Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead or Criminal Minds
A/N: Wow, thanks so much for the flattering reviews and messages; I truly am happy that readers are enjoying my story.
Some responses:
KyannaLashae: Thank you, you're too kind. When I visualise the story in my mind's eye, it plays out like a television episode for some reason.
Alex311: Thank you for always making nice remarks about, not only my stories but my writing in general. I am happy to share my talents, I'm just glad that you appreciate me sharing!
literaturechick: Glad you're enjoying the details; I wanted the small details to resonate the mood of the story and I'm happy you noticed them!
Lanie_love: My sentiments exactly, he is dedicated yet anguished. It's not an easy job, but someone has to take up the mantle and who better than Rick Grimes?
: I too am glad you took the chance to read my story! Thanks for your vote of confidence. P.S. I love Richonne too!
Warning: strong adult content; implied violence against children; graphic depictions of human remains.
Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes had just finished his cognitive interview with Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan. The mood of the Sheriff's Department was a sombre one; a room full of crime fighters with sad faces and heavy hearts. The two men, still sitting in the small, dull interview room, talked quietly about what Rick had recalled from the scene and what it could mean. SSA Morgan specialized in the unhealthy fixations and obsessions of criminals, but before he went to the FBI and the BAU he was a police officer in Chicago. He always liked talking to the police officers in all of the places his team visited. He understood what it was like to do the job that they did, to remain in the communities that had been rocked by devastating events such as the one they were dealing with at the present time, when the likes of the FBI could pack-up and leave after a case was solved. Morgan not only understood them, but he respected them as well; after all, his father was a cop too.
"So," started Derek Morgan, a seriousness to his gaze. "You haven't seen anything like this before, uh?"
Rick shook his head. "No sir. Don't get to see too much of anything around these parts."
"You grew up here?" The Agent asked, genuinely interested in what the Deputy had to say.
"Close by, out on a farm not too far away; lived here all my life. Only moved from here to go to the academy. It's strange, people move out to the country for the serenity and safety. They think all of the miles between us and the city is gonna protect them, their kids. They think the city walls keep all the bad guys in; and the fences of our farms keep out the ones that get away. Then somethin' like this goes and happens, to kids no less. I often wonder what this world is comin' to." He said, looking contemplative and dejected.
Morgan nodded in agreement. He knew from personal experience that those who worked in law enforcement dealt with a lot and had seen a lot; they had seen the worst that humanity has to offer. They saw people's misery; people's vulnerability.
"You see a lot of this, Agent Morgan? Lots of kids dyin'? Bein' killed?" Asked Rick, staring at the wall.
He nodded to Rick. "Yeah man, I've seen too many kids die. And ya know how our job, as profilers, is to explain it all away? The whole 'why did they do it?' question? In all my training and workin' these types of cases, I still don't know why, not really. Like the interview we just did, you know how you said they were tucked into the sheets, not just covered? Those boys?"
"Yeah" Answered Rick as he turned to face the Agent who was slouched into the swivel chair opposite him. He had become intrigued as to where Morgan was going with his explanation.
"Well, that tells us that the unsub 'cared' for them; felt some kind of remorse about what he did to them."
Rick shook his head, listening intently to what SSA Morgan was telling him.
"But the ME's report said that they were all at different stages of decomp; killed recently, but at different times and all suffocated. Tell me this, Rick; if you care for someone, how can you hurt them over and over again, especially a child?"
Rick offered Morgan a look of complete bewilderment.
"That, I do not know." He replied, and then his face was overcome with a serious and concentrated countenance as he pondered the reasons why someone would wittingly hurt people they claimed to care about.
"Maybe he was doin' it because he had to, not 'cause he wanted to." Rick finally answered quietly.
Morgan looked at Rick and an expression of realization came over him.
"You know what? I think you're right."
With that, Morgan stood, as did Rick and both men swiftly exited the interview room.
For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice…
Rick Grimes stared at the photographs from the house down Cedar Rd; there, scrawled upon the stained wall was that passage from the Book of Genesis. While Rick was raised in the church, he was not, by any means, a practicing Christian; he did however, spend much of his time as a child at Sunday school and had some knowledge of the Scripture. He hoped that they were not dealing with some religious zealot who was killing children to make a point. When he thought about it further, he really did not think that it would be the case; while the person was probably religious in some way, he did not feel they were in any way trying to make a statement. Honestly, he thought bitterly, what kind of statement does the killing of three boys make?
Most of the BAU team were in the conference room working the profile with the additional information that they had been given from the Crime Scene Unit, Medical Examiner and the cognitive interviews that Morgan had undertaken with Rick and Shane. They had ascertained that the children had been murdered by suffocation; the Medical Examiner had determined that the bruising around their mouths and trace fibres was consistent with having a pillow placed over their faces. TJ Staker was deceased the longest, and while his body had begun to decompose, it was well preserved, most likely in a walk-in freezer or the like; something large enough to hold the remains of three people and persist at a cool and a constant temperature.
There were no signs of undernourishment or physical and sexual abuse, the ME had concluded. Aside from being murdered, the children seemed to be physically well taken care of. It was agreed upon that the Cedar Rd residence was not the scene of the murders, but the dump site. The unsub had kept the children at another site, purportedly killed them there, stored them somewhere discrete and then moved them to the place where Officers Grimes and Walsh had found them. They were stripped bare, their bodies had been washed, and they were tucked into three separate sheets and lined up on the floor. The agents and officers realized that the clothing that was seen hanging on the clothesline by the witness was the victims' clothing; the unsub had washed the bodies, then the clothes and took the items with him when he left. He could've been in the house when the witness was there checking the wiring. The witness had been tracked down and was in an interrogation with Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi as the others spoke; he was being cooperative and Rossi did not like him for the murders, said he did not fit the profile.
Rick and Shane made their way into the conference room; both looked to be at different points of disarray. Shane seemed to be remedying his situation with cup after cup of coffee. Rick was still upset from his argument with Lori and his thoughts were scattered presently. He was lethargic and felt sick. The constant throbbing in his head was made worse when he tried too hard to concentrate on the task at hand. The day had not yet approached noon, and already felt too long to him. Hotchner stood in front of the group of law enforcement officers and announced to them in a self-assured manner.
"We're almost ready to give the profile, please go grab something to drink or have a cigarette break until Dave's finished with the witness. Thank you."
Shane got up from where he was seated and looked at Rick. He noted that his partner had obviously had little sleep the previous night, and he imagined it had been very much the same for the past few months also. Shane asked Rick if he wanted anything to drink, Rick could only shake his head and say "No thank you."
"From the evidence collected and the interviews that have been conducted, we believe the unknown subject or unsub is an African American male, aged in his late-forties. This is because of the organizational skills and physical strength that it took to subdue and keep more than one child hostage at a time, and by the way he arranged the bodies at the dump site. The act of tucking the children into the sheets is a sign of remorse and indicates that the unsub believed that he cared for them; he may very have also known the children personally. " Stated Hotch.
"Why a black guy? So we're not lookin' at a hate crime?" Asked Shane.
"Officer Walsh, serial killers don't usually deviate from their own racial groups. The fact that the victims are all African American leads us to believe the unsub is as well."
Shane nodded and let the BAU continue delivering the profile.
"We need to focus on middle-aged men who are not physically threatening or imposing, someone who you would trust your children with. He looks like a regular guy. He will be, or would have been a father. Something will have happened in his life, a stressor or trigger that set him on this path." Dr Reid continued.
"What about the Bible quote?" Asked Shane. "What does that mean? Are we dealin' with a religious nut? Does he really think these kids are 'chosen' by God?"
Before Dr Reid could move to answer, Rick interjected.
"Nah, I don't think he thinks they're chosen. You see that passage, that's one of the few times in the Bible that you get to see what God is thinking, ya know, like it's his ideas about what he reckons is righteous."
Reid nodded hastily, thoroughly impressed with Rick's interpretation.
"Yes, yes. Officer Grimes is exactly right. The wider verse begins with 'The Lord said…' and so, God was asking himself if he should let Abraham know of his intentions for him; he was pondering this conundrum. He knew Abraham would be righteous, but would it be of any use to let him know this? Are the self-aware any more righteous than those that live in oblivion? The unsub sees himself as Abraham; he believes he was chosen, not the boys. He is chosen by God to teach them about righteousness."
Shane threw a surprised glance at Rick, who returned his astonishment with a smug, albeit weak smile.
Rick Grimes sat at his desk poring over countless case files and witness testimonials. While the BAU were adamant that the unsub would not have a criminal record and that these murders were most likely his first, Rick still needed to do something, needed to look somewhere. Yes, they had been given the profile, and now it was a matter of trying to find a suspect that actually fit it. His eyelids felt heavy and his eyes stung from lack of sleep. His lips felt parched and his throat dry. The ticking of the clock that hung high up on the wall seemed like a hammer repeatedly striking at an anvil; the pounding in his head felt much the same. He was so very tempted to go into one of the empty rooms and try to sleep, but he knew they had to work the case. If they had more people working in the King County Sheriff's Department, maybe he could have taken 20 minutes to rest awhile; but this wasn't a television show like Law & Order, they did not get to take breaks.
He placed his face in his hands as he closed his eyes momentarily. He did not even notice that she had approached him until he felt her hand on his shoulder. It startled him, shook him from his micro sleep and brought him back to his stark reality. He turned and offered her a faded smile as she walked to the opposite side of his desk and sat down, wearing a sad expression.
"Hey you." She said, studying his weary face, a gentle countenance adorning her own. "I'm sorry it had to be you that found them. That couldn't have been easy."
Rick nodded knowingly. He appreciated the sentiment. He sat quietly, unsure of what to say. The compassion in her eyes made him feel something he could not explain. He felt calm, as strange as that sounded, considering what was happening all around him. He also felt relieved that she understood him, that she understood that none of this was easy on him.
"You look like Hell, Rick." Michonne said quietly. "How much sleep have you had?"
He smiled at her faintly and ran his fingers through his hair, as if trying to make himself appear less tired and bedraggled.
"Not much at all actually. Got home pretty late, had to inform the families. Even then I couldn't doze off, just kept picturin' 'em, just lyin' there. Was horrible. When I did finally sleep, I had bad dreams." He offered, not at all self-conscious about holding her gaze and not at all surprised how easy it was for him to open up to Michonne and tell her his troubles. She nodded slightly, acknowledging his torment.
"It will get better," she said quietly. "Just don't dwell on it too much. Don't beat yourself up over things you can't control or change."
He felt a heaviness lifted from his being just from speaking with Michonne. He felt less lethargic, and a little more at ease than he had before. Her presence, her tone, and the certainty she radiated; it all helped Rick to feel calm and serene. His face softened as he leaned back into his chair, resting on his left arm and tilting his head.
"Have you spoken to anyone about it? You know, like a debriefing? I mean, it's helpful. I'm certain it could help."
He let out a small chuckle and said, "I'm talkin' to you, ain't I? Unless you're a dream too and I'm just sittin' here talkin' to myself." He beamed at her now, his whole demeanour changed then and the mood became lighter.
She smiled at him and let out a small chortle of her own. Rick could be so unknowingly adorable at times. Tread carefully, she reminded herself. She knew it was dangerous when he was playful with her like that; when he smiled at her like that. When she let herself become drawn in by his charm and good looks; but she was feeling brave.
"I'm sure you don't dream of me, Officer Grimes." She said, in a flirtatious way, hoping to lighten the mood a little more and fooling herself into thinking that was all she trying to do. "I'm not the most exciting person to dream about at any rate." She continued, almost timidly.
Rick shifted in his seat and sat up straight, eyes still locked on to her. He grinned and went to respond just as SSA Hotchner and Derek Morgan approached his desk.
"Excuse us, Officer Grimes, ma'am." Hotch said as he addressed Rick. "May we speak privately? It won't take too long." He asked.
"Of course." Rick replied and apologetically glanced at Michonne and said, "Excuse me."
She nodded as Derek Morgan sat atop Rick's desk and said, beaming a wide smile at Michonne.
"Not to worry, Rick. I'll keep her company for a lil' while." She returned his smile and shyly motioned to the chair next to her for Derek to take. Rick observed them and tried to shake off the perplexing feeling of envy as he followed Hotch.
Rick walked slowly to area where his desk was after his conversation with Aaron Hotchner. Immediately he saw Michonne smiling and laughing softly with Derek Morgan; their body language was slightly more open than Rick felt comfortable with. He rolled his eyes and felt his annoyance at what Hotch had just told him intensify when he saw the easy and friendly exchange that was occurring between Michonne and Morgan. The FBI Agent could switch it on and off, he thought. He was not contaminating everyone else's mood with his own foul one, like Rick was. He could function under this pressure. He could compartmentalise everything that was happening. Rick felt like a tired, old cop who hadn't hugged his kids in days and was stuck in a bad marriage. He returned to his swivel chair and leaned on his desk in frustration, staring down at the pile of case files.
"Rick?" She asked, "Everything okay?" Her voice faded as he thought back to the discussion he had just had with SSA Hotchner…
"What do you know about Morgan Jones?" Asked Hotch, seriousness in his tone and his expression.
"Morgan? He's Duane's father."
"Has anyone from your Department spoken to him since Duane went missing?"
"My partner did; he questioned him about the disappearance last week. No one has seen or heard from him since."
"Duane didn't live with his father, did he? He was in state care?"
"That's right, until an aunt showed up and filed for legal guardianship. His daddy lost custody not too long ago. You like him for the abduction?" Rick asked as he furrowed his brow.
"It's a feasible possibility." Replied Hotch. "We have to be realistic that when there's custody issues in play and a child goes missing, that it was most likely a family member who took them. Duane's abduction might not even be linked to the original abductions. We've definitely seen it before. Cops looking in the wrong place for a child when the child is half-way across the country with their parent."
"So, are we just gonna give up on finding him?" Asked a concerned Rick.
"No, not at all. But we have to consider that Duane may not have been a target like the other victims. He was a little younger than them, and his remains weren't found with theirs."
Rick did not seem entirely convinced, the abduction timeline certainly matched that of the other victims.
"Has Morgan Jones come into the station since Duane went missing?"
Rick shook his head. "No."
"Most parents of missing children never want to leave the police station, right? You know that yourself, Rick. The fact that Morgan Jones hasn't been here once could mean one of two things: he has taken his son and is on his way to a non-extradition country or; he has taken his son and he's the unsub we're looking for."
A/N: I hope it's not too jargon-heavy for those who don't particularly like police procedurals. I am having fun writing this, but have to be in a certain mindset to get it done because of the dark subject matter, so I apologise if I am not updating frequently. Thanks again!