"So, is this it? Are you all just going to sit around like a bunch of wimps doing nothing?" Garcia yelled across the room.

All of them slowly turned their attention to the emotional computer tech; each of them at a loss for words at her outburst. They were stunned by the video of their friend battered and bruised and guilt-ridden.

"Garcia…"

"No Hotch! We've got to do something to find them!"

"And we will, Garcia! We know you're upset so are we and we'll bring them home."

Garcia visibly shaken suddenly realized that she had just yelled at a room full of people who all out ranked her and the man who could even fire her but when it came to those she loved, especially Derek Morgan she wasn't always rational.

"I'm so sorry, sir."

"No sorry necessary…just don't let it happen again." He smirked slightly.

The rare humor from their unit chief was a much-needed relief from what they had all just seen.

"Now let's get back to work."

"Twelve hours! That's all we have and he's going to kill our babies!"

JJ's panicked words brought them all back to the seriousness of the matter before them. Twelve hours didn't seem nearly long enough to figure out where this monster had taken their children. Twelve hours was all they had to accomplish the impossible, but they were the BAU and they accomplished the impossible everyday. So, with a new resolve they continued to comb through the files before them and reviewing everything they knew about Chester Barker.

Location Unknown – 11 hours remaining…

"We want our mommy and daddy!" Jack screamed at the woman.

"Shut up you little brat!"

Jack and Henry clung to each other as they sat in the far corner of the room. The woman's face filled with venom scared them but still they cried for their parents.

"Where's Uncle Derek?" Henry asked as he buried his face in Jack's chest.

"Yeah! If he knew you had us, he'd shoot you with his gun!" Jack insisted.

"Oh, really?" She mocked.

"Yeah, 'cuz he's a super hero!"

"A super hero!" Henry repeated.

Miranda paced around the room as if thinking of her next move. Suddenly she spun around and dropped to her knees in front of the boys.

"Let me tell you about your uncle Derek, he's not going to save you! In fact, you're parents aren't either!"

Jack and Henry began to cry and scream at the top of their lungs as Miranda stood and left the room.

Morgan was startled awake by the familiar cries of the boys. He looked around the dark room trying desperately to see through the glass across from him.

"Jack! Henry! It's me, Uncle Derek! It's okay! I'm going to get you out of here!"

He didn't know if the boys could hear him or not; he prayed that Miranda or Chester weren't hurting or terrorizing them. He struggled harder against his restraints and he felt the bindings cutting into his flesh but he didn't care.

"Barker!" He yelled. "Barker! Let me see the boys! Please! Miranda!"

The door suddenly opened and the light above flickered on. Barker accompanied by two of the men who'd broken into his home, entered the room. Barker stood in front of Morgan and without warning sent his fist slamming into the side of his face. Morgan felt his mouth fill with blood still he refused to give the man the satisfaction he needed so he muffled the moan of pain spitting the blood on his attacker.

"You'll pay for that!" Barker shouted. "Cut him loose! Now!" He instructed the men.

The two men did as they were told moving to Morgan and cutting him loose. Morgan's wrists were raw from his struggle to free himself and he rubbed them to try and find some relief from the pain.

"Get him to his feet!"

Again the men did as they were told and roughly jerked him up and held him in place. Barker slammed his fist into Morgan's midsection nearly knocking the wind out of him. Doubling over he coughed to catch his breath.

"I've done some research on you agent. It's seems I'm not the only one you've let down."

"What?" Derek choked out.

"Yeah, you keep up this façade like you're some super hero but you're nothing but a weak coward!"

"I tell you what, you get rid of your goons and I'll show you just how weak and cowardly I am as I beat your ass!"

Barker hit Morgan in the face again and then pummeled him sending him to the ground. The two men released him as he hit the floor hard. Morgan slowly tried getting to his feet laughing as he wiped the blood from his face.

"Barker, please let me assure you of one thing. The first chance I get…I'm going to kill you!"

Barker nodded at the two men and they immediately began kicking Morgan nonstop until he collapsed unconscious on the floor. Barker looked at the two and smirked then headed toward the door.

"Let's go. Make sure you send the video to his team."

Twenty minutes later, Miranda entered the room with a small bowl of water and fresh towels. As she drew close Morgan began to regain consciousness. She wet one of the towels and began wiping the blood from his face. He jumped at the cool water on his skin.

"Shh…it's me, Miranda. I'm just going to get you cleaned up."

"Don't bother."

"Chester's going to let you see the boys; you don't want them to see you like this, do you?"

Morgan struggled to a sitting position and moved to the wall and leaned against it. She followed and continued to wipe the blood from his face.

"No I don't." He said taking the towel from her hand. "Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why is he letting me see the boys? Are they okay?"

"They're fine. You don't think Chester would actually hurt them do you?" She said innocently.

"Yes, I do."

Morgan continued wiping the blood from his face and hands. She watched him curiously.

"He says you're the reason his family was killed."

Morgan looked at the young woman without saying a word.

"He's not going to let you go until you admit it; you know that, right?"

"It's not my fault that his family was killed."

Morgan leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes as he rode out a wave of pain.

"Why are you involved in all of this? What's he to you?"

She looked around puzzled as if trying to find an acceptable answer.

"He saved my life. I owe him."

"You don't owe him going to jail for kidnapping maybe even murder. You've got to know this is wrong! Those two little boys are innocent! They don't deserve being terrified out of their wits because somebody is mad at me and my team!"

"Shut up! Chester is my friend! He was there for me when nobody else was!"

"Miranda, please, whatever happens, don't let him hurt them, okay?"

Without saying a word, Miranda stood grabbed the bowl from the floor and snatched the towel from Morgan's hands.

"Let us go! Don't throw your life away for this man! He's not worth it!"

"He is worth it and if he asked me to kill you I'd do it…gladly!"

The woman stared at him without flinching then left the room. He thought he'd had found a way to drive a wedge between Miranda and Barker but she withdrew. Now there was nothing more for him to do but wait for another opportunity to get the boys and himself out of this nightmare.

BAU Headquarters – 10 hours remaining –

Garcia forced herself not to think beyond the keys on her computer. If she did, she'd fall apart. The thought of Morgan, Jack and Henry in the hands of a monster willing to threaten and hurt them was too much for her to handle.

The knock startled her as she turned to see her friend walk through the door.

"Anything?"

"JJ, uh…no nothing yet. It's like this guy stopped existing after his family was killed five years ago."

"Garcia, we've got to find them…"

"JJ, I know…it's just…there's nothing except where he worked and where he lived. No clubs, no church affiliations, nothing!"

JJ sat in the chair next to Garcia and watched in silence as the searches continued to run across the screen.

"You blame him don't you?"

"What?"

"Derek. You blame him for the boys being taken. You think he could have done something to prevent it."

"No. No-no of course I don't blame him!"

"I saw how you looked, your body language…"

"Garcie, you've been around profilers too long."

Garcia looked at her friend wanting the truth. She wasn't going to let her off the hook.

"Okay, at first…for just a second…I blamed him! I mean Morgan is the strongest, bravest man I know! Nobody beats him! He's the one you always want going through the door with you."

"I knew it. All of you did, Hotch, Will…"

"Garcia, we all know Morgan did his best! Come on we're human! The thought of our babies being taken hurt or even…" JJ couldn't say the word. "We needed someone to blame if even for just a second…I'm sorry…"

One of her computers began beeping indicating an incoming email. The two watched as Garcia opened the email's attachment.

"Oh my God!"

JJ grabbed her best friend's hand as they watched in horror the scene playing before them.