This is will be a multi chapter case fic so the first chapter is really just setting the scene. I hope you enjoy it anyway. It's my first case fic story, so go easy, but I'd love to know what you think.

Thanks as always to Sara Nublas who beta'd this for me…. Her patience is invaluable!

"You got nothing on me." The unkempt stinking monster smirked in the back seat of the SUV, leaning forward slightly due to the cuffs shackling his hands behind his back.

"Give it a rest Clarence. It doesn't matter how many you times you tell us we've got nothing on you, those prints on that knife aren't going to disappear." Morgan said, looking down at his phone as it started ringing.

"You'll never get her to testify against me….."

Clarence stopped mid sentence as Morgan held a hand up to him to stop talking, answering the call.

"Hotch?"

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, apart from the fact he won't shut up for more than five seconds."

"Ok, when you get back to the precinct me and Rossi will interview him. You and Prentiss got to the victim's family and explain what's happened as they already know you. She's going to need all the support she can get."

"Sure."

Morgan placed the cell phone back in his pocket.

"What did Hotch want?" Emily asked, quickly glancing over to Morgan as she was driving.

"He's wants to interview Clarence with Rossi."

"Who's gonna interview me?" The voice bellowed from the back seat.

Morgan turned in his seat slightly, "You'll see when we get back. Now sit back and shut up."

"But I don't wanna shut up and you can't make me."

Morgan shook his head and looked at Emily who was smirking at Morgan's impatience with the child like monster in the rear.

"It's not funny you know." He muttered unable to stop himself smiling also.

His smile did stop though when he felt the hot breath of Clarence on his neck again;

"So you wanna bet on how long it is before I'm outta here?" he smirked.

"I'll tell you what is a cert Clarence…. Tonight, you'll be in a cold, damp cell alone, or may be with Big Bad Brutus, whilst I will be eating steak and sipping an ice cold beer in the company of a pretty young lady." Morgan answered

Emily rolled her eyes and laughed having heard that line a number of times. At that, Morgan's phone rang out for a second time… "Well you are Mr popular. May be it's that pretty young lady." Emily said sarcastically.

Morgan chuckled, "It's probably just Hotch again."

But as he looked at the screen he frowned quizzically as the number was unknown.

"Hello. Derek Morgan."

"Hi Derek. It's Max. Max Harper."

It took just a couple of seconds pause for Morgan to recall Max from his time as a beat cop in Chicago.

"Max. It's been a long time. Good to hear from you."

"Wish I was calling under better circumstances Derek, but I have some bad news."

"What's up?"

"It's Pete, Derek."

"What about him? Is he ok?"

The sudden concern in Morgan's voice caused Emily to glance over at him once again.

"I'm sorry man. There's no easy way to say this….. He's dead."

"What?"

Emily frowned hearing Morgan's voice break, wandering what on earth he was talking about.

"Someone killed him."

Morgan felt his whole body tense and rise in temperature as Max uttered those words. He paused, as if needing a few seconds for what his old friend had told him to sink in.

"Derek? You still there?"

"Er…. Yeah. Was he on duty?"

"No. At home."
"What about Melissa?"

"She's ok."

"Look, I can't really talk now. Can I call you later?" Morgan said flustered.

"Sure… and Derek, I'm really sorry."

"Yeah me too." His voice trailed off as he finished the sentence and cancelled the call.

"What's the matter?" Emily asked straight away.

Morgan shook his head, looking out of the window, "Nothing. I'll tell you later." He mumbled.

Emily knew not to push any further. Unfortunately Clarence did not.

Leaning forward once again, he spoke just a few inches away from Morgan's ear.

"You know, that little bitch is gonna be right back in my bed straight after you release me."

"Clarence, just sit back and be quiet." Emily raised her voice.

He chuckled, "No."

"If you don't I'm going to pull this car over and…"

"What? What exactly are you going to do you dumb bitch."

Emily jumped in her seat a little as Morgan suddenly whipped around and practically leaped into the back seat, pushing Clarence backwards. Leaning over, he placed his forearm across the man's chest, "You shut up and don't say a word until we get you in that interview room. I am not some little girl you can push around and so help me God if you don't shut up I'll show you."

Emily could hear the venom in Morgan's voice and was worried. He rarely lost his cool this way. Not that Clarence didn't deserve it, but she knew this wasn't about Clarence. It was about that phone call.

Morgan had managed to shock Clarence into sitting still and mute for the rest of the journey. He was deposited in the interview room and handed over to Hotch and Rossi.

…

"So you gonna tell me what's up?" Emily asked as she drove to the victim's family home.

Morgan had his elbow rested on the door, sat in the same trance he had been all the way to the precinct earlier, staring out of the window.

"Morgan?" She said a little louder, but still gentle.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him turn toward her, "The phone call was from an old friend of mine when I worked in Chicago."

"What. When you were a cop?"

"Yeah. He just told me that my old partner was murdered."

Emily's eyes widened and she couldn't help but turn to look at him quickly.

"Derek, I'm so sorry. Did he say how?"

"No, I told him I'd call him back to find out more."

"Ok. Well I'll deliver the news to the Howards. You call your friend."

"No Emily, I should come with you. I'll be fine."

"I know you'll be fine Derek, but it doesn't take two of us to tell them. Stay in the car and I'll speak to them. Ok?"

"Ok."

He didn't need anymore convincing. He was desperate to find out exactly what happened to his friend.

…..

Emily stood talking to the Howards, telling them that their daughter was in hospital, fighting for her life, after being beaten and burnt by the boyfriend that they had detested since the first day they met him. It was not easy. And seeing Morgan distressed, pacing up and down beside the SUV made it no easier. She spent no less time with them than they needed though and soon she was back outside with Morgan.

She returned just as he was just getting back into the SUV. She joined him but said nothing. Just drove. To ask him if he was ok would be stupid. He wasn't ok. She could see it in his face. His lips were purse. His eyebrows dipped. His breathing rapid. He looked like he was about to explode. This was not a conversation for the car.

"Where are we going?" Morgan asked, his attention suddenly drawn to their surroundings.

"We're just getting coffee."

"Don't we need to get back?"

"Nope. Hotch and Rossi have it all under control. We're having coffee."

….

"So…. What's your friend's name?" Emily asked not letting her gaze leave his face as they sat in the booth waiting for their order.

"Pete…. Pete Collins. We were partners for nearly a year and we've been friends since. But…." He stopped shaking his head.

"But what?"

"I can't remember the last time I spoke to him." Morgan looked up from the table to meet her stare… "I can't remember."

A wave of guilt suddenly flowed throughout him. Every time he had thought about ringing Pete lately he had put it off until tomorrow. Now, tomorrow would never come.

"Hey listen… " She said leaning in a bit closer. "…. we all get busy. Life gets in the way sometimes… Tell me what's happened."

"All I know is that he was killed at his house. His throat was slashed."

"Do they have any idea who did it?"

Morgan shook his head slowly, looking deep in thought.

"What?" Emily asked sensing there was something more.

"A few days before, two other cops were killed."

"And they think it was the same person?"

"No. Well, not officially. They haven't linked the cases. Max says there isn't enough, but…"

"But you're not convinced?"

"I have nothing to base that on, but I have to know."

"Of course. I understand. So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to ask Max to send the crime scene notes and photos"
Emily couldn't hide the slight grimace on her face.
"What?" He asked a little annoyed.
She leant in even closer and softened her voice,
"Derek, remember when you took me to see Matthew in the mortuary? "
He nodded.
"Well every time I think of him, all I see is that vision of him on the slab. You don't want to remember your friend that way. Believe me. "
"I have to make sure."

The almost pleading tone of his voice took her back to that day John Cooley told her Matthew was dead. She had felt numb. All that mattered to her was finding out exactly what had happened. It was all she could focus on that day…. That day she needed her team, the same way Morgan did today.
"I know you need to find out what happened. I get that. All I'm suggesting is that you let me take a look at the photos first. Don't look at them unless you really have to."
He sat staring at the table, his eyebrows still downwards.
"You do trust me right?" She asked.
"Of course I do. . . I just. . . . "

He did trust her. He knew she would go over the crime scene notes with a fine tooth comb for him, but he had to know for himself;

He looked back up at her, "If you could go back, would you change anything you did?" he asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"Would you still go and see Matthew?"

She looked him in the eyes and they both knew the answer to that question without her needing to answer it,

"Yes. I would do it all the same and I'm not saying don't ever look at the photos, just let me take a look first. I'll get Reid to look at them with me. Between us we won't miss anything. Any hint of a link and I promise we'll take it to Hotch.. .. . . Deal?"
"Deal." He uttered.

She smiled in an attempt to reassure him, but it was futile. They both knew he would be looking at the photos. He owed it to Pete to make sure justice was done, but they were both content to let Emily be his buffer, even if only temporarily.
"Come on then" She said as she stood, ". . . Give Max a call on the way back and get him to send the stuff to Garcia. . . . Oh and you better warn her. "
…

Morgan, Reid and Emily stood in Garcia's office, with the techy ready to open the files.
Emily turned to look at Morgan who stood with his arms folded, showing no intention of moving.
She moved closer to him and lowered her voice, "We've got this."
"I can handle it Emily."
"I know you can, but remember what I said about Matthew."
He took a long look at her and then back to the blank screen. He knew she was right, but now that he was here… Now that with one click of a button so much could be revealed, he didn't want to leave.
"I promise you we won't miss anything." She whispered.
Ear wigging the profilers' conversation, Garcia jumped up and took hold of Morgan's arm, "Come on you. . . you can buy me lunch."

Emily's stare on him didn't falter. He knew she was not going to give up, so he relented… for now anyway, and he let Garcia lead him out of the room. As soon as the two had disappeared, Reid jumped into Garcia's seat and opened up the first of the photographs.
"Ok this is the crime scene of the first two victims, Officers Frankie Mathers and Adam Hayes. . ." Reid started, "The crime scene notes state that they got a call to possible intruders on site at an old workshop."
The two agents took a few moments to take in the first photo. A dark haired, stocky male could be seen lying face down, a pool of blood spread either side of his torso. A placard with the number '1' had been placed on the wooden floor next to his head.
"Mathers was found face down in the main workshop area with a single gun shot wound to his back. Not one other mark on him suggesting any kind of fight." Reid took from the notes.
"Does it say whether he had his weapon drawn?" Emily asked, scanning the photo for any clues.
"Looks like it, notes say the gun was found underneath him, but not holstered."
"Ok so the unsub was quick and quiet. Doesn't look like Mathers even attempted to turn round. "
"No it says the bullet went straight through his heart, not at any angle. "
"There's not much to go on here. . . . ." She muttered. ". . . . Go to the next photo. "
As the next image appeared, both agents' eyes widened at the sight. A complete contrast to the scene before.
A much more slender male was lying on his back with arms and legs out to the sides in a star shape. His young eyes were wide open as if he were staring straight at the camera. If he didn't have a cop's uniform on, they would have sworn he was barely old enough to drive, let alone protect the streets of Chicago.
Usually, their attention would be first drawn to the shiny bolts pierced through the palms of his hands, pinning him to the floor, but right now, all they could focus on was the cut up flesh that once was his torso.
"It says he was slashed sixty three times on his chest. Cause of death a single stab wound to the heart." Reid cited from the notes
"Does it say when the slashes were done"
"Yeah. Before he died, apart from the arc carved into his stomach. That was done afterward."
"So, he was prepared enough to go to the lengths of bolting the victim's hands to the floor with a nail gun and tying his feet to the pipes, but frantic enough to slash him sixty three times?" Emily was asking herself.
"The unsub may not have been frantic. May be he was torturing the victim. He wanted him to suffer before he died. And the carving was done with care."
"What's that all about do you think?"
"No idea. . . Shall we look at the third victim?"
It felt wrong somehow referring to Derek's friend as 'the victim'. They all knew using that terminology helped to desensitise themselves a little, but on this occasion that just didn't feel right.

Once again the scene was completely different to the previous ones. The warm looking sitting room was a stark contrast to the dark, cold looking workshop from before. In the middle of the room was a white male, sat on what looked like a wooden dining room chair. The white male of course was Pete Collins. The first photo of this set was looking at Pete sideways on, his head hanging forward with his chin resting on his chest.

"Look at his body Reid…" Emily started. "…. It's covered in bruises. He took a huge beating before he died. What was the cause of death?"

Reid pulled up the next photo.

"This…." Was all he said as he pointed to the close up shot of Pete's head. It was obviously being held up by someone as the photo was taken. They stared at the slit in his neck, exposing the inside of his throat and the slashes on his face.

"So he beats him, slashes his throat and then carves into his face?" Emily asks Reid.

"Yeah, and again the carvings on his face were done after death, but it's a different shape this time."

"Well I don't know about you Reid, but that's enough to link them for me. All cops and two of them badly hurt before being killed and then carvings post mortem."

"Yeah I agree, but there's still a lot of differences. You wanna speak to Hotch now or look at the crimes scenes some more first?"

"Seven heads are better than two." Emily stated

"So you think Morgan should help too?"

"No, but do you think we'll stop him?"

Reid shook his head.

"Ok, you speak to Hotch and gather the others. I'll go talk to Morgan. Emily said, turning and making her way out of the room.

…..

As Emily approached Morgan and Garcia she gave him a small smile. He couldn't tell if it was a good news or bad news smile, but then he guessed there was no good news today.

"Well?" He asked before she could even open her mouth.

Nodding her head she said, "Yeah we think they may be linked."

"I knew it."

Garcia placed one hand on his arm, "She said think Morgan."

He looked back to Garcia and then returned to Emily, "Tell me."

"There are some key parts of the MO that are pretty unique. We decided that it would be best for all of us to go through the crime scenes together. There are a lot of differences too Derek. Reid is just speaking to Hotch now."

"Ok, let's go."

As he began to walk past Emily, she held out her hand in front of him, lightly touching his stomach preventing him walking any further.

"What?" He said looking down at her hand.

"Listen, before we go in there and look at these photos I just want to prepare you. I'm not trying to stop you, but this is your friend."

He swallowed as he stared at her.

"How bad is it?" He muttered.

"It's not pretty, but you have seen far worse. Just remember the Pete you knew ok?" She said softly.

He nodded and then followed Emily's lead to the round table where the rest of the team, except Hotch, were all gathered.

He could feel all the sad stares from his friends bearing down on him as he took his seat, but he didn't want pity. He just wanted these people to help find who did this to his friend and stop it from happening to anyone else.

Morgan focused his attention on Hotch who was entering the room. The Unit Chief reciprocated;

"Morgan, I'm sorry about your friend. If we can, we will do everything we can to catch this guy."

"If?" Morgan questioned.

"We haven't been invited in on this yet. It isn't our case."

"But if we think we have a serial cop killer they'll want all the help they can get right?" Reid quickly got in.

"Yes and if we find that link, I promise I will call the Police Department myself and offer our assistance… Right, Prentiss can you go through what we have so far."

She glanced quickly at Morgan who was suddenly focused in on her and then nodded to Reid to bring the photos up on the screen in front of them.

Seeing Morgan tense as the pictures appeared, she started her briefing to take any focus off him,

"Ok, we have three victims. All cops with the Chicago Police Department. The first two victims were partners, Adam Hayes, a rookie, 22 years old and Frankie Mathers, 43 years old, Hayes' training officer. Third victim is Pete Collins, 39 years old, Detective with fifteen years service."

"What connections are there between the three of them?" Rossi asked.

"Apart from the fact they are all cops, none. Mathers and Hayes work at a different precinct to Collins, all of their arrests have been cross referenced and there are no matches. Collins has never worked with either Mathers or Hayes."

Hotch frowned, "Ok, talk us through the crime scenes."

Emily nodded once again towards Reid who took the lead, "The first victims are Mathers and Hayes. On Thursday 21st April they answered a call to Baker's & Sons, an old workshop in the Wicker Park District of Chicago at one twenty five a.m. Despatch could make no contact with them after they called in to say they had arrived. They despatched another unit which arrived twenty minutes later."

"Twenty minutes?" Morgan said, the frustration in his voice not escaping anyone.

"Yeah, apparently it was a busy night and the area they were in is a known black spot for the radios so their response was a bit slower than would normally be expected."

Rossi glanced over to Morgan as he shook his head, and then leant in a little closer to him, "I know it's no consolation, but I don't think a quicker response would have made any difference here Morgan."

Everyone in the room, including Morgan, knew that Rossi could not possibly know that, but no-one interjected understanding the older Agent's reasons for making such a statement. As angry as it made Morgan, there was nothing he could do to change it now, and he needed to hear the rest.

Emily looked at Reid and widened her eyes willing him to continue

"So, Mathers was shot in the back from approximately 10 feet away. There are no defensive wounds anywhere and no other indication that he had any kind of altercation with the unsub. Hayes is a different story though."

Reid moved closer to the screen and pointed to the photo of Hayes.

"Hayes' hands were bolted to the wooden floor and his ankles tied to the pipes on the wall. He had sixty three slash marks on his chest and was killed by a single stab wound to the heart. Then this was carved into his chest after he was dead." Reid traced the arc on Hayes' stomach.

"Any idea what that means?" JJ asked.

"No not yet…" Emily interjected, "…. but there may be a clue in the next photo."

She looked to Reid, but he just stared back at her and she knew he was waiting for her to deliver the most difficult analysis.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Morgan shifting in his seat a little, bracing himself for what was about to come.

Wanting to make this as quick as possible, she rapidly continued and stood up to replace Reid by the screen and looked towards her team.

"Ok, Pete Collins was at home alone, off duty, on Monday 25th April. It was his second day off. At three fifteen a.m. the neighbours' dog woke them up barking in the back yard. When they went to have a look, they found a bloody rag in the back garden and saw the back door of Pete Collin's house open. They called the Police who arrived ten minutes later and found Pete."

Before turning to the screen, she gave Morgan one look. A look that he knew meant what was coming was about to hurt. He knew this was going to be bad, but he couldn't help but want to know every single thing that happened to his friend. This was the only way they would be able to find his killer and stop anyone else falling victim to him. But suddenly something came to him and he sat forward in his seat,

"Emily?"

They all turned to look at him hearing the slight desperation in his voice as he said her name.

"Yeah."

"You said he was home alone. It was the middle of the night. Where was Melanie….? His wife."

"The notes say her mother was taken ill suddenly that day and she went to stay with her for the night."

"Oh ok." He said, leaning back.

Emily stared at him for a few seconds wandering if there was anything further, but nothing came. She saw the whole room staring at him also, so pointed to the screen to grab their attention back.

"Pete was found in his sitting room tied to a dining chair. He had extensive bruising to his face, torso and legs which were as a result of an assault before he died."

"And the cause of death?" Hotch asked.

She took a deep breath and let her eyes dart to Morgan before resting on Reid again to bring up the next photo.

Morgan stared at the close up image in front of him of his friend's face. But it wasn't his friend. It was a monstrosity. There was a gaping hole where his neck should be. His face was black and blue and cut up. Morgan dug his fingernails into the armrests to stop himself jumping up and kicking the table. He felt one by one his friends glance over to him, but quickly look away again, not wanting him to see their sympathy. They knew that was not what he wanted right now. He wanted them to catch the killer.

After a few seconds of being consumed by the photo he became aware that Emily was talking again.

"….. obviously the cause of death was the loss of blood from the throat being slashed, however just like with Hayes, these carvings on his face were made after Pete died."

"But it's a completely different shape." Garcia stated.

"Yes, but the carvings on both Hayes and Pete were done post mortem with time and precision." Emily answered.

"But we have no idea what they symbolise…." Hotch started. "….however, the fact that the victims are all cops and the unusual MO of the carvings being made post mortem is enough to start us off. I will call Chicago and offer our services. Garcia, can you start going through the victim's backgrounds both personal and professional. There has to be a link. JJ, can you get the jet ready….. If they invite us in we will analyse this further on the plane and be ready for wheels up in thirty."

To be continued…..