Her past catches up with her
I don't own Higher Ground, Criminal Minds or Crossing Jordan. Might not be suitable for young children. Some mild swearing.
Chapter 14
Hotch and the others make it to the Boston police department at around three AM. Hotch walks up to the front desk and shows his credentials.
"SSA Hotchner. I believe you're holding two of my agents. Please, take me to them." Everyone else just sits down. They take Hotch to the lounge. Before walking in, Hotch takes a deep breath, then opens the door. He sees JJ sitting on a sofa with her leg up. Shawn's standing at the window looking out.
"Don't say a word! I'm so angry with you two! Why'd you two believe you couldn't come to me! What if something happened to you? And you?" Hotch says, turning his attention to Shawn. "Why on Gods green earth did you let her talk you into this lunacy?" He waits for an answer.
"She's coming whether I came or not. So I thought I better go. I made her promise me that we'd call you before we did anything. I was seconds from calling you before we got pulled over and brought in."
"Hotch, don't blame him. I told him to meet me at the airport, but didn't tell him where we were going. So he's not to blame. It's me. Hotch, I know I'm the only one that can save those girls. Josh and Walt want me and Jess. I know they'll let the others go. I've run long enough. You have to let me do this, Aaron. We'll never forgive ourselves if anything happens to any of them. Please, trust me on this." JJ says, looking Hotch in the eyes.
"Ok, fine. But you don't do anything else without my okay. I'm the boss. Shawn, you're still media liaison. JJ's technically still on leave. Now, come on. We have to find Morgan, Reid and the girls." Hotch opens the door, then walks out to the middle of the Boston police department.
A young man, about the same age as JJ comes over to the unknown group. "Hello. I'm detective Woody Hoyt. My captain wants me to work with you on your case. Could someone please fill me in on this case?"
"Hello, detective Hoyt. I' Agent Jennifer Jearau. This is my boss, SSA Aaron Hotchner, SSA Jason Gideon, SSA Emily Prentiss and Agent Shawn Michaels. This is Officer Hank Ferris and Officer Brady Jensen. And this is Peter Scarbrow. These last two gentlemen were hit over the head in their homes and their wives abducted. Along with three other women. We sent two of our agents to check out a lead, but haven't heard from them. We believe two convicted men have taken them and might do harm to them. The names of the women are Sophie Scarbrow, Katherine Ferris, Daisy Lipinowski, Juliet Wayborne. And the last lady goes by two names, Jess Merrick and Ashley Bowers. Ashley's her witness protection name. She's my little sister. My real name's Shelby Merrick. I sent these two men to prison. Josh Beachman, a boy that attempted to rape me at Mr. Scarbrow's school. And then there's Walt Anderson who was my step father. He raped my sister and me for years. They both threatened us, so we went into witness protection. As for the other ladies, Sophie's a councilor at the school. Kate, Daisy and Juliet were other students that were in my group. Now, I believe he has SSA Derek Morgan and SSA Dr. Spencer Reid as well. I think that if I trade the ladies and the agents for myself, then I can end this. They want me and my sister." JJ says, then starts to get a little light headed. She puts her hand on the closest desk to hold herself up. Hotch, being the closest person behind JJ, stands firmly incase she completely passes out. Hoyt reaches for her too.
"JJ, are you okay?" Hotch asks, holding her up.
"Yeah, I think I just need to splash some water on my face." JJ says.
"Come on JJ, I take you to the restroom. We'll be back in a minute guys. Excuse us." Emily says, helping JJ to the women's restroom. When in the restroom, JJ goes to the sink and splashes ice cold water on her face.
"JJ, what's going on? I've never seen Hotch this upset, confused, angry and scared. Tell me what's going on."
"Emily, I'm scared and angry too! Josh and Walt have my little sister Jess! And my other family, Sophie, Kate, Daisy and Juliet! Now they have my new family, Derek and Spence! I know the only way I can save them is to exchange myself for them. It scares me because I had to run away from Walt's roaming hands and other parts. That's how I hooked up with Josh. He became a regular John. He's rich and paid well. He also would get high with me. But he also beat me real bad when he was high. I got taken to Mt. Horizon. I thought I escaped both monsters. Walt had a heart attack and Alice, mom, made me come home and take care of Walt while she worked and Jess was in school. That's when," JJ pauses. Emily can see JJ's face getting redder and shaking, " when I found out Walt was repeatedly raping Jess when he promised me if I never told, he wouldn't touch her. So I turned his lying ass into the police. While I was back at Horizon, Josh was admitted to Horizon. I got razzed by Josh all the time. He said he changed, but then he locked me in a girls dorm bathroom. He attempted to rape me." JJ stops to collect her emotions as she remembers her fear.
"Did he rape you JJ?"
"NO! I said ATTEMPTED!" JJ yells, crying harder.
"JJ, did Shelby get raped and not tell anyone?" Emily asks, thinking maybe if she separated JJ and Shelby then maybe JJ would admit it, but not admit it happened to JJ.
"Yes. Oh god, yes! Shelby got pregnant and had a baby girl. She was so alone. Her nurse that held her hand when she gave birth, was named Jennifer Haskin. But Shelby's the only one to know." JJ says, staring at the mirror with water dripping down off her face.
"JJ, why don't you sit down. Is there someone you'd like to talk to?" Like maybe Hotch or Gideon? Or how about Mr. Scarbrow." Emily asks, trying to help.
"NO!!" JJ yells loud enough to have all the men out in the bullpen area hear and come running. Hotch's the first to open the restroom door.
"What's going on in here?" Hotch asks while the other men stand behind him.
"No one else can know! Promise me Daisy!" JJ excitedly says to Emily, mistaking her for Daisy.
"I promise!" Emily stands up and walks over to Hotch. "I think we have a problem. JJ thinks she's the only one who can save them, but the thought of being with her two biggest monsters has her wavering between JJ and Shelby. Does anyone think they can help her?" Emily asks to anyone.
"Let me try." Gideon says, as he walks over to where JJ's sitting on the floor. "JJ, it's Gideon. Can you tell me where you are?"
"I'm in a restroom." JJ says, emotionless.
"Good, that's correct. Now can you tell me what restroom you're in?"
"The girls dorm, no! Sorry, the girls at FBI headquarters." JJ says, blinking a few times fast.
"No sweetheart. We're in the girls restroom in the Boston police department. Do you remember why we're in Boston?"
"We're on a case, right?"
"Yes. Do you remember what case it might be?"
"Is it a missing persons?" JJ asks, looking somewhat confused.
"Yes. Seven people. Two men and five female. Do you recall whom the victims are?" Gideon asks.
"Can I have a hint?"
"One of the men is Agent Dr. Spencer Reid. One of the women is a girl named Jess Merrick." Gideon watches JJ's face closely as he says the name.
"Spence? Jess? Oh god! Soph, Juls, Kate, Das and Derek! Walt and Josh, we have to stop them Gideon! What if Walt hurts Jess again? What if Josh hurts any of them! We have to go now!" JJ says, standing up in a hurry, leaving Gideon on the floor and alone in the ladies room. Detective Hoyt comes in and helps Gideon get up. They leave the restroom. Gideon finds JJ mapping out the house design that she'd found on the computer. Well, Garcia hacked into the Boston's Capital Area Library computer that hold all those type of documents.
"See, there's a door here, here, here, here and here. If we cover all those doors and garage doors, then they can't escape with anyone. Chances are they have Morgan and Reid's guns and a few of their own." JJ says, talking over the case like she knew what she's doing. Hotch let's her because he's afraid of her mental state if he didn't. He just watches closely and corrects any orders that he thinks are wrong or just don't seem right.
"Okay, so there's at least two guns. We should all have vests. Emily, you and I have to stay back by the cars. If we were caught, we'd have a big problem. We know from Josh's record that he's attempted rape before, so we are not going to want to risk it."
"But JJ…" Emily tries to say something, but JJ cuts her off.
"Trust me on this Em. Now, how many cruisers are we going to have?" JJ asking detective Hoyt.
"I was told four officers, two cars and me"
"Okay, that's fine. We have five FBI agents, six officers and a very smart private citizen. Okay, this is were we're going to be stationed. I want the four BPD officers at the doors. The two HSPD officers at the garage doors. Hotch and Hoyt enter the front door. Gideon and Michaels enter the back door. Emily and I'll be by the car. Em talks to Garcia in case we need computer help. I'll man the police radio in case we need help, more police or ambulance, that sort of thing. Okay, four in one SUV, five in the other and then the two officers in each cruisers. The address is 29325 Jessup Drive. If we get separated, just program the GPS. Detective Hoyt, do you have vests? Hotch, how many do we have?"
"We have six vests, which are in the back of the SUV."
"We have to see how many vest have been checked out. I'm sure we can come up with the vests. I'll go check. Could I bring someone to help me?" Woody asks.
"Sure, the rest of us will make sure we have everything ready and set." JJ says, then leaves the department to check the stuff in the SUV. JJ gets outside and not long after, Officer Jensen comes out to stand next to her.
"Agent Jearau, do you need any help?" Jensen asks.
"What's with Agent Jearau? It's Jen or JJ. I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye. I just found out my neighbor and best friend had been murdered." JJ says, with a frown.
"I know, Sophie and Peter told me. I'm sorry about your loose. They say you believe it's Josh and Walt. Is that true?"
"Yes." JJ says, looks up at Officer Jensen. He leans in and lays his lips on JJ's. They start a passionate kiss. JJ grabs his shirt and pulls him closer and he grabs her head. They both moan a little. Then they hear the department door shut and voices. So they pull apart fast, but reluctantly. They wipe their mouths and clear their throats.
"Well, thank you for that! Wow! Can we talk later?" Officer Jensen asks.
"Sure. Thank you too! Where'd you learn that thing with your tongue? Wow!" JJ says, smiling ear to ear. Hotch comes around the SUV and looks at the two.
"JJ, detective Hoyt has the extra vests. We're ready to roll. Is there something I need to know?" Hotch asks. Knowing something happened, he just didn't know what.
"No, nothing. Let's roll!" JJ says, closing the back door of the vehicle. Everyone piles into the vehicles and head off.