#Apartments near Police Headquarters

[pathologicalreid]

Hii I am making a Spencer Reid x citizen! F reader. They have been dating for a really long time but for a while reader has been dealing with a stalker, suddenly the stalker becomes much more violent and maybe even kidnaps her if we want to get real cray cray. Just lots of protective reid and angst to comfort!!

don't lose your head | S.R.

a stalker uses your work as a tudor history professor to follow your every move, so you go to the only place you can think of for help - the BAU

who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: angst content warnings: professor!reader, fiance!spencer, erotomaniac stalker, lots of tudor history facts, kidnapping, decapitation, happy ending, s11 (post-maeve), guns, death, spencer feels a lot of guilt, unhelpful police, exhaustion, nausea, dry heaving word count: 3.71k a/n: yall if i wanted to make this into a series would you read it 😭 i had so much fun writing this!!! and yes the title is a reference to six! thank you sooo much for requesting!!

you

You told Spencer after the fourth note. While the first two had been near your office door – harmless enough to have been brushed off as a student prank, the third note had been left on your desk. When someone had gotten into your locked office to leave you an intense love letter, you knew you were out of your depth.

After years of hearing stories about the BAU needing to battle the chain of command, you thought the best thing to do was to first go to the campus police. You were a professor, so the natural assumption was that they’d look into it.

They didn’t even take a report. No one listened to you.

From the campus police, you went into the city police, then the county, and by the time you marched into DC Metro, you hadn’t slept in a day. Spencer was in Utah on a case, and you didn’t have anywhere else to go. Once DC Metro told you there was nothing they could do without an open investigation or further evidence, you went back to your apartment.

The fourth note was there waiting for you, covering the camera that you kept on your front door.

Since you had the first three notes already in your bag, you plucked the newest one from where it was stationed on the front door and stuffed it in with the others before making the trip down to Quantico.

You had no idea when the team would be back, but the security guards at the front desk recognized you from the times you’d come to pick Spencer up or bring him lunch and they let you up anyway.

There were no notifications on your phone from Spencer letting you know that they were flying home, but the only place you felt safe was in their headquarters. The idea of going to see Penelope crossed your mind, but as a profiler-adjacent, she’d likely see right through you. You never dropped by, especially not when Spencer was away.

Settling yourself at his desk, you pulled an empty manila folder from a drawer, placed the notes neatly inside, and left it on Spencer’s desk before sitting in his chair and waiting for something to happen.

“Hey, Reid,” you heard a familiar voice from behind you. Slowly, you spun the chair around and looked at the team as they filtered in the glass doors.

Confused, Spencer tilted his head at you, clearly wondering why you were staking out the bullpen as he approached you. As he got closer, he observed the bags under your eyes, bloodshot from your lack of sleep over the last few days, “What’s wrong?”

Chewing on the inside of your lip, you clutched the folder like your life depended on it – for all you knew, it did. Your eyes followed Spencer as he knelt in front of you, accepting the folder when you handed it to him, “I think I’m in trouble,” you whispered, voice raspy from lack of use.

Your fiancé flipped through the pages, reading each of them a few times while you garnered attention from other members of the BAU. Tara, Derek, and JJ all crowded around Spencer’s desk, curious on your surprise appearance.

“I…” you faltered as you tried to explain what felt inexplicable. “The first one was folded over the doorknob of my office, the second one was slid beneath the door to my office, the third one was left on my desk, and the fourth one,” you glanced nervously at Spencer, “it was on the apartment door.”

Spencer’s eyebrows furrowed, “apartment door? Our apartment door?” As he questioned you, he stood up, leaving you with four federal agents staring down at you.

Despondently, you nodded, steepling your fingers in your lap and letting your shoulders droop.

“I’ll go get Hotch,” JJ said, nodding at everyone else to confirm her intentions before turning around, making her way up the steps to Hotch’s office.

From there, you ended up in the roundtable room. Tara had personally brought the letters for the lab to be checked for prints, and the techs had sent Garcia scans that were now projected on the screen. Each member of the team had them up on tablets, but you and Spencer knew the words by heart.

Shaking her head, Tara looked up at everyone, “I mean, who writes like this anymore? ‘But if you please to do the office of a true loyal mistress and friend, and to give yourself up body and heart to me, who will be, and have been, your most loyal servant,” she shrugged, continuing to look over the letters.

“They’re love letters,” you explained, tugging the sleeves of your sweatshirt over your palms before crossing your arms in front of your stomach. “The words aren’t original, they’re all passages from the love letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.”

Pointing to something on her screen, JJ frowned, “And what does his greeting mean? He always starts with ‘my rose without a thorn’.”

Nodding dejectedly, you focused your eyes on the now-empty manila folder on the table in front of you. “That was what Henry VIII called Catherine Howard, she was his youngest wife. It’s widely accepted among scholars that she was around seventeen when they got married, but others say she could’ve been as young as fifteen,” you answered, wondering if more details would help the investigation.

“So, we have Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, which wives were those?” Rossi asked, looking around the table for someone who knew the answer.

In the middle of scrawling something on an evidence board, Spencer answered quickly, “Two and five.”

Folding your hands in your lap, you scoured your memory for anything that could be helpful. When Hotch asked if those numbers meant everything to you, you just shook your head. “Is there any significance to the two wives he chose being Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard?”

Your lips parted in surprise as the blood drained from your face, “They were the two wives who were beheaded.”

An eerie silence fell over the room, interrupted only by a chime from Penelope’s laptop, her shoulders slumped forward in abject disappointment, “The lab didn’t find anything on the letters. No prints, no hair… nothing, but uh…” her voice trailed off as she looked up at Hotch, it was almost like she was seeking permission.

Each member of the BAU looked at each other with the same concerned expression on their faces. “What do you all know that I don’t?”

“Two bodies turned up last week in the greater DC area,” Morgan was the brave soul who spoke up, “they were both missing their heads, and they were both college professors.”

Goosebumps spread over your entire body, a chill of fear causing the tip of your nose to feel cold, “Oh, I…” you fumbled over your words, standing up from your chair and rushing to leave the roundtable, nearly throwing yourself out of the bullpen on your way to the women’s restroom.

Entering one of the stalls, you haphazardly gathered your hair at the back of your head and you dry heaved into the toilet. You dropped to your knees as nothing came out.

A knock at the door barely garnered your attention, you didn’t even bother responding as Spencer was already entering the stall, “Oh, honey.”

That was it, you sat back on your heels as tears welled in your eyes, looking up at Spencer as he sat down next to you. Immediately, you turned your body to face him and leaned forward.

Welcomingly, Spencer grabbed you, firmly wrapping his arms around your torso as he pulled you into his lap, “I have you. I’m right here.” His voice was gentle, no more than a whisper as he kept a firm pressure around your body, “You’re safe with me,” he reassured you, using one hand to keep you upright and the other to rub your back as you cried.

Your face was buried in the crook of his neck as you wept, the sensation of fear ran through your body like electricity, and you felt content for the first time in days in the safety of Spencer’s arms. “I- I just teach. I’m n- not built for this,” you cried, words slightly muffled by his shoulder.

You were a history professor, teaching a course on the six wives of Henry VIII, this was never even in the realm of things you considered when putting together your syllabus.

Taking a shaky breath, you pulled away from Spencer, and he reached behind you for a wad of toilet paper to dry your face. “Spence,” you said, though it came out as more of a whimper.

“When’s the last time you slept?” He asked, cupping both of your cheeks in his hands while he studied your exhausted expression.

Shrugging, you shuffled off of him, dropping the wad of toilet paper in the bowl and flushing it, “A day? Two?” You weren’t entirely sure what day it currently was, the events of the last few had caused everything to sort of blend together.

Spencer nodded in understanding, “Okay,” he responded, slipping his phone out of his pocket before typing something out, “Why don’t you go lie down in Morgan’s office for a little while? He won’t mind.”

You blinked a few final tears from your eyes before affirming, “Yeah, uh. I need to grab something from my car.”

“Okay, are you parked in the garage? I’ll go down with you,” he offered, getting up and lending you a hand up, mumbling about the state of the bathroom floor as he did so.

After washing your hands, the two of you made your way through the hall and to the elevator before Garcia called out for Reid, “Hotch needs you for something, he said it’s urgent.”

Glancing back at you, he pursed his lips before selecting a lower-level special agent to go with you to the parking garage. “Be right back,” you told him as you stepped onto the elevator.

him

Once he was finished with Hotch, Spencer made his way back down the hallway, expecting to find yourself settling in Morgan’s office only to find it empty. Turning back in the hallway, he nearly bulldozed into Morgan and JJ, “Hey, what’s the rush?”

“Have either of you seen Y/N?” He asked, trying not to let panic rise in his voice, but there had been ample time for you to get to the parking garage and back. You should’ve been back by now.

The two of them shared a look, “Uh, no, I haven’t seen her since she left the roundtable room. Is she alright?” JJ asked, blue eyes filled with concern.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Spencer hit the number one on speed dial – your number – and brought the phone to his ear before rushing to the elevator and moving to the side as JJ and Morgan piled in with him. Frantically pushing the button for the parking level, he cursed as the phone went to voicemail.

“Reid, what is it?” Morgan asked as the elevator started moving down.

Redialing your number, Spencer muttered to himself, hoping you’d pick up, “I sent her down with an agent. Hotch needed my apartment key so that Tara and Rossi could go look for anything.”

As the steel doors opened, the three of them drew their firearms, each of them taking a different direction when Spencer realized he didn’t even know where you had parked your car. “We have an agent down,” Morgan called out, calling Garcia and putting the phone on speaker. “Baby girl, we need medical and crime scene techs down to the lower-level parking garage,” he said into the phone.

“Spencer,” JJ called out, garnering his attention as he made his way through the garage to where JJ and Morgan were now stood, Morgan was applying pressure on Agent Franks’ wound, and JJ was looking at a car.

The passenger door to your car was open, and the vehicle was chiming as an alert to get you to close the door. As he stepped forward, something glimmered at the edge of his vision. Crouching down, he picked up your engagement ring from the cement, “He’s got her,” he said, a wave of déjà vu nearly toppling him over.

Impatiently waiting for the elevator to take him back up to the sixth floor, Spencer trudged to the roundtable room, desperate for another look at the evidence board. The dates of each letter that you had received, the content of each letter, and the reason for all of this didn’t make any sense to him.

It had to be an erotomaniac, it was the only thing that made sense. You were an object of someone’s desires, and their delusion had to have become so strong that they took you.

Quietly, someone stepped into the roundtable room behind him, “What are you thinking about?”

Imminent death. Statistics of harm and death in cases involving erotomanic kidnappings. “Synchronicity,” he answered simply, entertaining JJ’s conversation as he continued to study the letters. The love letters were at the core of it all, so the answer needed to be written in there. Everything that had come to you was almost an exact copy of words written by Henry VIII.

“Ah, that’s Jung, right?” JJ asked, her voice was kind, and she was using the same tone she used when doing cognitive interviews with victims. He didn’t have time for her pity, they were on a clock.

Sighing, Spencer picked his dry-erase marker back up and scrawled on the board, “It’s a concept that he introduced, yes. It’s meant to describe the occurrence of events which seem like they’re significantly related but there’s no discernable causation.”

JJ nodded understandingly, taking a spot next to him and looking at the notes, “And what occurrence of events are we thinking about right now?”

“I suppose more than anything, I’m wondering if there’s an action that I took in the past that somehow caused me to find myself in this situation twice,” he answered, circling the word ‘the place chosen by yourself’ on the evidence board.

Humming, JJ turned to face him, “Does Y/N know?”

Pressing his lips together in a thin, white line, he nodded tightly, “I told her years ago, when we had first started dating, actually. I never thought…” his voice trailed off as he set down the marker, “She came to me, JJ. She came here to be safe, and he grabbed her from the parking garage.”

“You sent her down there with an agent, you thought you were doing the right thing,” JJ tried to comfort him.

Scoffing dismissively, he stepped back and took a seat in one of the chairs, “I can’t stop thinking about if it would’ve made a difference. If her asking me for help would have fixed anything, or if it would have ended the same way.”

Taking a seat near him, JJ paused for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words, before responding, “We can’t really afford to think like that though, in our line of work.”

Spencer scoffed, “No, we can’t. Especially not now, but the timing of it is weird. It’s been almost exactly four years, and now…” his voice trailed off as his eye caught on something on the paper. “The timing is off,” he muttered, picking up the first letter you had received.

“What is it, Spence?” JJ asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.

Shaking his head, he read the letter again, “This letter, it’s from the first letter Henry VIII wrote to Anne Boleyn, but in this version, he says he’s been waiting for months to be with her, but they waited seven years to be together because they were waiting for his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to be annulled.”

Still confused, JJ leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, “Okay, what does that mean.”

“We ruled out a student because the crimes didn’t read as mature, but what if it’s a different kind of student?” He proposed, standing up from the chair abruptly and starting to write on the board.

Rolling her chair closer to the board, she shrugged, “I’m not sure I’m following.”

Holding up a single finger, Spencer wrote a name down on the board, “Y/N has a grad student TA, he’s been working toward his PhD for seven years. He’s been her TA for three months – that lines up with the timeline in the letters.”

“Okay,” JJ said, starting to follow along, she waved at the team members in the bullpen to get their attention before hitting the call button on the conference phone. “Penelope, what do you have on a Geoffrey Williamson? He’s a TA in Y/N’s class.”

There was typing on the other line before a sound of disgust came from the technical analyst, “He is a different kind of smarmy, it looks like he transferred programs two years ago to Y/N’s university after he… oh. It looks like he bounced from foster home to foster home as a kid, his parents never fully gave up their rights but couldn’t follow through on their case plan. He was unsuccessful in his last dissertation defense three months ago,” she continued clacking on her keyboard, “after which his mentor teacher dropped him and the school gave him one more semester before pulling his funding. He asked Y/N to be his new mentor teacher and it looks like she turned him down -very nicely, might I add.”

Scoffing, Morgan crossed his arms in front of his chest, “That sounds like a stressor and a trigger if I’ve ever heard one.

“Garcia,” Hotch spoke into the phone, “Do you have a location for Williamson?”

There was more typing as Spencer could feel his carotid pounding in his throat, “It looks like he lives in student housing, but… he recently inherited an old factory after his biological father passed away two weeks ago.”

Nodding, Hotch looked around the table, “Send us the address, and forward it to Rossi and Lewis too.”

“Done, go get her,” Penelope urged into the phone before hanging up.

He slipped your engagement ring into his pocket before adjusting the strap on his Kevlar, thrumming with nervous energy as Morgan coordinated with SWAT, waiting outside of the old textile factory as the tactical team organized themselves in front of the BAU.

Spencer and JJ took the left side, Rossi and Tara took the right, and Morgan and Hotch went through the main doors.

“No!” Your voice broke out through the steel corridors of the factory, immediately followed by a yelp.

There was an awful noise then, like metal scraping against itself, “Fucking say it!” An unfamiliar male voice broke out in a holler.

Steeling himself, Spencer had to hold himself back from rushing into the room where your voice was coming from, each one of your sobs was like another strike at his resolve. “Good Christian people,” he heard you say, your voice was strained, “I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to- to-“ Your voice broke off into a heap of wails.

“What is she saying?” JJ whispered, waiting for SWAT to clear the corridor.

All of the blood had drained from Spencer’s face, “She’s reciting Anne Boleyn’s execution speech, from right before she was beheaded.”

JJ nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation – they needed to get in there, and they needed to do it quickly. SWAT waved them over, and the two of them filtered through the open doorway. The space was dimly illuminated by candles, but the only thing Spencer could focus on was your head, bowed toward the ground as you watched the ground. Above you, Geoffrey was holding a sword, ready to cut your head off.

“Geoffrey Williamson, FBI!” JJ called out, announcing themselves to the UnSub before he could get any further in his convoluted execution, “Put the sword down! Let Y/N go.”

Spencer clocked the UnSub’s grip tightening on the sword as he zeroed in on you, “I can’t! She has to pay for this! She has to finish the speech.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but as you raised your head slightly, he found himself silenced by your gaze. Roll, he mouthed the words to you, hoping Williamson was too focused on JJ to notice what he was trying to tell you.

“And by the law I am judged to die,” you continued the speech, your voice wavering.

Taking a deep breath, Spencer watched as the UnSub raised the sword despite JJ’s instructions to set it on the ground, “Y/N, stop talking!”

Releasing another sob, you finished the execution speech, “And therefore I will speak nothing against it.”

As soon as the last word was out of your mouth, Williamson brought the sword down, and as it swung, two things happened. JJ pulled the trigger on her firearm, killing the UnSub, and you rolled out of the way, the chains that bound your hands and feet clanging on the ground as you did so.

Holstering his weapon, Spencer ran over to you, dropping to his knees in front of you, “It’s done. It’s over,” he tried to reassure you, but you had begun struggling against your restraints as Spencer tried to settle you down, “Stop, it’s me, baby. Baby, it’s me,” he said desperately.

Once you had maneuvered yourself into a sitting position, you looked at Spencer with big, watery eyes before completely breaking down. “I just wanted it to end,” you babbled as your face crumpled.

“I know, honey,” he said, reaching out to pull you close as JJ contacted the rest of the team, asking for a chain cutter to get your restraints off of you as they weren’t able to find the keys on the body. “He’s gone, you’re safe,” he urged, holding you tightly.

You weren’t seriously injured, but there were enough bumps and bruises to make Spencer insist on a trip to the hospital. Until the EMTs could make it to you, he was fine with holding you on the floor of the factory. Keeping you close. Keeping you safe with him.

[eretzyisrael]

One dead, ten wounded following suspected drone strike in Tel Aviv, IDF investigating

By YUVAL BARNEA   Published: JULY 19, 2024 03:28 Updated: JULY 19, 2024 07:46

An object found at the scene of the explosion in Tel Aviv, July 19, 2024. (photo credit: MAARIV)

During searches by emergency services, the body of a lifeless man was found in an apartment near the location of the explosion.

Israeli media reported a loud explosion on Ben Yehuda Street on the corner of Shalom Aleichem near the US Consulate in Tel Aviv early Friday morning.

During searches by emergency services, the body of a lifeless man in his 50s with shrapnel marks on his body was found in an apartment near the location of the explosion. Ten people were taken to hospital with minor wounds, according to Israeli media.

Police, fire, and rescue services were deployed to the area and told Israeli media that there was no fire. The source of the explosion is not yet known.

An IDF spokesperson announced that a preliminary investigation shows that the explosion in Tel Aviv "was caused by the fall of an aerial target, which did not trigger a warning."

According to the Saudi owned Al-Arabiya/al-Hadath channel, the United States intercepted a ballistic missile and three drones launched by the Houthis at Israel during on Friday night, but the fourth managed to hit Tel Aviv.

Emergency personnel inspect debris at the site of the explosion in Tel Aviv. July 19, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/RICARDO MORAES)

The IDF is continuing to investigate the explosion.

Residents who live near the place of the explosion say that objects were shattered in their houses as a result of the blast.

Soon after the attack, a leader of Yemen's Houthis, Hezam al-Asad tweeted "Tel Aviv" with a burning emoji. No official statement has been made by Israel regarding this connection.

The spokesman of Yemen's Houthis, Yahya Sarie, said on X, that the group will reveal details about a military operation that targeted Tel Aviv.

Magen David Adom reported that a 37-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were slightly injured, and they are fully conscious and were taken to the Ichilov Hospital with shrapnel injuries to their limbs and shoulder. In addition, four were being treated for shock at the scene.

MDA Spokesperson, Zaki Heller, later said "following a search of the area, an unconscious male was found in one of the nearby buildings with penetrating injuries. EMTs and Paramedics treated 8 casualties, including 4 with shrapnel and blast injuries, and 4 with anxiety symptoms."

The Home Front Command stated: "No aerial intrusion into the country's central area was detected, and therefore no alarm was triggered - the incident is under investigation."

The police said: "A short time ago, a report was received at the police headquarters about hearing an explosion in a building in Tel Aviv. Large forces of the Tel Aviv District Police and police engineers arrived at the scene."

The Mayor of Tel AVviv, Ron Huldai, posted on X: "The Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo is on heightened alert in light of the severe UAV incident tonight, in which one person was killed and others were injured. The war is still here, and it is hard and painful. The municipal forces arrived at the spot quickly and dealt with the incident, and we are prepared for developments, if any. I call on the public to obey gov't instructions."

Israel police

Israel police stated that they rushed to the area after receiving hundreds of reports at around 03:00 am. 

They reported that the commander of the Tel Aviv District, Superintendent Peretz Omar Kaim, together with the commander of the Yarkon Region, Yehiel Bohdana, assessed the situation in the field with all the emergency and rescue forces.

They called on the residents to obey the directives of the Home Front Command, and to not touch the remnants of rockets that may contain explosives and to report this without delay to Moked 100.

This is a developing story.

Designed by DANIEL CHEN

 מחקרים ��דשים בתחום הזיכרון והקוגניצה לקריאה! Sponsored - PSO To The Article 

[befuddled-calico-whump]

Abandoned

For Angstpril, Day 6

cw: aftermath of torture, mentioned hand whump, death mention

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hero was troubled.

It wasn't the fight. He'd gotten better of the five supervillain-wannabes without breaking a sweat, stripped them of the tech they were using, and watched as they were all led away in handcuffs.

He'd dusted himself off, briefed law enforcement on the scenario, then started collecting the gear the criminals had used so it could be turned in as evidence.

It wasn't until he was holding the first piece—a cuff that let its wearer manipulate electricity—that Hero's blood ran cold. It was inch-for-inch identical to something he'd seen Villain use.

He collected the rest of the gear in a hurry, giving each item a quick once-over, and each piece further confirmed his suspicion.

Villain had made the tech that outfitted the aspiring criminals of the day. Dammit. He should've realized this was bigger than an attempted robbery. Villain was always a step ahead.

And he'd been missing for months. Plenty of time to plan something big. How many other petty criminals had he outfitted in that time? Would the city see a spike in crime? Or…

A chill washed over Hero as he remembered the last time he'd seen Villain. Running away, tail between his legs after a crushing defeat at Hero's hands.

Was this revenge? Had the robbery been a distraction?

He handed the rest of the gear off quickly, trying not to let the worry show on his face as he took off. 

What if Villain had attacked his base? His team? His family? Even in route, he called back to the team's headquarters in a hurry.

"Hero?" Sidekick sounded half asleep.

"Sidekick! Are you… tell me you're okay."

"M'fine. Why? What's going on?"

"Check the perimeter. I think Villain's up to something."

"What? I mean, okay."

"I have to go. I'll be there soon."

"Hero?"

He hung up before she could finish her question. First he had to check on his parents. His brother. It felt unlikely, unreal even, that Villain would be able to find them, but he couldn't risk it.

It wasn't as if Villain wouldn't stoop that low. He'd taken hostages before, and had proven time and time again that he didn't make empty threats. If he'd hurt any of them…

But he hadn't. 

A thorough search of his parents' house, his brother's apartment, even the surrounding block, yielded nothing.

Nothing at home, nothing at his base.

So what was Villain planning? It was so unlike him to do anything without it being part of some grander scheme.

Maybe he'd just handed off the tech to a random gang and told them to go wild. Spread some fear. A promise of a chaos that would plague the city.

Or maybe it was all a mind game, a way to get back at Hero without ever having to touch him.

Dammit. If that was it, it was working. Even after assuring the safety of his family and friends, Hero couldn't sleep. He had to get to the bottom of this. Find Villain and imprison him for good. Prevent any further weapons dealing. Protect the city.

Hero got in contact with the police first thing the next morning. They'd managed to get an address from yesterday's delinquents, and it was as good a starting point as any.

Before taking off, Hero got one more look at the gear the group had been using. If nothing else, it would give him an idea of what he'd be up against in the weeks to come. Villain was an engineer. An innovator. His only power was his intellect, but that was enough to let him go toe-to-toe with the likes of Hero.

The police had locked everything up in a vault, but he had no trouble convincing them to grant him access. After all, this could finally lead to Villain's arrest. An end to a reign of terror.

There were five items locked away, one for each criminal. Two electrokinesis cuffs. One pair of vision-enhancing goggles. A pair of boots designed to increase speed. And a belt that equipped its user with near-invisibility. 

A collection of Villain's favorites. Hero could identify all of them on sight. None of them seemed new, but why would Villain bother making petty thieves custom stuff? He'd probably just tossed them his hand-me-downs.

Or more likely, he'd given one of them his hand-me-downs. The collection seemed more designed to outfit a single person, not equip a full team.

And wasn't this the exact setup Villain had used in their last encounter? An odd coincidence, but Hero tried to shake it off. Once Villain was safely behind bars, he'd ask about it directly. Right now it was time to investigate the address. Maybe by the time he returned, the police would have more information for him.

The address didn't lead to some secret base, or shady warehouse; just a one-story house on the edge of city limits.

It felt a little odd to knock on the door, knowing who this place was affiliated with, but Hero was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. What if it was just one of the robber's mothers? A grandparent? He wasn't about to bash in the door and give some poor old lady a heart attack.

After a few tries with no answer, he forced the door open. A standard deadbolt was no match for superhuman strength, and if the homeowner did end up being an innocent bystander, a lock would cost him less than the whole door.

Inside… there was no one. All the lights in the house were off. The front room held nothing but a beat-up easy chair, and the rooms beyond didn't offer much more. No spare tech, no mysterious notes, not even an unlabeled phone number or address. Before Hero could call it quits, a shed in the backyard caught his eye.

Not much, but it was worth a look.

He tore away the padlock that held the shed closed, taking a chunk of wood with it. The door swung open, sunlight spilling in to illuminate the area. There was a tool chest against one wall, with a workbench directly across from it. A wooden chair sat beside it, speckled with something that looked suspiciously like dried blood.

Hero stepped inside cautiously, wanting a better look at the part of the shed where the sunlight didn't quite reach. A small scraping sound stopped him short, and he held his breath and listened.

Whatever the noise was, it was coming from the back corner. A box. No, a large dog crate.

Did the bastards from the robbery keep their dog locked up in here? Stale air and darkness, no protection from the elements… He muttered a curse under his breath, and the thing in the crate let out a quiet whimper that sounded almost human.

No way…

Hero reached the front of the crate, letting his eyes adjust as he peered through the metal bars, taking in a silhouette that was definitely not a dog.

He knelt, a little too quickly, and the figure inside flinched back, as far as the cramped space would allow. The scraping noise followed them, a sound Hero now recognized as chains.

"Dammit… don't panic. I'm going to let you out," Hero said in a low voice, crushing the locking mechanism with one hand and pulling away the front of the cage. What the hell had the bank robbers done? He knew they were reckless. Stupid and selfish enough to put people in harm's way in order to get what they wanted. He never would've guessed they'd be keeping a person in a dog cage? And who…

He clenched his jaw. No. He already knew the answer to that.

"I won't hurt you," he said. "Just come out, and I'll get you out of here, okay?"

He couldn't bring himself to think about it. Not right now.

The figure in the cage began to crawl forward on bruised, bony limbs. A short length of chain linked their ankles together, and a longer one hung from their neck, like some kind of leash. A muzzle glinted from somewhere beneath their dark, matted hair. Hero took a step back, giving them room.

He could leave now. Call the police. Call an ambulance. Leave and never confirm what he already knew to be true.

"Come into the light," he said instead. "Let me get a look at you."

The captive seemed to be in pain as they crawled to the other end of the shed, stopping just short of the door and staying there, head bowed.

Daylight reflected off of their chains and lit up the bruises scattered across their naked torso. A few sloppily-stitched gashes cut across their legs, and welts ran across their shoulders, but the worst of it was their hands.

Bloodied bandages wrapped around mangled fingers, most of which looked like they'd been broken or dislocated.

Hero knelt next to them. He could still go. He could still get away with pretending this was someone else, some innocent victim—

"Look at me," he said, trying to soften his voice.

He wasn't surprised when it was Villain's eyes that met his own, half-shrouded by dark strands of hair.

Villain, who'd once held a daycare hostage to get the City Council's attention. Villain, who'd murdered the mayor's wife to get her to take his threats seriously. Villain, who now looked up at him with tired, fearful eyes.

Whose body was a testament to the cruelty he'd lived through.

Who was chained and muzzled and broken.

Dammit, why couldn't it ever be easy?

"I'm going to take the muzzle off okay?"

Villain nodded, eyes downcast as Hero tore through the leather straps like they were pieces of paper.

Villain reached up, rubbing his jaw awkwardly with the back of his hand.

"Please…" came his voice, rusted with disuse. "Please, Hero, just arrest me. Please. I'm done. I c-can't—"

"You're okay. I won't… I won't hurt you," Hero said, the words coming out stilted and wooden. How was he supposed to comfort someone like Villain? He'd made his fair share of assurances. Accident survivors, rescued hostages, Villain's own victims. But they were always innocent, undeserving of whatever misfortune had befallen them. Villain on the other hand…

He took in his nemesis. Gaunt frame, hunched shoulders, unable to stand, barely able to crawl—

Did he deserve this much?

"Let me see your hands," Hero said quickly. He was no healer, but damage assessment was better than contemplating whether or not the man before him deserved his pity.

Villain shifted, holding both hands out, wrists bared. Like he was expecting to be cuffed, Hero realized.

"I'm not arresting you. I just want to see them," he clarified, reaching out to unwind the bandages, one-by-one. Both hands were spotted with deep puncture wounds, some of which looked infected. The marks were strange, and Hero was unable to guess at the cause until he removed the last bandage, revealing a small screw still embedded in Villain's palm.

"Dammit—!" he almost dropped Villain's hand.

The hand of an engineer. Someone who tinkers and builds, someone who uses their hands to create— The notion sickened him more than anything else he'd seen today.

"Why?" was all he could say. 

Villain didn't answer.

He couldn't sit here and dwell on this. Villain needed a healer, or at least a hospital. And then— and then, he'd need to be arrested. He'd pay for his crimes, but not like this.

But what if it happened again? Villain had plenty of enemies. Rivals and ex-henchmen who were in prison now, ready to take revenge. Guards and cops who'd been personally wronged who would look the other way. He'd have to take preventative measures against that.

"Alright," he sighed. "Let's go then." Hero knelt, taking Villain into his arms and cradling him to his chest as he took off. The beaten man curled in on himself as they flew.

"Please…" he said, barely above a whisper.

"No one will hurt you," Hero replied. "Villain, you're under arrest." After a moment, he added,

"And under my protection."

[fancyfeathers]

Okay I have been watching a lot of detective movies or like those 80s movies with a badass female protagonist and just…

Yandere!Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) with a Detective!Darling. Cause space cop and real cop, see where I’m going with this?

Like maybe in an AU where all the Justice League has darlings of their own and one of them is kidnapped taken for their own protection and she begins looking into it…

And then there is an another disappearance…

Another missing person….

And another…

And another…

And clues begin to pop up…

Skid marks near the scene that no car could ever make…

Slight dents as if made by a knife or an arrow…

A knocked over flower box on a open window of a an apartment that was on the tenth floor, the apartment was locked making so this was the only place the missing person could have been taken out of…

It is at a press conference after a mass indecent that Hal finally meets his darling. He is getting slightly jealous that most of the League has a darling and he is alone and…

“Excuse me, I have a question…”

A beautiful woman stands up, not seeming as eggar as most of the reporters there and as soon as she gets the go ahead to ask she straight up walks to them and slams down a folder of photographic evidence from the crime scenes, including photos the Justice League recognizes as their darlings…

“…Well I have a few questions.”

The press conference ends rather abruptly and obviously the League has to have a talk about her, because she is a problem and could potentially…

Everything that is said goes in one ear and out the other, Hal is just staring at these images of his women who made half the Justice League go pale faced when she revealed that she was onto them in less than ten words and a handful of photographs.

God she was beautiful, and he was completely smitten.

The next time they meet is when she is leaving the police headquarters and she just happens to run into a man wearing an Air Force jacket. He helps her pick up the stuff she dropped and apologizes for running into her and introduces himself as Hal Jordan and maybe hitting on her a bit. She had to go so she can make it in time for a meeting she has with the state commissioner and some old partners she has worked with on cases before investigating the disappearances, but hey Hal gave her his number so she can call sometime when she free, but she tells him that won’t be for awhile cause of these damn disappearance cases.

But of course sometimes people do somethings they should not…

She calls, they talk, talking turns into a date, which turns into multiple dates, then cuddling up in her apartment while she reviews evidence for her cases while holds her from behind and nuzzles against her…

“Babe… cmon and take a break every once in a while.”

“I can’t right now, Hal. I have to finish this report tonight, I have a flight tomorrow to DC for a meeting about another incident, and don’t worry it’s not about the disappearances, it’s a murder, they thought I could use a break… but in all honesty it just makes me want to focus on my other cases more.”

“Maybe don’t kill the mood tonight, take a break and we could have a little fun before you leave, what about it?”

“When I get back… I just need to focus now, Hal. People need me, just another part of this job. I promise I’ll make time for us when I get back.”

“Just take care of yourself, I don’t want you dying on me now.”

“I will.”

She lied…

It’s late a few nights later when Hal gets a call from an unknown number, it is when he is at a Justice League meeting as Green Lantern and sure he does get scolded for having his phone but…

“Am I speaking to Hal Jordan? You were marked as an emergency contact.”

“Yes, who for?”

“Your girlfriend we think, she was brought in unconscious, stab wound in her lower back and severe damage to her spine.”

“What does that mean?”

“She will be paralyzed when she wakes up… her boss said she will be laid off when she wakes up, at least from field work.”

When the phone call ends Hal has to sit down and Clark is the first to speak up to him, which is fitting in a way because Clark was certainly one of the first to protect his darling because he could not help but see her as vulnerable to the threats of the world and almost the entire Justice League agrees with him when he tells him…

“Take care of her, she needs you right now.”

Hal is at the hospital not even an hour after he got the call, sitting by her bedside until she wakes up and it is time for him to take her back home, but things cannot go back to normal again, it is the mental pain she has to live with that she struggles with most.

Those disappearances, it was her job to find them and she failed them.

Hal tries to take her mind off of things, spending time off of his civilian work to look after her. He takes her into his place and sure he has to lie to her because he has work as a Green Lantern to do but he is so caught up what is happening in the moment that he forgets she was once a detective…

It is late one night when he returns home, mildly injured and…

“You lied to me, Hal…”

She is there in there apartment in her wheelchair, looking angry beyond compare, she looks up to him and then down to his ring…

“…I should have noticed sooner, the way you just conveniently showed up after that press conference with the Justice League… giving me your number for what? Did you seriously just do this all to get me distracted or what?”

“What?! No! Never… I…”

“I called my old partner from the force, I’ll be moving in with her for a while until I’m ready to take a job teaching at… well at the FBI Academy… don’t bother trying to contact me again, Green Lantern.”

She is about to roll past him, but he grabs her wheelchair and stops her. He brings her back into their apartment, and he kneels down onto her level, taking his hands in his own.

“I can’t let you back out there, you nearly got yourself killed… I love you… I am going to protect you no matter what, even if you don’t want me to.”

“…I was right… wasn’t I?”

“Babe-“

“Answer me, Hal!”

“…You were right, but it was for the best-“

“Those were people’s lives! It was not for the best, they all were scared to let go of something that was not even theirs to begin with-“

“They were in danger, it’s to protect them.”

“Then where was the Green Lantern when I was in danger? Where were you, Hal?”

“I can’t change the past, but I’m going to keep you safe now and I’m not gonna let to get hurt again.”

[12-cluh]

YO WHAT'S POPPIN' GAMERS and I rewrote my entire Clayton Backstory lmao

I'm probably gonna change it again but I like it for what it is right now. @startheoverseer it's here whenever you're free!

Clayton Costas was born on August 12th, 1999 in a small town in Nebraska. He was the youngest of two siblings, having a brother older than him by around 5 years named James “Jamie” Costas. His parents, Martin and Diane Costas, tried their best to raise him the best they could, even with Martin’s severe mysophobia. Seeing his father obsessively clean every surface in his house eventually imbued Clayton with this same fear, and since his mother was rarely around due to her constant business trips, James had to do his best to assuage his worries, to little effect. Unfortunately, during Clayton's first year of high school, while James was away at college and Diane was on a business trip, he and his father's fear drew the hunger of a demon. Misomucus attacked their home, knocking Clayton unconscious with its spores, and when he awoke, his father was gone. Clayton doesn’t know for sure what happened to his father, but he strongly suspects it was another of Misomucus' victims. He didn’t bother trying to explain what he saw to the police or his family assuming none of them would believe him, and the attack was eventually marked as a home invasion gone wrong. As for his father’s body? Well, they just had no idea.

Over the next five years, Clayton did everything he could to overcome his fear. He read the information on the immune system, partook in mud runs, and began actively seeking out opportunities where he’d have no choice but to get filthy. Eventually, his obsessions shifted to demons and the occult, and he learned all he could to seek them out and hunt them down. However, on a seemingly random day, a man in a suit and tie showed up at his apartment. Apparently, it was time for the reading of Martin’s will. Clayton had no idea his dad even had a will, but what he was left was complete ownership of the Predator Coalition of Demon Hunters, making him their CEO. Clayton had no idea that his father was as into demonology as him; it’d never even crossed his mind. Eventually, he visited the coalition’s island base. The pre-existing members viewed him with one of three emotions: excitement, anticipation, and fear. You see, after the disappearance of his father, Clayton's attitude became much more angry. Many in the coalition feared his outbursts and many did not want to make an enemy of him, so they always defaulted to his opinion on all matters. During this time, he also purchased a small cabin on the island, away from the coalition’s headquarters, partly fulfilling a pipe dream he and his father once had.

One day, after a seemingly normal quest, Clayton spotted a comet in the night sky. Normally, he wouldn’t pay it any mind, but then he saw the comet quickly begin approaching the Earth. Quickly standing from his position on the porch, he set out for the crash site. When he got there, he saw a small crater, at the center of which was a shining white gem, brighter than anything he’d ever seen. As he neared it, Clayton could feel it practicably pulsing with a power he’d never felt before. As his fingers all but scraped the surface of the gem, he was enveloped in a blinding light. When he awoke, hoping that the past few years were only a dream, he felt a strange solid mass over his heart. He slowly moved his hand up only to feel the rigid white gem embedded in his shoulder. 

The next day, Clayton decided to consult the coalition's main source on demonic intelligence: Cosmara Noroi. She wasn’t as experienced as he was, only having joined the coalition about a year ago, but she was likely the smartest person in the entirety of the coalition. While he didn’t tell her directly, she eventually told him it was something called a gem of the angelic. Many things were not known about them, but what was known was they gave the user incredible power. Over the next few days, Cosmara, whom he’d grown to just call Mara, helped him learn about his abilities, despite him never telling her he had one. He learned his powers boiled down to energy projection. His understanding of his abilities was not the only thing that increased, however. Mara and Clayton grew increasingly close and would eventually become more than friends. Mara was able to see past his very harsh and spiky exterior.

That was… until the curse took over Mara.

When she told him, he was distraught. He’d have to lose another person he loved to demons. The distress, however, was quickly replaced with anger. His furious personality doubled, and he told Mara that if she ever killed another demon, becoming even more powerful, he’d kill her himself. It was harsh without a doubt as their world was not a stranger to heroic demons. But he still couldn’t take that chance. Since he was such a highly-ranking member of the coalition, no one stood up to his cruelty. He distanced himself from Mara, only ever letting her go on missions if he was also going on them so he could “keep her in check”. 

When she left with their insufferable ally from another dimension Benny Sharp, Clayton convinced himself that he didn’t care. But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Mara’s absence took a toll on him, even though he’d never admit it. He tried to distract himself by sinking even deeper into demon hunting, but the loneliness still gnawed at him. Eventually, the news of Mara finishing her transformation into the nightmare hunter reached him and the coalition. To make it worse, he was wrong. She remained in complete control, with the only difference being that he wasn’t there to “control” her.

The news struck Clayton harder than his father’s death. He had ruined the best relationship in his life over something he didn’t even know would actually happen. Clayton sunk down a depressive and guilt-ridden spiral of hate and anger. It got so bad that he even started to exhibit symptoms of mysophobia again like staring at certain surfaces during important meetings like he could see every germ squirming around. Clayton's days became a monotonous routine of hunting demons and drowning himself in guilt and oftentimes alcohol. He barely ate, he never slept, he ignored everything else in his life but his work for the coalition. His once well-kept cabin fell into a state of disrepair, save for the first photo he and Mara ever took together, a constant reminder of what he had destroyed. And every time Clayton glanced at it, a pang of regret and sadness would wash over him. The fire within him had all but gone out.

His colleagues in the Predator Coalition noticed the change in Clayton, becoming a shadow of his former self. Concerned, some brave members approached him, trying to offer support, but Clayton brushed them off with a harsh word or a dismissive gesture. Eventually, he realized something had to change and, over the next few months, Clayton tried his best to at least sort of mend his reputation. He tried being kinder, helping out with things that didn’t involve demon hunting, and attempting to reconnect with the people he had pushed away. It was a slow and challenging process, but gradually, people started to forgive him. But all he cared about was finding one person: Mara. He needed to make sure she knew how sorry he truly was. If he ever did find her, he’d likely understand her wanting to crush him into a paste, telling him never to contact her again, or anything similar. But… he still had to try.

[beardedmrbean]

When Texas was in the grip of a historic and deadly 2021 freeze, Colin Kerdachi vanished. Concerned friends reported the Montrose landlord missing. Nearly a year later, police realized Kerdachi had been stabbed to death and his body stashed at the apartment he managed, according to court records.

A woman renting a room found the decomposing body of the longtime homeowner and landlord under the stairs, police said.

Police identified Pamela Ann Merritt, who lived at the home for some time and seemingly assumed Kerdachi’s landlord responsibilities, as a suspect in his death last May and sought a warrant for her arrest. Investigators arrested Merritt on Friday. 

MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Man wanted in Airline crash that killed man, 2-month-old girl

A judge set her bail at $500,000 on Tuesday and ordered that she seek mental health treatment should she post bond.

Merritt’s defense attorney, Jason Luong, said she has a history of mental illness and that could become part of her defense. She is expected to return to court in November.

Search warrants and charging papers describe a confounding series of events at the 605 W. Clay home that led to Merritt’s arrest — more than two years after authorities first encountered her at the address. She at one point “blurted out” that Kerdachi’s body was under the stairs, records show.

Officers first went to the three-unit apartment about a week after the February 2021 freeze when a tenant reported finding Merritt inside his apartment and being unwilling to leave. She had told the tenant that she killed the 78-year-old landlord, investigators later wrote in a sworn statement.

The officers did not appear to search the apartment and took Merritt to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation instead — one of many hospitalizations that happened in the months since the initial encounter, according to court records.

Merritt began acting as a landlord in Kerdachi’s place when she returned and rented one of the units to a woman, according to court records. The tenant moved in and reported to police that Merritt and a friend, who has not been charged, pledged to discount her rent to $600 if she cleaned several rooms. The woman agreed and found a knife in a mailbox and blood throughout the apartments, including near a bathroom, on a mattress and in the crawl space.

Merritt tried to explain away the blood. Still, the tenant called police to report her discovery, and two officers went inside the home to see the blood stains, according the complaint. The officers’ actions after their visit to the home were not made clear in court records. 

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Lawrence on Tuesday said detectives “took their time and diligence” in investigating Kerdachi’s death.

The same tenant continued to live in the house. She then discovered Kerdachi’s body in December 2021, which is when homicide investigators appeared to start their involvement, according to the complaint. 

An autopsy revealed that he had blunt force trauma to the ribs and had been stabbed repeatedly, according to court records. 

During an interview with investigators that December, Merritt said the remains belonged to a dog and that she, too, had not seen Kerdachi since the winter storm that knocked out power for millions of Texans and killed more than 40 people in Harris County.

She said Kerdachi tasked her with taking care of the apartments. 

“She repeatedly refused to believe that (Kerdachi) was dead and kept saying it was just a dead dog,” the investigator wrote. “She also claimed that she believes (Kerdachi) faked his death to commit fraud and is probably alive in Africa.” 

Merritt was not charged at the time and allowed to leave HPD headquarters.

On Tuesday, Matt Kramer, who reported Kerdachi missing in 2021, said his friend’s disappearance had always seemed strange. He went to Kerdachi’s home in the days after the freeze and found his friend’s small dog seemingly abandoned and without food. Personal items, including documents related to his new U.S. citizenship, were left behind, he said.

Kramer described Kerdachi as a “bit of a rascal” who had a soft spot for small dogs. The friend hailed from South Africa but gained his citizenship not long before his death.

Kramer knew Merritt had lived in the ground-floor unit, but wasn’t sure for how long. 

Police apprehended Merritt at a motel in the 7100 block of North Shepherd, officials said. 

Search warrants related to Kerdachi’s death were first issued in March of this year after another witness came forward to report that Merritt had at one point confided in him about the whereabouts of Kerdachi’s body under the stairs. Police publicly named Merritt as a suspect in Kerdachi’s killing in May and asked for help finding her. At the time, police said she may have become homeless.

Kerdachi bought the house in 2003 and is still listed as the property owner in Harris County tax and appraisal records. Despite his death in 2021, his taxes have been paid in full. The house on Tuesday had the remnants of peeled-off code violation stickers on the front door. The windows on the ground floor were partially shattered. 

A man living in the upstairs apartment, who did not provide his name, said he was house-sitting for the tenant who found Kerdachi’s remains. 

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 4.3 (after 1970)

1973 – Martin Cooper of Motorola makes the first handheld mobile phone call to Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs. 1974 – The 1974 Super Outbreak occurs, the second largest tornado outbreak in recorded history (after the 2011 Super Outbreak). The death toll is 315, with nearly 5,500 injured. 1975 – Vietnam War: Operation Babylift, a mass evacuation of children in the closing stages of the war begins. 1975 – Bobby Fischer refuses to play in a chess match against Anatoly Karpov, giving Karpov the title of World Champion by default. 1980 – US Congress restores a federal trust relationship with the 501 members of the Shivwits, Kanosh, Koosharem, and the Indian Peaks and Cedar City bands of the Paiute people of Utah. 1981 – The Osborne 1, the first successful portable computer, is unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco. 1989 – The US Supreme Court upholds the jurisdictional rights of tribal courts under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 in Mississippi Choctaw Band v. Holyfield. 1993 – The outcome of the Grand National horse race is declared void for the first (and only) time 1996 – Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is captured at his Montana cabin in the United States. 1996 – A United States Air Force Boeing T-43 crashes near Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia, killing 35, including Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown. 1997 – The Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but one of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas. 2000 – United States v. Microsoft Corp.: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust law by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors. 2004 – Islamic terrorists involved in the 2004 Madrid train bombings are trapped by the police in their apartment and kill themselves. 2007 – Conventional-Train World Speed Record: A French TGV train on the LGV Est high speed line sets an official new world speed record. 2008 – ATA Airlines, once one of the ten largest U.S. passenger airlines and largest charter airline, files for bankruptcy for the second time in five years and ceases all operations. 2008 – Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS's YFZ Ranch. Eventually 533 women and children will be taken into state custody. 2009 – Jiverly Antares Wong opens fire at the American Civic Association immigration center in Binghamton, New York, killing thirteen and wounding four before committing suicide. 2010 – Apple Inc. released the first generation iPad, a tablet computer. 2013 – More than 50 people die in floods resulting from record-breaking rainfall in La Plata and Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2016 – The Panama Papers, a leak of legal documents, reveals information on 214,488 offshore companies. 2017 – A bomb explodes in the St Petersburg metro system, killing 14 and injuring several more people. 2018 – YouTube headquarters shooting: A 38-year-old gunwoman opens fire at YouTube Headquarters in San Bruno, California, injuring three people before committing suicide.

[adarshpandey001]

Affordable Real Estate property in Lucknow

Affordable Real Estate Property in Lucknow

A home is one of the most expensive and valuable assets we have. It’s made up of several years of hopes and dreams, and it’s important to make your home-buying experience a fulfilling one. If you are looking forward to buying a premium property in Lucknow, then you must familiarise yourself with the best real estate companies in Lucknow city.

Real Estate in Lucknow

The city of Lucknow has a lot to offer. There are not many options when it comes to choosing an apartment in Lucknow. The apartments are available in various types, ranging from a small and compact 2-bedroom house to a lavish 3-bedroom flat. There are also independent houses or villas like Urban Woods in Sushant Golf City. Leading developers in Lucknow offer apartments of all sizes and budgets in various locations. You can choose a location that is accessible and well-connected to schools, shopping malls, hospitals, airports, sports facilities, and other important landmarks.

Urban Axis-The Best Real Estate Company in Lucknow

Choosing the right builder is one of the most important aspects of buying a house in Lucknow. You need to select those real estate companies in Lucknow that offer superior construction quality, ensure timely project delivery, provide premium amenities within the company, are located in a posh and accessible area, and are still an affordable option. One builder that meets all these checklists is Urban Axis Developers. Urban Axis Developers has carved a prominent reputation in the Lucknow real estate market. Their luxury apartments are located in prestigious areas such as Gomti Nagar Extension, Sushant Golf City, Amar Shaheed Path, and others. Their apartments offer a wide range of amenities, including a clubhouse, swimming pool, playground, gym, meditation and yoga zone, entry control at the entrance, CCTV surveillance, high-tech security, power backup, ample parking space, etc. Urban Axis projects are located near facilities such as Medanta Hospital, Best Schools and Colleges, Big Malls, etc. Apartments in Lucknow to consider. These are the two best projects in Lucknow where you can consider buying a flat!

Urban Woods – 2 & 3 BHK Apartment in Lucknow

Urban Woods is one of the most famous apartments in Lucknow, offered by Urban Axis Developers. These are 3 BHK and 2 BHK apartments in Sushant Golf City, Lucknow. The apartment has a large open space built on (…) acres. The project ensures that the residents will be provided with carefully selected facilities and amenities such as a swimming pool, bike path, gymnasium, cricket pitch, clubhouse, gated community, power backup, parking space, and more. Nearby facilities include Lulu Mall, Medanta Hospital, etc.

Luvnest –  2 & 3 BHK Premium Yet Affordable Apartment

This is another premium yet affordable option offered by Urban Axis developers. Luvnest is located in the upscale area of Vrindavan Colony. You can purchase 2 or 3-bedroom apartments and enjoy the most beautiful skyscrapers nestled in lush green meadows. The apartment offers superior amenities like a clubhouse, gym, park, etc. It is located near UP Police Headquarters, Phoenix Pallassio Mall, Medanta Hospital, and Ekana International Cricket Stadium. the choice for both end users and investors.

Since buying a home will be one of the biggest investments of your life, be careful when choosing your builder. There are many developers in Lucknow, but if you want to opt for only the best, then Urban Axis Developers is the one for you! 

[tampa-fl-first]

Trails at Hunter's Lake in Tampa, FL

Regarding one bedroom apartments for rent in Tampa Palms location, it is really necessary to find the best one. If you’re searching for an apartment home, you can start by searching online articles about apartment rental properties. As a recommendation, you can check out the website of Trails at Hunter's Lake. There, you can bring your pets with you. In that case, all you have to do is check out their pet policy. Put simply, dog and cats are welcome. However, breed restrictions apply. Moreover, you can have a maximum of two pets per apartment. Then, the pet fee is $300 for one pet, and additional $150 for 2 pets. Furthermore, the monthly pet rent $25 per pet.

Tampa, FL

Do you know anything about the economic background of Tampa, FL? Well, the economy of the city has improved as the years go by. In addition, many people want to move to the city. Interestingly, finance, retail, healthcare, insurance, shipping by air and sea, national defense, professional sports, tourism, and real estate all play vital roles in the area's economy. In addition, several large corporations, such as banks and telecommunications companies, maintain regional offices in Tampa. Apart from that, the largest credit union in Florida, Suncoast Credit Union, is headquartered in Tampa. Lastly, the said details are really useful if you want to study the specific place.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, FL

Let’s talk about Busch Gardens Tampa Bay today. It is a 335-acre animal theme park located in Tampa, Florida, United States, with the entire park landscaped and designed around themes of Africa and Asia. Moreover, it is owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. Then, the park opened on June 1, 1959. Furthermore, the park has an annual attendance consistently exceeding 4 million, often ranking second among United Parks & Resorts parks behind SeaWorld Orlando. Lastly, the park also features several rides and attractions aimed for children under the age of nine, as well as two water rides that is a river rafting ride and a classic log flume. Isn’t it amazing?

Tampa police investigating aggravated assault during attempted dog adoption

As we always discover, there are shocking news reports in the Tampa, FL. It includes a story about an aggravated assault involving a dog. Many people are waiting for more details about the topic. As reported, the Tampa Police Department or TPD is investigating an aggravated assault that happened between two women during an attempted dog adoption on Saturday around noon near the 1900 block of Meadowbrook Avenue. Moreover, it was mentioned by the police that as the transaction went on, a fight broke out and one of the women pulled out a gun. Then, the police later seized that gun. Apart from that, officers took reports from the scene and spoke with witnesses, but said that due to conflicting stories no arrests were made.

Link to Map Driving Direction

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay 10165 McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612, United States

Continue to N 40th St/McKinley Dr 4 min (0.5 mi)

Take FL-582 E and I-75 N to Hunters Green Dr/Hunters Village Rd 17 min (12.1 mi)

Turn left onto Hunters Green Dr/Hunters Village Rd Continue to follow Hunters Village Rd 2 min (0.3 mi)

Trails at Hunter's Lake 8500 Hunters Village Rd, Tampa, FL 33647, United States

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"FBI AGENTS TELL HOW FUSILLADE KILLED 2 FELONS," Chicago Tribune. December 31, 1942. Page 7. ---- Seek to Link Touhy and Gang to Holdup ---- How federal agents killed two of the Touhy gang of escaped convicts last Monday night was told yesterday as the government attained custody of the five catured alive.

Earl J. Connelley, assistant director of the federal bureau of investigation, told a coroner's jury about the shooting as other agents were seeking to determine whether the Touhy gang was responsible for the $20,000 holdup of an armored car on Dec. 18. The bodies of Eugene Lanthorn, alias James O'Connor, and St. Clair McInerney were on slabs near by as Connelley gave an account of the shooting. Lanthorn, 36 years old, was slain in his third escape from the prison, where he was serving a 1 year to life term for armed robbery imposed in 1932. In May of that year he fled but was shot and captured in a robbery. In 1936 he pulled the masterlight switch of the prison and scaled the wall on a ladder he contrived, but was caught the next January in Kenosha, Wis. McInerney's death closed a life sentence he was serving, under the habitual criminal act, imposed in 1937 after a safe blowing attempt which followed two previous robbery convictions. He was 30 years old. Nelson in Minneapolis. Held at the FBI headquarters here were Roger Touhy, Basil Banghart, Edward Darlak, and William Stewart. In federal custody at Minneapolis was Matthew Nelson, the last of the gang of seven who escaped from the Stateville prison on Oct. 9 and the first to be caught.

"Eugene Lanthorn and St. Clair McInerney [the subjects of the inquest) escaped from the Stateville prison on Oct. 9," said Agent Connelley in starting the story of the battle at 1256 Leland avenue on Monday night. "We sought them as violators of the draft law. A subsequent investigation showed they had taken refuge at 1256 Leland avenue in apartment 31. Trapped in Own Flat. "On Saturday, Dec. 26, and Sunday.Dec. 27. agents of the governmentidentified the two men thru visualobservation. On Monday when thetwo left their apartment we placedmen in it and also in apartment 21.on the floor below, and in apartment33, down the corridor. We waited fortheir return.

"Monday night about 11 o'clock the two men approached the door. One,I think it was Lanthorn, placed a key in the lock. The door opened and they started to enter. At that time a command was given: "Stick up your hands. We are federal officers." Connelley didn't say so in his testimony, but it was understood he was one of the men inside the room. 20 to 40 Slugs in Each. There were shots by the two men and subsequent firing by the agents on the second and third floors, he said. "The agents used 38 caliber revolvers and 12 gauge shotguns. There is a possibility that magnum ammunition was used."

[Police ballistics experts said that magnum ammunition is fired from a specially designed magnum pistol, which is one of the two hardest hitting hand weapons in existence. It is a .357 caliber cartridge, which with a 150 grain powder charge has a muzzle velocity of 1,512 feet per second, against 800 feet for the .38 caliber police special cartridge which is the same size and carries the same weight of powder. The only other hand gun with similar hitting power is the 9 mm. Luger pistol, they said.]

The body of each convict was pierced by 20 to 40 bullets or shot-gun slugs, coroner's physicians said. As far as was known no government agent was hit.

Two pistols were turned over to the coroner and said to have beentaken from the bodies of the slain convicts. One, a 45 caliber pistol, had been fired twice. The other, 30-38 revolver, had not been fired. May Transfer Banghart. The jury held the shooting of the two men was justifiable homicide and extended congratulations and commendations to the government agents.

United States Atty. J. Albert Woll announced that four of the recaptured convicts would be turned over to the state authorities for return to prison probably by the end of this week. The government may decide to send Banghart to a federal prison, Woll said, in as much as he is under a 36 year sentence for a mail robbery in North Carolina.

Spencer J. Drayton, special agent in charge of the FBI in Chicago, said his aids still were questioning Touhy, Banghart, Darlak, and Stewart. He said there had been no admissions of guilt in the Buick plant robbery.

Because the escaped convicts were known to have had little money on Dec. 17 and to have had plenty afterward, however, it was believed they robbed the armored car.

[atlanticcanada]

2 Edmonton police officers killed during domestic call; suspect dead and 1 hospitalized

Two Edmonton Police Service patrol officers were killed while responding to a domestic dispute call early Thursday morning, the city's police service has confirmed.

The male suspect is also dead from what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

One person – a female of unknown age – is in hospital with life-threatening injuries but was in stable condition as of 10 a.m. when Edmonton's police chief spoke about the incident for the first time.

Dale McFee called the deaths of two west-end patrol members an "unthinkable and horrific tragedy."

He identified the members as 35-year-old Const. Travis Jordan and 30-year-old Const. Brett Ryan.

Jordan had served with EPS for eight-and-a-half years, and Ryan five-and-a-half years.

"Constables Jordan and Ryan were valued members of our EPS family and they worked side by side with us every day in service to our community and I can't tell you how devastated we are with their loss. We know that their family and friends, their EPS family and our entire community will be profoundly impacted by this incident but we must all be there for each other. This is a time where we lean in and lean on each other," McFee said, speaking at Edmonton Police Service's downtown headquarters.

KNOWN DETAILS

As EPS was called to Edmonton's Inglewood neighbourhood shortly after midnight, the investigation into the officers' deaths is still in the early stages.

But McFee provided what detail he said was available as of late Thursday morning.

"At approximately 12.47 a.m. this morning, Constables Jordan and Ryan of our west division responded to a family dispute in an apartment building near the area of 114 Avenue and 132 Street. Upon arrival, the two patrol members went inside the building, approached the suite, and were shot by a male subject.

"At this time, all indications are they did not have a chance to discharge their firearms," McFee said.

"The two members were rushed to the hospital by our own members who worked valiantly to save their lives en route. Unfortunately, they were both declared deceased at the hospital."

He promised to share more details as they became available, but asked for the public's patience while police investigate.

McFee said the public was not at risk.

"Our members are today, even in the face of tragedy, at work protecting our city. This is what police officers do every day. Even when they understand the risks that they face. We are grateful for their ongoing commitment even in the face of tragedy.

"As a police chief, I just want to tell you how humbled and proud of our members who continue to serve our community, this community, under such horrific circumstances."

'PRETTY WORRYING'

As McFee and other police and government officials spoke, the bodies of the slain officers were being transferred to the medical examiner's office, escorted by emergency vehicles.

And, dozens of police officers remained in Inglewood at an apartment building – Baywood Apartments – which had been taped off since the early morning.

A community resident told CTV News Edmonton he was woken up by helicopters, sirens and emergency lights.

A Baywood Apartments resident told CTV News Edmonton he didn't hear anything overnight and was surprised to find police set up outside his home in the morning when he left for work.

"It's frightening. I'm very worried about it. My child's safety. I've never had this problem here," Tom Deagle said.

"We're trying to get out of here, out of this neighbourhood, because it's constantly stuff, but I've never seen to this extent. It's pretty worrying."

Noting gun and gang violence is up across Canada, CTV News' public safety analyst called the situation in Edmonton "very sad commentary."

"Canada is still a relatively safe country but we have these incidents up here increasing and we need to do everything as a country – not just police but everybody – to try to prevent this kind of thing from continuing," Chris Lewis said.

"It’s a huge dark day for the police service, for every man, woman, civilian in uniform that knew the officers and those who didn’t. It’s hard to describe the feeling of dread and grief that goes through a police agency."

Multiple government officials and agencies sent their condolences to EPS from afar, including Calgary Police Service and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

This is a breaking news story. Information will be updated as it becomes available.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Evan Klippenstein and Nicole Lampa 

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/6Lx2KRp

[mlcheely]

It's Just A Game... CHAPTER SIXTEEN. ☆

⸺ . ⋆ ☆ ⋆ . ⸺

 CONFIDENTIAL

ATTN: Chief of Security

DATE: July 22, 1998

X Day is now drawing near. You are expected to execute these following protocols within 1 week. The following actions are listed below:

Lure both S.T.A.R.S. teams to the Spencer estate and obtain the B.O.W.s’ raw combat data against S.T.A.R.S..

Collect 2 embryos of each mutated specimen as samples, including the Tyrant. Once completed, dispose of said Tyrant.

Ensure the complete disposal of the Arklay Laboratory including all infected personnel, B.O.W.s, and test subjects. Disguise their deaths as an accident. When the above protocols are executed, report to headquarters for further instructions.

 If for some reason you are unable to execute the protocols by the deadline, report immediately. In case of emergency situations, report directly to the extension number 5691.

 Good luck.

Umbrella Headquarters.

Umbrella Inc.

⋆

DATE : ┃JULY 22ND, 1998. LOCATION : ┃S.T.A.R.S. OFFICE, RACCOON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. TIME : ┃10:37 PM.

⸺ . ⋆ ☆ ⋆ . ⸺

 Wesker stares intently at the piece of paper in his hands, reading it over and over again. At first he thought his eyes were deceiving him once he read over the fax, but it seems he has now found his opportunity to quietly sever himself from Umbrella’s employment — he’s simply going to fake his own death. It’s perfect; no one would ever know. 

 Now in order to do that, he has to drink some sort of solution that temporarily renders him motionless or at the very least, in a seemingly death-like state. He might even know someone who can provide him with such a solution.

 He walks over to his desk and pulls out a document shredder before he slowly begins to slide the document through its teeth. He watches as the paper is cut to pieces; the shredder humming as it eats the page.

 Yes…no one will ever know.

⋆

DATE : ┃█ █, ████. LOCATION : ┃ █. TIME : ┃██:██ ██.

⸺ . ⋆ ☆ ⋆ . ⸺

 Snarl !

 Unsuspecting eyes meet with a horrific sight: a pale, slumped form with a rotting face, blood and flesh dangling from its maw. The being’s eyes are like that of a dead man’s; dull, milky pupils. Its rotten arms reach out to grab Jill as it approaches her, growling through its blood stained teeth. A piece of flesh falls from its face as it stumbles, falling to the floor with a disgusting ‘ splat !’ Jill steps backwards, afraid at the sight in front of her. It’s — It’s a zombie ! A real zombie! She quickly moves out of the way when the monstrous creature suddenly lunges towards her, screeching as it hits the wall behind her. She makes a run for the front door, but she’s met by another terrifying zombie standing in the doorway. This one is missing its nose and lower jaw, groaning as it reaches towards her. She gasps, falling to the floor in surprise. Both monsters now make their way to her, and she wastes no time getting off the floor and sprinting to her room. She slams the door behind her and locks it, running to her window to pull it open.

 After getting the window open, Jill climbs out onto the fire escape and starts running down the escape’s stairs. In the distance, she can hear screams and sounds of destruction coming from the streets. She turns her head in the direction of the noise, spotting civilians running past the alleyway. This causes her to run faster, eager to see what’s going on. Maybe it will be able to explain what the hell just happened in her apartment.

 Upon seeing the streets of Raccoon City, Jill is met with utter chaos. Cars and buildings are on fire; their blazes reach towards the sky, crackling as they burn. Bloody bodies are laying in the road, and petrified citizens scream in agony as they’re attacked and eaten alive. People cry out for her to help them as she passes them, begging her to save their lives. There are zombies all around Jill and when one notices her, she starts to run as fast as she can. She’s gotta get out of here, but where can she go? With every turn she makes, she’s met with more rotting faces and stumbling creatures. 

 She even ran into some zombie-like dogs, just barely able to escape them at the last second.

 Suddenly, the sound of a subway train’s horn blares into Jill’s ear drums and she frantically whips her head around as she looks towards the source. What the hell? What is —

 “Jill?!”

 That’s…

 “Jill, is that you?!”

 That’s Erica!

 “Erica ��� it’s me — it’s Jill!”

 Jill starts running in the direction of Erica’s voice, desperate to see her friend again. She keeps going until she runs into a thick fog, coming to a stop once she realizes she’s unable to see her surroundings. Where did all of this fog come from? What happened to the city? Why can’t she see Erica? “Erica?! Where are you?!” She looks around, but with every glance she makes she’s only met with more fog. “Erica?!”

 “ Jill !”

 Jill turns to the direction of Erica’s voice as soon as she hears it and instantly feels her heart fall into the pit of her stomach. What she sees is not Erica; what she sees is a giant, hulking creature stomping its way towards her. She can’t make out any of the giant’s features through the fog but as its shadow casts itself over her, Erica’s voice yells directly in her ear. 

 “ RUN ! ”

 Jill abruptly shoots up in her bed with an ear-splitting scream, and when she opens her eyes she gasps. She’s back in her room, but this time there’s no zombie, there’s no monster — there’s just her. ‘It…It was just a nightmare?’ She asks herself as she pants, looking around the dark room. Frantic hands reach up and touch her face, only to feel that her skin and hair are drenched in sweat. She calms down and sighs in relief knowing that it was just a nightmare but she makes a face of disgust when she realizes that not only is her face and hair wet, but her clothes and sheets are soaked, too. 

 “ Ew .” Jill murmurs before climbing out of bed and heading towards the bathroom. She flicks on the light and winces before her eyes adjust to the brightness. She looks in the mirror and she looks like an absolute mess . Her hair is unkempt and sweaty, and there are dark circles underneath her eyes. ‘Gross…’ She frowns.

 What happened in her nightmare just now? What was happening to the city? What was that thing she saw?

 More importantly, what was Erica doing there? And why couldn’t Jill find her?

 She turns on the shower faucet and begins removing her clothes as the water starts spraying down into the tub’s floor. Warm water gently begins flowing down her body once she gets in, and she faces up to the faucet to let the water wet her face. She hopes the heat and comfort of the water will clear her mind of the nightmare that just occured, but Jill can’t help but feel a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She feels like…like something bad is going to happen. Something bad is going to happen to Raccoon City, but she doesn’t know what it is. 

 She watches as the water flows down into the drain, her eyes staring into the drain’s black hole. 

  Sigh .

 Tomorrow the S.T.A.R.S. teams are expected to start their investigation through the Arklay Mountains, and Jill knows she’s expected to be in tip-top shape for the mission. However, she isn’t so sure she’s up to the task. She hasn’t gotten any proper sleep in what seems like forever, still haunted by the disappearance of her friend Erica. It’s not like Jill even knew the young woman for very long, but for some reason their lives seem to be intertwined, even after she’s gone. 

 ‘It’ll be fine.’ She reminds herself as she grabs a bottle of shampoo. She knows that she’s completely qualified for her job and she always has been. She knows she’s not alone; she knows she has Chris’s back and he has hers. Her whole team has her back, so there shouldn’t be anything for her to worry about.

 They’ve got this.

She’s got this.

⋆

DATE : ┃JULY 23RD, 1998. LOCATION : ┃ RACCOON CITY FOREST, ARKLAY MOUNTAINS. TIME : ┃10:10 PM.

⸺ . ⋆ ☆ ⋆ . ⸺

 It was only hours ago that Bravo Team was sent out to investigate the Arklay Mountains by helicopter, and it only took moments for the aircraft to come crashing down. The team held on for dear life, some of them praying while others just hoped for a soft landing. Luckily, Edward managed to pilot the helicopter somewhat safely to the ground, but now they have no communication or a way out of the mountains. Some of their weaponry is missing, too, theorized to have scattered from the crash. 

 “Everybody okay?”

 Forest pipes up. “10-4.” Kenneth waves a hand. “All good here.” Edward states from the cockpit. “I’m alright.” Richard salutes. “I’m in tip-top shape, sir.” Rebecca gestures a thumbs up with a smile. Enrico nods. “Glad to hear you all made it.” He turns towards Edward. “You got a signal yet, Dewey?”

 “No, not yet.” Edward says as he fumbles with knobs and switches, sighing. “I think some of the terminals are damaged, so it might take me a while to get back in contact with Alpha. ”

 “ Hm .” Enrico takes a look around and observes the environment.

 The woods are eerily quiet and a breeze blows through the trees. They creak and groan against the wind, and the sound of a branch snapping can be heard in the distance. Although the moonlight slips through the cracks of leaves and branches and shines down onto the Bravo team below, it’s barely enough for them to see the world around them. Its light pales in comparison to the pitch black. An owl hoots loudly nearby, making the forest feel all the more haunting than it already does. 

 “Damn, it’s scary as shit out here. Can it get any worse?” Forest remarks, checking his surroundings. “Don’t jinx it, man.” Richard retorts. Kenneth steps backwards and steps on a twig and Rebecca feels like she might jump out of her skin at the sound. Even though this is only her first mission, this forest gives her the heebie-jeebies. It probably wouldn’t be so bad had they not landed here under such circumstances, worried for her and her team now that they have no communication, missing ammo and weapons, and completely exposed to the elements. Navigating through the forest might become more difficult, but Rebecca has to remind herself of her faith in her team. It’s why she joined the S.T.A.R.S. in the first place. She deeply respects them for their acts of valor and heroism, and in the last 2 years she worked to achieve her place on one of their teams. Of course, it was a major surprise that she was hand picked to be on the Bravo team, accepted and interviewed by the captain of S.T.A.R.S. himself, Albert Wesker. Even though S.T.A.R.S. had two Captains, Wesker and Captain Marini, it was common knowledge that Wesker was the leader of the bunch. He just has that kind of presence.

 Rebecca is scared, but she has to be there for her team now! She is a necessary component to the team, after all she is the medic.

 “Yeah, it is spooky.” She pipes up, looking around in the dark.

 “It may be spooky, but I think that’s going to be the least of our worries.” Kenneth replies.

 A crow roughly lands on the hood of the helicopter and caws loudly at the Bravo team members. It causes them all to turn in the direction of the bird, and it caws once again. Edward feels a shudder run through his spine, unnerved by the bird’s sudden presence. He feels like it’s an omen, but it’s definitely not a good one. ‘ More like a bad one. ’ He thinks to himself. Jesus , can they hurry this mission up? It’s like they’re in some kind of horror movie, and he would certainly like to get out of here in time to see the sunrise .

 Edward shakes his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind as he continues to fiddle with the terminals. After a couple of moments, he leans back in the pilot’s chair in defeat before climbing out of the cockpit. “Radio’s dead, engine is shot, and we’re down half our supplies. I think we have a pretty good thing going here.” He jokes, and Enrico nods. “Thank you, Dewey.”

 Well, it looks like they’ll have to do things on foot from now on. Enrico thinks it’s no big deal, believing they can try to radio the station somewhere else. What he thinks is a big deal, however, is how the helicopter malfunctioned and almost cost his team their lives. He distinctly remembers the aircraft being checked before takeoff, and Wesker himself even gave a final inspection before the team boarded. What could have happened for the engine to just give out like that?

  Sniff, sniff .

 The snout of a curious dog-like creature raises and starts to smell the air, aware that there is now a foreign smell inside the woods — the smell of human flesh. It smells the Bravo team’s flesh, and it’s eager to have a taste of it. It begins to growl through its clenched teeth, and a few other dog-like forms lying down raise their heads at the sound. The monstrous canine licks its sharp teeth before it lets out an unnatural howl, alerting the other monsters in the area. The rest of the pack soon follows, starting a collection of ghastly sounds and noises.

 The howls echo through the trees, catching the team members’ attention. Edward lifts his head from the cockpit. Enrico furrows his brows at the sound. Forest clutches his weaponry and Kenneth does the same, both of them incredibly disturbed by the inhuman sound. Rebecca frowns but it quickly fades when Richard nudges her arm. ‘You’ll be fine.’ He mouths, and she smiles wide at his reassurance. ‘Thanks.’ She mouths back before their captain speaks up.

 “We need to get moving, team.”

 Enrico isn’t sure what he and his team are heading into, but he knows they need to stick together. Who knows what they’ll see once they venture into the wilderness. Who knows what these creatures might do when they spot them. Who knows if they’ll live to tell the tale.

⋆

DATE : ┃JULY 23RD, 1998. LOCATION : ┃ S.T.A.R.S. OFFICE, RACCOON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. TIME : ┃10:19 PM.

⸺ . ⋆ ☆ ⋆ . ⸺

 “What’s going on, Vickers?”

 Brad is silent for a moment, unable to find the words to say. There’s only the sound of static on the other end of the line, and he nervously clenches and unclenches his fists. The signal to Bravo team’s helicopter just cut out, and all he heard before that happened was a voice yell “We’re going down!” He swallows and slowly turns towards his Captain and teammates with a look of worry.

 “We lost contact.”

 Earlier in the night, Wesker had received word that the Ecliptic Express, one of Umbrella’s private trains, was attacked and contaminated with the T-Virus by T-Virus infected leeches. He doesn’t have a clue where such a creature would have come from. Leeches haven’t been used in any of Umbrella’s experiments for a long time, over 10 years to be exact, but he can’t help but wonder if someone inside Umbrella purposefully attacked the train. He decided to send in Bravo Team first as a cover for the ‘murders’ so, in the meantime, he could observe and figure out what caused the outbreak on the train. He and a clean up team will head out to take back the train and get rid of it before any other witnesses find it. 

 Wesker folds his arms, observing everyone’s faces of concern before clearing his throat. “Try contacting them through their on hand radios.”

 “I can’t.”

 “Why not?”

 “Their radios are dead, too.”

 Wesker pretends to show a look of deep concern for the Bravos, but he doesn’t really care. He just hopes that everything will go according to plan and then he can get out of Raccoon City. Loss of communication is the first sign that he’s close to getting rid of these pesky S.T.A.R.S.. 

 Barry has a look of apprehension, anxious to know about the condition of the Bravo team members. He quickly reminds himself that everything’s alright. They’re S.T.A.R.S.. They’ll be fine . Chris has a similar expression, his chest beginning to tighten at his teammate’s words. What happened? Why did they lose contact, and what are they gonna do to get it back? God, he’s so tired; tired of working this damn case. He’s tired of hearing about so many innocent lives lost at the hands of — of whatever is killing these people and not getting any answers. Now that the Bravo team is missing, he can only hope that their skills and weapons will save them now. 

 Jill is in shock, same as everyone else, as the words slip past Brad’s lips. Oh no . She nervously chews on her lower lip as their pilot desperately tries communicating with the Bravo team, but she has a feeling they probably won’t be answering. Her stomach churns, rumbling as she thinks about what could have happened.

 Could this be what her nightmare was telling her? Is this the beginning of what’s to come?

 She has a feeling her nightmare is about to come true.

[urbanaxis]

Some Facilities of a Luxury Appartment by Urban Axis

A luxury apartment intends to provide its occupant with higher-than-average comfort levels, quality, and convenience. A luxury apartment with all its facilities and style is the need of modern time. It has been something that drives people towards it. It is a place that intends to provide a better standard of livelihood to the people around. Besides this, if we look at the concept of traditional apartments, the difference is that they may consist of standard amenities only, and they fail to offer a higher guarantee. On the other hand, luxury apartments offer a wide range of amenities for your comfort because you're paying for them.

Keeping the same perspective in mind, the urban axis is building the best 5 bhk luxury apartments in Lucknow. The project is worked with dedication and strives to provide the best facilities to the people. They aim to build interior and exterior housing designs with healthy development and strategic plan. Therefore, luxury homes are a good option, and one can consider them for both residing with family or even investing for the future. Individuals with a higher net worth and even NRIs intend to take up an investment alternative in luxury homes.

Read More: https://medium.com/@vermashivi41/some-facilities-of-a-luxury-apartment-by-urban-axis-bbb8ac331b99

[leeenuu]

Ukrainian platoon commander Mariia talks to soldiers in their position in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region describe life during what has turned into a grueling war of attrition as apocalyptic. Mariia, 41, said that front-line conditions may vary depending on where a unit is positioned and how well supplied they are. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A view shows a public building destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the city of Lysychansk in the Luhansk Region, Ukraine, Monday, July 4, 2022. (REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)

Clothes and shoes on display to be distributed to people, at the humanitarian aid headquarters, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

Local officials stand in front of a damaged residential building in the town of Serhiivka, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Odesa, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. A Russian airstrike on residential areas killed at least 21 people early Friday near the Ukrainian port of Odesa, authorities reported, a day after the withdrawal of Moscow's forces from an island in the Black Sea had seemed to ease the threat to the city. (AP Photo/Maxim Penko)

People wait to receive humanitarian aid as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, July 4, 2022. (REUTERS/Marko Djurica)

An apartment building damaged by Russian attack is seen in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 4, 2022. As Russia's invasion of Ukraine grinds into its fifth month, some residents close to the front lines remain in shattered and nearly abandoned neighborhoods. One such place is Kharkiv's neighborhood of Saltivka, once home to about half a million people. Only perhaps dozens live there now, in apartment blocks with no running water and little electricity. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A Ukrainian soldier smiles as he looks at his puppy, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

First responders work on the scene where a school was destroyed by early morning shelling as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 4, 2022. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

A fresh hole is seen ahead of a funeral, among dozens of recent graves of people who have died since the beginning of Russia's invasion, in the Walk of Heroes section of the cemetery, where people who served as military members, firefighters and police officers are buried, as Russia's attack continues, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

Viktor Kolesnik cries on the body of his wife Natalia Kolesnik, who was killed during a Russian bombardment at a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, July 7, 2022. “Dad, that’s it,” his son Olexander said, watching as first responders waited to close the body bag. “She is dead. Get up.” “Don’t you understand?” his father asked. “What don’t I understand?” the son said. “This is my mother. Dad, please. Dad, please.” (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

[writer-in-theory]

Hero Complex Part Three: The Ingenue

series summary: reader gets assigned to the bau for her summer internship, and she’s overjoyed to meet her hero, spencer reid. he’s not quite like she expected. summary: spencer and reader finally confront each other. it doesn’t go the way either of them expects. pairing: spencer reid x fem!reader content warnings: language, age gap (spencer would be 29/30 and reader is 22-ish), mentions of violence (case-related), alcohol consumption, angst word count: 7k a/n: once again thank you so much for the support, it’s unbelievable and all of your comments have made me so happy. this was originally going to be the end of the fic but through the editing process, i realized i wasn’t pleased with this being the ending. so, there will be one more part that will be basically all fluff to make up for the very much not-fluff of this part. It’s also not fully written yet since I decided it was needed yesterday, so it may take longer than normal to get it posted.

masterlist series masterlist

The first clue you made a mistake came when you stepped into your apartment and realized you’d left your go-bag in Oklahoma. The second clue was the series of missed calls you were alerted to after turning your phone back on.

3 missed calls from Derek Morgan

1 missed call from Emily Prentiss

4 missed calls from JJ

2 missed calls from David Rossi

1 missed call from Aaron Hotchner

13 missed calls from unknown number

The third, and by far the most damning, clue that you’d fucked up was the knocking on your door.

When you first left the police department, you weren’t sure where to go. At least you knew better than to go wandering around a foreign city when there was a serial killer going after women around your age. There was no way you could go back to the police department, not when you’d essentially told off the entire team. It would be bad enough stepping foot into the FBI headquarters when they got back to put in your transfer request. You weren’t sure it was even possible to transfer as an intern, but staying where you were now just wasn’t plausible. If you’re going to just stand there uselessly, then go back to Virginia.

That was how you ended up taking a bus to the nearest airport and boarding the soonest flight to Virginia with nothing but your phone and wallet. You’d turned your phone off in the airport in anticipation of boarding the plane, leaving you with nothing but your thoughts. Luckily, the old woman sitting beside you on the plane was talkative. Normally you would’ve been annoyed, preferring to blast music through your headphones and retreat into your mind. Now, feeling a lingering shakiness in your body and overwhelming anxiety over the words you’d said, the distraction was appreciated.

You’d turned your phone on as soon as you got back to your apartment. It would’ve made sense to call one of them back if only to let them know you were okay. Honestly though, you hadn’t considered the fact that they could be worried about you. Instead, visions of any one of them criticizing you for being too thin-skinned ran through your mind and made you abandon your phone on the dining table.

Five hours after switching your phone on, someone knocked on your door. No, that wasn’t an accurate enough description. They continuously knocked feverishly until you crawled your way out of the bundle of blankets you’d wrapped yourself in on the couch and opened the door. On the other side of that door was a sight you never thought you’d ever see: Dr. Spencer Reid standing there, hair more disheveled than you’d ever seen it, shirt crumpled near the neck and tie loosened as if he might’ve panicked to undo it. One hand was still raised in a fist to knock on the door, the other picking at the fabric of his pants at his side. It was his expression, though, that made you wonder if this was actually happening. Reid looked absolutely distraught; hazel eyes wide, lines creased into his face, lips tense and slightly pulled down at the corners.

“Dr. Reid? What are you doing here?” You hated how small your voice sounded, unsure and worried after what had happened earlier that day.

You watched in real-time as that worry turned to frustration on his face. “Are you really that stupid?”

You blinked once, twice, three times as if that might somehow explain what was happening. Was he really so cruel as to show up at your apartment just to ridicule you again? “Did you come to my apartment to insult me again? I got the idea the last time.”

“How could you leave without telling anyone? You shut your phone off and Garcia couldn’t track you-”

“I was on a plane,” you explained weakly, knowing better than to think that would ease his worries.

“We thought you were dead, Y/N! You disappeared, you left all your stuff behind and didn’t tell anyone where you were going. How could you think that was a good idea?” Reid continued, voice still as angry as before. By now he was inside your apartment, you pressed back against the closed front door and him so close you had to look up to look him in the eyes. “You’re smarter than that.”

You were sure your expression mirrored his at this point, your own frustration bubbling up. How dare he come to your apartment, your safe space, and pretend he cared? How could he possibly make this your fault? “Am I, smarter than that? I was just doing what you said, Reid! ‘If you’re going to stand there uselessly, then go back to Virginia.’ I was getting out of your way like you’ve wanted for the past two weeks.”

Reid’s expression literally crumpled then, and you witnessed the way the anger rushed out of him like it had never been there at all. “We thought you were dead,” he repeated from before. “Morgan interrogated the unsub when they couldn’t get ahold of you. He said-” He stopped himself from speaking, face twisting as he gathered himself. You knew better than to interrupt what he had to say now, your own anger melting away as you heard what the team experienced. “I sat there for eight hours and thirty-five minutes imagining you being burned like the others. I thought I killed you.”

“You thought—what?”

Another step closer, and he was so close now you found yourself practically holding your breath. You should’ve pushed him away. Every ounce of logic in you was screaming at you to push him away, to not forgive him, and forget about your time at the BAU as soon as possible. You didn’t do any of that.

“You disappeared after what I said to you. JJ told me everything you said after.” You tilted your head down to stare at your shoes, finding that a more comfortable sight than anything else. Reid was quick to rectify that though, hand gentle against your chin as he guided your gaze back up to him. “I shouldn’t have treated you like that. You didn’t deserve any of it.”

“I didn’t,” you agreed, voice barely above a whisper. Then came the question that had stuck with you since you met him, “Why did you?”

“I don’t have a good enough explanation for you.”

“I need something, anything.”

Reid sighed, and with as long a pause as there was you assumed he’d back away, leave your apartment and never give you an explanation for the past few weeks. The doctor surprised you again, however. “Before you showed up, Emily was targeted by someone from her past. She pretended to be killed so she could protect all of us from him, and JJ was one of the few people who knew about it. She’s my best friend and she watched me grieve without ever helping me.”

The ‘situation’ that everyone kept referencing was so much worse than you thought. There was so much you wanted to ask, but you held your tongue to let him finish what he had to say. “Emily came back and we were all just supposed to move on as if nothing happened; like we hadn’t mourned her death for months. Not a few days later and JJ was replacing me with a different genius.”

There it was. “You were jealous?”

“I wouldn’t say jealous, bu-”

“No, no. You, Spencer Reid, were jealous of me.”

He sighed, clearly seeing there was no winning here. “Yes, Y/N,” he admitted, “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I’ll make it up to you, just don’t leave because of me.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay.”

“I read about you on the plane.” Reid’s eyes immediately widened, as though he’d blurted out the words without thinking about it. “You were published three times by the time you graduated.”

“I was,” you confirmed, not sure where this was going.

“You were a part of a student leadership panel at Georgetown last year. You gave a speech to undergraduate students about your academic pathway,” he explained, and you weren’t quite sure why he was summarizing your history to you. After all, you’d already lived it, you knew full well what your accomplishments were.

“Reid, where are you going with this?” you sighed.

When he spoke again, it was clear he was reciting part of your speech. Your heart sank as you realized what he found out. “‘Following the unbeaten path can be incredibly difficult. There were a lot of times that I considered dropping out, waiting until I was the typical college age to try this again. It would’ve been so much easier. Then, one of my professors told me about this kid he knew when he taught at CalTech. Apparently, he also had a rough time in college, people made fun of him a lot for being young, but you know what? This guy didn’t give up, and now he’s saving lives in a highly specialized unit of the FBI. I knew then that I couldn’t give up either. Success comes from pushing yourself past what you think you’re capable of and having the right heroes to look up to along the way.’”

“Look, that was before I knew I’d meet you guys, I-”

“I never thought I would be the kind of person to inspire someone.” The admission was soft, the most gentle words you’d heard slip from Reid’s lips yet. He wasn’t looking at you, staring at a section of the door beside your head. You wondered if that was where the splash of blue paint was from when you’d decided painting three glasses of wine in was a good idea.

“You sell yourself short, Dr. Reid,” you answered, pushing through the knot in your throat. You almost wanted to tell him to step back, to put more distance between you two. You wanted to ask him not to talk about this because while initially, you were ready to tell him all about your story, now he was asking and you had no idea what to say.

“I want the chance to get to know you, Y/N.”

Well, that was a surprise. “Because I was inspired by you?” Was this all because you’d fed his ego? He didn’t seem like the type, but then again, what did you really know about him? After two weeks of working together, you’d only really spoken a handful of times and none of them were exactly friendly.

“You bring Garcia cookies every morning.”

That didn’t clear up your confusion at all, as much as you’d hoped it would. You didn’t see the connection between that statement and your conversation, but he must have seen this on your face because he kept speaking. “You tell her it’s extra from something you already had to make, but I think you’re baking those cookies for her because it makes her happy. Sometimes she can be left out when we’re working on cases, but you never forget to include her.”

That was true. The first time, the two cookies you brought Penelope really were leftover from a batch you made for a fundraiser. The way her entire face lit up though made you keep making them every week so you’d have some to bring her every morning. She’d admitted that she often brought treats for the team so they wouldn’t forget her too much when they traveled for a case. It was a sentiment you understood well, but couldn’t bear to think of someone as sweet as Penelope feeling left out no matter how unintentional.

“You have a routine in the morning that you never stray from. Every morning, you make sure to say good morning to every person you possibly can and you remember the tiniest of details about them. You let Morgan walk you to your car every day because it makes him feel better. You babysat Henry a few times so JJ could come out with the team when you could’ve easily come with us instead.”

“Reid, please-” you tried, but the words wouldn’t quite come out how you wanted them to. Over the past two weeks, you’d assumed he didn’t care about your presence, that he’d ignored that you were ever there.

“You’re one of the kindest people I’ve met and I let you believe you weren’t worth my time,” Reid finished, those amber eyes back to taking in the details of your face. It would’ve been silly to assume he was doing anything other than profiling you, trying to search for your natural reaction to his words. Emily had admitted once that sometimes it’s hard to turn it off, though they all had made a promise years ago not to profile each other.

You hadn’t noticed you were crying until Spencer’s thumb was wiping away the tear tracks from your cheek, leaving your skin burning in its wake. “Can we start over?”

“I’d like that.” Reid seemed as breathless as you were, and suddenly that nervous energy you associated with him was back. You couldn’t help but wonder what had brought that confidence out before.

Despite the tear tracks drying sticky on your face and the way you knew your eyes were red and puffy, you managed a smile. “Hi, Dr. Reid. I’m Y/N, the new intern.” It felt a little silly, your shoulders shook a little from the laugh you just barely held back.

“I’m Spencer,” from the small, nervous smile on his face you could guess he also thought this was a little silly, “it’s great to have you on the team.”

Maybe closure wasn’t the word you were searching for, but you did feel a weight lift from your chest that had been there for about two weeks now. After all, that was all you’d wanted to hear, right? It was a validation of your welcome onto the team that had been missing, leaving you more insecure about your abilities than you had been in years.

It wasn’t forgiveness. Still present in the back of your mind was an instinctual fear of what would come from his mouth next, a learned fear that would take time to ease away. You would get there, though, of that you were sure.

“Rossi is hosting a dinner tonight for the team. You should join us,” Reid said next, and the near child-like hope in his eyes was adorable. You were exhausted; flying was always stressful, in addition to everything that had happened over the last twenty-four hours. Still, you couldn’t imagine shutting him down now, not after the progress you’d made.

That was how you ended up at David Rossi’s house just forty-five minutes later, wondering how it would seem when you walked in alongside Spencer. Did the rest of the team know he’d come to check on you? They must’ve because when you two stepped into the large kitchen (you knew Rossi must’ve been rich, but damn-) no one seemed surprised.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Pumpkin!” Penelope was the first to speak, slurping up the spaghetti noodle she’d had in her hand and rushing over to give you a hug. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

“I won’t, I promise,” you told her, looking at the rest of the team over your shoulder to make sure they understood your words were for all of them. “I’m sorry.”

“Hush, we can worry about all of that later. Come enjoy some food, Rossi’s teaching us his carbonara recipe.”

It’s Morgan who hugs you next, so tight you almost remind him breathing is a requirement. ‘Morgan interrogated the unsub when no one could get ahold of you.’ The image of this man, who often showed his care for you by trying to protect you from any harm, sitting across from the unsub and trying to figure out where he’d taken you slipped unbidden into your mind. Morgan clearly hadn’t forgotten it either, because his hug lingered longer than normal before you were moving on to hug everyone else as an unspoken apology for what had happened in Oklahoma. You would make your full apology tomorrow at work, but for now, you didn’t want to taint family dinner with such heavy topics.

“Oh, that’s good. The closest thing to pasta I’ve had since starting college is microwavable Kraft cups.”

“L/N, cara mia, don’t hurt me like this,” Rossi spoke up from the other side of the kitchen island, a hand over his chest as if your words physically hurt him.

“You better show me how it’s done then,” you laughed. Just in your peripheral, Reid and JJ were having a moment. They shared a look, JJ’s hand on his arm, and clearly, they had some apologies to swap as well.

Despite all that was left unspoken for now, team dinner ended up being the most fun you’d had in months. You had friends outside of this team, those you’d made from past jobs or classes, people your age that you often went to parties with. This, though, was something entirely different. These people were all several years your superiors but still, you felt like you connected with them in a more significant way. Maybe it was because of the horrors that you all witnessed together, or maybe it was just that they understood your interests and skills in a way people your age just didn’t. Either way, for the first time you understood how these people, this team, could truly be a family.

TEN WEEKS LATER

Walking into the office that morning was bittersweet. Your hand shook around the paper bag of cookies it held, your feet slowed as you made your way through the lobby and up the elevator.

It reminded you of when you’d first gone to college. Barely sixteen, you’d rushed to move your stuff into your dorm room as fast as possible. You couldn’t wait to explore campus, meet new people, and go exploring the nation’s capital for the first time. You bounced with your excited energy the whole time; you were so ready to start this new part of your life.

Though you hadn’t noticed it then, your mother was far less excited. She’d hugged you multiple times that day, clinging to you tightly and reminding you of how proud she was of you. She’d told you numerous times how brilliant you were, likely so you could recall those memories when you started to doubt yourself. She smiled the whole time but now going through the memories you saw the way it didn’t quite reach her tearful eyes. She was so happy for you, she told you, but happy for someone else doesn’t always equate to being happy yourself. Your mom couldn’t wait to see the kind of person you’d learn to be while you were here, but a part of her wanted to keep you back so she didn’t have to lose you as she knew you then.

That was the feeling you had as you stepped onto the BAU floor for one of the last times. Your internship was coming to an end; there was just one more case left before you’d be expected to return to your academic life. It was a step forward for you, a necessary one if you ever wanted to get a full career of your own, but you couldn’t imagine not seeing these people every day.

You decided to get coffee first, telling yourself it wasn’t because of the silhouette you saw standing at the counter. “Good morning, Dr. Reid,” you greeted the figure as you made your way to the coffee pot.

“Good morning, Y/N.” His hands were fidgeting with a coffee stirrer, but he hadn’t once moved to dip it into the cup in front of him on the counter.

“Two cups of coffee? You must’ve had a fun night.” It was only after the words slipped from you that you realized the implications of them. The way Spencer’s eyes widened slightly and his cheeks turned red certainly helped you reach that conclusion too. “Um, reading, that is. Reading.”

“It’s for you, the coffee,” Spencer told you and you wondered briefly if it was the sentiment of making an extra coffee just for you or your previous words that had him so nervous. “I was up late last night, though.”

You didn’t have time to answer before Spencer was adding in, “Reading. I was reading late.” There was just enough time before the addition to make it a little awkward, but you didn’t mind. While you two had found a form of friendship that worked for you, over the past couple of weeks it had grown more stilted like this, as though there was something both of you were holding back.

You knew what you were holding back, but there was no way you’d admit it; certainly not standing in the break room of the FBI headquarters.

“Thank you,” you returned, flashing him a smile, “for the coffee.” Neither of you spoke then. The moment your brain started imagining all the ways this moment could go, the way you could tell him exactly what you were wishing he’d say before you left this team, you knew it was time to make your swift exit. “I should find Penelope. I think we’re starting a case today.”

You did find her, but not in her tech lair as expected. Instead, she was standing right outside of the breakroom with an absolutely devious look on her face. “What was that?” she asked, but clearly the woman already knew from the smile spreading across her face.

“What was what?” you answered, hoping the innocent look you tried to flash her worked.

“Uh-uh, don’t do that. I know what’s going on here,” she answered, and you started to walk towards her office because if she was going to talk about it then you’d rather it be where no one else could overhear. “You and boy genius are-”

“Whatever you’re about to say right now isn’t true,” you warned, nervously laughing as you sat in your chair by her desk of computers. Ever since you’d been grounded from joining the team on cases, you spent most of your time here with Penelope. While you missed the chance to see the team in action, you didn’t really mind getting the chance to spend more time with her. There was a lot to learn from her, even beyond the tech expertise she held.

“But you want it to be true.” When you couldn’t find it in yourself to deny what she said, the woman grinned. “Oh, Pumpkin, you have to tell him!”

“What? No, I don’t. There’s nothing to tell.”

“Yes, there is! When you joined the team, I figured you two would get together, but then you didn’t get along and-”

“Penelope. It’s just a crush, please don’t say anything to anyone about this. I’m going back to Georgetown after this and we’ll both forget all about each other,” you answer, but immediately feel the guilt rush through you at her disappointed look. “I don’t mean completely. I’ll still talk to all of you guys as much as possible, but I’ll get over whatever I’m feeling right now.”

“If you’re sure...”

“I am. C’mon, we have a case to present, yeah?”

You would blame Penelope for the way you struggled to focus in the roundtable room. The case was especially brutal; multiple teenage boys were found dismembered after tornado strikes. It deserved your focus, you knew, but you still found yourself wondering what Spencer’s hands would feel like against you. You had the misfortune of knowing what it felt like to be pressed to a wall by him, for him to press close to you and touch your face. You knew the tension of the moment and only later recognized the arousal you’d felt then. Had that been the start of it all? Had it been Spencer’s fleeting moment of confidence and dominance that had drawn you in?

Maybe, but the conclusion didn’t sit right in your stomach like you were missing a key part of it. After the talk, it had been nothing short of hard work and persistence that saved your friendship with him. He talked to you about your research, and you talked to him about what it was like to live out west (“I’ve never been further than Oklahoma.” “We should go, sometime.”). He became a part of your morning routine, never forgetting to stop by his desk with a warm smile.

Eventually, after days of waiting for harsh words but receiving none, the hurt began to ebb away. It leaked out of your chest in a steady stream and you’d been so focused on the flow of it that you hadn’t noticed what it was being replaced with. You’d admired Spencer Reid before, years ago when you were seventeen and crying between all of your lectures to cope with your situation. He’d been a hero then, someone to remind you that painful situations were not permanent no matter how much they seemed like it.

This admiration was different. You began to admire the way he was as a person, rather than what his existence did to help you. Emily was right, the Spencer you originally met was not the real Spencer Reid. It had been an imitation of him, twisted and misshapen by raw trauma left unresolved for too long. The real Spencer Reid made sure to always tell you good morning. He stopped by Garcia’s office to say goodbye every time they had to hop onto the jet. He always seemed to know when someone on the team wasn’t feeling right. You wondered if it was his own grief that allowed him to see it in others. It wasn’t something you noticed right away, but the more you talked to Spencer you saw the guilt and sadness that never quite left his eyes. At first, you’d thought it was lingering from how he’d treated you, but it never eased away but rather seemed to push deeper into his gaze until you couldn’t imagine what he’d look like unburdened from it.

His smiles became successes for you. Whether it was a corny science joke you’d read on the back of some candy spoken between you as you ate lunch, or a hug when he came back unhurt from a case, you made it your mission to make him smile at least once a day. Already you missed it, knowing this was the last time you’d see him in person for a while. They’d go off on a case and you’d have to wrap up your internship in a strangely quiet office.

Hotch’s next statement was a further reminder that you could never fully know what to expect with the BAU team. “L/N, grab your go bag.”

“What?” You hadn’t gone on a case since Oklahoma. It hadn’t been a pretty sight the next day in the office, Hotch reprimanding you for disappearing the way you had. Not only had you gone against his express orders not to go off alone, you also made the entire team think you’d gotten caught by the unsub. You were a flight risk, quite literally.

“It’s your last case. David and I agreed it would be beneficial for you to join us,” Hotch explained, his gaze softening for only a moment before his unit chief aura snapped right back into place. “I don’t have to remind you of the rules, right?”

“No, Sir. I learned my lesson,” you answered.

“Do you have a go-bag prepped?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, seriously.” You never unpacked your last one. JJ had grabbed it from the hotel when the team left Oklahoma, had returned it to you at the office the next day. It sat in the backseat of your car ever since, the guilt and memories rising up in your throat every time you went to unpack it.

The case was a simple one, wrapped up in a few days due to the way the unsub devolved so quickly. You’d stayed in the police department the whole time, especially since the very nature of the modus operandi made each crime scene dangerous and unpredictable. Still, you were able to help enough with the case that by the time the team made it back to Quantico, you were content with the way you were leaving your internship.

Penelope would make sure you went out with a bang though. You were exhausted, ready to curl up into bed and sleep until noon, but Morgan gently steered you away from your car and over to his. “Derek, I’m too tired to be kidnapped right now.”

“If that’s how you’d actually respond in a kidnapping situation, I’m concerned, L/N.”

“Why am I getting in your car right now?”

“Don’t worry. It’s Penelope’s idea.”

“Well, now I’m worried.” Regardless of the obvious clue, you were still surprised when Morgan led you to a bar. The team went out for drinks together fairly often after cases, but you’d always declined. It seemed Penelope was insisting on it before you left.

When you got inside, everyone was there. You wondered how they’d all beaten you there until you saw Morgan’s little smirk, and you knew then that he’d likely taken a longer route there to stall.

“You didn’t think we’d let you go without a celebration, right?” That was JJ, smiling and sliding you a drink across the table. You didn’t know what it was, but it was fruity and alcoholic so you kept it safe between your hands.

“Hey, can you even drink, Kid?”

“You’re so funny, Morgan, hilarious. I’m 22,” you shot back, though there was no real bite to your words. You’d come to accept your role as a kid of the group.

“I think we need some ID to check.” Of all the people for that teasing comment to come from, you hadn’t expected it to be the curly-haired doctor sitting next to you. Your lips parted in surprise, watching as his own expression filled with pure playfulness.

“Oh, I’m gonna miss you the least.”

“That’s not true,” Spencer countered, and you’d say it over and over again if it meant getting to hear that laugh again.

“It is, it’s totally true. Who are you again? I already forgot.”

“Don’t make me remind you.” There it was again. There were these short bursts of something completely unexpected in Spencer; his eyes would darken and the way the words slid off his lips like silk made you lose your breath. The fluttering in your chest returned and that statement alone was enough to make your body burn. It was then and only then that you realized how close you were to Spencer. All of you had crammed into the booth, leaving your entire right side pressed to his left. You were entirely too aware of the feel of his thigh against yours then, of how close your hand was to him as it rested on top of your own thigh.

“Don’t make us separate you two.” It seemed Derek Morgan would continue to be a pain in your ass. When you finally pulled your gaze from Spencer to the rest of the team, Penelope was practically grinning at you over her drink. It was the knowing looks from the rest of the team that made you down half of your drink in one, relishing in the warmth that came from the alcoholic drink.

“So what’s next for you, Kid?” Rossi asked from across the table. You figured he was here only to say goodbye; you couldn’t imagine he or Hotch would stick around here for long.

“My semester starts on Monday. The plan is to defend my thesis in the Spring. If all goes well with my research, that is,” you explained.

“Keep us updated,” Emily spoke up, and you nodded at her.

You were right. As the night went on, Hotch and Rossi were the first to leave. Before he left, Rossi slipped his card into your hand and told you to contact him after you graduated. ‘You’re too good for the FBI to lose, L/N.’ Hotch wished you luck and you surprised him by wrapping him in a hug and thanking him for everything.

The night still continued, and with only the younger people left it truly began. Everyone had a healthy dose of alcohol a few hours later when you all spread out across the bar. Emily was talking to a woman you didn’t recognize, but from how close they were sitting you could tell she was important. JJ, you, and Penelope were sitting together talking and laughing loudly. Morgan was dancing in the middle of the room, which didn’t surprise you one bit. You’d lost sight of Spencer for a while.

As painful as it was to admit, it was easier that way. You could sip your drinks and not worry about what would happen when this was all over. When the night would inevitably come to an end, leaving behind a PhD candidate and an FBI agent with only a memory in common.

The thought alone made you want some air, constricting around your lungs like a vice. You paid your tab and stepped outside, making sure to warn JJ in case anyone noticed you were gone.

The nights were starting to turn colder, making you grateful you’d worn a cardigan on the jet. You pulled the sleeves down so they could cover part of your hands, gripping the ends tightly in your palms. Eyes closing, you allowed the chilled air to brush away your fears. Over the three months you spent with them, you’d come to love this team. It would be hard to go back to normal life as if nothing had changed.

You would miss sitting in Penelope’s office intermittently switching between studying case files and videos of unlikely animal friendships. You’d miss talking about world travels with Emily and sightseeing in DC with JJ. There was Morgan’s gentle teasing, Rossi’s careful guidance, and Hotch’s inspiring leadership that you wouldn’t get to hear every day anymore. There was Spencer. Talking about the books you’d read lately, and swapping stories about going through college so young until way too late at night. There was the way he was able to guide you to the right answers while working on your profiling with an abundance of patience as if to remind you the way you were treated before was not a true reflection of him. You didn’t want to say goodbye, not yet.

“You shouldn’t stay out here for too long. 10% of hypothermia cases are directly related to alcohol consumption.” You would miss that too, the way he seemed to always have a fact to fit any situation.

“I’ll be okay, I’m just getting some air.” Despite having not opened your eyes yet, you knew he was close to you. The air felt alive around you, buzzing with an energy you couldn’t name. “You don’t have to wait out here for me, I’ll be fine.”

“Last time I let you be alone, you disappeared for 8 hours.” That made you open your eyes. He was close to you; you’d barely have to raise your hand to touch him.

“You didn’t let me do anything, I left on my own.”

“I know you did. It was reckless, just like standing in a dark alleyway in the middle of the city,” Spencer continued, and you watched his jaw tense and untense as he swallowed.

“Both are calculated risks. I can take care of myself.” Maybe it was the slight inhibition of your impulse control, but you took a step forward to close the rest of the distance between you two. He seemed to anticipate the movement, taking a step back.

“You shouldn’t have to.”

Spencer’s eyes drifted to your lips, his teeth bit into his own. Another step forward, a mirrored step back. You began to hope you weren’t misreading the situation because another set of steps and his back was to the wall like yours had been two months ago, your hands pressing to the bricks so close to him and he still hadn’t taken his eyes off your lips. “What, are you gonna take care of me?”

“Do you want me to?” Unbelievably so. Still, you were making the moves and his hands remained at his sides. You needed to hear it from him, that you weren’t misreading anything about what was happening.

“Do you want to?” You weren’t an expert profiler by any means, in fact, you probably wouldn’t even call yourself a novice. Still, spending three months around a team of them allowed you to pick up some things. Like the way Spencer’s pupils dilated or the way those amber eyes were still staring at your lips. “Spencer.”

It happened all at once. Spencer’s hands were around your jaw, cradling your face and his lips were on yours. He held you just on the other side of too tight, kissing you with pure need. It took you a second to realize what was happening but then you were kissing back with full fervor, tugging on his belt loops to pull his hips to yours. And when it was over, when he was pulling back just enough for your lips to separate, you were breathless. “What was that?”

“Making sure you don’t forget my name.” The words sounded absolutely sinful coming from him.

“Come home with me.” The offer acted like a trigger, causing Spencer to shake his head and move away from you. The cold was more apparent now that you knew how warm his hands were against your face.

“Not like this, Y/N.” That sad look was back, along with something you couldn’t name. You knew it was a mature emotion though, something you would understand after years of working as a federal agent. It was a look you didn’t have the word for yet, but someday you’d look back on this moment and understand what Spencer was feeling. “I can’t wait to see what you do. It’ll only be great things.”

“What do you mean?” Everyone else made sure you understood what was expected of you after the internship was through. All of them reminded you of their phone numbers, making sure you knew to keep them updated as often as possible. Penelope told you she’d expect to see you in person at least monthly.

“You’re just getting started, Y/N,” Spencer continued, not phased at all by my question. “You don’t need any unnecessary distractions right now.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Spencer Reid, you don’t get to make that call,” you protested, but even as the words fell off your lips you didn’t believe them. “I can handle it.”

“We’re messy,” he continued. “Tell me honestly, if you hadn’t had a drink, would you have kissed me?”

The ‘yes’ almost slipped out, but that wasn’t the truth, was it? The look in his eyes made you realize you didn’t even need to answer: he already knew. “That was a goodbye kiss, wasn’t it?”

“I had to know how it felt before you left,” he admitted, soft and barely heard over the sound of traffic at the end of the alleyway. “We all know Rossi will try to recruit you when you graduate. If you still remember me by then, we can try.”

“What if I don’t?” You were scared of the thought, weren’t sure what would be worse. Spending at least a year remembering him, knowing you couldn’t reach out, or not remembering at all.

“Then we’ll have this,” Spencer answered. That was true. No matter what happened in the future, you would always know what it was like to kiss Spencer Reid. You knew he tasted like sugar and the soda he’d been drinking in place of alcohol.

“I don’t want to say goodbye,” you admitted softly. It had taken so long to get here. Careful attempts to kindle a friendship turned to strategic ways to mask the feelings you’d grown for him, to a bold final move now only for him to call checkmate when you didn’t see it coming.

“Focus on everything you’ll accomplish, Y/N/N,” he told you. “In a few days, it won’t even hurt.” You wanted to believe it. From the way his hands clenched at his sides, you could guess he was telling himself to believe it too. A part of you wished this moment hadn’t happened, then you could’ve slipped away never knowing what it was like to touch Spencer. It burned now, it felt like you’d dumped vinegar into your lungs, rendering them useless.

“We could still talk,” you tried weakly.

“I don’t want to stand in the way of your success, Y/N,” Spencer told you, now stepping forward to brush away the tears you knew had formed. “You deserve a clean break, enjoy the rest of your time in college without anything holding you back. It’s not the right time for us, you know that. That’s why you haven’t said anything before.”

“Screw you, Spencer Reid. You should’ve let me hate you. I hate this.” There was no venom held in your words. “I have one request then.”

“Anything.”

“Kiss me again.”

The previous kiss had been hard, full of burning energy that left your lips bruised. This one was slow, gentle in a way that stabbed at your chest. You still had tears slipping down your cheeks but now you could feel his mixing with yours. Both of you clung to each other knowing that as soon as the moment ended, you’d be gone.

“I’ll come back. There’s no other place I’d rather be,” you promised.

“Goodbye, Y/N.”

Spencer was walking away, past the bar. You watched him walk away until he turned a corner, never once looking back at you.

You were left with the promise of someday and the thought that getting exactly what you wanted shouldn’t hurt so badly.

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Map of Amity Park

So I did a bunch of research and traced over the map the GIW had in DCMH and extended it to try and build a map of Amity Park. I also paid close attention to locations and places named in canon. I am by no means an artist, map maker, photoshop pro, or civil engineer; I just wanted a general reference map for the phandom to use. 

Here is where I place Amity Park. We know AP isn’t in Michigan or Wisconsin, but is most likely a day drive away from Madison (Bitter Reunions). AP is a decent sized city of itself, so I can see it being an outskirt of a large city like Chicago. Lancer mentions the Northwestern Testing, and Northwestern University is in Evanston, IL, which is why I placed it where it is.

LIST OF PLACES (in great detail): 

Every city needs it’s basic services: energy supply, water supply, sewage, and trash/recycling. These of course are located more on the edge of the city, as they need a large amount of space and are typically isolated.

I placed a local airport in the city as well. Typically you would fly out of one of Chicago’s airports anyway, but private planes (Vlad, Mansons, etc.) can take off and land here. 

University of Amity Park is located at the north side of the city, and is home to a Nasty Burger location, an LGBT Center, and is probably near a gas station. The blocks surrounding the campus are more student housing. 

Near the University, we have the Science Center, Axion Labs, a Mental Institute, and the Museum, as a lot of research from the University would go into those places. 

In the more isolated areas, we have the Penitentiary, the abandoned North Mercy Hospital, and the GIW Headquarters. 

The Zoo is located on the north side of the park and is also close to the University for research purposes.

The Observatory is also located in a more isolated area, so you can actually see the stars without a bunch of light pollution.

Going into the center of town, where most things are actually located:

A community college, which is near the internet cafe where Danny and Tucker play games, a gas station, a liquor store, a thrift shop, a Planned Parenthood, Java Jive (the coffee shop), a tech store, and a gym. 

We also have a shoe store, the hunting goods store and Guitar Palace that Skulker and Ember take over in Reign Storm, the U-Ship Box Store the Box Ghost takes over, a barber and a hardware store.

There is a hair salon, tanning salon, and nail salon, where Paulina frequents. There is also Elmer’s Pharmacy, a dentist office, a law office, the TV repair store, butcher shop, and pet store (which we see next to each other in an episode), a toy store, and a vet office.

Government buildings include City Hall, a public library, a court house, a DMV, a bus station (for all mass transit in the city), a community center (likely where town halls are located and other smaller events; Ida plays bingo here every week), and a retirement home. 

There is also the post office, Amity Park Fire Department, a bank, the 24K Jewelry shop, a nearby ice cream shop, and another Nasty Burger location (this is the one right by Casper High that the trio usually hangs at). Also an animal shelter, a grocery store, and a pizza joint.

Education: there is a preschool and daycare, the elementary school, a playground/park, the middle school (yes, a Beetlejuice reference), and Casper High. Casper High campus also has the track, a fieldhouse, and the football field. 

Moving towards Amity Park Mall:

Bucky’s Music Mega Store, an apartment complex, Amity Park Police Department, a bookstore, doctor clinic, gas station, a Denny’s (where Phight Club happens), Material Grill restaurant, the mini golf course and bowling alley, Freddy Fazbear’s (which is actually a horror video game, but here it’s a kids pizza place like Chuck E. Cheese), a furniture store, a party supply store, and the movie theater (which is Marmel’s Multiplex 22, Amity Park Multiplex, and Googolplex Cinemas...it seems that they go to the same movie theater throughout the series and the names just change, or these could also be other movie theaters in the area (like near the college campus). I just picked Multiplex 22 cause it sounded very mall-y).

Along the interstate, there’s a pawn shop, a publishing house (which somehow prints all 5 of Amity Park’s newspapers), a homeless shelter, the diner, Safe House Motel, a laundromat, the 89¢ Store (a nod to Fanning the Flames), and the car dealership.

Also near the mall is Amity Arena, which hosts concerts, sports events, and other large entertainment events. There is a hotel near both the arena and the hospital (the one that isn’t abandoned and haunted). Towards the outskirts of the hospital, there’s a trailer park; north a few blocks is the TV station, where News 4 is headquartered. There’s also a construction site near Amity Arena, but that kinda went out the window when Undergrowth hit. 

On the other side of town, we have:

A-Mart, a convenience store. I named it like this because it can be like an offshoot of KMart, but A for Amity! 

Floody Waters, right off the interstate.

North of Floody Waters, East of Casper High, we have the main residences: the Foley household and only a couple blocks away is Fenton Works. 

There’s also another gas station and the Amity Park Radio Station nearby. There’s also a private school near ultra posh Polter Heights, but the A-Listers attend Casper High because the private school doesn’t have a football or cheerleading team.

Moving into Polter Heights and the surrounding area:

The Polter Heights Golf Course and Country Club are exclusive to those in the neighborhood, as well as their private neighborhood pool; members only. 

The Mayor’s Mansion (eventually Vlad’s) is located in here too.

All of the A-Listers’ houses are of course in this neighborhood, as well as Val’s previous residence and the Fenton’s temporary mansion from Living Large (which is of course right next door to Vlad, but with some distance, because the rich are always socially distancing with their big houses).

Polter Heights is adjacent to a bunch of farmland (this is the midwest, we like cows and stuff), and there is a church close by as well.

Just outside Polter Heights is the Manson Mansion (with Sam’s greenhouse). Lucky for Sam, the Skulk and Lurk Books and an occult shop are just down the street. The Manson residence is also near a funeral home and graveyard (how did Sam get so lucky? Oh, because I love her), a synagogue, Mario’s restaurant, and a dry cleaners. 

We get more spacious as we get away from the center of town! 

Along the shore of Lake Eerie, there are the docks which are home to many warehouses, including the mattress factory.

Also along the shoreline, there is a pier which doubles as an amusement park (think kinda like Navy Pier in Chicago in comparison) and alongside the pier is the public beach area. 

Camp Skull and Crossbones is located on the other side of Lake Eerie, and the fishing area is more on the north side of the lake. Lake Eerie is not one of the Great Lakes, it’s just its own thing in Amity Park. 

Back towards the park, we have event grounds space, which is where Circus Gothica is located, as well as the Meet Swap and flea market. Basically whatever rotating event hits town, it comes right here. Just next door is a theatre (for music, opera, Broadway, etc.). There is also the third and final Nasty Burger location in AP.

This is all surrounding the actual park Amity Park, which has a pond, a big fountain, and also hosts that really big hill that overlooks City Hall.

On the south side, across the bridge and over the interstate is Elmerton, where Val currently is resided. 

All the other blocks are filled with more office buildings, apartment complexes, houses, and businesses, but all of the main places are already listed and placed. 

Finally, yes, I did name some places for myself and my friends because they’re great and they deserve it. These include Steph’s (mine) Occult Shoppe, Nick’s Liquor Emporium (@ecto-american), Lexx R Us Toystore (@lexosaurus and appropriately named after the Lexxpocalypse), Laz’s Law Offices LLC (@kinglazrus), Dee’s Dentistry (@qlinq-qhost​), Lily’s Looks Thrift Store (@dannyphantomisameme​), Ceci’s Funeral Home (@ceciliaspen​), Vic’s Amusement Park (@babypop-phantom​), and Reverie Books (@wastefulreverie​).