Chapter 3
"Last night I had a revelation
Somehow I have to make you pay
It's all about manipulation
And what it takes to get my way
I don't believe in soft solutions
No one makes a fool of me
Without receiving retribution
No one hurts me and goes free
I'll play on your fears, I'll leave you in tears
You'll never be the same, my friend
You're walking a line, it's a matter of time
You'll never rest easy again
I've got the power to bring you down
I've heard it said, to err is human
It's forgiveness that's divine
I thought about forgiving you, but
I want revenge, I want what's mine
I think it's time to settle scores now
It's time to set the record straight
You'll know it's coming, you won't know how
Or when, you'll have to watch and wait
I'll play on your fears, I'll leave you in tears
You'll never be the same, my friend
You're walking a line, it's a matter of time
You'll never rest easy again
I've got the power to bring you down
You know, it feels intoxicating
To be intimidating
It's invigorating
To see you shaking
I've got the power to bring you down
You know something, you see it coming,
You know I will stop at nothing." – Red Delicious
The team was all sitting around the conference room table.
"Absolutely not, Reid." Hotch's voice was fierce. The kind of tone you didn't argue with. Reid did anyway.
"We could try and draw him out. Post police around where he can't seem them. Wire me. Hotch I can do this! It's not like I would even be in any danger I –"
"Not in any danger Reid!" Hotch's voice rose his face becoming dark. He grabbed the photo of Reid sitting in the middle of the table and shoved it in his face. "Is this what you want to happen, is that how you want to end up?" He was breathing hard. "Because that's what he wants to do to you!" The team watched the exchange in silence, wide eyed.
"He threatened you guys." Reid's voice was soft, small, in comparison to Hotch's. "If he came after one of you…"
"It won't happen, Reid." Morgan had stepped in for Hotch who seemed unable to speak, his eyes stormy. "They're already issuing us all protection as we speak."
"What if it isn't enough."
"Reid." It was Hotch again. "This is my decision as your boss and you have to abide by it. That, or pack your bags and don't come back. I can't use an agent who won't follow orders." Silence. Reid shot his boss a very un-Reid like glare.
"Fine."
Hotch's face softened. "I know how hard this is for you Reid, but it's for the best." He shifted to face the rest of the team. "We have a lot of work to do. Seaver, get the note and envelops down to forensics. They probably won't find much on the envelopes except Reid's fingerprints on the first and our delivery man's on the second but it's worth a shot. Garcia – how skilled computer wise would our unsub have to be to make those pictures convincing?"
"Very. It's all in working from a base photo and manipulating it, building it up, changing colours, anything and everything. It takes practise to know what to do."
"Good. Look for classes in digital photography – online as well, with registrants in our area."
"Also check the background of anyone close by working as a professional photographer, particularly in a modeling agency. They have access to the kind of equipment needed to create the photos and the experience – you should see what they do to those photos." Prentiss added. Garcia nodded flipping her laptop open. She had been nervous about returning to her office after seeing the pictures so she's had her laptop brought out.
"I shall have what you need so fast the earth's rotation will reverse and time shall go backwards."
"The rest of the team use Reid to start pulling case files. Start with anything where Reid played a larger than usual role and the unsub did time but is now, for whatever reason, no longer behind bars. Also look into any cases where threats were made specifically against him either by the unsub themself or family members." An almost imperceptible pause and then Hotch continued. "Look back over Hankel as well. At the very least the unsub knows the case well, too well. It could be a relation we missed the first time over, a friend, or it could even be a law enforcement officer who worked on the case with us. On second thought, Garcia, maybe it's best to widen your searches to include Georgia as well."
Reid paled. That wasn't exactly a part of his life he wanted to delve back into. Everyone had their dark points in their life, that kidnapping and later drug addiction were his. He was so caught up, the memories flooding, that he didn't notice the inquisitive confusion evident on Rossi's face.
"What happened on that case? I've heard you talk about others, but never that one." The whole room went instantly quieter. Reid stayed silent hoping Rossi would take the hint. No, they certainly didn't talk about it. Rossi put a hand on Reid's shoulder.
"I understand its hard Reid. I understand this all is. But if you want me and Ashley to be able to help we have to know. Otherwise we're a liability."
Reid felt a shiver run involuntarily down his spine but he knew Rossi was right. Besides, it had been years, shouldn't he be over it by now. He took a deep breath and nodded in Rossi's direction. He would fill his newest team mates in on what had happened but not more than he had to.
"Rossi and I will focus on Tobias together. Ashley too once she's done with forensics." Rossi smiled gratefully but his eyes were sad.
"I also want everyone to know," Hotch breathed in heavily, "That Strauss has removed us from the case we were about to take and reassigned it just until this mess is over but we don't want our unsub to know that. We show up here every day as if we're still working it. If he's watching us, like we think, then he'll know by the police presence that we're not joking around but we can't let him think he's gotten too far into our heads. Police will be present at all times as escorts and will watch each of our houses along with the BAU. Even so, I don't want anyone taking any chances. No one goes anywhere for the next little while without another member of the team with them. Is that clear?" Nods all around the table, Reid's coming last. None of them were willing to argue with Hotch. Besides, they knew how fast threats could turn ugly if they weren't taken seriously. Sometimes, even, if they were.
"Let's get started."
Aaron Hotchner was frustrated. No, Aaron Hotchner was angry. Angry that someone was threatening his team, threatening Reid. Angry that in nearly 13 hours of research, of hectic phone calls and Garica's furious typing, that they had only one thing – nothing. He cursed as he made his way up the walk in front of his house police men beside him. There just wasn't enough to go on. As they'd expected, forensic analysis of the envelopes and not had been a dead end and Garica's research hadn't turned up anything unusual, at least not yet. Reid was doing his best to point out cases they'd worked on that he felt the unsub they'd profiled could be capable of what was happening now but there were just too many files. Even the genius's brain had its limits. He'd wanted to keep searching longer, but he knew that his team couldn't stay at it forever, they needed rest. So around 10:30 he'd sent them to text an update in the morning and that they would reconvene early back at the BAU. The others were taking his advice to heart making plans to stay with one another. Rossi had volunteered to be partnered with him but Hotch knew that his team mate, if given the choice, would rather be paired with Seaver so he could make sure she was alright so he'd politely declined. Garcia and Morgan had quickly paired up and Emily had surprised him by informing him that she was staying at Reid's house. Hotch had shrugged off their protests and decided to stay on his own. He'd already called earlier t have Jack taken to his aunt's house until the whole thing was over.
He would be fine, he thought as the policeman instructed him to lock all his doors and windows. His thoughts were with the others. Would the unsub try and attack one of them because he'd ordered Reid to stay inside? Reid would blame himself if it happened but that wasn't fair to the poor kid. It hadn't been his call, it had been Hotch's. He just hoped it was the right one.
After securing the last of his windows Hotch flopped onto his couch and was just about to pick up the remote when he thought he heard a noise upstairs. He felt a burst of adrenaline kick through his body trying to run wild inside him but he held it back grabbing calmly for his gun. No one was supposed to be inside the house, no one. It had already been cleared and all the police officers were now outside. He made his way to the kitchen raising his gun as he did so. Before he could react, someone had stepped out from behind the doorway and he had the cold metal of a gun pressed to his forehead.
"Drop the gun, Agent Hotchner, or you'll taste lead. Am I clear?" The voice was calm, cold, calculating. "Now, agent."
He laid his gun down slowly on the floor, wishing there was some way he could alert the police officers sitting just outside. The man with the gun to his skull seemed to read his mind. "Any noises, Agent Hotchner, anything, and you won't be the only casualty Dr. Reid finds in the morning." He nodded slowly. If someone was going to pay for his decision, it was only right that is was him. He couldn't let the others take the fall.
"What do you want?"
"I want to teach you a lesson." The man smiled in a way that made Hotch want to shiver. "Did you really think it would be that easy? Did you actually believe that a couple of police men would keep you and your team safe?" He shook his head back and forth. "Should have taken your own advice, agent Hotchner. Pairing up, a smart idea."
There it was, that smile again. The man pulled the gun away from his head and aimed it lower, at his chest. Hotch barely had the time to realise it had been modified so it wouldn't make any sound before the man pulled the trigger twice sending waves of pain roaring through him. He let out a short gasp and fell to the tile floor. "Tell Dr. Reid that this was a warning. Next time, there won't be any second chances." The gunman walked behind him and out of sight. He heard the man go back up the stairs and in that moment Hotch wasn't sure he would get the chance to pass on the message. The last thing he heard was a second voice, upstairs, talking to the man who had shot him.
He's not working alone, Hotch realised. Then darkness claimed him for its own.
Looks like poor Hotch is in trouble! I wanted to thank everyone for all the lovely reviews. I'm floored that you guys are enjoying reading this even half as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Next time: guilt consumes Reid and another note is on its way. Don't forget to review, it makes me want to write more if I know you're reading!
