Parker quietly approached Reid's apartment and knocked on the door even though he knew that no one would answer. He looked both ways down the hallway then let himself in.
He first checked every room to make sure that no one was there. Parker then went to work with his objective. He threw off the sofa cushions, ransacked the bedroom, turned tables and chairs upside down. "It has to be here somewhere." He continued to tear the place apart as he pulled the books from the shelves and threw them onto the floor.
He turned around gazing at the mess; that only made him more frustrated and desperate. He looked up to the top shelf of books and pulled them off and opened them searching for a secret compartment. Parker reached up for another book when he noticed that it wasn't one. He looked down at the wooden box in his hand. He shook it and could hear items rattling inside. "I found it."
Parker went to leave the apartment and knocked down table lamp just because he could. He closed the door leaving chaos behind.
Alex felt the cold air brush across her as the cabin door opened followed by the sound of a cocking handgun. She had hoped for a moment that she was saved until it became clear that things just got a whole lot worse.
"What the hell are you doing?" Hank demanded to know as he pointed his weapon at Jake.
Jake pulled his pistol from the back of his waistband and pushed it under Alex's chin. "You want her to talk. I will get her to talk. My way!"
"That's not how I work. I am running this operation, not you! Now back off!" Hank ordered.
Alex focused on Jake's eyes and have seen that look before. She knew what will happen and tried to figure out a way to not get in the crossfire.
"You know what?" Jake yelled out. "I am tired of listening to you and taking your shit! If we did this my way we would have had the money by now. Instead we are wasting our time doing things your way!" Jake moved his gun from under Alex's chin and turned to point it at Hank but it was too late. Hank fired off two shots that went directly into Jake's chest.
Alex pushed herself away and rolled on the floor in front of the fireplace. Jake squeezed his trigger and a bullet went right past Alex and ricocheted off of one of the bricks then landed on the floor. She looked up and noticed the gouge in the brick from Jake's bullet. She let out a sigh of relief then began to chuckle to herself as she stared at that brick.
"I think she might be cracking." Ron whispered to Hank.
"Take our friend outside and let him cool off in the snow. We still have more work to do." Hank stepped over Jake's dead body to Alex and picked her up.
Alex wasn't sure if she should be grateful to Hank for coming in when he did. He held her up in front of him. If she didn't know any better she would think that he would apologize to her but he didn't. "Why don't you save yourself the pain of us continuing by telling me what I want to know? Where is the money?"
"Do what you want to me, you're never going to find it!" She spouted confidently.
"Well I am glad to have your permission for what we are going to do next." He escorted her to the dining table chair. Hank went to the fireplace and picked up the iron poker that had been sitting in the flames. He held up the red-hot metal and pointed it toward her. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider telling me where the money is?"
Hotch and Reid, with their glocks in hand, steadily approached the cabin. "Wait." Reid stopped as an SUV drove up. The two men ducked down below the brush. They watched as Parker got out of the vehicle and entered into the cabin.
"We are going to need back up." Hotch announced as he pulled out his phone and dialed Garcia. "We located Parker, please let the rest of the team know. Also contact the Sheriff's office, we will need their help."
"I will turn on the Bat Signal to your coordinates. Over and out." Garcia hung up.
Parker entered the cabin and approached Alex. He placed the box he took from Reid's place down on the table in front of her. "Do you remember this?"
Alex looked down to the box then back up at him. "I have never seen that before."
"It's funny that you should say that since it was found in your personal affects at the CIA office when you were arrested. Reid said that he would keep ahold of it for you. It must have been something really important if the man you betrayed would do that for you." Parker sneered.
"Where did you get it?" Alex asked.
"Spencer gave it to me. He said that he no longer needed to hold onto it anymore."
Alex wasn't sure if she was able to believe him or not. She didn't know what was fact or fiction anymore.
"Do you know what this is?" He asked.
"It's a puzzle box. You need to solve it to be able to open it."
"You are going to do that for me." Parker smirked.
"Let's just say that I was able or willing to get this open for you. There is still a lock that you will need a key for."
"Like this?" Hank dangled the locket containing the key that was her Christmas gift.
Alex scoffed. "Do you think millions of dollars are sitting in this small box? I think your cheese has slipped off your cracker." She chuckled to herself.
"Don't make me use this." Parker held up the poker.
Alex sat up straight. "Look, that box isn't mine. That key wasn't even from Harris Knight. You are unraveling and don't even know it. You are so fixated on this money that you can't even see straight. You are getting sloppy, Parker."
"You are going to open this." He slid it to her.
"No." She slid it back.
"It wasn't a request." He grabbed the poker showing the burning red tip and held it up to her. "You are going to open it and show me what Reid has been keeping safe for all these years!"
"What is that?" Reid asked pointing to a hand sticking out of the snow alongside the cabin. He then charged down the hill toward the building.
"Reid!" Hotch quietly called out.
Reid creeped toward the body, hoping that it wasn't Alex. As he got closer, he noticed the blue-toned body of a man who was shot twice in the chest. He turned to Hotch and shook his head.
Hotch made his way through the snow down to Reid. "I am going to check out the vehicles and see if there is a back entrance. See if you can take a look inside. We need the best strategy for when everyone gets here."
Reid agreed as the two split up. He noticed a small window and after slowly pulling himself up he saw Alex tied to a chair with Parker holding a hot-poker threatening her with it. He had to refrain from breaking through the glass.
Hotch covertly approached the SUV and was unable to look through the black tinted windows. He hunched over as he put his hand on the driver's side door handle. The car door opened and hit Hotch square in the head, knocking him backwards.
Reid saw Hotch hit the ground. His eyes narrowed and focused on what needed to get done. He ducted down and scurried behind the vehicle, remaining unnoticed. He stayed crouched down as he watched.
Parker's driver stepped out of the car and stared down at Hotch's unconscious body. He noticed something under his jacket, started to unzip to reveal his FBI Kevlar vest. He was about to call out to alert everyone inside when Reid threw a knife directly into his neck. Blood poured from his mouth as he fell over.
Reid ran up alongside the vehicle to Hotch's side. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked but he didn't respond. Reid grabbed him by the shoulders and leaned him upright against the car. "Let's hope they don't come out here looking for this guy." Reid said as he focused on the cabin. "You wait here, the team will be here soon. I am going to find out what is going on inside." He tapped Hotch on the shoulder and headed up to the door.
Reid snuck up to the cabin and listened. He then heard a torturous scream coming from Alex and busted through the door.