A Second Chance || Criminal Minds Story

Chapter 26

Colonial National Bank

"They're using them as human shields." Rossi states.
"This is the first time they have been interrupted. What went wrong?" JJ asks.
"It's a big bank. It's possible they weren't able to round everybody up before someone triggered an alarm." Emily assumes.

"Why have they not cut the feed, now that they've been cornered? Letting us see inside is a technical advantage, they gotta know that." Derek asks.
"They don't seem to care." Hotch says.

"They're confident, arrogant even." JJ adds.
"Face card masks add to they're narcissism, they're persona is a royalty of poker." Reid says.

"JJ, Reid, and Prentiss look at past robberies, that's gonna be our victimology. Pull another analysis if you need to. Dave, I want you to handle negotiations. And Morgan, strategize tactical options with P.D." Hotch demands and everyone goes to do they're thing.

Strauss walks in after they leave.
"Chief Strauss." Hotch says when she walks in.
"The director ordered me to supervise your operation." Strauss explains.
"Puts you right in the spotlight." Rossi remarks.
"Well you've got gunmen with hostages in the capital. They're concerned." Strauss says.

"We're about to open lines of communication." Hotch explains.
"What about a tactical assault?" Strauss asks.
"I don't think it's a good idea. There are hostages in front of the doors and windows." Hotch explains.

"What's your negotiations strategy?" Strauss asks.
"The jacks bleeding out, they'll ask for medical attention." Rossi says.
"The female unsub might have something to say about that, look at her body language." Hotch points out.

Rossi takes a good look and sighs, "She is cold and detached. The king seems generally concerned about his partners welfare, but she couldn't give a damn."
"The men probably know each other. Garcia." Hotch says.
"Yes, shuffling my techno fabulous databases, sir." Garcia says as she typed on her computer.

Inside the bank

"We're gonna die." A lady says before the Oueen comes up behind her and tells her to quiet.
The phone starts to ring.
"That must be the feds." The Queen says.

The King goes over and answers the phone.
"Who the hell is this?" He asks.
"My name is David Rossi, I'm with the FBI, to whom am I speaking?"
"I wanna doctor sent in and then I want out of here."
"Well we certainly can discuss that, let the hostages go and we'll give you all the medical help you need."
"I can't do that. I need the leverage."
"How about a sign of good faith. Send out the woman and children, and I'll see what I can do."

The King takes the phone away from his ear and talks to the Queen.
"He's trying to negotiate." The King says.
"Negotiate? We're not playing games." The Queen stops and looks around.
She sees a young girl. She yanks the girl away from her father. The girl yells for her dad.
"Either we get what we want or everyone in this room dies." The Queen says.
"Do that, and you get nothing." David says through the phone.

"Take me instead, please." The girl's father pleads.
The Queen looks over to the King, and the King nods.
The Queen shoots the father in the stomach. The girl runs over to him.

"If you don't send help, more people are gonna die." The King tells Rossi.
Rossi puts down the phone. Strauss starts storming out to Rossi.

"We're sending in a medic." Strauss tells Rossi and Hotch.
"That would just give them another hostage." Hotch explains.
"If they stop shooting people it's worth it."
"We give in to one demand, we give in to them all." Rossi explains.
"The director disagrees."

"At least make it an agent with medical training, that way we can take advantage of an opportunity if it comes." Hotch suggests.
"Fine." Strauss agrees before walking off again.

"The brass thinks they'll act rationally, but there's no evidence of that." Rossi tells Hotch.
"This is personal for the men. The King could have run after the initial gunfight, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled the partner inside out of harm's way."
"And staying with him, while the woman searched the bank, presumably for a way out."
"He's more worried about the partner than he is about her running away."
Hotch goes on his walkie talkie, "Garcia, narrow your search I think the male unsubs might even be related."

At the BAU

"In six robberies no one's been able to build a sketch of the unsubs before they put their masks on. These witness descriptions are all over the map." Emily states.
"Probably because of the trauma suffered inside. They've been zigzagging North and South but in a relatively straight pattern from Washington D.C." Reid says.
"And this is the largest bank they've hit. Before today, it's just been small branches in rural communities." JJ says.
"So today was always a part of their plan, but why the National's capital? To make a statement?" Emily asks.

"I pulled schematics from the previous banks. This is the first one with metal detectors. Maybe that's what went wrong." Kevin walks in.
"No, they cases the branches too well in advance. They'd know to be ready for them. These are takeover robberies. No faces, no passing notes, no prints. They're professionals." Emily explains to Kevin.
"Hey there's something all these robberies have in common. The Queen's the only one who pulls the trigger." JJ says.

Colonial National Bank

"Sir, I found a thing see, I took height and weight measurements and I crossed with known related offenders who specialize in bank jobs and home burglaries. These are brothers Chris and Oliver Stratton. They are petty thieves from Philly, turned bank robbers in Jersey. They were out in jail for two years after a attempted heist went sour. And they were released two months before the first face card robbery. And they're measurements are a match." Penelope explains.

"Why didn't the NCIC database connect them?" Strauss asks.
"Because the brothers never used a third partner, and shooting people weren't their M.O."
"It looks like they weren't very successful criminals." Hotch adds.
"Maybe adding a women to their team improved their game." Strauss suggests.