AN: WARNING. While nothing in this chapter is graphic or explicit, it does hint at/contain sexual assault. Next chapter you will find out exactly what happens, but again, it won't be graphic. Also, slight language warning.
Maggie-
I spend at least the next hour telling myself to be brave, convincing myself I'll be okay, but it all disappears the moment the two men walk back in the room. Still, I do my best to feign strength, boredom even.
"Wait, Michael," Juan says to stop the other man as he gets close to me. Now I know his name.
Michael backs up a couple yards letting Juan take his place. He moves toward me causing me to back up until I am again flat against the cold, brick wall. Then his hand comes up to brush my cheek. I turn my head away. To my surprise, Juan laughs.
"Aw, cute. She thinks she's too good, Michael," he says mocking me. "But she's not," he spits out. He grabs my shoulders at the same time as he shoves me into the wall. My head slams into the brick and my vision momentarily goes fuzzy. Juan leans in close, pressing into my body and smashing me against the wall.
"You're not too good. Understand?" he almost whispers.
I don't say anything, still reeling from the pain in my head. I guess I should have forced something out because he slams me again and shouts in my ear, "understand?"
I nod weakly while trying to stay on my feet. I feel blood running down the back of my neck making my thin clothing wet and sticky.
Juan then runs his hands down my shoulders and my sides. "Good girl," he croons. It makes me sick.
His hands run back up, this time over my chest and instinctively I try to push him away. This angers him and he throws me to the ground. I am able to mostly shield my head with my arms this time, but realize quickly the little water and food I was given just over a day ago is not going to help me, provides little strength. The cold also is against me. But I'm not done yet, not giving up.
Juan drags me by one arm over to the cot. I claw at his arms with my free hand and manage to kick his knee. He growls, the sound coming from his chest. He yanks me to the bed in one more violent pull, sinks down to straddle my waist with his knees and wraps his hand around my neck like he did yesterday.
He squeezes so long my vision starts to go black and I wonder if he will let go. It's so hard, but I do everything I can to fight out four words.
"We...have...your...kids," I finally sputter.they might be my only bargaining chip, not that I would ever even dream of giving them to him.
Juan releases my throat almost surprised, tilts his head to the side and stares at me with a wrinkled brow. After a long pause Juan starts to laugh. It's harsh and forced and is close enough to my pounding head that I cringe. I'm trying to figure out what this means. Does he really care so little for his children?
"I suppose it makes sense that you don't know," he says slowly, enjoying the moment. "Michael stole dear Maria and Javier away when your partner came for you."
My mind starts to race. No. No, no, no. He can't have them. Not again. I'm fighting again though it does little good. With him sitting on my stomach, I don't stand a chance. I'm my panic I hardly notice him unzipping my sweatshirt.
Then he's kissing me. I push against him, claw at him, kick with everything I have but he seems to just enjoy it more. He slips his tongue into my mouth and I bite it, hard.
"Bitch!" he calls as he spits blood into my face. He tastes of cigarettes and peppermint.
He pulls something from his pocket. I'm kicking, fighting so hard I can't make it out. Not until the smooth, cold metal touches my neck. The pocket knife is so surprisingly sharp that I hardly feel it cut into my neck, but I feel the trail of blood that slowly runs from the cut. I want to live, more than anything else I want to get out of here. I have no choice but to stop fighting. For now.
I hear a muffled sob and realize it came from me. I close my eyes unable to look into his. One of his hands skillfully keeps the blade against my neck while the other roams across my body. Everything about this moment is rough and forced. I will myself not to cry, not to make the smallest noise. I will not give that satisfaction. I try to focus on other things even as he grabs my tank top from bottom hem to neckline in a fist and pulls the knife away from my neck long enough to cut it open. I take that one moment when the knife isn't on my neck to kick and thrash and do whatever I can, but all too soon it's back and he's spewing more vile words telling me what he is going to do to me.
With my stomach now exposed to the cold air, I shiver. I'm not sure if I'm thankful or confused when my mind finally chooses something to focus on and it's him. His voice, the way it sounds when he is confidently telling a suspect to put down their gun or when it's soft as he talks to me or provides comfort to someone in need. His smile, how it brightens the room on the rare occasions when I know his smile is real. All of him.
Briefly I'm pulled from my thoughts as my arms are yanked above me and taped together. I hear the rip of duct tape, smell the strong odor. But I push my mind back to my partner. All my hope rests in him. While I'm ashamed I can't free myself, prevent this from happening, it's the reality of this moment. OA, I need you.
OA-
My phone rings pulling me from my thoughts as I speed through the city toward the address sent to us. It's Kristen.
"Talk to me," I say.
"A patrol car just went past the address I sent you. The van is outside. We have to assume that's the right building. One team just finished searching their location and it was a bust- no one was there. Mosier is rerouting them to you as we speak. The other team will continue to their address just in case we're wrong."
"Ok."
"Wait, OA, there's one more thing."
"What?" I said quickly hoping she gets to the point so I can focus though knowing she's just trying to help.
"The location that was cleared, well, it wasn't pretty. They reported setup for human trafficking. Particularly, sex trafficking."
I hang up and I'm not sure if I'm more relieved that we're close or petrified at what we will find. Maggie... I can't even allow myself to finish that thought.
We're almost there, Mags. Hold on.
XXXXX
We stop a few blocks away and walk the rest of the distance. Nothing is moving fast enough for me but I know we have to be safe and take every precaution. Dana and Jubal are talking through my earpiece and am listening just enough that I hear the plan they share with all of us.
Finally we're moving. We headed toward Maggie and Ria and the bastards who are doing this.
Maggie-
The commotion pulls me from my faraway thoughts. I hear gun shots and then feel the weight pushing down on my disappear. I'm alone again, but the smell of cigarettes and spearmint seem to be ingrained in my mind. I can still feel his weight, his assault. The noise above me grows even louder and my head feels as though it will split open. Still, it's preferable to focus on the noise, the chaos, than on the events I just experienced. The pain in my head becomes so intense I curl up in a ball and squeeze my arms over my ears. My wrists are still bound, and I'm shivering harder than before.
There is a clanging on the door that is holding me here and I'm afraid to open my eyes, afraid that it will be Juan. But I still do.
I let out a sob knowing it's okay now. Knowing I'm safe because my eyes meet OA's. Another sob rips it's way from my chest as he's here in an instant, followed by a few other agents. His hands are on my neck, his eyes assessing the damange. Then suddenly, I'm in his arms. They wrap around me tightly. I realize he wrapped his FBI jacket around me and I don't even have the energy to be embarrassed as I remember I'm in only a bra and leggings. He cuts the tape binding my wrists and helps me pull the jacket on fully. He snaps the buttons all the way to the top. Then he stands pulling me up with him and holding me steady.
"Can you walk?" he asks quietly.
I nod, and he pulls one of my arms around his shoulders. His arm goes around my waist.
"Ria? Javí? Are they okay?" I ask before taking a step. He smiles sadly but surprises me with his words.
"Yes, they are already outside. We had to get them first." He seems to be apologizing but I'm not sure what for. Of course they got the kids first. I'd have it no other way. I just nod, smiling, so thankful they are okay.
"Morgan?" I ask.
"We'll have to see. We split up after getting the kids. Let's get out of here and find out."
Then we're walking up the stairs and out of the house. I'm surprised when I see the quaint neighborhood because I'm not sure how anything sonterrible could be in such a normal place.
My eyes scan first for Ria. I'm looking everywhere, my head moving quickly back and forth. I ignore the intense pain in my head and the dizziness it causes.
"Over there," OA says pointing to an ambulance. He helps me get there. As soon as she sees me, Ria jumps down for the edge of the ambulance where she was sitting. She sheds the gray blanket someone wrapped around her and jumps into my arms. If it wasn't for OA helping me stay steady, her momentum would have knocked us over.
It feels so good to see she is safe. She pulls back enough to look at me, but keeps her arms tight. I pull one hand up and push some hair out of her face.
"Hi sweet girl," is all I can say. Then I'm crying. The tears are light, few and mostly happy, a buildup of extreme emotion needing to be released. Ria looks concerned, but I smile at her and she hugs me close.
As much as I would like to stay like that, my arms are growing heavy and the pain in my head is getting worse. I sway and stumble, but OA catches us both and holds me upright.
"Ria," I hear, OA's voice gentle, "Maggie needs to go to the hospital to get better, okay? She needs to put you down, but you can come with us."
Of course, she has to anyway, to make sure she is okay, but she is more than happy to follow us to the ambulance, her hand safe in mine. I'm fighting to keep my eyes open, so completely exhausted.
"Come on, Mags. Let's fix you up," OA says as he gets me into the ambulance.
Then OA lifts Ria in and he comes back to where I'm sitting on a stretcher right where he left me.
"I'll be right behind you," he informs.
The idea of going back to the same hospital without him is enough to cause me to panic even though I know how stupid and weak it is. My eyes fly open and I catch his wrist in my hand. I don't know what to say, but OA doesn't need words. He smiles sadly at me while he seemingly reads my mind. Nodding, he sits down on the bench, gently releasing his wrist from my grasp. He surprises me by sliding his hand just enough that he grasps mine in his. Ria climbs up beside him.
Only then do my eyes close. I'm asleep before the ambulance starts to move.
AN: Hey all. Im not sure how I feel about the ending of this chapter, but I'm not sure what else to change either. I'm hoping this isn't too OOC for Maggie. Anyway, you all made me so happy with all the kind reviews I decided to get another chapter up his afternoon. Thank you so much to Mari, Kensi jj, Doranwen, Cheyennes, Fabiana, jotchLIFE, and AilenGurl. You all are awesome! I'm hoping to post again this week, but have conferences. You are my motivation so let me know what you think!
Also, Mari, I'm not completely sure. There may be hints of it, but it will probably depend more on how you read it.