Disclaimer: Sue Thomas FBEYE and Criminal Minds do not belong to me.
Chapter One
"Have a seat, Jack." Demetrius Gans gestured to the chair across from his desk.
Jack Hudson shut the office door and settled in front of his supervisor.
D was silent.
"Is something wrong?"
D shook his head. "No, not at all. Are you familiar with the BAU?"
Jack frowned and furrowed his brow in thought for a moment then shook his head.
"The BAU is the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit stationed in Quantico. It consists of three teams. They travel the country to assist local law enforcement and FBI teams in tracking serial criminals by providing a profile of the unsub or unknown subject. The lead team is led by Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. They have a pretty amazing track record."
Jack nodded slightly his face showing his confusion.
D rubbed a hand over his face and leaned back in his chair. "The thing is, Jack, all three BAU teams are being run ragged. Their services are in much too high a demand, but the bureau refuses to add more teams due to the budget. We're in danger of losing three teams of excellent agents to exhaustion and stress. The higher-ups are toying with the idea of having one or two agents on every team trained as a profiler with the rest of the team having a basic knowledge of profiling. As a trial run of this idea they want to send two agents from Agent Hotchner's team to train with your team."
Jack nodded. "I guess if adding new teams is out of the question this is the next best solution. How long will this training last?"
D shrugged. "For now they're planning on sending the agents here for one month. When they arrive you can work out a training schedule with them and I'll do my best to keep your caseload light."
D reached across the desk and handed Jack two file folders. "Here are the files of the two agents who are coming." He smiled. "If you take a look at the second file you'll see why they chose him in particular."
Jack opened the file labeled Dr. Spencer Reid, and quickly scanned the first page of information.
His wide eyes snapped up to meet D's amused gaze. "There's two of them?!"
"Listen up, everyone." Aaron Hotchner said as he strode into the room where his worn-out team was gathered around the roundtable, coffee cups clutched in their hands. "Things are going to be a little different for the next month."
The agents around the table shared concerned glances. 'Different' usually didn't turn out well for them.
"Different how?" Derek Morgan was the first to speak, his dark eyes filled with concern and suspicion as he looked from his teammates to their leader.
His body had stiffened, bracing itself for a blow.
"You all know that all the BAU teams are being run into the ground. And there are still dozens of requests for help that have to be turned down each month. Due to budget concerns the bureau will not authorize expanding the BAU, so the Director is considering making a few changes."
Hotch watched as every one of his agents tensed at the word "changes." He could see the defiance growing in their eyes and quickly held up a placating hand.
"Relax. All they're considering is having one or two agents on every team trained as a profiler and giving other agents a basic knowledge of profiling. Their hopes are that this would eventually cut our travel down to one or two weeks each month. As a trial start to this program, Dave and I will be spending the next month training with a team in New York City while Morgan and Reid do the same in D.C. J.J, Kate, and Garcia you are free to take a week's vacation after which you will work here on developing a curriculum, as well as, consulting on cases."
Hotch paused and studied the faces of his agents.
They were much less hostile now, but he could still see the uncertainty.
He briefly pinched the bridge of his nose. "A change in pace will be good for all of us. We'll actually get to sleep regular hours. I can't remember the last time we did that for a week, much less a month."
One side of Spencer Reid's mouth quirked up in a half smile. "We haven't slept regular hours for an entire week at one time since I joined the bureau eight years ago."
Morgan chuckled. "That would explain why Hotch doesn't remember, genius." One hand reached out to ruffle Reid's hair, but the younger man ducked away quickly.
Hotch's dark eyes softened slightly at the teasing between the younger men, it was a sign that his team was still coping well.
"Morgan, Reid, the team you'll be working with is a little unusual."
Morgan frowned and glanced at his young colleague before looking back at Hotch. "Unusual how?"
"They're known as the best team in the bureau and they've been together much longer than most teams. They've had a rough time though." Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose briefly. "We'll start with the original team. Team leader and former sniper, Special Agent Jackson Hudson."
Hotch clicked a button on the remote in his hand and a picture of a smiling dark-haired man appeared on the screen in front of him.
An audible gasp from every female echoed in the room.
Aaron Hotchner raised a dark eyebrow questioningly while the other men looked at each other in confusion.
Penelope Garcia recovered first. "Sorry, sir. But, oh, those eyes!" She said fanning herself.
Hotch glanced back up at the dark brown eyes on the screen, frowning in confusion.
"Explosives expert Special Agent Robert Manning." Another click of the remote brought up the picture of a dimpled green-eyed man followed by another gasp.
Morgan rolled his eyes while Dave Rossi covered his smile with his hand.
"Ladies, try to control yourselves, please." Hotch said stoically, keeping his eyes on the screen.
"Special Agent and now Supervisor Demetrius Gans. Special Agent James Shepherd. Languages expert Special Agent Myles Leland the Third. Tech expert Special Agent Tara Williams. And rotor Lucy Dotson."
Aaron Hotchner turned back to face his team as the last photo clicked into place.
His face was somber. "Special Agent James Shepherd was killed in the line of duty."
A heavy silence fell over the room as every eye turned back to the smiling young man on the screen.
"He left behind a wife and young son."
Hotch was quiet for a long moment before clearing his throat and continuing. "His position was never refilled on the team, but they did later add Special Investigative Analyst Sue Thomas. Sue is deaf and was hired to help in surveillance by reading lips. She has since proven to be invaluable to the team in every area. Five years ago, Jack Hudson and Sue Thomas were married. They now have three children. Sue no longer works in the field, but transcribes videos for and consults with teams around the country from her home.
Four years ago Bobby Manning and Tara Williams were married. They have twin boys. Tara also now works as a consultant. Lucy Dotson, now Lucy Davis, also left the team six months ago after giving birth to her first child. Three years ago two rookie agents were added to the team. Josiah Carter and Murdoch Jamison."
Hotch hesitated, glancing at Reid. "The minimum age requirements were waived for Special Agent Jamison. He has been in the bureau for three years and is only twenty-four years old. He graduated high school at fifteen. When he was nineteen he earned two bachelors, one in psychology and one in United States history. At twenty-one he earned a masters in linguistics and one in trauma counseling then joined the bureau. He is currently working on a PhD in psychology."
"No way." Morgan's eyes were wide in disbelief as they moved from Hotch to Reid. "There's two of them?!"