When Hell Freezes Over

Disclaimers: The usual disclaimers apply. CSI Miami, CSI New York, and Law & Order SVU are not mine nor are the characters mention here.

Summery:

Note: For those of you who are big fans of CSI NY and love to see Danny and Lindsay together, sorry to burst your bubble that is not going to happen here. There are more then a few plot twists here so read it, enjoy, and comments are always welcome.

Chapter 1

Lindsay Monroe thought it was too quiet in the lab area. She had been busy for hours processing evidence that was coming in all afternoon since the shootout near City Hall. The crime scene was several blocks long leaving 20 dead, including one Councilmen three city employees, one NYPD officer and the rest were civilians. Among those were a few high profile people including as the word was going around this morning, one Congressman, and a State Legislator. It had started out to be a quiet morning until all hell broke out. Her team was on their shift when it happened and after that, all the shifts were called in. It was one hell of a royal mess and the Mayor and Chief of PD had put this as a priority. They weren't the only ones screaming for those responsible to be caught, so was the Governor, other elected city and state officials and even Washington DC was clamoring for justice. And this was as high of a priority as it could get. All other cases were dropped for this one alone and everyone was expected to work this shootout until those responsible were caught.

Mac had split his team in half. Half were still out at the scene and the rest were at the lab handling the evidence as it came in. It was the same with the other shifts. So Lindsay was in her quiet little corner of the trace lab processing the trace evidence for what had come in so far, she was glad she wasn't out there. She'd seen the news footage on the tv in the break room and gotten some of the details, when Stella came by to leave bags of evidence and bring her some lunch. Over lunch, Stella told her that who ever these perps were had used automatic weapons. That's why the crime area was so large and so many dead. There were numerous injuries as well as a result. The only other reason why she was more than happy she was in the lab was that according to Stella, the shooter or shooters were still out there.

Lindsay, having grown up in Montana, thought of the calm and relative safety her childhood home had brought her. But then there came a time when she was ready to flex her wings. When she took the job here in New York, she was eager for a little adventure and wanted to experience big city life. That she got. But there was always a downside and Lindsay took pains to be very alert when she was out there whether it was on the job or off the clock. This was a lesson Lindsay learned after the events that took place years ago when she was 14 for which her friends died and she was left the only survivor. She had barely survived the ordeal. It has been two years now since she'd gone back to Montana to testify in the trial that put the bastard away. Today, Lindsay still finds herself haunted by those events, but at the same time, she was able to bring closure since the trial.

She was also greatful for the friends she had here. They cared about her and she them. They were like a second family to her. A family that she had grown to love and care for even though they were her friends.

Lindsay was so absorbed in what she was doing, that she never noticed the time or that it was already dark outside. Some of the lights in the hall had been dimmed and people working in the lab were either taking dinner breaks or starting to head home. It was bad for the night shift since they would have to stick around for their whole shift, and oh yeah and they would really be collecting overtime today.

Lindsay never heard the person come into the lab so concentrated on what she was doing.. The next thing she knew, something had hit her from behind.

* * * * *

Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera stepped off the elevator and into the lab area. It was late, and Stella was ready to go home and hit the sack. She was bone tired from spending pretty much the whole day out at the crime scene near City hall, she was just weary tired and just wanted to get the images out of her head.

Mac was thinking the same thing, except he wouldn't be leaving right away. As head of his team, and the crime lab, he had to head back to his office and take care of things before he could leave. That included processing everyone's overtime, and they would all be collecting overtime until the shooters were caught. They all should have been off hours ago but on a day like this nobody got off on time.

The two were talking quietly as they walked down the quiet dimly lit hallway when suddenly something caught Stella's eye in the lab closest to them. She abruptly stopped a sound catching her attention. Mac had taken two more steps before coming to a halt and turning to Stella to ask if something was wrong when he heard it too.

They both turned toward the lab as they heard the sound again, which sounded like moaning. As the two of them walked in and around a table, what they saw sent chills through them. On the floor against the glass wall was a person bleeding and bruised and unrecognizable at first. Picking up their pace at a sprint, the moved closer Stella kneeling down to get a better look ignoring the blood that was everywhere.

With horror they realized it was Lindsay. Without even thinking, Mac pulled out his phone and called dispatch. "This is Lieutenant Mac Taylor, I need a bus at the crime lab NOW!" Talking into the phone, he lowered himself on his haunches to join Stella in trying to comfort Lindsay.

At that same moment there was another sound in the background. The sound of the stairwell door closing.

All that came out of Lindsay, quiet moans, Lindsay didn't even register that anyone was there. She was lying on the floor against the glass wall and wasn't moving at all. Stella reached out a hand to gently touch her friend, and try and reassure her but it wasn't working. "Hang in there Lindsay, we're going to get you some help!"

For Mac and Stella, it seemed like an eternity before medics arrived. As they waited talking and reassuring Lindsay, she lost all consciousness and was not responsive.

Mac sent Stella with Lindsay on the ride to the hospital since she was such in bad shape and had lost a lot of blood. Both Mac and Stella were afraid that she might not make it. .

As the ambulance was pulling out, the CSI's and techs who were out of the building began filing in only to find crime scene tape blocking off the trace lab. Detective Don Flack who had heard about Mac's call for an ambulance came up to him in the hall outside the cordoned off area. Upon learning what had happened, Flack swore under his breath that he would get the bastard who did this to Lindsay.

Word spread quickly throughout the lab about the incident. Within the hour, everyone on all the CSI shifts had heard what had happened. Someone had attacked one of their own and on their turf, and there was a fierce determination among everyone in the building to find out who and why.

For Mac, what had been an already bad day had just gotten worse with the nightmare that had unfolded with one of his own. Even worse, was the evidence recovered from the earlier shootout that was in that room. It was now compromised. This was bad, Mac thought, Real bad!! And there was going to be hell to pay when he had to inform his superiors of what had happened here tonight.