Chapter 26

US Post Office
4031 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC

July 9th, 2012

They assembled in the parking lot of the post office across the street from the school. It quickly filled up with pretty much every cop car, federal agent, emergency responder and reporter currently inside the beltway. The bad part was that even though they were FBI, Hotch and Spencer were parents, and had to sit this out like it or not. The good part was that the best negotiator available wrote the book on the subject. If anyone could get the kids out safely Grandpa Dave could.

But that still left Spencer and Hotch to cool their heels and wait in the great mass of the waiting. "Did you call Shannon?" Hotch asked.

"She turns her phone off for therapy. I left a message. I told the agent guarding her to go in and get her." Spencer expected her to call back at any time. "I'd like to know what happened to the agent we left here."

"So would I." Hotch replied. He looked down as his phone chimed an incoming text. "They're trying to make contact now."

She would be fine, Spencer thought. She would be fine and if all else fails the best pediatric hospital in the city is just across the street. They're already setting up. She will be fine.

Hotch's phone chimed again. He looked down and frowned. "They're sending the children out."

"What?" That was...fast.

All of a sudden there was a roar as the mass of children ran out the front of the school and started pouring into the parking lot, every last one frantically looking for a parent.

It was a nightmare.

Thankfully Mia wasn't hard to pick out. Shannon had been buying her these play dress things, tunics with matching shorts and leggings, like giant t-shirts, with lots of comfortable room to grow and move and play. Today's choice was an eye searing combination of orange and hot pink stripes. "Mia!" He called out just as Hotch called to Jack and both kids ran to their father's arms.

"It's all right buddy." Hotch comforted Jack. "It's all right."

"Hey." Spencer said to Mia. "It's okay."

But Mia leaned back, her eyes wide. "Bad men!" she said.

"I know they were, but..."

"I know them!" She insisted. "They came to the house! They made Mom cry! I remember!"

She remembered. Two parents with eidetic memories, the chances of their daughter having one...Spencer turned to look back at the school...

Just in time to see the men on the roof lowering their rifles.

"Get down!" He screamed. He dove under a car, taking Mia with him, protecting her with his body just as the sniper's bullet cracked by his head and exploded into the windshield next to him.

Now it was a nightmare.

The gunmen weren't only on the roof of the school; they were also on the roof of the bank across the street, giving them perfect covering fire of the parking lot below. Children screamed, parents ran, it was chaos. Spencer huddled under a car with his daughter and looked at the one next to him where Hotch was protecting Jack. What was this? What...

Mia knew them.

He rolled enough to pull out his phone. Thankfully he managed to catch an open circuit. Now if only he wasn't too late.

One Washington Circle
Suite 211
Washington DC

JJ had never been so happy that Henry was still a little too young for summer camp. Although she didn't have a clue what she was going to do with him next summer now. She'd been planning on getting a space at the same one Jack and Mia were in.

Had been in.

Thankfully no kid was seriously hurt. And the only adults hurt were cops and not until they started firing back. But they got the guys, which was a big plus, and it was over quickly. Now it was just the clean up and dealing with the trauma.

And figuring out why.

Spence had an idea; that was why he'd begged someone, anyone, to go check on Shan. And she'd been free and closest to a car and and and...

And there was a dead FBI agent in the hallway.

She'd had two with her, fresh from the Academy. Thankfully it was a small office and they remembered how to quarter it well. No one was hiding, but there was another body. Not Shannon, she realized as soon as she looked at the hair. But that was Shan's cell phone in the corner.

Damnit.

Of course then her phone rang. "What did you find?"

Georgetown University
Parking Structure
Washington DC

"A body," Will replied. He'd received his own call from Reid not long before, "Dr. Franklin Bernat, from the Philosophy department; looks like someone hit him execution style as he went to get into his car. Jayje, what the hell is going on?"

"I don't know. Shan is missing; her therapist and the agent assigned are dead."

"You think the whole thing at the school was just a diversion?"

"Maybe. I don't know...hang on, I have another call."

Just then one of the uniformed officers beckoned him over and Will felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. "I think we both do."