Alrighty, new chapter~ I'm not fond of the title, but I have a soft spot for the conversations that take place.

Warnings: mentions of blood, violence, death, and torture; vague references to Foyet's and Tobias's crimes; mild language

P.S. So, I'm starting work again on the 17th of next month (HALLELUJAH!). Which means, the next chapter might be a bit later, but no later than September.

Morgan tightly gripped the steering wheel as he lead-footed his way through Atlanta. His passenger, Rossi, held on to the hand grip above him, yet didn't object to the fast driving. Neither said anything as they followed the speeding police cars before them.

Despite their accelerated pace, they still had time before they reached their destination and Morgan spent that time going over the past few hours.

The chaos near the café that led to Reid's abduction was difficult to handle. Morgan asked Garcia to check the area's security cameras in hopes of finding something that indicated which direction Foyet and Hankel went. Though Morgan didn't want to doubt Sullivan's word, Rossi pointed out that the chief might have been mistaken due to the shock and copious amount of blood lost.

While waiting for Garcia to get back to them, Morgan, Rossi, and Prentiss worked to interview witnesses as officers and emergency services tended to the injured. They spent majority of their time doing so before coming together to go over what they learned. Eventually, Garcia confirmed that Sullivan was correct in directing them to where Foyet and Hankel escaped with their colleagues. Unfortunately, Garcia could only track down the killers for so long; the city's security cameras stopped when the roads led through the rural areas.

It was after they had discovered this when they received word on Sullivan. The chief had died on the operating table, his body waiting to be sent to the morgue.

The entire police task mourned the loss of their leader, each looking despondent, furious, and lifeless. Morgan and his teammates took a moment of silence for Sullivan and offered their condolences to the Atlanta PD.

Morgan managed to keep it together for a while until he witnessed an officer call up the Assistant Chief. Then he couldn't restrain himself from punching the closest damaged car.

However, their luck had changed while Prentiss was icing his hand. The officer who had been on the phone had excitedly approached them with news that the Assistant Chief, Teresa Rodriguez, might have found one of their missing agents; the news was confirmed when another officer interrupted to exclaim that emergency services had called them to inform them about an ambulance rushing a federal agent woman to the hospital for a gunshot wound.

After hearing the description of the agent, the BAU deduced that it was JJ.

Word of her rescue prompted Morgan into action. He assigned Prentiss to meet JJ at the hospital while he and Rossi went out to the site where she had been found. Assistant Chief Rodriguez had remained out there, likely to look for clues, and was expecting to be joined.

The remainder of the BAU team was quick to disperse, each promising to be careful and to keep each other informed.

Although Morgan desperately wanted to go with Prentiss to see JJ, he knew that he and Rossi would be more efficient following up on their new lead; after all, Hotch and Reid were still captured.

Morgan insisted that he drive and Rossi didn't argue with him. They had been driving for nearly an hour, and the unit chief was getting restless at the thought of how much ground Foyet and Hankel were covering.

"I see siren lights up ahead," Rossi suddenly broke the silence. "We're almost there."

Morgan instinctively pressed a bit harder on the gas pedal. He and Rossi hurriedly exited the car upon stopping and headed towards the growing group of police officers and forensic investigators. The latter appeared to be scrutinizing a nearby ditch while the former was clustered around a Hispanic woman. Though the woman wasn't wearing uniform, she commanded enough authority to have each police officer focused on her.

Upon spotting him and Rossi, the woman approached them and said, "You must be the FBI agents. I'm Officer Teresa Rodriguez—Assistant Chief of Atlanta PD." She shook hands with each of them.

"I'm SSA Derek Morgan and this is SSA David Rossi. Our other teammate, Agent Prentiss, is heading out to the hospital."

"Oh good. Agent Jareau is going to need someone familiar around once she's all patched up."

"How bad was she?" Morgan reluctantly asked.

Rodriguez's eyes softened before hardening. "She was in rough shape. She had lost a lot of blood…you can actually see a lot of it in that ditch over there." She gestured for them to follow her as she led them over to the ditch, navigating around the CSI and their cautionary markers.

The trench in the ground was fairly simple with moist dirt perfect for drainage. At the bottom were a few forensic investigators taking pictures of the large blood stain soaking into the ground. Morgan's jaw clenched at the scene, and he had to look away.

"Now, I'm not an expert," Rodriguez continued, "but I think the gunshot hit her liver. Because of that, there was a lot of blood, but I don't think any major arteries were hit. That's my guess, and I can only hope I'm right."

"What were her other injuries?" Morgan asked, knowing Foyet's work.

"There were bruises around her face and wrists. Didn't see anything else as far as I know. She had passed out before the ambulance arrived, but I think it was more from stress and shock rather than blood loss. I have a feeling she'll be fine."

"Thank you for what you did," Rossi said sincerely. "Having JJ back is the first good news we've had in a while."

"No problem. I'm just glad at least one person survived this." The firmness in Rodriguez's eyes faltered, and she glared at the ground.

Someone must've told her about Chief Sullivan, Morgan realized.

"We're sorry about Sullivan," said Rossi with a sympathetic frown. "He was a good man."

"A great man," Rodriguez corrected. "He was my mentor and friend since I joined the Atlanta PD. It was an honor serving as his right-hand." She looked up, anger and determination blazing within her gaze. "The son of a bitch who did it is going to pay for what he did. With what we've got here," she gestured to the ditch, "and from what you're going to learn from your teammate, we're going to catch him and his buddy."

"That's what we're here for," Morgan stated. "In the meantime, do you think you can tell us what happened while you were with JJ?"

"Sure thing, but she was pretty out of it when I was with her. Hell, I wanted to ride in the ambulance with her, but I had to stay here so that you all got the exact spot. Plus, I figured that you'd want to hear my side since I was the last one with her."

"You figured right," said Morgan. "Tell us everything that happened."

Rodriguez then proceeded to tell him and Rossi how she had been at home when she heard about Foyet's shootout on the news. Worried about her precinct, she had begun to drive to town, her medical leave be damned. She pulled over once she saw JJ on the road and pressed on her wound while she called 9-1-1.

"Like I said, Agent Jareau was out of it and was fading in and out of the moment. I introduced myself, got her name, and explained that I was trying to stop the bleeding. Once she told me she was FBI, things sort of clicked and I just knew she had probably escaped from those criminals. She seemed desperate to tell me something. Passed out before she could, though."

"What was the last thing she told you?" Rossi asked.

Rodriguez closed her eyes in concentration. "She said…something about new videos and a factory. Literally, she said 'new videos' and 'factory' before she passed out. Not even a complete sentence, just those words."

Morgan and Rossi exchanged glances. "New videos?" the latter repeated. "Do you suppose she meant that Foyet and Hankel have made more videos…or maybe that they're planning to?"

"Who knows, could be both," Morgan responded. "Foyet seems to be enjoying himself in following Tobias's example. What I really want to know is what JJ meant by a factory."

"Wait, if our Unsubs wanted to post the videos of their crimes on the Internet, they would need a place to set up and establish firewalls so that we can't track them. Do you think they might've found it already?"

Morgan took a moment to think before his eyes widened in realization. "You think a factory might lead us to them?"

"If you think they might be hiding out in a factory," Rodriguez began, "then me and some of the locals can name them off the bat. Like the shoe factory on the border of Atlanta and Marietta, or the one for cars a few miles up north—that one's being bought out by a bigger company, so they're laying people off and cutting hours like you wouldn't believe." Her eyes suddenly widened, and she snapped her fingers. "There's also a meat factory not far from here. It was condemned years ago—health violations or something. I don't know if they ever tore that place down."

The hope that swelled within Morgan was reflected in Rossi's tone as he said, "With Hankel's knowledge of the area, it's possible that he might know the perfect place for him and Foyet to set up a base of sorts. If that factory is still up, then it might be abandoned."

"Only one way to find out." Morgan dialed Garcia's number and only had to hear part of a ring before she picked up.

"Please tell me something good," was Garcia's frantic greeting. "How's JJ? Is she okay? Prentiss said that she'd let me know what was going on as soon as she could, but I haven't heard anything from anyone yet, and I told myself that that meant that you don't know yet, but then I wondered if you all do know something but it's not that good so you're not telling me, but then I told myself 'Garcia, how could you think that?!' I mean, you all wouldn't dare keep anything from me, even if it's completely and utterly horrible-"

"Garcia, Baby girl, calm down," Morgan interjected. "You're right, we don't know anything yet. Prentiss is still with JJ. She said she'd call once she knows for sure what's going on. I'm guessing JJ is just getting treated right now. She's been shot, but that seems to be the worst of her injuries."

There was a sigh of mild relief. "Oh…okay then. That's good. I mean, it's not good that she's been shot, but considering the uber crazy psychopath we're dealing with, it could've been worse."

"Much worse. Listen, Doll, we need you to work your magic for us. We need you to look up something for us."

"Yeah sure, of course. What do you need?"

"Okay, baby, I'm going to put you on speaker phone real quick." Once he did, he continued. "So, we need some info on a meat factory." He looked to Rodriguez. "What's this place called?"

"It's called 'Atlanta's Prime Meat Market,'" Officer Rodriguez responded. "It should be down a street called Valencia."

"And I'm typing," said Garcia, dragging out the last syllable. "It's searching…and bam, there we go. 'Atlanta's Prime Meat Market' has been closed for nearly a decade now. Looks like it failed a few health and safety inspections."

As Rodriguez nodded in understanding, Rossi asked, "Hey Garcia, is there any way of knowing if that place is still there?"

"Let me see…it looks like it might be. There aren't any work orders that say it was destroyed, or any paperwork to sign it over to someone else. Heck, the last official paperwork on it was when it was shut down."

The three looked to each other before Morgan inquired, "Okay, Baby girl, now can you tell us what's around that place? Are there other factories? Homes, maybe? Or is it secluded?"

"Hmm…it looks like there are a few neighborhoods about a mile away at most. Otherwise, it's sort of by itself."

"That might be it," Rossi stated with a faint trace of disbelief.

"It's got to be…" Morgan trailed off for a moment, thinking about the next course of action. "Garcia, do me a favor and send us directions to that factory. Then I need you to set up a list of factories in Georgia—ones that might be abandoned or isolated—and send them to our phones."

"Sure thing, I'll do that…wait, why? What's with the factories?" She gasped. "Oh my god, is that where they are? Do you guys know where Hotch and Reid are? Are…Are they at that moldy, rat-infested factory?"

"We're not sure," Morgan answered truthfully. "We hope that at the very least it's a lead. JJ said something about a factory, so we're going to check it out."

Garcia made a shuddering gasp on the other end. "It…It's got to be it. I mean, if I were an evil baddie who kidnaps DID patients and FBI agents, then I'd hide out somewhere sinister like a creepy old meat factory. Oh god…" They heard a rapid succession of typing. "There. I sent you the address to that place. I'll send you that list as soon as I can, but you better race over to that place in the meantime. I don't see any ownership papers on that place, so I don't think you need a warrant for that…and even if you did, then Foyet broke the rules first by trespassing…and I'm rambling. Go, go, go!" Then she hung up.

While Rodriguez blinked at Garcia's quirkiness, Morgan and Rossi checked their phones and found the directions that the tech expert had sent.

"We got it," Morgan said. "Let's go."

"Wait, what's the plan?" Rossi asked before his colleague could sprint to the car. "If Foyet really is there, then we need a way to sneak up on him."

"We won't have the police sirens on, just the lights," Rodriguez declared. "He won't hear us coming and then we'll shut off the lights once we get within viewing distance."

"We'll take as many people as we can to head out there," said Morgan. "Rodriguez, how many officers can leave this scene?"

"I've got it covered. Diaz!" A female officer looked up from her examination of some tire tracks in the road. "Call the precinct! Tell sector A to head over this way to Atlanta's Prime Meat Market, and tell them to be ready! We might be dealing with armed serial killers!" Officer Diaz nodded and pulled out her phone.

Rodriguez looked to the profilers. "Sector A will be our back-up. In the meantime, I'll round up a few people here to get a head start." Then she made her way to her fellow officers.

Despite that Morgan was antsy to leave right away, he felt hopeful that this case would finally come to a close. There was the possibility that Foyet and Hankel weren't at the factory, but Morgan had a strong feeling that they were going to find something there.

Hang on Hotch, Reid. We're coming.

"I see you managed to find somewhere to set up my messages."

Tobias flinched at Raphael's sudden appearance and then did so again when he distinctly heard the pitter-pattering of little feet skittering across the floor.

I think there are rats here, was Tobias's distant thought before dread sank into his stomach. Oh dear, it's one thing if Charles is the only one here, but I can't handle him and the archangel at once.

Tobias looked to Charles, but was surprised to see that he was gone, as if he had vanished. What on earth? Where did he go…?

"Where is Foyet?" Tobias refocused when Raphael spoke.

"U-Um…he went out to kill more people. It's just you and me…and Agent Hotchner." He glanced over at the agent and squirmed a bit under the man's hard, scrutinizing gaze.

Raphael didn't even look at Agent Hotchner as he questioned, "Foyet is out killing people? What sins have been committed?"

"I doubt any at all," Tobias muttered.

"I take it you're Raphael?" Tobias and Raphael looked to Agent Hotchner. He was looking between the two with calculation.

The archangel studied the profiler for a moment before responding, "Yes, I am. You're the narcissist."

If Agent Hotchner was offended by the label, then he didn't show it. "Foyet has probably told you many things about me. I take it he's assigned narcissism as my sin?"

'Assigned' is definitely the right word when it comes to Foyet.

Raphael caught the word as well and stepped closer to the agent. "It wasn't Foyet who told me you were a narcissist; he confirmed it. It was Spencer Reid who claimed that you were a narcissist." Tobias threw a wide-eyed look between him and Agent Hotchner. "Do you deny these claims?"

"The reason that Reid called me a narcissist was to give the BAU team a clue to his whereabouts," Hotchner smoothly said. "And Foyet watched the video where this happened and decided to go along with it."

Tobias recalled Spencer explaining his job once or twice, how they as profilers tried to understand why criminals did what they did and then use that understanding to catch them. He remembered one time writing in his letter to Spencer how frustrated he was over how Raphael kept hurting Benjamin's feelings, and Spencer's response was to give him the BAU's profile of the archangel.

"We profiled Raphael as disorganized, if you can believe it." Spencer's letter had said. "Disorganized serial killers tend to be sloppy with their work, which I'm guessing is why you were the one to apply forensic counter measures. That being said, it shows that Raphael isn't as patient or attentive as he likes to present himself. Keep that in mind the next time he talks to Benjamin."

Tobias had felt a bit better knowing that Raphael wasn't as faultless as he was led to believe. He used this newfound confidence the next time Raphael began bothering Benjamin by telling his friend to ignore the archangel, mentioning that if he couldn't clean up after his own murders, then he shouldn't be taken seriously. Ben had a good laugh at that and taunted Raphael for it. The archangel had gotten offended and tried to regain control of the situation before giving up, unable to get Ben to stop laughing at him.

Watching Agent Hotchner now, Tobias wondered if he was using Raphael's profile against him.

"You say that as if I were meant to believe you," said Raphael. "Yet your sins are clear. Your narcissism is oozing through your words, and it is a sin that I cannot tolerate. I shall ask again: do you deny these claims of narcissism?"

"What will you do if I deny them?" Agent Hotchner's smooth tone contrasted with the clear challenge in his question.

"Then your death will not be merciful." Tobias flinched and then darted forward to step in-between Raphael and Agent Hotchner when the archangel stepped forward.

"Y-You're not killing him, Raphael! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

Raphael wasn't surprised that Tobias was defending the agent. "He's a narcissist and a sinner. It is God's will that he dies for his sins."

"What sins? Agent Hotchner just told you that Spencer lied about him being a narcissist!"

"I'm well aware of Spencer Reid's sins, so I choose not to believe anything he says. On the other hand, Foyet has confirmed this man's narcissism. Even if Spencer Reid was lying, then I believe what Foyet has to say."

"Why would you believe him?" Tobias questioned, hearing his voice increase in pitch from desperation. "He's done nothing but lie to you and Charles since we've met him."

"He has helped me and your father do righteous duties for our Lord. He has ensured that God's will is carried out-"

"Foyet is killing to fulfill his own desires," Agent Hotchner interrupted. "If you go on the Internet, then you can find evidence of his murders."

"I understand that Foyet is considered a serial killer in Boston for performing his spiritual duties, much like how I am." Raphael peered around Tobias to glance at Hotchner.

"Foyet has never killed in the name of God," the profiler asserted. "Everything he's ever said and done is to benefit himself. The people that the two of you have murdered together were innocent, but Foyet-"

"I refuse to hear any more of your lies," Raphael declared, furrowing his brow a bit. "You are merely stalling me to delay your punishment." He then took a step back, eyes scouring the room. "Once I find something to use, then I will kill you and condemn your soul to Hell."

Tobias's eyes widened and then quickly searched the room. Though he was mostly sure that Foyet had taken most of the weapons with him—the rest likely being in the car he and Spencer had taken—he had a feeling that Raphael could find something in this abandoned factory to use instead of a knife.

"R-Raphael, wait!" The archangel looked to him with disinterest. "Y-You can't kill Mr. Hotchner! F-Foyet…wants him a-alive…at least until he gets back!" Even if Foyet hadn't explicitly told him and Charles to leave Agent Hotchner alive, Tobias would've assumed that's what the serial killer would've wanted anyways; the animosity between Foyet and Hotchner was a strong indicator.

"If Foyet really is doing this in God's name, then he will thank me for killing this sinner."

Tobias flinched in shock before stuttering, "B-But…F-Foyet isn't d-d-doing this in the Lord's name! He's k-killing innocent people and s-saying that they're sinners…and I can prove it!" The thought of Foyet's victims reminded Tobias of what he had done earlier. "Remember when I told you that Foyet had killed a couple even though he knew they weren't atheists?"

Raphael raised a brow and replied, "Yes. I do recall that conversation-"

"You didn't believe me when I told you, but I have proof-"

"I have no need of your proof. Tobias Hankel, you have proven yourself untrustworthy in the crusade to restore Christian faith. Any trust I had in you has long vanished, and I cannot believe anything you have to say now."

For a moment, Tobias marveled how he would've quivered and begged for repentance merely years ago after hearing the archangel talk to him that way. Now, he merely felt irritation, an emotion he hasn't had the luxury of feeling during his time trapped with him and Charles.

Taking a breath, Tobias searched for Deborah Henderson's necklace hiding away in his pocket and then held it out to the archangel. Raphael barely gave it a glance. "This belonged to the woman accused of being an atheist. Foyet stole it off of her right in front of us, but neither of us had taken much notice at the time. For some reason, he's been hanging on to it."

"How am I to believe that it even belonged to that woman?"

"It has her initials on it." Knowing the archangel for as long as he has, Tobias wasn't surprised that Raphael didn't outwardly respond. However, he read the other's stillness as a sign of surprise. "Do you remember her name, Raphael?"

There was a brief moment of silence. "Deborah Henderson."

When Tobias held out the necklace again, Raphael actually took it this time. He coldly examined it before he spotted the initials etched into the smooth back surface of the cross, a cursive D right above a cursive H.

"I…I managed to grab it when Foyet wasn't looking. I saw that he had taken it out when he was pulling out some other stuff and knew that I had to show you and Charles. I-I'm actually a bit surprised that Foyet didn't notice that it was gone."

Tobias had snatched the necklace right before he deliberately knocked over the camera. Foyet and Charles were too busy taunting and threatening Spencer and Hotchner to take any notice of him, but he was quick and quiet anyways. He was sure that once he knocked over the camera—an impulse decision that was driven by doing something to end Spencer's torture—that Foyet would somehow notice that the necklace was gone, yet was shocked and relieved when the killer left without it.

Raphael didn't respond and continued to stare at the necklace.

"The people that were killed were Deborah and Nathan Henderson," Agent Hotchner said neutrally. "Their daughter Brooke described them as good Christian people who went to church every Sunday."

Raphael took a long time to say anything. "Foyet…had this with him the whole time. I remember he removed a necklace from that woman…but I wasn't thinking about the necklace." Tobias felt the archangel's confliction as if it were his own and watched as Raphael tried to come up with reasons for how the necklace was possible. He sensed that Raphael was questioning whether he would actually go far to frame Foyet, yet knew that the archangel knew that Tobias wouldn't have had the chance to procure such a unique necklace.

He believes me, but he doesn't want to. He's trusted Foyet for so long that he probably doesn't know how to handle this betrayal.

A quick look at Hotchner indicated that the agent was waiting for Raphael's response, likely not feeling the need to say any more for the time being.

After several long moments of silence, Raphael furrowed his brow in determination and clutched the necklace tighter. "I need an explanation for this. Where did Foyet say he was going?"

Startled, Tobias replied, "H-He…He didn't say. I think he didn't really have anywhere in mind to go."

Raphael shook his head and began to stride towards the exit. "I'm going to find him and demand that he explains himself."

"He could be anywhere in Atlanta right now." Raphael and Tobias looked to Agent Hotchner as he spoke. "I wouldn't go without any real sense of direction. Foyet should be back with Reid within a couple of hours if you're willing to wait that long."

Although it was clear that Raphael didn't want to take the advice of a supposed "narcissist," even he acknowledged that the profiler had a point.

Tobias pursed his lips. He really wanted the archangel to leave so he could free Agent Hotchner, but feared what trouble Raphael could get into on his own. Keeping him here was the best thing to do for the time being.

Then it would all be a matter of waiting for the inevitable fallout between Foyet and Raphael that would ultimately cause their partnership to dissolve. Once that happened, then Charles would cut ties with Foyet as well. After all, Charles wouldn't dare go against the archangel.

Without Raphael and Charles to back him up, then Foyet didn't stand a chance.

Tobias wanted to bask within the flare of hope rising within him, yet knew it would be premature to do so.

One thing at a time.

In the quiet that followed, Tobias tried to look anywhere other than Raphael, vaguely noticing the foul stench of raw meat and rusty metal lingering in the air.

It was several minutes before the archangel spoke and made his decision. "I need time to think." Then Raphael turned and faded away. Tobias blinked and rubbed his eyes. Although he was well-aware of the archangel's divine abilities, it still often startled him whenever they were used. There were things that Raphael did—such as the very real way he murdered people—that made the archangel seem so human and had Tobias forgetting that he wasn't.

"That was clever of you to think of that necklace." A bit caught off guard, Tobias flinched before turning to Agent Hotchner. The man coolly assessed him as he continued. "One of Foyet's MOs is to take something from his victim and place it on his next victim. My team and I should've realized that he still had Mrs. Henderson's necklace when we didn't find it on Richard and Martha Emerson."

Tobias mentally pushed away his feelings on his mother's death. "Oh…I suppose Foyet forgot all about it with everything that happened after he and Raphael killed the Hendersons." Being reminded of his guilt in driving Foyet to set that gas station on fire wasn't a good way to avoid thinking about his mother.

After a moment of silence, Tobias recalled where he was and straightened his spine. "O-Oh wait, hold on. I can get you free." He then began to look around for something sharp, already knowing that he wouldn't be able to undo the rope's tight knots.

Agent Hotchner's analyzing gaze never looked away from him as he searched, giving away nothing of what he's thinking. "Are you able to do that? Won't Raphael stop you?"

Tobias paused to consider it, but then shook his head. "I don't think so. I'm guessing he won't be coming back until Foyet comes back." His eyes landed on some broken glass from a nearby window and figured one of the bigger pieces would have to do.

"And what about your father?"

"I…I haven't seen him…but that doesn't mean he won't come back. We've got to be quick." Discarding any reservations about choosing the glass, Tobias swiftly yet carefully picked up a jagged piece and jogged back over to Agent Hotchner.

He stood behind the agent and examined the ropes around the man's wrists, trying to figure out a way to cut through them without hurting him. After a moment's hesitation, Tobias knelt down and began to carefully saw through the rope. "Um…let me know if you feel the glass get too close."

Agent Hotchner didn't respond right away. "Do we have Internet connection here?"

Tobias paused, caught off guard by the question, before resuming. "Um, for the most part. It's weak since we're sort of in the middle of nowhere. I managed to re-establish the connection that this place once had; it wasn't easy, but I managed." Tobias then flushed as he realized that it might sound like he's bragging.

The last thing I need is for Agent Hotchner to think that I'm on Foyet's side.

The rope began to fray, causing Tobias to ease the pressure he had on the glass.

"Once I'm free, we'll find a way to call the police and my team," said Agent Hotchner, his arms straining as he likely felt the rope loosening. "We could send a message to Garcia or the station."

"Oh, yeah. We could do that." Tobias smiled momentarily in relief before finally getting through the rope. "There we go. Now I'll get your legs and torso." It didn't take much longer to cut away the rest of the rope. "There. You're free."

Agent Hotchner immediately stood up, rubbed his wrists, and turned to him. The stern, authoritative look in the man's eyes got Tobias to hurriedly stand up. The two stared at each other for a moment until Tobias looked down and shuffled his feet.

"I…I know you have no reason to trust me, but believe me, I'm not one of them. I only want Foyet to get caught. If…If you don't trust me…then I understand if you want to tie me up."

Agent Hotchner raised a brow and shook his head. "I know that you're not a willing participant in this. Reid kept telling the team that you wanted nothing to do with Foyet and I believe him. I've also seen what you've done to help. I trust that you're our ally, not an accomplice."

Relief settled heavily within Tobias while simultaneously causing him to feel lighter. "Good. I'm not." There was another pause before Tobias straightened up and gestured to the computer. "Let's get in contact with Ms. Garcia. Since she's your tech girl, she should be at her desk now, right? I'm sure she'll tell your team about where we are."

Mr. Hotchner nodded and strode over to the computer. It took a moment for Tobias to walk over and stand by his side, leaving space between them.

As the computer took its time to boot up, Agent Hotchner glanced at Tobias and asked, "I take it Reid's told you about the team?"

Tobias tried to read the profiler, wondering why he was asking. Clearly Agent Hotchner knew that answer to that question since Spencer said that their letters had been discovered. "Yes. Not a whole lot, but enough."

Agent Hotchner nodded, went back to the computer, and frowned at its refusal to turn on faster. "I didn't approve of you and Reid's friendship when the team and I found out. There were the professional things to consider, such as the section chief's reaction, but as his friend, I was worried about him being friends with the man who had a hand in his kidnapping."

Though this was something that Tobias had known for a while, the fact still twisted his insides like bitter medicine. "I…I understand…"

Agent Hotchner gave him an unreadable look before accessing the Internet. "I know you helped him then and you're continuing to help him now. I may not understand your friendship, but I can respect it to a certain degree." The profiler didn't acknowledge him even though he surely must've felt Tobias's wide eyes on him. "However, once things are settled and Foyet's caught, then it's going to be harder for the two of you to keep in touch. The section chief is going to hear the whole story and isn't going to be happy to hear that one of her agents communicated with an incarcerated serial killer and the others didn't say anything. Knowing her, she's going to probably place you somewhere else and take measures to ensure that communication between you and Reid is prohibited."

The silence between them was only broken when Hotchner began typing away an SOS on an email. Eventually, Tobias spoke. "Why are you telling me this?"

With a click of the mouse, an email was soon sent out to Ms. Penelope Garcia. "I'm letting you know that the coming months are going to be difficult. I want you to be prepared for what's to come."

It was then that Tobias understood that, in his own way, Agent Hotchner was making a peace offering of sorts.

Despite himself, Tobias breathed out a chuckle. "I…I think we should focus on the immediate future first. How long do you suppose Ms. Garcia will take to read your email?"

A response was given in the form of a soft jingle that indicated a new email. When it was opened, Tobias and Hotchner read:

"Oh my gosh, Hotch! Is that really you?! I really hope it is! Because if it is, then you're in luck! Derek and Rossi already figured that you're all at 'Atlanta's Prime Meat Market' and are heading there with the cavalry as we speak! Be safe!"

"The police are coming already?" Tobias couldn't believe it and saw that the feeling was mutual with Agent Hotchner.

"My team must've gotten a lead somehow." For a moment, Mr. Hotchner's stern expression eased into a faint trace of pride before reverting back.

Tobias's eyes lit up at a sudden thought. "Maybe Ms. Jareau was somehow able to get help." A smile briefly crossed his face before he quashed it, knowing from experience that things rarely worked out for him no matter how much he wanted them to.

"JJ's alive?" The hope that slipped through Hotchner's surprised tone had Tobias looking at him. He saw vulnerability in the man's countenance though it fought to remain firm and strong.

Oh right. He's under the impression that Ms. Jareau's dead.

Although Tobias didn't want to get Agent Hotchner's hopes up, he knew that he owed the profiler the truth. "She was when we left her behind. Foyet and Charles didn't know."

Hotchner's emerging look of relief was halted when he and Tobias heard the faint sounds of cars speeding their way up the road. Fear briefly jolted Tobias as he wondered if maybe it was Foyet's car they were heading since there weren't any sirens, but dispelled the feeling when he realized that he was hearing multiple cars rather than one.

Anxiety then took fear's place.

Hotchner must've sensed this because he stood straighter and looked to Tobias. "Whatever you do, don't struggle. I'll make sure that they won't mistreat you, but you need to be compliant. The last thing they need is a reason to rough you up. Do you know where Raphael and your father are?"

"…You can't catch the archangel. His powers are mysterious, and he comes and goes as he pleases. Charles might put up a fight once they catch him."

Hotchner frowned. "Do your best to make sure that he doesn't."

"I'll try." Tobias actually had no idea where Charles was, but knew that the other man would likely make an appearance soon.

The sound of screeching tires reached them and Tobias tensed up.

"Remember," said Hotchner, "don't struggle. In fact, get on your knees with your hands behind your head."

Taking a few deep breaths, Tobias did as he was told. Although he trusted Hotchner, he still couldn't stop his shaking.

Just relax. Hopefully my complacency will show them that I mean no harm. I'm not with the others.

Tobias briefly wondered where Charles was, hoping that his father would be caught with minimal issues. The man was unlikely to go quietly, especially when he was so close to "sending out God's message." Despite his resentment of the man, Tobias still didn't want Charles fighting against the police and getting himself hurt.

Don't fight, was Tobias's thought before the door to the room was kicked down, allowing a large amount of uniformed men and women to swarm in. Then there was a flurry of loud, angry voices, pounding feet, and harsh hands grabbing at him to forcibly pin him to the ground. Tobias grunted at the pain, yet bit his lip as his arms were wrenched behind him so that his wrists were handcuffed.

Tobias thought he heard a few people call out to Agent Hotchner and tried to lift his head to see if the BAU was there. A hand roughly grasped his scalp to press his face into the floor. His heart raced with anxiety.

"Stay down, you bastard!"

"Stop!" Tobias's ears perked at Hotchner's stern voice. "Let him up. He was helping me escape."

"Hotch?" came a deep, familiar voice, sounding confused.

A pair of feet suddenly stood before him, and Tobias felt eyes on him. "This is Tobias, right?" Tobias didn't recognize this new voice, but heard patience within it.

"Yes, this is Tobias," said Hotchner. "His father and the archangel aren't here for the time being. Foyet's not here, he's out looking for new victims. He took Reid with him."

The deep voice cursed while the patient voice hissed.

Then Tobias heard more footsteps and a feminine voice with an accent say, "Oi Peterson, let him up." The harsh hands holding him down briefly disappeared before they hauled him up to his feet. Tobias shrunk back at the numerous officers there were in the room, almost all of them staring at him with varying forms of hostility. In fact, he was getting a particularly vicious glare from a muscular African American man.

Hotchner noticed this and turned to the man. "It's just him, Morgan. He's on our side."

Morgan… Tobias recognized the name, but it wasn't until the man spoke that he realized who this agent was.

"That doesn't mean the others won't show up and cause us trouble." Agent Morgan looked at Officer Peterson. "Don't let your guard down."

The anger in the agent's voice sparked the memory of trying to call Spencer all that time ago, only for that angry voice to yell at him. Tobias remembered Spencer describing SSA Derek Morgan as an effective unit chief, yet had a short temper and was a bit bull-headed. Nevertheless, Spencer spoke of the other with fondness, mentioning that Agent Morgan was his best friend.

Seeing how much I put Spencer through, I don't blame him for hating me. Tobias lowered his eyes and tried to loosen the tension in his shoulders.

"Hotch? Are you hurt?" Tobias briefly glanced up to see an older man look to Hotchner with concern.

"We need a medic!" shouted a Hispanic woman.

However, Hotchner was shaking his head. "I'll be fine. Just bruises that'll heal."

"We'll see about that," said Agent Morgan. "We'll get you patched up while you tell us what you know about Foyet." Tobias flinched when the agent turned to him. "Take him to a squad car and make sure he's secured. We can't have him getting away."

"Yes sir," Officer Peterson replied as he took Tobias's arm to lead him outside.

Tobias ignored the looks of anger and disgust burning him as he was led to the car. It didn't matter what happened to him, so as long as Foyet was caught and Spencer was safe.

Things are going to be okay.

Kind of a filler/plot-driven hybrid chapter. Next, we'll catch up with Reid and Foyet.

But does anyone really think Foyet's going to be caught this easily...? 0.o

See y'all next time~!