video | un: s.reid

[doctoral]

Hi. I'm... Dr. Spencer Reid. At home, I work with the FBI as a behavioral analyst, or profiler. I'm trying to figure out what to... do with myself here.

[ Reid is a thin, young-looking man with too-wide eyes and nearly shoulder-length unkempt hair. That combined with the cardigan, tie, and lightly patterned button-up makes him look extremely dated. It's not hard to believe him as a federal employee by clothes alone, although his age is constantly remarked upon.

He doesn't sound uncertain about addressing the wider audience of the network-- although he is, and especially about using technology this way-- but he does sound like he's choosing his words with care, enunciating clearly and with even, unhurried pacing. ]

If there's anyone that currently works for the local police, I'd like to speak with you regarding whether you think there's a use for my skills in that environment. I have done field work, but I wouldn't say it's my strong suit. Otherwise I'm considering taking up teaching at the university. I've been a TA for undergraduate classes before, although I think I'm better suited to leading graduate-level seminars. If anyone currently takes classes there, it would be helpful to hear about your experiences.

... I also noticed they're looking for librarians at the public library. Uh. I don't think that alone would keep me... sufficiently occupied, but. I could do it.

I'd like to optimize my time here by putting my skills wherever they're most needed. So I'm open to other suggestions. And-- looking for a physical therapist. And possibly an orthopedist. Thank you.

[ It cuts off abruptly. Reid can do public speaking, but it's far from his favorite past time. ]

Comments

[evogirl]

Yeah.

[ He has no idea how true those words are. ]

But what if we really are? The last two people...I mean.

[doctoral]

I don't know. That's still up to you.

[ A beat. ]

Obviously I don't know him, or the case, but... At a guess? The power that he wants over you-- it's an illusion. He needs it to prove something to himself, but he'll never be truly satisfied. It's like a recovering addict. You can stay clean, but it doesn't mean you aren't always one hit away from being addicted again.

[ Speaking as a recovering addict, he can say that with authority. ]

The thing is, he can stay clean forever, but he has to do it himself. It can't be about you. You're his victim. That's not-- that's not your responsibility. And if he's pressuring you, that's not staying clean, that's just another way to exert power over you.

[ Reid didn't exactly mean to go off on a tirade about this, but this is literally his field and he has been a victim himself, in a different way, but still true. He knows how complicated this gets. He still wishes he could've saved Tobias Hankel, gotten him treatment. Tobias was a victim as much as Reid was his. But at the end of the day, he'd still rather Hankel was in the ground and he was walking around than the reverse. Hankel killed people. Almost killed him. There has to be a line somewhere, or he'll go insane. ]

[evogirl]

[ Up to her. She knows that. And yet it still doesn't seem that simple to her. Still, she appreciates the advice. Reid seems like a really nice guy. And it's kind of refreshing to have someone to talk to about all this. ]

I'm not. A victim, I mean. Not anymore. I refuse to be.

[ Claire can't let that define her. She has in the past and the anger she'd felt over it was overwhelming, it nearly consumed her. ]

He thinks...we're the same. But we're not. He has so much darkness.

[ Maybe he thinks Claire can save him, that she can be his redemption. But Claire's not sure she can carry that burden. ]

[doctoral]

Sure. I mean, yes. Absolutely. Inasmuch as victims are characterized as being passive bystanders to their own abuse, of course, but in his mind, to people like that, that's what you are. They can't-- see you past that.

If they could, they'd never hurt you in the first place. I just-- I don't know. I won't say it's impossible. But a serial killer who's trying to reform, he just, he doesn't track down people who've survived his crimes and tell them they're just like him.

[ Reid finally starts to look openly incredulous. ]

That's either sadistic or completely lacking in empathy.

[evogirl]

Yeah, he's...well, he's Sylar. You'd have to meet him. But you really don't want to.

But thank you, for the insight. I didn't really know how to process everything.

[ And Reid's helped her, more than he knows. ]

[doctoral]

[ Sylar. He's definitely going to remember that name, although he assumes it's unlikely he'd show up here. ]

I don't know how much help I can be, [ he says, unknowingly ironic, ] but I can listen. If you need to talk again. Or just want to ask me questions about serial killers. [ His tone shifts lighter, half making a joke. ] I'm like a macabre encyclopedia.

[evogirl]

I think I want to see about taking your class, to be honest. If that's what you decide to do.

[doctoral]

Oh, that's-- [ Flattering. ] Nice. I would like that.

Yeah, I think I probably will.

[evogirl]

I think you could do a lot of good.

[doctoral]

I'm not disagreeing, but can I ask why you think that?

[ He can come up with his own hypotheses, but he genuinely is interested in her viewpoint. ]

[evogirl]

Because I feel like you've already helped me after one conversation.

[doctoral]

... Thanks.

[ That really means something to him. There's a corresponding hesitance before he speaks again. ]

The class will be more academic than that, but-- sometimes just treating them as people like anyone else helps take some of it away.

[evogirl]

Well, I'm definitely interested in learning more.

[doctoral]

Then I guess I'll see you there.