Chapter 9: READ IN AND A NEW TARGET

Hotch was the first to be discharged while Blake and Mackenzie were being held slightly longer.

Hotch had to get his shoulder bandaged but no major damage had been done. It was more for support. The doctor said that the ringing in his ears should stop by Sunday afternoon which was less than twenty-four hours away. The doctor also said not to worry about his previous eardrum injury, that the explosion at the house hadn't caused further damage.

Blake was to be released as soon as they put her wrist in a cast. By this point she had received an x-ray and it was confirmed her wrist was definitely broken. It was a clean break so the damage would heal fast and with medication the pain was manageable.

Mackenzie was a different story all together. Despite her wrist injury only being minor and needing stitches and bandages, the doctors were concerned that the car crash into the barrier may have damaged previous scar tissue. Mackenzie had assured them that she was fine and only felt pain in her wrist but they wanted to check her over for safety. Mackenzie had reluctantly agreed when she got a very firm order from Hotch to comply.

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Mackenzie sat on the edge of the hospital bed behind a privacy curtain in the ER. She was still wearing her damp vest top with bottoms of a set of scrubs, her soaked clothes on the chair beside her.

Her wrist was now stitched up and bandaged and the doctor had given her the once over checking her scarring. She'd cleared Mackenzie and was now away to get a Tetanus shot. Mackenzie looked up as she heard the curtain being opened but it wasn't the doctor. It was Prentiss.

"Hi Prentiss," Mackenzie said politely. "Everything alright?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. How's the wrist?" Prentiss asked.

"It's alright. They've kept me longer because they just want to make sure no extra damage was done to previous scar tissue."

Prentiss nodded. She could see some of the scars Mackenzie was referring to. Jagged ones on her chest. One on her jaw. A few on her arms. What happened to her? Prentiss thought.

"I brought you some dry clothes and shoes. JJ took them from your suitcase in the hotel room," Prentiss said, handing Mackenzie the bag she was carrying.

"Thank you," Mackenzie said, putting the bag beside her. "I'll change when I get the Tetanus shot."

They fell into silence Prentiss trying to decide whether or not to ask Mackenzie about her scars and Mackenzie trying to find the courage to tell Prentiss what had happened in Winslow and Baghdad. With Shannon now being definitely involved in the case she had to. She took a deep breath.

"Prentiss when we get back to the precinct I need to read you in on something. It's vital to the case. I would do it now but here isn't really the place to do so."

Prentiss nodded. "Of course."

As soon as Prentiss said it, the doctor who had been looking after Mackenzie stepped through the curtain.

"I'll wait outside until you're done," Prentiss said. "Shout if you need anything."

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Blake and Mackenzie were released at the same time, Mackenzie now having been given a Tetanus shot and stitches and Blake's arm in a cast and sling. They left with Prentiss and JJ who had both came to the hospital after they were done at the scenes.

The four women arrived at the police station around 22:00. Despite it being late, Blake and Mackenzie still needed to give their statements and if it was left till the Sunday morning details may have been forgotten. They entered the police station and Prentiss and JJ watched as Mackenzie and Blake disappeared with two officers to interview rooms. As soon as they were out of sight, Prentiss turned to JJ.

"Evans said she needed to read me in on something. Is this to do with what happened when you guys went to Winslow?" Prentiss asked.

"It is," JJ replied.

"Any hints on what I'm going to be told?"

JJ swallowed slightly before replying. "Just that it's extremely hard for her to talk about. She wouldn't be telling you if it wasn't vital to this case. As I said she came away from that case worse than the rest of the team."

Prentiss nodded and then headed to the conference room were the rest of the team was closely followed by JJ.

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Half an hour later Blake and Mackenzie returned from their interviews and met the rest of the team in the conference room. Tension was high as they knew there was going to have to be a lot of explaining to do to have Prentiss up to date with Larson. Mackenzie and Blake had been read in by JJ to do with Doyle before Prentiss had arrived as she had given JJ permission to do so.

At that point they weren't certain if it was Larson that was Meaghan Doyle's partner but after the events that had just occurred they were. They were now one hundred percent sure. And it had brought a dark cloud over the BAU. Because they now knew that this case had just tripled in danger.

Prentiss watched as Mackenzie and Blake sit down.

"Sir may I take this opportunity to read Prentiss in on our history, specifically mine, with Shannon Larson please?" Mackenzie asked turning to face Hotch.

"Of course, Garcia has already gotten the files from the Winslow case," Hotch replied.

"Before I worked for FBI and before that the Winslow PD, I was a Marine. In 2006 once my training was completed I was deployed to Baghdad. At the time I had enrolled into the military with my best friend at the time, Shannon Larson. We were kept together after training and put into a squad with two others. Our job was to take down as many cells as we possibly could. Our first three missions were successful but during the fourth things went horribly wrong. My squad and I were tortured extensively for over a year. Two of them died early on but Shannon and I survived," Mackenzie said, keeping her eyes focused on the table.

JJ, who was sitting beside Mackenzie, noticed Mackenzie breathing become ragged and gave her hand a slight squeeze causing Mackenzie to flinch. Even though she had shown no signs earlier, Mackenzie's PTSD was beginning to flare up again.

Prentiss just stared in shock. She had expected a lot of things but this was completely different from any of those things.

Mackenzie swallowed before continuing. "We both got rescued but neither of us was the same after that. I suffered and still am suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression. I have all of those things under control with medication but Shannon… Shannon didn't come back. Her body might have but she didn't. Her caring personality died in Baghdad and a psychotic, violent personality returned in its place. About a year after I became a detective for the Winslow Police Department. It wasn't long after that, that Shannon started killing..."

Mackenzie trailed off unable to continue. This was the first time she'd talked to anyone about this completely that wasn't Dante. She tried to find the words to carry on but she couldn't. Hotch and JJ noticed and Hotch carried on. Mackenzie gave him a thankful look.

"We were called in after the sixth murder," Hotch said. "At this point they already knew that Larson was the killer as part of her M.O was torturing her victims the same way Evans and her was. The case ended badly. Dante, Evan's fiancé and Larson's brother, was kidnapped, tortured and barely survived. Shortly after Evans was kidnapped this was followed by JJ getting shot. Evans was then tortured but escaped allowing us to capture Larson. Larson was then sentenced to death but got killed in a prison riot. That obviously isn't true looking at the events of today. If you want more details everything you need to know is in the files Garcia has put together."

Prentiss stared at the team in shock. She knew something had happened that was devastating in Winslow but she never expected this. Her eyes fell on Mackenzie who looked to be trying to control her breathing. Mackenzie's fists were clenched and she was staring at a space on the floor in front of her. Her eyes were full of fear. I suffered and still am suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Hotch shot JJ a look and JJ put her hand gently on Mackenzie's shoulder who yet again flinched slightly. Prentiss watched as JJ led Mackenzie out of the room.

And now Prentiss knew just how dangerous this case was for the team emotionally and physically. And she would stop at nothing to help close it. To protect her team. Even its newest member.

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JJ guided Mackenzie into the toilets and locked the door behind her. She knew if she didn't calm down Mackenzie soon a full scale panic attack was inevitable. JJ watched as Mackenzie walked over to one of the sinks and splashed cold water over her face.

"I thought I had it under control. I've gotten good at controlling the panic. The fear. But now… I thought she was dead JJ. I thought she was dead. I thought I was finally safe. Now I feel like this is just going to be a repeat of Winslow. And I'm not sure I can stop her this time," Mackenzie said, her voice quiet. She turned her back to sink and slid into a sitting position.

"Mackenzie, you don't need to do this by yourself. You've got an entire team behind you. We have an expert on Meaghan Doyle and three people who also know what it's like to be tortured. How scary it is to be in that situation," JJ said softly.

In that moment JJ decided that it was time that she told Mackenzie about what had happened with Hastings and Askari. That she didn't have to face this by herself. That even though JJ's experience wasn't as long as hers that people on the team understood.

Mackenzie gave JJ a confused look. She hadn't heard of other team members being tortured before. "What?"

"Do you remember that period during your FBI training that you couldn't contact me?" JJ asked sliding down next to Mackenzie.

"Yeah. I was trying to get a hold of you to find out when I could drop off Henry's birthday present. It was a month late because of the move," Mackenzie replied.

"Well there was reasoning behind that. In the past nine years I haven't just worked for the FBI. In 2010 I worked for the State Department as part of a specialized task force to track down Osama Bin Laden. That consequently caused me to spend time in Afghanistan," JJ explained.

"On that case I made a lot of enemies. And in that period of time where you were unable to reach me they came after me. They took me captive and tortured me for the information they desired which was access to a database full of need to know information. I and our section chief Mateo Cruise held the codes for the database," JJ continued.

"JJ I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you," Mackenzie said.

"Because I didn't need you to be more stressed that you were already. And anyway the State Department also had its perks. I was able to help Emily hide while I was working them," JJ said.

Mackenzie nodded and they sat in silence for a few minutes, Mackenzie taking in the new information. "If you need anyone to talk to JJ. I'm here. Sorry I wasn't before or you felt like I wasn't but I am now," Mackenzie said softly.

"Likewise Mackenzie and I'm sure that applies for the rest of the team too. I know what it's like. I know what's it's like to feel paralyzed by fear. To be so scared and in pain that the only option that seems to appear is to give. But I also know what it's like to still have fight left in you. You have so much of it Mackenzie. You were there for two years. How you survived I have no clue but I know one thing. You are strong. One of the strongest people I've ever meet. You may not see it but other people certainly do. Me, the team Dante. Shannon Larson will not beat you. She will not win. Just like Askari and Hastings haven't beaten me," JJ replied.

Silent tears ran down the pairs faces, Mackenzie crying slightly harder than JJ. Eventually the tears ceased and JJ made a move to get up but Mackenzie stopped her, another thought on her mind.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are the other two team members?"

"Sorry?" JJ responded, confused.

"You said there are three members on the team that have gotten tortured. Who are the other two, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Reid and Prentiss. Reid about seven years ago by a man called Tobias Hankel. Hankel is now dead. Prentiss by Ian Doyle. Who's now also dead," JJ replied. "And I don't mind you asking at all."

With that the pair got up and made their way back to the rest of the team who were in planning. Something had happened when JJ and Mackenzie had left.

"What's up?" JJ asked as she walked in.

Hotch was the one to reply.

"We just got a lead. We have their next target. The attack is going to be on Monday. A bank. We don't know much. Just that it's in a heavily populated area. We need to find out where this attack is going to take place. Before it's too late."