26

'But he said!' Sam yelled at the big dark oily thing standing in front of him. 'He said if I did what I did then I'd get what I wanted!'

A syringe fell from the sky and landed at his grubby feet. 'Take it, rat.'

'Firstly I have to tell you that I'm not a rat, and secondly I don't want drugs, I want to be like everyone else!'

'You are like everyone else, rat. At least everyone else where you come from. Now stop complaining, take your gift and get back to your cell.'

'This isn't what I wanted! I was told by Floyd…'

'Floyd lied to you.'

'Oh my fucking god! Do you think I'm a moron? Why would he have lied to me? He gave me instructions on what to do and how to prove myself. He said that if I did all that he told me to then I'd get that which I most desire.'

'A cock up your arse and a needle in your arm.' The thing told Sam. 'There's no point in trying to deny that.'

'But I called to you and asked you and told you that I was doing this…'

'Apologies if we didn't take note of your whining, but you're just one small rat amongst a million other far worthy creatures. Go back to your cell and take your gift. Maybe if you're really lucky you'll have the other part of your request later.'

Sam shook his head but prodded at the syringe with his toes. 'I never asked for this.'

'But you will take it anyway. You will go and relieve your poor sad spirit by getting off your face and presenting your backside to whomever and whatever requests it.'

'I demand to go back! You have to let me go back. That bastard smashed my face in. I have to be permitted to perform retribution upon him. I want to smash his ugly face in with a crow bar! I want to bite his dick off and stuff it in his mouth and…'

'So you don't want heroin?'

Sam bent down and stroked the syringe with his finger tips. 'So you will let me go and smack Reid if I don't take this?'

'No rat, you will be fucked, and then dismantled. Unless of course you can please a demon of sodomy, and I don't think you can. Take it and have a final high, or don't take it and feel every thrust of that long poisonous barbed member. It's your choice.'

Sam's fingers grasped the syringe. 'You mother fucking bastards! All of you! Every last fucking one of you! I wanted Floyd so badly! I wanted him and would have done about anything to have him want me back, but you're all fucking shits!' He stood up and looked at the thing through narrowed eyes. 'I hate you! It's not fair! When do I get a break! Why does everyone blame it all on me? It's not my fault! I didn't do anything wrong except believe Floyd was going to save me! I just wanted salvation, is that so wrong!' He tossed the syringe at the creature standing in front of him. 'I don't want this!' He howled now, standing on the balls of his feet. 'You cant make me do this! It's so fucking not fair! I cant help being what I am! It's not what I ever wanted.' The creature picked up the syringe and crushed it between his fingers. 'NO!' Sam screamed as the liquid dripped off the monster's fingers. 'Oh fuck no… please… I needed that! Please!'

It was the end of the discussion. It had been decided and Sam had been told what was going to happen. Floyd hadn't contacted them about reclamation and therefore Sam will be used as amusement (as it was a devil of a holiday… a celebration of arses…) and then he would be absorbed back into the darkness. He was told that if Floyd ever bothered to contact them, then they'd enter discussions as to his future but as he was no use to them, and unwanted by Floyd (even the forest animals didn't want to eat his corpse) then there seemed little point in keeping him around.

'I don't need Floyd!' Sam howled at them as they started to drag him back over the squashy black floor to an even darker, yet hot place where he'd be kept in storage.

'He ate your heart. Without Floyd you don't really exist.'

'Fucking hate him!' Sam screamed as he was hurled into a small dark hot room where he had to sit and wait for Floyd to come and give him back what he'd taken. 'Don't fucking believe this bollocks.' Sam muttered as he looked around and saw nothing except small bottles, in various colours, glinting in what was like, but wasn't, starlight. Little bottles tempting him to open them and taste them.

Sam had the willpower of a maggot and drank the lot within the first ten minutes. It made him sick. It made him cry and rage and hammer at the door. It made him plead and beg and offer anything he had just to be let out.

If anyone was there, they weren't listening.

o-o-o

Spencer was attempting to remain calm. 'Even if I did know what you're asking, you know I'd not be able to tell you anything. It is also a very well known fact that even if I was a Federal Agent, that there would be no ransom. The Feds don't do that.'

'We have ways to persuade people.' Spencer was told.

He remembered the time with Tobias. It made his skin crawl. He swallowed back the feeling that he was going to be sick and sighed softly. 'I'm very sure you do, but as I don't have any information it would be pointless to pursue that direction to extract information. I know nothing. And beating me and doing whatever it is you have planned cannot work if the information you wish to extract doesn't exist.'

It seemed that they agreed with him. They told Spencer to get up and they half dragged him back to his cave. They spoke amongst each other and it was decided that his rations and water allowance had been far too generous and would be halved. He was also told that he could have a week to think about things and then they'd be back to see if he'd changed his mind. They requested that he rested. He would need all the energy he could muster when the time came.

Yes it seemed odd to Reid that they'd not even slapped him… no black eye. No pain in the groin… nothing but the threat that the greasy muck they'd been feeding him would be reduced. Reid knew that something was wrong. Well more than one something actually.

Where the hell was Floyd?

The reason they'd not beaten Spencer became clear when Adam was dragged back into the cave and chained to the wall. It was Adam they'd beaten. Spencer crawled over the rough rock floor to get as close as he could but Adam drew back. There was blood. Spencer could see that much in the dim light.

'Don't you come any closer you bastard.' The young voice hissed at him.

'What did they do?' A rising sound of alarm in Spencer's voice.

'They beat me. They tore out two of my fingernails. They've told me what they're going to do to me tomorrow, and it's because of you. I hope you're satisfied. I hope you're proud of your damned morals.'

Spencer sat back on his heels and rubbed at his eyes with his fingertips. 'I didn't know.'

'Didn't think, rather.' Adam growled back at him. 'I'm going to die because you wont give up information. I'd been making an OK life here and you come in and fuck everything up for me. Thanks.'

Spencer stopped trying to get to the obviously hurt person and turned to look at the bars. He could just about reach them and so the following hour saw Reid rattling the bars and shouting for someone to come and talk to him. 'You cant do this! Please… I will negotiate something with you. Take me rather than the boy! Someone talk to me! He needs medical assistance! I know you can hear me!'

He only stopped when he took pause for breath and Adam spoke. 'Shut up. I'm trying to sleep. They wont come. Just let me sleep I need my energy for tomorrow.'

Spencer nodded and tried to move towards him again. 'Don't. I need to sleep.' He snarled at Reid.

He sat on his pile of straw until he heard the heavy sleeping breaths of Adam and then he too curled up to sleep. When he next opened his eyes Adam was gone. There was a plate with some stale bread and a slice of sweaty cheese and a mug of slightly warm water. Spencer tried calling for someone but like the night before he was ignored. He had wanted to attempt to make some sort of a deal with these people, but his chance had been missed. Now he had to sit and wait and not only have the problem of trying to sort through the guilt of maybe (if it had really been him) killing Sam, but now someone else was being hurt because of him. And still no Floyd. Spencer was quite sure that Floyd would have forgiven him by now. Floyd would… Floyd always did. Floyd needed him…

The bars opened and someone was dragged in. It didn't look like it was Adam though. The face was the wrong shape… but then again that was Adam's fair hair and he was wearing Adam's clothes. 'What have you done!' Spencer howled. 'I'll talk to you. We can make some kind of a deal, but you cant do that to someone because of me!' Spencer felt the rage and the hot tears running down his face.

'You were told.' The man told Spencer as he manacled Adam back to the wall. 'One week. That's seven days.'

'But you can stop this! What have you done to his face?'

'Dental work.' The man grinned at Spencer. 'Just a little. Nothing he wont survive. But I assure you it'll hurt like a son of a bitch. Five more days little Agent. Then we talk about deals.' The bars were closed and the two of them were once again alone. Spencer tried to ask what happened but got a bloody hand waved at him to tell him to shut up.

Reid stayed awake longer that night and listened to Adam crying in his sleep as he tried to get the manacle of his own foot. He only succeeded in jamming something behind his thumb nail. He sat and sucked on it for a while and finally admitting defeat for that day lay back with all intention of staying awake. He didn't. Again when he next opened his eyes, Adam was gone.

It was the fifth night that Adam didn't return. Spencer still got his old bit of bread and his bit of hard cheese with a drink of water, but there was no Adam. He asked where the boy was and got no answer. He yelled at the bars demanding to know where Adam was and no one came. Spencer shouted and hurled straw around and kicked over the bucket which thankfully he'd not used since it had been emptied. He picked it up and slung it at the bars and carried on until finally someone came to tell him to be silent.

'There are kids you know. They don't want nightmares from your racket. Just shut up and sleep.' He was told.

'Where is Adam?' Spencer needed to know.

The man shrugged. 'Wherever people go when they're dead I guess. Lad couldn't cope with that amount of damage and his heart gave out. I think he felt it. Never seen such a terrified look on a kid's face before.'

'Why are you doing this?' Spencer clutched hold of the bars. 'Why do that to him?'

'Because you're a Federal Agent. Your job is to protect. You failed. You'll not give us the info we require without a bit of pressure. We're hairy and dirty, but far from stupid, Doctor Reid. Torturing you would get us nothing but a corpse. A dead kid is easy to replace. And will be replaced. And if you still refuse to give us the information we need you'll have three deaths on your protective hands. How does that sit with you Doctor Reid?'

Spencer stood back from the bars. 'I said I would talk about making a deal with you.' Spencer's voice wobbled.

The man shook his head. 'Just something to waste time Doctor Reid. I'm not ready or willing to waste my time. You were told a week. Seven days. The kid didn't last that long, not my fault. Not the kid's fault. Your fault Doctor. Think about it. How many children are you going to allow to die for you? You killed one with your bare hands. We watched. We watched you kill Sam. Then you allowed Adam to die for you. I must say that I'm surprised. What you need to do over the course of the following day is work out what information is going to stop another person being slaughtered in your name. Who is more important? An innocent who you don't know or an Agent who is trained to protect himself and took the job knowing the dangers? Up to you Doctor Reid. Totally up to you. See you tomorrow.' The man turned and walked away and left Spencer to his thoughts.

o-o-o

Penelope Garcia was at a virtual run when she entered Hotch's office. She stood looking alarmed and fidgety as Hotch finished a telephone call. He looked over at Garcia and nodded. 'You have something?'

'About ten minutes ago. A Floyd Flanders was admitted to hospital. His name popped up on my screen. I had him tagged. Nothing for Spencer though.' She told Hotch which hospital Floyd was in and placed a bit of paper on the desk in front of Hotch. 'There's nothing for Sam Trent either.' She added. 'I did double check that. I don't know why he's there or if he took himself there or was taken.'

'Then find out. I'll go and pay him a visit. Contact me if you find anything.'

Garcia tried to smile, but couldn't. She tried to think that Spencer had taken Floyd there and they would be together. That would be the best result, but she didn't want to raise her hopes too high. She couldn't ask Hotch to phone her when he'd talked to Floyd. She couldn't ask him to let her know if Spencer was there. She just had to stand and watch her boss walk in long strides towards the elevator. Hotch had taken the bit of paper with him. He had folded it and placed it in his pocket. That was good. She didn't want someone else (ie Derek) seeing that Floyd was in the hospital. Derek wouldn't have the calm that Hotch could display (even when he wasn't feeling calm inside). Morgan would go in shouting and demanding. Morgan would go in with his gun out and ready to kill. Not that that was a bad thing. At least not always. Rossi looked over and gave Penelope a questioning look, but she quickly removed her glasses and gave them a quick clean and walked back to her bunker.

o-o-o

Hotch didn't have to ask where the patient called Flanders was. He could hear the shouting and yelling as soon as he entered casualty. He walked quickly and flashed his badge to gain access to the area with the small curtained cubicles.

'Touch me again and you're dead.' He clearly heard Floyd's voice.

'I need to touch you to see the damage.' A hushed calm voice.

'Just give me some meds and I'll sort it myself.' Snapped an angry Floyd.

'I don't know what medication you will need until you let me wash it and see properly what the damage is. Can you tell me how this happened?'

'What do you fucking well think happened? They are teeth marks. Work it out for yourself.'

'Teeth marks? Someone bit you?' A shocked voice. 'That's extensive damage sir. You might need surgery.'

'Oh for the love of fucking fuck! Just give me something to rub in the sores and I'll be gone.'

'I would like to do some tests first.' Again the calm voice. 'For infection.'

'Tests? What sort of tests?'

'Blood tests sir. And can you remain on the bed please. I cant have you wandering around half dressed. People will get upset.'

'Upset? They were taking fucking photos when I showed that slut on the reception desk.'

'Please…'

It was now that Hotch pulled back the curtain and walked in.

Floyd's head snapped around and his eyes narrowed. 'You took your fucking time getting here.' He growled. 'You alone?'

Hotch looked at the mostly undressed Floyd and then quickly averted his eyes. 'I was going to ask you the same question.' Hotch took a seat next to the bed which Floyd was now sitting on.

'Yes I'm alone. Obviously I'm alone. And I'm in pain and…' He turned and looked at the doctor. '…fine, touch, but don't blame me if I suddenly get the over powering need to stuff my ulcerated cock up your arse. Just sayin'.'

'I need to know where Spencer is.' Hotch spoke calmly trying not to look at what the doctor was doing and taking a small amount of pleasure from the look of pain on Floyd's face.

'Well that's the… fuck!' Floyd wriggled on the bed. 'Doctor, my good man, do that again and die.'

'I need to put in a drain and then I'll have you transferred to a private room. Apparently you have good medical insurance.' The doctor looked surprised. This looked like someone who had been living rough.

Floyd nodded. 'Just sort it.' His voice came out as a moan. 'Now, Reid. Where the hell is he? I've been to his apartment and I have a feeling he's not been back, so where's he hiding, Agent Aaron Hotchner?'

Now it was Hotch's face which showed surprise. 'He's not reported in.' He paused and grimaced as he glanced at what the doctor was doing with his hands. 'Last time I saw Reid he was with you.'

'Ah…' Floyd replied. 'There was… there was an incident. He did something… something I need to… I apologise Aaron old buddy, but I'm a tad distracted by what this good man is doing with my livelihood. Can you come back later?'

Hotch didn't go back later. Hotch stayed. He did however wait outside the curtained cubicle until Floyd was taken (by wheelchair) to a private room on the fifth floor. Once the doctor had left and whilst they awaited blood test results Hotch began to ask questions.

'Where is Spencer?' Was the first thing he asked, closely followed by, 'And what was this incident you spoke of.'

Floyd lounged back on the bed with a happy grin on his face. Painkillers had kicked in and he was feeling a bit light headed. 'I dunno. I assumed you knew. As for the incident I spoke of, I don't think I wish to talk about that on account that you wont believe what I told you and I don't want Reid to get pulled in for murder before I've had the opportunity to deliver my message to him. I'm tired and need to rest.'

Hotch glanced down at Floyd's mid-region which was covered by a light hospital sheet. 'Spencer – he did that?' Aaron didn't even want to think about how or why Spencer would have risked his life by biting Floyd in such an area.

'No, not as such, but he caused it. They're not his teeth marks if that's what you're wondering. Agent Aaron Hotchner, something happened when the three of us were out in the forest. Not very good stuff and none of it my fault. Now I've lost my Sam and Spencer seems to be AWOL. I told him to go back home. I told him to go to you for comfort. I assumed that's what he'd done. It's been a few – a couple? I don't know how many weeks, but he's been off my radar for at least two weeks. I came back and went to his apartment but no one was there. I called him. Damnit I called you, but no reply on the good old telephone. Now I have to wonder where the hell he is. If he's not here and he's not in hiding… you have him in a safe house? I kind of made some wild threats.'

Hotch sat in the orange, plastic covered chair and listened carefully. 'And Sam?'

'Sam… Sammy boy… You don't want to know.' Floyd closed his eyes. 'I'm tired. Come back some other time and go look for Reid for me. I cant smell him on you. But then I did warn him about that too, so maybe just this once he's actually listened to me?'

But Hotch did want to know about Sam. 'Did you hurt them Floyd? Either of them? What happened?'

'This is off the record? I gather that anything I say will be used against me. Am I under arrest?'

'Now that depends on what you tell me. The last time you saw Spencer, tell me what happened.'

'I'm a compulsive liar Aaron. Why bother telling you?' He paused and looked at Hotch who was staring back at him. 'Fine! I was getting sucked off by Sam and Reid took it upon himself to stop him. He battered his brains out with a length of wood. Sam bit down when darling, loving, gentle, innocent Reid smacked him on the back of the head. I must say that I was more than a bit shocked at what had happened and in a bit of pain. I let Spencer go. I told him I would come find him later. There were things I had to do with Sam first. Reid killed Sam. I've dealt with that. I'll get Sam back somehow, but not before I've shown Reid exactly how pissed off I am with him. Not necessarily because he committed a gross act of jealousy and uncontrolled, vile, infantile… whatever it was… but because I got hurt! You understand now?'

Hotch had been watching Floyd carefully, but as he'd already said, he was a compulsive liar. There was no way to pick out the lies from the truth. He certainly didn't believe that Spencer had it in him to kill someone in that manner, that much he was sure of. The rest of it though? 'I will come back when you're talking sense. I'll have a guard at your door. I don't want you wandering off or going anywhere.'

'You think one poxy guard at the door will stop me from leaving if that's what I feel inclined to do? You forget who you're talking to Aaron. Go find Reid. Go run to Dave and tell him what I said. I'm sure he'd love to have a chat with me. Dave seems to think he can get inside my head. I'll be the subject of one of his books one day.'

As going to talk to Dave was exactly what Hotch had on his mind he decided to prove Floyd wrong. He remained sitting in the chair. 'Tell me what happened and this time the truth. Is Spencer in trouble? Is Sam?'

Floyd sighed and wriggled his toes. 'I'm gasping for a fag. Can you persuade them to let me have my stuff?' When Hotch didn't move Floyd carried on. 'OK The Great Truth. You want me to tell you something which makes sense to you? Sam was royally getting right on my tits. I slapped him around a bit and Spencer intervened and so I slapped him around a bit too. A lot. I killed them both and buried them in the forest and planted an apple tree over their heads. I then fucked a couple of sheep which were wandering around and murdered someone I hitched a lift from. I ate all parts which I found tasty. A dog bit my cock when I tried to screw it. Out of desperation you must understand. Now tell me which truth you like the best?'

Hotchner shook his head. 'You told me you were looking for Spencer. Why would you be looking for him if you had killed him?'

'Because I'm insane, as you well know. I'm mad man Aaron. But you love me anyway don't you? Spence and I had a tiff. I told him to fuck off and run because I was going to hurt him. He did as he was told. He ran. I waited around until I'd calmed down enough to think about buying a silver cheroot case and a cow hide belt and then made my way back here. I phoned… I visited… he's not home. Where is he?'

'Have you checked your own home?'

Floyd hadn't. It hadn't crossed his mind to do that. He hadn't really been all that bothered about Spencer at all. It had been Sam he'd been waiting for. He had assumed that he'd just pick Spencer up off the street when he was ready… Once he'd found Sam. 'Well obviously I've checked the house. It was the first thing I did.' Floyd lied. 'I've been wandering the streets looking for them both. Maybe they're together. Ah… no, no… you see these pain killers are confusing me, or my lack of libido is. They cant be together as Sam is a corpse and Spencer, hopefully, isn't.'

'Sam died?' Hotch was trying his best to remain calm but there was one lie flowing so fast after another that he was having difficulties keeping track.

'I told you that already! Are you getting stupid in your old age? Spencer beat him to death with a bit of wood. Now please I need to sleep. The drugs they're pumping into me are taking effect and I'm…' Floyd closed his eyes and let out a soft groan as he dropped off asleep.