Chapter 31

FBI offices
1 Center Plaza
Boston, MA

October 2011

"Married!" Larry said with wonder.

The three of them were having a bit of a reunion in the building courtyard, walking among the plantings and fountains. "I know it seems sudden, but we've been back together for almost a year now. It's right for us." Spencer smiled a little. "I guess maybe we were always going that way, we were just too young to see it back then."

"You were." The older man replied. "I guess they never said when you were in hearing range, Monica and Bejur used to refer to you as their future son-in-law. Yes, they did. They always said they were never afraid for Tally when she was off with you, no matter where you two went, said you were vastly more indulgent than a big brother would be, and she was vastly more attentive than any little sister. Bejur was a devout man, he said that God put you two in the right place, His timing was just a little off."

That brought gentle chuckles all around. "They sound like very nice people." Tally said. "I wish I could have met them."

"I wish you could have as well." Larry replied. "Have you been alone all this time?"

"No. I believe the correct terminology is that I was adopted into a family there. They're very nice people as well. Someday, perhaps, I'll be able to introduce you to them."

"I would like that very much."

"So Parsons finds out that he has a daughter." Morgan said as they watched the trio from the office high above. "We know he hasn't had any children. He must have figured that this was his golden opportunity. So he arranges her kidnapping. But then why put her in with the slaves?"

"He must have decided she wouldn't be a suitable heir." Emily replied.

"Because she was already gone to sin," Dave said. "My magician will save me."

"A firm belief in magic could be read as a sinful nature." Hotch agreed.

"But he made special provision for her anyway." Dave said. "A better education, a cleaner, easier job, and Reid was an answer to a prayer." He looked out the window at them again. "I think I know how to catch this guy."

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit
Philadelphia, PA

They had moved Ashley to the best hospital in the region for very premature babies, just in case. Now JJ moved to her bedside. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Ashley was lying in bed full time, and on a host of medications to try to keep her from going in to labor. The side effects were miserable, but every day meant her baby had a better chance. Thankfully her membranes hadn't ruptured. If she could keep the baby in another two weeks it's chances would be excellent. If she could make another five she'd be home free, but the chances of that were slim. "I'm hanging in there." She said.

"Can you answer a few hard questions?"

"I can try."

"We know about the Night Barns, the breeding program. Were you also assaulted by any of the owners?"

Ashley sighed and nodded. "I got to be a party favor one night. Well, more than one night."

"Were you already pregnant?"

"Maybe. They thought so. I was late."

"By how many months?"

"Two weeks."

"Do you get irregular when you're under stress?"

"Yeah. And I had been on the pill before. Is this baby one of theirs?"

"We think so, yeah."

Ashley nodded. "Good. I couldn't blame one of the other slaves, but I want to nail whoever did this to me, right to the fucking wall."

JJ chuckled. "I'm with you there. Okay, I need to go call Dave."

But Ashley reached out and caught her before she left. "Can I ask you something?"

Boston Public Market
136 Blackstone Street Plaza
Boston, MA

All the way to Boston, all the sights to be seen, and this was what Tally wanted to do first. They walked two blocks over and put Morgan on camera duty. "Okay." He said, lifting the device they were using. "Go."

"Hey everyone." Tally said, waving at the camera. "So Spencer and I are in Boston for the day. Boston, home of the Boston Tea Party and the First Continental Congress, a central location for the Revolutionary War and home to at least a dozen monuments that we would love to show you. Also home to my Godfather Larry, whom I just met again today and who will be joining us. But we're supposed to be showing you important parts of the outside world, and as fascinating as history is to a teacher, it's not that immediately useful. But I think I found something that is."

"She's a natural at this." Larry said to Spencer.

"Remember when The Masters would bring that horrid stuff in packages that they claimed was food to Sunday services and pass it around? It tasted awful and made you feel a little sick after you ate it, and they said that's what people who weren't being cared for with Christian Charity would have to eat? Well, they were lying. There're all kinds of stuff to eat out here and very little of it bears any resemblance to what they brought that day."

"What did they bring?" Morgan asked.

"MRE's," Spencer replied, "Possibly expired ones."

"Gack."

"This is what they call a Farmer's Market." Tally moved so the tents were behind her. "It can also be called a Public Market or a Greenmarket. This is where farmer's come into the city with their harvest fresh off the farm to sell. And it looks exactly like what we eat at home. We are going to show you what we can find. Come on." And with that she led Spencer and Larry boldly into the Market.

Grindstone Colony
Wolfe Island
Ontario, Canada

Later that night, after supper, the combined colony gathered in the dining hall to watch the short video. "You know." Housekeeper said. "I wondered about that."

"You ate real food before." Foreman said.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago. Things might have changed." She watched a few minutes more, "Looks like they didn't though."

"I could cook anything you want with what they have there." Cook said, "Anything at all just about."

"I wonder if we could sell our excess in a place like that." Smitty said.

"Now that's something to start thinking about." Foreman said. He nodded as he watched the video. "Good job Teacher."