Battlecry | Criminal Minds (gxg)

Chapter 6

~Present Day, May, 2010~

Carli's POV

"It's too damn hot here," I complain as Elle and I walk around the crime scene. I'm sweating through my tank top, way too warm in my black blazer beneath the scorching sun.

Elle comes up behind me and slides her hand onto the back of my neck. Her skin drips with ice cold water from the bottle we're sharing. I stop walking, leaning into her touch. She steps in front of me and I lean into her ear.

"You should touch me everywhere," I murmur.

She laughs, shoving me away. "Carli, focus."

I smile. "I'm multitasking."

"The body was found over here," Elle says. "And the head was missing, just like the others."

"Is there a personal purpose to the heads? Or are they only to taunt the police?"

Elle sighs, her hand finding my elbow. "They're a sort of trophy for him. But yeah, he's using them to taunt the sheriffs."

"He's killing illegal immigrants. Maybe he thinks of himself as a guardian of some sorts, that he's cleansing the area."

Elle scowls. "Scumbag," she mutters.

"Aren't they all."

We look around for another half hour before walking back towards the SUV. I crank up the air conditioning, stripping off my blazer and throwing it in the back seat. Elle hands me the water bottle after taking a long sip. I empty half the bottle and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

Elle looks at me from the passenger side. "You alright?"

I smile. "Sweating, but okay."

She leans over the center console and kisses me on the cheek. I bring one hand to her face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her smile sends my heart pounding.

"I think I'm in love with your dimples," I whisper.

She laughs, burying her head against my shoulder. "Stop."

"What?" I grab the steering wheel with one hand. "It's true."

Elle picks her head up. She scans my face, rolls her eyes, and kisses me. I smile against her mouth. She collapses back into the passenger seat, pressing her lips together to hide her grin. "Drive."

I do as she says, turning the car out of the dirt parking lot. We talk about the case as we head back to the precinct. We've spent the past two days in Texas, after we were called about a serial killer who's decapitating his victims. The three heads were left outside the sheriff's office a couple days ago. Two were killed some time ago, but the third was more recent. Hotch sent me and Elle to the dumpsites of the bodies themselves while the others run interviews and head to the ME.

"How long do you think he's been killing?" Elle asks as she scans the report another time.

"Years. With countless people crossing the border everyday he has an endless supply of anonymous victims."

"So why expose himself by sending the heads?"

I shrug. "A trigger, maybe. He got mad, wanted to send a message."

"Garcia did tell us that one of the local drug cartels released a new strain of heroin."

"I know." I shake my head. "The last thing we need right now is a turf war."

Elle smirks. "That's why we brought the big guns."

Indeed, we did. My automatic rifle is in easy reach on the floor of the backseat. Not to mention the second gun I'm wearing at my ankle, opposite my knife.