Back at the Federal Building, Jack led everyone into the operations center, where Dana Moger, Hannah, and Jubal were already waiting.
After a brief introduction, Hannah naturally took Jiejie's arm and left under the gazes of some. Their job was to liaise with the NYPD's public relations department and the media, swaying public opinion as best they could.
Rosie and Dana Moger went to her office, while Jack led the others to a pre-prepared conference room. The table was already covered with files. He then handed Red a folded map, nearly the thickness of a book.
"Here's a map of New York City's boroughs. There's a map rack and evidence board next to it for you to complete your geographic profile. Anything else you need to tell me?"
He then opened his personal office across the street and invited Garcia in. "You can use my office for the time being. If I'd known you were coming, I would have prepared a separate room for you."
Jack knew Garcia's work habits; a quiet room would allow her to work more efficiently. And with some snacks, her efficiency would double.
"Someone from the NYPD will be here to reassure you about system access. While surveillance in this city is flawed, it at least covers most public areas. Of the four cases so far, three occurred under surveillance cameras."
He then beckoned two nerdy technicians to carry several LCD screens and a computer into his office.
Joyner, following closely behind Hotchner, gaped in amazement at Jack's meticulous planning, completely unaware of his preparations.
"You seem to be settling in well here. I'm so happy for you." Emily couldn't help but hug Jack again.
She still felt a deep sense of guilt towards someone. After all, it was ultimately her fault. Not only had Jack's house been rocket-blasted, but he had also risked his life to hunt Doyle down in Mexico.
Although Jack claimed to be settling a personal grudge, his true purpose was to eliminate his own root cause and prevent future trouble. Ultimately, the commotion he caused led to his exile to New York.
So when she saw Jack taking to the New York office like a duck in water, Emily was genuinely happy for him.
"I've also got the Long Beach office ready. I'll take you there once the case is over. Maybe you'll fall in love with the scenery and stay in New York." Jack smirked, pretending to "poach" someone, and when he looked up, he met Hotchner's wry gaze.
"Hey, Jack, wow, are these all your old friends from the BAU?" Danny arrived before he even arrived, forcing a warm smile and greeting everyone.
"What's going on?" Jack asked directly after briefly introducing them. He knew from his expression that something was amiss; there was probably a new case.
Sure enough, Danny's face fell immediately, "There was another shooting at the Spring Street subway station just 40 minutes ago."
Hotchner took out his cell phone and sent a message to Rossi, "Emily, Jack and Rossi will go to the scene with Detective Danny Reagan. Red and Luke will stay here. Joyna and I will go find Ms. Moger to see if it is necessary to hold a press conference first."
After he finished speaking, he realized something was wrong. He had habitually arranged Jack, but someone seemed unaware and turned around and left with Emily, just like before.
"I can see you have a good relationship." Joyner keenly noticed the change in Hotchner's address and felt a pang of discomfort.
"Yes, like family," Hotchner nodded slightly. Northwest of Chinatown lies New York's famed "SOHO"
district, densely packed with galleries, brimming with fashion and avant-garde art, and also a renowned shopping haven. The
Spring Street subway station, where Danny described the crime scene, is nearby. Despite its bustling location, the area remains run-down and stinking, with graffiti splattered on the walls and years of accumulated grime on the grounds making it a daunting sight.
However, New Yorkers have long since adapted to this environment. For them, commuting daily from the surrounding areas of New York to Grand Central Station and then catching the extensive subway system is the most convenient and efficient mode of transportation. Americans here live a completely different kind of life.
Because the subway system was operating normally, when they arrived, the body was still lying on the ground, covered with a white sheet, but only a small area surrounded by yellow tape was cordoned off, with several patrol officers stationed.
"It was still a .22 caliber bullet, a single shot to the head. Clean and neat." Jack quickly finished examining the body, removed his gloves, and stood up with a sigh.
The deceased was a middle-aged, balding white man in his early 40s. Judging by his clothing and belongings, he was likely an ordinary backpacker.
"Nothing special, just some spare underwear, wallet, and cell phone. An ordinary backpacker."
Emily, who had just finished checking the deceased's backpack, shook her head, indicating that she found nothing.
"So he just pulled out a gun and killed someone in broad daylight, then took advantage of the chaos to get away?" Rossi, the oldest person present, even exclaimed that he had never seen such a brazen serial killer in his life.
"No chaos." Jack walked up behind him. "A pistol chambered for a .22 caliber round can be made very small, and the sound of the gunshot is quiet. This is a subway station, and the sound of trains entering and leaving the station can effectively mask the sound of the gunshot.
He just needs to walk in at the back, observe the situation, find the person who is left behind, and then, boom, he can get away."
As he spoke, Jack gestured a shooting gesture to the back of Rossi's head.
"But I still don't understand. Even if he was deliberately avoiding surveillance, someone should have noticed something was wrong, right? From the time he fired the gun to the victim collapsed, it only took seconds. Why can't there be a single witness?" Emily expressed her confusion.
Danny waved his notepad. "Well, it's not that there are no witnesses, but the descriptions of the killer are all over the place, from a light-skinned Puerto Rican to an Asian, basically every race in the city."
"Why is that?" Emily looked at Jack with wide eyes.
"This is New York," Jack said, gesturing innocently. A few people waiting for the subway were looking over curiously, but they quickly looked away when they saw him. Apart from one or two people dressed like tourists standing far away, whispering to each other, almost no one else was paying attention.
(End of Chapter)