Echos of a Genius | Spencer Reid

The Tiny Hat on the Shelf

Stephie

I'm not even suppose to be in the field right now.

The warehouse had a smell—damp, metallic, and faintly musty, like the place hadn't seen daylight in years. The team was spread out, combing through the shadows, flashlights cutting through the dimness. Every sound felt magnified, and my senses were on high alert. We were close, I could feel it. But the tension in my shoulders told me we were running out of time.

Hotch had briefed us earlier. The unsub had taken two women, both in their mid-twenties, and was holding them hostage somewhere in this industrial graveyard. We'd managed to track him here after days of dead ends, but the situation was volatile. And we didn't know how stable the women were—emotionally or physically. They'd been missing for almost a week.

I followed closely behind Spencer, my grip tight around my weapon, listening to the team's voices over the comms as they cleared each area. The click of Morgan's voice came over the line.

"Clear on the east side, but no sign of the unsub," Morgan's voice was steady, but there was an urgency in it, a mirror to the ticking clock in my head.

We turned a corner, and then I heard it. A low, pained moan. I froze, and so did Spencer.

"You hear that?" I whispered, already moving toward the source of the sound.

Spencer gave a quick nod, his eyes alert as we approached a large steel door. It was rusted at the hinges, and the faint sounds from inside confirmed my suspicions. The women were in there.

Morgan and JJ joined us within seconds, followed closely by Hotch. He nodded, signaling us to move. I took a deep breath, pushing open the heavy door as we flooded into the room.

Inside, two women lay huddled in the corner. They looked exhausted, dirty, but alive. One was sobbing quietly, clutching her stomach. I could see the fear in her eyes as we approached. But the other woman—the one hunched over, panting—she wasn't just scared. She was in pain. Real, physical pain.

JJ moved quickly to the first woman, while Morgan kept his gun raised, scanning for any sign of the unsub. Hotch stayed by the door, ready to call for medical backup if we needed it.

Spencer knelt beside the second woman, his voice calm and soothing. "It's okay. We're here to help. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

The woman could barely get the words out between gasps. "I... I'm... I think... the baby... It's coming."

I felt my stomach drop. Spencer looked up at me, eyes wide with understanding. This wasn't just a hostage situation anymore. This was a rescue mission turned into a medical emergency.

"Her water broke," I said, assessing the scene as I knelt next to Spencer. "She's in labor."

Hotch was already on his comms. "We need an ambulance, now."

"It's too late," JJ said softly, looking at the woman's trembling form. "She's too far along. This baby's coming whether we're ready or not."

The woman let out another cry, her body tense as another contraction hit. I watched her grip Spencer's arm, her knuckles turning white.

Morgan's voice came through the comms. "Still no sign of the unsub. Could be he took off already."

Spencer's attention was focused entirely on the woman now, the wheels turning in his head, figuring out what to do next.

"I've got this," Spencer said, looking directly at Hotch. The determination in his voice surprised me. "I can deliver the baby."

Hotch's eyes flicked to me, then back to Spencer. There was hesitation, but we didn't have time for doubt.