Criminal Minds: Danika

Sacrifice

"Hey, you okay?" Prentiss asks Reid as he enters the meeting room.

"Yeah, why?" He questions.

"You're never late." Morgan says.

"Have we started the briefing yet?" Reid asks, clearly trying to avoid the statement.

"Just about to." Garcia says as she enters the room.

I clench my jaw seeing Seaver at the table. Dave promised me it was only a one case deal. Instead she seems to have fast tracked her career and joined the team. Morgan hasn't said anything about it, but I can tell he's uncomfortable.

No one has mentioned Danika to Seaver and I don't think they're going to. At least I'm hoping they don't. The last thing I need is to have another person on the team questioning my judgement.

Dave and Prentiss haven't said anything but I know they're still wrestling with the idea that I had a felon, no, a killer, join the team. Strauss still doesn't know, and she won't if I can help it. I think it's part of the reason no one has uttered Danika's name since Seaver joined. Barely at all even before.

My attention is brought back when Garcia puts pictures up on the screen. Crime scenes and pictures of victims lay across the screen, large so everyone can see. I look and see shells placed on the mouth and eyes of the victims, which is an odd signature.

"Shells on the eyes and mouth. You don't see that every day." Prentiss comments my exact thoughts.

"Not even in Miami." Dave adds.

"Three victims the last one found with a..." Garcia starts.

"A decapitated cat?" Morgan finishes her sentence in a confused tone.

"All were found within a mile of each other in a mostly Latino neighborhood in Miami called Allapattah." I explain the location further.

We go through the victims and the different ways they were murdered. How all three of them were basically killed in their homes. The last one was homeless, but he was found in an alley he frequented quite a bit.

"You know, cowrie shells and ritual offerings are common to a number of Afro-Caribbean religions." Reid offers his input, I notice he looks as if he's in a bit of pain but don't say anything.

Two of the victims were missing a finger but the third victim was found without his hands. Seaver asks the obvious question about religion and I do my best to not to lose it as Reid explains that it might just be a signature.

"Either way, his timetable's accelerating. We have a day, maybe two, before he kills again." I say and get up and walk out of the room.

"Everything good?" Morgan asks in the car on the way to the jet.

"Fine. Why?" I question, trying to act casual, feeling anything but.

"Every time Seaver speaks you get agitated." He points out and I grip the wheel tighter.

"And when she's mentioned." He adds and I glare at him.

"Man, I miss her too. But not giving Seaver a chance won't bring Danika back. And with JJ gone-." He starts saying.

"I just think it's too soon." I finally admit and he nods seeming to understand.

"Yeah, but we need another head in the game. What would Danika think if she knew you were giving someone else a hard time?" He questions and I look over at him.

"Fine." I huff and he chuckles probably thinking about some profanity Danika would've spouted my way if she were here.

I can practically hear her in my head saying;