Dopamine || Reid

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

SEVEN PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED. After the team brought back order to the massacred precinct, we were able to give out a profile for the other serial offenders. Plain clothed officers in undercover patrol cars had been sent to each bank and casino on the list. Armed with bullet proof vests and military grade weapons. When the unsubs struck one of the locations the team was sent out, leaving Penelope and I to wait at the station while they engaged in a seven hour stand off.

Five people were killed, four being apart of the group trying to rob the casino. The other unfortunately was an officer caught in the crossfire.

Garcia was able to access some security cameras around the casino during the standoff— so we were able to keep an eye on things. Unfortunately the footage was very grainy and it was difficult to tell if the ones who had been shot were from our side or not.

It honestly caused more stress for us, and after hour three of watching the footage and speculating over the smallest details— Vincent had managed to convince us to turn the video off.

We spent the rest of the time holding our breath waiting for it to be over. Each missed contact or late reply adding to our growing worry that something terrible had happened.

But I did learn one thing— Penelope and I should never be allowed to be alone together during a high stress situation. Each of us feeding into the other's anxious thoughts instead of negating them.

"Still no answer."
"Oh god— they're dead!"
"We don't know th... y-you think they're dead?"
"You don't?? Why else would they not respond to us!? They know we are waiting to hear from them!"
"Hm. I've seen Morgan jump between floors in a stairwell to get to his phone for you."
"See?!"
"You're right... they could be dead."
"Oh god we're all gonna dieeee!"

When it all finally stopped it was three in the morning. The team returned to the precinct with two men and one woman in handcuffs, and five body bags. The four others that were arrested had been injured in the stand off and taken to the hospital for treatment.

The team thankfully survived with only a few bumps and scratches— all except for Emily who managed to fight through the pain of a bullet grazing the skin of her upper arm and continued the standoff until the very end. Only telling someone about it after returning to the police station.

"Done!" I tie off the stitches in her arm as Prentiss grinds her teeth together cursing under her breath as she toughs out the pain. "Just keep it clean, don't poke at it, and I'll check on them to see when we can remove the stitching."

"Wait— these won't just dissolve?" She asks, her eyes scanning my work.

"Unfortunately no, this is the cheap stuff they stock in first aid kits. I'll have to remove it at the right stage of healing." I shrug as I wipe my hands on a paper towel. "Inconvenient but it's better than nothing."

She groans and rolls her eyes. "The Man screwing us out of the good stitches now?"

"You always could go to the hospital and have them change them out for the other kind." I lean against the desk behind me, crossing my legs at the ankles.

"And have to pay to go through that shit again— hell no." She gives me a rare smile, her words forcing a genuine laugh from me.

"I'm glad you're okay, Emily."

With the shake of her head, she stands from her chair. "Thanks, I'm glad too. That you're not dead or whatever."

"Awe she loves you!" Derek approaches the desk, sporting a stupid grin on his face.