'reflections'
act one.

chapter six: subtle foreshadowing

"If I knew it all then, woud I do it again?"
Billie Eilish

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THE CLICK OF AGENT LOCKE'S HEELS AGAINST THE LIBRARY FLOOR ECHOED AS SHE ENTERED.

All of the naturals were seated in various spaces, preparing for Locke's lecture on organized killers in comparison to disorganized  ones.

Vienna was seated next to Michael, Sloane across from her, and Cassie next to her at one of the tables which had four chairs. Lia and Dean were sitting on one of the couches next to the table, Dean was sitting straight up while Lia  was lying down, legs draped off the edge of the black couch.

It was the Monday after Dean and Vienna had made the trip to Idaho to talk to Devon, and Vienna had already received a call from the young boy. He was staying at a boys home, and had already made friends with one of the other boys, James, who was also his roommate.

Vienna was glad that he hadn't been upset to live at a boy's home, because Vienna imagined it wasn't as glamorous as Briggs had described to him, though he seemed to be adapting well.

Locke walked into the room, though she didn't look like herself. she appeared to be on edge, though her outfit was put together. "Good morning, everyone. I have to-be leaving soon...but, uh, I told Briggs I'd give you all a lesson on organized vs. disorganized killers before I have to go." she walks over to the large white board, drawing a chart, splitting it down the middle and adding both different types of killers to either side.

"Alright." Locke clicks open a red dry erase marker, yawning.

Michael looks to vienna and speaks under his breath. "She looks like she didn't get much sleep last night. I wonder what she was doing, or who-"

Vienna gives him a look, and Locke was also staring at him. "Michael, could you give me the basic definition of a disorganized killer."

"Uh-" he looks to Vienna for help.

"Nope, you can't  ask her for help."

"Uh, their rooms aren't clean?"

"Good lord." Locke squeezes her eyes shut. "Does anyone else know the answer?"

Vienna was the first to raise her hand eagerly.

"Fine, Vienna, what is it?"

"A disorganized killer aren't as put together as organized ones, they're often more impulsive, which is a contrast from that of the organized killers."

"That's right. Like Vienna says, they're impulsive, and they rarely plan their kills." Locke scribbled some bullet points onto the white board. "Their kills are often influenced by strong emotions, along with psychological distress. Whereas with organized killers,who do, what?" Locke looks around the room.

Cassie raises her hand. "Yes Cassie?"

"Uh, i think you told me that they plan out their crimes, pre-meditated was the word you used?"

Locke smiles. "Yes. Can anyone tell me anything else about the disorganized killer?"

Vienna's hand shot up.

"Other than Vienna and Cassie?"

Vienna looked to Michael, who was clicking his pen against the table. She kicked his foot lightly with her own in an attempt to get his attention.

"Huh?" He looks up. "Oh, uh, Ted Bundy was organized right?"

Locke nods. "Yes, and what about him makes his kills organized?"

Vienna smirks proudly. She had told him that Ted Bundy had been organizing, at least she knows now that he does listen to her rambling sometimes.

"He-didn't he lure in women with his charm or whatever? Don't organized killers know more about social cues?"

"Yes, they do. Great job Michael. As opposed to an organized killer's charm, disorganized killers often self-isolate from the rest of society. They may be described as awkward, too." Locke writes these two differences on the board. "Does anyone else have anything before to add before I continue?"

"Organized killers are most the most common types of killers." Sloane piped up. "70% of all serial killers are organized, 20% are disorganized, while 10% are a mix of both. This is because most killers plans their murders carefully before they actually commit the crimes. And there are fewer disorganized ones due to the fact that their kills are often triggered by severe mental health issues including psychotic breaks, which makes them somewhat incapable of carrying out multiple crimes, and the inability to plan. And as for the mixed offenders, they often start disorganized and 'learn from experience' and end up being organized in the end."

"Good, Sloane. That's very good information." Locke says shortly, scribbling some words on the board. She was looking more agitated by the second, and Vienna couldn't figure out why.

"Michael." She hissed.

"What?" He turns his head to look at her.

"Does she seem a bit..."

"On edge?" Michael finished her sentence as Vienna searched for the correct wording.

"Yeah." She nods.

"Totally. I don't know what's going on. I mean, she's worked with killers for years, is this really triggering her?"

"I doubt it, I mean-"

"Michael, and Vienna, is there something you'd like to share?" Locke's voice interrupts their conversation.

"No." Vienna says sheepishly. She hated getting caught talking during important lectures like this.

"Look, I don't know what in the world is going on with the two of you today, but it needs to stop." her voice was rough, and her eyes angry.

"Sorry, Agent." Michael asks, as Vienna avoids eye contact with the both of them.

"Now, if you both could save your conversation until after I leave, that would be amazing."

"We will." Vienna mumbled.

"Alright." Locke scans the room. "Lia, can you tell me how the victimology of the two types of killers are different from one another?"

The girl nods, twirling her jet black pony tail with her index finger, just as she always has. "Disorganized killers just pick anyone they find to kill, just whoever is near them. Organized ones have a certain type, like Drew Walters had a thing for blonde women, or how Ted Bundy liked brunettes. The same goes for any hair color, ginger, grey, anything. Eye color too, along with age."

Locke swallows so hard that you could see her throat moving. "Mhm, that's right Lia."

Lia's brows furrow as Locke turns their back to her to write on the board. She looks to Vienna and Michael with a confused look. So, it wasn't  just Michael and Vienna who noticed that there's definitely something off with Agent Locke.

She hadn't been cracked a single joke, and she hadn't smiled once. Now, then no smiling thing wax normal for Briggs, but Locke was different.

The woman looks at her watch, brushing her bright ginger hair from her face. "Well, I've got to  get going. I'll leave this up here so you can use it as reference when Briggs gives you all new work this afternoon. I'll see you all."

And before anyone could say anything, she was already gone.

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A FEW HOURS LATER, Vienna was sitting opposite Briggs in the study.

"Vienna, your contributions to the last case have not gone unnoticed by me, and your ability to make Devon feel comfortable was a very good sign that you know what you're doing and that you've learned well. As I told you a few months ago, I just needed a bit more proof that you were able to handle a cold case of your very own. And your performance on the last case was important, so I have decided that it is time that you solve your own cold case.

Vienna's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes, you have grown so much into a talented asset for everyone here, and I think you've proven yourself." Briggs opens up a drawer and pulled out a rather thick case file.

"This is the case of the Vanishing Artist." He pushes the file across the table and Vienna takes it in her hands. "Now, I know how you tend to overwhelm yourself, and I don't want you to do this here. If you need help, ask the other Naturals. And if it comes to it, Agent Locke and myself could help you out. I do think that you're able to figure this out, Vienna, you're very bright, but don't overwork yourself."

"Thank you, Briggs." She smiled. "I promise I won't disappoint you."

"I know you won't. Best of luck, Vienna."

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THE LIBRARY WAS QUIET as Vienna read the artist case file, which was unlike anything that Vienna had seen before.

Years ago, a series of murders occurred, each victim found near a cryptic mural painted by an elusive street artist. The murders stopped when the artist mysteriously disappeared, and the case went cold.

In the case file were faded photographs of each of the murals. Each mural has a different symbol that had been circled in red pen. Each crime scene was unique in their own way due to the symbol, though the killer's MO was the same in each scene.

Vienna stared at the lifeless bodies. The victimology was a scattered variety of ages, races, genders, and appearances. That was a trait of an unorganized killer, and the artist didn't care to hide the body, that is evident in the fact that he had posed them on the streets of New York City in front of one of his murals.

Well, Vienna assumed it was a man, though there weren't as many female killers, at least in the cases that she had worked. According to Sloane, only 10% of serial killers were women, the other 90% are made up of men.

Though, anything can happen.

There were three murders over the span of six months, each one approximately two months apart. So he was fast, taking into the fact that he had to paint the murals before killing the people, or maybe after he killed them?

There were also several murals in the same parts of New York with the same artist style as the ones by the bodies, which authorities thought to be the same artist, though nobody had seen any of them being painted.

Well, Vienna did have some time to figure it out, and she was overjoyed at the fact that Briggs trusts her enough to do it entirely on her own.

She theorized that each symbol gave away a clue about the victim. The first symbol found next to 62 year old Gary Paul's body were several broken clock. The second symbol next to 34 year old Tracy Buford was four pairs of eyes scattered about the mural. The final symbol was three birds found on the mural next to the body of 23 year old Travis Boil.  

They could symbolize something about the victims, though Gary Paul wasn't a clock maker, Tracy wasn't an optometrist, and there was nothing linking Travis to any sort of birds. 

It was late, and all of the information was seemingly running together.

Vienna laid her head down on the desk, maybe she would just sleep for a few minutes to clear her head.....

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"VIENNA MAEVE PRESCOTT, did you fall asleep in the library again?"

Vienna was jolted awake by the voice of Lia Zhang as she entered the library. "Huh? No..." Vienna sat up groggily.

"Mhm, and why do you have sleep marks on your face? and Why is that casefile photo stuck to your cheek?"

She groans, scowling at Lia as she peels the paper from her warm cheek. "How long have I been down here?"

"Like two hours. We were all talking about how weird Locke was acting this morning at dinner, and you weren't there to add anything to the conversation so I came to find you."

"I missed dinner?" Vienna asks sadly.

"Yeah, but Michael saved you some, don't worry."

"Ok, good."

"Do you know what's going on with Locke, Vi?" Lia sat down across from Vienna, staring at her in curiosity.

"No, I have no idea."

"She never gets mad at you, I think you're her favorite, so it was weird."

"It was really weird. She seemed really uptight." Vienna nods in agreement.

"It's probably just this new murder case. It's probably really getting to her."

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cam's notes!

subtle foreshadowing....🫣🫣

i'm having so much motivation to write guys omg!

qotd: who is your favorite artist, and favorite song? (if you can't think of one song, favorite album?) my favorite artists are Gracie Abrams and Taylor Swift, and my favorite songs right now are probably cowboy like me from Taylor and That's So True by Gracie!

please comment and vote, i love reading all your comments, and i'll see you all in the next chapter<3