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after joining the bau, madelyn mortier's hazy past clears--allowing her a fresh start. she endevers in this newfound family but will the demons of her past seep back in to destroy it? can she start anew and put aside her ghosts to focus on...
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╭──╯ . . . . . VIOLENT DELIGHTS ܴೈ
✧.* ONEERTAXEA . . . . . ╰──╮
november 9th, 2009
the next morning feels like a blur. my phone buzzes early, rousing me from the shallow sleep i'd managed to slump over my desk. jj's message blinks on the screen, sounding urgent: 'meet at 751 harvey st, downtown. will explain there.' i groan, grabbing my bag and keys as i head out.
"we aren't working a case. why call us to a crime scene?" i ask as i step out of my car and join emily, morgan, and rossi on the curb. "we thought you'd know." emily says with a shrug. "jj just said the police requested us. it's urgent." i reply, rubbing my eyes against the remnants of sleep. "four hours of rest after that canada case—this better be." morgan mutters, looking just as worn out as i feel. the four of us make our way into the apartment building, greeted by the familiar chaos of officers moving back and forth.
jj waves us over. "hey, guys. over here. you remember detective walker." she says, gesturing toward the detective who extends a handshake. "thanks for coming. i know you're all running on fumes." walker says with a nod of appreciation, shaking each of our hands. "who's the victim?" rossi asks, getting straight to the point. "nelson martinez," walker replies. "from what we've gathered, he answered the door, was forced back at gunpoint, and shot in the chest. it's messy. very sloppy."
"no disrespect, but i don't see why you need us here." morgan said, his tone skeptical as he leaned against the table, arms crossed. walker exhaled deeply. "two days ago, a local doctor named tom barton found a note addressed to him at the hospital. it said the writer planned to kill his son. if dr. barton tried to keep his son hidden, someone else would die in his place every single day." "and you think this is connected?" i asked, leaning forward slightly.
"the note is signed 'lc.'" reid said, flipping the paper over in his hands. his sharp eyes scanned the handwriting, his voice laced with quiet concern. walker stepped in, his voice steady but grim. "yesterday, we had another victim—multiple gunshots outside an apartment complex. the shooter left a signature. lc, written in white chalk next to the body."
"so, unless dr. barton puts his son in harm's way, this unsub's going to keep killing?" reid added, his words cutting through the room like a knife. rossi tilted his head thoughtfully. "where's barton now?" "he's at home," jj said, glancing at her phone. "he doesn't know about this second victim yet." i frowned, glancing around. "where's hotch?" jj hesitated. "he's not answering his phone. i assume it's on vibrate—he'll get the messages when he wakes up."
"try him again. he can meet us at dr. barton's house." i said, exhaustion creeping into my voice. jj nodded and tried again as we headed out, the group moving with quiet urgency toward the cars. walking beside jj, i caught her muttering as she hung up after leaving a voicemail. "so weird. he always answers his phone." the drive to dr. barton's house was tense, the weight of the case pressing down on all of us. when we arrived, the doctor greeted us at the door, his stress evident in the dark circles under his eyes and the way his hands fidgeted against the doorframe.
