Chapter 27

Chapter 26

“Agent L/N,” she said, voice clipped. “We have to talk.”

“I apologize for not checking in. I was finishing up some business.” I said, pulling out a chair from the table.

“I see that you still have a nice bruise,” She said looking at my eye. “Brief me on what has happened.”

I outlined the operation and the two casualties that occured. Strauss’s gaze stayed sharp, dissecting every detail. She didn’t flinch at my words, didn’t react to the casual way I mentioned the casualties—she’d seen worse—but the weight behind her tone made it clear this was serious.

“And the truck?” she asked, fingers tapping lightly against the table.

“Secured,” I replied, keeping my voice neutral. “Was unloaded once we got back to the warehouse on the property.”

Strauss sat there thinking. “I think you have evidence to arrest. Let’s get the team out here to assist with the arrest, sounds like we are going to need the ATF as well.”

A wave of excitement came over me, I finally get to see JJ.

“Mmm, let’s add the DEA to the list, they will need to be there given the nature of the shipment.” I wanted to make sure that this case is airtight, no room for a mistrial.

“I’ll make the calls,” Strauss said. “But understand this, Y/N-once we pull in multiple agncies, control becomes… fragile. Keep control and come up with a solid plan for everyone to carry out. Your team will be here before the end of the day.”

“Heard,” I said.

We spent the next several hours throwing around scenarios—controlled entry versus simultaneous arrests, who would take point, how much visibility each agency would have. Strauss pushed for containment and deniability; I pushed for speed and clean lines of authority.

“Minimal exposure,” she said. “We don’t spook them.”

“Then we limit chatter,” I countered. “Small teams. Compartmentalized roles.”

She considered it. “That might work.”

Jack crossed my mind—not as a liability or a variable, just as a person.

He’d killed the men at the truck. I wasn’t minimizing that. They hadn’t been reaching for weapons. They hadn’t forced his hand in the way self-defense usually does. But I also knew he hadn’t done it casually.

It hadn’t been about silencing witnesses for profit.

About making sure the situation never spiraled beyond his reach.

Jack’s instincts were shaped by Elias—by years of learning that hesitation gets people hurt, that loose ends turn into bodies later. Whatever happened between them growing up, Elias had taught him one lesson exceptionally well: if you finish it fast, it doesn’t come back for you.

I lifted my eyes to Strauss.

“The brother of Elias—Jack,” I said evenly. “I need to pick him up first. He could be a valuable informant, in case I missed something.”

“Pick him up,” she repeated. “Or warn him?”

“Pick him up,” I said without hesitation. “By the book.”

She studied me, weighing the words against the tone.

“And you believe he’ll talk?”

“I believe,” I replied carefully, “that he doesn’t fully understand what he’s been pulled into. Which makes him useful—and volatile. He trusts me Strauss.”

Strauss nodded. “Pick him up. By the time you two will be back, the team will arrive and we’ll talk about the plan for tomorrow.”

The drive to Jack’s place felt longer than it was. Too much time to think, not enough to stop myself from doing it anyway.

He wouldn’t expect this. Not from me. Not like this.

When I pulled into the clearing, his truck was already there. Engine cold. Lights off.

I stepped out, keeping my movements deliberate. Neutral. Trying not to show my nerves.

I knocked once.

Then again.

The door opened a few inches. Jack filled the space immediately, posture alert, eyes sharp until they landed on me.

“Lucy?” His brow creased. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said. “I need you to come with me.”

“What’s this about?” he asked, suspicion edging into his voice.

“Can I step in for a second?” I asked, nodding past him. “Please.”

He hesitated—just long enough for instinct to flicker—then stepped aside and opened the door wider.

“Yeah. Sure.”

I stepped inside.

The TV was on, some rerun playing to an empty room. A couple of beer bottles sat on the coffee table, half-finished. The place looked exactly like it had the last time I’d been there—lived in, relaxed.

“Have a seat. What’s going on?” he asked again, quieter now.

I sighed, reaching into my coat. “Jack, I’m with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” I flashed my badge, letting the metal catch the dim light of the TV.

Jack froze mid-step. His eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened, but he didn’t move immediately. Instead, he let out a low, humorless laugh, almost a bark.

“You’re… FBI?” His voice was sharp, incredulous, like the words didn’t fully make sense to him.

“Yes,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “I need you to come back with me. I can give you more details once we arrive. You are not under arrest right now, but your cooperation will affect how this plays out for you in court.”

Jack’s expression shifted. The laugh faded, replaced with something heavier—calculation. He leaned back slightly against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes never leaving mine.

“So,” he said slowly, voice low and deliberate, “you show up at my door, flashing a badge, and expect me to just… go with you?”

“It’s not about expectation,” I said evenly. “It’s about choice. You can come peacefully and explain your side, or we handle it differently.”

He smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Choice, huh? Funny word. Doesn’t feel much like a choice when the badge comes out.”

I didn’t flinch. “It’s the only choice that keeps this clean—for you. This isn’t easy for me, but I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that everything goes smooth, but we need to talk.”

“Alright, but you start telling me everything in the car, and I get to ask questions,” Jack said, his tone controlled, but edged with that familiar wariness.

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “Fine. Let’s go.”

He followed me out to my car, every step measured. I held the door open for him, and he slid into the passenger seat without a word.

We started on the way back to the trailer. The hum of the engine filled the silence, punctuated only by the occasional swish of tires over the asphalt. Jack’s eyes were on the passing road, but his posture was taut, every muscle coiled like he was ready to bolt—or strike—at a moment’s notice.

“So,” he began carefully, “start from the beginning.”

“I got an assignment for a religious group who were doing illegal dealings here. I was told to infiltrate and gather information. I met you at the bar and you know the rest.”

“Oh fuck.” He sighed. “Lucy, you’re going to try to take down Elias.”

I nodded. “Thats the plan. Also, my name is Y/n L/n.”

“Hmm.” He sat there and was stewing in his seat. “I can’t believe this, I can’t decide if I’m, angry or happy.”

I looked over at him trying to read his facial expressions. “How do you mean?”

He took a second to respond, jaw tightening as he stared out the windshield.

“I trusted you,” he said finally, voice low. “And part of me feels like an idiot for that. Like I walked myself straight into this.”

My grip tightened slightly on the wheel, but I didn’t interrupt.

“But another part of me?” He let out a breath, rough and uneven. “That part’s relieved. Because if anyone was going to come for Elias… I’d rather it be you than some faceless task force that doesn’t know him. Doesn’t understand how he thinks.”

I glanced over at him. His expression wasn’t angry—not really. It was unsettled. Torn.

I cleared my throat, “We’re here.”

The trailer came into view, floodlights casting long, sharp shadows across the gravel. Jack followed my gaze, his shoulders squaring as if instinct kicked in before thought could catch up.

He didn’t move when I cut the engine.

“So this is where it gets real,” he said quietly.

“Yes.”

He looked at me then—really looked at me. “You bringing me in as an informant,” he said, “or am I walking into cuffs the second I step out?”

“Informant,” I replied. “You’re not under arrest. Not tonight.”

“And Elias?” he asked.

“Tomorrow,” I said. “The team’s moving in. Multiple agencies. Once that happens, I can’t slow it down.”

He opened the door, then paused, hand still on the handle. “For what it’s worth,” he added, not meeting my eyes, “if this ends him… it ends a lot of things that should’ve been buried years ago.”

I stepped out too, the gravel crunching under my boots. “Then help me do it right. If there’s any other information you have that incriminates him share it.”

He nodded once. Not agreement—acceptance.

Two more SUV’s were parked

The teams SUVs were parked near the trailer, their engines still warm, government plates catching the light. Jack clocked them immediately, his posture tightening.

“Guess I don’t get to ease into this,” he muttered.

“Afraid not,” I said.

I let Jack walk into the trailer first.

The team was gathered in the living room, case files spread across the coffee table, maps taped to the walls, the low murmur of conversation dying the moment the door opened.

“Hey everyone,” I said, a big grin on my face, clapping my hands once. “Miss me?”

A few heads snapped up immediately.

I immediately looked at JJ, who gave her beautiful smile.

“About damn time,” Morgan said, standing up from the couch giving me a hug. ” You just disappear now?”

Emily, hugging me next. “Seriously, Y/N, you can’t just vanish like that. We all start worrying.”

“Gotta take that up with Strauss.” I said looking over at her.

I gestured toward Jack, who lingered in the doorway, arms crossed, unsure where to put himself. The room stiffened just slightly at the sight of him, then curiosity took over.

“Everyone, this is Jack Harrington. Elias’s brother. And he’s here to help us further understand what we’re dealing with.”

Jack gave an awkward half-nod. “Hey,” he muttered, voice low.

I turned towards Jack, “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to be right back.”

I went into my bedroom to change my clothes. I heard a knock on the door, and when it opened, JJ appeared, her eyes lighting up the second she saw me.

“Y/N?” she breathed, stepping in without hesitation. Before I could react, she wrapped me in a tight hug.

Once we pulled back slightly, I could see the relief etched across her face. I closed the door behind her.

I brought her in for a slow, burning kiss.

She didn’t hesitate this time. Her hands slid up my arms as she kissed me back, familiar and sure, like muscle memory kicking in. Slow. Steady. The kind of kiss that carried months of distance and unsaid fear in it.

“I hated not knowing where you were,” she murmured. “Every time Strauss dodged my questions, I knew you were in deep.”

“I know,” I said softly. “God, I wanted to.” I let out a quiet breath, thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Anyway… how are you?”

JJ sighed, some of the tension easing out of her shoulders as she leaned back against the door. “I’ve been worried sick,” she admitted. “Trying to keep it together at work, pretending I wasn’t counting the days since anyone last heard from you.”

“I’m sorry,” I said immediately. “I know that wasn’t fair.”

She shook her head. “I’m not mad. Just… scared.” Her voice softened. “You disappear, Strauss stonewalls me, and suddenly I’m wondering if I’m going to get a call I don’t want.”

I stepped closer, resting my forehead against hers again. “I’m here. When I get back I’m gonna put in a little PTO, go home, go on vacation. How bout you come with me?”

She grinned and leaned in for a quick kiss. “How could I say no to that?”

She kissed me again, slower this time, like she was sealing the promise. Then she left the room.

When I stepped back into the living room, the energy had shifted. Jack sat stiffly on the edge of the couch, hands clasped, while the team hovered nearby—curious, cautious, ready. JJ was already back in her seat, all professionalism now, though her eyes flicked to me for half a second, checking. I gave her the smallest nod.

“Alright,” I said, clapping my hands once, the grin gone but the confidence intact. “Let’s get back to work.”

Jack looked up at me then, really looked at me, and for the first time since I’d knocked on his door, I saw something like resolve settle in his expression.

“Jack, is there anything I haven’t seen that could compromise tomorrow?”

Jack didn’t answer right away.

“There’s nothing you missed,” he said finally. “Not in the way you’re thinking.”

That earned a few looks from the room. Morgan shifted his weight. Emily’s gaze sharpened, attentive but unreadable. Reid went very still.

I stayed where I was. “Then tell me the way I should be thinking.”

Jack huffed out a short breath, almost a laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Elias doesn’t improvise. Everyone thinks he does because things go sideways around him, but that’s not chaos—that’s adjustment. He plans for failure. For people flipping. For exits getting burned.”

“He will, with no problem, take everyone down with him.”

Reid was the first to break the silence, voice careful. “That level of contingency planning suggests narcissistic traits paired with—”

“—experience,” Emily cut in smoothly, eyes never leaving Jack. “Not theory. Practice.”

Jack nodded once. “He’s been burned before. Learned from it.”

I leaned against the back of the chair, folding my arms—not defensive, just steady. “So if he’s already planning for failure, what does success look like to him?”

Jack looked at me then. Really looked. Like he was deciding how much truth I could handle.

“Control,” he said. “Not escape. Not profit. Control of the ending.”

That sent a quiet ripple through the room.

Morgan frowned. “Meaning?”

“Meaning if he thinks the end is coming,” Jack continued, “he’ll make sure it ends on his terms. He doesn’t run. He closes doors behind him and lights the match.”

“So he’s already on to me?”

Jack didn’t answer right away. His fingers flexed against his knee, a small, restless tell.

“Yeah,” he said finally. “Not completely—but enough. He doesn’t know who you are,” Jack went on, “or what you really represent. But he knows you’re not what you claimed to be. He felt the shift.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed. “From when?”

“After the shipment,” Jack said. “Y/n asked about things that had nothing to do with the job. History. Why certain things mattered. Elias doesn’t miss patterns like that.”

Reid adjusted his posture. “That suggests he may escalate unpredictably, but within a personally coherent logic.”

I nodded once. “Then tomorrow has to be quick, and everything has to be airtight. Odds of him being in the basement are slim, he will probably be in the study or with the congregation.”

“Should we wait until there are potential casualties?” Rossi finally spoke up.

“Most of the congregation that will be there already live on the compound. They will all be there regardless. Some of them will do anything to protect the community even if it means putting themselvs in the line of fire.” Jack said.

I stood up. “Tomorrow, Jack will hang back with others. Our team, DEA, and the ATF will move in aprehend, Elias, Mara, and others that are on the warrant. If anyone gets a sniff of something going wrong, tell us.”

“Then this becomes a containment problem, not a negotiation.” Hotch added.

“Exactly,” I said. “We don’t win this by convincing anyone. We win it by ending Elias’s ability to direct, inspire, or escalate.”

“You guys go ahead and head to the hotel, I’m going to take Jack back home, and we will meet back here at 0500.”

Hotch gave a short nod. “Agreed. Everyone get some rest. We roll early.”

Chairs scraped softly against the floor as the team began packing up—files tucked away, maps peeled from the walls. The energy shifted again, tightening, the calm-before-the-storm settling over the room.

JJ stayed back telling Hotch that she will go with me to take Jack back home.

Hotch paused mid‑step, glancing between JJ and me. He read the situation instantly.

“Alright,” he said after a beat. “But keep it professional.”

JJ gave a crisp nod that was all agent. “Always.”

The rest of the team filtered out, one by one—Morgan clapping Jack lightly on the shoulder as he passed, Rossi giving him a measured look that said you’re being evaluated whether you like it or not. Within minutes, the trailer was quiet again.

Jack shifted his weight, clearly aware of the eyes that had just left the room. “Didn’t think I’d be getting an escort tonight,” he muttered.

Once we dropped off Jack and were back in my trailer, I sank onto the couch with a long exhale, letting the tension finally leave my shoulders. JJ kicked off her boots and dropped couch next to me.

“I love you.”

I let out a slow breath. “I love you too.”

I leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to stop me.

She didn’t.

Her lips met mine in a kiss that was unhurried, lingering—nothing frantic, nothing rushed. Just a kiss full of everything we’d held back all night. Relief. Want. Fear. Trust. Her hand slid to the back of my neck, fingers threading into my hair, anchoring me there.

“For the record,” she whispered, “this isn’t me distracting you.”

I smiled softly. “Good. Because it’s working anyway. Let’s go to sleep, I missed having you in my bed.”

She nodded, her smile soft and tired. “Me too.”

We didn’t say anything else. I took her hand, led her down the hall, and shut the bedroom door quietly behind us. The world stayed on the other side.

She curled into me like it was instinct, like she’d never left. My arm wrapped around her, her breathing evening out against my chest.

Tomorrow could wait.

Tonight, I slept knowing she was here.