Chapter 6
Luckily before either Prentiss or JJ could answer Reid's question, the door opened and Rossi and Morgan trudged in.
"You both look like your visit to the last crime scene was uneventful," said Prentiss.
"Not completely," replied Morgan as he collapsed into a chair beside Reid. "Rossi and I discovered that the next-door-neighbor, Dewey Mason, who found the body, had a crush on our last victim."
"But he couldn't deal with Andrea having, as he put it, mental problems," Rossi explained as he studied what JJ had written on the boards so far.
"Mental problems?" echoed Prentiss with arched eyebrows. "Is that what he calls it when somebody suffers from depression?" She watched Rossi slowly sit down. "Unfortunately, a lot of people think the same way he does."
Reid, who up to now had been slouched in his seat, suddenly straightened up. "For a long time there's been a stigma attached to anyone who suffers from an emotional disorder such as depression," he explained. "A lot of people either don't believe such a thing exists, or that a person can just uh, get over whatever's troubling them, so to speak. Some people even refuse to believe that a person can get so depressed over something that they can't function."
"Lovely," JJ muttered as she returned to the board to finish up her notations.
"Yeah, But it doesn't surprise me," said Rossi. "Unfortunately, depression is one of those illnesses that isn't as readily accepted as others. But it is a documented and recognized illness."
"Do you accept it as a recognized illness?" asked Prentiss looking directly at the older profiler.
Rossi thought for a few seconds before exhaling deeply. He looked at Prentiss. "Yes, I do," he said with no hesitation. "In this job you can't tell me you don't?" He saw Emily shrug her shoulders but remain silent.
"You answered that awful quick," said Morgan eying Rossi. "Is there something you want to tell us?"
Rossi shrugged his shoulders and eyed Morgan. "No. I've just been around longer and seen a great many things that cause me not to dismiss something just because it isn't physical or can't be seen by the human eye." He sighed wearily. "Now, why don't we see what Prentiss and Reid found out at Sierra Vista."
When Daria Hunt walked into the hidden laboratory, she found her husband waiting for her. He was staring at her steely-eyed as he stood beside the stainless steel table on which the unconscious Adam Hefner was strapped down securely on.
"What took you so long?" he asked her coolly.
"I had to speak with your father about something if you must know," she replied with hands on hips indignantly. "And what's wrong with that may I ask?"
"What about?" Ron asked, watching his wife's face for any indication she was lying.
"He wanted me to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow, and that we have the necessary drugs and that the electroshock equipment is functional so he can begin the experiment. Ron, what's this about? Just what are you accusing me of? Because if it's what it sounds like, that's….well, it's just plain sick!"
"I….I'm sorry," Ron said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know what's gotten into me lately. No, that's not quite true. I do know." He looked directly into his wife's eyes. "I've been seeing the way you look at Adam. You're attracted to him, aren't you?"
"Silly boy," Daria cooed as she approached her husband and lovingly caressed his face and repeatedly kissed it all over. "I'm not attracted to Adam. But I don't blame you for thinking that, though. I mean, he is a handsome man. But he's not my type. You are." She pressed her lips against her husband's with all the passion she could muster, and held his body tightly against hers; all the while imagining it was Adam's body she was holding and whose mouth she was plundering with hers. After awhile, she pulled back for need of air.
Ron smiled affectionately at his wife. "I'm sorry I accused you. It's just that I love you so much, and couldn't stand the thought of another man's hands touching you, or of you desiring another man. Not even an unconscious one." He glanced at the man on the table then back at Daria. He caressed her face. "I'd better let you get your work done. Dad will be livid if things aren't ready for tomorrow. Do you need any help?"
"I can manage," she said with a smile. "But I'll try not to take too long, lover," Daria promised with a smile. She then watched her husband turn and walk out of the door leaving her alone with the unconscious man. Once she was satisfied he was gone, she stood beside the table and studied the man laying on it. "Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of the life you knew, Agent Hotchner," she said. "If all goes well, in a few days you won't remember anything or anybody from your old life; those memories will be permanently erased from your mind. In their place we will plant new memories, new wants, new desires, new needs. You will be a completely different man from the one you are now." Leaning over, she took one of Hotch's hands in hers and pressed it, palm flat, against one breast and held it there. "Feel this? It can be yours along with the rest of me. Somehow I will find a way to program your desire of me into you separately from Jack's programming. And I will see that it is, along with the urge to get rid of my worthless husband so you and I can be together." Still holding Hotch's hand against her breast, Daria bent over and passionately kissed Hotch's lips, completely unaware of the pair of angry eyes watching through the slightly cracked open door.
After quietly closing the door of the lab, he stormed his way back to his office where he slammed the door, and began to angrily pace back and forth. That slut! How could she do this to him? She had only asked that he be patient. That was all. To just be patient. But then what had begun as a dream of the experiment began to become a reality, and he should have noticed when she had begun acting 'distant' once she had become involved. At first it wasn't a problem as they were using women in the experiments, and he had to rely on those few 'stolen' moments. But then she had brought Adam back from Louisville, and those few moments disappeared. And to make matters worse, once Adam had arrived, he felt her starting to slip away even further. He silently cursed himself believing he should have seen the warning signs. But he hadn't, and he had nobody to blame but himself.
But what he had just witnessed was unacceptable to him! She was attracted to the new test subject. Why did she have to bring him here? Why couldn't they have just brought another woman? But worse of all, she had looked in his face and lied. Lied! Sure he wasn't in the same league as other men, but that didn't mean he didn't deserve at least respect. Well, he wasn't going to stand for being treated this way and especially not by her. He'd show her! But how?
He thought about killing her, but then he couldn't bring himself to do that; besides, despite his anger, he could never in good conscious consider hurting her. Then, a smile slowly appeared on his face. He could simply get rid of Adam. That would be the logical answer. Get rid of the temptation and she would again be his. But first, he had to find a way to do it that wouldn't arouse suspicion. Also, he knew he'd probably have to wait until he knew whether the experiment worked, because Adam would be watched and monitored like a hawk the entire time considering what happened with the women. The man would never be left alone. And as he was not allowed into the hidden lab, he would also have to choose the right time to make his move. And once Adam was gone, he would make sure Daria Hunt never betrayed him again. He would just bide his time, wait, watch, and observe.
Rossi inhaled and exhaled through his nose after listening to Prentiss and Reid repeat what happened during their talk with Doctor Hunt. He stroked his beard while lost in thought.
"Sounds like the good Doctor Hunt is a bit protective of his turf," said Morgan, looking at Prentiss. "But it doesn't sound to me like he's hiding anything just because he got upset when you asked to look around and talk to the staff, although I wouldn't put much stock in anything the patients might tell you."
"True," Rossi replied folding his hands on top of the table and straightening up in his chair. "But Emily's right about one thing. This Doctor Hunt did seem to express an interest in Reid. And given what happened with Aaron, we can't afford to ignore any small thing or take anything for granted."
"So you think this doctor might be connected to our UnSubs somehow?" Morgan asked him.
"That's not what I'm saying at all, Derek. I'm just saying that we have to be more aware of everything from this moment on. This Doctor Hunt could be interested in Reid for exactly the reason JJ said; he's never met anybody as young as Reid with his abilities and that's all. But I do agree we need to have a look inside that hospital and talk to some of the staff."
"Maybe we can use that," Morgan said. He then turned to Reid. "You and Prentiss are going back to the hospital tomorrow to see Doctor Bowman about Andrea Ackles and Donna Marvel?" He saw Reid nod his head. "Okay, after you and Prentiss speak with this Doctor Bowman, Reid, see if you can find Doctor Hunt and keep him occupied for an hour or so."
"Okay. But why?" asked the younger agent curiously.
"Because while you talking with Doctor Hunt, I'm hoping our Princess here can get to talk with some of the staff and see if they noticed anything strange." Morgan looked at the younger profiler. "Think you can do it?"
Prentiss smirked at Reid. "If Reid can keep the good Doctor busy for about an hour or two with that big ole brain of his, I should be able to."
Morgan then looked at JJ. "Schedule the press conference for tomorrow afternoon," he told her. "We should have the profile ready before then."
"Got it," the blond replied. "Do you want anything included that these UnSubs may be responsible for the disappearance of a Federal agent?"
"Leave any mention of Hotch out for now," Morgan told her. "First, we don't know for sure if it is the same UnSubs; second, if it is, we don't want to alert them that we suspect they may be holding Hotch, and third, if we let it be known we suspect they have him, they might just panic and kill him." He saw JJ nod, then looked around at the others. "Is there anything else we need to go over?"
"Yeah, something just came back to me," Prentiss said. "Garcia said earlier that Hunt had a son named Ronald, and a daughter-in-law named Daria, and both work at Sierra Vista. When Reid and I were talking to Doctor Hunt, I seem to remember a nurse interrupting our interview with him." She looked at Reid. "His expression seemed to change when she came in."
"Yeah, it did," Reid said as he remembered. "It was almost like he wasn't happy to see her."
Rossi, Morgan, and JJ exchanged looks.
"Who was this nurse?" asked JJ. "Did you get or hear a name at all?"
"No," Reid explained. "Dr. Hunt just hurried her out of his office, then excused himself and followed her outside closing the door behind him."
Rossi leaned forward and dialed a number on the desk phone resting on the table in front of him. He listened to it ring about three times before there was a pickup on the other end.
"You have reached the office of the All-Powerful Penelope Garcia. Come before me, mortal, and speak. Your wish is my desire."
"Garcia, it's Rossi."
"I thought you people forgot about me. I was hurt. My babies were ignoring me."
"We're sorry, baby girl," Morgan added with a chuckle.
"You, my chocolate Adonis, are forgiven. But the rest of you…."
"Garcia, you told us earlier that Doctor Jackson Hunt had a son named Ronald, and a daughter-in-law named Daria," Rossi said interrupting the tech analyst.
"Yes, sir. I also said that their records were clean. Has something else happened?"
"Nothing yet. Can you send us photos of the two of them?" asked Rossi. He heard typing over the phone.
"Oh God. Do you think they're the ones who maybe took Hotch?"
"We don't know anything for sure yet, kitten," Rossi said gently. "Just send us the photos as soon as you can."
"I am sending them to you now."
"Thanks, Garcia," said Morgan.
"You're welcome, my lovelies. Be safe. Garcia out." The call was disconnected.
Minutes later, JJ returned with the photos of Ronald and Daria Hunt, and handed them to Prentiss.
"This is definitely the woman who came into Hunt's office while Reid and I were there. But I never saw this guy at all." Prentiss then handed the photos to Reid.
"I have to agree with Emily," the young profiler said. "This is definitely the same woman. But I never saw this guy either." He handed the photos to Morgan who, after looking at them, handed them to Rossi.
"Okay," Morgan began. "Here's what we're going to do. Prentiss, tomorrow you and Reid will return to the hospital and speak with Doctor Bowman. Afterwards, Reid, keep Doctor Hunt occupied while Prentiss finds and talks with Daria Hunt. Rossi, you and I will talk with the medical examiner about the six victims. JJ, schedule the press conference for four or four-thirty tomorrow. We'll all meet back here about three, and put together the profile." He then looked at his watch. "Okay. Then I suggest we all get some dinner and then get some sleep. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."
Daria had just finished checking out the electroshock machine when the door opened causing her to turn around, and found herself facing Doctor Hunt. She smiled warmly.
"Thought I'd see how everything stands for tomorrow," he said, smiling. "It's going to be a big day."
"I was just finishing up when you stopped in," Daria said. "Everything is ready, and the electroshock machine is working perfectly. You're set to go tomorrow morning."
"And our test subject?" Hunt asked looking at the unconscious man.
"He hasn't moved or uttered one word."
"Excellent." Hunt leaned over and lifted one of the man's eyelids and then the other. "Pupils look good." He removed his stethoscope from around his neck and listened to the man's heart. "His heart and breathing are good as well." He draped the stethoscope around his neck again. Just then there was a knock on the door. Both Daria and Hunt looked up. "Enter," Hunt said calmly.
The door opened, and Daria was surprised to see her husband walk in. "You wanted to see me, dad?" he asked quizzically.
Hunt approached his son. "Yes. I want you to stay here and keep an eye on Agent Hotchner. I'll have Daria relieve you in about four hours." He noticed his son's sudden look at his wife with a frown. "Is there a problem?" he asked looking between the two people.
Ron exhaled sadly. "No, sir. I can monitor Agent Hotchner for you. But I'm not a doctor. What do I do if something happens?"
"Nothing should happen, son," Hunt announced reaching into his coat pocket and removing a syringe, removed the cover from the needle end. He walked back over to the table and rolled up Hotch's right sleeve. Inserting the needle, he pushed down the plunger forcing the drug into his vein. "He should sleep throughout the night. The drug I just gave him will keep him catatonic even if he should happen to wake up which I doubt. If anything goes wrong, Daria will be on the premises. Just have her paged and she'll know what to do." He looked at Daria and smiled before turning back to his son. "Tomorrow morning we will begin with the electroshock." He then looked at his daughter-in-law. "I suggest you get some rest, Daria. You have to relieve Ron in four hours."
"Yes, sir," Daria said. Glancing back at her husband, she winked at him before following her father-in-law out the door, leaving her husband alone with Hotch.
It was when he was alone with the man, that Ron stared hard at Aaron Hotchner with a look of intense hatred in his eyes.