Chapter Text
But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life— eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,… - Exodus 21: 23-24
“Stand up,” Ian ordered her coldly, his faux-friendly demeanour having vanished in a heartbeat as he stared at her with lifeless blue eyes. Emily tightened her grip on her gun and raised her chin, defiantly staring him out. Now that she was face to face with him; she wasn’t as scared as she had been. She had been so worried, so anxious, that she had allowed him to become a monster, a Boogeyman in her mind. However, now that he was right in front of her, she could see that he was just a man. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“No,” Emily replied shortly as she saw a circle of red out of the corner of her eye. She knew what it meant and for the first time, her hand trembled around her gun.
“Stand up or your precious team will be clearing what’s left of you with a mop.” Ian ordered. “Put the gun on the table. Stand up and don’t do anything stupid.”
Emily stared at Ian for a few seconds. The red spot remained in the corner of her eyes, a reminder of his threat. That he hadn’t come alone. That he didn’t just have eyes on her. One wrong move and it wasn’t just her life in danger. He had reeled off the names of each member of the team with relish, commenting on each and every one of their plans. The same ones she heard them discussing, either on the jet or on their way out of the BAU.
In her mind’s eye, she could picture Morgan and Garcia curled up watching a movie, Garcia having most likely twisted Morgan’s arm into watching a romcom. Reid on the Metro, possibly engrossed in a book as the train clattered and swayed on the tracks. Rossi and Ashley playing the Nintendo Wii that Rossi had in his office for when they wanted to play Guitar Hero or Mario Kart. And she thought of Aaron and Jack. right now, bathtime would be over and Aaron would be tucking Jack into bed, reading him a story, kissing him goodnight.
Aaron had asked if she wanted to come and spend the night with them; he had become concerned at her distance from him, Jack and the team. She knew he had wanted to talk about it, however she had something that she knew she ought to have told him. Something that wasn’t related to Ian Doyle or Lauren Reynolds. Something that had the power to change their relationship forever. Something that right now would only place her in even more danger. Because of it, she couldn’t fight, couldn’t run, couldn’t take the risks that she might have otherwise taken.
Ian smirked at her as she flicked the safety onto her gun and placed it onto the table. Faster than a blink, Ian had snatched it and Emily knew she had no option but to stand. Emily took a deep breath as Ian approached her and put an arm around her. She wanted to recoil at his touch but the heavy muzzle of her gun pressed into her rib cage, preventing her from making a move or a sound. To anyone else, they looked like a couple, a pair of lovers enjoying a late night stroll by the fountain.
“What are you going to do?” Emily asked after a moment’s silence. She could feel his arm around her waist; it felt heavier than any chain, effectively trapping her in place even without the gun. It would be so easy to lash out; to kick him, tear herself free and run like the wind. She could phone Aaron and have the team here in minutes. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t risk… she couldn’t risk it.
“I told you, you took my life, my freedom from me. So now I’m taking yours.” Ian replied as he led her to where the two identical SUVs were parked up. A flicker of a memory; a comment made years ago on a rural winding road that zigzagged across the border between Northern and Southern Ireland.
“In an ambush, the first car always takes the hit.”
Clearly old habits died hard, Emily thought as he dragged her towards the second car. For a split second, she imagined lashing out, grabbing the gun, running as fast as she could. But once again, Ian was right. If she tried, she wouldn’t make it out alive. There wasn’t another person in sight so even if she screamed; nothing could be done to help her. Anything she did would fail and end with a bullet in her head. At best.
However before she could even consider another move, something heavy smashed powerfully into the side of her head. Emily’s vision swam and went dark. As her unconscious body went limp, Ian turned to Liam who holstered his gun and opened the trunk of the second car.
“Let’s go.” Ian ordered as he threw Emily bodily into the trunk of the car. Before Liam could slam the lid shut, Ian reached into Emily’s pocket and grabbed her phone and removed her purse from her arm. Liam slammed the trunk lid shut and as they got into the car and sped off into the night, Ian examined the locked home screen on her phone and smirked at the various unread messages on the screen.
Garcia
You should have joined us! We miss you!
Morgan
She’s making me watch ‘PS I Love You’. It’s awful!
Aaron
Jack wanted me to tell you that he missed you tonight. Call me when you can.
4 missed calls
Reid, Rossi, Aaron (2)
Ian smirked at the screen before he switched the phone off. He wondered how long it would take for her precious BAU team to realise that she was gone. He knew that they knew nothing about her, about Lauren, about him. He wondered what they would do when they learnt the truth about who she was; what she had done. That would give him an advantage. He had plans for Emily Prentiss and none of that plan involved her being rescued. Not now. Not ever.
She had stolen his life, his freedom and now, he would take the same from her. He had had seven years to plan and consider his revenge and now, that plan had finally moved into motion.