Chapter 6

SACREMENTO

The van pulled up into the lab's parking lot and stopped just outside the back doors.

"Let's go, Parker, Hotch, Ziva, come on." Spencer said as the four of them got out of the van. "Where are you going?" he asked Ashley as she was about to get out also.

"I'm going with you," Ashley replied, confused.

"No," Spencer said as he shut the door in Ashley's face.

"Oh, no, no don't leave me with these guys!"

Spencer picked the door and the four drifters went inside the building.

"Alright, start." Shawn said to Eliot who was in the driver's seat.

"I got one." Eliot said.

"You're thinking of one?"

"No, I've already got one."

"So you're thinking of one?"

"NO, I'm done! I have it."

"Are you a man?" Shawn asked.

"Yes, 19."

"Are you alive?"

"Yes, 18."

"Evel Kenievel." Eliot cursed and Shawn laughed as they continued to play games that Ashley knew would eventually turn into a fighting match and when that happened, he promptly left the building. But as she was going in, the others were coming out of another door and when they were ready the van proceeded to drive away.

"Alright," said Hotch. "We're gonna need a bunch of car batteries…"

"Where's Ashley?" Spencer asked.

"What?"

"Where's Ashley?"

The van made a sudden stop as Hotch, Parker, Spencer & Ziva opened the side door and looked behind them at the building. They saw Ashley running from the security guards. "There she is." Spencer said.

"Oh, would you look at this dimwit," Ziva groaned.

"She looks like a desperate Packman running away from a bunch of hungry ghosts," Parker observed. Everyone just looked at her.

"Should someone help her?" Shawn asked.

"Great idea, Shawn," Hotch said sarcastically, "let's help her so we can all get caught."

There was a sudden crash as Ashley came out of the broken window.

"Back it up," Spencer said as he closed the door. When they got close enough, Ashley jumped onto the roof of the car. Parker and Ziva opened the rear door for her to get in but she rolled off the hood and got in the side door as the van took off.

"You stupid bastard!" Hotch screamed as Parker tried to close the doors. The van made a sudden sharp turn and the door smashed into Parker's fingers and she screamed. Ziva and Hotch immediately rushed to the girl's side.

"I say stay in the van, you stay in the van, got it?!" Spencer scolded Ashley.

"I got it." Ashley replied.

"You lose focus in this game for one second and…"

"I said I got it, okay!"

"Oh, God it hurts like Hades!" Parker cried. Ziva and Hotch tried to comfort her but she kept crying and muttering German phrases.

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"Where are they?" Rossi asked as he paced the hotel room. "That's what I want to know; where the hell are they?!"

"They will be here, David," Gideon said from his place on the couch in front of the TV.

"They will be here, David," Rossi mocked. He rolled his eyes as he continued to pace. Even a Don's patience could wear thin.

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The white van pulled in front of the Bellagio and Spencer and Ashley got out and walked toward Gatsby who was eating ice cream. They didn't say a word to each other.

"You guys had a nice trip?" Gatsby asked as they got into the elevator. They said nothing and she sighed. This was why she didn't like to talk unless it was necessary. They got off the elevator only to be face to face with Garcia.

"We got a problem," she said. "You've been red-flagged," she told Spencer who was now sitting at the bar counter and looking at a piece of paper. "It means the moment you set foot on that casino floor, they'll be watching you. Like hawks…hawks with video cameras."

"That's a problem," Spencer said as he handed Gatsby the sheet.

"Gideon, turn that off, will you?" Gatsby asked.

"I'll turn it off when I'm ready to…"

"GIDEON!" Gatsby yelled, which surprised Gideon. Gatsby was never one to be that way.

"Alright, it's off, it's off." Gideon turned off the television and got up.

"Any idea how this happened?" Gatsby asked Spencer.

"No," Spencer replied.

"Oh, please," Ashley retorted and everyone looked at her. "He's been chasing Doyle's girl. The two of them got into an argument two nights ago. She looked at Spencer. "I was tailing you."

"And who told you to do that?" Spencer asked angrily.

"I did," Gatsby said as she looked at Spencer. "I was concerned that you couldn't leave Emily alone."

Penelope gasped. "Oh my God, Emily Prentiss?!"

"Who's Emily?" Rossi asked from the couch.

"My wife," Spencer replied and Rossi's eyes bugged out. How did he not know that about his godson? Emily Prentiss was the daughter of a well-known American Ambassador.

"Ex-wife," Gatsby pointedly corrected.

"Emily is here?" Gideon asked.

"I'm sorry," Gatsby said. "I didn't think it'll sting you but it did. You're out, Spencer."

"He's out?!" Rossi asked incredulously.

"It's either that or we call the whole thing off. His involvement puts us all at risk."

"This is not your call," Spencer said heatedly.

"You made it my call," Gatsby said. She didn't like to talk much but she would have to now since Spencer was out of the picture. "When you put her before us, you made it mine."

"This is my job!"

"Not anymore."

"Wait, wait, wait; he just can't be out," Rossi said. "Who's going to trigger the vault?"

Gatsby looked at Ashley. "Kid, you're up for it?" she asked.

Ashley looked taken aback to being called a kid but she did want the job. Spencer glared at Ashley, which she tried to ignore.

"I can do it," Ashley replied shakily.

"Done," Gatsby said, frustrated with the whole thing. "Locate the others, let them know the change in plans. Curtain goes up in seven."

"Emily is with Doyle now?" Gideon asked. "She's too tall for him." Spencer rolled his eyes and sighed.

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Ian Doyle was on the phone in his suite while playing golf.

"Yes," he said into the phone as he took his shot. "No…very much no…Well then inform Mr. Levin that he'll be better off watching the fight from his TV at home. Surely, he must have HBO. That is it, mate."

He hung up the phone and walked toward the bathroom where Emily was getting ready.

"Hi," he said to her in the mirror and she smiled. "What are you thinking about?"

"You," she replied but her mind was on a certain tall, lanky genius with hazel eyes.

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"Where are you gonna put your hands?" Gatsby asked Ashley who was dressed in preppy blue and white skirt and cardigan with her hair tied in a French bun and clear glasses on. Ashley put her hands on the briefcase.

"No good," Gatsby replied with a smile. "Don't touch your shirt, look at me. Okay, I ask a question and you think of the answer, where do you look?" Ashley looked down. "No good, down they know you're lying and up they know that you don't know the truth. Don't use seven words when four will do. Don't shift your weight; look always at your mark but don't stare. Be specific but not memorable. Be funny but don't make him laugh. He's got to like you then forget about you once you leave. And for God's sake, whatever you do, don't under any circumstances…"

"Gatsby!" Garcia called.

"Yeah?" Gatsby replied.

"Can you take a look at this?"

"Sure." She got up, leaving a nervous and terrified Ashley in her wake. Gatsby walked to Gideon's room to see him leaning on the bed, trying to catch his breath.

"Gideon," she said. "It's time."

Gideon nodded and put on his coat as he got up and looked in the mirror to straighten his tie.

"Okay," he said. "Let's do it."