counting stars | criminal minds [discontinued]

1 0 | R E C R U I T M E N T

[4.8]

"my birthday was three weeks ago"

Florence took Morgan's advice and decided to tag along with Rossi and Reid when they went to lecture at Strayer University. She hadn't managed to make any new friends before the lecture began. Florence snuggled into a computer chair and ran the PowerPoint for them, growing more bored with every passing moment.

"Most of us have done extensive post-graduate work in areas such as abnormal psychology and sociology, as well as intensive study of relative casework and existing literature," Reid explained to the students.

"But that's after selection to the unit," Rossi added. "First you have to be an agent, work in the field, and that's what we're here to talk about. For that, the academics are wide open. Everyone in this room, once you graduate, regardless of your course study, is eligible to apply to the FBI."

Florence started picking at her pink nail polish. She didn't have to go to college to get her job, but she was under strict orders not to tell potential future agents about how she hacked into the Pentagon and got a job offer for it.

"What did you study?" one of the boys in the class asked.

"Criminal justice," Rossi answered. "But sports appreciation was all full up at my community college."

"I hold doctorates in chemistry, mathematics, and engineering," Reid told them. "As well as BAs in psychology and sociology." The room stared at him in silence for several moments.

"How old are you?" one girl asked.

"Uh, I'm twenty-seven. As of last month, I turned twenty-seven. I'm — I'm also completing an additional BA in philosophy. Which reminds me that I have a joke." Rossi and Florence shared a look before turning to Reid. Something told them that Reid's joke wouldn't do well with this group of students. "How many existentialists does it take to screw in a light bulb?"

"Don't," Rossi whispered.

Reid waved him off and smiled to himself. "Two. One to change the light bulb and one to observe how it symbolizes an incandescent beacon of subjectivity in a netherworld of cosmic nothingness."

The room was filled with awkward silence and a few coughs of awkwardness. After a moment, Florence let out a laugh and dramatically slapped her knee as if she had heard the best joke in the world.

Reid looked at her hopefully. "You got it?"

Florence shook her head and bit her lip. "Not at all."

"Oh, well um, an existentialist would—"

Before Reid could in-depthly explain the joke, Rossi cut him off. "Ok, before he does his quantum physics knock-knock joke, do we have any other questions about opportunities in the FBI?"