come down soon | s. reid

vi ~ smoke signals

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six:
smoke signals

❝ Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.. ❞
—Carl Jung

𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 3, 𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚍𝚎 20 (𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝.) and 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 4, 𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚍𝚎 1

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"Okay, people. Talk to me." Garcia's voice, focused yet chipper, buzzed in Scout's ear. "Mouseketeer roll call. 59th Street."

Lifting her wired watch to her mouth, Scout glanced around the subway and nodded to Cooper. "Check."

Garcia continued to roll off the stations, ensuring that everyone was where they needed to be and easily accessible. Cooper and Scout were to surveil their surroundings in case the unsubs were nearby. The city bustled with its usual busy buzz, but it wasn't yet overcrowded with the summer tourism. Scout and Cooper got off the subway at their station, their eyes peeled.

Scout caught Cooper glancing in her direction. "So you're pretty new to this thing, aren't you?" he asked nonchalantly.

Scout let out a breathy laugh. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, you're the fortune-teller, what do I know."

She rolled her eyes but nodded with a smile. "I've been on for almost four months now."

"And you like it?" Cooper shoved his hands in his pockets, scanning the subway. "Reading minds?"

Scout narrowed her eyes at him. "Profiling isn't as fancy as you think. It's just noticing behavior and applying it."

He looked back at her, an equally challenging expression drawn on his face. "And I'm about to hear about mine, is that the deal?"

Scout shrugged. "Okay. When we first met, when your partner was sarcastic and said, 'Yes, ma'am,' you instinctively reached for your detective shield, as if you were protecting it." She gestured to the badge hidden in his pocket, taking note of the way his hand stilled when he realized she knew he was fiddling with it. "That tells me you don't like him disrespecting the chain of command. But you're also loyal, so you didn't say something to him. I'd say you were military, probably an officer—praise in public, censure in private, right? You're right-handed, but you have two different color pen marks on your left hand. I'd guess you have a toddler at home just learning how to draw."

She watched as his features shifted, his expression softening as she correctly assumed almost everything about him. "You don't wear a ring and you were quick to flirt with Prentiss," she continued. "So you're happy to let people think you are a player, but if she took you up on it, you would run for the hills, because you love your wife and you would never actually cheat on her."

He nodded, clearly impressed. He offered her a stunned smile. "Wow, we might just solve this case yet."

Scout turned to lead them out of the subway, her stomach bubbling with pride. She loved profiling, the way a person's demeanor could tell a whole story. She had always been observant—so much so that she noticed things she wasn't supposed to see—and it was nice to use her hyper-awareness for good.

The spring sunlight was briefly blinding as they came up to the street, a stark contrast from the subway's dim lighting. They scanned the streets, carefully watching for a dark hood or suspicious behavior.