When The World Ends

Chapter 8: Dominant Female (Smut)

I managed to put enough aloe vera on my legs that I could walk normally (with soft pants) by Monday, though sitting down was avoided whenever possible.

"Today's focus is on how you did during the simulations." I announced. "You'll get my feedback sheets, as well as forms filled out by the agents who participated in the scene. You'll then write a one-page informal paper on what you should do to improve; just use your feedback and explain how to incorporate it into future work."

I walked up and down the rows, handing back the thin folders with the feedback, complementing each student on what they did well. I then made my way back up to the stage, perching on the edge of my desk as I read over the Frost case file for the fifth time that day.

Fuck it, might as well get all the help I can.

"Actually, that's boring, forget that." I closed the folder and looked up at the students. "Let's do another simulation, right here, right now. I'll give you all the facts of a case in the order in which they were obtained. You build a profile."

I knew it was much more interesting than reading over critiques, and who knows, maybe one of them would have some vital insight.

"Just a quick trigger warning, since you aren't dealing with this full time yet, this case does involve pornography and sexual assault." I was pretty sure the class would be fine, but I always wanted to check. "I won't blame you for excusing yourself at any time during this exercise."

I waited a few seconds, then nodded.

"Here are the facts of the case: A victim is kidnapped from government property early morning day one. Victim's domestic partner finds a note from the vic, immediately brings it to their superiors. Later that day, victim's phone is tracked and leads to a video feed of victim being tortured, as well as victim and victim's partner in sexual scenarios." I tried to keep it vague, but also decided that if anyone figured out it was me and Reid, I'd be honest; these were mostly profilers, after all. "Victim is found drugged and tortured; unsub reveals himself to be an ex of victim's partner who abused them. At this time, the unsub has not been arrested." I paused, hearing the scratching of note taking. Then: "Give me a profile."

David's hand shot up. "At first glance, it would seem like you're dealing with a classic sadist, perhaps one specifically working against the government."

"But?"

Another hand. "The unsub's specific targeting of the victim, due to their shared connection to the victim's partner, suggests this is personal. The sexual images support this theory."

"Good. What else?"

"It's about past grudges." A quiet student, someone who sat in the back and didn't speak up much. "If it was just revenge, it would be targeting both victim and vic's partner. But this is about dredging up as much of the past as possible. The unsub wants the victim's partner to relive something."

"Very good." I nodded. "Anything else? What have none of you mentioned?"

A hand shot up.

"Yes?" I gestured towards them.

"The note. Were there any images with it?"

I shook my head.

"Then it doesn't line up." The student, Abby, grew more confident as I nodded. "The unsub's goal is to torture the victim's partner via the images and the torture of the victim. The note, without anything else, is out of character."

"Hence?"

Silence.

"Come on, give me a guess, what does the note mean. We have an unsub with a specific plan, a specific target, a profile that makes sense. But there's this note, this detail, that's off. What does that suggest?"