Chapter 5
Hotch was in his office, pacing and trying to think. He'd informed their higher-ups of the situation regarding Reid and had been told that the BAU only had so long to devote to the case, but he was reminded that more people than Reid needed their services. Aaron had pointed out that it was bad when someone kidnapped an FBI agent and even worse when they didn't know why, and he had also reminded them of the massive asset Reid was, but they had been adamant: The BAU had only so long to find Reid before they had to end the search and continue on without him.
Sometimes, Hotch hated their higher-ups.
His team did not take it well when he told them. Not one person looked ready to accept their decision and more than one person looked ready to go hunting some higher-ups, but Hotch had reminded them that they did have some time and that they had to make the best use of it they could. He could see their anger subside as they decided not to waste time being angry, but he could tell that the anger was still simmering under the surface.
"I'm still pissed," Rossi muttered as he settled at the table in the conference room and began to review the information they had. "That's why I'm going to channel that energy into finding these people, and then they will have Italian wrath raining down upon them."
"They'll have so much wrath raining down upon them that they won't know what hit them," Penelope said savagely. "I've been looking at different networks and things and I figure that an operation as big as theirs with multiple kidnappings and evil minions to do the deed would have to have a good communications network…" She turned to Hotch and looked calm and determined. "I may have to do some...things...to find a way to locate them. Permission to do some things?"
"Permission granted," Hotch said quickly, with a smile. "Just be careful."
Penelope sighed and gave him a smile. "Always." She scurried away, her high heels clacking with determination.
The other members of his team threw themselves into work with the same determination as Penelope. JJ had her "feelers" out, corresponding with local and state law enforcement while Emily and Derek were checking stills from the footage of Reid, looking for any kind of leads. Rossi was deep in his files and at the moment he had his phone out and was texting.
Wait a minute.
"Who're you texting?"
"An old buddy of mine," Rossi told him as his phone chimed. "He's ultra-paranoid and it kills me that he has a smartphone, but he keeps his ear to the ground regarding a lot of things. I figure he might have heard something."
Hotch looked at Rossi for a moment, suddenly worried. "He's not a conspiracy theorist, is he?"
"Hey, I wouldn't knock it," Rossi answered. "It's only a conspiracy if they're not out to get you."
Aaron nodded. "Right. What do you think he might know?"
"Hard to say," Rossi admitted. "But he's got eyes and ears everywhere, and they've all got eyes and ears in other places, so stands to reason that either he or someone he knows knows something about something, or they might have heard something, and so on. I'll know more when he texts me back."
"Keep me informed," Aaron said, opening the file they'd started on Reid, then a thought occurred to him. "Sounds like he could be quite the asset. Would he be open to being a consultant?"
"I'd have to convince him that it wasn't a plot," Rossi said, giving a rueful smile. "I can always ask, though." His phone chimed and he checked the screen. "He says he'll have to check with his buddies and then he'll text me back. I'll let him know that we'll wait."
"Thanks."
All of them were deep in their work when JJ joined them to report to Hotch. "Everyone I've spoken to has promised to keep their eyes open, and Reid's particulars have been shared far and wide with law enforcement and other FBI offices," she said, dropping into a chair. "I spoke to Daina Reid's psychiatric facility this morning and they said that there's been no call or anyone stopping by to visit, which made me think of something."
Hotch looked up from the file. "What is it?"
"Spence writes to his mom every day because he can't visit her very often. I think that Diana depends on those letters, and I think that Spence feels they help his mom deal with things," JJ confessed. "What I'm worried about is that suddenly no letters…"
Hotch realized what she was getting at. "Ah. Has the facility said anything about her condition?"
"The word they used was 'twitchy,' but I think it means she's on edge," JJ said, fiddling with a pen in her hands. "She's probably realized by now that something's wrong since she hasn't gotten any letters. I know that Spence will move heaven and earth when it comes to his mom, and I think it's likely that he will find some way to get a message to her. Our first clue as to where Spence might be may come through his mom, but she may not recognize it for what it is when she gets it. I've already asked the facility to monitor her communications, but I have no idea if she might have received something before now."
Hotch looked JJ in the eyes and tried to sound reassuring. "I doubt that they'll be in a hurry to let Reid communicate with anyone. The fact that we've not received any ransom demand and that his kidnapping matches others with no ransom demand means that they're interested in Reid and in what he can do. They're going to keep him alive, which gives us time to find him. That's the thought I'm going to hold onto."
He saw a bit of relief suffuse her. "Right."
She returned to her work and Aaron watched her go. He just wished that sometimes someone could reassure him that everything would be all right, rather than being the one doing the reassuring. Sometimes being team leader sucked.
Chimes broke into Reid's dreams and made him jerk awake. That was weird. His alarm clock sounded completely different. What…?
He lifted his head from the pillow and as soon as he took in his surroundings the events of the past few days rushed back to him. Of course. He was here at the Trust campus and not at home. He dropped back into the pillows behind his head with a groan. The chimes repeated, a little louder this time, and muttering under his breath, Reid made a quick hunt for the clock. He located it on a shelf on the far side of the room and he smacked it until it shut up.
He debated crawling back into bed, but his attention was drawn to an envelope sitting next to the clock reading Dr. Reid. With some trepidation, Reid opened the letter and removed the single sheet in the envelope.
Dear Dr. Reid, the letter read.
Due to our rocky start yesterday, I decided to leave this letter for you and let you rest rather than overwhelming you with information when you were so tired. In the drawer of your bedside table is a book of rules and advice for you. Please make sure to read it before you head to breakfast. There is also a map of the campus and floor plans for each building, should you need them. I took the liberty of perusing your schedule and saw that you have a yoga class this morning at nine-thirty. Your locker should be stocked for you at the recreation center, and if you find you need anything, you need only ask your instructor for it. Your locker will be stocked for other classes as you sign up for them. There is a similar locker for you in the arts building. I would like you to avail yourself of all the amenities we offer and enjoy yourself. After working for the BAU for as long as you have, there is no doubt that you have earned a rest! I will be unavailable for the next few days as I am engaged in a project, but I should be available in a week. If it is acceptable to you, I would like to invite you to dinner with me at seven o'clock one week from today. You and I can touch base and discuss your situation. Until then, please enjoy yourself and have fun.
The Director
Fury washed over him. A week? Reid couldn't believe it. This guy had the temerity to kidnap him and tell him that he was now in this prison for the rest of his life and then he was suddenly unavailable? Sean had said the day before that any day you didn't see the Director was a good day, but Reid wanted him to be available so he could do what Morgan called "work on the perp." It was where you wore the perpetrator down through being a broken record, over and over and over again until they broke. Reid wanted to plague the Director with the idea of his going home until the Director gave in. He wanted to lay siege to the Director and not let up until the big jerk gave in.
Was it a childish plan? Of course it was. The Director deserved to suffer. If it got Reid a little closer to going home in addition to annoying the Director, then so much the better. Reid wanted the Director to be just as miserable as he was.
As he stood there looking over the letter, common sense reasserted itself. This man had been doing this for a long time, and it was likely that others had probably already tried all the tricks Reid knew. Any attempts at this point would probably just serve to wear Reid out, rather than the Director. No, he would have to play a more subtle game if he wanted to get out of there. Plus, Sean had cautioned him about how the Director liked to encourage you to settle in if you made trouble. No, he would have to be careful, which precluded an all-out annoyance assault.
Feeling as if his brain were finally working, Reid pulled out the rule book and the maps and studied them. The rules were much as Sean had told him, and the maps helped him to orient himself and everything he'd seen the day before. There were areas on the maps marked red, which the legend declared were "off-limits" to residents. The buildings marked on them looked kind of like utilities facilities, perhaps a power grid and water treatment center. Not much reason to go there. Other places, though, were not as straightforward. He would have to keep his eyes and ears open and try to learn a bit more about those places. The residents might be in a closed community, but that didn't mean that there weren't ways to communicate with the wider world in the off-limits areas. It was interesting to note that the house where Reid had lunch with the Director the day before was marked as "Invitation Only."
There was more information in the book, as well. Meal times were listed, and confusingly, on another page there was information on where to find his mailbox. A mailbox? According to the information listed under his mailbox number, he would receive notifications about doctors' appointments and wellness center-related activities, any notices about his activities, communiques from the Director if necessary, and the campus newsletter. Reid snorted. Of course there would be a campus newsletter. Oh, joy. On the next page there was a list of major holidays and community-specific "holidays" for the residents. As he read the list he found a smile starting. There was "May Day" and "Camp-out Weekend" and "Carnival" and even, much to his chagrin, "Surf and Sun Day," which he was sure meant that there would be something held on the beach. He really didn't relish the thought of walking around on sand contaminated by seagull droppings, so perhaps he could arrange to be elsewhere on that day. Other days, though, seemed more promising, like "Renaissance Faire Day" and "Pop Culture Convention Day." For a moment, he just had to digest and absorb that bit of information. That sounded like...well, fun! If there was a place for Doctor Who fans on that day, he would be there. He checked the date and sighed. Three months from now. He didn't want to think he would still be there then and he fervently hoped that he wouldn't be. He couldn't believe that he'd been looking forward to an event that was being held in a place that amounted to no more than a fancy prison. He'd definitely need to get his head examined once he got back home.
He tucked everything back into the drawer where he'd found it, located some clothes in the wardrobe and dresser, and went into the bathroom. He showered, shaved, dried off, dressed, and re-emerged feeling much more human. He examined himself in the full-length mirror on the wall near the bed, feeling as if the person staring back at him were not quite "Spencer." He certainly wasn't dressed the same. Who on earth had enough money to buy each person he kidnapped a wardrobe that contained Burberry and Ralph Lauren clothing and Gucci shoes? It made him miss his slacks, button-downs, sweaters, and sneakers. The only thing he'd brought with him from home aside from his clothes (which he had yet to get back) was his watch.
Remembering Sean's advice about keeping his room neat he made his bed, located his schedule, and left his room, making sure to swipe his armband as he left to lock the door. He headed downstairs and outside, glad that no one was around. He'd yet to meet any of his housemates and he really didn't feel like being social. He was dreading even more the personal questions they'd use to make conversation: where was he from, what he'd done, and so forth. Maybe Sean had the right idea about avoiding talking about it. Just thinking about his life back home made his chest ache.
It was a gorgeous morning, the air warm already but not hot. He could see the sun just a bit above the horizon, reflecting off the water in the distance. It was a gorgeous sight. He debated taking a bike but decided to walk so he could look around a bit. There were flower beds and shrubs along the path, and trees in clusters. Reid noticed that any benches were always in the shade from the trees. There were cypress and maple trees, and he could see a few palm trees, as well as the sprawling oaks that the American south was noted for. A stand of magnolia trees nearly knocked him over with their scent. The more he looked, the more plants he noticed: hibiscus, saw palmetto, yucca, columbine, coral honeysuckle, resurrection fern...hmm. Definitely somewhere south of D.C., but the big question was how far? Could he be in Louisiana or Florida? He stopped dead on the path when the thought that he might have been taken outside of the United States altogether occurred to him. That would make his chances of getting back home easily a lot slimmer.
Firmly telling himself to think about it later, Reid pressed on until he reached the lodge. The smell of bacon made his mouth water and his stomach growled. For the first time since arriving there, he was actually hungry enough to be looking forward to food. He hurried up the steps and into the lodge just as a staff member was unlocking the doors.
"Morning," the guy said, giving Reid a smile. "Here for breakfast?"
Reid checked his watch. "Sorry, am I too early?" Breakfast started at seven.
"People usually are about fifteen to twenty minutes later, but you're right on time. Would you like coffee, tea, or something else?"
"Coffee," Spencer breathed, feeling his entire being crying out for it. Before he'd been snatched he'd been trying to cut back a bit since coffee could contribute to headaches and anxiety, but right now, he felt the need for a nice, comforting cup of coffee.
The guy grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Okay, I'll go get the coffee bar heated up. It should take just a few minutes."
It wasn't long before the heavenly aroma hit him and he was able to pour himself a large cup of freshly roasted and ground heavenly ambrosia. He added his usual amount of sugar and sipped at the resulting brew and sighed. Immediately he felt a bit more like himself. He took a seat at a nearby table and scanned his wristband to bring up his menu. He spent a few leisurely minutes swiping through the options available to him and settled on a bacon and mushroom omelet with whole wheat toast and a tropical fruit salad.
The same staff member brought his breakfast for him and Reid unfurled a napkin and laid it in his lap. "That looks incredible," Reid breathed as he stared at the plate.
The man grinned. "Hungry, huh?"
"Very," Reid confessed. "This is the first time since arriving here that I've been really hungry."
"Thought you were new," the man said. He looked past Reid to the tablet. "Dr. Spencer Reid, huh? What are you a doctor of?"
"Mathematics, Chemistry, and Engineering."
The guy stared. "Wow. That's impressive."
Reid shrugged. "I read a lot when I was a kid. What's your name?"
"Rob."
Reid held out his hand. "Reid."
Rob shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you." He leaned forward and lowered his voice a bit. "So, what do you think of the Trust so far?"
Reid doubted he could really be honest with a staff member. For all he knew, they all had orders to report anything and everything that any of the residents said or did. "Truthfully, I've never imagined a place like it. The last few days have been...interesting."
Rob nodded. "Is today your first full day here?"
"Yep," Spencer said, thinking about the long day ahead. How was he going to get through it?
"Well, welcome, and have fun," Rob said. "If you'd like anything else, just dial it up, okay? I'll see you around. Enjoy your breakfast."
"Thanks," Reid said as Rob headed off. He tucked into the omelette and was just savoring the combination of bacon and mushrooms and cheese when Sean showed up. "Oh, hi. Morning."
"Morning," Sean answered. "Would you mind company for breakfast?"
"Not at all," Reid said, offering the chair across from him. "It's nice to see someone I know."
Sean ordered his breakfast and then got himself a cup of coffee. "Mmm. Thank God for coffee."
"Amen," Reid joked.
"How'd you pass your first night?"
"The Director read to me until I fell asleep-and it didn't take long-and left me a letter with all the things he didn't get a chance to tell me," Reid said before taking a bite of toast.
"And what's your schedule like today?"
Reid pulled out his schedule and checked it. "I've got beginning yoga this morning, and after lunch I have a class called 'Creative Crafting' and this evening after dinner I have the first class for a week-long baking class."
Sean nodded. "It's good if you keep yourself busy. I know why you had to sign up for the yoga, but why the other two activities?"
Reid looked at the schedule. "The first I just kind of chose at random and the second...well, sweets can be nice. I figured it would be something to do."
"I thought you'd sign up for something like dance; you've got a good build for it."
Reid stared at him. "Ahh...no. That wouldn't be a good idea. My coordination is extremely lacking. Do you know what my mom nicknamed me as a kid?"
"What?"
"Crash. I was so clumsy I kept crashing into things."
Sean laughed so much he had tears in his eyes, and by that time a server had brought him his breakfast. He and Reid chatted lightly while they ate and lingered over a second cup of coffee together. Sean asked what Reid had studied in school and when Sean learned they had chemistry in common they spent a good long time talking about it. When they checked the time it was nine o'clock and they both had to head off to where they were supposed to be.
"Want to meet up for lunch?" Sean offered. "There are a few people I'd like to introduce you to. I think you'd like them."
Reid nodded. He already liked Sean, despite the man's prickly nature. "Sounds great."
They settled on a time and both of them got bikes and biked off to where they were supposed to be, which was the research center for Sean and the rec center for Reid. He locked the bike into a port and headed inside, where a sign led him to the locker room. Lockers were arranged alphabetically and unlocked with their wristbands. Reid located his and changed into the clothes waiting there. He had yoga pants and a tank top and slippers to wear from his locker to the studio. Aside from the clothes there was a yoga mat, resistance bands, foam blocks and rollers...would he need all of that?
"You look perplexed," a guy down the row from Reid said.
"Yeah, I'm signed up for beginning yoga, but I have no idea what equipment I need to take with me," Reid said.
"Just the mat," the man told him, pulling a mat from his own locker. "I'm taking the class, too. I take it you're new here?"
Reid sighed. "Yep."
"Thought so. You've got that desperate, trying-to-hold-it-together-but-I-really-want-to-scream look. The panicky feeling will fade with time."
"How long have you been here?"
"Seven months."
"Has it faded yet?"
He gave Reid a rueful smile. "Mostly. As long as I don't think about things, I do okay. If you're looking for advice, do the same. Don't think about home or your family or friends and you'll manage to get through the days. Try to tire yourself out so you'll sleep at night, and then you'll only have the days to worry about."
Reid's smile matched his. "I see. What's your name?"
"Eric."
"Reid."
"Nice to meet you, Reid, but I wish the circumstances were better. We'll be late if we wait around any longer."
Eric and Reid joined the others in the yoga studio and what followed was a difficult span of time as Reid tried to follow along with the class and do the movements and poses. The instructor was continually correcting his position and posture and breathing until Reid felt ready to kick her in the head. Why had he been forced to sign up for this torture?
At long last, the class ended, and Reid dropped onto his mat with a relieved sigh. He couldn't believe that he had to come back and do this again the next day! Thoughts of playing hooky ran through his head-would they believe he was sick if he faked it? A major upheaval could make someone feel pretty sick…
"You gonna live?"
Reid opened his eyes and stared up at a grinning Eric. "How about you dig a hole and bury me right here so the question's answered?"
Eric chuckled and helped Reid to his feet. Reid had a quick wash in the locker room and changed back into his clothes, his muscles screaming at him that they would enact vengeance for what he'd just put them through.
"I'll see you here tomorrow," Eric said as they parted ways at the door.
"If we're both lucky," Reid said, wincing. "Oh, I hurt."
"Spent a lot of time at a desk, did you?"
"It's where I do a lot of my best work."
Reid watched Eric go and then headed to the bike rack, intent on a little time in that library. First, he stopped at the campus exchange-he'd thought of something he needed and he would have an easier time at the library if he got it.
The clerk at the campus exchange was helpful when Reid asked her how he could tell how much credit he had, and with a scan of his wristband she was able to tell him. "Five hundred?" he echoed when she told him. "That's an awful lot."
"It goes up when you start working on projects," she said. "Now, what can I help you find today?"
"I need a bag-like a messenger bag or a backpack? Something to carry books in."
She grinned at him. "We've got plenty. They're at the back. If you don't see what you want, let me know and I can look in the inventory."
Reid located the bags and selected a stout, leather backpack with double-stitched seams. He also stopped in the stationery area and selected two notebooks, a journal, and some pens and mechanical pencils. He thanked the clerk again and headed to the library, where he spent a happy hour and a half looking through the books and selecting some to check out. He'd missed reading the past few days, and he felt a tiny bit better with a bag of books slung over his shoulder. Reid checked the time and smiled. It was time to go meet Sean and his friends for lunch. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to ask questions and learn enough about this place so he could figure out a way to leave.
A/N: I'm being held hostage by a fan fiction. Someone send help.