Caution to the Wind

Chapter 17

Chapter Summary: Emily's leadership record and her relationship with Tara come under scrutiny when Linda Barnes calls her in for an administrative review. Follows S13E14, "Miasma."

Emily had just gotten into the car and leaned over the center console to give Tara a kiss when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket, and she had a terrible feeling it was another case. She was right, of course, and it was urgent enough that it couldn't wait until morning. She gave Tara an apologetic look that said they weren't getting out of here after all, and the two of them went back up to Emily's office to gather the team on what was supposed to be their night off after a tough case. Tara called Matt and Luke; Emily called Rossi and Spencer. She looked at her watch and figured JJ must be out of her meeting with Barnes by now, so she called her, too.

"Hey, I was hoping we were gonna get the night off," she said, "But we've just pulled another case. I know it's been a long week, but I need you back here. Are you still in—"

"Emily!" JJ cut in, "Something's going on."

Emily looked across her office at Tara. If this whole Barnes thing had something to do with her, she didn't need to find out about it this way.

"Um, let's talk about that when you get back here, okay?" Emily said, "See you soon, JJ."

The team was headed to New Orleans, where ten dead bodies, all burnt beyond recognition, had been found inside a vandalized crypt in the historic Treme Cemetery. Between the cemetery's significance and the state of the bodies, the murders certainly could have been ritualistic, possibly related to voodoo. The police chief was requesting the team there right away, but before they left, there was something Emily needed to address.

"There is one more thing," she said, "I won't be coming along. JJ will be acting as unit chief in my absence. I have a meeting with Assistant Director Barnes tomorrow morning. It's short notice, but as far as I understand, it's just a standard administrative review, so I'm sure everything will be fine."

Emily headed home for the evening, but the rest of the team left for the jet, and Emily's announcement hung like a dark cloud over all of them. Usually the team tried to get some sleep on late-night flights like this one, but tonight, that seemed highly unlikely. They were all too shocked by this new development, and it was hard to think of anything else, even the mass grave waiting for them on the ground in New Orleans.

"First Barnes pulls you in for a late-night meeting, then Prentiss?" Luke said, "It feels like something's going on. And why all the urgency? I mean, it couldn't have waited until we all got back?"

"Something must have triggered an internal review," Rossi replied.

"It's me," Spencer said, "It's been almost a year since my arrest in Mexico."

"Reid, no," Tara shook her head, "It's me."

"It's just an annual review," JJ said, "Standard operating procedure."

"Matt, you worked with Barnes on your last assignment; how much trouble are we in?" Luke asked.

"I mean, I hate to say it, but this is the exact same thing she did with the IRT before disbanding the unit," Matt said, "She started with the head of the team, then she worked her way down. She tried to pit us against each other."

"Barnes' reputation precedes her," Rossi said, "She's climbed the ranks well."

"Well, clearly she's good at her job," Tara shrugged.