deep end, cm [ 1 ]

067. minimal loss

Jessica is sitting at her desk and doing paperwork.

"Morgan, Jess." JJ calls, walking in.

"What's up?" Derek asks.

JJ turns the TV on, the three looking up at it.

"What is reportedly being called a routine questions and answers meeting by Colorado child services has turned into a violent and deadly standoff between Colorado authorities and a fringe religious group known as the Septarian Sect."

Jessica's heart stops as she watches the news.

"JJ, that's not the ranch were Prentiss and Reid--"

"They're still inside." She tells Derek.

"Hotch!" Derek screams. Hotch rushes out of his office, Rossi walking out of his. "The TV. Prentiss and Reid."

"--no one knows for sure how many people are inside. It is believed at least 3 of the child service members are still trapped within the compound."

Every phone in the bullpen starts to ring.

"All right, that means we're the lead with hostage rescue and support. Let's go." Hotch says.

+++

"Colorado attorney general Jim Wells says the reclusive cult has been the subject of a 6 month weapons investigation."

"6 months? We didn't check?" Derek asks.

"No, we checked. I had A.T.F. call Wells.  He told A.T.F there were no pending state investigations. He lied." JJ says.

"Why?" Jessica asks.

"Wells is challenging the governor in the next election. He thought that A.T.F. was about to poach his big election launching weapons bust." JJ says. "Now, it's clear he didn't know there were FBI agents there. He just thought the best time to serve a state warrant was when the kids were safe inside the school being interviewed."

"What do we know about this sect?" Rossi asks.

"Liberty Ranch was founded in 1980 by libertarian Leo Kane." Penelope informs.  "He created it as a self-sustaining commune."

"Libertarians believe that everyone has the right to do what they want as long as they aren't infringing on the rights of others." Derek says.

"But libertarians aren't religious. Clearly this sect abandoned libertarian principles." Rossi says.

"Benjamin Cyrus, the current leader, introduced religion 8 years ago when Kane left." Hotch says.

"Garcia, what do we got on Cyrus?" Derek asks.

"Ah. We got bubkiss." She says. "It's like the guy never cast a shadow on the known universe. However, his predecessor, Leo Kane, is doing a 17 year stretch at Deerfield Federal Prison. Apparently libertarians do not like paying taxes."

"17 years for tax evasion?" Derek questions.

"Oh, no. That would be 2 years for tax evasion and 15 for going after 4 I.R.S. agents with a Louisville slugger." Penelope says.

"Let's have Kane brought to the scene. He's our best chance at finding out some idea of who we're dealing with." Hotch says.

+++

"We call this the "minimal loss scenario." Every person we get out is a life saved. We won't save them all. All of us have to be prepared to accept that situation." Rossi says.

"Cults are structured like pyramids. You got the leader at the top. Diehard believers beneath. The biggest group -- the base followers. Women and children. These are the people we can save." Derek explains.