Crossing Boundaries
Chapter 8: Words
The members of the BAU stood in shocked silence. The accusation Anika had flung in Elle's face had shocked them to the core. Glances were shared amongst them, uncertainty abound. There was an air of awkwardness among them, each one unsure of how to diffuse the situation they found themselves in.
"Shit…" Morgan finally said. It seemed to sum up the feelings quite well.
Hotch emerged from the observation side of the interrogation room, his face clouded with mixed emotions. He gazed seriously at each of his agents. "All of us have behaved inappropriately on this case. I will not take disciplinary action; we have no time." His words fell on the agents ears like death knells. "Reid, Gideon, you both are in charge of this case. All calls are made by you."
Gideon nodded sagely at Hotch. "Garcia, I want rosters of passengers and crewmembers from the ship that brought Miss Paranosz over from Croatia. Elle, Derek, you two are in charge of starting a profile given what she has just told you. JJ, I want the press out of this." The team members jumped to do the requested tasks.
Sitting at his desk, Reid was lost in his own thoughts. His long fingers were idly playing with a Rubik's Cube. There had been something Anika said that was puzzling him greatly.
"Reid…Reid…" Gideon's voice brought him out of his daze. He blinked at Gideon, his brown eyes wide with confusion.
"We're going to review the interview tape," Gideon said simply.
Once inside the quiet observation room, Gideon began playback. The tape had captured every detail of Anika's emotional episode. The two men watched carefully, hoping to find something of value.
That was when Reid heard it. He slammed his hand on the pause button. "Right there."
Gideon was puzzled by the ambiguity of the ambiguity of the statement. He looked at his young genius, waiting for answers.
"That phrase: 'How am I supposed to live with the shame of losing my nevinost (purity) to a rapist supak?'" He pointed to the screen. "Look at her facial expression. I don't speak Croatian, but I can tell she doesn't like this man. Judging by those words and her expression here, the attack in the alley was the second time this unsub raped her. The unsub must have been on the ship from Croatia with her." He slumped down in his chair, running his fingers through his hair. "My God," he muttered, "she's suffered so much in silence."
Gideon clapped Reid on the shoulder, pleased with what the young man had found. "Then let's ease her suffering."