FDTD Ch1-3
Title: A Slightly Different Case From Dusk till Dawn
Crossover: Criminal Minds/From Dusk til Dawn
Warnings: Slash, mature themes, violence, death, language, supernatural, horror
Rating: M
Summary:
The movie From Dusk till Dawn is about the criminal brothers Seth and Richie who are on the run, trying to get into Mexico. On their way they blow stuff up, take some hostages and are finally stranded in a bar that happens to be run by vampires. Then they have to fight for their lives…blabla…It´s a B-Movie and pretty gruesome towards the end.
This will be Reid-centric and much like the movie with the difference that the BAU is chasing them, and they don't kidnap some family but instead…surprise! (not really, probably…).
The slash pairing is Seth/Reid
Disclaimer: Neither the movie nor the TV show belong to me and I don't make money with this.
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Preface
Reid was vaguely aware that he was a mere hair´s width from dying.
He ran faster, clutching the revolver in one hand and the stake in his other, his heart pounding in his ears.
It was bad enough that the whole case had spun out of control leaving a pair of psychotic criminals on the loose, that it had severed their team profoundly and turned his whole life upside down.
That he was used to.
What was worst was that he had so little opportunity to despise Seth Gecko for all he had done to him over the past days when all they had were each other to keep swarms of bloodthirsty monsters off their necks.
xxx
Prologue (14 years ago)
#
Seth felt numb as he walked out of the sanatorium with long strides, trying to shake off the screams and threats and pleas that seemed to cling to him, trying to tear him back by his shoulders. He didn't turn back around though, didn't stop walking until he was well outside, unable to hear his brother's voice.
Only then did he sink down on the steps in front of the building, letting his head fall onto his knees heavily. Richie's voice was still echoing in his head, his little brother's face so young and scared as he clung to him, trying to keep him from leaving him alone in there. Nothing had seemed to be left of the malice, the madness that usually gleamed within his dark irises, gone seemed the creature that scared Seth and that needed to be dealt with.
Seth took a deep breath, balling his shaking hands into fists as he stared at his knees with burning eyes. If only he could run away from the guilt, too.
It was the right thing, he told himself again, they'd assured him that they could help Richie, make him better. But it didn't feel right. It felt like he was abandoning him, betraying him. He, the only person Richie could still count on in this rotten world.
Pain stung where his fingernails dug into his palms as he fought the urge to jump up and run right back into the facility.
It would be so easy to just give in like he had time and time again, to walk in there and get Richie away from those doctors, the medication, the restraints, easy to forget all the suspicious accidents that ended with animals or even other children hurt, all the other disturbing occurrences.
After all, who were those people to say they could take better care of Richard than he? He was his big brother, he had witnessed the events that had made Richard into what he was, he'd been by his side all throughout his downward spiral -they, they were nothing. They wouldn't understand, not those doctors who looked down on people like them.
He raised his head, about to get up -whether to walk away or walk back into the sanatorium he didn't know -when he realized he wasn't alone anymore.
A young boy, about ten years old, skinny, with chestnut colored hair, messy clothes and big glasses was standing in front of him on the step, looking at him curiously. He drew back shyly when Seth looked up at him from out of dark eyes but didn't walk on like people usually did when he glared. Instead he just kept standing there, uninvited and yet, unwittingly, a welcome distraction from his chaotic thoughts.
"Why are you crying?" the boy asked right out, fine eyebrows creased over large hazel eyes.
The rude answer he normally would surely have gotten was somewhere lost in Seth's muddled brain, leaving him to merely shake his head, furiously swiping a hand over his face, "M'not."
He looked away stubbornly, waiting for the kid to get the hint and walk away -unfortunately, his social skills didn't seem to be the best though because he just kept right on staring. Seth breathed out slowly through his nose, trying to collect himself while the boy stood there, quiet for a long minute as though he was trying to make up his mind about what to do.
"It's okay to cry if you're sad," he finally said, "My mom says it helps."
"Well, why don't you go back to your mom then and leave me the hell alone?" Seth snapped, irritated.
He felt a slight pang of guilt when the kid flinched at his harsh tone, but looked away again anyway. He had enough issues already, he didn't have the nerve to deal with some child now…
"I don't know," the other shrugged, voice small, "you just looked like you might need some-"
"Well, I don't." Seth cut him off again.
Then he sighed, frustrated. What the hell was he doing? Why wasn't he just walking away? The last thing he needed right now was a strange 10-year old who wanted to play psychiatrist for some reason. He'd talked to psychiatrists far too much already today.
He didn't know whether to laugh or get mad when he felt the kid shift closer, still not giving up.
"I can't go to my mom. I want to but the doctors say she needs to rest to get better. I don't want to keep her from getting well."
At that, Seth did look up, in surprise instead of anger this time.
For the first time he really looked at the kid, the worn clothes, the slightly dirty glasses covering the saddest eyes he'd ever seen. He gulped, an image of a younger Richard suddenly flashing across his mind. Back then, in the orphanage, before it had all gone to hell…when he'd been small and scared and helpless…back then Richie had had the exact same expression, innocent and lost. It seemed like an eternity ago. These days he was barely able to find traces of who his brother used to be.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked before he could help himself, for the moment distracted from his own worries.
Where were the kids parents anyway, he asked himself for the first time. Why was he here all alone, unsupervised?
The boy shrugged, fiddling with the hem of his overly large sweater, "She's a paranoid schizophrenic and the past few months her episodes have gotten more and more severe. My dad is always working but he says she can't keep on taking care of me without getting help so he made her come here. They didn't tell me when she'll be coming home."
Seth blinked, momentarily stunned by the boy's use of language that seemed too advanced for his age. Then he thought about the content of what he'd just heard.
"She's a patient here?"
The kid nodded.
Seth just stared for a long moment, digesting that information. This child's mother had the same condition as his brother? Well, that explained the lost expression as well as why he was here. It looked like by some weird chance they were both fighting the urge to run back in there and get a loved one out, and it seemed they also both had nowhere else to go.
This time Seth did laugh, but it came out as a croaked, bitter sound. There he had it again, another example of God sticking it in and breaking it off. Another child's life screwed up from the very beginning.
"Do you have family here, too?" The boy's voice distracted him and Seth started to wonder if he was maybe looking for moral support or if he really had nowhere to go. In the end, he didn't know what made him answer, but it was probably one of those two reasons.
"My brother," he admitted quietly, "He's…messed up. They said he'd have to stay here for a long time so he could get better. Our foster parents decided this and I'm not old enough to get him out…and I don't want to, because somehow I know they're right…but I don't think I can leave him here…"
He clenched his shaking hands, overcome with sudden emotion and hating himself for the renewed show of weakness.
There was a short silence in which the boy seemed to think his words through, then he said, "Maybe it is better f he stays here-"
"How would you know that?" Seth snapped, his pain suddenly morphing into anger that gushed out of him, "You don't know anything!"
He regretted his outburst almost immediately when he saw the kid's intimidated reaction.
It was like looking into a mirror.
He could see his own darkness reflected in those eyes then, his temper, the anger that he always carried around with him and that so often got him into trouble. That too was due to Richard and their past, he knew. He had felt the hatred growing inside him for years now, festering, strengthened every time society rejected him because of something Richard had done wrong, because he sided with his brother even then.
It was like that old fuck of a doctor had told him just an hour ago, like everyone who'd ever tried to influence him positively had told him. Richie, with all of his madness and darkness, was inevitably going down -and he was tearing Seth down with him. There was no denying it; it had been four years since their parents died now, more than enough time to learn to cope and move on, to look into the future. Instead, all they did was live in the past, haunted by the nightmares of their childhood. Richie was likely forever stuck there, in his mind, he knew that.
But he, he was sixteen now and instead of planning his future he kept holding back because he couldn't bear to leave Richie behind. Ever since he could remember he had hurt people and broken rules, laws even more times than he could count - all because they had accused Richie of crimes he had (probably) not committed or lies (hopefully) they'd spread about him. And with every hateful word, with every obstacle he decided to bring down for the both of them, he could felt the hate growing, the anger, the disdain.
He could feel the person he used to be fading to be replaced by someone he didn't recognize, someone who scared himself and who scared others.
Seth let his head fall onto his knees again, anger fading to desperation rapidly.
"I know it's for the best," he whispered, "But it doesn't feel like it. Leaving him here…it feels like I'm destroying his life…but I know that if he stays out, he'll destroy everything around him, including me. I fucking know that…but he's my only family, and…"
He didn't even think about the fact that he was spilling his guts to a ten year old anymore, someone who probably didn't get half of what he was saying. It felt like a relief to simply get the words out, and if it was only for himself to hear.
He was all the more surprised when he did get an answer. Gingerly it seemed, the boy set down on the step as well, keeping a slightly larger distance than usual.
"You love him," he said, with words that should be but somehow weren't far beyond his level of maturity, "I love my mom, too, and that's why I want what's best for her, even if it doesn't feel right for her or for me. Even if it hurts."
They looked at each other then, really looked. Seth couldn't remember the last time he'd truly allowed himself to look openly into someone's eyes, to let someone see his. It was like looking into a mirror, but also like looking into the past. He could see the same fear, the same sheer loneliness in the boy's eyes that he carried around with him every day. He could see the good, too, the goodness and innocence that was definitely there, the exact traits he missed so dearly looking at Richard. In a couple of years, he wondered, would that innocence be gone from this kid's eyes as well?
"You're tougher than you look, kid," he murmured.
He meant it too. Somehow he knew that this boy wouldn't end like Richard, despite the circumstances. If he was this strong and insightful now, no age would be able to soil his spirit.
"Most people are," the boy replied, unimpressed, old young eyes burning into Seth's memory, "when it comes down to it."
Looking back, years later, that moment was what made his decision.
The perfect clarity and truth in a ten year old's statement was what changed the course of his future. Suddenly he just knew he could do it to. Because he too had more strength than he thought he did. He could walk away from this, ascend from all the darkness dragging him down. If this little kid could do it he could, too.
With one last glance into the kid's eyes he got up and walked away without looking back.
It was time to start moving forward.
xxx
14 years later (Present)
When Spencer Reid entered the bullpen of the BAU that particular November morning, he didn't have the faintest clue that it would mark the beginning of something that would make him doubt everything he´d ever thought true.
His work day started normal enough; he walked past Aaron Hotchner´s office, wishing his chief a good morning before making himself the first of many more cups of coffee for the day. Then he went through some case files that had somehow found their way onto his desk, and waited for the rest of the team to arrive half an hour later.
Elle Greenaway was first to rush into the bullpen; she snuck past Hotch and picked up her files from Reid´s desk with an apologetic smile.
Jason Gideon and Jennifer Jareau were next, both of them obviously already in full working mode judging by their faces. They briefly stopped by Hotch's office and talked to him about something; he nodded sternly in response.
"Conference room in ten," he called loud enough for Reid and Elle to hear. Both nodded, wondering what their next case would be. Hopefully they would travel somewhere warm…
Derek Morgan was last to enter the bullpen, somehow managing to look fresh and vibrant even though he must have run the last couple of blocks judging by the time.
"What´s up, people?" he grinned as he sauntered over to Reid´s desk.
Both agents smiled at him.
"We have a new case," Reid informed him, "You´re just in time."
"Aren't I always?" the older profiler joked, then he snatched Reid´s cup of coffee from the table and took a sip before his friend could protest, "Alright then, let´s do this."
And with that he turned around and headed for the conference room with an enthused spring in his step that left both Reid and Elle jealous as hell.
Yes, Morgan was in an unusually good mood. But then again, like Reid he had no idea yet of the events that lay ahead of him.
x
"Alright, JJ. Where are we going this time?" Hotch asked, his face as stern as ever.
The others gathered around the round table and prepared to listen to their media liaison's information on the new case. JJ pointed towards the projection on the wall.
It showed the crimes scene photos for about a dozen cases with each mangled body almost too soiled with blood to be properly recognized.
Elle grimaced at the gruesome images, "Hard to say what the cause of death is, isn't it?"
JJ nodded before giving them the information she had gathered, "We have thirteen victims that have been killed over the last seven years, mostly women but also some men, all fairly young. Their bodies have been found in five different states all over the US. They were reported missing only to show up in some secluded area a couple of days later - several of them were raped and all were either shot or stabbed to death."
She paused when she saw their confused faces.
Morgan was first to voice his concerns, "But, JJ, what makes you think they are all connected? I mean, sure, the murders are all brutal, but there is no distinctive MO that distinguishes them from normal murders. I bet we could find hundreds of other murders just like that."
The others nodded in agreement and Hotch added, "There´s two more things. Let´s say they are connected. If we are dealing with a serial rapist, wouldn't he assault all of them and also go for either women or men, not both? And the same goes for his method of killing. An UnSub doesn't just go from stabbing someone multiple times to shooting them without reason."
"A gunshot wound suggests a goal oriented kill, quick and easy. No actual contact with the victim," Reid chimed in with trivia, "That cannot be compared to actively stabbing someone multiple times which is much more physical and ruthless if not sadistic. A killer like that would be too disorganized and compulsive to purposefully choose a gun to kill someone."
He too was met with overall approval.
JJ opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted when Gideon immediately drew a conclusion from Reid analysis, "So you're saying we might have more than one killer working together?"
Reid only shrugged, frowning: "If they are connected at all. Morgan is right, nothing suggests that-" "Well as I was about to say before you interrupted me…" JJ finally managed to squeeze in, interrupting her overenthusiastic colleagues, "There is in fact a connection. The rapes can be linked to one man."
She pressed a button on her remote and the image on the wall changed.
It showed the mug shot of a man around thirty, with short dark hair and thick glasses. One had but to look at his eyes to see that he spelled trouble (1).
"Richard Gecko, 29 years old. Previously convicted for several robberies and sexual crimes. He did three years in prison for an attempted rape back in the 90´s. His current whereabouts are unknown, he was last seen in Greenbelt, Maryland. We have video of him robbing a liquor store there. His DNA was found on all and in four of the victims. This was only found out now because his DNA wasn't in the system until spring. And what looked like unconnected murders until then now looks like the handwriting of a serial killer."
This new information didn't help clear up any of the confusion, but simply brought up new questions from the team.
"Fine, but that doesn't prove he murdered them," Morgan noticed, "And it doesn't say anything about the ones that were simply shot."
"He was in contact with them shortly prior to their demise. There´s very likely a connection," JJ explained, starting to sound annoyed by their reluctance to see her point.
"Let´s say there is," Hotch finally conceded, "But why did we get this case if they already know who the guy is? Put his picture all over the media and they should have him in a matter of days."
JJ nodded grimly: "That´s the problem. Local PD have been looking for him since the Liquor store incident but he has completely vanished. But that isn't why we were involved. Like I said: Gecko can be connected to the rapes but not all of the actual killings."
"So there is more than one MO after all?" Gideon deducted swiftly.
"Most likely."
"So we have Gecko who abducts them, rapes them…and probably stabs them, which is both very violent and compulsive. And then there must be someone who shot the others, right?"
"So there is more than one UnSub," Gideon repeated his earlier assumption and JJ nodded.
"But then, how can we be sure that the shootings are connected to the stabbings?" Morgan demanded to know, completely ignoring JJ growing impatience.
The young woman sighed softly, "Again: Gecko´s DNA was found on all victims, but not all of them had been sexually assaulted. We think that all victims were abducted by a team of at least two people including Gecko for some reason. It could be that the ones that were shot were just killed to keep them from going to the police; those weren't passionate crimes. If Richard Gecko didn't kill them, he most likely knows who did."
"Alright," Hotch at least seemed open to her theory now, "So we either have a team of killers, or the man has multiple personalities. Was there any other DNA found on the victims?"
"Not exactly. There were fingerprints though."
"Whose?" Reid piped up curiously.
JJ pulled up another mug shot on the screen.
It showed another man in his early thirties who also had short dark hair and eyes that seemed almost black. That was where the resemblance ended though.
Compared to Richard Gecko this man had an equally dangerous aura about him, but he didn't look nearly as deranged. In fact he could be described as handsome, wearing an expensive-looking dark suit. The only indication that he was somehow connected to crime were a black tribal tattoo snaking up his neck from under his collar and the coldness of his gaze.
"Seth Gecko, 31," JJ informed them, "He is Richard's brother and has been in the Kansas State Penitentiary for the past year for armed robbery during the course of which two police officers were killed. It´s possible that his DNA is also on the victims and that the MEs just didn't look closely enough (2). We are currently working on that."
"What do we have on their past?" Morgan asked, suddenly sounding more convinced now that he´d seen the second picture.
JJ immediately perked up now that the team started to become interested, "History of domestic violence, both parents deceased when they were young. Both brothers went from foster family to foster family, most of which rejected them quickly because of their violent and antisocial behavior. Richard was admitted into a psychiatric hospital at the age of 14 after he was suspected of having caused the death of a fellow student. Seth seemed to be doing better for a while then, focusing on school, until during one of his visits to the sanatorium Richard attacked one of his nurses with a knife and set his room on fire. Both brothers fled the scene and couldn't be found after that. We assume they travelled around the country, living off of small scale thefts and robberies all the while running from the authorities. They later moved on to bank robberies and extortion -which is how some of our victims were abducted actually -until Seth was incarcerated. Since then there has been no trace of Richard."
Hotch nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his forehead, "So we think that Seth Gecko might be the one to shoot the hostages he had to take during his robberies so they wouldn't be able to help trace him?"
"It is possible," JJ nodded, "But we can't be certain about that yet. It´s possible that he didn't kill them, that there is a third UnSub, but we can't tell without the murder weapons. All we have are his fingerprints on the duct tape that the victims were tied with and some on their clothes or superficial wounds: Maybe he only helped to abduct them."
"So he could be one of the killers, or a third team member who is used for the dirty work. Terrific," Morgan´s good mood from before had long vanished. He already saw a very long and complicated week coming towards them.
"In any case he knows what his brother´s MO is and he has done nothing to stop him in eight years," JJ said, "There are probably even more corpses that just haven´t been found."
Now it was Elle´s turn to frown as she gave her opinion: "So he either doesn't care that his brother is a sadistic rapist or he is in no position to stop him. In that case, we might have one dominant and submissive partner in that team."
"Maybe," JJ agreed, holding up her files, "The only thing we know for sure is that Richard Gecko hasn't stopped killing after his brother was arrested. If anything the number of murders has increased."
"He's becoming unstable without his brother?" Reid wondered, "But that would make Seth Gecko the dominant partner…"
"We won't know that until we´ve seen them interact," Gideon concluded briefly, "What´s important is to stop Richard Gecko from assaulting any more people. We need to stop him ASAP."
The rest of the team voiced their agreement in unison. They would have to track down Richard Gecko for the rapes anyway. And if they could solve the murders along the way- all the better.
"So what do we do?" Morgan inquired, already answering his own question, "We get all the information we can on Richard Gecko, establish a profile and then try to anticipate his next move?"
This time JJ actually smiled a little, "Actually, Seth Gecko will have a court hearing this week in Wichita about those DNA traces they found on the victims. They probably won't be able to prove much - but that's not important. The hearing is open to the public."
Morgan caught on to her train of thought immediately, "And you think his brother might come there?"
She shrugged, "It´s our best shot."
"Alright, people, here´s what we're going to do," Hotch concluded, getting out of his chair, "The hearing is in two days. Before that, we will go to the prison Seth Gecko is staying in. Maybe we can cut him a deal, get him to sell out his brother´s location or even lure him out. And if not that, he might at least spill something about his involvement in the murders. Morgan, Reid, Elle, you´re going to see him today. The rest of us will look for more possible victims and start looking for people the brothers have a relationship with."
He left the room with Gideon and JJ at his heels.
"Alright then," Morgan sighed, stretching in his chair one last time as he looked over at Reid and Elle expectantly, "Looks like we're going to Kansas."