RUNAWAY
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE...!

❝ SEASON THREE-FOUR ❞

      JENNIE WAS HAVING a good day. Coincidentally, she was staying in New York, the same place her dad's new case was at, for the weekend, for college interviews. If it was up to her, she would say the interview went well— despite her leg bouncing up and down profusely.

Not too long ago, Jennie had passed her driver's test, and obtained a license. However, for some odd reason, she was terrified to sit behind the wheel, which is why she mainly traveled places by foot or on her bike. Her father said he was the same way until he got some experience, so she just tried to wait it off.

"Jennie, if you're going to use both your feet to handle the pedals, you need to get out the driver's seat." Her father told her, seeing the way his daughter was driving.

"It's easier this way!"

"Get out. I'm driving."

Nonetheless, she was having a good day.

However, when she got the call that revealed a bomb was planted in her father's SUV, sending him flying, her day soon went far from good.

It wasn't long when Jennie hopped into a taxi, and pleaded them to rush to the hospital her dad was at. When she got there, she found Derek outside the hospital.

"Derek!" She called out to him.

He turned, his eyes landing on the teen "Jennie—"

He pulled her into a hug, seeing how she was obviously in an immense amount of fear and shock. When he pulled back, he cupped her face, trying to stop her from shaking, as she rambled.

"I-I tried to get here as fast as I could. I-I just got my driver's liscense a month ago, and I-I have a rental car, but I was too scared I was going to crash— So, I had to wait for a taxi to show up, and— and—"

"Jennie, Jennie— Look at me. Sweetheart, look at me." The man tried to calm the girl, and stop the teen's nervous rambling, "You're here now, and that's all that matters. Okay? Lets go check on your dad."

As Jennie nodded, the two entered the hospital, making their way to the front desk.

"Doc." Morgan showed him his credentials, "FBI, how's Aaron Hotchner?"

"He's got acute acoustic trauma in his right ear, and I pulled shrapnel from his leg." The doctor explained to the two, before they could hear Aaron behind the curtain, causing commotion.

All three rushed to the noise. When the Doctor opened the curtain, he spoke, "Agent Hotchner, lay down—"

"Doctor, I'm alright."

"Hotch, stop it. Just calm down—" Morgan tried to calm the man, as Jennie's eyes widened at the sight,  "Doc, I got this—"

"Morgan, where's Kate?"

"She's in surgery."

"Kate? Who's Kate?" Jennie questioned.

The man looked around the room, not hearing his daughter's frantic voice,  "Where are my clothes, please?"

"Hotch, your go bag is on its way."

"Has anything happened since the first blast?"

"No. Nothing."

"Sam?"

"He's dead."

"Sam? Sam? Who's Sam?" Jennie questioned, "Can someone tell me what the hell's going on? Because all I got was a phone call that my dad got blown up, and I don't even know what's going on."

When Jennie saw Morgan and her dad share a look, one the girl could sense wasn't good, her question wasn't answered. But she did come to one conclusion.

It was going to be a long night.

—

       "ARE YOU okay?" Emily asked. The team had just gotten to the hospital, and Aaron changed out of his hospital gown. They stood in an open space in the hospital.

"Yeah. I just want to understand why I'm still alive." Aaron told her, and Jennie tensed slightly, before Spencer spoke up.

"I think the idea was to maim, not to kill."

"Did you identify Sam, the bomber?"

"Garcia put Sam and the other dead unsub into every known database. Nothing." Spencer shook his head.

"We know how terrorists evolve. They learn from one campaign to the next. Try to stay off radars like the London Bombers." Rossi explained.

"Yeah, but they hit it 8:50 in the morning. With a series of coordinated blasts, aimed at London's transportation system." Aaron began, "And this cell targeted a lone SUV where the only people on the street are two federal agents."

"There's not multiple targets. There's one target. One target. One bomb."

"Garcia said that the device was placed under Kate's SUV."

"Likely made using oxidizing agents, including chromates, peroxide's, perchlorate, chlorates, and red mercury." Spencer explained, "All jammed into a device no larger than a cell phone."

"Imagine a bomb the size of an oil drum could do."

"To make something that big, you'd need a chemical engineer." Aaron shook his head.

"Like the recently deceased, Dr. Azahari Husin. Asia's most wanted bomb-maker?"
Rossi began, "Authorities dubbed him the demolition man."

"Stopped the bombers, stopped the bomb." Emily added.

"To do that, we need to know how they would deploy something that big." Derek sighed.

"Hotch." Spencer nodded to the computer screen, showing security camera footage of him and Kate being blown up.

Jennie couldn't hold in her gasp, bringing her hand to her mouth, water filling her eyes at the sight. Aaron placed a comforting hand on her back, before speaking, "Did you ever find Sam's cellphone?"

"Yes."

"Did he call 911?"

"No." Derek shook his head, "He called the same number six times."

"It was a disposable cell."

"Garcia tracked the number, but it went dead minutes after Sam died."

"Whoever had it destroyed it."

"Well, if he didn't have a secondary device to detonate,  there's only one reason he stayed with us."

Jennie widened her eyes, muttering, as she looked at her father "To make sure the ambulance got to you."

"And in a city on lock down, an ambulance with its siren blaring and lights on. It's gonna make it through every roadblock virtually uncontested."

Aaron's mind traveled back to earlier that night, "...And straight into a hospital with a bypass order on it."

Emily furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"

"Secret service has bypass on this hospital."

"Secret service?" Rossi questioned, "Who are they protecting?"

"That's who Sam was calling. The paramedic on the ambulance."

"The ambulance that I drove in here." Aaron realized, as it all began to connect.

"The hospital is their target."

"Let's go."

—

       THE GROUP walked over to the man in charge, who was looking over the security footage. "Hey, who you got in here?"

"Why's that information important to you?"

"The ambulance I drove in here, where is it now?"

"In the basement, why?"

"There's a bomb in it."

"What?"

"It's rigged."

"It's rigged to assassinate whoever it is you're protecting you need to get everyone out of here right now." Emily told him, irritated at the man's ignorance.

"We can't do that. We're undergoing surgery as we speak."

"The paramedic I came in with, do you have eyes on him?"

The man in charge showed the computer screen, seeing the paramedic go into a room.

"Is that a cell in his hands?"

"Garcia—" Rossi called the woman, "Can you remote access the cell phone grid I'm in and jam all the frequencies."

"Yeah, I can. But only for a short period of time." She spoke.

"There's a bomb in a basement of this building."

"I'm on it."

The teenage girl had zoned out a while ago, but quickly snapped back into reality when she focused on the computer screen in front of her, "He's coming back ... I need some air."

Everyone's eyes focused on the computer, disregarding Jennie's last statement, as Emily spoke "He's going to detonate the bomb manually if he has to."

Everyone kept their eyes on the computer, before Aaron looked around, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Where did Jennie go?"

"She said she needed some air." Emily told him, recalling what the teen said earlier, "I think she went out."

"Alone?"

Spencer's eyes widened as he looked back on the computer screen, seeing the teen on the security cameras, "Does she know she's heading straight towards the ambulances?"

Everyone's eyes shot at the screen, to see Jennie was, in fact, unknowingly heading towards the ambulances.

It wasn't long after seeing that when they began to rush towards the basement.

—

     PANIC ATTACKS were nothing new for Jennie. She doesn't exactly remember when she had her first one, but she knew it was at latest middle school. Overtime, she had learned how to deal with her attacks.

However, she really preferred to deal with them in private, so when she could feel it become harder to breathe, she separated from the team.

When she got outside, she came in contact with the ambulance. She didn't think much of it, until she had walked passed it. Something at the corner of her eye had caught her attention.

The color.

She noticed it wasn't the same as the other ambulance in the basement. It was similar, letting any other bystander not spare a second glance.

But Jennie Hotchner wasn't any other bystander.

Looking at the ambulance, she dialed a number, placing the phone on speaker, "Penelope."

"You sound scared."

"I mean— I am kinda in the same building that has a bomb in it. Not too stoked about that." Jennie told the woman. She quickly remembered it was no time for sarcasm, as she went closer to the ambulance, reading off of it, "Take this down for me? FNDY 108."

Penelope paused for a moment, "Jennie— what are you doing?"

"The color of FNDY 108 is shade 710C33, while the normal shade for an ambulance belonging to this hospital is 710C10. That's weird right?" Jennie told the woman, "That's something to be worried about right?"

"You have to understand that I seriously don't know what you're talking about right now."

Jennie sighed, staying silent of a moment, as her eyes scanned the vehicle. Soon enough, she spoke up again, "Can you track it for me?"

Before the blonde could answer, the teen stood on tippy toes, looking into the ambulance, her eyes immediately widening.

"Oh my god."

She was right next to a vehicle, with a bomb moments away from exploding inside of it.

"Holy Christ on a cracker." Jennie muttered under her breathe, stumbling back from the ambulance. The phone was still in her hand, and she muttered to herself, "Shit, shit, shit."

Garcia's worry only grew, "Jennie? You're scaring me, what's wrong?"

Jennie stayed silent for a moment, her eyes glued to the ambulance in front of her. She squeezed them shut, mentally cursing at herself, before she spoke up. The tech analyst on the other line had noticed her voice become quieter.

"Penelope. How long can you keep jamming the cell phone lines?"

"Uh? A few minutes? Max? Why?" She questioned, "Why are you the one asking this?"

"How long is it til' this thing goes up?"

"Like, three minutes." Penelope told her, "Jennie, whatever you're doing right now, stop doing it. You need to get out of there, and you need to do it right now."

In a swift movement, ignoring the blonde, Jennie had gotten into the driver's seat, placing her phone on the seat next to her so she could hear Garcia, "They won't get here in time."

"Jennie, I'm not going to tell you again—"

"This ambulance is going to blow up in three minutes and they're not going to get here in time!" Jennie turned on the engine, "I'm the closest one to the ambulance."

"Which gives you a good reason to just evacuate the building like everybody else!" Penelope told her, almost yelling at the girl through her phone.

Jennie was silent for a moment, getting situated in the car, before leaning over to her phone, "Pen, please. I need you to find me an area town I can drive this thing in."

"Are you kidding me right now, Jennie?" Penelope scolded her, "You're sixteen years old, I'm not going to let you do this. Not to mention, you just got your license, and have been too scared to drive by yourself ever since. There is no way I'm letting you—"

"Garcia, please!" Jennie cut her off, making the blonde fall silent. The girl had never used her last name to refer to the blonde, and it had caught her a bit off guard.

The tech paused for a moment, before sighing, "Okay, uh— head north, and floor it. I'll tell you where to turn."

Penelope knew she shouldn't have condoned it, but she also knew that Jennie was somewhat right about being the best option to get the ambulance out of there, to where it wouldn't harm anybody with it's explosion. She knew the team wouldn't be able to get there in time.

Jennie began to drive the large vehicle, as the paramedic, who was involved in the bombing, came out, and started to shoot the ambulance to get it to stop.

"What was that?!" Penelope asked her, hearing the gunshots.

Jennie didn't answer, only pushing onto the gas as hard as she could, hurrying out of the basement. As she drove off, she could hear the unsub's loud yell.

And just like that, Jennie Hotchner was driving on her own.

Speeding in the streets of New York, she looked back at the cell phone, before quickly looking back at the street, "How am I doing Penelope?"

"How's she doing?" Jennie could hear Penelope ask the other tech analyst, who was assisting her.

"One minute, 50 seconds."

"Why did it have to be you? Why did you have to do this?!" Penelope asked her, "Not to mention, you just started your senior year. And— And, you were just interviewed by your top choice college, and—"

Penelope's voice began to crack, "Why is it always you?"

A few moments passed, when Jennie looked back at the cellphone again, as Penelope spoke, "Jen-Jen, you don't have much time, please be smart about this. Signal's coming back online."

"Thirty seconds until full coverage." The tech next to the blonde spoke.

"Jennie, drive to the opening and get the hell out."

"Penelope—" Jennie could feel the sweat of her palms ride onto the steering wheel, her eyes watering, "I'm sorry for not listening to you earlier."

"Save it for when you jump out of that ambulance. Just get out!"

"Penelope—"

"Ten." The other tech began to countdown the time the bomb had until it went off.

"Jennie—" Penelope spoke in worry.

"Penelope—" Jennie repeated once more.

"Nine." The countdown continued, interrupting the girl.

"Jennie, please."

"Eight." The tech spoke, before something was revealed on her computer screen, "We just lost track of it."

"Jennie!" Penelope cried out.

And that's when the blonde could hear the sound of the ambulance exploding.

Tears rolled down the tech analyst's face, not hearing a word from the teen girl. She was frozen in front of her computer screen.

That was before she could hear her the one voice she wanted to hear talk from the other line.

"Penelope— I just drove an ambulance." Jennie breathed out, laying on the grass, far away from the explosion, "And also, I think I broke my leg."

And with that, relief rushed through Penelope Garcia's body.

—

THE NEXT MORNING, Jennie, who was now on crutches, walked next to Morgan, as they approached her dad.

After the explosion, an ambulance, and a couple black SUV's had approached the area. Jennie rode back to the hospital with her dad, inside the ambulance, where they found out she did in fact have a broken leg. Not only that, but she had given herself a massive, long-lasting headache due to all the toxic fumes she had breathed in.

Aaron and Jennie had slept her the teen's hospital bed that night. He didn't want her out of his sight again.

Derek quickly stopped Aaron, as the father was about to pick up his duffel bag, "I got it. Learn something from Jennie over here, Hotch. The girl didn't hesitate when she heard I'll carry her bag for her. C'mon, I'll give you a ride."

"I thought Agent Davis was driving us."

"She was. I had her reassigned."

"Don't you have something better to do?"

"Than to annoy you for three hours? Hell no."

Aaron looked at the man for a moment, before sighing, "Give me the keys."

"Not a chance, Hotch. Lets go." Derek told him, leading the way, walking a bit slower so Jennie could keep up with her crutches, "So did we ever find out who the secret services had in the hospital?"

"Does it matter?" Hotch asked, clearly irritated.

Morgan shrugged, "No, I guess it doesn't."

"Quantico had requested you transfer to run the New York office."

"Hotch, they haven't even buried her." The man told him, referring to Kate, who had died in surgery last night.

"We're at war. Things change."

"Don't I need your recommendation?"

The three stopped once they got close to the vehicle, as Morgan looked at Aaron again, "You didn't give it, did you?"

Aaron turned back to look at the man, "Your actions, as incredibly brave as they were, are the actions of an agent who doesn't trust anyone."

The man was referring to how Derek went off on his own to hunt down the paramedic, without notifying the team. Jennie couldn't help but tense slightly, knowing she had done the same thing.

She knew she was getting a long lecture when they got back to Quantico.

"Hotch, I did it for this team."

"My opinion doesn't matter. The job's yours if you want it."

"Hotch." Derek stopped him from going into the vehicle just yet, "Your opinion matters to me."

"My life matters to me. And I have, and always will entrust you with it." Aaron told him, "Would you do the same for me?"

When Morgan remained silent, the two men looked at the car, as Aaron spoke up again.

"Do you still want to drive?"

It was another moment of silence, before Aaron got into the car. Jennie sighed, beginning to follow, before Derek called out to her.

"What about you, Jen-Jen? You want to drive?" Derek couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease, cracking a smile at her.

The teen glared at him. She had always seen the man as an annoying older brother, "You're funny. Hilarious, really."

The man let out a chuckle, as Jennie turned again. However, he spoke up again, making her turn around, "Jennie?"

The man didn't even need to say anything else, because the teen already knew from his expression that he was going to ask if she wanted to talk about it. Jennie let out a slightly longer breath, as she thought about the events of last night.

Finally, she looked back at the man.

"I just wanna go home."

───

AUTHOR'S NOTE. |

this is the last chapter for act one of this book!! thank you all sososo much for giving this book so much love. i seriously did not expect people to actually enjoy this book. you all are so sweet. i love reading all the comments, it literally makes my day so much. thank you soso much!! MWAH ఌ !!!!!!!!

𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍.
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