TITLE: Criminal Minds – "Darkest Days" (A sequel to Behind the Mask)

AUTHOR: D M Harper

SUMMARY: Agent Prentiss is forced to face her secretive past when it threatens the safety of her BAU colleagues and her beloved family.

RATING: For Mature Readers.

DISCLAIMER: This story was conjured up for reading entertainment only. No money has exchanged hands or bank accounts. There is no profit gained, just fancy flights of imagination. There is no intention to infringe on the copyright of CBS Television Studios or creator Jeff Davis. This writing does feature consensual sexual interaction between two females, so if you are underage or unable to view due to restrictions in your part of the world, be gone and take my sympathy with you. If you find such material offensive, too bad, so sad, you chose to enter this web site of your own free will; hence you have no one to whine to except yourself or a parent if you are caught, so bugger off!

A/N: Please find them time to review and feed the Muse. Much appreciation to those of you who take the time to comment.

Chapter 10

Thursday 24th February, 2011

Running behind time, a light grey pants suit and maroon low-cut sweater wearing Emily rushed into the Briefing Room and apologised, "Sorry I'm late everyone." She swiftly hooked her shoulder bag over the back of the chair between Ashley and Derek then sat down.

"Are you all right?" inquired Aaron with furrowed brow.

"Yes, I'm just having one of those weeks. What did I miss, arson?" Emily asked while looking to the monitor.

Derek answered, "We have two house fires from last night, both in the D.C. area. One appears to be a murder-suicide and the other a freak accident involving a gas leak."

With quirked eyebrows, Emily inquired, "Why are we looking at it?"

Rossi explained, "House fires are rare and coupled with the fact both occurred miles from each other and within an hour, I'd say that lowers the chances of coincidence."

Reid put forth his thoughts, "Whoever did this is highly motivated and organised."

Hotch started to collect his paperwork, "If he wants to act again, he has seventy two hours of opportunity left before this city is closed down by the storm. Rossi and Prentiss, you check out the crime scenes. Seaver and Reid, you stay here and work with Garcia on a profile while Morgan and I go talk to the Medical Examiner."

The Team members stood and Emily was left in the room with Penelope as the others departed. She knew her friend was going to question her in regards to her tardiness and wasn't prepared to lie again.

"Hey Princess," a black dress with a blue print and blue cardigan attired Penelope said in greeting.

"Hey yourself,' returned Emily while lifting her bag over her right shoulder and picking up her tablet and files. She made a bee line for the exit.

Penelope wasn't having any of that, "Did you and Jill have a sexy start to the day?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, you are answering a question with a question. That piques my interest."

"Don't Garcia," warning Emily, opting for the direct approach.

"Don't what, fish for information?"

Tilting her head to the left, Emily frowned, "Seriously."

Unperturbed, Penelope continued with the teasing, "I'm going to make it my goal to find out all about what you and your adorable wife's get up routine in the mornings that makes you not show for work until after midday."

Emily was done with the conversation and barked, "Just stop already. Don't we have enough to worry about without you prying into my personal life?" She left and a shock faced Penelope remained behind.

-o-

Loa Tzu said, "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."

Emily hopped into the front passenger seat of the Suburban and buckled up. As Dave settled into the driver's seat, she asked, "Do you want to fill in the pieces I missed?"

"Before I do, is there anything going on that I can help you with?"

"Thanks, but everything is fine. I just had a bad night and forgot to set my alarm then missed my train, so I had to drive in. The traffic was crazy."

Rossi glanced at Emily with elevated eyebrows, "You only live ten minutes away in Woodbridge, why would you be using the train?"

Emily had become so accustomed to lying, the words just rolled off her tongue, "I had dinner with a friend over at my old apartment building and stayed the night."

"I suppose you imbibed in a few too many wines too?"

"No actually, I didn't drink at all."

Seemingly mollified with that explanation, Dave changed the topic, "You must be looking forward to having Jillian back on the Team next week?"

"It will do her good to get back to work. She can stop living vicariously through our cases when we talk."

Chuckling at the statement, Dave grinned as he stopped at a red traffic light. It faded as he began the review, "Two houses were torched last night and two families lost."

"I'm surprised it isn't all over the news."

"So am I. The only subject being reported on is the impending storm that may or may not hit here. Garcia managed to find an article on the fires online by some guy named Jeff Hastings, but the media isn't running with it," commented Rossi as the light turned to green.

"That's unusual for them not to jump on something so tragic and local."

"It gets even odder."

"How so?" inquired Emily, now in full Agent mode.

"Ron and Lauren Cosenza, along with their ten year old son were discovered in the main bedroom with gunshot wounds to their foreheads. The weapon used was registered to the father?"

"Hence the murder-suicide theory?" speculated Emily.

Rossi nodded, "The Metro Police Department is pursuing that line of investigation, but it's still the first forty eight hours, so they want our assistance in figuring out what actually happened. Kerry and Frank Fagan were also found in their bedroom. The home apparently was set alight by a gas leak."

"How the hell does the news service miss a house explosion and another house fire?"

"Beats me Kiddo, I'm at a loss."

"Did Garcia find any connection between the two families?"

"Yes, a continent. Kerry Fagan was born in Germany and Ron Cosenza is from Italy."

"I don't think that helps us much," noted Emily straight-faced.

"It doesn't at this stage, but you never know; it may link into other information we collect."

"True."

-o-

Entering the main bedroom of the Cosenza's home situated on the corner of Beeman Avenue, Emily reached for her phone when it rang. Placing it against her right ear, she answered, "What do you have Garcia?"

"I'm just calling to let you know there's been a mix up with the Metro PD and they won't be able to join you there."

"Okay, thanks for the heads up, bye."

"Uhm, before you go, I'm sorry for upsetting you earlier."

"It's okay and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I'm just overtired."

"So we are good?"

"We most certainly are, talk to you later."

"Phew, that's awesome news and bye."

Putting her phone back into her overcoat pocket, Emily turned to Dave, "That was odd. The Detectives from Metro PD aren't going to show, so we are on our own."

"Not a problem," acknowledged Rossi as he surveyed the slightly burnt out room.

"What have you got?"

Looking around, Rossi answered, "The fire didn't spread due to the smoke detectors and installed sprinkler system."

Viewing the area behind Dave, Emily moved towards the door and gestured to a large slide lock, "What's with all the security and why is the door made of steel? What did Cosenza do for a living?"

Moving behind Emily, Rossi referred to his notebook then remarked, "He was into computer networking and the Fagan's were financial advisors."

"This is a fairly middle class neighbourhood with a low crime rate; surely there wasn't a need for stringent security measures on the bedroom door. This looks more like a panic room to me."

"I'm with you on that notion, but there is an absence of high tech equipment. There's no sign of surveillance cameras and there's only an average security system installed."

"Doesn't make sense, nor does the fact the subject had a forty calibre gun and went overkill with the house locks."

Rossi glanced at Emily, "What made this guy so scared?"

"Maybe it's a question of who frightened him."

"By the looks of things, maybe he was afraid of himself. I mean, if he actually murdered his family it figures he was hiding something."

"I agree. Let's go view the other house."

-o-

Back in the Incident Room, Ashley was studying the murder board and Spencer was seated at the table going over the files. Penelope walked up the stairs in the hallway carrying her bag and announced, "I couldn't find any history of mental illness or psychological weirdness with either family." Placing her bag on the floor beside Reid, the Analyst withdrew her laptop and set it on the table. "Everyone was happy, healthy and fit."

"Until last night apparently," quipped Seaver who had donned a dark blue pants suit and light blue/white pinstriped shirt that morning. "Were there any indications of financial problems?"

"No, every account, personal and business was in the black with no outstanding bills. Both families were financially secure."

Rotating away from the board, Ashley took in Penelope's purple woollen gloves and matching scarf, "Why are you all rugged up?"

"The heat isn't working in my lair. Not one snowflake has fallen up and the weather remains the priority news story."

"Still nothing on the cases?" inquired Ashley.

"Not yet, but that is sure to change once they get jive to the fact we are actively working on the cases and trying to establish a connection. Once that occurs it will be a freaking media circus."

Looking up from the file in his hand, Spencer finally made his presence known, "Mmm."

"Don't leave us hanging Boy Wonder, what have you found?" prompted Penelope with a grin.

"Considering the time when the fires occurred, there is a total conflict with the location of the bodies."

"The master bedroom?" queried Ashley.

"Usually at that time, Laura Cosenza would have been downstairs assisting her son with his homework and Ron wouldn't have arrived home from work until much later."

Leaning against the table, Seaver asked, "And what about the Fagans, do you have anything on their normal daily regime?"

"Unlike the Cosenza family, the Fagans didn't keep a chore chart on their refrigerator and their routines were less established. That was probably due to the fact they travelled a lot. They were actually supposed to be attending a dinner party last night."

Penelope voiced her concerns, "If some sick individual or individuals actually killed these families, what are the odds of it being random?"

"The chances are astronomical," put forth Spencer.

-o-

Lifting the white sheet from the head region of a cadaver, Derek asked, "What is your opinion Doc?"

The bearded, grey haired Medical Examiner referred to the chart he was holding in his hands, "It's not every day we see two families on the same night expire mysteriously during a house fire."

Hotch, who was standing to the left of Morgan, caught the inference, "So you are saying it may not be a coincidence that there was a reported gas leak at the Fagan home and a fire set at the Cosenza's to cover up a murder/suicide?"

"As you are aware, the Investigators reported that was the situation with the fires, but it just doesn't fit in with what I found. No member of the Cosenza family had smoke in their lungs."

Derek's eyebrows arched, "It fits if Ron killed his wife and son then shot himself."

The Doctor shook his head at Morgan, "I said no member of the Cosenza family displayed signs of smoke inhalation and that includes the suspected murderer."

Hotch asked, "Even though the fire started in the master bedroom?"

"I would have found traces of smoke in his lungs even if there was only a minute between the time he set the fire and pulled the trigger on himself."

"He was dead when the fire commenced," declared Hotch.

"Precisely," returned the Doctor.

Morgan turned to Aaron, "This changes everything."

"Time to get back to the office and tell the others."

-o-

The elevator headed towards the sixth floor, Dave glanced at Emily, "Garcia still hasn't found any probative connection between the victims."

Rolling her eyes, Emily suggested, "There has to be something that ties them together."

"On paper they're all perfect and everything is clean, but what happened to them last night was anything but."

Receiving a message alert, Emily pulled her phone from her coat pocket. Looking at the screen and seeing it was from Easter, she groaned and returned the cell to its previous location.

"Are you all right?" inquired a concerned Rossi.

After a heavy sigh, Emily answered, "People chose to text instead of calling; it's just as intrusive."

"Maybe you should think about taking a little vacation time with Jillian and the kids. I hear Italy is wonderful this time of year."

With the reference to her mother, Emily smirked at Dave, "I don't think the Ambassador would be too thrilled with that idea, besides Jill is really looking forward to starting back at work on Monday."

"Italy is a big country; you don't have to actually stay with your mother."

"It's not big enough Rossi," retorted a smiling Emily. Getting out of the country would be an intelligent plan, but she needed to find Doyle, not run away from him.

The lift stopped and Dave gestured to Emily's coat pocket, "Think about it and chose a place where that phone of yours won't work."

"I'll think about it," lied Emil behind a laugh. Separating, she approached her workstation and noticed Reid working away at his desk. Dropping her bag onto her desk, she apologised when it startled Spencer, "Sorry about that."

He looked up then behind, "Oh, I thought you were in the Incident Room." He returned his attention to the folder he'd been rifling through.

Emily was concerned with her friend's behaviour, "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm positive these victims connect somehow. Garcia gave me their phone logs, but I can't find anything."

"Spencer, don't worry about that for a second. You just jumped when I put my bag down."

Looking at Emily, Reid confessed, "I've been having really bad headaches the last few days."

"I hope you've been to a doctor."

"I've been to several and no one has been able to figure out what is going on."

"Crap, I'm really sorry Spence. Does anyone else know?"

"Only you."

Noting the worry on the young man's face, Emily commented, "I won't inform the others."

"Thanks. They will only worry, not that you won't either, but the others tend to make me feel like a baby and you don't"

"Thanks."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm good," returned Emily, not wanting to count the number of times she had lied the past few weeks.

Spencer's eyes focused on her hands, "I see you have been chewing your nails again."

"Yes unfortunately."

"You only resort to that when you are stressed," pointed out Reid.

Attempting to cover the reason behind the destroyed cuticles, Emily shrugged her shoulders, "It's just a bad habit I can't seem to shake."

Refocusing on the file, Spencer muttered, "Ah huh." Sliding back his chair, he stood and looked at Emily, "You coming to the meeting?"

"I'll be right there," Emily replied prior to sitting down and opening the left side drawer. Glancing inside, her features became saddened then she looked across the room. Lost in thought, she stayed there.

-o-

Garcia and Hotch entered the room with Penelope announcing, "The media circus I have been waiting to arrive in town hasn't turned up. The original article on-line written by Mister Hastings has been pulled. With your permission Sir, I'd like to track him down and find out just what is going on."

'Do it," answered Hotch before sharing the M.E.'s report with the others present. Once he was done, he said, "We are dealing with more than one UNSUB here. Garcia, did you find a link between the two families?"

Getting comfortable in her chair, Penelope replied, "I did, but it's only small. Both families coached soccer on the Hill."

"The Fagans didn't have children," noted Ashley with interest.

"No," began Penelope. "But she did coach her godson's team."

Looking up from his file, Derek added, "The two victims from Europe were soccer coaches."

Smiling brightly, Penelope commented, "That makes sense, doesn't it?"

Morgan kept his attention on her, "I'm starting to think these families have crossed paths before."

Reid interjected, "I ran the victims' phone logs. There isn't a connection to one another, but there is a common number that appeared."

"I'll take that," announced Penelope.

"703 555 0118," stated Spencer as Penelope typed away on her reverse phone number program.

"And we have a winner," cheered Penelope. "Byron Delaney, born on the fifth of May 1951 lives at 2221 Teague Street, Boston. His wife Grace passed away last summer and their three children are now adults. Well, what do you know … he is British?"

Standing, Derek remarked, "Garcia, send me the address and I'll grab Prentiss for the trip."

"Done my chocolate muffin."

-o-

Due to the recent tension between Derek and Emily, the seven hour road trip to Boston was quiet until Emily asked, "What are your thoughts on these guys?"

"They certainly are contradicting themselves. They leave behind bodies but employ an elaborate cover up."

Emily voiced her suspicion without divulging any information on Doyle, "Do you think they deliberately pulled us in on the case?"

"Why would they go to such lengths in the hope the BAU would be brought in?"

"Maybe they have some agenda including control and ego."

"I doubt we are even on their radar Prentis, do you?"

Glaring out the window to the street lit area, Emily hoped the words spewing from her mouth were correct, "You're probably right. Why would we be in their sights?"

Pulling up alongside the curb opposite a darkened stone house, Derek turned to Emily, "Are you sure this is the address?"

"That's what Natsav says," responded Emily while leaning forward and viewing the house. "Maybe no one is home."

Derek unbuckled his seat belt as did Emily, "Garcia never called us back, so I am assuming she got no reply from Delaney when she called and is still trying."

Alighting from the vehicle, the two Agents were met by a dark clothed male wearing a white plastic face mask exiting the house as they crossed the road. He was carrying a semi-automatic assault rifle and opened fire as Morgan shouted to Emily, "Get down Prentiss."

Running behind their car, Morgan and Emily took cover as a hail of bullets penetrated the black SUV. Taking out their weapons, the two returned gunfire as three other men dressed similarly to the assailant joined the assault.

Moving sideways along the vehicle, Emily approached the tail and discharged her gun at the initial gunman. She ducked back down against the side for cover when the trio linked up and became a foursome. Heavy gunfire continued to riddle the car and shoot out the windows as the UNSUBs made their way along the sidewalk.

"Move, move," one of the men instructed with an Irish accent. "Keep moving."

Nearing the rear section of the destroyed car once more, Emily took aim at one of the UNSUBs.

"Look out," warned the obvious leader.

Emily turned her back and took cover once more as numerous bullets blew out the back window and pierced the metal frame. Derek was right beside her and unable to return fire.

Emily heard the leader say, "Let's go." She immediately straightened up slightly and she and Derek followed the men along the sidewalk.

More bullets were exchanged as the Agents tracked the UNSUBs. They crouched behind parked cars and slowly made their way down the street.

The UNSUBs turned a corner and the words, "Get the van" were detected by Emily and Derek.

Standing up from behind a red Chevrolet Impala, Emily fired off two rounds and struck one of the men in the upper left thigh. He cried out in pain as Emily crouched back down. An engine started and then there was the sound of two shots being discharged. This was followed by the slamming of a metal door, a motor revving then a squeal of tyres.

Emily emerged from her cover in time to see a grey van speeding off in a westerly direction. Derek joined her and they looked to the man lying on the pavement as sirens drew nearer.

-o-

After waiting for backup to arrive on scene, Emily and Derek examined their only clue to the remaining UNSUBs. Both donned blue latex gloves and Derek spoke first, "Well, this is one story the authorities won't be able to bury."

"He's just a kid," noted Emily. "He can't be older than mid-twenties."

Shaking his head, Morgan scoffed, "Once a kid picks up an assault weapon, he is no longer a kid."

The Agents knelt and took a closer look with Derek pointing to the suspect's left leg, "There's four points of entry, and that one is yours. Looks like you hit his femoral artery."

"He was dead the minute I hit him, and the others knew it. I bet he didn't figure they would end him when the joined up."

"There are two shots to his head and one to his wrist. Why would they shoot him in the wrist?"

"Obviously they didn't want him to return fire on them."

"Seriously, he was dead before his head hit the sidewalk," returned Derek. He took a closer look at the right wrist and lifted up the arm, "Prentiss, there is a tattoo or at least what's left of one."

"Ah."

"They put a shot through his tattoo because we could have identified him."

Standing up, a poker-faced Emily agreed, "That's because they are confident we can't ID his face or prints."

-o-

Inside Delaney's told another story as Dave and Aaron investigated while CSU and local police worked the scene. Delaney was deceased and slouched on an armchair in the living room.

Referencing his notepad, Dave shared, "There is no GSW or signs of strangulation."

Studying the victim's footwear, Hotch commented, "Have a look at his shoes, his right is untied." Kneeling, Aaron took of the shoe in question and sock then examined the skin between the big toe and the next phalanges and discovered a needle mark. "He was injected with something."

"And made to look like a heart attack," added Rossi. Glancing at his notebook, he continued, "Armour tech windows and six pin locks on the entrance door."

Aaron straightened up as Rossi moved towards an opened briefcase lying on the carpeted floor, "Same as the Fagans and Cosenzas."

Dave took a closer look at the case's contents, "We got twenty thousand dollars in cash, a handgun and several passports. This victim was on the move." Returning to his notepad, he went on, "The last two outgoing calls lasted only seconds. At ten thirty he called Kerry Fagan and one minute later he phoned the Cosenzas. There were no messages left and he didn't attempt to warn them."

"By the looks of things here, someone warned Delaney; if not on the phone than it had to have been in person."

"I'm figuring that whatever connection there is to these victims it didn't occur on American soil. I think they knew each other overseas."

"I'm with you."

"Let's find out what Morgan and Prentiss have."

-o-

Discarding her gloves into her coat pocket, Emily folded her arms against her waist, "Three of the victims are from Europe, which is more than a coincidence."

Pocketing his gloves, Derek moved around to the right side of the body, "I agree and the mini barrelled rifles the UNSUBs used sends the message they are serious."

Aaron and Dave approached as Emily noted, "You saw how they moved; they have to be ex-military."

"Maybe we are dealing with a European hit squad cleaning house. It wouldn't be the first time."

Turning to Hotch, Emily pointed out, "These guys could have taken us out; the odds were against us, so why didn't they kill us?" She omitted the fact she had heard an Irish accent.

Morgan answered, "Because they are smart enough to know that killing FBI Agents in the streets would have started a war." Looking down, he added, "A war this kid wasn't prepared for. He is just a foot soldier and the one who shot him is the leader."

Rossi remarked, "Delaney's death was staged just like the others. He was on the move which suggests someone had warned him to get out of the country."

"And that person is next on the hit list," proposed Hotch.

-o-

Leaving Quantico, Emily was in two minds about going to her apartment or going home to her family. There was no doubt she was being followed to and from work and as such, she had stopped using her car. Travelling by taxi and train had become her method of transport, but she still had the feeling Doyle's men weren't far behind her. She was debating whether to adopt a disguise and see Jill and the twins or just calling her wife when she boarded the train. Noticing a man watching her as she took a seat, her decision was made … a phone call won.

Arriving at her apartment, Emily went through the regular security checks before showering then getting ready for bed. With no appetite, she forewent a very late dinner and settled under the covers before reaching for her phone and setting the alarm. With Hotch ordering a nine o'clock start, that gave Emily two hours to sleep. She laughed when she realised there would no rest at all, just like most nights these days.

As she went to press the contact number for Jillian, Emily stopped and changed her mind. It was far too early to be phoning and waking up the children, let alone her wife. Placing the cell phone on the nightstand, Emily closed her eyes and thought about the current case.

Ten minutes later she was startled by the ringing on her phone. Reaching for it, she smiled at the caller ID. Then she frowned when she thought how pissed Jillian was probably going to be. Gulping, she answered, "Hey baby."

"Hello sweetheart are you okay?"

Taken about by the nice reply, Emily got straight down to business, "I'm all right and you?"

"I'm worried about my wife's extended absence from the family home and the fact she and her partner were shot at hours ago."

"Crap, who told you?"

"Aaron called the house to check on you. I had to make up some cock and bull story about you being asleep when he asked to speak with you."

"I'm so sorry baby. I didn't mean for you to have to lie."

"I agreed to give you time and space to sort out whatever is going on with you, but I was under the impression it had to do with work. Now I find out Aaron knows nothing about you living at your old address."

"It is work related Jill I swear to you, but Hotch is not aware of the situation."

"Fuck me Emily, how long is this shit expected to last? The babies are constantly looking for you while you are off on some secret fucking mission. What am I to think, please tell me so I can act accordingly?"

Emily's heart shattered into a million pieces, "I just ask that you continue to trust me Jill. It will all be over soon."

There was a sob on the line, "I hope so Em because I don't know how much more I can handle."

"Please don't cry."

"I can't help it, I miss you so much."

"I miss you and the babies too."

"Will I see you tonight?"

"I don't honestly know Jill." That was the truth and it hurt like a bastard as Emily held back her tears.

"Shit, I suppose I'll just have to wait and see you at work next week. Bye."

The line went dead and Emily burst into tears. She cursed Doyle, threw in a few expletives directed at Clyde Easter then got up and dressed for work. She was not a happy camper and ready to kick some serious arse.

-o-

Up next: The truth is getting closer as Emily and Jillian drift further apart.