Kyle Craig

Agent Kyle Craig, aka The Mastermind, is one of the most significant antagonists of the Alex Cross book series and the longest appearing one throughout. Craig is an FBI agent and starts off as a close colleague of Cross. Craig eventually becomes a criminal success and one of Cross' worst enemies, waging a cat-and-mouse vendetta against Cross and escaping prison to continue it.

In the film adaptations of the novels Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, Craig is portrayed by Jay O. Sanders.

Background
Kyle Craig, born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the countryside, was beaten and degraded regularly by a military veteran father, the Craig mother and older brother saying Craig would "make stuff up" and thus denying it every time it was in question. Craig became bitter and temperamental, the family hating it so much Craig would be left to live in the garage on more than a few occasions. Craig never became a success like his older and younger brother or his father, flunking in school, bullying others, and never having real friends. Craig's hatred for the family would peak in the fatal assault on one brother, which was disguised as a hunting incident. Despite never being charged, the family knew Craig was responsible for deliberate murder and never forgave the crime, the surviving brother punching Craig at the funeral. Craig eventually moved out, graduated from Duke University and Duke Law School, and served time in Special Forces. With little to no notice or knowledge of his bloodline in the offices he worked in, Craig gained much praise and rose up the ranks of the FBI. Marrying a woman named Louise and having two children with her, Bradley and Virginia, Craig seemed to be a stellar civil servant and beloved man in personality. But during time in the FBI, Craig would actually be tracking other serial killers to collaborate with or have as contacts. Nick Ruskin and William Randolph are the first two Craig met while in college, collaborating with them on murders and other felonies. Craig would also come into contact with future fame killer Aaron Dennison and mobster Anton Christyakov to keep in close contact and have resources. Craig also appeared to have some means of communication with psychotic, repentant killer Thomas Pierce, as Craig would later lure Pierce into the US under the pretense of trying to catch the spree in the act on US soil.

Along Came a Spider
Craig is first introduced in the novel through sporadic appearances, successfully assisting in the capture of Gary Soneji at a McDonald's. Cross and Craig swiftly befriend each other, and with Craig's FBI clearance, Cross finds an asset and partner for high-caliber cases.

Kiss the Girls
Craig is, ironically, the lead agent on the case of Ruskin and Randolph, accordingly known by the nicknames Casanova and The Gentleman Caller. Craig provides information for Cross to realize the two killers are working together from opposite coasts of the country. Craig takes a particular initiative to interject in the investigation, as well as the two other killers' crimes, with the murder of reporter Beth Lieberman, who was being stalked by Randolph out of demands for being published in the papers. She's the first victim of Craig in real time through the progression of the book series. Craig would have a crush on Casanova victim/escapee Kate McTiernan, meeting her for lunch like Cross did, but not having a serious relationship like the two of them did. This, along with McTiernan's later engagement with her new fiance, would be silently retorted with Craig's hidden spite, which would make McTiernan a future target.

Jack and Jill
Craig makes brief appearances in the book amidst investigations of both a terrorist attack and a serial killer of black children at a DC school.

Cat and Mouse
Craig takes point on the task force after Pierce, luring him back to the US after having already vivisected dozens of people from the US East Coast to Western Europe. When Simon Conklin, an associate of Gary Soneji, attacks the Cross family, Craig has Cross hidden away, "severely" injured, for the sake of drawing Pierce into the case, since Pierce works with federal officials. In a sting, Craig is ordered by the FBI to kill Pierce. This fails and Pierce escapes, only to be shot dead by Sampson later.

Pop Goes the Weasel
Craig's major contribution in the novel is assisting Cross in finding Christine Johnston, Cross fiance. She was abducted in a deadly public vendetta lead by diplomat and serial killer Geoffrey Shafer.

Roses Are Red
Craig finally wages a vendetta with more public, high-profile crimes in a spree with several accomplices under the egotistic alias of "The Mastermind". Craig began with orderly bank heist crews to siege the banks and steal from the vaults, each time the bank manager's family being held hostage. Errol and Brianne Parker are the first group of accomplices, but a poor communication between the couple leaves the manager's family dead at Errol's hands. With that plan nearly a disaster, Craig laces their celebratory food and drinks with fatal poison, raping Brianne's corpse for pleasure. The Color Crew is the next team to commit bank heists, much more successful and releasing each bank manager's family, but Craig called the cops on the first heist of the crew, which provoked Mr. Blue to kill all staff and witnesses. They're also poisoned with their food, Mrs. Green's corpse being raped by Craig. All the while, Craig's on the case with Cross, who's none the wiser, regularly updated and active in the investigations.

Craig later recruits five corrupt NYPD narcs to siege a tour bus in DC, holding wives of major insurance executives. The ransom of 5 million in uncut diamonds is successfully acquired and the hostages are released. Craig then briefly frames veteran Sergeant Mitchell Brand so his trail isn't tracked. Craig then commits two home invasions. One woman is raped to try and impregnate her, but when that fails, she's killed too. Dr. Bernard Francis, the therapist for head of security Frederick Szabo, is interrogated next. Francis is poisoned by Craig to die right in front of Cross, his last words professing his innocence. This still "closes" the case. But three months later, wanting to challenge Cross more directly and personally, and to eliminate loose ends and dangers of being found out, Craig rapes, stabs, and mutilates FBI Agent Betsy Cavalierre, Cross' girlfriend who was investigating Craig on suspicion, in her own home. Craig personally delivers the news to Cross and silently relishes in Cross' grief over the phone. In a writing of Craig's thoughts at the end of the book, it's revealed Craig was always the Mastermind.

Violets Are Blue
Craig then stalks Cross with repeated threats to him and his family, ironically while partnered with Cross during the case of The Vampires, a cannibal cult. Craig sneaks into Cross' house at night to try and kill him and his family, but with Cross recovering from fighting a suspect, Craig sneaks out again and waits for a moment Cross can fight back. Craig ends up having serious issues with local detective Jamilla Hughes, who calls out Craig's control obsession and misogyny. Craig would try to disrupt the investigation with a copycat murder and killing two of the cultists. Cross starts suspecting Craig when after yet another phone call, Craig leers at Cross from a distance. Once the cult's busted and arrested, Craig's next threat leads the Cross family to be discreetly relocated. Figuring out Craig is the Mastermind, Cross rushes to save Hughes and hears from director Ronald Burns Craig's been suspected of Lieberman's and Cavalierre's murders for a while. Cross then scrambles to secure his family, friends, and colleagues to prevent Craig from assassinating them. He figures out Craig's target: Kate McTiernan, who scorned Craig for getting engaged to another man. Cross arrives just in time to stop Craig from harming McTiernan. After a brutal fisticuffs and goading Craig's confession on the agent's cellphone after Cross temporarily knocks him out with a bottle, Craig is placed in ADX Florence Supermax in Colorado. The sentence for Craig's crimes is the death penalty.

Four Blind Mice
Cross meets Craig in prison for consultation on the Four Blind Mice crimes, but Craig does little to change the investigation. Craig simply reopens Cross' wounds of grief and rubs salt in them, figuratively by counting up Cross' losses, even by Craig's responsibility. Craig is later seen at the end of the book, threatening Cross and his loved ones.

The Big Bad Wolf
Craig later is asked to give an identity of a terrorist known as "The Wolf", real name Anton Christyakov. Craig instead leads to another "Wolf" leading a trafficking ring, Pasha Sorokin.

Cross
Craig sends a letter in the beginning of the book, missing the war between the two. Craig swears to escape and continue crimes, threatening Cross with being the witness to Craig slaughtering all his loved ones.

Double Cross
It's revealed Craig's father died before the events of the book. Craig conspires with his obsessively devoted attorney, Mason Wainwright, in an escape plan. Craig and Wainwright take each other's identities with each other's clothes and stage masks with each other's faces. Craig walks out of the prison as Wainwright undetected, while Wainwright hangs himself as Craig in Craig's cell. Prison officials swiftly alert Cross of the news, while he's already in his new therapy services in DC and also consulting on the DCAK case. Craig heads to Aspen, where his mother's at the vacation home there the family has. Craig's wearing another mask but with the face of the now dead patriarch. After a final confrontation with her over the abuse her husband put Craig through and the lies the family told themselves to dismiss it, Craig demands the information for the family's offshore accounts. After also robbing the house of some money and items to pawn, Craig shoots his mother dead and leaves.

Now relishing being out in public, Craig travels across the world and kills three women in Iowa City, Chicago, and Paris, raping their corpses. Craig leaves a trail that frames DCAK for the crimes, even with a Hallmark greeting card like the killers use. Despite Craig being disdainful over the killers' methods, Craig messages the leader, Aaron Dennison, and schmoozes the killers with the duo's crime spree to keep in touch. After reaching Washington, Craig slaughters the judge at the trail who sentenced Craig to death, Nina Wolff. Contacting the killers again, Craig meets Aaron in front of Cross' house and conspires an attack on the forensic psychologist. When Cross chases Aaron down and gets into a knife fight, Craig appears giving direction. When Cross incapacitates Aaron, Craig pulls a gun on Cross. Bree Stone appears and shoots Craig, but Craig wears a protective vest. Getting up after enough faking, Craig runs and swears to kill Cross.

Cross Country
When Cross kills Abidemi Sowande, the murderer of his ex-girlfriend and her family in Africa, arresting "The Tiger"'s accomplices, Craig calls at the end of the book, saying after Cross' torturous endeavors, he'll be left be, but Craig swears to get Cross soon.

I, Alex Cross
Craig repeats the same threat after Cross catches Theadore Vance, a serial killer and socialite named "Zeus".

Cross Fire
It's mentioned Craig was diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder while in ADX Florence and has an IQ of 149. Craig kills FBI agent Max Siegel and gets plastic surgery to take Siegel's likeness. Killing Siegel's handler, Craig then returns to Washington and is assigned to the case of Denny and Mitch, "The Patriot Snipers", with Cross. Craig regularly competes with Cross to beat Cross at the case. Copying the snipers and The Number Killer, real name Sajiwa, a killer John Sampson's tracking, Craig subtly stages the scenes to reveal they're copycats to throw Cross off track. Among the victims are a prostitute Craig pays for and an FBI agent from the DCAK case. Craig then kills Sajiwa to get to Cross and observe his reaction. Craig "befriends" Cross when shooting one of the snipers trying to kill Cross.

After the cases are done and Cross marries Stone, vacationing with his family on the beach, Craig appears still disguised as Siegel and reveals the truth, ready top take the Cross family hostage. Cross and Stone fight Craig, Cross shooting Craig's legs out to prevent an escape. But Craig refuses to be imprisoned again, committing suicide by shooting an oxygen tank in an ambulance with two cops and several paramedics.

Known Accomplices

 * Nick Ruskin and William Randolph (aka Casanova and The Gentleman Caller; two conspiring serial killers)
 * Errol and Brianne Parker (the first heist crew)
 * The Color Crew (the second heist crew)
 * The New York Bus Dirty Cops (the third heist crew)
 * Mason Wainwright (Craig's defense counsel; accomplice and patsy in a prison escape)

Known Victims

 * Committed numerous other felonies, alone, with accomplices, or by proxy through accomplices
 * Charlotte, NC: Unidentified brother (killed and disguised to look like a hunting accident)
 * 1995, California: Beth Lieberman (killed and framed The Gentleman Caller for the murder)
 * 2000:
 * The Citibank robbery (ordered Errol and Brianne Parker to commit it)
 * Unidentified bank manager and his family (all killed by Errol)
 * Errol and Brianne Parker (poisoned their pizza and wine; raped Brianne's corpse)
 * The First Union robbery (ordered The Color Crew to commit it):
 * The unidentified bank manager's family (held hostage by Mrs. Green; were released)
 * All the bank's staff (killed by Mr. Blue)
 * Two additional robberies, with the same MO (ordered The Color Crew to commit it)
 * The Color Crew (poisoned their food and drinks)
 * Mr. Red
 * Mr. White
 * Mr. Blue
 * Mrs. Green (raped her corpse)
 * The Washington tour bus hostage crisis (ordered The DC Bus Dirty Cops to commit it):
 * Numerous passengers, including wives of insurance executives (held hostage and threatened to kill; all were released)
 * Numerous insurance companies (robbed of 5 million dollars in uncut diamonds)
 * Mitchell Brand (framed as the mastermind; was exonerated)
 * Two home invasions:
 * Unidentified woman (raped to try and impregnate her, then killed her)
 * Frederick Szabo (framed as the Mastermind; exonerated)
 * Dr. Bernard Francis (framed as the Mastermind; later poisoned to death)
 * Betsy Cavalierre (raped and stabbed repeatedly; mutilated postmortem)
 * Alex Cross (repeatedly stalked)
 * 2001:
 * The entire Cross family (repeatedly stalked and threatened)
 * Cross' friends and colleagues (repeatedly stalked and threatened)
 * Alex Cross and the Cross family (breaks into their home and attempts to kill them; leaves when finding out Alex is injured and unable to fight back)
 * Daniel and Charles (killed and framed for the murders of Michael and William)
 * Kate McTiernan (broke into her home and attempted to kill; was rescued)
 * 2002-2006: Alex Cross (stalked repeatedly threatened, along with his loved ones)
 * 2007:
 * Mason Wainwright (Craig's defense lawyer; manipulated into switching identities and committing suicide so Craig could escape)
 * Mrs. Craig (Craig's mother; robbed and shot dead)
 * Iowa City, Chicago, and Paris: Three unidentified woman (killed and raped postmortem; framed DCAK with calling cards)
 * Nina Wolff (the judge of Craig's trial; killed)
 * Alex Cross (tried to have Aaron Dennison kill him, then held at gunpoint)
 * Bree Stone (shot at; deliberately missed)
 * 2008-2009: Alex Cross (stalked and repeatedly threatened and harassed)
 * 2010:
 * Max Siegel (killed; got plastic surgery to steal his identity)
 * Sajiwa (killed)
 * Denny (shot dead in a justified homicide disguised as Max Siegel)
 * Bree Stone (attempted to kill; was rescued)
 * Alex Cross (attempted to kill; was shot in the legs by him instead)
 * The ambulance massacre (blew up by shooting an oxygen tank with a cop's gun; also used in a successful suicide):
 * Several unidentified paramedics
 * Two unidentified cops