Shadow Of Hearts (Emily Prentiss X OC)

Chapter 52: Agents And Rebels

The next morning, the BAU office was shrouded in an uneasy quiet. The early light streaming through the windows did little to chase away the tension that hung in the air. Emily sat at her desk, her body still aching from the previous night's chase. The fall had left her with a few bruises and a strained ankle, but that was nothing compared to the frustration gnawing at her.

Echo was at her side, a silent but reassuring presence. She'd insisted on driving them back to Quantico, her hands steady on the wheel despite the exhaustion written across her face. Now, she hovered nearby, her eyes flicking between Emily and the case files spread out on the desk.

"We were so close," Emily muttered, rubbing her temples in an attempt to stave off the growing headache.

Echo leaned against the edge of the desk, her expression sympathetic but resolute. "We'll get him, Em. He made a mistake last night-showing himself like that. It's only a matter of time before we figure out who he is."

Emily sighed, letting her hand drop to the desk. "I know, but it's like he's always two steps ahead of us. It's like he's playing with us."

"Then we need to change the game," Echo said, her voice firm. "Make him come to us."

Before Emily could respond, Hotch entered the bullpen, his face set in a determined expression. "Everyone in the conference room. We need to reassess."

The team gathered quickly, the air thick with tension as they took their seats around the table. Emily winced slightly as she moved, her ankle protesting with a sharp pain, but she forced herself to focus. There was no time to be distracted.

Hotch stood at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping over them. "Last night, we had an opportunity to catch the unsub, and we almost did. But he's still out there, which means we're missing something."

Reid nodded, his brow furrowed as he flipped through his notes. "He's meticulous, careful-he plans every move in advance. But for him to get so close to us last night, to expose himself like that, suggests a shift in his behavior."

"He's becoming more confident," Rossi added. "Or maybe desperate. Either way, he's taking more risks, which means we might have a chance to catch him off guard."

Garcia's fingers flew over her laptop as she pulled up maps and data on the conference room screen. "I've been reviewing all the footage from last night, and there's something interesting. The unsub didn't just pick a random spot in the woods to hide. Based on the paths he took, it looks like he was leading us somewhere."

Emily's eyes narrowed as she studied the screen. "Leading us? You mean he wanted us to follow him?"

"Maybe," Garcia said, zooming in on the map. "There's an old cabin about a mile from where you lost him, Emily. It's secluded, off any main trails, and it's been abandoned for years. If he knew the area well enough, it could be a perfect place to hide out."

Morgan crossed his arms, his expression grim. "Or a place to stash his victims."

A cold chill ran down Emily's spine. "If he's using that cabin, we need to check it out. He might still be there, or he might have left something behind that could lead us to him."

Hotch nodded, already moving to organize the team. "Morgan, Emily, and I will check out the cabin. The rest of you keep working on the profile and see if there are any connections we've missed. Garcia, keep running surveillance in the area and pull up any records on that cabin. I want to know who owned it and who might have used it recently."

Echo moved to follow them, but Hotch gave her a look. "Echo, stay here and coordinate with Garcia. We need someone to keep the lines of communication open."