A/N: Phew, I survived the Reid-whacking! Surprisingly enough. Okay, we're nearing the end now!! Short but intense, and a bit gross. I should put a warning on this one. Beta read by the Gubetastic editor frog - thanks doll!

!! WARNING !! Character death in this chapter, very graphic! If you don't like that stuff, don't read it! And don't flame me! You have been warned!

JJ raced through the house, searching for somewhere to hide.

I should have listened to myself! she thought. I should have hidden when all this begun! They can't kill you if they can't find you!

The events in this house were quickly wearing on her thought processes. She had no idea why she was reacting like this; usually she was a calm and together person, but now all form of sense seemed to have left her. They'd been replaced by hysteria and panic. There was nothing she could do about it but let it happen.

Running through the first floor, she yanked every doorknob she could find, most of them being locked. Fear was rising higher and higher inside her, threatening to make her scream out loud.

Finally, a door opened, and she threw herself inside, turning the key to securely lock it after her. Panting, she leaned her forehead on the brown wooden door. Wherever she had locked herself up smelled very strange.

Turning around, she fumbled for a light switch. As she found it and turned on the light, she found herself in a walk-in-pantry. Food supplies and other necessities were lined up on shelves running across the walls. The pantry was about 6 by 9 ft and most of the space was occupied by the shelves.

It made her feel safe. No one was in there. No one could come in. She was safe. Gasping to find her breath, she slid down against the door until she sat on the floor.

Good God. Why is this happening? I don't want to die! Oh, God... Reid...

-o-o-o-

Gideon and Hotch still sat by the young agent lying motionless on the floor. The older agent reached out and slowly closed Reid's staring eyes, and carefully shut his gaping mouth.

There was an awkward silence between the two men. None of them knew what to say. So much had happened in the short period of time since they arrived in this house of terror, and there had been not nearly enough time to deal with it.

Emily. Morgan. Garcia. And now Reid. The same thought flew through both agents' heads.

Who will be next?

Hotch looked at his former colleague. "Do you have any idea who is doing this?"

Gideon shook his head. "No. But have you noticed that someone's missing?"

"Morgan?"

"No. Someone who should be here with us."

Hotch caught on. "Elle."

"Yes." Gideon nodded. "I'm here. Why isn't she? She's a former member of the team too."

"You don't think that...?"

Gideon ran his bloody, shaking hand over his head, leaving a trace of blood in his silver hair. "Like you, I don't know what to think anymore. I know everyone in this house thinks I orchestrated all of this, but I swear to God – I had nothing to do with this! I woke up here just like you."

Hotch sighed. "I know, Gideon. I'm trying not to place blame or suspect anyone. It's not possible that one of us is responsible for all this, that's not even an option."

"No, it's not." Gideon looked at the young man before him. His chest didn't move. His skin was pale. His lips were blue. No blood pulsated from his wound. The older agent couldn't imagine who would want to do this to Reid. To this remarkable young man.

The world had been deprived of a great mind.

-o-o-o-

JJ sat on the floor of the pantry, looking at the food around her. Despite the fact that she was starving, she didn't even consider taking something to eat.

Who knows what they've put in that food. I can manage. It's only a few more hours, and then I can get out. Then I can get out. I'll be fine. I'll be alive.

Flicking the peeler between her fingers, she realized what a pathetic weapon it was. A peeler? What damage could she possibly do with that? What had Hotch though when he gave it to her?

Of course! He didn't want me to be able to defend myself! He wanted me to... Oh, my God – JJ! What are you thinking?!

Shaking her head free from suspicion against her superior, the young woman decided to try and relax for a few moments. Her heart was racing and if she didn't calm her breathing down, she was in danger of passing out.

Drawing a few deep breaths, she let her head tip back against the door with a slight thud.

Man, it smells terrible in here... And what is that sound? Ventilation?

The barely audible hissing sound caught her ear, as she tried to locate the source.

-o-o-o-

Rossi slowly walked through the rooms on the far end of the hallway. He could no longer hear Gideon and Hotch by the staircase.

Pushing a door open with the barrel of his gun, he took a few steps inside. Another empty room. Slowly searching it, it came up even emptier – if possible.

Sighing, he wished that the two agents in the hallway would have enough sense as to follow procedure instead of mourning a dead colleague. Three more agents had died in a matter of hours, but not one of them had gotten the attention that this one had from the two men.

Procedure was to always go in teams.

Rossi was alone. JJ was alone.

Gideon and Hotch were together.

The gun in Rossi's hands didn't make him feel any safer. He needed someone to cover his six. He wanted to call out to the men, but he was too far away, and didn't want to attract attention to himself. Slowly he exited the room and ventured into the next in the search of the UnSub who shot Reid.

-o-o-o-

Something wasn't right. It had only been about five minutes since JJ had locked herself in the pantry, but something definitely wasn't right.

Her chest began hurting, and she was itching all over. Red hives began breaking out all over her arms and legs, in her face and on her chest.

JJ furiously scratched at the burning red rashes forming all over her body.

What is going on?! My eyes, oh God! Can't... Breathe!

As if someone had put burning coals in her eye sockets, JJ violently rubbed her eyes, trying to get the pain to stop. She suddenly remembered the low hissing sound she had heard earlier. It had transformed into a louder noise and she could physically feel the current blowing against her.

"Oh, God..! Gas!"

Nearly blinded from the searing pain, JJ struggled to rise; her chest shooting white pain through her body. Twisting the key to open the door, she tried pushing it open, only to find that it wouldn't budge.

The door was jammed.

"No... NO! Help! Hotch! Gideon! Help me!"

The young woman began banging her fists against the door, trying to gain attention; trying to break out of her prison.

She had to stop after only a few seconds. Breathing became harder and harder and she slumped to the floor once again. Furiously clawing at her itching skin, she tore up her arms and legs, leaving them in a bloody mess. The insane itching made her sink her nails deep into her skin and physically ripping it out, only to get rid of the burning sensation.

Breathing became a struggle. Unbeknownst to JJ, fluid was rapidly gathering in her lungs, slowly drowning her. Feeling her breath getting shorter and shorter, JJ tried to cry out to get some form of attention.

"Hrrraaahhh...!"

Throwing her hands to her face, JJ frantically clawed at the flames torturing her eyes and skin. Not even as her eyes began to bleed from the abuse of her nails did she stop. She tried calling out, but no sound came over her lips.

Manically chewing, the young woman tried to scratch the inside of her mouth and her tongue, which were itching tremendously. She felt blood stream down her chin and into her throat as she spat out the pieces of flesh she had gnawed of in an attempt to ease the itch.

She lay on the floor, hysterically clawing at her throat. No air entered her lungs, and lying down didn't exactly make it better. Every part of her body hurt, the pain worse than anything she'd ever felt before. She tried opening her eyes to see something – anything! But unknowingly the young woman had torn her eyes up so bad; they were no longer located in their sockets.

The mush running down her face was warm and itchy, and she frantically kept clawing at her throat to take a single breath. But just moments later, the lack of oxygen got the better of her, and with a last rattling breath, her arms fell flaccid to her sides.

The pantry fell silent once again, the young woman's struggle over. She now lay in a bloodied heap on the floor – drowned in her own fluids.

-o-o-o-

Gideon and Hotch had just risen from Reid's body. Knowing they had to leave him sooner or later, and also knowing that they had sat there for way too long.

All of a sudden, the deranged child's rhyme once again swept through the house, this time completely surprising the men, who jerked as the dull, melodic whisper blew by them.

Four little agents, arguing away

One went hunting, one went astray

The end is getting closer, time is running out

Have you even figured out what it's all about?

One little agent chose to disagree

She drowned in herself, and then there were three...

A/N: Half of you are now cheering, the other half is sharpening knifes and lighting bonfires.. I should hurry up with the next chapter!