TIES THAT BIND, Jay Halstead

002.

As the team split up to follow their leads, Jay found himself working closely with Spencer Reid. The younger agent had a mind like no other, his knowledge of psychology and behavior patterns far beyond anyone Jay had worked with before. But there was something about Spencer that made Jay uneasy—his quirks, his social awkwardness, his tendency to overthink everything. It wasn’t that Jay didn’t respect Spencer’s intelligence; it was just... different.

They were in the archives, going through old case files when Spencer suddenly stopped, his finger hovering over a particular file.

“Wait,” Spencer said, his voice sharp with realization. “This is it.”

Jay leaned over, glancing at the file Spencer had pulled. It was a case from years ago—another set of murders with eerily similar patterns. The victims were different, but the locations were the same. Homes, schools, hospitals.

“This is the link,” Spencer muttered, his eyes wide with excitement. “We’ve seen this before. The unsub is targeting places where people are supposed to feel safe, like you said.”

Jay nodded, his mind racing. “But why? What’s the connection?”

Before Spencer could answer, Alba appeared in the doorway, her presence as commanding as ever. She didn’t need to say anything—her sharp gaze was enough to make both of them stop talking.

“Did you find something?” she asked, her voice cold but tinged with a hint of urgency.

Spencer quickly explained the connection between the two sets of murders, his words tumbling out in a rush. Alba listened intently, her expression still unreadable. When he finished, she took a moment to absorb the information, her eyes flicking between Spencer and Jay.

“This could be the break we need,” she said finally, her voice low but firm. “But we need to move fast. The unsub is getting bolder. We can’t afford to make mistakes.”

Jay felt the weight of her words settle over him. This wasn’t just another case. This was something bigger, something darker. And Alba was right—there was no room for mistakes.

As the team gathered to plan their next move, Jay couldn’t help but feel a surge of determination. He wasn’t just here to follow orders. He was here to prove himself, to show that he could keep up with Alba’s ruthless, cold efficiency.

But more than that, he was here to catch the unsub. To stop the killing.

And he would do whatever it took to make that happen.

The team spent the next day poring over the case files. The tension in the air was palpable, and even Jay, who had seen his fair share of high-stakes investigations, couldn’t shake the sense of urgency hanging over them. There was something about this case—something that felt different. It wasn’t just about catching a killer; it was about understanding the twisted mind behind the murders.

“We’re missing something,” Jay said, leaning forward. “We know that the victims don’t seem to have any clear connection to each other, other than these locations. But what if that’s the point? What if the unsub is targeting spaces, not people?”

Alba, who had been silent up until now, shot him a quick glance. Her eyes were cold, calculating. She didn’t give praise easily, but Jay could see the flicker of approval in her gaze. “Go on,” she urged, her tone clipped.