Author's note: For anyone with medical knowledge, in advance, I realize that the use of certain drugs might now seem right. I am taking a bit of artistic license. I try to keep things as real as possible but you wouldn't believe how hard it can be to research certain things. I am possibly on an FBI watch list myself for some of the stuff I google. Enough of an apology…please read on and I hope you enjoy this story. And I hope I can figure out how to end it properly.
A dark room, moonlight streams in through open windows partially illuminating a sleeping woman. The shadowy figure of a man appears at the window holding a knife. The man slices the screen, gaining access to the room. The intruder pulls a syringe from his satchel. He quickly spots a vein on the sleeping woman's foot and plunges the needle in. She wakes as the needle pierces her skin. She lets out half a yelp before she is no longer able to speak. The drug has immobilized and silenced her but she is awake and aware. The fear is readily evident in her wide eyes as she is rolled on her back to face her masked attacker. The man tears away her nightclothes and rapes her. Once finished, he traces the knife along her neck and across the features of her face settling on her nose.
At the BAU, the team is filing into the conference room.
Hotch: What do you have for us J.J.?
J.J.: Savannah has a serial rapist. Three women so far. This is Lisa Adams. Two weeks ago she was assaulted in her own bed. She was drugged, raped and her hair was cut off with a knife so brutally that pieces of her scalp were cut off. Next was Jodi Langston. The same, drugged, raped and then her breasts were sliced open. Then last night, Nathalie Evans was drugged and raped in her bed. Her nose was nearly cut off.
Rossi: Drugged? So the victims were unconscious?
J.J.: Not exactly, our unsub is using a carefully measured dose of succinocholine. It is a paralytic.
Prentiss: They're aware?
J.J.: Paralyzed but aware.
Hotch: Garcia, I need you to start working the backgrounds of these women for our victimology. Look for anything at all they might have in common. The rest of you, we're wheels up in 30.
On the jet, the team is huddling around the case files.
Rossi's voice: "Some beautiful things are more impressive when left imperfect than when too highly finished."-Francois de La Rochefoucould.
Prentiss: The victims are immobilized first…while they are still asleep. Is our unsub insecure about his ability to overpower them?
Reid: I don't think that's the issue at all. If you can imagine sleeping one moment and then the next you are awake and aware. Being attacked but not able to move or speak. Fear is the motive here. He needs their fear. He's a sadist.
Garcia: Greetings my intrepid teammates.
Morgan: Hey Baby Girl, what'd you find out?
Garcia: I'm still digging but so far I've got bupkas. Not only did all of these women live in different parts of town, they went to different gyms, grocery stores, doctors, beauty shops, everything. Aside from the yucky guy with the knife, I can't find a single thing they have in common.
Hotch: Thanks Garcia, keep looking, okay?
Garcia: Your wish is my command, Sir.
Hotch: We're landing soon. Prentiss and J.J. go to the hospital and talk to Nathalie Evans. Morgan, Reid, Rossi-you guys head over to her apartment. I'll be meeting up with a detective Barnes. She was first on the scene last night.
J.J. and Prentiss walk down a hospital corridor. They pause outside of a room as a doctor emerges.
Prentiss (showing her credentials): Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau, we're here to speak with Nathalie Evans. How is she doing?
Doctor: Needless to say, she is shaken up. We've consulted a surgeon and the damage to her face should be repairable. Physically, she is very lucky but psychologically, it's going to be a long road for her.
J.J.: Is she up to speaking with us?
Doctor: She's tired but you're welcome to talk to her. Just try not to upset her anymore.
J.J.: Thank you, Doctor.
The two agents walk into the room and come face to face with Nathalie. She is a pretty blonde of about 25. Even with the bandages on her nose and her eyes puffy and red from crying, she is still very pretty.
Prentiss: Hello Nathalie. I'm Emily Prentiss and this is Jennifer Jareau-J.J., we're with the FBI. Do you feel up to talking with us?
Nathalie (shrugging): Sure. I don't know what I can tell you though. I didn't see his face.
J.J.: Sometimes the tiniest detail can be very helpful.
Prentiss: We already know what happened but we really need to get this in your words. You were asleep and then what?
Nathalie: I felt a stinging in my foot. I tried to move but someone was rolling me onto my back. I tried to scream but I couldn't make a sound. I couldn't move at all. Then he…he-
Nathalie dissolves into tears and J.J. takes her hand to comfort her.
J.J.: It's alright, we know what happened next. Do you remember anything about him? Could you estimate height, weight?
Nathalie (takes a deep breath before speaking): I guess average height. It was hard to tell because I was lying down. Fairly muscular build but not bulky.
Prentiss: I know you said he wore a mask…did you see any of his skin to know what race he might have been?
Nathalie: Nothing was exposed that I could see. I couldn't move my head to look down.
Prentiss: Did he say anything to you?
Nathalie: When he cut my nose, he said, "When will you learn?" What does that even mean?!
Prentiss: We don't know but I promise you that we will do everything in our power to find out and find this creep.
Nathalie: Agents?
Both women look up.
Nathalie: I don't know how much this helps but he smelled like cigarette smoke.
J.J.: Nathalie, you have been very helpful. Please if you think of anything at all or if you just need to talk, call us.
Nathalie nods and J.J. squeezes her hand in a goodbye.
A/N: Me again...yeah I know about the succinocholine thing. You don't need to tell me. As I said, artistic license. still angry at later chapters but will get it all done...promise. Well, if you like it so far. Please review. I really like hearing what everyone thinks...even when there are criticisms. Okay, especially when there are criticisms.
