Chapter 38

Hotch leaned up against the SUV while holding his head. JJ walked up and leaned on the vehicle beside him. "What's wrong?"

"Headache," Hotch told her simply.

JJ knew the lack of sleep, stress, disappointments over not finding Kahlan, and Hotch's imagination were probably all making Hotch's head hurt. "You take anything?"

"A couple Tylenol."

JJ pushed herself off the side of the SUV and went and opened the back. She grabbed the first aid kit out of one of the compartments, opened it, and found the ibuprofen. She shook four into her hand and put the kit back. She went back to Hotch. "You have a drink?"

Hotch opened the door and reached in a grabbed the coffee he had bought. "You thirsty?" He asked her as he held the coffee out to her.

"No, but you need to take these," she told him as she held out the pills to him.

He sighed but took the pills from her and swallowed them with a drink. "Thanks, JJ."

She smiled and patted him on the arm as she walked back to the group.

Never taking an eye off Hotch, Rossi saw the exchange, and he gave JJ a smile as she walked up to Morgan. Rossi studied Hotch some more, and a thought suddenly hit him. He shook his head and walked over to his 'son'. "I think I know why you're worried about going crazy and why your head hurts."

Hotch opened his eyes and squinted them at Rossi. "Yeah, I know. I need to get some sleep. . ."

Rossi shook his head. "I don't think that's all of it."

"What else could it be? Or do you actually think I'm finally losing it?"

Rossi gave him a small smile. "You're still feeling sympathy pain for Kahlan."

Hotch tilted his head a little as he considered his words. If Kahlan's mind was truly messed up, maybe he was feeling the residual effects. While the thought of Kahlan's mind being messed up scared him, the thought of still having some connection to her made him actually feel better. A small smile found its way to his lips. "You always know how to make me feel better, Dave."

Rossi's smile grew at the compliment. "Don't worry, Aaron. We're getting close. I can feel it," he told him honestly.

"God, I hope so," Hotch told him. Suddenly his phone went off. He took it out of his pocket. It was Garcia. He held his breath as he pushed the speaker button and looked at Rossi.

"You're on speaker, Kitten," Rossi spoke for Hotch. Everyone heard and they all quietly joined them around the phone.

"We have a building not far from you all," Garcia started and they all tensed to head to their vehicles.

"You have the address on your GPSs now," Cameron told them.

"It's listed as being own by Daniel Morris, Anthony's father. It's not as big as that first building, but it's definitely bigger than a house," Garcia added.

"SAT is on it now, and the van is parked to the side of it," Cameron told them.

"That's awesome Cam! You too Pen!" Chuck told them as he smiled. They were all looking at Hotch waiting for him to give them the go ahead.

"Let's go!" Hotch told them and grabbed the door handle, they all smiled and ran to their appointed vehicles.

Rossi jumped in and started the SUV. "Where's your vest?"

Hotch winced. "At the hotel."

Rossi looked in the backseat to make sure his was still were he put it. "Put mine on."

"Jesus, Dave. It might just be that one guy and Kahlan. I'll be fine!"

Rossi grabbed his phone. As soon as he heard Garcia answer he put it on speaker. "Any way to get thermal imaging on that building to see what we're facing?"

Cameron chuckled. "That's coming online. I'll have an answer for you in like five minutes."

"You want to wait?" Rossi asked Hotch before he pulled out onto the road.

Hotch swallowed hard. No! I don't want to wait! "Let's get close, and see how it goes from there."

Rossi nodded and lead the team down the road. Within minutes they turned down the last road on the map. Rossi slowed to a stop. He could tell by the map on the GPS that it was the only way in or out. Hotch gave him a nervous look. "You're either putting on that vest, or we're waiting to see how many people are in there," Rossi told him in a tone that told Hotch we was not going to accept any arguments.

Hotch shook his head and thought about jumping out of the vehicle without him. No. I'm this close. I can't screw this up! Hotch nodded and resolved himself to wait to hear from Cameron.

Rossi watched him closely, he thought he saw a flicker of rebellion flash in Hotch's eyes, but Hotch just sat there and drummed his fingers on his legs.

"Here we go," Cameron started as soon as Rossi answered his phone and put it on speaker. "Looks like four people inside and three around the perimeter."

"What the hell?" They heard Chuck say and Hotch realized Garcia had connected them all.

"The only people I saw in the van were Kahlan and that Anthony guy," Garcia told them.

"Hey, Baby Girl, we got this," Morgan assured her as they could all hear the worry in her voice.

Rossi shot Hotch a look, though. He really didn't like the idea of Hotch going in without a vest after hearing from the techs.

"We got the perimeter," Chuck told them and Hotch could hear an excited 'yeah' come from Rat.

"You are to apprehend and detain only," Rossi told them.

"Damn it, Rossi. You take all the fun out of everything," Chuck joked, but Hotch knew Chuck wouldn't use lethal force.

"Can you tell where the doors are?" Reid asked Cameron.

"One on the south and one on the east."

"I do have SWAT on their way," Garcia told them hoping they would wait for back up.

"Morgan, Reid, JJ, you all take the east. Me and Dave will take the south," Hotch told them; he didn't want to wait. "Let's get a little closer then we'll approach on foot." Hotch gestured toward the building, and Rossi put the SUV in drive again and slowly went down the road toward the building.

Rossi glanced at Hotch out of the corner of his eye. He wondered what he'd have to do to get him to put the vest on.

Hotch glanced at Rossi out of the corner of his eye. He knew what he was thinking, and he was not going to take Rossi's vest. He would never allow Rossi to go on a raid without a vest. He was in charge and responsible for his whole team, and he was not going to let one of them endanger himself for him, especially Rossi.

"I wouldn't go any farther," Cameron told them and Rossi pulled to a stop.

Before Hotch could even open his door, Chuck, Tom and Rat ran past them to go secure the perimeter. Hotch shook his head.

"It would be nice having them along on some cases," Rossi told him as he came around the SUV. Morgan and the rest of the team joined them quickly. "Let's give them a minute or so," Rossi told them as he nodded to the men who had taken off down the tree line by the road. Rossi smiled as he noticed none of the team had their vests on.

"You all have your vests; you need to wear them," Hotch ordered.

"Sorry, man, but we left them at the hotel. If you want one of us to run back and get them, we'll wait," Morgan told him as he took his pistol out of its holster. Rossi tried to hide the smile that wanted to show as he took out his pistol.

"You all know that these men are armed," Hotch argued.

JJ took out her pistol. "So you want us to wait until we all have a vest, then?"

Hotch knew that she was referring to him having his vest, too. "Do you know how fast my ass will be in a sling if one of you get hurt?"

"I don't know about them," Reid started, "but I don't plan on getting hurt."

Hotch shook his head. They knew he didn't want to wait, but he was worried about one of them getting hurt because of it. He was also just a little proud to know they were all showing their loyalty to him by not wearing a vest either. He gave them his best Hotch stare and Reid actually took a step back. "Then you better pray you don't get hurt!" He told them and started for the building as he took out his pistol. He had to walk away quickly to hide the smile that came to his lips.

Hotch pulled out his phone after he felt it vibrate. Chuck sent him a text to let him know their targets had been silenced. Without vests, they didn't have their comm links. Hotch put his phone away as he waited for the team to join him. "I want you with us, Reid," Hotch told him. He wasn't sure why but something in him told him that Reid needed to be with him. Morgan gave him a puzzled look but shrugged. "Go," Hotch told him quietly, and Morgan and JJ took off. Hotch watched as they took off across the small parking lot. He knew it would take them just a few more moments to get to their door. Once they were far enough away, Hotch took off toward the south door with Rossi and Reid on his heels.

He got to the door and reached for the handle. Of course it's locked! He waited and as soon Rossi nodded, he kicked the door in. As soon as he stuck his head in the door, a shot hit the door frame beside him.

"Son of a bitch!" Rossi yelled as he ducked and pulled Hotch back out of the door. Hotch pulled away from him and went back to the doorway. "Hotch!" Rossi yelled as he went to Hotch's side.

Hotch took a quick look in the door to see if he could see anyone.

XXX

Kahlan flinched when she heard the gunshot. "Really?!" she yelled and took off toward the room of the door she was in. Tony had left to go check on a few things, but she had no idea which way he had went; she hadn't even gotten a lay of the whole place yet. She thought the shot had come from the south side of the building, but she couldn't be sure. She knew Tony had guards on the place, and that he was a little worried after they had found that safe house had been compromised, but she had no idea what the guards abilities were. She didn't want to think about what would happen if Hotchner got his hands on her again.

She slowed her breathing as she crept along the wall of the hallway. I knew I should have demanded a damn gun!

XXX

Hotch didn't see anyone, so he took a chance and went in the door quickly and leaned on the wall opposite of the door. Rossi went in behind him and aimed his pistol the opposite way as Hotch. He didn't like the fact that they were open to attacks from both sides. Hotch took a tentative step forward and flinched as he heard a shot in the distance. He prayed that Morgan and JJ were alright.

Rossi saw Hotch flinch and it scared him to think of Hotch being so jumpy. Hotch never flinches! "Which way?" Rossi asked him quietly.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Hotch told him but went down the hall the way he was facing. Rossi quickly caught up with him as Reid came in the door and kept an eye behind them. Hotch crept along the wall and stopped when he came to the next room. With a look to Rossi, Hotch quickly turned into the room and cleared it as Rossi took up post to keep an eye on the hallway in front of them.

Hotch came back out and Rossi took the lead as they crept along the hallway. Suddenly a man with an assault rifle came around the next corner and opened fire. Rossi and Hotch both shot simultaneously and the man went down. Hotch breathed heavily as he took in the bullet holes in the wall around his and Rossi's heads. Rossi ran up to the man and kicked the rifle away from him as he checked for a pulse. Rossi shook his head to let them know the man would no longer be a problem.

Hotch took the lead again. He came to a 'T' and took a quick glance both ways. With his gun held out in front of him, he decided to go to the left. The group silently made their down the hall. The hallway opened into a little room, and after quickly searching it, Hotch half sprinted across it to the hallway on the other side of it.

"Hotch!" Rossi yelled quietly as he tried to catch up with him.

Hotch didn't slow, though, as he headed into the next room.

Reid passed Rossi to get close to Hotch.