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A/n thanks again to all my loyal readers. And to my wonderful beta REIDFANATIC who keeps me on track. She doesn't keep Adele on track because no one can keep track of that Muse!

Morgan opened Reid's apartment door with his key. He entered with his gun drawn. Emily followed him going in low and calling out in perfect unison. "FBI!"

"Reid, its Morgan and Prentiss. If you're here, call out."

Silence assaulted their ears as though someone had abruptly cut off a wailing heavy metal singer in mid scream. It was deafening in its intensity.

They separated to clear the small apartment. The early morning light that seeped into the rooms, around tightly closed blinds, leaving stripes of gold on the carpet. Their feet moved back and forth through the light till they were sure that they were alone in the small living room.

Morgan opened the blinds on the sliding patio door and Emily did the same in the kitchen. The resulting brightness was annoyingly cheerful, like rock and roll band at a child's funeral.

"Flip you for the chance to check out Reid's bedroom."

"Not funny Derek!"

"Just a little gallows humor. I'm trying to relieve some of the tension."

"I know… I just can't believe this is happening again."

"Yeah, after we find my man, I'm getting him fitted with a bell around his neck."

"You don't think he'll object to that."

"I don't care!"

"Let's just check this place out. We'll just pretend that this is any other victim."

"I can't do that."

Emily put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We have to find away to get through this without falling apart. If that means thinking of Reid as just another victim, then I'll do it."

"I'll take his bedroom." Morgan said.

----

Hotch was waiting for Calloway when he strolled into this office. It was seven am and he was carrying a very large cup of Starbucks coffee.

"Agent Hotchner…. What can I do for you?"

"My team just returned from Vermont. I was informed that your team is looking for Dr. Reid."

"Yes, Section Chief Strauss asked me to find him. She wants to keep IAB out of this as long as possible."

Hotch took the chair across from Calloway's desk. Though Hotch sat, he seemed to tower over Calloway. The team leader was smiling angelically and sipped his coffee as though they were watching a football game.

"I'm here because I'd like a professional courtesy."

"Of course, whatever I can do for you. I'm sure that you have a lot on your plate without Dr. Reid."

"My team can function without Dr. Reid. But, we would like to have our team back and running at its full capacity."

"The chain is only as strong as its weakest link."

Hotch raised any eyebrow. "An interesting analogy. I like to think of my team as a family, not as slaves or servants."

"I'm sure that works well for you. Me, I like to keep my work and home life separate. To think of my team as a family would be disastrous. Too much closeness clutters up the works if you let yourself get too involved with the people you work with. Don't you agree Hotch?" His smile was larger and his eyes were twinkling like he'd just told the funniest joke anyone had ever heard.

"No, I don't agree. I think certain closeness is important in the work we do. Without it you can't trust your team to have your back when it's important."

"That's the difference between you and me, Hotchner."

"What can you tell me about your investigation?"

"My team is working on it. I don't really have anything to tell you."

"Yes, I can see that."

Calloway's eyes narrowed. He shifted in his chair, and his hands began playing with a pen on his green desk blotter.

"I don't like your tone."

"I'm not here to have a friendly conversation with you. I'm here to find a member of my team."

"Are you saying that I'm not doing enough to find him?"

"Yes!"

"Perhaps I'll talk to Section Chief Strauss."

"If you feel that's necessary, by all means do so. I'll be happy to speak with the Director."

"I don't think we need to involve the Director at this point!"

"No, I don't suppose you do."

"I'm doing the best that I can with what I have to work with. We don't even know for sure that Dr. Reid is actually missing. Strauss told me that there's been no contact with a kidnapper. They haven't asked for ransom or for anything else. She said that your technical analyst was the one to raise the alarm. Supposedly, she was contacted by a victim from one of your cases in Atlanta. She expressed an inordinate concern for your team member. Strauss was not happy to know that your profiler was off to see a young woman he'd met in the course of his duties. Tell me Agent Hotchner, is it common for your team members to get involved with victims. I believe that's a bit unprofessional.

It was Hotch's turn to smile a rare smile, but it turned Calloway's spine to jelly. "I don't believe it's any of your business what my agents do in their free time."

"I'm a profiler Hotch. You know I have to consider victimology in this. What Reid does in his spare time is very important. How do we know that he didn't just decide to disappear? He wouldn't be the first profiler on your team to just walk away and disappear. You've had a lot of trouble with that in the last couple of years."

"Agents Gideon and Greenaway have nothing to do with Dr. Reid's disappearance."

"That's where you're wrong. I think it speaks to poor leadership."

Hotch stood up. "I'm not here to talk about leadership style. If you can't do your job and find my agent, then my team will do your job for you."

He left the office, shutting the door just a bit harder then was necessary, but not quite slamming it. Calloway dropped back in his chair. Hi heart was racing and his palms were sweating profusely.

Just remember what you're goal is.

He unclenched his hand and picked up his phone. Strauss was going to hear about this visit. She'd better get control over her Unit Chief if they wereto succeed.

---

Morgan left Reid's bedroom and almost ran into Emily leaving Reid's bathroom. "What did you find?"

"You want the good news first, or the bad news."

"The bad news first."

"Everything that you'd take on vacation or for a short trip is gone."

"Yeah, same here."

"The good news is that all his books are gone. His refrigerator has been cleaned out and the garbage disposed of. "

"Reid could have done that. He was going to be gone for a couple of weeks."

"I don't think he packed all his books into his suitcase. He was going to spend time with a beautiful woman that seems to adore him."

"Come on, Reid isn't what you'd call a Casanova."

"And what, pray tell, does that have to do with anything."

"I'm just saying that Reid isn't very experienced with the opposite sex. You know we have to do victimology. Why this victim at this time and this place. Reid is a twenty-seven year old white guy. He's a genius that was abandoned by his father at the age of ten. His mother is in an institution for a mental disorder. He's terrified of ending up like her even though the average age for Schizophrenia to manifest itself has passed. He goes to Comic-Con. He loves Star Trek and reads anything that isn't nailed down.

If you were looking into the disappearance of anyone other the Reid with these clues," He gestured around the apartment. "What would you think?"

"I'd wonder if he chickened out on seeing a woman that might intimidate him sexually, no matter how much he likes her."

"So…"

"Okay, but how do you explain that the whole place is scoured top to bottom and that all his books are gone."

"I can't… All of his clothes and shoes are gone too. I'm sure he didn't pack up his whole life for vacation. But then again, maybe he got tired of looking at blood everyday. Maybe he decided to drop out of sight. "

"I don't believe that anymore then you do."

"Then lets get CSI in here and go over this place with a fine tooth comb."

---

"Come in!" Strauss growled at her office door.

"Hello Erin!"

"I told you not to call me by my first name while you're working here."

"Come on Erin. I don't think anyone cares what I call you." He shut the door and sat down without an invitation."What are you doing in here?"

"I think you know."

"If you're here to plead Agent Hotchner's case on why your team should be allowed to work Agent Reid's case you can save your breath."

"I'm not here to ask your permission Erin. I know where some of the bodies are buried around here. I have my own contacts and friends here."

"I don't respond to threats, Agent Rossi."

"I'm sure you don't."

Strauss finally put down the file she was reading and took off her glasses. "I'm not up to a verbal sparring match with you today."

"I'll bet you're not. I just want you to know that we'll be helping to find Dr. Reid."

"David!"

"It's not up for discussion. If I have to I'll resign right now and work this on my own."

Strauss had got up from her chair and was standing right in front of Rossi. "Perhaps we need to involve IAB after all."

"I don't think we need to do that. Not unless you want me to give them an earful about you."

"You're bluffing."

"I can see in your eyes that you don't believe that Erin. Do you want my badge, yes or no?"

"No, I don't want your badge Agent Rossi."

"Good, then I assume you will reassign all the teams cases till we have Dr. Reid back."

"You're pushing the limit with me."

"I know…"

"Get out of my office!"

"Do we have a deal?"

"Fine, do whatever you want. Just be sure that we don't have a repeat of what happened in Georgia two years ago."

"You leave us alone and we won't!"

"I said get out of my office!"

"Always a pleasure doing business with you Erin."

---