A/N: This is a fic where a case from Hotch's past (when it was just Rossi and Gideon with Hotch) comes back to haunt the current team. There will be no pairing, as I don't feel that anyone in the series should really have a relationship, except for maybe Garcia and Morgan. There also won't be any sexual violence because I believe that Hotch would die before he let a man violate him. I'm sorry, but Hotch's lack of emotions, especially after Haley's death, just doesn't allow me to see him in a relationship, either. Also, the masochist in me was very sad to see that there aren't many fics where Hotch really gets knocked around, so I wanted to add one for everyone to enjoy. Please, let me know if you feel the characters have gone OOC, because this is my first CM fan fic. As always, please R&R!
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters, but Aaron Hotchner owns my heart. As does Spencer Reid.
Rating: M for Extreme Language and Graphic Violence
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Hotch woke with a start as someone rapped on his door, his left hand instinctively reaching for his gun which was safely holstered at his hip. His heavy eyes lifted and fixated on the petite blond standing in the door frame. After a few moments he places his hands on his desk, relaxed at the realization that it was Agent Jareau standing there. Aaron Hotchner, the Unit Chief of the BAU, wiped the sleep from his eyes and allowed his steely composure to reclaim his features. "Yes JJ?"
Jennifer Jareau pushed her arms out slightly to draw the man's attention to the manila folders in her arms. The rest of the team was trickling into the conference room nonchalantly as JJ entered Hotch's office. "Sir, this case just came across my desk." She handed her supervisor a folder containing a copy of the case file. "I'll prep the team. See you on the plan." JJ gave him a knowing look and exited his office, shutting the door behind her.
Hotch placed his heavy head in his hands. He had not slept in days and was generally unfocused. Haley had been dead for almost two months, Foyet gone for the same period of time. Jack was home safe with his Aunt Jessica and the team was together, unchanged – other than Garcia's red hair. Everything was back in place, yet Hotch still couldn't sleep. He knew part of it was PTSD – post traumatic stress disorder – but he still shouldn't have been so jumpy.
Taking a deep breath, Hotch opened the case file and began to read the details. The victim was John Victor, a 37 year old local pediatrician who's mangled body had been found in his front yard after having been missing for three weeks. Signs of extreme torture were evident on the body, supported by the DVD's of his kidnapping and murder, along with photographs and body parts that were sent to document his torture to the family. Something about it felt so familiar, but he just couldn't seem to put his finger on it. He shrugged the notion aside and finished reading the case file. Smoothing out his suit, he grabbed his go-bag and headed towards the black SUV's. They needed to get to Richmond.
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A lanky man extended his skinny legs from the SUV, squinting under the harsh sun that offended his eyes. The young doctor ran his thin hand through his curly, brown, shoulder length hair as he watched the rest of his team exit the two, black Chevy SUV's. "Morgan, would you hurry up?" Spencer Reid batted away the crumpled up McDonald's drive thru receipt that was flung at him by the muscular agent in response to his snarky comment.
Aaron Hotchner shook his head at how juvenile his team could behave, but he knew it was necessary for them to relax and survive this job. He led his team into the Richmond Police Department, shaking the hand of a well known detective – to him anyways. He was about 6'4", very muscular build, and one could tell just by glancing at him that you didn't want to get into a physical altercation with him, but Hotch didn't falter as he greeted him. "Detective Neal, good to see you again – not under the circumstances, of course."
"Like wise, Agent Hotchner." The bald headed, grey eyed Detective gave the Unit Chief a grim nod in response, looking at the rest of the team. "I see you brought a whole army with you this time." He stretched out his hand as Hotch introduced him to the team. "Detective Neal, these are SSA's Rossi, Prentiss, Jareau, Morgan and Dr. Reid." Each member shook the Detective's hand, Spencer simply waving, each uttering a soft hello. He turned and led the rest of the team into the large conference room that had been set up for the BAU. "I'll leave you to get started on the case. We'd like to get this done before we have another victim in the hands of this lunatic." The Detective looked at the team and left, closing the door behind them.
There was already one evidence board set up, covered in pictures, letters, and evidence from and old case. A closed case. One of Hotch's early cases. It all flooded back to him and he immediately realized why the case file seemed so familiar. "The Photographer." Rossi raised a brow, looking at Hotch skeptically. "That scum bag who ended it with suicide-by-cop when you cornered him 9 years ago?" Hotch stepped towards the evidence board, staring at the mug shot of the now deceased man who was deemed to be 'The Photographer'. His silence answered the older agent's question in the positive. "I knew this case seemed familiar," Hotch turned to face his team and continued, "A copy-cat killer. Michael Ferracci pulled a gun on me after I cornered him when we connected him to the murders. The case was closed because after he died, the killings stopped. We had DNA evidence that he was with one of the women before she died. He claimed that they were dating, but her parents insisted that they had broken it off long ago. The final straw was when we found out he had worked on every one of the victim's cars. It was their only connection. The case was solid so he took the only way he could out, the whole time screaming that he didn't do it. He's been dead for 9 years. Why would these murders occur now?" Hotch fell back into silence as he continued to study the evidence board of the decade old case. "If this new killer is anything like Ferracci then he already has his next victim in his sights and a plan to make them suffer."
Emily Prentiss sat down at the table, looking over the new evidence and organizing it as Reid placed it on the new board. Morgan looked at Hotch, waiting for an order. "Hotch, why don't you give us the profile of the original killer so we can understand this one?" Aaron looked at his team and nodded. He didn't particularly want to relive this brutal case, but the more they knew, the safer everyone would be.
"This UnSub is a white male in his late twenties to early forties. He's a sociopathic killer who shows absolutely no remorse for what he's done and a narcissist. It's all about getting credit for his kills. He is working a steady job with flexible hours. He is in a position of power, possibly even the owner of his own business. He has no family but does have substantial ties to the community. He was likely beaten by his father as a child and resents his mother for not protecting him. Victimology was useless because he chose victims of all ages, race, gender, and social class. He is meticulous and will not make a mistake unless we start taking some of his publicity. We believe the point of photographing and videotaping his victims is to force their loved one watch and do nothing as they're tortured, just as his mother did with him." Hotch pointed to the picture of Michael Ferracci, the original Photographer. "Ferracci was 27, owned his own auto-repair shop and grew up in an abusive home. He moved out when he was 17 and was living on the streets where he was nailed with Assault, Vandalism, Grand Theft Auto, and Armed Robbery. He was sentenced to 10 years but got out in 3 on good behavior. When he was 22, his parents died instantly in a car accident, robbing him of his chance to exact revenge and triggering his psychotic rampage. He took a man or woman who was in a relationship, took pictures of their beatings and sent them to their loved ones to simulate what his mother did: watching helplessly. He murdered 20 people during a 5 year period here in the Richmond area."
Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to erase the images of the disfigured bodies that would show up with a DVD of their brutal death on the family's doorstep. "He recorded the kidnapping of the victim and left a DVD copy along with a personal affect of the victim in their loved one's mail box. The personal affect was left behind to not only get inside the family's head, but to prove that they truly had their loved one. He took pictures of each individual torture session with the victim and sent them to the families along with a piece of the victim, whether it be a tooth, finger, hair… whatever. After a varying amount of time, usually depending on the resiliency of the victim, their mangled bodies would show up on the family's property with a DVD documenting their gruesome death." Hotch took a seat and looked at his team, who couldn't take their eyes off of the pictures of the victims on the evidence board.
JJ was amazed at how Hotch could say all that without his voice wavering once. She kept her eyes on her superior, not wanting to see the pictures anymore. "Hotch, how do you want to handle the media? They're already in a frenzy because it's the return of the Photographer and things will only get worse now that we're here." He nodded in agreement. "We need to rob this UnSub of his power. Inform the media that while this is the work of a copy-cat, it is some of the sloppiest work we've ever seen. This in itself should enrage him to the point that he will show himself." Hotch turned to Derek Morgan and pointed to his younger colleague. "Morgan, you and Reid go to the Victor residence. Interview his wife, Casey, and see what you can find. Maybe there's a connection between Victor and one of the original victims. Rossi and Prentiss, go to the morgue and find out the COD. Look for comparisons in torture methods. We could be looking at a relative who wants to finish Ferracci's work." The dark haired agent pulled out his phone in a dismissive gesture and watched his team disperse on their separate missions. He pushed the speed dial number 8 and heard it pick up after only one ring.
"Fountain of Infinite Knowledge, bow before my superiority." Penelope Garcia, the BAU's spunky Technical Analyst, had a knack for coming up with her catchy greetings, though Hotch always took them in stride and treated them as an everyday greeting. "Garcia, I need you to get me everything you can on a John Victor. Look to see if he had any ties to the original Photographer case that could possibly make him a target now. Places of work, car repairs, patients, interactions with the Ferracci family. Anything." Steady clicking could be heard in the background as Garcia typed away feverishly. "Your wish is my command. I'll get back to ya." Aaron flipped his phone closed, ending the call, and looked at the evidence board of both the new and old cases. "Why did you wait so long?"