Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

The Lies of Life	By : hatochiisai Category: 1 through F > Criminal Minds Views: 6846 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, nor do I make any financial profit off of writing this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 2

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The two black SUV’s made their way up the winding road, then finally pulled over by a busy scene. Yellow tape roped off the side of the road, and the place was crawling with police, CSI and FBI. Agent Hotchner stepped out of the vehicle and moved across the snow, his team behind him.

“Agent Hotchner.” Agent De Salvo said, gesturing to another man. “This is Agent Verano.” The man turned and nodded to Hotch.

“Agent Hotchner. I wish I could say it’s a pleasure. I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.” Verano said. Hotch nodded.

“What have you found?” He asked, watching his team converge on the car and CSI, looking at the scene for themselves and asking questions.

“We’ve lifted a few prints from the car, but it’s a rental.” Verano said. “The most helpful thing is this.” He pointed several yards away where CSI seemed to be making a cast of a few things in the snow. “We have tire tracks… and THIS.” He knelt. “We have one set of footsteps. Moving towards the car, they’re clear and defined. He’s lifting his feet above the snow with every step and deliberately placing it down again. But on his way BACK from the car to his OWN truck, this.” Hotch knelt, seeing the difference for himself. “The prints in the show are deeper, and he’s dragging his feet THROUGH the snow rather than stepping over it. He’s carrying a load.” Verano said. “Probably your agent.” Hotch nodded.

“Do we know what kind of car he drives?”

“Still don’t have results back but it looks like a larger vehicle. Truck, SUV, something like that.” Verano stood. “We found skid marks back that way.” He said, pointing. “Your Agent was forced off of the road. He was going the other way, but the can spun out.”

“If he used a gun to get Reid out of his car, Reid would have walked on his own.” Hotch said, walking over to Reid’s rental. “But he carried him. Was this because Reid was unable to walk out of this car on his own? And if so, why? Did he hit his head in the crash?”

“Hotch.” Morgan said, standing. “There is a bit of blood on the steering wheel. But I think this is how Reid was incapacitated.” And he held up a small object in his gloved hand. It was the cap to a syringe. “Reid was injected with something.” Hotch nodded. He joined his team in checking out the scene… Reid’s leather messenger bag still lay on the passenger seat… his gun lay on top.

“The UnSub used a needle and not the gun. Why?” Rossi said. “Why not take the gun to use against Reid?”

“Maybe he doesn’t NEED the gun.” Prentiss said, shrugging.

A black sedan pulled up, red and blue lights flashing. A young man got out and jogged over.

“Agent Hotchner?!” He called, looking around at all the people on the scene.

“I’m Agent Hotchner.” Hotch said, frowning at the excited young man. “And you are?”

“Agent Reiji Tanigawa.” The young man said, shaking Hotch’s hand.

“What’s going on?” Verano asked.

“We tried to call you, but—“

“No service out here.” Verano said.

Tanigawa nodded. “We got a call from Idaho. They found a mass grave site, they want Agent Hotchner’s team there right away.”

“We’re working on another case right now.” Hotch said sternly. Obviously he was not going to be very tolerant.

“I assure you, Agent Hotchner.” Tanigawa said. “This may have something to do with it. It’s a mass grave with twenty seven bodies, just inside the borders of Idaho. It’s only point seven miles from Utah border, and three miles from the Wyoming border.”

“And the relevance?” Hotchner growled.

“Your missing Agent’s fingerprints have been discovered at the scene.” Tanigawa said, and suddenly found the attention of the entire BAU team on him. “They called Quantico, and Quantico told them to call us.”

“How far is this grave site.” Rossi demanded.

“A couple of hours.” Tanigawa said, shrugging.

“… What were his prints on?” Morgan asked.

“… One of the murder weapons.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Reid knelt beside Jonathan Wilkes, latex gloves on his hands, a stack of towels an blankets waiting.

“Come on, girl…” Jonathan hissed, slapping the mare’s rump. She was giving birth. The forelegs of the foal had already emerged. The mare squealed softly and thrashed a bit. Reid frowned and took hold of the legs, and watched. When a ripple passed over the mare’s belly, he tugged. And suddenly, the foal spilled out onto the hay. The mare stumbled to her feet and shook herself, then turned around and nosed over the foal. Reid stripped the placenta off of the foal as the little thing began to kick it’s legs and breathe.

“Odd coloring.” Reid said, cocking his head. The foal was mainly palomino, like its dam, but across it’s shoulders and rump the pale gold faded to a dappled silver… just like its sire, Flint. Reid checked over the foal, his mind spinning with facts that he had picked up from Wilkes’ books regarding new born foals.

“Filly.” He said, looking up at Jonathan. The man nodded.

“I want you to bunk down in here tonight.” He said. “Keep an eye on them.”

“sure.” Reid said, nodding.

“For now, go ahead and exercise Baron.”

“Okay.” Reid said, standing and stripping off his gloves, placing them in the trash. Then he went to the far wall and took down Baron’s tack. The aging bay gelding swished his tail and accepted the bit in his mouth readily, allowing Reid to buckle the bridle onto his head. The horse stomped a foot when the blanket was tossed over his back. Reid set the saddle down onto the animals’ back an shoved it up into place, then tightened the girth, buckling it securely. He checked the stirrups, then took the reigns and led Baron out of the stable. Flint neighed as they passed. Reid flinched away, Baron ignored it.

The sun was getting ready to set. Reid used his long legs, placing onto foot into the stirrup, gripping the saddle horn, and then leaping up, hauling himself into place and swinging his other leg over. He sat astride the horse, made sure than everything was okay, then laid the reins on the side of the beasts’ neck. Baron snorted, turned, and at a firm kick, broke into an easy canter.

Reid thoroughly enjoyed his morning and evening rides with Baron. The horse was even tempered, and his gait was smooth. Reid knew that Baron enjoyed these rides, too. They headed down a trail through the woods, and Reid enjoyed the quiet peace of the scene. The air was cold and crisp, but the first signs of spring were showing. Trees were beginning to blossom. Grass was beginning to sprout, and the first spring flowers were peeping up from the ground. Birds were building their nests, and a few days ago, Reid had seen a doe with her young fawn at the pond. He was enjoying this season… but it bothered him that he could not remember any before this one…

But the dreams… He dreamed of the same six people every night.

The first was a black male in his mid thirties. He was always smiling. Laughing. Teasing him. Called him ‘Pretty Boy’ and ‘Kid’. But there were also moments when the man stared at him with a look of patience and empathy… Reid felt that he had been able to trust and confide in this man.

Then there was an eccentric blonde. Heavy makeup, glittery jewelry, hair pieces and clothes. Always smiling. Also teasing. But also someone he felt that he could confide in… this was someone he felt was always there to cheer him up. For some reason, he had one very distinct memory… she kissed her middle and index fingers and pressed them against his forehead. It bothered him. He didn’t know who she was, but he missed her terribly. Sometimes, when he was holding a phone, he almost expected to hear her voice…

Then there was a middle aged man with a beard and eyes full of wisdom. For some reason, Reid was in awe of this man, but also felt an overwhelming sense of trust in him. He vaguely remembered a woman’s voice, and being horribly frightened. He remembered opening his eyes and was lying on a sofa, and that man was there to ease his fears. He had been there for him.

Then there was a pretty young blonde. He felt a deep love for this woman, but… not romantically. She was like family… And she had a baby. A little boy. Last night, she had said something… “Hey, Spence.” It confused him. Who was she speaking to? Who was this “Spence”? His name was Alex Wilkes! … Right?

He moved his thoughts to the last woman. Pale complexion, dark brown hair. He felt protective of this woman, but at the same time, protected BY her. She was someone he could talk to, and laugh with…

The last was the man in his thirties with dark hair and intense eyes. He was always in a suit and tie… never smiled. Reid felt that he and the other people looked up to this man. He was some kind of leader. But for some reason, Reid felt that there were two sides to this man… The one he and the others had always known, and another that only he had known for a short amount of time. He felt connected to this man more than the others. But he didn’t know why. He just felt that out of all of these people, this man meant more to him… This man was very important… He hated not knowing… Who was this man? Where was he? And… what was he to him?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The team walked though the tall dry grass, climbing the hill before them, their breath misting on the chilled evening air.

Large spot lights were already flooding the gravesite with light. Finally, they reached the top of the hill and stared down at what lay sprawled out before them. A mass grave. People swarmed all over. Bodies were still being bagged. A man struggled up the hill towards them.

“BAU?” He asked.

“I’m SSA Aaron Hotchner.” Hotch said, shaking the man’s hands.

“Agent Pyndus. Call me Monty.”

“Tell us what’s going on?”

“Well… we had a missing person out here.” Monty said. “We had search dogs. They found this.”

“And the missing person?”

“Found her a few miles west. She’s fine.”

“Tell us about the victims here.”

“… We’ve identified them. All of them.”

“… All of them?”

“… It’s weird.” Monty said, leading the BAU team over to a tent. Inside, was a large board covered with pictures, and two dates beside each.

“… Oh my God.” Prentiss gasped. “They all look like Reid!”

“We have twenty seven men between the ages of eighteen and thirty.” Monty sighed. “All tall and skinny, brown hair, brown eyes, light complexions. All match missing persons reports from Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada and Utah. One from Colorado. They date back fourteen years. The first date is the date they were reported missing. The second… the estimated time of death.”

“The difference is… months.” JJ breathed, frowning.

“How did you identify them all for sure?” Rossi asked.

“… They uh… they were buried in the clothes they were wearing when they vanished. Everything’s the same. They had their wallets with them… dead cell phones… cash and change. One had a lighter and cigarettes. This one…” He indicated one of the victims, “Had a movie ticket stub from two nights before he was reported missing.”

“So… he abducts them. Keeps them for months. Then kills them and buries them exactly as they were when he found them…?” Prentiss said, slowly.

“How were the bodies positioned?” Morgan asked.

“Face up. Arms crossed over their chests.” Monty said.

“… Respect for the dead. Guilt. Sorrow. Remorse.” Rossi said, frowning.

“Any sign of torture or sexual assault?” Hotch asked.

“None.” Monty said.

“Cause of death?”

“… This is where it gets weird.” Monty sighed. “They were all holding the murder weapons.”

“… What?” Morgan asked, looking at Monty.

“Each man that we’ve tested so far has the same cause of death. Injection. Our labs confirm that the chemical is what veterinarians use to euthanize animals.”

“And they were holding the syringes they were injected with?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah.”

“You checked for prints?”

“That’s where it gets weirder.” Monty said. “The prints match the next victim.”

“… What?”

“Victim number one was holding a syringe with his DNA on the needle, with the fingerprints of victim number two on it. Victim number two held the needle with victim number three’s prints. And so on and so forth.”

“And the latest victim?” Hotch asked through clenched teeth.

“… The prints on the syringe match your missing agent.” Monty sighed.

“… The shortest time between abduction and death is five months.” JJ said, looking over the board. “Reid has been missing for around three weeks.”

“What is this guy doing with these men?” Morgan sighed. “If he’s not raping or torturing them…?”

“That’s what we have to find out, if we’re going to find Reid.” Hotch growled

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jonathan Wilkes sighed and smiled slightly, watching the young man gallop the horse across the meadow, heading back towards the stable. Paternal pride swelled in him. In a few short weeks, the awkward young man rode like a pro. The boy rode up to him and reined Baron to a halt. The horse snorted and tossed his head, prancing.

“Good ride, Alex?” Jonathan asked, and the young man grinned, his face flushed by the cold wind.

“Yeah.” He said, sliding down from the beast’s back. Jonathan smiled and clapped Reid on the shoulder. “Put him up. I’ll have dinner ready when you’re done.” He said. Reid nodded and took Baron to the stable. He removed his tack and rubbed him down, fed an watered him and gave him a thorough grooming. Then he checked on all of the mares before heading to the house.

Sure enough, Jonathan had dinner ready. Ah… lasagna by Stouffer’s. Reid grinned and joined the man at the table and ate heartily. The pair talked casually for a bit, but then, Reid asked the question that every Alex asked eventually.

“Dad? What… what was mom like?” Reid asked, frowning. Jonathan sighed and leaned back.

“Ah, Alex… come on out to the living room and we’ll talk.” He said. Reid nodded and put his plate into the sink and followed his “father” out to the living room. He sat down on the sofa, and the kittens followed, hopping up and curling up in his lap. Reid smiled.

“Hi Morgan.” He said to the seal point female. The flame point male hopped up a moment later. “Hi Garcia.” He pet the kittens as they curled up in his lap. Then he looked up at Jonathan.

“Your mother, Emma… She was… the love of my life. She gave me so much. The best thing was… you.” He said with a smile. Reid smiled back slightly. “Your mother was… a lot like you. Shy and quiet. Loved to read. Intelligent. God, she loved you.” He sighed, turning and looking at the framed photo.

“How did she die?” Reid asked, looking at the woman in the picture. Long brown hair, brown eyes… willowy.

“… Pneumonia. She was… always sick after she had you. She almost died bringing you into the world, son. She was always weak after that. And her body just couldn’t fight that illness off…” Jonathan said, softly. “You were six.”

“… I wish I could remember her…” Reid mumbled.

“It will come back, Alex.” Jonathan said. “Anything else?”

“… No. I’ll go grab a sleeping bag and get set up in the stable.” Reid sighed, standing. Jonathan nodded and also stood, going to prepare for bed himself.

Reid dragged the sleeping back out to the stable and laid it out on a thick pile of hay in the loft overlooking Sahara and her new filly. He set up a camping lantern and pulled the kittens out of his pockets. They curled up in the sleeping bag with him. And Reid relaxed, making himself comfortable and opening one of the several books he brought out with him. He opened the first and began to read.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hotch sighed, staring up at the night sky. He had to step away from the evidence. There was so much of it. His mind was spinning. So many smiling faces on that board in there… white skin, dark eyes, brown hair… The twenty seven victims had been joined by a final photo; a smiling picture of Spencer Reid. He glanced at the mass grave, then turned away, shuddering in revulsion at the idea that Spencer could be one of them, even though he knew he wasn’t.

The stars out in the country were amazing. Hotch sighed again, his breath misting on the air. Where was Spencer? Was he okay? Was he scared? Was he warm and safe? Maybe sleeping… or was he crying for help, praying for his team to come find him? Was he being fed where he was? Was he being hurt? Too many questions spun through the man’s head.

“Aaron.”

He turned. “… Dave.”

“… He’ll be okay. None of the victims have any sign of injury. So far, they’re all in perfect condition, other than being dead. They were well taken care of.” Rossi said. “We’ll find him, Hotch.”

“Agents!” Came a call, and Monty jogged over to them. “We found something.” The BAU team gathered. “All of the victims had hairs on them. We had them analyzed. They’re animal hairs.”

“What kind?” JJ asked.

“A lot. Numerous dogs, cats and horses. A couple of them even had goat and cow hairs. These men have all been around domestic animals and livestock.”

“That confirms it then.” Rossi said. “In combination with the drug they were euthanized with… we’re dealing with a veterinarian.”

“Why would a veterinarian kidnap young men, hold them for months, and then kill them?” Prentiss mused.

“What if he isn’t killing them?” Morgan asked, suddenly. “The fingerprints. The latest victim was killed they think about the same time as Reid went missing. What if this guy is abducting these men, and makes THEM kill the other. And then… they replace him.”

“You mean… what if he is making them kill the men they’re taking over for?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah. What if… what if he made Reid kill the last victim?”

“Why would he do that?” JJ asked.

“Torture them?” Emily offered. “They know what their fate is? To die at the hands of the next victim?”

“He’s sticking to a type.” Rossi said. “We have to find what the significance is. He started this fifteen years ago. We’ve seen cases like this before. What if he lost his own son, and is replacing him with these men? If he had a son in his mid twenties, he would have been in his mid forties. That means that we are looking for a man in his fifties or sixties…”

Morgan was immediately on the phone. “Baby girl, I need you to work me a little magic here.”

“If it will help us find our baby, I’ll be your Mistress of all things Magical.”

“I need you to search records of the death of a man from twenty to thirty years old in Utah, Wyoming or Idaho. Would have happened about fifteen years ago. Father is a veterinarian, probably in his sixties now. He’ll probably resemble Reid.”

“When I know, you’ll know.” Garcia said, and hung up.

“Let’s find a hotel.” Hotch said. “We need to get some rest.”

“Hotch… we have too much to do.” Morgan protested.

“We won’t do Reid any good if we burn ourselves out.” Hotch said. “Let’s go.”
- 1
- 2
- 3
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Lies of Life