Criminal Minds (2005–…): Season 8, Episode 8 - The Wheels on the Bus... - full transcript
In the Washington DC area, a school bus transporting twenty-four high school students home after school is commandeered. The GPS on the bus is disabled, meaning that the bus disappears without a trace along with all its passengers, which not only includes the students, but also the driver, Roy Webster, and the bus monitor, Carol Roberts. Cell phone calls to the students are unanswered. The bus and the cell phones are eventually found, but the twenty-six are nowhere to be found. Initially the BAU believes the abduction has something to do with a previous altercation between Webster and the students, which resulted in the need for the bus monitor. However as the BAU gathers evidence on the case, Rossi notices that much of that evidence is remarkably similar to a video game called Gods of Combat, pointing to the suspicion that the unsubs are extreme gamers who are turning their love of the game into reality. So the team delves into the psyche of gamers and the codes by which they live in the hope of finding the bus passengers still alive.
I can hear you staring at her.
I'm not staring.
Think she'd go with me?
I don't know.
I don't know.
What's the worst
that could happen? She says no?
Wouldn't be the first time
you heard it.
And the blue lace trim
will go perfect with my eyes.
- Your eyes are brown.
- Contacts. Duh.
Now all I need is
the perfect date.
There's a car in the road.
- I think he ran out of gas.
What's going on?
That sucks.
Should I call for help?
Oh, it's probably just a flat.
I need you all
to remain in your seats.
Everybody quiet down!
You all right?
- Get down!
Oh, my God!
- What's happening?
- Shh, be quiet.
- I'm scared.
- Shh. -Oh.
Kevin.
I need you.
Yeah, I got your text.
Um, I've been meaning
to call you back
about dinner the other night.
Look, I had a
- really great time...
- Oh.
Uh, what are you talking...?
No. Have you seen the news?
No. Why? What's going on?
We need all hands on deck.
What we have is
a school bus abduction
which occurred at approximately
1:00 p. m. this afternoon.
What we do know is there
were 24 students on board,
along with the driver
and a monitor.
GPS appears
to have been disabled.
Last known ping was
a little over two hours ago.
Highway Patrol
has traced the route
it was last traveling, but found
no signs of any accidents.
We have helicopters
and ground units in the DC area
working local
search and rescue.
Which means we're likely dealing
with more than one UnSub.
We've attempted to contact
everyone on board,
but so far, all calls
have gone unanswered.
But we can confirm
that the students dropped off
at the first two stops
have been accounted for.
The average school bus
holds approximately 80 gallons
of diesel fuel, making it
possible for them to travel
up to 550 miles
on a single tank.
Which is why we believe
they're still within
a 200-mile radius.
Could be a kidnapping,
but we can't rule out anything
from a terrorist act
to a child trafficking ring.
How does a bus full of kids
just vanish into thin air?
It doesn't.
Whoever's got them's got
a two-hour head start.
We're treating this
as a mass abduction.
The SUVs are outside.
We'll set up our command post
at Central High.
Get down!
French novelist
Jean Giraudoux said,
"I'm not afraid of death.
"It's the stake one puts up
in order to play
the game of life. "
Okay. Thanks.
Local PD says
they just found a backpack full
of the kids' cell phones half a
mile from the second bus stop.
Disarming a GPS,
disposing of cell phones-
feels less random
and more premeditated.
Well, there were
seven other buses
from different schools
on their route.
Why target this particular bus?
Maybe a group of kids got
together to pull it off?
Waited for their friends
to get off
at an earlier stop,
then made their move.
Okay, I'm checking school
disciplinary records.
See if I can find
any recent suspensions.
It could be about
a specific target,
and the other kids
just got in the way.
- Alex, you're on speaker.
Uh...
I've been looking over
the personnel files
of the bus driver, Roy Webster.
Something isn't adding up.
- What'd you find? -BLAKE:
Over the past three years,
Webster had several altercations
with students,
but was never formally
reprimanded.
Sounds like the school hasn't
told us the whole story.
Well, we know how disrespectful
some teenagers can be.
Maybe he snapped.
Could be payback
for years of abuse.
- What about the woman who was on
the bus? -KEVIN: That would be
Carol Roberts, a retired teacher
assigned to monitor
Webster's bus six months ago.
What's that about?
I took a bus
all through high school.
We never had a monitor.
Makes you wonder who she was
there to keep an eye on-
the kids or Webster?
Please, it's too tight.
Just let us go.
We won't tell anyone.
Wait, wait, wait! Wait!
Wait, wait, wait!
Addyson transferred
to Central High
last year.
Did she mention any enemies?
So, Sean's been riding
the bus since he was a freshman.
Did he have any run-ins
with Mr. Webster?
I know this is difficult
for both of you.
I just have a couple
more questions.
Billy's a sophomore, right?
Can you tell me
a little bit about him?
He's a good kid.
Stays out of trouble,
for the most part.
Been just the two of us
for a while.
His dad passed
when he was ten.
Please...
find my baby.
He's all I've got.
All right, I compiled background
info on every kid on that bus.
Their-their cell phone records,
their texts, Twitter feeds,
Facebook activity, everything.
Great. Can-can you help me
go through these SIM cards?
Thanks, by the way.
Of course.
Oh, that's, uh... Sean Parker.
He never posts a status update
without being witty
or sarcastic.
That's Trent Walker,
your high school classic jock.
Oh, my God.
That's Addyson Jones.
Look at the time. That was taken
when they were still on the bus.
That's right before
they went missing.
In the Chowchilla case,
the UnSub used car trouble
as a ruse to get
the bus driver's attention.
Yeah, I remember.
Driver became a hero overnight.
This is the most isolated
part of the highway.
It's surrounded by nothing.
No witnesses,
nobody to interrupt.
- Making them the perfect target.
- Mm.
Mr. Webster has worked
with the school for 15 years.
According to his file,
he was never reprimanded
for the altercations he had
with students. Why is that?
He agreed to complete
mandated classes.
In exchange, the incidents
wouldn't go on his record.
Were the parents made aware
of the school's
disciplinary actions?
Look, being a bus driver
can be stressful.
You're responsible for getting
these kids to and from school.
Add a few unruly teens, and-and
someone's bound to bump heads.
Is that why Carol Roberts was
assigned to monitor the bus?
Agent Hotchner?
We found a body.
It's Roy Webster.
He suffered two bullet wounds.
The first was a clean shot
through his left leg.
The second to the chest.
Why not go for the kill first?
They probably still needed him
to drive.
If they dumped Webster
this quickly,
I'm sure Carol Roberts
isn't far behind.
There's no way
somebody pulled this off alone.
One UnSub probably controlled
the adults,
and one controlled the kids.
But why get rid of them
before they reached
their destination?
- You're on speaker, Garcia.
Hey,
I reran the last GPS signal
of the bus
through a proxy server,
retracing the route,
and it turns out that
the signal was never disabled-
it was just masked- so I sent
the coordinates to your phones.
This is less than a mile away.
Bus is all clear.
Morgan...
All clear.
Northeast part cleared.
MAN
Left corner clear.
Barn was registered
to a Violet Burgin.
She died a few months back.
It's been abandoned ever since.
Ah, making this
the perfect transfer point.
Sic! Sic!
They found something.
Please, don't hurt us.
It's okay,
you guys are safe now.
There's only 14 here.
We need to find the other ten.
Move!
Are you okay?
He's mine.
Why only take some of the kids?
Smaller numbers,
easier to control.
If this was
a child-trafficking ring,
they wouldn't have left any
of them behind,
regardless of the risk.
Whatever the reason,
they only needed ten.
What do you want with us?!
I don't hear anything.
DO you?
No. Mine is dead, too.
What is this thing?
Where are we?
What happened to Mrs. Roberts?
They probably killed her
like they did Mr. Webster.
They're going to kill us, too.
- Sean.
- Cut it out.
Why do you think
they took their masks off?
MAN
Welcome to hell, people.
Did you hear that?
Number two
and number five step forward.
Wait. Am I number two?
Who's number five?
That's you, man.
Addy...
Let's go.
It's time.
MAN 2
The rules are simple.
You follow our instructions,
you live.
You don't...
That's enough.
They got the message.
You ready?
May the best man win.
You okay, Addyson?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
- You all right?
Oh. Yeah.
What was that?
MAN 2 Players,
the game will commence...
Three, two...
ODE.
Hmm.
Well, whenever I'm trying
to remember important details,
I find it really helps
if I close my eyes
and try to relax.
Yeah, that's great.
You guys are on your way home
from school.
Can you tell me
what happened next?
The bus had stopped.
I think he ran out of gas.
Ah, that sucks.
- You all right?
Is everything...? -
He shot Mr. Webster, and then...
Okay.
All right, all right,
slow down?
All right?
Let's... let's go back.
Let's go back.
Did you get a look at the man
who shot Mr. Webster?
No.
He wore a mask.
What type of mask?
Like a gas mask?
What happened next?
They both had guns.
One walked up
and down the aisle
while the other one
just stood there.
So there were two of them?
Okay.
Then what happened
when you arrived at the barn?
They lined us up.
Our hands were tied.
I was so scared.
I wanted to run, but they...
but they had guns.
They put collars
around our necks.
And that's... that's when
they started taking turns.
Taking turns doing what?
Picking.
Mom.
Where's Billy?
They said you found the bus.
There are still a number
of students unaccounted for, but
we're still looking.
Oh, my God.
I can't open it.
Those things aren't
budging, Billy.
- No matter what, we stick
together, okay? -Okay.
Okay?
Okay.
How about we get
the adrenaline going, huh?
It's all about endurance.
Training is as important
as the battle itself.
MAN 1
There's a table
at the end of the hallway
with a box on it.
Open it.
What's in it?
It's a flashlight.
What's this for?
Look to your left.
Dividing them into groups.
You think that was
to maintain control?
Mm, could be,
but how do you explain
the shock collars?
Torture.
Still, there doesn't seem
to be any method
to how or why they were chosen.
Okay, so far, we have
two white males, early twenties,
and wore gas masks,
of all things.
Abducting a bus,
a form of transportation,
gas masks,
shock collars, dividing people
into teams.
This sounds a lot like
Gods of Combat.
This is a video game.
It's okay.
It's just a little steam.
We're almost there.
Now what?
MAN 1 I want
to get you out of here safely.
To do that, I'm gonna need you
to follow my orders.
It's important that you listen
to each command.
Take the one
on the right.
He's telling me to take a right.
Addyson, I know what
you're thinking.
Don't follow him.
It's not worth it.
Take the path to the left.
Why?
Just trust me.
I'm not leaving you behind.
You see what you made me do?
Trent,
just go,
just do what they say.
MAN 1
Don't make me
do it again.
These guys are replicating
a video game?
In the game, you take over a
form of public transportation.
Subway, train, bus.
That's how you get your players.
Wait a minute.
You've played this game before?
Well, I may have
played it once or twice.
As I remember,
the game consists of
five players-
captain, lieutenant,
a pair of soldiers
and the pawn.
Maybe
the UnSubs picked them
based on their personality type.
Well, Serge and Trent
are both athletic,
so they probably would have been
considered lieutenants.
Wendy would most likely
have been considered the pawn.
They preselected these kids.
Mm, probably got details
about their lives
from social media sites.
Most teens don't use
privacy settings.
Anyone can gain access.
They planned their attacks,
and struck the bus
when it was most vulnerable.
That explains why the UnSubs
only needed ten of these kids,
and left the rest behind.
So how do the collars fit
into all of this?
They're used to keep your player
from straying
from their mission.
The object of the game is
to destroy as many
of your opponents as possible.
The one with the highest
body count wins.
MAN 2
It's just a rat.
Don't worry.
You'll get used to those.
MAN 2
What? It's only blood.
You haven't even gotten
to the best part.
Oh, my God!
My captain's asking
for an update.
He wants to release a statement.
We're just concerned
if we release certain details
that we'll have copycats.
Can you at least
give me something?
What kind of people
are we dealing with?
Well, based on the UnSub's
behavior at this point,
we believe they suffer from
an extreme gaming addiction.
They're avid gamers
involved
in the multi-user online
first-person shooter game,
Gods of Combat.
And like any addiction,
this took over their lives
and became an obsession.
We think
that this video game
aggravated a preexisting
affinity for violence.
Then something
blurred the lines
between fantasy violence
and real violence.
They've managed
to depersonalize these kids
as a way of rationalizing
the body count.
And playing this game
taught them to be methodical
and dangerously strategic.
The fact that they're mimicking
specific and unique elements
of this particular game
will help us
predict their behavior.
- They probably met online.
We think these UnSubs
chose these particular kids
because they displayed
certain traits that...
match the characters
from the game.
These kids are motivated
and positive when the game goes
the way that they want it to.
On the other hand, if the game
doesn't go as well...
they will be the opposite-
blinded with utter rage.
MAN 2
Snap out of it!
All right? Let's focus.
There's a key
in her sweater pocket.
Go grab it. Move!
MAN 2
Okay, now put it on.
See?
That wasn't so bad, now, was it?
So these guys just got together
and decided
to pull this thing off?
Yeah, with something
this elaborate, it's likely
they've known
each other for years, actually.
Hey, I just got off the phone
with the people
who produce Gods of Combat.
Turns out, they have
six million players worldwide,
40,000 of which
are D.C. residents.
Garcia, if they're capable
of this type of violence
in real life,
do you think we'd see
some sort of evidence
of it in their gaming history?
What type of evidence?
Yeah, he's talking
about the universal
online gaming code of conduct.
Sure, it prevents against stuff
like harassing,
threatening other players,
cyberbullying,
- that kind of thing.
How is it supposed
- to help us find these kids?
Instead of looking
for people who play the game,
we need to look
for people
who were kicked out.
What do you think
is happening to them?
I don't know, Wendy.
You think they're dead?
I said I don't know.
Come on.
We need to stick together, okay?
Yeah?
Oh, man.
Hey. guys,
I think I found something.
When I downloaded the TPF file,
I was able to extract
the source code
and generate an outpost based on
blacklisted Hell Mod players.
English, please?
Oh, yeah.
Mod levels
are-are hacked modifications
to the game. They were not
a part
of the original game design.
They're secret levels.
The only ones who can find them
are those that know
they even exist.
And the Hell Mod in this game
was like a battle royale.
I mean, literally,
anything goes.
There are no rules.
If you get killed off playing
Hell Mod, your entire
gaming profile is deleted.
Profile that would have taken
years for them to build.
The sudden loss of access
to their game could be
what spun them out of control.
Let me get this straight.
Instead of starting over,
they decided
to build their own game?
It's more than that.
This is a competition.
MAN 1
Trent, she's catching up.
MAN 1
Hurry up!
Come on, man.
Come on! Come on!
Damn it!
You blew the lead.
What happened to you?
MAN 1
Don't listen to her.
Keep going.
MAN 2
Unlock the box,
then blow his brains out.
What?
MAN 2
You complete this mission,
you move to the next round.
Ne...
What... what is this?
Make me proud.
I did what you wanted already.
Trent. What's happening?
MAN 1
Focus, dude.
Say something!
Trent!
You know, I wonder
what your family
would say.
What? You didn't think
I did my research?
MAN 1 I can't
believe you're blowing it!
Damn it, Trent!
You still live
on Deep Wood Lane?
Maybe I should go get
your little brother Dylan
to come and take your place.
He takes the bus, too, right?
No... please don't hurt them.
MAN 1
Hurry up, Trent!
MAN 2 Use the key
to open the box on the table.
You'll thank me later.
That's the barrel.
It doesn't fit there.
Hurry up.
Hurry up, Addyson!
He's almost there.
Load it.
Load it!
You got it.
You got it!
Come on, shoot him! Do it!
Shoot her! Shoot her!
Yes!
Oh!
Okay, a month ago,
two players were kicked out
at the same time
for hacking into Hell Mod.
Previous to that, they had both
logged thousands of hours
playing the game,
dating back to early 2000.
You got any names, Garcia?
No, just online handles.
But...
You know what's weird?
They were both playing
from the same IP address.
So they lived together?
Roommates, maybe?
Or siblings.
Did you see that?
She just walked up to him
and went boom!
It's just the first round.
Trent, oh, my God.
Aw, you felt that rush,
didn't you?
I knew you would.
No.
I didn't feel anything.
Trent, I'm sorry.
He made me do it.
Oh, yeah, not knowing if
it was gonna be you or him
lying in that pool of blood.
Hey, you got to pull
yourself together.
It's time to meet
your next opponent.
Girl.
Dude, I beat you with a girl.
I get it.
Let me show you again.
Boom!
Let's go.
Come on.
- Round two.
- All right.
Let's go.
Number four, you're up.
I can't... I can't...
Maybe you didn't understand me
the first time.
I'm going.
Hey, it's okay.
Here, Wendy.
I'll take her place.
I'll take her place.
Dude, no, that's not
part of the rules.
It's okay.
Wendy!
No!
Wendy, come on. Come on.
Why are you doing this?!
You guys are crazy!
Hey, what the hell was that?!
What? He volunteered,
you don't need her anymore.
She was my player!
Oh, come on. She was your pawn.
She was gonna die anyway.
You don't know that.
Can we please get back
to the game?
Take the corridor to your left.
There's a box with a gun
near the end.
Take it.
You're gonna need it.
It doesn't make any sense.
If they are siblings, how do you
explain the gaps in time
when they weren't logged in
at the same location?
Yeah, it looks like it happened
several times a year,
sometimes in different states.
Maybe their parents
got divorced.
Maybe their parents got
divorced.
Maybe the parents got divorced.
Leave it to the genius
to come up with the obvious.
Here we go.
Here we go.
Joshua and Matthew Moore.
They both went to Central High.
Their parents work two jobs each
to make ends meet.
Led to a messy divorce.
Joshua went to live
with his dad in Arizona,
Matthew stayed
with his mom in D.C.
That's why they knew
when to strike.
They probably rode
the same bus route.
Long hours, different schedules.
They were latchkey kids.
Video games became
their sitters.
As they got older,
they got more competitive.
It became all about
bragging rights.
This game became the core
of their sibling rivalry.
Only it wasn't just a game.
Gods of Combat was their one
constant connection
to one another.
Oh, come on, Addyson.
Get over it.
There's casualties in every war.
Let's go.
Your enemy's closing it.
Are you all right?
What happened?
Don't come near me.
Oh...
What's going on? Where's Trent?
Take out your gun and shoot her.
She already killed Trent.
Oh, no. Trent-Trent's dead?
I had no choice.
You're gonna be next.
It's either you or her, Billy.
No.
They said they'd hurt my family.
Shoot her!
Now!
- I'm sorry, Billy.
- Shoot her!
Shoot him!
- Clear.
- Clear!
If they were in here together,
why are they using these?
It's what they're using
to communicate
with their players.
Ugh!
I recognize that "ugh. "
I have gone through every
frequency and wavelength
and-and I haven't been able
to pick up on anything.
All right, well, just slow down.
- Frustrated.
- I get that.
Now, let's go back.
You've checked Audix?
- Yes.
- All right.
Nady Systems? AKG? Electrovoice?
- Voco Pro?
- Yes, yes and yes.
I've gone through
every frequency
in the frickin' Northern
Hemisphere and nothing.
I don't know, I mean,
these are the only frequencies
that I know that are
above ground.
Wait.
Underground.
No, I said "above ground. "
E.I.F. Extremely low frequency.
It's the only one that can
penetrate underground.
Got a hit.
You have lipstick on your face.
Picked up a ping on the E.I.F.
It's emanating from somewhere
in this 25-mile radius
west of Bolivar.
- What fits?
- Well, there's a few
old factories and a couple
of bunkers from the '70s.
What is this?
- The old paper mill.
- You know, given the size
and location, that could be
the perfect spot.
I'll go pull the schematics.
Find him. He's in there.
If you miss,
this time you'll be sorry.
- Oh, come on.
- It froze.
Hello? Can anyone hear me?
If someone is there,
please say something.
My name is Penelope,
and I'm with the FBI.
- They're listening to us.
- No. No, wait, listen.
You're safe. I just...
I- I isolated the signal.
They can't hear us right now.
What is your name?
I'm...
I'm Billy.
You-you got to help us.
What the hell is he doing?
Why isn't it working?
Ah!
What the hell was that?
I don't know. It was working
fine a second ago.
Damn it!
Lost the signal.
Oh, I bet that bitch
screwed up something
with that last shot.
No.
Something's interfering
with the signal.
You did this, didn't you?
Me?
What the hell
are you talking about?
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa.
Matt, you got to be kidding me.
Listen, Billy, we are
on our way right now.
You just need to hang tight
a little while longer.
- I know you're wearing a collar.
- Yeah.
I'm gonna help you
take it off, okay?
I tried that already.
It keeps shocking me.
Billy, listen to me.
They can't hurt you anymore,
got it?
Um... okay.
There you go.
Okay, now I want you to find me
something sharp in there.
Remember when
Mom and Dad split up?
We made a promise that
we'd stick together always.
It's us against the world, dude.
It's always been that way.
Come on.
Put down the gun.
What? What is it?
Someone hacked into our signal.
They know where we are.
Make sure that...
Billy? Billy, can you hear me?
What happened?
They shut down the system.
Shh-shh. Listen to me, okay?
The police are on their way.
They can't hurt us anymore.
They can't hurt us.
Okay.
Hold still. Help me get
the shock collar off.
I had to reboot
the whole system.
It's gonna be a few hours.
Where are you going?
I'm not waiting.
What are you doing?
There's only one way
to finish this.
Game on.
- Come on.
- Okay.
- You can do it.
- Okay.
- You can do this.
- Okay, okay.
- Okay. -Uh-huh, uh-huh.
You got it, you got it.
Okay.
Okay. All right. No! No!
Where do you think
you're going, huh? Huh?
Now's not the time
to play hero.
Let her go.
Unless you want her blood
on your hands, literally,
you'll put the gun down.
Billy, just put it down.
Go ahead. Listen to the girl.
Do it!
You, come on.
Come on! Let's go.
That's it. That's it.
Billy?
Come on.
Now I'm gonna do
what my players couldn't.
Drop the gun, Matt.
It's okay. It's over.
Come on.
FBI! Drop your weapon!
I'm Agent Morgan.
This is Agent Rossi.
We're the good guys.
But drop the gun.
How do I know
this isn't part of the game?
Kid, you got to trust me.
Just like you trusted
my friend Penelope.
Come on now.
I know you're scared,
but don't do anything stupid.
Drop the weapon!
Mum!
My baby boy!
I'm so sorry, Trent.
Where's Josh?
Where's my brother?!
Where's Josh?
You answer me!
Where's my brother?!
He's dead?
I guess I won.
Frederick Douglass said,
"It is easier
to build strong children
than to repair broken men. "
Hey, thanks
for everything today.
I'm glad I could help.
Um, do you want to go and get
a drink with me right now? Talk?
Oh, um...
I, uh, I kind of
already have plans.
Oh.
It's just that we have
reservations and stuff.
Yeah, I get it. You don't have
to explain anything to me.
I'll see you around.
Right.
See you around.
How you doing?
You ever have one of those days
that you want to unplug
from everything?
Literally.
Give me your phone.
And your tablet.
And your other phone.
Okay.
Tonight you're coming
to my house,
we're gonna listen
to Tony Bennett on vinyl
and drink 18-year-old scotch.
Uh... I don't drink scotch.
You'll learn.
Thanks.
Anytime.
I'm not staring.
Think she'd go with me?
I don't know.
I don't know.
What's the worst
that could happen? She says no?
Wouldn't be the first time
you heard it.
And the blue lace trim
will go perfect with my eyes.
- Your eyes are brown.
- Contacts. Duh.
Now all I need is
the perfect date.
There's a car in the road.
- I think he ran out of gas.
What's going on?
That sucks.
Should I call for help?
Oh, it's probably just a flat.
I need you all
to remain in your seats.
Everybody quiet down!
You all right?
- Get down!
Oh, my God!
- What's happening?
- Shh, be quiet.
- I'm scared.
- Shh. -Oh.
Kevin.
I need you.
Yeah, I got your text.
Um, I've been meaning
to call you back
about dinner the other night.
Look, I had a
- really great time...
- Oh.
Uh, what are you talking...?
No. Have you seen the news?
No. Why? What's going on?
We need all hands on deck.
What we have is
a school bus abduction
which occurred at approximately
1:00 p. m. this afternoon.
What we do know is there
were 24 students on board,
along with the driver
and a monitor.
GPS appears
to have been disabled.
Last known ping was
a little over two hours ago.
Highway Patrol
has traced the route
it was last traveling, but found
no signs of any accidents.
We have helicopters
and ground units in the DC area
working local
search and rescue.
Which means we're likely dealing
with more than one UnSub.
We've attempted to contact
everyone on board,
but so far, all calls
have gone unanswered.
But we can confirm
that the students dropped off
at the first two stops
have been accounted for.
The average school bus
holds approximately 80 gallons
of diesel fuel, making it
possible for them to travel
up to 550 miles
on a single tank.
Which is why we believe
they're still within
a 200-mile radius.
Could be a kidnapping,
but we can't rule out anything
from a terrorist act
to a child trafficking ring.
How does a bus full of kids
just vanish into thin air?
It doesn't.
Whoever's got them's got
a two-hour head start.
We're treating this
as a mass abduction.
The SUVs are outside.
We'll set up our command post
at Central High.
Get down!
French novelist
Jean Giraudoux said,
"I'm not afraid of death.
"It's the stake one puts up
in order to play
the game of life. "
Okay. Thanks.
Local PD says
they just found a backpack full
of the kids' cell phones half a
mile from the second bus stop.
Disarming a GPS,
disposing of cell phones-
feels less random
and more premeditated.
Well, there were
seven other buses
from different schools
on their route.
Why target this particular bus?
Maybe a group of kids got
together to pull it off?
Waited for their friends
to get off
at an earlier stop,
then made their move.
Okay, I'm checking school
disciplinary records.
See if I can find
any recent suspensions.
It could be about
a specific target,
and the other kids
just got in the way.
- Alex, you're on speaker.
Uh...
I've been looking over
the personnel files
of the bus driver, Roy Webster.
Something isn't adding up.
- What'd you find? -BLAKE:
Over the past three years,
Webster had several altercations
with students,
but was never formally
reprimanded.
Sounds like the school hasn't
told us the whole story.
Well, we know how disrespectful
some teenagers can be.
Maybe he snapped.
Could be payback
for years of abuse.
- What about the woman who was on
the bus? -KEVIN: That would be
Carol Roberts, a retired teacher
assigned to monitor
Webster's bus six months ago.
What's that about?
I took a bus
all through high school.
We never had a monitor.
Makes you wonder who she was
there to keep an eye on-
the kids or Webster?
Please, it's too tight.
Just let us go.
We won't tell anyone.
Wait, wait, wait! Wait!
Wait, wait, wait!
Addyson transferred
to Central High
last year.
Did she mention any enemies?
So, Sean's been riding
the bus since he was a freshman.
Did he have any run-ins
with Mr. Webster?
I know this is difficult
for both of you.
I just have a couple
more questions.
Billy's a sophomore, right?
Can you tell me
a little bit about him?
He's a good kid.
Stays out of trouble,
for the most part.
Been just the two of us
for a while.
His dad passed
when he was ten.
Please...
find my baby.
He's all I've got.
All right, I compiled background
info on every kid on that bus.
Their-their cell phone records,
their texts, Twitter feeds,
Facebook activity, everything.
Great. Can-can you help me
go through these SIM cards?
Thanks, by the way.
Of course.
Oh, that's, uh... Sean Parker.
He never posts a status update
without being witty
or sarcastic.
That's Trent Walker,
your high school classic jock.
Oh, my God.
That's Addyson Jones.
Look at the time. That was taken
when they were still on the bus.
That's right before
they went missing.
In the Chowchilla case,
the UnSub used car trouble
as a ruse to get
the bus driver's attention.
Yeah, I remember.
Driver became a hero overnight.
This is the most isolated
part of the highway.
It's surrounded by nothing.
No witnesses,
nobody to interrupt.
- Making them the perfect target.
- Mm.
Mr. Webster has worked
with the school for 15 years.
According to his file,
he was never reprimanded
for the altercations he had
with students. Why is that?
He agreed to complete
mandated classes.
In exchange, the incidents
wouldn't go on his record.
Were the parents made aware
of the school's
disciplinary actions?
Look, being a bus driver
can be stressful.
You're responsible for getting
these kids to and from school.
Add a few unruly teens, and-and
someone's bound to bump heads.
Is that why Carol Roberts was
assigned to monitor the bus?
Agent Hotchner?
We found a body.
It's Roy Webster.
He suffered two bullet wounds.
The first was a clean shot
through his left leg.
The second to the chest.
Why not go for the kill first?
They probably still needed him
to drive.
If they dumped Webster
this quickly,
I'm sure Carol Roberts
isn't far behind.
There's no way
somebody pulled this off alone.
One UnSub probably controlled
the adults,
and one controlled the kids.
But why get rid of them
before they reached
their destination?
- You're on speaker, Garcia.
Hey,
I reran the last GPS signal
of the bus
through a proxy server,
retracing the route,
and it turns out that
the signal was never disabled-
it was just masked- so I sent
the coordinates to your phones.
This is less than a mile away.
Bus is all clear.
Morgan...
All clear.
Northeast part cleared.
MAN
Left corner clear.
Barn was registered
to a Violet Burgin.
She died a few months back.
It's been abandoned ever since.
Ah, making this
the perfect transfer point.
Sic! Sic!
They found something.
Please, don't hurt us.
It's okay,
you guys are safe now.
There's only 14 here.
We need to find the other ten.
Move!
Are you okay?
He's mine.
Why only take some of the kids?
Smaller numbers,
easier to control.
If this was
a child-trafficking ring,
they wouldn't have left any
of them behind,
regardless of the risk.
Whatever the reason,
they only needed ten.
What do you want with us?!
I don't hear anything.
DO you?
No. Mine is dead, too.
What is this thing?
Where are we?
What happened to Mrs. Roberts?
They probably killed her
like they did Mr. Webster.
They're going to kill us, too.
- Sean.
- Cut it out.
Why do you think
they took their masks off?
MAN
Welcome to hell, people.
Did you hear that?
Number two
and number five step forward.
Wait. Am I number two?
Who's number five?
That's you, man.
Addy...
Let's go.
It's time.
MAN 2
The rules are simple.
You follow our instructions,
you live.
You don't...
That's enough.
They got the message.
You ready?
May the best man win.
You okay, Addyson?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
- You all right?
Oh. Yeah.
What was that?
MAN 2 Players,
the game will commence...
Three, two...
ODE.
Hmm.
Well, whenever I'm trying
to remember important details,
I find it really helps
if I close my eyes
and try to relax.
Yeah, that's great.
You guys are on your way home
from school.
Can you tell me
what happened next?
The bus had stopped.
I think he ran out of gas.
Ah, that sucks.
- You all right?
Is everything...? -
He shot Mr. Webster, and then...
Okay.
All right, all right,
slow down?
All right?
Let's... let's go back.
Let's go back.
Did you get a look at the man
who shot Mr. Webster?
No.
He wore a mask.
What type of mask?
Like a gas mask?
What happened next?
They both had guns.
One walked up
and down the aisle
while the other one
just stood there.
So there were two of them?
Okay.
Then what happened
when you arrived at the barn?
They lined us up.
Our hands were tied.
I was so scared.
I wanted to run, but they...
but they had guns.
They put collars
around our necks.
And that's... that's when
they started taking turns.
Taking turns doing what?
Picking.
Mom.
Where's Billy?
They said you found the bus.
There are still a number
of students unaccounted for, but
we're still looking.
Oh, my God.
I can't open it.
Those things aren't
budging, Billy.
- No matter what, we stick
together, okay? -Okay.
Okay?
Okay.
How about we get
the adrenaline going, huh?
It's all about endurance.
Training is as important
as the battle itself.
MAN 1
There's a table
at the end of the hallway
with a box on it.
Open it.
What's in it?
It's a flashlight.
What's this for?
Look to your left.
Dividing them into groups.
You think that was
to maintain control?
Mm, could be,
but how do you explain
the shock collars?
Torture.
Still, there doesn't seem
to be any method
to how or why they were chosen.
Okay, so far, we have
two white males, early twenties,
and wore gas masks,
of all things.
Abducting a bus,
a form of transportation,
gas masks,
shock collars, dividing people
into teams.
This sounds a lot like
Gods of Combat.
This is a video game.
It's okay.
It's just a little steam.
We're almost there.
Now what?
MAN 1 I want
to get you out of here safely.
To do that, I'm gonna need you
to follow my orders.
It's important that you listen
to each command.
Take the one
on the right.
He's telling me to take a right.
Addyson, I know what
you're thinking.
Don't follow him.
It's not worth it.
Take the path to the left.
Why?
Just trust me.
I'm not leaving you behind.
You see what you made me do?
Trent,
just go,
just do what they say.
MAN 1
Don't make me
do it again.
These guys are replicating
a video game?
In the game, you take over a
form of public transportation.
Subway, train, bus.
That's how you get your players.
Wait a minute.
You've played this game before?
Well, I may have
played it once or twice.
As I remember,
the game consists of
five players-
captain, lieutenant,
a pair of soldiers
and the pawn.
Maybe
the UnSubs picked them
based on their personality type.
Well, Serge and Trent
are both athletic,
so they probably would have been
considered lieutenants.
Wendy would most likely
have been considered the pawn.
They preselected these kids.
Mm, probably got details
about their lives
from social media sites.
Most teens don't use
privacy settings.
Anyone can gain access.
They planned their attacks,
and struck the bus
when it was most vulnerable.
That explains why the UnSubs
only needed ten of these kids,
and left the rest behind.
So how do the collars fit
into all of this?
They're used to keep your player
from straying
from their mission.
The object of the game is
to destroy as many
of your opponents as possible.
The one with the highest
body count wins.
MAN 2
It's just a rat.
Don't worry.
You'll get used to those.
MAN 2
What? It's only blood.
You haven't even gotten
to the best part.
Oh, my God!
My captain's asking
for an update.
He wants to release a statement.
We're just concerned
if we release certain details
that we'll have copycats.
Can you at least
give me something?
What kind of people
are we dealing with?
Well, based on the UnSub's
behavior at this point,
we believe they suffer from
an extreme gaming addiction.
They're avid gamers
involved
in the multi-user online
first-person shooter game,
Gods of Combat.
And like any addiction,
this took over their lives
and became an obsession.
We think
that this video game
aggravated a preexisting
affinity for violence.
Then something
blurred the lines
between fantasy violence
and real violence.
They've managed
to depersonalize these kids
as a way of rationalizing
the body count.
And playing this game
taught them to be methodical
and dangerously strategic.
The fact that they're mimicking
specific and unique elements
of this particular game
will help us
predict their behavior.
- They probably met online.
We think these UnSubs
chose these particular kids
because they displayed
certain traits that...
match the characters
from the game.
These kids are motivated
and positive when the game goes
the way that they want it to.
On the other hand, if the game
doesn't go as well...
they will be the opposite-
blinded with utter rage.
MAN 2
Snap out of it!
All right? Let's focus.
There's a key
in her sweater pocket.
Go grab it. Move!
MAN 2
Okay, now put it on.
See?
That wasn't so bad, now, was it?
So these guys just got together
and decided
to pull this thing off?
Yeah, with something
this elaborate, it's likely
they've known
each other for years, actually.
Hey, I just got off the phone
with the people
who produce Gods of Combat.
Turns out, they have
six million players worldwide,
40,000 of which
are D.C. residents.
Garcia, if they're capable
of this type of violence
in real life,
do you think we'd see
some sort of evidence
of it in their gaming history?
What type of evidence?
Yeah, he's talking
about the universal
online gaming code of conduct.
Sure, it prevents against stuff
like harassing,
threatening other players,
cyberbullying,
- that kind of thing.
How is it supposed
- to help us find these kids?
Instead of looking
for people who play the game,
we need to look
for people
who were kicked out.
What do you think
is happening to them?
I don't know, Wendy.
You think they're dead?
I said I don't know.
Come on.
We need to stick together, okay?
Yeah?
Oh, man.
Hey. guys,
I think I found something.
When I downloaded the TPF file,
I was able to extract
the source code
and generate an outpost based on
blacklisted Hell Mod players.
English, please?
Oh, yeah.
Mod levels
are-are hacked modifications
to the game. They were not
a part
of the original game design.
They're secret levels.
The only ones who can find them
are those that know
they even exist.
And the Hell Mod in this game
was like a battle royale.
I mean, literally,
anything goes.
There are no rules.
If you get killed off playing
Hell Mod, your entire
gaming profile is deleted.
Profile that would have taken
years for them to build.
The sudden loss of access
to their game could be
what spun them out of control.
Let me get this straight.
Instead of starting over,
they decided
to build their own game?
It's more than that.
This is a competition.
MAN 1
Trent, she's catching up.
MAN 1
Hurry up!
Come on, man.
Come on! Come on!
Damn it!
You blew the lead.
What happened to you?
MAN 1
Don't listen to her.
Keep going.
MAN 2
Unlock the box,
then blow his brains out.
What?
MAN 2
You complete this mission,
you move to the next round.
Ne...
What... what is this?
Make me proud.
I did what you wanted already.
Trent. What's happening?
MAN 1
Focus, dude.
Say something!
Trent!
You know, I wonder
what your family
would say.
What? You didn't think
I did my research?
MAN 1 I can't
believe you're blowing it!
Damn it, Trent!
You still live
on Deep Wood Lane?
Maybe I should go get
your little brother Dylan
to come and take your place.
He takes the bus, too, right?
No... please don't hurt them.
MAN 1
Hurry up, Trent!
MAN 2 Use the key
to open the box on the table.
You'll thank me later.
That's the barrel.
It doesn't fit there.
Hurry up.
Hurry up, Addyson!
He's almost there.
Load it.
Load it!
You got it.
You got it!
Come on, shoot him! Do it!
Shoot her! Shoot her!
Yes!
Oh!
Okay, a month ago,
two players were kicked out
at the same time
for hacking into Hell Mod.
Previous to that, they had both
logged thousands of hours
playing the game,
dating back to early 2000.
You got any names, Garcia?
No, just online handles.
But...
You know what's weird?
They were both playing
from the same IP address.
So they lived together?
Roommates, maybe?
Or siblings.
Did you see that?
She just walked up to him
and went boom!
It's just the first round.
Trent, oh, my God.
Aw, you felt that rush,
didn't you?
I knew you would.
No.
I didn't feel anything.
Trent, I'm sorry.
He made me do it.
Oh, yeah, not knowing if
it was gonna be you or him
lying in that pool of blood.
Hey, you got to pull
yourself together.
It's time to meet
your next opponent.
Girl.
Dude, I beat you with a girl.
I get it.
Let me show you again.
Boom!
Let's go.
Come on.
- Round two.
- All right.
Let's go.
Number four, you're up.
I can't... I can't...
Maybe you didn't understand me
the first time.
I'm going.
Hey, it's okay.
Here, Wendy.
I'll take her place.
I'll take her place.
Dude, no, that's not
part of the rules.
It's okay.
Wendy!
No!
Wendy, come on. Come on.
Why are you doing this?!
You guys are crazy!
Hey, what the hell was that?!
What? He volunteered,
you don't need her anymore.
She was my player!
Oh, come on. She was your pawn.
She was gonna die anyway.
You don't know that.
Can we please get back
to the game?
Take the corridor to your left.
There's a box with a gun
near the end.
Take it.
You're gonna need it.
It doesn't make any sense.
If they are siblings, how do you
explain the gaps in time
when they weren't logged in
at the same location?
Yeah, it looks like it happened
several times a year,
sometimes in different states.
Maybe their parents
got divorced.
Maybe their parents got
divorced.
Maybe the parents got divorced.
Leave it to the genius
to come up with the obvious.
Here we go.
Here we go.
Joshua and Matthew Moore.
They both went to Central High.
Their parents work two jobs each
to make ends meet.
Led to a messy divorce.
Joshua went to live
with his dad in Arizona,
Matthew stayed
with his mom in D.C.
That's why they knew
when to strike.
They probably rode
the same bus route.
Long hours, different schedules.
They were latchkey kids.
Video games became
their sitters.
As they got older,
they got more competitive.
It became all about
bragging rights.
This game became the core
of their sibling rivalry.
Only it wasn't just a game.
Gods of Combat was their one
constant connection
to one another.
Oh, come on, Addyson.
Get over it.
There's casualties in every war.
Let's go.
Your enemy's closing it.
Are you all right?
What happened?
Don't come near me.
Oh...
What's going on? Where's Trent?
Take out your gun and shoot her.
She already killed Trent.
Oh, no. Trent-Trent's dead?
I had no choice.
You're gonna be next.
It's either you or her, Billy.
No.
They said they'd hurt my family.
Shoot her!
Now!
- I'm sorry, Billy.
- Shoot her!
Shoot him!
- Clear.
- Clear!
If they were in here together,
why are they using these?
It's what they're using
to communicate
with their players.
Ugh!
I recognize that "ugh. "
I have gone through every
frequency and wavelength
and-and I haven't been able
to pick up on anything.
All right, well, just slow down.
- Frustrated.
- I get that.
Now, let's go back.
You've checked Audix?
- Yes.
- All right.
Nady Systems? AKG? Electrovoice?
- Voco Pro?
- Yes, yes and yes.
I've gone through
every frequency
in the frickin' Northern
Hemisphere and nothing.
I don't know, I mean,
these are the only frequencies
that I know that are
above ground.
Wait.
Underground.
No, I said "above ground. "
E.I.F. Extremely low frequency.
It's the only one that can
penetrate underground.
Got a hit.
You have lipstick on your face.
Picked up a ping on the E.I.F.
It's emanating from somewhere
in this 25-mile radius
west of Bolivar.
- What fits?
- Well, there's a few
old factories and a couple
of bunkers from the '70s.
What is this?
- The old paper mill.
- You know, given the size
and location, that could be
the perfect spot.
I'll go pull the schematics.
Find him. He's in there.
If you miss,
this time you'll be sorry.
- Oh, come on.
- It froze.
Hello? Can anyone hear me?
If someone is there,
please say something.
My name is Penelope,
and I'm with the FBI.
- They're listening to us.
- No. No, wait, listen.
You're safe. I just...
I- I isolated the signal.
They can't hear us right now.
What is your name?
I'm...
I'm Billy.
You-you got to help us.
What the hell is he doing?
Why isn't it working?
Ah!
What the hell was that?
I don't know. It was working
fine a second ago.
Damn it!
Lost the signal.
Oh, I bet that bitch
screwed up something
with that last shot.
No.
Something's interfering
with the signal.
You did this, didn't you?
Me?
What the hell
are you talking about?
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa.
Matt, you got to be kidding me.
Listen, Billy, we are
on our way right now.
You just need to hang tight
a little while longer.
- I know you're wearing a collar.
- Yeah.
I'm gonna help you
take it off, okay?
I tried that already.
It keeps shocking me.
Billy, listen to me.
They can't hurt you anymore,
got it?
Um... okay.
There you go.
Okay, now I want you to find me
something sharp in there.
Remember when
Mom and Dad split up?
We made a promise that
we'd stick together always.
It's us against the world, dude.
It's always been that way.
Come on.
Put down the gun.
What? What is it?
Someone hacked into our signal.
They know where we are.
Make sure that...
Billy? Billy, can you hear me?
What happened?
They shut down the system.
Shh-shh. Listen to me, okay?
The police are on their way.
They can't hurt us anymore.
They can't hurt us.
Okay.
Hold still. Help me get
the shock collar off.
I had to reboot
the whole system.
It's gonna be a few hours.
Where are you going?
I'm not waiting.
What are you doing?
There's only one way
to finish this.
Game on.
- Come on.
- Okay.
- You can do it.
- Okay.
- You can do this.
- Okay, okay.
- Okay. -Uh-huh, uh-huh.
You got it, you got it.
Okay.
Okay. All right. No! No!
Where do you think
you're going, huh? Huh?
Now's not the time
to play hero.
Let her go.
Unless you want her blood
on your hands, literally,
you'll put the gun down.
Billy, just put it down.
Go ahead. Listen to the girl.
Do it!
You, come on.
Come on! Let's go.
That's it. That's it.
Billy?
Come on.
Now I'm gonna do
what my players couldn't.
Drop the gun, Matt.
It's okay. It's over.
Come on.
FBI! Drop your weapon!
I'm Agent Morgan.
This is Agent Rossi.
We're the good guys.
But drop the gun.
How do I know
this isn't part of the game?
Kid, you got to trust me.
Just like you trusted
my friend Penelope.
Come on now.
I know you're scared,
but don't do anything stupid.
Drop the weapon!
Mum!
My baby boy!
I'm so sorry, Trent.
Where's Josh?
Where's my brother?!
Where's Josh?
You answer me!
Where's my brother?!
He's dead?
I guess I won.
Frederick Douglass said,
"It is easier
to build strong children
than to repair broken men. "
Hey, thanks
for everything today.
I'm glad I could help.
Um, do you want to go and get
a drink with me right now? Talk?
Oh, um...
I, uh, I kind of
already have plans.
Oh.
It's just that we have
reservations and stuff.
Yeah, I get it. You don't have
to explain anything to me.
I'll see you around.
Right.
See you around.
How you doing?
You ever have one of those days
that you want to unplug
from everything?
Literally.
Give me your phone.
And your tablet.
And your other phone.
Okay.
Tonight you're coming
to my house,
we're gonna listen
to Tony Bennett on vinyl
and drink 18-year-old scotch.
Uh... I don't drink scotch.
You'll learn.
Thanks.
Anytime.