A small charter plane traveled from southern Florida to a small island in the Caribbean Sea. With an altitude of almost two-thousand feet, the passengers were able to get an astonishing view from their oblong windows.
"Just look how clear the water is! Oh, I am so excited I can hardly sit still!" Garcia practically jumped out of her seat.
"Just keep it together, mama. We will be there soon." Morgan grabbed onto her hand.
"Do you know how close the airstrip is to the resort?" JJ asked.
"I believe it is on the other side of the island," Rossi started. "There is a very small city on one end and on the other is The Paradise Resort."
"We are starting our descent," the captain called out to the group. "Prepare to land."
A beige van pulled up as Hotch and his team were exiting the plane with their luggage. A man jumped out and rushed toward the group.
"You must be Carter," Rossi acknowledged.
"Yes sir. I'm here to escort you to Paradise." Carter took a bag in his hand.
"What is this, Fantasy Island?" Prentiss joked.
"Whatever it is, I love it!" Garcia grinned as she enjoyed the scenery.
The van drove through undeveloped land over a bumpy dirt road for almost an hour. Suddenly they were on a paved road, they turned the corner revealing a view over the shimmering water. Before them was a light pink four-story tall hotel just walking distance from the beach.
"Here we are," Carter called out from the driver's seat. He pulled up under the awning and quickly got out to assist his guests.
The van door slid open and JJ grabbed Carter's hand as she stepped out. "Thank you."
"Did you have a nice trip?"
JJ looked up as she heard a familiar voice. "Spence!" She jumped into his arms. "Look at you," she commented on his tan and choice in clothing.
"My man has had a little fun in the sun," Morgan smirked. "Look at what a couple weeks of vacation can do!"
"This is a new look for you, I think I like it." Garcia tugged on his open shirt.
Prentiss tousled his hair as his face scrunched with a playful grimace.
Reid was smothered by his friends as they greeted him with hugs; and kisses from Rossi. "Go ahead and leave your bags here, Carter will put them in your rooms. If you need anything, anything at all, Carter can help you. The manager of the property is Hector; you can usually find him in the lobby. We have open cabanas on the beach with bar service and tons of activities. Over this way is the bar."
"I'm in!" Prentiss raised her hand.
"Count us all in," Rossi added.
Reid led the group to the building with jovial music coming from inside. "This is Bruno. He's the head of security." Reid then turned to him, "these are the friends I was telling you about."
Bruno nodded, "understood."
"What's understood?" Hotch asked.
Reid turned his head as he continued walking. "That you're with me and can do whatever you want."
"Sounds good to me," Garcia snickered with JJ.
They each took a seat at the bar as Alex came out from the back room. "Hey, there are my favorite Feds!" She exchanged hugs and pleasantries with them. "So, how was the trip?"
"Nothing that a drink wouldn't fix," Morgan pointed to the bottle of tequila.
"I can take care of that!" Alex announced. The song on the stereo changed to the Hippy Hippy Shake by The Georgia Satellites as if right on cue. She pulled out a stack of metal shakers and placed them in a row on the bar. She picked up the bottle of vodka and twirled it then poured a shot into each cup from left to right. She continued to pick up different bottles, each one doing a different trick, throwing from in front of her to catching behind her back, picking up two bottles and flourishing them at the same time and pouring them in tandem. She stacked up the shakers back into a tower then tilted them to the side pouring them into individual glasses at once. "Here you go, the house special: Blue Island Paradise."
The team was in awe as she slid them their drinks.
"Did you learn how to do all that in just the past couple of weeks?" Garcia asked in amazement.
"No," Alex smirked. "I was in a long term undercover assignment as a bartender."
"That sounds like it had its perks," JJ tasted her drink.
"A couple. I actually had to study the bartender's guide for a whole week to make sure I got the job. While I was there, I did pick up a few tricks. I needed to make sure that I kept the job." Alex's attention was pulled to the group of girls in the corner of the bar and called Bruno over.
"What's up?" Bruno asked.
"Keep your eye on the quartet of ladies right there. They are on their second AMF pitcher," Alex informed.
"Will do," Bruno took a stance closer to the girls.
"What's AMF?" Garcia asked.
"Adios Mother Fucker," Hotch responded.
"Give the Fed a cigar!" Alex beamed as the rest of the group looked to Hotch in shock.
"What? I know things." He went back to drinking his cocktail.
"A what?" Garcia laughed. "Why is it called that?"
"AMFs are a fun, blue drink that don't taste much like alcohol," Alex started. "Which usually means that you drink them quickly and you're having a great time with no worries. Then BAM! You're face first on the floor, drunker than a skunk."
"Oh, those sound like fun." Garcia perked up.
"I am not picking you up off the floor." Morgan lectured then slid a glass of water in front of her.
"You're no fun," Garcia pouted."
The team felt the stresses of their job slowly fade into the background as they enjoyed a few more drinks. Reid entertained his friends with the anecdote of the hotel guest who was locked out of his room wearing nothing but bubbles and holding a rubber ducky.
A lot of laughter and music later, Rossi approached Reid and placed his hand on his shoulder. "So, when will we be able to check out those fishing spots you were telling me about?"
"We can go right now, if you'd like. Now's the perfect time." Reid suggested.
Rossi looked to the rest of the team. Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia were clinking glasses with each other and giggling. Morgan had made his way to the girls with the pitcher of AMF. While Hotch and Alex were catching up. "Yeah, I guess now is as good a time as any."
"Great!" Reid gave a wave to Alex letting her know that he would be back.
Rossi followed Reid out to the docks where some fishermen had set up for their day's work. Rossi stood with his hands in his back pockets and panned across the open water. "Yes, this is heaven. I wouldn't even care if I didn't catch anything. Just being out here for hours would be perfect."
"I knew you would like it," Reid grinned.
"So, how are things going? You and Alex taking advantage of the tropical paradise?" Rossi asked with a raised eyebrow.
Reid couldn't help but blush. "Things are going well, actually. Over the past year we have just been trying to get to know each other again. A lot changed in those six years, we're different people than we were before."
"Are you telling me that there are no romantic feelings anymore?"
"Of course there are," Reid was quick to correct. "We are just taking things slowly. We aren't looking at jumping into something feet first."
"Well, don't ask me for advice. However, I have three ex-wives that I am sure can give you plenty of examples of what not to do." Rossi teased. He then looked back toward the resort and noticed a well-dressed man walking down the dock. "I guess you don't see that every day."
Reid noticed the man in the suit and stood there in shock seeing someone he was certain he never would never lay eyes on again. "I don't believe it."
Rossi could tell from Reid's face that something wasn't right. "What's going on?"
"Whatever it is, it isn't good." Reid shook his head as he observed the man approaching a lone fisherman.
There was a crate of spiny lobsters next to a man holding a pole spear in his hand. "Hello, Mr. Sloane." The fisherman announced. "I just hauled them in, sir."
"Another great catch, Alejandro." Sloane pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket, unfolded a few bills and handed them over. "See to it that they are delivered to the kitchen at my hotel. I would like them for dinner tonight."
"Yes sir. Thank you, Mr. Sloane."
Sloane walked back down the dock as if he owned it. A short distance away was a town car waiting for him to return.
Rossi stood in front of Reid, "who is that?"
Reid was snapped back into reality. "I have to get to Alex." He took off back toward the tavern with Rossi trying to keep up.
Reid made it to the doorway but stopped, trying to catch his breath. He couldn't believe what he saw with his own eyes. He stepped into the bar and slowly headed toward Alex with a disturbed look across his face.
"Hey, what's with you? You look as though you've seen a ghost." Alex asked jokingly.
"That's because I just did." Reid stared blankly.
Alex smirked, "what are you talking about?"
Reid grabbed her hand and led her to the table where they both took a seat. He let out a breath then looked her in the eye. "I just saw Julian Sloane."
"That's not a thing to joke about, Spencer." Alex became agitated.
Reid pulled her hands toward him and gripped them tightly. "I am not kidding."
Alex breathed quickly, "oh my god, you're serious. But he's... he's dead." She shook her head. "How do you explain that?"
"He got better?" Reid raised an eyebrow.
Alex glared back at him.
"I'm just kidding," he tried to recover.
"You know what he is capable of, all the damaged he's caused. What are we going to do?" Alex was obviously distraught over this news.
Reid stared down toward the table as he thought, "I'm not sure yet but we will figure something out."
Prentiss ambled over to them as she laughed. "Hey Reid, we are getting pretty low on drinks." She then noticed their solemn faces, "who died?"