𝓼𝓪𝓯𝓮 ➣ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓽𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂-𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓻

"Does anyone remember this picture?" Garcia asked the team gathered at the round table.

On the screen was a picture from the Randy Slade school shooting years ago. Mara recognized it because she'd studied the case.

"Hotch and I were there," Rossi spoke up. "That's Principal Doug Givens, we had to drag to him to safety."

"High school bombing in Boise, right?" Mara asked. "School shooter and school bomber."

"A kid named Randy Slade shot three students, and then set off an IED in the cafeteria via cell phone, killing himself and thirteen kids total, but not before posting all of his plans online." Reid explained, answering Mara.

"Last night, Principal Givens was killed by a bomb modeled exactly like the old one." Garcia said as the team opened the file and started reading.

"Feels like the UnSub wants to attack the man who kept the school together after the bombing," Morgan said. "It's a pretty symbolic target."

"And this week is the tenth anniversary of the massacre." Reid commented.

"And today is the first day of a four-day event to commemorate the bombing at the school." Garcia said, clicking the remote to shoot more pictures on the screen.

"Except commemorating isn't enough for this UnSub." Hotch said.

"He wants to relive it." JJ said.

They all packed up their bags and headed for the jet, wheels up in thirty minutes. They were all sitting on the jet, comfortable in their seats.

"Perpetrators of school violence are often sophisticated with their weapons." Reid said, closing his file while Mara took in every detail.

"Randy Slade carried his bomb in his backpack. This guy hid his in Givens' clock-radio." JJ said as she read through the file.

"Yeah, and progressive," Mara added, looking up from the file. "Each one tries to top the body count of the one previous. And they're loners by default, not by choice. They try to join various social groups, but they get shut out.

"Randy Slade wasn't a loner at all. The family cooperated fully with us," Rossi replied. "He was a high-functioning psychopath, straight-A student, varsity wrestler, lots of girlfriends."

"With above average intelligence that made him incredibly resourceful. His explosive of choice was Semtex," Reid said, his eyes on Mara. "It's found at demolition sites, but it's held under lock and key."

"Which made us consider the possibility of a partner." Hotch said.

"Never found one," Rossi added. "Slade was too much of a narcissist to share credit. But he was also an impulsive teen, which is what bothers me about this UnSub."

"His sense of control?" Morgan furrowed his eyebrows.

"And the endgame that he's working toward." Hotch replied.

"Slade's pathology revolved around the big kill," Rossi said. "This UnSub could have done the same if he waited for the candlelight vigil."

"Which means there's no blaze-of-glory fantasy here," Mara said. "This UnSub has more bombs made, and he's savoring the anticipation of his next attack."

They all arrived at the Boise Police Department, greeted by the chief of police. Rossi and Hotch headed to Randy Slade's house, surprised that they had stayed in town. 

Reid and Mara started hanging up the evidence they had and threw theories around, JJ and Morgan gathered around his phone, talking to Garcia.

"So, the UnSub has to be tied to the school somehow, right?" Mara asked as Reid nodded. "Current student, alumni, family member who lost someone? Could be a Slade groupie celebrating his hero."

"He taped nails to the exterior of the bomb," Morgan said from behind the two. "Specifically to rip open flesh."

"That's a sadistic detail of Slade's the UnSub copied." Reid commented.

"Except he tricked Givens into blowing himself up." Mara pointed out.

"A groupie probably wouldn't show that much self-control," Morgan said. "Someone with an ax to grind against the principal would."

JJ crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe he's a surrogate for the tormentors in high school he can't punish."

"Who were yours?" Reid asked her as Mara turned to her in question.

"I don't even remember." JJ replied, turning her attention to the crime scene photos.

"You don't even remember?" Reid echoed, furrowing his eyebrows and meeting her eyes. "Wait. Were you one of the mean girls?"

"No." JJ answered, chuckling.

"Valedictorian, soccer scholarship, corn-fed, but still a size zero," Reid explained as a smile grew on Mara's face. "I think you might have been a mean girl."

"I was actually one of the nice girls," JJ couldn't help but roll her eyes and Mara chuckled. "Even to guys like you."

"Guys like me?" Reid snorted. "I'll have you know that my social standing increased once I started winning at basketball."

"Oh, yeah, you played basketball?" JJ teased.

"No, I didn't play, I coached," Reid answered, pouring coffee into an empty mug in front of Mara. "I broke down the opposing team's shooting strategy."

"Is that why Morgan kicked you out of the pool last week?" Mara chuckled, stirring in sugar cubes.

"Yeah," Reid grinned at her. "It took him three rounds to realize I was hustling him."

Everyone shared a laugh, besides Morgan, who walked into the room last minute, confused as to why everyone was laughing. It only made them laugh harder.

Until JJ got a call from Garcia to tell her they found another possible body.