March 9th 2006

10:54 AM

Grand Gamers Domain, Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada

Morgan and Elle surveyed the arcade spread out before them. The place itself was huge, the size of a typical Las Vegas Casino, but overflowing with videogames and Elle could easily picture the place full of kids and adults playing the games, it was a kid's paradise, slightly smaller in square footage than the famous Gameworks arcade, just down the street, the Grand Gamers Domain was just as popular as its rival. It would be loud with screaming and dinging of games, explaining how no one noticed Grant Dennerson entering the arcade with the unsub and how his body wasn't noticed at first.

"You must be the BAU folks?" A wiry looking cop sprang towards them, "Joel Kenney, at your service."

"Agents Morgan and Greenaway," Morgan said flashing their badges

"Hope you guys can wrap this part fast…the owners are none to happy about having to be closed like this, four days of being closed has really made them…well a little testy, and that's puttin' it lightly."

"They do realize that a 13 year old boy was found murdered on their property?"

"Of course they do, but you don't know how these guys operate, time is money, being closed like this with anxious customers wanting to come in is hurting their bank accounts. Though they assured me they don't mean to be unsympathetic to the kid's family. But 'pprently a dead foster kid is bad for business." Ell shook her head glaring at no one in particular; she felt that keeping her opinion to herself at the moment was in everyone's best interest.

Morgan walked over to the spot where Grant's body had been found; he stood over it piecing together his thoughts. He turned to Kenney

"Security cameras?" he asked, Kenney nodded

"'Course, we pulled every tape from every angle, we've been over them a few times now. You folks are more than welcome to pour over them yourselves; we got 'em back at the command center we've got set up at Norster,"

"Norster?" Morgan repeated

"Northeast District of the city, everyone just calls it Norster," Kenney paused scratching his chin "Captain Williamson has been putting his whole heart into this investigation, it was only fitting that all info passed through his unit. Two of the kids came from his area of the city…I guess he feels responsible, least that's what everyone's been saying, personally I think it's just 'cause Norster's station was renovated last summer an' has the newest facilities."

Morgan and Elle exchanged a look, both wondering if the rest of the team was getting that same impression from Williamson himself. Kenney cleared his throat

"Something else?" Elle asked

"I can tell you what we've gathered from the videos, I have been watching those videos over and over again for the past two days and nothing looks out of place, Grant Dennerson came into the arcade with who we're sure is our suspect about 10:30, it's the arcades busiest time of the morning so we're talkin' full house here, actually seeing Grant was tough…there's at least an hour time frame where he's at different games throughout that hour, mainly stickin' to that skeet-ball machine over yonder…Then from about 11:30…12:00ish on, none of the camera's have any images of Grant or the suspect. Three hours later, someone finally noticed Grant, sittin' off in the corner, just out of camera view."

"So none of the cameras saw this guy leave the arcade?"

"That's just it…this guy is smart, he knew exactly where the camera's were pointed and kept himself just outta view."

"I thought you said the entrance camera caught Grant coming in with the UnSub?" Kenney shook his head

"I said that ya can see Grant coming into the arcade with who we're sure is this guy, but all ya can see is a hand on his shoulder, like I said stayed outta view just enough." Morgan and Elle exchanged another look, that figured.

"And you're telling us that there is only ONE camera in the entrance?"

"Naw 'course not…there's three or four, but none of them seemed to get more than a hand or a shoulder." Kenney rubbed his chin, "this guy was good, an' smart." He paused, like he had more to say, but wasn't sure if he should.

"What?" Elle prodded "something else?"

"Well, I'm…I'm no expert in the subject, but me an' some other officers have been going over them tapes, and well, you'll see it when your people look 'em over too. But we think that Grant was drugged or somethin'." Elle looked over at Morgan in surprise

"What makes you say that?" she asked

"Well, Grant Dennerson had that ADHD thing…on top of his behavior problems, that boy couldn't sit still for thirty seconds, and yet…he walked into this arcade….calm and mature and even went to the games the same way…I've seen adults walk in here and run 'round like kids, like they've reconnected with their youth or something, but Grant was the completely opposite." Kenney crossed his arms "I've been on the force 15 years, I've seen how druggies and addicts act when their flying high…Agents…this kid he was walkin' into the games, hell he could barely stand let 'lone walk 'round here, …our suspect was supportin' him, helpin' him along. I don't know 'bout you, an' you'll see what I mean when ya see the tapes, but I know he drugged that kid…drugged him before he brought him here."

Morgan was about to answer, when his phone rang, he glanced over at Elle and Kenney before answering it.

"Yeah…ok…we'll be right there." He looked over at Elle "Hotch wants us back, now"