Garcia knew she was making headway, but for her it felt like this was taking forever in the wake of the scene she'd witnessed yesterday. She'd narrowed the area down to a 100-mile radius, but the closer she got, the harder it was to tear back the levels. She was totally engrossed in what she was doing, but was drawn back by the sound of an alarm from her computer. She'd added a program that would warn her when the signal came through again and wasn't sure she was ready to face it.
Penelope swallowed several times before hitting the button and gasped when she saw the missing man bathed in a circle of white light. "Oh, God," she whispered before calling Rossi and the others.
"What is it, Garcia?" Prentiss asked.
"He's back...the signal is back," Garcia said as the others gathered round.
"Agent Garcia, I am sure you have told the others to join you and so I will keep this short. Agent Rossi, it is time you realized there are consequences to your actions. Death is something we do not wish for, but when a man is tortured he sometimes wishes for death so that there is an end to his suffering. That will not happen today, but there will come a time when Agent Hotchner will gladly beg for death. So, with that thought in mind, enjoy what you are about to witness because you are the reason for it."
Morgan watched Rossi's face and wasn't surprised when the man showed no outward sign of how this was affecting him. Derek knew how wrong that was, and saw it in the man's dark eyes. This was tearing Rossi up, but there was nothing they could do about that until they found out who this bastard was and found Hotch.
Rossi knew the others were watching him, but he kept his eyes on the screen as a man wearing a mask walked over to Hotch and slowly injected something into his left arm. It wasn't long before whatever was in the syringe took effect and Hotch began to shake uncontrollably. Rossi silently cursed the bastards for doing this to his friend, but he kept quiet even when the first thin blade cut a shallow line across Aaron's chest. He had no idea what the man had in mind, but he knew to say anything right now, to show any kind of emotion would be giving the Unsub what he wanted. Hotch deserved better than that.
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John Bridges pulled in behind the dark car and shut off the engine before exiting his vehicle and walking to the main door. He rang the doorbell several times, but shifted on his feet when no one answered. There were two cars parked in the driveway, one he recognized, while the other could have belonged to anyone.
John reached for the handle, surprised when the door opened and he slipped inside. "Daniel, are you okay?" he called, but there was no answer and his worry increased with each tick of the Grandfather clock in the corner. He closed the door behind him and moved along the hallway, listening for anything that would tell him the older man was somewhere in the house.
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Daniel Roberson had heard the car enter his driveway and quietly excused himself when he heard the man calling his name. He cursed as his weakened body slowed him down even as he made his way toward the door leading into his home.
"Daniel, are you all right?" Bridges called again.
"I am fine, John. What brings you out here at this hour? I thought you were helping in the search for Aaron Hotchner?" Roberson said, quickly closing the door before the other man had a chance to see where he'd been.
"I am and that's why I'm here," Bridges answered. "I was hoping you could help me."
"I do not know what I can do to help...I have not worked with the police since I was injured."
"I know, but you might be able to help us identify this Unsub."
"How? I have no contacts any more."
"I know, but this particular Unsub talks like you do."
"What do you mean?"
"He doesn't use contractions and I remember you said there was an organization for people who wanted to keep the Queen's English as it was meant to be."
"That was a long time ago, John, I gave up attending meetings after your dad died," Roberson said and wished he could tell the younger man to leave. More than anything he wanted to get back to Aaron Hotchner, but right now that would only make the man suspicious.
"I was hoping you could give me a list of names."
"It was a long time ago, John, and most of them were not really into it like I was. I believe I was the last member of our charter," Roberson said.
"I know it's been a long time, but any help at all...anything you can remember could make a difference," Bridges said.
"I will see if I kept the lists, John, but I would not bank on it. I cleaned out most of those files when the charter closed. Now, I wish I could spend more time with you, but you caught me at a bad time. I have some business to attend to and I do not want to keep my guests waiting. There is a lot hanging on my ability to stay focused."
"All right, Daniel, but contact me when you check that list."
"I will," Roberson said and shook the younger man's hand. "Try not to be such a stranger, John. You know my door is always open."
"I know...I'll check my schedule and maybe we can catch a game."
"That sounds like a plan, Son, I will get back to you this afternoon." Roberson walked his visitor to the door.
"Daniel, is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine, John, I just have some things I need to tie up. I promise I will check into those clubs and get back to you as soon as I can," Roberson said and waited until the younger man got in the driver's side. He waved as Bridges backed up and closed the door, breathing a sigh of relief before returning to watch what was happening to Aaron Hotchner.
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Aaron Hotchner felt as if his body was on fire as whatever he was given spread through his veins. He cried out as his tormentor pressed a blade against his abdomen and pushed until a tiny bead of blood dripped onto the floor. He shook as the man reached behind him and held him in place before putting more pressure on the blade. He breathed through tightly clenched teeth as the older man returned and began speaking once more.
"So, Agent Rossi, I believe you should realize how wrong you were in befriending a man like Aaron Hotchner. It is because of you that he is suffering and will eventually die. Do you realize how many lives have been lost because of you?"
Hotch tried to ignore the agony, but the fire rushing through his veins made it impossible to think of anything else. He knew he was supposed to do something, but had no idea what it was as pain twisted through his gut. He looked down at the blade that seemed to glow with a crimson tide and lifted his head to look into the eyes of his tormentor.
"Look at Agent Hotchner's face, Agent Rossi...can you see how much pain he is in? I believe if we took off the duct tape he would curse you to hell and back. Should I do that? Should I remove the tape?"
Hotch shook with a combination of anger and pain and knew Rossi and his team were watching this. He needed to tell them something, but it was too damn hard to think with the masked man cutting into him. It reminded him of Foyet, only this time he couldn't go numb or pass out because there was too much pain and his nerves seemed to be firing uncontrollably.
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David Rossi kept his face impassive as he listened to the voice of his nemesis. The fact that Aaron Hotchner was gagged and they couldn't hear his pain made it even worse than if his screams were audible. It meant his friend was unable to voice his fears or his pain, yet there was no mistaking the abuse he'd already received.
"Now, Agent Rossi, I am sure you are enjoying this since you seem to relish the pain you cause your friends. How many people have you killed? How many friends have you buried because you thought you could do a job that was above your pay grade? I know of several good men who befriended you, just as Agent Hotchner has, and they were given an early grave. Do you think your life is worth more than theirs? Is that what makes a man like you tick?"
"Oh, God," Garcia's hand went to her mouth as the unknown torturer pushed a stiletto style knife into Hotch's right side. He left it there and reached for a syringe on the table. He made a show of tapping it with his finger and allowing a small amount to stream into the air before placing it at the captive's right elbow.
"I do not know what my associate injected into his arm, but I can assure you it does not bode well for Agent Hotchner."
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John Bridges stopped his car at the end of the street and tried to figure out what it was about Roberson that set off alarms. The man had seemed anxious to get rid of him, and said that he had guests, yet the house had been quiet. He'd learned long ago that he should trust his gut and right now it was telling him something wasn't right. He turned the car around and headed back to the house.
John knew he had nothing concrete, but something in the way Roberson had spoken and acted didn't feel right. If Daniel was in trouble, then he needed to help him, if he was wrong then he would simply apologize, and walk away with egg on his face. If he was right, then he would make damn sure whoever Daniel's guests were understood he was an ex-cop and had friends on the force...friends who would not let him be hurt.
Bridges pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway and had second thoughts about going back to the house. He sat for several minutes before turning off the engine and exiting the vehicle. Roberson was a retired cop and had enemies, and maybe that was why he felt as if he needed to make sure his father's former partner was all right. He knew he wouldn't be able to explain how he felt, but if he was right and Roberson needed help, he'd have nothing to feel silly about. If he was wrong, he was wrong and he could live with that, because he would know his friend was fine.
John toyed with the idea of knocking on the door, but he wanted to check things out. As a cop, he'd learned it was better to have the element of surprise on your side, even if it meant you had to eat crow when all was said and done. He knew Roberson had been at the back of the house and figured he must have been meeting with his guests on the patio. He was surprised when he reached the back yard and found it empty.
Bridges made his way toward the patio doors and looked inside, surprised to find them unlocked. They opened onto a family room with a large screen TV in the far corner and a partially open door that allowed bright light to dance across the hardwood floor. He quietly opened the sliding glass door and made his way across the room.
TBC
