The Boss' Niece (Spencer Reid)

39. Permanent damage

"She's going to him. I'm so sorry, Hotch." Sam choked out as the machine that he was hooked up to started beeping rapidly before a long beep ensued, telling Hotch and the E.M.T.s that Sam was gone.

———
(Emily's Interview)

"Agent Prentiss." Strauss paced around the room.

"Ma'am." Emily spoke, not bothering to sound any particular way.

"We understand that Agent Hotchner managed to separate himself from the rest of the team." Strauss informed Emily, who shook her head.

"He didn't "manage" to do that. When Marshal Kassmeyer was in the ambulance-" Before Emily could continue, Strauss interrupted her.

"Agent Hotchner volunteered to ride along." Strauss exhaled.

"To get answers before he lost consciousness." Emily leaned back.

"Why didn't you go with him?" Strauss leaned on a nearby chair.

"It didn't seem necessary." Emily shook her head.

"Did he tell you that?" Strauss gave a concerned look to Emily, who exhaled and rolled her eyes, knowing what Strauss' true intentions were.

"Is that what you're looking for? A way to blame this on him? What good could that possibly do?" Emily became defensive.

"Agent Hotchner was looking for an opportunity to separate himself from the team and he found one." Strauss started talking nonsense, which was really starting to piss Emily off.

"That isn't true." Emily shook her head.

"He was desperate and he didn't want someone with a clear head to stop him." Strauss continued.

"Is there a question in there somewhere?" Emily asked, shocked.

"Tell me what happened while Agent Hotchner was in the ambulance." Strauss sat down, opening a file.

"We contacted the U.S. Marshals. They said Haley was in the wind. She had dumped her cell phone, so there was no way to track her." Emily shook her head.

"And how did Agent Hotchner react to that news?" Strauss leaned forward, sternly looking at Emily.

"Foyet called Haley from Kassmeyer's phone." Hotch spoke into his phone as he exited the hospital.

"All right, we'll get Garcia to trace it. JJ." Morgan looked at JJ, who nodded, knowing what to do.

"He told her she was compromised and I was dead." Hotch looked around, wondering if Foyet was somehow watching him.

"Well, have you called her?" Emily asked, confused.

"No. He said to throw her phone away and to buy a disposable." Hotch paced.

"Hotch, we're gonna come get you right now." Morgan insisted.

"No, Anderson's bringing me a car." Hotch exhaled, feeling stressed and anxious. Not knowing if Haley, Jack and Cassidy were safe was killing him.

"You want to meet back at the office?" Morgan asked, confused.

"I'm hoping that she's just gonna call me, at least, to check." Hotch rubbed his forehead, trying to calm down.

"Foyet posed as a marshal, even called from a number that Haley recognized." Morgan reminded him.

"And then he did what gets him off. He scared her." Rossi scoffed.

"No, he paralyzed her. He overwhelmed her." Emily shook her head.

"And now she trusts him. Where do you think he would take her?" Spencer asked, seeming just as anxious and stressed as Hotch was. Moreso for Cassidy than for Haley and Jack.