Saving Agent Hotchner | 1

25. Spitting image

"This guy's bold. Crowded areas, broad daylight." JJ exhaled.

"So they're completely random?" Rossi furrowed his eyebrows.

"It seems that way." You nodded, eyeing Aaron.

"Son of Sam all over again." Spencer tried to hide his eye roll.

———

Before you knew it, you were all on the jet, heading to New York. Garcia walked down the aisle with her laptop.

"How come I only get to travel with you guys like once every 2 years?" Garcia groaned as she sat down next to Derek, who chuckled.

"Trust me, mama, it can get old." Derek nodded.

"Oh, right, like the way that spa treatments in 5-star hotels can get old." Garcia eyed Derek sarcastically.

"Remember the time we got on board and they hadn't chilled the crystal?" Emily joked, watching as Rossi nodded.

"Ooh. I almost quit the BAU that day." Rossi agreed.

"Okay, you know what? You guys can joke all you want, 'cause I am never leaving this jet." Garcia shook her head.

"The victims?" Aaron spoke, basically switching the conversation to the case.

"Each killed in a completely different neighbourhood. Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill, Lower East Side, Chinatown, East Harlem." You sat next to Aaron, both of you looking at the same tablet.

"It doesn't make any sense. There's no common victimology, no sexual component, no robbery, no geographical connection." Emily shook her head, confused.

"Do the police have any leads?" Aaron looked at JJ, who nodded.

"He's killing roughly every 2 days. The press is having a field day, and it sounds like the mood on the street's getting pretty edgy." JJ explained.

"It's a joint FBI-NYPD Taskforce?" Rossi eyed Aaron, who eyed him back.

"Kate Joyner heads up the New York field office. She's running point on the case and called me directly." Aaron explained, feeling your eyes on him. If Kate had contacted him directly, that meant that they knew each other, or had some sort of past.

"Kate's starting to butt heads with the lead detectives and wanted a fresh set of eyes." shrugged his shoulders.

"Joyner, I know her. She's a brit, right?" Derek looked at Aaron.

"Well, dual citizenship. Her father's British, her mother's American. She was a big deal at Scotland Yard before coming to the Bureau." Aaron noted.

"I heard she can be a little bit of a pain in the ass." Derek chuckled, avoiding Aaron's eye contact.

"I didn't think so." Aaron shrugged his shoulders, looking down at his tablet.

"You know her?" You looked at Aaron, who nodded.

"We liaised when she was still at Scotland Yard." Aaron clarified. He could see the suspicion in your eyes.

"And she's good?" JJ asked, curious.

"I think we're lucky to have her." Aaron nodded, giving your thigh a gentle squeeze, as if to say 'you've got nothing to worry about.'

———

Everyone entered the New York field office, being greeted to the sight of cops all over the place, everyone on edge. You looked around and noticed a tall blonde woman with a phone to her ear. Her hair ended just above her shoulders.