Chapter 20 Sorry for being so slow on updating. Lately I've been reading more fanfics than I've been writing. I guess I'm subconsciously stalling cause the story is moving forward.

Before Cole gives them their 'last meal,' he makes sure to take them each to the bathroom. It consists of nothing but a toilet and sink. There's nothing dangerous among the hidden room, not even a mirror which would provide glass. He's only giving them this courtesy because he refuses to have to clean it up if they couldn't hold their bladders.

Alaska goes first, walking on shaky legs. They throb with each movement. Holding back the groans is the hardest thing she's had to do it seems, but she does it for herself. No way will she give Cole or Jessica the satisfaction of hearing her torture any longer.

When she's left alone in the bathroom, the captors just outside the thin wooden door, she grimaces. The dirty bathroom is not ideal, but then again, what is in this hell hole? Alaska does her business, washes her hands a total of three times, and looks down at her exposed wounds. Only the deepest of them are bandaged, and she's somewhat relieved for that- her brain probably wouldn't process the worst of the damage. It's a strain to realize the gashes she can see are real.

Knock, knock.

"Time's up." Jessica says, pushing the door open. Alaska lowers her eyes so they don't make contact and lets herself be taken back to the room. They have her sit back on the operating table, this time only restraining her legs and waist. It's not until they take Spencer from the room that she reaches down to struggle with the restraints. Her clumsy fingers are trying their best to work with the belt-like strap, but then sees that the bottom is looped through metal clips that reach under the table. She can't reach that end of them.

"Shit." She gasps, wiggling and trying hard to slide out of the straps' hold. When footsteps approach the room, Alaska instantly goes still, fearful of the knife's sting she may receive for misbehaving.

Spencer comes back to the room, mind trying to gage the distance between his captors and the bloody knife. It's then that his hazel eyes notice Alaska's free hands. All she has to do is reach behind her far enough to get the knife in her grasp. That piece of hope has him complying as Cole ties him back into the chair, this time with his hands loose enough to lift a bit.

Alaska and Spencer stay silent, staring at Jessica as Cole leaves. Neither want to antagonize the situation, but they both know something must be happening in the outside world. Jessica wouldn't just stop going outside because they hid in the elevators. She's so sure they can't escape, surely something else is keeping her here with them for the past days.

Reid's profiler mind had pieced that together quickly, noticing that her clothes have been the same throughout the days. Well, unless this has all been an extremely long 24 hours, which due to the drugs, he highly doubts. Cole listens to her as if he has respect for her, or at least a healthy fear. She has something on him, or he's afraid of her actions. With that kind of commitment between the two, Spencer sees no hope of turning Cole against Jessica. He and Alaska's survival depends on their own rebellion.

"Here." Cole grunts, shoving sandwiches and water into the captives' grasps. He and Jessica leave, his arm snaking around the young girl's waist.

That explains it, Reid says to himself, they're a couple. She has him whipped.

His heart gives a little pang as he remembers having learned that word from Morgan. The memory hits him like a ton of bricks.

They'd been driving around a city in Montana, heading towards a victim's parent's house. The victim had died a brutal death, and so Morgan was trying to bring some humor to him. He always does that- thinks of how to make Reid feel better rather than himself.

"See that, kid?" Morgan had asked, pointed to the left.

Reid lifted his eyes from the ME's report and looked. The car wash off the side of the road has a buff guy scrubbing at a convertible. Odd, considering the color and car model is so feminine.

"What about it?"

"That man's whipped." The dark man chuckled.

"What?" Reid's face had scrunched up in confusion.

"It's when a woman has a guy wrapped around her finger, doing her every command. He's scrubbing his woman's damn car! Exactly why I'll take being single any day of the week."

The young genius laughed and looked up at Derek Morgan with amazement as he replied.

"You're avoiding love because you won't wash a woman's car. Low, even for you."

"Spence?" Alaska calls, bringing him out of the memory. He realizes then that the couple left, leaving them to eat in peace. Alaska is picking slowly at her sandwich, and he does the same. "What if it's poisoned?"

"It's not, she's not done with us that easily." Spencer answers, taking a long gulp of water. The plan of escape comes back to mind and he turns to the dark haired beauty. "I need you to try something for me."

"I already tried to undo these, I can't."

"No, I need you to stretch behind you and get the knife."

Her eyes light up with a fighter's fire, and she sets her food aside, laying completely flat on the operating table once more. She drags herself out of the restraints as far as she can before stretching her arm over her head and reaching blindly.

"To your left. Little bit farther." Reid instructs. "Back just a bit- yes."

Alaska lets out a pained gasp. Her joints are stiff and that required almost more flexibility than she possesses.

"Now, I need you to hide it. Put it flat, pointing towards your feet, and lay on it. Right behind your back so you can reach it when they undo the straps."

She does as she's directed, face going a little pale. "Spencer, I'm not a violent person. You should be the one with it-"

"They're expecting a struggle from me. You can surprise them." Reid explains, both of them registering the footsteps coming down the hallway. "Plus, we're out of time."

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"Clear!" JJ yells, lowering her gun and frowning. The tax building had been a strike out, and so far, the gas station seems to be one too. Emily and Rossi join the blonde, each yelling out clear from their own portions of the station.

"Let's join Hotch and Morgan. They have a thirty minute head start on us." Rossi says, heading for the drivers seat. Emily beats him to it.

"I'll drive." Prentiss says gently to the senior profiler. "Knowing Morgan, they probably have a sixty minute head start."

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"JJ messaged me. Both places were empty." Hotch tells his companion. Morgan has been speeding the whole journey so far and this troubling piece of news does nothing but force him to go faster. The lights on the top of their vehicle have the other drivers around them frantically moving out of the way.

"We have to find him, man." Morgan says, voice seemingly made of steal.

"We will."

"I mean today."

"We're trying."

Unfortunately, his boss's high hopes aren't enough to lift his own.

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Cole first goes to both the doctors and collects their scraps for the garbage. He can tell by Jessica's little sigh that his cleanliness annoys her. It's a necessity to him, though. Cole feels that he must clean up this mess that has already spiraled out of his control.

When he undoes the restraints, on Alaska, he notices the look in her eyes. It's one of fright and anticipation. He shrugs it off, thinking that she must be wondering what plans are in store for her.

But when metal slices down through his neck, he realizes it was all due to what she had in store for him.