Chapter 14

Hotch watched as Kahlan paced and he started to get an uneasy feeling. "What?"

She stopped and looked at him. "What do you think he meant about the contacts thing?"

Hotch studied her. "You want to take them all down?"

Clyde smiled as he listened to the couple, but Emily shook her head. "We need to tell them."

Clyde shook his head quickly. "No. Kay would never have let her husband do it if she knew the truth."

"And he wouldn't let her do it, if he knew!" Emily demanded.

He smiled. "Unless she has changed an awful lot, he wouldn't be able to stop her."

"It's not right, Clyde. They're my friends!"

"We do whatever is needed to get the job done even if that means using people."

She stood up defiantly. "If they try to take this any further, I will tell them."

He studied her and knew she was being completely serious. "If they decide to do it, but not before."

She huffed and left the van, slamming the door roughly. He looked at the closed door. Even once they know, they'll still do it.

Kahlan turned away from Hotch and he went to her and turned her back around. "What are you thinking, Babe?"

"If all we do is cut off the head, another will grow in its place, but if we take out the whole thing, nothing will be left to grow."

He studied her. She was right, but he really didn't like the idea of her trying to take down the whole organization, and his internal alarms were deafening in his ears. "This coming from the woman who wanted to turn him down without even listening to him."

She sighed. "Because I knew I wouldn't be able to turn him down once I knew there was a problem."

"But we're on vacation. I would think that will take more time than we can invest."

She bit her lip as she considered it. Finally her shoulders slumped. "I know."

He put his hands on her waist. "And yet you still want to do it."

She sighed deeply. "Sorry. I know we need to do this and get back to the kids."

He studied her. "And yet, many more kids will be safe if we do it."

"I'm not trying to play on your want to make the world a safer place, Aaron. I'm just. . ."

"I know," he told her quickly. "Let's just see how things play out before we make any decisions."

She smiled. "Agreed. Hell, for all we know, they might just be trying to swindle some money out of us."

He laughed. "You know, I never even asked him how much this was going to cost."

She patted him on the chest. "That just played into the rich, spoiled guy persona. When you have enough money, you don't care how much something costs." He shook his head. "Just make sure you don't choke on your own tongue when they finally tell you the price."

He looked wounded. "I know how to play the part," he insisted. "I think I've done a pretty good job so far, too."

She smiled. "I'd say better than pretty good. You have been quite a joy to watch." Her head snapped to the opened doors as a familiar song started playing inside. She smiled.

Hotch looked at his watch. "I guess the orchestra is done."

"Are you going to behave if I dance with Cody?" she asked slyly.

He fixed her with his stare. "As long as all he wants to do is actually dance."

She giggled, grabbed his hand, and took him inside.

He chuckled. "Besides, I'm sure I can find someone willing to dance with me if I get too lonely."

She stopped so suddenly that he ran into her. She turned on him and the look she gave him made him step back a step. "If we're going to turn this into a competition to see who gets the most jealous, just remember what I can do to you if I really want to."

He swallowed hard. "I was just joking, Babe."

She gave him an evil grin. "Maybe I was, too," she told him and pulled him inside.

Sure you were, Babe. Sure you were. He shook his head and prayed that those women had left. I know you wouldn't hurt me, but I'd hate to see what you'd do to them.

When they got to the edge of the dance floor, she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be right back," she told him and left him quickly.

He watched her walking toward the DJ and then noticed Amelia smiling at him. He quickly looked the other way. Lady, you have no idea the trouble you'd be getting yourself into.

Kahlan came back a few moments later and he looked at her questioningly. "What did you do?" he asked her once he saw the mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"You'll see," is all she offered.

Once the song playing was done and the next one started, she smiled and pulled him onto the dance floor. He looked at her questioningly but pulled her close to him for the obvious slow song.

Before the lyrics started she looked him in the eyes. "My song to you," she told him tenderly as Celine Dion's 'I'm Your Lady' belted out of the speakers.

He took her around the dance floor as he listened to the words. His dimples shown with his wide grin as the chorus started and she quietly sang along in his ear. His alpha swelled because he loved being her man and he loved the fact that she truly was his lady. To know she was basically announcing it to the world made him feel more powerful than he had ever felt before. He glanced around the dance floor and realized that the few other couples that had decided to dance were keeping their distance from them. He chuckled inwardly. Because they can feel the love emitting from us and they're jealous they don't have it. He mentally shook his head. He knew that was his alpha talking, but at that particular point in time, he didn't care.

Once the song was done, he smiled as he led her to the side of the dance floor. "Was that your subtle way of telling every woman here that I'm yours?"

She giggled. "And every man that I'm yours."

He shook his head at her and then noticed their five unsubs watching them and leaned in to give Kahlan a quick kiss. "It looks like they want to talk. I'll go grab us a drink," he told her and started away from her.

She smiled and made her way to a seat as she watched him leave. She saw the men starting to follow him and she tensed a little. "Watch him," she told the mic quietly.

"Of course," came Clyde's voice in her ear.

And where is Emily? She didn't like the feeling she was getting and she was tempted to get up and follow her husband. No, he can take care of himself. She took a deep breath. Besides, we're in a very public place and even they wouldn't be so bold. She looked towards where he had disappeared. Or at least, they better not be. She shook her head. I really wish Chuck was here.

The Swedish man made it to him first. "Where are you staying?"

Hotch huffed and gave him a look of disbelief. "In town," is all he offered.

The man looked stunned as his friends joined them. "What? Don't trust us?"

Hotch chuckled. "The only person I trust is my wife."

Adrian laughed. "Told you he was a smart man."

Hotch shot him a look. "I have been around the block a time or two."

"Are you available tomorrow afternoon?" Cody asked him with a grin.

Hotch eyed him warily. "That depends on if it is going to worth my time."

Ethan smiled. "Busy schedule, huh?"

"My time is very valuable," Hotch told him with a cocky grin as he grabbed two glasses of wine and headed away from the men and back towards his wife.

"Just hold your horses a sec," Cody told him as he grabbed Hotch's arm. Hotch's stare emerge as he looked at the man's hand on him and then slowly moved to look the man in the eyes. Cody quickly let go of him. "Sorry."

Hotch slowly stared all five men down. "I brought my wife here to show her a good time, not to spend most of it with you gentlemen, so you'll have to excuse me if I find her a little more attractive than your ugly mugs."

The Russians laughed and moved to allow him to return to his wife.

Hotch took a deep breath and let a smile return to him before he got to Kahlan. He didn't want her to see him wearing his work face because he knew that would worry her even if it didn't mean anything. "Here you go," he told her as he noticed the men come into the room. He sat down and smiled at her.

She took a drink of the wine and smiled back at him. "Why do you look like the cat that ate the canary?"

He smiled deviously. "I think might have impressed them a little more."

She laughed lightly. "Well, of course you did."

Hotch's eyes shifted and she knew someone was walking up behind her. Cody smiled as he looked at her. "How about that dance?" he asked as stuck out his hand.

She laughed. "I'm not exactly dressed to do the two-step."

He chuckled. "I can see that, besides I left my boots in the hotel, but I think a nice slow song would work." Hotch eyed him coldly and his stare came back. "Calm down partner. A good country boy knows how to treat a lady."

Hotch gave him a cold smile. "You better."

Kahlan fought hard to keep the grin off her face and a new song started. "I would love to," she told Cody as she grabbed his hand and let him lead her onto the floor.

Hotch watched them closely as the other four men joined him at the table. "How does two sound?" Felix asked him.

"Is the selection going to be decent?" Hotch asked without taking his eyes off Kahlan.

"You want more than one?" Ethan asked flabbergasted.

Hotch shot him a look and then shook his head.

Adrian laughed. "He just wants to make sure he's getting the best, Eth."

"She'll want to spend some time with them, too," Hotch started and then finally looked at them. "You know, see which one she really likes."

Felix nodded. "You want to see personalities."

Hotch went back to watching his wife. "Unless that would be a problem."

"Have you told her?" Vicktor asked.

"No. I wouldn't want to get her hopes up just to find out you can't deliver," Hotch told him dryly.

"I assure you Mr. Jackson, we can deliver many things," Felix assured him.

"Here in London?" Hotch asked.

"No, but it won't take us long to get you there," Ethan told him.

Hotch shook his head. "Forget it," he told them and stood up. Kahlan noticed him stand up and mentally tensed.

"What?" Adrian asked him quickly as they all stood up, too.

"If you think we are naive enough to get in a vehicle with you to go to some undisclosed location, you are dumber than the Australian."

Adrian appraised him and then smiled. "Of course not. But you can understand why we couldn't give the address until right before you would need it."

Hotch relaxed a little and sat back down with a smile. "Of course."

"So you're interested in what, three and under?" Felix asked him as they sat back down.

Hotch quirked his brows as he thought about it. He mentally cringed as he imagined scared little kids locked up somewhere. "Hell, might as well see the lot." He smiled at him. "Never know what will catch her eye." He didn't want to think about the older children being somewhere else and not being rescued.

Felix looked at the Russians so quickly that if Hotch hadn't been a damn good profiler, he might have missed it. "That's fine. Do you think she might actually want more than one?"

Hotch shrugged. "It's hard to tell." He chuckled as if thinking. "I might even want one," he told them with a smile and they looked at him questioningly. "Maybe I might want a son to groom to take over the family business someday."

Vicktor laughed. "You American's and your legacies."

Hotch shrugged. "You mean you don't have a son to pass the torch to?"

He smiled. "Maybe."

Hotch studied him. "No. . . It's a girl."

Vicktor swallowed uncomfortably and Hotch knew he was right. "How could you possibly know that?" he asked him seriously.

Hotch could hear the anger seep into his tone. He also noticed Adrian tense ever so slightly. Oh, hit a nerve, have I? He smiled at him. "I am very good at reading people. It's one of the things that makes me so successful at what I do."

Clyde looked at the tech. "I don't care what you have to do, find me that child!" The tech quickly nodded as her fingers flew across her keyboard.

Vicktor studied Hotch some more and then finally smiled. "I suppose that's true."

Hotch shrugged again and stood up as Kahlan made her way back to him. He smiled at her as he reached into his back pocket and withdrew a business card. "My cell number is on the back. Call if you think you can actually be of service," he told Felix as he handed him the card.

They all stood up as Felix took the card. "Of course."

He nodded at them and then led Kahlan into another room. Kahlan smiled as she saw the men sit back down at the table. Hotch noticed her grin. "What?"

"I left a listener under the table. Emily should be hearing some very interesting things right about now."

Hotch chuckled. "Of course you did."

She looked at him and noticed that he couldn't keep a grin off his face. "You've figured it out."

He chuckled. "Come on," he told her as he pulled her further away from everyone else.

Emily laughed. "I knew it! He has done, in a couple hours, something your people haven't been able to do for months!" Clyde shrugged and Emily laughed even harder. "I told you Aaron Hotchner was the best!"

"And I'm glad you suggested it when they showed up," he told her honestly.

Guilt panged her a little more and she lost some of the elated feeling. "Now we need to get them out of there."

He shook his head. "Not yet." When she was about to argue he smiled. "Do you actually think he would allow you to pull him out without him trying to save those children first?"

She gave him a dirty look, but she knew he was right. Hotch was too much of a saint to walk away now even if he knew the risks. "You're right, but I am still telling them before they walk into that blind tomorrow."

He grinned. "Go ahead; they won't change their minds now."

Emily shook her head because she knew he was right.