A/N: I apologise about the late update. I didn't even realize people were still reading this. Then I received an email alert about sonnetStar's review on the last chapter and remembered. Thank you so much!

"God, how I ricochet between certainties and doubts"

- Sylvia Plath

Next Morning -

Reid rushed into work as fast as he could, making sure he wasn't being followed. Garcia had told him over the phone that Emily needed everyone in urgently. Now that the night of anguish had passed, he forced his mind to think like the FBI agent he was, not the man who had broken up with Monica. He couldn't waste more time pondering about her.
The woman he had fallen in love with, the one who had betrayed his trust.
He couldn't let himself wonder if he was capable of being without her. He needed his mind at its best.

At the BAU office, his teammates were already sitting at the round table. As Spencer took his seat, a tall, older man entered the briefing room. Emily introduced him to the others.
"This is Thomas Cummings, senior officer with the British Secret Intelligence Service"
Garcia whispered to Reid,
"MI6. He is James Bond"
"...and this is Agent Heather Roane", Emily finished with the introductions, "Please, take a seat"
"Thank you", Cummings took the seat adjacent to Emily's.
She said,
"We have been working on the murders concealed as suicides and accidents in the states of Virginia, Washington, and New York. Mr. Cummings here..."
"Tom is fine", he interrupted her with a smile.
Emily glanced from him to her team.
"The SIS has for us definite evidence regarding the identity of our UnSub. If you will look at the screen", Emily turned in her chair, "They have provided us with the suspect's DNA, which is right now being analyzed for a match with DNA gathered from the scenes. None of the security cameras at any of the sites caught her on picture, but that shouldn't come as a surprise because our UnSub..."
A picture of the most beautiful redhead Reid had ever seen came on the screen.
"...is a former counterintelligence officer. Tom?"
Cummings took the lead. He tapped on his tablet and some more pictures appeared on the screen.
"You are looking at Deborah McLean, codename Beatrice. An American who came to London in 1995 as a dancer, part of a ballet troupe. The company soon dropped out of production and Beatrice was recruited by the Secret Intelligence Service. She was trained in counterintelligence, survival tactics, weapon discharge, speaks five languages and was one of the Service's most decorated intelligence officers. She is an expert marksman", Cummings said, "...and a Type 1 psychopath. She killed Dr. Bernard Gladly, a psychologist with the Service, when he would not clear her for field duty after her recent psychological evaluation. This... she did with her hands"
Pictures of a gruesome crime scene flashed on the screen, making Garcia gag and look away. Those were followed by photographs from other crime scenes. Cummings said,
"Beatrice murdered her fellow officers during a coup in Tehran. These are the remains we found. She was absent from scene and evaded capture for four months, until a unit of the Security Service, formerly known as MI5, alerted our officials of her location. Unfortunately, Beatrice broke out of custody within the week, killing four more of our officers. She was discharged in absentia. After over five years, we got wind of her whereabouts this February, and..."
Cummings projected another image on the screen.
"This is her last known image, captured on a CCTV camera in a boutique in Richmond, Virginia"
The mass of auburn hair had been replaced by blonde curls, like Marilyn Monroe's. But the face remained sweet and beautiful as her recruitment photograph.
"We have reason to believe that Beatrice has been working as a paid assassin. For whom, we are not sure"
Matt asked,
"Why would a highly intelligent spy leave DNA evidence at the scene?"
Cummings answered,
"As a counterintelligence officer, her DNA is not available in any database in the world but our own. She knows that. And the murders were all dismissed as suicides and accidents at first. She probably believed no DNA would be traced back to her"
Matt nodded. Emily asked the Brit,
"What can you tell us about her as a person?"
"For most of her missions, I was Beatrice's handler", Cummings said, "She was a lovely girl. Smart, friendly, charming. Against her silver tongue and dazzling looks, none of her targets stood a chance. Don't misunderstand me. The SIS does not use its female officers as mere honey traps, but Beatrice was a master of the art. She once infiltrated a mercenary group in a South American country, and within two weeks, walked their devil of a leader right into our clutches"
"Any information about her childhood?", Luke asked.
"Upper middle class American family. Her father was Irish. No siblings. Beatrice performed well in school. She won a children's beauty pageant once"
"Abuse?", Tara enquired.
"No. We check for that extensively. Parents loved her. Poor souls died during the 9/11 attacks while she was serving with us"
"That could have been the primary stressor. Add to that the stress of being a spy, you are looking at the makings of a deviant", Luke remarked.
JJ wished to know,
"Did she have any friends?"
"In her personal life, a few. But at work, she kept to herself. Always had a sense of superiority over the others"
Luke asked,
"Did she ever have to kill someone on the job?"
Cummings gave a nod.
"In self defense, yes"
'Bullshit', Spencer thought as he looked at Cummings.
Matt asked,
"Were those murders as brutal?"
"No. When she is working, she is methodical. But..."
Tara finished his sentence.
"If it's personal, she channels her rage into the act of killing"
Cummings gave a nod. He took a long breath before he said,
"The SIS is willing to extend its full cooperation to the FBI in trying to catch her. We recognise that she is within your jurisdiction. Our only request is that she be brought in alive, for protecting the identities of our operatives whom she knows. You will have access to all pertinent information and records. My team will be setting up here shortly. Thank you"

After Cummings and Emily left the briefing room, murmurs went around about the fate of Beatrice once she was caught.
Tara said,
"She should be tried in a court of American law"
Heather smirked.
"You think Tom is going to care about that?"
Luke said,
"The Bureau has probably already made a deal with them. I say the sooner we get her out of here, the better"
Matt said,
"She must be really good if the Brits need our help with catching her"

Spencer ventured out of the briefing room to get a look at Cummings' team. They all looked like ordinary British people. Hallmark of a spy: don't be remarkable.
"Hey"
Garcia touched him on the arm, standing by his side. She spoke again.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Why do you ask?"
"You have been real quiet"
He said,
"I'm just a little tired. I had to wake up early"
Garcia nodded, still observing his face. She relented soon and gave him a smile.
"About yesterday, Monica seems pretty cool. You have the BAU seal of approval. She is...", Garcia patted his shoulder, "She is good for you"
That he knew. The woman had made him happier than he had ever imagined he would be. She had been his friend, his lover, his confidante. She had brought back the hope he had lost with Maeve's death. And she had broken his trust like no one ever had.
There was no doubt in Spencer's mind - he and Monica were over for good. His friends didn't need to know that too just yet.
"Thanks"
Penelope walked away to her office, making Cummings approach him now that he was alone.
"Dr. Reid?", Cummings came to him, "We have a protective detail at your mother's nursing home. The agent's bio has been forwarded to your phone. Her cover is that of a nurse there, Allie Rostowski. Rest assured - Beatrice won't be able to harm a hair on your Mum's head"
"My mother?"
Cummings spoke in conspiratorial tones.
"Your partner requested it. She was unofficially a part of the team who were investigating Beatrice, so we honoured her request. We realise the exigencies of the situation for you and her, and with the help of your team, we will do our best to catch Beatrice as soon as possible"
Spencer stood there, looking after Cummings. His phone beeped and he found a message containing brief details of the SIS agent assigned to protect his Mom.
Monica's doing.