Blood and Battle | Criminal Minds (gxg)

Chapter 36

TW: violence

We walk together towards the train car. Reid opens the door and steps in, I close it behind us.

We're met with a gun. "You the medic?" The unsub directs his question to Spencer. Reid nods in conformation. "And who are you?" He points the gun at me.

I respond, my voice steady. "Protection. I'm unarmed." I fight to keep my eyes on him instead of Elle.

His eyes pass over each of us. "Vests off."

I don't move. Reid and I make eye contact. The unsub steps back and puts the gun against Elle's head. "Vests off," he growls again. This time I comply, pulling the vest over my head and dropping it to the floor. Elle meets my eyes and I can't bring myself to look away.

Once Reid does the same, the unsub directs his attention to him and gestures with his weapon. Reid walks past him and takes a seat. The unsub follows but stops after a few steps. He glances to his right. "She said she was unarmed," he tells the empty seat.

My eyebrows knit in confusion. Who is he talking to?

"Are you sure?" After another moment of silence he comes back, pointing the gun in my direction and walking closer.

"Put your arms out." I do as I'm told. He pats me down while my eyes rest on Elle. A small cut marks her cheek, blood dripping down the curve of her cheekbone. Her eyes betray her fear as she watches. I swallow the lump in my throat. If he finds the knife...

He finishes with my arms and moves to my waist, then my left leg. When he reaches my calf he stops. He glares at me as I keep my eyes forward. He rips my pant leg out of the boot and slides it up to my knee. He slides the knife from its holster and holds it to my throat, grabbing me roughly with the other hand. I force myself to meet his eyes.

"You said you were unarmed." His voice is low, gravelly, filled with rage.

"I'm not wearing a gun." I keep my voice calm.

"Liar!" he screams in my face. "There are consequences for liars." 

He grabs my right arm and presses the knife against my bicep, slicing through the sleeve and into my flesh. I wince as the blade cuts into my skin and draws blood.

He pushes me against the wall, his right hand at my throat while he points at me with the knife. "You need to learn the consequences." He stabs the knife into the wall inches from my head. Grabbing the collar of my shirt, he yanks me forward. I stumble but keep my footing. He drags me down the aisle and shoves me into the seat across from Elle.

It takes a minute for my vision to settle. When it does, I'm staring into Elle's brown eyes. I lean forward. "Are you okay?" I whisper, my eyes flickering to the cut on her cheek.

She looks at me incredulously. "Me?" She's prevented from speaking again as Reid and the unsub start the procedure.

I direct my attention to the cut on my bicep, blood flowing across my forearm. With my left hand I grab the sleeve and rip downwards, the fabric tearing at the cut. I ball it up in my fist. I wince as I apply pressure to my wound. He didn't hit the brachial or axillary arteries, but he might have nicked the middle collateral artery. If I can contain the blood loss, I might make it off this train.

Across the aisle, I see Reid pull a bloody SIM card from the unsub's arm. Elle glances at me but sees the explanation in my eyes. One of the hostages, however, freaks out. "Wait, what? Bro! Are those things in our arms?" He scratches at his arm. Elle silences him with a sharp glare.

"It's out. Can you let these people go now?" Reid prompts.

"No. No, you're trying to trick me. Don't move!" he points the gun towards one of the hostages, a woman in a dark red dress.