THE COLLECTION
Chapter 14
Plans

"The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them, and then make our plans with confidence." – Henry Ford

Morgan aimed for the right chest. He didn't want the UnSub dead; he wanted some questions answered first. The bullet hit him squarely, and he fell back, dropping his gun.

Nothing moved on the boat. No one came out to help the fallen man. Aaron and Dave didn't move; there was no sign of Reid.

"Ok," Morgan called to the pilot. "Take us down as low as you can, Prentiss and I are going to get on board. Get back out of range, I'll let you know what we find, and if we need backup."

The pilot was good – the best in fact. There was short rope ladder on board, but Morgan and Prentiss didn't need it, they jumped the few feet onto the deck, knees bent, weapons in hand, ready for anything. Morgan went straight to the fallen UnSub. Emily went to Aaron and Dave.

"He's alive." Morgan said, picking up his gun, and frisking him quickly.

"Dave and Aaron are alive too." Emily stood. "Where's Reid?"

"Let's clear the cabins, get the situation secure."

Morgan and Emily checked down the sides of the boat – there was no one on the decks that they could see. Morgan kicked open the door to the first cabin. Reid was lying on his back, head and shoulders propped against the bulkhead. He had his hand on a wound in his lower chest, and the blood was pressing through his fingers, a scarlet river running down either side of him, forming a pool on the wooden deck. Reid was watching his blood flow in parallel lines along the grooves between the boards. One hand moved slowly to touch one stream with his finger, damming the stream and watching the blood overflow. He didn't look up as he spoke.

"So dark...so very dark...life flowing away..."

Emily kept them covered while Morgan went to his side.

"Hey kid. It's not flowed away yet. Help is coming."

Reid turned his head in short jerky movements. "Aaron? Dave?"

"Hold on, they are outside, alive. Now shush and you stay with us." Morgan turned to Emily. "Stay with him, while I secure the rest of the area. Watch your back."

Emily nodded, and he left the cabin. Emily went to kneel beside Reid. "I'm going to bring the others in. Don't go any where."

Emily went back out. The UnSub was breathing ragged but strong breaths. She went to Dave first. He was staring up into the early evening sky, blinking at the still bright sun.

"Hey, Rossi, I'm taking you inside now. I will try not to hurt you." She slipped her arms under Dave's body. Dave groaned as his wounds moved and blood started to flow once more.

"It's ok, Rossi, I'm going to make you comfortable." As quickly as she could, she carried him into the cabin and laid him on the bad. Then she went back for Aaron.

"Aaron, Sweetheart, I'm going to get you inside and out of this sun." She could see that Aaron's skin on his chest and back was blistered from the sun. It wasn't until she picked the man off the floor that she saw that he had a gun shot wound. His skin was cool and clammy and looked tight, although his face was cut and swollen, evidence of a severe beating. As she lifted him, his head hung back, his eyes remained closed.

She could smell Gin on him. As she turned to go back into the cabin, Morgan returned.

"Clear." he said, coming straight in to be beside Dave. Emily gently laid Aaron on the bed and touched his face.

"Hey, Sweetie." She said. "It's Emily. You're going to be ok now."

Morgan threw her a look but decided now wasn't the time to explore other people's relationships.

"Have the pilot call for medical back up." Morgan said. "Three injured Agents, all life threatening, and an injured UnSub." There was no room on the helicopter to take the three back. Morgan was worried about moving them. They needed a medical chopper, and one could be there in less than fifteen minutes.

Emily nodded, and took out her cell. She went out and stood on the deck, and called. She could see the chopper in the distance. As she spoke to the pilot, she glanced at the UnSub on the floor. When she thought about what this man had done to her friends and colleagues, and to the man she hoped would some day become her lover, she just wanted to hurt him. But like Morgan said, he could have information that could help them.

She delivered the message to the pilot, and she watched as the chopper disappeared into the clouds that were gathering. She just hoped that the clouds didn't herald a storm. She wasn't so good at sea.

She went into the relative cool of the cabin. Morgan had put Dave on the bed beside Aaron, and Spencer was on the couch. They passed in the doorway as Morgan went out again to bring the UnSub in. He was left on the floor at the edge of the room.

Emily sat on the edge of the bed beside Aaron. She had a cool damp cloth that she had got from the bar, dipping it into the ice bucket. She was gently cooling Aaron's face.

"Hr has a fever." She said to Morgan. "I think he's got an infection in his wound." She reached across and touched Dave's forehead. "So has Dave. They need to be in a hospital. The chopper is sending for medical aid."

Morgan was kneeling astride the UnSub. "Who are you? And what were you going to do?"

Doyle just stared at Morgan. "You shot me, you bastard. I will tell you nothing."

"Doyle...his name's Doyle." Reid whispered from behind him. "They were taking me...to be sold." He paused to catch his breath. "There were some others on board, but I've not seen them. I think Doyle's men may have killed them." Reid closed his eyes and breathed.

"Emily, call Garcia." Morgan said. "Doyle, and known associates. We need anyone of his associates involved in people trafficking."

"Hotch needs water." Reid said his voice almost a whisper. "They made him drink sea water, and alcohol." Reid's eyes were closed, and his lips, bloody and split, were hardly moving. "Thirty nine percent die..." His words faded to nothing. Emily went to the bar and found a bottle of Perrier as she spoke to Garcia.

Holding the cell between her cheek and shoulder, she lifted Aaron from the bed, and slowly tipped a little water onto his lips. "Come on, Honey, take a drink."

He opened his mouth a little, and licked his lips. "Hey, that's good." She said. "No not you, Pen. Hotch is taking a drink. Do you have anything?"

Emily was quiet for a while, and listened to her friend. "Thank you. If you get anything else,...ok, bye." She looked up at Morgan, who was checking on Dave. "Someone called Trader. Deals in white males, sells them to Arabs, or gives as gifts. Most are not seen again."

Morgan went back to Doyle, stood astride him, and pulled him up with his clothes. "Ok, creep. You planning on a rendezvous with Trader?"

Doyle didn't say anything. Morgan cocked his gun and placed it almost casually on the side of Doyle's throat. "I don't want to ask the same question twice, so talk, or I will remove your talking mechanism."

"Y-yes, nine o'clock, he's bringing his boat here." Doyle looked pale, though Morgan didn't know if it was his injury or the gun in his neck that had caused it. He twisted the barrel onto Doyle's skin, making him yelp. "How do you contact him?" Morgan asked, giving the gun a little push to remind him what the consequences on not speaking would be.

"The radio." He said, trying to pull away. "The radio down stairs."

"Ok," Morgan said. "I am going to take you to the radio, and you are going to put him off for three hours. You will meet him at midnight now."

Doyle shook his head. "I c-can't..." he began.

"I think you c-can." Morgan said to him. "Get up."

He 'helped' Doyle onto his feet none too gently, and pushed him ahead of him. "You have a call to make."

-0-0-0-

Morgan sat Doyle in front of the radio.

"What shall I tell him?"

"I'm sure you will think of something. How about engine trouble?"

Doyle nodded and made the call."Yes. Three hours. The engines are playing up. Bjorn is...yes he's here, he's down stairs fixing at the moment...midnight, yes. ...see you then." He cut the communication.

Morgan dragged him back out. "Well done. You earn not being shot yet." He said. He took Doyle to the galley where there was a bolted down table. He took the cuffs off the back of his belt and cuffed him to the table. Using a tea towel, he gagged him and left him lying on the galley floor.

Morgan got a call on his cell as he made his way back to the others. The Medics were almost there to take the injured to hospital. Morgan had decided that Doyle was going to stay with him. He was going to need him if he was going to get Trader. He stood outside in the cooling air and looked for the air ambulance. It was getting dark now, and he could see the light in the distance. There was a hose attached to a pump on the deck. Morgan switched it on, and hosed the blood into the sea. He didn't want to arouse the suspicions of Trader when he drew alongside in four hours time.

The light was closer now. Morgan turned on the lights on the deck to make it easier for the ambulance to find them. He felt profound relief as the Chopper descended towards them, and he could see the medics on board ready to get on the boat. He also saw two others. They were the first to jump down onto the deck.

"Detective Eliot Sutton, and my partner Detective Ricky Bate, Miami Dade Police. We're here as back up. We've been after the Trader for a long time. This is the closest we've got to him."

Morgan shook hands briefly, and led the 'medics to his injured team members. Emily stood back reluctantly as they set up an IV and carried Aaron to the chopper.

"You can go with him." Morgan said.

"I'm staying. He's in the best hands." Morgan smiled at her back as she followed them out. Morgan went to the chopper with Reid and Rossi.

"Hang on you two. I'm going to need you later." He gave their hands a squeeze. He felt a rush of relief when Dave squeezed back. It was the first response he had given. Reid turned to face him.

"We'll be fine." He whispered. "Just get them..."

Morgan nodded, and turned his back as the chopper lifted up into the air. He put an arm around Emily and they went back into the cabin.

"Ok," Morgan said. "Let's get this boat out of the area. We don't want to engage Trader before we are ready."

"I'll drive." Emily said. "I learned to do this when I was a teenager." She hurried out. Morgan sat at a table with Sutton and Bate. "We need a plan."