Criminal Behaviour

NINE

*Spencer's POV*


The team returned not long later. "So, any update?" JJ spoke as the Rossi, Morgan, Hotch and JJ sat down and got themselves settled.

"None so far." I sighed, fidgeting with my fingers. It's always been something I've done when I was nervous or in a situation I was uncomfortable in.

A 'ping' was heard from Garcia's laptop, getting everyone's attention, "The victims of the shooting tonight in the school have just been identified." She sighed heavily before displaying their faces on the board along with minor information about them, "The first, Jason White -"

"That was the man who Samantha was talking to walking into the school." Morgan spoke, bringing me back to the time in the van which seemed like years ago.

I tried to escape the memories as Garcia read on, "He was a doctor, married and a father of two. The second, Kelly Masterson. She was a single mother, working part-time in an office. The third was, Jenny Long who worked with Kelly in the same building. And lastly, Zoe Jameson, married with three children and was a magazine editor."

"Nothing is relating these victims." Rossi spoke.

"But he clearly knows who he wants to kill. There were very few injuries tonight and that's because of the UnSubs specific targets for these people." Morgan said looking between the faces on the board.

I sighed, "He must know that he's running out of time and that we're onto him. Otherwise he would of taken and tortured these victim like he did with Mia, Malcolm, Victoria and Nicolas."

"But why take Samantha then?" Rossi asked, "If he opened fire on the four victims tonight and had a clear shot of Samantha, why not just kill her there and then?"

"Unless," I said trying to work out everything in my head that has been said over the past few days, "Unless Samantha was the main victim all along."

"What do you mean by that, Reid?" Morgan asked, "Eight people from that graduating class have been killed at the hands of our UnSub."

"But what if this has all been a build up for Samantha?" I asked, jumping up as I couldn't contain the energy and determination from within me. "Garcia, can you get Samantha's old year book?"

Garcia's fingers were already zooming across the keyboard, "Sure thing." She chirped. There was a minor bleep sound from Garcia's laptop and the year book of 2001 from Liberty High School appeared, "I've just sent the files to your tablets." She spoke.

I reached out and grabbed mine, along with everyone else in the board room. I opened the file and began flicking through the pages, "She was the captain of the cheer squad, Prom Queen, this girl must of been popular." JJ said also flicking through the files.

Rossi sighed, "But this still doesn't link these victims. They must of done something to the UnSub to cause this outrage."

"But, even you look -" JJ said flicking through the files on her tablet, "Not one person is in the same club as another. Like, here for example, Malcolm Tate was in the drama club but no other victim was. So it's clearly not about cliques or clubs."

I tried to think of a link, but nothing was there, "Could something of happened after they graduated?" Morgan asked, placing his tablet back on the table.

"Samantha had told me that she hadn't seen half of the victims in years. Even Jason White, who she was talking to, she hadn't seen him since graduation." I spoke. It was getting frustrating at this point. "How long does Samantha have?" I asked through my shaky voice. This was the last question I wanted to ask, but I needed to know.

I heard Hotch sigh from the other side of the room, his tablet still in his hand, "I don't know." Those words broke me. She had already been shot in the shoulder and could bleed out in hours, if he doesn't kill her himself before then. "I told you, you don't have to work this case."

"And I told you that I need to." I sighed, "She means everything to me, Hotch. She's the mother of my kids and if I can't save her I don't think I could ever live with myself."

I could hear JJ sigh, "We are going to find her,Spence, and she will be okay."

"You know," I said gently, "I would ask you to promise me this but I don't really see the point in making promises out of false hope."

"Reid," Morgan spoke, getting my attention. Morgan stood up and pointed at the door and directed me to follow him. I breathed heavily before following Morgan outside of the board room. I closed the door behind me, just as Morgan faced me, "Why are you still working this case?" He asked in full seriousness.

I was lost for words for a moment, almost stuttering to get the words out, "Because me of all people should know this information about Sam." I sighed, tears building up in my eyes once more, "I really do care about her Morgan, and I don't want to see another person that I love being taken away from me."

I wiped my tears as Morgan cleared his throat, "I saw the way you were around her, ever since we showed up on her doorstep." I looked up to Morgan in confusion, "You love her."

"Of course I love her, she's the mother of my children. We've known each other eleven years - "

"No," Morgan abruptly interrupted me, "I mean, you love her." He put emphasis on the 'love' part, "Reid, I saw you guys kissing at your desk. Tell me now that you didn't feel anything about that kiss."

"Of course I did." I sighed.

"Then why didn't you get with her? After all, you did have two kids together." Morgan chuckled slightly.

I thought for a moment, "Because I was too afraid." I spoke, "And I'm terrified right now. I was afraid when Sam went into labour both times because I was bringing a new little person into the world with this amazing woman that I've loved since college." I sighed, trying to stop my voice from breaking, "But now, I'm petrified that the woman I've shared eleven years with, is just suddenly going to be taken from me. And I can't help not working on the case because I want her back. I need her back."

"And that's what we're going to do." Morgan said putting a rough hand on my shoulder, "You need to stay positive, not for the team, not for yourself but for Jamie and Hannah. If they see you upset and not confident about this case, then they won't either. JJ told me, when we were coming back from the crime scene, that when she was talking to Jamie and Hannah, they were thinking like you. They were thinking like their father and right now, they need their father to be a leader in this case and be absolutely positive that Samantha is coming home, because she is."

I swallowed hard before wrapping my arms around Morgan, "Thanks Morgan."


*Samantha's POV*

My hands were tied behind my back and a a hood like object was placed over my head, nearly suffocating me. I tried not to panic as I was tugged and dragged. I could hear his heavy breaths as he pulled me in different directions but with just black in front of me, I had no idea where I was, where I was going or who was dragging me. His rough hands were secured around my right arm. I couldn't care about my shoulder at this point. The man dragging me must of covered it with plastic as I felt no air getting to the wound and the bleeding had eased.

We came to a sudden stop before I was forced to turn around. The rope tied around my wrists were replaced by what seemed to be leather straps, the object that left marks on the wrists of Mia, Malcolm, Victoria and more than likely Nicolas. I heard a click before my arms were abruptly raised into the air, causing immense pain in my shoulder, but I didn't make a sound or show that I was in great pain. At this point, I felt that all of my control and power was taken away from me and I was practically dead meat. "Well, well, well." I heard the man in front of me chuckle. His voice rang through my ears, "If it isn't Samantha Doyle."

I tried my hardest to detect the voice, but with it being fifteen years, it was very difficult to detect who's voice it was. Then, suddenly, the hooded object was whipped from my head revealing my eyes to the brightly lit room. I blinked several times, waiting for my eyes to adjust. The walls where white, the floor was white, everything just seemed white around me. I looked down, the man was standing in front of me, tapping his foot gently as if he was too excited and couldn't keep his energy reserved. I noticed blood on his shoes and on his trousers - probably from my shoulder injury or the paramedics he killed not that long ago. I worked my way up his body eventually revealing a tall, brown haired man with a look of joy on his face when his eyes met mine, "Andy?" Escaped my lips as I began tugging my arms, again, ignoring the pain in my shoulder.

A chuckle escaped his lips, "There's no point in even trying." He folded his arms, "If Nicolas couldn't get out of them, I doubt you will." I eventually stopped trying, letting my arms being held above my head as far as they could go. "I didn't even bother with her." Andy smirked before stepping aside, revealing a chair with a girl slumped in it. She had thick blonde hair, pale skin and a sense of coldness from her. Her hands were tied down to the arms of the chair, which made me feel very uneasy and uncomfortable.

Andy walked over to the girl, and lifted up her head so I could look straight into her eyes, "Ashley?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. Her eyes were wide open and were looking straight through me. The same eyes that told me everything was going to be okay throughout my four years of high school and the eyes that I always wished I had because it's what the boys found most attractive about her, "Why did you kill her?" I swallowed hard, trying to keep my calmness together, but I doubt I looked calm.

Andy sighed, untangling the rope that was secured around her wrists, "She was easier than the others." He sighed, "Just one knock to the head and she was gone. Maybe that's because she's been hit too many times in the head before." He chuckled, "I would of never thought that the girl who was your best friend in high school would tragically die." Andy said while picking up Ashley's limp body and throwing her over his shoulder, "But, yet, I never thought you would either."

And with that, Andy left the room, with Ashley over his shoulder. "Andy!" I called, hoping he would come back and have a sudden change of heart, which would be in a 1,000,000:1 chance of happening. As I desperately waited for a reply, which I never got, just chuckles echoing throughout my brain, I just hoped I would of heard Spencer's voice from beside me, correcting my ratio calculating abilities.