Chapter 38

Hotch jerked awake to a ringing sound. Disoriented at first, he soon realized he must have dozed off in the recliner. But now wide awake, he realized the ringing came from upstairs. Lowering the foot rest of his recliner, he bolted out of the chair, and hurried up the steps two at a time.

By the time he reached the doorway of his bedroom, the ringing had stopped. Hotch grabbed his cell and checked the Caller ID to see if he'd been right as to who had called, and a smile appeared when he spotted the name. He scrolled through his list of contacts until he found who he wanted, and pushed the button belonging to the person. The call was answered on the second ring.

"You have reached the office of the Almighty Goddess of Technology. Ask mere mortal and prepare to be dazzled," said a cheery voice.

"Garcia, its Hotch."

"Yes, Bossman. You asked me to call you after I did research for you. Well, I have your answer."

"Which is?"

"First off, let me tell you that I had no idea where or how to begin my search for what you wanted. And I decided I needed help to get a handle so I…"

"Garcia!" Hotch said in his firm tone of voice. Left to her own devices, she had a habit of rambling.

"Sorry, sir. To answer your question, I found nothing on any family members maybe still alive for Captain Fuchs. And since we never had his wife's maiden name, I couldn't research her family."

Hotch sighed. "I suspected as much. Did you try checking on Germans who left Germany for whatever reason after the war?"

"Oui. But I found too many Germans to mention. I even checked on those who were arrested after the war for whatever the reason, and there were too many to check."

"Could you reduce the lists in any way?"

"No, sir. I even enlisted the help of our resident genius, and he found nothing either which shocked me."

"Well…" Hotch began. "If Reid can't find something then there's nothing to find."

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You did your best I'm sure. You always do for us."

"Thank you, sir," Garcia said grateful for the compliment.

"You're welcome. But you can do something else for me when you find time."

"And what might that be, my liege?"

"I want you to check on a Wolfgang Hochstetter for me."

"As in the Gestapo Major, sir?"

"Yes. I want you to try and find out what you can other than what you've found earlier."

"Sir, if I run into a problem, can somebody with great hair and who wears a tie give me permission to do what needs to be done?" She always knew how to compliment her supervisor.

"Yes, Garcia," he replied. He sensed she could see him grinning despite being on the phone. Hotch knew he was being 'buttered up' by his tech analyst. Still, she always knew how to make all of them feel good.

"I will do my utmost best for you, Mon Capitaine. Your wish is my command."

"Call me when you've completed your search no matter what time you finish. I'll be here."

"Yes, sir. Is that all?"

"That's all."

"Roger-wilco, over and out, sir." The call was disconnected.

JJ looked up when she noticed her door opening from the corner of her eye. She observed Emily Prentiss walk into her office.

"Hey," JJ said with a smile.

"Hey yourself," Emily retorted. "You got a minute?"

"For you…anything," the blonde said closing the case file she was looking at trying to decide whether or not the team would work the case. "What do you need?"

"Can I?" Emily asked with her hand on the door handle.

"Sure, if you want."

The brunette closed the door to the blonde's office, then sat down on the chair facing the media liaison's desk.

"What's up?" JJ asked.

"Have you talked to Hotch at all since he asked our help with this journal?"

"Not lately. Why?"

"I'm concerned. I mean, he's asked additional information from Morgan, Garcia, Reid, and Rossi, but not from us. I mean, he hasn't asked us to do anything with the information he asked us to check on regarding the surviving offspring of the heroes."

"I know what you mean. I'm beginning to wonder if we wasted our time helping him as far as compiling that list of survivors of Hogan and Kinch who live in America."

"I even asked Rossi about it, Prentiss explained.

"What did he suggest we do?" JJ asked.

Emily let out a deep breath. "He suggested we wait until Hotch comes to us. He said Hotch has been finding out more information and we should hold on to what we know for now."

"Well, he's known Hotch for a long time. He should know."

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "I guess. But I feel so useless."

"I know. So do I, but until Hotch comes to us, all we can do is wait for him to ask for our help."

Reid and Morgan were hard at work at their desks with their case files. But instead of working, Reid was more occupied with staring into space. So preoccupied in fact that he didn't even notice Prentiss leave her desk and then the floor.

"Hey, Reid," Morgan said.

Reid didn't even look up when his name was called. In fact, Morgan wasn't sure his best friend had even heard him.

"Hey, Pretty Boy."

This time the young genius raised his head to see Morgan staring at him.

"What?" Reid asked staring curiously at the bald agent.

"You were staring into space like you had something on your mind. Want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Morgan."

"C'mon, kid. I know you well enough by now to know when something's botherin' you. Now what is it? I'm gonna keep at it until I find out what it is so you might as well tell me now."

Reid sighed wearily and fell back against the back of his chair. "I'm worried about Hotch."

"Rossi told us Hotch was takin' a day off to process everything he's uncovered so far. He said as far as he knows Hotch is okay, so what's got you so worried about him? You don't believe Rossi?"

"It's not that. It's just that I asked Hotch a few days ago how he would feel if he wasn't able to get answers to the questions he has concerning the journal. He said he would have to accept that if necessary."

Morgan sighed. "He may not have a choice. I mean, the military's kind of funny about revealing things that are still considered classified."

"I just want Hotch to get all the answers he seeks."

"So do I, kid, but that's gonna be kinda hard if you know what I mean."

"Is there anything we can do in the meantime?" Reid asked.

Morgan let out a deep breath as he massaged his forehead. "I have no idea other than we just need to be there for him if and when he needs our help. Other than that…there's nothing we can do right now except let him come to us."

Rossi couldn't concentrate on the case file in front of him. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. After about five minutes, the senior profiler shoved the folder away in disgust, and leaned back in his plush chair with hands clasped together in his lap.

He found himself still thinking about his telephone call to the Hogan household, and his conversation with Sandra Hogan. Rossi was normally an extremely patient person. But he found himself impatient for Bobby Hogan to call him back. Having to wait an entire week possibly was too much. All he could hope for is that the man in question got in touch with his sister, and then called him back if only out of curiosity at hearing his name.

He massaged his forehead as he felt the beginning of a headache. If he could only remember if this Bobby Hogan was indeed the grandson of the late Colonel Robert E. Hogan. He so much wanted to let Hotch know he had a possible connection to Colonel Hogan. Someone who might be able to supply the answers his superior still needed and wanted.

But until he was certain as to the man's true identity, he would have to keep mum as to his identity. No sense in getting Aaron's hopes up only to have them dashed in the end.

Garcia sat with her chin resting in her hands and staring at her now blank computer screen. She had spent the last two-to-two-and-a-half hours searching Wolfgang Hochstetter and found nothing new on the man other than what she had found a few days ago.

Right now she was terribly depressed and disappointed. Depressed she had found nothing new, and disappointed that she had failed her Unit Chief. Failed him in that he was counting on her to find something, anything on the man. And she had found absolutely nothing. Even after he gave her permission to do whatever was needed in order to find something. And still she found nothing.

Staring at her desk phone, she hesitated phoning Hotch as she really didn't want to tell him she had nothing new, especially after he complimented her earlier with how much they counted on her. What would he think about her after she told him this?

"I know what he'll think about me," Garcia murmured out loud to nobody. "He'll think I'm useless, that's what he'll think." She ran her hands up and down her face. "I'm sorry, my liege," she muttered. Then she lay her hand on top of the telephone receiver but didn't pick it up right away. Instead, she took her hand away. After a few seconds, she repeated what she had done at least two more times before she finally picked the receiver up and pressed it to her ear. Garcia let a finger hover over the button which was the first digit of her Unit Chief's telephone exchange, then just as suddenly hung up the receiver again. She couldn't dial the number yet.

Garcia's lower jaw suddenly fell open as what she considered a brilliant idea came to her. She hurriedly picked up the receiver and pressed four buttons hoping the person whose extension she dialed answered."Pick up, pick up, please pick up the phone. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon." She breathed a sigh of relief when there was a click on the other end.

"What is it, Baby Girl?" Morgan answered with a smirk. He didn't even have to ask who was calling.

"Derek, I don't know what to do now," she stammered.

"Let me guess. You couldn't find anything on Hochstetter other than what you found a few days ago, and you're afraid to tell Hotch."

"How'd you guess?"

"I'm a profiler in case you forgot."

"Don't be a smart ass, mister. No, I didn't forget. It's just that…well, I can't tell Hotch I failed to find anything new on Major Hochstetter after he praised me about the work I do for the team. He's gonna be so disappointed in me."

Morgan chuckled. Their tech analyst always needed 'propping up' whenever she believed she had failed with a request for information from one of the team. And Morgan knew she always called him for just that.

"Garcia, you didn't fail Hotch. He told Rossi he knew there was a possibility you might not find anything new."

"Can you call him instead and tell him I tried and…."

"Are you going to tell me Penelope Garcia, technical analyst extraordinaire is afraid of disappointing one Aaron Hotchner, Unit Chief?"

"Who me? No. Of course not. It's just that…"

"It's just what? Either you are or you're not. Which is it?"

There was a long period of silence before anybody said anything. After a while longer, Garcia broke the silence.

"I…I'll call him. Worst he can do is fire me." She shuddered at the thought. She heard Morgan laugh. "What's so funny, my Chocolate Stud Muffin?"

"Sweetness, Hotch will do no such thing, trust me. You're gonna be fine."

"We'll see," the blonde said before she disconnected the call. Without hanging up the receiver, she pushed the buttons for Hotch's number and someone answered on the second ring.

"Hotchner."

"Sir, it's me."

"Yes, Garcia?"

"Sir, I didn't…that is, I couldn't…I'm sorry."

"You didn't find anything, did you?"

"No, sir. Again, I'm so, so, sorry," Garcia apologized again.

"What are you sorry about? It was a long shot to begin with. I know you did your best and that's all I can ask."

"Thank you, sir. But I feel like I let you down when you were counting on me."

"Not in any way, Penelope. You've never let me down. And you never will."

"You're not upset or angry with me?" Garcia held her breath.

"Not in the least. Thank you for trying."

"Yes, sir. And you're welcome. Call back if you need me to check on something else."

"I will. Goodbye."

"Adios, Mon Capitaine." Garcia breathed a sigh of relief and disconnected the call. A smile appeared on her face. Aaron Hotchner had just made her day and she felt great.

Hotch smiled as he put the cell back on his charger. He suspected he had just made his tech analyst happy, and it wasn't pretense on his part. She really was the best at what she did and they were so lucky to have her. In fact, she could never disappoint him.

With a sigh, Hotch returned downstairs. It was time to read more of the journal.

(Later at Gestapo Headquarters):

Hochstetter pushed open the door of Gestapo Headquarters and paused when he saw nobody at the front desk or even Fuchs coming to greet him. Surely the captain was expecting him aware that he was returning to Hammelburg. He took a few steps further into the building and paused again. Then he spoke without looking behind him.

"Schneider, where is everyone?"

"I…I'm not sure, sir. Captain Fuchs was here when I left. And Sergeant von Eisenburg, Corporal Braun and Private Vogel were expected in. But why the sergeant isn't at the front desk I do not know."

"And what about Captain Fuchs?"

"He is supposed to be here, sir. He was aware you were due in and wanted to be here to greet you when you arrived."

Hochstetter slowly rested a hand on the butt of his service weapon still in its holster as his eyes scanned the area.

"Something is not right here, corporal. There should be a man at the front desk to announce those who arrive. Come. We will first check Captain Fuchs' office. If he is not there, we will search this building until we find either him or one of those men."

(End of Flashback)

Hotch looked up from his reading for a few moments. Could Fuchs convince one of his two best friends of what happened? Or would he fail and cost everybody their lives? With a sigh, his eyes returned to the journal and resumed reading.