JJ rolls over and realizes she is alone in the bed. She sits up because the light in the bathroom isn't on.
"What the hell?" she mutters.
She has just pulled on her pajamas when the door to the room opens. She turns on the bedside lamp.
"Emily? What the hell?" She says nervously...then she notices Emily's hands. "Uh, babe? Seriously…what the hell?" she restates, now with amusement.
Emily is carrying 3 bags of chips, 4 candy bars, and 2 sodas. She shrugs. "I got a craving."
JJ can't help but laugh. "For what? A whole vending machine?"
Emily chuckles. "Well, at first it was just for Nutter Butters. I already ate those. And then all this other stuff looked so good. And then I needed a Fanta Orange. Already drank that. And then the Sprite sounded good. And then I got another Fanta just in case I wanted another one."
JJ just stares at her wife, grinning. "You're insane. You know that, right? Completely certifiable."
Emily nods. "Yep. Sorry if I worried you."
"Just a little bit but I understand." She pulls her into a hug. "Please, wake me next time, okay? After you got sick today I'm a bit concerned about you and Rocky."
"Okay. I will. I promise." She offers her a Butterfinger. "Candy bar?"
JJ rolls her eyes. "Em, it's 3:44 in the morning. I want sleep. Put your snacks down and come back to bed."
"Yes, Mom." JJ raises an eyebrow. "Kidding! Geez!"
Emily drops her provisions on the dresser and climbs back into bed. JJ turns off the light. After a couple of minutes Emily sighs sadly.
"What's wrong?" JJ asks.
"I wish I'd gotten the Oreos," Emily answers regretfully.
"Oh for fuck's sake!" JJ laughs as she rolls over and pulls her wife close, making sure she doesn't go "hunting" again.
The next morning the team gathers in the conference room just after 7. Hotch puts Garcia on speakerphone.
"We're here, Garcia."
"Good. So, my little elves and I worked through the night and tracked the truck back to Miami. As we suspected, there was a team of drivers. We even got a good look at the plate for the Jeep Cherokee that carried the back ups. Unfortunately, the plates track back to a Honda Civic so no help there. We did have a BOLO put out but I would think it was dumped already."
She takes a deep breath before continuing. "Now, we were also able to get a good look at the driver of the Jeep. We are running facial recognition software both here and in Cuba to see if we can identify him."
Everyone looks shocked but Emily is the first to speak. "How the hell did you get permission from the Cuban government to look at their mug shots?"
Garcia chuckles. "Oh, Emily, it is so cute that you ask. Trust me…you don't want the answer."
Emily grins. "Uh, right. Forget I asked."
Garcia continues. "Based on the reports Emily has about the captives being brought ashore on a private boat we are running facial recognition at docks near where the truck originated. If by any chance you can get the name of the boat, it would really help."
"I'll try, Garcia. So far no one knew the name. I still have 8 more women to talk to. Maybe we'll get lucky."
"Let me know. Until then, I'm back to my programs."
"Good job, Garcia." Hotch disconnects and looks at his team. "I think it's obvious that this case will be solved in Miami. Emily, stay here with the captives and get as much information as you can. Once you think you have as much as you can get join us. The rest of us, jet leaves at 10."
JJ frowns. "Wait, what about the other drivers?"
Hotch sighs. "Most likely they are dead and the Jeep dumped. If it's found in this area Emily can check it out. If it's found elsewhere we'll deal with it then. There are a lot of mountains in this area and they could have just sent it off the side of one. We may never see the Cherokee or the drivers again."
Emily frowns. Rosa's father may have been one of those men. How will she look that little girl in the eyes and tell her he is gone? JJ senses Emily's unease and gives her leg a reassuring pat.
The team breaks up to gather what they need to continue on with the case. Emily picks up her clipboard and attaches several blank questionnaires to it. She pencils in the question she had added yesterday: What is the name of the boat you were transferred to?
"Please let someone have seen it. Please."
She gets things ready and brings the first woman in to speak with her.
"Hi, did you sleep well?"
"We are prisoners. Of course not. We escaped one Hell and entered another. You are nothing but a whore and a liar and a bitch. I have nothing to say to you."
Emily leans forward. "I promise you, I only want to help. The rest of my team is going to Miami later this morning. They will find who did this to you." Emily stares at the woman's hard, untrusting face for a moment. "You know, don't you? You know it wasn't a job in a store?"
The woman nods."We were to be prostitutes. Even the little girls. And now…now we will be sent back where we will be imprisoned or, if we're lucky, killed. Help you or don't help you, my life is over."
"It is not over. You will get to stay in America. We will get you in touch with agencies that can help you get your official papers, housing, jobs, anything you need to start your new life."
The woman leans forward, glaring at Emily. "I will believe it when I see it, whore."
Emily can tell she will get no where with this woman. She ends the interview and heads back to the conference room. The team is ready to swing by the hotel for their bags.
"How'd it go?" JJ asks.
"Great. Just great. I was called a whore, a liar, and a bitch. Great way to start the day."
Reid smiles at her. "Could have been worse."
Emily raises an eyebrow. "Oh really? How?"
"Those things could have been true," he says with a smile.
Emily chuckles. "Thanks, Reid."
Hotch looks at Emily. "If you get anything let us know. We'll be in touch if we find anything useful."
Emily nods. "Good luck. I think we're going to need it to break this one"
Rossi nods. "I think you may be right."
On the jet, Morgan paces. So far the case had been a whole lot of nothing: no breaks, no clues, no action. And unless Emily or Garcia finds something before the jet lands it is going to be more of the same. The other hope they have is if one of Agent Cole's contacts in Miami can give them a string to tug. As if he had wished it into being, Hotch gets a call.
"Katie, hi. Please tell me you have something for us."
Morgan moves closer to listen to Hotch's side of the conversation.
"I see. And he's willing to talk to us? Show us what he's talking about?" He nods. "Great. Okay, we'll see you when we land." He hangs up and looks at Morgan. "Katie has an informant that may know both the collector and where he went to buy Esperanza. I want you and Rossi to talk to him. Get any coordinates he has to Reid and Garcia. If he gives you a building, I want them to find out everything they can about it."
"Is he going to be cooperative?" Morgan asks.
"Sounds like it. But be ready just in case."
JJ gets up and heads towards the front of the plane. It is obvious she wants to be the one out in the field with Morgan. "What will I be doing?"
"Katie is having a bunch of files pulled. You, Reid and I will be going through them until something new breaks." He sighs. "Welcome to the boring side of profiling."
JJ smiles. "Been helping with this stuff for years. Not a problem."
Hotch grins. "True. JJ, please don't think I'm keeping you out of the field. I will be needing you out there talking to suspects and informants and I trust you to handle that. But the evaluation I have to fill out says I have to 'observe' you culling case files for pertinent information. It is ridiculous and tedious but I plan to do everything by the book. I don't want anyone to have any reason to think you didn't earn your stripes to get into our unit."
JJ nods. "Okay. But promise I get to cuff at least one unsub this case?" she says with a grin.
Hotch laughs. "Maybe even two."
She raises her hands in victory. "Score!"
The team laughs, appreciating the moments of levity.
