Garcia downed her third energy drink, glancing down from the code in front of her at her colorful elephant clock. 4:57 am. On the floor, Morgan lay slumped against the wall, sound asleep. Something dinged on one of the monitors distracting Garcia. Morgan startled awake.

"Did you find something?" He asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Garcia frowned, "But give me another hour and I'll have altered this program to where even the CIA couldn't hide from me."

"I'll go tell Hotch." Morgan groaned, pushing himself up off the floor, but Garcia didn't respond. She was already back to work, bejeweled fingers flying across her keyboard like a flock of exotic birds, startled by a warning cry. Morgan hesitated at the door, looking back at her and the grey washed live stream emanating from one of her monitors, before silently closing it behind him.

Ka-Chunk!

Reid started up out of a fitful sleep.

'Oh god, not again.' he pulled himself up out of the cot. His entire body burned and ached, but with his adrenaline spiking, he barely noticed.

Ka-Chunk!

"Alex," Reid whispered, leaning down and gently shaking her shoulder, "Alex, wake up."

Alex blearily opened her eyes, then bolted upright, slapping Reid's hand away and slamming back against the wall.

"Woah Woah!" Reid exclaimed, "It's ok, it's just me."

Ka-Chunk!

Her panicked eyes scanned over his bandaged arms and bare chest, then found his face and softened. Her breathing slowed, and the fight left her eyes.

"Sorry," He said, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok." She replied, taking his offered hand as she climbed off of the cot. "What's go..."

Ka-Chunk!

Her eyes widened, "Oh..."

"Yea," Reid nodded.

Someone pounded loudly on the heavy metal door.

"Hands on your head! Don't move!"

Alex realized with a start that she was still holding Reid's outstretched hand. She released it and took a step back, raising her hands. Reid mimicked her, wincing as the motion pulled on the bandage across his chest.

There was a horrendous creaking as the door was unlocked and swung open. Three men stood in front of them, all armed. Reid thought based on height and weight that they could be the same three from the previous day, but with their identical black outfits and masks, it was hard to be sure.

"Move." One of them ordered, stepping back and gesturing down the hallway with his gun. "And keep your hands where we can see them. If either of you try to run, we shoot your friend, understand?"

"Got it." Alex responded, tight-lipped. Reid nodded.

One of the guards stepped into the room, and before either of them could react, slammed his knee into Reid's stomach, knocking the air out of him. Reid doubled over and fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for air.

"I couldn't hear you." the guard leered, grabbing a fist full of Reid's hair and wrenching his head back, forcing him to look up at him with the barrel of his gun under Reid's chin. Alex froze, watching with terror, but she dare not move for fear he would pull the trigger. "Now what was that?" The guard jeered.

"I understand." Reid replied, staring back at the guard.

"There we go! Good boy" The guard grinned, releasing Reid's hair and patting the side of his face. Reid yanked his head away, and climbed shakily to his feet.

Reid and Alex were ushered down the hallway with one guard ahead and two behind them.

"You ok?" Alex whispered, looking concernedly at Reid. He nodded, but she could see his breath was still shaky.

"Shut up!" A guard ordered, shoving the barrel of his gun into Alex's back and pushing her forward. Alex glared at him but said nothing.

They were brought back into the main room, where two chairs were set up facing a tripod and computer.

"Stop." One of the men commanded as they reached the chairs. He nodded to his companion, who stepped over to the computer, typed something, and then started the camera.

"Now," He said, tossing a black duffle bag on the floor by Reid, "Tie her up."

Reid froze, glancing from the black duffle bag, to Alex, to the three men that surrounded them. Right now, they had an, albeit slim, chance of escaping. That chance would be gone the moment Alex couldn't run. But how would they overpower three men with guns? Dammit, he needed more time to think.

Bang!

Reid jumped back and Alex screamed as the masked man fired a shot over her head.

"That wasn't a suggestion." He whispered, dangerously quiet, "You disobey again and the next one goes in her chest."

Reid nodded, his ears still ringing from the gunshot. Alex sat down in the nearest chair as Reid unzipped the duffle bag. Inside were a silver pair of sewing shears laying on a pile of black paracord.

"Tie her arms to the side of the chair," the man by the computer ordered, "At the wrist and above the elbow."

Reid paused, then pulled a length of rope out of the bag and began winding it carefully around Alex's wrist. He fumbled with the knot and took a few deep breaths to steady his hands before pulling out a second piece and beginning to wrap it around her upper arm, just below her bandage. Alex looked calm, but her breath was shallow and fast and Reid could feel the tension in her body. As he took her other hand to place it against the back leg of the chair, he could feel her heartbeat racing against the fingers he had gently wrapped around her wrist.

"Now her legs." the same man ordered, "Ankles together, knees together, then pulled under the chair." Reid realized with a start that the man was reading the orders from the computer screen, probably from a live chat. He shivered with disgust. Somehow, that made the whole situation feel that much worse. Nevertheless, he continued, tying her legs above and below the knee and then moved to her ankles, tying them together before running a length of rope under the chair and pulling it taught until only the tips of her beat-up sneakers brushed the ground. Alex shifted uncomfortably.

"Sorry," Reid winced.

"It's ok," Alex quickly whispered, "Really, I'm ok."

"There, done." Reid said, standing up after tying the last knot. "Are you satisfied?"

The man behind the computer began to nod but was interrupted.

"Not yet," the closest guard grinned. "Take the scissors and cut off her shirt."

"What? No!" Reid exclaimed stepping back.

"No?" The man asked, feigning surprise. He took two quick steps forward and, while looking straight at Reid, jammed the barrel of his gun painfully into Alex's chest. "I told you before, you disobey, she dies!"

"No!" Reid cried out, involuntarily moving towards Alex.

"Then do it!" The man ordered. Alex winced as he shoved the barrel into her chest once more before stepping back.

Reid picked up the sewing shears and knelt in front of Alex. His heart was pounding so loudly in his ears he could have sworn Alex could hear it. He was frozen, the shears heavy in his shaking hands.

"Hey," Alex whispered, leaning towards him as far as she could. "It's ok Spence."

Reid nodded, but couldn't meet her eyes. He slid the tip of the shears under her tank top and Alex flinched as the cold metal brushed against her stomach. He cut upward slowly, careful not to harm her, before quickly snipping through the shoulder straps and pulling the fabric away. One of the guys behind him whistled, but Reid barely noticed. Alex shivered slightly in the chilly, cement room. She was left wearing just a black sports bra, and Reid couldn't help but notice the pock-marked scars that, while faded, were barely visible along her stomach and trailing up her chest. Reid felt a flush of anger course through him as he realized they were cigarette burns.

He was startled out of his thoughts as a pair of rough hands grabbed him, pulling him back towards the other chair. He dropped the shears in surprise but didn't resist. He was tied in a similar fashion to Alex, but with an extra rope crossing over his chest, securing his torso to the back of the chair. Reid winced as it was pulled tight, digging into the laceration on his chest. A small spot of blood began to seep through the white bandaging surrounding the rope. A knotted bandanna was forced into his mouth and knotted behind his head. He glanced over at Alex just in time to see the same being done to her.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," the man crowed, turning to the camera, "it is time to begin our auction!"