A/N: Here's next chapter. I hope you all like it!

Special thanks to snuggleUP and jenny crum!

I don't own criminal minds!

Chapter 41: Coming closer

After the altercation in her apartment, JJ had changed into different clothes. It was more like what she wore during her time undercover in Moscow. She wore tight jeans, with boots, a black tank top and a leather jacket over it. Her hair was loose and she wore dark make-up.

Once she was ready they had gone back to the car and Ward had driven them across town into the warehouse district. The entire ride had been filled with silence as they sat in the car together. JJ wasn't in the mood for small talk, but she knew that redeveloping her relationship with Christian would eventually be instrumental in solving their case. She was relying on his contacts on the black market to help locate the weapon, and then the CIA could acquire it. But the simple fact was that no one had any idea where the weapon was, or who had access to it. They only suspected that Warren had relocated if from Chemicaltech. Finding it had become a puzzle with multiple key players involved. CIA, FBI, Asad Hawsawi and the Russians all had the same goal. And JJ's goal was to make sure the CIA would retrieve the weapon. If anything her only loyalties were with the CIA. Not with the FBI. But she did feel responsible towards Hotch.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the car stopped in front of an abandoned industrial warehouse. She looked around and noticed one other car without plates. She burned every detail into her memory. The warehouse looked worn down, and seemed to have served as some sort of storage facility. It was dusty and send a chill through her body. The place had something mysterious and creepy about it, but as always JJ stayed stoic and looked unimpressed. She stepped from the car and followed Christian on foot. He was extremely quiet, almost as if he was ashamed by what he had done earlier, but JJ pretended as if nothing happened. She touched her jeans, making sure the gun was secure in the waistband. Of course, she didn't come unprepared. If they searched her, it would be normal for her to be armed since she was posing as a freelance weapons dealer.

She let her arms fall to her sides and she stopped walking when Christian did the same. She watched as he opened the door and stepped aside to let her walk inside. Once she was inside, she saw that the warehouse was empty but to the side was a closed off area and a door that led to it.

''Are you going to tell me what we're doing here?'' JJ said with annoyance as she followed him through the warehouse. Just like she predicted he walked to the door that led to another room where. He opened the door with a four digit password.

''Get inside!'' he forced as she stopped to look at him. ''I've got a present for you.''

JJ walked inside, the first thing she smelt was sweat and chemicals. She turned around and in the corner of the room she saw a man strapped to a chair, covered in blood. It didn't take long for JJ to realize who she was standing across from. She had seen dozens of pictures of him, she had memorized his file inside and out. She was actually standing across from Howard Schmidt in the flesh. The scientist from Chemicaltech that had been missing for months without a trace. She just didn't know how Christian had managed to find him. She could see the fear in his eyes, and all she wanted to do was save him and bring him to a hospital. She had no idea what had been happening to him, but if rumors were true about Christian's associates, she knew more than enough. The Russian organization that had been unknown was vicious. ''Who is he?''

''Oh, just someone who is helping us to locate the weapon.'' Christian sighed out as if it meant absolutely nothing that a man was tied up in the corner of room. Instead, he turned to two other men who were sitting at a table at the other side of the room. ''Alex, meet my associates.'' he began. ''Grigori Durov and Ivan Zhukov.''

JJ stepped forward and shook both of their hands as she looked at them intently. Ivan was younger than both Christian and Grigori. Grigori on the other hand was older, his hair was greying, but he looked like an assassin. He had eyes of stone and his body language spoke of authority and evil. She could easily sense it.

''Gentlemen, this is Alex.'' Christian introduced proudly.

''Are you ready to prove yourself?'' Grigori asked, his voice distant and low. He took a knife from the table and put it in JJ's hand.

''What is there to prove?'' JJ asked in return as she held onto the knife tightly, her fingers gripping it so hard to release the nerves she was feeling. She had been undercover a lot of times, but this felt different. So much more was at stake now. Not only was the CIA trying to get a nuclear weapon off the black market, but they were trying to apprehend terrorists and criminals. The case had taken so many different directions, and JJ could feel the weight of it on her shoulders. Everyone was counting on her, but she didn't know if she could truly be cold and pretend to be someone she wasn't.

Christian walked towards Howard Schmidt in the corner of the room and he stepped next to him with a smirk on his face. ''Meet Howard Schmidt, the scientist who ran the nuclear program at Chemicaltech Industires.'' he continued to explain. ''When you told me Asad Hawsawi was in town some of my associates did some digging and found his safe house. We raided the building, killed his men and got Howard over here out alive.''

''You found Asad Hawsawi?'' JJ nearly stuttered. ''How?''

''That doesn't matter. We found his men but when we got there he was long gone, and now we have the upper hand.'' Christian smiled out. ''You can do the honors, Alex.''

JJ knew exactly what he was suggesting. She had to prove herself by torturing Howard to get information on the weapon, so she walked towards him, not looking affected by what she was about to do. ''What do you need to know?'' JJ asked the three men who were standing right behind her.

''The location of the weapon, and how much of the uranium Tyler Warren moved.'' Christian whispered into her ear. ''Good luck, darling.

JJ focused on the man in front of her, trying to find a way to make him hurt as less as possible. She had to do something. Going against Ward and his men would suggest, she wasn't working with them but against them, so there was only one option for JJ. She stepped forward, holding onto the knife tightly as she leaned down. ''Give them what they want, and I won't kill you.'' she threatened coldly as she held the knife high up in the air in front of his eyes. ''How much uranium did Tyler Warren remove from Chemicaltech's plant?'' she asked.

Howard was trying to fight his restraints, but he had been weakened from the time in captivity with Hawsawi's men. He had already been through extensive torture so he could endure more. ''I don't know anything.'' he said in pain after JJ had removed the tape from his mouth.

''You ran the nuclear program!'' JJ stated excessively. ''How much uranium did he remove?''

The room stayed silent. Howard didn't say another word, and that's when a new idea popped into JJ's head. ''Chris, can I talk to you for a second?'' she asked him.

''Sure,''

JJ walked to the other side of the room and stepped in front of him. ''We all believe he and Warren we're in this together.'' she began. ''So our options are limited. We can take time to break him which probably won't work because Hawsawi clearly already tried it.''

''What are you suggesting?''

''If we let him believe he has escaped the chances are big that he'll lead us to the weapon.'' she explained. ''We just have to put a tracking device on him.''

''Do you really believe this will work?''

''If he was in on it, he stands to make millions if he sells the weapon.'' she went on. ''He has millions of reasons to find it on his own and sell it to the highest bidder.''

''Okay,'' he agreed. ''You should go home. We'll take care of this, Alex.''

''Thank you.'' JJ said happily. ''Please contact me soon.''

''I will.''

JJ turned her back to him and quickly walked out of the room and out of the warehouse. Once she was outside it actually felt like she could breathe again. She had just saved a man's life and she didn't have to torture him for any information. If or when Christian would let him go, the CIA could take Howard into custody and question him by themselves. But JJ had her own questions about the scientist's loyalties. He was after all in charge of an illegal nuclear program. He had created the enriched uranium that was now missing and in the wrong hands could threaten thousands of innocent lives. It wasn't really and easy to task to see who was good or bad. And for JJ it was easier to believe that people were evil. With her job it seemed like there were only bad people left in the world.

JJ went straight from the warehouse to a meeting point she had set up with Owen. She had to inform him about what happened with the FBI and with Christian. Both were things he needed to know about.

Once she saw him, she had told him what the FBI had asked of her. She had also told him about Christian's plan to release Howard in order to get a possible location on the weapon. But it was bothering JJ that Owen didn't seemed to be at all affected that the FBI was closing in on their investigation.

''They've assembled a taskforce, Owen!'' JJ yelled. ''What am I supposed to do? Keep on lying?''

''Yes!'' Owen shot back.

''We have already involved the NSA, Interpol and MI-6. Why not involve the FBI?'' JJ asked, feeling powerless against Owen, knowing he was acting on Collins' orders. She felt powerless because she was at a terrible crossroads. ''If they realize I have any knowledge about this, they will charge me and I'll go to jail.''

''We won't let that happen!'' Owen said confidently.

''I know you wouldn't'' JJ said respectfully as she stepped around Owen and stopped right next to him ''But with all do respect, SAD's missions are secret and Collins can't admit to the FBI what we're involved in. I'd be on my own and I wouldn't be identified as an officer of this agency.'' she went on. ''Shutting the FBI down is the only way for us to continue this operation.''

''Or we let the FBI do their own investigation and we can eventually obtain their information through you.'' Owen suggested as he turned to JJ. It was a good idea, but he knew JJ wouldn't willingly use her relationship with Hotch to obtain intell for the CIA. That wasn't like her at all, and asking her that was unfair, but it was her job. She had to learn to deal with that.

JJ ignored Owen's suggestion. ''I'm going to ask for Collins' permission to read Aaron Hotchner in.'' she said to Owen, knowing it was now the only way not to completely betray him. Reading Hotch in was the only way to keep their relationship built on love and truth. But if she wasn't allowed to tell him the truth, it would become all about their jobs and using each other to further their own agenda's. That would change their relationship forever, and JJ wasn't prepared for that.