Author's notes: A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorite'd my story.

Disclaimer: The Mentalist isn't mine, but life is never perfect!

Jane was struggling to keep control of his body. The 'thugs' had taken him and the container somewhere and when it had stopped, instead of opening the lid and lifting him out , he had heard a thud as something dropped on top of it, and Jane realized that he was being left, he was probably not alone though, he suspected there was a camera somewhere. The container wasn't very big. it was impossible for Jane to lay on his back and he couldn't straighten his legs. He was certain he wasn't going to be in here more than a day or two since he wouldn't be given any water and he was sure that Red John didn't want him dead.

His first problem had been his hunger. The sight and smell of the eggs had awakened that condition. His stomach had hurt for the want of food, it had taken a while for him to bury that desire once again. He had eventually succeeded in retreating into his memory palace. He had relived a particularly fascinating poker game he had been in where one man had been a real challenge. Finally he had noticed a subtle change in the man's blinking when he was bluffing and Jane had cleaned up. Then he had started playing chess with himself. He won every game but then the seventh he had lost and he knew he was in trouble. The numbness down his right side screamed him into consciousness, he was sweating but a coldness was seeping into his bones. He head was pounding. He was shaking with the need to let out his frustration at his condition but the tape and his arid, unused throat would not allow him that release. Jane took deep slow breaths, counting each release. He could feel his heart rate slow just a little and he began to relax. Then suddenly his heart rate increased to panic levels, a beat later Jane knew why, as the sweet sickly fragrance of before began to fill his box and seemed to replace the air he breathed. He began to shake his head from side to side in a futile attempt to get away from the scent. The an insistent loud banging surrounded him and seem to shake his box. Jane's flight instinct overcame him and the adrenalin coursing him was too much for his weakened body to handle and he began to shake violently.

Jane was trying to stay lucid but he wasn't aware that the container had began to move and he barely registered the opening of the lid. It wasn't until he was being lifted out that he realized that something significant was happening. They placed him on, what he presumed was a table, he hands and feet were momentarily released and they turned him on to his back. His wrists were immediately encased by handcuffs and straps fastened across him , tying him securely to the table, even across his forehead. The shaking began to subside a little but he was still finding it difficult to focus on what was happening,it seemed they were doing something to his arm. He heard Lorelei's voice by his ear.

"It's alright Patrick, they are setting up an I.V. to give you the nutrients your body needs. The shaking will stop soon. Then Jane was hit with the pain of his body coming back to life. Lorelei noticed his distress and continued to speak to him in soothing tones and stroked his hair. Jane didn't try to pull away this time but grabbed on to the sensation to ground him and slowly he was able to regulate his breathing and he felt his body relaxing. He felt so tired. Lorelei continued to speak to him.

"I'm going to take the tape off your mouth now and give you some ice chips. Suck them slowly." Lorelei went for the quick method - painful but it hardly registered with Jane, unlike the ice chips, he savoured their coolness and relished the water gently soothing his parched throat.

"You're doing really well Patrick. Some more?"

Jane nodded and after putting some more into his mouth she began to caress his jaw line.

"I don't like this beard you are growing, Red John gave me permission to shave you"

Panic rose in Jane

"No" he managed to voice. Only Angela had ever given him a shave and he didn't want this woman being the second one.

"Patrick you can't say no and you didn't thank me for the chips so you have two lights lit already. Please let me do this, until you get stronger you won't be able to survive a third course of torture."

Jane knew Lorelei was right, if he was going to live he was going to have to endure this. Lorelei removed the tape across his eyes and as she leaned over him preparing his face for the shave, Jane's mind flooded with the scent and feel of Angela and there was nothing he could do to stop it!

Red John stared at the monitor which showed the consultant strapped down on the table at lorelei's mercy - at his mercy. He had discovered that Patrick's mental abilities were even stronger than he had imagined and it was taking longer than he had calculated to break him down, but that had just increased the fun. To see Jane reduced to a scruffy shaking mess had been delicious, but now to restore him, just a little.

'I am the puppet master Patrick' He zoomed in on to his prey's face.

"This is going very well" he said to himself with glee and a cruel smile crossed his face as he saw a tear escape from under Jane's eyelashes.