Chapter 14
BAU Headquarters
FBI Building
Quantico, VA
June 2012
"I wondered how the hell you handled Hankle so well." Morgan said. "And all the other times. Do we have to do one of these tests?"
Spencer nodded. That was why he had born up under Charles Hankle's abuse, he'd had practice. It had been the drugs that did him in there. "No." He answered too quickly. "No. I am never doing that again. Not a chance. No." He had them all laughing at that one. "After that we, um, took a trip to Vegas before the spring term started."
"Did she meet your Mom?"
"Yeah. Mom thought we were there for one of her literature lectures." He sighed at the memory. "At least she didn't think Shan was a demonic harpy out to suck down my soul. She saved that one for Aunt Ethel."
"Awww. But you took her to Mom. That's serious." Garcia said. Then her eyes went wide and she gasped. "Wait a minute! What else did you do in Vegas?"
"Um...why?'
"Because every one of our victims had a Templar tattoo."
"They did!" JJ agreed. She turned to Spencer. "Give it up."
Oh hell. "I don't think..."
"Oh no, Spence. Let's see it. Come on."
He looked to Morgan for help but didn't find any. With a sigh he started pulling his tie off and unbuttoning his shirt. "It's traditional." He said. "So you can't lie about it later."
"It's always the quiet ones." Garcia said.
Once he had his shirt unbuttoned about halfway he tugged the neck of his undershirt down to reveal the mark, a small compass rose with a blue Templar cross at the center on his left pectoral. "Yes, we got them in Vegas. No, I am not going to tell you where Shan got hers."
They all looked it over and nodded. "Nicely done." JJ said. "So initiation was at the end of March? That's right around..."
"Yeahhhh. There was a fair amount of alcohol involved that week-end. And, um... not nearly enough condoms apparently..."
"That sounds like college." JJ nodded. "And if it was like that for you it was likely like that for the others."
"Hence the timeline." Spencer was dammed glad that they were willing to gloss over that part. Because it wasn't like that at all.
Castle Green complex
99 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA
March 23, 2003
Spencer really wished he was back out in the mountains.
The charges brought against the Templars in 1307 were of heresy. Accusations that they denied Christ and engaged in heretical rites, carnal rites, in the worship of other, more ancient gods. Given that the Sunday services were drawn directly from the Liturgy of the Hours Spencer always figured that to be untrue.
And if part of it was true he'd never be honored with a request to participate. "I'm nervous." He admitted.
"Of course you are." Professor Jameson agreed. They were waiting in a small room outside the chapel, closed tonight against any but a select few. "When I was the Debkhaa I was terrified. Try to relax, it's actually quite the amazing thing." He chuckled lightly. "And no one will turn around, I promise."
The hard part was that Shannon had been pulling away from him over the past week. Or perhaps he had been pulling away from her. He couldn't tell her he had been chosen after all. And if she ever found out he knew she'd be so hurt. "What if I hurt her?"
"You won't. You won't be in a position to. You know that."
They should have broken the rules, he thought. Who the hell takes a vow of chastity in this day and age anyway? They should have shared a hotel room while they were in Vegas. "What if I...I can't..."
"Nonsense. You're twenty-one and in perfect health. You just need to relax and let it happen."
"Who is the Quoryaa?"
"It doesn't matter. She's a symbol of something greater, as are you. Just close your eyes and relax out there. That's all you have to do, the rest will happen automatically. And try to keep your voice down."
"My voice down?" But the gong was sounding, calling him out.
"Trust me." Professor Jameson pulled the mask over Spencer's face, and pulled up the hood of the black robe he was wearing. "It's time."
Some time later Spencer found himself lying on his back on the dais in the center of the room. He had to take the Professor's word that no one was looking; he couldn't see anything outside the ring of candles around him. The Quoryaa, her white robe hanging open, was moving slowly and carefully about him, going through the details of the rite with meticulous care. He wasn't supposed to even look at her. He was supposed to close his eyes and lie still and let her do what she will as he opened himself to what wisdom she was about to grant him. But he couldn't help but glance over at the curves and colors of her body, just visible through that open robe. Not that it mattered, all Spencer wanted to do was run from the room right about then. There was no way he was going to make this work.
And then her robe flicked open just so, and he saw the tattoo on the inside of the Quoryaa's hip. It was a delicate splatter of a rainbow of watercolors, with the shape of a house in negative space, and a blue cross where the door should be.
It's a home. Shan had said. It's the family I always wanted, and the life and color of the people there.
When she turned away Spencer moved very carefully, tugging open his robe just enough to show the compass rose with the cross he had on his chest.
Direction. He had said at the time. I didn't know what I was going to do with my life before I met you and Gideon and became a part of this.
The Quoryaa turned and froze as she caught sight of that mark. Pale grey eyes flew up and met his, and even behind the mask he could see her smile.
Now it was easy.
She went back to her tasks, moving with confidence now, with her usual ethereal grace. She no longer seemed to be trying to keep that robe closed and now that he knew who it was the glimpses were tantalizing. All of a sudden the hard part was not making this work, it was not helping. He had to keep his hands to himself, which might prove impossible.
Then she touched him, and he realized just why this was a sacred thing.
When she joined with him on the dais at the apex of the night, straddling him and letting him see her fully, he held her hands so tightly he knew they would never let go. And he forgot to keep his voice down.