Thanks for the support as always!
Chapter Twelve:
I adjusted the collar of my tuxedo nervously.
"You look great," Hotch said.
"Thanks, and thanks for agreeing to come as my 'wing man,' in a way. I'm not sure I could handle doing this alone."
"You're welcome Reid," he said. "Tracy is thrilled to be invited as well."
"It was the least I could do," I said.
"Anything in particular you're concerned about?"
"Only two hundred guests who are going to want my attention all night."
"Anything else?" Hotch prompted.
"I have a feeling if Carina and August are going to do something, they're going to do it tonight."
"I am here and you have some of the best security in country," Hotch said. "You need to worry less and focus on at least trying to have fun."
"Okay," I said.
"Good," he said.
My phone beeped. The limo was here. Tracy met us at the door. With blond hair, she was wearing a simple red tunic tress.
Nico and Colin were already in the car. Nico was wearing a layered navy-blue gown while Colin was wearing a blackie tie.
"You like nice," I said to Nico as I got in.
"Thank you," she said. "You clean up nicely also."
"Aaron this is my cousin Nico, and her husband Colin. Nico and Colin, this is my former boss and close friend Aaron Hotchner and his fiancé Tracy."
Everyone exchanged pleasantries and got seated.
"So, have you been to many of these galas?" Hotch asked Colin.
"Nico took me as a date to the first one where I spilled soup on myself in front of Jacob," he said. "That was a fine moment in my life."
"He laughed it off," Nico said. "He thought you were charming."
"It is just incredible to be at one of these events," Tracy said. "Thank you."
"They get a little old with time," Nico said. "Especially since people insist on bringing their phones even as we tried instigate a no-phone rule a few years ago. They're either playing with them or taking selfies with them."
"You sound anti-tech like your cousin," Hotch said with a smile.
"I think they get in the way of socializing," she said.
After a bout of silence. A traffic cop stopped us and directed the car to the front of the line.
"Ready cousin?" Nico asked.
"Nope," I gulped.
"You'll be fine," she said with a smile.
Hotch and Tracy exited first followed by Nico and Colin. I took a deep breath, and stepped out of the car to the sound of at least twenty flashbulbs. Temporarily stunned, I took another step forward as more flashbulbs went off.
"Remember to smile," Nico prompted.
I tried to smile as lights constantly went off. Questions about what I planned to do with the money and whether I had been in touch with Carina or August. I ignored them and focused on getting to the door.
"Welcome to the Jensen Gala," an older woman with short white hair in a purple gown with long sleeves said. "My name is Patricia and I'll be overseeing tonight's events."
"Thank you, Patricia," I said.
She led us down the hall to the reception area.
"Tonight, there will be a cocktail hour followed by a dinner and dancing."
I had memorized all this, but after the flood of lights and stares I already felt overwhelmed.
Nico touched my elbow.
"Be yourself and you'll be fine. Try to breath every once and a while."
"Myself likes to discuss serial killer statistics," I said.
"Good," she said. "I'm sick of making small talk about the weather."
"What about that Star Trek room?" Colin said. "People would love to hear about that."
"Sure," I said.
"Enjoy the party," Patricia said.
She opened the door and I stepped into the lime light.
…
Galas were tedious, I found. Everyone wanted money. For a product they were developing. For a charity. A sporting event sponsorship. It was all masked in small talk, everyone of their eyes said the same thing: desire.
As dinner was announced I caught a glimpse of a woman in a spectacular off the shoulder peacock green dress with gold embellishment. Her red hair fell down in elegant waves down her back.
"Nessa?" I said.
She turned around and smiled.
"Hi," she said.
"You look, look, amazing," I said.
"You clean up nicely too," she said.
"Thanks," I said.
People were sitting down.
"Save a dance for me," she said.
"You'll be my first," I said and walked to the head table.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I said. "A toast. To my father. I know this has been a bizarre journey, and not many of you know much about me, but I hope to earn you trust. My father loved me even as I never knew him until after he died. Jensen had been watching out for me. I vow to do my best to make-to show what I can contribute to the Jensen legacy while keeping established traditions and starting a few of my own. To Jacob Jenson, my father, a man worthy of praise beyond compare. Cheers."
Glasses were clinked and I took a small sip of champagne before settling into to eat the chicken I had ordered beforehand.
"You're not much of a drinker," Wendel Logan noted as I switched to water.
"It's a long night," I said, having prepared for this question. "I'm pacing myself."
"I heard you were the smartest person in any room," Eleanor Sands, Jenson's biggest donor said.
"Maybe not the smartest," I said as I looked over at Nessa. "But in the top five."
Everyone laughed.
"No Carina or August," Logan's wife said. "This might actually not turn into a bad episode of Keep up With the Kardashians."
"Say their name two more times, and they might show up like Beetlejuice," Logan said.
"The night is not about them for once," Nico said. "It is about Spencer."
"I really don't like being the center of attention."
"You're handling it well," Sands said. "You remind me of you father. You're polite and try to smile even when this is the last thing you want to be doing."
"Thank you," I said.
The meal continued and I began to tune things out. I kept glancing at Nessa. I was anxious for our dance. It had been a long time since I had felt anything like this. I hoped I wouldn't screw it up.
As soon as deserts were finished, I stood up and went looking for Nessa. She was on the edge of the dance floor.
"Your eyes," I said to her. "They match the color of your dress."
"I was hoping you'd notice," she said with a broad smile.
I offered my hand and we were the first ones to step on to the floor. The music, from Sleeping Beauty, began and my heart fluttered.
With my hand on her hip and our other hand's knitted together we danced.
"You're not bad," she said.
"You're wonderful," I said. "Would you like to lead?"
"Me?" she said with a laugh.
"You told me you were the daughter of Broadway critic and a stage manager," I said. "You know more than I do."
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Positive."
Nessa guided me across the floor. Every once and a while she dipped ever so slightly. We moved backwards and forwards. I followed her pacing. She was loving this as much as I was.
For the finale, she spun away from me to the center of the floor. Without a sound, her gown fell to floor.
I leaped forward to cover as much of her with my own body as I could. In agent mode, I scanned the room and saw a man a darting through the crowd.
"LOCK DOWN THE BUILDING!" I roared. "NO ONE GET'S IN OR OUT!"
Nico appeared with a tablecloth.
"I'll take care of her," she said. "Go find the bastard who did this."
I looked at Nessa. She was shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. I couldn't leave her.
Paul appeared.
"Go, we'll take care of this," he said.
Nico began to wrap Nessa in the cloth and suddenly gasped. Her dress began to fall in shreds on the floor too.
I pulled myself away and ran.
Having memorized the layout, I knew where he was headed and took a shortcut. He was shocked to see me on the roof as he was about to leap to another building.
"Roger Ren," I said. "You work next to Vanessa. Did Carina put you up to this?"
"Jensen loved Nessa," he said. "Not everyone likes her as much as you do. It was a pleasure doing this for Carina."
"You didn't do this alone," I said. "Who else redesigned the dresses to be remote-destroyed like the fabric in our tech department?"
"It doesn't matter," he said. "I hear you aren't that athletic so good luck catching me."
I ran towards Ren just as a Taser hit him. I turned around to see a dark-skinned woman in a short black dress with hair in an updo holding it.
"I wouldn't want our billionaire to break a leg," she said.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Ameera Simon," she said. "Your bodyguard."
"We'll talk later," I said. "I need his phone."
I pulled it out and found the app he designed. I wasn't Garcia, but I knew my way around a phone. I matched it with mine and copied all the data off it.
"Hand him to the police," I said.
"Yes, Sir," she said.
I went back into the ballroom and luckily only Nico and Nessa's dresses had fallen apart. They were both wrapped in tablecloths to the side.
Hotch appeared.
"What are your thoughts?"
"Since they can't go after me, they're going after who I love, and using disgruntled employees to do their dirty work."
"What's your next move?"
"Change the narrative," I said.
I walked to the DJ.
"Play 'The Payback' by James Brown," I said.
"Why?" he asked.
"You'll see," I said.
This was completely out of character for me, but I was willing to do anything for the women I loved.
I walked to the center of the floor and started to dance the robot. Then I whipped off the tie. The jacket came off next. To say I was dancing horribly was an understatement. I was angry as I ripped open my shirt. Spinning the shirt around, I threw it to the crowd. Then I pulled off my undershirt and kept dancing. I thrust my hips and landed on my knees at the end.
Hotch looked shocked.
"I'm glad you kept your pants," he said.
I didn't say anything as I grabbed my coat and approached Nico.
"I'm okay," she said holding the cloth as her husband held her.
"August and Carina aren't going to be able to get a bonus club cards when I'm done shredding their credit history," Colin said.
"What do you think the algorithm will do?" I asked.
"For going after me and Nessa," she said. "I have no idea."
I looked at Nessa. She was so radiant, now she was a flicker of her former self. Jensen might have repercussions planned, but I was going to have my revenge too.