Mysterious Connections | The Case
Woah it's a party, first story I'm uploading to tumblr! This is only the first part out of multiple chapter, so if you want to be added to a tag list then let me know!
story summary: After an unexpected meeting, uptight FBI agent Aaron Hotchner learns how to give up control to a bounty hunter who makes her own rules and realizes it’s not such a bad thing to let someone else take charge.
pairing: Aaron Hotchner x OC
wordcount: 1.1k
“Hotch, we have a problem.” Emily came bursting into his office, one foot still out the door. He jumped up from his desk, following her out the door. The pair leaned over the railing, joining the team as they watched the news on Garcia’s laptop.
“...Roger Cunningham escaped police custody today after a 2 week manhunt was led by the FBI for his arrest. Cunningham is responsible for the 9 deaths that have happened in Virginia Beach, including Gracie Catham, the niece of Norfolk’s mayor. The police currently have mandated a 10 p.m. curfew, with special permission given to those who can prove they have an emergency or work. It is unknown if the FBI has been made aware and are assisting the police…”
Hotch had heard enough, and ordered his team to get to the jet. They had only just returned to the office not long ago, tired and eagerly awaiting their own beds. This last case was long and tiring, the unsub being smart, logical and calculating, predicting their next moves and evading them seamlessly. As much as they hated to admit it, part of what led to his capture was dumb luck, which they made sure to leave out of their future reports they still had to write.
Aaron Hotchner rubbed his forehead in frustration, trying to keep calm and rational. The eleven days they were there were long and taxing. Not only did he have to deal with the normal things such as the police, his team, the unsub and the media, but he also had pressure from the mayor and state officials. The whole of the nation turned their heads towards Virginia Beach when Gracie Catham was taken and then subsequently found, almost unidentifiable.
The short flight there was tense, the team reviewing all the information they had on the unsub. They went over the geography of Virginia and the places that meant the most to the unsub, trying to predict his next move.
“We could try to go to Charlottesville, it’s far enough away to catch a breather, and he doesn’t really have any connections there.” Reid demonstrated the distance by tracing his capped pen between Charlottesville and Virginia Beach.
“But everyone in Virginia knows his face. How are we supposed to check out every lead given into the tip line, while also trying out our own places?” Derek questioned, looking up towards Hotch. He sat in silence for a moment, thinking over what to do next.
“JJ and Reid, go to the police station and help filter out what leads are reliable. Morgan and Prentiss, go to Charlottesville and be ready to travel. Rossi and I will go out with Detective Ramey and figure out how he escaped and what might’ve helped him.”
The team nodded along and spent the rest of the flight pouring over the map. They circled the places the bodies were found in red, purple told them where he grew up and worked, while blue were areas that had significance.
Adrielle Kane sat at a table, reading off a billboard in Times Square. A cheap pizza slice hung from her hand, growing cold at the small amount of wind. She took another bite.
“Can’t keep your new year’s resolution of going to the gym? Our body contour can make it look like you never skipped a day.” She scoffed and took another bite.
“It’s almost like they are promoting eating disorders.” She spoke through a mouth full, looking at other screens.
Adrielle had just finished a job in California and wanted a change of scenery before her next assignment. The cheap food and millions of people never failed to amaze her, watching as the crowds passed. She loved to keep a mental list of everything she watched, a way of keeping control over an uncontrollable setting. So far she had witnessed 8 successful pickpockets, 15 people giving livestreams, 4 people dancing at their phones and 19 instances of food stolen from either rats or pigeons. Adrielle loved it here.
A billboard changed colour, catching her attention. It changed to a white colour with bold text and a mugshot. The words read “ROGER CUNNINGHAM ESCAPES CUSTODY. TO REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, CALL 911”. So, Adrielle told herself, looks like the police department wasn’t that capable. She tried to think of the last time she was in that part of Virginia, but shrugged when she couldn’t think of any and finished off her slice. As she wiped her hands clean on her pants, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket.
A thrill ran down her spine. It was her work phone, and the delicious taste of the chase danced across her tongue. She looked up at the billboard again, memorizing her next assignment. She answered her phone and was immediately greeted by a hushed and hurried voice.
“Hello? Are you there?”
“Who is this?”
“It’s me, grapefruit.”
She wanted to snicker at the codename she gave the senator, but held it back. Might not be appropriate for the situation, she thought.
“What can I do for you?”
“I think you know.” His voice came out desperate. Adrielle could swear she could hear the sounds of a group in the background.
“I’ll know when you name the amount.” Her greed made the senator sigh and become quiet. Adrielle heard the sounds of shuffling and a door shutting, telling her he was now alone.
“1 million.” Adrielle tsked at the number.
“It’s not just that simple, though, is it? I saw the FBI was involved, make it 1.5 and we will call it a deal.”
The line was silent for a moment. She could imagine the lines creasing on his forehead, his fingers nervously twitching on his leg as he gripped the phone tighter. Adrielle went back to reading the billboards as she waited for an answer. He would agree, they always do.
“Fine. 1.5.”
A wicked grin spread across her face as she rolled her shoulders back and stretched out her neck.
“Email me the details and what the police know and get me a flight from New York that leaves in the next 2 hours.” Adrielle ended the phone call, not bothering to wait for a response. Standing up from her seat she looked around one last time, watching as the rush started. These people were so innocent, not knowing what she was. But then again, a killer could be amongst them. The image made her skin crawl, the seductive thought caressing her mind.
She began to walk to her hotel to grab her things, counting off another successful pickpocket. The airport wasn’t far away, but she needed to do some research before she arrived. Not only just on the fugitive, but also the FBI. Adrielle always wanted to know what she was up against.
