Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

A/N: So I tired really hard, but I find that there are parts of this that is too similar to the last CI fic. I am sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it until I reread everything yesterday. However, I added some interesting pieces, and I believe that it will read quite differently. This story, whatever its flaws, is really burning hot for me. I can hardly do anything else. I appreciate so much those of you taking the time to review. It means a lot. Thank you.

Sheila

Control

Chapter 4

The woman looked tired. It was clear that she had once been beautiful, but her face was now worried and pale. Her name was Lisa Polacek. She was born in Serbia, and a slight lilt from Balkans was still in her voice. She was overly soliticious when they greeted her, and her nervousness was palpable when she sat down; fingers tapping on her coffee cup incessantly.

She refused to look at Logan, focusing all of her attention on Barek. The marks on Alex's face seemed to frighten her, and her eyes darted to her to quickly and then away.

"Should I just start talking to you?" She said before they even sat down.

"It's okay, Lisa. Take your time. We want to know all of it."

She nodded and took a sip of coffee. "I met Jimmy 6 years ago. He was really amazing: handsome, funny, rich. I went out on a few dates with him. At first it was great, but something wasn't there. I didn't feel a connection. So I stopped calling, but he didn't. Suddenly he was everywhere. I couldn't shake him. Nothing worked."

She stopped and Barek noticed that her hand trembled on the table. She gave her a sympathetic look and waited.

Lisa nodded. "I went home one night and he was there. I was scared but that's all I remember. I woke up in his apartment. I was tied up. For a while, it was like that. He kept me drugged and tied up for I think a month, maybe."

Her eyes watered. Alex felt something odd and frightening grow in her gut.

"He raped me. I know that now. For a long time, I didn't acknowledge it, but it's what it was. He waited until I was no longer willing to resist him, but it was rape. Make no mistake. After a while, he left me untied for periods of time. He was intense, always there, always watching. He told me I was a part of him, and there was nothing to do but surrender to it. And I did. Eventually, I did."

"You didn't try to run." It came out as a whisper when Alex said it.

"It was weird. His control over me became total. He did everything for me. I began to think he was tender and kind, and after six months I couldn't make the simple of decisions without consulting him. He started to leave the house, and I showed how he could trust me. I never left. I never called anyone. I wanted him to be proud of how I had become part of him."

Tears had begun to gather in her eyes. Logan had trouble looking at her. She seemed so frightened and vulnerable, and he suspected that she was a little scared of him.

"He wasn't proud. The more submissive I became, the more demanding he became. He didn't want me to do anything. I sat in his house all day watching TV. I wasn't allowed to clean because he didn't think I was meticulous. He didn't like my cooking. He would come home, ignore me, rape me, and then ignore me again. I was completely under his spell. I forgot everything but him. I forgot my friends, my family, my work. It didn't bother me that my mother didn't even know I was alive. Every day, I just waited and hoped that he would be proud of me. One day after two years, he came home, packed a bag for me, and put me on the doorstep. Without a word…without one word."

She stopped and took another drink. Then she chuckled. "You're probably a little disgusted. Probably think I must be a very weak person. I would understand if you did."

Carolyn shook her head. "Don't worry about that. We understand the psychological trauma that can happening in a kidnapping."

She wiped at tears. "I wasn't some submissive person. I was a vice president in a consulting firm. I was the one the fired people. I was the hatchet. Can you believe that?"

Alex felt sick. She was glad she hadn't eaten anything because she knew she wouldn't have kept it down.

Carolyn leaned forward. "What happened after he kicked you out?"

"I tried to get back in. It was cold, December, but I didn't seek shelter. I just sat on the doorstep and begged him to let me back in. Finally a neighbor came. When I wouldn't leave with her, she called the police. They knocked on the door, and Jimmy denied he ever knew me. Police ended up taking me to the hospital. I spent the next three months in the psych ward. Blamed myself. They had to keep me on suicide watch. Finally my mother came and got me. I live with her now. I have been going to therapy three times a week for the last four years. It took me two years to realize that I had been kidnapped, raped and emotionally tortured. But it took another year before I finally stopped praying for him to come back to me."

Carolyn sighed deeply. "Have you seen or heard from him in the four years?"

"No, he's never contacted me, but I kept an eye on him. I wanted to know where he was and what he was doing. The neighbor that helped me kept me updated, and I have computer skills, good ones. I tapped into his e-mail. He started another relationship three months after he kicked me out. I tried to call her, but he changed the number. I asked the neighbor to leave notes. But she never called me. Eight months after she moved in, an ambulance showed up. She committed suicide. The neighbor tried to get more information, but nobody had a name. The police never identified her, and it was ruled a suicide. He moved away soon after that. As part of my therapy, I agreed not to try and find him. I haven't heard anything since."

"You filed the complaint against him two years ago." Logan tried to meet her eyes.

She looked away. "I knew it wouldn't go anywhere, but I thought it would be important for me to publicly acknowledge what happened."

"They didn't take it seriously?" Alex asked.

"Two detectives questioned me for four hours. One of them told me it was sad that I couldn't just let the relationship go. He told me I should let the man live his life and get over my vendetta."

Alex shook her head and looked away. The woman couldn't stop glancing at her face, and Alex couldn't help feeling an odd connection to her. "Lisa, Jimmy's after me now. He did this, and he hurt my partner. The information you're telling us might help us find him. I want you to know how brave I think you are."

Lisa smiled at her through tears. "He never hit me. You must be stronger than I was. You're not giving in. I admire that."

Carolyn reached over and took her hand. "You did the best you could and you survived. You have our respect."

"I live with my mother still. I go to therapy. I have no interest in ever being alone with a man again. I have no friends except my therapist. I am working at a Kinko's as a shift manager. You have respect for that?"

Alex pushed her hair out of her eyes. "You survived, Lisa, and you haven't stopped fighting. I have all the respect in the world for that. I promise you I do."

The woman smiled for the first time since she sat down. There was something in the way she did it that led Alex to suspect that it was the first time she had smiled in a very long time.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Bobby opened his eyes and squinted at the light. It was hard to move, and he felt an aching in his head that seemed to start at his neck and continued deep into his cerebrum. Movement caught his eye and he turned his head. Captain Deakins was grinning at him.

"You're looking good, Bobby."

Bobby grunted and looked around the room. There was no one else there. He felt confused and sick.

"You probably don't remember much. Jimmy Ross took a baseball bat to your head. The fact that you're not dead is a testament to your hard head and the fact he was worried he'd have a harder time Eames if he didn't have you as a bargaining chip."

Goren wrinkled his forehead and looked around the room. A look of distress spread over his features. "Where is she?" He mumbled.

"She's okay, Bobby. He roughed her up a little, but she's okay. She saved your life. Ran up to his apartment alone. I was yelling at her on the phone, but she ignored me and went in. Honestly, I can't think of four people on the job that would have had the balls to do that."

Bobby shook his heavy head. "Where is she?"

"Logan and Barek are with her. Ross is on the run."

"I want to see her." Bobby's eyes looked red and feverish.

Deakins nodded. "I'll call her."

………………………………………………………………………

Alex stopped in the bathroom and experimented with covering her bruises with hair. It was impossible so she sighed and let it go.

She was tremendously relieved that he was okay, but she dreaded seeing him; she imagined the look in his eyes when he saw her face. She felt so guilty. He was almost dead because of her. She walked into his room quietly. Deakins stood up. "Hey. He's resting."

She nodded and sat in the seat he vacated.

"Eames, I was really hard on you yesterday. I'm not feeling right about that."

She shook her head. "You were right, Captain."

"Shake it off, Eames. We're moving on."

She nodded and turned her attention to Bobby. "He sleeping?"

"No," came a voice.

Alex smiled. "I knew you were faking, Goren."

He opened his eyes and looked at her. He creased his forehead when he saw her face and his eyes watered, pain radiating in his dark eyes.

She brought a hand up to her face as if to try and hide her marks. "Hey Bobby, it's okay. I'm good. Really. A couple of lucky punches. Nothing more. You're the one who took a bat."

Deakins cleared his throat. "Since you're here, I think I'll get back to the squad."

Eames nodded at him and turned her attention back to Bobby. She felt him searching with his hand. He found hers and squeezed tightly. "You really okay?"

"Yeah. It looks bad but I'm good. Really. It's you I'm worried about."

"Jimmy's going to hurt you. I won't let him."

She smiled, struggling not to acknowledge the pain. "I feel better already."

He shook his head. "Don't play with me."

"I'm sorry, Bobby. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

He squeezed again. "I'm worried about you."

She dropped his head. Sounds erupted and she couldn't contain her grief. She sobbed into her hands. He reached for her again, catching her arm. "Please. This is not your fault."

"I'm so sorry, Bobby."

"The only thing that matters is that you're safe. He's going to try again."

"I know. I just met one of his earlier conquests."

He nodded. "He's dangerous."

"I'm going to be okay. Don't worry."

"Not an option, Alex."

She pulled away and stood up. "Bobby, the only thing that matters right now is getting you healthy again. I'm going to be fine. I promise. I'm staying with Carolyn."

"Be careful. It'll just be a couple days before I'm up, but then I'm on it."

She chuckled. "Take your time, Bobby. You earned it."

"Where's Logan and Barek?"

"They're waiting outside."

"Bring him in."

She rolled her eyes. "Geez, Bobby. He can't do anything more than he already has."

"Bring both of them in."

Alex sat there for a moment before getting up. Then she went to the door and signaled. Logan and Barek appeared in the doorway. "Bobby wants to talk to you."

Logan smiled wide. "Hey! The genius is getting better. Barek, your competition is back."

Barek took Goren's hand and gave him a warm smile. "Welcome back."

Goren didn't smile back. "I'm worried about Jimmy. He's unstable. He's dangerous."

Logan nodded. "We're going to take good care of her."

Goren screwed up his face. "We're underestimating him still. He's been hurt by the woman he's been trying to possess. He's going to do something sudden and drastic. You have to be ready for that."

"That could include coming here to finish the job on you." Carolyn said, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

He shook his head. "I'm out of the way. His attention is on her. He doesn't have time to split his focus right now."

"Bobby, we're not letting her out of our sight. That's a promise."

"It's not enough."

Eames shook her head and chuckled. "You can barely lift her head, and you still think you can run the show. You're going to have to let it go."

"Alex, please."

"No, Bobby. You can't help me right now. You have to stay here and let your body heal. I have to go and take care of this the best way I know how."

Bobby looked away. Alex grabbed his hand. "I'm going to be okay, Bobby."

She let go of his hand and backed away. She gestured at Logan and Barek, and they followed her out of the room.

They were almost to the door when her cell rang. She froze. Logan signaled for her to wait. He rang Trace, and once they were connected, he put his hand down and she picked up her cell. "Eames"

"I'm not giving up. This was meant to be. The sooner you understand that, the better the people in your life will fare."

Alex licked her lips. "You hurt anyone else I know, and I will kill you."

He laughed heartily. "Alex, you've convinced yourself you won't feel anything, but you won't know the truth of your feelings that until we've had our chance to be together. I've changed women before."

"Not this time. I would rather die."

Logan frowned at her, but she waved him away.

"I only have a few more seconds before a trace can take hold so listen carefully. You have twelve hours to make the right decision before I start to hurt the people you love. Tomorrow, you will find instructions. I'll tell you where to go. I promise you it will be much more than you ever imagined."

She jumped at the dial tone. Logan barked at Trace and waited. Then he closed his eyes and cursed. He hung up and had to restrain himself from throwing the phone at the wall.

He turned to her. "I heard everything through Trace. You will disregard everything you heard. Do you understand? We are not going to let him hurt anyone."

Barek threw him a sharp look. "Should we go back in and tell Bobby?"

"No, leave him out of it. He can't do anything right now, and it will just drive him crazy." Alex turned away from both of them. She carried a burden now that they could never understand.

…………………………………………………………………………

Sleep came a lot easier than she imagined it would. In fact, she found it hard to wake. Groggily, she dragged herself onto her elbows and searched Carolyn's spare room for a clock. She found a digital display that read 8:00. She blinked to focus her eyes and the display didn't change. A feeling of panic grew in her; they should have all been up hours ago. She scrambled out of bedroom and trotted down the hallway. She swung around the doorway into the living room and found Logan snoring loudly, propped up awkwardly on the couch, his long legs resting on a chair. Relief flooded her gut. She turned to check on Carolyn when something on the kitchen table caught her eye.

She swallowed hard when she saw the card and the single flower. She tried to reconcile it with items that had been there last night, but she couldn't because it hadn't been there.

"Logan," she said breathlessly as she approached the table. "Logan!"

His eyes flew open and he swung his feet unto the ground, groping for his gun.

"Tell me that this card and flower were on the table when you fell asleep last night."

Blinking wildly, he pulled himself to his feet and lurched toward the table. He saw the items and looked at her. "Is this a joke?"

She shook her head. Reaching carefully, she picked up the card and opened it. Her eyes scanned the words and she let out a gasp, dropping the card. "Carolyn!"

He didn't wait for an explanation. He turned and chased her into the bedroom. Carolyn's room was still dark and she hit the light. A truly wicked sight greeted them both. Carolyn was bound, hands in front and feet, duct tape wrapped around her mouth. Her waist was secured to the headboard. She looked at them with terrified eyes. Alex looked down at the bed and screamed. Three large black snakes were coiled near her feet. Logan disappeared and returned with a broom. He edged himself around the wall until he was standing next to her against the headboard. Carolyn squeezed her eyes shut. He aimed carefully and then drove bristles into their midst. Angry black heads erupted at the intrusion and bit at the broom. Logan madly swept them off the bed and onto the floor. He continued to poke at them with the broom as they slithered around him. Then Alex was there with her gun, shooting at them. A bullet whizzed near Logan's foot and he yelled at her to cease. It was enough. The reptiles lay limp on the ground. Alex appeared again with a kitchen knife and sawed at the rope tying her to the headboard. Once the frayed rope broke, Logan picked her up and carried her into the living room. Alex closed the door tightly, the fear of snakes still palpable in her gut. She grabbed for her phone and hit Deakins' number. When she got him, she said no more than a few shaky words and hung up. She knew he was going to bring enough back-up to overrun the neighborhood.

Logan was sitting next to her on the couch, searching her limbs for bites. Alex brought the kitchen knife and gently sawed at her restraints. The duct tape wasn't easy. She had to grab an edge and pull hard. She caught Carolyn's eyes and waited until she nodded. Then she pulled. Carolyn gave a short squeal as the tape dragged across her face, then started to breathe hard.

Logan looked up. "Did you get bit?"

She shook her head no, her face growing red as she fought the tears welling up in her eyes.

Logan stood up, anger etched in his features, and looked at Eames. "How did he do this?"

Wiping at her eyes, Carolyn looked up. "He put something in the vent. We were drugged. I didn't sense him until he was tying me up."

Alex bit her lower lip trying to control her trembling chin. "We didn't hear anything."

"What did he say to you?" Logan's anger caused him to bark the question.

She shook her head, careful not to catch Alex's eyes.

Alex looked up at the ceiling in an attempt to compose herself. "You have to tell Carolyn. We have to know."

Carolyn rubbed at her eyes again. "He said that this was your last warning. Twelve hours are up. He said that he heard Bobby was getting better, and that would be his next visit."

As if on cue, Alex's cell rang. She picked it up. "Jimmy?"

"Has he been calling you?"

Relief flooded through her at the sound of Bobby's voice. "Bobby, I can't talk now."

"What's going on? I called half an hour ago. Nobody answered."

"I can't talk. You sound good though. We'll talk later."

His voice rose. "Alex! What's going on? Tell me!"

Alex took the phone away from her ear, shaking her head, and handed it to Logan. Then she disappeared into the spare bedroom. The sound of footsteps sounded in the hallway, and then there were shouts of "Police! Open up!"

"Hold on, Bobby," Logan said into the receiver as he strode over to open the door. Deakins and company pushed past him into the apartment. Logan walked out into the hall as more officers, plainclothes, uniforms, paramedics, and CSU, filed past him. "Bobby, this is not a good time. Everyone's okay. But he was here. We're drugged and…I just can't get into the rest of it right now. We'll be there as soon as possible."

"Logan!"

"Sorry, Bobby, we'll talk soon."

Logan swallowed hard, and then waded his way back into the small apartment. He was relieved to see paramedics checking her over. He saw Deakins giving him an icy glare, and he went over to fill the captain in on their latest terror.

………………………………………………………………………..

It was achingly easy really. Alex just moved with all of her fellow city employees out the door of the apartment and down the staircase. In the lobby she found a back exit and trotted away from all of them down the street.

……………………………………………………………..

TBC