Criminal Behaviour

SEVEN

*Samantha's POV*

I stood in front of the mirror in my room, fixing my hair. I wore a black dress; which was one of the nicest things I owned. I sprayed a small amount of hairspray onto the curls I had put in my hair. "Mom!" I heard just before Hannah ran into my room. She glanced at me before jumping and sitting onto my bed.

I turned to her and smiled as I put my diamond ear-rings in, "Are you okay?"

Hannah simply sighed, "Do we have to spend another night with Francis?"

"Well, Leah asked if you wanted to stay in her house tonight, but since I was going out, I didn't think you wanted to." I smiled to her.

"Can I? I haven't slept in Leah's house in a really long time." Hannah asked, more or less begged.

I giggled to myself, "Okay, I'll text Susan now." I took out my phone and sent Susan a quick text and got a reply straight away that she was more than happy to let Hannah stay over and that Susan can pick her up. Hannah went into her room to pack her bag while I went downstairs. I greeted Francis who was watching some TV with Jamie in the living room. "Hannah is staying in her friends' house tonight."

Francis turned to me, "That's okay, so it's just me and Jamie tonight."

"I shouldn't be back too late." I said as I leaned over the back of the sofa, kissing Jamie's forehead, "Susan is picking Hannah up. I should be back around 11, so be good Jamie."

"I will." He answered, "I always am."

"I so sorry for leaving you again tonight."

Jamie turned to me, "Mom, it's okay. I get it, you need to work. It's perfectly okay."

"I just don't like leaving you too long." I sighed to him.

Jamie just smiled to me, "I have my phone, it's okay. Me and Francis were going to watch a movie tonight, so it's not like I'm being left on my own."

"I guess you're right." I smiled to him, kissing him on the forehead again before saying a goodbye, thanking Francis, and saying goodbye to Hannah with a hug and a kiss, who was still upstairs packing. I closed the front door behind me just as a black SUV pulled up in the driveway.

I walked down and got into the back seat beside Spencer while Morgan was driving and Rossi was in the passenger seat. "Hotch and JJ are already there."

"So, what's the plan?" I asked as Morgan pulled out of the driveway and began driving toward Liberty High School. I felt a tight pain in my chest as memories of high school came flooding back to me.

Rossi spoke up first, "Well, Hotch and JJ are scoping the area as we speak."

" - But, you're job is to go in and meet with all of your old school friends." Spencer spoke, "It is ideal that the UnSub won't be there, so whoever is on that list of 27 possible UnSubs and isn't in that gym, that's more than likely our guy."

"Okay," I nodded, "And what if he is there?"

"We'll be in the parking lot any ways, if something goes wrong." Rossi said as Morgan turned approximately three minutes from the school. I felt my chest become tighter and tighter thinking about every possibility of how tonight's events could go.

I took heavy breaths, calming myself. I felt warmth on my hand - Spencer. I turned to him and smiled, "Thanks Spence."

"You're going to be okay." He returned the smile.

The car came to a sudden stop. I jolted forward in my seat slightly, but didn't mention anything - either did Rossi or Spencer. Morgan and Rossi were the first to leave the SUV, quickly followed by Spencer and then myself. We made our way to where Hotch and JJ and some members of the local Police Department waited at a black van parked not far from the front door of the school. I glanced toward the front door and noticed several of my old classmates enter the building with their heads bowed in condolence. I greeted the members of the local Police department and was instructed to follow the team into the van. There was a long bench either side of the van for us to sit on. I sat down beside JJ and across from Hotch while some radio equipment was being set up.

JJ opened her palm and held it out in front of me. I looked down at a clear piece of plastic that rested in her palm while also giving her a look of confusion, "What's this?" I couldn't help but ask, taking it from her and holding it in between my fingers.

Hotch shifted in his seat slightly, "This is an in-ear piece." Hotch explained, "You will wear this, so you can hear what we are saying." While Hotch explained this to me, the rest of the team put on sets of headphones.

JJ held out a broach in her hand, "This is a mic," She said, pinning it onto my dress, "This so you can talk to us."

"Am I putting myself into something that I'm regretting right now?" I asked as JJ adjusted the sparkling broach on my dress but soon left it alone as it seemed to be in a perfect position.

"You don't need to worry, Samantha," Morgan said from the other end of the van, "We're here, we can hear everything that will be going on. If the UnSub is here, we will be inside in a flash. Nothing major can go wrong."

I sighed heavily and agreed with the plan, "Okay, I'm good to go."

"Just remember those 27 faces." Hotch said to me as I got out of the van.

Spencer was at the back and shifted slightly to give me room to exit. I glanced back, "Good luck." He smiled to me, before slamming the van doors shut leaving me on my own to go inside and face whatever could be in that gym.

"Samantha," I heard Hotch's voice, "Can you hear us?"

"Yeah, perfectly." I replied before putting myself in the right mindset for this event.

I began walking up the steps to the front of the school, bumping into my old Chemistry partner, Jason White, on the way. "Hi." He greeted me with a hug, "Long time, no see."

"I could say the same." I smiled to him as we began walking in the direction of the gym. It was at this point, halfway down a corridor beginning conversation with Jason, that I remembered that the team was listening to everything that was said, "So, how have you been? What's Jason White doing in his thirties?" I said with a slight giggle as Jason wasn't the one for long-term plans.

Jason chuckled at my questions but had no hesitation to answer, "I'm actually a doctor now." I was taken aback by the news as he wasn't that great in Chemistry - C average. "I'm also married," He held up his hand showing where the gold band was secured around his finger, "I also have a four year old daughter and a one year old son."

My heart warmth with the news that the person I used to help pull pranks with was now a settled man with a family and a really good career. "Awh, that's so cute." I smiled to him, "I'm so happy for you." At this point, we were at the gym doors where pictures of Mia, Malcolm, Victoria and Nicolas were.

I felt a lump in my throat before Jason walked inside, but I didn't want to waste any time so followed him, "So," He turned to me, "What's the great Samantha Doyle up to now?"

I thought for a moment, remembering that the team could hear me, "I work part-time in a diner not too far from where I live." I smiled, "I have two kids myself."

Jason's eyes widened as his lips curled into a smile, "I completely forgot about Marc -"

"Uhm," I said awkwardly shaking my head not wanting the team to hear anything and to not be reminded of memories from nearly fifteen years ago, "Jamie and Hannah." I said to him.

"Samantha!" I heard from behind me. I jumped slightly and turned around to see Ashley run over to me and wrap her arms around me - clearly showing signs of having one or two many drinks. Ashley greeted Jason but said a quick goodbye before whisking me away to a table with food and drink at it. "Here." She said pouring me a drink. And from that point on, I blocked whatever Ashley was babbling on about and concentrated on the task I was given.

I looked around the gym, seeing and recognizing the few faces from the list of 27 that remained. I noticed Bradley Savage talking to some of his old friends - the first time I have seen him since Victoria's body was found. I heard Ashley's voice way in the distance, maybe because she was moving farther away from me or I just blocked her out more, "Guys," I spoke in a downward position toward the broach that glittered on my chest.

"Samantha?" Morgan's voice spoke first, "Are there possible UnSubs there?"

"Well," I said having another look around, "I see probably fifteen of the possible twenty-seven. I'll keep a look out and see who else arrives." I sighed heavily noticing more and more people enter the gym, reuniting with their old classmates and catching up after fifteen years.

" - And then -" I heard Ashley say from beside me continuing on a rant that I got the gist of - toilet paper being really expensive. "Like, it's a human right."

"I think you've had one too many." I smiled to her, placing my hands on her shoulders and directing her over to a few chairs, giving her a break. I managed to find a bottle of water for her.

She sipped at it while she sat down, swaying to the imaginary music she must hear. I couldn't help but smile to myself because that's all I remember Ashley as - the drunk girl at every party we went to and I was the one to take care of her. "Oh, look!" She squealed, "There's Andy! Andy, over here!"

I felt my stomach fall to the floor when I turned around to see Andy Byrne walking toward us, with a smile on his face. It was more of a cheeky smirk than anything. "Oh, hi." He smiled greeting Ashley with a hug, "Drunk again? I don't think I've ever seen you sober." He chuckled and then turned to me. I felt my chest tighten, my heart rate increase and my whole body turn into a cold sweat, "Samantha Doyle." Escaped his curved lips. It sent chills up my spine - but not the good kind.

"Ah, Andy." I faked a smile and refused a hug and even a handshake. You'd think that after fifteen years you'd be excited to see your ex-boyfriend. I tried to act as normal as possible while I could hear discussion coming from the van. "How are you?" I sighed crossing my arms, trying to hide how awkward I feel.

"I've been better, what about yourself?" He smirked. I felt something strange about him, maybe because we had a long history and he was my first love. I guess those sort of feelings and memories never leave you - even after fifteen years.

"Samantha." I heard Hotch say in my ear, but I gave no indication to Andy that anything was going on and just listened to Hotch's voice, "Samantha, Nicolas' body has just been found in the basketball courts on the school grounds. He's there. The UnSub is in the school building."

I felt myself go pale, but I didn't want Andy to see that, "Are you okay? Literally all of the colour from your face, just drained." He said with a chuckle.

I tried to think of an excuse quickly while Andy took out his phone, clearly not showing interest, "I think I drank too much. Excuse me." I excused myself and quickly left the gym and toward the bathrooms just outside on the corridor. The corridor was empty giving me the perfect opportunity to talk to the team, "He's definitely in there?" I asked filling with panic.

I could hear vague discussion from the van, "The UnSub could strike at any moment now since Nicolas' body is out of the way. He's there to take his next victim. Don't worry Sam, the police are doing a search of the school grounds." I heard Spencer's voice and I never, in my lifetime, thought I could feel more panic.

In the mist of this panic, my phone began buzzing which was unusual - more than likely Susan telling me how Hannah is getting on at the sleepover. But it wasn't. It was Jamie. "Jamie's ringing me, I'll put him on speaker so you guys can hear." I said, directed toward my broach before answering the phone, "Jamie, hi!" I said with a smile, "How is everything?"

Usually when Jamie rings me, it's to tell me that he nailed a basketball shot or learned a new song on the drums, but with the panic I heard in his tone, I was highly doubting that it was anything of that sort, "Mom, mom, mom!" He repeated almost as if he was having a panic attack or on the brink of bursting into a sob.

"Jamie? Jamie? Calm down love, what's going on?" I asked nervously as this was a very unusual occurrence. I could hear Francis in the background, but couldn't make out with what she was saying.

"Mom," Jamie's voice quivered, "I just got a strange phone call." And with that, I felt my body go pale and sweaty and as if my whole world just fell apart in front of me, "It was a man saying that I'm going to lose you. That you're going to be taken from me!"

"Hotch! Make the call!" I heard several members of the team shout in my ear, listening in on the phone call.

"Francis is taking me to headquarters." Jamie said. At that point, his voice cracked and he was crying.

"Honey, tell Francis to get Hannah and go to headquarters." I said trying to be as calm as I could be for my son. "Everything is going to okay."

"I love you." Jamie said before I hung up the phone, swallowing that massive lump formed in my throat.

I took a deep breath and spoke in a shaky voice, "He's in there, isn't he?" I asked, a tear escaping.

"Nothing's happened yet." Hotch said from the van.

There was a moment of silence before a massive bang was heard, echoing throughout the gym. I put my hands over my ears and turned and faced the entrance to the gym as more bangs were heard. People screaming and their heavy running filled my ears not long after. And it was in that moment when a large figure stood in the doorway of the gym. He turned and faced me, gun raised, "Spencer." I spoke before the gun sounded.


*Spencer's POV*

I sat beside Morgan in the van. I felt a massive lump in my throat thinking about the call that Nicolas' daughter received and the phone call that Jamie has just received. Whoever the UnSub wants to kill, Samantha is on that list and for all I know, that person could be standing right behind her at this moment. "Hotch, we have to do something." I said quietly, mainly trying to prevent my voice from breaking.

"Nothing's happened yet." Hotch spoke and with that massive bangs were heard and people screaming. "Sam!" Hotch spoke loudly, "Sam!" But there was no reply. I felt my heart sink, maybe she just couldn't hear us and she's on the way down to the van as we speak. We all jumped out of the van, running toward the school. We all had our ear pieces and could still hear Sam through her mic.

"Spencer." I heard Sam say before a massive bang was heard, much closer to the mic than the others. I felt my chest tighten and a wave of nausea coarse through my body.

I didn't care about looking for the UnSub at this point, I just needed to know where Sam was. I kept my hands on my gun, down by my side as I ran. I glanced behind to see the others doing the same. Each of them going down different hallways and into classrooms, guns raised, ready to fire.

I made it to the last corridor, a gym sitting at the end. "Sam!" I breathed as I saw her laying down against a wall. I ran forward, dropping my gun and sliding on my knees beside her, "Sam." I breathed again moving the hair from her face. I checked her body and found that there was blood coming from her shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered open and she quickly realized where she was and what had happened. Hotch, JJ and Morgan ran past, checking the gym, "There's bodies in here." Morgan called as the members of the Police Department and Rossi followed behind, "Four of them."

But I didn't care about their conversation, I cared about getting Sam help, "Can someone please call an ambulance!?" I asked, placing my hands on Sam's shoulder, trying to stop the blood flow. JJ took out her phone first and called for medical aid.

Morgan bent down beside me as Sam came in and out of consciousness. I continued to hold my hands in place, praying that Sam would be okay, "Make sure Jamie and Hannah are okay." She spoke in a hoarse voice.

"They're going to be okay." I smiled to her, "And you will be too." The medical aid rushed into the corridor, two paramedics attending to Samantha, while the others ran into the gym to help the injured and the not so fortunate. I moved my hands from Sam's shoulders and held her hand tightly as a substitution.

"She's going to be okay, Kid." Morgan said, putting a hand on my shoulder and squeezing it tightly as Samantha was lifted onto a stretcher and brought to an ambulance, which I was not allowed go in.