A/N: Welcome back my fine, furry friends. This one was a struggle: because I wanted to pair Matt up with the most unlikely partner. When you start reading, you'll understand.
In the end, I had fun writing this one. I hope you enjoy it. It feels good to be back writing.
All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Productions, CBS and ABC Studios. #ShadowWolvesTV !
*Knightly bow*
Chapter 1
Hotch and Matt came into the Round Table Room together on a Tuesday for the morning briefing to Emily and JJ offering their critiques of Reid's latest haircut. "At least it's not the boy band look," Hotch deadpanned.
"My man," Matt smiled as Reid looked at the two of them while the rest snickered.
"Cob, you had to feed Hotch intel on that," Morgan challenged.
"Nope Morgan," Matt said, sitting down. "Boss Man came up with that all on his own," he smiled at the assembled team. "Why he gets, as Garcia would say, the fruit cup with lunch," Matt smiled.
"Let's get started," Hotch said, shaking his head. The team reviewed several cases they were consulting on to brainstorm off each other.
When they finished, Matt shook his head. "I've got one more. And very honestly, I don't know what to make of it." He looked at Dave. "It's one I picked up on for Hotch. Your wise counsel could be helpful on this one."
"Why Matt?" Dave asked.
"Because we might have a case." Matt paused and looked at Rossi. "I just don't know how the hell we can help the locals." He looked at Garcia. "Hit it girl wonder."
"Right, Sir Cob," Garcia said. "In the past two weeks, five hobos have been dumped in the Tallahassee, Florida train yard. They were killed exactly the same way," she said, putting up the pictures on the video screen without looking at them. The team looked at their tablets.
"They were all beaten to death," JJ noted. "From the pictures, bare handed beatings. This guy is unorganized."
"But the decomposition is different in all of the bodies," Reid noted.
"My first red flag," Matt said. He looked at the team. "The second is the blunt force trauma all the victims received pre mortem. They all got blitzed attacked." He looked around the table. "Do you remember the case back in 2008 in northern California?"
"The catching out case?" JJ asked. "The hobo that killed people near the train tracks?"
"That's the one," Matt said. "I missed that one with my higher calling to Uncle Sam and the Marine Corps. But I've read all your files." He looked at Dave and Morgan. "A rail cop told you both that two 'bos, hobos, in a rail car will kill each other over a turf dispute."
"Bulls and 'bos," Rossi remembered. Morgan nodded as well. "And you're right."
"Needle meet haystack," Emily said.
"That's my thing gang," Matt said. "This 'bo is dumping bodies mainly at night. And the kill is the same MO and victimology also matches up. And there's one other thing I noticed." He looked at Penelope. "You got it?"
Garcia smiled. "You know better sir." She put up crime scene photos of each murder.
"Now zero in on what I noticed," Matt said.
Garcia zoomed into each crime scene photo, with a red ring around what Matt noticed. "There's a graffiti tag outside the open box car door of the train car by where the body was found. In exactly the same place. At all crime scenes." Matt looked around the table. "It's serial," he said. "I just don't know how we can catch this guy given the transient pattern of the victims."
"And the unsub," Lewis said. Matt pointed at her.
"Hotch," Matt said, looking at him, "I've talked to the detective working this case. He feels the same way as me. While most people would think this is just hobos, what's the fuss?" Matt said with conviction. "This detective sees it like I do. These are innocent people getting killed, getting dumped in his jurisdiction and deserve justice. And he feels helpless. I've told him I don't how much we can add. But with the tagging signature?"
"So what are you suggesting?" Hotch asked Matt.
"I'd like to go check it out."
Morgan shook his head with a smile. "We all know the make-up of Tallahassee. It's more black than white. And you want to work the tagger angle?"
"I think it has merit," Matt said. "If we can find a tagger that will talk to us, maybe we get some insight on an unsub that we can't find any other way. Remember the case a couple years ago in Detroit? Taggers leave a signature mark to their artwork."
Hotch looked at Rossi. "Aaron, it's an unsub," Rossi said. "What's our job?"
Hotch thought for a second and then looked at Matt. "Take Reid with you." Matt nodded.
"With all due respect Hotch, you're gonna send the two whitest people on this team to interview hobos and taggers? With only one of them big enough to get the hobo's attention?" He looked at Reid. "No offense kid." Morgan looked at Hotch. "Which the 'bo's will need because they need the profile more than anyone?"
"You're exactly right Morgan," Matt smiled. "And who better to play good cop bad cop to the 'bo's, far less the taggers than Reid and me?"
Rossi smiled at the two of them. "I'm your consult guys if you need to bounce some things off someone."
"Thanks Big Dog," Matt smiled, and looked at Reid. "When I climb into bed in my boxers, your light is off. You're done reading for the night Doc."
"Oooo TMI," Prentiss snarked. JJ and Lewis snickered.
Matt looked at ladies. "Who won the boxers or briefs bet concerning me?" The ladies all looked at each other.
Rossi laughed, getting out of his chair. "Nailed that profile my boy," he smiled at Matt. Matt pointed at Rossi, getting out of his chair. "Call me if you need some back-up."
"Thanks Dave," Matt smiled.
"It's my hotel room too," Reid protested.
"Reid, it's lights out or my Glock is up your nose," Matt growled.
Dave lightly laughed at Reid, leaving the room. "Have fun with that kid."
-00CM00-
Reid looked at Matt sitting across from him on the jet. "This unsub is obviously killing his victims somewhere along train lines. A 'bo hops in the wrong boxcar and gets killed."
"After a blitz attack, that cracks his skull. Keep going," Matt said. "All of the skull cracks are in the back of the head. I'm thinking the 'bo hops into the car and this unsub drills the 'bo into the boxcar floor."
Reid nodded. "It fits Matt. But what I trip over is why dump the bodies, in different forms of decomp, in Tallahassee?"
"Another tripping point," Matt said. He snapped his fingers. "Hook up with Garcia." He pushed a button on his cell.
"What you got my two crimefighters?" Matt and Reid smiled.
"Garcia," Matt said, "hook up with one of Quantico's coroners. Have Tara work that angle. Send them all the local coroner reports and have our techs see if they can scope out, given the weather patterns and different stages of decomp, how far away this unsub killed all of his victims."
"Do you think that will help?" Garcia asked. "And Ewww…the smell."
"'Bo's don't notice smell Garcia," Matt said. "We're pulling at any string to find this unsub. And Garcia, the rail company has to have security footage of the railyard. See if they got a glimpse of this guy."
"Either dumping the body or tagging the rail car," Reid added.
"Have Emily and JJ look at the footage," Matt said.
"Understood my knights; Garcia is on it."
"Thanks Garcia," Reid said. He looked at Matt. "Do you think that is going to help us?"
Matt shrugged. "It can't hurt." Reid nodded at him.
Matt read through the files more and then shook his head. "Matt?" Reid asked.
"What if this guy isn't as disorganized as we, okay I, originally thought?"
"What are you thinking?"
"The more I read and digest Reid, the more I think we're looking at a human predator profile."
Reid leaned back into his seat in thought. He looked at Matt, shaking his head. "You may be on to something Matt. But I don't know how that helps us catch this unsub."
Matt smiled. "But it gives us a game plan." Reid looked at Matt. "We give the profile to the people that might know the most." Reid looked at him. "The 'bo's in the jungle," Matt smiled.
Reid smiled. "You read every detail of that case," he said, shaking his head. Matt smiled. "You're getting as bad as me man." Matt laughed. "Let's call the Big Dog and see what he says."
Matt shook his head. "Let's make out our game strategy before we talk to Dave."
"Then Matt," Reid said, "we need to talk more. I get where you're going. But I'm still not on the same wave length as you. We don't normally work together."
Matt smiled. "No we don't. That's why Hotch paired you up with me." He looked at Reid. "And he's right," Matt admitted. "But Doc, we have to be together on this one."
"Why did Hotch pair us together?" Reid asked.
"I suggested it," Matt said.
"Why?"
"Number one: the team. If they get a major case, Hotch needs Rossi as senior profiler. And I need Morgan on tactical. Number two: Bureau rules. I can't share a hotel with any of the ladies. But we do have to share a hotel room. Any more questions?" Reid shook his head with a smile.
"Then lay out your game plan to me and don't get mad if I dissect part of it."
Matt looked at Reid. "You and I are partners on this one; disparate personalities or not. We have to be in complete unison as partners. We talk to each other, profile this case and build a workable plan together," Matt emphasized, "on how to catch this unsub."
Reid smiled. "And then run that past Rossi."
"Not really," Matt said, looking the genius. "We do this on our own and consult with Rossi only if we need it."
"Boom," Reid said with a smile.
"That's outdated Doc," Matt smiled.
"You say it all the time," Reid countered.
"And Abbey is starting to point out my grey hairs dude," Matt fired back.
Reid laughed. "Message received."
They worked for another hour before landing in Tallahassee.
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A/N: Yup; that was my story concept: to pair Matt with Reid on a case. I struggle writing Reid and I thought maybe this was a way to get over that hump.
