A/n hey all, here's the next chapter. THanks for all your kind reviews and thanks to my great beta who puts up with all of my muse's antics.

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The golden pool of light over his desk illuminated him and the person sitting across from him. His guest sat with their hands clasped tapping their thumbs together. "Are you sure this is going to work."

"It will work if you all do what you're told."

"I've never disobeyed you."

"You have a very selective memory Calloway!"

"What happened in 2002 wasn't my fault it was -"

"Enough, this is why you're still a team leader instead of head of your unit. It's also why I'm giving you one last chance to prove yourself."

"I still don't like it."

"I wish there were another way. You've seen their track record. You know there's only one reason why their success rate is so high."

"That's your opinion."

"You don't think I'm right?'

The person in front of him sighed, "No, of course you're right. There is no other way. I just think we should be absolutely sure before we move."

"Fine, our man on the inside will confirm it for us."

"Are you sure you trust him?

"He's completely reliable. He's been feeding us information on them for a year now."

Calloway stood up. "Okay, but our time is very short. We need to move fast, before they get suspicious."

"They're not going to get suspicious until it's too late."

"I hope you're right. I'm putting a lot on the line."

"As I am Calloway… Now go and finish your end of the deal."

----

Reid was the only one left in the bullpen. The other's had left an hour ago. He'd decided to stay for an extra hour due to the fact that he couldn't get a flight south till Sunday. The weekend flights till Sunday afternoon were all booked. He guessed he could have got Garcia to bump someone, but technically this wasn't an emergency, and it would be wrong to push someone out of his way because he wanted to see Austin again.

He closed the last file on his desk and grabbed his bag. At least the team didn't have a case so he didn't feel like he was deserting them. He glanced up at Hotch's office and saw that the light was still on. Maybe he should go up there and say something. Hotch had been working around the clock since Haley left ,and Reid thought that this couldn't be healthy, but what could he say to make his boss go home and sleep. If he did go up there, what could he say? He wasn't good at things like that. It made his stomach all squishy inside.

He sighed loudly, Hotch would be okay. He always survived whatever life gave him. It would be okay if he didn't go up there. Hotch wouldn't know that he'd considered it, so he wouldn't be mad if Reid didn't try.

He sighed again and headed up the stairs. He turned a corner and almost knocked over Agent Stark. He was a very tall, blond haired man with bright green eyes. He was built bigger than Morgan and had been a member of another BAU team longer than Reid.

"S-sorry…"

"No sweat Dr. Reid… Don't you ever go home?" He smiled winningly at the younger man.

"I was just on my way home."

"No hot date tonight?"

"N-no, I'm just going to hang out at home."

There was no way that he was going to tell Stark about Austin. The bigger man had nearly the same reputation with women that Morgan did.

"Yeah, it's nice not to be out on a case." Stark said and his eyes twinkled brightly at the younger man.

"So, um I'll see you later."

"Yeah sure… Listen, before you go, I wanted to ask you something."

Reid's eyebrows went into his hair. What could this guy, who looked like an escaped linebacker for the Red Skins want with him?

"I know it's late, but I was hoping to get your opinion on a profile I'm trying to build for the SFPD. They've got a serial that looks like a copy cat for the Zodiac killer. I don't know, I think the letter they got is the real thing."

Reid stopped in his tracks from following the older man back to the bull pen. "But that isn't possible, that case is over thirty years old."

"I know, but there's a letter they got that makes me think it could be true."

Reid felt his pulse skyrocket. This couldn't be real! But what if it was? What if he could help identify the most successful and as yet uncaught serial killer in history…? But he couldn't get distracted now. He'd promised Austin that he'd come visit her. If he looked at what Stark had received, he'd get distracted and maybe forget about Austin.

"Are you coming? Dr. Reid…"

"Sure… I'd love to look at it."

He made the decision. He'd take the time between now and his flight on Sunday to look over what Stark had received. He wouldn't let it totally distract him. It was probably a hoax from some fan out there or Zodiac groupie. There had been stuff like that received by the bureau before, and it would happen again.

"Right, the documents are down in QD. They've been analyzing the envelope and the paper. Right now it looks like it could be genuine, but I wanted you to look."

Reid followed the man onto the elevator. Agent Stark pushed the button for second floor. "But why ask for me, there are other profilers, some of them that are retired, that are experts on this case. I'm only a very interested amateur."

"My boss has read the papers you've published about the Zodiac killer. He feels you're the best man for the job."

Reid felt his face getting hot. "I just wrote my opinion. I never claimed to be right about his true identity."

He looked up and saw they were just passing the 4th floor on the red digital readout on the panel. Excitement was curling up tighter in his gut as the elevator seemed to move too slowly for his impatience.

"Oh, don't worry my boss thinks you're the best in your field. Your team wouldn't know what to do without you."

"That's not true!

"I think it is. I've seen some of the case files you've closed recently and they'd be walking around bumping into walls without you."

"I don't agree. I'm going on vacation in a couple of days and I'll bet they don't even miss me."

"Well, I suppose your right. Anyway, you can look at what we have and I'm sure Hotch will be happy to have your opinion before you leave. He highly values what you have to say on any case. It's easy to see that."

The elevator passed the number three and his stomach began to churn a little. He was going to see new evidence on a case that had baffled profilers for over a third of a century. Maybe it was all for nothing, but Austin would be so impressed by it no matter what.

"I think you don't give yourself enough credit. There are four profiling teams in the BAU and all of them would be happy to have you as part of their group."

Reid's face got hotter as the number switched to two, and the doors opened. "Anyway, it doesn't matter because I don't want to work with another team. I like where I am. Ah - no offense, I mean."

"None taken, I'm just glad you hadn't left for vacation."

He gestured for Reid to step out of the elevator ahead of him. Reid took two steps out and looked around the unfamiliar hallway. They had to be on the wrong floor. This wasn't the right hallway. He turned and began to say "Hey this isn't…" Then something hit the back of his neck and he crumpled down into darkness.