Author's notes: From the second chapter onwards, the story is beta-read by flitshadowflame. This story has a little CSI mixed into it, nothing heavy though. Hope you enjoy!
The BAU was in the air and Spencer felt restless; they were going over to Las Vegas. He wondered if he should go visit his mother and his grandparents while they were there. He finally decided that if he had the time, he will visit, if not then some other time. With that resolved, he settled back down to read his files, giving them his full attention once more.
"Hey guys, look at the pictures of the vic. Do they remind you of someone?" Morgan asked from his chair. Most of the others had been concentrating on the information and had not really looked at the victims' photographs, but after hearing Morgan's question they focused on the pictures instead.
"Wavy brown hair, brown eyes, tall, skinny, pale, and the thing that stood out the most, is the strong facial features – Reid, this sounds like you." Morgan looked up at Spencer with worried eyes. The others also took a good look at the victims and came to the same conclusion as Morgan.
"Reid, I want you to be careful when you get there." Hotch turned to Spencer with a serious look on his face.
"There is only a very small chance that I could become the next victim, but I do promise to be careful." Spencer was uncertain whether he was offended that they actually were treating him like a child or touched at the team's obvious concern for his wellbeing. "I don't live in Las Vegas anymore and it is obvious that the UNSUB knows their victim's movements very well; they must have been stalked prior to their kidnappings." The others understood Spencer's change of subject. The plane landed, and they gathered their belongings and alighted onto the tarmac where there were two SUV parked near the plane.
"Good afternoon agents, I'm Detective Jim Brass." The older man shook hands with Hotch, but it was clear from the man's voice that he was not happy to see the feds.
Spencer knew that most state police disliked having the FBI take over their cases, or even interfering from a distance. Sometimes the FBI office took over cases and kept the findings from the local law enforcement, even though they had first contact with the case. He figured he would be irritated too, if his cases were pulled from him. He looked at the others and knew that they also guessed the reason for the detective's hostility.
"Good afternoon, Detective Brass, I am Agent Hotchner and this is the BAU team. This is Agent Gideon, Agent Morgan, Agent Greenaway, Agent Jareau and Agent Doctor Reid. It's nice to meet you." Hotch had his famous smile on his face, the detective looked at Hotch with a raised eyebrow.
"You are the nicest FBI agent I have met in a long time."
The others had to laugh a little at that blunt statement; it was a common knowledge within the Bureau that some of the out-station agents could be too arrogant for their own good.
"Bad experience with the Bureau then?" Hotch asked lightly.
"You can say that." The detective answered with a slight shrug. "So, headed to the hotel first?"
"No, we'd like to take a look into the murders first if you don't mind. We can sleep later." Gideon told the detective with a slight up-tilt of his mouth.
"Alright then, we'll head on over to the crime lab for the briefing." Detective Brass headed into his SUV and the group split into the two separate cars. Spencer took the car with Hotch and Gideon in the detective's car, the rest piling into the second car that was being driven by a blond woman. Spencer thought that Morgan must be in heaven, being surrounded by beautiful women.
"Sorry about the agents you previously met. Not all of us are like that." Gideon told the detective as they turned out onto the freeway.
"No problem; it takes all kinds, I know. Anyway, Dr. Grissom will be doing the briefing later. He and his team were the ones who pieced the serial murders together. His team will also be there, they are actually the graveyard CSIs, so if they look a little less than perky don't blame them."
"How did everyone miss the fact that this was a serial killer's work in the first place? I don't mean to slight your police department, I'm just curious," Gideon asked softly, the detective did not look offended by the question.
"Well, the first ten murders were discovered by the morning and swing shifts. It was not until the eleventh and twelve bodies were found by the graveyard shift that Gil figured out that it was a serial killing. He and his team spent the most of last night and this morning digging up everything in the evidence vault and going through it. The last body was found last night at around 3am and the graveyard shift has been all over it since." Spencer looked at the detective in interest as he spoke; he had not changed his expression and he looked ready to fall asleep even as they talked.
"Are you talking about the Dr. Gil Grissom the entomologist?" Gideon asked; a sudden light in his eyes.
"Yes."
Spencer suddenly understood where Gideon was going. "The top entomologist in the US and probably the world, one of the youngest coroners in LA, and an expert in animal anatomy despite never training in that field? He made the Las Vegas crime lab number two in the US, has one of the most efficient and coordinated teams around and has fostered some of the best CSIs in the country. That Dr. Grissom?" Spencer rattled off the things he had once read in various files and articles. The detective looked impressed.
"I didn't know his reputation had traveled that far. And yes; you're right on all accounts." Spencer gave him a little smile when the detective turned back to look at him.
"I have always wanted to meet him; it's too bad I never had a reason until now," Gideon said. Spencer looked a little surprised at Gideon, but he supposed that it should not really shock him; Gideon always had an interest in meeting fellow law enforcement workers who had done well in their fields.
Spencer settled down beside Hotch in the back seat, leaning a little on the older man as he felt weariness from the last few days settling in. Hotch patted his head absently and Spencer smiled at that; he have begun to think of the man as an older brother, even his nagging felt endearing to him. Spencer soon drifted off into sleep with Gideon and Detective Brass talking amiably to each other up front.