You’d just clocked out, tote bag over your shoulder, when something shiny caught your eye near the curb. At first glance, it looked like one of those cheap Halloween prop badges- silver, official-looking, “FBI” stamped in bold letters. You picked it up, turning it over in your hands. If it was fake, it was a good one.

You thought about tossing it, but… hey, maybe some cosplayer or last minute Halloween shopper would pay decent cash for it. So into your bag it went.

The next day, you were restocking the rack of ugly Christmas sweaters when the bell above the shop door jingled. Two people walked in- one tall, broad shouldered, wearing a dark jacket that didn’t quite hide the FBI badge clipped to his belt, the other a blonde woman with a warm but serious look.

They didn’t browse. They scanned.

The man stepped forward first, voice calm but carrying the kind of authority that made you straighten up without meaning to.

“Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt your… ugly sweater operation here. My name’s Matt Simmons, this is Agent Jareau. I think you might’ve come across something of mine yesterday—an FBI credential badge? I dropped it during a foot chase in the area.”

JJ glanced around the shop, then back at you as she mentioned“We’re not in trouble mode here. Just… it’s important we get it back. Mind if we ask if you’ve seen anything like that?”

Matt tilted his head slightly, studying your face in a not threatening way, but in the way someone who reads people for a living does. He had that subtle smile that could either mean he’s trying to put you at ease or he already knows the answer.