Criminal Behaviour

FOUR

*Spencer's POV*

I walked into the board room with Rossi, JJ following behind us. Hotch, Garcia and Morgan were already there. The faces of the possible 47 UnSubs remained on the board. "How did the interview go?" Morgan asked as the three of us took our seats.

"Bradley Savage." Rossi simply stated.

I noticed Garcia quickly glance to the board, "He also went to Liberty High?"

"Victoria was his high school sweetheart." I said, "He couldn't of possibly done it. So, we're down to 46 now." I sighed flicking open my notepad where I had written notes about the case while Garcia removed Bradley from the board leaving 46 faces remaining.

"Any more information from Mia or Malcolm's families?" JJ asked Morgan and Hotch.

"Mia was the brainiac in school and Malcolm was the performer." Morgan said.

"And Victoria just blended in." Hotch added.

"Nothing is showing any relation to these victims, other than that they all went to school together." Rossi added in, "It's getting to the point where it is frustrating."

"Where's Samantha?" Garcia asked, mainly turning her attention to me.

I hadn't processed what had been said only when my name was called at least twice, "Sorry." I said shaking my head. "She has to, uhm," I tried to think of a lie. As Samantha was getting involved in the case, it seemed harder to keep Jamie and Hannah a secret, "She has to meet with someone." I felt JJ push my leg slightly under the table. I glanced over to her to see her stare at me.

"Spence, can I talk to you outside?" JJ said quite loudly so the others could hear. JJ got up and left the room and made her way to the kitchen. I sighed heavily and got up and left the board room as Hotch began going through the information collected so far. I met JJ in the kitchen, "How long are you going to keep lying to them?"

I knew the question was coming but I yet failed to compose an answer, "I honestly don't know."

JJ sighed, "It isn't healthy hiding something this big from the team -"

"Uhm," Interrupted sharply. JJ and I quickly ended the conversation and looked over to the doorway of the kitchen, "The autopsy reports for Mia and Malcolm just came in." Garcia said to us before quickly rushing back to the board room. JJ and I shared a look as Garcia seemed concerned but we didn't dwell on it much before returning back to the board room.

JJ and I resumed to our seats and faced Garcia who looked at her laptop in discomfort. "What is Baby Girl?" Morgan spoke up finally.

I could see Garcia gulp and tense before she finally spoke, "The reports came back that both Mia and Malcolm both died from brain haemorrhages. They both had fractured skulls and damaged nervous systems leading to the brain haemorrhages. There were no deep wounds to cause any damage to any other part of the body. "

"Brain haemorrhages?" JJ asked, "That explains no stabs or severe cut wounds on the victims' bodies to actually kill them - "

"- Oh," Garcia interrupted, "There was also burn like marks on the victims' wrists; chains or leather straps. But there was no sexual assault involved."

"Could he be torturing these people enough to make them have strokes?" Morgan asked.

I sighed, "It's possible to a certain extent." I looked around at the group before continuing, "Brain haemorrhages can be caused by head trauma, high blood pressure and aneurysms which leads to a stroke."

"So, he is deliberately torturing his victims so they will suffer a brain haemorrhage." Rossi spoke up, "Mia had small cuts on her body, more than likely from a pocket knife and Malcolm had barely any visible injuries at all."

"What could the UnSub be possibly doing to these people?" Morgan asked, looking around at us all in confusion. I didn't blame him. I was as confused as any one else. In my eleven years in working with the BAU, I have never come across a case like this. A person tracking down his old classmates and killing them by making them suffer a brain haemorrhage: there's nothing quite like it.

"Well, we know one thing for sure," Hotch sighed, "He has Victoria Savage locked up in a chamber, already targeting his next victim."



*Samantha's POV*

I put all of the dishes used to make dinner into the dishwasher. Hannah and Jamie remained at the table, talking about what TV show they should watch. Jamie and Hannah eventually made their way into the living room, where Francis was, to watch something before going to bed. "Are you sure you don't mind Francis." I called out to my neighbour, before actually walking from the kitchen to the living room; getting my coat and my things organised.

"No worries at all Sam, take as long as you need."

"Remember guys, bed before 10:30 tonight." I said to them before heading toward the front door. Jamie and Hannah just grumbled back. I couldn't help by smile to myself and giggle slightly. I thanked Francis once again before leaving the house and making my way to the BAU headquarters; but the first thing I thought of was that I had never cleaned my car out.

I shook all thoughts off, going into headquarters with a clear head and clear mind. I went up in the elevator and made my way to the boardroom. The door was open and I could see the team inside. Garcia noticed me walking down and shared a weak smile. I was slightly confused but continued on walking. I walked inside, "Hi." I smiled at everyone but stopped in place as they were all quiet; too quiet. "Is there something wrong?" I asked in concern, still not moving from where I stood, looking at each team member carefully; Garcia, Hotch, Morgan, JJ, Rossi and Spence.

Hotch took a heavy sigh, "Victoria Savage's body was found half an hour ago."

I couldn't help by feel sick in my mouth. I felt myself go pale and my mouth drop open. I covered my mouth quickly and felt the tears build up in my eyes. "Come on." I heard Spencer say gently, getting up from his seat and walking outside with me while closing the door to the board room.

Spencer walked outside with me, "Spencer." I said through heavy breaths. I felt myself begin to hyperventilate.

"It's okay." I heard Spencer say as he held my arms, "Just breathe."

"I couldn't save her Spencer." I breathed. "Victoria - is -"

"Just breathe Sam." Spencer said gently, trying his best to calm me down. As much as I appreciated his comfort, nothing could change the fact that Victoria is dead and that one of my other old classmates have already been taken. All of these thoughts roamed my head; nothing clear was associated with my mind. "Sam, breathe." I heard Spencer again, but failed to follow his actions.

"Spencer, I can't -" But I was cut off as Spencer gently pressed his lips on mine. I no longer felt that I was freaking out, but quickly pulled away from Spencer, looking up at him, "Two kids is enough." I said with a slight laugh, "But, thank you." I still felt pale and a tight pain in my chest.

"I once read that to stop hyperventilation, you need to hold your breath, so, when I kissed you. You weren't breathing." He said shyly, going slightly pink in the cheeks.

All of a sudden, the door of the board room swung open and the team appeared. Spencer made eye contact with at least everyone once, "Spencer, Morgan and Rossi," Hotch began, "You go check out the body," I tensed up at that point, "JJ and I are going to see Mia and Malcolm," Then Hotch turned to me, "Sam, you can stay here with Garcia and help narrow down the 46 UnSubs."

And with that everyone went where they were assigned.

I sat in the board room beside Garcia, facing the 46 faces on the board. "Okay." Garcia said typing for a moment and then facing me.

"It's surreal with what can happen in fifteen years." I sighed but then shaking off all memories of Liberty High and returning to the task at hand. "Okay," I said getting a notepad and pen ready, "Well, for starters, Michael Kelly, Shawn Farrell and James Bryan have since passed since graduating." I sighed, "So, we're down to 43."

"It's still some progress." Garcia said in reassurance, "What about prison, any of them doing time?"

I looked straight at Andy Byrne but quickly directed my eyes to someone else, trying to clear my head, "Oh, uhm -" I stuttered, "I know Aaron Sullivan is currently doing time."

"Okay, 42." Garcia smiled to me, "Any emigrations? There is bound to be a few."

I tried to think back, looking at each individual face, "Six of them; Three in Australia, two in London and another in Brazil."

"Great, now we're down to 36." Garcia smiled, taking the faces of Danny Maguire, David Brunson, Jack Harte, Stephen McBride, Thomas Smith and Chris Diaz from the board.

"And Ben Evans is currently in the international space station." I said with a slight giggle as Ben's face was removed. I let out a sigh of relief as 35 faces remained.

"We're going to find him." Garcia said reaching out her hand and placing it on my wrist, "These guys are amazing, they can catch anybody."

"But three people are already dead." I sighed, thinking back to hours earlier where I was told the news that Victoria's body had been found.

"The others should be back very soon any ways." She smiled to me, "After seeing the bodies in detail, the numbers will go down and the search will become easier." I shifted slightly and glanced at the clock in the board room for probably the fourth time in the last five minutes, Garcia seemed to notice, "Are you okay?"

"What?" I asked, clearing my head and looking straight at Garcia, "Yeah, fine." I smiled to her after processing what she had said through my head, "It's just that it's 10:25 pm and I have to get home."

"Is there something on?" She asked, "You just seem like you're in a rush."

"Oh, it's just that my kids have to be in bed by 10:30, and I don't want to leave them with my neighbour for too long." I smiled to her, taking out my phone to text Francis; 'Everything okay?'

"Kids?" Garcia said, her voice becoming higher in shock. Then, I felt a chill go up my spine. I completely forgot that the team didn't know. "You have kids?"

"Yeah." I smiled to her, "Jamie and Hannah. Jamie is eleven and Hannah is eight." As my phone was in my hand after recieving a text from Francis saying that Jamie and Hannah were gone to bed, I decided to show Garcia a picture of Hannah and Jamie. I showed her a picture of the two of them at Jamie's eleventh birthday party. The two of them stood in the backyard beside some balloons, with their arms around one another; smiling as if there was no tomorrow.

"Aw." Garcia smiled to me, "I didn't know you were married."

"Oh." I said, putting my phone away. Now is when I started to panic. What do I say?

Thoughts roamed my head, looking for a suitable answer to Garcia's statement, "Oh, you're a single mother." She said quietly, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." I said with a smile as I didn't have to come up with some ridiculous lie. But it's only about time that either Spencer, JJ or I are going to let slip that Spencer is in fact the father. "It was an honest mistake."

Conversation was short between myself and Garcia after that exchange, but I don't blame her. It was truly an honest mistake that anyone could have made. Spencer, Morgan and Rossi soon returned. We shared small smiles as the two agents - and one doctor - took their seats, "Down to 35 now?" Rossi asked, scanning over the faces, "That should make things slightly easier."

"How did it go?" I asked shifting in my seating slightly, not really wanting to know about Victoria's body, but seemed as though the question was going to be answered any ways.

Morgan breathed heavily, "Same again, barely any severe cuts or wounds that could have caused her death. It's so strange how this guy is so specific about the victims suffering strokes." I tensed up slightly, but quickly relieved myself, not trying to draw attention to myself - because that could only go so well. At that point, JJ and Hotch returned.

They took their seats and faced the team. Once the two of them were settled, Hotch began to speak, "There was no sign of force or rage toward the victims, although they suffered severe head trauma, causing the brain haemorrhages."

"So, what?" Morgan began, "He's banging their heads until they die."

"Or, he could be damaging their spine in some way," Spencer spoke up, "Or even both."

"Well, whatever this guy is doing, he's wasting very little time in doing it." Morgan sighed.

Hotch sighed, but soon spoke up, "Anyone can be the next target." After Hotch said that, I felt very uneasy.