I cannot believe I am back.

I say a thousand and one apologies, but my only valid excuse is that I've been so busy at Uni learning how to write better, so in a way we all win yeah? I do promise to release a steady flow of chapters when I can again!

Things get pretty damn dark again in this chapter, hold onto you case files and your coffees!

Enjoy!

Chapter 30

Ivy opened the door to Rigg's office, Strahm and Perez flanking either side of her. Hoffman had stationed himself by the doorway while Rigg sat gripping onto a picture of Eric Matthews as he stared at one of the many computer screens. Ivy came to stand by Mark, knowing Rigg was in no place to communicate with her efficiently. "Is this the interview you were taking when I went crazy on Gibson?" Ivy asked him and Mark nodded, a smirk revealing itself, as he remembered that particular day when the whole station heard the two officers have a go at each other.

"Before he tried to take over." He shared and Ivy nodded; it was this Hoffman that she liked spending time with. Eventually Hoffman crossed the space between himself and Rigg, picked up the remote and paused the video.

"She knows something." Rigg's deep voice muttered the moment the video paused, pointing at Jill.

"I thought you were going home. You have vacation time alright, take it." Mark advised. Rigg didn't speak so Mark, feeling he needed to take control of the situation, turned his attention back to Ivy. "I would have advised the same thing for you but, it's not needed anymore...I can see you're in good hands."

Ivy smiled gently as Peter clapped a hand on her shoulder. "The best." He confirmed and Ivy nodded, her eyes flicking upwards towards her boss.

The gleam slipped out of Mark's eyes. "Finish the remodelling, spend some time with Tracy." He urged Rigg who just shook his head.

"She understands." He murmured, twisting his wedding ring.

"Then don't take her for granted." Mark warned, his tone clipped. Ivy frowned, Is Mark warning him of something to come? Is Daniel going to be a target? He would be the last person left to know anything that could lead back to Hoffman.

"Eric is still out there man." Rigg said quietly.

"Eric's been missing for six months, Kerry was gone for four days. I can only be as optimistic as the facts allow."

"Yeah well I'm in it till I find them." Rigg said, firm in his decision. There would be no swaying him.

"Finding these bodies is not going to vindicate us." Mark told him trying to appeal to another part of Rigg, but Daniel was unable or incapable of hearing Mark's dire warning.

"Finding them alive will."

"Don't obsess over it Daniel." Ivy told him but he glared at her.

"Be like you? You haven't been near this place since Kerry went missing." He attacked and Ivy flinched horribly as his grief was upturned on her. Mark flashed him a look filled with warning and Peter, who still had his hand on Ivy's shoulder, gripped her harder. "You're so selfish at times. You're not the only one who is hurting. She was my friend too." He snapped and Lindsey scowled, the two agents unimpressed with the officer's conduct.

"She's right, it's time to let go." Mark told him with a menacing snap of his own, Ivy sighed. Selfish again, can he not see it's a warning? Hoffman is trying to warn you against your own vice. Ivy knew Daniel had no idea, no one did because no one suspected Hoffman of being a Jigsaw accomplice. Mark crossed over and switched off the TV. "I'm sending you home. I'll call you later to make sure everything is okay."

Rigg got to his feet, not caring and not listening, "Yeah side with her. We both knew more than you thought we did." He said cryptically as he pushed past the Agents and out of the door. "Thanks for nothing Hoffman." His voice carried down the hallway entering Ivy's veins and making her feel guilty. Peter and Lindsey watched him go.

"Who's he?" Lindsey asked turning back to Mark and Ivy.

"Lieutenant Rigg our SWAT Commander." Mark informed them both.

"What's his problem?" Peter asked, Ivy could see from the way his lips pursed together that Peter Strahm had no sympathy for Rigg.

"Everyone around him keeps dying." Mark said briskly and Ivy's eyes widened realising it was the truth.

"Seems suspicious." Lindsey muttered as she moved to sit at one of the desks, Peter following her.

Ivy took the opportunity to approach Mark again, "Listen, I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt any relationships here. That was one of my biggest fears when I started and you and Daniel have always been on good terms..." She stopped when Mark held up a hand.

"It's not your fault. Honestly yes you have been a little selfish the past couple of days. But you're fixing it now and that is what matters." He told her, "Rigg just needs to see that too and fix what's wrong with him."

"And what is wrong with him in your opinion Detective?" Peter asked breaking their little moment in two.

"Officer Rigg is a commendable commander. He is good at what he does and has a good heart." Mark told them, as if he was beginning a long tribute monologue. "But he suffers from a condition of wanting to save everyone, moral fibre so to speak. He cannot accept that someone like Eric Matthews might still be alive and it's causing him to be reckless. I can't have a reckless leader or the others will become reckless. He's a danger to himself and others, going through doors he hasn't checked and other rudimentary mistakes." Mark hesitated, his eyes sliding to catch Ivy's. "Will you excuse me." He didn't wait for an answer.

Ivy nodded in understanding and let Mark shuffle past her. If she found Rigg in a test soon she wouldn't be surprised, though she did think it was a little harsh to be tested when he was ultimately trying to be good. It wasn't parallel to the likes of Xavier Chavez or Cecil Adams. Lindsey and Peter exchanged another look but remained silent, Ivy crossed over to the TV and sat down to watch whatever Rigg had been watching, Peter decided to join her. It was the interview Mark had had with Jill. Ivy took out a small notepad and began making notes. It was ominous to watch Hoffman interrogating her Aunt on the screen, it felt like an invasion of privacy.

"Your Uncle owned a company called the urban renewal group?" Lindsey asked, reading an article on the Gideon factory's opening. "More irony in that huh?"

Ivy nodded her eyes still on the screen, but part of her lit up at the news. "At the Gideon Meat Packing Plant." She told them, it looked as if the pieces were all being drawn together by these two very astute agents. The time she had been most looking forward to, and dreading at the same time seemed to be drawing ever nearer, I hope I can keep slipping them this sort of information, now they only need to see a viable enough reason to examine the Gideon factory, or re-examine as the case may be.

"What is this we're watching?" Asked Peter.

"My Aunt's interrogation video. I was being interrogated by Gibson, a member of IA in the other room. It didn't go so well, then he stormed in and tried to take over from Mark." Ivy informed him.

"She's Jigsaw's ex. It's old." Said Lindsey dismissively her eyes still on the newspaper.

"Why is a SWAT guy watching that?" Peter opened the question out to both of them.

"Good point I suppose, what are you getting at?" Ivy asked. She wanted nothing more than to open up Peter's mind and see how on earth the mechanics in there worked.

"Strahm," Lindsey sounded tentative. "I really think we should tell Hoffman what Detective Kerry said in her last message."

Peter turned away from the TV and Ivy turned it off, she didn't like watching her Aunt being pressurised into giving backwards answers. "She said two officers might be in danger but until we know who we're not going to cause any..."

"If Detective Hoffman or anyone else in this precinct is in danger I think they should know it." Persisted Perez as Strahm leaned back to analyse his partner. Ivy could tell this had often been debated between the pair. "Don't you agree Reeves?" She wanted Ivy to back her up. Ivy who still wasn't used to providing an opinion. "What if it is Ivy again next time? I mean they might still think she's a Detective."

"No, Jigsaw doesn't make elementary mistakes." Ivy replied, not wanting to think that she might be kidnapped again, goosebumps erupted on her arms at the thought. "But I would be seriously pissed off if someone had known my life might be in danger and done nothing to try and warn me." She relented and Lindsey gave her a grateful look.

"Not your call ladies." Said Strahm arrogantly. Ivy frowned at him but caught Lindsey's affirmative nod. Lindsey moved away o get some space; Ivy copied her remembering that this time she really did have a boss who was going to dominate the scene.

"Making any progress?" Mark was back at the door they'd left open. Perez and Strahm turned to him at once, both freezing at once. Ivy had the sneaking suspicion Mark had been there longer than they all thought, did he overhear us? Peter gave him a questionable look, he really didn't like Mark for some reason. Granted his intuition was one hundred percent accurate, but it intrigued Ivy how Strahm had managed to form an opinion so quickly.

Lindsey obviously shared his distaste. "We're fine thanks." She said not looking directly at him. Mark watched the Agents all at a loss. A smugness on his face that of all people the Special Agents were stumped; that was until Fisk appeared round the door.

"Hey boss looks like another Doctor went missing from the hospital." He was whispering it quietly in his ear. "Hello Agent Reeves." He addressed and Ivy raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hello Detective Fisk." She returned the cold greeting. Fisk's eyes were on the FBI badge she currently wore round her neck and Ivy turned away to focus on the information. Is he angry at me too, or just trying to be professional for once? Everything had become far more serious all of a sudden, as if the department was slowly crumbling now they didn't have Allison as their solid foundation. "From St Eustace?" She asked quickly, her mind catching up to what Fisk had just revealed.

"Uh yeah, it's not Lawrence Gordon again though." Fisk reassured still maintaing that professional aura, Ivy relaxed knowing her friend wasn't in any immediate danger.

"I'll check it out." Mark sent him away in hushed tones, while Ivy gestured to Fisk's retreating back with her eyebrows. Peter caught the look. "Well if you need me call my cell. Coffee machine's around the corner in the kitchen."

"Yes I remember." Ivy murmured coldly despite herself and Mark looked at her. Under his expression Ivy turned away, back to the monitor till Lindsey's question made her pause.

"Boy or girl?" Ivy wheeled round to stare at him in shock, he's not got a bloody child has he? Her eyes fell upon what looked to be a stuffed animal under Mark's arm and her stomach squeezed uncomfortably.

"Girl." Mark said.

"I didn't know you were married." Lindsey pried with a smile, like all women who wished to be mothers later in their lives.

"Me either." Ivy countered, perching on the end of Strahm's desk and Mark regarded her with cool confusion, not understanding her contempt. Not that she understood it much either; only that Mark Hoffman had a shed load of secrets hiding even further away than the few Ivy already knew. He looked down at the stuffed animal and then back to her.

"I'm not. It's a very short story believe me." He said looking into Ivy's eyes earnestly as he spoke. Lindsey smiled at him again, her opinions seeming to have changed a little as Mark sent her a proud nod at her and set off again. Ivy leaned back onto her hands and Peter gave her an amused look at their proximity.

"Sorry." She muttered and he shook his head saying it was alright.

"What were you trying to say about Fisk?" He asked.

"Do you think he could be in danger?" She asked them both, "He's a lead Detective on the case now. Two officers, two Detectives. And if it says officers then it could extend to Officer Rigg too couldn't it?"

"I suppose." Lindsey didn't seem convinced however, "I think Jigsaw would want to target Hoffman though wouldn't he? He's the main one? The closest besides us to finding Jigsaw. I know I'd want to get him out of the way. He's clever."

"It might be worth compiling a list of all those you think could be in danger however." Said Peter and Ivy nodded making a heading on her notepad. "Why don't you try and crack which two officers it might be, I'll kill my brain with this damned 'open the door' thing and Perez..." He paused in his delegation to think of a task for her to complete; but when he couldn't think of one Lindsey's smile over Hoffman's 'child' died.

"Well we were saying how this third apprentice might be someone involved with the police," Ivy said not wanting her to feel useless. "Why don't you go through everyone and see who is a likely suspect and we'll go from the list down?" She asked, Lindsey nodded at once, grateful to be useful and set to work. It took them the rest of the day to form the lists, still at a loss over the mysterious 'open the door' clue. Lindsey and Peter had begun to set their initial suspicions on Daniel Rigg as Jigsaw's accomplice and poor Ivy had so far been unable to steer them back onto Mark Hoffman. It would look like she knew more than them, and she had to comply with their wishes to investigate Daniel Rigg in detail. Ivy couldn't help but think of all the lives they were potentially wasting.

She threw her keys onto the counter and set to making herself a cup of tea, triple locking her door again. The amount of coffee Ivy had been taking into her system was not good, and she felt a constant craving every time she was near a kettle. While waiting for it to brew she brought her macbook over to the counter and sat on one of the barstools, searching for Lucid Photography. She smiled seeing a picture of Adam under the name of his agent's clients, along with the pictures he had taken of Ivy herself, and a couple other shots. She blushed thinking back to that day and decided to print one off to keep for her own personal satisfaction. Adam had spent the day meeting with his agent and setting up his first job. She didn't expect him home for a while. Tea boiled and resting on the sofa beside her, Ivy took a sip and hissed as the scalding liquid burnt her tongue. She swore unceremoniously and shook her head before taking out all the information she had amassed on poor Daniel Rigg. She was to write up a report for Peter about Rigg's personal life; something she had tried to pawn off on Lindsey, but the other Agent was adamant that investigating Rigg's professional history was going to be enough work for her now and she couldn't swap, since Ivy knew far more about him to provide a character report. Ivy did not feeling remotely able to concentrate and stretched her back, a yawn forming. She took out her phone and saw no messages. She hadn't been able to get the image of Mark holding that cuddly toy under his arm out of her mind's eye either. A lightbulb flashing in her mind she sent a quick text to Fisk. It was about time she began to use all of her weapons to find the information she needed.

It was nice to see you today, you seem well. Doing a character report on Hoffman, you don't happen to know what his relationship status is like? I don't really feel like I can ask him such a personal question you know. I know the obvious, but anything else would be really helpful and would avoid a lot of awkward questions.

She smiled at the text silently praising her own innocence and waited for a reply as she wrote the title of her report on Rigg.

Nice to see you too. I didn't expect to see you as a real Agent is took me off guard if I'm honest. Don't know what you've been hearing Ivy but Mark doesn't have a kid and he's not married. He's never really been one for relationships always thought he was smitten on you. Don't you tell him I told you that though!

She sent a quick embarrassed thank you back and smirked widely. Got you she grinned and reminded herself to mention it to Peter tomorrow, that was until she digested the meaning behind her newest revelation. If it isn't his child's like he said it was, then whose is it? A chill crept down her spine. They wouldn't kidnap a child would they? She knew John and Lawrence would never approve, but would Amanda or Mark really stoop that low? She called the FBI station, "Can you send me a list of all who have gone missing in the last couple of days please?" She asked and hung up once the request was met. The email with the attachment popped up at once and she sent it to print deciding to attempt to drink her tea again. Once her printer had spat it out of the floor she went over and picked it up still drinking her tea. "Jesus a lot of people go missing." She muttered.

Eric Matthews name was among the many under MISSING OVER THREE MONTHS but she ignored this column and began tracing her finger down the listings for the past couple of days. Anything which might be a giveaway, Fisk's words from earlier echoing in her mind, Another Doctor has gone missing from the hospital. She gave up inspecting every name and scanned down for what she was looking for and there were only two people with the title of 'Dr' before their name on this missing person's list.

She called Lawrence at once who answered immediately. "Are you alright?" He asked, his usual form of greeting.

"Yes fine, quick question, does a Doctor by the name of Chuck Mellows or Lynn Denlon work at your hospital?" She asked her voice becoming excited.

"Lynn Denlon does."

Ivy nodded, steeling herself to ask the big question as her fingers gripped her cup of tea tighter. "Is she...is she feeling well lately?"

Lawrence didn't reply at once and Ivy found herself nodding, preparing for the worst. "I recommended her for some brain surgery she needs. Obviously she can't go to a hospital. She needs alot of help." He said in a whisper.

"Right." Ivy gritted her teeth, "This is you only helping medically of course?" She asked snidely saddened to hear Lawrence had recommended someone to be put in a game.

"John asked me to find someone, at least she's not wholly innocent." Lawrence spat battling with his conscience.

"Does she have a child?" Ivy asked him trying to keep on track to ignore the misdeeds her friend was creating.

Larry hesitated"Yes. She has two, a boy Dylan who was killed by a hit and run driver and a girl named Corbett." Lawrence revealed his voice heavy with a sigh. "It forms a game which is going on soon. It's a big one, the biggest so far. Be careful."

"Is her husband going to be playing this little game too?" She asked her voice filled to the brim with distaste.

"Yes." Lawrence gave in once more. "Please don't think badly of me. Everything will be so much easier if this all goes the way John hopes it will and even if it doesn't then we will still be in a better position." He told her trying to make her see his clouded sense of peace.

Ivy was in no condition to forgive him. "Thanks for being honest Larry."

"Just keep me out of it when you're investigating it all later, please?" He asked desperately and Ivy assured him that once more she would keep her lips sealed.

"People are going to die." She muttered distractedly, "And as if that isn't enough I have to keep an eye on Hoffman and protect you now too." She moaned resuming her duties and drawing a giant ring around Lynn Denlon's name. She could only hope this family was intelligent.

A fumbling sound came from Ivy's bedroom and instantly she paused in her actions. It sounded off again and she knew someone beside herself was in her apartment, waiting for her in her bedroom. Seizing her pepper spray and gun at once she fired four shots through her bedroom door hoping to at least wound whoever was inside. There was pure silence, apart from Lawrence's voice on the phone.

"Ivy? What...was that gun shots?"

"Call the police, get them to my apartment now." She instructed, her voice low. "Am I in this damn game Lawrence?"

"No. Not that I know of." The Doctor's terror grew. "Ivy get yourself out of there now."

She ended the call. Lawrence would be of no use to her now. He would call the cops, at least she hoped he would do that for her. Her heartbeat had accelerated into her throat and she chocked back a breath. "I'm armed and I know someone is in there. You've been here this whole time." She declared loudly to them. "If you think you are going to take me without a fight you've got another fucking thing coming."

Shouting seemed the best thing to do at the moment. It had to be Amanda or Mark, one of them was after her to put her in yet another trap. She'd be damned if she was going to be put through another. She didn't care even if it was her Uncle himself, if she saw a pigmask she was shooting to kill. A part of her would rather go down fighting now then die in some sick invention of her Uncle's. She began to edge ever so slightly to the door of her bedroom before common sense and a knowledge of horror movies took over and she unlocked the door to the apartment in case she needed to make a quick and sudden getaway and would not be stopped by something as stupid as her door being locked. She did it without making a single sound and edged towards her bedroom door, now with four distinct bullet holes. It did not look like her bedroom as she peered through one of the bullet holes ready to shoot if necessary as very slowly she opened the door. Remembering how Allison had fallen victim Ivy sent another two shots into her wardrobe in case the pighead was hiding inside. Adam would never let a prank of his go on to this extent. There was no cry of pain or rustle of movement from the wardrobe which made Ivy question if anyone was here at all, till she saw the walls.

Someone had printed off hundreds of hundreds of the pictures from her photo shoot with Adam. They made a collage stuck all over her walls so that none of the cream wallpaper was visible anymore, just black and white and coloured photos. Her blood began to run cold as she stared at them, recognising the warning being laid out before her and she began to back away from the bedroom till she noticed a slight gleam of blood red from underneath her bed. Her heart jumped into her throat as she realised it was the trim of one of the capes and she took off at once deciding distance was better rather than revealing her position and just shooting her bed or carpet. She ran faster than she had ever run before and ran towards the door of her apartment, she could hear the heavy footfalls behind her and she pulled on the handle only to realise someone had locked it again on her. She backed away from the door just in time for the prepped needle to slam into the door and wedge there. The pighead was forced to tug it from the door and Ivy aimed to kill with another shot, but another pighead seized her from behind and a scream tore it's way from her lips. While the first was more agile the second was strong and she had a feeling she knew who they both were.

"Get off me you fuckers!" She screamed at the top of her lungs hoping her neighbours could hear her. Guessing it was Mark who had a hold on her she played dirty and kicked out landing a good kick in his privates which forced him to drop the needle in his hand at once. She kicked it away from them under the counter so no one could reach it. With the larger pighead occupied, the first pighead had successfully got the needle out of the door and began to advance on her. "Why do you want me again?" She questioned unable to resist as she held her gun out in front of both her enemies. "I know who you are; I've already fucking passed. Twice." She shrieked hysterically. The larger pighead was beginning to recover and they looked to each other, clearly not expecting such a struggle. He took a step forwards and Ivy sprayed the pepper spray in warning despite how useless it would be against their masks. She would have to get a good shot in their eyes for it to work. "Don't you fucking move." She hissed and the pighead stopped at once. "Or you Amanda." It felt good knowing their names, as if she had regained some of the power back. "Tell me what you want with me. There's no need for masks is there?" She hissed darkly, praising herself once more for not revealing she knew who Mark was. She might need that information to save her own life later. She addressed the pighead she believed to be Amanda. "I wouldn't do it, because I still have one thing over you that no one else knows about. Remember our little conversation about me having nothing over you, well I do. My own insurance, isn't that what you call it?"

The pigheads had both frozen staring at her, both seemed rather intent to listen to her, goading her on into her own monologuing. Even if they did get her before she could tell them, at least Mark would know and act accordingly. "You were there weren't you, the night John and Jill lost Gideon. You were with Cecil and did nothing to help. Jill saw you before you ran. You killed their child. So you will let me go or I'll tell whoever I can while I'm in my game, this guy already knows and I'll write it in my own blood if I have to. Anything that will get John to put you where you rightfully belong, you sanctimonious bitch." She hissed. It was the darkest hour of her life, she felt truly evil. Both pigheads stood stock still; from their body language they seemed to be impressed with her impassioned display. When they didn't make a move Ivy gestured with her gun to the door the larger pighead had unlocked but the other moved forwards. "I said don't move." She cried again not believing Amanda's gall to think she wouldn't kill her. The pighead made a sudden fake to Ivy's right but she predicted it taking a step backwards as it withdrew another needle and Ivy ducked under it's arm as it tried to stick her neck again and wheeled round to face it again and pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out loudly deafening Ivy momentarily. She looked around for the pighead she believed to be Mark and seeing her apartment door open thought he had made a run for it when his partner got shot. The other pighead dropped to it's knees as a pool of blood began to form, the bullet having gone in one side and straight out the other due to their close proximity to each other. Blood coated the walls of her apartment as the life left the pighead in front of her. Breathing wildly Ivy lowered her gun ever so slightly and kicked the second needle out of the pighead's hand as an extra precaution. It slid over to her sofa and she picked it up smiling triumphantly and pocketed it in her jeans. She glanced around for Hoffman but couldn't see the second pighead anywhere. A couple of tears had fallen from her eyes as she bent down to unmask the pighead avoiding the blood. The pigmask came off easily and Ivy's blood, which was just beginning to warm up went cold again.

It wasn't Amanda Young she had just murdered. It was Michael Tapp.

She nearly dropped the gun in her horror at shooting David Tapp's son. His eyes stared up blankly at her. "Oh my god." She whispered backing away from the dead body as the blood began to trickle towards her. In her horror she had forgotten about the second pighead as she continued to back away, until he curled an arm around her from behind and pressed a cloth covered in chloroform gently over her mouth. She lashed out horribly as her eyes widened realising her mistake; but her vision was already beginning to turn black and her legs gave out as the chemical's effects began to take ahold and black spots began to blend with the red from Michael's body. She collapsed back into the second pighead's arms.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. What has Ivy done? What is going to happen?

Read and review to find out more.

xoxo