One-by-one, the team entered the office building as Prentiss staggered in.
"Woah, what happened to you?" Morgan tried not to laugh at his friend who looked like hell.
"Don't ever enter into a drinking contest with an Irishman," she sat herself down then laid her head down on the table.
Hotch leaned into Garcia who was already busy at her computers. "Any more information on these guys?" He put his hand on the stack of pictures.
"I have a few, I'm working on the rest," she reported.
"Just be ready with what we have when everyone gets here," Hotch instructed.
Alex entered and immediately gravitated toward Rossi at the coffee machine.
"Buongiorno bellissima," Rossi spouted. "Care for some café?" He asked holding up the carafe.
"Molto apprezzato," she replied while adding her milk and sugar.
"So, how are you holding up?" Rossi questioned.
"Oh, you know, there's a homicidal maniac loose who goes around chopping the heads off of innocent kids. I'm just hunky dory," she explained in a sarcastic tone.
"Yeah, there are definitely things about this job that I hate," Rossi agreed.
"I don't know why anyone would want to bring children into the world the way it is," she threw her coffee stick into the trash then went to her place at the table.
Rossi nodded to himself as he watched her. "Yup, it can be tough."
"Prentiss, you going to be okay?" Hotch asked.
She shot upright in her seat and made herself presentable. "Yeah, I'm fine." She put on a smile.
JJ leaned into her. "Are you really feeling better?"
"I'll have to be dead three days to feel better," Prentiss responded quietly.
"Sorry, I'm late," Reid rushed in. "I was checking in on Riley."
"How's he doing?" JJ asked.
"He's still scared to death and everyone has been going on about The Dullahan striking again. He's been put into protective custody in case the UnSub tries to go after the witness," Reid explained.
"The fact that he would attack so out in the open like that, he thinks he's above the law," Hotch surmised.
"He says 'I can do whatever I want and you can't catch me'," Rossi added.
"Garcia, are you any closer to getting us information on Colm and some of the others?" Hotch asked.
"Yes, Mr. Dark and Mysterious, is Colm Brady. He's been in and out of jail since he was a kid. His father was a hardened criminal, used to get drunk and beat Colm's mom to a pulp, and sometimes Colm, too."
"Well, that explains a few things," JJ added.
"What else?" Hotch asked.
"Not much more than that, I'm still digging. They don't have information set up the same way we do, but I'm working on it. But, I do have some info on Reid's best bud, Jannon Daly."
Reid looked up as he heard his friend's name. "You're looking into Jannon?"
"Yes. We need to understand who these people are to build a better profile," Hotch replied.
"This is also the information we need to keep you both safe," Rossi added.
Garcia looked to Hotch waiting for permission to continue. After his nod, she typed away. "Jannon Daly, twenty-five years old. According to the official records, he's clean. No arrests. However, he has been picked up a few times and held for questioning, but nothing ever stuck."
"That's because he isn't doing anything wrong" Reid tried to defend.
"Wait, I thought this guy was a part of the gang. He was in it with you years before," Morgan questioned.
"Yes, and no" Reid replied. "Jannon is a business man. He makes introductions and connections for people with a common goal or desire. Because of this, he is offered protection and a percentage of the deal."
"So, he's a pimp?" Morgan smirked.
"I wouldn't exactly phrase it that way," Reid appeared a bit uneasy as the group snickered.
"And what about this guy, Dougal O'Connor?" JJ asked. "What's his story?"
"A made up one, apparently," Garcia announced. "I couldn't find anything on him and the picture we have on him is being filtered through every known database I could think of to try and find a match. So far, no dice."
"Keep searching," Hotch instructed.
"Will do," Garcia acknowledged.
Hotch then leaned in closer to Garcia. "Also, see if he has any kind of history with Alex. If there's any possible way that he could have run into her sometime before."
"You think she's hiding something?" Garcia whispered back.
"No, but I know he is," Hotch stood up and went back to the group. "Reid, where are we at with Colm?"
"He wants me to do a job but said that he would let me know when the time was right, so that's what I'm waiting for," Reid explained.
"So, you get to sit on your butt and drink beer all day until you're called upon?" Morgan questioned.
Reid thought for a moment with raised eyebrows. "Yeah, pretty much."
"I will need to check with my boss to see if he wants us to supply more weapons to this group," Alex sounded skeptical. "We have no way of tracking them, they are betting that we are able to lock these guys down soon."
"Morgan and I will be there when you need another meet," Hotch confirmed.
"Speaking of that, I might need you guys to show up with me at Clancy's from time to time. I would be a little weird if you were never there," she advised.
"Yeah, I want to see some of this knife throwing first hand," Morgan smirked.
"Be careful what you wish for," Alex winked.
"What are the police doing about this apparent sighting of The Dullahan last night?" Rossi brought it back around.
"I spoke to Clyde Easter and advised him that this should be contained as much as possible," JJ started. "That they could report on the murder but to try to keep the folklore out of it. However, the rumor has already spread."
"And we still have no connection with this boy?" Prentiss asked.
"None," Garcia reported. "Possible wrong place, wrong time."
Reid looked through the police photos of the young boy on the ground. He thought about the boy's whole life before him that was snuffed out.
"Reid?" Hotch called out.
"What? Sorry," he put down the picture.
"I asked if you could check with Jannon and the others to see if they know who did this last night," Hotch restated.
"Will do."
"Great, let's get going," Hotch closed the meeting.
Reid rushed to put his coat on, obviously distracted.
"What is it?" Alex asked him.
"I think I should go visit with Mrs. Kavanagh," he stated in a solemn tone.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Alex questioned.
"Yes, it's the right thing to do," he nodded to himself.
"Well, give me a minute, I'll go with you," Alex offered.
"Thanks, but I really should do this alone."
"Okay, if you're sure," she conceded.
"Yes, I am," he forced a smile.
"Let me know if you need me," Alex held onto his arm then kissed him on the cheek.
"Where's he off to?" Rossi asked after observing their conversation from across the room.
"He's going to deal with something he's buried for several years," she replied with misty eyes.