A/N - Thank you again for the opening reviews. I always operate on writing a couple of chapters ahead, to allow for possible change in direction a story might take. So for now, I've finished chapter two and so its time to post it. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
Chapter two
"Call in the rest of the team to the conference room." Hotch asked and watched as JJ walked out of his office. He picked up the phone and placed the call.
"I've just got word, they will do this." He said, before listening to the short reply. Without further comment apart from saying goodbye, he replaced the receiver and headed out to join the team.
"No files?" Morgan looked surprised as he entered the conference room ahead of Garcia and Reid. Rossi followed a few seconds later.
"You'll get them when Hotch arrives." JJ said, setting up the screen for the information she would need to show them.
"Which is right now." Hotch strode in, and began passing out the files he had. "This is a strictly need to know only, so not even pillow talk is allowed." He looked pointedly at Garcia who was about to protest, but he put a hand up to stop her. "You will understand more when you hear about the case."
Morgan, Reid, Rossi and Garcia all looked understandably puzzled, and Emily just tipped her head sideways to get them all to sit down, which they did slowly.
"Sir, if I may," Garcia began to say.
"Please, JJ when you're ready." Hotch spoke over Garcia. His attitude made everyone look up.
"Wow this must be serious." Reid said, pulling his bag strap off his shoulder and was rewarded with a glare from Hotch. "Sorry I spoke." He whispered stealing a look sideways at Morgan, who was now openly frowning.
"We are taking on a joint case with the CIA." JJ began, and was immediately stopped when four voices chorused "What?" but were instantly silenced as JJ carried on, ignoring them. "If you look at the file, you will see its because of a terrorist who is known only as Athena." JJ paused, and looked as heads bowed and the file was read. She could see expressions change as they got to the point where it mentioned the undercover aspect of the case, and finally they looked up, all registering various degrees of shock and surprise.
"Wow, I was so totally not expecting that." Garcia's comment broke the moment.
"You're actually going to be doing this?" Morgan demanded to know. Emily and JJ just nodded. "Hotch you are allowing this?" Morgan turned the question across the table, sounding stunned.
"It was done with a lot of thought." Hotch explained, "I know this is unusual, but it does seem to be the only way to stop this woman, who unless she is stopped, will continue to kill with impunity. JJ acknowledges her weaknesses in this area of work, but Prentiss has plenty of deep undercover experience. I'm confident that between them and the backup from all of us, we can be successful."
"Well, I guess we've got places to go, people to annoy." Garcia exclaimed.
"You are going along with this as well?" Morgan looked skeptical.
Garcia shrugged. "Hey, good friends don't let others do stupid things..." She paused for the effect. "At least not alone. So hell yeah, I'm in."
"It does make sense." Reid looked up having finished looking at all the information. "I'm a little unsure how you pull off the cover though."
"Let us worry about that." Emily said. "We need to go through more specifics for the team right now."
"So, what do you want from us?" Reid sat back.
"First and foremost we need to work out how we give help out in the field. Some of it will be okay, because we can always have friends just visiting with fake cover ID's. Garcia, that is going to be your main job for now. We need full cover ID's that will stand up to the biggest scrutiny you can think of. I will also give you details of the contact within the CIA, who has promised help from their end should we need it. By coming from this department, its less likely to be looked at. Athena isn't stupid and knows the US government will be looking at ways of getting to her. She will, without a doubt, suspect CIA involvement in some sort of operation. However, while we can't discount it, she might look at the FBI, but is less likely to look as closely at someone like the BAU. Here are some suggestions about what covers are likely to work best." Hotch pushed another sheet of paper in Garcia's direction.
"On it." Garcia scribbled some notes down, "Anything else?"
"Well, we also need to sort out somewhere for Emily and JJ to live. I'll give you a list of the areas we're looking for later. That's all for now."
Garcia went to leave, "My butt jiggle is just my way of saying goodbye." she said as she did indeed jiggle her butt, and finally left the room.
"Remember when you said to remind you to get her drug tested, I think that time has come." JJ said holding back a laugh and even Hotch couldn't hold back a slight smile.
"So, we set up this operation. Is it really necessary to do something so dramatic?" Rossi wanted to know, dampening the light mood, still feeling uneasy.
"Yes Dave, I honestly don't think the CIA can get anywhere without our help. This woman has survived for over twenty years without even a sniff of a government in any country, apart from those who hired her, getting close. We might not manage it, but the CIA do seem to have got further than ever before. I believe with our help, we can crack it open."
"Okay. Although, to be honest, I think I would stick out if I was in the field, I think I'd be better off working from our offices."
Hotch nodded, "Agreed."
Rossi picked up his file. "So, how are we going to profile this?"
"I suggest like any other serial killer." Morgan said.
"I tend to agree." Reid added. "She doesn't have a type, but just kills effectively and without remorse. She seems to kill as much for the thrill as anything else, making her hedonistic but I'm still not sure about that." Reid carried on.
"She certainly is close in terms of being a psychopath, she lacks empathy and guilt, and in her code name of choice, the Goddess of war, it implies she is egocentric." Emily said. "But she doesn't have the impulsive aspect of a psychopath."
"Actually, while is Athena is known as the Goddess of warfare, she is also known as the Goddess of wisdom,divine intelligence, and crafts." Reid pointed out.
"I rest my case, ego the size of a planet." Emily said.
"That ego could work in our favor. The ability to act without impulse is most likely because of her training." Morgan looked across at the screen where JJ had put known kills from recent years attributed to Athena. "A lot of serial killers have military backgrounds..."
"Around 7 percentage and they believe that figure is rising." Reid said quickly.
Morgan just shook his head, before carrying on, "She's organized, I imagine her IQ is off the chart, and leaves little or no forensic trail."
"She has a high level of control over the crime scenes." Hotch noted. "That is fairly unusual, because a lot of assassins will take opportune moments for a kill. Athena doesn't, so reduces the risk of where an attack might happen. Her planning is meticulous."
"Perhaps she uses her charm as a woman to get close to her subjects?" JJ said.
"Possible, but some of these kills are by sniper rifle, both men and woman, and she's also linked to numerous bombings." Reid countered. "She is certainly one complex woman."
"Great and its our job to stop her, piece of cake." Emily said with a trace of sarcasm in her voice.
As they watched the others leave the conference room, Emily twisted around and looked at JJ. "Are you sure about this?"
"No." JJ turned around to face Emily. "I'm absolutely petrified about so many different things. How I keep Henry safe, how I deal without contact to those most important to me, how I even explain what is happening! I mean, I can't just go and say, 'hey, guess what I'm going deep undercover with Henry in a joint CIA operation.' I just don't know what to expect."
Emily moved around the table, and perched on the edge close to where JJ was standing.
"I was terrified the first time I was asked to do something like this." Emily admitted. "I questioned everything I did, and how I was even going to do it, but somehow it works out. Especially if you've got a good team backing you up, and we've got the best."
"I know." JJ felt tears pricking at her eyes, and turned her back, not wanting to show Emily how emotional she felt. "I just hope I'm doing the right thing here and I don't come to regret it."
"You won't, I won't let you." Emily reached out and caught JJ's arm. "We won't let you."
"A lot of won't in there." JJ feebly tried to joke.
Emily didn't say anything else, but just stood up and pulled JJ in to a hug. "Okay, how about I say, it'll be fine instead." she said quietly.
"I'll take that."
"Getting in to character already."
Emily and JJ both jumped as Garcia walked in through the door.
"Jesus, heart attack much! And no we're not." JJ said with a shake of her head. "I just needed a friendly hug."
"Huh." Garcia looked at them both with a slight frown. "Sure you did."
"It's true." Emily responded in a light tone.
"And I'm married to Prince William." Garcia replied, as she pushed a couple of files across the desk towards them. "And before I go and kiss my frog to turn him back to a delightful prince again, your cover ID's are inside, as is information about your apartment." Garcia turned, and jiggled her butt as she went.
"She's certifiable." Emily muttered as they picked up the files. "A loon without a tune."
"You have got to be kidding me!" JJ suddenly said as she read her file. "She..." JJ was lost for words.
"What?" Emily was surprised by JJ's reaction, and JJ just handed the file over. Her forehead crinkled as she read. "Oh." was her only response.
"Oh, all you can say is oh!" JJ's voice began to rise to almost hysterical proportions. "She's got me down as being brought up as a White Supremacist, who was kicked out because I was gay but I still used that time to go out and kill others, especially if its anti US government!"
"I've got to say, its a good cover." Emily passed the file back.
"So, what is yours then?" JJ demanded.
"Ex-CIA who has gone off the rails, simple mercenary for hire, fluent in numerous languages, not far from the truth really." Emily admitted.
"Great, I'm a fucking crackpot, your just slightly unhinged." JJ slumped down on a chair. "Just when I didn't think it could get any worse.
