Lost In Japan // Aaron Hotchner

XX

"Snipers in position," Aaron asked as they got ready for the take down. He had four in place and one of them was Arden.

"Ready," Arden said. "Do I have the green light as soon as I get a clear shot?"

"Negative. Give Morgan some time to talk him down," Aaron ordered. "If and only if the situation goes South."

"Yes sir," she responded. It would be a judgment call. They had hostages inside the building and a trigger happy gunman.

Arden Carter was in position and had the clear shot. Her breathing was calm and collected as she waited for the order. "I have a clear shot."

Then all hell broke loose and she was ordered to. One bullet was all it took. One precise shot. She left her position and went down with her team.

"Is Morgan okay," she asked.

Gideon nodded, "He's okay. You took out the unsub before he had a chance to know what hit him."

JJ said, "I didn't know you were a sniper."

Arden shrugged, "I got a few Marine buddies back in California and I've done some training on a military base. Nothing too impressive."

Arden watched as Aaron looked at her. "Good work Agent Carter."

"Thank you sir."

Arden handed the rifle back to the leader of the team they had called in. She had no use for it anymore and she would feel better having it locked up in a gun locker rather than hanging around out in the open. Arden was good at handling weapons and she hated it. Hated what they were and what they could do. The power of destruction was in her hands and it was too much for her at times. She hid her feelings for the sake of the job, but the reason she knew how to control these weapons was because she wanted to know that if worse came to worst she would be able to save people. Disarm an active shooter, stop a robbery, or a mugging. Helping people was what she wanted to do. 

She allowed herself to sit back and allow the team to deal with the aftermath. People praised her skill, said she was a natural, but how could someone take pride in the ability to swiftly kill people? It went against her moral code and her faith. Thou shalt not kill. She was already condemned to hell for having an affair with a married man, what would one more sin to the list do?

There was this silence as her mind blocked out all sound. She watched as the ME carried out the body with a white sheet draped over it. Her action resulted in no casualties. She had done the best call she could have done. That was all that mattered and it was enough for her.

Flying wasn't her most favorite thing in the world. Sure she was an adrenaline junkie but flying was different. Gideon noticed her uneasiness.

"Xanax?"

Arden shook her head. "No, if I did I'd probably be trying to change shoes with Reid or acting like a stoner."

Morgan snorted, "I still can't believe you still haven't gotten used to flying."