Hello! Thank you for deciding to read my first Criminal Minds (which I do not own) fanfiction. I did my best to format the story like an episode hopefully that makes sense. Please review and let me know that the story is worth continuing. Also, if you disagree with my rating please tell me, I'm knew at the and still figuring things out. Thanks again for your reviews. And just so you know, the town this is set in is fictional, but very much based on my own hometown. Thanks *C.E.L

Halloween Countdown

Brooksville, Ohio October 5 12:06 a.m.

Jack Reagan hauls himself reluctantly out of bed, groaning as he does. Three times, the doorbell rang and while it was most likely teenagers pulling a prank Jack thought it merited some investigation. Moving quietly down the hall, Jack first checked his daughter's room. It would be just like Cassie to sneak out, only to prank her own house.

Cassie was half awake when he peered through her open door, the noise of the doorbell being just enough to rouse her, but not enough to pull her fully into consciousness. "I love you" he whispered closing the door softly.

The house was dark and silent, except for the occasional creak of the wooden floors. Peering out a front window, Jack saw nothing out of the ordinary on the empty street outside. Just to be sure he opened the front door and stuck his head and shoulders into the cool October night. The street was as silent as a suburban neighborhood should be at midnight. Just as he is closing the door, a sharp crack of a twig breaking underfoot disrupts the still night air.

Suspicious, Jack steps out onto the small front porch, scanning the yard for movement. He is too shocked to scream when he is seized from behind and a thick cloth bag is pulled over his head. A hand clamps over his mouth and he loses his chance.

Upstairs, Cassie sits up suddenly, muscles tense. She is aware that something is very wrong. Outside a car door closes with a thud and the noise of the engine fades away moments later. "Dad?" There is no answer.

Quantico, Virginia BAU headquarters October 5 2:00

JJ, Hotch, Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi were waiting in the briefing room. Reid had gone for coffee fifteen minutes ago and had yet to return. Hotch was about to instruct that JJ begin without him when he burst through the door, nearly spilling his coffee all over himself. "Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?" He asked slightly breathlessly.

"Nothing, we waited for you. Go ahead JJ." Hotch said.

"Jack Reagan, age thirty-four is the most recent of five kidnappings to take place in Brooksville, Ohio." JJ began, displaying a picture of an average-looking man in his mid-thirties. "He was taken at around midnight last night from just outside his home. The others;" Here JJ brought up the pictures of two men and two women, all varying in race and age, "were taken at similar times starting at midnight on the first of the month. One person has been taken each day of October. Our first victim, Sean Garret, is forty-two and lives with his mother who reported him missing." The man JJ was talking about was pale with a pointed face and thinning black hair. "She says that she heard the doorbell ring three times, and told him to see what was going on. He never came back. The second victim," Now they were looking at an ethnic looking woman in her late twenties or early thirties. "Natalie Franklin, is a newlywed, her husband was sick and had taken cough medicine to help him sleep. He woke up at around one-thirty and she was gone." The members of the BAU sighed a little; the husband would be feeling horribly guilty, thinking that had he been awake, she would not have been taken. "The others are a forty-three year old black male and a twenty-four year old white female. One was reported missing by his wife and the other by her housemate. All of them have said the same thing; the doorbell rang three times and they went to see what was going on. One more thing," The team waited to see what else there could be about this unusual string of kidnappings. "These notes were found on the door." JJ handed the team copies of the notes in order of the kidnappings.

The first sun rises and the first is gone

One more day and another will be the same

Taken in the dark of night

Now they wait for what shall come

In the dark they're standing by

Waiting for the newest 'friend'

You can't see me you don't know me

But you will not forget my name

The final day is drawing close

They'll come with me when I go

Reid looked over the poem again, although he already had it committed to memory. "Our UnSub knows very little about poetry, I'd say the format is most likely for dramatic effect."

"So what is he trying to say?" Prentiss asked looking at the page as if it would give an answer it had previously hidden.

"Our UnSub wants us to know that we're working on a time limit. The last note, the one that was on Reagan's door, is telling us that when the time runs out, he'll kill them all and then himself." Hotch said his mouth set in a grim line. "Everyone, get ready to go, we take off in half an hour." One by one the BAU filed out of the briefing room, leaving Reid staring at the images of the victims. There was no specific age or race, the victims were random. Most of them were male, but that could be put down to the fact that it would most likely be a man that went to see why the doorbell had been rung in the middle of the night. Sighing, Reid grabbed his bag and went to get his belongings together before takeoff.

()()()

"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."

-Dianne Feinstein

On the jet the team continued their earlier conversation about the UnSub. "The victims are random, but he selected them beforehand. Undoubtedly he stalks them; he wants to be comfortable with what he's doing." Reid said trailing off as he thought of what else they knew.

Rossi narrows his eyes in thought, "He wants his crimes to be noticed, he craves the attention. He is self centered and arrogant."

"His poem is almost taunting us; he thinks we can't catch him." Prentiss adds. She hates that he's mocking them and it serves to steel her resolve about finding this guy.

"Oh, we can catch him, and we will." Morgan says echoing her thoughts. The team continues speculating about the UnSub but the conversation runs in circles. Eventually, JJ informs them that they are about to land and Hotch begins assigning jobs.

"First, we all go to the most recent crime scene. JJ tell the chief of police to meet us there. After that, Rossi and I will go to the precinct to get set up. Morgan, you and Reid are going to the first victim's house to speak with the mother. Prentiss, I want you to talk to neighbors while we're at the crime scene. This is a small town, if something was weird about any of our victims the neighbors will know." Hotch finished with a curt nod and began reviewing the case file, hoping something they had missed would strike him. Nothing did, but he remained lost in his thoughts until the jolt of the plane landing shook him from his reverie.

Outside the victim's house was a madhouse of police, reporters, and curious bystanders. The team spotted the chief of police almost immediately; he was the one the younger officers kept talking to then hurrying off with more purpose. "Hello, you must be Captain Wilton, I'm Agent Jennifer Jerrau. We spoke on the phone. These are Special Agents Hotchner, Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss, and Reid." Everyone waved or nodded to acknowledge the introduction, and JJ moved on. "This is the house or most recent victim lived in, correct?" She asked gesturing to it.

"It is indeed, man's name is Jack Reagan, he and I were poker buddies." Wilton sighed then moved on. "His daughter and ex-wife are inside, if you want to talk to them." Hotch nodded and motioned that Morgan and Reid should go inside to question them.

The house was averagely sized and decorated in a casual, inexpensive way. It looked as though it hadn't had a thorough cleaning in a while, but that some effort was made towards neatness. A woman in her early thirties was sitting on a couch next to a visibly distraught teenage girl. "Hello, I'm Agent Morgan; I'm with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. If you don't mind I'd appreciate it if you could answer a few questions." Morgan said.

The woman glared at him, "My daughter will not answer any more questions today. I believe she has been through enough." He voice was clipped and frigidly polite.

"Ma'am, I understand that this is difficult, but any information we can get will help us find whoever kidnapped your ex-husband." Morgan tried to persuade her.

The teenager seemed to pull herself together and spoke up before her mother. "I want to talk to them, Mom. They say they can find Dad, and I want to help." Looking displeased, the mother pursed her lips and sat back.

"Cassie, I understand that you were here when your father was taken, is that true?" Morgan began.

"Yeah, I was pretending to be asleep, because my friends wanted to sneak out." Cassie's eyes widened and she glanced fearfully at her mother, whose lips were now pressed together even more tightly. Squirming slightly in her seat, Cassie continued. "I heard the doorbell ring three times, and I hoped my friends weren't stupid enough to do that. My dad came to check on me," Here Cassie's voice got caught in her throat as she choked back the coming sobs. "He told me he loved me, even though he probably didn't know I was awake." Her breath was coming is quick gasps now, but she clearly wanted to get the story out. "A minute or two later, I heard a car driving away. I was too scared to go downstairs and see what happened, so I stayed in my room. I called my mom in the morning, then I called the police." Cassie continued to cry silently, and knowing that she had said all she had to say, Reid and Morgan stood up to leave. They were surprised to find that the former Mrs. Reagan had followed them, instead of staying to comfort her daughter.

"I am trying to convince my daughter that it is best that she leave this town, because of all the tragic memories of her father's passing, but she refuses. She is citing school obligations and friends. But I think it's best if were to move to Cleveland with me, you have been dealing with these situations for a while, what would you suggest?" She asked, her critical eyes on them. Morgan was at a loss for words, but Reid of course was not.

"Mr. Reagan's kidnapping is most likely related to four other kidnappings in the area, thus far, we have no reason to believe that any of the victims are dead. In fact, the working profile we have now makes it exceedingly unlikely that Mr. Reagan is dead." Reid stated oblivious to Ms. Reagan's glares and Cassie's arrival in the doorway.

"You mean my dad isn't dead?" Cassie said hopefully. "My mom said that he had probably been killed and I should assume the worst, but you're saying that he might not be? That he's alive?" Cassie ran forward and hugged Reid before he could stop her. She let go quickly, but didn't seem nearly as embarrassed as he was.

Grabbing his arm, Morgan began dragging Reid back to the van thanking Ms. Reagan for her time.

Meanwhile the others were also gathering information. Taking Reid and Morgan's earlier assignment, Prentiss and Rossi went to the home of the first victim, Sean Garret. Mrs. Garret, the victim's mother, who he lived with, was mostly unhelpful. She did not seem overly concerned about her son's welfare, but seemed to enjoy the company the agents provided and answered their questions as best she could.

When they arrived at the police station, they were greeted by Captain Wilton and the detective who had been investigating this case before the BAU came in. He looked more relieved than anything at what many detectives had called an intrusion. He introduced himself as Detective Shriver and proceeded to give them a brief rundown of what he knew. After he excused himself to make a few phone calls the team set to work on the profile. Everybody knew it would be a long process.

A Mysterious Large Room, Unknown Location October 5 late evening

Jack Reagan was very confused at first, when he woke up. He was in a large, dimly lit room, and his hands were tied behind his back. There were other people in the room with him, but they were across from him, leaning on different walls. He sighed when he had confirmed that none of them were Cassie. The only way this ordeal could be worse was if Cassie got dragged into it.

A metal door on the far side of the room creaked open, its loud shriek echoing off the walls. A figure entered the room. He approaches Jack, crouching down in front of him. "Welcome to the club, Mr. Reagan," The man says with a mirthful laugh, "You're going to help me celebrate my favorite holiday and, of course, help me make all those people finally see me!" He spat out his word, fury distorting them and making it almost intelligible. The man replaced his evil sneer, and said, "Yes, Mr. Reagan, once I have the others, I'll end everything and we'll see who is invisible!" He pulled a blindfold over Reagan's eyes and left the room, his cackling laugh reverberating off the high ceiling. Jack was left trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was sitting in the room that he would die in.