Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.


Ceremony

Steve followed Harper and Team Two as they pushed their way to the front of the large crowd. He winced as he was jabbed a few times by elbows and did his best to avoid touching anyone but failed horribly as he attempted to keep up with the younger team.

Harper looked back and paused with a grimace, waving Team two on through the crowd as she waited for Steve to catch up.

"We couldn't have just watched the ceremony from the back?" He grumbled once he finally reached her side.

Harper rolled her eyes. "We could've," She said slowly, "If we weren't also scoping out the place to make sure the idiot kidnapping homeless people doesn't show up."

"And do we even know what this guy looks like?"

"Well…" Harper resumed moving through the crowd, this time with a hand gripping the edge of Steve's sleeve. "We know that it's a man and that he didn't look out of place. We know he looked approachable and not dangerous, because he lured over 300 individuals away from their comfort zones, and were never seen from again. We know-"

"A lot." Steve interrupted, surprised. "I thought we were at a standstill with the case."

"YOU were at a standstill with the case," Harper corrected. "I'VE been undercover, getting clues."

"And these clues are?" Steve pressed. "I've yet to hear of anything substantial that you've gotten while pretending to be a homeless punk."

Harper made a face. "Well…It's been slow going, but Beckett has been very helpful in integrating me into his group, and they've mentioned a few things."

"Like?" Steve sighed in relief as Harper finally pulled him to the front of the large crowd mingling outside City Hall, where TV cameras were set up and where Morris stood on the steps, fidgeting in his uniform and standing next to the mayor.

"Like most transients pass on this story to the newbies about a guy in dark-rimmed glasses who will offer you a place to stay and then takes you to the gates of hell to burn for the rest of all eternity."

Steve shot Harper a look and she shrugged. "It's a stupid story that they tell to scare people but don't actually believe in. The Skids, street kids," Harper defined before Steve could ask, "are told this story to convince them to make their curfew on time. This guy is an urban legend for us, a myth."

"Well how do the other transients explain away the disappearances?"

Harper shot Team Two, who stood on the opposite side of the stage a look, and they nodded back slowly.

"They've bought their own cliché." Harper said after a moment. "They just think their friends or family have moved on without them; transients are hardly reliable nor do they have any reason to be so."

"But they haven't just moved on." Steve said, not asking, though Harper nodded anyway.

"Transients are in actuality highly territorial and connected to their cardboard homes; for most of us; it's all we have." She caught something in the crowd and frowned. "You see that guy?" She tilted her chin, and Steve followed her gaze to where a thin gangly man in dark-rimmed glasses and a gray hoodie loitered nervously around a garbage can. Steve nodded slowly.

"I see him." Steve's eyes narrowed. "Why do you think our perp would show up here?"

"The guy's a nobody." Harper said quickly, shooting Team Two a look and directing their attention to the potential. Will and Avery slipped into the crowd headed for the man from opposite directions. "The only successful thing he's done is make three hundred people disappear, and some other man is getting the credit for it?" Harper shook her head. "He won't stand for that."

"So what do you think he'll do?" Steve turned to the front; where the ceremony had begun, the mayor calling Morris forward.

"That." Harper's mouth quirked into a half smile when the man pushed an oddly shaped garbage sack into the trash can and began to hurry away. Harper put a hand to her ear and began to speak quickly.

"Will, Avery, tail him. Jake, you and Dave get to that can, quickly. Steve and I will cover Morris. Scott, how are we looking?"

"Our perp just caught sight of Will and 'Vry. He's running for it, but they'll get him. He's hopelessly outmatched. Jake and Dave are on the can…which is starting to smoke…"

Harper whirled around from where she'd been keeping an eye on Morris to see for herself, and she grimaced. "Jake, Steve, evacuate civilians, now, Dave, suit up and cover that can. I'll get Morris," Harper's orders were interrupted as the trash can exploded, sending pieces of metal and bits of garbage everyone. Steve leaped forward and pulled people out of the way, Jake doing the same and Dave, already suitclad, blasting the bigger pieces midair. Harper leapt up the steps and pulled Morris backward, ushering him around the corner and into a waiting black SUV.


"Status Report!" Harper snapped as soon as the SUV squealed around the corner.

"No casualties." Jake reported. "A few minor injuries but Morris' coworkers are taking care of it."

"Our perp threw a pipe bomb away." Dave added. "It's a crude makeup, I swiped it from a crime tech so we could examine it in the lab, but we're not gonna get anything off this. It's elementary."

"Awesome." Harper shook her head. "I've got Morris, we're headed back to base. Anyone else on route?"

"I am." Dave confirmed. "Via suit, and I've got Scottie; he wanted a ride." Harper chuckled.

"Jake and I are en route." Steve added. "How's Morris?"

"Morris is…" Harper shot Morris a look, and he grimaced.

"Morris is pissed." Harper concluded. "We had the guy…and now we have nothing."

"I wouldn't say nothing." Will jumped in slyly. "Avery and I are headed to base, and we've got you a present."

Harper smiled. "Please tell me it's thin, blind, and nerd-sized?"

"Got it in one." Avery joked, and Morris sighed in relief.

"See everyone soon." Harper finished, pulling the comm out of her ear.

"Sorry you didn't get your award." She said after a moment, and Morris laughed.

"Please kid." He shook his head. "I got something better."

"I got the guy."


Dump Site

"This isn't the guy."

Steve shot a sideways look at Harper. "You're kidding right?"

"Partially." Harper admitted. "This is half the guy."

"What does that mean?" Will asked, exasperated. "He's the spitting image of who we're looking for." Will waved a hand in the direction of the one way mirror, on the other side of which sat their perp. "Nerdy physique, average face, black-rimmed glasses, he works with the government in some crappy job in the public services department. He's the guy!"

"He's the kidnapper, yes." Harper agreed.

"Which is who we were looking for." Avery nodded. "So…mission accomplished?"

"I didn't say that." Harper argued lightly, not looking away from their perp.

"So what ARE you saying?" Jake prodded. "Because I am beyond confused."

"He's the kidnapper." David repeated.

"But he's not the mastermind." Morris entered the observation room, dressed in dark wash jeans and a green t shirt, moving to stand on one side of Harper.

Harper shot him a smile. "Exactly."

"So…he's kidnapping the homeless for someone else?" Steve rephrased. At Harper's nod, he closely scrutinized the man on the other side of the glass.

"For who?" Dave crinkled his nose.

"That…" Morris sighed. "Is what I'm about to find out."

"Take Steve with you." Harper said lightly.

Morris furrowed his brows. "Why?"

"Our perp sees you as an adversary. You're taking the credit for his work. But Steve?"

"He's a friend to all." Morris nodded slowly. "He'll be good cop."

Harper nodded. "Exactly."

"What are you going to do?" Steve asked.

"I'm going to go see if Scottie and I can find out where this guy takes our victims after he nabs them."

"So you're going to hack into his records?" David rephrased. Harper grinned.

"Why don't you take Dave with you and Avery, Jake and I will keep tabs on the interrogation?" Will offered, and Harper nodded. "Good idea." She turned to Steve and Morris. "Depending on how far Scottie's already gotten on this guy, we could have a location in less then an hour. You think you can get a location out of him before then?"

Steve and Morris shared a smile. "Perhaps." Steve hedged, and Harper grinned. "Loser makes dinner?" She bet, and Steve narrowed his eyes then nodded.

"Deal."


It took Harper and her team 45 minutes to find out that Arthur Finley, who'd been receiving monthly deposits of ten thousand dollars for the last ten years, owned a cabin on 25 acres and had for exactly ten years.

It took Steve and Morris 47 to get that same information.

It took Harper, Steve, Morris and team Two another hour to notify Morris' department and prepare for a search and seizure of his property.

Two hours after that and Harper followed Morris as he lead a group onto Finley's property, finding the small cabin in disrepair and filled, floor to ceiling…with shoes.

When the dogs got to the scene, they identified over a hundred graves, and a silence descended on the large group of people as they realized they'd come across not a kidnapper's domain….but his graveyard.


Morgue

"Morris!" Morris turned from where he'd been talking in low tones to a shaking Harper, straightening when his boss marched toward him.

Morris' boss paid little attention to Harper, instead fixing sharp eyes on Morris.

"You tried to warn me about these disappearances." The broad, gray-haired man began stiffly. "I refused to listen." Morris said nothing, simply waiting. Morris boss swallowed, then held out his hand.

"Good work." Morris shook his bosses hand slowly.

"Thank you sir." He said faintly. His boss sniffed.

"Take a team." He ordered. "Canvas the streets. Warn the others that there's a serial killer on the loose."

Morris nodded, and his boss sniffed again before turning and marching away, snapping out orders as he passed by other officers.

Morris shot Harper a look. "Are you and your Team up for a walk?"

Harper smiled slightly. "My team, yes. Steve too, probably, he's been horribly bored with the rest of his team gone. But…." Harper hesitated, turning slightly towards the double doors that led to the Morgue. "I'd like to stay here? See if I can be of any help?"

Morris tilted his head, but then he nodded. "Sure." He agreed. "No problem." Harper smiled and pushed through the doors, and Morris shook his head, turning to look for Team Two.

Harper could take care of herself, and him? He had a killer to catch.


"So how long have you been a coroner?" Harper asked lightly, elbows deep in an older man who wasn't very far into decomp.

"Almost 30 years." The Coroner, who'd told Harper to call him Woody, answered cheerfully. "I've always found the dead better company than the living though."

Harper shot the strange older man a look, then shrugged, turning her attention back to the man she was examining.

"Have you ever dealt with this many bodies?" Harper asked, and Woody whistled.

"Oh, no!" He smiled. "That's why I'm even here, there are too many bodies for one coroner, so they flew the best of us in!"

"And you're from Santa Barbara?" Woody nodded, humming as he stitched up a woman.

Harper nodded, then frowned.

"You find something fun?" Woody asked, having caught her confused look.

"Maybe." Harper said after a moment. She removed her hands from the mans stomach to peer at an odd scar on the right man's hip.

Woody moved to her side and reached for a pair of glasses. "What is that?" He whispered, running a hand along the perfect circle.

"It's…a clue." Harper stood and moved to another body, flipping the cover off quickly, eyes drawn immediately the the corpses right hip. She cursed under her breath when she found what she was looking for. "Does your body have one of these?" She called out, and Woody moved back to his table, grimacing when he found the scar, exactly where it should be.

"Yes." He answered apologetically. "What does it mean?"

"it means…" Harper ripped off her gloves and quickly untied her apron. "It means I know who our killer is."

"Really?!" Woody's eyes widened. "Is it anyone I know?"

Harper shot Woody another odd look, then shook her head. "No. But it's someone I know." She reached for a her cell phone, which she'd left on the nearby desk, then turned to Woody. "If anyone asks for me, I've gone to Stark Tower. Okay?"

Woody nodded, then watched confused as Harper shot out of the Morgue. After a moment, Woody shrugged and turned back to his corpse.

"Well beautiful," He began, plunging one hand into the womans stomach, "Looks like its just you and me now. Whatever shall we get up to?"


Taken

"Hey! Eagle, wait up!" Harper grimaced, but paused, waiting for whoever had called her name to catch up. She slipped her phone into her bra while she waited. Eagle was her transient name, and she couldn't very well be seen with a cell if she didn't have a home.

A heavily breathing Carly paused at Harper's side. "What are you hurrying towards?" She asked.

Harper huffed. "It's not a big deal." She shrugged. "What do you need?"

Carly was one of Harper's street family. Beckett had found her futilely trying to escape an abusive pimp three years previous and had bought her freedom. She'd stuck with the veteran since then, and Beckett had helped her get clean, finish her GED, and find a job. Carly was more than capable of freeing herself from the streets, but she refused to leave without Beckett, and Beckett refused to leave without…well, everyone.

Harper knew she had history with Morris, but was content to let that be their business. Carly looked around nervously before pulling Harper into an alley.

"There's coppers around." Carly began. "They're trying to tell us that the nerd-nabber is real."

Harper sighed and placed both hands on Carly's shoulders. "Carly….he IS real."

Carly crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?" When Harper failed to answer, Carly scoffed. "You're not a Skid, are you?"

Harper grimaced and Carly's eyes widened. "I KNEW it!" She crowed. "You're old school with the lingo and you act like this is all you know, but it's stilted." Carly shook her head. "You'll never make it as an actor."

"I'm devastated." Harper said dryly. "Listen, Car, I'm not currently a Skid, but I was one."

"And you're…Carly squinted, "undercover or something?" Harper shrugged.

"So you can tell me what's going on then?" Carly asked. "Why the coppers suddenly care?"

Harper opened her mouth to explain, and a white van skid to a stop right outside their alley, a young man jumping out and running towards them.

"Hey!" He called out, face creased in concern. "Don't you guys know that there's a kidnapper running around?"

"No, duh." Carly rolled her eyes. "What's it to you?"

"We're evacuating the streets." The man, wearing slacks and a white button up explained. "They aren't safe right now."

"The streets are never safe." Carly crossed her arms. "But they're our homes."

"And think of this like a bug bomb." The man shrugged with a wry smile. "You need to evacuate for a few hours so we can fumigate."

"And where will you be taking us?" Carly questioned.

The man sighed. "St. Mary's. Its a few blocks away, but we should hurry before it fills up." Carly sighed and began to follow the man to his van, and Harper turned to continue making her way to the tower.

"Uh, miss?" The man called out. "You too."

Harper opened her mouth to explain, she wasn't homeless, she had a home, she didn't need to go St. Mary's, but at Carly's pleading look, Harper sighed.

She'd probably be safer at a church then she'd be at the tower. Besides, Morris and her team were canvassing, they'd make it to the church eventually, and she'd tell them then.

So Harper found herself in the back of the van with a group of other transients, speaking soothingly to the frightened ones.


It took a while for Harper to realize that they were driving in the opposite direction of St. Mary's, and her stomach dropped.

She leaned over to look the driver in the eye.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" She asked politely, and the man smiled.

"It's Artie." He said lightly.

Harper took a deep breath. "Short for Arthur?" She guessed, eyes searching for an out.

"Oh no!" Artie laughed, and Harper relaxed. Her shoulders stiffened at his next words though.

"That's my dad."

Harper nodded slowly, not finding any means of escape, but determined to find one.

"Eagle?" Carly asked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Are you okay there, Harper?" Harper shot a wide eyed look towards the driver, who smiled maliciously. "You look a little…fatigued. I really think a short sleep would perk you right up."

"Carly," Harper began, voice low, but Artie had snapped the divider that separated the front of the van from the back, and a dark green smoke began pouring in from a nearby vent. Harper's hand went to her mouth and nose and she climbed over the others in the van in an attempt to get the back doors as the rest of the van began to panic and cough loudly. Harper's hands fumbled for the handle and though she knew it would be locked, she tried anyway. She slammed her shoulder into the side as well, but the gas began to affect her before she could do much, and she whirled to face the front, her back slamming into the doors as she leaned against them, vision going blurry.

The last thing she saw was Artie's face in the rearview mirror, an evil grin on his face.


So...Woody, am I right?! I love that guy.

And...who the heck is Artie?

Ugh...things are getting good!

~CLC~