"He looks terrible." Morgan remarked to Rossi, sitting down the aisle from Aaron.
"You would too. We think Jack was taken into this ring." Rossi said and leaned back against the leather.
"Do you think he can handle anything we find?"
"I don't know. He's been through so much. First Hailey, now this."
0000000
Horatio knew where the boys probably ended up. He sent the search dogs in the wrong direction while he went deeper into the worse part of Miami. He parked a few blocks from his destination and walked the rest of the found the old, abandoned Hotel in a midst of condemed buildings. He checked the street before walking across and to the fenced off portion between buildings. Horatio walked around scrapmetal before finding the entrance. He walked through a carpeted hall way before finding the main foyer.
A few children ran around and played, they gave him a short glance before getting back to their games. He strolled across the wood floor and walked up marble stairs to try to find Benny, the young woman who took care of people here.
"Benny!" Horatio called, his voice echoed through the foyer.
"One minute." A voice called from down the hall. She emerged from a room a few moments later. "I'm sorry, just looking in on rooms. What can I do for you?"
"Did a few young boys find their way here this morning?"
"Yes, I have seven here."
"Only seven?"
"Yes, what's going on?"
"They escaped from a trafficking ring."
"That much I figured."
"Listen, it turns out the Feds have been trying to track this ring, and they're coming to search. I just wanted to give you a heads up." Horatio glanced at an turn-of-the-century photograph on the wall. "Have any of the boys talked to you?"
"Yes, and I have given them the option of going to the police."
"And?"
"Five are ready to go home."
"Wonderful, can you get them together for me?"
"Certainly, you can come along if you want."
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The boys were taken to the hospital to be looked at, and the lieutenant had Tripp call parents or relatives. Horatio just arrived back at the lab with evidence from the boys when the BAU arrived.
"You must be the FBI," Horatio smiled slightly and extended his hand to Aaron.
"And you must be Horatio. I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner, Reid, Morgan, Rossi, Jareau and Prentiss."
"It's a pleasure. The rest of my team is in the field."
"We'd like to see where the boys were being held."
"I'm sorry, that's a crime scene. I don't want anything compromised." Horatio said.
"What do you mean it's a crime scene?" Rossi asked.
"Three boys were shot and killed." Horatio sighed.
"Why didn't you tell me this?"
"I wasn't sure if there were more victims this morning. And I also want to keep this from the media as long as possible."
"Have they been identified?" Aaron asked.
"Yes."
"Can I see the bodies?"
"Sure." Horatio nodded, he wanted to know why but didn't ask.
"Have you found any boys yet?" Morgan asked.
"Five, just an hour ago. They are at the hospital, and I have a detective notifying family as we speak."
"Do we know how many were held in the warehouse?" Morgan asked.
"The boys are saying there were around seventeen."
"So we now have nine missing."
"Yes. I wanted to consult you all before putting out an amber alert."
"No, let's not." JJ shook her head. "If they have them, they might kill them."
"Is there anywhere we could set up?" Reid asked.
"Sure. What do you need?"
"A bulliten board, and some coffee." Reid said.
"We have a conference room, and my employees keep the break room stocked like a coffee shop." Horatio smiled. "Rick, just the man I wanted to see." Stetler walked down the hall and looked at him like he was crazy. "Take them to the conference room and help them find what they need."
"Horatio-"
"Just do it please."
"You owe me."
"I know. I'll show you to the morgue Aaron." The two men walked down the back hall.
"Who is he?" Aaron asked, referring to Rick.
"Internal Affairs."
"And he just does what you say?"
"Not usually. I think he just understands I'm short staffed."
"Budget cuts?"
"No, my CSIs keep dying, or they are fired."
"Oh." Horatio pushed open the double door leading into the main room.
"Tom, have you finished the autopsies yet?" Horatio asked the tall, greying man.
"I just did." He was writing on a clipboard.
"Was there anything we wouldn't expect?"
"I don't think so." Tom walked over to the three tables. "They all died from single gunshot wounds. And there are signs of prolonged physical and sexual abuse."
"Have you gotten names yet?" Aaron looked at the faces, and did not recognize any of them.
"Andrew Beck, Max Brown and Dylan Brook. I sent any DNA or trace samples upstairs."
"Thank you Tom."
"Anytime." Horatio led Aaron back into the hallway.
"Satisfied?" Horatio asked.
"Yes." Aaron nodded absentmindedly.