Chapter 28

Dinner for Two

Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices: - Alfred A. Montapert

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.


He knew he had to be careful. They would be able to track this vehicle easily. He needed to change vehicles, but he couldn't do it legally. Not much of a problem really.

Floyd had a plan. He drove for about twenty minutes and then pulled off the road towards some farm buildings. Outside the small house was a dirty SUV. He was sure they would be willing to swap.

He pulled up next to the car and checked on Spencer. He still wasn't awake – but he had groaned a couple of times – so he hadn't killed him…not yet. He pulled Spencer's Tshirt up and ran his fingers over his skin. The thought of what he could do with that made his mouth water. With a small sigh he pulled it back down again and got out of the vehicle. He closed the door carefully and then noticed the blood on the sleeve of his shirt. Very swiftly he removed his waistcoat and took the shirt off. He now had a chance to look at the wounds Hotch had given him, but not the time to deal with them. He pulled the waistcoat back on and still doing up the double breasted black garment he knocked on the door of the small house.

A guy who looked about the same age as Floyd opened the door.

"Can I help you?"

He fell to the floor with his neck snapped without another sound. Flanders entered the small house and listened for sound. A television playing in the room the right and the smell of cooking to his left. He went left first. The blonde woman who from behind looked horribly like JJ was standing stirring something on the stove.

"Who was it?" She asked as Floyd came up behind her. He let her fall to the floor being careful not to make any noise and then turned the heat off under the pans…She had been cooking up a meaty tomato sauce. Floyd had a quick search of cupboards and found two containers with lids. He quickly filled them both then left the kitchen. He placed the food on the door step and then walked to the room with the television. It was empty. He moved over quickly and picked up the remote control and turned the sound down, but left the picture on. There were children's toys laying on the floor. He stood and looked at them for a while…He left the room and walked back out to the hallway. Sitting on the floor next to a cupboard were pairs of shoes…a mix of adult and child. From where he stood it looked like there were two girls. One set of shoes obviously bigger than the other.

Floyd sighed and looked up the stairs. "Shit."

Slowly he walked up the stairs. His hands were making fists and clenching hard. The first door at the top of the stairs was open. Bathroom. He closed it and walked on. The next he listened at first and heard nothing. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and carefully opened the door. Adult's room. Again he closed it quietly.

"Wasting time…sodding kids." He muttered under his breath. The next door was a small room and there was a child sleeping soundly curled up under the covers. He stepped back and closed the door. The next door opened into a slightly larger room and this time the child of about ten years old was laying sprawled on her front outside the covers. Floyd's stomach lurched at the sight and carefully he walked into the room. He stood next to the child's bed and stared down at her. A dozen different thoughts of what to do next flew through his mind. Most of them he rejected due to time constraints. One of them he just about had time for. It was less than a minute later that he moved forwards towards the child again. One hand he ran through his hair and the other he rubbed hard on the leg on his dirty jeans.

Slowly and very carefully with one hand holding back his hair he bent over the sleeping child and kissed her lips gently. "Sleep well." He muttered and moved back again. He left the room quicker than he had arrived and closed the door. For a few minutes he stood staring at the closed door and the turned and walked back down the stairs. He took car keys from a hook next to the door, picked up the containers of food, kicked the body fully back into the house and then closed the door carefully.

Now he moved to the car he planned on taking. He opened the passenger door and leaned over the seat to put the food in the back and then went back for Reid. Moving as quickly as he could now he undid the seat belt and lifted Reid from the car.

The swap over was fast and now Floyd felt more comfortable….this car wasn't going to be so easy to trace…and he only needed it for a short while anyway. He reversed out of the parking space and drove at a good fast speed down towards the freeway again. Spencer secured in place and the seat back so he could sleep.

As Reid slept his dreams became interrupted by a constant barrage of words coming from Floyd.

"You put up a good fight babes….but he got you. That bastard nearly killed you Spence. I told you to keep away from him…you will now wont you? Stay away from Hotchner….keep away…he tried to kill you babes……………."

It was non-stop. Floyd needed Spencer to be on his side here and if he could get his muddled sleeping mind to take the images he was giving him it might work….for a short while.

-o-o-o-

Very slowly he moved his hand over his face and wiped some of the blood out of his eyes. He then felt down at where Floyd had stabbed at him….He groaned as he felt the amount of blood he had lost. He needed to get help now. The room was in silence. It sounded as though Floyd had gone. He looked over at where Reid had been laying. There was a mess on the floor…but Reid had gone. He slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. A call to Rossi was in order. He flipped open his phone only to discover that Floyd as sabotaged it. He remained silent but thought about the pictures of Jack he had on there. He dropped the phone to the floor and looked for where Reid's land line phone was. It still seemed to be in one piece on the desk. Very carefully Hotch rolled over onto this front. He couldn't understand why Floyd hadn't killed him. There must be a reason: Hotch knew now that Floyd never did anything without reason. He had to try to work out what he had left him for and for that matter why he had beaten Reid almost to death and then taken him with him – if that is what he had done.

Again moving slowly he crawled carefully – aware that it would start the bleeding again and being careful not to lay on the blade still sticking in him….he made his way to Reid's desk. His fingers slick with blood reached out and pulled at the wire leading to the phone. He tugged and pulled it off the desk and managed to catch hold of part of it so it didn't smash on the hard floor. He listened for a dial tone and then put it to his ear carefully putting in the numbers.

It rang three times before Rossi picked up.

He listened to Rossi telling him not to move. They would be right there…and they would call an ambulance. Just stay still and wait.

But Hotch needed to know if Reid was still here. If Floyd had just moved him and dumped him in the bathroom or on the bed. There was no way Aaron was going to just lay on the floor and not know.

The bedroom was closest and so slowly crawling slightly on his side to keep the blade off the floor he moved towards the bedroom door. He left a smear of fresh blood behind him. The door had been left off the latch and so Hotch was able to just push it open. It was a mess but there didn't seem to be a Spencer in there. He wasn't sure if this was good or not…If Reid had been here still there was a greater chance Floyd had killed him and left him behind…But if he had taken him…he was most likely he was still alive, but with Floyd. He crawled along to the next door. The bathroom. This room had its door closed. Hotch sighed and wondered why he could smell cleaning fluid everywhere in this place. Putting his hands on the surface of the door he used it to help him get to his knees.

Aaron felt a fresh flow of blood coming from his side and knew that if Rossi wasn't quick he was going to bleed out here; then again he had to know if Reid was here or not. If he was going to die he wasn't going to go without knowing and letting him know he was trying. His blood covered fingers managed to reach the handle and he pulled down and pushed forwards. The door swung open suddenly. Hotch managed to put his hands down and stop him from falling on his chest. This room too seemed empty and very clean. Too clean. Sterile. He went now to move to the kitchen…He had slowed down now and his head was spinning out of control.

Just a rest. A small rest and then keep moving. He lay on his side and closed his eyes. He pulled his legs up and thought of Jack as he fell into a deep dark sleep.

-o-o-o

He pulled off the freeway and made his way down a less busy road leading to one of the villages. After about a mile he pulled off the road and got out of the car. Pulling something from his pocket he moved to the front drivers wheel and pulled off the cap on the valve. He stuck something inside the valve and quickly let the tyre down. Floyd could hear Reid muttering to him self but he still wasn't properly awake so for now he left him. Now standing next to the car with the driver's door open and a distressed look on his face he awaited the next vehicle he could use. A couple went by but they were too close together…he need something on its own…and here it came. A small SUV. Perfect.

Floyd went to the centre of the road and put his hands up in an attempt to get it to stop. There was one person driving. A female….the day was getting better and better. She slowed down and stopped but kept the window shut. Floyd pointed to the tyre and made a phone motion with his hand. The woman who looked to be about fifty pulled a not very impressed face but picked something up off the seat next to her and opened the window slightly. She put her hand out of the window holding the phone out.

It was all Floyd needed.

She went with no sound as he dragged her to the window and with one well practiced hand snapped her neck.

Now he had to work very quickly. He picked the dropped phone up and opened the rear door throwing the phone onto the floor he leaned forwards and un-strapped his victim and dragged her to the back seat and then pulled a car blanket over her cooling body. Now to get Spencer. He swapped cars just the same as he did before and reclined the seat again. Floyd took the food and placed in on the floor in the back of the new car and then he closed the door and jumped into the driver's side and moved off quickly….being careful to stick to speed limits – he could really do without being caught in a stolen car with a corpse and an unconscious abducted FBI agent. That really would take a lot of explaining.

As Floyd drove down the road someone stepped out of the shadows and watched the car disappear into the distance and Rossi arrived at Reid's apartment.

-o-o-o-

Rossi knew that Aaron wouldn't be able to open the door from the inside and so was prepared with guys to smash the door in. Reid wasn't going to be happy but that was a bit tough. As far as Rossi could see the wayward agent had brought this all on himself. As the door opened with a resounding crunch Rossi stepped forwards. Gun ready. He stopped when he saw Hotch laying in a gentle pool of blood then ran forward re-holstering his sidearm and calling for the medics to get a move on.

He knelt down next to Aaron and sighed in relief at the sight of his breathing. It was shallow but there.

"It's OK Hotch – the medics are here now. We've got you." He then turned to the others. "Someone see if Dr Reid is still here somewhere." He guessed by the trail of blood Aaron had left behind that that was what he had been doing.

He moved back as the medics arrived to do their thing….The blade was left and would be removed in surgery. The wound to his side it seemed had stopped bleeding. There was a lot of blunt force trauma but his vital signs though weak were stable. Carefully they lifted him onto the gurney and took him out to the awaiting ambulance.

Dave would have liked to go with him but right now he needed to look around this place and figure out what had been going on.

It was another twenty minutes before they realised Hotch's car was missing and another five minutes for Garcia to locate his car and give them the location…Fifteen minutes later a swarm of police cars arrived at the farm house. It looked quiet. From the out side all seemed normal. Flickering light though the gap in the curtains showed them that the television was on. They stood and waited…They had been told to wait until the Feds arrived. It was only a couple of minutes later when Morgan's car pulled in and he and Prentiss got out.

"What do we have?"

The local cop walked over. "Nothing. The car you are looking for is here."

Morgan glanced around. "No garage, unless he parks in the barn, and not vehicle outside. Let's go and see if the owners are in."

Prentiss walked by his side as they approached the door and Morgan did the same as Floyd had not that long ago and knocked on the door. The house remained in silence. Morgan looked over at Emily who nodded back. He took a couple of steps back…aimed with his mind and with one strong kick the door flew open. It didn't go far. Something behind the door seemed to be in the way. Guns out and ready they carefully entered the small house. There was a smell of cooking wafting around the place. Derek went in the direction of where the television was silently playing….Emily went towards the kitchen.

"I've found something." She called out and was soon joined by Derek. The woman was laying where Floyd had let her drop, but now Emily was looking at something else.

"Morgan."

He turned to look. Emily was looking at a notice board. All over it were kids pictures….paintings and drawings.

With a sigh the two of them took to the stairs to find what vile devastation Floyd had made. They could smell him – Prentiss could smell the dirt and the sweat – Morgan could smell the stale old damp smell of cheroots and something else dark of foreboding. It was a shock when on careful inspection the two little girls were alive and well.

A worry was that in the youngest's room they couldn't smell that distinctive Floydian smell, whereas in the older child's room they could. It was quite strong too as though he had been there a while.

After the children had been awoken and removed from the house Emily approached Morgan.

"He stood and watched her."

Morgan looked at Emily. "Why? I don't understand – I can't figure him out. Why leave the kids? He shows no remorse or guilt over anything. He kills indiscriminately and yet leaves these two. Why did he stand and watch her?"

"Deciding what to do next?"

"He acts on impulse Emily…I don't think he would have to make a decision – he chose to stand and watch and he chose not to kill her. Yet he didn't even go in the other child's room."

A sudden thought flicked through his mind. He turned to Emily with a frown on his face. "I think I know what the bastard was doing. Get the CSU up here…I need this place swept for unknown DNA."

The two of them backed out of the room. Emily's face had gone very pale. "At least he didn't rape the poor child." She muttered.

-o-o-o-

Floyd had just reached a small car parking area in a small wooded area when suddenly without warning Reid woke up. And he wasn't in a good mood. The only good thing about the situation was that the was strapped in and couldn't escape.

Spencer awoke not knowing where he was. All he knew was that he was in pain and somehow Floyd and Hotch had something to do with it. He couldn't see properly. It was as though someone had poured oil in his eyes. It wasn't possible to focus or to think. When hands reached for him and touched his chest and face he slapped them away and tried to escape. He couldn't understand why he couldn't move. He shouted out and thrashed and brought his feet up kicking at the dashboard in front of him. His fingers moved to his throat where he started to scratch and dig in his fingernails. Someone was pulling his hands away and talking in a calming voice.

"It's OK Spence. You are having a nightmare. You can wake up. It's safe. We are safe. They won't find us now babes…Just you and I against the rest of the world."

He could feel the comforting hands on him and the words were not threatening but he was confused and unable to see properly. His hands moved from his throat and to his eyes where he began to rub with the heel of his hand to try to get his eyes to work properly.

"Don't do that babes. You will hurt yourself. He's done enough damage to you already. You don't need more."

Spencer turned his head to face Floyd. There was something wrong. He couldn't work out what it was but he knew deep down that this was wrong.

"Where are we?" His voice sounded like someone had been choking him. Floyd smirked.

"It doesn't matter but we do have to get out of the car and do some walking now. Do you think you can manage? I can help….lean on me…I'll just undo the belt here and get the food." He pressed the belt button to get the strap of Reid and then leaned over the seat and grabbed the containers of food.

Reid was helped out of the vehicle. He was still confused and couldn't remember what had happened. Floyd kept mentioning Hotch but he couldn't think of why Aaron would attack him. He leaned on Floyd who put an arm tightly around him as they started to walk away from the car and down a forest track. For now he felt safe.

-o-o-o-

He stood and watched.

He felt at the blades on his belt and smiled.