"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from."

T.S. Eliot

They were given one day.

All of them. One day to get out of town, one day to gather up their things, one day to pack up their lives: a pretty extraordinary task.

But it was a task that had to be done and it had to be done quickly. They were to take their most important belongings and subtly say goodbye to their friends without tipping anyone off to where they were going or even that they were. The point was that they had to leave and do it quietly.

In a small temporary apartment among the suburbs outside the city, a brunet woman was hastily packing up her things. She put most of her clothes in a large, black suitcase and then in a separate duffle bag (her carry-on bag) she had her passport, all of her certificates, pictures and other important memorabilia. Everything that she didn't have in those two bags was staying behind to be cleaned out after she left. As she sat down on her bed putting the last items into her suitcase, she suddenly felt sad. It made her sad to think that she could fit her entire life into two mediocre bags.

A cat sat perched on the windowsill. It turned its head away from the window to look at the woman, big green eyes wide with what she could only describe as wisdom. It let out a quiet meow as if whining.

The woman smiled at the cat that had given her comfort for so many years. She walked over and petted it gently on the head. "Don't worry, Sergio. Someone will be here to pick you up tomorrow. You'll like them, I promise. And maybe someday I'll be able to come back and get you."

She wished that she would be able to, but somewhere deep down she knew that this would be the last time that she ever stepped into this apartment and would probably be the last time she ever saw her cat again too.

Thinking that, she gave him a quick kiss on the head, picked up her bags and exited her apartment. Vainly, as she left, she hoped that even if she would never see her cat or apartment again, that at least her friends wouldn't suffer the same fate.

Across town, there was an older man starting to pack his things as well. He had dark hair speckled with grey and a few boxes full of belongings important to him along with a second suitcase full of his clothes. As the time to board his plane neared, he did one final walkthrough of his enormous house.

He didn't want to leave.

He was sure that none of them did, but they had to.

And he knew that, he didn't like it or want it, but he knew that it was necessary. So, with hesitation and sorrow, he left his mansion.

A few neighborhoods over in a considerably smaller, but quant house, a man and a woman had just finished packing. The man had dark hair and deep dark eyes while the woman had contrasting blonde with dark brown eyes to match his. They had a lot of suitcases full of belongings, most of which belonged to their son. He smiled apologetically over at his wife as he zipped up the final suitcase. "I'm sorry about this. I wouldn't even be considering it if I didn't think it would be completely necessary to keep us all safe."

The woman nodded slowly, "I know. But at least you'll finally have some time off. And its summertime so Jack won't have to start at a new school either. Hopefully, we'll be able to come back before the fall."

The man nodded, hugged his wife and answered, "Hopefully." Even though he knew they wouldn't.

Before the woman could reply again, a small boy rushed into the room. "Mommy! Daddy! When are we leaving?" He asked, jumping up onto the bed. He grinned at each of them.

The man looked down at his watch. "We should probably leave soon." He smiled at his son, "Are you excited to ride on the plane, Jack? All the way out to Arizona? You're gonna like it down there buddy, it's nice and hot."

Jack nodded excitedly, "When I told my teacher we were going to Arizona she said that there were coyotes there! What's a coyote?" He asked, looking at either of his parents for the answer.

The woman laughed and sat down next to her son, "A coyote is like a wolf. They howl at night, do you know why?" She asked him.

Jack sat up, fascinated. "No! Why do they howl?"

The woman smirked, "Well," she started, "Once there was a coyote named Chester. He was mischievous, always causing trouble like a certain boy I know." She tickled him before continuing, "Well one night, Chester ventured off into the forest and got separated from his parents and friends. He searched and searched, but couldn't find his way back so he climbed up as high as he dared and let out the loudest, longest howl that he could." The woman then howled.

"His family and friends heard his howl, followed it and found him. They were so happy to be reunited that they decided to howl every night together as a pack just in case someone was lost so that they could always find their way back home." She finished with a smile.

Jack grinned and then let out a loud coyote howl.

His mom joined in a few moments later. They both looked at the man, willing him to join in and sure enough, a few moments later, giving in to his wife and son, he chimed in as well. It must have been peculiar for their neighbors next door to hear, but they didn't care. In that moment, they were happy.

In an apartment in the middle of the city, a large muscular man with dark skin and warm brown eyes was packing as well. He finished rather quickly, but then left his house and visited with one of his close friends, a woman with light blonde hair, glasses and a rather extravagant personality.

Today though, she was crying.

"Why did this have to happen to us? I love it here, I love all of you guys, I love my job! I don't want to leave." She shook her head.

The man put his arms around her, "I know Baby Girl, I don't want to leave either, but we have to. It'll be alright. Wherever you go, I'm sure you'll make an impression." He chuckled, "Just make sure you don't forget me."

"Forget my chocolate thunder? Never in a million years." The woman smiled, patted him on the chest and then loaded her stuff into her car.

"Bye." She said.

"Bye." He replied.

And that was it.

Lastly, there was a woman, living in a small suburban house just outside the city that was also packing her stuff up. Inside, there was a man with her. His stuff was already packed and sitting in the front room, he was only there to help her pack her things.

She packed slowly, like she didn't want to leave, like she was dreading it.

The man looked over at her from where he was putting some of her things into a box, "Alright. Tell me what happened." He said expectantly. He could tell that something was bothering her.

She let out a long sigh and started the story. "Will and I were talking and I…I told him about this…situation, how we had to leave tonight and he said that he didn't want to go. He said that he had just moved here for me and wasn't ready to move again. He wasn't rude about it though. He just leveled with me. He said that he loved me and he wanted to be with me, but he wasn't ready to move across the country and drop out of society with me. I guess I don't blame him. This is all…overwhelming."

The man shook his head, "Well he should have stayed. If he thought it was overwhelming for him then he should have looked at it from your perspective and seen how hard it was for you. He shouldn't have left." He said.

The woman looked up, a defensive look in her eyes. "He's not a bad person, Reid." She used his last name to show that she was serious, "Can you imagine if you had to move away from your friends and family to be with a girl? Well Will did and now I can't expect him to drop everything for me again."

Reid wouldn't give up that easily. He shook his head seriously. "Well, it's not right. You shouldn't be going through this alone." He protested.

She raised an eyebrow, "But you're going through the same thing…alone."

He looked at the ground and nodded, realizing her point. He gave her a small smile, "Well…we can keep each other company for the time we have left then." And then he let out a sigh, "I'm really gonna miss you. I wish we could at least tell each other where we were going so I could send you a letter or something."

The woman walked over and hugged him, "I'm gonna miss you too. And I would tell you, but…I can't. No one can know where we're going. If one person, even if it's you, knows…then he could know." She smiled, "When this is all over…I'll find you."

He nodded and looked at his watch. "Woah, Jayje, we have to go."

She sealed the last box and loaded it into her car, "I know. I don't want to though." She gave him one last hug and then they both walked out of her house. Waving, they climbed into different cars and pulled out of the driveway.

A week earlier

It was a crisp early morning when the team members of the BAU were awoken by their phones. They each received a call from the unit chief that basically said: Come in ASAP - No details. So they did. They rose wearily from their beds and each made their commute to work.

The last ones to arrive were Emily and JJ. They pulled into the parking lot at the same time, noticing that the rest of the team was already there.

Emily parked quickly and then walked over to JJ's car where JJ was climbing out. "Good morning Jayje." She smiled brightly at her friend.

JJ was confused by Emily's happiness, "Why so chipper?" She asked as she locked her car and started walking towards the building.

Emily followed and shrugged, "I guess I'm a morning person."

JJ's eyes widened and she stopped walking, giving her friend a long look before replying, "Okay." She muttered sarcastically. "We'll pretend like that's true." And then she continued walking towards the building.

They walked a few more steps in silence before Emily spoke again, "Do you know what this is about?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. They had been called at 3 in the morning; usually JJ was the one who knew what was going on, being the media liaison and what not.

"Actually no." JJ answered shaking her head. She let out a long yawn, "All I know is that I was in the middle of the best sleep that I've had in a long time when my phone rang so this better be good."

Emily sighed, "Define good."

And then they entered the building. As they passed through the doors, the first thing they saw was the pit busy with people rushing in all directions. There were men in suits, women in skirts, and even SWAT team members standing up on the catwalk.

"Woah." JJ heard Emily say from beside her.

The two women walked up the stairs, across the catwalk, past the SWAT members and into the conference room where they found the rest of the team already sitting. In the middle of the table was an envelope that was ripped open.

Garcia's eyes were puffy and there were tear stains on her cheeks. In her hands, she held a letter.

Strauss was standing up by the TV screen. She looked up from the table when Emily and JJ walked in. "Agents." She nodded at them, "Sit please."

They did so slowly, hesitantly.

Garcia finished the letter and pushed it into the middle of the table.

JJ looked up at Strauss for a moment and gulped, getting ready to speak. Momentarily, her eyes flickered down to the paper on the table. Stapled to the corner of this letter were small pictures. She could see that it was a stack of them, black and white, disoriented and messily stapled to the paper. She opened her mouth to speak, to ask what was going on, but her eyes went back to the photos. She realized that she recognized the one on the top of the stack. Before she even got the words out, she lunged for the letter and looked at the photo.

It was Will.

It looked like he was walking; there was tray in his hand with two coffee cups in it. He wasn't looking at the camera; he didn't know his picture was being taken. She remembered him bringing her coffee from a few days ago. This picture must have been recent.

Thinking that maybe Will had a stalker, she went through the rest of the pictures. Among them was an African American woman that JJ recognized to be Morgan's sister, a picture of Reid's mother in the hospital, Haley and Jack walking in the park, a picture of Rossi's ex-wife, and at the bottom of the stack was a picture of the whole team gathered together for a dinner they went to after a big case a couple weeks prior.

JJ looked up from the paper, completely stumped. "What is this?" She asked.

Hotch sat forward, hands folded on the table like it was some kind of business meeting. "Pictures of all the people we care most about." He said, "We thought that Detective LaMontagne was yours, but we weren't completely sure why…"

JJ blinked, shaking her head slightly. She hadn't even told the team about her and Will yet. From the looks she was receiving she knew that they already had their speculations. "We're…I…um…" She blinked again, completely dazed.

Without even finishing her sentence, she started to read the letter, maybe not even consciously. Her eyes just drifted to the printed words below the pictures and she started to read.

Dear Behavioral Analysis Unit,

I am pleased to inform you that, due to my own precautions, you have no idea who I am. Of that, I am sure. In these upcoming weeks, though you will never find out my identity, you will see me as what I have intended: you're worst nightmare. The BAU, while it is full of some of the greatest minds in the country, it is corrupt. I believe that the strength of this team is advertised to be much greater than it actually is. Now, you are profilers. And when you get this letter you will profile me. Narcissist, probably, sadistic, yes. Maybe even a psychopath. Well, I'll make it easy on you. Here's my motive. I tried to get into the BAU and failed and now, years later, upon the arrival of the lowest point of my life I thought: where did I go wrong? The answer is that I didn't. I'm brilliant, cunning, but apparently I was not good enough to get in. So I worked hard. I hit the books, got another degree and came back a few years after my rejection. The second time they turned me down again. I figured that it wasn't meant to be so I became a professor, got married, had 2 kids. Life was good until I found out my wife was cheating on me. We got divorced, she took the kids. And now, I just have time and anger, lots of it. So there you go, you're work is cut out for you. You'll probably get your analyst to look me up, but there will be nothing there. You'll still try, I know you will. I've already taken precautions, I know you're every step of profiling and I have eyes everywhere…I will know what you're going to do before you've even initiated it. You see, I'm a profiler too. I took the classes, all of them, and I know the tricks. I'm also a researcher, I've been planning this for months so I prepared. I've been getting the research on all of you. And now, my narcissism is kicking in, I feel the need to show you. That brings me to the pictures.

On top, we have Detective LaMontagne. Charming, isn't he, Ms. Jareau? Does your team know about him yet or is that just another secret you've built up on top of all the others? You interest me. A media liaison with a big heart, a lot of passion, but no trust. Even after all the years you've spent with them, you're still keeping the most basic secrets? I think deep down you're a lot more sensitive, I think you leave things unspoken because you know if they come up, you're emotions will run wild. Like your sister? What about her? You'd think that all that horror at such a young age would at least get mentioned every once in a while, but you're secretive, private I guess. I respect that, but as for your co-workers, they may not be capable of understanding.

Second on the stack is Morgan's sister. She's nice, Derek. I like watching her, it gives me joy. You must be angry now, that happens a lot, doesn't it? The anger? All the time I see you angry, the vein in your neck popping out, eyes livid. People may think that's some kind of strength, security maybe? But I see insecurity. That man, when you were young, what he did to you…it's still in your mind and I can see that. That anger that you have, I think it buds from that insecurity. Maybe you want to enforce your masculinity because deep down you're insecure about it. Don't worry, Derek. I won't hurt your sister, she's sweet. I just want you to think before you start getting angry. Think about what it really means. And why you do it.

Oh now we get to Diana Reid, such a nice woman, but as for the visions that seem to plague her mind, it seems quite the opposite. Her screams in the middle of the night during a nightmare, they're…horrifying. I see a small Reid sitting in his room, reading. He hears the screams and covers his ears because he knows that even when he tries to help, it only makes it worse. Schizophrenia is a scary disease, I can only imagine what it would be like if I had to consider if I would be inheriting it. Don't be scared, Dr. Reid, you're mother would be happy to have you join her.

What's next? Haley and Jack Hotchner? Oh yes, such a cute pair those two are, but what a shame that there is no father. I mean, there's you, Aaron, but how much are you home? You work all day on a case and then do reports afterwards. Jack is growing up without a father and let me tell you Aaron, Haley is noticing. Even though this is short, I'll leave you with that. Consider what you have Aaron and if you're willing to lose it over something as superficial as a job.

And then there's Rossi's ex-wife. Even though you are divorced, I think that there's still love there. And I know what she told you Rossi. How I know is none of your business, but I do know. She does not have long, Dave. The time you have left should be spent with her. She needs someone. Your life is the one I'm most sorry for in all of this. I am sorry, Dave, but not for you. I'm sorry for your ex-wife. She doesn't deserve to suffer, but maybe you do.

Lastly, Emily and Penelope. I searched and searched for someone that they cared about, but it turned out that their only true family was this team. So to both of them I say, the bond you have with them better hold strong.

BAU, I am going to test you. I want to see for myself if the "strength" that you are supposed to have truly exists. So, in conclusion, I will tell you to watch your back because I'm always watching. And I always will be watching.

JJ blinked a few times, setting the letter down on the table in front of her. "I…" She trailed off, having no comment to describe how she was feeling.

Next to her, Emily picked up the letter and read it for herself. When she finished, she too fell into a shocked sort of trance.

No one at the table spoke for a long time.

It was Strauss who finally broke the silence. "The headquarters do not like the idea of the BAU being hunted. They insist on taking action…that action being bringing in a new team to temporarily relieve you of your duties and their first case will be this one. As for this team, you will each be relocated to classified destinations with your families as long as this guy is out there. And I'm sorry, but…everyone leaves tomorrow."

JJ sat up, staring at Strauss. "Tomorrow?!" She exclaimed, eyebrows raised.

Strauss nodded, "I know it's sudden, but the letter is sudden. And we want to move as spontaneously as possible to throw him off guard."

Silence fell over the table again, no one wanted to speak, no one had anything to say.

Strauss broke the silence a second time. "I'll hand out your new locations, but I caution you. Do not share these with anyone unless they're going with you, not even anyone on this team. No one is supposed to know." She warned before walking around the table and passing out files to each team member.

Emily got her folder first. She opened it carefully so that JJ could not see inside of it. Warily, she looked over it. She would be moving to Culver, Oregon. And luckily, because Emily had never heard of it, the folder said that it was a small town just outside of Seattle. Population: 1, 360. Great. Emily thought sarcastically.

Hotch got his after Emily. He scooted his chair backwards a little bit so that neither of the team members sitting beside him could see the file. He was going to Winslow, Arizona. Population: 9,409. He didn't mind that, he even thought that maybe Jack would like it there. It might even be nice to get some extra time with his family.

Morgan found out he was going to Baton Rouge, Louisiana which unlike the others, was actually a big city, the capital of Louisiana. Population: 230, 058. He shrugged a little bit, thinking that would be alright, maybe even fun.

Garcia was going to Columbus, Indiana. Population: 45, 429. She didn't know how to feel. It was just a kind of numbness towards the whole idea, a kind of numbness towards the whole situation.

Rossi was going to Buffalo, New York, which wasn't bad. He didn't mind that. He'd heard of Buffalo before and he knew that it was a big city, not too big and not too small, which he liked. The population was 259, 384.

JJ read that she would be going to Aspen, Colorado. Population: 6,680. She knew a lot about that place actually because she used to ski a lot with her family and that city had a huge resort. Too bad it was summer time.

And lastly, Reid received his folder. He opened his slowly and read through only to find out that he was going to be moving to McCook, Nebraska, a city right next to the Colorado border, by Denver. Population: 7, 652.

No one moved for a couple of minutes. It was JJ who was the first to stand. She looked around the table at each of the team members. "I love you guys and I hope you'll all stay safe, but I have to go. I need to go…talk to someone." She looked around the table, meeting eyes with each of them before walking out of the conference room.

Reid was next to leave, he didn't say anything, let his eyes do the talking. And by the looks he gave them, he knew that they knew how he felt about them.

The rest of the team got up all at once, saying their goodbyes intermittently before exiting together like a team. Outside, a man was standing in the bushes, a camera in his hands. He snapped pictures of JJ as she rushed to her car, of Reid as he sulked down the sidewalk towards his apartment and then the rest of the team as they left the building together.

He almost thought that was nice, the unity that they had, but then he realized that JJ and Reid weren't there and he shook his head. This team wasn't unified: they weren't a team at all. He smiled a little bit. They weren't going to get away from him that easily. Wherever they went he would follow, let them settle in and then, at the right moment, he would finally put his plan into action.

"You have had a dream for so many years. Let today be the day you make a plan for it. Just think about how much more likely you are to hit your target when you finally aim at it."

Steve Maraboli

A/N: Okay so, I don't know why I started this story. I know I have a lot of other stories that need to be updated, but this idea was just stuck in my head and I had to get it down. And I meant to finish one of my other stories before starting a new one, but I just really wanted to post it now. I hope you like it and I promise I'll update my other stories too! Don't forget to review!