Home of Vi Morgan –

Things seemed to morph into slow motion as the SUV's carrying the team approached the house. Flashing lights from patrol cars and other first responders made it difficult to find a clear path to the house. Both Dave and Fran jumped from their vehicle and ran across the street. Capt. Gordinski had beat them there and taken charge of the scene; his face told the whole story as he blocked their entrance to the house.

"I need to warn you, it's a bloody mess in there."

"I need to get inside!" Dave yelled.

"Derek?" Fran began.

Stan couldn't find the words to answer her question; he wasn't fast enough to keep them outside waiting for his response. The sight inside the doorway stopped them in their tracks. They'd seen a lot in their lifetimes especially in their line of work, but nothing like this.

"I have him now! You'll get him back when I'm finished with him!"

The message on the wall written in blood was both a warning and a declaration that Boris Koralinko had won, and that Derek was the trophy. Dave and Fran realized that they were now in the middle of a crime scene and the organized chaos around them would not lead them to their son, it would only confirm that he was in grave danger.

Koralinko Compound –

Boris had shot and killed Vi in cold blood; she was an innocent who didn't deserve to die. She was another innocent that Derek was unable to save, and her death would haunt him. He was surprised that Boris had not turned the gun on him or had not ordered his men to shoot him dead. It would have been a logical end to a shitty week. Instead, he was brought to a large compound that was deceptively hidden in the hills just outside of town. From the outside it looked old and rundown but within the gates the grounds were pristine. Inside the large main house everything was unusually clean, modern, and expensively decorated with a staff of Russian women flitting around making sure that the owner and his men were attended to.

Derek was led past the staff who continued working as if he was not there and led to the far end of the first floor, then up two flights of stairs to a large suite at the end of a dark hallway. He was surprised that like the rest of the house, it was expensively furnished and clean and under other circumstances would be quite comfortable.

Boris nodded and one of the men removed the restraints around Derek's wrists. He stared at the older man who watched intently as his guest was freed. So far, he hadn't been hurt or drugged or mistreated in any way; not what he expected at all.

"Make yourself comfortable agent Morgan. Consider this your home until, well until this whole nasty business is settled."

"Nasty business? Don't you mean until you decide to kill me?"

Boris chuckled and glanced at his men. The two shrugged and waited for Boris to respond.

"You have a lot of questions, I know and in time they will all be answered but, in the meantime, dinner will be served in an hour."

"You shot my aunt, a defenseless woman in cold blood and now you're talking about dinner? I'm not hungry!"

Boris stepped into Derek's personal space, close enough for Derek to feel the man's breath on his face.

"I pride myself in being a good host but don't be fooled; dinner will be served in an hour and either you feed yourself or my men will. Besides, I want you at your best when you're reunited with your father."

"My father is dead!"

"And if you push me, you will be too."

Chicago Police Dept. –

"Find him Garcia!"

Hotch ended the call and returned the phone to his pocket and joined the others. Fran and Dave where inconsolable; the time of one trying to be strong for the other had long passed. Fran didn't give birth to a son, she never expected to have any other children after Sarah and Desiree, but she considered Derek a gift and no matter what, he was her son; she wanted him back in one piece, she wanted him back now.

"It's been too long! Why haven't we heard anything?"

"He's showing us who's in charge, Bella. He doesn't want to kill Derek."

"Not yet..." She added.

"We'll get him back before then, I promise."

"Dave, husband, you can't make that promise and you know it!"

JJ and Reid looked to Hotch for reassurance but saw nothing in his face but doubt and fear; Hotch had never shown fear, until now.

"I know I'm about to ask the impossible of all of you, especially you, Fran and Dave, but we have to treat this case as if it were any other case; Derek, Fran and Dave are our victims." Hotch looked sternly around the room before continuing. "If we don't then we don't have a chance in hell of getting Derek back alive."

BAU Headquarters –

"Find him Garcia!"

Hotch's words rang in her ears over and over as she searched. Her heart broke each time one of her searches came up empty. Boris Koralinko had plotted against Dave for the last twenty years and none of them, especially Derek had been prepared for his fury or his determination to destroy Dave. Fran and Dave and even Hotch had known the truth and at some point, should have shared Derek's identity. She blamed them for what was happening, and she knew if they were able to find Derek, the damage would be irreparable.

There was not a rock that existed that Penelope had not looked under searching for Koralinko. He was still wealthy able to purchase and hide property with ease, but she would find him; if it was the last thing she did, she would find him.

Koralinko Compound –

Koralinko sat at the head of the large pine dining table waiting for his guest to be brought in. He'd instructed his staff to prepare Sirloin steak, red potatoes, asparagus tips and a large garden salad. It was his first meal as a free man, and he wanted to begin his life of freedom with his favorite meal. The smells almost made him dizzy; it was a far cry from the prison gruel he'd been forced to survive on in prison. He would dine like a king tonight and when he was finished, he would place a call to an old enemy and arrange a reunion.

Derek studied everything he could lay his eyes on as he was escorted down the large hall to the dining room. It would be nearly impossible to escape but he had to try before things went south. The smell of the food reminded him that he'd eaten very little the last few days and that fact would be used against him in the next few minutes.

"Welcome, please have a seat, Derek; may I call you Derek?"

He was forced roughly into a seat to Boris' left. Without responding to the man's question his eyes scanned the room.

"You're wondering if there is a way out of here. I know, it's understandable for someone like you. I mean in your line of work; your survival depends on being able to get out of tight situations."

The staff brought two plates in, setting one in front of Boris and the other in front of Derek.

"Please, enjoy. My staff has taken great care in preparing an amazing meal for you."

Derek didn't move. Boris slowly took the white linen tablecloth and placed it on his lap, smiling slightly. He knew his guest would insist on making things difficult but that would be the start of his fun for the evening. Then picking up his knife and fork, he stopped to glance at Derek.

"Please."

Boris cut his steak and began eating, chewing the rich meat as if it was his last meal.

"It's an insult to refuse a meal from your host."

He took a fork of his potatoes.

"My host?"

Boris placed his eating utensils down, picked up his napkin and lightly dab the corners of his mouth. Then nodding to his men, he exhaled loudly. The two men crossed the room and stood on each side of Derek.

"If you insist on making this difficult, then my employees are more than willing and able to force feed you."

Derek picked up his fork and then his knife, staring thoughtfully at them before beginning to eat.

"Very good, very good. This doesn't have to be hard; you know."

Derek started with the meat, then the potatoes. He chewed and chewed but he couldn't manage to taste or swallow the food. All he could see was the look on his aunt's face just before Boris pulled the trigger. He could feel the warm spray of blood as it hit him in the face, and he could still feel his heart stop when she took her last breath. Then in an instant, the food that he'd just tried so hard to eat was ejected onto his host's face.

The look of horror and anger was worth everything that would come next.