Robert Rubin stood motionless as he stared at the two familiar faces across the lobby.
After 12 years of successfully hiding from 'the Boys'... 12 long years of secrecy... All of it wasted in one night.
Mikey shook Austin's hand, never keeping his eyes off of Robert. Probably to be sure that he didn't run away again.
Well... Since Robert didn't have a car to get away with... That was completely pointless.
They were caught.
Teri was shaking again. Could it be she remembered her dream from the previous night?
Mikey's face did leave a pretty big impression on a person's memories. With dark brown eyes that seem to cut right through you...
You could feel the hatred that filled those cold eyes. Almost as though he could kill you with his stare alone.
Robert could only imagine how Teri felt about them.
But there was nothing they could do about it. Luckily for them, neither could Mikey.
They were in a ritzy hotel filled with rich, snooty people, and there was bound to be heavy security for their riches.
"Mr Rubin!" Austin called to him, snapping him out of his trance. "Come meet my uncle Mikey!"
Mikey gave a huge, undoubtedly fake, grin to Robert.
Seeing as he had no choice, he held Teri's hand in his, and made his way toward the man who had nearly killed his wife.
---------------
"So you two know each other?" Austin asked as they sat down for dinner.
There seemed to be a tension in the air between them, as Mr Rubin and Uncle Mikey sat across from each other.
Teri was sitting next to Austin, and although she smiled widely, there was an uneasiness to the way she looked at his uncle.
"We've met on a couple of occasions," uncle Mikey said, picking up his butter knife and spreading jam on his bread.
"You could say our last occasion ended with a great bang eh Rubin?" Jimmy chuckled.
Mr Rubin kept quiet as he gingerly ate his own piece of bread.
Austin just couldn't understand it. Mr Rubin had been fine on the way over here. Did it have something to do with what uncle Mikey's friend had said?
But he pushed the thought out of his head when his dad arrived at the table with Steph.
He stood up and gave a crisp salute saying, "Admiral," in greeting.
Admiral Cameron Niall chuckled as his son gave him a sly grin. Patting him on the back, he turned to Mr Rubin.
"My son's told me quite a bit about you Mr Rubin," he said with a warm smile.
"Robert," Mr Rubin said, holding out his hand for the admiral, who shook it firmly.
"And this is my daughter, Teri," He said, placing his hand on Teri's shoulder.
She stood up and shook the Admiral's hand as well.
Austin couldn't help himself from chuckling as he watched her dainty hands try to grasp his father's big hand in a firm handshake.
Steph just stood there, looking quite bored. Even when the admiral motioned to her and said, "This is my wife, Stephanie."
She held out her hand and mr Rubin kissed it. "Charmed," he said.
"Well, now that that's done, Robert! I hear you have this big project you're working on if I'm not mistaken," the admiral said, taking a seat next to Mr Rubin.
"Hmm? Oh right, Eden Heights... Yes well I don't want to bore you with the details-"
"Nonsense! I couldn't be happier," the admiral cut in, "My brother is an architect, and we've been swapping stories for ages! I remember this one time..."
Austin stopped listening to his father's conversation with Mr Rubin, when a small hand snaked slowly into his.
He looked down, and sure enough, he was holding Teri's hand.
Looking up, he saw her blushing slightly but had a smile on her face. That dazzling smile that he had fallen for all those weeks ago.
***
He grinned back at her and began massaging soothing circles into her palm. With a look, Austin could tell something was eating at Teri. It frustrated him so much that he couldn't pinpoint it though.
"Aust? How do you know Mr. Rubin?" Mickey asked from across the table. Austin looked up, a guilty look on his face.
"Umm, I know Teri from school. And I met Mr. Rubin a couple of times," he murmured. "Uncle Mickey, how come you didn't tell me you were around? Where are you staying?" Austin asked in rapid succession.
As hard as Mickey was, he always had a soft spot for his favourite nephew. "I just got into town a few hours ago, Aust. I wanted to surprise you," Mickey murmured.
Mr. Rubin glanced up in shock. Mickey's voice was laced with warmth and care. Had he finally found a chink in Mickey's armor? Was Austin that chink?
"You have to stay with us! I'm sure the Admiral would insist!" Austin replied, smiling warmly.
"What's that boy?" Admiral Niall asked across the table to his son.
"I said Uncle Mickey has to stay with us," Austin repeated.
"Of course!" Admiral Niall announced before turning his attention back to Mr. Rubin.
"You're such a beautiful little girl," Jimmy cooed at Teri who blushed furiously. Mr. Rubin had to exert all his self control to remain in his seat.
Austin had a strange feeling of foreboding. He couldn't figure out what it was though.
"So, Robert, where's your wife?" Mickey goaded, a sly smile on his face.
'Wait! What was the name of the group of thugs that were threatening Mr. Rubin? But no...no way it was Uncle Mickey,' Austin thought to himself.
"Austin? Are you okay?" Teri asked him quietly, concern written all over her face.
Austin could feel a light sheen of sweat coming on and he felt sick to his stomach. 'No way the heartless bastards Mr. Rubin told me about was my uncle!' he kept repeating to himself.
"Dad!" Teri called in an alarmed voice.
Mr. Rubin turned in his seat to find Austin pale and looking like he was about to pass out. The Admiral seemed to notice it as well. He walked swiftly up to his son and knelt down beside him.
"Austin? Can you hear me, boy? Are you alright?" he whispered urgently.
Austin nodded his head a little. He couldn't form any words. Teri was terrified beside him. She didn't know what to do.
"Uncle Mickey? Mr. Rubin? Could you help me up?" Austin whispered hoarsely.
Mickey shadowed the concerned look of everybody else on the table. And Mr. Rubin knew it wasn't put on. He really was worried about his nephew. As much as he didn't want to be anywhere near Mickey, Mr. Rubin obliged.
Austin stood up, weakly, looking as if his legs were about to give way beneath him. Mickey quickly moved forward and supported his nephew up. He lead the way to the wash room while Mr. Rubin trailed behind them.
The Admiral seemed to make up his mind to remain at the table, but he looked mighty worried. Just as worried as Teri was.
In the bathroom, Austin washed his face with the cold water. Some of his colouring returned. Mickey was hovering nearby, ready to catch him should he fall. Mr. Rubin was in the corner the furthest away from Mickey, also watching Austin.
With a steady, confident walk that surprised both of them, Austin crossed to the door and locked it. He turned around to face the two older men and crossed his arms.
"Uncle Mickey, I wan the truth! What the hell did you do?!" Austin shouted, his angry voice reverberating on the expensive tiles.
"Aust? What are you on about?" Mickey asked in a whisper.
Mr. Rubin watched in disgust. "So only your family matters, Mickey?! What if somebody harmed your precious nephew?!" he spat acidly.
"Why?" Austin whispered quietly.
"Austin...what's the matter with you? You're raving! Are you sick, son?" Mickey continued, as if Mr. Rubin hadn't said a thing.
Austin closed his eyes and slid down to the floor. He remained on the floor for a long time. Mickey bent down over his nephew and swung an arm over his shoulder. He gingerly lift Austin up off the ground and turned back to Mr. Rubin with the coldness back on his face.
"You tell my nephew about this, and I will kill your daughter," he threatened. "I expect the money tomorrow. Any later, I will take your daughter away from you," he whispered before opening the door back to the main restaurant.
The Admiral quickly hurried over to help Mickey with Austin who seemed to have passed out.
Teri sat watching in horror. She was so worried for Austin.
Little did she know that the same look of horror was on her father's face, but for quite different reasons.
***
"Robert!"
Rebecca Rubin called out to her husband as he came into view, carrying two large suitcases filled with money to bargain for his wife with.
"Bec! It's going to be alright darling," he called back to her, waving one of his suitcases.
Rebecca struggled against her captor's grasp on her wrists, saying as she did so, "let me go you ape! He's got the money! Let me go!"
Jimmy grunted, doubling his grip on the thrashing woman's arms.
"Quiet woman! We have to make sure the money's actually in those cases first..." the man called Mikey hissed.
The third man in the group, stood silent as he eyed Robert, who came lumbering closer to his beloved wife.
"Stop!" he said, his voice low and reverberating but cold and commanding.
Robert stopped in his tracks, fear freezing him in place. Who could blame him? The man that stood before him was a large fellow in an equally large trench coat that could easily hide a weapon. Or weapons.
"Don't hurt her..." he said, his voice shaking as he put the cases down.
Mikey came forward, one hand inside his jacket pocket, no doubt on his weapon. Sure enough, as he drew closer, he pulled out his firearm and pointed it at Robert.
"One false move Rob, it'll all be over for you and your wife..." he said warningly.
Robert nodded in understanding, and raised his hands above his head.
Slowly, Mikey bent over, gun still pointed at Robert, and flipped open one of the cases clasps. He grinned as the sight of thousands of bills greeted him.
"I don't know how you did it Rob... Three billion smackeroos in two cases? Miracle that is," he chuckled as he closed the lid of the case. "Hand over the girl Jimmy, the boy came through after all."
Jimmy nodded and was about to release Rebecca when the large man in the trench coat said, "Wait..."
'This man is dangerous', Robert realized when he noticed even Mikey and Jimmy looked frightened. He made a mental note to watch out for him.
"Frisk him," the large man told Mikey.
Uh oh.
With a nod, Mikey moved toward Robert and searched him. Robert held his breath as Mikey's hands cross ever so slightly toward the wire the police had placed in him.
"He's clean," Mikey said, stepping away from him.
Robert visibly relaxed.
It was a mistake he's going to regret for the rest of his life.
Mikey had noticed. And searched him again.
"Shit!" he said, "he's wired!" he called to the other two, who pulled out their guns and pointed it at Robert.
"FREEZE SCUM!" called a voice from behind behind Jimmy and the large man.
"It's the cops!" Jimmy said, aiming his gun at the uniformed figure who likewise had his firearm aimed at Jimmy.
"Put the gun down lad," said another voice. More cops were appearing from behind cars and the lone tree that stood behind Robert.
"You're surrounded boys... No way out," said the first cop.
The large man inched closer to Jimmy and whispered something in his ear.
"Hey! No talking!" said another cop, who walked toward them.
It all happened so fast, Robert barely saw it happen. With one quick move the large man smacked the cop's gun out of his hands and had him in a chokehold.
"Nobody move!" he said warningly to the cops as they tensed. He fired off a warning shot quite close to one of the cops that stood nearby.
They scattered, but kept their eyes on the man.
"You!" he said to Mikey, "grab the cases! We're leaving!"
BANG!
Another shot was fired, but this time by the police officer that had first presented himself to he scene.
"Nobody's leaving dirtbag! Not when I'm around," he said letting off another shot.
Jimmy threw Rebecca to the ground as he ducked the other way, narrowly avoiding the bullet as it dug into the cement floor.
Robert swore as he dived toward his wife, who lay motionless on the ground.
More shots were fired as the other cops came out from their using places, following the example of the bold cop.
Soon the air was filled with gunfire and the stench of gunpowder as police and gangster fired shot after shot at each other.
"Reb!" Robert yelled as he hauled his wife to safety. "REB!"
The police had noticed him and stood between him and the gangsters. But this seemed to draw more fire towards them.
Robert hurried toward the closest cover he could find, and zeroed in on the lone tree.
He ducked behind it along with his unconscious wife, and held her close.
There was something wrong... Rebecca's head felt warm and sticky.
To Robert's horror, he pulled his hand away to reveal that it was covered in blood. Rebecca's blood.
He let out a guttural scream as he held his dying wife to his chest.
--------------------
Teri awoke with a yell as she sat bolt upright on her bed.
It was that dream again. But much clearer this time. And much more frightening.
She breathed hard, trying to calm herself as the sound of her father's approach reached her ears.
There was a lot to talk about.
----------------
Britney walked briskly toward Casa Niall, her hips swaying as she moved.
She had heard that Austin had had a nervous breakdown the night before, and was going to pay him a visit.
'Probably realized that little troll wasn't right for him' she thought icily, 'he probably faked it to get out of dinner with her.'
As she neared the mansion, she stopped to check her make up as she passed by one of the fancy sports car parked outside.
"Hey there hot stuff," she said to her reflection, eyeing her outfit. She wore a tight blue tube top that barely covered anything, and skinny jeans that showed off her legs.
Her hair was tied back in a loose pony tail with a pair of sunglasses on her head.
But to be fair it was quite modest to what she usually wore, aside from her cheerleading uniform. Surely Austin would notice her if she dressed down a bit.
She grinned to herself as she made her way to the large front doors and rang the doorbell.