Just as everyone's phones buzzed simultaneously, a video call came through on Jack's phone. He handed it to Reid, who fiddled with the device for a moment before projecting the video onto the meeting room screen.
"Ta-da! Hello, team!" Garcia's cheerful face appeared on the screen.
"I've identified the victims and sent the details to your phones," she said, waving her hand as the second half of the screen displayed the victims' profiles, complete with names, ages, and basic information.
"None of them were locals. They were all in Playa Del Rey on business."
The team settled into their seats and began comparing the details of the four victims. It didn't take long for Emily to give up in frustration.
"Damn it! Different ages, races, social backgrounds, even physical features—nothing connects them," she complained.
Jack also found himself stumped. "Looks like we're dealing with a killer who isn't picky, which makes profiling difficult."
Reid hesitated before speaking. "Sean Taylor, the third victim—the one who wasn't wrapped in plastic—had a same-sex partner. He was gay. That could be significant. The killer seemed to treat the other two victims with more 'respect' by wrapping them."
Rossi shook his head as he read the details of the fourth victim, Joseph Krause, who had been found at the newest crime scene. "Krause was also castrated post-mortem and wasn't wrapped in plastic either. He was 42, married."
Reid, unsure of his earlier deduction, weakly countered, "That doesn't necessarily rule out the possibility of him being closeted."
Chief Quinn Parker, the young officer in charge, interjected, "Joseph Krause's wife has just arrived at the station, and other relatives are on their way."
Hotch put his phone away and stood up. "I'll talk to Mrs. Krause. JJ, coordinate with the families of the other victims for interviews. Rossi, Jack, go check out the latest crime scene. Emily, help Reid check with nearby beach patrols to see if there have been any recent unusual reports. We may need to expand our search to the entire California coastline if necessary."
Parker's eyes widened. "Do you know how long the California coastline is?"
"840 miles. I'll work quickly to narrow down the search areas," Reid replied at lightning speed, leaving Parker stunned, unsure if Reid was joking or serious.
The rest of the BAU team wore various expressions. Rossi gave a proud smirk, as if saying, That's our walking encyclopedia! JJ and Emily exchanged amused glances, while Jack struggled to hold back laughter to avoid being impolite. Only Hotch remained as stoic as ever.
---
On the way to the crime scene, as usual, Jack was behind the wheel while Rossi sat in the passenger seat. "I heard you did well in New York?" Rossi asked.
"Which part are you referring to?" Jack replied with a smile.
Rossi paused, surprised. "You mean there's more than one part?"
Jack briefly explained the elderly care case where the Hunter couple had sought his help, leaving Rossi silent for a moment before letting out a frustrated sigh. "This country didn't used to be like this."
Jack shrugged, refraining from further comment.
In his past life, he'd often heard older folks lament the state of the world when younger people complained about the present. In contrast, on the other side of the Pacific, when young people voiced their grievances, the older generation would often reassure them by saying, "It's better now than it used to be. You don't know how bad things were."
As for the current situation, Jack could only think, It's late, but the same patterns are catching up here.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Rossi asked after a long pause.
"Let's see what progress the IRS makes first. Joe Mason's situation is temporarily resolved. Though he lost a lot of assets, the pressure from those two lawyers eventually made Marla Grayson back down.
Before Joe can reclaim his house, he'll stay with the Hunter couple in Los Angeles to recover. He's been pumped full of sedatives during his time in custody, so while his body's fine, his mental state has deteriorated."
Jack had been the one to suggest that Joe Mason come to Los Angeles to recuperate. He estimated that it would still be some time before the events of Red unfolded.
In the original movie, Joe Mason had chosen to sacrifice himself during a critical moment to distract enemies from the main group. The main reason was that he was suffering from terminal liver cancer, and the pain had made him ready to die.
Jack planned to secretly use his skills to cure Joe's illness before it got diagnosed. While Jack had no intention of getting caught up in the world of overpowered "retired" agents from Red, building a rapport with them and learning a few tricks from their world couldn't hurt. After all, if someone planned to detonate a nuclear bomb, it'd be good to know in advance where to hide, right?
"No matter what happens, I'll recommend that Professor Cahill give you top marks in group psychology. The way you helped that couple in New York was creative," Rossi complimented.
Jack modestly replied, "It was just a basic application of online public opinion management. Controlling narratives through internet bots has become quite sophisticated these days. I just adapted the technique."
Rossi shook his head with a smile. "I may be old, but I'm not out of touch. Whether through traditional media like newspapers and TV or modern platforms like social media, influencing public opinion is just a method.
The key is knowing how to ignite a viral moment. You nailed it perfectly. Your ability to affect the psychological group and lead them to display higher moral standards, as described in The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind, was impressive. Well done, kid."
Jack couldn't help but feel smug. Upon returning to LA, his beloved Professor Maureen Cahill had already praised him thoroughly—in every possible sense. So, Rossi's verbal accolades felt a little lacking in comparison.
As they pulled up to Manhattan Beach, Jack parked directly on the sand. The local police had already set up a perimeter, and forensic teams were busy at work.
Jack easily climbed the lifeguard tower's safety ladder, grinning as he extended a hand to help Rossi, only to have it swatted away grumpily by the older man.
"This tower was just rebuilt, too," Rossi noted, running a hand along the rail. "The paint hasn't even fully dried."
In an effort to revitalize the local tourism industry, the town had spent a lot of money cleaning up the beaches, importing high-quality quartz-rich sand from South America, and refurbishing the lifeguard towers.
The hope was to lure tourists away from the traditional western beaches, which had been overrun by homeless encampments. It was likely this economic pressure that had prompted the local police to directly seek help from the BAU.
After all, promoting investment and tourism was a top priority. If the area's security situation deteriorated, tourists would rather face off with homeless people than risk vacationing near a serial killer.
"Brazen, isn't he?" Rossi muttered, looking down at the long wooden walkway leading to the tower. Dried blood, now a rusty red-brown and mixed with sand, marked a trail that led into the small tower.
The body of a middle-aged, overweight white male lay on the floor, shirtless but still wearing beach shorts. He had a large belly, and there were signs that he had been dragged along the path.
Jack examined the scene. It was a typical dumping site with no obvious clues left behind. There were footprints, but nothing stood out. He wasn't sure if the CSI team would be able to glean anything new from them.
"So now we have four victims—two wrapped in plastic, two left unwrapped. Why? Why did the killer differentiate between them?" Rossi wondered aloud.
Jack threw up his hands in confusion. "This guy was shot in the head and castrated post-mortem, just like the first three victims. Could Reid be right? Is the killer distinguishing victims based on their sexual orientation?"
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