Chapter 80

As the vampires checked out the neighboring rooftops for anything that might help with the search for Hotch, Christian's brows furrowed in deep thought.

"What?" Sebastian asked once he noticed.

"Aaron said that he had plans of bringing his wife across?"

"Yes."

Christian bit his lip as he sighed through his nose. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."

"What?"

Christian's eyes turned serious. "There's something about her. . . something I can't quite put my finger on."

Sebastian frowned even more. "Well, until you have more than just a hunch, you better not say a thing to anyone else about it."

"Oh, I won't," he agreed and moved to check the fire escape.

XXX

As the CSU processed the alley, Kahlan and them gathered around Cameron's van that he'd had brought over. He'd gotten connected with his wife back at the BAU and after she'd calmed down enough to work, she got busy checking traffic cams and such. Chuck was offering both techs his suggestions while Kahlan paced at the back of the van, and Rossi stood leaning on the van and watching her. He winced when she kicked a rock so hard that it broke a window in the abandoned building next to them causing everyone at the scene to flinch and reach for their weapons until they realized what had happened.

He shook his head, grabbed her by the shoulders, and then led her further away from the alley. "You've got to calm down, Kiddo."

She shook her head as she huffed. "I. . ." she wilted as her eyes welled up again and she looked at the older man. "I can't do this again, Dave," she uttered.

He pulled her into a strong hug. "Oh, Kiddo. We'll find him."

"I can't go home and tell the kids, again, that their father is missing."

He squeezed her even tighter. "We'll find him."

"I can't face them and tell them that I have no idea where he is," she cried against his chest.

"We found him before; we'll find him again," he insisted as he started rubbing her back.

She pulled back enough to look at him as she took Hotch's watch out of her pocket. "How will we ever find him without this?"

He mentally cringed because he'd had actually been thinking the same exact thing, but he didn't tell her that. "We'll find him."

"But. . ."

"We're not even sure what's happened yet, Kiddo. Hell, he might even show back up. He might. . ."

"He wouldn't have left his stuff, wouldn't have left without telling us anything, had he'd been able to. . ."

"We'll find him," he asserted even stronger and grabbed her face with fatherly hands. "Aren't you the one who always says not to jinx things with negative thoughts or words?"

She wilted even further. "But I have a really bad feeling about this, Dave."

His eyes grew wide. "Explain that," his mind made his mouth utter before his heart could stop him. As much as he wanted to know; he dreaded hearing her answer.

She swallowed. "I feel like he's in more trouble than he has ever been in before."

He inhaled deeply as his eyes studied her. "Well. . . we're talking about Aaron, and he has survived things all his life that most humans wouldn't have. Now he's superhuman and a damn powerful vampire." He started nodding. "Whatever he's facing, he'll get through it, and we will get him back," he told her with conviction in his tone as he wiped the tears off her face with gentle thumbs.

When doubt still clouded her eyes, he gave her a small grin. "I promise!"

She inhaled deeply.

"Hey! I got something on the sats!" Cam yelled from the van and they both ran over to it.

He looked over his shoulder at them. "I don't have a clear shot of the alley cause the sat was too far south, but I got this," he told them as he pointed to the middle screen and started the video.

They all watched in silence as the screen filled with the rooftops of the buildings that were on the right of the alley. They could clearly see the streets that ran on both sides of the alley, but the buildings blocked the view of the alley completely. Kahlan's eyes cut to Cameron's and he smirked. "Just keep watching."

She took a deep breath and continued to watch. After a few moments, she inhaled sharply as her husband came onto the screen. He was walking rather quickly and his head was moving from side to side as if he was searching for something, and she knew he was listening for things that only he could hear.

Her heart clenched. Please don't let this be the last I see of him!

Sensing her growing distress, Chuck put his hand on the small of her back to offer her silent support.

She nodded her thanks and then focused on the screen knowing that Cam had more than just Hotch walking on the street or he wouldn't have yelled for them, but her stomach clenched when she watched her husband turn into the alley very cautiously.

"He's definitely looking for something," Chuck offered as he watched.

Rossi nodded his agreement, and after several moments, Cam fast forwarded it. "There's a twelve minute, thirty-two second gap before we get anything else," he explained.

When he slowed it back down and gestured to the screen, Kahlan's focus intensified but the only thing she could see was traffic moving through the streets on both sides of the alley.

They all visibly tensed, though, when a dark colored cargo van slowed, turned its blinker on, and then turned into the alley.

Kahlan's knuckles cracked with as hard as she was clenching her fists, and Chuck shifted a little away from her. After all, she was known to lash out when she was pissed, and he didn't want to chance accidently getting hit in the release of emotion.

She looked at Rossi. "You were right. It's an abduction."

The defeat in her tone, made him cringe and pull her to his side. "Yes, but now we have a vehicle to search for."

"The shot isn't complete, but I am running the partial," Garcia piped in, but she sighed as her eyes teared up. "No hits, yet."

"You'll find it, Pen," Cam assured her with a confident nod.

After another minute or so, a woman showed up on the opposite street, and Cam froze the image. "When I zoom in," he started as he did and let the video move forward in slow motion. "And when she reaches up to her hair. . . now," he stated as he froze the image again and then pointed at the screen. "That looks like blood all over her shirt to me," he explained. When the woman had reached up, her coat lifted and revealed the bottom of her shirt.

Rossi and Kahlan shared a look. "That must be the akka."

"So she left the alley after Aaron hurt her and the van showed up?" Kahlan asked and then bit her lower lip. "I think Christian was right in that she lured him into the alley."

"But I thought they were known for attacking men. Are you saying she attacked him and then left him?" Rossi asked her.

She inhaled slowly. "I think she lured him into that alley and whoever is in that van are the ones who abducted him."

"You think more there's more than one akka?" Chuck asked her.

Her eyes darted around for a few seconds. "If this was her wanting him, she wouldn't have left the alley."

"So she was playing the part of the bait, and after whatever happened, she left?" Rossi pushed.

She shrugged. "If she was anything more than just bait, if she was truly in on whatever this is, she wouldn't have left," she told them, and while she hadn't meant to, her tone revealed how relieved she was with that knowledge.

"And I can trace her for the next block, but then I lose sight of her," Cam told them.

"Maybe I can get her on the traffic cameras," Garcia quickly put in as she started in on her keyboard.

"But if she left, she probably doesn't have any idea where Hotch is," Chuck pointed out.

"Possibly, but she would have to know who was in that van," Kahlan insisted and then looked back at Cam. "How long until the van comes out of there?"

Cam reached for the controls again. "Sixteen minutes, twenty-two seconds," he explained as the video advanced in fast forward. When he slowed it down, Kahlan bit her lip as she watched it come out of the alley and turn left.

"And I can trace it through three traffic cams, but then I lose it," Garcia put in with a wince. "And I never get a clear shot of the plates because it doesn't have one on the front, but I'm still searching through all of the others."

"That means it's out of state," Rossi suggested and then gave her a small grin. "You'll find it, Kitten."

"Kay!" being called from the alley got all of their attention, and Michaela came running up. She swallowed hard as she held out her hand to her boss. "We found some of Hotch's things in the dumpster."

Kahlan had to bite the inside of her bottom lip to keep it from trembling as she reached out to accept her husband's wallet.

"They almost missed it, but this was found, too," the young woman added as she held out her other hand.

Kahlan frowned and held out her empty hand and when Hotch's ring fell out of Michaela's and landed in her palm, she gasped. "Tell them that's great work, Mick," she uttered and then turned and walked away from the group.

Her eyes slid shut as her fingers wrapped around the ring. Please, God, please let him be alright.

Rossi came up behind her and placed a paternal hand on her shoulder. "Let me see the wallet."

Kahlan gave it to him, and when Rossi snorted, she turned to face him. "What?"

He held it open. "Unless Hotch did some major partying tonight, they robbed him."

She studied him. "But if that was just an elaborate ruse to lure someone into the alley to rob them, Aaron would still be here."

"And if they were just interested in valuables, they wouldn't have left his watch. Anyone can see that thing's worth a small fortune," Chuck put in as he walked up to them.

Rossi considered his words and then nodded. "I agree, but if they robbed him, then that tells me they are low level thugs. Whatever happened, this is more than just them."

Kahlan's eyes narrowed as she studied the man who had come to be a pseudo father to her. "They kidnapped him, but they did it for someone else?"

Rossi ran his fingers down his goatee. "The akka was just a tool, they robbed him, they took him not killed him. . . We know they're not hunters, but we know it's supernatural. . ." He took a deep breath. "That tells me someone else is behind this."

She frowned even more. "You think someone is going around and kidnapping vampires?"

"Why would someone do that?" Chuck asked. "And how would they even know Hotch was a vampire?"

Kahlan looked at him. "You think the woman was used to lure a normal man in?"

Chuck half shrugged. "Any decent man would want to step in a help a woman in trouble."

"But they got him. Had they just been after any normal man, they wouldn't have stood a chance against Aaron," she insisted.

Rossi nodded his agreement. "They got him because they were prepared for him." He stood up tall and ran his hand along the back of his neck. "They knew what he was, and they were prepared for him. I'm sure of it."

Kahlan's eyes were darting around as she tried to make sense of the whole situation. When she started pacing a little, Rossi and Chuck shared a look but let her work it out in peace.

After a few moments, she huffed and shook her head. "I guess I need to go home and tell the kids."

"You think they'd believe that he had to go help Sebastian and them take care of something?" Chuck asked. "That would even help cover the fact that they'll be able to sense you're worried."

"You want me to lie to them?" she asked with raised brows.

"You could tell them he's dealing with something supernatural and that he'll be home as soon as he can," Rossi suggested as he put his arm around her shoulders. "That wouldn't be a complete lie."

She sighed. "I'll figure something out."

"You want me to drive you?" Chuck asked her with hope in his tone.

She took deep breath. "No. I'll be ok."

Rossi pulled her into a hug. "We're going to get this figured out, Kiddo."

She forced a smile for his benefit. "I know."

As they walked her to her car, the rest of the team showed up. It was obvious some of them had been in bed, but they were all alert and ready to do whatever it took. "What do we know?" Morgan asked before anyone else could. Garcia had told them that Hotch was missing, but she couldn't give them any more than that.

Kahlan looked at Rossi. "Dave can fill you all in, I have to get home to the kids."

JJ pulled her into a hug. "We'll find him," she whispered into Kahlan ear.

Kahlan pulled back and then looked at them all. "With all of us in on this, of course we will," she offered with a small grin and then went to her car.

They all shared looks. It was obvious that she was just saying that for their benefit.

Mack looked at Rossi. "Is she going to be alright?"

Rossi inhaled deeply through his nose as he watched her pulling away and then put his arm around the youngest team member. "If anyone can be, it's her."

He looked at the rest of them. "Now let's get to work."

They all nodded and moved into the alley while he told them everything that they knew and suspected.

While Kahlan's team, the vampires, and the CSU were all good in their own right, they weren't the FBI's star Behavioral Analysis Unit, and he hoped that they would be able to profile the scene enough to get them even closer to finding the man he loved as a son.

XXXXX

Hotch winced when he started making his way to consciousness again. A deafening roar was echoing through his head to the point that he thought maybe his head would explode, and he moaned his discomfort. When he tried to raise his arms to cover his ears, they were too soar to move, and he moaned some more.

Riley was on vampire duty and when he heard Hotch's moan, his eyes snapped to the man lying on the floor. "He's coming to again, Danny."

"Son of a bitch!" Danny explained as he got up from his seat and moved back to the suffering vampire. "I have never seen a bloodsucker go through bad blood this fast," he explained as he got another syringe full of the latest 'Dead Man's Blood' they had to pick up along the way because Hotch had gone through the whole thing of blood they had brought with them.

He shook his head as he looked at his two companions. "And this was blessed by a cardinal."

Reese huffed as he looked over their captive. "He's probably the oldest vampire we've ever bagged."

Danny nodded as he held the side of Hotch's shirt back and readied the needle again. "It's a good thing we don't have that much longer," he told them and then smiled when Hotch opened his eyes and looked at him. "Jesus, you look stoned out of your mind, man."

The other guys laughed, but when Danny touched the needle to Hotch's skin, Hotch's hand flashed out and grabbed the man's wrist causing Danny to flinch and actually yell out in surprise. He recovered quickly, though, and tried to shake Hotch off. When Hotch's grip didn't loosen, he looked at his buddies. "Get him off me!"

They both jumped and tried to pry the vampire's fingers off, but they couldn't. "How the hell is he so strong with the cowl still on him and that blood still in him?" Reese cried as he fought to get the tips of his fingers under Hotch's knuckles.

Hotch licked his lips. "No more," he uttered. "Please. . . no more," he begged as his eyes finally focused on the man holding the syringe.

"Let me go!" Danny demanded, but he thought from the way Hotch looked at him that he didn't even realize he was almost breaking the man's arm with his superhuman strength.

"Please," Hotch pleaded again. While he had no idea how many times they had dosed him with the painful poisonous blood, he knew he had experienced enough pain. "No more."

A hateful look over took Reese's face and instead of trying to pry the vampire off, he grabbed Danny's hand, which was still holding the needle, and slammed it down into Hotch's chest and shoved the plunger down.

His ploy worked as Hotch released Danny's wrist as he screamed, and all three men fell back away from the vampire as he writhed in agony.

"Fuck!" Riley yelled as he tried to catch his breath.

Danny nodded his agreement, and they all three flinched when the syringe snapped and went flying. He took a deep breath and stood up. "We only have about three hours left, right?"

Reese got up from the floor. "I'll go check. I can't wait to be rid of that beast!"

When Hotch finally stopped screaming and succumbed to unconsciousness again, Riley looked at Danny and shook his head. "I don't get it. He seems so powerful, but he was begging? What kind of vamp begs?"

Danny ran his hand down his face and then shrugged. "Maybe he's really old, but a big wimp," he offered and then reached down and adjusted the cowl so it covered the vampire almost completely up.

"He won't last very long if that's the case," Riley offered and then sank back down into his seat.

Danny sank down beside him and then smiled as he looked at him. "I bet you twenty bucks that he doesn't last a week."

Riley huffed and stuck out his hand. "I've never seen a vamp beg, so I bet you he doesn't last two days!"

They both laughed as the shook to seal the deal.