Chapter 47: Face to Face
Ariana's P.O.V.
It's been a week since we announced that I wanted to speak with Jai to the public. We gave him a deadline date for his chance to call me. And turns out that deadline date is today.
For the past six days, we have been sitting here, at the police station, awaiting his call. We have got nothing from him so far.
We now still wait for something.
I sit here, at Woodrow's desk, waiting for the phone to ring. For it to just ring once.
Justin sits by my side, also waiting, along with Woodrow and his officers. They all sit in front of me, with a machine connected to the phone. That way if Jai does call me, they can hear what he is saying out loud.
Isabelle sits on Justin's lap, a yawn escaping her mouth. Her eyes are closed as she lays in his arms. Her hands hold tightly onto Justin's shirt. He just stares down at her, and runs his fingers through her hair.
I look at the clock and its reads 7:30 pm. We have been sitting here, bored out of our minds, still waiting for Jai to freaking call.
I honestly feel like we've wasted so much time already. We shouldn't be sitting here, we should be out in the city looking for Sophia. I know we have run out of options, but I don't know if I can stand sitting here any longer. We still have to wait until midnight. That's when the deadline is officially over.
"I really don't think he's gonna call guys"I sigh, breaking the silence.
"We still have about five more hours Ariana. We just have to have hope that he will call us"Woodrow says.
"My hope on him calling us, was gone by day three"I tell him.
"Look, I know this is frustrating. It's frustrating to all of us. But right now we are sticking to the plan. If he doesn't call than fine. But until midnight, we are not gonna give up on this call"Justin speaks.
"I agree with Justin"Woodrow nods. I slump back in my chair, feeling bored out of my mind.
I feel my stomach starting to grumble. I haven't eaten much today. All I had was an apple and a granola bar early this morning.
"I'm gonna go get something out the vending machine"I say and stand up.
"No, what if Jai calls?"Fred asks, Woodrow giving me a stern look as well.
"I'll only be gone for less than a few minutes"I roll my eyes and begin to walk towards the door.
"I'm coming with you"Justin says, about to stand up. "I can go by myself. I know where it is"I snap at him and walk out, before he can say anything back.
I've been cranky all day. My hormones have been running wild.
Everyone understands though. I'm only like this because I'm pregnant. And when I'm pregnant, I can't control how I feel.
I pass a few police officers as I roam through the station. I walk right into a empty, narrow hallway where the vending machine sits.
I take out three quarters from my pocket, and put it in the machine. I press on a button for a bag of barbecue chips to come out.
The chips begin to move, but stops midway. It's now stuck between the stupid circular rings.
I sigh and press the button again. I continue to push it until finally the chips fall. I smile as I reach down to pick up the chips in the machine bin.
I gladly open up the chip bag and take a chip out. I reach the chip towards my mouth, ready to eat it.
I than feel hands wrap around my mouth. The chips drop out my hand and onto the floor. Something black is placed over my head, preventing me from seeing anything.
Justin's P.O.V.
The phone begins ringing, breaking the silence in the room.
Me, Woodrow, and Fred look at each other. This is it. This has to be Jai calling now. The phone hasn't rung once all week. An now it has, right when Ariana isn't in the room.
"S-Should I answer it?"I ask them and Woodrow nods. Him and Fred are huddling around the speaker connected to the phone, so that when I pick up, they can hear the conversation.
The phone continues to ring as I quickly place Isabelle on the chair, soundly sleeping.
I reach for the phone and hesitantly answer it.
"H-hello?"I ask into the phone.
I hear nothing but silence. I look up at Woodrow and Fred but they shrug their shoulders, confused as I am.
"Hello?"I ask again.
Only this time, I hear something back. But it's not a voice, instead it's the tune of a song. Slow and soft jazz music plays through the receiver as I look at Woodrow and Fred even more confused.
"This doesn't make sense"Woodrow speaks. "Something about this doesn't feel right"He says.
"Yea, it feels sorta like some distraction"Fred furrows his eyebrows.
Distraction?
Ariana.
I stand up out of my chair and run out of Woodrow's office. I frantically rush through the police station calling out Ariana's name.
"Ariana! Ariana!"I continue to yell.
I hurry to the vending machine only not to find her. Instead I find an opened bag of chips on the floor. Chips are spread across the floor in a scattered mess.
I hear Woodrow and Fred behind me now. I turn towards them. Fred holds Isabelle in his arms and they both look at me still with confused looks.
"Something happened to her!"I begin panicking even more.
I hear the station speakers go on and a ruffled voice go over the intercom.
Ariana's P.O.V.
"My oh my what a beautiful sight"Jai stands in front of me, his hands caressing my cheeks. He has a mask on his face, but I know it's him. Who else would it be?
He speaks into the intercom. Justin able to hear everything he's saying right now.
"You guys wanted to hear me and Ariana while we talked. Well here you go"He chuckles into the intercom. Obviously referring to Justin, Woodrow, and Fred. Only now the whole station can hear him.
We are in a dark room with a tiny lightbulb lighting up the room. I sit in a chair, with my hands and feet tied up.
At least we are still in the station. The question is, where in the station are we?
"What do you want?"I snap at him, feeling angry.
"Isn't it obvious sweetheart. I want you"He says, moving my hair behind my ear. I move my face away from his touch.
"Don't worry love, I'm not going to take you away just yet"He says, and backs away.
"Now, you wanted to ask some questions. You have three minutes"He says.
"Three minutes?"I ask.
"That's all the time I'm giving you. Sophia is waiting for me to come back home to her"He says.
"Where is she?"I ask, wanting to tear out of these ropes so bad. I want to just go over and choke him.
"That remains a question. Sorry sweetheart, can't give you the answer to that right now"He laughs.
This is my only chance to actually get some answers from him. Only if he cooperates though.
"Fine, let's start with the beginning than. Why did you take Isabelle and than return her less than two days later?"I ask.
"Well, let's just say, I saw how much pain you were in so I returned her and kept Sophia. Plus Isabelle was quiet a handful, I wasn't gonna last long with her anyways"He answers me.
"But why take them? Why keep Sophia and not take me instead?"I ask.
"Because, Sophia is our daughter Ariana. All I want is for us to be a family"He caresses my cheek.
"Sophia is not your daughter you psychopath! I don't want to be apart of your family. I want my daughter back"I snap at him.
"You have two minutes left"He backs away. I have to get more information out of him.
"Why did you kill your brother Luke?"I ask him. "We know it wasn't his blood in our house, they scanned it and it doesn't belong to him"I say.
"Luke was beginning to fall for you. He didn't know I figured it out but I did. So, I had to get rid of him"He says.
"But he's your brother"I say, disgusted.
"So? He wasn't working for me"He says. What?
"Yes he was, Jai"I say to him, his name slipping out of my mouth.
He just begins laughing. I look at him so confused now.
"You actually think I'm Jai huh? I've been waiting for you guys to figure it out already but you sure as hell aren't even close. I'm not that pathetic. Jai's plan was genius, yes. And I've taken a few ideas from him but the difference between me and him is that my plan will actually work"He says.
"Wait, hold on. Your telling me that Jai is out there somewhere on the loose without my daughter. And that you, whoever the hell you are, actually has Sophia?"I ask, completely scared. I know Jai, but I don't know the guy standing in front of me right now.
"You got it correct sweetheart"He chuckles.
"Why are you telling me this? You could have just went on and pretended be Jai, but you told me your not him"I say.
"Because, I've sat back for the last few weeks as you all call me Jai. And I wanted to tell you I'm not"He says. "Than who are you?"I ask.
"That's something I just can't answer either baby. But I can tell you that I love you"He says.
"You don't love me. If you did, you would return Sophia and turn yourself in"I say.
"Sweetheart"He says and walks towards me again. His masked face directly in front of mine. "Love is pain"He says and chuckles again.
"Now, you have time for one more question. What shall it be?"He asks.
I think before I say my last question. I'm about to ask him something else about Luke but I decide not to. Instead I ask this.
"Can you tell me one thing and one thing only. Since I know your not Jai anymore, and I know that you won't tell me your real identity. Can you at least tell me if I know you?"I ask him.
"Actually you do. You met me once"He says.
"How long ago was it?"I ask.
"You met me before your wedding"He says.
"That's it? I only met you once. I haven't seen you again?"I ask.
"No, you haven't"He says.
"But-"I say but he cuts me off.
"Sorry love, that's all the time we have today. I do want to offer another task to you. Would you mind passing this along to Justin? He can hear us now anyways but just in case, tell him I want him to buy out a jet for me"He says.
"An jet? Why do you-"I can't finish my sentence because he puts his finger over my lips to shush me.
"Just tell him alright?"He says.
"I'll see you very soon again beautiful."He says. "Take care of that baby"He says placing his hand on my stomach. I can notice the heart shaped tattoo with AG in the middle on his wrist.
"I love you"He whispers in my ear and than backs away.
The light in the room turns off and I can hear a door open and close.
He's gone.
Justin's P.O.V.
"Help! Help! Help!"We begin hearing Ariana's cry after the intercom goes off.
"She must be in the basement"Woodrow says and we all run down to the station basement.
We hurry down into a dark room.
Woodrow turns on the light and there I see Ariana, tied up in a chair, a scared look on her face.
"Are you okay?"I ask and remove the ropes from her arms and legs. She immediately jumps out the seat and into my arms.
She begins crying, mumbling words too hard to hear.
"Shhh, I'm here now"I move my hand up and down her back.
"Jai didn't kidnap Sophia"She cries out and I continue to try and calm her down.
We may be in some serious trouble. This guy may be even more dangerous than Jai ever was.
Kidnapper's P.O.V.
"I'm home!"I yell through the place.
Sophia sits at the table with my assistant, with a tear stained face. She colors on a piece of paper.
"I just saw your mommy"I bend down and tell her. She looks over at me and stops coloring, giving me her full attention.
"Is she coming to pick me up?"She asks.
"No, not right now"I answer her.
"How about daddy? Did you see him too?"She asks.
"No, I didn't see him. I only saw your mom"I say.
"When will I see mommy and daddy again?"She asks.
"Soon baby doll"I say and stand back up. I ruffle her hair with my hand and walk away. My assistant continues to keep her occupied.
I walk over to the far room in the house and enter it. I turn on the light switch to light up the dark room, and close the door.
There Luke sits, against the wall looking weak and tired.
"Hey Luke"I smile and he looks up at me. His eyes have bags under them, and his clothes are dirty.
"Please, let me go"He mutters.
"Sorry, no can do. Everyone thinks your dead, I can't let you go"I say.
"What do you want from me?"He asks.
"For you to rot in here"I laugh.
"I also want a favor"I begin and walk closer to him.
"I need your help. I need you to tell me how to catch Jai"I smile down at him.
"Are you gonna lock up the whole Brooks family in here now?"He asks.
"Nope, I'm not gonna lock up the whole brooks family. Just the people that are in love with Ariana"I slyly smile wider.
"Your lucky I'm not killing you. The only person I want dead that is in love with Ariana, is the one she loves back. And that's Justin"I clench my fist.
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A.N.
Hey guys! Sorry for not updating for like over three weeks. School has started again and I'm readjusting my schedule.
I will try my best not to go this long for not updating. I know you guys have been anxiously waiting.
Hope you liked the chapter though!
Now you guys know that Luke isn't dead. How do you guys feel right now? Happy or mad?
Go check out my other stories as well :)
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