Camila and Ericka entered Laurens room slowly, both shocked with how pale the officer looked as she slept. The room wasn't as cold as Camila assumed it would be. There were flowers and cards along the counters next to the bed, letting Camila know how loved Lauren was.
Taking a seat next to the bed, Camila watched as Ericka walked next to her Aunts bed and slowly took her hand. Tears fell from her eyes as she gripped the pale hand, and she whispered quietly, almost afraid to speak too loud as if it would wake her up before it was time.
"Mommy's gone.... Daddy too." Ericka sniffled, wiping her eyes in irritation, as tears fell from her eyes.
"Your all I have left... So you have to make it. Because mommy would want you to be there for me.. She would want us to be there for each other... So wake up when your all better please. And catch the bad men that made this happen. Make them pay..." Ericka whispered, her voice breaking.
Camila felt a lump form in her throat, and looked away from the teen and her aunt, assuming this was a private moment.
The private moment was interrupted when there was a female voice heard shouting outside the room.
"If you think your going to stop me from seeing my best friend, you have another thing coming! Move the hell out of the way!" The voice shouted angrily.
Ericka froze, and scurried out of the room, a confused Camila trailing behind her.
Ericka ran into the hallway, where Camila's security guards were trying to prevent a dark skinned beauty from entering the room.
"Aunt Mani!" Exclaimed Ericka, running in between the guards, and hugging the angry woman tightly.
The anger in the woman quickly disappeared, and tears rolled down her face, as she held the teen tightly in her shaking hands.
"Hey baby... I'm so, so sorry about your mom and dad." The woman croaked throatily as she caressed the teens back gently.
Ericka sniffled, nodding her head in recognition of her aunts words. "We still have Auntie Lolo.." the teen sniffled.
The woman tightened her arms around the teen, and nodded her head frantically. "Yeah we do. How is she?" asked the woman worried.
Ericka finally let the woman go and answered,"She's sleeping. The doctor yesterday said a coma. We don't know when she'll wake up."
The woman scrunched her eyebrows in concern and said,"Who are you staying with?"
Camila cleared her throat, gathering the attention of the woman and teen and said,"That would be me. I'm Camila Cabello. I'm fostering her until the Jaureguis can be approved for a license."
On guard, the dark skinned woman looked at Camila with puffy eyes and said,"I'm Normani Kordei. I've known Ariana and Lauren since high school."
Camila's eyes softened, and the sympathetic look she gave Normani made the dark skinned woman's heart clutch.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Camila whispered softly.
Normani nodded her head in thanks, and looked at the guards around her.
"Whats up with these goons?" asked Normani asked confused.
"Their my body guards assigned to Lauren's room. Just a precaution." Camila said, quickly looking at the teen nervously.
Normani understood the look, for what it was. A subtle sign that there was more to it, but not to show concern in front of the teen.
For whatever Camila did, her protection of the teen made Normani automatically like and respect her.
"So did you know Ariana?" asked Normani confused.
Camila shook her head and said,"I met her on the day she died. I was with her when she died. I'm a social worker, and I already had a foster license, that's why I volunteered to have Ericka. The Jauregui's are staying with me anyway, so it makes no difference."
"Wait, what? The Jauregui's are staying with you?" asked Normani in surprise.
"Yeah, and Mila saved my life aunt Mani. She's pretty awesome." Ericka said giving Camila a small smile.
Normani looked at the teen confused and said, "I feel like I've missed a lot. I was only gone a week."
"If you'll come sit with us while Ericka visits Lauren, I can explain everything that happened." Camila said gently.
Normani nodded and said, "Okay. Can you tell these goons I'm not a terrorist and to let me in."
Camila chuckled, and looked at her sheepish security guards and said,"Your not in trouble guys, you did your job. Make sure Miss Kordei is on the approved list to see miss Jauregui. We'll be in the room, make sure no one else enters without being on the approved list."
The guards relaxed, and Camila ushered the two back in the room.
Once Normani saw Lauren, her eyes filled with tears, and everything suddenly felt so much more real.
"How did this happen?" asked Normani hoarsely as she walked towards Laurens bed slowly.
Camila gently told the story, from beginning to end, and Normani cried at the thought of her friends gunned down.
When Camila got to the part where she shot two of the gunman, Normani smirked tearfully. "A Badass huh? Yeah, you'd be perfect for Lo.." Normani said wistfully with a smile.
Camila blushed, and said,"I only actually hung out with her for a couple hours. But.... From what I saw of her, I liked her very much."
Normani smiled, and looked at her comatose friend, thinking when she woke up she would have a jewel on her hands. But then a sudden thought struck her, and it made her shiver.
"She is going to lose it when she wakes up and hears about Ariana..." Normani whispered sadly.
Camila looked at the sleeping woman, and remembered the smile she had given her best friend at the arcade and nodded her head in agreement.
"Yes she will.." Camila agreed quietly.
The two woman looked at each other mirroring thoughts invading their minds. Whenever Lauren woke up, she was going to be a force to be reckoned with.
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Camila, Ericka and Normani walked into the mansion and felt the tension in the air. She couldn't figure out what went wrong while they were gone, but she knew she had to fix it.
She walked into the sitting room, and found many of the officers congregating around Agent Mahone angrily.
Camila felt her herself burn in anger at the fact that the agent entered her home against direct orders not to.
Normani and Ericka looked at the fuming Camila, and quickly moved away from the line of fire.
"What the hell are you doing in my home agent Mahone? I believe you were told not to come back." Camila boomed angrily.
Austin squared his shoulders and sneered at the brunette in frustration.
"I only came to warn these officers against being a part of your foster kid center. They already lost loved ones, and had their homes ransacked. Helping some lost causes aren't worth it." He said defensively, glaring at Camila.
Camila flinched back as if she had been struck. Her angry eyes narrowed at Austin and she suddenly saw red.
"Not worth it... She whispered angrily to herself.
Camila walked over to a portrait on the wall, and yanked it down in anger, revealing a glass case filled with loaded guns. Choosing one, she skillfully grabbed it, unclipping the safety with one hand as if it were and every day occurrence. The officers that had surrounded the agent backed up and watched fascinated as the social worker approached the agent.
Camila pulled out her cell phone, dialing a number, and patiently waiting as she glared at Austin, waiting for the person to answer.
"Hello?" Tori asked tiredly.
Putting the phone on speaker, Camila smiled and said,"Tori! I have a hypothetical question for you. If someone trespassed into my home, after given specific instructions by the head of the FBI to never return, would it be in my right to shoot him?"
"Well, technically... Yeah. Are they armed?" asked Tori nervously.
"Oh I don't know, are you armed agent?" asked Camila sweetly, eyes narrowed at the man who fidgeted under her steely gaze. He knew she was a little weird but she was acting slightly too crazy for his liking.
"Is that Agent Mahone in your home?" spat Tori angrily.
Camila raised the gun, pointing it at Austin as she said, "Yes he is. And he's made it his mission to make sure the officers here do not volunteer at my center. I wonder why that is."
Camila tilted her head thoughtfully, as Austin raised his hands slowly in defense.
"You can't point a gun at me I'm FBI." Austin spat angrily slowly reaching for his own weapon.
Camila pulled a necklace out of her shirt and pressed the button, within seconds there were security guards rushing into the room, guns drawn. All pointing their weapons where their boss was anticipating danger.
Zayn looked at Camila nervously.
Camila relaxed, and clicked her safety on, handing Zayn her gun before approaching Mahone angrily.
"You entered my home the first time trying to arrest me, which I found was without a warrant. You were acting on your own, and then you come back after being told to stay the hell away, only to warn off and instill fear in the victims that are staying here. I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but its not just a FBI agent. Do you know what I smell Zayn?" asked Camila angrily.
"A dirty cop." Grit out Zayn angrily glaring at the FBI agent.
The room filled with curses as the many witnesses to the scene suddenly understood why Camila was so angry at the agent.
"You don't know what the hell your talking about. I'm just doing my job."Austin bit out angrily.
"A job that wasn't assigned to you, to a place you have no right or authority to enter. Yes, its interesting that you waited till you knew I wasn't home to show your face." Camila spat angrily.
Turning to Zayn, she said,"Call Demi and Selena and tell them to come pick up their trash. Until then he will be detained for trespassing. Disarm him, and proceed to question him about whatever it is he's hiding. I want his back round combed with the finest technology."
Walking up to Austin, Camila said,"I don't know what your hiding, but my gut tells me its something. And its never wrong. Unfortunately for you, you fucked with the wrong woman."
"Cuff him, and take his weapons." Zayn ordered, and men quickly followed his orders, quickly restraining the agent as he thrashed around trying to grab his gun, but failing.
He was cuffed and shouting profanities, until Camila slapped him making him glare at her with a face filled with arrogance.
"You've got nothing. You'll regret this! Your not the only one with friends!" Austin shouted angrily.
Camila leaned forward and said,"You better pray I don't find out you had anything to do with the murders that happened. Because if you did, then your are going to have a very very painful future. Take him to my fathers office. Two guards inside, two out until Demi and her people come."
Her guards dragged Mahone kicking and screaming into the hallway, and Tori was heard through the phone.
"I'm on my way now. You can't arrest an FBI agent without your lawyer, I swear, you keep me a rich woman Mila." sighed Tori exasperated.
Shrugging, Camila said cheerfully before hanging up,"We've all got to make a living. See you soon."
Turning to the worked up officers, she asked,"What exactly did he say to you?"
"He said we were making a mistake trusting you, and that we were safer listening to him and getting as far away from your center as we could get." One officer in casual clothing grunted in frustration.
Camila sighed and said,"I'm sorry he came and worried you all. I will take care of this, and he will not come back. If he ever bothers you guys again, please let me know. He smells dirty to me, and I wouldn't want him near my family if it was up to me."
Turning around, Camila realized Ericka was still in the room, and sighed in frustration at herself.
"How much of that did you see?" asked Camila wincing.
"You mean the whole you being a badass? All of it." Ericka said smiling.
Camila frowned and said,"I was not being a badass, just a really crappy Guardian."
Ericka's eyes twinkled and she said,"It was awesome. Mom once threatened to shoot Auntie Lauren if she didn't pick up the laundry in her room."
Normani snorted and laughed out loud at the picture in her mind, knowing it was exactly what her best friends would do.
Camila smiled, shaking her head.
There was a knock at the front door, and seconds later, there was a huffing Demi and Selena angrily stomping into the room.
"Where is he?" growled Demi angrily.
"Before you barge into my fathers office, I think we should see what his next move is. There's hidden camra's in there, we should see if my assumptions are right about him being a dirty agent. Maybe it could give us a clue about who is behind all these attacks." Camila suggested seriously.
"You really think he's involved?" asked Selena worried.
Camila shrugged and said,"Think about it. Everyone knows that the families are safer with me, why would he want them to go home, where their easier targets. We don't even know which gangs are gunning for them, since there are multiple known to have been apart of these shootings."
Demi scowled and said,"Mila's right. Makes no sense. It's like suddenly everyone is working together instead of against each other, which is crazy. What could they have to gain from a bunch of foster kids?"
"Trust. The kids either trust the gangs or fear them. Either one gives them power over them. No one is going to suspect a kid carrying around tons of drugs in their back packs. Something is going on, and I'm not sure what it is, but Mahone knows something. I know it." Camila said glaring angrily at the floor.
Zayn entered the room and said,"He's secured. I Cuffed him to the chair but left his phone in his pocket. I assume you want to see who he calls."
Camila smiled at him and exclaimed,"This is why I pay you the big bucks!"
Zayn chuckled, walking over to the TV in the living room, and pulled a cord from his pocket, connecting it from the phone to the TV.
Within a minute, Zayn had inserted his security codes, and the Camera feed in the office was displayed through the TV.
Zayn raised the volume, and they all heard Austin cursing angrily at two security guards.
"Text them to leave the room." Camila ordered glaring at Austin through the screen.
Zayn sent a text through his second phone, and the security guards through the tv read the message and left the office.
They watched for a few minutes as Austin waited anxiously for some one to come in. When he realized he was truly alone, he repeatedly tried to reach into his pocket for his phone. It took him five minutes, but he was eventually successful at getting his phone out of his pocket and in his hand. Still unable to bring it to his ear, he pressed speaker and dialed the number to his acquaintance.
"What do you want Mahone?" asked a frustrated voice with a small accent.
"I went back to the bitch's house like you wanted. It's a no go man, she thinks I'm dirty." Austin said through his teeth.
There was laughter heard through the phone, and the voice said,"You are dirty you idiot. Why are you calling me?"
"They got me handcuffed to a chair till my people come. They're probably going to question me all night, so I wont be making the drop tonight. Send the Morelli's kid." Austin said in frustration.
Camila gasped, and angrily whispered in Zayns ear, making the body guard disappear urgently.
Turning back to the screen to listen to the conversation, Camila whispered,"I'm gonna make you pay for that one Mahone."
For a few minutes the two men spoke business, but Austin never called the caller by his name, only boss. Once Austin ended the call, he slipped the phone back in his pocket, and relaxed in his seat smug.
Camila looked at Demi and Selena, and they were both near shaking with anger, at seeing their colleague in league with drug dealers.
"No wonder why he never wanted to be assigned anywhere else." Selena breathed out trying to calm herself.
"Who was Morelli?" asked Demi looking at Camila.
Camila opened her mouth, only to close it once Zayn entered the living room again with her briefcase. Handing it to her, Camila muttered thanks before digging inside it desperately, almost hoping to be wrong.
Seeing a folder marked Morelli, Camila sighed in sadness, and took the folder out of her briefcase.
"Morelli is the name of a set of foster parents. They have a fourteen year old named Tyson. Their in their late thirties, and haven't been in the system long as parents." Camila explained showing Demi the file.
"Their using this kid for drop offs?" asked Selena horrified.
"Most likely isn't the only one, hence the need for the foster kids not to trust the police. It would ruin a hefty business." Camila said in disgust.
Turning to Demi, Selena said,"What do you want to do?"
Demi was quiet for a moment, and after carefully thinking it over, she said,"Were gonna lightly question him, just to show we took Camila's words seriously, and once we pretend to find nothing, we let him go. While we're questioning him, I want the tech Guys going over everything, and when were done, I want eyes and ears around him everywhere. He's going to lead us to the fuckers that organized these cop killings."
The room grew quiet, and the the onlookers nodded in approval of the way they were handling the situation.
Demi turned to the officers in the room who had lost partners, and family members and said,"You all are welcome to watch, this concerns you too. But whatever you see or hear never leaves this house, understand?"
There were murmurs of 'Yes' and Demi smiled and turned to her partner, saying "Lets hear whatever sob story he's cooked up."
Both woman left the living room, and climbed the stairs to the office, both saddened that one of their own was dirty.