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Chapter Twenty:

Reid's date with Ava involved exploring a cave system followed by a massage therapy session and dinner.

"I've never been a fan of tight spaces," Ava said.

"Neither have I," Reid said. "I'm also not much of a fan of the dark."

"I know how it feels," Ava said. "It is the lack of control is what I don't like."

"I don't like the absence of light," he said.

She grabbed his hand. "We'll brave it together."

Faye clapped. "Now that is what good chemistry looks like."

Shawna gave her a murderous look as she walked by with a camera crew. "I'm claustrophobic."

"Have fun."

She rolled her eyes. "See you later."

…

"So how did you talk Spencer into doing massage therapy?" Macy asked as they settled in to watch.

"He set up strict rules of what we could and could not do," she said. "I also think he was interested in trying it. Dating can be stressful."

Shawna appeared looking agitated.

"They look they had a good time," Macy said. "What happened?"

"We didn't have night vision lenses," she said.

"So?"

"They made out when they turned all the lights off demonstrate the pitch blackness of the cave."

"How do you know they made out?" Faye asked.

"Spencer was wiping lipstick off his mouth."

Faye and Macy both laughed.

"I am so glad you found that funny," Shawna said. "Given that I lost the shot."

"We're going to miss a few things from time to time Shawna," Macy said. "This isn't the end of the world."

"Speaking of missing things. Are we really going to turn all the cameras off for their overnight date?"

"Yep," Macy said. "The agent does deserve some privacy."

"Very funny," she said. "What's the real reason?"

Macy sighed. "When Agent Jareau came, she made it clear that Spencer's privacy needed to be a priority. She didn't threaten us so much as made me nervous about my personal email account when she mentioned the skills of their technical analyst."

"Okay," she said slowly. "Whatever you say boss."

They watched her walk away.

"Do you think she'll ever forgive for not trusting her?" Faye asked.

"Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things?"

"I guess not," Faye said returned to watching the Reid and Ava.

They could not stop grinning at each other like school kids who got away with something. Reid looked completely relaxed. Things were going to get very complicated very fast.

…

After dinner Reid invited Ava to stay with him overnight to continue to talk privately. Ava gladly accepted. They took turns getting dressed and ready for bed in the bathroom.

J.J. looked like she was going to throw up.

"I can't believe I'm watching this," she said.

"It is for a good cause," Macy said.

"It better be," she said as she watched Reid curl up in bed.

There was a flickering of the monitors and static on the microphones. Then they went out completely.

"What's going on?" J.J. said looking alarmed.

Faye grinned. "Ava doesn't trust us."

"Which is why we had backups made," Macy said and pressed a button.

A series of cameras and microphones came to life. They were at odd angles and the sound was slightly muffled. Still, it was clear Ava had removed her nightgown was on top of Reid and his shirt had been pulled off.

J.J. turned away. "I am NOT watching this."

"You invited yourself here," Faye said and turned up the sound.

"I'm really not ready to take our relationship to next level," Reid said almost helplessly.

"Then tell me Spencer," Ava said huskily. "What do you want after Lonely Hearts?"

"A job back at the FBI of some sort," he said.

"What if I told you that wasn't possible?"

"How do you know?" he said.

"I have well-placed sources."

"From where?"

"I applied to the FBI a few years ago and stayed in touch with some of the people I applied with who made it. They say you're toxic. No matter what your friends say or think Spencer, it is not possible for you to rejoin."

"So, what do you think I should do?"

"Join me and a few other people who were burned by the FBI in some form. We are team of loyal men and women who only seek to work for the greater good. But we play by our own rules."

"You're a mercenary," he said suddenly.

"That is such a harsh term," she said. "We go where there is a need for help that the FBI can't touch due to inane laws."

"Get off me," he said.

She stroked his face. "Don't you want to help people Spencer? You've bent the rules to meet your needs and we only break the laws when people need us."

Reid looked into the lampshade. "Is that enough for you?"

"Plenty," Macy said into the radio as J.J. ran.

FBI agents burst through the door.

"Michelle Borson," a burly agent said. "You are under arrest for providing a false identity, and working with a known terror group. Get dressed."

Ava/Michelle stared into the lamp.

"I'll destroy all of you!"

"Spoken like a Bond villain," Macy said. "By the way, my company is also suing for breach of contract."

"You'll see!" she said back after throwing her nightgown on. "I will make your life miserable in ways you can't imagine."

They dragged her away.

J.J. appeared on screen as Reid pulled his shirt back on.

"Are you okay?" she said and hugged him.

"I'm fine," he said.

"How did you know Ava was a traitor?"

"I wasn't sure," he said. "But a producer gave me a message from Halia the Hawaiian contestant in a rare dialect that read: 'Don't trust Melons or Avocados.'"

"I'm just glad your safe," she said.

"Me too."

"So, what's next?"

Faye appeared. "The decoy dates are over," she said with a triumphant grin. "Now the real dates begin with Leah and Bella."

Author's Note:

All will be explained.