Chapter Seven:
Hotch and Sherwood arrived at the address Jareau gave them. It was an incomplete house, only the basement built. They walked down into it, and found themselves in the lair of a killer.
The house was sparsely furnished. A few rugs were laying around to cover up the concrete. A mattress on the floor was were Jeff slept. Nearby was a television surrounded with video games and movies. The ones he killed to acquire.
But the most important thing was a stack of papers. It was the addresses of the victims. He and Sherwood searched them and almost everything lined up.
"What about his last kills?" Sherwood asked.
"Garcia determined they did not participate in the forums the other ones did?" Hotch replied. He picked another piece of paper. "I don't recognize this one." he added.
Sherwood picked up his radio and asked if anything happened on that address. "Then we are not too late." he said.
Sherwood and Hotch hurried out of the house and into the car. They speed down the street towards the address.
Jeff walked down the apartment corridors, looking for his next victim. He felt the craving. The knife was thirsty for blood. He looked at the door numbers, his next victim was close.
Suddenly Jeff heard a sound, it was a siren. They were on to him. He looked out the nearest window and saw an SUV with flashing sirens. Two men dashed out of the vehicle towards the building.
If they knew what building to go to, they would know what floor to look. Jeff went back to the stairs and climbed up to the next floor
Hotch and Sherwood ran up the stairs and opened the door to the floor the room was on. They searched the hallway, but found no one. The room Jeff had picked out was still locked, as where all of the other doors.
"You think he saw us coming and ran?" suggested Sherwood.
The two went back to the stairs and proceeded down them. Suddenly a figure lunged at the two. Sherwood turned around and blocked Jeff's knife hand, but his empty hand slammed into Sherwood's gut. Sherwood tumbled down the stairs into a heap.
Jeff then focused on Hotch. He swung his knife towards Hotch's throat. Hotch leaned and the knife swung by inches from him. Hotch swung his fist at Jeff's gut. Jeff grunted and continued to thrust at Hotch, who backpedaled down the the landing.
Hotch reached down for his gun, but Jeff was onto him to fast. Jeff body slammed him into the wall and lifted his knife towards Hotch's neck. "Do you hear that." Jeff said, his voice trembling with anticipation. "That's the sound of my knife. It craves the taste of your blood."
Hotch kneed Jeff and grabbed his arm. "The knife says nothing, it's just you." Hotch replied, and wrenched his arm hoping to disarm him.
But Jeff would not quit. He punched Hotch twice and then yanked his arm free. Hotch backed off and dodged a thrust towards him. Jeff advanced and Hotch went down the next set of steps.
Jeff followed him and continued to swing at Hotch, hoping to overwhelm him. Hotch kept trying to dodge and swing back, but it was in vain. Jeff kept coming closer with his deadly knife. The two reached the next landing.
Suddenly shots rang through the air. It was Sherwood standing with his gun drawn. Jeff glanced at bit to the side. "You'll hit the fed you moron." he taunted.
Sherwood holstered the gun and then swung his arm "Catch!" he shouted out.
Hotch saw a baton cartwheeling through the air towards him. He snatched it out of the air, opened it up, and swung it at Jeff. The baton smacked him on the side on the head.
Jeff's twisted grin was replaced by a snarl. He lunged at Hotch, but Hotch struck him again in the gut. Jeff tried again, but Hotch grabbed his arm and struck him twice more.
Jeff struggled to get free but Hotch struck and kicked him. Jeff pushed his hand forward, and slipped out. Jeff backed off and Hotch advanced towards him. He swung at Jeff striking him again. Jeff backed down the stairs and Hotch went after him. He swung and hit Jeff on the head.
Jeff fell and collapsed onto the floor. Morgan and a couple of local cops came through the door with guns drawn. Jeff stood up and glanced back and forth at them. "Don't do it." Morgan commanded."
Jeff snarled in frustration. "All right you got me." He dropped his knife and raised his hands in the air. Morgan cuffed Jeff and walked him outside too the cruiser. He and the police threw him in and the vehicle drove off. Hotch, Morgan and Sherwood watched it disappear down the road. "Looks like we got him." Sherwood sighed in relief.
After Rossi and Jarauea returned, the two interrogated Jeff while Hotch and Sherwood watched from outside the both. "Reports say that you assaulted a police officer and FBI Agent." Rossi said.
"Is that true?" Jareau asked.
Jeff looked up and glared at them. "What do you think?"
"I don't know. You tell me." responded Rossi.
Jeff continued to glare but said nothing. "Do you want to hear your rights?" Jareau asked.
Jeff turned towards her. "Sure why not." he casually stated.
Jareau read Jeff the Miranda Rights. "Do you understand them?" she asked.
"Yeah." Jeff replied.
"So you can end the interrogation now." said Rossi. "You don't have to say anything."
Jeff let out a chuckle. "I always knew the gig would be up some time. So are you ready?"
"Yes we are." Jaraeu said.
"So first of all." Rossi said. "Did you assault FBI Agent Aaron Hotchner and Officer Ryan Sherwood?"
Jeff pointed at the window. "Those two guys. I know they are right outside this room. Yeah, I tried to carve them up."
"Arrogant prick." Sherwood whispered to Hotch, who nodded in agreement.
"You tried to kill two armed men using only a knife?" Jareau asked.
"Worth a shot." Jeff replied. "Element of surprise, almost worked."
"When you fled into a home, you assaulted the owner. Is that correct?" Rossi said.
"Yeah, I saw him and cut him with my knife. I was going to kill him, but I was in a hurry."
The Agents walked Jeff through the rest of his murders. He described the recent murders. When he mentioned the guard, Sherwood clenched his fist in anger, and Hotch calmed him down. He then went back to crimes before the FBI got involved. Indeed they matched the descriptions.
"So you say a botched break in got you your scars?" asked Jareau.
"Yeah I was going to do my first break in." said Jeff. "I tried to climb the downspout. I bite my knife, like the pirate movies. Then I slipped and fell. I cut my face. It was pretty bad." He chuckled to himself. "Thankfully I found band aids and alcohol."
Jeff then spoke about his first murders. Rossi and Jareau winced as he described how he murdered his very own family. How his confrontation with his father turned lethal, how he waited for his mother and brother and then ambushed them, and how he drove their bodies to an isolated location and dumped them.
Having got their confession. The agents decided to wrap up and head back to Quantico. Officer Sherwood accompanied them to the Airport. "So this is it." he said.
"Looks like the case is closed. We've got more work to do and so do you." Hotch replied.
"Good to have you around." Sherwood said as he extended his hand.
"Always a pleasure." Hotch said as he shook his hand. "Thank you for your help."
"If you ever need me, let me know."
Hotch boarded the plane and sat down. After such a long day it was good to relax. He saw his agents casually chatting or trying to get some sleep. The plane took off and Hotch soon fell asleep.
