A.N.: I can't say how sorry I am for keeping you waiting for so long... I was very busy at the university but now it's the Eastern Break so I have a little more time to write:) Thank you so much for your patience.... I can't promise anything but I'm trying to update as soon as possible! Lots of thanks go out to REIDFANATIC who betaed and helped with the storyline; and to ReadingYourThoughts who nudged me to keep writing:))

Chapter Twelve

Reid arrived back in Quantico late in the afternoon. Jessica had made him stay for lunch, after trying to teach the basics of riding a motorbike to the reluctant agent; she'd then guided him to the road and before they'd parted, she'd made him promise to look after himself and even visit her sometimes, if he had time. Reid didn't want to abuse her kindness; he just couldn't thank her enough for helping him and treating his injury. He'd had to leave anyway; he still had a vengeful woman to avoid and track down at the same time.

When Jessica finally said her last goodbyes and set off back home, Reid felt loneliness descend heavily on his shoulders. He was on his own, again; no one to turn to for help, no home to go, not even a car to sleep in. Hell, he'd even left his wallet in the car with his bag. He hadn't thought then that he would be in particular need of money after his encounter with Phoebe. Now he was standing on the edge of a road, with his arm straightened and thumb upwards, requesting a ride. It was strange; he had never hitchhiked before and would never have thought that he'll be doing it someday.

After ten cars or so, a blue Toyota stopped for him. The woman behind the wheel shot curious glances toward the lonely agent, but she seemed to be discreet enough not to start asking questions.

"To Quantico?" She asked.

"To Quantico," Reid confirmed.

They traveled in silence for a couple of minutes, but the woman's curiosity finally overcame her.

"You don't have any bags," she noted.

"No," Reid nodded, trying to think of a proper answer. "I… I'm not on a trip, actually."

She smiled, a little too mischievously. "Hard night, I guess?"

"Kind of," Reid shrugged.

"College party?" She pushed.

"Uhuh," the young agent murmured, resisting the urge to explain her that he was pretty far from being an all-too-general party-face student.

"Let me guess… in the middle of the night, one of you had the brilliant idea of getting a car to go on a little ride in the countryside, right? Or to visit the weekend house of someone's parents?"

"Kind of," Reid murmured again and looked out of the window. Fortunately she got the unsaid message and didn't push further.

In a couple of minutes they were back in the familiar streets. Reid had asked the woman to put him out about two corners from the BAU building; he remembered that there was a phone box somewhere around there, and he needed to make a call first.

He was already standing in the box when he realized he had forgotten about the lack of money. Desperately he started pawing himself in search of some; he breathed a sigh of relief when he miraculously found a couple of coins in one of his pants pockets. It was probably the long-forgotten change from a coffee-machine. Reid now couldn't help but be grateful to himself for being too lazy to put the change back in his wallet.

"Garcia." The familiar and always playful voice now sounded low and suspicious. Reid couldn't blame her; he had called her from a street phone so she didn't know yet who she was speaking to.

"Hey Garcia," he smiled into the receiver, knowing that you could hear in someone's voice if they were smiling, even if you couldn't see their face.

"Reid? Is that you?"

"Yeah."

"Where were you? You scared the hell out of me! Of all of us! We haven't heard from you for two days! Are you all right? I know you've been hurt…"

"Garcia," Reid cut her off humbly. "Please, listen to me. I'm fine, but I need to tell you something."

"Honey, you need to come back here, now. You can tell me anything as soon as you're safe with us, you understand? Just come here, please."

"Don't worry, that's exactly what I'm going to do," Reid assured her. "But before that… look, I don't know if I'll have the opportunity to tell it. I mean… I surely will but I don't know when. I still don't know if I'll be handled as a suspect when I turn up."

"I'm sorry but I don't know either," Garcia answered. "Tell me then."

Reid took a deep breath. "I know who's after me. Her name is Phoebe Dowd."

"Dowd?"

"Yes. She's Phillip Dowd's sister. And she wants to take revenge on me for her brother's death."

"Oh my God."

"Gather everything about her then fill the team in. I'm sure she won't leave town until she gets what she wants – but she's probably in hiding."

"No one can hide from my eyes if I want to find them," Garcia smiled. "I'll do my best, sweetcheeks. Now drag your ass back here."

"I'm coming." Reid assured her. "See you in a couple of minutes."

He put the receiver back in its place and breathed deeply. He was nervous. Three days ago he thought he could handle this criminal alone. That he could catch her without having to give himself up to Strauss. But now… without money, a car and home, injured and grateful that it was at least not lethal, he had simply run out of options. He had no choice but to run back to the team like the prodigal son, to answer for his sins and hope for help at the same time.

Sighing and wiping his sweaty palms in his pants, he slowly set off walking towards the BAU building. Would he really be arrested when he walked in? The thought wouldn't leave him alone. Of course, he would have to be kept somewhere until they found proof of his innocence in Jacobson's murder… and if someone took responsibility for him, he could even avoid being locked up. Someone from the team would probably do that, or not? Until two days ago, Reid thought the team was fully on his side. They just couldn't help him, because their hands were tied. But after what happened in the forest… He wasn't so sure about it now. Then and there it seemed to him that everyone was after him; that Hotch and the others didn't care about Phoebe's goons; they only wanted to catch him. And then Morgan's shot… It could have been an accident or it could have even been someone else, but deep down Reid knew that these were the only explanations he could find for his friend's deed. He clearly remembered Morgan's face as he lifted his gun, even if he was far and Reid turned his head back just for a moment. He was aiming at him and the look on his face said 'I've got you now'. Reid knew this look. Only he would never have thought it would be for him.

He turned around the corner and approached the building. Strangely, no one was lurking around waiting for him; for some reason he thought that Garcia would have immediately called the others and they would hurry down to him.

As he got closer, a security guard-looking, black-suited man at the doors lifted his hand and muttered something into his watch. Reid slowed down and looked at the guy suspiciously.

He then realized that something was wrong when two other black-suited men appeared, one getting out of a nearby car, the other sneaking out from behind the corner.

The young agent stopped short, his breath caught in his lungs. Oh no, not again… It was all he could think of. His instincts screamed to run, but his body simply didn't want to obey.

The three men were heading towards him, not hurrying but not moving too slowly either, as if they weren't sure yet if their quarry would try to escape or not.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Reid muttered to himself in panic, barely noticing that his legs came to life again and started moving him backwards step by step.

The guys came closer. Reid was backing away and at one point he turned and broke into a run; or rather, he tried; the quick, agitated breathing re-awakened the pain in his side so his pace was rather pitiful. He was surrounded in no time.

They caught his arms from both sides. Panting, barely able to catch his breath, Reid had no choice but to stop obediently and give up the fight.

"What… what do you… want?" He gasped, but the third man grabbed the back of his neck and pushed his head down so that the young agent was forced to bend down to almost waist height. He decided not to repeat the question.

"You're coming with us now. No fight. No running." One of the black-suited men spat into his ear. It didn't sound like a request.

"Understand?"

Reid nodded. The three men then started dragging him through the street, probably towards a car. Reid wondered for a moment how anyone could watch this scene on the street without calling for help, and then he realized that these guys were dressed like FBI agents. Or at least how people thought FBI agents would look. They likely believed that they were witnessing the arrest of a criminal or something like that. Reid closed his eyes in defeat.

He was shoved rudely into the backseat of a car, hissing as pain flashed up in his side again. He was accompanied by two of the fake agents on both sides; the third one occupied the driver's seat. Reid barely had the time to look around in the car before one of his neighbors moved and a thick black piece of cloth was tied over his eyes.

He had no choice but to sit there blindfolded, patiently waiting to find out where he was being taken to.

The team was once again gathered around Garcia, watching as her fingers danced rapidly on the keyboard.

"So Phillip Dowd had a sister," Morgan murmured, shaking his head as if he could barely believe it. "No wonder she wants revenge on the kid."

"It wasn't Reid's fault," JJ said. "He was just trying to protect the hostages, and Hotch…"

"Damn I know it's not his fault," Morgan was angry again, but obviously not at JJ.

"I don't understand," Garcia sighed, sounding frustrated. "I can't find anybody named Phoebe Dowd in Quantico. As if she didn't even exist."

"She has to," Prentiss remarked. "And we can be pretty sure it's her real name."

"Check the hotels too," Rossi said. "She might be staying here temporarily."

"No matches," Garcia shook her head. "I'm sorry."

The ringing of Hotch's cell phone disturbed the dumbfounded silence.

"Hotchner… not yet… what? What happened? Yes, right away."

"What happened?" Morgan echoed the question.

The team leader ignored him and turned to Garcia. "Can we see the records of the security cameras from here?"

"Of course, why? Which one do we need?"

"The one that watches the entrance. From five or ten minutes ago."

"What the hell is it about, Hotch?" Morgan's impatience was evident. Garcia had already started typing letters and numbers to find the record.

"They said one of the cameras has just recorded an attack or something against Reid."

"What?" Morgan's horrified question was accompanied with Prentiss' and JJ's in unison.

"Just watch," the team leader pointed at the screen where a security video had just started playing. The BAU team watched in terror as the three men dressed in black suits had closed in on their youngest, grabbed him and taken him to a car.

"Who are these guys?" Rossi shook his head in disbelief.

"Can you see the license plate?" Prentiss asked as they saw the car take away.

Garcia rewound the record, stopped the video and enlarged the picture. "There isn't any license plate at all," she announced in a sad voice.

A heavy, shocked silence descended on the team. Their youngest was in trouble again, kidnapped right in front of their noses. And the fact that they couldn't do anything to help him at the moment was overwhelming.

"We have to find Spencer," JJ spoke at last, her voice sounding desperate.

"We have to find Phoebe Dowd," Hotch corrected. "If we have her, we'll have Reid too."

Reid's in trouble... Again... Is anyone surprised?:D