Author: TemporaryUniverse
Character(s): Spencer Reid, Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Jennifer Jareau, Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia
Summary: In the BAU's line of work, it's easy to make enemies. When Reid is kidnapped by a mysterious killer, the team must race to identify the murderer and save their friend, while Reid tries to stay alive as the captive of a man obsessed with revenge.
Warnings: Graphic violence including physical and psychological torture, death of minor characters by (via stabbing and shooting), child death (in a dream sequence), and violence against children.
Words: Chapter 1: 1834
Chapter 1: Late Night
Day 1 ~ 10:18 pm
REID
Dr. Spencer Reid was an interesting man, he was 30 years old, and had worked for the FBI as a profiler in the Behavioral Analysis Unit since he was 21. He was a certifiable genius, with an IQ of 187 and three PhDs. He certainly looked the part of a stereotypical geek, wearing nothing but oversized sweaters, khakis, and garish ties that somehow complemented his brown hair and dark hazel eyes. While his intelligence was high, his social skills were anything but, resulting in more than a few quite embarrassing situations.
Currently, he was sitting at his desk, slowly sipping his overly sugary coffee as he reviewed the paperwork he had just completed. He didn't really need to; he had memorized every word he had written thanks to his eidetic memory, but the young genius didn't feel like going home. He ran a hand through his short brown hair, making it even messier as he gazed tiredly around the empty bullpen. Everyone else had gone home for the night. Reid sighed and heard footsteps from somewhere on his right. He looked up as his unit chief, Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, exited his office and began walking down the stairs towards the main area and Reid's desk.
Aaron Hotchner was tall, with dark hair and a perpetual frown on his face. He was known for his profiling work, but also for his serious attitude and his suits. Hotch always wore a suit and tie to work, but the only time Reid had seen him relaxed was when he was at home with his son, Jack. He was an imposing man, and when he got angry, it was terrifying, especially if you knew him, and knew that did not show his emotions very often.
"Hey, Reid," Hotch called, his voice strangely loud in the relative silence of the work area, "I didn't realize you were still here." He phrased his comment more like a question.
"Just finishing some paperwork," Reid replied in way of an answer.
"You work too hard." Hotch gave a rare smile as he met Reid's eyes, but Reid could see still see the concern behind his joking expression.
"And you don't?" Reid shot back, returning Hotch's smile.
"Are you going home soon?"
Reid shrugged, "In a few minutes." He stood up and transferred his messenger bag from the back of his chair to his shoulder.
"Do you want me to give you a ride? I can wait." There it was. Reid knew it was coming, and he hated that question. It made him feel like he was being babied, like he was incapable of doing anything without supervision.
He straightened some papers on his desk, avoiding Hotch's gaze, "I'm alright, you go home to Jack, it's late."
The young genius looked back up at his superior's stoic face and saw that Hotch's eyes were soft and sympathetic. "Okay. Don't stay too late."
Reid grinned slightly. "I won't. See you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Reid." Hotch turned and left the bullpen through the glass doors etched with the FBI emblem.
Reid stayed at the office for a few more minutes after Hotch left, pouring out the rest of his now tepid drink before he, too, exited the building.
Outside, the air was cool and crisp, a light wind biting through his sweater. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the freshness, and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. The young doctor walked down the sidewalk, heading for the subway station that would take him to his apartment. He wasn't outside much, work kept him busy, but fall was one of his favorite times of the year. He thought longingly of the large novel waiting to be read at home and smiled. Reading was another one of the things he enjoyed the most. He felt a sudden chill and shivered slightly, picking up his pace as the subway entrance came into view.
A clattering noise startled him out of his own mind. Reid's senses went on high alert, and he felt his heart rate speed up, adrenaline rushing through his veins.
"Hello?" he called into the dark of an alleyway between two buildings where the noise had seemed to emanate from. Cautiously moving closer, he peered into the alley but saw nothing. The darkness seemed heavy and threatening. After a minute of anxious searching, Reid turned away. Probably just a stray cat or something, he tried to convince himself, but his overactive mind seemed to focus on the word something. He shivered again and couldn't tell if it was just from the cold or because he was scared. He shook himself and continued walking, although with an apprehensiveness that wasn't present before.
Reid had almost reached the station when he sensed something behind him. He tried to spin around, reaching into his bag and trying to find his gun, but a pair of hands were already wrapping themselves around him. One covered his mouth, preventing him from crying out, and the other held him tightly around his chest. He struggled, trying to gain freedom, and yelled into the hand on his mouth, but whoever was holding him was much stronger and his voice was muffled.
He felt a pinch on his arm and fought harder, breaking free when he elbowed the man in the stomach.
He spun to face his attacker, but only glimpsed someone tall, wearing a dark hoodie and jeans. He grabbed at the syringe in his arm and yanked it out. He gasped for air, his panic and whatever drug he had just been injected with making him dizzy so that he stumbled and collapsed on the ground. The syringe was gone, but the damage had already been done. Reid tried to yell once more for help, but all that left his lips was a low, weak groan. Everything felt heavy and he couldn't move properly. He struggled to breathe as his vision turned black. He was dimly aware of the heavy thud of boots next to his head before he felt himself being lifted off the ground, but he couldn't focus anymore. Losing consciousness fast, he heard the man whisper into his ear, "It's nice to see you again, Dr. Reid," and then the darkness claimed him.
UNSUB
The man smiled as he watched Dr. Reid walking down the sidewalk. Anger rose in him, but he quickly pushed it away. He couldn't afford to lose control now; this needed to be perfect. He started to move forward out of the alley, but his foot knocked a discarded soda can as he did so. He froze as the noise echoed around him, cursing silently as he glared down at the offending object. When he turned his eyes back upward, he could see Dr. Reid peering into the narrow space. He flattened himself against a wall, willing himself not to move any further. The man held his breath as his target called a slightly timid, "Hello?", and he begged the darkness to keep him hidden. He couldn't fail now, not now, he had spent too long preparing for this. He watched as Dr. Reid frowned before he began walking away, vanishing from the man's sight. The man let out the breath he had been holding and carefully stepped over the discarded aluminum. He stepped out of the alley, watching as his target neared the subway station entrance. It was now or never.
The stupid doctor didn't even realize he was in danger until it was too late. The man immensely enjoyed the struggle that Dr. Reid put up and enjoyed it even more when the smaller man collapsed on the ground and went limp. He picked his target up, slightly surprised at how light he was, given how hard he had fought. He whispered into the smaller man's ear, taunting him. He couldn't help it, everything had gone perfectly. Dr. Reid didn't even have any bruises, not yet anyways, though he would soon if everything went right.
He carried Dr. Reid over to a dark blue van, that had, until now, been sitting innocently by the curb of the sidewalk, and placed him in the back, smiling slightly as he stared down at the boyish face for a couple of seconds. He managed to turn himself away from his prize, shutting the back doors and walking around the van to the driver's seat. He climbed in, feeling relieved, the first part of his mission was complete. We are going to have so much fun, the man mused, driving away with the unconscious doctor.
Day 2 ~ 6:00 am
HOTCH
Agent Hotchner arrived at the BAU headquarters early, as per usual. The team didn't need to come in until at least 8:00 unless there was a case, but Hotch always arrived early so he could get ahead on his paperwork and make sure everything was ready for the day. Hotch didn't mind that there wasn't anyone else there, the peace and quiet was a good start to his day. He walked up the stairs to the platform outside his office, looking around at the empty desks and sighing slightly, before heading in to get started on his work.
Sometime later, with a start Hotch realized he had already been working for an hour, there was a knock on his door. He answered with a calm "Come in," and looked up from his papers when a petite, blonde woman entered.
"Good morning, JJ," the Unit Chief stated. Agent Jennifer Jareau was a young and rather beautiful FBI profiler and a member of Hotch's team. Her pale golden hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she had a stack of official-looking folders clutched in her arms. She looked slightly strained, and Hotch was instantly on alert. JJ had first started working for the BAU as the Communications Liaison, in charge of choosing cases, and talking with the police departments, families of victims, and the press. She had recently been promoted to the status of profiler, where her reasoning, skill in hand-to-hand combat, and fierce, motherly nature had been vital to so many of the BAU's cases.
Hotch glanced at his watch. It was 7:00, which meant that the rest of the team wasn't there yet, and judging by the expression on JJ's face, there was an Unsub to catch.
"Is it bad?" He asked her.
"Yeah. I've called in the team already," JJ replied, her face masked as she thought about the horrors contained within the folders she carried.
"Where?" Hotch sighed. He had been hoping to spend time with Jack and Beth later in the evening, but now that looked impossible. He hated his job sometimes.
"Actually, right here in Quantico," JJ said, watching Hotch for a reaction as she handed him the case files. "I'll be in the conference room," she told him, before leaving the office so he could read through the files and be ready to brief the team when they arrived.
A.N. Right, so I've decided to start posting all my old incomplete stories for people to enjoy I first started writing this in October of 2015. I was still in high school at that point and it was my very first fic, so it's not the greatest writing ever, but I've decided not to change any of what I already had written. This is also currently unfinished because I never figured out how to write a good ending, but hopefully posting it here will inspire me to complete the last chapter. No guarantees. I should be uploading a new chapter every day. Please leave a like and comment, it would make my younger self very happy.
