Sorry for the delay. So, where are we…? Em kidnapped, a body was found but it wasn't her…now she's ill and the UNSUB went hunting again but messed up big time. The agents are about to receive the biggest break in the case when they go to question the witness.

Through The Fire

Hotch knocked on Director Strauss's office door and waited for the invite before stepping inside.

"Agent Hotchner," Strauss greeted, her eyes carefully scrutinizing his expression, "I heard there was a development last night."

"It appears there may be a development," he corrected. "A young woman was attacked, but managed to escape. Unfortunately, the attacker beat her severely before making his escape."

"Do you believe this person may be the one responsible for Agent Prentiss's disappearance?"

Hotch thought for a full moment before replying. "We aren't sure. There were no real witnesses to the actual abduction, and no solid description to go on. One witness after the fact mentioned that the UNSUB may have had a limp. At this moment, it may be coincidence. Agent Jareau and I are going to the hospital to question the victim shortly."

"The FBI Director and both Ambassadors are going to want an update," Strauss replied.

"The police report along with the hospital report will be sent to you immediately," Hotch answered evenly.

Strauss held Hotch's gaze for a long minute, as if sizing him up. "Do you believe that this person is who we are looking for?"

"Honestly? I believe that the crimes are linked together. As to whether we get the evidence we need soon enough to prevent him from doing this again is another story."

"You do realize that my hands were tied when the cases were first presented to me," Strauss stated.

"I realize that there were circumstances out of your control," Hotch indirectly commented.

"I didn't mean for this to happen to my agent." Hotch wasn't sure, but he swore he heard a break in the Director's voice.

"Crime is indiscriminate; it doesn't care who or what you are. I should know."

Strauss's face softened for a brief second. "I know." Turning back to the folders on her desk, she replaced her glasses and opened one. Scanning it quickly, she briefly raised her eyes. "You may go now," she dismissed him. "Oh, Agent Hotchner," she called out.

Hotch turned to face her. "Director?"

"I need to know if there has been any impropriety in your team."

Holding her look, Hotch let his stoic nature remain intact as he tried to give as truthful a response as possible. There would be time to deal with what had transpired between Rossi and Prentiss after all was said and done, but at the moment, it was not the cause of what had happened and there was no reason to create a mountain out of a molehill.

"I'm not sure what you are asking."

"Is Agent Rossi having a relationship with Agent Prentiss?" Strauss returned.

"None that I am aware of," Hotch replied carefully.

"Are you sure?" Strauss asked, stressing the last word.

"My team is professional on all levels, Director Strauss, and I have no reason to doubt them and how they conduct themselves."

Strauss stood up. "I have reason to believe that Agents Rossi and Prentiss have been fraternizing in their off time. If that is the case, then I will have no choice but to take the matter to the review board when Agent Prentiss is recovered."

Recovered? Hotch thought as his stomach dropped but his features revealed nothing except to harden at her choice of word. "I am very sure that Agent Prentiss will be more than willing to answer any questions about her personal life when she is rescued," he corrected. "Will that be all, Director?" he asked, stressing the last word deliberately.

Strauss swallowed hard but maintained her cool. "That will be all, Agent Hotchner. Please update me when you have questioned the victim."

Giving a slight nod, Hotch closed the door behind him.
******

Hotch and JJ flashed their credentials.

"Special Agent Hotchner; this is Special Agent Jareau. We are here to talk to Josie Esposito. How is she doing?"

The doctor looked at the credentials and nodded. "I just checked on her a little while ago. The swelling went down and she regained consciousness. Her vocal cords were irritated by the mace and we put her on a heavy dose of anti-histamine, so she might be a little incoherent."

"That's alright; we just need to talk to her for a few minutes. She is the only witness to a possible serial killer."

"Okay. I do advise you not to excite her." He led the agents down the hall to a closed door. "We are going to keep her here a couple of more days. We can't seem to find a next of kin to contact."

JJ made a note to call Garcia. "We will get that taken care of."

"Thank you," the doctor replied. Knocking lightly, he opened the door and stepped inside. "Good morning, Josie," he greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," the young woman rasped. "When can I go home?"

"Like I mentioned earlier, you will have to stay a few more days due to the respiratory distress from the mace," the doctor replied. He turned to Hotch and JJ. "These FBI agents have a couple of questions to ask you. Do you think you're up to it?"

Josie nodded while shrinking into her bed. As the doctor closed the door behind him, she scanned Hotch and JJ with fear in her eyes.

"Hello, Josie," JJ greeted in a friendly tone. "I'm Jennifer Jareau and this is Agent Hotchner. We need to ask you a couple of questions about what happened last night."

"I didn't mean to get in that car," Josie began.

JJ sat down beside the bed. "We know that."

"Are you going to arrest me? I know that being a prostitute is against the law and all…"

JJ shook her head. "We are not going to arrest you," she assured the frightened young lady. "We need to ask you a couple questions about your attacker. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Josie nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"Did he drag you to the car or were you invited over?" JJ asked.

"My friend and I went over, but he didn't want a red head, so he told her to go away. He offered me two hundred dollars."

"And you got in?"

Josie shrugged. "Well, his car was warm and it was cold outside."

"Was there anything about him that raised alarm bells?"

"You mean like was he creepy?" Josie remarked. JJ nodded. "No. He seemed pretty normal."

"How did he look? Did he have a beard? Was he handsome? Did he have body odor?" JJ questioned trying to jar the woman's memory.

Josie bit her lip as she tried to remember. "He had sandy blonde hair and he wore glasses…like Clark Kent."

JJ scrunched her brow. "Clark Kent? Big frames?"

"No. There was no lenses; just the frames."

"Then what happened?"

"We talked for a moment and I thought he was going to take me to a motel up the road, but he said that he wanted to take me to his place. I told him that it was going to cost more. He said that it wasn't a problem." Josie paused as the memory came back. As the scene flashed in front of her, tears poured down her cheeks. JJ handed her a Kleenex.

"Take your time."

"He…I thought…you see, sometimes we get guys who want to get their freak on before we do it, and I didn't think about what he might want until he put my hand on his dick." Her features pinched as repulsion crossed her face.

"He was aroused?" JJ asked softly.

Josie shook her head. "He….it seemed like he was underdeveloped."

"Underdeveloped, how?" Hotch asked.

"Like he had the dick of a young kid," Josie answered with a slight blush. "I tried to pretend that it was no big deal but then he put handcuffs on me."

"While he was driving?"

"Yeah. I thought we were going to wait to do the kinky stuff, but then he got angry. He hit me and I hit back. I pulled the mace out of my purse," Josie remembered as the tears fell faster. "I sprayed him and I think I got some too. I couldn't breathe."

"It's okay, Josie," JJ soothed. "Then what happened?"

"I tried to get away but he kept pulling me back. I couldn't breathe. He kept trying to pull my hands down to this thing on the floor. He hit me hard."

"How did you get away?" JJ wondered aloud.

"I rolled down the window and jumped out. I remember hitting the asphalt then everything went blurry."

"Did you yell for help?"

"I think I screamed 'fire', but I don't remember. I don't remember," Josie sobbed and covered her face in her hands. "I was so scared. I thought he was going to kill me."

JJ placed her hand on Josie's shoulder. "Josie, do you remember the make and model of car he was driving?"

"A 1970 Roadrunner," she replied. "It was dark green, I think. My grandpa had one." She began crying even harder. "I want my mother. I want to go home."

"We'll do what we can to contact your mother. Until then, you need to relax. You've been very helpful," JJ assured the distraught woman. Leaving her card on the nightstand, she stood up. "If you need anything, I want you to call me."

Together, she and Hotch left the room.

"This is our guy," JJ stated under her breath.

"I know. Call Garcia and see what she can pull up in the DMV for Roadrunners; they still have to be registered and this guy wouldn't do anything that would call attention to himself."

JJ pulled out her phone. "Garcia? We need you to tap into the DMV and get everything you can on owners of 1970 Roadrunners." She listened carefully. "I understand; we'll be there shortly…Yes, this is the break we've been looking for."