Chapter Five:

Hotch and Sherwood were driving back to the precinct when Sherwood received an emergency dispatch. "He struck again." Sherwood stated. "This time we get him."

It seemed a bit early but killer's sometime vary from their M.O. Sherwood turned on his lights, and punched the throttle. He whipped down the streets until he came across the crime scene. The then drove past with Hotch carefully searching the streets. He pointed his finger at someone on the sidewalk. "That's him."

Sherwood drove to the suspect, who glanced vaguely in their direction. He then picked up the pace. The suspect turned sharply and ran through someone's front lawn. Sherwood stopped the car and Hotch turned and saw the suspect dart up the fence.

Hotch swung open the door and charged after the suspect, with Sherwood in following after. Hotch climbed over the fence, and ran across the backyard. Sherwood joined him and fired shots at the suspect, who ducked, rolled, and got back up and running. "Careful." Hotch called back.

The suspect nimbly climbed over to the adjacent backyard and crossed through it. Sherwood lifted up his radio. "Suspect coming your way."

Morgan and a local cop received the transmission and turned down the street Sherwood told them about. They the saw the suspect running down the street and took off after him. The suspect turned and ran into a house.

The car pulled up and Morgan followed him inside. Morgan swept the main, floor but found no sign of the suspect. He did see a man on the ground. Morgan approached the man and saw he was clearly breathing. The man looked up and grunted in pain. Morgan was relieved.

The officer approached them. "He's hurt, but he should live." Morgan

"Go after him, he went upstairs." the man grunted.

Morgan and the officer ran upstairs. The swept the rooms, but found no signs of the suspect. Morgan looked down from a window and saw something. It was a trampoline and it looked damaged.

Jeff took a leep out the window and landed on the trampoline. The fabric ripped on impact, but cushioned him nonetheless. He crawled out from under and climbed into the neighbors yard. Jeff ran across yard after yard, until he found a shed. He went inside and shut the door.

Then Jeff waited. He couldn't hear anything, that was probably a good sign. But how long was he going to wait. The longer the better, but Jeff was not a patient man. But then again, look where his impatience got him. He had to be more careful.

Morgan walked back down the stairs, he looked for the homeowner, and found him in the bathroom. He was pouring alcohol over a long, but superficial cut, and wincing in pain. "Good first aid, but we need a doctor." Morgan said.

Morgan lead the man out and put him in the ambulance. He then went back to the precinct.

Back their, Sherwood was kicking himself in frustration. "We had him right there, and we let him slip out of our fingers." he growled while slamming his desk.

Sherwood leaned back and let out a long sigh. "I wish I had shot that guy, right there."

"We weren't sure if it was him, at least not one hundred percent." Hotch replied.

"Do you think you are ready for the profile?"

"I think I am."

Hotch stood with his agents, facing the police. "We think this killer is a white male. Due to his choice of thefts, we think he is young, maybe a teen."

"Do to his strange appearance he only comes out to hunt at night." Morgan added.

"Yet despite this." said Jaraeu. "He wears light clothes regardless of the risk."

"This killer's targets insomniacs." mentioned Reid. "He finds them on the internet. Anyone with such a disorder should be extra cautious about what they post online."

Jeff came home to his parents. The first time he got into a fight they were mad. After a few more they seemed almost used to it. But this time they were furious.

"What did you do Jeff!" his father barked.

"Little fight with Troy and his punks." Jeff replied casually.

"Little fight?!" his mother exclaimed in disbelief."

"C'mon no one likes them. I did everyone a favor. So I gotta stay home a bit, and catch up when I get back"

"That boy went to the hospital. He had a terrible concussion." his mother stated. "You could face criminal charges."

"That's not going to happen." his father stated.

"What! How?!" Jeff exclaimed in disbelief.

"We are moving, we were planning too anyway." his father stated.

"But the house is barely built." his mother replied.

Jeff and Liu started to pack up. The grabbed bins and boxes and carried them into their room. Jeff's father paced back and forth with his phone, asking questions about moving. "Do you take cash", "can you be here in the morning, and the like" After a while he drove away.

While Jeff and Liu packed their belongings, Jeff asked him: "What did you tell them?"

"The truth." Liu replied.

"What! C'mon."

"I tried to help. I told the cops that I hurt Troy. I could have gone to jail. But they told me that my story wasn't consistent with local witnesses, so I could go free."

Jeff's father returned, with an envelope sticking out of his pocket. The family continued packing late into the night. "I'm tired." Liu complained. "Can we finish in the morning."

Their father looked at the pile of boxes. "Okay, but I will wake you up early."