Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 11

"I got it" JJ said marching into the room with an envelope.

She sat down joining the team at the table and began revealing the contents. She pulled out a piece of paper with a jumble of letters and numbers on it. She looked at it quizzically before shaking her head and sliding it to Reid. She also pulled out a map of D.C.

"maybe the code is going to be coordinates?" Morgan questioned.

"seems that you're right. I'll go work on this as fast as I can" Reid said as he hopped up from his seat and hustled out of the room.

"Is there anything for us to do while we wait?" Garcia asked.

Hotch nodded his head.

"keep digging into Prentiss' past"

"what are you hoping for?" Rossi asked as he watched Hotch get up from his seat and adjust his suit jacket.

"A miracle" He remarked as he exited the room.

Rapid knocking came from the other side of the door. Hotchner invited the person in. The door flung open and a wild eyed Ried was revealed.

"I got it. A location" he said as he made his way over to Hotch's desk. Hotch stood up and Reid stood beside him, plopping the folder onto the desk.

"It's an abandoned meat factory." He added as he pointed to a small X on the map.

"Let's go" was all Hotch said as the two of them started walking out of the room. Reid lagged slightly as Hotchs quick pace lead them towards the bullpen.

"This can't be it, can it?" Reid asked despite the fact that he knew the answer.

"Never is" Hotch replied.

Hotch sat in the drivers seat with JJ beside him and Morgan in the back. Rossi was driving separately with Reid to his right. The two black suvs flew down the familiar roads.

The identical vehicles drove down the dirt road that lead to the big abandoned factory looming in the distance.

"Shouldn't we wait for swat?" JJ asked her boss.

Hotch shook his head as he pulled up in front of the building and shut the car off.

"No. there's no way we're waiting" He said, hopping from the SUV and slamming his door behind him.

He drew his weapon instantly and held it out in front of him. JJ sighed and did the same, Morgan followed. The other two caught up quickly and they formed a circle.

"JJ and Rossi I want you to check the perimeter. Reid and Morgan follow me. Keep your radios on" Hotchner spoke to the group.

Rossi and JJ took off to the left and the rest of the team headed forward, into the open entrance before them. They all drew their flashlights and turned them on to illuminate what was before them. They slipped through the entrance and were met with a big open space filled with litter and nature debris. upon entrance they saw no initial threat and proceeded forward. They fanned out and tracked through the warehouse slowly.

They all went separate ways as to cover the most ground. Hotch had his sights set on the corner of the building when Reid's voice called out from a dark room.

"Guys come here!" He shouted.

Morgan was closer so he jogged into the room and Hotcher followed just moments later.

In the room the only thing was a TV in the center. It was on top of some type of cart. The screen was on and while the image was fuzzy they all knew what it was.

Prentiss.
She was strapped to a chair and her body was slumped to one side, limp. blood and bruises showed on her.

Reid swallowed roughly and looked away.

Hotch holstered his gun aggressively and turned on his heels, storming out of the room.

"Hotch wait!" Morgan called after him.

"Just let him go. We need to get Garcia down here to see if she can track this" Reid spoke up.

Morgan nodded.

The team met back up at the cars once the building had been cleared completely. Morgan was on the phone with Garcia off to the side.

"Time?" Hotch asked nervously.

"Ten hours left" Reid stated as he glanced at his watch.

"We need Penelope to get us everything on whoever owns this building" JJ said.

"We also need to see if she can hack in and see who set this up or where it is coming from" Hotch added.

Silence overtook them for a moment before Morgan chimed in after snapping his cellphone shut.

"Info on the building owner will be ready when you get back to Quantico. I'm going to stay here to help Garcia get whatever information she needs" He states.

The team wastes no time as the big number 10 looms over their heads. They all cram into one SUV and leave the other for Morgan. With a swift nod exchanged between Derek and Hotch the team was off.

Back at the BAU headquarters the group of  stone faced agents emerged through the glass doors, into the bullpen. The walked in a cluster up the stairs and down the hall until they had filed into a familiar room. They were greeted by a pacing Garcia with one of her little black remotes in hand. They stood rather than sat around the table.

"okay. this is weird. really weird" She said anxiously

Nobody responded so she clicked a button on the remote and the screen lit up. It showed a man who looked to be middle aged with black hair that was slicked back.

"This is Terry Graves, and as his super villain name might suggest he is not a good dude" She spoke.

Everyone was listening closely.

"He has multiple charges for assault and battery, an icky rape charge, one count of grand theft auto, also one time he kidnapped a poor old lady" Garcia ranted on. "you're probably wondering why i'm telling you all this, well he is the owner of that factory. He purchased it from the last owner for way over asking price. who buys a building for more than its worth?"

She switched the screen to shots of his bank statements and transaction history.

"This man has been wanted by so many people for so many things. Somehow he always ends up a free man." Garcia says as she pulls up his criminal record.

"Obviously he wants us to find him" Hotch spoke up.

Garcia nodded eagerly.
"Yes sir, this was a very run of the mill search"

Hotch closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his right hand.

"I'm assuming you have an address for us?" Rossi questioned.

"Correct assumption" Garcia responded.

With that they were off.