"So, they compare themselves to the god of death?" Joyna, who was standing next to Hotchner, asked curiously.
Hotchner didn't know what he was thinking, and the corner of his mouth curled up slightly. "If that's the case, then the murderer must lack a basic understanding of Tarot cards.
'The god of death' does not simply represent death in the physical sense, but represents the arrival of an end and change. When this card appears, it usually means the end of certain aspects of life, such as a promotion at work or marriage.
This kind of end is not negative, but often foreshadows a new beginning and a kind of rebirth."
After hearing Hotchner's talk, everyone's eyes were focused on him. This didn't sound like something that someone who gave people the impression of being old-fashioned, even more of an antique than Rossi, would say.
If it was Reid who said this, no one would find it strange. After all, the genius encyclopedia knows everything.
Even if any of the female agents present had said this, it wouldn't have been so surprising. After all, tarot readings, like astrology, are a favorite subject for young girls. And since every girl present had been a girl herself, it was only natural for them to know something.
"Harry was really into tarot readings for a while, especially after I proposed to her. Every time she drew 'Death,' she was so happy."
Sensing the strange gazes, Hotchner cracked a rare smile, a small display of affection.
Jack noticed that while everyone tried hard not to look directly at Joyner's slightly gloomy face, even Rosie was secretly glancing at her from the corner of their eyes. Hotchner's behavior was definitely intentional.
Danny was one of the few people at the scene who was completely oblivious to this. He curled his lips in indifference. "Is this what you mean? The murderer is trying to establish connections with the police? Gaining psychological satisfaction by challenging authority."
Rossi was noncommittal. "Maybe. In the 'DC Sniper' case, John Muhammad and Lee Malvo left identical cards at the scene."
Joyner quickly composed herself and forced her attention back to the current case. "So they're actually copycats of the 'DC Sniper'? Trying to create similar panic among the citizens as they did back then?"
"More importantly, they've clearly studied similar cases and are trying to tell us that what we know, they know as well,"
Rossi said, turning to look at Reid. "Do you remember Kenneth Bianchi in the 'Hillside Strangler' case? He not only deceived the LAPD, pretending to be a concerned individual and accompanying the police on the scene, but he's also a somewhat naive psychologist. After his arrest, he even used his knowledge of psychology to fake a split personality in an attempt to escape imprisonment."
Reid nodded in understanding. "One of the killer's motives was likely to provoke the NYPD or FBI, to demonstrate his intellectual superiority."
Joyna glanced at the onlookers, at the reporters holding their professional cameras aloft, her eyes filled with deep worry. "Regardless, they succeeded. Ms. Moger is considering mobilizing field agents from other surrounding cities."
Danny couldn't help but sigh. "The NYPD has recalled all officers on leave, but we still can't guarantee adequate officers near all the possible attack locations Dr. Reid has identified. Hopefully, the FBI's arrival will alleviate some of the staffing shortage."
"Why do I feel like this is what the killer wants?" Jack had an inexplicable, strange feeling. "Copycats usually emulate a single serial killer, some out of admiration, others believing they can surpass him.
Using the Son of Sam modus operandi while also imitating the DC Sniper's style by dropping tarot cards at the scene to provoke the police seems unprecedented.
Furthermore, the previous killings were spaced two to three days apart, but now there's only been a day between the fifth and sixth murders. What caused the killer to increase his frequency?"
Everyone knew the answer: yesterday's joint press conference held by the NYPD and FBI, which the killer likely viewed as a declaration of war.
"One way or another, they'll pay for their arrogance," Danny concluded the conversation with a harsh remark.
Another day passed. In the office temporarily assigned to the BAU, Emily angrily tore off a page of manuscript paper, crumpled it up, and tossed it into the wastebasket.
Jiejie's brows furrowed, biting the tip of her pen as she stared blankly at her clean notebook. Luke Elvis, sitting next to her, had a similar expression. A single line of words filled the open Word document on his laptop screen.
Jiejie had just finished her profiler training, while Luke Elvis still had half of his class to go. If their performance was considered normal for newbies, the equally grim expressions on Rossi and Hotchner's faces were telling.
It was the third day, and the number of victims had risen from four to six, yet everyone present couldn't even compile a basic profile.
"I'm asking the NYPD to thoroughly investigate the area, checking businesses with extended lunch breaks. Hopefully, someone can identify a father-son relationship or a superior-subordinate relationship.
Damn it, if I were a patrol officer, I'd be furious if I saw this kind of profile."
Emily tore off another page of paper, stunned to find she'd already torn through the last page of the thick notebook.
"The NYPD has sent out all its undercover agents to gather gang intelligence and keep an eye out for suspicious individuals. I feel like a drowning man desperately trying to grasp at the last straw,"
Joyna said with a sad face. She and Danny had long since become friends. As the two of them were responsible for the case and bore the main pressure, it was no exaggeration to say that they shared the same suffering.
Danny's eyes were red from staying up all night, and he looked like he was choosing his prey. The wolfberry in the cup had been replaced by cassia seed and chrysanthemum tea by Jack. The whole office was filled with a faint scent of golden chrysanthemum, but it did not have much of a calming effect.
"Do you think it's possible that the other party is coming for us?" Red, who had been guarding his map, suddenly had an idea, and everyone looked at him with surprised eyes.
Jack flatly denied his suspicions. "Your itinerary hasn't been made public, and Hannah and Jiejie never mentioned the BAU in their communications with the media."
Ever since the "Boston Death" case, the BAU has almost completely vanished from public view. Public reports on some cases occasionally mention the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit providing assistance, but never specifically mentioning any specific individuals.
Perhaps some well-informed sources know that the renowned David Rossi has returned to the FBI and participated in some cases, but to know for sure would require poring over the vast amount of federal case files released annually.
Red frowned and fell silent, pondering whether he had overlooked some details. Everyone was a little irritated, feeling not only the mounting pressure from the victim but also doubts about their own abilities.
This was the first time in such a long time that the BAU hadn't been able to produce even a preliminary profile. It wasn't that everyone couldn't write one, but everyone, including Jack, felt a sense of inadequacy when reviewing their own work.
It always felt as if a big piece of the puzzle was missing. It should be right in front of us, but everyone turned a blind eye to it, staring at the air in a daze and searching in vain.
As everyone stared at each other, time passed by bit by bit. Jack exhaled a breath of suffocating air and stood up from his chair, "Who wants to go to the corridor with me to take a breath? I have a few Cuban products here."
"Me!" Danny was the first to stand up. Hotchner hesitated for a moment and followed Rossi to stand up. Then almost everyone stood up. Even Emily and Jiejie exchanged glances, bent down, picked up the bag at their feet and prepared to go out.
Suddenly, there was a bang, and the office door was pushed open. Garcia stood at the door with a panicked look, "Everyone, have you noticed? I was browsing the real-time surveillance footage just now, and I might have seen the murderer."
(End of this chapter)