Author's notes: Thank you as always for your kind review. Hopefully this chapter makes sense.
Jane's attention's caught at the sound of a van leaving at speed. He looks up and his heart jumps as a feeling of dread runs through his bones. He leaves the booth and heads for the door, as the owners wife comes rushing in through the back.
"Jane you're friend's been kidnapped."
Jane is reaching in to his pocket as he runs to the car, he quickly breaks into the vehicle and has it hot wired, like the pro he is, and screams out of the parking lot hoping he can catch up with the van. Just a few blocks down he see the van up ahead stopped at an intersection. He breathes a sigh of relief and takes out his phone.
"Cho! Lisbon's been kidnapped, I'm following the van, it's in my sights."
"Where are you?"
"Dixon heading in the direction of Sacramento."
"Okay we'll be with you as soon as we can. Do you have the licence plate?"
"No I haven't gotten close enough yet?"
"Okay, try and get it, but then hang back, so you don't spook them. We're leaving right now."
"Will do Cho."
Jane puts away his phone and picks up speed. The lights are in his favour and soon he's able to call in the licence plate. He's startled when something hits the car.
"They've made me Cho, they're shooting at me."
"Reduce speed and hang back."
"Got it. I have an idea."
"Jane, just do as I said, Lisbon will kill me, if anything happens to you."
"Don't worry Cho I have it under control."
"Jane.."
Jane hangs up the phone and drops it on the seat beside him. although two more shots were fired while he was speaking none have come close to the vehicle and the only damage that's been done is to Jane's heart. Jane mutters to himself.
"C'mon, aim better than that."
Suddenly the windscreen explodes and Jane spins the car to a stop, he lays himself against the steering wheel as though he's unconscious and hopes they don't decide to check on their work. He relaxes when the van doesn't stop and as soon as they are a safe distance away, and he hopes they've lost interest in him, he brushes off the glass and restarts the car. He answers his phone which has been ringing constantly since he put it down as he starts back after the van.
"Hello Cho, everything is fine now. Just making sure they would leave me alone. A new windscreen's needed though."
"Can you still see them?"
"Not yet, but I'm pretty sure they're making their way towards you guys. Yes I see them."
"Good stay well back."
"Gotcha Cho, staying well back."
Jane hangs up the phone and concentrates on keeping the van in view while hiding the SUV as much as possible. Not for the first time, he wonders about the choice of vehicle, it veritably screams POLICE, whereas no-one would mistake his citroen as a police vehicle, and they would have the element of surprise on the bad guys. He knows he's just distracting himself from thinking of Lisbon. He has a good idea of what the final play is and it's not going to be good for her, and maybe none of them.
His phone rings again.
"Yes Cho."
"We've passed the vehicle and are making a u-turn to get behind them, can you see us?"
Jane scans the road ahead.
"Yes I can, welcome to the party guys. I'm a couple of blocks behind you."
"Good stay back, we'll take this."
"Okay, but be careful, I think there are explosives in there."
Suddenly the van up ahead turns right.
"Opps I think they made you."
Jane watches as the SUV up front switches on its siren and lights and makes chase. He takes a deep breath:
"I've always wanted to do this."
Jane turns on his lights and siren and follows. He can feel his heart racing as he takes the same right as the others. Over and over in his head, to no-one in particular, he demands Lisbon's safety. He can't see any sign of the vehicles and desperately looks left and right as he crosses the intersections looking for where they are. He switches off his siren, but theirs doesn't echo back to him. He leans over and grabs his phone and calls Cho. There's no reply.
"C'mon. c'mon"
As he crosses the next intersection, he sees them on the right and he makes a sharp turn to make the corner. The vehicle is on the other side of the road and has been hit, steam is pouring from the hood. Jane pulls his car to a stop and blocking the middle of the road and he does so the doors of the vehicle open. He jumps out and bangs his hand on the hood of the car in frustration, then, heads towards the team as they emerge from the car.
"Guys are you all right."
Cho is the nearest to him and there is blood trickling down the side of his face from a gash in his hairline.
"Jane is your radio still working?"
"I guess so."
Cho pushes past him, and goes to the other SUV. Rigsby and Van Pelt seem to be okay. Cho calls from behind them.
"Someone's on their way to deal with the car, lets get going."
Jane looks at his dazed companions.
"I'll drive."
"No you won't Jane."
"I'm the only one here, with all their mental facilities, any of you drive and chances are there will be another crash further down the road, and I know where they are going and we need to get there before they do."