Chapter Seven

The next morning had been even colder than the last, with the temperature well below freezing. Palmer had bought herself a new scarf at a local store, stopping to take a minute and speak with the natives about the compound. They had some interesting stories but all in all it boiled down to local legends and myths. None of it seems substantiated which was to be expecting since no one had been in or out since that boy escaped fifteen years prior.

By the time Palmer and JJ arrived at the gate, the entire compound was abuzz. Everyone who was old enough to understand had been told why the FBI was investigating and that they had brought a couple of witches with them. People parted like the red sea as they walked in, afraid to be touched by the women. Not a single one of them would make eye contact with the female agents when they set out to find their team.

Dawn was upon them now but the clouds overhead made it difficult to tell. It would likely be snowing later and the women were eager to set out looking for the torture chamber before that happened. Again, they were denied access to where the men were staying but luckily they were all ready for work when JJ and Palmer arrived.

The three men stepped outside, their shoes crunching in the snow. Everyone exchanged their good mornings and any small details they had found. Palmer told Hotch about the local legends and the sheriff said that he had found the grave of the boy that had escaped to his father's farm almost two decades before.

"That boy died the day after he was brought back here. I know that was no accident." The sheriff shook his head, running his gloved hand over his head. "There wasn't a thing wrong with that boy except that he was scared out of his mind. They must have done something to him." He whispered bitterly, eyeing the surroundings to be sure no one else was listening.

"That may be true but we can't dwell on it right now." Hotch redirected the conversation. "We need to get a head count on these people and see if there are any discrepancies with the notaries files. Reid checked the death records last night and the cremated remains are unaccounted for."

"We suspect that they didn't have the time to write out the death records but that means that we have at least two birth certificates with no matching death certificates. If we can bring everyone in and take a head count, we can figure out which ones are still alive, and by default, what people are missing." Reid explained.

"Sheriff, I need you to stay here with me and interrogate people. Rossi and Reid will be outside gathering people and taking their information at the door. We'll need a complete list. Anyone that doesn't attend, unless they're physically unable, will be considered a suspect automatically. Be sure that the townsfolk know this, as it could force them to attend. JJ and Palmer, I need you two to search the town for the torture chamber. There's a chance it could be out in the woods but I don't think it's likely. The warrant says we have the right to search people's homes, so use that. I didn't want to force them to open their homes to us yesterday for fear that people would shut us out completely but if you can be discreet, there is no reason they would ever know anyone was in there." Hotch said.

"I don't like using this method, but we don't have a choice right now." Rossi sighed, shifting on his feet. "They don't want to talk to us. We're outsiders. No one is going to pop up and say, 'yeah my neighbor has a secret room where he tortures heretics.' Any information we get, we'll have to find ourselves."

"We'll start by checking the larger houses. I don't think the smaller homes are fit to hide something like that. We're probably looking for a basement or a secret interior room." Said JJ.

"Alright let's get this started before it starts to snow." Hotch's attention was drawn away to Bishop, who was descending on them quickly. "Bishop, we need you to assemble your citizens. I need every man woman and child to come through here."

"Most of our men reside at the farm." Bishop stated. "It would take time to get them here." He glared at JJ and Palmer, not sure what was offending him more, their presence or Hotch asking him to assemble his people.

"That's fine. It'll take time to get through all of the people in the town. Agent Morgan will go with you to get the men."

Bishop had no choice but obey Hotch. "Very well. I shall send a messenger." He grumbled, hands on his meaty hips. "It might be a few hours before they arrive." Bishop warned them once more before joining the other house heads to discuss rounding up their people.

"Let's get going." Palmer said, motioning with her head toward the larger homes. "If we head toward the chapel and cut back around no one should notice us."

Reid began to follow her, hoping for a moment to apologize, but Rossi handed him a clipboard with pages of names. When he looked back up, Palmer and JJ were gone. He sighed and took his place with Rossi. There would be time to speak to Riley later.

JJ led the say to the chapel, darting around the back while the nuns exited through the front door. After a moment of waiting, they crept around toward the semi-circle of multilevel houses. They appeared to be empty, silent, and still. "We need to check Bishop's house first. He's their leader, if anything is going on I'm sure he knows about it. Go around back and check to see if any windows are open." JJ said in a hushed tone. "I'll stay here and keep an eye out."

Palmer nodded her understanding and skirted the house. On the other side, there were a few windows on the first level but they were a little high off the ground. She grabbed a snow covered bucked to stand on, positioning it below the first window, but it was shut tight. Probably hadn't been opened in years. Then she moved to the next window. One after the other she checked the windows until she was close to the end of the building. She sank the bucket into the snow for support, then climbed up.

Without warning, the ground collapsed beneath her. Her fingers slipped from the windowsill as she cried out in surprise. Down she fell into the depths of a deep pit, landing with her foot in the bucket. Flat on her back she could see the sky through a jagged hole above. A few pieces of splintered wood fell around her and she knew she had fallen through some sort of cellar door. But there were no stairs. What was happening? Pain shot through her ankle when she tried to stand. The way her foot had landed in the bucket must have injured her ankle, though she wasn't sure of the extent of the injury. It was a long fall and all she wanted to do was lay there and catch her breath.

JJ appeared in the hole, concern etching her face when she caught sight of her colleague. "Riley, are you alright?" she called into the pit.

"Yeah, I think so. I hurt my ankle but I think I'm fine. But I can't get out. There aren't any stairs or anything." Palmer rolled to her side to get a better look at her surroundings. "I think this is a sort of oubliette. There's a door, and I can see some light coming through the bars." She stood slowly, keeping off of her injured ankle, and hobbled to the door.

"What do you see?" JJ asked.

"I think I found the torture chamber." Palmer replied as she peered through the barred window of the door. "The door's locked from the other side. There are all kinds of torture devices down here." Her stomach rolled when she saw an unconscious teenage boy strung up with his arms dislocated. "JJ, go get help, there's a boy!"

JJ stayed quiet as she trotted back to the team, careful not to be seen as she approached form the chapel area. Rossi and Reid were greeting people at the door and taking down their names. They didn't even realize JJ approaching until she was on them. The people moved away from her, giving her the space she needed to address her comrades. For once the fear of the people was benefitting her.

"What did you find? Where's Riley?" Rossi asked.

"I think we found the torture chamber but Palmer fell into this oubliette thing behind Bishop's house and I can't get her out." Before JJ could even finish her sentence, Reid dropped his clipboard in the snow and darted in the direction JJ had come from. "She's ok, but she hurt her ankle. She says there's a boy down there Rossi. We know now that they're torturing people." JJ finished to Rossi.

"I'll let Hotch know. Bishop rounded up his citizens, then rode up with his messenger to bring the men back from the barn. We insisted he stay here but he refused. Something is going on here and I think Bishop is behind it. You and Reid try to find a way into those cells. We don't need the townsfolk to know yet. Keep it quiet and if you need anything else, we'll be here." Rossi replied, watching the people around them carefully, though none of them seemed in the least bit interested in the present conversation, or were too far away to hear.