The team stared at one another. David watched as Spencer brought his long legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He, and indeed the rest of the team could see how terrified the young man was.
"Blake, you and I will go and see what the story is. Garcia, you go through every frame of footage from the moment Mitre and Reid arrived today and let me know what you get." The usually bubbly blonde nodded before bolting out the conference room door. ""JJ you go and see Strauss, see if she needs your help." The ex-communications liaison left without another word.
"With all due respect Hotch, I am ex-bomb squad, I should be the one going outside." Morgan began to argue, but was silenced by the team leader by raising his hand.
"Morgan, under normal circumstances it would only be you and I going out, but Dr Reid needs to be protected and you know you are the only person I would trust with that, and Dave is the only one he is the least bit comfortable around."
David scoffed. Comfortable? The kid would be more comfortable sitting on a Judas's cradle if the look on his face was anything to go by.
The leader and Blake exited the room, leaving the two agents once more with the terrified younger man. They looked at each other for a moment before am idea hit David about what had to be done. "We might as well get him his evaluation. The sooner we do that, the sooner we get him out of that facility."
"Rossi, have you lost your mind, the kid isn't going to pass anything, he's terrified out of his mind. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually did go into a catatonic state right now." Morgan argued.
"I want to do it." David looked to the quiet figure of Spencer Reid still huddled in a corner. "I can't go back there; I'm not able to defend myself there. He could come back."
"That's not going to happen kid, you're safe here with us, we've got your back." Assured Morgan, though David could see that Spencer didn't believe it.
"Let's get it organised so." The Italian picked up the receiver of his office phone and dialled the appropriate extension. Even in the midst of a potential attack on Federal property, the psych team were still in their office and considering the urgency and severity of the situation, the head of the department and two of his assistants headed through the building to the BAU.
David and Morgan waited for over an hour outside in the bullpen for the young man to be assessed. They considered the evidence again and the new event of Dr Mitres car explosion. Blake called and informed them that Mitre had not been in the car at the time of detonation, but he had been close enough to it for his body to receive 79 per cent third degree burns on it. He was on his way to the hospital, but his chances weren't good. The two agents were going to follow the ambulance and see what happened from there. She insured them she would contact them as soon as anything happened.
JJ was running around with Strauss working as a go between for the Section Chief, the Director and the now beginning to gather press. And Garcia was busy gathering and going through the footage of the parking lot from sixteen different cameras of the area to see if she could find who placed the bomb on/in/under the car. She too promised to call if she got anything. The two agents just hypothesised and waited.
Finally the psychiatrist, his assistant psychiatrist and the department psychologist exited David's office. The two agents ran up to meet them and ushered them into Hotch's office. "Well doctor."
"That man is a genius and I am not just referring to his 187 IQ. He learnt the symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia from his mother, as well as how to falsely display them and followed the standard signs to a tee so much so that he convinced five highly trained psychiatrists, two of whom I am personal friends with and both of whom would be considered in very high esteem in our line of work and at the tender age of twenty he began to make a fool of them." The doctor stated disbelievingly.
"But he's sane?" David asked, wanting the doctor to just come out and say it.
"As you and me. Although because of what he witnessed and endured, not to mention the medications they have had him on. He is more socially awkward than you can imagine. He was desperate to express to me his sanity, but crippling anxiety hindered him greatly. I doubt that man has had more than fleeting words with anyone in the last eight years of his life, though from what I gather from him, he was never a social person. He trusts no one and is terrified of physical contact. Though he is willing to try and change it. He'll need therapy, a lot of it really to get through everything. But there is no doubting his sanity. Do you want me to write up his recommendation for discharge for Emerson?" David nodded. "I'll have it done and a copy faxed to both you and Emerson in mere minutes." Both men thanked the doctor, who swiftly walked out the door of the BAU and back to his own department to get started on the paperwork.
"Well thank you God for that. At least now he does not have to go back to that hellhole." David sighed.
"Was it really that bad?"
"A state run facility for mentally unwell patients. It was all that and then some." Morgan shuddered and both men had to acknowledge Spencer's strong and determination to remain in the facility just to stay safe. The walked out of Hotch's office and back into Rossi's to the man that should have been part of their team.
Spencer was looking at them anxiously as though waiting to hear the news, it irritated David that the doctor had not told Spencer of his diagnosis. "Clean bill of health kid, you're as sane as the rest of us, though I am not sure what that implies as I am not sure I am entirely sane myself." Morgan laughed his concurrence.
"So do I have to go back?"
"Never. You're staying in our custody until we can guarantee your safety, then after that, we will be letting you off to do whatever you want. Well no, we'll make sure you're looked after. You're the sole benefactor of both of your parents life insurance policies, once we prove you're innocent we will be able to get the companies to pay up and that will allow you to start up your life again." David smiled weakly.
Spencer nodded and said something under his breath. "Is Dr Mitre alive?" he asked, continuing to stare at the floor.
"He was the last time we were talking to our boss." Spencer just nodded his head while still not looking at anything in particular.
"I am going to go get us something from the canteen, you must be hungry Kid?" Spencer nodded. "Want anything in particular."
"A sandwich?" Spencer asked hopefully. Hope was not an emotion that should ever be associated with the idea of getting a sandwich as far as he was concerned.
"Sure thing. Derek? The usual?" The larger built agent nodded and David walked out of the room. He knew that Spencer would rather him there, but he needed to get rehabilitated to different people and also Morgan was the one told to protect him.
He had paid for the food and was on his way back to the BAU when his phone went off and he answered after he saw Hotch's name onscreen. "Well, not good is it?"
"He died on the table."
"Were you able to get anything?"
"Yes, he kept saying 'the number' and 'I was supposed to have another week'."
"Well that's different." Rossi tried to figure out what the number meant. It was obvious whatever Mitre had been told to get out of Spencer he still was supposed to have another week to get it. That didn't go according to plan.
"We got him assessed Hotch. Head of the Psych Department okayed him to be discharged from Emerson."
"Good to hear, but he does not leave our side until we can ensure his safety. Did Garcia get anything?"
"Not yet. But if it there to find she'll get it."
"Keep me posted. We're heading back now."
David hung up the phone and continued to the BAU with the food. Upon arrival to his office was greeted by a bleary eyed Garcia and a studious Morgan. "What have we got?"
David looked at the man on the iPad Garcia held out for him. "The bomber, the kid recognises him as the other person at his home that night. He swears it's him."
