Helios Rising

Spencer x Remy x Logan

Chapter One

When Spencer Reid got out of bed that morning, he had no idea that today, a ball would start rolling and completely change his life. After all, the day was starting out like any other. The alarm clock went off, Reid grumbled and fussed a bit but turned it off, staggering out of bed and into the bathroom. In the kitchen, the coffee maker turned on. By the time Reid was shaved, dressed, teeth brushed and hair… sort of done, in Reid's own half-assed way, the coffee was ready. Reid headed into the kitchen and added his sugar and cream, popped the lid onto it and then grabbed his gun, credentials, keys, wallet, phone and messenger bag and headed out.

He had finished his coffee by the time he got to the metro station. There was a little coffee shop right there, and he stepped in. There was a line, but a woman behind the counter grinned and waved him up. Reid had already popped the lid off of his cup and the woman darted around the counter with a pot and refilled it, dumping in the already-prepared cream and sugar, and gave it a quick stir for him, saying "You still have a credit of twenty seven fifty two, Dr. Reid. Have a good day!"

"You too, Marla. Thank you." Reid said, and left.

The train ride in to Quantico was the usual. Reid drank his coffee and read his latest book, and upon disembarking, he headed to yet another coffee shop for his next refill.

"Hey, kid!" He looked up, startled, then smiled.

"Morning, Morgan."

"Hey, Tanya, let me pay for his too."

"Wait, what?!"

"You'll just owe me, Pretty Boy." Morgan laughed, snatching Reid's empty cup so that the barista could fill it. The people in line behind Morgan looked amused as Reid spluttered and blushed. "New case. We're meeting ASAP." Morgan explained as he shoved Reid's fresh coffee into his hands and guided him out of the coffee shop.

"I didn't get a text!" Reid complained, fumbling for his phone. And there it was.

New case. Get in ASAP, from Hotch.

"Oh…" He mumbled.

"It came in like, two seconds before you walked into the coffee shop." Morgan grinned.

Reid frowned and checked his watch, then said "thirteen point two seconds, actually."

"Do NOT make me smack you in front of Chief Strauss." Morgan warned, rolling his eyes before smiling and opening the door with a pleasant "Chief Strauss. Good morning."

"Good morning Agent Morgan." Strauss nodded back, walking through the door he was holding open for her. "Dr. Reid…" The three got into the elevator, and Strauss frowned at them, then said "And please, Agent Morgan… retrain from smacking your co-workers. Violence in the workplace will not be tolerated."

Morgan's eyes widened. "Oh. Uh… Yes ma'am."

"Yeah, Morgan…" Reid snorted, grinning. "No violence in the workplace." Strauss faced the front of the elevator, hiding her amused smile as Morgan hissed "Boy! I will beat your skinny white ass!" and Reid squealed and fended him off with his messenger bag when Morgan went to pinch him.

"They're all yours, Agent Hotchner." She called when the doors opened. The Unit Chief looked up from the file he had been absorbed in as he walked through the hall, and watched as a smirking Strauss headed for her office, leaving Agents Morgan and Reid bickering like ten year olds in the elevator.

"… Really?" Hotch deadpanned. "In front of Strauss?"

"Sorry Hotch." The pair chanted in unison, and obediently followed when he beckoned them to the Round Table Room, silently jostling each other with their shoulders, until Reid yelped and toppled over.

"Morgan!"

"He took a dive!" Morgan blurted out, putting his hands in the air. Hotch gave him a look, and went into the meeting room. "… You totally took a dive." Morgan grumbled, and Reid grinned.

"Yeah. But Hotch would never buy it."

"You're a little jerk!" Morgan cried as Reid got to his feet.

"Good morning my lovelies!" Garcia sang, hurrying into the bullpen and herding the two men into the round table room.

"Alright, let's take our seats." Hotch called as Rossi ambled in the other door and closed it behind him.

"Greetings my intrepid BAU adventurers." Garcia chirped, bouncing to her place by the screen. "You have been charged with a quest to uncover a most brutal killer in the kingdom of Boston." And she clicked her remote and images popped up. "We have eleven dead."

"Eleven?" Emily echoed, grimacing. "And they're only just now calling us in?"

"Yyyyeah. Apparently, there's some detectives who didn't want us called in, but their chief overruled them." Garcia sighed. "Anyway. Sad fact… not all of the victims have been identified yet."

"This UnSub doesn't seem to have a type." Reid said slowly, frowning. "It's a variety of age, ethnicity, physical appearance, gender…"

"And social class." Garcia said. "Out of the six that have been identified—"

"Only six out of ELEVEN?" Morgan blurted.

"- One was prostitute, one was a Senior Financial Advisor, who was married with a kid on the way, one was a college student, another was a mechanic at a place that specializes in imports and the other two were homeless." Garcia informed them. "And—" She stopped at a beep and leaned over her tablet. Then she sighed and picked it up. "Victim number seven was just identified." She brought up a picture of the man on the screen. "Seventeen year old Alec Stovall… he was… living on the streets. Ran away from home when he was fifteen..."

"Are there any discernable patterns, Garcia?" Rossi asked.

"The timing." Garcia nodded. "The victims are all killed and dumped on Saturdays. And the next one goes missing on Sunday."

"So they keep them for a week…" Rossi said slowly. "Torturing them—"

"Probably in set stages." Morgan interrupted,

"—And then kill them and dump the body. And then take someone else straight away."

"Are they victims of opportunity, or were they targeted specifically?" JJ wondered aloud.

"Either way, we're going to have another body and another abduction tomorrow night. Garcia, I want you with us on this one." Hotch said, picking up his tablet and tucking it under his arm. "Wheels up in thirty."

The flight to Boston was short and sweet. The team spent it going over the evidence and tossing around theories. When they touched down, two Bureau SUV's were waiting. With Hotch and Morgan driving, the team soon arrived at the station. Upon entering, it was obvious that their presence was drawing a mixture of reactions. Some of the cop looked curious, some relieved, and a couple looked far from pleased. Two detectives were openly hostile. And just their luck these were the men they had to work with.

Hotch sighed inwardly and offered his hand, which was reluctantly accepted. "Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner." He said. "This is my team, Supervisory Special Agents Derek Morgan, Jennifer Jareau, Emily Prentiss, David Rossi and Doctor Spencer Reid. This is our Tech Analyst, Penelope Garcia."

"… Sanders and McKennon." Said the shorter and rounder of the pair, scowling. "I don't care if the chief called you in. This is OUR case."

"Of course." Hotch nodded. "Your case, your jurisdiction, your collar. We're just here to help."

Sanders frowned and eyed the man up and down, then snorted and turned away. "Right. Whatever you say. This way." And the team followed the surly man deeper into the station. "Got a room for you here." And he pushed open the door. Hotch was hard pressed to keep his expression neutral. It was the Break Room. There was a small kitchenette, an old battered sofa and a cheap collapsible table with metal folding chairs set up around it, and two vending machines in the corner.

"… It'll do." He said tersely, and the team walked in and started to get set up. "Reid. Prentiss. I want you to go talk to the ME, take a look at the bodies. Garcia, start digging into our victim's lives and find out who the unidentified victims are. JJ, Rossi, start calling in people who knew our IDed vics. Morgan, we're going to take a look at the dump sites. Detectives. Would you join us?"

The two detectives didn't look happy, but they agreed, and the team split up.

The ME, Carlie, was cheerful enough when Reid and Prentiss arrived, and answered all of their questions before taking them to the bodies. "Mr. Richmond's wife is pretty anxious for me to release the body." The ME said, shaking her head and running her hand through her blonde hair. "But since this investigation is active, I've been stalling her."

"We appreciate that." Emily nodded, watching Reid pull on some gloves and leaning over Mr. David Richmond's body.

"Agent… There's something off with his eyes." She called. "I just noticed it last night. Hadn't talked to the detectives yet."

"Why?" Reid asked, moving up.

"Well… It kind of… well… just look." She said. Reid looked at her with a frown, then turned back to the body and stared at the closed eyes. After a moment, he peeled up the lids.

"… I don't see anything."

"Here." She said, walking over and reaching around Reid. She peeled the lids back and out to the side a bit, allowing Reid to see under them. Reid peered closely, frowning, and then his eyes widened.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Carlie said in a low tone, and Emily leaned around Reid to see. Reid reached out tucked the tip of his finger under the man's eyelid and… peeled another eyelid out and across his eye.

"… He has another set of eyelids." Reid breathed, and then looked up at the ME. "This man is mutant." Carlie nodded, grimly.

"That's why I didn't say anything." She said. "The moment those assholes find out, is the moment they stop actively working this case." Reid frowned, knowing that she was right.

"Are the other victims…?"

"Not sure. I was going to start looking into it."

"I'll help you." Reid said, firmly.

"I'll tell Hotch." Emily said, pulling out her phone.

"No." Reid said. "Wait until we know about the others." Emily eyed him, noting that Reid was suddenly very tense.

"… Okay." She nodded.

It was nearly five pm when they got back to the station. They were the last ones back. Hotch frowned.

"You two took a long time." He said as Reid and Emily stepped into the room. Emily closed the door behind her and locked it.

"We found out what connects the victims." Reid said. "They're not victims of opportunity. They're being targeted."

"How?" Hotch asked.

"They're mutants." Emily sighed. The team all straightened up and stared.

"… Damn." Morgan breathed. "And solving this case just got a lot harder."

"David Richmond had a second pair of eyelids that slid in from the side." Reid said. "And one of our Jane Does had… antennae hidden in her hair. The ME checked their blood and sure enough… all the victims had the Mutant Gene."

"These are Hate Crimes." Emily concluded.

"Hate Crimes that the cops won't care about solving and that the community might actually applaud…" Rossi drawled, leaning back.

"Hotch… What if they… rescind their request for Bureau involvement?" JJ asked.

"Let me deal with that." Hotch sighed. "This changes everything."

"Now what?" Garcia asked softly.

"We need to get some rest. Let's go to the hotel and get checked in. Tomorrow morning we start fresh with a new lead."

And so they did. If anyone noticed Reid being exceptionally quiet and distant, no one said anything. And that night, when he got to his hotel room, he moved to sit on the edge of the bed and dug out his phone. He stared at the contact for a long time before he finally hit 'Call'.

It rang four times and Reid was ready for it to go to voicemail when it was answered at the last minute.

"Bonsoir, mes amour…" Came the sultry purr. Reid allowed a small smile to touch his lips.

"Hey." He said, and sighed, running his finger through his hair. "You alone?"

"Mes oui… Why? You got somet'in' special in mind fo' me?" Reid rolled his eyes.

"Okay, that came out wrong."

"Not from where I'm sittin', cher. T'ink it came out jus' right, me."

"I mean, where are you? You're not busy? Is Logan there?"

"… non. What's wrong? Y' sound upset…" The voice quickly switched to a serious tone. "Y' on a case, petit?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Boston." Reid sighed.

"Ah. I heard 'bout dat. Serial killer, oui?"

"Yeah."

"Well, if anyone can find de connard, 's you."

"… It's mutants, Remy." Reid finally got out. "The victims… they're all mutants."

"… I see. 'Dat ain't made it t' de news yet."

"No. We just found out this afternoon. We haven't told the locals yet. We'll have to tomorrow though. But this case just got a lot harder to solve. The cops won't be nearly as interested in closing it, and the local mutants will be our best source of information, but, well…"

"Dey ain't gonna be talkin' t' de Feds an'time soon…"

"Right…" Reid sighed.

"… Might b'able t' help, me."

"Huh?"

"Boston ain't far, cher. I can be dere in t' morning. Let ol' Gambit do his t'ing. I can find d' local muties, dey'll talk t' Gambit. And Gambit'll talk t' y'. Anonynous tip. Where y' stayin'?"

"… That might help." Reid admitted with a small smile. "The team is staying at the Indigo."

"It's settled, den. I see y' tomorrow, mes amour." And the call ended.

In the morning, the team dove in. They had a lot more to work with now. Reid worked on the geographical profile. At 10am, Reid received a text message. Remy had arrived in Boston and reserved a room in the Indigo on the third floor, two floors below Reid and the team. He was hitting the streets right away. Based on the geographic profile, Reid told him where to start.

The call came in the afternoon, around three. A press conference had been given at noon, providing a number for a tip line. That's where the call came from. An officer poked his head into the team's little room.

"Someone is on the tip line asking for uh… Dr. Reid?" He said. "Only wants to talk to the FBI, no cops."

The detectives looked pissed at that, but Hotch nodded and shut them all out of the room. Then he nodded to Garcia, who tapped the line. Then Reid leaned over and hit the speaker button.

"This is Dr. Reid." He called.

"Hey 'dere." Immediately, Reid relaxed and sat down, smiling.

"You're on speaker. You've got something for me?" He asked, ignoring the confused looks of his team.

"No cops?"

"Just my team. Do you have something?"

"Well 'den. I ever let y' down, cher?"

"What have you got?" Reid asked.

"Pfft. Fine, 'den. Straight t' business…"

"What's your name, sir?" Hotch called.

"I don' t'ink so, monsiuer." Came the answer, the carefree voice suddenly stern. "No names. An' y' ain't trackin'me neither. Pay phone. Save y' time. Owe Dr. Reid a favor, me. He calls it in, I make good on it. I give y' what I got, but I stay anonymous. 'Dat ain't negotiable, d'accord?"

The team was now staring at Reid. But Hotch sighed and nodded, saying "Alright."

"Bon. So… Firs' t'ing's firs'… Ain't one guy."

"We were suspecting that." Hotch confirmed. "It has to be a pack."

"Oui. At leas' five. Prob'ly more. But I t'ink I got some names f' y'."

"Victims?" Reid asked

"Oui. Becky Wilson. Lived on d' streets. Liked 'd parks. Made d' flowers bloom. Even outta season. She d' femme wit' d'green eyes and strawberry blonde hair." Garcia began typing away feverishly. "D' young petit… He was fi'teen. Runaway, o' t'rown out, take y' pick. He been livin' wit' a group of mutants. Hidin'. Name's Brady Noble. His skin turn color wit' his emotions. He was learnin' t' control it, found he could influence d' emotions of others b' touchin, 'dem. D' older homme was also on d' streets. Went by d' name Arnold Fehrman. From what I gather, he been on dese streets f' over a decade. Not many knew he was a mutant. Reptilian. D' homme only had t' eat every month, but couldn't regulate 'is own body temperature. Cold blooded. Had t' sun himself or stay near a fire, heating duct, stuff like 'dat. Last one called Natalie Ochenski. Twenties. She a runaway. Called Temptress. She move 'er body right, she can hypnotize anyone watchin'."

"How did you find out all of this?" Hotch demanded to know.

"All 'bout talkin t' de righ' people. Or in dis case, mutants. Mutants who ain't gon' talk t' no Feds. But dey talk t' me."

"What else do you have?" Reid called.

"Where dey was last seen." Came the answer, and he rattled off several cross streets, and the times of the last sighting. "Still not pinned down a las' sightin' f' Natalie. I got a possible source, but dey ain't trustin' anyone. 'cludin' me. Keep workin' on 'dem, me. Let y' know if I get anyt'ing."

"Be safe." Reid said.

"C'mon now, cher! Y' know me!"

"Exactly."

"HAH! Tout a l'heure!" And the caller hung up. Reid sat back with a smile. Remy sure had come through for him.

"Reid?"

"Huh?"

"Who was that?" Hotch asked.

"… A confidential informant." Reid said. "And you're not getting anything else out of me."

"We can discuss it later." Rossi said, seeing Hotch ready to argue with Reid. "We need to deliver the profile. And the cops won't like it."