Chapter Fifteen:

(Ok, as a CM story, there has to be a profile that the local (NCIS) team can use to catch the guy…so with no further ado…here it is!)

Hotch and his team turned toward the NCIS team, ready to begin.

"We're looking for a white male, between the ages of 25 and 45." Hotch said.

"Most likely he'll be fair, blond or light brown hair, light eyes. He'll be a loner, preferring to stick close to his family and home." Morgan added.

"He's a hunter, capable of using both a hunting knife and a small caliber rifle." Reid was next.

"He's most likely a religious fanatic, someone who knows Franks." Hotch said, hands unconsciously fisting. "Might even be a relative, though that's not a guarantee."

"This guy is a ritualistic killer and a preferential one. It's all about the routine with him, and about the physical description of his victim. Dark eyed, dark haired. But him using a rifle with Franks is out of the pattern. The sixteen victims were all killed with a hunting knife." Reid added.

"Preferential?" McGee asked, taking notes.

"He knows his type, and he'll kill that type whenever he can. It's rare that he'll deviate from it."

"So he'll only kill dark-eyed, dark-haired women?" Ducky asked, always fascinated with the idea of profiling.

"Most likely. If he's cornered, though, he'll kill whomever gets in his way." Morgan said. "Man, woman, or child."

"This is someone who's been trained for most likely his whole life to believe he was doing some deity's work." Said Reid, "But their has to have been a stressor to have triggered this recent rash of killings. He's escalated, but not devolved. The first two murders happened over a two week time span, the last four where all within four days of each other. Each one was a clean and methodical as the first. This guy has a purpose, a mission, and he is ruthless about carrying it out. If the routine is disturbed, he will get angry, maybe make a mistake. But so far, his routine has not been disturbed."

"Meaning?" Tony asked.



"Meaning he's not been killing them where he finds them, he's taking them to his comfort zone, someplace he feels the utmost comfort. Then he's returning them to wherever he wants them found." Hotch said. "Reid, where have the bodies been found?"

"Three were found near the gates to the naval base, two more were at the foot of a seminary, Hotch. The remaining eleven were found on the base themselves, most in front of the single women's quarters."

"So he's also someone who is familiar enough with the bases to leave a body out in the open without being seen. Most likely he grew up around here or works on base. This man is clever, calm, sociopathic, and methodical. Might be some hints of OCD." Morgan said.

"That's all?" Gibbs asked, not wanting to admit he was slightly impressed.

"That's all." Hotch said.

"So we're looking for an average, light haired guy, who enjoys hunting and either lives or works on the base." Tony said. "And now how are we supposed to find him?"

"Somebody knows this guy." A female voice said from behind Hotch and Gibbs. Emily stood beside Garcia, tired, pale and rumpled. "He's most likely employed. Part-time, and beneath his perceived capabilities. Probably on base. He's most likely dating someone, but it's not a healthy relationship—especially for her. She's most likely a blond woman, or very light brown with lighter eyes. He's probably got a record, but most likely for small petty crimes."

"Good point." Hotch said. He pulled out an empty chair and motioned Prentiss into it, half afraid she'd fall down if he didn't. "Garcia, can you run all base personnel, searching for—"

"Minor criminal records. Gotcha my esteemed leader. Scuitto, let's go play. Emily, you take it easy! If you start hurting, take a break—no sense trying to be Wonder-woman. Hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am." Emily said, corner of her mouth quirking at the blond woman's obvious concern.

Emily wasn't used to being the center of attention, she was used to being independent and capable. Of leading and taking charge when necessary. This being the pampered weakness of the team was new to her—and entirely abhorrent to her.

Hotch could almost feel what she was thinking, even though he had barely looked at her. He understood her, how she hated to be the center of everyone's attention and concern. It was exactly how he would react if there positions were reversed, and how much he wished it was.

Had he sent someone other than Prentiss, shots most likely wouldn't have been fired. He should have known, should have seen the resemblance between her, Officer David, and the sixteen dead women.

Dammit, why hadn't he noticed that before? He was always careful when one of the women on the team resembled the victims--and since a considerable portion of their cases involved female victims, it was a common enough occurrence—to send them out with either him or Morgan. Just to be on the safe side.

Why hadn't he noticed that both Emily and David, were a perfect match for the victimology?

Because he was letting what occurred between Agent Gibbs and Prentiss affect his judgment. Who was he to care if Prentiss was attracted to Agent Gibbs? There was no specific rule against meeting someone while on a case, although fraternization within the BAU unit itself was against his rules. Rules he'd set into effect when he had first helped organize the BAU.

Of course, if he was honest, those rules were his and not the FBIs. He wasn't naïve enough to realize that agents didn't date all the time. In the world they worked in, with the things they saw, it was somewhat unrealistic to expect members of the outside world to understand.

He knew Hayley hadn't.

He had no right to be angry at Emily for letting Agent Gibbs kiss her the other night. No right; it was Emily's business and had no bearing on the case they were trying to solve.

So why did that kiss bother him so badly?