𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘. ( 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 )

chapter nineteen

TW: murder, mention of crime scenes, mention of torture, mention of post-mortem disfiguration, mention and feature of borderline personality disorder, abductions, mention and feature of guns, police presence, mild language

in name and blood, part one of one.

" the innocence of children is what makes them stand out as a shining example for the rest of mankind. " - kurt chambers.

-

"You know, from this angle, she almost looks human," JJ said, glaring at their Section Chief, Erin Strauss. What remained of the team was sitting in the four-seater of the jet while Strauss sat in the double, as far away from them as possible. Genevieve was in such a foul mood that she didn't even bother to crack a smile. They had just gotten word that Hotch had requested to be transferred out of the BAU, saying that he believed that it was better for all of them if he left, but they all knew what the real reason was. Strauss had suspended Hotch for two weeks, after a case that ended with one of their Unsubs being murdered by a suicidal young girl, who then proceeded to kill herself before they could save her. Strauss had been looking for an excuse to go after Hotch for months now, and this was exactly what she needed to make it happen.

They'd also heard that Emily had handed in her resignation from the FBI, her reasoning being that she thought she'd be a better fit in the State Department. Genevieve was drawing a blank on why Emily felt the need to leave the Bureau - she loved the BAU as much as any of them, and had finally found her place in the team. So why would she just pack it up and leave?

And on top of all of that, Gideon was MIA. He'd taken two weeks off from the Bureau after his partner had been murdered in his apartment, the killer being Frank Breitkopf, an Unsub that the team had been hunting for almost six months, and one that Gideon had taken a personal interest in.

Given all of that, Strauss had seen it fit to accompany them on this case, despite her lack of field expertise.

"Has Strauss even been out in the field-" Spencer asked, but Genevieve kicked his shin to get him to stop talking, as Strauss had gotten up from her chair, and was walking over to them. He looked up and cut himself off just in time.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's protocol to brief everyone before we arrive at the crime scene?" She asked politely.

"Yes, ma'am," JJ plastered a phony smile on her face. Strauss nodded, and then made herself comfortable on the couch opposite them. "Our Unsub abducts women and holds them for 48 hours with no sexual assault. And then, he dumps their bodies with their hearts carved out of their chests,"

Derek handed crime scene photos over to Strauss, who gulped and paled visibly. JJ and Genevieve exchanged a look. How did this woman, who couldn't even look at the crime scene photos without blanching, expect to work in the field, when they were almost certainly going to be dealing with another body, as soon as they landed?

"Our guy isn't exactly a heart surgeon here - the cuts are brutal and messy, and the breast bone and ribs have been shattered, not broken," Genevieve noted examining one of the close-up shots of their killer's handiwork.

"There's an obvious dichotomy in the skill the Unsub exhibits when abducting his victims, and the fact that he cuts their hearts out so crudely," Spencer stated, probably for Strauss' benefit, given that everyone else had already noticed that.

"We're probably looking at someone in a psychotic break," Derek said, studying Strauss' expression carefully. He had taken the news of Hotch's transfer harder than the rest of them had, probably because he had known the man the longest. "He could be a butcher, might be a hunter. He's clearly comfortable around blood, but lacks the technical skills to cleanly and humanely perform his ritual,"