The day seemed to drag slowly for the team. Pairs were sent out to do interviews here and there and people were brought in to talk to them, but there wasn’t much that they could go on. The only one who didn’t seem to be frustrated with the passage of time was Spencer. He was seated at a table by himself in an interrogation room—per his request—reading through the journals and trying to gather as much information as possible. The only break he’d taken was when Dave came to bring him coffee and he told Dave that this was, without a doubt, their Unsub. Once he’d seen the content of the first few, Spencer had jumped ahead to the latest journal to check for the names of the recent victims. They were there.
After that, he asked that he be left alone to finish what he could. It took him a little while to not just read the journals, but to analyze the handwriting as best as he could. All the he was trying to label the place that the Unsub might have taken the victims to.
Meanwhile, the others were trying to get as much information as they could about the man who lived in that house. Garcia had a tag on his information so if he went to a bank, used his ATM, or used his credit cards, she would know about it.
They had gathered back at the station close to dinner time to try and plan out what to do next. Dave opened his mouth to try and suggest they get a quick bite to eat before continuing to work when the door to their conference room opened and Spencer rushed in, a stack of journals in his hand. “The club on Dillard street.” He told them while he tossed the journals on the table and moved to the map. He lifted a finger, tapping on the marker that indicated the first abduction site. “His journals say he’s making a perfect circle out of these clubs here. Once he reaches the end, he starts all over again. It’s the system he’s been using for a while now.”
“For a while?” Emily looked up from the file she’d been reading at the table. “How long has he been doing this, Reid?”
Spencer moved over to one of the boards, flipping it so he could use the other side. He grabbed a pen and started to write while he spoke. “The journals start two and a half years ago. Our seven victims don’t even begin to touch what he’s done. Not just here, but over state lines. Four different states, actually.” He made four columns on the board and labeled each one at the top. Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California. Under Washington he put the seven victims they already knew as well as four others. In Oregon, ten. Idaho, seven. California, seven.
The team looked at those names and gaped. Thirty five. There were thirty five women up on that board. Morgan was already pulling out his phone and calling Garcia to give her the new list of names. This was above and beyond what they’d thought they would find.
“He’s refined his technique.” Spencer told them. He put the pen down and moved over to the journals he’d brought with him. Opening one, he sifted through it to the page he wanted. “His earlier kills were much more hesitant. He didn’t quite understand what he was doing. He experimented with his herbs as well until he found these two that fit his needs. He won’t stop, either. He’s convinced that these women really do want him and that eventually he’ll find the one strong enough and beautiful enough to be his…he says his mate.”
Aaron walked over to look at the map that was hanging up. “You’re positive it’ll be this club, Reid?”
“Yes, Sir.” The automatic reply would have made Aaron smile at any other time. Right then he was too focused on his work. Spencer’s reply just made him nod. “Good. We’ll patrol. Last night’s attack probably upset him, throwing him off his game. He’ll have to go out again tonight.”
“He’ll be sloppy.” Dave added in. “Even though he took the girl, he’ll want to take another tonight to make it perfect. The ritual isn’t right if something messes it up. He’ll be compelled to go out again tonight. If we patrol the club, we’ll probably have a good chance of seeing something.”
Aaron turned around and nodded at Dave. “He’s right. We’ll split into teams and work both the inside and the outside of the club. Prentiss, you and Seaver take the inside. Morgan, why don’t you go in with them? You three should blend easily in a club. Reid, Dave and I can watch the outside to see if we can catch him leaving with someone. Hopefully we can nail this guy.” With his orders, the team started to prepare themselves to leave.
CMCM
*I know I skip over the case work here, but I’m not that great at it and I really didn’t want to write it. The case isn’t really important to the story anyways. Sorry if that upsets some of you.*
The BAU team sighed as they all settled in to the jet the next morning. It had been a long night for all of them and they were more than ready to head home and relax. After waiting outside the club for two hours, their Unsub was finally caught as he came out to his car, mostly dragging the woman with him. Aaron, Dave and Spencer had confronted him while Morgan, Emily and Ashley had come out of the club to back them up. Once they got him at the station, interrogation had been easy. With the journals to back them, the man knew that he wouldn’t be able to get away with everything and had given a full confession.
The woman that he’d been trying to take had stayed the night at the hospital to get the drug out of her system, but she was being released to go home that day. With everything wrapped up nicely, the team had happily gathered their stuff and headed to the jet to go home.
Since they’d been up all night, it didn’t take long for them to start to fall asleep. Emily was the first one out, with Ashley close behind, the two of them almost leaning into one another. Over on the couch, Spencer was curled up, knees to his chest and arms resting on top of them. His head was resting there and his face was relaxing as he too drifted off. On the other end of the couch sat Morgan, his typical headphones on, his eyes closed. He could have been awake as he listened to his music or he could have fallen asleep already. It was hard to tell.
That left Dave and Aaron sitting across from one another at one of the tables. Aaron was filling out a few reports that would need to be turned in when they arrived home. A small part of his mind was enjoying the fact that they would soon be home and he would be free to go with his lovers and be somewhere that they wouldn’t have to work so hard to be quiet. It might make it a little easier for them to have their ‘talk’ that had been delayed for work, too. Lost in thought, he wasn’t paying any attention to things around him until Dave spoke in a soft voice. “So, you going to tell me what’s going on between Reid and Seaver?”
Looking up in surprise, Aaron found Dave’s smiling face looking at him. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, come on, Aaron. I’m not an idiot. Reid looked upset yesterday when he and Seaver got to the house and Morgan sent Seaver to work with us, something that isn’t typical for him. Add on that you deliberately kept Reid with us and you’ve been short with Seaver. All that points to her having done something to upset him.” Dave summarized with a roll of his eyes. “So, I repeat. You going to tell me what’s going on?”
He should have figured that the other profiler would have picked up on it. There really wasn’t much that Dave missed. “She made some comments to Reid about his apparent uselessness in the field. Implying that he was simply the brain of our team and that we sent him on useless trips to keep him away from the field.”
Dave let out a low whistle, his eyebrows climbing. “No wonder Morgan looks like he wants to bite her head off. Are you going to have a talk with her about respect inside the team?”
“That was the plan.” A wry grin curved Aaron’s lips as he remembered Spencer’s passionate speech in the car. It had surprised him but it had also made him a little proud. It was good to see the younger man learning to stand up for himself and speak his mind. “Reid basically told me that I needed to butt out. He said that he has no official complaint to make about her and that until he does, I need to let them resolve it between one another.”
That had Dave laughing softly. “Kiddo’s getting some backbone. Nice to see.” He paused, looking over to where Emily and Ashley had finally leaned in to one another in their sleep, almost looking like they’d just slumped against the other. “Maybe the Unit Chief shouldn’t talk to her, but a friend could have a little talk about manners.” He suggested. Turning back to Aaron, he threw him a wink. “Reid hasn’t said for me to leave it alone and I’ve pretty much taken to showing Ashley the ropes around here. I’ll give her a gentle little reminder about the importance of everyone on the team and the types of things she shouldn’t say.”
That was perfect. Aaron couldn’t stop the quick grin that spread over his lips. “Officially, I can’t control your conversations, Dave. Outside of that…thanks.”
“Anytime. Probably better than you or Morgan saying something to her, anyways. You’re both a little too…invested to keep a level head.”
Those loaded words made Aaron freeze. It took everything he had to keep his composure and not betray all the secrecy they’d worked towards. Before he could figure out something to say, Dave gave another laugh. “Relax, Aaron. I’m not about to say anything. I haven’t yet so far and I’ve known for quite a while. I’m happy for the three of you.”
“What?” It wasn’t the most intelligent response, but Aaron really couldn’t think of anything else to say. He was stunned by the fact that his friend not only knew about his relationship, but had known for a while now. And he approved! How had Dave figured it out? They’d been so careful with one another at work and even off work when there were others around! I was right earlier. There’s not much that slips past him.
Dave reached over and patted Aaron’s hand where it sat on the files. “Relax. I’m the only one that knows anything. Trust me. Anyone else thinks it’s just those two. I’m the only one that’s really seen beyond that. To a person who knows you as well as I do, it wasn’t that difficult to see the way you care for them. Both of them. You three have done wonderfully for one another.”
For one brief second Aaron kept quiet, debating what to say or how to act. But he gave up that internal debate with a soft sigh. This was Dave, a man he had known for a long time and a man he respected. They were good friends, on and off the clock. And if he was honest with himself, it felt wonderful to be able to openly talk with his friend instead of being so secretive. With one last glance to make sure the girls were really asleep, Aaron let himself smile at Dave. “They make me happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.”
“I can see that. You guys seem perfectly matched together. Three different personalities that just kind of mesh. It’s made you happier and a little more relaxed. Morgan’s definitely happier and mellower than before. And Reid seems to be flowering under the attention. You two have given him the security to get more of a backbone.”
“He’s more confident to speak his mind now that he knows he has people who love him for him.” Aaron agreed with his friend. “He’s still so self-conscious most of the time and we know he worries that we’ll leave him. But I don’t ever see that happening.”
Dave’s eyes traveled over to where Spencer was sleeping. “Me either. You guys are like a unit, but he seems to be your center. If it was just you and Reid or Morgan and Reid, the relationship might lean more towards caretaking. You and Morgan alone would be too volatile. Two alpha males constantly battling to be the dominant. But together, you all balance one another out.”
“That’s exactly it.” In short words, Dave had summed it all up. It made Aaron’s smile grow a little bigger.
Turning back to Aaron, the older profiler gave a grin. “Just wanted to let you know that I’m happy for you guys, basically, and that you have someone who’s on your side. On that note, I think I’m gonna go ahead and go lay down now.”
As Dave rose, Aaron sat back in his seat and watched his friend. “Hey, Dave?” He waited until Dave looked down at him before he said “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” Dave gave a chuckle and moved back over to his seat.
Aaron smiled as he looked back down at the folders on the table in front of him, his mood a little uplifted. Focused on his work and on the conversation he’d just had, Aaron never noticed the pair of eyes that were barely open, watching him as they had been for most of the conversation. Oblivious, he happily went back to work.