Chapter 3

This Isn't Your Common Cold

Hell. That's the only way to describe the last two days. Early in the morning a random case popped up of an initially unreported illness of one individual. Vomiting, bleeding through orphaces, fever, delusions, but before anyone could think of diagnosing it the man had passed away. They wouldn't have had time to anyways. Next thing they knew a nurse who had been treating the man had it, then his wife, then several others who had been at the same movie theater the night before. Cases were popping up everywhere and by day two New York City was going into a state of panic and lockdown.

Most people hid in their homes (though it was proven that the so called virus was not airborne). It had to be transferred through saliva, blood, or breaking of the skin. It was clear by the coincidence of the movie theater that it had originated there somehow and the building was currently closed up and under quarantine as was the hospitals where the 'victims' were being treated behind plexi glass. In order to enter you had to be in a full-body contamination suit. It was heavy duty stuff and everyone was in a panic. It was all over the news.

Counter Terror was of course the first faction of the Bureau called as this seemed to be an intentional, yet random attack and the virus, upon study of the strain had been man manipulated. The man was still at large and they had little clues. Not that they had much time to find the man because currently they had to deal with those sick and quarantining everyone, not to mention tending to the worried citizens. So various other factions of the Bureau had been called and this included the BAU who should be arriving from the airport any minute.

Matthew Grimaldi ran his hand over his neck with a bit of a cringe, the lack of sleep present in his tired eyes as he stood in the middle of Counter Terrorism head quarters where everyone would be functioning from. The control center. Just outside the window he could swear he heard someone scream as someone they loved was taken from their home (when people thought they might be sick they were to dangle a white sheet out of their home and a unit would come to pick them up).

He had tuned out half the briefing but he knew it all anyway, he read the file at least a hundred times, heck, he was living it. This was home grown. This was his turf. Matt didn't like it when someone messed with his turf. But now it was his turn to speak to the many 'guests' at CT (not something he enjoyed) his voice gruff, and serious. "You'll each be assigned to different teams with various functions. Some of you may even be put on collection.." His dark eyes surveyed the surroundings and behind all of the suit clad bodies he could barely make out the five foot three frame of Krys Robin.

She looked horribly lost amidst everyone who was much larger than she. She was glancing around with worried eyes and remarkably melancholy. Poor kid can never catch a break. On her own birthday too. Matt thought lowly. He hadn't forgotten that her birthday was on this day but with everything going on sometimes you just didn't have time. He felt awful because he had spent so much time picking out a gift and now it didn't look like they'd ever have a spare second. She'd understand though. Matt knew his data analyst better than most.

"Take it away, Robin." He announced, gesturing toward her as the group turned around.

"I uh--" Krys blinked, for a moment startled at being called so suddenly, though she did know she would have to speak being the head of her department. "Right!" As quick as she had been she got right back on track, immediately weaseling through the audience toward a massive whiteboard where a map had been drawn with red dots littering it. She hopped right onto a chair beside it so that she could see everyone, and consequently them her.

"The assumed host site is here-" With a blue marker she drew a circle, her brain going a thousand miles a minute as she addressed everyone loudly, hoping to garner and keep their attention. "The two hospitals that have been quarantined and are taking victims are here.. and... here-" Two more circles as she turned to face out. "Central Head Quarters is here. I'll be on headset all of the time." Catching a warning glance from Matt which screamed that he wanted her to get some rest, she of course ignored it and corrected herself in the worst way possible. "24/7, rain or shine, late or early, even if my shows are on. I'll be here."

Her hands gesturing outward on the chair, the marker in her right hand, she continued to speak as animatedly as possible (though it was quite apparent she was tired despite being hocked up on AMP energy drink). "I've got the entire world at my fingertips so anything you need - ask. You need to be patched to another division, give me a holler." She did not move to step down from the chair , from her own tiredness her brain was functioning like usual and she just didn't think to step down.

"Alright. Check with one of us from CT; Agents Saunders, Chezaneski, Duncomb, Wolfe, or myself to see what faction you are with." He told everyone as their heads snapped around to look at him. "No more formalities lets get to work." Once again the room was hustling and bustling, buzzing with sound.

Over the last few weeks Reid hadn't called Krys, but at the same time Krys hadn't called her. It wasn't like they lost contact. When Garcia found out that Reid meet the same person she had a few days earlier she was over-joyed. As it turned out there was no way you couldn't not like Krys Robin.

While neither had time to call each other they did e-mail back and forth everyday. It was when Garcia came to Reid one day smiling from ear to ear that Reid found a reason to see his new friend again. As it turned out Krys' birthday was in a few weeks. Of course Krys didn't like it, and had refused to tell any of her new friends, but of course Garcia had her ways of finding out, Reid didn't even want to know what. Through inquires Garcia found out that Krys had never had a birthday party, and didn't want one. Now Garcia couldn't have that. So in a very Penelope like manner, along with the help and support of Reid, she started to plan a surprise birthday party for her.

Reid had planed to take a couple of days off and spend some time with her in New York. That plan was quickly shot down though. Even before they got the official request the news was broadcasted all over. New York was in a state a panic, and the police had nothing. There was no way they weren't going to be called in. So Reid was going to be heading up to New York anyway, but unfortunately it wasn't for the reason that he had been hoping for.

Flying over the place was even worse then he could have expected. White sheets over the house were a sign of an infected person. It almost seemed like a ghost town out there with people to afraid to move an inch. Reid was ware that anyone of them in the plane now could get infected while investigating. They were first of all trying to find the source and the profile, the preliminary one they had formed, said that the attacker would try and take out as many of them as he could before killing himself (Though it was most likely a cell of people.)

The flight itself was deathly quite. Everything that needed to be said had already been said. Hotch watched the ground fearing the lives of his family, though they were miles away. Not a thread of fear was for his own life, though. JJ too was in a panic over her baby and new husband. What if the virus spread? How long could they keep it in one city? Everyone had someone they could loss.

Garcia sat across from Reid staring with horror at the city bellow. She didn't travel very often, and Morgan would have rather she stay at home for this one most of all, but in the end it was decided that it would be best if she came along. Being the best technical annalist the FBI had she would be of more use in the middle of the action, no matter how dangerous it was.

After what seemed liked a year they finally landed in the vacant New York airport. And after another long few minutes they found themselves in the Bureau's Counter Terror unit. The place was packed full of people, far to many for the small bull pen to take. As the team walked in they caught the end of the briefing, not that it matter they knew the case inside and out anyway, with Krys pointing to the map.

Reid felt his stomach churn at the sight of her. It was an odd feeling that he could quite explain. It was a mix between relief that she was okay, fear that she wouldn't be later, and happiness to see her again. It was odd to feel so strongly for a girl he only meet once. Morgan seemed to have his own idea about what was going on between the two, making comments that Reid never really understood.

When the briefing was over the seven BAU members started to worm their way through the crowd toward Agent Grimaldi, Krys being a few feet from him. The sudden noise that erupted when Matt was done talking was almost unbearable. They could tell that he wasn't very happy about this. Not only at what was being done to his city, but also all the other team braking up his tree. They knew that it wasn't going to be easy.

"Agent Aaron Hotchner." Hotch said reaching out to shake Matt's hand when they finally reached the two. Matt's eyes looked over the seven agents in front of him. Taking Hotch's hand he didn't even hid the frustration in his eyes. "Where with the Behavior Analysis Unit." He added hoping to again some respect.

"Yes I know." Matt said coldly his eyes seemed to wonder over to Reid for a moment. Reid looked at the man for just a second, before he sent a glance at Hotch.

"Happy Birthday Krys!" Garcia's cheerful voice cut through the awkward silence as she approached Krys still standing on the chair. Krys, looking embarrassed at have someone remember her birthday finally remembered to step down.

"Um…Thanks." She said with a small smile. To be completely honest her birthday was long forgotten, and part of her wanted it to remain that way. Krys was an oddball in many ways and with these ways came her ability to decompartementalize (usually) when it came to data and personal. In work she could easily shrug all prior emotions on a topic out the window for the pursuit of facts. That's just how she functioned, it was much like how she survived when being hit by her drunken father. It was just a way of separating herself from a situation. Then her eyes wondered to Reid. Her smile widened for a moment before it turned into a frown remembering the circumstances in which the two where finally meeting again under.

Reid knew that he should have followed Garcia's led and said Happy Birthday. He didn't want to make her think that he had forgotten. But he felt odd standing around so many people. All of them apple to hear him mutter the words. Even harder was the fact that he could feel the tension coming off of Agent Grimaldi. He wasn't sure if he was just being paranoid, or if the man actually hated him. What ever it was, though, it was hard to ignore. Instead Reid shot her a quick glace, hoping by some miracle Matt didn't see it, and smiled. Krys winked, obviously understanding what Reid was trying to say, then turned back to the map.

"Were can I set up?" Garcia added her mood changing from happy to serious in a split second. She had a job to do and she was ready to do it.

"My lair is your lair. Mi lair es tu lair." She rambled off the limited spanish that she knew just to be witty, or keep herself calm. But really it wasn't helping. Luckily she'd be stuck in the lab away from the people and what made the case so humane. Little did she know later in the day would have other plans.

Garcia nodded and started off down the hallway, with no real idea where she was going, but she knew she could find it. Actually all she had to do was follow the trail of empty AMP energy drinks and she would have found it easy-beasy.

Even more annoyed than before Matt said, "Why don't we find some where quieter to talk?" And with that he started off. As he past a fairly short brunette woman with haunted brown eyes he barked, "Saunders, with me." She young agent turned quickly and feel in line with Matt, Krys, and the BAU team. The group entered a glass walled conference room just off the bull pen. Matt turned to look at those around him. The team of supposed Profilers didn't seem to be much. How were they supposed to help?

His eyes once again found the man that he knew as soon as he saw him was Dr. Spencer Reid. The guy Krys had been talking about for the last weeks. She acted like he was some great guy. But from what Matt saw he didn't seem to be much. What could Robin possible see in him? He was sick and bones. More awkward looking then she even was. Then his eyes moved to Kate. His partner. She was young, new, hadn't even been in the Bureau a year yet. She wasn't quite right, no one liked her, and she seemed to like no one. But he had taken her under his wing, just like he had Krys all those year ago.

Kate stood some feet from Matt watching the crowd around her. Her eyes were wide and her heart was racing a thousand times a minute. This was real. The next large terror attack had come. All the deaths that had already happened. All the lives turning to chaos. In this room were all the people that could help. The last defense. It was all so surreal to her. Like a bad dream. Yet she knew it wasn't a nightmare, she never dreamt. This was all happening. The panic. The quarantine. She tried to remember if this was what it was like last time. But she was on the other side of the wall that time, she was the victim. This time she was going to save those that they needed to saved. No one had to lose their family like she had. This was the moment that she had waited her entire life for. But now that it was here she felt sick.

Kate was shaking, and not only from heroin withdraw, in fact she had just a fresh hit not to long ago. The thing was she knew that once the day went on she would find less time to be alone, she wasn't to sure what she would do then. Actually she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to keep it a secret any more. Then again she didn't care if it was found out today. She had gotten to this day and as long as she saved some families then she was okay, after that she was ready to die. This was what she had been waiting for her whole life. Eight years and that day was finally here. The other part of her shaking was from the fear, the heat of the room, and the raw adrenaline that was pumping through her system. She was ready to get out there and get the guy that had done this.

There was a pause before Matt finally spoke. "Agent Hotchner I understand that it would be best if you spoke to the victims?" He said his gruff voice hard.

"Yes," Hotch responded keeping his voice level and unbiased. "Its for Victim-ology."

"Knowing why this people where targeted can help use determine who the UNSUB is." Rossi explained, only gaining a sharp look from Matt.

"Saunders," Matt suddenly said after a pause. "Where do we have the BAU team placed?" It was more of an order than a question.

Kate was surprised when Matt called on her to talk. This was not were she worked. She worked undercover, she fought the bad guys from the inside out, she barely know what to do in a normal investigation. Though this would never be normal. There was a few seconds in which she fumbled with the clipboard in her hand containing each and ever persons name on it and their assignments.

After finding the BAU she quickly stated, "Hotchner, Reid, and Morgan at the hospital. Jareau with Chezaneski. Prentiss and Rossi at the movie theatre."

No one moved. Not even when they were "told" where they were to go. A few eyes looked at Hotch to see what he would say about the assignments, but he didn't say anything. It was actually Matt who broke the silence again.

"Chez." He suddenly shouted and waved at the door. A tall woman with long brown hair entered the crowded room a little too carefully.

"Matt?" She inquired looking from person to person. She really didn't like being around crowds, especially those made up mostly of men. Though she was able to keep that secret hidden deep down bellow the surface. In a time like this, though, she was finding it harder and harder to keep her calm, collected manner.

"This is Agent Hayley Chezaneski, Counter Terror's media Liaison. Agent Jareau, you will be working with her." Matt said.

JJ smiled and approached the other woman. "Nice to meet you, Agent Chezaneski."

"You can call me Chez." Hayley responded shaking JJ's hand. She could tell that she was going to like Agent Jareau. She was nice. Seemed to have it together. She was a lot like she was actually. Not to mention she was glade she would finally have some help. The media was going crazy about this, and they needed to get a hold of this before the entire nation was calling it an attack of terrorism, which might have been true. But from what the team had been saying before, this didn't seem to be an attack of terrorism. How that could be JJ had no idea.

"Okay, call me JJ." She said as the two liaisons walked out of the room, ready to getting started on their job. There was no reason for JJ to "ask" if that was what she was to do. It was her position, and the only thing right now that she knew she would be able to do effectively. She wasn't a profiler like the rest of the team, other than Garcia.

After watching Chez and JJ leave. Fear in his eyes for a split second as he watched yet another one of his team mates walk away into danger. Though she wasn't going to be leaving the building, at least not farther than the front steps. She would have to be safe, wouldn't she? "Okay," He said as soon as JJ and Chez were out the door. "Kate, with Agent Rossi." He said seemingly to purposefully skip Emily's name. Come this guy really be sexist? "Hotchner your group with me." He ordered starting to leave.

"Actually…" Hotch interrupted Matt's leaving. He turned back around with icy eyes threatening to hurt Hotch if there wasn't a good explanation for this. "We have a palmary profile that we'd like to share with you." He explained.

Matt stood with his feet firmly on the ground ready to here what kind of crap this guys had come up with. How on earth could they already know enough about person to have a profile? Crossing his arms over his chest he muttered, "Okay, what?"

A normal person would have been taken aback but the crass remark. But not Hotch. As smoothly as if Matt hadn't said anything he went into the profile they had come up with earlier as if this was any other case. "There is most likely two or more UNSUBs." He began.

"But don't think that this means that it's a terrorist attack. Chances are that this is a cause driven offender from New York City. This was his target. Something here." Emily continued quickly with the sudden urge to have to prove herself to Matthew. She actually kind of wished she was going to the hospital with him so she would have more chances to show him a girl could do "a guys work" ten times better.

"That sounds like a terrorist to me." Kate said in her normal I don't care tough girl tone of voice.

"Yes, but the difference between these UNSUBs and terrorist is their motive is against a specific person or persons in this town, not an entire nation." Rossi explained. Even in his years in the Bureau he had never seen anything like this. Or even more accurate never been in anything like this. And deep down he was scared to death by it.

"If we can find out why they targeted the places that they did, then we can find them." Reid said his mind already working a mile a minute. His eyes made there way to yet another map a New York City, luckily with the areas Krys had been talking about before marked on them. He advanced toward it, barely seeing Krys standing a few feet from it. Having blended in through out the entire briefing. "Do you mind if I draw on this?" He asked no one in particular.

"Sure. Go for it Picasso." Came Krys' flat, upstate sounding sarcastic voice, though not at all offensive. Reid pulled out a dozen markers off all different colors out of his messenger bag. "I've sketched out the boroughs. The red dots represent locations of the victims infected, green dots represent possible infections via contact with victim not location... Through doing that I've deducted the probably source of contact is here." She pointed to a movie theatre with a spare marker she had picked up.

"Last night thirty people checked themselves into the following hospitals." Point. Point. Point. "Within six hours the first two victims were dead. We're now up to fifteen." God she hated talking about people like numbers but really it was the only way to not get attached.

He looked up at the map, not even seeing the Technical analyst next to it. There was no time to let his feelings for Krys get in the way, he was worried, sure, but he couldn't let that get in the way.

For now they could rule out the hospitals, as far as they knew this had nothing to do with where those people were stationed now, but remembering the last terror attack it had ended up being the hospital that was under attack, the chances of that happening again where so far fetched, though. Listening to what she said he started to put things together in his head. thirty people infected in the last 18 hours, two victims were dead in the first six hours. Those would have been the first to be infected, by most chances. Now fifteen where dead, and near a hundred were in the hospital. His mind was working a thousand times a minute.

After a few moments of Reid forgetting that he was suppose to be explaining the geographic profile to those around him he began to talk. "Based on where the first victims were infected we can determine what the significance of that location to the UNSUBs. Or who was the initial target." he explained looking over the map at all the points trying to find the pattern that he knew was there. Finally after a moment of silence he said to Hotch. "I'd like to stay here and work the geographic profile."

Hotch nodded, though the young man was still facing the board and couldn't see it. Hotch was about to voice his agreement when Matt made an advance for the young agent. While Hotch stayed put, knowing that Matt was just being hostel because so many people had died. Morgan on the other hand took a step forward, to protect his "little brother".

Clearing his throat he shook his head, he wasn't going to leave room in the conversation for him to be snapped at in return. "You go wherever your team wants you. Just stay out of the way." He announced before breaking away from the group, eying Kate for a moment (to see how she was holding up).

Reid stopped in his tracks at the sound of Grimaldi's voice. He looked from the map to older man with worried eyes. Why did this guy hate him so much? What had he ever done to upset him?

"Robin." Matt hinted in a gruff voice, though not terrifying as Krys immediately turned to face him. It was apparent, though his dark and intimidating demeanor, he was looking out for her, even if it wasn't necessarily in the way others would wish. One thing was for sure, Matthew was extremely intense with all of these outside agents bustling about his terf, not to mention a certain Agent in particular who Krys had mentioned a few too many times for his liking

."They need you in the back running a check through the symptoms and possible disease mutations." He rattled off lowly, Krys now looking like a puppy being ordered not to piddle on the carpet. "Ten minutes ago. You're not supposed to be handing out your key either." That was all Krys needed to depart, doing her best to weasel past the crowd though she was easily bumped about being only five foot three. Matt then looked to the BAU agents with a less than friendly face.

Krys looked at Matt with stunned eyes for an instant. Than she regained her composer and no matter how much she wanted to stay with Reid she left the room. She walked through the hall, which was surprisingly empty when she felt suddenly light headed, something she wasn't exactly used to, and then made herself stand on the side. Her back against the cool wall. She fwapped herself lightly in the face with one of the folders she was carrying, trying to get her head back in the game.

"Tomatoes are fruits, not vegetables." She murmured the fact to herself quietly in a tone of disdain, aimed at herself. Shutting her eyes for a moment she tried to gather herself, her wits and her focus which currently she was struggling with. She was just so tired, but she knew she had to push herself through this. She wanted to help... But why did she always get stuck in the lair? How could she help anyone from inside the Bureau? It was beginning to get redundant.

Matt then went to stand in the door way. He was ready to go. He had no more patients for standing around talking. He had to do something. Get into action.

Hotch quickly said. Trying to ignore Matt waiting impatiently, "You stay here Reid." Then he looked at Morgan silently telling him it was time to go. This was going to end up being a very long day.

Nodding he turned back to the map for a second then at Morgan. "Is it just me or was there something wrong with the way he's acting?" he asked in a whisper hoping that the other man didn't hear him. His eyes meeting Kate Saunders for a moment, having forgotten that the other CT agent had been there.

Kate watched as Matt moved away. He seemed to have taken a shine to this Spencer Reid, as well as the rest of his team. It was going to be hard to work with Matt when he was being so frustrated and unreasonable. In fact Kate was thinking that today she was the one that was going to have to lecture him, an odd change of event. Yet Kate wasn't much better. She was trigger happy, the moment she saw the jerks that did this they were dead and no one was telling her any different. Luckily no one knew this because no one knew her past.

Smiling at Reid she said, "Matty's just being difficult." She knew if Matt heard her call him Matty she would be dead, luckily he had no care for what Kate was doing today. "That means that he likes you." She added with a wink. Some might think that now was not the time to be making jokes and being sarcastic, but Kate thought that there was no better time. As long as she wasn't putting anyone in danger there was no harm in it. She leaning against the long table and waited for her group to decided it was time to go. In the back of her mind she was aware that they could probably learn more about her by her actions then she would like them to, but there was no time to worry about that now.

Morgan decided to take a more suddel approach to the question then Kate, though it was good to see that she was at least some what on their side. "Tensions are high, kid." This was already at a stage that they were losing control of - there were dead and there were sick, and it was taking place in one of the most crowded cities in America. This was a situation that could only be described as hell. "And we're on his turf." Morgan added, after a second. he guessed that the man didn't like people encroaching on his turf, his team. Despite the territorial feelings, and despite the fact that Morgan was gritting his teeth in response to being forced to a different location and Matt's harsh words towards Reid, they'd have to force themselves to all get along, for the greater good. And they had to get themselves going, soon.

"And I don't like you." Matt corrected Kate's words about Spencer. He hadn't meant them to come off as cold as they did but he didn't enjoy being spoken for, let alone being made out to be some sort of softie with a heart. No, that pleasure was reserved for certain special people.

"Sooner we get going, sooner we can stop this son of a bitch." Morgan added after a pause and exited the room. It was probably best to not keep Matt waiting to long. With that Morgan, and Hotch followed Matt out of the room.

Kate felt kind of out of place. She was probably the only one who know what Matt hated Dr. Reid so much. It was Krys. Matt had always been protective over her, sometimes to the point of seeming in love, though Kate had figured out that they weren't in love, there was no way. And now it seemed Krys had made a new "friend" and that friend was a guy and Matt was as protective as a father cleaning his rifle by the door. It was kind of annoying. She would have a talk with him when they were alone. The same talk that he would give her if she didn't have her head in the game while undercover. It was the same concept.

Finally Hotch and Matt agreed and they were on there way. She wasn't going to have fun running around town with Emily and Rossi, but she had no other choose. As soon as their boss was out of the room they too went out, ready also to get started. Before she followed them she looked at Reid and said, "Matt's having his period, don't worry, it'll pass." Then she left the room, a small smirk on her face. In all truth it was kind of like he was.