I get to go places in these stories, I will never get to go in stories outside of FF. I like exploring these dark sides of life.
Chapter Five:
Cole:
"The doorbell cam shows Bello entering, while heavily armed," I said. "Amo vest, AR-15 in a sling, and at least two handguns in shoulder holsters."
"Where does an Italian get that much fire power on short notice?" Thompson asked while he drove.
"Records show he made contact with an arms dealer through a connection in the church," Esper said over speakerphone from another car.
"This has to be his endgame," Reid said from the car with Esper and Morris in it. "This was never about the other victims. This was about sending a message to Cain."
"We need to make it clear that killing Cain won't bring the closure he wants," Morris said. "Lean into how killing goes against church."
"Diana, how are you feeling?" I asked.
"I learned Italian when I was fourteen, my grasp on the language would have been better if I had learned it in grammar school."
"This guy has to know some English," Thompson said. "No one mentioned seeing an Italian around the scenes."
"He also appears to have mafia connections," Esper said. "Which is probably how he learned to use such fire power."
"We're almost here," Morris said. "Remember, Dr. Reid, no heroics."
"I'm not my father," she said. "I know it is in my best interests to stay behind the barricades."
Cain's home was located on an acre of land, in the closest area that is considered rural South of DC. The Victorian house was painted black with a red pentacle on the roof above the porch. The front was lit up with law enforcement vehicles.
Getting out of our cars, we met with the field commander. The man was in full SWAT gear so that only his mustache could be seen.
"The guy is speaking in rapid Italian through the doorbell cam," he. "Our cellphones can only grab every third word. Something about needing a sign from God to save his son."
"Bello's son is listed as dead from a motorcycle accident when he was a teenager," Morris said.
"It makes sense that, they'd fake his death rather than acknowledge he left the church," Esper said.
An officer stepped forward. "Sir he has explosive trip wires arranged around the back. We're going to need time to disable them."
The door slammed. Bello, a thick beefy man in his late fifties, had a pistol firmly pressed against, Cain's head. The front of Cain's shirt was open.
I looked to Reid. Her face was calm. Her hands weren't shaking. She struck me as someone who was calmer during a crisis than during social situations. I nodded at her and she returned it.
"Lucas Bello," Morris said. "Turn over Adam Cain and no one else needs to get hurt."
Bello spoke in extremely fast Italian, to the point where he sounded like he was spitting out his words. I only caught that he called Morris a swine.
"He thinks you're his words, 'a godless pig with no authority over him.' He only answers to God," Reid said.
"This doesn't have to end this way," Morris said to Bello. "I'm here to help you."
Bello pulled out a phone and threw it over the barricade. A bomb squad member carefully picked it up.
Bello kept shouting in Italian, and pulled out a second phone. I only caught the word spawn.
"The spawn of the devil's spawn will die soon," Reid said.
The bomb squad turned it over, revealing footage of a baby in a crib with a blinking device hanging over its head.
Thompson looked like he was going to be sick. He and Jane had been trying for the last three months.
"Why would you kill your grandson?" Morris asked.
Bello grew even angrier. He appeared to be refusing to speak in English.
"Sir," Reid said. "A child's life is in danger."
"Follow the script," Morris said and handed her the megaphone.
Reid spoke in equally rapid Italian.
"We only want to help. No more life has to be harmed. Remember the teachings of Christ."
Bello's eyes appeared to light up. His tone changed to practically awe-struck. I heard the word "blessed."
"Sir, he wants me to go in," she said.
"No," Morris said firmly.
Bello's tone changed to angry again as he spoke rapidly. Then it slowed. He was counting down.
"He's threatening to kill the baby if I don't go," she said. "Please!"
"Let her," Thompson added desperately, as Bello counted down to five.
"Go," Morris said.
Reid rushed through the barricades. Bello pushed the door open with his foot.
"In," he said in Italian.
With a gun firmly aimed at Cain's head, the three of them walked into the house.
Morris walked over to where a heat-vision camera was set up. Through Reid's com, we could hear Bello speaking in an awe-struck voice. He seemed to be saying it was a blessing to see the one God saved.
What I heard next chilled my bones. He wanted to see the full beauty of what God saved. He wanted Reid to strip.
"He's demanding she strip naked. I need to go in!" I shouted.
"Everyone dies if you do," Esper said.
"She's not even a full agent!"
"Hush and listen," Esper said. "You're the only one knows the language."
Reid was negotiating with him, for the safety of the baby and Cain. Bello touched her head, undoing her ponytail. Bello agreed to saving the baby when he saw "her figure." Reid appeared to pull to off the vest.
"She's negotiating."
Esper rubbed my arm. I felt tears wanting to break loose.
The wiring from the earwig came undone, so we could hear less. Bello wanted see all of what was unscared by greatest inferno of his life. He was exclaiming about the beauty of what God saved.
Then was some grunting, followed by a gunshot. Morris grabbed me by the shoulder, as I was about to move.
Reid's com crackled.
"The suspect is down. The bomb in the baby's room appears to have been deactivated."
I turned to Morris.
"Let me," I said. "She needs a big sister, not her boss, right now."
"Okay," he said.
I grabbed a massive SWAT jacket. Then I rushed to the door.
Cain had already wrapped her in a black curtain he had pulled off a window. There was a splatter of blood on her face and hair.
"We need to check on the baby. Make sure there are no more traps," she said almost robotically.
"Okay, we will," I said. "You did your job. You did good."
She looked afraid of me.
"I had no choice. He was going to kill Cain and the baby."
"I know. Diana, you did nothing wrong. This is no book for situations like this. You did a great job."
"No book for an agent viewed as a miracle," she said with a grim smile.
I wrapped her in the jacket and hugged her. She didn't reciprocate, the hug, she merely leaned into me.
"Tell the rest of the team to come in. I'm not okay, but work needs to be done."
I spoke into my com. "Come in."
Esper rushed forward first and handed me a shock blanket. I wrapped it tightly around her.
SWAT picked up the phone.
"Diana," Morris said. "You did everything right."
"You're not supposed to ever take your vest off, let alone underwear," she said.
I realized humor was her coping mechanism. It was dry and mirthless.
"He was going to kill a child," Morris said. "You managed to talk him down."
"How'd you disarm him?" Esper asked.
"Once I was fully naked, he fell down to his knees in awe. I kicked him in the face and pulled out his pistol. I shot him the neck."
Thompson appeared with a set of scrubs.
Cain stepped forward.
"I don't know what the procedure is, but Dr. Reid is welcome to shower here. I also have women's toiletries in the garage for when we do homeless clothing drives. Take anything you want."
"How's that brand?" Morris asked.
"It cooled earlier. I'm fine," he said dismissively.
"Let's have the house cleared of further threats. I've directed the lights be lowered."
"I'll be right back," Cain said.
Reid walked out the entrance. An EMT appeared.
"Let's get you checked out," she said.
Reid nodded.
The van doors were closed after she stepped in.
I turned to Morris.
"Sir, if she's agreeable to it, I'd like to take Diana home with me after you get a full statement from her."
"I have no objections to that," he said.
"Flint," Esper said. "Reid wants on the team. She is afraid of saying or reacting in any way that would jeopardize her chances."
"I want her to go through two weeks of extensive psychological evaluation before I consider offering her a position."
"I couldn't have done what she did," I said.
"It would be premature to offer her a position right now," he said.
"She earned it," Thompson said.
Reid emerged from the van is scrubs. The blood had been wiped from her face.
"Diana," Morris said. "You did the most commendable job I have seen of any agent. I know what you want. You know I can't offer it to you."
"I know," she said. "This isn't a crime drama."
"After you give your statement, why don't you go home with Irina? It's not an order, merely a suggestion."
"I'd like that. I keep getting texts from my roommate, asking how the interview went. I don't feel like answering the question tonight."
"Irina is allergic to reading," Thompson said. "Can I have my wife send a stack of her comics, excuse me, graphic novels, over?"
"I'd appreciate that. Does she read obscure titles?"
"She two bookshelves dedicated to cape-less stories by Indie publishers. I'll have her bring them all over."
"Let's get you back to the BAU," Morris said.
"Agents!"
They turned to see Cain. He was holding a small box.
"Dr. Reid, take this. It belonged to my late mother."
"Mr. Cain, I can't."
"My name is John. Dr. Reid, you are the most fearless woman I have ever met. Please let me show my gratitude."
Reid looked to Morris.
"I'm pretending, I see nothing."
Reid took the box and opened it. There was a medal on a chain in it. "St Quiteria. She waged war against the Roman empire."
"I'm not spiritual, Dr. Reid," Cain said. "But I sense this is only the beginning of your quest to fight evil in all forms. Good luck and Godspeed."
"Are Satanists allowed to say such things?" Thompson asked.
"I'll explain another time," Reid said.
I wrapped my arm around her and we walked to the van. I wanted to say something to her. I wanted to somehow, make her realize how much I came to care for her, in such a short time. But for now, my presence was enough.