Chapter 3
Reid had learned to expect the unexpected while being on the job in the BAU specifically for the job. Real life un-expectancies, he owed that to his best friend, Michael. When he first met Michael Nassar, he thought he was in hell since the man gave off strong vibes of athleticism and a liking for the sport football along with the penchant of going to the gym. He wondered if the man had any inclinations of getting a degree. He was set straight after the first week of classes.
Reid was considered a genius and having an IQ of 187, eidetic memory and the ability to read 20,000 words per minute put him in that category. He didn't expect Michael to actually understand the coursework that he was struggling with until he pointed out an obvious solution. That had him look at his course schedule and saw the books on engineering and chemical engineering with the occasional book on cultures of the world. It prompted curiosity since Michael occasionally said an odd thing like the prodigal roommate returning.
Reid got his first taste of what Michael could do during one of those rare occasions that his roommate convinced him to watch a game, baseball of all things. Reid quoted some, what some would call useless statistics and historic facts about baseball. Michael ended up predicting movements. He would point out to a player and give his averages and then say that he was going to steal third based upon the pitcher's position, the other player's positions. It had him speechless when Michael's prediction came true and people were screaming like crazy and his friend was sitting there with a smirk on his face.
Reid tried other things and that was how he learned Michael had a passion for music. He played piano and guitar and had a voice that had the girls swoon. In return, Michael humored him, Reid thought, and ended up showing him how to encounter social situations. He dragged Reid to school events and explained things. They became a pair and always understood each other. They kept in touch when they graduated and went their separate ways.
The unexpected in life was Michael going into law, passing while completing an engineering doctorate. For fun he said. He passed the bar and ended up at a good firm to start practicing for a year before giving it all up and he joined the military. By the time Reid learned of the career change, it wasn't a surprise anymore. He knew his friend was not the type to be tied down to those careers most people associated with his Mensa rated intelligence. It was like he was an artist with the mind of a genius trapped inside, but he was still his best friend and he knew that he would be able to come through with information for the team on their latest case. He just didn't see the curve ball that had been thrown his way when they met the detective in charge.
Reid had met Sophia only a couple of times when he was at Cal Tech and it became clear that she was overly protective of her little brother but also willing to let him do his thing. She also welcomed him like he was one of the family and for someone who was not fond of touching people, he never thought about it once. He knew that she was a cop but he didn't realize that she was a detective.
Seeing her for the first time in years, Reid was aware that he looked like a fish gasping for air. He composed himself and moved forward when Hotchner moved to introduce him. He cut in before Hotchner spoke, "Sophie, how are you?"
Sophia knew to expect to see Reid. From the way her brother reacted and from what he told her, she knew his friend was a federal agent. FBI no less and with the Behavioral Analysis Unit. She had wondered if he would remember her. Her thoughts were laid to rest when he pushed forward and extended his hand. She smiled at that and grasped his, tempted to pull him into a hug but paused. She did reply, "Nice to see you too, Spencer. Been awhile."
Reid was aware that there were questions that needed to be answered. He decided to give a partial truth, "I met Sophie at Cal Tech. She…"
"I was visiting a relative up there and met this funny guy in the process."
Reid knew that Sophia was trying to help but he knew his friends and Morgan was going to quiz him about her. Of course it would bring pleasure to let him know that she was happily married with one and a half kids. "Actually, you were the one that made the joke. I just ran with it."
The silence was deafening even though the office was bustling. Reid blinked as he looked at everyone and they were staring back like he had just come from an alternate dimension or something. Out of everyone, Sophia was the only one smiling and she saved him by saying, "See? Funny guy." She gestured for them to follow. "I secured the conference room for you to set up. If you need anything, let me know."
"Thank you, Detective," Hotchner replied in his usual stoic manner. "I'd like for you to work with Agent Jareau for any press releases."
"Not a problem."
Reid watched as Sophia spoke to Hotchner. She was always the one to take charge and had that leadership quality. He prayed that his knowing her wasn't going to cause problems. He prayed to soon when Morgan gave him an elbow bump and asked, "Thought you said it was a friend."
Reid glanced at Sophia and then at Morgan and replied, "She is."
"Emily said it was a he."
"Sophie is his sister."
It would have turned into a Q&A session when Sophia's voice caught there attention, "I know you guys have your own thing but I would really like to bring in someone as a consultant to help with the military side of things. He may be able to help with what hasn't been released."
Reid stiffened slightly since he wasn't sure where this was leading but he felt alarm at what she was implying. Then again if she was requesting it then… He frowned a little as he caught her eye. She gave him a look but that was all as she waited for Hotchner's reply.
"That'll be fine, Detective, but…"
"Trust me, Agent Hotchner, he won't interfere. He's here to consult and help." Sophia gave a look of confidence.
"When can we expect him?"
"I'll give him a call. He's local."
Reid relaxed more when he heard that it was a local. That was a relief. He should have considered that Sophia would have met her fair share of military personnel because of Michael on the rare occasions he went home on leave. He had nothing to worry about anyway since his friend was busy with what he was doing and somehow managed to find time to help them out.
"Reid, I want you to work on the geographical profile," Hotchner was saying.
Reid nodded, "Sure thing, Hotch."
The team dispersed to carry out the tasks that they had been assigned. Reid was left with pinning a scaled city map to the wall. It a planners map, giving layouts of the streets and throughways of the section where the bodies had been found. He wasn't interrupted when he sensed Sophia beside him and said, "You had me worried there."
"With what?"
Reid glanced at Sophia. He knew she wasn't stupid but she liked to make him and Michael spell things out. He learned that the hard way. "I thought you were going to drag Mike into this. He can't."
"I know that, Spencer," Sophia replied with a gentle look. "You're not the only one that has been read into his activities and the one that worries that the way his brain works is going to get him dug into a hole he can't get out of."
"Mike can take care of himself," Reid offered.
"I know he can. Just as I know you can." Sophia studied the youngest of the profilers. She leaned against the wall and watched him work. "So how are things, Spencer? Any problems?"
Reid hesitated at that. In struggling with his dilaudid addiction, he reached out to Sophia since Michael was overseas after the whole conversation with his friend in New Orleans. She dropped everything to come out to DC and help him out citing that he was family and it was what big sisters did for little brothers. She never said a word to anyone about it and told him that it was up to him if he wanted Michael to know and reassured him that her brother would never think less of him. So far he hesitated about talking to Michael about it but there was always Sophia. He replied, "I'm doing fine. No relapses or anything."
"Okay. You know the drill though."
"Yeah." Reid paused in what he was doing and turned to look at her. "Thanks, Sophie."
"You thanked me before."
"But I mean it," Reid stared at her with a serious expression. "Thank you."
Sophia smiled and patted Reid on the shoulder. "Hey, we all need a little help." She cleared her throat and leaned in close and added in a low tone, "Which is why I am warning you that Mike will be here with everything about what you asked for in half an hour."
"So…?" Reid frowned and then answered his own question, "Mike is your consultant?"
"Can you think of anyone better who knows what he knows and has the ability to be discreet to the point of annoying?" Sophia grinned at Reid as she leaned against the wall, watching the knowing expression on his face appear. "Before you ask, he is on leave. Medical."
Reid perked up on that. "Medical? Is it serious?"
"Injury recovery," was all Sophia was willing to say. "You want details, you have to ask him."
Reid took a moment to absorb that information. It made sense now why the lack of calls and then the way how Michael sounded over the phone. A small part of him was upset that he didn't say anything about being in Austin but knowing Michael… it was a matter of pride. Reid couldn't fault him for that since he didn't exactly tell him about his addiction and his captivity.
Sophia watched as Reid processed what she said. She smirked since it was like watching her brother think at times. They were two peas in a pod even though they were complete opposites in a lot of things. "Anyway, thought I'd give you fair warning. I noticed your colleagues are quite interested."
Reid snapped out of his thought process when he heard the inflection in Sophia's tone. He narrowed his eyes slightly at that and retorted, "I said nothing like that."
"Easy, kiddo," Sophia countered, raising her hand up to placate him. "I'm just talking about the fact that you seem to break habit when Mike is in town or just what happened when you walked through my door. I know you're protecting Mike as he does you but it's okay to give a little."
"Better safe than sorry."
"Boy geniuses," Sophia said through a mock exasperated sigh. She smiled as Reid turned to go back to work. She gave him another pat on the shoulder. "Do me proud, kiddo."
Reid said nothing but paused to watch Sophia go about her work. He was well aware that he was going to have to explain things and he could just imagine what Garcia would say if she ever met Sophia. Already it seemed that the wrong idea was going through people's heads. At least Hotchner and Rossi were convinced that it was a passing acquaintance and no romantic entanglements. Like that was possible since Sophia was older than he was.
Snorting at the ridiculous thought, Reid turned to the map and started to make notations on it. While he occasionally made moments awkward with random rattling of statistics and facts with a common thread of an element to the case, he knew that sometimes little things made a big difference. It was one of the things that Michael taught him when they were last together. He focused on the map and checked the files laid out even though he had his memory to fall back on. It was more of comfort thing and he was 'in the zone' as Michael once teased. He would find an answer.
~0~0~0~0~
"Hey!"
Reid reached out to grab the hand that was moving the label he had put down on the map. He grabbed the wrist and heard a chuckle followed by, "Relax, Spence. Just making a correction."
Reid turned to see Michael standing there looking like he was a college professor, wearing a blazer over the obvious Metallica t-shirt complete with jeans and boots good for hiking and chasing down bad guys. He was holding a laptop and some files under his arm and was giving that smirk that said he could give him more than he bargained for.
Releasing the wrist Reid automatically wrapped an arm around for a brotherly hug, "Good to see you, Mike."
"Likewise, Spence."
Reid released his friend and looked at him. "I honestly thought Sophie was kidding at first but…"
Michael nodded, "I told her that I would help her out since I had to figure out how to get you the information you were asking for without too many eyes seeing the cover." He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "I knew I was going to catch flak from you about not calling but… I have my reasons."
"Medical leave."
Michael shook his head and muttered, "Sophia."
Reid couldn't help but chuckle. Michael only said Sophia's full name when he was annoyed or teasing her but he never stayed cross for long. "She gave me fair warning since I… dug myself into a hole about keeping you a secret."
"Oh, so I'm the dirty little secret Spencer Reid keeps locked in the closet with all the other dirty math and science books he keeps." Michael grinned as he teased Reid, knowing that his friend was only doing what he thought was right and trying to help because of the nature of his job. "Well at least I'm out of the closet."
Reid pulled a face. "Stop that."
"I will when I am satisfied." Michael raised his brow suggestively, knowing that it would rile Reid every time. "And that will be when you find yourself a girl."
Rather than going on with the familiar banter, Reid changed the subject and partially because he noticed that Morgan and Emily were coming back from interviewing the wife, "So can you please put that back?"
Michael studied Reid for a moment and glanced over to where he saw what his friend was looking at. He moved his arm holding the label and flapped it slightly like he had a nervous tick before saying, "I would but it's wrong." He put it in the correct place. "Typo in the report."
Reid looked at the new location and saw that Michael was right. He nodded, "Alright."
"Native of Hyde Park," Michael replied with a chuckle. "Or you could have asked Sophie."
"But then where is the fun in that?" Reid gave a slight grin as he finished the joke. "So you brought everything?"
"What I can, Spence," Michael replied as he set his files and laptop down. His lip twitched from the dull throb in his back.
Reid noticed and said nothing. In fact, the moment was interrupted when Morgan and Emily walked in with Morgan asking, "Everything okay, Reid?"
Reid realized that Morgan saw Michael as a potential threat. Not in the physical way but more along the lines of being a nuisance. He must have seen more than he thought about their exchange. They wouldn't understand that it was just something that they did. He replied, "Yeah."
"Is this the consultant?" Emily pointed at Michael with a wide eyed expression. She recognized him from when he waltzed through the bull pen at the BAU. She started putting two and two together while getting her questions answered.
Reid started to stammer but Michael took the reins and offered a hand, "Yes. Michael. You must be Emily Prentiss and you're Derek Morgan." He offered his hand to Morgan after shaking Emily's hand.
"And how do you…?" Morgan eyed Michael with suspicion even though he took the proffered hand.
"Derek, he's the one that was waltzing around the BAU. He's Reid's friend," Emily pointed out.
Morgan eyed Michael. He did recognize him even though that was months ago. He just had trouble believing that he was Reid's friend. "You're a friend of Reid's?"
"Since Cal Tech," Michael replied as he put his hands on his hips more out of habit. His tone though had taken a similar one to Reid's when he told Emily. "Roommates."
The look on the two agent's faces was enough to have Reid and Michael laugh out loud but the situation was anything but that. Reid shuffled a bit on his feet before managing to say, "Mike has a Ph. D in engineering and degrees in mathematics, chemical engineering and…"
"Masters in International Relations and Cultural Anthropology along with a law degree from Harvard Law, and I am currently on leave from grunt work in the army," Michael finished. As an afterthought he said, "And I play piano and football."
Reid was used to the silence that occurred when he went off on his statistic rambles but this was becoming a little too much. Most people usually were gob smacked when Michael added that he liked music and football but seeing it on his colleagues' faces… It was like suddenly telling people that you were actually gay all along rather than straight. He added, hoping it would help, "He's actually good on piano. You should hear how he plays Moonlight Sonata."
At that moment Emily started laughing. She put her hand to her mouth trying not to make a scene but it was too much and it leaked through her hand. "Oh my God. You really weren't kidding were you, Reid?"
"Um…" Reid frowned a little at that, not sure how to react.
Michael though, being used to it, took over, "If Spence told you that, he's right." He gave a smile. "I can do all those things and I am in the army. Green Beret."
"Now that makes much more sense," Morgan finally said once he processed what he just heard.
"No. Just a grunt," Michael replied, holding up his hand. "I get down to nit and gritty. It's why Detective Langston asked me to come down. That and I can read Arabic, Farsi and a few other languages as well as speak them and Pashto."
Reid realized that Michael was using Sophia's married name and being professional about it. He wasn't sure how Hotchner would feel if he knew that Sophia and Michael were related. It was just like how he told but didn't tell when talking about Michael. He added, "I also called Mike about the writing left on the first victim's wall. I figured he might know something about our potential angle." He refrained from saying the word 'terrorist' since he didn't want to create panic.
At that moment, Sophia entered the room, "Ah I see you made yourself at home. Welcome, Mike." She extended her hand out to her brother.
Michael could have easily embarrassed her and hugged her but he kept up the professional look and shook her hand. "Thanks for having me, Sophia. I was just giving my credentials to Agents Morgan and Prentiss and having a spatial relations discussion with Dr. Reid."
Reid and Sophia knew it was gross exaggeration and lying but Michael was just trying to smooth the waters since he had picked up on Morgan's uneasiness and suspicion. Reid picked up his cue and added, "He was correcting a label. I believe there is a typo in the report."
"Well considering Mike is a resident of Hyde Park, he would know," Sophia replied giving Reid a slight wink with a twinkle in her eye. "So, I will leave you guys to work. Let me know if you need anything." She walked away and muttered more to herself, "Like a ticket number to punch him."
Michael turned to look at Morgan and Emily and studied them before offering, "Spence, described you to me when I last saw him."
"In DC right?" Emily stepped forward. "You were waiting for Reid."
"And Miss Penelope bumped into me and I offered to help." Michael shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't a big deal. "It was no problem, really."
"And then you waltzed through the bullpen," Morgan stated more than asked. He had crossed his arms over his chest to give the impression that he wasn't going to take any answer but the truth.
"I had time and I was curious about where Spence worked." Michael moved his laptop to set it up. He then added, "And you don't have to give me the stance. Any question you ask I'll answer within reason. I'm still active with my unit." He glanced over the edge of the laptop to give a reassuring look at Morgan.
"And what did you find?"
"Reality defies expectation."
Emily felt a smile threaten as she watched as Michael tapped the keys and arranged his paperwork in a meticulous fashion. "So you had an idea about us and what you saw didn't match up?" She decided on casual conversation until the rest of the team reported in. It gave time to get to know more about Reid's mysterious friend. Plus she would have something for Garcia.
"I guess I should have gone with reality surpasses expectation," Michael replied after thinking for a moment. "Spence described you accurately to me. I had enough to know but it never becomes clear until I see it in person. Then the whole thing just flows like a well-oiled machine."
"Well-oiled machine?" Emily raised her brow a fraction, not sure of what to make of that.
Reid answered, "Mike can see spatial relationships a lot differently down to how the way someone breathes can affect a decision being made."
"What Spence is trying to say is that I see people and things as intricate parts of a larger whole and I like examining how they all fit together and not often in what someone usually sees," Michael explained as he pulled up what he needed. "I have done work in micro analysis meaning I can take a group like your team and basically break you guys down on a mechanical level. Used to drive coaches crazy when I questioned plays."
"Not to mention that you won a couple of bets," Reid muttered under his breath.
"Those were strictly based on calculating and verifying the odds set by the sports book when you suggested I try my hand at the casinos. It was better than poker. That bored me." Michael chuckled at that as he caught Reid's expression. He added, "But most of the time I am my usual annoying self." He straightened up and asked, "So… ready to work?"
Reid looked at his friend. He knew that there were questions that were going to be asked and he was going to have to answer them but knowing Michael… A slow smile appeared and he nodded, "Well I have been working on a geographical profile and I know that you'll probably need crime scene photos…"
Morgan and Emily watched as the two friend tuned out the room and started to work. While it had been an interested and somewhat odd introduction, it was turning out to be an odder moment with two geniuses working together. Emily leaned in and asked in a whisper, "I thought he was a consultant?"
A/N: Reid meets Sophia again and leaves the team with more answers and Mike meets Morgan and Emily officially. Stay tuned for more Heart-Blood Cement...
