Spencer
Is was a little after nine when the BAU team started meandering into the debriefing room where Hotch and J.J. were waiting to give them their next assignment. Spencer was still waking up and was holding a large cup of coffee, until the contents were gone, this was his most prized possession. Sitting in his usual spot at the round table, between Prentiss and Morgan.
"What kind of fresh hell have you got for us today?" Morgan asked, getting comfortable in his chair.
"Over the past eighteen months six young women have gone missing," J.J. started.
The screen behind her lit up with the faces of the women she was referring to, "All of them were between were in their late teens and early twenties, the youngest being seventeen. Oldest twenty four," Hotch added.
"The bodies found all had signs of sexual assault and torture," J.J. continued, the screen switching from smiling women to the dump sites of the bodies.
Reid cringed a little, even from the photos he could see the extensive torture inflicted upon them, "The first body was found two months after she was reported missing, then five months, a few weeks, then eight months, then only one month and then another girl was found two days ago, only nine days after she was reported missing."
"That's an odd pattern for a serial killer, are we sure that it's the same unsub?" Reid asked, slightly suspicious, most serial killers had set patterns which they followed meticulously.
"We believe so, while the time the unsub keeps the victims fluctuates, there are things that remain constant. They are all young petite girls, white, with black hair and blue eyes," J.J. explained.
"What's up with that last girls face?" Morgan asked, Reid had noticed that the left side of her face looked like someone had attacked her with a cheese grater.
"I was getting to that. It's another constant between the victims, in some way or another our unsub has blinded them in their left eye. The first victim, the coroner said it looked like the eye was torn from her face, two others were stabbed in the eye which was the cause of death, and Bethany Harris, the victim the unsub kept the longest, had her eye burned, with what appears to be a blow torch, she was still alive and from the healing that took place it happened within the first few months the unsub had her."
Morgan shook his head, and Prentiss sighed next to him. "Sick bastard."
"NYPD had called us in to take the case," Hotch announced, "Another young girl, fitting the unsub's type went missing yesterday. We leave in thirty minutes."
Spencer went to his desk, and slung his go bag over his shoulder, along with his brown leather messenger bag and scurried off to get on the jet that was waiting to take them to NYC. The flight was only going to be about an hour and Spencer was still waiting for his daily dose of caffeine to kick in. Maybe he'd sleep while the flight was in progress. He didn't have any new books to keep him occupied, and Gideon was no longer around for him to play chess with.
The plane landed and Reid was shaken from his nap by Morgan, "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty."
"Shut up," Spencer grumbled back, yawning and stretching.
Getting his things together, Spencer exited the plane with everyone else, though he trailed slightly behind the group. There were two giant black SUV's waiting for them and Reid climbed into the first one that he came too. Hotch got in the drives seat, Morgan and Prentiss in the back.
Crawling through the streets as they hit the mid day traffic rush, Spencer for the third time in twenty minutes read threw the case file, he already had the words memorized but was still looking for correlations between victims. "Is there any other connection to these girls that we may have missed?"
"Garcia is looking into it, but so far, black hair and blue eyes is the only thing any of these women have in common," Hotchner answered shutting the vehicle off and stepping out in front of one NYC precinct.
"You know, people with blue eyes only account for seven to eight percent of the world's population," Reid rattled off the information. "To have a dominate gene like black hair and a recessive one like blue eyes both present is exceedingly rare."
"And yet, he's found six women right here in New York that fit the profile," Morgan added.
Reid pressed his lips together and squinted up at the building, there were plenty of people milling about, and Hotch pulled out his badge as an officer approached to introduce himself to them. Hotch did a round of introductions as well, Spencer nodded when he heard his name, and pulled his hand back when the officer attempted to shake it.
"Do you have anymore information on this serial killer?" Hotch asked getting right to the point.
Officer Giorgio led them all into a small conference room, "So far about the same as you, we haven't found any DNA at any of the scenes or on the bodies, all fit the some description, small stature, dark hair, light eyes. Stunning girls," Giorgio added as an afterthought.
"Any of the women have anything else in common other than appearance?" Prentiss asked.
"Not that we've found," The officer answered. "The last girl though, he only kept her for a week, her hair wasn't naturally black."
"That might have something to do with the unsub," Reid blurted.
"How do you figure?" Morgan questioned, looking at Reid.
"Think about it, the unsub is going after dark haired women, he finds out this girl isn't naturally dark haired he gets rid of her sooner," Reid explained.
"So what should we tell the public, bleach your hair and where dark contacts?" Giorgio asked, chuckling, but stopped in an instant when Hotch pinned him with a stern and unamused glare.
"No, we'll profile the killer first, maybe it'll give us an idea if his victims have a deeper connection," Hotch explained. "In the meantime; Reid, you and Morgan go check out the latest crime scene. Prentiss and I will interview family members of the victims."
The team split up, making plans to meet back at the precinct in an hour to discuss what information that they found. An hour later, Reid and Morgan didn't come up with much other than the unsub didn't care if the bodies were found or not, dumping them in places where they'd be found in days or even hours.
Hotchner and Prentiss didn't gather much either. They found out the latest victim was naturally blonde, and on the night of her abduction had been going to a rock concert with friends.
As they relayed the new discoveries to the NYPD, Garcia called Morgan who hushed the room and put her on speaker. "You're on speaker baby girl, so watch your mouth."
"Are you going to punish me if I don't?" Garcia asked.
Morgan threw up his hands and shook his head, a few officers snickered.
"Anyway," Garcia chirped, knowing she'd embarrassed herself, "I found that there were four separate music events the night the last victim went missing."
"Can you narrow it down to which one the victim might have gone to?" Hotch asked, loud enough that the phone on the table could catch his voice.
"Way ahead of you, they weren't all concerts per say, but there was one band that turned up with each victim the day they were kidnapped," Garcia explained.
"Name?" Morgan prompted.
"A band, where the singer calls herself Nexus. I did some digging, but not a lot of info, Nexus is probably just a stage name, her music is pretty punk rock, she's twenty two years old, black hair, beautiful blue eyes and from online pictures she always has the left half of her face covered. She's also opening for a more well known band this evening, sending the address to you now."
"You're the best, baby girl," Morgan said, smiling as he shut his phone.
"Young, black hair, blue eyes," Reid mumbled to himself, "She could be the true target of our unsub!"
"Right, if the unsub is abducting girls from her shows, it could just be a warped fantasy. So he grabs any small young girl who resembles Nexus, keeps her until he realizes that they aren't the girl he really wants and dumps them," Morgan added.
"Garcia said, she doesn't show the left side of her face, that could have something to do with way the unsub destroys their left eye. Nexus could be blind in her left eye and he's trying to hold onto the fantasy that these girls are her for the longest amount of time," Hotchner mused aloud.
"Should we get a profile ready and have J.J. get a press conference ready?" Reid asked, his mind already spinning with answers for any questions the press might ask.
"Yes, but first let's go find Nexus, she should be brought in for her own safety, if the unsub can take girls from such a public place as a concert, he might start getting bolder and go for the real target soon," Hotch said. Pulling out his phone, he memorized the address Garcia had texted everyone. "Reid you're with me."
"We don't even have tickets to this show, how are we going to get in and get close to this girl to tell her what's going on?" Spencer asked.
Hotch gave him one of his, You can't be that dumb, looks and walked past him, leaving Spencer to hurriedly grab all his things and run after Hotch who was already out the front door of the precinct and halfway down the stone steps.
"Show doesn't start for another two hours," Hotch mentioned, "Should be enough time to cut through the crowd, get in, find the girl, explain the situation and hopefully she'll cooperate and leave with us."
"And if she doesn't?" Spencer asked.
"We assign a guard to her," Hotchner said simply.
Hotch obviously didn't know what type of crowd they'd be dealing with, they were forced to park three blocks away and walk up to the stadium. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of people milling around, making it incredibly hard to cut through the throngs of people.
They finally got close enough to see a ticket stand and approached, Hotch even shoved a few people out of his way, showing his badge did nothing, some people said it was a fake so he could get backstage and meet the bands. "I need to get in," Hotch said sternly to the African American lady behind the separation glass, who rolled her eyes and pointed to downward to a sign that read SOLD OUT!.
"You don't understand, a girl's life may be in danger," Hotch explained, pulling out his badge and holding it up for the woman to see.
"Mm-hmm! You know how many "FBI agents" I see, try an' get in here? Enough! An' I know a fake ass badge when I see one!" The clerk shouted.
Hotch glared at her, and was about to say something when the crowd surged forward, there were gates at one entrance to keep people away from it. A large bald headed man in jeans and a black shirt walked out and leaned against a concrete wall, and a young girl with black hair, followed behind him.
"Who is that?" Reid asked, standing on the tips of his toes trying to see over the crowd.
A man a little younger than him had stopped and was digging through a backpack, before he pulled out a silver sharpie and a poster. "What the fuck do you mean "Who is that?" That's Nexus. Hottest woman alive."
When Reid's expression remained blank, the boy rolled his eyes and bounded through the crowd to get closer to Nexus. "That's our girl," Hotch said. Looking over the crowd as well. "We need to get up there and tell her what's happening."
Reid nodded and he and Hotchner jumped into what seemed to be a shark tank. Reid was getting shoved in all sorts of directions as people tried to get there things signed, more people had come through the door, making the crowd more ferocious. Reid was about three rows from the gate when someone hit him especially hard and he stumbled to the ground. For these people only one thing was important, getting signatures, Spencer found that out quickly while being stepped on and over.
"Hey!" A clear, high voice called out over the crowd, cutting through the noise. "Out of the way!"
People began to move to the side, and Spencer uncovered his head from beneath his arms, and looked up into a stunning blue eye that demanded his attention.
"Are you OK?" The girl kneeling in front of him asked, in a voice like silk.
"I, uh, I'm, ahem, I... Yeah," Spencer stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence, let alone a thought as this girl looked into his eyes. Long black hair fell around her in a dark veil, long enough that in the crouched position she was in the ends touched the concrete.
Nervously she tucked her hair behind her ear and chuckled a bit, "People can get a little crazy, huh?"
Spencer cleared his throat and nodded, still finding his voice, he had to tell her. Tell her that she was in danger. That there was a serial killer after her. She grinned and stood, extending her hand to him, Spencer took it without a second thought and let the girl haul him to his feet, once he was standing upright, he easily dwarfed her, being a little over six foot tall, the top of her head didn't even reach the top of his chest and Reid could tell by the shoes she was wearing that she was two inches and a quarter inches shorter.
"Sure you're gonna be alright? No broken ribs, or internal bleeding?" Nexus asked.
"I'm, um, ahem, I'm fine," Spencer stumbled over his words, but she didn't seem bothered by it, her lips quirking into an easy grin, and the lights glinted off of the ring looping through the right side of her lower lip.
Spencer smiled back, and lifted his head up when he saw erratic movement, Hotch was signaling him to escort the girl over to him so they could explain the situation.
"Hey, Nexus! You gotta go back in!" The guard who escorted her out yelled.
"Be right there!" She called back, turning.
"Wait! I have something to tell you!" Spencer blurted. "My name is Spencer Reid, I'm with the BAU," Reid began.
"Kells! Come on, punk! We're on in ten!" A woman called, leaning over the divider.
"I'm sorry but I have to go," Nexus said, spinning and going to the rail, where she easily places her hands on the top bar and swung herself onto the other side.
"W-wait a minute!" Spencer called, rushing forward. He made a move to grab her arm, but, a guard placed a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him back.
Nexus wasn't to far away and came back up to him, "Wait until after the show and come find me."
"I, um, I'm, s-sorry, but, I, uh, can't do that, I need you now," Spencer stuttered.
Nexus worried her bottom lip for a moment before looking back up at him, as the other women yelled, "Kells, hurry your sweet ass up!"
"I have to go," Nexus stood on her toes, grabbed him by the tie and yanked his lips down to hers. Her lips were soft, the kiss was hard, and Spencer couldn't do anything but watch as she bounded away, her friend cackling as she closed the door behind them.
Once they were safely inside, the rest of the doors opened up and everyone with tickets went in. Soon it was the normal NYC crowd walking about. Hotch came over, with an annoyed look. "What the hell was that, Reid?!"
"I... don't know," Spencer admitted, looking down at his shoes. "Should we wait?"
"No, we don't know when this thing will get out, how long before Nexus will leave or if they'll sneak them out after the show. We'll go back to the hotel. Call Garcia, tell her we may have a first name, for our potential victim."
Spencer walked a few feet back from Hotchner, knowing the older man was angry with him, "You have reached your technical goddess, speak and be heard, mortal."
Spencer almost smiled, "We might have a first name for Nexus. Another woman called her Kells."
"Kells? That's it?" Garcia retorted irritably.
"What?" Spencer asked.
"That's probably a nickname of something. Do you know how many Kelsey's or Kelly's there are in New York?" Garcia asked.
"No," Spencer said.
"Really? Huh? Something Reid doesn't know," Garcia mumbled.
"Let me know what you find," Reid hung up and climbed silently into the black SUV. When they got back to the hotel he went to his room that he was sharing with Morgan and got ready for bed.
"You get the girl?" Morgan asked, looking up from his computer.
"Almost," Reid muttered.
Morgan snorted, "What does almost mean?"
"Well, we found her, but I tripped," Reid answered.
Morgan burst out laughing and Reid sighed, "You busted your ass and let the girl get away?"
"Sort of," Spencer replied.
"Sort of?" Derek got out from his guffaws.
"Yeah, she helped me up, and when tried to explain who I was, she had to go. She even kissed me," Spence muttered to himself, touching his finger to his lips.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! This girl kissed you?" Morgan asked.
"Think is means something?" Reid questioned, once again more to himself than to Morgan.
"I think we need to find this girl before our unsub does," Morgan responded. Back to business, but Reid was sure that once this case was over he'd ask all about the kiss.
Keller
Shea was still getting ready in their little dressing room. Keller was sitting on a table spinning a bottle cap between her fingers.
"Bored?" Shea asked, eyeing Keller in her mirror.
"Little," Keller mumbled back, "I'm'a go out and sign some stuff, come get me when it's time."
"Take that sexy body guard with you," Shea ordered.
"Why? He's your type not mine," Keller teased.
Shea had a thing for big muscled men, the bigger the better, and if they were bald, well that was just icing on Shea's cake. "Shut it, and have him go out with you, there are some freaks hanging around lately."
"Fine," Keller relented, walking out of the dressing room. At the end of the hall there was the guard Shea had mentioned. "Will you go outside with me?"
The man nodded and led the way to a private exit and entrance, he opened the door for her and Keller forced a smile as the crowd surged forward and pressed against the barrier separating the crowd from her. On the inside she wanted to go hide in the dressing room until the concert was over and she could go home and paint or watch TV. Just smile and be friendly.
Keller wandered from side to side, taking posters and CD's, signing them and handing them back. Members from other bands she would be playing with tonight had also followed her lead and came out to interact with their fans as well, making the crowd even wilder. Glancing up and turning her head to the left, she saw a tall gangly man the shoulder length brown hair, tucked behind his ears, trip and fall. Knowing how dangerous a crowd of people could potentially be she went to the edge of the rail.
"Hey!" Making a separation motion with her hands the people in front of her gave Keller a confused look, "Out of my way!" A few people glared at Keller but scooted to the side regardless. Hopping over the rail, Keller kept moving through the people until she was kneeling down in front of him.
The man looked up at her nervously, as he dropped his arms from round his head, his greenish-brown eyes widened when he looked at her and she grinned. He had the most adorable deer caught in the headlights expression Keller had ever seen. Keller took a quick inventory of him, he was wearing a button down shirt, with a... sweater vest? Those fucking fashion disasters were still a thing? But on this man it seemed to fit. He looked like the kind of guy Keller would have beaten up in school. If she'd went that is.
"Are you OK?" Keller asked as he continued to start at her, with his mouth partially open. Keller was getting worried someone may have stepped on his head.
"I, uh, I'm, ahem, I... Yeah," The man stuttered.
Keller giggled watching him fidget nervously, brushing her hair back behind her ears, "People can get a little crazy, huh?"
The man coughed a little and nodded, but didn't verbally respond. The stone beneath her knees was starting to make her legs ache, standing up, Keller extended her hand down to the man who was sitting on the ground, without hesitation he took it, Keller internally smiled as his hand completely engulfed hers, with the long, thin fingers of an artist, and pulled him to his feet. Her eyes widened, as she looked up at him, she could tell he was going to be tall, but hot damn! Did he need to make her feel like she was a fucking midget? Her head wasn't even at his shoulder and she was wearing three inch heels!
Keller pushed her internal distress to the side and went back to the man in front of her, "Sure you're OK? No broken ribs? No internal bleeding?"
"I'm, um, ahem, I'm fine," The man stammered, Keller grinned at his nervousness, thinking that his little stutter was sweet.
Keller noticed the determined set in his jaw and was about to ask what was wrong when, the guard called out to her, "Hey, Nexus! You gotta go back in!"
"Be right there!" Keller called over her shoulder.
"Wait! I have something to tell you!" The man shouted, stutter gone. "My name is Spencer Reid, I'm with the BAU," He started.
The fuck is the BAU? Keller though, she was about to verbalize the question when Shea's voice broke through the crowd, "Kells! Come on, punk! We're on in ten!"
Shit! "I'm sorry but I have to go," Keller excused herself, walking quickly back to the divider and swinging herself back to the other side where Shea was waiting by the door.
"Wait a minute!" Keller turned to see the man being shoved back by the guard.
Going back to talk with him for a moment Keller said, "Wait until after the show and come find me."
Keller knew he'd be waiting half the night, but she had to go. Maybe if he stayed they could go back to her place, maybe his and who knew what would happen then. Keller did think this guy was cute, in a nerdy way. And that dimple in his chin made her want to pounce.
"I, um, I'm, s-sorry, but, I, uh, can't do that, I need you now," He whispered urgently.
Chewing her lower lip, Keller debated quickly. There was no way that she could leave with him, bring him back stage maybe? Keller was about to ask if he'd want to hang with her, but Shea's voice once again interrupted Keller's thoughts. "Kells, hurry your sweet ass up!"
"I have to go," Keller said and did the only thing she could think of in that instant. Getting up an her toes, Keller leaning over the dividing rail and grabbing onto the man's tie, pulling him the rest of the way, Keller crashed her lips into his. This close she could smell coffee and something citrusy, maybe lemon or even orange, her stomach had a swarm of butterflies fluttering about, but she lowered herself down and forced herself to walk over to Shea who was smiling like that stupid fucking cat from Alice in Wonderland.
Shea shut the door behind them and slung an arm around Keller's shoulders, "What was that?"
"What?" Keller played dumb.
"You know damn well what! That kiss? With that stick figure?" Shea demanded.
"Nope," Keller responded.
"Well, while you were putting the moves on that boy, I happened to notice he had a gun," Shea informed Keller.
"Really?! What the fuck for?" Keller asked.
"How should I know?! Maybe you should ask your boyfriend?" Shea teased, ruffling Keller's hair.
"What's BAU?" Keller asked Shea, she was good with acronyms.
"Bad, apples, unicorns," Shea said in a serious tone.
"Not a joke, he said he was part of if," Keller said,
"I don't know, we'll look it up when we go home," Shea answered. "Right now, you have to go sing."
Keller nodded and taking a few deep breaths trying to calm her nerves and went out on the stage with Shea right behind her.
Back at the apartment Keller and Shea were sitting on Keller's couch with a laptop in front of them looking up what BAU meant. "Behavioral Analysis Unit," Keller read.
"Huh? Toothpick is with with the FBI?" Shea asked, taking the laptop and reading silently.
FBI? What the hell did the FBI want with Keller?