A/N: Hi guys. I thought I would totally defy my posting logic and give all you lovely readers another chapter. And this soon? What am I thinking? Well I'm going back to work tomorrow after being off for a week so... you can guess the punch line. And I have written like a demon the last two days to get this done! But, evil hat was just dying for more, so who am I to say no? I just had to do it.

Thanks so much for the great reviews. You know they mean the world to me so please keep them coming.

This chapter has no beta or read-through so if it's pants, then I apologise, lol.

So, let's see exactly what happened shall we? Or at least part of it ;-p

Chapter 12

Earlier...

Ryan kinked his neck. Snapping it from side to side, he prepared himself. Sara cringed as she heard his bones cracking.

He pointed to the hostages. "Ask that idiot where the store room keys are."

Jay laughed and marched towards the clerk. The young worker squared himself tightly against the wall.

"Where are the keys for the storeroom in the back?" the young thug demanded his hostage.

The clerk pointed at the desk. "Bottom Drawer."

Sniggering, Jay sauntered to the desk and retrieved the keys from the bottom drawer. He threw them up in the air and caught them. "Got em!" he called to his brother with confidence.

"Good." Ryan walked to Sara and she looked confused when he took her arm. "Up," he demanded, pulling her.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she was hauled to her feet. "What's going on?" she asked, panic flooding her words.

"That's for me to know and you to do as you're told." He smiled. "Move…"

Sara couldn't resist as he pushed her towards the group. Not too roughly but with enough force for her to comply. He grabbed the role of tape from the floor as they went and pointed his gun at the group, pulling Sara to a halt just before them. She looked at him with uncertainty.

"All of you, up!" he demanded.

Everyone looked around fearful but did as they were told. The clerk was up first, followed by the old couple who struggled a bit with their hands bound. Joe was last and helped his girlfriend who now looked much better than she had. The young man made sure he picked up her medication though and held it between his fingers, taking some water with him also.

"Open the store room," Ryan said to his brother and Jay was swift to comply almost gliding across the storeroom floor, going towards the back. "All of you…follow him…now."

Everyone exchanged looks and moved, including Sara, but Ryan took her arm again and she looked at him with questioning eyes. "Not you," he began. "You wait."

Sara swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes falling back to the hostages as they glumly followed the younger brother. She tried to figure out what was going on.

"Now you can go," Ryan urged, nodding to the group.

She blew out a silent breath and followed...

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Grissom silently slipped into his Denali, leaned his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes for a moment. With a shake of his breath and a heavy sigh he opened the glove box and took out a canister of pills. His head was killing him and he needed some relief if he was going to think straight.

He slipped two tablets into his mouth, popped open a bottle of water he recovered from the back seat and heavily glugged down the liquid. Hopefully that would help.

Dropping the water he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the envelope Ryan had placed in there. He tore it open and read the paper inside. His lips worked in nervous circles and once he'd finished, he looked around, through each window in turn, checking no one was watching him.

With a nervous breath, he started the engine and quietly pulled away from the scene.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Sara stood outside the store room, Ryan by her side, watching on as Jay finished his task. He snapped off the last piece of tape and stood back with a grin. All the hostages now lie on the floor with their legs tapped together and their mouths covered.

"Don't think they'll be going anywhere," he joked as he faced his brother.

Ryan snorted. "Good...lock the door."

Ryan stepped aside, taking Sara with him as Jay locked the store room door, confining all the hostages inside.

"You want these?" Jay asked, holding up the keys.

"Nah, ditch em," Ryan advised.

The younger brother smiled and threw the keys across the store room. There was a clatter as they hit some shelving but no one saw where they landed.

Kinking his head, Ryan pointed back into the store. "Get the bag."

"Sure thing." Jay ran back to the desk, retrieved their bag and was back by his brother's side in seconds.

Sara looked to her captor. "Now what?" she whispered.

"Now..." He reached into his pocket and took out his knife.

The CSI's eyes widened and she took a step back, encasing her hands over her stomach.

"Relax..." Ryan said softly. He stepped close to her and took her hands. She watched the knife as he brought it down to the tape on her wrists. "You're going to need your hands...wouldn't want you having an accident now would I?"

She kept still as for the third time; the tape was cut from her wrists. It was hard not to cry out as the last of the tape was peeled away, her flesh had taken more of a battering than her pain barrier could manage and she bit down on her lip as her binding was fully removed.

Placing the knife back into his pocket Ryan held up a finger of warning and was about to say something but Sara stopped him.

"I get it, okay? I won't be running or anything." She looked down to her stomach. "I'm flattered you even think I could."

He smirked and took her arm again. "When your life is in danger, Sara, you are capable of anything in order to ensure your survival, so if you don't mind; I won't take you one hundred percent on that." He pointed to the basement door. "You go first, Jay," he directed his brother.

Jay complied quickly and headed for the basement door. Ryan tugged Sara with him and they followed the younger man. Sara took one last look around the store before she was forced to the top of the basement stairs. What the hell were they going to do, hide the basement?

Her heart caught in her throat when the possibility of a standoff sprang into her mind. The basement was the best place to try and defend yourself against an attack. She knew if that happened, it wouldn't end well.

"Careful of the stairs," Ryan said as Jay began to downwards. "The light isn't great."

Sara looked at him. Was he concerned about her safety now? It seemed every five minutes he was threatening her in some way but when he wasn't he was watching out for her. She was struggling to get what he was all about.

The trio descended the stairs and Sara looked around when they reached the bottom trying to gather her thoughts best she could. There wasn't much down there; the generator, several flashlights, numerous boxes, some cleaning chemicals, a few tools and a broom. "Open it..." Ryan pointed to the floor.

That got Sara's immediate attention. Open what? She watched as Jay bent down and pulled on two small handles. She was stunned when the flooring opened with a creak and she cautiously stepped forward to get a better look.

Ryan watched her, grinning but he allowed her to move.

"So what now?" Jay asked.

The elder brother ran a hand over his chin. "Our little helper upstairs said he'd been down there once. There are two bunkers and two tunnels apparently. The left tunnel is the shortest and takes us one block over. We should go for that. It should give us enough distance and...it's what I'm planning on..."

Jay scratched his head. "Did he say where it comes out?"

"A complex with an old derelict warehouse in the next block. Should be empty."

"Great." Jay smiled and walked to a table, picking up two flashlights which lay upon it. He flicked the button on both and the appliances offered adequate beams of light. "This should help," he said, handing his brother one of the flashlights.

The younger sibling thought for a second. "What happens when we get out at the other side?" He pointed to Sara. "It's...not like we can march around with her in tow."

Sara felt the blood drain from her face, he was right. What were they going to do? Get out and then...she stopped herself from fearing the worst. After all, they hadn't killed the hostages but then again, they weren't insurance like she was. Once they were out would they need her?

Her anxious eyes met Ryan's again. "I have it sorted," he stated.

"How?" Jay questioned.

Ryan waved his hand to the hole. "Just trust me and get your ass down there, time is running out."

"Alright...alright..." the younger man flapped.

Ryan placed his hand on Sara's shoulder. "Follow him," he demanded, shinning the light so she could see. "Watch your step, the staircase may be a bit fragile."

Sara took a deep breath, feeling her fingers clench together as nerves pinched her entire soul. She tried to mentally prepare herself for what lie ahead. She needed to be strong, for herself and for her babies...

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

The tunnel smelt damp and very earthy. Sara concentrated on the light Ryan was shinning from behind her. She could just about make out Jay in front of her. If it had been different circumstances she would have found her surroundings fascinating; History of the cold war surrounding her.

Right now, that was the last thing on her mind. All she could seem to set her mind on was the sound of her heart almost beating out of her chest.

At the pace they were moving it didn't take them long to find what Sara presumed was one of the shelters. They bypassed it and continued down the tunnel, moving to the left as another way branched off to the right.

"Should be almost there," Ryan said.

Sara wasn't sure if that was good news or bad.

Sure enough about five minutes later they reached the end of the tunnel and a metal ladder led to their exit above.

Jay laughed. "Well...should be fun watching you trying to climb up that." He turned to Sara, keeping the flashlight on the ladder so she could see what was before her.

"Wonderful," she mumbled sarcastically feeling her heart drop as she stared at the challenge before her.

Looking up Ryan inspected the ladder and their exit to freedom. "Go check it out," he told his brother.

Securing the bag over his shoulder, Jay climbed the ladder. When he reached the top he pushed at the metal door above him. It didn't budge. "Shit." He looked down. "It's jammed," he shouted.

Unseen to the group the trap door was pad locked on the other side.

"Shoot it out!" Ryan called back. He took Sara's arm and pulled her away from the ladder. "Better step back...just in case of debris."

Sara didn't challenge his request and allowed herself to be moved away from the ladder. After all, the last thing she needed was to be impaled by a falling trap door.

After retreating down the ladder to about half way, Jay pulled his gun from his belt and aimed it at the centre of the trap door. If it was like the other one, it would open in the middle so any obstruction would be there, keeping it closed. He aimed carefully and fired twice, conscious of their limited ammunition. One bullet hit it's target, slicing through the metal and shattering the pad lock.

Shards of metal fell from above and the young man just about managed to dodge them as they tumbled through air towards him. He was quick then, back up the ladder and once more he pushed on the exit door. This time it creaked and with a surge of effort, Jay managed to push the trap open and it slammed down onto the concrete above it.

"Got it!" he shouted.

Ryan smiled. "Excellent..." He pushed Sara in the back. "After you..."

Sara shook her head at the monster climb before her. It wasn't actually that far but in her condition, it looked like a mountain. Gritting her teeth, she began to climb. She was slow but she couldn't help that. Her arms surged with exertion as she pulled herself up, rung by rung and sweat formed on her forehead and cheeks. This was by no means easy.

"Almost there," Jay urged, chuckling to himself as he watched Sara struggle. He almost blinded her when he shone his flashlight right in her eyes and it startled her, causing her right foot to slip.

"Whoa!" Ryan shouted, managing to catch her foot before she totally lost her grip and fell into him. He carefully placed her foot back onto the ladder and she looked over her shoulder at him, breathing heavily. "Take a minute," he advised. "Just calm down...we're almost there..."

Sara nodded and tightly clung to the ladder, catching her breath. After composing herself she began to climb again and soon saw Jay's hand being offered to her from above. She took it and he hauled her up the last few rungs. Ryan quickly emerged from the floor right after.

The CSI bent over, feeling a wave of nausea pass over her. She was exhausted. But she wasn't given any time to recover as Ryan stepped up beside her surveying the area. She straightened herself out and looked around.

They had indeed come through the floor of an old warehouse and it looked like it had been empty for a long time. Nothing remained inside it apart from a few old boxes and lots of dust. The windows were boarded up and the door, across the far side of the building was chained.

Again, Sara was urged forward and they approached the door. Ryan took a hold of the metal and pulled on it. It was chained up tight with several locks. He growled in frustration. "We're not getting out this way. Let's try the back, maybe there's another way out."

"Right," Jay replied and he went first, followed by Sara and his brother.

They reached the back of the warehouse and low and behold, there was a fire exit.

A smile reached Ryan's lips when he saw the door. "Go take a look."

Jay nodded and approached the door. His hands coiled around the bar and he slowly released it, pushing the door open. "Well..." he said, "...the rain seems to have stopped."

"Funny," Ryan dead panned.

"Oh...no...my mistake," Jay chuckled.

"Is it clear dumbass?" Ryan grumbled, losing his patience.

Turning to his brother, Jay nodded. "Looks like it...comes out in an alley."

"Then let's go..."

Taking a very firm grip on Sara's arm now, Ryan followed his brother into the rain. Pulling Sara cautiously out of the door and into the open he constantly looked at his surroundings, his eyes darting around and around. He took out his weapon and slid it to the back of her neck, pushing her in front of him but keeping her tight against his body. She shivered as the barrel of the gun dug deep into her skin.

"Slowly, you understand?" he whispered and she nodded her agreement quickly.

Pushing her, he kept a death grip on his captive as they walked down the alley way at the back of the complex. His hold was so tight; Sara found herself wincing in pain and covered his hand with her own in an attempt to get him to let up a little. He did not.

"That's it..." Ryan whispered, "...keep it nice and easy."

Taking a deep breath, Sara complied with nod but as heard the sound of a vehicle coming from the direction they were heading, she suddenly felt her whole body tensing.

"Just relax," Ryan urged as he continued to push her forwards, obviously feeling her tense.

"Okay," she mumbled automatically, taking in deep breaths, uncertain of what awaited them beyond the gate...

A/N: Are we getting the picture now? Mwahahahaha. Some of you guessed in the last chapter – Kudos! I love guesses. And thanks to Letty for giving me a heads up on something I forgot. Thanks girl! I love writing this fic. I think Ryan is definitely becoming one of my favourite bad guys to write :) Have a great day and don't forget to review!