Chapter 14: My Trio
The night was falling. Reid was stuck in the lab, reading thousands of articles the professor wrote regarding his research but never published. He feared the world reaction or possible arrest for illegal procedures. Paper after paper, the words were of true genius. The professor stood strong on all biochemical grounds with Genetics background. He must have excelled as a student or perhaps was a child prodigy like Reid. In some way, it feared Reid to see what minds alike him were capable of. He was pleased with himself to have chosen the right career in life.
A light click at this time of the hour gained Reid's attention. He was all alone in a strange place. He knew his team must be going nuts about his disappearance and not to mention his lovers must be in chaos. Another click. Another sound and Reid was back on his feet, moving around the lab. The clone wasn't in sight since the morning. He must have gone somewhere, perhaps back to the team. Reid wanted to ran back to tell everyone the truth about their boss.
The sound was coming from the door beside the washrooms. He pressed the knob and the door opened to another lab-like setting. In the middle of the room, a small bed was placed with someone hidden under blankets. The grunts were coming from under it, the movement of person sliding the bed against the floor. It was like someone was struggling underneath it. Reid rushed over, removing the blanket off and revealing Hotch gagged there. His hands were tied to the bed, his face was covered in tears. Reid felt his heart skip a beat.
Nature had its way. It was something beyond the DNA of a person. In an instance, Reid could feel he was facing his own Hotch and not the clone. The build up of years of stress was evident on this face. Reid's mouth fell open finally finding what he was missing for weeks now.
Hotch tugged at the ropes again, probably to bring his beloved agent out of the trance. Without wasting another second, Reid was on the mission to remove the gag from Hotch's mouth. He threw it aside as Hotch gulped in some air.
"Reid...God, Reid. I'm so happy to see you" He spoke quickly.
"Hotch. I can't believe what just happened" Reid said while opening the knots above the bed. Hotch was free in a minute. He pulled Reid into a warm hug. Reid finally was at peace. The stinging of the slap returning to his memory and washing away instantly.
"Reid, I don't understand what's happening. Where are we? How did you get here?" Why does everyone hate me now?" Hotch questioned.
"Easy there now" Reid smiled a little. Hotch was probably sequester here for days, not knowing what the Professor was up to.
"You know, Rossi he accused me of shooting Morgan. ME! And, Emily she can't even look into my eyes, she's disgusted at me...what have I done?" Hotch couldn't resist not asking questions.
"Reid, you hate me too. Ha? Tell me please" He said it all one breath.
"Hotch. Calm down. I have it all figured all. You didn't do anything wrong. They are just as confused as are you" Reid said. Hotch wanted to cry more but he dared not let another tear out in front of his agent.
"How do you know they accused you?" Reid questioned instead.
"I was left in a car. Rossi found me and took me to the Police. They arrested me, questioned me non-sense. The press is after me. They think I kidnapped you" Hotch answered. The final piece of the puzzle fit in for Reid. Professor was beyond brilliant to have created such a dilemma. He had the real Hotch face the psychological taunts and the clone to create the rifts in the dynamics of the team. It made sense. They were swapped at times.
Reid inhaled some air and started on explaining the whole game to Hotch. He told him how the lab was for the clone and how he was exchanged. Hotch could never expect such a story to even exist let alone be a part of it. He had a living clone of himself. The man from the accident, changing into his clothes right after the explosion was his clone. They want him to be ruined.
"Hotch, remember the code word 'Erhu'. "Reid suggested "This way I'll know you're not the clone. Ok."
Hotch could only nod at this time. His world finally made sense, all thanks to Reid but it all was so wrong. He never deserved such treatment. And suddenly the case flashed across his mind. The mangled bodies with their digestive tracks unused as newborns. The seven bodies missing over the span of two years, the mentally retarded victims returning home as new people. It all made sense now. They were the clones. They were undone and untrained lives.
The professor kidnapped random people to experiment with their clones. He was not successful at them, so he let their lives hang miserably in the real world. Hotch's head spun terribly. This can't be happening. He grabbed Reid's hand for support.
"How are we going to fight all these clones?" He asked. Reid had no idea.
"Very well Dr. Reid" The Professor interrupted "Seems like you finally found your Hotch. But, trust me, even this one is after your trio love story".
"You don't know everything" Reid replied not understanding why Professor would bring in his love life at this time.
"You make me so happy Dr. Reid. I can't describe it to you" Professor replied. Both agents felt confused.
"You're so much more better than I thought" He answered not caring how their faces looked at his sudden entrance. Professor never had a friend, nor a lover, nor was anyone even loved by him. He felt Emily captured his heart but Dr. Reid seemed no less either. Maybe, he should have a trio with both of them. They would be the perfect trio ever, beautiful and exceptionally smart. He smiled. His heart fluttering.
"How many clones did you make so far?" Reid asked.
"Not enough" He stepped over to Hotch and suddenly retrieved a gun from behind him.
"Sorry Boss but now I have no use of you anymore" He lifted the weapon at Hotch.
"Oh no, no. What're you doing?" Reid panicked, Hotch backed a little on the bed.
"I brought him here so you could meet him one last time. Now, that's done" Professor replied.
"OHH, please no. I beg of you. Please don't" Reid felt desperate. Hotch was lost in their battle of words.
"Why not Dr. Reid?" he asked "We can't have 2 of them running around for too long".
"Please, let him live. I'll do anything in exchange. Please" He insisted.
"Reid stop" Hotch spoke up.
"Oh yah, you're sure you'll do anything?" Professor lowered the gun.
"YES" Reid panicked.
"Ok. I'll let him live here if you bring Emily Prentiss here within two hours all by yourself" Professor presented his next idea.
"NO!" Hotch exclaimed "We're not giving you another sample of DNA"
Reid felt torn apart. He had to decide now, for Hotch's live or Emily. What was he going to do? Let him have Emily hostage here too. Could he leave the lab to bring Emily and in return have him arrested somehow but Hotch's life would be at stack. Isn't he already at stack here?
"Okay, I'll do it" Reid replied after thinking. Hotch glared back at him, anger swimming in his eyes. He couldn't let the Professor have his way with his agents like that.
"Reid no, consider it my order" Hotch said.
"I'm so sorry to say but he now follows my order. He's my employee not yours" Professor interrupted.
"I can't let him kill you" Reid whispered back to Hotch.
"Very wise Dr. Reid" Professor said. Hotch didn't like how he talked about his agents. Hotch wanted revenge. He wanted to break free and beat the scientist to death like Foyet. But, he had trust in Reid. Maybe he could take advantage of his freedom, bring back-up or at least hint others or something.
"Let's get to work" Professor waved Reid to follow him. He smiled back at Hotch and quickly left the room, breathing in relief that Hotch was still alive.
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The Professor had four men drive Reid back to Hotel where he was kidnapped from a night ago. Reid was made to dial Emily's phone. He wanted to sound okay in front of the men. Emily spoke in the phone not knowing where the call was coming from. She left the hospital room to attend the unknown caller. It was midnight already.
"Emily. Listen I need your help" Reid spoke right away. Her feet swept off the ground, the terror in her beloved's voice shook her world.
"Spencer, where are you?" She asked while running to the next floor to get her team.
"I'm okay but I want you to come meet me here, alone. Please it's important don't let anyone follow you" He said what the men wanted him to say but with stressing the right words to alert her.
"Are you okay? Where do want me to come?" She panicked, racing on her feet, her heart pounding with each step she took on the stairs.
"My head is safe" He replied in the darkness of the car surrounded with angry faces glaring at him. His confidence was slipping away under their violent gaze.
"The hotel parking where he shot Morgan" Reid played his words carefully, hoping to get the message across. The man beside him suddenly grabbed the phone.
"Emily, I don't love you" He managed to say before the phone was snatched off. The man grew angry at the useless sentence spoken without his permission, he grabbed the doctor by his collar.
"Stay in your limits boy. I'm not afraid to screw you over" He threatened and threw him back. Their work was done. Reid hoped this could get the case cracking for them. Of course he loved her but he never wanted her here. The man opened the door and let Reid out on the parking lot.
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Emily flung the door open, knocking everyone on their feet. Everyone saw her gasping for air, shaking her head.
"Spencer ju-just ca-called" she managed to speak with her limited air supply.
"What?" Rossi grabbed her shoulder. Garcia ran to grab a glass of water for her.
"He's with the unsubs. They made him call me" she finally said the whole sentence, still trying to calm her breathing but his voice, the terror hidden behind it just snatched all away from her. She wanted to run to him now, not caring for any procedures, for any lives. She just wanted to see him already.
"What did he say?" Morgan panicked, rising from his bed.
"The real Hotch is with him. We have the clone in custody instead" She said.
"What?" JJ exclaimed.
"He hinted Hotch's safety by saying 'My head is safe'. They want me over to the Hotel's parking lot all alone" She went on.
"GOSH!" Rossi punched in air, the frustration and stress trolling on him.
"He said it's important, he needs help" She went on, not believing how his love was suddenly in so much danger.
"Does he want us there?" JJ asked.
"He signalled me not to come but- we should do something at least. They can potentially kill them both if we-" Emily started to panic even more.
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The Professor heard the words coming out of Dr. Reid's mouth. He knew how smartly he dodged the idiot men in the car. But, he wasn't like them. That doctor was clearly playing him. The angry scientist rose from his computer, smashing his earphones aside. He quickly called his clone. He needed to report every step back. He wanted trouble, more trouble for this team now. The team which gave him birth. He always belonged to them, didn't he.
"Dr. Reid just made a terrible mistake. He's going to regret this big time" Professor spoke to himself taking the gun out.
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