Fic: Adapting Logic (1/1 Criminal Minds)
Nov. 1st, 2007 09:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thefroggTitle: Adapting Logic
Series: Of Innocence and Empathy
Author: Frogg
Beta: Adam
Rating: FRT, mention of rape and torture, slash.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Damnit.
Word Count: 697
Summary: JJ makes an unwanted discovery.
Author's Note: Occurs sometime after Earnest Truth
The conference room was disturbingly quiet; JJ had finished presenting the case, but the normal brainstorming didn't fill in the gaps afterwards. No one seemed willing to break the silence, too busy staring at the photographs, all too vivid memories of brutality painted glossy in blood and suffering.
"Six. It took six bodies for them to realize--" Morgan protested in disbelief.
"Six bodies, six counties, three states. It's not all that unusual," Gideon rumbled.
Reid frowned. "Given the nature of the killings, I would have expected..." He rubbed his forehead, unable to continue. He was not going to be the one to point out the obvious, he just wasn't.
"Considering the stigma attached to this type of violence, we're lucky the survivor's willing to talk to us," Hotch murmured.
Emily tilted her head, glancing between the ID photos. "This guy certainly has a type," she said, avoiding eye contact with anyone, particularly Reid.
"Yes, he does," Hotch answered, a twisted grimace on his lips. The pictures showed lanky, awkward frames, all limbs and joints, dark blond hair and hazel eyes.
"Hotch?" Reid's eyes were glazed, unfocused. "I'm not going undercover for this one."
"Understood."
Tension bled from the room at Hotch's curt affirmative, only to be replaced by confusion. It was JJ who spoke up, questioning. "Hotch?"
"Yes?" Hotch glanced up, steel in his eyes, all but promising retribution if she protested.
JJ gulped. "Um, nothing, sir."
Hotch nodded. "Wheels up in thirty. Reid?"
Reid couldn't suppress a shiver.
JJ met Emily's gaze as the younger woman left the room, sighing at her rueful expression, then turned to slowly gather the photos and papers back into the folder. Quiet conversation became background noise as she put the case back in order.
"You don't have to go with us."
"I--I'm okay, I just." Reid stopped, unable to look at Hotch.
"Hey, Reid." Morgan stood, reaching out and brushing his lover's arm with one hand. "You gonna be okay out there?"
What the hell? JJ forced herself not to react. Every instinct she had was screaming at the sheer wrongness of the situation. Reid always volunteered to go undercover if he had the slightest chance of fitting what the UnSub wanted. He usually insisted on it, as he had with Bryer on the train.
Hotch nodded, taking a step back as Reid moved easily to Morgan's side; there was nothing in the embrace they shared but comfort and understanding and the soothing of Reid's ragged nerves.
Now he was refusing, before having a chance to be asked? Before we even know if it would be possible to use him as bait?
Gideon stood, eyes still on Reid and Morgan, and clapped Hotch on the shoulder before leaving the room.
What the hell had changed?
The stack of photos in her hands clicked against the tabletop. Hotch flipped open his cell phone and hit speed dial.
What did they all know that I...
"Garcia?" Hotch's lips didn't twitch with the threat of a smile, no hint of sparkle in his eyes. "Reid's going to be--Yes. As many different kinds as you can. Sub-dermal, too."
Tracking devices. JJ couldn't help the involuntary shudder, couldn't keep her hands from freezing mid-motion.
Reid could hear Hotch, and not only didn't protest the fact that he was being tagged, he actually relaxed, sinking farther into Morgan's arms.
The only time I would have wanted him to...was when...in Marshall Parish, JJ thought to herself in dawning horror. The last time Reid had gone undercover was before. Before Hankel.
Hotch met her eyes across the table, still on the phone with Garcia, still pointedly not looking at Morgan and Reid behind him.
JJ swallowed, bitter knowledge knotting her gut. She knew Hotch could see it in her eyes, knew that moment of sickening realization was painfully clear on her face. The only thing she could be grateful for was that it was Hotch, and not Reid, or even Morgan, who was watching her recover.
Reid wasn't afraid of death, not here; they'd already established that the UnSub didn't kill his victims directly. Shock, bloodloss and exposure did.
Reid was refusing to put himself at risk of becoming the Unsub's next rape victim.
Because he'd already been Hankel's.
~~~the end~~~
Series: Of Innocence and Empathy
Author: Frogg
Beta: Adam
Rating: FRT, mention of rape and torture, slash.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Damnit.
Word Count: 697
Summary: JJ makes an unwanted discovery.
Author's Note: Occurs sometime after Earnest Truth
The conference room was disturbingly quiet; JJ had finished presenting the case, but the normal brainstorming didn't fill in the gaps afterwards. No one seemed willing to break the silence, too busy staring at the photographs, all too vivid memories of brutality painted glossy in blood and suffering.
"Six. It took six bodies for them to realize--" Morgan protested in disbelief.
"Six bodies, six counties, three states. It's not all that unusual," Gideon rumbled.
Reid frowned. "Given the nature of the killings, I would have expected..." He rubbed his forehead, unable to continue. He was not going to be the one to point out the obvious, he just wasn't.
"Considering the stigma attached to this type of violence, we're lucky the survivor's willing to talk to us," Hotch murmured.
Emily tilted her head, glancing between the ID photos. "This guy certainly has a type," she said, avoiding eye contact with anyone, particularly Reid.
"Yes, he does," Hotch answered, a twisted grimace on his lips. The pictures showed lanky, awkward frames, all limbs and joints, dark blond hair and hazel eyes.
"Hotch?" Reid's eyes were glazed, unfocused. "I'm not going undercover for this one."
"Understood."
Tension bled from the room at Hotch's curt affirmative, only to be replaced by confusion. It was JJ who spoke up, questioning. "Hotch?"
"Yes?" Hotch glanced up, steel in his eyes, all but promising retribution if she protested.
JJ gulped. "Um, nothing, sir."
Hotch nodded. "Wheels up in thirty. Reid?"
Reid couldn't suppress a shiver.
JJ met Emily's gaze as the younger woman left the room, sighing at her rueful expression, then turned to slowly gather the photos and papers back into the folder. Quiet conversation became background noise as she put the case back in order.
"You don't have to go with us."
"I--I'm okay, I just." Reid stopped, unable to look at Hotch.
"Hey, Reid." Morgan stood, reaching out and brushing his lover's arm with one hand. "You gonna be okay out there?"
What the hell? JJ forced herself not to react. Every instinct she had was screaming at the sheer wrongness of the situation. Reid always volunteered to go undercover if he had the slightest chance of fitting what the UnSub wanted. He usually insisted on it, as he had with Bryer on the train.
Hotch nodded, taking a step back as Reid moved easily to Morgan's side; there was nothing in the embrace they shared but comfort and understanding and the soothing of Reid's ragged nerves.
Now he was refusing, before having a chance to be asked? Before we even know if it would be possible to use him as bait?
Gideon stood, eyes still on Reid and Morgan, and clapped Hotch on the shoulder before leaving the room.
What the hell had changed?
The stack of photos in her hands clicked against the tabletop. Hotch flipped open his cell phone and hit speed dial.
What did they all know that I...
"Garcia?" Hotch's lips didn't twitch with the threat of a smile, no hint of sparkle in his eyes. "Reid's going to be--Yes. As many different kinds as you can. Sub-dermal, too."
Tracking devices. JJ couldn't help the involuntary shudder, couldn't keep her hands from freezing mid-motion.
Reid could hear Hotch, and not only didn't protest the fact that he was being tagged, he actually relaxed, sinking farther into Morgan's arms.
The only time I would have wanted him to...was when...in Marshall Parish, JJ thought to herself in dawning horror. The last time Reid had gone undercover was before. Before Hankel.
Hotch met her eyes across the table, still on the phone with Garcia, still pointedly not looking at Morgan and Reid behind him.
JJ swallowed, bitter knowledge knotting her gut. She knew Hotch could see it in her eyes, knew that moment of sickening realization was painfully clear on her face. The only thing she could be grateful for was that it was Hotch, and not Reid, or even Morgan, who was watching her recover.
Reid wasn't afraid of death, not here; they'd already established that the UnSub didn't kill his victims directly. Shock, bloodloss and exposure did.
Reid was refusing to put himself at risk of becoming the Unsub's next rape victim.
Because he'd already been Hankel's.
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