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Morgan stared at him.
"What the hell?"
Malcolm lowered his head.
"It's all right Dr. Walters," a voice behind him said calmly. "I'll take over from here."
Strauss.
Morgan's knuckles tighten.
"You may leave Dr. Walters," she added as she entered. Quickly Malcolm closed the door behind him, clearly glad to be out of the room.
"You told Rossi you'd wait!"
"Yes, well that was before I learned that Hotch was keeping something from me...that you all were."
Strauss's voice was colder than usual.
"What?" Morgan lookd confused.
"Tell me,did any of you a couple of years ago when Dr. Reid was first kidnapped suspect that he was under the use of drugs after his ordeal?"
Silence. Morgan stiffened. Did he know for certain? No. Had he suspected? Hell yes, but he couldn't say anything. He'd have been obligated to report it.
The FBI had a strict no drug policy.
They were all protecting Reid by not saying anything. Including Hotch, especially Hotch.
"I'll take your silence as confirmation."
"How did you..."
"I have my sources in this building."
He stared at her.
"No, a member of your team did not betray Dr. Reid. But there are other people in here. Other people with ears."
Morgan swallowed.
"If they were here a few years ago then why didn't they report it to you then?"
"They did. It was all...speculation. I just didn't have any proof until now."
"Proof?"
She sighed.
"We searched his apartment."
Morgan was furious.
"You invaded his privacy?"
"We got a search warrent,"Strauss said dsimissivly. "Those things are easier to get then you might think."
Morgan's breathing quickened.
"We found an old syringe and an old vile that still contained some Dilaudid."
Morgan sat down.
"If it's still in the bottle that meant he didn't use it," he protested.
She looked at him.
"You know better than that," she said quietly. She sighed. "I am not going to reprot it," she said suddenly. He stared at her.
"What?"
"Every part of me tells me I should, but I'm not." Her voice was calm. "Why? Because this way your team will do exactly what I say from now on. "
Morgan stared at her.
"Blackmail?"
"I wouldn't call it that."
"Then what the hell would you call it?"
"I would call it your team doing what they're told to do for once," she snapped. "Unless you want to lose Dr. Reid for good."
Morgan sucked in his breath. His body was seething in silent rage.
"Agent Morgan?"
"How...long is this replacement going to last?" He spat.
"Until I think Dr. Reid is fit to return to duty, not a moment before," she said quietly. "I suggest you are polite to Dr. Walters. He's very bright."
"Not as bright as Reid," Morgan growled. She smiled.
"Very few are."
She opened the door.
"Dr. Walters? You may come in now." She looked at Morgan. "I look forward to working with you in the future."
Morgan could barely control his fury. How dare that bitch do this to Reid...
Dr. Walters slowly walked in.
"I hope everything's all right," he said slowly. Morgan forced himself to smile, remembering Strauss's threat. No wonder she didn't report this. If she did other people would make the decisions about Reid. The higher authority. This way she had complete control of the team.
That bitch.
"Let me show you around," he told Dr. Walters who nodded gratefully.
Quickly he left with the new guy determined to make Strauss pay for what she was doing.
This isn't over yet. This was far from over.