BLAKE | a. hotchner

8

I sat in the briefing room with Dave and Morgan, waiting for everyone else to arrive.

"It became commercialized in the 1950's with trick or treat and today only christmas is more popular," Reid and JJ sat down around the table.

JJ looked exhausted as Reid kept talking about the holiday who had taken place just yesterday, halloween.

"All I asked was what he was doing this weekend," JJ said.

"I'm toying with the notion of either going to the Edgar Allen Poe shadow theatre or the reenactment of the 19th century fantasmagorie," Reid looked really excited and I couldn't help but smirk.

Garcia entered the room and stood beside Dave.

"I don't want to know," Dave said.

"Yes, you do," Reid smiled.

I looked around at everyone who not so interestingly listened to Reid talk about his weekend plans.

"And it's just so happens that I have an extra ticket," he ended his story.

He looked at me with an expectant smile. 

I shook my head, "nope, you can't make me."

"Please, Alex," he looked at me with his puppy eyes and I crumbled.

"Damnit, that's not fair," I groaned. 

He smiled, "I'll text you the details."

"Let's start the briefing," Aaron said before sitting down next to Dave.

***

The next two days were hectic. Chasing a killer who burns his victims alive was a challenge, the team was growing more and more annoyed with the fact that we only had one day before another body would turn up. The next thing I knew, me and Aaron were in a car, hoping to save another life.

"This was their favorite restaurant, all of the pictures are taken there," Garcia said as we sped to the diner.

When we arrived at the scene the place was already on fire. We hurried out of the car and stopped in front of the building.

"I'm going in!" I said before running into the restaurant.

"Wait, Alex!" Aaron screamed after me but I was already inside.

I kept my head down and covered my nose with my sleeve. After a few seconds of breathing in the smoke I started to cough, but I wasn't giving up just yet. I searched every booth but found nothing. It was when I came around the bar that I saw a body on the floor.

I picked him up and tried to carry him out, he was twice my size so it was a challenge. It resulted in me dragging him out the door and falling down the stairs onto the concrete.

"Why would you go in without backup?!" Aaron yelled as he ran up to us.

"Well," I said while standing up, "you were my backup," I tried to catch my breath.

"The ambulance should be here soon, get to the car," he said while trying to carry the guy on the ground.

"Did you see anyone else in there?" Aaron asked.

"No I don't think so," I walked over to the car.

I watched as Aaron struggled to carry the guy.

"Aaron, I think you should to hur-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence before the whole building exploded. I covered my eyes with my wrist to not go blind. I opened my eyes a few seconds later to find Aaron lying helplessly on the ground next to the guy.