PANOPLY OF FEAR
Chapter 6
Dichotomy

Poverty is the worst kind of violence - Gandhi

Early the next morning, at six, Reid's alarm went off, and he opened his eyes and stared straight at the ceiling. The first thing that crossed his mind was Hotch.

Where was he? Was he alive? Were they hurting him?

He rolled onto his side and swung his legs out of the bed. The only way to help Aaron was to get working and find him.

Morgan was still asleep, so he went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Standing under the hot massaging water, Spencer couldn't stop thinking of Hotch. He had almost told Emily about the time Hotch came round to see him after the Philip Dowd case. Neither he nor Aaron had spoken about that night to anyone; in fact they hadn't even said much about it between themselves. Sometimes he wondered if it really happened.

While Morgan was in the shower, his phone rang. It was Rossi, and Reid answered it.

"There has been a death."

"Not Ebola?" Reid felt his stomach twist.

"We need you in my room asap." And Rossi cut the connection, leaving Reid staring at the handset in horror.

Morgan came out of the bathroom. "You alright kid?"

"There's been an Ebola death, Morgan." Reid said. "A seven year old child. Rossi's called a meeting."

-0-0-0-

The child, an African American girl aged seven, had died in the night. She had come home from school feeling sick, and had gone straight to bed where she had died a few hours later. The Centre for Disease Control had decided to not release the news yet, and allow the children and teachers to go to school today, and then quarantine the school. Only then would they send suited up technicians into the school to try to find the source.

It was possible that the child was patient zero and had been infected out of school, although the parents said that she was quite well when she went to school that morning.

"But what if the source is in the school." Reid said. "Those children may not yet be infected. Sending them into a Hot Zone without warning them could be sending them to their deaths."

It was awful. But the decision had been made. It was better than letting the dreaded sickness out of the school. At least this way the outbreak could be controlled.

The parents of the dead child were asked, or rather ordered, to go to the school too. They were very likely infected now. They were given a choice. Go to the school, or face the consequences. They were aware that the consequences would mean being shot.

"It's barbaric." Emily said.

"We stop looking for Hotch now. If we find him during our investigation, that's well and good. But our priority is to get this UnSub before he kills anyone else." Rossi said. "We are not giving up on Hotch. It s likely that the same UnSub is responsible for Hotch's abduction and the outbreak at the school, but the school must come first."

Reid looked at Dave's eyes. He could see in them a deep and terrible sadness. Aaron was a close friend, and the last thing he wanted to do was abandon him. But it was the right call. They didn't have to like it, just obey it.

"So what do we know about this UnSub?" Dave said.

"He's highly intelligent, with a knowledge of virology." said Spencer. "He's probably worked with primates. He might have actually worked in the labs."

"Ok, Reid, Look into that please." Dave said. "What else do we have?"

"He's brazen." Emily said. "Assuming it's the same UnSub who abducted Hotch, he just walked in and took him, seconds away from being caught, and somewhere it was probable that he would be seen. As he was, in fact."

"He's white." Morgan said. "He's racist, blames the African Americans for the ills of society. He could be associated with an anti poverty group. Reid and I are going to join one tonight."

"He must have somewhere to work." Jareau said. "He must have labs to experiment in, where he wouldn't be disturbed."

"Morgan and Emily, follow up that lead. Jareau, you will be travelling back to Quantico later with Garcia I believe. " Dave said. "See if you can get a connection between the kidnappers and anyone Reid comes up with."

Saying that the team had to abandon the search for Hotch was one thing. Doing it himself was another. They all noticed, and they were all relieved.

-0-0-0-

Aaron's body convulsed it the small space that had become his world. He had no room to move, and as his muscles tightened, his legs tried to straighten, air was forced out of his lungs, and he tried so hard to not scream. Sounds escaped his lips like low soft moans, but when the screams came he couldn't stop them. As his back arched, his arms were pressed against the bars. His feet pushed back behind him as his knees flexed. He threw his head back and bit down on his tongue, blood sprayed from his mouth as he shook his head from side to side in an attempt to control what was happening to him. The whole time his body shook and convulsed he was conscious. He knew what was happening and could do nothing to stop it.

The only part of him that didn't move were his arms, strapped securely to the top of the cage. He wrenched his shoulders in the struggle, and he felt and heard a crack as his shoulders dislocated. The pain made him dizzy, and he wanted to faint. But whatever was in the IV would not allow him to pass out. Everything he experienced with agonising lucidity.

When at last the IV had emptied itself into his now bruised and bleeding arms, the seizures abated, and he was allowed to fall into an exhausted faint.

-0-0-0-

Rossi and Reid went back to the labs again to chat with Doctor Page. They got a list of employees, and a list of those who had recently left or been sacked.

"We would like to speak to the head technician again, Edward I think his name is. Please would you call him? I would rather speak to him here than in his own environment."

Dr Page picked up her phone and called the lab. She asked to speak to Edward, and she listened for a minute. Then she thanked whoever it was she was speaking to, and replaced the handset.

"He didn't come in to work today." She said, clearly worried. "I'll get you his file."

She went to a cupboard behind her, and opened a drawer. Quickly flicking through the folders, she took out one, and handed it to Rossi.

"I can't stay with you, I am needed elsewhere." She said.

"The school?" Reid asked. "We know about the school."

"I hope the office made the right call." Dave said to her as she ran out into the corridor, and down towards where her car was parked.

Reid and Rossi went down to the lab to talk to Fair's work colleagues.

They weren't surprised by what they found. He wasn't a popular man, although none of the technicians could quite say what it was about him they didn't like. The closest they got was that he was a loner, and looked down on people. Typical of the type of UnSub they were looking for.

The two men left the building and drove back down the drive with the gardens on either side. They were beautiful, Dave remembered from before. But now they seemed to have taken on a chilling quality.

On the way back to the hotel, they drove past the address where Fair lived. It was a small single storey prefab. They were both surprised by it. Edward fair was obviously poor himself.

"That's probably why he stayed aloof from his colleagues." Reid said. "He was ashamed."

Rossi stopped the car and they went to the door. Reid knocked it, but it was deserted.

Thinking about this, they returned to the hotel.

-0-0-0-

Garcia and Jareau had left to return to Quantico. The remaining four agents spent the day going through the known associates of Edward Fair. He had few friends.

At five thirty, Spencer and Derek left for St Hilda's church. They took their side arms concealed in the back of their waist bands under their jackets, but Morgan left behind what Hotch referred to as his 'bat belt'. He felt vulnerable without it, but they didn't want to look like Feds when they spoke to the Chairman, if he was going to be there. From what Reid was told, it was unlikely.

That didn't matter at this stage. All they needed to do at this stage was ask a few questions. When they arrived at the church, there were already three other cars in the car park. Morgan parked at the other side opposite the row of cars, facing the gate. It ewas a habit, but a good one. Park for a quick clean get away.

The agents left the car and walked to the hall at the back of the church. Reid knocked on the door to the hall, and a young woman opened it.

"Mr Reid." She said. "I am Chloe. We spoke on the phone. "

Reid shook her hand. "Nice to meet you face to face." He said. "This is my friend Mr Morgan. He is especially interested in poverty relief among his brothers."

Morgan held out his hand to shake, and Chloe seemed to hesitate before returning the gesture. Reid watched her face. There was definite reluctance there. He didn't like it. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

Morgan was genuinely surprised that there were no other people there from minorities; they were all white, and well off. He commented to the man sitting next to him that he expected there to be more black people there, as they were greatly affected by poverty. He wondered if any of these people had heard about the school. Reid was chatting to Chloe and an older woman who introduced herself as Kay. Reid took out a folded picture from his pocket and handed it to Kay.

"Is this man a member?" he asked. "I knew him from work and I am trying to contact him." Reid carefully watched the women's eyes, but they gave away nothing.

"I don't know him." She said, and gave him back the picture of Fair. She changed the subject. "How did you find out about us?" she asked.

Reid had the impression that they were watching him. He remembered that Chloe had said that they needed to check people out before they disclosed too much.

"I found a flyer in the library." He said. "How will I know if I have been accepted as a member?"

Kay looked over his shoulder at Morgan, who was trying to make a conversation, but failing. "If you leave your number with Chloe, she will call you." She said.

"I have many questions about the group." Reid said. "Poverty is not something we should see in our great country."

"We agree with you. Please, come through here, Mr Reid. There is something I want to show you."

Reid glanced back at let Morgan know that he was going around the back, but he was at last in a conversation. He followed the women through a door.

As soon as he was through the door he sensed something wasn't right. Then when he heard the door slam, he was certain of it. He swung round to meet his attacker.

"Edward!" he said, not altogether surprised. He reached to the back of his belt to retrieve his gun, but he wasn't fast enough. The pipe that Fair was holding hit the side of his head, his right ear started to ring horribly, and he felt blood run down his neck. Hefell to the right and put out his hands to save himself, but he was disoriented, and when the pipe came down on the back of his head, he tried to turn over and face his attacker. He needed to call Morgan, but one of the women kicked him in the mouth. He felt his front teeth loosen and his lip split. He reached up to his face to protect himself, and the pipe caught his fingers. He yelped in pain, sure that they were broken. The pipe swung and hit his ear again, and this time, he passed out. His last thought was for Morgan to get out, and quick!

A/N See LDSK Epilogue by Aggie Escott