The BAU Badass

Chapter 3

You've always loved traveling, but this time was different. You're on a plane to go see a crime scene of a murder, so you weren't so excited. Reid noticed you fidgeting and biting your nails.

"Don't like flying?"

"No, I actually love to travel, but I'm just nervous about the crime scene. I mean pictures are one thing, but seeing it is another" you replied

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure Hotch won't make you go to the crime scene on your first day in the field" he smiled, calming your nerves a little.

"Alright, take a seat. Morgan, JJ, and I will go to the crime scene, Rossi and Prentiss talk to the M.E., see if you can find out more about their deaths, Reid and Blaise on victimology. Try and rest as much as you can on the flight, we don't have much information about this case, so it's going to be a long case."

"See" he turned to you and smiled. You smiled back.

You couldn't rest, it was your first case and you were eager to prove that you belong on this team. You spent the hour before you landed studying the file and trying to come up with some theories. Morgan was taking a nap while Rossi and Hotch talked about the case. Reid was invested in his book and Prentiss and JJ sat across from you talking about JJ's relationship with her newly wed husband, Will. You heard them mention some plans they made with Garcia for a girls night because JJ needs a break from her children. When they realized you were right next to them and could hear, they felt the need to ask you if you would like to join them.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," you wondered if they would've asked you if you didn't overhear their conversation.

"Oh no, you wouldn't be intruding. Please, come. We wanna get to know you. Also, Garcia is dying to get to know you after you snapped at Morgan" she laughed

"Agh, that was so embarrassing. I can't believe I did that after being on this team for only five minutes" you joked.

"That was bold of you, but we women definitely have it harder in this type of work. I always have to flirt with the frickin' unsub" Emily rolled her eyes as you and JJ laughed. You were starting to like them.

"So, what do you say, Jo? Girls night..?" JJ asked impatiently, waiting for you to reply.

"I'd love that. I'm new to D.C. so I don't know anybody here yet, I spend most of my nights writing or reading with a glass of wine at my apartment"

""Well that will change very soon. When you start hanging out with Garcia, she will never give you a day off" Emily laughed and JJ joined. You smiled and they returned to their conversation.

10 minutes later, Hotch approached you and gave you the team's numbers to put in your phone. They always had each other's numbers for the cases.

You landed and arrived at the local police station where you met Detective Reyes

"You must be SSA Hotchner, I'm Detective Reyes" he shook his hand.

Hotch introduced the team to him. Detective Reyes led you and Reid into an unoccupied office to give you a space to figure out the victimology. You two were left alone in the room, you exchanged smiles but worked silently as you set up the pictures and details on the board.

"Did you take a nap during the flight? We'll need all our energy to figure this out, we don't have much information" Reid broke the silence.

"No, I was looking over the files trying to come up with some theories, but I just don't understand the significance of taking their scalps. We know who his victims are–prostitutes– but why does he take their scalps"

"Well, during colonial times, when the British first seized Native American land, soldiers learned to scalp their enemies, they considered having part of their enemies' body a war prize." Reid rambled.

"I'm going to call Morgan and see if they found anything useful." You put the phone on speaker

"Hey, baby girl" you heard Morgan speak through the phone.

"Oh, uh... this is Blaise, were you expecting someone else..?" you replied with confusion on your face.

"Oh I thought this was Garcia, my bad" he laughed, not seeming embarrassed at all

"I didn't realize you two were...uh...um..together." You felt awkward

"Oh, oh no we're not" he laughed again "don't worry I'm single" he said flirtatiously with a smile.

You blushed and Reid noticed, he cleared his throat and spoke up, "Morgan, did you guys find any new information or evidence?"

"Rossi called and the M.E. says the strangulation had to be someone with small hands, but they didn't have to be strong. No signs of sexual assault, but there was something the file didn't report. There were two stab wounds on each victim, one on each of their thighs. The toxicology report showed traces of Ketamine and a large amount of alcohol in their systems."

"Stab wounds on their thighs?" You looked at Reid who looked just as confused as you did.

"They were stabbed pre-mortem. And the M.E. reported that the scalping required no medical background" Morgan continued.

"We know this unsub is weak because he's drugging his victims, but what if he's physically disabled?" Reid furrowed his eyebrows, "If he's a parapalegic, it would explain why there's no signs of sexual assault and where his anger comes from. He's unable to have sexual intercourse and takes his anger out on the women when he can't get it up"

"–then takes the scalp as a prize to prove his strength. He may be stabbing their thighs to try to make them feel what he feels, to make them feel guilty" you added

"Could be" Morgan sounded convinced. "We found nothing at the crime scene, but we think it's possible that this is just the dump site and there's another kill site. We're not sure. I'll find out if the hotels are handicap accessible and if they've had any handicap guests check in recently" He ended the call

Twenty minutes later, while you and Reid continued thinking of where the kill site could possibly be, your phone rang.

"What'd you find?" you answered on speaker, assuming it was Morgan.

"Um, I found a half eaten burger with mold on it on the park bench next to me, but other than that not much. Hi to you too by the way" the person on the other end of the line said sarcastically.

Your cheeks turned red in embarrassment and a worried look on your face appeared when you recognized the voice. You glanced at Reid, mouthing "sorry" as you walked out of the office and closed the door. You took the phone off speaker and put it to your ear as you stood on the other end of the door outside the office.