𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗟𝗬, 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 (𝟮)

𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥

"No one expects an angel to set the world on fire"
-Unknown-

Hotch brings everyone in for a chat about the new case of a missing girl, Samantha Wilcox. And the team is understandably confused about why they're working a parental abduction case, but Hotch offers that because the father is an ex-con and he beat the boyfriend nearly to death it's worth looking into.

"Why did he pick yesterday out of all days to kidnap her?" Maya wonders as she looks over to Hotch noticing he looks a little pale in the face.

"Well, he beat the boyfriend within an inch of his life to do it, so taking her had to be real important" Derek states, bringing Maya's attention off of Hotch. "And apparently Eddie was none too pleased that Samantha's mom, Melody, had decided to remarry and then move from Chicago to Wichita.

"So, he lost visitation rights when he was locked up 3 years ago. All that anger built up could be the stressor" Maya trails off as she shakes her head disappointingly as vague memories cloud her mind.

"Well, the girl has been missing for over 5 hours, and we know how time sensitive these cases are. The amber alert is expanding... every hour" Hotch stammers, quickly running out of breath as he speaks.

"Hotch, are you alright?" Maya asks as she starts to stand to her feet when suddenly Hotch faints and falls onto the floor roughly, startling the team.

______

While the team is on the plane, Rossi facetimes with them to let them know about the situation. Hotch has got internal bleeding from the scar tissue which is a continuing medical issue. So, Penelope is going to stay with him while the rest of the team works on the case.

"Hotch was stabbed?" Maya asks as she looks around at the team that nods sadly. "Yeah, at least 9 times" Reid answers before he takes a seat.

Derek and Maya are on their way to see the mother of Samantha and Maya is steady looking out the car window, resting the palm of her hand under her chin. "You got something on your mind?" Derek asks before he parks on the side of the road that leads to the mother's house.

"I just know what it's like to see a father angry about custody" Maya mumbles before she clicks off her seatbelt and waits for Derek to exit the car so they can walk up to the front door together.

They learn that the dad was a longtime dirtbag, and the mother has tried to keep the daughter away from him because they were too similar, and she would doubtless be pulled into a life of crime.

_____

Over at the abduction scene, everyone convenes and goes over what Garcia learned. Dad and his cellmate robbed a jewelry store. A clerk and customer were killed, and then his partner was shot eight times. Also, the partner was mobbed-up, so the dad is on the run from cops and crooks alike.