Chapter 23: It All Ends
JJ stared at the phone in shock as Gideon hung up the phone, "Okay, what just happened?"
Reid shook his head, "I'm not…don't…"
"Reid, calm down," Hotch said. "We won't let anything happen to you. Garcia let me see that list."
Garcia nodded and handed over the list to her boss while looking at Reid. Hotch looked over the list frowning.
"Hotch, what do we do?" JJ asked.
"Treat this like any other case. Gideon is going to call back and when he does, Garcia, you be ready to trace him."
"Hotch, this isn't just any other case. Gideon's one of us," Prentiss said.
"Just because he's one of us doesn't mean he's not capable of doing something like this. We all have a dark side and Gideon's was just unleashed," Hotch explained. "What do we know about Gideon?"
"How much does anyone really know about Gideon?" JJ asked.
Prentiss shrugged, "Something made him snap. And now he's taking his anger out on men who beat their wives. Why?"
Morgan shook his head, "He said I took Spencer from him. That Spencer was his and I took that away."
JJ frowned, "So what he views Spence as a boyfriend or something?"
Morgan shook his head, "No. Its more than that. The last time I confronted Gideon about what he does to Spencer he said something about Spencer was always his."
"What does that even mean?" Prentiss asked.
Hotch turned to Reid, "Spencer?"
Reid didn't even flinch. He continued to stare straight ahead. Hotch frowned.
"Reid? Spencer?"
Morgan walked over to his boyfriend's seat, "Spencer? Baby, can you hear me?"
Reid didn't move or even acknowledge Morgan. Morgan sighed.
"Shit."
"What's wrong?" Garcia asked.
"He's shut down. He's completely catatonic."
"Poor baby," Garcia murmured.
Morgan sighed, "Okay, so I know Spencer met Gideon at Caltech."
Hotch nodded, "Morgan, tell us everything you know."
Morgan sat down and sighed, "I don't know much. Just that Spencer met Gideon at Caltech. Spencer had gone to several of his guest lectures. Basically to make a long story short, Gideon seemingly befriended Spencer and told him that he had potential and that's when the abuse started."
"Gideon's been abusing him since Caltech?" JJ gasped.
Morgan shook his head, "No. Once Gideon left California after two months the abuse stopped. Until he came here."
"How come he didn't tell anyone?" Prentiss asked.
"Because Gideon threatened him and his mother."
Hotch sighed, "Okay, we need to profile Gideon just as we would any other unsub."
Prentiss nodded, "Well, his killings are straight to the point. A bullet to the heart."
"He's going after men who beat their wives," Morgan said. "Question is why?"
Just then Hotch's phone rang and after a few minutes he hung up, "There's been another body," he said consulting Garcia's list, "Damon Adams, 45 Neville Road."
"Damn!"
"Garcia, I want you to dig up everything you can find on Gideon's past and also be ready to trace his call when he does. Prentiss, you and Morgan go to the crime scene," Hotch ordered.
"Hotch-"
"Morgan, just do it."
Morgan sighed and followed Prentiss out of the room.
{~CM~}
"So, um, how long have you and Reid…?" Prentiss asked as they headed to the crime scene.
"A few months," Morgan replied.
"Wow. So, uh, have you…?" Prentiss asked raising her eyebrow.
"Prentiss! That's one, none of your damn business, and two, neither the time or place right now!" Morgan spat angrily.
"You're right. I'm sorry."
{~CM~}
Just as Hotch predicted the phone in the conference room rang. Garcia was ready with her trap and trace program and gave Hotch a steady nod. Hotch sighed and hit the speaker phone.
"Jason."
"Aaron. I want him back. I told you if you gave him back to me no one else has to die, but since you didn't want to listen, you now have two more dead victims on your hands."
"Two?" JJ whispered. Hotch shrugged.
"Spencer is mine. He will always be mine," Gideon growled.
A faint whimper came from Reid. JJ looked over and saw that Reid was now shaking. Apparently it was loud enough for Gideon to hear as he laughed.
"That's right Spencer. You thought you could get away from me, but not true. So here's how we're gonna play, Spencer. You have one hour. One hour for you to come to me. Do so and not only won't you be punished for leaving me, no one else will die."
Tears streamed down Reid's face as he continued to shake, "Where?" he asked in a small voice.
Gideon laughed, "I'm sure Garcia has managed to pinpoint my location. She'll tell you where. One hour Spencer," he said then hung up.
Hotch picked up the phone and dialed Morgan and told him to get back here as soon as possible. JJ went over to try and comfort Spencer and Hotch looked at Garcia.
"Anything?"
"Uh, the call was coming from a payphone near Potomac Highlands Circle."
{~CM~}
Morgan and Prentiss rushed into the conference room, "What happened?" Prentiss asked.
"D-Derek," Reid sobbed.
Morgan rushed over to him and pulled him into his arms, "Shh, I'm here. What the hell happened?"
"Gideon called. He wants Spencer to go to him in one hour or more people will die," JJ explained.
"Well clearly that's not happening," Morgan growled.
"Hey, loves, I think I found something," Garcia said.
JJ and Prentiss looked up, "What is it?" JJ asked.
"Okay check this out. So our lovely Jason Gideon-" Garcia started to say and Reid flinched. "…was your typical poster boy. Good grades in school, graduated college Cum Laude, married Rebecca Stevenson and had a son who ironically they named Steven. There were never any complaints from his neighbors."
Hotch shook his head, "Go back further, Garcia. There's gotta be something in his childhood."
Garcia nodded and continued typing away, "Well here's something."
"What?" Morgan asked.
"I found a few police reports with his name mentioned. 'Police report to the Gideon household for the third time in a week due to the insistence of Young Jason Gideon who believes that his father is abusing his mother,'" Garcia read. " 'The last time the police responded to such incident, Jason told the police that he saw his father beat his mother horrendously and say to her 'I have to punish you for leaving me, but know I love you. This is for your own good. I can't have you leaving me all the time.'"
"Oh my gosh!" JJ said putting her hand over her mouth.
"So what, in some sick twisted way, Gideon cares for Spencer?" Prentiss asked.
"Yes," Morgan said. He looked at Spencer and everything seemed to click.
Hotch frowned at Morgan wanting him to elaborate, "Morgan?"
"It started at Caltech. Spencer found Gideon, someone who believed in him and made him feel like he was worth something. I'm guessing somewhere along the way Gideon and his wife split up so he was looking for someone to love, but Spencer left him. Maybe it was because he left his presence to go to class, work, something, but Spencer left him and that's when he remembered his mom and dad's relationship."
Prentiss nodded, "To keep him close and to prevent him from leaving, Gideon abused him."
"Right, until Gideon himself left California."
Hotch rubbed his forehead, "Okay that all makes sense but why would Gideon rape him? I mean I could understand the other abuse, but the rape?"
Morgan looked lost. He had no idea. Reid sat up in Morgan's arms, "Because, he…"
"He what, Spence?" JJ asked softly.
"He was attracted to me. He told me one night that while he knew it was wrong, he was attracted to me. I remember telling him that I was sorry I couldn't return the affection and then I left to go to the library to study." Reid sat up some more and Morgan tightened his arms around him, "The next day that's when everything started. He was angry because he thought I had someone else and he blamed me for leaving him the day before."
Garcia looked up, "Hey, guys, we have about 45 minutes before Gideon kills again. What's the plan boss man?"
"I'm going," Reid said.
"Reid, no. That's exactly what he wants," Prentiss said. "You do that he'll kill you."
Reid shook his head, "No he won't."
Morgan shook his head and kissed Reid's forehead, "Don't do this, pretty boy."
Reid shook his head, "I have to. This all ends today. I'm not that weak boy he met at Caltech. I want him to see that he hasn't broken me."
Morgan nodded, "You are so strong, baby."
Reid smiled and Hotch nodded, "Alright. Reid, Morgan and I will follow you and will remain out of sight unless you need us to intervene. You three stay here."
The girls, Morgan and Reid nodded, "Yes, sir."
{~CM~}
"I hate this," Morgan grumbled from the driver's seat. "The thought of him alone with that asshole burns."
"Trust me Morgan, I know, but if he saw anyone of us, we don't know what could've happened. Garcia, what's going on inside?"
"I can't see much sir. Right now it just looks like their talking. Oh! He just slapped him. Hotch, I don't know if I can do this."
"Hey, come on now mama, we need you," Morgan said. "We need you to be our eyes on this."
"Well now I can't see anything. Camera's been shut off."
"Dammit! I knew it!" Morgan fumed.
{~CM~}
Reid gasped as his shirt was torn off. Gideon laughed.
"You think I don't know that they implanted you with a camera? Please. You left me Spencer. You left me and that only means that you deserve to be punished."
"You said if I came to you, you wouldn't punish me."
Gideon laughed, "I lied. You're mine Spencer to do with whatever I want."
"No," Reid said.
"What did you just say to me?" Gideon snapped.
Reid shook his head and tried to remain grounded while his insides were shaking, "I said no. I'm not yours. I never was and never will be yours. I'm my own independent person."
Gideon laughed, "Right like you need Morgan."
"Morgan, treats me like I'm a person not a fuck toy."
Gideon growled and slapped him, "You'll pay for that."
{~CM~}
"Hotch, I'm getting worried. Maybe we should go in now."
"Morgan, try to relax. I'm sure Reid's fine."
Suddenly the men heard a gun going off and they jumped out the car and ran toward the room. Morgan kicked down the door and both agents raced inside.
"Reid!" Morgan yelled.
They ran toward the back room where they found Reid half naked standing over Gideon's body with his gun. His hands were shaking and tears streamed down his face. Morgan walked over and wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed him as he eased the gun from Reid's hand.
"I had to. I had to," Reid kept repeating.
"Shh, it's okay," Morgan murmured putting the gun in his pants.
"Morgan, take him to the car. I'm going to get this taken care of."
Morgan nodded and led Reid to the car. He just wondered what was going to happen next. Shortly Hotch came out of the building and climbed behind the wheel and drove to the BAU. Morgan knew that Hotch wanted to talk so he led Reid upstairs to Hotch's office after he briefly explained what happened to the girls.
"Reid."
Reid looked up at Hotch biting his lip. Hotch sat down behind his desk and folded his arms sighing.
"I'm not upset, and I'm not going to fire you. This was clearly self-defense."
"I killed a man. I killed an FBI agent."
"You shot him because he was trying to hurt you, correct?"
Reid nodded, "Yes, but-"
"But nothing, Reid. You did what you had to do. Now like I said, I'm not going to fire you, but I am ordering you to see the Bureau psychiatrist."
Reid nodded, "Yes sir."
"And I'm giving you and Morgan both a week off."
Both Reid and Morgan nodded. Hotch nodded.
"If you feel you need more time off, let me know and I'll arrange something."
"I'll be fine Hotch, thank you."
"Very well then, I'll see you boys in a week."
Morgan nodded and led Reid out of the office.
TBC...