Title: Desperate Measures
Chapter 13 – Rescued from the Abyss

Wordy glances over at Donna, her face falling to mask the emotions she was feeling. His best friend had been kidnapped and more than likely tormented by a woman with little regard for human life. He too had seen some of the pictures; at the time remembering feeling his stomach lurch and literally thanking God that it was no one he know personally. However, once quiet fears were now starting to be loudly realized as they near the drop point of their rescue attempt. Ed had been in Ida's grasp for a few good hours; more than enough time for her to have inflicted serious pain and suffering, irreparable damage to her helpless captive.

Oh god please don't let Ed have suffered that fate please…Wordy's mind begs over and over. He glances once more at Donna and knows she's putting on a brave face now; inside she must be just panic stricken, having worked with Ida's handiwork the most up close and personal. He can't imagine Ed's terror at now being their hostage; his life only to be toyed with and not bargained for. That was Ida's MO – she didn't care about an exchange, she was more about the body dump and the aftermath for those left to clean up her evil handiwork.

Part of his mind could hear his best friends cries of anguish as the blade expertly slices through his soft skin, leaving a mark that could fade with time – if given the opportunity to heal. He gives his head a shake trying to clear the images of the dead bodies left in Ida's wake, but he knows that Ed won't escape all this completely unscathed. The main question was now much pain was he enduring? And would they arrive in time to stop it for good? He offers up one last prayer before his own mental morbidity is broken and it's time to get down to business.

"Okay team, we're almost there."

He hears Greg's command to the team and instantly feels his fingers curl a bit more tightly around his MP5.

"Spike," Greg's voice breaks into the morbid thoughts of Donna, Wordy and the rest of the team. "What's the status?"

"Hold on…infrared camera is still kinda weak from this distance but I can pick up a few heat signatures. In the middle of the building there are three figures together and um…well none are moving so I can't tell who's who from here. Two solitary figures on the north end and two on the south. One lone man on the north and two at the east. She's prepared."

"Course she is," Greg sighs. "Wordy, you lead the tactical here. What's the plan?"

Wordy looks at Donna and frowns but upon getting a small nod and silent request to get my husband back alive, he takes a deep breath and begins.

"Okay Team One and Team Three…this is what we'll do. Sam, Jules…"

Hold on Ed…hold on buddy we're almost there.

XXXXXXXX

He couldn't tell how deep or how wide the cut on his thigh was but as soon as he felt his own blood seeping from the latest knife cut and sliding down his inner thigh, Ed's heart rate soared past critical. She did it…she severed the femoral artery, his mind lament in misery, his eyes watering under the dark blindfold.

"You can let go of that breath Constable Lane," Ida hisses angrily, the sticky blade of the knife still resting against his thick, throbbing thigh. "You'll take your next one in hell."

Ed's lips utter another gasp as the third bucket of watery vinegar is thrown on his captive frame, the cut on his thigh, dangerously close to his vital artery, starting to rebel against the substance now mixing with the freshly cut flesh. The cold water and stinging force him to gasp and grit his teeth as his fists tighten, his arm flexing and forcing the biting edge of the plastic restraints to dig further into his captive wrists.

"Beg me," Ida goads him once more, much to the ire of Mickey.

"Never…" Ed manages in a tormented whisper.

"BEG ME!" She yells, her tone stinging his ears.

"Never…" Ed slightly pants, his lungs gently heaving for air.

Focus on Donna…she'd never give up…she's coming…she's…or is she? his mind pauses as his lips utter another groan in agony. Time was now meaningless. How long had he been missing? Surely the team knew and would be looking for him. SIU never took this long. They have to know right? The team…they hafta know right? But as he listens to his captor's slow circling footsteps and low mocking laughter, his hope starts to slightly falter; especially with Ida's next taunting words.

"If you think your team is coming…think again," Ida's finger rests on Ed's rough, flushed cheek, giving it a small stroke before Ed jerks his face away, only to have Ida roughly grab his chin and force his face back to hers. "Your defiance is pointless."

"It's pissing you off," Ed grumbles.

"Ah so that's your game, very well," Ida replies with a small curse under her breath as she holds the bloody knife against his cheek and presses down a bit, not cutting the skin but just transferring his own blood to his face. "You will see your wife in hell. Goodbye Constable Lane," Ida states firmly as she pulls the knife away from his face and presses it into the cut she had already made, intending to deliver the death stroke and then make a call to Donna.

Ed feels his fingers tighten around the wooden chair handles, his throat unable to swallow and his body slightly shaking from fear. But just before his cruel fate could be sealed, a loud shout is heard and Ida's actions literally stop in place; the cut's size not being altered.

"We've got company!"

Team One! Thank you God. Ed's mind instantly states in elation as he takes a deep breath, his throat still having difficulty swallowing but his mind ordering him to hold on just a little bit longer.

"Not possible! Mickey…" Ida calls out as she gives Ed's small smirk a little backhand and then hands something to her right hand man. "Your team will find you dead," Ida hisses in anger.

"Yeah I'll take…"

"Take care of him."

"Ida…" Ed starts only feel something pierce his skin.

"Goodbye Constable Lane!"

"NO!" Ed tries to shout before his world finally goes dark, his wife's name the last word his mind clings to before he feels consciousness finally slide away.

'Donna…'

XXXXXXXX

The two helicopters near each end of the building, the respective team members each having their instructions and ready for action. As soon as the small rubber wheels touch the ground, they all jump out in pairs and ready for a fight to the death.

Sam and Jules head for the north end of the large airplane hangar; Rachel and Gary head for the South. Spike heads for the one lone man, not realizing it would be his electronic rival; Greg and Tom head for the east with Wordy and Donna heading for the main entrance; Donna wanting to get Ida before anyone else; Riley in the helicopter with the infrared sensor and feeding all of them on the fly.

"Just be careful, she's playing for keeps and your head isn't bulletproof," Tom whispers to her seconds before they had landed.

"So am I," Donna growled back.

"Stay sharp teams they…" is all Greg manages before a hail of gunfire is heard.

A few bursts of excited chatter is heard, Riley dictating to the various teams where their targets were heading, Donna and Wordy heading for a small side door that wasn't guarded. A single shot to the bolt and the door is pulled open, Donna's heart racing as she waits for Wordy to enter and then takes a deep breath before she enters a few seconds later.

Her and Wordy quickly squint into the dimly lit surrounding before them, bursts of gunfire and distorted voices around them, marring their ability to pick out any specific voices – Ida Logan's in particular.

"Upstairs," Wordy whispers as he picks up a glint of a flashlight with gunfire around in or around it – a target that was now theirs to deal with.

"Let's go," Donna whispers back as they eye a single staircase on either side leading up to a darkened landing.

"North side is secure," Sam's voice is heard over the headset.

"Team when you clear your entranceways, guard it and make sure that no one can get in or out until Island security arrives," Greg directs.

"Boss…" Spike's voice is heard. "I'm heading for who I think might be Miles but there's a plane here and…" Spike's voice stops as another hail of gunfire is heard in his direction.

"Spike!"

"Boss I'm pinned down," Spike tells the team.

"Greg I'm on my way to help Spike," Rachel pipes up before a bit more gunfire is heard.

"South side is secure," Gary tells them. "Island security is on its way. As soon as they arrive I'm coming in."

"Take the right," Wordy gestures to Donna as they near the darkened base to go up. With each step up, Donna feels her fingers tighten around the handle of her MP5 and her heart rate start to race slightly faster; small beads of anxiety-laden sweat slowly forming and sliding down her back. The movement out of the left of her eye is Wordy, nothing else in their current vicinity was doing much to reveal itself to them.

"Riley…anything? Donna and I are moving up an inner platform with a set of stairs on each side; we're almost at the top."

"I see three figures on top of the landing; two about ten feet up in the rafters. None of them are moving, so am thinking it's a trap."

"Anyone find Ed yet?" Donna asks with uncertainty.

"Negative," is the chime in response from all members except Wordy; as she knows he hasn't found him yet.

They near the top of the landing and Donna peers over, her world instantly slamming to a dead halt. "Oh my god…Ed!" She hisses as she rushes up the last few steps only to be met with a hail of gunfire from the hidden snipers, sending her back behind the top few stairs for cover.

"Wordy," she utters, her mind trying to erase the image of Ed's unmoving frame from its memory.

"Riley, location on Donna and Wordy," Greg states in haste. "Donna is he…"

With help from Riley, Wordy fires off a shot, into the darkened hiding place of the man keeping Donna pinned, sending him further back into the shadows and allowing her the chance to ascend once more.

"Ed! Why won't he at least look up…he can't…oh god please let him at least look up," she utters in misery as she peers over the top stair once more. He was still tightly tied to the chair and blindfold in place; but his head was bowed and he wasn't giving any indication that he knew they were there. Blood trails were clearly visible on his somewhat pale skin, a pool of crimson tinted water was glistening from the cold fluorescent lights above around his feet and the base of the chair. But to anyone looking – he was seemingly lifeless. He can't be dead.

"Ed!" She tries once more, the despair in her voice clearly evident. Please god…please let him be alive.

"Status Donna," Greg implores.

"I uh…I don't…I don't know," she shakes her head, quickly brushing away a few automatic tears that were forming.

"Wordy!"

"I can't…get…boss, Donna and I see Ed. He's um…"

"He's not moving," Donna adds with a soft lament.

"But we're pinned down."

"Rachel leave Spike and meet…" Greg's voice trails off with instructions.

Donna takes one more step up, her ears picking up a low mocking laugh coming from the darkness below and looks at Wordy and narrows her eyes. "Ida…" she whispers before she turns to head back down.

"Donna!" Wordy hisses as he watches her leaving.

"She's mine!" Donna growls before she locks eyes with Wordy in the darkness.

"You can't leave."

"Save my husband, please," she begs before she turns and hurries downstairs and disappears into the darkness.

"Boss. I need backup now!" Wordy demands. "Donna's gone after Ida!"

"Wordy, island security is here to watch the north entrance. I'm coming to you," Sam tells him in haste.

"I'm going after Donna. Riley, which way?" Tom asks as he nears the area with the darkened stairwell.

Wordy glances up and looks at Ed and curses, silently begging his best friend to at least flinch and acknowledge that his team was there to save him.

"Wordy, seconds away," Sam's voice is heard over the headset as he nears the right side of the stairs to go up; the ones that Donna had come down minutes earlier.

"Hurry Sam," Wordy insists as he readies his gun. "Riley, any way to turn on even one of the small emergency light's up there?"

"Uh hold on…"

"Riley, override the inner lights," Spike directs.

"Okay got it."

Just as Sam nears the top of the stairwell, another hail of gunfire rings out, not letting either of them get to their captive friend and team leader. But mere seconds later a few small emergency lights are turned on, making each Logan goon, curse but giving both Sam and Wordy confirmed targets to take out.

"Sam…cover me," Wordy instructs as he slowly eases himself upright, allowing Sam to pick off the first man and then the second and then stand guard as Wordy rushes toward Ed, begging for his life to have been somehow spared.

As soon as he reaches Ed, he notices the cut on his thigh still oozing blood; his lips however, uttering a small sigh of relief as he feels his main carotid artery; the life pulse of the body, thankful that a faint but noticeable heartbeat is felt.

"He's alive! Sam I need help!" Wordy bellows to Sam for help and to call for a Medivac ASAP! "Boss cover the stairwell."

"Copy that, Tom and I are almost there."

"Just hold on Ed…oh please let him hold on," Wordy mumbles over and over as Sam rushes to help. As Wordy works to make a tight tourniquet around Ed's thigh, Sam gently lifts Ed's head, gesturing to Wordy about the clear tape over his mouth and the pieces of foam in his ears.

"That's why he didn't respond," Sam growls as he plucks the foam from his ears and then gently cuts the tight plastic restraints keeping him bound to the chair.

"Okay…I hope this works," Wordy mutters as he knots off the bloody damp cloth that had been used as blindfold.

Ed's eyes slightly flicker at Wordy's handiwork on his thigh to stop the blood flow but then roll back and close seconds later.

"No…no you gotta stay with us Ed…Ed!" Wordy begs as Sam finally cuts Ed free and they gently remove him from the chair, laying him down on the floor, away from the pool of bloody water.

"He's shivering," Sam frowns as he looks at Ed's slightly jerking frame.

"He's in shock but we have nothing…boss do you ha…"

"Guys there's a first aid kit in the airplane, hold on," Spike mentions.

"Hurry Spike!"

"Look at the cuts…damn what did she do," Sam curses as he gently wipes away some blood from Ed's cheek, thankful that it was just a stain and there was no actual opening of flesh beneath his finger.

"She failed to kill him. Ed…you gotta stay with me okay?" Wordy gently pats Ed's face, wanting another verbal indicator that his best friend was indeed still with him.

"Did she sever the femoral artery?"

"No…I don't think so…it might have been close bu..I don't think so…Spike!"

"Almost there…Rachel cover me, I'm going in," Spike's voice is heard as he nears the opening to the plane. However, just as he's about to enter, a gunshot rings out, pushing Spike back and bringing Rachel forward. "Miles is in the plane…I repeat Miles is in the plane! We need another…"

"Spike look out," Rachel directs.

"I'm on my way," Gary's voice is heard. "Be there in two minutes."

"Make it one," Greg growls.

With Sam's gun still trained and ready, Wordy hovers over his best friend, quietly begging him to hold on and then checking over the other cuts. His body was cold and wet, shivering from the lack of adrenaline and the residue from the physical torment; his own mind cursing himself for not being able to even take off his vest and offer it to Ed for some warmth. But Ida and Mickey were still missing and they were all still on high alert – it wasn't over yet.

"Wordy I'm at the bottom of the stairs," Greg tells him.

"I'm going after Donna," Tom pipes up.

"Security is coming in the east entrance with some supplies," Jules interjects.

"Hold on Ed…please just open your eyes," Wordy begs, making Sam look at him in torment.

"He's gonna make it…he's too strong and stubborn to die," Sam reminds him firmly as Ed's eyes slightly flutter. Sam hears Wordy curse under his breath and knows what he's thinking – the same as everyone else – Ida Logan must pay for all the pain she's inflicted.

XXXXXXXX

With Ed's unmoving frame still in her mind Donna reaches the bottom of the stairs, momentarily freezing in place; her mind unwilling to allow her to take the next step. Go back and be with Ed…your husband needs you…her mind and heart both beg. No! I must finish this, he's in good hands, she silently argues back as she squints into the darkness before her and then carefully heads toward the low taunt, the team chatter on the headsets reminding her that they were indeed winning the war; but that the head of the snake was still intact.

Knowing that Ed was still alive and fighting to come back to them, gave her more inner courage and strength to carry on with her mission of personally bringing her nemesis to justice. Ed would do it for me…I owe this to him to end it for us!

"Don't you have someone to tend to Mrs. Lane?" Ida's voice mocks from the distance as Donna closes in toward a darkened part of the building; Spike and the plane off to her left, Ed and Wordy up and back behind her.

"Come out and face me you coward!" Donna hisses as she raises her gun a bit to the left another shuffling sound is heard. Mickey! Her mind cements. Just be careful, Ed's alive…make sure you remain that way also.

Donna freezes in place for a few seconds before venturing out a few more feet and stopping and ducking behind a beam just as few gunshots ring out; sending her scrambling for the nearest cover.

"This place is surrounded, your pilot and plane out of commission!" Donna calls out in anger. "You've lost! Now come ou…" Donna stops just as another hail of gunfire rings out.

But when she doesn't hear anything in reply she knows she's struck an instant nerve with Ida and smiles into the dimly lit surroundings.

"Didn't count on us finding you on our terms right?" She asks with a small snicker, her ears picking up a hushed curse in the distance. "You're not the only one with means."

"You can't beat me Mrs. Lane," Ida states vehemently, making Donna's fingers tighten around the handle of her gun once more. "You can't even find me."

"There is no where to run in here…so just drop your gun and come out!" Donna demands as she takes a few more steps closer.

"No!" Ida replies stubbornly before another shot rings out; this one nearly missing her, shaving off the corner of the wooden beam she was behind and forcing her to duck and cover her eyes a few seconds as the slivers of wood hurl in all directions before sailing to the floor. The distraction, however was what Ida was counting on, allowing Mickey to rush toward Donna, grab her by the tail end of her braid and pull her back toward him, making her lose her footing but not the grasp on her gun.

Donna lets out a yelp as she tries to twist herself around in Mickey's grasp.

"I had the pleasure of killing your husband," Mickey's hot foul breath whispers in her ear. "I'll have the same pleasure of killing you."

"Like hell!" Tom shouts as he charges toward them, slamming his body into both of theirs, the bulk of his directed at the bulk of Mickey's taking them down to the left and allowing Donna to roll to the right. "Go!" Tom directs with a small grunt as Donna breaks free and charges after Ida.

"Medivac is about ten minutes out," Donna hears Spike telling the team.

"Wordy we have supplies here to help Ed," Jules voice is heard next.

"I'm going to help Tom and Donna," Sam is next; Gary staying with Wordy and Jules to help Ed; Rachel and Spike still guarding the plane with Miles hold up inside.

"Ida! Give it up!" Donna calls out as she races down a darkened hallway, away from her team; Tom still fighting with Mickey but Sam arriving and finally allowing the Team Three team lead to get the upper hand.

Donna reaches another opening and then ducks as another shot is fired in her direction, making her stop and duck before quickly reappearing and resuming her original course; sheer hatred and determination fueling her adrenaline now.

She rounds a corner and literally stops short as she comes face to face with her chief nemesis; two guns instantly raised – a standoff ensuing.

"It's over…you drop your weapon now or I will shoot."

"Are you going to kill me in cold blood Sargent Sabine?" Ida mocks.

"It's Lane, and if I have to I will," Donna hisses, not knowing that Sam had left Mickey in Tom's capable hands and was already on his way to finding a sniper spot to back Donna if necessary.

"Really? You think you can live with yourself for taking a life in cold blood?"

"I don't have your practice with it but I'm a fast learner," Donna retorts through clenched teeth. "Now…drop your weapon and remain in place."

"I think you know I won't," Ida replies slowly. "So do we just stand here until one of your team comes and ends it for you?" She tries to goad.

"Unlike you I don't revel in glory for taking a life. That's something I'll never practice at. Now drop it and pay for all the evil you've inflicted."

"Me pay?"

"I realize that you always thought yourself untouchable, but that's one of your greatest weaknesses."

"Oh no my dear…it's one of my greatest strengths. And you stalling for time until your team sets up is really moot."

"It won't be when you're dead," Donna replies with conviction. "You've lost…everything. We have all your men, your plane is literally grounded and your means have come to an end. I won't say it again…drop your damn gun!"

Donna watches the older woman before her, not for one second daring to breath or even blink; knowing that the evil entity before her wouldn't' hesitate to use that to her own deadly advantage.

"It's over…you've lost," Donna mentions calmly, giving Ida a small smile.

"Very well then…" Ida states slowly as she arches a silver brow at the younger woman before her, inwardly cursing her name and vowing revenge no matter what the personal cost in the long run.

Donna watches the gun slowly starting to falter and lower, her heart rate, however, slowly starting to rise with each millisecond that passes; the armed standoff nearly at a completion.

But just as Ida's about to lower the gun all the way, she fires off a shot at Donna, striking her shoulder, but in the vest. Donna's body reverberates with the shot but manages to fire one off, milliseconds later, catching the older woman in the leg and taking her down for the count. Her hand reaches out but just as it does, Sam fires off a warning shot, grazing her hand and sending the gun out of reaching distance; allowing Donna to rush in, kick it away and hover over her with her gun drawn.

"It's over you bitch," she curses before giving her a smug smile. But her expression turns deadly as she cocks the trigger and prepares to deliver the kill shot.

"Donna…good work," Greg's calm voice is heard as he emerges from the shadows. He had watched Donna's takedown without interfering but as soon as Ida was down and the gun out of striking distance, he noticed an invisible dark shadow cover Donna's delicate features, clouding her judgment with a rash, vengeful act or retribution and pulling her toward a dark abyss of personal hell. But Ida was down, unable to shoot back – it would be murder and he knows that's the last thing Ed would want. And without his team lead and more importantly her husband to reason for this situation; here to talk some sense into her, it was up to him to salvage their future from the dark abyss that was awaiting to swallow her up.

"Not done yet Greg, just give me a minute," she insists as she continues to glare at the woman on the ground. She had her…she was defenseless. Strike her down…get to Ed…take the kill shot…let Greg make the arrest…KILL HER! WALK AWAY NOW.

Her mind was waging a heated war with her heart over Ida's fate; her needing to choose between being her deliverer or destructor. She deserves to die…you're not a murderer…and on it went. She sees images flash in her mind, haunting, lifeless images…dead eyes…open mouths begging for her to be their savior…wanting…asking…pleading for justice at her hands.

"Sure you are. Ed needs you…I can cover until Sam get…"

"This is mine to finish off. She doesn't deserve to live!" Donna growls as she prepares to fire, her and Ida locking eyes, neither daring to blink or look away.

"She'll get what's coming to her."

"Won't be enough," Donna insists angrily. "She has to pay with her life for all the others she's taken," she concludes with a whispered curse, her mind starting to flash images of Ed's unmoving frame…blindfold in place, head bowed, blood on his pale, bare skin, pooled on the floor by his bare feet, his soft voice begging her for some relief.

"She will…she's gonna get life," Greg assures her with a calm tone as he slowly approaches. "It's over and we've won. Mickey is arrested and Miles, after he recovers will be arrested; both going away for a very long time."

"Not enough."

"Donna…" Greg's voice states her name. "What would Ed want…your husband."

"He'd want justice."

"And he'll get it; you both will. She's going away."

"She needs to die."

"She will…in jail the same way her husband did," Greg comments, making Ida seethe at the Team One Sargent.

"Sorry Greg."

Donna finally blinks and feels herself swallow. He wouldn't want you to kill her in cold blood. Greg was right…she was beaten, her cruel reign finally at an end; she had spilt enough blood to land her in jail for the rest of her natural life. Walk away now…you're clean of her blood…walk away. Just…walk away.

"Don't be sorry. Go and see Ed now and let me finish this."

"She can't," Ida goads.

"Ms. Logan I suggest you…" Greg starts.

"She can't murder me…she doesn't have it in her to take a life in cold blood. There is no way she could live with herself at the end of the day."

*bang*

The shot Donna fires off bounces a few feet from Ida's head, making the older woman slink back in fear and recoil first, Donna remaining firmly in place and glaring down at her with satisfaction. Greg's gun slightly raising and then instantly falling back down at his side; Sam emerging from the shadows, his gun also lowered.

"There is a way but not like this. Unlike you I chose not to take that way, and in the end I win and you really do lose – everything," Donna whispers before she turns and hurries toward her beloved husband, Greg standing guard as Sam rushes in for the formal capture.

Greg watches Donna disappear around the corner, calling Ed's name and feels himself finally exhale and his fingers relax from around his gun handle.

It really is over.

A/N: Okay so yes deep breath *phew* she's met her fate however…yeah okay so I did want to kill her…I mean I really really did but I also got an idea for a sequel in mind and she's just to deliciously evil to end just like that…so yeah hehe…but that's all the trouble she'll cause in this story. Up next is some muchly needed healing time, some more bonding time and maybe even proper I Do ceremony…(if you all want that hehe) so please leave a review before you go and thanks so much!

PS: Okay so timed this kinda good – for the coming Wordy wEDnesEDay am planning to post chapter 1 of my new story – which is a sequel to Inside Man – so those of you who haven't read it yet, please do so you'll know who the players are and thanks so much!