Rossi Cabin – Afternoon

The list of cabins and their owners was split among the team and several local police who'd joined in on the search for Derek and Penelope. It would take days to cover them all especially with most of the owners away or out of the country. They needed a break in the case and fast. None of the names connected to past BAU cases and so that idea proved to be a dead end. Dave had tried unsuccessfully in convincing Fran to go back to Quantico to wait.

"Maybe this was just a random attack." JJ began

"It doesn't explain the attack on the cabin." Hotch added.

"Two random attacks?" JJ added even though she didn't believe it.

"Not likely." Dave insisted.

"We're looking for a needle in a haystack." Hotch thought out loud.

"Actually, we're looking for a needle in a stack of needles." Reid corrected.

Hotch shook his head at the young genius, not wanting to hear a more elaborate explanation for his comment.

"Okay, let's look at this list of names again, we're missing something and it's staring us right in our faces." Dave insisted.

Unknown location –

Earl rushed toward the room at the end of the hallway; not to help his friend, he was sure he was dead. He was more interested in the man who'd beat Cody Madden at his own game. He'd been cellmates for two years with the man and everyone, even those much larger, feared him.

Earl moved slowly toward the two keeping his distance not wanting to make the same mistake his friend had. With two fingers against his neck, Earl confirmed that Cody was indeed dead. Derek opened his eyes watching quietly.

"You killed him."

"Help me." Derek whispered.

Earl turned his attention to Derek now; he had no intentions on helping him.

"Help me." He repeated.

"I'm sorry but I can't go back to prison. If the police find out I was involved in this..."

"I'll tell them that you helped me. You won't go back to prison I'll make sure of it!"

"I don't believe you."

"Come on man."

Earl sat and crossed his legs still watching the man who was badly injured and bleeding.

"I do have some good news for you though."

"Good news?"

"Penelope is alive."

Derek tried in vain to sit up. The mention of her name and the thought of her still being alive gave him a burst of strength.

"What?"

"I saw her; she's doing good, a little banged up but she's just fine."

"Let me go! I have to get to her!"

"Derek, let's be real you're bleeding pretty bad and unless someone finds you, you're going to die here."

Derek struggled again to sit up.

"Please..."

"Even with the bruises, she's so beautiful; you're a lucky man; a very lucky man. Don't worry though, I plan to take good care of her. She's going to need a man to make her feel like a woman again after your gone."

"No!"

"I can't wait to make my acquaintance with the lovely Penelope Garcia Morgan and hey, she likes computers, so we have a lot in common."

"No! No! Don't you touch her...don't...you..."

Earl stood and headed toward the door, turning back again before leaving.

"Goodbye Derek."

Home of Obie White – Late Afternoon

Earl rushed through the door startling his father. Obie had just helped Penelope back to bed and his son was the last person he expected to see.

"What a surprise, two days in a row and it's still early. What, your boss gave you the day off?"

"Something like that." Earl's eyes roamed the room. "Where is she?"

"Your mother, she was a little tired after lunch, so she just laid down for a nap."

Earl brushed past the man and headed toward the bedroom; Obie followed behind him.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to see her."

"I said she's..."

"Listen, I need to see her, now!"

Earl pushed the old man against the wall and entered the room locking the door behind him. Penelope was happy that Obie had not restrained her this time. She was tired and had just gotten comfortable when she heard the muffled voices in the hallway. She locked eyes with the stranger as he entered the room.

"Who are you?" She asked.

Earl approached her bed; she saw the look in his eyes that was pure evil.

"What do you want, where's Obie?"

"I know who you are Penelope Morgan." He laughed. "I know who you are."

Obie paced outside the door, he didn't want her awakened, she'd gone through so much and he couldn't risk losing her again. It was hard living without her, and this second chance had given him new hope. No one not even his son was going to take that from him.

She saw the knife in his hand and before she could even think to run, he was at her bedside.

"Don't make me hurt you, Penelope."

"Obie..."

"That old man can't stop me, he never could. He's crazy, thinking you're my mother. I'm sure you've been playing right along, haven't you?" He smirked.

"Obie!" She yelled.

"You're going to be a good girl."

He sat on the bed next to her and she saw the blood on the blade. Earl smiled smugly.

"Don't worry about a little blood. This is the same knife I used to kill Derek."

Her heart froze, how did he know Derek and where was he?

"Oh my god! How do you know Derek?"

"I told you, I killed him! Now you belong to me." He whispered.

Earl leaned in toward her, running the bloody knife down the side of her face. She tried to scream but his other hand clamped tight over her mouth.

"Open this door, Earl!" Obie screamed

He tried the door, but it was locked; then he pounded his fist demanding entrance. Obie rushed away; he'd locked this door so many nights in the past to keep his wife from wandering outside in the dark. Quickly, he ran to get his key; he needed to get in to protect her.

"It's just us now, Penelope."

"NO!"

Earl lunged forward forcing his lips onto hers. Penelope pushed against him with her good arm, but she knew she was too weak to beat him.

"Don't fight me!" He warned.

"Get off me!" She screamed.

Earl wasn't in the mood for a fight. He wanted what he wanted, and he was going to get it. With his free hand he grabbed her around the neck and squeezed. He smiled at the wheezing sound she made as she struggled to fight him with one hand and breathe at the same time.

"EARL!"

Earl stopped momentarily to see his father standing behind him.

"Get out of here old man!"

"That's your mother! Get off her!"

"You crazy old man. This isn't my mother!"

Earl shook his head and turned away from his father returning his attention to Penelope. Then he heard his father's rifle, slowly he turned again to see both barrels within inches of is face. His father had always been a good hunter and he never missed.

"Take...your...hands...off...her!"

Earl held his hands up in surrender. Penelope watched wide-eyed and grateful.

"You-you know this isn't mom, right?"

Tears began to well up in the old man's eyes.

"I want you out of this house and don't come back!" He said calmly.

His father was crazy, but he wasn't anyone to play with, especially with a rifle in his hand.

"Okay, okay!"

Earl quickly got off the bed and scurried toward the bedroom door. Obie followed close behind keeping his aim on the man he no longer knew. Just as Earl reached the front door, Obie said his final goodbye.

"...and leave your keys."

Rossi Cabin –

The team was busy rechecking the list and digging into the lives of nearby residences. Their conversation was interrupted by a phone call; silently they all hoped it was a lead to finding their friends.

"Hello?" Hotch answered.

"Is this Agent Hotchner?" The male voice said on the other end.

"Yes, this is Agent Hotchner."

The others listened intently to the one-sided conversation. There was a pause on Hotch's side for a moment before his face lit up.

"H-Hotch..."

Then with a wide grin of relief, Hotch turned toward the others.

"It's Penelope!"