A/N: Ten points if you can tell me where the senator is from!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters... Unfortunately.

A/N2: EDIT! Hey guys, this chapter has just underwent an edit/update and is slightly to significantly different that the chapter you may have read several months ago. They still end up in the same place it's just more eloquent and less first or second draft like.


Emily looked up from her desk at JJ and Hotch talking in hushed tones. Even from this distance, she could see that JJ's eyes were red and puffy. It didn't take a profiler's mind to figure that it probably had something to do with why she had been missing work the last two days.

Emily turned back to the case at hand, trying desperately to ignore the urge to march over to JJ and wipe the tears away. She was lost in her thoughts about why, exactly, that would be a bad idea when the perky blonde technical analyst burst through the doors to the BAU. "We have a case," she called, drawing the teams' attentions.

In less than a minute, Garcia had the team gathered around the round table in the conference room, tablets appearing seemingly out of thin air as they looked over the information Garcia sent them. Hotch and Rossi took only a moment to look at the file before they looked at each other. It was always tough when the victims resembled one of their own.

At the front of the room Garcia clicked a button on her remote and a picture popped up on the screen of a blonde woman lying face down a few feet from what looked like a walking trail. "This is our first victim, Lacey Stalbun. She disappeared earlier this year and was found at the Potomac Shoreline Regional Park after being missing for almost three months. Our second victim, Rachel Mickinley, was also found in the Potomac Shoreline park after being missing for a little over a month. Victim number three, Shelley Cole, was found in the Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge three weeks after she was reported missing and our last victim, Nicole Massey, was found there this morning. She was reported missing a week and a half ago."

"He's clearly escalating," Reid pointed out, "in both his time frame and in his chosen method of killing. There isn't a clear M.O. Each kill is a little more personal. He shot Lacey from a distance but strangled Nicole Massey with a rope. It doesn't make sense. Why change up his method?"

Morgan nodded in agreement. "Maybe he's young. A new killer wouldn't know which method he likes best. He might be changing it up because it's not working like in his fantasies. Sort of like that copy cat serial killer a few years ago. Or, maybe he feels like he's getting closer to his true victim? That would explain why each kill put him literally closer to the woman."

Garcia paled considerably, obviously affected by the nonchalance of her friends' words. Of course, it was nothing new, but it never truly got easier for the bright Technical Analysis. "Either way, Samantha Garfield was reported missing yesterday. She fits his type." She clicked her remote again, bringing up a picture of the newest victim, a young blonde with vibrant blue eyes and a smile that could charm anyone.

"Why weren't we called in sooner?" JJ asked, concerned that the body count was so high for a case so close to the capitol and Quantico itself.

"Since the dump sites were different, it took the local PD time to connect the cases. This was the case on my desk when we got the call that Jamie Sutherland was missing. By the time we got back, victim number four was found."

The group nodded, each of them remembering the trip to Montana to find the missing 10 year old. Luckily, she had been found alive. Still, kidnappings always took precedence over serial killers.

Prentiss took another look at the case file. "How did they connect the cases, I mean, the COD is different in each case and they were all dumped at different parks across Virginia?"

"Other than the startling similarities in their appearances, they were all between the ages of 26 and 30, and all worked as secretaries, legal aids or other business woman working on the hill, which clearly establishes a type. Not to mention the creepy letter the whack-job carved into their chests over their hearts. Different letters, but not many dead bodies show up graffitied," she explain as she pulled up the pictures of four very ornate cursive letters. "It's an aluminized script style that could point to a religious undertone. But why those specific letters: U, A, E and R, what do they mean?" Spencer said, with an innocent matter-o-factness that only the boy genius could muster.. He sat quietly for a moment running the millions of possibilities through his head. He had seen those letters together somewhere, he just couldn't quite remember where. The letters were important and, therefore, he felt like he was missing some crucial detail. "We have to be missing letters. "

The team nodded their heads. Feeling like they were in the same boat as the young doctor. Rossi spoke up, voicing the rest of the teams thoughts. "Whatever the letters mean, it's clearly obvious that they truly are the most important part. Other than being the only constant injury on the victims, the handwriting is clearly embellished and from the state of healing on victims one and two, I'd say that it was the first thing he did."

Emily looked up at the board, studying the dull pink U and the brighter, still slightly scabbed A on their victims before turning back to her tablet, trying desperately to shake the unease building in her chest.

The team continued to look over the case in silence, trying to find anything useful that might give them some kind of insight until Hotch spoke up. "Since the case is so close to home, we'll be working from our office. Samantha is an assistant for Senator McCaskill. Morgan, Prentiss, I want you to go talk to the senator and her staff. Reid, start working up a geographical profile. Garcia, I want to know everything about these five women's lives. JJ, Rossi, hang back for a minute."

The group did as they were told, exiting the room quickly. JJ looked at Hotch. "Please don't."

"JJ, we just want to make sure you were okay. It's always harder when the victims look like one of us," Rossi explained gently. "Besides, you're looking a little pale."

JJ forced a laugh. "Yeah, well, that might have something to do with the fact that Will got custody of Henry."

Rossi squeezed her forearm. "I'm sorry to hear that kid. You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, Rossi, I am. Thanks though. I just need to get to work, clear my head, you know?"

Hotch and Rossi nodded, more understanding than perhaps anyone how difficult this job could be on marriages. "Well, if you're sure you're okay, then you and Rossi go check out the last crime scene," Hotch said, taking control of the situation once more. "If you need me I'll be at the precinct trying to wrangle in the media."

JJ nodded before following her mentor out the door. She was already finding it difficult to keep her guilt for lying to Hotch hidden. It wasn't exactly a complete lie. She could be pale because of the verdict with Henry, or it might have something to do with the looming sense of dread she was experiencing over those four letters.