once we met | derek morgan. ✓

38 : torture

"Hey, kiddo..." Hotch begins.

"Yeah?" I ask, stopping by in my tracks.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

I smile and nod slightly, "I'm good." I state, walking out of Hotch's office.

•••

I glance up at the doorway as the team walks inside.

JJ's eyes meet mine as she walks in, immediately sensing that something is off about the situation, "What's going on?" She asks, taking her seat.

I glance to Hotch and Garcia as they both nod. I stand up, grabbing the remote and walking over to the screen.

I let out a heavy sigh, "Are you all prepared for what I am about to tell you? This case will probably hit home hard if it backfires on us. So we have to work our hardest and I need your guys' best efforts of help." I state.

The team exchange glances and nod hesitantly, "We're ready." Rossi states.

I nod, looking down at the remote as my shaky hand hits the button, "Derek Morgan. 35. Last seen leaving our house to go to the grocery store. The last time we talked was when he was walking to the grocery store. There was sudden commotion over the phone and the call ended." I state.

There's scattered gasps and mutters as I walk over to Garcia, "Play the call."

Garcia glances up at me, "Are you sure?" She asks.

I nod, "Just play it." I state.

Garcia nods, hitting a key on her laptop as Derek's voice fills the room.

Derek : "Hey, baby."

Jules : "Did you get the ice cream?"

Derek : "You are driving me crazy woman. Y'know that?"

*inaudible mumbling and yelling*

Jules : "Who are you talking to?"

Derek : "It's nothing, baby. It's...It's nobody."

*inaudible mumbling and arguing*

Jules : "Derek, what's going on?"

Derek : "I don't know. I don't know. I was... Baby, I was just-- I was just walking."

*Derek grunting and inaudible talking*

Jules : "Derek, talk to me. Derek!"

Derek : "Jules, baby, call Hotch. Call Hotch! Call Hotch!"

*Derek winces and grunts in pain.*

*Call ends*

I clear my throat, "That's the last time I spoke to him." I state, my tone shaky.

Spence's brow furrows, "Can Garcia get an I.P. address tracked or nearby location?" He asks, "Maybe we can pinpoint locations and find the nearest proximity for a hideout."

I nod, "Garcia get to work on that." I state.

Hotch glances at me and then back to the team, "I have decided to allow Julianna to carry this investigation. I'll be supervising but all decisions on how we carry this will be made by Julianna - unless I disagree with it and think her judgement is clouded." He states.

I nod, biting the inside of my lip, "Let's get to work everyone. We don't have that much time. Who knows what the unsub's plan is."

•••