AN: Okay, folks, here is chapter 11. I appreciate everyone's patience with me getting to this update. I think this will clear up some questions asked by reviewers following last chapter. Let me know what you think.

On another note, don't forget to check out the stories nominated in this year's Profiler's Choice Awards. Information can be found here:

The 2016 Profiler's Choice Awards are on! Calling all CM readers and Authors! Join us for the final round in our annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards; help us choose the best of the best Criminal Minds fanfiction and let your voice be heard. Check out the final ballot and rules at the Profilers choice Awards 2016 Forum. All rules and information can be found there. Voting ends February 28 2017.

Out of breath, he ducked into an alley way, once again trying to hide in the shadows. Leaning his forehead against the rough brick of the building, he banged his fists against the wall.

~No, No, No, ~ his mind screamed, as he finally had time to process what had happened. He never should have been interrupted. No one ever got rid of trash at this time of night. He had determined that long before he had begun his quest to clean up the area. He had spent weeks surveying his hunting grounds, learning the routines and the comings and goings of people in the area. After taking trash out between seven and eight p.m., the workers of that bar never got rid of trash again until after closing at two a.m. So why did, they choose tonight to change that routine!

All his planning thrown at the window by one person! Didn't they understand that he was only trying to make the city a better place for everybody?

With a final bang on the wall, he turned and leaned back against it. He couldn't change what had happened. It was circumstance out of his control and he had adapted as best he could. The important thing was that his goal had been accomplished. The world was rid of one more woman that could corrupt those younger than them. It was a step toward breaking the circle.

Looking down, he saw the dark substance that was her blood. It was the first time he'd had blood on his hands. The strange thing was, it didn't bother him like he thought it would. It was simply proof that he had done good in the world.

Pushing himself off the wall, he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and emerged from the alley he had ducked into. His heart was still beating fast, but he knew he couldn't stay here long. He also knew that the time for running had past. A guy strolling down the road wouldn't attract attention in the city whereas a running figure would.

His work was over for tonight. It was time to go home and let Lily know. He'd reassess things. Perhaps this was the better way. Maybe their blood on his hands was a better feeling than watching the life leave their eyes after all.

"I usually wait for the end of the night to take the trash out but as busy as things were earlier, the trash didn't get taken out earlier tonight so it was piling up," the shift manager said as he related the same story he had told the local police to the federal agents. "So, I decided to take some of it out. As soon as I opened the back door I heard noises over by the dumpster. Not knowing what it was, I didn't exactly rush outside you know. You never know who or what could be lurking in the alley theses days," the man said, pausing for a moment.

Gideon nodded, both in acknowledgment of the statement and encouraging the young man to continue.

"Well, I stood here in the doorway and called out. I didn't get any answer, so I stayed where I was, trying to decide if I should just go back inside or if it was just some animal. I was just about to go back inside when I saw someone run from the shadows by the dumpsters and down the alley."

"He wasn't expecting anyone to be in the alley and his routine got interrupted," Hudson commented. "That's why his MO changed."

"Are you saying that by coming into the alley I caused him to kill that girl?" the shift manager asked, clearly troubled by the thought.

"This isn't your fault," Gideon assured him. "The UnSub intended to kill her no matter what. He just changed his method when you came out in the alley. He clearly wasn't expecting you, which meant he's been watching the area so that he knew everyone's routine."

"Which means the dump sites aren't as random as we first thought," Hudson interjected.

"Right. We're clearly dealing with an organized killer. So the fact that his routine was interrupted tonight might just be the break we need in this case," Gideon added before looking back at the shift manager. "When did you discover the body?"

"After the guy ran off, I decided to just get rid of the trash anyway. I had already tossed the bags into the dumpster before I noticed the body. As much blood as there was, I was sure she was already dead."

"Is there anything else you can remember?" Gideon asked. "What the man who ran off was wearing? His approximate height perhaps?"

"I didn't really get a good look to be able to judge height and it was too dark to see details. I did notice that the man was wearing some kind of hat as he ran off. I remembered seeing him reach up to pull it down."

"Our mystery guy in the fedora?" Hudson ventured.

"Well, if it was, I unfortunately still can't give you an ID on him," Nichols replied, speaking up for the first time since following Gideon and Hudson over to talk to the shift manager. Up until this point, neither Gideon nor Hudson were sure that the computer specialist had even been following the conversation. "I can however tell you who our latest victim is. Marie Sutton, single mother with a very long job history. She doesn't seem to be able to hold onto one job for long. She also has a police record, having been picked up for prostitution two times in the last three years and once for petty larceny. From what I can gather, the larceny charge was for stealing food."

"So, he's moved on from targeting women who are trying to keep the fact that they're earning money from prostitution quiet to someone who has already been arrested for it," Hudson commented. "Our UnSub seems to be targeting prostitutes but is it for a social reason or something more personal?"

"Is there anything else you need me for?" the shift manager asked. The conversation between the profilers was going right over his head. He had just finished an interview with a local officer and had been ready to return to work when Gideon had introduced himself and aked to speak with him. "I really should get back inside and check on things."

"Yeah, go ahead," Gideon told him, feeling that they had probably got us much information as they were going to get from the bar's shift manager. "Thank-you for your help."

"I wish I could have helped more," the shift manager said before turning and heading back into the bar.

Turning away from the backdoor, Gideon, Hudson and Nichols headed in the direction of their three comrades. As the former three approached Hotch, Reid and Morgan, Gideon noticed that Morgan was paying more attention to something in the building that housed the floral shop than the crime scene itself.

"Everything okay?" Gideon asked, as he walked up beside Morgan.

"I guess," Morgan replied, not looking at the older agent. "It's just that I've noticed someone watching what is going on from the one window on the second story of the floral shop building," the Chicago native informed Gideon. "I've caught the curtain moving at least six times since we got here. Granted, it could be someone who is just curious about what is going on out here however. . . "

"If they're watching now, then perhaps they were watching earlier and saw something," Gideon said, finishing the other profiler's sentence for him.

"Exactly," Morgan confirmed, still watching the windows of the other building.

"Take Nichols and Hudson and go see if you can get them to talk to you," Gideon instructed. "It can't hurt to find out exactly how much they know."

"Yes, sir," Morgan replied quickly, as talking to whoever was up there was exactly what he wanted to do.

With a quick glance at both of the other agent's, Morgan headed back up the alley. Reaching the mouth of the alley, the three FBI agents' ignored the calls from the media as they turned left toward the floral shop. Locating the steps to the second floor landing, Morgan led the way to the living quarters above the shop.

Reaching the door, Morgan reached out and rapped his knuckles loudly on the door. Standing behind him, Nichols and Hudson kept a lookout to make sure no one approached and took them by surprise.

Morgan let a few minutes pass without response to his knock before banging on the door. "FBI," the dark-skinned profiler called out. "I know someone is awake in there. We saw you watching us."

There were a few more moments of silence before the profilers heard footsteps from within. There was a movement of locks and then the door opened partway, a chain securing it from opening all the way.

"Can I see a badge or something?"asked the red-haired woman peering through the partially opened door. The fear and nerves were evident in her voice as she made the request.

Reaching into his pocket, Morgan took out his credentials and flipped them open. Holding it up to the crack, Morgan held it steady so that the woman could examine it. "We just want to ask you a few questions," the Chicago native said in a neutral tone.

"Okay," the woman finally said with a slight nod. Pushing the door shut, she undid the chain and then opened her front door all the way. Stepping aside to allow access to her home, the woman motioned the agents in.

"Have a seat," the woman invited as she shut and locked the door behind Agent Nichols who was the last of the three to enter.

Morgan, Hudson and Nichols all found spots on the tan, plush sofa, leaving the living room's sole arm chair open for their hostess. "Like I said before, I noticed you watching what was taking place in the alley from your window," Morgan began.

"So curiosity is a crime now?" the woman asked, as she sat down in the arm chair.

"Nobody said that," Hudson replied.

"And we're not accusing you of anything," Nichols added reassuringly.

"What we were wondering," Morgan said, picking up right after his teammates, "is if perhaps you noticed something earlier tonight. Before the police arrived on the scene, maybe?"

"How did you know?" the woman replied, unable to hide the surprise she felt. The emotion showed in both her voice and her face.

"You kept ducking behind the curtain any time you thought someone was looking in your direction, as if you didn't want anyone to know you were watching. It's an action of someone who has something to hide. The question is, what is it that you are trying to hide?"

The woman looked away from the FBI agents and toward the window. Around the edges of the curtains, flashing red and blue lights from the scene in the alley below found their way through to the interior.

"I may have seen something," the woman said softly. "I'm not sure and with the recent deaths . . ."

The woman paused as she tried to collect her courage and organize her thoughts. "I live alone," she continued, "above a shop that I run on my own. The recent deaths of those women have naturally concerned me and put me on edge. When I heard a noise outside tonight, I went to the window to check it out even though I know the dumpsters for the alley are out there. However, everything was so dark down there. I couldn't really make anything out. I was debating on calling the cops anyway, just to have someone check things out you know, when that guy came out of the bar. I'm not sure what took place but I saw a shadow running down the alley I stopped watching then. At that point I didn't want to know what was going on out there. I tried to forget about what might have happened out there, but once the emergency responders started showing up, it was kind of hard to do that," the woman said, feeling as though the rest was self explanatory.

There was a moment of silence as the three profilers digested the information, each judging for themselves whether the woman could be believed or not.

"Am I right in thinking that someone is dead out there?"

"Yes," Morgan replied, deciding for himself that the woman was too scared and too nervous to be making things up.

"And I saw the killer running away, didn't I?" the woman asked, the panic settling in even as she spoke. "Does that mean he's going to be coming after me next? If you guys noticed me watching he may have seen me too?"

"Relax," Morgan told her calmly. "We're trained to look for things in the area to provide clues to solve our cases. Just because I noticed you watching us, it does not mean the killer saw you. He would have had other things on his mind at the time."

"As for being a target," Hudson chimed in, "though I do suggest you stay vigilant, you are not this UnSub's type."

"The killer has a type?" the woman asked, a trace of curiosity coming through her fear.

"Most killers do, yes," Morgan answered. "They pick their targets according to a certain criteria, either consciously or subconsciously. With this particular guy, you don't fit the criteria that he is looking for."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel much better."

"However, having him off the streets might. I know you said it was dark, but is there anything else you can tell us about the figure you saw run away?" Morgan asked. "Even if it seems insignificant, it could provide a valuable clue."

The woman shook her head. "I'm sorry. I really can't add anything else," she informed them, real regret lacing her voice.

Morgan glanced to his left and met the eyes of both Nichols and Hudson. This was apparently just another dead end. The Chicago native could see the disappointment he felt reflected in his colleagues' eyes.

"Wait a minute," the woman said slowly. "I'm pretty sure that when the guy running off reached the end of the alley he turned left."

"Unfortunately it's a little too late to try to chase him," Hudson commented, matter of factly.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that but my point is, he would've ran past the front of my shop. Like I said, I run the shop alone. I have security cameras both inside and outside of the shop. The camera outside picks up the people passing by on the sidewalk. There is a chance the camera caught him as he left. Unfortunately, only the company that runs my security can access the camera footage."

"Not necessary," Nichols replied, reaching for the computer bag he had sat at his feet. Reaching into it, he pulled out his laptop and put it down on the coffee table. Flipping it open, he let it boot-up as he pulled out the device he needed to connect to the internet.

"Agent Nichols is our team's computer specialist," Morgan informed the confused looking woman. "He'll be able to access the camera footage to see if we have an image of the guy."

"Okay," the woman replied, casting another apprehensive look in Nichols direction. Apparently the information did nothing to help her feeling of insecurity.

"Which reminds me, we didn't exactly introduce ourselves," Morgan said, hoping that some small talk might help the woman feel more at ease. "I'm SSA Derek Morgan," he told her. "My two colleagues are SSA Hudson and SSA Nichols," he said, pointing at the two respectively as he said their names. The latter's fingers were dancing over his keyboard and Morgan wondered how much the computer specialist was hearing.

"I'm Jaden Bruno," the woman replied.

"Well, Jaden, it's nice to meet you and we do thank-you for your help."

"I'm not sure exactly how much help I've been," she replied.

"Actually quite a bit," Nichols replied, proving once again that he had been paying attention to what he was doing even as he worked. "The security camera did catch him as he hurried past and for once he isn't carefully hiding his face with the fedora."

"So, we finally have a picture of him?" Hudson asked, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.

Nichols nodded. "It's not the best picture ever taken, but I will be able to pull a still image of our suspect that I can run through my facial recognition program," the computer specialist informed the other two agents even as he continued to work.

There were a few more moments of silence as the other three people in the room continued to watch Nichols work over the computer. The silence was finally broken by Nichols once again.

"Just give me a minute to set things up so that the results of the search are sent to my phone and we'll get out of your livingroom, Jaden," Nichols said, casting a brief glance at the woman.

Jaden gave a weak smile and then glanced over at Morgan. "So, you're going to catch this guy right."

"Yes," Morgan replied, for the first time since this case started really believing that they would. "In any case, he's nowhere near here tonight, so try to get some sleep."

Jaden glanced over at the window that looked out over the alley. Flashing red and blue lights still creeped in around the edges. "A lot easier said than done," Jaden replied.

Morgan nodded understandingly.

"There, as soon as the computer back in Quantico gets any results, it'll send it to my phone," Nichols said, closing the lid of his laptop as he began to pack things up once again.

Beside him, Morgan and Hudson got to their feet.

"We're sorry for the disturbance tonight, but do thank-you for your help."

Jaden nodded, feeling a bit ashamed at not calling in what she knew right away and for trying to avoid opening the door. She had just been so scared. She still didn't feel completely at ease, but at least she knew she had help the police find a killer that had been terrorizing her city.

Once he had his things packed up, Nichols too got to his feet. Jaden walked the three agents to the door. Stepping back into the cold night, Morgan led the way back down the stairs. As they headed back toward the alley to rejoin the rest of his team, Morgan found himself surveying the shop. He spotted at once the camera tucked above the front entrance of the floral shop, which he had missed on his way past the first time.

Ignoring the media again, the three federal agents ducked back under the crime scene tape. They found Gideon, Hotch and Reid standing by the back door of the bar as the local police officers continued to work the crime scene.

"Did they see anything?" Gideon asked, directing the question to Morgan as he, Nichols and Hudson joined them.

"Not much more than the bar's shift manager did," Morgan replied. "However, she's the owner of the floral shop and pointed out that there is a security camera outside the entrance of the shop. Nichols was able to lift a good enough image of the fleeing suspect to run through his facial recognition software."

"I think that's the best news I've heard all night," Gideon replied, grateful that they might finally be able to identify the mystery man that Mindy had been with on the night of her death. With what the bar shift manager had been able to tell them, and what they had been able to determine from the crime scene, Gideon felt sure that this was the work of their UnSub and that he had simply gotten spooked. Which meant that now was the time to locate him, as he was more likely to make mistakes.

However, they had probably learned all that they could from the crime scene. He had already made arrangements with the ME to have him fax at copy of the complete report to the station when it was completed. Right now, what they needed to do was regroup and figure out their next step.

"Let's head to the station and figure out where we go from here," Gideon said, the words more of an order than a suggestion. He knew his agents were tired, as was he, but he also knew that he wasn't going to get any complaints from any of them. Late nights and lack of sleep were sometimes the price they had to pay to catch up with their quarry.

As he led the way back toward where Officer Kelton still stood as a sentry to the crime scene, Gideon looked around for Captain Blythe. Despite the captain's hostile attitude, Gideon intended to give him an update of what they had found on the crime scene. Not spotting him however, the BAU Unit Chief instead elected to leave the information with the young officer.

Reaching Kelton, Gideon had a quiet conversation with the young officer, informing him about what the floral shop owner had told him, and about retrieving the image of the UnSub fleeing the scene.

"Let Captain Blythe know that I will be happy to send him any information we find out from the security camera image," Gideon concluded, taking out one of his cards and handing it to Officer Kelton. "He can reach me via my cell phone."

"Ah, yes sir," Officer Kelton replied, taking the card from Gideon before reaching out to lift the crime scene tape for the departing federal agents.