Chapter 3

Wow, wow and double wow! You lovely readers exceeded my expectations, and since you are so demanding, here is chapter 3. Heads up, there will be a special guest appearance in there and, as I can tell by now, there will be a kind of a happy ending. Enjoy (and keep reviewing)!

Carson's Roadside Diner

A few minutes later

The not too gentle screeching of tires broke both Hotch and Dave from their reverie. Truth be told, they were not really surprised to see Emily and JJ walking over to them. But what took them by surprise was the determined look on Emily's face. Aaron knew in a heartbeat that she had a plan – and he wouldn't like it.

"JJ, I thought I told you to go back to the BAU!"

"Hotch, you can't be serious! Do you really think I would just sit back and watch one world class lunatic killing the father of my son! You of all should know better!"

For mere seconds, all attention was turned on JJ, but she didn't care. She just wanted Will back, if only for the sake of Henry. She and Hotch engaged in a staring contest, which was short-lasted as it was interrupted by Emily.

"Hotch, can I talk to you? Alone?"

"Sure." They walked back to the SUV. "You have a plan, right? And I'm not gonna like it?"

"Yes and yes. Hotch, you know that I'm the only thing that Doyle wants. Since he can't reach Declan, I'm the next best thing. And I'm the only one here who knows him. I could get you and the snipers a better angle, and most of all, Will out of the line of fire."

"Yeah, but there has to be another way. I mean, you just came back from the "dead" couple of hours ago. The team didn't have the time to react properly to that, and now you're gonna leave them again? Do you know what you're doing to them?"

"Yes, Hotch, I'm quite aware of that. But think about it: what is worse – for the team losing me again or for a sweet, innocent child losing his father forever?"

"Now you're talking apples and tangerines."

"Maybe I am, but this is the only way to end this. And as long as you or anyone else can't come up with a better plan, I'm doing it."

And with that, Emily walked away from a slightly stunned Aaron. Sure, he knew for a fact that Emily was one of the most stubborn agents he has come to know within the FBI, but this was just insane, even for her.

"Still the same old stubborn girl."

The voice, as well soft as strong, broke Aaron from his train of thought. When he looked up, he was faced with the sudden appearance of Clyde Easter, Emily's former team leader in the Doyle case.

"Agent Easter, what are you doing here?"

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, our common enemy has a hostage in there."

"How do you know about it?"

"Heard it through the grapevine." He could tell from the look on Aaron's face that the Unit Chief didn't believe him. "Anyhow, I'm probably the only one now who could talk Emily out of the plan."

"How's that?"

"Because I'm offering myself as a trade."

Aaron Hotchner couldn't believe his ears. Emily never mapped out her plan (although he had a vague idea), but it stunned him slightly that Easter could read her so easy. He watched the former British SAS Agent walking over to where Emily was standing with Dave and JJ.

Inside Carson's Roadside Diner

"Now it's getting interesting."

Doyle's half-muttered words were the first Will LaMontagne heard since the phone conversation with JJ and Emily. And for the first time he had a glimmer of hope in his heart. Sure, things between JJ and him weren't on the better side for the last couple of months, but he was determined to work them out with her. If only this crazy man didn't cross his plans.

"Why is that so?"

"Who allowed you to ask?"

"I don't need permission to speak. I was raised to speak my mind."

As soon as this last sentence left his mouth, Will regretted it. Doyle stalked over from his perch by the window and raised his gun to smack Will with the handle, when Will's mobile phone began to ring. Doyle grabbed it and tossed it to Will.

"Answer it!"

"LaMontagne."

"Will? It's me, Emily. I'm getting you out of there."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. Now I want you to hand the phone to Doyle. I have a message for him."

Will didn't need to be instructed twice. He handed his mobile phone to Doyle.

"It's for you."

"Lauren? You've changed your mind about me?"

"You know, Ian, that that won't happen in this or in any other lifetime. Not after everything you've done to me. I just want to offer you a trade: you let Will go and you will get me."

"Really? Just so? No tricks, no traps, no double cross?"

"Yeah, just so. Just you and me."

"How do I know that I can trust you? After everything YOU have done to ME, Agent Prentiss!"

"Because I can lead you to Declan. That's your ultimate goal, right? And I can help you to get your son back. If you let another son getting his father back."

"Well, Lauren… let me think about it."

Without waiting for an answer, Doyle disconnected the call and tossed to phone to the floor.

Outside the Diner, the built-up anticipation changed into slight desperation within a couple of seconds. Emily and Aaron exchanged worried looks, not sure how long this drama would keep going on. A few meters back, JJ sat in the back of one of the SUVs, next to David, who tried to keep both of them calm. They all had together so many years of experience, and yet they couldn't come up with a plan to strike.

Clyde Easter, who watched all this from a short distance, walked up to Emily for the second time this day.

"I told you it wouldn't work."

"And you know what would work, right?"

If he was shocked by the pure venom in her words, he didn't show it.

"Yes I do, Emily. You remember that we took you into custody after Ian was arrested?"

"Yeah. But as far as I know, this was to keep my cover up."

"Yes it was. But not only for Doyle's companions, but for the legal courts as well. We couldn't risk to have an eager DA come and interrogate you and offering you a deal."

"But who was the final nail on Doyle's coffin, so to speak?"

"Well, Agent Hotchner, that was me. I gathered all the information we had acquired from Emily and the rest of my team and put it together in a written statement. But it was signed by me."

"So that's the reason why you were telling me that you were offering yourself for a trade?"

"Yes it is. Emily might have put a major nail in his coffin, but I put the final one in by sending him to prison."

And with that, Clyde picked up the phone, pushed the redial button and waited for one of the two men inside the Diner to pick it up.

TBC