A/N: Like always, I rate most of my stories "T" for my occasional potty mouth. The first part of this chapter takes that up a notch. And it is borderline graphic. I haven't crossed the line; but you've been warned.
Chapter 10
Dr. Kenneth Horning looked over his patient notes, sitting in his King Louis chair. He took a final puff of his pipe and tapped out the few remaining remnants of tobacco into the ashtray atop the brass metal stand next to the chair.
The din of Connors ripping his patient's clothes off with her protests and pleadings did not affect him. All that mattered was he had found another perfect test patient for his theory. As always, it had taken a bit of coaxing to get his patient to open up. He had gotten used to the long sessions, once he had figured a way to find more suitable subjects for his research. His mind wandered imaging the accolades he would receive in the medical and psychiatric world. He smiled at the mental image of his picture on the front cover of the New England Journal of Medicine magazine. Snappy out of his reverie, he looked at Connors, while rising from his chair.
"Henry," Horning said, "need I remind you that you do not batter or bruise my research subject beyond your normal area of expertise. I will not put up with that; and you know the punishment if you do."
Jackson pulled his forty-five out of the back of his jeans waist and pointed it to the head of the subject he had strapped to a crude table made of a piece of plywood. "Shut the fuck up bitch! We're in the middle of nowhere. No one can hear you. And that smart ass FBI team isn't going to find you." He smirked. "At least not now." When she did, he turned. "I've got it Doc," he said, pulling off his shirt to reveal the whip scars on his back. "Get the hell out of here. I've got to teach this bitch a lesson; and the hard on to do it," he said, unzipping his jeans.
Horning walked towards the backdoor of the barn. Pulling his warm winter coat off one of the four pegs hung on the wall, he looked back. "I understand Henry," he said, pulling on his coat seeing Jackson pull out his penis. "But I will not settle for a ruined subject." He turned as Jackson started to climb on the table, using his arm to get his bum right hip up on the table. Horning finished buttoning his coat.
He opened the door. "FBI! Do not move," Morgan growled, pointing his Glock at Horning's head.
At the same time, Matt and Monihan burst through one of the large doors on the front of the barn that was battered open by the door ram a large FBI SWAT agent had used. "FBI," they both shouted. Connors turned, pulling out his forty-five and quickly raised it. As he fired a shot, Matt pushed Monihan out of the way.
Rossi, behind Monihan, and with him out of the way, planted his forty-five bullet in the middle of Connors' forehead.
The next few minutes were frenzied. Morgan rushed at Horning, grabbing one of his arms, spinning him around. A SWAT member was right behind him and pulled out his handcuffs. Prentiss and another SWAT member raced in behind them to get to Judith Krantz.
Hotch, behind Matt, watched a tiny flare of blood come out Matt's coat sleeve a little above his left elbow and felt the slight sting of a bullet hitting his Kevlar. Matt, still holding his weapon, covered the scene.
Emily got to Krantz. "We've got you Judith," she smoothed. "We're going to get you out of here," she said, quickly holstering her weapon and pulling off her coat to cover her. "You're safe," Emily said, getting the coat over her, gently rubbing her forehead, getting the blood and brain matter spatter off her face.
The SWAT team member with Prentiss checked Connors' carotid artery. Rossi's shot had toppled him off the front end of the table. "We're clear; subject is down," he commed. "So is his dick," he muttered.
Matt put his weapon down as Hotch quickly holstered his and grabbed Matt's arm applying pressure on the area of the rip in his jacket sleeve. Dave noticed, and moved to the two of them. "Aaron relax," Matt said. "It's gotta be a graze. It just stings." He looked at Hotch. "Are you OK," he asked, nodding at Hotch's vest.
"The graze slowed the bullet down enough; I doubt I'll even get a bruise."
Matt looked where Hotch was holding his arm. "I just hope to hell my cobra didn't lose his ass," he smiled.
"Oh god forbid if that cobra tattoo of yours took a hit," Rossi said.
"Nice shot grandpa," Matt devilishly smiled, his Irish eyes sparking.
"You call me that again and you'll get the next bullet," Dave growled.
Matt looked at Hotch with a smile and winked at him. Hotch just shook his head. "We need medical in the barn," Hotch said into his comm link.
"You don't know what you are doing," Horning loudly complained. "I am doing medical and psychiatric research that could provide great breakthroughs."
Morgan looked at the Agent that linked him up. "Get him the hell out of here." The SWAT member took the struggling Horning out the door with another SWAT team member helping him. Bentcourt, Larson and Williams were standing outside, waiting in reserve along with the LeSueur country sheriff. The SWAT team member looked at them. "He's in their jurisdiction Scott," the agent said nodding at the sheriff. He smiled. "But I've a ten in pocket that says Jim won't mind you and Virgil piling his ass into their squad car."
"Not at all you two," the sheriff smiled. "Have at it." Larson and Williams took the struggling Horning to the sheriff's car, reading him his rights. They stuffed him into the caged backseat. Virgil slammed the door and smiled at his partner.
Inside the barn, Monihan looked at Taylor. "Jesus Christ Matt, I have more protection than you for taking a bullet. You didn't need to push me."
"Sorry Jake," Matt smiled. "My instincts kicked in."
Monihan shook his head. "You OK?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Matt smiled. "Get all the teams on stand down and medical in to help Judith." Monihan nodded with a smile and keyed his comm.
-00CM00-
The eastern sky showed a faint glimmer of light on the frigid farm landscape as the stars moved off to dazzle another part of the world. David Rossi moved to the second ambulance that was now on the scene and pulled the back door open.
Climbing in and shutting the door to keep the back area warm, he looked at the EMT pulling a roll of gauze out a cabinet. "Did you clear Agent Hotchner," he asked.
The EMT nodded. "He may have a small bruise the next day or two if that; but nothing to worry about."
"And the ding dong," Dave nodded at Matt.
"Between the asshole's lousy aim and the thermal fibers of the coat, he's got a nasty scratch," the EMT reported. "He doesn't need to see a doc either," he smiled.
Matt looked at Dave. "How many?"
Dave shook his head. "Eleven."
"Bodies," the EMT asked.
"No," Dave said, "just skulls." He looked at Matt. "The heat source in the shed was gas alright; used to fuel the crematorium."
Matt shook his head. "For the test victims; but with Horning's ego, he couldn't do that to the third victim that was a prostitute like the earlier ones. He wanted the headlines." Dave nodded in agreement.
"Geez, how do you guys do the job you do," the EMT asked, while wrapping Matt's arm.
Rossi looked at Matt. "How's the cobra's ass?"
"Intact, thank you very much," Matt smiled.
"I'll call Jimmy and have him mention you and the cobra in his novenas this morning."
"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not Catholic?"
"And how many times do I have to tell you you're Irish; that isn't right," Rossi countered.
Matt looked at the EMT. "He knows my very beautiful wife that converted me to being a Protestant; they've met," he said with a Texas accent for the last two words.
The EMT smiled. "I love Ron White," putting tape on the bandage.
"The Blue Collar Tour was great," Matt smiled. "But have you seen Jeff Dunham on Comedy Central?"
The EMT smiled. "Jose Jalapeño is my favorite."
"Mine is Achmed," Matt said.
"I'm sorta partial to Walter," Dave added.
"Yeah because you both have a dirty mind," Matt shot back. "You can relate."
"Screw you Cob," Dave trashed talked back.
The EMT laughed. "Have you two ever thought about taking this comedy show of yours on the road?"
"Been there," Matt said.
"Done that," Dave finished with a smile.
"Get the hell out of my bus," the EMT said. He smiled again. "First aid cream Agent and keep it covered for forty-eight hours."
Matt looked at him. "My wife and I have three kids. We own stock in first aid cream companies."
The EMT shook his head. "I'm not telling you two again. Get the hell out of my rig," he broadly smiled.
"Thanks Gabe," Matt smiled at him. He got up and looked at the EMT. "That's how we deal with this job." They shook hands.
Dave laughed and opened the door as Matt pulled his jacket on, zipping it up. Hotch and the team walked up to the ambulance as they got off. "And," Hotch asked.
"The cobra's ass is intact," Dave reported. "And the big Irish dummy has a scratch on his arm."
Matt looked at Dave, pulling on his stocking cap as they walked to the SUVs. "Speaking of phone calls, did you call Garcia and get her butt back to the hotel?"
"I called," Dave said. "But you know Garcia," he smiled. "She's waiting on us."
Matt shook his head. "I win more arguments with Abbey than I do her," he grumbled, getting into the driver's side of the first Bureau SUV.
"Been there, done that," Rossi said.
"Welcome to my world," Morgan added, pulling the door open on the second SUV.
-00CM00-
The team walked into the conference room to see Garcia packing up for the trip home. Dawn, now in full swing, shined through the windows. Garcia greeted them all and looked. "Where's the bosses," she asked.
"They were right behind me," JJ yawned.
Prentiss looked at Rossi. "Oh god no," she moaned. Callahan and Reid shook their heads as well.
Hotch and Cob walked in. Garcia rushed to them. "Are you two OK?"
Hotch smiled. "I've had a worse bruise on my shin playing soccer with Jack."
"I'm fine Garcia," Matt smiled moving his arm around. "It's a scratch; nothing more. Stand down agent," he smiled, rubbing her shoulder with a wink.
Morgan eyed the two. "Hotch, if you tell us we're wheels up," he got out.
"Stand down Agent," Hotch said, eyeing Morgan. He looked at his team, smiling. "Technically, we as a team are supposed to be on stand down." The team looked at each other with hope for a break. "We're going back to the hotel, get some breakfast and sleep. What you do later this afternoon is up to you. Matt and I think we know how you ladies will take advantage of that," he smiled more. Matt tossed his SUV keys to Prentiss. "We meet up tonight at five at Dick's Last Resort on the fourth floor of the Mall."
Matt put his arm around Garcia's shoulder. "The Boss Man keeps his promises," he smiled. "We're flying tomorrow at 10 a.m." He looked around. "It won't be a long night at Dick's," he added. The team all smiled.
"Sure you don't want to go shopping with us Cob," Prentiss asked. "We could use a manly stud, wearing a tight t-shirt, showing off his wound to carry our packages around."
"Princess, first off; I'm not Morgan. My t-shirts are the white undershirt type. Secondly, other than Sam's Club, I don't shop with my wife."
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A/N: I believe I've mentioned the Blue Collar Comedy Tour in one of my stories before as well as the Comedy Channel available on cable in the US. Jeff Dunham's comedy specials appear on there as well. If you still don't know them, I suggest YouTube. You'll find all the Dunham videos with the characters I'm mentioned. If you're brazen enough, search "Best Jeff Dunham joke with Walter". Be prepared, as a fine Canadian friend of mine likes to say, to pee your pants. :D