Emily's POV:
You've been searching through possible reasons why The Archer would operate in such secluded areas, but you've come up with nought. Morgan seems to have found something though, and you're pleased that he has, since he was a bit down before. Gathering up your findings, you walk over to Morgan so you can both share what you've found out. Meanwhile, Morgan has been all over the place talking to JJ, Garcia, Hotch and Rossi. You walk over to him, and see a faint smile traced across his lips, 'finally' you think, 'he's found out what we need to get Reid back.'
"Hey Morgan what've you got?"
"Oh, hey Prentiss, Garcia told me that our elusive Archer is in fact none other than Maggie Lowe, an old Unsub resurfaced."
"Maggie Lowe... I don't think I came across her in my research before joining the BAU. Is there anything I need to know about her in particular?"
"Of course! Damn I shoulda remembered that you weren't with us for the Lila Archer case. Basically, Lila Archer was an up and coming actress, and Maggie, the Unsub, was her best friend and – stalker. Maggie's stalking escalated to murder when she sensed threats to Lila's career, any person or persons that Maggie deemed as threatening to Lila's career she would murder. Now, during the case, Lila fell for boy genius, which angered Maggie. We presumed that once Lila was removed from her vicinity and Maggie was in a facility somewhere she would stop obsessing over Lila. However, we didn't think that she'd obsess over killing Reid instead."
"Ooh, ouch. Ok, so Maggie's got Reid, and I'm presuming from that little smile on your lips, you know where?"
"You got it princess. I have two locations that I need to narrow down, so if you take one, and I'll take the other we can narrow it down much faster"
"I don't think we should split up Morgan. Let's go to the first possibility together, check it out, and if it's the right one we call in for back up and the SWAT team. If not we'll continue to the second one."
"Alright Prentiss. I'm gonna tell Rossi and Hotch where we're headed. Meet me by the SUV in the car park."
"Okay."
You gather up your gun and badge and make your way out of the bullpen and into the elevator. A faint smile now traces your lips, 'Reid' you think 'We're gonna save you. Just hang tight.'
Hotch's POV:
A phone beeps in your wake, but you're so intent on surveying the scene with Rossi that you don't really register it's yours until you feel the vibration in your pocket. Hurriedly you pluck the phone from your pocket.
"Hotch, what've you got for me JJ?"
"Morgan told me that you suspect the Archer is Maggie Lowe, should I release this information into the press release or leave it out?"
"In all likelihood Maggie isn't busying herself with news of herself, but just in case, don't mention her as Maggie Lowe, but as Lila Archer's best friend, her...protector. From the scene, it looks like Maggie has DID, she believes that she's Lila Archer and Maggie simultaneously. This could be as a result of her going to CACF, for her a trauma. Whatever the case, you mustn't refer to Maggie as our Unsub, she cannot know that we are looking for her."
"On it. Bring him back Hotch."
"We will. Prep the SWAT team, I heard that Morgan's narrowed down two locations, in which case we'll need the back up of a SWAT team for the soft entry."
"Done."
You hang up the phone, pleased with your progress. The scene has revealed to you two distinct personalities, but it isn't MPD, otherwise the character of The Archer wouldn't remember Maggie's motives. That only left DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder.
For the second time in a few short minute your phone rings again, this time you pick up immediately.
"Hotch, what is it Morgan?"
"Me and Prentiss are going to go scope out the warehouses so that we have the right one when we go in for Reid. It could be that either or both warehouses belong to the killer in which case, setting off the the alarm in one with a stampede of SWAT would only alert her to our presence and give her time to move on, with or without Reid."
"Agreed. Check it out and report your findings, and be careful, we do not need another Hankel situation."
"Understood. We'll call in when we find out what we're dealing with."
The phone beeps as Morgan hangs up. Surveying your surroundings you ask Rossi if there's anything else he can gather from Reid's apartment, to which he says no. You pack up all of your gear and leave the scene, glad to be out of your co-worker's belongings. Invading someone else's privacy always makes you antsy, especially when it's someone you regard as family. You reach for the door handle when something stops you. No sign of forced entry. How could you have missed that? No sign of forced entry, no picked lock...nothing. Did...did she have her own key? You turn to Rossi and point this out.
"You think she has her own key?"
"I don't know what to think Dave. Would Reid have given her a copy of his key? This isn't Lila Archer, who he didn't even contact after the Hollywood debacle, this is Maggie Lowe. I don't think he'd have left a copy of his key running around. Unless –"
"Unless we have it the wrong way 'round. This is Lila Archer pretending to be Maggie Lowe. But...where's Maggie?"
"Maggie had reportedly escaped from CACF, we thought she blamed Reid for putting her there, but what if this is Lila blaming Reid for not keeping contact and using Maggie as an alter after helping her escape?"
"It makes sense, it also explains why Lila wasn't picking up her phone. We had presumed it was because she was filming, but what if she'd been busy with other activities? We should call Garcia and get her to find out if Lila really has been on the set all this time or if she's been taking a 'personal break'"
"Alright, I'll call Garcia, Rossi you need to tell Prentiss and Morgan about this since they've gone to scope out the warehouses."
Both of you turn and leave the apartment, each shouldering your phones with urgency. As luck would have it, Emily picks up on the first ring.
"Prentiss, are you at the warehouse yet?"
"Not yet Hotch. We're a couple of minutes away."
"Alright, well listen, and tell Morgan. Rossi and I believe the killer is actually Lila Archer, with the alter ego of Maggie Lowe. This explains her anger towards Reid, as she has anger from both alters. It also means that you have to be extra careful as we don't know what we're dealing with when it comes to Lila."
"Ok. I'll pass it on to Morgan. In the meantime, I think the SWAT team should be on stand-by. We've not yet reached the first location, but the area has too much traffic to fit the Archer's M.O. which probably means she'll be operating in the second location."
"How long would it take you to get from the first location to the second?"
"About ten minutes. Morgan and I will be done from the first location in about half an hour, provided that she isn't operating there."
"We'll all be waiting for your call Prentiss. Keep me informed."
"Will do."
She hangs up the phone, and you look over to Rossi who is making some headway with Garcia. Once he's done from his phone call you both rush to the SUV and drive to HQ as fast as traffic in Quantico allows.
Garcia's POV:
Who knew Lila Archer could be this cruel to Boy Genius? You're searching through her life again, this time not as a victim but a killer. She has no rep sheet, no criminal dealings of any kind. Until now, that is. Coming up with no answers, you search through her attendance history for her new film, and, hey presto – you've found something. Lila took some personal time off due to bad memories resurfacing during shooting. The film was a horror, and it involved stalking and murder. What else? Her agent had probably suggested she go for it because of her experience as a victim. Now, you're no profiler, but something like that would push anyone over the edge. Inwardly cursing you busy yourself trying to find out exactly where the evil starlet had been for the past few weeks. Tapping away, you find her credit card records coming up blank, her phone records showing no activity save the calls you paid her, and no cash withdrawals from her bank account. It's almost like she's not really alive at all.
Hey guys, sorry for the slow updates :/ anyway... for the usual thank-you: "BlackEvangeline", "Foxfire832001" and "Guitargirl45" for reviewing the last chapter :) Also, thanks to "CaptainAlias" for the feedback
I would love to know how everyone thinks the story is going and if they'd like it to go another way, or any other things you'd like to see mentioned in the next couple of chapters :). I'm also thinking of doing a one-shot, so...any prompts would be helpful :D