[A/N] - Rana has the usual wallet like FBI ID in her back pocket but she shows that when formal credentials are needed. Usually, she has the FBI badge strapped on her pants or mostly, hanging around her neck.
Also, Rana is Jack's partner. She started as his protege and eventually became his partner. However, he is still her boss and she takes orders from him. Yet, he trusts her enough to let her lead troops or cases, all while entrusting her with enough power to order lower-grade teams when she had to. She is also 30 years old, for anyone wondering and her backstory with Jack will slowly be unfolded more as the story progresses.
In the office of the FBI Agent-in-Charge named Jack Crawford, a young woman stood in front of the evidence board. Straight dirty blond hair hung on her back, covering her black sleeveless shirt. Hands covered by finger-less gloves were placed behind her as her blue eyes were locked on the pictures.
Different young girls, all bearing similar characteristics in appearance and colours, smiling at the camera that took their picture. Crime scene photos, potential suspects and post-it papers with notes spread in neat chaos across the board. Red clothed lines had been placed, trying to make it easier to find the connections between all of them.
The young woman took quiet breaths, trying to concentrate and find the clues they were missing. Usually, she would manage something but this particular case...was challenging her. She did not like that but she also refused to give up.
Unlike the rest of the people in the agency, she was different and they had no clue about it. She had managed to reach the ranks she was currently in through hard work and...something special. So, now, it did not settle well with her.
A familiar set of footsteps echoed faintly in her ear. She knew to whom they belonged to and had a good suspicion of where they were heading. It all came true when the door to the office was pushed open.
"Still here?" a voice reached her ears, breaking her concentration.
Blinking once, the woman took a deep breath and gave a sideway glance with her blue eyes. By the door, stood her sort of former teacher and also her boss; Jack Crawford. He was the big man at the agency located in Baltimore, and she had been his protégé for the past 4 years. He had seen something in her...potential, and he took his chances. Now, it had all paid back in more ways than he could ever expect.
"Just giving it another shot. We must have missed something and I know, it will not be long before an 8th girl is discovered" she replied as the man took a step in her direction.
"I am well aware. Which is why I am on my way to recruit someone, who can help us with his case" that drew her attention and she turned her head to look at him, one eyebrow lifted. "His name is Will Graham, I suppose you know him"
Her muscles tensed ever so faintly at the mention of that particular name. She knew the man he was referring to. They were together back in the Academy, but he failed to continue as a field agent due to...well, some unique aspects of his mentality. However, there were more reasons why she knew him.
Will Graham looked human to everyone else, but he was not. No...he was different, just like her. Problem was, he did not seem to be very aware of the fact or much informed on it either. For despite sharing classes, he barely realized her presence...even though his body was reacting to the familiar scent of someone alike.
They never truly exchanged any word while in the Academy, but she always kept her eyes on him; had his back one would say. She never did the first step to approach him and in the end, they took different paths. While she continued as an Agent, he took teaching in the Academy. His unique gift of empathy and insight into the minds of serial killers proved to be of excellent use to train young future agents.
"You think he can help?" the woman finally asked him, realizing she had been quiet for a little longer than she wanted.
"One way to find out. You coming?" he asked and headed for the door.
At the idea that Will might be drawn out on the field, she felt her heart increase in beats. She did not like the idea of him going out, let alone trying to empathize with a killer as cruel and smart as the one they were looking for. However, she had no saying in that. All she could do was to join him and just like in the Academy, make sure that he was out of harm's way.
The two Agents stood by the open door of the classroom. Their eyes were on Will, who was finishing his lecture on the current serial killer. His presentation was outstanding, giving insights and views of thinking that no one else had before. However, the time to observe and admire would have to be cut short...for they got another call.
As the woman feared, an 8th girl has just been discovered. An 8th victim of a serial killer they still had to catch. Thankfully, the lecture ended shortly after and they had their chance to approach the young talented man.
There were scattered smitten glances tossed in Will Graham's direction, who is naturally oblivious because he was actively avoiding eye contact with everyone, even as he warned his exiting students. "The sad, dull truth of these crimes is they can usually be reduced to a male penetrative control issue. I am expecting a higher level of scrutiny."
Just as he was done, he came to a halt. Micro-expressions covered his face...the slight flaring of his nostrils as a new strong scent reached him, his Adam's apple moving slightly as he forced some saliva to retreat to his throat...the smallest movement of his pupils. He quickly wore his glasses, making sure that the upper trim of them would prevent him from having direct contact with anyone.
The two agents finally approached him, but only one of them had noticed the changes and was aware as of why.
"Mr Graham" Jack spoke as he approached first, coming too close to the podium and into Will's personal space. "I'm Special Agent Jack Crawford. I lead the Behavioral Science Unit. This is Special Agent Rana Stones" he introduced the woman, who gave the smallest of head nods.
Will kept trying his best to avoid eye contact while focusing on his surroundings. He knew both of them, although he had only talked with one.
"We've met" was all he said as he tried to control his breathing.
The scent coming from the female Agent was clear, strong and familiar. He remembered it from his days at the Academy, although he had never talked to her. There was something...about her...something that made him want to approach her but at the same time, to never look her in the eye.
He could tell there was something more behind his reactions, something that science and all his searches at scientific articles could never explain. For that, he tried to focus on Jack before he lost any control.
Thankfully, Jack helped with that. "Yes, we disagreed about the museum when we opened it." He reminded him.
"I disagreed with what you named it"
"The Evil Minds Research Museum?"
"It's a little hammy, Jack."
Will's explanation and reply made Rana show the faintest of amused smiles. She liked that despite everything, he was still as direct as he could be. He was like that from their days at the Academy.
Stealing a glance at Jack, she could tell that he liked that too. It was not often that someone spoke that directly, especially to him. The few who did usually ended up stirring up his anger and drawing negative reactions from him.
"You've hitched your horse to a teaching post. I understand it's not easy for you to be sociable." Jack was taking his time, even though they did not have that much. He was trying not to be as straight, afraid he might scare the only man, who could help them.
Will could not help but feel the need to correct him and so he did. "I'm just talking at them. I'm not listening to them. It's not social"
Jack was no fool. He was a bright man and he could see what Will was doing with his glasses. To put an end to it, he pushed them up the bridge of his nose, so Will would be forced to make fleeting eye contact.
At the same time, Rana changed the weight between her legs. Her hands had remained at her back, to hide the fists that had formed. She did not like how much into Will's personal space Jack was getting or the fact he tried to force him into eye contact. She took a deep breath, her shoulders tense but Jack was too busy with Will to notice.
Will, on the other hand, caught all of her reactions. Trying not to fully look Jack in the eyes, he indirectly focused on her. Not on her face but on the shining badge hanging by her neck. The tight black top that left her arms exposed and the black cargo pants. There was a gun strapped to her waist, ready to be used while her toned muscles flexed beneath her clothes.
"Where do you fall on the spectrum?"
"My horse is hitched to a post closer to Aspergers and Autistics than narcissists and sociopaths." He explained simply, trying his best to keep his composure.
There suddenly seem to be something comforting about Rana's presence and he grasped it, subconsciously.
Jack was clueless and kept his focus on the topic. "But you can empathize with narcissists and sociopaths"
"I can empathize with anybody. Less to do with personality disorders than an active imagination"
Jack smiled at that but it was Rana, who spoke next. "Will" her voice was soft, calm and reassuring. He almost made eye contact with her...almost. "Can we borrow your imagination?" she finally asked him, afraid that Jack had pushed him too far already.
Thankfully for them, something seemed to have drawn at least his attention. They found themselves walking on the Academy Campus. Will was at the far right, with Rana in the middle and Jack at the other end. This formation proved better, for Jack could not truly invade his personal space any longer and Rana already knew the boundaries.
As they walked, they passed by a field of trainees on a firing range as a group in matching sweats jogged by.
"Eight girls from eight different Minnesota campuses abducted in the last eight months." Rana started first, seeing that Will was more willing to listen.
Jack did not fully understand that but he did not push the matter. Over the 4 years, he had trained her, he had seen that she had a gift when it came to speech. Whether a frightened witness or a potential suspect, she had a way to make people talk. It was what had drawn his interest in her back then.
"I thought there were seven. When did you tag the eighth?" Will asked his attention always forward.
"About three minutes before we walked into your lecture hall" Rana added quickly.
"You're calling them "abductions" because you have no bodies?"
Jack felt the need to correct him. "We have nothing. No bodies. No parts of bodies. Nothing comes out of a body. We have lonely swabs in used evidence kits"
Will stayed silent for a moment before he concluded his own. "Then those girls weren't taken from where you think they were taken"
That made the two Agents glance at him but it was Jack, who spoke first. "Where were they taken from?"
"I don't know. Someplace else."
Jack and Rana led Will back to the primer's office, to show him the map with all the little evidence they had managed to obtain so far.
"All abducted on a Friday so they're not reported missing until Monday. However, he's covering his, tracks he needs the weekend to do it" Jack explained as he tacked a blue square paper to the map.
It was the 8th on it so far, each one representing one of the girls that got abducted in the past few months. Jack, then, took one senior prom portrait of the latest missing girl and handed it to Will.
"Number eight?" Will asked but his attention and question were directed to Rana, who was busy practically staring daggers at the map.
"Yes. Elise Nichols. St. Cloud State on the Mississippi. Disappeared Friday. Supposed to house-sit for her parents over the weekend. Feed their cat. Never made it home." She replied shortly, her tone colder.
Proof that this case had started to get under her skin. And while it was not advised and not approved by Jack, she could not help it. Innocent young girls were being kidnapped and they could do nothing about it so far. This case... felt personal to her and it kind of was.
For she had joined the FBI in hopes of bringing justice to all those innocent victims of lunatics, serial killers and...her people. However, at that specific moment, she felt like doing anything but that.
"One through seven are dead, don't you think? He's not keeping them around. Got himself a new one." Will concluded, glancing from Rana to Jack.
The said man showed he was agreeing with his words. "We're focusing on Elise Nichols"
Will looked over at all the pictures of the girls pinned on the map, standing next to Rana but with some space between them. He could still not shake the feeling she stirred within him. Thankfully, he seemed to be able to control it and the case was helping him to focus on anything but that feeling.
"They all look like Mall of America. That's a lot of wind-chaffed skin" he mumbled, slowly pointing things out.
"Same hair colour. Same eye colour. Roughly same age, height, and weight" Jack added and Rana exhaled some air from her nostrils.
"Yes, but what is it about all these girls?" she questioned pretty much no one, just voicing out her inner thoughts.
Will, though, heard her loud and clear. "It's not about all of these girls. It's about one of them. He's like Willy Wonka. Every girl he takes is a candy bar. Hidden amongst all those candy bars is the one, the true intended victim, which if we follow through on the metaphor, would be your Golden Ticket"
This made the two agents turn their attention to him.
"Warming up for his Golden Ticket or reliving whatever he did to her" Jack figured out but his guest did not seem to agree very much.
"Golden Ticket wouldn't be the first taken and she wouldn't be the last. He would hide how special she is. I mean, I would. Wouldn't you?"
This question made Rana lift an eyebrow, her mind working behind those blue eyes of hers. Her attention went back to the missing girls. "He still chose one of the most common combinations. As if he knew it would be hard to narrow it down"
Once again she voiced her thoughts and wondered, whether he did that subconsciously on purpose or if they were simply that unlucky. The majority of white girls across the states, let alone Baltimore, had the characteristics of this supposed 'Golden Ticket'. So, finding it out who it was; was simply much trickier.
For a moment, she found that what Will pointed out merely made things more complicated for them. Yet, all of her thoughts came to a halt by what Jack said next.
"I'd like you to get closer to this"
Those words made her turn her body fully, trained muscles tense as she looked between those two men. She did not like the idea of Will getting closer to this, considering there were always unpredicted dangers. Of course, Will had a higher chance of surviving but that did not mean she could not have the innate feeling of looking after him. She knew why, but he was still clueless. However, if he did agree to get closer to this; it would allow her to get closer to him.
Perhaps finally get a chance to talk with Will, and clear things out. Something that she wanted to do, but found it much harder with his antisocial personality and need to avoid any eye contact.
"You have Heimlich at Harvard and Bloom at Georgetown. They do the same thing I do." Will argued, not truly believing he should be the one getting closer.
"That's not true, is it? You have a specific way of thinking" Jack argued, trying his best to persuade him without hiding how desperate he was.
"Has there been a lot of discussion about the specific way I think?" Will asked, glancing at Rana who remained quiet.
She did not fully have a clear answer and she did not feel like she should interfere in that discussion. The look Jack gave her, also confirmed that it would be wiser for her to remain quiet. There was, of course, had been a word about Will and his...unique way of thinking among top agents and people in the Academy.
In the end, Will gave in.
