They discussed the case for a few more minutes but soon fell silent needing more information. They headed back to Reid's room where they found Reid, JJ, and Garcia sitting at the table playing poker for crackers.
"Who's winning?" Morgan asked looking at the table
"I am, I think someone is a little out of practice." Garcia said pointing to her pile
"Hey give me a break I haven't played poker in a month I'll start winning soon." Reid protested
"Can I join?" Emily asked
"Next hand." JJ said
Hotch hung back with a slight smile glad to see Reid finally relaxing. After a few more hands with Reid winning the last one; everyone but Hotch left to get some sleep. Hotch insisted on staying with Reid and Reid was too tired to object. After the rest of the team left Reid crawled into bed without bothering to change his clothes and went right to sleep. The next morning though he was up before Hotch. Hotch found him sitting at the table writing on a pad of notebook paper.
"What are writing about?" Hotch asked stretching the kinks out of his back
"I'm writing a report of my encounters with Ida Hale David Hale's mother and my thoughts on Gideon's treatment of her." Reid said looking at Hotch
"Okay, I'm going to get a shower do you want help with anything before I do?" Hotch asked getting his clothes out
"No, I'm good." Reid bit his bottom lip slightly "Thanks for asking."
Hotch nodded, when he came out Reid went in by seven forty both men were dressed and ready to meet the others. Hotch brought Reid his crutches but Reid ignored him and hopped to the far side of the room and grabbed his walking stick. Hotch was surprised Reid had insisted on keeping it but he didn't think he would ever want to use it again if he wasn't forced too.
"Spencer you need to keep off your foot."
"Doctor said I could start putting pressure on it today and I'm sick of using crutches or other people."
Hotch was ready to argue but realized that Reid would spending the majority of the day sitting down. They left the room and went to breakfast Reid actually moving faster with his stick then on the crutches. They got to the lobby last Garcia was the only one who made a comment about the stick though the others raised eyebrows or wore other expressions of surprise
"What's with the stick?" Garcia asked walking over to them
"It's the walking stick I used in the mountains; I'm very handy with it." Reid said handing it over and leaning against a wall
"It's very nice did you find it or carve it?" she asked looking it over
"I found it but I carved it to make it work better."
"You did a good job." Garcia said handing it over
"Thanks." Reid said shifting his weight back on the stick
They left the lobby and went to a different diner for breakfast. Reid ate a hearty meal of eggs and white bread careful to eat slowly. After breakfast Reid spoke
"Hotch I want to know if you could spare JJ today. I'd like to go to a bookstore and get some books I've read all the ones you guys brought three times."
"It's dangerous for you to be out in public now. David Hale is a very dangerous man and he knows we suspect him of kidnapping you. It would be safer if you stayed at the hotel with the police man I assigned to you."
"I can protect myself." Reid said picking up his stick for emphasis "And staying shut up in that hotel room won't help me."
"Okay but you will be escorted by Officer Leon and JJ and you won't leave their sight do you agree?"
"Of course." Reid said
Reid reviewed the notes he had been writing then handed them to Hotch. The team then left the restaurant as they were walking to the SUVs a man came out from behind a pickup truck causing Reid to jump and stumble back into Morgan. He quickly righted himself and apologized but his knuckles were white as he gripped his stick hard. They split up, when Emily, Morgan, Hotch, Rossi, and Garcia got to the Field Office they found Gideon waiting for them.
"I just wanted to know if I could help with anything." Gideon said walking over
"Yes you can I want you to go over everything you remember with Morgan." Hotch said
Gideon nodded and everyone got to work. Two hours after they arrived Rossi came over to Hotch with bad news
"Gideon wrote out a list of supplies a person would need to survive and gave it to David Hale. Unfortunately this exact list was also given to Tony Gilbert the man hired to kidnap Reid."
"That doesn't mean Jason gave it to him." Hotch said looking over the papers
"No it doesn't but it does give Hale a scapegoat."
"Hopefully Garcia can find further evidence on Hale's computer."
Rossi nodded and went back to work. Hotch went to see how Morgan and Gideon were getting along. He found them going over a map of Clatter and the surrounding area including the mountains detailing the exact route Hale and he took as they searched for Rhoades.
"Morgan has Gideon explained why we found papers with his handwriting in Hale's house?" Hotch said pulling him aside
"Yes he said he drew those up when they first agreed to search for Rhoades together. Gideon claims Hale must have kept them after he left."
"Possibly, the instructions and supply list we found in Gilbert's apartment doesn't match Gideon's handwriting. I've been trying to gather evidence for his whereabouts for the past three months but it hasn't been easy, I wish Jason wasn't so careful." Hotch said
"We'll find proof he's innocent and if there is anything criminal on Hale's computer Garcia will find it."
Hotch nodded and left the room to continue his search. Garcia came over to him half an hour later and practically dragged him to the tech room.
"So Hale is paranoid like super paranoid with tons of encrypting software and periodic wipes of his hard drive, however I am better and I found something. Footage on his computer that matches footage from the camera, I verified it but again I can't bear to watch it."
"Great work Garcia, I'll take a look at it." Hotch said sitting down at her computer
After skimming through hours of footage Hotch got up after an hour and summoned the rest of his team. Once they were assembled he spoke
"We have enough evidence to arrest David Hale. Morgan I want you to stay here with Gideon while the rest of us go to arrest him."
The others nodded and left; Hotch and Emily went to David Hale's house while Rossi took a team of officers to Hale's work. He wasn't at either place they checked out any other places he usually went to but with no luck David Hale was in the wind. Hotch immediately called JJ and ordered her to bring in Reid. When they arrived Reid was dragging his right foot and kept looking around him nervously.
"Hotch what's going on, JJ wouldn't say anything." Reid asked
"We found evidence that proves David Hale was responsible for kidnapping went to arrest him but he's disappeared." Hotch said putting a hand on his shoulder
"What are you sure?" Reid asked slightly panicky
Hotch nodded and moved to draw Reid in for a hug but Reid moved backward. He started walking to the door as fast as he could but his foot failed him and he fell hard; the contents of his bag spilling out. Emily and JJ immediately started gathering up while Hotch and Morgan helped him to his feet. They quickly ushered him into an empty office and into a chair. Hotch shut the door and knelt down in front of him
"Spencer it's going to be okay, we will protect you I promise. We got you off the mountain, we've kept you safe this far. We will find David Hale and he will go to jail." Hotch said
Reid didn't look at him but brought up his right foot and examined it. After a minute he put it down with a disgusted, worried sigh.
"Spencer what's wrong is your foot worse?" Hotch asked reaching for it
Reid pushed his hand away "I knew when my foot failed me I would die, I accepted it. I hoped I thought a week of rest my foot should be stronger but it's not. I can't fight I can't run. In the mountains I got myself up to that plane and back every day now I can't even leave a building." Reid buried his face in his hands his shoulders shaking
"I'm leaving town, I'm not going up there again I can't do it again I can't. I'll die if I do." Reid said into his hands Morgan and Derek barely able to understand him.
Hotch stood and put a hand on his shoulder waiting for Reid to calm himself. A knock was heard on the door Reid's head snapped up as Morgan answered the door. Emily handed Morgan the food, ice pick, and matches that had fallen out of the messenger bag. Emily went to enter the room but JJ called her away. Reid leveraged himself to his feet and tried to leave but Morgan caught him and forced him gently back into the chair and Hotch took his stick away. Reid sighed and extended his hand toward Morgan
"Derek you'll protect me right, you won't let me go back there will you?" he asked desperately
"I will Spencer I promise you, you will never have to go back to that cabin." Morgan said kneeling down next to him and taking his hand
Reid nodded and started doing breathing exercises trying to calm himself. After a couple of minutes when Reid seemed calmer Hotch spoke
"Spencer I'm going to send you back to Washington with Morgan, and Emily. The rest of us will stay here and find Hale."
Reid nodded and moved to stand but Hotch leaned down and put a hand on his shoulder stopping him from moving.
"Someone will go to the hotel and get your things, just stay here."
Reid nodded and Morgan and Hotch left. They were met by the rest of the team; Hotch led them to the conference room careful to keep an eye on the door.
"Emily, Morgan I'm sending you back to Washing with Reid. The rest of you will stay here and wrap up the case."
"How is my Junior G-man doing?" Garcia asked
"He's terrified his greatest fear is going back to that cabin especially since he can't use his right foot. Personally I think Hale is far more likely to kill him." Morgan answered
"That's if Hale doesn't just skip town." Rossi said
A beeping was suddenly heard Garcia hurried out of the room followed by the others. She got onto her computer and quickly pulled up a file
"William Rhoades body was just identified, he was found ten miles from the plane crash buried in a shallow grave." Garcia stated after reading the file
A/N Please Review, Follow, Favorite.