Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters. This story is just for fun!
Chapter 21:
"What's with the jacket." Rossi murmured as he followed Morgan out the hospital door. "Reid was unwilling to come with us, so Morgan gave a new meaning to the term 'protective custody'." Rossi whistled, "how'd the kid take that?" "Not well," Hotch replied, "he all but handed me a printed copy of his resignation. Said he couldn't work with people he couldn't trust." "Guess we can't argue with that logic." Rossi said glumly. Hotch's dark eyes met his, "we won't lose him without a fight."
Ding! The elevator doors opened to the hospital lobby, and the two men exited to a different scene than they had expected. Prentiss, Seaver, and Psia had gone ahead to get the cars; leaving Morgan, Garcia, and Prentiss' former colleague Clyde to watch over Reid. However, they'd all forgotten the means through which Reid had been able to escape. By using his jacket to hide Reid's cuffed hands, Morgan had enabled Reid a means towards picking the locks without drawing attention. After he had done so, it had just been a matter of waiting for the perfect opportunity to slip away. Wailing ambulances, bringing the victims of a multi-car pile-up into the waiting ER, had provided the perfect cover. As his colleagues were distracted by the vehicle-induced carnage, Reid had slipped away.
"Where's Reid?" Hotch demanded, glaring at the agents before him. They all had the decency to look ashamed,save for Morgan who looked like hell was about to freeze over. "Don't look at me!" Seaver and Prentiss both exclaimed, "we went to get the cars!" Morgan sighed, "It's my fault, Hotch. There were multiple victims coming into the ER. We all went over to help. We didn't think that Reid would be able to get away without one of us knowing. I had no idea the kid could pick handcuffs that quickly." "No shit he'd be able to pick them quickly. He's worked on magic tricks since he was a kid, Morgan!" Prentiss snapped, her anxiety over anything happening to Reid had only heightened since she'd learned about their relationship.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Rossi quickly situated himself between the two highly irritated agents, "the blame game will do absolutely nothing for us. Reid can't have gotten too far, and even if he has, we need to explore all options. We cannot let everything go to shit because that will make it so much easier for Doyle to pick us off. We owe it to Reid to find him before Doyle does!" Hotch nodded. "Dave's right," he said, "we need to not act like chickens with their heads cut off. Okay Seaver, you and Penelope take the train station. Psia take the bus station and Morgan take the subway system. Prentiss, Clyde, and I will take the airport. Everyone keep your cell phones on and off vibrate; you need to be reachable at all times. If anyone finds Reid, do whatever it takes to get him back safely." They split off towards their respective assignments, all hoping that they would be the one to find Reid and that he hadn't gotten himself into even more trouble.
This is an incredibly stupid idea. Reid thought ruefully as he covered himself with a blanket. As soon as the others' attention had been diverted, he'd trailed the French intelligence officer as she went to her car. Once she'd unlocked the front door, he'd made short work of the lock for the cargo space and climbed in. Definitely one of the most reckless things he'd ever done, but it would be worth it if she was who he thought she was. He wasn't positive, but he was highly certain that the woman who'd asked, "How is he?" was the same woman driving the car. Was the same woman he'd heard talking to Doyle. The reason he'd tried so hard to sever ties with the only true family he'd ever had. Doyle had taken so much from him, but it would be worth it if he could keep the people he loved safe.
Whump! Reid was jolted from his thoughts by the sound of a car door slamming. Apparently wherever Psia was meeting Doyle was only eight point four miles away from the hospital. Reid carefully opened the rear door and slid out of the car. He could barely hold back a grimace of pain as he was exposed to the sunlight. The medication the doctor had given him negated most of the negative effects of his ailment, but his eyes were still sensitive to the sunlight. Wishing desperately for a pair of sunglasses, Reid took a quick inventory of his surroundings. They appeared to be at a small airfield, only two commercial crafts were present on the tarmac. Please tell me this isn't where the jet is. He thought, praying that the team had unwittingly fallen into Doyle's hands. His worst fears were confirmed when he saw a black SUV pulling up to the airfield gate.
His quarry however, was heading in the opposite direction. Where are you going? He silently asked, following the woman. The intelligence officer strolled past two hangars without a glance back. This woman isn't very observant for a spy, Reid thought snidely. It wasn't until she had reached the final hangar that she glanced back, causing Reid to duck behind a gas tank. Convinced he hadn't been seen, Reid crept up to the window and glanced in. With shaky hands, he pulled out his phone and sent his first text.
Buzz. buzz. Buzz. Seaver's jaw dropped as she looked at who was contacting her. "Garcia, start a trace!" she shouted. "What's going on?" Morgan demanded. The three of them had met up after combing every inch of the trains and metros present in Boston. "Reid just texted me!" Seaver exclaimed, "He said: 'I couldn't sit back while someone threatened the lives of the people I love the most.' Damn it Spencer! What the hell are you thinking?" "Call him!" Morgan ordered. "Don't need to!" Garcia called, "He's video-messaging Ashley's phone. Sorry that I hacked in." "Can you patch the others in?" Morgan asked. "For you Chocolate Thunder, I would do anything." "Hotchner," a voice answered. "Hotch, it's Morgan! Reid's sending us a video." With bated breath, they watched the live stream their colleague was transmitting.
At first there was a dirty window, but then the image sharpened, focusing on a young woman next to a small airplane. "Psia?" Prentiss asked, confusion tinging her voice. The woman she'd considered as both a friend and colleague glanced anxiously around the hangar. It was obvious that whatever she was expecting had not yet appeared. "Looking for something?" a deep male voice asked. Psia's features lit with elation as she ran into the arms of a tall, well-built man. "Jeremy?" this time it was Clyde's voice that held the confusion, "he's alive?" Psia and Jeremy kissed until they were cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat impatiently.
"Are you done?" the cold, regal features of Ian Doyle were cast into the light. Both Psia and Jeremy laughed, "What's the matter Ian? Feeling a bit lonely are we?" Psia asked. The Irish guns dealer rolled his eyes before retorting, "what have you learned?" "Your son is alive." Doyle flinched at his mole's revelation. "What?" he demanded. "Apparently Emily faked his death to get him away from you. She has him stashed somewhere in Virginia, they're going to him now." "They won't get far." Jeremy said chuckling, "not with the bomb I strapped to the underside of their jet."
"Did you hear that? Hotch? Emily? Get out of there!" Morgan urged. "Not without Reid!" Prentiss responded, her eyes focusing on the far hangar. It would be a five minute drive to get there, hopefully Spencer could remain undiscovered until then. "Very good." Doyle praised. "Best case scenario: they all die and the world is rid of Lauren Reynolds. Worst case scenario: I get a head start because they will no longer have a jet. I knew I made the right choice by recruiting you both fifteen years ago. Your information has done me well, but what of the good doctor? I have yet to hear you mention him."
Psia's reply was muffled by the sounds of a struggle outside the hangar. "What is that?" Doyle demanded. "Oh my gosh!" Garcia cried. One of Doyle's henchmen had been patrolling outside the hangar, and found Reid's hiding spot. The team watched helplessly as Reid was pulled into the hangar. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Dr. Reid." Doyle chuckled at the sight of his captive. He'd been furious when he'd learned Lauren's cousin had escaped, but fortune had placed the man back in his clutches. "I think I've decided that you have a death wish, Doctor." Reid gave a dark smile, further splitting his busted lip. "I think my team would agree with you, but I couldn't let your girl put the people I love in danger. So I followed her, it doesn't matter that you have me, my team knows about the bomb. You know, for a trained spy, she's not very observant." Doyle laughed, "You're right." Before Reid could blink, he'd pulled out a nine-millimeter and shot Psia, and then Jeremy, in the back of the head.
"Oh my gosh, Hotch he's got a gun!" Garcia shouted. "Garcia," Prentiss snapped, anxiety turning her voice to ice, "We're driving as fast as we can." "Put him in the plane, and make sure that he can't escape!" Doyle ordered. Reid's captors jerked his hands behind his back and bound them with two pairs of handcuffs. Doesn't matter, Reid thought grimly, I can get out of two sets as easily as I can get out of one. No sooner than that thought had crossed Reid's mind that he heard,"check him for a pick!" "Liam!" his captor called to another goon, "come hold him while I check." Please don't let him find it! Reid pleaded silently. A pair of calloused hands roughly patted him down before stopping at his watch. Shit. The hands removed the watch after a moment's deliberation. Reid watched as his only shot at being traced and getting free shattered on the concrete. "He's clean boss!" the goon called out.
"Reid!" he turned his head towards the voice calling his name. Prentiss, Hotch, and Easter were all running towards the hangar, guns drawn. "Shoot them!" Doyle hissed, raising the gun he'd just used to murder two people. Bang! Bang! Bang! The Irish weapons trader and his men opened fire on the three agents running at them. Hope began to swell in Reid's chest as he watched them take out six of Doyle's men. Now, instead of being outgunned four to one, they were only outgunned two to one. However, that hope quickly turned to horror as he watched Doyle and two of his men fire three rounds into the chest of Emily's friend from Interpol. Easter's eyes widened with shock before he fell to the pavement. "Clyde!" Prentiss screamed, running toward her fallen friend. Her momentary lack of judgement left her an easy target. "Emily look out!" Reid yelled, helplessly watching Doyle fire two rounds at his friend. Prentiss jerked back from the impact of the bullets, the light leaving her eyes. "No!" Reid screamed. His friend and family member had died because of him. He watched Hotch grab Emily and drive away; and then he saw nothing.
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