Blinded
Chapter 16
Sue slowly started to awaken as her head drooped on her shoulder. It took her a few moments to realize she was tied to an unforgiving metal chair in a dark, cold room. She blinked several times, trying to clear the haze but with her arms immobilized behind her back. She shivered despite what had this morning been a warm spring day.
A small amount of light filtered through a window well above anyone's height that was fully frosted. As the room became clearer, Sue took in more of her surroundings. There were two doors on opposite walls with heavy metal doors and handles. There was a second chair in the room that was empty and little else. Her eyes were regularly transfixed at what appeared to be dried blood on the floor hastily mopped and imperfectly cleaned. It looked like a room from within a warehouse or some sort of industrial building but there were no other identifiers she could find that would help her figure out where she was being held.
Sue tried to loosen her restraints but to no avail. Her right shoulder was already sore and achy, with what she suspected were injuries from the car crash. Sue took a moment to try and evaluate any other injuries, but apart from the headache and what she imagined was other bruises and cuts, she was relatively unscathed. The throbbing however was intensifying as Sue anticipated whatever Pete Hadley had drugged her with was starting to wear off.
She let out a little sob. This is what she had dreaded. This had been her nightmare. From the moment she had gotten the first email her gut had told her that something was going to happen, despite all the efforts of her friends and colleagues.
Her friends and colleagues. Lucy. Jack. She cherished the moments they had had together. How she wished he would break through that door and save her, as he had done before. Her memories flooded in.
She could almost feel the warmth of Jack's arms that held her so tight as Simon lay unconscious on her living room floor. Coughing through the haze of smoke bombs as she was dragged from the house when she had been with Dan Malone. She pictured Jack's face as he had rushed out of the house to her, his eyes wide and full of concern.
They had come so close to something when she had returned to the bullpen after being held by Jonathan. There had been no one there to witness that reunion. After Jonathan had remembered that Jessica had been involved, Sue had managed to convince him to come in and update the team. They had all rushed in relief to her as they had entered the Hoover Building, Bobby and Myles pinning Jonathan to the wall before she had a chance to convince them to let him explain. Jack had been suspiciously missing. After hugging her and many reassurances that she was okay, Lucy had noted Jack was in the board room.
Sue had made her way there, quietly opening the door and saw him sitting his head in his hands. He had glanced up before doing a double take and immediately standing, just staring at her. Within seconds he had rushed over and hugged her tightly. No words had been shared but she could feel the relief and weight lift off him. She should have realized then that there was so much more between them. To think that was over a year ago and they still had barely progressed in their relationship.
Sue clung to the memories of the last few days, of Jack holding her on that first terrible night after Marty had been taken. Of the many laughs and the loving glances he gave her when he thought she wasn't looking. Of the joy the team brought by just being together. How they had started off as colleagues but become a family.
She could hold onto that. And she would fight. She knew Jack and the team would do everything they could to find her. If she didn't survive, she wanted them to know she didn't go easily. She closed her eyes again, praying that whatever happened, she would have the courage to face it.
Whether it was minutes or hours, she didn't know but the next time she opened her eyes she saw Pete Hadley sitting on the chair, staring at her. Another man stood behind him, one she did not recognize. He was a heavier set man, middle aged, with short cropped brown hair and rough looking hands.
"Sue Thomas" Pete said with a smirk.
"Pete Hadley" She responded. She tried to keep her face neutral.
"I've been waiting a long time for this." He responded. Within seconds she felt her cheek sting and jaw ache as he slapped her across the face. She saw stars and it took her a moment to process what he had just done. She looked at him in fear, her courage waning. A tear slipped from her eye. There was no mercy in his eyes. He instead gripped her arms tightly and moved his face close to hers. She tried not to wince at his grip. "You think that hurts? Just you wait. This is only the beginning."
"Please Pete". Sue said quietly "You don't have to do this." He sneered.
"Of course I do. Everything was fine until you joined the De La Rosa case. You most of all ruined my life. That ADA paid his price, now it's time for you to pay yours." He gave her another glance that made her blood chill. Just one look could incite terror in her. He left out the side door.
The other man grinned and moved towards her. She noticed another syringe which he plunged into her vein. She felt the warmth of the drug spread through her body as her heartbeat fast. She felt mellow and buzzed as the man advanced towards her, placing his hands on her thighs. She weakly tried to resist and begged him to stop. She could barely make out what he said,
"Pete promised me more fun in payment. I'm glad this time I get someone a bit younger." Sue had no dignity left but slurring, begged him not to do anything.
The man ignored her and instead pulled a piece of fabric out of his pocket and tied it across her mouth so she couldn't speak. She moaned in protest as his hands roamed, wishing the darkness would claim her.
-STFBE-
D opened the door to the boardroom and saw Jack's form, slumped in a nearby chair, staring at the window.
"I don't want to talk". Jack said, without even turning around. D closed the door behind him and made his way to a chair next to Jack. He poured them both a glass of water from the pitcher on the table and sat in silence with his comrade. D had no words either.
Only the day before he had listened to Marty's daughter sob on the phone as he informed her that both of her parents had been murdered. He had been mostly silent during that call as well, keeping his emotions at bay long enough to ensure both Pavone kids were still under police protection just in case. That night he had insisted both his kids stay home and had hugged them so fiercely, along with Donna. They didn't know why but D felt ashamed the family he had taken for granted for so many years.
Jack eventually broke the silence.
"How did we let this happen." D turned.
"Jack, we didn't let this happen. This is the work of a sociopath, a man who used his role to abuse the system and harm others. He had a singular focus – revenge. Tara is certain he had an inside track somehow that gave him an advantage and kept him one step ahead of us, but we are not giving up on Sue, and neither should you." He turned and looked at D to speak, but nothing came out. After a few false starts, he finally said,
"We have to find her and find her fast." D nodded.
"You need to know I've put the violent crimes team in charge of the case. We can't hold this ourselves. They are setting up a command center immediately and pulling whatever resources necessary to trace where Hadley may have taken Sue. I'm supportive if you want to help, but from the sidelines Jack. And you have to promise me something." D knew it was bad when Jack didn't protest. "You have to promise me you won't do something stupid. We don't know if Hadley will do something to lure you in…"
"I don't care". D gave him a warning look.
"Well, I do. Jack, if you want to stay on this case. If you want to stay here and not in protective custody you will run anything by me. If you hear anything from Hadley or anyone else, you will let me know immediately." Jack nodded. D sighed. "Jack, you don't have to do this." Jack looked him squarely in the eyes, the shadows emphasized but his message clear.
"Yes, I do."