Ok, so this first chapter appears to be the beginning of a case fic… it isn't. I just need to set the scene. It will become clear when you get to the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoy.
"So, you all ready for Christmas JJ? Ten days left." Emily sighed across the desk in the bullpen.
"I wouldn't have thought you'd be counting down to Christmas Emily." JJ smiled.
"I'm not…." She started dryly, "…. Reid told me this morning… same as he has told me every morning this week."
JJ laughed, "Well I've bought Henry enough toys to fill our garage if that's what you mean. I think I've overcompensated as we're working all over Christmas this year."
"Can't say it bothers me, but it sucks for you JJ. May be we won't get any cases."
"Yeah, I like your optimism Emily, but I can't see that happening can you?"
"We haven't had a case for three days now… I'm actually getting bored of this paperwork." Emily said, tossing a file to the back of her desk and leaning back in her chair.
"Me too." JJ agreed.
Both profilers turned as they heard a familiar voice, "Hi my pretties…" Garcia beamed toward them.
"You've got that apologetic we've got a case look on your face Penelope." Emily said with a smirk.
Garcia scrunched her face, "Sorry guys."
"No no… thank you. We were actually just saying we were a little bored…." JJ said looking back to Emily. "…. That's weird isn't it?"
Emily just smiled at the blond and then turned back to Garcia, "Where is it?"
"Well, that's the good news… it's here. So you won't be leaving me on my own as usual."
"Good… So briefing room now?" Emily asked.
"Yeah, everyone else is waiting."
As Emily and JJ took their place at the round table, Hotch handed Garcia the remote control, "Do you want to get us started Garcia?" He instructed.
"Yes sir." She said bringing up the first images on the screen, "These are three couples from the DC area. All found murdered in their homes over the past couple of months."
"Couple of months? Why have we only just been bought in?" Morgan queried.
"Couple number three were found two days ago. They're just linking the killings now." Garcia informed the room.
"So how have they linked them?" Rossi asked.
"Initially due to the fact they are all interracial couples. Then in both the first and the third murders, the husband was tied up."
"And the second?" Rossi continued.
"The husband wasn't tied, but the bullets from the second couple were shot from the same gun as in the first. Both firearms have been recovered… no prints on them."
"So we think this is a hate crime?" Emily said looking around the room at her colleagues.
"It's highly likely, but we can't assume anything yet. We need more information….." Hotch started. "…. Garcia, see what you can find that may link the three couples… places they frequent, their jobs, their backgrounds. The rest of us will go to the local police station and go through each of the cases there."
~~CM~~
Reid and Hotch stood in front of the whiteboards filled with information about the three sets of murders, Detectives Clarkson and Rowland going through what they had so far.
"So he keeps the husband tied up as he is stronger so he can kill the wife first without the danger of the husband intervening?" JJ muses.
"That doesn't make sense….." Morgan started, "…Why not kill the male first? He uses a gun… it's just a shot. What injuries have the women got Detective?"
"The first and third female victims had extensive bruising. The second didn't. She was just shot." Detective Clarkson replied.
"So may be his intention is to hurt the wife with the husband watching, but with the second he was rushed for some reason" Rossi stated.
"Yes that is possible. There appeared to be much more of a struggle taken place at the second crime scene. More bruising on the second male victim." Detective Rowland jumped in.
"So, all the men are black. All the women white…" Morgan started, "….. If this is a hate crime, it's going to be a black or white killer as opposed to any other race. Some people from both races have a problem with interracial relationships…."
Morgan was interrupted by Hotch's cell ringing, "Excuse me Detectives." The Unit Chief said as he put the phone to his ear, "Garcia?"
"Yes sir. I think I've found the link."
"Ok…. Let me just put you on speakerphone…."
Hotch held the cell out in front of him and everyone gathered round.
"Go ahead Garcia." Hotch said.
"Ok, I've gone through their spending habits, their jobs and there's nothing linking them. The only thing I can find is a website that all three couples have used recently. It's like a support forum where interracial couples talk a bout adoption. They exchange experiences and stuff like that."
"Can you check to see if any of them had adoption applications submitted?" Hotch said.
"Already done sir. Couples two and three did."
"Ok. So did they speak to each other on there?"
"No, but there are three people who spoke to all three of the couples. I've got addresses for two of them."
"And the third?" Hotch asked.
"This could be our guy sir. Screen name is Juliana21. I can't tie it down to anywhere. He or she uses internet cafes and libraries. Never the same place twice. The unsub knows what he or she is doing."
"Have you been able to bring up their conversations Garcia?" Emily asked.
"Yes. Juliana makes the initial contact and says they are an interracial couple who have adopted a biracial child and offers to help and guide them through the process."
"Do they ever reveal their addresses?" Emily continues.
"No they don't."
Emily looks to face the group, "So how does the unsub figure out where they live?"
She was met by some perplexed looks and shrugs of the shoulder.
"Garcia…" Morgan said looking back down toward the cell, "…. How easy is it for someone to find out where someone lives from their IP address?"
"Well for me my precious it's easy."
"You mean because you work for the FBI?"
"Well yes that, but there's software out there if you know what you're doing to find it out."
"Are you able to tell if anyone has used that software on their IP addresses?" Hotch asked.
"Possibly. Give me a few minutes and I'll call you back."
They had barely begun to continue with the profile when the techie rang back.
"That was quick Garcia." Hotch said, putting her back on speakerphone.
"Sir, never underestimate the power of the technical goddess. In fact no, please do underestimate then you will continue to be amazed."
JJ smirked toward Morgan and Emily and the Detectives looked at one another a little bewildered as Hotch raised one eyebrow, "Ok Garcia. What did you find?" He said tiredly.
"The IP addresses were all traced from one address. 167d Twenty Second Street. It's an apartment building."
"Good work Garcia….." Hotch started. "Ok let's go."
~~CM~~
Hotch and Morgan were first in through the third floor apartment door. As they made it to the solitary bedroom and bathroom simultaneously and shouted 'clear', Emily shouted the same from the kitchen.
The three agents returned to the barely furnished sitting room, where Rossi and JJ were stood with no where left to search,
"This look like the flat of someone who has the internet to you?" JJ said.
Rossi shook his head, "They haven't even got a TV."
"Or bleach" Emily added, scrunching up her nose.
"Guys!" the boy genius shouted from across the room. When they looked over they saw him crouched down by the wall
"What you found Reid?" Morgan asked, hovering above him.
Reid looked up to him holding a black cable in his hand, "I found this hidden behind the cupboard. There's a hole drilled through the wall and the cable goes through to the apartment next door.
Before Reid could manage to stand up, his team mates were half way out the door. As he made his way out, he heard the next door be smashed in by Morgan's heavy boot and the de ja vu of shouts of 'clear' emanating from the apartment.
This apartment had nothing in it at all but a dilapidated sofa and a solitary table. The cable from next door was lay on the table, but no computer attached to it.
"So it looks like he knew we were coming then?" Reid said.
"Yeah and he left in a hurry. I'm sure he never wanted to leave these behind." Rossi said eying the apartment walls along with the rest of the team.
The walls were covered in photographs of the three couples... Photos of them outside their houses. Images of them though their windows sat watching television or doing the dishes. Pictures of them out to dinner, at the grocery store…. And so on…
"He's followed them everywhere and they're all dated." Emily said, getting up close.
Hotch joined her in studying the trail of pictures, "Yeah it looks like he surveilled them for a few days before killing them"
The unit chief then took his cell from his pocket and dialled Garcia putting it on speak phone straight away.
"Hello sir."
"Garcia, how long between making initial contact with the victims and their killings?"
"Hang on... Between four and seven days sir."
"Ok. Keep monitoring the website and see if Juliana turns up again and see of there is any CCTV at any of the internet cafes or libraries the unsub used."
As he replaced his cell into his jacket, Hotch shook his head, "We have got no way of tracing this guy now."
"I'll get the local Forensic team down here. See if they can get any prints of these photos." Detective Roland said, stepping outside of the group to use his cell.
"Detective, you said there was a couple of weeks between each killing. Was that exactly two weeks?" Morgan said turning to Clarkson.
"Roughly, give or take a day or two." He confirmed.
"So we have a few days before he's due to make contact again. How about we get Garcia to put a fake profile on the web site? See if we can get the unsub interested. May be we can trace them that way." Morgan suggested to the group.
"Yeah we could do that." Hotch nodded.
"But he'll be expecting to be able to trace the IP address back to a property and then find an interracial couple living there." Reid said.
"Unless we trace him before he has chance." Emily replied.
"No Reid's right. The likelihood of us tracing him is slim, then he'll know what we're doing and he could disappear. We need to have a couple ready for him to watch."
"And then what...?" JJ started, "... We wait for him to turn up and try and kill them?"
"Well yeah. We have no forensics. No idea what he looks like. We have the guns used in the previous killings… Basically we have not one piece of evidence to link the unsub. We need him to make his move and get him on similar fact evidence." Hotch stated.
"So, we just need a couple of FBI agents to go undercover..." Rossi started, with an arched brow
JJ pursed her lips, then looked around the group, "Yeah, a black male and a white female..."
"With some undercover experience..." Hotch added.
By this time, Morgan and Emily stood side by side, her with her arms folded, him with his hands in his pockets. They both let their eyes shift across each of their team mates who were now all looking at them, Rossi and Hotch with arched eyebrows and slowly but surely a smirk creeping across JJ's face.
"Hey. You guys would be perfect." Reid said pointing towards them, a few seconds behind everyone else.
"Ya think?" Emily said sarcastically with a roll of the eyes.
"Yeah well you're Caucasian and Morgan's…." He stopped looking at his friends one by one. "….ahhh you guys are ahead of me right….?" Reid's voice trailed off.
Morgan mirrored Emily's image folding his arms with a sigh, "So what we gotta do?" He asked.
"I'll get Garcia to find a property for rent. We can set up a computer there and attempt to make contact with the unsub. Once we have, you two will have to stay there until he comes for you." Hotch stated.
"Comes to kill us you mean?" Emily said dryly.
"That won't be a problem…." Morgan started. "….We can put sensors and cameras all round the property. We'll be ready for him."
"Ok, so how long will we have to wait?" Emily asked.
Rossi hunched his shoulders momentarily, "Who knows, could be a couple of days, could be a week." His veiled attempts at hiding the smirk failed miserably.
"Actually guys, if you analyse all the killings the average time it's taken between contact and killing is five point seven days, which means you will probably be there until December twenty sixth." Reid informed the group.
"The day after Christmas day…." Morgan muttered, the annoyance in his voice not lost on anyone.
Emily turned to him, "You have plans?"
"No we're supposed to be working anyway, it's just…..." He shook his head, "… oh nothing, it doesn't matter."
"So. You two up for this?" Hotch asked.
"Sure. Anything to catch an unsub." Emily said with a mocking tone as Morgan nodded his head slowly.
"You realise this means living as a couple for up to a week and I mean you literally have to live there together." JJ reiterated, knowing how independent both of her friends were.
The agents nodded their heads in unison, the slow realisation creeping across both of their faces of what this actually meant.
~~CM~~
A few days later the team sat at the round table, Hotch about to brief them,
"Ok, this is how this will work….. Morgan and Prentiss, you are now Michael and Isabella Wilson…"
"Mike and Izzy…." Garcia interrupted with a giggle, earning a stare from both Morgan and Emily.
"As I was saying…" The Unit Chief continued, "Michael and Isabella Wilson. Michael works in management at a construction company and Isabella is a teacher. Lucky for us it's the holidays so we don't need to find you actual fake jobs."
JJ frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Well, if the unsub watches them, normally they'd have to go to work every day and he'd follow. We'd need to find them somewhere to go. As it's the holidays, it won't be unusual that they don't work. In fact we can add that in to the conversation we have with the unsub."
JJ nodded.
"Here are the rules…. You do not leave the house alone. You stay together the whole time. We have no idea when he will strike, although the likelihood is it will be when you're both home. You can go out… shopping… to dinner… whatever…. you need to make it as realistic as possible."
"You giving us the company credit card then?" Morgan said raising his eyebrows towards Emily who couldn't help but laugh back.
"Actually yes." Hotch said, earning a satisfied nod of the head from Morgan.
"So what are we doing whilst these two play happy families?" JJ asked.
"Sit and wait. There's nothing we can do until he makes his move." Hotch answered.
"But, it would be unusual for a couple to not have guests over the holidays. I'm sure we can manage a couple of visits…. " Rossi said.
"We'll see how it goes…. But you must only communicate with us via phone. We have to remember the unsub may be able to hack into the laptop…. If you need anything, we will bring it to you. Any questions?"
"When do we move in?" Emily asked
"Today… Garcia, you go to the property with Reid and Morgan now and get the profile on the website and cameras around the house set up. JJ and Prentiss you can go shopping."
"Shopping?" The blond and brunette said in unison.
"Yes…" Rossi interrupted, "You need some food….. and Christmas decorations. It's the holidays remember?"
"Oh get the women to do the shopping. How very equalopportunitiesofyou." Emily said sarcastically.
"Er… Emily, are you seriously moaning about being told to go and shop on company time?" JJ said disapprovingly.
The brunette looked at her friend with wide eyes, "Yeah why the hell am I moaning? Come on let's go shopping."
She jumped up out of her seat, JJ following suit.
"Er, wait a minute." Rossi shouted.
"What?" Emily asked.
"Come here." The older Agent said, signalling with his finger for her to stand in front of him.
She did as directed, but with a suspicious look on her face.
As Emily stood in front of him, Rossi signalled for Morgan to do the same.
"Hold out a hand." Rossi said nodding towards them both.
They looked at each in bewilderment, but did as he said. He dipped into his trouser pocket and then placed a ring in each of their palms, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Rossi said with a grin.
"Very funny Rossi." Morgan smirked as he heard giggles emanate from the rest of the room.
"Well go on, put them on." Rossi instructed.
Both Agents slipped the rings on, both of them taking a second to study what it looked like…. It looked and felt very weird.
Emily was the first to break the trance… "Ok JJ let's go… see you at the house guys." She called back as they scurried out of the room.
"Yeah, see you later wifey." She heard Morgan chuckle.
She didn't turn around, just walked out silently laughing.