The Unfortunate Ride

Chapter 1

18/07/2017. The 309 Subway to Quantico, Virginia. 08:32 hours.

Ringing. A high pitched keen. That was all Dr Spencer Reid could hear as he forced his eyes open. A buzzing echoed around his skull. He gingerly reached up and touched his left temple with the pads of his fingers. A warm crimson liquid glistened on his fingertips as he withdrew his trembling hand. Pain, unlike anything he had ever experienced before reverberated around inside his head. Spencer glanced around with bleary eyes. He could feel the slow trickle of fluid exiting his ear and down over his jaw. Carnage surrounded him. Bodies laid slumped against seats, some on the floor. His world appeared sideways. Spencer eased himself upright from his previous position with his left cheek pressed against the shattered glass. His left shoulder throbbed with each pulse. Spencer cradled his injured arm against his chest, his right hand supporting the elbow. The train carriage was lying on its side.

A cry from behind attracted Spencer's attention. He tried to use the back of the seat as leverage to pull himself up. Another wet, garbled scream sounded, and Spencer realised it was coming from himself. His lungs burned with each breath. A sharp pain rippled across his ribs. But that was not the main source of his pain. The searing hot agony emanated from his left leg. As he slowly peered down, he took note of the jagged shard of metal from the torn open side of the train carriage which had entered into the side of his calf and appeared to be lodged in the bone. He was trapped. Spencer turned back to the source of the original cry but the woman had fallen deathly still and quiet. Lowering himself back down, Spencer unravelled his blue silk tie from around his neck and wrapped it tightly several times around his leg above the metal shard before knotting it twice. He needed to try and free himself from the wreckage to get help.

Setting his jaw and gritting his teeth, Spencer slowly slid his leg away from the protruding metal. He was not fully prepared for the sheer agony that would follow. Spencer paused, sucking in a painful deep breath, then bit his bottom lip to make another effort. With a tug and a gut-churning squelch, Spencer's leg came free. Blood gushed down his leg, soaking through his black dress trousers and pooling in his converse shoes. A wave of nausea swept through every fibre of Spencer's being. Pain engulfed every synapse in his body. Spencer grasped blindly for the back of the seat as his vision blurred. The already tilted train carriage appeared to be moving again as Spencer swayed dangerously on the spot. His long, shaggy brown curls clung to the beads of cold sweat on his forehead and neck. He bucked, emptying the contents of his stomach at his feet. The acrid taste lingered in his mouth. He knew he was already going into hypovolaemic shock. The sweat ran down the back of Spencer's neck, sliding under the collar of his violet button down shirt. Spencer let out a shaky sigh as the slanted floor of the carriage came up to meet him.

18/07/2017.BAU Offices, Quantico, Virginia. 08:47 hours.

Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau cradled her chin in her cupped palm as she absent-mindedly twirled a pen between her fingers. She raised her head and glanced around at the bullpen. Her wrist ached from the position it had been in. Matt Simmons was already nose deep in his files at the desk directly behind her. Luke had just arrived and was setting his backpack down under his desk. David Rossi was casually lounging with his legs crossed reading a newspaper in one of the plush chairs near the kitchenette. Emily Prentiss was in her office, undoubtedly buried under piles of reports.

"You okay?" asked Luke. JJ snapped back to reality as she realised that Luke was towering over the top of her with his empty travel mug in his hand. JJ's mouth gaped, her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah. In a world of my own I guess," replied JJ with a smile.

"Can I get you some coffee?" JJ turned back to her desk to retrieve the pink mug which read 'Mama Bear' and handed it to Luke. Luke returned her smile and accepted the mug from JJ. A voice from behind startled JJ. Matt had exited the 'zone' and was handing over his own mug. JJ whirled around in her swivel chair to face Matt.

"When's Reid due back?" asked Matt. JJ knitted her brows and twirled back to her desk to check the calendar next to her photographs of Henry and Michael.

"Um. I thought it was today." Her blue eyes peered over the top of the frosted glass that separated hers and Spencer's desks. Spencer's desk was obsessively tidy as always. A row of books lined the back of the desk, all by order of alphabet and year of publication. His in and out-trays were devoid of files. JJ slid her cell phone out of her pocket and dialled Spencer's number.

"Hello, this is Dr Spencer Reid. I can't come to phone right now but if you leave me a detailed message with your name and number, I'll get back to you as soon as possible." JJ sighed and hung up. She dropped her cell phone on to her desk with a clatter. JJ's mouth formed a straight line as she thought hard. She was returned to her senses by the sound of fast clicking heels approaching.

Penelope Garcia was almost like a beacon. It was as if the room had suddenly lit up. She had matched a black, pink and white floral dress with a pink cardigan and pink heels. Her rectangular spectacles also matched and she had a pair of flowers clipped into her golden curls. Penelope nestled a giant unicorn mug between her hands. She glanced around the bullpen. David had set down his newspaper and folded his hands on his stomach, his eyes closed. Luke was returning from the kitchenette with the multiple mugs of coffee in his hands, the handles entwined in his fingers.

"Morning, my fine furry friends. Where's our boy genius?" asked Penelope, "I thought he was due back today." JJ shrugged.

"I've tried his cell. We know he's hard to get hold of when he's away teaching. Maybe we got our days mixed up." Another voice joined the conversation. Agent Grant Anderson was leaning against Matt's desk.

"Did you guys hear about that train accident this morning?" All eyes turned to Grant. He pressed a button on a remote control and the TV monitor above them flickered to life. The screen showed an overturned train carriage. Dust and debris floated around the news reporter.

"This is Sam Constance for Channel 7 News. We received a report moments ago that a subway train carriage has derailed on the route 309 to Quantico. It's unclear how many passengers are injured at this time though emergency services have just arrived on scene. More as it develops." Grant switched the TV back off. JJ furrowed her brow.

"Doesn't Spence use the 309 to get here?" enquired JJ in a low voice. Penelope's mouth bobbed, tears threatening her lower lashes.

"Yeah," Penelope managed to choke out. David cracked open an eye to observe the group. He pushed against his knees with his hands to bring himself into a standing position. Emily had also exited her office, curious by the commotion outside. Her dark eyes scanned the bullpen.

"Where's Reid?" she hollered across the bullpen.

"He's not here. Doesn't he take the subway?" asked David. The elevator pinged open and everyone turned to the figure heading in their direction. Dr Tara Lewis was racing towards them, heels clicking in time with each frantic step.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. The traffic through Quantico is backed up thanks to that train crash." Tara's dark brown eyes passed over each anxious face, "Please don't tell me that's Reid's train." JJ swallowed hard, tears brimming on her own lashes. The bullpen fell into a deadly silence.