Team
"Hey, Hotch, have you seen Reid?" Morgan had been drumming his fingers on his desk watching his team mates file into the bull pen, but Reid's chair remained empty.
Hotch who'd been standing outside his office, turned toward Morgan, a puzzled frown crossing his face.
"Is he not in yet?" Hotch was always used to arriving to see Reid already sat at his desk starting on some case files.
Morgan glanced at the elevator, expecting Reid to run in apologising profusely for his lateness, but there was no sign of him. "Well looks like pretty boys going to be late for the first time ever!" Morgan laughed and text Reid to give him a heads up, having seen Hotch's frown deepen.
"Well he better get here soon, I have a case for you my loves" Garcia said bouncing over to the bullpen, carrying an armful of thin files.
The team gathered in the conference room, taking their seats, Reid's remaining empty.
Rossi came from his office and noticed Reid's absence. "Not like the kid to be late."
"Let's stay focused on this new case. I will deal with him when he gets here, We can brief him on the jet."
Garcia clicked her remote and grusome images of homicide victims flooded the screen.
"We have another unsub who likes feet." She grimaced in disgust.
After 20 minutes of debriefing Reid still hadn't arrived. Alex kept nervously glancing out of the office windows. She wouldn't be so worried, but they all knew this was completely out of character for Reid. He'd of let the, know if he was going to be late.
Morgan's phone buzzed on the table, and he made a sudden grab for it. Hotch stopped talking. "Is that Reid?"
"Tell the kid to hurry up and get his ass here!" Chuckled Rossi.
Morgan didn't say anything, his eyes darting across the screen as he read and re-read the text. Dread filled him, he felt it grip him like a vice and panic began to rise inside him.
"Hotch, hold off on this case."
"Morga..." JJ's panic was cut off.
"Reid's in trouble"
"What? What's wrong with my junior g-man" cried Garcia.
"He text me. Something's wrong, we need to get to his apartment"
"Morgan what did he say?" Rossi said, keeping his voice calm and composed, unlike JJ and Garcia.
Morgan held his phone up to Hotch and it was passed around the team, each of their faces turning fearful as they read the text.
"Morgan, something's happened, I don't have time to explain, just, just please hurry, tell the others only them, please"
"We...we need to get to him... NOW" Emily whispered.
"Should we get backup?" Asked JJ.
"No. From the sound of it someone is with him and we can't risk his life on backup. We go alone. It may not be anything serious." Hotch said, doubt rising within him, unable to even convince himself with his last sentence.
"Pretty boy might have just ran out of coffee" Morgan feebly joked, though his gut twisted in fear.
"Morgan, Rossi and Emily take an SUV, JJ, Alex and I will follow behind. We should..."
"Hotch, don't you dare leave me here, if he's in trouble I have to make sure he's alright"
"Garcia, I am not putting you in danger."
"This isn't up for discussion, you're all going, I am not being kept in the dark"
Hotch looked around at the others, hoping they'd convince her to stay, but Garcia's folded arms stance had stumped them all. They knew she had a point, they wouldn't want to stay
Hotch decided not to argue, holding his arms up in surrender. He certainly wouldn't stay. "Fine you ride with Morgan. Let's go now. Try to call Reid" he nodded to Morgan, who already had the phone to his ear.
"Anything?" Asked Hotch as he soared over the speed limit, pelting down the highway.
"This is Dr Spencer Reid. I cannot reach the phone at this time. Thank you for calling, I will be sure to get back to you if you leave a message after the tone"
"No. Straight to voicemail" Alex mumbled, her hands shook with fear.
"What if we're too late?" JJ said, he voice trembling.
"Too late for what. JJ, we don't even know what the situation is" Alex said furiously redialling Reid's number and clutching her phone close to her ear.
"JJ, don't work yourself up on the ifs. We will get there, we will sort everything."
"This is doctor Spencer Rei..."
"Damn it." Alex shouted, dropping her phone into her lap.
"I knew that something was wrong when he didn't come in. I should've driven straight here as soon as I got to work, Reid is always early." Morgans voice was laced with guilt and anxiety. He was meant to protect Reid, he was like a brother to him, and older brothers were supposed to protect their younger siblings and he'd let him down.
" Morgan, you cannot blame yourself. None of us knew." Rossi assured.
"And we don't even know if anything bad has happened, like you said he may have run out of coffee, I doubt he'd be in any fit state to come in or buy more coffee if he'd run out." Emily distracted herself with these thoughts. He's fine. Probably fallen in the shower. Probably lost his keys or his gun. He's not hurt. He's fine. He's fine!
Garcia was uncharacteristicly quiet durning the journey, nervously biting her lip, breaking the skin in two areas and feeling the metallic tang of blood dance on her tongue. No one engaged her in conversation. In both SUVS, the team memebers were quiet, silently praying for their youngest memeber.
When they arrived, they all jumped out of the vehicles. They unholstered their guns and all of them, including Garcia, wore a FBI Kevlar vest. Morgan kept Garcia behind the others, she didn't have a gun or any physical training. Morgan and Hotch entered the apartment building guns raised.
When they got to Reid's door, Hotch went for the handle. When it was locked, Morgan pushed through and kicked it down.
"I have spare keys in my pocket, Morgan" Rossi said, his voice low and serious.
Morgan slowly stepped inside, followed by Hotch and the rest of the team, Garcia hanging back where Hotch had ordered her to stay until the apartment was clear.
Hotch and Emily started down the hallway, turning into the bedroom. Rossi took the bathroom, and Morgan took the study. JJ and Alex remained in the living room/Kicthen and examined the area. Emily glanced around the bedroom, Hotch checked under the bed and in the wardrobe. "Clear" he shouted. This was followed by a "Clear" from Rossi, and a "study's clear" from Morgan.
The apartment was empty, untouched, unscathed, everything in its proper place. Reid was the only thing that appeared missing. A book lay open on his coffee table, several lay strewn on the floor. A cup of coffee sat, half full and stone cold on the kitchen counter. Alex inspected the coffee.
"He was either in a rush and forgot about this or he never got the chance to finish it. It's a possibility he's been taken" Alex mumbled.
"No sign of a struggle. He could've been drugged." Rossi said.
Morgan holstered his gun and huffed in frustration, taking his face in his hands. "Where the hell is he?!" He moaned, dropping to the couch. A wave of tiredness coming over him suddenly. The rest of the team joined him around the living room, feeling disappointed and overcome with fatigue
"Garcia, did you shut the door?" JJ asked, nothing that the broken door was back in its normal position, the lock in pieces still.
"Um...no, I don't think so, i waited till it was clear... and... god... I swear I had an early night" she mumbled stifling a yawn.
"You're telling me. This has knocked all the energy out of me. I think I'm just over worked with worry" Rossi said flopping down in a chair by Emily who lent limply against one of Reid's many book cases.
"Let's get outta here" Morgan said, his words slurring slightly.
"We should get back to the BAU. get crime scene investigators here, and we need to track his phone." Hotch didn't feel like moving from the kitchen counter, his body felt weak and tired.
"Oh, no can do, Hotch. His phones here" Alex pointed to the silver phone and went to retrieve it, staggering to the floor. She didn't get back up. She sat on the floor holding the phone, staring at the floor as if she'd forgotten what she was supposed to be doing.
"We will have to pull up CCTV on this building and the train station when we get back. Can you do that Garcia?" Asked Hotch.
"No, we should just stay here, I...mmm...I need to sleeeeep." Garcia whined.
"Are you feeling alright,Garcia? You're not thinking straight" said Alex
"Penelope, Reid is officially missing. Why the hell would you... can you smell something?" JJ was up on her feet, the others hadn't the energy to even move.
"Guys, can you...can you smell that!?"
"Oh shit! LOOK!" Emily pointed to a tube snaked through the window, she could see billowing waves of colourless gas float in, it looked like a heatwave.
"Are...we bein gasssssed?" Slurred Morgan. Who's head fell limply on his chest at that point. "MORGAN!" JJ yelled.
She stumbled to the window to push out the tune, but her knees buckled half way to it, and she slipped onto the floor.
"Someone...pussssh eeet out" she wheezed, feeling exhaustion grasp her limps.
No one moved, instead their eyelids drooped. There was a crash from the living room where Emily slumped from the bookshelf to the floor, unconscious. Hotch held out the longest, unable to move, but struggling to stay awake, until he too felt the floor connect with his body and he was out for the count.
(Hours later)
Morgan woke first, to clipped whispers and an uncomfortable feeling. He was on the floor, his arms and legs were tied. His stiff body ached from the hard floor and the restless, unwanted sleep.
He pushed himself up, the duct tape cut into his wrists which were strung tightly behind his back. He squinted into the darkness,wincing in pain. Asmall dingy light was hung from the ceiling shining a lurid orange onto the centre of the room. It's glare was soft, but unforgiving, biting into his sensitive vision.
It was then he noticed his other team members. All unconscious.
Rossi was closest to him. The Italians brow was furrowed and he shifted several times, small uncomfortable moans escaping him. JJ and Emily were lent against each other in sitting positions, Emily's head lolling to the side her eyes dancing beneath her eyelids. Hotch was further away, his back to them taking deep shallow breaths. Alex was closest to Hotch, her back leant against bars, her body twisted at an awkward angle. Garcia was gaining consciousness she was slumped against the opposite wall trembling, her arms and legs, which hadn't been tried like the others, were jigging nervously.
"Baby girl? are you alright?" Morgan called to her, snapping her out of her trembling sub conscious state.
"Morgan, is that you?" Her eyes began adjusting, and tears began to well up in them. She gathered herself up and lumbered over to him. Falling beside him and embracing him, tears of relief falling onto his shoulders.
"Oh God Morgan, what happened? W..Why are we here?" She cried, Emily and Rossi began to stiff out of there fitful sleeps.
"I don't know, I was out before you. I don't remember anything after that." He paused looking up at her in sympathy. " Can you untie me, the tapes cutting into me" Morgan gestured to him legs and arms.
"Oh...sorry" she de tangled herself from him. " why wasn't I tied up?" She said, pulling apart the tape.
"My guess is that you're the least threatening, and they didn't want to risk having us untied while they transported us."
"Damn right!" Someone croaked. "I woke up on the way here, scared the shit out of them when I punched one. No doubt that I'm the reason they tied us up. They probably left Penelope untied to she could untie us when they locked us in...in uh... are we in a cage?" Rossi was now fully concious, he was gazing around the large basement in bewilderment, a blossoming purple bruise over his right eye.
"Jeez man, I take it they punched you back" Morgan said hissing in sympathy.
Morgan stumbled over to the older agent whilst Garcia went to the girls. He slowly pulled off the tape, noticing Rossi wince at the first harsh tug.
"Yea, My head wasn't too clear at the time. Morgan, have you looked around..."
"Rossi's right, we're in a cage!" Garcia gasped. The large basement was cut into two sections, the one they were in was about half If not a little more of the room, and it was cut off from the other open area by thick bars that the team recognised from prisons.
The other half looked like a workshop, tools hung from the walls and shelves littered with odds and sods. The floor was clean and clear, it looked like a stage, the light shone down on it, a stark contrast to the dark prison they were encaged in.
Within a few minutes the agents were all free of their bounds, those conscious ru bing their raw wrists.
Emily had woken, and JJ was slowly waking up. Hotch was still dead to the world his back shaking with cold. Alex had woken up, but she hadn't spoken, instead opting for holding her head in her shaky hands.
"Wha...what happ...nd?" JJ groaned, still lent on Emily who was staring at her hands.
"Look around you JJ, isnt it obvious what's happened! We've been kidnapped that's what!" Morgan growled angrily, pacing from wall to wall, teeth clamped down on each other.
"Calm down hot chocolate, getting angry won't solve anything" she wrapped her blue finger nailed hands over his shoulders, pulling him down to sit next to her. His stomping around had sent a feverish panic through her body and she didn't need that right now.
" I don't like this one bit..." Rossi said pacing back and forth across the room.
"Where's Reid?" A quiet voice broke the silence, and they all turned to see a disheveled Hotch pulling himself over to them.
"REID! Oh god I forgot, how...oh... how could I forget" Garcias eyes filled with guilty and scared tears.
"Hey, calm down. All of you. We know the same as we did before, which is that he's missing, if you ask me he's probably safer than us..."
"Rossi, this guy who took us, probably has reid! He was in his fucking apartment! We could be dead alrea..."
"HOTCH! Don't think like that. Look I'm Sorry. I'm worried about the kid, but I'd rather hope that he's alright, I mean we are in no better position, we should focus on that for now. We can't control what happens to Reid but we can control what we do."
Hotch turned away. He couldn't take his focus off the youngest team member, he couldn't even think straight.
Rossi began to offer a profile on the unsubs who'd taken them, Hotch heard "partner" "wants all of us" and "organised". He was too busy going through all the scenarios that Reid could be facing.
"How long d'you think we've been here?" Emily asked, he voice quivering.
"It's been about 20 minutes since I woke up, and I expect we were asleep for a couple of hours if they transported us too, but saying that Rossi did wake up, so the drug must not have been that strong." Morgan offered.
" it's cold" JJ whispered, tears streaked her cheeks and he eyes were red and puffy.
"Oh Jayje, you poor thing, here" Garcia wrapped her hands around JJ. "Reid would give you a fact about body warmth right now" she said smiling weakly.
Silence enveloped them as movement began to stir behind the basement door.
The door to the top of the basement crashed open, and footsteps creaked down the steps.
"Agents! So nice to see you awake, I see the pretty girl untied you all. I tie you up after that one decided to be a hero, didn't work to well did it?." Rossi scofed.
"Now now, don't want a matching black eye do you?" He said a cold smile crept over his wry mouth. This unsub looked like an average joe, a t shirt and black trousers hugged his mediocre muscles. The guy behind him, however, was huge, his muscles protruded from his sleeveless top, his arms were crossed and his black eyes watched the agents with deep hatred.
"You're all probably wondering why you're here? Am I correct?" He grinned at them. Hotch's anger took control and he marched to the bars slamming his hand on them.
"WHERE THE HELL IS REID!?" He shouted, spit flying from his mouth.
"Oh Aaron, temper temper." He pulled a gun from his shelf. "I will use it if you get out of hand."
"Now I had a question for you too. But it seems you can't answer it for me. Pity."
Rossi's clam voice broke through. "You said you'd tell us why we're here."
"Oh, Hotch has already given you a reason to be here. You're precious little Spencer. But where o where could he be" the unsub mocked a thoughtful stance.
"See, I was going to ask you, agents, where little Spencer was. You see, he didn't turn up to work this morning, he wasn't at his apartment and he doesn't seem to be here. I do hope he's not late. I hear he doesn't have much of a track record of that happening. I mean, really he should be here, unless you didn't invite him" he glanced at the other man who nodded solemnly holding up a bag containing what the team recognised as their phones. "Oh it looks like you did invite him after all. How rude of him to be late. We will just have to go pick him up." The unsub was clearing mocking them now.
"Did you text him? What did you tell him, you son of a bitch!" Morgan barked.
"Please, where is he? Don't hurt him." Begged Emily.
"Agent Morgan, I do believe it was you who text him. Maybe you're confused. And Miss prentiss, we have not touched a single hair on his head. Yet. You've gotta wait, you see, for the right time. I didn't think that grabbing him from his apartment was good enough. I'd prefer him to go out with a... BANG!"
The guy next to him laughed deeply, while the unsub snickered at the fear that crossed the tea,s faces.
He turned to the guy behind him and winked. "Quite literally, isn't that right James"
"DONT TOUCH HIM!" Shouted Morgan.