Rossi Cabin –
While JJ filled Fran and the girls in on what the men had found, Will checked on the three sleeping boys on the other end of the cabin. On his way back to join the others, he heard a noise outside. Without alarming the women, he stood still in the dark hallway and listened again. It was footsteps that's what he heard, running footsteps. He followed the sound which seemed to be headed toward the back deck. With what JJ had said about what Rossi had found he wasn't taking any chances.
The women's conversation stopped as Will rushed through the doorway. Something was wrong and it was confirmed by the sound of a loud explosion outside. Fran ran to the front of the house and saw large bright orange and yellow smoke blooming outside in the circular driveway.
"It's a fire!" She shouted.
"Get away from the window!" JJ ordered as the others rushed to the front of the house.
Fran backed away from the window just as Will circled the corner entering the front room in a hurry.
"I just heard somebody out back!"
"Does this have anything to do with Derek and Penelope missing?" Desiree asked.
"I don't know..." JJ began.
A second explosion interrupted her.
"Take cover, everybody!" Will yelled.
JJ called Hotch to let him know that they were under attack.
"No, no, wait!" Fran began. "Sarah, you, Desi and I will grab the boys and head to the basement!" She ordered taking charge.
"Fran?" JJ asked puzzled while keeping her eyes on the front of the property.
"I think we all need to hold up in the panic room." Fran added.
"Panic room, really?" JJ asked. "You have a panic room?"
"I'm married to a career federal agent with questionable ties to the mafia, yeah we have a panic room!"
Will and JJ exchanged looks and shrugged their shoulders. The girls and Fran headed toward the boys without further discussion.
Will headed back toward the back of the house while JJ stood guard near the front window. She watched as another figure moved toward the cabin just before another explosion went off, rattling the windows.
"Damn!" She muttered. "Come on Hotch we need you!"
The window in the kitchen smashed sending glass across the floor. Will drew his gun and aimed at an armed man dressed in black pushed his way inside Will fired dropping the intruder with one bullet to the chest.
"Will!" JJ shouted.
"I'm okay!"
Relieved JJ took cover near the wall. Another man stepped up on the porch, she saw him pulling what looked like another explosive from a large bag. She couldn't allow him to blow up the cabin so, jerking the door open she caught the man by surprise; the bullet to his forehead dropped him dead on the porch.
Will dragged the dead man's body outside and rushed toward the front of the cabin.
"JJ!"
"I'm good, I'm good."
He saw her locking the front door.
"What happened?" Will asked.
"Another one tried to set off another explosive at the front door and I shot him." She answered.
"There's no telling how many there are." He added.
"The others will be here any time now." JJ assured him.
"In the meantime, we'll drop anyone who tries to get in."
"That we will, that we will." She agreed.
Cody tried reaching his men by phone but there was no answer. He'd heard two shots and he'd watched Abe fall near the front of the cabin. Now he was alone, and he wasn't about to get any closer without backup, so he scurried back to his van.
"Damn it! Damn it!" Cody screamed.
He was beside himself with rage, pounding his fist against the steering wheel. Two of his men had been stopped and now all he had was himself and Earl the computer geek who was afraid of his own shadow. It was up to him now. He'd make Derek Morgan pay; it was his only agenda. Killing the others was just a way to make him suffer first. Without the others' help, he would have to take care of his enemy with his own two hands.
"I'm going to kill you Derek, but first I'm going to make you feel pain like you've never felt it before! That's a promise!"
Home of Obie White-
Obie had left Penelope alone for the last hour hoping that once she awoke again, she would remember him and their life together. It was a miracle that she was back, and he wasn't going to take it for granted. She looked so beautiful and so young; looking down on her, he felt younger and hopeful.
Penelope pulled forcefully against the restraints with no success. She had to find a way out of this cabin and away from the old man who kept calling her, Emma. Survival was her only objective and doing whatever was necessary was her only game plan; her baby needed her, and she'd fight anyone and anything to protect it.
Obie had showered and changed into a fresh dress shirt and trousers. It had been a long time since he'd looked so fancy. Emma's sickness had taken away all reasons to dress in his Sunday best. Now here he was, putting on his favorite cologne and smoothing his gray strands back behind his ears. It was a time of celebration and he'd prepared her favorite meal in hopes that she would eat with him and then maybe later if she felt up to it, he would help her out of bed to bathe and dress.
Carrying the tray of food, Obie was giddy and taking in a deep breath he pushed open the door and smiled at his bride.
Rossi Cabin –
Hotch pulled the SUV into the driveway and to an abrupt halt. The other two SUVs were still fully engulfed in flames. The three jumped out and ran toward the door. The sounds of sirens screaming could be heard coming closer.
"JJ!" Hotch yelled.
"In the kitchen!" She responded.
Hotch, Dave and Reid rushed toward her voice and breathed a sigh of relief to see that she and Will were in one piece.
"What the hell happened?" Dave asked.
"Two men tried to break in..." Will began.
"Where's Fran and..." Dave began.
"In the panic room." JJ interrupted.
"The panic room?" Hotch asked surprised.
With a slight smile Dave shrugged his shoulders.
"Of course, a panic room!" Dave answered. "You can never be too safe."
Unknown Location –
Earl let himself into the room. Derek straightened and watched as the younger man approached.
"Cody is on his way back."
"Now is your chance to do the right thing, man." Derek reasoned.
Cody smiled as he knelt and leaned into his captive.
"I have to warn you, it's about to get really bad for you. Things didn't go as planned at the cabin and Cody is really angry."
"Please you don't have to be a part of this."
"Don't worry, Cody isn't going to let me take part in his plans. He's going to enjoy all of it by himself, but I will be watching!"
Then pointing at the camera above the door, Earl stood and left the room. Derek furiously pulled against his chains. It was no use he wasn't getting away anytime soon and whatever Cody had planned he knew he would need a miracle to survive.
Home of Obie White –
Penelope watched the man place the tray on a table nearby. She tried to remain calm as he approached the bed. As he sat on the edge, she could smell his cologne; it nearly made her gag, but she had to hold it together if she were ever going to get out of this cabin alive.
"Hello my love. I brought us dinner. I thought we could eat together if you're hungry."
"Y-yes of...of course."
"Good, good that's my girl."
Obie gently touched the side of her face with the back of his hand. Penelope flinched.
"I'm sorry..." He began remorsefully. "I just thought..."
"No, no its okay, really."
A smile began to cross his face that never seemed to reach his sad eyes. He nodded and without saying anything more he stood and made his way toward the table where he'd placed their dinner. Then with two plates in his hand he turned to face her with a renewed look of hope in his eyes.
"Look dear, I made your favorite."