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MASTERMIND
::  i. | the sunshine of it all

Stella was just walking through the grand doors of the FBI. She was called in for a meeting with one of the best, at least that's what she heard. She had no clue on what was going on or why she was called. She literally thought it was at prank at first but they assured her it wasn't and that's how she ended up there.

Her eyes scanned over everything as she stood in the middle of the entryway, shocked and well, a bit lost. She didn't exactly know where to go from walking in.

Her eyes continued to scan the area and soon landed on a front desk. Stella walked over there and patiently waited for the lady to get off the phone to help her and once she did, Stella took her shot.

"Hi." She began, "I was asked to come in . . . BAU. Stella Barlow."

The woman once again picked up the phone and dialed up to the sixth floor. She mentioned Stella and soon the phone was hanged up again.

"An agent should be down any minute. You can take a seat anywhere."

Stella gave her a quick nod of the head before moving out the way and going to find an empty to seat. As soon as she sat down, she immediately pulled out her phone and began scrolling through her messages.

She was getting texts from her friends asking of her whereabouts and if they were still on tonight. She of course replied with a none of your business and see you tonight. After those quick replies, she continued to go through more of her messages and whatever else she needed to check.

As time and time went by, Stella was growing a bit irritated. She cut out time of her day to come by for some meeting, but no one has come down yet and it had been about half an hour.

She glanced at her watch, checking the time once again before standing up. She was about to leave because she thought she had better things to do besides wait around for something that may not be what it seems. However, luckily, before she could even move one step, a man walked up to her ———— an agent as he appeared.

"Ms. Barlow." He approached her as well as stuck out his hand, "Agent Anderson."

"Hi." Was all she said. She didn't even take his hand.

He awkwardly brought his hand down, "Follow me."

He led her to the elevator and they both stepped in. He pressed the sixth floor and the two stood quietly next to each other as the doors closed and the elevator began to go up from the lobby.

The elevator soon dinged and the doors opened, following Anderson and Barlow to stepping out.

Stella continued to follow him to Strauss' office and as soon as they reached the door, he knocked on it.

"Come in!"

Agent Anderson opened the door and Stella walked in with him closing the door behind her.

"Stella Barlow." Strauss stood up from her seat, "We have a lot to discuss. Please, sit." She gestured to the chair in front of the desk as she sat back down.

Stella sat down with her leg crossed over the other, "This call was very random and im still trying to figure out why I'm here."

Strauss put on her glasses as she opened a file that laid on her desk, "You graduated with a degree in criminology and psychology. Impressive." She glanced up at Stella, "And you are here because you are being given an opportunity."

"Opportunity?"

Strauss nodded, "To join the BAU."

"Why?"

"Why not? With your expertise you will come in handy." Strauss sighed as she pulled off her glasses, "I need to know your answer now. Yes or no, Ms. Barlow?"

Stella was still a bit taken aback by this news. She still hadn't really processed everything and making a snap decision like that . . . she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to make that much of a drastic change in her life like that in just a quick moment.

But she had too.

• • •

Stella left Strauss' office and began to head to the double glass doors. As she did, she texted her friends that maybe she would be showing up late to their thing that night. She soon slid her phone back in her purse and walked through the doors, pass the many desks and up the stairs to a door that read SSA Agent Hotchner.

She knocked on his door and soon opened it after his approval.

"Hi, im Stella Barlow. I was sent by Erin Strauss, if that means anything." She softly spoke.

He looked up from his papers, "Yes, im aware."

Just before he can continue, Garcia walks in with eerie news.

"Sorry if im interrupting, but there's another victim." She quickly spoke.

Hotch stood up from behind his desk, "Gather the team." He then turned to Stella, "I hope you're ready."

Stella wasn't exactly sure what to expect or how to take those words. If she knew anything of the FBI, she knew that they've seen some gruesome things so if that was what he was referring to, she was beyond ready then ————— because with her past, she has seen plenty.

So, she followed him to a conference room where she met the faces of six other people ————— Elle Greenaway, Jason Gideon, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, Jennifer Jareau, and well, that blonde she saw back at Hotch's office, Penelope Garcia.

All of them took their glances towards her as she sat down in one of the many available seats around the round table. Soon, Jennifer who is the liaison, began debriefing the team but all Stella knew was that she was just another blonde because she knew none of their names except Agent Hotchner.

Jennifer continued with the debriefing, passing around folders for each of the members, except Stella because her arrival was pretty sudden for them. So one of them was kind enough to share the file with her, that being Elle.

Morgan began, "Either a snatch and grab or voluntarily."

"What kind of car ruse are we looking at here?" Stella wasn't scared to speak her mind, "The hey I need help fixing my car or hey would you like to buy this car?"

"Does it matter? Either way the victim is kidnapped." Morgan made a valid point.

"Well, if we want to catch the kidnapper, we have to know everything and I would think how the game works is a key point to catching he or she. So, the ruse is in important, agent . . . " She trailed off.

"Morgan." He finished.

Hotch nodded, "Wheels up in ten. Seattle."

The group soon dispersed and Stella stayed in the conference room a little bit longer than the rest. She was taking it all in and processing that she's apart of the FBI now as well as apart of the best team in the FBI. But she also realized that if she wanted to keep her extra curricular activities at bay, she had to be very smart in doing so.

Therefore, that meant . . .

Not getting close with the team.

Don't overly talk.

And try to be one step ahead of them because they're profilers.

• • •

The team eventually made it to Seattle and all were walking into the police station. Hotch introduced the team to the captain and they soon immediately continued working the case from a small room.

He instructed each on their own little path, "Jj, talk in to the family. Reid and Barlow, latest crime scene." He looked towards Morgan and Greenaway, "You two, geological profile."

And so once again, the team split up and Stella was off to the crime scene with someone who looked around her age and awfully smart, she could just tell.

The two hopped in a black suv and Stella sat in the passenger seat as the other agent got in on the driver's.

He looked her way as soon as he sat down, "Did you want to drive?"

She looked back at him, "I mean, you're already sitting there."

He just nodded as he closed the door and put the key in the slot as well as buckling up. He then started the car and the two were off.

It was silent on the way there and Spencer's not one to handle awkwardness very well, so he tried to perk up conversation.

His eyes were focused on the road, "I'm Spencer by the way to Agent Reid, Doctor Reid." He nodded, "Welcome to the team."

"Doctor?"

"Well not medically." He corrected as he pulled over to the curb.

"Hm." Stella lightly hummed.

He parked the car and they got out, heading to the crime scene.

The two approached the crime scene tape and Spencer held up his badge, showing the officer he was an agent. However, stella hadn't yet gotten her badge so she didn't know what to do in that moment but Spencer covered for her.

"She's with me." He slipped his badge back on his belt.

The officer rose the yellow tape and the agents walked through, heading to the body and near the other standby officers.

Stella and Spencer squatted down next to the body, Spencer lifting the white tarp just a little. Stella immediately saw the victim's wrist, that was the first to catch her eye.

"Spencer, the wrists."

He glanced that way, "She was restrained."

Stella stood up and walked towards the end of the body. She bent down and lightly lifted the tarp up, immediately looking at her knees and legs. She covered them back up then stood up.

A sigh escaped her lips, "Her knees are bruised."

Spencer nodded, deep in thought and stella watched how his mind worked. She wanted to make sure who exactly she was dealing with as her eyes examined him.

He soon snapped out of thought and stella followed him back to the car, where they soon headed back to the station.

• • •

The agents regrouped back in that small room and everyone filled everyone in of the information they gathered from their tasks.

Garcia was soon on screen as Hotch and Gideon fed her information that could help narrow down their potential profile. Once Garcia clicked off and they all resumed bouncing information off each other, the door swung open.

"There's been another kidnap." One of the officers informed the agents.

"Go." Hotch looked between Morgan and Greenaway.

Once those two left, the rest continued as they were. Bouncing theories off each other, garcia's help and time only moved on from there.

The case was nearly closed, at least stella felt it because Hotch and Gideon quickly left the station to go meet Morgan and Greenaway at a men'a correctional facility.

Not only thirty minutes later did Jennifer get a call on her phone, it was Hotch saying they got them. As soon as the call ended, Jennifer walked back into the room where Stella and Spencer stayed.

"They got them."

Stella nodded. She didn't really feel any type of way with catching them, but she was happy the job was done and she finally decided her decision.

• • •

Once the team returned back to Quantico, Hotch asked Stella to meet him in his office and she did as she was obligated. She walked into the room and he stood behind his desk with a gun and badge resting on his desk.

"I know you were only offered a temporary position while my other agent is out, but I want to change that." He continued, "You showed promise work today and you knew how to get it done." He finished, "I'm offering you a permanent position."

She didn't hesitate, she had already made up her mind when she thought it was only temporary and her answer there, still applies to right then.

"Then I guess you'll be seeing me in the morning."

He picked up the badge and gun, handing it to her, "Welcome to the team. Training starts tomorrow."

Stella took them with a smile before heading out. She shared a few light smiles with the team as she exited, something quick ———— she had no intention really of sticking around longer than she had too.

As soon as she exited the building, she got in her car and texted her friends that she'd be at the location soon. She wanted to make a quick stop by her apartment to change as well as drop off her gun and credentials.

After that, she was headed back out again nearing eleven at night. She drove to the location that her friend sent and she parked in a disclosed area before walking the rest of the way to those friends.

Once she approached those friends, a mask was handed to her.

"I thought we were done robbing." She took it anyway.

"Technically, but there are other plans."

"Like what?" She asked.

He began putting his mask on, "You'll know tomorrow."

Stella took his work and slipped her mask on. Only from there did the robbery began to take place. They snuck into the house and went around, grabbing what they could and sometimes if it came to it, someone would get injured but usually nothing more.

As far as she knew.

a/n:
here's the first chap !!
how we feeling ???