Hey everyone! I really apologize for the long, ridiculously extensive wait. Has it been that long? Gosh when I first began writing on this site, I made a promise: DO NOT TAKE FOREVER TO UPDATE! I really hate it when people do that. But what can I say. This past week, 2 WEEKS :0 (AHHH), have been well, lets just say gotten out of control. Fanfiction hadn't really been my main priority (don't kill me).
For this story, I have been trying to get back in the groove but it hasn't been to easy. My goal is to make this a pretty long, or good sized chapter, but I have to see where this goes. For those who are sticking with me, have commented, reviewed, fav/added...I LOVE YOU GUYS! Just doing that really makes my day. Now I better quit stalling or this authors note will be longer then the story :/
:) Comment, review, critique; feed back please.
Please Enjoy and review!
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Day Two
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He woke up once again, in a new place entirely. He was no longer bound, and the lights that filled the small room were dim. His head ached, his ears burned like fire. He pushed his tired, pained body into a sitting position and looked around. Beneath him, was a small, thin mattress.
The room he was now in was larger then the last. Walls were brown bricked, and the floor was a dull stone. There were no windows and the only light came from the few lights that cluttered the ceiling. The room was bare and though it was large enough to move around in, felt suffocating. The only other "furniture" inside besides the mattress were three small buckets along the side wall. One was labeled "bathroom", and the others "Food" and "water". It felt reduced to living like an animal.
What kind of psychopath is doing this to me?!
The only "entrance" or "exit" he could see was a small trap door in the ceiling, much to far for him to reach. He pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he did so, and tried to reach the small door. he stretched as high as he could, but knew, no matter how hard he tried, he would never reach it.
Falling back to the floor, trying to calm his racing heart, Reid took deep breaths. His head dropped in his hands as the tears fell from his cheeks. The pain in his head was nothing compared the the fear that was raising inside him.
The fear of his future, the fear of the unknown.
Why had he been taken and by whom, and what was this psychopath planning on doing to him?
"So...Agent Hotchner, what is your response?" Ben inquired suddenly, teeth flashing as he peered at the Unit Chief. "Do you know the correct answer?"
Hotch looked up his eyes slightly wide with surprise. Response? Could he be talking about...
"The Khan case Aaron. What happened on the Khan case?" Ben crouched in front of Hotch and smirked when he didn't answer.
"What...nothing to say?" Ben pressed. "Don't have a response?"
Hotch said nothing and stared blankly at the wall in front of him, his gaze unwavering to look at the psychopath in front of him.
"We both know what will happen if you don't say anything. Do you really want"-Ben cocked his head toward Reid-" this to be your fault?"Ben pushed himself to his feet and walked over to his brother, his gaze never leaving Hotch. He patted the inside on his pocket for emphasis as he sat down.
Hotch let his gaze meet Ben's, his fists clenched. "You didn't want to save the boy," Hotch said finally, each word burning like acid as they left his mouth. "You wanted to sacrifice his life for the others."
The anger inside him was like fire, it fueled his need, his desire for revenge. Never before had Hotch ever wanted to kill someone as much as he did now. He would find a way, no matter what happened. Ben was as good as dead. If not for Reid, to satisfy his need for revenge, then for himself.
Ben sighed loudly and rolled his eyes, he pulled his hand away from his pocket. "Good very good. You get another point. What does that make it now? 4? Oh wait Agent Rossi asked for a hint." Ben smiled cooly. The old profile ignored his gaze, however the look in his eyes revealed everything he was feeling. He was the reason they didn't have 4 points. It was his fault Reid was missing 3 fingers. It would be his fault if the team didn't win the game.
It's my fault. The words rang in his head over and over again. Taunting him. My fault. He had let them all down.
The room fell silent. An uncomfortable whole consuming silence that was suffocating. It seemed like an eternity until it was finally broken.
Ben snickered suddenly. The team couldn't help but look at him. His eyes were closed and his lips were plastered in their usually devilish smile. But it was unusual to see thin laughing in this way. It was all too familiar.
Every since they had been taken, ever since Ben had held the gun to Garcia's head and everything had changed. Ever since Reid, the real Reid had been reintroduced to them. Ben had seemed like a monster, the insanity he was portraying.
The other agents sustained their composure, even Garcia held firm. However, some, Emily, couldn't help but feel the familiar pang of guilt and shame well inside her at the sight of him. He persisted to laugh, his long skinny arms held his sides tightly. It almost seemed as though he would fall over.
It was the same laugh she had grown to love about him over the year he had secretly taken Reid's place. When she had fallen for his deception, blinded by his lies and disguise, she had grown fond of Reid's many 'new' quirks.
That laugh had bee one of them.
Adorable. Innocent. Lovable.
It had been Reid's laugh. Reid's awkward, lovable laugh. The same laugh that Ben possessed now. The same laugh she had loved.
Between excited giggles, Ben huffed, "You are all so stupid!" He held his stomach tighter. "Really! Stupid!" He sighed, chuckling softly now. "You all think this is going to end well, don't you? Admit it. You think that your gonna answer all my questions, know everything. Or know enough to get the five points and get out of here. Right? That's what you think. But"-he scoffed, furrowing his brow-"Think about it. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I have planned, I have lied and deceived, and I have waited. Don't any of you dare think that you will get out of here on top." Ben paused, his smile fell away from his face, replaced with a cold dark expression.
"I have deceived and tricked you people for over a year. I out smarted FBI's best. I took away the little genius, that little piece of shit you all claim to love an adore so much. And took his place. I have taken every possible measure to ensure I won't get caught. I can see it in your eyes. The hope. You all, for some reason, believe you will find away to get out of this and save the day. Save Reid..."
Ben let his voice trail off and gazed around the room at the other agents. His eyes fell to Hotch in the end. He shook his head and laughed at the dark and enraged expression of the Unit Chief.
"Arrogant. That's the word. You are al so arrogant for believing in your abilities and skills. Especially you Aaron, I can see it in your eyes. You still believe that your going to kill me in the end, that your going to win." Ben smiled cooly. He placed his hand on his pants pocket, and slid it inside the fabric. He pulled out a dark blade and flicked it open. "I am in control of what happens."
Moving forward, Ben crouched in front of Hotch and placed the knife in front of him. The sliver blade lay glinting on the cool stone floor free for the taking.
Hotch did not move nor look away from Ben's sadistic expression.
"What? Don't want it?" Ben played, smirking. "Come on?"
"What are you trying to accomplish Ben?" A small voice asked suddenly. The team looked around in surprise at the source. Ben stood and walked over to his brother. Reid looked up as he approached, his eyes narrowed from fear, frustration and probably a dozen other emotions he was feeling. But his face remained calm, expressionless. Dark. Dead. What had happened to the life, the light inside the young man?
"What?" Ben asked, his voice seemed unsteady.
"I said what are you trying to accomplish?" Reid repeated simply, his eyes staring in Ben's. His voice rasped with the words, they were barley above a whisper.
Ben frowned a little at the question. He seemed honestly surprised. "What...Reid, what are you talking about?"
Reid's head lolled from the awkward position he was restrained in. His arms were still suspended by the wire and the deep grooves being cut in his wrists continued to flow with blood. The others noticed the slight quivers of his arms as they worked to ease some of the pain. Blood was everywhere.
The skin that wasn't covered in blood, bruised, or hidden by scraps of clothing was whiter then usual, and tinted a sickly palish white. The area around his eyes was almost a dark purple, making his emaciated face look sullen and sunken in.
The bandage on his hand, was now soaked from all the blood. The crimson liquid pooled beneath him. It seemed to be too much, how Reid was still alive was amazing. It would be soon, without a change. Without wounds being treated, the blood flow being stooped, the pain ceased it would be an impossibility for Reid to make it another day.
"You have been doing this to me for the past year." Reid struggled. "I have survived, or you have kept me alive, I don't know. But I stopped caring months ago. You have always wanted me to feel pain, but everything that happens to me now, I no longer feel." He paused as a tremor shook his body. His eyes squeezed shut as his body tensed. The others watched in useless silent fascination, as their youngest suffered, unable to help. "You will not win this game because you have already lost."
The frown on Ben's face depend with confusion. His browed furrowed. Lost? He thought,anger began raising inside him. Hatred. That smug look on Reid's face, the way he...resisted him. He thinks he's better than me. Thats it. That's what he has always thought. He's nothing. I always win in the end. ALWAYS. I'm in control. He just needs to see that again.
Morgan knew what Reid was doing and his heart fell from the realization. His brother, his best friend, was giving up. To Ben it seemed he was defying him, fighting back strong against everything that was inflicted on him. But Morgan knew. He could see it, in the way Reid's eyes no longer shinned, in the dead expression that had become the sole emotion on his face, he knew. Reid would push Ben too far, anger him where the rational of prolonging his suffering would be but a dull echo, and he would go to far and end it. And Reid would be free. One thing was for sure, it wasn't Ben who had lost, but the team. If Reid was to die, it would not be by Ben, but of their ignorance.
It was their fault.
"You little fucking piece of shit!" Ben yelled, disguising his utter fascination with the situation. It had occurred to him what Reid was doing, trying to send him over the edge. Almost it had worked. But he to was a genius, maybe not by IQ standards, but of the many new ways he discovered as ways to torture his brother. This was just another new method. "LOST. LOST! I never loose!" Ben saw then the spark of hope that flashed in the young man's eyes and knew he had been right. He smiled inside, knowingly.
Maybe Reid had gone to far. Maybe this time it would be all over. The end... But for once those words sounded like a gift, a desire he now craved. He didn't go to far, maybe he hadn't gone far enough. Life no longer had an appeal, the team was no longer there to fight for survival. He was alone, and he no longer wanted to suffer. The end... Maybe this time, just maybe..
"You no longer feel? What kind of bull shit is that? You feel everything that I do to you. EVERYTHING."
JJ looked upon the situation in utter horror. Reid. She thought. What, what are you doing? her eyes clouded with tears, and she felt the warm liquid stream down her face. Who was she kidding, she knew.
"You ask what I'm trying to accomplish? You know what I'm fucking trying to accomplish!"
Garcia couldn't help the sobs that shook her body. She tried to muffle her cries, but they persisted. She didn't know if they would ever stop. She didn't want to cry any more. It was the last thing she wanted to do and the last thing the team needed. She wanted to be strong for Reid. She wanted to stop crying and diver the situation away from her baby boy. For once in her life, Penelope Garcia wanted, no, was determined to be brave.
"I've beeb busting my ass for the past year. I have taken every measure, done everything I can to ensure you suffer from every single thing that I do to you. Don't you dare tell me that you don't feel anything!"
What have you done! Reid what have you done! Rossi thought, his mind racing. His heart ached. He knew what would happen.
"Maybe you just haven't learned your lesson yet. Felt enough pain? Is that it?"
Emily pulled against her chains frantically, her eyes streaming. Maybe I can...maybe I can, She thought frantically. She pulled and bucked and planned to save Reid, but deep down knew it was futile.
"Maybe I should just end it."
FINALLY! Reid thought, almost celebrating. FINALLY!
Ben pulled out the gun from inside his shirt. He unhitched the safety and smiled. "Yeah maybe that's it."
For once in his life, Hotch was at lost for words, a plan. He sat watching, horror struck. Unmoving to do or say anything to prevent the inevitable.
Ben pointed the gun forward, smiling at the renewed light in his brothers eyes. He placed his finger on the trigger and...
"STOP!"
Ben grinned. This should be interesting. Turing around he faced the frightened face of the bubbly blond, Penelope Garcia. The team looked at her in shock.
"What?" Ben pressed, tapping his gun against his neck.
"Don't do it! Please!" Garcia felt her her heart jump inside her throat. Her voice shook, her body as well. Never had she ever been so afraid in her life. "I'm begin you. Please don't..."
Ben chuckled inwardly keeping her enraged expression in check. "And why not?"
Garcia hiccuped as she cried, frantically trying to regain composure. "Please..."
"Well aren't you brave Miss Garcia. I must say I am surprised to see this side of you. Never thought you had a back bone."
What are you doing!? Morgan thought. He didn't know what to do, he didn't want to make things worse.
"Brave," Ben continued. He got an idea. "And what cowards you all are. None of you, except you of course, try to save my little bro over here. I must say, I am a bit disappointed.
WHAT DID YOU DO!? Reid screamed. WHAT DID YOU FUCKING DO!?
"Only one of this so called family is brave enough..."Ben trailed off suddenly. "No that won't do..."
He turned and walked over to where Hotch sat, the knife still positioned in the same spot as before. He leaned down and picked it up, smirking. Hotch growled and thrashed against his chains.
"I guess I should have put this a little closer so, you know, you could have used it," Ben chastised joking. "Oh well." He walked over to Garcia and pulled something from his pocket. A key. He went about unlocking her restraints.
Garcia didn't move. Didn't breath. What had she done? She couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten herself into.
The chains rattled as they hit the ground and Garcia was pushed forward towards the center of the circle. Ben chuckled when she yelped from hitting the floor. It surprised them all when He handed Garcia the knife. He took a step back, gun cocked, aimed at JJ's heart.
Garcia trembled. She no longer tried to stop the tears from falling. What had she done?
"Cut him loose." Ben said simply. Garcia hesitated and looked down at the knife. From behind her, she heard been take an exasperated breath. Before he could say another word, she cut away the restraints around Reid's wrists and ankles. He dropped to the ground in a pained thud.
"I'm so sorry Reid. I love you." Gracia whispered when the last of the wires were cut away. Reid said nothing nor met her needing glance.
"Good." Ben said. "Now cut away his shirt."
"What?" Garcia asked, confused. She turned to look at him.
Ben grinned, "I said cut away his shirt." Garcia didn't move.
JJ yelled as the gun was suddenly pushed into the side of her head. "Do it."
Garcia cried harder, but did. The knife slid easily through the tattered fabric, and once she had cut all the way through she pushed the pieces aside and away from his chest. It was out of fear, that little action. And once his chest was fully bare and exposed she regretted doing what she had done.
"Now," Ben began, he rubbed the back of his head anxiously. "Carve the words "Coward" in his chest.
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