It wasn't long before Reid came to. It felt like weights were secured to his eyelids. He had to force them to stay open, moaning as the lights shined in his eyes. It made him want to be sick again.
When he could see, he spotted Bridget lording over him. Her arms were folded across her chest as she scowled, pure hatred glowing in her green eyes. Neither said anything for a long time, just locked in a staring match.
"Why don't you just get it over with?" Reid asked. "You brought me here to die, just do it already. You could have easily killed me while I was unconcious."
"And miss the life leaving your eyes? I have so little." She sneered. "Besides, it's not 8 o'clock yet."
He lifted his wrist to see the time, but he must have landed on it at some point. The glass was smashed and the time had stopped just after seven. "I'm not going to obey you. You might think I will, but no matter what, I won't do what you ask. I'm not going to hang myself."
"You're not going to hang." Bridget spoke slowly, emphasizing each word in a deadly growl. "I told you you'd be sorry if you tried to escape again... and now you've taken my sister from me. I wasn't going to hurt her."
"You and I would be dead, she would have..." Reid paused as a wave of pain shuddered through his head. It was so intense, he could do nothing but moan. It came all at once and faded off slowly, like water flowing through a long funnel.
At last, it subsided and Reid opened his eyes again. It took a moment to return to his train of thought. "She would have died anyway, no one would have found her for ages. With the stench of formaldehyde in this place, it might take months before they discovered our bodies."
Her anger was starting to boil inside of her. It burned in her eyes as her breathing became labored, trying to keep from thrashing the withering man on the ground. "You think you know everything... well... I told you you'd be sorry."
"What else could you possibly do to me?" At last, Reid managed to sit up. He may not have much, but if he could fight Bridget off, even a little... he just possibly might able to get to that door.
To his surprise, Bridget smiled. "You betrayed me and now I'm going to betray you. Tonight after you're dead, I will not be joining you right away... not until I finish what I intended to do in the first place."
His head was in no way at it's usual mental capacity, but Reid wasn't stupid. Just the thought of that made a fist clench around his heart. He practically stopped breathing.
Due to his throat closing from fear, Reid could barely manage a mumble over his growing hysteria. "You leave her alone."
"Just think, when you're suffering your slow and painful death... your wife is going to experience the exact same thing. And I will get her. Even if I have to follow her all the way to America, I will get her."
Reid was a docile man, but he turned into a demonic beast thirsty for blood when it came to Riley. He wanted to lunge at this woman. Were he healthy, he'd have no trouble overtaking her. Now he'd be lucky if he could give her a gentle push.
Still, he had to do something. He may not have much of a chance, he may not be able to escape from here before his body gave out, but he would fight with everything in him to stop her from going after the woman he loved.
As another shock of pain disabled him, Bridget turned and grabbed that which she stashed behind her just a few minutes before. She had the element of surprise and could take the upper hand before he even realized.
With a satisfied smile, she lifted the long metal pipe over hear head. She prepared her strength, aiming for just the perfect spot. Right at the top of his head. With his injuries, it would kill him instantly.
The ache slowly melted away, allowing Reid to see and think again. He looked to the woman towering over him, barely able to comprehend her actions before she swung the pipe downward.
The morgue had a specific quiet to it. The modern house of the dead had a vibe about it, a finality of life that echoed in the silence of the building. Alex had long ago gotten used to this unsettling feeling... but today was different. Like he was some intern all over again.
There was this odd tapping... like a steady tingle behind the walls. It was silly to think, but he almost believed a corpse was signaling from inside its drawer, wanting to come back out. He'd read articles about coroners performing autopsies, only to learn the pronounced dead was still alive. It had never happened to him and he knew it couldn't happen now... but that tapping... it was making him question everything.
He was letting his imagination run amok. All Alex needed to do was finish filling out these reports. The night coroner would be here in twenty minutes for the graveyard shift and he wanted to be done by then. His phone had long ago died... he'd need to get a new battery for that, it just wasn't charging like it used to.
A new sound filled his office, causing him to jump. How could he be so foolish, allowing a familiar noise to surprise him so? It was just the front door. The receptionist had left hours ago. Who was coming at this time of night? The local authorities would call the office phone if they were bringing in a body... and they would use the service entrance in the back.
Quickly, he hurried out into the waiting area and over to the front door. The sun had just about disappeared from the city, turning it to night. At the entrance, Alex saw four visitors were waiting to come in. He was about to tell them it was closed to the public after 5, but as he approached, he spotted a familiar face.
Rushing over, Alex opened the door and allowed them inside. "Evie," He muttered, confused. "What are you doing here?"
Looking at the group, he recognized Inspector Paul. He'd come here with Evie numerous times. The other two... a brunette woman and a tall bald man... he'd never seen before.
"Alex," She said, trying to catch her breath. "We have an emergency, I tried ringing you."
"Yes, I'm sorry, my mobile died." He explained. "What's going on? Who are these people?"
"These are Agents Morgan and Prentiss with the FBI... they work with Reid in America." She said, indicating the strangers.
"Oh," He cried, not expecting that. "What can I do for you?"
"We're assisting in the serial murder case." Emily clarified. "We've found our killer and it seems she's captured Reid and is intending to kill him..." She checked her watch. "In fifteen minutes."
"It's imperative we find him at once." Morgan added.
Alex was flabbergasted, taking a moment to find his voice. "What can I do for you?"
"How do we get down to the basement?" Paul wondered.
"The basement?" Alex repeated. "We don't have a basement."
All four became suddenly dispondent. This was all they had... and now it was too late. "What about a storage room? A crawl space?" Morgan suggested.
Thinking for a moment, Alex tried to consider anything remotely like that. There's no place in the actual building I could think they would be. The ventilation in this place amplifies sound, I would everything they do clearly and... I haven't heard a sound.
"There has to be something!" Emily cried. "They have to be here, or close to here."
Before Alex could think of a better answer, a loud banging alerted all of them. Strange sounds in a morgue was bothersome for a coroner, not to mention four people who didn't surround themselves with corpses every day. In a flash, Alex turned and hurried back into the autopsy room, the four investigators following.
Another bang sounded. Everyone looked around for the source, unable to ignore the idea it could be within one of the refrigerated drawers.
"What's that for?" Paul questioned.
Everyone looked to see him pointing at a metal hatch into the ground. It was a little rusty, probably unused for a long time.
"That's a service hatch," Alex explained. "Before the morgue was remodled in 2000, it gave passage down to the basement."
"You just said you didn't have a basement!" Emily cried. The other three wasted no time, bending down to determine how to open the door.
"We don't, not officially." Alex explained. "It floods so much, we couldn't use it. In the winter months, we stick extra supplies down there in storage, but we have to move everything perishable out by spring."
Morgan, the strongest out of all of them, struggled and pulled at the handle. No matter how he tried, it couldn't be wedged from it's space. "Damn... how the hell do you get down there?"
"Like I said, we don't." Alex explained.
Eden knocked on the hatch, trying to see if someone would respond. In a moment, the exact same knock sounded out. She did it a second time to prove her theory, a different pattern this time. Sure enough, it was repeated exactly.
"There's someone down there." Eden cried, getting to her feet. "We have to open it, we need something to pry out the handle."
"Reid!" Emily cried, getting to her feet. "Is that you? Can you hear us?"
There was no answer, no cry, but that didn't mean it wasn't him. They were anxious to get that thing open, everyone grabbing what they could of the handle to try and force it loose.
Alex disappeared into the next room, returning in a few moments with a hammer. "Here, this might do the trick."
Morgan quickly snatched the tool, "Stand back," he ordered as he got on one knee, the better to use his strength. Aiming at the handle, he banged it with all his might. It shifted just a quarter of an inch, loosened only slightly.
After five good hits, it released and the group helped lift the metal open. To their disappointment, it was not Reid they found at the top of the built in ladder, but a young woman with long strawberry blonde hair and a dirty hospital gown.
"Sarah Neilson?" Emily asked as she and Paul reached in to guide the girl out.
Sarah couldn't speak, she was panting so hard, completely exhausted. She did, however, nod and clutched to Emily as she was brought out of the darkness. Thank goodness the room was dark enough, the light wasn't too harsh on her eyes.
Eden felt her instincts kick in, getting down to examin the poor girl. "She needs fluids... maybe even a pint of blood, she's very pale..." Her eyes landed on her leg, spotting her newest injury. "There's a large gash on her leg, it's not too deep, but it will definitely need some stitching... it looks rather odd, though."
"How so?" Paul wondered.
"It doesn't look like an accident, more... self-inflicted." She informed.
"Did you do this to yourself?" Emily asked. Sarah immediately shook her head. "Bridget?"
The answer was another silent no, causing Emily to meet Morgan's eye for several seconds. "Did Dr. Reid do this?"
At that yes, both agents gaped at each other, amazed. "Reid doesn't hurt people. If he did this, he has a plan." Morgan said.
"Which means he's trying to fight this woman off." Emily added. "If he's injured, he can't have much strength. He might buy himself a little time, but we need to help him."
Morgan glanced down into the darkness. There was no indication how deep it went nor whether they could get through that way. If Sarah couldn't get out by herself, odds are we can't get in." He turned to Alex, his eyes fierce. "Is there another entrance down to the storage?" Morgan asked.
Emily helped guide Sarah into Paul's arms before she got to her feet, waiting desperately for an answer."
"On the next block in the alley." Alex explained. "It's not easily seen, there's a set of pavement steps that lead under the building. At the end of the path, there's a door."
"Alex and I can take Sarah to hospital." Paul said as the poor girl rested her tired head on the inspector's chest. "The three of you go after Reid."
Emily, Morgan, and Eden agreed. Without another word, they headed back outside and to the car. Morgan met Emily's eye again just before they climbed in, both hoping Reid had to strength to hang on. Just a little bit longer.
The pipe smacked into the concrete ground with a metallic bang. Bridget was shocked, her body taken for a moment by the vibration of the hit. Reid's reflexes worked in an instant, pulling him out of harms way and onto his feet. It was truly an anomly what the human body was capable of when it had no other choice.
He rushed off before Bridget could regroup. He wouldn't make it to the door yet. In a second, she'd be after him and would quickly run him down. He needed something to fight her off with, just to knock her off her feet for a few minutes and let him get away.
Not an inch from his ear, Bridget banged the pipe off one of the metal shelves. The sound practically shattered his eardrum, reminding him of a gun shot. He pushed himself further to disappear among the shelves and crates. He needed to be able to see her without her seeing him.
"Dragging this out is only going to exhaust you, Dr. Reid." Bridget cried. Again, she smacked the pipe on the metal, the sound ringing through the room. "Don't you understand, I have to do this! This is the only-"
She tripped, standing in the little area she'd assigned to her two victims before. Her feet were tangled in Reid's navy blue sweater. Her curiousity getting the better of her, Bridget bent down to pick it up.
"Ah!" She cried as something sharp stuck into her hand. Bridget pulled out the knife and watched the blood trickle down her palm. Her one hand holding the scalpel, she looked at the sweater. The fabric was dark, but there was definitely blood caked into several thousand knitted stitches.
"You bloody arsehole," She muttered, stunned. "You planned the whole thing! You hurt my sister to trick me!"
As Reid listened, his eyes landed on a crowbar. His hands wrapped around it and carefully lifted the weight. Even something this small was a lot for him to handle, but it was either this or a dirty mop and he didn't expect he could do much damage with that.
"Well, I hope you're pleased with yourself," She informed, bringing the scalpel along with her, "perhaps I should give you the same courtesy."
She went to swing her bar around the corner, knowing her victim hid from sight there. But Reid was ready. He forced off her pipe with a knock from his bar, forcing her back slightly.
It had suddenly turned into a crued sword fight. And Bridget was easily getting the upperhand. He tried to guard himself with his other arm, receiving a slice from her second weapon. He winced at the pain of his flesh being ripped open, but wouldn't allow himself to back off. As soon as he did, Reid would be at her mercy and Bridget would waste no time in finishing him off.
Reid screamed in pain as her pipe smacked him in the leg. He fell to his knees, pausing only a second to pull his body out of her range. Before she could inch closer, he willed himself away, hiding out of sight among the storage.
It was darker over here and Bridget wasn't far behind, searching for him again. He looked at his new wound, the blood being absorbed by the fabric of his shirt, surrounding the tear. Reid knew he wouldn't be strong enough to do this over and over. He only had one more chance. When he came out of hiding, he either had to take her down... or die trying.