Hehe, you guys are too kind. Feel free to PM for anything. Anyway, let's get the next installment of this story started.

A Lack of Color


Chapter 4: Decryption

"Garcia, was there any connection with our prior victims?" Hotch asked once they had returned to the station.

"I'm sorry sir but there was nothing, nada, zilch." Garcia answered.

Rossi sighed. "Just great."

Garcia shifted her gaze to Morgan's and flinched slightly. There was something different about him. Judging from what she saw in the victims she figured that Jack's treatment was the same as theirs; he was branded. It pained her to see him like this.

"Morgan, I'd like for you to show Garcia the code that Cardoza left you." Hotch said. "Maybe she can help with unraveling it."

None but Emily caught the slight tightening of Morgan's hand.

"A code? Was that what was left?" Garcia asked

Hotch nodded. "Yes, I'm hoping that you might be able to help Morgan decode it."

Garcia eagerly accepted the job. "I'd do anything to help my Morgan."

"I might be able to help too." Reid added.

"There's really no need I can handle it without your help." Morgan replied icily.

The team stared at him slightly surprised by the cold tone.

"No one's saying you can't Morgan." Hotch assured him. "I just think it'd be more efficient with more than one person on the task."

Morgan was still clearly not approving of the idea of taking help, but soon made his way over to a desk in search for a paper and pen.

"That bad..." Garcia murmured sadly.

"Don't worry kiddo," Rossi said. "He'll be back to normal in no time."

"I don't like seeing him like this." JJ exclaimed with a frown. She was worried for her friend. There were only a few times when she'd seen this much hatred in his eyes. One was when they'd been dealing with Ellie Splicer and the other was when he was working on the Doyle case.

"I don't either," Hotch agreed. "But his feelings are understandable. He's been through a lot already."

Morgan returned shortly after and handed Garcia a paper with the code. "It's exactly the same thing as mines. The only difference is that this one's written in pen." He added bitterly.

"Don't worry my sweet, I'll have this..." Garcia trailed off when Morgan had begun walking away. She lowered her eyes sadly.

"We have a lot of work to do." Hotch said. "We need to go over this case more thoroughly. JJ, get Chief Bennett to give you everything he has on the Scorpion Killer."

"I'm on it." JJ replied before heading off to find him.

"If this is a group we need to find out how they work." Rossi said.

"They must have a stable relationship, since they've been doing this for quite some time." Reid stated.

"But what is their personal relationship like?" Emily asked. "Just cause you work with someone doesn't mean you have to like them."

Bennett appeared afterwards with JJ, holding a box in his hand. "Here is all we got on the Scorpions."

"Thanks. Do you have a place where we could set up?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah, I've prepared a spot for you in the conference room back there." Bennett replied as he pointed to the room.

"I appreciate it." Hotch added.

"Chief, I've been meaning to ask you, have Jack's family been made aware of his death?" Rossi questioned.

"Yeah that's right, I don't see his family anywhere." Reid added. "Don't you think they should be notified?"

Bennett motioned the officers working in the background. "You're looking at the family."

"What about his parents?" JJ said, not looking forward to the answer.

Bennett took a deep breath. "You see... Jack's an only child; his parents passed away a few years ago, back when he was still in college. Your fellow agent, Morgan, and us was all he had left, along with a few high school friends."

"The poor kid." Rossi murmured.

... ... …. …. ... ... ... …. …. ... ... ... ….

Morgan stared hard at the paper in his hand. He was currently in a vacant office. It was just him in inside which was convenient. He wanted to be alone right now.

The code lay in his hand and had yet to be decoded.

All he could see were numbers and one letter, but he knew there was something more. What was the significant meaning behind these numbers? Just what did they mean to his friend?

"Damn it... what are you trying to tell me Jacky?" He muttered.

A light knock got his attention.

He groaned. "Yeah?"

"Mind getting the door, my hands are kinda full over here."

Morgan grumbled and placed the note down before standing up to open the door.

Emily was standing there holding two coffee cups, while two small bags dangled on her fingers. "Hey, thought you might be hungry. I got some coffee and bagels here, there's even some chocolate chip cookies."

"I'm not hun—" Before Morgan could deny the gesture his stomach rumbled loudly.

Emily gave him an amused look. "Didn't catch that Morgan, you're not what now?"

He frowned and took the bag and a coffee from her, muttering a 'thanks' that she almost didn't hear.

Emily took in the numerous rumpled papers balled up in the trashcan. "So how's the code-breaking coming along?"

"What do you think?" Morgan said dryly. "I haven't broken it yet."

Emily sighed before placing her cup on the desk. She stepped out momentarily and returned with another chair. He watched her actions curiously.

"What are you doing?" Morgan asked as she sat across from him.

"What do you think?" Emily repeated his words jokingly. "I'm helping you out."

"It was left for me, Prentiss," he stated with a frown. "You wouldn't be able to solve it, and neither would Garcia or Reid."

And there it was, further proof that he wasn't pleased with sharing his friend's code.

Emily shrugged his tone off. "We're only trying to help you. Jeez, and you say I always try to do everything myself." She added humorously.

Morgan didn't reply to that. Instead he stuffed one of the cookies in his mouth. "So what have you guys figured out?"

"We know their meticulous, they plan out their killings beforehand. Their weapons of choice are two different handguns: a glock 17 and a M9. Ballistics have confirmed this."

"So the guns must've been bought during some point."

"Yeah, although it doesn't mean it'd be registered. A lot of weapons can be bought under the table nowadays."

Morgan scoffed. "Knowing our luck it probably was."

"Recent records though have shown shell casings belonging to an MP5."

"So they've upgraded their weaponry." He deduced. "Sounds like their getting more dedicated to what ever it is these guys are justifying their actions with."

"Yeah, it looks that way."

He took the last bite of his bagel before turning to the code. "I have to break this thing already so that I can find these rat bastards."

"Um... Morgan?"

"What is it?"

Emily hesitated briefly before speaking. "The guys here were talking and... a funeral service is going to be held for—"

"I'm not going."

"Why not?! You should go Morgan!" Emily said. Why would he not want to go? This was his friend they were talking about.

"I can't..." Morgan replied. "I can't bring myself to go to his funeral."

Emily knew that face, she'd seen it before. The one he'd commonly show her upon her return from the 'dead'. He was feeling guilty and she knew he was killing himself with blame.

"Morgan, don't do this." She pleaded softly.

"I failed again Emily." Morgan replied. "I didn't tell anyone but back then, when we were at the bar, I had this bad feeling in my gut. It was like something bad was gonna happen... but I ignored it. I went home like nothing."

"Morgan..."

"And then he died." Morgan clenched the note tightly. "He suffered because of it, and if I had just done something back then we wouldn't even be here. Then, maybe Jacky would... That's why I have to finish this; I can't face Jack otherwise."

Emily reached out and placed her hand over his clenched one. "Look, I—"

The door burst open and in came Garcia. "Oh I'm sorry I should've knocked."

Morgan slid his hand out from hers. "It's fine, what is it?"

"I just came... to check up on you."

"I'm fine Garcia, you don't have to worry. I'll be just fine." Morgan said, his attention back on the note. "So how's it going on your end?"

"Oh yeah that was the other reason why I came here, I'm coming up short which is so not me." Garcia replied. "I keep trying and trying but I'm not seeing anything."

"Mind if I have a look?" Emily asked. She had expected him to send her off with Garcia to work on the copy he'd given her, but was surprised when he held up the note in her line of vision. She flinched lightly at the dried up blood, but focused on the numbers.

"See anything Em?" Garcia said.

"Hmm, they were written in a specific order so that must've been how Jack wanted it to be read, it isn't about altering it in anyway." Emily replied as she examined the numbers. "But why are some of the numbers repeated? The first four rows consist of different sets of numbers, but in the fifth row he repeats numbers, 7, 11, 23, 30, and 36."

"I noticed that too." Morgan exclaimed.

"Just what does it mean?" Emily muttered. "Hey Garcia, did you check Jack's contacts maybe it could have something to do with his phone numbers."

"I checked all of that peaches, phone numbers, date of births, the numbers on his license, the works, and I still came up short."

"What other numbers could he'd have possibly remembered?" Emily thought aloud.

Morgan abruptly stood up from the chair.

"What's up?" Garcia said. "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna have a look through Jacky's office, I think I might get some answers there."

"I'll go with you." Emily said as she began to follow him.

He held a hand up to stop her. "I'd rather you didn't. Look I appreciate your help, but I got this."

Emily sighed as he exited the office. "God he's stubborn."

Garcia chuckled. "Kinda reminds me of someone else I know."

"What? There's no way you mean me, I'm not that stubborn... am I?"

... ... …. …. ... ... ... …. …. ... ... ... ….

Morgan took a moment of silence as he stepped in his friend's office. It was neat and organized like his, a big contrast to their rooms when they were teens. He'd never seen his office before and yet it gave a nostalgic vibe to be here. The walls were decorated with frames hanging from them.

He kind of felt like he was intruding. He didn't feel he had the right to be in here, but strangely as he stood in the office it didn't feel that way. Morgan knew Jack had several personal items in his office as he'd told Morgan once before. The photos hanging on the wall was proof enough.

"It reminds us that we've got something to live for when things get tough."

That's what he'd told him once. There were photos of Jack and his parents, one with him and some friends, and one with him and Morgan as teenagers. He chuckled lightly at their photo. A teenaged version of himself was discreetly holding two fingers above a young Jack's head, both were grinning happily. A small smile appeared when he noticed the old basketball from their youth in his friend's hand.

And suddenly it hit him.

"Wait a second... basketball?" He stared at the numbers in his hand and a dawning realization sank in. He rushed out the office and headed straight for Garcia.

Garcia jumped when Morgan had run up behind her. "Jeez, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Hey, can you look up my old high school? I need a specific information from there." Morgan said ignoring her speech. "I went to—"

"I know where you attended high school my love, now stand back and watch me work my magic."

"Good, I need records of Jack's old basketball team. We graduated in the year—"

"Again you underestimate me handsome. I'm printing out the list of students who played alongside Jack as we flirt."

Morgan immediately pulled the paper once it was printed and then placed a grateful hand to her shoulder. "Thanks babygirl." He jetted away to the conference room where the team was.

A wave of contentment flowed through her as he had said those words. Oh how she'd missed them. She went to follow behind him with a smile.


"Hey guys, I think I figured it out." Morgan announced once he was inside.

"Really?" JJ said before smiling. "I knew you would."

Morgan walked towards the board and Reid tossed him a marker. "Thanks. Those numbers are the numbers that were on Jacky's basketball team."

"Their jersey numbers." Hotch said picking up on the information.

"Of course," Rossi exclaimed. "The boy loved basketball, he'd of definitely used something related to that for a code. Bennett said he was close with his high school friends, it must've been his team he was referring to."

"Yeah exactly." Morgan replied as he wrote the numbers aligned with the names of the kids.

Tom -7 Harris -11 Eric -23

Bill -6 Oliver -14 Shane -2 Sherwin -5

Isaac -16 Shavon -9 Nathan -21 Troy -8

Hasim -20 Elijah -43 Robbie -30 Eason -36

Tom -7 Harris -11 Eric -23 Robbie -30 Eason -36

R

3

"This is the kid that each number corresponds to in the list, the repeated names under it, and the 'R' and '3'." Morgan explained as he beckoned the board.

"But I don't see Jack's number." Reid pointed out.

"Yeah, that tripped me up too at first." Morgan replied. "The number 36 isn't a jersey number, it was the age of his coach at the time. The reason Jacky's number isn't there is because of his name."

"His name?" JJ repeated with confusion.

"Yeah, his name wasn't necessary like the others, not for the message he was leaving behind." Morgan said. He pointed to the blank space on the board. "Watch what happens when I replaced the numbers with the first letters of the names."

The team watched as Morgan began substituting the numbers with the letters. Their eyes widened as the message began vividly appearing.

When replaced the code read:

THE BOSS ISNT HERE THERE R 3

"The boss isn't here there are three." Morgan read the message aloud as he displayed it for them.


Author's Notes

And so Morgan has successfully broken the code that was left to him, but exactly what does it mean?