Storm (Criminal Minds OC)

Chapter 1

It wasn't long before Luke and Matt made their way out of the elevator and onto the sixth floor.  Penelope had called mid game so the two arrived together.  Weekly basketball games have become a ritual for the two profilers.  The sun was shining in Virginia and Matt had beaten Luke in round one.  They had decided on best two out of three, and Luke was up.  Of course, Garcia called with news of a case, snatching his potential victory from him. 

The two are the last to enter the round table room, resigning to sitting in their sweat until an opportunity to shower presents itself. 

"Hello, my Lovelies.  I bring you sad news of great crime.  And by great crime, I mean gruesome murder."  Garcia frowns. 

"Winding Edge, Arkansas?"  Luke asks. 

"Yes.  It's a small city off of Little Rock-"

"Technically, it's not a city."  Reid cuts in.  "It's essentially a large residential neighborhood, only home to about nine-hundred residents.  It bares the illusion of a city because as well as houses it's populated by small businesses, mostly family owned.  But it does not classify as it's own city.  They don't even have their own police department." 

"Which is why Little Rock police are the ones who called us in and we'll be working with them."  Emily adds. 

"Okay, so what about the murders?"  JJ asks turning the attention back to Penelope.   

Penelope clicks a button on her trusty remote.  Tossing the device over one shoulder so she doesn't have to look at the dark images taking over the screen. 

"Three women have been brutally beaten and killed, bodies left on the side of the highway.  All the women were Winding Edge residents, all in their late teens to early twenties.  Their bodies were dumped on the side of the highway.  Never in the same place." 

Various eyes widen as each team member looks at the more brutal photos on their individual tablets. 

"That's a lot of rage."  Tara huffs. 

"No kidding."  Rossi added. 

"We'll brief on the plane, wheels up in thirty."  Emily stood as she spoke.  "Alvez, Simmons, hit the showers before we go."  She smirks. 

The team laughs light-heartedly as they disperse.  Disappearing one by one from the room. 

Penelope chuckles to herself in her seat.

"What are you laughing at?"  Luke's smile grows when his eyes meet Penelope's own smile. 

"Oh, me?  Little ol' me?  Nothing."  She sneers, causing Luke to break into an even bigger grin. 

Matt smiles as well at the two.  Even through they all know Garcia is indeed trying to be rude to Luke, or at least she thinks she is, everyone but her can see clear as day, Luke enjoys every second of it. 

It was after they were freshly showered, that they both make their way to the private jet, Emily giving the pilot the all clear as the seven of them lift off. 

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"Agent Prentiss?  Chief Jones." 

She shakes his hand.  "Nice to meet you.  This is SSA Alvez and Dr's Reid and Lewis." 

He nods at the three agents behind Emily. 

"We heard about the fourth body on the plane."  She continues.  "I've sent some of my agents to the newest dump site." 

"I appreciate it.  But I got a whole load of problems coming in all at once.  I got the second victims family here, with her two year old, demanding answers, a fourth body and a hurricane moving in." 

Luke had noticed how heavy the weather was when they landed.  The air was thick with the threat of strong winds and the sky gray and it seems to be slowly growing darker. 

"Which is why I sent my agents now.  I understand you need to clean up the scene as soon as possible in preparation for the storm.  Do you have the news on so we can track its progress?" 

He leads them to a wide screen T.V. set up in the middle of the bullpen, captivating the attention of most of the inhabitants of the station. 

Working in a storm is not Emily's favorite thing.  But they come when called.  She's just grateful the team's jet landed safely and while it was still calm.  And it looks like they had some time before things get too crazy.  Which is good news...  For now. 

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By the time the rest of the team had arrived at the station, the wind was starting to pick up.  Still, not too bad. And the news insists they still have hours before the conditions would be unsafe.  It doesn't look like the hurricane was planning on hitting the town directly, but it will shake them, and it definitely won't be safe to go outside for awhile. 

Depending on how fast they solve this case, it might not matter. 

Tara's phone briefly chimes before she answers, putting it on speaker and Garcia's voice fills the room. 

"Hello, crime fighting friends.  I have good ne-, well, I have news on our latest victim Chloe Marks.  She got in a pretty heated text fight with what I'm guessing is a friend of hers, Kate Van Lare.  It seems pretty trivial, however, most of the exchange was mere hours before she was killed." 

"Garcia, do you have the address?"  Reid asked. 

"Oh baby, why do you insult me?  Already sent." 

"Okay, but the profile doesn't fit a young twenty-something year old girl?  Surely she hasn't been beating and dragging women the same size as her all around town.  Especially without being seen."  JJ said. 

"Still, Matt and Luke go ask her some questions." 

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Once they get in the SUV, Matt's phone rings and he answers, putting it on speaker as Luke starts the engine. 

"Did you two chicken out on me yet?"  Kristy's voice taunts them through the phone. 

"No, no.  We just got busy with the case.   I even have the stuff in my bag."  Matt pats his go bag, still in the floor board of the SUV from when they got off the jet. 

"Yeah.  What? Did you think we'd chicken out?"  Luke mocked back at her. 

"I don't know."  They heard the distinct crunch of a snack before she continued.  "I'm not sure if you two can handle it." 

The two voice their protest with various, repeated, 'woah's' and 'no's'. 

Kristy laughs before quickly saying she has to go at the sound of a child crying.  Exchanging 'i love you's' with Matt and receiving one last assurance from Luke that they would make good on the small, silly promise they made her two days ago. 

A/N: I made up Winding Edge haha