Reid was standing at the whiteboard writing down names on a timeline of CIA agents concerning Charles' safe house when Garcia noticed Reid's phone vibrate on the table. "Reid, you have a text."
"I'll check it in a minute," he replied while writing down another name.
Garcia glanced at the phone, then picked it up. "Um, this looks like it might be something. Unless this is how you normally text each other, but I have a sinking feeling that this isn't your typical short-hand."
"What does it say?" Reid asked as he turned around.
Garcia looked back down at the screen. "GGB-Red."
Reid dropped the marker from his hand. "I have to go."
"Alex," Charles said.
"Wait, Reid," Hotch called out as he stood up from the table. "What does that mean?"
"We have a code word for when something has gone wrong."
"I remember that," JJ said. "Golden Gate Bridge, right?"
"So, what's red mean?" Morgan asked.
"That means it's bad," Reid replied.
"I'm coming, too," Hugh said.
"And me." Charles stood behind Hugh.
"No, you can't. It would be best if you stayed here. We just went through all of this to find you. I have to keep you safe now."
Hotch walked around the table closer to Charles. "He's right. You stay here and help the team. Prentiss and I will go with Reid and Hugh."
"I could help," Charles protested.
"Morgan," Hotch said with a raised eyebrow.
"Come on, man. There's plenty you can help us do right now," Morgan said motioning toward the papers.
Charles stared at the door as he walked back to his seat. He conceded, sat down, then flipped open another file.
Hotch stepped out of the SUV and pulled his Glock from the holster. "Reid, are you sure you are good to go in there?"
"Yes."
"Okay, Prentiss and Hugh, you go through the back; Reid and I will go through the front." Hotch stopped at the front door and gently touched his hand to the knob, and began to turn it. He looked to Reid, who gave him a nod then they entered the house.
Reid could hear a noise in his kitchen and started toward the door. He looked to Hotch then they both moved in.
"It's about time," Alex said while seated at the kitchen table.
Reid looked to the opposite side of the kitchen to see four bodies on the ground. "Who are they?"
"I'm not sure, but they were trying to kill us."
Hugh and Prentiss opened the back door. Prentiss holstered her weapon with a puzzled look. "Looks like you're having a party."
"We were just about to have some tea. Care for a cup?" Roman asked the room.
"Most emphatically." Hugh sat down across from Roman. "What kind?"
"I brought some PG Tips with me. Proper tea," Roman said as he poured the brew into the cup.
Hugh brought the cup to his lips and inhaled the aroma. "I miss home."
"Any biscuits in the larder?" Roman asked. "I've been dying for a jammie dodger."
"Alex," Hotch said, then walked into the living room. "Considering where we are with Charles and his current predicament with the CIA, I don't want to officially be working together. However, I can't promise it will remain off the books for long.
"I understand and appreciate the position that you are in. I have already called my superior, and he will be by shortly with a team. I am not mentioning Charles, only what happened."
"And what did happen?"
"I was about to leave and head back to the BAU when I could tell someone else was in the house. Paul and I both went into the kitchen, where we apparently took them by surprise. They pulled their weapons, but we shot first."
"Do you recognize them? Know what they want?" Hotch asked.
"I have no idea. I couldn't even begin to speculate if it is related to Charles or not. But you know that Spencer and I do have enemies."
Alex and Hotch returned to the kitchen, where everyone was seated at the table, enjoying a cup of tea.
Roman poured a fresh cup for Alex then placed the teapot back on the trivet. "I find that a soothing cup is most beneficial after a quarrel."
"You consider this to be a quarrel?" Prentiss questioned.
"Well, it is more than a simple row then, isn't it?" Roman asked as he took a sip of tea.
Alex got up as she heard the doorbell and let in a team of CIA employees. "Officer Marcus, I am Officer Kiefer. I will be leading this investigation."
"Oh, I was under the impression that Blanco was," Alex said, a bit taken aback.
"No, you were misinformed." She stepped into the house and waved for the team to search the house.
Alex was a bit startled by their actions. "They can be found in my kitchen." Alex pointed her hand toward the other room.
"They will be able to find them when they have completed their search."
"Is there something, in particular, you are looking for?"
"Just being thorough. Please tell me, in your own words, what took place here today."
Alex explained the situation to Kiefer then followed as she spearheaded her way into the kitchen. "Who are all these people?" She waved her hand toward the table.
"This is my husband, Spencer Reid—"
"Ah, yes. The one who ditched the CIA for the FBI. I know all about you," she said with a squint. "What about the rest of you?"
"I am Special Agent Aaron Hotchner of the BAU, and this is Special Agent Prentiss. We were with Reid when he received word that an incident had taken place at his home, and we came to offer our support."
Kiefer flipped open another page on her notebook and scribbled the details down. "Special Agent Hotchner of the FBI, are you in the habit of butting-in on cases that are out of your jurisdiction?"
Hotch knitted his eyebrows and tilted his head as he looked at her. "No, ma'am."
"That's good. You stay out of my way, and I will stay out of yours. Do we understand each other?"
Hotch slowly tilted his head to the other side. "Absolutely."
"And what about you two?" Kiefer pointed her finger between Roman and Hugh.
Hugh sat upright in his chair. "I'm Hugh Barlow, and I am a friend of the family."
"I am too; only I am Paul Roman."
She looked back to Roman. "Are you also in the FBI?"
"No, ma'am."
Kiefer slapped her notebook shut and slid it back into her pocket. "Well, I have been assigned to this case because we have noticed a trend involving the two of you and your affiliation with the FBI. There is too much coloring out of the lines going on around here, and I am going to put an end to it. This is no longer the Alex and Spencer show. The CIA will no longer clean up your messes or turn a blind eye while you run off half-cocked on some crazy adventure."
"Surely there has been some kind of misunderstanding," Alex said, taking a step forward.
"Tell me, Officer Marcus, why were you in England a few days ago?"
"I took some personal time and went to see my friends, Hugh and Paul." She pointed to them as they continued to drink their tea at the table.
"And how did you return to the states?"
"In my plane," Roman said.
"Your plane?" Kiefer asked. "Well, that was thoughtful of you. And on your way back home, you decided to fly across the country and make a pitstop in San Francisco?"
Alex clenched her fists. "As I said, I had personal time. We wanted to go to San Francisco for a day. I followed protocol. I reported leaving the country and my return. What I do on my personal time is just that… personal."
"Mhmm." She glanced at the bodies then back to the group. "I expect to see you, you, and you in the office within an hour to give your official statements," she said to Alex, Reid, and Roman. "Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, I will be in touch with you down the line." She turned and pushed through the door and quickly exited the house.
Prentiss looked at the group around the table with her mouth gaped open.
"What the hell was that all about?" Hugh asked. "Has she been riding you about something?"
Reid looked to everyone with a raised eyebrow. "We never met her until today."
"She is after something," Hotch said. "You better watch your backs."
Alex thought for a moment, then stepped forward. "No more discussion about our friend unless we are in a secure location. I am not going to take any chances."
Hotch returned to Quantico where he had a meeting with Strauss. "I need to bring some information to your attention," he said. He filled her in with the details of the shooting at Alex's but omitted the search for Charles and the possibility that there is any chance of a connection to Reid's old team.
Strauss scowled at Hotch hearing about the shooting at Reid's house with Alex then suddenly her face changed to shock. "Officer Keifer? She was there? She is a royal pain in the ass."
"Are you familiar with her?" Hotch questioned.
"Yes, we worked together on a joint task force many years back. All I can say is if you had the opportunity to ruffle her feathers then I am just saddened that I wasn't able to witness it first-hand. Please let me know if you have any additional run-ins with her in the future."
Hotch furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Will do."