March 9TH, 2006

FBI Jet, in air just over Kentucky.

Hotch: "There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace." Secretary-General Kofi Annan, United Nations

Morgan shifted in his seat and looked around the jet at his fellow agents, before picking up a school photo of Gracie Newton.

"Why kids?" He finally said,

"Statistically" Reid spoke up, "kids are some of the easiest targets of violent crimes; kids who are considered different from their peers, raise that percentage even more, their often loners and most likely be by themselves…and more likely to gravitate to an adult they can relate to who they feel understands them."

"I was being rhetorical Reid," Morgan pointed out

"Right, sorry"

"Anyways, I've been pouring over these, one of these kids was in foster care, one was in foster care from six months to a year old and was adopted just before his first birthday, and the other three came from stable homes." Elle spoke up

"Stable in the sense that they had had a place to live," JJ pointed out "from what friends and relatives have told the police, none of them really came from happy homes, Josie Marshal was the one exception to that, but her school life easily countered her protective and well balanced home life." She paused and laid three of the photos out on the table, "Mike King was 14, he's the oldest of the victims, according to his father, they had an argument which had become a daily occurrence and he took off."

"What was the argument about?"

"Sports," JJ said "apparently Mr. King wanted Mike to join the football team and Mike took off to avoid the argument and criticism escalating any further."

"He was found at a bookstore?" Reid noted looking over the report

"Sitting off in a corner, the owner didn't even think twice about him being there, apparently Mike was in the store nearly every day, off in the same corner reading. The owner was planning on hiring him on a part-time basis." JJ said softly

"The other non-foster care victim beside Gracie Newton and Mike King; was 10 year old Josie Marshal. No one connected her to the other victims at first," Hotch called across the jet

"She came from a happy family, two devoted parents, one younger sister with whom she was very close with, by all appearances a very happy 10 year old." JJ read from the file,

"If she was happy than what, He made a mistake? Snatched the wrong kid?" Morgan asked… a confused look on his face.

"No one could give police anything concrete that put Josie in the same category as the other victims. It wasn't until they finally talked with the little sister; apparently Josie's school life wasn't as happy and cut and clean as her home life. She was bullied by her classmates and humiliated by them on more than one occasion." Elle read from the file

"Where was the school in all this?" Morgan asked, JJ sighed and shrugged,

"Apparently they weren't aware of the teasing, Josie never complained to anyone except her sister. So no one knew there was an issue" She said. Reid shook his head, clearing his thoughts away.

"No matter how the educational system changes and grows, one thing always stays the same, the constant need of kids to torment each other." Gideon noted; everyone nodded in agreement.

A few moments of silence passed between the agents, when suddenly, JJ's phone went off, she picked it up and flipped it open.

"Agent Jareau…yes….yes…thank you I'll let them know. I'll call as soon as we land." JJ hung up her phone and looked at everyone, "another child was just reported missing, a ten year old boy. He was last seen running from the playground of Adams Elementary school, after getting into a fight with his classmates." Morgan, Reid, and Elle all exchanged a look, they looked over at Hotch and Gideon, who looked at one another, JJ however took a deep breath before continuing, "Guys…this boy…he's the nephew of Captain Williamson, the head detective on the case."