บท 219: Chapter 219: Flying to Singapore
For Jack, writing reports was still a minor issue. He wasn't particularly familiar with the bureaucratic language, but some things were ingrained in his genes. By following a few templates and practicing a bit, he quickly became proficient.
The real headache was the assignments from Professor Cahill and Rossi. Various papers and case analyses required him to write tens of thousands of words each week, accompanied by a plethora of references.
This wasn't the kind of paper an undergraduate could slap together. Psychology was too niche; the two seasoned experts didn't need a computer to check for plagiarism. A glance was enough to know if he was bluffing.
As his studies progressed, Jack had to read more and more books, and the content became increasingly complex. His scope of study expanded from behavioral research to cognitive neuroscience, a field at the forefront of science.
Many concepts were no longer limited to questionnaire-based research but entered the realms of natural and even engineering sciences.
Maureen had profound expertise in cognitive neuroscience. Strictly speaking, her true specialty wasn't sitting in an office providing psychological counseling, but rather tinkering with instruments in a lab studying the human brain.
In recent years, however, she had gradually shifted from these cutting-edge areas to her greater interest in social and humanistic directions. Nowadays, studying the psychology of politicians was her biggest hobby.
Of course, as Jack's graduate advisor, Maureen's expertise was still more than sufficient.
Rossi's research was more practical, unrelated to Jack's degree. Whether it was psychological profiling, behavioral analysis, or micro-expression interpretation, these were niche areas within the already niche field of psychology.
His teaching approach to Jack was more traditional, akin to an apprenticeship, almost like a lifelong father figure.
Of course, if Jack were to evaluate himself, he'd probably consider himself a close disciple. Reid could be seen as a senior fellow apprentice, and his teacher Jason Gideon's relationship with Reid was almost that of a true mentor and father.
The heavy coursework almost entirely occupied Jack's free time. Well, not exactly, since he had four to five more hours a day than a normal person and could enter a state of high concentration at any time. His work and study efficiency were astonishing.
So, he still had time to practice wood carving and cook. He would also wander around the 12th floor every day, teasing Hannah and enjoying delicious lunches and afternoon tea snacks together.
Of course, he also took the opportunity to bribe Hannah's colleagues. Soon, even the young FBI agents who resented him joined in, no longer making snide remarks about how the senior agents upstairs were too idle. Everyone knew that joining the BAU was like taking a fast track to becoming a senior agent.
Jack didn't forget about his own people either. Every day for a whole week, Garcia received two panda-shaped milk puddings, each the size of a fist.
This made her both love and hate him. How could anyone eat something so cute?
Jack had perfectly replicated the appearance of the panda star, Huahua Princess, down to the pointed mouth and the little white socks on the right foot.
He hoped his butterfly effect wouldn't reach Ceris. By early July, Huahua and her troublemaking twin brother Heye should be born.
Jack didn't break his promise to Reid either. However, watching Reid eat milk chocolate mousse while eyeing Garcia's panda pudding with envy was exasperating.
The attitudes of the two other women in the group were interesting. After JJ returned, she treated Jack with cold indifference. Their previous kiss and the subsequent false play felt like a Pandora's box that, once opened, couldn't be fully closed.
It seemed shut, but something had already escaped.
Emily, on the other hand, seemed to have found a new anthropology specimen. Sometimes Jack couldn't tell if she was gossiping or genuinely studying his relationships with the two girls upstairs and downstairs.
As for Jack himself, he preferred to let things take their course. He wasn't good at handling such matters, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. If he didn't take the initiative, he couldn't be considered a scoundrel, right?
After all, he was more like Tang Sanzang's flesh than a moth to a flame.
A week later, the aftermath of the shooting had completely subsided. The serial rape case in Nevada had entered the federal judicial process. Hotchner had fully adapted to his role, efficiently performing his administrative duties.
Due to his cumbersome administrative work, Rossi took on some of it, giving Hotchner more time to spend with his pregnant wife.
One day, Jack was called into Rossi's office. He thought he might receive new assignments or some documents Rossi didn't want to deal with.
Instead, he was told to prepare for a business trip. An international psychology conference, held every four years, was to take place in Singapore, lasting five days.
This conference was usually attended by Jason Gideon on behalf of the BAU, but Gideon had left the BAU and returned to academia. Rossi had returned but had no time to go.
Reid wanted to go, but he was busy with his mother's transfer.
Reid's mother, Diana, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. She had been a professor specializing in 15th-century literature but stopped taking her medication during pregnancy to protect Reid. By the time Reid was 18, Diana's condition had deteriorated, and she could no longer take care of herself, forcing Reid to place her in a nursing home. For six years, he couldn't bring himself to visit her.
Jack had even beaten up Reid over this matter, right in the FBI gym's boxing ring, until he cried and confessed his deepest fears.
Reid was terrified that his mother's mental illness might be genetically inherited by him.
Jack, dragging Reid by the ear, pointed to himself and used his own experiences to teach him a lesson about filial piety.
This incident brought tears to Jack's eyes, not because of any special feelings towards his original parents who died in a fire, but because it reminded him of his parents before he transmigrated.
He had once resisted the excruciating pain in his head and the system's repeated warnings, dialing the familiar landline number from memory, just to hear a familiar "Hello?"
But the only response was an automated voice message: "Sorry, the number you dialed is no longer in service."
That was probably the only time Jack had thought about ending his life.
Beating up Reid happened two days ago. Afterward, he dragged Reid to Rossi for help in finding a nursing home for Diana near Los Angeles, then kicked him off to Nevada.
Reid wasn't entirely heartless. Jack learned about his mother's situation because her previous nursing home was in Nevada. Reid often wrote to her but couldn't muster the courage to visit.
Maybe the trip to Nevada gave Reid some thoughts. This guy foolishly asked Jack to visit Bennington Nursing Home for him, earning another beating.
But Jack believed that deep down, Reid wanted someone to give him a push, and he chose a better way to help.
Ultimately, Jack ended up having to go to Singapore with JJ, the BAU liaison officer.
My brain is about to burn out, so I wrote a bit more. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
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