A Long Way From The Playground

CHAPTER 33

A couple of nonstop weeks had passed since Spencer got infected with

Anthrax, along with Aaron and I's recent relationship change, it finally felt like we were getting some solid footing underneath us but of course, nothing is ever simple in the BAU. The team had gotten called in for a case involving a former Iraq vet who crashed into the border crossing in Canada only to discover that something larger was at play while they were over there. The after action reports were only a snippet into what fresh hell they went through across the border but it felt like I was there with how detailed they each were. Reading through each of the documents, it was nauseating to see the kind of damage that someone could do when there is nobody to stop them. Mason and Lucas Turner, two brothers with nothing to lose, spent years killing over 89 innocent people who had families to go home to and lives to live before they were kidnapped and killed with no hesitation. Part of me was glad that I wasn't involved on that case, but part of me wishes I could have been there to help support the team I have grown to love and admire. Signing off on the last of their reports, I tossed the last one in the outbox to be dropped off with Strauss at the end of the day and leaned back in my chair, rubbing my face with my hands. A quick one two knock on my office door made me internally groan as I sat back up in the chair and yelled a brief 'come in' as I waited for whoever was knocking to come inside. The sound of heels made me smile, knowing exactly who was stepping into my office just by the sound of the heels.

"Penelope Garcia, what can I do for you?" I ask, smiling as she shuffles into the room and leans on the edge of the desk.

"You can explain why we just worked a case that was beyond brutal, got home at 2 am after being in Canada for a week and a half, only to be called out to another crime scene after 4 and a half hours of sleep." Penelope huffs, slapping down the file on my desk for me to look at.

"I didn't authorize this, I put the team on stand down for the next four days..." I mumbled, flipping through the file.

"Well someone did, the team is split up between two areas. Emily and boy wonder are at Dr. Barton's house and Rossi, JJ and Morgan are at the son's school. There was a threat to the doctor that basically said that unless the doctor puts his son in harm's way, there will be a new victim everyday." Pen summarizes as I nod and gesture to the door.

"Let's go down to the cave and I'll help however I can since I wasn't on the last case and have fresh eyes, literally and figuratively." I reply, grabbing my things and forwarding all my desk calls to my cell phone as we walk out of the office and down the hallway towards the elevators. Penelope presses the down button and steps back as we wait for the bell to ding and the doors to open, allowing us to head downstairs to her office. The doors slide open and I step in first, pressing the button for the 6th floor and watching at the light above the doors illuminate as the metal box descends two floors before opening again on the 6th floor. Striding down the hall behind Penelope, I peek into the bullpen, taking note of how empty it is compared to its normal bustle of craziness that comes with working in the BAU. I quickly fall back in step with Pen and stop short behind her as she swipes her badge and unlocks her door, her heels clicking as she makes her way to her chair and plops down in it before twirling to face her many monitors.

"Okay, what do we know about this case?" I ask, sitting in another office chair behind her and rolling it closer to peer over her shoulder.

"Right now we have two crime scenes with two separate bodies and a note left at each with the initials 'L.C' so naturally im running every person with the initials alongside anybody that Dr. Barton has either treated or worked with. Reid and Emily are with the doctor at his house while Rossi, JJ and chocolate thunder are at the school protecting his son Jeffrey." Penelope explains, checking on her search while she speaks. Her desk phone rings and she clicks the button, putting it on speaker for the both of us to hear.