Original characters do not belong to me.
Delirium of Dreams Part II: Secrets of the Past
Derek and Emily had flown to New York to speak with Sophia Howes. They found her teaching schedule and were walking to her classroom.
"So, do you think Claire is involved?" Emily asked as the two walked.
Derek shook his head.
"Nah, she doesn't fit the profile in any way. It was lucky that she knew this Professor, but we come across new people all of the time who help us out. What about you?" Derek said.
"I don't think she's the one committing these crimes, but it's possible she's linked." Emily said.
"In what way?"
"Well, think about it, the UNSUB is using languages that she can understand and she just so happened to know a Professor who teaches comparative Religions."
"So, you're thinking that if she took the class also, than maybe it was one of her classmates?"
Emily nodded.
"Maybe even the teachers child or some one else who's taking the class on campus."
"Garcia is looking through Claire's background right now. When we're done talking to the Professor I'll give her a call and see what's up."
They both approached the opened classroom door and walked in to find a classroom that was empty, except the older woman sitting at her desk. She had her dark hair pulled into a bun with two locks of hair down in the front sides of her face and small reading glasses on her eyes. She was wearing a brown tweed skirt suit, with a white silk blouse, a scarf around her neck with a pendant necklace, a watch, and black round toe heels. She looked to be about in her fifties, but there was still a youthful appearance in the way she looked.
The woman turned and saw Derek and Emily approach her.
"Can I help you?" She asked as she stood up.
"Are you Sophia Howes?" Emily asked.
"Yes, I am." Sophia confirmed.
"I'm Special agent Derek Morgan from the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit and this is Emily Prentiss. We're currently working on a case and were wondering if you could answer some question." Derek said.
"You don't have a class to teach?" Emily asked.
"My class just ended and I have some time." Sophia said.
"We were wondering if you have or have had any students that you notice are very socially reclusive. Perhaps they are closest to one other person, but they don't have many friends." Derek said.
"He also takes a personal interest in languages out side of what you teach here and is attentive to the religions you teach about." Emily added.
Sophia took of her reading glasses.
"I've had so many students, it's hard to say." Sophia said placing her glasses on her desk.
"They would have stood out." Derek said.
Sophia thought for a moment.
"I'm sorry I just can't name anybody right now. But if you perhaps leave your card, if I can remember anyone I can give you a call?" Sophia suggested.
"That would be helpful, thank you." Emily said handing her a card.
Derek thought for moment. He decided to ask about Claire sense Claire was the one suggested going to her.
"Mrs. Howes, do you know a Claire Evans?" Derek asked.
Sophia looked at him slightly surprised he had mentioned her.
"Well, yes of course." Sophia answered.
"Did she take this class?" Emily asked.
"No, she never took any of my classes. Writing is what she felt called to do." Sophia said.
"Did she go to this university or another?" Derek asked.
"She took classes here and graduated early. I've known her sense she was young, and tried to encourage her to live up to her full potential." Sophia said.
"How do you know her, through a family friend or any relation?" Derek asked.
"My daughter Veronica." Sophia said. She looked down at her watch.
"I'm sorry but my class is about to begin." Sophia said apologetically.
"Thank you for your help." Emily said. Derek and Emily both left.
"Let's hope she remembers someone." Emily said.
"Let me call Garcia and see what she's found." Derek said pulling out his cell phone and dialed the number.
"The answer to your prayers, how can I help you?" Garcia said picking up the phone.
"Got anything good for me?" Derek asked.
"Honey, I got everything."
Derek chuckled.
"You are a wonder. So tell me what you found out about Claire."
"This girl is insane, and by insane I mean awesome."
"Well, what did you find?"
"There were news paper articles on her from fourteen years ago. Apparently she graduated high school when she was 10. I looked around some more and found that she has a 100 percent clean record and no mental illness in her family. However, she did wait four years after graduating high school before she went to Columbia University. She got her PhD in journalism just two years after entering the program at the top of her class. "
"What is she the female Spencer Reid?" Derek said shocked at just how intelligent Claire is.
"It would appear to be if she just had more degrees."
"She never studied anything else?"
"She studied under the arts school at Columbia and was well on her way to gradating on top, again, but she transferred to the art institute to study photography. And after that, she studied music theory and got her Phd in that. She was going through creative classes like it was a Sunday afternoon stroll."
"So, she completed classes or got close to completely classes early, got bored and went on to something else before she could get the degree?"
"It appears so, I contacted the university, and she wrote letters to the different administrators requesting to switch. Her reasoning, was that she just wanted to learn and didn't think have a degree was necessary for learning, because it was just a title. Sense she was beyond your model student, they just let her."
"Look up a friend of hers a Vero-"
"Wait, this is strange."
"What is it?"
Derek and Emily stopped outside their car.
"It says here that Claire's last name is Evans, but when I look at her parents last names it says Bowers."
"Two last names? So, she must be adopted and kept her original last name. Prentiss and I are heading back."
"I'll dig some more and see what I come up with."
"Thanks baby girl." Derek said before hanging up.
"Claire's adopted?" Emily asked over hearing what Derek had said.
"Not only that, the girl's smart like Reid is." Derek said getting in the drivers seat of the car.
Emily paused for a moment before getting in.
"She's as smart at Reid?" Emily asked sounding shocked.
"Seems like it, but she only ever study writing and photography. Garcia is looking into her adoptive records."
"If she's that smart, why would she only those subjects? I would assume she'd be like Reid and have multiple degrees in varies categories."
"We can find out more once we get back to Virginia."
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Hotch and Rossi were examining the note the UNSUB had left in the meeting room. They had the other evidence posted up on the walls as well. No matter how they tried to interoperate it, it just didn't make sense. It was beginning to get frustrating.
"The translation from the wall 'the wait for the rising sun has ended' that Claire gave us lets us know that he's been preparing for this for a while. The thing to question is what in particular was he waiting for? Who or what is this 'rising sun'?" Hotch said trying to think of reasonable theories.
"I'm thinking these women he's choosing to kill are fillers." Rossi said.
"Fillers?" Hotch said sounding slightly confused.
"If this 'rising sun' was worth waiting for, than it must be what he's really after."
"It makes sense, but why murder these women? Why not go directly to the source?"
"Maybe he couldn't find what he's looking for until now."
Hotch nodded in agreement.
"This other phrase 'poppy knows its destiny, but lotus I seek for the lily to bring balance.' I can't think of what it's talking about." Hotch said.
"I think we'll just leave that one to Spencer." Rossi said. Hotch chuckled and took a set next to Rossi. Rossi looked at him for a moment then spoke.
"Do you really believe this Claire guilty?" Rossi asked.
Hotch shook his head.
"Reid is right that she doesn't fit the profile; but sense we can't completely decipher the riddles this particular UNSUB is leaving, I just want to be precautious."
Rossi nodded in understanding.
"It's not often that we see him make an effort to make friends." Rossi said leaning make in his seat.
"But he also needs to understand that sometimes our friends and family get involved in our cases, and we need to learn to stay focus and do the necessary steps to best approach it."
"How long do you think we have until these UNSUBs kill their next victim?" Rossi asked.
Hotch took in a deep breathe.
"It's hard to say, but I'm guessing not very long."
JJ then hurried into the room.
"We just got a call that the UNSUBs have just killed another woman that was staying in a hotel in DC. The guest next door came back to their room and heard the woman screaming next door, and notified the police and hotel security. You were right that there are two and they're now both stuck within the hotel trying to escape." JJ said as quickly as she could.
Rossi and Hotch quickly looked at each other before hurrying out the room.
"Reid, the UNSUBS are held up in a hotel, we got to get there fast." Hotch said with urgency. Spencer immediately got up to go.
"JJ Call Derek and Emily and let them know." Rossi said.
"I already have, they're heading that way now." JJ said.
They raced down to the hotel with back up close behind.
"Are they both male?" Hotch asked.
"No, one's male and one's female." JJ answered
"Shared psychotic disorder is more commonly seen in women, so it would make sense." Spencer said.
They quickly parked in front of the hotel and got out of the car and rushed inside with their back up; vests on and guns out. Hotch hurried over to the hotel receptionist.
"What floor are they on?" Hotch asked.
"They're on the sixth floor." The girl said frightened.
"Alright, make sure this place is completely sealed. Station men by all door exits, we can't let them get away." Hotch ordered before heading to the sixth floor with Rossi and Spencer. JJ stayed in the lobey to secure the entrance.
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Derek, Emily, and two other men were on the seventh floor, which was the floor that the newest murder took place. They were securing the floor in case the two UNSUBs decided to split up. As they were cautiously walking down the hallways, a woman with long brown hair came out from one of the rooms. Derek put his gun up and the others did soon after him.
"Freeze, FBI! Turn around and show me your face." Derek order.
The girl didn't move at first.
"I said turn around!" Derek yelled again.
The girl slowly turned to face them and slowly but calmly raced her hands. She didn't seem fazed by them.
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Hotch and the others were quickly and cautiously checking the sixth floor. Suddenly they saw a girl exit a room. She had short spunky black hair with blonde highlights and she was wearing a form fitting outfit that had guns strapped all around her body. Hotch immediately raised his gun.
"Freeze, FBI! Don't make any sudden movement or we will shoot. Slowly turn around." Hotch ordered.
The girl calmly turned around as if it was nothing, revealing her hair was a bit longer in the front and she had side swept fringed bangs. Just by the way she moved he could tell she was cocky. She slowly raised her hands as if she was bored of the idea, and had a smug grin on her face. As Hotch looked at her, he noticed something that surprised him. She looked like Claire. The only difference was her hair color and she was wearing dark make-up; the body language, however was completely different. Spencer and Rossi were examining her and noticed it as well.
"Claire?" Spencer asked in confusion.
The girl chuckled; the sound of her voice was eerie.
"Wrong name." The woman answered. She seemed genuinely amused.
Hotch spoke into his head piece and addressed Derek.
"Morgan, get to the sixth floor we got her." Hotch said
"You must be mistaken. We just caught the female." Derek answered.
Hotch paused for a moment before speaking back.
"What?" Hotch asked confused.
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"You're wrong." The woman said.
"What do you mean we're wrong? Someone was just murdered in this hotel, and you're not even fazed by it." Emily said.
Emily looked closer at her. She looked like Claire expect for the fact that she had long brown hair. She was wearing clothing that flowed.
"Claire?" Emily asked in disbelief.
"We got her here on the seventh floor, and she looks remarkably like Claire." Derek said to Hotch through his head piece.
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Hotch paused for a moment. Rossi looked at Hotch for a second before looking back at the mystery woman.
"That's impossible, we have her here." Hotch said
"Hotch, what's the matter?" Rossi asked.
"Derek said he has a girl on the floor above us and she looks like Claire; the same as this girl." Hotch answered.
"So, that's not Claire?" Rossi asked confused.
"I'm not quite sure what's going on." Hotch said. He then turned his attention back to the woman.
"You are now under arrest, so don't make any sudden movements." Hotch said.
The girl didn't respond. A cleaning maid came out from one of the rooms, unaware of what was going on.
"No!" Hotch yelled trying to warn the maid.
With one sly motion, she wrapped her left arm around the girl's neck and took out a pistol from her hip with her right, and pointed it at the woman's head. The woman whimpered in fear.
They all pointed their guns for firmly at the mystery woman.
"Let her go!" Hotch said.
The mystery woman grinned.
"I hope you realize that while you're attention has been set on me, he's already out of the hotel." She said.
"You're partner?" Spencer asked.
She sarcastically smiled, as to confirm his question.
"You're the decoy." Rossi said.
"Tell my older sister Claire, I said 'hello'." The mystery woman said. Her eyes looked off to the right for a second before focusing back to Hotch.
She then suddenly, shoved the maid as hard as she could into them and darted out the stairwell she had spotted, while they were distracted.
"She went down the Stairwell." Hotch said as they rushed into the stairwell, and made their way down.
As they hurried down the stairwell, they heard gun shots go off.
"Quick!" Rossi yelled.
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"Hotch? Hotch?" Derek said into his ear piece. There was no response.
"He's not answering?" Emily asked.
"No." Derek said.
Emily looked back at the girl.
"My name is not Claire." The girl finally said.
"Who are you?" Emily asked.
"My name is Veronica." Veronica said.
"Veronica? Vernoica Howes?" Derek asked recognizing the name.
Veronica nodded. Derek was confused.
"I was hiding here. They're looking for me." Veronica said.
"Who? The guys we're after." Derek asked.
Derek and Emily put their guns down.
Hotch suddenly spoke.
"Morgan and Emily the girl got away and is heading down the steps. We are in pursuit hurry and start securing the lower floors. Be warned we heard gun fire."
"Come one we got to go. The girl's getting away." Derek said hurriedly to Emily.
Emily turned to the two men behind.
"Head down and start securing the lower floors." Emily ordered to them. The men did as told and left.
Derek turned and reached out his hand to Veronica.
"Come one, we'll get you some where safe." Derek said.
Veronica shook her head.
"I'm leaving." Veronica said.
"That's crazy." Emily said.
Veronica gave a laugh and smiled.
"Good-bye" Veronica said hurrying into the elevator behind her. Derek and Emily try to get to her, but the elevator door closes.
"What the hell is going on?" Derek said.
Emily and Derek both look at each other.
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Some time had past and the commotion had died down. Both UNSUBs had gotten away and the surrounding areas had been checked. Two guards had been shot and killed in the process. The hotel was being sealed and examined as a crime scene.
"How did she get out of the stairwell? We had men on every floor?" Derek asked.
"She went into the basement, where there were the two guards in the stairwell as well; both shots in between the eyes." Rossi answered.
"That's one hell of a shot." Emily said.
"How did she get to the bottom floor so quickly and not get shot by the guards?" Spencer asked.
"She would have had to run down to a lower floor then jump straight down, and shooting at the guards who would be looking up on instinct." Derek said.
"She must have military training." Hotch said.
"We ran into Veronica, a friend of Claire's from childhood. She claimed they were looking for her and she was hiding out here." Derek said.
"You didn't take her with you?" Hotch questioned.
"We tried, but she ran into the elevator before we could get to her." Emily said.
Hotch sighed and rubbed his temples. He was obviously frustrated.
"The mystery woman confirmed she's Claire's younger sister." Rossi said.
"Garcia did have a suspicion she was adopted. She was looking into it last I spoke to her." Derek said.
"Alright, the crime scene in the hotel has already been processed. Let's get the evidence back to headquarters and try to figure this thing out. We have more to go on, now that we've encountered one of the UNSUBs. We're also going to need to speak with Claire, to learn who her sister is." Hotch said.
The team began to walk to the car.
Just what was going on? They hoped that Garcia would have some information to clear up some of the confusion. And hopefully, Claire would be willing to talk about her past and give them more information. Things were heating up, and they all feared for Veronica. If it was true and they were looking for her, then it wouldn't be long before they got her. The UNSUBs had gotten close to her at the hotel, even if they didn't realize it. They needed to find out were Veronica would go, and bring her into the BAU before she was caught and possibly killed. Time was ticking, and it wasn't ticking on their side.
*note* I am pointing out to my reviewer, Alys, that Claire went to college at 14. Garcia mentions that Claire waited 4 years after high school. And with that being said if you added it all up again, Claire should be at least be 26. Get it?
I'll add more dialogue to fix the confusion. That was a mistake on my part.