Being out-manned and outgunned, Hotch and his team conceded to the surrounding guards. They walked in a straight line with their fingers interlocked atop their heads as they were escorted into the mansion.

Each one of them secretly hoped that Reid had witnessed their capture and would be able to rescue them. However, Reid was keeping his sights on Alex with Prentiss reminding him not to do anything stupid.

Reid and Prentiss watched and listened as Sloane berated Alex for being foolish. Reid was getting fed up and about to go into the bunker when two of Sloane's men came up behind them. One of the men grabbed ahold of Prentiss with his hand over her mouth and a gun pointed into her side. Reid quickly turned to react but looked down the barrel of a gun that was aimed at right between his eyes.

A guard stood in front of Prentiss and Reid a few feet behind; the other guard was following Reid with his semiautomatic handgun reminding him who was in charge. After what seemed like a mile walking through Sloane's well decorated home, they turned down a hall with a lone door at the end and three separate locks. One-by-one the locks were opened and the door pulled toward them.

They entered the bleak hallway. There was a marked difference in the feel between this area and the spacious and comfortable beachfront home they were walking through moments before. The narrow corridor seemed to go on forever, leading them deeper into a white-walled abyss.

Reid instantly recognized the distinct chemical tang of bleach surrounding them as he realized it felt more like a hospital than a house. He was prepared for anything as he muttered an apology to Prentiss. "If we go into a room with plastic tarps on the floor, I'm sorry that I got you into this mess."

"You can make it up to me after we're dead," she quipped.

"Shut up!" The man behind Reid snapped as he pushed him forward with the barrel of his gun.

Another door was opened and Prentiss hesitantly stepped in. Reid soon stood by her side to see their team looking back towards them. They were each seated in large white armchairs that looked like they belonged in a living room. Yet their right wrists were fashioned with soft leather restrains and a small padlocked secured to each. A chain ran around the U-shape of the chairs as each of their ankles were bound. If one person managed to unlock his wrist, his legs were still locked to the others in the room.

Prentiss was escorted to one of the seats and locked in, Reid was then seated next to Hotch. The two goons left the room, leaving a guard posted at the door.

Morgan looked across the room at Reid. "Is everyone okay?"

"As well as can be expected," he replied with cynicism.

"That good, huh?" Morgan looked down at his own shackles.

The team sat in silence. They didn't want to speak to each other with the guard standing by. Reid anxiously twitched his foot as he tried to figure a way out of their predicament. He knew that the next logical move for Sloane to make would be to have them all killed, including Alex.

The door opened and the group sat upright to see what was going to happen to them next. Karl stepped in and looked in Reid's direction. "We need the boyfriend."

The guard walked across the room with keys in hand. Reid prepared himself, he wouldn't put it past them to torture him just for the sheer pleasure of it. But he wasn't prepared for them to unlock Hotch from his chair and take him out of the room.

Rossi turned towards Reid. "Well, I guess that was to be expected, after all, he is Alex's boyfriend."

Reid looked down at his feet as they continued to tap dance below him. Rossi's intention was to remind him to keep cool and not blow their cover, Hotch would know what to do, and so would Alex. Reid would need to trust that.

Alex stewed on the edge of the ottoman with her chin planted in the palms of her hands. Every possible vile emotion was running through her and if she didn't control herself she was going to snap.

She was then startled to see Hotch thrown onto his knees in the middle of the room. She quickly noticed the fresh bruises on his face and blood slowly dripping from his lip. "What the hell did you do to him?" Alex got up and rushed towards him.

Sloane grabbed onto her before she could make it to Hotch's side. "Not ah, that's as far as you can go."

"Aaron, are you okay?" She struggles against Sloane's grip around her waist.

Hotch shook his head, "don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Like hell you are!" She then turned to Sloane, "what do you want from me? Why are you hurting an innocent man?"

"No one is innocent," he snipped. "Innocent people aren't beaten, there's always a reason."

"Let go of me!" She demanded.

Sloane released her and she rushed to Hotch's side. At first, he resisted, but then allowed her to pull him closer towards her. She used her thumb to softly wipe the blood from his chin and bottom lip.

"You know, there is something that you don't know about me, few people do," Sloane began to slowly pace across the room. "I have a special talent for reading people, and I don't mean the simple things that normal people are able to do; my talent is far superior. I can look at someone and delve into their soul, their entire being."

Hotch started up at him, knowing Sloane completely believed in what he was saying, but he wondered how accurate he was and what this could mean for the team.

Sloane stopped and looked down at the couple as he towered over them. "You don't believe me, you're skeptical, naturally. Well, let me share with you a few examples."

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say," Alex growled at him. "I'm not going to play anymore of your games."

"Oh, you mean you don't want to hear that Aaron has developed real feelings for you?" Sloane asked.

"Of course, he has feelings for me, he's my boyfriend."

"You mean the sham you both have been pulling just for me? I must say that I am honored that you would go through all of this just for me. But little did you realize that Aaron has changed the way he has been looking at you."

Alex turned towards her pseudo boyfriend. "Aaron?"

Hotch reluctantly looked back to her. "You must know that I would never—"

"I know," Alex smiled back at him understanding that he would never cross a line.

"Would you like to hear what I know about you, sweetheart?" Sloane asked, interrupting their moment.

"No," she snapped back at him.

Sloane got down on a knee in front of them. Hotch moved his arm across her and moved closer between Alex and Sloane.

Sloane smirked because he knew that he held all the cards then leaned closer to Alex's ear. "I've always known you were in the CIA."