To Solve

Chapter 24: The Big Game

"Dig faster," Parker heard Hankel's voice.

They turned off the flashlight and moved closer to the two men. To avoid being discovered, the young agent stayed in the shade of the trees.

Spencer and Hankel stood a few steps apart. Spencer had a shovel in his hand and was digging a hole in the ground and Hankel was watching him.

"I'm not strong enough," Spencer muttered meekly.

Parker felt a surge of anger as the young agent realized that Spencer was digging his own grave.

They saw red.

"You're all weak," said Hankel.

The man took off his coat and stepped closer to Spencer.

"Get out of there."

"Hankel!"

~~~~

A few days before.

The BAU team (minus Gideon) had decided to go out together, Hayley was also there.

At some point the team split up in the bar. A few danced, JJ destroyed two guys at darts, and Parker found themselves talking to Spencer and another couple at one point.

"Ask me any question."

"'Return to Tomorrow,'" the man, George, replied.

"'Return to Tomorrow," Season 2, production number 51, an alien entity, Sargon, takes over Kirk's body, while two others take over Spock and Doctor Mulhall's."

"Alien races appearing?"

"Trick question."

"A race is never identified; Sargon is a disembodied mind."

"And the Doctor McCoy quote?"

Spencer couldn't answer that question right away, but Parker knew the answer. However, they didn't say anything at first because Spencer looked cute when he was thinking.

"Five, four, three, two..."

Before Charlotte could finish the countdown, Parker answered the question.

"'I won't peddle flesh. I'm a physician!'"

They giggled and tapped the table lightly.

"You know what that means, drink!"

The evening, which had started so really great, ended far too soon for the team. It was Parker and Spencer's turn to ask the questions when JJ walked up to them.

There was a new case, and it couldn't wait.

~~~~

"You know, it never fails. Just as I'm getting my groove thing going... Bam! We're back at the BAU," complained Derek.

He stepped away from the coffee machine and sat next to Spencer at the round conference table.

"Statistically, a case doesn't come in with any more frequency if you're at a gathering than if you aren't. It's a trick of the mind. We merely remember the ones that came in that way more," explained Spencer.

"Besides, is it really that hard for you to get your "groove thang" going again?"

"Only when he's sleeping," Gideon commented.

The profiler also entered the room and sat down.

"What?"

"Where were you tonight?" Hotch asked.