Author's Note: These chapters will be short and each is supposed to be an hour long.
WARNINGS: This story contains graphic discussion of tragic adult themes. The entire story is finished, and won't be altered for subject matter. I do not believe the story is heavy enough to warrant an M rating, but just be warned.
Disclaimer: I do not Criminal Minds or its characters.
7:00 AM
"Excuse me, sir?" A small woman approached the group of agents outside the room. "Are you all the Behavioral Analysis Unit?"
"Yes." Hotch agreed hesitantly. "Why?"
"This was left for you at the front desk." The woman handed over a medium sized brown package, clearly addressed to them.
Grabbing a pair of gloves from inside his jacket pocket, Hotch took the package and grabbed his keys to open it.
"Hotch, maybe we should have CSU or ATF check it out first." Reid suggested cautiously, holding back the spew of information that wanted to leap from his brain. He knew all men were aware of the likelihood that this UnSub would try to take out as many of them as possible.
"This could be from our UnSub." Rossi agreed, "we still don't know exactly what we're dealing with."
"We don't have time to call in CSU or ATF." Hotch snapped. "We've got sixteen hours left before this UnSub feels as if his time is up and all we have is a preliminary profile."
Morgan motioned for the package, "then let me open it. I'll check it for triggers."
Reluctantly, Hotch handed over the package. Derek grabbed a syringe and carefully cut away the tape that sealed the box close. "It doesn't appear to have any triggers," He mused, gently pulling the flaps open.
Smiling gratefully, Morgan glanced up at the others quickly before handing the box over to Hotch. "It looks clear."
Hotch gritted his teeth, hoping that this likely clue from their UnSub would put the team a few steps ahead. Pulling the piece of cardboard out of the box, he only looked at it for a moment before he pursed his lips tightly. "We need to get her out of here now." He said urgently, lifting the mosaic up for the others to see.
Reid looked away at the collage of pictures. Under other circumstances, he might have found it an interesting tribute to his friend. But now, it was a sickening realization of the UnSub's obsession. Hotch quickly pulled out his phone to call for a security team, while Dave ran down the corridor to find Garcia.
Derek's face fell as he quickly looked over the mosaic, flinging the UnSub's "artwork" at Reid before running after the nurse. "Hey!" He yelled, running down the hall. "Where did this come from?" Finding the nurse that had just delivered the package, he gripped the woman's arm forcefully. Holding up the empty box, he growled "Where did you get this?"
"A man asked me to give it to you." The woman whimpered, and Derek cursed before calming slightly.
"Can you give me a description?" He asked hopefully.
The commotion outside JJ's hospital room made Emily come and check to see what the other's had found. "What's going on?" She asked Reid softly while Hotch barked orders through his cell phone.
"We found this." Reid handed over the UnSub's gift, and Emily couldn't help as her stomach revolted. She forced herself to avoid the pictures of JJ in moments where she obviously thought she was alone, but one item glared back at her, seemingly mocking the promise she had made with her friend.
"He knows she's here." She whispered in horror, her fingers tracing the medical id bracelet with JJ's name on it.
Morgan returned to the group, and punched the wall in front of him in frustration. "Damn!"
"Did she get you a description?" Spencer asked hopefully.
"A white or Asian man in a baseball cap with sunglasses and a goatee." Derek rolled his eyes. "But he could have been Hispanic, she's not sure."
Emily ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "We've got to get her out of here."
"Hotch is working on that right now." Reid supplied.
Due to the profiler's anger and focus on the item in front of them, no one had noticed the tall man exiting JJ's room and close the blinds that had been allowing them to observe JJ from outside.
Hotch turned back to the others. "I've arranged for a safe house. We'll have thirty agents here in about an hour to help with the move. He's probably watching this place—we'll get her somewhere safer."
No sooner had the words left his mouth before a long steady beep filled the hallway and nurses and doctors came rushing to JJ's room. The four profilers whipped around to see the blinds drawn.
"She's seizing." The doctor's voice floated through the hall. "Get me diazepam"
"BP's through the roof." Another voice informed them.
"Get her in recovery position." The first voice instructed. "Then run an EEG, MRI, and full blood workup. We've got to find out what's going on."
Four pairs of eyes looked at each other in shock as JJ was quickly wheeled past them.
Life just got more complicated.
