Jessie sighed. Why did she choose to come to the bank today? Her hands on her head she walked by the man with the gun, too far away to do anything. She kept her head down, her shoulders hunched and tried not to draw attention to herself. He turned and walked to the window. She was just about to take some action when a lady bumped into her from behind, tripping her. She swore under her breath as she hit the ground, skinning her elbow. Real smooth, Bannon. That sure didn't attract his attention.

He yanked her up painfully, tossing her into the vault after the others. Jessie sighed and looked around at the cowering crowd. They certainly weren't going to help much.

***

Tires squealed as Race slammed on the brakes, just missing the cop car parked outside the bank. Slamming open the door he stormed out, looking around at the people staring in shock. Jessie was in that bank. That bank had been taken hostage. He ground his teeth and walked to the man in charge, glaring. "What's going on?"

***

The masked man looked out the window again. There was no way he was getting out of here without some help. Turning, he walked to the vault and opened it, looking inside. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd for anyone about the right age that could drive. The cops had asked him to let some hostages go. His eyes alighted on the girl who'd fallen earlier, though she was trying hard not to be noticeable. He smiled.

"You."

Jessie looked up, working on looking small and frightened. It wasn't hard.

"Get over here. And you two." He pointed at two other people, then waited for them to come out before locking the safe again. He pulled his mask off, swapped shirts with the other man. "Now, don't you people say anything." He waved a gun around, then tucked it into his belt, out of sight. "Come on." He grabbed Jessie's arm and led all three outside, then looked scared and started walking away, Jess in tow.

"Where's you car?" He hissed under his breath.

"O-over there." She watched his face and saw annoyance there, so changed her tactics and acted brave. They got into the small red Toyota, he in back, she driving.

"Get us out of here."

She started the engine as she felt the cool metal of the gun at her neck, then took a deep breath. "When are you letting me go?"

He smiled. "I'll dump you and the car by the lake. Now drive."

Jess gritted her teeth. He'd dump them both, only she'd be dead. Then she forced a smiled on her face and hoped those acting lessons had paid off. "Y'know, I'm not gonna let you get away with this." The car careened over the sidewalk, barely missing pedestrians.

"What?! Girl, get this bucket back on the street and drive right!"

"No."

The click of a gun cocking made her start to sweat but she held her ground. She wasn't going to let her dad's training go to waste! "Go ahead! Shoot me, then you'll really get caught." She twisted the wheel, sending them down an alley way, clear of innocents. "See, I've been in an institution for the past year." The car hit garbage cans, sent them flying. "I don't care whether I live or die. In fact, I already know I'm gonna die. See, I have brain cancer. I might as well go out with a bang, huh?" She was talking loudly now, slightly panicked sounding.

"You little b****! Pull the car over!"

"Nope!" She slammed on the brakes, spinning into another alley.

"$#!+!" he hit her across the head with the butt of the gun and she felt something wet slide down her cheek. Blood.

"Forget it!" She drove faster, bursting into the docking area. "I'm gonna die! I MIGHT AS WELL TAKE SOMEONE WITH ME!" She drove up onto a wall, tipping the car precariously.

"Stop the car or I'll shoot!"

"THEN SHOOT! I DON'T CARE!"

"STOP THE CAR!"

"PUT THE GUN DOWN!"

"$#!+! PULL OVER!"

Jessie laughed hysterically and drove over an embankment.

The robber screamed, a hoarse sound, as they bounced down the other side, Jessie's frantic handling of her car keeping them from flipping over.

"STOP THE CAR STOP THE CAR!!!"

"PUT THE GUN DOWN!"

"STOP THE CAR!"

"DROP THE GUN!"

A shot went off, barely missing her leg as the car jerked.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

"JUST TRY! I'LL KILL YOU FIRST!" The Toyota was spinning out of control, on the brink of tipping.

"YOU LITTLE--" His words were drowned out by a crunch of metal and rock as the hard stuff hit the bottom of the car. They lurched out onto a small street and she drove straight across, causing people to slam on the brakes all around her. Ahead were train tracks, the gates lowering as the huge machine neared the intersection. Jessie stepped on the gas.

"STOP THE CAR!"

"DROP THE GUN!"

"STOP THE CAR!"

"DROP THE GUN!"

Another shot rang out as they tore through the wooden gates, the train almost upon them. It raced by as they leaped off the tracks and Jessie breathed a mental sigh of relief. "DROP THE GUN!"

The car jumped up onto the sidewalk, chasing men and women out of the way. A wall started and Jess drove onto it, keeping the tires of one side up there.

"$#!+!!!" She heard screeched from the backseat. If she could've, she would've agreed. But right now she didn't have any voice.

The car flipped, throwing itself over into the street. They were hit from the side and it spun, throwing it's occupants around. Jessie was grateful for good seatbelts. It was hit again as it flipped one last time, righting itself. She stepped down on the gas pedal before her body rebelled, heard screams from the back. She could taste blood in her mouth but ignored it, just like she did the pain in her arm and the numbness in her left leg. "DROP THE GUN!!!!" She really was hysterical now, and fought to keep her thoughts calm. It was a losing battle. "DROP THE GUN!"

"STOP THE CAR!!"

"DROP THE GUN!"

They careened across all four lanes, two going one way, two the other. Crashing into a vendor she heard sirens, and shouted again. "DROP THE GUN!!!" They slammed into a parked car, swiveled around and tipped once more. There was a resounding crash as the car stopped moving, giving up it's ghost at last. Jessie sat in the silence, her head whirling. She looked up--no, down--at the roof of the car as she hung from her seatbelt. There lay a gun, gleaming dulling in the afternoon light. She reached up/down and picked it up, heard screeching as ambulances and police halted beside them. "Thanks for the gun." She said quietly, and then passed out.

***

Race smiled at her as she woke up, her leg in a cast.

"What happened?" She asked drowsily.

Jonny grinned. "You just bagged a bank robber while trying to kill yourself, that's all."

She made a face. "I ache all over. And Hadji's turban's on my head."

Hadj laughed and came into view. "No, my friend. You have a nasty cut, they have it wrapped."

"Oh." Jessie yawned sleepily.

Race put a hand on her shoulder lovingly. "You rest. Get some sleep. You aren't hurt too bad, considering what you went through and the way the other guy looks, so you should be okay shortly."

Jessie started to drift off, then opened her eyes as something dawned on her. "Those people I crashed into. Are they--"

"They're fine. some bruised bodies, and a lot of suits we're dealing with right now, but no one was seriously hurt."

Jess smiled and drifted off before she heard Jonny's voice. "The cats* say get well soon. And Jess, I hope you do too. Things are just too quiet!"

JJJJJJJJJJQQQQQQQQQQQ

*Cats, you know, Kit Dana and Colin from Caterwaul and Shadowy Domain? Sheesh.

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