I hope you're enjoying this. I appreciate your patience.
Chapter Nine:
Forensics could find no prints or DNA anywhere on the beans or the envelope sent to J.J.'s home. The water company denied any connection. Prentiss ordered more protection around everyone's homes and a guard to be in place at Reid's room. It didn't make her feel much safer, but it was all she could do.
Despite little sleep, Prentiss arrived early in the morning. She noticed the lights were on in the conference room. The blinds were open and she could see the director sitting in the room reading a file.
He looked up when she entered.
"I hope seeing lights on up here didn't alarm you," he said and put the file away.
"Only a little," she said.
"You have every reason to be jumpy these days," he said. "Your team has had rough time with this Scratch character."
Prentiss realized how tired she was. The games she was playing with Scratch and Shaw. She really was tired of surprises.
"Director, with all due respect, what brings you here?"
"I'm here to speak with your team about Spencer Reid transferring to the Denver field office for a few months."
"Where Sloane works?"
"Yes," he said. "I figured they could us a little family bonding."
"I take it you have spoken with Reid already?"
"I have and I said I'd give him a until this afternoon to decide. I think he's on board."
"What else is on your mind, Director?"
"You and your team have been looking at me suspiciously since I first announced Spencer Reid has a sister. I'd like to clear the air when the rest of your team arrives."
"I see," she said and took a seat.
"I know Reid is hesitant to leave his mom again, but I promise I am personally running thorough background checks on every person who works with her."
"I appreciate that."
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Rossi arrived with coffee. Alvez came up bagels. Lewis came with a notepad ready. Garcia came with her laptop and J.J. arrived last looking like she hadn't slept much.
Briggs stood up.
"I know you must have many questions for me since I arrived with news about Reid's sister. This is where we clear the air. Where would you like to start?"
"How long has Sloane been in the program?" Rossi asked.
"Since she was sixteen."
"What happened to her mother?" J.J. asked.
"Her mother was a showgirl who died of a drug overdose."
"How do you select teens for this program?" Lewis asked.
"Agent Locke and I started with Dean Redding, who is the son of the Nightshade killer…"
Slowly the story unfolded. About how each of the five teens were selected. Cassie Hobbes and how her mother became part of a cult of serial killers the previous FBI director, Sterling's father, was the head of. He was killed by Sterling in a stand-off where Cassie's mother fell on a knife. Cassie discovered her mother gave birth to another child whose father was the director and chose to have her raised in Denver where she had family. The other four teens chose to relocate there be with her. Sterling also agreed to move down there to work on hunting the other members of the cult of killers.
There was no coffee left and the bagels were gone. Everyone looked overwhelmed and Briggs had grown hoarse.
"Thank you, director," Prentiss said.
"There is one question left though," Rossi said. "Why are you telling us all this now?"
"Because I want Spencer Reid to work with the team," he said. "I think they could use his guidance, given his skill set."
The director's phone beeped. "I'm sorry. I have to cut this short. There has been an incident with the international response team."
"Understood sir," Prentiss said.
"I'll be in touch and I hope you have a good day," he said and left quickly.
The agents were left looking at each other.
"Now what?" Lewis asked.
"It is up to Reid," Prentiss said.
