Here it is!
I'm heading for Hong Kong tomorrow morning. If my computer will let me, I will continue to update. If it won't then this is it until December 12th. Hope you enjoy!
JJ glanced into the window, catching her reflection. She adjusted her hair and fixed her tear-smudged make-up and turned back around to look at the door. The receptionist looked up at her and smiled encouragingly. "She'll see you now."
Another deep breath and JJ strode into Strauss's office with purposed, her expression determined. The chief looked up and sighed, looking back down. "So you've heard. I'm having a hard enough time with getting the media to stop airing I don't need a discussion with you." Strauss said, picking up the phone and beginning to dial.
"You knew?"
Strauss sighed and looked up at her, covering the phone. "Yes, the Vegas Police called me as soon as they identified him. I was going to tell you after I get the media to stop airing the story. I'm sorry about Dr. Reid."
"Are we going to investigate?" JJ paused and swallowed. "I mean, do we get the case?"
"No."
"No?"
"No, the team is too personally close to this case. We're having another section investigate."
"I must object." JJ stated firmly. Strauss hung up the phone and looked up at her. JJ felt the weight of her gaze on her and felt some of her determination slipping away.
Screams filled the small, concrete basement, echoing back at the prisoner and his torturer. "Stop! Please, stop!" His pleads hung in the air, ignored Pain filled his screams. His hidden expression was contorted in agony.
His tormentor said nothing. His face was hidden in the shadows. He was one of the two slighter men and still had yet to say a word.
He walked over to the opened cabinet and pulled out a new weapon. He moved back over to his prisoner and unsheathed it to reveal what looked like a flattened mace. He brought it up and slammed it into his prisoner's legs. Screams rang throughout the room. Blood droplets splattered the walls as he brought it back up for another strike.
The steel door creaked open. The tormenter turned and looked at the other slight man. "Has he talked?"
The tormenter shook his head moving towards the cabinet and shoved the instrument into it. The second man sighed and walked over to their bleeding prisoner. "You know, Doctor, this would be a lot easier on you if you talked."
"What-." The prisoner coughed, red splashing from his mouth. Blood trickled down his chin and he trembled. "What do you want?"
A chuckle echoed off the concrete. "I bet you're wishing Agent Hotchner was here to save you, huh?"
"Leave him out of this!"
Morgan and Prentiss could not bring their eyes away from Hotch's form through his office window. They, however, did force their gaze towards the sound of heals on the tile floor, catching sight of JJ as she moved closer. She smiled weakly and stopped between both of them. "We have a case. Reid's case."
"How'd you get Strauss to agree to that?" Prentiss asked, looking from Morgan's renewed determination to JJ's sheepish one.
"I just hope nothing goes wrong or else I'm out of a job." JJ said, sighing. "I'm going to see if I can get Hotch out of his office. Be ready on the plane in an hour."
JJ turned away and hurried up the stairs into Hotch's office. She knocked on the glass, but Hotch didn't respond. She sighed and looked back. Morgan and Prentiss had already gone and she quickly walked in, closing the door all the way behind her. "Hotch, we have a case."
"I-" Hotch stopped, still not looking up. He took a deep breath and released it in a sigh, finally looking up at JJ over the edge of his hands. He shook his hands. "I can't."
"It's Reid's case."
Hotch's body tensed up. He looked at JJ in disbelief. He swallowed and lowered his hands staring at his desk. The snapshot of Reid stared back at him. Tears smudged the edges of his dead lover. Hotch swallowed and looked up at the blonde. "Reid's? You mean, finding his k-." He choked on the word and stood up suddenly, his expresses ion returning to stoic, but determination flared in his eyes. "Alright let's go."
Chapter 3- End