A/N: Thank you for all of the alerts!

*waves at pmp1208*

Chapter 2

Cait blew into the BAU Round Table Room an hour later. One look by the team knew their initial profile of her nearly six years ago was spot on. You did not mess with Caitlyn Barkley Hotchner's family. She looked at Dave. "Have you found out anything," she demandingly asked.

"I'm working my sources," Dave said. "Cait, you've got to….."

"Don't tell me to relax Dave. One of those goons pointed a semi-automatic rifle at my youngest son. I'll have his badge and then his ass."

"What," Dave growled.

Mateo Cruz looked at her. "From the top Cait; what happened?"

"I followed Aaron out the door to kiss him good-bye and left the kitchen door open. Aaron, like always, had pushed the button to open the garage door as he goes out. I came down the step, started to hug him, and he pushes me behind his back, pulling his weapon. Four SWAT guys with semi-autos come in and start shouting. Apparently Jack had woke up and came downstairs. He heard the commotion. Everyone in the garage clearly heard him shout 'dad and mom what is going one?' And he's ten; his voice hasn't changed yet. It was clearly a child's voice. Jack comes into the doorway, wearing his p.j.'s and one of those idiots pointed his weapon at Jack and told him to freeze."

"That's the last damn thing you do on tactical. I'll help you," Morgan growled.

"Knowing Hotch, he backed down to protect Jack," JJ analyzed. Cait nodded her head.

"That's another fight for another day," Cruz calmly said. "One I promise you Cait I'll take care of personally. But right now let's concentrate on getting to the bottom of what is going on with Aaron."

Dave's temper settled and he was silently happy that Cruz was there. He knew better than to argue with Cait. But being her superior, Cruz could maybe keep her in check. His cell buzzed in suitcoat breast pocket. He pulled it out. "They're holding him at Metro PD headquarters."

"Get down there," Cruz said.

"I'll come along," Morgan said, following Dave out the door.

"I need to inform the Director," Cruz said.

"We'll start on this end," Emily said. Cruz nodded his head.

"Mat, can I speak with you," Cait asked.

"Sure," he said.

Reid lightly touched her elbow as she started to follow Cruz out of the room. "Thank you Spencer," she smiled, lightly rubbing his arm. "You folks do what you do best. Holler if you need me."

"You know we will Cait," he smiled.

"Thanks Cait," Lewis smiled. Cait smiled back at her and headed to the doorway. Cruz motioned her to go out first.

He and Cait walked to her office. Cait unlocked the door, opened it and turned on the light. She went in and turned as Cruz entered and shut the door.

"It sounds important," he said.

"It is," Cait responded. "How much would it take to get me certified to have a weapon?"

Cruz looked at her. "I thought you didn't want to be out in the field?"

"I don't," Cait said. "I've just got a gut feeling about this one and I want to have the proper authorization to use a weapon if I need to." Cruz looked at her. "To protect my sons if it's needed."

Cruz slightly nodded his head. "I get it. Let me call the Director, update him on what's going on with Aaron and I'll ask him to approve getting you authorized on the firing range by one of the agents there."

"Thanks Mat," she smiled.

He nodded and opened the door. "Are you going to re-join the team?"

Cait shook her head. "I'm going to let them do what they do best without me hovering around. I'll touch in with them when Dave gets back."

Cruz smiled and looked at her. "I don't mean to sound condescending, but you made the right call."

Cait smiled back at him. "I know my place around here and trust the team with my and Aaron's life."

"You might want to run home and get a change of clothes for the gun course, including some tennis shoes," Cruz noted.

"Way ahead of you Mat," Cait smiled.

"I should have figured that," he smiled. "I'll get back to you within an hour," Cruz said, leaving.

Two hours later, Anderson dropped Cait off at the firing range. "Give me a call when you're ready."

"Thanks Brian," Cait smiled, getting out of the car.

After going through security, a trainee escorted her to the firing range. A muscular agent with greying hair at the temples met her at the door. "I'm Special Agent Doug Thompson; I'm in charge of the Academy Firing Range and will be your certifying agent."

"Agent Barkley," Cait said extending her hand.

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter Dr. Barkley," he smiled. "Section Chief Cruz says you know you're way around a weapon."

"More rifles than handguns; I hunted with my dad and brothers in my teen years."

"How'd you do," Thompson asked with a smile.

"Outshot them all," Cait smiled back.

Thompson smiled at her. "Let's select a weapon for you. Then you're going to take a two hour mandatory course on your weapon and basic safety in using it. I'm glad you dressed down."

"I went through hunter safety courses way back when," Cait smiled.

After Cait selected a lightweight Glock 30, Thompson put her through the two hour class, including basic field movements of using a weapon, the last one being the toughest. It required Cait to go through a video course where she faced different situations whether to use her weapon or not. It was physically grueling and challenging. Cait, who still swam three times a week, handled the physical part with ease. Her hunter training kicked in as well and she passed the test with ease.

"You made that look easy," Thompson complimented.

"It all kicked back in what I learned way back when. You've got a split second to look and analyze before shooting." She smiled at Thompson. "I had four younger brothers which wasn't fun some days. But I never wanted to shoot them out in the field," she grinned.

Thompson laughed. "Enough with the paint ball gun. Let's get you to the range."

Thompson watched as Cait expertly loaded the clip of her Glock with bullets. "Insert the clip."

Cait showed him the safety and pushed the clip into the Glock handle. He smiled and grabbed his ear protection hanging around his neck. "Fire away," he said.

After putting on her ear protection, she adjusted her safety glasses. She got her feet set in a firing position and lifted the weapon off the firing table. She raised it to Thompson to show she was releasing the safety and chambered the first round. He lightly tapped her shoulder. Cait fired the first shot. It narrowly missed the bullseye. Taking her time, Cait settled in more for the second shot. It nicked the bullseye a little below and left of the first shot. The third got closer to the target.

Cait resettled her body a bit, took aim and buried the next six shots the clip held in the middle of the bullseye; the last three in quick succession. She held up the weapon, putting the safety on and then dropped the clip on the table. She set the weapon down as Thompson pulled off his ear protection. Cait pulled off hers, looking at him. "Cruz wasn't kidding; you're a helluva shot."

"Can I take my certification test now?"

"You in a rush Dr. Barkley?"

"Sorta; I want to get back to the BAU team to see the headway they've made."

Thompson smiled. "I heard what's going on; let's get you certified." Cait scored one hundred percent on her certification test.

Riding back to the BAU with Anderson, Cait called Matt. He picked up on the first ring. "Mom, have you heard anything more?"

"Dave and Derek saw dad earlier as Metro police were handing him over to DOJ. He asked Uncle Dave to tell all of us he's OK."

"What the hell is DOJ doing? They should be supporting dad," he growled much like his father.

"Matt, he's being framed by a well-planned out scheme. The team is on it; there's a bigger plan going on. And Mat Cruz has got the Director involved. They've already proved the 9-1-1 call supposedly placed by dad was a fake. They're working on the leads. I know it's hard; it's hard on me too. But please be patient and let the team do their job."

She heard Matt take a breath. "OK mom."

"How are Jack and Mike?"

"How do you think mom? Mike is upset and Jack is spooked. He got a semi-auto assault rifle pointed at him and then watched dad getting hauled away in flex cuffs."

"Where is he?"

"He and Lauren are downstairs with Beans and Mudg watching a movie. He's still pretty upset mom with what happened this morning."

Cait shook her head. "I am too Matt. And trust me, Chief Cruz will address what happened with Jack."

"He damn well better," Matt growled again.

"Trust me Matt, he knows I'm pissed. Chief Cruz promised. But not right now. We need to concentrate on what is going on with dad."

Matt relaxed a bit. "You and the team do that then mom. I and Lauren have got the fort."

"Thank you my son; that's what I needed to hear."

"Mom, promise me if you have an update you'll call me."

"I promise Matt. Just take of things at home for dad and me."

"Done mom; I love you."

"I love you too Matt. Thanks for stepping up to the plate." Matt ended the call as Cait did.

Anderson looked at Cait. "Do you want me to go over there?"

Cait smiled, rubbing his shoulder. "Thank you so much Brian. I appreciate that. But our oldest son has things handled."

Anderson smiled at her.

-00CM00-

Cait, showered and dressed in her original outfit of the day flew up the steps to the Round Table Room. She walked in to look at Cruz and Garcia. "What's happening?"

"The team just raided Asher Douglas' home; he's the one that started all of this," Garcia reported.

Cait looked at Cruz. "He's just the tip of the iceberg."

"The team knows that Cait. Penelope is working her magic." Cait rubbed her shoulder.

Penelope looked at her. "How are the boys?"

Cait shook her head. "Stressed like all the rest of us," she said. Garcia zeroed in a look at Cait. She smiled, rubbing Penelope's shoulder. "Matt has the fort and Lauren is there to help him."

"What about Jack," Garcia asked. "Those bastards," she zinged at Cruz.

"Garcia, I promised Cait and I'll promise you. I will take care of that."

Cait smiled at her, rubbing her shoulder. "Jack is hanging out with Lauren and the dogs downstairs watching a movie together."

Penelope smiled at her. "Those two really are a match."

Cait beamed rubbing Penelope's shoulder more. "Why she's got the ring." Cait turned serious and looked at Garcia's screens that she now had in the Round Table Room with Kevin standing by to help out. Cait pointed. "Please get back at it." Garcia nodded, diving back in as Cruz smiled at Cait.

A few minutes later, Garcia looked at Cruz. "Sir, don't ask me how, but I found something. But to see it, I'll need to totally hack into the DOJ's system."

"Totally hack?"

"I'm already partially in and found the file they have on Hotch."

Cait looked at Cruz. "Screw them," Cruz said. "Do it."

Just then, Cruz's cellphone rang. He quickly answered it. "Rossi?"

"We just profiled what Douglas told us. Mat, it's a plot for a prison break. And we know there's a serious bomb threat involved as well."

"Do you know which one?"

"Virginia Super Max," Rossi responded.

"You and Morgan get on it," Cruz said. He looked at Kevin. "You got that file?"

"Yes sir," Kevin responded.

"That's you. Garcia, get into the prison records and find out who's there and wants to blow something up with a connection to Hotch."

Cruz moved to stand by Penelope while Cait stood behind Kevin to look over his shoulder at the file. Kevin pulled the contents of the file up. Cait quickly scanned it. "What's that," she pointed with a question.

"Video testimony from Peter Lewis," Kevin answered.

"Mr. Scratch," Garcia asked.

Cruz looked at them. "He's not at VA Super Max. How can he be in on this?"

"Apparently he is," Cait said. She touched Kevin's shoulder. "Can you send that video to my computer in my office?

Kevin made a couple keystrokes. "Done."

"Thanks Kevin," she said, rubbing his shoulder. She looked at Cruz. "I'll get into that video to see if I can figure out his connection in all this."

Cruz nodded. "Go."

An hour later, as Cait re-watched Lewis' testimony for the fifth time with headphones on, her cell buzzed on her desktop, moving a bit. Cait pulled off her headphones and picked her cell up, looking at the text. It was from Cruz. Get up here now.

Cait flew out of her chair and headed towards the bullpen. Anderson met her halfway. "Chief Cruz sent me to get you," putting his arm around her back to get her into the bullpen and up the steps to the Round Table Room.

Entering the room she looked at Cruz. "What's happening?"

"It's not the best Cait. Some of the prisoners have taken over one of the guard control rooms. They're releasing prisoners out of their cellblocks. Morgan, JJ, Reid and Lewis along with tactical are securing the first cellblock. Aaron figured out the mastermind and called DOJ out for using him to cover their asses for a major city bombing. They've released Aaron. He's on the way there along with a tactical team from DHS. Two tactical units from the Bureau and one from the US Marshalls are on alert."

"Who's the mastermind," Cait asked.

"Eric Rawdon," Garcia pointed at her screens. "He just wants to make something really go boom." Garcia had the radio feed from the agents on audio in the room.

"Rossi, there's a break along the east sewer tunnel," they heard Lewis say.

"Copy," Rossi said. "Prentiss, me and the guard staff are on that."

As the moments, which were like hours for the four in the Round Table Room played out, they heard Tara being confronted by Ennis Leonard. Gunfire soon erupted. Garcia grabbed Cait's hand that was on her shoulder. "Cellblock A secure," they heard.

"We need back-up in Cell Block D," Morgan said, with gunfire permeating the sound.

"We're on our way Morgan," Hotch said. The mics keyed off. Garcia looked at Cruz.

He looked at Cait. "What did you figure out about Lewis?"

"It was total retaliation on his part to get back at Aaron. I don't know how he got involved though."

"That's for me and Kevin to chase down," Garcia said.

"Another day Penelope," Cruz said.

Aaron's voice crackled over the audio. "Garcia, I need you to send the address of the anarchist's safe house in Arlington to all available tactical units standing by. The team is safe and on our way there. Rawdon is in custody."

"Done sir," Garcia said, madly typing.

"The quickest GPS route would help Mama," Morgan said.

"I've got that," Kevin said, typing quickly. "Sent Morgan."

"Thanks man."

"Hotch, you've got your response meeting you there," Cruz reported.

"Roger sir."

Cruz looked at Cait. "While we're waiting, fill me in on your analysis of Lewis' video. Cait looked at him. "Your full analysis Doctor."

Cait touched Kevin's shoulder. "Can you please put the video up on the big screen?" Kevin nodded and the video appeared. "Fast forward please." Kevin did. "Stop there." They listened to Lewis describing Hotch's laughter. Cruz looked at her. "Please stop it Kevin." He did. Garcia looked at Cait.

"After Aaron was released from the hospital that night, Dave brought him home. He told me privately he tried to talk to Aaron but basically all he got was what was pertinent to the case. With the counter active drugs he received at the hospital he slept pretty well when he got home. The next night," Cait shook her head, "he didn't. I got him through the first nightmare, holding him. After the second one, I made him get up and tell me everything."

"And….." Cruz said.

"Aaron told me he laughed at Lewis before the three doses Lewis gave him kicked in. Aaron told him his team would catch him. He did not say he was going to kill his team."

"The bastard lied," Garcia growled. Cait nodded at her and Cruz.

"Somehow, Lewis got in on the plan to frame Aaron and was more than willing to help them out."

The eternity of seventy minutes passed when the audio crackled again. "Threat neutralized. Team is clear," Rossi radioed.

Pressing a button on Garcia's laptop, Cruz radioed back. "Thanks Dave," Cruz smiled. Garcia and Kevin leaned back in their chairs.

Cruz smiled and looked at Cait. She scowled at him. "This isn't over."

"A discussion for Wednesday," he said to her.

"Wednesday sir?"

Cruz shook his head. "Look at your watch Cait." She did. "None of us will get home," he gestured out at the night darkness coming through the windows of the room, "before three this morning. I don't want to see any of you in here later today. I know I won't."

Cait smiled and rubbed Penelope's shoulder. "You're a mere mortal sir," Garcia questioned with her huge smile.

Cruz beamed. "My wife figured out like Cait long ago how to loosen my Bureau boxers," he winked at her.

"Rock on sir," Garcia smiled.

Their ecstasy of the case being done was shattered when the team walked into the Round Table Room a little after two-thirty in the morning. Cruz and Aaron's cellphones went off, along with Garcia's computers.

Cruz looked at his cellphone. "There's been three more prisons breaks; all with serial killers being released."

Aaron shook his head. "We know have thirteen serial killers on the loose." The rest of the team looked at each other.

Cruz looked at Aaron. "Including Peter Lewis."

Cait stared at Cruz. "That's why the bastard was so willing to help."

###

A/N: With all due respect to Erica and Breen that wrote a fantastic S11 season ending episode, I felt it lacked one minor detail. That said I'm not privy to the availability of Esai Morales. But I felt he (Mateo Cruz) should have been there with this big of an episode, given the storyline.

Why I used FF author privilege in my playing with this episode. ;)

DHS is the Department of Homeland Security.