Lost Souls (Agent Severide Serie Book 5)

Chapter 19

21st District Police Department, Chicago 

Zoey sat at her desk drinking her cold cup of coffee as the bau updated the intelligence unit on their current case. "The unsub sent me a key while I was in Nevada," Reid told Zoey. "I got a rare butterfly in a shadow box," JJ said, "I got repeated messaged to save her," Hotch said. "I got a decapitated body and a visit to the Jamaican headquarters," Prentiss said causing Zoey to look at her baffled. "I got a skeleton key and a note," Reid said. "I got a bottle of scotch from 1963," Rossi said, "How did this unsub know how to find all of us?" Zoey asked slightly horrified at the thought of one of the people they hunt, tracking each of them down. 

That's not how things are supposed to work, They were supposed to be the one's hunting these people not the other way around. "The database got hacked last night," Hotch said causing the detectives to look at Mouse, "The hacker got in through Garcia's personal laptop, she's taking it pretty hard," Morgan said as Antonio's desk phone rang and he quietly took the call. "What did they access?" Mouse asked, "The entire team's personel files, locations, addresses, everyone's personal information," Rossi replied. 

"That was the coroner, they got an ID on the jane doe, her name was Jennifer Sheridan," Antonio said looking at Zoey whose face fell at his words. "What?" Zoey asked him hoping he didn't just say the name she thought he did. "Who's- my mom," The blonde said trying to wrap her head around what the hell was going on. "H-how? Jennifer's address wasn't in my personel file- It was though the bureau does though backgrounds and tabs of family members in case they need to be placed into protective custody," Rossi said causing her to immediately pull out her phone and call her brother as she walked towards the break room. 

"Please answer, please answer," Zoey whispered worried that if this psycho knew where their mother was when even she had no clue this unsub must know where Kelly worked and lived all because her address was still listed as the townhouse she rented with her brother. "Hey, you've reached Lieutenant Severide, You know what to do after the... Beeeeeeep" The recording played. "Kelly answer your phone, please it's important," she said through the line panicking as she walked back into the room. 

Everyone looked up at Zoey who was clearly worried, "Kelly's not answering- Go" Hotch told her and the blonde nodded, "I'll drive," Jay said grabbing his phone and keys as the two took off down the stairs and outside. They practically ran towards the truck when Zoey stopped the detective about a foot away. 

"Wait she said taking his keys and hesitantly hitting the unlock button. The truck unlocked and the detective looked at her confused for a moment. "I had to be sure," she told him as he hopped in the driver's seat and she hopped in the passenger seat before they took off toward firehouse 51 with sirens blaring. 

Firehouse 51, Chicago 

The drive took almost 10 minutes before the truck pulled up to the firehouse and Zoey practically jumped from the truck before it stopped sprinting towards the open bay doors of the firehouse looking around frantically for her older brother. 

The garage was completely empty and her gut turned worrying, what if he was in trouble? what if this psycho had him? "Zoey," Jay said causing her to look up noticing squad 3, truck 81, ambulance 61 and chief Boden's SUV pull into the garage. 

Kelly hopped out of the truck along with everyone else, the moment Zoey saw him she sprinted over and engulfed him in a hug surprising the squad lieutenant and nearly knocking him over. "Whoa," he said steadying himself, "It was just a small structure fire," he joked pulling away from the hug as she let out a shaky breath partly in relief and partly dreading that she now had to be the one to tell him their mom was dead and to top it off her body got mailed to Jamaica somehow and set Morgan and Prentiss up to look like they murdered her. While her head got delivered to her desk less than 3 hours ago. 

Kelly could instantly tell something was up with his sister, "Zo, what's wrong?" he asked her. "I- We need to take you into protective custody," she said trying to keep her voice steady. The agent's words caused everyone in the garage to freeze. "What are you talking about?" he asked confused, "You gotta trust me Kelly- Not until you tell me what's going on?" he replied stubbornly as Matt and Boden walked over. 

Zoey sighed, "Look someone hacked into the FBI's database and went through personel files including mine. They know where you work, and where you live. You need to come with us until we sort this out," The blonde said trying not to bring up their mom. "What makes you think Severide's a target?" Casey asked. "Because... Kelly you gotta trust me on this," she pleaded, "Zoey, what aren't you telling me?" her brother asked. "Kelly..." she said struggling to find words which wasn't easy with how many eyes were on them. 

Zoey took her brother and walked them into the turnout room, followed by Jay, Casey and Boden. "Zoey, what the Hell is going on?" he asked getting frustrated. "Mom's... moms dead," she said softly watching as his face dropped and he immediately pulled his phone out and started calling her. "Kells, she's not gonna answer," she told him softly. "How do you know that?" Kelly asked after trying to call Jenn 3 times and only getting sent to voicemail, panic crossing his face. "We need to take you into protective custody please," the blonde begged. "Severide, go I'll call in a replacement in the meantime,"  Boden told him. 

With that Kelly, Zoey and Jay walked out of the firehouse and over to the grey pickup truck out front. The detective drove back towards the district as Zoey made a call to have a couple of agents take Kelly from the district to a safe house completely off-book. "Are you sure mom's... gone?" Kelly asked her as soon as she got off the phone. "I'm so sorry Kells," she told him from the front seat as Jay's truck pulled into the 21st district where they were met by 2 government-issued tinted-out windows. 

21st District Police Department, Chicago 

Jay parked the truck and the three climbed out as Zoey paused in front of her brother pulling him into a hug. "Find the son of bitch that did this Zo," her brother said into their hug. "I will, I promise and when I do I'll bring you home. Do me a favour and don't give these guys a hard time?" she said more than asked referring to the federal agents walking over along with a US Marshall. "No promises, stay safe" Kelly told her before pressing a kiss to her forehead before he was walked over to the SUV by the US Marshall. 

Zoey stood there watching the SUV drive away as she stood watching the vehicle disappear before she turned and walked back into the 21st district without a word. She got Shay killed, Benny killed and Now Jennifer. Although the two never saw eye to eye she didn't want the woman to have her head hacked off and mailed around the globe for some sickos idea of a game. The agent couldn't help but feel guilty that any other person was gone forever because of the career choice she made. 

Now Kelly had to sit in witness protection for who knows how long? until they found this unsub. Not to mention what if something happened to her husband who was now working the case. Would she be able to live with that guilt? She now had to cope with the fact that Jen was gone because of her along with still trying to cope over getting her dad killed.