THIRD PERSON POV
"Sir," Garcia said, pulling Hotch from his paper work. "We have the shared line set up and are ready to call the number."
"Good," he said, "you set it up in the conference room?"
"Yes sir."
"Get the ream in there. Morgan will answer the phone and start negotiations."
"Sure, but, sir, is it a good idea to have Reid in there too? I mean, I just worry-"
"You and Reid are going to be working on tracing and a geographical profile while the rest of us deal with the call," Hotch said interrupting her. "You both can head to your office now."
"Of course, sir," Garcia said, rushing to her office with Reid in tow.
As Hotch made his way to the room, he could feel Reid's eyes burning into his back.
"Alright, we are all set up," Hotch said. "Morgan, you are taking lead on this."
"Got it," he said, dialing the number, putting the call on speaker.
It rang for a few moments before it picked up.
"Hello?" asked the voice on the line.
"This is Agent Derek Morgan with the FBI. Who am I speaking to?" Morgan said, his voice even and calm.
"I think you know who," the voice on the other line said.
"Nicolas, right?" Morgan asked.
"Good to know that I am not dealing with total amateurs," Nicolas said.
"What can I do for you?" Morgan asked.
"I need safe passage from the US to Morocco."
"Or else you'll kill Danielle Hansen?"
"You are correct."
"Well, Nicolas, I need proof of life in order to try to get anything for you," Derek said.
"You called the number; you saw the video. Proof of life," Nicolas said pointedly.
"But there was no way to tell when that video was taken and for all I know, you killed her after the video was shot."
There was silence on the other line before Nicolas responded.
"Fine."
Another pause, but it sounded as if a door had opened.
"Say hello," Nicolas said, his voice distant.
"Hi?" said a female voice. Morgan met Hotch who nodded.
It was Danielle.
"Danielle, this is Derek Morgan with the FBI… How are you doing?"
"I've been better," Danielle said, a light laugh coming through the speaker. "Would kill for a glass of wine right about now, though."
"Have they hurt you?"
"A little banged up, but nothing I can't manage," she said. "Is my family safe?"
"They are fine, all were treated for minor injuries," Morgan said.
"He killed Caroline," Danielle said, her voice quivering slightly. "I couldn't let him kill them too."
Morgan glanced at the team. Confusion filled their faces as they each thought almost the exact same thought. Caroline was dead? That didn't make sense.
"All right," Nicolas said, his voice loud on the line. "I believe that is enough proof of life. How are you going to help me, Agent Morgan?"
"You know that these things take time," Morgan said.
"How much time?" Nicolas asked.
"A few days, at the very least," Morgan said. "Even then, we have to have assurance that you won't kill Danielle the second you touch down in Morocco."
"When we have our safe travels, we will discuss. Do not call again unless you have answers for me," Nicolas said, the line clicking.
"Do we think Garcia got anything from the call?" Rossi asked.
"These guys are professionals," Hotch said. "It's unlikely."
"He killed Caroline?" Blake said. "That doesn't make any sense."
"I agree with Blake," JJ said. "Why would Nicolas go to all this trouble to have someone essentially spying on Danielle for two years, only to kill her."
"Cover his tracks?" Morgan said.
"But why not utilize her friend's betrayal to her? That would hurt her in a way that he could prey on," Alex said. "Expose Caroline's lies and then kill her."
"The way Danielle spoke… she sounded genuinely heartbroken by the loss of her friend. There's no way she knew that Caroline was working for Nicolas," JJ said.
"What if… Caroline isn't dead?" Rossi said. The team gave him looks but he held up a hand and continued. "Hear me out, what if Danielle just thought Caroline was dead?"
"But what does he gain from that?" Morgan asked.
"She loses someone she cares for and was innocent because of her lies to him," JJ said. "It would make her more likely to be compliant. I mean, she said that she couldn't let her family be killed too."
"But then why not kill Caroline?" Blake asked.
"Have we gotten any hits from INTERPOL or VICAP about Caroline's real identity?" Morgan asked Hotch.
"No, why?"
"What if the reason Nicolas hasn't killed Caroline is because he isn't the one calling the shots?" Morgan asked.
"Well, we know he has a boss, but there is no way to find out who that is," JJ said. "The CIA had no leads."
"I know this might sound far-fetched," Rossi said, "But what if Caroline is the boss?"
The room fell silent, every member of the team running over the scenario in their minds.
"It's certainly possible," Blake said.
"Sir," Garcia said, "We couldn't trace the call. They're rerouting it through thousands of servers, and I'm fast, but this has clearly been years in the making, and I can only do so-"
"It's fine Garcia," Hotch said. "How's Reid?"
"He's upset, sir. He wants to be involved, and I understand why," Garcia said.
"Is he in your office?"
"Um, no," Garcia said, visibly uncomfortable.
"Where is he?" Hotch said, suspicious.
"Danielle's sister called earlier, and I think he's trying to call her outside of the building right now."
"Garcia, you know that he isn't to be involved on the case other than with you," Hotch said, eyes narrowing at Reid, who just walked in the front.
"I know sir, but-" Garcia began, but Hotch exited the room.
"My office. Now," he said to Reid, who nodded and made his way to Hotch's office. Hotch closed the door behind him.
"Reid, when I say you are not to be involved in field work, that includes contacting witnesses and family."
"Hotch, I-"
"I understand that you are upset, but you are not to disobey direct orders again, understood?"
"Hotch, I-"
"Understood?" Hotch said.
"Understood."
"Now, what did you find out?"
"Ashley didn't see Danielle much. Only two times. The first time, she was able to help convince Nicolas to let her son and husband free. The second time, Danielle talked to her before she was knocked out and taken to the hospital. She said that Danielle mentioned me, but also mentioned her friend being killed."
"We knew most of this," Hotch said.
"But Ashley was conscious most of the time between her first meeting with Danielle and the second. She saw multiple people, including one whose description matched that matched Caroline."
"Caroline was kidnapped too," Hotch said, not revealing the team's suspicion to Reid.
"She saw her after the second time she saw Danielle."
"So, after Danielle told her Caroline was dead, she saw someone who looked similar to Caroline?"
"Yes, and I called our field office in Detroit. They're setting her up with a sketch artist as we speak."
"Good job Reid," Hotch said, "but you do anything like this again, we will have to put you on leave until this case is finished."
"I understand sir," Reid said, lying through his teeth.
Meanwhile, where Danielle was being held, Nicolas handed the phone to Madeline.
"They said they'll call back in a few days."
"And they have no clue about me, right?" Madeline asked.
"Not that they hinted at."
"Perfect," Madeline said, "I do love a big, grand, surprise finale finish, don't you?"