To Solve

Chapter 21: Lessons learned

AN: I don't really like this Episode, but it's Emily's first case so I included it. 

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Parker opened the glass door. They were looking through a file and didn't notice JJ and another agent approaching them.

"Parker?"

The young agent stopped and looked up.

"This is Agent Emily Prentiss. She is new to our team. Emily, this is Agent Parker Gallagher," JJ introduced the two of them.

Parker held out his hand to the black-haired woman. She seemed a little shy, but she seemed nice.

"Agent Gallagher, nice to–"

"Please, call me Parker."

"Well, Parker, it's nice to meet you. Call me Emily."

"Nice to meet you too, Emily. I'm sorry, but I gotta go. I'll see you later," Parker said goodbye and continued their way.

~~

Gideon and Hotch were the last to enter the briefing room.

"Everybody meet Agent Prentiss?" said Hotch and pointed to the new colleague.

"The other day," JJ explained. "I've been filling her in on protocol."

"Derek Morgan," the profiler introduced himself and held out his hand.

"Emily Prentiss."

"We can make nice later. What do we know?" asked Hotch.

"The DEA raided what they thought was a hardened meth lab right here in Northern Virginia. But they found this instead," reported JJ.

What looked like a homemade bomb appeared on the screen.

"That could be a dispersal device for a chemical weapon. It's sophisticated."

"Homeland Security is thinking Al-Qaeda."

"They've developed devices that span the spectrum of sophistication. Some as simple as soda bottles and paint cans."

"They're called 'Al Ikh'te'rAA.' Literally, 'The invention,'" Emily said.

"That they are."

"Do we know what the biological or chemical agent is, yet?" Parker wanted to know.

"No, not yet."

"The cell members bailed out through a tunnel. The DEA recovered a Nextel two-way and managed to intercept a message."

JJ put a piece of paper on the table.

"That's not the transcript. It's–"

"No, it's in Arabic," Emily mumbled. "'Our friends surprised us and eloped. We can no longer wait for the wedding as planned. We can deliver our gift at the next crescent.'"

Emily simply translated the message like that, which got her surprised looks.

"I lived in several Middle Eastern countries growing up," explained the black-haired woman.

"Next crescent?"

"Muslims sometimes use a lunar calendar. I'd have to look it up to know when–"

"Next crescent moon is in two days," Garcia said.

The technical analyst had looked up the information on the Internet.

"Whatever they're attacking, it's happening in less than 48 hours."