timeless, spencer reid [ 1 ]

097. the gathering

"This doesn't make any sense." Derek says. "How in the hell did he get so much access?"

"Yeah, thank you." Hotch hangs his phone up. "Winslow, Arizona, P.D. statewide system security check reports no breaches."

"They were the last. If The Replicator isn't hacking in, how is he learning details of these crimes?" Rossi wonders.

"Maybe it's a journalist." Blake suggests. "They're skilled at obtaining confidential information."

"But why not help out his career in the process?" Rossi questions. "The media didn't know that Adam Rain was making human marionettes, but somehow The Replicator did."

"He's been watching us for months. Maybe we were the only source he needed." Hotch says.

"That would require him to be in two places at the same time." Spencer says. "I've assembled a pretty accurate timetable of the unsub's stalking and murder activities, and based on the estimated time of death regarding our amputated replication, the unsub wasn't stalking us during the investigation of the Whitewood-Turner crimes in Miami because he was dumping his victim in New Mexico. Yet, he was still back in D.C. in time to see me hit my game winning home run against the Secret Service."

The pride in his voice makes Bedelia weakly smile, it cheering her up for a moment.

"Baby girl, this the best you got?" Derek asks.

"I'm blowing it up as much as I can. What about this? Look at the reflection in Blake's glasses. It's grainy, but it looks like some creep taking pictures." Penelope says.

"You know, we've got all of this and the best we can tell is this guy has a blue baseball cap." Derek says.

"I know and I'm sorry." JJ says on the phone as she walks in. "I promise I will be home before you guys wake up. Well, the sooner we get this guy, the sooner the security detail can go away. Okay. Well, we're trying. I love you." She hangs up.

"Erin, what are you doing here so late?" Rossi asks when Strauss walks in.

"I had a meeting with the director." She says.

"I thought we were going to brief him in the morning." Hotch says.

"You were. He canceled. You have no fresh leads. He wants The Replicator classified inactive." Strauss says.

"What?" Bedelia tenses up. Spencer reaches for her hand, letting her squeeze it.

"All due respect, ma'am, but this guy's hardly inactive. He's planning his next move." Derek says.

"And when he makes that move, you'll be there to stop him." Strauss says. "How many times have you told me that sometimes the best thing to do is wait, each crime teaches you something new? The Replicator is dormant. You're not learning anything new. All you're doing is working yourselves to death and ignoring the cases that need your attention."

"Erin, he's stalking this team. No one's gonna give it up." Hotch says.

"I know that. And neither will I. But the cases are piling up and they need to be cleared so the director no longer thinks that his best unit is dropping the ball. So, go home. Start fresh tomorrow." Strauss walks out.

"I hate to admit it, but she's right." Rossi says "I'm sure there's some psychopath out there planning his next attack."

"All right, go get some rest. Back in here by 8:00." Hotch says.

+++

Bedelia and Spencer are in bed at his place. Spencer manages to drift off to sleep, but it never lasts long with Bedelia tossing and turning.