Hotch winced as he carefully shifted his position on the cot. Most of the bruises had healed, but there were several areas where he suspected that the bone had been bruised. His introduction to his new life had not gone smoothly.
When he had finally been allowed to wake up, he had found himself lying on his back, strapped to a hard cot in the middle of a small, windowless room. Looking down, he noticed that he was now wearing a white tunic style cotton shirt and white cotton drawstring pants. He could also feel that his feet were now bare.
"It appears that you are going to be mine," a middle-aged man with a weather beaten face and dressed in well-washed work clothing moved into his line of sight. "And, I must say, you are a big one." From the way he spoke, Hotch was surprised to note that he didn't appear to be chewing tobacco.
"I am a Federal Agent," Hotch spit out. "And, by kidnapping me you have committed a federal crime!"
"So I understand," the man replied calmly. "However, they will have to find you first, won't they?"
"My team will find me," Hotch stated defiantly. "And, when they do - "
"I'll bet you can't even tell me how long you have been gone," the man interrupted him to point out. "And, let me tell you that if they haven't found you by now, they never will."
"Tests are back, Commander," a second man announced as he walked into the room. "He's clean and, as for his fertility, there's no problem there either. So, you're ready to go."
"Hear that, Mr. Federal Agent?" Commander sneered. "It appears you're all cleared to travel!"
He looked over at the second man. "Get the guys in here and let's get him loaded."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Hotch was untied from the cot and, after he had stood up, his hands were quickly retied behind his back while his legs were bound together, effectively hobbling him. Then, a burlap bag was roughly pulled over his head.
"Guess we are going to have to give you a ride," Commander observed. "Boys – "
Hotch was picked up by his shoulders and legs, carried outside, and dumped none-to-gently into the back of what felt like an old, rattletrap pick-up truck. It then sounded like Commander was climbing into the driver's seat. The motor of the truck started and they set off down what felt like a series of dusty dirt roads. Hotch could smell salt air and feel the tropical sunshine on his skin and he wondered just how far he had been transported.
When the truck finally stopped, Hotch was pulled out of the back and set on his feet where he struggled to keep his balance.
"Not such a big, strong Federal agent now, are you?" Commander's voice jeered. "Take him inside."
This time Hotch was half dragged across what felt like a dirt yard and then into a building. It then felt like he was being dragged through several rooms before going down a hallway. He thought that they had gone through a doorway into yet another room when he was pushed down onto another hard cot.
As he lay there, Hotch could feel something being fastened around his right ankle, following which the bindings on his legs and arms were taken off. Finally, the bag over his head was removed leaving him face-to-face with his jailor.
"Welcome to your new home," he greeted the agent. "I suggest you get used to it. Now, some food will be brought in for you shortly and then we are going to give you some time to rest up. After that, your duties will be explained to you, in detail."
With a smirk, the man walked out leaving Hotch chained to the leg of a cot in a cell that appeared to be straight out of the high security area of a federal prison.