Chapter 3

Some Local Police Station (same as last chapter)

50 Miles Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada

Back at the station, the remaining team members gathered to share what they learned from their various tasks thus far. J.J. started the meeting by saying, "Garcia has found no links between the victims. They all work for different companies, have different income levels, and they all went to different schools. The only apparent links we have are that they commute home from work at approximately the same time and have very similar physical appearances."

Elle then began to tell of what she had gathered. "The dumpsites, meaning the playgrounds, contain a high risk of exposing the unsub, which means he knows what he is doing and does it in a very discreet manner. The bodies were probably dumped around sunset because our unsub abducts a new victim immediately after he is rid of the previous one, and he abducts a new victim every 24 hours around 8 P.M."

Morgan added, "The homes of the victims were all very different from each other. We found nothing out of the ordinary or that would suggest a link to the victims."

Gideon then commenced to tell of what he learned from the videos. "The ransom videos are sent by an anonymous email address to a close friend or relative of the victim. They are very hard to trace, maybe even untraceable, but I have Garcia working on it. The first video for each victim is the longest in which the unsub states his demand for a 'HIM' delivered in the desert. Each victim is given only 24 hours to live before they are killed, and a ransom video is sent every six hours, almost always on the nose. I think that we are dealing with at least four unsubs; one states the demands, two stand by the victim, and the probably runs the camera. The unsubs are probably all male, and they always wear black clothes and ski masks. Each time the victim is beat up and in shackles connected to a wall. In the first and second videos for each victim, the victim is shot in the leg. The autopsy reports say that both victims were shot with rock salt, which acts as a paralysis unless it is completely removed. Also, the victims wouldn't die from this; in fact, they stop loosing blood about a half an hour after they were shot as a result of the unique ammunition. Anyway, in the third videos, the victim is beat up, probably with brass knuckles, and, finally, in the fourth video, the victim is killed by a slow and painful slit to the throat. In each and every video, an unsub says something to the extent of 'He was not given justice, so we take justice into our own hands and give it to him.' However, I think they are referring to a different 'him' than the one they want as ransom."

Morgan added, "Our unsubs probably feel that a family member or someone else close to them was wronged in a serious way, and now they are set on seeking justice to give both that person and themselves a sense of peace. Also, the 'HIM' that they want is probably the cause of the injustice."

Everyone on the team seemed to agree with Morgan, and Gideon then continued with his speech. "The quality of the video is extremely clear and vivid. No camcorder or home video equipment could, in my opinion, produce such clear feed. The camera is probably that of a professionals, and at least one of our unsubs knows how to use it. Our victims also appear very hot, which means that they are probably in or near the desert. This would also explain why the unsubs want 'HIM' delivered in the desert. Finally, the background in the videos appears to be worn and cracked cement; each video appears to be filmed in the same location, which means that are unsubs are confident that they will not be caught, thus they don't change location."

Hotch then brings a close to the meeting by saying, "That's a very good start everyone. Now, unfortunately, all we can do is wait for the body of Brandon Vogel to show up since we have already received his final video and also since we were called so late into the case. I think that we should all go back to the hotel, get a good night's rest, and be ready to leave the hotel tomorrow by 7 A.M. Hopefully we'll have more luck tomorrow when Reid returns."

After a moment of silence, Elle asked the question that was on every agent's mind since he abruptly left earlier in the day. "Where'd he go anyway?"

"He had a very urgent and important personal issue that he needed to deal with. He should be back by tomorrow and should call soon," said Hotch.

Morgan, however, wanted to know more. "Can't you give us more info than that? I don't mean to be pushy, but what was so important that it couldn't wait until we were finished with this case?"

With a slight look of annoyance on his face, Hotch answered Morgan with, "His mother just had a stroke, and, as you know, she has schizophrenia and lives in Vegas. Reid thought that it was important to visit her and make sure that she was okay." After a brief moment of silence, the team packed up their belongings and returned to their hotel for the remainder of the night.

Great Basin Desert

Near Las Vegas, Nevada

A dazed and confused Spencer Reid lay curled up on the floor in the back of the black truck. He tried, for several minutes, to escape from his bindings, but it was pointless because they were so tight. He had tried to move his left leg, but, as hard as he tried, he could barely move it a couple of inches. He suddenly became stricken with panic, fear, and the reality of his current situation. Reid desperately tried to stop the flow of blood from his leg, but, luckily, it seemed to be slowing down on its own.

After a while, the truck came to a sudden halt and the back doors of the truck swung open violently. The young agent was then quickly taken out of the truck; it was very dark outside, but he didn't see anything around him. He was dragged by the two men to a spot where the ground seemed to open up, he was quickly shoved in, and the men followed him and sealed off the opening.

In the under-ground chamber, Reid was led down a narrow, dark hallway and thrown into a small, pitch-black, prison-cell-like room. The heavy door was immediately shut, locking him in. After what seemed like forever, the two men swung the door open and try to pull their hostage out. Reid, however, squirms and thrashes in an attempt to break free from his capturers. He quickly fails and receives a blow to the stomach as a punishment.

After his feeble attempt at escape, Reid is led down the dark hallway into a larger, brighter room, which contains a huge camera, laptop, two other men, also in black, and various tools. He is shackled to the wall and the camera starts rolling. One of the men starts talking. Still dazed, Reid catches the words 24 hours, justice, him, and death. With the last statement, his eyes widen, and he is filled with panic and fear.

Suddenly, the man on Reid's left pulls out the same large handgun. As soon as he saw this, the young agent desperately tried to escape his restraints, but it was no use, and, once again, a searing and unbearable pain resounds in his leg, which was followed by numerous punches and kicks to his face, chest, and stomach. As his leg starts to outpour blood, Reid is roughly escorted back to that same enclosed cell, where he lies on the floor and eventually falls asleep.

An almost identical process was repeated six hours later. Again the same large room, camera, assumed demands, the beatings, the handgun, the useless attempt at escape, and the excruciating pain in his left leg.

The Next Morning at the Local Police Station

50 Miles Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada

Around 7 A.M., the team gathered in the hotel hallway, took a short drive, and arrived at the station by quarter after seven. Many officers were already at the station, which seemed to be in a disorganized and chaotic state. Immediately, Sheriff Harrell approached them and began to speak. "We just received terrible news. Officer Miller was just found unconscious near his patrol car at Vegas Memorial Hospital. I did some investigating, and no one with the last name of Reid is registered at that hospital. I had the local authorities do a search, and he was not found anywhere. Also, a pool of blood was found outside of the hospital and I sent it to DNA, but it isn't looking to good for your agent."

Hotch then said, "It was a trap; a lure to draw him out. I can't believe I let him go. I should of argued with him and at least sent someone else."

Officer Kohlmeyer interrupted Hotch's rant and said, "We just received Officer Miller's statement."

"What did he say?" asked an increasingly concerned Gideon.

Every agent went wide-eyed and pale after hearing what he said. "They took him."

The team's worst nightmare had just become a reality.