This is my first Criminal Minds story! I'm starting in the second season, just before Elle left the team!
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It wasn't often that the BAU team brought in extra help.
So, it was very surprising when Hotch called an early morning meeting one day in December. Rain thundered down, darkening the sky and creating an uncomfortable amount of humidity. JJ, Garcia, Morgan, Elle, Gideon, and Reid were settled in the meeting room, ready for their next case.
Hotch entered the meeting room and began introducing the case with his typical seriousness. With a singular nod towards Garcia, the peppy tech-head began to start up the projector. With a grimace and a swift click, Garcia had pulled up the new case photos. Four images of blonde women popped up on the screen, each of them looked like they were sleeping.
"Happy morning, my little duckies! Our new case is a little strange." Garcia said, clicking away at her data-pad. "Four women, each were battling different forms of cancer, were murdered. Stephanie Clancy, age 35, breast cancer. Louisa Minch, age 27, liver cancer. Giuliana Padula, age 29, stomach cancer. And Charlise Rodgers, age 24, stomach cancer. All victims were in the later stages of their cancers."
"Doesn't look like they were beaten. They look completely normal" Morgan said, focusing on the unblemished skin of the victims. JJ furrowed her brows at the images of the women; each looking peaceful and angelic. Not one had marred skin, not even a bruise. Some had dark rings under their eyes and a lack of hair from chemotherapy, but they seemed very peaceful and unbeaten.
"Yes, but take a look at their toxicology report." Hotch said as the next piece of visual evidence popped up on the screen. "Looking at each of the women's toxicology screenings, it looked like they had been poisoned with arsenic."
"Long term by the looks of it. There's far too much poison in these women's systems to be a single dose of arsenic." Doctor Reid said, his eyes quickly scanning the charts.
"I've decided that we need another set of eyes for this case. There are direct links with the drug world with these killings." Hotch said solemnly.
"Where do the drug connections come in?" Morgan asked impatiently.
"A lot of cancer patients use medical marijuana." Hotch said, nodding at Garcia to continue onto the next piece of visual information.
"Marijuana is used to increase the patient's appetite and reduce nausea. Cancer patients have a hard time with appetite because of the stress and painful treatments." Reid said.
"All four women, since they lived in a state without legal marijuana, had the same drug dealer. His name is Ross Melorie. He's been investigated for trafficking drugs across the Mexican border." Hotch said, looking down at his cell phone. "So, I've called in an agent from the illegal drug unit."
"An illegal drug agent?" Elle murmured to herself, sounding intrigued.
"Is there enough evidence to prove that the connections between these murders and drug cartels to call in a special agent?" JJ questioned, hoping for more information.
"We've got information proving that Melorie was in debt for thousands of dollars to his supplier. Melorie's favorite way of smuggling drugs is implanting the drugs into another living being. Usually young children, elderly people, or ill women." Hotch said confidently. "It would be easier to work on a profile alongside someone from the illegal drug until. And, Agent Woods only works three floors downstairs; it isn't that much of an inconvenient trip for her."
"You've always been about convenience, eh Arron?"
The BAU team turned in the chairs, towards a small woman who stood in the doorway. The woman smiled a large, wicked looking grin at Hotcher, who smiled back softly.
"Team, this is illegal drug unit agent Bailey Woods." Hotcher introduced the woman, who playfully waved at the BAU agents. "She's agreed to help fill in the blanks about Ross Melorie."
"I hope I'm not intruding. I can come back later." Woods said, worriedly tapping her fingers against the doorway.
"No, come in. We just started talking about Melorie." Hotch said, gesturing to an open seat. Woods smiled once more, cautiously walking into the crowded room. The blonde woman slumped slightly in the seat, her elbows on the tabletop.
"This is the BAU team. JJ, our liaison between local police stations and the press. Special agent Derek Morgan, our expert on obsessional crimes. Special agent Doctor Spencer Reid. Special agent Jason Gideon. Special agent Elle Greenaway. And Penelope Garcia, our head tech support." Hotch said, nodding to each of his team.
"I prefer the term technological goddess." Garcia chirped, adjusting her thick rimmed glasses. Woods' smile widened into an almost wolf-like grin.
"It's nice to meet you all." Woods said graciously, her cornflower blue eyes twinkling brightly. "Just call me Bailey and we won't have any problems."
The small, almost relieving round of chuckles filled the room. The agents had a moment to relax before it was back to business. It was revealed that all four women had strange lacerations on their stomachs, like someone had been trying to open up their bodies.
"Maybe Melorie was trying to cut open the women to use them for drug transportation. It wouldn't be the first time he's done that. These women might have owed him money and this was their way of repaying them, but it went wrong." Woods said softly, frowning at the pictures of the four victims.
"That's what we're going to find out. We're leaving for Louisiana in the morning." Hotch said seriously. The meeting ended with Hotch grabbing the case files and rushing out the door. Agent Woods coughed nervously, gingerly getting out of her chair.
"How long have you worked with the drug unit, Woo-Bailey?" Morgan asked, choosing to use the agent's first name because of the playful glare the blonde shot his way. Morgan figured he'd try to break some of the initial ice before the four hour ride to Louisiana.
"Almost a year. I came to work fresh outta college. I dabble with the missing persons unit, as well. Aaron said you're an expert in obsessional crimes, that sound's extremely specific." The blonde woman said, shrugging her large bag onto her shoulder.
"Obsession is a huge part of a lot of kidnappings and murders." Morgan said, winking at Garcia.
"Ohh, yes!" Garcia cooed, smirking at Morgan. "My chocolate thunder God is an important part of our team. And my every waking dream!"
Morgan laughed deeply, wrapping his arm around Garcia's shoulders in a friendly side hug. Woods laughed, the chuckle coming deep from her gut.
"I think I'm gonna like you, Tech-Mama!" Bailey chuckled.
"Oooooh! Tech-Mama! I love it!" Garcia bubbled happily, quickly trotting out of the room with a huge smile on her face.
"Are you local, Bailey?" Elle asked politely, smiling at the shorter woman.
"No. I'm from upstate New York." Woods answered, smiling up at the taller woman.
"Virginia must be a nice little change." Morgan chimed in. Doctor Reid and JJ observed the new blonde agent quietly; their eyes trained on her every move.
"I have some family further south, so Virginia isn't new territory or anything." Bailey shrugged carelessly.
"What part of Virginia?" Reid asked, trying to appear casual. He was doing a pretty good job until Agent Woods' cornflower blue orbs met his hazel. Reid could instantly feel the sweat beginning to form and his throat start to constrict.
"Newport News." Bailey said, staring up at the taller agent. "It's about two hours south of here, but I've spent a lot of time all around Virginia, so it wasn't that hard of a transition."
"A-a-ah, N-Newport News." Reid said, attempting to clear his throat. "The city sits on a prime vantage point w-where the James River meets the, uh, the Chesapeake Bay. The City runs approximately 23 miles along the J-James River and the Hampton Roads Harbor. Since the turn of the 19th century, Newport News has been known as the provider of the nation's finest, technologically advanced military ships."
JJ, Elle, and Morgan cringed as Spencer began to ramble. Many people had reacted poorly towards their loveable genius' rants, and it was only a matter of time before Agent Woods grew uncomfortable with Spencer's statistics and random bits of information.
"You've been to Newport?" Bailey asked, cocking her head to the side.
"N…uh, no. I've just read the, ahem, government reports." Reid cleared his throat once more.
"I've read the report for my home city, but I lost interest when reading the others. Besides, they put too much information for me to remember." Bailey laughed, scratching the back of her head.
"Not for me. I have an eidetic memory and can read 20,000 of words per minute." Spencer said softly, smiling shyly at the blonde's surprised expression.
"Wow! And you get all the details of everything?" Bailey questioned. Spencer smiled, his ego puffing up.
"Once again, eidetic memory. I remember all." Spencer said, internally wincing at his own lack of humility. Bailey smiled, a spark of mischievousness in her grin.
"I'll make sure to test you on that once or twice. I'll see you guys on the airstrip tomorrow." Bailey chuckled, leaving the meeting room with a quick spin and strut out the door.