- When the kill count of a mass-murdering arsonist active in a small town reaches 31, the BAU are called in.
- A serial arsonist is active in Royal, Indiana. The arsonist went from setting fires in unoccupied buildings to largely populated ones. In the last two fires - in a community center and a movie theater - the death count reaches 31 people. The BAU realize that they have to tread lightly as they suspect the unsub to be a local, and with Royal being a small town, anyone they question will be the target of a public witch hunt. And with the high death count in such a small town, determining if there is a specific victimology is made more difficult. The arsonist strikes again when the BAU least expects. Because the latest fire is different than the previous ones, they believe the last fire is the one that holds the key to understanding the motivation and finding the perpetrator. This case is especially difficult for Garcia, who is asked to do things outside of her normal duties.—Huggo
- Royal, Indiana -- Couples, kids and families from the small town head inside a single-screen movie theater for a screening of "The Blob." Outside, a shadowy figure lurks with a can of gasoline. He lights a match ... and the auditorium goes up in flames! Patrons run for their lives -- just like in the movie! COUGHS! SCREAMS! Can anyone save the film lovers?
Apparently not. Jennifer explains that it's the second deadly fire in a matter of weeks. "No survivors," she says. Spencer notes that arsonists usually aren't killers -- they just like to light fires. "Thirty-one victims are no accident, Derek says. Good point. So the team boards the jet and heads to Hoosier territory. Hotch asks Garcia to research all 31 victims -- relatives, histories, the whole shebang.
The team lands in Royal and Hotch and Jennifer quickly introduce themselves to local law enforcement officer Carlson. The police chief takes the team to view the bodies. Nasty stuff. "There is a strong probability the killer is local," Hotch tells Dr. Rawlins. The good doctor agrees to help however he can. Back at headquarters, Garcia has discovered a series of small fires in a nearby town. Could that be attributed to the unsub? Spencer says maybe, noting that only a small percentage of arsonists use wooden matches.
CUT TO a crowded church, where the town has gathered to mourn family and friends. Hotch tells Rawlins to keep his eyes peeled for someone who displays "inappropriate behavior for the situation." Suddenly, sirens! Another fire has been reported across town! Hotch rushes to the scene -- but it's far too late. The building, a bar, is nothing more than ash and cinders. "Looks like he tossed a cocktail through the window," the fire captain says. Rossi notes the change in M.O. He also notices a chain on the back door that prevented four victims from escaping. Rossi notes that someone inside the bar must have been "more important than anyone else" if the unsub chose to miss the church service and see the pain he had caused.
Garcia, in the meantime, finds out that each of the victims owned sordid pasts. Poor Garcia. Knowing all the dirt on the victims is clearly wearing on generally cheery nature. Back at police headquarters, Spencer theorizes that the unsub is "seeking retaliation for an injustice, whether real or imagined." The bar fire had fewer victims than the other crime scenes, however. "That's why the third fire is key," Hotch says. "He's not striking out at the community anymore. He's striking at one or more individuals." Fortunately, there is one survivor from the bar fire, a woman named Nancy.
Hotch and Rossi head to the hospital to question the burn victim. The woman, wheezing and gasping, remembers an "angry guy" who kept changing seats. Before Nancy can say more, Rawlings intercedes. The poor woman is far too ill to be interrogated. Hotch and Rossi reluctantly leave. Back at headquarters, Spencer has a theory: the man was changing seats in order to scout entrances and exits. In other words, he wasn't familiar with the bar. Could it be someone from Royal who moved away and came back? Garcia notes that the bar was built just six years ago, while the other crime scenes had been around for decades. Hmm.
But Garcia isn't done! She explains that the bar owner, Jason, recently married a woman named Tina, whose parents died in a fire when she was just a child. After the fire, Tina and her brother, Tommy, came to Royal to live with grandparents. Tina still lives nearby. But Tommy? "It's like he just disappeared," Garcia says. Double hmm. Montage time! Garcia digs through boxes of files, scribbles on a dry erase board and eats a banana. And what does she discover?
CUT TO the police briefing room, where the team has gathered along with Rawlings and Carlson. Spencer explains that medical histories show Tommy became quite disturbed following the death of his parents, while Tina was able to adjust. "Tina became Tommy's whole world," Spencer said. "After the death of the parents, Tommys love map revolved exclusively around Tina." So much so, in fact, that the townsfolk began to suspect incest (ew!). The result: Tommy, then 14, was beaten "within an inch of his life" by a group of adults. "If what Garcia says is true, then this town's actions went a long way toward making Tommy who he is," Spencer notes. Rawlings and Carlson suddenly seem mighty uneasy.
The team then heads to the home of Tina. No one answers the door, so Rossi and Carlson head inside with guns drawn (naturally). "Nobody here," Carlson says. Could Tommy have kidnapped his sis? "He loves her," Carlson says. "He wouldn't hurt her." Says Hotch: "He will if she rejects him." Garcia, meanwhile, has done even MORE digging (the girl is good) and discovered that Tommy took on an assumed name. That assumed name recently purchased a whole mess o' gasoline in a nearby town (Spencer was right, after all). Unfortunately, Tommy's trail then goes cold. So where in Royal would the crazy brother take his sis?
CUT TO a dark building, where adult Tommy leads adult Tina by the hand. The woman quickly realizes all is not right with her sibling.
Tina: "You killed those people?" Tommy: "For you. For us. So we could be together." Tina: "You killed Jason!" Tommy: "Don't say his name!"
Back at Tina's house, Rossi has discovered a box of photos. One of the pics shows young Tina and young Tommy posing at a spring formal. Carlson explains that the dance is a tradition -- and has always been held at the same nearby building. It's as good a lead as any, so the team hops into Royal Police Department cruisers, sirens blazing and tires screeching!
Tina, in the meantime, tries to talk her incest-minded bro into turning himself in to the authorities. No dice. He becomes angry and begins manhandling his sis. Just then, the team bursts through the door. "Let her go!" Rossi screams. Tommy kicks over a barrel of gasoline and holds out a lit match. "If you really love her, then let her go," Hotch says. Surrounded, Tommy lets the match burn out. He then releases Tina. "I love you," he tells Tina. The team cuffs Tommy. Case closed.
Back in Baltimore, Hotch visits Garcia to say "thanks" for all her hard work. Garcia, though, isn't happy. She explains that it's not her job to overturn the rocks in people's lives. The task makes her uncomfortable. "I want to see the good in people," she cries. Hotch understands. He wouldn't want it any other way.
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