Chapter Seven - Flying Without Will

Derek and JJ were standing in the airport, ready to head to New Orleans.

"So, why are we bringing Larry along?" asked Derek. "I don't think we should be doing this, JJ."

"He's our only connection to Sally," JJ replied. "Plus something about him doesn't feel right. I've asked Garcia to check him out further, but she's not got back to me yet."

"Penelope's the best."

"She knows. Anyway, that TV stunt seemed like Larry was screaming for attention. Not often we get our cases getting on the news. They're still playing that interview, asking for information." JJ knew that was the case, she'd seen it over and over again last night, as she tried in vain to get to sleep.

"You think he wanted us to find him?"

"Maybe, maybe not. If he's telling the truth, we're keeping him from getting more media attention and adding to Prentiss's problems; if not, you know what they say about keeping your enemies close."

"You really think he's behind this?"

"I don't know, but part of me hopes so," JJ said. "At least that way I'll get some answers."

Derek looked at his watch. "Think he'll show?"

JJ looked over at the tall red-haired figure coming towards them along the wide corridor. "I figure so."

Will was in a bar. He was alone, laying low, while a mess of thoughts filled his head.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like anything else?" asked the bartender, bringing him back to the real world.

Will handed over a couple dollar bills. "No, no, thank you, I'm fine." He looked over at the TV and saw a news report from Virginia. Will smiled, he'd come all the way to New Orleans, and yet still couldn't escape Virginia. Must be a slow news day. His eyes squinted even more, trying to read the headline. Great, looked like he made the news. He watched the animated man on it, tall with red hair, and realized that he recognized the man. It had been a long time ago, but Will had a memory for faces, and he recognized those eyes. His mind raced, trying to remember when and where he'd seen them before.

It didn't take too long. I've got to warn JJ, he thought, pulling out his cellphone and calling her number. He'd thought going into hiding would keep his family safe, but it looked like he was wrong. There was no point in hiding anymore.

Garcia was trying not to cry too much since she knew her team were counting on her to keep her emotions in check. Maybe the BAU had turned their back on JJ, but Penelope never would. She was doing research on the husband, pulling up his details, while Reid was investigating the woman herself, her connection with Will, looking for anyone who might hold a grudge against them.

"Hey, look here," Garcia called out to Reid. "I think I've got something. It's not great though."

He rushed over, and looked at Penelope's screen.

"So, I've been delving into the deep dark hole that is Larry's records..."

"Dark?"

"Yes, very dark indeed. He seems to match the guy on TV, and his ID checked out. Anyway, Larry works at the Audubon Zoo. Found this story about him."

Reid saw the headlines about an escaped lion. "So, this guy, who they've dubbed Menagerie Larry, is a hero… saved some kids from a rampaging lion."

"Yeah, but that's what made me think he couldn't be the guy on TV. Not so much a Menagerie Larry as an imaginary one."

Reid stared at the photo of the man, smiling back at him from the screen. "It's been a couple of years, it's very possible that he could have changed."

Penelope pointed to a sentence near the end of the story. "Yeah, but I doubt he grew back an arm."

"We have to tell JJ," said Spencer, pulling out his cell.

At the airport, Larry had just arrived, and as they set off towards security, JJ's cell rang.

"Hi, Mom. Yeah, there's nothing to worry about. You know what the media's like."

Larry excused himself, while JJ continued talking to her mother.

"Got to phone my brother," he told Derek. "He said he'd meet me at the other end."

Derek nodded, while JJ continued talking, telling her mother to ignore what they were saying about Will on the news.

Will looked at his phone. A busy signal. As he looked at the screen, he remembered where he'd seen those eyes so many years ago, although the face looked quite different.

The eyes had belonged to a thirteen year old, although those eyes had been filled with tears, tears that Will would never forget, since he was responsible. That was the night that Will had killed for the first time.

As JJ got off the phone, she switched it off, not noticing the voicemails, as she saw Larry heading back towards them. "Plane's in thirty, we better head to the gate."

"Right," said Larry, looking at his watch.

"Great, let's go," added Derek, wishing they were in New Orleans already.

Will panicked. JJ wasn't answering her phone. He saw this as entirely his fault. He should have confided in her, told her what was happening, but he hadn't wanted to put her or the kids in danger. Now all he knew was that the man he suspected to be behind Sally's death was in Quantico, and that JJ wasn't responding to his calls.

He'd come to New Orleans looking for answers, combing through Sally's and his pasts, looking for answers, when he should have stayed at home. What a blinkered idiot he'd been.

He looked at his phone, and flicked down his contacts. Finally he came across the one person he had confided in, and dialled the number. This time someone answered.

"Hi Bobo, it's me."

"Will, thank goodness. Everyone's been looking for you. JJ, Derek, Sally's husband. I've been covering for you left, right and center."

"Thanks, Bobo, but if Sally's husband was the same guy that's been on TV, then he's not Sally's husband. I've got a story to tell you, Bobo, old buddy, a tale about drug-dealing and death, but that'll have to wait. I'm worried about JJ, I'm worried about Henry and Michael, and I'm stuck here a thousand miles away unable to do anything. You've got to help me."

"Sure thing, partner, just tell me what you want me to do."

"Check on JJ, and check on the kids. Do it for me, pal."

"Don't worry, man," Bobo reassured him. "I've got your back. You can count on Bobo."

"Thanks, Double B. Gotta go now. Just in case they're trying to trace me. I'll be back in touch."

Normally, JJ would be travelling on their special jet. Now she was sitting here, in this cramped seat, her phone switched off, watching a far-fetched in-flight movie about someone wrongly convicted of murder. Next to her, Larry was watching a scary movie, while Derek listened to music.

Will's mind went back to a long ago night in New Orleans, a night before JJ, a night when Sally was still alive.

"So, Will," Sally said, as they approached the address they'd been given, "think this guy will give us any trouble?"

"Hope he does," Will replied. "We've not had anything exciting to do since we left the academy."

"Danger's your middle name, huh?" Sally said with a smile.

"It beats paperwork," he replied, as they reached their destination.

He knocked on the door. "Police," he shouted. "I've got a warrant to search this place."

There was silence.

He knocked again. "Police. Please open this door or I'll have to force an entry."

Still there was no answer.

He looked over at Sally, positioned on the side of the doorway with her gun in her hand. "Okay," Will said, "looks like we're going to get some action."

"Or we've got the wrong address and you'll be doing paperwork for the rest of your life."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," said Will. "Time to go in."

And with those words, he kicked the door down.

The place looked empty, but Will stayed alert, knowing that appearances could be deceiving. He and Sally slowly made their way inside, and that's when Will heard a sound off to his side. His head swung round, and he saw a gun pointing towards him, and that's when he heard the gunshot.

It was just a single gunshot, just like many others he'd heard on the firing range, but this one affected him more than the others combined. He looked down at his hand, the smoke coming from his gun, and then looked over at the man opposite him, lying on the ground, blood starting to pool on the carpet.

"You had to do it, Will," said Sally. "It was him or you."

Will stayed silent, and heard a noise coming from an adjoining room. A noise that sounded like sobbing.

He looked over at Sally, raised his finger to his lips, and slowly approached the room, gun raised.

Slowly opening the door, Will and Sally entered the room to see two young boys, not yet teens, standing there, the younger one crying.

"Is… is Dad okay?" asked the older one.

Will snapped back to the present, remembering the eyes of the younger boy, eyes he'd never forget; the same eyes he'd seen on television earlier. If this was revenge on him and Sally, they'd had a long time to plan it.

The plane touched down on the runway. JJ put her phone on and saw she had three voicemails waiting. She listened to the first one as a gamut of emotions washed over her. It was Will, warning her that Larry wasn't who he said he was. She sat there, shocked, hardly listening as Bobo's voice played, followed by Spencer's, both telling her the same thing as Will.

"Larry," she said, turning to look at him. "You're under arrest."

JJ expected Larry to argue or fight, but he just smiled. "That's a bad idea, you really don't want to arrest me."

"No, I want to do far worse for what you've done to me and my family."

Larry's smile faltered slightly. "It's not me you should be worried about, it's my brother. If anything happens to me, your kids are going to die, and maybe my brother will kill them anyway, and no doubt your parents too, because he's not as likable as me, and that's saying something."

But JJ wasn't listening to Larry anymore, all she was thinking about were her children. She looked over to Derek, who'd been listening to every word.

"Don't worry, JJ, nothing's going to happen to them."

JJ wanted to believe him, but that didn't stop the fear that was welling up inside, threatening to engulf her.