I can't believe it! How can I be so bold to kiss Spencer freaking Reid on the cheek!? Wah! I'm going to dig myself in a hole and die in thereðŸ˜ðŸ˜¢. People said actions speak louder than words, and guess what? I kiss him on the cheek and I have feelings for that giant smart guy.
I'm scared and terrified of getting rejected by him. What if he's going to reject me and broke our friendship just like that? I can't handle the pain of getting rejected. I mean- how am I kidding? He's out of my league! I'm midget and quite tall.
Oh, Angelique... I wish you were here to help sort out my feelings for him~ Novilene Cruz
Snap!
Novilene has taken the picture of Hotch, his wife, Hayley and the newborn baby. She couldn't resist when it comes to a baby and asks Hotch permission to take a picture. Everyone looks amuse to see her other side.
"Wow, who knew that mini Gideon is different when it comes to kids." Morgan commented seeing her taking a lot of pictures. "Are you always like this?"
"Sorry, I can't help it." Novilene realized what she's doing right now. "I'm a total sucker when it comes to children. Especially that I used to be a former Paediatrician Doctor. Back when I was a kid, I used to babysit Alex while my parents are busy working." She explained while rubbing her neck.
"You'll be a great mother, someday, Cruz." Hotch spoke up with a smile on his face as Novilene immediately took a picture of it.
"This will be the best unforgettable moments... seeing Aaron Hotchner, smiling, for the first time in history." In a proud tone and smiling happily. "Sir, most of the people won't believe me that you actually smile. Unless I show them the picture as part of the evidence." Few of them snickered as Hotch playfully glared at her as she blinks her eyes with an innocent look.
"It's nice to see you in real person, Novilene." Hayley, the wife of Aaron Hotchner, spoke up with a smile on her face. "Aaron wasn't kidding that you have the same eyes as your father."
"Thanks." She smiled shyly and placing her camera back inside of her pocket white blazer. "I quite get that a lot, I'll be sending these pictures to your husband soon."
"Thank you, Novilene. You don't mind if we ask a favor to babysit our child? Since you have experience taking care of children." Hayley asks curiously seeing Novilene in person, she's a kind and loving person.
"Sure, I don't mind to babysit... I always have free time aside from going to Mass every Sunday and morning exercises." Reid stared at Novilene with a surprised look. "What? That's what I do."
"In daily routine?" JJ asks in an amused tone. The blonde media Liaison noticed that Novilene's body is a bit athletic because of doing exercise yet she had a body of a model.
"I go out and chill at the park to read a romance novel that happened to be my own mother tongue language or contacting my relatives to the Philippines or my brothers." She crosses her arms and pouts slightly. "Yeah, I do have a boring life." Novilene is not pleased by their looks.
"Oh, mini Gideon... you really need a lively life." Garcia joked Novilene as she scoffs and sulking like a child. "He's so gorgeous."
"Thank you." Hayley smiled seeing her husband holding his newborn son in his arms.
"If you find baldness and wrinkles attractive." Reid commented as Novilene lightly slap his shoulder.
"Spen, don't be so rude. Look at his little witty bitty nose." Novilene spoke up and still awing at the newborn baby then watching Morgan when he stared at the baby. "For the record, our appearance could slowly change as our age getting bigger."
"Don't you want one of these?" Garcia asks curiously towards Morgan.
"Mm... I'll stick to practicing." Morgan answered and walk away.
"Translation, I don't want to change the babies diaper." Novilene commented earning a giggle from the three women and a smirked from her Unit Chief. She yelped and smack his hands before he could hit her. "Hey!"
Elle approached them and stared at the Hotch family. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, she's amazing." Hotch spoke up in a genuine tone and staring down at his son. "I'm a little terrified."
"Well, uh, we should get going." Hayley spoke up noticing that they're having a new case.
"Pleasure seeing you, Mrs Hotchner." Reid spoke up and wave at Hayley.
"Bye guys." Novilene waved as Reid lead her the briefing room as Hayley gaped in surprise how they acted towards each other.
"Are they really dating?" Hayley asks curiously as Hotch shakes his head.
"No, but we all know excluding Nov that he has a huge crush on her." Elle answered and smiled seeing the two young people interacting with a smile on their faces. "They're going to be a cute couple."
"Oh... I hear the wedding bells!" Garcia squeals happily and imagining the wedding of Novilene walking down the aisle in her wedding dress towards Reid.
None of them weren't surprised if Reid and Novilene are going to be lovers seeing how they acted towards each other.
"Crawford family murdered 3 days ago." Gideon explained to his team as Novilene stared at the pictures with sympathy and silently praying for the family to be rest in peace.
"Saw it on the news." Morgan commented as he showed up the briefing room.
"They were found in the basement of their house."
"Bags packed for a vacation they never took." Elle pointed out when she read the papers.
"Report said it was a murder/suicide." Morgan commented and seated right next to Novilene. "Father stabbed the mom, then shot himself."
"That's the conclusion Maryland State police came to." JJ spoke up and stared at Morgan's eye. "The gun was found next to the father. Had gunpowder residue on his right hand."
"And now you must have some compelling reason to think that Chris Crawford didn't of his family?"
"Yeah. Another murdered family." JJ showed the picture to Morgan as Novilene stared at the picture as well. "The Millers- found a month ago. The mother, Reese Miller, her 2 children, and her new husband. Again, they were found in the basement and like the Crawfords, their suitcases were packed for a vacation."
"Both cases, the bodies were discovered 5 days after their vacations were supposed to have started." Gideon explained.
"Yet the coroner determined that they had been dead only 24 hours." JJ pointed out.
"So for 4 days, both families remained in the house." Reid pointed out as Novilene hums in response.
"Location of the bodies, both cases, the basement. That indicates a level of organization." Novilene spoke up and leaning back in the chair when she reads the paper.
"With a quick organized application of overpowering force." Morgan commented.
"If these aren't murder/suicides someone's doing a damn good job of making them look like it." Reid commented as Novilene hums in agreement.
"Possibly this man- Eric Miller." JJ showed them a different picture of a man in his mid 30's. "Biological father of the Miller children. Arlington P.D issued a bolo for Miller after the bodies were discovered."
"That's why his ex-wife Reese Miller had a restraining order against him for domestic violence." Novilene commented and she observed the picture of the man. She could tell that this man would never harm his family.
"When she gets re-married?" Morgan questioned.
"The week before they were killed." JJ answered.
"Violent husbands believe their wives and children are property. Reese Miller getting re-married possibly made him snap."
"Well, the Virginia cops finally located Eric Miller last night responding to a drunken disturbance at a motel where Miller had been hiding out. When they found him they discovered blood on his black leather jacket. Belonged to his children."
"Was any of his DNA found at the Crawford house?"
"No." Gideon answered.
"Did he know the Crawford's?" Reid asks curiously.
"If he does, he's not saying." JJ answered and shrugged her shoulders. "In fact, he hasn't said a word since his arrest."
"He didn't believe that his ex-wife and the children are dead." Novilene spoke in a soft tone as she holds the picture of the man. "Seeing this picture, he's broken and did they interview him about the Crawford?" She asks the blonde Liaison as Reid couldn't help but amazed at her observation skills for not seeing the man in person. Novilene analyzes the picture of a person carefully and thanking Sherlock for improving her analytical skills.
"They do but he didn't say anything at all, Cruz." JJ answered. "The Arlington P.D has asked us to interview him."
"If anyone could apply overwhelming force, he's your man." Reid suggested to them as Gideon had an idea who will interrogate Miller.
"I want you to find out. Talk to him." Gideon ordered Reid's direction.
He gaped in surprise that he's going to interrogate Miller instead of Novilene. "You want me to talk to him?"
"Yeah. You've done interviews before with other Agents running point. You can go solo- Novilene will go with you." Novilene blinks her eyes but didn't say anything. "She's going to help you when she feels like it."
Reid scratches his neck nervously that it'll be his first time to interrogate a criminal, not an Agent. Novilene sent him a reassuring look that she's going to help her friend as Reid returned the nervous smile back.
"Morgan, the Crawford house is a fresh crime scene. Once the Crawford was brought down to this basement they must have known their fate." Gideon explained to Morgan
Novilene grasped Reid's hand before they're going inside of the interrogation. "I'll only speak Miller when things get rough, okay?"
"Okay, why did Gideon pick me not you?" Reid asks curiously towards the woman.
"He wants you to experience how you're going to interrogate someone that is not an Agent or other people." Novilene answered and squeezing his hand gently. "If my dad trusts you to interrogate this man, I trust you as well to get answers from him. Let's go, we can't wait for him for long."
They went inside the interrogation room to see Miller is seating across the table with handcuffs. "I'm Dr. Spencer Reid and this is Special Agent Novilene Cruz, we're from the F.B.I. We'd like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind."
"Got something you wanna ask me, boy and girl?" Miller asks in his deep husky voice. "You look me in the eye, and you ask."
They both seated down as Novilene in her calm state while Reid in his nervous state. Reid fiddled and trying to grab one of the files. "3 days ago-"
"You're not looking at me yet the girl stared at me." Miller pointed out and wondering why the girl is not showing fear for him while the boy does.
"3 days ago, the Crawford family was murdered."
"Is that right?"
"Did you know them?"
"What are you getting at?"
Reid opened the manila folder and showed him the pictures. "They were killed in the exact same way that your family was killed."
"And? I've been slapped around the all-night by every cop in Virginia. What makes you think a damn photo is gonna scare me?" He slams the table as Reid jumped in surprise while Novilene remained calm and didn't jump as Reid did. "Is this what this is about, hmm? You think I'm a crazy, man? You think I suddenly snapped and slaughtered my own wife and kids? You think I did this? Huh? Is that what you think?" Miller stands up as Reid stands up as well and wondering why Novilene is so calm about this situation. Not to mention she's still sitting and didn't stand up.
"Sit down." Hotch and Elle barge in the interrogation room to stop Miller for trying to assault their young Doctor while Novilene didn't move even once inch.
"Is this your daddy!?" He exclaimed angrily and been strained by two police officers. "I'm done talking to you people!"
Novilene sent Hotch and Elle a look to let Reid do this by himself as they were hesitant but reluctantly agreed with her opinion. "You don't have to talk. Just listen. On the occasions you assaulted your wife, you were intoxicated. Once the effects of alcohol were off you were overcome by feelings of remorse."
"I'm gonna tell you this just one time. You shut your mouth!" He exclaimed angrily as Novilene could tell Miller is going to get their answers soon.
"Genetic factors contribute to alcohol stress interactions. Your mother was an alcoholic and she was often too drunk to stop the beatings that your father gave you." Novilene stands up and approaching Hotch and Elle.
"I think we should stop this." Elle whispered to them.
"He's not finished." Hotch spoke up while crossing his arms.
"Hotch is right, this is Reid's first to interrogate someone." Novilene added and staring at them in deep thought. "He needs to learn how to deal with this type of situation and Miller is starting to break down his walls slowly." Elle couldn't help but let Reid finished it.
"Age 6, you were orphaned to a family where the abuse continued only this time, it was sexual." Reid explained and noticing Miller is starting to crack his walls.
"You shut your mouth, or I'm gonna rip your face off." Miller threatened Reid but he just ignored it.
"The abuse continued well into puberty but my one concern is, Eric, did you or did you not continue the cycle with your own children?"
"I never laid a hand on my children." Novilene mentally smirked that he finally answered their question. "You hear me!?"
"I hear you."
"I found them like that. Dead. Bloodied. My babies. My sweet, little babies." He cried as Novilene looked down and holding back her tears feeling the same pain as Miller. "I was crazy out of my mind. I didn't know what to do. And I knew the cops were gonna blame me, and they have."
"So you ran?"
"So what've I got now?"
"You have your innocence. For the sake of your children, I believe that they, at the very least, deserve the truth." He closes the manila folder with the pictures.
"I can't get... the image of my dead children out of my mind." Novilene mentally shakes off the horrible past. "Ty, my little boy. He was clutching a... a piece of paper. I think it was a drawing. May-maybe a painting. Please, I'd love to know what he painted, Dr. Reid."
The four of them walked out of the interrogation room. Novilene mentally sighs knowing what it feels like seeing your loved ones dead. She vowed to Miller that they're going to get justice whoever killed his family and the Crawford.
"Interesting interrogation technique." Elle complimented the young man. "What did you hope to accomplish?"
"Well, he was closed off, defensive, hostile." Reid answered her question. "Lenny mentioned that he's a broken person of losing his family when she observed the picture and I needed a way in. He's suffered a breakdown but I don't think he killed his family and I know he still loved his wife."
"Spen is right." Novilene spoke up and agreeing with his opinion. "I didn't detect any lies and even if he had a terrible past, Miller still loved his wife and the children."
"Why do you guys say that?" Hotch asks the two young people curiously.
"We both saw Miller was wearing the wedding ring." Novilene went in another direction when her phone silently vibrates inside of her pocket. "Give me a couple of minutes. I need to take a call."
Reid couldn't help but feel curious who's calling her in this case whereas Hotch mentally frowned and wondering how did Chief Strauss, Head Chief of the Department, knew Novilene's classified information. Hotch hopes that she's going to tell them about her classified information soon.
Novilene switches her phone to block the phone trace as she accepts it knowing that she'll be working at the IMF soon.
"This is Cruz speaking." She spoke in a professional tone.
"Agent Cruz, we need your assistance for the mission." The male spoke up and Novilene closes her eyes. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, Agent Cruz?"
She opened her eyes and seeing Reid is approaching her closely. "I accept the mission, Sir." Reid stared at her in confusion as she smiled sadly.
"Your mission is going to stop one of the most wanted criminals known as Vipers." She tense and leaning down the wall while listening to the short brief. Novilene didn't expect she's going to hear the group of wanted criminals that they almost ended her life. "They escape from the prison last week and you'll be knowing the whole briefing tomorrow morning. Agent Hunt will come and pick you up."
"Sir, how did the Vipers escape from one of the heaviest security detailed prisons?" She asks curiously as Reid overheard their conversations about the Vipers.
"Someone break-in and it would be best Agent Hunt will brief you the mission in person. Goodbye, Agent Cruz." Novilene hangs up the phone and banging her head lightly.
"What was that all about?" Reid couldn't help but ask curiously seeing her features are filled with a worried and terrified expression. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah..." In a low tone and placing her phone back then pushing her glasses up. "I believe it is time to tell you guys about the classified files after the case."
"Are you sure about it? We can totally-"
"Spencer Reid, listen to me." Reid knew that she's deadly serious about it. "You guys deserve to know and right now, let's focus this case."
Reid couldn't help but agreed with her and knowing her situation could wait. Novilene on the other hand, can't tell how long will Ethan to come and get her for the mission. She hopes and prays that they could finish the case before Ethan will arrive.
Gideon turns his back to his teammates. "I believe the unsub had control of this family. He may have separated each family member. Tells the mother, 'if you scream, I'll kill your children.' Tells the children, 'if you cry, I'll kill mommy.' The suspect found a way of restraining them without leaving marks. Based on lividity..." He faces them. "The M.E estimates that the father was the last to die."
"Which means he witnessed the whole thing." Morgan pointed out. "If he did spend time with both families, he must've known he had time to spend with 'em."
"Cause he knew they were goin' on vacation." Reid added and Novilene leans back the chair.
"Look at travel Agents, relatives, work colleagues, contract workers, children's tutors." Novilene commented and crosses her arms.
The phone beep. "Gideon, we've been looking into the Crawford financials." They heard Hotch's voice.
"Allison Crawford spent way more money than Chris could afford. They were in major debt." The tech analyst explained.
"And Chris Crawford wrote a number of checks for a series of visits to a therapist."
"She had 2 cellphone accounts... one of them billed to a separate address in Southeast Washington, D.C." Reid and Morgan take down the notes of the address.
"Did you get that?"
Gideon and Morgan are inside of the interrogation room to ask questions coming from the big guy named Frank Fielding. "Why am I here?" He stuttered and stared at them nervously.
"I think you know why." Morgan pointed out.
On the other side of the room, Novilene is observing the man within her cold calculated look.
"He's not the Unsub." Novilene spoke up as Elle stared at her.
"Are you sure?" Elle asks curiously towards the young woman.
"Yes." They continued to watch them.
"That's mine." Fielding pointed out the painting.
"Colors indicate a self-confidence... an outgoing personality." Gideon explained and holding the painting. "Shows an above-average intelligence. The child that painted this was left-handed. Emily Crawford was left-handed."
"Right." Morgan spoke up and tossing the bottle of medicine towards him. "You're not."
"How'd you get the painting, Frank?" He questioned him as Fielding placed down the medicine. "Forget to take your medicine, Frank? For a severe manic-depressive, that's not good."
"They make me feel wrong." Fielding answered with a hint of fear.
"Wrong enough to kill the Crawford's?" Morgan questioned.
"Frank." Gideon called him.
"I-I did a-a bad thing." Fielding stuttered as Novilene narrowed her eyes at him behind the two-way mirror.
"What did you do?"
"I shouldn't have gone to the house. Allison told me not to. I would never... never hurt Ally. She's the only family I got."
"Family?" Morgan questioned.
"She's my sister. She's dead." In a sad tone and sniff. "He killed them. Chris did. I know he did it."
"What bad thing did you do?" Gideon asks.
"The rule was... I was never supposed to go to the house. That was the only rule. Allison said if Chris saw me... he would never let me see her again. He was gonna lock me up in the loony bin. He never liked me."
"You went... to the house."
"She said... she couldn't visit me anymore. I just wanted to see her. Seeing Allison made everything better but they cut my phone off. That day! That day I went to see them! They cut my phone off!" He banged the table angrily. "I never would've gone to the house if they hadn't cut off the phone!"
"There's no way this guy could've gotten into the house without a key. Knowing how Chris Crawford felt about his brother-in-law, you see him having one?" Elle questioned to the Unit Chief.
"No." Hotch answered.
"Sooner or later, he's going to blame himself the death of his sister." Novilene whispered at Reid.
"How did you know, Lenny?" Reid questioned her.
"He's going to have a mental breakdown soon, Sir." Hotch turned around to face Novilene. "This guy is going to have mental breakdown, Morgan and Gideon need your help to hold him down soon."
"Frank, you went to the house. What did you do?" Gideon stands up and leaning down the wall to face Frank.
"It was... dark. And-and cold. I went around to the side to look through the window. But my breath steamed up the glass and I wiped it clean, and... and I- could see them, sitting down for dinner. I saw Emily and Sam, and... Sam was crying. I guess he was in trouble." Frank explained.
"Did you see Allison?"
"Yeah. She was saying grace over the table. And then... she looked up and saw me. And she mouthed something at me. I think it was, 'get the hell out'. So I left."
"Did Chris see you?"
"No. He wasn't there. But a friend was at the head of the table."
"You said a friend?" Morgan questioned Fielding.
"Mm-hmm." He is wiping his tears. "I saw someone."
"What did this person looks like?"
"I-I didn't see their face... but...uh.. tiny. Really tiny."
"White or black, Frank?"
"I don't know. But... the hair. It-it... was red."
"If Frank saw them that day, it wasn't Chris Crawford at the table." Hotch pointed out.
"Maybe it was the suspect." Novilene commented and crossing her arms.
"And she wasn't saying, 'go away'. She was saying, 'help me'."
Fielding realizes something from what he saw on that day. "It-it wasn't a friend."
"Frank." Gideon called him softly.
"It wasn't a friend at all. It was him. He's the one who killed them." He breathes heavily and stared at them with a horrified expression. "I-I-I-I."
"Frank."
"No, no, no, no!" Frank slaps his own head and realizing the mistakes that caused him to lose someone he cares.
"Hotch, now!" Novilene cried as they barge in as Hotch helped Gideon and Morgan to stopped Frank from hurting himself. Frank cried of blaming himself for not saving his sister as Novilene noticed Reid stepped back nervously feeling helpless.
Right after Frank's meltdown, they went to the briefing room. Novilene is seating right next to Elle when she's observing the pictures.
"Both families had a dog. And both houses had a dog door." Morgan explained.
"Fielding said that the person he saw was small." Elle pointed out.
"Yeah, well, in order to get through that door, you'd have to be 5'4 tops and real thin." He pointed out as Novilene couldn't help but agreed with him.
"'When you have eliminated the impossible. Whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'." Gideon quoted Novilene's friend phrase when he met Sherlock once.
"It kinda makes me wonder how you and Holmes are friends despite different personalities, mini Gideon." Morgan commented with a smirk on his face.
"Whoever did this, we can be pretty sure he's probably found himself another family by now." Novilene spoke up with a grim look on her eyes.
"He's been looking at those pictures all morning." Elle commented seeing Gideon observing the pictures then gazing at Novilene's direction who's busy reading the notes full of information she gathers so far. "Nov has also tuned us out when she's reading her notes."
"Well, I sure hope he sees a connection cause I've checked Doctors, Lawyers, Travel Agents, Tutors, Contract Workers. I got nothin'." Morgan commented and decided to grab Novilene's direction by throwing the rubber at her but she caught it without looking. "Woah, didn't see that com-" he cried in pain when Novilene throws the rubber right through his forehead.
"Do that again and I'll bloody do more than throwing the rubber, mate." Novilene spoke up with the British accent that hasn't been gone yet and didn't bother to look at his surprised or shocked expression.
"Why target those families?" Elle decided to change the topic seeing Novilene is in her own world reading the information.
"Well, to know that. We have to know how." Hotch answered while reading the files.
"All right, we know organized killers are often skilled workers with above-average intelligence." Morgan spoke up as Novilene started to connect the dots. "High birth status. And in most cases... male. In the workplace, he's socially confident. And with women... sexually confident. Every offense... is preplanned. Targeting the victim is almost as pleasurable as the actual kill. These guys, they're... they're meticulous. It's a compulsion. Everything has to have its proper place. They do exhaustive amounts of research on their victims. They watch their every move. Every last detail is observed. Everything has to be written ever so neatly in a book or possibly a journal. When the kids are coming home from school. When daddy'll be home. Playtime. Suppertime. Bath time. Bedtime. Plan the work... work the plan. This is the way that he maintains control. It's also how he personalizes his target... so nothing's left to chance and absolutely nothing... is left out of place, ever. So he plans the work. And when he's good and ready. He works that plan. He takes great pride in his job. I think the workplace has to be a connection."
Novilene blinks her eyes and slamming the notebook that she read enough. Just when she was about to call her father, Gideon approached them showing the two drawings. On his right hand holding the black paint and left hand holding the colorful paint.
"Both are by Emily." Gideon spoke up and seeing Novilene's expression she got something to say as well. "Painted months apart. This one.. is full of color, life. The one I found at Emily's house has lines, dimensions. No color. I believe Emily was coerced to make this. It's a point of view. It is his point of view. This is where the killer stood, just watched the family."
Hotch removed his wedding ring then putting it back on his ring finger. "Each of the dead husbands was missing his wedding ring. This is the unsub's trophy. He targets a family because he lost his own. For a few days, he gets to play daddy." He pointed out.
"Or the wife couldn't handle his behavior and decided to get divorced then bringing the children with her." Novilene commented and pushing her glasses up.
"He can do whatever he wants because no one's going to come looking because they're supposed to be on vacation." Morgan pointed out.
"Let's get forensics to check the inside of Chris Crawford's clothing." Gideon suggested to his teammates. "The suspect may have worn the father's clothes to... whew! Complete fantasy."
"So why kill them?" Elle asks curiously.
"Cause the fantasy can't last."
"Do we know anything that actually helps us identify this bastard?"
"Chris Crawford worked for the I.R.S and Reese Miller was a Secretary at the G.A.O." Novilene answered when she schemes her notes one more time. "That makes them both working at the Government employees."
"Let's check out Chris Crawford and Reese Miller." Morgan suggested then stared at Novilene. "You coming?"
"No, I'll stay here with Garcia." She grabs her white notebook that contains a lot of information about their latest unsub. "I just need a favor to look for something."
"Suit yourself." She just smiled and waved at them then left.
Novilene immediately contacts Gideon when she's almost closed to find the unsub. "Novilene, what do you got?"
"I realize something about the pictures, dad." Novilene spoke up and Garcia played Tetris on her Gameboy. "I forgot that I also had a Bachelor of Arts and the way the children's drawing. Those drawings belong from the family therapist."
"Family therapist?" Gideon muttered and stared at the picture of a family eating dinner together.
"Yes, the Unsub is the marriage counselor. Think about it, why did he kill the wife and children before the father?" She questioned him. Novilene mentally facepalms herself for not seeing it clearly and they need to find this unsub out fast before he kills an innocent family. "How did he knew about the family and manage to killed them? When they had dogs? The Unsub knows them very well because he has their family background information."
"You're right, I'll call Hotch and Elle to ask the name of the marriage counselor. Mulan, I'm glad that you have our team." He ends the call and Novilene sighs heavily.
"You, okay? Kunoichi?" Garcia asks her curiously.
"Kunoichi?" Novilene asks an amused tone and giggling. "How on earth did you nickname me that, Lope?" She remembered how her teammates called her Kunoichi because her skills are matched with the ninjas especially how her walks are silent.
"You walk silently and I saw you caught the rubber without looking then throwback straight in the head of Derek." Garcia pointed out as Novilene couldn't help but agreed with her.
"I could be a kunoichi huh?" She chuckled and playing her cross necklace.
"Seriously, though... are you okay?" Garcia asks curiously and wondering what the young woman is thinking right now.
"I don't even know if you guys will be going to accept it..." She whispered as the tech analyst heard it clearly and leaning towards her. "Of what I'm going to say after this case. Can you check the names of the therapist? When the Crawford seeks advice to them? Including the Millers as well."
"Oh, sweetie. We're going to accept you, no matter what." Garcia smiles and she's curious about her secrecy. "Sure, I'll be doing it now."
"Salamat, Lope." Which earns her a confused look from the tech analyst. "It-"
"Means thanks or thank you from her Filipino language." They turned around to see Reid is approaching the two women.
"We gotta stop meeting like this, Reid. People will talk." Garcia freaked out a bit that the genius man learned Novilene's Filipino language. "But then talk is cheap."
"Gideon told me what you did, Lenny." Novilene smiled shyly. "Not when you're talking to a therapist. The Crawford's made 12 weekly payments to the Applewood Family Medical Center. What about the Millers?"
"No, nothing here." Novilene frowned and biting her lips lightly.
"How about Pharmaceuticals? Nobody gets therapy these days without a healthy dose of medication." He rambled as Garcia didn't understand what he's saying and decided to made fun of him.
"What are you implying, Reid?"
"That everyone is medicated." Novilene muffled of her laughs by covering her mouth as Garcia stared at him with a surprised look.
"Did you just make a joke?" Garcia asks with a hopeful look as Novilene bites her lips to prevent herself from laughing knowing Reid is serious of what he's saying. Even the young Doctor himself is often clueless when it comes to a sense of humor.
"No, I meant statistics. They- they show that-"
"Reid, next time. Just say yes." Novilene burst out laughing and holding her stomach. "You knew, Kunoichi?" The young woman couldn't help but nodded as she leans on Reid which he doesn't mind at all.
"Sorry, Lope. Spen assumed that you didn't understand him." Novilene stops laughing and smiling sheepishly at the blonde tech analyst.
"You're so adorable Kunoichi that I can't help myself but squeeze that cheek of yours." Novilene protects her cheeks as Garcia knew how much she hated someone pinching her cheeks. There are times that Ethan pinches her cheek for being an adorable girl. "Now, a medication normally requires reimbursement from the H.M.O and since she works for the Government like you, Kunoichi and I, we share the same health care provider."
Reid realizes that Garcia is hacking the H.M.O database to gather information. "Are you hacking into the Government's H.M.O database? Is that legal?" He asks in a surprised tone as Novilene wasn't surprised at Garcia's action since they've done more than hacking the Government's database.
"Course not. We'll go to prison, and you'll be someone's bitch." She spoke in a blunt tone.
"Really?" Novilene giggled and shaking her head back and forth.
"Oh, Spen." Novilene muttered as Reid couldn't help but smile hearing her laugh or giggle is like a music to his ears.
"Oh. Right there." Garcia called them. "Good call, Reid. Mrs Reese Miller- diazepam."
"Who prescribed the meds?" Novilene asks curiously.
"Dr. R. Howard at the Applewood Family Center. Let's find out what he looks like." Garcia spoke up and typing the keyboard. "Here we go." They stared at the picture surprised to see a red-haired woman, not a man. "Dr. Howard isn't a he."
"She's going to help us to find him." Novilene spoke up and immediately grabbed her phone. "Dr. Howard is a co-worker of the unsub and she's our only hope to get the answers we are seeking."
"I'm starting to think to rename you as Ms Holmes instead of Kunoichi." Garcia commented and it freaks her out how this woman can immediately tell by staring at the picture. She knew Novilene's friendship with Sherlock despite everyone thinks of him as a psychopath.
"Cruz, what do you got?" Hotch answered the call from Novilene.
"Dr. Howard isn't a he but she." Novilene answered and leaning the table lightly. "She's the one who prescribed the medicine from Mrs Reese Miller because she had diazepam. Hotch, she could be the key to help us where the unsub is."
"I finally understand why Gideon wants you to be part of our team, good job."
"I couldn't do it alone without their help." She smiled at Reid and Garcia. "Let us know if you know who the unsub is." Hanging up the call and placing her phone back inside of her pocket.
Novilene couldn't help but nervous and hope that the IMF is not going to call unexpectedly when the BAU team needed her.
Novilene is with Gideon, Morgan and the other FBI Agents are outside of the Dunken house. They're already armed and ready to barge into the house to save the family.
"We've got 3 adults and 2 children sitting at the dining room table." One of the male Agents spoke up as he gives them a signal to silently charge the house silently.
They silently walked and barge in as the family cried and sighs in relief seeing someone will stop Karl Arnold.
"He's got, my baby!" Mrs Dunken cried and holding her girl.
"Ma'am is he alone?" Morgan asks the woman.
"My baby!"
"Where's the basement?" Novilene asks and seeing the mother weeping made her blood boil in anger towards Arnold for taking the baby boy.
"Under the stairs!" Mrs. Dunken answered the young woman's question.
"Son of a bitch." Morgan cursed that Arnold is holding the baby as a hostage.
"Get them outta here!" Gideon commanded the other FBI Agents.
Morgan, Novilene and Gideon headed towards the under the stairs. "Gideon, Cruz!" Morgan whispered and Novilene didn't mind if he called her Cruz instead of mini Gideon.
They walked down the stairs carefully with their flashlights. The three of them noticed the basement is full of furniture as Novilene tighten her grip on the gun.
"Karl?" Morgan called the man to let him show up. "Karl, it's the FBI."
They turned around to see Arnold is squatting down and holding the baby boy. Novilene couldn't help but mentally worried about the baby boy but she didn't show any facial expressions but blank.
"Karl?" Gideon called as Arnold shush them. "Why don't you give me the baby?" Arnold didn't move an inch but holding the baby.
Novilene couldn't help but decided to manipulate him of his fantasy by pretending she's the mother of the baby boy. "Karl..." She put her gun back in her holster as the baby cried. "The baby is crying because he's hungry."
Gideon knew what her daughter is planning to do. She's pretending to be the mother and grabbing the baby before Arnold could kill him. Arnold stared at Novilene when she stared at him with a sincere and calm expression.
"Our baby boy is hungry, honey?" Novilene pleads and mentally cringed in disgust for calling him, honey. Arnold is older than her, enough to be her father.
Arnold approached slowly then throwing the baby at her. Novilene caught the baby at ease as she swinging back and forth to calm the baby down then Morgan tackled Arnold. She sighs in relief that the baby is safe in her arms and smiling at him when he stared at the young woman.
"It's okay, you're safe now." Novilene spoke in a soft tone and caressing the cheek of the baby boy.
Hotch decided to keep the rings as part of the evidence for Arnold that he killed families whereas Gideon stared at Novilene. Everyone was present in the briefing room before Novilene could say something, Gideon spoke first.
"What you did is stupid and reckless, you've ever done, Novilene." Gideon scolded at Novilene as she didn't show any guilt or shame in her actions.
"I calculate the plan and I'll gladly do it again if I have to, dad." Novilene defended herself. She always takes the risk that drives Ethan's mad for being a reckless and stubborn person he ever has."He's going to kill the baby boy when he's just a 5 months old, the only way I could save the baby is to join his crazy fantasy."
"You do know the consequences of this, Novilene." He narrowed his dark brown eyes to clash her dark brown eyes while everyone are started to feel uncomfortable at their argument by watching and listening to them.
"Yes and I'm not going to apologize for my actions. You wanted me to become part of this team because you saw my potential." She didn't back down despite Gideon is her biological father. "What I did back then at the Dunken? I saw the mother crying her heart out wanting us to save her baby... I didn't hesitate but to take the actions."
"You always have courage, Mulan and I'm proud of you, everyone does." Everyone nodded their head in agreement. No one could blame Gideon seeing he often gets overprotective towards Novilene and Novilene can protect herself from danger.
"It takes a lot of guts to do that, mini Gideon." Morgan commented as she smiled sheepishly. "I've never seen anyone who could formulate the plan ahead. You're a special woman."
"Thanks..." Novilene smiled and clearing her throat. "Aside from congratulating, I had to tell you guys something important." Her facial expression turns into serious as Gideon takes the hint.
"They called you?" Gideon asks his daughter as she nodded her head in a grim expression.
"They?" Elle asks and frowned who they referring to.
"The reason why- few of my files are classified it's because..." Novilene sighs heavily and stares at them. "Only you guys in these rooms and no one else must know about this."
"Cruz, what are you hiding from us?" Hotch questioned the young woman. "We won't tell anyone about it."
"I worked for a secret organization that they called you out for a mission." Novilene spoke up and already trusted them. "It's called I.M.F, known as Impossible Mission Force. It is a secret organization that we do one of the dangerous mission that none of them couldn't accomplish the task."
"Does the Government know about it?" Reid asks curiously and she nodded her head. "How come it didn't publish to the public?"
"We love to stay hidden under the radar rather than showing ourselves in the public." She crosses her arms.
"You're a Spy Agent?" JJ asks as Novilene nodded her head. "For how long have you work the IMF?"
"8 years." They stared at her with bewilderment and surprised expression. "The IMF doesn't want me to retire because I'm one of those elite Agents and founder so they'll call me when the world is in great danger."
"How could a 14-year-old girl be-"
Knock!
Knock!
They turned around to see a black man wearing a fedora hat. He stared at Novilene with an apologetic look that it's time for their mission as he walked in before closing the door.
"Sorry, to interrupt but kid, it is time." The man spoke as Novilene sighs heavily and removing her glasses.
"Guys, this is Luther Stickell, one of my teammates." Novilene introduced Luther to her co-workers. "Luther, this is Agent Hotchner, Greenway, Morgan, Jareau, Dr. Reid, the tech analyst, Garcia and you already know my dad... Agent Gideon." She points each one of them as Luther stared at each one of them.
"I'm glad that you someone to watch your back." Luther spoke up with a smile on his smile. Novilene smiles and nodded her head.
"They are and dad- you know what to do." She's glancing at Gideon's direction.
"Does Strauss know about this?" Hotch questioned the young woman.
"Yeah, she also agreed that if they needed my help... I have to go and I'm already done with them." Novilene closes her eyes as Luther rubbed her shoulder.
"Novilene needed her because of her skills is almost par enough to let her become an assassin." Gideon explained as they gaped in surprised and finally understand why she often to become a cold heartless person. "I thought you already retired for good?"
"I did but they somehow... couldn't let me go." She opened her eyes and smiling at Luther. "Where's Ethan? I thought that he's going to pick me?"
"We already know your brother." Novilene sighs heavily and knowing what he's implying.
"He's so much in big trouble if I see Ethan." She muttered angrily and stared at Hotch. "Hotch, I don't know how long... I'm going to do this job but- I'm sure you guys will be okay without me, right?"
"Yes, we will, be careful." Hotch spoke and worried about her well-being.
"Oh, Kunoichi." Garcia hugged the young woman as she looked startled by a sudden gesture but returning the gesture. "Be careful and I'm pretty sure your mission is dangerous."
"Kid, you told them?" Luther questioned Novilene in a surprised expression.
"Half of it and I'll let dad explained the rest of my story." Novilene pulled away from the hug. "If we ever cross our path when I'm on the mission with them, pretend that you guys don't know me."
"That would be best." Gideon agreed and he almost got himself killed during his daughter on a mission one time.
"Let's go, we don't have much time." Luther spoke up as Novilene kissed Gideon's cheek and leaving them alone.
Reid couldn't help but feel worried about her safety. He knew that Novilene can protect herself despite being an IMG Agent for 8 years.
"Gideon, who are the Vipers?" Reid couldn't help but asks curiously as Gideon became pale as a ghost.
"What have they gotten themselves into." Gideon muttered and holding his own head using hands. "How did you know, Reid?" He demanded and Reid jumped in surprise seeing his worried and fear expression.
"I overheard Lenny's conversation, do you know them?"
"Viper is one of the most dangerous criminals, they almost killed the Prime Minister of Vietnamese if it wasn't for them." Gideon explained and sighs heavily. "Oh, Mulan."
They stared at each other worriedly and hope Novilene could come back to them in one piece. They may not know the history between the Vipers and Novilene's team, but Novilene hated them clearly. They hope that her data information that she gives them permission to read could help them understand her hatred against the Vipers.