Eidetic - A Criminal Minds/Spencer Reid Story

Prologue

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." - Oscar Wilde

The day started out like any other day. I walked into the San Francisco FBI Field Office at my usual time, with my usual cup of coffee, sat at my usual desk, and started going through the usual pile of files and paperwork. When I joined the FBI, I was expecting to be chasing criminals in high speed car chases and feeling the blood pump through my veins while raiding the homes of gangbangers and junkies. However, my transfer to San Francisco after my graduation from the Academy has turned out to be anything but exciting. I love my hometown, but after about six months of drug busts and the occasional kidnapping, I was beginning to look for more of a challenge.

"Viv, you're awfully quiet this morning," I heard a voice say. Looking up, I saw Cecilia leaning against the wall of my cubicle with her arms folded across her chest. Cecilia was one of those girls who was so gorgeous that you didn't know how to describe how gorgeous she was. To say that she got asked out all the time would be an understatement. If you asked any of the men that we worked with, they would all say the same thing, they would all be too intimidated by her beauty to say anything to her, and when they did work up the courage to ask her out, they would trip over their own tongues and end up saying nonsense.

"Good morning to you too, Cecilia," I replied, looking back down at the massive pile of paperwork.

"I heard a rumor that someone from our office is going to be offered that opening at the BAU in Quantico," she said. "I wonder if it's going to be one of us."

"Cecilia, there are so many other agents out there that are more qualified to be profilers than us," I said, half-listening. Cecilia may be my best friend, but she was always too concerned with gossip than working.

"Viv, you know more about psychology than anyone else I know. You would be great there." I sighed and closed the file that was in front of me.

"Well, there's not much I can do with that knowledge, since I won't be offered that opening," I replied. Right as I said those words, the phone on my desk rang. "Santos," I answered brusquely.

"Agent Santos, can you please come to my office?" my superior Agent Amanda Jennings said into the phone. "There are some things about your work that I would like to discuss with you." My work? What about my work was there to discuss? Did I do something wrong?

"Uh right away, ma'am." I hung up the phone and stood up.

"What was that about?" Cecilia asked. I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

"We're about to find out." I stood up from my desk and made my way through the hallways to Agent Jennings office.

If you are called into Agent Jennings's office it's for one of two reasons, either you screwed up and you're being fired, or you're doing such a good job that you're being transferred to another unit in one of the coveted offices. For the sake of my career, I hoped it was the latter.

When I entered the office, Agent Jennings was talking to another man. He was tall and dark-haired and wearing a suit that looked so clean and crisp he looked like he was a celebrity that was ready to walk down the red carpet. When Agent Jennings saw me, she smiled and gestured to the man in the room. "Agent Santos, this is SSA Aaron Hotchner from the Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico," she said. Agent Hotchner walked up to me and shook my hand.

"Please, call me Hotch," he said. The expression on his face was serious, but the tone in his voice was warm and friendly.

"It's a pleasure, Sir." Agent Jennings gestured for me to sit down and I took a seat across from her desk and Agent Hotchner sat down next to me. "So, what's going on?" I asked curiously.

"Agent Santos, you may have heard that we have an opening at the BAU," Agent Hotchner started to explain. "You have an impressive success record and I have heard from your supervisor that you have quite an extensive knowledge of human behavior and psychology." I looked from Agent Jennings to Agent Hotchner.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I'm not quite sure I'm understanding properly, are you offering me the position at the BAU?" I asked. It was right then, the smallest smile crept up on the man's mouth.

"I am indeed, Vivian," he replied.

"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory." - George S. Patton