The Bones in the Serial Grave (A Bones/Criminal Minds Story)

Chapter 2: The BAU

Updated: 4/2/14

In the FBI, building in Quantico, Virginia Aaron Hotchner had just gotten off the phone with the head of the FBI. There had been a request for his team to go to Washington, D.C. When the head of the FBI called you personally to request something, you dropped everything and did what was asked. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing at a picture of his son Jack before sending a quick text to his wife. He hoped that this case would not take too long, he would like to make it to at least one of his sons little league games this year. Hotch left his office.

“I need everyone in the briefing room,” he ordered briskly. Hotch wanted them to get to Washington as soon as possible.

Outside of Hotch’s office, the other agents were milling around their cubicles and desk. Some were chatting; others were doing paperwork or getting coffee. Hotch’s cell phone buzzed and he stepped back into his office to talk to his wife. Derek Morgan was leaning against the desk of Emily Prentiss’s desk.

"This can't be good," Morgan muttered in an undertone to Prentiss. Spencer Reid had just arrived. He set his messenger bag on the desk across from Emily’s. Catching sight of their intense stare directed at Hotch’s door, he guessed something had happened.  

"What’s going on?" Reid asked glancing from Morgan to Prentiss.

"Hotch called a meeting," Prentiss said quietly to Reid. "It doesn't sound good."

"

“Does JJ have the case files?” Reid asked. The blonde agent often times would hand out the case files. JJ was just returning from the kitchen area with a mug of coffee in hand.

"Hey JJ," Morgan called her over. "Do you know any cases that Hotch wants us to look at?"

"I haven’t heard anything from Hotch. I haven’t given him anything either," she replied.  "If a case goes directly to him it must be serious."

"Doesn't the head of the F.B.I sometimes gives use case through Hotch," Prentiss said.

"Uh, guys, we should probably get to the briefing room before we lose our jobs," Morgan joked as Hotch left his office, done with the phone call from his wife, and headed towards the briefing room. There was a brief laugh from Prentiss and Reid as the four agents headed towards the briefing room.

“Hey guys,” Penelope Garcia greeted them as enthusiastically as ever. “This case is like one of a hundred reasons to not go hiking ever.”

"Yesterday two hikers in Olsen National Park in Washington, DC discovered the remains of what appears to be a serial killers disposal sight. The forensic teams already on the ground have discovered the remains of at least eight victims and they are still searching." Hotch said as the pictures of the crime scene and the seven skeletons bodies appeared on the screen.

"If the disposal site has been discovered, there's not much of a chance that the UNSUB sticking around," Morgan asked.

"There were also a body, decomposition suggests that it was dumped there sometime within the last two days," Garcia took over the briefing. "It was found unburied about ten feet from the crime scene."

"The rest of the bodies were buried, but the latest victim wasn’t. Does that mean the UNSUB was going to come back to bury the body?" Reid asked looking at the pictures of the body. "Where all eight of the victims killed in the same way?"

"I don't know," Hotch admitted. "The head of the FBI asked for us on this case. Apparently, he also requested the best forensic anthropologist there is to help. She and her FBI handler will meet us on the ground at the crime scene.”

"Who’s that?" JJ asked, sipping slowly from her cup of coffee.

"Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington," Hotch replied. "Wheel's up in fifteen."

“Doesn’t she write books?” Prentiss asked. “Something about solving murders?”

“We deal with enough murder in this job,” JJ replied. “Why would you want to go home and read about it?”

“She doesn’t just write fiction books,” Reid started to ramble on about the different books she wrote. He also started telling them about one of the lectures of hers that he had attended. They filled out of the room still chatting amongst themselves until only Hotch and Garcia were left in the room. A moment of silence passed before Garcia cleared her throat nervously.

"Sir, you don't seem that thrilled about working with Dr. Brennan," Garcia said. Hotch nodded slowly as he picked up his case file and stood up. "Well is Dr. Brennan, isn't she the best in her field?”

"Yes she is," Hotch replied. “I just don't like cases where the head of the F.B.I is pulling favors and telling you what to do." He walked to the door. "See you when we get back Garcia," he said before leaving the room. Garcia stood their looking up at the pictures of the decomposing body and the jumbled mess of bones and dirt.

"Bye," she whispered softly, as if the team was still in the room. "Be safe."