"…I'm sorry. Meet at the police station in an hour…. Bye Morgan." Hotch finish the very uncomfortable. Even though Reid was right and he was their boss he had still messed up. Morgan was mad at him, and he had reason to. He had thrown away important evidence, Jonathan might have had something important to say and now they would never know. People could get hurt because of it, and it was all his fault.
The drive to the high school was short. The parking lot was full of cars, and there were only a few empty spots in the front with "Visitor" painted in the center left. Hotch parked the car and the two agents started for the door. It was about 1 now so that meant that everyone would most likely be in class at the time, not at lunch.
Small facts ran through Reid's head about this school as they got closer to the door. There are 3,000 students, 30 staff, and 10 security guards including 3 resource officers. The principle, Mr. Brown, was runner up for the National Teacher of the Year Award, and had worked here for 5 years. Also because of threats to the school it was required that every student wear his/her ID at all times and that visitors had to show ID and sign in when entering the building.
This little fact came through his mind to later. Hotch and him were just entering the building. The hall was long and lined with green and blue lockers. There were only a few students down it and all were heading the other way. A foot away from the door sat a table with "sign in" on a peace of paper hanging on the front. A man in a cop uniform stood at to the left and another man sat behind it.
At the sign of two men walking into the school with guns at their belts alarmed both. The officer pulled out his own gun and pointed it at them, mainly Hotch, though, since Reid did not look like a big challenge and he could only aim at one at a time. The other picked up a walky-talky that was on the table.
Reid and Hotch both shot their hands in the arm, not wanting to cause trouble. "Sorry Hotch, I should have remembered sooner but they have really tight security…" Reid muttered trying not to let them hear, but also not causing alarm.
"I'm Agent Hotchner, and this is Agent Reid. We're with the FBI." He said.
"Grab you badges one at a time and don't make any sudden moves." The officer said and the man with the walky-talky watched ready to call some one.
Hotch obeyed first. Lowering only his left hand he reached into his pocket inside his coat and pulled out the badge. Then he set it on the table in front of him. Reid slowly followed his led and lowered his right hand. Moving slowly past the gun he grabbed his badge out of his pocket and throw it to the table.
The man at the table set the walky down and grabbed both. "Special Agent Aaron Hotchner and Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid." He said laying the badges on the edge of the table.
"Sorry, but we can't be to sure." The officer said putting his gun away and the two agents reclaimed their badges.
"If you could just sign in." The man said pointing to a sign in sheet. At Hotch leaned into to sign he asked, "You're here about Stephanie, aren't you?"
"We'd like to talk to some of her students." Hotch explained handing the pen to Reid, "Do you know were we should go."
"I would first go and talk to Mr. Brown, in the main office. Right through those doors." The man said pointing a few first to the right at a pair of large glass doors with a sign, in blue letters, saying "Main Office".
Hotch nodded and the two started to them. "Mr. Brown?" Hotch asked in a soft voice.
"The principle." Reid answered.
Hotch led the way through the large doors and they found themselves in a room filled with many other doors surrounding them. The only thing that was in this room was about ten chairs lining the wall and a large desk in the center. The agents walked to the desk where an older lady sat with a computer and a pile of papers.
"Looks like JJ's desk " Hotch muttered really just trying to break some of the tension that was still between the two, and the new tension that had formed from being stopped with guns.
"Yeah." Was Reid's only word.
"Can I help you?" The old lady asked in a kind voice.
"Yeah, we're agents from the FBI and we need to speak with," He looked at Reid for a split second, "Mr. Brown."
"The FBI hu?" She said, but yet did not ask for ID. She probably trusted the men out side would have made sure that was true. "One second. Mr. Brown the FBI is here to see you." She said pressing a button on a phone that you could barely see under the papers.
A second later the door right behind opened and a tall white male came out. His hair looked surprisingly a lot like Gideon's had. "The FBI? You have to be kidding me! You, sir, not to be rude, have to be still in college!"
"Dr. Reid is one of the highest in his class." Hotch said sternly not matching Mr. Brown's fun tone.
"A doctor too! Wow son!"
"Mr. Brown can we please speak with you in your office?" Hotch asked kindly.
"Sure, sure, and please call me Evan." With that he turned back into the open door.
"No wonder he almost got national principle of the year!" Reid muttered as the two made their way around the desk.
"Why?"
"Kids in my school would have killed to have someone like him."
"Wouldn't you have?" Hotch asked blindly stepping into the room.
"Hotch this is be the first time I've ever been in the principle's office!"
"A day of firsts for you, isn't it?" It slipped out. He had not meant to say it aloud but he couldn't stop himself. Reid stopped in mid-stride in the thresh hold of the office. "Reid, I didn't mean that!"
"I know." Reid said and continued into the office.
When the two were finally in they found Evan sitting at his neat desk. They each took a seat in one of the two chairs in front of the desk. Both could not help but notice that Evan had pictures of over 200 students on his desk, but none with a family.
"What can I do for you Agent…?"
"Hotchner."
"Agent Hotchner, Dr. Reid?"
"We would like to talk to a few of Stephanie Colgate's students." Hotch explained.
"About what? What could they tell you?" Evan asked.
"We're profilers. We look for things like behavior and other things that you might not expect." Hotch explained.
"Ok, it is about…" He said looking down at his watch. "…1:10. Class gets out at 1:09. I will put out an announcement. You can you to room 117, and they should all be there in a few minutes."
"Ok thank you." Hotch said and stood. Reid followed his movement and they turned and left. As they exited the main office Hotch turned to Reid and muttered, "Do you know where room 117 is?"
"Um… no I don't know everything…"
"Right…"
"Um, but knowing the out line of most buildings 100s are on the ground floor and 200s are on the 2nd. The office is…" Slowly he turned and found next to the glass doors was white numbers on a black rectangle. "…107, so it should be down this hall and the first turn."
With out a word the two started down the hall. There were a few more students then there had been before but it was still very vacant. A few meters they came to the first turn, a right down a shorter hall with no lockers lining the wall. Hotch hesitated for a second then led Reid down it.
At that point a voice came over the intercom. Right away they could tell that it was Mr. Brown. He started with how he was sorry to cut in at the last minutes of class. Then he moved swiftly on to tell them how the FBI was here and wanted to talk to kids that know Mr. Colgate, and only knew her.
As Evan continued on, on how he would be so mad if they wasted the agents time they past room 110, room 111, room 112, room 113 and room 114 then they came to another turn. Yet the hall they we're still going down was not done yet. It looked like there could still be at least 4 classrooms before it stopped at a stair case. The agents continued down and at the last door before the stairs they found room 117.
Unlike the other rooms there was no one in this one. The two walked in through the open door. The room was not that colorful, there were only a few posters on the wall that had some math significance. Other then that the walls were a off-white. It was also not the biggest room. There were about 30 desks in 5 rooms 6. In the front right corner, across from the door, was a desk.
As soon as they were in the room Mr. Brown stopped talking. Both kind of looked up, like they had forgotten that he had been talking. Then seconds later a long ring rang through the halls and room. Just seconds later a sea of noise flooded the halls. Students started to pass the open door, and most of their eyes were glued on the two profilers. Over all the noise the FBI could catch a few comments directed to them.
"Why do you thing there is no one is this room?" Hotch asked stepping further into the room.
"It's Colgate's free periods." Reid answered. When Hotch gave him a blank share he pointed his skinny finger at a schedule taped to the side of the gray desk. "5th and 6th periods are her planning periods."
Hotch stepped closer and nodded. Then he looked back at the door and the two watched as tall, short, skinny, not so skinny, and everything in between pass them. A minute passed before the first student turned into the room. It was a medium size boy who looked to be at least a sophomore, in a way he looked a lot like half Hotch and half Reid.
"Take a seat; we'll be with you in a minute." Hotch said directing the boy to the desks. Another minute passed before another student came in. This was the pass of it all passing period. When the bell finally rang there were five students sitting in the room, two boys and three girls. Out of all of them the girl who came in last looked like she had something important.
"I'm Agent Hotchner, and this is Agent Reid." Hotch said closing the door. "We're going to talk to you one at a time in the back of the room. We'll start with you…" Hotch pointed to the Hotch/Reid boy.
"Adam." He said and followed the two to the back of the room.
Once in the back they sat down and started to talk. Adam didn't have much to say, just that Mrs. Colgate was a very nice teacher and that he really enjoyed her class. He also hinted that he had a thing for her, but yet she had no thoughts like that. The next boy said just about the same thing, even the thing she was fine part. The next girl said that Colgate was one of her best friends, as a teacher. She was very kind and fun, but yet she got things done in class and she actually learned geometry from her.
"And you are?" Hotch asked the fourth student.
"Jessica." She answered.
"And what do you have to say?"
"Everyone liked Mrs. Colgate. She was nice, and fun, but yet she only really cared about the really popular kids. She is still nice to kids like… well… me, but yet the ones she really pays attention to is those who have a lot or friends. She is also very courteous. She tries hard not to offend anyone. The other day when we we're learning about HL Postulates…"
"HL Theorem." Reid muttered.
"….Um... and then the Donkey Postulate instead of the A.S.S. Postulate… Everyone was saying it but not her…."
"Donkey postulate? Hotch asked though he really did not want to know so he said, "Thank you."
With that Jessica got up and left the room. Then the last girl walked up, the one that the profilers really wanted to speak to.
"Kelly." She said before anyone could ask. In her hand she was turning a round a rubix cube. "Steph was like a mother to me. I love her and she loved me. Everyone knew that we were close but no one know how close it was. I'm a foster child and she was always there for me, but yet her husband would not adopt. He said that if they were going to have a child then it would have to be their's, or at least a very young baby so that it would seem that it was their's and not a 16 year old girl."
"That could give us a motive and a suspect." Hotch muttered but Reid wasn't listening. His mind was set on the a rubix cube. He had noticed something that was kind of weird and now his mind turned it till it was finished. What he saw was weirder.
"Can I see that?" he asked holding out his hand.
"Um… sure?" Kelly said handing it to him.
As Reid started to turn it Hotch snapped, "Reid now is not the time to play games!" He did not listen in a second he held out the finished product. "Reid!"
"You finished it!"
"How could you do that Reid?! It's not your!" Hotch snapped. Reid turned it to the side to show him what he had seen.
It was a weird shape where the H8 would have been normally. ((It looked like this: htttp://i160((dot))photobucket((dot))com/albums/t184/emerald042/111((dot))jpg: where is says ((dot)) but a "."))
"What's that?" Hotch asked.
"I don't know but it is not normal?" Reid answered.
"Where did you get this?" Hotch asked Kelly.
"Steph gave it to me."
"When?"
"It came in the mail last night."
"The mail?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, thank you." Hotch pulled out his cell phone and took a picture of the sign and led Reid out of the room. As they walked throw the empty halls he dialed a number. "Garcia I'm sending you a picture, print it out for everyone and get it to the police department. Then try and see if you can figure it out." With that he hung up. The two exited the school and hopped into the car and started down the road. Before they knew it they were at the police station.
Reid paused at the doors. Hotch looked back a bit annoyed. "Come on!" Reid did not move and just looked down. "Reid is this going to be a problem! Then you were a civilian and now you are the FBI."
"No… I… I will be good." With that he followed him into the building. The second he entered his eyes traced over all the faces and picked out all the people he knew from the crash sight. Steadily he walked in a way that kept him as far away from them as he could be with out being noticeable.
Soon they found themselves in the conference room with the rest of the time. "We got the picture from Garcia, what is it?" Morgan said the second they walked in.
"One of the students had it. She got it from Colgate last night through the mail." Hotch explained.
"So you think it is from the unsub?" Emily asked.
"We found out that she is very well respected by her students, she was very likeable and fun." Hotch said.
"And she was popular when she was in high school and now that shows in her work." Reid added.
"We found that the unsub was directly trying to kill her. He stood in the door way and shot her, long distance." Morgan said.
"So he did not want contact." Reid muttered.
"But yet she was still in the chair when she was shot, so that means he some how over powered her to be there. Most likely used the gun to get in and said set or I will kill you." Emily added.
"We're ready to give a profile." Hotch said. "Come on Reid."
"Um… I don't think I want to." He said looking at the ground.
"Reid I thought you could do this!" Hotch snapped.
"I can!"
"Sorry Reid, but go home, get some rest and forget about the d--- wreck."
"Hotch!"
"Now Reid!"
With that Reid stood and headed out of the building.
