Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Boo hoo.

I think there will be two or three more chapters. I plan to get the main part completed before next week, and maybe a wrap up chapter or two afterward. By the way, if you like Hotch/Garcia, check out my story called Under the Weather. I plan to add to it, here and there. Enjoy.

Chapter Three

Meanwhile …

Reid's mind was processing as fast as he possibly could. He had to get away, so he could help rescue Penelope. He hoped Dave had called Hotch. Reid would feel better with Hotch on hand. No, Aaron, he thought. Ever since Hotch had retired from the BAU, he had encouraged Reid to start calling him by his first name.

I'm not your boss anymore, Spencer," he had said. "I'm your friend now. Penelope and I are going to be married, and I can't have one of her closest friends always calling me Hotch or sir."

Reid had treasured that. After Gideon's abrupt departure, Hotch had become a mentor, then a friend, and now, Reid considered Aaron his closest friend. Not to lessen his closeness to Derek, after all, Derek was like the brother he'd always wished he had while he was growing up. But Aaron had always been there, in that graveyard in Georgia, during the days of his agonizing withdrawal from the drugs Tobias had forced on him. In the aftermath of Maeve's death, Spencer had gone to Aaron's house many evenings, and Hotch had just sat and listened. Hotch knew the pain of losing someone he loved to the madness of an unsub. Once Hotch came back from protective custody, he and Garcia had let Reid into their secret, and Spencer had been touched by their trust in him. If Dave had called Aaron, Spencer was confident that somehow there would be a rescue for both himself and Penelope.

"So, Dr. Reid," Meadows interrupted his thoughts, "what's it going to be? You help us get our leader, or we kill Penelope Garcia. It's time you made a decision."

"Well, Mary, I think you're the one who isn't thinking about this correctly."

"What do you mean?"

"You stand there, with your gun aimed at my head, and I have mine aimed at yours. If your co-conspirator shoots Garcia, I will shoot you. Either way, you will be just as dead, and your so-called Messiah will still be in custody. You think you can scare me into cooperating? Threatening me that you'll shoot her if I don't cooperate is counterproductive. I won't free your so-called leader, and if you do kill Garcia, you will be very much dead. I'll make sure of it. I can try to help you get a better sentence, if you work with us to resolve this situation and set Ms. Garcia free. Because you should know that I will not aid you in any way."

Mary swore.

"I'm not bluffing," she said. "I will tell my associates to shoot her unless you help me."

"So you say. But I will not help you if you shoot her. It's a catch 22, isn't it? You say you'll shoot if I don't help, but I won't help if you do. What's it going to be? Are we just going to stand here debating it?"

She slapped him. He didn't flinch, just stood looking calmly back at her. It baffled him how so many people still underestimated him. He was no longer that awkward kid from his early years with the BAU. He was a competent, confident agent. He could shoot as well as anyone but Hotch now. He was comfortable in his own skin, after all he'd been through, and this woman could not shatter his will with her threats.

"Okay," she said coolly, "If you won't cooperate, I guess that means plan B."

She reached into her pocket for her phone, lowering the gun as she did so. Glancing away from Reid, Mary began to tap in a number.

Reid took his chance. Pivoting, Reid struck out, slamming against the hand with the phone, sending it to the floor, just as someone on the other end said hello. Shocked by the sudden attack, Mary dropped the gun. Reid scrambled to get it before she could. They struggled as Mary called out to whoever had answered her call.

"Plan B, plan B. Take her to the place we discussed. Go, now!"

Reid picked up his gun. Turning to face Mary, he was calm, his gun hand steady as he aimed at her.

"Rescind that order," he said.

"No."

She smiled. It was cold, a smile of firm conviction. He knew in that instant, that she would not give up. He heard an engine rev and looked over in time to see the car with Penelope speeding away.

"Damn it!" Reid rarely swore, considering it a waste of words. There were so many better ways to express oneself. Now though, he wanted to yell and curse and shake Mary till her teeth rattled. How would they ever find Penelope?

Just as he returned his attention to her, Mary leapt at him, grabbing his gun arm, trying to get it away from him. They struggled. The gun went off, and Mary fell to the floor, bleeding from a wound in her stomach.

Reid hurriedly pulled off his shirt. Kneeling beside Mary, he pressed the shirt to the wound. With his other hand he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Rossi.

"Reid! We heard a gunshot. Are you okay? What's going on?" Rossi sounded strained.

"David, we need an ambulance. Mary and I fought for my gun and it went off. She has a stomach wound. She had whoever was holding Penelope take her somewhere. We need to keep Mary alive, so we can find out where."

"Spencer, it's Aaron. Did they leave you any clue? Did they say anything?"

"No, I'm sorry. Have they called the EMT's?"

"Yes, they're on the way," Prentiss said. "Reid, are you all right?"

"yes, not a scratch."

"Thank goodness. Spence, you have got to stop getting yourself into these situations." JJ sounded scolding.

"This is not the time for that," Rossi said, "And Spencer isn't Henry or Michael. You don't need to scold him like a recalcitrant child."

Reid heard the sound of running feet. The team burst in, Aaron and Derek at the front. He felt an immense sense of relief at the sight of them. They would find Penelope. This team was unbeatable.

"Glad to see you all in one piece," Morgan ruffled Reid's hair as he used to do.

"Knock it off," Reid pushed his hand away, but then reached out and gave his friend a hug. "I've missed you man. But I hate that we're seeing each other under these circumstances."

"Me too, Pretty Boy."

Aaron pushed past Morgan and wrapped Reid in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, spencer."

"Aaron, I'm sorry I couldn't stop them. By the time Mary grabbed me, they already had Penelope. I won't give up till we find her. I promise you."

"It's not your fault," Aaron said. "You've been at this job long enough to know that. They went after the one they consider the most vulnerable, and the most precious to the entire team."

"I know." Reid shook his head. "I'm still sorry. I should have known something was up with her. I didn't want to have to shoot Meadows. We need her alive. She may be the only one who knows where Garcia is now."

"None of that now," Rossi said. "You have nothing to apologize for. You did the only thing you could. Now we need to use all our skills. We need to put aside everything else, squabbles, hurt feelings, whatever. There's only one thing to focus on, and this is getting Penelope back safely and alive."

"There must be other members of this cult we can question," Aaron turned to Prentiss. "surely you have other names we can interview?"

Prentiss nodded.

"We do. And we will find more. As of now, this is all we are doing. We get no rest, no breaks. Not until Garcia is home safe."

They all nodded solemnly. Not one of them would rest until Garcia was back among them.