Some Kind of Stranger

"Knowing doesn't mean so much"

Less than the predicted half-hour later, Meredith was in Gideon's office staring at a DMV photo. "My god," she muttered. "That's Joel. He's with campus security. He's the one who's been doing this? How did I miss that?"

"Mer?" Gideon held out one hand for the photo and gave her arm a slight squeeze with the other. "Don't go there, sweetie."

She handed the photo back off to him, wishing like hell she could bury her head in Spencer's chest and pretend she had a remotely normal existence. She forced a smile, nodded, gulped, "so, what do we do now?"

Hotch fielded that one, "We've got people on his apartment, unfortunately our unsub couldn't do anything so useful as be there..."

Was it Meredith, or did Hotch just make a bad joke? "...too much to ask, eh?"

Gideon gave them both a road-weary look, "we also put in a call to George Mason's security offices; they're faxing us his schedule."

Meredith sighed- it was a sigh of relief, she finally had a face and a name to her bane. "So, we hurry up and wait."

---------

Morgan dropped the receiver as he got up from his desk. Turning into Gideon's office, "Gideon, we got a bead on him"

"Where?"

"George Mason's security office just confirmed Tallen's on duty right now. Some shindig at the Patriot Center."

"We're rolling."

"D-"

Gideon cut her off, "No, Mer, you're staying."

Shutting her mouth with a slight humph, "well, since you know where he is, can I at least go get some dinner? Please?"

Sighing, Gideon carefully weighed his response, "Alright, but... you wait here until we've got our own confirmation, agreed?"

She nodded, "agreed."

"Reid go with her- and stay in the area!"

Grabbing Reid by the arm Meredith dragged him hurriedly out of Gideon's office.

Hotch raised a questioning eye toward Gideon.

"Would you rather see her reaction if I said no unconditionally?"

"Point taken."

---------

"Hi kids. Come to watch the show?" Garcia was plugged into the security system at the Patriot Center preparing to search which ever feed needed her careful scrutiny.

"Yeah, I hear the protagonists are amazing," Meredith poked back.

"Hey now don't forget the support cast." Garcia grinned widely.

Meredith cocked her head in mock horror, "How could I!"

"We have anything?"

"Not yet sweets, but it shouldn't be long," she responded favoring Reid with a mirthful smile.

"So, where shall we go?"

"Mer, you really ought to stay here and let me fetch something for us."

"Spence, I've been cooped up for 3 days. Jason did say it was alright." She gave him her silliest 'pout', "please."

"C'mon, Spencer, you two should get out, we've got it under control." Garcia added helpfully. Besides she wasn't going to give Reid ANY excuse not to spend more time alone with Meredith. The perennial matchmaker in Garcia wouldn't allow that.

Reid pensively furrowed his brow and pursed his lips, as if considering some age-old conundrum before he answered. "Assuming Gideon gives the conformation, there's a deli..."

Jumping up and giving him a peck on the cheek, then tilting her head to one side she looked seriously at him, "thank you."

Garcia couldn't help but smile, it was like watching a hatchling learn to fly.

---------

"Agent Gideon?"

Standing before Gideon was a young man in a security uniform- well, young to Gideon, he was probably in his mid-thirties. "Peter Niells, shift super today."

Gideon nodded curtly shaking the man's hand and proceeding with the obligatory introductions.

"Do we know where Tallen is right now?"

"He's assigned to the area around section 7, west. Want me to call him in?"

"Would there be any reason to do so under normal conditions?" Hotch asked.

Before the security lead could reply, Gideon piped up, "No. We don't want to alert him. Better to keep him under surveillance until we can naturally get him away from bystanders."

Niells looked questioningly.

It was Hotch who answered his unasked question; "We don't want to push him. He's not a threat to anyone here unless he feels cornered. He's a stalker so he has the potential but he hasn't progressed to that level of violence yet."

This seemed to placate the quizzical officer.

Morgan called into his phone; "All knowing one- do you have him?"

"Not all knowing, merely all seeing, and yeah I got our guy. He's at the left-hand entrance to the auditorium section 7, and he looks about to fall asleep on his feet."

"El. Morgan. Get over there."

"On it."

"Gideon, can I let the kids go for pizza?"

"Actually, Spencer said there was a deli close by," Meredith spoke loud enough to be heard over Garcia's connection.

Sighing heavily, "Alright. I want you straight back, though."

Meredith had to stop herself from saying 'Dad', "How 'bout we get it to go, we should be back in what-"

"half-hour, forty-five at the outside," Reid helpfully supplied.

Gideon agreed, feeling more than a little relieved by this compromise.

---------

Outside of the little deli, Meredith took a huge bite of her tuna sandwich, giving a hint as to how ravenous she was. Tuna spilled out between the bread, "Ack, it's escaping."

"You could have said something earlier," Reid pointed out noting her obvious hunger.

Licking her fingers, "Yes, but then I wouldn't have gotten to come with."

"Gideon's just trying to watch out for you," he said somewhat defensively.

Meredith slowed to a stop; "Don't you think I know that Spencer? Why do you think I didn't come to him earlier? I was afraid he'd overreact..." She dropped her head before continuing, "I was afraid I was overreacting."

He brushed a strand of hair out of her face, "Well, you weren't," he said softly.

As Meredith raised her head to seek solace in his warm eyes, she froze, turning incredibly pale. "Joel."

---------

Watching the security feeds in the main Patriot Center guard station Hotch turned to Gideon, "This may be our best chance. Limited number of people in the corridors and clear sight lines."

Gideon quickly considered this. "Have Morgan and El bring him in."

Elle approached the guard directly, while Morgan came up behind him. "Joel Tallen?" She asked.

"Yeah, who's asking?"

A voice from behind answered, "FBI."

Suddenly seeming very shaken the guard's demeanor shifted perceptibly. Holding his hands up in a warding gesture he protested, "Whoa, I just traded shifts with him, I didn't think the Feds busted people for that!"

Elle and Morgan exchanged worried looks. "Are you saying you aren't Joel Tallen?"

"Nah, I mean yes- I mean my name's Michael Davis. Joel and I share weekday shifts, he asked me to cover for him today."

"C'mon let's see some identification." Morgan sounded skeptical, hoping this guy was their unsub.

Meanwhile, Elle took upon the unenviable task of telling Hotch and Gideon the news. "Boss, we got a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"It's not him- it's not Tallen."

Shaking with a combination of rage and fear, Gideon hit the speed dial for Reid's cell.