S E V E N T E E N

SCOUT STARRED AT the file thrown in front of her with a hard gaze.

"I'm not doing it." She sneered out, words dripping like poison. Scout pushed the file back with a force that had it fly to the floor.

Harper Wiley glared at her, "What do you mean you're not doing it?"

"I mean what I said. I'm not going to do it."

"Look," Xander pusher his hand through his hair. "I don't think you have much of a choice here, Captain."

Scout sent a look at him, "You can't make me pull that trigger."

"Stop being dramatic, Scout. He's not asking you to kill anyone." Harper scoffed, raising her hands in the air.

"Doesn't mean that he won't eventually." She grumbled.

"Yeah, and you'll do it. I didn't hear you complain when that mission came around last time."

"But this time we're dealing with FBI agents, in case you forgot! People that I see on a daily basis and actually know who I am!" She shouted in an exasperated manner.

Xander picked up the file again and place it in front of her. It contained pictures of each member of the team. Her eyes trailed on each face until they landed on the familiar eyes of one Spencer Reid.

"Look, you're a great shot, aren't you?" Xander spoke.

She growled at him, "One of the best."

"Then good, you won't have a problem giving one of your little teammates a small bruise." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Which one?" She sighed.

"Any of them, I don't care."

"Then what's the point?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Boss man wants the BAU to know he's watching, and he wants them to feel hmmm, unsafe. You know what I mean?"

Harper grabbed the file off the table and nodded towards the man, "She'll do it."

"Mom."

"Your mother's right, you are gonna do it. You don't have a choice, as much as you think you do." Xander leaned in closer.

"Now, pick one."

***

Harper Wiley starred at her half empty mug of green tea, stroking the side of it and letting the heat burning her finger ever so slightly. It was night now and a few days after Xander came with a file that sent her daughter off the edge.

"Well," She glanced up and saw Scout, dawned in black clothes. "I guess I better get going."

Her usual brown hair was tucked under a black beanie and a dark scowl played on her thin pale lips. The site sent a small pull at her chest but she ignored it.

"If it helps, you look like a real spy."

"I feel like a fraud."

Harper chuckled, "I thought that's what being a spy was."

The girl pulled out her phone from her back pocket before setting it on the table and glancing out the window.

"He's here."

The woman nodded and set down her drink as Scout crouched down to hug her mother. The wheelchair between them made it difficult but it was something that the both of them were accustomed to.

As Scout walked out, she patted Sumo's head and give a quick kiss to the pup. Xander waited inside the black truck for her.

"Nice ride." She said sarcastically as she got in.

Xander shrugged, "Only for my favorite assassin."

Scout gave him a look of disgust and proceeded to look out the tinted windows. It was dark but she could tell where they were going.

"Now, did you call Hotchner like we planned?"

She nodded, "Told him I had sick poisoning and had to stay home. I don't know how you'd expect them to believe that after this."

"I have your mom texting from your phone as we speak. She's also purchasing some movies through your account so your digital trail should be a good alibi if they start to question it."

"Good, what time do they take off?"

"15 minutes. You won't have much time."

She grabbed the duffle from the back seat, "It'll be enough."

Xander nodded and drove the car to a nearby parking lot. It was empty and at the perfect angle she needed to face the runway for the jet.

"Here." He handed her a small earpiece. "Try to keep me in the loop as much as possible. I'll be waiting at the bottom of the street behind the alley. You make the shot and you run down here, no questions asked and no stopping for anyone. Got it?"

"Stop acting like this is my first time." Scout rolled her eyes.

She got out of the car and raced towards the edge of the parking garage. Unzipping the bag, it revealed a long sniper gun called M24. It was the same kind she used in all her trainings and missions.

Her hands moved quickly to set it up, angling it in the same position that would send the bullet directing to the team.

After all the training sessions, it was impossible to feel nervous anymore. Her fingers didn't shake, her heart no longer pounded, and sweat never ran down her back. As long as Scout was behind a gun, there was no such word as anxiety.

"Look alive, kid." Xander's voices buzzed in her ear.

"Shut up."

The BAU walked towards the jet the same way they always did. Her eyes landed on Reid, who was immersed in another book and not watching where he was going.

Through the viewfinder, everything seemed perfectly normal.

And she knew that the moment she pulled that trigger, it wouldn't.

"What are you waiting for? Take the shot!" He buzzed again.

"I said shut up."

Scout felt her body tighten as she positioned the gun. The point moving from each member of the BAU until it landed on Reid again.

Her finger slowly went down to the trigger, grazing the metal.

"Scout, take the shot!"

And she did.

Scout froze as time stood still. The BAU all turned their heads to the man that fell down to the ground in less than a second. Blood was seeping from his shoulder but she refused to look again.

Quickly, she packed her gear inside the duffle and ran down the stairs of the garage. The door of the van was opened wide for her as she jumped in, breathless and in shock.

"Nice aim, kid." Xander chuckled out as he started the car and zoomed down the street.

Scout pulled off the beanie and pressed her back against the seat.

"Just - drive." She mumbled.

Xander nodded, "But hey, I thought you were gonna hit the other one? What changed your mind?"

Scout shrugged, "Does it really matter?"

The two sat in silence as he drove back the car to Scout's house. Her body no longer felt like it was frozen but instead felt a rush of exhaustion coming over her.

It felt like her body was shutting down against her will. And she couldn't blame it, the rush was amazing.

Scout bit down on her tongue as the thought crossed her mind.

She loved it.

"You did good, kid. I'm sure the boss man is gonna be pleased when he hears about what you did." Xander said, pulling her from the trance.

"Enough to kill me?"

He chuckled, "Please, you're too good of a shot to kill."

"Now," Xander pulled over to the curb. "You keep doing what you've been doing, we need them to trust you like one of their own."

"And after that?"

He scowled at her, "We'll see."

Scout opened the van door and jogged back inside. The sound of the rubber tires screeching filled the air. And then, nothing else.

Reminder, comments are love and motivation.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
a special thanks to readers who comment:
@cyn161
@tearsthatrain037
@deborahsellis

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