Chapter 10

Dead or Dying

Change my pitch up, smack my bitch up - Prodigy

Spencer sat at the back of the cage, legs drawn up and his arms wrapped around his knees. He rocked, hoping to gain comfort but finding none. He watched Aaron in the next cage. He hadn't moved since he was pushed into the cage. The only change was the increased circle of blood clotting around his head and body.

Spencer had at first tried to wake him, but there was no response. He couldn't reach him, and so couldn't touch him. He could be dying, and Spence couldn't even hold him. Aaron was dying alone, feet from him.

Spencer cried as he rocked, calling Aaron's name, not expecting an answer, but thinking maybe he could hear him.

"Aaron, Babe, please don't die……I need you, love, stay with me…" until the crying overwhelmed, and he couldn't speak.

Spencer had no idea what time of day or night it was. He had thought it was morning of the second day, but now he was confused. There were no windows, no daylight.

He thought of the previous night when he and Aaron had slept in each other's arms. Now he was dead or dying.

"Aaron, I can't believe this has happened!" Spencer sobbed. "I can't touch you, Aaron, but I am here, I want to be with you. Please wake up, Aaron. Please…."

Spencer rested his head on his knees and rocked.

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It won't be long now, Doctor Spencer Reid, and I will bring you to the woman for you to see. It is such a pity that Agent Aaron Hotchner will not see it, but I think that you have to take responsibility for that. It was your pathetic escape plan that made me hit him. Ok, maybe I didn't have to hit him so hard, but I was angry, and, I think, justified.

Your amazing brain and near perfect form will look incredible as a display. I hope Agent Aaron Hotchner is not too badly damaged to use, but most of the damage is to his body, and I left his face.

It means of course that he will have to be clothed on the mount, but I have plenty of ideas. It is such a pity that you wouldn't look at the sketches. Perhaps I will take them down to you later. Now Agent Aaron Hotchner is not interfering, you might take an interest.

And stop calling him. He won't wake up!

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Morgan looked through Paij's diary again. She mentioned the stalker a couple of times, she even said she thought maybe he worked at the Police Department Office, as she often saw him there, but that was all. Morgan shut the lap top in frustration. He swore to himself and anyone who cared to listen. There was nothing. He smacked his fist onto the desk.

He shut his eyes and put his head down.

"Hey! Morgan!" It was Prentiss's voice. He lifted his head.

"Yeah?"

"I think we might have something!"

Morgan was instantly attentive.

Emily held up an evidence bag. "We found this. There was an area of flattened grass about a hundred yards into the park. This was in the longer grass at the edge."

Morgan took the bag from Emily and looked at the tiny red dart. "It could have some kind of drug on it." he said. "Take it to the lab and tell them it's urgent."

Emily and JJ took the bag back and headed down to the lab.

Morgan went to see Garcia.

"Anything?"

She glanced up at Morgan. "The skinning knives both match up with plaster of Paris purchases. But that's not really enough is it?"

"It's a start. Prentiss may have found something in the park. It's a little dart, and it's being tested for drugs now." He looked at the list. "Could you see if any of these people work at the Police Office?"

"Just cops, or support staff too?"

"Everyone. Paij said on her diary that she though her stalker worked in the PD. If the stalker is the UnSub, it's definitely worth a try."

"I'll get right on it." She smiled at Morgan. "Only take a second!"

Morgan perched on the edge of Garcia's desk. A sharp look from Garcia moved him off it. "Ok, I'll stand!"

Garcia began to work her magic.

"I have something here." she read from her screen. "One of the purchases of plaster and skinning knife works at the PD Office."

"A cop?"

"No, civilian support – a cleaner. Only been here two weeks."

"Where were they before?"

A couple of key strokes, and, "New York." Garcia turned to Morgan. "Isn't that where Elihud Paxhill disappeared?"

Morgan's eyes widened. "I think we have got him!"

"Morgan?" It was Emily. "There was evidence of a Rohypnol based drug in the dart."

Morgan put his hand on Garcia's shoulder. "Do we have an address for this cleaner?"

Garcia pressed a key and the address printed off.

"You're a star, baby girl"

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Spencer looked up when the door opened at the top of the stairs. He watched the man literally bounce down the stairs, he was so excited.

"I am ready to show you the new exhibit, Doctor Spencer Reid!" he announced.

He went close to the cage. "I am going to let you out now, But don't think of running for it." He held up some handcuffs. "You will be wearing these." he said, "And I will be holding a knife at your back."

He opened the cage, and Spencer crawled out. The man turned Spencer round and cuffed his hands behind him. He held the cuffs with one hand, and pressed a knife in his back. He pushed Spencer towards the stairs.

"The display is up the stairs. I know you are going to love this!"

Spencer stumbled up the stairs and through the door at the top, which wasn't locked this time.

The door opened into a large room. Around the edges of the room were shelves, laden with hundreds of taxidermied animals, from tiny voles to monkeys and a bear.

"Oh my god!" Spencer stared at them, hating them. In the centre of the room was something covered with a sheet. With a flourish, and a huge smile, the man pulled the sheet off.

Spencer cowered away.. What was left of Paij Hanley was an abomination. He bent double and was violently sick.

In between retching, he wiped his mouth, crying, "Oh god! That poor girl!" He coughed and retched.

The man was livid.

"How dare you demean my work!"

He drew back a fist and punched Spencer in the small of his back. Spencer went down, howling with pain and anger. Tears sprang to his eyes; he arched his back, in an effort to bring relief.

"Get up, damn you!" The man pulled him up by his hair and pushed him back through the door, down the stairs to the basement. A shove in the back about half way down, and Spencer stumbled, and fell the rest of the way down the concrete steps, his unprotected body hitting the floor with a crack to his spine.

He lay still, waiting for the man to drag him wherever he wanted him. With the knife now held to his neck, he was pulled to his cage and made to sit. He slumped forwards, the pain making him dizzy.

His arms were forced through the bars and cuffed, and, like before, he was tied around his chest and neck, preventing movement. His head fell to one side, his eyes closed. He was bleeding from a head wound, and his body was showing new bruises from the fall. He wasn't thinking straight, or he would have known what was coming next.

"You are going to stay awake this time."

Spencer groaned in agony, and screamed as the man threw water on him.

"Wake up!"

The man opened Aaron's cage and dragged him out by the legs.

Spencer was wide awake now. "Leave him alone!" Spencer shouted. "Haven't you hurt him enough?"

The man felt for a pulse.

"You will be pleased to know that Agent Aaron Hotchner is not dead yet." he said. Spence looked at Aaron with tear filled eyes.

"Well, I'm pleased." the man added.

He dragged Aaron over onto the tiled area, and cuffed his feet together. Spencer was screaming and struggling.

"Please! Don't do it! Please, no, no!" His voice was broken by sobs and cries, as he begged for Aaron's life.

The man ignored him, and lowered a pulley. He attached the hook on the pulley onto the cuffs at Aaron's ankles, and pulled it, until his hands were clear of the tiles.

Spencer was still screaming and begging.

The man turned on the shower, and sprayed Aaron with it. With a gasp, Aaron woke up. Right away, he began to struggle. His efforts were rewarded with a kick to the back. He cried out in pain, and stopped moving. He raised his hands to his face, wiping his eyes of blood and tears.

The man switched on his music.

Aaron looked towards Spencer and their eyes locked. Spencer leaned forwards as far as he could. Aaron spoke to him so quietly, but Spencer could hear him.

"I love you Spence. I always will!"

The man pulled Aaron's hands away from his face and slowly slit open his wrists.