Chapter 4:

"All right folks! Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My name is Analise and I will be your hostess, tour guide and- yes, even your dance instructor if you're lucky," Analise smiled with a wink and waited for even a single chuckle, but nothing came. The group of high school aged teenagers and their chaperones didn't seem to be awake at noon. Just what she needed to make her day, "A tough crowd, great… Well, how about we start in the African inspired pieces? So folks- a quick question to get us started! What is the only savanna animal not allowed to play cards?"

Analise paused and looked over her group who only yawned back at her. She kept her smile even though she felt her stomach fall. It was going to be a long shift.

"No guesses?" she waited for any sign of life, but decided to go on once she found none, "The cheetah. Huh? Huh? Get it? Cheetahs cheat…?"

With no chuckles she pulled on the collar of her uniform vest and led them to the next exhibit case. She whispered to herself before she pasted her grin back on to continue her actual tour, "Excuse me for trying to make it a little more fun. Whatever happened to that good 'ol corny sense of humor- extinct in the general population apparently."

Meanwhile two shadows overlooked the tour from the skylights above the hall. Michelangelo heard the joke and was now rolling helplessly on the roof laughing. She actually had material ready for these tours. Who knew then girl had a sense of humor?

"Ha ha! 'Cheetahs cheat' she says!" he held his gut as he rolled in laughter, "Dance instructor! Ha ha ha!"

Raphael on the other hand rolled his eyes in annoyance of his young brother. Only he could appreciate dull comedy like what she was dishing out to the poor suckers below them. But at least she looked comfortable doing it. Shows that she was confident whether or not the group laughed with her… or at her as the case is more than not from the look of it. He wondered how she had gotten enough respect to become a manager of the museum with material like that.

"She's awesome at this!" Michelangelo quickly went to the next skylight where he heard her explain the main piece of the exhibit, "Man, I wish I could get closer. Maybe I should drag out the old trench coat and join in the fun."

"You would, just to get down there with her," Raphael scoffed and leaned to the side of the window to try and think about something else, "Why are we here anyway?"

"Leo's watching Deidra," Michelangelo shrugged and caught Raphael's attention, "I thought it would be smart to check on Ana."

"Smart, right," Raphael smirked and saw a slight blush on Michelangelo's face, "Come on, Mikey. Just say what's on your mind."

"She's helped Deidra with enough cases so she could be a target too. We have no idea if she was the one they wanted in that car chase a couple of nights ago or Deidra- or maybe even both. And I have something that Donatello wanted me to drop off."

"Sure thing," Raphael chuckled, "Whatever excuse you could find."

"I'm not the only one, dude," Michelangelo smiled knowingly at his brother, "You should see the way that you and Leo drool over Deidra."

Raphael's eye ridges shot up a bit at the mention of Leonardo's possible infatuation, but then quickly looked out toward the city skyline, "He can have her. She's a huge pain in the tail and more trouble than she's worth. Not to mention her lack of a good attitude."

"Look who's talking," Michelangelo chuckled a bit, "Now who's making the excuses, bro?"

"How did I get stuck watching the corny comedy girl with you?" Raphael growled a bit in a subtle warning to his brother.

"I know you'd rather be watching another dudette, but Leo needed Don to record any information on the new evil dude and you would just push her buttons as usual. Besides Analise is one smart cookie. I'm actually learning something."

"Will miracles ever cease?" Raphael looked over and through the skylight.

Analise looked up to see what was blocking out some of the sun that usually shown on the main piece and her eyes grew five times as big as they should have been. Both of the turtles waved at her from their post once they noticed that she saw them. Michelangelo had a huge grin on his face while Raphael looked a little more than bored. Suddenly all her poise left her and her mouth began to flap soundlessly. She wasn't even like this in front of celebrities that she had given tours to. And she had her share of well known faces and voices.

The group began to wonder what she was looking at and began following her line of sight to the skylight. She waved her arms to catch their attention, "That was sure a weird looking bird, wasn't it? How about we move toward the European section in the next room? I have some nice pieces in acrylic after that."

"I thought I saw something other than a bird," one of the seniors pointed to the skylight which was now thankfully empty, "It was such a weird shape."

"Maybe it's those things that the tabloids talk about," a young boy said and shifted his glasses over his nose, "Giant reptiles, right?"

"Hey! I'm doing a tour here, gotta have your attention for that!" Analise frowned and then thought to herself, "Okay, Ana, think… What was it that Deidra says and uses? Reverse psychology! Of course!"

Analise walked around the group and folded her arms over her chest to act like she couldn't care less, "Yes, look up through the skylight, you might find something interesting… No! Hey, don't actually do it! Yeah, now you listen to me."

Michelangelo and Raphael laid against the ceiling and looked over their head where the skylight was. Raphael shook his head and looked up at the sky, "Yeah, she's a real genius…"

"I hope Leo's doing better than we are."

Deidra cracked her neck as she laid out the last of her portion of the file on the desk in front of her. She let out a breath of annoyance and frustration. The last three in a half days have been one big cluster of confusion. First the gang that tried to rob the museum, then meeting the turtles, teaming up with them- and to top it all off it looked like her un-sub had just grabbed another victim. That was the last thing that she needed; a new time line to finger this guy. But she had to hand it to Analise, with another victim in the picture some extra eyes on the streets couldn't hurt.

Speaking of eyes, Deidra had the impression that someone was watching her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing to make sure it was shallow enough that she could hear anything that was out of the norm. She turned toward the large window at the back of the room that faced the back alley behind the station. She opened her eyes and there on the ledge was Leonardo and Donatello who both nodded toward her. She told them that she would finally be briefed on the rest of the case today and start tracking the guy down. At least they weren't late.

She took a breath to ask them how the hell they looked so comfortable on the small ledge, but heard a few foot falls behind the door. She turned back to waved at them to stay low, but they had already disappeared from her view. She smirked and shook her head in a bit of amazement. She knew they were still there, but they were really good at hiding themselves from sight.

'They have got to teach me to do that,' she thought to herself with her hands on her hips.

"Agent Jenson, first here as usual," Lieutenant Brian Seeper smiled as he came into the room with an easel stand and some large print outs of the crime scenes. He looked a lot more relaxed than when she saw him at the museum the night before, "How is your roommate?"

"She's fine," she nodded and crossed her arms over her chest, "Did you sleep well the last few nights knowing that gang is behind bars?"

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about them anymore, but I am not sleeping all that well with this maniac on our streets," he frowned, "So why here so early? The rest of the team won't be here for another five or ten minutes."

"Well, this is going to be my un-sub and probably the center of many sleepless nights to come," she shrugged and looked pointedly at the new pages of information of the new victim, "I would like to get him off the streets and meet the team that's going to help me do it."

"They'll be along in a few," he set up the large print outs on the easel stand, "Meanwhile, why don't you tell me what info you have so far so I can gauge where we can start off."

As Deidra began to brief what she knew, Leonardo and Donatello began to get comfortable in the shadows near the window. Leonardo tried to get into a position where he could keep an eye on Deidra and her movements.

"She didn't turn to the window because she heard us," Leonardo whispered to Donatello, "She sensed us."

"She's good," Donatello nodded and set up the recording devices he brought with them, "Maybe ninja good."

"She's amazing," Leonardo sighed and saw her take a peek at them with a small smirk. She knew that they were still there, "I should talk to Splinter about the possibility of a new student."

"Or two," Donatello's eye ridge quirked up in interest of his brother's suggestion. They hadn't picked up a new student for Splinter since they met April back when they were still teenagers. Leonardo looked back at Donatello with a bit of confusion.

"Two?"

"It seems Analise might have some dormant traits too if she can sense trouble or bad karma of areas or people. She has a good base for our fighting style with those kicks that she used on those goons the night we met them."

"You have a point," Leonardo focused back on the window as more of the team filed in, "We have to discuss this with Splinter when we get back to the lair. It will ultimately be up to him."

"Not to mention the girls," Donatello added and watched as the door opened and closed with each newcomer.

Inside the room Deidra stood next to her chair and her paper work while the rest of the team introduced themselves before they took their seat at the table.

First was the forensics analyst and scientist by the name of Gary Edmunds. He looked like his eye brows had grown out of control and his face was a little too thin as if his nose was leading the way for some kind of beak. And Deidra thought that Henry was the only one with impressive facial features. She owed Analise five bucks. Although his body shape was obscured by a large white lab coat, she could tell that he must have had a good build underneath with how big it was. Or he had a pot belly, one or the other. She got some seriously weird vibes off the guy, and made a mental note not to be in the same room alone with the guy until she read more up on him.

Charlie Algut was the next one to enter the room. He was the detective assigned to the case and back in the day when Sterns was still the police chief he was one of the best detectives on the force from what she understood. Although, that was back in the day. His surname was the best way to describe him. All his gut was bulging at his belt that had seen much better days. Deidra had a feeling that he didn't want to give up the illusion that he was as fit as he was back in his glory days. He was a couple of years away from retirement, and from the look of it that was a couple of years too late. He didn't like the fact that there was a profiler assigned to his case either if the glares that he sent across the table were any indication. The only thing she could really read on this guy was what he had done in his career and he had a good run with the department. A good guy, just grouchy on feds stepping on his territory. She could connect with that, she hated when someone did the same thing with her cases. Unfortunately they would both have to learn to share on this one of they wanted to get anything done.

And last to come into the room was the medical examiner, a middle aged, thin woman with the name of Selena Darson. Her black hair was tied back in a thin ponytail down her back. She had been the main examiner on all the bodies that had shown up to this point and was looking at the last one that surfaced the other night. She had an inkling that there will be another one in the next coming days if he had already grabbed another live one last night. Selena had good insight from what Deidra had seen in her reports. Good handling of a scalpel and examination of the wounds that were made. She would hope that Selena would let her sit in on one of her examinations so she knew what she was dealing with.

"So team," Lieutenant Seeper patted the large prints in front of the table, "Now that we've gotten to know one another, we need to pin this bastard. Agent Jenson shared what information you all received and now it's up to me to fill in the blanks."

"What's the fatality count up to now?" Detective Algut asked in a raspy voice.

"Three that we have found," Deidra said off hand, "Although he just grabbed a new vic last night. This means that he has finished with the last one. He's starting to grab them quicker."

"And we have less time to waste," Seeper cleared his throat and moved the first card to show the newest victim, "Her name is Cherise Velmont. Red hair, green eyes, just over five feet."

Deidra shivered at how close the woman was in physical attributes to her. Except for the next descriptor.

"She just turned thirty-three."

"Thirty-three?" Deidra asked as the rest of the team's heads popped up at the age.

"He changed pattern," Edmunds noted, "Most of his victims have been in their twenties."

"And he would take them from the streets around the clubs in certain areas," Seeper nodded in understanding, "And she was taken from outside her home in the outer ring of the target zone."

"Are we sure that this is the same guy?" Algut asked and sighed as if it was going to be a waste of his time.

"Yeah, we're sure," Seeper nodded and turned the card to the crime scene where there was a large pool of blood on the sidewalk leading to the home.

"Is that the victim's?" Edmunds asked as he examined the photo.

"No, it's too old," Selena noted and looked closely at the pool, "Too cooled."

"Right on the nose," Seeper nodded, "This is the blood from one of our other victims, Chelsea Tilen. She was the last one found if you all recall."

"He's taunting us," Deidra frowned and looked over the scene with the others, "He knew that we would question the dissimilarities. But he wants to be recognized for the work he's done. No matter what it is. Or how far from his regular MO it may be."

"He usually is spotted by other witnesses… or his car is," Seeper changed the card again and showed them a sketch and picture of a black sedan of the same make and model that had been described at the scenes. Deidra leaned forward at this. It was the exact vehicle that had chased her and Analise that night from the museum.

"Have we run a search for owners of black sedans?" Edmunds asked.

"Of course we have, but do you know how many people drive black sedans just in the downtown district?" Algut sighed angrily and crossed his arms.

"They think they look inconspicuous," Deidra chuckled a little at the thought, "Great…"

"We think that he lures the girls toward his car as if he is looking for directions or to give them a drive home when they become too intoxicated to drive themselves," Seeper concluded, "Do you think you have enough to go off of for a profile, Agent Jenson?"

"I could give it a shot," she nodded and stood next to the large print outs and changed it to the last one that she had him print out for her with a sketch drawing from one of the witnesses. It was of a very clean cut gentleman with a charming smile. Something she was fairly used to in her classes. Although, the witness that gave the description were a little tipsy themselves and described light hair to very dark.

She cleared her throat, "We are looking for a white male, approximately late twenties to early thirties. His IQ will be above average, but we will probably be looking for someone in a remedial job- as it seems to be the pattern in most of the infamous serial killers. But we should also look for anyone that may have some kind of medical or science background if the scalpel markings are accounted for. Maybe a medical assistant, resident nurse or even a cadet in the medical wing."

"What kind of background?" Algut asked.

"Seeing as he only chooses females, he was probably abandoned or abused by his mother or female caretaker as a child. He probably had a history of bed wetting through his teen years which only added fire to who he was being abused by. It looks as though at least a couple of the victims were sexually abused, that could be an indicator that he probably was as well. The fact that there were some stabbing marks from the scalpel also gives some credit toward a sexual purpose in some of the attacks. I have a feeling that he might have attempted suicide but failed even in this. He watches his victims, probably weeks in advance to know their routines."

"Any criminal record?"

"Doubtful. He wouldn't want to draw any extra attention to himself in the criminal light."

"Even though he wants to be sure he grabs the spotlight."

"There are different kinds of spotlights, detective," Deidra growled a bit and then continued, "To the victims he would portray a clean cut, well groomed gentleman. He will charm them and will probably even spell out whatever accomplishments he had made. Maybe telling them that he has gone to medical school- but fails to mention he dropped out. He will portray naivety or innocence so they will feel comfortable. And if he has any relationships to speak of he will be very clingy and needy as the woman would be the only one he will ever have in his eyes. The perfect woman until she does something to crack his rose tinted glasses concerning her."

"That's a starting point," Seeper announced as the team looked at their notes, "Let's get this started. The media is catching wind of this and has already dubbed him as the Black Death because of that damn sedan."

"I am assuming that the last crime scene specimens will be on my desk, Lieutenant?" Edmunds asked as he stood up from the meeting table.

"They are on their way if not already there."

Selena nodded at the last thing she noted in her notebook and then looked toward Edmunds, "Will I be able to get some of those samples once you receive the results?"

"You get them when you get them," Edmunds frowned.

"Don't start fighting," Seeper barked at the two of them as Deidra watched the interaction. If she was going to work with these people she had to get a feeling of how they operated, "We have one common enemy and it's that freak that's out there. Don't forget about that."

"Yes sir," Selena nodded and glared at Edmunds as she walked out of the room.

Algut walked out to the door, "I am going to update the patrol on the newest profile. Maybe we could pick up on a few people."

"Yes, I need to get a new report to my superiors," Seepers nodded and looked toward Deidra who seemed distracted by the large window at the back of the room, "Are you coming, Agent?"

"In a few," Deidra nodded and saw Edmunds linger by the door. He watched her for a few seconds and then turned out the door when Seeper looked toward him, "He's a bit of a creeper."

"I think anyone that plays with dead people, or pieces of dead people, are a bit of creeper."

"Miss Darson didn't seem that way," she shook her head and then looked at him, "I'll be in there in just a bit. Need to call my roomie. It might be a late night with a new work up of the profile."

"Take your time," Seeper collected his materials and walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"Whew," Deidra let out a breath.

"Interesting work up of the subject," Donatello said as he and Leonardo climbed through the window.

"It's something to work off of," she shrugged, "I don't know if that's going to be close enough. I need more facts. I will have to talk to Edmunds and Darson. Hopefully at the same time. I'm getting creeper vibes off of Edmunds."

"Anyone would," Leonardo nodded.

Suddenly a signal went off on Leonardo's belt. He unclipped a small shell which slid out into a small walky-talky, "What's going on, April?"

"Hey Leo," she greeted him with a smile over the small screen, "Casey just took off, but it seems like the purple dragons are up to something tonight. Wanted to give you a heads up about it. I already called Mikey and Raph about it and they're on their way now."

"Thanks, where are they making their mark tonight?"

"East docks," she answered and they all heard some baby screaming behind her, "It seems like Shadow is up. Check with you guys later. Be careful."

"Night, April," Leonardo looked up at Deidra who looked at the device with interest, "It's a shell cell. Main way in communicating with us."

"Which reminds me," Donatello shifted and took something from his belt where Deidra now noticed there were two communicators, "This one is yours."

"Nice," she smiled and looked at it closely. She pushed a button on the side and it popped the device open, "So I just need to pop in a number, or what?"

She looked up and saw only empty space. She shook her head with a smirk, "Gotta learn that!"