Chapter Three:

Jeff crawled off his mattress and onto the rug. He touched the cold concrete floor and knelt up. He then reached for the remote and turned on the TV. He did not have cable, but he still had access to the local channels.

One broadcast hit Jeff. FBI joins White Ripper investigation. Jeff had been called several names by the police and press, but this was the most popular and Jeff's personal favorite.

Jeff chuckled to himself, they named him after the weird Russian guy who couldn't get a boner. Couldn't that guy just take some Viagra. Then again, Jeff could have robbed people when they were gone, but what was the fun in that.

Anyway, they're were more important things to consider. The FBI of all people were investigating Jeff. When he first killed he couldn't believe himself. He was terrified of being caught. The next time he tried it was an embarrassing screw up. Jeff again had to chuckle. Now he had the feds after him.

Was it time to look for new prey? Jeff wasn't sure. He grabbed his knife and squeezed it tightly. Was he feeling it? Nah, not tonight. Jeff decided to stay home. He searched through his ill gotten gains. What to watch? What to play? Decision decisions decisions.

Hotchner, Reid, and Sherwood returned to the police station. There they reunited with Jareau, Morgan, and Rossi. The agents exchanged the information they had learned.

"So Reid thinks the flattened grass is significant somehow?" Morgan asked.

"Yes I do." he replied. "I just don't know why yet?"

Sherwood produced a stack of files. "I had told you that the ones I showed are not the first murders. These are some other crimes we think are his work."

Hotch distributed the files among his agents. They read the files and they showed the same results. All residential burglaries, the victims killed with a knife. Otherwise not much of a pattern.

"He shows criminal sophistication in all of the break ins." said Reid. "It's possible that he started earlier."

"Well we'll have to go further back." said Sherwood. "Come, let me lead you to the our records."

The agents combed the records for unusual and unsolved deaths. "Here is one." said Jareau. "A woman was found dead in front of her freezer. Beside her lay a frozen carton of Orange Juice. Okay never mind, that is weird but probably not what we are looking for."

"I found a stabbing." said Hotch. "Never mind, it was solved. Personal dispute, offender in prison now."

"Maybe we can search other crimes other than murder?" suggested Rossi.

"Like this break in?" replied Morgan. "Hmm... looks likes they stole much more valuable stuff like jewelry."

"Sounds like a criminal who knows a fence." said Hotch. "The man we are looking for steals for personal use."

"I found something." said Reid. "A disturbance call. A woman called the police when she heard a strange noise. When they arrived he was gone, but they saw something in the grass."

"Is it that thing again." asked Morgan.

"No, remember what I said about the elevator. How the killer bleed." Reid said. "There was a blood trail found at the scene."

Reid showed them the photos. "It starts at the downspout." Hotch noted. "Maybe he tried to climb it."

"Possibly got a wound that hasn't healed. Reid added.

Sherwood walked in. "They're is a witness. Our people are questioning him, but I think you should try."

Hotch walked to the interview room and saw a man being questioned. When Hotch walked in, the police stepped out. Hotch introduced himself. "So you think you saw the killer."

"Yeah." he replied.

"So we are going to do a cognitive. Close your eyes. Where were you? What made you first realize something was happening?"

I am outside my apartment." the man replied. "I hear two sets of footsteps. They were fast. One of them was heavier than the other, and further away."

"Okay good, what else?"

"Someone ran by. He was wearing a white jacket. I got scared, went inside, and slammed my door."

"Did you see anything before you closed the door."

"He was medium height, probably an older teenager. He was rather pale. He had a knife covered in blood. That's why I was scared."

"You are doing good. Keep thinking. Anything else we can know."

"Something about his face. His hood flapped and I saw something. A scar, on his check."

"Which one?"

"I only saw his right check."

Hotch stepped out of the room. "That's it." said Reid who was waiting outside. "An unhealed scar. That's the reason for the blood."

Jeff walked down the street towards High School. Another day, more assignments and homework. Just great. Beside him walked his younger brother Liu. Jeff still remembered the adoption process.

Jeff and Liu reached the school, and walked along the wall towards the door. Jeff eyed three students, and they were looking at him. "Great" he thought.

Most people in school knew better then to pick on him. Randy, and his two cronies, Keith and Troy were exceptions. The few times Jeff could catch one of them alone, they would be sorry.

Nobody in school really liked the three of them. Then again, the didn't really like Jeff either. "Yo Jeff." Randy taunted.

Jeff's concentration being broken made him even more annoyed. Jeff glanced at Liu, who looked scared or concerned, he didn't know. He looked back and Randy and his goons and snarled at them. "Back off."

"Or what!" Keith laughed.

"You know what." Jeff replied.

Liu leaned in towards Jeff. "I think we should just walk away."

"C'mon." Jeff snarled." he looked back at the trio. "I've knocked you down to size before, and I can do it again. You never learn your lesson, maybe this will teach you."

The trio closed in on Jeff and Liu. Jeff clenched his fist, and smirked with anticipation. Jeff looked glanced at Liu again, who put his hands up defensively, still looking scared or concerned.

Keith came in first, and threw a wimpy punch and Jeff. Jeff soaked it in and punched back, winding Keith. He was about to throw another, but he saw Troy's fist swimming towards him.

Jeff easily dodged and slammed Troy in the gut. He growled when Troy's blubber cushioned the blow. Before Troy could react, Jeff smashed Troy's face with an uppercut. He then moved on to the real target, Randy.

Jeff threw a punch and Randy who dodged and punched back. Jeff grabbed Randy's shoulders and began to grapple. He squeezed tightly, and jerked Randy back and forth to put his off balance.

Jeff saw Randy raise his knee. He slammed his foot into Randy's, and ground his heel into his toes. Jeff then swung his elbow hitting Randy in the ribs.

Jeff glanced behind him and saw Liu fighting Keith and Troy. Keith had him in a headlock and Troy was punching him. Liu was struggling hard, trying to punch, kick, elbow, and heabutt free, but he was being overpowered. Now the two really needed a lesson.

Randy too noticed the fight, a smirk cracked on his face, and he chuckled a little. Now was Jeff's chance.

Jeff swung with all his might. In that moment, everything was in slow motion. Randy's expression shifted from confidence to terror. Jeff's fist moved closer and closer to Randy's face.

Then it hit. Randy's face contorted in pain as the fist smashed into his nose and lips. Randy was thrown back and he slammed into the school wall. For a moment he stood their against the wall, then he fell limply forward. Randy face smashed into the sidewalk. Jeff backed off and waited for Randy to get up. "Jeff!" Liu cried.
In that moment, Jeff had forgotten about his brother. He wasn't getting revenge, he was enjoying pain. Jeff looked back and saw that Liu, Troy, and Keith had stopped fighting. They were staring in shock. Jeff looked back to Randy who was still on the ground. He was not getting up.