Usual disclaimers. The first line is taken directly from the episode "Collision Course."
I believe that actions speak louder than words, Agent Reid.
That alone was enough to turn Oliver Lawrence's head from his phone. Chase, Kyle and Landon were wrapping up a case in Maryland for Josh Hollenbeck, and it fell to Oliver to attend the arraignment of one of the firm's oldest friends and colleagues. His fingers had been flying across the screen, transcribing the dismal proceedings.
Really, Oliver thought. You really believe that, Judge? If you knew anything about Reid…anything at all…
Then the decision to remand until trial came forth, and it was all the blonde investigator could do to remain silent in his seat. His phone buzzed angrily. Something wrong? It read.
Kyle, they've remanded him.
WHAT?! Oliver could hear Chase's shout through the mass text. On what grounds?!
Claimed he had the means and connections to flee the country, given his contacts through the BAU, Oliver wrote. It's amateur hour. Reid's lawyer damn near begged for everything up to and including house arrest. She even made the law enforcement argument. No dice.
The firm's technical genius had control of the phone again, as Oliver read: I'm going through that woman's records the second I'm in the office. What's the judge's name again?
Oliver told him.
I swear, she'll wish she was in that interrogation room in North Dakota. You know the one.
Oliver did. Gotta go, I see Emily now…hurry back.
As the courtroom cleared, the investigator fell in step with the newly-minted head of the BAU's "A" unit. "Emily," he said, acting as though he'd just walked in. "Is there anything we can…?"
The woman pulled Oliver into a great hug. "Not unless you can go back in time," she quipped, her voice betraying the tears she was holding back. "Or find something on the judge. I doubt it, though."
"Speaking of connections…"
"No. No, Oliver. We have to let the system run its course." Emily's sigh was deep. "And pray that we can figure out who's behind all this."
"For certain. Reid's as guilty of killing in cold blood as I am of committing treason and open murder. Believe me, I've been down his path. Thankfully, you guys were there to help me from going to a much worse place than jail." Oliver shivered slightly as he remembered what his mentor still did for a living. Counterterrorism under Joshua Hollenbeck's leadership allowed one to really see the scope of what could be done in the name of national security.
"We'll get to the bottom of this. We've got a couple of leads we're tracking."
"Need some extra field agents? Garcia need a friend in her Cave of Wonders? Say the word, and we're on it." He passed his phone to Emily, who perused the text log. "But until then, we're pursuing another angle. Between you and me, this whole hearing was a joke from start to finish. A bad one."
"Don't we know it." Emily's own phone chimed, and the look on her face spoke volumes. "And of course, we're on deck. The hits just keep on coming, don't they?"
"Go. Good luck. Remember, the firm's on speed dial."
As Emily said her good-byes, Oliver took his leave. He too had a phone call to make…
"You're right. That is most unusual." Li Mao Xiong, better known as Mo to his friends, shook his head in disbelief. "A decorated agent, over ten years of service, and she requests remand?" The tall man stood, more to stretch out his legs than anything else. "What was her reasoning?"
"Woman claimed Reid had the means and ability to flee the country in order to escape trial." Oliver snorted. "Mo, the only real foreign connections he has are through you, us, and Emily Prentiss, and even Emily's not viable because she's now his boss."
"Yes. I heard about Agent Hotchner. Song Fei and I have hope he will return one day, he and his son. My parents as well, especially Father." A thought struck the lawyer. "Do you suppose this has anything to do with…"
Oliver's head fell, caught only by waiting fingertips supported by long arms and strong knees. "Damn. The Volkner incident. Come to think of it, we never did catch that bastard…"
"it could explain the judge's reticence to grant bail," Mo reasoned. "I mean, really, he'd technically 'escaped' the 'country' before."
"Yeah, but your parents are retired now, aren't they?"
"Happily. They divide their time between Hong Kong and Washington, considering my practice. The options available to Dr. Reid then are not available now, but really, only you and I know that." Mo chewed on his lips. "But now you've stumbled upon another problem. Perhaps this 'Scratch' character is not to blame for this?"
Oliver thought on that a while. "Yeah, but Volkner was just a go-between," he decided. "We both know Carlyle was pulling those strings, and he's no longer a problem." The investigator felt a shiver thrill up his back at the thought of his firm's most cunning nemesis to date. "Once his dad finally gave up the ghost—and good riddance there—the wind's been knocked out of his sails. Between you and me, they've had him on suicide watch at least three times in the past five years."
"You are notified of these matters?"
"Landon is. I think that's why he trained so hard to join the firm, really. Kid was a champion swimmer, had a good career ahead of him in coaching, and he OD's on every criminal justice class both the Institute and Georgetown had to offer."
"His work is excellent," Mo said. "I know I'm always pleased with his results. I am safe in assuming your government clients are satisfied as well?"
"Chase's amazed he hasn't been poached by at least three agencies by now. I know for a fact DHS wanted him, and he turned down the Agency outright because of what happened to Chase herself there."
A low whistle escaped the Chinese man's lips. "I see."
"Yeah. His buddy Eamon joined up too. Same reason, but he's running from his sociopathic bastard uncle rather than a psychopathic stranger. Eamon works harder for it, but he's good. More talent with the physical aspect of things. Landon's a thinker, so they pair well together in the field." Oliver smiled. "Plus, it helps that at least one of them can hear what's going on."
"There is that." Mo poured himself a cup of strong coffee. "I believe I shall make my acquaintance with Dr. Reid's attorney. It's possible she may be receptive to some…creative thinking skills, perhaps?"
Oliver rose. "Good idea, Mo. I think she could use all the help she could get."
Four months later, Kyle came into the office on Postman Ave. smiling as bright as the sun. He flopped into his comfortable swivel desk chair and allowed himself a spin or two, to the surprise of his fellow investigators. What's got you all happy? Oliver signed.
I found the money. The shit-eating grin on his face spoke volumes, and dusty hair flopped dangerously close to his eyes.
Oh, good, so you've solved that embezzlement case for that Senator from Arizona? Chase asked.
Not his money. The money that judge took to throw Reid in prison. Kyle made a little show of dusting off his fingernails. Kyle Parker, 1; batshit crazy psycho assassin nutcase, 0.
A round of waving hands and 'thumbs-up' gestures followed. Called Reid yet? Landon asked, reaching for the video phone's remote.
No. I wanna bust this woman myself. But I think we should call our friends Prentiss and Rossi for that conversation, in any case.
You think Reid wouldn't like to know? his brother asked. I mean, if you'd found evidence I was thrown in jail to the benefit of another, I'd like to know.
I know what Kyle's getting at, Oliver said. Reid wants to put the whole incident behind him, as much as he's able. He told me so last week when he came to visit. But his friends and family, on the other hand…
Landon tossed the remote to Kyle. Call Prentiss, he said. I'm sure she'd let you in on the arrest.
Damn skippy, the tech said as he made the call.
Emily frowned. "I have a what? Where?"
Garcia sighed. "You have a video call. There's a setup in my lair, you can use that. Oh, and our friends tell me you should bring Rossi in on this as well."
"Garcia, I don't sign."
"No, but we can find someone. Maybe Anderson…or, or I could…I mean, my sign's not great, and Chase or Oliver's is much much better…"
"Or, we could ask Reid," chimed in the deep voice of the BAU's resident Italian. "Kid speaks just about as many languages as you now, Emily."
"No. No no no no no," Garcia chanted. "Kyle Parker said he wasn't to be bothered about this."
Now Emily's hackles went up. "Why, Garcia?"
"I don't…I don't know, I swear! They just said to get you and Rossi, and to find someone other than Reid to translate!"
"Well, we'd best not keep them waiting," Rossi mused. "Must be important to be calling like this."
We know why Reid got remanded to prison, Kyle said, the translation thankfully being provided by Oliver Lawrence.
"You do?" The two profilers and resident technical genius were at a loss.
"Yes, but it's not what you think," Oliver cautioned.
"I think the kid got railroaded by that psychotic bitch," Rossi said. "And a few other people as well, but that's neither here nor there."
No, Rossi, you're right. The bitch rigged the arraignment. I managed to trace money the judge had stashed in the Caymans to a numbered account in Vanuatu. A little more digging, and I got the dates of transfer. The afternoon Reid went to prison, the judge got a tidy sum – enough to pay off some nasty debts and consider retiring a couple years earlier than she planned, though not right away. Some more digging, and I found that the members of that network the bitch belonged to liked using countries with numbered account banking systems. A few pulled strings got me in touch with their tech, who was happy to help me pinpoint the account used to transfer the money. It belonged to her. The psycho bitch, I mean.
"But…how did she do it? I mean, she was in 24-hour isolation, right?" Garcia wondered.
"Likely through Ms. Vaughn, who probably had the account information. But as to intent? All Cat Adams."
"Uh, Kyle? Oliver? Exactly how 'happy' was the Snowman when you asked him to help you?" Emily asked.
"Oh, very. Seems he's been having a rough time of it, even in minimum security protective custody. Let's just say Petr offered his services to make sure the rest of the young man's prison stay is…more palatable."
"Palatable?" Rossi mused.
"Well, less beatings and death threats and more quiet time, anyway." Oliver shrugged. "Also, we threw in an iPod classic for his trouble. Preloaded with tunes we thought he'd like."
"Music. Really?"
"You'd be surprised what a man will do for the right price," Oliver chuckled.
"Right price, indeed. Do you have copies of that information?" Emily's face, though pleased, looked as though she could melt lead with her glare.
"On its way. Kyle's just leaving now to bring it up. He only has one request."
"Name it."
"He gets to go with you to the arrest?"
"Done. We'll meet him with the warrant."
"Guys, why are we having a 'family dinner' here?" Reid asked as he took his seat, finding the familiar cup of coffee sitting at his usual space. Emily had invited everyone to come out to the Stackhouse Diner for one of the team's favorite bonding activities, and was surprised to find the members of the Parker Lawrence investigation firm already waiting for them.
"Because we want to tell you something," Chase said. "And we want to do it properly, in front of family." Before Reid could protest, Chase added, "We've already had that discussion Reid, remember? Last year, when those guys were in Texas." She pointed mock-accusingly at her fellow investigators, who were wise enough to look sheepish.
But, before that, we wanted to say how sorry we were about your…incident. Landon Parker looked solemn as he spoke. You know we would have done anything to help you, legal or not. Everyone agreed, though, that the best course was aboveboard.
"And you were right," Reid said. "There's no doubt now of what happened."
Well, we'll leave the good news until everyone gets here, Kyle chimed in. Until then, why don't you tell us all about this new case of yours…the one with the crazy idiots trying to produce mummies out of live people?
Reid smiled. Somehow, he felt this would be an interesting 'family dinner,' indeed.