Blood and Battle | Criminal Minds (gxg)

Chapter 1

TW: mentions of sexual @ssualt/r@pe, t0rture, strangling

The elevator doors slide shut, blocking the late September wind snaking through the parking garage. I instinctively press the button and my eyes flicker above the door as the display lights up at G. I feel a lurch as the cables pull me toward the sixth floor.

The fingers of my right hand tap absentmindedly against the familiar form of the weapon at my hip. I check my watch impatiently as the number 3 lights up on the dash. Hotch hates it when I'm late. Morgan can show up just before the plane takes off, but God forbid I'm two minutes past 8:00.

I was walking out the door to my apartment this morning when he called.

"D'angelo," I held the phone to my ear.

"Hey C, we've got a case. Seattle. Be here at eight and–"

"–don't be late. I would never." I smirk as I lock my front door.

"See you soon."

"Bye."

The bell goes off as the door slides open and I practically run into Garcia.

"Hey, PG, slow down girl," I say to her. I smile at the never-ending sunshine that is Penelope Garcia. Today she wears a lime green cardigan layered over a white dress with various blue polka dots. She stands quite a few inches above me, my boots never competing with Garcia's collection of wedges. She smiles, the most infectious thing I've ever seen.

"Carli! The team is in the conference room. Still waiting on Morgan."

"What else is new," I say as I roll my eyes playfully.

"Even the beautiful Derek Morgan has his flaws – however few. Speak of the devil! Hello my love!"

"Hey, C." Morgan appears next to me, leaning in to kiss Garcia on the cheek. "Good morning Baby Girl."

I laugh as Garcia smiles up at him. "It is now."

I elbow Morgan lightly. "Come on, Hot Shot. They're waiting."

We enter the conference room and Hotch checks his watch.

"Not late," I point out as he opens his mouth to make a remark. My sarcasm manages to pull the hints of a smile out of his stone cold expression.

"Alright, now that we're all here..." JJ dives into details about the case as we take our seats.

I toss my long dark hair over one shoulder, sighing as I open the file before me.

" ...four victims in the past four months. Number five is Heather Woodland, abducted nearly 6 days ago. The body hasn't been found, but he typically keeps them for seven days before killing them and dumping the bodies. She went missing last week."

"Why call us in now?" I ask.

"When he dumped the last body he crossed state lines." Hotch replies.

"So he knows law enforcement." I say, looking back down at the report.

"His ruse?" Gideon asks without looking away from the crime scene photos.

"According to her computer, she had planned to buy a car from someone off of Craigslist. They arranged to meet at 1:00 in the afternoon."

"The middle of the day? That seems like he's making it harder for himself." Morgan says.

"More than 13,000 people are on the streets of Seattle every day." Reid offers the statistic without hesitation.