Chapter 2 is here, obviously. Reviews make me all warm inside, and lord knows I need some criticism. The next chapter will be up soon, and maybe even another Criminal Minds fan-fiction.
Jason Gideon could not take his eyes away from the 40 minute "film" playing on the projector in the BAU meeting room
Jason Gideon could not take his eyes away from the 40 minute "film" playing on the projector in the BAU meeting room. He wanted to turn it off, to look off at something else and forget that a man could ever do such a thing to another human being, but he just couldn't. He had the sound off. He did that only as a courtesy to anyone working in the offices around his. Or at least that was what he told himself he was doing. No one, except Garcia, was in at the late hour. Gideon had sent everyone home.
The man on screen called himself the Joker. No other name was given. He wasn't wearing a clown suit, but his make-up was near perfect. When it came to the cutting, the victim's blood contrasted perfectly with the UNSUB's whiteface makeup. The victim, identified as Robert Makers, had suffered both physical and psychological tortures.
Someone knocked at the meeting room's door. Gideon's mouth moved, but his eyes still did not wander from the screen. "Come in." He said.
Gideon could tell that it was Special Agent Derek Morgan through peripheral vision. Derek didn't say anything. He walked slowly into the room, watching the projector's screen as he did, and sat on Gideon's right. They both sat in silence for several minutes.
Finally Derek couldn't watch anymore. He turned to Gideon, his eyes snapped from the screen. "Gideon, what the hell is this? A joke?"
Gideon shook his head.
Derek stood and headed to the door. At first Gideon thought Morgan was leaving, but instead Derek opened the door and let in Chace, Reid, and Emily Prentiss. Gideon turned off the projector.
Hotchner and Jennifer Jareau met the team at the airstrip. The BAU's jet was ready to take flight, and Gideon was ready to explain the entire situation while en route to Gotham. It was going to be a long flight.
"Tuesday morning Gotham City's Channel 11 news received this video." Gdieon tapped a key on his laptop and turned it for the other Agent's to see. The Joker raised his knife and brought it down onto Robert Makers' left hand. Blood sprayed up, Makers screamed, Gideon tapped enter, and the video ended. "Channel Eleven sent the video to GCPD, and then they sent it to us. The victim's name is Robert Makers, 42 years old, married with no children, Jewish, and works as a computer technician. Garcia has spent the last seven hours digging into his life, and so far we have no motive for this murder."
Chace leaned over Gideon's shoulder and looked at the video. He had seen it once already, but had just had an idea. "Can you rewind towards the beginning?" Chace asked, wincing at how calm he sounded.
Gideon moved the video back.
"There." Chace pointed. "The UNSUB spends most of his time looking right into the camera, but even when the victim is crying at the camera and calling out to his wife his eye's don't focus into it."
Emily gave Chace a confused look but Reid nodded excitedly.
Morgan spoke, "Are you saying the Camera is hidden?"
"I think a two way mirror is more plausible. For one thing the victim is looking in the general direction of the camera. Two-way mirrors are used as often as possible in reality Tv-shows. It gives an interesting perspective on," Reid said
Morgan cut him off, "You watch reality TV?" He asked with a chuckle.
Reid was quiet after that. Derek almost instantly felt bad for prodding at the kid. There was a long silence as the plane rose in elevation. Gotham was a one-hour flight, but every minute seemed to amplify as it went on. Soon the team dissipated. Chace, Emily and Reid all moved to a set of chairs and began to discuss everything but the case. Derek and Hotchner moved to the back of the plane to find food and Gideon sat and stared out the window as he usually did.
The BAU were not the only people on a private jet watching Robert Makers take in pain. Bruce Wayne watched the video in a deep silence. He had left Gotham and came back for appearances. His second outing as the Dark Knight was successful and people would be talking about it, the news would be reporting it, and the Mob, well, they would be mad as hell. Should anyone suspected Bruce he could say he was out at the Bahamas taking in some sun, and his had a nice tan to prove it.
The video ended. Bruce looked towards the pilot's cabin.
"The Joker…" Bruce whispered. The name alone sent a shiver down his spine. Whoever the psychopath was, Batman would try his hardest to find them. But Bruce wasn't too sure he could. He had no evidence to follow, only a video that could have been taken anywhere. He decided the police would have to take care of this one. The police, or the FBI. Bruce Wayne only hoped that if the FBI did get involved, they wouldn't find extra time to look into a black creature scaring the shit out of the organized crime of Gotham.
By the end of the flight, Bruce knew it was hopeless.