Disclaimer: Criminal Minds belongs to CBS and I am only playing in their universe. This story has a femslash theme. If this is not your thing, please find another story to read.
The two sets of brown eyes were wide with fear as they stared into JJ's face. JJ smiled at them and attempted to reflect as much calm as she could. Glancing back over her shoulder, she motioned the children to follow her quietly. Even with the language barrier the girls seemed to understand the importance of not drawing unwanted attention. They switched their position without detection, but JJ knew it was just a matter of time before they would find them.
Day one had been ending on a good note, this was one of those cases that looked to be wrapped up sooner than later. They already had a line on the unsub and were not far from an arrest. The team was not satisfied with the whole picture yet, but Hotch had worked all day to narrow the teams focus as information filtered in. JJ was hopeful that when the team met at the end of the day and shared their information some of those nagging questions would be answered, and they would be ready for arrest warrants.
Right now the last jobs of the day were being completed; Reid and Morgan had to double-check some information with the coroner. It was a twenty minute drive, but they had needed to be on site to compare the markings on the bodies with some handmade weapons they had found. Hotch and Rossi had spent the day interviewing witnesses and any relatives of the victims they could find. Strangely enough this second part had turned out harder and a longer process than expected. That left JJ to join the local sheriff and his deputy as they tied up loose ends.
Usually Blake would be joining her on this little adventure, but she was off with her family. JJ had been impressed by their newest member. She was settling in nicely after that weird adjustment period all the team members went through as they came into the job. Truth be told Alex had been forced to take the time off. Some type of nonsense about wrapping up comp time from her last assignment. No one on the team really turned down time off. If they didn't get some time away from the job, it became too much. Team members who had left might still be here if only they had taken some time to think on what they were doing and who they were leaving behind.
JJ's train of thought was broken as the men in the front seat laughed. JJ smiled as if she got the joke. They were on their way to the last stop on this long day. A quick visit to the mother of a secondary suspect to talk about some property where two sets of victims had been found. The BAU had listed this suspect within the first hour of their arrival, but the guy had alibied out quickly. The sheriff himself had found and verified the whereabouts on this guy, and he was dropped off the list. Still it was best to follow up on everything just in case something fell through and a new perspective was needed.
"Miss, I mean Agent Jareau." The sheriff stammered, "How did a nice young woman like you end up running down murderers for a living?" he smiled as his eyes met hers in the mirror. JJ smiled and did her best to hide the sigh that left her lips. If she had a dime for every time she had been asked that one, she would be a rich woman. There had not been much conversation all day, but everyone was getting tired and the older man was just passing time.
"This wasn't my first choice of profession, but life has a funny way of working out." JJ answered with a practiced cheerfulness that she was getting way to good at.
Bumping the young man next to him, the sheriff continued, "Well you could always look for a strapping young buck to take you away from all this. I might be able to point you in the direction of a really nice guy." chuckling a low guy sound towards his young partner. JJ rolled her eyes, but she felt for the young man in the passenger seat. If his ears got any more red they might just blow right off his head.
JJ was going to make some remark to let the kid off the hook when they pulled into the parking lot of the nursing home. "Why did small towns put these facilities on the edge of town?" JJ wondered to herself. Her seat belt had just released when the deputy made a grunting noise that all law enforcement officers learned early on in their careers meant trouble. The sheriff and JJ scanned the lot and saw their main suspect. The secondary suspect was also present, and the men were getting into a vehicle together.
"That's them sheriff," said the young man "we need to follow them." The sheriff paused but with a quick glance to JJ in the back seat he pulled the car out behind the pickup. "Call this in Marty." The sheriff said to the deputy who pulled his cell out and was promptly in touch with the station. They had taken the sheriffs personal vehicle to make the trip more comfortable for JJ. The car was not as conspicuous as the town patrol car. They easily blended in behind their suspects as they started their trip out of town.
JJ hit her cell and instantly had Garcia on the line, "What's up Buttercup?" came the sing-song voice of JJ very best friend. JJ could not help but smile.
"Unfortunately an unexpected turn of events, I need you to track my phone. I am in pursuit of our unsub and a secondary suspect with the local law enforcement. Bad guys are driving in the unsub's old pickup with the camper shell. Think we might have stumbled on this guy in the middle of another murder attempt." said JJ it without any real evidence, but her gut was screaming that this was a bad situation. She had learned the hard way that her gut was usually right. JJ made a big deal about hanging up but below the sight level of the front seat she shot a text to Penelope. "Check out the local sheriff and get me back up as soon as possible."
"Damn," said Garcia. She returned the text, "I will update the team. What else do you need?" There was no playfulness in her tone now.
"Nothing now," JJ hesitated then typed. "I'll keep you informed if things change."
"The team has all responded. They are on their way to you my girl. Stay safe. " the text flashed on the screen and then JJ deleted all. One of the toughest things about working with people you cared about was handling the danger that all of them faced, on what seemed a daily basis. The phrase goodbye had long ago left their vocabulary.
The trip was taking a long time. The sun was gone, and no one was happy at this turn of events. All three of the occupants of the car became silent in their concentration as they watched the pick-up move off onto a smaller less traveled road that was full of twists and turns. After traveling for ten minutes, JJ had noticed that their one set of lights had now become two. Another vehicle had moved out of a pull off and now was following the pick-up closely. "It must be a semi-truck." thought JJ based on the height of the lights. "What the hell was a truck like that doing on this little road to nowhere." JJ asked herself. She pulled her cell out, but there were no bars. She quickly asked the deputy if he had reception.
The sheriff answered for him, "The bars are spotty out here. If you don't have reception now, a mile or two up the road they pop right back."
The deputy checked and then smiled showing that the bars had returned. He took the opportunity to call back to the station and JJ overheard him say something about notifying border patrol that they were less than a mile away …." But JJ stopped paying attention to his words because she knew that she was in real trouble.
"Sheriff we need to stop and turn back now." said JJ firmly.
The man shot her a look in the mirror, "I think we have this in hand Agent. If we can get closer we may be able to stop another set of murders." JJ felt the car speed up just slightly.
"No," said JJ. "Remember how my team was having trouble with how the unsub was gaining access to so many related women, mothers and daughters and sister groups. " She waited for a reply but neither man spoke. JJ continued, "We were also having a hard time reaching relatives. All the family members who had been found were unwilling to talk to us. That truck is our unsub's supply line. Someone is moving illegal immigrants through here and dropping off the family pairs to our killers."
"That sounds a bit farfetched to me." Scoffed the older man, but the look on Marty face was much less skeptical. "We have our fair share of issues with those illegals, but this is a very well patrolled area. Our illegal problem is very low, and we are proud of that. We pride ourselves on protecting our border."
The man's statement was just strange. Well patrolled area, they were out in the middle of nowhere. The lack of immigration issues had been a continual pattern for the sheriff. The team had chalked it up to trying to impress the FBI agents, but now JJ had her doubts.
"Sheriff, I am now telling you to stop this car." JJ growled not hiding the anger in her voice. She pulled her gun from its holster clicking off the safety. She raised it to the back of the man's head. "Deputy Martin," she continued formally when there was no response from the sheriff. "You need to tell your sheriff to stop this car, or we are going to be in real trouble very, very soon. The young man eyes went wide, and he looked back and forth between the back and front seat in utter confusion.
"Sheriff, I think we need to stop for a moment." said Marty with a shaky voice. "Let her people catch up with us. They can't be far behind." JJ cussed quietly that was the wrong thing to say. She watched as the sheriff twitched at the words, but he slowed the car and pulled over. Telling Marty to grab the keys, JJ quickly got herself out of the car and moved to the sheriff's door and opened it.
"Get out." She said. Her gun was steady, and the older man reluctantly moved out of the car. She removed his gun and stepped back.
"Wait just a minute." said Marty running around the end of the car. "We can talk this out. He is not the bad guy. There is no need to hold him at gun point." Before JJ could do or say anything the naïve young man stepped between her and the sheriff.
Damn it, Marty. This is our town and our business. It's not like they were people like us. Sorry about this." said the sheriff as he grabbed the young man's gun and shot him three times. He shoved the body at JJ. Maybe he thought that she would lose her focus or panic at the brutality. This man knew nothing of what she lived through day in and day out. He had badly underestimated her. By the time the gun was pulled JJ was well to the side, avoiding the body and the shot easily.
JJ dropped the sheriff with a single bullet. Cussing the situation and the stupid loss of life she checked the deputy, but he was dead. She moved towards the car but her attention was caught but a flash of light. The shots were still ringing in her ears, or she would have heard the roaring engine sooner. The lights alerted JJ to the unsub's pickup that was racing down the road straight for her. Looking to the bodies she figured she would never be able to find the keys fast enough to get away. Instead, she ran for it. Gunshots rang in the air as the pickup slammed on the brakes sliding to a stop. Over her shoulder, she saw the driver door fly open. Their main suspect was out of the car and had her in his sights.
"Sheriff, where are you?" he called as he ran by the car. His eyes caught the two bodies. "You stupid bitch!" he yelled. He pulled his gun and started firing. JJ had no choice, cover was too far away and this low desert terrain offered nothing for protection. Making a strong pivot to the left and dropped quickly spinning to a kneeling position she aimed. The man's frenzied shots fired high, and she clustered three bullets right over his heart. He fell not four yards away from the sheriff's body.
