"Okay, just keep up with the treatment for about another month, and your left leg should fully recover," Jack said as he pulled out the long silver needles one by one from Clay's hairy leg, under Clay's still slightly horrified gaze. Although Clay had indeed felt the effects of the treatment over this period, he still couldn't understand why inserting these terrifyingly long needles into his muscles didn't cause harm but instead helped heal his injuries.
"Hey, boys, are your emergency kits ready?" JJ pushed open the door, her bright smile accompanied by a playful wink.
Clay rolled off the bed and stood up, his face lighting up with excitement. "Is our first mission here?"
Jubal stood behind JJ, holding a tablet. "Two special names just made it onto the most wanted list, taking spots 11 and 12, wanted for ongoing violent crimes." He added the "ongoing" because the crimes committed by the two fugitives on the list were still in progress.
The new headquarters' meeting room didn't have the luxurious large screen of the previous operations center, but the two main screens and four side screens distributed across the front and sides were just as effective.
JJ stood at the front of the meeting room, briefing everyone as she used to at the BAU. Alice sat in the front row, responsible for operating the visuals.
"Ronnie Lee Bishop, 23, is wanted for killing Jennifer Hargrove early this morning in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and for the rape and abduction of her 19-year-old daughter, Madison." The screen displayed a set of gruesome crime scene photos, showing a blonde middle-aged white woman lying in a pool of blood, her face unrecognizable but still showing traces of fear and confusion.
The side screen then showed a selfie of a young girl, blonde and blue-eyed like her mother, full of youthful vitality.
JJ continued, "The girl's current whereabouts are unknown, and the identity of the second suspect is also unclear. However, forensic investigators found a smaller palm print at the scene, preliminarily suggesting the suspect might be female. Mrs. Hargrove was beaten to death by Ronnie with a cast iron 'Alebrije' pendant. Her car, a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu, which was parked in the driveway for sale, is also missing."
The "Alebrije" is a unique creature from Mexican culture, known for its various bizarre appearances, such as a winged puma with bull horns or a rooster with a giraffe-like neck, all characterized by their vibrant colors. Commonly seen as wood carvings or paper cuttings, they have evolved into various crafts, including cast iron ornaments or pendants often placed on mantels.
The character "Pumpkin" from Pixar's "Coco," who guides the dead in the underworld, was inspired by the "Alebrije."
Jack, while stuffing his emergency bag with clothes, asked, "What do we know about this Ronnie?"
Alice pulled up several files and explained, "He's been in and out of prison since he was 12, for theft, vandalism, and has had two charges of stalking women, both dropped due to his being a minor. Last week, he was arrested in Virginia for attempting to rape a 17-year-old girl but was released on bail. He then fled the scene after attempting to hijack a 40-year-old man's car in Ohio."
"Did he have accomplices in the carjacking and attempted rape cases?" Aubrey asked.
Alice shook her head, "No, police reports indicate he acted alone."
"Seems like a weakling," Clay scoffed.
From Ronnie's photo on the screen, it was clear he wasn't particularly strong. Records showed he was only 1.7 meters tall, weighed less than 70 kilograms, and his skin was noticeably paler than the typical reddish complexion of most white people.
"It seems he's learning from his mistakes and succeeded with the Hargrove family, even finding a female accomplice," Hannah said, lowering her gaze, trying not to focus on the gruesome photos.
"Helping him kidnap and rape another young woman, what kind of woman would do that?" Alice also showed signs of distress.
"Crazy!" Jack succinctly concluded.
"Okay," Jubal clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "We leave in 20 minutes. Settle your family affairs; this could be a long chase. As Jack said, we're dealing with one or two lunatics, evolved from juvenile delinquents. Since his parole, he's committed carjacking, murder, rape, and kidnapping. Perhaps he feels he has nothing left to lose, so he's becoming more reckless. Every day he remains at large, there could be another victim."
"Until we catch him!" Aubrey stuffed the remaining half of a date cake into his mouth, mumbling, "I'll drive, no one else take the wheel."
The diesel engine roared to life, accompanied by a short but deafening horn blast, as the MT-55 truck, towing a massive trailer, slowly turned onto the highway with a wide turning radius.
"I'm actually feeling a bit of regret," Jack waved goodbye to the excited Aubrey as the GMC, carrying the rest of the team, headed onto the highway towards Kennedy Airport.
Although driving the big truck was really tiring, and the MT-55's cab wasn't as imposing as Daimler's "Western Star" (the latest prototype for Optimus Prime), everyone was still riding the wave of novelty. It wasn't just about boys being boys forever; even Hannah and JJ were quite eager.
There are several places in the U.S. named Greensburg, such as in Indiana and North Carolina, but the Greensburg in Pennsylvania is located in Westmoreland County.
Driving from New York to there would take nearly six hours, so except for Aubrey, who was driving, and Alice, who was handling communications and logistics in the truck, the rest of the team opted to fly, saving at least half the time.
The Pittsburgh office arranged for two Suburbans to wait at the airport. After landing and picking up the vehicles, the team headed straight to the crime scene, arriving just as the sun was setting.
A black agent from the local office approached as two black SUVs pulled up to the curb. "I'm Agent Briken Dodd, welcome."
After a brief introduction by Jubal, his gaze fell on two bicycles lying on the lawn.
"These are the suspects' means of transport, confirmed to be stolen from Westmoreland Mall," Agent Dodd explained.
The scene was cordoned off, with several police cars still parked around. Forensic personnel from the FBI Pittsburgh office's ERT team were busy working both inside and outside the house.
Jack pointed to the video doorbell on the door, "Have the surveillance tapes been retrieved?"
"Yes, we just cracked the password on the victim's home computer but haven't had a chance to review it yet," Agent Dodd followed the team inside.
"Leave it to me," Hannah pulled out her laptop.
Agent Dodd called over an ERT team member to assist Hannah in copying the surveillance video, while he led the rest through the living room. "Hargrove was a single-parent family. Jennifer Hargrove's murder scene is in the dining room; the other pool of blood on the floor is her daughter's."
(End of Chapter)
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