Morgan carefully put the letter and knife on the dresser. He then looked at Reid who nodded and started going through the rest of the Reid's bag. Morgan didn't find anything else from Hale but did have Reid do a quick search of his messenger bag. During the search Gideon was seen watching from the hallway but neither Morgan nor Reid acknowledged his presence. At the end of the search Gideon stepped into the room.
"What did Hale say?" Gideon asked looking at the envelope.
"I don't know I'm going to take it to the lab at Quantico along with the knife."
"Why can't we open it here?" Reid asked clearly thinking Morgan was being overly protective.
"Because Hale could have poisoned it or booby trapped it in some fashion." Gideon answered.
Reid looked at him clearly saying without words that Gideon could have planted the envelope. Morgan ignored the look and turned to Gideon.
"I'm going to need to search your things as well, if Hale could find Reid's hotel room he could have found yours."
Gideon nodded and after Morgan bagged the evidence including the blue sweater the three men left the bedroom and went into the spare room. Morgan searched through Gideon's duffle bag and found a knife identical to Reid's and a gun more precisely a M11A the civilian version of the P229 which he had used when he was an agent.
"Jason did David Hale put that gun in your bag?" Reid asked his voice shaky with barely suppressed rage and fear.
"No Spencer I bought it…" Before Gideon could continue Reid hit him in the leg.
Reid managed to hit Gideon in the arm with his other crutch before Morgan grabbed him. They wrestled for a bit before Reid fell to the floor a mirror reverse of what happened days ago when Reid first learned of Gideon's involvement.
"Reid, Spencer I need you to calm down." Reid continued to struggle trying to push Morgan off of him. "Stop struggling or I will handcuff you." Morgan threatened pinning Reid's wrists down with one hand and reaching the other toward his cuffs.
Reid stilled, Morgan waited then slowly got off of Reid and then helped him to his feet. The two men found Gideon sitting on the bed watching them. Morgan propped Reid against the wall.
"Gideon I'm going to take your gun and make sure it was purchased legally. If it was I will give it back to you when you leave the safe house." Gideon nodded. "Do you want to press charges against Dr. Reid?" Morgan asked
"No, I understand why he hit me and I don't blame him. I should have told you and Spencer about the gun before we came here but I'm so used to carrying a weapon I don't think about it anymore." Gideon said.
Reid looked at him skeptically, but Morgan nodded in understanding. Morgan put the gun in his jacket pocket and handed Reid his crutches. He then escorted Reid to his room.
"Spencer I need to talk to Agent Darling and have him take the stuff Hale gave you and Gideon's gun to Quantico. I want you to stay here and rest until dinner." Morgan said.
Reid sighed and sat on the bed, while Morgan grabbed the evidence bag and left closing the door behind him. Walking to the kitchen Morgan found Gideon tending to his arm and leg. After calling Darling in and handing over the evidence including the second army knife. Morgan took a seat at the kitchen table across from Gideon.
"Kid's developed quite an arm." Gideon said holding a bag of frozen peas to his leg.
"He did, why didn't you tell me you had a gun?"
"As I said I didn't think about it. After learning David Hale might be responsible for Reid's kidnapping I went out and bought a gun. You should talk to Agent Jenson's supervisor the kid needs more training in stealth."
"I will, I need to call Hotch, do you want me to arrange a trip to the hospital?" Morgan offered standing up.
"No, just some bad bruises, I'm lucky Reid was using his crutches and not his stick."
Morgan raised a slight eyebrow then walked out back to call Hotch. After the call he went back inside to find Gideon sitting on the couch.
"The knife is it yours?"
"Yes I used it in the mountains, Hale saw me use it." Gideon said.
"Hale has given Reid two copies of this knife; he really wants to implicate you in what happened."
"Yeah." Gideon said "I need to rest; I'm not as young as I used to be." He said leaving the room.
Morgan watched him then sat down at the kitchen table and wrote down notes about the case. He made frozen pizza for dinner and notified Gideon, before going into Reid's room. Reid was asleep on the bed huddled under five blankets. Morgan flashed back to the cabin and almost left the room. However knowing Reid needed to eat woke him up and handed him the slices of pizza he had brought.
"How are you feeling?" Morgan asked after Reid had eaten one of the two slices.
"Tired, I shouldn't have hit Gideon." Reid said putting down his pizza.
"He brought a gun with him, and he also had a knife you had cause to attack him." Morgan said.
"No I didn't you had taken the gun and the knife, Gideon was unarmed and I hit him anyway twice. I would have kept going if you hadn't stopped me." Reid admitted quietly.
"I know, I talked to Gideon again he is not going to press charges and he's going to be fine you just bruised him." Morgan said sitting next to Reid on the bed.
Reid surprised him by leaning against him slightly as he finished his food. After he was done Morgan took his plate and stood.
"Do you want more pizza or something else?" Morgan asked.
"No, thank you." Reid said picking up a book.
Reid stayed in his room for the rest of the night; the next morning Reid dressed and showered went into the kitchen so Gideon could use the shower. Morgan had slept on the couch but left after saying goodbye to Reid. Emily who had arrived half an hour before poured Reid a cup of coffee and handed him a plate of eggs and bacon.
"How are you feeling?" Emily asked
"Fine. Any word about David Hale?" Reid asked sipping his coffee.
"He transferred his money off shore and withdrew ten thousand in cash. His employer James Dewitt admitted that he ordered Hale to find Rhoades but claims Hale is innocent of his murder. Dewitt has hired two lawyers one to represent him and one to represent Hale. Tony Gilbert doesn't have any new information but he did identify Hale as the man who hired him." Emily said
Before Reid could ask any more questions they heard the bedroom door open. Gideon limped into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. He didn't say anything but filled his plate with eggs and bacon and sat down at the table. Reid looked at him but didn't speak and an uneasy silence fell. After the two men were done eating Emily cleared the table.
"Would either of you like to play a game of chess?" Gideon asked.
Reid looked at him then grabbed his crutches and went out back. Emily nodded and Gideon brought out his chess set. An hour passed and Emily went outside to check on Reid. She found him sitting in the middle of the yard cross legged.
"Hey, how are you doing?" Emily asked sitting down next to him.
"Fine, who won?" Reid asked
"Gideon, Reid I know sharing a house with Gideon is hard, it would be even without the Hale situation. Is there anything I can do to make things easier?" she asked putting a hand on his arm.
"Nothing, although I do think hitting him helped relieve some of my pent up anger." Reid said with a slightly sheepish embarrassed expression.
"That does help on occasion." Emily said patting his arm.
They sat in silence for a few minutes enjoying the warmth of the sun, the quiet peace of the yard and each other's company before Emily stood and extended her hand
"We should go in, you're still sick." She said
Reid nodded and grabbing his crutches allowed her to help him up. They went inside the house to find Gideon reading in a recliner. Reid looked at him then sat on the couch and started setting up the chess board. Emily sat on the couch and they played after their game Emily went into the kitchen to make lunch and Reid looked at Gideon. Gideon came over and they played in silence, Reid eventually winning.
"You let me win." Reid accused Gideon.
"I don't let people win."
Reid looked at him then gave a slight smile "After you left I played every chess permeation I could think off, so it is possible I finally beat you."
"I am sorry I left without talking to you, you deserved a proper goodbye. "
Reid abruptly stood up knocking the chessboard to the ground and went to his room. Gideon watched him go then sighed and got to work picking up the chess pieces. Emily brought in lunch; sandwiches and fruit. She called Reid but when he didn't come waited half an hour then brought it to his room. Reid answered the door leaning on his stick but didn't speak. He let her in and Emily put the plate and glass of water on the table and left. That night Morgan came over with Garcia, JJ, and Indian takeout. Reid came out of his room looking sleepy and sat on the table. Once they were done Morgan spoke.
"There was nothing nefarious about the letter, envelope or knife Hale left Reid. It simply congratulated Reid on surviving the cabin and had many snide suggestions for how Reid could have done things betters. Hale also said that he doesn't blame Reid for his parents and said he was obviously subservient to Gideon. Hotch and Rossi haven't found out anything about Hale's whereabouts or where he might go."
"I've talked to the police in Clatters there is no physical evidence left behind on Rhoades's body. However the tortures used and the method of execution strongly implies the murderer had a military background." JJ said
"So you have nothing, you know who's responsible but you have no way of proving it behind the camera footage." Reid said bitterly.
"Spencer we know who did this, we have a warrant out for his arrest and with Gideon's testimony, Gilbert's identification and other circumstantial evidence can directly tie him to your kidnapping and William Rhoades's death." Emily said.
Reid laughed bitterly "Well I hope that when he kidnaps me again my foot will have healed." Reid said standing but was prevented from leaving by Garcia grabbing his crutches.
"Reid please trust us, we will catch him and keep you safe." Garcia said.
Morgan's phone rang and he left to answer it. Reid unable to walk without aid slowly sank back down into his chair.
"David Hale burned Gideon's cabin to the ground." Morgan said grimly.
A/N Well Hale is getting into his endgame just as Reid and Gideon are slowly reconciling. Please let me know your thoughts or just show your interest by Following/Favoriting.