I sincerely apologize for the delay in updating. I've been super busy with work stuff and the holidays. I also started reading a super entertaining de-aged Reid story called "Turning Back Time" by maxandkidz which is currently 133 chapters long so that's really what I've been up to ;)
This was originally going to be a super short chapter because I went off script and was going to have to redo the outlines for the next four chapters to help get things back on track but I managed to actually add some of the missing info into this chapter so we'll see how it goes. The super awesome Reid & UNSUB chapter I had planned next still has to get pushed off though. Sigh.
Also I thought I should make it clear that the scene with the UNSUB and Reid in this chapter actually occurs before the UNSUB dumped Jane Doe's body. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the Criminal Minds characters. All other characters and mistakes are my own.
Once a cooler had been found and the severed digit had been placed on ice, Hotch returned to what the BAU did best: profiling the scene. A quick scan to re-examine the placement of the bodies. "I don't think it's a coincidence that the first female victim we found was also the first body we found posed. From the way she's posed it's clear he wanted her to see what he did to the male victim, almost as if he somehow blames her for his... Morgan?" Hotch stopped speaking when he realized his colleague wasn't paying any attention to him.
Morgan stood staring at the cooler held by one of the agents from the evidence retrieval team. Hotch sighed. "I'll stay here and see what I can make of the scene. You go back to the station with the finger and get a scan of the print to Garcia. I'll get a ride back with the Detective."
"Thanks man." was all the younger agent said as he grabbed the keys Hotch tossed him before heading back to the station. Breaking the speed limit the whole way he made it back to the station in half the time it took them to get out there. It was a tense ride as he couldn't stop himself from glancing down regularly to check on the cooler strapped into the passenger seat next to him.
While Morgan and Hotch were out at the latest dump site, Gideon and Elle remained in the conference room. With Garcia helping them out, it hadn't taken long for the profilers to finish analyzing the video of Reid. In short order they were back taking yet another look at victimology.
"Look I know we don't like –" Gideon started to say when JJ literally burst into the conference room. Before Gideon could say anything, the bedraggled looking woman had collapsed into a chair.
Within moments a concerned Elle was at the blonde woman's side. "Hey are you okay?"
"What?" JJ eyed her friend, a confused look on her face. She quickly recovered though. "Oh, yah I'm fine. Normally I don't mind dealing with the press just the way they are coming after Reid... some of the questions they ask..." the media liaison shook her head.
Before Elle could say anything Gideon butted in. "I thought we should compare Reid to the other victims again. Why don't you stay and help. You might see something we missed." Gideon ignored the winces that came from his team members at the implication that their youngest was a victim.
Elle looked up at the evidence board before her, her eyes landing on the first image of Reid they had received from the UNSUB. The photo had been returned to the team after it became clear the photo was devoid of any trace evidence or prints so the original was now pinned on the evidence board.
Staring at the picture she was hit with a flash of insight."Sometimes it's what they don't do..." she said aloud, echoing a conversation from the past.
Elle's remark set off a flashback for the older profiler. It had been the start of another case that placed their youngest in danger. They were all sitting in the jet on the way to the case in Des Plaines, Illinois. The team was discussing the case. Gideon was explaining something to the rest of the team. "Sometimes it's not what the UNSUB does that reveals their profile. Sometimes it's what they do not do." Reid immediately picked up on what his mentor was trying to get at. "He doesn't kill his victims." He snapped out of it. "What about it?"
"What if we applied the same principal to the victimology in this case. Instead of looking at how Reid is similar to the other victims we look at how he's different." Elle explained.
Gideon smiled at the newest member of their team. "That's a great idea." He paused a moment to think. "The other victims were all relatively high risk victims: new to the area, not many friends, a history of risky behavior. While there's always some risk in our line of work it's not the same kind of risk. When we're on a case Reid is pretty much at the station or out with a partner 99 % of the time."
Elle spoke up next. "Well if our theory about who he's targeting is correct then he must have had access to information about the other victims somehow. They weren't just victims of opportunity. He couldn't have stalked Reid though because we had only been in town for half a day."
"Unless he was stalking him before we even got here." suggested JJ. Before the profilers could even comment on the idea they were interrupted by the conference room door being opened.
All three profilers raised an eyebrow when Morgan walked in carrying a cooler.
As soon as Morgan finished scanning the fingerprint into the computer he called Garcia.
"Hey babygirl I'm sending you some fingerprint data. I just need you to run it against a single set of prints to start. We need the results ASAP"
"All right" replied Garcia "whose prints am I comparing it to"
"Spencer Reid. His prints should be on file with the..." Morgan uncharacteristically trailed off.
He heard a strangled cry and in the silence that followed he thought the analyst had hung up. Then she said "Derek Morgan what aren't you telling me. " There was anger in her voice, something he had never heard before. Sure she had been annoyed, maybe even ticked off, but never truly angry.
"We found a severed digit. I'm sorry babygirl but preliminary testing shows the blood type is a match to Reid's" he told her.
Instantly he heard her emotions shift as she let out a choked sob. "Penelope, listen. I need you to hold it together for me girl. We won't know for certain unless you run that print."
Morgan's words seemed to somehow penetrate the emotions clouding her judgment. Although she let out another choked sob, Morgan could hear her rapidly typing away at her computer.
Suddenly Garcia's sobs turned into cries of relief. "It's not his Morgan. The fingerprint isn't a match." Upon hearing the news Morgan let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. He then whispered soft, soothing words as Garcia continued to cry until she gradually calmed down.
When she was finally calm, he asked her to run the print against the national database before finally hanging up.
-PTTR-PTTR-PTTR-
The man hummed as he sat in his editing suite. While had heavily edited the first video he sent to the station for those so-called FBI profilers he had been in too big a hurry to edit the second video. He had rushed out after finishing with the kid to get the package to the post office in time for the last pickup of the day. He had even paid extra to ensure the package would be delivered the next morning.
Now he sat in front of his monitors editing the footage. The un-edited version had been for the kid's colleagues. The edited footage would be his viewing pleasure. Just a few choice clips to keep him... the man's internal dialogue suddenly halted.
On screen he saw the agent's lips moving though he couldn't quite make out what he was saying. Frowning he started working the keyboard until he separated the audio tracks from different sources. Picking out the track containing the kid's voice he enhanced it using his software until he could just make out what the kid was saying.
" Suppressed rage. So suppressed I don't even think he realizes he's experiencing it." As the kid's words echoed through the tiny room where he worked the man felt a boiling rage run through him.
Storming out of the chamber he returned to the basement where his captive once again hung. Grabbing the knife he carried in his waistband he plunged the blade hilt-deep into Reid's gut, viciously twisting as he did so causing the agent to scream in pain.
As soon as he felt the tip of the knife scrape bone he pulled his hand away from the hilt violently, almost as if he had been burned. Inwardly he cursed his stupidity and recklessness. It was pure luck that he had missed anything vital, pure dumb luck that Dr. Reid wasn't bleeding out in front of him.
He had almost ruined everything by allowing uncontrolled rage to guide his blade rather than the usual cool, surgical precision. He needed to get out now. He needed to hunt.
-PTTR-PTTR-PTTR-
Hearing his phone ringing on his belt Morgan picked it up and quickly checked the caller ID before answering. "Hi babygirl"
"I've got a couple of things for you. We got a match on the severed digit and the linguistic profile on the UNSUB's original note came back. Which do you want first?"
"Hold on a sec, let me get the others" Morgan replied, returning to the conference room where the rest of the team sat. Hitting the speakerphone button, he set his cell down on the table. "Okay give us the info on the finger first."
"The fingerprint you sent me matched up to one Marvin Hayes. His fingerprints were in the system from an old arrest for public intoxication. Background check shows he's a local and according to his driver's license he resides at 55 Clearview Crescent, apartment 3C."
"Gideon why don't you to take Morgan and head over to Mr. Hayes's house when we're done here and see what you can find" ordered Hotch. Gideon was quick to nod his agreement.
"Well that's all I have for you on Marvin Hayes at the moment. But I CAN tell you more about the first letter the UNSUB sent." Garcia told them.
"All right Garcia, give us what you've got" replied Hotch.
"This linguistic profile comes to us courtesy of one Alex Blake. Apparently linguistics is her thing. Anyways, the language indicates the UNSUB is male, highly educated, between the ages of 25 - 35. The rest of the details are in the complete profile which should be coming through to you by fax any minute now."
"Thanks Garcia" said Hotch before ending the call on Morgan's phone and handing it back to him. As soon as his phone was back in his possession Morgan followed Gideon out of the station. It was time to pay Mr. Hayes a visit.
-PTTR-PTTR-PTTR-
Despite his condition, or maybe because of it, Reid had managed to fall asleep after the UNSUB had removed the IV and returned him to the basement. Well not sleep precisely. Filled with nightmares and far from restful, whatever Reid experienced fell somewhere between the realm of sleep and the realm of unconsciousness.
He was rudely and abruptly awakened from his state of pseudo sleep by the sharp pain of a knife entering his gut. The pain of the blade twisting inside him ripped a scream from his throat before he was even fully aware of what was happening.
His eyes flicked open just in time to see the man withdraw his hand from the knife. Letting his head drop, he could just make out the knife buried hilt-deep in his abdomen in the dim light that spilled out from another room. The sight was enough to trigger a panic attack in the young agent. His first effort to control his overwhelming emotions resulted in only a single strangled breath. Reid tried again, managing a few slightly fuller breaths the second time.
At the same time Reid fought against his body's instinctive need to try and curl itself into the fetal position. He only partly succeeded as he found himself pulling his knees up towards his chest. With his hands pinned above his head, his shoulders were left to bear the brunt of his weight. The pain in his shoulders soon became too much however so he slowly forced his knees down to take his weight once more.
Slowly his panic lessoned, particularly as it appeared that the stab wound, while painful, had somehow managed to miss anything important. By the time he looked up again his tormenter was long gone.
Back in control, Reid tried to reason through the man's actions. The man had stabbed him without giving him a reason. While a sadist typically didn't need a reason to cause pain, the UNSUB hadn't actually stayed around long enough to even see Reid in pain.
Reid recalled the scene that had greeted him earlier: the UNSUB pulling his hand away from the hilt of his knife. Not the slow withdrawal of someone who had just completed a calculated deed. No, it was the quick retreat of someone almost repulsed by what he had done.
Given everything he knew about him it couldn't have been the act itself that repulsed the man. Which meant, as far as Reid could tell, this newest torture hadn't been planned. It meant the UNSUB was starting to unravel, to lose control.
A devolving UNSUB was a dangerous UNSUB. Though he had always considered himself a man of science, Reid found himself praying his team would find him in time.
-PTTR-PTTR-PTTR-
As soon as his agents were gone Hotch grabbed the full linguistic profile off the fax machine, gripping the bridge of his nose as he did so. He could feel a pressure headache coming on which was the last thing he needed at that moment. Hopefully with the linguistic profile they would get the last pieces they needed to deliver a profile of the UNSUB to the locals.
Checking his watch he swore loudly. Their time with George Stanley was almost up. The DA would have to file charges soon and they only had enough evidence to charge him with assaulting a federal agent and kidnapping. With their luck Stanley would post bail and then end up in the wind.
Speaking of which, a clatter in the bullpen drew Hotch's attention just in time to see a pair of uniformed officers escorting George Stanley out of the station in both leg and wrist irons. At the same time Hotch spotted Detective Stanfield out of the corner of his eye.
Detective Stanfield scanned the station rapidly. When he spotted Hotch he headed over to talk to the profiler.
"Any word on what the DA is charging him with?" asked Hotch when the other man reached him.
"Huh?" asked the detective.
Hotch pointed to Stanley and his escort who had just made it to the door. "Our 48 hours are up."
"Oh, ummm I have no idea." replied the detective, "Dispatch got a call earlier about another body in Harbour Park. The first officers on scene reported that the victim appears to have multiple stab wounds along with a GSW to the shoulder. And, get this, the victim was also missing a pinky finger."
The seasoned profile had trouble hiding his surprise at the last bit of info. "Has the body been moved yet?"
"' 'fraid so. The victim was rushed to the ER soon after the officers arrived."
"The ER... the victim survived?"
-PTTR-PTTR-PTTR-
Only 20 minutes had gone by since they left the station when Morgan pulled the SUV curbside next to the rundown old apartment building on the edge of town where Mr. Hayes resided.
Both profilers exited the vehicle in a timely manner and made their way up to apartment 3C. Gideon knocked on the door once, twice, no answer. Pulling out his service weapon he nodded to Morgan who did the same. He figured that the severed digit clutched in the hand of the last victim was probable cause enough to enter the apartment.
Within seconds of unholstering his gun, Morgan proceeded to raise his right leg and kick the door in. The inside of the apartment was dark but Gideon found a light-switch next to the door and flicked it on.
When the lights flickered to life they revealed... absolutely nothing. No blood, no sign of a disturbance. It took mere minutes for them to clear the rest of the one-bedroom apartment. No Marvin Hayes.
Leaving the bedroom Gideon checked the main room again. Scanning the kitchen he found today's paper neatly folded on the kitchen table. "Someone ate breakfast here this morning. Some of these are still wet" he told his colleague, pointing to the dishes drying on a rack next to the sink. "Phone Garcia and see if she can find out what Mr. Hayes does for a living."
Just then Gideon's phone rang. After checking the caller ID he answered it. "Gideon." He listened to the caller speak for a minute or two before saying "We'll be right there."
Hanging up the phone he turned to his fellow profiler. "That was Hotch. Change of plans. We're going to the hospital."
-PTTR-PTTR-PTTR-
Hotch hadn't even gotten the chance to set his phone back on his belt after hanging up with Gideon when the device rang in his hand. He answered it one-handed, the finger of his other hand coming up swiftly to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Hotchner."
"Sir, I managed to compile a list of all doctors, nurses and medical-school dropouts in the area. I've managed to gather basic information on most of them so far which I've sent to your PDAs."
"Thanks Garcia can you –". Whatever the team leader had been about to say was losst when he was interrupted by the persistent beep signaling a call waiting. "Listen Garcia, I'm going to have to call you back. " Hanging up with Garcia, Hotch quickly answered the incoming call.
"Hotchner?"
Elle looked up from her work at the second call. He wondered who her boss could be talking to given that the entire team had either checked in within the last 10 minutes or were still at the station. She paused to listen to the one-sided conversation.
"Yes but what does that have to do with..."
"How do you know they're connected?"
"I see."
Elle watched her boss visibly blanche, the blood draining from his face, with the last statement. Whatever the caller had said had clearly disturbed her normally unflappable boss.
"We'll be there as soon as we can." Hanging up and pocketing his phone he motioned for Elle to follow him before heading into the bullpen to find his communications liaison. Scanning the room he soon spotted the blond woman and catching her eye he waved her over.
"I want both of you with me. I'll call Gideon and Morgan and have them meet us there when they finish up at the hospital." said the team leader as soon as he had both women in ear shot.
"Meet us where? What happened?" asked JJ after seeing the look on her boss's face.
"We're needed in Augusta. I'll explain on the way."
Hmmm it seems like this is turning more and more into a 'the UNSUB stalked the BAU' situation which I kind of had in mind from the beginning... well anyways we shall see how this goes. Anyways thanks for reading and please take the time to review!