CHAPTER 3

Aaron sat in his usual spot at the round table, evident creases in his forehead. The disappearance of one of his agents was irretrievably unsettling. Staring at the documents, files and cases JJ had worked on since leaving and coming back, he couldn't help but wonder about her career with the State Department the year she left the BAU. Days after her return to the FBI, he'd noticed many things different about her - she was hardened. She was now a profiler. She refused any head-on contact with the media. There was something different about JJ, and he couldn't quite pin it, but never actually addressed it out loud. He just kept his thoughts to himself, glad that she was back with them.

He'd called Garcia to put a track on JJ's phone, and go over the possible security footage they might have missed. JJ's phone was found under another car a few feet away from where she was abducted, and the footage from the parking lot was a dead end - the abductors knew exactly where the cameras were placed, and to make matters increasingly difficult, they were wearing ski masks. The grainy, dim-lit footage prohibited Penelope from any means of a lead for the team to follow.

All they knew was that three men had taken her.

The rest of the team hadn't arrived yet. It was assumed the rest of them were still getting ready to head back to the BAU, after only a few hours of rest. Aaron had called Garcia the moment he left his house to get a head start on the possible case JJ's been taken. The quirky, light-hearted analyst was nearly brought to tears upon hearing the news from her boss, so much as bursting into hysterics upon discovering the parking lot security footage of her vanilla cupcake getting beaten and taken away. It confirmed Will's belief that his wife was missing - because she really was missing.

Moments after, the rest of the agents started entering the room - David first, then Alex, Spencer and lastly, Derek. All displayed mixed expressions ranging from guilt, worry, stress and anxiety. It was made worse when they caught their boss cupping his face into his hands, and the tears streaming down Penelope's. They were all in a state of shock, Derek, being the first to speak.

"Is she really missing, Hotch?" he asked, raising concern through the intonation of his voice. Aaron was unable to speak; he only nodded, hinting for Garcia to play the footage she retrieved from the parking lot. The agents were taken aback from the grunts and moans of pain that came from the young blonde agent getting beaten on the screen. When the security tape finished, a range of actions took place among the agents.

Derek slammed his fists onto the table, fighting back the tears that were staining his eyes. He hated himself for not being able to protect his partner. He cursed, in his mind, asking why it was always his partner to be the target, and not him. Elle, Prentiss, and now, JJ. His little sister. Memories of Prentiss laying on the ground, bleeding to death haunted him once again.

David's fists were clenched so hard they were on the verge of bleeding, as he vowed to put nothing but bullet holes in each of the sons-of-bitches that did this to her.

Alex broke into tears, but remained strong for Spencer, as she knew JJ was very important to him. She came over to the young doctor, who was quietly sobbing in the corner, comforting him. She knew JJ was his best friend. She prayed that they would find her before anything else could happen.

All was made worse when they noticed Will standing at the door, his eyes red-rimmed from crying. He was watching the footage the whole time. Henry was sound asleep in his arms, but it looked like Will was close to collapsing – unable to hold his son. Penelope quickly ran over, taking Henry from his arms. Aaron offered him a seat, and he sat down.

For the first time, complete silence consumed the room. No bouncing ideas off each other, no case briefing, no profiling, no chaos. Just complete silence.

From afar, Matt Cruz watched as the horror of his former agent getting beaten filled the screen from the conference room. He vowed to find her before it was too late. He knew it wasn't a random kidnapping of an agent. He knew exactly who took her.

He knew it was his fault.

Not notifying the agents, he got up and left the building. He needed to get off the grid. He hoped that he'd be able to find JJ and stop the madness before the team did some digging into her past with the Pentagon.

Because God forbid they become aware of the work she's done at the State Department.