Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

Chapter One

3 days earlier- Virginia

A cool breeze came through the open window, the curtains blowing ever so slightly. Hotch lay there counting puffy, white sheep wondering if morning would ever come. He was somewhere near sheep number 235 and although he was tired, sleep seemed to be evading him yet again. He had thought about getting up many times over the last hour but had hoped that just maybe sleep would drag him back in to world of unconsciousness. He felt his eyelids begin to get heavy as he reached sheep number 327 and just as he was about to succumb to sleep the phone ringing jerked him awake once more.

Prentiss startled awake at the sound of a ringing phone somewhere close by. She turned on her side and groaned when she saw that the clock read 4:34 a.m. Reaching blindly for her cell she greeted the caller with a grumpy "what", not having to inquire who it was.

"I know it's late, but we have a case," JJ stated with a yawn.

"More like early, can't it wait another couple of hours?" Prentiss grumbled.

"No can do, the sheriff wants us in Vicksburg, Mississippi by 8 this morning."

"Fine, I'll be there soon," she replied as she kicked the covers off and began to prepare herself for yet another case.

Morgan looked at the clock, 4:42 a.m. That gave him enough time to get up for a morning jog and then shower before heading out to breakfast on his way into the bureau. He looked over at the girl he had met at the bar last night, long blonde hair splayed across his pillow, 'I'll make it a quick run,' he thought eagerly to himself as the idea of sharing a shower entered his mind. Just as he was about to throw the covers back his phone vibrated on the nightstand.

"Hey JJ, what's up?" he greeted. He didn't really have to ask because it was painstakingly obvious that they had a new case.

"We are heading out to Mississippi, looks like a bad one."

"I'll be there in thirty, see you then." If he skipped his morning jog he would still have time for that shared shower he thought to himself, sounded like a brilliant plan.

Colours danced in circles as small leprechaun creatures ran wildly through the woods. Trees changed shape and form as the light bounced off the leaves in all different directions. Spencer Reid was in a world of bliss, a dreamland that he usually preferred over the harsh reality that was his job. Suddenly his dream was interrupted by a loud ringing, frightening the leprechauns as they turned to run in the opposite direction. Reid wrinkled his brow in confusion as he looked around for the source of the noise. Seconds later he was brought out of his sleep by the obtrusive ringing of his cell phone. He listened to JJ tell him they had a case in Mississippi. To wake himself up he began to recite all the facts he knew about Vicksburg, Mississippi as he combed his hair.

Rossi wasn't overly fond of mornings so when his cell phone began to chirp at 4:48 a.m. he was less than impressed. He tuned JJ out as she told him some minor details of the case before hanging up with a yawn. He turned to the clock before letting a small smile cross his lips, he still had time for 20 minutes of sleep.

JJ made her way into the conference room juggling coffee and files, nearly tripping as she made her way to the front of the room. She passed the files around to the team before running a hand through her hair tiredly. She looked around at the team as some yawned and others sipped at their coffee. She felt bad for awaking them at such an early hour but the sheriff had sounded desperate over the phone. She waited for the team to open the files in front of them and then she began;

"These three women have been found dead along the shore of the Mississippi river in Vicksburg, Mississippi over the last four weeks; Nicole Shire, Amanda Griggs and Tammy Smith. A fourth, Jesse Taylor, was reported missing last night around 10 o'clock"

"How do we know this is the work of a serial killer?" Rossi questioned obviously still agitated by the early morning wake up call.

"Well all three women had ligature marks on their wrists and ankles. They were left face down in the dirt and every one of them was wearing a yellow sundress."

"Also they are all brunettes," Reid noted as he continued to study the photos of the four women.

"They all hold high authority jobs as well. Two were lawyers, one was a CEO and the latest was the high school principal," Morgan relayed. JJ nodded agreeing with their observations.

"For the first two victims there was five days between their disappearance and their bodies being found. The latest one only had a difference of three days."

"His cycle is speeding up, the thrill of the kill isn't exciting him as long," Hotch stated. It was always bad when the cycles began to quicken as it gave them less time to find the victim alive. JJ looked at her watch realizing that they needed to get going if they were going to be in Vicksburg on time. Hotch noticed JJ looking at the clock and realized she was in a hurry. "Wheels up in twenty," he said as he stood and walked out of the room.

7:01a.m.

The knight slid across the board with perfect grace followed by an all too smug "check mate" from Spencer Reid. Morgan folded his arms in a slight pout as he lost yet another game of chess to Reid.

"I'm done kid," Morgan said as he stood and ruffled Reid's hair before making his way towards the back of the plane.

"Any other takers?" Reid questioned, the smug look still present on his face.

"I'll play a game," Prentiss said as she stood from her seat across the aisle and stretched. Reid frowned, knowing his winning streak was about to come to an abrupt end as Prentiss was the one team member who could kick his ass.

Vicksburg Mississippi – 7:57 a.m.

JJ sighed in relief as they reached the police station with only minutes to spare. "Sheriff Collins, I'm Agent Jareau and this is SSA's Hotch and Rossi and Dr. Reid," she stated as she held out her hand, the sheriff shaking it firmly.

"Thank God you're here. Jesse's family is going insane with worry; in fact the whole town is anxious, she is very well known around these parts," he stated. His eyes were tired, his clothes wrinkled and his hair was sticking out at every angle. The case was defiantly taking its toll on him.

"Well Sir, if you show us to our work space we can get started." The sheriff nodded and led the team towards the room designated for them. A round table sat in the middle of the room surrounded by six chairs. A long shelf ran along the back of the room covered in files and a coffee pot sat in the corner. It was nice JJ had to admit, albeit quite small. The team would be at each other's necks by the end of this case being confined to such a small space, but it like many others would have to do.

9:49 a.m.

Prentiss and Morgan were kneeled at the latest dump site looking for anything that might have been missed. The body had been removed and all that was really left were the faint outlines of footprints from the techs that had been there earlier in the week. Finding nothing worth noting, Prentiss stood and walked towards the water's edge. The water was an icy blue colour, running wildly over rocks and trees that protruded above the surface. "Water sure is moving fast, would hate to fall in there." Morgan walked up beside her as he nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm sure Reid will have all the facts on the Mississippi river. We will have to ask him later how many people a year drowns in there." Prentiss scrunched up her nose in disagreement, "I don't need to know about any more deaths then I have to." Morgan just shrugged his shoulders and they began to make their way towards the next dump site.

4:36p.m.

JJ moved quickly down the front stairs of the old, yellow brick house before sinking into step with Hotch. They had visited all four families and yet seemed no farther ahead than they had been this morning. Hotch's mood had turned for the worse due to the lack of progress so JJ didn't even attempt small talk on the drive back to the station, but instead looked out the windows. A light breeze had the leaves twirling and the long grass swaying. The smell of fresh cut grass filled the air and left JJ feeling a strange sense of calm. She just hoped it wasn't the calm before the storm.

7:22 p.m.

Reid was slumped over the table working hard at the geographical profile. JJ sat next to him, nose right in the file attempting to learn everything she could about the victims and their families. Reid couldn't help the relief he felt when he saw Morgan and Prentiss enter the station bearing coffee for the entire team. He accepted his greedily and sipped at the freshly brewed coffee. He knew that coffee was going to be his best friend the next few days as time was slowly wearing out for Jesse Taylor.

9:45 p.m.

The cement was cold on her bare arms and legs sending a shiver down her spine. She fought to loosen the ropes from around her wrists but only succeeded in digging them farther into her skin. She bit her lip in frustration at her inability to do anything but wiggle around like a worm on the floor. Blood splatters covered the floor and walls and the coppery smell filled her nose. She wondered how many people's blood covered the walls and floor and wondered if soon hers would too. Wondering if soon she would be one of the lifeless bodies found on the lakeshore, cut and bruised and dirty. Footsteps sounded outside the door snapping her out of her reverie. She now lay perfectly still as she awaited his entrance.

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