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BITTERSWEET
:: vii. | me or you
( continuation of "stay alive" )

Hotch picked up the phone that was on his desk and immediately called Garcia. He then hung up and left Garcia do what she does best, call the team when one of them is in distress.

Hotch couldn't sit down, not even for a second. After he placed the phone back, he asked Cole to tell him everything of what she remembers and how it happened — and so she did.

Roughly about less than fifteen minutes later, the team showed up and met in the conference room. Hotch ask Cole to debrief everyone as quickly as possible. After Cole finished speaking, he went and stood next to her.

"We won't do any case until they are found. This is our top priority." He announced before asking Morgan to talk with him privately. He and him walked outside, "I need you to interview Cole."

"Cognitive interview?" He wanted to be clear.

Hotch nodded, "Yes. We need every detail. Even the smallest thing might help."

Morgan understood with a nod before going back in and asking Cole if he could interview her for the sake of everyone, luckily she agreed. Her and Morgan went to an interview room, so they could began. Hotch decided he was going to stand outside of the room and watch while the rest of them team began to figure out the game plan.

Gideon ended up taking the files out of The Reigns family along with anyone else who's associated with that family. It was around four boxes, so the team had their hands full. As the team began to look through the files, Morgan thought he was getting somewhere with Cole in the interview.

"What happened next? After you went to the bathroom?"

Cole kept her eyes closed, "That's when the plan enacted. Jj distracted those guys and I ran." Soon enough she opened her eyes and looked at Morgan, "That's when I tried to reach Hotch and come here."

"Do you think you can talk to a sketch artist or point out their pictures if you saw them?" He asked.

She quickly nodded, "Definitely."

Morgan looked back the mirror as Hotch continued to watch. He sighed to himself before heading back to the conference room to consult the team.

• • •

The boss walked around the room as the three had their backs against the wall, sitting on the floor. He sucked his teeth and clicked his tongue as his eyes shifted towards Miguel.

Miguel noticed the boss' anticipation, "What?"

He shrugged, "I was just thinking of an idea I had of how you can pay me without paying me."

"In alternative of the money?" He wanted to clarify. The boss nodded continuing to walk around the room, "Well what is it?"

"It would be Vanessa." He glanced at her and she looked back at him, "The only way you can get out of this is if I have Vanessa."

Miguel shook his head, "Not happening. Over my dead my body."

He lightly chuckled, "That can be arranged."

Vanessa chimed in, "What would we be doing?"

Jj was intently listening to the conversation, while her mind was coming up with a plan. She realized if she wanted to protect Vanessa and Miguel for the sake of Cole, she had to compromise herself.

Jj stood up, "Take me."

"Jj, no."

"I'm agent jareau with the FBI. Trust me, im what you need, not Vanessa." Her tone was stern.

An amused smile came upon the boss' face. He gestured to the boys with his head to grab Jennifer and walk her out the room while he followed behind, then closing the door behind them.

It was now just Miguel and Vanessa. Miguel was still the same in that same damn corner. Vanessa banged her head against the wall behind her out of frustration. She just hoped nothing too bad will happen to jj.

• • •

After some pictures were shown to Cole, she pointed out who was in the house with her. Quickly after an APB was sent out everywhere, Cole then showed them the way to her dad's house.

Cole and the other agents hopped in an suv and immediately drove there. The ride was quite quick and as soon as they approached the house, they all got out but Hotch informed Cole to stay in the truck. Of course that didn't sit well with her but she did as she was told.

Hotch then made his way into the house as well and met the team in the living room. While he was talking to Cole, the rest of them were sweeping the place to make sure if it was safe or not. Apparently to no one's surprise, they were the only ones there.

"So they moved, obviously. They must have a second location." Morgan began.

"And I bet it's local." Spencer chimed in.

"What makes you say that?" Elle ask Spencer.

He clicked his tongue, "Think about it. Their mission is here. Get Miguel, get the money and if things go sideways, plan B. Since Cole escaped, they knew that she was going to get help."

Morgan continued, "Meaning they wouldn't risk leaving the US. Especially if they know they have an agent with them."

"And they want to be close by." Hotch finished as his thinking face appeared.

"I'll call Garcia." Gideon pulled out his phone then soon enough his phone met his ear.

Garcia followed up on what Gideon told her and soon enough, she found at least three abandoned buildings close by Miguel's house. After getting a call back from Garcia, Hotch split the team up. Elle and reid at one building, Gideon, Morgan at the next, then Hotch at farthest. It wasn't ideal for Hotch to go alone but it was either that or getting their late because he was at a building that didn't need three people.

• • •

As everyone got to their designated buildings, Cole gave Hotch a hard time of debating with him about whether or not if she's coming in. As a result, she hopped out the truck and went in with him. He didn't notice until they were knee deep in the building. He told her to keep quiet and stay close.

As they continued to slowly walk around, that's when Hotch saw one of them men Cole positively identified. He put his back against the wall as did Cole. He brought his hand up to his ear and pressed on the button to get in touch with the rest of the team.

"Gideon, Greenaway. They're at my building." Hotch whispered.

"On our way." Elle replied back as well as Gideon.

Hotch continued to be stealth about his actions and as he walked down the hall with Cole behind him, he noticed a room with the light on. He told Cole to stay put before he began to walk closer to the room. Once he approached, he quickly peeked in and saw jj sitting there.

The man's back was faced towards Hotch but luckily before he pulled back, jj saw him. She was relieved. She realized she needed a plan of action because she knew Hotch wasn't going to barge in there without the rest of the team because right then, it was one to six. Hotch being the one. He wouldn't stand a chance with everyone else restrained.

He peeked in once more and saw that jj gave him a quick nod of the head. That meant she had a plan and it started with him. He breathed in and out before storming into the room.

"FBI! Drop the weapon!"

Jj soon stood up and jumped on the guy's back, putting his head through her restrained arms. As the guy slammed jj's back into the wall, he pulls his gun out. The two nearly fall to the floor and as that happens, he pulls the trigger and fires it at Hotch. Luckily, Hotch quickly moved out the way and fired back. The guy laid on the floor dead.

Cole came into the room because she heard people coming up the stairs. With the help of Hotch, jj was able to get the restraints off her wrists.

Soon enough, other men populated the room, so of course jj and Hotch had to take them down. Hotch decided he was going to use his fists for these next couple of guys along with Jennifer.

One of the men stood back up after being beat down. He whipped out his gun but then was shot cold, blank out of nowhere. Jj, Hotch and Cole turned to the direction of the sound and they saw the team in the doorway, Morgan's gun was up.

"Where's everyone else?" He ask, his eyes looking towards jj.

• • •

Miguel and Vanessa were sitting quietly with their backs against the wall. They were told to keep their mouths shut because of all the noise that was being heard from the next level up. They didn't want to be found, but knew they would be. So the boss gave them clear instructions, no man down.

As soon as the door was kicked in, all the other men were shot down and the boss was left standing. His back was turned to the team. Hotch told him to slowly turn around and place the gun down, but he ignored it. Hotch ordered him once again but then he rose it up towards Miguel.

That's when fear rose up in Cole, her chest got heavy. She kept the same words rotating in her mind— please don't shoot my dad, please don't shoot my dad.

As the boss pulled the trigger and the click was heard, Cole screamed running towards them to interfere. The bullet was out of its socket and though it wasn't aiming towards Miguel anymore, it was moving fast to Vanessa. It changed course when Cole pushed the guy out the way to avoid shooting her dad but she didn't know it was going to go to her mom.

Soon enough, the boss was shot down and so was Vanessa but she wasn't dead. She was in utter pain though when it hit her stomach. Cole immediately ran to her aid as well as jj. Jj told Cole to put pressure on the bleeding wound as jj helped Vanessa lay on the floor. Elle called for medical as more policemen came in.

As Cole was distracted helping her mother, it wasn't until her dad was nearly out the room that she noticed he was cuffed. She got up and walked up to Hotch asking what was happening and why her dad was being arrested when he's the victim in this situation. Jennifer quickly went back to Vanessa's side once she saw Cole leave to talk to Hotch. Her wound was not having pressure so she pressed her hands on it, still waiting for medical to arrive.

Once Hotch explained why her father was being taken in, she left the scene. Cole couldn't handle it anymore. Her whole world was crumbling right in front of her and she thought it was her fault. Her dad was being taken away and her mom is shot? She thought the worst that could happen to her family was not getting to see her dad as often, but she was definitely wrong. When she feels guilty, she can't be in the same room with the person she wronged so she decided to go to the one person she could talk to about her problems . . . Mia.

a/n:
y'all, it's crazy !! where
do y'all think it would
go from here? theories?