AN: I would like to dedicate this chapter (the second to last chapter) to all the entomologists and future entomologists of the world. And with that said, on with the story!

In addition to the bulletproof vest, Greg also had a recording device, should Dirchy confess. Greg wasn't really concerned with a confession right now. Brass had also given him a hand-held radio to "keep in touch". Mostly an extra precaution. Greg was also very grateful he had gotten a carry license and a gun after Nick was kidnapped and buried.

"Hey Greg," Lena said before he left. "Try to stay in one piece okay. I don't know what Sara, or Tony for that matter, would do with out you."

Greg only nodded. The fear was kind of sticking his throat together. Lena smiled at him.

"Good luck."

Besides the radio and the gun, Greg went up to that house completely alone, and very scared. But he wasn't going to let anyone, least of all Dirchy, know how much fear was running through his veins.

He knocked very sharply on the door with the butt of his gun.

"Dirchy, open up." He shouted through the door.

"And let all you cops blast me full of holes? Not likely," Dirchy shouted to Greg.

"I'm not a cop," Greg said "I just work with them." He did a remarkable job of keeping his voice calm and level. Sweat started to accumulate on his forehead and he wiped if off quickly.

"You think I'm stupid! I can see the cop cars. You want in tell them to back up."

Without even thinking, Greg grabbed the radio hooked to his belt.

"Brass, tell everyone to back up," Greg said.

"No, we can't do that Greg," Brass started to say but Greg cut him off after "No."

"Brass, I am not getting in there if you don't back up. Please give it at least 100 feet."

There was no answer at the other end but Greg saw the lights retreating. So apparently, had Dirchy because the door opened. Greg had the gun pointed at the door. When it opened all the way he saw that Dirchy hadn't even opened the door it was Tony. Greg quickly scanned the room and found Dirchy. He pointed his gun at the older man, who oddly enough had a grin on his face.

"Well aren't you brave, coming to rescue a damsel in distress," Dirchy sneered.

Then Greg saw Sara. She was next to him, mostly lying down, and Dirchy had a gun to her head. She looked bad, really beaten up. Her eyes were wide with fear.

Tony was standing right next to Greg. Without taking his eyes off Dirchy or the gun, Greg spoke to the little boy.

"Tony, get out of here okay."

"Benjamin don't move," Dirchy snapped.

"Let the kid go," Greg said harshly to Dirchy. Again, he did something very odd. He shrugged and said "Fine."

Tony didn't move. He stared at Sara for a long moment. Then he turned and fled the house. Greg shut the door, again without turning or taking his eyes off Dirchy.

"Now why don't you let her go too," Greg said reasonably, though he knew it wouldn't be that easy.

"No, I can't do that. She's going to stay here. You however are free to go. I won't shoot you."

Greg doubted this very highly and anyway he wasn't going to leave Sara.

"I'm not going to leave her."

A very wicked smile came over Dirchy's face.

"Ah…maybe she's more then just a damsel in distress. How important is she to you? Would you die for her?"

Greg really didn't want to play these mind games with a kidnapper. With Sara's kidnapper. But he didn't exactly have a lot of choices.

"Yeah," he said and his voice started to shake. "Yeah, I'd die for her."

Dirchy's sick smile grew. "Well I'm sorry but you won't have that chance."

"You do anything to her and those cops outside will shoot you full of holes," Greg said sharply, now becoming somewhat desperate.

"Yes, well they're not likely to let me walk out of here without a few bullets in my skull. And she does seem rather important to you. You would suffer very much if she were to die today."

He didn't phrase it as a question but Greg nodded anyway.

"And that is why you cannot have her back," Dirchy stated.

"You know," Greg said, shifting his plan and tactics in an instant. "I thought you were brave, defying the police, kidnapping a criminalist. But you're not at all brave are you? She didn't even fight back did she?"

Dirchy seemed temporarily stunned that anyone would insult him when they were in such a position.

"She fought back," Dirchy said as though he had nothing else to say, and was caught off guard. There was doubt and confusion in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sure she did a wonderful job of fighting with her hands and feet tied together," Greg scoffed. He didn't look at Sara, but kept his eye focused on Dirchy.

Dirchy now looked angry but he didn't have a chance to speak before Greg spoke again.

"You think that's courageous, picking on woman who are tied up, and little boys who couldn't fight back even if they wanted to." Greg really hated talking about Tony and Sara like this, but he couldn't stop now, and it was part of his plan.

"How is that courageous," Greg spat. Fear was staring to creep into his voice and his hands started to shake. But Greg knew that Dirchy hadn't noticed.

"You're nothing but a coward. A good for nothing coward." Greg put as much venom into his voice as he could. Then he saw his plan work. Dirchy's face contorted in rage. He pulled his gun away from Sara's head and pointed it at Greg: exactly what Greg had been aiming at. Greg and Dirchy fired their guns at almost exactly the same time.

Greg's shot was very well placed and struck Dirchy in his chest. The bullet went straight through his right lung and out the other side, hitting the wall behind him. Dirchy fell back and the gun fell from his grip.

Dirchy's bullet wasn't aimed so well. It stuck Greg in the stomach. But there were several unanticipated things. Dirchy's gun was loaded with particularly lethal bullets, coated in Teflon. Perhaps at a longer distance, or with a different bullet, the bulletproof vest would've done some good. But that Teflon coated bullet shredded through the vest like a knife through paper. And though it was exactly what he had planned, it wasn't what Greg had expected.

He managed one last thing before the blood loss caused him to faint. He smiled a small, sad smile. And he was sure Sara saw it.