For Disclaimers see Part One.
Same Day
5:00 PM
Major Crimes-Cascade PD
Megan slammed the files down, and tried to calm down. The B/E angle was a dead end, there wasn't anything close to it in the files. 'This is getting me nowhere. Sure I've got some thoughts, but nothing I can explain to Ellison or Captain Banks.' She thought.
A voice broke through her thoughts; it was Ellison, "Davison, maybe you should go home now. You're doing no one, not even the victims, any good if you let sentiment and emotion, control you. Didn't they teach that to you at The Academy?" Jim asked offering some advice.
Megan sighed, rubbing her temples, "Yes, they did, but it's more than that. What do you do when gut instinct is telling you one thing and evidence can not or will not support it? I know that they have taken another woman. Forensics can't determine where the victims died. No women fitting the profile have been reported missing." Megan paused allowing her thoughts to calm down, everything about Ellison told her that to get his assistance on her plan it would need to be presented in a calm professional manner. "Ellison, I want to go to where the victims were found tomorrow . The killers may keep watch to feel some power that the police are unable to stop them. That would be consistent with them leaving the evidence under the last victims nails. They are sure of there power, so to speak and are beginning to taunt us to catch them."
Jim interrupted, "Wait, you said killers. Why?"
"If I'm right there are three or four men involved. I know that's not standard for serial killers. It's that gut instinct thing. The leader of this group is also using the others as a part. I'm sure the leader is the one that delivers the killing blows. Just like I know the women were being held in some sort of cold, dark, place, and that the killers wear masks to do the beatings." Megan gave herself a little shake, 'I've said too much Ellison will have quite a few questions now.' "I think you're right I need to go home. I'm starting to slip too much into that sort of mind. Ellison, I've got the start of a plan to draw these guys out, but I need a little help." Megan looked up to Ellison her eyes betraying none of the fear she was feeling as she informed him of the plan.
Jim looked at Megan in surprise as he listened to the plan. Megan had spent the last 5-6 hours scouring the files on these murders. Going from file to file, she had also mapped everything that the victims could have in common, work, homes, and social. Not only had she rewritten the killer profile, but she had also written a victim profile now the purpose of that became clear. All had brought her nothing. Her temper had gotten shorter and shorter the longer she had searched. Blair had finally left to go teach a class at the University, leaving him alone with her.
"So let me get this straight, you want to play FBI Agent to the hilt tomorrow and when we find the new body," not if she had said but when. Like it was a foregone conclusion that there would be a fifth victim, and Megan Davison wanted to make herself the sixth target. Sure the reasoning was sound and she would fit the profile. Their ultimate trophy, kill the woman assigned to catch them show everyone that the police were powerless to stop them. The certainty of Davison's statements startled him. Using his Sentinel abilities, he knew that she was convinced of each 'theory', these weren't theories to Davison, these were facts. Facts with no proof, OK, so maybe, he could understand her feelings. "Davison, if you want me to help you with this you play by my rules, OK?" Jim told her.
"Depends on what they are, Ellison. One I refuse to do is move into a safe house or go under extensive surveillance at my place. We can make other arrangements. If the killers see that I'm being closely watched, they may decide not to come after me. I have to match the victim profile as much as possible. That means very f ew men or women around me. These women didn't even have dates from what reports say." Megan knowing the first thing a cop would do with a target is to put said target under surveillance, by any means possible.
"Damn it, Davison, I'm trying to keep you alive here if you are made a target." Jim exclaimed, then trying another approach. "How about Sandburg and I come over and help you get settled in? Do you know if there is an empty apartment in your building? We could set up there. Would that be OK?" Jim said trying to get around her conditions.
"Is that the only way you'll go along with me?" Megan asked Jim.
"Yes, it is. Look, Davison, I know you want to get this case solved, but I need to know something. Why are you so certain of some of your theories, and what happened at the morgue, and in Captain Banks' office." Jim asked.
"I'll be honest with you, I can't tell you now. I don't want to lie to you but I need to be cautious. Look, other than the influence on my theories, it will not affect the case." Megan said regretfully. "There isn't much at my apartment now, my friends moved me out last week and drove everything, including my car, out this way before I left DC. Plus, I'm pretty boring company at the best of times." Megan sa id.
"I don't know about that. In addition, you return that car you got out of the FBI motor pool. I'll drive you around. You also don't go anywhere unless you phone me first." Jim told her as he leaned against the wall. "Where is your place anyway."
Megan rolled her eyes and sighed, 'How does Blair deal with him?' Aloud she answered, "I keep the car, I have to be independent but I will inform you of where I go and what time I'll be back. The address is, 111 Mercury Avenue apartment 9."
Jim shook himself a bit when he realized that the address Megan had given him was about a mile from his loft. Had she planned it that way? No, she couldn't have. Why was he so paranoid anyway? All of these questions, 'I'll deal with it after the case. Right now, I have to deal with this bargaining of conditions, trying to reach a compromise that would work.' Jim groaned to himself always a reason, good ones too, where had she learned to do this. "OK you can keep the car but you'll wear some sort of tracking device." Jim said then added as he saw her mouth open to try to counter the request. "Take it or leave it Davison, if you don't have the tracer we do this the old fashioned way. Meaning safehouses, all of that _local_ cop stuff you Feds seem to leave for us to do, and you tell me _now_ what makes you so certain of your theories."
Megan looked up at Jim and saw that he wouldn't budge on that. She had enjoyed that bargaining that had just taken place. Megan had used every trick that Mulder had taught her. She had realized that Mulder must have used these tricks on Scully, before she came to the office, to get Scully to do most of the paperwork. That task had fallen to Megan after she came to the office, maybe she should tell Scully what Mulder had been doing. 'Yes I'll do that, something tells me that I'll need new tricks soon.' Megan thought, 'but first things first.' Megan sighed as if this was the last thing in the world she wanted to do; this also was a trick, make them think they have won the round.
"All right Ellison, I'll wear the tracer but what will you do if there is no apartment near me. I understand the need to keep tabs on me but believe me it is unnecessary." Megan stopped before she got Ellison pondering the certainty of her the ories once more. "Look, Ellison I'll be a good agent and call it a night. OK." Megan said beginning to place her files into her bag for her nighttime reading. "Can I get my suitcase out of your car?"
"How about I follow you home I'll need to know where you live anyway." Ellison said, wishing that Blair was there to try to break down the wall that Davison had so he could find out just what made her certain of those theories. Blair was always better at getting people to open up, and reflection on what happened in Simon's office, Davison may respond to Blair's questioning.
"No need to drive out of your way, Ellison I'll be just fine. The killers don't know about me yet." Megan said thinking that was probably the reason for his offer.
"Davison, your place is about a mile from mine so I'm not going out of my way."
Megan regarded him with a skeptical look, before relenting; "Do you know the number of a good take-away place? Seeing as you live in the neighborhood and all then."
"Well, there is a good Chinese place just two blocks away. I'll show it to you." Jim offered.
"OK, Ellison I'll meet you at my place and get my suitcase and get settled a bit and you can talk to the landlord and see if there is an empty apartment. How's that for a plan?"
"Sounds fine by me. Sure you won't get lost."
"I've got a street map in the car, and I found the station didn't I?" Megan noticed that Ellison had a file folder in his hand. "What is that? New information on the killers?"
"Nothing so exciting. Just your file, Captain Banks gave me a copy while you were plotting map points, and writing victim profiles." Jim said and began to walk to the elevator with Megan following.
111 Mercury Avenue
As Megan pulled into the parking garage of the apartments, she noticed Ellison standing next to his truck with her suitcase next to him. He motioned her to pull into the space next to him.
"Ellison, what is it?" Megan asked perplexed.
"Someone else has parked in your spot you'll have to find out who." Jim said picking up the suitcase for Megan. "Lead the way."
Megan began to walk to the door marked for apartments 1-9. "It should be this way, near the end of the hallway."
About halfway down the hallway Megan stopped, "Ellison, apartment 9 should be the last one on the left, correct?"
Jim took in the numbering in the hallway before he said, "Yes why?"
"Then the door to my apartment is ajar." She then looked thoughtful and said, "What type of car was in my parking place? Was it a black Cherokee?"
"Yeah, a black Cherokee, but it had Washington State plates."
At that Megan smiled, "For my friends, getting new plates would be very easy. They shouldn't have been so sloppy it's not like them though." Megan motioned Jim to put down the suitcase as he did that Megan pulled out her gun and began to walk towards the door. Jim was impressed with how quiet she was being and when they reached the door she stood and back against the wall, her eyes closed for a moment before nodding her head for Jim to push open the door. Jim entered the room with Megan providing cover. When Megan entered, she was smiling.
She whispered to Jim "Ellison, this is my stuff in here. My friends must have got here early and moved me in." Jim noticed her eyes went unfocused for a second, "come on, they're in the second bedroom, I told them I wanted to use it as a study." Jim noticed that she was still being very quiet and still had her gun in her hand at the ready, almost as if she wasn't sure the people in the apartment were friends, or wanted to teach them a lesson. What sort of friends did she have?
Jim's question was answered when Megan reached the door. Faster than Jim thought possible the door was flung opened and Megan was confronting the three men that were around the bits and pieces of a computer.
"What the hell do you guys think you're doing to my computer?" Megan almost shouted.
All three men jumped at the sound of her voice, one of the men the shorter of the three said, "Aww come on Megs, we're just giving you some new hardware and getting you set up here in Cascade."
Megan and Jim returned their guns to their holsters as Megan berated the men, "Frohike, is it legal? I work with cops now not Mulder and Scully. Gentlemen, this is James Ellison." Jim nodded to the three. "Ellison, this is Frohike," She said as the shortest one extended his hand. To Jim he seemed like the typical dirty old man, but he suspected that there wasn't anything typical about him or any of the others. Megan continued, "Langly," indicating the longed hared blond who was dressed in a Ramones T-shirt and blue jeans. "And Byers." third one the most professional looking of the three just nodded his head as he was helping Langly inside Megan's desktop computer Jim walked out, retrieved the suitcase, and left it in the living room. Then Jim returned to the study he just stood to one side to watch the interaction of the four. They moved as if they were a team. Noticing that Byers and Langly were just talking computers Jim idly looked around but listened in on the conversion that was starting with Megan and Frohike. Megan walked over to the desk and started to take out the files that she had on the case. Frohike looked over her shoulder and exclaimed, "Megs, you're working a murder investigation already?! What are you thinking?" Megan took Frohike off to one side, "Calm down, Fro. I'm OK with this. I can handle it."
"Like hell you can, your last one almost sent you to the funny farm if half of what Mulder said was true."
"Fro, that was over a year ago and Mulder has been helping me to cope I'm ready to do this."
"Just reassure me on something. It's not a serial killer is it?"
Megan looked down at the floor and grimaced a bit. "Not really, Fro more like a gang type ritual, more than one killer."
"Megs, from what we've hacked of your files you've _never_ worked this type of case. What are you thinking? Look the guys and I will stay here to make sure you will be able to handle this OK?"
"No, I'll be all right. Ellison lives just a mile away." Megan said.
"OK will you do me a favor though?"
"Sure what is it I've already spent six months putting in a good word in with Scully for you."
"Not that, it's become a fun game and makes her laugh. She needs to do that more" Frohike said remembering the recent events.
Megan 'felt' his sadness and put her arms around him to offer some comfort. "I know Frohike. We have to believe that she will be OK."
Frohike looked uncomfortable with Megan holding him and shrugged out of the embrace, "I know, but anyway I want you to call Mulder either tonight or tomorrow. Tell him what you are doing. If you don't we will. You know what he'll be like if we're the ones to tell him this."
"Yeah, protective is an understatement. He'd most likely try to break out of quarantine and come out here."
"With Scully behind him and if he tries to ditch her. Forget about baby Mulders." Frohike chuckled.
Megan laughed at that and gave in, "OK I'll call him and if you lot don't screw up my computer I'll also send him an e-mail. That good enough for you?"
Frohike nodded, "Yes, now." He took out a card; "this is the name and e-mail of someone in Cascade that can help you. If you need to get in contact with us or just information on something you would normally come to us for."
"Thanks, are you guys staying for dinner?" Megan asked.
"No a friend is picking us up and then we're going to check out a secret base 75 miles north."
"OK you have my number if you get arrested I'll come out and pick you up. Get anything interesting let me know. I still need to get pictures of you all in your black and sexys." Megan laughed as the two of them rejoined the group. Ellison looked over at Megan's computer and saw that Byers and Langly had just about finished putting it together. Jim was processing all of the information that he had gleaned from the overheard conversation adding it to his own profile about Agent Megan Davison, and what he had so far confused him a bit. He then noticed that Megan was looking at him, she knew that he had heard every word of the conversation.
*'Lace he's been listening in.* Megan thought to the spirit.
--I know but I don't think that he heard too much. If he did it's all in your file anyway.--
*You're right. I'll ask if he wants to stay for dinner.*
Outside a horn sounded and for a second Megan thought that she saw Ellison flinch as if the sound was louder than what it was. Frohike, Langly and Byers said their good-byes to Megan and Ellison. Frohike then pulled Ellison to one side, "Look Detective Ellison, Megs is dear to us three she will find this case hard no matter what she says. Please make sure she is safe," with that Frohike left following the others.
Megan looked puzzled as she closed the door after the three men left.
"Davison, what did Frohike mean 'after the last one...'" Jim noticed that as soon as he said it that it would be a difficult story for her. He also knew that to fully understand the parting comment that Frohike had made he needed to hear it.
Megan paused and looked at the floor then she looked up and met Jim's blue eyes with her gray ones. She took a deep breath and motioned for Jim to sit down she did like-wise "Well Ellison, about a year and a half ago I almost lost it doing an investigation involving a serial killer. Only my problem wasn't intense concentration over a long period of time, like can happen. It was the freshness of the crime scene, the body had recently been killed, less than six hours, the ME decided, I was there before the body could be removed." Megan then got a far way look in her eyes, and described in chilling detail what she saw. "I saw or thought I saw how everything happened, every movement, thought that went through the killers head," Megan stood up and began to pace around the room. "It was scary, and seductive at the same time I allowed myself to get enthralled by every thing. One of the other agents noticed I was not 'there' mentally and managed to get me out of whatever trance I was in. The big problem was that I had the p r ofile for that killer in my head I submitted it and when the killer was found he matched 98% of the details that I had. So the section chief decided to try me again at another fresh crime scene. Ellison you cannot imagine what it's like to lose yourself w i thin the head of a killer, you can feel that 'rush' the killer felt when he made the kill." Megan stopped telling the story and refocused herself back on the here and now. "Three months after that I was transferred to the X-files. Due to the nature of the cases Mulder was the only one that profiled the serial killers that did come our way and they kept me on the more 'routine' cases until recently. I met Frohike and company during that time and I would go to them to confirm information. The three of them took to me as if I was a little sister or something. Then some things happened and I was asked to transfer here." Jim looked at his watch and noticed it was time to go and talk to the landlord. "Look, Davison, I've got to go now, I'll see the landlord on my way out, and make arrangements I'll see you at the station tomorrow and we'll take you to the crime scenes. OK?"
"Sure Ellison, but what I said earlier still stands. What will happen if there is not an empty place here." Megan asked.
"Well Davison, if there isn't a empty place then you _will_ go into a safehouse, if you try to argue I _will_ attach myself to you at the hip if I have to. Bye." With that comment, Ellison left a fuming Megan Davison. This may have just saved his life if he kne w what the look on her face meant.
*How dare he think that I will cower at his side like some little child. So help me Lace I
_will _not_ allow myself to be hampered by him. I will solve this case.* Megan started to
pace around the room and began to fume. Light objects started to fly through the air,
things like throw pillows, vases, and end tables. *Damn him and every Y chromosome
carrying creature on this planet.*
--Megan, do calm down, you're levitating almost everything in the place that isn't battened down. Just stop to think for a minute, sit down, and profile Ellison. Figure out _why_ he is protective, you have the information to do that. While you do that, remember that you are under his command.-- Lace told Megan again acting as the voice of reason, defusing a possible explosive situation.
Megan sat down on the sofa that the Gunmen had placed facing the view of the mountains. Megan took a deep breath and calmed down a bit. *OK Lace, you win he does s eem to take all the responsibility for any one under his command, but Lace I'm technically outside his command as the consultant on this case.*
Lace answered, --Yes, Megan but the second you suggested that you become bait for this you went under his command. You have been acting very foolishly this afternoon, you should have agreed to the safehouse at the least. Why didn't you?--
Megan shrugged *I don't know. I guess I'm tired of being under surveillance and didn't want to be watched here. Using a safehouse will not give me a chance to settle in and using my place makes it harder for any of _them_ to start anything here.*
--Wait, you were playing a game about the surveillance from Ellison?--
*No, Lace you told me to remember h is files. Well I've been doing that, while he takes responsibility for those under his command, I agree with you that he is hiding something. His background, from what the Gunmen found, indicates he was going to be tapped for Black Ops after Peru, you kno w what sort of people they are. Before you say it, yes I'm being paranoid. I'm out here on my own. I need to protect myself. That means looking out for possible threats. I think Ellison is one. If he isn't then I just explain things to him I haven't told h im a lie and don't intend to. Now I'd better call Mulder.* Megan explained.
The Loft
Jim walked into the loft and placed his keys in the basket. "Hey Chief, what's for dinner?"
Blair's eyes brightened, "Well, Jim, I was thinking that maybe we try a little test. You know try to guess what I've used. Use your sense of smell to determine it."
"Not today, Chief," Jim told his Guide and went into the kitchen and got a beer.
With a bit of insight Blair asked, "Agent Davison give you a hard time after I left?"
"A little," Jim said sarcastically and told him about what had happened after Blair had left.
"Man, Jim what is she thinking, can she do that?"
"Not really but I get the feeling that if she doesn't get her way she does her own thing. Her friends seem to be concerned about the whole case. Look Chief, you finish dinner and I'll read her file. There is something strange about her."
"I know Jim, I think she may have hyper-senses not all five but anywhere from one to three." Blair explained.
Jim shook his head in disbelief, "What makes you think that, Chief?"
"Well first and most convincing is the fact that when we were coming up in the elevator she knew you were telling someone about the note from the fourth floor. Second was the mini-zone out looking at the photos, Third is the morgue that looked like a total zone out only she was able to pull herself out."
"So you think she has what sig ht, hearing and possibly one other, right." Jim paused in thought as he used Blair's observations to fill in the blanks that he had of Megan's plan. With the factor of just hearing and sight she could think she would be able to sense the killers from a di s tance and be able..... wait she has been saying killers how would she know that, unless... "Chief I think I've got a third, smell. She is convinced that there is more than one killer. Maybe she smelled the body, or something. She ushered us out of the mor gue too quickly for me to give the body a once over we'll need to do that before we start visiting the crime scenes tomorrow." Jim also told Blair about how he thought Megan would try to catch the killers.
"Jim, you're letting her do this? How are we going to help her if she doesn't want any normal surveillance."
"We are going to move into her building for a bit. One thing she may or may not have taken into consideration is that if we play up the fact she is from DC the killers may move faster to take her."
"Just as well I don't have classes tomorrow. I'll go
with you to see if we can verify any of Megan's information, that could give us more of an
idea of where the killers took the women," Blair said with some sadness in his voice.
"OK Chief, I'm going to get organized you can pack after dinner, early day
tomorrow." Jim said as he ended the conversion, and started up stairs. He'd read her
file later.
End Part Three
On to Part Four
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