as she pulled out her own gun.
“You know what, we will talk about this later.” Luke sighed.
The next code is for entry to the building. Walk right up and make a left. I’m trying to pull up the excluded surveillance.
As Kelly and Ryan entered the entry way they both gasped at the trail of blood across the floor leading to another exit.
“Luke.. I don’t think she’s here.” Ryan walked closer to the trail of blood and bent down to pick up one of Sophie’s earrings.
Luke immediately projected the video of Sophie being attacked and pulled away by Erin in front of Kelly and Ryan.
Ryan was sick of the day she was having. She stood up and looked Kelly dead in the eyes. “Luke find this bitch!”
“I’m already on it but it’s been hard to unscramble to signal she put on Sophie’s phone but I’m working on it.” Luke was once again typing away at his computer.
Kelly approached a seething Ryan. “I know you’re pissed but I also know you’re terrified. We will find her and bring her home ok?” Kelly squeezed Ryan’s arm.
“Luke?” Ryan asked into her phone.
“I’m working on it Ryan!” He immediately apologized for yelling.
“I’m sorry it’s just.. It’s Soph and she’s..” Luke trailed off.
“Your best friend in the whole wide world I know. I’m sorry I know you’re doing everything you can.” Ryan apologized.
“It’s taking longer than I would like, but I’m running every code possible.” Luke replied.
“Maybe I can help.” Both Kelly and Ryan turned around to see none other than Jada jet standing in front of them.
____________________
Back at the warehouse Sophie had no idea how much time had passed but she was now thirsty. She could feel the blood being cut off at her hands and feet from the rest of her body. In another act of desperation hoping someone would be able to hear her, she started screaming for help to no avail. She wasn’t sure if she was actually screaming It felt like she was in a dream of sorts.
After what felt like hours of screaming she heard Erin laughing as she approached her from behind.
“What no more yelling?” Erin began to mock Sophie’s pleas for help but remained behind her.
“Please just let me go, I will do whatever you want. I’ll make Kate want you I promise.” Sophie pleaded as tears stream down her face.
“But you see the problem is that Kate wants you Soph and whatever my girl wants, my girl gets.” Erin laughed as she rounded the chair in front of Sophie.
Sophie gasped as the woman stood in front of her. It was like looking into a mirror.
“What do you think Soph? You look amazing on me don’t you?” Erin laughed as Sophie was too stunned to speak.
“What is it the shirt? I knew I should have gone with a blazer. I don’t know I think this one is perfect.” Erin cooed.
“You are… one …. crazy bitch.” Sophie spat.
“You won’t get away with this, there’s no way you can pull off being me bitch!” Sophie yelled.
“See that’s where you’re wrong. I have been studying you for months. I know every single thing about you. The way that you walk, the way you move and all of your little quirks.”
Erin continued. “The only thing that I can’t help obviously are these two things. She quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out contacts the exact same color as Sophie’s eyes. Then she proceeded to push on the vein pulsing out of her neck and her voice changed and she sounded exactly like Sophie.
“Now that I’ve presented my final act, I must be on my way Soph. I wish I could stay and chat but my new life awaits me.”
“This should put you out for good.” Erin pulled out another syringe and flooded Sophie one last time before she walked away with a maniacal laugh.
________________
“This day cannot be fucking real.” Kelly whispered as Jada walked into the room.
“I won’t bore you with pleasantries. I absolutely abhor that we must meet this way but what is done is done.” Jada eyed the gun in Ryan’s hand but decided to further approached her.
“Is it true?” Ryan wanted to cut through the bullshit.
“Ryan, you must know that it’s not all that it appears to be.” Jada looked so unsure of what to do but continued to approach Ryan nonetheless.
“But is it true? Is everything I read true?” Ryan further pressed.
“Yes but there’s a lot I promise to answer after we get Sophie back and Erin turned over to her handler.”
Jada’s words caused Ryan to look up back to her in shock.
“Yes I know everything too.” Jada set her purse down and took a stunned Ryan’s phone from her.
“Luke, my people are there. Which means within a minute you should be able to locate anyone you’re trying to find.” Jada looked at Ryan who had wide eyes.
Kelly quickly approached her and rested a hand on Ryan’s arm before she could speak. “Not now Ry. Soph first, egg donor later. Okay?”
Ryan tore her gaze away from Jada to acknowledge Kelly with a nod of her head.
“I know this may all be overwhelming for you but it really is going to be ok. Just let me help Ryan.”
Ryan didn’t want Jada anywhere near her but she knew she needed the unlimited resources Jada had to get Sophie back safely.
“Ok, fine.” Ryan snarked. “Start talking.”
“Obviously someone stole confidential information of mine and I had my people follow the trail. What I didn’t expect to uncover was you obviously but I also didn’t expect to find the danger that was following you around.”
Jada continued. “Luke wasn’t the only one digging into my information. My team also traced links back to one Erin Baciu, also known as the silent viper. I couldn’t figure out why she would be looking into me so I did some digging myself. Not only is she dangerous but she’s gone rogue and is no longer taking commands from her handler.”
“How do you know all this?’ Ryan questioned.
“Let’s just say I have friends in high places.” Jada smirked.
“I contacted them and filled them in and they too have been looking for her. She’s supposed to be out of the country and laying low.”
Jada hadn’t expected to meet Ryan this way and the situation wasn’t ideal but she was sure glad to finally set her eyes on the young woman from her last charity function. She wasn’t sure then but since then she’s been doing everything she can to figure out if Ryan was truly her daughter.
“Guys check this out.” Luke’s voice ran through followed by a video projection of Erin dragging Sophie into an old warehouse. What was even freakier was the footage of Sophie walking out the place with not a scratch on her.
“What the fuck?” Ryan was confused.
“So she’s ok, she escaped?” Kelly asked.
“No, she hasn’t.” Jada responded.
“That’s another thing I needed to warn you about. Erin is a master of faces. She can turn herself into anyone she wants. Which means Sophie is still in there. Hopefully alive.”
Before Ryan could say anything Luke pulled up the coordinates of the abandoned warehouse Erin was seen leaving.
“Kelly I need you to head back to my place and try to keep things calm with Joey, I don’t know the girl very well but if she’s anything like us when we were kids she’s spiraling. Luke and I will go to the warehouse.” Ryan started moving toward the door.
“I’ll meet you there. Keep me on the line Ryan.” Luke said.
Before Ryan could get any further Jada stepped into her path.
“What are you looking for a thank you lady? Thank you. Now move out of my way.” Ryan tried to move past Jada but she stepped into her path once again.
“Ryan you don’t know what you’re walking yourself into. This could be a trap for all you know. You and Luke can’t just go charging in there without any back up.” Jada pleaded.
“The hell we can’t! She’s all out there and alone and probably hurt. We need to do something!” Ryan yelled.
“Yes we do, that’s where I come in. Her handlers now have all of this information. Let Luke go, I know this may sound crazy and you want to get to your girl but Erin is still out there impersonating her and we need to catch her. We need you to do that.”
Ryan thought for a second, as much as she wanted to get to Sophie and hold her in her arms she knew that their problems wouldn’t go away unless they got rid of Erin.
“She’s right sis. This needs to end once and for all. I can see the wheels turning in your head but you know she’s right.”
Ryan looked toward Jada. “Fine, what exactly do I need to do?”
Jada smiled and picked up her cell. “We’re a go. We’ll meet you in twenty minutes.”
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Sophie lost track of how much time had passed. The surroundings of the warehouse didn’t change but she was sure the morning had long passed. She wasn’t sure if she was hallucinating or dreaming when she felt her hands and legs go free. She was sure she was still feeling the effects of whatever Erin had injected her with hours prior.
“Soph? Can you hear me? It’s me Luke.” Luke wrapped his arms around Sophie and signaled for the paramedics to approach her.
“Luke?” It was faint but Luke let out a sigh of relief.
“It’s me Soph, I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I knew you would come for me.” Sophie smiled before her body went limp once again.
The paramedics came rushing over to secure Sophie to a stretcher. They needed to work fast, it looked like Sophie might have been poisoned.