Chapter 1 - We have a serial around
It is a winter day in Connecticut at a nice rural home. FBI has been called in to investigate a murder of a family at this quiet residential community. Agents arrive and began to process from where the local police stopped. Agents come outside and confer about what they just discovered. One calls the director of the FBI and tells him, "Sir I needed to inform as requested, yes the slayings appear as you stated to look for." The agent listens to the director and then confirms the orders he is given. He turns to the other agent and explains, "The male victim in the house is a retired FBI profiler which this makes three in two days." The agents quietly stare at each other and begin to go back into the house to continue their investigation.
The phone rings in a Houston apartment, home of Terri Simon. It is Terri's FBI partner Melissa wanting to know if she ready to go workout. Terri confirms she will be there in an hour. Terri is an FBI agent for the past seven years and was made famous by her capture of the famed serial killer Truman Sykes. Truman is a ritualistic killer that claimed his thirty-seven killings were sacrifices to God. He was stalking his next one when Terri figured out where to find him. That was a few years back and she still visits Truman as a case study. Terri has a fascination with profiling criminals and wishes to be a profiler full time. Her ambition has carried her well. Truman is convinced she is an incarnation of God's holy messenger in human form. He feels who else could have caught him other than God's own. Terri is preparing for her gym workout when the phone rings and she answers, "Melissa, I said I would be there." A deep voice says, "This is special agent Fids, Terri we need you to be here ASAP to visit with me and the director." Terri replies, "Yes sir should I bring my partner?" Fids tell her to just come alone. Terri is astonished what this could mean meeting with the head of the agency. She calls her friend and partner and informs her that she will have to stand her up at the gym and has important personal business.
Later that evening Terri is seated in the director's office with agent Fids and several agents sitting aside like audience members. As the director reads the file on Terri he asks about her degree in psychology. He then queries her about her capture of serial killer Sykes. After a series of questioning he intently stares at her and states, "We have a serial around. This one is different than any we have encountered. The FBI has made this one a top priority." Terri asks, "What are the targets?" The director looks at agent Fids as Fids tells Terri, "This one is targeting the top FBI profilers. He killed five so far. He killed three in just a matter of seventy-two hour period and then a day later hit the last two in two days. He accomplished this even after us alerting our profilers to be on alert and sending agents to them for protection." Terri ask, "What about the agents sent as security?" Fids replies, "The killer got them too. Whoever it is seems to know a lot about the FBI and going to a great deal of trouble to wipe out our best criminal profilers. Your job is to go with your partner and seek out why. You have been studying profiling yet you are not an official profiler. You figured out serial killer Syke's patterns well. That makes you an operative profiler that is under the radar of this serial killer. You feel you are up to this task?" Terri looks at everyone in the room and states, "Yes sir!" Then the anonymous agents to the side get up and leave. Director says, "Good, agent Fids will be your liaison to whatever you need. He has the authority to approve anything on my behalf. That is how serious we are about this one, any questions?" Terri asks, "Just one sir, who were they that just left?" Director states, "They are a shadow team that is going to watch your back. This killer is knowledgeable and smart. He left only evidence that he intended. He might be an agent for all we know." Terri responds, "Yes sir and thank you for this opportunity." Terri and agent Fids leave.
Chapter 2 Partner Confronts Killer
Terri is working on trying to find Truman Sykes as well as other cold cases that have gone for years. She receives a call that the sixth top FBI profiler of serial killers has been found dead. This time a witness has been left alive. Terri's partner Melissa Albright who was interviewing the FBI profiler when the agent was killed. She faced the killer down and managed to fire shots at him as the killer was apparently not aware she was visiting the profiler's house. She was badly hurt chasing the killer down and ambushed in the process.
A month later Terri is called into the director's office. Standing in his office is Melissa Albright still hurt from the brutal attack by the serial killer. She has recovered and the director pairs her with Terri again. Terri states; "I know she is studying serial killers and was in contact with the suspect but I would prefer to have a partner more objective to this now." Director Jenkins replies; "Agent Albright is the best choice I believe because she has seen the killer and knows what he is like. You're working with her because this is the best shot we have to solving this. People are scared when a killer knocks off the top agents in the bureau. A lot of people are watching this one. You have clearance to use whatever resources and manpower needed to get this killer, understand?" Terri gives a humble yes sir as she leaves with agent Melissa. As they walk down the hall Melissa states; "I know you are concerned and I would be too. I agree with you that I am not the best person to be working on this. I will promise you that I will be as professional as possible and put my attack and the death of that agent in the back of my mind." Terri stops her; "That is why I don't think you are right for this. You can't put it in the back of your mind otherwise this guy will play on that don't you see. He knows enough to kill the top agents that could ID him. Don't you think he will know you will be professional about it and he is relying on that? We have to think like him and become him in a way. He has killed two other people besides the agents; we need to look at those homicides closely." Terri leaves as Melissa stares at her and then begins to follow with dismay.
Chapter 3 Cold Case Warms Up
Terri and Melissa are working at Melissa's house going over photos of crime scenes and evidence reports. They have been at it for hours. Mentally wore out Melissa suggests they go to her local gym walking distance away and play some racquetball. Terri likes the idea of a release and hasn't played that game in a while. Melissa puts her gun in a wall safe as Terri does and tells Terri; "This was my parent's old place before they died. I used to laugh at my dad for putting this old wall safe in but now it is practical. I don't trust leaving my gun at the gym locker." Terri agrees and puts her gun in there too. They proceed and have a good workout at the gym. They come back and decide to call it a night. Terri tells Melissa to read certain cases and she will take the others. After retrieving her possessions from the safe, she leaves.
Terri stays up late at her apartment reading case files and notes from the now dead profilers. Her phone rings and a pause of silence after she answers hello. Finally, "Hello Terri." In a familiar voice. Terri gasps and replies; "Sykes…where are you?" "Never mind that now we have a problem you and I", states Sykes. Terri asks what problem is that. "You are after someone that killed your FBI profilers as I saw on the news. I couldn't help but take an interest in this one. It is not often the hunted turns on the hunters", states Sykes. Terri asks he knows anything about this killer or have insight to who he is. He states, "Very good Terri, you already deducted that it is not me. I will need to see the case files to help you." She asks why he is helping her. "It is a bad one Terri. You might not survive this one. Especially when he learns who is hunting him next. I cannot allow that. You must not die because if you do, I will die with you." Terri states she understands and asks how to get him the information. Sykes advises to simply leave them at her apartment the next time she goes to play racquetball with her fellow agent. Terri quickly responds; "You have been watching me?" The phone goes dead. Terri hangs the phone up and then begins to call her partner but puts the phone back down. She knows it is best that she withhold this detail for now. Sykes is the best profiler she could hope for.
Meanwhile in a small town a group of teenage kids began picking on a homeless person in an isolated alley. He cowers weakly as their attacks grow ever harder. The homeless person shields himself begging for mercy as the young boys kick and spit on him. They see a deputy car rolling up with lights and run off. The deputy tends to the homeless man and asks him if he is ok. As the deputy rolls the man over a knife cuts the deputy's throat with surgical precision. The killer begins to work on the dying police officer. The teenagers seeing no one is pursuing them sneak back to the alley only to find the deputy naked hanging upside down off the wall gutted and beheaded. They cry and run off in fear.
Terri and Melissa look over the deputy's murder case. It fits the pattern of two other police officers killed. Except the three FBI profilers were not mutilated, just killed. They theorize the killer just wanted the profilers out of the way but he is hunting regular law enforcement officers since their heads are missing. They are also all found gutted and hanging upside down like a deer that has been hunted by sportsmen. Terri suggests they leave the case files at her apartment and go to the crime scenes to investigate.
A couple of days later Terri sits in her apartment at the table waiting. The phone rings and she answers, "Sykes." Sykes answers and states; "The files are thorough but what they don't say speaks volumes. You see this one wants you to think it is a disgruntle person against law enforcement. He wants you to think he is an ex con so you will endlessly look for recently released prison inmates. The heads of the police officers you will find close, he doesn't care about trophies. This is just a show to lead you down another path. What he really wants is big game." Terri asks if profilers and head agents are the big game. Sykes responds; "No he only is getting the FBI out of his way. He is after people like me. Don't you think he tortured your profilers for information before he slaughtered them? There are eight of us out here on the loose. I suspect your job is going to get easier as he finds us." Terri tells Sykes that maybe she should let him run free for a while. Sykes replies; "You still have a sense of humor. I suggest you start searching prisons and follow the leads he left you to follow. I will find your killer for you. Goodbye Terri." The phone hangs up as Terri calls Melissa to inform her to start searching prisons. Melissa states she had theorized it must be an ex con too. Terri hangs the phone up and stares pondering it all.
Chapter 4 Nemesis
Terri and Melissa interview wardens of prisons and prisoners to stir up the dust. Investigative reporters follow the prison leads as the two female agents skillfully make it seem they are on the trail of the killer. Meanwhile the real trail grows cold as killings seem to stop for a while. Covertly Terri studies real leads to the killer as they put on the show for the false leads. She suspects that the killer has thrown the heads away of the decapitated police officers in bags into dumpsters so it will be difficult to find them after this time. After weeks of no discernible breaks in the case she relaxes a bit. Terri receives a phone call from the bureau that the old house she shot the famed Buffalo Bill killer at is a crime scene again. She and Melissa fly out and meet agents and police to find a gruesome scene. Neighbors had noticed a terrible smell and called police. There were bodies of 7 men in the well where Bill had kept his victims long ago. Terri identifies the bodies and finds that each one has evidence they were all serial killers, the 7 of 8 known to be loose. All that remains is Truman Sykes. Terri tells Melissa everything she knows and about what Sykes is doing. Terri swears Melissa to not telling the bureau because obviously Sykes is going to find this killer for them. Melissa agrees it is the best option to keep it a secret as they make the trip back home.
Days pass as Terri is over Melissa's pouring over the evidence of the serial killers. Exhausted and under pressure Melissa suggests they go play racquetball at the gym. They place their guns in the safe and proceed to enjoy an evening of stress relieving athleticism. As they return Melissa offers something to eat as Terri states she just wants to go back to her apartment. Melissa directs Terri's attention to an object covered by a velvet cloth on her shelf. Terri states she wondered what that was when she came over earlier. Melissa lifts the veil and it is a clear large jar of liquid with Truman Sykes's head in it. Terri is horrified as she gasps. From a room near Melissa a large muscular man walks out holding a large hunting knife. Terri states, "Oh my God!" Melissa walks into the arms of the man and smiles at Terri. Terri asks; "But you were badly hurt? It was a show wasn't it? You gave him all the info on the profilers and the serial killers didn't you? You had access to everything he needed. So what do you gain from it?" Melissa states, "I get to live the life of a killer without getting my hands dirty. Too bad about Sykes, he had it figured out, except for me though. I knew he would help you, he always does. By the way this is my high school lover, John. He used to be a police officer. His parents were brutally killed by a serial killer long ago. Like you told me early one, you have to become what you are hunting. He did, and now the serial killers are gone."
Terri instinctively grabs her hip like she has a gun there. Melissa laughs and tells her too bad our guns are locked up. Terri tells Melissa, "You are making a fatal mistake, what you think he is going to do with us now we are the only ones left to know him?" Melissa smiles and says; "John told me you would try to set us apart, right John?" John hugs her and laughs as he quickly slashes Melissa's throat dropping her to the ground. John looks at Terri, "You are very smart; I see why Sykes likes you." Terri moves slowly away as John walks over to the wall safe and unlocks it. John says, "Too bad you got shot with Melissa's gun as you cut her throat. I guess you are the serial killer everyone is looking for." John reaches in and only sees one gun. He looks over and Terri has her gun aimed at him. Terri states; "Not everything goes according to plan right John?" Terri begins firing shots into John as he lunges toward her. He falls to the floor alongside Melissa and slowly dies.
We see Terri and the FBI director standing in a formal hall with numerous agents. Terri is given honors as she is given the title of special agent in charge of serial profiling. She goes home and finds a videotape sitting on her vcr. She plays it and it is Sykes. He states; "Hi Terri. If you are watching this, it means I am dead and you are alive as it should be. I know who the killer is however I cannot stop him without sacrificing myself. I give a life this time so I may live on through you. Goodbye Terri." The tape ends and Terri sits with a tear and a small whimper, "Goodbye Sykes."
The End