Killer Queen

Chapter 7

     Spencer sighed, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I don't know, guys. She didn't seem like herself. She called me Reid. She hasn't done that in the entire time I've known her. And, Morgan, she called you by your last name. Don't you remember when she said that she didn't like doing that? It's like she was trying to send me a message."

"Who did you say was the man with her?" Garcia asked over the phone as the rest of the team glanced at each other nervously.

"She called him James," he recapped. "He had an earring on his right ear and a necklace, both of which were crosses."

"Aha! James Cook! She sent me a picture of him only about an hour ago, with no context. Earlier, she asked me to look into the people who found the crime scenes. Three of them, all cops, all off-duty when they found the victims. I'm sending you the pictures right...now." Garcia clicked something and three pictures uploaded to the computer where JJ was sitting at.

"Jackson Davies, Eric Kates, and James Cook. All religious, only two have criminal records," JJ read. "Weird that the three of them both found two crucified victims."

Derek shook his head. "It can't be a coincidence. Did it look like James was holding Logan hostage?"

"She didn't look like herself is all I can say. No jokes, no nicknames, not even a true Logan smirk, which I know you all know exactly what I'm talking about," Spencer pointed out. "He grabbed onto her shoulder forcefully as they were leaving. Logan didn't look comfortable."

"Do we have a license plate?" asked Hotch with his arms crossed.

"Give me a moment," Garcia jumped in. "I'm looking at the security cameras right now. Here they are. It's a dark blue Jeep. License plate is JLU-3ET. Searching for the number as we speak."

Derek stood up from his chair. "I'll alert the police that she's missing." He went to leave, but Hotchner stopped him.

"No. It's not a good idea. We have no idea what he's going to do to her, putting her on the radar could make him kill her much faster than he intended to." He sighed. "We need to be smart about this."

The team was silent, thinking over what to do. Most of them liked the teenager. She was funny and no matter how much she refused to talk about her past, they all knew that she was so much stronger than any of them had given her credit for. She was also very smart, which was why most of them were really hoping she'd find a way to get out of this situation. Because her life was on the line, and none of them knew how to help her.

~~~

"You know, I've always had a pretty messed up life," chuckled Logan as she watched James hammer the cross together. "I never thought I'd end up being crucified by two loonies who think they're reincarnated people from the bible. You know the bible took place about a billion years ago?"

James hammered two pieces together, sighing. "Stop talking. Now."

"You know what I just realized? She calls you John because she thinks that you're John the Baptist. You know, cousin of Jesus?" Logan shook her head, smiling. "I can't believe you actually believe her."

Quickly, James got up and stalked towards the teenager, until he towered above her. He was practically fuming, the hammer in his hand looking ready to swing.

"How do you know so much? I didn't take you to be one to rely on faith."

Logan shrugged. "I'm usually not. But one of the guys I used to live with, he was technically a Christian. I say technically because he thought that he could do whatever he wanted, sin all he wanted to, and still be able to go to church and get into heaven. Now, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works."

"We're not doing whatever we want," hissed James. "We're worshipping the Lord. We're getting rid of the fakes and sacrificing you so we're not punished."

With a snort, Logan burst out laughing. "Look, man, I don't want to trample on your ego here, but this just seems wrong. Did you ever think that this woman is manipulating you? Because she is doing just that."

James opened his mouth to retort back, before another voice interrupted him. "If you think you'll change his mind, you are very much mistaken, dear."

Logan slowly looked up to lock gazes with the woman who claimed to be Jesus. Her lighthearted expression turned down as she scowled. Hard. "I don't think anyone was asking you."

"That might have been true, but any time you talk about me, it is automatically my business." She smiled sweetly, checking to make sure her hair wasn't messed up. "Now, your little friends have probably figured out by now that you weren't going to look at the evidence locker with John. Which is why we need to sacrifice you as soon as possible."

She turned around, leaving with James quickly. Logan slumped down with a sigh. I have to get out of here.

The teenager looked around her for anything that would help her pick the lock of the handcuffs. She had learned how to pick a lock a few years ago when she wanted to sneak out after she had been locked in her room all day. However, none of the tools looked small enough.

Logan stretched her hands behind her to see if there was anything behind her. That's when she felt it. To her, it felt like a phone.

Her heart started beating faster as Logan's fingers wrapped around the phone. Making sure that the adults weren't around to watch her, she opened it, dialing the only phone number she had known to memorize. Her dad's.

The phone rang for a few minutes, giving Logan major anxiety. She was sure that someone heard it, but no one came. Finally, he picked up. Logan could hardly hear what he was saying.

Trying as hard as she could to bring her mouth to the phone, Logan tried whispering to him. "Hotch! Hotchner, are you there?"

Someone gasped on the other end. "Logan? Logan, is that you?"

"Shhh!" shushed the teenager as quietly as she could. "Please, come and help me. They're crazy, they think that the only way to atone for their sins is by sacrificing me. I'm in some warehouse-"

"Hey!" James suddenly shouted, coming into Logan's view. "What are you doing with that?"

Logan's eyes widened as she gripped the phone tighter. "He's coming for me, Hotch! Help me! Help me!" She didn't care about being quiet anymore since James had already found her.

James ran up to Logan, grabbing the phone away from her. He held it up to his mouth as he glowered. "You even try to find us, I will not hesitate to kill her." Then, he threw the phone down on the ground and crushed it beneath his boot.

Logan closed her eyes, her breathing shallow. "Please don't hurt me."

"Oh, child, that is not an option." The girl looked up once again to see the woman with a knife in her hand. "This is what must be done."