Chapter 9 (Red Maze)

Another breath, another wink and the dazzling red-light reached it's point of no return ; the shadow was hauling across his face and stopped right above his head just before blowing out. Jane had lost any notion of time and space. He got his senses back when the bright lights flew open one after another revealing an endless corridor of sucessive doors.

Each and every door looked the same ; wooden shaped with a golden plate number on it. How would he find the right one ? It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Jane decided he would have to try everyone of them. When he tried to pick up the rusty latch of each door he find out that most of them were locked. He went down every door and counted them, there were at least a hundred of them by now.

After half and hour of running through the locks, Jane tought he would go insane ; he was spiralling into a neverending labyrinth of oblivion where everything was alike except for the countdown of the numbers on each door room. After a while, he wasn't sure of what he saw anymore. He swore he could have seen the end of the corridor. Was he becoming delusional ? ; was it a mirage shaped by his only mind to release him from this curse ?

No it had to be one of them. Realisation hit him when he saw he numbers on the doors ; only three were left. He woudn't die trying everyone of them would he ? As he was about to hold the first knob he heard the echos of a high piched voice, the one he had heard about an hour ago. It was Red John again…

Hi Patrick, hope you enjoyed you little ride (chuckles)…I tried to soothe your task, you see letting you prevaricate beetween a hundred doors woudn't be fair of me, especially in such short amount of time (chuckled again)…so I let you only three choices : between one of them lays you friend Teresa safe and sound, between the two others…well I'm sure you know since your mind hasn't run free of imagination. The rules are simple, you choose right, I release your little friend in exchange of your life as agreed. You choose wrong, you stay with me and I keep her to my own and personal favour.

"how do I know she's not already dead ?" Jane asks not sure if he would get an answer

"it's all a matter of trust Patrick" Red John says with a soft chuckle "it's of me to decide if you've been a fairly valuable and worthy opponent, as for now you shall hurry. The dealine ends in thirty minuts so to speak" he adds with a sadistic smile

Jane wanted to say something else to ask him how does he picks up the right door in the first place when he has no idea how to choose the right one to begin with ? Did Red John even gave him a single useful clue ? Then he tought of the same men who brought him here then told himself Red John must have give him just the right amount of information for him to succeed. On the other hand, the situation was different now ; there was a difference between giving him indications of where he was and letting him win. It was easy for Red John to taunt him into coming here by letting him know he was trusthworthy then lie to him in the end when he knew it was his last piece of victory. Once again, his nemesis was playing mind games with him and he didn't like the sense of uncertainty and inferiority it procured him. Why was he always powerless when it came to Red John ? Maybe he was putting him on a pedestal, maybe in order to win he had to see his nemesis for who he really was ; a twisted human being with flaws and vices just like him. Jane smiled to himself an evil smile. He knew exactly what he would do…

xxxxxxx

Lisbon winced in her chair. Her ropes were so tighthen some of her body parts seemed to be paralysed ; especially her left arm where the rope was pressing againts her almost unbearable bruises.

Red John was sitting next to her. If he was getting impatient, he didn't seem to show it she tought. He was sipping his cup of tea through the small opening of his mask and he was facing her legs crossed and slightly relaxed on the chair's back. Even though his facial features were out of sight, she could have swear he was looking at her. A shiver ran down her spine at the tought.

"you don't have to be so quiet" Red John finally told her "all that anxiety is not good for your blood pressure" he said boderline sarcastic

"those ropes don't help either" she tells him with a laugh

"what is so funny ?" he asks almost offended

"this, me talking with you this is so ridiculous" she said with a smile

Lisbon felt incredibly funny all of a sudden. Maybe it was the adrenaline ; the pressure of beeing captive making her slowly loose her sanity.

"how's so ?" Red John asks calmly

"well-well first of all you're sitting here drinking your tea looking at me like there's nothing going on and second you haven't drugged me yet. Instead you're here having a little chat with me, I'm sorry to say but that's hilarious" Lisbon says her head starting to feel dizzy

Before she knows it, Red John had got out of his chair and was standing up right in front of her only inches away from her face like he had done previously. He then approached his face to her ear and paused.

"and what makes you think agent Lisbon that I haven't drugged you yet ?" he whispers with a machiavellian smile in her ear

Lisbon's lips slightly pout and she grit her teeth then her eyes widened in anticipation looking at the cup of tea Red John had so gently poured into her mouth only minuts ago.

"you drugged me" Lisbon trailed

Before she realized it her body was leaving her letting her arms collapsed next to her. Her vision became blurry and doubled ; the last thing she saw was the stereoscopic image of Red John's ugly smeared mask gently pulling her head back to rest on the chair. Then all went black.

xxxxxxx

"he's been there for more than two hours something's happened we need to go in" Cho said irritation visible on his face

"as much as it kills me for Lisbon to be in there Jane wanted us to stay out of it" Rigsby said "and even if we wanted to help him the doors's locked for christ sake it's unbreakable, you wanna try again for the unteenth time ?" he adds defiantly looking at the asian men

"we're going in" Cho said looking back at Rigsby defiantly "Van Pelt call for backup" he ordered the red-hair women

In less than ten minuts squad-tactic teams and FBI cars were parked in front of the building. Of course Grace had ask them to be as discret as possible and to not put the sirens. Even thought Red John had clearly forbid the presence of the law inforcement, Cho had take the best decision ; the one Lisbon would have made if she was at his place.

In one of the black SUV, a tall white men with black sunglasses and a dark-blue coat written FBI on it got out ; from his look the team could see he was the one in charge of the operations. He approached Cho and shook his hand.

"you must be agent Cho, I'm agent Riley nice to meet you" the men said as he took off his glasses "and you must be agent Van Pelt" he told Grace with his best smile "and you agent Rigsby" he said pointing at the tall agent

"yep that's right" Rigsby said shaking the men's hand in return "nice to meet you" he adds embarassed

"so what's the situation ?" agent Riley asked looking at Cho

"we have two of our colleagues inside the building. One of them is agent Teresa Lisbon she's a CBI agent and the other one is Patrick Jane he's a consultant. He works with us." Cho said

"what's the agent's state ?" the agent asks

"one of them is beeing held captive by Red John and his possibly badly injuried. The other one we don't know for sure. He got in two hours ago and he hasn't come back yet." Cho said

"Red John the famous serial killer ?" Riley asked

"yep that's him" Cho said

"and how badly injured is you friend ?" the agent asks

Cho looked at his team for approval fearing his revelations might hurt them

"possibly multiple lacerations and drug administrations" Cho said

"have you checked in yet ?" Riley asks

"We have tried to break in but the door's locked. We were waiting for you to search around the perimeter, see if there's another entry" Cho briefed the FBI agent

"good" the FBI agent says "I will ask to my team to call the paramedics immediately the FBI has got this in hands. We will securize the building before we get in and call you if we need help" agent Riley said with a smile before pulling back

"agent Riley" Cho called him

"yes agent Cho" he said annoyed that the men was interrupting his momentum

"if you go in there now he will kill them" Cho said arms crossed

"so what do you say agent ?" he asks Cho defiantly getting inches closer to him

"you need our help" Cho said looking at him

"as much as I appreciate your offer agent Cho, the FBI is entirely capable of handling the situation now if you'll excuse me I have a job to do" he tells him with contempt in his voice

"it's not negociable" Cho said arms still crossed

"what are you trying to prove agent Cho ?" the agent asked trying to coax him "that you're the big guy here, that yours is bigger than mine" he said offensively

"yeah maybe" Cho adds without blinking

If he didn't know better, Cho could see that the FBI agent was beeing unprofessionnal. What he didn't know was that the men's –paint in the ass- attitude was his daily behavior.

The situation didn't make agent Riley nervous, he had seen and ear worst things in his career and he knew exactly what he was doing. On the other hand agent Riley was a poor negociator. He knew he would need the help of the CBI for the operation so he decided to resign.

"fine" agent sighed "come with me" he said flexing his index finger

Rigsby and Grace all looked at Cho with a light admiration in their eyes. After all it was their friends that were in danger. They would not sit there and wait while the FBI got all the credit. No they would do anything possible to save Lisbon and Jane altogether even thought their hopes towards the consultant weren't too high.

xxxxxxx

Jane closed his eyes and took a deep breath, has he tried to visualize himself opening each and every door, imagining every possiblities ; what he remembered, what Red John had told him and most importantly what his guts was telling him to do. He found out long travels into his own memory palace had always helped him focus and regain control over himself.

A chorthle escaped his mouth ; his toughts had rapidly wondered towards his family then the smell of Charlotte's shampoo and her soft baby skin like and then he remembered the night of the murder ; the horrors he had seen, the blood on the floor and the smiley face on the wall, his eyes fluttered in shock. When he opened his eyes everything went back to normal and he felt a semblant of peace of mind. He now knew exactly where he was and what he had to do.

Jane took a step closer to the door number three. The fluorescent light above the door flickered abusively sending spasmes of stimulus through his spine. His heart was beating faster and his right hand shaked hesitantly above the door knob. Before he opened it, he took one deep breath as if it was the last one and pushed the wooden furniture open.

When he saw Lisbon uncounscious tied up in a chair and Red John holding a knife next to her throat he didn't know if he should sight in relief that he had guesses right or get anxious that he had arrived to late. Jane stayed like that for a while his hands clanging in the air as he was watching the men in front of him, studying him from head to toe.

"Patrick I must say I'm impressed" Red John said as he repeatedly clapped his hands together still holding the knife "you followed every of my clue perfectly I must say I was worried a little that you might fail me again…after all I have always been one step ahead of you so to say" Red John said with a little laugh

"but here I am" Patrick said

"because I wanted you to be" Red John said "otherwise I'm afraid you'd be somewhere else" he adds

"I have no doubt" Jane said trying to calm down as much as possible

Red John had instantly noticed Jane's glare quickly shift to Lisbon.

"don't worry I have not kill her…yet" Red John said as he gently replaced one of Lisbon's hair lock behind her ear

Jane couldn't stand for his nemesis to lay even one finger on Lisbon even if he didn't arm her. He was holding the building anger inside of him.

"I only took the liberty to dispose her to sleep before you arrived I'm sure she's gonna wake up soon" Red John said as he softly stroke Lisbon's cheek

Jane was panting heavily trying to contain the visible anger

"You can ask it Patrick" Red John trailed

Jane's eyes wrinkled

"there's not poin in denying Patrick" he said

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Jane lied

"oh Patrick, so many questions sliping and burning the tip of your tongue…you finally have a chance to meet me face to face and ask me whatever you want you're not gonna spoil it arent' you ? I must say I would be extremely dissappointed if you did" Red John said with a condescending tone

"fair enough" Jane said then paused before he spoke "why me ?" he finally asks

"why does it always have to be about you ?" Red John asks sarcastically

"fine why you huh killed my familly then ?" Jane asked softly

"because you're worth so much more than that…such a waiste of talent I'm sure your father would think the same" he adds

What did Red John knew about his father ? What made him think he even had the right to mention him or speak for him ? Of course his father was a scrum, a selfish little men with no ambitions but he was his father and he wasn't him. He had a life before Red John killed his family and a real job two things that had been taken away from him.

"I think you're overestimating me" Jane lied "besides I honored my part of the deal, you can let her go" Jane said starting to get impatient

"oh Patrick I wish it would be that easy but I'm afraid I can't let that happen" Red John said as he gently waves the sharp edge of his knife on Lisbon's neck a little above her collarbone

Jane wanted to say something and the look on his face was telling "if you touch her" but he had to be strong to play the game until the end ; keep his head cool. Unfortunately, Red John had seen in him and decided to replicate.

"oh Patrick you know I would never do that, I know how much she means to you how much of a friend she is to you" Red John says insisting on one word precisely "too bad her feelings for you has grow in another direction, one you were not ready to ear…would be sad if the last thing you told her was how much you resented her" Red John said meaningly

At this moment, Jane knew that Red John had heard their conversation that night, the one between him and Lisbon. He always had his suspicions but now he was sure of it. He had heard everything that had been said : the confessions, the lies and the rejection. After all those years, Jane finally knew that Red John had buged his house and was listening to every of his conversation not to mention that he had many accomplice.

"see if I care…you could slit her throat I couldn't care less" Jane lied "actually the only reason I was really asking is to not run the doubts upon me, you see save some CBI paperworks after all" Jane lied eyes wrinkles

From Red John's demeanor, Jane could see the satisfaction emanate from his adversary.

"I see you finally had a change of heart" Red John said "I always knew you and I could be friends" Red John adds with emotion

"yeah I only realize it now" Jane says with an evil grin

"you can ask Patrick it's ok" Red John said as he red Jane's mind

Jane's eyes sparkled with pride ; his nemesis was falling for it.

"I can do it for you" Jane said "it'll be my initiation" Jane said trying to hold his fake smile

"so you finally agree to end her life" Red John says perceptibly

"oh your heard right" Jane said with a grin

There was a pause before Red John spoke as if he was trying to analyse his moves, his reactions. On the other hand it was hard for Jane to do so since the men in front of him had a thick ugly mask plastered to his face.

"as you wish" Red John said with a high voice "what is your weapon of choice ?" he adds

"I don't really like guns so I guess a knife would do the trick" Jane said

At the very moment his nemesis folded the huge knife in his hand Jane knew he had

the upper hand. It was almost like last year when he had faked to shoot Lisbon in her office while she was wearing a bulletproof except for two hindrances ; Red John was there and Lisbon wasn't aware of his plan this time.

Jane took a deep breath and approached the sharpy blade as close to Lisbon as it could get, the tricky part was to get enough close to her, to make Red John think he would kill her than kill his enemy instead. That was the plan so far.

But when he saw the polished reflection of the blade reflect on his nemesis's right hand, Jane's face went solemn ; he was the one to have been tricked. Jane gripped the knife firmly and immediately turned to Red John who was now pointing a gun at him.

"If I were you Mr. Jane I woudn't do that" Red John said with an evil smile "I shall put a bullet to your brain before you even have the chance to stab me in the flesh" he said weaving the weapon at Jane

Jane was always scared of guns but this time he was to focused on his victory against his nemesis, he was so close to wining. If only he could have help he tought.

"what do you want from me ?" Jane asks angrily now letting his emotions get the best of him

"for us is to be friends again but I knew from the moment you proposed me this foolish little game it wasn't meant to be…what do you think I'm a fool ? giving you a real knife so you can stab me in the back" Red John said sarcastically

Jane wanted to look at the silly weapon which he now knew was a fake. He knew his chances of survival now almost reduce to none.

Jane could see the furry emaning from his nemesis and he knew it wasn't good for him.

"you see if you really did have a change of heart, which you didn't, we woudn't be standing right here and you would have realized that you and I are bound by ours gifts but you had to spoil it all Patrick tsk-tsk-tsk" Red John said regaining is usual calm

"as much as it saddens me now you're forcing me to do something I really wish I could avoid…and I'm also afraid this little agreement of ours concerning you friend is past due" Red John said lifting his gun to Jane's head

Jane almost closed his eyes in anticipation ; he knew he was close to the end that soon he would be admiring the schism between light and darkness, not that he believe in an afterlife or something of sort but he was always scared of the suffering and most importantly he was scared of what could happen to Lisbon-his little Teresa- when he would passed away, killed miserably by his worst nemesis.

xxxxxxx

For half an hour, Lisbon had admired the conversation between the two men in front of her in the comfort of her chair eyes half closed. None of them so far had suspected of her to fake sleep while planing every part of her escape. As much anger and frustrations she felt towards Jane, now wasn't the best time to express those feeling. She was a fighter and she would not let Jane get duped so easily without saving his life for some misunderstanding. In the space of second Lisbon decided it was the time to put her plan into action.

A chair fell on the floor and there was the sound of a loud smoking gun. Then the sudden confused hubbub had ended leaving the red maze of the building in a perfect and peaceful silence. Who was injuried ? Who was dead and who had survived ? From now then no one knew…

Autho's note : I know it's very very evil of me to end it like that but I wanted to be sure to have enough baggage for my last chapter if you know what I mean haha :D yeah you heard right, next chapter would be the last snif snif lol but don't worry all's well that ends well ;)) thank you guys for all your reviews I will never say enough how much I appreciate them ! see you all soon xDD