the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

059. ex parte

"These guys are running their own playbook." Tara says. "They've made no provocative action since seizing the hostages, and we've been trying to open a line of communication with them, but for the last 20 minutes they just pick up the phone and then hang it up."

"And they probably thing we're gonna be thrown off by the uncertainty." Spencer says. "It's a crude psychological warfare, which makes me think we're dealing with young men."

"How long does Commander Nash think it'll take to disarm the IEDs?" Rossi asks.

"Not sure. The C-4 charges are not only hard wired to all the doors, but there might also be a remote detonator." Luke says.

"Have you guys been able to get any thermal imaging of the offices yet?" Matt asks, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Commander Nash says it's on its way." Tara says.

"So you can't see what's going on up there, can you?" Matt asks. Bedelia's heart aches for the man, knowing how awful it is to have your loved one in a dangerous situation where you can't help them. Spencer is in a similar state, giving Matt a sympathetic look before his gaze lands on Bedelia, all the dangerous events in their past running through his mind.

"No, Matt, we can't. Not yet." Tara says.

"I know you want to be here, but--" Emily starts.

"I need to be here." Matt cuts her off. "I'm okay." Emily nods.

+++

"Leonard Rudolph Hagland, 75 years old, former leader of a separatist group called The Horsemen." Matt says.

"Didn't the ALDC identify The Horsemen as a hate group?" Emily asks.

"They did, 5 years ago, and since then, the ALDC lawyers, like Kristy, have been waging a nonstop legal battle against The Horsemen." Matt says.

"One night, in April 2015, Hagland shot and killed two Virginia state troopers during a raid of his house." Penelope says.

"Hagland now sits on death row in Virginia. He's exhausted all of his appeals. He's scheduled to die by lethal injection Monday morning." Matt says.

"Sounds like Hagland's last desperate effort to stay alive." Rossi says.

"Using some good soldiers recruited from The Horsemen." Spencer says.

"I say we bring Leonard Hagland in here." Rossi says. "If he is indeed the brains behind this operation, I bet he'll be such an arrogant son of a bitch, we won't be able to stop him from bragging around his master plan."

"It's worth a shot. I'll make the call." Emily says.

+++

"So, one of the unsubs chose to spare the lives of the Vextel crew." Emily says.

"Not only did he spare their lives, he deliberately lied to his partner." Rossi says.

"So if our unsubs have been culled from the ranks of The Horsemen, then it seems that one of them's having some doubts about their manifest destiny." Spencer says.

"And that one may not be so keen on sacrificing himself for the cause." Matt says. Emily's phone beeps.

"Leonard Hagland has arrived." She states. Rossi gets up and leaves.

+++

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Penelope exclaims, running in. "It's Kristy! She called 911. They patched her through to me." She holds the phone out to Matt who takes it.

"Kristy?" He calls. "You okay?"

"I'm okay." She assures.

"How many men are holding you?" Matt asks.