A/N: Here's a little oneshot that popped into my mind a few days ago, and now I finally could write it down. It might tell you a bit about your subconscious thoughts considering Reid's spare time..! Beta read by editor frog!
Oh, and the number of issues of the book I mention is fictional. The book, however is real, and the info on it and the price is correct.
-o-o-o-
Reid was relieved that the case they had been working on was over so he could go home from Iowa. It wasn't his favorite place in the world to be, and he mostly walked around muttering as they waited for the jet to arrive. They had been told that the BAU jet had been forced to be taken in for slight repairs, so they were stuck at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids.
There was naturally the option to take a regular flight back to Quantico, but as the team was not too eager to come home to paper work and punch cards, they happily sat down in the airport lounge sipping down a few beers.
The youngest member of the team, however, seemed less than calm. He paced the tiled floor of the lounge, hands stuffed in his pockets. Every now and then he looked at his wristwatch and sighed.
Morgan placed the empty glass on the table and got up to talk to his younger colleague.
"Hey man, what's up? You seem jumpy."
"I just want to get back. Isn't that plane ready yet?"
"Reid, they said 3 hours. It's been 30 minutes."
Reid sighed. Being stuck in Iowa wasn't how he planned to spend the day.
"Come on, kid. Why are you so eager to get back to Quantico? 'Cause if it's the paperwork that's so alluring you can take mine too."
Reid smirked at his smiling colleague. "You're gonna dump that on my desk anyway."
"True." Morgan clapped his younger colleague's shoulder. "Why don't we take a walk to pass time?"
Lacking better options for the moment being, Reid complied. "Sure."
As the two men walked away, Morgan called to the others that they were taking a walk and they should call him when the jet was ready. JJ nodded and the men disappeared from the lounge.
-o-o-o-
"It's a first edition of Dune from 1965, by Frank Herbert. Very well kept. It was the first winner of the Nebula awards."
The grey haired man with thick glasses and mahogany cane stood next to Reid as he eyed a book inside a glass casing. Poking the glass at the transparent box, he beamed of pride as he described the book to the young man scrutinizing the item.
"It's rather rare."
"I know. It was only printed in 6,000 copies in the first edition. The second edition was printed only a month and a half later, and that in 250,000 copies."
"You know your books!" The older man looked thrilled at the realization that someone who was very well read had entered his store.
Morgan and Reid had taken a cab in to central Cedar Rapids while waiting for the jet to get overhauled. The younger agent had seen a bookstore on the way out to the airport, and had been somewhat excited when Morgan suggested they go into town.
Now the older agent strolled around the store trying to find something to look at while Reid indulged himself in the effects on the shelves. Morgan could think of at least 20 things that would be more interesting than looking at dusty old books, but said nothing. He figured Reid needed the distraction and kept his mouth shut, but smirked as the younger agent acted somewhat like a kid in a candy store; touching, prodding and eyeing every book within hand's reach.
"I read a lot", Reid replied to the manager with a slightly awkward smile.
"Are you interested? It's 4,900 dollars."
Morgan winced silently at the price, but the young man stuffed his hand in his pocket.
"I'll take it."
The shock on Morgan's face was indescribable as the manager opened the glass casing and carefully removed the book, beginning to wrap it in bubble wrap and silk paper. Walking up to his young colleague, he took his arm.
"Reid, are you nuts? That's a 5000 dollar book!"
"Yeah, it's a bargain", Reid said as he placed his VISA on the counter.
"A bargain?! Kid, you can't afford that!"
Reid looked at his colleague with a slight smirk. "I have money put away for things like this."
"For ridiculously overpriced books!? Reid man, get the paper back from the store at the airport instead, it's only eight bucks."
Reid gave a slight chuckle as he took the paper bag and his card from the salesman. "Morgan, it's a first edition!"
"So?"
"To put it in your terms, this is like a Babe Ruth rookie card. Rare and expensive, but the info on it can be found in any sports magazine for a buck fifty."
Morgan smirked. "Fine. It's your dough. But how the heck can you afford that? Are you moonlighting somewhere?"
"Like where?"
"Oh, I don't know. Like at a library as a human dictionary?"
Reid nudged his older colleague as they left the store to hail a cab back to the airport. The three hours were almost up and the jet was soon to be ready, and they could go home.
-o-o-o-
Reid stepped through the door of his apartment and closed it behind him with a deep sigh of relief. Dropping the satchel on the floor behind him, he held the paper bag in his had as he walked into the living room.
As he sat down on the couch, he opened the carefully wrapped package containing his latest purchase and held the flawless book in his hands. Cautiously flipping through it, a small smile came to rest on his lips. It was a beautiful piece of literature. He looked forward to the 12 minutes of joy it would bring him.
But for now he placed the book on a dustless shelf and looked at his watch. 5.42PM.
Hm. I should make it.
Walking into the kitchen the young man put on a pot of coffee and let it brew as he ventured into the bathroom for a long awaited shower. Stripping down, he stepped into the stall and shut the door behind him.
As the hot water streamed down his slender body, he finally began feeling good again. As a new person. A clean person. Gently massaging the apple shampoo in his tousled curls he hummed a tune he picked up from the radio a few days before. It had etched itself into his mind and he'd tried fruitlessly to get it out.
After a short shower, Reid exited the stall and proceeded to stand stark naked and dripping wet in front of the bathroom cabinet and shave. The stubble on his chin annoyed him. He didn't want to look like a hobo. Especially not right now.
The shave was over quickly, and the young agent continued by searching his closet for the appropriate attire. Choosing a pair of black boxers, a black turtle neck, long sleeved Lycra sweater and black jeans, he closed the closet door and got dressed.
Looking himself in the mirror, Reid pulled his damp hair back into a tight ponytail, fastening it with a short length of black fabric. Giving himself the once-over, he smiled at his reflection. He looked great.
He felt a yawn coming up and decided he needed that cup of coffee he had brewing in the kitchen. Looking once again at the watch, he nodded.
6.20. I have the time.
Grabbing the big blue ceramic cup that Garcia had bought him for his birthday last year, he filled it up with hot coffee and placed his usual six teaspoons of sugar in it. On his way to the brown leather couch the young man stirred the coffee thoroughly, and as he sat down he took the first sip.
Exactly ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. With a slight smile, the young agent rose from his place on the couch and put the cup down on the table and got up to answer the door.
The man at the door was around 40 years of age, and about an inch shorter than Reid, but had a few more pounds on his body. His dark hair was cut in a very business-like hairdo, and he was clean shaven. In the expensive Armani suit he wore, the man looked very important.
The older man gave Reid a smile as the door opened.
"Hi Spencer."
"Hello Mr. Tenson, please come in." The young man stepped out of the doorway and motioned the man to come inside. "Would you like a cup of coffee? I just made some."
"Oh, no thank you, I'm fine. I just had a cup at work."
"All right then." Reid closed the door behind him and followed Mr. Tenson into the living room.
"So what have you been up to lately, Spencer? It's been a while." The older man made some small talk as he took off his pen striped jacket.
"Oh nothing. The usual. Work and such." Reid stuffed his hands in his pocket and gave the man in front of him a tight smile. "I bought a new book today."
"Really? Which one?"
"A first edition. Dune by Frank Herbert."
"Ah. A fine purchase indeed." Mr. Tenson gave the young man a smile as he loosened his grey tie. "8000 dollars?"
"4900!"
"Well, then it was a real find!"
"It was."
The older man placed his jacket on the headrest of the leather couch and then looked Reid with a sly smile. "So, it's still 2000, right?"
"Price hasn't gone up since last time", Reid replied with just as sly a smile.
"Well then..."
"Go on ahead. I'm just going to turn off my coffee maker and I'll be right in there with you."
The older man gave the young agent another smile and turned to walk down the hallway to the room waiting for the two.
Reid went to the kitchen and switched the appliance off, then leaned on the counter for a moment, as if thinking. Shaking his head slowly, he gave himself a toothy grin and exited the kitchen, venturing down the hallway.
The world is full of suckers. Lucky for me I know most of the rich ones.
-o-o-o-
A/N 2: Well? Did your mind go all dirty or is he just running a rare book deal? -smirk-