Hey Faithful Readers! Here's the next chapter for you!

I also go back to school in a week from today (Sunday), so I probably won't touch anything until after I go back; my laptop needs servicing (You know, spyware check).

Again, I own nothing pertaining to Criminal Minds, except for a T-shirt I bought a few weeks ago with the cats on the front; I'm planning on taking it to college with me!

….

It is not work that kills men; it is worry. Worry is rust upon the blade. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Hotch and Prentiss stepped from the SUV to find complete chaos. Police cars, ambulances, EMTs and neighbors congested the streets, making passage for any vehicles almost impossible.

Hotch saw the cars first and ran toward them, his badge flashing at whoever was within shouting distance. "FBI, move!"

Kurzbard met them halfway between the crash and their own SUV. "Son of a bitch came from nowhere," he began. "He crashed into us nearly had-on, and I blacked out, maybe for a couple minutes. When I woke up, I heard Agent Rossi yelling," Kurzbard took a breath to continue.

"Hotch! Emily!" Rossi called from a nearby ambulance.

"Talk to Dave," Hotch told Emily before turning to Kurzbard; Prentiss heard his faintly ask about JJ. Ignoring it, Emily ran to Rossi.

"How bad is it?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," Rossi growled. "Listen…"

"You're NOT fine," she pointed out. "There's a big gash over your eye, and from the way you're cradling your arm, I'd say it's been sprained." She looked around; something was missing, she realized. Or, more accurately, someone. "Where's Reid?"

Dave shook his head. "That's what I was trying to tell you," he replied bitterly. "When we crashed, I must've been knocked out by something for a moment, because when I came around, I saw the UnSub stuffing something into his van, and Reid was missing from the passenger seat."

"W-what?" Prentiss asked.

"The UnSub has Reid." Rossi confirmed grimly.

Prentiss nearly released a stream of curse words, but held them in for the sake of her injured supervisor, and her boss, who was heading their way with Kurzbard. Upon hearing Rossi's statement about the UnSub and Reid, Hotch's already grim face turned sour; only the other two agents could see the fear and horror in the man's eyes. Emily understood; this wasn't the first time Reid had been kidnapped by a man they were hunting. She could still remember the two nights the team had spent in a broken down farmhouse in rural Georgia, searching for Reid while he was held against his will by Tobias Hankel. Unlike then, though, they were racing against the clock; who knew what this guy was doing to their young genius.

Kurzbard took the moment to relay a report an officer had received. "There's a report of gunshots and screams a few blocks over, thought we should check it out." He muttered. "We didn't think much of it before, but since it's possible that our guy was here, maybe we should check it out." Hotch nodded, ushering Prentiss, JJ and Kurzbard to the SUV while Rossi was transported to the hospital.

_CM _S6_

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the door slam open and the sound of voices yelling "FBI!" and "LAPD!"

"We're in here!" Morgan yelled in reply. "We need medics!"

"Morgan?" Hotch's voice was followed by the man himself, Kurzbard and Prentiss right behind him. Immediately, the Unit Chief ran to his sub-ordinate, while Kurzbard checked the room, calling "Clear," before heading to Kristin, who had started crying in relief.

"It's alright, honey," he whispered as he embraced her, rocking her gently in his arms.

"Check Spicer," Morgan ordered, nodding to the fallen police officer in the corner. JJ went over to him, holstering her gun in the process.

"No need, JJ," Prentiss said quietly. "It was a fatal shot. There's no way he would've survived."

Morgan sighed; Prentiss' words had only confirmed his worst thoughts. Moments later, the medics that had arrived with the others confirmed what Prentiss had just described. Morgan relaxed when Hotch unbound his arms and legs, shaking and moving them to restart the blood flow before looking around the room for a moment.

"Hey Hotch," Morgan asked suddenly; there was a pit in his stomach, a reminder of what had been done to Spicer, who was now being wheeled from the room, a sheet covering his body. "Where's Rossi and Reid?"

"Rossi's in the hospital," Prentiss answered. "There was a car accident a few streets over; Rossi, Reid, JJ and Kurzbard were caught up in it."

"What about Reid?" now Morgan was concerned; he had to make sure the kid was alright. He wouldn't be able to live with himself it something had happened….

"Reid's missing," Hotch replied grimly. "We assume the UnSub took him."

Morgan cursed as the medics checked him over. "That sick son of a bitch took Ellie Spicer and now he has Reid?" He asked. "We need to find them. Now." I promised Spicer I'd keep Ellie alive, Morgan thought. And I'm not giving up on that promise. And… Morgan's thoughts turned to his young friend and fellow agent. I don't want another repeat of Georgia. None of us do. I'm not letting some Hankel wannabe pour salt into wounds that have been closed for so long.

"Morgan, you need medical attention," Hotch replied.

"I want to help, Hotch," Morgan cried. "I know what the guy looks like, I know what he could do to Reid. And I dunno about you, but I do NOT want a repeat of Georgia. Or have you forgotten?"

Hotch looked pained as he looked at Morgan. "No," he replied after a moment. "I-I don't want a repeat of Georgia. I haven't forgotten Georgia, and I never will forget Georgia, Morgan. But you need help. We'll find Reid, I promise."

_CM _S6_

His feet hurt, his chest hurt… He was so tired.

But he had to keep going. They had to keep going.

"Come on, Ellie," he gasped, pushing her ahead of him. She clung to his hand, pulling him along as they ran. Up ahead, Reid saw a dumpster pulled up against an alley wall, the space between the green receptacle and the wall of the building hidden in shadow.

"Come on," he whispered, towing the little girl toward the alley. "In here."

They ducked into the small corner space, Ellie first and Reid last. They crouched in the shadows, trying to catch their breaths.

Ellie reached a hand to Reid's face. "Spencer," she whispered. "You're bleeding.

"I'm fine," Reid whispered. "It's nothing, Ellie. Don't worry about me." He touched his forehead, feeling around until he felt the wet, sticky blood on his fingertips. It was either from the UnSub or from the crash; it was most likely the crash, though. He winced slightly, wiping his fingers on his pant leg.

They paused, listening to the sounds of a man running, the grunts and groans of someone who usually didn't chase his prey, but hunted them in the dark, when they were most vulnerable. He ran by their hiding place, the sound of his exertion growing fainter as he continued down the street.

Ellie curled up closer to Reid, her body shaking. "I'm scared, Spencer," she whispered, burying her head into his shirt.

"Me, too, Ellie," he replied, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her back in a comforting manner. "Me, too."

….

A/N: I was listening to Death Cab for Cutie while writing an author's note, and I now have "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" in my head… I like it!

And like the song, I like reviews. So… Pretty Please? Just click the little highlighted link just south of here, and tell me what you liked (or didn't like) about this. And check out some of my other stories. It'll make me happy…

*~N_CBAU~*