Disclaimer in Chapter One
To Surpass
Chapter Two
Rossi frowned, staring at the description of the crime scene. "These murders must be ones of convenience. The victims are all roughly in the same area, at the same time. No preferences of gender, race, age, social status . . ." he trailed off.
"But each one has the same MO." Morgan pointed out. "The victim is grabbed, dragged to cover – bushes or an alley, then brutally beaten to death."
"Then, when the UnSub is finished, he stabs them in the throat with a small blade, which he takes with him." JJ said. "It was the same knife with each victim."
A small silence fell, and Hotch glanced covertly at their silent team member, before speaking up. "Maybe the knife is special." he suggested.
"But it can't be ritualistic."Prentiss observed, flipping through the pictures on her iPad. "None of the injuries on the victims are replicated on any of the others."
"Perhaps the knife is some kind of signature." Rossi guessed. "Maybe the UnSub is some sort of professional, and he's displaying his handiwork, wanting to be idendified by this specific posthumous cut."
"I don't think we should rule out a woman."
All eyes turned to Reid.
"Why would you think it's a woman?" Morgan asked.
"The UnSub had the strength to pull to pull the victims away from the spot where they were snatched, obviously, but look at the areas. Two of them are in a neighborhood watch program. A bulky stranger certainly would be reported – or at least suspicious. So the UnSub must be small enough to avoid attention. But really, a man large enough to do this kind of damage will draw attention anywhere. So either he looks weaker than he is, or else there's another factor affecting the way people view him." Reid pause d and turned to a crime scene photo. "Look at the finger marks on this victim. Around his neck. Garcia, can you pull a hand span from that?"
"Just a minute . . ." Garcia tapped on her iPad a moment. "162 by 65 millimeters ."
"That's within the range of a woman's hand, and well below the average of a male's."
"You may have something there, Reid." Rossi agreed.
"Garcia, go over the list of suspects again. Eliminate anyone with large hands, or that looks threatening enough to be reported." Hotch ordered.
Criminal Minds
JJ glanced up as Hotch started across the bullpen. "Leaving so soon, Hotch?" Usually Hotch didn't leave until after the rest of the agents.
"There haven't been any more sighting or killings since the ones they sent us." Hotch pointed out, "And it's getting close to Christmas. I'll have to make sure Jack doesn't start shaking the presents under the tree."
"See you tomorrow, then." JJ smiled, then glanced over at Reid. "You sure you don't want a ride home?" she asked.
"Hm." Reid didn't look up from the file he was reading.
"Spence."
"Yeah?" Reid looked up.
"Do you need a ride home?"
"No, no." He looked back down at the file.
"OK, if you're sure." JJ picked up her jacket, then paused. "Reid, what's wrong? You've been acting off – well, a bit more off – since we started this case."
"I don't know yet." Reid turned a page. "But there's something familiar here. Something that I've seen before. I just don't know - yet."
"OK." JJ smiled. "See you in the morning."
"Hm."
She shook her head, rolling her eyes, and headed for the elevator.
Criminal Minds
"Hey, Spence."
Reid swung around, his arms coming up to attacking position.
JJ and Morgan stood in front of him, startled. JJ carefully held her hands out in an nonthreatening gesture.
Reid blinked and lowered his arms. "Sorry."
"What was that about?" Morgan sounded worried.
"I'm a bit tired – I didn't -." Reid stopped and sat down. "I wasn't thinking properly. Sorry."
"You should be tired." Hotch strode into the room, unaware of what had happened. "The doorman said you never went home last night." he looked at Reid, waiting for a reply.
"There's something about this case. Something familiar. I just – can't find it."
"You'll find it later." Hotch told him. "Go home and get some rest. I don't want you coming back in until the afternoon, at least. You're no use to me exhausted."
Reluctantly, Reid grabbed his bag.
"I'll give you a ride." JJ said. It wasn't a question.
Criminal Minds
"Are you OK, Spence?"
"What? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep last night."
"About yesterday." JJ paused.
"About my multiple personality problem?"
"Yeah." She slowed to a stop at a traffic light. "Ever since we got you back, you've acted so much like you used to. It's hard to remember that you ever left."
"That's great." Reid smiled. "I'm glad you guys aren't treating me any differently."
"No, it isn't a good thing, Spence." She looked at him. "You aren't the old Reid."
Reid glanced at her. "Green light." he pointed out.
She accelerated forward.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're Taryn. I'm just trying to say that you're a combination of both."
Reid frowned. "You said that yesterday."
"But I didn't clarify." JJ sighed. "Look, Spence, you've been having such a hard time, trying to accept the choices of the old Reid, or to accept the choices that Taryn would've made, but that's all wrong. You shouldn't even try to alternate choices, or to combine choices."
"What are you saying, JJ?" Reid started to get interested.
"I'm saying that both of those voices are your past. They aren't you anymore. You have to stop looking at the past and look at the facts right now." She pulled into a parking space outside Reid's apartment. "Spence, you make your choices. No one else. Not me, not Hotch, not Morgan. Your experiences as Spence and as Taryn advise you. But you can't let old impulses order you around. You decide what you're going to do, what you're going to say. Only you."
Reid stared at her.
"I don't know if that will help you with the voices." JJ admitted. "But I know that's what you need to do - to stay alive, and not kill any of your friends by accident. You can't let Taryn or the old Reid take charge of you."
Reid sat in silence for a few moments. "Thanks, JJ."
"You don't have to thank me, Spence." JJ smiled. "Just get some rest, and call me if you need a ride back in after lunch."
"OK."
Reid got out of the car and headed for his apartment.
Flashback
"Taryn, your new trainer." Averin ushered a woman in the door.
Taryn glanced over at her.
"So you're Taryn." she looked him up and down. "I'm Varvara Belikova. I'm going to improve your fighting skills."
"All right."
"Let's start out by sparring. I need to know what skills you have."
They moved out onto the training mat.
Taryn waited for Belikova to start.
"Why aren't you trying to make the first move?" Belkova asked, as they circled.
"I don't know your fighting style yet." Taryn pointed out.
"Yes, but you're adaptable. And if I'm stronger than you are, my first blow could hurt you. As soon as you know there's a fight, you always should give the first blow. To knock a little bit of fear into your opponent, and tell him that you aren't scared."
"All right." Taryn moved in with a punch toward her throat, but she blocked him and kicked him lightly in the shin.
"You left yourself wide open for a kick. I could have knocked you down and killed you." she said. "Try it again, but get ready to block my kick."
Taryn moved in with the same punch, and got his foot ready to block her kick, but she swung the other foot this time. His back slammed into the ground.
"Don't start moving until you see what I'm doing." Belikova told him. "Don't assume anything."
He tried to roll to his feet, but Belikova stopped him with a light kick to the stomache. "Don't try to rectify the situation." she said. "You're down now, while I'm still up. Try to get me down on your level so that we can grapple."
Taryn swung both legs around and grabbed her ankles. She slammed onto the ground with him, but she held a tiny silver knife pointed at him.
"Now, can you get yourself out of this one?" she asked.
He reached for her knife hand and pushed it away, but some how she rolled and ended up kneeling beside him, with the tip of the blade on his throat.
"You did pretty well. I've seen worse, but I will make you much, much better." Belikova sheathed the knife and stood up.
Taryn climbed to his feet. "What did I do wrong?"
She faced him. "You let your guard down."
Reid opened his eyes. Then he sat up, eyes widening.
"Perhaps the knife is some kind of signature." Rossi guessed. "Maybe the UnSub is some sort of professional, and he's displaying his handiwork . . ."
"Belikova." he growled.
And the murderer is revealed. Sorry about the long wait. With Christmas coming up, and all, it's been busy. I hope to post the next chapter soon. Enjoy!