Screw the Deadline

Ahmose Inarus

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, nor to I make any money off of writing these stories.

This is an incomplete assignment from the ChitChat On Author's Corner "Original Character Challenge" that I have taken over. My assigned canon and original characters are: David Rossi & Lehigh Albertson - Rossi's book agent

David Rossi stopped mid sentence when his cell phone rang. Hotch, Emily and Morgan stared at him, as did the Law Enforcement Officers who were there for the profile presentation. Rossi pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. And he wanted to groan. But he rejected the call, shoved it back into his pocket and took up his part of the profile where he had left off.

As soon as the group was dispersed at the conclusion of the profile, Rossi headed to the conference room.

"Your book agent again?" Rossi turned and gave Dr. Spencer Reid a look. JJ was standing by the young man's side, also looking amused.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Why don't you mind your own business?" Rossi grumbled, closing the door in their faces. JJ and Reid exchanged amused looks, and then turned and walked over to Hotch who had waved them over.

Meanwhile, Rossi pulled out his phone, and dialed.

"Dave! Finally! I've been trying to reach you for DAYS!" Came the female voice on the phone. She was Lehigh Albertson, and she was Rossi's book agent.

"I've been a bit busy, L.A." Rossi grumped, calling the woman by her nickname. "I'm on a case."

"… AGAIN?" the woman nearly shrieked. "Dave! You've got to go to Chicago! I've booked your this GREAT speaking gig and—"

"I am working on a serial murderer with nine bodies, L.A." Rossi blurted, stunned at what the woman was saying to him.

"… is it book material?" Ms. Albertson asked, now sounding excited. Rossi pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Listen… I don't think about that until the case is over."

"Why! You should take notes! So you remember things how they happened because the notes were made WHILE it was happening! You could—"

"Lehigh, STOP!" Rossi snapped, longing to pound his head against the wall a couple of times. "I have to go. And I'm NOT making that speaking engagement. Talk to me before you book me for things!"

"But—" Was all his agent got out before he ended the call and headed out of the conference room.

"We have another body." Hotch said, waving Rossi over. "We're heading to the crime scene. Reid and Prentiss have gone to see the Medical Examiner, JJ's meeting with the press and Morgan is trying to get Garcia to get us the recording of the 911 Call."

"Lead the way." Rossi said. The two men headed out of the station and hurried through the pouring rain to the car, splashing through puddles the whole way before they were able to take shelter in the SUV. Hotch drove, and for a while, all was quiet.

"Trouble with your agent again?" Hotch asked after a bit, biting back a grin… especially when Rossi gave him a dirty look.

"… Shut up, Aaron." Rossi snapped, and his Unit Chief chuckled. "You're an asshole."

"What did she want this time?" Hotch asked calmly. Rossi shot the man another look, seeing the smirk still on Hotch's lips.

"She booked me for a speaking engagement without telling me, told me to get to Chicago right away, and then asked me why I wasn't taking notes on this case to put in a new book."

"... Wow."

"I know. She's a good agent, but dammit, she needs to understand that my priorities are not the same as HER priorities, and she needs to shut up and accept it."

Hotch chuckled again, and Rossi bitched and muttered under his breath.

As they pulled up to the crime scene, Rossi's phone rang. He looked down at it.

"… GODDAMMIT!" He howled.

"Her again?"

"Yes!"

"Well, go ahead and take it. She'll keep calling until you answer…" Hotch chuckled, parking the car and turning off the motor.

"WHAT?" Rossi snapped into the phone. Hotch watched, amused. "… No, I don't know when the case will be closed! Do NOT book me for anything this weekend! Even if I'm back by then, I'm not going to want to spend my weekend working! No… No… L.A. listen… What? You did WHAT?" Rossi was red in the face now. "SCREW THE DEADLINE! That is NOT my problem! No! I am at a crime scene, I can not worry about this right now. YOU did it, YOU take care of it!" And he hung up.

"… What now?" Hotch asked.

"Now I'm going to eat my gun." Rossi snapped, and got out of the car. Hotch grinned, shook his head and followed. The entire time they were inspecting the crime scene, Rossi's phone was buzzing in his pocket. He ignored it. Thirteen times he ignored it.

When they got back to the station, Morgan and JJ hurried over to them, looking panicked.

"What the hell, why didn't you guys answer your phones?" Morgan demanded hotly. Hotch and Rossi blinked and checked their phones. Rossi noted four calls from L.A., six calls from JJ and three from Morgan. Hotch cursed. His phone had died. He promptly plugged it in to charge, and as soon as he turned it on, he found four voicemails from JJ and one from Morgan.

"What the hell happened?" Rossi asked, now VERY pissed at his agent.

"The UnSub went to the media." JJ said grimly. "Sent them a letter, and photos."

"Tell the media that we need to see them immediately and to hold the story until we give the okay." Hotch ordered. Then, he watched JJ's nostrils flare, and almost expected smoke to billow out as her eyes burned. Rossi frowned.

"What happened." He growled, and JJ's eyes flashed.

"The media already ran the story." She snapped, furious. "They gave me the evidence after. I told them that they should have contacted me first."

"And guess what the son of a bitch had the balls to say?" Morgan demanded, nearly dancing on the spot he was so angry.

"What?" Hotch asked, a deadly edge to his tone.

"He said," Reid announced walking over, "and I quote, 'as soon as I brought it to you, you would try to confiscate the evidence and force us to hold the story, therefore impeding on our right to Freedom of the Press. I had the exclusive, I'm not giving it up. So I ran my story. And now that it's run and you can't do anything to stop it, you can have the evidence'."

"… I want his name and what agency he's with. NOW." Hotch snarled, and JJ handed Hotch a piece of paper. "JJ… make some calls. I want you to make his life a living hell."

"Good." JJ said, and stalked off, dialing up Garcia.

"NOTHING ILLEGAL!" Hotch called after her. "Make sure Garcia understands that! But make sure that if anyone dies after he ran the story, he will NEVER forget their names..." JJ waved in acknowledgement. Rossi sighed and shook his head.

His phone buzzed again. The man snarled, and headed off to the conference room while Hotch and Morgan discussed the current media circus while Reid listened in mild interest.

"WHAT?" He snapped.

"David, I just saw the news!"

"FUCK! It's gone NATIONAL!"

"WHAT?" He heard Morgan howl behind him. Rossi just slammed the door of the conference room.

"This is a sensation!"

"No, L.A." Rossi snarled. "It's not. You want to know what it is?" She was silent, waiting for the answer. "This is ten lives, ended. Promising young people, GONE." Rossi was nearly foaming at the mouth. "This is ten destroyed families, and at least one more will be destroyed before this is over!"

"… Another is going to die?" L.A. asked in a hushed tone.

"I hope not." Rossi said. "But the UnSub's family will not come out of this unscathed either. His own family will be damaged beyond repair by what he's done. These peoples' lives have been shaken to the core and fractured, and those cracks will never fully close. This isn't entertainment! This is devastation to the core! And I'm sick of people acting like it's a circus show for their amusement!"

"… David that was brilliant. We've got to put that in your next book!"

David Rossi stood there, mouth hanging open, stunned. Had she really gone there? REALLY?

"… Are you listening?" He finally blurted.

"Do you think you could add that into the current chapter you're working on?"

Rossi was flabbergasted. And then, he snapped.

"SHUT THE HELL UP! You listen to me and you listen very closely because I am only going to say this ONCE! I don't care if you promise the publishers and the editors a new chapter by Friday, it's NOT going to happen! Don't promise things you can't deliver! And before you say anything, YOU made the promise, NOT ME! So that is on YOU! It is NOT my problem, it is YOURS! Second, I am NOT going to worry about writing a book when I am on a case where people's lives and well being are at stake! And finally… if I am on a case, unless it is a literal EMERGENCY, as in law enforcement is involved or someone is in the hospital, YOU WILL NOT CALL ME WHEN I AM ON A CASE!"

"But—"

"You do, and you're FIRED!" Shocked silence was the response. "L.A., you are a great agent. But you have your job, and I have mine. And my job is my priority, NOT yours! Do I make myself clear?"

"… Yes, sir." She gasped.

"Good. Now if you will excuse me, I have a murderer to catch. I will call when I get home. And at MY convenience."

"… I understand." Lehigh said meekly.

"Good. Have a good evening, L.A." Rossi said gently.

"… Y-You, too."

And Rossi hung up. A moment later, there was applause behind him. JJ and Emily stood there, Hotch behind them, eyes glowing in amusement.

"So, you uh… wanna talk to the press, too?" JJ asked, hopefully.

"Like I want a hold in the head." Rossi snorted, and JJ grinned.

They left the conference room and headed over to Morgan and Reid, who were bickering over the last cup of coffee. Rossi calmly stepped between them, and poured the coffee.

"… HEY!" Reid nearly shrieked.

"Don't even, Spence." JJ chuckled. "He's busting heads and taking names today."

"Damn straight I am." Rossi growled, and walked back to the conference room to get back to work.

END

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