Hotch extends his hand to Detective Seth Ties. "Aaron Hotchner. This is Derek Morgan."

"Good to meet you. I hope to hell you can help me get a handle on this guy."

"We'll do our best," Morgan vows. "I have a question for you: was there any sort of development that was to happen in the areas where the parts were found? Maybe that fell through after people got uneasy with the area? Or the opposite way, maybe nothing was happening and suddenly a developer was able to get land cheaply in the aftermath?"

Ties frowns. "Is that what these killings are about? Land?"

Morgan shrugs. "We don't know. But it's just one avenue we like to check."

Ties shakes his head. "There was nothing that I knew of. You might want to talk to Mabel in the mayor's office. She's the city planner and any permits for development would be filed through her."

Morgan nods. "I'll talk to her."

"Is there anyone you all were looking closely at for these killings?" Hotch asks.

Ties shakes his head again. "No. It's all so…macabre. Truth is, my boss and I are hoping it's some bastard in St. Paul because we'd hate to think someone like that is in this area."

Hotch grins. "Don't blame you for that. We toured the dump sites. They look like they are still popular with skiers. What about others?"

"The skiers like to go around the lake because it's pretty flat ground. The county area for ice skating has not been used by the killer."

"Can I assume it's always in use?"

"Pretty much. It's rare that there's no one there," Ties confirms.

"So the unsub knows to avoid it lest he be seen and reported," Hotch states. "Is there anything about the sites where parts were found that we don't know from your reports?"

Ties shakes his head. "They are pretty unremarkable areas. The parts would be found eventually no matter what. A few were found when scavengers ripped into the bags but most were found by people who just, you know, assumed something was off because they had seen reports of other dumpings."

"That's what I thought. The bodies had been frozen prior to dismembering. Where would the unsub store them?"

"There are still a lot of people in this area with underground ice houses. Others have multiple freezers to keep meat from hunting. Hell, a buddy of mine had an underground freezer installed. Looks like a storm shelter."

Morgan raises an eyebrow. "Large enough to store multiple bodies?"

"Uh, yeah. But it's not him."

Morgan grins. "I believe you. But maybe they installed one 4 years ago for our unsub."

Ties raises an eyebrow. "Damn. Never thought of that."

"It's a long shot but may as well check it out. What's the name of the company and where is it?"

Ties tells him and Morgan looks at Hotch. "Want to go with me?"

"Go on and talk to them. I'll start looking through full files here. If you get a solid lead come pick me up."

Morgan nods and leaves. Hotch looks at Ties. "So, where are the case files."

"Right this way."

Rossi fights down the urge to yell. "I understand you can't tell us what she was treated for. I understand you can't tell us if she was on medicine. All I need to know is does she live part of the year in Canada? In particular somewhere on Baffin Island in Nunavut," he explains to the receptionist for the clinic.

She studies him carefully, trying to decide if what she tells him could be considered privileged.

"Fine."

She starts to type. As she gets the women's file open she can't help but read the reason for treatment. She sneers.

"Deviant Godless disgrace of a human," she mutters under her breath.

"I'm sorry, did you say something to me?" Rossi asks, knowing she hadn't.

"No! Okay, all I have for her is a P.O. Box here in St. Paul. Nothing in here about Canada."

"Damn. I was sure we'd be able to get her off the streets," Rossi mumbles, hoping whatever had the woman disgusted about Pamela Cutler will make her spill a little extra information.

The woman studies Rossi then pulls out a note pad. "You can get her off the streets?"

"I sure hope so," Rossi says. "But we keep hitting brick walls with her medical records. If only we knew enough to find more out," he says regretfully.

The woman tears off the piece of paper and hands it to him. "This is unofficial and I will deny giving it to you in court."

"Giving me what?" he asks as he winks and slips it in his pocket.

She smiles and nods as Rossi and Reid leave. In the elevator Rossi pulls out the piece of paper, reads it, then hands it to the doctor. Reid sighs.

"She is angry because she is transsexual and nothing can be done for her. I'm not sure I'm happy about us being right or not."

"Let's get out of here and give Emily a call. Maybe she can look into Pamela Cutler up there. Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll be from Iqaluit and Emily will find people that know her."

"Hopefully," Reid says as he pulls out his phone. "And it would keep Emily from having to fly out into the wilderness, too."

"Yep. And that will be good for her and her wife, both."

"Definitely." He pauses. "Hey, Em, we have a name for you to look into. Pamela Cutler." He listens and grins. "Ah, Garcia beat us to you. Well, here is what Garcia doesn't know. Pamela sees a psychiatrist because she is struggling with her transexuality. From the brief note we were unofficially given, she is mad she cannot have the surgery to transition from female to male." He listens and nods. "Good. Well, good luck tomorrow then. Wish we could have kept you grounded. Be safe." He chuckles. "I'm the safest one on the team. Really." He laughs and hangs up.

"She had the name?"

"Yep. Garcia called to get Dez looking for her up there. So far he can't find her anywhere."

"What if she lives as a man up there?" Rossi suggests.

Reid raises an eyebrow. "Good thought! But here she has to live as a woman for her medical benefits." He pulls out his phone and calls Emily back with that idea. When he hangs up he sighs. "Dez will look for a man named Cutler. Cross your fingers they find something."

Rossi nods, hoping Emily's plane exploration will prove unnecessary.

Dez checks all the databases and finally finds a report of an American ex-patriot living a remote lifestyle just outside of Auyuittuq National Park. For a few years he had led guided hunts in the area but finally just turned to a hermit-like lifestyle. The man's name was Paul Cutler. After getting with Garcia they determine that Paul and Pamela are probably one and the same.

"Do we have coordinates of where his house is?" Garcia asks.

"Not here," Dez answers. "Let me check with some of the outfitters up here. Someone may know. Heck, Sara may know since she supposedly knows the whole island really well."

Garcia nods. "Okay. I'll keep checking for anything down here that can help."

"Sounds good."

Dez gets up and heads to the conference room where Emily and Sara are mapping out their routes for the next two days. Emily immediately sees he is excited.

"Please tell me I don't have to go," she begs.

"Sorry. But at least now maybe you'll have a better destination." He tells them about Paul Cutler. "I'm checking with local outfitters to see if they know him. Sara, he lives outside the national park. Any chance you know him?"

Sara shakes her head. "Never heard of him. Might have seen his cabin but who knows?"

"Alright let me talk to the outfitters. I'll get back with you as soon as I have something."

Sara nods. "Okay. And I'll call Dad, too. Maybe even Scott. Could be a hunter stayed with my brother before hunting with Cutler."

Emily nods. "Do it. Anything that can help us maximize our search time would be beneficial." She sighs. "If we're not back in 3 days I'm up here a while, aren't I?"

Sara nods sadly. "Most likely. If that storm hits the way they are predicting it will be at least a week before you get out of here, case solved or not. And if another follows it, which is likely this time of year, well, you can spend Christmas with my family."

Emily pops her neck. "Okay…so…make the calls. I'll…keep mapping the points of interest."

Sara nods, hating the sad look in Emily's eyes. She walks out to track down her dad and then call her brother. Once alone Emily can't resist: she pulls out her phone and checks the weather forecast. The storm was still on path to hit the southern tip of Baffin Island.

"Son of a bitch, she mutters.

She tosses the phone on the table as if to punish it for the weather and gets back to the map in front of her.

"Okay, listen up, my Avengers: Pamela Cutler grew up in a time when not only was it uber-bad to be gay, it was unheard of to be transsexual. As a teenager she was sent to 'special school' to help her be more a lady."

"Special school?" JJ questions.

"It was a way of saying she was sent to a mental health facility to try to cure her of her quote-unquote unnatural urges," Garcia explains.

"Gee. Nice," JJ mutters, her hand rubbing over her stomach.

"Gets worse. The special treatment included shock treatment. When she was finally released at age 21 she was angry with the world. From what I can tell, she left Minneapolis for the White Bear Lake area where she proceeded to live like a man until someone showed up and ruined the fantasy for her."

"Who showed up?" Hotch asks.

"The reverend from her parent's church got transferred up there. Soon everyone who had been friendly with Paul Cutler wanted nothing to do with him. He disappears but his land is still there and the taxes have always been paid on it."

"So he could still live here!" Morgan states.

"I would think so," Garcia agrees. "Now, fast forward about 10 years and a man named Paul Cutler starts to lead guided hunts for caribou, wolf and anything else that could legally be hunted on Baffin Island. Though he never became a citizen of Canada, probably because Pamela, not Paul, had a birth certificate, no one really pushed him about it. He followed the laws, paid taxes but for the most part just kept to himself. Dez was finally able to find out he stopped leading hunts when the gun laws became so difficult for out-of-country hunters. He just didn't want the headache."

"So why is he coming back to the States as Pamela Cutler?" Hotch asks.

"That I can't tell you. But in Canada there is no sign Paul ever saw a doctor for anything worse than stitches."

"So then why the killing?" JJ asks.

"Reid and I had a theory that seems to pan out considering the reason she sees a doctor," Rossi chimes in. "The victims are all young men, virile, able to live their lives as they please. Some have self-imposed obstacles in their lives, others have created their own problems. She hates that they are taking for granted or being cheated out of living a way she covets."

"That sounds scarily probable," Emily chimes in over the speaker. "Morgan, any sign she bought one of those in-ground freezers?"

"No Cutler's on the list. Garcia, send me her address and we'll check it out to see if she has an old-time ice cave."

"Already in your inbox, my Ice King."

Morgan grins. "Of course it is. How could I doubt you?"

"I have no idea," she purrs.

"Okay, so here's the plan," Hotch starts. "Tomorrow morning Morgan and I will go see if Cutler is home. If not we'll poke around a bit to see if she has a freezer or ice cave. Reid, Rossi and JJ try to find people who knew Cutler. We need to know everything we can about her childhood and what could have driven her to this as an adult."

"You mean the 'special school' and its shock treatments aren't enough," JJ gripes.

Hotch ignores the comment, knowing all of them are disgusted by the way a confused, scared young woman was treated.

"Prentiss, send your flight plan to me and Garcia."

"And to my wife?"

Hotch grins as the others chuckle. "Yes, her, too. When will you stop at Cutler's place?"

"Based on the route we are taking we'll get to it on the way back here on Saturday."

"Good. As soon as you know anything let us know."

"Signal permitting you'll know what I know when I know it," she promises.

"Alright. Everyone call it a day. Because of the snowstorm Morgan and I are going to stay at a motel up here tonight so we can get going as soon as possible in the morning. Any questions?"

"Are you absolutely sure you need me to fly tomorrow? I mean, I'll be happy to wait until Saturday," Emily offers hopefully.

Hotch sighs. He and Emily had spoken for a while earlier and he knew this question was coming. They had decided to have her ask it since the whole team was antsy about her going knowing a storm was on its way towards her.

"I'm afraid so, Prentiss. We need to confirm or eliminate her as a suspect as soon as possible."

"Okay. But if Bear-Bear isn't enough to keep me warm it's all your fault."

Everyone, even Hotch, laughs.

"Understood. Get some rest tonight. All of you."

Each member disconnects their line. In the office they are using, Morgan looks at Hotch.

"You planned that question, didn't you?"

Hotch grins. "Yes. She and I talked. We know the situation up there and we know everyone was hoping to keep her closer to the airport so she could get home before a bad storm hits. Truth is, Morgan, it's not looking good to get her home in less than a week."

"Shit," Morgan mutters, running a hand over his head. "And Christmas?"

"Cross your fingers there is a break after this storm passes."

"Crossed and prayers being said," Morgan confirms. "Now, let's get to Walmart. Not all of us were Eagle Scouts."

Hotch grins. "Yeah, I guess you need some shampoo and mousse for your luxurious locks."

Morgan stops from packing up his computer and glares at his boss. "Every once in a while you remind me there is a smart ass being strangled by that tie."

Hotch chuckles and soon the two agents are heading out.

Emily drops onto the bed as her personal phone rings. "Hey, baby."

"Hi. All packed for your overnight jaunt?"

"Yeah."

JJ sighs. "Emily, stop feeling so fatalistic. You will make me worry and worrying will give the nesters wrinkles. Your mother will be appalled."

Emily chuckles. "Right. How silly of me not to consider the Ambassador's embarrassment if you give birth to 90 year olds."

"Exactly. Now, that said, everything set with your pilot?"

"Yeah, she and I mapped out where we need to go and even alternative landing spots if the original ones we chose aren't possible."

Emily waits for a comment but there is silence. She holds her phone away and checks that she still has a signal.

"Jen?"

There is a frustrated sigh. "I'm here. I'm an ass but I'm here."

"An ass? What are you talking about?"

"Your pilot is a woman."

"Oh for fuck's sake, Jen," Emily groans.

"I know! Just…let me explain. You said 'she' and the ugly, green-eyed monster that lives within my raging hormones reared its ugly head. I immediately pictured a bombshell who is of course completely irresistible. And then the angel that beats the green-eyed monster into submission showed up and reminded me that you love me and wouldn't cheat on me. And she also reminded me that I want you to have the best, most experienced, most trusted pilot available. And then the devil said what if you get stranded and have to share a sleeping bag and she is gorgeous? And then the angel smacked the devil upside the head and- -"

Emily is in tears she is laughing so hard. "Jen, baby, please stop. Your angel and devil are killing me!"

JJ grins. "Yeah, well, at least one of us is amused. Those two will be battling in my head all night long."

"Well, if it makes you feel a little better Sara is the daughter of the detective I am working with. She is happily married with 2 dogs and a cat."

"Honey, I trust you." Pause. "But it makes me feel a little better."

Emily chuckles. "Good. Now…I know you want me to stop being all doomy and gloomy but I need you to know I'm leaving Bear-Bear in the hotel. Just in case."

"Em, Henry wanted you to have that to keep- -"

"And I want it here in case the worst happens. He'll need Bear-Bear back. Please give me that small peace of mind."

"Okay. Thank you, honey, for caring so much about him."

"I love him so much, Jen. I have to admit, it was hard saying goodnight to him and Rocky tonight. I have just been…so…unsettled this trip. And I did some thinking today. You are right: there are things about the last couple of cases I haven't dealt with. Maybe a Bureau shrink will help me identify those things so I can really hash it out with Dr. Westfallen."

"Good, Emily. I just want you to be okay, mentally and physically. I'm worried about you."

"I know. I guess…I'm worried about me, too. This…fear I can't let go of isn't like me. I don't like it at all." Emily takes a deep breath. "On the bright side the terror I will have tomorrow in that tiny plane will make this fear seem like nothing."

JJ chuckles. "Not exactly comforting to me but if it works for you that's good."

Emily glances at the clock. "Well, I hate to do this but I need to get some sleep. I'll have the satellite phone but will only have it on if it is in use. If I don't need to contact you all sooner I'll call you when we set down tomorrow afternoon for the evening."

"What time do you take off?"

"We're aiming for 8 a.m., weather permitting. Basically that means as long as there aren't winds that will slam us right back down into the ground. Any wonder why I'm scared of the damn plane?"

"I have to believe it will all be okay. Sara will know if it is safe or not. I trust that. And I have two little babies that will want to know their mama so I have to have faith that you will be back to us safely."

Emily smiles. "When you say it like that how can I doubt it?"

"Exactly. Now, you get plenty of sleep, my Arctic Explorer. Figure out how our unsub hunts up there."

"I will. Out of curiosity does Hotch know how close he came to death if it had turned out this trip had been pointless?"

JJ laughs. "Yes, he knows. Uh, Em, do you have your pain meds? For headaches?"

"Yes, I do, Jen. And, yes, I have packed them for tomorrow. I promise I am doing all I need to do to stay healthy."

"Good. I love you, Emily."

"I love you, too. I'll talk to you tomorrow night."

"I'll be counting the minutes. Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, baby."

Emily sighs as she hangs up the phone. She plugs it in so when she gets back to the hotel on Saturday it will have enough of a charge to call her kids and her wife. She stands and double checks her duffel bag and her equipment case. She is as ready as she can be for a day and night away from the hotel. She adds a book to her duffel, figuring she may have time to read if they land earlier than expected. She knows Sara will not risk trying to fly back towards Iqaluit just because they are ahead of schedule. The pilot had stressed several times that they couldn't stray far from the flight plan as it would be dangerous if they got into trouble.

"Trouble," Emily mutters as she sits back down on the bed. "There will be no trouble, Prentiss. It's just not allowed. Go to sleep, do your job, and come back to Bear-Bear," she orders herself.

And yet it is still nearly 3 hours before she finally falls asleep.

Pamela Cutler watches the late news on Thursday night. She stiffens in her seat when she sees highlights from the press conference JJ had given.

"Well, well, well…locals finally let the FBI in. Was wondering when that would happen," she says proudly. "Looks like I'm really somebody now."

She listens some more and sighs.

"They might get lucky; they might not. What do you think, Reverend?"

She glances over at the mummified remains of the man that had made her childhood a living hell then showed up to ruin the life she had been making for herself in White Bear. Though just a stones throw from St. Paul these days, when she was young it had seemed so far away. Maybe if she had gone farther away things would have been different. Maybe she could have continued to live as Paul here in Minnesota and not have had to run off to Canada to lose herself in the wilds of what is now Nunavut. She turns back to the TV.

"She's pretty. Seems smart. Yes, there's something in her eyes that tells me smart. If the others are like her my time here may be over for this season." She shivers. "I hate the thought of going back to that cabin in Nunavut as cold as it is up there. My joints just can't take that bitter, bitter cold." She sighs. "I guess I could go south. Or maybe east or west. Find a place to lay low for a while." She stands. "Either way: time to start getting ready to leave this house. It's a shame really, Reverend. It was always so nice to visit with you and chat during the cold months."

She goes upstairs to start packing the few belongings she carries with her when she travels back to America.