A/n So peeps on twitter (follow me over there heclosescases) wanted an undercover fic which avoids the Pike arc completely – here is the first part of that.
Set post RJ, during FBI times and before Jisbon…
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Prologue
Jane is surprised when he arrives at the office to find Lisbon's stuff is already at her desk. He is usually one of the first ones in, he likes to have his morning cup of tea on his couch before getting coffee ready for his colleagues. It has become part of his routine. He also likes the growing busyness of the office first thing; it is always quiet in his Airstream unless there is rain bouncing off the metal shell – which is rare being in Texas during the warm season. They must have a case, he deduces, and a quick glance towards the boss's office and he notices his partner in there with Fischer and Cho.
He's surprised that he wasn't called in, but he supposes being the consultant carries less gravitas here compared to back at CBI and this unit are still getting used to him plus all the antics that come with him. He is enjoying working again but mainly because he gets to spend time with Lisbon, however he is still growing accustomed to normal ways again. Life was quite different on the island. Many would say it was serene, but the repetitive routine and isolation was fairly soul destroying. He is relieved to be back. He has unfinished business as they say...
By the time the fragment of the team has finished their private meeting, the majority of the rest of the unit have arrived and he is sat on his couch, with his desired hot beverage, waiting for his instructions, or more importantly, her. She smiles when she spots the mug on her desk as she joins him in their section of the bullpen and murmurs a thanks before taking her seat. This new-ish job has been incredibly exciting so far and she knows that excitement is going to continue going by their next case. However, having him back in her life is even better. It is almost like he never left. Almost.
Their relationship has mended somewhat over the past couple of months, it has needed that time and an air caution but they're definitely getting to where they were prior to him emigrating – but without a hunt for a serial killer dragging them down. It is nice, more than nice, it is great. "Listen up people." Abbott pipes up as he makes a beeline for his favourite spot to announce new cases. "We are taking over a case from Austin PD involving multiple homicides and god knows what else."
Pictures of several dead bodies – always in pairs – flash up on the large screens. Three pairs in total and if the names under them are anything to go by they are married couples. "This is what we have..." The superior continues as his staff intently listen, trying to take in each and every detail.
Sebastian and Eva Daniels were married for five years, the husband living off his father's inheritance and his partner the sort of woman you would find on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. No children and a lot of money to spend. They were found dead behind a video game arcade a month ago, with no reason to be there.
Peter and Shelley O'Brien had been married six years and were living the high life since coming into oil money that made them forever affluent. No children or family to speak off. They were found in a back alley near a street of takeout chains with no ties to the neighbourhood, four and a half weeks ago.
Lastly, David and Lorraine Stevens' bodies were discovered last week in a park a couple of miles from where they resided in a large mansion on the edge of the city. They won the lottery six months ago and have been blowing their winnings ever since. They had been married eighteen months and were apparently planning to have kids but had yet to get that far.
All the victims died because of a gunshot wound to the head, with signs of a struggle, traces of burns where their wrists and ankles were bound with rope but no other signs of assault. Physical or otherwise. There are no correlations in age, race, or background. "They all had money but no knowledge on how to intelligently spend it." The mentalist realises, interrupting the briefing like usual.
"Correct." The man at the front of the room agrees. "Their friends say that they were all talking about smart investments. That's the link. We also have three suspects so-"
"Then why can't Austin PD handle it?" He interjects. "Surely even they can work this one out."
"No hard evidence. These guys are really good at covering their tracks, so we are going to have to do some undercover work to catch them in the act." Interesting, he thinks, and he is guessing by the spring in the brunette's step a few minutes prior that she is involved in the sting. "Wylie, any minute you should get details from the local police about the three suspects."
"On it." The young agent replies and is immediately turning back to his screen to scan through his emails whilst the boss continues.
"Lisbon and Cho will be going undercover as a couple." He explains making Jane's brow raise in surprise as his blue eyes dart to the back of her head. "They do know each other quite well after all." That's true but a couple? He isn't convinced that either of them has the acting prowess to pull this off and he should know from trying to convince them to do all sorts for cases in the past. "We will be monitoring things remotely but with little to go on, this could be a long stint of us doing without them both." He frowns at this.
Patrick spent two years without her, dreaming of the day he would be able to see her again, and now the job will be keeping their separate for who knows how long for. Just as things were becoming better between them. "I have the files!" Wylie exclaims and after some fast typing on his end they are then displayed on the screens, instead of the photos of the corpses.
Adrian Clarkson, thirty-eight-years-old, has done time inside for multiple burglaries and assault. He fell off the radar three years ago until now and despite now residing in the state he was originally based in Nevada. Trent Grady, thirty-years-old, was arrested and charged for grand theft auto less than a decade ago and was rehabilitated back into the life by a charity scheme, he has appeared to keep his nose clean up until this point. Carson Seo-Jun, forty-four-years-old, spent time in prison for gangbanger related offences during his late teens and early twenties… "Mm." Cho murmurs and leans back in his chair causing any and all attention to fall on him. "Wylie where was Seo-Jun based?"
"Err…" He scrolls through the file. "California. He ran with the-"
"Avon Park Playboys." The ex-CBI agent interrupts with a shake of his head. "We need a change of plan. Seo-Jun knows me." And then chaos follows.
Lots of chatter and scratching of heads with Abbott talking intently to Fischer at the front of the bullpen as they try to come up with a fresh solution. The consultant watches from a far and when his eyeline catches his superior he notices the other man's lips curl upwards into a smile like he is come up with a new plan. Not just any plan, one that involves the mentalist. "People!" He disturbs the panicked chatter of his staff who quieten down very quickly. "I have an idea." When he states this his eyes do not leave his consultant and nervously Lisbon swivels her chair to look at who she knows is the focus of the new idea. "Mr Jane could join Lisbon undercover." A wave of nausea hits her suddenly as her stomach begins to perform somersaults, and she is quick to turn back around, worried for him to perceive her uneasiness.
Her pretend to be Jane's wife? The idea is, is… unbelievable! They would not pass, no way, it is going to be a disaster. Her brain is working at a hundred miles per hour trying to find an excuse or an alternative, but she finds nothing. "Playing pretend sounds fun!" He excitably shouts with a clap of his hands, an almost smug grin painting his face but then his eyes dart back to her and he notes how her demeanour has changed. Her shoulders have tensed up and it looks like she is gripping the edge of her desk so hard that her knuckles are turning white. "Is it okay Lisbon?" She really doesn't know how to answer that.
When it was Cho, it was okay because she knows that they are great friends and nothing more but with the man sat behind her, things are more complicated. "Yes, it's fine." She lies but manages to cover it up quite well however she wonders if her partner has worked her out. The thought is kind of terrifying. Jane has a flair at, no, he is a master at working out what she is thinking or how she is feeling, letting him in as a fake husband is incredibly daunting. He will see a side of her he has never seen, he will see what she is like behind closed doors, he will learn to know her routines. Is she going to be okay with that? Is she ready for that? "That's settled then." Abbott announces and that's that.
