Chapter 148
AN: Sorry about not updating yesterday. I got my hopes up that I was going to get a second interview for a job and then I didn't, so I was a little disappointed. I've applied for 41 jobs in five months and…. I'm just frustrated. Anyway enough about my crappy life, I hope you like this chapter.
Having no idea what is going on at the BAU the team are on their way back. While JJ and Luke are in one car Matt, Emily, Rossi and Tara are in another. Feeling terrified for her wife Emily is using her phone to try and get in contact with Penelope while using Rossi's in an attempt to get in contact with the Director.
"Just keeps going to voicemail," Emily says, feeling extremely worried.
"All of Penelope's cells?" Matt asks, feeling concerned as he knows Penelope has a lot of them.
"Yeah, I can't get a hold of her," Emily says and everyone in the car can tell how worried she is. "JJ talked to Spence for like a second before they got disconnected," Emily says and she hears a voice in Rossi's voice. "Yes, I'm here," Emily says. "That's right Benjamin Merva. He's been held in the sixth floor interrogation room. I'm sorry, what… what do you mean?" Emily asks confused.
"Guys," Matt says, and everyone sees that there are a lot of emergency vehicles, and roadblocks at the entrance to Quantico. "What is all this?" Matt asks the guard who is talking to cars.
"it's a fire alarm on the sixth floor, Sir," the guard says.
"Which building?" Tara asks.
"Yours," The guard answers, causing everyone to become even more worried.
"How many injured?" Rossi asks.
"Unclear. Director isn't taking chances," The Guard asks. "There's been a mandatory evacuation," the guard explains.
"We have a prisoner awaiting transfer… Benjamin Merva," Emily says.
"I can't look it up. System's down," the guard says.
"Well, we need to search every vehicle, especially emergency ones," Emily instructs.
"I've got guards manning exists, but we're outnumbered," the guard says.
"No, we're under attack," Rossi corrects.
Over the next few minutes the team get to the building while JJ and Luke get to the garage where they find Quinn barely alive, Matt start to clear floors, Rossi goes to the conference room where Quinn's son is, while Emily and Tara go straight to the interrogation room which they find empty.
"Please evacuate immediately. Do not use elevators. Move away from the building," The PA system says as the alarm goes off.
As they find the Interrogation room empty Emily and Tara walk back into the corridor, still having their guns raised until they see Rossi.
"Merva's gone," Rossi reveals.
"Have you seen Pen or Reid?" Emily asks, sounding worried.
"They could be helping with the evacuation," Tara tells Emily. "Quinn and his son are missing too," Tara explains to Rossi.
"Son's nowhere in sight, but Quinn's in the garage shot in the gut," Rossi reveals.
"Well if he didn't help them escape who did? And where are Pen and Reid?" Emily asks, feeling her worry grow.
Away from her wife and family Penelope is tied to a chair in a warehouse yelling, "You need to let us go," as loud as she can.
At Quantico JJ is in the garage staring at Penelope's car, feeling an extremely strong sense of Déjà vu.
"Is that Penelope's car?" Matt asks, walking up to JJ, who is standing by Penelope's bright red SUV.
"Yeah," JJ confirms. "Spence and Penelope's phones were left inside with their bags," JJ explains, knowing that is why she can't help but think of six years ago when she found something very similar "If they were helping with the evacuation, they wouldn't leave those behind," JJ says.
"No," Matt confirms, knowing that.
"Oh, and that. See that? That's Quinn's blood," JJ says, pointing out something, before walking a little. "But over here, I mean, who's blood is this?" JJ asks. "What if whoever took Merva hurt Spence or Penelope?" JJ asks.
"Well find them," Matt says, needing to believe that.
"Doesn't make sense. There's no fire, no sprinklers. It's clearly a false alarm. So why all the chaos?" JJ asks.
"Hundreds of people were evacuated, some panicked, fell down the stairs," Matt explains.
"Wait, hundreds evacuated?" JJ asks surprised. "Really, this late?" JJ asks.
"It's campus wide all the buildings were emptied," Matt explains. "New protocol apparently," Matt says.
"Okay, so whoever pulled that alarm knew it would cause chaos," JJ says. "And now I have to call Emily and tell her," JJ says, really not looking forward to that.
Upstairs Emily has checked Penelope's office, and everywhere she can think of where her wife could be, as she has found all the places empty she is heading back to her own office when here phone rings.
"JJ? What's going on?" Emily asks.
"Emily, we've found Penelope and Reid's phones and bags in Penelope's car. Emily it looks like they've been taken," JJ reveals.
As soon as she hears her friends words Emily feels like her world is slipping out from under her, and she needs to lean onto the wall to stop herself from falling.
"Emily? Did you hear me?" JJ asks concerned when Emily hasn't said anything.
"Yeah, I heard," Emily responds. "Thank you for telling me," Emily says as she hangs up her phone and slides down the wall, so she is sitting on the ground, as tears come to her eyes, and she feels overwhelming terror. As she gets to the ground Emily gets a glimpse of her home screen which is a picture of her, Penelope, and their kids and she knows what she has to do.
"I'm coming Babe," Emily says to the picture as she stands up and hurries to her office; knowing exactly what she has to do.
A couple of minutes later Emily is in her office, on the phone with the Director who is trying, considering the circumstances, to take her off the case.
"Sir, with all due respect, I don't care about Protocol," Emily admits. "The BAU is the best, is the only team, who have a chance of finding, and stopping, Merva and finding Penelope and Doctor Reid," Emily says. "I am not going to stop working this case, and neither will my team," Emily informs the director, there being no room for questioning in her voice.
"I see," The Director says, knowing enough about how the BAU functions, and Emily, to know that Emily is completely serious. "The BAU may stay on this case, you may stay on this case," The Director says.
"Good," Emily says, as she had no intention of doing otherwise.
"But until Agents Garcia and Reid are found Doctor Lewis is temporary team leader," The Director says, as from his perspective Tara is the most senior member who is emotionally distant.
"Yes Sir," Emily says, as she really doesn't care who is in change, all she cares about is finding Penelope and Reid.
"I will be calling Doctor Lewis to inform her," The Director says.
"Yes Sir," Emily says before hanging up, and once she hangs up Emily can't help but look at the picture of her, Penelope, and the kids, that the team gave her, as she thinks about the fact that she didn't stay with Penelope.
Before Emily can become too overwhelmed by guilt there is a knock on her office door tearing her away from her thoughts.
"Come in," Emily says, and Rossi walks in. As soon as Emily sees Rossi she knows that he knows what she knows.
"Matt told me," Rossi reveals. "Does the Director know?" Rossi asks, knowing that because of the circumstances there is a very good chance that the Director will take them off the case.
"Yeah, I just got off the phone with him," Emily explains. "We're still on the case, I'm on the case, but the Directors putting Tara in charge," Emily explains.
"You okay with that?" Rossi asks.
"Honestly I don't care about anything other than finding them," Emily admits, as she glances down at not just the picture that the team gave her but the other pictures of her and Penelope that she has on her desk.
"What is it Emily?" Rossi asks, being able to tell that there is something she isn't saying.
"I should have stayed with her," Emily says.
"Emily…" Rossi starts to say.
"I had a feeling something was off; I should have trusted it! I should have stayed with her," Emily says the guilt is clear in her voice.
"Emily, guilt won't help Penelope, or Spencer. We can only help them by working the case," Rossi says. "So come on, let's go find our girl," Rossi says.
"Give me a minute, I need to call Will and get the kids in here," Emily says as with Penelope missing she wants the kids to be as close as possible.
"Of course," Rossi says, completely understanding that, and so he heads out of the office while Emily makes the call to Will.
"Hey Will, it's Emily," Emily says, as soon as he answers.
"Emily? Is JJ okay?" Will asks worried.
"Yeah, she's fine," Emily says, knowing that that's not strictly true, but there is nothing for Will to worry about. "I need you to bring my kids into the BAU, as soon as you can," Emily explains.
"Sure. Kristy and I stayed at Dave's because it was easier. I'll ask if she can watch the boys," Will says, knowing that a request like this likely means something bad has happened.
"Thanks," Emily says relieved. "Make sure you have your ID, there's a bit of situation here, but I'll make sure you can get in," Emily explains.
"Okay," Will says, feeling even more confused.
"Thanks, Will," Emily says before hanging up, and as she does Will plans to call JJ to find out what is going on, while Emily sees Tara outside the door so she gestures for her to come in. "I assume you spoke to the Director," Emily says.
"Yeah," Tara says, sounding a little overwhelmed. "Emily, if the Director needs to believe I'm in charge then fine, but as far as I'm concerned this is your team, you're in charge, you give the orders," Tara explains, feeling that that is for the best, even if it gets her in trouble with the Director.
"Thank you," Emily says relieved and she once again glances down at the picture of her and Penelope at their wedding. "Let's get to work," Emily says, heading out of her office.
About fifteen minutes later Emily has made sure Will can get into the building, and she on her phone on the catwalk near the roundtable room, while Tara is in the bullpen on a computer.
"I said no one leaves without a search," Emily says, to the person she is on the phone with. "I know it's late. Tell him I'll pay the overtime myself," Emily says, meaning that, before hanging up.
"Well, everything's still offline," Tara says, as JJ and Matt walks into the bullpen.
"Whoever pulled the alarm knew the director's protocol and used it as a distraction to escape with Merva," JJ explains.
"If they took an emergency vehicle, they can get through any roadblocks," Matt realises. "We need to widen the search," Matt says.
"Track down every ambulance that responded," Emily instructs. "He's in one of them," Emily knows. "Call the coordinator," Emily instructs. "I'll see why we're not back online yet," Emily says, sounding annoyed, once more making a call as she walks away.
"The Director's letting us stay on the case?" Matt asks surprised.
"Yeah, Emily made him see we're the best people to work it," Tara explains, not explaining the Directors' condition as if this backfires she doesn't want the other members of the team to face the consequences; she'll face them alone.
Less than twenty minutes from Quantico Penelope, who knows her wife and team will be coming for her and Reid, is tied to a chair when Meadows walks towards her.
"I underestimated how much he cares about you," Meadows admits. "He's given me everything I need," Meadows reveals.
"Because we're a family and you do anything to protect those you love," Penelope explains, not being able to help but thinks of her kids who she would do anything for.
"Funny. You say that as if I wouldn't know," Meadows comments.
"You've abducted us, you tricked the FBI for years, and you worship that Benjamin Merva guy, so I'm sorry, forgive me for thinking you wouldn't get it," Penelope comments.
"I need your handiwork," Meadows says, handing Penelope a computer.
"Let me see Reid," Penelope requests.
"He isn't here," Meadows says, and Penelope is pretty sure she is lying.
"Yes, he is," Penelope says. "I will die before I help you," Penelope reveals.
A little while after she made the call to Will Emily is in the bullpen with JJ, Rossi, Tara, and Matt when they suddenly hear.
"Mom!" And they turn to see Will with Kenzie, Maddie, Noah, Connor and holding Casey in the carrier, it having been Noah who called.
"Hi," Emily says, forcing a smile as she and JJ walk over, and she gives each of the four older kids a hug as JJ and Will kiss. "Kenz, can you take your siblings up to my office? I just need to quickly talk to Will," Emily explains, trying to keep her voice even.
"Sure," Kenzie says, and she takes the carrier from Will and takes her siblings up to Emily's office.
"Thanks for bringing them in, Will," Emily says gratefully, once the kids are out of hearing range.
"No problem," Will says.
"What did you tell them?" Emily asks so that she knows what she has to explain.
"Just that we had to come into your work, I assumed you wanted to explain," Will says.
"I do, thank you," Emily says, before walking away, heading up to her office.
"I'll walk you downstairs," JJ says, wanting a chance to talk to her husband before getting back to work.
For Emily the walk from the glass doors to her office has never felt so long. This is something she hoped she would never have to do. Walking into the office Emily finds that Casey is now in the portable bassinet that she had set up in her office, while the older kids are sitting on the couch.
"Mom, where's Mama?" Connor asks, as he is attentive enough to know that something is going on and that that something involves Penelope. Hearing the innocence in Connor's voice Emily feels her heart break, but she forces herself to keep it together.
"Mom?" Maddie asks, feeling worried, as Emily walks over and sits in front of the kids, sitting on the coffee table.
"Is Penelope okay?" Kenzie asks, fearing the answer.
"I don't know Kenz," Emily admits, it being very hard for her to do so. "Earlier tonight Mama and Spencer were taken by some bad people; I don't know where they were taken, or if they're okay," Emily admits, wanting to be as honest as possible, but not terrify them which is a delicate line to walk.
"You stop bad people. You will stop them? Get Mama back?" Noah asks, sounding hopeful while Maddie and Kenzie look confused, and it seems like Connor isn't sure what to think.
"I hope so Bud," Emily admits, her voice breaking slightly. "The team and I are going to do everything we can to find Mama and Spencer," Emily promises. "But why we do that, you're all going to stay here, and I will tell you when I know more," Emily explains and as she does she sees that the kids are getting upset. "Come here," Emily says, and she hugs her four older kids, trying to push down her own pain while helping the kids with theirs as she knows it will only make them panic more if they see that she is not okay.
A few minutes after she told the kids what happened to Penelope and Spencer Emily, who is fitting back tears, walks out of her office and sees that Rossi is waiting on the catwalk between their offices and so Emily walks straight up to him, and without a word the two of them hug.
A little while after the kids arrived at the BAU Rossi, and JJ, are in the roundtable room staring at the board when Tara walks in. Even though he tried to help Emily hold it together Rossi is close to falling apart himself.
"Hey Rossi," Tara says as she walks in. "Well, you can add Meadows to that," Tara says. "Alvez just confirmed she's behind the escape," Tara explains.
"What the hell was she thinking?" Rossi asks shocked. "Abduct FBI agents and run for the border?" Rossi asks, looking away from the picture of his daughter which is on the board.
"Well, they're cocky, mission-orientated, and they have hostages," Tara says. "Maybe they think we'll negotiate," Tara says as Emily walks into the room.
"We're back online," Emily reveals. "Pen's computers were hacked by someone in this building," Emily explains.
"Well, Meadows was in this building," JJ says.
"And she's our number one suspect. We need to know everything about her," Emily instructs.
After spending a little while working on finding out everything about Meadows Emily is walking into her office where the kids are. As she walks in she realises that Connor, Noah and Casey have all fallen asleep, something which isn't surprising considering the time, Maddie and Kenzie on the other hand are still awake and sitting on the couch.
"Have you found Mama?" Maddie asks, in a quiet voice as she doesn't want to wake her siblings, seeing Emily.
"No, not yet," Emily says, grabbing a blanket from a cupboard. "We have found out more about how they were taken, which will help find out where they are," Emily explains, as she walks back over to the couch and places the blanket over Noah and Connor before sitting on the coffee table.
"Emily, you've worked cases like this, abductions, before right?" Kenzie asks, and Emily wonders where Kenzie is going with this question.
"Yeah, I have," Emily confirms.
"Knowing how all those cases went, do you think Pen is going to be okay?" Kenzie asks, trying to hide her worry, which she doesn't really succeed in doing.
"I have worked a lot of these cases, but I also know Pen and Reid," Emily admits. "So I know, without a doubt, that they will both be working to get out of the situation they are in, and if they trying can't do that they'll be finding a way to get us a message," Emily explains, purposely side stepping around actually answering Kenzie's question.
"You think so?" Maddie asks, sounding like she really wants to believe that.
"I know so," Emily says, worrying that she is hurting the kids by being so truthful with them. "Do you need anything?" Emily asks curious, looking between the girls.
"No, we're okay," Kenzie answers.
"Okay, I love you both. I'll come check in again soon, and if you need anything just ask," Emily tells the girls, giving each a quick hug, before heading out of her office.
After Emily heads out of the office Kenzie can see that her sister is upset and so she puts an arm around her.
"You okay?" Kenzie asks.
"I'm scared for Mama," Maddie admits. "Things are so good now, we have a safe home, Moms who love us, want the best for us, and keep us safe," Maddie says, becoming upset. "I don't want to ever lose that," Maddie admits, feeling terrified that they will.
"Me either," Kenzie admits, which makes Maddie realise something.
"Is that why you haven't called them Mom yet? You're scared of losing them? Losing what we have now?" Maddie asks her sister.
"I'm terrified," Kenzie admits, and the two sisters drift into silence as they sit side by side with arms around each other.
Not long after she spoke to Kenzie and Maddie Emily is standing outside her office in a position where she can see what is going on in her office, but they can't see her, and is just watching her girls.
"Emily?" Tara asks concerned, as she walks up to her friend, as she can tell that Emily is not okay.
"Pen and I made a deal when we got custody of the kids," Emily reveals, without looking away from her office. "If something happened to one of us then the other would quit the BAU," Emily explains. "We didn't want our kids to have childhoods like Stephen, or Jack, always wondering if their only parent would come home," Emily explains. "I just assumed our positions would be reversed," Emily admits, pain in her voice, as she wipes away a tear.
"Emily, we're not there yet," Tara tells her friend, causing Emily to look at her. "You need to focus on finding Penelope, on seeing her again, because you will," Tara says, and it is clear that Emily isn't sure she can believe that. "But if you can't do that then focus on them," Tara says, clearly gesturing to the kids. "Allow them to keep you grounded," Tara says, and Emily gives a slight nod. "Come on, we've got work to do," Tara says, sticking her hand out for Emily to take, which she does, and the two of them head over to a desk.
A little while later Emily and Tara are still in the bullpen but they are both looking at Tara's computer.
"Okay Penelope's keycard was used to exit the garage at 10:09pm and then Reid's seven minutes after that and then Meadow' after that," Tara explains. "So, she separated all of them," Tara explains.
"Cause she had the man power of an entire cult to help her," Emily says, sounding annoyed.
"But of all the departments, why did Meadows join ViCAP?" Tara asks.
"It's a desk job. She never had to pull her gun or arrest anybody," Emily says. "But what I can't figure out is why she didn't just keep her head down about Quinn. She risked exposure by coming to my office," Emily says.
"Unsub 101," Tara says. "Inserting herself into the investigation," Tara says. "Also, you're our leader, and she probably got off knowing she tricked you," Tara suggests. "However, she did improvise Penelope's abduction," Tara says, and Emily is worried about what that will mean for their wife. "Which means that this whole thing is not as solid as she might have hoped," Tara says.
"I'll have JJ and Dave look into her work routine," Emily says. "She was in the FBI for a reason," Emily says before walking away heading up to her office as she is going to take Tara's advice and focus on the kids, allow them to help keep her grounded rather than thinking about the worse, and dwelling on the guilt she is feeling for not staying with Penelope.
Not long after she told Tara that she would have JJ and Dave look into Meadows's work history Emily is in her office, where Maddie and Kenzie are still awake, sitting at her desk. Even though she is trying to do some work, something to help find Penelope, Emily just keeps staring at the pictures on her desk. The pictures of her and Penelope, the pictures of them with various members of their family, and the picture of them with their kids. As Emily stares at the picture she can feel tears well in her eyes because she knows that Penelope is the love of her life, and she can't imagine doing anything she does without her.
As Emily is so focused on the pictures she doesn't even realise that Kenzie and Maddie have walked over, in fact she doesn't even realise her girls are next to her until they both hug her.
"We're here, Mom," Kenzie says, calling Emily Mom for the first time. "We're scared too," Kenzie says, and Emily moves her chair back slightly so that Kenzie and Maddie can each sit on one of her legs, and as they do she puts an arm around each of them
"Do you want to know the moment I knew that I was going to love Mama for the rest of my life?" Emily asks the girls, who she is so beyond thankful for.
"Yes," Maddie answers, as Kenzie looks interested.
"We were sitting on her couch, the couch that's now in Casey's room, in our old apartment, and Mama was telling me a story of trouble she got in with her cousins when she was a teenager, and we started laughing; and we couldn't stop," Emily admits, fondness in her voice. "We weren't even together yet, but in one moment, when I looked at her; I just knew I was going to love her forever," Emily says, even though it took her a lot longer than that to admit what she felt.
"That's beautiful," Maddie says amazed.
"How long before told her?" Kenzie asks curious.
"A while," Emily admits, and the three of them drift into silence as they look at the pictures on Emily's desk.
A while after she told Kenzie and Maddie the story of when she knew she loved Penelope Emily is in the roundtable room with everyone on the team who isn't missing; including Luke who returned from the hospital.
"Why is at the heart of every BAU investigation," Rossi says, pointing to the card that says why which is on the board. "This one isn't any difference," Rossi says, knowing that focusing on the investigation is the only reason why he can hold it together. For most of her life the job he does has caused him to miss important moments in Penelope's life; it's time he uses those skills to save her.
"Why did Meadows join ViCap?" Luke asks.
"Exactly," Rossi says. "As we know, ViCap agents liaison between federal and local agencies," Rossi explains. "The whole point is to put together details of crimes that could be connected across the US then it gets on our radar," Rossi says.
"So, let me guess. Meadows has been erasing murders that would have connected to the cult," Luke assumes.
"We had to go back to when she joined and rebuilt her case histories," Rossi reveals. "We found a pattern that she was hiding," Rossi explains.
"So, the murders she was covering up were the ones where their victims were missing hyoid bones," JJ explains.
"Like the seven we found in storage," Tara realises.
"As it turns out, the cult has more than seven," Rossi explains.
"How many?" Emily asks, worrying about the answer.
"Two hundred and ninety-nine," JJ answers, to everyone's horror.
Away from most of her family Penelope is still tied to a chair when Reid, who is clearly hurt, is dropped in front of her.
"Oh, my god," Penelope says horrified. "Is he… you're really hurt," Penelope says to Reid, feeling horrified for the person she considers to be her brother. "What… what do they want?" Penelope asks Reid, knowing that Reid would have figured that out by now.
"Me," Reid answers.
"Why? Why you?" Penelope asks, confused.
"I'd be their last victim," Reid says, to Penelope's horror.
"What? Why?" Penelope asks.
"I don't know. I overheard them," Reid explains. "There have been hundreds," Reid explains, as Meadows walks up.
"I gave you what you want. Now it's your turn," Meadows says before cutting Penelope's restraints. "Or I'll blow his big, beautiful brains out," Meadows says, pointing a gun at Reid's head, and Penelope knows she has no choice.
Not long after Reid's life was threatened to get Penelope to cooperate Penelope is working on the laptop she was given while Reid is on the floor Infront of her. Penelope truly hates that she has to do this, but she doesn't see another way to save Reid.
"They've got a firewall, so there's no way to warn the team," Penelope says, as that's the first thing she looked for. "but they're coming for us, Em's coming for us," Penelope tells Reid, knowing that without a doubt. "You know they are. We're gonna be okay. We have to be okay. We're not gonna die here, Spencer," Penelope says, trying to make herself believe that as much as Reid. "This can't be how our story ends," Penelope says, speaking of not only hers and Spencer's stories, but hers and Emily's. "What can we do?" Penelope asks, and then the answer comes to her. "They'll trade. We'll make a barter," Penelope says. "Take me!" Penelope says, raising her voice.
"No!" Reid exclaims.
"The team need you," Penelope says to Reid, believing that.
"No, they don't," Reid says. "They need you," Reid says, believing that just as much as Penelope believes that the team need him.
"They need us," Penelope says in a soft tone of voice. "We need us. What can we do?" Penelope asks Ried.
"You've got one minute," Meadows says, walking back over to them.
"I hate you," Penelope says.
"I don't care," Meadows responds, as Reid is able to move closer to Penelope as he is about to be taken away.
"Garcia listen to me. Please tell my mom," Reid says, and as he does Meadow's phone rings and so she walks away from the pair. "They're taking me and Theo," Reid explains, in a hurried, quiet voice.
"Theo's here?" Penelope asks surprised.
"We'll distract them," Reid explains. "The car we were in is right outside the door. We're eighteen minutes away from Quantico," Reid instructs, speaking fast so that he can tell Penelope everything she needs to know. "Turn left outside the parking lot, take a right at the light. You'll recognize the rest," Reid explains. "They stayed off the highways," Reid explains.
"Okay, okay, but what about you?" Penelope asks, as that plan sounds like it will get her to safety, but it won't keep Reid safe.
"I'll delay them," Reid explains. "Get the rest of the team back here and do not worry about me," Reid tells Penelope.
"Times up," Meadows says and the two of them are able to hug.
"It's happening. Ten twenty-three," Reid tells Penelope as they hug, neither knowing if they will ever see each other again.
"Get to it, now," Meadows says to Penelope as Reid is dragged away.