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𝑬 𝑽 𝑬 𝑹 𝑮 𝑹 𝑬 𝑬 𝑵
❝ 𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 ❞

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ㅤ"𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆?" Spencer asked May as soon as they found a private place to talk.

It was a little after the team watched the video of Gideon meeting up with John Summers. In the video, the two had talked about the mole, and the team then tried to understand more of what they were actually dealing with. Once that was over, May told Hotch that she had to talk to Spencer about 'something', and the man quickly knew what it was about.

So, Hotch asked to join them. They ignored the confusion on the others' faces—and the indifference in Gideon's—as they excused themselves. Hotch knew, of course, that the others would just assume that the Wonder Twins had an idea. But he also knew that Gideon might not think so; however, even so, the oldest in the team knew not to speak his mind unless he deemed it necessary.

May looked around to make sure they were truly alone and won't be overheard before looking at the both of them. "I can...I can smell emotions. Is it—I don't know—possible to use it? I-I mean, it'll be a good thing to have, right?"

Hotch frowned. "You can smell emotions?"

"You mean pheromones?" Spencer clarified, and quickly began to explain excitedly. "A vast majority of humans have this organ called the vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson's organ located on the base, or the soft tissue of the nasal septum. It develops in utero--"

"Reid," Hotch cut in.

"Sorry. It's um...it's vestigial for us humans and it doesn't function. But not for a majority of animals, including mammals like dogs. Its special function is to detect pheromones! And given that you're...well..."

"A bitch?" May joked.

Spencer grimaced. "Technically speaking, yes. I would assume that means this particular organ of yours is active and functional. Like a dog's. This is absolutely mind blowing!"

Hotch couldn't help but eye May. "Do you think it can help?"

"Definitely," she nodded. "But I can't just go around accusing people with my only defense being 'the nose knows'."

"Then leave it to us," he declared, pointing between himself and Spencer, before reaching out to pat her on the shoulder as Spencer nodded at his words. "Let us know if you smell anything off and we'll find a way to make the others come to a certain conclusion. It'll...hopefully speed up the case."

May smiled. "Thanks, you two."

"Are you..." Spencer hesitated. "Are you smelling anything now?"

She frowned. "Yes...but I'm not sure if I'm right yet."

"Who?"

"Bruno Hawks."

"What?" Hotch asked. "Him? Why?"

"He's very...very angry. I don't like it."

A couple of things then happened after their talk.

The team reviewed the footage of Gideon talking to Summers, and they found a reflection that showed the mother and daughters in the backseat of the car that he had been using. Furthermore, they realized that when he said that it can only be one of four people, he was referring to his four bosses who he trusted, were seasoned agents, and were actually in Saudi monitoring US interests: Bruno Hawks, Gina Sanchez, Olivia Hopkins, and Kruger Spence.

As soon as Bruno was named, May couldn't help but let her nostrils flare as she remembered his distinct smell. The burning anger that he had.

And so, the team dispersed. Spencer was tasked to talk to Kruger, Derek was to talk to Gina, and Elle to Olivia. Hotch asked May to monitor all three of her team members as they used their own separate tactics to get the CIA agents to talk. This was a plan that Gideon agreed to, as May has always been their expert in criminal psychology.

Additionally, Hotch also asked her to monitor everything she could, knowing all her enhanced senses. Not just her sense of smell, but her hearing as well; she could easily hear someone's heartbeat, and no matter how good of a liar someone is, the heart can tell the truth. Unless they were a sociopath or a psychopath, of course, where emotions don't really apply.

May was like a shadow to her teammates. She trailed after them but made sure to keep a distance as to not appear like backup, so that the CIA agents won't get defensive. She also made sure to appear like she's doing something else, and the best way to do that is to visibly go around the area then back to Hotch and Gideon as if reporting back to them. Although It wasn't exactly a lie, because that's what she would be doing anyway.

First, she focused on Spencer who was his usual awkward self. Kruger seemed to underestimate him at first, before Spencer began to ramble about his own profile on Summers. Kruger almost immediately began rattling off orders before Spencer could even say anything else. The whole exchange made May roll her eyes.

She couldn't help but bristle when she heard Derek flirting with Gina. She knew he was faking it—especially after he met her eyes in basically reassurance before even opening his mouth, plus, it was his job and one of his most efficient ways of interrogating—but Gina herself was very easily read...or smelled. She was annoyed, sure, but she still found Derek attractive.

Moving to a different area, one closer to Elle, May could hear how she talked to Olivia, going for a more feminist approach and being relatable. It surprisingly made Olivia even more defensive and nervous. The whole exchange made her, Hotch, and Gideon basically gravitate towards them. The rest of the team stood and watched.

It was then revealed that Olivia and Kruger were having an affair.

As soon as Olivia walked away from the scene with embarrassment rolling of her in waves, May walked towards Elle and exchanged a look.

"Well, that was fun," May commented, crossing her arms. From the corner of her eye, she could see both Gideon and Hotch walk away from them.

Elle nodded at her and turned to look at Olivia's retreating form, a hand on her hip. "Do you think that would be enough for a stressor?"

May shrugged. "Many have done worse for less. But I don't think she's the mole. She's..."

"Not the type?"

"Yeah," May nodded.

Elle faced her. "What about the others?"

"Kruger's a dick," May admitted. "Likes to do things his own way. Gina's very intelligent, and has a background in psychology. It makes her a bit harder to read but it makes her able to read us too. Gotta keep our guard up."

"And Bruno?"

May turned towards the man's office, which was oddly empty. "I don't know enough yet, but he's got something to hide."

"He's scared," May whispered into Hotch's ear as they watch him come to a realization that Olivia was dead. "And angry."

Hotch tilted his head, acknowledging her, before whispering his reply. "Any guilt?"

"No, no, he's...he's heartbroken."

Eventually, the three CIA agents left the room. Gideon followed after Bruno, leaving the rest of the team in the conference room.

"What was she looking for?" May asked rhetorically, her voice echoing in the quiet room.

Derek looked at her. "Their reactions, May. Anything?"

"I think you should talk to Gina," she told him. Derek did as she said, and Hotch followed shortly after him.

"What about you?" Spencer asked.

"I'll keep doing what I've been doing. I'm gonna observe."

Elle ultimately decided to follow May around as she made her assessments. The Quileute was thankful for that, as now she had a sound board she could bounce ideas off of. Spencer stayed in the conference room, waiting for new information from Penelope.

"What have you been seeing?" Elle wondered, standing beside May as they leaned against the railing of the walkway that looked down on everyone. May decided to go there for a better view on everyone who was still alive.

"Olivia was the only one who I didn't think was guilty," May admitted. "Like you said, not the type. She was scared though, and I think she was beginning to suspect someone. Maybe that's what she was looking for."

"Could be," Elle agreed. "And she must've been on the right track if the killer targeted her. What about the other three?"

"I don't think Kruger had the guts to kill her. But he's...he's anxious, as if he knows he might be next. He's very skittish right now, look," May gestured with a tilt of her head and Elle quickly followed her line of sight. "He's not afraid of his wife knowing about his affair, but he's definitely scared what's going on right now."

"Gina?"

"Gina's still Gina. Great at compartmentalizing, and she's outwardly blaming others and not showing any emotions herself. Finally, Bruno. He's...trying to separate himself from the mess. It's obvious he doesn't see himself as part of the team, unlike Hotch or Gideon."

Elle hummed. "True. You think Bruno's the type?"

"Very well could be."

"Hey guys!" Spencer called out to the two of them. They both looked towards him, watching as he gestured towards Kruger. The two women didn't hesitate to rush to where he was, and he began to speak once they approached. "Why did Kruger lie about Olivia?"

"Because it's frowned upon to be having an affair with your co-worker?" Elle frowned.

"Shame, yes, but do you think he can lie about other things?"

With that, they began to confront him. While May and Spencer stood back to let Elle do her work, the former continued to monitor the man's emotions. He was still defensive and nervous, but he was also mad, most likely because they keep cornering him. And it just got worse when Derek came down from where he was at and confronted him.

"Just because I lied about Olivia doesn't make me the mole," Kruger exclaimed, looking at Elle.

"No, but the virus that took out the CCTV monitors does," Derek said as he rushed into the scene. "It originated from your computer."

"Then whoever put it in my computer is trying to frame me!"

"Olivia was looking for something," Derek stated, thinking back on what May had said when they were in the conference room. "She didn't find a thing. You know why? Because all your files had been erased."

"Do you really think, if I was the mole, I would keep files that would incriminate me?! Those files were erased to make me look guilty!"

"Looks like it's working," Elle commented.

Before they could say anything more, Gina was calling out for Derek. "Morgan, your girlfriend's back!"

"Not my girlfriend," he muttered to himself before settling on the nearest desk. May, Spencer, and Elle quickly took their places behind him. May, of course, heard Derek loud and clear, and had to force herself not to giggle. "Garcia, it's Morgan. Go."

"Hey. Listen, that virus left a backdoor into the CIA mainframe," Penelope spoke.

"Yeah, so?"

"So...I sort of went ahead and used it to find out who ordered John Summers' psych eval with Gideon."

"Who was it?"

"Well, that's what's so weird."

"Who, Garcia, who?" Elle pressed.

"John Summers," JJ finally said.

"Summers? Why would he order his own evaluation?" Derek frowned.

Spencer immediately figured it out. "So we'd ask that question ourselves. Guys, we missed something on that tape."

"Well, we better figure out what it was before Hassan's friend in here beats us to it."

"May, I need to talk to you," Gideon suddenly speed-walked past May with Hotch following close behind him. Before May could process his words, Hotch was dragging her along with them, muttering under his breath.

"I told him you've been profiling the whole night and you have your suspicions," Hotch muttered. "Better have a profile and fast. Aaliyah and her kids are in danger."

"I know they are," May whispered back. "I just watched someone tap our feed."

Her heart was beating so hard in her chest. Not just from the adrenaline—given that they only have a limited amount of time to find Aaliyah before the mole did—but also from the sudden realization that the two senior agents were actually depending on her.

"But you do know who the unsub is, right?" Hotch asked.

"I know who isn't."

"Then who isn't?" Gideon turned around. They were in a corner away from everyone, far from the prying eyes and ears of anyone who could be the mole. It was near the entrance they used to enter the bullpen. "May, who isn't the unsub?"

"Uh, well," she cleared her throat, looking at Hotch for a second. The man gave her a nod of reassurance before she finally looked at Gideon. "It's obviously not Olivia, and I doubt that it's Kruger. The man is too self-absorbed to be a spy. He- he only wants what's good for himself. He may have been defensive the whole time we were here, and he seems like the best candidate given all the evidence, but it's too easy if it was him this whole time. It was like all those 'evidence' were handed to us on a silver platter."

"She's right," Hotch agreed. "This is the CIA. He would've been the sloppiest CIA agent known to man if he was the mole. And the only time he really showed emotion was when Olivia died. She was essentially the only other person he cared for other than himself."

"So that leads us to Bruno Hawks and Gina Sanchez," Gideon nodded, rubbing his hands together in thought. "What about them, May?"

May sighed. "Gina has always been the hardest to read out of the four. She's incredibly guarded, yet snarky and self-assured."

"In my evaluation, I profiled that there will come a time when she can't follow orders," Gideon supplied. "I reminded her of this."

"What did she say?" Hotch asked.

"She said it won't happen."

"I think it will," May frowned. "Just not in the way she thinks."

"Why?" Gideon looked at her.

"Insubordination isn't always about defying authority just because you can and you want to," May shook her head. "It's also about defying authority when you have to."

Gideon smiled proudly at her. "You're right, it's not Gina."

"Which only leaves us with--"

Before May could finish her sentence, Gideon was running out of the little area they occupied.

"Why is he always in a rush?" May huffed.

Hotch smiled at her and patted her shoulder like he had done earlier. "You did good."

May's eyebrows furrowed. "Was that a damn test?"

"No, not to me, but maybe to Gideon."

"What does that mean?"

"Did he ever tell you why he hired you? You and Spencer?"

"Yes, because we worked well together," May scoffed, crossing her arms.

"It wasn't just that, May," Hotch's smile turned into a smirk. "Don't tell him I told you this, but he said you two reminded him of himself. You're both smart, quick-thinkers. While Spencer's the more logical one, knowing everything about everything, you're the go-getter. Adaptable, willing to think outside the box. He sees his young self with you, and his older self with Spencer."

"That's...actually kinda sweet."

"And," Hotch gave her a look, "between the two of you, you've got the motivation to lead, the way he did when he started the BAU. That's why he wants you to replace him once he decides to retire."

"Wait, what?" May gaped. "Me, a...a Senior Supervisory Special Agent?"

"And I agree with him," Hotch admitted. "I can see you as Unit Chief one day."

"Hotch..."

"Don't worry about that yet. We have a family to save. Come on."

author's note: so, obviously i won't be writing too much into the future of this book (other than with the epilogue and stuff, and maybe extra chapters) so we won't be seeing to full future of the bau after may and derek's love story flourishes. but i wanted to show you guys a bit of what i envision is going to happen, which i think was obvious from the start. 

anyway, i hope you guys enjoyed this rather chunky chapter (it's really long!) which mostly is just may being integrated into the team in this particular case. i wanted to fully showcase her role as the expert in criminal psychology, and i hope i did it some justice. and i'm honestly just glad that this was the case that was next on the list (ish) because it was perfect for her. 

at first, i wanted her to depend on her newfound abilities as a shifter because it's kinda her new superpower,  yknow? it gives her an edge now. and it does work in the beginning, but i wanted her to realize that it wasn't those abilities that made her special, it was her mind. she was sorta just trapped between being a shifter and an agent, and forgot she could be both. so i wanted to sorta just...find a balance with that.

i love you all !! <333