Chapter 20 –
JJ knocked firmly on the door before she poked her head around, only managing a faint smile as she looked at Alex and then Kate.
"JJ?"
Alex spoke quietly, she and Kate both knew what had just happened and Alex could see the look of shock and anguish still adorning the younger woman's face.
"Hotch wants to get everyone together in the conference room, I need to ask you a favour Kate."
Alex nodded her head as she stood up and looked at Kate.
"It's fine Alex."
"Thanks Alex."
JJ spoke quietly as she took Alex's place on Dave's sofa next Kate while Alex left the room.
"Are Jack, Henry and Amy ok Aunt Jen?"
"They seem to be thanks, would you mind sitting with them while I sit down with the rest of the team?"
"Of course."
"Thanks I know that Jack would look after them but..."
"It's fine Aunt Jen really."
Kate smiled as she stood up, not hesitating as she walked the short distance to Hotch's office, the squeal of delight from her daughter's mouth immediately told JJ that they were in good hands and she quickly made her way towards the conference room.
JJ stopped just outside the conference room, her eyes catching sight of a tired looking figure walking up the stairs, straight away JJ turned and waited, opening her mouth ready to speak but she was beaten to the punch.
"I'm fine Agent Jareau, I hear that Agent Hotchner is having a briefing?"
JJ nodded her head as she moved aside to let Erin Strauss enter the conference room, her arm in a sling as she sat next to Alex. JJ raised an eyebrow at Hotch but he just shrugged his shoulders and gestured for JJ to close the door behind her.
"Right so we know now that Adam Lockwood is our unsub, originally paid by Sam Davis to kill Emily. Unfortunately it now seems that he doesn't care who he hurts and we are all targets."
Hotch looked around the room, his eyes lingering on Erin's injured arm before Morgan spoke up.
"We need to draw him out."
"You want to someone to make themselves a target?"
Morgan looked at Dave and nodded his head before he continued.
"We can't stay hidden in here forever, we need to get out there and catch this son of a bitch!"
"I think that you're right Derek, the longer we stay in here the more we are feeding his ego and we risk him attacking more civilians."
Hotch nodded as he spoke and quickly heavy conversation enveloped the room as they all tried to come up with a safe and viable plan.
The frustration and anger he felt had refused to disappear, he had driven into Fredricksburg and was parked up on the outskirts of the city, outside a bar. He had no plans to go in and drink, his military training had kicked in, he was in the middle of a mission, he wasn't going to risk the success for a few beers. It had been just over an hour since he had arrived and he had yet to find the next part of his plan but he wouldn't budge and then he saw her, the right age and the right size to carry the package he had carefully prepared. It was the package that would wreck havoc on those he was hunting. Slowly Adam started the engine and drove cautiously towards her, opening his window as the vehicle moved.
"Evening."
Adam smiled as the young girl stared past him and into his vehicle, but then she turned and started to walk towards the entrance of the bar.
"Crap!"
Adam quickly jumped out of the vehicle, his speed and strength were too much for her and in under thirty seconds he had bundled her into the back of his pick up truck and was headed north once again.
Emily held open the door as JJ wandered into Hotch's office, her arms full with food and cans of soda before the two women sat down on the floor, placing the food and drink on the table.
"Mom!"
Amy quickly jumped off Kate's lap where they had been reading together and ran over to JJ, wrapping her arms around her mom's neck.
"Hello sweetie, are you all ok?"
Amy nodded her head as she settled on JJ's lap while Emily sat down next to Kate and looked over at Jack and Henry who were sat over by Hotch's desk playing on their iPads.
"Good well Emily and I have brought you up some dinner."
"Are we going home mom?"
JJ smiled as she looked down at her daughter, her big blue eyes staring up at her.
"Not tonight sweetheart, we're going to have a sleep over here."
"Cool!"
Amy's face lit up at the prospect, too excited to think about the reasons why they were there, but Kate knew otherwise as she moved closer to Emily and whispered into her ear.
"Is everything ok?"
"We've come up with a plan but we need to wait until the morning to put it into action."
"Do you want me to stay with the kids?"
Emily reached and placed her arms around her daughter, gently pulling her head onto her shoulder.
"No I think we'll go into Dave's office, neither of us have had much sleep lately."
"Thanks mom."
Emily smiled softly before she kissed Kate on her head, she had neglected to tell Kate about her part in the plan but that could wait until the morning, after they had both had some sleep.
Finally he had found a release for his pent up anger, as he looked at her battered body a smile of satisfaction crossed his face, she was sleeping now but he wasn't going to take any chances as he bound her wrists together. Only then did he feel comfortable enough to move to the back of his vehicle and unlock the heavy metal case, his stash of toys that he had been saving until the right point and now seemed as good a time as any. The first object was so small that he had to use tweezers to pick it up, gingerly moving back into the truck before he flicked his head torch on and placed the object into the unconscious girl's ear. Once it was safely inside he turned his attention the next object he had to attach to her, he wiped his hands on the dirty towel in the back of the pickup, knowing that he had to concentrate fully on the delicate operation.
Kate's eyes suddenly opened, scanning around the room, her heart was pounding fast and her breathing rapid as a bead of perspiration dropped off the end of her nose.
"Kate!"
Emily immediately sat up from her awkward sleeping position on the sofa and put her arm around her daughter's back as Kate turned to look at her, taking a couple of seconds before the realisation of her location was acquired.
"Are you ok sweetie?"
Emily reached across and brushed the sweat from Kate's forehead, listening intently as Kate's breathing became deeper and slower.
"Yeah sorry."
Emily smiled as Kate struggled to get the words out, moving her arms away from her daughter and she reached down and picked up a bottle of water that she passed over to Kate.
"Take a long drink sweetie, was it a nightmare?"
Kate nodded her head as she gulped down the water before she threw the empty bottle onto the floor. Emily edged closer to her daughter before the two of them snuggled against each other on the sofa with Emily gently stroking Kate's hair.
"Its ok sweetie, go back to sleep, I'm right here with you."
Kate closed her eyes, tiredness overcoming her fears as she drifted off back to sleep, her head nestled tightly on her mom's shoulder.