Chapter 5
Morgan and Strauss sat in the office of a metal fabricator who had sold a man tubular steel and 24 gas nozzles about six months ago. He had paid cash but returned a few weeks later for welding rods paying with his debit card. Kevin Cobb was a solid lead.
"Hi, Computer analyst Garcia speaking." A sombre Garcia answered Strauss call
"Penelope, it's Erin. Please don't worry. We will get them back. I need everything you have on a Kevin Cobb." She passed all his card details to Garcia. "Penelope, your hacking gloves are off. You do what's needed to get them back. On my order, I will have your back. I think you need a monster as you sound too normal. We need you at 110%." Erin Strauss finished her pep talk and smiled across at Derek
Derek reached across the centre console of the FBI SUV and grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips for a tender kiss and passing across his feelings of love how she is accepting her team as a natural agent and not a pencil-pushing stiff.
"Thank you, Erin. I appreciate your handling of Penelope. She needed the boost. She is worried about them." Smiled Derek
"Sweetheart, I want my agents back before I get booted to Houston. I have issues with the pair, but knowing they are likely being tortured, my grievances can wait until we find them alive. I'm not a complete witch. Whoops, bad choice of words considering the current situation." Erin smiled " I love you."
"I love you, too." Derek leaned across and kissed Erin on the lips tenderly. "I'm coming with you to Houston, your more important to me than the B.A.U." Smiled Derek.
"Oh my god, you can hear the women's hearts of D.C breaking. Derek Morgan is off the love market." Garcia gushed. "I'm happy for you both."
"Garcia, gush later. What do you have?" Morgan asked
"Kevin Cobb, a metal fabricator, is a loner as far as I can find. He does work for Ron Pearly on a semi part-time basis. He has ordered various electronic parts about town but stupidly used his debit card. They were delivered to his workshop. The address is on your phone. Be careful and bring them home, please." Garcia didn't say anything else. She just ended the call.
EJ
Rossi stood next to Hotch outside the back door to Cobb Fabrications, a one-floor building. The SWAT team had used their thermal imaging camera and found only one person in the backroom watching what they suspected to be a TV.
"Silent breach, Now, Now!" Strauss's voice told everyone over the radio
Rossi inserted the lock picking tool into the lock and squeezed the trigger several times, opening the lock. He gently pushed the door open and entered with the SWAT team, and found Kevin Cobb watching a movie. As they approached slowly, Hotch recognised Emily Prentiss strapped to a chair. He continued forward, but Cobb noticed his reflection on the tv screen and bolted towards aside door.
'FBI FREEZE'
'SALEM PD HALT'
Cobb just ignored the warnings and continued towards the door. He suddenly ran into the outstretched arm of Erin Strauss, sending him to the floor holding his throat. Strauss rolled him over and cuffed him.
"Nice clothes line Ma'am." Smiled Rossi
Cobb was firmly dragged back to the TV just in time to hear Emily confessing to being a witch.
"Where is this," Morgan asked Cobb, pointing to the TV
Cobb just remained quiet and smirked at Morgan. Cobb didn't realise how much danger he was in, but luckily Hotch pushed him out of striking range.
Suddenly everyone turned to the screen when JJ screamed like a banshee.
"Fountain of eternal knowledge, how might I help?" Garcia asked
"Garcia, we've found them on a tv stream. Can you trace the actual location?" Hotch asked
"Yes, insert your air card into the TV's port," Garcia ordered
They could hear Garcia typing fast and muttering to herself.
"Found their location is on your phones, hurry, please." Garcia asked, "I've disabled his broadband. You should see the tv feed go blank. NOW!" The team watched the tv go blank
"It's off now, Garcia," Morgan told her as he turned towards the door.
EJ
Emily had signed her confession about five minutes ago now she had Ron standing in front of her dressed in his judge gowns,
"Agent Emily Prentiss, you have confessed to being a witch, by King James I warrant you are sentenced to death. You will be burnt at the stake. May God have mercy on your soul." Ron read from his warrant. Ron moved forward and unfastened the straps from the chair, and secured her to the burning stand. Emily was dejected and didn't even fight. She had accepted the consequences of her admission. Ron wheeled the metal contraption in front of Emily and then brought the other half and locked the two sections around Emily.
"Jennifer! Please forgive me; I have been a total cow towards you. I have never stopped loving you. I can't die knowing your pissed at me. Love is strange. It makes you do the craziest things. I only kissed her to get back at you for not trusting me. Please forgive me." Emily told JJ, tears streaming down her bruised face.
"Emily, I forgave you almost straight away. I didn't know how to apologise after hitting you. I was ashamed. I need you to know I love you, and I never meant it when I said EX wife," JJ told her hysterically. She was in excruciating pain, but that seemed insignificant as she was about to watch her wife being burnt alive.
"I am a witch. Would you please stop the pain? I want to die with my wife," JJ told Ron
Ron turned off the heat from the needles in JJ's feet and removed them. He was so high with the endorphins swirling around his bloodstream. He accepted JJ's last request.
After reading her death warrant to her, he opened the burn cage and tied JJ to the backside of the stand. He even untied Emily's left hand and allowed the two women to hold hands as they burnt.
"Just one thing, sweetheart, when we get upstairs, your on the floor. I am not a plastic barbie blond that I can't forgive." JJ squeezed Emily's hand
"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Emily sobbed
"Yes, I love you." JJ sobbed
"DO IT" they yelled at him
Ron opened his witch roaster app and pressed his red button.
EJ
Strauss answered her phone. "Ma'am, hurry, please he has just strapped Emily and JJ to the burning frame thing. They are saying goodbye to each other. Please, please hurry." Garcia ride down the phone.
"Derek, let's see some of that reckless driving I am always on your back for. He has them both strapped inside his burn frame. The good news they have forgiven each other. Penelope isn't sure the burning machine is a wireless operated machine. When we enter, you are cleared to take the kill shot without warning. We can't risk their lives. Everyone clear." Strauss announces
She received confirmation from all the team. She watched everyone check their weapons and just sit their game faces on. Strauss smiled at the professionalism of her team and only hoped her new team would be half as good.
"Five minutes." Announced Derek
Pulling up to the barn, all the agents made entry and found Ron Pearly walking towards the burning frame with Emily and JJ inside with a gaslighter to manually light the gas burners as his witch burner app had stopped responding. He had flung his phone to the floor in disgust when it refused to ignite the burners. He lost his sight of the outside cameras. He missed the arrival of the FBI and police.
Rossi, Morgan, Strauss all fired instantly. They had a safe shot. Ron Pearly dropped to the floor like a stringless puppet, his reign as the modern witchfinder general was over. Morgan and Strauss released Emily and JJ they instantly embraced each other. They thanked the group, unable to make eye contact with anyone.
The Salem police found Sarah Good in the isolation cell and released her, and helped her to the ambulance for transport to the hospital. Emily and JJ were transferred to stretchers and transported to the hospital.
Rossi stood next to Hotch "did you notice neither Emily nor Jennifer could look at us. They are both humiliated and ashamed. I don't think it's a good idea to swamp them at the hospital until we know how to approach them." He told Hotch
Hotch just nodded, and they looked across at Strauss and Morgan, not sure if they cared enough to go.
EJ
Emily and JJ had been treated for their injuries. Emily had her burnt left foot dressed and placed in a protective boot. The doctors gave her a course of antibiotics as she inhaled some of the pool water. JJ had her cuts cleaned and dressed, and she had padded slippers to help protect her feet. The burns from the hot needles just needed some antibiotic cream.
The two embarrassed agents arranged for a private jet to fly them back to D.C, where they had arranged a meeting with the FBI director to try and save the B.A.U team and stop Strauss transfer to Houston. They knew it was the least they could do. The team was the best in the country, and the director needed to be told. They both knew Strauss had raised papers for their dismissal, they hopped being suspended, and an I.A.B investigation might at least save their FBI careers. They had lost the privilege of working with their old friends. But being famous for fighting outside a police station didn't bode well, especially as they whee Youtube and Instagram sensations.
JJ had written a note just in case someone bothered to visit tonight. They would most likely read it tomorrow when they were back in D.C.
EJ
Emily, JJ and the Ambassador Emily's mother stood just outside the main entrance of the J Edgar Hoover building on their way to meet the director of the FBI. Emily had never asked her mother for anything, but she had asked her mother for her help. Elizabeth Prentiss was not pleased with her daughter or daughter-in-law after the embarrassing incident as it had now been classified as. Elizabeth had agreed to help with the team and Strauss, but Emil and JJ had made their bed. Now they had to sleep in it.
The trio passed through security and headed towards the director's office. JJ was sitting uncomfortably in her wheelchair, thinking maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Arriving at the director's office, they are surprised to be taken straight into his office.
The director stands and welcomes the trio into his office
"Welcome, Ambassador, Agents, please have a seat." He indicated where to sit.
"Thank you for seeing us, sir." Emily nervously started, " sir, section Chief Strauss doesn't deserve to be transferred out of the B.A.U. She is an integral part of the team. Even though she is in a relationship with a team member, we both believe it has improved the team. For example, how the team worked on the last case saving us. She handled the bad blood between the locals and police caused by myself and agent Jareau. The fraternisation policy is behind the times. Team members such as Agent Morgan and Section Chief Strauss can work together well. We are not a good example. We will accept whatever punishment that is deemed correct. We alone should be held responsible for falling well below the acceptable standard set for an FBI agent. The B.A.U Team should remain intact and continue as the example of how it's done." Emily managed to finish, but she had tears falling down her bruised face.
JJ leaned across and rubbed her arm, showing her support. " Thank you, and Agent Prentiss. Do you have anything to add, Agent Jareau?" The director asked
"No, Sir, my wife... Agent Prentiss said it quite eloquently, sir," JJ replied
"Jennifer, Emily, I will see you back at the condo," Elizabeth told the ladies
Emily hobbled out, pushing Jennifer's wheelchair. "That was hard. I would sooner talk down a serial killer." Emily joked to JJ
"Driver, take me for a coffee, please." Laughed JJ
"What are we going to do if we get dismissed?" JJ asked
"Travel the world, spending some of our money." Laughed Emily
"Do you think the ambassador can sway the director," JJ asked
" people find it almost impossible to say no to her. I don't know how she does it. I think she must have a huge blackmail file somewhere." Joked Emily
The two women enjoyed their renewed partnership holding hands drinking their coffee.
EJ
In Salem found Morgan, Rossi, and Strauss sat in the hospital reading Emily and JJ's letter.
'Guy's
We flew home last night. We are ashamed of our recent actions bringing nothing but Shame on our flagship unit, causing the loss of Chief Strauss and the possible loss of Derek. We knew you would leave us until this morning. We ask you to leave us alone for a while to help us heal our own physical and mental wounds. We once again have left you picking up the pieces as we should have been interviewed by Salem I.A.B this afternoon.
We are not sure how to end this letter. A lot has happened in such a short time. We can only conclude it this way and hope in time you will all forgive us
Your friends
Emily and Jennifer'
"I'll let I.A.B know they both went home. They can interview them via video link at Quantico. They should understand what they have just been through." Morgan told Strauss
The team finished wrapping up the case and being interviewed by Salem I.A.B and were happily sat on the B.A.U jet bound for Quantico.
EJ
Emily and JJ walked through the door of their condo after a day with the I.A.B at Quantico being hung drawn and quartered. They both felt physically and emotionally drained. The FBI had blindsided Emily. They also had Salem I.A.B present, and they had given the two women a torrid time over their actions during the hunt for the UnSub and their capture and torture.
"Well, we got blamed for everything bar killing the women. I thought at one stage we were going to get charged. I feel guilty enough every time I look at your bruised face and a missing tooth." JJ sniffed, gripping Emily tightly
"I'd hate to think what you would have done if I had cheated on you," Emily mentions with a cheeky smile
"Oh, sweetheart, I would have killed you, then used my witch powers to bring you back to life to kill you again and then repeat." She lifted her head and smiled at Emily
Emily had an uncontrollable shiver go down her spine. JJ's sounded severe. Both women moved over to the settee and sat down next to each other in silence.
Emily jolted awake to find her hands tied and feet taped together, she tried pulling on her restraints, but nothing happened. She heard laughing from either side of her. Mark Winston walked in front of her. "It's all your fault. She's dead because of you!" He told her coldly, "time to pay agent." He held his hand out, and JJ grabbed it and lovingly kissed him on the lips.
"Sorry, sweetheart, I will miss you, I think." JJ cackled
JJ suddenly turned green with a Hugh wart on her chin, wearing a black dress and a black pointy hat. Emily was suddenly strapped into the wooden dunking stool with Morgan, Rossi, Hotch, Reid, and Strauss stood naked in the pool, ready to dunk her.
Her chair disappears, and her friends are dunking her, and JJ starts jumping up and down on her chest, pushing all the air out
"NO! STOP, I'M NOT A WITCH! PLEASE, JENNIFER, STOP!" Screamed Emily
JJ suddenly woke up by the Yells of Emily. They had both fallen asleep on the settee. Emily was thrashing about. Still, screaming, 'I'm not a witch'. She looked like she was fighting for her life. JJ started trying to wake her. She got caught by Emily's thrashing foot cutting her left eye.
"EMILY! Wake up, sweetheart, you're safe. It's only a dream." JJ shook her wife's shoulder repeatedly
Eventually, Emily opened her eyes shaking, she suddenly grabbed JJ and pulled her into her shaking body.
"You're not green?" Emily shakily asked
JJ laughed "no sweetheart, still pale pink, no green present." A confused JJ answered
Emily slowly brought her breathing under control and told JJ about her nightmare
"Jennifer, I know this might sound bad. God, you made a hot wicked witch. Even your huge wart on your chin. Any chance we can pa..." JJ stopped Emily's rant mid-sentence
"Not a chance. Are you ok now?" JJ asked
"Yes, I think so, as long as you don't turn green and try and kill me in real life." Smirked Emily
"You are sick in the head. You do know that. But I do love you, you crazy woman." JJ smiled