WARNING – NONCON AH/OMC

Chapter 7

Reasons

Ricinus communis – Castor Bean. The beans are poisonous, and even two beans can prove fatal. Ricin, a highly toxic poison favoured by some assassins, is derived from the beans.

It was along drive. Aaron tried not to move about in the back of the van, but the UnSubs were not concerned with his comfort, only to get back to their lodging, so that they could count the money and buy the Ricin.

The little van drove into an old abandoned factory, and Nixon got out and pulled down the door, while Markus pulled the hold alls out of the back of the van.

He left Aaron where he was.

Markus tipped the first bag out onto a table and started counting. He felt no inclination to keep the money. This was for the cause. The loss of Tony was sad, but he died reaching for a higher goal, and would be blessed for his sacrifice.

Nixon went to get their test subject. He was surprised when he shone his torch into the back of the van that there was so much blood. He was lying there in a clotted mess, either dead or unconscious. He got hold of the flexicuffs around his ankles and cut them off, and pulled Aaron out of the van onto the floor.

He hit the floor on his right side, and the sudden shot of pain woke Aaron out of the safety of unconsciousness, and pulled him back into the world of pain and terror. He turned onto his back and faced his attacker. He could still not open his eyes.

"Who are you? What do you want me for?" Aaron said softly.

"We need a test subject, and you're it." Nixon said. "Now stand."

Aaron struggled to his feet. He was losing blood rapidly, and was feeling light headed and sick. He leaned against the van.

"Testing what?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

"Ricin. Now move."

"Why do you need to test it?" Aaron asked. Ricin was an old poison used in assassinations. Why did it need to be tested?

"I said move!" Nixon pushed Aaron sideways. He fought to remain upright, but he was weak and sick and he collapsed onto his knees. He cried out helplessly as hands in his hair pulled him across the floor to a wall, where he was cuffed to a pipe running down from the ceiling. Hands behind his back, leaning against the wall, he slumped forwards and rested his head on his knees. He had tears in his eyes, washing the blood from his eyelashes. A hand gripped his jaw and lifted his head. Aaron forced his eyes open to look at his attacker.

"Get used to this. You are going to be sitting here until you die."

Aaron blinked as his eyes got used to the light, and he stared at Nixon.

"They will find you. Killing me will not matter in the end, because you will be tracked down and punished." he said, his dark eyes staring in defiance.

Nixon pressed his fingers into Aaron's jaw as hard as he could, his nails cutting crescents in Aaron's pale skin. He smacked his head back against the wall and walked away.

Aaron felt the crack as his head impacted with the concrete wall, and new tears flooded his battered bleeding face. He rested his head on his knees again and drifted into a black velvet void where gentle hands caressed his beaten body.

-0-0-0-

Morgan and Emily sat in the bunker with Garcia. So far they had nine addresses, and had identified the one associate that Mrs Nixon didn't know. They decided to follow these up nine while Garcia worked on the final five.

"The other five might have aliases, especially if they are cons." said Emily.

"I'll run them through the facial recognition program." Garcia said. "We might get lucky again."

Emily and Morgan sat in the car putting the addresses in some kind of order. None were any more likely than the others so they decided to take them according to distance. The closest was a con named Julio Canello. Emily started the car and drove up the ramp into the traffic.

-0-0-0-

They had counted the money, and it would just cover the initial payment. Nixon made a phone call and arranged the pick up. He was getting excited now. It was really happening. And while he was concerned about accuracy with the condition of their test subject, it meant that they wouldn't have to risk another kidnapping.

"I'll go and make the pick up." said Nixon. "Wait here. I'll be about an hour."

Aaron heard a door open and close again. Now there was only one UnSub. The odds would not get any better.

"Please can I have some water?" Aaron croaked. The blood loss had dehydrated him. Water would help him think.

Markus picked up a bottle of water and walked over to Aaron. As he approached, he noticed the pool of blood. Aaron looked up at him, his head resting on the wall behind him.

"Thank you." he whispered.

"Why are you bleeding?" Markus asked.

"Because you have beaten me." Aaron said. He didn't know about this UnSub yet, but he hoped he was stupid enough not to realise what was happening to him.

Markus suddenly caught hold of Aaron's legs and pulled them straight so that Aaron was lying down. He hit the floor with a smack, and for a moment, he was too shocked to move. Markus pulled him over onto his front. Aaron's hands were still cuffed to the pipe, and his arms were yanked backwards. Aaron was breathing heavily, fighting the pain and fearing what was going to happen.

"My god! You're a freak!" yelped Markus excitedly.

"No!" Aaron said. Speech was becoming difficult; his mouth was dry and sticky. But he still had the strength and dignity to fight this. He felt hands slip around his waist and fumble with his belt. He couldn't turn over because even the slightest movement of his right shoulder made him sick. He tried to draw his knees up so that he could turn around and face the UnSub. He was pushed back down again, and his face was pressed into the floor, his broken nose scrunching onto the concrete. Aaron cried in pain and tears came into his eyes again. He fought against the weight on his back as the UnSub straddled him, trying now to undo his zip. A hand slid out from under him, and grasped the back of his hair, pulling his head back until he choked.

"Lie still!" he hissed. Aaron couldn't speak. He made gasping sounds in his throat as his neck cracked. The UnSub Threw his head back down, smashing his face again on the ground. Aaron groaned weakly, realising that he didn't have the strength to fight this man.

He actually considered doing as he was told; just lie down and take it. But although his strength was gone, he still had his dignity. He didn't want to be destroyed like he almost was last time. He couldn't let all the love that Dave and Spencer had shown to him be for nothing. If only to serve their memory, he was going to fight, if not to stop this man, at least to make things difficult.

Even if he killed Aaron. He was not going to give up until he was dead.

The weight was lifted off his back, and immediately, Aaron tried to crawl away. He couldn't go far, but if he could get nearer the wall, he could turn onto his back.

Hands at his waist gripped his clothes and pulled at his blood soaked trousers. He squirmed and kicked, managing at one point to kick the UnSub in the jaw. A fist to his own jaw temporarily stunned him, and he was helpless as his trousers were removed and thrown to one side. Exposed and powerless, he felt the weight across his thighs. Hands clawed at his underclothes and ripped them away.

The only way he could move was to roll onto his right side. He screamed at the self induced agony as he forced himself onto his right side, trying to dislodge his attacker. Slipping in his own deep red blood, he tried to get against the wall.

The man on top of him gripped tighter with his knees. He drew back his fist and punched Aaron hard on the cheek bone, leaving him dazed and defenceless. He pushed Aaron back onto his front, and dug his fingers into his waist, holding him still, as he slid in the blood up towards his hips.