After walking out of the conference room, JJ had gone to her office long enough to grab her range bag. She needed to let off steam soon or she would break. Ten minutes later she slides her hearing protection onto her head. As all ambient sound around her is cut off she takes a deep breath. In this world there is only her, her heartbeat, the gun and her target. She slides her safety glasses on and sends her target down range.
Her hand caresses the gun laying on the counter in front of her. She carefully lifts it, sliding in the first clip. She racks the slide, setting a bullet in the chamber. Each move specific, practiced, calming.
She lifts her eyes to the target. Raising the gun she sights in the silhouette. One more deep breath in to steady her pulse. As she exhales, she empties the clip into the target. She ejects the clip and lifts a second one, slamming it home and readying the first bullet. She sights in another portion of the target and empties her clip.
She repeats this 5 more times. She'd have done more but she only had 7 clips ready. Usually she took longer between clips, checking the target each time to make sure her aim was true. She didn't need that today. Today she knew her aim was true. Today she knew if she saw Myron Phillipe her shot would hit whatever she targeted.
She finally lowers the gun to the counter top. She hits the button that brings the target back up range. Seven clips, seven groupings of 12, none larger than a quarter. All had hit exactly where she aimed: left shoulder, right shoulder, center mass, heart, head, head, head.
She slowly packs up her gear, staring at the target the whole time. She had killed to protect the head of IAB and, in a way, Garcia. She had killed to protect Emily, Henry and her parents. If she killed Phillipe would it be revenge? She leans against the partition separating the shooting stations. She slowly slides to the floor, the tears she had been fighting since last night finally falling.
"He increased the demand, didn't he?" Elizabeth asks.
She had sensed when Hotch had entered the day care area. She was standing at a crib watching Henry sleep. He had no idea how much danger his Mama was in. He had no idea how torn up inside his Mommy was. He didn't even know his Grandmother was slowly breaking. He was truly sleeping the sleep of the innocent. What Elizabeth wouldn't give to be able to experience that one more time. Instead she slowly turns to look Aaron Hotchner in the face.
"Yes, he did. He…he also said if you don't pay it he'll…" he glances away a moment to gather himself. Elizabeth can see how much whatever he has to say is affecting him. "He says he'll sell Emily to the highest bidder."
He sees the flicker of fear flash across Elizabeth's face. But it's almost immediately replaced by the mask he's seen on Emily's face many times. "And did he…did they hurt her again?"
"Yes, ma'am. But she never gave them what they wanted. She never once cried out. He wanted that response to hurt us. Emily was too strong to give it to him. She's not done fighting, Ambassador. And neither are we," he says with conviction.
She smiles and nods. "I know. Is Jennifer okay?"
"She's taking some time to gather herself. She'll be ready when we take this bastard down."
She straightens her shoulders proudly. "Yes, she will. She's a Prentiss after all."
Hotch smiles and nods. "Yes, she is. I'll let you know any new developments."
"Thank you, Agent Hotchner."
Hotch turns to leave. He pauses when he hears Elizabeth start to sing. He turns back and sees her stroking Henry's back and singing a lullaby in another language. He vows to himself to bring the woman's daughter back to her and to the baby in the crib or die trying.
Every time Garcia successfully hacks a database she squeals with delight. Myron is ecstatic. She has come to life thanks to him. He had freed the vibrant woman from the confines of the legal system. She hides behind gaudy clothes and jewelry. Now she would wear the finest linens and real jewels. He would make her his queen.
Garcia smiles up at him and points to the screen. The seal of the President of the United States is on the monitor. "Want to know what he emailed his cousin yesterday?"
He laughs and kisses her cheek. "Only if it will embarrass him enough that he'll pay us to lose it."
Garcia shrugs. "Nah. Just a dumb joke about a lawyer, a horse and a mourning dove."
Myron thinks about it for a moment. "I can't even begin to fathom how those three things would come together in a joke. And I'm not sure I want to," he says with a laugh.
"Okay. Well, we'll just download his personal address book. That should get us a few bucks. At least enough for a Slurpee or two," she says with a wink, knowing the information would be worth much more.
Myron smiles and rubs her shoulders. "You are divine, my Penelope. I knew you would be." He kisses the top of her head. "I need to go check on a few things."
"Okay." She looks up at him adoringly. "Hurry back, honey."
He smiles. "I will. I promise." He leans down and captures her lips in a deep kiss.
As he leaves the room she watches him with love in her eyes. He blows her one more kiss from the door and she giggles like a school girl.
As the door shuts behind him, Garcia spins back around to the computer, the goofy grin off her face. As she starts to bury more strings of partial codes in the various hacks she has running, she starts to mutter to herself.
"There is not enough fucking mouthwash in the world to clean up my mouth. And if he doesn't quit kissing the top of my head I will have to shave myself balder than Morgan to get rid of the heebie jeebie's he's giving me. Fucking prick thinks I could love him after he's got Emily and Henry stuck in some little room. They may be together but they are still scared. I know they are. But I'm going to get us out of here, my sweets. I swear if I have to…ugh…you know…with him…I will. I will do what I have to do to protect Henry and Emily. I will."
She sends the last bit of code. If all is going well, the team will have pulled Kevin in to work with them. He'll find it before anyone. He's the second best computer geek in the FBI. She smiles proudly…second only to her. They were a hell of a team and together they would bring about the end to this situation before whatever Myron has planned comes to fruition.
On a nearby monitor, CIA undercover agents are flashing across the screen as their information downloads. Had Garcia been watching that computer she would have seen a younger Emily Prentiss and her cover information as Lauren Reynolds. Instead the next operative pops up as Emily's official record is now saved to one of Garcia's new toys.
Myron steps into Emily's prison. She is starting to come around. He squats down beside her, tenderly brushing the hair from her face. Her eyes flutter open, though the one on the side where she took the brass knuckles is starting to bruise some.
"Tsk, tsk. I did warn them not to damage your face any more than it was. I will have to make sure the boys know I mean what I say. Can I get you anything, Emily?"
She glares up at him. "A ride home would be nice," she croaks, her mouth dry.
He laughs as if it's the funniest thing he's ever heard. "Oh, Emily, you are really too much. So beautiful and yet funny, too. Do your co-workers ever get to see your lighter side? Or are you as icy cold as your mother?" Emily doesn't answer. "Does Jennifer get to see that side of you? I know she gets to see a lot of you." He trails a hand over her chest. "And I don't just mean your body, though she is one lucky bitch to get to see that." Emily bites her tongue to keep from responding. "Answer one question for me, Emily, and I will let you have something to eat and drink. Tell me, does Jennifer really make you scream in ecstasy or do you fake it like your whore of a mother?"
Emily's eyes widen. Suddenly she remembers the voice, remembers the man. He smiles as he sees the recognition in her eyes.
"I enjoyed fucking her, you know. But I didn't expect you to walk in on us that way. Who knows…maybe if I'd reacted better I could have gotten you to join us." Myron had gotten complacent. He taunts Emily because he thinks she is too injured to do anything to him.
"NO!"
Emily brings her hands up and clubs him in the side of the head. As he falls, she leaps on him, pounding his face with her clenched fists. She doesn't hear the men running in to save their boss. They grab her arms and drag her off of him. She kicks out with both feet, nailing Myron in the stomach. She struggles against the men holding her but she is no match for the three of them. They eventually have her on her knees, her arms tight to her body.
Myron slowly stands. "Big mistake, bitch. I really was going to let you mother buy you back. Now…now I don't care how much is bid. I'll sell you to whoever I think will make you suffer the most."
He kicks out, catching her in the temple. Her body goes limp though she doesn't lose consciousness. He storms out of the room. His men toss Emily down and follow their boss.
"Jennifer…Mother…I'm scared," Emily whispers.