"MATT?"
J.J was pushed into the basement room by Hastings and Askari.
"J.J?"
"Shut up Cruz! We'll deal with you in a minute!"
They forcefully chained J.J hands to the low ceiling above their heads, forcing J.J stand with her feet on the floor but her arms and hands raised above her head.
For the next hour, Hastings and Askari repeatedly asked J.J for her security codes, but J.J wouldn't give them up, no matter how many times they hit her and slapped her. Every time Matt spoke, they would hit him to shut him up. After an hour they gave up and left, leaving the 2 captives chained with their hands and arms above their heads.
"Matt, what are you doing here?"
"Could ask the same of you J.J. What's today?"
"Wednesday evening. How long have you been here?"
"They took me from my house and bought me here Monday night, not long after I'd finished eating dinner. They knocked on the door and then as soon as I opened the door, they were on me. It's already Wednesday evening?"
"Yeah so you've been here for 2 days Matt?"
"Yeah but here I can't really keep track of time and my arms are getting tired and really hurting. They haven't taken these chains off since they bought me in here 2 days ago and I've spent 2 days like this. But at least I can put my feet on the floor, which is something. But my arms are getting tired and sore. And I haven't slept. I'm hungry too cos I haven't eaten since eating dinner Monday night…"
"You spent 2 days like this?"
"Yeah every so often they come in here and try and get me to give up my security codes. They've punched me in the stomach so many times, I can't feel them hitting any more. But no matter how long they keep me like this I won't give the codes up. At least every so often they give me water to drink but only cos they have to…"
J.J then noticed a slightly weird smell coming from Matt's direction and saw his blue jeans he was wearing were clearly still damp, as if sometime that day, he'd peed himself. It definitely smelt like pee. And there was dried pool of urine around his feet. But seeing as he apparently had been down there like that for 2 days, she couldn't blame the guy for needing to go at some point.
"So they don't undo your chains for anything?"
"Nope not for anything. I'm actually beginning to lose the feeling in arms they've been chained above my head for so long. I try not to move them as my shoulders and arms are hurting now….."
She didn't know it but Matt was needing another pee. He was doing his best to hold on every time he had needed to go as he hated having to wet his pants as they took ages to dry. At least when he had been alone, it didn't matter about him doing everything he could to hold on and not pee his pants and he didn't have to worry about squirming about and showing desperation signs. But suddenly now he was standing next to J.J.
After a while, he began to get desperate to pee. It had been hours since he'd last had to pee in his pants. He still was doing everything he could not to pee in his pants. At least when he'd been alone in the room, no one had had to see him pee himself. But now he was even more determined to hold on as he really didn't want to have to go in his pants in front of J.J. But pretty soon he was bursting for a pee.
They'd been quiet for a while, trying conserve their energy. J.J noticed Matt squirming a little, as if the man really needed a pee.
"You okay Matt?"
"Yeah…..sort of…" By now Matt was having to squirm about with need. Finally he couldn't hold on.
"Dammit….." He swore as he had to let go and felt himself pissing in his pants badly. He hung his in shame as his bladder emptied itself into his pants and jeans. J.J looked at him worried, then heard sounds like water running. She saw Matt standing there real still with head hung low and turned away. She heard the water sounds and dripping sounds and looked down to see Matt was clearly pissing in his jeans. Once he'd finished, although he felt better and relieved, he was now standing there again in soaking wet boxer shorts and jeans. And he'd pissed his pants in front of J.J! He was hoping Askari and Hastings wouldn't come back for hours!
"You okay Matt?"
"Not really J.J. I hate it when I can't hold it any longer and I hate wet jeans….I'm soaked and I know it'll probably take a couple of hours to dry off now."
"So you've been down here for 2 days Matt? And they don't even let you use a bathroom?"
"No. When they first bought me down here, lucky for me I'd just used my bathroom and managed to not have to pee til the yesterday morning when I really had to go. I was actually begging and shouting for them to let me use a toilet but I'm not where they go cos their not outside the door. Finally I couldn't hold on any longer and I had to pee my pants. Took a few hours to dry and I felt so dirty. Luckily by the time they came in I was almost dry and they don't seem to notice a smell. They spent probably a couple of hours trying to interrogate me, but I wouldn't give up. Askari is the worst of the 2 for me as probably 3 times a day, he'd come here and literally pour a bottle of water down my throat. I'd swallow as much as I could if I were you if he does that with you as that's the only water I've been getting. Once, which must be first thing in the morning, once, which must be lunchtime and the once which must be dinner time. But it's not enough and I'm always thirsty. At least with them not giving me very much water, I'm not peeing that much and can go hours without needing to go. I think between yesterday and today, I've gone probably only 2 or 3 times each day at most. I can go for hours without peeing. And this was only the second time today as I'm getting very little water….."
"It does sound like you are getting dehydrated a bit Matt."
"Well they don't give me half enough water, just about enough to keep me talking. But not much more than that. But I've spent 2 days down here and I'm getting tired and I'm not sure how much more I can put up with. I'm starving hungry, always thirsty, I can't sleep, my arms are both numb but my shoulders are killing me and my arms are so tired. I'm getting real tired and every part of me hurts from being in this position for 2 days and I never know when they're coming. And now once again, I gotta stand here in soaking wet jeans til they dry but I'm hoping against hope they don't come for a while…"
"The team will figure I'm gone Matt by now and they'll be looking for me. I told Will that if anything ever happened to go to you. And by now Hotch would have tried to contact you and they probably went to your house. So they know you've gone too. And they'll be looking for us Matt, they just have to figure out where we are. But we can't give up the codes. And I'm really worried they'll get to Will and Henry…."
"Once Hotch realises you're missing he'll have put Will and Henry under protection. I'm sure their safe J.J but we just need to hold out til they get to us but its getting harder for me. I haven't eaten in over 2 days, they've given me very little water and I've been chained up the whole 2 days. I won't give up the codes but all I wanna do is sleep but I can't. But I am so tired now. I won't let them see it and I'll everything I can to fight them but J.J I just hope Hotch figure it out soon as I'm really not sure how much longer I can take this before I collapse... but I will die before I give up the codes…"
It was a couple of hours before Hastings and Askari returned. Luckily for Matt his jeans had dried off mostly and were only still slightly damp.
"GIVE US THE CODES!"
"Go to hell!" Matt spat in Hasting's face, which angered him and J.J could only watch as Hasting's punched Matt hard in the crotch.
They then started trying to interrogate J.J, but no matter what they did, she would give up her codes. They eventually gave up and turned to Matt and started shouting in his face, demanding his codes. Even though his crotch still hurt, he didn't show any pain or fear and refused, no matter how many times they hit him. Hastings must have been desperate, and as J.J watched, he grabbed Matt's crotch through his jeans, squeezing hard, making Matt yell in pain, but still Matt wouldn't give up his codes, even with tears running down his face. J.J could only watch as somehow Matt held out. Eventually Hastings let go and tried a new tactic. He managed to undo the struggling man's jeans. Matt did everything he could to struggle and squirm away from Hastings but in no time at all Hastings pulled both Matt's jean and boxers down, completely exposing him. Hastings put his hand around Matt's balls and began squeezing. Even though Matt had to scream in pain, he still wouldn't give up. Eventually Hastings let go but then put his hand around Matt's member and began to squeeze, but still Matt wouldn't give up his codes, even when Hastings began pulling hard downwards, yanking Matt's thing down hard! Eventually Hastings had to give up and yanked back up the man's boxer and jeans, and did them back up.
"You'll give up the codes eventually Cruz!"
"Go to hell! I'll never give them up!" Hastings punched Matt in the crotch again before leaving with Askari. Only after they'd left did Matt show real pain and, even though it killed his arms to bend down, he had to and for a while, all he could think about was the pain in his crotch.
"You okay Matt?"
"No! But I won't let them see it! Man it's killing me! I thought he'd never give up!"
J.J could see Matt was in real pain and felt so sorry for him but there was nothing she could do. Eventually Matt had to stand back up even though his crotch was killing him.
They were left alone for another couple of hours. During that time, J.J began to need a pee but, like Matt, she really didn't want to go in her suit pants and held out until she could hold out no more and had to pee in her pants. Matt, meanwhile was still in pain but both heard and saw her and respectfully looked away.
A couple of hours later, Askari and Hastings burst in again. Askari forced Matt's head back and began to pour a bottle of water down Matt's throat, Matt managing to swallow almost all of it. Meanwhile Hastings did the same thing with J.J and she too managed to swallow most of it but then both of them left the room again, leaving the 2 captives alone.
"Guess Hastings does the water duty too!"
"How's the you know what feeling?"
"Still hurts but not too much now. Pain's starting to fade at last!"
They ended up being left alone for a few hours, even though neither Matt nor J.J could tell the time and to them it felt like forever. Neither of them could sleep, even though Matt was, by now so tired. J.J could see he was getting weaker and feared for him as she could tell Matt probably couldn't hold out for too much longer. She was only stronger as she'd been taken only the night before but Matt had already spent over 2 day's in there chained up without food, enduring all the torture and pain and getting very little water and never sleeping.
Suddenly both men again burst in.
"You will give your codes!"
"NEVER! GO TO HELL HASTINGS!"
"That's where you're going Cruz!"
"I'll die before I give up my codes! So will J.J!"
"We'll see about that!"
Hastings slid off his belt and, whilst trying to interrogate J.J, he kept whacking her on the back hard with his belt but J.J wouldn't give in. He tried the same on Matt, whacking him on the back with his belt ever harder and hitting harder every time, but Matt wouldn't give up his codes either! Before leaving, in a fury, Hastings again punched Matt hard in the crotch. Only after Hastings and Askari had gone did Matt again show pain. At the same time, having needed to pee through all the torture, he finally gave up now that Hastings and Askari had gone and had to stand there, his crotch in pain, and pee his pants. He'd been holding out until they'd left and luckily he'd managed to hold out. But afterwards, he was again in soaking wet jeans. And he was getting weaker and more tired. J.J could again see Matt was clearly getting weaker and she did fear for the man but every time Hastings and Askari had been trying to interrogate and torture them, Matt put on a face and fought with everything he had and J.J was proud of the man. Even in his weakening condition, he was still putting up one hell of a fight and he still refused to give up his security codes. She started praying that Hotch and the team would find them soon as she wasn't sure how much more Matt could take or even how much longer Matt could hold out for with collapsing unconscious.
"They'll find us soon Matt. I know it! You just have to hold out a little longer!"
"I'm not sure if I can J.J, I mean I'll try with everything I've got to hold out and I won't give up my codes for anything but unless they find us soon, I'm not sure how much longer I can stay awake. All I wanna do is sleep and I'm so tired. If it weren't for these chains on my hands, all I could do is collapse on the ground…..I'll fight them with everything I have, even if it means them killing me but J.J, I'm getting weaker. Don't tell them but I'm so hungry, I'm so thirsty, I'm so tired, I can't feel my arms, my legs are so weak I fear they'll collapse under me, and the only thing holding me up are these chains. I don't think I could support myself I was just standing up. All I wanna do is lie down and go to sleep. You know me J.J, I'm normally a strong guy who never gives up and I won't give up the codes but I'm just so weak now and in so much pain. And all I can think about is food and lying down and sleeping for years. Man I'm so tired I'm losing it. Sorry J.J….."
J.J started praying to Hotch. Trying to hopelessly send thoughts to him or one of the team, always repeating 'please find us soon guys!'
Hastings and Askari came in a couple times over the next couple of hours, constantly trying to interrogate them, shouting in their faces, hitting them, anything, but both J.J and Matt, even in his weakened condition, put up one hell of a fight and wouldn't give up their codes. Every time the men were in the room, J.J saw Matt doing his best to look strong and tall and somehow every time he put up a brilliant fight and put up with so many beatings and a lot of torture and never showed one sign of weakness and somehow managed to hold out and make Hastings and Askari believe he was still strong and willing to fight for everything. But the minute they left, J.J saw Matt visibly weaken and half collapse, Each fight against the men was clearly taking more and more out of Matt and each time the men came back, J.J feared that they'd kill Matt or that as soon as they left Matt would end up unconscious. But somehow he held on and stayed awake but he was getting tired and so weak that it was getting harder to put up a fight and put on a face and he wasn't sure how much longer he could do so without them seeing him weaken.
They'd come in once a couple of hours after their 2 long torture sessions just to pour water down Matt and J.J's throats before leaving again. Matt was so weak that, an hour later, needing to pee, he didn't have the strength to try and hold back and simply let go into his jeans. It was actually at the same time that J.J was again having to pee in her own pants! But sometime after that, she'd looked towards Matt and could see the man was near collapsing. He was seriously losing his battle against the 2 men. J.J did everything she could to encourage Matt to hold on and they spent ages talking about anything.
After quite a bit of time had passed, and after both their pants had dried again, the 2 men stormed back in. Immediately Matt stood up strong as ever, determined not to let the men see him weak. He was determined to put up as much fight as he could.
"You won't give up your codes for anything Cruz?"
"No and you can go to hell!"
"How about I take this nice woman, what do say sweetheart, do I turn you on?"
Matt could only watch horrified as Hastings began touching J.J who fought him off with everything she had. Just as he was about to undo his own pants, clearly intending to rape J.J, Matt gave in, not wanting him to hurt J.J that way.
"I knew it, you have thing don't you both of you? I knew I'd break you Cruz!"
Just then they all heard a noise upstairs. Finally the team had arrived. Hastings sped out of there. Askari sided up to Cruz and suddenly Matt felt 2 major pains in his upper abdomen. J.J was horrified. Askari had just stabbed Matt twice. She could see blood begin to pour from the wounds. Askari was just about to stab Matt again when the door slammed open. It was Hotch! He shot Askari straight in the head, instantly killing him. He then stood over the man and shot him in the head again as Emily Prentiss rushed over to J.J whilst Hotch and Dave hurriedly undid Matt's chains. Matt simply collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
"Where's Hasting's J.J?"
"He made a run for it."
"MORGAN. BLAKE! FIND HIM NOW!"
Morgan and Blake ran off after Hastings.
"Dave let's get him out of here now!"
Taking one of Matt's arms each, they helped the very weak and badly bleeding Matt to his feet and half dragged the weak man out of the basement. As soon as she was released, J.J had run off after Hastings.
Hotch and Dave half dragged Matt up the stairs to the waiting EMT's, who immediately put the half conscious man onto the waiting trolley, hurriedly fixing up an I.V and pressing bandages against the stab wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Meanwhile J.J, Prentiss, Blake and Morgan chased after Hastings, They cornered him on the roof. Morgan ended up having to shoot Hastings in the stomach and he fell backwards off the roof and the they could only watch in horror as Hastings fell all the way from the high roof to the concrete ground below, instantly dying. They all then rushed downstairs and to the front entrance. J.J happily hugged and greeted all her BAU team, so glad to finally see them before rushing to where the EMT's were working on Matt who lay on a trolley inside the entrance. She and Hotch walked quickly beside the trolley as the EMT's hurried towards the waiting ambulance.
"How is he guys?"
"We don't know. But we gotta get him the hospital pronto. He's not looking too good!"
When they put Matt's trolley inside the back of the ambulance, J.J wanted to speak to Matt.
"Give us one sec guys. Please?"
"Sure but then we have to get going."
J.J climbed inside and spoke to Matt, before sadly climbing out. Hotch put his jacket around J.J and then put his arm around her shoulder as the back doors were slammed shut and the ambulance sped off.
Suddenly Emily Prentiss came up behind them.
"Hey J.J. You okay?"
"Yeah, thanks I knew you could find me."
"Anytime. Look guys I'm real sorry but I do have to rush off, I'm needed back in London. I really wish I could stay but I'm so glad you're okay and I just hope your section chief is okay too."
"Thanks. Don't worry about it. Thank you so much for coming here though. Call sometime, let us know how you're doing…"
"Sure Hotch!"
She hugged both Hotch and J.J goodbye and left. Leaving the rest of the team to watch the ambulance with their section chief in speed away.