Never Together Nor Apart

[Chapter 44]

Hotch's POV:

"The Greeks translated "puppets" as "Neurospasta," which literally means string-pulling and throughout time they've been used as a method to tell kings stories so the subjects didn't speak to him directly," Reid explains.

"It was a way to hear the truth," Dave infers.

"It seems like this unsub's doing something similar, using his puppets to tell his story," I decide.

"He can't be controlling them by hand," Alex rejects.

"No, he probably built some sort of contraption," I suggest.

"And he's trying to lift his victims," Reid adds.

"That could explain why they discarded the men. They were too heavy," Dave realizes.

"What do you see?" I ask notice the file in his hand.

"Well, I'm checking the licenses of our victims, and each one weighted less than the previous one," Dave says.

"You know, if he's making human marionettes, that also explains why he's stuffing his victims into boxes. It's like a sick toy chest," Reid shutters.

"So he is dehumanizing them, but he's just not killing them. He's turning them into his playthings," I nod.

"I will never look at Lily's toys the same," Reid rubs his temples.

I hear a chuckle come from Dave just as a local police officer walks over.

"A father and son were just abducted from a parking lot at gunpoint. A witness saw a man force them into a car," He explains.

"Dave, you and Blake go check it out. I'll have Garcia start looking for theater owners and puppeteers in the area," I begin the call.

*time skip*

"Ok there are five puppeteers/ marionettor's in the area," Garcia tells.

"Any of them recently released from prison?" I wonder.

"Mmm, no. They're working kids' parties and at hospitals," she dismisses.

"What about someone who had a traumatic incident with a brunette girl?" Reid asks.

"Wow, that's—that's kind of specific. Hold on, let me patch in Morgan and Emily," I hear a click.

"Hey, we're at the clothing store, and we got the names of five people who left numerous messages for Tucker this week," I hear Morgan's voice.

"Give them to me," Garcia sings.

"All right, we got Sam Holby, Terrence Crammer, Vincent Lang, Matt Parker, and Jill Olger," Morgan reads.

"Ok... and no, and I'm cross checking those with Hotch's list of puppeteers, and no," she answers both questions.

"So I've got eight more names. Some written in pads in the back, others are more frequent customers," Emily says over the phone.

"Alright, Penelope, I need you to trace the phone lines here too. See if this Tucker call the unsub today," Morgan advises.

*time skip*

"We just came from the parking lot where the father and son were abducted. It looks like the unsub might be on the surveillance camera. Witnesses said there was a blue van," Dave brings good news.

Once again I call Garcia for more entail.

"Mm," she replies.

"Garcia?" I question.