"When it's time to live and let die, and you can't get another try, something in this heart has died. You're in ruins" Green Day
Having just lost three of their own, distress was obvious in the air as the team entered the Pheonix Police Department. The team was greeted by a man, who introduced himself as Liaison Lieutenant Evans, he basically gave them the cold shoulder, before introducing them to Commander Marks. Derek was used to getting the cold shoulder from local law enforcement when they were called in on cases, he understood it in this case completely. The department wouldn't want to seem incompetent when it came to a case involving their own, they wouldn't want the city to see they needed outside help.
"You must be the FBI," Marks said, extending a hand to Jordan.
"Yes, I'm Jordan Todd, I'm so sorry for your department's loss," she said before introducing the rest of the team.
Todd was a good agent, and did good at her job, but Derek couldn't help thinking that something in the way she handled herself, lacked the compassion necessary to be a good liaison. Compassion was something JJ overflowed with, it made it easier for the team coming in as most officers found themselves at ease with her.
They set up in the conference room. Jordan began pinning pictures to a victim board, while Rossi and Hotch headed to the first crime scene, and Derek and Emily prepare to head to the second, where two of the officers had been killed. Before leaving, Derek went to work setting up their computer connection with Garcia. After several minutes of being temperamental, the screen flashed blue then connected to Garcia's webcam. She was turned away from the computer talking animatedly to Elizabeth. It had become quite common to find Elizabeth hanging out with her when the team was away.
It was Liz who spotted Derek staring through the camera first. She waved before turning Garcia's attention to the screen. Garcia turned, her typical hundred watt smile already spreading across her face. He was glad to see Liz had cheered her up.
"Hey, hot stuff," she said adjusting the picture and volume, making sure the camera worked properly.
"Two beautiful ladies, I am a privileged man," he said cockily, seeing Liz roll her eyes behind Garcia. She reminded him of his baby sister, and truthfully, dating Spencer, who was like the little brother he'd never had, he'd come to think of her as a sister. "How are you ladies doing?"
"We're good, just having girl talk," Garcia said.
"AKA, Kevin dissing," Liz said with a laugh.
"Kid, come over here a minute, I've got someone who wants to say hello," he called, so Spencer could have a minute to talk to his girlfriend.
Once the connection was established, he closed off the computer and headed out with Emily, while Spencer began working victimology, trying to see if the officers had any connection, besides working for the same department.
On the ride to the crime scene they are accompanied by Lieutenant Evans, who theorizes the murders are part of a gang war, led by a local gang member named Playboy, because two different guns were used. The theory had already been ran by Hotch, who thought it was unlikely. Derek and Emily quickly learn that there isn't a lot to go on at the crime scene, and arriving back at the department, learn Hotch and Rossi had no luck either.
Later that night, another cop is killed. Thinking there was a body on fire, which turned out to be a mannequin, two officers had rushed into an abandoned warehouse yard. One of the officers was gunned down, and upon arriving on the scene, the team found the other very shaken, and convinced Playboy is the culprit.
"You saw this guy, Playboy?" Derek asked, surprised.
"No," Officer Ron Mercer says, "But I know he did it."
"I think you're wrong," Hotch states, voice even as always.
"Look," Derek says, eyeing each officer in turn, "We're going to get this guy, but the right guy. Playboy doesn't fit the profile, we're wasting time bringing him in."
After leaving the crime scene, Hotch sent the team to their hotel, knowing there is nothing they can do until morning.
Derek threw his overnight bag on the bed, knowing good and well that the police department would be bringing Playboy into custody tomorrow. He pulled his IPOD out of the side pocket, and a pair of sweatpants out before tossing the bag beside the dresser. Showered and free of the debris from the fire, he collapsed onto the bed and put in the IPOD's earbuds.
His mind was in overdrive, he kept seeing that last officer's face staring blankly at the stars as his body was wheeled to the coroner's van. Derek had been at this job long enough that these things didn't normally get to him, but as he lay there staring at the ceiling, he found himself grieving for the families of the four fallen officers. He'd chosen this job, because he wanted to help people, kids on the wrong side of the track like he'd once been. He knew they couldn't save them all, he'd always been the first to tell Spencer that when he'd taken a case too close to heart. So, why at that moment, was he questioning everything?
Morning came too soon, Derek had slept restlessly, plagued by his thoughts, turned nightmares. He made his way to the coffee maker where Rossi and Spencer were already stationed. The way Spencer took his coffee amazed him, black, with more sugar than coffee.
"Morning Derek," Rossi said, in his normal brisk greeting.
"Morning guys," he said, stifling a yawn.
"Long night?" Spencer asked, looking up from stirring his coffee.
He was just about to answer when Hotch came into the room. "They just brought Playboy into custody. Morgan I want you to question him."
"What part of not our guy, do these people not get? We're wasting time," Derek hissed, before storming off to the interrogation room.
Derek sized the guy up upon entering, "I know you didn't kill those cops, Playboy," he said walking to the table.
"Then why the hell did you drag me in here?"
"I said I know you didn't do it, the locals they're not so sure," he said glancing up at Evans who insisted on joining him, "Besides I think you know who did it, and whoever that is, is making you look real suspect like, causing you nothing but trouble," he says, as Evans slips out of the room with Hotch, who's just entered
"There's a guy," Playboy says, with a wave of his hand, "I don't know who he is, but he killed my top lieutenant a few months ago."
Evans returns and leans over to Morgan, "There's been another shooting,"
"Excuse me," Morgan tells the men, going out to talk to Hotch, "I think I've got something, this guy knows something."
Playboy finally gives up what he knows, and Derek, Rossi and Evans find their selves at a fight club.
"FBI, break it up," he yells. "Now, whoever doesn't want to go to jail, better cooperate."
Several rounds of questioning later, they have a name, Beanie. The team heads back to the station and Derek sees Hotch crossing the parking lot and heads to tell him what they found out, only there's a guy behind Hotch, hooded and carrying a gun. Derek takes off, and in a tackling leap knocks the gun out of the guy's hand.
"Not this time, you're done," he yells, cuffing the guy as Playboy is led out of the station. Before Derek can even grasp what's happening Playboy has broken out of the cops' grasp, grabbed a gun and shot the unsub, revenge for his falling comrade.
The next day Derek went to the cemetery to attend the funeral service for two of the officers. He hadn't known them, but found himself unable to leave Pheonix in good conscience without going.
On the plane everybody separated out to do there on thing. Jordan and Hotch going through files, Spencer reading, Emily looked ready to go to sleep and Rossi just stared out the window. Derek plugged his IPOD in, eager to get home.