A/N: I know it's just another story about the *Lauren* aftermath, but somehow I felt the need to give Hotch a chance for payback. He is usually not the kind of man who is out for revenge, but when so far unknown and precarious details about Prentiss' undercover assignment are revealed that emphasize all the more Doyle's vicious character, Hotch decides to betray his principles for once. Rather subtle hints at H/P, although it is an important part of the story (and the trigger for Hotch's actions). The story takes place on different timelines. The idea was to create even more tension, so I hope it isn't confusing. Reviews make my day and are very appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own some things but definitely not Criminal Minds. CBS does. I just borrow the characters from time to time and promise to give them back unharmed.

Present day...

Aaron Hotchner hears someone approach his office at a run. He doesn't recognize the footsteps and when Penelope Garcia's reddened and slightly sweaty face appears in the door frame, the reason is obvious – he never saw or heard the technical analyst run before.

"I've traced him," she gasps breathlessly. "Doyle. I know where he is."

Hotch's speechlessness lasts only a few seconds, a variety of emotions flooding through him – relief, disbelief, determination, but most of all... pure hatred.

"Close the door," he instructs her quietly and with a fake composure, because what he actually wants to to is grab his gun and bolt out of the office. The impatience to eventually act after all these months of waiting is almost physically painful.

However he has to make sure first that Garcia doesn't spread the news. The rest of the team is not supposed to know.

Two weeks ago...

These kind of men have no names, but they wear the same uniforms – dark suits to hide their well-toned bodies, sunglasses to hide their wary eyes, always scanning their surroundings, and sometimes – albeit not of all of them – military short haircuts.

It was noontime and people streamed out of the office buildings on this sunny day to have a break from their tight working schedule.

They blended in the crowd. Two men with dark suits, just like the others. That's what they were trained to do – blend in, get the job done and disappear as fast and inconspicuously as possible. The men were CIA or Interpol or some other secret agency, who knew.

"They are too close to catching Doyle," one of them said and for the lack of a name let's just call him Mr. X.

They referred to the BAU team supervised by unit chief Aaron Hotchner. There was no official assignment. A fact that didn't hinder them, though, from doing whatever they could within their limited possibilities – making the most of old contacts, using Garcia's legendary research skills. Whatever it took and whatever was feasible.

"Who cares? Let them do our job," responded the other man and since he also has no name – or rather too many – let's call him Mr. Y.

"We need Doyle dead," Mr. X insisted. "In prison he received information from one of his inmates he could use to make a deal in case he gets arrested. A deal that would endanger current undercover assignments. We can't risk that. Doyle is not as powerful as he was before his seven year vacation behind bars. He is of no value to us anymore. His organization is split up, Valhalla merely a memento. The man has gone haywire because of this former undercover agent who sold him out."

The men remained silent for a brief moment. They knew that the former undercover agent had been part of the BAU team that now searched frantically for Doyle. They also knew that she had been forced to go into hiding until this all was over and make her team believe she had been killed by her nemesis. Something that for sure enhanced their stimulus to find Doyle. Only the unit chief and the media liaison knew that Emily Prentiss was alive. The men didn't feel pity – provided they were able to feel anything – but in their black and white world the BAU was part of the good guys and they didn't intend to purposely inflict harm on any of them. At least as long as it could be avoided. If it couldn't be avoided, they wouldn't hesitate to do whatever was necessary. As it was now.

"Well, then we need to find a way to make them not only arrest but kill him," Mr. Y said pensively. "Let's give them the recording. Or at least... parts of it. Could be convincing enough to make even a man like Aaron Hotchner forget about his oath."

Mr. X nodded affirmatively and with this they parted ways and immediately couldn't be distinguished any longer among the crowd.

One week ago...

It was late and the rest of the team had just left. As usual it was only Aaron Hotchner and the paperwork. He hadn't had time to open all the letters personally addressed to him and when he reached for the stack, he noticed one slightly thicker envelope. He opened it first. There was a CD inside. Could be anything. Threats from a serial killer he had helped to put behind bars, a virus programmed to destroy the FBI database or a harmless message from one of the weird groupies they all had. There was a laptop in his office to check this kind of anonymous delivery out. A laptop that wasn't connected to any of their servers or their network so that no harm could come from putting the CD inside and hitting play as he did now.

For a moment there was only silence, no video that started to play, and he wondered whether some freak had sent him a recording with nothing but static. Practically nothing was impossible. Then voices filled the room. There was a negotiation going on about weapons and what price to pay and when the goods could be delivered. Hotch tensed up, listening closely. Just when he reached for the phone to check whether Garcia was still there to let the technical analyst examine the CD, a familiar voice filled the room. It was her, somewhere in the background, but he recognized her voice in an instant. His former team member, the officially dead and unofficially gone into hiding Emily Prentiss.

To be continued

So what do you think? Interesting? I hope so...

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