Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Warnings: AU
AN: Thanks for the reviews! They made my day and hopefully, you guys won't stop now. But I'm not going to start rambling now because here is the next chapter! Enjoy...
- The Wounded -
Chapter 3
As usual, Morgan used his smooth, flirtatious voice when talking to the one woman who could find his entire life on the internet and data-banks. "Hey, baby girl," he said into the cellphone, "I need you to do something for me."
And as usual, a cheery response came, "Anything for you, my sweet."
In the corner of his eye, Morgan spotted Prentiss – who was driving the SUV - rolling her eyes, but he ignored her. A large smile played around the corners of his lips, however, a gesture he could not hide from his friend. "I need everything on a certain Spencer Reid," he said, turning away from Prentiss to look out of his window. His voice suddenly became deeper, more gravely as he focused back onto their case.
"Do you think he's the unsub?" Garcia asked, curiosity seeping through her words, as well as a little worry. It was well known that she hated the idea of her colleagues – her friends – being in possible danger. She had lived through all of it before; when Morgan had been a suspect, when she herself had gotten shot and when Hotch had lost his wife to a serial killer only months ago.
"I don't know," Morgan answered truthfully, but he needed Garcia focused and so he changed the tone of their conversation, "but we'll be able to tell soon enough if you can work your usual wonders."
A soft chuckle sounded on the other end of the line, "I love it when you talk like that. I'll get back to you as soon as I have something;"
The line disconnected and Morgan turned back to look at Prentiss who was smirking behind the steering wheel. He eyed her dangerously, wondering what was on her mind right now, but Emily Prentiss was not a woman you could read easily. "What?"
"Nothing," Prentiss said in a matter of fact way, flipping her hair behind her shoulder. However, she slowly added, "She never does that with us, you know."
Morgan frowned, having difficulty with following Prentiss' train of thoughts. "Does what?" he asked. Only now did he began to understand what she might be talking about and he already began laughing before Prentiss could answer, "Flirting."
He continued to laugh.
-o-o-
When Spencer went to get the newspaper that had arrived hours before, he found they had also received mail. The only thing they usually received were bills and throwaways, but today a white envelope lay waiting. It was nameless but clearly destined for Spencer who knew no one would send anything to his mother.
Diana had no friends who would send her anything. Then again, Spencer thought bitterly, neither do I.
He waited until he was inside the house again and opened the envelope whilst curiosity raced through his veins. He found no letter, but a picture in stead. Spencer's breath hitched inside his chest when he recognized the four boys in the photo. They stood smiling, their arms around each other's shoulders, indicating that they all shared a close friendship. He had seen three of them on the news, all reported murdered. Their faces were covered by three large X's here, clearly made by a sharp object. There was one face that was still clear and Spencer easily recalled the name; Dean Isner.
Spencer never forget names.
Slowly, he placed the photo on the table surface, staring at it as if he waited on something to happen. It felt like those three pair of eyes of the crossed-out faces were looking right at him, accusing him while Dean Isner just smiled.
Bile suddenly rose in Spencer's throat for a second time that day, but he hadn't eaten anything yet so he couldn't actually throw up. With surprisingly steady hands, he turned the photo to reveal one single word written on the back.
'Soon...'
The word should be ominous, but Spencer felt nothing when he read it. It was obvious to him what it meant since there was only one boy left in the picture. One bully still alive. He felt like he should call the police or something - warn them - but he assumed that they already made the connection between the murders and Dean Isner. Anyone with a little bit of brains could do that.
And for Mr. Anderson, Spencer thought, he deserved better than to have died like that. Sure he had stood by and done nothing whilst the bullying had continued, but what else could he have done? The principal had already punished the band of bullies a hundred times before, but that never stopped them. Anderson had done all he could.
Yet, Spencer could not shake that feeling that was slowly beginning to settle itself in his stomach. He knew someone was out there killing these men, taking his revenge and he could only guess who the murderer was. Many had been bullied in high school after all. So had those bullies not - in the end - deserved it just a little bit?
-o-o-
Hotch looked up when he saw Morgan and Prentiss entering their small conference room. "How were things with Dean Isner?" he asked, putting the coroner's report of the latest victim on the table. It didn't reveal anything they didn't already know.
"He had no idea who could be our unsub," Morgan explained, placing his hands in his sides, "but he did give us a name of someone who might be able to tell us more. Garcia is looking into it right now."
Hotch nodded, feeling pleased that they had a lead at last . This case proved to be more difficult than first anticipated which unnerved the Unite Chief. "Good."
"Anything new here?" Prentiss asked, nodding towards the file Hotch had just put down.
"Signs of overkill," he answered, crossing his arms before his chest. His eyes trailed from Prentiss to Morgan and back. "First his throat was cut which caused him to bleed out within seconds and after his death, he got stabbed another fifteen times which is the same for the other murders. These kills are personal which is nothing we didn't know already." Something in his voice changed then. "Their times of death are significant, though. They have all been murdered between 6 and 12 pm."
Morgan instantly came to the conclusion Hotch had made a few moments earlier while reading the report, "This guy probably has a steady job during the day, forcing him to make the kills during the evening."
Their conversation was interrupted by JJ and Rossi entering the room. Hotch greeted them solemnly, knowing they just finished the press conference. He could tell by the looks on their faces that it had not been an easy one.
JJ's next words quickly proved him right, "Those reporters out there are too exhausting. You should have heard the questions they kept asking."
"What questions?" Prentiss asked.
"They wanted to know each detail of the murders," JJ sighed, "I guess those kind of things sell their papers."
Rossi stepped forward. "I gave them our profile and asked the people out there to keep an eye out for anyone fitting the description. Let's hope someone will recognize this person."
A loud ringing suddenly filled the room and Morgan grabbed his phone from his pocket. He casually flipped it open and pressed the speaker-button, allowing everyone in the room to hear the conversation. "You're on speaker, Garcia," he said.
"So I did a wide search for Spencer Reid," she instantly came to business, "he just turned seventeen last month and is currently living with his mother. His parents, Diana and William Reid, divorced when he was eight and there doesn't seem to be any contact between father and son." In the background, the team could hear a keyboard clicking away. "Now, Diana is a former college professor, but she stopped teaching due to medical reasons. I can't really find what exactly and apparently, she hasn't left her house much since then. Spencer Reid graduated high school when he was twelve and I can't find any record that he went to a university or college after that."
Hotch interrupted her, needing more information on that subject, "What does he do then?"
"Not much it seems," Garcia explained, sighing softly, "all I can find is that they buy food at the local market and pay their bills when they have to. Spencer has a personal bank account, but there isn't much activity there either. His library card on the other hand..."
Prentiss pushed her hair behind her ears. The frown creasing her forehead revealed that she found this making little sense. "If he graduated high school at the age of 12, then he's probably extremely intelligent."
"His IQ has never been tested as far as I can see," Garcia said, the sound of her fingers racing across a keyboard becoming louder again, "but you have to be brilliant to be able to read eight books a week."
"What?" Morgan sounded confused.
The team could hear a faint smile on Garcia's lips as she explained, "He goes to the library once a week and each time, he takes eight books with him, ranging from fiction to non-fiction. I assume he reads them all so yeah, I think he's pretty smart."
"If he doesn't go to school," Rossi thought out loud, "then he probably has a lot of free time at his hands. Could he be our unsub?"
Morgan shook his head. "According to Dean Isner, he isn't and he doesn't fit our profile either."
Garcia's voice sounded through the phone again, "I sent you the address."
"Thanks, Garcia," Morgan told her before shutting his phone. He turned his gaze towards the rest of his team. "Let's go talk to this kid."
It was then that Barry Lannister entered the room, a thick file under his arms and a worried expression on his face. "You'll want to come with me," he said, sounding exhausted, "there has been another murder."
Prentiss' eyes widened. "Dean Isner?"
Lannister turned to look at the female agent and shook his head, seemingly confused to be hearing that name. "No," he answered, taking the file from underneath his arm and opening it, reading something on the first page, "his name is Cameron Clarck. He's – or was a real estate agent, married with two kids."
Rossi frowned. "No connection to the other victims?"
"None that we can find," Lannister sighed, "we even checked if his kids are going to the same school Roger Anderson taught at, but nothing."
"We'll find something linking them," Hotch said, determination in his voice, "Rossi, you'll go with me to this crime scene. Morgan and Prentiss, go to Spencer Reid and talk to him. JJ, please make sure the press doesn't jump to any conclusions regarding this murder."
The team all nodded and sprung into action. It seemed there would be more victims than anticipated and they needed to find this unsub as soon as possible.
And hopefully, Spencer Reid could help them with that.
AN: I'll make you a deal; because little actually happened in this chapter (though it was a necessary chapter in my opinion), I promise to update tomorrow. Next chapter will contain the first meeting between Reid and the BAU. All very exiting! However, I will only update so quickly if a get some reviews, people! I know, I'm evil that way...