Chapter IV: Patience
Mare had returned home earlier than Reid and when he came to visit Mare before going back to his apartment, he found her from the front porch with flipchart, marker pens, copies of the messages they've got, Latin books, a pig and a goat and large mug of tea, peppermint as far as Reid could tell from the scent. And she looked like as if she wasn't in this world.
"I thought you liked coffee more when you were thinking," Reid said, stepping to the porch.
"Geez Reid, you scared the living daylights out of me. Next time whistle or make some noise but don't do that anymore," Mare started to rant, obviously scared.
"I'm sorry. I-I really am. But I couldn't resist doing that, you looked so beautiful," Reid apologized boyish.
"It's OK. Come here," Mare accepted the apology and after Reid had approached her, she wrapped her arms around him to a longing hug and kissed him long and deep.
"Look, I think I understand something from those messages," she said after the kiss.
"What then?" the kiss had surprised Reid but he survived quickly from it.
"These two words. IRA and INVIDIA. They mean wrath and envy," Mare explained.
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"Wrath and envy are two of the seven sins. That's why those two messages start 'We know your sins'," Reid told to the team next morning, Friday.
"And the message that doesn't mention sins?" Morgan wanted to know.
"We're not sure yet but we think that it has got something to do with the fact that the Unsub plays the God, thinks that he's the God," Mare replied.
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It was Wednesday, six days had passed after Francesca Melken had disappeared when Garcia got another message.
"Patience has been befallen.
550 Railroad Avenue, Potomac Avenue, Quantico, Virginia
AMON"
The whole team drove to the address given and found Lenny Brock unharmed, sitting on a chair but he was chained with thick chain and he had been gagged. The keys to the seven locks of the chain were on the ground, in front of the boy.
"Are you alright?" Mare asked from Lenny after she'd released him.
"Yeah, yeah," the boy said though he was bit humiliated.
"What happened? Where did he keep you?" Rossi asked from Lenny.
"I don't know man, he just let me go. Well, not let me go because he chained and gagged me here but like, he didn't do anything to me. And I'm not sure but I think there was another person where I was. Don't know where exactly but somewhere underground, I think. He blindfolded me when he took me there and I had to wear the blindfold all the time. And he let me go because he said something that I had been patient enough and I still have to be patient for the rescuers to come," Lenny babbled.
"What do you mean other person?" Rossi continued.
"Yeah, other person. Girl or at least it sounded like girl," Lenny answered.
"How do you know?" Hotch wanted to know.
"I don't know, I just sensed something like that. But thank you for releasing me," Lenny replied to Hotch now.
"You're welcome. But we might need you later," Hotch said and told Prentiss to take the boy home.
"The Unsub is very daring or arrogant for leaving the victim to a place that is this near Quantico and full with people who could identify him when asked," Rossi noted when Prentiss had gone.
"Yes but maybe he brought Lenny here when there was nobody that could identify him, when it was quiet," Mare reasoned.
"Maybe Garcia finds something from the security cameras," Reid suggested.
Hotch nodded, "Good idea. Go and fetch them," and Reid left.
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"Is Reid coming tonight?" Tilly asked from Mare that night. The dusk had just fallen, crickets were playing their songs and the little girl climbed on her mothers lap.
"Yes he is pumpkin but he'll be coming bit later and it's already your bedtime. I'll let you stay up later on weekend," Mare promised and carried her daughter to bed. After she'd tucked her in, Mare returned out and sat in the rocking chair. From there, Reid found her an hour later when he came to say good night.
"How long have you been waiting for me?" he asked.
"Two hours. Reid," Mare said seriously. That scared Reid.
"What? Is everything OK?" he asked frightened.
"Yes, everything is OK but, Reid, I want you to move here with me and the kids. I haven't been long in this job but after I've seen what I've seen in this job, I've realized how short human life is and I don't want to lose any more minutes of it without you. Reid, I don't want to lose you," Mare burst to tears.
"Shhh, calm down. You're not gonna lose me. Of course I'll move here. Please don't cry, my seahorsey, calm now," Reid soothed Mare. She stopped crying and lift her face towards Reid's.
"That was the first time you called me with some nickname," she whispered.
"I know. You liked it?" Reid asked.
"Yes, very much," Mare replied.
"Good," Reid smiled and kissed Mare deep.