The Devil in Me
A Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior story
Readers note: The song lyrics at the start of the chapter is now Scene Change by The White Tie Affair. In case you were wondering. Thanks!
Chapter 11: Make it or Break it Time
I know it's quite deceiving when I look but I don't see me
This case was causing me to lose grasp on time. I was so absorbed in figuring out this heist I occasionally forgot it wasn't my heist. I found myself getting excited when I figured something out the cops wouldn't. And I found myself keeping secrets from the BAU. I even lied to Kate and said I was back in the game, just so I didn't have to go through FBI channels to get my information. I was so screwed.
I was suddenly startled by my phone buzzing in my pocket. 'Penelope'.
"Penny, what's up?" I asked trying to keep cool.
"I haven't heard anything from you since yesterday morning. Are you alright?" She asked and I felt guilty… I like Penelope, she was a true friend, not an acquaintance, not a colleague, a friend.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry" I said quickly. "I'm alright I've just been really busy trying to figure this case out." I lied.
"Do you need anything?"
"Oh, uh, yeah… did you search the security camera for what I said to look for?" I asked. I knew what I was looking for was on the tapes, I knew yesterday thanks to Kate but I wanted her to believe I was playing by the rules.
"Yeah, I found it. Do you want me to cue it up on the video screen?" I laughed, but it didn't ease the guilt. I couldn't believe it, but I actually wanted to stay at the BAU. Maybe Prophet was right. I stood up and walked outside the New York FBI branch building.
"uh, sure, but Im outside right now…" I said trying to hide my guilt. It wasn't working… time to come clean with her. "Garcia, can I tell you the truth?"
"The truth?"
"I know how the bank was robbed, I figured it out an hour ago, well, except how they got away. But I lied to you and the team. I went outside of proper channels, I already have everything. I don't expect you to keep my secret… but I can't lie to you Penny" I said and to my surprise I was fighting off tears.
"Oh, Kailyn… I won't tell the team… if anyone asks I got all that information for you. But you need to go tell Cooper. Now!" She exclaimed and it became clearer why she was a true friend.
"You're right. I have to tell them. Thank you Penny for everything" I hung up the phone. I was beginning to think Penelope was that little angel on my shoulder that tells you what the right thing to do is. She had a kind of purity and innocence to he I had never encountered before. I wiped my eyes and as I turned to go back into the building I saw a motorcycle speed past. "A motorcycle" I whispered as the light bulb in my head flicked on. I called Penelope back rushing into the FBI building.
"I lied to you again Penelope I do need something" I said
"Okay…" She questioned
"I need you to go back through the security look for motorcycles that returned to the back multiple times leading up to the back. They would've only been a visitor to the bank for, at the most, two weeks. Stay on the line I'm going up to join the team now"
"Sure. I'll have it to you faster you can tweet about it" she said and I could hear the tapping of keys on her keyboard as I entered the elevator.
I got to the rest of the team a moment later. "Penelope I'm putting you on speaker." I looked at the team "I know how our unsubs did it. And there are three people involved. At least… it couldn't be done with any less than three people" I explained
"But witnesses only reported two robbers"
"Exactly, the third person is what I like to the wizard… like the Wizard of Oz… you know, the man behind the curtain" I said explaining "Unsub number 3 is responsible for the technological aspects of it. Penny cue the video Now watch closely" I spoke as the video played "Did you see that… Penelope play it again" The video played again an this time the whole team straightened up as they saw what I had been pointing out.
"What was that glitch on the tape" Gina asked and I smirked
"That's a loop… someone who is really good with computer equipment can create a video loop, I'm sure Penelope could do it, and alter the counter on the screen. And that is why there has to be a third party" I explained. "By creating the loop people can walk down that hallway without the video picking them up. I've done it before" I explained to the team.
Just then one of the local Agents walked in "Guys, there's been another bank robbery" We all looked up
"Where?"
"Federal Reserve Bank on Liberty Street" I grabbed my bag as we left the FBI building. I found myself wondering if I could've prevented this. If only I had spoken up sooner. The Bank looked like a war zone, scared crying witnesses lined the sidewalk outside the bank. The paramedics were taking a young man down to the hospital… it looked like he'd been shot in the abdomen.
I scoped the crowd and picked out a women I figured could tell me what happened, my team was taking witness statements. I approached her "Excuse me Ma'am?" the woman looked up. "I wont take up much of your time. I know this is difficult but can you tell me what happened?" She hiccupped and nodded
"We were just trying to make a deposit when a guy and a girl came in from the back of the building"
"A guy and a girl… you're absolutely sure?"
"Yes. They shot the guard and then they demanded the money from the tellers" she sobbed
"Its okay, can you tell me how that guy got hurt?" I asked pointing to the ambulance
"He tried to stop the guy, they were fighting and then the girl shot him" She cried out in hysterics.
"Thank you. I'm sorry about this ordeal, you should not have had to go through that" I said rubbing her arm trying to comfort her. I noticed my team entering the bank "Can you excuse me?" I asked following the team inside.
"They were meticulous. We wont find any evidence. They will have made sure of it" Mick spoke, just then my attention was grabbed by something shiny sticking out from under a chair. I grabbed it and pulled out what was a broken watch.
"Maybe not…" I whispered. I was confused, I knew this watch, I'd seen it before… but where? I stood up "This one didn't go as planned" I spoke "One of the hostages went after the gunmen, they didn't plan for it and they made a mistake" I showed the team the watch and suddenly realized who it belonged to. "And I know who our male shooter is"
"Are you positive?" Prophet asked and just then the phone rang.
"Penny. What do you got?"
"I found the motorcycle… it belongs to a-" I cut her off
"Tyson King?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"I just did" I said and hung up tossing the watch at Mick. I couldn't breathe, this was too close to home. I started thinking about what Kate had said when she found out I was with the BAU.
"You work for the feds! What is your problem K."
"It was the only way"
"No it wasn't. You never needed the pigs before, and I know you don't need them now. You belong with us, this is who you are. You can't have it both ways. You're with us, or you are with them. Make a choice"
"Find Tyson King and bring him into the FBI building. Now!" I ordered and stormed out not noticing that Gina followed me.
"Are you okay? Mick mentioned that you seemed nervous on the plane, and you've been really distant"
"I'm fine Gina, can we just get Tyson and bring him in?" I asked and then remembered what I didn't want to think about.
"Gina, While you are at it, bring in Katlynn Merlot, and Casey King, I have a feeling they know something about the robberies that they'll never choose to share with us"
If I'm right about what is going on here… You will be dead by morning Kate. And I'll be the one to kill you.
