7:30 AM on the dot, agent Roy crossed the door of the elevator of the 6th floor. She looked the same, her hair was the same, and she had an expensive outfit as usual.
However, her pace was more fast than before, heading into the conference room. It's on the inside that she felt different, like a parasite creeping in.
As she entered, the whole team was already inside, sat in their seats.
"Right on time" Morgan teased her. She took no part into his charm this morning and glanced back as she sat down.
"Bad week, don't ask"
They all looked at each other before Garcia took the scene.
"Ok...So, speaking of bad..."
"How bad?" JJ asked.
"Miami"
The whole room gave a sigh contrary to Katherine's surprised gasp. They all looked at her again, "What? You don't like Miami?"
"Let's just say that crimes aren't that great out there" Morgan said. "What's the case?"
Garcia took a deep breath before opening the screen. "In the last week, Miami police found the bodies of 2 male victims, they were drugged, beaten, stabbed and mutilated post-mortem..."
"They took souvenirs too" Morgan looked at the crimes scene photos and those of the victims who had their sexual organs cut off
"But is it a souvenir if you don't keep it?" Roy asked. She held another photo in her hand.
The organs were found in the trash bin right next to where the bodies were left in each crime scene.
"What's the link between the two Garcia?" Prentiss asked.
"Well, they both had money and by money I mean filthy rich and by filthy rich I mean they had enough money to make people drop sexual assault charges against them."
"How many?" JJ asked
"8.... for each"
The room fell silent.
"Well. Are we sure we want to arrest the killer?" Katherine said sarcastically but with no pity for the dead. Thought they all shared the same feeling, murder was murder despise the reason.
"So, big overkill, no sexual assault and mutilation of the genitals on 2 reported rapists" Morgan trailed off
"A woman" Emily and Katherine said in unison.
-
"Yes, here it is" Garcia said on the other side of the screen. The team had gone into the jet and were starting to fly away.
"They both were last seen in the same bar on Miami Beach, it seems they were approached by the same women" She shared the security camera footage to the team.
A blonde woman could be seen making conversation with the victims the night of their disappearance, thought her face could not be seen, it was definitely the same women. She had bought drinks for them, maybe a way to drugged them.
"Garcia pull up the list of all the women how paid for their drinks and if one of them returns the same night the second victim was murdered" Prentiss asked
"As we are speaking" Garcia said as she typed away.
"We think she could be a victim of a sexual assault?" Morgan asked
"Likely not, statistically, victims of sexual assault aren't usually tempted to become the aggressor, they're actually more likely to fall back into a cycle of victimization" Reid informed.
"But she could be, it's possible it's for personal revenge, we've had a case like this before" JJ said.
"But is she the same person?" Katherine asked as a rhetorical question.
The laptop screen opened again as Garcia made herself present. "Got it"
She shared a picture of a young blonde woman. "Kristel Izia, she's 24 years old, she almost graduated in visual arts but dropped out in the last semester after a sexual assault police report was filled in her student apartment."
"Was she the one who filled the report?" Morgan asked.
"Hum, no, it was another girl named Allie, she was a girl living on the floor below Kristel but they seemed to be friends according to photos they took together" Garcia said as she showed more pictures of them together.
Katherine looked at the photos and their dynamics
"Garcia, are both of their families overbearingly religious?" Katherine asked her.
"Hum.....Kristel's father is a prime donor for a Christian church in the neighbourhood and Allies mom has a baptized certificate but she's the only one in the family"
"You think she's mad because their families didn't believe her friends' story?" Emily asked
But the agent was looking at a specific photo Garcia had pulled up. Allie was looking straight into the camera as she smiled and seemed happy while a younger version of Kristel smiled as she looked at Allie. Her eyes were tender and her smile paired well her flushed cheeks.
"I think.." Katherine looked at Emily. "I could be wrong but if my instincts are correct, she might of been in love with her." She paused, "Garcia what happened to Allie? And who was the man in her report?"
"Hm, the man's name was Jason Mills, he was also a student and he ..... died in a car accident 2 years ago, he was drunk and ran into a tree. And Allie she dropped out of school after making her report because she had to be hospitalized....for.... Syphilis to which......oh. She died last week"
"That's her stressor" Morgan said.
"And now the world must burn" Katherine added as she felt a bit of pity for the woman who had lost so much. Something she could relate to.
Somehow, Emily felt like she had shared a personal statement of a past experience Katherine might of had.
-
"I'd like for us to go undercover to get close to Kristel and try to get a confession before making an official arrest, she wont go don't easily if she gets cornered" Prentiss said as her team nodded in agreement.
Emily took a breather before looking at a particulier agent. "I'd like to send Roy, she's more likely to be able to make a connection"
All eyes turned to the nominee as she expressed, for the first time, a look of fear and confusion.
"Are you sure?, I'm sure im not the best one for that"
"Oh come on, you lie perfectly, you're young and you'll probably know how to get something on her" Emily said.
She in fact, had faith in her, wanting her to have this opportunity to try something different.
"Lies, I tell lies but I don't live by them, going under cover is completely different and why age? She could be into older women, that's not unimaginable, besides I thought you'd want to go since you've obviously had experience seducing criminals" she said as she crossed her arms.
Her body language was stiff and close minded. She really was having a bad week as Prentiss took immediate notice to this new behaviour never seen before.
Something was bugging her.
"Excuse us" Prentiss said as she left and gestured her agent to come at the back of the plane.
"I'm sorry, I've been reading pasts cases the team has done before since my arrival-"
"It's not" she cut her off "about that," she took a pause to look at her in the eyes.
"I need to know if you can handle to work right now. I know that this might be hard for you, maybe something happened in the past that makes you uncomfortable-" Emily tried to reason with her.
"What? You think this is about the case?" Katherine looked confused for a bit. "It's not about this case or anything else" she said.
Prentiss looked as if she was determining if she was lying or telling the truth.
"Then what is it?" She asked her. She was acting different.
"You don't believe me." Roy looked at Prentiss with a look of disappointment,
"No I haven't been sexually assaulted and even if I had been, why would it matter. It's not about me, Let it go" she said with exasperation.
"Then why don't you want to go under cover? You're obviously bothered by something then" her boss asked.
The look of annoyance was plastered of Roy's face. She took a breath and her face gave up its muscles as she regained her stoic face exhaling trough her nose. "Fine. I'll do it" she said as she walked back.
Both women sat down with the rest of the team.
"But we'll have to make a detour first. I need another outfit if you want me to enter a club" she said making her demands. Sharp tongued.
"What ? You don't have a 500$ dress in your go bag? Morgan said jokingly to her.
"What's wrong with what you're wearing?" JJ asked
Katherine was wearing a black turtle neck with a deep red translucent blouse over it with embroideries. It looked quite chic but to her, it did not seem adequate.
"First of, I don't wear dresses, and I will not ever wear one. Second, this outfit is expensive, but not bar material, if you all want me to seduce a woman, a younger woman I repeat, I'm not wearing this."
"Ok and what do you know exactly about seducing women?" Morgan asked as if she had just revealed something personal.
All were curious too, but Emily was the most intrigued.
The agent sighed and gave him a look of disappointment as she put her hand on his shoulder.
"Because I'm a woman Morgan, It's the basic knowledge of what a women wants, another woman knows" She said as she looked at his look of surprise.
He thought she had meant that she had been with women before just as the others, but her answer was quite simple and accurate.
"You know, statistically women who date other women, sorry, precisely, sleep with other women, have more orgasms than those who have male partners, actually its 35% more-" She continued. But was interrupted by Morgan putting his hand on her mouth.
"I get it" he simply said.
Katherine looked amused by his reaction. She looked at the others too for any sight of discomfort she could laugh upon.
All seemed amused expect Emily who was maybe not cognitively present, she seemed to be thinking about anything else, or trying to think about everything else.
"She is right" Reid had the courage to add with a smirk teasing Morgan
"But please if you have any advice I'm all ears" she said to him to which he laughed in embarrassment.
Surely she was right and he would make himself a fool to try and tell her what women want.
"Well maybe not but maybe Emily could tell you" he said looking at her.
Emily had been trying to be absent form the conversation until she had been brought up.
She looked at her agent who looked at her. She had no look of surprise, embarrassment or intrigue by the news she had been told about her boss.
Both women stared at each other waiting for one to talk first
"Emily dated a few women before but...she was quite picky with them; they didn't work out."
"Thanks JJ" Emily said sarcastically. She had been outed by her team to the new agent, Not that it was ever a secret but since it was her, she felt a bit nervous about her reaction.
She wanted her to be at least surprised, that she wasn't easily readable or that obvious. That she asked questions about her and what her likes are so that she could ask the same.
"Oh, well I don't think Kristel will have the same taste" Katherine said with no more expression than before. Emily was disappointed by her comment.
"One, she's younger, she used to study arts and fell in love with her best friend. Second, well, you're older" she looked at Emily "you studied in Criminal Justice, went to Interpol into terrorisms and are now the Unit Chief of BAU, and you probably fell for dependant women who pleased your ego and sense of hero but nothing more deeper" She shut her mouth as she looked at the look of surprise on her face's boss.
She had just profiled her in front of the team and was able to accurately describe the feeling of power and disappointment she had felt with these women. Katherine when silent as she was expecting a scolding.
"You're good" was the only thing Prentiss could say. "Then what does Kristel want than?"
"A friend to fall in love with"
-
As the plane landed, the team went to the nearest Mall to got get an outfit for Agent. Roy. They gathered into a small coffee shop right next to the Louis Vuitton store where she had entered.
"Garcia would've totally love this and gone inside with her" JJ said as she looked at the huge logo on the front of the store.
"Did you give her a budget or something for this?" Reid asked Emily.
"Nope, she said she'd pay for it" Emily said as she sipped her coffee looking into the abyss.
"Where'd you think she got all that money?" Morgan asked but before they could theorise Katherine had left the store and was heading towards them, bag in hand.
"Roy" JJ said as she welcomed back the agent,
However before she could say anything back, a young raven-haired women bumped into her.
Katherine let go of her bag as she held the woman in her arms for her not to fall. Like a romantic scene, Roy was now hovering over the young women who blushed at her chivalry. The young women's hair had made itself messy by the turbulence and Roy tucked away the stand of hair obstructing her face as she help her stand up straight. She gave a smile as the younger women was speechless.
Unfortunately, the puddle of coffee that was on the ground had first made its mark on Katherines red embroidered translucent blouse, leaving a brown stain.
"Oh my god! Im so sorry!' The raven-haired girl exclaimed as she saw what her coffee had done to the others women shirt.
One of the workers was already on the floor ready to clean up.
"Its fine" Katherine said as she looked at her bag on the floor, thankfully it was intact as she picked it up and examined it.
"Im so so so sorry, I'll pay for the cleaning!" The girl said as she rushed to the get a napkin and a pencil from her bag to write her number.
"Here, its my number, call me and ill refund you" She said with anticipation,
-Cough cough-
Both women looked back at the team that had been staring, witnessing the whole out of a movie scene.
Emily was the one to fake cough as she found the scene irritating,
Katherine looked back at the girl and took the piece of paper. "Thank you, I wasn't looking as well, can I buy you another coffee?" She asked to be nice.
The girl blushed as she looked at the women and the friends she was with,
"Oh no, its ok, I have to go but maybe after I pay you back, then you can buy me coffee?" She said with a smile.
Some team members had a smirk on their faces as they understood what she was trying to do.
Emily smirked as well as she knew her agent wouldn't accept but was struck by her response.
"Of course" Roy said as she kindly put the paper in her pocket and waved her goodbye as she left to coffee shop. However as soon as she saw her leave her sight, she took of her expensive blouse off, leaving only her black turtleneck.
The team came up to Agent Roy as she took the piece of paper with the girl's number and was putting it into her phone.
"You're not seriously thinking about it right? She definitely bumped into you on purpose" Morgan asked her, not believing she was actually putting the number in her phone.
"She definitely did it on purpose" Reid added as he had witnessed her charging at Roy and falling most definitely to make sure she would catch her, and he could not be more right, thought he didn't know if she knew.
"You'll be leaving back to Quantico after this case anyway" Emily added as to express her disapproval.
Katherine gave a sigh as she looked at her ruined blouse in her hands. She closed her phone and put it back into her back pocket. She looked at the other members face to find them waiting for her response.
She rolled her eyes as she took the piece of paper with the number and wrapped it with her blouse. She went to the trash can and put both in the bin.
"What?"
The team looked surprised by her actions. When she had express how expensive the outfit was they didn't think she would trash it without hesitation.
She rolled her eyes again.
"You can't clean this stuff, and no money in the world could, I'm quite mad actually, it was an exclusive couture" she said as she took a big breath to calm down inside as she seemed calmed in the exterior.
"You're not going to call her?" JJ asked the question they all had.
"What? No, I blocked her number, just in case. Can never be to sure" she said as she took her phone again and showed the contact list of blocked numbers.
She had a whole list, but somehow they weren't surprised now.
"So you knew?" Emily asked.
"That she changed her pace and trajectory to bumped into me? Yes, but am I going to let her just fall down like an idiot, we'll,.. normally I would've but since I'm supposed to seduce a women tonight I thought it was a good test run" she said as monotone monotone can be.
Emily felt a sense of relief.
Thought she still felt like Katherine was hiding something, she was a natural, she didn't need advice on how to seduce a women, or anyone in fact.
-
"Can you hear me?" Katherine heard in her ear. Prentiss and the team were communicating with her through an outsider location. She had entered the bar.
"Clear as a diamond" she answered.
"Do you see her anywhere?... she's usually at the bar buying drinks for guys" Prentiss asked
Roy took a glance at the people inside and at the bar. She spotted a blonde haired women. Thought she could not see her face she knew it was her, Kristel.
"Going for the kill" she whispered as she walked towards the bar.
Kristel was taking to a man at the bar as she noticed someone sit next to her, she looked at her side as she saw a women ordering a drink.
She looked elegant, she had a black pantsuit and heels, something very exquisite for an older women.
"I'll have 3 shots please" The black-haired women asked.
"Good or bad?" The blonde women asked the other, determining if the drinks were for a celebration or for forgetting something.
She looked at her
"Bad, very bad" She said as she took a shot without hesitation. She looked at her and gave her a smile.
She slid her second shot to her on the table and both did a shot together.
"What about you?" The women asked.
The blonde girl hesitated for a bit. "Bad as well, you see, I'm grieving, I recently lost someone" she said as she played with her empty glass. Thought it was true, she didn't tell her whole story right away.
"I'm sorry" the older women said as she patted her back expressing a compassionate stare.
"Thank you, Its great to have someone to share it with, you know?" She said as she focused her attention on the older woman giving her attention.
"Can I buy you a drink? She asked her. Something Katherine was anticipating.
"Yes thank you, how about something strong then?"
"Don't get drunk now"
"I want to get wasted tonight' Roy added, simply to annoy Prentiss. She wasn't going to get drunk. Her tolerance was to high for that.
"As do I" Kristel said as she waved down the bartender" 2 martinis"
"So, whats your name?" Roy asked her pray.
"Kristel, and you?"
"Emily" Roy answered with a smile.
"So, Emily, what's bothering you? Is it a man?" She asked seductively.
Katherine laughed a bit at her question. Never would she let a man bother her in her life. "You're both correct and wrong actually" she took a sip of her drink.
"Really? Tell me about it" Kristel asked her as she was intrigued.
"I have this husband, named Jace" Kristel had eyes wide open as the name was similar to Jason's. "We've been together 4 years, but..." She took a paused to take a sip and look hurt. "He cheated on me with another women, who used to be my mistress" She took a breath
"Good I wish I had killed him sometimes" She said as she looked up at the ceiling waiting for her answer.
Kristel had a glint in her eyes. She wanted to know more. "I could kill him" She said sarcastically.
Roy laughed with her "Of course you could, every women is capable of murder love" she flirted.
"And what about her?" She asked curiously.
"Well my marriage was good but..." she looked shy "she gave me something I didn't have.."
"And what is that? Good sex?" She asked as she laughed at her joke.
"Well yes but I've never loved a women like I loved her. And now I've lost her" She said as she looked into the abyss.
Kristel could see the sadness in her eyes and the gut feeling that she was someone who could actually understand her.
"But enough about me, what about you, who did you lose?" She asked
"Well, I was in love with this girl I used to know, she was sexually assaulted and died because of it " She said bluntly.
"What happened to the man?"
"He's dead" She deadpanned
"Well,.." Katherine lifted her glass "Cheers to that" she said as they cheered together.
"Cheers"
"What does your husband do?'
"Well, he owns the most expensive hotel in Miami, he sits around in the top of his tower, does nothing, and buys what he wants. For now, what he does is called Jennifer"
"Hmm the mistress..."
"Yep" She said as she finished her whole drink.
Both were silent for a while.
"Will you leave your husband?" Kristel said as she put her hand on the other woman's.
"Oh darling, its not that easy, I'll be dead the first day of my divorce" She said with exasperation. She looked at the blonde girl who seemed to be determined to help her.
"I could keep you safe, keep you company" Kristel said as she looked at Katherine seductively and leaning in further to whisper in her ears.
"I'm sure I'm better company than that Jennifer" Katherine could feel her breath on her neck, something that felt disgusting.
"Yeah right" JJ said sarcastically.
Katherine chuckled for a bit. "I'm sure you could, but lets not drown ourselves in our grief and do something regrettable." Katherine step down from her chair as Kristel still looked at her every inch.
She took a paper and wrote a number. "I don't live with my husband anymore but if you ever want to keep me company,... call me" She said as she gave her the paper and winked.
"You're leaving?"
Katherine ignored the comment as she walked away and went to the parking lot and waved a taxi.
"Where are your going?"
She open the door of the cab and sat inside. "1 Hotel South Beach" She said to the driver as he took his route.
"Okay were meeting you at the Hotel" Prentiss said to her
-
As she stepped down in front of the lobby, she saw in the corner of her eyes a group of people watching her get in the building. She smiled as she continued.
She walked to the front desk and was greeted by the worker.
"What a surprise Miss Roy we didn't expect you, what's the occasion?" the young man asked as he looked at her and the group behind her following. She gave him a smile "Like always, pleasure" and she walked away towards the elevator. Prentiss stood besides her.
As she stepped in, the team followed. She hit the 50th floor, the top one and the door closed. They were quiet for a while before Reid said something.
"For pleasure?" he asked.
Katherine laughed for a bit before composing herself. "Yeah, my self-pleasure. What else did you think" She said as she elbowed him a bit to tease him.
"So why exactly did you decide to come here? " Prentiss said looking at her.
"Well, my dear husband might get killed tonight because I'm an irresponsible wife who just told a serial killer where my asshole husband lives" She said not even looking back at her, waiting for the 50th floor.
"Im confused, did you already reserve a room or something?" JJ said.
However Kathrine did not respond as the doors opened to the 50th floor presenting only one door. She put her full hand on a part of the wall which scanned it at contact. The team looked at each other. "You could said that"
-Ding-
The door opened and she stepped in. The members had jaws to the floor as it revealed a sky penthouse.
The place was grand and luxurious, the high windows gave the view of the night sky and the house lights on the bottom of the streets.
Roy took a seat on a sofa. She made herself comfortable as she patted the seats next to her to invite them in.
"Please make yourselves at home"
They all watched and looked at everything the more they ventured inside these walls. As the team sat down Morgan spoke up.
"I have to ask, where'd you get all this money?"
"I'm banned in half of the casinos in Las Vegas and in Atlantic City which is quite a shame, since they had great conventions there.."
"Wait in Atlantic City?" Reid said as the team looked at Emily who gave them a threatening stare.
"Do you know what Sin to Win is?" Morgan asked with a smile, finally he would get an answer. Roy looked at Prentiss and winked at her.
"I'm sorry Morgan, I don't think my boss would want me to spill the beans, especially if its about that.." She said with a small smile and winked at him as well.
Morgan accepted defeat as he laid down on the sofa in hand on his face to hide his frustration.
"Are we positive that she'll come here tonight?" JJ asked.
But before she could answer her phone rang. Katherine picked it up. "Missed me already?" She said as she put the phone on speaker. Kristel was on the other side.
"You could say that, I've been thinking about what you told me, how about we meet tomorrow? I guaranty that you'll be free to do whatever you want"
"That sounds lovely. What should I wear on such occasion?"
"Something black, you looked good tonight"
The team watched as she flirted on the phone with her. Emily had avoided facing her in case she would she that she rolled her eyes every 10 seconds.
"Well, see you tomorrow then"
"Tomorrow, bye"
As she hung up a small melody could be heard all around the place. Katherine smirked as she stood up and stretched herself.
"She's coming" she said as she walked towards the staircase to go up. She stopped at the top and leaning in on the handrail.
"That music" she pointed to the ceiling "means that someone hit the 50th floor in the elevator.
As the music stopped she continued and went to the bedroom
"I'm going to change, Morgan you answer the door like a good husband would"
The team stoop up and hid themselves around the place while Morgan waited at the door.
As Emily climbed up the stairs to go and find Roy, the agent had already changed into a black suit, gun in hand.
She and Prentiss stood at the top of the door giving a view of the other members hiding.
Emily took her gun out as well as she looked at her.
"Great view right?" Roy asked her as she was facing forward watching the view of the night sky. She looked a bit sad while saying it.
She knew that now, she would have to pass it on, since this location of hers had been exposed by none other then herself.
Emily still looked at Katherine "Yeah its great"
-Knock Knock-
Morgan took his time to look around him and assess his next move as he put his hand on the handle. As he opened the door, everything happened so quickly.
"Hi, Jace?" The woman asked
"Yes?"
The woman launched at him as he backed away to avoid her hand holding a syringe.
She had changed into a simple plain tracksuit and had a cap on, hiding her face when she looked down.
As Morgan avoided her attacks he drew out his gun as the other members came out of their hiding spot all guns pointed at her.
"FBI Kristel, drop your weapon" Reid said as they circled her.
She looked stunned and confused as she looked around and lifted her head up to see the woman she had planned to save on the upstairs balcony besides another woman.
They all had their FBI jacket on except for the man she thought was Jace.
"You tricked me!" She exclaimed to her as she held the syringe towards the balcony.
"Yes, and I'm sorry for that" Katherine said as she went down the stairs and walked towards her.
Emily followed but cut her off as she thought she was getting to close to the armed criminal.
"My real name is Katherine, she's Emily" She said as she pointed to her boss. "I don't have a husband"
"And Jennifer?" Kristel asked.
"Not my mistress no, everything was a lie" she said.
"But that's not true, you did lose someone, I know it" Kristel said as she felt betrayed.
The team who still had their guns towards Kristel glanced at Roy. She took a deep breath as she looked at her captive.
"Yes, yes I did, but that was a long time ago, I've moved on" She said as she looked around to looked at the team members.
Kristel laughed. "And with who? Her?" She pointed at Emily
"You think she can replace the one you lost? They cant be replaced, not by anyone" She said in a spiteful tone.
Emily was about to speak before Katherine stopped her "You're right, but that doesn't mean that you have to suffer, you can move on in life, find something that you like. You'll never replace her but you don't have to be held back"
For a moment she seemed quite genuine, like this advice meant something deep to her, something she could've needed in her past.
Emily was touched by her words as she hesitated to put her hand on her shoulder, her finger tips barely brushed her shoulder. However her stares were seen by the woman facing her.
"I see, its easy for you to say when you have someone already waiting" She looked at Prentiss who had regained her serious face.
"But that just means you've become a traitor to the one you loved"
"You're wrong" Katherine said to her. She looked hurt again by that comment. Never would she betray someone she loved.
However that small answer was enraging to Kristel as she pounced towards Roy.
-BANG-
One shot fired as Kristel let go of her syringe in hand overcome by the pain and chock of the hit.
She hit the floor as the blood spread on the white floor. Katherine looked behind her to see that Prentiss had shot her attacker, her gun still aimed towards the bleeding woman as her face told nothing but hatred.
-
"So, if I ever go on vacation in Miami....I can count on you to lend me the place?" Morgan said with a smile.
Roy took some time to think. "Well I've actually decide to stop renting the place after 4 years" she said
"What? Why" Morgan asked
"Well, it's a bit boring to have a nice secret place when its not a secret anymore, but if you find out where my other places are around the globe, maybe ill let you keep the secret with me" She said teasing him.
"So what's your place like back at Quantico then?" Emily asked.
"Not as big, but its nice" she stated, "I might finally cave to Garcia's requests and host a girls night at my place" She said as she laughed at all the requests Garcia had and pleaded to see her apartment.
Katherine looked at Emily who sat again next to her and put her hand on hers.
"Thank you for today, and I'm sorry If I was an ass in the beginning" she said with a little smile but clearly looked at her in the face.
It felt as if they clearly saw each other for the first time. Emily felt validated for the first time by her agent. Katherine was grateful that her boss had been there to help her.
"Of course, you are part of my team" she said with a smile as well. She turned her hand that was under hers to grasp it and give it a slight squeeze.