Psychopathy

Chapter 67- Taking Control

Isabel could see the chains. The nightmares had been coming on strong in the past few days, trying to draw her away from the life she was working so hard to rebuild. Just that morning she had finally spoken to the little girl in the neighboring apartment and had learned her name. But the devil knew she was breaking free and was trying to find a way to retain control. Even the lake, with its comforting ebb and flow, was having trouble keeping the devil at bay.

So Isabel had done the only thing she could think of. A technique she had learned at a very young age in Circia, meant to calm the mind and open the eyes to things usually left unseen. That was what she had been doing for the past three hours, and she had finally managed to empty her mind completely. And that was when she felt the tether, that bond pulling her back to hell. She grabbed onto that tether, letting it consume her, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the chains on her body.

A chain on each arm, one around her chest, and one around her head. She hesitantly touched the one on her left arm, its heat so strong it burned. She took a deep breath and forced herself to grab onto the chain and ignore the burn. Once it was solidly in her hands, she closed her eyes and thought of every good thing in the Overworld. The love of her friends, the smell of fresh air, the sound of music, the innocence of the little neighbor girl. She took those thoughts and let their power flow through her arm and right into the chain.

There was a snapping sound, and Isabel opened her eyes. The chain on her left arm lay broken on the floor. She wiped the sweat off her brow as the chains disappeared. It had taken everything out of her, but one of the chains had been broken. She would gather up her strength and try to break the next chain. She felt the devil's presence scraping along her mind, trying to draw her back, but she easily shook it off.

Slowly, she was breaking his hold on her.

***************

"Anderson, can you do us a favor?" Reid looked away from his conversation with Dr. Rivera to where Hotch was talking with Grant Anderson. Reid wasn't exactly sure why Hotch had dragged Anderson along on the case, but he wasn't in the mood to question it. It had been a long day with their new case, but they had gotten a break when one of the victims had been found alive. Whether her survival was planned or a mistake, that's what they needed to find out.

The only problem was that the survivor was in the same hospital as Ciara, and since they were on the case, Reid couldn't go see her. Not until the case was solved. Hopefully their survivor would have some critical information that could point them in the right direction. Being the most medically versed of the team, he was assigned to talk with Dr. Rivera about the survivor's condition. That was the part that took the cake- not only was their survivor in the same hospital as Ciara, but she was on the same floor and being treated by the same doctor. They'd be three rooms away from their little raven and they weren't even allowed to tell her.

Akilah was equally disappointed, considering the drawstring bag she still had on her back was some sort of gift for Ciara. Akilah hadn't told him what it was, only that it was three items Ciara had very specifically asked for. But perhaps when the case was solved and they were free to go, Reid and Akilah would visit and he could find out what was in the drawstring bag.

"Yes, sir?" Anderson responded, and Hotch looked in the direction of room 312.

"I need you to go to room 312. Do you remember Ciara Bryne?" Anderson nodded, looking in the same direction as Hotch. "I want you to tell her that we're here, but we won't be able to see her until we're done with our victim."

"Wait, so we are going to be able to see her?" Akilah asked. Reid had the same question lodged in his throat. He was told that because they were on a case, they wouldn't be allowed to see her at all. It hadn't even been Hotch's order- it had been Strauss's. Akilah was right on the money when she said that she could never get a read on Erin Strauss. Reid had been working with her for a lot longer than Akilah had and he couldn't figure her out sometimes.