Special Agent Angel (Criminal Minds fanfiction) [Season 1]

Won't Get Fooled Again [7]

"We're fine. Everybody made it out." Hotchner reported over the radio "Everybody but Walker. Is the hostage ok?"

"He's fine." Agent Morrison responded "For now." he looked to a SWAT agent "How much time do we have?"

"2 hours, 24 minutes," the bomb squad said

Agent Morrison walked over to where Gideon was "With Walker dead, I'm all out of options.

Gideon looked up at the victim "I've got one,"

***

"We'll start with a transfer." Agent Gideon told Bale "You're in a high-security facility now. We can get you medium,"

"No. I want out of prison," Bale said "A mental facility,"

"You're asking for something we wouldn't give a bank robber," Hotchner said, "There are minimum-security facilities..."

"I don't care. I want to be a able to talk to people who aren't prisoners. I want to have access...to people, things, the world. I want to connect again,"

"All right," Gideon said

"One more thing...without which there is no deal,"

"What is it?"

"I want you to confess. I want you to admit that I beat you in Boston. That I outsmarted you. I want you to apologize to the families of those 6 victims you got killed. And I want it all in writing,"

Hotchner stood up from where he was sitting "Jason, that's enough,"

"If I do this, you'll tell e how to defuse the bomb?" Gideon asked

"Only...if you do this," Bale said

"How do I know you won't lie to me?"

"It's all in writing, Agent Gideon," Bale's lawyer said "If my client refuses to give you the information or if he gives you information he knows to be untruthful, the deal is void,"

Agent Gideon signed the paper and handed it over.

"I wanna hear it," Bale said

"'It was a hostage situation...'" Gideon began

"No. Don't read it. Say it,"

"There was a hostage situation. I negotiated with Bale. He agreed to give himself up. He came out of the warehouse peacefully. I gave the ok to send 6 of my agents in, and...and they never came out. It was a mistake. It was my mistake, I was...I was outfoxed by Mr. Bale. By you. I sincerely regret having made the decision to send those agents in that day. And I sincerely regret and apologize to the families of all those who died that day,"

"4 more minutes," Hotchner counted down.

***

"Ok. I've isolated the wires connected to the actual device. We've got one shot at this. It's either the...blue wire or the red wire." The Bomb tech explained to Agent Gideon

"Which do we cut, Bale?" Agent Gideon asked "Red or blue?"

"Red," Bale sighed

"You know if you're lying, this thing goes boom, you get nothing, right?"

"Yes,"

"If we cut the red, it's over. You get to spend your time in a cushy asylum, bushes, trees, visits, nurses...and we get this man out of here alive,"

"I don't see how I could be any clearer,"

"17 seconds," The Bomb Tech said

"Red wire, right?" Gideon asked

"Yes,"

"Cut the blue," Agent Gideon ordered the tech, causing both Bale and Hotchner to look over at him in surprise.

"Are you sure?" The Bomb tech questioned

"Do it,"

A breath was released when the countdown ended.

"All right, shouldn't take long to cut this thing off now." The Bomb tech reported.

Hotchner was quick to move Bale out of the room.

"Thank you," the victim said "Thank you,"

"How'd you know?" Elle asked Gideon

"He told me." Gideon admitted "He said given the opportunity or pressing that button, he'd have no choice. All I did was take his word for it,"

***

Gideon followed Bale back to his cell "Despite the fact that you lied to us and your deal is void, I made sure to tell all your friends here how extremely willing you were to give up information on your fellow inmates. You're a rare bird, Adrian. I can't tell you how much pleasure I get just knowing I put you in this little, tiny cage. You might even call it an emotional release,"