I was getting ready for College when Steven walked in.
"Hey have you seen Fallon?" Steven asked.
"Not since last night. I think she spent the night at Jeff's." I said. "Want me to call her?"
"No. I think she's just trying to avoid helping me pack." Steven laughed before walking out. I walked towards Steven's room to see Sam helping him pack.
"Why does my shirt look better on you than it does on me?" Steven asked.
"I look good in everything, Steven. Come on now you should know that." I said.
"You certainly do." Sam said playfully checking me out.
"You're not going to try an talk sense into me about leaving?" Steven asked.
"Nope, that's Fallon's job. But I will give you the address to my apartment and a spare key. Trust me it's amazing." I said.
"Okay. Now get to College before you're late." Steven said. I was sat in my car waiting for class to start when my phone rang it was Fallon.
G: Hey.
?: Gabrielle, nice to speak to you again.
G: Alejandro?
A: Tell your father I want 15 million and you'll get your sister back.
Call Ended
I drove to CA and walked into Dad's office to see him and Cristal talking.
"Dad, Fallon's been taken." I said.
"Gabbie, how do you know?" Cristal asked.
"I was sat in my car waiting for college to start and my phone rang. I thought it was Fallon turns out it was Alejandro." I said
"We have to tell Chief Johnson." Cristal said.
"No. No police. We're not involving anyone and I am doing this my way." Dad said.
"Blake, Alejandro is a dangerous man. You don't know-" Cristal got cut off.
"I'm sure that he knows that a hostage is only worth anything alive. Even if this is bluff." Dad said grabbing his jacket. "We need to be willing to walk away."
"Or we just give him what he wants." Cristal said.
"Giving into demands this early would only leave us more vulnerable down the road." Dad said.
"Stay here and stay calm." Dad said.
"No. How are you so calm?" Cristal asked.
"Because I'm in control and as long as it stays that way we'll be alright." Dad said. "Gabbie follow Culhane home." Dad said. I nodded followed him out of the building. I drove behind Culhane the whole way home and walked into the study.
"I've dismissed the staff." Anders said.
"The fewer variables we have to account for the better." Dad said. "Where's Sam?"
"Do you want me to go find him?" Steven asked.
"No. I want you to keep an eye on the security camera closest to him." Dad said.
"Dad." Steven and I said.
"Can't forget it's his parents that have your sister. We can't trust anyone other than the people in this room." Dad said.
"What about Cristal?" Steven asked.
"And Cristal." Dad said.
"Her sister is the reason-" I started.
"I don't have time to argue with you Gabrielle." Dad said.
"So the question is do we engage or do we play out the gambit?" Anders asked.
"We engage." Steven said.
"If we wait we could force them to pivot." Dad said. Then Anders mentioned a family that we know of a kid who got kidnapped and got him back in four months.
"The kid lost an ear. He was never the same." Steven said putting his hands on my shoulders.
"They didn't kill him. As harsh as this sounds a dead body only gets them the gas chamber." Dad said.
"This isn't a game." Steven said.
"No it's a negotiation and it's what I do best. So fall in line or you can leave." Dad said. "Where are we with finances?"
"With everything in the safe, checked your safety deposit boxes you could have over 11 million dollars cash by the deadline." Anders said.
"So even if we wanted to engage we're still 14 short." Dad said.
"You just simply cannot get enough in such short notice." Anders said as the doors opened and in walked Cristal and Sam.
"I caught up Sammy Jo." Cristal said.
"Of course, he's family. He should be here." Dad said.
"I am so sorry. I can't believe my parents could do something like this. Or at least my mom." Sam said.
"No need to apologise Sam this has no reflection on you. We're all on the same team here." Cristal said.
"We're 14 million short the price went up." Dad said.
"You have friends with more money than god. Call them." Cristal said.
"It's too dangerous. The second this leaves our circle everything changes. It stays in the family. We're in control. We hold the cards." Dad said.
"What about the wildcard that is Fallon? We all know she's playing every angle she's got." I said.
Timeskip
Dad walked out of his study.
"As soon as we get the location, my friend is meeting me there." Dad said.
"Friend? I thought we were keeping this in the family." Steven said.
"Gavin is like family. With Israely military training." Dad said.
"I prefer New Zealand's SAS program helps find one's way around a fire arm more efficiently." Anders said. A look of worry came across Sam's face. I hugged him as Cristal looked at him.
"And you can be backup Anders." Dad said. The door knocked. Anders opened it to see Jeff Colby.
"If you're looking for Fallon, called off work today. Had a little too much fun at her birthday." Dad said.
"Yes has a hangover." Anders said.
"Save it. Mike said you needed help." Jeff said.
"I called him." Culhane said walking in with a stack of work. "This is off Austin. Said you missed class today and that he'll call you later. I told him you were sick." Culhane said handing me the stack of paper.
"This is all I could do on short notice." Jeff said dropping two bags on the floor. "8 in cash and jewellery."
"Get out of my house. This is a family matter." Dad said.
"Fallon always said business and family are one in the same. I assumed she learned that from you." Jeff said.
"Look Fallon's safety is more important than whatever is going on between you two." Cristal said.
"Even with his 8 million we're still less that what Alejandro wanted." Dad said.
"Anders have you checked my card?" I asked.
"Withdrawing that much from a credit card raises suspicion." Anders said.
"Could be enough to get Fallon to safety." Jeff said. "Before he does the final count."
"And get our military friend a chance to get a shot off." Anders said. "If he's good enough." I hugged Sam again who wrapped his arms around me.
"Okay." Dad said.
"Great where's the drop?" Jeff asked.
"I'll take it from here." Dad said.
"The hell you will." Jeff said.
"This is not a debate. I'm doing this alone." Dad said. Sam and I went upstairs to his room.
"I'm so sorry my parents are doing this to Fallon. I know how close you are." Sam said.
"Sam, stop apologising. It's not your fault. We're not our parents. I know you'd never deliberately hurt any of us. You just care about your family." I said. I lay down and eventually fell asleep. I woke up when I heard Cristal.
"Hey, are you okay?" Cristal asked Sam. "You know this is none of your fault right?"
"I know they're awful people but as much as I can't stand thinking that something might happen to Fallon I am terrified to think that my parents might not make it out alive." Sam said.
"Have you tried calling your mom?" Cristal asked.
"No. I didn't think I should. Didn't want to interfere with Blake's plan." Sam said.
"Can I borrow your phone?" Cristal asked. Steven came upstairs and took me with him and Chief Johnson in a squad car.
"Are you serious? You're going to get your sister killed." Dad said.
"He did the right thing, Mr Carrington." Chief Johnson.
"She's Jeff's cousin. She's practically a friend of the family." I said. Swat teams set up guns and then Fallon came running out.
"Don't shoot." Dad yelled. "Do not shoot." We ran towards her. Dad grabbed her holding her.
"Where's Cristal? Is she alright?" Dad asked.
"She's still in there." Fallon said. "She didn't make it out." Fallon wrapped her arms around me and kissed my head.
Timeskip
"I look like a toddler that had an unfortunate gum incident." Fallon said looking in the mirror.
"At least your vanity is intact." Steven said. "For what it's worth I think they're kinda cute. I'm glad your okay."
"Well, I'm just sorry I didn't get to help you pack." Fallon said.
"I figured you orchestrated the kidnapping just to get out of it. Anyways, I'm not going. After today? No I want to stay here with you." Steven said.
"Don't be insane Steven you have to go. I've always admired the way you two chose your own path. And after seeing the way Alejandro made Iris his puppet, it makes me never want to be dependent on anyone again." Fallon said.
"You? Oh please. Miss Independent is your anthem." I said.
"You've already accomplished so much on your own." Steven said.
"Not on my own. Not like you. You're kind of my hero Steven. But if anyone asks-" Fallon started.
"You're your own hero. We know." Steven and I said.
"Idiot come here." Fallon said pulling Steven and I in for a hug.
"I missed a day of getting to know Austin for you." I said to Fallon.
"Who's Austin?" Steven asked.
"Our baby sister's new crush. It's Culhane's younger brother." Fallon said.
"You know Sam's coming with me right?" Steven said.
"What? No I didn't." I said pulling away.
"Aww her best friend is leaving." Fallon teased.
"Why are all your friends adults?" Steven asked.
"They're all rich too." Fallon said.
"Great for when I plan on going clubbing. Rich high ballers apart from the college boys." I said.
"Why boys?" Steven asked.
"Girls are too much drama." I said.
"That makes sense." Steven said.
"I always make sense." I said.
"No you don't." Fallon said.
"I'm gonna go to bed night people." I said standing up.
"Not so fast were watching a movie together the three of us." Fallon said. I got back on the bed. I lay my head on Steven's shoulder as he turned the tv on.
"What are we watching?" Steven asked.
"Bridesmaids." Fallon and I said.
"Really?" Steven asked. We nodded.