heart like yours (jennifer jareau)

1. two

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"there are years that ask questions and years that answer." - zora neale hurston

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"Morgan e-mailed these over. The three on the left are the bomb from yesterday. The one on the right's from the evidence room at Quantico," Hotch said, bringing four photographs up on the computer in the briefing room in the PD station.

It was the next day and the team were all tired, but they were powering through so they could end this case, soon.

"They are all identical. They are made with steel reinforcement rods," Spencer said.

"Adrian bale," Gideon muttered.

"Who?" the police detective on the case said.

"He held our agents in a standoff in Boston last year. He took out 6 agents and a hostage with one of his bomb," Hotch said.

"So you're thinking he's behind this?" Elle said.

"Possibly, but he's in prison. He's got kind of a cult following, almost like Manson. It could just be a copycat," Spencer said.

"There's one way to find out. Let's put the screws to this guy," the detective said.

"No, no, no. Bale's too smart. If we want information from him, we have to handle him carefully. Even then you have to assume that road will lead nowhere," Gideon said.

"You're saying the connection to Bale doesn't help us at all?" the detective asked.

"No. I'm just saying let us handle Bale," Gideon said.

"Look, we just heard from local Texas P. D. You were right about Clurman's nephew. He admitted the bomb stuff was his, which is great for the Clurmans, but it leaves us with zero suspects. So what do you suggest my men do now?" the detective asked.

"Proceed from the profile," Gideon said.

"I didn't know we had a profile," the detective said.

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"We're dealing with a bomb. We're talking about someone who's non-confrontational. If you bumped into him in a cafe, he'd apologize. Even if it wasn't his fault," Gideon said.

They were gathered to deliver the profile, Hotch and Gideon stood at the front while Elle, Spencer and Delilah sat at the back of the room with their notebooks.

"We would classify this bomb as highly organized, based on the meticulous design of his bomb. It means above average intelligence. He probably has a kill job, a trade, one that allows him to work alone. That's how he was able to make a sophisticated device without raising suspicion. Furniture maker, jeweler, et cetera," Hotch said.

"Background in explosives?" a detective asked.

"No, not necessarily. You're thinking about a type who likes to blow things up. Gives them an emotional or sexual release. That's secondary," Gideon said.

"Then what's this guy doing?" a detective said.

"Murdering. Bombs are his weapon. And these attacks, they are not random," Gideon said.

"Well, how do you know that?" the lead detective asked.

"The process of elimination. We know bombers fall into a discreet number of categories according to motive. There's the terrorist whose aim is to spread fear. We'd expect him to strike in a populous area like a subway. There's the politically motivated bomber. He makes a statement by choosing a symbolic target like an abortion clinic. Then there's our unsub. He makes bomb designed to kill and he chose his victim specifically by placing the bomb at their stoops. That tells us he has a direct motive. Statistically he bombs for profit or to conceal a crime. And it tells us how we're going to find him- through the people he kills," Hotch said.