A/N: Heh, 'thought I wouldn't update today, didn't ya? Well, surprise! (grins) Yay?

First of, naturally! THANK YOU, with my whole heart, for your reviews and love! (glomps) You guys can't even imagine how precious you are. Don't ever underestimate your value!

Awkay, before I REALLY start babbling, let's get this thing rocking, yeah? (takes a deep breath) I REALLY hope that you'll enjoy the ride!

Deal With the Devil

The clock on the wall was much, much too loud. Each second ticking by sounded like a small explosion. With each second the team was very, very aware of the fact that precious time was slipping away.

Spencer's time.

The fact that they knew who they were up against didn't help them the slightest. Sebastian Sykes had vanished, as though never having even walked amongst them. They'd gone through the man's apartment, everything he owned, and still there was nothing. Nothing but nauseating pictures and a collection of fingerprints that shattered even the last fragments of doubt.

They had nothing. And Spencer was gone. And time was running out.

Aaron sighed, putting away his cell phone. He didn't look towards Derek who was going through some documents right beside him. "That was the hospital. Charles Stewart passed away fifteen minutes ago."

Derek shuddered like someone had harmed the man physically. It took a while before the words came. "Hotch… We will find Reid before it's too late."

Aaron remained frozen for a while, staring at the mountain of papers before him. And realized that he was too exhausted and strained to lie. "I hope so." Those words made him feel sick.

Derek's eyes were steel, fire and venom when they bore right into his. "Reid… He's there, in that psycho's hands. And that's all?"

Aaron gritted his teeth to a painful extend. Sometimes his team really tested his patience. "It's all that I can say right now. Do you think that I don't want to find him? That I don't spend every second wondering if we're already too late?"

"Well…" Derek's chuckle held no humor. It sounded wet and unsteady, closer to a sob than anything else. The man refused to meet his eyes. "At least you're not the one who sent him away with a serial killer who'd been waiting for a chance."

Aaron didn't have the slightest clue of what to say. And in the end he didn't have the time to speak out a word, for just then a female officer who looked strikingly lot like JJ barged into the room, her eyes wide. "You've gotta get in here, right now! Sykes' computer… It just opened up. He must be using it somehow."

Without a second of hesitation the two of them were running. By the time they made it to Sykes' computer the others were already there. Emily (who was already on the phone with Penelope) appeared wide eyed and slightly nauseous. David's expression was tight with bottled up surges. JJ's eyes shimmered suspiciously. Derek swore as soon as the man's eyes fell on what the others were staring at. "That fucking asshole…!"

Aaron, on the other hand, couldn't react. Outwardly at least. Shock numbed his whole body and mind.

On the screen live footage of Sebastian played. The man wasn't alone. There, right before their eyes and very far away, was Spencer. Once again restrained to a chair, under the mercy of a psychopath.

On the other side of the footage Spencer's whole body twitched with discomfort while Sebastian approached him. "They don't have to see this", he whispered, twisting his wrists in a desperate attempt to get them free.

Sebastian's expression didn't change. "Oh, but yes they do. In fact, it's important that they join us right now." All of a sudden the man revealed a needle. "But let's prepare you, first. To make this more fun."

Spencer's whole body turned impossibly cold as he realized what was going to happen. He struggled, trying to spot anything that would've helped him, only slam right into nothing. No, no, no, not again…! Especially not in front of his team! "Please…! Don't…" But it was already much too late. All he managed to deliver was a gasp when the drug was in his bloodstream. Whatever it was it kicked in fast.

Spencer's mind was sluggish but he was still able to feel fear. Able to realize that something was very, very badly wrong with the whole situation. He frowned and groaned, unable to squeeze out words.

Sebastian seemed to understand. There was a slight, treacherous smile on the man's face. "Don't worry, I only gave you something that'll help you… get a new insight to this experience." Something that looked suspiciously lot like metal shone in the room's dim light. (Or was it only dim inside his head?) "Now… Be a good boy and help me show your team exactly what they're up against."

At first he didn't realize what was happening. Sebastian was working behind him, which unnerved him even in his current incoherent state of mind. Something pressed against his fingers and his eyes widened while some sort of a vague realization dawned.

Fingerprints… The man was taking his fingerprints. Just like with all the other victims.

He could almost feel that smile. "I can't let you be any less special than the others, dear. After all, you're by far the most dangerous being I've ever held in captivity. But now… Let's start with the games."

The pain was so unexpected that Spencer gasped, his head spinning and black spots dancing in his line of vision. First there was the sensation of blood spilling. Then sheer, utter agony that ravished his whole body from his hand to his already smashed knees and to the tips of his toes. Unable to restrain himself he screamed.

With chilling ease two of his fingers had been removed. Without the slightest change in his expression the man held them up for the camera. "Do you see? More bits and pieces will fall as long as you keep chasing me. So stop, and I'll leave him alone. I'll go away. I'll disappear from your lives like a particularly nasty nightmare. This'll all be over." With those words the feed was cut, leaving the team haunted by the image of their youngest's agonized face and blood.

"You won't be able to stop." It took long before Spencer's pained mind realized that the murmured, barely audible words were coming from him. It was so very hard to keep his eyes open. "Even… after me… you won't stop. And they'll come. They… They'll stop you. On their terms. So please… For your own sake… Let me help you. Let me… show you… the life you can still have."

Sebastian stared at him for a second, as though a part of the man had been contemplating accepting the deal, then snorted. "A life I can still have? Are you honestly trying to convince me that I could live free?"

Spencer shook his head, feeling dangerously dizzy already. Somewhere in the back of his head a clock was ticking. If only he'd manage to buy time… "No. No freedom. But peace."

Sebastian sighed, something unreadable appearing into those eyes. "Don't you see it, Spencer? I already am at peace. I am perfectly comfortable with what I am. With who I am. With what I've done. I'm even comfortable with going to hell because that's inevitable. So what kind of a peace could you possibly offer me?"

Spencer was stunned that he managed to remain as lucid as he was. He met Sebastian's eyes. "I can set you free… from the monster whispering in your head."

At first Sebastian stared at him with eyes that made him fear that he'd crossed a line. But then, very slowly, the man revealed his arms. Long, deep scars, old and fresh. Needle marks that appeared all too familiar. "I've already tried everything there is to get him out of my head, Spencer. But everything I do – no matter how brutally I torture myself and kill– only makes him louder. So why the hell do you thin that you'd be able to chase him away?"

Spencer swallowed, struggling to think through the fog of pain of the drug. He wished that he'd had more bits and pieces to use, more weapons to strike with. But as it was he just had to play by ear. Judging by the looks of it he was getting close. "When… they saved you… How did you feel?"

Sebastian seemed very guarded all of a sudden. Obviously his approach wasn't something the man had expected. But the temptation, the chance of relief, was too strong. The answer came almost cautiously, testing the ice. "I… don't know. I was embarrassed. Scared. Confused. For so long his reality was the only one I knew." The man's eyes became slightly distant. "They… They said that it was over. That I was safe. But… I didn't feel that way."

Spencer shivered and nodded, flashbacks making his skin crawl. Vomit rose into his throat and he shifted with discomfort. A huge mistake. The blow of pain made him bite back a whimper. "I know that feeling", he murmured. The time after Tobias Hankel was a much worse nightmare than those few days in the disturbed man's hands.

Sebastian probably didn't even hear him. "My parents… Even they didn't understand when I woke up in the middle of the night, screaming his name. Crying after him. I didn't understand it, either. Sometimes I still wake up calling out to him." The man folded his arms. "I loved him and hated him, from the bottom of my heart. I still do. Half of time I wish that I'd had the chance to kill him. The other half I wish that I'd died with him."

"You survived." Spencer's voice was soft. Pain, stress and that unknown drug were quickly pulling him into the dark. He fought desperately to keep himself alert and focused. "You… are much more than just his creation. You can choose to be more."

There was something sad in Sebastian's smile. "Freedom of choice is a sweet illusion, isn't it? But do tell me … After Tobias Hankel, did you ever become the same person you were before? Or a 'better person'?"

Spencer couldn't say anything to that. Mostly because it hurt so much that it took his all not to scream. What was he even supposed to say?

Sebastian nodded, reading the truth from his eyes. "Yes, I thought so." The man then moved to action. "Now let's take a look at those wounds of yours. I wouldn't want you to die before we're through."

That footage – seeing Spencer's blood and pain – was what it took for Derek to make up his mind. And so, careful not to let the others notice a thing, he began to formulate his plan, ignoring the part of him that screamed against it. Ignoring all rules.

When he cornered JJ in a break room, where she'd retreated immediately after the nauseating footage, and asked her to help him gather a copy of every single trail of clues thus far she didn't ask a thing. Didn't ask because she probably knew. She only nodded, her eyes harder than stone. Less than half an hour later she fulfilled Derek's request. Sending a text message took Derek less than two minutes, convincing Aaron that he needed some air even less. His feet led him to a almost abandoned park. Almost. There was a man sitting on a long bench, back towards him. Derek approached without hesitation.

Jason Gideon looked a lot older than the last time they met. A lot older, and tired. "I'm glad that I stayed nearby. I had a feeling that you might end up needing help."

Derek gulped, feeling extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden. He pushed the huge envelope towards Jason quickly, before he would've changed his mind. What the hell was he doing, anyway? What had he been thinking, getting JJ involved as well? Was he going mad? "This is everything we've found so far."

Jason nodded. "Thank you." It sounded sincere, at least.

Derek felt unsatisfied and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was most likely making a disastrous mistake. Breaking a million rules. "Do you promise to find him?" He didn't want this all to be in vain. He wanted to have Spencer back again, even if it'd cost him dearly.

There was something unreadable in Jason's eyes. Echoes of a shattered mind, perhaps. Not a trace left of the mentor he once relied on. This man was dangerous, there was no question about it. "Spencer is the only one left of those I've sworn to protect. So yes, I'm going to find him. I'll do whatever it takes to save him."

The older man had already gotten up until Derek called out. "Gideon." They looked at each other for the longest time, both clearly wondering. "If you find this guy before we do… What are you going to do to him?"

Jason's expression remained stony. Those haunted eyes would've chilled anyone to the bone. "I'm going to do all of those things you're wishing to do right now." With those words the man turned his back on him, beginning to walk away. "If you ever want to join this path, to look for real justice… You know how to find me." And then Jason was gone, like some sort of a creature that'd momentarily slipped to the reality from his nightmares.

Derek knew that he should've at least tried to stop Jason. That as a federal agent he should've attempted to stop the bloodshedding that was bound to happen. But as it was he remained rooted to the spot. And felt no remorse.

All he felt was cold, despite the heat of Alabama around him.

Derek chose the long way back to the station. He didn't feel like facing his team immediately, not after what he'd just done. He'd nearly passed by a electronics store until something on a TV-screen caught his attention. Made his heart still.

A male police officer whose name Derek didn't catch was talking to interviewer. There was a sharp look in the man's brown eyes. "… was my colleague and best friend. I was the one who found his body after several days of torture. Sebastian Sykes… He's a monster. And now he's grabbed a new victim – a federal agent. He must be stopped before he kills again."

"And the local police is going to do that?"

The officer nodded with a great deal of confidence. "Even though he pretended to be one of us for a while Sykes underestimated us. We'll definitely catch him. We'll make sure that he'll never walk free again."

For a moment Derek stared, his heart thumping close to his throat. 'More bits and pieces will fall as long as you keep chasing me. So stop, and I'll leave him alone', Sykes said. And now…

NO! No, no, no…!

With that frantic stream of thought Derek was running like the devil itself had been chasing him. Hoping with his all that the damage hadn't been done yet.

Spencer was drifting somewhere between sleep and unconsciousness. He dreamt of his mom. Of Tobias. Of his father. Of his team. Of Gideon.

He came around to a sharp assault of pain.

Sebastian's eyes were very different from before. Outraged. Scared. Dangerous. Those of a threatened wild beast. "I gave them a promise. Remember? To leave you alone if they'd leave me alone. They didn't listen."

Spencer swallowed, barely able to keep himself from throwing up. A quick inspection revealed that the camera was once again on. He hoped, with all there was in him, that the team wouldn't be watching.

He didn't want them to see any more of this.

"They had a choice…", Sebastian hissed. He felt steel slide down his neck and held his breath to an extend where it hurt. "Clearly catching me is more important to them than finding you alive. What does that say about them?"

Spencer attempted to brace himself but no amount of time would've been enough. The blade rose, nibbled the skin right behind his ear. Then started cutting hungrily.

The pain was unimaginable, wiped away all of Spencer's reason. He screamed wildly and attempted to move his head away, only to realize that a firm hand was keeping him perfectly still. No amount of fighting chased the steel and the agony away.

"Don't worry", Sebastian whispered, the nearly purring voice barely registering to him through the state of shock he was falling into. "I'm sure that this hurts them much, much more than this could ever hurt you."

It seemed to last a lifetime but eventually Sebastian was done. Warm and sticky substance trickled down Spencer's neck and he wouldn't have needed to be a genius to know what it was. He didn't look towards Sebastian when the man revealed the cut off ear to the camera.

"There are rules to follow." Sebastian's voice was almost hollow. "I gave you the chance to save him. You didn't take it. Now he'll spend the rest of his life with me." The man moved, out of Spencer's line of vision. "I'm giving you this one more night with him before he dies. I'd suggest you say your goodbyes."

Spencer barely registered how the hole where his ear used to be was treated. His body was too far gone in a shock to notice the tidal wave of pain, or the discomfort from sitting cuffed for much too long. All he felt was cold, such that made him tremble and was most likely turning his lips blue. All he saw was the camera's red light.

Spencer gulped thickly, then whispered although he was almost sure that they wouldn't even hear him. "It's… It's alright." Maybe, if he said that many times enough, he'd be able to believe it. Tears stung his eyes but he refused to let them fall. "I… I know that you're trying to find me. Whatever happens, it'll be alright. It's alright." The pain intensified while Sebastian cleaned up his newest wound.

Spencer swallowed reflexively, trying to free himself of all physical sensations. The cold still remained. "It's alright."

As soon as the man was done Sebastian left without saying another word. The lights were switched off, leaving Spencer into complete darkness. He kept his eyes focused on the red light, no longer bothering to hold back the tears.

"It's alright."

TBC

A/N: (winces) I'm pretty sure that I whimpered, just a little bit, while that final bit came out. Poor, poor Reid! The team's seriously running out of time. (winces)

PLEASE, do leave a note! Let me hear ya out! I'll bake ya some cyber cookies if you do. (wink, wink)

Until next time, buddies! I truly hope that you'll all be joining in then.

Be good! (Seriously. Elves are hyper observant this year.)