Chapter 5
Morgan sat down on the ground, holding the man. Matt put the dog in resident's arms, spreading the blanket out a bit to keep the man and dog warm and then bundled them up, kneeling down next to them.
"You're OK Max," the man smiled, petting him. "These are the good guys." He looked at Matt and Morgan. "What the hell is going on?"
Matt shook his head. "With all due respect sir," he smiled. "You're the good guy." Matt handed him the framed photo he grabbed. "You jumped into Normandy on D-Day with the One-Hundred and First?"
The old man got tears in his eyes. "Only someone that served would know how precious this picture is to me."
"Matt Taylor, First Marine Recon, Gulf War. My partner is Derek Morgan. He's served on the mean streets for too many years." Morgan softly nodded his head.
The old man shivered a bit. Matt and Morgan got the blanket around him more as Morgan pulled the man to his chest. "Captain Taylor here," Morgan said with a smile, pointing at Matt, "led a recon company into a hot spot in front of Stormin' Norman. You're looking at an MOH."
The old man looked at him "No shit?" Morgan nodded his head with a smile. "Hank Buckwalter," the man said, extending his hand. Matt warmly shook it. "I was sixteen and big for my age. Lied my way into the PIR."
Matt laughed. "My dad did the same thing. He served in the Third Army. They liberated Dachau."
Hank shook his head. "We liberated one of the off shoot camps. Damn ass Hitler. We all wanted to kill him after that." He paused to reflect a bit. "But boys," he said, looking at both of them, "you still haven't told me what the hell is going on."
Morgan and Matt gently explained without all the details. "Shit," Hank said. "Survive the big war and get targeted by a maniac." He sadly laughed and sang, petting Max. The days he laughed and lived and loved kept running through his mind to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. He thought about the girl back home; the one he left behind. He thought about the medic corps and what they would find; he ain't gonna jump no more.
Matt and Morgan heard Hotch and Rossi shouting their names. "Sir, can I join you on the chorus," Matt asked.
"You're calling me sir? Captain, I was a damn lowly sergeant when I got mustered out."
"With all due respect Sergeant, my company would not have survived what we went through without my platoon sergeants."
Hank smiled. "Sing along Captain with my deepest respects." Morgan shook his head as the two men sang together, getting louder with each line. Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die. Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die. Gory, gory what a helluva way to die. He ain't gonna jump no more.
Hotch and Dave followed the sound. They came around the corner of the building from the street side. "We need medical on the west side of the next apartment building to the west," Dave said in his comm.
Matt looked at Hotch. "That boom wasn't as big as we expected."
Hotch shook his head. "The bomb squad was able to disable the bomb with ease. The explosion was when Dominion cut the power. The one apartment that they couldn't evacuate was a meth teeker; when the power went so did his apartment. DCFD was on it. Damage to the building is minimal; only smoke damage to three of the neighboring apartments."
"Just tell me that SOB is dead," Hank growled. "I knew that he was doing that shit."
Dave noticed the picture having recognized the song. "Sergeant First Class Rossi sir," he smiled at Hank. "First Marines - Vietnam. Yes, he's gone."
"So the back apartments are clear," Matt asked. Hotch nodded with his smile. Matt looked at Max. "You my friend now?" Max gave him a happy bark. "OK Max, you go with my buddy Hotch." Hotch picked him up. "I'm gonna get your dad back in his apartment." Dave gently took the picture from Hank and held it tightly. Matt picked Hank up off Morgan. Dave held out a hand to help Morgan up off the ground. The three BAU agents took the time to get the blanket back around Hank with Hotch holding Max. The EMTs followed the three of them into Hank's apartment. Matt gently sat him on the edge of the bed for the medics. Hotch put Max on the bed to join his master and he and Matt left the room to let the EMTs do their thing.
Matt looked at Hotch. "Garcia and Nick's tech got the address. Your friend and his team arrested the guy. Metro PD forensics found fingerprints on the second bomb. The unsub, like we profiled, didn't think he'd get caught. They haven't matched the prints yet; but what Nick and his team found already in his place has him nailed to wall. He was building another one." Matt smiled.
Hotch's cell rang. "Garcia, I'm putting you on speaker phone."
"My liege – is everyone safe?"
"Yes, everyone is safe. The building got evacuated and the bomb squad disabled the bomb before it went off. What's the story on our unsub?"
"Edward Baily, thirty-nine, worked for Washington Gas for over fifteen years until he was fired last June for being highly offensive with minority customers when making service calls. Before that, he served in the US Army as an explosive expert. Nancy and I made the connection pretty fast after Washington Gas gave us the three names."
"Good work Garcia," Hotch said. An EMT came to the door and waved Matt into the bedroom.
The entire team was standing around in Hank's living room. Matt wheeled him into the room with Max on his lap as the EMTs left. "Sir, I promise you that a DCPD officer will be outside that door until it can be replaced," Matt said.
"Sir," the Sergeant that Matt and Morgan first encountered said, "I've already got two of my officers assigned to your door."
Morgan looked at Matt. "You in on helping me replace that door," he smiled.
"You know better," Matt smiled. "Hank and Max need a nap and so do we. We can do reports tomorrow. We meet back here in six hours." Matt looked at Hotch. He nodded with a smile.
-00CM00—
Hank was in his wheelchair in the hallway as Matt and Hotch each pounded in the last nail to secure the doorframe. Max was sitting on Hank's lap. Dave and Morgan put the door on its hinges; Rossi held the door in place as Morgan put the door nail into the three hinges. The building manager looked at Morgan. "You've done that before," he smiled, admiring Derek's craftsmanship.
Morgan smiled. "More than once." He handed the key to Hank for the door and the deadbolt.
The manager looked at Hank. "Give me that key Hank and I'll run and get some duplicates made for John, Kelly and myself." Hank handed him the key and the manager went out the back door.
Hank smiled. "I'm glad you guys dressed down."
Matt looked at him. "You're really special Hank." He pointed at Hotch. "The Big Dog doesn't lose the tie, far less wear jeans for too many people," he said with a wink.
Hotch rubbed Max's head. "I did it for Max," he smiled. Hank laughed. And then he noticed the parade of people coming down the hall. Hotch smiled at Hank. "That is the rest of my team and our families. You're having dinner with us."
Kevin helped Will carry a cooler of beer. Abbey and Beth had the day off for parent-teacher conferences for the kids. They had put together a large chicken hotdish. Tara walked up with a large veggie tray the rest had chipped in on. Reid carried a grocery bag filled with assorted buns. Emily and Declan each carried a gallon of milk. Declan also carried a bag with paper plates and plastic glasses and other items.
After the introductions, Cam, the historian, looked at Hank's picture. "Which one are you sir?"
"You call me sir," Hank challenged.
Cam smiled. "My dad and mom taught me respect for the uniform."
"Dad is a colonel now," Casee said.
Hank smiled. "I'm the kid back there," he pointed. All the kids gathered around to look. Hank shook his head and looked at Matt who was taking a drink of his beer.
"I'm inactive reserve; Uncle Sam likes me doing the job I'm currently doing. They only pull me out when they need a show pony."
Hank snickered. "How do you like that?"
Matt shook his head and sang. He ain't gonna jump no more. Hank smiled and looked at him and Morgan. "How much do I owe you for the new door?"
"You don't," Morgan said, taking a drink of his beer.
"Hey boys, I'm not destitute. My grandson owns this building and the one next door. It may not be the greatest neighborhood in the world, but my John keeps his buildings up. I've got a nice apartment that isn't a damn nursing home…" Rossi and Hotch looked around and noticed Hank was right. "…that doesn't cost me a cent. The tenants are thoroughly screened by the manager and I get along with all of them. They appreciate their nice places on what they make. They're all nice, hardworking honest people that just need a break. My John gives them that. Send one of your wives downstairs to the laundry room; you'll never find one cleaner." Matt shook his head at Morgan with a smile. "And the meth idiot sublet that place from his cousin who decided to join the Navy."
Hotch smiled at Hank. "Mr. Buckwalter, federal agents kicked in your door with no probable cause except to check on you. The FBI covers that cost. Derek does home renovations; he got the door and new hardware for it working a deal with one of his suppliers that supports veterans. And he will be fully reimbursed by the Bureau."
"The labor was done out of respect for your service," Dave smiled.
"That was over seventy years ago," Hank fired back.
"We don't care," Dave shot back at him. "You still served. And in the big war. I'm a bit younger than you. And I wanted to help the kids. We respect those that served before us." Dave smiled, waving a finger at Matt.
Hank looked out the patio door that his apartment had with a ramp to the ground for his wheelchair. Declan, Jack, Cam, Casee and Col had moved to the spacious backyard the apartment building had and were playing soccer together. It was well maintained. Garcia and Kevin had Michael and Hank on the swing set that was in the back corner.
"I'm glad my great-granddaughter stopped over this afternoon to pick up after Max," Hank smiled. He looked at the group. "She's here four days a week to do the cleaning and laundry. John pays her for that while she goes to Georgetown."
Abbey rubbed his shoulder. "Sounds like you're all set Hank."
He smiled, nodded his head and drained his beer. He looked at Will. "You got another one of those in that cooler?"
"I sure do sir," Will smiled. Hank wasn't the only one that had a second.
Two hours later, Matt and Hotch helped Tara and Garcia finish up cleaning up the kitchen. Emily had bought a stack of plastic containers when she and Declan stopped for the milk. Abbey and Beth filled them with the leftover hotdish and put them in Hank's freezer. "Thank you," the old man smiled with a tear in his eye. "That tasted wonderful and I'll enjoy every bite of it."
Cam looked at Hank. "I'm reading a book about D-Day right now. Can I get a picture with you to include in my report?"
"Trying to score points with your teacher kid," Hank challenged.
"Yes sir," Cam smiled.
"You're good kid; and I'd be honored," Hank smiled. Matt pulled out his cell and took the picture.
"How 'bout a picture with all of the kids to add to your collection," JJ nodded around Hank's living room. There were family pictures all around.
The old veteran smiled. "I'd like that; you folks have been so nice."
"It will be framed and personally delivered by all the kids," JJ smiled.
Savannah showed Hank the picture on her phone. Hank was holding "little Hank" as he called the Morgan's' son along with Michael in his lap. Casee and Colin were on his right, with Jack and Cam on his left. Declan stood at the back of his chair, holding Max.
"Ooooo that's a keeper," Tara smiled.
"Most definitely," Garcia approved.
-00CM00-
A week later, Matt hammered a nail into the wall of the BAU bullpen. Dave hung up a copy of the framed picture the team had delivered the night before, keeping a promise, along with another wonderful meal for Hank with more frozen leftovers. The beer and Dave's bottle of scotch got a workout as well. After getting Hank to bed, Abbey and Beth drove their husbands' and Dave home.
"Why we do it kid," Dave smiled, rubbing Matt's shoulder.
He ain't gonna jump no more, Matt softly sang.
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A/N: Amen! I've had this idea running around in my head for months. And I knew I didn't want to make it long. These case stories just drain me. Plus, I've been promising you all a Matt story for how long? Wipe that off the "to do" list.
And this whole idea started off a video I saw on FB. An old WWII veteran, a member of the 101st Airborne had visited the World War Two Museum in New Orleans. The video was him singing the song that Hank sang with other younger veterans that honored him by joining in. It brought tears; and I knew I had to somehow run with it. PIR is Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Now it's a little down time. Because I'm no longer watching the drivel that is currently CM. I've got to come up with my own inspiration for stories instead of getting some thoughts from the episodes. That is a sad thing to say; but true.
But I'll be back; promise. I will keep the "real" CM that we all love and enjoy alive.
*Jedi Knight bow*