a simple touch [reader x spencer reid]

c h a p t e r t h i r t e e n

You sat opposite of Spencer in a small meeting room inside the hospital. He started writing down theories from on top of his head, calling Hotch. 

He placed the phone on the center of the wooden circular table, putting it on speaker waiting for your boss to answer. 

"Hello?" Aaron spoke on the other side, his voice deep with authority. 

"Hi, Hotch. I think I have something. Kimura made some calls. It turns out that 2 days ago, 2 people in 2 separate Baltimore ERs and one person in Philadelphia ER slipped into comas and died suddenly. Now, the COD on all of them was meningitis. Doctors didn't test for anthrax becuase the illnesses presented themselves as meningitis, but I think it can be caused by anthrax." Spencer explained. 

"Did they show symptoms that we're seeing now...the lesions?" the unit chief asked. 

You walked next to Spencer and leaned your body against the edge of the table, "They wouldn't have if the bodily functions expired as quickly as they did. "

"How quickly?" 

"All dead within 3 hours of being admitted. But the first patient died yesterday at 10 hours. Here's the thing...if they inhaled a higher concentration of the strain, it would cause a quicker death. Organ failure without exterior physical symptoms. " you added, trying to ignore the fact that you're pissed at Hotch for ignoring your input from earlier. 

"What are their names?"

"Gale Mercer, 31, Martha Finestein , 48, and Albert Franks, 52." Spencer listed, reading off the names from the enclosed patient files. 

Garcia was patched into the call and found out that Gale Mercer made a credit card purchase at the book front, owned by Albert Franks. Hotch ordered the two of you to head back to headquarters, while Morgan and Prentiss were instructed to go to the bookstore. 

You walked into the bullpen and couldn't even find your desk. The whole office was filled with more agents and the Entire Defense community. You saw Rossi waving at you and Spencer, so you tried to ignore that pit in your stomach and made your way to him. 

Rossi laid his hand on your back and kissed your forehead, "I am sorry about Hotch. I am sure he didn't mean it."

You closed your eyes and nodded slowly. "All is forgiven." You knew well that you would still give him attitude when he talked to you. 

"Let's get started." Aaron announced after he finished talking to the general.

The whole team minus Derek and Emily stood in a line, you in-between Spencer and JJ, the other agents ahead of you. 

"Because the locations hit are not symbolically significant, we believe that these attacks are personal." your boss starts.

"This personal element strongly indicates a home-grown terrorist. Like the Amerithrax case, we believe this is someone from the science of defense community. That's why you're here. We think you may know him. He may be one of us." David declares, putting his hands in his blazer pockets.