Hotch and Alex continued the charade as they headed back to their hotel room. The couple held hands down the hallway and entered their room.
Alex closed the door and quickly turned around and leaned against it. She let out a relieved sigh, "I thought that dinner would never end." She then looked to Hotch who was digging through the mini bar and pulled out the small liquor bottles.
Alex pushed herself from the door and approached him. "I think you did really well. You were believable in your cover story and as my boyfriend."
Hotch swigged a gulp of whiskey, "the sooner we get answers, the better."
Alex pulled out a few pins from her hair allowing her wild curls fall over her shoulders. "We just need to continue to babysit him while Spencer tries to find where he runs his operation. Don't worry, I doubt there is any espionage in your future."
Hotch removed his coat and laid it over the chair. "So, this is the kind of thing you two would do? Sit through dinners pretending to be other people?"
"Sometimes."
"That's a lot of information to keep in your head at one time. Not to mention that you were both very young at the time."
"I guess that's why we didn't question it. We didn't know any better," she quipped.
"Was there ever a time when it went wrong?" Hotch was curious.
Alex nodded, "there was this one time. You know that opening scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, where he drinks the poison but then franticly searches for the antidote?"
"Yes," Hotch tilted his head.
"It was a lot like that," Alex remembered. "We had a big meeting at a nightclub where we were to exchange information. We each had a disk that the other agencies wanted. I was already undercover working with the Ukrainians."
Reid entered the busy club and was escorted to the back table where Alex was cozied up with Artem, the leader of the group.
"Please, take a seat, Mr. Carter," Artem extended his hand.
"Thank you," Reid sat down. He counted at least ten goons around the table.
"I trust you have the information I need," Artem stared him down.
"Yes, as long as you have what I need," Reid countered.
"Good. We each place our disks on the table then slide them over at the same time. Agreed?"
"Agreed." Reid pulled out the disk from his pocket and set it down in front of him.
The exchange went as planned. Shots of Medovuha were then placed before each of them.
Artem picked up his glass, "Budmo." He announced then drank the honey based liquor.
Reid did the same then placed the empty glass back down on the table. He felt dizzy as he noticed the group laughing at him. "What?"
"Haven't you even been drugged before?" Artem laughed. "Don't worry, in a few minutes you will be too dead to remember." He continued to laugh hysterically.
"Oh, darling," Alex spoke with a Ukrainian accent, "I can't sit here and watch this young man die, he looks so pitiful."
"What do you suggest?"
"How about one last kiss?" She rubbed her hands over Artem's chest.
"By all means," he continued to chuckle.
Alex applied fresh lipstick then sat on Reid's lap. She ran her fingers through his hair then pulled him in for a deep, passionate kiss. She pulled away and his head drooped down, motionless.
"What a way to go out!" Artem held up his glass continuing his celebration.
Alex held up the bottle of Medovuha and poured a glass for each of them. "Budmo!" They cheered and all gulped down. She poured them another round. Within a few moments all of them stopped celebrating and slumped over.
Alex grabbed both disks and pulled Reid's arm, "come on, let's go!" She said in her normal voice.
Reid got up to follow her but was still a bit woozy. They ran out of the club jumped into the taxi that Hugh was driving and peeled away.
Hotch stood in shock at the story he just heard. "But Reid was poisoned."
"When I was flirting with Artem, I managed to pull the vials from his pocket. When I was putting on my lipstick, they didn't see that I put the antidote in my mouth and then gave it to Spencer when I kissed him. As I poured the group their drinks, I had put the poison into the bottle.
Hotch shook his head, "one wrong move and Reid could have died."
"Those were the kind of stakes we dealt with every day," she explained with a carefree attitude.
"From what I've seen, you seem to compartmentalize really well."
"Thank you. I try." Alex worked on removing one of her earrings then placed it on the nightstand. She glanced across their hotel room bed to watch Hotch as he loosened his tie.
Suddenly there were four knocks on the sliding door of their hotel balcony. Hotch furrowed his eyebrows as he carefully approached.
Alex finished removing her other earring and let out a chuckle. "It's just Spencer."
Hotch turned back to her, "but we are on the fifth floor."
"That hasn't stopped him before," Alex snickered.
Hotch pulled back the curtains revealing Reid sitting on the balcony with his feet up. He then unlatched the door and slid it open.
"It took you long enough," Reid got up, came into the room and noticed that Alex had let her hair down. "I hope I am not interrupting something." He turned back to Hotch and gave a wink.
"No you haven't," Hotch was noticeably irked.
"Good." Reid smiled then plopped onto the middle of the king size bed and picked up the remote. "What do you say to a movie?"
"Reid!" Hotch was not amused.
Alex sat on the edge of the bed and turned to her friend. "I think you better explain why you're here before Aaron throws you out the window."
"He wouldn't do that," Reid chortled.
Hotch crossed his arms across his chest.
"Then again, he has been doing a lot of things lately that I never thought he would." Reid smirked at Alex. "Okay, truce." Reid held up his hands in front of him. "I came to give you both an update. We're in trouble."
"How are we in trouble?" Hotch questioned.
"I overheard Sloane telling his guards to keep an eye on you both. Also, when I started to come down the hall, I saw one of them not too far from your door," Reid shared.
"Do you think he figured it out?" Hotch asked.
Reid shook his head, "I don't think so. It could be that you actually did a really good job of selling your story that he is interested in having a lawyer like you on his payroll. We just need to stay on point."
"How were you able to get me a business card so quickly?" Hotch was curious.
"I had Garcia whip them up. We had some card stock at the front desk, then I rushed back over. Believe me, she was happy for the assignment since we aren't able to use her hacker skills right now."
Reid slid off the bed back toward the glass doors.
"Where are you going?" Alex asked.
"I am going to do some scouting."
"I should come with you," Alex started to follow.
Reid held up his hand, "no, you can't."
"What? Why?" Alex was shocked.
"He has people working for him everywhere. The most important thing is for you both to maintain your cover. That means you must live and breathe being a couple. No one comes in and out of that door unless it's you two," Reid ordered.
"You can't do this alone," Alex was concerned.
"Don't worry, I have the team to help."
"The team?" Hotch then showed his concern.
"It's just like how I told you, we are splitting up and doing some recon. If we use the cover of being tourists, we can get away with a lot. Trust me," Reid smiled. "I hope you have a good night."
Hotch watched as Reid stared at Alex and she stared back. "I'm going to go take a shower." He grabbed a few things and closed the bathroom door behind him. The water turned on a few moments later.
Reid realized that they were finally alone, "so, how are you holding up?" He approached her.
"As well as I can be, considering." Alex replied in a cool tone.
"What were you and Sloane talking about when Hotch left the table?"
"Nothing, just normal small talk," she lied.
"He didn't bring up that thing with Jackie, did he?"
Alex was taken aback, "no, of course not. Why would you mention that?"
"I'm just concerned about you, okay?"
"Well, you don't need to be, Spencer," she snapped. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."
"You know what, you're absolutely right. What was I thinking? I'm just going to go." He threw open the door, hopped over the pony wall and grabbed onto the side of the building.
Alex rushed to lean over the edge of the railing, "Spencer."
He stopped to look up at her, "what?"
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."
He pulled himself up enough to where they were face to face with the railing between them.
Alex let out a sigh, "this isn't like other cases we've worked. I'm sorry, I shouldn't take it out on you. Please don't leave."
"You're not alone in this. We're all here for you… I'm here for you."
With their faces only a few inches apart, Alex leaned in as the two shared a kiss. He jumped back over the railing and grabbed her into his arms as they continued to share their desire for each other.
Alex came back in from the balcony just as Hotch was coming out of the bathroom dressed in a gray t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms. He grabbed the extra blanket from the closet.
"What are you doing?" Alex questioned.
"I was going to set up the sofa," he pointed to the small rattan couch.
Alex chortled, "Aaron, we have a king size bed. There's enough room for three people to sleep there."
"I just don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," he showed genuine concern.
"I appreciate your gallantry, but get in the bed," she ordered with a smile.
Garcia opened the hotel room door with the keycard and came in carrying the ice bucket in her hand. "I got the ice!" She announced.
"Excellent. I have a glass of gin that is in desperate need to be cooled down," Prentiss exclaimed as she shuffled the deck of cards.
Garcia prepared the glasses then they both clinked them together.
"I can't believe you missed Hotch and Alex on their date together. It was actually kind of cute to watch," Prentiss shared.
"I know, she looked gorgeous. It took forever to tame her hair, but just, wow!"
"He actually looked like he was enjoying himself."
"It was probably his first date in years."
"I don't doubt that."
Garcia picked up a card, then placed her discard on the top of the pile. "I am a bit miffed, though."
"About what?"
"Why did JJ get to go undercover as my man's date and make out in the hallway when I was willing and ready?"
"The problem with that is you would completely forget the purpose of you being there," Prentiss teased as the two hens continued their gossip.