Chapter 120

Lizzie was inconsolable. She’d woken up and hadn’t stopped crying. It seemed no one could comfort her. The baby’s cries wracked her whole little body as though she was in pain. Sabrina tried her best to calm her down, but to no avail. Captain Whitlock had pulled Will away to coach him for the press conference. She could guess what was going with her best friend’s baby girl.
“She misses her mom,” Sabrina lamented, doing her best to soothe the distressed infant. “I’m sorry, sweet girl,” she said, bouncing the baby in her arms. “I know she misses you too.”
Sabrina looked over at her baby. He was calm in his crib, cooing and smiling at her. It was as though he knew that the other baby needed more attention. That’s silly, she laughed at herself. Alex walked in the room, his shoulder slumped over with heavy weariness. He walked over and picked up his son, who continued babbling.
“She really hasn’t stopped,” he said of Lizzie.
“She calms down a bit when I hold her, but otherwise no.”
“Let me try,” Spencer said, walking in behind Alex. “You need a break.”
They spent the rest of the morning rotating babies, doing their best. Their sleeplessness was catching up with them. Sabina felt lightheaded, whereas Alex was certain he’d keel over any moment. Spencer struggled to keep his eyes open. But they all knew. They knew they wouldn’t be able to sleep until Emma and Jess were safely home.
Spencer scooped the wailing baby from Sabrina’s arms. For a moment she quieted, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. But all too soon she began crying again.
“Nothing is working,” Spencer said, holding her to his chest. An old ache reawakened in Spencer’s heart. There was a time he longed for this baby to be his. He and Emma could have formed their own little family. If she had wanted, he would have stepped in as Lizzie’s father in any case. Biological or not, he would have been her father. He should have been.
Stop that, he scolded himself. He was no better than Will’s ex if he continued to think that way. While Emma did care for him, he knew she would never love him the way she wanted. He was going to have to accept that and move on. But he would have to worry about mending his broken heart some other time.
“How much longer until Captain Whitlock is done with Will?” Alex asked.
“No idea,” Sabrina answered. She flitted around the room, preparing clothes for the babies. As she went through Lizzie’s diaper bag, she let out a huge laugh.
“No way,” she snorted. “I can’t.
“What is it?” Spencer said.
“This man,” she said in reference to Will. “Where did he think was taking her? He packed like… little baby ball gowns. There is a tiara in here!”
“You’re kidding,” Spencer chuckled. Lizzie was still crying. He walked over to Sabrina and let out a full laugh. Tiny elaborate gowns and glitzy accessories were packed in the diaper. Maybe a few actual essentials were included, but that was it.
“What was he thinking?” Alex asked. Before they knew it, they were all howling with pent up laughter. Their eyes stung with tears and their lungs burned. Sabrina doubled over, almost unable to hold herself up. The three of them laughed, a much needed release from the events of the last several hours. And then…
Lizzie’s soulful cries turned into small giggles.
They all stopped at stared at her.
“Do you think daddy is silly?” Sabrina asked. Lizzie squealed and laughed in response. The three adults felt a weight melt away from them.
“It’s going to be okay,” Spencer said, bouncing her. “We’re going to be okay.”

Meanwhile, Captain Whitlock and Will were locked away in Alex’s office.
“Again,” the captain ordered.
“I’ve done it a hundred times at least! Let me out of here,”
“Again! You have to get this right or else the plan will go south. This press conference is going to keep him watching you. The reason he wants this is because he wants to see you go down in flames. And every second he’s enjoying your public downfall, is a second that the hostages are unguarded.”
“How do you know they’ll be unguarded?”
“Because he wants to make a spectacle out of you. He’ll make sure everyone is watching. That evil piece of shit is probably going to make it a catered event. Now. Again!”
“Good afternoon, everyone. First, I’d like to thank you all for coming,” Will recited. “I understand that I have gathered you all here under vague and mysterious circumstances. It is admirable that you have assembled so quickly. As you know, Stewart Industries has had a difficult year. I am here to announce that I, William Anderson Stewart, am stepping down as CEO of Stewart Industries. I am relinquishing any and all leadership duties, shares, and influence in the company to my Uncle Robert.”
“Why are you doing this?” Captain Whitlock, pretending to be one of the reporters.
“After his passing, it was discovered that Conrad Stewart, my grandfather and former CEO, was involved in several fraud investigations.” Will clenched fists. Saying any of this was bad enough. But the slandering of his beloved grandfather was horrible. It felt like dragging sandpaper across his tongue to say those kinds of this about him. Conrad Stewart was an amazing leader. He may have been old-fashioned in some of his approaches, but the company flourished with him at the helm. “I tried to fight against the corrupted legacy he left behind but find that I am unequipped and inadequate. My uncle is better versed in the business world and will do a better job of bringing Stewart Industries back to the prestigious company it once used to be. This transfer is effective immediately.”
“Good. When they ask for more comments, you’ll say…”
“I will not be answering any other questions at this time.”
“Perfect,” the captain praised him. “I know these things are hard for you to say. But you need to put your pride aside and do what’s right. You need to say it exactly the way that’s going to get the best reaction from him. The right reaction.”
There was something about the way Captain Whitlock said that that didn’t sit right with Will. What isn’t he saying to me? Their unspoken communication lingered between them as Captain Whitlock endeavored to convey words he couldn’t say.
“Okay,” Will settled with it. “What else do we need?”
“You need a suit. Present a strong front. If you let on that anything is amiss, it could jeopardize our hostages.”
“Get a good suit. Got it.”
“No, Will. Not a ‘good’ suit. This needs to be a bad ass suit. The kind that people wear in movies for this kind of thing. It’ll give everything more impact.”
“I thought he wanted me humiliated,” Will raised an eyebrow.
“Well, yeah. But you’re going into battle. You’re going to need armor.”
Will pondered about that. Captain Whitlock was right of course. This was a war. But all of his suits were at his home, and he couldn’t send anyone there for risk of them being followed back. Until Emma was safely back in his arms, and Jess was freed, he couldn’t allow any mistakes or slipups. Everything had to be precise. But something in the back of his mind tugged at him. Something will go wrong.
“This is going to work… isn’t it?” Will asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Following the plan. Doing what Robert wants.”
“As long as he reacts the right way, it will.” Captain Whitlock sat back. His body language said relaxed. But his eyes… There’s that look again. “Follow your instincts, Will. This is a business deal. Think of it that way. Getting the hostages back is a transaction. The rival company has presented their terms. And now you have to respond.”
Will stared at him, trying to find the hidden meaning in his words. It was infuriating. Why wouldn’t he just say what he wanted? But Will couldn’t dwell on that now.
“I know where to get a suit. I’ll have it couriered here. It’ll look like someone is delivering dry cleaning.”
“Perfect. Get that ready. I want you ready within an hour.”
Will walked out of the room, and then heard some sort of commotion coming out of the babies’ room. He ran towards it, fear spiking in his heart that something happened to his daughter. But as he got closer, he heard it. Laughter. Side splitting laughter poured from the room.
“What’s going on here?” he asked. Alex, Sabrina, and Spencer were doubled over with laughter while Damian and Lizzie squealed and giggled along with them. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since he’d last heard that sound.
They looked up when they saw him. Lizzie squealed loudly when she saw him. He rushed over to her and scooped her out of Spencer’s arms. She stilled instantly and yawned. The baby girl snuggled into her father’s chest and fell asleep. An intense, soothing warmth spread throughout him. It quieted all the rage and turmoil in his heart. It brought him peace. She brought him peace.
“Well, look at that,” Alex smiled.
“She just missed her dad,” Sabrina sighed.
“What was wrong?”
“She’d been screaming all morning,” Sabrina answered. “Nothing calmed her down.”
“What about all the laughing?”
“That was about you,” Spencer smirked. “Sabrina found what you packed in the diaper bag. She started laughing, then Alex and I started laughing. Then even Damian laughed.”
“Then that little princess of yours couldn’t stop laughing,” Sabrina said. “It was great. I think we all needed that.”
After putting both the babies back to sleep, everyone tried their best to assist the plan. Captain Whitlock had assigned roles and places for everyone during the press conference. Every detail was organized down to the most minute element. Everything had to be perfect.
As the pieces began to come together, Sabrina grabbed Will by the shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I just want to say… I was wrong about you. I thought you were bad for her. I thought you were going to ruin her. And maybe you did for while… but I can see now.”
Will was stunned by her words. He’d never expected Sabrina’s approval, much less her admitting that she was wrong.
“Has hell frozen over?” he asked. Sabrina chuckled.
“Yeah, I think it has. Come on. Let’s get the girl back.”