The BAU team had been getting into more arguments since Strauss fired Reid. Hotch assembled them all together because he had some news. They all sat around in the boardroom. Hotch stood at the front with JJ.
"Another case already? We only just solved the last one a few hours ago!" Prentiss exclaimed. The serious look on Hotch's face implied the severity of the case so JJ sat down with the others and put her files on the table.
"Reid's gone missing. He's stopped the video chats with Garcia; she received the last one from him five hours ago" Hotch explained. Everyone was horrified.
"What do you mean 'gone missing'? He can't have! Why were his video chats with Garcia so important that five hours means he's missing?" Morgan asked.
"He was on an undercover mission that only Garcia and I knew about."
"Was? So, it ended and Spence was done?" JJ enquired. The team were fully attentive.
"He is still undercover as a patient in a psychiatric hospital where people are dying suspiciously. Three deaths in two weeks. These patients don't just up and die like that."
"Hotch, why didn't you tell any of us? We're a team. A family – you can't just put one of us at risk and not let us in on it. So, Strauss didn't really fire Reid?" Rossi asked.
"Yes, Strauss has fired him, but he was needed for this case and we didn't tell you because Strauss could fire anyone who knows of the unauthorised mission if she discovers it."
"Baby Girl, you knew about this and didn't tell me? How could you keep it from us, Penelope?" Morgan turned to Garcia who was in tears by this point.
"Derek, I didn't mean... I, I wanted to but I couldn't. I'm sorry" she burst into more tears and Emily comforted her.
"Morgan, don't take it out on her. I ordered her not to say anything because it could jeopardise Reid's safety."
"Jeopardise his safety? Hotch, you know I respect your decisions, but he's already in danger!" Morgan stormed out. Silence filled the room. They all looked glumly around at each other.
"Hotch, when are we leaving to go find him?" Rossi asked.
"It's not as straightforward as our other cases. We've moved state to state, but Reid's in England."
"WHAT?" the entire team was in shock, but because he just left, Morgan didn't know. Who would tell him that Reid wasn't even in America anymore? What had really happened to Reid? Where was he? What were the BAU going to have to do to look for Reid?