A Long Way From The Playground

CHAPTER 30

I must've fallen asleep at some point because the sound of the hotel room phone ringing woke me up. Lifting  my head up off the pillow, I glanced over to see Aaron still donned in his suit minus the jacket, standing up to answer the phone. He looks over at me briefly, wincing as he realizes I've woken up, before answering the phone.

"Hotchner"

(Heavy breathing intensifies)

"Who is this?" Aaron demands, tossing the file down on the bed as I shoot out of bed and text Penelope to run a trace on the phone. I look up at Aaron and signal him to keep talking, letting him know that Penelope was running a trace.

" IF YOU STOP HUNTING ME, I'LL STOP HUNTING THEM." 

"You think i'd take that?" Aaron replies, and I freeze, looking over as his brow furrows in anger.

"I've misjudged you. I thought you were smarter than this--And You've misjudged me--I don't make deals. I'm the guy who hunts guys like you--You all think that--I'll see you soon." Aaron says, slamming the phone down on the receiver. I look back down at my phone and call Garcia to see if she got anything.

"Babe please tell me you traced it." I beg, crossing my fingers tightly.

"Sorry Ryleigh. Disposable phone, untraceable unless it's been activated by a company."

"Thanks anyway." I reply, ending the call and tossing my phone back in my bag. Aaron looks up and I shake my head in frustration, walking back over to sit behind him. I plop down on the bed and rub the tension out of his shoulders gently as he slouches backwards into my body. His cell phone rings ten minutes later and we both look at each other, knowing that the person on the other end of the call was definitely The Reaper.

"Hotchner--where--okay, secure the scene, we'll be right there." He answers, looking back at me as I nod and move to get off the bed and get dressed again. Tossing on the suit I had been wearing earlier, I shove my feet into my boots and fling the door open, sprinting down the hallway to where the rest of the team's rooms were. Banging on the doors one by one, they all open up to reveal bleary eyed adults, groggy with sleep.

"Theres been another murder. We need to move ASAP." I order and that wakes everyone up as they sprint back into their rooms to get dressed before returning to the hallway momentarily. We all headed downstairs and to the cars, splitting up into the two SUV's the bureau had provided for us, and made our way over to the newest scene. Upon arrival I gasp, noticing the blood all over the inside of the city bus that had been running that night. The car stops short and everyone flies out, each heading a separate direction, leaving me standing in front of the bus with Aaron and Dave. I snap a pair of blue latex gloves on, and slowly make my way up the two steps onto the bus to begin picking through the scene.

"6 bodies, not including the driver. Must've been a late night route, used the gun again although the positioning of the bodies makes me think he had two .44's this time. One to threaten and one to shoot while the driver detoured the bus off to the side of the road. Everyone's jewelry and wallets are missing so we know he took them with him when he fled. He finished them off with the knife.." I explain, hearing footsteps getting on the bus behind me. I stand up and turn around, watching as Dave and Aaron survey the scene inside. They both nod their agreement to my assessment and I smile slightly, knowing I had gotten it right.

"Arthur Lanessa's wedding ring.." Aaron murmurs and I shudder, snapping my gloves off and walking off ahead of them.