See Chapter 1 for all appropriate disclaimers. Spoilers in this chapter for "Proud Flesh."

Chapter 10

Bobby and Alex were sitting in the conference room which had become the main staging area for all things regarding the Man. They didn't call him that of course. He was the Perp to them. "I find it hard to believe the person his parents were describing and our perp are one in the same. He seems like a screw up instead of some serial killer mastermind," said Alex.

Bobby nodded his head, deep in thought about his latest profile. It took a lot of get into the head of the latest killer. He replayed the conversation with the parents in his head. "His parents described him as someone who had no regard for authority and our guy has gone after the biggest keepers of authority. Instead of being shamed or embarrassed, more than likely he enjoyed the attention he garnered from showing up to his brother's engagement party drunk. He looks for attention, any way he can get it. He takes on people in positions of authority. " Bobby took the pen and added issues with authority and need for attention on their building list of profile characteristics.

"So he goes from being a drunk and a drug addict to killing cops? A lot of cops. It doesn't make sense."

"He's also a narcissist. Everything is about him. His sense of right and wrong are non existent. He obsesses about things they are either black or white to him. There is no in between. If he is wronged it is always someone else's fault."

"Case in point, his latest note," spat Alex. Bobby looked at her, choosing to ignore the direct connotations of her statement.

Bobby continued his train of thought, "He's a thinker. He thinks everything through, from the moment he kills to the letters he sends. He is always in control. He likes to sit back and see how those around him handle the situation he has created. It's his way of bolstering his ego. You know, making himself feel good about what he has done."

"He likes to watch."

"Exactly. More than likely he's been watching and reading the news. He likes to see his handy work."

"Ok. I can buy it so far. He's an ego maniac with a lust for blood. What started all this though?"

"Killing has become his drug. His first kill was probably an accident. He might have killed a cop who was about to bust him again for drugs. His reaction was to keep that from happening, and he killed him. But the feeling it gave him, the power, the control, that is what keeps him going. Reading about his accomplishments in the paper, about us, he's enjoying the fact that no one has caught him and he's taunting us with that knowledge."

"Except the last one."

"He made a mistake. His anger made him impulsive and he lost control. We need to take back control of this investigation. We need to keep him angry, which keeps him from having control."

"We need to pop his ego a bit. Make him realize he isn't so special after all."

"Big time," Bobby nodded. He was always pleased that Alex followed his thought processes so quickly. It made their job that much easier.

The Man sat in his darkened lair, lit only by candles highlighting the golden badges on the wall and the flickering blue light of his computer screen. He was doing what he did so well… research. After seeing the big detective and the beautiful Eames at his childhood home, he was determined to learn everything possible about his nemesis and his prize. He found pictures and news stories easily enough, showing the two detectives with their prize arrests, dark sunglasses blocking the view of their eyes. He saw pictures of Detective Eames immediately after shooting Chase Slaughter, surprise and shock captured unexpectedly and forever on film. But he was looking for more. If he was going to be pursued by NYPD's greatest profiler, he needed a profile himself. He was determined to profile the great profiler, and to get the greatest prize for his collection. The game was developing into the greatest challenge of his life.

Bobby and Alex watched the evening news from the captain's office, waiting to see what ended up from their selected 'leak' to the press regarding the case.

"I hope this works the way you think it will," Capt. Deakins sighed quietly. "I'd hate for it to blow up in our face."

"Captain, the only way to get this guy to come out into the open, is to let the public help us. He's going to get mad about the things we say in the news about him, implying that he is stupid and virtually a prisoner to his own needs," Bobby explained patiently.

"And with the picture out there of him, he is bound to be spotted by someone. That will help us too," Alex replied with a little less confidence than Bobby was showing.

"Great. We are goading him into making a mistake and plastering his picture all over town. This is giving me a headache. You two watch your backs tonight. You are already next on his list. Let's not make him successful," Deakins rubbed his closed eyes, and quietly dismissed them from his office.

Bobby and Alex left his office quietly. They stopped by their desks and gathered up their stuff. It was definitely time to leave. They just weren't quite sure where they were going. Yet.

TBC……What do you think? Let us know.