A Job Well Done

"I asked: what did you say?" – The man repeated menacingly when Reid refused to answer the first time.

The young profiler stared back at the UnSub who wasn't actually an UnSub anymore with as much confidence as he could muster. So far, none of the students standing nearby had noticed their silent battle of wills and he hoped to keep it that way, so he forced himself to remain calm and collected.

"I think you heard just right, Mr. Gregory Swanton. Or should I say: Stuart Miller?"

"Wha-"

"Perhaps you'd prefer being called Leader? It's your choice, there are a few options." – He held his bag protectively in front of his chest, right hand resting where, at the bottom, his gun and badge were hidden.

"I'll kill you, you little shit!" – The man threatened in a whisper while, to an outside observer, still playing his role of caring teacher chatting with an overeager student.

"I don't think you will. You see, Mr. Swanton: I'm not alone."

The man was just about to grab him roughly when someone called the genius' name from behind.

"Spencer! What are you doing?" – It was Robbie, and the distraction had just been enough for Swanton/Miller/Leader to turn and run frantically down the stairs.

"Damn!" – Reid cussed and, throwing caution to the wind, he quickly took his gun and badge before disposing of the bag altogether. By now all the students were looking at the scene unfolding on the corridor and, upon seeing someone with a weapon, lots of them started to scream in terror, most probably envisioning the horrible school shooting scenes they had all heard and read about. – "It's fine! FBI!" – The genius shouted as he sprinted after the criminal, taking two or three steps at once and concentrating on not colliding with anyone along the way. Apart from the very first time he came here, he hadn't noticed anymore just how many students crowded in the building at any given time. Nevertheless, not long after that, just at the bottom fo the stairs, he managed to catch up to the false teacher and again shouted a warning. – "FBI! Stand still and put your hands behind your head!"

The man slowly turned around but didn't do as he was told. He suddenly grabbed the nearest student instead – a girl who Reid remembered sharing Physics with – and placed a shiny and sharp pocket knife to her head. More screaming made the youngest profiler aware of the growing audience of students and teachers but he couldn't afford to even really look at them now; his full concentration was on the man threatening to stab a sixteen-year-old girl to death.

"I don't think so, young man. I think I'd rather just walk out of here. And you'll let me." – Said Miller with feigned confidance. Reid, being a master profiler he was, could see small beads of cold sweat gathering on the man's forehead and knew he was, in reality, anything but calm.

"Don't be stupid, Miller." – He said just as collected. – "Where would you go? There are agents in this building and all over the schoolgrounds and streets outside." – He thought a bit of exaggeration wouldn't hurt. Quite honestly, he didn't have any idea where everyone was but he hoped they were nearby and on their way to help him. He wasn't prepared to handle a hostage situation alone! – "Don't make things even worse for yourself now." – He warned.

"You're lying; there's nobody here! I'll kill her!" – The criminal said, dropping the pretence of being calm and alone this fact showed Reid he was doing something right. The man needed to lose his confidence in order for the genius the get an upper hand.

The girl started shaking even worse than before at that statement and her legs threatened to give out. She repeated over and over again phrases like 'please, don't', and 'somebody help me'.

"Don't plead, Amanda." – Sighed Reid as he lowered his gun in a faked submissing manner. – "If The Leader wants to kill you, he will. No amount of begging and crying will get him to change his mind."

The girl screamed in terror and it was echoed by several students witnessing the scene. Someone shouted 'Spencer, no! How could you?' and Reid instantly recognized Sydney's voice. He really hadn't wanted her to find out the truth about him this way but right now he had other things to concentrate on than her fragile emotional state.

"See, you're wiser than I thought, boy. You're right: I will kill her and nothing can stop me. Unless, of course, you're willing to ensure I can get away unharmed." – Stated the criminal, keeping the knife a mere inch from the hostage's slender throat. – "I want a car with a full tank, five hundred thousand dollars in unmarked cash and a passport to leave the country."

"Oh, is that all?" – Snorted Reid sarcastically, gun still hanging limply in his hand. He wished Rossi and the Organized Crime Unit members would arrive like… right now! Or preferably yesterday… - "I'm not a hostage negotiator, Mr. Whoever-You-Want-To-Be. I'm a profiler."

"What the hell does that mean?" – The captor demanded, increasingly agitated.

The youngest FBI agent in history instantly recognized the opportunity he had.

"Well, that means I probably know you better than you know yourself." – He said simply, playing the arrogant agent he knew the other man would instinctively hate.

"How dare you!? You don't know me!" – The man shrieked, rapidly losing what little control he'd had before.

"Don't I? Let's see…" – He pretended thinking. – "You had a difficult childhood. Your father probably beat sense into you whenever you acted out while your mother was powerless to stop him. That caused you to think of women as inferior and weak. You hated your father but you also admired his power and wished to exercise the same over other people." – A few students gasped and Miller was visibly shaking, the hold on the knife loosening in his uncontrollably trembling hand. – "As you grew you got angrier and angrier at people who didn't understand you and didn't fear you the way they should. You started with smaller violations of law like shoplifting and bar fights. When you saw you could get away with them, you graduated to robbery and assault. These weren't so easy to explain though, so you changed locations and names all the time, always starting over but never staying long at one place."

"That's… just… That's vile slander!"

Reid ignored him and went on, taking a few careful steps closer to captor and captive.

"You originally only started the cult to get money and you only drugged the 'Followers' because they were easier to control that way. But then you began to enjoy the way these students; children, really; looked up to you. You also started honestly believing in your own superhuman powers and you thought: why not do it seriously? It was what you had wanted all your life, wasn't it? To have control over others? To dominate them? So, you got more and more into your role. Your obsession with Druids, Middle Age tortures and freemasons-"

"I am a freemason!" – The 'Leader' insisted vehemently.

"You're as much one of them as I am; meaning: not at all. But you wish you were, right?" – Reid knew he had the man and knew he was in charge now. – "Anyway, the problems began when some of the students realized what you were doing and rebelled. You came up with the idea of mass suicide and got rid of them… Then moved here and started everything from the beginning."

He could hear Robbie sobbing in the background and a part of him wondered if it was because he understood finally how he'd been played or because his 'family' and 'the god' would be taken from him now.

Miller lost all self-control. He pushed the horrified girl out of the way and launched himself at Reid with full force. Luckily, the genius was prepared: with a speed nobody would have expected of him a few months ago, he leveled his gun and shot the attacker in the shoulder, causing him to fall back and scream in pain.

He wasn't the only one either: all around them panic started to build as students and teachers were running towards the front door, shouting at the top of their lungs for help and trapping over each other frequently. The genius crouched down next to the criminal to keep him in place and also to prevent him from being trampled to death. It would be too easy for him to escape jail time like that… Just then, a shadow loomed over them and looking up, the youngest profiler heaved a sigh of relief.

"Finally! I thought you weren't coming!" – He exclaimed, sitting back tiredly. – "Where have you been?"

"We heard the shouts and came as soon as we could. And then there was a shot… Are you all right?" – Asked Rossi, ignoring the whimpering man in favor for looking the boy over, making sure he wasn't injured.

"I'm fine."

"Hey, but I am bleeding here!" – Miller whined.

"Shut up." – Was all the senior profiler answered as he pulled his youngest colleage to his feet and into a bear hug. – "I'm so sorry I wasn't here! I'm so very-very sorry, Kiddo."

"It's okay, Rossi."

"And what about waiting for us and staying safe, boy? Didn't we talk about you not placing yourself in danger? Didn't I tell you to be extra careful? Didn't-"

But Reid only laughed and hold on tighter.

In the meantime, the members of the Organized Crime Unit had arrived and were doing their best to control the panic and keep the fleeing people inside – they were all witnesses after all and as such, local police would have to take their statements. Dean and Ian came to handcuff the protesting man and also to save their young friend from the tirade of the pissed off senior profiler.

"What are you doing? I need a doctor, I'll bleed to death!"

"Your wound is superficial. Just a graze." – Shrugged Dean, roughly forcing the criminal to his feet.

"But I'm injured! I'm the victim here! This boy is dangerous and crazy!"

"Stop whining like a baby." – Rolled his eyes Ian. – "You're pathetic."

"But he shot me! How dare he! And he didn't even do his investigation properly! The mass suicide didn't happen at my last location but at the one before that!" – He complained.

The genius, having just gotten free of his 'dad's' embrace, smirked.

"If that's all I got wrong then I really am a genius."

"What? You mean… What do you mean?"

"I mean that I just made these all up to distract you." – He admitted smiling.

"WHAT!? You didn't even know about the crimes?"

"Not, not about all. But you just confirmed them in front of witnesses, so: thank you."

"I'll kill you! I will gut you alive! I will impale you on a pole! I will saw you in half, I will-" – But they didn't get to learn what else he wanted to do to the boy, because he was led away by the two OCU agents guarding him.

"Grrr…. Now I won't sleep for two weeks." – Said Reid with an over-dramatic shudder. Rossi put an arm around his shoulder as they joined the local police officers to give their (especially Reid's) version of the events.

"Just don't think we're done with that conversation, young man!" – Threatened the older agent still fuming.

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It had taken them around an hour but the police officer finally patted Reid's shoulder sympathetically and closed his small notebook to signal the end of the interview. The genius had told him everything about the happenings leading up to Miller's capture and also – since there wasn't any point trying to keep it secret anymore – about their undercover mission resulting in the success. They also assured the man that any further investigation in the case would be the FBI's job, so local police wouldn't have to worry about Miller.

The senior profiler said goodbye to the officer and led his youngest colleague away.

"Kiddo, you're the hero of the day." – He said gently, his arm never leaving the genius' back. – "And prepare yourself because there's no way Aaron and the others won't hear about it."

He was sadly right: apart from the press crowding by the entrance of the school, broadcasting every second of the commotion on live television, there were also the students who had already posted the whole story with a bunch of pictures on every social media site available.

"Just great…" – Groaned the boy. He then spotted Sydney standing a bit farther, looking at him intently. He sighed. – "Would you excuse me for a moment, please?"

Rossi saw where his protégé was looking and nodded in agreement.

"Sure. Good luck."

"Thanks…" – He carefully made his way towards his friend, wondering if she would be willing to talk to him at all. – "Hi…" – He said uncertainly upon reaching her.

"Why?" – She asked tearfully. – "Why did you lie to me?"

Reid sighed sadly.

"It wasn't my choice, Sydney. I was undercover. You have to understand what it's like: I'm an agent, I have my orders. It wasn't even my idea or anything."

"So, you're really an agent then?"

"Yeah… A profiler, that bit was true."

"Your name?" – She sniffled.

"It's really Spencer. Just not Rossi… My name is Doctor Spencer Reid."

"Doctor?"

"PhDs…"

"Why the use of plural?"

"I have three of them."

"Oh. Of course you do." – She rolled her eyes. – "Are you a genius or something? Or are you much older, just looking this young?" – She asked bitterly.

"I'm 21… And yes, officially, I'm considered a genius. It doesn't matter though. Sydney: our friendship wasn't fake. I do like you very much."

"Yeah, sure." – It was evident she didn't believe him. Not that he blamed her.

"It's true."

"I don't trust you, Agent. I guess you had a swell time laughing your ass off that we, lowly everyday people, all believed your masterful act." – She spat.

"I'd never do that! I liked being with you; it's the first normal school experience I've ever had. When I was actually going to high school I was a preteen and bullied mercilessly."

"Don't expect me to feel sorry for you!"

"I don't. And I'm sorry. I wish you all the best, Sydney. You can be anything you want to be, never forget that. Bye."

With a final sad smile, he left her and went looking for the others. He just wanted to get away and sleep for at least a whole day.

He'd have liked to talk a few words with Robbie too, but the younger boy had long ago disappeared without a trace.

"No comment!" – He shouted and expertly dodged the reporters trying to block his way as soon as he exited the building. The flashing lights made his head hurt and he could hear people call him from many different directions, annoying him more and more. He quickly jumped into the waiting car behind Rossi and slammed the door shut with the full force of his anger.

"Kiddo, how did it go?" – Asked the senior profiler, sensing the younger's dark mood.

"Just peachy."

He ignored the concerned look Walker threw him in the rearway mirror and decided to sulk silently instead.

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"We should call Aaron." – Said Rossi as soon as they entered their apartment. – "I'm sure they've heard the story of the capture and are out of their minds with worry."

"Okay."

"I'm going to call them then."

"Okay."

"Then we'll talk about your reckless behavior."

"Okay."

"After that, we could go up to the others and watch a movie."

"Okay."

"Or I could cook something."

"Okay."

"Or maybe I should sing opera arias on the balcony while you dance in a tutu."

"Okay."

Rossi sighed.

"Kiddo, you're not even paying attention... Reid… REID!"

Reid turned towards him, still appearing to be deep in thoughts and looking as if he had just realized he wasn't alone in the apartment.

"Huh?"

"I said we'll need to call the BAU."

"Yes, good idea. Can you do it though? I think I need to go somewhere."

"Go somewhere?" – The senior profiler repeated stunned. – "Where?"

"I don't know… something's wrong… I'll be back in a few hours. Oh, and I'll take the car." – With that, he took his jacket and walked out.

"Where are you going? Reid? REID!" – But the boy was already gone, not bothering to answer. – "Oh, just great. Perfect. Don't mind me, I'm just the worried father here!"

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Dave? Spencer? Is that you? Who's that? DAVE!? – Rossi had to hold the cell away from his ear so that he wouldn't get deaf.

Yes, Aaron. It's me. Don't shout; you're waking the dead!

Oh, God, Dave! Who's dead!?

Nobody, it's just an expression. Calm down.

Oh. We saw the footage about the capture. And Reid… Oh! Wait a moment. – Rossi heard him talk in the background. – Yes, it's Dave. I don't know. I was about to ask. – Now he was back. – Where's Reid? Are you two all right? Wait, I'll put you on speaker.

Hi, everyone. The Kid has gone somewhere but he's fine. Don't worry. How are you?

We're in Seattle now just finishing up a case. As soon as we can leave here, we're flying to you. Now that we finally know where you are-

It's unnecessary, Aaron. We're done here and going home soon as well. We'll see you in Quantico.

It was Emily who answered next.

What was Jasper thinking? I'll kill him! Reid isn't supposed to do undercover jobs! He's too young and untrained.

Do me a favor Prentiss, and don't say that in front of him. As a matter of fact, you'd be surprised. He did fine and he solved the case practically alone.

On television, he looked different somehow. – Observed Morgan in the background.

He IS different. More grown up. You'll have to acknowledge this; he's not a child anymore.

He's still only 21 though… - Observed JJ. While Garcia said mournfully: - They cut his beautiful hair.

Guys, guys. He's fine, all right? He's actually quite successful with his new looks—

What does that mean!? – Exclaimed Morgan but Rossi ignored him.

We'll be home soon and you'll get to see him to make sure he's okay. Until then, just take my word for it, won't you?

And you, Dave? Are you all right?

I am all right too. So, stop worrying and I'll call as soon as I know when we get to go home, okay? Bye!

Take care and tell Reid we said hi.

Rossi disconnected the call and sighed. He would gladly tell the Kid that but the question was: where had he gone!?

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Reid stopped the car, having just arrived at his destination, and taking a deep breath, got out. The building didn't seem as manacing now that he knew no 'Leader' would be waiting for him inside. There would be no cloak to wear and no money to put into the collecting box. And certainly no drugged drink, thank you very much.

He carefully opened the door and peered inside.

"Robbie?" – No answer. – "Robbie, I know you're in there! I can see your car parking on the road… Robbie?" – He took a few steps, straining his eyes to see in the semi-darkness. It was eerily silent and somewhat cold even when the weather outside had been gradually getting warmer these last weeks. He shuddered and pulled the coat more firmly around himself. – "Robbie…?"

"Go away!"

Following the muffled voice, the young profiler proceeded into the big room that had served as meeting point for the cult to find the teenager standing on the stage, holding a sharp object in his hand.

"Robbie, what are you doing with that knife?"

"Leave me alone, Traitor!" – The boy sobbed.- "You took away the only thing that gave meaning to my life!"

"It's not true. This…" – He motioned around. – "… isn't the meaning of your life. This is what could have ruined it."

"You're a liar! And you don't understand! You don't know what it's like living with my parents!"

Reid stopped a few meters from the stage, facing his friend and showing his empty hands for him to see he wasn't armed.

"You're right. I don't know what it's like living with them. But I do know what it's like living in constant fear someone would stuff me in a locker and leave there for hours or tie me to a goalpost in the middle of the night. I know what it's like when I have no one to turn to for help. When I have to be the adult even though I'm only a kid. Trust me: I know all that."

"You're lying just like you lied before!" – The teenager cried.

"No. I'm not. Listen, I did what I had to in order to complete my job but I didn't lie about anything that wasn't necessary: my name and age. Saying Rossi was my father. That's all. What we talked about as friends, it was all true. I enjoyed the time spent together: the movies, the walks, the coffeeshop visits. Everything. I didn't fake being your friend."

"How do I know you're saying the truth?" – The profiler cautiously stepped a bit closer. – "How do I know you didn't only use me to get information?"

"I have no reason to lie anymore; the job's done."

"And now you're the hero whom everyone admires." – The seventeen-year-old boy spat bitterly. – "DON'T COME CLOSER!"

"Okay, okay!" – Reid stopped demonstratively. – "I have no wish to be the hero. I don't want it. I hate being the center of attention. I've never known anyone as socially awkward as I am." – He admitted honestly. – "I sometimes wish I could just hide from the world and do my job far away from prying eyes."

"Then why be an agent?"

Reid shrugged.

"Good question; I actually never planned this. Somebody got me into it rather unexpectedly. A father figure."

"David Rossi?"

"No. Someone who worked with us before him. He left."

"You mean he left you behind. He abandoned you."

"Yes."

"Does it hurt?"

"More than I want to admit." – He whispered.

Robbie nodded.

"I know the feeling. But this…" – He waved around the knife still held protectively in his hand. – "… this can help."

The genius shook his head sadly.

"No. It might seem that way but in reality, it would only complicate things more. Cause more pain."

"How? I'll be gone, I won't feel pain anymore."

"What about your family?"

The boy laughed cruelly.

"Are you kidding me? They'll be happy to get rid of 'the shame'. I bet they'll even throw a party! They said I'd never be anything. Never do anything. They'll celebrate their success in foretelling my future!" – He had a hard time wiping his eyes with one hand and Reid was afraid he'd use the other one holding the knife as well soon.

"Then don't give up! Because if you do, they'll have been right! But you can win, Robbie! You can show them and everyone. The whole world! Show them who you are and what you're capable of!"

"And what's that?" – Came the sobbing question form the by now totally broken boy. – "How could I show them when I myself don't know?"

The genius sighed, walked to his friend and gently took the weapon from him.

"Anything. Anything you want." – He hugged his friend, preventing him from collapsing to the dusty floor. He might have hated any kind of touch but this time, he felt it was needed. – "Come on, I'll take you home."

"And what do I do? What do I tell them?" – It was difficult to understand what he was saying from all the crying, but Reid knew exactly what he meant. He offered his friend a handkerchief and gently steered him towards the exit.

"You tell them you're a confident and strong person. You don't need a Leader or your parents telling you who you are. You are going to think about what you'd like to do and then you'll do it."

"Will you help me, Spencer?"

"Of course I will. I'm your friend after all."

The boy stopped in his tracks.

"But I betrayed you. I… I… ahm. I talked to The Leader. I mean Mr. Swanton. I mean… whatever. I talked to him. Told him you were trying to find out more about him even though it's against the rules for simple members to know who he is. I warned him you'll go ask questions…"

The young genius nodded with a smile.

"I know."

"You knew?"

"Of course. I'm a profiler after all; it's my job to know these things."

The teenager hung his head in shame.

"And are you sure you still want to be my friend?"

"Tell you what: I'll forget this ever happened if you promise me you'll get a goal and work towards it, no matter what your parents say to stop you."

"Deal."

"Wonderful. Come on, Robbie. Let's get you home."