A/N: daynaa – haha. Was it 'Under the Weather' that you were talking about? 'Cause I've heard opinions that it was possibly one of the best episodes. Dances I can't wait! Jinubean, eternalgorithm, KittyDoggyLover, JulieTheDreammaker, jtbwriter, GoddessofSnark and Orlando-crazy (aren't I good? All in order and everything…) thanks a bunch for the reviews! throws you all a chocolate. Yeeeey! Okay well I'm pretty sure I'm wrapping it up with this next chapter…lucky 13 where someone may die…lol.

Chapter 12: The Lion, the Bastard and the Corridor

"You haven't slept. You're a walking zombie, you can't exactly be thinking straight."

"You obviously never saw Buffy, then," Woody muttered, staring straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel.

"Can you at least call for backup?" Garret asked mildly.

"We might not even be right," he said.

"You think we are."

"I do."

"Then call."

Woody snarled and yanked the car off to the side of the road, causing both their heads to snap to the side.

"Fine," he said through gritted teeth and wrenched his phone out of his pocket. Garret heard the muttered order for some uniforms to be sent to the address they had visited yesterday. Woody snapped his phone shut and pulled back on to the road.

"I can't believe it," he said. "We were there, she was probably calling out to us to help her, and we did nothing."

Garret decided against stating the obvious, that there wasn't any way they could know, and went for wit instead.

"Oh come on, you know her. She's too proud to call out for anyone's help."

That brought a slight smile to the detective's eyes as he ploughed on.

"So what exactly do you have planned? We storm in there, no warrant, on a hunch?"

"A hunch?" Woody exclaimed, taking his eyes off the road momentarily. "The lunatic isn't even supposed to be out! It fits, Garret. It can't all be a coincidence."

"It could well be, Woody," the ME said. Personally, he was pretty certain they were on the money but it wouldn't hurt to have the detective question his moves. "Can you count the sickos we've worked on?"

"If I use my toes," Woody said, and Garret laughed.

"Exactly my point. It's perfectly plausible that he's just another guy who has done his time and lives in that neighbourhood."

"Plausible, yeah. Just like the presence of aliens. And he hasn't done his time, like I have already said."

Garret raised an eyebrow but did not say anything, as they had pulled up at the same location they had the afternoon before.

"Do you remember which house it was?" he asked. Woody nodded, eyes locking onto it as he undid his seatbelt. Garret followed his gaze and they both jumped out of the car and walked across the street.

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"Actually never mind," Ayres said, yanking the phone from her hand, grinning widely as he stared out of the window. "Looks like our play dates have arrived without any guidance. My they're efficient!"

Jordan's turned slowly, in a state of lethargy, and saw them, walking up the driveway, Garret muttering something to Woody who shook his head impatiently

"No," she said quietly. "Go away."

"Too late," Ayres said gleefully, and she was half-sure he was just about to clap his hands in delight, but he refrained, as much as his demeanour suggested he would not.

"I am going to lock this door," he said, quietly, calming down visibly. "I will be back. Don't worry."

The last comment was so strange and unexpected, she couldn't even think of anything to say to it, could only watch as he walked away towards the two who had just banged on the door.

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"Can I help you, gentlemen?" the man asked as he poked his head around the door. Garret cleared his throat.

"Jeremy Ayres?"

Unexpectedly, the man smiled, though the word didn't really fit the action. It was more of a leer, Garret decided, like a lion looking his prey up and down.

"You see this?" the man asked, pulling something out of his pocket. Their eyes dropped and both narrowed their eyes at what looked like a switch in his hand.

"I press this button, and the woman you've been looking for is blown straight to hell."

Their eyes lifted again in unison to him, and he was momentarily unseated at the unmasked hate that was clearly directed at him, but inwardly laughed it off. Their hate would be turned to fear soon…very soon….his time was nigh and theirs was up.

"So I suggest you comply. It won't be hard. Just step inside."

Garret glanced at Woody, and their eyes met. The detective nodded slightly and they looked back to the man, and stepped past him into the house.

"So, Mr. Ayres. Nut-house not to your liking?" Woody goaded. Ayres turned to him.

"No, actually. The food was worse than hospital food," he said, genuinely. "Now follow me and I will show you to the place you'll wet your pants."

Garret frowned. "Sorry?"

Ayres turned again. "I forgive you. Follow me."

He walked off, down the hall, making sure they could see the switch in his hand. Woody's hand snaked to his hip and his fingers connected with the bit of metal that could save them, but Ayres snapped around, glint in his eye.

"I almost forgot," he said lightly, and held his hand out. Woody looked at him for a minute, before reluctantly pulling the gun from his holster and placing it in Ayres' hand. Woody suddenly felt naked, and vulnerable, as he always did without his gun. He caught the warning glance that Garret shot him, but did not know how to respond and so did not.

Ayres opened a door and pointed, and the two walked reluctantly in. The blinds were open, sunlight streaming into the room, but it was cut off as Ayres pulled the blinds down, shrugging as he looked at them.

"I think it's more of a psychopath killing spree ambiance, don't you?"

"Oh for sure," Garret said. "Though you might have wanted a red globe instead."

Ayres looked up, then clicked his fingers across his body. "Darn," he said. "I knew I forgot something."

"What is this about, Ayres?"

"I think I know how you work enough to know you had me checked out. At least as much as you could."

"Yeah," Woody interjected. He was nearly hopping with impatience, keen to cut to the chase and find Jordan. "You're a murderer. I suppose this is a big revenge thing, yada yada. We get it."

"Damn," Ayres said, put out. "You stole my speech, but you did it no justice." He sighed heavily. "Oh well. Your funeral." He cracked up, as if it was the funniest thing ever. "No pun intended, of course." He stopped and looked at them, weighing something up. "Okay, phase two. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." He chuckled again and walked out of the room.

"That backup should be arriving any time soon, right?"

Woody shuffled. "Uh, yeah."

Garret sent him a look. "You did call them, didn't you?"

"'Course I did," he said.

"So what's the catch?"

"They might be a while. They've been pretty swamped with the whole train wreck thing….notifications, leads and the like…"

Garret snorted. "Right."

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Jordan's head snapped around as the door opened.

"Hello," he said. "They're here."

"I know," she said through gritted teeth. She did know, had pressed her ear against the door and heard the faintest suggestion of male voices, not that they were close enough for her to yell to them.

"We're going to pretend like this is a computer game," he said. "I'm giving you another life."

She stared at him blankly.

"Okay, you don't play computer games. Fine. Let me spell it out for you. I'm giving you all another chance."

"What?" she asked, not daring to believe him.

"I'm going to bring you with me now. We're going to talk to them. We'll see how it all pans out."

He laughed when he saw the feverish glint of hope in her eyes. "This is going to be so funny!" he said, delighted, and put a hand around the top of her arm, not roughly, and guided her out of the room she had been locked in for almost three days. They walked down a corridor and he opened another door.

"Remember the button, gentlemen," he said as they both bristled at the sight of him. He yanked her in after him, and watched as both their faces changed. Jordan had her head hung, she had done this, she had brought this down on all of them. Now they would all die, right here. Well, she mused, they would. They all paused, on the edge of their tethers, before Woody stepped forward, pushing Ayres to one side and wrapping his arms around her. She stood, stiffly, not responding. He held on to her for dear life, choking back the words he wanted to say, in the face of the man who was standing to one side, highly amused. He pulled away and held her at arms length, trying to catch her eyes.

"Look at me," he whispered, and she lifted her eyes to meet him, against her better judgement. She did not cry, but the look in them was, for Woody, worse than tears ever could be. He brushed a stray hair from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely audible, now not able to take her eyes away from his. Garret stepped forward behind the detective, worry etched on his brow. Woody, not knowing what to say, stepped away and Garret took up his place, looking at his friend.

"Looking pretty good for a charred corpse," he said, and winked at her. He had taken charge, he would take the weight off her shoulders, he would be the adult, he would show them both that everything was going to be okay. Even though he himself was pretty damn certain, when he put Jordan's sobered demeanour, and Ayres' obviously mad one together, that none of them would make it out of there easily.

A/N: Keep reviewing, I'll be just as delighted as Ayres was, although I will NOT refrain from clapping excitedly. Lol.