Crossing Boundaries
Chapter 3: Amazed
Note: This is not in Anika's POVPlease don't get confused.
Outside of the room, Gideon and Reid hold a private conference with the doctor that had examined Anika Paranosz.
The doctor opened a file and read off some of the most important information. "She suffered incredible trauma all over her body. There was no concentration to any particular area; he hurt them all. There was great damage done to her vagina; it is probable that she will experience complications if she ever bears children. Also, there were extremely high levels of ketamine hydrochloride in her system, most likely used as a sedative. If it was used as a sedative, that would explain the lack of defensive wounds on her. It's amazing that she's still alive."
Gideon nodded his thanks to the doctor and took the file from him. Turning to Reid he asked, "What do you make of all this?"
"To be honest, I'm just as surprised as the doctor that she's alive. From a non-criminalist standpoint, surviving something like that takes astronomical will power and strength." He ran a hand through his hand. "No matter how often I see things like this, I still can't get over how someone could be so cruel. What she did speaks volumes."
"Indeed it does," Gideon conceded. "However, it is what she didn't say that is even more poignant. Her facial expressions betrayed what she could not say outright." He began to wander back towards the agents who had been abandoned in the waiting room. "Anika is our responsibility. She trusts us – only the two of us. We owe it to her to do the best that we possibly can."
Dr. Reid was surprised by these words. Rarely did Jason Gideon get this attached to a victim and associated crime. He wondered what was different about this particular case.
Only the passage of time could show how different this case actually was.