Unshed Blood | Criminal Minds

chapter twenty-seven - conspiracy

- CHAPTER TWENTY - SEVEN -

CONSPIRACY

SOREN HALE walked through the double doors leading into the main entrance of the FBI. Thankfully, she wasn't as nervous considering that Emily had managed to prepare her for what she needed to get out of Lorenzo quickly and efficiently without anything going wrong, but with Soren's luck, she knew something was bound to go wrong which is why Derek was told to stay in the room with her.

"All you have to do is get him to at least mention Arlo, if he does, we can get him arrested and charged with the murder of Victoria Bianchi." Emily told her, the two walked side by side, their shoulders occasionally brushing against one another as they climbed the steps leading over to the interrogation rooms where Soren once was.

"Memories." Soren muttered as she entered into the room after Emily, closing the door behind her as she faced Hotch, JJ and Derek.

"Do you remember what you have to do?" Hotch asked her again, once she nodded he explained briefly what was going to happen. "Derek is going to be the room with you the entire time, you need any help you tap your finger against your leg once, we'll get you out of there straight away. Try and at least get some form of a location out of him."

"I got it." Soren nodded confidently.

Emily caught onto the proud expression on Derek's face and grinned to herself, making eye contact with Rossi who simply raised his eyebrows and shrugged. It wasn't as though Hotch hadn't noticed too, he had seen the way that Derek had become more focused on the case, and when he noticed this and he was conflicted onto if he should take Derek away from the case or have Soren moved to a new location.

"You'll do great, Soren." Emily offered her words of encouragement as her and Derek walked over to the door.

"Thanks, Em." Soren smiled, disappearing into the room where Lorenzo was.

The door closed loudly behind them, and Soren took in Lorenzo's appearance. He was cuffed to the table by both his hands and feet, his eyes were a dark brown, piercing into Soren's light blue ones as her and Derek both sat down opposite him. He glanced up, recognition flashing through his eyes once they landed on Soren who impatiently tapped her foot against the ground.

"Well if it isn't Soren Hale, the youngest of the Hale kids." Lorenzo tutted, he was already trying to dig into her skin but she wouldn't allow it. "I wonder what Arlo would do if he found out that you were helping the feds."

"Where is he?" Soren spat out, her eyes filed with disgust as she looked at the man in front of her.

"Where is who?" Lorenzo pretended to be oblivious to who she was talking about but his mischievous smirk gave it away.

Derek rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Drop the act, man. You and I both know who she is talking about."

"Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan," Lorenzo drawled out. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Lorenzo, just tell us where my father is. Now." Soren demanded, bringing the attention back onto her as she leaned further against the metal table, the coldness of it sending shivers down her spine and goosebumps on her arms. "I won't repeat myself again."

Lorenzo leaned closer in so that they were facing one another and spoke. "Hai tradito la tua famiglia."

Soren refused to back down from what he was trying to do to her, he was attempting to push her over the edge. He was attempting to break her but she would rather of died than allow that to happen. "Non ho tradito nessuno."

"Speak English." Derek ordered them both, breaking the tension between them all.

Lorenzo chuckled, his eyes squinting playfully. "Your father told me many stories about your mother. Summer Hale - or Bianchi I suppose - he claimed that she was strong, and determined but in reality, she was nothing more than a weak, worthless human being who deserved everything, so it wasn't surprising when her death was announced. Her leaving behind her husband and two daughters, it's devastating really."

Soren gritted her teeth, finding it harder to control herself until she snapped. "My father also told me some things about you, Lorenzo. You father - Dominic - was a mean, controlling man who throughout your childhood not only abused you but also your mother. When he passed away when you were sixteen, you were in charge of looking after your drunken, drug ridden mother who didn't give a shit about you. Then when she passed, you had nothing. No family, no friends, so you turned to the only thing you could do. Murder."

"You know nothing, girl." Lorenzo snapped, his voice raising as he stood up.

Derek stood up just as quickly. "Sit your ass down, she wasn't finished."

Lorenzo shook his head to the side but obeyed, sitting down as Derek did too. Soren smirked, standing up and walking over to where Lorenzo was sitting as she leaned her head down beside his ear, whispering. "You didn't deserve to have a wife like Victoria. But the truth is that she was stronger than you could ever dream of being so you killed her, you got rid of her because you were jealous. So let me make this clear to you, Mr. Russo. If you don't open that pathetic mouth of yours and tell us where my father is, I will lock your ass up so quickly and show you exactly what Arlo Hale taught me."

Lorenzo swallowed the gulp in his throat. "He's staying in an apartment. Apartment 14 on Greenwood drive." Soren nodded, walking back over to the door as Derek also stood up but before the left the room, Lorenzo spoke up again. "Miss. Hale, you are more like your father than you think you are."

"Marcire all'inferno." Soren clenched her door as she stormed out the room, ignoring the calls from the others as she entered the women's rest room. Leaning her palms against the counter as she took in some deep breaths.

The door opened and in walked Emily Prentiss, with a sympathetic expression. "Thank you for doing that for us."

"I am like my father." Soren suddenly announced, turning around to look at Emily who waited for her to speak again. "What I just did in there, my father would of done the same thing. So maybe Lorenzo is right, maybe I am like him."

"Soren." Emily whispered her name, stepping closer. "You are nothing like Arlo Hale. You're so much more than him, so stop letting his actions define you."

"How? How do I do that?" She hiccupped, wiping the tear that had fallen.

"You help us catch him and put him away for good. The rest, let us worry about." Emily comforted her, rubbing her hand onto Soren's shoulder.

"Why are you all being so nice to me? I'm a murderer." Soren cried, her lips quivering as she failed to hold in her emotions.

"I don't judge people on their worst mistakes."