by Elle, Leen
Sophie smiled in response. "I guess my parents were really cool, after all." She reached out to touch the canvas for the last time. "I don't think I've ever missed them this much. Was it naive of me to feel like everything would be solved once we found this place? I really thought everything would be better...but nothing's fixed. They still lost their lives. We can't take that back."
"No, we can't. We can only continue to live our own lives, with or without the threat of Cleo and Max looming behind us."
"Where's the lesson in that?" Sophie muttered in a low voice. "I'm not reassured by that at all."
"We'll just have too..." Robert was interrupted by the flashing lights coming in from the windows lining the side of the warehouse. The unmistakeable sound of cars pulling to a stop scared them into silence.
Both of them stiffened in shock. No one should've known they were here.
"Is it the police, or..." Sophie couldn't finish her sentence. The thought of Max's men catching up to them was too terrifying to put into words.
"Keep praying that it's the police." Robert whispered into her ear as he pulled her forward. He sprinted towards the cord connected to the light overhead, and tugged it roughly. In seconds they were rushing through the darkness for an exit that would lead towards escape or capture.
The sound of voices on the other side of the warehouse door filtered towards them.
The darkness melted away for a moment as Robert's cell phone lit up and began to vibrate in his hand. They ducked next to a window, kneeling to the ground to avoid being seen.
"Turn it off!" Sophie whispered, but Robert hesitated.
"It's Luke." He replied, his eyes narrowing as he answered the call. "Hello?"
He paused, his expression distorting in anger. He pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed speaker phone so that Sophie could hear Luke speaking.
"Am I on speaker?" Luke asked, his voice different than Sophie had ever heard it before.
"Yes," She answered, still keeping her voice low. "Luke, we really can't talk right now." She glanced at Robert, whose eyes were glaring down at the phone. She had no idea what was wrong, but there was no time to figure it out. "We found the paintings...or what's left of them. There are men chasing us, and I think they've just arrived."
"He knows." Robert interjected with a heated whisper. "He sent them after us."
"What?" Sophie's head jerked up, confusion hitting her like a wave.
"The men surrounding you are the police." Luke explained, his tone chilling.
"He's betrayed us." Robert turned away from the phone, his fists clenched tightly.
"I didn't betray you." For a moment, Luke sounded like his old self. Sophie knew better than to believe in that now. "I turned Max and Cleo into the police. I know you're familiar with FBI Agent Marshall. He helped me gather the remaining evidence I needed to take them down."
"Luke, how...why?" Sophie couldn't comprehend this betrayal.
"I saved all of us, Sophie." He began passionately. "Those paintings were never going to buy our freedom. I couldn't wait and watch you get killed by Cleo and Max."
Luke was becoming so distorted in her mind she didn't know what to believe. She couldn't put the pieces together, but Robert already realized everything Luke was trying to say.
"How long have you been working with Marshall?"
"Since the last time I visited Sophie at your home." His voice dropped for a moment. "I went to Marshall out of desperation, and he helped me come up with a plan."
"You lied about burning down Max's home." Robert's statement didn't leave any room for argument. "You were responsible for that."
"I needed Max angry, so that he would act without thinking. He sent his men to kill me, evidence of which has all be collected by Marshall's team. I was also the one who burned down your home."
Silence filled the warehouse as the depth of Luke's betrayal sunk in.
"I know Robert keeps records of his work in his room. I also knew that Cleo would try to search the place to recover everything when you ran away. I needed that information to build a case against them, so I broke in and took everything you had."
"Then you set fire to our house?" Sophie asked, her horror only beginning to take over. "You're insane."
"Sophie, this was the only way Cleo wouldn't know what I was planning."
"There were always other ways, Luke." Robert reminded him angrily. "Did you not realize Marshall won't let you get away with this? We'll all be implicated by that evidence."
"I'm ready for the sacrifice. If taking them down means I have to go with them, then I'm willing."
"You didn't think of anyone but yourself!" Robert's voice rose dangerously over a whisper. "You've taken me and Sophie down with you. As well as the kids, who've done nothing wrong. When the authorities find them, they'll be split up and sent to foster homes while we serve upwards of a decade in prison. Did you not think of what you've destroyed?"
"Could you have come up with a better plan?" Luke countered. "The paintings weren't there, right? Diana and I knew they wouldn't be."
"Diana was in on this too?" Sophie was too exhausted to comprehend everything going on.
"Who do you think gave me your location? She wants this all to be finished, and she's already turned herself in to the authorities with all the information concerning her crimes as a hacker." He paused, waiting for them to understand. "Cleo and Max have a gigantic influence on the world around them. Marshall couldn't make a move because any case he made against them was too weak to secure charges. With our sacrifices, we have more than enough to take them down."
"You're beyond reckless." Robert hissed. "That evidence is enough to sentence both of us to twenty or more years in prison." Sophie's heart clenched when she saw that Robert's hands were shaking. "Diana could get even more than that for her crimes."
"Anything is worth seeing the two of them finally see justice." Luke answered calmly.
"Nothing is worth giving up that much of my life." Robert slammed his fist into the wall beside of him. His desperation was palpable. "What will the kids do, Luke? There are so many lives you're ruining by doing this. You don't even understand."
"You don't think I've thought of that?"
"No, you haven't." Robert interrupted. "You say you care about Sophie, but you've ruined her as well as yourself. All you thought about was your revenge. Our lives never factored in to your decision."
Robert's comments made Luke fall silent. Just like he'd intended, they'd hit Luke where it hurt.
When he spoke again, his voice was icy cold. "Marshall and his men are waiting outside. They have all the evidence linking you to your crimes, so there's no use in running. Marshall doesn't want to hurt you, so it'd be better if you didn't fight back."
Sophie knew the time for arguing was already gone. Luke had decided their fate, and now all they had was to deal with what laid ahead. Her helplessness was momentarily suppressed by her anger.
"Luke, I trusted you." She hissed. "I sincerely wanted to save you from all of this." Every memory she had of Luke was now distorted. Every hug, or show of warmth was lost to his decision to ruin them. "Never speak to me again. We're done."
She knew her words weren't as powerful as she'd wanted them to be, but she knew they would hurt Luke, just like he'd hurt them. It may have been cruel, but her rage and desperation had overcome her better judgement.
Instead of answering, Luke hung up the phone, leaving them alone again.
Silence hung in the air as they stared out in the darkened warehouse. It felt like everything had come directly to a stop.
"It's over." Sophie whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "We're done."
Both of them knew that they really were fnished. Out of all the options they'd thought about to take down Cleo and Max this had not been one of them. Luke had chosen the path with the most collateral damage. By handing all the evidence to the police he'd secured their fate in prison.
For the first time in a long while, Sop
hie wondered how they'd all gotten to this place. Half a year ago she was simply another student working her way towards a degree in college. Now, she was headed towards a prison sentence.
There was only one option left, and it was the only one Sophie could feel satisfied with. She knew Robert would never go for it, but he had to. Luke had destroyed any plan they had for the future, but that didn't mean one of them couldn't have a future at all.
"If I give you time, do you think you could escape?" She asked softly, turning towards him.
"What?" He asked, eyes widening in confusion.
"If I turn myself in, can you escape during the distraction?" Before he could argue she knew she had to convince him. "There's no way we're both leaving here without being caught, but if I took the fall, it may give you enough time to find another exit."
Robert gripped her hand tightly. "You're as insane as Luke if you think I'm going to let you sacrifice yourself for me."
"Not just for you...for the kids too." Sophie's voice grew desperate. "Rob, they have Diana and Luke. Together, there's more than enough evidence to bring Cleo and Max down. They don't need you to sacrifice yourself as well." She placed her free hand on his face. "If I get caught, my sentence isn't going to be nearly as long as yours. I've been working for the shortest amount of time, and haven't had the chance to steal half as much as you have. If you escape, the kids will have someone to support them. They won't be abandoned again, and everything will be fine."
"There is no way in hell that I'm letting you go." Robert hissed, his eyes flashing with anger. "Do you think I'd be happy having you give everything up for me? There's only one person in this room that deserves to escape, and that's you!"
"Rob, just listen to me." She pleaded. "If you get caught you'll be locked up for years. If we both want to escape, this is the only way. I'm not afraid of facing them. I can do this."
"Enough." Robert shook his head. "We don't have the time to argue over this." He paused for a long moment. "We have to do this together." He lifted their intertwined hands so that they she could see them. "We're a family, right? You spent all that time making me buy into this, so take responsibility."
"Rob, I'm just trying to do what's best for everyone." Sophie whispered, tears falling down her eyes.
Despite what she'd said, she was terrified of facing the police. She was out of her league here, and she couldn't keep lying forever.
"Trust me, Sophie." Robert whispered calmly. "I don't mean to brag, but I'm really the best thief that's ever worked in this business."
Unexpectedly, Sophie began to laugh. Even at the end, Robert knew how to make her fears vanish.
He reached out to brush away her tears, and leaned in close to kiss her gently. She reacted instantly, reaching up to run her hands through his hair. She kissed him back as passionately as she could, and he responded with as much force.
Until this moment, Sophie had never understood what a goodbye really meant.
When they broke apart Sophie had to fight back more tears. "Together, then?" She asked, offering out her hand to him.
He took it without hesitation, and her heart clenched in her chest.
He helped her to her feet, and they both glanced out of the window next to them. Police cars surrounded the warehouse, with officers prepared to fire at them should they decide to run.
Sophie had experienced a number of terrifying events in the last few months, but the sight ahead of them almost paralyzed her with fear.
"Hey, Rob?" She whispered, clenching his hand tightly. "Thanks for being my white knight." She knew he could feel her hands shaking.
Robert leaned in to kiss her on her forehead, and for a moment she was calm again. He took a moment to whisper something in her ear, which caused her to smile for the first time in what felt like forever.
They turned to face the exit of the warehouse, each holding on to the other as tightly as they could.
"Are you ready?" He asked, and she gave one silent nod.
They stepped out of the building together, hand in hand, to face the blinding lights ahead of them.
Then, a gut-shot split the silence of the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
My time as a thief ended as abruptly as they gun-shot that signaled its' end.
"If you don't hurry up, I'll leave you!" A tall, auburn haired boy called out, walking backwards down the street with a goofy grin on his face.
"Rylan, we both know you'll never leave me." His companion, a slender, green-eyed young woman answered.
They laughed together as Gwyn caught up to him, holding out a hand which he took automatically.
"If we're late to pick up Teddy, I'm blaming you." Rylan added, but Gwyn wasn't fazed by his teasing. She was happy to be walking beside of him on such a beautiful summer day. Ever since he'd gone off to college moments like this were rare. She had to soak in the time she had with him, knowing he was too busy to be by her side constantly.
She'd be headed off to her own college in the fall and their time together would be further shortened. Rylan glanced down at her, obviously seeing the concern written across her face.
"Do you have plans tonight?" He asked with his usual crooked smile.
"Of course not." Gwyn answered, half-surprised that he'd asked. He knew she worked during the day and saved her nights for spending time at home with Teddy.
"How about we go out? Just the two of us?" He watched her shyly, and laughed when she nodded once in agreement. "Then it's a plan!" He swooped down and kissed her lightly on the lips.
Gwyn's cheeks turned a bright pink, even though he'd kissed her like this many times before. While five years had gone by, their relationship was going just as strong as when it'd begun. Gwyn couldn't imagine being with someone else.
"Should we take a cab?" Gwyn asked to change the subject. "It would be faster."
"We'll be fine." He lifted her hand and winked down at her. "I like walking with you like this. Teddy will understand if we take our time."
Ever since Rylan's leg had recovered he'd made it a priority to walk every day. He'd spent countless hours in physical therapy so that he could regain the strength he'd lost. His improvement hadn't been immediate, but over time the changes were significant. The limp his doctors had feared would last a lifetime was no longer apparent, though he still had limits on how far he could walk.
Gwyn wondered if his leg was hurting him now, but he didn't show it, just like he rarely showed pain. After they'd left Doctor Smith's home, he'd taken charge of their family, becoming the rock they could lean on.
When Rylan caught her staring at him she glanced away shyly. She didn't like him knowing that she worried about him. The first week he'd left for college had almost killed her, and she hated how he'd forced himself to come home every weekend for her benefit.
"Speaking of Teddy..." Rylan said, staring forward.
Gwyn glanced ahead, surprised that they'd already made it to Teddy's school. Today was his last exam before summer break, and Rylan had offered to take them both out to lunch. However, the scene in front of her was not what she expected to see.
Teddy was standing near the front gate of his school, his arms around a petite blonde. Just as Gwyn turned to look at him he leaned down and kissed the girl on the cheek.
Before she could stop herself, Gwyn began to laugh. Rylan joined in, and by the time Teddy had seen them it was too late. His face turned a dark shade of red and he automatically jumped away from the girl he was standing with. He stuttered a goodbye before racing over to join his sister.
"I...I can explain." He stammered, brushing his long black curls out of his eyes.
"I think we can figure it out ourselves." Gwyn joked, raising her eyebrow at him. "So, what's her name?"
"Don't worry about it." Teddy answered, sticking up his chin stubbornly. He turned to Rylan, his eyes begging for help. "It's been awhile, Ry." His expression asked for a change of subject.
"You're not getting out of this that easily."
Rylan joked, hitting him in the shoulder playfully. "Only thirteen and already getting the girls. I'm impressed."
"Gwyn's first kiss was when she was thirteen." Teddy replied, crossing his arms stubbornly. "Don't you remember that?"
"Okay, I get it!" Rylan grinned, waving his hand in defeat. "Truce."
It only took them a few minutes to return Teddy to his normally cheerful self. Rylan was even able to pry out more information about the mysterious blonde, which Teddy had apparently been crushing on for the whole year.