It was a bit short for the IMF chapters but don't worry, there will be more soon.

I can't believe that I got 5K Reads despite that I don't update all the time. Thank you guys so much!

This story is available on Quotev (Mirajane) and Fanfiction.net (mirajanewolf46)

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It seems like I'm becoming a selfish person now. I don't deserve Novilene's kindness and she'd done a lot to me. What about in return? Nothing. I always think of myself instead of my sister happiness.

She decided to stay out of mission despite I need her so much for this mission. Novilene is an excellent IMF Agent but I also learn to accept her decision she made. My sister, I owe her a lot.

When am I going to pay her back the kindness that she's done to me? I've tried plenty of times to let her retire and continuing her job as FBI Agent instead of two job at once. I'll do everything I could to make her retire the IMF soon. I can't bear to lose my sister. ~Ethan Hunt

I am happy for Julia and Ethan are already married as husband and wife. Ethan deserves happiness for all he'd been through from past to present. He's willing to risks his life to protect us from any danger. Sometimes, we can't predict the future that we're facing and learned to accept it.

I wonder if my happiness will last long together with Spencer? Will he and I be together just as Julia and Ethan are? Despite our jobs are dangerous mostly my job is. Being an IMF Agent is not easy especially the Government wanting your skills so badly. ~Novilene Cruz

She's The One

F.B.I, Behavioral Analysis Unit ||Quantico, Virginia||

Novilene receives a message from Hotch that they need her to help the case since she's off duty as an IMF Agent for now. She often sent messages to her sister-in-law, Julia, and asked how she's doing right now. Julia knew that they need Novilene because it is an emergency case at this late night.

"Guys, we are about to meet Max Ryan, the guy responsible for catching the Boise child killer. Have you ever talked to him before?" Novilene smiled in amusing hearing Reid rambling one of her dad's friend, Max Ryan.

She met Max Ryan before back in England and it was completely unpleasant during that case. When Novilene was 12 years old involved herself into that case and she outsmarted Max that makes her number 1 hate from him.

"Let's just say that he loathes me for outsmarted him." Novilene showed herself up causing the four to jumped in surprised to see her again. "How's life treating you guys?"

"Nov!" Elle immediately hugged her before Reid had a chance to do it. "You're back."

"I am." She smiled slightly but they could tell she's still mourning of her loss friend or teammate.

"You outsmarted him, when?" Morgan asks curiously and pleased to see her again.

"When I was 12 years old." They stared at her in disbelief that she let herself involved the case at the very young age. "I'm not surprised if he still hates me for being outsmarted by a 12-year-old girl."

"You're full of surprises, Cruz." Hotch had a hard grasp to know a new information about her. "He's pretty intense, brusque. Not much of a bedside manner."

"Sound like anyone else we know?" Elle asks them and giving Novilene an apologetic look which she returned a shrugged from her shoulder that she didn't care.

"I heard he was forced into early retirement." Morgan pointed out when the three of them removed their coats.

"No, he chose to retire." Hotch corrected him.

"He's written a new book on the Keystone Killer case." Reid told them.

"He moved to Philadelphia to be closer to the crime scenes."

"That's retirement?" Elle asks sarcastically.

"BAU style." Morgan commented and glancing at Novilene. "Hey, if you need anything, don't hesitate to tell us, little sister." Seeing she never had a proper sleep for the past 2 days and wearing make-up is rare for her to put it on her face.

"Hmm..." Novilene nodded her head and smiled that he didn't ask how she's feeling right now.

"Who in his mind has not probed the black water?" Reid the question and Novilene immediately know what it is.

"John Steinbeck, East of Eden." Novilene blurted out the answer and smiling sheepishly at Reid but he just smiled that she knows the quote. The young woman glancing at the other man, Ryan Max, is standing beside Gideon and watching her like a hawk.

"Story of good and evil, love and hate." Gideon spoke up and mentally looked surprised that his daughter is involved with this case right after her friend's funeral.

"There's been some new activity on the Keystone Killer case." Ryan spoke up and Novilene remained blank expression but wanting to hear more information about this case.

"New?" Elle asks the retirement Agent.

"He was in Ryan's's lecture last night." Gideon answered.

"What? He got away?" Morgan asks.

"Would we have woken you up if we caught him?" Ryan snapped Morgan causing Novilene frowned at his tone then he glances at her. "I didn't expect you to join the BAU, brat."

Novilene mentally twitches her right eyebrow but decided to stare at him back. "They offered me a job, Sir and I accepted it to join them." She spoke up and noticing that he still holding the grudge against her for being a nosy person.

"Shouldn't you be in England, instead of here?" He asks with a cold tone and Novilene just fakely smile. The others stared at each other worriedly of what will this young woman do now?

"You're a retired Agent and you're not the boss of me." Novilene answered and her teammates mentally wince that she's going to explode in a minute. Everyone excluding Ryan knew that she's not in the mood to argue someone especially when she got herself back today right after Lindsey's funeral.

"He handed this letter to the security guard." Gideon changed the subject before they argued more.

"And he included two drivers licenses with it." Ryan commented and still glaring at Novilene then showing them another picture.

"One is from his last victim."

"Last known victim."

Novilene glancing at the papers she held and analyzing them carefully behind her glasses. "Amy Jennings, strangled in 1987."Grabbing a pen and started to encircle the words. "Did you see something?" Gideon asks seeing the young two geniuses are analyzing the paper.

"Ya, what is the significance of black bra and grey wool socks?" Reid spoke out loud and glancing at Novilene that she agreed with his opinion.

"That's what Amy Jennings was wearing when we found her." Ryan answered and walking slowly.

"That's a lot of detail to remember for 20 years." Morgan spoke up. "Green River killer couldn't remember where the bodies were buried much less what they were wearing."

"Well, some unsubs take pictures and print themselves so they can manipulate the scene, bring it to life. That would explain the level of detail."

"Does no fight in the rear window have anything to do with the Jennings case?" Novilene asks curiously towards the retired Agent.

"No. He entered in through the front door." Ryan answered her question. "There's ample evidence that Amy fought him very hard. Now he's referring to a new victim there."

"The second driver license. Carla Bromwell." Elle pointed out.

"There is a C. Bromwell here in the puzzle." Novilene spoke up and pushing her glasses up.

"Philly PD went to the address on the license a little while ago. Found her suffocated with a plastic bag." Gideon explained to his teammates.

"Suffocated? His previous victims were strangled." Morgan pointed out. "His M.O's different."

"He hasn't been killing all along, has he?" Elle questioned.

"It would have been difficult to tie these new murders to the Keystone Killer, what with the change of the methodology and the time that's elapsed between kills." Hotch pointed out the facts.

"If he'd been active, I would have known." Ryan spoke up.

"It's not entirely impossible for an unsub to switch he's M.O. The Zodiac Killer went from stabbing people to shooting them." Reid spoke up.

"Yes, but he wanted to take the credit. This bastard didn't do anything secret."

"I'd say good morning but, it's still dark outside." JJ showed up as she holds extra strong black coffee for Novilene. The media Liaison handed her the coffee towards Novilene as she accepts it then throwing down the picture on the table.

"Who's this?" Morgan asks curiously

"Carla Bromwell. Uh... Gideon, can you put it on the news?" She asks politely towards Gideon to turn on the television.

"The Philadelphia police were notified late last night of a letter that was hand-delivered to this new station." Novilene pushes her glasses up to hear the news carefully while sipping her hot drink. "Apparently it was written by the infamous Keystone Killer, who's wanted in connection with the murders of 7 women back in the late 1980's. He also included a photograph of a woman. She appeared to be dead in the photo, suffocated with a plastic bag. Now, subsequently, police discovered a body in the Overbook area. But they are not confirming that it's the woman in this picture."

"He works fast." Hotch commented and Novilene nodded her heard agreeing with him.

"It's an understatement, isn't it?" Gideon asks the retired Agent.

"Meet you on the plane in 30 minutes." Hotch told everyone on his team.

"I'm coming with you." Ryan declared and Novilene frowned at the idea of joining the case. "I'm not asking, Jason."

Novilene headed out first before she could hear Ryan about her joining this job. The young woman sighs heavily and Reid noticed that she's hasn't got any sleep for the past few days.

"You can still back out the case, Lenny." Reid spoke up and worried about her well-being.

"I missed out a lot Spen and I need to keep myself up busy..." The young Doctor detects the hint of her tone is filled with sadness and fear.

"Nightmares?" He whispered and she nodded her head sadly. "After this case, do you want me to stay with you?"

"Spen, I-"

"Lenny, you're alone in the house and-" Novilene raises her hand to shut her boyfriend up.

"I'm staying with my sister-in-law until my brother comes back from work." Reid sighs in relief then frowned hearing sister-in-law then it clicks his mind.

"Ethan is already married?" She nodded her head and Reid smiled that Ethan deserves happiness. "Can you say congratulations to them?"

"I will."

She's The One

Novilene is leaning down on Reid and decided to have a light nap despite she could hear them talking. Reid didn't mind if she gets sleep along the plane because he could repeat it again for her.

"Philly PD confirmed that Carla Bromewell's been dead less than 12 hours. She was 47." They used the laptop to video chat their tech analyst, Garcia.

"Victims are getting older." Hotch commented as Novilene still closing her eyes but still listened of their conversation.

"That is unusual." Morgan agreed with him.

"Victimology rarely changes." Elle spoke up and glancing at Novilene's sleeping figure leaning towards Reid when he wraps his arms around her.

"Her hands and feet were bound with flex-cuffs." Garcia added the information about the victim.

"Flex-cuffs? No ropes?" Ryan asks and glancing at the young woman. He can't believe Novilene has the nerve to pull that stunt by simply sleeping in the middle of the meeting. He always wondered why they chose her of all people? What Ryan didn't know is that Novilene is half awake.

"That's what they said. They're waiting at the crime scene for you." Garcia spoke up and mentally awed to see Reid often glancing at his girlfriend since she can see them behind Morgan's back.

"Thank you sweetheart." Morgan thanked the tech analyst and switching the laptop off.

"So older victims and a different mode of binding and killing." Hotch spoke up and frowned in his deep thoughts.

"Maybe the notes just means we have a copycat on our hands." He pointed out.

"The copycat who just happens to have Amy Jennings driver's license?" Ryan asks curiously and grabbing the photo. "No! No, it's the Keystone Killer."

"How can you be sure it's the same Keystone Killer you've done with it before?" Novilene spoke up that makes everyone jumps in surprised that she heard everything about the case. "Morgan was just giving an opinion about the unsub." She opened her eyes and stared at Ryan.

"Like you know everything about it, brat?" He narrowed his eyes at her while Novilene remained blank expression. "Since when are you that close?"

"He's my boyfriend Sir, we've been in a relationship for 2 months." Hotch knew where this thing going and glancing at Gideon.

"Having relationship could comprise your job or have you forgotten about it, Agent Cruz." He glared at her coldly while Reid couldn't appreciate the tone of his voice.

"We balance our work and relationship, Sir." She stands up and stared at him. "You don't have the right to judge who I'm dating with."

"Reid and Cruz work perfectly fine." Hotch defended them and Gideon nodded his head.

"You shouldn't underestimate her, Ryan." Gideon spoke up and smirk in his direction. "She did outsmart you a few years ago and I forgot to say that she's also my daughter."

"Da-daughter?" He stuttered and looked surprised to hear Novilene happens to be Gideon's daughter. "That explains the eyes." Glancing at Novilene often, those eyes remind him of his old friend, which happens to be Gideon of all people.

"Let go of the grudges and hatred you have against me." Novilene spoke up and it surprised that she hadn't snapped him out, yet. "We should focus on the task at hand."

Ryan glared at her with a hateful expression while Novilene stared at him with a stern expression. Daughter or not, he doesn't want this young woman to be part of the case as Ryan walked away from them.

"How are we supposed to work with him?" Morgan whispered and he's not the only one who could feel the heavy tension towards Ryan and Novilene. "Gideon, he is not even an active Agent. Let's also not forget how much he hates her."

"He's here because he knows this case better than any of us." Gideon answered and Novilene frowned at that statement. "We're leading the investigation, he's only consulting."

"Consulting?" Novilene whispered back and stared at her father. "I understand that point and have you noticed the way he stares at me? He doesn't want me to be part of the case."

Morgan nodded his head and agreeing with her. "He has no right to back you out on the case because we need you." He assured the young woman and she smiled weakly that she's tired of arguing about her. "Anyone tell him that?"

"Sooner or later, he's going to compromise the case." Novilene spoke up and sitting down right next to Reid.

Gideon mentally frowned knowing Novilene is right. He knew that Ryan is already obsessed with this case and won't stop until he captured the unsub. Novilene heavily sighs that this is going to be a long case.

She's The One

|| Philadephia, Pennsylvania ||

"FBI? Detective Charles Santangelo, Philly PD." As Gideon, Elle and Novilene went inside of the room to observe the dead body of a woman.

"Agents Gideon, Greenway and Cruz." Gideon introduced themselves towards Detective Santagelo.

"You actually think the Keystone Killer did this?"

Just when Novilene is about to answer someone do it instead. "Yes, we do." She mentally sighs in annoyance that it was Ryan, who joined them.

"Agent Ryan." Detective Satangelo greeted the retired Agent.

"Detective."

"So I guessed you'd show up sooner or later."

"He's consulting us." Gideon spoke up while observing the dead body.

"CSI's done processing the body?" Elle asks them curiously.

"Ya, we'll get out of your way." Detective Satangelo assured them.

"Thanks." Ryan thanked them as Elle began to inspect the body. "This is his 8th victim."

"There's no bruising on the wrists, ankles or neck." Elle spoke up when she analyzes the dead body. "Just a good size blunt force head wound."

"Ya, probably a surprise attack."

"Well, the puzzle said no fight." Novilene pointed out and looked confused why the victim only had a head wound. She also saw that there were no any marks on the wrists, ankles or neck.

"I know what the puzzle said." Ryan snapped the young woman causing her to bitting her lips before she's going to do anything stupid.

"Headwound is extensive. Level of violence is escalating." Gideon spoke up and knowing Novilene is going to strangle the retired Agent soon if he keeps on a bad mood towards her.

"Yup."

"This bedroom is in front of the house." Elle pointed out and walking straight towards the window. "And the puzzle mentioned a rear window, maybe he left a print."

"No way." Ryan denied the idea and Elle decided to grab Novilene before she's going to argue towards him.

"Well- I think Novilene and I are going to check it out anyway." She fake smiled and gripping at Novilene that she needs to control her temper.

"You do what you want to do but believe me, you're wasting your time."

Elle dragged Novilene away from them. The young woman sighs heavily and rubbing her forehead.

"If he's going to do with that attitude like a brat, I swear I'm going to kick him out of the case." Novilene grumbled that she's already cranky enough because of the lack of sleep.

"Woah, Woah, calm down, Nov." Elle patted her shoulder to calm herself down. "I wanted to as well but we need him, Hotch is not going to appreciate if you kick him out of the case."

"He's acting like a 3-year-old child throwing tantrum towards us..." Elle shot her amused look while Novilene sighs heavily. "Mostly at me because of being outsmarted at the very young age."

"I have no idea, how he holds that grudge against you, in a very long time. How did you outsmart him?" Novilene just shrugged and noticed Reid and Hotch joined them.

Hotch giving them a look to join the others as they mentally sigh and went back to the room. "Let me see that." Ryan grabbed the new clue that they have found from the other room. "In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present." He read the paper out loud.

"He's quoting Sir Francis Bacon now." Novilene spoke up and crossing her arms.

"I used this specific quote on-"

"On your book on page 184." Reid intervened while Novilene shot her boyfriend an amused look that he finished reading the book quickly. She may not get along Ryan but Novilene respects Reid if he wants to read a book from that retired Agent or not. "I-I read it on the plane."

"And you remember the page number of the quote?" Ryan asks curiously and surprised that he finished the book he published so quickly.

"Don't ask." Hotch spoke up. "He says to expect another gift in 2 days."

"A Gift?" Elle asks and Novilene hums in her deep thoughts.

"Calls his victims gift." Gideon spoke up.

"The question is... gifts for whom?" Novilene asks already know the answer when she discreetly glances at Ryan.

"For me." Ryan answered when he stared at the paper.

She's The One

|| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ||

"A lot of things changed in 20 years including the age of the Keystone Killer's victims." The BAU team started to profile of the unsub when Hotch explained the others.

"He's older, his victims are older." Detective Satangelo pointed out. "Makes sense to me."

"Most unsubs have specific fantasies. This is as if they're killing the same person over and over again." Novilene spoke up and pushing her glasses up. "This man had a preference for young brunettes, and now he's switched to older women."

"Well, what does that mean?"

"Ted Bundy only killed women that looked like his fiancee." Reid spoke up when he stands up right next to Novilene while Ryan scowled at them that he didn't appreciate of them standing each other. "But then, he devolved and brutally attacks a house full of sorority sisters that looked nothing like his previous victims. He went off script. His final victim was a 12-year-old girl. When the police found the van that he used to kill her, the amount of blood revealed that he had lost complete control. It was that devolution that eventually led to his capture."

"He could be devolving into frenzy." Gideon pointed out and Novilene pushes her glasses up.

"So you mean he's about to mess up." Detective Satangelo commented.

"Keystone Killer's devolution is only a theory." Morgan spoke up. "We need to be prepared for anything."

"And if he is in a frenzy, there's no telling how quickly he'll fall apart." Hotch spoke up.

"Or how many more victims he'll take with him." Gideon spoke up.

"So, we're going to go over anything we know, old and new, and hopefully we find him before we find another body." Novilene spoke up and shaking her head slightly to wake herself up then drinking a black coffee.

"We'll start with Agent Ryan's original profile. Max, you want to present it?" He asks the retired Agent.

"No." Ryan denied to share them about his experience and Novilene closes her eyes to calm herself down when he walked away from them.

"We're looking for a white male in his late 40's." Hotch spoke up and Novilene glancing at her father with an unreadable expression. "The controlled crime scenes, the meticulousness and the collection of trophies suggest a possible military background."

She's The One

Novilene is seated right next to Reid when she's reading the files about the unsub while he's encircling the words he could find on the puzzle. She's so close of snapping the retired Agent because he underestimated their skills. She couldn't even care to hate her as long as they need to work together as a team. Retire or not, he doesn't have the right to judge people and denying their ideas about the unsub.

"All right, let's focus on the differences in the crime scenes. What's he doing that's new?" Hotch asks his team.

"Well, his latest victim was hit in the head. That's new." Elle answered.

"In the word puzzle, he said she didn't fight." Novilene spoke up while pushing her glasses up.

"So, why hit her? Scare her? Show her he's in charge?" Morgan asks in a rhetorical question and Novilene nodded her head, agreeing with his opinion.

"Well, he never did that before." Hotch pointed out.

"And a blow that hard wouldn't scare her, probably just-" Elle was cut off by Morgan.

"Probably just knock her unconscious."

"In order to control her?" Hotch asks.

"Why he used flex-cuffs instead of ropes?" Novilene asks curiously and Gideon agreed with her.

"The intricate knot was a part of his signature." Gideon pointed out.

"Flex-cuffs are easier. Probably saved him time." Morgan pointed out his opinion.

"No, no, no, there's more than that. The rope was meticulously tied, it was intimate, completely unnecessary."

"And he abandoned the rope and the use of his bare hands which makes his kills less personal and less controlling." Elle spoke up and Novilene looked down the files with deep thoughts.

"Okay. Seriously, guys, let's just abandon all this." Morgan spoke up. "Let's just treat him like he's new offender.

"He isn't." Gideon denied his idea.

"Guys, I have a name." Reid spoke up and glancing at his girlfriend if she's alright or not.

"Nibrahs." Elle read out loud and looked confused. "That's a name? From what country?"

"Is it backward, Spen?" Novilene asks her boyfriend causing him to nod.

"S. Harbin and there was a Scott Harbin on Ryan's original suspect list." Reid pointed out.

"It's not Scott Harbin." Ryan spoke up when he walked into the room. "Harbin went to jail in 1988 for stabbing a guy while he was trying to escape during a home invasion. The guy later died." Ryan explained while Novilene is taking down the notes. "Harbin didn't even know there was anyone at home at the time he broke in."

"How long did he get?" Morgan asks curiously.

"30 years."

"So it makes him a little more than a halfway done." Gideon commented.

"Unless he's been paroled." Hotch pointed out.

"No, it's too easy." Ryan denied causing to Novilene sighs mentally but remained unreadable expression. "I interviewed Harbin, twice. He's a pervert. He's a small-time burglar with a fetish for lingerie. I mean he's a creep. But he is not the Keystone Killer." He noticed everyone's hesitation. "Believe me, our guy has not been in jail for all these years."

"All right, I'm going to call Garcia." Morgan can't stand on his attitude and stands up. "See what she can dig up on this guy."

"He's not the guy." Ryan denied it as Elle noticed Novilene's hand are clenching but remained unreadable expression.

Morgan walked out of the room and Ryan glared at the young woman who's sitting so close right next to Reid. "Could you stop being so clinging towards your boyfriend, Cruz!"

"We're just sitting, Mr Ryan." Novilene narrowed her eyes at him. "You should be careful at that tone and how you treated us like that." She spoke up with a cold tone and Gideon mentally sighs that his daughter had enough of Ryan's action.

"You don't have-"

"Of what?" Novilene stands up and ignoring the look from her Unit Chief. "We're a team to solve this case instead of doing solo. You're already a retired Agent, not an active Agent."

"You should be careful who you're dealing with, little girl." He glared at Novilene while she glared back as well. "Gideon's daughter or not, you should've to go back being a children's Doctor, you don't belong here."

"That's enough, Max." Gideon intervened and knowing Novilene will say something that she's not going to regret it. "You've clearly underestimated her and she has the right whether to continuing her job as a Paediatrician Doctor or working with us. I suggest you let go of the past of being outsmarted by her instead of holding grudges."

Ryan didn't say anything but just walked away from the room. Novilene sighs heavily and glancing at her father with an unreadable expression. "He will comprise the case because of his attitude. You knew that I'm going to say something that could thick him off... if he's going to stay like that as a brat, I won't hesitate to do something that could make him regret underestimating me. I need some air, call if you need me." She walked out and glancing slightly to see Reid is worried about her well-being.

"Jason, what are we doing here?" Hotch break the long silence and wasn't surprised to see Novilene had enough of Ryan's attitude.

"What do you mean?" Gideon asks Hotch.

"Well, I'm not surprised of Cruz snapping him out because he underestimated her and treating her like a child." Elle mentally snorts and agreed with him. "Ryan is interested in catching the Keystone Killer, or just proving he's right?"

She's The One

Novilene, her team, Ryan and the FBI SWAT's are barging in to capture Scott Harbin. She's with Morgan and Hotch because Gideon thinks that she and Ryan might be going to strangle each other, he decided to place her with them.

"You're feeling alright, mini Gideon?" Morgan asks her worriedly and she nodded her head.

"I will be and hope we might not be going to strangle each other." Morgan chuckled at her answered but decided not to asks further. "Hotch."

"Yeah?" They stared at Harbin's drawer.

"Look at that, sock's 3 inches, underwear 6 inches. They teach you that at basic training." Novilene explained while pushing her glasses up.

"Ryan thought he might have a military background." Hotch spoke up while Novilene wears disposable gloves to look for clues. "Hey, Morgan. What's the chance he labels his secrets?" He asks curiously.

Novilene went to the wardrobe and opened it to reveal a small television and a video camera. Laughing nervously that it reminds her days back when she was an IMF trainee before. Ethan thinks that putting a television on a wardrobe would make her watch different channels to prevent getting caught by a supervisor.

"Morgan and Hotch." Novilene called the two men.

"Yeah?" The two men went to her side to see what she saw as well.

"Think he makes his own movies?" She asks curiously.

"Well, if he's a controlled freak, or Ryan thinks he is, why wouldn't he?" Morgan asks rhetorical questions.

"Where are the tapes, have you seen it, Cruz?" Hotch asks the young woman.

"No, let's see if there is." Novilene spoke up and decided to kneel down and knock the bed below. She frowned hearing a strange noise as the two men nodded their heads to open it.

Pulling the wood away as Morgan assured her he got it. Hotch and Novilene pull another secret to see a body of a woman wrapping herself with a foil and blindfolded her.

"We're the FBI." Hotch assured the woman.

"We need to cut off this foil." Novilene spoke up and removing her pin as she presses it to reveal small scissors.

"Get an ambulance! Right now! Move!" Morgan ordered the FBI SWAT's team.

"It's okay, ma'am, you're safe." Novilene assured the woman while cutting the foil that's been wrapped all over her body.

Ten minutes later, the ambulance arrived carrying the woman. Morgan patted Novilene's shoulder to congratulate her for calming the woman down. They take Harbin away from the house to arrest him for kidnapping the woman.

"Scott Harbin." Ryan spoke up.

"Single obsessive military background. Fits your profile." Gideon pointed out while Novilene couldn't help but feel like something is missing.

"But he keeps his victim in his house? He's that far off script?" He asks curiously as Morgan and Novilene noticed something.

"Ryan." Morgan called him as he snatches the paper from the wipers of the car. "It's got your name on it."

"Isn't Scott Harbin an inelegant creature?" Ryan reads it out loud. "A monster. There is no light with him. No balance. He is pure evil. Balance is what gives one mercy. You'll be reminded of my brand of mercy tomorrow, Max."

"What does that mean?" He asks curiously as Novilene widening her eyes and looks for a different direction to see if the unsub is here or not.

"Scott Harbin's a predator just not the one we were looking for." Novilene answered and mentally cursed herself of not seeing the unsub. "It seems like the unsub knows that we will capture Harbin because of the clues we found on the puzzle. While we got distracted, he might have put it on the wipers before one of us could see him and capture him."

"You're right, Cordon off the area at least six-block radius. Someone must have seen this guy." Gideon ordered them.

She's The One

"A killer actually leading us to another killer." Morgan commented as they got back from the headquarters.

"Come on. We all know they make the best profilers. They admire each other's work." Gideon voiced out his opinion.

"Ya, but usually from the far." Elle pointed out.

"At least we got Harbin off the street." Hotch spoke up while Novilene pushes her glasses up. "All right, let's review. What do we know about the Keystone Killer?"

"Well, we know that he's not dead or in jail."

"Enjoys the taunting game." Novilene commented as she lean close to Reid while ignoring the glare from Ryan.

"Ya, he's in complete control." Morgan commented.

"He strangles 7 women in the 1980's, stopped for 18 years, and then began again suffocating them." Reid spoke up. "10% of all violent crimes are caused by strangulation, it only takes 11 pounds of pressure to fully incapacitate to your victim and if you hang on for at least 50 pounds for a least 50 seconds, they will never recover."

"When you suffocate someone you actually have less control over their death." Novilene pointed out and Hotch nodded his head.

"It's actually more passive because the killer doesn't feel the life the leaving the body." Hotch pointed out.

"He's changed almost everything that he does." Elle commented and Novilene is starting to formulate her theory.

"Why, why, why, why?" Gideon asks curiously as he rub his hands together. "What? I mean, what he's getting out of this new M.O? Where's his payoff? You got Carla Bromwell, she sustains a significant head injury. Blitz attacks suggests disorganization, no self-confidence. This is a guy who walks into 7 victims homes prior to this. There was no forced entry at any of the scenes. Where's the loss of confidence?"

"Cruz?" Ryan called the young woman seeing she's having an idea about this unsub. "Care to share of that idea of yours?"

Novilene looked startled that he finally called her Cruz instead of a brat. She regained composure and clearing her throat slightly. "He would never change the way he kills by choice."

"What?" Gideon asks his daughter curiously.

"Think about it... we've been operating under the assumption that he purposely changed his M.O."

"You're saying he changed because he had to change?"

"He knocked her unconscious."

"And it wasn't scared." Morgan commented and Novilene nodded her head.

"Because he couldn't control her physically while she was awake." Elle pointed out.

"He could be incapacitated." Ryan voiced out his opinions.

"At least partially." Gideon spoke up.

"Maybe an injury."

"Or a stroke." Hotch pointed out.

"Either way you're going to have medical records, right?" Novilene asks curiously as she was a former Pediatric Doctor who always has records when it comes to patients.

"Yes, so what are we talking about? Mini Gideon?" Morgan asks the young woman. "This had to have happened after the middle of 1988 in Philadelphia?"

"Somebody who fits the rest of the profile." Gideon pointed out and Novilene hums in response.

"It's a lot of hospital records." Reid pointed out and despite the fact that he has an eidetic memory, it could take longer for him to read medical records in every hospital.

"Call our girl, Garcia." He commanded Morgan knowing who he refers to as he leaves.

"Cruz." Ryan called the young woman then smiled as Novilene looked shocked at what she seeing right now. "Good work and I'm glad that... you're here with them." He left the room before she has a chance to respond.

"I'm not having hallucination right?" Novilene asks her team as they shook their heads.

"Ryan finally respects you, Cruz." Hotch spoke up and patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry that we called you for an emergency case." He is also not the only one who noticed that this young woman is really tired and lack of sleep as she pushes herself too hard again.

"It's fine Hotch." Novilene assured her Unit Chief. "The sooner we finish the case, the better."

She's The One

"Something debilitating enough to lose strength permanently." Hotch spoke up as he, Morgan and Reid are looking for medical records about the victims. "I'm still thinking stroke."

"You know, Ryan's profile puts the unsub in his late 20's. Isn't that too young for a massive stroke?" Morgan asks a rhetorical question and Novilene hums in agreement.

"Technically you're never too young for a stroke." Reid pointed out.

"80% of strokes are ischemic, the other 20 or hemorrhagic, which usually result in death. Ischemic strokes occur when plaque builds up in the arteries, causing restricted vessels to be blocked by a blood clot." Novilene spoke bluntly while flipping the next page then stop. She looked up to see disbelief looked from Morgan and Hotch while Reid stared at her with an admiration looked. "I read and helped my Alex's homework about that."

"Your brother is lucky to have you." Morgan spoke up and shaking his head slightly. "Okay, but doesn't it take years for that type of plaque to build up?"

"Well, typically." Reid answered this time since she refused to have an eye contact with anybody because she was embarrassed to ramble about the stroke.

"Well then like I said, he was too young."

"Did you know that stroke victim that play virtual reality games show significant advances in recovery than those who don't?" Reid rambled causing Novilene to smile then stared at the files.

"Now, here's somebody." Novilene spoke up while pushing her glasses up. "In 1987 he was 30, single, dishonorable discharged." She read it out loud.

"It's a good start. What was the injury?" Hotch asks the young woman.

"Broken neck." Hotch read it when Novilene handed the paper on him. "Intensive skull therapy for 9 years."

"What's he been doing since?" Reid asks curiously.

"The guy moved to the Florida Keys, he's a scuba instructor. He's got the right idea."

"When Alex is off for a holiday, I'm taking him to scuba diving." She smiled and imagining herself and Alex are watching the sea animals under the sea. "It's been 5 years that I haven't done it."

"Did you know-" Reid was cut off by her glare then flinched in fear.

"Spencer Reid, if you dare to finish that sentence I'll perform a lobotomy on you." She threatens the young Doctor causing him to stopped as Morgan chuckled at their banter.

"Man, she got you." He laughs at them. "Come on. There's got to be something in here."

She's The One

"Elle is running down injuries on college campuses." Hotch explained it to his teammates and the retired Agent. "The guy's well read, he may have been a professor."

"There are just too many hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, we'd be sifting through records for weeks." Reid spoke up and Novilene nodded her head.

"Come on. There's got to be some way to narrow down the search, right?" Morgan asks them.

"We ruled out a stroke and half the hospital don't even say how the accidents occured." Novilene pointed out.

"Accident?" Reid muttered and she glances at him. "In America, someone's involved in a car accident once in every 10 seconds."

"Car accidents with injuries would all be reported by the police." Gideon pointed out.

"We profiled him driving a late model American made sedan." Ryan spoke up.

"All right, so how about I get Garcia to check Philly PD records for accidents involving American made sedans in serious injury." Morgan spoke up from his opinion.

"It's a long shot." Ryan spoke up and not sure of the plan.

"It's a shot." Gideon retorted back and making sure that this plan could have clues to know who the unsub is. "Start with 1988, if it was an accident it stopped him in his tracks."

She's The One

"Walter Kern had a military background." Morgan spoke up right after they had a talk with Garcia about searching about the car accidents. "ROTC in high school, 4 years in the air force." He handed each paper towards them. "Hospital records show that he lost mobility in his right side due to severe nerve damage to his spinal cord."

"He never got the strength back." Ryan commented.

"Kern's been a county worker, claims adjuster, and get this, he installed home alarms with Scott Harbin." Hotch spoke up when he reads the paper.

"Takes one to know one." Gideon pointed out.

"All the jobs allowed him access to people homes." Novilene spoke up while pushing her glasses up.

"Explains why there was no sign of forced entry. He had legitimate reasons to knock on the door." Morgan commented.

"Women felt comfortable letting him inside." Ryan pointed out.

"He had a degree in criminology from Villanova in 1988." Elle spoke up while tapping her pencil. "I wonder if he murdered anyone on campus."

"That explains why he knows the knowledge of law enforcement." Novilene commented and pushing her glasses up.

"This looks like our guy. Anybody's got a current address?" Hotch asks them.

"557 Wight Street, Southeast Philadelphia." Ryan answered and clenching the paper. "I got you, you son of a bitch. We got him, let's go bring him in."

"Mulan, you still got the watch that you used it to find Billy before?" Gideon asks the young woman causing her to head and raising her left arm to show her watch. "Good, we might need that and can you override it?"

"Yeah, I could." Novilene assured him ignoring the confused look of Ryan.

"I can't believe I'm saying this..." Gideon knew that his daughter is a high skilled Spy Agent and decided to let her use those skills. "In case we can't find Kern on his house, I want you to do me a favor..."

She's The One

Novilene is on the rooftop and finding out the right time to break in the house to stop him from killing another woman. She couldn't believe that Gideon is letting her do the solo mission to stop Kern while he and the others including Ryan, will go to his house in case he is there and looked for any evidence that he murdered them. Everyone denied the idea of her going alone but Gideon giving them a look that she already done it before during her time as an IMF Agent.

"What's wrong with you, Walter?" She heard the voice of the woman asks with a fear. "I've known you and Ann for years, you're good people."

"Lie down on your back." Kern ordered the woman in a cold tone that he felt no remorse of killing the woman. "Speak again, and I'll kill you."

Crash!

Kern suddenly grab the gun but yelling in pain when he was been hit by a tennis ball, causing him to drop the gun. Novilene immediately grabs Kern and throw him out on the wall to knock him out cold. She sighs heavily and smiling sheepishly at the woman, who's laying down on the bed with flex-cuffs on.

"Sorry ma'am, I'll pay the windows for breaking in." She apologizes and approaching the unconscious Kern. "Better be safe than sorry." Novilene handcuffing him and called her team. "I found him and got knocked out before he had a chance to kill... um, what's your name ma'am?" Asking gently as she approached her and removing the cuffs on her wrist.

"Sylvia Gooden." The woman introduced herself and thankful for the young woman for saving her in time.

"Here that? We're actually 10 blocks away from Kern's home." She ended up the call and staring at her with a calm expression. "Don't worry ma'am, I'm the FBI and sorry again... for breaking the window."

"It's fine, thank you for saving me, Agent..."

"Novilene Cruz, do you have first aid kit? I need to treat your head injury."

She's The One

"I can't you believe you single handed him by throwing a tennis ball? Before he had a chance to shoot you?" Morgan asks with a disbelief that Novilene didn't use her gun but a tennis ball instead. "Where did you get the tennis ball from?"

Novilene explained everything from her team how she knocks out unconsciously Kern before he kills Gooden. Needless to say, Hotch scolded her for being reckless and checking for any injuries while she just waved it off and saying she's completely unharmed. Reid is always worried about her well-being especially joining a secret organization that is ten times dangerous than this case they had. Everyone wondered, how she manages to be fine despite all those nightmares she'd been through?

"I found it on the ground and took it in case I needed it." Novilene spoke up and laughs nervously. "You just need to improvise some things and use it for the advantages."

"How hard did you throw it?" Elle asks and shaking her head slightly at the young woman. "I felt sorry for your grandmother of whatever you've done it before."

"She did call me a Daredevil-woman of pulling a dangerous stunt like that." She spoke with a proud tone while Hotch knocks her head lightly.

"Like father like daughter." Ryan spoke up with a smile and shaking his head slightly. "Did Jason ever tell you about the time that he found the Director's itinerary in a bomber's car?"

"No, can you tell me?" She asks curiously and smirked seeing Gideon groaned.

"No, no. He never said anything." Morgan spoke up but it caught his interest.

"Well, let me fill you in then." Ryan smiled widely. "We had this bomber case, it was one of Jason's first so we had him go over and search the bomber's car, which was in the Quantico garage. Except for me and the guys had planted this piece of paper that had all these times and locations of where the FBI Director was going to be over the next 48 hours." They chuckled. "Anyway, Jason takes one look at this piece of paper and before we could stop him, he takes off runs up 25 flights of stairs to the Director's office."

"No way." Novilene spoke up and staring at her father with a disbelief looked.

"Barges in interrupting a meeting with the Attorney General himself."

"Yay!" Morgan cheered and high-fiving Gideon.

"The Director didn't find it very funny. Now, he was the only one who did this." Ryan explains further of the story.

"Wow, dad." She shakes her head slightly and laying down her head on Reid's shoulder. "You even told me not to pull any dangerous plan."

"In the end, you didn't listen." Gideon retorted back.

"You have a stubborn daughter." She removes her glasses and closing her eyes.

Reid stroke her hair knowing it's been a long day for her. He's also pleased to see her and Ryan are finally acknowledging to each other instead of going to get themselves strangle each other. The young Doctor could tell she always hides her emotions often and pushing herself too hard. Novilene is already tired and falling herself fall asleep quickly and knowing her father will take her home at his place.