Hello all, thanks for sticking with me this far. Just want warn you all this chapter comes with a trigger warning for implied rape and also violence.
Again I do not own Rizzoli and Isles. Hope you all enjoy this latest chapter.
Jane made a quick stop at the Division One Cafe to grab a coffee before heading up to the bullpen for the day. She had text Maura last night and again this morning but still hadn't heard back from the honey blonde. She chalked it up to her best friend staying late and obsessing over the case, she like the rest of them was confused by the lack of evidence in this case.
"Janie!" The Rizzoli matrichard shouted and leaned over the counter to give her daughter a peck on the cheek.
"God, Ma. Why are you always so loud in the morning." As much as her mother annoyed her to no end, she wouldn't trade her for the world. She has been the most supportive and welcoming person on the plant.
"Someone grumpy, you want something to eat? I can make you some pancakes?"
"Sorry, Ma. This case is putting us all a little on edge. Can I just get some coffee? I'm already running late as is." She shoots her mother an apologetic look. She doesn't mean to be rude it's not her fault they can't find any physical evidence in this case. "Hey have you seen Maura this morning?"
"No, sweetie, I haven't I don't think she came home last night either." Jane stomach does a backflip. Something wasn't right, Maura always goes home. If for no other reason than to take a quick shower and get dressed up in another runway ready outfit. "Here's your coffee."
"If you see her tell her I am looking for her, okay?" She quickly takes the coffee from her mother and makes her way to the elevators.
It wasn't like Maura to not at least text Jane back. Even if she is swamped down in the morgue and isn't around much she always at least shoots her a quick text letting her know what's going on. Granted it's not like they are dating and she has the right to ask the honey blonde to keep her totally informed but her whereabouts but it's something they have both done for quite some time now.
"She's fine, she is just busy and she will call or text you in a bit." The brunette mutters to herself as she makes her away out of the elevator and over to her desk.
"Morning Frost, Korsak." She grumbles and takes a seat at her desk.
"Morning." Both men grumble just as incoherently as Jane. Seems like none of them are getting much sleep.
The brunette takes a look at her phone and frowns. Still no call or text from her best friend. Now the seed of worry is beginning to grow. It's just not like the M.E. to not respond at all, even when a few months back she dropped her phone and shattered it she bought a cheap phone until hers was replaced. She called Jane immediately letting her know. But now, complete silence. Her leg bounces up and down as she goes over the list of people David Jefferson was last in contact with to see if any of them come up dirty.
"Whoa, Jane, easy with knee bobbing you're going to rattle my coffee off my desk." Frost looks over to the brunette and his brow knit together with concern. "Hey partner what's wrong? I know this case is frustrating but you see really uneasy right now."
Korsak looks up from his computer screen and mirrors the younger detectives concern. He has know Jane long enough now to know something isn't right. He also knows if she doesn't want to talk about it she shut them down without a second thought. The only person who has seemed to crack the Jane code was none other than their lovely M.E. If something was bothering Jane, Maura could usually get her to talk it out. Hell recently the brunette even seems to seek out the honey blonde before her thoughts have dragged her so far under. For a split second he had contemplated taking a trip down to the morgue to see if the M.E. knew what was up or if she could talk to other woman.
"Ah, man sorry Frost." She absentmindedly chews on her nails as she runs the background check on the vic's neighbor. "I'm fine, it's just I haven't heard from Maura in a while. And it's making me a little anxious. Have you guys seen or heard from her?" The brunette's knee slows down but does not stop moving entirely, her gut is telling her something is really not right. She can almost hear the honey blonde telling her that you shouldn't make assumptions or rely on your intestines to know when something is right or wrong.
"Nah, haven't seen her." Korsak chimes in.
"Nope me either, last time I saw her was last night on my way out. She was down at the cafe getting some dinner." Frost says, the worried expression still not leaving his face.
"I'm going to run downstairs." The brunette cannot take it anymore, she pushes back from her desk and heads straight for the morgue. She takes a quick look in Maura's office and find the light is on which is usually a good indication that she is at least in the building. The M.E. always make sure to at least turn her lights out before going home. She heads over to the lab and sees Susie looking through a microscope.
"Hey Susie have you seen your boss today?"
"Detective Rizzoli good afternoon. No I haven't actually, but I assume she must be here because her office was open and the lights were on when I got here." The smaller woman looks up from her microscope and frowns when she sees the detective clench her jaw and run her hand over the back of her neck.
"Damn. Okay thanks, if you see her please tell her I am looking for her and to come and find me."
"Will do. Oh hey I got the results from the gravel particulates. Seems they are Portland Limestone and Portland Slag, the dust was the same mixture just a finer concentration."
"Thanks, Susie." With that the detective made her way back upstairs. Once in the elevator she grabs her phone and attempts to call Maura. After five rings it goes to voicemail. "Hey Maur it's me, please give me a call when you get this."
"Alright, something is definitely off. Maura isn't downstairs and no one has actually seen her today." She stomps her way back to her desk and tilts her head at the box sitting in front of her keyboard. "What the hell is this?" She points to the cream box sitting on her desk.
"Dunno, it was just brought up here, someone dropped it off at the front desk." Korsak says with a shrug. "You gonna open it?"
The scars on her palms begin to tingle as she runs a finger along the top of the box. She shakes her head and grits her teeth before pulling the lid up to reveal a small SD card and a note that simple states "Watch Me."
"What the fuck!" She shouts and slides the box over to Frost. Once he looks inside his face falls that nagging feeling they have all felt for the past few days is no longer a inkling its full blown panic at this point.
"Damn." He mutters before looking over at the older detective. "This isn't going to be good. We need to get to BRIC, now."
"What? What is it?" Korsak follow along behind Jane and Frost into BRIC. "Someone care to elaborate?" Jane handed him the box with the note still inside while Frost popped the SD card into the computer.
The monitors go black for a moment before the screen comes to life with a man standing in front of the camera. The room he is standing in is dark with only one small window to the left side of the frame. He is wearing a black ski mask, hoodie and jeans. Even with the ski mask covering his face you can still see the smug smirk. The man begins to speak.
"Hello Jane. I see you have gotten my little present. I have been waiting for this for quite some time now. But I was given specific instructions as to when to start our little game. I have been watching you as you try to desperately grasp at clue about your most recent case. So frustrating when you are outsmarted and there are no clues to be had. It's not for nothing though I will give you the opportunity to give his family some clouser. But that is for another time. Right now I want to discuss this little game was have just begun."
The man steps aside revealing he is not alone in the room. On a chair in the middle of the room sits none other than the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Maura Isles. Her hands and feet are bound to the chair, her hair is no longer in those signature honey waves instead it sticks flat to her head and it matted with what Maura would call a reddish brown substance. Her eyes are red and puffy and her mascara is smudged down her cheeks. She does not sit before them in her designer clothes. She is sitting in nothing but a matching pair of emerald green lacy bra and panties. She has several bruises over her torso and there is a wide gash across the top of her left breast.
Jane's mouth hangs open when she sees the image of her best friend on the screen. Her knees buckle and Korsak grabs her arm as assists her into a chair. Both Frost and Jane are fixated on the screen neither one of them can tear their eyes away. Korsak knows this is going to break the brilliant detective. As much as the detective and the M.E. try to push their feelings aside for the sake of their friendship and not wanting to lose the other, he knows how they both feel about one another. Both woman has alluded as much over the years but their fear run deep so both have kept quiet. His eyes go back to the screen when the man in all black begins to speak again.
"You see Jane, you are not the only other player in this little game. I have brought the luscious Dr. Maura Isles to play as well. She has however not been following the rules I have laid before her for this little game so she has had some unfortunate consequences. And speaking of the rules I believe I shall inform you of how this little game is to be played. You have 72 hours to find the lovely Dr. Isles, to save her life. One of you will be dead when this is all over and I am leaving that choice my dear Jane up to you. If you fail to find us before the 72 hours is up I will be forced to kill the doctor. But that's not truly what I want Jane, I want you. If the doctor continues to struggle she will continue to suffer, that part you have no control of but I figured it might give you a little extra incentive. She is a fiery one, when she woke up to me on top of her she put up quite the fight. She even got a few good blows in before I knocked her unconscious again. That is all the information you'll be give Jane, I am sure a fine detective such as yourself will be able to find something to help save,
. Goodbye for now."
"Jane please stay away!" Maura screams, before she can say anything else the man hit her over the head again with the butt of his gun. Her head falls back as the man returns to turn the camera off and the screen goes black.
"Fucking Christ!" Frost is up out of his seat and walks up to Jane who is still just staring at a now black screen. "Jane look at me. Look at me damn it!" He shouts and lifts the brunette's chin so their eyes meet. "We are going to find her, and we are going to get that sick fuck. Do you hear me. We'll find her."