2 | Unforgettable Chemistry [S. Reid]

xiv. cesium

"DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THIS picture?" Garcia asks as she brings up the picture from a news article, making Willow look up at the big screen.

"Hotch and I were there. That's principal Doug Givens. We had to drag him to safety." Rossi says as he leans back in his seat, looking at the photo.

"High school bombing in Boise, right?" Emily asks, as she looks from the picture to Hotch and Rossi.

"School shooter and school bomber. A kid named Randy Slade shot 3 students and then set off an I. E. D. In the cafeteria via cell phone, killing himself and 13 kids total, but not before posting all of his plans online. It was one of those Where were you?events. My whole campus was glued to the tv." JJ muses, making the brunette look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Last night, Principal Givens was killed by a bomb modeled exactly like the old one." Garcia explains to the team.

"It feels like the unsub wants to attack the man who kept the school together after the bombing. It's a pretty symbolic target." Derek points out, slightly tilting his head.

"And this week is the 10th anniversary of the massacre." Hotch frowns.

"And today is the first day of a 4-day event to commemorate the bombing at the school." Garcia adds on to what he said.

"Except commemorating it isn't enough for this unsub." Emily hums, making Garcia nod.

"No. He wants to relive it." Hotch sighs, as he crosses his arms. "Wheels up in twenty."

"Hey, Willow. Did you get your puppy?" JJ asks, making the Doctor, previously Professor, perk up with a happy grin.

"Yes. Tiaan is adjusting really well! And he's already absolutely obsessed with Spencer." Willow explains, making Spencer blush softly as he follows the two women out, and behind him is the rest of the team.

"Spencer already met Tiaan? Wow, but didn't you get him yesterday?" Emily asks, making Willow quickly glance over her shoulder for a second.

"Spence, came with me to pick up Tiaan." Willow shrugs, making Emily smirk.

"Well, that makes a change from the Reid Effect." Hotch says teasingly, making everyone but Spencer laugh. The boy genius simply shakes his head as he blushes and smile softly.

"I never understood, why dogs or even children used to hate me." Spencer hums, deeply in thought about it, as they reach the elevator and Willow turns around to give him a look.

"Honey, I saw the pictures of you at 24. You looked like a stick with eyes." She says teasingly, just as the doors open and she gets in, followed by the rest of the team.

"You're my ex girlfriend, you can't judge me." He says defensively, making her snort, although her heart drops at the ex part.

"Doesn't stop the fact that you used to look like giant child." Derek joins in the teasing, making Spencer huff.

"What is this... attack Spencer day?" The genius asks, making everyone chuckle, as they get out of the elevator and start making their way towards the airstrip.

"It's national holiday. Don't you know?" Rossi asks, as he walks passed Spencer and steps in the jet, everyone following suite.

"Lets go over the file." Hotch says as they all sit down, clearly amused by the interaction they had on the way here.

"Perpetrators of school violence are often sophisticated with their weapons. Randy Slade carried his bomb in his backpack. This guy hid his in Givens' clock radio." Spencer says as he reads over the details of the file, looking up at Emily, who seated across from him.

"Yeah, and progressive. Each one tries to top the body count of the one previous." Emily says, making Willow crunch her nose up slightly in thought.

"And they're loners by default, not by choice. They try to join various social groups, but they get shut out." JJ points out.

"Randy Slade wasn't a loner at all." Hotch says as he looks up at Rossi.

"The family cooperated fully with us. He was a high-functioning psychopath, straight-A student, varsity wrestler, lots of girlfriends." Rossi explains to the team.

"With an above-average intelligence that made him incredibly resourceful. His explosive of choice was Semtex. It's found at demolition sites, but it's held under lock and key." Spencer says, as he looks at Willow.

"Which made us consider the possibility of a partner. Never found one." Rossi shrugs, making Willow look up at him.

"Slade was too much of a narcissist to share credit. But he was also an impulsive teen, which is what bothers me about this unsub." Hotch admits me.

"His sense of control?" Willow asks as she tilts her head curiously.

"And the end game that he's working toward. Slade's pathology revolved around the big kill. This unsub could have done the same if he'd waited for the candlelight vigil." Hotch points out, making her nod in understanding.

"Which means there's no blaze of glory fantasy here. This unsub has more bombs made, and he's savoring the anticipation of his next attack." Rossi concludes.