Disclaimer: Profiler and all characters belongs to NBC, Sanders/Moses Productions, Cynthia Saunders, Stephen Kronish ... Not to me. No copyright infringement intended.

Part XIV : Reducing the spectrum

It was past seven when the team went back to the VCTF headquarters. They were all exhausted. They went directly to the command center. George was alone there.

" Where is Bailey ?" Grace asked.
" In his office." George answered.
" Did he talk to you ?
- Not much. He spent less than five minutes here. He's been upstairs since then.
- I'll go and get him." Sam said, leaving the room.

Bailey's office blinds were shut. She gently knocked at the door. No answer came. After a few seconds, she tried again.

" Come in." His voice was low. She entered and closed the door behind her. He was sitting in the armchair at his desk, but he was turned towards the wall. He didn't turn back to her. She went to him without a word and looked over his shoulders. He was holding a picture in his hands. The photo was old, black and white. A Bailey she had never seen was on it with an older man. He was very young then, below twenty.

" You looked pretty good back then." she said. " When was it taken ?
- When I entered the Marines. I was seventeen." She did not have to ask to know the man with Bailey on the picture was Darryl Turner.
" Bail, the team is waiting for us." He turned his head up to her. His eyes were red. He nodded, put the photo back in his wallet and got up.
" Wait a minute." she said. She took him in his arms and gave him one of those big hugs he had given her in times of crisis. They stayed like this about two minutes. She could feel the stress in his body.

He was looking better when they parted. When they went to join the others in the command center, a big picture of Turner was displayed on the screen. She discretly put her hand on Bailey's back and stroke his shoulders lightly. They took a seat at the table.

" Ok. What have you got ?" Bailey started.
" Darryl Turner." George began. " Age 64. Retired from the army fifteen years ago. He bought a little grocery store in the area. Sold it back last year, just after his wife died. They never had children. He was living a quiet life, in a quiet neighborhood. No known enemies." George paused for a few seconds. " He was Bailey's instructor in the Marines.
- No doubt Jack's got a copy of your military records." Grace said.

" He seems to concentrate on people with whom you had a more personal relationship." Sam added." Bailey, you're the only one who can help us to progress now." The other agents were staring at Bailey in silence. Sam was perfectly aware of how difficult the situation was for him, but they had to do something. They had to stop Jack. And Bailey probably had the keys to do that.
" George, give me the latest list you made. I'll try to be as precise as I can. But you, people don't have to stay. You all look tired and better go home. We can regroup here tomorrow at 8:00."

They looked at each others. They needn't being profilers to see their boss was not at his best. John was the first one to talk.

" I'm not going anywhere." he simply said.
" There's a baseball match on TV tonight," Grace said " Morgan will not even notice I'm not there.
- You're a joke with a computer, Malone. You'll need me anyway." George added. Sam spoke last.
" Well, I had an appointment with my boyfriend tonight, but I'm sure he'll understand.
- It seems it'll be hard to get rid of you." Bailey said. " I never heard of such a bunch of sticky colleagues !"

They all smiled. " Thanks." Bailey added. George printed a list of possible victims Sam had been working on. John called the Chinese take-away down the street and ordered what they would need to spend the night. Sam had reduced to 22 the list of names that had come out of Bailey's file. Malone helped himself a coffee, took the fold from the printer and sat back at the table.

He waited till everybody was ready and then started unveiling parts of his life he had kept hidden for so long.

" James Garfield." he started. George had a picture appear on the screen. " We met in Alamosa, Colorado. We spent three months there for training, in the Marine. It was just before our unit was transferred to Viet Nam, in Nha Trang. We were ensuring the security for American personalities coming to negotiate with Vietnamese authorities, diplomats, senators, generals mainly ...

It was half past four when they ended up with the last name on the list. They were all exhausted. Five names had come out to perfectly correspond to the profile Sam had dressed of Jack's latest victims.

" I'm calling Atlanta PD so that they put them under protection." Bailey said. He sounded worn out. " I'll go and see each of them personally in the morning.
- Let me do the calling." John interrupted. " I can handle that.
- Thanks John. Ok everybody, you still can get a little sleep. Go home. The police can take over for a few hours."

Grace and George stood up, said good bye and left the room. So did John when he finished his call. Sam sat on the table near Bailey.

" Are you coming ?" Bailey gave her a sad smile.
" No." he answered. " I'm gonna get home, take a shower and sleep a little. Besides, I don't want to frighten Chloe !
- She's seen worse.
- She doesn't need it.
- I'm not so far from feeling rejected, Malone.
- You don't have to." He took her hand. " I'm sorry honey. This night has not been so easy and ...
- I know. Have a rest. We'll talk in the morning."

She gave him a light kiss on the forehead and left him alone.



To be continued ... R&R, Thanks.
Absolut.