Shades of Red

Chapter 6

Emily's POV

My hands were bound behind my back tight with rope. Cyrus was keeping me in a small room with only a small cot and a window. I knew my team was doing everything possible to get ears inside. I had been sure they already had sound. Jessica Evanson's mother, Kathy, had come to take care of my wounds from the beating Cyrus had given me. My whole body ached with pain, I was on fire. "You should have told Cyrus who you were," she said patting my forehead with a warm cloth. "He's a prophet, he would have found you out eventually. Why lie to him?" "There's a name for the kind of prophet Cyrus is, self fulfilling," I replied sarcastically. Worry washed over the her face. "You don't know how dangerous it can be to lie to him." It was my moment to find out if she had made the 911 call; pretending to be her daughter. "I know it takes a strong person to stand up to him, to defy him. Knowing the consequences, that person would have to have a damn good reason to do it. Protecting their child, maybe?" I had been hoping to tap into her maternal side. The side that would do anything to keep her child safe. She seemed to be taken aback. She quickly got up and left me alone in the room again; the silence was deafening. I was sure cyrus was going to kill me, or worse. The man was delusional. I wondered how Reid was doing. What Cyrus was doing to him. Maybe Reid was keeping his cover. Maybe he was okay. Nothing felt like it was going to be okay ever again.

The door to my room burst open. Cyrus' second in charge led me down to the chapel where Cyrus had assembled his flock. Reid was there, safe and in tact. I felt like I could finally breathe again knowing he was okay. "It's come to my attention that some of our brothers and sisters have lost their faith in god. That they no longer love us, and they want to abandon us." Cyrus was walking around the chapel, making eye contact with all of his followers. No doubt trying to instill fear into already terrified people. Cyrus began calling out names of his followers. Every time he called a name, they would stand. "He looks pissed," I said finally speaking to Reid. His face was pained with guilt over letting me give myself up. I knew he needed some reassurance. "C'mon Spence, it's not as bad as it looks." He drew his eyes to mine for the first time since I joined him. "I'm so sorry Em, I should have—," I cut him off. "Spencer, that was my call. And I'd make it over and over." Cyrus was still reading off names. "Look who he's releasing." "The ones who failed his loyalty test," said Reid. "We have to get word to the team. Wait for a sign to indicate when the raid will happen." People kept standing one by one as Cyrus called on them. Reid walked over to Cyrus. He said something to him, but I couldn't quite hear from where I was. The same man who brought me down took me away again. He grabbed my arm too tight. He threw me back down on the bed and tied me back up. I knew the team was out there trying to figure out the best time to come in. They had to of known it was time. "If you can hear me, I know you're coming. But I need to know when. I can try to get the women and children back into the tunnel. But I need to know when you're coming," I repeated over and over. I had hoped they could hear me. Suddenly I saw the bright red dot of a laser on the wall of the room. "Okay, I see you. What time?" The red dot blinked three times, 3 o'clock. "Okay okay, 3 AM?" The dot moves again, this time up and down, indicating a yes to my question. "Understood. Reid is on the first floor with Cyrus. Please remember there are women and children in here." Just then I heard footsteps approaching the door. My heartbeat sped up, and the hairs on my arms stood on end. The door opened and relief washed over me when I realized who was standing at the door. It was Jessica's mother again. She brought a glass of water and gave it to me to drink. "Cyrus is planning a mass suicide," I said to her as her eyes grew wide with fear. "You made that 911 call, didn't you?" "This is all my fault," she said as the guilt took her over. "If I hadn't of make that call." "You we're trying to protect your daughter. You shouldn't feel bad for that." "I was just trying to save her from Cyrus." the woman looked defeated, and exhausted. "You have another chance to save her. The FBI is coming in at three AM. I need to to gather the other women and children and in the tunnel." I told her hoping she was strong enough to do the right thing. "Why are you telling me this?" She asked, her voice shaking with fear. She left my room without confirmation of what she would do.

I spent the next couple of hours laying on the stiff, hard cot staring up at the ceiling wishing for a miracle. I put all of my apples in that one basket. My hail mary. Every ounce of faith I had inside of me poured into this woman, and her desire to do the right thing. The faith, that she wouldn't let all of these people die, when we could have gotten them out. I was startled into an upright postition the the door flung open. "Get up! C'mom! We have to go now!" Kathy had somehow managed to get the key to the cuffs that were keeping me tied to the cot. "You were right, Emily. You were right about everything. He's going to blow this place to pieces, and he doesn't give a damn who's left inside." The panic in her voice was making my hands tremble as we were working to untie my feet. When I was finally free, Kathy pulled me to my feet. "I've already gathered everyone in the tunnels. I haven't told them what's happening." "How did you get them all down there?" We were moving quickly through the halls making our way to the tunnels. "I told Jessica Cyrus wanted her to gather all of the women and children down there." We made it down and quickly started to get everyone out. "What is she doing here?! Where is Cyrus?!" Jessica yelled at her mother as it was her turn to exit the tunnels. "Jessica, honey--" Kathy whispered out before Jessica cut her off. "Cyrus didn't ask for this, did he?" She ordered her mother to tell her. The realization of her own mother's betrayal hit Jessica in the face like a bag of bricks, the expression on her face matched the metaphorical pain getting hit with a bag of actual bricks. "He's going to blow this place up, Jessica. With everyone inside. Are you ready to die for this man?" I was hoping to scare Jessica into getting out; the reality of the death pushing her out of the door. Instead her anger only intesnified. "That man, is my husband. And if he said God is calling me home, then it is my time." Jessica pulled away from Kathy's strong grip on her arm and ran back into the tunnels. Kathy screamed out for her daughter to turn around and go with her. She ran back in after her. Just when I turned to go after Kathy, a hand pulled me back. I turned around sharply to asses the danger i was in depending whose hand was wrapped around my arm. I found my ability to breathe after I realized Derek Morgan was holding me tight against him. I was fighting to get away from his embrace. Spencer found us as he was heading out of the tunnels with more people."Morgan I have to go back for Kathy!" Derek held me tighter. His strength more than enough to hold me in place. "Emily there is no time. We have to go! I made a promise to someone that I would get you out alive. I have no intentions of breaking that promise, Emily." He picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder with ease. I fought every step of the way. "Emily where did Spencer go?!" Derek shouted as he placed me back on the ground. "I don't know. He must have went back in for Kathy and Jessica." Morgan took off back inside. Just when he got through the door the whole place went up in flames. The blast was enough to knock me back about ten feet, landing flat on my back. I felt my head bound hard against the ground. The sudden pain made my ears ring, and my vision blurry. After a few moments I sat up and watched the flames. I felt my cheeks. They were wet, I hadn't noticed I had been crying. Just then my memory caught up with me, and I remembered Spencer and Derek had been inside for the explosion. I took off running inside, when once again; a hand pulled me back. This time, it was Hotch. "Hotch, we have to get in there. Derek and Spencer are inside!" Hotch just looked at me and shook his head. There was nothing to do. I felt like i had taken a second beating. I sobbed into Aaron. He placed a comforting hand on my back, and pulled me close. "Emily," Hotch said pulling me away and turning around. Spencer and Derek emerged from the smoke like the heros who saved the day at the end of a cheesy action movie. I ran to them. I hugged Spencer so tight i thought his head might pop off. I pulled away from my friend, letting him catch his breath. "Where's Kathy, Jessica? Tell me you got them out Morgan!" Derek's face went soft. "Em, when we found them inside; swat had shot Cyrus and killed him. When Jessica found him, she grabbed the detonator out of his hand. I'm sorry, Spencer and I had to leave them. Kathy wouldn't leave her daughter. I felt my eyes fill with tears. "No," I breathed out. I couldn't keep the tears contained, and they splilled down my face hot and sticky. Reid and morgan wrapped their arms around me and turned me around to find the rest of the team. Then, there she was; Meredith. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears. Her hair was sticking up everywhere, and I knew that she had been stress running her hands through her hair. But man, she was a sight for sore eyes. She ran to me, and I took her into my arms. Her body slammed into mine knocking my balance off. With her in my arms, time had stopped. We stood there, locked in each other's embrace for what felt like hours. When we finally peeled away from each other Meredith put her hands on both sides of my faced.