THIRD PERSON POV
Agent Wright stood in front of Hotch's desk. She was rubbing her forehead, clearly agitated.
"So, your analyst got an encrypted file sent from a library," she said, clarifying the situation, "that gives the location of one of the terrorist organizations, with a note explaining we will get the other one once they get into Morocco, as well as instructions on how to get Madeline and Nicolas out of the country?"
"Yes," Hotch said shortly.
"And you are refusing to send transportation to them?"
"Yes."
"Agent Hotchner, I understand that you may not agree with our orders," Agent Wright said. "I don't agree with them either, but that does not mean we can disobey direct orders."
"I will not be signing the orders that effectively kills an American citizen," Hotch said.
"This is not in your control," Agent Wright said. "The orders have been signed by someone higher than you. I'm here as a courtesy. The plane is already getting ready to go."
Hotch stared at the woman for a moment. He could see that she genuinely didn't want to do what they had been ordered to do.
"Do we have people there to see if we can get Danielle out?"
"Of course," she said, her voice quieter now. "The odds aren't in her favor, as I am sure you know."
"I want my team there."
"Agent Hotchner, absolutely not-"
"We are proven negotiators. We might be able to get Danielle out before they leave the country… You know that if that plane leaves with her onboard, she will be dead before they touch down in Morocco."
Agent Wright looked at him for a minute. On one hand, the BAU was clearly invested in her. But on the other, if something went wrong, it wouldn't be her head on the line.
"Fine," she said. "Your team can be on the ground, excluding Dr. Reid. He must stay here with no contact."
"Agreed," Hotch said, his eyes flickering to Spencer, who was seated at his desk, unmoving, almost frozen in time. He hadn't spoken since the phone called ended in front of him.
"We have wheels up in five hours," Agent Wright said. "We will take a separate plane and the privately contracted pilot will meet us there."
"I'll let my team know," Hotch said, getting up to escort Agent Wright out.
"I'm sorry," Agent Wright said, her tone catching Hotch off guard. "I know how much Danielle has affected your team, especially Spencer…I wish there was a way that we could guarantee that she would make it out of this."
"So do I," Hotch said, opening the door. "I'll see you at the plane in two hours?"
"Yes," she said, and wordlessly left his office. She looked at Spencer pitifully, her heart truly going out to the man.
And then she left the offices of the BAU. Hotch watched her leave, before his eyes darted to Garcia. He nodded his head, gesturing for her to follow him.
"Did you find anything?" he asked, closing the door behind her.
"Yes, but why did you wait until Agent Wright left? Shouldn't she know about this?"
"Not yet," Hotch said. "What did you find?"
"So, I checked the library surveillance records, and sure enough, it was Madeline who accessed the library computers. Now most libraries delete their records, but she went to a small, local library which hasn't turned over to that format yet, so I was able to back trace the email account."
"And?"
"And it's registered to a Madeline Collins, and this is where it gets interesting. There is no photographic evidence of her existing, no ID, no nothing, but I did find a birth certificate. Her parents are a Joshua Collins and a Caroline Karim. Her father died when she was about ten years old, and there was suspected foul play with her mother as the prime suspect but police never found any evidence. Two years later, when she turned twelve, she and her mother disappeared off the face of the earth… However, her mother's name popped up again 9 years ago when her body was found in Corpus Christi."
"Right before the ring started in that area," Hotch mused.
"Yeah, and so then I started backtracking her using surveillance cameras, and I lost her somewhere near Cleveland."
"They want the plane at a town in Ohio called Sandusky… Are there any-"
"Buildings in that area where you could hold someone hostage without drawing any unwanted attention? There are 23 buildings that match the general layout that would work, but, I thought, 'What Would Hotch Do?' and then it hit me. I ran buildings for anything in her parents' names and I found a building registered to a Joshua Karim."
"What are the odds that they are holding her there?" Hotch asked.
"You know I'm not a betting woman," Garcia said, "but I'd say very high. The address is already at your phone and the jet is ready to go."
"I just need to make a call," Hotch said. "Get the team ready, except for-"
"I know, sir," she said, heading out to the team. Hotch grabbed his phone and dialed Agent Wright's number.
"This is Wright," came the agent's voice.
"You said that you wish there was a way we could guarantee that she would make it out of this?" Hotch asked. "What if I told you there was a way that we could drastically increase those chances?"
"I'm listening."
Hotch quickly explained the situation, praying that Agent Wright would agree to it.
"You're leaving in thirty minutes?" she asked.
"That's the plan…"
"I can be there in twenty."
"Glad to hear it," Hotch said, ending the phone call. Looking out his office window, he met Reid's eyes. Slowly, and wordlessly, Reid made his way to Hotch's office.
"Reid-" Hotch began, but Spencer cut him off.
"I know why," he said, clearing his throat, "you don't want me there…It makes sense, I mean, if it was anyone else, I would agree with you, but Hotch… I can't… I can't not be involved in this."
"Reid-" Hotch began before Spencer interrupted him again.
"Hotch, please," Spencer pleaded. Hotch met his eyes and he was filled with empathy. Empathy because this was all too similar to watch happened to Haley.
"You can come, but you are not to approach the subject and if I say, stay back, you listen, understand?"
"Thanks, Hotch," Spencer said.
"Wheels up in thirty," Hotch said watching the man exit the room, sending a silent prayer to whatever might exist that this would work.