The orange light from the tunnel flowed up the stairs like the fires of Hell from below. Reid stood at the top, the sole flame of a cigarette illuminated on the landing. Taking a deep breath, he trotted down the steps.
"Six minutes." Reid called as he got closer.
"Excuse me?" Nathan asked.
"I used to say that to my mom to try to get her to quit smoking." Reid explained. "Now, I say it to Riley. Every time I see her smoke… I tell that's six minutes less I get to love her."
He nodded. "That's sweet. But I think we both know the sooner I'm dead, the world… will be a better place, Dr. Reid."
"I don't believe that, Nathan," Reid took a step forward. He was angry with Nathan, but as a good father would be to his son. Regardless of his actions, he still felt a responsibility to him.
Nathan flicked the butt away and folded his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall. He was waiting for him to ask about the girls. Reid decided to wait; Nathan would bring it up when he was ready.
"It's cold," Nathan muttered. "It doesn't often get this cold in DC."
"It might snow tonight," Reid said with a small smile. He dropped it after a moment. Snow made him think of Riley, and thinking of her just reminded him of the chances of ever holding her again. "Maybe it would be best if we… start heading where you plan to take me."
There was a long silence as Nathan stared at his shoes. "Did you come alone?"
"Yes," Reid explained. "My boss didn't want to. Gideon – you remember Agent Gideon don't you?" His blue eyes looked upward as he gave a small nod. "He's not an agent anymore, but he's been helping us find you. He had a plan to trick you, but I couldn't let that happen. I knew I had to do this alone… so I said I was going to the restroom and I snuck out. I doubt they even know I've left yet. I have no weapon, because if I threaten you… I know you'll never take me to JJ and my mother."
"You just left? The others aren't with you?" Nathan checked.
"I didn't even say goodbye to the woman I love." Reid stated. "You know how much I care about her. I think that should be enough to trust me."
It was. Nathan gave a satisfied nod, taking one more look to the top of the stairs, finding both him and the genius alone. "Follow me."
Reid followed Nathan down the steps without question, heading into the subway station. It was almost deserted. Surprisingly, Nathan paid instead of just jumping the turnstile, paying for Reid's as well.
The platform was empty. There was an echo down the dark tunnel. It sent a chill down Reid's spine. Even at thirty, he still had a fear of the dark. Glancing at Nathan, he realized he wasn't stopping. They weren't here to wait for a train.
"This track is closed on the weekends," Nathan explained as he jumped onto the track. "Stay close to the wall. And be careful of the third rail."
Swallowing his fear, Reid followed. His black sneakers squeaked on the linoleum, echoing with the distant cries down the tunnel. He carefully pulled his lanky form onto the track, following Nathan into the darkness.
"Kennedy Avenue." Riley whispered, staring before the map.
"What did you say?" Emily asked, sitting at the table with Gideon and Elle.
"It's what Spencer was looking for…" She pointed to the street on the map. "The points are
scattered, but the points all seem to circle this spot. There has been a sighting or body on most
of the streets in this area, all the main streets in the neighboring cities… but not one is on Kennedy Avenue."
Elle got up to take a look. "I'm amazed you found that… I mean, if Reid couldn't find it."
"Well… we all have 20/20 Hein Sight." Riley declared. Before she could get upset, she turned and hurried from the room.
"Riley," Emily cried, finally catching up to her in the Ladies' Room. "It's going to be okay."
"You don't…" She stood before the sink, willing herself not to cry in front of her. She was so afraid, never having been so unsure about the future before now. Trying to catch her breath, "You don't know that. We've gotten lucky before, but that can't go on forever."
"You have to have faith this will work," Emily stepped forward. Her hand brushed her shoulder as the tears began to drip out despite her determination. Their reflection stood before them, like the girls in the mirror were mocking them. "I know how you're feeling. This is not something a person expects to happen when they get up in the morning… I go through that all the time. Spencer goes through it, too. But we have faith that we are strong enough to do our duty and get back to where we want to be."
She could appreciate it so much more now. When Spencer came home from a case, Riley would be happy and relieved he was alright. But he always seemed so calm, like what he did was nothing at all. It wasn't that it was nothing… it was that it was over, and he was home, just what he longed for.
"It'll be alright." Emily tried to give her a comforting expression.
"I hope you're right, Em." She met her eyes, attempting to look brave. "I'm not worried about my life… but if any of them get killed because of me… the odds of this actually working-"
Emily's phone buzzed. One hand still on Riley's shoulder, the other reached to unclip the cell. It quickly flipped open and she read the message. "It's Morgan…" she explained. Quickly, with her thumb, she typed a quick reply, hit SEND and closed it. "Are you ready?" She asked as Riley met her eyes in the mirror.
Riley couldn't speak, but managed a distinctive nod. The sight of her reflection filled her with some confidence. "This will work." She whispered.
Reid's eyes adjusted to the darkness, staying a few steps behind Nathan. He seemed to be leading them by a dim light in hand, which Reid later realized was a cell phone.
"Is that JJ's?" Reid asked.
"She doesn't mind," Nathan replied. "It's not like she's using it."
He hoped that wasn't an indication it was too late. He couldn't have killed them yet, though. It wasn't even midnight. Reid took a glance behind, wondering if they were being followed. Despite the threat of electrocution and being crushed by an abnormally running train, Reid's biggest fear was the dark surrounding them. Something fuzzy ran over his feet. A rat, probably, but it spooked him, causing him to stumble with a high pitched yelp. Reid landed in the putrid mud.
Nathan stopped. "Are you alright?" He asked, neither amused nor annoyed.
"Yeah…" Reid replied, pulling himself quickly to his feet. He tried to brush himself off, but he was covered in the mess. Nathan started his travel again, continuing down the track.
They made it to a fork in the track, both leading into unknown darkness. "We need to hurry." Nathan explained, "The battery is getting low. We'll be lost if we're not close enough by the time the phone dies."
"It won't be enough to get back, though, will it?" Reid asked.
Nathan hesitated, "That's not my problem." He explained.
That did not inspire him with any great optimism. Still, they hadn't gotten to the girls yet. Reid would worry about getting out of here once the time came; all he needed to worry about was getting them out alive… all three of them.
This branch of the track swiveled more than it first started. There were so many turns and bends, even he might not remember them all… which just made him all the more worried.
"If you don't mind my asking," Reid began, curious as they headed down a new tunnel. "How did you manage to get both JJ and my mother down here? I mean, JJ I can understand, but my mother remembers you. She wouldn't go willing anywhere with you… especially this place."
"I drugged them. You're mother fell asleep almost instantly; I carried her." Nathan explained. "JJ followed like you're doing. I could tell she was scared, but she hid it well. I told her to go to sleep when we got there."
Drugged? Reid thought. "I know why you want to kill to JJ next… but did you know she was pregnant?"
There was a long silence. "No wonder she got so nervous… when I aimed the knife down to her stomach."
"Would you have taken her if you knew?" Reid asked. When enough time passed without an answer, Reid continued to press. "What did you drug them with?"
"Benadryl." He stated. Reid hadn't been expecting that, but couldn't deny how relieved he was. Antihistamines were easy to attain. More importantly, it wouldn't hurt the fetus. He wasn't knowledgeable in the effects of his mother's medication, but he assumed since they already made her sleepy in the afternoon, it would just double the effect with allergy medication. "Just a regular dose. Even if it didn't put them to sleep, the drowsiness would make them docile. Easier to control. Until you made you're choice."
"Well, I've made my choice. I decided to come. And I came alone." Reid explained.
"You have yet to make your choice, Dr. Reid." He corrected. And despite Reid's presses to explain that comment, Nathan didn't say another word.
At last, in the distance, Reid could make out a tube-like shape. Getting closer, he spotted it was one subway car, probably left here for maintenance or to be decommissioned. Pulling himself off the path, Nathan carefully led them in the direction of the car. It took him a moment from the failing light to find the door. It slid aside with a screech, allowing the men inside.
He tried to see around the place before the light disappeared. Nathan closed the phone. It was replaced in a moment with a crack. Nathan's hand shook, revealing a green glow stick, the kind kids used when they went Trick-or-Treating. It filled the entire car in a lime green essence, revealing the two women laying on opposite benches. One sound asleep, the other awoken by their arrival.
"Who's there?" Her soft voice asked, sounding timid in a partial daze.
"JJ?" Reid exclaimed softly, rushing over to her.
"Spence?" She asked, trying to make out his face in the glow.
"Yeah…" he said, trying not to get upset. "Are you alright?"
"I'm tired," She mumbled. Her hand reached out touching his face, making sure this wasn't a dream. "I'm sorry…"
"No, I'm sorry." He corrected. "I shouldn't have let you go."
"I offered to… you're my friend, I wanted to do something to help you…" She was beginning to cry.
"See what happens… when you try to go a good thing…" Nathan said. From the ghoulish light, he could make out the scowl on his face.
Reid pulled from JJ to his mother. Her breathing was steady as she slept. Still, Reid reached to check her pulse. It was quick, but not dangerous. The touch of his cold hands sent a chill through her, waking her up. She sat up as she opened her eyes.
"Who's there?" She whined, terrified. Her eyes dashed around, trying to make out the ghost-like figures in the light.
"It's okay, Mom." Reid said, reaching for her hand, just as freezing as his. "It's Spencer."
She let out a relieved breath. "Spencer," she repeated. "What are we doing here? Let's go home."
Reid didn't want to get upset. Before he could even try to explain this, a hand gripped the sleeve of his shirt, pulling him away. He felt himself practically flung to the other side of the car. Nathan stood in the aisle, pulling a long dark object from the jacket of his coat.
"You've had enough time." Nathan stated. The way he handled the object told Reid it was a gun. "I know you want to get out of here and I don't want to be here any longer than we have to."
"Nathan," Reid urged, "I'm here now. You don't need to hurt them. Let them go. JJ can help my mother out of here, and then it's just us. So please… let the girls go."
"I've been through Hell, Dr. Reid, because of you." He explained. "Even after everything, you still have no idea how much I've had to suffer, trying to push away the urges to slaughter people… only to feel relief when I finally did it. And then it was only temporary; I had to do it again… and again… and again… I destroyed so many lives…"
"Don't you dare blame Reid for what you've done," JJ cried, trying to sit up. "All he wanted to do was help you-"
"Shut up!" Nathan yelled at her, beginning to cry. Silence sounded once more as he looked back to Reid. "After tonight, you will never have to worry about me again… just as life should have been four years ago, but you will think of me often… because you'll be in just as much torment and pain as you put me through."
"Spencer… what is he talking about?" Diana wondered.
Reid couldn't answer before Nathan continued. "When I tried to kill you, it wasn't nearly as satisfying as taking Ethan or Lila or Adam, as I know how important they were to you. Even I wasn't so naïve to hope I'd get through your whole team and family… so here's your choice. You choose the girl to save. Your mother," He pointed the gun at Diana, "the woman who gave birth to you, who was terrified and paranoid for months just so you would be born healthy. Who read to you and loved you and raised you all on her own. Or," the gun shifted to JJ, "Jennifer Jareau, one of your best friends. Who's watched out for you and been there for you for six years. Who
named you the godfather of her son. Which ever you choose, I'll let her go. And once the other is dead… I'll take my life. I'll finally be dead… I'll never harm the world again. I'll be at peace with the knowledge that you will suffer for the rest of your life… for the reason that someone you care for so much is dead because of you."
"Nathan, you don't want to do this." Reid pleaded, his eyes going from JJ to his mother, both matching his eyes with a pleading expression, silently wishing this wasn't happening.
Nathan finally smiled. "Make your choice, Dr. Reid. Jennifer Jareau… or Diana Reid."