Unshed Blood | Criminal Minds

chapter twenty - bittersweet

- CHAPTER TWENTY -

BITTERSWEET

A FEW MORE days had passed before Derek was back onto another case, leaving Soren home alone and simply just watching the television. Or so he thought. In reality, Soren was calling everyone she knew, all the connections that she had with people her father had introduced her too she was calling and leaving messages.

She wanted to catch her father and lock him away, but she knew that he was planning something. Something big. That's just who Arlo Hale was, it was all he had ever been, there was no changing him. He was attracted to the darkness. He brought him peace and that sense of relief whenever he took a life.

Arlo believed that Soren was the same as him. That she was going to turn out exactly like him, and she refused to believe the same as him. She enjoyed being alone, the darkness intrigued her but she never wanted to be trapped by it. Soren wanted to be set free.

Free of everything her family had done to her. Free of her father. Free of the world in general. Soren Hale was not going to be a product of her father's manipulation. She refused to be that. So, if she had the opportunity to be anything but him, and to capture him for the final time then she was going to do everything in her power to prevent that from happening. Even if it cost her life.

She also knew that the rest of the BAU team were looking for Arlo in whatever free time they had. But they didn't know him, they didn't know what he was really like or his true identity. And she was going to reveal it all in due time.

So as she pressed on the contact number in front of her, she hesitated for a moment before she really realized what she was about to do. She was going to draw Arlo out of the shadows.

The line rang a few times before the sound of silence greeted her. "Arlo." She spat out, the anger enraging her.

A loud chuckle made her freeze as she sat down. "What happened to calling me Dad?"

"That stopped a long time ago, dad." Soren said through gritted teeth. "You sent those men after me. Bad move, you know that. I have to say I'm slightly disappointed that you chose to send four pathetic men into the home and not yourself. Are you really that pathetic?"

She could practically envision him gritting his teeth and trying to hide his anger. "Soren. You do not get to speak to me like that, ever. I don't give a fuck if you are my daughter at all, I will not allow you to treat me like this."

"Is someone's ego hurt?" She continued to mock him, feeling more confident than before.

"You better watch your damn mouth." Arlo seethed. "You and your little friends might want to watch out, because when I tell you aren't prepared for what's about to happen. God."

"I know you've been watching me. Stop. You won't win this time, Arlo."

He laughed through the phone. "Is that right?"

"Yeah it is." Soren said before ending the call, she took out the sim card from her phone and broke it into tiny pieces before laying back on the couch with the sound of the television playing in the background.

*

A few hours later, the sound of the front door opening caused Soren to sit up from the couch, watching as Derek walked through the door alone. His go-bag was in his hand as he dropped it to the floor, rubbing his hand over his head as he made eye contact with Soren.

"Did you call him?" Derek suddenly asked, closing the door behind them as they stared at one another, he looked beyond confused and angry.

"Call who?" Soren asked, turning herself around so that she was facing him fully. She acted oblivious and had an idea that Penelope Garcia was probably watching her calls and messages.

"Don't try and act confused, did you call Arlo?" Derek scoffed, walking closer to her as he sat on the couch, Soren played with her hands as she thought carefully about her next words. "Answer me right now."

"I had to you don't understand." Soren sighed, there was no point in hiding it anymore as she knew that she had been caught out. "I need to draw him out, bring him to me instead of the other way around. Arlo is smart, but he is also getting way too confident in himself right now."

"And what if he comes here? We don't have eyes on you here." Derek told her, his eyebrows drawn together with concern. "Come on, you know he's going to come here for you and we won't be here to protect you."

"I don't need protection, I did perfectly well on my own last time." Soren tilted her head to the side as she scoffed lightly. "You worry for someone you hardly know."

"It's apart of the job description." Derek joked with her. "But promise me that you won't call him anymore without Garcia or myself being there."

Soren nodded her head, agreeing with him as she smiled. "I know, sorry. I just did it impulsively, I know now that I shouldn't of."

"At least you know now." Derek grinned, "Now, have you had something to eat yet?"

She shook her head, "I was waiting till you got back, I fancied a pizza from that place down the road but I sort of broke my phone, so that was no use."

"Guess we're having pizza then, I'll call for it now." He told her as he grabbed his phone and called up for the food as the two sat back down onto the couch together, watching the random film that Soren had put on.