▄ . . . . ᡣ𐭩 .ೃ࿔*:･
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
:･ꗃ𓈈 𝑐𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 ִ𓂃‧₊ ˚.
▬▬▬ 𝑖𝑡ˊ𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 -
. . . 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑦𝑜𝑢
𝑤𝑒 𝑔𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝘩 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑟 . °❀⋆.ೃ*₊༉‧˚.
𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒂'𝒔 𝑷𝑶𝑽
I yawn, closing a file I've been working on and rub my eyes.
"Elena, do you ever sleep?" Emily asks from her desk, noticing my struggle to keep my eyes open. I laugh slightly a roll my eyes.
"Well if it wasn't for a certain somebody snoring, I may have gotten more," I respond.
"Hey! I do not snore," Reid snaps, overhearing our conversation. The last few nights Reid had been sleeping on my couch due to a pipe bursting in his apartment flooding the area. And he does, infact, snore. "Besides, you've always been a night owl, don't blame me for your poor schedule." I laugh at this, shaking my head at him.
"Maybe if you weren't reading every book on my shelf for hours on end you wouldn't fall into such a deep sleep and snore," I joke again.
"Lies! I don't snore," he repeats.
"Oh, buddy, you snore alright," Morgan chips in entering the room. "I've had to check a piglet hasn't strayed into the station on multiple cases when you've been taking a nap," he jokes.
"I second that," Emily admits through a laugh. Spencer frowns back at us all with a shake of his head.
"You're all full of shit," Spencer mutters, turning back to his computer. I lean over and ruffles his hair mockingly.
"It's okay, I'll get you chin strap," I joke, causing Morgan to laugh. He rolls his eyes at me as I smile innocently back over the counter. Hotch comes out of his office to us then.
"I just got a call. Gilbert, Reid, I need you to follow up on it," he tells us, holding up a file. I lean on the counter beside Reid as we all turn to Hotch.
"Where to?" Reid asks, packing up some things.
"Colorado. Grab your go-bags, I'll explain it over the phone when you're on the jet. Wheels up in 10."
***
I slept most of the jet to Colorado so I wouldn't feel so burnt out for the case. Hotch explained that Colorado PD had a phone call from a girl come through asking for help, and the that they called us in to check it out. He sent me and Reid with agent Nancy Lunde to the church the call was traced to. We listen to the call again on the way there.
"He comes into my bedroom and lays with me. He says it's god's will. I'm only 15. And I'm not the only one. Please help me!"
"I believe the he that they are referring to is the church leader - benjamin cyrus," Nancy explains to us.
"What do we know about this Benjamin Cyrus?" I ask, examining the deserted area we were driving through.
"No criminal record. No record at all really. It's rumored that he's practicing polygamy and forced marriages. But we've never had any evidence," she adds. I give Reid a concerned glanced.
"Any idea who the caller is?" he asks.
"Uh, jessica evanson is the one who the age fits, but we can't be sure. So I negotiated interviews with all the children. It wasn't easy."
"Considering their view on outsiders, it would be best if you didn't identify us as FBI. Just use our real names, and introduce us as child victim interview experts," I suggest. She agrees with a simple nod. When we arrive at the church, it's just as I imagined - deserted and in the middle of nowhere, plus multiple large solar panels placed in the front yard.
"I'm looking for mr. Benjamin cyrus," Nancy says to a man leaning on the wall outside the church.
"You found him."
"I'm nancy lunde. We spoke on the phone regarding the allegation."
"Savages, they call us," the man scoffs, glancing at each of us individually. "'Cause our manners differ from theirs."
"We didn't come here to hear you cite scripture, mr. Cyrus. Emily prentiss, spencer reid," she adds, introducing us. "They're child victim interview experts."
"How far from god's word must we have strayed for there to be the need to invent a job called child victim interview expert?" benjamin mocks. I force a smile at him and step forward to speak.
"We wish we didn't have to be here," I mutter, as we begin walking to the enterance.
"So do we. But you are welcome, nonetheless," he says. "The children are in the school as I indicated."
"Thank you," I say with a nod.
"You're using solar power?" Reid asks him, glancing at the solar panels beside us.
"Yeah. We're completely self-sufficient-- electricity, food, water," benjamin explains proudly. "God helps those that helps themselves. You look surprised." I glance back at Reid, wondering why he was making small talk when there was a child - probably multiple - that need our help.
"No... Impressed, actually," he says, noticing my glance and joining me at the door, which benjamin opens to let us in. We head to the school of the church where as benjamin said, the children were rounded up. We start interveiwing each one, starting with the 15 year old jessica evenson that the police department matched the call to.
"We go to school. We do our chores. And we treat ourselves and each other with the respect god demands," she explains once I begin to ask her about her life here.
"But you've never been off of the ranch?" I ask.
"I brought jessie here when she was 2," the woman beside her interrupts.
"You've talked to lots of children in your work," jessica goes on. "Tell me their lives somehow better than ours?" I frown slightly at the girl, realising this is all she's ever known, and will defend every ounce of it. I was starting to think jessica hadn't made that phone call.
"We devote ourselves to god. That doesn't mean we're not devoted to our children," the woman adds again.
"We are not here because of your religious beliefs," I explain.
"Why are you here?" Jessica asks with a narrowness in her eyes. I glance over at Reid before speaking, but his eyes are glued to jessica and the woman before us.
"Uh, We received a phone call alleging that an adult male member of your church was having inappropriate relations with the younger women here," I continue to explain. Jessica frowns back at us now, a certain upset or fury spinning in her eyes.
"You're talking about cyrus," jessica mutters. I tilt my head slightly, gesturing her to go on. "Is it inappropriate for a husband to share a bed with his wife?"
"You are married to cyrus?" I ask, she returns with a stern, defensive nod.
"Cyrus is my husband and a prophet. It's an honor to bare his children," she adds. I glance at Reid again, who exchanges an annoyed look with me. He kneels beside me, looking carefully at jessica.
"Jessica, you're 15 years old," he begins in a gentle tone. "The state of colorado requires parental consent." I then notice the woman stood beside her straighten up at this statement, as if proud.
"She gave consent," I mutter, cocking my head in the direction of the woman.
"Get up! Get up!" a man yells, another entering with him rounding up the children. The were both carrying guns. I frown slightly, glancing around the room confused.
"You heard him! Stand!" the second man says, pulling me from my seat. I spot Reid pull from one of the men to try help me but they're shoving us out of the room down the hall.
"What's going on?" I ask. Suddenly I hear two loud bangs from the front of the church.
"We just got a very strange phone call from a news reporter," on of the men explains, bringing us to benjamin. "Is there anything you want to tell us, about a raid maybe?" We stare blankly back at the men, completely confused by what they mean.
"They don't know," benjamin concludes, rouding the children and women through a trapdoor in the wall which has a passage running under the building. I frown slightly, turning to Reid as the men escort us down the tunnel.
"Colorado PD must have called SWAT," I mutter quietly to him, as we hear yelling and gunshots approaching the building.
"State police! We have a warrant!" someone calls from outside. I glance at Reid, knowing this was only going to go badly.
"Hit it again!" swat calls, clearly trying to break down the church door that benjamin had barricaded. The tunnel leads us down to a damp, empty basement, where all of the women and children have been gathered.
"What's going on?" one of the women asks us, entering the basement.
"I don't know. Just stay calm," Reid reassures her, lifting his head to the sound of more gunfire outside.
"Everybody stay together!" benjamin yells at us, pushing everybody in together. "Have faith!" Me and Reid are evetually pushed towards the back by the amount of people trying to fit in. I glance in the corner beside me where there's a pile of guns.
"Where'd all these guns come from?" I mutter to Reid beside me.
"I don't know. Garcia checked with the state police," Reid adds, holding my arm to shuffle out the way of some kids. I glance around me, all the women were reassuring the children, hushing and assuring them that God won't allow them any harm.
"Cease fire! Cease fire!" we can hear benjamin yelling upstairs.
"We have women and children here. Please!" Just then we spot Lunde, me and Reid try to call out for her, but she hurries back up the stairs.
"Do not fear. We are on the side of the righteous!" benjamin calls, coming back down the stairs after a few moments.
"Where's lunde?" I ask benjamin, who looks back at me with a guilty look.
"It wasn't us," he mutters, moving to the guns in the corner and passing them to some ben by the enterance.
"You can't shoot it out with the cops! You have children here," I yell, as he hurries back upstairs.
"I didn't start this," he yells back, before disappearing upstairs. There's more gun fire then, and I accidentally jump at the noise, grabbing Reid's arm. He glances down at me, but I don't mett his eyes. I can't peal my eyes away from all the worried children down here.
"We're giving you a chance to pull back! Please, take it!" we hear benjamin yell. There's a short pause where swat seem to be considering their options.
"We're pulling back. Pull back!" a muffled voice replies to benjamin.
"They're pulling back," I mutter to Reid, with an exhale of relief.
"Not for long," Reid mutters back, glancing concerningly back at me.
𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝑷𝑶𝑽
I'm flicking through a report I was just finishing up before JJ storms into the room beside me.
"Morgan," she says quickly.
"What's up?" I ask, noticing the fear in her tone. She rushes to turn on the TV before us, which seems to be giving a news report.
"What is reportedly being called a routine questions and answers meeting by colorado child services had turned into a violent and deadly standoff between colorado authorities and a religious group known as the sepatarian sect."
"JJ," I mutter, standing from my seat. I suddenly realise what this is and my heart starts racing in my chest. "That's.. the ranch where gilbert and reid-"
"They're still inside," she interrupts, as Emily joins us with a worried glance.
"Hotch!" I yell as loud as I can, signalling him to get off the phone. I watch the screen, trying not to let my vision be blurred from panic, as Hotch quickly exits his office to join us.
"Tactical warrant service team into a forced retreat after losing a 30-minute gun battle. No one knows for sure how many people are inside. It is believed at least 3 of the child service members are still trapped within the compound."
"All right that means we're the lead with hostage rescue and support," Hotch explains to everyone. "Let's go."
We grab our go-bags and immediately get on the jet. We leave the TV report playing on our tablets, but I'm too worried to give it my complete attention.
"Colorado attorney general jim wells says the cult has been the subject of a 6-month weapons investigation," Rossi explains.
"6 months. We didn't check?" I ask.
"No. We checked. I had ATF call wells. He told them there were no pending state investigations. He lied," Jj explains annoyed.
"Wells is challenging the governor in the next election. He probably thought that ATF was about to poach his big election-launching weapons bust," Hotch explains.
"It's clear he didn't know there were FBI agents there," Emily adds. "They just thought the best time to serve a state warrant was when the kids were safe inside the school being interviewed."
"What do we know about this sect?" I ask Garcia, who's joined us through the tablets.
"Liberty ranch was founded in 1980 by Leo Kane. He created it as a self-sustaining commune," Garcia explains.
"Libertarians believe that everyone has the right to do what they want as long as they aren't infringing on the rights of others," JJ says.
"But libertarians aren't religious. Clearly this sect abandoned libertarian principles," I add.
"Benjamin cyrus, the current leader, introduced religion 8 years ago when kane left. But it's like the guy never cast a shadow on the known universe. I have nothing on him," Garcia explains. "However his predecessor, leo kane, is doing a 17-year stretch at Derrfield federal prison. Apparently libertarians do not like paying taxes."
"Alright, I'll talk to the sheriff when we arrive at the scene," Hotch begins. "Rossi, you'll be incharge of hostage negotiation. We have to do this as quickly and carefully as possible."
***
When we arrive at the scene, the police department have already set up the crime scene. Hotch wonders off to go talk to the sheriff, and yell at Wells to leave the scene. I stare at the building before us. If we didn't know what was going on inside, it might even look deserted itself. But selfishly, I couldn't help wondering if Elena was okay.
"You alright?" Rossi appears beside me. I glance at him once, then turn my attention back to the building, keeping a careful eye out for any movement. "They'll be okay, you know? They're trained for this, they're smart."
"I know that," I mutter to him. "But what's brains against a bullet? If benjamin decided they were in the way or on the other side, I doubt he'd give warning or a second hought into shooting them." I grit my teeth, realising this was getting to me more than I thought. Rossi pats me on my shoulder, making me look at him.
"She'll be okay, Morgan. We must believe that," he mutters, as Hotch makes his way over to us with the sherrif. I clear my throat to stop myself from tearing up from the worry, and gave my head a small shake as they approach.
"Agent Rossi, Agent Morgan," Hotch introduces us. "They've already sent the state police packing, since they started this mess and lost a man in the process."
"We've had no contact with them so far," the sheriff explains. "They've got solar power. We could shoot out the panels if you think--"
"No. That's an escalation," I interrupt quickly. The sheriff nods.
"Ok. But that means they have access to the news."
"I'll get JJ to talk to the press," Hotch says. "Your men ready to be briefed? Let's go."
***
Once the department is gathered, we begin to give a quick breif about cults and what to expect.
" We call this the minimal loss scenario. We won't save them all, and all of us have to be prepared to accept that situation," I explain.
"Cults are structured like pyramids," Rossi adds. "You got the leader at the top. Diehard believers beneath. The biggest group, the followers. In this case, women and children. These are the people we can save."
"The leaders are sociopaths who target those most susceptible to their seduction. They have the ability to see what each person needs. And then they become that thing. We have to undermine their perception that we're an invading army laying siege to their home," Hotch continues.
"We'll lose the uniforms. Will rancher's clothes work for ya?" one of the officers says. Hotch gives them a quick nod.
"Anything we can do to demilitarize the situation," Hotch tells them with a quick nod. "Let's get to work."
𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒂'𝒔 𝑷𝑶𝑽
Most of the woman and children had been moved from the basement to a room further out back since the gun fire stopped. Me and Reid stayed in the basement with a few others.
"Our team must be out there," I whisper to Reid. "That's why everything's being held off." Reid nods at me.
"If they can find a way to communicate with benjamin, we should be able to get as many people out as we can," he adds. I nod too, glancing at the men at the enterance of the basement tunnel. Suddenly I feel a churn of worry in the pit of my stomach. Reid seems to notice, as he turns to me.
"It was bad timing, but you're going to be okay, you know," he mutters to me, certainty in his eyes.
"It wasn't me I was worried about," I respond, forcing a faint smile. His eyes wonder for a second, before meeting mine again. He nods slightly, and rubs my arms assuringly before glancing at a woman and her child.
"It's going to be hard, to get these people to leave all they've ever known," he mutters. I follow his gaze to them, realising he's most definately right. One of the guards enter the room with benjamin.
"Miles is dead. He was locking the door when they shot him. Lauren and robert were asleep in their bed. The bullets came through the wall," the guard explains. Benjamin stops and turns to him.
"What about the baby?" he asks.
"I have her. She was in the school," jessica says appearing beside them. Benjamin looks relieved, and kneels beside them to stroke the baby''s cheek
"Hello, darling. It's all gonna be all right, honey. Mommy and daddy have gone to god. Ok?" he whispers to the baby. "It's all gonna be all right. Take her to the temple and pray," he tells jessica, brushing against her arm. I shiver at the thought of them, as jessica rushes back upstairs.
"Distribute weapons and ammo," benjamin tells the guard. I sigh frustratedly as he says this.
"I prayed this day would never come. But it has. God will see us through," he says, running back up the others.
"What do we do? We can't just sit here," I complain to Reid. He watches the guards leave and turns to me.
"Actually, I think that's exactly what we need to do," he whispers to me, his eyes giving me a sense of comfort. "We don't know what our team's plan is. Any action we make now, could only result in more deaths, or our own." Although I hate to dmit it, he was right. I let out a defeated sigh and lean back against the wall, resting my head on his shoulder.
"Okay," I whisper back to him exhaustedly.
𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝑷𝑶𝑽
The team set up a way to communicate with benjamin, as Rossi prepares for negotiation. But when the call goes through, it isn't benjamin's voice we hear first.
"Hello? You killed my mommy and daddy. Are you going to kill me to?" a child answers the phone. Rossi appears startled by this, and sighs slightly.
"No one is going to kill you, honey," he tries to reassure, but he's interrupted by a new voice picking up the phone.
"This is benjamin cyrus. Who am I talking to?"
"David rossi, an FBI agent. We sent the state police away. There's just us and the local sheriff. All we want to do is resolve this before anyone else gets hurt," he explains.
"Then leave us alone," benjamin replies, his voice remaining calm.
"I'm afraid we can't do that, benjamin. One of the police bled out on the way to the hospital. So let's just stop this before things get worse. Please, just put down your guns and come out."
"We're believers, dave. We believe that god says what he means and means what he says," benjamin continues. I feel an annoyed pulse in my wrist, causing me to clench a fist. I was starting to get impatient.
"I have no issue with your beliefs," Rossi explains. "Now, the 3 child services workers-"
"One of them is dead. It wasn't us," benjamin says. Suddenly, I'm holding my breath again, clenching my teeth at the thought Elena's body could be rotting in that place. I dig my fingernails in my palm, as the pause at the end of the line was agonising.
"I need a name to inform the family," Rossi asks carefully.
"Her name was nancy lunde." I let out an exhale, feeling my muscles give a sense of relief. I let my fist unclench, and take another long breath in.
"Ok. Now, please, benjamin, send out your wounded. I promise you they'll be well taken care of."
"With enough supplies we can tend to our own. Come alone," benjamin responds.
"Ok. I need a few hours to put it together I'll bring them up myself at first light," Rossi says, before the line goes quiet. I take another breath, running my hands over my head.
"So they're okay?" I ask, glancing over at the ranch.
"For now. But we still need to help those children," Rossi explains.
"Rossi, at least let me go with you," I plead. As much as I wanted to help, I also just wanted to see Elena. I have no idea what was going on, and it was driving me insane.
"No. This is about building trust. I go alone," Rossi says. "I know you want to see them, but it's no use if they take you hostage too." I let out a frustrated sigh. Strangely, being a hostage seemed much less painful that being this side of things. At least I'd know for sure they were alright.
"I'm gonna confirm the kids, and gilbert and reid are ok. I want the parabolic mics fixed on every window in that structure," he explains.
"How familiar are your agents with the playbook?" the sheriff asks.
"They'll know that we're trying to get ears in there," I assure him.
"Good. Let's hope they can get these people talking."
[ 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝... ]