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part five - flight risk
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season 4 episode 3
Minimal Loss
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Nerves settled in as Ivy sat down in Strauss's office.

"Erin," She smiled.

"Ivy, how are you?" She smiled, sitting down in front of her. Both of her legs were flat on the carpeted office floor, facing the women.

Ivy didn't know why she had been called before her boss. She had arrived at work in her typical early fashion, doing paperwork and getting a good cup of coffee. The only way that her new routine had shifted was in terms of her boss. Instead of ignoring him when he arrived, usually burying her head in papers or rushing off to the bathroom, she had been speaking with him.

It was a nice conversation, sometimes regarding a case and sometimes about their post-work plans. Ivy would go as far as to label it as pleasant.

"I am sending Agent Prentiss and Dr Reid to La Plata County to investigate an alleged child abuse case within the Seserian Sect. I feel as though you would have a unique perspective on this and I'd like you to join them if that is okay?" She asked, leaning forward into her desk, interlacing her fingers and looking at Ivy.

"Why have experiences if you're not going to use them? That's fine Erin," Her boss looked at her for a moment, "I will be fine, Erin."

"I know that, I knew that when we found you, you are a lot stronger than the majority of us ever will be," She smiled but, something shifted and Ivy knew that there was a secondary reason she had been called before her. "Agent Hotchener has requested access to your complete file."

A look of shock polluted her face. In Ivy's eyes, the case of her file was closed. She didn't have to explain herself because it was not relevant to her position. She also believed that they had put their differences behind them, moving past the unnecessary resentment.

"Excuse me?" She spat out, not knowing what else to say.

"He wants to know everything but, I've already blocked the board from giving it to him. The only people who will know what happened to you are sitting in this room and I will continue to make sure of that," She replied, making Ivy feel safe in her past.

"Thank you, Erin, for everything," She smiled, standing up to leave the rather large office and watched as Strauss put her glasses on, starting on some paperwork.

"Oh and Ivy? Try not to kill him. I'm not in the mood to have to hold interviews for a new Unit Cheif," She remarked without removing her eyes from the pages in front of her.

As Ivy left the office, she felt a wind in her step, hearing her heels click off of the tiles and her face form a scowl. She was beyond pissed off as she partially matched into the bullpen and unintentionally ignored the team sitting at their desks as she made her way to Hotch's office.

"Hey, mama-" She heard Derek call but was so lost in her rage that she didn't even turn back to look at him.

"Is she okay?" Rossi asked him, placing a fresh cup of coffee in front of him and sipping his cup while watching her push it open without knocking.

"I don't know man, she does look hot when she's pissed though," He smirked, a smile that was short-lived as Emily hit him across the back of the head.

Hotch looked understandably shocked when his office door flew open to an extremely angry Ivy. She shut the door behind her and he stood up instinctively. She walked straight to his desk, neglecting to sit down.

"You requested access to my file?" She yelled and he could feel not just the anger, but the pain in her voice.

He moved towards the window, shutting the blind and turning to face of furious.

"I did that last week, I had to know if you were going to be a flight risk!" He spoke however, he did not use a calm down, it was poisonous.

"A flight risk? We went over this, Hotch, what is in those files does not concern you at all. It is none of your business and it does not affect my position here. Can you not understand that?" She yelled again, her tone and quickness to fight back was a shock to him but also, it impressed him.

"I'm your boss, Auclair. What are you so afraid I'll find?" He moved from the closed window, around his desk and walked right up to her.

In her presence, he smelt the strong scent of lavender. It polluted his senses but, he stayed connected with her eyes.

"I've seen Strauss," She deflected the question but couldn't break eye contact, "Your request has been denied and it will continue to be."

Be broke the connection, pushing past him and heading for the door when his voice stopped her.

"What are you so afraid that I'm going to find, Ivy?" He spat. A smirk came over his face and it ticked a time bomb of anger that Hotch had been attempting to probe.

"I'm not afraid of what's in that file," She spoke so calmly, she couldn't let him win, "I'm telling you a fact here, Hotch. The file is sealed for a reason and it will stay that way."

"I am entitled to know what problems you could cause based on what's in here," He yelled back, she just laughed. It was instinctual.

"Go to hell," She answered him, finally being able to leave the room.

•———•———•

Emily, Spencer, a social worker named Nancy and Ivy arrived at the large and self-sufficient compound later that day. During their drive, it was agreed that Ivy would ruin point on the case, something that was more so an order from Strauss. They also decided that the fancy FBI label would cause them problems and from then on, they would be child victim interview experts.

The compound was extremely large, fitted with a school, solar panels and housing. To Ivy, it was more of an end-of-the-world shelter than anything else. They were treated by a group of men as soon as the car pulled up at what Ivy had deduced was the chapel.

"I'm looking for Mr. Benjamin Cyrus," Nancy announced, she led the introductions to give us a few extra seconds to scan the area.

"You found him."

Ivy made eye contact with the alleged abuser. He was aragorn just to look at, his confidence was carried in his posture and he glared in her direction. She believed that the three-to-one ratio of women to men would disturb him slightly and also that the one man here was not in charge. It was all to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

"I'm Nancy Lunde. We spoke on the phone, regarding the allegation," She continued

"Savages they call us, because our manner differ from theirs," Cyrus recounted, something that was instantly recognizable to Spencer and Ivy

"We didn't come here to hear you cite scripture, Mr. Cyrus," Nancy uncomfortably replied.

"Actually, It's Benjamin Franklin," Ivy corrected, bringing his eyes to her

"Emily Prentiss, Spencer Reid and Ivy Auclair, the child victim interview experts," Nancy explained to him although, he didn't seem to care.

"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," He expressed to the group but, his eyes didn't shift from the agent.

"We wish we didn't have to be here, Mr Cyrus," Ivy expressed, solidifying her spot as the leader in his mind.

"As do we."

•———•———•

The group was quickly led to the school where a young girl and her mother were sitting waiting for them. There was an eerie feeling surrounding the setting. They were there to discuss child abuse allegations while sitting in a colourful classroom.

"We're not here to question your religious beliefs, we received a phone call," Ivy sat in front of the sixteen-year-old, Jessica, who they believed had made the call. "It was alleging that a member of the church, an older man, was having inappropriate relations with a minor-"

"You mean Cyrus?" She quickly comprehends.

"What makes you say that?" Reid asked her. He and Emily stood behind Ivy, watching every movement that Jessica made.

"Jessie, come on, shush," Her mother shushed her and I shot her a glare.

"Is it inappropriate for a husband to share a bed with his wife?" Jessica pondered.

Ivy heard Emily sigh behind her and she shared the same feeling.

"You're married to Cyrus?" She asked, looking at her mother who was conveniently avoiding eye contact.

"Cyrus is my husband and a prophet, it is an honour to bear his children," She replied, Ivy leaned back in her chair. The situation gave her mixed emotions but one thought was clear, the young girl sounded brainwashed.

"Jessica, you're 15, the state of Colorado requires parental consent-" Emily tried to explain to her.

"She gave consent," Jessica snapped back. Ivy felt another sigh escape her lips, running her hand through her hair and trying to continue with the conversation.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion from the halls, one that was pummelling towards the group. The doors flung open and Cyrus appeared before them but this time, he was armed.

"Stand!" He shouted, pushing through desks towards the agents, "Get up! I said get up!"

He arrived at the end of the class, Ivy had stood to meet his eyes, the eyes of someone who was sick. She hadn't seen that level of poisoned pupils in a long time.

"We got a call, from a news reporter, is there anything you want to tell me, Ms Auclair? Something about a raid, maybe?" He locked eyes with her, but she didn't move. "They don't know."

•———•———•

The group had been pushed to the bunker below the chapel, sitting in the crowd of women and children that had been evacuated. The other woman they came with, Nancy, had tried to help the situation but was ultimately shot dead. The three agents were keeping to themselves, observing and debating what to do.

"We know the teams are on their way, they have to be," Emily tried to find some reason for the situation.

"Then we keep up the facade. These guys are doomsday planners, this was always their end game, they were just trying to piss enough people off to have the ability to achieve it," Ivy explained and the pair agreed, the best chance was to shut up and stay back.

"The press will be briefed. They'll probably bring Rossi, he was at Waco, you know?" Spencer brought up. Ivy didn't know that but, after this commotion, she would be sure to prob him for information on it.

•———•———•

Hours passed, sitting in silence. To the group, it felt as though every word they said would be monitored and reported back and because of that, they sat in silence.

They slowly noticed the men returning to the bunk, shuffling people out and to the chapel. They were soon collected and brought to stand at the back of the chapel and spectate.

"Mothers, Fathers, Children. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil, for thou art with us," Cyrus stood before them on the altar, gesturing and preaching to the people of the chapel who listened attentively.

"This doesn't fit," Reid muttered, referring to the potential mass suicide that was about to occur. "I looked him in the eye, he was calm, lucid.

"They're committing mass suicide," Emily stated. scanning the chapel.

Each member drank from the glasses they'd been given. Cyrus focused on Ivy as he did this and allowed a smirk to escape his lips. He was hunting for her reaction.

"And god will wipe the tears from their eyes and there will be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. There will be no more pain," Cyrus chanted, and the crowds listened. "For all of the former things have passed away."

"What do we do?" Reid asked, hitting against Ivy's leg and trying not to draw too much attention.

"Nothing," She coldly remarked, focusing her attention on Cyrus

We have to do something, these people just took poison!" He murmured in a tone of urgency.

Cyrus just told them they did, I think He's just bluffing," She continued to look at the leader, he had let go of his stare, opting to discuss with his right hand, Cole, in the follower's reactions.

"Why do you think that?"

"Just after he told them about the poison and he waited for them to start to react," Emily offered as a solution. "Then he nodded to Cole and he started writing. Look."

They're scanning the audience looking for reactions," Reid muttered.

"They're writing down the names of the people who are crying," Emily replied.

"It's a loyalty list," Ivy stated.

•———•———•

The team were returned to the bunker and slowly, members of the sect that had failed the test were packed up and left the compound. Ivy realized that days were passing and that the longer it carried on, the worse of a result they would get. They hadn't seen the leaders for a while until, suddenly, Cyrus and his right hand burst down the steps and into the small room they had been staying in.

"Which one of you is it? Which one of you is the FBI agent?" He spat.

Reid froze and Emily locked eyes with her. They both knew that, whatever the punishment for angering Cyrus like this was, Reid was not able for it. Ivy watched the clogs in Emily's brain turn and knew that she was about to give herself up.

"It's me," Ivy shouted before Emily could get the chance. "These guys don't know anything about it but, I'm with the FBI."

The guns clocked and Cyrus grabbed Ivy by the hair and dragged her to her feet, getting into her face.

"Of course it's you."

Ivy vs Cyrus....
we'll see next time how Hotch reacts to all of this.
remember to vote and comment!!!

- Jamie