So...2019 kicked my ass. Specifically, anxiety and depression kicked my ass. Good news is that I'm doing a LOT better now. That's what happens when you leave a job that sucked your life and soul dry.

Feels strange to be back.

For those of you pure souls who haven't given up on this story, a refresher: Reid and Chief Sullivan go to a cafe, where they run into Foyet. A shootout occurs, in which Foyet is the winner. He takes Reid hostage, leaves Sullivan for dead, and escapes after leaving chaos behind him.

Warnings: references to "The Big Game" and "Revelations," mentions of blood and violence, actual violence and blood, derogatory language (seriously, 'Charles' is the worst)


It was almost as bad as the gas station fire. The amount of chaos and destruction was almost unrivalled, yet the only difference was what they discovered at the scene.

Instead of finding the charred ruins of an establishment and its people, they found smashed metal, bits of totaled vehicles, broken glass, a few scattered bullets, and a mob of people either panicked or injured in some way or another.

Rossi, Morgan, and Prentiss were appalled by the destruction before them, yet their shock didn't last long as the moans, whimpers, and screams filled their ears, and they focused on their mission. The police captain shouted out orders to the police, and soon they were all scattered, mainly attending to injured or terrified civilians.

The profilers figured then it would be best to find Reid, Sullivan, or Foyet before they lent a hand. They separated to begin their search, each fearing that the chaos surrounding them would be too overwhelming to dig through. Nevertheless, they attempted to call Reid and Sullivan on their phones and grew more anxious when they didn't receive a response. They then resorted to calling out for Reid and Sullivan, trying to spot them amongst the foliage of metal, glass, and blood.

At some point, a police officer cried out in alarm and desperately implored for someone to bring a medic. He found the chief. Despite all the noise surrounding them, many of the other cops heard him and either made their way towards him or stared his way in shock. The BAU members immediately rushed over and were horrified to see Chief Sullivan sprawled on the floor, bleeding and fighting to remain conscious.

A sense of déjà vu simultaneously struck Morgan as he immediately swooped down and began pressing down on the gushing wounds on the chief's torso. Rossi wordlessly handed him his jacket, and Morgan used it to better apply pressure as well as soak up the excessive blood. There was an expression of utter guilt and distress as Sullivan looked to him and the other profilers.

"Oh God…" Prentiss muttered, taking in the chief's horrible conditions. From what she and the others could tell, he had been shot at least five times—once in the shoulder, once in the ribs, once in the stomach, and twice to the chest—and he had lost copious amounts of blood.p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt;

How he was even conscious remained a mystery.

From a distance, the profilers and police officers detected the tell-tale sound of ambulance sirens, and they all hoped that it would get there soon; there were so many people injured, and no one could be certain that it would get there on time for some.

Not to mention that there was still a mess for the ambulances to navigate.

"Sullivan," Rossi softly yet firmly addressed the injured cop, "I need you to focus on me. Try not to close your eyes. Can you do that for me?" He and his colleagues were mildly relieved when the chief resolutely nodded. "Good—don't worry help is on the way. You just need to relax and-"

"No!" Sullivan rasped out, his eyes flashing with determination. "I-I gotta…y-you need to know w-what happened!"

The FBI agents couldn't agree more, yet they also didn't want to strain the man. Prentiss took the lead in saying, "You don't have to tell us if you're not up for it-"

"No," came the stern response. "You f-folks need to know. It was F-Foyet…he was here. He t-took Dr. Reid. I tried t-to stop h-him, but the bastard sh-shot me. He dragged the doctor away a-and drove off…" he wheezed, and the ragged breath he took in sounded painful.

"What?!" Morgan exclaimed in shock, voicing the others' thoughts. Three separate hearts seized with fear, and then sunk into a tumbling stomach and churned with dread. This couldn't be happening. Not Reid too…

"I-I'm sorry," Chief Sullivan said shamefully. "I tried to st-stop him…"

"It's not your fault," Rossi immediately assured him. "You did your best."

"Where did they go?" Morgan instantly demanded, becoming increasingly troubled. "Did Foyet hurt Reid? Was Tobias with them? What about Hotch and JJ? Did Foyet-"

"Morgan," Rossi chided. "One question at a time." Then he turned to Sullivan. "Alright chief, did you see which way they had gone?"

The man curtly nodded and shakily pointed to the road going the opposite of the café and police station. "Th-They were driving a-a-a," he coughed and blood dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. After taking in a series of broken, shallow breaths, the officer continued, "They were driving a dark blue car…f-four-door sedan…w-windows were tinted. There w-wasn't a license plate…those bastards."

The officer who had found him nodded and immediately radioed police cars within the area to keep a lookout for a vehicle of that description. Meanwhile, a couple of ambulances arrived and pulled up a few feet away from all the chaos. Then the paramedics hurriedly scrambled about and began tending to the injured civilians that were either afflicted with bullet wounds or by car wrecks.

Rossi, Prentiss, and Morgan were relieved as a medic reached Sullivan, and Morgan moved away as she began treating the chief. Soon, Sullivan was placed on a gurney. However, before he could be taken away, the cop glanced towards the agents he had come to know these past few days. "P-Please forgive me for what happened to Agent Reid. I tr-tried to stop Foyet, b-but I wasn't good enough, f-fast enough…"

"No, it's not your fault," Prentiss stated with certainty. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"Still, catch that son of a bitch and g-give him hell."

"Will do," Morgan instantly promised. And with that, the paramedic led Sullivan away and left the profilers to their grim thoughts. Without Sullivan to divert their attention, it dawned on all three of them just what occurred today. Foyet had caused all this destruction, wounded several innocent bystanders, kidnapped Reid in broad daylight, and, worst of all, had gotten away…again.

The concept disheartened them, and they felt numb with despair, horror, and fear. They had lost yet another colleague to the Reaper and to Tobias's personalities, and the thought was difficult to accept. After all, how can they function with three of their own missing?

The silence between the three was broken by a muted sigh from Rossi. "Alright, if we're going to catch Foyet then we'll need to send out an alert on his car. Hopefully, a patrol car will see it, and we'll be able to go from there."

Prentiss nodded somberly, still somewhat stunned, while Morgan didn't even answer, his attention turned towards the direction where Sullivan said their perpetrators escaped to. Rossi took in their expressions and made a stronger effort to seem calmer and more in control than how he was really feeling.

Despite that this devastating blow had left him reeling, he knew that his colleagues felt just the same and that they needed at least one of them to be thinking clearly. "We need to call Garcia." He grimaced just as the two winced. None of them wanted to have to break the news to sweet, sensitive Garcia. "I know, but we need the security footage from these streets. They might give us a clue to work on."

"Good point," Prentiss acquiesced. "It'll give us a clearer image on how the," she briefly paused to swallow nervously, "abduction took place." She hated saying that word aloud—it made the situation all the more real.

Compartmentalize…they needed to compartmentalize.

"I'll make the call," Rossi volunteered. "Then afterwards we'll head out and start tailing Foyet, see if we can catch up to him and the others. I doubt it, but you never know." He knew as well as the others that the possibility of catching up to the Reaper was practically zilch. "Maybe one of us should stay here and interview witnesses. Then later they can watch the security footage once Garcia sends it over."

The lone female of the trio nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that might get us somewhere—I'll do it." She glanced over at the companion who hasn't said a word during the conversation. "Morgan? Are you okay?"

The man addressed tightly pressed his lips together and set his jaw. "What do you think, Emily?"

Rossi furrowed his brow. "Morgan, I know what you're thinking, but I'm sure you're well aware that Prentiss and I are feeling and thinking the exact same way. This whole thing with Foyet, Reid, and all of this," his frown darkened as he briefly gestured to the chaotic scene around them, "you don't need me to say that calling it horrible is an understatement. Regardless, we all need to stay calm about this, and we can't lose focus-"

Morgan interrupted him with a scoff. "Calm? How can we possibly stay calm about all of this? This…This is just a whole new level for Foyet and Hankel."

"It may not be easy, but we have to try. We won't be helping Reid, Hotch, or JJ if we let our emotions control our actions."

"But that's the thing, I already have." A look of regret and guilt flashed through Morgan's dark brown eyes before they hardened. "And it caused all of this."

Both of his colleagues looked puzzled yet concerned. "What are you talking about?" Prentiss asked.

"It's my fault. It's my fault that Reid's been taken. It's my fault that Foyet nabbed him."

Rossi and Prentiss were taken aback by his statements and could only manage to stare at him until the elder profiler said, "What do you mean it's your fault?"

"C'mon, don't pretend like you don't know. If I hadn't gotten into that stupid argument with Reid, then he wouldn't have left. He would've still been with us trying to map out the city."

"Morgan, you had no way of knowing about Foyet-" Rossi started to say.

"I drove him away!" Morgan finally snapped, unleashing his anger, suffocating guilt, and frustration all at once. "We were so pissed at each other that he left and Foyet got him! If I hadn't gotten so mad at him, if I hadn't instigated him, if I would've just shut up and stopped arguing…this wouldn't have happened! It's like I practically handed him to Foyet!"

The other profilers watched as their colleague fumed, his orbs filled with an unsettling mixture of regret and fury. "You can't blame yourself for this," Prentiss spoke up after a few tense seconds. "Rossi's right, you had no way of knowing that Foyet was in the area—none of us did. It was just pure chance that Reid stepped out when Foyet happened to be in the area. You couldn't have predicted that."

"No," Morgan grumbled, "but I could've prevented it." And with that, he stormed off, heading back towards the police station.

Prentiss made a move to go after him, but Rossi gestured for her to wait. "Give him some time to cool off. It's understandable that he's feeling the way he is, but soon enough he'll realize that he's not to blame." Though he wouldn't dare say it aloud, a small part of Rossi wedged deep down within him was actually fairly furious with Morgan and how he handled the whole 'Tobias' situation earlier. Granted, he was sort of angry with Reid as well for not backing down from the argument either, yet, in the end, it was Reid who had left the police station and was kidnapped as a result. There was nothing anyone could do to take it back—what's done is done.

Putting himself in Morgan's shoes, Rossi could understand his guilt. In the younger man's mind, he drove their colleague away, inadvertently into the clutches of their perpetrator. So, did he blame Morgan for all of this? No, absolutely not. The fact of the matter stands that none of them could've anticipated Foyet being in the area—who knew what the Reaper and his accomplices had been planning for the day.

Nevertheless, knowing all of this didn't help the situation at hand. Foyet and Tobias now had Reid as their prisoner, and there was no knowing of Hotch and JJ's status, if they were still alive or not. This meant that the rest of the team had to work harder than ever to rescue their teammates before it was too late.

Rossi tried not to think about Hotchner lying weak and broken in a hospital bed, JJ being battered, bruised, and bloodied, or the light in Reid's eyes fleeing to make room for a dead, soulless look. Instead, he shook his head and turned to Prentiss. "Alright, if we're going to catch up to Foyet, then we're going to need to get started. Do what you can to help out around here and interview witnesses while Morgan and I head out."

The women nodded, shot a quick, concerned glance over in the direction where Morgan stormed off, and said, "I'm on it. Be careful."

Once Rossi inclined his head as a promise, Prentiss returned the gesture before making her way into the streets where injured civilians awaited her. The Italian man took that as his cue to start setting off for the police station where an FBI SUV and hopefully a calmer and emotionally stable Morgan were waiting for him.

He and the others just had to find their captured colleagues before Foyet and Tobias's personalities did something irreparable.


Reid did his best not to shake in his seat as the vehicle raced down the road. His panicked heart did nothing to ease his stress or steady his breathing, yet he knew that now was the worst time to lose his nerve. He had to be strong—for the team's sake. This meant that he had to give Foyet the impression that he wasn't afraid, and he had to show 'Charles' and 'Raphael' that he wasn't the same man they had tortured in the shack.

The young man repeatedly snuck glances at his captors. Foyet's smug smirk never left him since they had all officially escaped undetected. Tobias was a bit harder to read since his expression kept shifting from troubled to irate, giving Reid the impression that he was internally fighting with 'Charles' over control. He kept his fingers crossed for his friend and wished him luck.

Moreover, Reid would attempt to keep an eye on JJ from the hanging mirror between the driver and passenger seats. For the most part, she remained pale and shaken, and he noticed that she would nervously steal a glance at him to check up on him. Other than feeling petrified, Reid was doing well enough considering the situation.

If anything, he was more worried for her and for Hotchner. Foyet had claimed that the dark-haired profiler was being held in the trunk of the car and, judging by the alarming thumps he occasionally heard, Reid believed him. Though it was impossible for the former unit chief to suffocate, the ride was obviously bumpy and rough.

A while after they had all escaped and were a bit away from civilization—now driving into the woodsier area—Foyet had commanded 'Charles' to stop driving and pull over to the side of the road where the two had switched spots. Now he was driving while the personality was sitting next to JJ, and the ride had been fairly silent since then (surprisingly so since narcissists like Foyet statistically tended to be talkative while ill-tempered, trigger-happy individuals like 'Charles' tended to snap at the simplest provocations).

Additionally, the Reaper took off Reid's handcuffs, put them back on so that his wrists were in front of him this time, and secured them to the car door handle with the chain looped around it, making it impossible for Reid to get free and also making his seating position somewhat uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, he didn't let this distract him from trying to think of an escape plan. He had to find a way to subdue Foyet and Tobias's personalities without endangering his colleagues, particularly JJ. Now that he and Hotch were taken captive, JJ could be considered 'extra baggage' that could easily be disposed of, a thought that frightened Reid more than anything. His general goal was to somehow alert the team and police and get them to capture the criminals before he and the others were hurt. Also, Reid desperately wanted Tobias to regain full control so he could be another ally—four against Foyet.

In order for that to happen though, Tobias's personalities needed to be battled back into submission again, much like how they were at the institution, yet for good this time. Also, Foyet had to be outsmarted. It was a concept easier said than done, but Reid was determined to pull through—for the team and for Tobias.

"Well, I think it's high time we address the elephant in the room." Reid nervously glanced over at the speaker, Foyet, who was switching his gaze between him, JJ, and Tobias. From the rearview mirror, the young man could see JJ apprehensively looking at the Reaper while Tobias was gazing him with a furrowed brow, indicating that he was 'Charles.'

Satisfied that he had everyone's attention, Foyet continued, "It's clear that our next step should be to relocate and get right back to business." He briefly regarded Reid with a toothy smirk. "Now that we've got you and Aaron, doc, Hankel and I can enact a little well-deserved revenge." He snickered when the profiler's eyes widened. "What? I think we've earned it after all the pain and suffering you put us through—it's only fair." Reid had to restrain himself from narrowing his eyes in contempt and merely kept quiet.

Foyet then took a quick peek at JJ and said, "But the question is what to do with you, Jennifer. Having you here has been fun and all, but otherwise, it's been more of a matter of…convenience. Though being in the wrong place at the wrong time is hardly your fault, it doesn't change things. Now what should we do with you?" His sneer darkened. "I mean, obviously, we'll kill you, but the real question is how." Chuckling at JJ and Reid's respective paling faces, the Reaper addressed 'Charles.' "Any thoughts, Hankel?"

The personality narrowed his eyes and said, "If I still had my dogs, I'd have her ripped apart…make sure they finish her off this time."

Reid's stomach clenched at the memory of hiding in that cornfield, panicking after hearing gunshots and JJ's screams.

The young profiler heard a small, barely audible noise of distress from JJ, and a quick glance at her revealed her face whitening further and her breaths becoming shallow. No doubt she was partially reliving her experience with the Hankel dogs and partially imagining herself being torn apart like Helen Douglas. Reid desperately wished that there was a way he could comfort her and hoped that she could hold out until they were all safe.

"This time?" Reid flinched at Foyet's bemused exclamation. "I'm getting a sense that there was another time. Care to elaborate, Hankel?"

'Charles' snorted and replied, "There was another time. When these two devils," he gestured to JJ then Reid, "tried to apprehend me and my coward son, the woman ran into my dogs. I heard them barking and her screaming, so I assume that they must've noticed her sinning ways and tried to rid this world of her." He turned his attention back to JJ and glared at her. "I also remember hearing gunshots. Did you shoot my dogs?!"

JJ stiffened, eyes fearfully widening. She was at a loss at what to say, and 'Charles's' glare grew darker. Reid instinctively jumped into the conversation and hurriedly stated, "No, she didn't. The gunshots were to try and scare them away."

The personality turned his scowl onto Reid and angrily stated, "As if I'd believe anything you have to say. You've lied to me before, so how do I know that you're not doing it again?"

"That's it though, you don't know," Reid levelly reasoned. "And I doubt anything I say will change your opinion of me, but I can assure you that your dogs are fine. You'll just have to believe that."

'Charles' let out a snarl and swiftly grabbed Reid by the hair to slam him against the headrest. He ignored the profiler's small yelp of surprise, JJ's cut off gasp, and Foyet's chortle as he snapped, "Are you sassing me, boy?!"

The blow didn't hurt as much as expected, yet Reid didn't want a repeat nor did he want something more painful. "No, not at all, Mr. Hankel. I was merely-"

"Then keep your damn mouth shut!" 'Charles' interrupted. "I don't want you trying to see inside my mind again! You're not some savior, you're a lying sinner who disrespects his mother! You better keep that in mind when you're talking to me, boy!" Reid had to swallow the brief jolt of guilt that stung him as he was reminded of his mother back in Las Vegas, sitting in Bennington Sanitarium and giving lectures about literature to fellow patients as she waited for her son's next letter.

Foyet then took that moment to harshly laugh, clearly amused by the exchange. "I can see that there's a lot of tension between you two. Maybe later after we find somewhere to crash, you guys can be left alone to talk it out or something." He sneered when Reid's eyes widened. "I can only imagine what you two have to say to each other."

Reid straightened up and tried to steady his nerves. "Not much, actually. Anything we have to talk about has basically been covered already."

"Oh, is that so?" Foyet raised an eyebrow before glancing back at 'Charles.' "Is he telling the truth, Hankel, or is he being a pitiful liar? Because you know, we could always teach him a lesson for lying."

The implication got the young doctor to stiffen as he recalled 'Charles's' methods of punishing him for lying, feeling the ghost of the log smacking against his bare foot.

To his relief, the gruff personality curtly nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, he isn't lying this time. Once, he came to visit my wretched son in that barbaric institution, and the boy had the gall to try and tell me off. His insolence made my son turn against me and into the arms of the devil himself." He viciously glared at Reid, and the profiler noticed how his hands twitched as if they were aching to grab hold of him and break him.

"Did he now?" A pair of hazel eyes flickered over to the sneering driver. Catching his eye, Foyet smirked. "Well, that's just rude. It seems to me that you're just full of insults, eh Doc. First you insult me, and now I hear that you insulted Hankel too." The scoff he makes sounds partially like a chuckle. "You don't ever seem to stop, do you? Geez, you're almost as bad as Aaron."

Reid didn't bother responding and merely pursed his lips and switched his gaze over to the road, hoping that a plan of escape will spontaneously come to him.

Foyet wasn't finished though. "Speaking of which, I wonder how Aaron is doing back there." His light brown eyes quickly glanced in rearview mirror as if he could see Hotchner in the trunk from there. "He's been awfully quiet for a while. I hope he didn't suffocate or something. The last thing we need for him is to die before I get a chance to kill him myself."

The gruesome image of Hotch lying in a pool of his rich red blood flashed through Reid's mind before he clamped down on it. He knew that he needed to maintain his full focus on the situation at hand. He needed to figure out where Foyet was taking them, and how he could alert the team to their whereabouts.

Mirroring his thoughts, 'Charles' spoke up. "Speaking of that narcissist, we need to find a place to set him and these other sinners straight. Just where exactly are we heading now, Foyet?"

"For now, I'm just trying to gain some distance between us and the other feds," the Reaper smoothly responded. "I'm open to any suggestions on where to go though. After all, it's your town and all. I'm sure you know all the nooks and crannies that no one would think of looking for us."

Grunting in affirmation, 'Charles' settled back in his seat and appeared deep in thought. After a few tense moments of silence, he uttered, "Actually…I think I might know a place…"

Foyet's expression lit up like a blood moon on a dark, eerie night. "Well then, let's hear it."

"Remember when I told you that I trained my dogs to like human flesh with raw meat? The factory where I got it from might still be around." Seeing the gleam of interest in Foyet's eyes, 'Charles' added, "Just keep driving down this road until you reach an intersection. When you get there, you will make a left and then I'll tell you where to go from there. Be warned though that the place may or may not be abandoned. Last time I checked it was, but that could've changed during my time at the institution." He threw a glare over at Reid.

The Reaper did a half-shoulder shrug, his grin remaining in place. "Any place is good as long as we get Wi-Fi, and we're not out in the open."

'Charles' nodded. "Trust me, it is." He briefly paused before bringing up another important topic. "What are your thoughts on what to do with this whore?" He glared at JJ who stiffened. "I have some ideas on what to do for her punishment that I can base off of Bible readings and testaments on sinners. I'm in favor of tying her to a post and flogging her with stones."

Reid couldn't help himself when his breathing sharply hitched, his noise mingling with JJ's horrified gasp though she clearly tried to suppress it.

Foyet was no doubt amused with both their reactions and sneered. "Oh, I like the sound of that. I wouldn't mind posting that up on the World Wide Web." He glanced over at JJ. "Who knows, maybe someday your dear little son might come across the video and witness his dear mommy get what she deserves. Then he'll truly come to realize what a little bastard he is."

Oh, dear god, he knows about Henry. Once that thought registered, Reid hardened his expression at the thought of Foyet referring to his beloved godson and friend in such an offensive manner. Then his quick-thinking brain allowed him to realize that Foyet had brought up Henry in the first place was because his birth was going to be the psychopath's excuse for murdering JJ. It made sense since 'Charles' will only have a 'sinner' killed and will see JJ and Will's amorous conception of Henry as wrong. The realization had him mentally reeling, especially since his eidetic memory unhelpfully supplied him with Biblical verses that condemned women who had sex before marriage.

Foyet kept his gaze on JJ as he continued. "Just so you know, Jennifer, you should be taking all of this personally. It's what you get as a sinner and for working with Aaron and Dr. Reid." He flashed the latter a cocky grin before turning back to the blonde. "I figure that we'll get rid of you as soon as we find a hideout. It'll be sort of like a way to make ourselves at home. I can't wait to film you getting pelted by rocks or ripped apart by dogs or whatever creative thing we can think of that's, heh, suitable for you not being able to keep your legs shut long enough to get married."

Reid felt his stomach drop as the Reaper laughed nastily, but then his blood boiled over how the psychopath was having fun with this. Foyet was amused with JJ's 'sin' and the kind of punishment it could mean for her, a punishment based on corrupted religious views that he had no association with and that he only used to humor Tobias's malicious personality.

"I-I won't let you do that!" a shaky yet determined voice suddenly rang out.

Soon, everyone's attention was on the owner of that declaration, and Reid knew in an instant that Tobias had regained control. His tense shoulders somewhat relaxed at the thought, and he nearly smiled.

However, Foyet immediately caught on as well and frowned. "What did you just say, Tobias?"

The man addressed stiffened at the menacing tone, yet steeled his nerves enough to state, "I-I said that I won't let you do that."

Tobias's expression morphed into a dark scowl, indicating 'Charles's' return. "You have no say in this, boy, so shut your weakling trap!"

The younger Hankel reappeared with a glint of determination in his eyes that was attempting to fully emerge like the sun on a cloudy day. "I'm not going to do that. You can't keep me silent, and you can't keep me from defending this woman. She's innocent! She doesn't deserve to die!"

Pride swelled within Reid's lean chest as Tobias went against his personality. Much like the first time he did, Reid could only watch with reverence and silently encourage his friend. Meanwhile, JJ initially seemed confused but eventually understood the altercation taking place, and her expression glowed with wary hope.

Foyet didn't share in their sentiment and growled. "It's like your dad said, you have absolutely no say in this. Now honor him like the Bible tells you to before you burn in Hell…or worse, you'll deal with me."

Tobias couldn't stop the flinch that startled his frame. Regardless, he didn't step down and held his ground. "Threaten me all you want, but I won't allow you to lay a hand on this woman! You'll have to do it over my dead body!"

Foyet dryly scoffed. "Don't tempt me because I'm really starting to like that idea." Tobias's brown eyes widened.

Reid took that moment to interject, "I think you and I both know that you wouldn't dare, Foyet. You're basically unable to." He almost regretted speaking when the serial killer locked his murderous gaze onto him, getting him to internally falter.

"Watch your mouth, kid, before I cut your tongue out."

Reid shivered at the threat, yet didn't break the eye contact between them, determined to give the impression that he wasn't intimidated. Foyet wasn't impressed and merely scoffed.

The profiler knew he had to switch tactics so he found himself saying, "We both know that you won't do that either."

JJ and Tobias worriedly looked to him. However, Reid disregarded them and did his best to keep his focus on Foyet, whose eyes darkened and narrowed. He could see that the Reaper was already plotting ways to make him suffer, and his hazel eyes briefly flickered down to the pocket where the older man kept his knife.

"Do you seriously want to try me, doc?" Foyet growled. "Didn't you learn from the last time you pulled that with me? What about when this self-righteous moron," he jerked a thumb to indicate Tobias, "tried to? How about that arrogant leader of yours? I'm pretty damn sure you remember what happened when he tried to pull that kind of crap on me. I know for a fact you do since you're supposed to be some kind of genius…and yet you still insist on pushing my buttons. It's like you're asking me to rip out your tongue with my bare hands."

Reid blanched, and he sensed JJ and Tobias flinch behind him. "A-All I'm saying is that you wouldn't cut my tongue out. You still need me to talk-"

"Not really," Foyet interjected. "You could go on without a tongue for all I care, especially since you don't need it to scream."

"Actually, I have a feeling you'll want me to talk. After all," he tried swallowing the lump in his throat so that he could get the next part out, "how else are you going to get a firsthand account of what happened during those videos?"

Foyet's hardened exterior froze, though Reid could clearly see intrigue swirling in his eyes. "What exactly are you saying, kid?"

"I'm saying that I think it's about time you and I made a deal." The intrigue glowed even brighter now, not bothering to hide itself. Then Foyet began examining Reid, trying to find any falsehoods or psychological tricks. The profiler made an effort to keep his expression calm and assured, knowing that he had to if he wanted to pull this off.

After a few moments of silent contemplation, Foyet smirked with bemusement and scoffed out a chuckle. "Alright, I'll bite: what kind of deal?"

Choosing his words carefully, Reid vocally treaded forward. "I'm well aware that you've seen Charles's and Raphael's videos that documented my kidnapping. However, as we both know, they don't hold the full account because things had happened while the camera was off." Though Foyet didn't say anything to confirm this, the look on his face expressed it for him. "Now for all I know, maybe Charles or Raphael filled in the blanks for you, or maybe they didn't. Nevertheless, even if they did tell you what they did to me, it's not enough. I'm guessing you want to know more, and…and the only one who can provide that additional information for you…is me."

Reid mentally cursed at the small yet noticeable hesitations in that last sentence. Foyet, however, paid them no mind as he mused over the young man's statements. "Hm, interesting deductions you've made there, Doc…none of which I'm going to deny nor confirm. But again, it's all interesting." He grinned toothily. "Something tells me that you might be willing to share your little insider information with me, but with a catch. Am I right?"

"Yes, you are. I…I'll talk about my kidnapping if…if you let JJ go."

Reid practically felt his colleague's eyes intensely trained on him out of shock. He didn't dare look at her though, knowing that her horrified expression might make him waver. After all, he was already somewhat hesitant about presenting this deal for obvious reasons, and he wanted to maintain his resolve.

Though he wasn't looking at Tobias, he knew that the older man's countenance wasn't much better. Reid willed both him and JJ to remain silent and to not protest, to let him handle this. Despite his own reservations about his proposition, he knew that this was the only card he had to play for the time being.

It almost seemed that Foyet was aware of this because he smirked knowingly. "Why don't you sum that up for me, kid, just in case I missed something."

"Let Agent Jareau go…" Reid took a deep breath before finishing, "and I'll tell you anything you want."

Foyet's eyes shimmered with interest as he queried, "Tell me what exactly?"

Despite how well he started off, Reid began to somewhat lose his nerve, especially since he could feel the disapproval radiating off of JJ and Tobias. Doubt began to seep into him, making him question if he could pull this off, if this would even work. When it came to the Reaper, you had to be on your guard and watch how you proceed when dealing with him.

After all, if you messed up, then that not only meant excruciating pain for you, but for the people you cared about as well.

Bearing this mind and deciding to give it his all, Reid squarely looked at Foyet, determined to project confidence and fearlessness. "You know exactly what I mean. If you let JJ go, unharmed and alive, then I'll tell you everything that Tobias's personalities have done to me—every detail, every thought, and every emotion…nothing will be left out. I'll tell you anything you want, and I'll even answer any questions you have."

Thick, contemplative silence ensued within the car. The Reaper even slowed the vehicle to a slow, easy drive so there was less of a risk of swerving off the road. Reid and Foyet stared at one another, neither making a move to show vulnerability by breaking the contact. Tobias and JJ watched the two and then nervously exchanged glances.

"So, you expect me to just let Jennifer go…in exchange for a deal that you might not even go through with?"

"I wouldn't dare break a deal, especially one like this. Besides, think of it this way: if you release JJ, then the team will find her, and she'll be like a reminder of what you're capable of and the amount of control you have over us. She'll be like a warning of sorts." Almost like how you did with Morgan.

Reid knew that that last part of the deal had reeled the Reaper in. He was aware that this offer would be difficult for Foyet to refuse since it provided the killer with the very incentive that drove him—a way to assert his power over the BAU.

The young doctor observed a forebodingly pleased glint shimmer through the Reaper's eyes and wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad sign. However, he was very certain that that meant at the very least Foyet was deeply deliberating on his proposition, weighing the pros and cons and imagining what he could get out of it.

Seeing that he had no choice but to wait and hope, Reid quickly glanced at JJ and Tobias to check on them. As expected, his female colleague was watching the exchange with alarmed eyes that silently begged him to take back his deal once they locked onto him. Reid subtly shook his head, mentally entreating her to trust him. She bit her lip in response, indicating that she'll keep quiet for the time being.

When Reid looked to Tobias, he was surprised that he wasn't faced with a concerned, trepid expression, but one of sheer outrage. His heart leapt with unease at how infuriated 'Charles' looked, yet was faintly surprised that his anger wasn't directed at him but rather at the widely smirking Boston Reaper.

"Don't tell me you're actually considering this, Foyet?!"

While Reid and JJ automatically flinched at the sharp tone, Foyet was unperturbed and merely looked back at the personality, his expression slightly ruffled with annoyance. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Just let me handle this, Hankel…and watch the tone. I know what I'm doing."

"It sure as hell doesn't seem like it! You look like you're actually willing to let this whore go! You can't do that when she hasn't received her punishment! And don't you dare tell me what to do! I'm my own man that can make my own decisions!"

Foyet glared at him and said, "If you want this association of ours to work out, then you need to let me call the shots. I've been at this a whole lot longer than you have, and I've killed way more people than Raphael has. I'm the expert around here, so you should let me make the decisions."

'Charles' bristled with fury and snapped, "Don't you talk to me like I'm some simple-minded fool! I know how to spot a sinner and interpret God's word! I don't need you to try and order me around, so don't think you're better than me! You may think that you've killed more sinners, but I know more about Lord's message and my duties as a Christian!"

The Reaper set his jaw. "Are you doubting me?"

"I'm questioning some of your decisions. Like with this whore!" He furiously gestured to JJ who flinched. "Why the hell would you consider letting her go without any form of retribution?! And for what?! A few stories that I can tell you myself and to send a message to those FBI sinners?! You might as well be telling them that you're too soft to kill this woman!"

Foyet unexpectedly forced the car to the side of the road and slammed on the brakes, sending his gasping passengers jerking in their seats. Once he set the vehicle in park, the man removed his seatbelt and then aggressively turned around to fully face 'Charles.' "I wouldn't go there if I were you. Unlike you, I actually have the balls to wipe out these sinners of yours while all you do is just point them out." 'Charles' made a noise of offense. "That being said, it means that you have absolutely no right to call me soft or to even question me. I'm the one who found you, I'm the one who broke you out of the institution, I'm the one reviving the videos, I'm the one doing all the real dirty work, and I'm the one saving our asses by making sure that we don't get caught by the feds! I deserve a lot more respect from you!"

For a few tense moments, 'Charles' was too stunned by anger to speak and was looking at Foyet with a mixture of shock and fury. Reid was almost afraid to breathe too loudly as he anxiously watched the exchange. He was sure the feeling was mutual with JJ and felt how ill at ease she was without having to look at her.

Keeping his and JJ's feelings in mind, he could only imagine how Tobias perceived this.

It didn't take too long for 'Charles' to viciously retaliate, "You deserve nothing but condemnation for your insolence! If it weren't for me identifying these sinners, then you'd be lost and just plain pathetic! Don't give yourself so much credit, Foyet! I could've easily done all that myself!"

"Bullshit! If it hadn't had been for me, you would've still been rotting at that goddamned institution-"

"Don't use the Lord's name in vain!"

"Or what?! The Man Upstairs will strike me down?!"

"Don't you dare joke about the Almighty! The Bible isn't something to take lightly! If you keep this up-"

"Then what? What's gonna happen, Hankel?! Am I going to go hell?!"

"You will if you keep insulting the Lord with your blasphemy!"

"You know what, I am just sick of your bullshit! Throughout this entire time, you've done nothing but complain and screw things over for me! Now, I've been patient—God knows I've been patient—but you keep stringing my nerves! I'm the one doing you favors! The least you could do is to show me a little gratitude!" Then Foyet sneered. "Or are you like Tobias? Too weak to do something that simple?"

'Charles' growled with complete rage and then unexpectedly exited the car and slammed the door shut behind him. "I'm not going to sit here and be insulted!" And with that, he began storming away from the vehicle.

While Reid and JJ were shocked into breathlessness, Foyet only grew more frustrated as he left the car as well and stalked after the retreating Georgian man. "Hey, HEY! Get back here, Hankel! We're not done here!"

The two killers were a somewhat good distance away when Foyet caught up to 'Charles.' The Reaper then proceeded to spin the other man around and hiss something at him, too low for the profilers to hear him. The personality snapped something in exchange, and soon the two were locked in an argument.

Meanwhile, Reid and JJ were undeniably stunned by what they had witnessed. Although they both hoped that murderous partnership would derail at some point, they didn't expect it to start happening so soon. Neither of them was sure if this was beneficial or not.

On the one hand, having Foyet and 'Charles' arguing would make them sloppy and more likely to make mistakes, thus allowing the BAU to catch them. On the other hand, having two infuriated, temperamental, violent serial killers with them created unpredictable and immensely dangerous consequences.

Who knows what that can mean for either one of them or Hotchner?

Figuring that he didn't want to wait to find out, Reid decided to seize the opportunity. He quickly turned to his colleague and hurriedly said, "JJ, now's your chance! You've got to go now!"

The blonde was mildly caught off guard and blinked in confusion. "What?"

"With Foyet and 'Charles' not looking, it's your chance to escape!"

JJ looked to him meaningfully. "You mean our chance." Reid didn't say anything, but the expression on his face said enough. Her astonishment shifted to one of dismay. "No…No Reid, I'm not leaving without you or Hotch."

"You have to-"

"No, I don't-"

"Yes, you do," Reid insisted. "This might your only chance to get away, and you need to take it."

"But…But what about you…and Hotch? We can all escape together."

"No, we can't. Foyet has both the keys to the trunk and to my handcuffs." He rattled the chains around his wrists as an indication. "Besides, it's more important for you to escape than us."

"N-No, Reid, we'll…we'll find some other way…"

"We both know that this is our best chance."

"Spence, you remember the last time you and I split up and separated." Of course he remembered. He and JJ splitting up at the Hankel farmhouse triggered a series of events that led up to this particular moment. "I…I don't want something bad like that to happen again. I just…I can't just leave you and Hotch here."

"But if you stay here, then Foyet will kill you. Even though he wants to kill me and Hotch too, he intends to take his time on us. That will give you and the team enough time to save us, or we'll find a way out of this ourselves."

"That doesn't help."

"My point is that Foyet and Tobias's personalities want to kill you now. While they're willing to take their time with us, they plan to just kill you the moment they get the chance. Who's to say that they won't decide to just kill you right here and now? We don't know that, and I don't want to risk that. Please JJ, you need to get out of here. If you do, you can get the team to come and find us and point them in the right direction."

Reid knew that he was slowly but surely getting to her. Though he was aware that this plan went against his colleague's firmly kept morals, rationality was starting to take control. However, he could tell that she was still very reluctant.

Nevertheless, JJ didn't have to like the plan; she just had to go with it.

Reid nervously glanced at Foyet and 'Charles' before turning back to his companion. "Don't worry about us, JJ, Hotch and I can take care of ourselves. Just get to the team and help find us." He briefly paused before adding, "And tell Morgan that I'm sorry and to not dwell on our last conversation because none of it was his fault—tell him that I don't blame him for anything. Okay?"

JJ's blue eyes pooled with suppressed tears and a flicker of confusion flashed across her face before she reluctantly nodded. "Spence-"

"And don't blame yourself for any of this either," he gently interrupted. "This is my choice and there aren't many options anyway…just like the last time. Only this time I'm not alone and things will turn out better than before. I promise."

JJ actually choked on a sob but admirably didn't shed any tears as she shook her head in denial. "Please, just…try not to get hurt." Reid exhaled in relief, pleased that she on board with his plan. If this worked and she managed to escape, not only will she be saved, but it will bring the team closer to apprehending Foyet.

"I'll do my best. Trust me though, everything will be fine." Reid briefly gave her a light smile despite that he didn't believe his own words. "Now, try the door. I don't think it's locked."

Giving a curt nod, JJ strived to bring her bound hands in front of her, her fingers stretching to reach her seatbelt. It took a few seconds to click the button that undid it and soon the belt whipped back into its initial position, freeing the blonde. JJ sighed with relief before twisting her body so that her back was facing the passenger door, reaching out to feel for the door handle. Though having her hands tied behind her made it a bit difficult for her to maneuver, Reid's quiet guiding and her persistence eventually paid off when her fingers felt the handle and she immediately grasped onto it, giving it a quick jerk.

Reid's assumption was right—the door unlocked and opened ever so slightly.

JJ emitted a breathy laugh of relief and Reid exhaled. However, they automatically glanced over at their captors, noted that they were still quarrelling, and then looked to each other. "Be careful," the young man warned. "You'll have at least a few seconds head start and the forest should provide a decent cover. Just…be safe."

The media liaison offered him a wry yet sad smile. "That goes for you too, Spence. I'll be okay, just worry about yourself and Hotch…and Tobias too."

Reid inclined his head, and there was a brief pause as their eyes expressing their concern for one another and silently wishing each other luck and strength. Eventually, JJ turned away, took a deep breath, and then gathered her courage, allowing it to propel her out of the vehicle as she took off running. She dashed away from the car, onto the road, and towards the other end of the street where the forest beckoned her.

Her colleague watched her as hope soared within his chest. Please…let her make it…

Unfortunately, the inevitable happened.

Foyet spotted her as she was halfway across the road and abruptly cut off whatever he was saying to 'Charles.' His angered expression morphed into shock and then sheer outrage. "What the…GET BACK HERE, JENNIFER!" Not a second after that bellow, he started to race after her, only to be forcibly stopped when a huge truck barreled through the street. The Reaper viciously cursed.

Reid's chest tightened as his view of JJ was momentarily blocked and then slightly loosened when the truck left, revealing that his colleague was on the other side of the road and at the edge of the surrounding forest. She had temporarily halted as if to assess her progress, and her eyes widened as they perceived the seething fury within Foyet.

The Reaper stepped forward as if to continue the chase, but then unexpectedly paused. With a dark sneer, Foyet pulled out his gun and aimed it at JJ. The blonde flinched and stumbled backwards, tripping just as he pulled the trigger.

Reid's sharp gasp wasn't heard over the deafening gunshot that disintegrated the natural tranquility of their wooded surroundings. His heart mercilessly thudded against his ribcage, thinning out his breathing and making coherent thoughts impossible. His gaze was fiercely trained on JJ's crumpled form, trying to see if she was hit.

His world settled when her body moved and her head lifted up, her eyes expressing absolute disbelief and shock.

Foyet had missed.

The Reaper cursed again and prepared to shoot at her again. Reid's temporary relief melted into renewed terror. He wasn't sure if the older man intended to wound JJ or kill her, but he feared for both and what consequences that could follow.

"Leave her alone!" Reid jerked against his chains and then started fumbling with the lock on his door. He managed to get it open and he staggered out, nearly tripping. That did nothing to deter him as he tried in vain to get the Boston Reaper's attention. Still attached to the door, he cried out, "Just give up, Foyet! Anything you do now will be in vain! You already lost!" He hesitated before adding, "Stop trying to drag this out like…like some petty, clichéd criminal!" He knew that last part was a low blow that would surely cost him later.

However, Reid would rather the killer unleash his wrath onto him than onto JJ.

Foyet, nevertheless, ignored him and aimed his gun at the blonde profiler as she frantically scrambled backwards while simultaneously trying to get back up. Meanwhile, 'Charles' wasn't doing anything but observing the entire spectacle, making no move to help Foyet. He watched as the Boston Reaper started taking slow, terrifying steps closer to the road, closer to JJ, and aim his gun at her.

Suddenly, Tobias's expression changed at the last second, shifting from livid to horrified. "No!" He rushed to and lunged at Foyet, grabbed his wrist, and attempted to wrench the gun from his hand. Clearly caught off guard, the Reaper swore and tried to shove the other man away from him.

Reid was momentarily struck with shock by this unexpected turn of events, yet snapped himself out of it as he cried out, "Run, JJ! Run!"

Released from her own stupefied state, JJ proceeded to try and stumble up back onto her feet. After a few awkward attempts, she succeeded and endeavored to run off again. Noticing this, Foyet seethed with rage and exerted a stronger effort to get Tobias to let go of his gun. The other man wouldn't relent though, and the two continued to struggle for the weapon until the trigger was suddenly pulled and a shot rang out.

A high-pitched shriek of pain followed merely milliseconds afterwards.

Reid watched in horror as JJ violently surged forward and fell out of sight, sure he saw red blossoming on her.

No…no, no, no…

"JJ!"


Dr. Reid's agonized cry spurred Foyet into action after having temporarily froze. "Shit." Wrenching away from Tobias, he dashed across the street over to where Jennifer had fallen and suddenly disappeared. Once he reached the edge of the forest, Foyet's eyes scanned the area for the woman. After taking a couple of careful steps forward, the tips of his feet unexpectedly felt nothing and his ears picked up on loose dirt shifting in place and falling.

Glancing down, Foyet realized that he was close to a semi-deep roadside ditch. Taking care not to move forward, the Reaper made a closer inspection and discovered Jennifer laying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the wet, muddy ditch. Her long blonde hair was sprawled in different directions and covering her face. Her bound hands were paler than usual, and her fragile form was still, her back coated in blood that was rapidly spreading from nearby her left shoulder blade.

She wasn't moving.

Foyet watched her for a few moments, waiting for a sign to indicate that she was alive, but received nothing. Agent Jareau didn't even remotely stir. He watched her upper back to determine any signs of her breathing, but couldn't really tell from his standpoint, especially since the blood added to Jennifer's dark colored blouse and it obscured his view. Regardless, Foyet didn't remove his eyes from her, waiting for something that will confirm whether or not she was alive.

The blood spreading onto her back and the dirt ground under her was a poisonous crimson, a shade that the Reaper was well familiar with. Like the other times he's seen it, a blazing fire was lit within his veins that got his heart racing with uncontrolled ecstasy. Seeing that particular liquid bloody scarlet unconsciously sent a jolt of rapture up his spine that quickly travelled to the core of his being. Something about the sight of blood, especially when it coated his hands, clothes, and particularly his victims always left Foyet feeling what most regular people felt moments after their sexual climax. It was a magnificent sensation that was only matched by the victorious feeling he experienced whenever he had total control over his prey and received the satisfaction of their fear as a long-lasting prize.

Nevertheless, the ecstasy he usually felt wasn't entirely there this time. The feeling was dulled somehow and it wasn't nearly as fulfilling as it usually was; it was like a stick of dynamite that fizzled out right before it could explode.

And he knew exactly why.

Though he managed to shoot Jennifer, it hadn't been part of his plan on hurting her. His intentions were to torture her and watch her writhe, bleed, and scream under his hands. More than anything, he wanted her to be completely terrified of him; he wanted her to cry and beg for mercy before he killed her, to see fear permanently engraved into her eyes.

But he couldn't see her eyes. There wasn't a hint of fear or suffering on Jennifer's lifeless form, and her blood wasn't on him to prove that he had indeed killed her. In fact, it was like he technically didn't kill her seeing as his struggle with Tobias turned it into an accident. These conclusions infuriated the Reaper, and he grinded his teeth in fury as he stared down at Jennifer's still body, feeling heavy dissatisfaction and the sensation of failure weighing him down.

What a waste.

"O-Oh, oh my gosh! Is she dead?!" Foyet glanced to the side at the sound of that aggravatingly gentle, concerned voice and realized that Tobias had come to observe the casualty. The Southern man's face paled at the sight of Jennifer and her blood streamed into the dirt around her. "O-O-Oh god…please don't let her be dead!"

Suddenly, Tobias's expression abruptly changed into a dark scowl. "Don't use the Lord's name in vain, boy!" 'Charles' regarded the blonde profiler with contempt. "Besides, it isn't a loss if she is dead. The world is better off with one less sinner."

The man's countenance switched again, back to its original concerned, frantic state. "N-No, she can't be dead. Ms. Jareau…Ms. Jareau?! Please get up!" He made a move to slide down into the ditch. Foyet made a move to stop him, but 'Charles' suddenly returned and seemed to restrain him.

"What do you think you're doing, boy?!"

"I…I'm going to help her!"

"Like hell you are! That whore is beyond help now!"

"N-No she's not! Get o-out of my way!"

Foyet barely reacted when Tobias struck himself, knowing that 'Charles' was merely lashing out again. "Don't you sass me, boy! I've had enough sassing from ignoramuses today!" The Reaper furiously glared when the personality looked pointedly at him.

The panicked expression came back. "L-Let me go! I need to help Ms. Jareau!"

"No, you don't! She got what she deserved!"

"No, she didn't! She's done nothing wrong! She's innocent, and there's still a chance I can help her!"

"I won't let you help a devil!"

"She's not a-"

"Oh, will you both just shut up!" Foyet viciously snapped, getting both Tobias and 'Charles' to quit arguing. Watching Tobias essentially fight himself only added to the frustration and rage he was feeling. "You're both getting on my goddamn nerves!"

"Don't use the Lord's-"

"Can it, Hankel!" Foyet interrupted. "Just go down there and see if she's actually dead."

'Charles' glared at him and snapped, "I just told my son that the whore got what she deserved. I'm not helping her!"

"For God's sake, Hankel, you're not helping her! You're just checking if she's actually dead or not!" Briefly screwing his eyes shut, Foyet reigned back majority of his anger and then fixed Hankel with a firm, authoritative stare. "If she's dead, then mission accomplished." A bitter feeling entered his chest at the realization of how unsatisfying that would be if that were the case. "If she's still alive, then that'll be good for us. We could kill her right."

Which better be the case otherwise someone is going to pay.

Before 'Charles' could get another word in, Foyet added, "Now go down there and check."

Apparently, Tobias regained control because he was suddenly sliding down the ditch and crouching before Jennifer's body. He carefully pressed his fingers on her neck and felt for her pulse. Foyet watched this through narrowed eyes and felt himself grow more antsy and impatient with each passing moment.

Just when he was about to go down there himself, Tobias began to hysterically shake his head as he wrenched his hand away from the blonde. With Tobias facing somewhat away from him, Foyet couldn't see his expression very well, but he was able to see distress overcoming the other's features.

Tobias said something that Foyet couldn't hear, but sensed that he was speaking to 'Charles' when his body stiffened aggressively and then returned to a more pliant position. Foyet grew frustrated as the conversation continued and he couldn't hear what the Hankels were talking about.

"Hey Hankel," he called down. "What's the diagnosis?"

A scowl met him, indicating that it was 'Charles' responding. "The whore's dead. The boy couldn't find a pulse."

What should've been satisfaction bubbling in his chest festered into vindictive anger. "Whoop-de-fucking-do," he bitterly spat. "That's just great."

Tobias returned and shook his head, horrified. "S-She's dead. I…I can't believe…oh no, o-oh why…"

Foyet wanted to take pleasure in Tobias's devastation, but found himself irritated. "You wanna know why Jennifer is dead, Tobias? She's dead because of you!"

Tobias flinched. "Wh-What?!"

"Don't act so surprised," the Reaper continued bitterly. "When I was aiming for Jennifer, I only meant to shoot her in the legs so she wouldn't get away. You threw off my aim though trying to be the hero." He let that sink in and watched Tobias's eyes widen. "Congratulations, you sort of made your first real kill. You want a medal for that?"

Tobias trembled for a moment before he stopped and straightened up, his expression taking on a familiar glower. "Quit that lip-quivering, boy. Like I said, the whore deserved what she got. There isn't anything you can do for her."

Hankel's expression changed again and he looked ready to protest, but Foyet wasn't having any of it, wanting nothing more than to forget this infuriating fluke. "That's right, it's over and done with. Now let's get back to the car and break the news to boy genius over there." The only good thing out of this was how shattered the young doctor will be over Jennifer's death. Now that's something Foyet was looking forward to.

Tobias didn't seem to share the same sentiment. He appeared conflicted as he looked back and forth between Jennifer and the top of the ditch, not meeting Foyet's gaze.

Rolling his eyes, the Reaper threatened, "You better get back to the car before I get Dr. Reid to join Jennifer in that damned ditch. But trust me when I say that the way he's getting down there is going to be a hell of a lot more painful."

The Georgian man froze as his face paled. He appeared to go over his options before he reluctantly surrendered and climbed up the ditch. Soon, he was replaced by a furrowed scowl and a grumble of, "You're weak." Then 'Charles' glared up at Foyet. "We're not going yet. I want to film this whore's body and show the world what happens when you go against God."

Foyet bit back a snarl and snapped, "Fine, whatever. Just make it quick." Then he started storming away from the ditch, hearing his companion follow him after a moment.

Just as the two exited the forest and reached the road, 'Charles' spoke up, "You know, it's a good thing my weakling son tried to stop you. If he hadn't, then that whore might still be alive, especially since you wanted to let her go." Foyet frowned at him, his expression daring him to continue. "I was right all along; she was meant to die. You were wrong and not to mention stupid for wanting to just let her go without her paying for her sins. In the end, it was God's will that caused her to die."

Foyet's blood boiled, tempted to tell Hankel where exactly he should shove 'God's will,' but he refrained and fumed silently. Instead, he focused on Dr. Reid who was standing near the passenger door, handcuffed, and was watching them both with wide, frightened eyes.

Normally, he would drink in such fear, but his anger made it impossible. "What the hell you looking at, kid?! Get back in the car!"

Reid didn't move, his eyes flickering between him and the forest behind him. Quickly losing what little patience he had left, Foyet stalked over to the youth, grabbed him by the shoulder, and shoved him back into the car. Reid yelped as he fell back into his seat, giving the Reaper a chance to slam the door shut. Then he made his way around the vehicle and got back in the driver's side.

As the kid oriented himself, Foyet reached into the glove compartment, pulled out the camera, and shoved it into Hankel's hands once he was close enough. "There. Go crazy. Just don't drag your feet. We need to go."

Uncertainty and annoyance flickered back and forth on Hankel's face before settling on the latter. "Don't use that tone with me, Foyet. I'm not some ignorant fool."

Foyet really wanted to affirm to that, but bit back the urge. "Yeah whatever, you're a real Christian man—holier than any sinner there is."

Whether or not 'Charles' caught the sarcasm was debatable. "I am. Now lend me your knife."

"Why? What for?"

"I want to cut the whore's binds for the video. I know exactly what quote I'm going to use from the Bible, and I'll need to position her a certain way. I won't be able to if she's tied up."

"Fine, whatever." Foyet handed the man his weapon. "Now hurry so we can go."

Hankel scowled before heading back to the ditch.

Foyet glared at his retreating back before producing the car keys and using them to start up the vehicle. He was tempted to just drive off and leave Hankel there but refrained. As vexed as he was, he knew that Hankel was still useful to his plans. Until the day came that he wasn't, Foyet would keep him around.

However, that didn't mean he wasn't free to imagine gruesome deaths for the other man.

As the car roared to life, Reid looked to Foyet, his hazel orbs swimming with questions and an odd mixture of dread and hope.

The Boston Reaper hated hope.

"She's dead, kid, so don't even ask."

Those eyes widened in shock before narrowing with mistrust. "I…I don't believe you-"

"Well you better!" Foyet grit his teeth. "Hankel can vouch for me."

Reid's gaze flickered to where 'Charles' walked off before looking back at the Reaper. The killer felt the young doctor examine him for a while until his expression shadowed over with disbelieving, soul-crushing anguish. Tears started to pool within the profiler's eyes as he began to shake his head. "No…no, no…"

Foyet felt his anger rise again at the reminder of how unsatisfying Jennifer's death was and how it wasn't according to plan and wasn't even technically done by his hands. His hands clenched tighter around the steering wheel as he swung around to face the kid. "Oh what, you're gonna cry?! Go ahead! Cry! It's not gonna bring her back or change the fact that your friend had a hand in killing her!"

The young profiler flinched at his tone, frightened, and pressed himself against the door. Foyet took some grim satisfaction in that, especially since lashing out at the kid somewhat alleviated his anger. Nevertheless, it continued to fester in his veins, and he knew that it wouldn't go away for a while. The only things that kept him from letting it consume him was hearing the suppressed hyperventilated gasps that indicated that the kid was trying hard not to lose it, and the fact that Jennifer was dead.

A dark smirk imprinted his lips. And of course, there was Aaron. The Reaper couldn't wait to tell that narcissistic fed that one of his dear colleagues was dead, that he was unable to protect her. He could only imagine the devastation on the profiler's face, the anger, the sorrow, and disappointment over his failure to protect her.

Now that was something he couldn't wait to see. It was that image that allowed him to just barely tolerate Hankel's aggravating presence when the man returned with the video camera. As they drove off, Foyet figured that he'll hold off on seeing the real thing for now.

In the meantime, he had somewhere to get to—a place intended to hold torrents of blood and fear that meant more that any he's caused his entire career.

It was almost time for Fate to determine Aaron and Spencer's reckoning.


Woo, this is a long one. Sorry about JJ...

For those of you who intend to stick around, I'll have the next chapter up next month or so. After all, I have time on my hands now that going to work isn't an option right now.

Thanks for reading!