Happy 2015!
I was so thrilled to discover that this story was nominated for Best Alternative Universe Story! If you haven't already please vote for this story :)
I would also like to thank ColeMax, Lwilson1933, and JayRat for the subtle butt kicks and reminders to update. I hope to update this story again next week - thank you for the reviews… they keep me inspired to keep on writing!
Thank you
As the music from the party wafts towards the gallery, Garcia and Bruce make their way through the grand double doors and are immediately surrounded by priceless pieces of art.
"Is this all the Wayne Collection?" Garcia asked breathlessly.
"No, we partner with all the presidents and CEO's of major technology firms in the bay area and curate this show. Alfred loves art and this is one of his passion projects."
Garcia looks at the time… the guard change takes place in 2 minutes, she thought… which gives them time to actually move the chess pieces around and search for the riddle. She took in the gallery again - it's huge and expansive. The gallery is draped in vintage maroon curtains and veils. The walls are painted an ashen gold color. The furniture and color scheme is determined by the location in the room… for instance, the front part of the room is a dark tangerine color… while the middle of the room is a sage green, and the back room appears to be a deep royal blue… but all the areas share a burgundy accent color. Penelope feels like she is walking through a baroque piece or a Jane Austin novel.
"The piece should be right over," Bruce says looking at the map on his phone… when he hears footsteps.
"Crap," Penelope whispers as Bruce guides her to one of the long curtains against the wall and tucks her in. He scans the room quickly and then joins her.
Penelope is surprised when Bruce joins her beneath the curtain. He's way too close for comfort. She begins to protest when he places a finger over her lips and mouths no talking.
But she mouthed back and then quickly stops when she hears the footsteps.
He looks at her and says with his eyes I told you so.
And she rolled her eyes slightly and mouths sorry.
Reid starts to talk in their ear... "You have 4 more guards to clear out of the gallery and then you will have free range of the space for 4-7 minutes. The chessboard is contained in a reinforced glass box. You should probably use the gloves in Garcia's purse to lift the box, as the box may have clues on it. Well you know… since it's technically above the board."
"Garcia," Reid calls "Garcia," he says again waiting for her to respond.
Derek, "she can't respond."
"Oh right," Reid pauses and then quickly continues, "Garcia or Mr. Wayne use the black light app first before you touch anything."
Hotch adds to Reid's list of to do's "Emily protect the exits and Derek assist once the guards are cleared."
"Copy," Derek and Emily reply.
"Copy," Penelope mouths as she bites her bottom lip with a bit of worry.
Bruce takes hold of her chin gently and guides her eyes to his. Once her eyes rest on his he adds pressure to her chin so she releases her lip, I will make sure nothing happens to you, he mouths to her.
"I'm not worried, Bruce," she says trying to convince herself and him.
"Ok, the last security guard has exited," JJ states, "… you have the room."
"I will keep you safe – I promise," he mouthed back to her as he hits the timer on his watch
Bruce, Derek, and Penelope spring into action and meet at the chess display.
Penelope opens up the black light app on her phone to see if anything could be read off of the sturdy glass covering. She did pick up two fingerprints and scanned them to Basecamp
Derek finished putting on his gloves and then lifted the glass container. Penelope lifted the board and pieces as Bruce inspected the table and the board. The board and pieces are made of sterling silver. Bruce takes Penelope's camera and captures all angles of the piece with the camera and black light app. Next, he glides his fingers all around the base of the chessboard looking for clues.
He finds a clear SD card – he places it in the baggie as he continues to look for clues. When his search underneath the board is complete, -Penelope puts the board down on the platform then she immediately starts to investigate the chip.
"I's a generic SD Card with a number 3 on it… which must mean there are 2 more. Now to castle you need a rook and a king so let's check those first, D." Derek checked the pieces and found nothing
"Frigginity frack," she says, "oh wait, what about in the crown part of the piece?"
Derek searches, the crown of the rook pieces. He hits something and exclaims, "Well, what do you know?" Derek said, "Chip 2."
"Two of the guards are returning with Mrs. Tait," Emily said. "They are on the 3rd floor but they are making their way up."
"Jack had called Alfred a pawn," Penelope reminded them and Bruce immediately started to check but found nothing
"90 seconds guys," Emily reminds them.
"Where is chip one?" Derek asked aloud but to no one in particular.
"Check the king piece," Reid said into their ear, "It is intricate with several hiding places."
Derek checked one king while Bruce checked the other.
"Negative on the King" Derek told the team.
"35 seconds," Emily reports.
"Black Queen," Bruce and Reid said at the same time.
Under the black queen was a black micro SD card and the name Matisse written on it. She quickly placed the SD card with the others as Derek and Bruce put the chess display back together.
That was close Penelope murmured as she smoothed out her dress. Now let's find the Matisse.
Bruce was already thumbing through the floor plan on his phone and said it's in the last gallery alcove. Derek, Bruce and Penelope walked towards the painting.
Emily announced, "The guards are in."
Derek walked back towards the guards, I'll try and delay them or at least give you a heads up when they are close."
"Perfect," Penelope said as she they scanned the roped off space but once again they were at a loss. "What are we even looking for?" Penelope asked frustratedly, "Maybe we should look at what's on the cards and it will help us."
"The perp, I mean the unsub," Commissioner Gordon said, " has an affinity for control. I think if the answer was on the cards he would have given you devices to read them on. He wouldn't have assumed you had such a device. I think he's hidden what he wants you to find in plain sight."
"He couldn't have gotten behind the painting – because that would mean he's one of the guards," Bruce said trying to follow the commissioner's thought process.
"Or paid one the guards," Rossi added.
"Here they come," Derek said as they passed him
"Fine," Penelope huffs and she moves the painting and a coat check ticket falls to the floor. Simultaneously the alarm goes off and the guards hustle in.
"We're ok guys," Bruce says to the guards.
"She likes to touch," he says in his billionaire drawl.
"I told you darling," he said scolding Penelope.
"This area is closed until 9pm," The tallest guard told them.
"But, I've never seen a Monet," Penelope pouted.
"Matisse, darling,"
She shrugs, "They're both French."
"Mr. Wayne this area is closed until 9."
"It my party boys – you know my building," he shrugs, "I think we're fine."
"Actually. It's my party Bruce." Miranda says as she enters the alcove, "Thank you for the venue."
Bruce pursed his lips, "Miranda."
"Alfred and I planned this for months and of 'course you are allowed into all the private areas," she said as she suggestively touched her hips and invaded his personal space, "but only you." She licked her lips and her hot gaze turned cold as she glanced in Penelope's direction, "All guest have to wait till the areas are open to the public. No matter whose arm they are on for the evening" – she says finally acknowledging Penelope.
"I think I like Monet more," Penelope says as she turns and walks over to them. Penelope slid her arm around Bruce's and says, "I'm pooped – and you said you would feed me strawberries in the Jacuzzi if I was a good girl – and I've been extremely good darling."
Penelope turns to Miranda, "it was great meeting you Mary have a great night." Penelope released Bruce's arm and headed to the door.
"Miranda my name is Miranda," she said with upper-class grit in her voice.
Bruce looks at Miranda, "Thank you for working with Alfred on this – but the lady has spoken. I have to go."
Miranda places her hand on Bruce's chest and says, "Bruce the energy project is important and I just need a few minutes."
Bruce leans over and kisses her cheek as they hear Penelope ask on of the muscular guards if he wanted to feed her strawberries. "Lucius in charge of all new business and partnerships, Miranda. I must go"
The guards smiled down at her charmed and says "I get off at 11."
"She's taken," Bruce says as he guided her towards the door.
She laughs as his possessive hand guides her towards the door, "Was that too much bimbo?" she whispers "or too little?"
"You don't have to be a bimbo – I've never dated bimbos – "
"Oh, yes you have… remember the models in the fountain at Thomas? That was an epic 3 page spread of you and 3 Victoria Secret models frolicking in the fountain in the middle of the courtyard."
Bruce laughed knowing he had no defense besides... I was the batman so being a dumb billionaire was my disguise.
"Victoria Secret Models," Derek asked getting in on the teasing, "I'm impressed."
"Who is Miranda anyway?" Penelope asked as she pushed the elevator button.
"She's a friend of mine from Princeton – well before Princeton. We went to boarding school together."
The elevator door opened and they all entered.
"We're from the same circle and eventually dated in college."
"Before Rachel?" Penelope asked.
"Kind of – I was finding myself then and I hated school – Miranda made life easier at the time. Now, she runs and energy company – well she inherited her father's energy company and she wants to partner with Wayne Enterprise to bring clean water and power to India. She believes the energy used to purify the water can be harvested to light their homes. A cyclical relationship. But this is all a hypothesis which is why Lucius vetoes sponsoring it every year. When she saw me in DC she was trying to find more investors – and thought I would be good partner."
"In business and maybe more?" Emily asked acknowledging their histor
"We were kids then," Bruce said wanting to ignore Miranda's advances.
Emily continued, "She seems like an entitled woman who is used to getting what she wants. I mean the way she acts – as if Garcia wasn't in the room just highlights they type of woman she is – she's an any-means-necessary type of woman. She only acknowledged you once you made things sexual – she couldn't continue the tit for tat game then because no matter how much she pushes her relationship with Bruce isn't there yet."
JJ added in their ear, "If she's working with Alfred on this event then maybe we should put her on the board. She would have had access to him and she could have lured him to the unsub."
"There is nothing to suggest that there is a team," Clancy said
"There's nothing to suggest there isn't a team, either," Strauss countered, " We should put every option on the board and eliminate them."
"We know that we met the unsub tonight and we know they must have had access to that room."
"Robert have you patched into the security footage?" Reid asked
The elevator door opens and they resume their roles. Bruce rests his hand on Penelope's back and guides her out of the elevator. Emily and Derek exit and scan the area – They proceeded behind Bruce.. about a half a yard or so behind them.
"Yes, stand by for more information." Robert replies.
As they approach the coat attendant Emily and Derek face the crowd and scan the entrance. Bruce passed the woman the ticket and turns towards Penelope.
"How are you?" He asked
"Fine," she says too cheerfully.
"Lu," he begins when the coatroom attendant interrupts them.
"I can't find it. Is it a coat or a bag."
"A bag I think," - Penelope said peering over the side of the desk,
"Oh I see," she begins to check the tags of the bags on the rear counter when she finds it.
"What event was giving that out?" The woman asked as she hand Penelope the bag.
The woman continues excitedly, "That's the new Galaxy phone – waterproof and bendable and you can load your own OS"
They are surprised that the coat room attendant is such a techie – "It won't be out till the spring – 6 months away—I would think that they are still tweaking it," she looks up at them and is slightly embarrassed that she was rambling, "My son would flip for this phone."
"Is he a techie too?" Bruce asked as he felt for his wallet.
"We both are – you gotta be if you live in this town." She looked up at him and smiled.
He pulled out a $100 bill and put it in her tip jar, "have a good night."
"Hey Mister," she started.
Bruce turned around, "Thanks," she said
As they walked to the door a young Wayne staffer rushed over to Bruce.
"Is everything ok, Mr. Wayne?" he asked
"Yes, why?"
"You're leaving before the speeches."
He smiled, "I'm fine." Bruce turned his attention back to Penelope when an idea hit him, "wait can I ask you a favor?"
"Sure, sir," he said eagerly
"Could you get the woman at coat checks' contact information and have Lucius's PA send it to me?"
"Yes."
"Thank you & good night."
"Change of plans," Hotch said "Meet us at base camp in 15 minutes."
"Great," Bruce said to everyone as the settled into the limo "We don't have to be at Luthor's party for another hour and a half – lets try and solve this riddle."
Thanks for reading and please review if you have a moment!