The team had reassembled in the conference room, and was discussing Micheala Simms and William Slater. Hotch brought the rest of the team update on what they had found at her home. Reid filled them in on the locket and the cell phone Garcia had tracked for them.
"So he grabbed Micheala Simms early because he felt threatened by our presence." Elle remarked.
"Will he wait till the full moon in two days before he kills this time?" Stephanie asked. She was afraid of the answer but had asked the question that was haunting all of them.
"I don't know-" Gideon began to say when the phone rang. Elle put it on speaker, it was Garcia.
"Guys I found something about our Mr. Slater. It seems that an ex-girlfriend of his went missing the same night of the fire that killed his parents. She was found three days later beaten, raped and strangled. Get this guys, she was pregnant."
"Was Mr. Slater questioned about the murder?" Gideon asked. As usual, his face remained impassive but inside he felt the excitement that came when the pieces of the puzzle came together.
"Yeah but since the police had their hands full with the fire and his brother under suspicion the investigation around him was cursory out respect for his grief."
"Was the baby his?" Elle asked.
"That's the best part, it wasn't. She had broken up with him about a month before and had told him she was pregnant with another guy's child. He didn't take it very well and two weeks before she was killed the other guy was beaten pretty badly. He refused to name names so Slater got away with that as well. Apparently Slater had asked her to marry him the night she told him about the baby and broke up with him. He was in total denial that anything was wrong with their relationship."
"Good work Garcia, by the way what was her name?" Gideon asked.
"It was Laura Brooks."
Garcia sent them a picture of Laura Brooks and she could have been a twin sister to Micheala Simms.
"So what set this guy off, why start killing after all these years." Morgan asked to none one in particular.
"My guess would be the anniversary of Laura's murder and the fire. Maybe he saw one of the girls on the street and their resemblance to her made him think she'd come back. He's still punishing her for her infidelity to him." Gideon said.
There was a brief knock on the door and a uniformed officer came into the room. "We just got the warrant from Judge Walker." He handed the faxed paper work to Hotch.
Thank you Lieutenant, get your guys together we need to get out to the farm as quickly as we can, Micheala has limited time left."
In the general confusion of grabbing and donning vests and checking weapons, no one but Reid saw Stephanie put a hand on Gideon's arm. He smiled at her and she said to him.
"Be careful Jason" she looked into his piercing dark eyes with a look that made Gideon's heart sing and Reid scowl.
Gideon said nothing just laid a hand over hers for a moment and then they were all gone and she had to play the waiting game with JJ.
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After Jimmy left the room locking the door, Micheala experimented with getting to her feet. Her stomach lurched and she swayed as she stood up. Her head was spinning and she wanted to vomit but she stayed on her feet. She stayed still for a few moments to let the dizziness and nausea pass. She tried to move forward discovering that the chains on her feet allowed just enough slack for her to shuffle. She reached the door and of course it was locked. She turned awkwardly around almost falling, and began to make a circuit of the room.
One wall was covered with pictures of the other girls he'd killed. There were newspaper articles about them from the time they went missing, to when their bodies had been found. There were obituaries for both of them and she began to cry. This was so unfair. What had she or they done to deserve this? There was hand written notes about each girl's likes and dislikes on the large table in front of the wall. She was horrified to know that he'd watched all of them including her to learn their habits and routines.
She also found an old worn picture of a girl who looked exactly like her. On the back was written a name and a date. Laura Brooks, June 21st 1996. Micheala may not have been the smartest kid in school but she was bright enough to begin to understand that Jimmy was crazy. He thought she was this girl come back to him?
"He said that I have a new body. Does that mean she's dead? What did she do to make him so angry?
It doesn't matter I have to find a way to get out of here."
She moved back across the dirt floor and sat back down on the dirty mattress and began to plan.
When William Slater came back into the room he saw that Laura was asleep. He moved over to the mattress kneeling down beside her. He ran loving hand over her face and down her shoulder over her body to her waist. She was so beautiful; it was as though the last ten years had been only a terrible memory. She really was back and he would make every thing right. This time she would have his child and they would be together always. She loved him, had always loved him and it was time to forgive her for her transgression with another man. He knew she hadn't meant it.
"I know you were angry with me and you wanted to punish me for my mistakes. I understand Laura. You came back so that means you forgive me." He crooned softly.
Her eyes opened and she smiled at him she sat up slowly and said.
"Oh Jimmy, you found me. I tried so hard to come back to you and I couldn't. Please forgive me for what I did. We can be together always now that I found out how to come back. Kiss me and tell me you forgive me." She smiled at him while inside she quaked, what if this didn't work?
He couldn't believe it, after all the searching and the failures he had her back and he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her. He moved closer and she raised a hand, a fisted hand. He looked at her in confusion, and then she opened the hand and tossed a hand full of sandy dirt directly into his eyes.
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When she heard the key in the lock she knew she had to try to get away. Who knew how long it would be before he tired of this game and decided to kill her. She had to act now. She listed carefully as he came in and noticed he didn't lock the door behind him. He must think she was completely cowed by his treatment of her. He was going to find out he was wrong. She may have been a timid mouse at school but she didn't want to die. He began to talk to her and when she opened her eyes, sat up and began to give her rehearsed speech she knew she'd done the right thing. He looked so happy and so off guard. He screamed when she threw the dirt in his eyes. She quickly followed it up with a blow to his groin with both hand fisted together over some links of the heavy chain. She hit him hard along the side of his head in the same way and he fell over and was silent. She hoped she had killed him. The keys had fallen out of his pants pocket when he fell to his back. She picked them up and got to her feet. She moved as fast as she could to the door.
Outside the door was a short hallway that led to a stairway. She paused for a moment and began to search for the key to the door. She would feel a lot safer if he was locked up. She tried five different keys and none of them worked. Finally she found the right one and shot the bolt home and screamed in surprise when something hit the door hard from the inside and he began to scream and twist the knob of the door.
"Damn you girl, let me out of here! He shouted. You are mine; you belong to me, open this door and accept your fate Laura. Laura do you hear me, open the door."
He rattled the door and began to ram the door with his whole body so that it shook and dirt fell from the ceiling. She had stood in shock at the ferocity of his attack on the door. She had to get out but the damn chains were a hindrance. She had to find the key.
She knew what it might look like her mother had a pair of handcuffs she had found once a couple of years ago just after the divorce. Her mother had slapped her and told her to mind her own business when she asked about them. She had asked Andrea why her mother would have handcuffs. Andrea had laughed and explained it to her. She had thought at the time what a stupid thing to do during sex.
All these thoughts went through her head while she searched frantically for the key. There it was, feet first she would worry about her hands later. Just as she slipped off the restraints on her ankles the door burst open and Jimmy came out. She screamed and turned to run. He was too fast and in spite of his own pain tackled her and picked her up kicking and screaming he carried her back in the room and threw her down on the mattress. His eyes were red and tears trickled out of them. He was wheezing in pain and was half blind.
"I thought you were the one but you were only pretending and know I'll show you what happens to girls that lie." He was crying hard now.
She screamed and he hit her across the face and mouth. He punched and kicked her till she was silent. He put his hands around her throat and began to squeeze. Her eyes opened and she tried to fight but slowly her body stopped moving underneath him and he stood up swaying. He would bury her on the grounds this time and he would leave this little town forever. Maybe he would find Laura somewhere else. He didn't hear the footsteps on the stairs until voices said
"FREEZE, FBI! MOVE AWAY FROM THE GIRL AND PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD."
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When the team reached the farm they were met by Harvey again. He let them in the gate with no protest when Hotch presented him with the warrant. The police began to search spreading out over the grounds and entering the house.
"Sir where are the Slater brothers? We need to find William Slater and it's probably best if you find Damon Slater and shield him from what were doing." Gideon asked.
"I can't imagine what you think Bill's involved in. He's as law abiding as the rest of us." Harvey said impatiently.
"As the warrant states, Mr. Slater is wanted for kidnapping, assault and two counts of first degree murder. We need to find your boss now, you can tell us where he is or we can take you in for obstruction of justice and I promise you if that girl dies, and you will go down with him for conspiracy to commit murder." Hotch said his dark eyes held only anger.
"Murder, are you crazy, I haven't killed anyone and neither has Mr. Slater, don't you think I would know if he were bringing young girls here and killing them." There was anger and fear in his eyes.
"Sir please, if there is anywhere you can think of that he could go and no one would disturb him you have to tell us now, a young woman's life depends on it." Gideon said in an even reasonable tone that had the ability to make the worst offenders confess their secrets.
"Damon is in the first green house. There's a storm cellar just out back of the house. It hasn't been used since we added a new one two years ago. The old one was starting to cave in."
Hotch instructed the officers headed toward the first greenhouse that he wanted Harvey to go with them and deal with Damon Slater. Hopefully he could keep the older man distracted from what was about to happen.
Morgan and Elle moved off to help with the search of the home, while Gideon, Hotch and Reid followed Harvey to the newer storm cellar. They knew when they opened the bulkheads that this wasn't the right place. It was a small room and utterly empty. There was no evidence that anyone had been in there in a long time.
"Hotch, Gideon," Reid yelled from the older cellar. He stood at the open bulkheads shining his flashlight into its depths. They moved down the steps and through the short hallway. Hotch entered first and they all stopped stunned for an instant at the sight before them.
William Slater stood over the body of Micheala Simms. She didn't move and Reid was the first to reach her while Hotch grabbed Slater and threw him up against the wall bedside the door. Reid dropped to his knees beside the girl. His hands shook so hard he could hardly control them to feel for a pulse. There was none.
"No, oh God no, please not again, God please don't let her be dead."
"Gideon, she's not breathing!" He screamed and tears began to fall.
Gideon fell to his knees and felt at her throat.
"Get the medics down here now!" he yelled to the officers entering the room. One turned and ran out while Gideon began CPR.
"Reid! Spencer! I need your help!" Gideon voice cut through his thoughts like a knife bringing him back from his memories of their last case.
He moved to begin chest compressions awkwardly at first and then they found a rhythm and moved in perfect tandem till they were pushed away by the medics.
"No pulse, she not breathing."
One medic ripped open her dress and began to attach the leads for the portable defibrillator.
The other placed a ventilation bag over her mouth and nose and began to squeeze.
"Charging to two hundred and fifty, clear! Her body arched under the charge. The monitors signaled no heart beat and the second medic squeezed the bag twice.
Spencer stood staring at the men as they worked on her, praying for her to take a breath.
"Come on, he muttered, please breathe Micheala. Just breathe, you can do it."
"Charging to two seventy-five! Clear! Her body arched again and this time the monitors began to beep the steady beat of a detectable heart beat.
"We've got a rhythm, pulse rising sixty over forty, ninety over sixty. Good girl. Let's get her transported.
They lifted her onto the gurney and left the room. Spencer felt as though his legs would no longer support him and as he started to sag to the floor an arm came around his waist. It was Morgan. He hugged the younger man slapping him on the back. No words were needed as they turned to leave this terrible place. Once again it had been enough and the victim was alive.
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JJ and Stephanie sat across from each other in the conference room, each of them lost in their own thoughts. They were both worried about Spencer and how another failure would affect him. Stephanie's thoughts were interspersed with thoughts of Jason as well as the case. She had come to a decision about the direction she wanted to take her life. She opened her mouth to speak to JJ when the other woman's cell phone rang. As she spoke her voice and face brightened and she was smiling widely when she hung up.
"They found her, she's alive." Stephanie said her heart lifting.
"Yes, they got him and she's alive although Spencer said it was a very close one this time."
"How is everyone?" Stephanie asked trying to sound casual but JJ knew what she wanted to know.
"They took him without firing a shot, everyone is ok and their on their way to the hospital."
"Well let's go." Stephanie said rising to her feet.
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The mood on the plane back to Quantico was a mix of elation and sadness. Michaela would recover in body but her spirit was damaged. The hospital social worker, when informed of the situation got a court order removing her from her mother's custody. Her father hadn't wanted anything to do with her since the divorce. Her favorite aunt had come down from Topeka and was granted temporary custody. She had promised them that she would see to it the girl received proper therapy to help her heal mentally.
Reid was somber this time because he'd had to leave his twin again. He was seriously considering beginning a campaign to try to convince her to leave Kansas and move to Virginia. He didn't care that this would mean she was close to Gideon, he just wanted her close to him.
"Hey, babe penny for your thoughts," JJ said sitting down next to him and putting her head on his shoulder.
"I was just trying to come up with a plan to get Stephanie to move back to Virginia." he said putting his arm around her and breathing in the smell of her.
"Honey, you know you can't force her to move, she loves it where she is." JJ didn't really believe that was true anymore but someone had to reign in Spencer.
"I know I'm selfish, but I want to be able to see her anytime I want, not just when there's a case or on the holidays." His hand ran up and down her shoulder at a soothing pace that relaxed both of them.
"I know honey, but please promise me you won't badger her too much." JJ snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes.
She soon fell asleep and Spencer sat with his eyes closed but he didn't sleep. He wanted to promise JJ he would let it go, but he didn't know if he could keep that promise. All that had happened in the last few days reminded him that it was important to live life to its fullest and not delay pursuing what he wanted.
Gideon sat at the other end of the plane his eyes closed and his mind running around in circles. It had been hard saying good bye to Stephanie. He'd wanted to drag her on the plane with him and take her home but he knew it wasn't what she wanted. She had a good career and lots of friends where she was, not to mention her adoptive family's home. It was selfish to want her to come back with him. He thought back to the conversation they'd had just before the case had come to a head.
Flash back
He'd found an empty room at the station. He led her into the room, closed the door and gestured for her to sit down. She sat looking at him not speaking as he paced the room for a moment. Then he seemed to make a decision. He sat down next to her and picked up one of her hands.
"Stephanie, I wanted to talk to you because I can't go on like this anymore, it's not right." She remained silent; somehow she knew not to interrupt him.
"I've been feeling very guilty lately. My thoughts towards you have been less then honorable and I can't work with you and continue to try to hide it from you and from the team. I'm not sure what I feel for you but I would like to explore it. You're a very beautiful, exciting and intelligent young woman and you make me feel like I haven't felt in a long time. I know this is really bad timing but I wanted to ask you if it's possible that you feel the same way and what will we do if you do." He looked her straight in the eyes and she blushed
"Jason, I don't know what to say I've wanted to hear you say what you just said since you arrived here and I was so afraid that you would laugh or be annoyed if I said anything. I really like you too, but-"
He leaned forward and silenced her with a kiss, a soft and tender kiss, such as she had never known in her life. His lips were warm and soft and before she could stop herself her arms wound themselves around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her onto his lap. Her mouth opened and his tongue lapped across hers. The kiss lasted and lasted till he broke it off remembering where they were. She looked at him breathing hard but she didn't move.
"Wow," was all she could say.
"Yeah, wow." He repeated.
"Can we do that again?" She asked running a hand through his hair and grinning widely.
"I'd love to but we are in a police station and someone could come in here."
"Oh right." She said reluctantly getting off of his lap and returning to her chair.
"Jason what are we going to do?"
"I don't know we'll figure something out." Gideon said his eyes never leaving hers.
"I've never done the whole "long distance relationship thing." I don't know if I can let you go and just see you a few times a year." Her eyes filled with tears.
"Don't cry my sweet girl, we'll find away, I promise you." Gideon said wiping away the first tear that began to fall down her cheek. She captured his hand in hers and kissed it.
They hadn't figured anything out at the time and then the case had intruded again and he'd had to leave soon after. They'd promised to call and to email each other. They'd said goodbye and she'd cried breaking his heart with her tears.
End flash back
Now he was here on the plane wondering if he'd down the right thing encouraging her. Had he become a selfish old man who was so afraid of being alone that he was willing to damage an already damaged human being, just to satisfy his own need for companionship?
All too soon the plane landed and they went their separate ways. Gideon arrived at his home dropping his bag just inside the door. He walked up the stairs to his bedroom stripping off clothing as he went and stayed in the shower till the water turned cold. Wrapping up in his favorite robe he went down stairs to the kitchen. Maybe if he cooked he would feel better. He loved to cook and producing a delicious meal always lifted his spirits. He began to grab pots and pans and then the reality of his situation hit him and he sat down at the kitchen table, his head in his hands. He'd fallen in love and now all was lost.
TBC