𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐂𝐄▬▬𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒅 .1

𝟏𝟔. ❙𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞

"I know this is going to sound strange, but the way the victims were flayed alive, mutilated, and now the impalement display of his last victim..." Spencer trailed off. Valentina tapped his arm, "Share with the class, Dr. Know-It-All."

"These were all war rituals of the Native American Plains Indigenous Peoples." Spencer finished his thought. Hotch turned to the sheriff and asked, "Does that mean something to you?"

"I'll say it does. Everything you see around us is Apache land. This whole basin is a sacred burial ground and was the site of a number of massacres as I understand." The sheriff explained, to which Valentina had to clarify, "So, this whole development is on their land?"

"It was their land, but they didn't have the money or the inclination to build on it. So the town seized half of it." The sheriff informed. Of course, Spencer had more to add, "Yeah, last year the Supreme Court rules that cities can use eminent domain authority to seize and repossess undeveloped private land for private development."

"And now the town is looking for investors to build on the other half. The Apache are fighting it, of course, in court."

"They really shouldn't have to, it's their land." Valentina pointed out, the sheriff wholeheartedly agreeing, "You're right, but a lot of folks here don't think that way."

"Has there been any violence until now?" Valentina switched the subject as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Nothing like this."

"Do you know anybody on the reservation who could be capable of this?" Valentina asked again, but the sheriff shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. The reservation's federal jurisdiction."

"Sounds like where we need to go. Valentina, call Garcia. See what she can find." Hotch ordered, earning a nod from Valentina. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and put it on speaker as the sheriff went back inside. Only the BAU team was there and they needed Garcia's input.

They told Valentina what they needed, to which it didn't take her long to find. "Okay, one order of bad guys on the Apache reservation coming right up. Apparently, there was a militant group there in the seventies called the IRM."

"Any of them still around?" Hotch questioned. "No, but there's a guy on the reservation now who's been locked up more than a few times for demonstrations, resisting arrest, mostly political protest type stuff. Get this, his father was killed in a shootout with federal agents at Wounded Knee. His name, Benjamin Blackwolf. The son, John Blackwolf."

"Thanks, Garcia." Valentina thanked as she hung up the phone. Hotch, Spencer, and Valentina all went back into the house so they could find the sheriff. As soon as they did, Hotch only had to say one thing, "Blackwolf?"

"John Blackwolf?" The sheriff clarified, which made Valentina raise her eyebrows, "Do you know him?"

"He's an Indigenous activist. He's been in a little trouble related to his activism, but nothing violent. And not around here." The sheriff explained, which concerned Hotch a little, "Should we call the reservation police and alert them?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Spencer questioned.

"Because Blackwolf is the reservation police."

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Hotch, Spencer, and Valentina had gone out to the reservation nearby so that they could meet with John Blackwolf. Although, as they arrived, they met with another woman instead. Once they got out of the car, Hotch and Valentina shook her hands, Spencer still not liking that social construct, as the sheriff introduced them, "Jane Bear, these are FBI agents. Barnes, Hotchner, and Reid. Ms. Bear is the president of the tribal council and principal of the reservation school."