A/N: I've had this story in the back of my head for weeks now and I just can't shake it. Even after starting to write another Criminal Minds story. So I'm going to run with it.
As the description said, this is a crossover with my favorite show and my now second favorite show. While I won't gush here about Madam Secretary, I'll just say this: it's another CBS show for people that think. I highly recommend it; and it's just now becoming available in some international TV markets (or at least in the UK).
All rights to the two shows and their characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, Barbara Hall Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.
Chapter 1
Matt Taylor was sitting at his desk when Hotch stuck his head in the open door of his office. "Hotch," Matt asked.
"You and I just got summoned to the State Department," Aaron Hotchner said, coming in the door.
"What?"
"We're going to meet the Director there. The Secretary of State called him; actually called the AG who immediately called our boss."
"Shit Aaron; this doesn't sound good." Aaron nodded as Matt rose out of his desk chair and pushed the sleeves down he had rolled up on his dress shirt. "Do we know anything?
Hotch shook his head. "Other than get there ASAP, no." David Rossi appeared in the doorway. Aaron filled him in as Matt buttoned the cuffs of his shirt and pulled his suitcoat off the back of his deskchair, sliding it on. "Hold down the fort Dave," Hotch said.
"Good luck with the politicos," Dave smiled. Matt just shook his head at Dave as he headed out the door following Aaron.
-00CM00-
Matt pulled the Bureau SUV into the parking spot State Department security had directed him to in the secure parking garage. He and Hotch got out and headed to the elevators that got them past the front lobby security checkpoint of the State Department building. Hotch pushed the button to the sixth floor, attaching his FBI ID to his suitcoat. Matt did the same.
When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, they got off to see Director Comey waiting for them with a short dark haired, late forties woman. The Director smiled at them. "Thanks for coming guys on short notice," he said, shaking their hands. He gestured towards the woman. "This is Nadine Tolliver, Secretary McCord's Chief of Staff." Comey introduced the two agents to her and the three shared handshakes.
Tolliver looked at Comey. "Mr. Director, you had to call in two tall agents," she smiled.
"Ms. Tolliver, the BAU handles big cases; we need big agents," he smiled. Tolliver smiled back and lead them to a door. "Ms. Tolliver, a moment," Comey said. She stopped before opening the door. "Just a heads up guys; this is big. The Attorney General told me this is priority one. Don't be afraid to make the right calls about the team."
Hotch looked at Comey. "Can you tell us anything sir?"
"Hotch, I'm sorry. I'm flying as blind as you and I don't like it any more than you do." Tolliver shot a look at the group.
Hotch looked at Matt. "You've got an idea what's going on?"
"You know my guts Aaron," Matt said. "I've got a hunch."
"Spill it Matt," Comey said.
"There's some country out there that has a serial killer loose and needs some help. With Jackson involved to get us here, it's gotta be a big one."
Aaron looked at Comey. "Sir, how do we play this?"
James Comey smiled. "Like you always do Hotch; you put your cards on the table and back it with your analysis."
Hotch looked at Matt, who smiled at Comey. "Roger that sir."
Director Comey smiled at Tolliver. "Ms. Tolliver, we're ready now."
"Remind me not to play poker with you guys," she said, opening the door. The three walked in. "Madam Secretary, Director Comey." The shook hands and exchanged quick pleasantries.
"Secretary McCord, this is Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hotchner. SAC Hotchner is lead agent of the Behavioral Analysis Unit," Comey introduced.
They shook hands. "Madam Secretary," Hotch said.
"Pleasure to meet you Agent Hotchner," McCord sincerely smiled. "My thirteen year old son would love to meet your team," she genuinely said. Aaron nodded with a slight smile.
"And this is Supervisory Special Agent Matt Taylor," Comey said. "SAC Hotchner's number two at the BAU."
"Agent Taylor," McCord said, sticking out her hand. "Your resume is well-known."
"Yours is impressive as well Madam Secretary," Matt said, shaking her hand.
Secretary McCord laughed. "You play the kiss ass game very well Agent Taylor." She looked at the three from the FBI. "Let's cut the bull crap. Sit down guys; we've got a situation to discuss." Hotch and Matt snuck a look at each other and like always, non-verbally shared a thought. This is someone we can trust. They all sat down at the conference room table. "I got a very urgent phone call this morning from my Russian counterpart." Hotch shot a look a Matt. Nailed it. "He would very much like for me to get Agent David Rossi and you, Agent Taylor to lecture at a symposium of Russian military bigwigs about serial killers on military bases; tomorrow."
Aaron and Matt shared a look. Secretary McCord shook her head. "It doesn't take a profiler to know what's going on," she smiled at the two agents. "Talk to me."
"Thank you Madam Secretary," Hotch said. "They've got a serial killer on their hands."
"Specifically," Matt took up, "on a military base."
"They know about our work on a case at Ramstein a few years back," Hotch continued. "Yet, they will not admit that they have a serial killer loose."
"Especially on a military base; like ours back then, it's a publicity nightmare. Plus there's the Chikatilo syndrome," Matt added. Secretary McCord raised her eyebrows. "Madam Secretary, Russia had one of the worst serial killers ever recorded in the form of Andrei Chikatilo."
Hotch took up the briefing. "Between 1978 and 1990, Chikatilo murdered fifty-two women and children. When Agents Rossi, Gideon and Ryan started the BAU, it was one of the first cases they tried to study, even with the little information they had."
Matt smiled at Aaron. "What did Gideon tell us on the flight down to Mexico for that case nearly ten years ago? 'Serial killers are capitalistic phenomenon'," Matt said with a Russian accent. Hotch nodded with a smile. "With all due respect Madam Secretary, they don't need a symposium to their senior staff. That will not help them. They need us on the ground to help them."
Secretary McCord looked at Director Comey. "Madam Secretary, I make no apologies for my agents. I told them to speak freely to you." He nodded at Nadine. "Ms. Tolliver can back that; and with respect Madam Secretary, you did as well. My agents just gave you their off the cuff, with little information analysis of a serial killer case."
"Mr. Director, I'm not questioning that. But I've still got a Russian Foreign Minister that wants an answer."
"Go," he smiled at the agents.
"Best scenario Madam Secretary is for my team to get the parameters and all the information of the cases." Hotch looked at her and then Matt. Matt nodded his head. "We know we're not going to get that. However, Madam Secretary, I will not send my team in blind. We need to know the details of what is happening to correctly give an assessment."
Matt smiled at her. "And that gives you a major headache Madam Secretary." McCord nodded her head, as Matt looked at Hotch and the Director. "If I may, a suggestion."
"I'd love to hear it Agent," Secretary McCord said. Matt waited for the Director and Hotch to buy in. They both nodded.
"They don't want the publicity of the full team there. I'd suggest Prentiss and me; very quietly." Hotch nodded his head in agreement. McCord looked at Comey.
"Agent Prentiss served with Interpol for seven years. Her background, plus Agent Taylor's fluency in Russian, his standing in the BAU and still being active military could work ma'am."
"What about Agent Rossi," Secretary McCord questioned. "They were very specific about that."
"Madam Secretary," Hotch said, "I, along with Agent Taylor believe that's just because of the reputation of Agent Rossi's bestselling books, along with him being a co-founder of the BAU." Hotch looked at her. "And because of his notoriety with his books, could make him really stand out on a case they obviously want to keep quiet." Hotch softly looked at her. "With all due respect Madam Secretary, they need some element of my team, on the ground at that military base to help them solve that case; what I'm offering is my best analysis and a solution scenario to the current situation."
Secretary McCord looked at Tolliver. "Then that's on us; we've got some work to do."
"How can we help Madam Secretary," Comey asked.
Secretary McCord looked at Tolliver. "The private DOJ resumes of Agents Taylor and Prentiss would help," Nadine said. Hotch was already reaching for his cellphone.
"Mon Capitan," Garcia answered.
"Garcia, you're on speaker phone," Hotch said.
"Yes sir; what do you need?"
"Can you email Matt and Emily's private FBI resumes to Secretary McCord and her chief of staff Nadine Tolliver's private State Department email addresses?" Everyone listening in the Secretary of State's office could hear her typing away.
"My email address is," Secretary McCord started.
Comey shook her off. "Not needed Madam Secretary," he smiled at Hotch and Matt with a wink. Tolliver looked at her boss.
"There in three, two, and one…sir," Garcia reported.
"Thanks Garcia," Hotch said, ending the call with a proud smile.
The Secretary's email pinged. She looked at Comey. "What do I have to do to get Agent Garcia on my team?"
Comey smiled. "With all due respect Madam Secretary?" The Secretary smiled. "Carry a weapon and find twenty more staffers that will as well to argue with my lead BAU team."
McCord laughed. "I figured as much. The ball is in our court; let us work the situation and see what we come up with." She looked at Taylor. "Agent Taylor, if I need you in a Marine uniform, is that a problem?" Matt eyed her. "You and my husband served in the same war. Your reputation precedes you Colonel," she smiled.
"If you mean other than my goatee which I enjoy wearing much more than my Marine uniform no ma'am."
McCord smiled. "My husband would totally relate to that. But Agent Taylor, please anticipate it."
"Yes ma'am," Matt smiled.
McCord looked at the group sitting across the table. "The next step is up to us. We'll give the Russians your analysis and work them to accept your offer. But it may take some time."
"Ma'am, the BAU's recommendation is the right one," Comey said.
"And we'll be ready to help when you work out the details," Hotch added.
Nadine jumped in. "SAC Hotchner, should I contact you as things progress?"
Hotch shook his head. "Just call Agent Taylor to streamline the process: which you all could work to your advantage."
"Agent Hotchner," McCord asked.
"The longer all the negotiations and details get worked out, the more time this unsub has to drop more bodies," Matt said.
Secretary McCord smiled. "Thank you Agents; I think we just got our biggest bargaining chip." Tolliver smiled as well.
-00CM00-
Ten days later, Matt and Morgan stood in the security garage of the building that housed the BAU, among many other FBI teams. The black SUV pulled up and parked at the curb by the elevator bank. A Secret Service Agent hopped out the passenger front door and opened the back door. Matt smiled as Secretary of State McCord got out. He held out his hand to her. "Welcome to Quantico Madam Secretary," he smiled, shaking her hand. "SAC Hotchner is on the phone with the AG and sends his apologies."
"None needed Cob," McCord smiled. "Thanks for the great job you and Agent Prentiss did in Russia."
Matt smiled. "This is SSA Morgan."
She shook his hand as a young teenage boy hopped out as well. "Mom? What's going on?"
Secretary McCord smiled at her son. "Jason, these are Agents Taylor and Morgan of the BAU," she beamed at him.
"No way mom," Jason smiled.
"Yes way," she smiled back. She looked at Taylor and Morgan. "For the record, this is the first time I've pulled strings with my job to grant my kid a wish. I don't usually operate that way."
Matt smiled. "Madam Secretary, you backed Agent Prentiss and me a couple of days ago in Russia. You don't have to explain a thing to us. You both are welcome here," he smiled, handing them their visitor Bureau badges.
Jason McCord looked at the two agents, putting his badge on his shirt. "This is really happening?"
"Yup kid," Morgan smiled. "Welcome to the BAU."
Jason looked at his mother. "Mom this is totally awesome!" Matt and Derek gave him high fives as they moved to the elevator.
As they got on, Secretary McCord looked at Matt. "You do know the first person we want to meet?"
"Yes Madam Secretary," Matt said. "That would be Agent's Morgan baby girl," he beamed. Morgan shot him a look. Matt winked at the Secretary. "I'm upper management so I don't have to attend the seminars the two of them create every three months around here," Matt said, thumbing at Morgan. Jason giggled. "However, as you know Madam Secretary, Agent Garcia is a major asset to the BAU."
Derek Morgan flashed the Secretary of State his patented pearly white smile. "With all due respect Madam Secretary, Mama gets things done for us."
"Yes she does," Matt confirmed.
"Relax guys," Secretary McCord laughed. "You're off the hook; so is Agent Garcia. Whatever you folks do to make your unit work and catch these creeps is gold in my book."
-00CM00-
Secretary McCord, her son and youngest child, along with the entire team sat around the Round Table. The team had briefed them both, albeit the PG version with Jason being thirteen, on some of the active cases they were still working, along with the team's working profiles. Jason asked pointed and very intelligent questions for his age which highly impressed all of the team. They answered them with their usual analysis.
Secretary McCord shook her head. "What I cannot wrap my head around, is how so many of you do this job with family at home. You're gone what," she questioned, "half the year?"
Hotch smiled at her. "It takes a village; all of us that have children have our back-ups."
"Madam Secretary if I may," Garcia said, having given the two of them the presentation. "What really makes this work around here is we are a family."
Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord smiled at Morgan with a wink. "She really is Mama."
"Yes she is Madam Secretary," David Rossi smiled.
###
The greatest gift an author gets is reviews. I don't expect too many for this one. And I have no problem with that. I had this on my brain and I ran with it.