Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters in any way. Simply borrowing them for my own pleasure.

I did not use a beta reader, so all mistakes are my own.

Characters' thoughts are in italics

Chapter 2 – A Rabbit out of a Hat

Goren and Eames entered the interrogation room and walled around the gray metal table to the two empty chairs. The notes and crime scene photos from the case were fanned out in front of them.

Alex watched Bobby studiously ignore the photos, knowing several of them were of Frank's lifeless body.

After Bobby had chosen his seat, she had scooted her chair just ever so slightly toward toward him, just close enough to let him know with her proximity that he wasn't going to have to face this alone. He had given her a quick glance that told her he was grateful for her support.

Spencer had noted the gesture and the look that passed between the two detectives. He quietly studied Detective Goren carefully. His face is more open now and he doesn't seem to be as shut down as he did in his captain's office. His partner moved closer into his personal space and he welcomed it. She senses this won't not be easy for him and wants to help. That dynamic is going to be a factor I need to keep in mind.

"Thank you for making time for us Detectives," began Agent Hotchner.

Bobby turned that intense Goren-stare of his on the dark haired Federal agent. "It's not exactly like we had much of a choice Hotch," he responded, surprising Alex with his obvious familiarity with the older of the two men.

Hotch gave him a wry smile, studying the detective right back. "It's been a while Bobby."

"Yeah, too long," Bobby answered. He glanced over at Alex. "I've known Aaron since he was a newly minted Field Agent and I was in the CID. We were both attending Forensic Psychology seminars given by his future boss, Jason Gideon and D-Declan back in the late 80's." Bobby's normally soft voice had gotten even softer as Declan's name passed through his lips.

It had probably been at least 5 years since they had physically seen each other, and Bobby's current appearance was somewhat shocking to Hotch. The Robert Goren in his head was an impeccably dressed, confident, enthusiastic individual, capable of spouting off random, yet vital, facts like no one he had ever met. Well, until he met Spencer that was. The man currently sitting in front of him was grayer, heavier, sporting a scruffy beard, almost visibly burdened by the recent events in his life. He hardly seemed like the same person. When the two men first met nearly 20 years ago, Aaron had known instantly that he was going to like the large, intense man and they had remained friends, if distant ones, ever since.

Bobby's mentor however, had been another story entirely. Hotch had never been drawn to Declan Gage the way so many others had, his own mentor Jason Gideon, included. He knew that even after Gage had been drummed out of the FBI and almost everyone connected with the world of criminal profiling had disowned him, Bobby had stayed loyal. Hotch admired him for that, but felt the price for that loyalty may had been way too high and could be about to increase dramatically.

Bobby now turned his gaze to the younger agent who was sitting silently, taking everything in. "I've read some of your work Dr. Reid. Very insightful."

"Uh," stuttered Reid, "Spencer is fine and frankly I'm surprised you would be familiar with anything I've written. I, I don't publish that often and my articles mostly end up in strictly hardcore science journals." He looked down at his hands as he spoke.

Alex watched Bobby dip his head and then look into Reid's face to get his eye contact before he answered the younger man. Here we go, she thought.

"'Sociopathic tendencies in mid-teen males' - published in the May 2004 issue of the Atlanta Scientific Journal and 'Right Brain, Left brain Incompatibility Issues in the Development of Late Onset Schizophrenia' published in the 2006 special edition of the Brain Development Monitor," Bobby rattled off easily.

Spencer hesitated just for a second then said, "Exactly right Detective Goren."

"It's Bobby"

Spencer nodded. "Okay. Thank you." Interesting way to get my attention. Excellent recall for facts. Hotch warned me not to underestimate him. I see why.

There was silence for a moment before Hotchner spoke up. "I'm sorry about your brother Bobby."

Bobby looked down at the table for a moment and twisted his mouth the way he did when he was stressed and upset. He brought his eyes back up to Hotch's before speaking. "Why are you here, Aaron? The BAU doesn't get rolled out for a dead junkie, even if he is the brother of an NYPD detective." His voice was hard, but it fooled no one. The grief he felt for his brother was etched clearly on his face.

"Gage recanted his confession."

"I heard that much in Ross' office. I know a 'company line' when I hear one." Bobby hadn't taken his eyes off Hotch's face since they began talking.

Hotch returned his gaze. "You knew why as soon as you saw us walk in your squad room."

"Have you spoken to Jason yet?"

"I, we," he amended, flashing a glance at the young doctor, "Don't know exactly where Jason is, not since he resigned two years ago. He gets in touch with us. I have the word out."

Alex finally couldn't control her confusion. "Gentleman, either ask me to leave or fill me in. What is this, a Pancake Supper at the CIA – half truths served along with your flap jacks?"

Spencer smiled briefly despite himself. "Sorry, Detective Eames."

"Call me Alex, " she told him. "I think we should be past Agent and Detective at this point." She had caught the quick smile and was struck by how different he looked when he wasn't so serious. Sort of like another law enforcement officer she knew pretty well.

Spencer looked at Hotch for approval and then began to speak. "The FBI has had Declan Gage and his activities on our watch list for years. When he was asked to leave the Bureau, not everyone he worked with at the time believed he deserved what he got for trying to bring in the serial killer Sebastian. His most vocal supporter at the time was Jason Gideon, our former boss and my-my friend. Jason kept in touch with Gage over the years and probably knows more about him than anyone, except your partner."

"I must be dense, I'm still not getting it." She crossed her arms and gave a frustrated sigh.

Hotch sat down on the edge of the table and turned toward Bobby. "Declan is claiming it was Sebastian who killed your brother and Nicole Wallace and now he is dangling the possibility of other victims. He says he was set up."

Bobby physically flinched. If he had been punched squarely in the face, it wouldn't have hurt as much as those words did. Other victims, dear God, no! "Donny?" he chocked out.

"Who's Donny?" asked Hotch. He faintly remembered a Donny being mentioned on the interrogation tape, but there was no reference to him anywhere in the file.

Alex quickly spoke up. "His nephew, Frank's only child. Donny's been missing for almost a year now, he escaped from an upstate prison where he was doing time on trumped up charges. Nicole Wallace alluded to his death in a note sent to Bobby, but no body was ever found. Gage claimed Donny wasn't harmed, but..." As she explained, she had quietly slid her hand over and lightly touched her partner's leg, giving it a small squeeze before she broke contact.

"Is the FBI really buying into this nonsense? Sebastian? Come on. What other rabbit would you expect Declan to pull out of his hat when he is cornered?" Bobby was shaking his head back and forth, his brain swirling with anger. Declan, you selfish sonofabitch. How many more bites do you need to take out of me?

"Bobby," Hotch began in an even voice. "Sebastian has never been brought in. You saw the crime scene photos, spoke to the one victim he didn't kill, saw the bodies of at least 3 woman he did murder. He's a violent and dangerous man who does have history with Gage. We have to consider all possibilities."

"Hopefully that includes the possibility that this is just another of Dec's games." Bobby tone dropped from angry to almost pleading before he added, "Hotch, he's sick. His symptoms fit Frontal Lobe Dementia, the early stages, but it's getting progressively worse. The signs are all there."

Spenser spoke up. "FLD is a disease found most statistically in men 40 to 65 years of age. Characterized by inappropriate or bizarre social behavior; difficulty recognizing consequences of personal behavior; personality changes involving increasing frustration levels and verbal outbursts usually aimed at care givers; lack of concern over personal appearance..."

When Spencer paused to take a breath, Bobby jumped in with, "Asphasia for common words, decreased ability for abstract thought, loss of impulse control. It's all there."

Alex resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This was worse than listening to Dueling Banjos. She glanced at Agent Hotchner who seemed to be unperturbed by the exchange of facts between the two human computers. And all this time I thought I was the only one sentenced to a life of fighting crime with Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective. Who knew there were others.

"Spencer and I reviewed the interrogation tape and read the file. But there's a problem." Hotch hesitated, hating to break this piece of news to his already overburdened friend."

"What?" Bobby's throat felt so tight he was surprised he got that one word out.

"The dementia can't be confirmed. Declan has been tested extensively by three different experts. He was tested originally by the NYPD after his confession, the results were negative. So your DA ordered a second test, this one came back with a potential diagnosis of FLD, but it was marginal at best. When we got involved, I sent one of the FBI's leading experts on Neurological Disorders to Riker's and he found no signs of the disease. Even his EEG's were clear."

"Actually Hotch," Spencer interjected, "The second EEG, the one where the marginal diagnosis of FLD was made, did show minute signs of decreased activity in the frontal lobe of Gage's brain. However, this could be explained by other factors, including the stress of being incarcerated.

"How can that be? He is not a good enough actor to have pulled off all the symptoms I saw. Damn, was I played even more than I thought I was?" Bobby bowed his head and rested it in his large hands, elbows on the table.

Hotch put his hand on Bobby's forearm and left it there until the detective looked up. "That's what we need to find out."

"So what do you need to know from me?"

"Everything," Spencer said. "We need to know everything."

"Is that all?" Alex snorted. "A piece of cake, huh partner?"

Spencer looked over at her and raised his eyebrows before speaking. "It's interesting that you should say that Alex, because you are the one who might hold the key to our best evidence so far."

TBC

A/N: Hope I am not making this too convoluted. Next up – Revelations from Alex, Bobby and...Jo Gage!