Strontium Passion

'Look what I've found,' Jane says, walking into the bullpen shaking a box in his hand. The four agents look blankly up at him, they were all just as bored as he was but they manage not to get themselves into mischief. Lisbon stands up properly, as she'd been leaning on a desk out of complete loss. She seems almost interested in the entertainment Jane is currently setting up. The rookie watches from her seat behind her computer as the contents of the box are tipped onto the table.

'Who's up for a game?' He asks. She simply wanders over to assume the seat opposite her boss, whilst Rigsby accompanies her on her side of the table, meaning Cho had no option but to sit next to Lisbon. Jane sat at the head of the table with a yellow, plastic disk in front of him.

'Okay. Do you know how to play?' He questions.

Then Lisbon's face lights up. 'Oh! I think I remember this! I used to play it with my brothers.'

Jane simply gives his thousand watt grin and turns to face the other agents who are looking a bit confused.

'Well. The aim of the game is to get as many cards as possible,' he motions to the pile of small, rectangular cards in the centre of the table. 'The winner is the one with the most by the end of the game. We'll take it in turns to spin the... This,' he holds up the disk, that from another glance, is able to rotate. 'On this... Thing, there are letters. When you spin it, whatever letter it lands on you have to think of a related word beginning with that letter-'

'Related to what?' Rigsby asks.

'I was just coming on to that. On a card there is a subject, for example, a food. You then have to think of a word, in this case an item of food, beginning with the letter that's shown. So. Let's have a practise run.'

He spins the disc and picks up a card. 'A household item beginning with... S.'

'Soap!' Van Pelt snaps.

Lisbon leans forward and hits her hand on the table. 'Sofa!'

'Sss... Entipede...' Rigsby stutters.

The agents, and consultant, all turn to look at him with utter shock.

'Well, for starters, a centipede is NOT a household object. And really Rigsby? Centipede beginning with S?' Jane criticises.

'Yeah... I got a C in English...'

Lisbon rolls her eyes. 'I'd never have guessed...'

'Well, Grace would have won that card. But luckily for Rigsby, this is the practise run. So, ready to start?'

The four cops nod and lean forward, the atmosphere intense. This is a fast paced brain teaser, the mistake Rigsby made earlier was the effect that this game has on you. You say the first word that comes to mind, even if the spelling is incorrect.

The ex-con man takes a card and reads it aloud. 'A country beginning with...' He waits for the yellow disc to stop spinning. 'Beginning with T.'

'T.... Taaaaa... Teeee-'

'Thailand,' Cho says, deadpan.

'Agh! Damn it! I was so close!' Rigsby moans.

Jane throws him the card. 'Well done Cho. You're a dark horse!'

Cho's lips tilt up ever so slightly at the sides as he reaches forward and grabs his winnings. Jane passes the dial onto Rigsby who sends it spinning.

He coughs to clear his throat then proceeds. 'Hmm... An item of clothing starting with... K.'

There's silence, the only sound being of their brains ticking as their thought processes deepen.