BAU
Section Chief Mateo Cruz had joined Morgan at the conference room round table.
Derek quickly filled him in with what little he knew. He was running out of
patience he knew what needed to be done and wasting time with Cruz was not
going to bring his family home. He was going to have to go toe to toe with a
sadistic killer who enjoyed watching his victims suffer slowly before brutally
killing them.
“Don’t even
try to tell me I’m not working this case!”
Cruz hadn’t
been around long but he knew enough not to try and reason with SSA Derek Morgan
when his mind was made up. He couldn’t blame him his entire team had been
kidnapped as an act of revenge against him. It was personal and even before
he’d taken over as Section Chief he’d heard about the relentless fearless agent
who was willing to bend and in this case break the rules to bring down an
UnSub.
“The FBI
will be conducting their own investigation and we can’t have agents going off
on their own…”
“Cruz, this
is my team! My family! I’m going to do whatever it takes to bring them home! If
it means I have to turn in my badge to do it then so beit!”
Cruz looked
at Morgan standing unblinking in his face. Under any other circumstances he
would demand the agent stand down. He’d also remind him that he was still his
superior and still in command of the BAU, but now was not the time.
“What do
you need?”
Morgan
stepped away and took a seat and rubbed his hands over his face.
“First
place I went when I got that call was to Garcia’s office…I need somebody on those
computers helping me find my team. “
“I’ll see
what I can do.”
Unknown Location -
Hotch and
the rest of the team had finally managed to sit up bracing themselves against
the walls of the small room. Their heads
had cleared from whatever drug they had been given. Their eyes had also
adjusted to the dimly lit room.
“Anyone
want to guess why we’re here?’’ JJ asked.
“And where
are we?” Reid added.
“Where’s
Morgan?” Garcia asked, voice trembling.
“Hopefully,
looking for us.” Hotch answered.
Their
conversation was halted by the creaking sound of the door as it slowly
opened. Three men stepped in staring
down at the agents. One of the men dressed in an expensive suit with matching
Italian leather shoes, was obviously in charge. The other two men were
well-built men who stood close behind the leader waiting obediently for orders.
“I’m glad
you all have managed to make yourselves comfortable.” He glanced at his cohorts
and the three chuckled.
“What do
you want?” Hotch asked in an even authoritative voice.
“Aaron
Hotchner, I presume. I’m Andrew Kirkwood.”
“Is that
supposed to mean something to me?”
“It will.”
Kirkwood
shifted his attention to Garcia moving and standing in front of her. He loved
the fear in her eyes it made him giddy and excited.
“I’m an old
friend of Agent Morgan’s.” He continued.
“Where is
he?” Rossi asked.
“Unfortunately
he wasn’t able to join us. Apparently he decided at the last minute not to join
you all for lunch. But no worries he’ll be joining us soon.”
“What do you
mean?” JJ asked.
“It means
that he is pretty pissed off that I planned this little reunion and he’s
missing all of the fun.” He smiled amused at himself.
“Stop
playing games, Kirkwood! What’s going on?” Hotch barked.
Hotch was
caught off guard by the hard kick to his ribs from one of Kirkwood’s goons,
which blindsided him. He doubled over in pain while the others sat quietly and
shocked.
Kirkwood
motioned to his men as he kept his eyes on Garcia.
“I hear
you’re quite the actor.”
Garcia
trembling sat silent staring at the madman above her.
“Today is
your big debut. The biggest role of your mediocre career.”
At the snap
of his fingers the two goons moved quickly and grabbed Garcia by her arms and
began dragging her toward the door.
“NO! She
screamed not meaning to but she couldn’t stop her sound of panic and fear.
“Where are
you taking her?” Yelled JJ.
“Leave her
alone!” Aaron moaned still doubling in pain.
Andrew
Kirkwood took a moment to look triumphantly down at his captives then turned on
his heels and left with a screaming hysterical Penelope Garcia in tow.
BAU Headquarters – Later…
He didn’t
think it was possible for a human being to go without breathing this long. He
couldn’t remember taking a breath; he’d watched the video three times now and
still he hadn’t inhaled…or exhaled for that matter.
“Hey…hey…Derek”
She was
crying uncontrollably mascara streaking down her face, clothes wrinkled and
disheveled. He couldn’t comprehend, didn’t understand, only thoughts of killing
Andrew Kirkwood consumed him…and was that blood on her face, bruises under her
eye?
“Derek…I’m scared…he’s going to kill
us…if-if you don’t come…”
She looked
to her left up into her captors face.
“Please don’t make me do this!” She
pleaded.
“Do it!” He barked.
She
swallowed hard trying to compose herself, trying to be strong but it was too
late she had already shown that she was terrified.
Then Derek
watched helpless as Andrew Kirkwood came into view standing behind Penelope
towering over her seated body. He leaned into the line of sight placing his
face close to hers. Then he grabbed her and jerked her head back. Smiling into
the camera and then back at Garcia. Morgan saw the knife in his hand; saw it as
Kirkwood pressed it to her neck.
“I could kill her right now…I’d love to kill
her right now…I know you’re still watching, agent!”
He pressed
the knife harder on her neck and a small spots of blood beaded onto her pale
white skin.
“How’s it feel to know that I can do
anything I want to her and there’s nothing you can do about it?”
Morgan’s
heart beat madly in his chest and squeezed the phone in his hand like he wanted
to squeeze the life out of Kirkwood.
“Derek!
Please…Derek…I’m so sorry!”
The cackle
of his high-pitched laugh sent Morgan to another place. He had never felt so
much rage in his life. She was his life, his love…his everything and he hadn’t
had a chance to convince her…to make her understand. If Kirkwood wanted to punish him and make him
pay than he had found the way.
“You have twelve hours, agent! Twelve hours
to find me…face me…man to man! I want you dead! So…if you want to save your
friends then come and find us! Your life for theirs!”
He laughed
again as he leaned down and licked the dripping blood from her neck. Derek
cringed watching, dying inside to see her being terrorized by this lunatic.
Kirkwood
pressed the knife against her neck again drawing more blood, lots of blood and
screams…gut wrenching screams just before the video went black.
“PENELOPE!!!!”
