Stone Cold

8

We pull into the driveway and climb out. I walk to the front of the door and knock. A few moments later it opens as Ace and Shane move behind me.

"Yes, how can I help you folks?" The older gentleman asks looking at all three of us.

"Yes, this is Agent Stone, Agent Shawl, and I am Agent Williams with the BAU. If you have any time at all we'd like to ask you a few questions about this man." I say holding up my badge and the image.

Instant fear comes off of him and I know Shane senses it too.

"Well I'm sorry, but I don't know him."

"He's lying."

"I know." Shane replies.

"Please come in though, I'll try my best to help."

"Thank you sir." I say and he nods moving from the door. We walk inside and I look around trying to place anything.

"Lovely home you have." I say

"Thank you, it was my wife's doing before she passed."

"I'm sorry for you loss."

"She's in a better place." He says and I smile gently.

"Please make yourselves at home my name is James by the way if you need anything else. Would you folks like a drink? Tea?"

"Sounds great, is it ok if I just look around? I like to explore." I say and he nods

"Be my guest, just don't go into the room at the far end of the house, I'm redoing the floors. I think the door is actually shut." He says and I nod. I turn and look over at both Shane and Ace and motion for them to sit down on the couch.

"Watch him." I mutter to Shane. He nods as I turn the corner and disappear down the hallway. I look all around waiting for something to stand out to me, something to seem even just a little off. I reach a family photo and my eyes land on the little girl.

"You have a daughter!?" I call

"What? Oh yeah, Annabelle!" He calls back. I turn my attention back to the photo and gasp as images slam into me.

She's the next victim.

"Annabell is the next victim." I hiss to Shane. I step away from the photo and walk down to the end of the hall. My eyes land on the door and I focus. I hear breathing, forced breathing.

Redoing the floors my ass.

I walk over to the door and press my ear against it. More breathing sounds, human breathing.

This isn't good.

I quickly walk back down the hall and see James bringing out the drinks. He puts them down on the tables and I smile.

"I honestly love your house and by the way your daughter is beautiful. She looks a lot like your wife." I say and he smiles.

"Thank you, uh here's the tea." He says handing me a glass. I look into it to take a sip but instantly freeze. A flash shams into me and it takes everything within me to not gasp or stumble or whatever else I've been doing as the flashes rock through me.

Poison, Cyanide, skulls, bones, suffocation, "internal asphyxia", blood cells, deadly.

I drop the drink to the floor and instead yank out my gun.

"Cyanide. The drinks are poisoned." I hiss aiming it at James' heart.

"Sit." I growl and he slowly backs up and sits down in the chair.

"Bind his hands and feet." I mutter to Ace. He moves into action to do so as I continue to keep the gun trained on James.

"Now, why don't you tell us what's really behind that door, and how you really know Gregory Barnes." I spit tilting my head towards the hallway. Shane catches on and yanks out his gun running down the hall.

"One of those two things is about to be found out, now answer me." I spit

"I don't know him personally, I just know of him. Of his works."

"What was going to happen to your daughter James!?" I shout and he shakes his head.

"Nothing."

Crash!

"I got her."

"Then why was she locked up in that room!" I shout and he shakes his head.

"What, you didn't know she was locked up in that room!?" I hiss hearing Shane's footsteps.

I look over my shoulder as he turns the corner holding Annabelle in his arms a blanket wrapped around her.

"I wasn't going to hurt her!"

"Then who was!?" I shout

"You won't understand."

Where have I heard that line before? Oh, I know...

"Try me." I growl as Ace moves on to his last hand.

"He won't stop."

"Who won't stop!?" I shout

"You can't save them all, none of us could!" He hisses

"Who!?" I shout clicking the bullets in place.

"You can't catch him."

A shift in his eyes let's me know what he's about to do.

"Ace!" I shout but it's too late. James rips out of Ace's grip and grabs the drink off the table with his one last free hand and chugs it. I breathe heavy as he starts to convulse then his head is thrown back. He shakes in the seat then let's out a shout as his windpipes shut off. I breathe heavy as his head lolls forward and the color of his skin is an unsettling blue. Ace presses his fingers to his pulse and shakes his head.

"He's gone." He says and I shake my head at a loss.

Damn it.

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