Scarlet Rose

16

I ran into the BAU the second I got out of the elevator, having JJ catch me around the arms to get me to calm down as we went into the debrief room where Garcia, Lewis, and Walker sat around the round table.

"The others are in Mexico trying to get Reid's name cleared." Garcia said to the two male agents, then finally spotted me and got up from her chair, hugging me.

"Vanessa, oh my gosh, I cannot imagine what you are going through." she said, looking back at me. "We're going to bring him home though, okay?"

I nodded. "I know you guys will."

"How're the kids?" JJ asked.

"They're good. Derek and Savannah are by with Hank. They're taking care of them for the time." I answered, "how'd this happen?"

"He was caught with cocaine and heroin in his system, and he was transporting." Walker replied.

"Spencer doesn't do drugs." I said.

"We know, Vanessa. That's why Emily, Luke, and Rossi are over there. They're trying to get him back home." Lewis replied.

I looked at Garcia and saw she had sat back down again, aggressively tapping on her laptop.

"What're you doing?" I asked

"I'm obsessively refreshing the Mexican prison logs to see if Reid's name pops up. So far he's staying put. But they could transfer him to Santa Adaladia or El Diablo, both of which make Matamoros look like a day spa. Like, a who's who of bad guys. Really rough, overcrowded, there's assault and murders of inmates monthly." Garcia ranted.

"He's an American accused of murdering a Mexican citizen. The government is well within their rights to keep him there." Lewis said.

"Well, they could do worse. They could lock him up and throw away the key." JJ said.

"The only thing we know Reid is guilty of is getting those vials for his mom." Walker said.

"Guys, I know you're just trying to be helpful, but this really isn't making me feel better." I said to all four.

"Oh. Right." Garcia said, nodding, then she looked at her screen and looked back up at me. "Reid is going to El Diablo Maximum Security by the end of the day. They just put in the transfer."

———

"My old Unit Chief at the B.A.P has a call in to the best legal counsel the Bureau has to offer." Walker said once he walked over to us by the desks, putting his phone away.

"We need a dream team." Garcia said.

"That's what we'll get." Walker confirmed.

"Cruz said we need Reid's work history, performance reviews, commendations, and reprimands if there are any, and we need them in the next three minutes." Lewis spoke up.

"Vanessa, Garcia, and I compiled a list just in case." JJ said.

"Just sent it." Garcia said as she typed away at her phone.

"All right. Now we wait." Lewis said with a sigh.

My phone rang and I took it out, seeing Derek's number flash on the screen.

"I need to take this call. Be right back." I excused myself and answered the call, walking over to the counter out of earshot.

"Hey, girly. How you holding up?" Morgan asked.

I sighed and smiled a little. "You heard?"

"Yeah. And if I was still at the BAU, I'd go off on those people who arrested Reid."