Lost and Found
Summary: Taken… Vanished… Hurt and lost… Found, but broken. The story of how love and family brings one agent back to the world of the living and out of the darkness that threatened to consume her.
Warnings: this story will contain violence. If that triggers you please refrain from reading or at least heed the warnings I give. Things won't be very graphic mostly, but there will be possible moments where it's detailed. Just keep that in mind and take the warnings seriously.
This can get dark and angsty, so beware.
Criminal Minds does not belong to me. I own nothing but my own words and creations. Unfortunately, that doesn't include the show. It sucks, but it is what it is…
Chapter 4: Incoming
It was a race, and the BAU was scrambling just to make it to the checkpoints. Over 48 hours she had been missing and they felt no closer to finding her. But they were getting there… or they forced themselves to believe they were. Tirelessly, they slaved over the evidence they collected, but they still fell short of any answers.
"Where are you Emily?" It seemed to be a question going through all their minds.
"I still think this photo's important." JJ said as she held up the one of father and daughter. "He has pictures of all of us, our team outings, everything Emily has done recently, but this one is decades old." She looked for its meaning. "And of her father." She looked to the team with curious eyes. "Could it have to do with him?"
"How? He's been dead for years."
"Maybe she's right Hotch." Morgan spoke up. "Look, we profiled that in the group, one of the men is a leader and the others were just foot soldiers. Hired guns… So we look at it like there's one UnSub. What does he want?"
"Emily." Reid stated plainly. They all cringed at the blatant statement. He clearly wanted Emily.
"Right, but for what? To what end?"
"You think he wants something from her father?"
"Her dead father?"
"Like some kind of barter?"
"How would that even work?"
"I don't know. But at least it's something." It was a desperate grasp at straws, but it was something at least.
Hotch sighed. They were just making up theories now… "I know there's a lot riding on this. Strauss is on our asses and this is our friend…"
"Our family." Rossi corrected. She was more than a friend. She was like his daughter. She was their sister. She was… something to Hotch…
"But we have to remain objective as best we can." Aaron reminded them. They had to. Losing this case was not an option, not in any meaning of the word. They couldn't lose the chance to work the case, they couldn't lose the case, and they couldn't lose her.
"That's… not really possible."
"Well, pretend it is or we're off the case and she's in someone else's hands." He quipped. "Let's go over what we know."
"He's a white male in his early to late 40s."
"Highly organized and careful." They continued to run through the profile.
"Has Garcia found any cases like this?"
"She said she's looking into it and will let us know as soon as she does."
Just then, a ding rang from the computer and the analyst appeared on the screen. "Greetings Earthlings, I've found some potentially related info."
"What do you have for us?"
"There was another case about a year ago in the DC area where a senator's daughter was kidnapped. The same thing with the security feed too. Senator Douglas Granger was being blackmailed and was told if he went to the police, his daughter would die."
"I don't remember hearing about the kidnapping."
"That's because it was never really reported."
"What do you mean?"
"It wasn't until after Kelly's body, Kelly Granger that is, was found that the truth came out. The guy sent videos to the family with demands. But, even after Granger gave in and did what was asked of him, he still killed her."
A silence settled. What did that mean for Emily? "So it's a psychopath masquerading as a crusader." That pushed their theories forward… Not necessarily to a good place.
"How long was she supposedly with the kidnapper Garcia?"
"Records say about three weeks."
"Coroner's reports?"
"Being sent to you as we speak as well as any and all records I could find. Over and out."
As the screen went black, they all looked to each other. "So, this has to do with Ambassador Prentiss?"
"We'll have to monitor her phone lines and reach out to her if necessary." They knew Emily wouldn't want that, but they couldn't really care about that. It was more important to get her home safely so she could be mad at them than it was to worry about her being mad at them.
"She's not a Senator Hotch… or in Congress. She doesn't have a vote on policy. What could this guy want with her?"
"He doesn't want anything from her. The videos are a form of torture."
"He's a sadist."
"And if this is our guy, Emily's his current victim."
"I'm pulling up the files now." The screen filled once more.
"Wow." It was a collective response to the picture.
"That's Kelly Granger? She looks…"
"A lot like Emily."
"Let's rework the profile."
It seemed Emily wasn't such a random target after all.
Since then, they reworked the profile once more, searched for any other links to past cases, and inconspicuously made contact with the Ambassador. But, that was nearly ten hours ago and, now, Garcia was about to drop something else on them. "Incoming! Incoming! Guys! Guys! I have something!" Garcia ran in and, out of breath, flipped on the screens. "You need to see this." An image they were both prepared for, yet so not prepared to see, came up.
"Is that…?"
"Emily." Hotch finished, though it was more like a longing call for her. He wanted her safe, he wanted her home… He wanted her there with him…
Their friend was on that screen, sitting in a chair in the same clothes they saw her in last as if no time had passed at all. "I'm going to ask you some questions Emily. And you're going to answer them. Tell me what you're going to do Emily."
"I'm going to answer your questions." She spoke robotically, as if being forced to comply.
"Good girl."
The footage still rolling, Hotch, trying to be diplomatic about the situation, turned to their tech genius and asked, "Can you trace this?"
"No. It's not a live feed. It's…" How did she explain it in non-hacker terms? "It's loaded onto a private cloud. It streams only for the owner. It's being routed through multiple sources and… it's just not traceable. I was only able to find it because this one had a code in it that triggered an alarm in the system I set up since we thought this guy likes to record things… Guess we were right…"
Their attention moved back to the video. "Get up." The disguised voice directed. Emily did as told, no hesitation. "Sit back down." Again, no hesitation in following his instructions. "Good, it's working."
"Say hello Emily." A disguised voice spoke off camera. They all watched, hardening themselves in a protective cocoon.
"Hel-lo Em-lee." Emily's speech was broken.
The group sat in silence as the conversation continued. "Tell me Emily. Do you like it here? Tell me you do. Tell me you like it."
"I do. I like it here." She responded, her eyes fluttering.
"How's your family? The Ambassador? Daddy dearest? How are they?"
"Dad died. Ambassador… good last I checked."
"Last you checked? What does that mean?" His voice changed, like that put a damper in his plans.
"I don't see mother much."
"Hmm, interesting." He stayed off camera. "And Daddy."
"Daddy died."
"Oh, did he?" He asked dubiously. "How'd he die?"
"Aneurism."
"Hmm." The smile on the man's face said more than his words could've. He knew something. He was definitely up to something. And when Emily wasn't hopped up on drugs, she'd hopefully see it again. "So you and mother dearest still aren't close I see?"
"No."
"Ok… tell me about this JJ person you mentioned."
"I can't."
If they could see him, they would've seen his entire body go rigid. She was defying him. No body defied him on that drug. No one! "What do you mean you can't?"
"No talking about JJ."
"Yes you will. Tell me about JJ." Like a petulant child in the throes of a tantrum, he stomped his foot.
As JJ watched that portion of the video, she got this angry flutter in her stomach. Something was going to happen, she could feel it. And it would be her fault… Why did the guy want to know about her?
"She's no one to you." Emily, even under the strong effects of the drug with no control whatsoever, unconsciously knew and automatically protected her friends. The drugs kept her from lying, but her words held only truth.
"You will tell me!"
"Can't."
"Alight Emily." He started, the agitation clear in his voice. "Tell me about this team of yours."
"Don't want to."
"You will!"
"There's nothing to know. I work with them."
"Is that all it is? Just work?"
"What else would it be?"
He pulled out a picture and practically threw it in her face. "Which one is this?"
"Hmm…" She sputtered an unintelligible string of sounds.
"Is this one JJ as you call her? Or the other one. What's the other's name?" He was testing her. Though he had no real interest in them, he did enough homework as to know their names and some of the basics. He wasn't an idiot. He grabbed he face and forced her to look at the picture. "If you don't answer me, I'll find her…" Back to the camera, he leaned in next to her ear and whispered quietly enough that it wouldn't pick up his real voice or words. "Tell me or I'll take her, tie her up, and make you watch. I promise it won't be pretty. I might even include you in the fun." He traced a finger down the side of her face. "Maybe you'll enjoy it… being just like me."
"That's…" She didn't want to. "Her name is…"
"Yes?"
"Penelope." She was forced to speak, not just by him, but her own mind as well. And the BAU was watching. They knew even if she remained unharmed, which seemed unlikely based on what they knew, there was clearly some psychological warfare at play.
And not just for Emily. JJ was sad and tortured by the fact she was mentioned at all. She knew that it would mess with her friend's head. The fact that the others were mentioned as well, that Garcia was targeted too, gave her a small comfort. And that sickened her too. Who would take comfort in that?
"Good girl. Penelope here lives to see another day." He smiled to her. "So that makes this other one JJ huh? The little brat here her kid?" Emily tensed as she was shown another picture. "I'll take that as a yes. Don't worry. I don't want him." Only you… "You seem close to this one." He pulled out a picture of her with Morgan. "You fucking him?"
"No."
"You want to?"
"No."
"You always had a daddy complex. What about this one? Fatherly enough for you?" He showed one of Rossi and her.
"Go to hell!" He loved it. He loved her fire. Oh he was going to use that to his advantage.
"Come with me?" He joked. "This one kind of looks like you. Sleeping with the boss again?" Something flickered in her eyes that told him something she wasn't intending on sharing, something that gave him all the information he needed. "Was he good? Ride you nice and gentle?"'
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Want me to take the kid for you? You can be mommy like you couldn't be when you were…"
"You don't know what you're talking about." Emily stated.
"I think I do."
"No."
He goaded her a little more, trying to get any information from her. But she wasn't cooperating. The drugs may have given him control over her and her actions, but still wasn't an easy mark. It was part of the allure, but it also did a number on his temper. "Oh that's it!" His anger reached new heights. Face still unseen to the camera, he appeared behind Emily. Gloved hands wrapped a garrote around their friend's neck and dragged her backward off the chair.
All they could do was listen to her fight and gasp as she was dragged away until there was nothing left to see. A silence took over the feed. There was nothing but a picture of an empty room and even that didn't last very long.
The screen went black and the faces of the room were still glued to it. No one knew what there was to say. "At least she's alive… But… She was drugged." Reid spoke first.
"She had to have been if she was just sitting there. She wasn't bound and she wasn't fighting."
"He knows things about her… Things even we don't know." Added Rossi. That comment about motherhood… He knew what the UnSub was referring to. "I think I know a way to narrow the search down." He released a heavy sorrow filled sigh. "He knows her."
"How do you know?"
Ignoring the direct question, he went on. "He had to have been close to her in her teens. We should start there and see what we can come up with."
Hotch nodded. Clearly he wasn't going to get an answer. "Ok…" He started. "She's trying to protect us. He's going to use us to get to her just like I'm sure he used the Granger family to get to Kelly. He knows she's not close with her family anymore. And there may be more to it, clearly there is, but he has to add this sadistic element of torturing the families. He knows we're her family. We're who she has. We should expect a video to be sent directly to us; tailor made for us. Garcia, keep a look out for that. One of us should receive it." At least that took the ambassador out of the equation.
"Yes sir."
"What… what's going to be on that video?" Reid asked. He knew, logically, but he didn't want to think or imagine their friend like that.
"I don't know. The reports were vague. But we all saw the coroner's reports."
"It's going to get bad isn't it?" Garcia asked. "Worse I mean… It's going to get worse?"
"Something already… Let's all try to be prepared…" That was the only thing the boss could think to say. His heart was breaking. Maybe they were and always would be just friends, but they'd gotten closer and his feelings were more than friendly. And even if he never told her, at least there was always the option. But now she was taken, being hurt… Suffering, and he could do nothing but sit by and wait. They were doing their job, but they needed to be better. They needed to find her and bring her home before things became unfixable and they all lost a piece of their heart. "Let's just try to be prepared…"
Hang in there Emily… please…
Thanks everyone for all the reviews/follows/favorites and just reading. It's so very appreciated. And, as always, thoughts and criticisms (constructive) always welcomed. Thanks for reading! More to come…
Daisyangel Intense it was. Is it bad I hope they find her soon too? Lol Of course, though, I know when and how that will happen so… Any who… Thank you, glad you're liking this little grim bit of folly.
Rugbygirrl She's having a rough time, you're not kidding. Fear not (too much) our favorite agents are on the case and searching to the ends of the earth if need be. Quest find Emily commence…
Curry36645 Thank you! An update for you here. More craziness ahead.
HaileyMay They need to find her soon huh? Before the damage is done… or more damage. Thank you for the compliment. No more waiting!
rmpcmfan Hmmm… Not remembering… See I don't want to say too much because I know whether she does or doesn't and what will be on her mind or not (for the most part) but we'll see… Videos can definitely haunt a person…
HPforever-after No joke… Poor Emily. Always getting the short straw…
ramona Hmm… That's not the first time I heard that… and I suppose there's something in this chapter to add fuel to that fire… Could it be? Have you figured it out?
bellairmenna Aww shucks… Thanks so much! Yes, poor Emily and the BAU is bastard hunting. Lol. That's two votes for Cooley now... Hmm.
SouthunLady Well, thanks for sticking by and waiting, waiting. There will be good in the bad and there won't always be bad… You know how it works. We'll get there.
123a456e It would definitely be beyond horrible to be in her place. Couldn't even imagine… or I guess I could since I'm writing about it… Not sure what that says about my state of mind. I agree though, the not knowing is pretty bad… Leaves the imagination to fill in the blanks and that's a rough road to go down.
Guest 1) There was some damage done. Our poor Emily's a little worse for the wear but in no way down for the count. A video will be sent… To Hotch? Maybe. And thank you so much for your kind words. Hope I can keep you chalk full of anticipation. 2) Thank you! Glad you like the story. Enjoy the update!