Dopamine || Reid

PROLOGUE

THE BUILDING IS ON FIRE. Thick black smoke poured into the already gloomy sky, alerting us to that disheartening fact miles away from the large warehouse that we tracked our unsub to. This completely changes things. The plan was to camp in front of the building, wait for backup, and try to negotiate for the life of the child he held captive. But now seeing the thick orange flames of the fire already quickly spreading, that is no longer an option.

"Aaron stand down!" SSA Charter- the squad leader commands as I reach to open the door before our vehicles can make a complete stop in front of the building. Its as if he could sense my train of thought, remembering all of the times I've gone against his orders in the past. "Wait for backup."

I need to obey his order. I can't afford another write up, but my gut is telling me I need to go into that building. Something about this case is gnawing at me. Persisting like an itch that won't go away. It has taken six years and twelve dead kids to track this man down. And this is how it ends? With another dead child.

No.

No. It can't end that way. She may still be alive. She may be trapped. My eyes find the small Polaroid stapled to the back of one of the team-members case binder. Bright and large rounded eyes, paired with a nervous dimpled half-smile sparked a burning in my chest.

"He is armed, dangerous, and unpredictable. Now he is cornered by the FBI." I don't dare look away from the building. "Do you really think that little girl will still be alive if we wait for backup?"

"You know as well as I, that she had a low chance of survival. Now with the state of the warehouse-- I'm not sending in my men to a compromising situation for a corpse." Charter says stiffly, affirming in his mind the child is dead, and risking our lives to confirm it would be a fools errand. "Stand down, that's an order." He narrows his eyes at me, testing me.

I don't need him in my ear reminding me of the nearly impossible likelihood of the child being alive, I'm not oblivious to reality. I know she is likely dead already, having been Jeffery Ottos' final victim before the fire was set, or perhaps she succumbed to the smoke and flames. My jaw clicks with the force of my grinding teeth as I glance at the little hopeful face on the Polaroid, taken on the first day of Kindergarten and the only photo the FBI and all its resources were able to find of the child. And that solidified my resolve. Either way I cannot let this be her final resting place. No I'm coming out of there with her. A corpse or not.

I quickly exit the vehicle before anyone could stop me. Ignoring the faint protests and yells of the team and supervisor. "She's burning to death and you just want to stand here?!" The familiar voice and a car door slamming closed lifted any concerns about disobeying orders that I had. Knowing my partner was on my side, which rarely happens, brought back the confidence a man needs when running into a burning building.

With both of our weapons drawn, my unit partner Davis breaks down one of the side doors.

"Clear."

"Lets start at the eastern side, priority locating the girl. Shoot to incapacitate if you come across Ottos. Bail if the smoke becomes to difficult to handle. Cover me." I order, stepping in behind him.

"Yes sir." He says sarcastically.

I send him a pointed look not appreciating his sarcasm, before we begin to make our way through the building. The warehouse is nothing special. It's easy to see why he chose this place. In the middle of nowhere, access to internet, no one around to hear the haunting sounds of the children's screams. He could easily stow away with them for months without anyone batting an eye.

Tucked in the back of the building is a metal staircase that will give us access to the second floor. I send a quick glance over my shoulder at Davis, his eyes are already bloodshot and watering down his cheeks, and his breathing is harsh and uneven.