This chapter is basically a "meanwhile back at the ranch" chapter, taking place simultaneously from chapter 8, and ending with the text messages between Reid and Morgan. After this chapter there should only be two more. I told you in the summary that it would be CCD eventually, so next chapter someone is going to die. But for now, enjoy the fact that everyone is still currently alive and please review.


Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss and JJ were all sitting at a round table in a deli down the street from the police station when Garcia called Morgan.

"Hay, Baby Girl," Morgan answered, putting the tech on speaker, "You've got me, Rossi, Prentiss and JJ. How's that list of eighty-seven now?"

"Um…"

"Garcia?"

"Ummmm…"

"Garcia, com on, what is it."

"Well, I took that über long list and used Reid's parameters to narrow it down and I came up with one name which means-"

"Which means we've got our unsub," Prentiss interrupted.

"Give us the good's Baby!" Morgan said, excited that this case could be closed so quickly.

"No, no," Garcia argued, "We have to start over. Give me different stuff because trust me my Fantastic Four, this lead's a no go."

"And why is that," Asked Rossi.

"Well sir, um, that's one of the many buggy things about computers, they're non discriminatory. They don't recognize fellow agents and friends and, well, good guys and realize that it's not possible for –"

JJ sighed and took a guess as to whom Garcia's search had lead them to. "Hotch?"

"Um,"

"Garcia," JJ said in a warning tone.

"Yes. Yes, it's Hotch."

Morgan chuckled slightly at the irony. "And I got mad at Reid when he mentioned Hotch."

"You got mad at Reid?" Garcia asked. "Wait, Reid mentioned Hotch?"

Prentiss nodded. "Reid mentioned that Hotch fits our profile of the unsub."

"Oh no." Garcia's little voice was filled with dread.

"Don't worry, Baby Girl," Morgan assured the worried analyst. "None of this means anything. Just sit tight and Google pix of baby animals or something until we call back, okay?"

"Okay," was all she said when she hung up, no witty exiting line as was the norm.

"None of this means anything?" Rossi repeated Morgan's words at him questioningly.

"I just told her that so she wouldn't worry. Trust me Rossi, I know what this means."

"Wow, hold the phone," Prentiss raised a hand defensively. "You don't seriously think Hotch is the DC Phantom, do you?"

"I'm not saying for sure one way or the other, Prentiss."

"At the very least," Rossi continued Morgan's thought, "One of us should go and talk to him. I think I'll head over there, if nothing else to check up on the man. He hasn't quite been himself today."

Morgan followed suit with Rossi as he stood to leave. "I'm coming with you. If by chance he is our unsub," he paused to shake his head in disbelief. Hadn't he defended Hotch only an hour ago? "You shouldn't go alone."

"Well, let us come with you then?" JJ offered.

"No," Rossi said, "We don't want to make him feel like it's an ambush."

Once the men got to the SUV, Morgan began to seriously wonder about Reid, and voiced his concerns to Rossi. "I wonder where Reid is."

"Probably avoiding you," Rossi stated, "He thinks he really pissed you off back in the conference room."

"He did really piss me off. But I'm over it now. Now I'm just worried about him."

"You don't think the kid went to confront Hotch on his own, do you," Rossi worried aloud.

"If he did it's my fault." Morgan buckled himself into the drivers seat while Rossi shut the front passenger door. "I was the one who refused to listen to him."

Before he started the car, Morgan decided that he would send Reid a text message to find out where his young subordinate was, and to let him know that he was no longer angry.

"Thought bout what u said, sorry I got mad at u. W/ Rossi on the way 2 talk 2 Hotch. Where r u?"

No sooner had Morgan started the vehicle and shifted into drive, his phone buzzed receiving a text message. Morgan read the answer and panic shot through him. He pulled out of his parking space like he was escaping the depths of hell and turned on the lights and siren.

"What is it, Morgan?" Rossi asked in shock.

"Reid's with Hotch! It's him Rossi."

"Shit!"

"It's him. Hurry."