Ralphie Pearce VII

Sam and Levi sat across each other at the table, discussing their options, their chances, as bleak as they currently were.

Tillman turns to look at the two Consultants talking inside the control room, "I thought there were no traces of DNA found in the crime scene?" he asks. Sam turns to Tillman nodding, "You're right, I reckon the suspect wore gloves." she confirmed.

"But this is not his first kill. I expect he has previous hits somewhere, if we're lucky it could be a cold case in the records. If we could link him to one crime, perhaps we can consider making a deal with him." Levi explains.

"How about the murder weapon? Records show he owns a 9mm Glock 43." Tillman asked if they could have a shot at that if it matches any of the ballistics in the database.

Levi crossed his legs and leaned back to his chair with a bored expression. "I'm confident we won't find a match even if we do get the chance to perform ballistics with it. Watts is too smart to use a firearm he has in the records." blond Irishman states.

"It's most likely a gun off the registry, smuggled guns most likely. We know Uncle Sam had been having problems with illegal arms entering his borders." Levi adds, grinning sardonically at Tillman.

Sam sighed, tired, rubbing the back of her neck. "Our only chance is to get a search warrant, and for that, we need probable cause. If we could get DNA from him, I could test it and see If we could attach him to any cold case somewhere. That would be enough for an arrest warrant." she says, rubbing her eyes.

Levi flipped through the file scanning, his brows rising suddenly in interest and he turned to Tillman.

"Watts was arrested while on the road, correct?" he asked. "Yeah, but we didn't find anything in his vehicle," Tillman answered, knowing where the blond man's question was leading.

Levi nods and flips the folder showing Watts DMV record to the two.

"I expected as much, but he owns another vehicle, a dark green sedan. The same color and model as the one Natalie Denver says she saw driving away from the crime scene." he explains, looking at Sam. Sam nodded in understanding, "It may be possible we can find some evidence on it, but that would still require a search warrant," Sam says, then turns to Tillman. "As I said, my hands are tied, we need probable cause," Tillman says.

"It may be too late then," Sam says, not liking their odds.

The group turns to look at the screen after noticing some movements, and they see a police officer enter the room with a woman wearing a business suit. Levi's eyes sweep over Sam, a look of defeat passes her face, he didn't like that look, it didn't suit her face.

As they expected, Watts was smart enough not to touch the glass of water. They have no DNA. They'll lose him, and they knew it.

Levi snaps the file close in his hand and stands as if on cue the door opens revealing Agent Sutton a frustrated look on his face.

Levi turns to both Sutton and Tillman, "Congratulations." he spat, as the officer on the monitor started removing the handcuff around Watts's wrists.

"Not only did you let a criminal go, you successfully tipped him off," Levi adds while they watch as Natan Watt greets his female lawyer. He shakes her hand with a satisfied smile on his face and they exit the interrogation room.

Sam slowly rose from her seat, the chair scraping softly against the floor. She turned to look at the two agents with a dead look in her eyes. She grabs her jacket draped over the back of her chair, puts it on, and walks out.

Sam felt defeated, wasn't it just yesterday that they were in high spirits? Hopeful for things to come, and in less than 24hours their spirits were crushed into smithereens. Her brain couldn't fathom what else to do, without that DNA, their only hope, the case would turn cold soon. She knew that all too well, statistically the majority cases that aren't solved within the first 72 hours turn into a cold case.

Natan Watts would get away, and they wouldn't find out who was behind it all. Most of all, she wouldn't find out if Wright was involved and if she was honest, she'd say she didn't give a damn about Pearce's case, or the encrypted list. She only cared about dragging Josh Wright off his pedestal.

Levi followed behind the redhead, slowly walking towards the department's parking lot.

Levi fished their rental car keys out of his pocket and they drove back to their hotel, not saying a word. What else could they talk about? They know how the system works, and they have to find another way to get that guy. To get answers, they needed to get creative FAST.

Sam steps in her room, and softly closes the door behind her and one by one sheds her clothes off.

After filling the tub with warm water, she gets in to bathe. She soaked herself in the tub until the water was cold. Thinking. Watts was their only lead to solving the case. Her only Chance to get Josh Wright. She needs that DNA one way or another, but they need to get it within the jurisdiction of the law.

Sam rose from the tub, dried herself, and got dressed. When she finished drying her hair she pulled the curtains close, darkening the room and climbed to bed, and went to sleep. Hoping the Monsters would not visit her in her dream.

It was three hours later when Levi heard his mobile vibrating on the table of his hotel room. The blond man closed the file that Tillman had given to him before on Watts. He had managed to create a behavioral profile on him from the file.

He looked at the caller's name on the screen and answered the call, "Agent Tillman, did you miss me?" he joked over the phone.

"Mr. Jackson, is Dr. Gray with you? She's not answering her phone." The man said over the line. Levi moved to his door, pulled his door open to take a look at the redhead's door just across his. He bent down peeking at the space under the door, the light was out, relief passed him. Hopefully, she was getting the rest she needed to be in top condition.

"She may be asleep, don't disturb her," Levi warned as he closed the door behind him.

Levi took note of the deep sigh that passed Tillman's mouth, and the cussing on the background that he was certain was Agent Sutton. Levi paused, "What's the craic?" he asked.

"We just received information that Natan Watts booked a flight to Mongolia, and his flight is in 8 hours," Tillman informed.