𝓼𝓪𝓯𝓮 ➣ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓼𝓲𝔁

JJ, Reid, and Mara walked down the sidewalk, just passing the bus that their victim got off.

"So, Beth got off the bus here and headed northwest towards class," JJ said, motioning towards the bus letting people off. "It's amazing no one witnessed her abduction."

"Mara was buried six feet under and wound up in Italy, so I guess anything is possible, right?"

Mara stopped in her tracks at Reid's words and watched as JJ turned to the young doctor. "So that is what this is about."

"You know, maybe our UnSub's a little but like Bundy and he feigned an injury in order to her to help him." Mara interrupted the two, starting to walk down the street.

"Spence, if you want to talk about-"

"Maybe he tried another tactic," Reid cut her off, following Mara down the street. "Maybe he was like 'wow, you're really pretty. You should be a model. I can take your photo.'"

"I'll take that as a no." JJ scoffed, following the two down the sidewalk.

"Either one would disarm her." Mara replied.

"Charm's quite the killer." JJ said.

"So are tears," Reid commented. "Whatever his ruse was, the UnSub most likely used it to get her into his vehicle."

"Well, if Abby was last seen at a bus stop a few miles away, then he definitely has means of transportation." Mara added.

"Hopefully, the disposal site will tell us more." Reid said before heading up the sidewalk and back to the trucks.

JJ and Mara only shared a look before following him.

Once they arrived at the station, they confirmed the theory that the victims were wearing different clothes than the ones they were found in. They received the M.E. report and Mara read it before everyone came together in the conference room.

"Morgan and JJ went to the local thrift shop and found Abby's clothes." Hotch said as Mara continued reading over the report in her hands.

"So he sold them."

"Or traded them for the eighties clothing." Rossi suggested.

"The salesclerk said the clothes in the crime scene photos were of that time period, and he confirmed that they were purchased from his store." JJ added.

"So if he's getting rid of his souvenirs once he used them to remember his victims, why is he fixated on this era?" Reid asked the group.

Morgan eyes fell on Mara's furrowed eyebrows. "What do you got?"

"The brutality the victims experienced was immense," Mara said as Reid hovered behind her and read over the file. "Multiple stab wounds to the neck and chest, plus wounds to the genitalia. Frustration and overkill."

"The same chemical damage on the skin is also around her nostrils," Reid said from behind her, making her jump. "He poured the sulfuric acid there as well. And that would destroy her sense of smell."

Mara and Reid continued looking over the pictures. "He's escalating. And blinding isn't his only signature."

"No," Mara said. "He's trying to take away their senses."

It wasn't until the next day that they got a call in the morning that there had been another body found. Mara pulled herself out of bed and got dressed before meeting JJ and Reid in the lobby.

The body was found in an alleyway, most traffic was homeless. "Again, he's disposing in an area frequented by homeless people."

"This is equidistant between the last two dump sites," Mara said, looking over the body. "Well, he burned her tongue with the chemical this time. Her ability to taste."

"Why would he do that?" JJ asked.

"Historically, this type of torture was used to prevent someone from revealing a secret." Reid said.

"Maybe she offended him." JJ suggested.

"Wonder what that's like." Reid muttered, making Mara turn to him in surprise.

"Her lips are extremely chapped, she was probably forced to repeatedly participate in some sort of kissing fantasy," Mara said, her eyes never leaving Reid. "And when things go awry, he takes the offending sense away."

"The clothes are essential to his fantasy." JJ said, gesturing to the victims clothes.

"Maybe that's when the rejection occurred, and he held onto the clothes all these years," Mara said. "And now he's attacking girls who remind him of women from that time. He's fixated on her type and remakes them to fit his fantasy. But why start now?"

"Something probably triggered it," JJ said. "Instead of dealing with it, he's acting out."

Reid looked up and met JJ's eyes as Mara realized she was indirectly speaking to Reid.

They gave the profile to the station before Reid moved back into the room they were working in, JJ following him. Mara followed behind, pretending to read a file but really, she was listening to their conversation.

"Spence, look, we've got to talk about this." 

"What do you mean, talk about it? I get it, okay?" Reid replied, his voice strained.

"You're disappointed with the way we handled Mara."

"Well, I have a lot going on, all right?" He started reading over a file and tried pushing past JJ.

"You know what I think it is?" JJ scoffed as Reid spun around. "You're mad that Hotch and I controlled our micro-expressions at the hospital, and you weren't able to detect our deception." 

"Jennifer, listen," Reid snapped, meeting her eyes. "The only reason you were able to manage my perceptions is because I trusted you. I came to your house for teen weeks in a row crying over losing her, and not once did you have the decency to tell me the truth."

"Spence, I-"

"What if I started taking Dilaudid again, would you have let me?" 

"You didn't."

"No, but I thought about."

"Spence, I'm sorry." JJ sighed.

"It's too late, all right?" He scoffed, spinning around and walked out the door, the entire team's eyes on him.