I realise this chapter it uber short, the next one is going to be so much longer I assure you, I'm working on it now. Thought I'd put this up now so everyone could see where it's going, it is going to get really messy now, so I have to work out all the fine details. Hope you enjoy it

-CM-

When morning finally began to stab its brilliant rays into the sky Reid found himself alone in bed, he moved his hand across the right side of the bed where George had been. It was cold…

He knit his brow sighing and laid back down on his stomach; this was becoming a trend one he wasn't really enjoying. He turned over rolling out of the bed and grabbing his pants from the night before off the floor, pulling them on one leg at a time. Reid made his way over to the dresser where his suitcase was, he'd been recycling his clothes for a while now and was getting tired of wearing the same things.

He noticed a red light flashing on his phone and picked it up, a text message. As Reid flipped open the phone and read Hotch's message he felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach, he closed the phone and placed it in his pocket pulling a short sleeve button up shirt out of his suitcase, he did up each button and counted them as he fastened them, then pulled on a sweater vest and picked out some vibrant looking mismatched socks before making his way down the stairs.

George wasn't anywhere to be seen, Reid frowned and walked over to the sink to get himself a drink, the floor near the kitchen table was stained. Smears of blood, cum and shards of glass lay under the table along with body like sweat stain that was evident in the morning light. Reid suddenly noticed a note sitting atop the counter.

"Had work deadline, won't be coming back here, I'll call you – G." Spencer put down thescrap paper and groaned, he decided to at least eat before he started off his morning, then he'd repack and meet Hotch he was unsure whether he would be seeing George at all and quickly shoved the thought from his mind not wanting to deal with the inevitable at that moment, he knew full well he would need to be going back to Virginia and with Hotch in Boston now might be the time to go. He just wasn't sure he wanted to leave things this way, with a bitter taste.

-CM-

Hotch was beside himself with annoyance that morning, Garcia had called him to inform him of something he had found out himself when he emerged from his hotel room and patrons were gathered around the small television set in the lobby.

It was as if someone had known Hotch had gone to see Shaunessy the night before, because the newspaper and television was plastered with the headlines "BOSTON PD MAKES DEAL WITH SERIAL KILLER" Shaunessy's home was being bombarded by the media as was the police department, Garcia had informed Hotch the Michigan Post was the one who broke the story.

Hotch had to meet Roy Colson, the author of Night of the Reaper somewhere in private so they could talk.

"Where did you hear this?" Hotch wanted to know immediately, Roy shrugged his hands thrust in his pockets, the wind was biting today they were standing in an alley a few blocks from the Newspaper's office.

"I only got a hold of the story after someone in my department had already started printing it." Hotch groaned rubbing his forehead.

"Believe me if I coulda had this story I woulda taken it agent Hotchner, and at least handled it with a bit more tact." Hotch sighed, there was nothing they could do now

"How did your office hear about this?" Hotch asked again, one hand on his hip as he tried to figure out how they were going to avoid a revolt against the police, no one would trust the police now that this news was out. Roy pulled out an envelope that he'd placed inside a plastic bag and handed it to Hotch.

"I grabbed it after the office made a copy and hid it, you know… for evidence." He said eagerly, Hotch looked at the large brown envelope; it had a red triangle and an eye drawn on it. He pulled out the note carefully using a glove from his pocket to hold it out. It was a typed letter, and it was quite old. It looked exactly like the note Shaunessy had shown him the night before…

"If you stop hunting me I'll stop hunting them, if you agree to my terms take out an ad in the Michigan Post."

The bottom had the Reapers signature red eye and triangle on it. Hotch put the note back into the bag and sighed.

"It was on my desk this morning apparently." Roy said, notably frustrated with the situation as well.

"God how is this gonna effect the city." He said looking around, Hotch didn't answer he just held the copied note in his hands, the wind stinging his face as it blew. He looked up at Roy with a sudden realisation.

"He did this on purpose." Roy looked a bit confused.

"What do you mean?" Hotch handed the note back to Roy as they began to walk.

"Your book has been his only window to the pain he's caused the victim's families, do you remember what it was like here ten years ago? the fear?" Roy nodded fiddling with change in his pocket as they walked.

"I bet he read your book a thousand times… I'm sure he's been watching Tom decline as well, it just wasn't good enough anymore." Roy stopped Hotch then standing in front of him.

"So he's panicking the city on purpose?" Hotch nodded

"It's a perfect plan, he doesn't have to kill anyone and he still gets to feed his ego by destroying the credibility of Boston PD." Roy covered his mouth and rustled his hair

"What are we gonna do? We have to try to fix this." he said angrily, Hotch shook his head

"Whatever panic he's created is already setting in, all we can do now is hope he messed up somewhere." Roy groaned kicking the dumpster as he turned to walk back down the alley, Hotch stopped him.

"Roy…" he said sternly "This isn't your fault." Roy didn't seem convinced of that, he handed the bagged envelope back to Hotch and shook the senior agent's hand.

"Let's just hope you catch him this time." He said with disdain, Hotch gave a stiff nod and headed back out to the street, people were cluttered around newspaper stands and yelling in front of a large store window where televisions were set to various news stations running the story of Shaunessy's secret pact. There was a mob at Tom's door for sure still, and soon the media would be after Roy since his book had stated the Reaper was either dead or in prison… clearly he was wrong… everyone had been wrong. Hotch got into the rented car and set out towards the ferry that would take him out to Harbour Island. He was not looking forward to the conversation ahead of him.