Still don't own CM or their characters. Drake is mine though. Guess I should bring up my lack of using David and Aaron for the out of work scenes. It's not intentional, it's just me being an absolute dolt. When you get used to referring to someone one way, it translates into every day activities. So I'll try to be better, but odds are I'll screw up more times than not.
Chapter 8 will be posted on Friday. I'm currently working on chapter 9, but there's something that I do have to bring up now since it is infuriatingly intriguing. As you can probably assume, there's a couple of cases that I want to change. One is 100 and my biggest problem with changing it is, ironically, Haley.
The reason why she's the biggest problem is because I've got two ways to go with her. First is with King taking Will's place in the original plan, dying after seeing Foyet shoot her. Notice how I didn't say kill? That's cause I planned on having her in a coma for the following three to five chapters.
Second option, and the infuriating one, is introducing the War Zone Sicario earlier than planned. He'll be fleshed out in chapter 9, but I started thinking about it and there's a small part of me that wants to do it. To use the old adage; "you give an inch, they'll take a mile!"
So, I'm going to kinda leave it open for discussion. I'll more than likely go with the option that offers more meat for certain things, but overall, I want to make sure it is a popular choice. Which is why I can say that I'm not concerned with changing a few things to benefit the story.
Regarding Maeve, her appearance in season five was actually in flux. Original plans were waiting for season six, but I decided to not be a jackass to Reid. So her arriving in season five will feature her…. Assisting on a very important case. And you'll get more backstory to the gun running case during The Fight, and the ideas for Rawson and Drake's interactions will, hopefully at least, be entertaining to you guys.
For the Doyle arc next story(early planning), I currently have it planned to feature a close death for Reid leading to a relapse or him going to work in a different unit. Drake won't know about the faked death, and he would openly ask Reid for help during certain things. Once there's enough trust built up during that time, they'll actually talk about it changed them. That would start the ten weeks at JJ's. After the eleventh week, Reid would be going to the gym with Drake and Morgan more frequently.
And Emily's return would cause him to respectfully request two weeks off after skipping the dinner at Rossi's. He'd leave the ring on Hotch's desk, telling him to ask Drake(long story short, Drake would've been the one who helped him scope out rings. Again, explanations coming in this chapter). When they got the full story, it would attribute to the drastic changes in JJ, Hotch, and Emily. Especially for Emily.
Chapter 9 will feature full explanations on some of the changes I decided against. Like why I went with season 4 instead of 1, Reid not being at risk for schizophrenia, and things like that. If you guys have any questions, I can answer them there as well.
The club was packed full of people trying to get lucky on a Friday night. Derek, living up to his reputation as a player, was off chatting with a random chick. Emily was openly flirting with a guy who looked like he worked at a law firm. Rossi was drinking his top shelf scotch, while Hotch sipped his bourbon. Chris just made sure his brandy was served straight.
Normally, he'd enjoy it on the rocks. But tonight? Tonight he'd rather not dilute it with anything other than more alcohol. He hadn't had a flare up of his survivor's guilt since Veronica died. The sobs echoing through the phone, causing him to speed up. The sirens wailing from the SUV. Eyes narrowed upon the concrete jungle that spanned downtown Albuquerque. Adobe houses passing in flashes as he tried to block out the crippling fear that began constricting his heart and lungs.
"Chris," she choked out, fear overpowering her determination to be strong. "Remember that I love you. I always will. And…. Please. For me, move on. You deserve to be happy."
"Veronica, just hold on. I'm almost there. Please, don't leave me. Not again." Drake begged, only for a sinister chuckle to ring out from the phone.
"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Farewell, Drake. My you never forget your failures." A shot rang out, followed by a pained gasp and wet slap. Another shot, confirming his usual MO. The Sicario struck again. But nobody would believe that he resurfaced. No, they'd rather live in the comfort of imagination over the harshness of reality.
Drake pulled up, his hand immediately on the grip of his pistol. Clearing the house, he found no sign of the bastard until entering the master bedroom. There laid Veronica. Her honey eyes still open, allowing the fallen tears to shine as blood seeped out of her head. Her auburn hair splayed out with the bangs matted down with blood.
Her lavender blouse, Drake's favorite color to see her in, was darkened in the center. Drake barely paid attention as uniforms and his partner came into the room, followed by his Unit Chief. She shuddered as he gently closed her eyes. The tears flowed freely from the agents as they watched the racking sobs shake through his body while holding her close, his silent pleas remaining unanswered.
They knew where the blame laid for her death. Drake was viewed as a loose cannon when he brought up the possibility of the Sicario returning. Their section chief was handcuffed, unable to provide any help to him. Now? Now they realized just how wrong they truly were.
"Drake" Elle prodded, causing the agent in question to jump. He went to play it off until he saw the look in their eyes. One of worry, which would soon turn to pity as soon as they hear the full story. Yet he knew that if Elle asked, he'd bare his soul. Not because of a crush, but because she had the effective ability to disarm self defense mechanisms. One set of puppy dog eyes and he'd be cooked.
"I assume you guys want the full story as to why I so violently in Colorado when given the overwatch duty?" He solemnly replied, accepting the nods of agreement as an invitation to continue. "During a routine patrol in Afghanistan, we had to clear out a small village. Intel viewed it as an easy task. My squad was going to be circulated back Stateside, so we were given it. They put me on overwatch, with a team of Afghani allies securing the perimeter. There weren't any ways for me to peer inside the houses, so it was essentially a way to keep me busy. The other two squads of my company became the QRF. When they reached the intersection, an IED went off. It signaled the ambush. By the time the perimeter teams entered, I had watched the sand mix with the blood of my friends. My family." He paused, downing the rest of his drink and ordering a new one.
"What happened after that?" Hotch brought up.
"The Afghani allies were killed before they could get set up. A mortar strike took out a good portion of them, and an RPD finished off the rest. They left, unaware I was alive. Nobody thought the village was going to house insurgents. Hell, I think they saw the village and shrugged it off as unimportant. When they found the bodies, however, they realized how wrong they were."
"When did they find you?" Drake shook his head. Elle found herself resting a hand on top of his, trying to let him know that it was okay. He flashed her a grateful smile in response.
"They found me when they reached the bodies. Once they looked inside the buildings, they realized that I couldn't do anything to help them. We were given the "no strikes" package. Which meant that there would be no artillery support, and air support wasn't going to be able to fly by unless given a ten minute charge." Rossi shuddered, knowing how damaging it would be to find the bodies of men and women who fought alongside you.
"What exactly happened after they found you?" Elle directed the topic towards the later affects.
"Our tour was ending two months later. They sent me home the following week, after tracking the bastards responsible. When I returned, I had Survivor's Guilt, and was almost medically discharged. Veronica was doing a residency at the hospital. I was on her rounds, and it was like Cupid paid us a visit. She and I hit it off immediately."
"Take it that she was a fan of the uniform" Rossi laughed. Hotch cracked a slight grin, but he noticed the sad smile on Drake's face. The statement was probably way too close to the truth for him, making him remember all the times she expressed it.
"In all honesty, she wanted me to leave the service. Every time I returned, she said I had lost another piece of myself. She told me about her uncle and how his tenure ended up making her father enlist. It was at the end of Vietnam, so he saw limited action there as an eighteen year old. But it turned him from a fun loving kid into a stern adult who couldn't cope with anything. He always expressed disappointment in his kids."
"Making them try harder to earn his approval or outright hate him. So he probably couldn't have been happy with her becoming a nurse, but you'd think he would've been proud of having you as a son-in-law." Reid piped in, only to give a shy smile in response to the raised eyebrows. "He served, and became stern, leading me to assume that he wouldn't be happy unless they followed in his footsteps, serving and slowly becoming what he was. Surprisingly, it's not as prevalent as you would assume. In fact-" he got cut off by Hotch smiling.
"You're right. It's not prevalent, but it exists. Veronica was always terrified of her father. He scrutinized everything, from after school activities to shows she watched to books. Hell, he even went through her closet when she was at school to 'get rid of any inappropriate clothes' he found. If it had a design, no matter how harmless or small, it was removed. So when she introduced us, she made sure I knew why she wanted me to leave." Drake sighed, debating his next words. Hotch took pity on him, ordering two glasses of brandy for him.
"I met him before my last deployment. I was planning on transferring to the CID, but had to go through the last run. During that time, I was forced to become a member of a team investigating a reported gun smuggling ring in a remote village close to the Tajikistan border. His reaction to Veronica dating me pushed me to that decision. 'About time you did something right. Shame you and your brothers had no spine to try and protect others.'"
"He sounds like a piece of work." Elle snarled, remembering how often her grandfather had went out of his way to calm her worries as a teenager. Her mother did her best, but she was, admittedly, a handful after her dad died.
"He is. After our meeting, she revealed that he told her that the only thing she should do, if she was too much of a coward to serve with the 'fortunate souls' that had been blessed with courage, is to marry one and keep the house in order. Not chase her dreams, just become a docile housewife who saw to her husband's every need."
"What a dumbass" Hotch muttered, switching over to a soft drink. This way he'd sober up and be able to drive Chris and Elle home. Rossi would handle Garcia and Derek, with the help of Spencer.
"Yeah. I promised her that our children wouldn't have to worry about having a father who wasn't able to support their dreams. But the damn case required members of so many different countries, leading to a giant cluster fuck."
"Safe to assume that you were called on to help sort through everything?"
"Essentially. After a week of arguing over who was going to have command, I told them to take their dick measuring contest back to Kabul. They didn't like it, so they paired me up with Mick Rawson, who couldn't help but be sarcastic whenever it was the least helpful, Luke Alvez, a Ranger with a heart of gold. He transferred to Afghanistan to help us, Phil Brooks, Alvez's squadmate. The two of them played well off one another. The four of us were used to hunt down the dangerous leads, even though I wasn't a good team player."
"What made you change?" Rossi questioned. This was one of the rare times where he found himself at a loss. He had read that Drake wasn't considered a team player, but trusted Edmund. So to find out more information about it was a welcomed time.
"Alvez. He pulled me aside one night, and worked his way into discovering everything. Not once did he doubt my skills. He just wanted to make sure I knew that there was a lot riding on us doing the leg work. That's why, after finding out there were operations in Asia, Europe, and Central America, we opted to slow them down."
"So, what happened after you did?"
"I joined the CID for overseas assignments until I was moved Stateside. Two years later, I returned to Des Moines and joined the FBI, and began saving money up for the ring. She always wanted one with a turquoise gem in the middle inscribed with a word that suited her marriage."
"Which word were you going to use?" Elle asked. She had noticed that Dave and Aaron leaned in closer, while Spencer was laid back. The look on his face told her that he had a guess.
"Illuminating. For how she gave me a reason to smile at my worst, and the way she managed to guide me."
The team stayed until ten thirty, enjoying each other's company. That was when they started returning home. Rossi left first, taking Garcia home. Derek left with the woman he was talking to, much to the chagrin of Penelope, Emily, and Dave. Elle had switched to water half an hour ago, and Chris went with a root beer. Aaron was just waiting for them to finish, watching them interact. There was something there, almost like a bond forged in the pits of Hades.
"Chris, tell us about one case that stood out to you for any reason." Elle requested. He paused mid drink, trying to figure out the best one. He finally settled on one. One that would always haunt his dreams.
"You know the story of La Llorona right?"
"Yeah. A woman who has to spend eternity searching for her kids that she drowned." Hotch supplied.
"Yeah, only, there was a serial killer in Mexico who went by that name. We were invited in to help them out. Our investigation led us to a horrific discovery. She was doing more than just killing them. So we were forced to kill her."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Elle was dubious that it was that simple.
"Her brother was, or to be more accurate, is, an American citizen."
"And?"
"We never got his voice on record, but the Mexican authorities did. They confirmed his identity for us."
"He's the Sicario I take it?" Hotch surmised.
"Yes."
"So why hasn't he been arrested?"
"If you want to try and arrest a dead person on some charges, be my guest. Tell me how well it works for you." That took the pair by surprise, but Chris pushed through, trying not to fall apart. "We found out after taking on the case. He left DNA at the scene, knowing full well that it would be the only evidence against him. He bribed a high ranking official in the building, letting him go about his spree. We never suspected it, and he made sure that it would be our downfall."
"Do you think it's possible that we'll get called in if he starts again?" Hotch dreaded the answer. He wasn't a fan of agents going rogue, and he sure as hell didn't want to deal with another Colorado situation with his newest subordinate.
"More than likely. He was meticulous, only letting the FBI find what he wanted them to. According to the IRT based out of Albuquerque, he was an ex-serviceman from the UK or the US. Began his career as an assassin by targeting a police commissioner in Colombia. LDSK, but changed his methods aft almost getting caught. During my chase, he called me his rival."
"Do you know why he went that route?"
"Because I killed his sister."
"Would you be able to remain professional during any intervention?"
"Yes."
"Okay then. We'll get Garcia on searching for any open cases regarding his MO. Do you have a name for him?"
"Yes. Eric Harper."
"Good." Hotch simply stated, before adding, "next time, don't expect a promotion when you throw a tantrum."
"Understood. Why did you give me the SSA rank?"
Hotch motioned for Elle and Chris to follow him. They paid the tab, before heading to the SUV. "I gave it to you because the time was right. You had been in the Bureau long enough for it, not to mention your accolades. You were getting it regardless of the case. The only hiccup was your attitude at first, but you've proven that you were able to rein yourself in."
Monday night, they were alerted to the fact that they'd more than likely be headed to Sherwood, Nevada in the morning to help with a case. Drake sighed, knowing full well that was going to dampen his attempts at getting lucky that night. Morgan and Greenaway were both upset, but for different reasons.
Morgan had a nice little hunny lined up for the night, all to get his mind off of the gorgeous tech goddess named Penelope Garcia. Even though he realized that wasn't exactly the best option, it was better than trying to ruin what seemed to be a happy relationships.
Elle, on the other hand, was going to catch a movie. Perhaps flirt a little with one of the security guards at the theater. Just to get lucky later on. But now that would be incredibly risky, as she currently has a lack of good clothes in her bag.
"So, it's safe to assume that he went from panty thief to peeping Tom to rapist over the course of his life. So what made him escalate to killing? Odds are he wouldn't have garnered much attention unless he openly flaunted his identity to his victims." Elle stated, anger glazed over each word. Drake found himself concerned for her, but didn't know how to bring it up without pissing her off.
"Probably to try and make it seem like accidents." Drake replied, distracted by the pictures of the cars. Even though he saw cars destroyed by bombs, he couldn't help but shiver at the destruction. He never understood why cars were used in deaths. Just wasting a perfectly good vehicle.
"What? Hitmen don't have a triad of warning signs themselves?" Morgan joked, earning a grimace from Drake.
"Not really. The common misconception is that they're militarily trained, but those cases are rare. You'd probably get a LDSK from the training instead of other criminal styles." The group refocused on the case as Hotch and Rossi walked in, their faces darkened.
"This is officially going on my list." Prentiss said wryly. Elle laughed at it, while Reid looked confused at it. Floyd Hansen's body was removed by the local Medical Examiner. What was left of him, at least. Drake couldn't stand looking at the bloody grill of the truck, so he met up with Elle, Prentiss, and Reid.
"List?" He innocently asked, causing Elle to laugh harder. While Reid didn't appear offended, Elle couldn't help but feel bad.
"Of things to avoid."
"You have a list?"
"You don't?"
"I bet Sarge has one." Elle smirked, allowing some playfulness to take up residence in her brown eyes.
"Yeah. It's called any place that has no running water." He laughed, allowing the stress of the case to finally dissipate from his shoulders. Reid raised an eyebrow, silently begging for an explanation. As Drake went to explain it, Hotch stalked past them, alerting them to an early departure the following day.
"So, what were you going to say yesterday? About the place with no water." Elle asked as soon as they were able to unbuckle. Drake gave her a soft smile in return.
"I'll tell you if you tell me why you were angry with the thought of Floyd escalating." She sighed, but decided it was better to talk about it. While she trusted Hotch and the others, Drake was still relatively new, so telling him can help bridge the gap.
"My uncle did the same thing. He was arrested after attempting to force himself on a sixteen year old kickboxer. During the search of his home, they found evidence that he planned on raping me. The only thing that stopped him was that he didn't know my mom's schedule." He nodded in understanding.
"That's why you went to sex crimes, isn't it? To try and help those who went through that by letting them know they're stronger than their rapists." She raised an eyebrow and nodded. It was close enough to the truth for her.
"I had a CID case over in Germany. We partnered with the AFOSI assigned there, and during the course of the investigation, I was forced to crawl through a sewage pipe. After reaching my destination, I was splattered with blood. The base then had no water, forcing me to go to a hotel to book a room and use it's shower."
"That doesn't sound too bad."
"The room was two hundred and fifty dollars per night, and I wasn't able to get it added to the expense report because the water magically turned on at the base." She immediately realized what happened and started laughing. Drake couldn't help but laugh as well. Back then, he didn't have fun unless it was with Veronica. So being able to look back at it and laugh is something he had to do to avoid the pitfalls of anger.
"C-Can I ask something else?" Elle wheezed, trying to calm herself down after laughing. Chris made the motion for her to go ahead. "Were you ever ordered to use a sniper in the military?"
"Twice. First time, it was just for reconnaissance. We were tracking the movements of a someone who reportedly had ties to some Taliban leaders, so we couldn't just attack and capture him. We had to wait until it was confirmed. The second time was when my squad was slaughtered and I couldn't do anything to help them."
"So, am I right in assuming that you take the qualification as a penance of sorts?"
"From a certain point of view. Truthfully, I'm terrified of being behind the scope of another one and being unable to stop an Unsub from going on a spree due to flashbacks to that day. So I do try to use it as a way to prepare me for that type of scenario."
"Even though it wouldn't help you because, well, it's actively not the same thing?"
"Yes. I want to believe that I can handle it, but I'm not sure that I can." She offered up an understanding smile.
"Then let us help you out. We're a team, a family. You may be new, but that doesn't change anything."
"I'll try, but I'm not sure if it'll happen as much as you want."
"Just try. That's all we ask for. We've seen enough damage done to the Bureau by those who didn't ask for help."
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. A slight backstory on the whole village stuff, since I can honestly say that it will be used a few more times, but not for a long time; while the patrol was lost there, I brought up the intersection. Essentially, think of it as the last position to clear. If there's nothing there, the Afghani allies and more troops would've gone through, searching for the lost patrol.
So in essence, the patrol radioed that the village was clear when they were done at the intersection. The attack on Drake's squad was orchestrated by the same people who attacked the patrol. The survivor's guilt he suffered caused him to be sent back home. That's where he met Veronica.
With her death, Drake was a shell of the man he truly was. But she wants him to search for the happy endings in danger. Which, if you remember how Gideon left in the show, might make you curious as to why it plays out like that. The answer is quite simple.
Her death was going to have the same effect that Maeve's death had on Reid in the series. That is why I decided to leave her out of the love interest options for him. Zugzwang will not feature her, but it will feature someone else. Not Lila. But definitely someone close to Reid.
Now then, to something fun. As of right now, I've got two ships primed for take off. Just gotta reach the boarding area first. Three are currently in fluctuation. Which ever way I go, I'm ending two different ones. None of the three will openly affect season 4, but will be huge for season 5. Not going to spoil them until next chapter at least.
As for certain terminology, understand that it's not going to be changed. View it as Drake's way of kind of keeping it at an understandable level for the others save for Rossi. This is done as a way for me to try and avoid padding chapters with numerous explanations.