Lindall curses under his breath: Reid is in his line of sight. Was he about to watch both agents and the suspect die?

"Morgan, Reid is in my way. Get him out of the way," he whispers urgently.

Morgan keys his FBI mic. "Prentiss, clear the vent. Repeat, clear the vent!"

Lindall waits for Emily to signal Reid but she doesn't get the chance.

Hotch listens to the exchange as police SWAT officers escort the store owner away from the building. He hurries to her.

"His mannerisms: what were they when he let you go?" he demands.

The shaking woman thinks a second. "I'd say…resigned. He knew it was over."

Hotch curses to himself and keys his mic. "Morgan, tell Lindall to take the shot. He's going to kill himself, Reid and Prentiss."

He turns to the captain. "Get the fire department ready. This place could be going up and taking my agents with it. We have to try to get to them before the flames do."

The captain hurries off to find his counterpart with the fire department. There was no need to point out the obvious to the FBI agent: if the bombs go, it will be too late to save the agents.

In the store, Emily tries desperately to regain control of the situation. "It's not too late, Mr. Holmgren. I swear, if I thought it was I would tell you. You can change and I will do everything in my power to help you. I swear. So how about you put that gun down and Reid puts down the bomb? Would that be okay?"

He shakes his head. "No."

Emily swallows. "Okay. Okay, nothing is put down. What do we- -"

"Shut up, bitch," he commands.

Emily bites her tongue. So far there had been no evidence that the unsub used remote detonators but now was not the time to test that; not while Reid held a bomb in his arms.

Holmgren studies the doctor. "So no one helped you when you were a kid?"

Reid swallows, not sure where this is going. "No. No one. Like you I had to fend for myself, hoping someone would take an interest in me. It didn't happen until I got to college. It sucked," Reid admits.

Holmgren keeps his gun on Reid as he glances at Emily. "What about her?"

Reid answers before Emily, gambling with her life and praying he hits a Royal Flush. "She grew up a privileged life and when she got old enough she adopted a son. His name is Henry and he's her world." Emily looks at Reid, stunned.

Holmgren's eyes narrow. "Prove it."

"Emily, show him your phone. Show him Henry."

Emily looks at their captor for permission. The man nods. She carefully reaches to her hip and grabs her phone. She fumbles a bit with it since her hands are still taped together but manages to pull up a picture of Henry and her at the Smithsonian. Though it makes her ill to show this man her son, she slowly hands the camera to him. He takes it and studies the picture then looks at Emily.

"No way you had a blonde kid."

"No, sir, I didn't give birth to him. But I couldn't love him more if I did," Emily states truthfully.

He considers this a moment. His thumb runs over the picture, seeing the love in her eyes and, more importantly, the love in Henry's eyes. He was a happy little boy with a happy life. "Get out."

"Uh, what?"

"Get out. You did the right thing. You shouldn't die."

Emily shakes her head. "No, not without Reid."

"Emily, go. I'll be okay. Darryl and I have a lot in common. We can keep talking."

"You've got a bomb in your hand, Reid. I'm not leaving you."

"Emily. Go. For Henry."

Holmgren nods. "For Henry. Go. Before I change my mind." He hands Emily back her phone. "GO!"

Emily exchanges a look with Reid, who nods with more confidence than he feels. "I'll be okay, Emily."

Holmgren pulls out a pocket knife and cuts Emily's hands apart. She steadies herself on her crutches and takes a step towards the door. She pauses to say something else but Holmgren points the gun at her heart. She takes the hint. Holmgren eases the door open enough to let her out. She sees Hotch waiting by the perimeter as 4 SWAT officers hurry up to cover her escape from the store. She glances back once, wishing she knew what the hell was going on back there.

"Fuck," Emily mutters as she makes her way to Hotch to find out what will happen next.

JJ sighs in relief as she rubs her stomach again. "Oh, thank God. Your mother scared the crap out of me but she's safe, Babies. I promise you she is safe."

Garcia just pats JJ's hands as the two wait expectantly to see what will happen to Reid.

"I had a rough life but I don't want to die," Reid says to Holmgren.

Holmgren leans against the counter. "Everything she said is true, isn't it?"

Reid nods. "Yes. You were dealt a shitty hand. But things can get better, Darryl. I had my own mother committed and thought my life would be shit. Then I got help, the same sort of help Emily and I are offering you. Even Mrs. Polevitsky is willing to help you. Things don't have to end this way."

"Open it."

"What?"

"Open the box and pull out the toy." Holmgren steps to Reid and cuts the tape around his wrists. "Open it," he says again.

Reid carefully peels off the tape and opens the lid. He pulls out a Playskool Poppin' Pals Toy, similar to one Rocky has. He shivers at the familiarity of the toy that he knows hides a deadly secret.

"Press the button for the Panda in the middle and boom," Holmgren tells Reid. "It's amazing, really. Adults kill themselves because they can't resist playing with a toy that they had in their childhood, wish they had in their childhood or…or just think is neat. They kill themselves and anyone around them." He takes a deep breath. "Get out."

Reid recognizes the look in Holmgren's eyes. "You don't have to end it this way."

"I do. I'm tired, Agent Reid. Very tired. And now…now I feel so guilty that I blamed those people. You will tell their families, yes?"

Reid nods. He knows he needs to get the bomb out of the store and knows Morgan is in the vent and will not allow Holmgren to commit suicide.

"I'll tell them."

Holmgren nods towards the door. "Go on, Agent."

Reid starts towards the door then stops. "It's Dr, Reid, actually."

Holmgren smiles, almost looking happy for the first time. "Apologies, Dr. Reid. Sorry I tested you earlier by seeing if Agent Prentiss said what you did."

Reid smiles. "Understandable."

Reid glances to the vent, trying to telegraph to Morgan what will happen if he doesn't act. The young doctor then reluctantly walks out the door. As soon as he hears the gun shot he places the bomb device on the ground, turns and races back into the jewelry shop.

Holmgren writhes in pain on the ground, a hole in his right shoulder, rendering his gun arm useless. Reid grabs the gun and holds the man at bay.

"Darryl Holmgren, you are under arrest. Nice shot, Morgan," Reid says towards the vent.

"Morgan nothing. His fat ass didn't fit. Now get what's left of the vent cover off so I don't have to climb out the way I got it," Lindall says as Reid chuckles at the thought of Morgan being fat.

SWAT officers storm in and secure Holmgren as Hotch and Reid help Lindall out of the vent. Hotch pats him on the shoulder.

"Nice job. Now there's a kid's toy being watched by two cops who will probably prefer Rudy to handle it."

Lindall smiles and nods. "My pleasure."

As they walk out, Reid walks over to Emily and gives her a hug. "Nice clue about the vent. I am so glad you're okay."

"I am so happy you are, too, Reid."

"And I want to know what the hell I said to you," Hotch interjects.

Reid smiles and turns to Hotch. "Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 5. Captain Picard has to use the vent system of the Enterprise to rescue himself and 3 children while also saving the Enterprise which has struck a quantum filament. Multiple members of the crew were having to do things to save the ship but I knew when you mentioned 'CP' that Emily was telling me rescue was coming via the vents."

Hotch looks from Reid to Emily then back again. He slowly shakes his head. "I'm not sure which one of you scares me more."

Emily and Reid laugh as Hotch walks up to Rossi. He obviously explains the cryptic message. Rossi looks at the two geeks, rolls his eyes and walks away.