Heurism | Spencer Reid¹

CHAPTER FOUR: THE POPULAR KIDS

"Unfortunately, a superabundance of dreams is paid for by a growing potential for nightmares."

     — Sir Peter Ustinov

——————

"Thanks for coming out again, Sully. We really appreciate you taking the time, you didn't have to."

Sat opposite Gideon on the BAU's private jet, I have to try hard to curb my enthusiasm. The team doesn't need to know that I practically dropped everything, moved heaven and earth, to be sure that I could join them again. Instead, I smirk and pat the wall, which is beige like everything else in the interior. "And miss the chance to ride in this sweet thing?"

"What, the CACU doesn't have one of these?"

At her question, I send a pointed look across the aisle to where JJ sits. "Bless your heart. There's a reason some people dislike the BAU, you're the favourite child of the FBI." 

"The Bureau doesn't have favourites," Gideon promises humorously.

With a hum of cynical laughter, I redirect my attention to the file in front of me. "So, McAllister, Virginia... Two bodies found in the woods, both with blunt force trauma to the head." The next part makes me hesitate. "One was a skeleton. Okay, I get that the latest victim was a teenager, but is that the only reason why you called me in?"

A grim expression overtakes him. He slides another photograph over the table to me. It shows a tree trunk. An inverted pentagram has been painted in red on a knot in the tree, above bold writing. "'Satan lives. L.O.D.'," I read aloud.

"I'm hoping you can help us figure out whether this is connected or just some kid's idea of a joke."

Pacing over to us, Agent Hotchner offers a file to her. "JJ, we need to obviously keep this out of the press for as long as possible."

"I'll do what I can."

Greenaway and Reid are on the far side of the small space, having commandeered the two-seaters. "Why is that so important?" she asks as he reaches them.

Reid practically jumps at the chance to explain it, even though he has seemed half-asleep ever since we took off. "There was a nationwide scare in the 1980s involving Satanic ritual killings and abuse. 'The Satanic Panic', it was called. It began after the publication of a book about repressed memories being recovered through hypnotherapy, memories of growing up with devil worshippers who used children in their rituals and ceremonies."

"Most of the claims were later found to be false or just impossible," Hotchner adds.

"Still, numerous therapists accepted the assertions as true and began searching for similar signs in their own patients. After one year, thousands of people reported the exact same 'repressed' memories."

"But the Bureau conducted an investigation and concluded that most of the ritual killings or abuse were more urban legend than anything else."

Nodding in agreement, I chime in, "The effects carry through to today. I can't tell you how many reports we and protective services get each year about satanic abuse, exorcisms on children — parents convinced that their disabled or disobedient kids are possessed by demons. It's a nightmare just getting through to people."

She looks between the three of us, taking in the information as it comes. "You're saying that there's no such thing as devil worshipping?"

"Not at all," Gideon sternly asserts. "But most of the Satanism we've seen is juveniles damaging property, desecrating churches, cemeteries. To my knowledge, there's never been a proven case of a Satanic ritual killing in the United States."