A/N: Here we go another chapter for you! Hopefully the punctuation isn't so bad this time. I had forgotten to proofread these before posting, plus I'm bad at grammar anyways, my english teacher's teaching technique was mad libs, no joke. I forgot to mention this is the first in a sequence of stories part of my Bad Penny series, all oriented around Reid. I completely understand loving Reid whump more than Morgan whump but alas, I must whump them all! As always I beg for reviews!

Chapter 8

The next time Morgan was truly conscious and not drifting they weren't in a car anymore. It was cold around him but it looked like he was inside a small house. He looked up blearily at a window above him leeching cold air onto him with pine trees bending under a sharp wind. He felt like gravity pulled twice as hard on him, pressing him into the floor and he couldn't resist it. Strange sounds from deeper in the room drew his attention. The room spun whenever he turned his head but once it settled he could see two men on the floor. His lethargic mind took too long to recognize Chapman on top crushing the strange man's neck below him. His struggles were feeble at best and having no effect on Chaplin whom wore a manic grin with an excited glint in his eyes. Another moment and his arms fell slack to the floor but his feet still shuffled as Chaplin leaned heavier on his jugular. Morgan tugged at his hands' restraints. He was cuffed to a metal ring bolted into the wall but the set up was secure. He had no chance of breaking free without bolt cutters at least. Unable to bring himself to watch the unknown man die he scanned the room finding Spencer quickly. He was cuffed to another metal ring in the wall curled up tight as he could, head resting in the crook of his elbow staring back dully. As soon as he realized Morgan was watching him he looked away, closing his eyes at the thumps of the man's final moments of life.

Morgan's attention flicked back to Chaplin whom sat up still on top of his victim breathing hard. He leered at Derek then sauntered over to Reid yanking him by his chin to look him in the eye.

"Wasn't that fun? Don't you think that was fun boy?" he gave Reid a hard shake making him wince. Derek's gut twisted with anger seeing the grotesque hand print bruises covering his neck and the thin outline of purple around his lips he hadn't seen earlier.

"Leave him…alone." The unnatural thickness of his own voice startled him. Chaplin stood.

"So you're awake now are you? FBI man Morgan, the great protector." He mocked, "Going to protect your little friend are you? But then, look at you. All tied up, like a wounded rabbit. A pretty useless protector aren't you? You feel safe with him protecting you kid? Hmmm? Do you want him defending your life?" he rattled him by the hair, pulling hairs from his scalp. Spencer kept his eyes averted and jaws clamped shut silently. Chaplin smacked him hard his head rebounding off the wall. Still he remained silent. "Tsk Tsk, so stubborn." Chaplin pulled a taser from the nightstand activating it a few times grinning each time Spencer flinch at the sound.

"Hey! Leave him alone! Get the hell away from him!" Morgan bellowed as Chaplin pressed the live taser to his shoulder. A full ten seconds passed before he stopped and Reid quivered for almost a minute longer.

"Well, you want your life in his hands kid? Answer me." He gave a few abrupt zaps with the taser.

"Y-yes….without…a….second…thought." He fought to control his muscles but the short bursts had done a number on them. They twitched and jumped against his will.

"You hear that? He doesn't even hesitate to trust you with his life. So Mr. FBI, when you feel like deserving his trust, feel free to stop me when you're ready to make good on his faith." He turned and began kicking Reid hard and fast fueled by his cries of pain and Morgan's shouted threats until Spencer slumped backwards hanging from the cuffs heavily. He was still conscious but just barely. Chaplin shot Derek a mocking grin before dragging the dead man out of the house followed by the sounds of digging.

"Reid, Reid, c'mon kid answer me." his head lolled and he muttered unintelligibly. "C'mon Reid you can do this. Stay awake and fight it." He thumped his head against the wall for a moment frustrated at himself. "I'm sorry. I should be able to stop him." He yanked on the restraints again shuddering at the pain piercing his gut.

"Not your…fault, can't get…loose." He lumbered to sit up again and managed to get leaned on the wall which was only slightly more comfortable. "You…okay? Been out..almost….day and a half…" he labored to breathe normally.

"I'll be fine. I'm just worried about you. He's fixating on you." Spencer sunk a little lower head tilting forward dipping in and out of consciousness. "Hey! Reid, stay awake, Reid!"

"I'm good, I'm good." he sucked in a breath jerking back to sitting up.

"Reid what's he been doing while I was out?" Reid shook his head to clear the cobwebs.

"Jus what you saw."

"Was that the first?" Morgan hesitated, "The first man he's brought back and killed?" Reid changed his posture again trying to take pressure off his ribs.

"No, it's…the third."

"Damn, he's a fast mover."

"He's enjoying…having FBI agents, as hostages."

"He's after the power, compensating for weakness he's felt his whole life and it makes him feel good again."

"Yes, it does." They jumped not having heard him return. "You seem to have perked up since our last game. Now that the work's done, I think we can play another game."

"No! You leave him alone!" Derek wasn't surprised that he was ignored. Spencer fought him hard as he could even managing to re-break the guy's nose with an errant elbow but despite his efforts he was still dragged into the bathroom the door locked behind them. Morgan strained against the restraints but nothing would budge. He could hear scuffling feet and water running. Minutes passed and occasionally he could hear laughing. He only broke his gaze from the door to check the clock. It was a little over half an hour later before Chaplin emerged, alone, looking to the wall restraints then to Morgan and grinned.

"No, I don't think so. It's worse for you not knowing." he disappeared into the bathroom and dragged an immobile Reid through the room and out the front door. He could hear pounding like a hammer and then a few minutes later he came back alone.

"Where is he? What the hell did you do to him!"

"It just burns you up not knowing doesn't it? You have to have the control of knowing everything, protecting everyone, don't you?" he left Morgan seething while he got a long hot shower and then a big bowl of hot cup of noodles chuckling every time Morgan's stomach rumbled taunted by the smell. He hadn't eaten in days, neither had Spencer, and his body was desperate for food. "Well get some sleep, it's going to be a long cold night."

Outside Spencer shivered in the cold air, his hair and clothes soaked through with water. He was on the edge of consciousness not quite able to reach either. Even out here he could smell the food, his gut churning for just a bite. When he could control himself enough to move he curled up tight trying to conserve what little warmth he had. He couldn't quite track the passing of time but he could see the shadows moving with the moon and figured it was almost directly above him when it started to snow. The sounds of snoring from within blended in with the wildlife prowling the night. In his more lucid moments he was able to get some of the snow from the ground eating it tentatively feeling a little relief from his thirst.

"Reid, Reid!" he could just barely hear the shouted whispers. He tried to respond but his raw throat and the water still in his lungs prevented him from getting enough volume to be heard inside. He didn't try to push the snow away from him as it stacked up around him. No matter how uncomfortable it was pressed against his skin it would help to insulate him as well. He didn't know how far up the mountain they were and couldn't calculate what the temperature was now or what it would drop to in the dark hours of the morning. He did know that whenever the moonlight showed through the trees at just the right angle he could see frost forming over his skin and the growing tightness in his chest. He tested his restraints again but they were pounded in solid and he was weak with hunger and the injuries. He tamped down on the frustration at their helplessness and tucked his face between his elbows trying to block out more of the cold and focused on just surviving the night.