Hey! This is the first CM fic I've written and only the second story I've ever written, so please be gentle with me. But definitely read and review! I've got a lot to learn, and your comments will help refine my writing... unless you're a total asshole, in which case you can piss off.
An extra special thanks to the absolutely AMAZING Tigerlily888. She's been a huge support during this process, keeping me sane and offering her excellent beta services. She's also a great writer (you should check out her work!), and has been incredibly generous in offering her thoughts and ideas.
Also, in case you were wondering, I don't own Criminal Minds. If you do, please message me. There are some things we need to talk about. But I do own this fic.
Chapter 1
They were all celebrating. The end of an op, bad guys in jail, confessions made all around. For the first time since being assigned to the unit, she actually felt as if she was a part of it. It hadn't helped that she'd spent over a year undercover in close company with a sadistic drug dealer. But her information has been vital to the resolution of the case, and her handler beamed at her like a proud dad. The happiness didn't last long.
"Carmichael! Get your ass in here now!" yelled her unit chief as he stood in the doorway of his office. The man was genuinely an ass, but he usually tried to cover it up with some good ole boy geniality. The fact that he didn't bother meant she was in some serious shit. Silence reigned as she made her way into his office.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out? Consider yourself suspended for insubordination. Get the hell out of my bullpen."
She didn't pretend not to know what he was talking about. "When will they be here?"
"That isn't your concern, Carmichael. Get out."
Special Agent Kendall Carmichael exited her unit chief's office without another word. When she stopped at her desk to collect her bag and a few personal items and files, her colleague and handler, Web Marston, stepped up to her.
"What the hell was thatabout?"
"Remember that thing you told me not to do? I did it anyway."
"Dammit, Mike! I told you not to do this. I told you that Peterson would shit a break."
"I know, Web. But you and I both know that Peterson doesn't have a damn clue what he's doing. Too many women have died already. We need the BAU's help. They're trained for this. It's what they do."
"You're trained for it too. You could-"
"I'm not in the BAU, Web. I don't have their experience."
"You know Peterson will never sign off on that transfer request now, right? He'll keep you here out of spite and try to run you out of the Bureau."
"I'm not quitting and he doesn't have any basis to fire me."
"Jesus. OK. When do they get here?"
"He won't tell me, but my guess is soon. They never wait long once they get called in. I've got to go."
"I'll keep you informed."
"Thanks, Web."
"OK, everyone. This is Research Triangle in North Carolina," Penelope Garcia said as a map of the area flashed on the screen behind her. "In the last five years, the bodies of twelve young women between the ages of 23-32 have been found in the surrounding area. Until recently, the deaths hadn't been linked together." The images of the twelve victims flashed on the screen in varying stages of decomposition.
"What makes anyone think they're connected now?" JJ asked.
"According to the informing agent, the bodies have similar patterns of torture and all were strangled or suffocated in some way."
"Why weren't they link before, Garcia?" asked Morgan. "The torture patterns seem like they would have been an indicator."
Hotch fielded that question, "The bodies have been disposed of in a variety of ways, in different areas of a number of surrounding counties. Some of the bodies were buried or otherwise mutilated, so the physical damage wasn't apparent at the time they were discovered. Additionally, some of these victims were only recently found, despite having disappeared years ago. They appear to have been kept alive, repeatedly raped and tortured before being killed."
"Sounds like a sadist," commented Rossi.
"We'll know more when we get to North Carolina. Wheels up in an hour."
There's one more thing," interjected Penelope. "You all need to be aware that there's going to be Bureau politics to deal with on this."
Hotch cocked his head at her while the rest of the team froze in the process of leaving the room. None of them cared for Bureau politics, and only three of them had the training, experience or skill to deal with them. But Hotch, JJ, and Emily wouldn't put up with anything interfering in a case.
"What do you mean, Penelope?" Hotch asked quietly.
"Sir, the agent who brought this to our attention has been suspended."
"Who is the informing agent?"
"Kendall Carmichael."
Rossi interrupted, "Why does that name sound familiar?"
"Carmichael… she's the one from the class we taught at the Academy on profiling, Dave. The one with all the questions," Emily reminded him. She had a vague recollection of the young woman, but definitely remembered being peppered with smart questions during and after the lecture three years before.
"Right. I remember now. Hotch, we told you about her right after that class, that she was someone to keep our eye on as an agent who might be a good addition to the BAU."
"I remember. She's also applied for the open pool agent position here. Her application is sitting on my desk."
"Why haven't you approved it?" Reid asked. He hated politics and wasn't looking forward to this.
"Because," Hotch explained, "her unit chief hasn't signed the transfer paperwork."
Rossi sighed, "Well, he's certainly not going to be happy with her now."
"I'll deal with him. Let's get moving."
Hotch knew that on a typical case, he would have given assignments out on the plane, divvyed up the dump sites, witness interviews, reviewing victimology, etc. But this wasn't a typical case and he was already a bit distracted. He had ended his fledgling relationship with Beth several days before and was still unsettled by the vitriol she had spewed at him. A couple of work out dates and lunches had not seemed such a big commitment to him, but Beth had apparently read more into their few outings together. He still had a headache from the sobbing phone call he'd had with her. Sighing, he closed his eyes and leaned back in the seat, wishing North Carolina wasn't going to be the mess he could already see coming.
Emily glanced at her supervisor when she heard him sigh. It wasn't like Hotch. He never appeared anything less than professional, keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself. But now he seemed tired and stressed. Definitely still attractive, but his face seemed drawn and tight with tension, and the lines in his forehead were deeper. She hoped she wasn't the cause of his additional stress. Her road back to the team had hurt everyone and she knew he'd borne the brunt of everyone's anger. Whatever was going on, Emily prayed that it wasn't another burden she'd laid on his shoulders. She owed him too much as it was.
The field office in Raleigh was tidy and appropriately boring and characterless. After displaying their credentials, the team was directed to a bank of elevators where they could ride to the fifth floor and Unit Chief Donovan Peterson's office. As they boarded the elevator, Emily saw the security guard pick up the phone and glance their way, quickly looking away when his eyes met hers.
When the doors closed, Emily announced, "Peterson knows we're here. Security just filled him in."
"Good," replied Hotch. "We can get the pissing contest out of the way first."
Dave glanced at Emily, while Reid, Morgan and JJ exchanged similar looks. No matter how impassive he seemed, it was evident to his team that Hotch was pissed. This was going to be interesting.
Peterson wasn't waiting for them when they exited the elevator on the fifth floor. But Hotch hadn't expected him to be there. Peterson would wait for Hotch to come to him. Instead, Web Marston, an older agent with friendly blue eyes and laugh lines greeted them.
"Agent Hotchner, it's nice to meet you and your team," he said, offering his hand to the obvious leader of the group.
"Thank you. This is my team, Agents Dave Rossi, Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan, Jennifer Jareau, and Dr. Spencer Reid. I believe you've also spoken with our technical analyst, Penelope Garcia." Agent Marston shook hands with each member of the team, except Reid, who merely smiled and offered a wave before his hands back into his pockets.
"Welcome. Ms. Garcia gave me some idea of what you'd need. If you'll come this way, we've got a conference room set up for your use."
"Thank you, Agent Marston."
"Please, call me Web."
"Alright. I need to speak with Chief Peterson."
Web paused, thinking through his response. "Let's go into the conference room." When the whole team had entered, Web shut the door behind them, blocking out any prying eyes or ears. "Agent Hotchner, I don't know you, but I know your and your team's reputation. Chief Peterson is not your friend. He'll see you as a competitor. And he's already supremely pissed that you're here and stomping all over what he sees as his territory."
Hotch sized up the older agent. He knew from his file that Web Marston was a good agent. He worked hard and had no aspirations to a desk. It was one of the reasons Peterson could work with him for any length of time.
"I understand your concern and appreciate the warning. But Peterson is going to have to deal with our presence. We have a job to do, and it outweighs any concerns he might have about maintaining his authority here."
"I understand that. I'm just asking that you tread carefully for Mike's sake."
"Mike?"
"Oh, sorry, Agent Carmichael. She risked a hell of a lot to get you down here. And Peterson was already prepared to offer her as a sacrificial lamb before this happened."
"I have no intention of damaging Agent Carmichael's career. I do need to speak with her though. I'll need her case notes, impressions, theories, anything she's collected regarding this case."
"That's going to be a bit difficult, Agent Hotchner."
"Why?"
"Because Peterson suspended her for insubordination when he learned that y'all were coming here. He had explicitly instructed her not to contact the BAU about this case. For any reason."
The team had silently been observing the exchange between their Unit Chief and Web, but Emily suddenly interrupted the conversation. "Are you saying that Peterson suspended her because she wanted us here? That he knew what was going on?"
Web noticed the angry spark in her eyes and feared the impending explosion at his next words. "Yes, ma'am, I am. Personally, I think Peterson was hoarding this case and had been since Mike took her concerns to him. He sees it as a springboard for the rest of his career. If he can solve this case – catch a serial killer and close an untold number of homicides and missing persons cases – he'll make it further up the Bureau hierarchy, and into a nice comfy chair in a nice comfy office where he won't have to do much more than sign papers for the rest of his career."
Emily opened her mouth to speak, but Hotch reached out and silenced her with a gentle touch on her forearm. Hotch wasn't a toucher, and the gesture was noticed by the rest of the team.
"I have no intention of doing anything to endanger Agent Carmichael's career. In fact, she'll need to return to assist in this case. If she's the one who was able to tie everything together, her insight will be invaluable."
"You should know, Agent Hotchner, that I told Mike not to contact the BAU. I knew that Peterson would kill her career if she did, and she's too good an agent to waste here."
"I understand, Web. Thank you for being up front with me," he said before turning to his team. "Dave, I'll want you and Emily to come with me to see Agent Carmichael. We'll leave as soon as I finish with Peterson. Reid, I want you to get with Garcia on victimology. We need to know everything we can about these women. Check to see if anything in their paths ever crossed. JJ, Morgan, start with the dump sites. See what you can find out from the crime scene photos first. We've got too many sites across too many miles for site visits yet. Web, would you please give Agent Prentiss Agent Carmichael's address?"
"Certainly."
Donovan Peterson was the picture of every lazy good ole boy Aaron Hotchner had ever come across. He was nearly six feet tall, but had gone soft in the belly years before. His blond hair was going gray at the temples, but starting to thin out on top. He wore a crisp black suit and characterless tie, resembling a prosperous Southern gentleman undertaker. Peterson moved slowly, standing behind his desk, but his face lacked any of the geniality Hotch usually encountered when he worked cases in the South. Hotch loathed the man on sight, but tucked those unprofessional feelings behind a mask of politeness. It was a necessary skill required to do his job effectively.
"Agent Peterson, I'm Aaron Hotchner with the BAU." Hotch didn't offer his hand. Why give this asshole the opportunity to reject it? "I'm going to need all of the files, evidence, or other information you've gathered regarding the homicides and missing persons sent to Conference Room 5B so my team can begin to analyze it. Also, I'll need each of your agents who've investigated any aspect of these cases to take the time to meet with my people. We need to get all of the available information together by the end of the day."
"Wait just a damn minute," Peterson growled. "You can't just come into my unit and begin giving orders to me and my men."
"I have and I will. There are at least twelve dead young women and an untold number of missing ones that may be connected to this case. I don't have the time or luxury to worry about soothing your ego."
"This is still my unit, Agent Hotchner, and I don't take orders from you."
"You will on this," Hotch's voice was suddenly stone cold and hard. "You've had this case for a long while, since Agent Carmichael came to you with her concerns. But you have no idea what you're doing and the bodies are piling up. You can complain about me all you want, but when the Bureau learns that you sat on this case to further your own agenda, it won't be my head on the chopping block." Peterson clenched his fists at Hotch's unspoken threat and opened his mouth to speak, but Hotch didn't let him interrupt, "Now, I'm going to speak with Agent Carmichael. Depending on my judgment regarding the information that she has, I may bring her back with me."
"Agent Carmichael is currently suspended for insubordination."
"I'm aware of the circumstances surround her suspension, but her knowledge and insight may be invaluable. If I determine that that is the case, she will be brought back in for this investigation." Hotch noticed Peterson attempting to surreptitiously nudge something under his desk. "Send that box of files and whatever else you're trying to hide under your desk down to the conference room." Having finished his directive, Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner strode from the room, leaving the beet-faced unit chief fuming in silence.