Chapter 4 – A Visit to the Spider's Web
Emily watched a man walk out of the first building as their car approached the next morning. She was sitting in the front passenger seat, and Reid and Rossi sat in the back.
"Is that Michael Chanceton?" she asked, glancing at the man coming towards them. He was average height with black hair, slightly graying at the sides. His goatee was sprinkled with gray hair.
"That's him," said Jerrod, pulling the car to a stop. Emily looked between Mr. Chanceton and Rossi.
"He looks a lot like you," she said with a slight smile.
"Yeah, but I pull it off better."
Emily shook her head with a smile and got out of the vehicle. As the others filed out, she went over to the man, who smiled warmly at her approach.
"You must be one of the FBI," he said warmly, grasping her hand. He had a firm grip that immediately lessened when he saw a faint grimace pass over Emily's eyes.
"Yes, I'm Agent Prentiss," she said. "I take it you're Mr. Chanceton?"
"Please, call me Brother Michael," he said. "Sorry about the handshake." Emily nodded her head while slowly rotating her wrist and flexing her hand.
"This is Dr. Reid," she introduced as Spencer approached, "and Agent Rossi. I believe you've met Agent Jerrod and Agent Kincaid before?"
Brother Michael nodded his head, shaking his hands with each of the agents. "It's nice to see you again." He looked at Reid and returned his slight wave. Emily noticed that the man didn't seem offended or troubled by Spencer not extending his hand. Some people were.
"I see you've found my evil twin," Brother Michael joked as he nodded towards Rossi. It was remarkable how similar they looked. Here, the differences were noticeable, but at a distance, the two could potentially pass for cousins.
"Shall we get started, then?" asked Rossi. "The sooner we get started, the better in my book."
"Of course," said Brother Michael turning to walk toward the first building. He stopped short. "Oh, are your weapons secured? And do you have any sharp instruments?"
The team looked at him. Their side arms were visible in their holsters. They certainly weren't hiding anything. Brother Michael turned to them.
"I don't suppose I can convince you to hand over your side arms?" he asked hopefully. "It's for safety, of course."
"What exactly is it that you do here?" asked Rossi, slowly unhooking his holster. He had absolutely no intention of handing over his weapon, but he was intrigued that Brother Michael would insist on asking. Brother Michael stepped forward slightly. Upon seeing that the gun wasn't being removed, he sighed.
"I understand. I would request, though that you keep a distance between you and the kids we have here. They may try and take advantage."
"You haven't answered his question," Reid responded as they approached the first building. He looked around. The complex consisted of two large white buildings, and a white picket fence surrounding the entire area. The groundcover consisted of a mixture of grass, soybeans and wheat in various stages of growth.
"What we do here will become evident soon enough," answered Brother Michael as he swung open the large doors.
They entered an extremely large room, larger than what the outside would indicate. It was divided into three basic areas through the use of interior walls and doors. In the first area were a dozen cots, lined up like beds in a field hospital. A small table was next to each one, and the cots themselves looked relatively comfortable with mattresses, a sheet set and a blanket. The second area consisted of a series of desks, a few bookcases and a chalkboard. The final area consisted of storage for a number of farm instruments.
A number of teenagers walked freely among the three areas. They were thin, and moved somewhat listlessly. Emily moved closer to one of them, a girl no more than fifteen. Her eyes looked glassy, and her skin was sallow and drawn. Reid looked around and recognized what he saw.
"This is a detox center," he said quickly. "Where are the doctors? This isn't a safe environment for something like this," he said. "Do you know how hard it is to go through withdrawal symptoms?" Rossi shook his head. So much for being subtle about this.
"Are you treating drug addictions here?" asked Rossi, looking narrowly at Brother Michael. "You need to be licensed and specially trained to do that, even in Texas."
"And we are," he replied, pointing over to a far wall. There were a series of certificates and licenses hanging on the wall. "I'm not a medical professional myself, but we do have at least three board certified doctors on staff at all times, as well as two psychologists, and two licensed social workers who visit the compound at least three times a week. As you can see, all sharp instruments have been removed, as well as any type of rope, ligature."
"They don't appear to be supervised, at all," said Emily. Brother Michael smiled slightly.
"That's only in appearance," he said, calling forth a young man, with a wave of his hand. 'We believe in allowing the kids to try and function on their own in a supervised environment."
The young man came over, and Emily noticed that he was tired, but he didn't have the same far away glassy look in his eyes as the others.
"This is Simon Bacall," introduced Brother Michael. He's one of our licensed social workers. We insert people like him into the incoming group to monitor their progress.
"Nice to meet you," said Simon, extending his hand. "Is there anything wrong, Brother Michael?"
"No, of course not, Simon," he answered with a smile and shake of his head. "These people are just here inspecting the place." Brother Michael looked at Emily. "Perhaps Simon can show you around?"
Emily looked at Spencer and Rossi. This seemed like the perfect opportunity. With a nod of her head she started walking towards Simon.
"Lead the way."
****************
So what's in the other building?" asked Rossi, as he and Reid started to walk with Brother Michael.
"That's our second stage," he answered. Most of these kids come here having already gone through the detoxification process. We use this first stage to help them through that initial adjustment when they're realizing that the drug isn't needed to complete their life. It's a very volatile and vulnerable time."
"Approximately 54% of addicts experience relapses within the first year," interjected Reid in his usual fashion. "61% experience multiple relapses." His spoke slightly faster. Rossi took a mental note; this inspection might be hard on him. He would have to check on him after this walk through was complete.
"That's very true, Dr. Reid," replied Brother Michael. "That's why we have a two stage process. Taking smaller, gradual steps in the beginning are the best approach according to the latest medical studies."
"What about substitution treatments?" asked Reid as they exited the first building. He looked over his shoulder. He felt uncomfortable leaving Emily behind.
"Most if not all the addictions we treat here aren't usually successfully treated with substitutions such as Methadone," said Brother Michael. "We simply don't have the facilities to dispense such medication."
"So they go through withdrawal without any help?" asked Reid, incredulously.
"No, their symptoms are monitored, and we have a direct line to hospitals in Austin and San Antonio. With help, the teenagers are able to manage their withdrawal symptoms. Ah, here we are."
With that, Brother Michael opened up the door to the second building. The inside was divided into a series of private rooms, each with a bed, a small bookcase, and a radio. Rossi noted a set of communal bathrooms at the far end of the building. It reminded him of his college dorm freshman year.
"So this is the upgrade," he reasoned, looking around. "How do you monitor them here? Closed circuit?"
Brother Michael nodded, and pointed to a series of surveillance cameras. "We keep everything monitored. The other building is under surveillance as well."
"What about the kids? How do they come here?"
"The kids come here from nearby cities and towns such as Austin or Houston," answered Brother Michael. The medical staff is provided with their medical information, but beyond that, we only know their first names. Some of these kids are runaways, some are coming from violent homes. They don't really trust us, yet, so we try to provide them with a sense of anonymity to allow them some sense of security."
"But if needed, you have a way to contact a relative or next of kin?" asked Reid. Brother Michael shook his head sadly.
"Unfortunately, we don't always find them," he said. "We do our best, but a lot of times, these kids have been forgotten by nearly everyone."
"What happens when their done here?" asked Emily, as she and Simon walked over to them.
"Well, in addition to getting clean, we help them to achieve their GED, and apply to colleges," answered Simon as they joined the group. "If they're old enough, that is."
"What about foster care? Do you guys work with a caseworker?" asked Rossi.
"Yes, we do. A caseworker from Austin comes by and checks in at least once a week," replied Simon.
"Look," said Brother Michael, looking at his watch. "I've got a group meeting that I need to sit in on. Please feel free to explore as much as you want. The compound is completely at your disposal, as well as any records that we can legally provide you. Hopefully you will find what you need."
**************
Reid sat down in the chair in Rossi's hotel room. Emily sat on the nearby bed, and Rossi and Agent Jerrod stood leaning against the wall.
"So what do you guys think?" asked Hotch's voice through the speakerphone. "Is this anything we need to be concerned about?"
"I don't think so," said Emily with a small shake of her head. "Everything appears to be on the up and up. They're doing everything according to the book. What about things at your end? Did Garcia find anything about Michael Chanceton?"
"Nothing that would pique our interest," Garcia said, the faint sound of typing apparent in the background. "Mr. Chanceton is a former school teacher, with a master's in education from Columbia with a minor is child psychology. He lived for a while in San Francisco before moving down to Texas."
"Any indication of undue attention to the kids?" asked Reid looking down at his hands.
"Nope. From what I've gathered, there were no complaints, and just about everyone was sad to see him relocate."
Back in Washington, Hotch leaned back in his chair in the conference room.
"It doesn't sound like this is a place we have to worry about," he said. "What's your assessment, Rossi?"
"I agree. We should let the locals know what is happening though. Try to paint it in a good light."
"I still think I should monitor the place," said Agent Jerrod. "Just to keep the locals happy."
"Well, if you think that's its necessary, and you have the manpower, I don't see a problem with it," said Hotch. "It's getting later there. Why don't you three spend the night and fly back in the morning."
"All right," said Emily. "You guys want to grab some food? We'll see you guys back in D.C."
"Have a good night everyone."
With that, the phone line was disconnected. Rossi looked at Agent Jerrod.
"Care to join us?" he asked. Agent Jerrod shook his head.
"Sorry, but I've spent enough time away from my wife Michelle and our daughter Kelsey. They're going to kill me if I miss dinner one more time." Emily smiled.
"We understand. We'll see you in the morning?"
"Of course, I'll make sure to be there."
************
Reid sat down in the lobby chair the next morning. As usual, he was the first one up and ready. He was looking forward to returning to the BAU. Texas really wasn't to his liking. The case troubled him a bit; the kids reminded him of his own struggles, the times where the only thing he thought about was the next fix. He shook his head. He was past that now. He took out his own one year medallion and looked at it. His fellow meeting members were right. Every day was a new treasure, and the only way to live it was clean and sober.
He looked up and saw Emily walking towards him. It was almost 9:00. She must have overslept.
"Have a good night?" he asked, rising to meet her. With a sheepish smile, he remembered the laughter around the restaurant. He always enjoyed spending time with them; he finally felt accepted by at least a part of his world.
"Yeah, I finally got to sleep by the time the sun rose," she said with a smile. "Have you seen Dave?"
"Not since he tried to trample your feet on the dance floor," answered Spencer. "You must have really worn him out after I left."
"Yeah, we were setting the dance floor on fire," she said with a smile. "Why did you leave so early, anyway?"
"I was a little tired. Besides you two seemed to be having a good time. I didn't want to intrude."
Emily shook her head.
"Well, I went up shortly after you did. I guess Rossi kept the bartender company for a while longer."
"You mean you didn't stay with him?" Reid asked, raising his eyebrows. Puzzlement flashed in his eyes when he saw a faint tint of color rise in her cheeks.
Emily didn't dare open her mouth. She didn't want to accidentally give voice to her thoughts. Involuntarily her mind found Dave's face and arms, and chest back on that dance floor. With a quick shake of her head, she came out of her memory.
"We probably should call him," she said, reaching for her phone. "I don't know about you, but I want to get home."
She dialed Rossi's cell number and placed the phone next to her ear. After a few moments, she hung up.
"He's not answering," she said. Her eyes flashed with worry slightly. "He probably overslept. I'll have the front desk call his room."
Reid nodded and walked with her over to the front desk. It wasn't like Rossi not to answer his phone. True, he wasn't known to be an early riser, but still. He was always dependable.
The front desk person called up to Rossi's room. After a few moments, she hung up the phone.
"He's not answering, I'm afraid. He probably overslept," he said. With a second glance he went back to his work.
"Excuse me," said Reid, giving a sideways glance at Emily. He didn't like how pale she was looking. "Can we get a keycard to his room? He's supposed to leave on a flight with us pretty soon."
"Of course," he said as he handed over a keycard. "I hope everything is all right."
Reid took the card. The two of them walked up to the elevator.
"Pretty lax on security here," said Emily with a huff.
"Relax. We look like federal agents. This entire place is crawling with them."
"Still, I don't like how easy it was to get that card."
They exited the elevator and headed toward Rossi's room. Emily noticed that the hallway carpet had been freshly vacuumed.
They reached his door, and noticed the 'do not disturb' sign hanging on the door knob. Everything seemed to be in order. Perhaps he was oversleeping, Emily thought. It had been a long night. Emily turned the knob and opened the door. She felt a small knot in the pit of her stomach.
Spencer and Emily entered the room and stood there, taking in what they saw. The room was trashed. The mattress was halfway off the bed, a lamp was on the floor, its bulb smashed, and the cord was nearly ripped in half. Drawers were pulled out, and strewn across the place. With a sudden start, Emily went to the window.
"Reid!"
Reid joined her at the window. The large window was broken, and a large smear of blood was on the ledge, spanning both the inside and outside sills. Reid quickly moved into the main room and told the gathering crowd to leave and requested that Agent Jerrod be found. With trembling hands, Emily got out her phone out and dialed the number of the BAU.
"JJ? It's Emily. We've got a problem. We're in Rossi's hotel room. The place is trashed, and there's blood. JJ?" Emily swallowed hard, trying desperately to keep her voice in check.
"Rossi's gone."