Thank you all reviewers. Hope you enjoy the new chapter.
Don't own Criminal Minds
The team began to gather their files together as Tanner and Hotch left the room to discuss the particulars on how they would be set up down in Florida.
"Morgan?" Reid asked as the older agent picked up his now empty cup of coffee.
"What is it, kid?"
"…do you think JJ or Rossi are going to be back in time from L.A. to join the case?"
"Garcia said she would get them up to speed and shipped out as soon as they got back…you should know this, we were in the same briefing."
Reid fidgeted, something that he did more so when he was nervous or thinking hard. "I know…it's just…" He frowned and shook his head as if a voice was speaking to him that Morgan couldn't hear.
"Never mind, I just remembered I have to get Hotch to sign something before we go…"
He hurried out of the room before Morgan could get a word in edgewise to slow him down. He took the stairs down into the bullpen with an awkward speed that only Reid could use as he left the area without a word to anyone else, including Hotch.
Morgan watched him go before shrugging to himself. Reid was filled with weird quirks and didn't always do well around new people. Morgan chalked it up to having a stranger in their usually team member's only briefing. And while Morgan thought that it was weird to have another agent doing the briefing, he figured it had something to do with inter-office politics that he'd rather let Hotch handle.
Morgan stepped outside of the round table room and glanced over at Hotch's office. The Unit Chief was speaking to Agent Tanner with a more serious look on his face than Morgan had noticed in the briefing, frowning he stepped down the same stairs that Reid had escaped on and walked over to Prentiss.
"So, what do you think?" He asked, casually leaning against the female agent's desk.
"About?" Prentiss answered as she went over her go bag.
"That agent from Florida, Tanner."
Prentiss smiled mischievously, "I can tell you right now that if we're talking about myths, Adonis comes to mind."
"…you mean the man who was so vain he was cursed by the gods?"
"Well, the good looking part at least." She gave Morgan an exasperated look, "I don't know him at all but he has to be dedicated to fly all the way up here to give us a case he could have just mailed. Is something bothering you about him?"
Morgan gave her a grin, "Nah, just getting a feel for things."
Prentiss shook her head, letting her dark hair swish around as she settled up with her go bag. "Where's Reid?"
Morgan had gone around the other sets of desks to his own to grab his own bag in preparation for the trip, "He took off like a bat outta hell after the meeting. Probably went to go get candy."
"Oh, I hope he gets Rolos."
Now it was Morgan's turn to give her an exasperated look to which Prentiss elbowed him playfully, "A girl has needs, Morgan. Don't forget it."
Morgan laughed and held up his hands in the air in mock defeat, "Garcia reminds me everyday, Prentiss, thanks."
SSA Hotchner walked out of his office, his face set in its usual stony way with a much more downcast Agent Tanner following him closely.
"Wheels up in thirty." Hotch said curtly to his team, his dark eyes moving around the room until he noticed the young doctor was not there, "Morgan, find Reid. The last thing I want is for him to miss the plane."
"Got it, boss."
Reid had never noticed how small the private jet they used to fly across the country was until he found himself trying to sit anywhere but in the vicinity of Agent Tanner. He wasn't sure what made him so uneasy about the other man since, of course, the event with the coffee was just an isolated incident and didn't necessarily reflect on how Tanner would always react to Reid. The young agent simply felt that he had burned some sort of bridge with Tanner and wasn't about to attempt to build another one just yet. Something about Tanner reminded him of his past, maybe it was the way he acted, like a bully Reid had when he was kid or maybe it was something more recent? Either way Reid knew where his focus should be and when he saw Morgan lay down on the extended couch he resigned himself to taking the seat directly across from Tanner.
Reid tugged at the strap of his messenger bag for a few moments, avoiding Tanner's intense stare until he finally forced himself to clear his throat and start a conversation.
"So…you think the unsub is working with a FBI agent?"
Tanner raised an eyebrow at Reid and even the socially awkward doctor could tell he was holding back an eye roll. "That's what I said in the briefing."
"Well I just find it odd that you're being so open about it. Statistics point that most agencies prefer to settle these sorts of problems 'in house' and while…"
"You're implying that I would allow more people to die just so I could save face with the public?"
Reid looked a bit taken aback and he shook his head earnestly, "No, not that at all I was just saying-"
"Reid." Hotch appeared over the seat the doctor was sitting in, "Garcia has something for you."
Reid wasted no time in pushing himself out of the seat and taking off to the other side of the plane to check in with Garcia, who was chatting happily with Derek Morgan over a video link.
"Hey Garcia, what did you have?"
Garcia's face held a confused expression for a moment and she cast a glance at Morgan from the laptop screen.
"Besides a desire to see you in swimwear? Nothing, sweet cheeks." She chirped before logging off and letting the window go back to the FBI symbol.
"Hotch said…" Reid trailed off and folded his arms across his thin frame. Morgan sat up and allowed his friend to sit down.
"Never mind what Hotch said. We're almost there anyway. You ready for the Miami heat? Maybe after the case we can take a few days and see the beaches?"
Reid glanced at Morgan, "You know that the sand in the beaches is-"
Once again Reid found himself interrupted by a member of his team, "Kid, don't ruin beaches for me, please."
Reid gave Morgan a shy smile before prompting his friend into a game of cards.
They landed in Florida just as the sun hit its highest point for the day. The weather outside looked completely inviting to Prentiss and Morgan, who were talking in quiet hushes about what they would do on vacation as they exited the plane. Hotch frowned but said nothing to deter what they were saying. He knew that they would get down to business when it became necessary.
"My team should have the SUVs outside and ready on the tarmac." Tanner called as he watched Hotch leave the plane as well, leaving himself and Reid alone.
"You coming, Doc?"
The familiarity of his tone gave Reid heart that his earlier 'mistake' was probably forgiven and that Tanner was completely ready to move on and give him another chance. He gave the blond agent a smile as he shouldered his messenger bag.
"Yeah." Reid ducked his head as he left the plane and started down the stairs, listening to Agent Tanner following close behind him.
There were two black government issued SUVs parked near the plane with two new agents standing near the passenger doors.
"Morgan, Prentiss go with Tanner to the latest crime scene. Reid and I will head to the office and start things from there."
The FBI agents nodded their understandings and went off to sit in the appropriate vehicles. Reid allowed Hotch to take the front passenger seat as the nameless FBI agent slid back into the SUV, starting it up with a slight grimace from the heat.
"Hope you guys like baking…" The agent joked as he worked on turning up the a/c.
"We're fine." Hotch said curtly and Reid didn't say anything to counter him. The driver nodded, figuring that Hotch wasn't the type who wanted to make small talk and began to drive the car to the FBI office that was only a few miles away.
"Man, am I glad you guys are here…" Clearly the curtness of Hotch's earlier reply was not even to prevent the driver from speaking again during the trip. "I've heard stories you know? About the cases you guys have done."
"Really?" Reid sounded a bit surprised; he didn't think that their cases were water cooler chatter material.
"Oh yeah, Agent Tanner talks about the BAU all the time."
"He does?" Reid's brown eyes flickered towards Hotch, who seemed dead set against joining the conversation.
"Yes sir." The driver responded, looking at Reid in the rearview mirror.
Reid settled back against the seat, pondering the new information as any good profiler would. His eyes went downcast as he thought deeply, missing the fact that it was now Hotch that was watching him with curiosity in the rear view mirror altogether.
They continued to ride in silence for some time as they approached the FBI building at an almost casual speed.
"Here we are." The agent announced as he pulled into the officials only parking area. "Agent Tanner has you guys set up on the second floor. Just wait for Agent McCoy."
Reid muttered a thank you for the ride as Hotch shook the agent's hand before stepping out of the vehicle.
"Hey Hotch…" Reid started as they headed into the thankfully air conditioned building. Hotchner looked back at his young team member with a look on his face that indicated he was listening. Reid opened his mouth to speak when they were ambushed by an extremely tall agent. The man was close to six seven and he towered over the two BAU workers easily.
"You must be from the BAU. I'm Conner McCoy." He said happily, holding out his hand for a greeting.
"Yes, I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner and this is Doctor Spencer Reid."
A flash of recognition went through McCoy's dark eyes at Reid's introduction. "Alright then, nice to meet you both. Let's get you settled in."
Hotch nodded and followed McCoy towards the elevators as Reid stood still for a moment. Something was beginning to worry him about this case and for once it wasn't just the unsub.
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