Rossi turned the key over in his hand. Still shivering from her plunge in the icy water, Garcia hugged herself tightly.
"Please tell me that key opens a cabin with hot chocolate and some blankets.
Rossi handed her the key, "We'll find out soon enough. Hold onto this, and let's keep moving before you freeze."
Garcia sniffled. "Have you ever considered becoming a motivational speaker?"
They trudged through the woods, their breaths visible in the cold air.
"Why hasn't he said anything?"
Rossi shrugged. "Maybe they don't care where we go now."
Garcia let out a small laugh. "Some people just have no class."
The walkie crackled to life.
"Outstanding for following orders. I didn't think you had it in you. But don't get too comfortable."
Rossi spoke through gritted teeth. "You like the sound of your voice, don't you?"
A chuckle came. "That's rich coming from the guy who writes books for a living."
Garcia glanced at Rossi. "I'm starting to hate this guy."
"You and me both, Kitten," Rossi muttered.
Ahead of them, a small cabin came into view. Its wooden walls were covered in moss.
"That seems warm and inviting," Garcia muttered as she handed Rossi the key.
"Stay close," Rossi said.
As they stepped onto the creaking wooden porch, Garcia huddled behind him. They found the door unlocked. It creaked open, and the walkie-talkie crackled.
"Come on in, Agent Rossi, make yourself at home. I have something special for you."
Reid's statement hung heavy in the air.
Hotch turned to face him. "Are you saying our unsub is the NightShift killer?
Reid nodded, flipping through Rossi's book. "It fits. The threats, the games, and the clues he leaves behind. Look, when Sarah Callahan was taken, and her family finally allowed the police to help, her killer played with the police, luring them into false hope before giving them the location of Sarah's body. Now he's doing the same thing with us."
Emily leaned against the table. "So Eric Callahan believes he's finally found someone who sympathizes with him, but he's the killer. And Callahan-"
"Is a piece in his game, just like before," Reid said, " He thinks this is about Sarah, but the real killer uses him to get to Rossi."
Morgan's jaw tightened, "So his grief is being used to set this whole thing up."
Kevin's fingers flew over the keyboard. "So if we can find the original killer, we can find Rossi and Penelope."
Hotch nodded. "Look into anyone suspected and use Rossi's original profile as a starting point."
Morgan clenched his fists. "What if we don't have time for that?"
"We don't have any other options," Hotch said, "If we want to see Rossi and Garcia alive again, we'll have to find Sarah Callahan's killer."
Rossi stepped cautiously into the cabin, keeping Garcia behind him. The air was thick, and a dim, flickering bulb hung from the ceiling. Garcia shivered.
"This is cozy, I guess."
Rossi scanned the interior. A single wooden chair sat in the center of the room, and a rope swung slightly.
The walkie crackled.
"Agent Rossi, you're probably wondering what will happen next. One of you needs to take a seat."
"Not happening."
A sigh came through the speaker. "David, you've done so well. Don't make me mad now."
Garcia clutched Rossi's arm. "Don't."
The voice continued. "Take a seat, or I'll take her."
Rossi tightened his grip on the knife. With a slow breath, he lowered himself into the chair.
"Excellent; now give the key to. Penelope, my darling, there is a bookshelf behind Agent Rossi. Walk to it, please."
Garcia walked to the bookshelf, which held only a safe, a small TV, and a VHS player.
"What is that?"
"Open the safe," the voice said.
Garcia did as she was told, finding only a single VHS tape.
The walkie crackled.
"Play the tape. David needs a reminder of his failures."
Kevin sifted through decades-old police reports, case files, and missing persons records. "I'm narrowing down the list of suspects and eliminating anyone who has since died."
Reid paced, flipping through Rossi's book. "The Nightshift killer was meticulous, controlled, and played with his victims first. When searching through the suspects, see if any of them had a history of violence, particularly towards animals."
Emily rubbed her temples, "So we're dealing with someone who doesn't just want Rossi dead. He wants him to suffer. What does that say about how he'll treat Garcia?"
Kevin's screen flashed, and a file popped up. "Got something!" Walter Becket was one of the original suspects. He's a mechanic now, but he was a police cadet before Rossi suspected him. They couldn't get anything to stick, but he lost his job and left town shortly after his release. In the last two years, he quit his job as a mechanic. He has no current address, no new employment records, nothing. It's like he dropped off the face of the planet."
Hotch straightened. "He matches our profile. Kevin, can you check if he has any family who could have housed him? That may be our only way to find Rossi and Garcia."
Garcia slid the tape into the VHS player. The screen flickered; a young woman sat in a dimly lit room, her hands bound.
"Rossi, who is that?"
Rossi tried to turn to see the screen, but the walkie crackled.
"Turn around, agent. Eyes forward. She begged for her life. She begged for her life just like Penelope will, but this time you'll have to give a damn."
Garcia covered her mouth and stepped away from the screen, bumping into the back of Rossi's chair. Rossi reached for her hand, squeezing it as his other hand tightened around the knife.
"You son of a"
"Don't get emotional, David," the voice said.
The screen flickered and switched to an interrogation room. An older teen boy sat across the table from a younger Rossi. The younger agent gave the boy a small, measured smile.
"Sarah has lived in this town her whole life. You said she knows those woods like the back of her hand; if that's true, and our unsub releases her in the woods like he has every other victim, then there's a good chance we'll be able to find her."
Rossi's eyes widened, and he muttered under his breath. "Sarah…Sarah Callahan. That's who this has all been about."
The door slammed shut, and a loud click echoed through the cabin.
They were locked inside.