Hello peeps another update for you all.
Thank you to those who are reviewing I am taking notice!
Enjoy!
Chapter 14
2 weeks later.
Despite gaining some freedom while John, Amanda and Hoffman set up their next series of tests, Ivy couldn't help but feel more trapped than she had felt in the bathroom. Admittedly it was a different type of pressure, the life of a double agent varying from trying to escape an industrial bathroom without sawing her foot off; but she often came home rubbing her temples for a couple of minutes. If she didn't have Adam to speak with about the life she was leading, for Adam had caught on to Ivy's double life rather quickly, and had guessed the moment Ivy mentioned John's office.
She had come home from a very interesting first day with the homicide department in which Ivy was introduced and re-introduced to the other Detectives that she would now be working alongside. However, unlike many of the others Ivy was to have no partner. Kerry had been excited to have Ivy on board for most of the day and Ivy felt an odd sort of power switch as Kerry offered to make her cups of coffee and showed her all round the station and the forensics labs where they are currently spending so much of their time; acting far more like Ivy's PA than her boss. Kerry had been partners with a man by the name of Eric Matthews whom Ivy was already picturing in a trap of his own. Ivy understood she only had a first impression of this man but his self-loathing and lack of enthusiasm for the job he should be performing with as much interest as the rest of his staff. While Kerry seemed overly enthusiastic to find the bathroom and swipe her analytical eye over ever bloodstained tile, Matthews was content being a desk jokey since his son had started acting up and he ran into trouble with his wife. In fact some of the other cops in uniform that Ivy had spoken to over the past month didn't even consider him to be a Detective anymore. It was from Kerry she learned how Matthews left his job as an officer to do desk work, Ivy thought it was cowardly. Detective Fisk was a young man full of the beans Ivy had possessed before her game, he admired Hoffman deeply and was often the one to report to the man on the other Detective's behalf if Hoffman himself was busy. Daniel Rigg a SWAT Officer who liked the 'good old days' of killing first and asking questions later was a quiet man who liked to get his job done neatly; he didn't care if a little muscle was needed for those who needed a little more persuasion, but he listened to the Detectives when the need arose. Despite his friendship with Matthews though Ivy found herself liking his silent approach and often found herself speaking quietly with the man when she needed a break from analysing the other games that had already been played for extra clues the other Detectives may have missed.
Mark Hoffman was proving to be much more of a challenge than Ivy could have ever have anticipated. He was smart, quick witted and commanding which gave him an altogether powerful presence; he need only walk into a room and Ivy knew it was him. A cloud of darkness seemed to hang over him that contradicted the gentle voice he would speak to her with and Ivy would find herself pulling away from really getting close to the Detective to do some obscure duty. It was infuriating as it meant she could only report the same thing to John, that Hoffman was playing cool and sticking to his police work, but as no other game had been discovered since her own there was little else to analyse. They rarely spoke about anything other than the cases and Ivy wouldn't give herself the opportunity to be alone in the same room as him because of her over riding fear that he would lash out and accuse her of spying on him. Yet she could not stop herself from liking the man, the thought that if it wasn't for his hobby on the sidelines they would be immensely good friends always filled her with a ruefulness and she began to question if it made a difference what he did legally, if she had the capability to look past it. Needless to say she knew he had a good sense of humour, something she found important in a man, and when Hoffman would want her opinion on something he would often say they needed the 'survivors eye' to come and take a look at it. Hoffman's humorous nature was one of the reasons she found herself forgetting who he was and the natural way in which he handled and asked questions he already knew the answer to was mystifying. So far Ivy had caused Hoffman no reason to suspect her and the man in question was the furthest name possible on the police's list of potential suspects, there had only been one close call when snooping through Hoffman's filing cabinet only to have him come in a minute later. Ivy had been forced into inventing some wild excuse saying how she wanted the pictures from Amanda Young's folder to look at their survivors link a little closer. Hoffman had bought it at once, laying a hand briefly on her shoulder to tell her it was alright to still 'be wary of Jigsaw as no one could possibly know where he would strike next.'
It had been the closest Hoffman had ever come to speaking with her about Jigsaw with a personal view and Ivy had asked before she could help herself, "Do you think he has people helping him? It's a lot to do on your own."
Hoffman had looked at her for a moment, he seemed mildly impressed before removing his hand form her shoulder. The warm patch was tingling where his touch had been, "Thats an interesting theory." He told her with a small smile. "One we should explore in a bit more detail."
Adam knew all about Ivy's opinions of her new work colleagues and the two of them would often laugh while watching some cheap film in her apartment while he was still recovering. They ended up usually falling asleep on the sofa together after a meaningful conversation about their ordeal was revisited. Adam had woken the next day when Ivy came home from her first day at work. She had been the gossip of the station and interviewed thoroughly about an array of things all apparently relating to Jigsaw, some she had had to lie about and some she didn't have the slightest clue about. Yet she had left Adam a note explaining what had happened to him along with the promise that she would be back by six. She had also left out a drink of diluted squash that would help bring up Adam's blood sugar levels, a gatorade to replenish his electrolytes and a soup with no solids at all. She had realised how stupid she was that morning when she had remembered she would have to leave Adam on his own while she went to work. If only she hadn't been so impulsive and had waited till he was able to take care of himself, and not still passed out on her bed.
She had come back from work, still feeling Hoffman's eyes burning into her back due to his surprise at seeing her face again so soon, to her next door neighbour who was huffing and puffing like an angry bull. A bag from the nearest drug store was in her hand.
"You holding someone captive in there?" The woman had demanded testily, looking as if she would knock Ivy out despite her frail frame.
Her choice of words had startled Ivy and she had remind herself that Adam wasn't exactly being held captive, "Of course not." She replied quickly, "My friend has turrets and I thought I'd let him sleepover for the night." She invented quite cleverly if she said so herself and the neighbour rolled her eyes, taking in Ivy's name tag she had stapled to her jacket. "You a cop now? I thought you were just a student."
"I graduated." Ivy went along with the story, taking out her keys and putting them in her lock. "Homicide." The woman's eyes widened and then snickered a dark noise that made Ivy turn back and cross her arms. "Excuse me?"
"Well doesn't look like the Homicide Detectives are doing too well at the moment does it, two are already dead." The neighbour reported and Ivy couldn't contain her surprise about how much the average woman knew. "If I were you my dear I would transfer before you end up next." The neighbour advised before hobbling back to her door.
Staring after the woman Ivy inserted the key into the lock and opened the door, as soon as it opened the cries began again. "What the fuck is this?" Shouted the voice and Ivy winced hearing how Adam's voice was cracking. She deposited her bag and walked straight into the bedroom to find Adam in an awkward sitting position staring wildly at her. He was drenched in sweat from his efforts to move and his ankle had begun bleeding again through the bandaging. The note was crumpled on the floor and it looked as if Adam had tried to reach it again but been stopped in his tracks by the gunshot wound in his shoulder. Thankfully that had not started bleeding again. Recognition filled Adam's face as he tried to move again.
"Why are you moving?" Ivy asked him in confusion. "You need rest and relaxation if you want to heal."
"What the fuck happened to me?" Adam cried again trying not to panic.
"Calm down Adam, you're safe." Ivy repeated just as she had done last night, approaching him carefully. "Stop shouting or you'll damage your vocal chords even more."
Adam's head lolled to one side and he let out a bloodcurdling moan of agony as he curled up away from her. His eyes were shut and his eyes were moving under his squeezed eyelids. His body began jerking as his breaths came in short gasps as he began hyperventilating. "No." He groaned as the memories began to pour into his brain like a thick liquid. "Noooooooo. Key, in bath...NO!" He screamed aloud and Ivy jumped. Adam looked as if he was having a panic attack his whole body began to tremble violently.
"Adam." Ivy cautioned as she tried to control his limbs one hand automatically going to his forehead and stroking his hair away from his sweaty face as he continued to shake, his breathing still shallow. She had no clue how to treat a panic attack but Adam's screams would not stop. Seeing his pain Ivy's mind flashed back to the drugs newly bought for her patient, cracked open the strong methadone and with one hand supported Adam who tried to fight her off and poured the liquid into his mouth. As the powerful drug began to take effect Adam became more dopey and he struggled to focus on her. She pointed her index finger in between Adam's eyes. "Can you still hear me Adam? If you can I want you to follow my finger."
"Everyone's a fucking Doctor." He moaned but obeyed her, his eyes slipping left and right as he followed her finger. "Iv..." He began before trailing off. He was fighting against the effects of the drug and his fighting spirit helped to ease Ivy's nervousness.
"Yes it's me, you're out of the bathroom. We all made it. We're all gonna be okay." She soothed as Adam began to get his breathing back in control. "In and out, in and out. That's it." She hated the amount of cliches that were rolling off her tongue.
"How do I know that though?" He challenged. "How do I know you're not a part of this. How do I know this isn't some other kinda trap?"
"I saved your fucking life." Ivy snapped back at him. "Perhaps you should be grateful and stop questioning my actions so much."
Adam looked taken aback and was instantly rendered mute. Ivy rolled her eyes, emitting a loud sigh before walking over to him and helping him lean back against the pillows again. "What were you after?"
"The note." Adam mumbled quietly, as if he'd rather not tell her. Ivy glanced up to see the water and gatorade completely drunk and the diluted squash nearly gone. He hadn't touched the soup.
"Why haven't you eaten the soup?" Ivy questioned gently, "You need strength."
"I hate soup." Adam mumbled quietly and Ivy laughed.
"Well I'm afraid your stuck with it for now. No solids for a bit."
"Uh don't." Adam winced as a memory flashed before his eyes again. "I won't eat anything if I'm thinking about that damn toilet." Ivy sniggered and crossed to get another bottle of water from her fridge, "Where are you going?" Panicked Adam, straining to see her.
"Just to get you some more water." Ivy reassured handing him the bottle which he took with a shaky hand. "So you're going to trust me now?"
"Don't have much of a choice do I?" Adam replied and Ivy shook her head. "The note did help a bit. I think I would have tried to kill you without it." He admitted honestly.
"Charming." Ivy noted, "But I doubt it if you can only move as much as you can now."
Adam looked down at his useless legs. "Why can I hardly move?" He wondered as he looked down at his legs. "And thanks for stripping me of my clothes, that was a nice way to wake up." He added and Ivy's cheeks flamed at the casual bite in his tone.
"Would you rather have bled to death from that wound?" She challenged and Adam frowned as he inspected the bandages. "Ah so that's what feels so tight." Ivy suppressed another roll of her eyes and Adam gave her a funny look. "I woke up in a strange place, expecting to see that fucking shit hole in front of me and instead I'm in a bed with my leg and chest bandaged like some reawakened mummy with a note on my chest. Forgive me for freaking the fuck out a little." He defended and Ivy laughed. "Bitch." He muttered turning over.
"I'm sorry." Apologised Ivy, "But you are funny." Humour certainly explained why Ivy got on with a certain type of men. She liked Rigg's quiet observations and Adam's sarcasm which it seemed had happily stayed with him, despite other parts of his personality being a little more toned down than before.
It looked like Adam didn't quite know what to say and pursed his mouth like a fish. "Thank you." A bit of pride tinged his voice and he smiled at Ivy, "One of my better qualities." He smirked and Ivy shook her head wondering if she should have told him. She gave him a small dose of diazepam before letting him sleep under the effects of the two drugs mingling in his system. She was aware what she wasdoing seemed crude and highly dangerous. She had thought about calling Jill so many times and her phone was once again in her hand when she hesitated over the call button. How can I trust she won't speak to John about this?
Putting the phone away and psyching herself up that Adam would be okay as long as she kept going to different chemists and drugstores so they wouldn't be suspicious. It wasn't long till Adam awoke from yet another nightmare before warily confiding he didn't want to sleep incase they came back. Dreams of drowning in blood plaguing him. So while perching on the end of her own bed with a reasonably calm Adam; Ivy began to relay the events once again. How she had pieced together what had happened to him, meaning that nothing would make sense without explaining to Adam all she knew about Amanda and how she had set his to up to be inescapable. Adam had patiently sat through the whole thing, his dislike etched on his features as he learned more and more about the deadly game he had been apart of. Once Ivy had finished in as much detail as her poor mind could remember Adam let out the breath he had been holding while Ivy described the treacherous confrontation with the apprentice and how she had retrieved his key. "Sounds like something out of a movie." Adam whispered his eyes wide and Ivy tilted her head to once side, trying to sound nonchalant. "No you can't just downplay it after telling me something that dramatic. All that shit really happened and I hardly remember any of it."
"It's not your fault." Consoled Ivy patting his good shoulder amiably.
Adam sighed, "I guess I owe you my life, again."
"Again?"
"Yeah well you were responsible for me in that bathroom too weren't you?" He reminded Ivy.
"I suppose." Nodded Ivy now playing with part of the duvet so she wouldn't have to look into those blue eyes quite so much.
"And you've taken care of me this whole time." Adam added and Ivy blushed once more and Adam tried to lean forwards but was stopped by his shoulder once again. He stretched his hand out towards Ivy and after taking a second to realise what he wanted she took his hand. It was only a brief contact where Adam refused to remove his eyes from Ivy's own and for a wild moment she thought he was going to kiss her, before he relaxed back into the pillows again. "So, what happened to that lying Doctor?" Adam tried to sound nonchalant but it didn't fool Ivy at all. He was bitter that Lawrence never bothered to help find him when it was he who had promised to do so.
"He's still in the hospital." Muttered Ivy not wanting to get involved in any newfound contempt Adam might have found for Lawrence, the man whom Ivy had been on pretty good terms with so far. "He wanted to come, but wouldn't be able to with his...missing limb." Whether this was true or complete bullshit she didn't know. She just knew that it was best for Adam to not want to kill Lawrence, who didn't even know he was alive and was content to let Adam stay in that bathroom.
"Right, he's all toasty with his family isn't he." Retorted Adam, "While I'm stuck having to recover with you...not that I don't appreciate what you've done for me and all but, I kinda just wanna be at my apartment or with my parents. You know with something familiar." He trailed off and Ivy nodded sadly.
"I understand and the quicker you get better the sooner you can see them." Ivy paused as it hit her that the rest of the world didn't even know Adam was alive. "And we're gonna have to invent something for the newspapers and the Detectives because we can't say I went back to the location and got help from one of Jigsaw's apprentice's that was a survivor who tried to kill you." Ivy added starting to see where the situation was heading.
"Why the fuck not? Jesus Ivy if you know where these sick bastards are then why haven't you told the guys you're now working for so they can bust them?" He asked his voice shining with incredulity.
"It's more complicated than that." Ivy muttered, "I'm sorry it must seem so bitty to you right now but, god how do I say this..." Ivy got off the bed to pace round her bedroom, there was two ways Adam could take this news, he could either accept it quietly as she hoped beyond hope he would, or go to the police himself with the news and she would have to have the wrath of her Uncle and his psychopathic apprentices. "Adam, Jigsaw is my Uncle. My Uncle John."
Adam paused mid grasp for the water bottle and stared at Ivy with his mouth open a little bit more. "Ivy what the fuck?" He asked and Ivy walked up to him quickly trying to calm him down. "You know who he is and where he is and you're just gonna let him keep killing?" Adam's voice was rising again as Ivy tried to quieten him.
"He's never killed anybody." She defended quickly and Adam scoffed.
"No he didn't leave me in a bathroom to rot away did he?"
"That was Amanda, I'm sure when I explain to him how your trap was set up he'll understand."
"Oh and if he doesn't I'm a sitting duck aren't I?" Panicked Adam, trying to move again till his shoulder paralysed him.
"Stop trying to move Adam, you'll only make yourself worse." Ivy gave him the water bottle which he gulped down. "I know how insane it is, but he's my Uncle and I'd feel like a monster if it was I who sold him out. It would be like my time in that bathroom was for nothing. I'm not saying I'm proud of what he's doing, I want it to stop and I feel that he should go to prison but he's too clever for that. He's only targeting the criminals and people who need to learn how to appreciate their lives the way we do. And there's my Aunt Jill who I know still loves him, she only left him because she couldn't handle the stress of losing their unborn baby boy and John's new satanic way of life."
Adam stared at her, "Jesus Christ your family's fucked up." He whispered and Ivy gave another short laugh. "Please Adam, if there is only one thing I can ask in return for saving you it's this. I need you to keep quiet or they might come and get you for telling."
"I don't know what to say to that." He mumbled though his drive to leave had left him again.
"But look he's asked me to spy on the Detectives and report for him on what they are doing, how close they are. I'm looking out for one person in particular right now too."
"That is not comforting Ivy." Said Adam blankly.
"No but if I keep in contact with John, then maybe I can help the FBI and the police capture him and his apprentices and have some sort of sway in the games." Ivy protested and Adam shook his head.
"I don't believe this, of all the crazy shit." Adam finished that bottle too and Ivy smiled, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed of her hair brained scheme. "You must really love you Uncle." Adam concluded and Ivy nodded. "Wait you don't have like Stockholm Syndrome do you?" Adam asked warily and Ivy snorted a little.
"No, no Adam I don't." Ivy smiled and Adam smirked giving her a small wink before catching himself.
"Well I suppose that I can't ruin your life, or mine anymore." Adam said after a long while. "So I'll have to keep your secret, especially if we are going to be seeing so much of each other." He looked up at Ivy from the water bottle he'd been playing with in his hands, "We are going to be seeing a lot of each other right?" There was an odd gleam of desperation in his eyes.
"Well until your able to go back to your own apartment." Ivy answered and Adam leaned forwards.
"Well I meant, after that." Adam trailed off looking embarrassed. "It's just, Lawrence doesn't give a shit about me and it would be nice to have someone else I can talk to about this kinda stuff. A fellow survivor."
"I would like that too." Ivy blushed and Adam nodded looking relieved. The whole situation felt much more like little children asking each other out on a date than two adults talking about keeping in contact to spill their woes to each other. "I think you'll be able to go in about two weeks if your ankle and bullet wound heals nicely." Ivy began.
"You don't know how good freedom from that thing feels." Sighed Adam in pure contentment.
"Yes I do." Their eyes met again and Ivy smiled at Adam who swallowed thinking himself in another awkward situation. Ivy put her hands on her hips and coughed, "So are you ready to try another bowl of soup yet?" Adam made a face, "What?"
"I just don't like soup." Adam mumbled and Ivy laughed.
"Well it's that or soft pieces of banana till you can eat more solid food." Ivy warned.
Adam seemed to really think the options over before answering. "The soup then." He groaned before falling back on his pillows as his stomach gave a desperate sounding rumble.
After her third week working for the Homicide under the FBI Ivy noticed false sense of security had begun to cast it's web over the Homicide Detectives to the point where many were beginning to believe that there would be no more games since Jigsaw's last one had been 'defeated' so to speak. The tense atmosphere that had greeted Ivy as they poured over the details of her game was no more, and Kerry and Fisk were both mystified as to why they couldn't find the location of the now infamously named 'Bathroom Trap.' Instead the Detectives were speaking freely with each other with no eyebrow communication or coded language around Ivy. She had finally earned their trust. It was ironic as she felt like she shouldn't be trusted by them at all as the Detectives began inviting her out for drinks after work, she was always careful not to let herself get too intoxicated incase she let anything slip. But she had Kerry and Rigg to thank for helping her feel like part of the exclusive group, however Ivy could have done without her constant invitation to the lone wolf Eric Matthews every time they would decide to go out. It was like clockwork after a while, they would be ready to go when Kerry would say she needed to invite Eric or it wouldn't feel right only for voices to be raised while Ivy and usually Rigg would end up twiddling their thumbs until she came back five minutes later rubbing fiercely at her eyes. Ivy knew something more than just being partners had transpired between the two; being the only other woman Detective Ivy was much more in tune with the emotions of her coworkers than the many men she worked with on such a daily basis. This was both a godsend and a curse as she knew who to avoid and when, but also that she was the one the Detectives would come to talk to, all apart from Matthews and Hoffman. Hoffman too was another man who would rarely join them in such frivolities as drinking. The other Detectives never bothered to ask him so Ivy was always the one extending the invitation that would get politely refused with Hoffman saying he 'preferred to do his drinking on his own.' Despite his half smile every time Ivy asked him out, every time feeling like the shy schoolgirl she had first felt while being questioned in the hospital.
It was a day like this when a frantic Kerry caught up in her contacts with the FBI asked Ivy for a favour. "Hey Ivy, you couldn't do me a gigantic favour?" She creeped and Ivy rolled her eyes from her favourite seat by the coffee machine before sitting comfortably to listen. "Would you take over the last of the paperwork from the Upturned Lawnmower trap, the one where Sydney Johnson survived for me? I'm snowed under with the reports for the FBI."
"Yeah I can do that." Ivy agreed, "Although Fisk said that we were all gonna go out tonight."
"I know and I want you to come because you're always good fun but I have no one else to dump it on I'm afraid. Mark is taking a look at it all right now so he'd be helping you and you can always join us after."
Ivy thought it through, she genuinely enjoyed going out with these people and a desperate Kerry could always twist her into doing her bidding. "Alright then, though I've never worked with Hoffman closely before."
"It was Mark or Eric and I know how you feel about Eric." Said Kerry wisely, reminding Ivy of how she had offered Adam the soup or the bananas. "Mark is fine, just a bit uh clinical at times. Not one for emotion." Informed Kerry with a beaming smile, "I suppose thats a good thing though, but thank you so much I'll buy you a drink when I see you."
"You better had." Ivy replied in mock indigence and Kerry floated down the hall. "Oh!" She turned around again and hurried back to Ivy, "I have the contact numbers of the FBI Special Agents you're going to be helping me with, this is going to be a large part of your job now so I can focus on the cases, if we get anymore which I'm sure we will."
"Ah good I was going to ask you about that." Said Ivy when honestly she had completely forgotten about it and had been happy handling the normal police work. She didn't feel any more qualified or of a higher status than any of the other Detectives in the building despite the training she had received.
"Their names are Peter Strahm and Lindsey Perez; hopefully in time you'll be working more for them than me." Kerry winked knowing this was what Ivy ultimately wanted, even if the young Detective/Agent or whatever she currently was ranked as, didn't quite feel the same driving force as she had before her game. "Right now though they're really happy with how everything's going."
"As long as there's no more traps then we all will be." Ivy stated and the other woman nodded. "Anyway go and do your secret reporting, I'm still surprised you haven't been caught yet."
"I'm going to tell them soon I think." Kerry told Ivy, "Then you won't have to hide the real reason why you're here either."
They broke apart when Rigg came walking into Kerry's office swinging a set of keys round his index finger. "Hey has Fisk told you that we're gonna hit the bar after?" Rigg asked the two of them and Kerry nodded.
"I just have a small report to type up and send and then I'll join you." Answered Kerry seating herself behind her for once clean desk.
Rigg turned to Ivy, "What about you guinea pig?" He asked with a smirk.
Ivy frowned and crossed her arms as Kerry snorted into her computer. "Where did guinea pig come from?" She asked taken aback by the friendly nickname.
"Because you're Kerry's bitch." He told her with a bigger smirk that mad Ivy glare at him.
"I'm not Kerry's bitch." She corrected and Rigg just nodded in a patronising manner.
"Uh huh yeah cause you don't do all the little favours and jobs she can't be arsed to do." Mocked Rigg and Ivy tried to come up with a clever comeback, before failing miserably. "Oh no that means you're doing one now." Figured out Rigg, his eyes lighting up in amusement.
"You wanna come over here and do my job?" Ivy quipped back "Cause you can look over the same files for the tenth time writing down info with Hoffman if you want to."
"Haha no thanks I'd prefer to get drunk and then go home to my lovely wife." Smiled Rigg from the doorway and Ivy rolled her eyes at Kerry who was keeping very quiet, her fingers a blur on the keyboard. Rigg made to leave, "Come along later though yeah?"
"Yeah alright." Ivy consented, "You can buy me a drink now too."
Rigg looked at Kerry aghast before sending a sweet smile at Ivy, "We'll go halves for you."
"Better than what I expected." Said Ivy as she pushed past Rigg and down to Hoffman's office. "See you two there."
"Good luck with Hoffman." Saluted Rigg as he slumped his way down the long corridor like an ambling German Shepard.
Walking down to Hoffman's office Ivy couldn't help the trepidation that was creeping over her. Fate finally seemed to be fiddling with Hoffman and her own lives, stringing them together at the most random times. She knocked on the door completely unprepared for what may occur on the other side and was told to enter.
Hoffman's office was fairly normal. Just a simplistic office like any of the others and Ivy didn't know why she expected his to be any different, maybe because it was the only one besides Eric Matthews' she had not been in yet. There were hardly any personal possessions in the room which made Ivy feel a little sorry for the Detective who seemed to have no one close to him, now she came to think about it she wondered if it was a requirement of being a Jigsaw apprentice as Amanda too had no named family either. Just a photo of a beautiful looking woman on his desk and his various achievements framed around the office. His desk however was a messy jumble of gruesome looking pictures, files and documents. "Hello Ivy." Greeted Hoffman as he looked up at her with a questioning frown. "Have you come to be Kerry's guinea pig?" He asked with a smirk.
"What is with this new nickname?" Ivy asked him letting her indigence show as she flung her arms up into the air crossing over to stand in front of his desk. "Seriously I'm doing her a favour."
Hoffman chuckled, "I'm sorry I though I was being original." He replied before lowering his eyes back to the case files. Ivy stood awkwardly in front of him not sure whether to just dive in or wait for instructions. "Well come on, are you helping or not?" He asked with a flicker of mirth in his voice. Ivy grabbed a folder like a spring uncoiling and began flicking through it.
"Kerry said you were finishing the paperwork on this trap." Ivy said staring at the crime scene photos of which kept getting gruesomer. There was a nasty scenic shot of a garden gnome spattered with blood that made Ivy wonder why it was there.
"I basically am." Was Hoffman's reply as he typed up the information on the computer.
"Someone survived this one didn't they?" Asked Ivy and Hoffman nodded before giving her his full attention.
"Yes it was a dual test where only one person was ever meant to survive." He told her with a clear precision. "The victims woke up suspended from chains with their hands chained to the razor wire ladder that was suspended above a series of upturned lawnmowers." Hoffman informed and the picture Ivy was looking through began to make sense.
"I don't know why I don't know about this one much." She mulled out loud.
"I think you went missing when we discovered it." Hoffman supplied and Ivy gave a small nod of understanding. Hoffman's voice became much more gentle than before. "The woman who survived was in an abusive relationship with the man and they had to knock the other person off before the timer ran out. They had a minute."
"So obviously the woman survived and the man was killed." Ivy frowned looking at a picture of the bloody lawnmower the man had met his end with before turning to see a picture of the razor wire ladders. "Ouch, I'm glad I didn't have to hold on, my upper body strength is appalling. Not really fair on the woman."
"Yes I expected the man to have had the upper hand too." Agreed Hoffman taking the photos from Ivy and showing her the information he was writing up on the computer. "If you type it up I'll give out the instructions for what needs to be typed."
Ivy nodded liking the teamwork and settled down in his chair, it was warm underneath her which normally made her feel uncomfortable, but Kerry had been right. He was just another Detective. I wonder how much he really knows. Thought Ivy as she finished the paragraph on the setting of the traps itself.
"Why were there garden gnomes everywhere?" Ivy asked as her gaze caught that same photo again.
"For symbolic significance I believe." Said Hoffman as he sat on the edge of his desk. "Probably a symbol of their relationship, Fisk did the questioning for the woman who survived it not me. Maybe they collected them."
Ivy smiled a little to herself, oh you certainly know what they were for she thought not being able to do anything but admire Hoffman's superb acting skills. She wished she could openly compliment the Detective. It was thrilling to know more about this man than he thought she did.
"Alright I might let you type that section then." Ivy smiled picking up a list that had caught her eye. "Is this a list of all the survivors?" She asked Hoffman surprised to find such a list.
"A list of all the games, dead or alive." Answered Hoffman, "We update it every time a new game is discovered."
Ivy saw her own name just before Lawrence's. It was more or less a list with the dates of the traps next to the victim's names and whether they were still living. Ivy frowned at the deceased next to Adam's name which had already been added to the list, now the police had more or less given up on ever finding him. Ivy was worried for the day soon when Adam would reveal himself. She was going to make the journey with Adam back to his own apartment tomorrow and she had to admit she would be deeply sad when he went. He had filled her apartment with humour and a caring nature that made her laugh and smile more than she ever had before and she wasn't sure how she was going to replace the loneliness that was sure to come when he left for good. Distracting her thoughts of Adam with the man in front of her Ivy decided to begin to 'get to know' Mark Hoffman.
"Do you think the games are over?" She asked and Hoffman's head turned to look her in the eye right away. His eyes were dark and reflected his brooding nature that made Ivy want to peer closer and closer so she could read just what was going on inside his ever acting mind.
"I don't know." He answered quietly but Ivy wasn't going to let him leave it there.
"Oh come on Hoffman you've been on..."
"Mark." He interjected quickly startling Ivy.
"What?" She whispered quietly.
"Call me Mark, it's silly for you not to when I call you by your first name." He told her those impenetrable eyes staring into her own.
"Alright, Mark." Ivy corrected herself, the change feeling foreign as she wondered what caused him to make the first step towards a more personal relationship. "But you've been on the most cases, you must have a feeling or an inkling about this. Do you think he'll stop now more and more people are surviving? People know who he is now, maybe it was just to send a message across to everyone else?" She continued making sure she sounded clueless, personally she thought John would continue until everyone in the city who needed to appreciate their life would have been tested.
Mark thought for a long time before answering, Ivy supposed it was a tricky thing to answer in his predicament. "I believe that it is not over yet, not until his message is in everyone's mind."
"But surely that means he will just keep going?" Ivy pressed and a genuine flash on worry made her voice quiver.
Hoffman bent down so their eyes could be on the same level. "Ivy, we have to try." He told her gently, "We can't do nothing."
"I don't want to just do nothing." She reminded him, "That's why I'm here, but what if he starts targeting more of us?" She asked him wondering why on earth she had confessed one of her deepest current fears right in front of him of all people.
"I can't answer that." He told her and Ivy nodded. They finished most of the paperwork in silence but they both knew that Ivy had pushed their relationship a notch closer. Soon their watches read 10:00pm and Ivy's phone went off.
"Text." She told Mark who nodded.
It was from Adam. Are you ok? 20:10
Ivy had gone to Adam's apartment and brought him his wallet, phone and other necessary personal items. She hadn't expected much of an apartment but Adam's description of it as a 'shit hole' had been completely accurate. She had felt sorry for Adam and the poor conditions he had been living in due to some sense of independence. He hadn't mentioned a single thing about his personal life since he had been staying with her and Ivy didn't want to ask incase it sent him into a spiral of something. But his concern for her when she was later than she normally got home was touching. Ivy hadn't thought to send him a text tonight telling him she would be late, she had been too preoccupied with the concept of being one on one with Mark.
Got held up at work, might be going for a drink after. How are the solids going? Are you going to be alright on your own or do you want me to come home? 20:38
Ivy sent it feeling more like Adam's mother than his friend, she frowned at her phone before sending another text. Sorry if I sound like your mum. 20:39
She didn't notice Mark's continuous glances in her direction and it took Adam less than a minute to reply. Hah! You do sound like my mum. I am okay with your TV and XBOX god I love chicken sandwiches! 20:39
His overuse of exclamation marks made Ivy snigger and Mark watched her again. She pocketed her phone making the promise to not leave him for too long. She wanted to be able to introduce him to Kerry and Rigg at least instead of keeping him in another part of her life entirely but didn't know if that would ever be possible. Spending time doing nothing in particular with Adam meant that the two had been able to see that they had rather a lot of interest in common. Similar taste in films and music. Ivy wanted to encourage Adam's fledgling photography career too as soon as he was capable.
"A boyfriend?" Mark asked trying to be casual and Ivy looked at him. It was quite an intimate question to ask.
"Um no just a friend wondering if I wanted to meet up with him." Ivy invented playing on her thoughts a little.
Mark tilted his head, "I thought you were going out with the other Detectives tonight? But instead you're here with me." He mused and Ivy felt her cheeks turn a little red at his phrasing.
"Well I was going to meet up with them after finishing up here." Ivy confessed and Mark made a small non committal noise.
"Well tell your friend to come along I'm sure they won't care." Mark told her and Ivy paused for a second letting her eyes travel over Mark who looked to be engrossed with his work, but his eyes gave him away when they unconsciously slipped back over to Ivy and her phone. If she hadn't been on the lookout for it she never would have spotted the sneaky way of finding out who her 'friend' was.
"I don't think he'd feel comfortable round a group he doesn't know. It wouldn't be really fair." Ivy answered carefully making sure to keep the conversation steered to her own views and not Adam's.
"I see, not a people kinda guy?" Mark asked throwing another curveball which Ivy happily rebounded.
"Yeah, but I don't know if I wanna mix work and pleasure, mind the cliche." Ivy replied with a small smile thinking for the first time about Adam and the word pleasure in the same mind frame.
"Pleasure eh?" Ivy cursed inwardly at how Mark had picked up on the word, "Sounds like more than friends."
"Oh no, I just mean that I like to keep my circles of friends separate from each other." Ivy was glad she could keep her eyes on the computer so that Mark couldn't see her cheeks. "I mean who would I go to bitch about you lot if they were friends with you all too?" She asked with a devious little smirk and Mark laughed loudly.
"That is good." He told her happily, "Almost as good as your vocabulary."
"What?" Ivy asked stunned at the quick compliment. Mark gestured to the computer where she had been typing away. "You get used to the same words after a while." He told her, "It's nice to see other words."
"You know how odd that sounds." She reminded him and he laughed again. However the laughter was short lived as they heard footsteps walking down the corridor outside Mark's office and a figure poked their head through the door.
"Fucking hell you two are still in here?" Asked Matthews, rubbing a hand over his tired face.
"Yeah, just finishing up now." Mark told him instantly becoming much more professional. "Teaching Ivy here the ropes." He added when Matthew's eyes slid onto her.
"Okay. I was gonna lock up but I'll let you." He told Mark in a monosyllabic tone devoid of all real enthusiasm before walking back down the corridor, leaving the door open.
"God." Ivy muttered under her breath as soon as she felt the surly Detective was out of sight.
"Not a fan of Detective Matthews." Mark asked her and Ivy let out an annoyed breath of air.
"He just doesn't seem to care." She vented. "He never does any of the real work, he just does the cowardly donkey work while treating Kerry like shit, getting through life one day at a time. I mean if you don't like doing the job then quit. Do something that will give you some passion."
Mark didn't say much at first, he appeared to be deep in thought. "Matthews was known for his brutality and fearless nature as a cop." Mark seemed to be speaking more to himself than Ivy and she quirked her head trying to get him to look at her. "He has used extreme measures before to complete his assignments."
A crease appeared in Ivy's forehead as she looked back at the door "Doesn't sound like someone who deserves what he's got." She mumbled, "Even if it's beginning to crash around him."
Mark still didn't look at her, he was staring at the list of test subjects. "You're right."
Ivy suppressed a yawn behind her fist and walked back over to Mark whose expression was one of immense seriousness. "I never realised how brutal he was till you said it." Mark finally looked up at Ivy who gave him another tired nod. Mark watched Ivy for a couple of minutes as she scanned what they had already typed over his shoulder; she knew his eyes were on her but didn't feel like she could tell him to stop. He was just too intimidating right now despite her not being afraid of what he might do. This man could cause big trouble for her. "You go on to the bar." Mark told her gently catching her tired eyes.
"No it's fine I can wait for you to finish." Ivy squared her shoulders not wanting to look weak.
Mark laughed as another yawn escaped her lips. "No really I just have to finish this." He told her and his fingers became quicker as he hurried to finish the last paragraph.
"No Mark I'll wait." Ivy said firmly raising her eyebrow at the challenge.
"Suit yourself." He smirked as his eyes read his words, flashing from left to right. "How are you getting there?" He asked as he switched the computer off.
Ivy looked at him, "Oh well I was just gonna take a taxi." She finished lamely, picking up her bag and tossing it over her shoulder.
"Not at this time." Mark told her as he crossed back into Kerry's office and retrieved her coat she had forgotten she had left in her office. He handed it to her and Ivy took it gratefully. How did he know it was in there? She wondered, now understanding exactly why John had asked her to keep an eye on him. Mark just did things, things that could be interpreted as creepy. The other Detectives probably just thought he was an incredibly proactive person, but it was already starting to unnerve Ivy. She didn't have the slightest clue as to how Mark had known where her coat was because she had spent practically every minute today in Kerry's office.
"It's only nine." Ivy told Mark with an amused expression that masked her worry.
"Yes but this is also New York and as we know there is a serial killer on the loose." He kindly reminded and Ivy's mouth twitched. "I have my car here, I'll drop you off on my way home. I'm assuming it's the usual bar." He smiled and red warning flags instantly flashed into Ivy's mind.
"No Mark it's fine I really don't mind."
"Oh come on, you waste your time trying to hail one at a busy time, wasting your money and you don't know who it could be." He persuaded and Ivy knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"Okay." She assented making sure to have her regulated pepper spray and phone close at hand while taking this journey. Mark's pace seemed to lighten as they stepped out of the station together and into his car. The journey was quiet, yet comfortable with Mark and herself making polite conversation.
"I presume your going to Milano's." He asked and Ivy nodded.
"Yep the usual haunt." She replied and comfortable silence fell again. She couldn't help but be constantly on the lookout for the moment when she expected Mark to pull off into some side alley and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. She was quivering with the thrill of the unknown. But when the familiar black and neon Milano's sign came into view her excitement began to vanish, especially when she saw the familiar figures of Kerry and Rigg in the window. Mark pulled up outside and Ivy climbed out only to lean back once again, he gave her a curious look.
"You don't wanna come with do you?" Ivy asked him thinking she may as well as invite him as they were this close.
Mark went to give his usual reply before glancing at the bar and then back to Ivy's eyes shining with innocence and he opened the car door. Ivy was so surprised by the move she let the door crash into her and he apologised quickly. "I might come in for a little while." He smiled. Ivy must have looked like a gawping animal with her eyes as wide as she felt they were for Mark was still laughing as he swept past her. "Yes I do have a social life, even if it is a small one." He told her as she trailed behind him still looking a little lost. However it did seem to be as big a deal as Ivy's face had foretold, for the other Detectives oggled Mark as he came in through the doors.
"Jesus Mark Hoffman here on a social call?" Announced Fisk gesturing towards Mark with his pint.
"Nah he's just dropping Ivy off." Smirked Rigg as Ivy punched him on the shoulder and slid into the empty seat next to him.
"Not this time guys." She replied as Mark sat opposite her so the five Detectives were all crammed round one table together.
"Ivy Reeves has done the impossible again." Joked Fisk, "She survived Jigsaw and got Mark to come out for once in his life."
"I've been out before and you all know it." Said Mark calmly as Ivy pursed her lips pretending not to look too smug.
She turned to Kerry and Rigg and put her hands out, "So where's that drink you two promised me?"
"Fine." Said Rigg squeezing past them all to mosey his way over to the bar area.
"Looks like we didn't miss much then if Dan's still sober." Ivy mocked loud enough for Rigg to overhear them.
"Not really." Replied Kerry taking a sip from a cheap looking cocktail. "Your always the one who makes an idiot of yourself." She smirked and Mark joined her.
"Really?" He asked sounding very interested now.
"No, it's all this lot that make me end up looking like to idiot." Ivy corrected, "So since your practically new to this you have to be on my side." She told him bossily and he held up a hand.
"Okay, okay." He placated and Ivy mirrored his own wide smile.
"I don't think Mark's gonna be any help tonight." Fisk smirked as Rigg came back.
"Yeah we've got such a good one tonight." Taunted Rigg as he passed the fun looking cocktail over to Ivy. "Didn't know what you wanted to I got you the one with the prettiest name and the most alcohol." He said as if you could only ever pick that way. He slid a pint over to Mark who tried to give him the money and Rigg just shook his head.
"Fantastic." Moaned Ivy, drawing out the word while resting her head in one of her hands while all the other Detectives exchanged looks. She didn't want Mark to be a part of their new little traditional game because the less he knew about her the better, especially her secrets.
"I don't quite follow..." Mark's eye kept slipping back to Ivy not understanding why they all looked so gleeful at her misfortune.
Fisk stood up, "So our tasty little nugget today comes from our beloved own Eric Matthews who sadly will never ever join us." He began and Kerry scowled over the brim of her drink, Ivy thought it sounded like a wake more than the wind up to a joke. "So I am taking the credit for this one."
"So you have to find something out about Ivy for the next time you all come out." Figured out Mark and the rest nodded.
"Yes and she tries to do the same to us, but it's never quite good enough." Smiled Rigg, ruffling Ivy's long hair which she had let down from her business style ponytail.
"Come on get it over with." Ivy glared downing her drink pretty fast and trying not to cough when the vodka hit the back of the throat.
"Right well I'm just gonna come out with it because it's so fucking good." Fisk was really building up the suspense well as Kerry and Rigg both leaned in towards him. "But we heard that while you were in your little trap with the Doctor and that Adam guy..I've heard that you kissed Adam." Fisk finished dramatically and Ivy's mouth dropped open a little in pure horrified shock. She had completely forgotten about it herself and had been expecting something dirty like leaving her tampons in the bathroom like last week's one was, but the honesty of it had smacked her right in the face. Kerry and Rigg's mouth too were wide with hilarious enjoyment and Mark had kept very quiet, just staring at Ivy with those dark eyes. She could feel every part of her skin heat up as she tried not to meet his gaze, Kerry, Rigg and Fisk she could deal with but Mark looked pretty angry at the news with good reason. But surely he knew? If he's watched the video cameras back? She argued with herself, unless only Amanda has seen them.
"Leave it to Eric to land the smacker." Muttered Rigg and Mark nodded slowly.
"Jesus Ivy, what was it like 8 hours in that bathroom and you got some action? You didn't wait around." Kerry was staring at her friend disbelieving.
"Fisk how the fuck did Matthews of all people find that out. That's really personal." The slight tremor in Ivy's voice was apparent to her but the others didn't seem to notice.
"Apparently it was when he was watching some of the tapes back from Dr Gordon's interviews at the hospital and he just said it." Fisk told her sitting back down now he had dug the hole, all Ivy had to do was crawl in it.
"Remind me to kill that Doctor myself now he's out of hospital." Ivy fumed receiving laughs from Rigg.
"You know what I'm buying you another one for this after you tell us how that happened." Rigg clapped her on the back and Kerry and Ivy exchanged a look that just read 'men.'
"Okay so as you all know my tape said I was to protect Adam and we just got on, you know." Ivy defended and they nodded, all except Mark who gaze was rooted to his pint. "And it was near the end when Lawrence and I were just about to escape and Adam had been shot and was still all chained up and he was begging us with every last fibre of his being not to leave him. It was heartbreaking and Lawrence promised that we'd come back with help and he had latched onto me and I just felt so sorry for him and I knew how slim his chances were so I just kissed him." Ivy let the moment come back to life in her memory and knew she would have to speak to Adam about it, to see if he remembered it. It made her heart flutter to talk about it, as if she was telling her best friend about the first time she kissed her boyfriend, but to her it was a good, nice feeling. "I suppose I thought that if he was going to die, at least he'd have that one good memory of that place to carry with him." She finished sadly and looked up at the four. The atmosphere round the table had completely changed and all were looking right at her. The emphasis of what she had done and the selfless nature of the deed had silenced all of them so that not a glimmer of happiness shone from their eyes, Fisk even looked remorseful for bringing up such a kiss. Kerry was the first to break eye contact as she sniffled into her drink.
"And we never found him." She whispered sadly, Ivy nodded.
"I have a feeling..." She began, "That his test was unfair." She thought that while she was there and they were on the subject, and since she and Adam had spoken about him coming to the police station in a couple of days that she might as well as set up some things. After all it's what John did.
"How so?"
And so once again Ivy gave them her now correctly proven theory. She made sure to keep an eye on Mark just in case as she wondered if he knew that Adam had escaped or whether Amanda and her own plan to replace Adam's body with Tapp's had really worked. He didn't give a single detail away, his face remained as impassive as ever, he even seemed to be truly thinking her words over.
"You could be right." Kerry said finally, "But there's no way he could still be alive could he?" She asked them all.
Ivy went to answer but oddly enough Mark beat her to it, "Not unless Jigsaw planned to keep him alive for another game or something, if he knew that one was unfair. Since he only potentially failed it he may have wanted to give Adam a second test." This Ivy knew was a lie and a very good one to make her theory sound even more plausible and though she didn't know what Mark's motive was she was grateful. Unfortunately Ivy's lamentable story had rather killed the good time atmosphere round the table and it wasn't long before Rigg excused himself to go home to see his wife and Ivy also made a move to go back and check on Adam, sharing a taxi with Daniel before Mark could even offer again. She came home with her mind still wrapped around that kiss as she saw Adam snoring lightly away on her sofa, which he now officially called his own bed, the Plasma was still on and Ivy perched next to him, flipped the TV off, draped a blanket over his almost fully recovered body before running her fingers through his dark brown hair. In her slightly alcohol induced state she wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips again.
Kind of a filler chapter but we see some important relationships progress here.
And it was extra long!
Read and Review!
xoxo