Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:NY or any of it's characters. I only own Ryan.
Mistrust & Disregard
Chapter 1: Excessive Force
Detective Mac Taylor looked around the crime scene, searching for anything that might suggest why this man was so brutally murdered,especially for an apparent baseball bat killing. Lindsay was going over the body piece by piece, searching for ID. After what seemed like forever she pulled out a wallet and opened it to a drivers license. She handed it to Mac and said, "Loncoln Jackson, age 25, organ donor, and--"
She was cut off by several gunshots ringing out, and several screams as people ducked for cover on the crowded street. Mac and Lindsay both dropped to a crouch behind a hot dog vendor's stand. The several officers that were nearby drew their weapons and dropped to their knees, looking for the shooter. Mac looked at Lindsay.
"I'm going for the body. We have to get it out of here before someone does something stupid. We can analyze it back at the lab." Lindsay nodded and put a hand on his back. He glanced around before darting out towards the body. He picked it up as best as he could without disturbing anything and hurried over to a gurney where it would be put in an ambulance and transported to the CSI lab. He put the body on the gurney and several more gunshots rang out. Mac put on a pained expression and looked around. Lindsay watched him turn in horror and fall to the ground, two bullet holes in his chest. She cried out and hurried over to Mac. He was breathing lightly, his eyes darting around as Lindsay rolled him over. "Lindsay..." He breathed.
"Mac! Don't talk, please. You're gonna be okay."
"Lindsay, listen to me!" He insisted.
"Mac! Please! Stop talking and we'll get you out of here." She looked around for someone to help her. Mac groaned slightly and his head lolled to the side slightly. She called out to an officer. "Officer! Over here! It's Mac! He's been shot!" The officer hurried over and crouched next to her.
"Ambulances are on their way. Several officers have been hit as well. The shooter has escaped in the chaos, as far as we can tell." Lindsay nodded and drifted for the next two hours, unsure of what exactly had happened. She was escorted back to the CSI lab, where just about everyone wanted to know what happened. She brushed off questions for a little while, until finally she found herself in the lounge drinking some coffee. Danny came in a few minutes later and sat down across from her. She looked up and smiled weakly, which Danny returned as best as he could.
"You okay? You've been acting out of it all day."
"It's just..."
"Mac."
"Yeah. H-he's in the hospital, you know," she said shakily.
"I know. Stella's down there now."
"She said she would call when he got out of surgery." Just then Danny's cell phone rang.
"Hello?" He said, picking it up. Pause. "Yeah, she's right here." Pause. "Alright." He held the phone out to Lindsay. She took it cautiously and held it to her ear.
"Yes?"
"Lindsay? He's out of surgery," Stella's voice came. Lindsay couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"How is he?" Lindsay asked.
"He's resting. The doctors say he'll need to stay for a few weeks."
"So you're in charge until he recovers?"
"Yep."
"Well, alright."
"You don't sound to happy about that, kiddo."
"I know. I'm just still shaky from the shooting."
"I understand. It must've been hell."
"Pretty much." Lindsay said, smiling slightly.
"Alright kiddo, I'm gonna let you go. I've got some things I need to do, people to call." Lindsay nodded.
"Alright. I'll see you later," she said, hanging up. She handed the phone back to Danny and smiled.
"He's gonna be okay," Lindsay said.
"That's good to hear. You know the DA isn't gonna want his position empty while he's in the hospital."
"What do you mean? Stella's going to take up the task, I thought."
"We'll see. Chances are we're going to be getting a new guy."
"Temporarily." Lindsay said, smiling.
"Temporarily." Danny agreed.
----
Danny turned out to be right. The DA wanted someone in Mac's position while he was gone, and he didn't want it to be Stella. The DA ended up asking if Mac had a suggestion, to which Mac said he had none. The new guy walked in on a Monday. May 7th. He introduced himself to Stella and Flack first, before moving on to Danny, Lindsay, and Hawkes. It was an awkward meeting between Lindsay and the new guy.
"Hello." He said, holding his hand out to Lindsay.
"Uh, hi." She said, smiling slightly. She was still a little shaken from the shooting, which had happened the previous Wednesday.
"Ryan Carter, at your service."
"You're the replacement for Mac?"
"Uhm, yes. If you want to put it that way. I like to refer to myself as a temporary substitute."
"Same thing."
"True." He said.
"I hope you don't plan on changing anything. We've got a system." Lindsay warned.
"No worries. I don't plan on changing anything. I'll take a back seat for a while, while I figure out the system. Trust me." She frowned, but nodded.
"Well, Lindsay, it was nice to meet you. I assume we'll be working closely from here on out." She merely nodded dismissively. He smiled once more and turned and left. Danny came up to her and watched Ryan go.
"He's up to something," she said.
"What makes you say that?" Danny asked.
"He's too...calm. He's too willing to take a backseat."
"That's just some people's personality."
"I know, but still..."
"He gives me the creeps too."
"Yeah."
"We'll just have to wait and see. I'll talk to Stella, too. Something tells me she's not looking forward to this guy either." Lindsay nodded and turned back to her work.
