** This story is the continuation of The Enemy of my Enemy, Trouble in Paradise, He Returned to Kilarney, and The CIA Files **
I was debating on writing this one but the story kept gnawing at me. This one might be the last of the series. I guess it depends on if people are still interested. Thanks to those who leave reviews! Always appreciated. I hope you enjoy this one too.
"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken."
- Jane Austen
Garcia walked arm in arm with Morgan as they stepped out of the movie theater. "That movie was amazing! Please tell me you all agree with me," she said.
"Yes, I liked it a lot, especially glad to see Black Widow on the screen. I wonder when she will get her own movie and not just be in one of Iron Man's," Alex said while walking with Reid.
"I'm still sad Hotch couldn't come with us," JJ said.
"Well, he did say that he promised to take Jack to Iron Man 2," Prentiss said.
"I bet Rossi is having fun at his poker game tonight," Morgan said. "I don't blame him for missing the movie. Doesn't really seem like his cup of tea."
"Hey, guys. Look, the bar is still open," Garcia said as she pointed across the street.
"Oh, I don't know. It's a school night," JJ said.
"Live a little, Jayj," Garcia said. "One drink isn't going to kill you."
Two hours later, the group was sitting at a large round table with several empty shot glasses in the middle, and each had a beer in their hand.
"Okay, my turn," JJ said. "Never have I ever cheated on a test." JJ watched as everyone took a drink. "Really, Spencer? You cheated?"
"There's a lot you don't know about me, JJ," he said with a grin.
"It's Alex's turn!" Garcia cheered.
"Um, okay. Never have I ever gone through a punk, goth, or emo phase growing up."
Prentiss and Garcia both let out a sigh and took a drink.
"Alright, Pretty Boy, your turn," Morgan said.
"Never have I ever had sex on a first date," he said, beaming.
Prentiss scoffed. "I swear you are doing this just to get me drunk."
The next morning Prentiss stood in the elevator. She rested her head on the cold metal wall and closed her eyes. She was startled when the doors opened. She adjusted her shoulders then stepped out of the car. She walked into the bullpen, dropped her bag on the floor, and grabbed the coffee pot.
"Now, that's exactly what I need," Morgan said as he held his mug in front of her. "If you don't mind."
"I guess we all need some after last night," Prentiss said.
Garcia moved toward them like a zombie. "Need caffeine," she groaned.
"What's wrong, mama? Can't party like you used to?" Morgan asked.
"How is it possible that even after a few hours' sleep you still end up looking delicious in the morning?" Garcia asked.
"That's because I was looking forward to seeing you," Morgan said sweetly.
Garcia's eyes sparkled. "Now he knows how to make a woman feel special," she said.
"Morning, everyone," Reid said as he barreled toward them. He grabbed his mug and poured the coffee. He then picked up the sugar canister and turned it upside down over the cup. He watched as the granules dropped into his cup flooding and mixing with the hot beverage. He then turned it back over.
"Think you have enough?" Morgan asked.
"No," Reid said. "I am going to need at least three of these."
"Hey guys," JJ announced as she entered with a stack of folders in her hand. "It's about time you got here."
"Now that's just not fair," Prentiss said. "How is it that you look like you had ten hours of sleep last night while the rest of us look like Night of the Living Dead."
JJ stared at her for a moment. "Uh, I don't know. But believe me, I don't feel like it."
"Where's Rossi?" Prentiss asked after she looked at the darkened office.
"Hotch said that he had an errand to run this morning, and he will be in a little late," JJ said.
"He was probably up late playing cards and called in to get some extra sleep," Morgan said with a grin.
"Looks like lunch is on him," Prentiss said.
The group moved toward their desks and settled in for the morning when Agent Anderson entered the bullpen and headed directly to Reid's desk. "Reid," he called out. "This came for you."
Reid took the overnighted envelope from him. "Thanks, Anderson."
Morgan turned around as Anderson walked past him. "Anything for me?"
"Sorry, not today," Anderson said with a shrug.
"Well, how do you like that?" Morgan said. "So, what did you get, Pretty Boy?"
Reid pulled the tab and opened the package. Inside was a sealed manilla envelope that had the name "Spencer Reid" written on it. He opened it and pulled out seven 8x10 pictures with a note that said, "Do you see the connection?" At the bottom of the page was a hand-drawn symbol.
Reid flipped through the pictures to see that they were all crime scene photos, but upon further inspection saw that they were all different people. He turned one picture over, and it had a name, date of discovery, and state the body was found listed on the back. He flipped the stack around and saw that they were all labeled the same way.
"So, what is it?" Morgan asked again.
Reid quickly gathered the information together. "I have to tell Hotch." He rushed up the stairs and barged into the office.
"Let me call you back," Hotch said and hung up his office phone. "What's going on?"
Reid explained the pictures he received, and the team gathered in the round table room.
JJ and Reid taped the pictures on the board in the order the bodies were discovered and wrote the information below each picture.
Morgan looked at the board then turned to the group. "Any connections? The only connection I see is that they were all mailed to Reid. The victimology is completely different, age, race, sex. Not to mention that even their apparent cause of death seems to be different."
"Well, that's what we are going to try and find out," Hotch said. "Garcia, have you made any headway?" he asked her as she typed away on her laptop.
"I have made significant headway. Whoever sent these pictures to Reid gave me excellent breadcrumbs to follow. And Morgan is correct. These victims have been stabbed, shot, drowned; you name it." Garcia said.
Hotch stood in front of the table with his fingertips touching each other. "Okay, let's compile all the information you can get for these victims. Reid, let's get a map set up marking their locations. Let's find out all we can."
"I will call the precincts where the bodies were discovered and see if there's any information they can give that's not in the file," JJ said.
Hotch walked over to Reid. "Do you have any idea who could have sent this to you?"
Reid picked up the envelope and looked at it for the umpteenth time. "No clue. It comes from a Scott Lang in San Francisco. I don't think I've ever met anyone by that name."
"I've already looked up that name in the bay area as well as all of California," Garcia started. "We are looking at multiple possibilities."
"And that might not even be his real name," Reid said.
"Yeah, Scott Lang sounds ambiguous enough," Prentiss added. "It's practically saying John Smith."
"What about that symbol at the bottom of the page?" Hotch asked.
"It appears to be something Aztec. Garcia is searching for a match to that at well," Reid said.
"Aztec? Any idea what that could mean?" Hotch questioned.
"I have no clue," Reid said.
"Well, let's continue looking into everything and see what we can come up with," Hotch said.
An hour had passed. Hotch was sitting at his desk, reviewing a few of the case files they had just received.
Rossi came and stood in Hotch's doorway. "So, the serial killers are sending us mail now?"
"I don't think it's the killer who sent the package," Hotch said.
Rossi entered the room and sat down in front of the desk. "What makes you think that?"
"The letter was asking if Reid saw a connection. It wasn't bragging; it wasn't asking for help. It was pointing out something that for the past five years has gone unnoticed," Hotch explained.
"And why Reid?" Rossi questioned.
"Not sure. There were no prints found. Reid doesn't recognize the name of the sender. It is just one of many pieces to this puzzle. But my gut says that this someone who is aware that these murders have all been committed by the same UnSub."
"Or perhaps the sender is the UnSub's partner and has had enough," Rossi said.
"One of many possibilities." Hotch rose from behind his desk. "Let's gather everyone back together and review what we have so far."
They entered the conference room to see Reid sitting with Garcia going through pictures of people on her computer.
"What are you looking at?" Hotch asked.
"I had Garcia pull up DMV photos for all the Scott Lang's in California to see if I recognized any of them," Reid said. "No luck."
"We are going to have to assume that is a pseudonym," Hotch said. "Perhaps we will discover the deeper meaning down the road. Where are we now?"
Prentiss moved to the map showing pushpins in several locations. "Here are all the areas where the bodies were discovered."
"Each location is also in the middle of a state or national park," Morgan observed.
"They are also all along the Mexican border," Prentiss added. "California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas."
"That's something that wouldn't come up in VICAP," Morgan said. "It's too ambiguous."
"There definitely is a connection here. But at the moment, I'm not sure of what," Rossi said.
After a few more hours poring over the information, Hotch closed the folder in front of him. "Let's go ahead and leave this for today. We can start fresh tomorrow."
Reid went home with the original envelope and copies of the pictures he received. He entered the house, kicked over the edge of the entryway rug, placed the keys on the table by the door then plopped down on the sofa.
Alex was in the study when she heard him come home. "Hey, you're home later than you thought. Did you get a case?" She instinctively went to the rug and laid it flat.
"I received this envelope today with pictures of different crime scenes and a note asking if I see the connection," Reid said. "Do you know anyone named Scott Lang?"
Alex looked at him. "Um, it sounds a little familiar, but no, I don't think so."
"That's what I was thinking. I feel like I should know it, but I don't." He picked up the envelope and handed it to her.
Alex held it in her hand and read the address. "San Francisco?"
"That has me confused, too. I mean, could that be a clue to something?" Reid put down the pictures and stood up. "I'm going to make myself some tea, what some?"
"Yes, that sounds good," Alex said, still looking at the envelope.
As Reid entered the kitchen, Alex got up from the sofa and went upstairs. She went into the guest bedroom and pulled out a box from the top shelf in the closet. She put the box on the ground and opened the top. She pulled out a stack of Black Widow and Avenger comic books. She flipped through a couple of them, then paused. "It can't be," she whispered to herself.