Title: Rock Paper Scissors 18/?

Rating: FRT

Pairing: Morgan/Reid, but mentions of Garcia/Kevin & Hotch/JJ

Summary: New information has Hotch ordering a raid on The Gaia camp and bringing Reid home...but Barry has another idea.

Beta: None. Ah well. All mistakes are mine.

ConCrit: Better than Reid’s boy band haircut. Wait, nothing’s better than that :)

SPOILERS: Some canon from all seasons, but not always in the way it happened on the show.

*Just in case, the last like, I dunno, six chapters? Have all taken place over the course of one day. Yep.

~~~

~~~

Just outside of Slatyville

Agent Derek Morgan

“This is a huge amount of blood, it’s gotta be our primary crime scene,” I say, crouching down to get a better look. “There’s spray on these bushes and tree trunks. She was alive when he made the first deep cuts.”

The young officer, who just finished throwing up, clears his throat. “Uhm, yeah. Sure. Why would he go through all the trouble to kill her here and take her down to Autryville?”

“Because he wanted us to see her, he wanted to plant her right under our noses while we were focused on the march,” I shake my head, feeling so stupid. We thought he’d take his pick from one of the protestors. We had our resources centered on that and it left him a big opening to take someone else. How could we be so stupid?

“MORGAN I GOT SOMETHING OVER HERE,” Rossi yells from further into the woods.

Armed with my flashlight, I make my way through the brush to were Rossi is standing. I look down to see him shining his light on a black plastic bag. “Similar to the ones lining the trunk of the car,” I note.

“It’s been chewed open by some kind of animal,” Rossi turns to the young cop. “Bloody clothes. Most likely what our killer was wearing.”

“I could understand why he didn’t burn them, he didn’t want to run the risk of someone seeing the smoke from the fire,” I take my hand, clad in a rubber glove, and start pulling items out of the bag. “But why not bury them or at least hide them better?”

“Because he knew the blood would attract animals,” Rossi said. “He either wanted us to find this, or he didn’t care if we did or not.”

“Probably because he’s not going to stick around much longer.”

I rip off my gloves and dial Hotch’s number. I explain what we’ve found. “Hotch, if Barry is our unsub, that means The Gaia is leaving soon, if they haven’t started to already.”

I hear a moment of silence on the other end and what sounds like muffled talking. “Morgan, you and Rossi get back here as fast as you can. We’re going to raid The Gaia camp tonight. Garcia lost the signal on Reid’s phone.”

“Fuck Hotch, when?”

“About an hour ago. She and Anderson stopped at the PD in Winchester the moment it went dead, she’s working on it there with him.”

“Hotch, we are on our way.” I hang up. “Rossi, we have to get back. We’re raiding the camp, getting Reid.”

While I wouldn’t admit it out loud to Rossi, I’m fucking terrified.

~~~

The Gaia Camp

Dr. Spencer Reid

“What are you looking for?” Strawberry asks me.

“My phone, I was going to check something. I can’t find it.” I keep pawing through my backpack. No, it’s gone.

“Hank took it. He took it to the RV to charge it overnight. At least that’s what he told me when I saw him with it. Anyway, I should go to my tent. I need to sleep.”

“Thanks for everything,” I reach for my pants.

“Of course, we’re Gaia. That’s what we do.”

“Strawberry, if for some reason you get caught by authorities, just stay calm. Don’t fight back.” I give her a smile. “Promise me?”

“I promise,” she bites her lip. “Goodnight Loki.”

I wait a full five minutes after she leaves before I let myself panic. Barry had Hank take my phone not to charge it, but to maintain full control over everyone and everything. I might be able to get to my phone, considering Barry is still trying to impress me. But if I press our working relationship, I run the risk of alienating him and having him leave me out of the rest of the plans. I won’t learn anything and this whole undercover operation will be a bust.

Climbing out of my tent, I slip into my boots. There is a fire nearby, still burning, but everyone has gone to sleep. They are all expecting a big day tomorrow. I walk quietly through the maze of tents, my way lit only by the smoldering fires. There’s children here, children who could be at danger. Let alone the idea that many of them are not receiving proper health care.

I make my way towards the RV, and I notice it’s dark. Barry must be asleep inside. I gently walk around the other side, walking into the woods to urinate. After relieving myself against a tree, which is just odd to me, I turn to go back and fall. Pain shoots through my left hand when I catch myself on a rock. Grunting a bit in pain and frustration, I manage to sit up and check my hand. Sore, but not broken. Then I look down to see what I tripped over in the moonlight.

Cell phones.

There’s about ten or so of them, smashed and broken, in a small pile. I can’t tell if mine is in the pile or not, but I’m willing to guess it is. Still sitting on the ground, I instinctively pull me knees to my chest and wrap my arms around myself. I want to go home. I’m in over my head, I should have never offered to do this. The one person who can save me doesn’t even know I’m in trouble. At this point, I wouldn’t put it past Barry to kill me, just like he did with Wendy. What am I going to do?

The horses. I could just take one of the horses and ride back into town, they are all asleep, they’ll never know. Fuck, when I was getting into the tent with Strawberry, I used some slight of hand to take the gun strapped to my leg and slip it off and hide it in my bag of clothes, well, Loki’s clothes. Going without a weapon could be a really bad idea, but I can’t risk going back to my tent and being seen trying to leave.

I stand up, dust off my hands and turn around to a harsh light in my face.

“Loki.” Hank’s voice is deep but quiet. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“I had to piss, man. I fucking tripped.” I approach him with confidence. “Why?”

He eyes me suspiciously. “Okay, I heard a noise, thought it was a fed or something.”

“Just me,” I smirk. “I’m off to bed.”

“I got a flashlight, I’ll walk you back.”

~~~

Back in Autryville, WV Police Department

Agent Derek Morgan

Rossi and I storm is as everyone is strapping on Kevlar vests and loading thier firearms. Prentiss hands me a vest and I put it on, while Hotch, Ringer and Joe go to the front of the room.

“Here’s the deal,” Joe starts. “There’s about fifty or so members of The Gaia up there, a lot of women and children. We are going to take as many into custody as we possibly can. Agents Prentiss and Jareau will be in charge of taking the children. Agent Prentiss filled us in on the layout. Now, we know they managed to get a small RV into camp, and the pictures show a trail to the north. I want one team to go to the trail and cut it off, there’s a chance they have more motor vehicles to escape in. Agents Hotchner, Morgan and myself will take the RV. Ringer will lead a team to the south, Sheriff Remmick to the west, and Ted will lead the east side. I found some riot cuffs, so use them. Everyone is to be detained, we’ll read Miranda and officially arrest everyone when we have them in custody. Let’s go, sirens off.”

I hope into the backseat of an SUV with Prentiss, while Hotch and JJ sit up front. I take the moment to slide the earpiece in, check my weapon and breathe. If something happens to Reid...

“He’ll be fine,” Prentiss whispers.

“You read my mind.” I look over at her. Her face is pale, she’s biting her lip, and her hand is shaking. “You okay?”

“It’s just, the last time we were in the woods on a case...” she reaches to her neck to drag her fingertips over the pink scar. “I know we’re going to be okay, that this isn’t the same situation, but I’m still scared.

I take her hand in mine. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise. JJ will have your back.”

“Prentiss, Morgan,” Hotch asks from the backseat. “When we go up this road how far until we stop?”

“According to your odometer, about twelve miles. But we are zigzagging like crazy, so as the crow flies it’s only about seven anyway. Then we’ll have to park and hoof it for about a half mile until we get to the camp.”

“If someone gets away, we’ll never find them,” JJ comments.

“Then don’t let anyone get away,” Hotch adds with a smile. “Our focus is to detain all the members, arrest Barry and recover Reid. Got it?”

“Got it.”

~~~

The Gaia Camp

Dr. Spencer Reid

“Loki, LOKI!”

I wake up to Strawberry opening my tent. “What’s wrong?”

“Feds are coming, it’s a raid we have to get out of here.” Strawberry shines a flashlight on my face. “Quick, grab your pack and your boots.”

Thankfully, it’s cold enough that I slept in my clothes. “Are you sure we should leave? It might be safer if we go peacefully with them.”

“No...Barry says we have to go, finish the plan no matter what. We have a rendevous. Hank is taking the two of us to the hideout, we’re meeting Barry, Tucker, and Jared there. It’s all planned,” she grabs my hand. “COME ON!”

Grabbing my backpack, I crawl out of the tent. I expected to see chaos, but instead it looks like most everyone is sleeping. “Why aren’t they running?”

“Giving us a head start, the lookout said it’s going to take another five minutes until they can reach camp. We can slip away in silence.” Strawberry takes a sock from her jacket pocket and slips it over he flashlight, resulting in a glow that’s enough to see the ground, but also dim enough that it won’t serve as a beacon announcing our direction.

“Hey,” Hank quickly approaches us with a pack slung over his shoulder. “We’re taking two of the horses. Barry and Jared are taking the other one.”

“What about Tucker?” Strawberry asks, grabbing my hand as we follow Hank into the tree line.

“He’s there already, he’s been working on the bombs all night.”

Hank leads us to the horses, who look surprisingly calm. Getting on one, Strawberry and I climb onto the white one and follow him. We don’t gallop them, because it’s dark, but the trotting is very jostling. In the dark, with the moon light and the glow of Strawberry’s flashlight, I try to memorize the trees and the path. It’s not much good, I can’t see much. I feel Strawberry’s hand snake around my waste and her chin resting on my shoulder. It feels more like a gesture JJ would make. I wish I could see her right now. I need her.

It seems like we are riding for hours, even though it’s only about thirty minutes, when I see a glowing come from a shack ahead. When we approach, I see a rudimentary house and a separate shack. We get down and tie the horses next to the other one, indicating Barry and Jared have already arrived. Strawberry clutches my hand, and I can feel her breath shaky. She’s never been here before, and she’s scared. I am too.

When we follow Hank in the front door, I see Tucker and who I assume is Jared packing up bombs and the building equipment. Barry’s sitting at a table with a very old, frail looking man wearing denim coveralls. His beard and hair are equally long and white, and his one front tooth sticks out of from between his lips. He’s drinking clear liquid from a jar, moon shine, and laughing.

“Good, you’re here,” Barry says.

I take an offered seat on a wooden box as Barry introduces us to the man named Snickers. “This is his place,” Barry says. “He’s been allowing us to work on the bombs and store them here.”

“Mush saffer den dat derr camp,” Snickers slurs with his nearly toothless mouth.

“We’ve got some sleeping bags and blankets to sleep on,” Hank says. “I brought some stuff up last week, thinking that we might need to hide out here. Get some sleep, we leave in the morning.”

Once we’re settled on the floor, Hank’s radio starts to crackle and a frantic voice comes over. “FEDS ARE HERE, FEDS ARE HERE! RUN!”

It hits me, nobody told The Gaia members at all, it was just us.

~~~

Back at The Gaia camp

Agent Derek Morgan

I hear people yelling and screaming, agents ordering people to the ground. Mothers are screaming as Prentiss and JJ take their children to a safe area just inside the forest, away from the chaos. I exchange looks with Hotch and Joe before we enter the RV. Reid could be in here, Reid could be safe.

We climb in, it’s dark. There are scattered papers all over the table. I clear the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom. Nobody. “CLEAR!”

“CLEAR IN THE FRONT,” Joe says, walking back towards the table with Hotch. “What the fuck is this?”

“Looks like...here,” Hotch grabs one. “These are from the ACC, internal memos about schedules. Shift changes.”

“They have someone on the inside?” Joe asks. “What for, to get blackmail information?”

I hear a tap at the door frame and Rossi climbs inside. “We’ve got 27 adults and 6 children in custody. Only one was violent, punched Ringer in the nose.”

“We have to take very single one to the station, or wherever. Get someone from ACC to identify which one of these people work on the inside,” Hotch says.

“Reid?” I ask Rossi. “Reid okay?”

“We haven’t found him,” Rossi says. “There’s a tent where we found a police issue weapon stowed away, I already called Garcia and she said the serial matches the serial on the gun that was issued to Reid.”

“So he’s out there without a weapon?” I ask. “Fuck.”

“And without a phone,” Sheriff Remmick climbs into the RV. “There’s a pile of broken and mangled cell phones just outside in the woods.”

“Which means Barry could be on to Reid,” Hotch says.

My knees give out and I actually fall to the floor. Everything goes dark.