Chapter 36 – The Centre of Hell

Emily opened the door, her gun drawn as they entered the dark warehouse, she waited until Tasha had followed her in before she closed the door behind them, reaching for her torch as their eyes adjusted to the darkness. Both of them stood still and listened for any noises that might suggest where the unsub was but the vastness of the warehouse was playing against them.

He couldn't believe his luck as he packed away the tattooing equipment, the Ambassador had lost consciousness a few moments earlier, the pain too much for her body to handle which was really funny considering that the real pain had yet to start. Silently he unstrapped his last contrapasso from the chair and once again lifted her up onto his right shoulder and headed to the internal door that led to the freezer compartment and where Ambassador Elizabeth Prentiss would face the journey to the centre of hell.

The light from Emily's torch hit the rooms that had been built inside the warehouse and Emily's heart sank, slowly she edged towards them before a tap on her shoulder brought her to an immediate halt.

"Mom?"

Tasha whispered as she looked towards the large power unit that was standing outside one of the internal walls. Emily turned and gestured for Tasha to talk before she too looked back towards the internal rooms.

"He's on the last part of his journey to hell, ready to meet the devil, according to Dante the contrapasso's are frozen and then eaten by the devil. That power unit is big, it is possible that he's got a walk-in freezer there?"

Tasha nodded to the room where the power unit was.

"Shit, right stay closely behind me ok?"

Tasha gave a firm nod of her head as the two of them edged closer to the room.

Hotch's eyes immediately fell on the silver BMW that was parked outside the warehouse, he didn't need to see the licence plate to recognise who's vehicle it was.

"Emily is already here, any sign of her or Tasha?"

Quickly he exited the SUV and looked over at JJ who had run over to the car.

"No, they have must gone inside already."

"Tasha too?"

Reid frowned as he pulled the flak jacket onto his body but then Morgan walked over to him.

"Emily will look after her, don't worry I've seen Tasha at the range she knows how to handle a gun."

"Well she's Emily's daughter did you expect any less?"

Dave managed a wry smile as he patted his jacket, ensuring that it was strapped tight to his body before he looked over at Hotch.

"OK are we ready?"

Everyone nodded as they drew their weapons and edged warily to the warehouse.

The freezing temperatures soon had an effect on his contrapasso as he laid her on the floor, it took only a few seconds before her eyes flickered open.

"Oh it's good to see you again Elizabeth, it seems that you prefer sleep to my company, normally I'd take great offence but I suppose that under the circumstances I should allow you a little leeway."

"What, what do you want?"

"To punish you."

"Why?"

"For your sins."

"Against who?"

"Oh where shall I start?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes as he walked towards her, a knife in his hand as he pressed it hard against her neck.

Emily put her hand on the handle and gestured for Tasha to move away so that her back was against the wall. She gave a firm nod of her head towards her daughter who gave the same gesture in response. Emily felt her heart begin to pound hard and fast as he hand clasped tightly on the handle but she knew that it had to be done and without another thought to what she may find inside the room she opened the door and ran in , her gun drawn as Tasha swiftly followed her.

"FBI, put your weapon down Mr Turner!"

Emily quickly blinked her eyes as she finally laid them on the unsub that they had been chasing for the last month and then her mother, who was being held by the unsub, a knife pressed against her throat, her chest exposed to show a large tattoo.

"Hello Emily, Natasha, well this is a surprise, so you've come to join me in watching your mother, grandmother, pay for her sins."

"Put the knife down and release her."

Emily's voice was unnervingly calm as she spoke, she looked briefly at her mother who was shivering badly but at least the door was now open so some of the freezing air could escape.

"Sorry that's not going to happen Emily, not when I'm so close to the end, so close to finally meeting him."

Emily took a deep breath as Richard Turner smiled, he really thought that he was going to meet the devil if he killed her mother.

"But what has she done to you?"

Tasha spoke as she stepped out from behind Emily.

"Oh look it's the beautiful Natasha, you're certainly looking better from the last time I saw you. Oh come on, the pain and suffering that she has caused the two of you, conspiring with that piece of crap who was your so-called father Natasha, do you want me to carry on?"

Richard Turner smiled as he pushed Elizabeth to the floor, reaching behind him he retrieved a gun and pointed it down at Elizabeth who was sobbing and bleeding on the floor.

"But I have forgiven her."

Tasha spoke confidently as she kept her gun drawn and walked nearer her grandmother, standing in front of her which immediately caused Turner to frown and shift uncomfortably.

"If she has been forgiven then she isn't the perfect contrapasso, no matter what you do it won't be enough for you to meet him."

Emily's voice wavered slightly as she realised what her daughter was doing, she just prayed that Turner wouldn't take his anger out on Tasha.

"But what about you Agent Prentiss, how do you feel about her now?"

Turner snarled loudly as he spoke and watched Emily take a moment.

"I forgive her."

"You're lying!"

Turner shouted as he waved his gun around before pointing it towards Tasha and then a shot rang out.

"Tasha!"

Emily cried out as she ran over and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"Its ok mom, we're ok."

Emily nodded before she reached down and helped her mother up before she and Tasha helped Elizabeth walk towards the door.

"Did you mean it Emily?"

"Yes mom, I meant it."

Elizabeth nodded her head as she allowed her daughter and granddaughter to help her out of the cold prison but then as they neared the door Emily slowed slightly and looked at the tall figure.

"Thank you."

Hotch smiled as he leant across and kissed Emily softly on the cheek, he knew that he had fired the shot at Turner just in time.

A/N – Thanks to everyone who is still reading and reviewing, your comments always make me smile and feel appreciated. I've put this comment at the end of the chapter as I didn't want to give away the ending! This will be the last chapter for the next week at least as I'm off on holiday, camping with the kids so no internet or anything, because of that I changed the ending of this chapter and didn't leave it with a massive cliff hanger like I was originally going to do as I didn't feel that would be fair to the readers, having to wait over a week to find out who had been shot!