Title: Transhuman
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Characters/Pairing: Garcia-centric, team - gen
Genre: Science-fiction/Drama
Summary: In a dystopian future, hacker Penelope Garcia finds herself being hunted by a corrupt organization. Fearing for her life, she must search for help in the strangest of places.
Author's Notes: Betaed by Windy City Dreamer.

Chapter Thirteen

They stayed the night in the small apartment; with five of them, it was somewhat overcrowded, but they managed. Garcia and Kevin shared the double bed in the main bedroom, while JJ took the single bed in the second room. Neither Morgan nor Hotch could find it in themselves to sleep – there was too much at stake. Instead, they sat hunched at the small kitchen table, going over a map of the city.

They were discussing their options; as Montana had said, if there was someone watching them, they would be safer in the slums. In addition to the fact that most citizens south of the river despised the Corp, the level of anonymity was such that without insider knowledge, finding any one person was a difficult task; residences changed ownership, buildings were frequently extended, and street addresses were next to useless if you didn't know your way around. It wasn't surprising that Garcia and Kevin had lasted as long as they did. It was even more surprising that he had managed to find them so easily, but then, he had Montana to thank for that.

'We're not going to be safe here for long,' Hotch said, adding with a slight grimace. 'But soon enough, I doubt anywhere will be safe. If the information they have is as important as you say, then I wouldn't put it past the Corp to burn down the slums just to get rid of it.'

Morgan shook his head, but it wasn't in disagreement. 'I wonder how many people would actually care.'

'Not everybody subscribes to their beliefs, Derek,' Hotch reminded him. 'There are still good people in the world. Do you think we would have made it through this alive if there weren't? They're just fighting the system in a different way.'

He was right, Morgan knew, but that didn't stop him from feeling anger towards their inaction.

'We should go to the safe house in Shore district,' he said firmly, tapping the location on the map. 'Blatant Corp presence is less common, plus we can try and find out what happened to Will.' He glanced towards the second bedroom. JJ was coping well, but the entire group was painstakingly aware that whatever was happening to Will, it wasn't pretty. If there was one thing the Corp despised, it was traitors to the cause.

Hotch nodded, and lowered his head slightly. When he spoke, his voice was an octave lower than before, as though the situation was only just becoming serious. 'Can you trust Montana?'

'Yes,' he said, without even taking a second to consider the question. He paused, before adding, 'I don't think she sold us out.'

'Could she have been compromised without her knowledge?'

He didn't have an immediate answer to that question; it was a risk they were going to have to take if they wanted to win this one. 'I trust her judgment,' he said eventually.

Hotch didn't look convinced, until Morgan added, 'You know how hard it is for me to trust people, right?'

Hotch gave a slight smile of affirmation – it had taken some years of on and off contact before Morgan had made the decision to join the resistance group.

'And what about those two?' he asked, tilting his head towards the room in which Kevin and Garcia slept.

'Honestly?' replied Morgan. 'They're in way over their heads. But they're both good people, and I think they'll see this through.' Even if it kills them.

'Get some sleep,' Hotch told him, effectively ending the conversation. 'We need to be up early tomorrow morning.'

'You want the couch?' Morgan asked, knowing that Hotch would decline the offer.

He shook his head. 'I'll keep watch – we can't let our guard down.' His eyes moved to the pistol that lay on the table. With a short snap, he opened the holster to put the weapon back in its rightful place.

'Wake me up at midnight,' Morgan said, checking his watch. 'I can cover the rest of sentry.' Before Hotch could argue, he added, 'You won't be of any use to us if you're the walking dead, man.'

'Fine,' Hotch conceded. 'I'll wake you up at midnight, but in the meantime…I don't want to hear anything that isn't a snore.'