Chapter 11: A Reason for Everything

(Lawrence Gordon)

He awoke back in the surveillance room of the base he used with Brad and Ryan. His shoulder ached and burned, and he quickly realized he was tied to a chair. He looked around for Hoffman, but couldn't see him, so he tried to loosen his bindings – having no success.

"You're not going anywhere." Hoffman's voice said from behind him. He turned his head and was barely able to see the rival accomplice close the door as he entered the room.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Hoffman?" he asked, trying to figure out a way to escape.

"I'm only claiming what's mine. I'm obviously the one who should continue John's work. Jill's dead, your two lackeys are dead, and soon…very soon, you'll be dead. Once you're out of the picture, I'll release the crime scene investigators…if any are still alive." Hoffman said, motioning to the screens.

He looked at each screen, watching three separate groups struggle through the building. Three of the screens showed dead bodies.

"How many innocent people are going to die while you're screwing with me?" he asked, looking back to Hoffman.

"First of all, these two bodies here," Hoffman began, pointing to one of the screens, "from what I gathered from Brad and Ryan, were convicted killers. This guy here," he tapped another screen, "could have survived if his friends didn't get lost. And the girl, her death is on you." Hoffman accused.

"What?" he asked, shocked at the accusation.

"There's a reason for everything here, doctor. Or should I say ex-doctor? The girl was alive before you decided to become king of the castle. She was supposed to be released if her friend did what he was supposed to do. Judging by the nails sticking in her leg, I'd say the deed was done. Now, if you hadn't gone ape-shit earlier and kidnapped me…again, someone could have remotely released her from the chair, and she'd be alive." Hoffman explained.

"You can't blame me…" he started.

"I can, and you know it!" Hoffman cut in, near yelling.

"So, what, you're trying to teach me some kind of lesson?" he asked.

"Exactly. I never knew what John saw in you. You failed your game. You were supposed to kill that Adam guy, and you didn't. You should've been left in that basement to rot. Instead, John saved you, said you were special. 'Special'. You don't deserve another chance! I survived my test. Got this to prove it." Hoffman said, lightly tapping his facial scar.

"You want to test me, is that it?" he asked.

"Yes. I told you I wasn't going to kill you, Lawrence, and I meant it. Unlike Jill, your vendetta against me isn't personal, it's professional, so I'll give you one chance, and one chance only, to regain your life. The way John taught us." Hoffman said.

"I thought you said I didn't deserve another chance." he said, trying to twist Hoffman's words against him.

"You don't, not by a long shot. However, it seems like whenever I put someone in an inescapable trap, I pay the price. So this time, I'll do it the old fashioned way." Hoffman taunted, putting his hands on the back of the chair.

(Archie)

The stabbing pains of his broken leg flared every time he dragged himself forward an inch along the ground. The sky was now that weird brownish-purple color that signaled the coming of the rising sun. As it neared dawn, Archie found himself able to see more than dark blobs among the even darker surroundings. He was definitely able to see the buildings Grissom had pointed out earlier, so he crawled forward faster along the ground now that he knew where he was going.

There were only two buildings besides the one behind him, and they both looked abandoned as well. He couldn't recognize the area. Were they still even in Vegas? Nevertheless, he continued to pull himself towards the abandoned-looking buildings. He might run into someone, or see a car.

He soon found himself looking at a seedy motel. The closest room's door was open, so he moved closer to it with haste, wincing and moaning the entire way. Once he saw the body on the ground, however, he hung his head and changed course. Every other room had a locked door, most likely unoccupied due to the lack of cars in the parking lot…just his luck!

He decided to check the office; the owner had to be in there, or the house up ahead. The lights were on in the office, and the door was ajar, so he decided on the office. Once he finally arrived at the office, he pushed the door open, calling for help. His call stopped in his throat as he spotted another body on the ground. This one was a woman, but also a brunette…maybe the girlfriend or wife of the man in the last room? Both rooms had no blood, and the angles of their necks suggested C.O.D. was a broken neck.

As he slowly maneuvered himself to leave, he noticed a note taped to the door, which read 'better luck next time'. Whoever was doing this was taunting him.

"Freak." he muttered, followed by a groan of frustration as he again dragged himself over the gravel. He knew his friends needed him to find help!

He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the oncoming headlights. A car was coming!

"Hey!" he yelled, scrabbling across the parking lot as fast as his broken leg would allow. The car slowed as it neared the motel.

"Help!" he called, waving a hand wildly. The car turned into the parking lot, adding to his confidence that he had found help. The headlights were aiming right at him, and he ws forced to shield his eyes as the car idled.

"Hello?" he called out, wondering what the driver was doing.

'Maybe he's calling 9-1-1.' he thought, reassuring himself.

The driver's door opened and a man stepped out, slowly approaching him.

"You have to help. My friends, they're trapped in the abandoned building across the street. We were kidnapped!" he said, trying to get a better look at the man.

"Sure, sure. I'll get you some help." the man said, bending down to help Archie into the car. As he was being dragged away, he could tell the man was trying to be mindful of the broken leg, and would apologize if he moved him the wrong way.

He was put into the passenger seat with ease and the man returned to the driver's seat.

"Have you called 9-1-1?" he asked.

"No." the man replied.

He looked at the man, able to get a better look at his savior, but it was still hard to get a complete look as black spots started dancing in his vision.

"Congratulations. You survived. Now you just sit tight until I take care of an…well, let's call him an old friend." the man said.

"What are…" Archie was feeling like he was about to pass out, and was able to glimpse a scar on the man's right cheek before the darkness completely overlapped his vision.

(Mandy)

Her legs were sore from walking, but she didn't complain. She wouldn't. Half of her coworkers were a hundred times worse than she was, so she bit her tongue whenever she felt the urge to whine about her sore feet. She started to think that maybe they'd never get out of this place. They've been here for what felt like days!

There weren't many windows, and those they came across seemed to be unbreakable. They tried debris, bullets, nothing worked…the windows were bullet proof, shatter proof in every sense of the word.

They had passed Bobby's body recently…that was one image she never wanted to see again.

"Woah, hold up guys." Warrick spoke up, holding up hand as he stopped.

"What is it?" Nick asked.

"This door was locked before." Warrick replied, cautiously approaching an open door.

"Are you sure?" Mandy asked. Warrick turned and gave her a look that said 'are you serious?'

The group moved into the unknown room, gawking at its contents. Two bodies, both male, were hanging from their feet, which were impaled on meat hooks; one for each ankle.

"Oh my god…" Mandy said, looking away.

Warrick, David, and Doc Robbins moved closer to examine the bodies.

"Both men appear to be in their mid to late twenties." Doc Robbins commented.

"This one has a broken neck. C.O.D. on the other one is pretty obvious." David said.

"Dude has a knife stuck in his chest." Warrick commented.

"Whoever did this had a pretty big bone to pick with these to." Nick said.

"You think?" Mandy asked.

"Educated guess." Nick replied, looking up at the ceiling.

Mandy did so, along with everyone else, even the extremely sickly-looking Catherine. Painted on the ceiling, in what was most likely blood, was a very unsettling message, reading 'CROSS ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU'.

She didn't want to know what would happen if you crossed this psychopath twice.