"Here comes Alex, let's ask her," Reid said to Charles.
"Ask me what?" Alex asked as she approached them while they were sitting at the bar by the pool.
"We have just been having a friendly debate over who performed the most daring rescue," Reid said.
Alex beamed and crossed her arms. "Okay, this sounds fun. Alright, what do you have?"
Reid sat up straighter in his chair. "Alright, that time we were in Russia, and I had to pass through the lion cage, and I rescued Charles, who was about to be trampled by a herd of elephants."
Alex nodded. "Yes, I remember that, quite the adventure. And yours?" she asked Charles.
Charles confidently put his drink down on the counter. "We were in Morocco going after that arms dealer. I jumped out of the helicopter with only a rope tied around my waist. I went down bungee style. I grabbed ahold of Spencer as we flew around the city where I held onto him until we could be put down safely."
"You're right; they are both very good," Alex said.
"So, who wins?" Reid asked.
"Neither."
"Neither?" they both questioned.
"Correct."
"Why is that?"
"Because I do," Alex said.
"What? When?" Reid asked.
"Do you remember the White Cliffs of Dover? Hmm? And you two hanging off the edge like a couple of morons. Then I had to come rescue you, eight months pregnant, doing things a pregnant person shouldn't be doing. Yeah, that beats a lion, elephants, and jumping out of a helicopter any day. Oh, and you're welcome, by the way." Alex grabbed Reid's beer from his hand and gulped down the contents. She handed it back to him and walked away.
"Let me get this straight," Hotch said to Morgan and Garcia. "Someone was in Reid's house planting listening devices within the last few days, and we are unsure who did it or why. Also, you don't want to let them know?"
"Right!" Garcia confirmed. "They were obviously left there to be found. The only reason that makes sense is for us to call them and tell them to come home."
"If we do that, we might be playing into their hands," Morgan added.
"But we don't know who they are or their motives," Hotch returned.
"They can't be good," Garcia said.
Hotch shot her a glance then to Morgan. "Let me think about this for a bit, and we will figure out what we should do."
"Whatever it is, don't go to the CIA. We don't know who we can trust there," Morgan said.
Hotch nodded. "I agree with that."
Hotch looked out to the city lights from his office window. He glanced at his watch to confirm the late hour, then looked back out at the night sky.
"I know that look."
Hotch turned to see Rossi leaning against the doorframe with his hand in his pocket. "What look?"
Rossi pushed himself from the doorframe and started into Hotch's office. "The look of wrestling with a major decision." He took a few more slow steps. "Would any of this have to do with Spencer and Alex by any chance?"
"No offense to Alex, but ever since the day she entered our lives, I feel like our world has been turned upside down."
"True. But have you ever seen Reid so happy?"
"I don't know how happy they will be when they find out what happened."
Alex walked through the cold sand out toward the water's edge. The full moon shined down, providing the needed light for her to make her way to the bonfire. As she got closer, she could make out the voices over the sounds of the waves rolling onto the beach. "Okay, guys, I have it!" Alex said to Reid, Charles, and Hugh. "The beer bucket!" she announced as she held the metal pail filled with ice and bottled beer. She pulled one out then held it towards the others. "Okay, time to ante up!" Alex said as she sat down in her beach chair.
"You brought the bucket; you go first," Charles said as he twisted off the top to his bottle.
Alex took a quick drink then sat forward in her chair. "Um, okay. A couple of years ago, I was in a bomb explosion. A couple broken ribs, several lacerations, and a broken arm."
"Can you beat that, Hugh?" Charles asked with a chuckle.
"Well, as you are all well aware, I have been out of the field for a number of years. But I hope that I would be able to win less on severity and more on originality."
"I have to hear this now," Reid said, intrigued.
Hugh pulled down the collar of his shirt, showing a starburst scar. "Right here next to my clavicle. I was shot with an arrow."
"What? How did that happen?" Charles asked.
"I helped to coach the archery team last year. I told them it was a hobby of mine rather than explaining my secret life as an agent. Well, I was helping one of the students when suddenly someone yelled 'fast!' Safe to say that was a little late. The arrow was already protruding from my body."
"So, you're just standing there with an arrow sticking out of you?" Charles asked, stifling a laugh. "What did the student do?"
"He naturally was falling all over himself apologizing and called for an ambulance for me. I didn't want to embarrass him more by informing him that this was nothing and I've had worse injuries."
"That was great," Alex said, laughing. "I mean, I'm glad you're okay, too!"
"Okay, Spencer. You're up," Hugh said, pivoting the attention away from him.
Reid nodded, then sat up straight. "So, have I told you guys about the time I was exposed to anthrax and almost died?"
Sounds of groaning in playful annoyance came from the other three. "Yeah, we heard it before," Charles said. "You almost died, your team was on a frantic manhunt, lives were hanging in the balance, blah blah blah. We want something more original!"
"I bet you can't beat anthrax," Reid smirked and crossed his arms.
"Okay, I accept your challenge," Charles said. He took a long gulp from his beer and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "Last year, when I was on the run, I found myself in Romania." He pulled the shirt off over his head. "I apparently said something the guy didn't like, and he pushed me through the window. It was the second story, and I landed on top of a car." He then pointed out all the white scar lines on his arms and chest. "Required over 200 stitches."
"Ding! We found our winner!" Alex exclaimed.
"Let's crown the champion!" Reid said as he held up his beer in praise.
Alex stood up with the bottle cap in her hand. She licked the top of it then stuck it to Charles' forehead. "You have been crowned the beer king and shall drink free!"
"Here, here!" Hugh called out as he raised his bottle in the air. "To Charles!"
"To me!" Charles exclaimed.