Chapter 12

The team had followed Garcia's directions and were in the town where Ezral's email emanated from, but there were no more leads. Garcia could only pinpoint the location of where the email was sent to somewhere near the center of town, but even before they arrived, the pre-paid phone had been turned off or destroyed so they had gone to the local sheriff's office with photos of Ezral and Hotch.

"This one," said the sheriff pointing at Ezral's picture, "We know about; got our eyes out for him with all the murder's happening around these parts."

He pointed to a wanted poster of Ezral on a nearby bulletin board. "As to the other," the sheriff scratched the back of his neck. "You say he's one of yours? Abducted awhile back by this same guy?"

Morgan nodded. "Have you seen him?" he asked a little annoyed at the laid back drawl of the man. They needed to hurry, Hotch had to be close by, he could feel it.

"Have I seen him?" repeated the sheriff with a smirk beckoning the surly group over to a TV nearby, turning it on. "Breaking news a few minutes ago." he said.

The news footage shocked the group. Ezral had forwarded the photos to the local news station, the caption under the photo of Hotch raising a club over one of the missing woman.

Missing FBI Agent turned Murderer?

"You get any leads on your man, you plan on sharing them with us?" asked the sheriff with a smirk but with shark like eyes that betrayed his laid back attitude.

Rossi stepped forward. "When we do find him," he said quietly, dangerously. "It will be a FBI matter and not a three-ringed circus. Do you understand me?"

The sheriff huffed, his eyes narrowing, but a moment later he looked down and away from Rossi's penetrating stare.

"He ain't killed none of ours, so if your agent and his friend are still in town please feel free to get them and take them as far from my good people as possible, you got me?"

"Yes, sheriff, we got you" nodded Rossi, staring at the man for a beat longer than was necessary, then glanced at the team and motioned for them to leave.

"Idiot..." muttered Morgan as they exited the station.

"Hotch could be close." said Reid. "We can't give up now, especially with that news footage; better we find Hotch than a local with an itchy trigger finger."

The team got in their SUV, unsure of where to go next.

"He could have been drugged...or forced by gunpoint." continued Reid from the back seat. "The photos didn't show everything. Mason could have been pointing a gun at him." he glanced over at Prentiss who sat next to him lost in thought.

"No one's saying Hotch would do this on purpose, Reid. He couldn't have; we just have to find him." stated Morgan from the driver's seat.

Rossi turned to Reid from the passenger seat.

"Once we get him back, we can find out exactly what happened."

He turned to Morgan. "Strauss?" he asked.

Morgan's brows furrowed. "I was hoping we would have more information by now…something tangible before I told her. I didn't want to torch Hotch's career, Hotch's life, over some photos... but now the media, I'm sure she's already found out everything. We'll just have to deal with the fallout later."

Morgan's phone rang at that moment. Glancing at the caller i.d., he winced, holding out the phone for Rossi to see that Strauss was calling. With a deep sigh he pressed "ignore" ending the ringing and placed the phone in his pocket, glancing at Rossi then at his rearview mirror to Reid and Prentiss before turning to stare out the window.

Garcia hands flew across her keyboard; for someone who believed in the good in everybody she couldn't believe how angry she was, she couldn't believe the dark thoughts running through her mind over what she would do to Mason Ezral if she ever got her hands on him; because their fearless leader…

Had to

Had to

Had to…

…have been forced to do the things the photos showed him doing.

Hotch…

"Keep your eyes on the prize, Penelope." she murmured to herself. She was trying to find any links to Ezral in the town where he had sent the email from and the towns surrounding. But she was finding nothing, nothing at all. She spun her chair away from her monitors for a moment and took a deep breath.

When Reid had called to tell her Ezral had leaked the photos of Hotch to the local media. Garcia's world had screeched to a halt.

It's over then, Ezral won...

Then she had shaken her head violently clearing that horrible thought from it and gotten back to work, her keyboard heating up as she clacked away, adamant to find the man who had gone out of his way to ruin her friend's life.

Garcia turned quickly as the door to her office suddenly opened.

"JJ?"

JJ quickly closed the door behind her.

"You okay?" Garcia asked, turning fully to stare at the blonde front person.

JJ nodded and took a seat by Garcia's desk. "I'm fine, I've just been summoned to Strauss' office."

Garcia gasped softly. "The news footage?"

JJ's eyes widened for a moment. "You heard? I was coming to tell you."

"Reid called." said Garcia.

"Prentiss." explained JJ, holding her phone out before placing it on the desk and pushing it away in disgust. "Everything is falling apart." she sighed.

Garcia nodded. "We have to find Hotch, then the pieces can be glued back together. We have to believe that."

JJ smiled softly at Garcia for a moment, then nodded, grabbing her phone and putting it in her pocket.

"You're right." she took a deep breath. "Off to Strauss' office then. Seems she feels we've been leaving her out of the loop for too long; and now with the news footage."

"The photos...she's had it out for Hotch…"

"I know, Garcia. Once this hits the larger news stations...this can ruin Hotch and she just may let it, why do you think I'm in here?"

"You're hiding out?" Garcia couldn't help the smirk that formed on her lips.

JJ chuckled softly, "No…okay yes…but I was hoping you might have some new information?"

Garcia frowned. "No, but I'm still searching. I know I can find Ezral, I just need more time."

"Garcia, I need to tell Strauss something."

The I.T's email pinged just then and both women turned towards the monitor. With a few clicks a picture of a house appeared with directions to the home underneath.

She frowned slightly and clicked on the second link in the email. A grainy video of a smiling Ezral came into view.

"Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers. Tell your team to come alone, or their precious cargo will be long gone in the wind."

"Oh..oh my...oh.." stammered Garcia.

JJ grabbed hold of her shoulder. "Contact the others...now!"

Garcia glanced at her. "Strauss?"

"She'll have to wait a little while longer, do it Garcia!"

-TBC-

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