They're all in the round table room, waiting for Emily. They turn as she walks in.
"Traffic. I'm sorry." Emily says.
"Let's get started." Hotch says.
"Okay. 10 year old Sammy Sparks of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, showed up at his elementary school this morning covered in blood." Penelope says. "When police got to his house, they found that his parents, Charlie and Alison Sparks, were missing."
"Well, forensics indicate that at least one of them was injured. And by the looks of it, it was pretty severely." Derek says.
"Has there been a ransom demand?" Emily asks.
"There's been no communication whatsoever." Penelope says.
"Then why call in the BAU?" Rossi asks.
"New Orleans is hoping we can interview Sammy." Hotch says.
"No one's talked to the witness yet?" Spencer asks.
"I don't understand. If Sammy was covered with blood, there's a good chance he could identify the unsub." Ashley says.
"Sammy's autistic." Hotch informs. "Getting him to tell us what happened isn't gonna be easy."
+++
"Good morning, angels." Penelope greets. "New information to report. The blood at the crime scene matched type to Charlie Sparks, so we can assume that he is the injured party."
"Well, shell casings by the door says he was shot." Derek says. "Are we looking at a robbery gone wrong?"
"No robber would break into a family residence before the start of school and not expect to find people home." Emily says.
"No, I think he came for Charlie and Alison Sparks. He planned the abduction and then gained entry to the house." Hotch says.
"But the scene is frenzied, disorganized." Rossi says. "He didn't think it through."
"I hate to say it, but could Sammy be our unsub?" Ashley asks.
"I don't think so. What's the number one motive of kidnapping?" Rossi questions.
"Financial gain." Ashley says.
"Yeah, well, if that's the case, they are barking up the wrong money tree." Penelope says. "The family runs a music store that's been Sparks owned since the 1940s, but business is down and a loan against the house is the only thing keeping that store afloat."
"The unsub should have done his research." Rossi says.
"Well, he may have. This area was devastated by the oil spill. A little bit of money would go a long way." Emily says.
+++
A cop lead Spencer, Bedelia, and Rossi into the room where Sammy is.
"Hi, Sammy." Spencer softly greets. "I'm Dr. Spencer Reid. What are you drawing?"
The cop puts his hand on Sammy's shoulder making the boy shriek and lean away from the cop before beginning to rock back and forth.
"Some autistic children don't handle touch well." Rossi tells the cop. He nods and leaves.
"It's possible that witnessing his parents' abduction pushed him into emotional overload and he shut down." Spencer quietly says. "Look at that." He points to the large notepad on Sammy's lap.
"Is he trying to tell us something?" Rossi asks.
"Sammy." Spencer sits on the coffee table. "We're looking for your mom and your dad. Did "L" take them?" Sammy starts to draw the L in the air instead of on the notepad.
+++
"We don't really have special resources to accommodate children like Sammy, so he's in with everybody else." His teacher says.
"Can he comprehend the material?" Rossi asks.
"Not everything. You know, I've done my best to research alternative teaching methods, but there's only so much I can do." Ms. Rogers says.
"Children with autism normally think very logically. Their minds can pick up patterns that ours normally wouldn't recognize." Spencer says.
"Hmm. Yes, that's right. I've found that repetition and routine are the keys to getting through to him." Ms. Rogers says.
"You know, that makes sense. Repetition forms patterns on the brain, and as those patterns reoccur, it forms a calming influence on the child." Spencer says.
"Which would allow new information to be retained." Rossi says. "I'm sure Sammy's parents figured that out, too."
"His parents most likely kept him on a strict daily schedule." Spencer says.
"Oh, like clockwork." Ms. Rogers says.
"That's how Sammy was able to walk from his house to school yesterday." Rossi says. "He'd memorized the route."
"Yeah, it's 7:45, time for him to go to school. He doesn't need to wait for his mom or dad." Spencer says. "He simply grabs an empty lunchbox and heads here."
"If Sammy was living on a strict routine, that means Charlie and Alison were, too." Bedelia says.
"Which would have only made them easier targets." Spencer says.
+++
"I'm not sure how we're going to get through to him. Sammy's teacher says he's never even been able to return his own mother's hug." Spencer says.
"Garcia, what have you got?" Emily asks.
"Oh, E, I wish I could be more help." Penelope says. "If this is about money, it would be a hell of a lot easier for me to give you a list of people who wouldn't need it, and I'd probably save a forest in the process. Due to the spill, fisherman and fishing related industries have been hit the worst."
"Sheriff, was it common knowledge that the Sparks had gotten this loan?" Hotch asks.
"I knew. A loan around here is like winning the lottery." The sheriff says.
"So why no ransom note?" Emily asks.
"Maybe the unsub thinks he can get the money directly from the source, cut out the middleman." Derek says.
"You think he'll use one of the parents as leverage to get the other to clear out their accounts?" Ashley asks.
"He's already shot Charlie. It shouldn't be that hard to manipulate Alison into doing what he wants if he offers medical assistance in exchange." Spencer says.
"I think he just did." Penelope says.
"What have you got?" Hotch asks.
"I froze the Sparks' assets earlier today, but someone at the Bayside Branch one parish over just managed to withdraw $10,000 from their joint savings account." Penelope says.
"Call the branch. If they're still there, don't let them leave." Hotch says.
"Yeah." Penelope says.
"We're probably too late." Emily says.
"If the unsub has what he's after, Sammy's parents just became expendable." Rossi says.
+++
"I have run every "L" I can find, think of, or make up in my giant magic head and nothing hits." Penelope says. "I even ran the number 50 in case Sammy has some sort of predilection to Roman numerals. Came up dry."
"Any luck finding Sammy's next of kin?" Hotch asks.
"In name only. Charlie has a sister named Elizabeth that was last reported residing in Mont Belvieu, Tejas." Penelope says. "But she's not responding to calls or email."
"Elizabeth. The "L" could stand for Liz or Lizzie." Spencer says.
"Garcia, we need to find her and fast." Derek says.
"I will move so fast, the earth will reverse its rotation and time bend backwards. Hello." Penelope hangs up.
"All right, so this unsub has the money he needs. Why hasn't he let the Sparks go?" Derek asks.
"He has to be holding them for a reason." Rossi says.
"We might have an answer to that." Ashley says as she and Emily walk in.
"Alison tried to withdraw $40,000 from the branch in Bayside, but she only got $10,000." Emily says.
"So maybe he's holding them until he gets the money he needs." Hotch says.
"I think it's more than that. I think he wants a specific amount." Emily says.
"Alison kept telling the bank manager that 10 grand wasn't enough." Ashley says.
"That says to me he's told them what would be." Emily says.
+++
Rossi and Bedelia are in the room with Sammy while he draws. They both look up when Spencer walks in with Ms. Rogers.
"Oh, he's been busy." She comments. "What are those?"
"We have no idea." Spencer says. "We're trying to find his aunt right now, but we're hoping that maybe in the meantime you'd be able to help us get through to him."
"Okay, I'll try, but even before this happened, Sammy wasn't wild about talking." Ms. Rogers says. She sits on the couch next to Sammy. Bedelia and Rossi stand next to Spencer as Ms. Rogers takes something out of her purse.
"What's that?" Rossi asks.
"These help some kids with autism learn routines." She explains, showing them one of the cards.
"School bus leaves at 2:15." Rossi says and she nods.
"Sammy, what's this?" Ms. Rogers asks, picking up the paper that has "L" all over it. Sammy starts to rock back and forth, looking around. "Okay, okay."
"Do you have any idea what that "L" might stand for?" Spencer asks.
"I have no idea." She says. "Sammy. Sammy, you're safe. It's me, Ms. Rogers. I'm here. I'm here, Sammy. You're safe. Sammy."
Sammy slowly stops rocking and starts to tap his fingers on the notepad.
"I've never seen that. I don't know what it is." Ms. Rogers says.
"Is he trying to type?" Rossi asks.
"I don't think so. I think he's trying to play something." Spencer says. "Can we get a keyboard in here?"
"There's a piano at his house." Rossi says.
"You want to take a 10 year old boy back to the crime scene where his father was shot?" Ms. Roberts questions.
"Sammy's trying to tell us something. I think it's important we try to figure out what." Spencer says.
"Well, who decides whether the harm to Sammy's wellbeing is worth whatever information you may or may not get by doing such a thing?" Ms. Roberts questions, standing up. "He's a child, and I don't think you get to choose what's best for him."
"Everyone, this is Lizzie Sparks." They turn to Emily and Lizzie. "Sammy's aunt."
~ ~ ~
"I still don't see why you have to take him back to that place." Ms. Rogers says.
"Sammy was playing the piano when his parents were abducted, so taking him back to the exact location might trigger an important response." Spencer explains.
"No, but he's fragile. It could also wound him further." Ms. Rogers says.
"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here." Lizzie says.
"You're Sammy's legal guardian right now. The decision's yours." Rossi says.
"No." Ms. Rogers argues. "He barely knows her. Lizzie, is it? For all we know, she's the "L" he's afraid of."
"Sammy saw his aunt and didn't even react. If she was the abductor, we'd have seen a visceral response." Bedelia states.
"You can't be sure of that. He's in shock." Ms. Rogers says.
"We are running a background check right now." Emily says.
"On me?" Lizzie asks.
"It's just procedure." Rossi tells her. "But you have to decide. What do you want us to do?"
+++
They get to the house and go inside. Sammy puts his toy down on the side of the piano.
"When was the last time you saw him?" Rossi asks Lizzie.
"On his 5th birthday." She answers.
"5 years." Rossi says.
"Charlie and I had a fight. It got ugly." Lizzie says. "I haven't seen either one of them since." She says as Sammy sits at the piano. Spencer puts his bag down. "Do you think Charlie's going to be okay?"
"I'm hopeful." Rossi says.
"Sammy, would it be all right if I sat here?" Spencer asks, sitting next to him. He plays a few scales. Sammy repeats what he did. "Whoa. You've been holding out on me, Sammy." Spencer says making Bedelia softly smile, though she quickly hides it.
Spencer plays the same notes but backwards.
"I didn't know you could play, Reid." Rossi says.
"Yeah, talk about holding out." Bedelia remarks.
"I can't." Spencer tells them. "Well, I never have before, but it's essentially all math." He says as Sammy plays some notes.
"Right. Of course." Bedelia mumbles.
"Sammy, how about you play this note..." Spencer plays a note, "for yes... and this note..." He hits another note, "for no. Does that sound like something you could do?"
Sammy plays the first note for yes.
"Yeah, exactly." Spencer smiles. "Just like that. Now, Sammy, do you remember when the man came and took your parents away?" Sammy plays the "yes" note. He plays it several times before starting to play a classical song.
"Sammy, I don't understand." Spencer says. "Does this song mean something to you?" He asks and Sammy stops. Spencer looks down as Sammy hand starts to move over to him. Sammy puts his hand on top of Spencer's, the man letting him drag his hand onto the piano.
Sammy uses one hand to resume what he was playing before and after a couple of moments, Spencer joins in.
~ ~ ~
Bedelia is standing by while Spencer and Sammy still play the piano.
"Reid, B, take a look at this." Rossi walks in and is holding a flip book.
"What, at Sammy's flip book?" Spencer asks, walking over.
"Not just a flip book. His routine." Rossi says. "Shower, brush teeth, dress. His entire life is planned in order."
"Maybe we can figure out where Sammy met the unsub." Spencer says.
"He already figured it out." Rossi gives Spencer the book and he flips through it.
"Sammy sees his life in pictures. He's been trying to speak with us, but he only knows how to communicate through symbols." Spencer says, giving the book back to Rossi. He takes the drawings out of his bag. "Look, it's his language." He lays the four out on the floor.
"Anchors. Like my socks." Spencer pulls his pant leg up a little to reveal his anchors sock. "And that's the tread on your shoes." He tells Rossi. "And two circles. Your earrings." Spencer says, pointing to Bedelia's double hoop earrings.
"What does the "L" mean?" Lizzie asks.
"It's not an "L."" Spencer says.
"It's a time." Rossi holds up the book.
"3:00. The time Sammy wants us to know about, the time that he met the unsub." Spencer says.
"Where was he at 3:00?" Lizzie asks.
"2:30, music store. He goes there every day after school, and he doesn't leave until the store closes at 6:00." Rossi says and Spencer checks his watch, going over to Sammy.
"Hey, Sammy. Sammy, it's almost 3:00." He shows Sammy his watch. "Is there someplace you should be?"
"Should be store." Sammy says.
Sammy gets up, going for the door.
"No, no, let him go." Rossi says when Lizzie attempts to stop him. He gets on his phone. "Hotch, I think we've got something."
+++
They get to the music store and Derek is sitting behind the counter.
"Morgan, we need to fast forward to 3 P.M. If I'm right, the unsub is somewhere on this tape." Spencer says. Derek fast forwards through the footage.
"Reid, here's when Sammy gets to the store." Derek says. "They changed the music. Why would they do that?"
"It's for Sammy." Rossi says. "Classical might be more comforting than hard rock."
"Okay, here's 3:00." Derek says. Sammy sits at a keyboard and starts playing the same song he was at the house.
"That's the song." Bedelia says. "Sammy's been trying to tell us who took his parents all along. At 3 P.M. the song plays, the same song every day at the same time because Charlie Sparks puts the CD in at 2:30 when Sammy arrives. Sammy's never late because Sammy sticks to a schedule, a routine."
"30 minutes later..." Spencer rushes back over to the computer. "This man arrives. A deliveryman with a routine all of his own. We need to figure out who that is, because he's our unsub."
~ ~ ~
"Former fisherman turned part time deliveryman, saddled with more debt than he and his recently removed sons could sustain, including a foreclosing house and a defaulted boat loan. Why didn't you tell me you were looking for Bill Thomas at 1024 Elmwood Avenue?"
"What about his boat?" Ashley asks.
"Docked in the marina." Penelope says.
"We're closer to the house." The sheriff says.
"Okay, we'll take the boat. Let's go." Derek says.
+++
They're at the marina and found Bill's boat, able to see him pacing through a window.
"I know, Hotch. We got him." Derek says before hanging up. "Bill Thomas!" He calls. "This is the FBI! Give yourself up! Your boat is surrounded! We don't want anyone else to get hurt, Bill. Turn yourself in!"
A cop car pulls up, the two policemen getting out.
"All right, listen up. We move in as soon as SWAT is in position." Derek says.
"What's going on in there?" Spencer asks.
They hear a gunshot.
"Move in!" Derek shouts, all rushing towards the boat. Derek goes down first, keeping his gun aimed. Bedelia follows, looking around, lowering her gun when she sees the Bill's body on the floor. She looks over at Alison who is hugging Charlie's leg as she sobs.
"Ma'am. Ma'am, are you hurt?" Derek asks. She shakes her head. Derek grabs the gun next to her and takes the clip out.
~ ~ ~
They're outside and the ambulance are loading up Bill and Charlie's bodies. A police car pulls up and a cop opens the back door, Sammy and Lizzie getting out.
Alison goes over to her son as he looks around, tapping his hand on his leg. Alison lowers to her knees in front of him and Sammy's hand slowly moves up to her shoulder, tapping it. Alison cries as she hugs him. Rossi comforts Lizzie after she spots the body bag Charlie is in.
+++
Emily tenses up when she feels a hand on her shoulder.
"I knew you were watching me." She says.
"What's the expression? Keep your friends close, your enemies under surveillance?" Doyle questions, walking to the other side of the table.
"I've been here for 2 hours." Emily says. "You should know better than to keep a lady waiting."
"It seems hypocritical. Seeing as I had to wait 7 years." Doyle says. He sits down across from her.
"Hello, Ian."
"Hello, Lauren. Oh, wait. Lauren Reynolds died in a car accident, didn't she?"
"What do you want?"
"You. Oh, not today. Don't worry about that. But soon."
"I've got a glock leveled at your crotch. What's to stop me from taking you and the little ones out right now?" She questions.
"You'd never make it back to your car and you know it." Doyle says. "Tell me, does the lovely Penelope know the truth about you? Or is she too busy watching movies with Derek to care? Here you are, all alone, while Aaron sits at home with his son. And why didn't Dave and Ashley invite you to their game night? Maybe they thought you'd be having a Star Trek marathon and fighting over what to get for dinner with Bedelia and Reid. Those two are adorable, aren't they? Shame they don't know it."
"Come near my team and I will end you." Emily threatens.
"I don't have a quarrel with them. How long that remains the case depends entirely on you. They're innocent. You're not." Doyle says.
"I was doing my job." Emily says.
"I think you did a little more than that." He replies. "You took the only thing that mattered to me. So I'm going to take the only thing that matters to you. Your life." He puts a gold wrapper on the table with a four leaf clover on it. "Honore de Balzac once said, "Most people of actions are inclined to fatalism, and most of thought believe in providence."" He stands up.
"Tell me, Emily Prentiss, which do you think you're going to be?" He questions before walking off.