Jackpot

By

CodeREDbazooka

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything related. Though if you want to send me a check, I'm not gonna say no.

Notes: Morgan lets Reid loose in a Casino. Shenanigans. As a person who often visits the Las Vegas Strip, I had shit loads of fun writing about this. Honest to god, this is an accurate portrayal of Vegas, I am dead serious. Boobs all over the place, it's actually pretty awesome. Also, all the math is mine, and as it has never been my strong subject, feel free to tell me if my calculations are off.

In comparison to other states, Nevada definitely had liberal laws when it came to vices. Booze and boobs and black jack. Everywhere. Morgan just seen a conglomeration of at least twenty slot machines in a grocery store yesterday. A grocery store. Liquor stores were literally open 24/7 here and almost every other billboard had a scantily clad woman plastered across it. This wasn't Morgan's first visit to Sin City, but that didn't make the sight of gas stations filled with slot machines any less shocking.

So, here he was, in the middle of the Caesars Palace, surrounded by beautiful cocktail waitresses and lit cigarettes. They had wrapped up the case of a serial rapist that was terrorizing the tourist areas earlier this morning and, considering their flight didn't leave until later tonight and this was Las Vegas, the team had decided to take a break and see the sights. Before he had left to search for a souvenir shop that didn't have ridiculous prices, Rossi had told Morgan that, under no circumstances, should he let Reid out of his sight.

"The last thing anyone wants is a certifiable genius with an eidetic memory who routinely counts cards and practices sleight of hand, loose at a high price casino." Rossi had said sternly, his firm tone undermined slightly by his Meter Margarita. "Let him rip off the arcades or something." Rossi had taken a sip from his Margarita. "And don't let him get blacklisted" He had added as an afterthought.

Morgan had agreed, eager to get his own site seeing done, and left it at that.

Now it was almost two in the afternoon, and Morgan hadn't seen Reid for almost forty-five minutes. He wasn't sure when he'd lost track of the younger man, but one minute Morgan had been trying to find his way to food court and the next Reid was nowhere to be found.

Dammit.

Morgan tried to dial Reid's cell phone again, but after it rang a few times it went to voicemail. He didn't bother leaving another message, he'd already left three.

The problem with the Las Vegas Strip was that it was literally a collection of dozens of casinos, all right next to each other. Each casino was built with maze like precision, in order to keep the people in them gambling longer. Reid could honestly be anywhere. Presumably winning gross amount of money and surrounded by security cameras.

With a grumble, Morgan hit speed dial and waited.

"Queen of Quantico and Mistress of all things Magical on the Interwebs at your service, how may I pleasure you today?" Garcia chirped from across the country.

"Hey baby girl." Morgan said, smiling despite the fact that Rossi would probably disembowel him in a few short hours.

"How's Vegas treating you?" Garcia said happily. "I want photos of any chiseled, shirtless men you see wandering about."

Morgan chuckled. "You got it. I uh, I need you to look something up for me."

Garcia's voice changed from cheery to curious to business as usual in three seconds flat. "I thought you had wrapped up the investigation of the sadistic scum bag already."

"We did." Morgan said quickly, not wanting to freak Garcia out. "But um... I've lost Reid. In a casino."

"So?"

"Reid. Unsupervised. In a casino." Morgan stressed.

"Ah... I see where that might be a problem." Garcia said. "He might be busy winning millions of dollars and a new car." She laughed slightly. "Seriously, why is that bad?"

"The last thing we need is him-" Morgan glanced over his shoulder to see if any security was listening, "blacklisted. You've seen him play poker."

"Oh."

"Do you think you can find him?"

"Gimme a second." Morgan heard the tale tell sounds of Garcia's chair rolling across the floor. "I can hack into the security cameras and locate him that way, but it'll be tricky and it'll take a while. Casino owners are notoriously paranoid."

"I don't know if that'll be quick enough. We're scheduled to go wheels up in a few hours." Morgan said. He did not need this drama when he was supposed to be relaxing.

"Do you know what casino he's in?" Garcia asked distractedly, typing rapidly.

"No."

Garcia sighed loudly. "Baby doll, you do realize that it'll be next to impossible to find him if you don't narrow it down a little bit."

Morgan found Reid about an hour later. He had somehow managed to walk a few blocks down to freaking Mandalay Bay, and was sitting at a poker table with an expression of vague amusement on his face. There were no less than four women in sparkly cocktail dresses standing next to him, all smiling flirtatiously and giggling as Reid calmly pulled a massive pile of poker chips towards him. The other people sitting at the table were wearing expressions that varied from impressed to shock to angry to resigned. The dealer just looking a little befuddled.

"Reid." Morgan said, a little irritated and a lot relieved.

"Hi Morgan." Reid said, smiling smugly. "Where'd you run off too?"

"You're not answering your phone." Morgan said, ignoring Reid's remark. The kid probably knew exactly what Rossi had said to Morgan and had done this on purpose, simply to be contrary.

"It's on silent, sorry." Reid said mildly, not looking sorry at all.

"Listen buddy." The voice came from the unhappy looking man with a think southern accent sitting to Reid's left. "Why don't you take your boyfriend and leave? He's losing me money."

"I'm out." Reid said, standing up and starting to collect his chips.

One of the ladies that had been standing behind Reid asked flirtatiously, "Are you sure you don't want to come with my friends and me for a few drinks Dr. Reid?"

"Thanks for the offer, but we've got to leave." Morgan said shortly, steering Reid away from the table.

Reid laughed as they walked off. "Rossi is going to be pissed at you."

"How much money did you win anyway?" Morgan asked.

"Two hundred thirty thousand and fifty dollars." Reid said proudly as they walked to the exchange. "Though I'll most likely lose approximately twenty five percent to taxes, which is about fivfty seven thousand, five hundred and twelve dollars and fifty cents."

Morgan shook his head wonderingly. "You're insane."

"You won how much?" Prentiss asked incredulously a few hours later when everyone was on the plane.

"Two hundred thirty thousand and fifty dollars." Reid said.

"That's almost a quarter million dollars." Rossi said, looking at Morgan pointedly, mardi gra beads from who knows where dangling around his neck.

"Playing poker?" JJ asked, sounding impressed.

"Poker and Black Jack." Reid said, sounding pretty satisfied with himself.

"When where you playing Black Jack?" Morgan asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"An hour before you showed up. I was at the Bellagio until they asked me very politely to leave."

Rossi sighed heavily and Hotch raised an eyebrow.

"You better not have gotten black listed Reid."

"I didn't!" Reid said indignantly. "They just... escorted me out."

"You're a horrible baby sitter Morgan."

Reviews are always much loved. Play nice, no flames, et cetera.

XoXo

Code