A/N: The disclaimer can be found in the previous chapter.
Dear Reader(s),
So ends my working outwards in (madness). After watching the episode What Fresh Hell? I noticed something about Gideon in how he reacted to the situation and interacted with Billie Copeland. Going with the cues, you'll soon see what I've done with that little bit of extreme behaviour. Anyways, I hope that you enjoy this, for it might be a while before I get my next piece penned, we'll have to see, real life has a tendency to screw things up.
As the minutes turn to hours, Gideon's hope slowly begins to sway. Frustration is written all over him. From his facial expressions and tone of voice, right down to his posture.
"Have they shown the composite yet?" he takes another deep breath, runs his hand through his closely cropped hair and removes the thin wire glasses.
"We have." An officer replies calmly.
"Anything through our tip line?"
"Nothing of any significance." Replies another.
"What do you mean? Every tip is significant. We are talking about a seven-year-old little girl, whose parents are beside themselves with grief. Hoping for the best, yet preparing for the worst and you have the nerve to state that there's nothing of significance?" his tone edgy, sharper than usual. Glancing quickly at Hotchner, Elle silently nods her agreement and makes her way over to the desk Gideon occupies.
"You're exhausted. When did you last sleep?" she sits on the edge of the desk and leans towards him.
"I don't recall." He answers looking at his watch.
"Come on. You and I are going on a much-needed coffee run." She stands and he shakes his head in a daze and follows.
"Thanks Elle." Hotchner says quietly.
"No problem. Would you prefer tea or a cup of coffee?" she inquires.
"Coffee is fine." He replies and watches as she literally guides Gideon out the door to the car.
"He'll be fine." Hotchner finds himself trying to explain Gideon's behaviour to his teammates, and a room of officers.
"Are you sure? He looks pretty beat to me." Morgan says as another phone rings and Reid answers it.
"I'm going to call Garcia and see if my girl's gotten us a match on that sketch." Morgan says, dialling her number.
"Yes my darling." She says busily typing away. Morgan chuckles and grins at her obvious multi-tasking.
"Thought when I called, I had your undivided attention." He replies.
"You do." He can hear the mad typing cease.
"Have you gotten me anything on that sketch we sent you earlier?"
"Hot stuff, you know it. Actually, more then I'll wager you thought I'd get." He can hear her flirty grin in her tone.
"Really?" Hotchner watches as his eyebrows shoot up. "Do tell."
"Well I also ran your very extensive list. You know? See what they were looking at. I narrowed it down substantially. I have to warn you, its still pretty long." She sighs.
"Thanks sweetness."
"You totally owe me. Oh, you'll have that list in a few. I'm sending it over the wire okay?"
"You better believe it." He snaps his phone closed and turns towards the remaining team. "Byrnes, Garcia has cut your list down. I think we ought to split into teams and interview everyone who's on it."
"Morgan, we really don't have the time, or the man power for that." Hotchner sits back in his seat.
Meanwhile, the drive to the coffee shop is silent. Elle navigates the car into an empty slot.
"So, are you coming in, or waiting in the car?" she gives Gideon a sideway glance and he moves to unbuckle his seatbelt. They enter the quiet shop and head to the counter where a woman stands waiting.
"What can I get you?" she inquires posed to fill what she thinks will be a short order.
"Let's see. Could I get seven large black coffees and enough cream and sugar." Without protest, she keys in the order.
"Will that be everything this evening?" she inquires. Elle thinks about it.
"Actually, could you do an assorted box of doughnuts as well? Gideon how many? A dozen?" he nods, hardly paying her any attention.
"Not a problem." She turns away from the till and begins to fill the order. Elle glances at the total and quickly gets out her wallet, placing the money on the counter.
"Thanks so much." She smiles and he takes the bag with the doughnuts and picks up the box of coffees.
"Have a good evening." Elle says as they make their way back to the car. "What is going on with you?" she immediately says once they've gotten themselves settled and she starts the engine.
"Elle." He says simply in his 'I don't care to talk about it tone', a tone she knows very well and also knows how to get around.
"Okay fine. If you don't want to talk about it then I'll talk." She says, slowing the car to a stop at an intersection.
"Elle." He says again, a bit firmer than the last time.
"You're always there for any of us when we need that sounding board. You have helped Reid with his nightmares, Hotch with Haley and Morgan with being less of an ass than usual." He laughs a bit at her last comment. "You're always the rock in the bunch and you know as well as I do that everyone needs someone that they can turn to. I know this is a trying case. I know how much you feel for these girls, how much you want to rip the un-sub limb from limb, but you won't because you also know what's in store for him once he is caught. We'll catch him. Just like the others." She pulls into the station lot and parks the car.
"Elle?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks." He opens the door, collects the orders and waits for her to go back into the station. "So what's the situation?" Gideon inquires, passing out the coffees to the team.
"Garcia sent us her list over the wire." Morgan replies happily setting the list on the conference room table.
"How many are on that list?" Elle sits and reaches for a few creams for her coffee.
"Based on the information that we provided her with, along with the sketch, she has been able to narrow it down to ten. That's the good news." Morgan reaches for a couple of cream containers.
"Then I say we get a move on it!" Gideon says from his place beside the window.
"You didn't hear the bad news." Morgan stirs his coffee.
"Which is?"
"They found another body while you and Elle were on the coffee run."
"Seriously?" Elle glares at Morgan.
"I've sent officers to the crime scene. It's exactly like the others. An eyewitness reported seeing the un-sub in the woods with a bundle in his arms. She concealed herself in the brush and watched as he laid the body out."
"Why hasn't a BAU gone to the scene?" Gideon's heart leaps from his chest.
"Here." Reid holds out the photographs, Gideon quickly goes through them, and then lets them fall to the table.
"We have two dead little girls. We have to find this bastard!" he flies from the room with the list in his hand.
"What is he going to do?" Byrnes is shocked by his flight.
"He's going to track down every guy on that list." Elle replies, pushing her chair from the table and dashes after him. "Gideon!" she calls and he turns around. "Calm down. I know how hard this is." She closes the distance between them.
"No, you don't." he snaps. She reaches out and holds his arm firmly, yet at the same time gently.
"Then help me understand." She says in a soft tone, knowing its effectiveness in helping in high stress situations. He runs his free hand down his face. Looking down for a moment, he collects his thoughts.
"It was five years ago that my niece was abducted. Of course there was no way that I could partake in the investigation and at the time I accepted that. Outside of the official investigation, I helped in any way that I could in trying to find her. They found Brooke's body four days later. I went with my sister Andrea to the morgue to identify the body. Loosing a child through illness or accident is hard, believe you me, but Brooke died at the hands of some sick bastard, and it breaks my heart that there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. They caught him a week later, while trying to lure another little girl into his car near the school playground. The judge could only sentence him with attempt to kidnap and the murder of another little girl. Apparently there was insufficient evidence to support his confession, so he will not pay for killing Brooke. She would have been fifteen this year." His eyes hold a far off, quasi-glassy gaze.
"Oh Gideon, I'm so sorry." She pauses and places a comforting hand on his arm. He turns his gaze to her and she tugs on his shirtsleeve. "Come with me back to the conference room. We'll catch this creep before he hurts her." She adds pulling him back towards the conference room. Hotchner stands at the front of the room holding a small stack of papers in his hands. Gideon and Elle sit at the table and he continues to address everyone.
"Gideon, you and Elle will take suspects one through five. Morgan and Reid six through eight, and Byrnes and I will take nine and ten. J.J., you will have to be on standby in prep for another media conference. Regardless of our results, we need to have the public reminded that there's a missing girl out there and the least significant thing can lead to an arrest." Hotchner hands out the lists. "Tomorrow morning we'll run through these lists and meet back here." He adds and everyone nods their understanding.
"Who's first on our list?" Morgan inquires, starting the engine. Reid looks over the list.
"Jeffery Nash." Reid replies, continuing to go over the information given to them prior to their departure. "You'll want to hang a left." He adds as they approach the home.
"So it begins." Morgan says under his breath as he parks the car on the street and they get out of the car. "I doubt this is our guy." He adds as they walk up the drive.
"He's not a perfectionist." Reid nods agreement. "A perfectionist would have a home that." He pauses.
"Has every blade of grass in place and not a chip in the paint." Morgan fills in and presses the doorbell. "Such a waste of time." He says under his breath. "We should be rounding them up or something."
"Can I help you?" a blonde opens the door. Morgan and Reid show their badges.
"We're with the FBI's behavioural analysis unit. Would it be possible to speak to Jeffery Nash?" Morgan inquires, replacing his wallet.
"Sure, come in." she moves aside, allowing them access to the home.
"Thank you." Reid says as they follow her through into the bright kitchen. Jeffery Nash sits at the dinner table; a little boy sits in a high chair and plays with the breakfast he's unsuccessfully being fed. He looks up at the agents and a dark expression passes over his face.
"Lena, I'll talk to them outside." He says getting up and leading them out the patio door to the back yard.
"I don't suppose your aware of the Cassandra Clinton abduction?" Morgan gets right to the point as Jeffery closes the heavy glass door.
"I've seen the news." He replies sitting on the banister. "Terrible when someone would do such a thing to a child." He adds crossing his arms across his broad chest. As if it suddenly hits him. "I don't suppose you're here because you think I did it."
"We're covering all of our bases. The problem is that with most child abductions, they end badly." Reid states.
"What I did all those years ago is in the past. Besides, murder was never what it was about." He says standing.
"You wouldn't happen to have met someone capable of this?" Morgan prompts him for more answers.
"Sorry, I can't help you there." He replies simply.
"Thank you for your time." Reid extends his hand and Jeffery shakes it then Morgan's and walks them out to the front of the home.
"That was a bust." Morgan states as they drive off to the next name on their list. Michael Crane.
Meanwhile, Hotchner and Byrnes have just completed questioning their first suspect on their short list.
"Do you ever get the feeling that you're just running in circles?" Byrnes asks as they head to the next suspect on their list.
"There are moments of that, however, that's when you see that which has always been right in front of you." Hotchner replies and parks the car. "This isn't our guy either." He states and Byrnes just stares at him.
"How so?"
"This home is literally in shambles. From the profile we worked out, our un-sub is a confident perfectionist. The fact that this home is probably unsafe to occupy tells me that he's disorganised at best. Probably lazy." Hotchner follows Byrnes to the front door. Tapping on the crooked screen door they wait.
"Hello?" Byrnes calls. "San Francisco police." He adds and they continue to wait.
Elle and Gideon make their way through their list.
"One left." She says reading through the file on the potential un-sub. Rubbing at the back of her neck, she tilts her wrist to check the time. "It's seven-thirty."
"I know. That's another day with no luck." He sighs and they head up the path that leads to the front door.
"Good evening. May I help you?" the salt and pepper haired man inquires stepping aside as they reveal their badges.
"Kale Jenkins?" Gideon tilts his head in wait.
"Yes, that's me." He replies moving aside to allow them to step into the foyer.
"I'm Special Agent Jason Gideon, this is Agent Elle Greenaway. Would it be okay if we asked you a couple of questions? They are pertaining to the disappearance of Cassandra Clinton." opening a small notebook, Kale nods and Gideon gages his body language.
"Such a sad situation. I was part of one of the earlier search parties. Actually, I just got in not long ago." He sits casually on the steps.
"So you are aware of the situation and the fact that we're probably looking at a recovery then?" he tests the waters, wondering if he can trip Kale up enough to see if he's their guy or not. All the while Elle watches his body language and takes mental notes of the foyer. An antique mahogany circular table proudly stands in the middle, a cut crystal vase of tall fresh calla lilies, and his keys occupy a silver tray carefully tucked beside the vase.
"They didn't say anything about that. We are meeting at eight in the morning tomorrow at the park." He looks down at his folded hands. "It's such a shame that this is happening. Children are innocent in this world. How could anyone wish to mistreat a little girl." His eye water a bit at images still left in his mind from his own reign of terror on children.
"We'll find her." Elle says tapping Gideon's shoulder. "Thank you so much for your time."
"Helping is the least I can do. Although I am well aware that it will never erase what I did in the past." He replies. "It does, however, help me to move forward. Granted, I know now why I did the things I did. I'm just glad that I received the help." He stands and walks them to the door.
"We might need your help. Here's my card. If there's anything that you can think of that might help us, don't hesitate to give me a call." Gideon hands him the card and they head back to the car. "I hope the others have had some luck." He adds turning the key in the ignition.
"That guy gives me the creeps." Elle says as Gideon drives back to the station.
"The phones have been ringing off the hook since this evenings news interview with J.J. and the Clintons. I just hope that something comes from it." Byrnes flips through a file and Hotchner paces the conference room.
"While I hope that we do find her, I just have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach." Hotchner pauses in his pacing. "Officers are following up on the tips right?"
"Of course. This case is on high priority. I wouldn't have it any other way. Not just that. Another little girl has been reported missing." He adds rolling his eyes and then his neck.
"That's it? No matter what we do, we'll never get ahead of this guy?" Morgan spits his words like nails from an air nail gun, as he and Reid enter the conference room.
"This guy is good. Overly confident, I'd say he excels at anything and everything that he does." Hotchner turns on his heel, making his way back to the window.
"So what's his damage?" Morgan snaps.
"Simmer down." Gideon says from the door, he and Elle join the group. "J.J. did a fantastic job getting the story to air. I hear that the tip line is still bustling with calls. Morgan, how did it go?"
"It went. We didn't find anything that would assist us with cracking this case open right down the middle. This is such a hopeless cause." He lets the stress show on his face, something he usually manages to keep under wraps.
"Hotch?" Hotchner only shakes his head and leans against the window ledge, arms crossed, and lips pressed tightly into a thin line.
Everyone retrieves their notes and begins to create a short list on one of the blank boards. Glancing at his watch, Reid drums his slender fingers on the tabletop.
"We have every single base covered, and yet here we are." He says, his young face looking ragged with defeat.
"Let's head back to the hotel and grab something to eat." Morgan suggests. "Maybe we need five minutes away from this and we'll see that clue that's right in front of our noses." He makes a move and Hotchner nods.
"We're keeping those lines open. If something checks out, I'll give you a call." Byrnes shakes his head and leaves the room.
Gideon and Elle arrive at the park to get a feel of the people helping with the search party.
"Good morning Special Agent Gideon." Kale calls from a small group off to one side. There are several groups, in fact and Elle is happy that there is still hope of finding Cassandra alive. Gideon nods in acknowledgement of Kale and notice as a news anchor is in the process of setting up.
"Do you see who I see?" Gideon says in a hushed tone. Elle carefully follows his gaze.
"I think I do. The scar that the others seemed to lack." She replies in a calm manner.
"You don't have your camera handy do you?" he inquires and she shakes her head.
"Damn it, I left it in the car." She watches as he seems to conceal himself in the shadows, far enough from the group not to be drawn into the group. "My cell phone doesn't get the distance." She adds. "Unless." Trailing off, she wanders towards a nearby path, pretending to dial a number, and takes a quick snap. Returning to where she left Gideon, she backs up the image. "It's a bit grainy, but I think Garcia will be able to get something from it."
"Good. Let's meet the others at the station." He smiles widely and they walk back to the car.
"Hey Garcia."
"Yes, sunshine?" she replies madly typing away at one of the many keyboards.
"I need you to run a photo from my cell phone."
"No problem. When you get to the station, upload it to me."
"Thanks." Elle quickly places her phone back on her belt and motions for Gideon to follow her back to the car.
"You're not staying to help?" Kale calls as he catches up.
"We're heading back to the station." Gideon replies and Kale smiles before returning to his group.
"Good luck!" he opens a map and they begin plotting their search.
Once they arrive at the station, Elle heads straight to a computer to upload the image to Garcia.
"So now what?" Byrnes inquires from behind them.
"We wait." Elle replies. "Anyone else in need of coffee?" she rises and heads to the break room with Morgan on her heels.
"I thought we sent the sketch to Garcia with the scar." He says as he pours coffee into two paper cups. She thinks for a moment and nods.
"We did. I suppose that isn't necessarily taken into consideration by the program." She replies and leans against the counter drinking her coffee. "What?"
"Nothing." He says and leans against the counter beside her. "I just don't like waiting." He takes another sip.
"I know what you mean." She replies and heads back to the conference room where the rest of the team sit in wait. Hotchner and J.J. have their heads together working on yet another press conference.
"You're still going to keep this in the media? Don't you think they've warn out their influence?" Reid says sitting back in his seat.
"Never underestimate the power of the media." J.J. says looking up at him from the pages of notes in front of her.
"Agent Hotchner, we have an interesting tip that's come in." an officer says from the door.
"Thank you. Morgan, I'd like you and Reid to check it out." He adds and sits back in the vacant seat beside J.J.
"Let's roll." He and Reid head out, and an un-nerving silence once more washes about the room like an unsettled ocean.
"Thanks Hotchner." Gideon says with a twinkle in his eye. Elle nearly jumps out of her chair as her cell vibrates against her.
"Garcia, this has better be good news." Elle can hear the collective sigh of relief when she nods that she has something. She scribbles the address on the pad and smiles brightly. "Thanks so much." Folding her cell phone with a happy sigh. "Let's get this creep." She says and dashes out of the room with Gideon on her heels.
"Elle, wait up." He calls. She pauses, turning around to face him.
"Aren't you coming with me?" he glances at Hotchner, who nods his ascent and quickly catches up with her.
They arrive at the address provided by Garcia. The home is in a well- established neighbourhood, and judging from its exterior— Elle can see their un-sub residing here. Taking a breath, she follows Gideon up the interlock brick driveway to the immaculately stained wooden porch. The porch moans against their quiet footsteps as they draw closer to the hunter green double door and Gideon slowly withdraws his gun, Elle follows his lead drawing her own and nodding that she is ready for whatever lies beyond the door. Pressing the doorbell, they wait for a moment that to both of them feels like an eternity, yet they are not surprised in the least that the un-sub isn't home. Glancing at Gideon, Elle shoots the doorknob and the door falls open and they cautiously enter the home.
"I've got the upstairs." She says.
"I'll check out this floor first, then move to the basement." He mouths good luck. She smiles with a nod and makes her way up the elegantly curved staircase to the top floor. Remaining on the main floor, Gideon carefully navigates through the oddly decorated home. From its exterior, one would never imagine that the interior would be in the old Victorian style.
Elle reaches the top of the stairs and examines all of the traditional hiding places, being sure that they are clear, she gingerly turns her attention to the last room on the floor— the master bedroom. Finding the door open a crack, Elle reaches out towards it, gently pushing it open; it creeks against her touch, but she continues onwards. Poking her gun around the door to be sure that no one is hiding behind it; she fumbles for a light switch and quickly flips it. No way, she thinks gasping in horror as her eyes fall upon the far wall, which is plastered with photographs of numerous little girls. Monique Roberts is amongst them. A wave of queasiness washes over her as she reads the shampoo scents printed carefully on each photograph— Kiwi under Monique and strawberry under Cassandra's smiling face. Backtracking through the bedroom, she enters the bathroom. Opening the various cupboards, she finds neatly folded pink terry cloth bathrobes, fresh bars of soap, as well as children's shampoo in various scents.
Meanwhile, Gideon gingerly makes way down the narrow staircase into the bowels of the home. With his gun still drawn, poised to fire should the need arise. His eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, making out a long hallway, lined with doors. Not knowing the reason why the door he stands in front of is any more significant then the others, he pauses and presses his ear against it in wait. Hearing nothing, he draws a quick breath and kicks in the door. Unable to muffle the gasp that escapes his lips. Nor can he ignore the shock that runs through his entire body, causing his blood to run cold; he takes in the sight that is literally set out before him. Her still form is neatly tucked under the blankets. Her little arms wrapped around the plush, fluffy, caramel teddy bear. Securing the un-sub's absence, he returns his gun to its holster. Cursing himself for all of the things he was unable to do for her, for missing the most significant clue and most important to him, for being too late. In a strange twist, he is reminded of Brooke for a moment, and it makes him feel worse then he had before. Pausing at her bedside, he wonders if in all honesty this outcome has been for the best. That whatever she no doubt had endeared must have been traumatising enough. In truth, he could never imagine what might be in store for her had they been able to get to her in time, had they stopped the un-sub from taking her life.
"I'm so sorry." He whispers, reaching out, he runs his hand over her little head and stands.
"Gideon?" he hears his name, yet it takes him a moment to return to reality. He senses someone's hand on his shoulder, as he seems to be awaking from a dreamlike state, the sense of slow motion finally leaving him.
"I'm so sorry." He mumbles once more and Elle just keeps her arm around his shoulders, hoping his knees don't buckle beneath him.
"Gideon, it's all right." She whispers in his ear. "Let me call Hotchner, okay?" she feels him nod and she dials his number.
"Hotchner."
"It's Elle, you'll want to get the M.E., a forensic team, crime scene photographers and whomever else you can round up."
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. Just get them here okay?"
"Sure." He replies, as she closes her phone and tucks it in its place on her belt.
"Come on." She keeps her arm around him and guides him out.
"I'm so sorry." He covers his face with one of his hands as she finally gets him outside and sits him on the steps.
"It's okay, you've done everything that you possibly could to help her." She sits with him and they wait. He sighs heavily and continues to fight the tears and emotions rushing through him. Sensing his inner quarrel, she sits quietly beside him and offers him whatever comfort she can while they wait for backup.
Hotchner is the first to spring from the car and meet them on the stairs.
"Have you checked the rest of the basement?" he inquires, resting one foot on the first step and leaning against the railing.
"No, but there is a series of doors in the hallway." She replies with a sigh.
"I'll check them out, we may have more victims." He rushes past and heads inside as Gideon and Elle move off to the side to allow the medical team to follow— Gideon still trying to work through the case in his head.
Hotchner makes his way down the hallway in double time, kicking down doors as he goes; he can hardly believe his eyes.
"Thank you." One little girl cries, wrapping her little arms around him.
"You're going to be okay." His face lights up as they continue through the hallway and the paramedics take them outside. Instead of following the paramedics to the awaiting ambulance, the girls seem to sense the emotion tucked inside Gideon. All seven little girls seem to flock around him. Elle sits back and watches as his dark, unreadable expression suddenly changes. Thank goodness, she thinks. Standing, Elle quickly assists the paramedic with her bag, allowing her to check the girls over. Satisfied that he found them all, Hotchner heads outside to meet Elle and Gideon on the porch steps.
"What happened to Morgan and Reid?" Elle inquires, while one of the little girls plunks herself beside her and grabs her arm, nestling herself against her.
"Hopefully back at the station with our un-sub." Hotchner replies, sitting himself next to Gideon, who seems content to be surrounded by happy little faces.
Roughly grabbing the un-sub, Morgan yanks the man from the backseat with very little concern of whether or not he injured him. Pushing him towards the precinct, he nods to the officer who holds the door open, and somewhat tosses the un-sub through it. There's a bit of a scuff, rubber shoes skidding on the ceramic tile, causing a bit of a ruckus within the usual commotion and J.J. pops her head out the open conference room door, just in time to catch the obvious show.
"This is the un-sub?" she wears an expression of shock.
"What did you expect?" Reid replies from behind Morgan.
"Not him, that's for sure." She returns to her preparation for the evening's news broadcast. Reid watches as Morgan drags him into the interrogation room and then ducks into the conference room. "So what exactly did you two pull off?" she sits back in her seat, tilts her head in question.
"That tip we were asked to look into ended in a point for us." He replies folding his wiry arms across his chest and leaning against the doorframe casually.
"I'm almost afraid to ask what happened."
"Let's just say that we caught him with his hand in the cookie jar."
"Oh my." She replies with a sigh of relief.
"Have you heard anything from Elle and Gideon?" she looks away for a moment. Then returns her gaze, showing more emotion than intended as she had thought she had come to grips with the outcome.
"They too were successful. They found Cassandra and about seven other little girls. That's the good news." She pauses with a sigh.
"Bad news?" she can only nod. Knowing and understanding her need not to actually say that Cassandra is dead, he lets the breath he had been holding escape his thin lips.
"So Hotch is with them. Right?" Reid gets the information he knows he can gather from her.
"Yes, when he got off the phone with Elle, he said that they had found Cassandra and that she and Gideon thought that there might be more victims."
"More victims. Why didn't they physically check? That doesn't sound like Gideon." He wonders.
"I suppose that's why he flew out of here. Elle said that Gideon wasn't himself, whatever that means. Hotch seemed to know." She glances down at the open file, then back up at Reid, who cocks his head.
"I can't believe that I missed that." He says further examining the photographs still displayed on the many boards.
"Missed what?" she looks at the photographs, wondering what he means.
"They all have long brunette hair."
"The significance being?" she had noticed, but thought nothing of it.
"The likelihood of that detail feeding the un-subs fantasy is fairly high." He observes.
"Uh-huh, let me guess. All of this stems from something far deeper then his past?"
"Pretty much. I thought I'd give Morgan a head start, I doubt that he'll be too easy on him. It's a good thing that Gideon isn't here yet." He pauses, "I have the distinct feeling that he'd be ripped limb from limb."
"Don't I know it. Earlier, Hotch mentioned that he didn't think that Gideon was taking this case too well."
"I have to agree with that assessment. I seriously thought that he had lost it when he barged into an un-sub's home."
"I heard about that case as well. So you're letting Morgan take lead?" she inquires as they make their way to the interrogation room.
"Thought it might be best." Reid replies, pressing the button so that they can hear the interview.
"You do realise that it's probably a good idea to get yourself a very good lawyer. I doubt that any judge in his or her right mind will ever let you walk the streets again. Explain one thing to me though. Why have you done this?"
"Why what? Why do I wish to collect such sheer innocents? Perfection? They were everything that I was not." He replies sitting calmly in his seat. He hardly flinches at the open file of photos Morgan had placed in front of him. "All of them come to me willingly." He adds with his crooked smile. Morgan looks him straight in the eye.
"What you have done to them is well beyond my comprehension. You lure them, trick them into trusting you, and kidnap them."
"I see that you've read my file." He seems almost proud of his 'accomplishments'. Morgan nods with a grunt.
"You abuse them emotionally, physically, and sexually. Confining them to rooms before becoming board with them and drowning them."
"You're point exactly agent." Hearing his offences, his grin deepens and he shifts in his seat. Morgan hits the table with his fist for emphasise.
"My point is that your victims were defenceless little girls. You take from them their innocence. I am truly having a great deal of difficulty in comprehending your behaviour. In fact, I loathed having to 'walk in your shoes'. When I tried looking up someone like you, there didn't seem to be terminology for what you've done, for what you are."
"So I'm not your average Joe, textbook case?" he pauses, "well then, good to be remembered for something extraordinary then just fade away like so many others have and will." His tone matching his cocky grin and Morgan turns his back on the un-sub in utter disgust.
"I'm telling you, you've backed yourself into a corner but good. Wait a second." He turns to face the un-sub. "All of your victims were brunette. What's the fascination? Did they remind you of your mother? Or perhaps your sister?" at the observation, the un-sub physically flinches as if cut. "Who caused you to be this way? Who hurt you? What did they do to you?"
"I'm not answering that!" he snaps and his body language immediately shifts from defensive to offensive. Morgan picks up on the change.
"Well, just be glad that you're in here with me and not my boss." Morgan replies and leaves the room in a dramatic huff, making sure to let the door slam shut behind him. "I swear, if Gideon gets his hands on that disgusting excuse of a man, he's as good as dead." He shakes his head and joins Reid and J.J. at the one-way glass.
"What did his mother do to him? Dress him up like a little girl because that's what she wanted?" J.J. pales slightly. "Perhaps it is his mother who abused him and this is his way of getting revenge?"
"Why harm innocent little girls? Its far more logical for him to go after grown women." Morgan replies.
"I would have to guess that his environment must have been incredibly controlled and strict. Perhaps he had siblings." Reid pauses in thought. "Maybe his mother or even his father abused him sexually. I'm still having trouble reading him." Reid loosely folds his arm across his lean torso, cups his elbow in his hand and props his chin on the back of his slender hand.
"If he had siblings, could any of them have done something to result in this?" J.J. inquires. Reid finds himself shifting from one foot to the other.
"It is possible, but highly unlikely. Then again, this case has been anything but normal. Hey Morgan, when did you notice the hair colour?"
"A couple of victims into it." He replies as the door opens and Hotchner enters the small room.
"Along with Cassandra, there were several other little girls, prepared to follow and succumb to the same fate." He says, happy to have found them before the un-sub succeeded in completing his behaviour.
"How is Gideon taking it?" Reid inquires turning to face him.
"Hanging in there, I guess. He's with Elle in the break room. I don't really know how he is, as he really isn't saying much." He says in a worried tone. Wondering what's going on in Gideon's head and hoping that it won't affect him further. He tilts his head and takes a long look at their un-sub. "Jake Tanner." He spites the name from his lips like poison.
"We hardly got him into the interrogation room before we had our confession." Reid says smiling and gesturing towards Morgan to give him the credit for apprehending the un-sub.
"Good work. I highly doubt that anything less than solitary will do him any good." Hotchner states, knowing full well the statistics of survival for child offenders within the prison system— and that didn't even come close to accounting for the unreported incidents.
"I hope he rots." All eyes turn onto J.J., her tone sharp, cold, and serious.
"Oh I have no doubt about that." Morgan states with a sly smile.
"Jake's lawyer has arrived. We'll finish processing him and complete the questioning form here." Byrnes says with a smile. He shakes Hotchner's hand and they leave the small room, satisfied that another monster will no longer prey on the weaker members of society.
"He's so lucky." Reid states with a slight grin.
"How so?" Morgan gives him a sideways glance.
"Let's put it this way. By some miracle, he just missed the Gideon." At this point, they cannot help but laugh.
The break room has a comfortable sitting area in front of a television set. After spending a good twenty minutes pacing the room like a caged animal, he finally falls into a chair. Gideon leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Elle sits in the chair beside him. Knowing what this is about, knowing that words are un-necessary, she places a comforting hand on his arm to let him know that she will be there for him. Lifting his head, he looks at her, she sees the wear and emotional toll the case has inflicted upon him.
"Hey." She says simply, gently squeezing his arm. He covers her hand with his own and he finally attempts to smile.
"I suppose that its finally over." He sighs in defeat.
"Hotch said that Morgan and Reid caught him red handed." She turns her hand upside within his. He sighs once more and nods. The silence between them is inviting.
"Thank you." He says, hardly above a whisper. Elle smiles warmly, and stands, pulling him up with her. They know that the team will be in the conference room and walk down the hallway to meet them. Collecting a few files, they are quick in gathering their bags and checking out of the hotel.
"So glad to be going home." Elle says inhaling her last breath of San Francisco air before boarding the plane.
"I didn't have a chance to mention this earlier." J.J. says from her seat near the front of the plane. "As soon as we arrive back at Quantico, we're needed on another case." J.J. adds as the seatbelt signs turn off and everyone finds their regular places to occupy.
"Wonderful." Elle mumbles under her breath, as she swings her legs onto the sofa and presses her cheek into her hand, her eyes close and she quickly falls asleep to the constant lull of the jets engines. Gideon quickly stands and finds a blanket that is kept in one of the bulkheads and drapes it over her. He then returns to his seat, the furthest it would seem from the bunch, located at the planes rear and sets himself to rest. Yet he finds no rest, no rest for the wicked, he muses, closing his eyes against the onset of a headache.