Title: The Clockwork Boy
Rating: R
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Universe: Creatures of the Night (Part 2)
Pairing: Reid/Austin, Morgan/Prentiss; JJ/Hotch
Genre: Supernatural/Drama
Summary: The BAU is divided by two cases that tests their loyalties. Some things are found. Some things are lost. Some things were never really meant to be.
Author's Note: At the end

Chapter Thirty-Six

Dr. Gideon's workshop is half a dozen floors below William Reid's office. As far as JJ can tell, the floor is dedicated to the more "hands on" aspects of research and engineering. JJ looks on curiously as an engineer works on a scale model skyscraper, magic in its very foundations. Eyes lift in curiosity as they walk through; evidently FBI agents aren't exactly a frequent visitor.

Interestingly, though, none of the employees are working on projects that could be defined as particularly "robotic." In any case, they're led through this area, into another hallway. At the end of the hallway, there's a door.

Just a door.

It's so unassuming, and yet at the same time, ridiculously foreboding.

'Dr. Gideon is responsible for all the droids that come out of AR&E,' Gibson explains.

'Isn't that a lot of work for just one man?' Morgan queries.

There's a short silence before an answer comes, but it's William that answers. 'Technology…it waxes and wanes – for a long time, we were reliant on magic, but humans don't particularly like that – they fought to keep their cars powered by gasoline, their microchips, their batteries. We still use those, of course, but it's in conjunction with magical energy.'

'So what's changed?'

'Humans are dying out.' JJ's half surprised to find that it's Emily who'd replied. 'Four hundred years ago, things were about fifty-fifty. Nowadays, you're hard-pressed to see more than a dozen humans a day. In thirty years…'

William nods in confirmation. 'There were preliminary attempts at creating a droid based on magical principles, but…it didn't work out.'

'What happened?'

'Usually, when someone commissions a droid, it's because they want someone who will follow orders without question. But these droid had hopes, dreams - opinions. We didn't think that Artificial Intelligence is something that we'd find through magical means,'

'And that's what Spencer is?'

'That's what Spencer is.'

JJ looks towards the door. She blinks, and fleetingly sees the blood splattered across her mind's eye. The future? Or just another nightmare?

'They're coming,' she says, eyes unfocusing. The world becomes a blur, and the words that come out of her mouth she has no control over. 'I see it…Spencer and two others.'

Morgan turns towards her, eyes narrowed. 'What did you see?'

She shakes her head. 'Blood.' An intake of breath. 'He's got a gun. Be careful. All he wants to do is please his mother, but it's too late for that.'

'Who's got a gun? Reid?'

'No…Not Reid. He's upset – he feels betrayed – but he still cares. Even if he won't admit it.' Her whole body jerks as she is pulled from the reverie.

Weird.

The visions, she could have dealt with – even visions of the future – but reading someone who isn't even there is something else altogether. Professor Pewter is going to have a field day when she tells him about this, right after he scolds her for not coming to him.

Regret things later, JJ. Spencer needs you.

...

Spencer Reid flashes his badge at the front desk. There's a wide smile on the receptionist's faces, which falters slightly at the sight of the badge.

'You're here to join the other agents?' she asks, a little unsure.

His heart – figuratively speaking – skips a beat. Other agents? The team are here? The words pain him and yet delight him at the same time.

They're here. They care.

There's a cynical part of him that suggests that they're here on routine business that has nothing to do with him, but he tries to ignore it. He has to believe that they're still his friends. Otherwise…Otherwise he doesn't have anything else left.

He doesn't answer straight away, but gives a small smile that the receptionist takes as confirmation. 'They were here to question Mr. Reid, but it looks as though our PR Manager has taken them to the fifth floor to see Doctor Gideon.'

Reid's mind is torn: Gideon is the name that his mother had given him. Geppetto, at first, but then she'd regained some sense of lucidity. Reid…that can only be his father. His fake father.

He's not so sure how to feel about that.

After all, William Reid had abandoned Spencer – the real Spencer – a long time ago. It seems very unlikely that he'd want to see such a pale imitation.

He's almost surprised that the receptionist doesn't ask any further questions, and doesn't stop them as they walk towards the elevator bank. He's more surprised than he should be when Riley pulls out his gun and checks the chamber.

'What the hell are you doing?' Austin hisses.

'You heard her,' he says. 'The FBI are here.'

In some buildings, the security system would have detected the gun, and set off an alarm, but there's been an upsurge in personal freedoms. Reid's not entirely unsure that Riley wouldn't start firing bullets the moment an alarm went off anyway. He needs to get this done as peacefully as possible.

'I won't shoot anyone unless I have to,' Riley promises his sister, a promise that Reid doesn't hold much faith in.

Riley tucks the gun in his palm, letting the sleeve of his jacket fall over it. They get a few looks as they walk through the workshop. Gideon isn't in here. Reid isn't sure how he knows, but he knows. He's been here before, even if his conscious memory doesn't have any recollection of it.

There's a door at the end of the hallway.

'In there,' he breathes.

'Let Reid go first,' Austin tells Riley. The other man hesitates, but he doesn't argue.

His hand is on the doorknob touches the doorknob, cold metal against skin.

Reid pushes the door open, and takes a step inside.

…

Everything stops.

In retrospect, it's a mistake – a rookie mistake – to let Gideon stay so close to the door.

Reid pushes inside, and two people follow him. Morgan's confused.

Reid had been kidnapped. Why is he cooperating?

Did we hurt him that much?

It's like a knife to the heart. Spencer Reid is his best friend, robot or no. For so long, species hadn't made a damn bit of difference.

Gibson and William Reid are both spooked by the sudden appearance, and moves his wrist to his mouth to call security when two gunshots pierce the air.

Morgan, JJ and Emily move as one, weapons out in a split second. Not quick enough to save Gibson or William, though, both of whom are losing blood at an alarming rate.

'Reid,' he says, exasperated, barely aware of the man and the woman, both armed. 'Reid, what are you doing, man?'

'I need to know,' Reid says. He looks towards the corner of the room where Gideon sits. For his part, Gideon looks surprisingly calm for the situation, as though there isn't a gun pointed at his face, as though that same gun hadn't just killed two people.

'I need you to make another one,' the armed man says.

'I'm sorry – he's one of a kind.' Morgan almost raises an eyebrow at that. From what Gibson and William had told them just outside, it wouldn't be impossible to make another droid like Reid.

'Don't fuck with me, old man.' He pushes the gun a little closer towards Gideon, and Morgan feels his own finger tightening on the trigger. 'You built a self-aware droid, capable of learning. Don't tell me you didn't write that shit down.'

'I can't help you.'

The man gives a sigh, swinging the gun towards Reid, and Morgan's so fucking tempted to pull the trigger right away, but he can't. It's too risky.

'I don't think you'd like it very much if I destroyed your masterwork then, would you?'

Apparently, Morgan isn't the only one incensed by this suggestion. The woman turns against her partner. 'Riley, what the fuck? No killing. You promised not to hurt anyone.'

Two dead already. It's a little late for that. Those are the same words echoed by the man – Riley – and Morgan swears that he's going to shoot. Before he can, though, he sees a flash of blonde – JJ? – diving towards Reid, pushing him out of the way.

Everything stops for just a single second, and then it's all moving too fast. Bullets are flying, and two bodies hit the ground, deathly still.

Everything stops.

Author's Note: Bidding is still open on my help_pakistan piece. We're up to $30 now, which is pretty rad. As you might have noticed, this particular story only has a few chapters left, thanks to a change in my writing habits. I'll be trying to finish individual stories off in blocks now; if you have any preferences, please tell me. Main candidates as of now are the Waste Land (15 chapters to go) and Zombie Cantos (5 to go, including the alternate ending).

Reviews make me smile.

Peace.