Though Jack was intrigued by the new position, he couldn't immediately accept. After all, he had originally joined the New York office as a consultant, and technically he was still part of the BAU. Accepting this role would mean formally leaving the BAU, which felt somewhat like switching allegiances.
While the distinction between a mentor and a supervisor wasn't vast, given Rossi's rather expansive list of romantic entanglements, Jack felt it necessary to return to Los Angeles and have an honest face-to-face discussion with him.
Dana Mosier, to her credit, was quite accommodating and granted him a seven-day leave without hesitation. After packing lightly, Jack boarded a flight to Los Angeles alone.
In the blink of an eye, a year had passed since he had started splitting his time between New York and Los Angeles. Though he had occasionally returned, it had been over four months since his last trip, which followed their mission at Virginia Beach.
The small house that had been destroyed by a rocket-propelled grenade had been rebuilt, with John and Tim helping to oversee the renovations occasionally. There were still six months of work remaining. Even once the renovations were complete, Jack didn't plan to sell the house.
This was, after all, his first true home since arriving in this world. Money wasn't an issue for him now. He intended to rebuild it in its original style as a keepsake—something that might even come in handy in the future.
However, Jack's second home was still up in the air. The small farm he had purchased was being managed by Chris, but its renovation was far from being scheduled. While his income from book royalties and Justin's fledgling "small business" was enough to cover his daily expenses, funding a full overhaul of the farm—costing one or two million dollars—would require a significant investment. It wasn't impossible, but there was no pressing need. After all, Jack expected to remain on the East Coast for quite some time.
Upon landing in Los Angeles, Jack found himself unexpectedly without a place to stay. He had originally planned to return after wrapping up the Virginia Beach mission, but he had spent his free time then with Hannah, inadvertently neglecting JJ.
Since then, life had been a whirlwind: helping the NYPD clean house, tackling minor tasks, and eventually taking on a major case. By the time Jack finally called JJ via video to let her know he was returning, her usual warmth had given way to a deliberate coldness.
If he didn't smooth things over, he might very well end up without a place to sleep tonight. Making matters worse, both Zoey and Maureen had recently flown to Washington, D.C., for political engagements.
Zoey Anderson, as a rising political star, couldn't limit her influence to California. Visibility in Washington, D.C., was equally critical, so she frequently participated in public events to mingle with key players.
With time to spare after landing, Jack first visited the Wilshire police station to catch up with his old colleagues. While they kept in touch regularly, it had been a while since they'd seen each other in person. Bringing along coffee and donuts as peace offerings, Jack made his rounds.
His LAPD friends hadn't changed much. There were a few new trainees, but the rest were carrying on with their usual routines. John had transitioned from being the "old rookie" to a seasoned officer and was currently grappling with a career decision: whether to become a detective or remain on patrol and eventually train the next generation as a senior instructor.
Jack, however, didn't plan to recruit anyone from his old team for his new task force. After all, the unit's headquarters would be in New York, and with the East Coast so far from the West Coast, it didn't make sense to uproot his friends, most of whom were already settled or soon would be.
Moreover, the FBI's retirement age was 57, and agents needed 20 years of service to qualify for a pension. That meant the minimum recruitment age for FBI agents was 37, automatically ruling out John and Tim.
Angela Lopez and Lucy were age-eligible, with the former having ample experience and the latter being a sharp-minded academic. However, Jack had no intention of turning his task force into a female-dominated team, nor would they likely want to be separated from their husbands or boyfriends.
After leaving the police station, Jack returned to the BAU. There, he met a new face—a handsome Latino man named Luke Alvez. A muscular former Army Special Forces operative, he looked like someone who could handle himself well in a fight.
Luke was currently a trainee agent in the BAU and had to complete 560 hours of behavioral analysis training before officially becoming a profiler. Before joining the BAU, he had worked in multiple divisions, including Los Angeles's Most Wanted Unit. What caught Jack's attention, however, wasn't Luke's resume but his face—Jack vaguely remembered seeing this actor's counterpart in his previous life, possibly in CSI: Miami.
Jack arranged to meet Rossi at his house that evening, while scheduling a lunch gathering the next day at Wolf Brothers Farm with Reid, Emily, and Hotchner. Before leaving, Jack stopped by Garcia's office to chat about team gossip and then left with JJ.
After enjoying a dinner at an upscale restaurant near Santa Monica Beach, Jack noticed JJ's cold demeanor starting to thaw. Seizing the opportunity, he presented her with a meticulously prepared gift.
It was a platinum necklace encrusted with dozens of small diamonds, with a 16-carat star emerald set in the center. Under the restaurant's lighting, it sparkled brilliantly, exuding an irresistible allure.
The craftsmanship of Henry Reagan's recommended Irish jeweler was impeccable. Though the price had been astronomical, the piece was undoubtedly heirloom quality.
This was the most extravagant gift Jack had ever given in his two lifetimes. JJ, though not particularly knowledgeable about jewelry, was momentarily rendered speechless by its beauty.
"Oh my God, what on earth did you do in Mexico?" She quickly snapped the jewelry box shut and instinctively looked around to ensure no one had noticed, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
True to the kind of woman Jack admired, JJ's first reaction wasn't excitement but concern for his well-being. On the drive to Rossi's Beverly Hills mansion, Jack recounted his recent experiences in Mexico in detail.
Danger-wise, his time in Mexico had been less harrowing than some of his past missions, largely because most of the work relied on the combined power of the U.S. and Mexican governments.
However, when JJ heard about Jack trekking through tropical jungles alongside Navy SEALs for nearly 24 hours, she instinctively tightened her grip on his arm.
Having shared a similarly grueling experience on a Southeast Asian island, she was all too familiar with how punishing tropical jungles could be. Though Jack tried to downplay their final stand as a lone unit, JJ, being an FBI agent herself, couldn't fail to grasp the inherent risks involved.
When they finally arrived at Rossi's house, Jack parked the car in front of the villa. Yet neither of them immediately got out. It wasn't until a frustrated Rossi walked out to the car and knocked on the window that the two reluctantly broke apart from their kiss.
Rossi's irritation wasn't due to their public display of affection. It was because the moment he saw Jack arrive with JJ, he knew he was about to lose another valuable team member.
"You've already decided, haven't you?" Rossi asked as he poured two glasses of 20-year-old bourbon after dumping out the now-cold tea he had prepared.
Jack scratched his head sheepishly. "Of course not. That's why I came here specifically to seek your advice."
JJ, still unaware of what was happening, widened her eyes in suspicion. "Are you two keeping secrets from me?"
"Uh..." Jack hesitated, unsure how to explain. He had intended to discuss this with JJ on the way over, but their time had been consumed by other... distractions.
"I might not be able to return to Los Angeles for a while," Jack finally said. "And I'm hoping you'll come to New York with me."
As soon as the words left his mouth, before JJ could respond, Rossi let out a cold snort. He downed his bourbon in one gulp and slammed the glass heavily onto the table.
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I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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