timeless, spencer reid [ 1 ]

069. painless

"Maybe Slade targeted them because they disgusted him?" JJ asks as Spencer's phone starts ringing.

"But they didn't threaten Slade's sense of superiority." Hotch says. Spencer declines the call. "He wouldn't have even cared about them."

"All right, well, maybe the partner put them on the list. They'd be closer to his social status than Slade's." JJ says as Spencer's phone rings again.

"Why would the--" Spencer sighs, taking his phone out. "I'm so sorry." He silences his phone. "Why would the unsub list kids that he fit in with?"

"Apparently that's how this clique worked." Hotch says. "The kids in it were meaner to each other than kids on the outside. Garcia, separate out all the kids who got into trouble regularly. Then eliminate the names that the partner put on the list. Now, who's left that came to the memorial?"

"Right. Whoever made the list wouldn't put their name on it." Penelope says. "Uh... sir, I think-- I think I've got him."

+++

"There's a medical condition called pain asymbolia, where patients register harmful stimuli without being bothered by it. They've been documented holding their hand over an open flame because their brain doesn't send pain signals to the central nervous system." Spencer explains.

"Sounds pretty rare. You sure the unsub has it?" Rossi asks.

"The crime scenes prove it. This unsub displayed an unusual level of savagery towards his victims. And consider this -- he smashed through a glass display case, but there were no cuts on Jerry. That means he most likely punched through it as a show of force. Now, the only way the human body could withstand that level of pain is if he couldn't feel it at all." Spencer says.

"It must take a major toll on someone's emotional development." Rossi says as Spencer's phone starts to ring.

"A significant contributor to our sense of empathy is the way we personally experience pain." Derek says while Spencer declines the call, putting his phone back in his pocket.

"And the unsub didn't develop his sense of empathy because it was cut off." Hotch says. "Does every person with asymbolia have this?"

"Actually, most feel empathy just fine, which makes me think the rest of our profile is still accurate." Spencer says. "Loner, invisible, outcast, boiling rage--" His phone starts ringing. "Son of a bitch!" Bedelia's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"Hi! This is Dr. Spencer Reid. I actually can come to the phone right now with a very special message that your mother is--"

"Reid." Hotch calls. Spencer hangs up.

"Sorry. I'm really sorry. I don't know what got into me." Spencer says.

Bedelia gives an amused yet concerned look, glancing around the others, noticing Derek's amused look.

"Where were we?" Spencer asks.

"I'm going to have Garcia check medical records." Hotch says. "Uh, what causes asymbolia?" Spencer looks at Derek who looks down.

"S-s-severe trauma produces lesions in the insular cortex, usually after a stroke. But this unsub's so young, it's most likely caused by an external factor." Spencer says while staring at Derek who tries not to smile.

"Like a bomb going off next to him?" Rossi asks.

"Yeah, like a bomb going off next to him." Spencer nods. He looks at Derek again, the man smirking. Hotch walks off to call Penelope.

"I will crush you." Spencer whispers.

"What?" Derek asks.

"What?" Spencer acts innocent before walking off.