At 12 30 Jason Gideon walked into the FBI Philadelphia field office. He looked the same as when he left the FBI. He was dressed in jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a coat, he was carrying a duffle bag in one hand.
"Jason it's good to see you again, how have you been?" Hotch said coming over to meet him
"Fine, good, what about you and Jack?"
"We're both good, Jack's gotten so big, you'd hardly recognize him."
"Excuse me do you have the tape… sir?" Garcia interpreted
"Yes I do, here you go." Jason pulled the CD from his duffle bag and handed it to her
Garcia hurried away before Gideon could say anything else. Rossi and JJ entered and Hotch took Gideon to an office he had borrowed. Rossi and JJ went to the conference room, where Emily was working.
"Hey Emily how is it going?" JJ asked
"Good, I've narrowed down the suspect pool this guy David Hale might be our guy. He's ex military 35 lives in Philadelphia works as head of security for a millionaire but travels extensively doing camping trips, bike trips, that sort of thing."
"What's his connection to Gideon and Reid?" Rossi asked
"His father Richard Hale murdered five men, the BAU were called in to investigate and caught him. David Hale left the military to look after his mother, she died six months ago."
"That could be the stressor, do you have an address." Emily nodded "Let's go talk to him."
They both left and JJ went to check in on Garcia who was working at her computer
"Hey JJ I'm just getting started, how did Gideon look?"
"Did he look guilty? No he seemed genuinely concerned about Reid. He said he watched the tape for a few minutes but couldn't bear to watch anymore. Gideon sounded worried, but stoic nothing seemed off."
"I hope he's innocent, if he's not he'll feel the full force of my wrath. No one hurts my family." JJ smiled at that
"I'm going to get to work, let me know when you have something."
"We'll do."
After an hour Hotch and Gideon emerged from the borrowed office. JJ offered to drive him to a hotel but he declined. Emily and Rossi returned from interviewing Hale half an hour later. Everyone but Gideon gathered in the conference room to go over what they learned
"David Hale has means, motivate and opportunity. He's athletic, knowledgably about the mountains, and has access to high tech security equipment. When we asked him about his father there was anger but it was directed at his father for what he put his mother through. However Hale does resent Gideon for the rough way Gideon interviewed Mrs. Hale and the pressure he put her under to get her to testify." Emily reported
"I talked to Jason ever since he left the BAU he's been traveling around the country. Visiting old friends, bird watching, hikes, trying to find himself. His concern for Reid seems real. He is suspicious that something has happened because he has not seen Reid or Morgan yet. "Hotch said
"The footage on the DVD matches the footage recovered from the camera. I authenticated the images, but so I haven't been able to get any new information. I also haven't watched a lot of the footage it's only two hours but after seeing Reid I don't want to watch him suffering."
"That's fine, Rossi, and I will go through it. Gideon could be responsible so could David Hale or they might be partners. I'm going to ask Morgan to question Reid about the Hale case, Garcia look over David Hale's life with a fine tooth comb I want to know everything, JJ, Emily talk to Gideon keep him busy see if he'll let anything slip." Hotch said
Everyone did as Hotch ordered; JJ and Emily took charge of Gideon and took him out for some food. An hour later they returned, Gideon strode past the two women and into the conference room. Hotch and Rossi were in the middle of watching the tape when Gideon walked in. Both men turned to the door but saw Gideon frozen at what was playing on the TV;
Reid was in the cabin, trying to close the door, gusts of wind poured in filling the cabin with snow. The room suddenly went dark as the fire went out, the only sound was wind and Reid's heavy breathing. Finally the door slammed shut, wind was still heard battering the cabin. Reid's presence was known only by his breathing and the sounds of his feet as he hurried toward the fireplace. Reid swore using language Morgan would be proud off. Then Logs were dragged out and Reid's teeth started chattering. The sound of more logs being dragged than a match flickered and died quickly. "Please God; please help me I don't want to die like this." Another match flickered and disappeared into the fireplace. Pages were heard being torn than a third match being struck and then papers bursting into flame as Reid thrust them into the fireplace. The glow from the fire illuminated the cabin once again showing Reid curing up into a ball. The scene cut to the next morning Reid carrying in firewood repeating "Must have wood, wood means fire, and fire means life." After the sixth load he straightened his back "I won't, Can't let Gideon win I'm strong and I will survive this." He suddenly screamed "You hear me you bastard you won't kill me and when I get out of here I am going to make you pay."
"Please tell me he's alive, just tell me he survived." Gideon spoke
"He's alive we rescued him a week ago." Hotch said
"Thank God, where is he I have to tell I had nothing to do with this."
"No, he blames you for what happened and I am not entirely sure you are innocent."
"What! Aaron you have to know I could never hurt Spencer. He's like a son; I would never put his life at risk or make him suffer like that."
"A letter written by you asking for help lured Reid to a town you had visited three months earlier. He drives their and goes to a meeting at a local diner, you don't show a stranger does saying you sent him they talk he leaves the next thing he remembers is waking up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. The letter conveniently missing. "Rossi said
"Anyone can forge my signature and write a fake letter. I can't believe you guys think I could do that to anyone let alone Spencer. I brought him into the FBI I trained him, I mentored him, I looked out for him."
"Jason we know that and we know how you feel about him, but the evidence against you is more than circumstantial. Help us clear your name and I will let you see Reid as soon as we've proven you're innocent." Hotch said
"I'm not leaving; I'll do everything I can to help."
Gideon stayed and watched the rest of the tape, it was hard to watch. Images of their team member and friend freezing, starving actually finding joy in old bones and roots to supplement his tree bark soup. One incident in particular really hit the men hard
Reid was curled up sleeping in front of the fireplace sleeping. He was curled up as small as he could get, and was practically in the fireplace itself. He was speaking "Please, don't leave me; whatever I've done I'm sorry. Please, please don't leave me here alone. Hotch Morgan please I won't survive if you drive off." Reid made a choked cry and then started moving as he woke up. He propped himself on his elbow and looked around the cabin as if trying to find his friends, seeing the cabin empty and desolate Reid gave a low cry then started sobbing….
Hotch paused the video and stepped outside, Rossi bowed his head and then out after Hotch, Gideon just sat motionless staring at Reid. After a few minutes the two men returned and they finished the video. After it was over Gideon went for a walk, while Rossi and Hotch went over the contents of the tape. The video was a compilation of events from the three weeks Reid had spent at the cabin, all highlighting the worst parts of his stay. It seemed specifically designed to hurt and torment whoever watched it. At five thirty Hotch called it a day and gathered the team and Gideon who had been writing in a notebook. They all left the station and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
"Hello Gideon" Morgan said walking over to the group
A/N We have two suspects David Hale and Jason Gideon. Who is guilty stay tuned to find out. Please Review, Favorite, Subscribe. Tell me is Gideon innocent or guilty and how will Reid react to Gideon's presence.