come down soon | s. reid

v ~ powder kegs

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five:
powder kegs

❝ In a democracy there will always be a tension between security and privacy. ❞
—Keir Starmer

𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 3, 𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚍𝚎 20 (𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝.)

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     SCOUT TOOK ANOTHER SIP OF COFFEE AND GRIMACED. The coffee at the New York Field office was bad enough as it was, but there was something about delivering a profile to a room full of skeptical, overworked agents that made it taste even worse.

    "In the case of the D.C. Snipers," Rossi was saying, "there was actually one intended victim."
Spencer picked up where he left off. "John Muhammad wanted to kill his ex-wife, but he knew that if he did, he'd be the prime suspect. So he created a spree in order to mask his primary motivation."

     "Muhammad and Malvo also left a death card at one of their scenes, just like this unsub," Joyner added. After her fleeting tiff with Morgan last night, there seemed to be an ever-present air of distrust between Joyner and the other members of the BAU.

     "It's likely that these unsubs have studied that case," Scout said, leaning against a desk to beside Rossi. "They might be trying to communicate with us."

     "So it's definitely a team?" One agent asked, his pen hovering above his notepad hesitantly. "How can you even tell something like that?"

     "Our technical analyst ran the subway footage through a program that helped her determine the heights of our unsubs," Scout explained. "One was significantly shorter than the other."

     Rossi nodded. "The demeanors of the unsubs also point to two different individuals. The first was calm, collected, not in any rush; the most recent killer was a lot more skittish."

     "Most teams have a dominant and submissive member," Spencer said. "Because of the relative intelligence of these unsubs, and the fact that they stick to a set time pattern, we believe at least one of them has a steady job."

     "We've asked the police to canvass their precincts, check businesses that open and close around the time of the shootings. We're hoping someone will be able to identify a father-son or co-workers that fit the dominant-submissive profile," Rossi explained.

    One woman raised her hand, and Scout nodded to her. "And what's the other theory?"

    "It's less likely but it could be some sort of gang initiation," Scout said, trying to play into the unlikelihood of the theory.

    Rossi gave Scout an approving nod before turning back to the agents. "We've asked the police to put every available undercover on the streets."

    Spencer reached behind Scout, collected the files they had gathered earlier that morning, and began passing them out to the agents. "These are all known gang members in Manhattan. Most of them are out of Chinatown and Clinton." Scout took half the stack from him and began sharing them with the other half of the room as he continued to give instructions. "We'd like you to study these and keep an eye out for anyone who looks suspicious."

    Joyner watched intently, already moving across the room. "I'll also be detailing a number of you as well," she said to the group. "Stay behind when the agents are finished, and I'll give you your assignments."

    "The important thing is to stay vigilant," Rossi stated. "We think there might be something bigger at play here and right now being aware is our greatest asset. Keep the profile in mind and don't let your guards down. Thank you." With a curt nod he dismissed the group and started out towards the main bullpen of the office.