retribution.

Prologue

Gunshots.

My ears rang loudly as gunshots went off around me. Photos crashed off of the walls, chairs toppled over, I could hear the sounds of my teammates fighting our opponents.

I crouched behind a counter in the kitchen of the small house we were trapped in. Morgan was crouched beside me as he peaked over the side of the counter to shoot at the tall, lanky Miguel Baldwin hiding across from us behind a table. Hotch, Rossi and Prentiss were somewhere upstairs, shooting at the second unsub, a short, strong Cora Nichols, and JJ and Reid were, well, somewhere trying to take down the third unsub, an African-American man, Jamie Alexander, and a few officers from the local police department were looking for the fourth unsub, a skinny teenager who went by Eddie Lawson.

I peeked around the corner of the counter only to be met by the face of Baldwin. I shot at him, but he spotted me and ducked back around the table again. My face was twisted in anger, eyes narrow as I tried to see better in all the commotion and destruction. I turned my head to look at Morgan, who was looking back at me. We had to move spots, Baldwin already knew we were here. Morgan seemed to understand what I was trying to say, and he used his hand to signal to the island across from the counter. I nodded and peaked around the side to make sure the unsub wasn't looking, and then darted across the kitchen to the island. I heard shots ringing out behind me, but luckily I wasn't hit. I heard a sharp gasp behind me which caused me to quickly turn around to make sure Morgan was okay. He had been shot, but they hit his Kevlar vest. I breathed a breath of relief. "You okay?" I shouted over the gunshots.

"Yeah, bastard only hit my vest." He responded equally as loudly in volume. I smiled at him and nodded before we resumed our quest to catch the SOB we were shooting at.

I barely managed to peek over the island when I heard Hotch calling for an emergency ambulance from upstairs. I looked at Morgan. Someone's hurt.

Suddenly Baldwin revealed himself, dashing in front of the side of the island and pointing his gun straight at Morgan. "Morgan watch out!" I shouted. Morgan ducked out of the way while I pulled my trigger pointing straight at Baldwin. I hit him square in the middle of his neck and I silently pat myself on the back for doing that extra firearms training class a couple weeks ago. Baldwin staggered a little while clutching his neck before collapsing on the floor.

"Nice shot, Collins." Morgan was slightly out of breath.

"Well, Morgan, if you had taken that class like I offered, maybe you would have been able to take the shot." I replied with a grin.

"We can banter as soon as we get back to Quantico, but for now we gotta help the others."

I nodded. "You go with Hotch, Prentiss and Rossi and I'll go with Reid and JJ. Try to call an ambulance if you can, but tell them not to enter the house until Hotch gives the okay."

"Alright, be careful." Morgan turned away and headed towards the stairs, gun in front of him. I stood up with my gun held up protectively.

"Agent Hotchner, we lost Lawson. He semed to have disappeared in an ally around fourth street."

"Dammit!" I swore under my breath. At least it was the teen. We would surely be able to catch him later. I continued toward the living room where JJ and Reid where. made my way across the kitchen to the wall that separated the two rooms. Silently, I pressed my back against the wall and peered around the corner. I couldn't see JJ or Reid, but I could see Alexander hiding behind one of the halfway destroyed chairs closest to the back door. I needed a plan of action.

Deep breaths, Collins. You can do this.

I turned the corner without thinking.

Big mistake.