Chapter Nineteen

~Rachel's POV~

  I knew I had to fight..but I also knew I wouldn't be able to take much more. Every muscle in my body was tensed to the point that my skin felt sore from stretching it so tight. My body was fighting, I was fighting.
I knew if I let go now, I might never have the strength to get back up again. I tried to hold the tiny child in my arms instead of my lap, but my shivering fingers would slip through the soft blanket. Eventually, I just let her lie in the crumpled blanket, slowly falling asleep.
I curled my hands against my chest, trying not to move the broken knuckles that had swollen and pulsed over the hour. My father decided to stop his game and let me rest until the next "Round", he had called it.
My cousin was wiping the dry blood off of his face with a damp rag and glaring at me in the shadows. The Agents were talking to each other and watching every move my family and me made. I perked up when I saw Reid rush back into the room.
I kept my eyes on him even when he locked his with mine. A shiver ran up my spine as he held up a couple pieces of paper. My eyes widened once I realized what they were.

They were my pictures, my drawings.

   I hadn't really realized the significance of those drawings until now. I was staring quite literally at the answer all along. If I had just shown the agents these pictures, I would never have been put into this situation.

Why did I have to be so stupid?

   A surge of excitement came through me and helped numb the aching. I had to suppress a smile that suddenly took over my lips. I watched them closely, leaning forward a little.

Reid knows where I am, he knows where he can find me.

    I stared eagerly at them as they scrambled to pack some of their things up. My father took notice and rushed to the screen, confusion scrawled on his face.

"Hey! Where are you going!? Agents, we still haven't finished our game!" He explained angrily, tapping the tip of his gun on his temple.

Hotch looked at him with a calm composure, his eyes cold and hard, his lips set in an expressionless line. Garcia remained in the room so she could continue watching me. Morgan and Reid were already out the door, Ross hesitating for Hotch.

"Don't worry, we'll be back. We still have eyes on you, so don't get any ideas." Hotch stayed smoothly, stopping by the door.

   My father could see right through him though, his eyes starting to turn cold as stone. He slowly turned to me and a sneer appeared on his face. I shrunk back in my chair as he walked over to me. He turned his head towards Bee and nodded. Bee lazily staggered over to the TV and shut it off, making the room slightly more dense and dark.

Hotch's face disappeared, along with my hope. I cried out as my dad grabbed me roughly, growling. He shoved the gun at my throat, his sneer deepening and his anger setting in. I whimpered under his touch as I felt the cool tip press into my neck.
The baby was stirring in my lap. Bee took her away from me, setting her back in the basket. I looked up at my father, glaring right back at him.

"What are they really doing? Tell me..now."

His voice started to waver in anger and I could tell he wasn't going to wait long for an answer.

All I did was shake my head.

"I know you're lying Rachel. You know how angry I get when people lie to me." He growled, gripping so tight on my arms that he drew blood from his nails.

   I tried to pull away away but he was stronger than me. He seemed to have fire in his eyes as he barked orders at Bee. Bee trembled in fear under his deathly stare and drug me into the middle of the room and tied me back up. This time to the chair as well, so I couldn't move.

   He gagged my mouth again, tightly, making me choke until tears ran down my cheeks. I watched him walk away, my vision blurry.

"It's a shame I didn't have time to show you my other games. They were going to be quite fun. Don't lie to me honey, I know they are coming for me. What they don't know is that it will be last time they ever see you or me again. Now, start pouring Bee." My father instructed tensely, watching my cousin drag out something.

   He carried two large cans full of gas. No. I fought against the sour tasting cloth in my mouth and forced my limp arms to move around. I have to do something, anything.

"We are going to give the Agents one last finale! It will be perfect!" My father cried, his body shaking with excitement and enthusiasm laced in his voice.

   I started screaming through the cloth as Bee began to pour the gas upside down and all around the room. My father walked over to the baby and picked it back up, watching me push against the ropes. She only stirred, her slow breathing the only thing heard between me and my father. He planted a gentle kiss on her pink forehead and rocked her in his arms.

"You are so cute you know that? Look, she looked a lot like you when you were this age, so oblivious to the world..so vulnerable." His eyes softened at the tiny sight and he hummed a lullaby to her.

   I felt sickened, everything my father did sickened me to the core. Bee continued to pour the gas all over the floors and walls, tossing the empty can behind his back. He took the other one and made his way over to me, unscrewing the lid. With a deep giggle, he splashed the liquid over my clothes.
It made my stomach churn and go into flips and twists, my nose scrunched up at the smell. The taste was horrible and stung my tongue. He doused me in the poisonous water until it was dripping off my clothes.
I held back vomit and forced it back down, taking small and feeble breaths as he walked around me like I was on display. My father watched in amusement and plugged his nose.

"I knew the time I had finally taken you back that me and Bee wasn't going to make it out alive. At least we're going to be free now and you can join us..at last. Just like a family."

   I froze at his comment, shaking my head. My father pulled out a cellphone and walked over to me. I looked away but it was useless seeing as I was still restrained. He dialed a number and pressed it against my ear, the cool screen contrasting my heated cheeks.

"Might as well let you get some last words in." He sneered, cackling as someone picked up the ringing.

He reached back and pulled the gag down my chin, allowing me to talk.

"Hello?"

   It was Reid's voice, he sounded confused. A huge lump formed in my throat and no air came out. I forced myself to swallow, tears pricking the corner of my eyes.

"R-Reid?" I asked, my voice breaking off and fading back into silence.

   I heard his intake of breath and the noises in the background stopped almost instantly. He must have put his phone on speaker. The whole team was listening right now.

"R-Rachel!? Did you get free! Where are you!?" He asked frantically, I could almost see him raking a nervous hand through his hair.

I shook my head, tears spilling. I could feel my dad staring at me, amused. He was enjoying every minute of it.

"R-Reid? I have to tell you something. I'm not..I'm not going to make it out of this alive."

   He didn't say anything, waiting in suspense at what my next words were. My head felt light and dizzy and I squeezed my eyes shut to focus more.

"Take care of Charlotte. Promise me, promise me you will not let her go into Foster. Please, Reid, for me. I'm so sorry I dragged your whole team into this shit show. Tell Charlotte I love her and Reid...I-I want you to kn-"

   I was cut off when my dad grunted and snatched the phone away. I cried for it back but he had already snapped it shut and shoved it deep in his pockets. Bee was smiling madly and holding a metal lighter, the grim lights softly flashing off of its surface.
My breath caught in my throat as he flicked it open, an orange flame dancing across the lighter and then disappearing as he flipped it shut again. I slumped down in my seat, feeling everything just deflate.
We all looked behind us as we heard the screech of tires against gravel and the slamming of multiple doors outside. My father flashed a bright smile at both of us before loading his pistol and pointing it at my head.

"Looks like the game is almost to its ending isn't it, Rachel?"

I never answered back though, my complete existence frozen in time as the sounds of the Agents continued to become closer and closer to us.

Our little hiding place.

My final resting place?