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 the time to review and feed the Muse. Not too long a wait this time, enjoy! A shout out to the regular comment leavers, much appreciated.


Chapter 51

After speaking at length with Warden Mitchell Tate, Emily and Aaron were escorted to an interview room situated in the visits section of the prison. Taking a seat on a fixed metal chair, Emily opened her briefcase and withdrew several folders. Placing them on the steel table, she spread them out in an orderly line then put the portfolio on the concrete floor and up against her right boot.

Hotch moved in and tapped her on the left shoulder, "You got this?"

A cautious smile appeared, "I do and I appreciate you asking."

Empathy flashed across Aaron's features, "He will try to bait you."

"Fully expected and I'm prepared. I won't allow his words to affect me."

Checking his watch, Aaron noted, "Palmer should be done with Byrne's and Harris' arraignments by now."

Emily gave her superior a nod, "Hopefully they are both on their way to a safe house to await trial."

"Apart from the legalities, this nightmare is nearly over," stated Hotch calmly.

"Thank goodness, but there is still some way to go Hotch."

"True, but the hard work is done."

Emily scoffed, "That's easy for you to say; I'll have a huge pile of paperwork on my desk by the time we return."

A chuckle escaped from Aaron, "Yes and I'll receive it gratefully once you have signed it all."

The friends chatted about their children until the sound of clanging chain links was heard outside the door. Hotch took the seat beside Emily while she inhaled deeply. Emily was seconds away from facing her wife's would be rapist and murderer and the images of the torture Jillian had endured washed over her like an unwelcomed downpour of rain.

A slow burning rage ignited within her and her only desire was to inflict as much damage and pain to the monster as was humanly possible with one's bare hands. The love of her family and friends was the only thing keeping her seated and under control. Her natural instinct to pummel McCall with her fists was put on a leash when he smugly followed one of the two Prison Officers into the room. The other was holding him firmly around the upper left arm and ushering him towards a vacant seat on the opposite side of the table.

Emily's gaze remained directed at the table when the prisoner spoke, "Well if it isn't Agent Hotchner and Agent Whore Prentiss."

"Watch your mouth inmate," warned the Officer controlling him and pushing him onto the chair.

McCall's manacled wrists were placed on the table and further restrained to the steel bar attached to the shiny surface by an additional set of cuffs presented by the second Officer. Next, McCall's leg irons were secured to a rod on the floor. Both Officers inspected and checked the fixtures before departing.

Once they closed the door, McCall leered at Emily until she made eye contact. He smirked then asked, "What part of me greeting did I get wrong Agent Prentiss? Ya did spread ya legs for me boy Ian, didn't you? That was ya plan to seduce info out of him and dat makes ya a whore."

Ignoring the taunt, Emily picked up a photograph of the basement area of the Sentara Hospital and pushed it in front of the prisoner, "That is the aftermath of the bomb you had your grandson Callum build as a decoy."

Grey eyebrows rose as a smile appeared on McCall's lips, "A decoy ya say?"

Flipping over the next picture, Emily continued, "That is Callum's mugshot. It was taken yesterday and he is being arraigned this morning."

Leaning back as far as was possible with his shackles, McCall shrugged, "What does dat have to do with me? As ya can see, I'm a little tied up and was nowhere near this explosion ya be taking about. What dat lad did has nothing to do with me."

Bending to the right, Emily retrieved evidence bags containing a cell phone, a CD and several sheets of printed paper. Dropping the items onto the table, she stated, "Your conversation with Callum was recorded digitally by prison Intel Officers. It contains details of your request to have him kill Agent Rolston while she convalesced in hospital."

"I guess ya got me then; not dat ya can do anything more to me seems as I am already looking at the death penalty when I go to court. None of this shite really matters now, does it?"

Aaron was the one to respond, "It will hasten your trial date."

Turning up a photo of bomb materials found in Byrne's hotel room, Emily continued, "We have Harris in custody and are aware Frank Bickmore was your co-conspirator. Agents are currently tracking him down."

With the tiny amount of movement his arthritic hands were allowed, McCall waved at the items, "As I said before, it makes no difference to me."

Appalled by the man's lack of repentance over his grandson's fate, Emily nonetheless remained impartial, "We were onto your scheme to murder Agent Rolston early, and as a consequence, were waiting for Callum to arrive at her room. That is where he was apprehended."

Giving the impression he had better things to do, McCall yawned, "Tis a shame the fooking idjut failed. I suppose dat's what I get for asking a boy to do a man's work."

Having heard enough, Hotch snapped at the prisoner, "You have destroyed his life you bastard as well as Harris'."

The words were met with a sneer, "It was worth it to get to a chance at taking Rolston out."

Emily felt the bile rise in her throat as she spoke, "You are despicable McCall and Agent Rolston survived your evilness not once, but twice. You are done as are your offshore bank accounts, gun collections and property. Everything you own has been taken into custody as evidence against you. You don't have the means to threaten or bribe anyone again, and I will take great pleasure in attending your execution."

Feigning disinterest, McCall enquired, "Are we done here?"

Gathering up the evidence, Emily quipped, "You eager to return to your cell Prisoner McCall?"

Turning his head to the left, McCall spat on the floor, "It'd be better than listening to ya coonts go on with ya useless case against me."

"Your lack of remorse is hardly a surprise," noted Aaron with open distain.

"What the fook do I care?"

Closing her briefcase, Emily replied, "Fifty people were injured because of your obsession for revenge; revenge that was not yours to seek. Your so called boy Doyle was no better than you and got what he deserved. The many men, women and children who died by his and your hands or orders will be your shameful legacy. You disgust me with your devotion to that prick, but I sleep well at night knowing your reign of terror has finally come to an end. You have no more game to play McCall and are nothing but a sad lonely old man."

Tilting his head slightly to the right, McCall mocked, "And you are a sad and lonely coont."

Standing, Emily looked down at the inmate, "I am far from that."

Hotch got up and went to the door. As he opened it, he addressed the two Officers, "Did Warden Tate speak with you gentlemen?"

The closer of the two answered, "Yes Sir, is it time?"

"It is and much appreciated," returned Aaron as he passed through the threshold and closed the door.

McCall stared at Emily and grinned, "So the great Emily Prentiss is about the assault me. Smile for the cameras love and say goodbye to ya career."

"They have been turned off as has the recorder. If I had my way; I would put my gun between your eyes and put you down like the rabid dog that you are."

McCall was unmoved, "Ya are a feisty one lass. No wonder Ian bragged about how good ya were with his cock in ya."

The simmering anger set forth and Emily got into McCall's face, "I hated every deplorable moment spent with that beast and just so you know, I faked everything with him."

Blue eyes widened, "Ya are a liar. Ian was full of praise for ya."

Straightening up, Emily laughed, "Newsflash, he was full of shit and a target and more importantly, the fucker is dead and you'll be next."

Struggling against his restraints, McCall lost his calm demeanour, "Ya fooking coont. If I wasn't tied up like an animal, I'd make ya eat those words."

"You are a hypocrite. You are detained lawfully which is more than you did to Agent Rolston and countless others over the years. You think it was your given right to beat, torture and murder people all in name of Doyle's misguided greed for power and wealth. You had no reason to go after Agent Rolston and treat her the way you did. You assaulted her when she was defenceless then attempted to rape her before planning on killing her. You are an animal and you will be put down. Agent Rolston did the world a favour by shooting Doyle and his death, along with your will go unmourned."

The prisoner rolled his eyes, "Such a moving and passionate speech; I'd clap ya if I could."

"A part of me wants to smash that self-righteous smirk from your face, but I won't lower my standards to your level." Instead, she picked up her bag and moved towards the exit; eager to leave the vile man behind.

"It's been a pleasure as always Agent Prentiss, ya right royal fooking slut." When Emily reached for the door handle, McCall spotted the wedding band on her left hand and sniggered, "Does ya husband know about ya fooking Ian?"

Opening the door, Emily retorted over her left shoulder, "No, but my wife does." She closed the door to the sound of McCall gasping. Letting out a deep breath, she was finally done with the monster that invaded her wife's dreams regularly and hoped there would be some form of closure for both of them.

-o-

Hotch was waiting for Emily in the corridor and he smiled as she joined him. "You good?" he asked while inspecting her face for signs of her current state of mind.

There was a small nod from Emily, "That piece of shit has no regret at all for the damage he inflicted over his lifetime and stop profiling me; I am fine."

"Psychopaths never do," pointed out Aaron as the two Agents made their way through the maze of hallways that would lead them back to the reception area. "I'm glad you are okay."

Collecting their weapons from the lockers, they headed for the car park then the airport for the short flight back to Quantico.

There was an absence of conversation during the journey and Emily was met by Derek when the pair entered the bullpen less than an hour later.

"How did it go Princess?" he asked with concern clearly etched on his features.

Hotch excused himself and went to his office as did Emily before responding to her friend's inquiry. She halted her progress and turned to face him, "Honestly, I wanted to punch the bastard repeatedly."

"That's understandable; I've been guilty of the same desire ever since you and Aaron left. It must have been overly tempting to attack him?"

Placing her bag beside her desk, Emily took a seat, "It really was, and his loyalty to Doyle was unnerving. He didn't give a shit about Callum or Harris and had the audacity to complain about being trussed up like a turkey."

"What a prick," cursed Morgan with a head shake. "The good thing is once he goes to trial; we will be finished with him."

"I keep telling myself that and am not looking forward to Jill having to give testimony. She has been through so much with all this crap."

"She is a strong woman Emily."

Emily's heart ached, "There are some cracks starting to show Derek and I'm worried about her."

"With her being home, she can fully concentrate on healing and forgetting about McCall."

Tears pricked the back of Emily's eyes, "I wish it was that simple."

"She may surprise you Emily. Today could be a turning point for her and for you."

Squaring her shoulders, Emily reached for some paperwork on her desk, "I long for that to be the case, now get back to work; those consults won't do themselves."

"Yes Chief," returned Derek with a salute.

-o-

Up next: The fall out.