TITLE: Criminal Minds – "Darkest Days" (A sequel to Behind the Mask)

AUTHOR: D M Harper

SUMMARY: Agent Prentiss is forced to face her secretive past when it threatens the safety of her BAU colleagues and her beloved family.

RATING: For Mature Readers.

DISCLAIMER: This story was conjured up for reading entertainment only. No money has exchanged hands or bank accounts. There is no profit gained, just fancy flights of imagination. There is no intention to infringe on the copyright of CBS Television Studios or creator Jeff Davis. This writing does feature consensual sexual interaction between two females, so if you are underage or unable to view due to restrictions in your part of the world, be gone and take my sympathy with you. If you find such material offensive, too bad, so sad, you chose to enter this web site of your own free will; hence you have no one to whine to except yourself or a parent if you are caught, so bugger off!

A/N: Please find them time to review and feed the Muse.


Chapter 19

Friday 20th May, 2011

Sauntering up to the reception counter of the Paris France Hotel wearing a mid-thigh length black leather jacket, black shirt, black trousers and boots, Jillian spoke in flawless French when the staff member smiled at her, "Excuse me. I am looking for a friend by the name of Michael Dunn."

"Once moment madam," replied the twenty-something male before typing away on a keyboard. "I am sorry, but your friend checked out this morning at nine o'clock."

Frowning, Jillian explained, "We were to meet for lunch, he did not call and cancel."

"Mr Dunn did request a rental vehicle, but I cannot help you with his travel plans."

"Maybe he intended on surprising me with a visit to my home. Thank you for your kindness."

"It was my pleasure madam."

Jillian walked back through the lobby then outside and immediately phoned Jennifer.

"Hey Jill."

"Hi, apparently Doyle rented a car through reception and left at nine."

"Let me check."

"He is only two hours ahead of me."

"Here it is. A black Range Rover, licence number CC-229-CD. It says here on the contract it was an open destination hire."

"Crap, he could be anywhere."

"I'm logging into the company's GPS locator program."

"He'll have disabled it Jennifer; I know it would have been the first thing I'd do."

"Shit, you're right, but I have footage of the SUV leaving the hotel and it's definitely Doyle behind the wheel."

"Excellent work Partner."

"He pulled into a parking garage on Rue Conte."

"I'll go check it out."

"Turn left when you exit the hotel then take a right after three streets. There are no cameras inside the building so I can't get any footage."

"You're getting pretty good at this technical cloak and dagger business," taunted Jillian as she headed off along the sidewalk at a swift pace.

"Yeah, I've learnt a thing or two from the All Knowing, All Seeing Goddess over the years."

"I'm sure you have."

"I have you on camera now."

"Good to know."

After a short silence, Jennifer spoke, "I've reviewed footage from the past two hours and Doyle hasn't left yet."

"Okay I'll call you back when I have something." Jillian put her phone inside her jacket and after moving past two more streets, she turned right and walked up a slight incline.

Taking the entry ramp, she retrieved a Glock 19 from the holster attached to the back of her belt and pressed it up against her outer left leg as she made her way cautiously along the first level. She spotted the black four wheel drive parked in the far left corner and approached slowly. Jillian was disheartened to find the vehicle unoccupied.

Taking off, she searched the four remaining levels then phoned Jennifer. "He's not here," she declared.

"Damn it! Let me check if any vehicles left after his arrival."

Jillian holstered her weapon and walked towards the lift. Pressing the call button, she stepped inside when the doors opened and made her way to ground level.

When she reached the exit of the building, Jennifer swore, "Shit, he swapped into a white Volvo sedan and there are no plates."

"Which way did he go?"

"He turned left onto Rue Conte then took a right onto Rue de Turbigo. From there he went right onto Rue Reaumur and drove left onto Rue Vaucanson. After that he travelled along Sebastopol, Strasbourg and Magenta. He took the A16 Jillian."

"That leads straight to the Channel Tunnel."

"Give me a second ... you are right."

"Jennifer, it's possible he is going home to Ireland via the UK."

"He hasn't been there for over ten years."

"As far as we know he hasn't, but he may have snuck back over the years and it's the last place he'd expect anyone to look."

"You have a point, but all his old associates are either dead or in prison."

"My guess is he has plans to forge a new alliance with someone and set up base in Ireland until he has replenished his bank accounts. Where is O'Shea's former partner being held?"

"Jack O'Connor is serving time in Brixton, London. Do you think Doyle will attempt to get a message to him?"

"Intel suggests O'Connor owes Doyle over one million dollars from his last bungled deal, so I think Doyle will want to collect in exchange of the weapons MI5 failed to recover after O'Connor's' arrest last year."

"My god, how did you know all that; it's classified information?"

"I was busy on my laptop during the flight over and read several files on O'Connor."

Jennifer let out a soft giggle, "That's impressive and I told Shawl he should have told you everything."

"It's all about control and those in higher positions like to fool themselves into believing they have it."

"True, so what's your next move?"

"I'll fly to London and try to intercept Doyle either before or after he makes contact with O'Connor. Of course, that's only if that is his plan. It's a four hour drive to the Channel then a two hour fifteen minute trip aboard a transport train. I should be able to make up some serious time by taking a plane."

"It's only a twenty five minute flight, so you should."

"True, but it all depends of flight availability."

"What do you need from me?"

"Find Doyle's movements from the Chunnel exit and let me know where he goes from there. Also make inquiries with Brixton regards O'Connor's visitors and ask when his next session is scheduled."

"I'm on it and will call back as soon as I have the information Jill."

"Thanks and tell Shawl and Strauss I'll e-mail a field report within the hour."

"Will do and be safe."

"I will; goodbye."

Hailing a taxi, Jillian made her way to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport and organised the only available seat with British Airways. With four hours to spare before departure, she typed up her activity report then called her brother followed by Garcia.

-o-

Jillian was eating the last of her dinner in a hotel room when Jennifer called. "Hey," she answered while taking the food tray to the door and leaving it on the other side.

"Sorry to call so late sweetie, but I've got good and bad news for you."

"I'll take bad news for two hundred thanks Alex."

Jennifer laughed briefly at the Jeopardy reference then began, "The Volvo Doyle was driving was abandoned on the transport train and he made an exit from Folkestone Central station on foot. He disappeared once he walked along Cheriton Road and into Radnor Park. I've checked all available cameras in the area and have found nothing covering his movements."

"He's not leaving anything to chance and has stayed one step ahead the entire time which makes it impossible to send in local authorities without exposing the fact we are onto to him."

"I agree and he is long gone before we work out his next move."

"Do you know if Interpol are aware of his current location?"

"They have no idea about his activities. The last I heard they had basically scaled down their investigation due to lack of reliable data."

"Good, they won't get in our way then."

"By all reports they haven't made the McCall connection yet."

"Excellent and now I'll take good news for six hundred."

"It's nice to hear your funny side again Jill."

"Don't be fooled Jennifer, I could fall apart at any given moment. I'm just in a good mood after chatting with the twins."

"I've been keeping Emily apprised of their progress."

"I'm glad you do."

"She asks about you all the time and misses everyone."

"Is this your subtle way of trying to convince me to forgive her?"

"Kind of Jill, I understand how hurt you've been, but I also know Emily carries that guilt with her every day. She loves you with all her heart and only wants what is best for you and the children."

"I don't doubt that Jennifer, but she lied to me about her past and gave up any right she may have had for a future with me. I can't forgive her for that no matter how hard I try."

"I can see both sides of the situation and don't envy either of you."

"I don't wish any further heartbreak for Emily, but she would have been fully aware of what my reaction would have been if I found out she chose to lie."

"My heart breaks for everyone involved and I deeply wish there had been a better way of handling the whole sorry mess."

"I fully understand why you and Hotch decided on hiding Emily, but I was surprised to find out Erin went along with it at the last moment."

"Why is that?"

"Erin has a hard time lying to me."

"Emily explained you and Strauss are friends from way back."

"Our friendship dates back fifteen years."

"She certainly has become more accessible since you joined the BAU."

"Yeah, do you miss the team?"

"Yes, but I've been making inroads towards returning."

"That's excellent news Jennifer and I believe we were side tracked."

"Oh goodness we were. Right, O'Connor's only visitor is his wife and she is currently in Madrid on vacation with the family. Her next visit is for Saturday the eighteenth of July."

"Crap that's another four weeks."

"If you are correct about the O'Connor's connection then Doyle will have to contact her at some stage before that date."

"Not unless he has already has. For all we know he could be on his way to Dublin or Madrid right now."

"If he is, he will need transport."

"He won't risk a commercial flight or ferry trip."

"His only other options are private plane or boat."

"There are just too many variables to consider. I think it would be a waste of time trying to track him down and we already know from his phone conversation with McCall he is interested in making a deal with my alto ego, so I'll return to Tel Aviv and wait for contact to be made."

"I'll make arrangements to have O'Connor's visit with his wife monitored."

"Sounds like a plan Jennifer. I'll stay in Florentin for two weeks then spend time with my family if I haven't heard from McCall or Doyle by then. I seriously don't think they will until after contact with O'Connor is made."

"All right and I'll speak to you soon."

"Bye."

-o-

On the eighteenth of June Jillian was informed by Jennifer that her assumption regard Doyle and O'Connor was correct. During the two hour visit Sophie O'Connor gave her husband the message she had received from Doyle on the twentieth of May. She informed him Doyle wanted his money, but was happy to take delivery of ten of the twenty crates of weapons hidden in the countryside of Midhurst, West Sussex as full payment.

Jack O'Connor was quick to agree to the deal and told his wife to let Doyle know where to find the caches. He also gave up the name of his previous supplier in St Petersburg. Before leaving, Sophie mentioned Doyle would be arriving in Dublin by the twentieth of August.

"Jennifer, Doyle won't show to collect the guns himself," put forth Jillian before e-mailing her latest field report and daily diary notes.

"I agree whole heartily. He'll send others to do the dirty work."

"Precisely and I'll make my way to Midhurst A-SAP."

"Agents Jackson and Leroy are on their way there now and will link up with you at a pub called The Bricklayer's Arms. The establishment is situated on Wool Lane."

"Got it and we'll take happy snaps of the excavations and retrievals. Once we have the location of Doyle's storage place I'll contact you. I'll have Jackson and Leroy rotate with me on the surveillance, but I suspect we'll have a long wait before Doyle is comfortable enough to move the merchandise."

"Ideal plan and I can send you more backup Jill."

"No, too many Agents running around will only increase the chances of being detected."

"Okay, I'll trust your judgement. You have managed to be spot on so far."

"That works both ways ma'am."

"Why thank you and how are you feeling about all this?"

A long exhalation preceded the reply, "I'm still irritated and it only increased when mom sent me a video of the twins taking their first steps yesterday."

"I'm sorry you missed that and she sent it to me too."

"Did you pass it on to Emily?"

"No not yet, we're not due to communicate until next week."

Before being bogged down in a memory, Jillian changed the topic, "Mom told me you and Will are planning to take Henry for a weekend at Titusville."

"Yeah we are going next week. Garcia thought it would be a good idea if a few of us got away and spent time with the twins."

"So who is going besides you and Will?"

"There's Garcia of course, Morgan, Hotch and Jack. Dave has a book signing in New York and Spence is booked into a Comic-con function in LA, so they can't make it."

"Emily would enjoy the Comic-con."

"Yeah, deep down she is still a nerd."

Laughing for a short moment, Jillian momentarily forgot her resentment towards her wife, "I love that side of Em."

"So you still love her?"

"Yes, but that doesn't matter."

"Uh uhm."

"What does that mean?"

"I plead the fifth."

"Fair enough and no matter what happens with this shitty situation, I will always be in love with Emily."

"I know that about you and am filled with hope."

"Don't get carried away Jareau."

"I won't."

"You will have a great time at mom and dad's."

"So I'm led to believe. Morgan is looking forward to checking out the boat and Will is eager to go fishing. Your dad has even organised a tour of NASA for us."

"It's an awesome place and Henry will be amazed."

"Well, it's late and I better let you go."

"Okay, give Henry and Will a hug for me and I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Jill."

-o-

By the first of August Jillian had still not heard from McCall or Doyle, but several inquiries had been made into her fake financial and criminal records via an unknown computerised source originating from Ireland. The IP address was traced to an internet café in Phibsborough. That was where Jillian headed for while leaving Jackson and Leroy behind to keep an eye on the warehouse in Kilbride being used to house the ten containers of weapons that had been unearthed by two men identified as William McBride and Patrick O'Shaunacy.

Both men had extensive criminal histories and past associations with the IRA and McCall. They had arrived at the predetermined locations in Midhurst on the nineteenth of June and enlisted the help of a local contractor to dig up the crates with excavating machinery. The process had been digitally recorded by Jillian then the two State Department Agents followed a lorry loaded with the weapons to the address in Kilbride.

-o-

Jillian pulled a woollen hat over the top of her long black wig and picked up the laptop off the table. Exiting the hotel room in Dunboyne she walked one point nine kilometres to Phibsborough and quickly located the café on Monck Place used to hack into her planted background records.

Taking a seat by a large bay window with a view of the front entrance, Jillian booted up her computer and waited to be served. Two minutes on, she ordered two scones with dark plum jam and a pot of green tea in an English accent and smiled at the pretty waitress.

Once the server returned, Jillian thanked her and handed over twenty Euros, "Keep the change."

"Cheers love."

Jillian took her time and spread purple conserve onto the baked treats before taking a bite. She pulled up a program and worked her way into the café's security system. Opening files, she found the footage corresponding to the time her files had been accessed. She watched as a red haired male in his late twenties took a seat in front of a computer located in the corner of the building. Copying the recording, Jillian then sent it to Jennifer before shutting down the laptop.

Enjoying the remainder of her meal, Jillian daydreamed about returning to Ireland one day with her family for a vacation. Her thoughts were interrupted by a text alert. Retrieving the message, she was informed by Jennifer the mystery hacker was a Charles McLaren from Cabra West and he had no criminal history.

Returning to the hotel, Jillian phoned Jackson for a SitRep then took a long hot bath. Afterwards she climbed into bed and slept for two hours. She then called Grace and joined story time with the twins.

-o-