Please Don't Go (The Story of Us Book 3)

Chapter 9- Leadership

Being the head unit chief is more grueling than Amanda remembered and it was all Erin Strauss's fault. The last time, when Amy was merely filling in for her brother while he recovered from being in an explosion, JJ had picked the cases. Sure she had to get them cleared by Amanda but she reviewed all the other cases. Now it was a team effort so that JJ could get home to Henry and Will at night but that wasn't the problem. Oh no, the problem was Strauss herself.

After taking it upon herself to go to the senate committee with her worries for the betterment of the team, (read to get rid of Aaron and get revenge on Amanda) the committee felt it pertinent that they ensure the new leadership is effective. As a result, Erin is micromanaging. Every case JJ, Amy, and Derek pick he has to run it by Strauss, and then she passes on her input. Amanda ignores this input, as does the rest of the team, but it's annoying.

Why is it Derek communicating with her?  You ask. It's because as much as Strauss and even the senate committee dislike Amanda Hotchner, she's a very powerful woman. Taylor Swift once said that if men don't want her to write songs about them they shouldn't do bad things and Amanda shares a similar philosophy. If people don't want to be blackmailed, they shouldn't do bad things that will allow them to be blackmailed or act like dicks so she uses it. This makes her dangerous. That along with her diplomatic immunity that was given during her time in the CIA makes her virtually untouchable.

While they can't get her fired, they can get on her nerves. The team has worked 5 cases with Amanda at the helm and Derek as her second in command. All had gone exceptionally well if you discount the fact that Strauss called Derek like 20 times to 'check on his progress'. Amanda was starting to get sick of her and as she sat in Derek's new office, courtesy of JJ's info and Garcia's decorating skills, listening to him complain, she began plotting a way to take Strauss down a peg. That bitch was really starting to grate her nerves.

"So how's the Foyet case going? Any news?" He suddenly asks and Amanda breaks out of her reprieve.

"Nope, but I'm not looking, Aaron is. Foyet wants us on edge and I'm not going to let it happen. I moved into my mansion, finally, and have a ton of security. He's not getting to me again. As for Haley and Jack, WITSEC will protect them until he makes a mistake and he will make one. Until then, we have people to save, and all worrying about Foyet will do is let him win."

Morgan studies his friend, looking for even the slightest hint of a lie but she's being genuine, just like she is with most things. He shakes his head with a smile. "You are something else, Princess. Most people would be out of it after almost dying. Hell, Hotch had so much trouble he had to step down, but you just push harder and keep going. I don't know how you do it."

"Many, many years of trauma," she pretends to joke and he shakes it off, knowing it's true. That's when JJ knocks on the door, telling them they have a case. The two friends share a look, knowing it's the one in California, before standing and following her to the conference room where Spencer is already waiting due to his injury. JJ gives the profile of the dead girls that were strangled and staged to look as if a vampire drank their blood.

Amanda declares wheels up in 20 and they all get ready to get on the jet. About halfway there, JJ gets a call from the LAPD saying a task force is already set up and she relays the information. "You remember detective Owen Kim?"

"From the stalker case," Hotch agrees.

"Yeah, you remember that case, don't you, Spence?" JJ teases and Spencer shifts uncomfortably before answering.

"I do remember that case," he replies, voice a couple octaves higher than usual.

"Yeah, you ever talk to, um, Lila anymore?"