timeless, spencer reid [ 1 ]

072. there's no place like home

"The bodies of two unidentified boys were found near Wichita, Kansas, a week apart." Penelope says. "Both were Caucasian and between the ages of 15 and 17."

"They were each found mangled in the aftermath of a tornado." Emily says.

"Yeah, but that's not what did them in." Penelope says. "The M.E. has determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head before the storms hit."

"Well, the death blow in each case was in almost exactly the same spot." Derek says.

"Now what about all the other damage to their bodies?" JJ asks. "Some of their limbs are missing."

"Yeah, victim number one, his right leg was taken off. Victim number two, both arms were severed. But was that because of the tornado or the unsub?" Emily questions.

"The M.E. still hasn't discovered that. He's a busy guy." Penelope says. "Major storms have hit the area. 23 dead. The morgue is slammed."

"It fits the unsub. He's got a hell of a sadistic streak." Rossi says.

"Well, a tornado would clear the air and give the unsub the privacy to do his thing." Derek says.

"He may be using the storm as the body disposition modality." Spencer says.

"Forensic countermeasure, wind, hail, rain, mother nature destroys the crime scene." Rossi says.

"Or he wants us to think mother nature actually committed the murders." Emily says.

"What concerns me is the brief period between kills." Hotch says.

"Only a week. He's moving fast." Rossi says.

"We need to move faster. Garcia, get me IDs on all the victims." Hotch says.

"I'm a gale force wind." She says.

"Wheels up in 30." Hotch says.

"Oh, and pack for foul weather. The forecast is nasty." Penelope says.

+++

The jet shakes with turbulence, everything on the table shaking. Bedelia tightly grips onto the arm rest of her seat, putting one hand on the table to keep the file from sliding off.

"Central Plains." JJ says. "Right in the middle of tornado alley."

"Yeah, it's a freaking blast." Bedelia grumbles, running a hand through her hair. Spencer frowns at her for a moment, remembering her telling him how anxious turbulence makes her.

"You know, if this unsub is using tornadoes as a forensic countermeasure, then Kansas certainly is the ideal setting." Spencer says. "Tornadoes do pose a significant threat. During this year's outbreak back in April, there were 336 confirmed tornadoes in just several days, resulting in over 300 lives lost."

Penelope comes on the screen.

"Hey, tell us something good, mama." Derek says.

"Okay, so local P.D. have ID'd your victims." Penelope says as the turbulence starts up again. Bedelia puts her seatbelt on, tightening it. "I'm putting this all on your tablets if you'd like to follow along."

"Only if I wanna puke." Bedelia mutters, sighing.

"First up is Jason Meredith, 16 year old runaway from Garden City, Kansas. Mom said he took off over a year ago. Next up is Eric Janelle, 15 year old foster kid from Wichita. He's been gone 3 weeks." Penelope says. "Oh, both of these kids have records for possession and prostitution."

"They were street hustlers." Emily says.

"High risk kids. This could be a sexual predator." Hotch says.