magnetic ◊ criminal minds

xviii.

xviii. life force
( season four )

LYRA was having a great time. The most fun she had had in awhile. Ororo, Scott, and Jean had come down from New York, so the four of them had gone out for drinks. The night had barely started, and already, they were having a lot of fun, more than they had had when they were apart from each other for so long. They did not have to worry about work, about Magneto, it was just them. Hanging out as friends, like they used to do all the time.

"He asked her out, so now these two owe me twenty bucks," Jean said. They had gotten onto the topic of bets - so, naturally, as teachers do, Jean, Scott, and Ororo had bet on whether certain students would get together.

Scott groaned. "I thought we agreed you would stop rubbing it in."

Lyra grinned. "It's more fun if she doesn't stop," she signed.

"Thank you, Lyra. See, Scott? Listen to her," Jean said.

"We can't let Lyra get away with being right all the time," Ororo joked. Lyra playfully slapped her shoulder.

"Yes, you can," she signed, grinning cheekily.

"We can when she's on my side," Jean agreed. Scott and Ororo protested simultaneously. Lyra took a sip of her drink, an amused glint in her eyes. That was when her phone vibrated.

Upon checking the message, Lyra frowned. It was from Hotch - they had a case. Of course they did.

Ororo glanced over at Lyra's phone. "Work?" she concluded.

Lyra nodded dejectedly. "I can call in sick-" she signed.

"Go solve a crime, Lyra," Scott insisted. "We'll hang out some other time."

"But-"

"Go, Ly," Ororo said, nudging her.

Lyra, though feeling guilty that she had to leave so early, drove to work. Criminals could not take a single day off, apparently. The moment she walked into the Quantico building, her guilt turned into frustration. One night off. Was that too much to ask for?

Before the elevator doors could close, a hand stopped them. Reid quickly got in. "You look-"

Lyra shook her head. "Not now," she signed.

Reid frowned. "Were your plans ruined?" he asked, quick to draw that conclusion. Lyra nodded, signing her confirmation. "Sorry," Reid said.

"Blame the UnSub. I should be hanging out with my friends from New York right now," Lyra signed, irritated.

The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival to their floor. They were quick to make their way to the briefing room, where Hotch, JJ, Rossi, and Prentiss were already waiting. When Morgan arrived, they could begin.

"Sorry for calling you in so late on the weekend, but this couldn't wait," Hotch said.

JJ put on the screen the crime scene photos. There were three different bodies, each with multiple stab wounds spread across their chest. "Over the past week, three people were killed in their homes in Roseburg, Oregon. All blonde haired, white men in their mid-to-late twenties," she stated.

"Where were the bodies found?" Rossi asked.

"The most recent victim, Peter Wise, was found in an alleyway five minutes from his house. The others were found in their home and a park."

"He's not waiting long between kills," Morgan noted.

"The multiple stabs wounds indicates a lot of rage. It might be personal," Reid said.