Disclaimer: I don't own the CSI characters, but Jules (or, as she's real she owns herself *g*), Kyle, Lynn and everybody, who isn't part of the wonderful world of CSI and CSI NY. The motel does exist, but it's in Christchurch/NZ and not in Silver Lake.

This is the first book of a series of six all playing in the most beautiful area of Los Angeles: Silver Lake.

Part 1

"Put your hands up! Don't move!"

Sara had no chance to react nor had she any idea what was happening to her. One second ago she had been asleep in her bed, the other second there seemed to be a dozen people in her room, all dressed up in black, with guns, yelling at her.

She got pulled out of the bed, dragged out of her room and into a car. Before she was able to think, to connect the pictures she saw with ideas what could be going on, she was in a car, that drove her away from her motel. Destination unknown.

What did happen to her? She had been back in the US since twelve hours. Her plane arrived yesterday evening at the international airport Los Angeles from San Jose, Costa Rica. Together with most of her colleagues of her project, she had checked in a motel and went straight to bed. She had been awake for almost thirty hours and needed some sleep. Sleep, that got disturbed by…

"Who are you?" She asked the man in front of her.

"Police."

That was what she had figured. SWAT. "Why am I here?"

"You've the right to remain silent…"

"Skip that, I know my rights. I want answers."

"Anything you say…"

"Shut up!" She closed her eyes. She got arrested. Why? She hadn't done anything wrong. Why did the men treat her like a terrorist? She was glad she wore some pants and a shirt and wasn't almost naked when they pulled her out of bed. She needed a lawyer. Probably.

How could she end up like this? Slowly the blurry pictures became more vivid. They took her colleagues as well, she remembered, turned, tried to see one of them in another car. But why? All they were was a bunch of scientists, that had spent some time in the jungle of Costa Rica. How could the police be possible interested in them? They must have gotten the wrong information, taken the wrong people.

The car stopped, she got pulled out of the car and into a building before she had time to look around for some of her colleagues. Left with an officer in an interrogation room, she wondered if she should tell then, she wanted to call her lawyer. The problem was, she didn't have a lawyer. Not in Los Angeles. And the one she had in Las Vegas, she had never needed and lost the number.

"Can you tell me what this all about?" She asked the officer, a man in his late fifties, who looked kind of bored.

"Sorry, I can't."

"Yeah, sure." She looked down and realized, she had no shoes on. No shoes, no underwear, let alone a comb in her not existing pocket to make her hair look like it should look. If they had taken one minute to talk to her, to let her explain who she was, she was sure, she wouldn't be here. This had to be a big misunderstanding.

"Somebody will be here to talk to you soon."

"Great." Soon could mean a lot. Soon could be a few seconds or a few hours. Because she had no idea why she was here, it was impossible for her to calculate the time she had to wait, how soon this soon would be. There was a possibility, that she had to stay here for a few hours, waiting for a detective, passed on from officer to officer. They didn't even give her a coffee, something she really needed now to wake up.

The door was opened, Sara didn't bother to turn around. Probably the next officer, who had to stay with her while the other one was due for a coffee and a donut. Food. Her stomach reminded her that she was very hungry. No wonder, the last time she had a proper meal was in San Jose, the last she had anything to eat was on her flight to L.A., a Snickers. That was at some point yesterday afternoon.

"Thanks Colby, you can step out."

How could she make it clear to the cops that she had nothing else in her mind than some sleep? She wasn't a suspect on the run, she wasn't a dealer, a hooker or whatever they thought she could be. She was a scientist, who was back from a field trip and needed some sleep. And food. And a shower. She wasn't quite sure in which order.

"Sara Sidle? It's really you."

Sara looked up and her jaw dropped. She knew this person. But she had no idea if it was real, what she saw or if her eyes played her a joke.

"Sofia?" Was that really the detective, she had worked with in Vegas? What was Sofia doing here? Did she work here? Did she order the men to get Sara here? If so, why? Was this some kind of practical joke?

"I don't believe this."

"Me neither – I think. What are you doing here?" Sara noticed that her old colleague hadn't changed a lot. Still sporty and blonde, all business, only a little sign of surprise was left in the blue eyes.

"I work here. Wanna tell me how you end up here?"

"I'd tell you if I knew. I was asleep, suddenly there were people, dragged me out of my bed, got me here and refused to talk to me. Mind to tell me what this is all about?"

"Are you a member of the group, that arrived from Costa Rica yesterday?"

"Yes. Why?"

"What were you doing there? You should be in Las Vegas."

"I quit my job over a year ago, one and a half. What am I doing here, Sofia? And don't give me crap like, I need to wait for whoever to talk to or read me my rights again. I've been through this already, answered enough question and would really appreciate it, when you could answer one of my questions so I know what's going on."

"What did you do in Costa Rica?"

Another question and no answer. Did they all ignore her questions on purpose? Didn't she have the right to get some answers?

Sara sighed. Alright, it seemed like she was the one, who was answering and not asking questions. Something new for her. "I was there with some colleagues, doing some research on the wildlife in the jungle of Costa Rica. After I left Vegas I needed some quiet time, something new and when I was in San Francisco, I met Alan, who is a member of the group too. He told me, he and some friends were about to go for a couple of weeks to Costa Rica, making a documentation about how the jungle reacts to the impact of people. What people do to the wildlife and the nature."

"So what did you find out?"

"Are you serious? You want to know about my work there?" It was impossible that her work had anything to do with why she was here.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No." Sara closed her eyes. This had to be a bad dream, a strange kind of nightmare. "I found out that if we go on like this, every day one species of fauna or flora will die off. There are hundreds of species that are endangered. Do you want to help our foundation or why do you ask all these questions?"

"I need your fingerprints, DNA and some blood, Sara."

"Anything else?" This became even more ridiculous every second. "A kidney, a part of my liver? Bone marrow?"

"Do you agree on a few tests?"

"What kind of tests?"

"Drugs."

Sara's eyes popped open. What did they think she did? Who did they think she was? Is couldn't be true. "Are you really the Sofia Curtis I worked with?"

"Yes."

"I doubt it at the moment, I don't think the Sofia I worked with, would ask things like you do. You must be a twin."

"I try to help you out, Sara."

"It feels more like you try to dig a grave."

"Your decision."

"Why?"

"Because it's the easiest and fasted way out for you."

"You won't answer any of my questions, will you?"

"I just answered your question why you should cooperate."

"Don't try to play me."

"I don't. So, what's your decision?"

"Get your CSI in, I've nothing to hide. And I hope you keep your word, this will get me out of here."

"If the results say so, you're free to go."

"The first sensible thing I've heard so far." And the second answer in a row she got.

Three hours later Sara was still sitting in her pajama in the same room, had given her DNA, fingerprints and blood samples to a CSI and got in exchange a coffee. Didn't help her stomach to get filled but was better than nothing. And somebody had taken pity on her naked feet and brought her a pair of socks.

"Want another coffee?" Sofia came back in the room.

"I want to leave, Sofia. How much longer do you want me to stay here? Without a reason."

"We have our reasons. The quick tests were all negative, good for you."

"What about my fingerprints and DNA? What did you use that for?"

"They didn't give us a reason to keep you."

"You're not answering my questions again."

"I'm afraid you have to get used to it. See the bright side, if I don't get specific, it means, I don't accuse you of something."

"Great. You just let me rotten here for no reason."

"No, I don't. I offered you a coffee."

"Do I look like I'm happy with a coffee?"

"No." Sofia cocked her head. "You look like somebody pulled you out of bed, like you had no time to dress, for a shower and is on the best to be really pissed off."

"One more comment like that and I'll give you a reason to hold me; assaulting an officer." Sara hissed. It was one thing when Sofia held her for police reason, another one when she made fun of her for her private pleasure.

"Calm down. I need you to sign this." Sofia put a sheet of paper on the table.

"I won't sign anything. The only thing I'll do is to say the magic word, that won't give you any legal possibilities to talk to me anymore and gives you the chance to talk to somebody, who'll get me out of here."

"You say this word and I'll take away this paper. Maybe you want to have a look at it first before you get yourself prepared for a few more hours." Sofia pushed the paper over.

Annoyed Sara picked it up and started reading.

"Where are the strings?"

"No hidden strings, Sara. You sign this, you're free to leave."

"And all I have is your word?"

"Isn't that enough?"

"Right now it doesn't feel so. Give me a reason why I should trust you. So far you haven't really done anything for me."

"Give me a reason why I should lie to you."

"What about the fact that you never really answered any of my questions."

"Can't do that, sorry. I answer them as good as I can."

"Hard to believe."

"Sara…just sign the bloody paper." Sofia sighed. "Please. For Christ's sake, I don't try to screw you. I try to get you out of here."

"That, detective Curtis, sounds more like you."

Sara took a look at the paper. She couldn't find anything that could do any hurt to her. "Pen?"

Sofia gave her a pen. With one last thought Sara signed the paper and gave it back to Sofia.

"Thanks."

"Well, thank you. Good luck with whatever you're working on."

"Sara?"

"I won't stay, Sofia. If you tell me now I can't leave, I'll kill you with my bare hands, in front of all your officers and I won't let them stop me. I got dragged out of bed, forced in a police car, treated like a murderer, kept in here for hours for no reasons and had only one lousy coffee, if you say I've to stay longer, I'll snap and you'll be the one who'll feel my aggressions. So think hard what you want to say now."

"For that I could held you." Sofia smiled a bit.

"Try it and it was the last thing you've ever done."

"Actually I want to offer you to wait a few more minutes and I'll get you back to your motel. Or do you want to take a cab in your PJ?"

"Where're the strings?"

"Again, no strings attached. Trust me. One more time." Sofia smiled.

"How long?"

"Less than five minutes."

"Okay." Sara had to give Sofia a point. She didn't want to take a cab with her PJ on. It was better to wait a moment and let the detective drive her back to the motel. After all, it was the fault of Sofia and her men why Sara was here. Had been here for …four hours.

She thought of getting another coffee and she was sure, there had to be a vending machine somewhere with something to eat. Right now she was starving and ready to eat almost everything. The problem was, beside something proper to wear she also had no money to buy anything. This wasn't a good day!

"Ready to leave or want to stay longer for a coffee?" Sofia caught Sara staring at the coffee vending machine.

"Over your dead body!"

"You're really nice to people, who want to help you, Sara."

"If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't been here all day."

"You weren't here for me, I'm the one who gets you out of here."

"After she kept me here for four hours."

"Don't you think it's wiser to offend me after I took you back?"

"Yes but I don't want to act smart right now! Smart isn't always satisfying."

Sofia grinned. She could understand Sara a little bit. "Come on, this is my car." Sofia opened the door to a black pickup truck.

Sara dropped on the passenger seat and closed her eyes. Finally out of the police department. Things could only get better from now on. All she needed was her room, a shower, a coffee, food, maybe a beer or two and all that at the same time because it was impossible to make a decision, what was the most important thing one right now. And she wanted to find out, why she had been taken to the police department like a dangerous criminal, what had happened to her colleagues. Nobody ever told her what had happened to them, she had tried to ask Sofia and the officers a few times, same with the CSI, nobody answered her questions.

"Do you have any food in the room or a room service?"

"What?" Sofia's words got her out of her thoughts.

"Do you have any food in the room or can you order something with the room service?"

"Why? Do you want to invite yourself for a late lunch?"

"The sound of your voice tells me, you don't like the idea. No, I'm asking because I want to know if I should get us through a drive through. Or do you want to get rid off me as fast as possible and get later something to eat?"

"Could you blame me for that?"

"Well, I haven't done anything bad to you, but I guess, in your eyes, I'm kind of the bad guy."

"I won't repeat what I said already."

"Alright, so yes or no? Do you need some late lunch or not? And try to make your decision with your stomach and not the stubborn head."

"Bite me."

"I'm hungry too, but not that hungry." Sofia drove her car to a fast food restaurant and stopped in front of the menu. "Choose."

"Maybe the Californian sun damaged your eyes, I wear my PJ, where do you expect me to have my wallet?"

"See it as an invitation of the LAPD."

"Make up for what they did to me for no reason? What a cheap way."

"Sara." Sofia said a little bit annoyed, shook her head, let her window down and drove forward. The always strange sounding voice, you could barely understand, no matter where you were, asked for their wishes.

"I'd like to have a double meat and cheese combo with a large coke."

"A…thi.. el..?"

Sofia looked at Sara.

"Mixed salad and a coke." The brunette grumbled. She was sure her stomach had said these words and not her head.

"A mixed salad and a coke. Also large. Thanks." Sofia let her car roll to the window, paid, took their order and handed the bag to Sara.

"Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks. Do you want your food too?"

"Can't drive and eat. I'll eat it later."

"Why didn't you order it later?"

"Because then I've to come here again. Don't worry, I'm used to cold fries and burgers."

"That's ridiculous. Stop the damn car and eat."

Sofia's left corner of her mouth rose. "Are you giving me orders, Sara? Do you think you're in a position to do so?"

"You can kick me out of the car if you don't like it." Not a smart thing to say when you were somewhere in a city, you didn't know, wore only your PJ and had no money.

"I should do that, yes. You deserve it."

"Bite me."

"I turned that offer already two minutes ago down. I've got something else to eat now." Sofia checked her GPS. They weren't far away from Sara's motel, she could eat in the parking lot there.

Sara definitely didn't waste any time with waiting. She had eaten half of her salad and her coke was gone by the time they reached the motel. Looked like she was thirsty and hungry.

"Home sweet home." Sofia smiled and stopped her car. "Don't forget that you're supposed to stay a little bit longer here, Sara. And that we expect you give us a smile every day at twelve sharp in the department. You're late a minute, you'll be on radio and then you'll stay longer than four hours."

"Thanks for driving." Sara simply said, opened the door. "Give me a second and I'll get you the money for the salad."

"Don't be ridiculous, I told you…" Sofia stopped when Sara slammed the door and walked away. "Bitch. Oh wait, it's still my game." Sofia tuned the car and drove away. As long as she was in the car, she could make the decision where to park and stay. And not Sara Sidle.