Fox Dens was a large campground situated not far outside of King County. At high speed with sirens and lights, it would take at least a half an hour, and that was assuming they didn't encounter any devastating traffic.
Along with several police cars, the team, each already donning their respective gun vests, packed into one SUV and were on their way within minutes. The ride was spent in silence; the only sound heard was the sirens mixed with the increasing hum of the engine and the wipers swiping over the windshield. Each one couldn't help but think if all this commotion was necessary, trying to ignore the sensation they were already too late. Even if they were headed to the right location, it could take hours, even days to find where he buried them.
Hotch drove, with Rossi in the front seat. Emily sat between JJ and Morgan, all three having the feeling they were kids in the backseat on a road trip. And like on a road trip, each one had that feeling they were going to throw up.
"Hotch, faster," Morgan muttered.
Without response, they could feel the car begin to speed up. How far away, they didn't know, but at least they had one thing. As long as they sat in that car, they still had hope. Once they go there, Reid and Riley would be dead or alive. Here, they could hope for the best… while still expecting the worst.
The windshield wipers moved furiously with the rain, sloshing the water aside to help them see into the night. Traveling this fast on such slick pavement could not have been wise, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The police kept up behind them. The sound of the sirens was wearing thin on all their nerves. But they weren't far.
"There are three different road entrances on this highway." JJ said, looking over a map of the campground she had brought.
"The police know to split up and surround the campground. Block all possible exits and main roadways." Hotch informed. "If Engles is still there, he'll have no way out."
"What if he's not there?" Emily asked.
"Then we scour the grounds until we… find them." Hotch stuttered on the last words. "Just… everyone needs to keep their heads. I know we don't want to think the worst right now, but this is just like any other case."
"Saying that Hotch just reminds us this is not like any other case." Emily pointed out, the edginess seeping out in her response.
…
Exhausted, Reid shoveled out another measure of muddy soil. Waist deep now, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. His head was aching, and a few blisters had begun to form on his hands. Looking up, he noticed Engles' form as he leaned against a nearby tree, observing. He was enjoying this a little too much.
"I wonder if she's made it to the road yet?" Engles said into the darkness. "Walking along… with her hands tied… at the mercy of any person who drives by. We're in a heavily wooded area; all kinds of maniacs are found out here."
"I suspected that," Reid replied. Engles was trying to upset him, trying to put him through emotional pain. He focused on digging. Reid would be dead within the hour, he was sure. He just hoped Riley had gotten help by now. All of Reid's chances were gone. No wonder Engles had wanted him to keep digging. By the time it came for him to die, he'd too be exhausted to fight… he'd be begging for death.
A twig snapped in the distance. Engles spun around, thinking they'd been discovered. Reid paused, watching him. It was just an animal, Reid knew. Though he appeared a calm woodsmen, Engles was still tense and anxious, both of which lingered just below the surface. The forest around them was sounded with just the echo of the rain, dripping through the leaves, splattering onto the ground. Reid was freezing and wet, certain the temperature was dropping.
"Alright, you can stop." Engles said turning back around, his breathing had calmed once again.
Reid looked around at his morbid work. "I think it could be a little deeper, actually."
To his surprise, Engles laughed. "You've got a good sense of humor, Dr. Reid. I'm sure it's one of the things Riley loves about you. I'll be sure to bring that up when I catch her again. How you tried to act brave. The first time I tried to kill her, she screamed and begged for you, did you know that? I'm suspecting you'll either beg for her or your mommy."
"My mother is a paranoid schizophrenic, Jimmy," Reid said. "I have long since ceased the desire for her help."
"We'll see then." He muttered, seeming occupied. In the dead darkness, Reid tried to make out Engles form. Once his mind could comprehend, he watched through the horrible weather, his burning hands still gripping the shovel, as Engles' hands fidgeted with his gun.
…
Not far now. Hotch continued driving at lightening speed through the rain. Morgan reached over and claimed the map from JJ. He read it quickly. "The first entrance into the campground should be just around the next bend." He said. "We should take that one, let the other cops cover the other two."
Hotch gave no indication he heard anything Morgan said. They sped around the bend, Hotch making no attempt to slow down. Both Emily and JJ clutched onto their seats in desperation, as if there were a threat they would be thrown from the vehicle. The first roadway entrance to the campground was seen. Hotch sped past as if it didn't exist.
"Hotch, you missed it, what are you doing?" Emily asked. Glancing back, a few of the other cops broke off to go inside.
"He didn't use an entrance." Hotch said. "That would be too obvious."
"Then how do you suspect he got in?" Rossi asked.
"Engles probably entered somewhere off the road, some pathway he made himself or something only known to local hunters."
"We'll never find that in the dark, Hotch." Morgan exclaimed. "The best way is to drive through the public areas."
"We'll never find him that way," he said. "He'll get out before we can set up any kind of perimeter."
"That's true, but…" Emily added, "This is miles and miles of unfamiliar woods and wilderness and-"
"No, Hotch is right." Rossi said. "There will be something that stands out, some clue."
"Can we spot it in this weather?" JJ asked.
No sooner had she said that did they see it. Some yellow pickup resting on the opposite side of the road. Immobile, like it had been there a long time. The bed of the truck was down; hiding the license plate, although no one in the SUV doubted it was missing.
"I think so," Morgan muttered.
Disobeying traffic laws, Hotch swung quickly over to the truck. A few of the cops followed, the rest continued through to the woods. The SUV parked up next to the truck, each jumping out to examine the vehicle.
The sirens silenced. With the flash of the headlights, the mix of red and blue, they could see some figure sitting in the front, resting over the steering wheel against the door. Guns poised, they each surrounded the car. With a quick glance all around, they made their first move.
"James Engles?" Hotch called loudly, trying to be heard over the rain and the cars. "This is the FBI, show me your hands."
The figure inside didn't move. Hotch took a glance at Morgan. He understood. Shifting his gun to on hand, Morgan reached over to check the handle. Unlocked, he quickly pulled it open, allowing the motionless body to fall out.
It only took a second for Aaron Hotchner to register the mounds of curly black hair. Reaching out, he caught the body before she could hit the ground.
"Oh my God," JJ cried, rushing forward.
"Riley," Hotch called, hooking his gun into his belt. Riley had cuts and new bruises, her wrists tied like the other victims. Hotch adjusted her in his arms, trying to jostle her awake. "Riley, can you hear me?"
JJ reached over and felt for a pulse. Nodding, "She's alive. She… must have gotten away. Somebody call the medics, tell them where we are." She called to the standing cops.
"What about Reid?" Morgan asked.
"Riley," Hotch yelled, shaking her again. "Riley. Come on, wake up. Where is Reid?"
All he managed to get out of her was a moan. "Okay, there has got to be a path somewhere around here," Morgan said.
"Over there," Emily suggested to the side of the road they had been driving on. "The truck is facing the wrong direction. She must have tried to drive away and crashed over here."
"Let's check it out," Morgan agreed, adjusting his gun in his hands. "Reid might still be alive. No flashlights, we can't risk spooking this guy. Let's go."
"I'll stay with her until the medics get here." JJ said to Hotch. "Don't worry, she'll be okay."
"Hotch, we've got to go. We have to get to Reid." Morgan said. Both Emily and Rossi were heading across the highway, trying to find where Engles had gotten into the woods.
"No," Hotch said, refusing to let the girl go. "You guys go ahead; I want to stay with her." He looked up, meeting Morgan's eyes. "I need to stay with her."
Morgan understood. They all knew how much Riley meant to Hotch… almost as much as she meant to Reid. "Okay," he replied. "We'll be back soon."
Morgan left to meet his friends. The sound of the ambulance coming down the highway was heard, heading to their side of the interstate to meet them. Morgan, Emily, and Rossi, guns at the ready, didn't have to take long to find the path inside. The three, unprepared as to what they'd find, headed into the unknown wilderness.
…
There was no way to tell if they were going in the right direction. Straight seemed the best option. Not to mention, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, the lack of light made them move at a snails pace.
They had to have been moving at least twenty minutes before they knew they were on the right track. A voice echoed in the vibrations of the raindrops.
"I wonder if she's made it to the road yet." The voice wafted over to them. It could be Engles, but not one of them had actually met him. "Walking along… with her hands tied… at the mercy of any person who drives by. We're in a heavily wooded area; all kinds of maniacs are found out here."
"I suspected that," Another answered. All three made silent praises of thanks. There was no mistaking that voice. Reid was alive. Their guns up, they moved closer into position.
Unsure of his footing, Morgan took a step and heard a crack. Emily and Rossi glanced at him anxiously. The talking had ceased. All three stood frozen, wondering if Engles had figured things out.
They each breathed a sigh of relief as Engles started speaking after some time. "Alright, you can stop." Engles said.
They would only have once chance at this, trying to move as close as possible. The closer they were to the scene when they made their presence know, the better chance they had at overpowering him. "I think it could be a little deeper, actually."
Engles laughed out loud. Morgan, Rossi and Emily all stifled their own laugh. Mostly, from the relief that their friend was still alive.
Engles continued talking. They were just inches from the grave. Everything was on Morgan now. He was designated to let the others know when to attack. Guns poised, they waited for the right moment.
"We'll see then." He muttered. Taking one more deep breath, Morgan held his gun up.
"Freeze, FBI!" Morgan called, moving into sight. Emily rushed forward, weapon at the ready. Rossi stepped forward, his gun in one hand, a shining flashlight alive in the other. A hope to blind Engles and take him down easily.
But unable to see where he was, though, their plan backfired. The light never shined on Engles. He stepped forward, one hand gripping a handful of Reid's hair, the other forcing the muzzle of the gun against his head.
"James Engles," Morgan called, his gun pointed at his chest. "Drop your weapon."
He didn't say a word. Pulling back on the hair, Reid moaned in pain. Engles pulled him so his body was blocking any suitable shot.
"Engles," Emily exclaimed. "Let him go. He didn't do anything to you."
"No, I won't let you take me until I finish this." His voice was calm; stable. Reid was in unbearable pain, feeling his hair pulling back further. The muzzle pressed painfully against his skull.
"It's over, Engles," Morgan called. "Let him go."
"You don't understand!" He cried, the agitation beginning to surface. "I'm helping him. I'm ending his suffering."
"No, you're not." Morgan called. "You're an abused little boy who's trying to inflict his pain on everyone else. You find weak, innocent people and hurt them to make yourself feel better and try to make your mommy proud of you."
"Leave my mother out of this."
"You're mother is in custody, James." Rossi said. "She's going to jail for a very long time."
Engles was frozen, letting up his hold on Reid slightly. "You're lying. My mother had nothing to do with this."
"How do you think we found you?" Morgan asked. "She told us everything. If you kill Dr. Reid, we'll be forced to kill you."
"You'll never see your mother again." Emily added. "We won't tell her what happened here. You'll be just like your victims… your mother will never know what happened to her son." She paused, stepping forward. "Do you really want to do that to her?"
Engles breathed heavily as he thought. To Reid it felt like an eternity. He couldn't even think of his own name, the pain was so blinding.
Finally, the release on his hair was gone and the gun was pulled away. Reid was pushed to the ground, falling onto his knees. A splash was heard next to him, indicating Engles had dropped the gun.
Morgan and Rossi rushed forward to handcuff the surrendering killer. Emily tucked her gun away, heading to help her friend.
He appeared bewildered for a moment, unable to fully realize it was over. Emily knelt in front of him. Her hand brushed some of his sopping hair aside, the better to see his face. "Reid?" She asked softly.
From the light of the sole flashlight, she saw a sparkle of recognition on his face. Reid locked eyes with her. His mind caught up to the moment. Both crying and smiling at the same time, his emotions flowed to the surface. Emily took him into her arms; Reid buried his face into her shoulder and began sobbing. He clung to her as if his life depended on it. "Shh…" she soothed, gently stroking his shivering body. "It's okay. You're safe now." She let her own tears fall. She glanced at Morgan. With the rain, it couldn't be proven, but Emily swore she saw tears on his face, too.
