A/N – Character death – shorter chapter

NO SURRENDER
Chapter 8
End Game

Reid spread out the documents from the safety deposit box on the table. Most were documents pertaining to her search for her father. But there were two title deeds, one for the house where they had found the body of the unknown man, and one of another house out of the city. The deed was under the name of Albert Chaucer.

The maternal grandfather.

He slid the papers into a pile and left the room. Dave was interviewing Cynthia, and Reid took the stairs down to the ground floor to join him.

'I will not tell you where he is!' she shouted at Rossi. 'He is mine!'

'Is he hurt?' Dave asked trying to keep calm. He kept remembering the body in the basement of her house. She said "He is mine." Did that mean they were too late? 'Does he need a doctor?'

'I brought him a doctor.' she stated. 'All I need is antibiotics. Just give me them, and let me go or he will die.'

'Where is he, Cynthia. We will take him to a hospital and make him well again.' Dave felt Morgan pacing the room behind him. This was getting no where.

'You can't have him!' she said in a low menacing tone.

'Where is the doctor?' Dave asked – let's try a different tack.

'I killed him. Never mind him; I need to get back to Hotchner. He will die if I don't get back.' she stood up and leaned forwards. 'I want antibiotics, and I need to go.'

'Please sit down.' Dave said quietly. 'We will consider what you have said.'

Dave stood up and Morgan followed him out of the room. An LAPD cop took their place and stood just inside the door. Reid was waiting for them.

'I have an address.' he said.

-0-0-0-

Why won't they just let me go? I offered to pay for the window, and all I need is some drugs for Hotchner and he will be fine. But they need to let me go so that I can go and nurse him.

I have left him tied to the bed, but he is very sick, and he needs me.

I am his life giver and sustainer. Without me he is nothing.

Without me, he dies!

I do not understand why they won't just let me go! I don't want them poking around my grand daddy's house. They might disturb his body. Teyt might take my Hotchner away from me.

They have already taken Mason. But this is more. I deeply love Hotchner. I can train him, make him perfect for only me....... He is more than Mason.

So much more.

-0-0-0-

The voices were back now, singing with the wind that wound the air tight against the house. He could hear the voices sing gentle songs to him, but the words he couldn't understand. He called to them to tell him what they were singing about but they ignored him.

'Please talk to me.....' he begged. But they took no notice.

-0-0-0-

Dave drove the SUV out of the city towards the house. Reid rode shotgun, Emily and Morgan in the back.

Garcia had said that the owner of the house was indeed Mr. Albert Chaucer, who according to the records was eighty six years old, and still alive. Which posed the question, why were the deeds in Cynthia Chaucer's safety deposit box.

They saw the house in the distance. It looked as if it began life as a pioneers' cottage. It had a veranda around two sides, with a rocking chair and hammock. Reid imagined the place years ago with the pioneer family on the veranda, learning to live in a strange new world. Smoking and watching the sun go down on the new land.......

Now the house had a desolate air to it.

And maybe they would find Hotch there.

Dave drove quickly to the front of the veranda, skidding the car round at the last minute so that it was parallel to the front wall.

The four agents got out of the vehicle. Morgan retrieved a small battering ram from the boot.

'This house would have been built without a basement, but is appears that the basement has been added afterwards.' Reid said. He pointed to a small hillock behind the property.

'If Hotch is here, that is where we will find him.' Morgan said.

Dave knocked on the door.

'Mr. Chaucer, this is the FBI. Please open the door.'

There was no sound from within. They waited for a few seconds, and Dave stepped back. Morgan swung the battering ram that he was carrying and broke open the door.

The smell in the house made them recoil. The smell was of death. The agent split up in the hall way and took a room each. Dave heard Morgan and Reid shout 'clear', the Emily said,

'Oh my good god!'

Dave went to the kitchen. Emily was standing with her gun at her side, hand over her mouth and nose staring at the body sitting at the kitchen table. Whoever it was had been dead for a long time. There was little flesh left hanging from the bones, and the clothes hung in filthy rags.

'The grandfather do you think?' Reid said.

'Where the hell is Hotch.'

'The door to the basement is out in the hall.' Morgan said.

-0-0-0-

Aaron could hear new voices – voices he knew – voices of his friends........

~Morgan?

Emily?

Dave?

Spencer?

Quickly, Spencer, my time is running out – I am here I am here!

Please find me I need to tell you....

I need to tell you that I am sorry and I could have loved you......

But it is too late now.

The door opens and light floods the room.

Spencer is the first – I can see him coming down the stairs. I want to call to him but something is holding my lips together and I can't call him.

I can hear his voice – he is calling my name.

Spence I love you but there is no time now.

Slowly I am aware of a hand undoing the restraints at my wrists and ankles.

I lose control again and the world darkens.......

Spencer? Spence, please don't leave me – I love you.......~

-0-0-0-

Reid went through the door ahead of Dave, as if he was desperate to reach Hotchner first. Dave switched the light on behind him.

The smell in the basement was awful of decay and dirt. Reid put his hand across his mouth and nose, and led the others down the steps.

The hook in the ceiling was the first thing Reid noticed, blood and body fluids stained the dirt floor beneath the hook, from which hung a ragged length of rope.

'Oh god where is he?' Dave said under his breath, terrified of what he would find.

'Over there!' Emily cried, shining her flashlight towards a bed on the far side.

Hotch was lying tied to the bed on a filthy mattress. His skin looked thin and transparent under the artificial light in the basement, a stitched weeping wound across his lower abdomen, the skin around it looked dark and swollen. Reid ran across to him and began to undo the ropes holding him. His wrists and ankles were bloodied and blistered, his body looked thin and starved.

'We are here, Aaron, we are here!'

Morgan was on the phone to the emergency services. Dave and Emily were releasing his legs from the ropes. As the ropes fell away and he felt freedom, his back arched and the convulsion took him. Reid sat on the damp bed and held him against him.

He rocked him in his arms and stroked his matted hair. As the seizure subsided and Aaron relaxed in Reid's arms, Aaron opened his eyes and looked up at him. Emily brought water and Reid moistened his lips.

'Help is on its way, Hotch. Don't give up now, don't surrender.'

He licked his lips. 'I love you......Spence.' Aaron said softly. His eyes closed for the last time and he lost his fight there in Spencer's arms.

Have the courage to live. Anyone can die." - Robert Cody

END

A/N Starting new thread in next story. I am almost crying here..........