Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

'To a great mind, nothing is little' Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

It was nearing eleven o'clock when the team began slowly disembarking the plane, entering into the darkness with a light breeze cooling the air.

"Get some sleep and I will see you tomorrow" Hotch said as he grabbed his keys out of his pocket. Everyone quickly mumbled "Night" as they parted ways. They headed towards their cars, but Reid waved goodnight and began walking to the metro station.

Reid's mind was sifting through what had been a difficult case to time in Atlanta was filled with long days and little sleep, as the whole team desperately wanted to catch the unsub, who had been leaving the victims limbs scattered on the streets. He was glad that the case had found a happy ending -which was rare- finding the final victim in the unsubs shed before any physical damage was done.

Just before the station he glanced down at his watch and decided to stop at a 24 hour cafe to grab some food, after failing to remember the last time he ate a proper meal. The place was small with a counter at the back covered in pastries and few dimly lit tables, only one being occupied by the owner who looked up from his laptop to give him a nod. Reid came here frequently after a long night to get coffee so the owner recognized him instantly. As he was looking at the sandwich selection the owner went round to the register.

"Want a coffee?" he asked as he wiped down the counter.

"Um..no thanks, not tonight" he replied, knowing if he accepted his offer he wouldn't get any sleep. He lifted his gaze to the notice board on the right after a leaflet caught his attention. The board was filled with posters for events that had passed years ago, babysitting services and some yoga class on Sundays. As he walked towards it he noticed the thing behind the piles leaflets was what had really grabbed his attention. Taking the paper off the board he instantly recognized the symbol clearly scribbled on the corner.

"Uh, actually I think I will take that coffee, thanks"

Three weeks earlier

They pulled into the dimly lit gas station, on their way to the station. That on a second glance they concluded was indeed open, after the gas attendant had lit his cigarette inside, illuminating his face and confirming he was currently working.

"Alright pretty boy, you want anything?" Morgan asked as he opened the door to the SUV.

"Actually I will come with you and pick up some coffee for everyone," Reid said as he followed Morgan into the store.

The gas station was dark with only one light at the back working and another blinking every so often. Derek made his way to the sweet aisle in the far corner while Reid searched for the coffee machine. "man, I've not seen a selection like this in some time! I mean look they even have..." Derek's words faded as Reid struggled to keep track of everyone's coffee that the machine was producing, figuring he'd need to grow another set of arms to carry all of it.

"hey Derek I could do with two extra hands here!" wincing as he spilled some coffee onto his hand. Once Derek gabbed the coffees they headed towards the till, where an elderly man sat with his face in his hands making his glasses sit half on his forehead.

"hey man?" Derek said as the man slowly woke up and began scanning their items, casting a cautious glance up at the two men. While the older agent began to pay for their drinks, Reid looked at the stack of the previous day's newspaper sitting on the counter.

He picked one up and skipped to page two where a specific article had stood out to him.

"Morgan? Do you think Hotch knows about this?" He pointed to the story, so Morgan could see.

The article was about the two women who were stabbed and their bodies were left on the side of the road. The first woman, Lauren James age 38 from Jackson Mississippi was last seen after leaving her house to pick up her second woman Mary Wilkerson, also 38, from Columbus Mississippi Was last seen after dropping her son off at school. Both women were found 20 hours after they disappeared, on the side of the road 20 miles north of their houses, with 10 stab wounds forming the word 'help' on their stomach

Reid thought it seemed oddly specific. Too weird. Why weren't they on the case?Does Hotch know?

"Dunno Reid, he probably does, maybe he just wants to be sure.." Derek said, picking his coffee up, breaking Reid's train of thought.

"Heard about that, shame really, but that detective, man…" Reid looked up at the man behind the counter, wondering what he would have said if he continued his sentence but Morgan was already walking out before he had time to question it.

He took one last look down at the page and saw what he had missed before. There was a Photo of a strange symbol that the killer had neatly drawn on the hairline of each woman, sitting at the bottom of the symbol was the numbers 281 drawn squished together, with the top of the number 2 forming the 8.

Strange he thought, and followed Morgan out of the gas station.