Lost in DC

Chapter 6

"What do you mean the flight was supposed to leave an hour ago?" Hotch asked.
"Exactly that, sir," Garcia replied.
A few groans sounded from around the table.
"We might be wrong about the flight. What if it's a cover so we'll think they took Alex out of the country?" Reid asked.
"What makes you think that, Reid?" Hotch asked.
"I was looking into the Grimaldi's a few months ago. There really isn't much related to Alex though. They were a part of a criminal organisation, but I wasn't able to learn the name of it. There is a possibility that it was SCORPIA. But they do come from a family known for their ties to the mob. Maybe they're leaning on that for whatever they're doing to Alex," Reid replied.
"That could be something," Rossi said.
"Why is it important that they have ties to the mob?" JJ asked.
"What if they didn't bring Alex out of the country?" Morgan asked. An idea was forming.
"Why wouldn't they?"
The room thought for a minute. Everyone silently thinking their ideas out.
"Maybe because they could run into MI6," Rossi said. At that moment the power came back on.
Garcia got right back to work on her laptop. "They haven't left at all. They're at the docks right now."
"Why?" Hotch asked.
"They're using a crane to dump a large box into the ocean. Not much on the box though. But that's worth checking out right?" Garcia replied.
"Looks like we're going to the docks," Hotch said.

Alex was doing quite well for himself. He was able to move around, and he was pretty sure he knew how to get out of the room.
"Can I have some water?" Alex asked. He hoped they would give him a glass of water or something. The voice still wouldn't say anything. That's when he realised he'd made a mistake.
First, he heard the sound of running water. A plus, or so he thought. Second, he had finally noticed the vents in the floor. And to top the whole thing off, he felt the box swing.
"Goodbye, Alex Rider. The cement shoes didn't work so we're trying something better," the voice said. It was one of the Grimaldi brothers. Alex tensed. He didn't have a lot of time and he didn't have any backup for when the inevitable happened.
The room began to descend. Alex felt like he was in an elevator of death. He had to think quickly. He went over to one of the vents and looked it over. It was screwed into the floor.
Alex patted his pockets, but his wallet wasn't there. And it never had been. He had left it with the BAU. He doubted he had any loose change anyway. But he still had the paperclip.
Alex quickly folded it down so it would fit in the small notch in the screw. He began to twist it. Nothing happened. There was no give.
Alex gave his pockets one last chance. He felt around inside them and found a coin. It was a penny. He didn't know where it came from, but he knew he could use it.
He bent down to the floor again and tried the penny on the screw. Within a few minutes he had one screw off the vent. He quickly undid the other one and pulled the grate up.
Water was starting to rise through the vent. Alex began to leave through the vent.
Alex had been in worse spots. He remembered the small tunnel in Afghanistan. He'd hated how small it was. This was just like it, but this time he was glad he could fit. It meant getting out of here.
The water was rising quicker and Alex was running out of time. He wished he'd had scuba gear on him.
Just then the room began to move again. Instead of continuing it's slow descent, it was moving up. Alex tried to stay calm. He pushed through the vent and kept going. As soon as he was free, Alex swam to the surface.
"We got him!" a familiar voice shouted as Alex came up for air.
Alex swam to the shore where the BAU was looking out at the water for anything else.
"Alex, are you okay?" Reid asked.
"I-I think so," Alex replied. He was beginning to feel cold.
Reid wrapped a towel around him as he began to shake. "We're taking you back to the office."