Chapter 23: Taking the Bait
A/N: This chapter takes place during the episode, "Reflection of Desire"
Reid's cellphone rang. He looked at it and the name on the screen was Emily. He accepted the call.
"How much do you love me?"
From the tone in her voice, Reid knew this wasn't so much an inquiry into their relationship as Emily about to ask a favor. The only time she asked for favors like this was for help with a case.
"The answer is no," he said.
"What do you mean no?"
"Whatever case you are on, I am not helping."
"Who said anything about a case?"
"There is a specific tone in your voice when you want help with a case. In case you forgot, I quit the FBI."
"I thought you said you would always help."
"I thought it would be once in a while. Not on every case."
"I don't ask for help on every case."
"It feels like it sometimes."
"You enjoy helping."
"The answer is still no."
Emily decided a change in approach was needed. "Do you remember that special garment we discussed last week? It came yesterday."
"Sex will not convince me. I am resolute."
"Dr. Who?"
"Excuse me?"
"A weekend of Dr. Who. Pick a doctor, any doctor, and we can watch every episode all weekend. I will even watch the Sixth Doctor, even though he is a complete jerk."
"Well…"
"Did I mention the case is local?"
"How local?"
"Georgetown."
"How many bodies?"
"So far? One."
"And the BAU is involved?"
"The body has the police spooked."
"Why?"
"The unsub mutilated the body."
There was something in the Emily's tone that gave Reid the sense she was a little spooked too.
"What kind of mutilation?"
"The unsub removed her lips."
Reid thought for a moment. "All right. I'll come by the office in the morning, I just need to move some things around in my schedule."
"I'll tell Hotch to expect you."
In his office, Dr. Morris Conklin was reviewing files on his computer. It was the result of Shaw's recent operation at Dr. Reid's house.
What surprised Conklin was none of the files were from Reid's computer. From what Shaw said, Dr. Reid didn't have a personal computer – not even a laptop or a tablet. All of files Conklin was reviewing were pictures taken of physical files.
It had taken Conklin several days to review everything they found, and he still had more to go. The time travel files were only a part of what they found. Conklin saw projects on a variety of subjects. There was notes on treatments for a number of medical conditions including cancer, leukemia, and schizophrenia. There were also a number of designs for airplanes, space craft, and electric cars.
"Extraordinary," he said.
"I'm sorry sir?" the other man in the room said.
"I said extraordinary, Mr. Hancock. This is a collection of years and years of notes, ideas, proposals, and designs of buildings, vehicles, drugs and …Dr. Reid is a one man think tank. There is no discernible pattern either. He is working on a wide range of topics."
"Too bad our attempt to recruit him have failed so far."
"That is because we have been too gentle about it."
"Sir?"
"Dr. Reid is a thoroughbred. It takes a strong arm to wrangle someone like him."
"I might point out the last attempt resulted in Ms. Simpson being taken into custody."
"That is because we didn't take Emily Prentiss into consideration. Dr. Reid has a number of interesting friends. We just have to plan for them better. However, entanglements aren't always a problem."
"Sir?"
"Emily Prentiss travels a lot. We need to approach Dr. Reid when she is elsewhere – but it must be a very persuasive approach."
"Such as?"
"Family."
"He doesn't seem to have any close family."
"Locally, no. In Las Vegas, however, he has a strong family connection."
"You mean his mother."
"Exactly."
"I'll start making the arrangements.
At the BAU offices, Hotch went into Rossi's office. "We have a case Dave."
"Where?"
"It's local. Morgan and Prentiss were at the crime scene last night."
"How many bodies?'
"One."
"And they want us already?"
"It's a bit unusual."
"So it's a good time to be down two agents."
"We'll do the best we can do. I don't suppose you made any progress with your contacts regarding JJ."
"I wouldn't hold out any hope she'll back soon."
Hotch nodded. "Come on, we're meeting in the conference room."
The two agents went down the stairs to the bullpen to see a sight neither one expected to see again – Dr. Spencer Reid.
"Reid," Hotch said.
"I'm assuming we're meeting in the conference room?"
"Yes. Reid I just want to say"
"I'm helping out, that's all."
"I appreciate it."
Reid nodded, then walked to the conference room.
"is there something you need to tell me Aaron?"
"Somehow Prentiss convinced him to help out."
"Emily did?"
"She called me last night. She said she convinced him to help, but not to overreact. She wouldn't tell me how she did it."
"They're dating."
"Excuse me?"
"A few weeks ago, I tried to convince Emily to help me convince Reid to come back. She refused and admitted they were seeing each other."
"I knew she was in contact with him, but …"
"Contact in so many ways."
By the time the two agents were in the conference room, Garcia was already having her own interrogation of Reid.
"Does this mean …"
"No," Reid said. "I am here as a favor."
"Really?"
"And as research. Purely academic research."
"Is that what they're calling it these days," Dave Rossi asked.
"Guys, this is a one-time thing. It will be research for a class."
"Whatever you, say, we're just glad for the help."
"Then let's get started," Hotch said."
At that same time, at the Capitol Hill police station, Prentiss and Morgan were getting started.
"This is going to be rough," Morgan said.
"But we will have some help,"Emily said.
"Really?"
"I managed to convince a friend at the university to consult with us."
"A friend?"
"He's an expert in linguistic and geographic profiling techniques, reading micro expressions, and almost everything scientific."
"Who's that? I mean the only one I know that has that much expertise is…"
"Spencer."
"What?"
"I convinced him to give us a hand."
"How?"
"I appealed to his curiosity."
"Really?"
"It is an unusual signature."
"Some day you have got to tell me what is going on with you two."
"I will. Someday."