⠀⠀⠀ twenty seven

T W E N T Y  S E V E N



SCOUT WILEY WOKE up to one of the biggest headaches she had since freshman year of college.


She groaned as she sat up from her bed, noticing that she was still dressed in the same clothes she wore yesterday. Her breath tasted terrible and she reeked of hard vodka. Even the pungent sweat from her shirt had the smell of the liquor.


Careful to not walk too quickly, she took a quick shower and brushed her teeth. Her phone, which had shown the time to be just past 10 in the morning, buzzed from a new message.


Scout rolled her eyes in annoyance and opened it.


MEET IN CONFERENCE ROOM, 30 MINUTES.
-HOTCH


"Are you kidding me?" She complained as she spat out the rest of the spit and jogged to get dressed. Careful to not get dizzy, she pack a go bag left the house in record speed.


Her mind was in a weird state of limbo as she drove. It was that odd period of time where Christmas had just past but New Years was around the corner. Children was on winter vacation so the streets weren't busy and most people preferred not drive because of the icy roads.


When she arrived at the parking lot, Scout noticed at Spencer hadn't parked in his usual spot. Instead, his car was located on the other side of the building. And with a flash, she remembered why she had woken up so hungover that morning.


She remembered her drunken night where she arrived at Spencer's apartment without notice. She remembered joking around and teasing him to drink with her. She remembered the sudden sexual tension she felt between the two. And she remembered their bodies pressed against each other, moving in messy and animalistic ways.


"Are you kidding me?" She repeated with a grown and slammed her forehead against the steering wheel, making the horn honk loudly.


"I can't believe it - I - I'm an idiot." Scout exclaimed, grabbing her bag behind her and slamming the door shut, harder than necessary. "What the hell is wrong with me?"


And I went over there to what? To tell him everything. I was gonna tell him about Xander and the sniper attack. I was gonna tell him that I - I was the sniper. What was I thinking?


Scout fidgeted as she stood alone in the elevator. Her emotions felt as though they were on a rollercoaster, overwhelming and incomprehensible. She blamed herself for drinking. She was ashamed that she was going to eat out the only thing protecting her mother. She was embarrassed that she acted so childishly and without thinking.


But most of all, she was furious at Spencer.


The look her gave after he pushed her off was heartbreaking. He looked disgusted at her, almost ashamed that he was with her. That was the memory that stuck out most to Scout. Spencer found her so repulsive that he didn't dare to kiss her.


And her head didn't stop spinning when she arrived at the office. She set down her bag at her desk and darted to the conference room where her team waited for her to arrive.


"Sorry, my car doesn't have chains so that snow made it a bit harder to get here." Scout mumbled as she sat down in the only open seat, directly across the room from Spencer.


She didn't dare to look at him and instead, pretended as if the doctor wasn't there. To be honest, she didn't know how she'd react if she made contact with his big soft brown eyes and would rather not find out.


"It's alright, Wiley." Hotch nodded to her before opening up his file. "Garcia."


"Right." The blonde smiled sheepishly before pointing at the screen with her remote. "Last Friday, local fishermen of Freeport, Maine cause the body of Richard Doberman, a 22 year old university student, in their nets. Medical examiners say he was killed by being stabbed by- excuse me - a pencil in the eye. A month ago, the same thing happened to Taylor Fabery and she was found in the same river, Harraseeket River. And it happened again a month and half ago with Nico Jimnez, same cause of death and location."


"I'm sorry, a pencil in the eye?" JJ scoffed in disbelief.


"According to Matthew 5:29, the Bible states if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. Do we know which eye it was?" Spencer spoke in his usual intelligent manner and Scout resisted the urge to stab out her own eyes.


"No, examiners have been busy. A string of murders like this in a small town tend to shell shock most people." Hotch said. "Does it matter?"


"Well - yes, really. Because according to literature, the left eye is the intellectual, but the right eye is its affection: that the right eye is to be plucked out means that the affection is to be subdued if it causes stumbling."


Rossi shook his head, "But what about the pencil? Nothing about that screams Christianity or repentance."


"It could be because all three victims were in school together. You know, maybe they sinned at school and the pencil is a sign of irony." Blake answered next.


"Well, whoever did it," Morgan leaned back, "They don't have to be strong to kill them but they have to be strong enough to subdue the victims. Doberman was a soccer star, he's athletic and willing to put up a fight."


"Wiley?"


Scout looked up at the entire team peering at her. She shifted in her seat so that she was more leaned forward in attention, "Sorry, what?"


Hotch's face hardened, "Any ideas?"


"Oh, well uh," Scout cleared her throat. "No, sorry."


There was a lull of silence before Hotch pursed his lips. He nodded before gathering his things, "We leave in 20."


Scout sighed and picked up her files, sending a small smile to Garcia who proceeded to turn off the monitor. She felt embarrassed that she couldn't participate but her mind was occupied.


"Woah - ho - ho, Reid!" Morgan bellowed in a teasing manner. "What's that there? Is that a hickey, Doctor? Or did you just so happen to bump into something on your neck?"


Her eyes darted towards the tall agent. Spencer's eyes held dark rings underneath, signaling the lack of sleep. His clothes weren't as neatly dressed as they usually were, the tie loose and shirt untucked. And sure enough, peeking out of his collar and splattered around his neck were dark purple splotches in round formations.


"What?" Spencer mumbled, grabbing at his neck.


"You got busy last night, didn't you?" Morgan smiled and chuckled, roughly patting his back in pride.


"Who's the lucky lady, Spence?" JJ sent him a bright smile.


Scout's eyes fell to the floor, not wanting him to look at her. His face turned a rosy shade before he coughed, "No one. Not anyone you know."


While Morgan wolf whistled, Garcia turned her eyes to the shortest agent in the room. But Scout already had her back turned and walked out the door.


She didn't want to hear anymore of what Spencer had to say.



The flight to Maine had been short lived, being only an hour and a half of distance. Scout sat towards the end of the jet with headphones covering her ears the entire time. And Spencer sat in the front with a large book in his lap, reading at a slower pace than usual.


The two didn't dare to look each other in the eye, fearful on how they would react.


Spencer's mind was also racing, almost as fast as Scout's was. And the only phrase that had kept on being repeated was:


"Leave me alone. And fuck you, Spencer."


The look of anger and fury on her face made him feel guilty. Should he had not stopped her? She was drunk, after all. But Scout started it, that must mean that she wanted to kiss him.


No, it would've been wrong. And he knew it.


He wasn't in the wrong, Scout was.


Scout sat in the back seat of the blacked out SUV with Rossi and JJ in the front. Freeport was a small town on the coast of Maine and the three were traveling inland to interview the dean of the local university.


Her eyes trailed up the the sky and followed the flock of flying seagulls above. Something about this case gave her an itch in the back of her brain. But she attributed that to the sinking feeling she got in the pit of her stomach due to Reid's sour looks after landing the jet.


In the police station, Reid eyed her carefully, annoyance building up in his stomach. He gave out an audible sigh and sat down at the empty table to do further research on the town of Freeport.


Scout sent him a glare and continued to put up the pictures Garcia had emailed her about the victims.


"Okay," Hotch spoke to everyone. "JJ, Rossi, and Wiley: I want you three to go to the university and start interviewing friends of the victims. I want to know their routines, who they talked to, and where they spent their time. Reid and Morgan will go to the coroner and see if they missed anything when inspecting the bodies. Blake, I want you here with me when Mrs. Doberman comes in."


For once, Scout was grateful for not being paired up with Spencer. And he was feeling the exact same way.


"So," Rossi said with one hand on the wheel. "How's Henry? Is he upset you might miss New Year's Eve?"


JJ shrugged, "Not completely. He's just glad I wasn't gone for Christmas. And Will doesn't mind either, he said he wanted to teach Henry how to ice skate and that it would be better that I wasn't there."


"Why's that?"


"He said I can be too intense with the whole sports thing."


"Ah," Rossi nodded, understandably. "Well, he's not wrong."


"Don't be rude." JJ chuckled softly and went back to the files resting in her lap.


Scout smiled at the exchange. JJ was someone she had learnt to respect and admire, the woman was a powerhouse and still found time for her family. She would never say it to her face, but Scout was slightly jealous.


"What about you, Scout?" Rossi looked at her through the rear view mirror, "Is your mom upset?"


Scout shook her head, "Oh no, she loves to spend time by herself. You place her in front of the TV with Jeopardy on and she's a happy woman. She doesn't like me bothering her that much, really."


"Sounds like the life I want." He smiled.


"I'd hope not, we'd miss you too much."


Rossi scoffed, "I'm an old man. Sooner or later, I won't be able to catch up with the rest of you."


"Well, if your brain and sarcasm still work then we won't be getting rid of you that easily." She sent him a wink.


"Spoken like a true family girl."


Scout's smile faltered for a second before they pulled into the parking lot of the university. When the three piled out, they noticed how quiet and small the campus looked.


It was several small brick buildings forming a circle with a large tree at the center and patches of grass surrounding. The cloudy sky of Maine didn't help how dreary the space looked and neither did the lack of students.


Inside the main building, they found the office of the dean and were greeted by his assistant.


"Can I help you?" A young man that looked no older than 20, with big rimmed glasses peered at them over his laptop.


"Nice shirt." Scout pointed at the green graphic tee he wore over a thick flannel. The assistant looked down at his clothes before starring back at her.


Rossi gave Scout a look before pulling out his wallet, "We're with the FBI, Dean Farr is expecting us."


The assistant's mouth gaped before grabbing the phone next to him and speaking into in. JJ gave a her another look, "What was that about?"


Scout shrugged, "What? I just said that I liked his shirt. I mean, look at the clothes I wear." She signaled at the dark blazer that covered the Led Zeppelin shirt she had on.


"Hello," A man with salt and pepper hair emerged from the office and gave each a nod of welcome. "Thank you, Gabriel. Won't you please come in, agents?"


Scout eyed the older man. He was attractive, in a kind of George Clooney style and wore a fitting dark grey suit. His smile was charismatic, almost as if he lacked any stress. It was odd to think that a dean that had three students murdered would be in this state of lax. Once the three were settled in the office, Rossi was the first to speak.


"I'm SSA David Rossi, this is SSA Jennifer Jareau, and on the end is SA Scout Wiley. We just have a few questions concerning the recent murder of Richard Doberman as well as Taylor Fabery and Nico Jimnez. If you don't mind, of course."


Farr smiled again, "No, not at all, Dave. I'm just happy to help in any way I can. Hey," He looked towards Scout. "Aren't you a little young to be working for the FBI, Miss Wiley?"


"I'm 29, is that a problem? Mister Farr." She sneered poiletly, sending him an antagonizing smile.


"Dean Farr, I think it would be best if we spent our time discussing more pressing matters at hand. Someone is attacking your students and we'd like to get to the bottom of this before anything else happens."


Farr nodded and licked his lips, "Of course. I'd hate for things to escalate here, we're a small campus and I fear students are not as safe as they would like to be. I can't imagine it, scared of being stabbed to death, or worse."


"Worse? Double death?" Scout scoffed.


JJ gave her the look that only a mother would be capable of, "Wiley."


"No, no. It's quite alright. People deal with horrors like this very differently than others, I understand. I myself, am not saint either. But I don't think I can be much help, I've already told the sheriff everything know."


"We'd just like to go over it, sometimes things can slip through the crack and we want to make sure we have everything right. Did you know any of the victims?"


"Of course. Mr. Doberman was the goalie for our soccer team, he was the reason why we haven't been losing. I personally rewarded him a scholarship last fall. His family was having money problems and a student with that much talent shouldn't have to work and go to school at the same time."


"And Taylor Fabery?"


"She was a spiker for the volleyball team. Always well liked and top of all her classes, a chemistry major if I remember correctly. She was a commuter up until last year, the school board gave her free a dormitory to help after she got into a small fender bender and her car totaled."


"Did she keep to herself?"


"No," Far shook his head. "She was extremely outgoing, always had friends around her and never had any trouble making more. Even her professors liked her."


"It says here that Nico Jimnez was failing some of his classes? Did you know?"


"Well, it's a small school and rumors spiral. But Nico was very talented in Cross Country and his coach let it slide until the season was over. At the time, I agreed with him and said that he deserved it since all the practices were making it hard for him to keep up with assignments. But we got him a tutor and the rest is history. I personally spoke with him and Nico was promised he was working hard to bring those grades up."


Scout glanced around the wall of the office. Framed pictures hung with Dean Farr and the school's athletic teams of every year. They all had plaques of recognition inscribed at the bottom.


"Do you help all the students that do sports?" She pointed to the pictures.


"Well yes, they are the ones that bring the school funding. It wouldn't be fair if we didn't and they deserve it for all their hard work."


Rossi nodded before closing his notepad, "It looks like we got all that we needed. Thank you, Dean Farr. We'll be around campus for a little bit longer but call if you ever need us."


"No, thank you, agents. We'll be in touch." Farr stood up and let the three out of his office.


Scout glared at the man but sent a smile to the assistant, Gabriel. The boy sheepishly smiled and a faint redness passed his cheeks.


As Rossi and JJ walked outside, Scout scoffed, "I can't believe that guy. He's so full of himself. And he's too well dressed. I mean, look at this place. This campus is so small and it doesn't have that many students. Farr can't afford it."


"He did seem too relaxed with all things considered." JJ nodded in agreement.


"We're here for murder, not embezzlement." Rossi clarifed, walking towards the dormitories. "Besides, I don't think he did it."


"What makes you say that?"


"Did you see those pictures? All the trophies? Farr may not care about the students but he sees that as just that: trophies. He wouldn't kill his main source of income."


"But he wouldn't be happy about it. He'd be freaking out. These murders have been all over the news on local stations and radio."


"Yes, but as good businessmen say," Rossi paused. "Any publicity is good publicity-"


"- as long as they get your name right. There is not such thing as bad publicity expect your own obituary." Scout finished the statement.


"Exactly."


JJ nodded, "Well, if you are right then the victims have no overlaps. They're all different majors, different classes, different friend groups. Hell, even different sports."


Scout added, "Nico and Richard are in the same dormitory building. And the school's small enough that people would know each other without having to try."


"I think we should check their rooms, maybe talk with their dorm mates. Ask how they interacted with one another." Rossi said.


"But we already know they were well liked."


"By administration. That doesn't always means by the students. JJ, you take Nico and Scout will take Taylor. I'll see if I can find out anything about Richard."


Scout nodded and the three disassembled, parting to their own ways with a task in mind. She was weary of Rossi's assumption that Dean Farr wasn't in some way suspicious but decided against saying otherwise. He would only say that Scout was basing her hunch on nothing more than a feeling.


When she knocked Taylor Fabery's dorm, a tall and lanky brunette answered with an annoyed look, "What do you want?"


"Uh," Scout cleared her voice and struggled to get her credentials from her back pocket. "Agent Scout Wiley, I'm with the FBI. Could I come in?"


The girl's eyes widened, "FBI? Y-yeah, yeah." She opened the door wider.


The room was small but still had enough space for two people. One side of the dorm was filled with living necessities and a messy bed. The other side was bare but still had a few things scattered around.


"You're here cause of Taylor, right?" The girl held her arms, a small voice of nervousness and sadness was detectable.


Scout nodded. "Yes, are you Jamie Gomez?"


"Yeah."


"I'm sorry about your loss."


"Why? You didn't know Taylor. You don't know me. You're just saying it cause you have to."


Scout sat down at the empty desk chair that probably belonged to Taylor, "True. I don't know you and I didn't know Taylor. What would you rather want me to say? My condolences? I hope you feel better? We're gonna catch the poor son of bitch that did this?"


Jamie stayed silent.


"No, because you don't care what I say, do you? You don't care about justice or that fact that whoever did this is still out there. You're hurting and all you want is your friend back."


"That's not true." She muttered back.


"Is it?"


"No," Jamie scoffed and leaned on the wall next to her bed. "I wasn't friends with her. I didn't like her. I just don't - like it when people say they're sorry when it doesn't matter to me."


"You'd rather that they just say nothing at all."


"Taylor wasn't - she wasn't always nice. She tried to be. God, she wanted to be the most liked person on campus. She loved it. But some people don't like to have their asses kissed."


"She was a volleyball star and a chemistry major. Dean Farr said everyone like her, that it was impossible to not."


Jamie scoffed, "Of course he did. He worships the ground of the athletes, gives them special treatment, makes sure they get good grades."


"And if you weren't an athlete?"


"You get tossed aside like nothing. In a sense, you don't matter. They get the special privileges."


"Like not having to pay for a dormitory?"


"Yep," Jamie picked at the skin underneath her nail. "Taylor got in a car crash and she lost her license because of it. Farr wanted to buy her another car but instead opted to letting Taylor live on campus for free. She wanted a single room but some people, non-athletes, complained. So I got stuck with her."


"She lost her license?"


"Yeah, she was drunk driving. Said she almost ran over someone but hit a wall instead. No one was surprised that she didn't get kicked off the team, they treated her like she did nothing wrong."


"Did she let all the attention get to her head?"


"Ha, that's an understatement. They all did. The athletes just love to break the rules and administrators pretend to look away. I'm not surprised she got herself killed, if you aren't on a team then she most likely treated you like shit. I know I was."


Scout's insides bubbled from anger. The whole university was corrupted by favoritisms and students on the wrong side got the short end.


"What about Nico Jimnez and Richard Doberman?"


"Those two?" Jamie raised her brow, "Yeah, they were just as bad as she was. Richard was a tool that slept with every girl on campus, some were voluntary and others - weren't. But he was a hell of a goalie so who cared. This one girl tried to tell Farr but he wouldn't have it, said she was making it up. Even her brother went to file a police report but by the time he did, she was too scared to tell anyone."


"Do you know who she was?"


"No idea, it was before my time here. I transferred in last semester. Nico, on the other hand, was just a bully. He got special privileges too, even though he was a complete idiot. He loved throwing insane parties, I've never been. But I've heard that they can get really bad very quick."


Suddenly, Scout's phone rang without notice, making her jump up. She quickly fumbled with it and sheepishly smiled at Jamie, "Sorry, this might be important. Excuse me."


"Hello," She said into the device as she closed the door of the dormitory behind her.


"I texted you. Why didn't you respond?"


Xander.


"I'm busy. Kinda have a job that you got me into."


"Where are you? I've got another case for you to do."


"Maine. The BAU got sent out for a couple murders at a college, I don't know when I'll be back. Besides, I'm already working on this case right now. Remember?"


Xander groaned on annoyance, "Fine. Look, when you get back I'll have you handle it. How are things going over there?"


"Well, Maine isn't that lovely this time of year and the murders aren't that much of a pretty picture - what do you mean how things are going!? I'm busy right now, in case you don't mind."


"Listen, girly. You hurry it up with this case of yours in Maine and get your ass back over to Virginia before I decide to pay your mom a little visit. Got it?"


"Fine." Scout mumbled out before slamming the phone shut and letting out a loud huff.


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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
My longest chapter yet! Yay! Also, here are some answers to questions I see in the comments that I thought I would clarify:


I know Scout can be frustrating sometimes but I try to make her as realistic and human as possible. She doesn't tell the team that Xander is basically holding her hostage because 1) she's scared of him and that he might hurt her mom and 2) she's afraid of what Spencer and the team might think. Remember, she's a criminal and even though she's being forced to do these missions, she's still accountable according to law and would be incarcerated because it. And Scout loves her mom and is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her. She's a complicated character and I'm trying my hardest to not make her a Mary Sue while still writing an interesting story.


I hope this clears some stuff up and if you have any questions then I'll be more than happy to answer them!


a special thanks to readers who comment:
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