***Hopefully Chapter is 10 working for everyone now.

Chapter 11: Explosion

He flipped through the pictures again. His eyes stuck on the group photo in front of a beach. The whole BAU gang smiling in bright sun. And, there was Hotch in the middle holding his child on his shoulders. The true happiness were on their faces.

The clone examined each face again. True contentment and friendship. Even his untrained mind could feel the emotions exploding from the picture. Hotch lived a happy life. He had family, friends, Jack, a good house and a respectable job. The clone watched, thinking how he was just his shadow and nothing more. He was nothing himself. A part of him was sad at that thought. The illusion that all of Hotch's things were his started to hurt. Why can't it be real? Why can't he be Hotch in real?

He looked up as Dr. Reid stepped in his sight. He looked up, sadly.

"So, what should I call you?" Reid asked. The clone stood up from his spot. The professor left them here while he prepared for the recruiting process.

"Hotch..."clone mumbled confusingly.

"But that's not you" Reid said. The clone fell silent staring back in hazel eyes which were determined to win over the professor. Reid knew the key to creator is the creation itself.

"I-I don't know" Clone replied, looking back at the picture book in his hand which the professor prepared for him for training purposes. Reid noticed the picture in his hand, trembling.

"This was in Cuba two years ago" Reid spoke and smiled back at the clone.

"Do you know where Cuba is?" Reid asked. The clone closed the book and set it aside. The frustration clearly trolling on him.

"What are you trying to do?" The clone asked instead.

"You are the first human clone to function normally, or who appears to be normal. I'm just curious about you " Reid talked, his intentions to dehumanize the perfectly human clone in front of him. He still couldn't believe that the man staring back at him was created in a lab and not in a womb. It's was impossible to even think about. The professor must be a mad genius who must have spent decades on this research. He doesn't look that old. So, why human cloning? What does he want to accomplish with Hotch's clone?

"Can I see that book? Is it your training guide" Reid asked.

"No" The clone grabbed the book and walked out the lab. Reid felt so awkward seeing Hotch's face but Professor's words coming out of the same source or body.

XXX XXX XXX XXX XX

Morgan stirred a little as Garcia stared back in his sleepy eyes. His cloudy vision finally settled after few attempts of regaining consciousness. His head was spinning, the anesthesia slowly swaying away.

"Baby BOY! You're up!" Garcia cheered. He had to smile back at her voice. Just then, Emily too entered the room. Finally, he was awake after his surgery. She walked over to his bed and grabbed his hand. She kissed it gently.

"Did they find-Reid?" Morgan's raspy voice questioned. Emily shook her head in despair.

"We found Hotch but he has no idea where he took Reid" She replied.

"BULLSHIT!" Morgan yelled but the fresh wound quickly had him weakened again.

"Rossi think someone is doing this to Hotch" Garcia added to ease the creasing forehead on the bed.

"Where did Reid just go?" He sighed. Emily stood up not standing the thoughts of them separated like this. They had to be three, forever, as they always planned.

"Gonna go back to the station" She let the others know. Morgan closed his eyes in pain, the pain of betrayal. How will he ever stand Hotch again who so daringly shot him last night? For so many years, he trusted him with his life. And, this result just was so unfair. Morgan wanted to scream at Hotch, to bring back sense in him.

"Where's JJ?" He asked, still keeping his eyes closed.

"She had to call Haley's sister and Jack. They still don't know anything" She replied.

XXX XXX XX

The professor was checking upon the progressing clone stages, adding necessary factors to stimulate different stages of fetus development without the womb. The timing had to be perfect for it to work. The clone entered the lab watching the walls filled with glass cases with unmade humans.

"What's my name?" He asked, startling the professor. He quickly finished his work and looked back.

"You forgot?" Professor questioned.

"I'm not Hotch. I'm his clone. So, what should my name be?" The clone clarified.

"You are Hotch too. You share the same DNA. You are derived from him, you are his part. Your name is Aaron Hotchner too" Professor explained in his most polite voice.

"Dr. Reid said I'm a different human" Clone said. Professor smiled "I'm nothing like him. I'm not real"

"That's just his desperate little tries to make you feel different. Remember I told you he's a master manipulator. He has training for it" Professor replied" Don't let his words alter your mindset".

The clone remained quiet for a while.

"So, what's next now?" He asked.

"Hotch is being transferred to another facility for further questioning. And, that's when you'll strike. I need Dr. Reid to go little coo-coo here" Professor said.

"I have to stay in prison now!" the clone whined.

"Just for a little while, I promise" Professor pated his back "the procedure is written in Book IV"

The professor watched as his clone walked out the room ready for the next stage. He quickly walked to his cabinet and drew the recruitment kit out. He then walked to where Dr. Reid was examining the lab setting. In the side of the room, there was a large bed with belts hanging out from the sides. The bedding felt as if someone was lying on it for a long time. Reid panicked imagining Hotch lying here sometimes ago. But, where was he now.

The professor entered the room, smiling.

"Yes, Hotch was here" He told Reid who straightened back up.

"Where's he now?" Reid asked.

"Let's start the procedure for entering you in" He said instead. Reid raised his brow at his reply. He watched professor draw a big needle out of his kit.

"Just need a little blood sample from you, just in case you choose to resign or run away" The professor explained.

"NO!" Reid panicked "I'm not gonna go anywhere now"

"I know. This is just like signing a contract but with blood" Professor smirked.

"Aren't you excited to actually enter my cloning lab? Let's just get this contract aside fast then" Professor loved the fear on the agent's face. This only meant he was successful. The intelligent doctor was afraid to give blood because he knew Professor could turn this around so easily. This fear, this status was all the professor ever wanted to accomplish. He could clone anyone so everyone was scared of his powers.

Reid chanted a mantra inside his head. Don't let him do this. Don't let him do this. Don't let him do this.

XXXXX XXX XX

The officers were all getting in their designated vehicles. Hotch was been taken to higher investigative officials back in Quantico. He sat on the back seat surrounded with police. He sighed realizing how terrifying this looked. Hotch, the unit chief of BAU was the culprit here. He just wished he remembered where Reid was.

The crowd full of journalists and cameras approached their vehicle.

"The FBI unit head actually attacked his own team members. Whose to trust them now for public affairs" Hotch heard one of the reporters say. His heart sank. He was a terrible person now. The door closed on him as a rush of reporters attacked the car while the police backed them off. The driver sat inside waiting for the chaos to end.

Hotch just wanted to cry now. The tears slowly broke all barriers and rolled down his cheeks. Where had he come in life? He lost so much for this job, for this team and this was how he was being treated now. Haley must be cursing him from heavens. Hotch started to whimper. He could take everything but not the hateful eyes of people towards him. He was the bad guy now. Another sob escaped from him. The driver turned back this time watching the mighty FBI unit chief drenching in tears.

But, he closed his eyes, trying to escape from here. He didn't realize when finally the crowd was tackled and their cars were moving away. They drove silently on the road. An officer was sitting beside him as he refused to look back at anything. Everything about everything was strange. He was shot, someone tried to kill him days ago and now he was accused of attempting murder of his agent, Morgan. There was something missing. He wanted to find it out even if it meant digging old graves!

And, suddenly something hit the windshield of the car in front and seconds later a explosion resulted knocking all cars off the road and in flames. Hotch felt falling out of the exploded car. The impact so sudden, so powerful, he felt he was dead for a moment.

He couldn't move. Something was hurt inside him. He remained still where ever he was. He opened his eyes to see a tree and his car burning in flames with some officers still inside. The smoke rose up, as sirens were ringing. The disaster was done. His heart was beating faster and faster. Until a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him up. He turned his head to see a man sliding him back into another car few meters behind the explosion.

Hotch saw more men sitting in the car. They quickly approached him and started loosening his clothing. His injured body allowed only mere resistance against them. The clothes were quickly taken off and a blanket was thrown at him. His vision only allowed a small view of another man standing in the bushes now wearing his clothing, the bloody suit. Hotch shifted the blanket away, watching from the side window as the man turned quickly turned his face towards him.

The air inside Hotch's lung knocked out at the moment when was himself standing outside. The man was just like him. He blinked few times but the man still appeared to resemble him. There was another Hotch. More police sirens were not approaching as the car which now had him started to race away. Hotch felt utterly confused. His eyes still on the man now running towards the exploded car. Who was he? Hotch looked back at himself, his hands, his face. Hotch never had a twin brother. Was he hallucinating? Does he have a look alike in his world? Why was there an explosion and then swapping of him with this man? Hotch felt he was submerged in boiling frustration. Nothing made sense no more. Did he just witness another version of him or was he officially insane now?

Please Review to share your concerns and comments. I think the story is now reaching the climax. Do you think it is going slow or at the right pace? Thanks again for all YOUR SUPPORT