I'm Not Who I Used To Be || G. Sanders

TWINS

"We couldn't get anything from anything besides that the guys weren't locals. Tell me we got something on those fingerprints."

Rossi was getting frustrated with the case and it was understandable. These killers were smart and knew how to avoid the police. One thing they know is the media conference set them off. They took their next victim earlier than expected.

"Yes! Maybe, I think I do? I went through all the prints. I was told the more tacky prints are newer so I focused on those."

Rose turned to Aries with her jaw dropped and her face turning red. "Aw! You taught her CSI stuff? That's so cute!"

Aries wrapped his arms around her head covering her mouth and eyes making her groan in annoyance.

"Rude."

He smiles at her irritation and continues listening to the tech-savvy queen.

"The prints I ran through the system, surprise surprise are locals but two stuck out." At that, she shoves Aries's arms away from her face and stepped forward. "They belong to fraternal twins. Dwight and Harper Quinn."

Everyone looks at one another seemingly coming to the same conclusion. "Tell us about them, baby girl."

"Um, okay. They're thirty-two originally from Idaho. They run a traveling carpet company. They're both single. I'm afraid that's all I have on them at the moment."

"Dig deeper, darling, anything you can give us."

As the call ends Rose looks at them. "It sounds right. Nick predicted a duo for the job. Not to mention they're both from Idaho."

"We can't be sure without a thorough background. Anything Penelope can give us from their childhood or adulthood indicating aggressive behavior will point them as suspects."

Just then the phone rang again. Reid answered it. "What do you got, Garcia?"

"Okay, so these sickos sound right up your alley. I cracked their sealed records and I found that at fourteen they received felonies for animal cruelty. Afterward, it only got worse. It looks like there have been multiple visitations from the police for suspected abuse by their single mother, Clara Quinn. There are multiple reports of injuries resulting in the going to the hospital. Oh! Here, the guys share a social media page where it looks like they openly posted about their sexualities. Both are interested in men. And enough childhood trauma to tell you these are your guys."

"Can you find a trigger, Garcia? Any other indication as to why they started killing weeks ago?"

"Yes, yes, I do. Their mother Clara was found dead just days before the first murders. It looks like an accidental overdose... but she wasn't on any medication or a drug addict that doesn't make sense..." knowing they were going to ask more she digs deeper. "Aha! Oh lord, the toxicology report shows signs of xylazine in her system."

"Xylazine is primarily found in horse tranquilizers." Reid states.

"Tranquilizers. These men have records of animal cruelty in their teen years. We can assume it spread through their adult lives."

Derek nods to Hotch adding, "they got sick of their mother's abuse and took her out first."

"Garcia," JJ starts, "what part did their mother play with their sexualities?"

"She publically humiliated them. She constantly speaks in her posts about how unholy, disgusting, and evil they are for their beliefs."

"And there's the trigger for the murders," Rose says. "They try having relationships with these men but their mother put it into their heads that it is wrongful."

"So they try to fix it by punishing the men who also agree with their beliefs," Sara explains.

"I just got the photos of the mother. She has faded bruises over her body."

"So while they kill these men-" Blake starts.

"They feel they're killing their mother with them each time."

Behind the screen, Garcia shakes her head. "That's messed up."

D.B rubs his chin. "Is there any way we can find them?"

"According to Harper's phone recordings, he's been in contact with a woman. They're renovating her flooring while she and her family are out of town."

"That's it. Send us the address, Pen."

D.B stops his team as the BAU heads out towards the exit. "Sara, Greg, Rose, you go. The rest of you stay."

They all nod heading in different directions. "Be careful!" Nick shouts after them.

Grabbing their gear they head off to the SUVs joining the FBI on their chase to the house. Each given comms for the occasion.

They arrive at the house in a matter of minutes. "The blueprints to the house show a lower level."

They take Garcia's information in while forming a perimeter around the house. Rossi, Reid, and Greg taking the back, while Derek, Blake, and Sara take the side entrance, and Hotch, JJ, Aries and Rose take the front.

"FBI!"

"LVPD!"

They enter the house exploring all levels with their guns raised. Rose searches the main living area muttering quietly into her wrist, "clear."

After clearing the main level, Blake and Sara search the upper level. Music blares behind a wooden door. They slowly open the door flashing their flashlights down the stairs.

Derek, Hotch, Greg, and Rose take step after step down the stairs. Her heart races at the sound of muffled whaling increasing louder and louder as they hit the stairs.

Turning the corner their weapons train of two fearless men standing over a beaten and restrained man gagged.

"Dwight and Harper Quinn, it's over."

The two men freeze being blinded by the bright lights. Rose's gun focuses on Harper Quinn at the center of his chest.

"Harper put down the bat," she says to him.

"It's not fair," he says angrily looking between her and the man. She winces slightly at that.

The other twin looks at her with pleading eyes. The intense feeling of pain she knows all too well. "How can they get it all while we get nothing?"

She understands that too. Gulping, she sidesteps behind the two agents for the other two to get a clearer look at her. "I know it's not fair, I know it all too well, but getting revenge like this is not the way." Both men stare at her, Harper still holding the bat. "What do you want Harper?"

A tear trilled down his cheek. He chokes back a sob directing his attention to his brother. "To be free."

Harper raises the bat earning a shout from Rose, "no!" Multiple bullets fly at Harper hitting him square in the chest. Dwight shouts in agony going for the closest weapon, a knife. "Dwight, don't." Though it's too late. He lifts the knife. Without a choice, Rose shoots him twice in the chest.

She freezes as she watches him crumble to the ground. She turns her head fighting back the tears. Derek and Hotch go to check them while Rose walks past Greg heading up the stairs. He yells for her but she ignores him and walks out the front door.

Aries follows close behind until she comes to a stop. "Rosie?"

Her breath hitches finally having the tear fall. She faces him trying to hold her emotions back.

"Are you okay?"

She tries to speak but nothing comes out. She tries to breathe regularly but fails. "Twins, Aries. They were twins." He nods already knowing the information. He gives her a questioning look. "Harper said it was unfair. He wanted to be free." It took a mere second to pull her into his arms. His arms wrap around her body as her body vibrates with quiet sobs.

He knows. He knows what she's thinking and because of that, he feels sympathy for her.