Cold Hands ✔️

fifteen

chapter 15; unfortunately, I am alive

The team had never moved as quickly as they did. In mere minutes, the rest of the team and half of the police force had joined Rossi and Prentiss. Reid pushed through the crowd, slowing down when he saw her badge on the ground. No blood, Spencer thought. That's got to be some sort of silver lining.

His hands flexed at his sides, JJ noticed. Spencer was thinking about his own kidnapping now two years ago, and knew what she would be feeling. He never wanted anyone on his team to experience this, much less Addy. She would have a hard time processing it like he did, he mentally argued. That's why he was nervous, because like him she wouldn't acknowledge it.

"Garcia, tell me you got something." Morgan said, coming to a halt at the group. Reid's eyes didn't stray from the badge, his mind swimming.

"I'm sorry guys. I- I looked everywhere. There's a car that leaves the other side of the alley but it wasn't picked up by any other cams. I think he ditched it. We have no clue where she is or where they were going, I don't know what to do." Garcia choked up, hating how this night had taken a turn for the worse.

"Keep looking Garcia. Look into Vincent deeper, we need a name. We can use this as leverage." Hotch told her.

"Do you really think that our unsubs might be the Raven?" Morgan asked, looking up at Hotch. Hotch was staring at Reid, noticing how his gaze didn't move from the badge.

"Yes, I do. If not then at least working for him."

~~~

When Adeline woke up, she was in a lot of pain. Her hands and feet were bound against a chair, tied down tightly with rough rope. She lifted her head, even though it felt heavier than normal and was more difficult than she thought it would be. When she opened her eyes, she was met with a musky room, dirty walls and dim lighting. In front of her was a computer and camera, along with a workbench. She squirmed at the sight of the tools on it.

"Finally, you're awake." she heard a rough voice say from her right. She turned her head towards the voice, being greeted by a tall burly man.

"At least take me out to dinner first." she said coolly. The man let out a chuckle.

"It's good that you've got a sense of humour, you're going to need to hold onto that. Because you see, I need some answers, and you aren't leaving until I get some." He said, brandishing a blade and moving closer. She could clearly see his face, but didn't recognize him.

"And here I thought you were going to keep me forever. I did hope we'd become best friends. Very well, tell me what you wish to know." Adeline was surprised with how even her voice was, despite her stomach doing flips.

"I want to know everything about your investigation into the Raven, as well as who your team is." he said, sitting down on a stool in front of her.

"You know I can't do that. You know what FBI means? In layman's terms, it means classified." The man was quickly growing impatient with the humour, and ran the back of the knife down the leg of Adeline. Adeline's breath hitched.

"C'mon girly, if you don't then I will kill you, and send the body parts to your team." He told her. She shook her head in a response.

"If you really are the Raven, then you won't kill me. This has all been to get my attention, right? Well here I am, what do you want to tell me." She tried to put a lot of heart into the last sentence, trying to form a bond. She knew the team was looking for her, but she didn't want them coming upon her corpse. The man smiled in response.

"I won't kill you physically, but I can torture you, and I can torture your team." At this Adeline struggled against her restraints. 

"Don't you dare touch them." She growled, and the man mockingly put his hands up.

"Who said anything about touching them? I won't even be near them." He said before standing up, going to the work bench.

Adeline knew it would take a lot to break her. To tell the Raven about her team is giving him ammunition, and she is fine being the target rather than her team. They all have partners or children, they don't need a psychopath after them. 

The next few hours was hell for Adeline. Every question she didn't answer was another punch, slice or pinch. She ached all over, but would not give up.

"You have such-" he breathed deeply, the back of a knife trailing down Adeline's exposed chest where her shirt was pulled away. She breathed heavily, trying to keep a straight face. "beautiful skin. It would be a shame if something was to happen to it...permanently. Of course if you tell me what I want to know, we won't find out." He smirked at her, the knife cool against her skin.

Adeline shook her head. She was through with giving smart responses, even speaking in general. Her eyes were trained straight ahead and teeth gritted. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. The man tsked and stood straighter, going over to a fire she didn't notice was lit. As he was over there, his phone rang. Adeline was grateful there was a break, she could use it to fix her breathing. She tried to listen to the conversation, but was having difficulty listening in and could only pick up a few pieces.

"Yes of course. No, I didn't. I promise I will follow your instructions. No don't 'Andrew' me, I want my end of the deal held up." the rest of the conversation she couldn't hear.

Andrew. She could work with that.

Andrew abandoned the fire and walked to the computer in front of her. She couldn't see what he was doing, and she didn't know what to expect. Andrew typed away on the laptop, doing exactly what he was told. He looked over at the face mask on the bench and reached over to put it on. A little bit of anonymity would be nice, he thought. He logged into the server, turned the camera on, sent an email and sat back.

In Quantico, the group was at their desks trying to find Adeline, but they had hit a dead end. Vincent wasn't helping and no cameras caught them. The team was on edge.

"Spence, stop bouncing your leg." JJ sternly told Spencer, who immediately stopped. He didn't realize he had done so and murmured a 'sorry' back. He didn't like how helpless he was. He had no way of looking for her, and it ached his chest with the thought of what she was going through. He felt a great deal of panic for the other doctor, always on the verge of yelling at the team to find something. His leg started bouncing again without his knowledge again amidst his panic, and this time JJ didn't correct him.

A crying Garcia came into view, yelling at the team. The concerned team looked up at her, trying to decipher what she was saying. Not a lot of words came out though, she just speechlessly motioned for them to follow her. The team sprang out of their chairs and ran towards her office, Morgan yelling at Hotch and Rossi from the bullpen to come to Garcia's office.

Spencer's blood began to boil and his knuckles turned white as he leaned against Garcia's desk. There on her screen was Adeline. She was dirty and tied to a chair, the background giving them no clues to where she was. She lifted her head and looked straight at the camera and Spencer's heart fluttered.

For a few seconds that was the only movement on screen, everyone had gathered around the computer by now. A figure came into view, wearing a face mask and his hood up. It was hard to see anything. 

"This is live." Garcia mumbled.

~~~

Big spencer's kidnapping vibes tbh...

Me while writing this slowburn: