Hello folks. It is that time of the week again. Posting time. It is a tad shorter but hopefully as enjoyable as the rest. Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy. Again please let me know what you think good or bad. Hard to fix problems if no one tells me or to keep going if I am on the right track. :)

Hotch brought the SUV to a screeching halt halfway on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance of the zoo. Jumping out, he rushed through the entrance flashing his badge in the face of the uniformed officer standing guard, while his eyes searched for the head of the zoo. Behind him the SUV carrying the rest of the team pulled up behind the abandoned vehicle and they quickly followed their unit chief inside.

The zoo director walked up to Hotch, his hand outstretched. "Agent Hotchner? I'm…." he began.

"What are you doing to find my son?" he demanded, cutting off the man.

"Don't worry, Agent Hotcher," the director said brightly. "We have everything under control. This is not an uncommon situation. You would be amazed at the number of children that get lost here every year."

Hotch glared at the man. "I don't need reassurance. I want to know exactly what you are doing to find my son."

The director took one look at Hotch's face and quickly transferred his attention to the clipboard in his hand. "The moment we were notified of your son's disappearance, the zoo was locked down. No one has been allowed to enter or exit. At the same time the police were called in. Once we have a photo of Jack, we will begin to let the zoo patrons leave through the main entrance, comparing each child with the photo and questioning each adult."

"I'll get Garcia to fax one over," JJ said who had been standing quietly to one side.

"Tell her to use the photo from my desk. It's the most current one."

"Will do." Stepping back she pulled out her phone and punched in Garcia's number.

"Once the zoo is empty, we will conduct a section by section search starting from Jack's last location and fanning outward. Don't wo…," the director started to say but quickly changed his mind, not wanting to irritate the man any further. "We'll find him, Agent Hotchner. We know every nook and cranny a child can hide in."

Hotch nodded. He fought down the urge to start running around shouting his son's name, knowing it would do no good. He had to leave it in the hands of the zoo director and his staff. They trained for this and knew the terrain like the back of their hands. He didn't.

"Photo is on its way," JJ spoke up at his elbow.

"Good," he said, stepping back into Unit Chief mode. "Reid, go to the zoo office and get the copies. Morgan and Rossi, go help the officers at the gate. I'm sure Garcia has already emailed Jack's photo to your phones. Lets start getting the people out of here." He turned back to the director as the team hurried off. "Does that work for you?"

"Perfect. We have a command post set up right outside the gift shop." The director pointed to his left where his staff was setting up a corkboard with a detailed map of the zoo pinned to it.

Hotch stood there watching the activity swarming around him and JJ. With each passing second he could feel the frustration boiling up inside him and if he didn't soon find a way to release it, he would burst. His release came in the form of Mrs. Moore who was hurrying across the pavement toward him.

"Mr. Hotchner," she said in dismay as she skidded to a stop. "I don't know what happened. One moment he was there and the next he was gone. I only had my back turned for a minute when Sally asked me a question."

JJ felt sorry for the woman. She could see that Jack's disappearance had shaken her to her core.

Hotch, on the other hand, did not. He rounded on the poor woman. "It only takes seven seconds for a child to vanish, Mrs. Moore. Obviously you weren't doing your job. If you were paying attention to your charges, my son wouldn't be out there somewhere lost."

Mrs. Moore jerked by in shock, her face blanching while fresh tears pooled in her eyes.

"Hotch," JJ said softly, placing a calming hand on his arm.

He started to open his mouth to unleash another tirade when JJ squeezed his arm. Tearing his gaze away from the distraught woman, he saw that she was shaking her head, mouthing the word 'don't'. Taking a steadying breath, he turned and stalked away, heading for the command post.

JJ watched him go before turning back to the teacher. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. Please don't take it seriously. He is just upset."

Mrs. Moore nodded, shredding a tissue in her hands. "I don't. I can see where his is coming from. I would do the same thing. You will find him?" she asked JJ. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to him. Jack is such a sweet boy. He told me he was going to buy a red panda for his friend Emily."

"For Emily?" she echoed, her breath catching at the mention of her friend. "Did he?" Mrs. Moore nodded.

"That was nice of him," she said giving the woman a gentle smile. "We'll find him." JJ gave Mrs. Moore a comforting pat on the arm before hurrying after Hotch.

"She didn't deserve that," she admonished when she had caught up with him. "Mrs. Moore is just as upset as you are."

Hotch stopped, staring at her. "If she had done her job, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"I think she was," JJ shot back in defense of the distraught teacher. "Hotch, you have to remember that kids are very good at giving their parents the slip, intentionally or unintentionally. Every child gets lost at one time or another. This field trip happens to be Jack's. Henry hasn't done it yet, thank god, but one day he will and I will work myself into a proper panic."

"But…"

JJ pressed on. "You took out your frustration on her simply because she was a convenient target. You need to apologize to her."

Hotch sighed. "I know. I have a few things to take care of first but I will go back and talk with her. Pleasantly," he said when JJ started to protest over his choice of words. "Satisfied?"

"Immensely." She smiled as they resumed walking. "What's next?"

"We need to have the police issue an Amber Alert just on the off chance that Jack may have gotten off the zoo grounds."

JJ nodded. "Good idea. We might even get some calls from people who had left before the zoo was locked down."

"Exactly. Call Garcia and get her on the security tapes."

"She already is. I asked her when I called about Jack's picture." JJ informed him.

Hotch gave her a small smile. "JJ? Thank you."

"For what?"

"For watching my back and keeping me sane."