Chapter 11
5pm Saturday
"Uncle Dave! Uncle Dave!"
Henry and Jack hit the BAU doors at a dead run. They hit escape velocity somewhere around the bull pen and launched themselves into Rossi's arms. "Where's my Dad?" Jack demanded.
Rossi hugged them like he was drowning and they were saving him. If nothing else the boys were safe. If you can hear me out there wherever you are Aaron, Jack is safe. JJ, Will, Henry is safe "I don't know." He had to admit. "I don't know where your Mom and Dad are either." He admitted to Henry. "But we're doing everything we can to find them."
"What about Spencer?" Henry asked.
"We're doing everything we can to find him too. That doesn't mean he's in trouble, he's staying at a friend's cabin up in the mountains, we just don't know where he is."
"Maybe his Mommy knows."
Rossi was about to answer that no, Spencer's Mommy probably didn't, when he stopped. Of course! "Henry, that's a brilliant idea."
"You think Diana would know?" Blake asked.
"Not exactly. You boys go wait in the conference room; I'll be there in just a little bit." He put the boys down and practically ran to Garcia's lair. "Garcia, can you get Bennington Sanitarium on the phone? There's no way Reid wouldn't leave a number where they could contact him in case of emergency."
"I should have thought of that!" Garcia immediately turned and started typing.
Spencer felt like he was practically floating back to the cabin. He was only about three-quarters in this world now; the remainder was lost in a world of sensation, of the warmth of the sun and the caress of the breeze and the scents and sounds of the world around him. Whatever natural powers he possessed had taken a serious boost earlier, there beside the waterfall. Is it always like this? He thought
Yes, Sarah thought back, you'll have to learn to block it out and focus or else when you're in an ugly place it will depress you and your energy will drop. When you're stuck inside your head then you need lots of intellectual stimulation, lots of things for your library, to keep from going stir crazy. She smiled a little. I devoured books when we were with the fleet.
That's not a problem. He remembered her library, the vast stores of information she kept in her mind, creating an internal refuge. He had one as well, but it needed nurturing. He might have to subject himself to book apps on his tablet, they were slow but he could bring more with him that way. How did you bear it for all those years?
I was doing my duty. She thought back. That mattered more than my comfort.
Noblesse oblige. Privilege entails to responsibility. Mat talked about that a lot, I remember.
Yes. As Gran used to say, it's not how strong or how smart you are that makes you special, it's your willingness to work with your gifts to do what needs to be done. She put her arm around him. I'm just grateful that duty comes with rewards.
He smiled as he pressed a kiss to her hair. He knew that one word to General Davis would have him quietly ensconced in some pleasant work environment, spending the rest of his life using his gifts for research and development, with no more exposure to the twisted minds of Unsubs or the broken hearts of their victims. But he firmly believed it was his duty to help others, to save lives, to protect and to serve, and so he would keep going out on cases, keep helping where he could with whatever ability he could bring to bear on the problem, no matter how difficult it became. The reward was being able to sleep knowing he had helped, knowing he made a difference. But it was also the friends and family he had at the BAU. The reward, he thought, is the people. They make it worthwhile.
Speaking of the people, they came around the corner and spotted an SUV parked in front of the cabin. They're early; Sarah thought as they headed down the hill, I hope everything is all right. He felt her concentrate as she reached out to Eva, and then this sudden flare of shock. "Spencer!"
At that moment he felt the barbs of the taser bite into his skin.