Reality in the blink of an eye (Hotchner/Caderton) (Reid/Sinclair)

Chapter 14. Mad scientist

„So, Dr. Sinclair, did someone explain anything to you?" – Strauss asked, waiting for Emilia to answer.

„Not quite...there was no time for explanation." – She answered.

„Very well then....from the start..." – Strauss started and turned the board on.

„....Three dead victims. One male, two females. Different age, different appearance. The only thing in common, that they were all scientists, who were murdered in the congresses. Because the congresses were for a really closed auditory, it made us realize, that the unsub is a scientist himself. He injects a really huge doze of tranquilizers to a victims body and paralyzes them. 

When the victim is defenceless, he kills them, the unsub pours the sulfur acid gas on their skin to slower us from identification. Also leaves a card with letters next to a body. We still didn't figure it out, what those letters mean." – Strauss explained and turned the other slide, where the cards appeared.

„The first victim was Victoria Getsy. The experts found a card next to her body with the letters „H. L. R. G. A. C. N. S. I". We tried to find a lead of what those letters could mean, but it brought us to nowhere." – Hotch was the one to introduce the first victim. He showed the picture of the victim.

„The damage on the skin is not from the sulfur acid..." – Emilia started, everyone looked at her.

„The examination answers showed, that it's sulfur acid, why do you think different Dr. Sinclair?" – Strauss asked, Emilia stood up and walked to the board.

„Can you see the burns around here and here?...." – Emilia asked and pointed to the screen. Everyone nodded.

„....If it would've been from the sulfur acid, it would've left the deep burns to lower epidermis, but it reached only the middle part, so I can tell, that the acid the unsub used is less corrosive. It's a common mistake of scientists, when they assume the first view, without looking deeper. My highly correct guess is that he used a nitric acid. It's more effective, cause when it has the contact with the skin, the burns spreads on the skin and damages only to the middle part of epidermis. Also, it would be much easier to bring the nitric acid than sulfur acid" – Emilia explained to everyone, Strauss nodded.

„Thank you Dr. Sinclair, I will make sure, that our medical examiners will correct their mistakes" – Strauss said with a smile to Emilia, everyone looked at her, she turned her eyes to Lora and she lip synced „badass", that made her smile. Strauss turned another picture with a victim.

„Chris Lang. Male, in his late thirties, was married with one kid.

Everything is the same, the card was found next to his body with the letters „M. R. E. A. T. L. D. I. E. A. I." No leads to the clue of solving, what those letters mean as well." – Strauss said and turned the last victim.

„Our last victim is Amelia Reidet. In her early fourties, divorced, no kids. No connection to the previous victims, only, that she's a scientist, who was in the other congress than other victims, Different time, different congresses, but the same genre." – Strauss explained.

„The letters on the card were „L. M. E. J. E " – Strauss said.

„What if these letters have something to do with their job? They're scientists, maybe it's a chemical code." - Spencer asked.

„Maybe it is, but we still don't know, how to figure it out." – Strauss answered. Everyone were thinking for a moment, until Emilia added.

„After two days a scientists party in a club „Sexy pleasure" will happen. A lot of scientists from many different countries will come in there. It won't be official, but it's a good opportunity to find out something new." – Emilia explained, Morgan smirked at her.