Coworkers || Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 66

August 18th
I was sitting in the office, reviewing some papers when the phone rang. "Grey" I say
"Hey, Jessie, it's Luke. I think you need to down to Texas" he says. Luke, Spencer and JJ were consulting on a case down in Dallas since yesterday.
"What happened?" I ask
"Peter Lewis" he says
"We are on our way" I say and I start packing all of his files. I take that and my go bag and I get out of the office "We are leaving in 5" I say and I walk past the bullpen. Emily grabs her go bag and follows me
"What happened?" she asks
"Peter Lewis" I say and she nods.

We found a victim that managed to escape from him and was able to recognize him from his picture. The doctor said that his condition caused him to metabolize the drugs he gave him faster so that's when he took the opportunity and escaped. He also mentioned that there was another person there with him but he wasn't able to take him with. He didn't remember where he came from though.

By the end of the day, we were able to track him from the tools he ordered from local stores. I sent the team to check it out but Tara and I stayed back. "Doesn't this seem too easy?" I ask looking at the board
"I thought I was the only one" she says looking at the board with me
"Ok. Let's start allover" I say
"Peter is smart and always makes sure that everything will go as planned, one way or the other. So what is the plan this time?" she asks
"I don't know" I say letting out a frustration breath.
"Let's see it from his place then. What could he possibly want right now?" she asks
"His target is the BAU" I say
"More specifically. His first target was Hotch but--" she says and that's when it hit me.

"We need to get back to Quantico ASAP" I say and I call Pen immediately
"Speak and be heard" she says
"Lock your door and stay in your office until we come. Don't open or talk to anyone" I say and I hung up. I call David
"I was about to call you. We got Allen but there is no sign of Lewis" he says
"That's because he is at Quantico. That was a distraction for us so he could get in the BAU undisturbed. He is going after the Witness Protection list to find... you know" I say
"I do" he says
"I have an idea but I don't know if it's gonna work" I say
"Whatever it is do it. We'll meet you at the jet" he says and we hung up. After that I immediately call Cruz.

By the time we got there, they had searched the building and Pen had checked every camera frame but there was no sign of him. Was I so wrong about it? I ask myself as I go in my office but I see an envelope on my desk. I sit down and I open it. It was a paper that said everything about Aaron. His new name, address, even the agents that were assigned to him. It had something written to the back too.
'Don't worry. Now I'll make sure he dies for real'
"Too bold of you to assume that I'm gonna let you" I whisper and I run out of the office. "Mr Scratch took the bait" I say
"Bait?" Luke asks as they follow
"He was looking for someone that was in Protective custody. So I called Cruz and told him to change the information about that specific person to lead him into our own trap" I say
"And who is he looking for?" he asks
"Long story" I say and we leave.

The apartment Cruz and I send him to was located across an old and abandoned business building. I knew that's where he'd go first and I wanted him to. The truth is that I even wanted to give him time to settle in there so we get him while he is in the process of watching. We parked the cars a block away from there so he doesn't hear us. We split in case he didn't want to wait to go in the apartment immediately I went in the abandoned one with Luke, Emily and David.

We split up again covering a few floors each. "I got him. 6th floor. He has a hostage" I say to the mic. As soon as he hears me, he runs away and I run after him. Where is Morgan when you need him? I chase him up the stairs and it seems like he is going for the roof. Of course he has an exit strategy. As soon as we got up there, I was close enough to grab him and knock him on the ground. I take my gun out and I point it at Lewis. "It's over" I say walking closer to him
"Nothing is over agent" he says and I hear someone from coming from behind me. It was a security guard who he definitely drugged with his gas.

I shoot him knocking him out but before I could turn my attention back to Lewis, he knocked the gun out of my hand. I kick him in the stomach but he manages to punch me in the face causing me to fall on the floor. He walks closer but I kick his knee and I manage to get on top of him. He rolls and now he is on top. He wraps his hands around my throat and starts to squeeze. "You know that moment when you feel them take their last breath, it's exciting" he says as  I fight for air. "Too bad the little Hotchners will be orphans now. Mommy is dead and daddy..." he says as he squeezes even more "... daddy is on an endless trip but I'll get him" he continues and my vision starts to get blurry.

Play dead. That was my only idea and probably option now. I hold the breath I had left and I close my eyes. Almost immediately his grip loosens and I grab the opportunity to hit him with my head in the face. He falls back holding his nose and I manage to stand up again. But he doesn't give up yet. He runs to me and pushes me back almost off the roof. I kick him away and I get away from the edge. I punch him repeatedly bringing him closer to the edge. He finds the opening and kicks my knee. I fall down again but I immediately grab the second gun from my ankle holster and I shoot him 3 times in the chest. He eventually falls back straight in the empty.

I let my head fall back on the floor again since I was exhausted and my breathing and heartbeat were going crazy. I hear the door open and I look towards it. Emily and Luke come running towards me "Are you ok? Where is he?" Emily asks immediately
"Down there" I say pointing at the side of the roof he fell from and Luke runs there.
"Are you ok?" she asks as she examines me for injuries
"I'm fine Em. It's over" I say
"Yeah, it is" she says but she doesn't know what I know. She offers me her hand to help me get up
"Give me a few more seconds" I say and she chuckles.

Luke walks back to us "The others are already down there. He's dead" he says and I nod "Are you ok?" he asks
"Just a few bruises and cuts. I'll be fine" I say
"Good" he says and offers me his hand. I take one last big breath and I get up. We meet the others down in the entrance. "We really need to talk when we get back to the BAU" I say
"Don't tell me you want us to go and do reports now" Emily says desperate
"No, that's for tomorrow. Tonight you're going straight home" I say
"You don't have to tell me twice. Goodnight" JJ says.

My phone rings and I see a message from Cruz
'Aaron Hotchner will be returning home tomorrow morning by one of the agents'
I smile and at the same time my eyes get watery. "Everything ok?" she asks
"Yeah, everything is great. You told him, didn't you?" I ask David
"The faster the better" he says and I nod
"What?" Emily asks
"Nothing" I say
"Do we know who Scratch was after eventually?" Luke asks
"I think no, that's why they are in protective custody after all" JJ says
"We need to talk first thing tomorrow. Goodnight" I say and I walk to the car.

David follows me "So when is he coming back?" he asks
"Tomorrow morning" I say and he nods
"You did it kid. Go get some rest until tomorrow" he says
"I don't think that I'm gonna be able to get any sleep so I'm gonna go get as many reports as I can done tonight so I have a few more free hours tomorrow because I need to find a way to tell the kids and then the rest of the team" I say
"Ok. Goodnight and good luck" he says
"Thanks. Goodnight" I say and I get in the car. But I stop and I get out again. "Dave?" I call and he comes back "I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you for the past few months. I know that you did it to protect him and me and thank you" I say. He smiles and walks to me
"I know that you were just frustrated. I'm not mad at you. But I will be if you don't invite me for coffee tomorrow when Aaron comes home" he says causing me to smile
"Deal. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll set it up" I say
"See you tomorrow then" he says
"Ok. Goodnight again" I say as I get back in the car
"Goodnight" he says and walks away.