I'm back! Sorry for the week off and thank you for your patience. I've been eager to get back to the story and find out if our agents can save Charlie in time. Of course they can right? Right?

- O -

Chapter 11

Charlie looked up as Dufresne walked into the room. Charlie subconsciously shrank back, making himself a smaller target. Unfortunately, Dufresne noticed the action.

"What's the matter, Professor? Feeling guilty about something?"

Charlie's heartbeat sped up. Did he know about the algorithm? It was Charlie's only means to send a message to Don, if Don was even alive. But if Dufresne had figured out what he'd done, Charlie may not survive long enough to be rescued.

"My sources tell me that several FBI teams are on their way here. What did you do?"

"Nothing," Charlie said, his voice unsteady.

Dufresne's hand shot out, whipping Charlie across the face. He whimpered, grabbing his cheek and tasting blood.

"You may have believed that your actions were going to bring about your rescue, Professor, but now you will be facing the opposite."

Charlie said nothing. He looked into his captor's face, seeing the anger just barely held at bay. He was in more danger now than in his entire time with these people. Only one thought gave Charlie hope. Dufresne said that the FBI was coming. If he could just hold out long enough, he could still be saved.

"I don't blame you for contacting them," Dufresne continued. "In fact, I'm surprised it took this long. Long enough that you have completed your work."

"I'm not done yet," Charlie said quickly. "There is still money to be transferred.

Dufresne clucked his tongue. "But you are out of time."

There was a dangerous gleam in the man's eyes that made Charlie feel more fear since being escorted from his office at gunpoint or seeing Don shot. The FBI may be coming, but they would not arrive in time to rescue Charlie.

"Since you have been so helpful to us," Dufresne said, reaching behind his back, "I will reward you by not drawing out your death."

- O -

Agent Aaron Hotchner steered the vehicle off the highway and onto a smaller road. Ahead he could see the warehouses, one of which may hold their missing mathematician.

"This isn't right," Morgan said from the seat next to him.

"What isn't?" Hotch asked.

"Going in with lights on and sirens blaring. They'll kill the doctor before we can even draw our weapons. We need to be stealthy about this."

Hotch thought about the agent's words. Apparently, Emily Prentiss felt the same way.

"Remember the video footage of the kidnapping from Dr. Eppes' office? They didn't want anyone to know what they were up to. If anyone besides us had seen that video, they would have dismissed it as Dr. Eppes going out with some friends." Emily's voice was calm, but Hotch could hear a subtle strain that meant she wasn't just voicing opinions, she wanted to convince Hotch that he needed to change course.

"These guys work in secret. They don't want to expose themselves or their plans until the last moment. If we force that moment, it could get the doctor killed," Morgan added.

"I understand," Hotch said, reaching for the radio. "Agent Sinclair, tell the teams to hold back."

"Come again?" David's voice crackled through the noise and static.

Morgan was looking at a map. "There's a parking lot just to our left up here."

"Pull off in the parking lot," Hotch said into the radio. "Tell the other teams to do the same." He replaced the receiver before Agent David Sinclair could argue again.

Five minutes later, the FBI teams stood huddled in the parking lot.

"What's going on?" Colby Granger asked, not trying very hard to mask his irritation.

"We need to be smart about this," Hotch said.

"The smart thing is to rescue Charlie," Colby said anxiously.

"Hotch is right," Rossi interrupted. "If we storm the place, it could get Dr. Eppes killed."

"So what do you propose?" Agent Sinclair asked.

Morgan answered. "Smaller teams. We take them quietly. Take out anyone who is part of their organization and find your man."

"We don't want a repeat of the last warehouse," Hotch said.

There was silence for several seconds following this statement.

Finally David spoke. "Morgan, Hotch, and Jareau. You're with me. Colby and Megan, take Rossi and Prentiss. Find Charlie. And try to find him alive."

- O -

Farther down the street, Don Eppes reached the warehouse at 425 on Gene Street. It was as unremarkable as every other warehouse on the street with corrugated metal walls and a flat roof. Parking in the shadows, Don inspected the warehouse, searching for signs of life. More importantly, signs of Charlie's life.

After the engine of his SUV stopped, he could hear the generator powering the building. Someone was definitely doing something with electricity. It was enough for Don to move forward.

Exiting his vehicle as quietly as he could, Don limped forward until he reached the wall of the building. He drew his service weapon, keeping it point toward the ground. He crouched, making his way along the side of the warehouse, looking for a way in.

Suddenly a door opened ahead of him. Don froze. He watched as two men walked from the building and caught a few of their words.

"…be here soon. We need to leave now."

"Where?"

"Dufresne says to lay low until it's time to execute."

"Where is Dufresne?"

"Taking care of the professor."

Don wanted to shoot the men in their backs as they walked away, but instinct and training made him hold his position. Taking care of the professor? This was it then. Charlie was here. Don could only hope he wasn't too late.

Taking a deep breath, Don entered the door the two men had just exited.

- O -

"There was movement. Did you see that?" Colby asked aloud.

"There are two suspects exiting the building," Rossi said into his radio.

"And a third that just entered," Colby said.

Hotch's voice crackled back. "Prentiss, Rossi, see if you can follow the suspects. Colby and Megan, keep with the plan.

The two DC agents broke off and moved toward the retreating men. Colby and Megan crept toward the door. They knew the other team was around the back looking for their own way in. Back up waited in the parking lot with the vehicles, seconds away if the FBI teams ran into trouble.

"Ready?" Colby asked.

Megan said nothing.

"What's up?" Colby recognized the look on Megan's face. She had caught something he'd missed.

"The third suspect," Megan said. "The way he moved so quietly. I would have thought it was one of us."

"You think one of our agents went on ahead? Trying to play hero?"

"I can think of only one agent right now who would be so foolish," Megan said.

Colby hesitated for the briefest moment then reached for the radio.

"Heads up, guys," he said. "We think Don Eppes may be inside the warehouse."

At that moment, a gunshot rang out.