𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐂𝐄▬▬𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒅 .1

𝟑𝟏. ❙𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝

Valentina let Emily meet Hotch in his office. Now that Elle had left, Valentina was now the only newest member of the team. Valentina and Elle had joined the same day, but Elle already had experience in the FBI, Valentina was completely new. Now, even if Emily did have experience, she was the new agent. Valentina didn't have to feel so out of place.

When she and the rest of the BAU team were on the plane, she couldn't help but notice the fact that Emily wasn't on the plane with them. She simply assumed that Emily was starting on another day and only got the job today, but Valentina was slightly disappointed. She wanted to get to know Emily.

They hadn't briefed at the Bureau, they wanted to get on the plane to St. Louis as soon as possible. JJ was just explaining the case on the way, but Hotch and Gideon had been briefed earlier. Only Spencer, Valentina, and Morgan had to learn, but they had the case files with them.

"St. Louis is really in trouble. They've got two serial killers." Hotch informed before Gideon added on, "This killer abducts his victims from public places, dumps them in the woods. They consulted us months ago after the third murder."

There was some new information that had come to light that Gideon and Hotch weren't aware of yet. JJ is always the first person to figure it out what's going on with cases before they get there since she's the one the local officers reach out to. "Well, now it might be up to six. Ellen Carroll's been missing since yesterday. The first two victims were found near Mill Creek in Mark Twain National Forest."

"No wonder it takes days to find the bodies. The forest is one-point-five million acres, and seventy-eight thousand of that's wilderness." Spencer explained. Valentina raised her eyebrows, the shock of realizing that Spencer just seems to know everything still being apparent. She did, however, move back to the victims. "What's the story with these women?"

"Eight victims. All prostitutes. Latest is Marci Mitchell. She was killed last night with a .44 Magnum. All are tied to a serial shooter, claiming responsibility. He's contacted Jim Meyers, a reporter at the Missouri Herald." JJ explained, which helped Hotch draw a conclusion, "So, he's not getting the attention he thinks he deserves. He signs it the 'Hollow Man,' names himself for the press."

"Why the Hollow Man? What, does he feel empty inside or something?" Morgan wondered about the name specifically. To be honest, Morgan thinks all serial killers named in the press is a negative aspect of the job considering the names such as The Killer Clown-- John Wayne Gacy, The Milwaukee Cannibal-- Jeffrey Dahmer, Son of Sam-- David Berkowitz, and The Zodiac Killer. All devils in disguise.

"He uses hollow point bullets. No one even knew this guy existed until he sent this letter." JJ explained as she put her case file on the table between she and Valentina, who was sat next to Hotch. Valentina was too engulfed in her own file because she was still focused on the victims, "Well, he has killed more victims, but look at who he's choosing, it's people below the poverty line and prostitutes. Hundreds of victims go unnoticed because they're social outcasts who never make the front page."

"When Mill Creek kills, the Hollow Man shoots another prostitute." Spencer simplified it just before Morgan guessed, "So one doesn't want to be outdone by the other. Sounds like sibling rivalry to me."

"If this were sibling rivalry, the Mill Creek Killer would've probably killed a prostitute to get back at the Hollow Man." Valentina suggested, but Morgan was sceptical. "Why do you say that?"

"I steal my brother, Marco's, favourite things all the time. It's funny to watch him get pissed off." Valentina pointed out, probably being the most well-versed in sibling dynamics. There were other agents there that had siblings, but Valentina has had a twin and three other brothers, all who have treated her very differently. She knows what it's like to grow up with different levels of siblings.