It was an icy cold day at the beginning of December when the team walked off the plane in Zionsville, Pennsylvania, prepared to deal with a family annihilator.
"Why can't unsubs devolve somewhere with a warm climate this time of the year?" JJ asked as they walked across the cold tarmac.
"That's part of what makes them so evil," Blake pointed out as she pulled open the door to one of the waiting black SUVs and climbed inside.
"Three families this guy has killed, and just before Christmas," the local sheriff told them when they arrived at her office. "The whole area is on edge. We need to put a stop to this now!"
"That's what we are here for," Hotch assured her. "I assume you have a place for us to set up?"
"Right this way," the sheriff let them into a small conference room containing a library table and chairs, as well as several evidence boards. "Is this okay? We weren't sure what you would need and asked your tech analyst for guidance."
"This is fine," JJ assured her as she walked over to examine the boards.
"A map of the area?" Reid looked around.
"I can get one for you," one of the deputies assured him before hurrying out of the room.
"And, if someone can take two of my agents out to the latest crime scene?" Hotch requested.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Twenty-four hours later, the BAU team was still working on profiling and identifying the unsub.
"I have isolated his comfort zone," Reid pointed to the map.
"But we still haven't figured out his motivation or why he targeted these particular families," Morgan pointed out.
"Or identified what triggered his spree," Blake commented thoughtfully.
"He most likely has another family already picked out," Rossi said. "And, we need to stop him before he manages to isolate them."
Hotch's cell phone rang and he quickly answered it. "Hello, Garcia. What do you have for us? And, you are on speaker," he warned her.
"Okay, my most favorite superheroes," her voice came through the phone. "I just want to let you know that I have completed examining all available records for all three families, and I am still at a loss. That is a small area, so they did frequent the same stores and travel the same roads, but as for personal interactions, I can't find anything."
"Did they all maybe purchase a particular item regularly at one of the stores they frequent?" JJ asked.
"Well, families #1 and #3 both apparently use the same brand of laundry detergent," Garcia volunteered. "While families #2 and #3 use the same toothpaste. But I don't think that is enough to get them killed."
"It's close to Christmas," Rossi was thinking aloud. "And they all had children. What about toys or games? And, not just locally. Look to see what they may have purchased on line, too."
"Kids and Christmas and toys – Got you!" Garcia replied. "Let me see what I can find and get back to you." She signed off.
"What are you thinking, Rossi?" Blake asked.
"Every year there is some toy or game that the religious zealots take exception to," Rossi replied slowly. "I don't know what this year's target is, but we need to find out whether that is what is behind these murders."
"Well, there is a chain discount store within the comfort zone that sells toys and games," Reid pointed to a spot on the map. "However, if the purchases were made with cash there wouldn't be any paper trail."
Rossi's cell phone rang and he automatically opened it and answered, "Rossi."
"Al?" he questioned, surprised.
"Slow down – Slow down!" he said. "Now, before you start blaming yourself, why don't you tell me exactly what happened?"
"It's Emma, isn't it?" Reid questioned loudly. "Is she alright?"
Rossi covered the phone with his hand. "Just a minute," he told the young agent. "Let me find out what Al has to say."
"It's Emma, I know it's Emma!" Reid repeated loudly as he rushed across the room. "Let me talk with him!" He reached out, trying to grab the phone.
"Okay, Okay," Rossi replied as he twisted to maintain possession of the phone. "Let me see about putting this on speaker. Al, are you okay with that?"
"No problem," the voice came through the phone's speaker. "That way I'll only have to say this once. And, let me begin by saying that I take full responsibility."
"Why don't you just tell us what happened?" JJ suggested.
"I was taking Emma over to the university library," Al began. "And, knowing that the doctor has told her to stay off her feet as much as possible, I dropped her off as close to the door as I could before proceeding to the parking lot to leave the car. I surveyed the area first, and didn't see anyone loitering there, so I felt confident that she would be all right going into the building by herself."
"There was someone there," Blake guessed.
"I don't know where they came from," Al continued. "I hadn't gone far when I saw the two of them in my rear view mirror, approaching Emma. I immediately stopped the car where it was, got out, and started running in her direction."
"What did Emma do?" Reid demanded.
"Well, she hadn't started up the stairs yet, so she was still on flat ground," Al explained. "And, you know that purse she carries with the long shoulder strap?"
"Yes," Rossi told him. "I always tease her about what she has packed in there."
"She only swung it once," Al reported. "But she managed to clock the guy up along side the head with it. He dropped like a rock. Then she turned on the woman and kneed her in the – Well, let's just say it's a good thing she's not a man."
"Oh No!" Morgan grimaced while trying hard not to laugh. "Remind me never to get in a fight with Emma!"
"Some other people who were in the area saw what was going on and rushed over to help her," Al continued. "However, somehow, in all the confusion, the assailants both got away."
"I got Emma back into the car and wanted to take her to the doctor. However, she insisted she was just fine and wanted to go back to the library. After a brief, very vocal argument, I brought her home – Very much against her will! She is currently in the great room complaining to Ginny."
"As I said, I should have been more observant and I take full responsibility," Al concluded his report.
"She wanted to go back to the library?" Hotch asked with a chuckle.
"That sounds like the Emma I know," Morgan added.
"Hard-headed," JJ observed with a smile.
"Determined," Blake corrected her.
"Well, she's not going to like it, but from now on Emma is getting a door-to-door escort," Rossi stated. "Even if two people have to accompany her every time she leaves the house."
"And, Al," he added. "Don't blame yourself. Psychopaths like those two are extremely difficult to predict. Emma is okay now and that's all that matters."
"Dr. Reid?" Al asked hesitantly.
"We need to get Garcia to review the security tapes from the library," Reid began. "Maybe she can figure out where the two of them came from and where they went afterwards. Everyone has been unable to track them down and we need to find them before they really hurt my family!"
"And, Al," he added. "Don't blame yourself. This wasn't your fault. The police in at least three jurisdictions, as well as the FBI, have been unable to locate those two. They are unpredictable psychopaths who are flying under the radar and no one can be expected to anticipate what they are going to do next."
