Stay with me

Chapter 11

JJ and Reid followed stalked through the halls of the infamous Fort Detrick government building, glancing at the many complex looking, scientific experiments taking place on the other side of the windows as they moved past. It felt like a maze in there- a sterile, white walled maze with nothing but plainly numbered doors and sections of glass windows to break apart the plain scenery.

They eventually arrived at the door they believed to be the laboratory of Richard Jenkins (after a few wrong turns and embarrassing encounters). They knocked on the door and waited a few seconds before it crept open a tiny bit and half of a confused face appeared in the gap, "Hello?"

"Hi, Dr Jenkins? I'm SSA Agent Jennifer Jareau, this is Dr Spencer Reid, we're with the FBI. We're here to ask you a few questions about your former colleague, James Mayfield."

"Ah okay, yes, sorry, I don't get many visitors- well any visitors actually, so it's a bit unnerving when someone knocks at your door. Come in, come in," he waved.

The agents stepped into the lab and were amazed at what they saw; the room was probably the size of the bullpen, filled with high-tech machinery, computers at each desk with ongoing experiments on them and walls lined end to end with sealed glass cases filled with flasks of chemicals- it looked like a scientists playground.

They followed Jenkins over to what looked to be his main work desk and sat down opposite him, "So, why is the FBI interested in James?" he asked.

"He's a suspect in an ongoing investigation." Spencer replied.

"You're talking about those gas attacks on the news?"

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?" JJ questioned inquisitively.

"Considering how James has been acting this past year, I wouldn't put it past him to take things into his own hands." Jenkins stated nonchalantly.

"What do you mean? How's he been acting?"

"He's always had a flare for the dramatic, but since he split with his wife he's been increasingly motivated to make thing happen, regardless of the risks."

"You're referring to his proposal about the public database for weaponised gases?"

"Yes. He was fixated on this idea that people had a right to know what was happening in every aspect of their lives- I guess you could say he was a bit of a control freak."

"What made you file a complaint against him?" asked JJ.

"He kept trying to involve me in his project and despite my refusal he continued to use my name in his pitches to help persuade people to follow him- so he was dragging my name through the mud, and in this business you can't afford for people not to trust you."

"Did his demeanour change at all after his proposal was rejected by the board?" Spencer asked.

"Well I think it definitely shut him up. He left the day after so I didn't see him for long, he did seem more closed off following the meeting, he almost looked like he was in a silent rage."

"So he didn't say anything to you before he left?"

"Well I'm sure if it was directed at me or if he was just talking to himself, but he did say something along the lines of 'they're gonna regret what they've done soon enough', but I didn't think much of it at the time."

JJ and Reid both looked at each other, and in a wordless synchronisation, they rose from their seats and thanked the scientist for his help. They began to walk out of the lab but just as they reached the door, Jenkins called for them, "Agents! I boxed up all of James' belongings that he left," he stated, pulling the box from underneath the opposing desk, "there might be something in there that might help you."

JJ took the box from him, "thank you, you've been a great help."

"Oh, one other thing," started the Dr, "I know I filled a complaint against him, and I've not exactly spoken highly of him in the last 10 minutes, but I've worked with James for the better part of 5 years, and for the most of it, he was a good friend and an excellent scientist, I think he just got a bit lost in himself along the way, and he spiralled after Amy left him. If it comes down to it, just remember that he means well, and it a good person at heart, okay?" Jenkins asked hopefully.

JJ looked him in the eye and nodded genuinely.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hospital:

Each of the quarantined agents felt rather drained after being poked and prodded for over half an hour by the hospital staff, so they were all lounging in their beds, but still awake and chatting. They'd actually ran out of things to talk about some time ago, so Derek decided they should play a game of 'never have I ever', but since they were locked in a glass prison with no access to alcohol, they were having to play the under 21 version, which meant they just had to keep count of their 'have's' on their fingers (the first person to 10 was the loser)- but they'd agreed that they would remember who scored what so that when they finally got out of there, they would go straight to the bar and take their shots. So far, Derek and Emily were losing, with 5 fingers; Rossi closely followed with 4, and good-girl Alex trailed behind with 2.

"Never have I ever been arrested," Rossi stated.

Only Derek added a finger that time, "in my defence, I was innocent and it was expunged." They all chuckled.

"Never have I ever made out with a person of the opposite sex," declared Blake.

That time, Emily was the only person to be seen adding a finger. 

"I knew it!" Derek shouted, "I bet you were such a wild child back in your Yale days." He teased. Emily laughed breathily, but made no argument against him. 

It was her turn next. Unlike everyone else, who was languidly draped over their beds, Emily was wrapped tightly in her duvet, with only her face showing from underneath- but still being blind, she couldn't see the abnormality in her actions when compared to everyone else.

"Em, it's your turn," encouraged Derek. 

He got no response.

"Emily?" Blake repeated.

"Hmm?" sounded Emily, "oh yeah, sorry. Never I ever... Ever have I never... nev. Never I have never...". She tried, becoming increasingly frustrated.

The other agents rose from their beds and went over to where she lay. Derek pulled the duvet from her grasp and lowered it to her stomach. They could see that Emily's usually deathly pale skin was slightly flushed, and not only that, but she also seemed to be acquiring an angry looking rash around her neck and on her chest; Rossi put the back of his hand to her head, "She's got a temperature."

Alex's hand went to Emily's hospital scrubs and noticed the dampness of the cloth. Emily's skin was sheathed in a thin layer of cold sweat, acting almost as a barrier, trapping the woman's heat and preventing it from escaping her body. She pulled the duvet back over her friend because she was beginning to shiver even more now, and went over to push the red button on the wall.

None of them spoke another word until the doctors arrived, it didn't need said aloud what they each already knew.