Chapter Text
“Garcia, let’s get started,” Hotch says, as he takes his seat at the round table. Penelope passes out the files of their latest case and presses a button that brings the monitor to life. She immediately turns her face away, “Oh, dear. Well, my lovely crime fighters, as you can see we have four bodies. All of them have been killed within the last two months, all two weeks apart, and the local PD in New Orleans would like our help.”
Emily is the first to comment, “What makes them think this is serial?”
“Yeah, different sexes, different races, and ages. What’s the catch?” Morgan adds.
Penelope raises her finger, “Ah! If you would look further into the case file before you, you will see that all…”
“They’ve all been exsanguinated!” Reid finishes, taping his fingers together excitedly. The rest of the team just stares. Reid continues, “You don’t find it oddly interesting that we have four bodies drained of blood in New Orleans? And the bodies have two small puncture wounds on the neck near the external carotid artery.” He hooks two of his fingers, tapping over his own neck, pointing out the location.
JJ smirks, “Don’t tell me that, you, Doctor Spencer Reid, Just made a reference to Interview With the Vampire?”
“What? I saw it on Emily’s desk last Halloween and read it while she was out getting us coffee.”
Hotch interrupts sternly, frowning, “Guys? Focus? We have a case.”
They turn back to Penelope as she continues, “Creatures that go bump in the night or no, our own Junior G-man is correct. I thought it worthy of mentioning also, the locals weren’t too keen on the ME putting that tiny detail in the report. I guess they thought that would deter us from lending our assistance? Anyway, all four victims were dumped into the Mississippi River in midtown NOLA, and each one found by different means; a jogger, a fisherman, a couple on a walk, and a garbage collector for the local Park Service. There is nothing linking them that I’ve been able to find. I’m sure the locals will have more for you once you touch down. You're meeting with Chief Cade Williams. All the victims were transported to Tulane University Hospital and Clinic and the Medical Examiner is waiting for you.”
Once the team has been briefed, Hotch announces; “Wheels up in twenty. We don’t have much time if the killer keeps to the two week timeline.”
*
When the team touches down in Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, they climb into the waiting SUVs and Garcia links them in the coms, “Your GPS is taking you to New Orleans Police Department on Royal Street. It’s the epicenter of all the districts and you can liaise with the other departments from there. It’s also the most central location to where all four bodies have been dumped.”
Hotch takes the helm, “This killer is working quickly, so we need to be quicker. Derek, you and Tara, head to the latest crime scene. JJ and Luke, to the second, tertiary, and quaternary scenes, we need to find a link between them. Garcia, please keep working the angle from there. Emily and Reid head to the station and meet up with the Chief. I want you two to start working on the geo-profile. I’m going to head to Tulane Hospital and see what the ME has to say. I want to know why the locals wanted her to hide details.” Everyone nods in agreement and heads their separate ways.
Emily and Reid arrive and head inside, greeted by Police Chief Williams, “You all must be the FBI.” He extends his hand, but Reid merely looks at it and back at him and waves. Emily smirks and takes it, “Chief Williams, I’m Emily Prentiss and this is Doctor Spencer Reid, we’re with the Behavioral Analysis Unit. The rest of our team is in the field working the case. Do you have a place where we can set up?” The hardened officer looks Reid up and down, “How old are you exactly?” He shakes his head, “No mattah, this way, we got you set up back ‘ere.” As they follow him through the maze of desks, many of them are empty and Reid frowns, “Chief, how many officers do you have working in this precinct? There are a lot of available desks.”
“Once folks found out about those bodies, a lot of my guys jumped ship. Don’ want no curse on ‘em or their family. Can’t say I blame ‘em. That’s why we asked the ME to keep a tight lip. Things like that can cause panic an’ fear.”
Emily looks at Reid, “So they left because they were afraid?” Williams nods.
Spencer continues, “So what are your initial thoughts on what could have happened to the victims?”
“One thing you gotta realize, NOlans ain’t the same as where you’re from,” he says, ushering them through an open door. They walk into a conference room and the desks are lined with boxes of paperwork and evidence from the case so far. Chief Williams continues, “Things tend to be very strange in these parts, not a lot of rumors, if you catch my drift. Lots of witchcraft, voodoo and the like. My guess is, those folks were at the wrong place at the wrong time and they were part of some sacrifice…dumped in the river to destroy evidence.”
“What about vampires?” Reid asks.
“Reid,” Emily impedes.
“S’all right, ma’am,” Williams answers, “Tis a fair question. I’ve never witnessed anything like that, but my family has, truth be told. So have a few of my officers, though none would admit to it.”
“Why is that?” Emily asks.
“Simple, to admit to believing in the monster, to acknowledge it,…you invite the monster in,” he says slowly. “Now if you’ll excuse me Agents, I need to start looking into available transfers and new-hire applications.”
Williams leaves Spencer and Emily in the wake of that chilling statement. They can only stare after him, wondering.
*
Across town, Hotch wraps up with the ME and answers his cell, “Hotchner. JJ, what do you have?”
“Hotch, this is a nightmare, nothing has been preserved at these crime scenes. It looks like the tape’s been removed almost immediately. People have been walking through here, transients are everywhere. We can’t see a damn thing from a profiling angle.”
Hotch’s brows knit together in a scowl, “Alright, I’m sending you to Morgan and Tara. Get together with them and I’ll meet up with you shortly. We’ve got and interesting angle to work from the information I got from the ME.”
“On our way,” she replies. JJ relays the information to Luke and they pile in the SUV on their way to the latest crime scene.
Hotch, JJ, and Luke arrive concurrently. As they meet up, JJ and Luke can’t hide their anger and disappointment.
Luke speaks to them with a cutting tone, “Yeah man, there’s something weird about this alright. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s almost like—”
“They’re covering something up?” Hotch finishes. JJ and Luke look at him with wide eyes.
JJ speaks, “Obviously, we never want to think that, but yeah. It’s just too much. Morgan, did you and Tara have any luck here?”
“Not much,” Morgan starts, “but there was at least one CS tech here that didn’t allow the scene to be completely tainted. They managed to collect some hair that was left behind, as well as a good photo of a footprint.”
Tara nods, “They already sent the hair for analysis, but something’s telling me that we should’ve sent it to Garcia in Quantico. I don't trust that it won’t disappear or get compromised here.” They all nod in agreement.
“Hotch, what did you find out at the hospital?” JJ asks.
“I had the ME take me around all four bodies. There was nothing,” he answers.
“What do you mean, nothing ?” Luke asks.
Hotch replies, “I mean, it wasn’t just the river that destroyed evidence. Someone else cleaned those bodies before they could be autopsied. There wasn’t a single shred of superficial evidence left. There’s also no way that the damage was from an animal. The ME’s assistant showed me microscopic photos of the inside of the puncture wounds on the necks. They were done by human teeth; the way the bite angled down and how textured it was,” he pauses a moment before continuing, seeing the confused looks on his team’s faces. “Ok, think of the barrel of a gun. When you do a ballistics match, they match the bullet to the striations of the gun barrel, right?” They all nod. “Same thing here, there is no way that it was a prosthetic or animal. We find the teeth that made that wound, we find our killer.”
"Dios mio,” Luke says, crossing himself.
*
Back at the police station, Emily and Reid continue to work the geo-profile. “Garcia, are you there?” Spencer asks, speaking out loud in the conference room.
“Ready and waiting,” she says.
“I’ve found a common focal point from where the four victims lived in direct correlation to the dump sites. See what you can find within these coordinates.” As he speaks, the room is filled with the steady clicking from Penelope’s fingers as she inputs each byte of information.
“Here,” she says, “mark your map with the following coordinates,29°55'08.6"N 89°50'01.0"W.” As Spencer processes the information in his head, he circles a collection of fishing piers along the swamps between Bashman Bayou and the Terre-Beau Bayou, “That’s where they are, Emily,” he says, “we need to get there ASAP before our unsub kills again.”
Emily, “You’re sure ?”
“Yes, and we need to go, now !”
“O-ok, Chief Williams !” she calls out. He’s in the doorway in seconds and Emily wastes no time, “We need to get to this location,” she points at the map. “What’s the quickest way?”
He looks at the map and back to the Agents, “Well, since the sun has set, not many will make the trek out, but I know the guy that owns the Bayou Tours down the way and he owes me a favah. It’s only a fifteen minute drive normally. We can prob’ly make it in ten. I’ll call George and have him meet us there. Let’s go.”
As they’re leaving, Emily gets a call from Hotch, “Hey Hotch, ok, yeah, damnit. Yeah, we’re on our way to Happiness Bayou Tours, it’s about ten minutes from here, and then another twenty to thirty minutes through Violet Channel to get to the Bayous. We’re heading towards Terre-Beau. Reid figured out that’s where they’re holed up. You guys can take the Bayou Bienvenue Central Wetland Unit access road to get to us from where you are. We need to move quickly if they’ve taken another victim or we’re going to be too late.” Emily hangs up and they climb into the Chief’s cruiser as he hits the lights, sirens, and gas. Emily looks back at Reid, “Hotch and the others are going to take the access road and meet up with us. I told him where we’re headed.” Spencer only nods.
*
George is waiting for them as they drift into the lot of the Tours building, tires screeching to a halt. As they climb out George greets them, “Cade, good to see you again, considering the circumstances.” He extends his hand and the other man takes it, “George, thanks for comin’ out. These here are FBI Agents and they need to get to Terre-Beau as soon as you can get ‘em there. Consider us even after this.”
George nods, motioning towards his boat, “All aboard, then.”
Emily takes the hands extended to her and boards, while Spencer is eyeing the craft worriedly. “Spencer, I’ll be right here with you,” Emily says softly, extending her hand to him, “Come on, look at me.”
Spencer looks up at her and nods, licking his lips and blinking rapidly, but he takes her hand. He slowly puts one, then both feet over the edge and climbs aboard the wobbly water craft.
As George turns the motor over, he looks back at them, “Life jackets are under your seats. I’ve not gone out this way at night in some time, so I want everyone to wear ‘em.” It’s black as pitch as the boat whirs its way down the channel. George, thankfully, has a spotlight illuminating a short distance ahead of them. Emily leans over and whispers to Cade, “How does he know where he’s going? He’s not using a GPS or anything.”
Cade smiles, “Ole George’s family has been in these parts for generations. He knows these waterways better than anyone, prob’ly even the gators.”
He chuckles as she gives him a look, “I see.”
Emily chances a glance at Spencer. His body is rigid, eyes closed, head in his hands, rocking back and forth gently. She places a hand on his shoulder and he jumps. “Oh, gosh I’m sorry, Spencer, how are you holding up?” she asks.
He visibly winces, like he’s in pain, “How much further?” he asks, quietly.
“Um,” she looks up at George, projecting her voice slightly, “How much longer do you think?”
“We’re just about there, actually,” he says, cutting the throttle. The small craft putters to the edge of a dock as George reaches out and tosses a loop around one of the posts. Pulling the edge of the boat parallel to the dock, he ties it off and cuts the motor completely. Emily reaches over and pries Spencer from his seat and slowly guides him to the edge, helping him step over the side of the boat and onto the dock, “Thank you,” he says to her, quietly. The relief in Spencer’s body is visible as he finds himself on solid land again. As Emily and Chief Williams get out, George turns, lighting up a cigarette and exhaling a puff of smoke upwards into the air, “You don’t even have to say it. I’m staying here. No way I’m going out there.” The other three nod as George starts readjustments for the return trip. Emily's phone buzzes, “Garcia, what do you have?” Emily pushes a button and puts her on speaker.
“Sadly, bad news, we have another victim, 34 year old Krissi Mercer, Graduate Student at Tulane, working on her Masters in Professional Security for Homeland Security Studies. She was walking home from a make-up class and never made it back to the dorms. Campus security found her backpack, purse, and books. Her phone and wallet were inside, too. Unfortunately for us, she was taken in an area that has a blind spot when it comes to security cameras.”
“Of course. Any witnesses?” Chief asks.
“No, sir, nothing,” she answers, sadly.
“All right, Garcia. We’re probably going to lose service, so let Hotch and the others know we’ve docked and we’re moving in,” Emily explains and hangs up. She looks at Reid and Williams, “Let’s go.”
George watches as the FBI Agents and his friend Cade shuffle further and further away through the tall grass. He finally loses them completely in the endless darkness. He takes a long drag off his cigarette and tosses it into the water, the tiny hiss of the cherry expunged quickly by the murky water. He sits on the edge of the boat, winding up his ropes, prepping for their return.
Quietly, eyes break from the water’s surface, watching him. The creature glides side to side silently as it sees gentle bobbing from just above the surface. When it’s right behind him, it shifts its entire body weight out of the water, snapping towards him. George hears the water break and jumps downward just in time. He turns his head, barely seeing the gator’s body and tail disappear under the water again, sloshing away. “God damn, ole Nelly almost got me!” he says loudly. He laughs nervously, trying to calm himself down, then exhales heavily, calmer, “Oh boy, you scared the bejesus outta me, girl.”
George props himself back up on the railing, continuing his busy work as eyes rise out of the water again. His back remains turned as the silent predator creeps towards him. It hesitates a few seconds this time, watching, waiting. When he doesn’t turn, the creature leaps out of the water and grabs George around his middle, pulling him into the water. George barely has time to react and his fleeting cry is quickly garbled by the water. His body tries to fight, but whatever is holding him is strong—what’s holding him? Hands? Arms? He feels a pain in his neck and a blinding white-hot burn engulfs his body. His arms and legs try to flail, but soon he feels weak, so, so weak. Swamp water is filling his lungs, and he feels his mind go blank, disconnecting from everything as death knocks and opens the door. The creature releases its prey as it dies. Walking out of the water, he leaves the empty shell of the man floating. The gators will take care of it. Looking around and breathing deep, his eyes focus on the scent trail of the ones lost in the darkness. The others will already know and be ready. He smiles and makes his way deeper into the bayous, on the hunt.
*
Hotch and the others are careening around corners down the access road before they finally find the turn they’re looking for. Hotch slows and turns down the muddy road, stopping briefly, “Does anyone have cell service?” He looks around and in the rear-view mirror and the shaking heads of his team. They’re in the dark, no communication, no GPS. Garcia has an idea of where they are and where they’re going, but they’re going in blind. Hotch takes a breath, “We have no idea what we’re walking into here, so everyone be careful and look out for one another, got it?” They all nod. He puts the vehicle in drive and continues down to their destination.
*
Reid, Emily, and Cade walk from dock to dock, searching each building. Emily sighs, “Spencer, are you sure they are here?” She stops and Cade follows suit, waiting on the young man to answer.
He turns and looks at them, shining his flashlight, “Yes, I’m sure. When have you ever known me to be wrong, Emily? Honestly?” He had a point.
Cade looks from the Doctor to the Senior Agent, “Well, while you two sort out what you’re going to do, I’m going to see a man about a horse.” He takes a few steps off the path and into the high grass, turning off his light.
Spencer looks at Emily with a confused look, “There aren’t any horses around here.”
Emily rolls her eyes, “Reid, it’s just a saying. He’s going to the bathroom.”
Spencer wrinkles his face, “Ew, then why didn’t he just say that?” Emily starts to give him some smart-ass answer when they hear a yelp followed by the sound of rustling grass and splashing , then nothing. Both Emily and Spencer shine their lights in Cade’s direction, “Chief?” Spencer calls out, “You ok over there?”
“Cade? Answer us.” Emily calls. Suddenly, his light comes flying through the air between them and lands a few feet away with a splat. Both Agents train their guns and beams on it then look at each other, scared and confused.
Spencer is the first to speak, “Emily, what’s going on?”
She shakes her head, “I have no idea Spencer, but we should get back to the boat.”
He nods, eyes wide, “Y-yeah.”
As they turn to head back to George and their escape, sounds erupt from around them. They hear footsteps, the grass shifting, and water splashing. Something runs past Spencer, physically moving him with its momentum. His eyes go wide, “Emily? What is happening?” He looks towards her looking for answers, but she’s overrun. She’s encircled by a gang of four, stalking around her. Her gun is out, and she’s issuing commands, but the group isn’t complying. They don’t even seem to hear her. “Emily!” Spencer shouts, pulling his gun and takes steps towards her but is struck heavily from behind. He falls face first into the muck, losing the grip on his weapon and dropping it. “Damn it,” he curses. His head snaps up to focus on Emily, “Emily! Emily, shoot!” he calls out. Her gun is trained on them, switching back and forth, but her eyes are unfocused, “Reid!” They move towards her and she fires, hitting one of them at point blank range, but they’re un-phased by the bullet. Emily looks on in disbelief, frozen in place. Spencer pulls himself back up to his feet as he takes careful steps towards her, but someone grabs him from behind, holding him back. The group closes in on Emily and one of them grabs her arms while another forces her head to the side. Spencer’s eyes go wide, he shouts, “Don’t! Please! Take me instead. Don't hurt her, please.”
They stop as a voice comes from nowhere, “You’d sacrifice yourself to save her?”
Spencer pulls against his captor, “Yes, I would. Please don’t hurt her. Let her go and I’ll do whatever you want.”
Emily struggles against them, shouting, “Spencer, no! They’re lying! You know they’re lying! They’ll kill us both! Let us go you bastards! We're the FBI! They’ll drag you out into the sun! ” A woman appears and walks towards them. Spencer sees her and speaks, “You, you're the leader, right? You’re the shot-caller? Let Emily go and I’ll stay. You can have me.” She walks up to him and he can finally see her for what she is. She’s perfect. Flawless skin, shiny brown hair and penetrating green eyes like emeralds. She reaches up and touches his face. Spencer retracts at her cold touch, “Wh-what do you want? Why are you killing all these people? It is you, right? The murders and body dumping?” He looks pleadingly to Emily and back to her, “Just, let her go, please.”
She looks at him and tilts her head, smiling, and finally she laughs, “Why, you ask? Simply because we can, my beautiful darling. But, you…you’re special, aren’t you? I’m going to show you just how special you are.” She walks up to him and pulls down the collar of his shirt as his eyes go wide. Another holds his head in place. Spencer struggles vehemently against his captors, but it's no use. They barely falter against his fighting.
Emily can only watch in horror as the woman bites Spencer. He cries out in pain as she drains him, dropping him to his knees, then stops. She turns and smiles at Emily as she bites her wrist and forces it to Spencer’s mouth. Emily’s eyes go wide, “No! Noooooo!”, her legs give out in disbelief. The men behind her hold her upright as she collapses. One of them hisses, “No, you watch,” and pulls her face up, forcing her to see.
Spencer tries to resist the foreign substance forcing its way into his mouth, but eventually gives in, unable to fight them off. As the thick red liquid flows down his throat, his body starts to convulse. The woman smiles, talking to her followers, “The change is happening, hold him. When it’s done, leave him to kill her.” She walks over to Emily and pulls her face close, “Weak.” She looks at the group around her, “Bleed her, make sure she can’t leave or hurt him. She’s going to be his first meal.” They all nod as Emily watches Spencer contorting on the ground. His limbs flail and retract against him, water and detritus flying everywhere. His screams permeate the sky.
Emily is sobbing, weak and barely struggling against them. She rocks her head, “Just kill me already. Just fucking do it. I can’t stand to watch anymore, just kill me.”
Her captors laugh at one another as one reaches out and fleetly breaks Emily’s arm, causing her to scream. She yanks away and grips it with her other hand, “Agh! Fuck!” Another assault; he kicks her knee, sending her to the ground. She screams again as he reaches down and slashes at her skin with his nails, tearing it open. She’s bleeding as she sobs, tossed back on her rear, immobile and gunless. Nothing but the sound of her cries and the local insects can be heard. Her assailants gone, Emily forces her body to move to look over at Spencer’s still form. Tears carve tracks down her cheeks, “Fucking god damn it! Bastards; Reid? Reid! Can you—ahh—hear me?” She sees and hears nothing move. “Shit, my fucking arm, ” she winces.
She looks down, assessing the damage and hears something shift, as her eyes focus, Spencer is gone. Emily frowns, “Reid? Are you there?” She looks around, “Reid?” Suddenly, she’s face to face with, “Spencer?! You’re all right?! Can you walk? Go find the others and get us—”…
Her words are cut off as Spencer grabs her by the hair and yanks back on it, causing her to cry out. She winces looks up through squinted eyes and sees someone else. It’s not the same Spencer she knows, this person is crazed, eyes wild, unfocused. She hisses, her voice strained, “Spen-cer, pl-ease, stop…this.” Spencer looks down at her, not really seeing her, but looking at her.
Emily can hear sloshing in the background, voices calling out their names, the rest of the team is here. Now she just needs to distract him. She speaks softly, gasping, “Spencer, please, just, breathe, ok? Help… will… be… here… soon…” She feels him tighten his grip on her, “Ahh, no, Spencer. You can fight this. Come on, you’re stronger than this. Fight it.” He’s looking at her with those honey colored eyes, but she sees something sinister; something confused, desperate…hungry.
She can hear them, the shouting is getting closer, they’re almost here. “Emily!? Reid!? Chief Williams?!” Hotch, they’re here, they’re going to save her, to save them. They will make it in time, won’t they?
Emily looks at Spencer again, her voice cracking and desperate between gasps, “Spencer, do, you, hear, them? They’re here, to, s-save us. It’s our friends, your friends. Just—ahh.”
He pulls her head towards him again, eyes wild, dark. Spencer’s head snaps up towards the incoming sounds and he makes a defensive growling sound in the back of his throat. Emily’s eyes go wide as he looks down at her and bares his fangs. “No, no, Spencer, don’t! Please! It’s Emily!” she screams. She puts her good hand up and tries to push him away, but he’s already too strong, he doesn't even notice the pressure. Without a moment of hesitation, he rips her head back and sinks his teeth into her flesh, biting and tearing, needing more of the precious sustenance. It only takes a few moments before Emily’s body stops moving completely.