The Dangerous Storm

Eight

Erin awoke to a disorienting sensation, with the room spinning around her and sweat trickling down her face. The brunette, feeling the effects of the drugs administered by Yates, was overwhelmed by nausea.

Turning onto her stomach, Erin located a waste bucket and regrettably emptied her stomach, her hazel eyes dull as she collapsed onto her back, struggling for breath.

It had been four hours since their arrival at the location chosen by Yates, and now she waited apprehensively for the impending punishment, isolated and alone.

While Yates permitted her limited movement within the room, he ensured her ankle was shackled to prevent any escape attempts and removed any objects that could aid in unlocking the restraints.

Despite the pain that wracked her body as she heaved again, Erin forced herself to sit up on the bed, each movement causing sharp agony in her stomach and legs. She understood Yates's intentions but brushed them aside, frustrated by her inability to resist him due to the effects of the drugs.

Erin was unable to move much due to the effects of drugs, hunger, and untreated wounds inflicted by Yates. She suspected that he purposely neglected her care in order to further weaken her and diminish her ability to resist. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she anxiously wondered why her team had not arrived yet.

She pondered the whereabouts of Voight, expecting him along with Antonio and Jay to have located her by now. 'What could be causing the delay? Have they abandoned the search?' Erin mused.

Recalling Yates' taunting words: 'It's been three or four days now; I'm certain your team has forgotten about you.' Although she resisted believing Yates' claims, she harbored doubts stemming from past experiences of feeling abandoned.

She remembered how her mother only showed interest in her when needed, and how Charlie Pugliese had exploited her during her teenage years for his own purposes.

Erin shook her head, closed her eyes, and fell onto her back. 'Don't think like that, Lindsay,' she scolded herself as she bit her lip. 'Voight isn't like that. He's doing all he can to find you,' she whispered, unable to believe that a man who had raised her since she was fifteen and took her in at sixteen.

'Neither would the team. They'd do anything,' Erin whispered to herself, regaining hope that she would be able to get out of this alive. 'Antonio is doing everything he can, and so is Jay.' She was too preoccupied muttering to herself to notice the door to the room open.

'Talking to yourself, detective?' Yates' voice caused Erin to flinch as she looked up, her eyes widening. The brunette opened her mouth to say something, but he didn't let her speak. 'Are you telling yourself that your team is still looking for you?'

Erin glared at Yates as he approached with a tray of tools, causing her to slowly back away, almost falling out of the bed. 'Get away,' she hissed, disregarding Yates' words. 'I told you, Detective, your team won't be coming for you,' he taunted, provoking her.

Yates smirked as he observed the young woman attempting to maintain her distance from him. 'I told you they gave up looking, don't you believe me?' he teased, placing the tray on the dresser and reaching for the chain attached to Erin's ankle.

'If they were looking and truly cared about you, they would have found you or even stopped me before I took you from right under their noses,' Yates stated, his words visibly infuriating Erin as she clenched her fists at her sides.

'Shut up, you sick bastard!' Erin hissed through gritted teeth, her hazel eyes shooting daggers at Yates, who tugged at the chain, almost causing her to topple flat on the bed. 'You don't know anything about my team,' Erin growled.