A FEW YEARS AGO
JJ's POV
Middle East, Military Camp
- How could you keep this from me all this time? – I asked, trying desperately to control the anger in my voice – You knew all the time, didn't you? About my job in the DoD, about Emily, Doyle... You Always knew and, even so, cried when I left and upon Emily's tombstone... How... How could you?
- I needed to – he answered, with a deep sight – It's what he would've done. He would cry upon Emily's grave and would be devastated with your left. I had to do what had to be done, JJ, and I know it's a lot to ask for your trust, but believe me… I'm sorry.
I shook my head, passing my hand through my hair.
- I suppose I should thank you for secretly arranging Emily's safety – I spoke, slowly – And for saving me from the explosion.
He stared at me.
- You know, - he said – despite all this, I'm still… me. You don't have to look at me like I'm a total stranger, I'm still….
- Reid? – I interrupted, with a sharp laugh – Is that so? Because the Spence I know, the boy I chose to be my son's godfather couldn't shot half mile away with a long distance weapon. The Spence that I know, my friend, wouldn't be able to break someone's neck or give orders to a general. The Spence that I know isn't you and, yes, you are a stranger.
The man sitting in front of me gulped, which was kind of ridiculous, considering everything that I had saw he doing in the past day and a half.
- Who are you? – I asked, without being able to control myself – I deserve to know… Reid.
He stared at me again, nodding. His hair, once long, was now short, and the clothing he wore fitted him so well that it was a little bit disturbing. He was wearing a black shirt with long sleeves that were pulled high up until half arm. I asked myself how I could not notice the great definition of his muscles for so many years. I contained a sigh, thinking in how he was when he had rescued me from the shattering of the explosion that had killed even its planner, the traitor Michael Hastings.
- You're right, JJ – he said – You deserve to know, but the question is: Are you sure you want to?
I stared at him, angry.
- Don't play with me, Reid – I said.
He smiled. A smile very different from those I was used to. This one wasn't open and warm and didn't look like one of the "Spence's smiles" in the least. That smile was mysterious, closed… Just like everything else about the strange man sitting in front of me.
- My real name isn't Spencer Reid – he started, to my surprise – My mother died while given birth to me and I was raised by my father. Few things that you think you know about my past is real. In fact, I am a genius, graduated in several areas and universities and have an IQ of 187. No, I'm not insecure, I've never suffered bullying in my entire life and I never thought I would become an FBI agent.
He paused, analyzing me. I took a deep breath. That was a lot of information, but I needed to know.
- Go on – I commanded, with the coldest voice I could.
- Since early age I was trained to handle the most diverse situations – he said – I have great expertise and knowledge with close fighting, long distance shots with heavy and soft armament, knife fights, interviewing techniques and even torture.
I shook my head, perplexed.
- And you want me to believe that you are the same person I've known for six years? – I asked, without containing the sadness in my voice – Why do you pretend to be someone you're not? Why did you get into the FBI? Who do you work for? Who are you?
He sighed.
- I got into de FBI as a way to protect myself – he answered – Gideon, my handler, thought that would be better to be undercover in a law agency. The original idea was to keep me in the BAU, pretending to be Spencer Reid, a problematic and insecure genius, until I managed to exterminate the threat upon my head… the Russian mob.
I nodded, waiting for him to continue.
- I manage to achieve my goal in a very little amount of time. I turn my enemies into allies with relatively little blood – he said – But I didn't want to leave the BAU. Although it sounds cliché, I had started to like the life I had with you guys. So, I proposed to my superiors that I continue to work with the FBI at the same time that, out of the record, I worked to my real bosses.
- Which are…? – I asked
- CIA – he answered, with a heavy sigh – I worked for them from the moment I turned eighteen under the disguise of an analyst, even though my training had begun a long time before that, because of my father, a former agent.
- How is it possible that we never saw who you really are? – I asked, completely broken – How is it possible?
Reid moved his shoulders.
- I am very good in what I do – he said, almost embarrassed - And I had Gideon's help, of course. You couldn't have known, but think about it: can you tell me a single situation when I have missed a shot that a really needed to shot?
I thought for a moment, but there was no reason, of course he was right.
- People see what they want to see, JJ – he said – Even the most intelligent ones. The BAU is no exception. You wanted to see an insecure, dislocated genius, incapable of shooting a gun and with a past of family problems and a mother in a sanatorium. By the way, Diana Reid never existed, it was an undercover agent. However, that was the image that I had to let on and that was the image that you wanted to see and, this way, you saw it – Reid sighed – I'm sorry.
- Besides Gideon, does anybody else knows who you really are? – I asked.
He nodded.
- A few agents of the high scale and a few in my tactical team of the CIA. And Emily, of course. She knew from the beginning – he paused – but only because she had met me, well, undercover me, in a mission I participate… long story. JJ, I know it's a lot to assimilate and that you probably have a lot of questions and I promise I'm going to answer all of them, but now I need to ask something to you.
I stared at him, with suspicious eyes.
- Do you want to come back to the BAU? – Reid asked – Because I can make that happened.
I felt my jaw dropping. Was he trying to buy my silence?
- I'm not buying your silence, if that's what you're thinking – said Spencer, like he could read my thoughts – Just making you an offer and, if that's what you want, I can even get out of the FBI… All you have to do is ask.
I gulped.
- I need to think – I answered – But I do have one last question… for now.
He nodded, incentivizing me.
- What's your real name? – I asked.
Reid smiled and, this time, the smile was familiar to me. Open. Warm.
- My name is extremely classified, but… I owe you this much. – He said – I'm Colonel Matthew Gray. It's a pleasure to meet you, Jennifer Jearou.
TODAY
Reid's POV
- I told Hotch I would check out how you were doing with the diaries – said JJ, as soon as she walked in my hotel room – I deduced that you wanted to talk to me.
- Sometimes I wonder how I could survive without your assistance, JJ – I answered, smiling – You are too clever for your own good.
She moved her shoulder, like she didn't care, sitting on the bed and staring at me.
- So… khrabos.
I nodded, sighing.
- Hotch want to contact them as soon as possible. I told him I needed two hours to read diaries that never existed and Rossi is getting suspicious to the point of analyzing me the way he would analyze an unsub. – I said, frustrated – Anyway, I already got in touch with the CEO and informed him about what is going on. I asked him to separate the files of anyone who could have a grudge against the company.
The blond sitting in front of me raised her eyebrows.
- So how do you plan to explain to Aaron that you have the personal number of the CEO of the company that one day ago you claimed not to know much about? – She asked.
I smirked, putting my back against the chair.
- I don't have a clue. When the time comes I'll think of something, even because I asked them to pretend not to know me in case I need to stop by.
- Well, you're the genius – said JJ, casually.
I sighed.
- I know it's likely that this case blows up my cover, JJ – I said – But there is nothing I can do about it. Besides, it's been nine years.
The woman nodded, still staring at me.
- What? – I asked, at last.
JJ give me a sad smile.
- You know, the BAU will not be the same if you leave - she said – I know you're far from being who everyone thinks you are. I know you're one of the participants of the operation that killed Bin Laden, I know you're one of the best assassins in the country as well of one of the most important men in the United States, but, in the end of the day, you will always be Spence to me.
I didn't contained a smile when I got up and hugged her tighten. While I squeezed her against me, I whispered in her ear:
- I will always be your Spence, don't worry about that.
- So, did you find anything? – asked Hotch, as soon as I entered the room where the team was.
I shook my head, denying.
- Nothing on the khrabros – I said – What about you? Any news?
Rossi, that still kept a suspicious look in his face, answered:
- We find out that the latest victim was Franceska Volk, she worked in the headquarters of the company as executive assistant of Mikhail Stravinsky, the CEO. And there's been a change in this case.
I raised an eyebrow, incentivizing him to continue. Each word he said was making me feel worse. How was it possible that they had found out so many things in so little time?
- The tattoo wasn't done recently – said Morgan, cheery – She already had the star tattooed in her, unlikely the other victims.
I pulled a chair, sitting.
- I called the company – informed Garcia, looking through her notebook – and scheduled a meeting with Stravinsky today. I said it was an emergency and the secretary was very helpful.
- Of course she was – I hummed, upset.
Everybody stared at me in confusion. Hotch and Rossi seemed suspicious, Blake just surprised, probably because of the upset tone that I used, after all, Reid didn't get upset very often.
- What's up, Pretty Boy? – asked Morgan, frowning – You've been very weird this days…
I wanted to roll my eyes. I could see Derek's secret concern, thinking if it would be possible for me to have started to use dilaudid again.
I sighed, trying to control myself.
- I know, but really, I'm just tired. – I said, slight smiling – I can go talk to Mikhail if you want, Hotch, after all, I do speak Russian.
Aaron stared at me for a brief moment, before answering:
- Yes, you can come with me. – He said - In the meantime, I want the rest of you to review all the aspects of this case, ok?
Everyone nodded, concentrated.
- Garcia, keep digging everything you can about the P.T. Company and call me if anything new comes out. – Hotch commanded – Ready, Reid?
I nodded, following him through the door, but not without giving a look to JJ, who seemed as worried as me.
- Why is everybody staring? – asked Hotch, while we walked to the reception desk.
I kept walking, without looking around. There was no point, I knew wherever I went, the looks would follow me.
- I think they can smell the feds – I said, joking.
Aaron looked at me, frowning.
- Did you just made a joke? – he asked, with a very surprised voice tone.
However, there was no time for me to answer, since we had arrived at the reception.
- Hi, - greeted my boss – I'm SSA Hotchner and this is Doctor Spencer Reid, with the FBI. We're to talk to Mikhail Stravinsky.
The secretary nodded, smiling, though I could see the slight surprise in her when she saw me. I wanted to sight, Russians were as sebtle as bazookas.
- Of course, Penelope Garcia called – said the girl, making a sign to a security guard in the other side of the room – Ivan will take you to Stravinsky. Here, take your visitors card.
Hotch and I nodded, following Ivan, a man with more muscles than Morgan, till the elevator.
- The CEO office is in the last floor – he informed with a very strong accent, while pushing the last button – obviously.
- So, how long have you been in the United States, Ivan? – I asked, sympathetically.
Without turning to look, the security answered:
- Three years, Sir. I'm still trying to improve my accent.
- There's nothing wrong with your English – I said - тем более своему усмотрению. Михаил знает, что я здесь? (Nor with your discretion. Does Mikhail know that I'm here?)
- [A/N: Sorry if there's any mistake in here… I don't speak Russian, so if there is any error, you can blame google translator 'hehe]. –
Hotch remained still, facing the elevator doors, but I could feel the surprise and suspicious coming from him.
- знать (He knows) – answered Ivan - Так что это, как вы одеваетесь, когда вы работаете для федералов? ( So that's how you dress when you're working with the FBI?)
I smiled aside, while answering:
- Внешность обманчива, вы знаете, что. ( Appearances can be deceiving, you know).
The elevator stopped, opening the doors and reviling a beautiful waiting room.
- Here we are – said Ivan – He's waiting for you in his office, just go straight ahead.
Aaron thanked him and started to walk to the door in the end of the waiting room. I looked aside to the empty table, where Franceska once worked.
- What did you said to him? – asked Hotch, with a whisper.
- Just asked if he liked it here.
He nodded, while knocking in the door and entering the CEO's office.
Sitting behind a large table was Mikhail Stravinsky. His expression was of someone who hadn't slept in days. His brunette hair was messy, which was very unusual.
- Excuse us, Mr. Stravinsky – started Aaron – I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner and this is Doctor Spencer Reid. We're here to talk about a very sensitive matter that has to do with your company.
Mikhail rouse from the chair and came hold our hands. If I didn't knew better, I would never imagine that he already knew me, so wonderful actor he was.
- I'm aware of what you want to talk about, Agent Hotchner – he said, in a perfect English, indicating the chairs we should sit in – And I can affirm to you that I am extremely devastated about what has been going on the past few days.
Aaron stared at him.
- So you know about the murders? – he asked, suspicious.
Stravinsky nodded.
- Unfortunately – he said – And I also know why you are here… You want to know if there is somebody with a grudge against my company, because you probably think that our business are more "dark" then we let on, but that's just speculation. Knowing that, I asked to put together the files of the people that might have something against the P.T. Company – he continued, pointing to a pile with five folders – and I think I know who's behind the killings.
Mikhail grabbed the first folder and opened on the table.
I felt my stomach fall. Of course.
- Dimitri Kuznetsov – he said, showing the picture and the file that were in the folder – He worked in a mechanic subsidiary to the Company and fired himself two years ago, after his wife died in company property. He seemed convinced that her death was our fault.
Hotch seemed suspicious.
- Two years? – he asked – That's a long time to be the stressor.
Mikhail nodded.
- I agree, but two weeks ago his ten year old daughter past away in a car accident in Nebraska.
Aaron stared at him.
- How did you know all this? – he asked – And if you knew who could be doing this, why didn't you go to the police?
Stravinsky stared at him coldly.
- I only find out what has been going on today, through a friend. If the police had warned me about the situation before, lives could have been saved, but clearly there was hesitation. I was about to send the files to the police station when Miss Garcia called, so I figure it would be better to wait. Is there anything else I can do for you, gentlemen?
- No, I think that's all – I said, getting up before Hotch could stop me.
Mikhail nodded, handing the folders to Hotch, who was already in his feat.
- I had one last question, Mr. Stravinsky. – he said, very serious – Did your company had anything to do with the death of Dimitri's wife?
The CEO smirked, in a way that was very familiar to me.
- About that, Agent Hotchner, I can say honestly that the company – Mikhail stared at me, still smiling – is innocent.
I stared back, nodding.
- Thank you, Mikhail, for your cooperation – I said, while leaving the room, feeling Hotch's suspicious look in my back, while we walked to the elevator.
A/N: Hey guys, how was the chapter? Did you expect Reid being with the CIA? Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks to all the beautiful people that started to follow and favorite the story, once again, I say: You guys are amazing. And, of course, a special thanks to those who reviewed the last chapters, it means a lot to me. I hope you continue to enjoy "True Genius"! See you next time,
Bri.