Chapter 9.
Spencer opened the webcam connection to Garcia. The drive to Richmond was over an hour, they hadn't been able to take the jet because Emily and Derek had it. They'd just reached the two hour mark, and he knew Garcia had the third photo.
"Is it there?" he asked, praying the connection stayed as they were still driving.
"Yes, but Spencer, you're almost there, she's going to be fine, you don't need to worry yourself with the pictures," the hesitation in her voice did nothing to reassure hi,.
"Garcia, let me see the picture," he tried to fill his voice with authority, but doubted it worked.
"Spencer, you don't…"
"Garcia," his voice came out harsher than he'd meant.
When the image filled the screen he was pretty sure part of him died inside. She was unconscious, blood covered her arms, a lot of blood, new gashes covered the part of her chest left exposed by her shirt. The blood terrified him, there was too much of it, she would bleed out if they didn't hurry. He hated Rothschild, hated him with an intensity that was indescribable.
When they reached the house, he and Rossi headed up the walk, guns drawn. The rest of the team lay in wait just down the street. Rossi stopped him just before they reached the door, "Remember no matter what he says, do it,"
He banged on the door, "FBI, open up!" he shouted.
When Rothschild opened the door, he wore one of the most sadistic grins Spencer had ever seen, "And the guests of honor arrive, though you understand I have to ask you gentlemen to put your weapons away,"
Rossi and Spencer exchanged glances before holstering their guns.
"Where is she?" Spencer demanded.
"Patience, patience, Dr. Reid, I will take you to your fiancé but first we're going to have a little chat, discuss my conditions."
"We're listening," Rossi said.
"I spent months planning my escape, and more importantly planning this moment, researching yours and Dr. Reid's lives, looking for the weak point. And what did I find, but an article about a case your team worked in South Carolina, about the girl you saved, and much to my delight an engagement announcement, saying you, Dr. Reid were marrying that same girl, your weak point."
"So here is my condition, Dr. Reid, you and I are going to make an exchange, your teammates life here, for your fiancé's."
"You're out of your mind," Spencer said disbelievingly, immediately realizing how stupid they were for not wearing Kevlar.
"Is that a no, because she will die, Dr. Reid."
Spencer knew what he had to do, he remembered what Rossi had said just before they came in, do whatever he had to. He drew his gun and turned on Rossi, cocking it, fear flashed through Rossi's eyes, just before Spencer turned and fired on Rothschild, a classic fake out. He'd needed Rothschild at least distracted before he pulled it however.
Rossi stared at Spencer, "For a minute there I thought you were actually going to shoot me,"
Spencer pulled out the radio, "I need everyone down here now." he said into it before turning back to Rossi, "I can't believe you actually thought I'd shoot you, I mean really, that's just sad."
They headed down to the basement and began searching for Liz, for trap doors, for anything that would lead to her. Hotch's voice came over the radio, "We're searching the grounds and upstairs."
Spencer was getting increasingly worried as they turned up nothing, had he just cost Liz her life? Finally JJ's voice came over the radio, "I've got her, in the cellar."
Spencer ran, forgetting his not quite healed leg, by the time he got there JJ and Elle had her untied, she was still unconscious. Elle was checking her pulse, JJ was getting an ambulance to them. He dropped to his knees beside her, yanking of his tie and tying it around a very deep gash in her wrist, trying to slow the bleeding.
"Her pulse is faint, but it's there," Elle said.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA- HOSPITAL- TWO HOURS LATER
Spencer sat in the waiting room, face buried in his hands, surrounded by his teammates, including Emily and Derek, who had come straight from the airstrip. They'd rushed her into surgery as soon as she arrived and he'd heard nothing since. He wasn't aware the doctor had come out until his name was called.
"As you know she substained a lot of injuries, and suffered major blood loss. We managed to stop the majority of the bleeding, but she is in a coma."
"She'll live though, right?" Spencer asked, feeling like a scared child.
"It's too soon to tell, but I would like to notify her family, prepare them for what's to come."
"There's nobody to notify, her parents died last year, she's an only child, so were her parents."
"What about close friends, a boyfriend, anyone like that," the doctor asked.
Spencer hadn't realized the doctor thought he was only one of the people working the case, "I'm her fiancé, her friends our right over there," he said, gesturing to his teammates.
"I'm sorry sir, I was under the impression you were just an agent assigned to the case,"
"It's fine, can I see her?"
"Of course, right this way,"
He was led to the ICU, bandages covered her arms, chest and the side of her head, tubes covered almost her entire body. Sitting in the chair by her bed, he took the one hand that wasn't covered in tubes. He was sure they'd make him take it back off, but he unclasped the chain holding her ring from his neck, and slid the ring on her finger. He could feel the tears beginning to slide down his face.
"You've got to wake up Liz, you've got to come back to me, I need you," he reached out and fingered a strand of her hair, "I love you,"
He had no idea how long he'd been sitting there when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Gideon standing there.
"I figured you guys had gone home," he said dully.
"JJ and Hotch did, to take care of Jack and Henry. Elle, Emily, Derek, Garcia and David, are still in the waiting room, you really think we'd leave you right now?"
"You don't have to stay, I'll call if there are any changes,"
"I can't speak for the rest of the team, but I'm not going anywhere. She'll come out of this Spencer, she's a fighter."
"I struggle to find my faith, as I'm slipping from your arms" Skillet
