Reid was currently changing out of sweater vest and into a more professional looking jacket. Rossi had vetoed the suit, insisting that it didn't sit right. Almost not worth mentioning if it wasn't for the fact that Reid smacked his knuckles off Prentiss' head as his limbs moved awkwardly out of the aforementioned sweater vest. Prentiss, of course, had automatically elbowed Morgan in the ribs, assuming that it was him who had assaulted her

It almost started a wrestling match but unfortunately Hotch diffused it with a stern look and literally sent them to opposite ends of the office. A federal agent's version of being put in time-out. They had gone, begrudgingly, but at least they went. Probably more to do with the fact that they didn't want to be hit by one of Reid's gangly limbs than Hotch' authority.

Rossi himself got hit with a shower of hastily scribbled notes on 'The impact of sociology in the world around us' for a college lecture. For which Reid was posing as a visiting professor as they had determined that their current unsub would be attending said lecture.

It had been a unanimous decision. Rossi was too well known, Morgan couldn't pose as a professor anymore (not after the incident in Georgetown), Prentiss would either terrify the students or have them all drooling (depending on her mood) and Hotch didn't have enough knowledge on the topic to appear confident on the matter. And college students could smell fear.

"You know I only have a BA in sociology?" Reid said anxiously, tugging at his hair. "Nowhere near a high enough degree to lecture on this topic."

Rossi withstood the temptation to pull Reid's fidgeting hands away and straighten that infernal tie for him.

"On paper," he said instead, trying to bolster the younger man's confidence. "Up here," Rossi tapped his head, "You know more than most professionals."

Reid opened his mouth to argue but was prevented by JJ swooping onto him, equipment clutched close to her chest. Obediently, he held his arms out for it all to be offloaded onto him. There was a worrying number of wires.

"I've got your ID, camera and mic. You're on in fifty minutes, Spence." She informed him matter-of-factly in a tone that had no room for arguing.

Not that Reid was likely to argue with JJ anyway. None of them dared to. She really had that mom look down. No one went against that look.

Shaking his head like a wet puppy, Reid sent him a doleful look before following their media liaison. She was bringing him to the lecture theatre across the town. In theory, it was because she needed to be there to deal with the press (and she did need to do that) but it was really to ensure that Reid didn't back out. She was the least affected by his puppy-dog eyes. That and she could talk him up better, inspire a bit more confidence in himself without inadvertently insulting him. The team would be following once they (more like Garcia) got the recording gadgets working.

Hotch sidled up to Rossi with a grim look on his face. Those really hadn't been a pleasant case- none of them ever were but there something off about this one, which was never a good sign. His eyes followed Reid's exit with a concerned look. It was quite plain what Hotch was thinking because it was what they were all thinking.

"You really think this is a smart idea?" Rossi asked him, voicing all of their concerns.

Hotch sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Nope."

"Good. I'd be concerned if you didn't." stated Rossi calmly and pausing for a second before giving way to his rant, "It's not that I don't trust the Boy Wonder not to competently do his job but the kid has the worst kind of luck. Every time he goes into a situation alone with even a potential unsub, he ends up injured. Or traumatised. But mostly injured."

"I did not need reminded of that."

"But it's true!" Rossi insisted.

He was gesturing wildly enough to attract Morgan and Prentiss' attention.

"Why is Rossi gesticulating like a bad Italian stereotype?" Prentiss asked, sidling up to her superiors.

"Did you get a parking ticket again?" queried Morgan with a grin.

Hotch gave a rarely heard snort.

The man in question rolled his eyes (he didn't get that many parking tickets, that he couldn't weasel himself anyway) and simply stated, "Reid."

"Ah, yes." Said Prentiss in understanding. "I'm running a pool on what the unsub will try to do to him. Any takers?

"Put me down for scream in his face. But only after trying to be witty" Rossi said promptly, lile je bad already thought of this exact scenario.

Emily blinked at him and gave him an odd look.

"Um. Okay. That was oddly specific."

But she scribbled his name down and looked up at Hotch expectantly.

"This is something that shouldn't be encouraged. He is your co-worker."

"Eh," Rossi dismissed. "We all love the kid but you have to admit, Aaron, that something always happens to him. We may as well have some fun with it instead of worrying about him."

"Then don't tempt fate any more than he already does."

"Eh, I don't think that's possible."

"I'm down for him getting tied up," Morgan told them.

"Morgan!" Hotch scolded.

"What? It's definitely the most likely thing to happen!"

"We don't want him to get captured by the unsub or get injured."

"Of course not," Emily told their boss soothingly (which wasn't very soothing at all). "But it really is inevitable. So, we may as well use all of our intelligence to guess what's going to happen to him."

"Yeah, see Hotch? We're just trying to be prepared," Morgan somehow managed to say with a straight face.

Hotch's glare could melt metal with its intensity.

"So, you don't want to be part of the pool?" Emily checked.

Hotch didn't bother to deign that with a response.