 The FBI team concentrates on an unusual case: psychiatric patient Dr. Theodore "Ted" Bryar, who ironically was accompanying his female therapist to a congress in Dallas as demonstration how efficiently psychosis can be relieved, is kidnapping a whole train in Texas, which team member Elle Greenaway coincidentally rides on her way from a prison interview. Ted has complex delusions, notably an imaginary microchip he wants removed from his arm, refuses to talk to anyone below the highest authorities (God?) and uses his gun. The team also investigates the hostages, in order to understand the dynamics inside, which the apparently failed therapist cannot be expected to handle. Dr. Spencer Reid is determined to go in for once and perform a manual magic trick to make Ted believe the chip is extracted...