For the last three years, Cassidy Quinn has lived on the mainland US, working with the FBI's elite Behavioral Analysis Unit in order to catch the worst criminals the country has to offer.
Cassie is one of those people that you just can't help but li...
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F.B.I. Behavioral Analysis Unit QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
From where she had been walking on the small walkway around the edge of the bullpen in the BAU, in front of Hotch and Gideon's offices, Cassie slowed as she neared the latter's door. A few days ago, Gideon had come face-to-face with the Footpath Killer, the same serial killer whose case Gideon had been both consulting on and teaching about at the Academy when he was on medical leave.
How he had gotten away, Cassidy had no sane clue. But, to say she was impressed would be an understatement.
"These are things that we're trained to look for," Gideon was saying as Cassie paused outside his door, and she saw the older agent explaining what had happened to a few Academy trainees.
"So, anyone else would've just seen a guy who stutters," the male trainee began. "But, you saw the Footpath Killer,"
"Right," Gideon agreed solemnly, nodding his head, before lifting his hands. "But, sometimes, these guys are still found by just dumb luck. Berkowitz was caught because of a parking ticket,"
"Except the cop who found out about him wasn't staring down the front barrel of a shotgun," Cassie cut in from her spot at the door, making Gideon and all three trainees turn and look at her. "You know, like you were,"
"This is true," Gideon nodded, before giving a half-smile to the trainees gathered around him. "And this is also a good time to stop,"
The trainees thanked Gideon, gathered their supplies, and left the agent's office, Cassie waiting until all of them had gone before she walked deeper inside the office, sitting down in one of the armchairs across from Gideon and studying the older man for a few seconds before she finally spoke.
"I'm curious," she began. "The Footpath Killer. Why'd he stutter?"
"You've been a part of the Behavioral Analysis team for three years now, Cassidy," Gideon said simply, his dark eyes shining. "You tell me,"
With that, Gideon stood up from his chair and walked out of his office, leaving Cassie sitting there, pondering his words.
Most stutters were caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury, which rewrites the neurological impulses in the frontal lobe, thus causing the stutter. But, stutters could also be caused by emotional distress, like if you were a serial killer and had just unknowingly kidnapped an FBI agent.
Still thinking hard on the reasons why, Cassie left Gideon's office, heading out into the bullpen. Her desk was just on the other side of the guardrail, and the brunette quickly walked down the three steps to the main floor.
Sitting down in her chair, Cassie began to idly spin around, subconsciously noticing that Reid, who sat across from her, seemed to be playing chess with himself, while Derek looked over an evidence bag across the aisle from Cassie's desk.
