𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 of police sirens blarred in the distance. Another body, she's been dead for two hours. If she'd got their two hours earlier, connected the dots faster than this woman would still be alive. It'd been five days since Esperanza assembled her unit for this case.

Two more bodies had shown up. The Riddler's kill count has gone up from three girls, to four. Including this one. It was barely midnight, Esperanza was at her office when she'd gotten the call. "Where's the CSI?!" Esperanza called, as she examined the body, it was found behind a hair solon.

She should've guessed that, the last two victims were killed with items that's used in solons. Vickey Lowens, killed with a pair of scissors, Victoria Dunn killed with a sharpened plastic comb. If she had been smarter..

If she has been better she would've been able to work on a geographical profile. Then she could've sent officers to watch local solons. And then they could've kept watch, and then this peice of misogynistic filth would've been caught.

But she wasn't. She failed, and she'd have to live with that. "Uh, wh-where's the body?" Hugo questioned as he stepped under the plastic yellow caution tape. "Over here." Esperanza called, waving him over as she lead the over to the body. Same question mark etched into the victim's chest.

"You always come late CSI Sullivan?' Esperanza questioned as she slipped on some blue gloves. "Uhm, n-no, or at least I-I try not to be. It's just that I-I usually take the subway. I mean, I have a car. But it's kind of out of commission right now. I let my sister borrow it once and after that it stopped working."

Hugo said, beginning to ramble as he bagged and tagged evidence. Occasionally taking pictures here and there. "I think it's because she's always such a rageful driver, but it's also due to the fact that-" Hugo cut himself when he noticed Detective Icarus staring at him with a quriked brow. "I-I'm sorry..I got really off topic." Hugo said, his face tinting a faint red as he looked between Detective Icarus and Esperanza.

Esperanza gave him an indecipherable look, her lips had the slightest upturn. She looked back down at the body. Although after a few minutes she began to itch her hands. And there was a little crinkle in between her brows. Slight hints of discomfort creeped onto her features. She took the gloves off throwing them to ground and quietly wore profusely in Spanish. Hugo observed the action, his head tilted.

Esperanza walked over to her car and opened the door. She took a Benadryl tablet, along with some water. She cursed herself for not being more careful. Obviously the gloves would be latex. Why was she being so stupid today? Couldn't she just use her brain for once and think?!

Hugo took into account her behavior and quickly deduced that she had a latex allergy. "Hey, uhm, d-does anyone have any latex-free gloves here?" Hugo asked, projecting his voice slightly. Singer raised a pair of gloves that she had taken from her bag. "I do, I have a terrible latex allergy, so I always keep some on hand." Singer said, handing him the gloves. "Thanks." Hugo nodded.

Esperanza screwed her eyes shut, resisting the urge to itch her hands further. She leaned her head against the head rest as her thoughts slowly began to spiral. Her moment of silence was interrupted by the sound of tapping on her window and her body tensed. She opened her eyes, and looked out the car window.

Esperanza relaxed a little as she saw it was just Hugo. She opened the car door and exited the car. "Yes, CSI Sullivan?" Esperanza asked, "Oh, I-I uhm...I found got some latex-free gloves from Detective Singer." Hugo said sheepishly as he hand Esperanza the gloves. Esperanza looked down at the gloves then back at him.

Her lips curled upward just a little. "Thanks Hugo." Esperanza responded, giving him a nod as she slipped the latex-free gloves on. She walked back over to the crime scene. After they got what was needed they shuffled to their cars or SUVs and drove back to the precinct.

They were missing something. Someone. Esperanza could profile, and she could do it well. She knew her fair share of misogynistic serial killers. But she wasn't an expert. She didn't spend her childhood and college years studying them, criminal psychology wasn't her major.

It was, however, Althea Madden's major.
Althea knew how to disect a person's mind like second nature. She could get into Esperanza's head in way that could make her skin crawl. And she needed someone like that to get inside the mind of this sadistic serial killer.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐃 some notes from her last session onto the lined paper of her notebook. The only sound that could be heard was the ink pen moving against the paper. Althea's teeth tugged at the dead skin of her bottom lip. She closed the notebook and set it down.

She was about to take sip of her coffee when she heard the sound of a knock on her door. She set down the cup, slightly confused. Her next session wasn't until late that afternoon. She walked over to the door and opened it.

"Oh, Jason.." She greeted, faltering slightly, "are you here for a session, I don't have you on the shcedule." Althea continued. Jason shifted nevrously. He wasn't doing anything but delivering a message. "Uhm...no, no, I mean, I probably need it."

He joked, "but, uhm, no. Captain Gonzalez wanted to see you. Well..us, technically." Jason explained. Althea furrowed her brows slightly. She was confused as to why Esperanza needed to see her, but she followed Jason to Esperanza's office nonetheless.

Jason knocked on Esperanza's office door and heard a muffled 'come in!' Jason pushed the door open, letting Althea go in before him. "Uh, Captain Gonzalez, I brought Dr. Madden as you requested." Jason spoke. Esperanza jotted something down in the file that she was creating.

She gestured towards the two seats before her. Althea and Jason both sat down. The seats were uncomfortably close together. Althea crossed her legs and inched closer towards the edge of the seat in order to avoid her and Jason's legs touching.

Although looking down at the file Esperanza saw the action and quirked a brow. The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a knife. They sat in silence for a few more unbearable seconds. Esperanza finally closed the file and clasped her hands.

"I called you two here today because as you know there is a serial killer on the loose." Esperanza stated, Althea felt her heart rate spike at those two paralyzing words. Serial killer. Althea sat there. Still. Frozen. Jason could sense her inner panic.

Without much thought he grabbed her hand and gave it three gentle squeezes. She blinked a bit, and looked at him. Althea cleared her throat and looked up at Esperanza. "I'm sorry...Es-..Captain Gonzalez, I can't help you on this case. But I have a list of other capable Detectives-"

Esperanza cut her off. "I understand your hesitance. And I know that I have plenty talented Detectives..but they aren't you. You're one of the best criminal analyst I have. You spent years studying these sick minds." Esperanza started off.

"We could use your help. But you're not obligated to participate in this investigation. Don't answer now. Just think it over." Esperanza concluded. Althea nodded. "I'd like your help as well for this Novak. You're a seasoned Detective, and think differently than a lot of others." Esperanza added.

Jason was shocked, but not suprised. He nodded, "I'd be willing to join the unit." He accepted. "Thank you Detective Novak you're dismissed." Jason nodded and stood up and walked over to Esperanza's office. He cast one last glance at Althea's tense form.

He opened the door and walked out. The sound of the door clicking shut took Althea out of her thoughts, she looked beside her realizing that Jason was gone. She looked back at Esperanza who had a concerned look on her face.

Esperanza let out a sigh. "What's goin' on Al?" Esperanza inquried her voice suprisingly soft. Althea blinked a bit and pressed her lips together. Althea was silent for several moments. Internally battling with the want to reach out for help, and her own pride. "I'm fine Es," she lied poorly.

Esperanza just gave her a slightly disappointed look. Although Althea couldn't tell whether Esperanza was disappointed in the quality of the lie, or the lie in itself. "Okay," she nods, "now how are you really feeling?" Esperanza asked. Althea chuckled a bit, she didn't know how many times she'd asked Esperanza that same question.

"Using my own tricks against me, huh?" Althea asked, "don't deflect Al.." Esperanza retorted. Her voice firm, yet not unkind. Althea sighed. "I..manage. But things haven't been the same. They'll never be the same. Not after my death..."