This chapter is short, but it packs a punch.

Chapter Three:

Reid was so tired, yet he couldn't sit. They way he was tied up facing the ladder, meant he didn't have much room to move. Bayron threw water front of him, and he had to quickly gulp it down to survive. He also threw pieces of stale bread occasionally. Most of the time though, he just came to hurt him, in unspeakable ways.

There was a sound by the garage door. Reid jumped. Bayron came in through the side door. What was going on?

The garage door suddenly lurched open. The light blinded him.

"FBI! Freeze!"

Reid should have been happy. He was being rescued! But he was embarrassed to be covered in nothing but vile human fluids. He instinctively turned away, trying to hide.

He felt a blanket wrapped around him. It felt so go to have something soft covering him. Another man with dark hands cut the ropes tying him to ladder. He instantly fell, as his legs could no longer hold him.

Strong arms held him up.

"It's okay," a gentle male voice said. "You're safe."

That's what Bayron said.

Reid used what strength he had left and pulled away from the man. He fell on his side, exposing himself, as the blanket fell.

A woman with dark hair rushed forward and kneeled beside him. She put another blanket on him.

"Hey, no one is going to touch you unless you give consent-permission from now, okay?"

He nodded. Reid was afraid if he opened his mouth, he would start crying, like a baby. Instead, he spelled "Bayron" in the dirt of the garage with a question mark.

"We reached him just as he was five minutes from here. Traffic worked in our favor."

He added the words "the others?"

She looked surprised by the news.

"Who are they?"

"No last names," he wrote. "Phil, Scott, and Drake. Wore janitor clothes."

She exchanged a few words with the man who held him, as he fell. Reid was so tired; he could sleep on the floor. The blankets were enough of a comfort.

Another blanket was brought over. She folded it up.

"Can I put this under your head?"

He nodded.

"I'll let you sleep," she said. "I won't leave you. I promise."

He nodded and drifted off.

…

Hotch watched the scene play out. His heart ached for the kid. Something he said must have triggered the reaction. He stepped away while Prentiss watched Reid.

"Three other men?" Morgan said.

"They were wearing custodial clothes," Hotch said. "It must be a network."

Rossi was working the phones. He swore when he hung up.

"Scott Haywood just used his easy pass to get out Nevada to California," Rossi said.

A police officer approached them. "A boy was found tied up in the shed of Trent Lakefield's home. We have police on the way to the office park, he cleans"

J.J. stepped forward.

"They just arrested, Drake Carmichael at the daycare where he works. They found kiddy porn in his office."

Morgan shook his head. "Haller uncovered an entire pedophile network."

"With help from Reid," Hotch said.

"Agents," an officer said.

She beckoned them forward. There two mounds, with flowers randomly planted, by the side of the house.

"The other boys," Hotch said.

"It looks like it," she said. "We'll do forensics to confirm."

There was a scream from the garage. Everyone ran back.

"NOOOOO! NOOOO!"

Reid was in a corner, clutching a blanket as he sobbed.

Prentiss looked at them apologetically.

"He asked for him mom. I said she'd be there for him at the hospital. He could tell I was lying."

Prentiss was shaking a little. This was the closest Hotch had ever seen Prentiss come to looking affected by a case.

"It's all my fault!" he shouted. "I didn't give her, her night time medications. She must have run outside. IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

Hotch knew there was no point in trying to reason with a child this abused and this agitated. He took a step forward.

"Spencer, may I touch you?"

"I don't care. Mommy's dead!"

Hotch risked it. He reached forward and hugged the child. Reid sobbed into his arms. His whole body shook as he cried. Eventually, he fell into a fitful sleep.

A female EMT approached him.

"We should use this time to take him in. I can give him a mild sedative for the drive. I sent my male partner away. As he seems okay with you. Would you mind riding along?"

Hotch looked at the sleeping distraught boy.

"No, I don't mind at all."