________________________________________

BITTERSWEET
::  vi. | stay alive
( continuation of "wrong place
( part 2)" )

As Cole continued to frantically run around, she stumbled upon a pay phone. She thought she could call Quantico but realized she had no quarters. She let out a frustrated sigh as she let her eyes wander around and once they landed on a guy getting into his car . . an idea came to mind. She jogged across the street to him, just before he closed the door to the driver's side.

"Hey!" She called out to him, "Could I get a ride?"

He looked at her up and down before a smug smile spread across his lips, "Sure. Where to?"

She saw that smile, she knew what he was thinking of but completely ignored it and went around to the passenger's side, "Quantico, Virginia." She replied before opening the door and getting in.

The man finished getting in as well and immediately started the ignition. With a quick glance at Cole, he then began to drive to Quantico. Oddly, it wasn't a quick drive. He was driving an ok speed but he wanted enough time with Cole before they reached the destination.

He tried small talk a couple of times but was completely ignored by Cole. She didn't want to talk. She just wanted to get to the FBI and talk to Hotch, that was her main priority. She knew it was a risk getting in the car with a stranger and seeing the way he's been looking at her . . . she didn't care. As long as he held up his end, she could care less about her safety at that moment.

• • •

While Cole was on her way to the BAU, the men were working on their next move. Since Cole escaped, they decided to go to a secondary location with Vanessa and Jennifer. Two men dragged the two women to the van that was parked in the driveway. They opened up the back and shoved them in while the boss got in on the driver's side. The doors soon closed and the passenger's side was heard opening and quickly closing.

Vanessa was off in her head, she didn't want to experience anything else that could happen tonight, so she check out. Jj noticed but she really had to talk to her. Jennifer reached out to Vanessa's hand and grabbed it. That's when Vanessa whipped her head in Jennifer's direction.

"You don't have to say anything. Just listen." She spoke quietly, "Cole went to get help. Me and you are going to get out of this one way or another. I don't expect you to tell me anything but know that I'm not leaving you." She slightly squeezed Vanessa's hand.

Vanessa didn't say anything, she just nodded. The van was moving at a slow pace and the road was bumpy.

"She's ok though? Cole?" Vanessa mumbled.

Jennifer spoke softly, "She should be with my team."

"How the hell did we get into this mess? The one time I let Cole hang with her dad . ." She shook her head, "I get dragged into his shit all over again."

"You've been taken before?" Jj exclaimed.

"Not exactly." Vanessa's eyes shifted, "Never mind."

Soon enough the car sped up and then abruptly stopped. Their bodies moved back then halted along with the car. Jj and Vanessa both shared looks before the double doors of the back swung open. It didn't feel that long of a drive. Maybe ten to fifteen minutes tops. The men reached in and grabbed the two women by their arms, walking them into some building. They couldn't make out where they were because of how dark it was.

As they approached the door, one of the men opened it with their other hand. Jennifer and Vanessa walked in and soon enough they reached a room. One of them opened the door and the next thing they knew, they were pushed down. The room was dark but it only lasted a second because the light was flicked on. Once there was light, Vanessa looked around and there sat Miguel against the wall in the corner of the room.

He glanced at Vanessa then to jj before looking back in front of him at a blank, white wall. Jj scooted over to Miguel and sat in front of him. She didn't care how out of it he was, she needed to know somethings like the why, how, or what.

"What did you owe them?" She sternly ask.

He mumbled, "Nothing that's any of your business."

Vanessa shot her head in his direction, "Oh my god. Would get off your pride horse for just five seconds!"

Miguel sighed in defeat, "Money. Specifically, 300k."

"You don't even have that!" Vanessa whispered yelled.

"I know. I have a quarter of it but I don't know how or where I'm getting the rest." He replied, continuing to sit quietly thinking of ways to get of this situation.

Soon enough two guys and the boss walked into the room. Miguel was still seated where he's been for the past couple of hours, jj and Vanessa were on the other side next to each other. The boss walked over to Miguel and squatted in front of him, then glancing at Vanessa. Vanessa shared a quick look with jj before looking down at the floor.

• • •

Cole was finally dropped off in front of Quantico. She unlocked the door after she unbuckled. Just before she opened the door, it locked. That's when she turned to the man.

"Do you really want to do this? In front of the FBI headquarters? Cause I can scream real loud buddy." She warned him.

His jaw clenched before he pressed the unlock button. Cole pushed the door open and slammed it shut behind her. She immediately began walking into the building, not looking back once. She wanted to get that man and what could've happened out of her mind as quick as possible.

As soon as she walked in and headed to the front desk, Hotch was the first word that came out her mouth. She was asking for Hotch.

"Is agent Hotchner here?! It's an emergency!"

One of the agents ran up to her, "No he isn't, but I can call him?"

"Please, it's an emergency." She pleaded as the agent pulled out his phone.

He stood next to her as he brought the phone to his ear, waiting for Hotch to answer on the other end. Soon enough Hotch picked up and what felt about five minutes or less, the call finally ended. The agent slid the phone back in his suit pocket before turning to the teenager who was half his height.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Hotch is on his way. Until then, I'll take you to his office."

And that's where they went. After the agent dropped her off to Hotch's office, he resumed his duties before clocking out.

Cole on the other hand, she waited for a little bit before Hotch was back in the building. Considering his knowing of Cole, he got there as fast as he could being she's a teen and also because she's close to jj. So he instantly knew anything she had to say wasn't going to be good. He also knew that if she's coming to him then something happened to jj because she's never spoken to anyone else on the team before.

As soon as the elevator dinged and he was on the BAU level, he jogged to his office. He opened the door and walked up to Cole. She stood up as he approached her.

"It's jj isn't it?"  He stood in his pajamas, which was very out of character of him.

Cole quickly nodded, "And my parents. They need your help."

to be continued . . .

a/n:
hotch is going to
channel his inner
superhero.