CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: 1950S' FILM

6x08
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CASEY SHOWED UP AT THE OFFICE AFTER GETTING CALLED IN FOR A NEW CASE. Only Rossi, Garcia, Hotch, Reid and herself filled up the room. Morgan and Emily were already at the crime scene. Garcia had now been presenting the case to them.

     "Kelly Landis went missing three days ago. Two days ago, the Georgetown 'Monitor' received this. So whoever took this, took Kelly." Garcia told, sitting with the four. "And wanted the world to know it." Hotch said and muttered something over to Garcia who frantically fidgeted.

       "Where was she found?" Casey asked. "Uh, she was found in Georgetown, in an alley, late last night." Garcia told. "I sent Morgan and Prentiss." Hotch informed. "Only one victim?" Rossi asks.

        "It's what he did to her that concerns me." Hotch replied as Garcia handed a file over to Reid and Casey. "Morgan sent these, also late last night." Garcia told. "He and Prentiss are waiting in the district." Hotch said.

       Casey looked over Reid shoulder at the picture as Reid inspected it. "The body seems posed. Left arm raised..." Reid lifted the file folder up more and noticed her face and Casey's eyes widen. "Wow." She muttered. "Oh... that's a first. I see your concern." Reid said.

       "What?" Garcia asked. "A photo wasn't all he took." Rossi said, looking over at the folder as well. "Reid, what?" Garcia asked in curiosity. "Her lips have been removed." Reid stated. "Nice." Casey scrunched her face up. "Oh, my God." Garcia commented.

      "Maybe a trophy." Rossi says. "Maybe he ate them?" Reid asked, causing everyone to immediately pause. Casey sarcastically smirked: "Great, thanks for that image in my head, Reid. Appreciate it." She commented. "Now, I have that memory burned in my mind for the rest of my life." Garcia told. "You asked." Reid stated.

      "The photo he sent to the 'Monitor' and the way her body's posed and the mutilation, it must be a representation of someone." Rossi came to the conclusion. "At least by sending a photo, the media's opened a line of communication." Reid told. "Now that he's got the media's attention, we can expect more of these." Hotch finished.

      The team headed to the local PD and talked with the lead detective as they set up the pictures of the crime scene and the body. "Thirty-three years. Two days left to retire. Not once did I have my name in print. Now it's alongside a 22-year-old girl left butchered in an alley." The detective stated, leaning back, sitting on a table.

      "Who found her?" Hotch asked. "Homeless guy." The detective informed. "We need to compile a list of Kelly's direct relatives, friends, co-workers, boyfriends, everyone." Hotch told. "When we got the photo, I expected a ransom, not a body." The detective said.

       "This isn't about money. It's about that." Morgan said, nudged his head over to the news. "Attention." Emily speaks up next. "By sending in the photo, the unsub's handiwork becomes the center of attention."

       "It wasn't sent," The detective said. "It was walked into the 'Monitor' building. No one saw a thing." Hotch talks next. "From here on out, nobody talks to the press." Emily replies with: "The last thing we need is the media naming her killer." "It'll have an emotional effect on her killer, but positive or negative, neither one will help." Morgan told.

      "You know, you guys usually work serial murders. All we have is Kelly." The detective told. "What you have is unique, in fact. It's a first for all of us." Reid responded. "Kelly represents someone specific to the unsub. Love and hate in equal measure. And either way, in any part, it looks bad." Casey told.

      The detective furrowed his eyebrows. "What the hell does cutting her lips off represent?" Reid speaks up next: "It's a fetish, an obsession linked either to a profoundly deep love or possibly disgust of lips. As Morgan pointed out, emotions that are in direct conflict with one another."

     "It's his signature." Hotch said. "And not one that's on any database." Morgan told. "Like Reid put it, unique." Casey added.

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       Hotch sent Rossi, Casey and Reid to the morgue to look at the autopsy of the body. The doctor that worked at the morgue had been examining the body as well. "If she was offered food or water, she didn't accept it. Her stomach's empty, and she's dehydrated." The woman explained.

      "Not that she could have accepted anything. She was restrained." Rossi stated. "Dr. Hecht, did you find any signs of sexual abuse by any chance?" Casey asked. "No." The woman said. "Cause of death?" Rossi asked. "Suffocation, but not manual strangulation." The woman said.

      "Was the mutilation post- or antemortem?" Reid asked. "Post." The woman puts Kelly on her side and Casey makes a face at what her face looked like without her lips. "Never get used to that." Dr. Hecht told.

      Reid knelt to where Kelly's face was and he had a concerned look on his face and Casey noticed it. "Reid, what is it?" Casey asked. "There's something in her throat." He said and Casey bent down to the same level Reid was at and their faces were so close, they were practically touching. "Where?" She asked trying to look for it.

      With the help of Dr. Hecht, they had gotten the thing that was in her throat out. "The air must have dislodged it, otherwise I'd have seen it." Dr. Hecht told, directing it to a light table. "Thanks." Reid said, grabbing it with gloves on his hand and examining it and Casey noticed that it was paper with writing that was in her throat.

      "A page from a book?" Rossi asked. "I don't know." Reid said. "It's old paper, the blood and the saliva has sort of smudged the words. There's a lot of text. It appears... to be in old Courier. You know what? It's typed, not printed." He explained.

       "Well, can you see what it says?" Casey asks. "'Nothing moves in the street. A cool breeze and gentle rain do little to silence Robert's beating heart.'" Reid reads from the paper.

       "From the time Kelly was found, how long had she been dead?" Casey asks the woman beside her. "Lividity indicates half an hour." Hecht replies.

      "Georgetown's where he kept her captive." Reid told and Rossi looked over the file. "Trihalomethane was found in her hair." Casey furrowed her brows. "Chloroform?" She questions.

       Rossi furrows his brows as well. "Who uses chloroform nowadays?" He asks. "You know, chloroform, the glamour shots-- it all feels like a throwback to another century." Reid stated and Casey nods in agreement: "Right about that."

      The team had discovered that the homeless man that found Kelly had actually been the unsub in disguise and that there had been writing on the wall of the building Kelly was found near in the alley. The writing seemed to go along with the writing on the paper that Reid found. They had their profile.

      Another girl had been abducted — Penny Hanley and was the unsub type. Hotch, Emily, Casey and Reid had decided to check out the building that Penny was abducted in. "This building has three exits-- North, South, and West. You're here to target a woman, but you don't want to attract attention."

     Casey took notice of Reid and Hotch spoke: "Well, standing in the middle gawking at passing women, would certainly attract attention." Casey noticed a woman passing by and Reid kept staring at her. "Like you're doing now." Hotch finished and Reid immediately looked back at his boss. "What's that?"

     "Just like that," Casey snapped her fingers. "IQ of 187 is slashed to 60." Emily looks at the girl next. "And what's your IQ?" Casey looked at the woman and said: "175... and proud."

      "But sitting and reading the paper would give him an excuse to watch without being noticed." Hotch walks in the distance. "Far enough away not to attract attention but close enough to make sure she's the right one. You know, she works fifteen blocks East of here. Her father said she walked through this train station every day."

      Emily started to walk in the same direction Penny was walking before she got abducted. "If he were sitting here, he's on camera." Hotch told, looking at the monitors as were Casey and Reid.

       They went to the camera room and found Penny and the unsub — he was good at hiding his face. They sent the footage over to Garcia. Hotch had decided that they needed a press conference and that Garcia would be able to assist them and he wanted her there and fast.

       Garcia was nervous about being behind the camera and it was obvious when she fumbled getting through the door of the building. 0I cannot do things I am not good at and I am not good at being in a room full of strange people. That's why I stay in a room 6 by 9 feet. I feel safe there." Garcia explained as the rest of the team arrived when she did.

      "Garcia, what about the Tolgate Theater?" Hotch questioned and Garcia's face went blank. "What's that?" Rossi asks. "Tolgate Theater?" Emily asked.

       "It's a small repertory theater in Dean Street where they do a lot of--" Morgan interrupts Reid almost immediately. "Reid, we know what it is."

       Casey chirps in. "Wait, you know about the play?" She questioned and Garcia looks at the girl next. "Wait, you know about the play?" She asks. "Honey, you work with profilers. You just as much as breathe and we figure out your deepest darkest secrets." Casey told.

      Garcia looks at Hotch. "That is not the same thing." Garcia turns around and Hotch makes his way around her to talk. "Garcia--" Garcia shakes her head. "I--I can't even look at you right now. I am mad. I asked you not to say anything."

     "We need him to see a face and a look that he recognizes." Hotch tells. "Well, he likes blondes, and I'm red now." Emily speaks up and hands Garcia a bag as she says: "We can change that."

      "Toward the end, Morgan's gonna hand you a note. Take a moment, let the group settle... and when you have everyone's attention, read it out. You're gonna be fine." Hotch assures. "You'll be great, Red." Rossi adds. "If anyone can do it, it's you." Casey smiles.

        With that, the team leaves the building, leaving Morgan and Garcia for the press conference. Casey was paired up with Hotch and Rossi, her FBI vest strapped on and she sat in the backseat of the vehicle they were in. Garcia had announced of the address as the three had been moving through the alleys one by one.

       "If he's moving, he's moving now." Rossi speaks. Casey's eyes glisten as empty alleyways keep repeating.
A car is then seen in a close by alleyway. "Slow down. There, down the alley." They all notice the vehicle but it's not the one they're looking for.

       Hotch decides to call Reid to see where he and Emily are at. "Reid, where are you?" He asks. "We're headed South down Jackson street. There's hardly anything moving." Reid says. "Except cop cars. We've seen five in the last ten minutes. Hotch, if he's out here, he's got nowhere to go." Emily tells.

      As Casey's eyes examine, one alleyway catches her attention of a small car. "Wait, Rossi, back up." Casey orders. Rossi backs up the car. "I think I saw somebody in there." Casey told.

    Rossi pulls into the alleyway and parks the car and Casey is the first to get out. The man in the vehicle begins to run and Casey tried to chase his down at first. "FBI!" She yelled and grabbed her gun and began to shoot. She barely made any shots but she was sure she definitely got him.

    Hotch had taken notice of the screaming girl in the car and went to console her. "Dave, call an ambulance. Penny. Penny, it's okay. You're gonna be all right." She had a bag around her head and Hotch removes it.

    "Prentiss, Reid, unsub is headed South. He just passed you." Rossi informed Reid and Emily on his mic. They pull into the alleyway and begin to chase the unsub down.
"There's an ambulance on its way."

     An ambulance had arrived and Hotch had been sitting in the ambulance with Penny. "Penny, your dad's going to meet us at the hospital." He tells the girl and she nods. Rossi and Casey stand outside and are met with Emily and Reid.

     Emily looks over at Hotch and then at Casey as she speaks. "He got away, but you hit him." She says. "I did? I wasn't sure." Casey told. "We found traces of blood down the alley." Reid nodded, looking at Casey.

     "K-9 units are on the way." The lead detective informs. Hotch looks at Penny. "We'll get him, though. I promise."

      Penny speaks up. "Agent Hotchner." She says. "Yes?" Hotch asks. "Please don't leave me." Penny tells and Rossi nods: "Go ahead. We've got this." Hotch looks back at his team. "Thank you." With that, Rossi closes the doors and and they leave and now, the team look back at the vehicle the man had left behind.

      "This car has a disabled permit." Rossi told. "Registered to who?" The detective asks.

      After giving the license plate to Garcia, she and Morgan did some digging. "May Walden. The unsub is Rhett Walden, her son." Morgan stated.

      "Yeah, guys, we have an address. 1503 Hope Street." Garcia followed and with that, the team headed to that address.

       The police had been waiting for him to come out of his home and announced it through an intercom. Casey, Reid, Emily and Rossi were ready to aim and fire their guns. So had SWAT and other police officers. The door opened slowly and everyone had been ready.

       Slowly, Rhett had come out of the house, holding a decomposed body with a large devious smile on his face. Everyone slowly put their guns down as Rhett went on his knees. The team slowly approached Rhett and Casey noticed something even more sinister.

       "Uh, guys. Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Casey asks. "Her lips." Emily nodded, continuing. Reid had followed with two words that Casey would've never thought he would say: "They're Kelly's."

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      After this stressful case, Casey was finally ready to go home. She was luckily the case had been nearby so she could just drive home and a good night's sleep. Everyone on the team had been discussing their plans before they left. Rossi suddenly looked Casey's way.

"What are your plans, Casey?" Rossi asks. Casey yawns: "Go home, do paperwork, take a nice hot shower and go to bed."

Rossi shakes his head as he chuckles. "I'm surprised you never go out, kid." Casey folds some paper up to put in her bag. "I don't have a life, Rossi. Maybe I should get a cat, like Emily did." She jokes.

Emily shakes her head. "Oh, you don't need a cat. You need something though." Casey thinks: "Friends?" She asks. "I was gonna say 'a boyfriend'." Emily clarifies.

Casey scoffs, "I do not need a boyfriend. I'm perfectly fine on my own." She stated.

Rossi looks at the girl. "Casey, do you remember my nephew, Marco? Maybe I could set you two up." Casey shakes her head at the thought that her co-workers are telling her she needed a boyfriend. "I do remember Marco, Rossi. But I don't need you setting me up with anyone. Like I said: I'm perfectly fine."

"Well, if you change your mind, say the word, kid." Rossi shrugs and Casey rolls her eyes jokingly in response.

"Or if the nephew doesn't work, we can always set you up with someone else..." Emily jokes, pointing towards the outside of the room they were in towards Reid, who was currently talking to Morgan.

Casey chuckled, "Who, Reid? Not a chance." Emily shakes her head, "Come on, we see those stupid googley eyes you make towards one another, you're the only one that listens to him ramble and you should see the way he looks at you when you're not looking." Emily lists.

"You know what? I've noticed that, too." Rossi speaks up next. "And you always have him save a seat for you on the jet. You always get him coffee and vice versa. What's that about?"

"Okay, talking about my love life is done now. Okay? No Marco, no Reid, no nothing! And why are you guys only ganging up on me for being single? Morgan is and so is Reid." Casey tells.

"Morgan has his fun, but you and Reid, you aren't like that." Casey sends a glare to Emily, who holds her hands up in surrender. "Just pointing out the obvious."

hey, lovelies!
thank you for reading!
this is one of my favorite episodes ever bruh

also
who's marco, you might ask?
you'll find out soon enough🤫

anywaysss
thank you for reading!
love you all!
-mya <3