Jane left a voicemail for Frost on the way to the factory by the docks. She didn't let herself imagine all the awful things she could find when she got there. She forced out the memories of hundreds of bodies that she'd seen through her years as a homicide detective. Every time she pictured a crime scene, her brain kept putting Maura's face on the body. But she couldn't be dead.
"Please," Jane thought, "Don't let her be dead."
It was mid-afternoon when she pulled up next to the building. She tried to stay as calm as possible. Quietly, she drew her gun and entered the building.
Jane cleared the main floor, and then took the stairs down toward the boiler room. An old mirror reflected her tall form back at her from the south. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears. A sudden creak on the stair behind her startled her, and she whirled around, gun ready.
There was no one there. She turned back just in time to see a board slam into the side of her head.
When she came to, the first thing heard was Maura's voice. For a second, she worried that the blow had killed her and they were both dead. But then a nauseating pain seared through her head and her surroundings came into focus.
"Jane," Maura whispered, crawling toward her. "Jane please wake up. Please wake up."
Slowly, Jane forced her eyes open. She was on the floor of a boiler room that looked like it had been turned into the ME's lab at the precinct. Equipment was everywhere- vials, bottles, even an old oven. She reached for her gun out of habit- it was gone.
"Jane," Maura said, reaching toward her. "Are you alright?"
The detective forced herself to sit up. Her relief at seeing Maura alive doubled her resolve: she was going to get them out of here. She let herself take in the details of her best friend's face. Her dark blonde hair was more ruffled than usual, but after almost 24 of hours of being held hostage it still looked better than Jane's. Maura's green eyes searched Jane's face with equal intensity.
"You're alive," Jane said at last, biting down the emotion rising in her throat. "You're alive."
Maura smiled. "I knew you would find me."
Jane looked around the room. "Lot of good it did me. This wasn't exactly the heroic entrance I was hoping for."
"You'll always be a hero to me," Maura whispered. She cleared her throat. "But this time, I'm the one who has to get us out of here."
Jane frowned, and then winced, the small movement hurting her tender face. She touched the side of her head where the board had it and her fingers came back bloody. "What do you mean?"
But Maura was distracted. "Small laceration," she said, examining the cut on the side of her best friend's head. "Significant bleeding and probable concussion."
"Great," Jane answered darkly, "that's two in two days. If I keep this up they'll stop letting me play in the department softball league."
Maura raised her eyebrows. "That would decrease the risk of head injury for everyone. You remember when you green beaned Detective Moore in the head when he was playing short stop?"
Jane laughed despite herself. She realized it was the first time she had since Maura disappeared. "Just beaned, Maura. Not green beaned."
"Either way. I'm sure he wouldn't object to you having to sit on the injured list for a while."
The door banged open, interrupting their conversation. Jane felt fresh fear clench in her chest.
"Detective," Royez said, staring down at her with contempt. "I see you decided to join us."
Jane smirked at him. "I couldn't miss the party. Not when I hear you're launching a brand new street drug."
Royez bounced on the balls of his feet. "That's right, Detective. But there's been a change of plans. The good doctor here attempted to fix my recipe- I think it's time to test the results. Now that you're here I'm sure it's just a matter of time before this building is swarmed. Unfortunately, drug labs blow up all the time. This one's going to in about seven minutes."
He pulled a syringe out of the inside pocket of his coat.
"Detective," he said, moving toward Jane, "one of you is going to test out the doc's new recipe and come with me. If it doesn't work, you'll OD. The other one gets to stay here and tend the kitchen. So, I'll leave it up to you."
He looked at Maura, and then back at Jane. "It's time to decide, Detective. Lethal injection or chemical explosion?"