Missing.
Summary. . . . . . . . . . . Two agents go missing, one is found, just what has happened to the other? And how long do you keep looking?
Disclaimer. . . . . . . . . Not mine, never will be, just playing in this wonderful sandbox.
A.N. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thanks once again to everyone who has taken time out to read this fic, and to those who have reviewed, or added to favs. Your support, as always means a lot. Here's chapter 9, I hope that you enjoy. Peanut x
Previously on Criminal Minds. . . . . . . . . . .
He acted as he always did when he finally came in, submissive and broken, and prayed that the chills that wracked his frame would cover from his captor what he was about to do. Slowly he began to move his little finger in a series of up and down movements, each one causing agony to pierce it's way up his arm, but he knew he had to carry on, knew he had to help the others find him, knew that time was running out.
Gideon had to wonder, as they made there way back from the latest crime scene to yet another temporary base, just how they were all still standing. Looking around the small confines of the SUV he could clearly see the exhaustion etched upon the other team members faces, and the frustration and fear that clouded their eyes. Yet again the search of the scene had proved fruitless, confirming within him the belief that they already had all the answers, they just needed to combine the pieces to fit the puzzle back together; not for the first time he wished their resident puzzle expert was there with them, a small grin forming on his face as he did so, for if that were the case then this nightmare would be all over. He leaned back into the warm leather seat and allowed all other thoughts to leave his mind until it was still and calm, focusing on the words of the riddle once he had done so.
From a city across the sea,
To a city they came to be free,
Lived a man who fought for a cause,
Over and over the words ran themselves through his head, and over and over Gideon fought to make sense of them. A city across the sea? Where could that mean? What sea? Atlantic? Pacific? A city they came to be free? That clue seemed easier to Jason, it had to be New York, especially when you combined it with the picture of the Manhattan skyline, it was after all Ellis Island where people from all lands arrived hoping for a better life, hoping to be free. So if that was the case then surely the sea mentioned had to be an ocean, and that ocean had to be the Atlantic, but that didn't narrow down the search for the city any less, people had come from many lands, and those lands had many cities, there had to be more to that clue. A man who fought for a cause, was also stumping him, the list again was too many. It had to be a man who fought in New York, that much Jason was sure of, and most likely a man who fought for peace, what with the third picture being of the symbol, and the first of what he presumed as being two doves, but most peace activists at some point stayed in the Big Apple. He knew he was missing something, knew it was in the clues somewhere, but the more he tried to see it, the more it seemed to drift away.
He rubbed a hand over weary eyes, leaving it there to pinch over the bridge of his nose. He jumped when a voice called to him, and a hand gripped his arm. Opening heavy eyes he tried groggily to focus on who had startled him, finally picking out Emily's concerned features.
"What's up?" He managed to rasp out, accepting the cold bottle of water she handed to him, and relishing the wetness as it trickled down his parched throat. He was getting sick, he could feel it.
"We're back at the office, JJ just called they have the latest video of Reid. Are you okay?" She asked, not really expecting a straight answer, and not surprised when she didn't get one.
"I'm fine. Go on ahead, I'll be in soon." Jason replied, opening his door and getting out, thankful for the SUV's height as it hid from sight his slight stumble as the world seemed to tilt on it's axis. He took a deep breath and willed his aching body on, he didn't have time to be sick, Reid was counting on him. He waited until he heard Emily's heels click away before moving, his steps slow and small, his mind not wanting his body to be too quick in getting towards his destination, knowing what would be waiting there for him. Another video that he didn't want to see, another look at Reid hurting and alone, another glimpse of his own failure in keeping his adoptive son safe. In an act that was more reminiscent of Morgan, he punched his fist into the cool metal of the car, feeling bones strain and relishing the pain as it exploded up his arm, forcing his mind away from the negative thoughts that was threatening to consume him. He had to stay focused, he had to keep his mind alert. Flexing his fist, he thanked whoever was listening, that his moment of stupidity hadn't seemed to have seriously damaged the limb, before moving quicker into the building the others were waiting for him in.
He could tell they had started the video without him, could see the lights had been dimmed, and the screen flickering upon the white walls. Entering the room quietly he stood and waited against the wall, his eyes automatically zeroing in on the image the screen was playing, and on the son he wished was biologically his. It didn't even register when the link stopped playing, didn't even register when the other started analyzing what they had seen, didn't even register when they turned to him all waiting for his opinion, until Hotch's hand clamped onto his shoulder causing him to jump slightly as he was startled.
"Well, I guess we were right in thinking New York." He blurted out of nowhere.
"What?" The rest of the team exclaimed, before Morgan added. "What do you mean? How could you know that?"
"Reid told us."
"Reid never said a word Gideon. How could he have told us?" Emily asked.
"Rewind the link, it's there, towards the end." He waited for Emily to comply, stopping her at the right spot of the video. "Don't look at Reid's face, look at his hand, look at his finger. Do you see it?" He could tell straight away Hotch could, and waited whilst Emily and Morgan also figured it out. "It's Morse code. It's crude and at times hard to follow, but it's definitely Morse."
"So what is he telling us?" Emily asked.
"Not much, but enough to get us moving in the right direction. He definitely says New York, which fits with the clues. I think he's also saying below ground, and old."
"Well he looks like he's being kept in a basement, or cellar of some sort, so that fits. Do you think he saying it's an old building, or that the Un-sub is old?" Morgan asked
"I wish I knew." Gideon replied, stopping before adding more as his cell phone rang. Pulling it out he answered tersely before listening to the person on the other end. "Hold on JJ, let me put you on speaker. Okay repeat what you just said."
"We have another body. Manhattan police just confirmed. George Harrison, age 37, married with three children. He was murdered at his work place. I asked them to check for an out of place picture, and they confirmed that there was one, it's a picture of a book."
"What book?" Gideon asked.
"Hmmm, let me check. . . . . . . . . . . . . Catcher In The Rye. Does that mean something?"
"Maybe. What about the note."
"And another that took no time to pause." JJ recited.
From a city across the sea, To a city they came to be free, Lived a man who fought for a cause, And another that took no time to pause.
Gideon ran through the verse in his mind over and over again, but answers just didn't seem to want to break free. He jumped again as Morgan this time placed a hand on his shoulder. "What?" He asked.
"JJ has some more information."
"Sorry, go ahead JJ."
"Okay, Garcia's magic finally worked and the image of the first picture was finally clear enough for us to make out the birds. They're Liver Birds."
That was all that Gideon needed to hear, those two words seeming to click a switch inside his mind, allowing thoughts to ebb and flow and formulate answers. Liver Birds, city across the sea, Liverpool. Two towers, land they came to be free, Ellis Island was a port of call from immigrants, New York. Peace symbol, a man who fought for a cause, a man that came from Liverpool to New York, John Lennon. Catcher In The Rye, a man who took no time to pause, didn't Mark Chapman allegedly read that book before he shot John Lennon? Didn't he take no time to pause, as he fired twice into the former Beatles body?
"JJ, is Garcia there with you?"
"Yes Sir."
"I need her to run all the victims names, I know the last one does, but check the others, look for a connection to the Beatles, let me know what you find." He cut the call before turning to the three surprised faces before him. "We need to go. We need to get to Manhattan. I'll explain on the way."
22h 34m 59s
To Be Continued. . . . . . . . . . . .
A.N. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Well my plan to update every week kinda took a back seat, as after three months away, I finally returned to work full time. To say these past weeks have been hectic is an understatement and my muse kinda shut down. I'm so sorry for the wait, I'll try not to keep you waiting as long for chapter 10. Catch you soon, Peanut x
