Here we go guys! Chapter six, hope you like it!
Morgan parked the vehicle in the parking lot of the station and the three Agents trooped back inside, heading towards the room to discuss the new information they had with the others. Though Reid, who had been chewing his lip most of the way back, stopped and called, "I'll catch up in a minute guys."
"You alright, Reid? You seemed a bit distracted on the way here," Morgan asked, turning to look at him.
"Fine. Just thinking. I'm going to stop in the bathroom," Reid said, waving the other two on. He watched them until they were safely back into their room and into conversation, before he walked over to a table at the side of the room and set his bag down. He dug around in it for a few seconds before pulling out a few days old newspaper.
It was a smaller publication, not like the bigger ones they'd found involved in this case. So there wasn't really any way that anything could come of it, right?
He flipped to the seventh page, his eyes landing on a small portion of the bottom corner. The small article covered barely a fourth of a page.
'FBI's Youngest Profiler Breaks the Case. Dr. Spencer Reid, the Behavioral Analysis Unit's youngest member, made the break that solved the case of the mass murderer that had been attacking women in southern Virginia, saving the life of Monica Wilkins. She'd been abducted by the murderer, or 'UnSub', as the BAU calls them, the day before. This case marks the two hundredth case that Dr. Reid has helped to solve since joining the BAU '.
The article went on to talk briefly about a few of the other 'notable' things he'd done, and the BAU itself. Nonetheless, there was still a smiling picture of himself at the top. But that didn't mean anything. Different publication, a small article near the back, easy to miss. It was a paper from a totally different part of the state. There was no way this UnSub would see it, no way that anything would happen. Right?
Definitely. There was no chance. He shoved the newspaper back in his bag and threw it over his shoulder again, heading back into the BAU's room. He smiled as they all looked his way. "What are we talking about?"
"Well, if this 'Gentleman' guy is a hit man, we've got to assume he's being hired by someone. But who?" Morgan said.
"Who could have something against all these people?" JJ asked. "They're all good guys. One veteran cop, one a historian working to preserve an old building, one a researcher on the brink of a breakthrough, one a local charity owner."
"It could be possible that it's someone who's jealous at these people's success. Though most normal people don't kill four others out of jealousy," Rossi said.
"It could be plausible that whoever is hiring this guy is a schizophrenic," Reid said quickly, jumping up and taking a look at the board. "They could believe that these people are conspiring against them. There's one line or one word in these articles that sticks out to them and makes them think they're being targeted."
"That could definitely explain the randomness of the victims," Hotch said. "Other than them being in the papers, Garcia found absolutely no connections between them."
Right on cue, Morgan's phone started ringing again, and he picked it up, smiling. "Baby girl, how did you know we were just talking about you?"
"Because I'm obviously magical. How else could I be so amazing? Anyway, I've been tracking your Gentleman all over the country. His first documented kill was in northern Wisconsin. From there he went to Virginia, then to Texas, then to South Carolina, Oregon, North Dakota, crisscrossing all over the country. He only struck once in each place, as I said before weeks or months in between. This is the first time he's killed multiple times, and within the span of a few days."
"Were any of the employers of this guy ever caught?" JJ asked.
"All of them got away, save for one in Arizona. She and the woman she'd had killed openly hated each other. They had apparently gotten into several physical altercations leading up to the murder. It wasn't really any question that she'd arranged it," Garcia said. "And when she was questioned, she gladly confessed that she'd set it up, but refused to give up who she'd hired."
"Did she give a reason why?" Hotch asked, looking at the phone with his brows furrowed.
"She said that it was in the contract she'd set up with him that she couldn't. And that she didn't really know herself."
"How could she not know?" Prentiss asked, brows furrowed.
"Let me see… Ah, there. She said that he contacted her mainly through single use cell phones and she only ever met him face to face one time, and she never got a good look at his face."
"Alright, thanks Garcia. Can we assume you're already working on sending the complete list over?" Hotch asked.
"Would you doubt me, sir? Of course. I've been faxing it to the station for this entire conversation."
A few of them chuckled. "Thanks Baby Girl," Morgan said, hanging up.
"I'll go get the papers," Reid offered quickly. He stood and walked out of the room, finding his way to the fax machine, which was still printing a document that was nearly seventy pages.
He grabbed the half that had already printed, flipping through them and taking in the information, picking up the new ones as they printed. A list of thirty five victims.
His name wasn't about to join that list. It couldn't.
Nikolas rapped on the door, and as usual, went through the process of proving he was really himself, the locks being undone and being quickly ushered into the apartment.
"Nikolas," the Boss said warmly. Well, as warmly as the Boss could, which by regular standards wasn't very warmly at all. "I didn't expect you so soon. You didn't run into trouble, did you?"
"No, no. I completed the last mission," Nikolas said.
"Already? My, you are becoming more efficient, aren't you? Wonderful!" the Boss said, looking his brand of excited. At times, he could seem almost completely normal and lucid, like he did today. Other times, he seemed… well. Like a complete nutcase.
"Well, Boss. I told you when you hired me, you were hiring the very best," Nikolas said.
"You were correct. And you can call me Pazel, you don't need to keep calling me 'Boss'."
"Pazel? Is that your name? It's very… different," Nikolas said.
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" he said, as he went to sit down and began to rummage through the papers he had stacked up. "I hadn't prepared for you to come so soon, but I do have the next target picked out."
The Boss, or Pazel now, grabbed a paper from near the bottom of the stack, ripping it out and sending the papers above it sliding across the floor. He didn't seem to care, however, excitedly opening it and turning it to a page in the middle. Nikolas's eyes wandered to the wall behind him, where the articles on his murders were. Only three of them were there so far, as there hadn't been time for the old man to make it in the papers yet. Though there was a slight empty spot on the wall next to them, awaiting that article and those to come.
"Er, Pazel?" Nikolas asked. He didn't really react, but Nikolas assumed he was listening. "How long are you going to require my… services?"
"Why?" Pazel said, lowering the paper, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Oh, no reason. I was merely curious. No need to worry. I'm in no hurry to leave this partnership we have going," Nikolas answered.
"Good. Because I will keep giving you assignments as long as necessary. Until we get rid of all… those people," Pazel said, his face taking on a look of disgust.
"Quite right. We can't let any of them stay around," Nikolas agreed. In all honesty, he didn't think any of those he killed were really bad. They seemed like pretty decent people. But if Pazel told him to kill them, he certainly wasn't going to say no.
"Exactly. I'm glad you see it my way," Pazel said, before turning back to the paper. "Ah. Here we are. This one really needs to go."
He ripped the bottom half of one of the pages off, and then ripped it in half again, handing over the part in his right hand. Nikolas grabbed it and scanned it quickly, almost breaking out into a fit of laughter. But he managed to keep his face straight and stick it in his pocket.
"This one may be a bit more difficult than the rest of them," Pazel said. "Feel free to take as long as you need."
"Oh, that won't be necessary. I'll be back tomorrow evening as long as everything goes according to plan," Nikolas said.
"Wonderful! You're the best employer I've had. You're much better than the last few. None of them even completed their missions," Pazel said, looking impressed.
"Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go. I've got a lot to plan."
"Of course. By all means," Pazel said, following him to the door and ushering him out. The familiar sounds of the locks re-locking were sounded from the other side of the door, and he was anxious to get moving, but waited until he heard the knock that signaled him that he could leave.
Nikolas walked quickly down to his car, driving a few blocks away before he pulled over and pulled out the ripped article again. This time he allowed himself to laugh loudly at the smiling picture and the name in the first line of text.
Spencer Reid.
This ought to be fun.
Uh oh... Things are starting to pick up now! What do you think? Review and let me know!
