A/n same warnings apply.
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When the video had ended, they were all recalled to earth by a thump. Gideon turned and saw Reid passed out on the floor of the conference room. They tried to wake him, but he didn't respond to them.
"We should've broken the news to him in a better way - you know how much he loves her. This could kill him." Hotch said to Gideon as they picked him up with the help of Morgan.
"He's stronger than this," Gideon said, certainty in his voice when there was none in his heart. "He's survived worse than this… he will be alright no matter what happens."
"You don't know that Jason, everyone has their limits. He's lost so much… if he loses JJ it may well break him. Do you want to visit him in an institution, like the one his mother lives in?" They deposited him on the couch, and hoped he would wake up on his own.
"That's not going to happen, were going to beat this psycho at his own game." Penelope spoke up from the background.
"I don't want to die, and I'm not going to let my friend die," She stated simply when they all just stared at her.
She squeezed Derek's hand and turned to leave the room. If they were going to find this bastard, it was up to her. She had to put aside her fear for her own life, and find out where JJ was, before the time limitation ran out. She realized as she left the conference room, and went to her office, that never before had the need for a cyber miracle been so great.
She wanted to yell for joy when she entered her sanctuary, and saw one screen flashing at her. The trace back was complete, and they may have found the son of a bitch. She sat down and her fingers flew over the keys.
Yes, there you are you cowardly bastard.
We're coming for your ass!
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Derek Morgan's brain was whirling with confusion, and the worst emotional pain he'd felt since the death of his father. The sick bastard actually expected him to kill Penelope!
Well that was not going to happen. He'd die a thousand horrible death's before he'd raise a hand to her, or let someone else hurt her.
"Why is he doing this, what does he get out of her death?"
For once in his life Gideon only shook his head in defeated silence. He didn't know what was driving this Unsub, and the clock was ticking louder and louder, to a choice none of them could make.
"He wants revenge - somehow, somewhere she hurt him." A tired voice said, from the direction of the couch.
"Reid… thank God, are you all right man," Morgan said, bending over his partner, who was still white as a sheet, but his eyes were alert and clear.
"Oh no I'm far from all right, but I can't let this guy win, I won't sacrifice Jen or Penelope."
"What makes you say its revenge?"
"Why else would he want Penelope dead?"
Morgan's cell rang, he blanched at the number on caller ID and said in a voice that shook so hard he could hardly speak, "Hey gorgeous, work me some magic."
She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, hearing him say that to her - well it almost undid her emotions entirely.
"Ask and ye shall receive oh fortunate one." Her quip lacked its usual spark, but he understood the reasons she was trying.
"I found the rat bastard."
"What… where… give me the address and I'll-"
"Babe, listen to me, I found the cyber café where he sent the transmission. He paid cash. There's no way to track it from there."
Morgan had left the conference room and walked to her office. He closed the phone, and reached out to touch her shoulder. She didn't turn, just punched her phone line off, and reached up to take his hand. The touch of his fingers was the most comfort she could take. If she turned and got up from her chair, if she went into his arms, she would dissolve into a useless pool of tears. She couldn't do that right now, not even if it meant she didn't give him the comfort she knew he needed.
"We have to find away Penny-girl. Please tell me you have more than this to go on."
"The name of the café is Latte Bytes. It's owned by someone names Simon St James. As far as I can tell this man doesn't exist. I found the umbrella corporation this man supposedly owns, but its cyber corporation."
"What's the name of the corporation?"
"It's called Unicorn Industries."
"I know your doing your best Penny-girl but we have to know more!"
"Don't you think I know that, do you think this is fun for me, that I get a sick thrill over watching my friend suffer because somewhere I pissed someone off?"
Garcia was shouting at him now, he never seen her shout, she was the most laid back person he knew. To see her lose it this way badly frightened him. Then she was out of her chair, and crying stormily into his chest. He didn't say anything, just held her while she cried.
"I don't know what to do. If I can't find her… JJ will die. How can I let that happen?"
"It's not going to happen, I know you Penelope Garcia. You pulled off some large miracles for us before and you can do it again. Do you hear me, baby?" He wondered how long it would take him to believe his own words.
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"So what are we saying that our hacker extraordinaire got into something she shouldn't have, maybe saw something she shouldn't have seen? Hotch said to the room in general. They had been going around and around for two hours now and weren't getting anywhere.
"Jennifer told me once that Garcia got a hold of Prince William's phone number from the CIA. She would have tried to call him too, if they hadn't kicked her out before she could find a pen." Reid said this with a sorrowful smile.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Hotch remarked pinching the bridge of his nose. He had the Mount Everest of headaches.
"So you're thinking what, the CIA wants revenge; I find that a little hard to believe."
"We don't know anything Agent Prentiss except that there is an Unsub out there that expects one of my Agents to kill another of my team.
Gideon remained calm as he always did, at least on the outside. If anyone could have seen inside his heart, they would have seen the awful fear and anger he was living with. He'd once told Reid the most powerful weapon they had against an Unsub was a clear and accurate profile. He didn't believe that in this case. In the case, he wanted to put a bullet in the Unsubs head. Then maybe the fear and the deep sorrow he saw in both Reid and Morgan would be banished.
"I know most people hate hackers, or at least the one's that cause damage to computer systems, but Garcia doesn't do that, she helps us when we need information on our Unsubs."
Gideon was watching Reid while Hotch spoke and he saw the look he'd been waiting to see since this whole mess started. It was the one that said, "Hey, I just found the missing piece of the puzzle."
"Guys what if we're chasing some one that got put away because of Garcia's hacking skills, I mean how many times has she gone into sealed court records and other databases. Someone might think what she does is illegal or inappropriate, or that a person should be able to hide behind sealed records, warrant or no warrant."
"We've only got a few hours, we can't chase down every person we've put away and then find their hiding place." Emily stated the obvious and it earned her some hard looks from the rest of the team.
"What do you suggest we do, give up? Jen is out there somewhere, she hurt and-"
He couldn't continue the pain he felt was like nothing he ever experienced before. Maybe this wasn't a good idea; maybe he should've let her walk out of his life all those months ago. Maybe then she would be safe, and this Unsub wouldn't be using her against them. Reid knew what the Unsub was trying to do; they wanted the team to turn on each other. This person wanted them to make an impossible choice.
"I'm sorry Reid, I didn't mean to imply-"
"I know I'm just so afraid."
"We're all afraid Reid. We need Garcia to do a run on all of the cases we've had where it's possible the person could be out on parole or escaped," Hotch said, pity for the young man showing in his eyes. He was ashamed to admit to himself that he was glad it wasn't Haley, or Jack in JJ's place.
The doors to the conference room opened, and Morgan entered followed by Garcia. They both looked like Christmas had come early.
"We found the person behind all of this." Morgan was nearly giddy, which is a state none of them had ever seen him in before that minute.
"Well, come on lets go-"
"Reid slow down… we have some time. Morgan tell us what you found." Gideon ordered, he wanted to rush out the door like Reid did, but someone had to stay calm and think straight.
"Reid I said we know who is behind this but not where they are. The man we are looking for is Michael North," Morgan said, as though they should recognize the name.
When all he got from that little bombshell where blank stares, he heaved a sigh and looked at Garcia. She sat down and began to speak.
"Do you all remember the case you had in Michigan last year? The serial killer, he killed three women before you were called in. He kidnapped another woman while you were there, you couldn't find him even with the profile you had, and there just wasn't anything to go on until I opened sealed juvenile record of Daniel North-"
"Right his brother Michael was a district attorney. He tried to get his brother off by saying that we opened the file illegally." Hotch informed them. The strategy hadn't worked and North had gotten three consecutive life terms.
"Where is Daniel North now, surely he couldn't be out?" Gideon asked.
"He's dead, killed in prison over a pack of cigarettes."
"Well, there's his stressor, he want revenge for his brothers death."
"We can't find where Michael has JJ. What do we do now, because I am not going to kill Penelope?" Morgan promised them all.
"We have to wait for him to call, and try to find an alternative to killing a valued member of the team," Gideon said, he didn't see the flush that rose in Penelope's face at the compliment.
"I'm going to get back at it, and try to find this psycho." Garcia left the room with Morgan on her heels. He was back in five minutes claiming she'd kicked him out. She said she couldn't work with him over her shoulder.
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"What are we going to do if she can't find them," Reid asked again, since no one seemed to be worried about that eventuality."
"I have total faith in Garcia." The loyalty in Morgan's voice was complete.
"You're saying I don't," Reid said, irritation clouding his voice.
"I'm not saying that, but I refuse to entertain the possibility of doing what this maniac wants."
"So Garcia's life is more precious than JJ's, is that right!" Reid was shouting now. His face red and his entire body shook. He took a step toward Morgan.
"You're putting words in my mouth Reid." Morgan was trying to remain calm because Reid was like a brother to him, and JJ was a good friend. He backed away from the angry young agent.
"No, I'm not putting words in your mouth. You can't stand the fact that I've actually been happy for these last months. You hate it that I have a beautiful woman who loves me, and accepts me for who I am. You've always hated me. You constantly tease me, call me a know it all. You never stop to think how hurt-full that is, do you?"
Spencer took two steps up to Morgan his hand curling into a fist. He didn't care that the older agent was bigger and stronger than him.Probably for the first time in his life, he landed a punch were he wanted it, right in Derek's face. The older agent could've stopped him, but he didn't try. Instead he embraced the younger man, who began to cry like a small child.
He saw an unspoken conversation pass between Gideon and Hotch. He knew what they were thinking. They were afraid Reid was losing it. He was afraid too, how could someone continue on under these pressures. Sure someone had threatened his Penny-girl, but she was there in the safety of the BAU, while JJ was in the hands of a maniac.
Then Reid pulled away from him and sat down, he refused to make eye contact with anyone. The silence was deafening. The ferocity of Reid's verbal attack, and then physical blow had surprised all of them into speechlessness.
When the door to the conference room opened and Garcia stepped through, no one so much as batted an eyelash.
"Um, is everything ok? " She'd never seen them like this in the conference room.
"Yeah, babe what's happening, did you find something for us?" Morgan said softly, with just a hint of a smile for her.
"Yes, I found him."
This got Reid's attention, he leapt from his chair exclaiming, "Well come on guys let's get going."
"Reid sit down, we have to hear what Garcia found, and then we need a plan."
"But Jason-"
"No, sit down Spencer!"
Reid sat, but it was with great resentment toward his boss. That was ok; Gideon could take a little attitude from the distraught agent.
"Michael North knows how to cover his tracks," Garcia was saying as she took a chair next to Morgan. He's off the grid, or he thought he was off the grid. Unfortunately he didn't count on my superior skills as a hacker. I found the alias he'd using the pay for a second home not five minutes from where we are now. It has a basement and both homes on either side are vacant. Here's the address." She pushed a printout toward Gideon.
"Al right we're going in hard. I'll get SWAT on the line and the medics just in case." Hotch was halfway out the door as he said this.
Reid had jumped out of his chair again, and was checking the rounds in his Glock. Gideon laid a restraining hand on him and said, "I can't let you go this time."
"Jason please I promise I'll be okay."
"No I want you here with Garcia. The place could be booby trapped and the last thing I need is a hot head crashing in, and getting himself or JJ killed."
As he watched this byplay, Morgan wondered if Gideon were afraid that the young agent would take a swing at him as well. In the end Reid backed off, he knew Gideon was right; this had to be done by the book. The book said he was personally involved, and couldn't participate in the raid.
It didn't make it easier to watch Hotch, Gideon, and Morgan leave in the company of other agents and SWAT. He felt an arm come around his shoulders. It was Penelope. She smiled at him and said very confidently. "Come with me to my hallowed office, oh supplicant. I have chocolate, the food of the God's. We'll have a nice nosh."
He let her lead him out of the conference room, to her office because there was nothing else he could do. At least waiting would be less painful if she were with him.
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It was over in less than an hour. Gideon was right, the house was bobby trapped and they had to diffuse a couple of bombs, but when they found JJ and the man holding her, it was without a shot fired. The man had already killed himself when he heard them coming.
JJ was on her way into surgery when Garcia and Reid arrived. She'd been found unconscious in a pool of blood. It seemed an eternity before the doctors found them, and told them she was going to be alright. He refused to give any details to anyone but Spencer. They moved off down the hall, and the others watched the two talking. At one point Reid looked like he might faint again, then he shook himself, spoke some more to the doctor, and sat down in a chair when the surgeon left.
The others left him where he was as they could see he was crying again. His hands were over his face. Only Garcia dared to approach him. She sat next to him, and he put his head on her shoulder.
"How am I going to tell her, Penelope?"