Chapter Title: Dance with Darkness
Author: Sam
Story: Reality Eludes All Living Monsters: 01 of 14
Series: SpeedBurn: 26
Chapter Characters: Nick, Cath, (OC) Daneesha
Rating: M: Language, Abuse of Minors, Violence, and Sexual Situations
Summary: Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and Washington DC experience a series of minor-related crimes, but are they a sign of something even bigger, even more sinister than a handful of kids in trouble?
Spoiler: Yeah, seasons 1 – 6 of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, seasons 1 – 2 of CSI: NY, and seasons 1 – 4 of CSI: Miami, seasons 1 – 12 of NYPD Blue, seasons 1 – 3 of NCIS, season 1 of Criminal Minds, and random facts from Castle.
Category: Crime-related; Drama; Science; AU
Setting: AU: SpeedBurn: Thursday, December 8, 2005 to Monday, December 12, 2005: Las Vegas, New York City, Washington, DC, and Miami.
Disclaimer: Castle was created by Andrew W. Marlowe and produced by Beacon Pictures, Experimental Pictures, and ABC Studios. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was created by Ann Donahue and Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications, CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), CBS Productions (2006-2009), and Jerry Bruckheimer Television. CSI: Miami was created by Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, and Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications (2002-2007), The American Travelers, CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), CBS Productions (2002-2006), CBS Television Studios (2009-2012), Jerry Bruckheimer Television, and Touchstone Television (pilot only). CSI: NY was created by Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, and Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications (2004-2007), Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Production (2004-2007), Alliance Atlantis Productions (2004-2007), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), CBS Productions (2004-2006), CBS Television Studios (2009-present), Clayton Entertainment, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Criminal Minds was created by Jeff Davis and produced by Touchstone Television (2005-2007), Paramount Network Television (2005-2006), The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios (2007-present), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), and CBS Television Studios (2009-present). NCIS was created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill and produced by Belisarius Productions and thinkfilm (the Washington DC scenes), and in association with Paramount Network Television (2003-2006), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), and CBS Television Studios (2009-present). NYPD Blue was created by Steven Bochco and David Milch and produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Fox Television Network, and Steven Bochco Productions. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership of these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story, and most likely not a story any of them would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this and it is just for my entertainment and that of free entertainment to a select group. Thank you.
Distribution: Please ask first?
Note: In the SpeedBurn timeline series significant changes occur in various episodes, marking differences in each series. The initial drastically changed episodes are in chronological order: "Bait" (Without a Trace), "Reveille" (NCIS), "Lost Son" (CSI: Miami), "Bodies in Motion" (Crime Scene Investigation), "Summer in the City" (CSI: NY), and "In Name and Blood (In Birth and Death)" (Criminal Minds). Many episodes after those changed are also different. This story is number 26 in the grand scheme. Thank you.
Second Note: Mac's injuries occurred in "Speed Trap". The kidnapping Stella remembers is in "Moral Judgments". Carmen appears in "The Swimsuit Murder". Cath became pregnant as a result of "Flowers Family".
Feedback: Yes, please, especially constructive.
xxx
Setting: Thursday, December 8, 2005: Las Vegas:
Taking a sip of his beer, Nick smiled as the pretty blonde bent closer in her dance. As she swayed to the sensual rhythm, Nick nodded slowly, appreciatively. Off duty, as long as he didn't pay for anything illegal, there were no rules against the young criminal investigator enjoying one of the many dance clubs or show rooms that lined the Las Vegas strip. Thus, that night, after a hard day of working on a burglary case he'd finally gotten cracked, Nick Stokes sat at a stage-side table enjoying a cold beer, some nachos, and a sensual dance by a scantily clad, well-built woman. In his eyes it was the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of the end of a grueling case.
As the tune ended, Nick sat back, waiting in pleased anticipation for the next dancer to come onto stage. So far, there had been a wide flavor variety, starting with a big-hipped redhead, a petite woman of Asian descent, and the voluptuous blonde who'd just finished. That was the great thing about this club: the floor show catered to a large variety of visual tastes ever since the new owner had taken over a few months previously. A man could sit back and get his fill of all the exotic beauty nature had to offer.
The relaxed, almost smug attitude didn't last past the opening beats of the next song.
Nick suddenly thrust forward, trying to get a good look at the dark-skinned beauty as she wove in and out amid the flashing disco-like lighting and smoky haze that accompanied her number. Something didn't feel right; every instinct in Nick's worldly-knowledgeable body screamed that the dancer was not what she was supposed to be. It took only a few more bars of sensual music to trigger the awareness in Nick's now alert brain.
That woman's on drugs!
Following close on the heels of the first thought came a second, more troubling one: Her body's underdeveloped! Even with the ripening breasts and well-proportioned swaying hips, Nick saw that this dancer was not an adult, though she was close to it. He wondered if she was even the requisite eighteen years and decided that no way in Hell could she be old enough to legally dance on that floor in that club.
Standing, almost casually, trying to appear as if the current dancer bored him, Nick tossed a few bills on the table to cover his unfinished meal and headed slowly, nonchalantly towards the door. Once in the front lobby, keeping an ear out for the continuing dance number, he picked up his pace and hurriedly pulled out his cell phone then speed-dialed the well known number.
"Catherine Willows," said the almost immediate reply and Nick sent a silent prayer of thanks Heaven-ward to whomever protected minors. "Hey, Cath, it's an emergency. I need your professional opinion five minutes ago at the "Cat's Meow" club on the main strip." He glanced furtively around, trying not to be too obvious in case someone overheard his conversation and decided to hide the girl on stage. Fortunately, Catherine Willows proved as cooperative as quick that night, and she replied, "on my way, Nicky. Stay put."
Far from taking her order to mean he had to stand around in the club's lobby, Nick headed back to his fortunately still untouched table. Slipping back into his seat, as if nothing untoward had occurred, the criminal investigator went back to watching the too-young dancer, all enjoyment in the feminine displays thus far presented having vanished with his dawning horror over the almost certain minor age of the girl before him. Nick hated child abuse, and even if the pretty girl was a month shy of eighteen she was still a minor; letting her dance for these not-always-respectful men was nothing short of illegal in Nick's opinion. A kid like that deserved a chance to make something more of herself than a dancer down-spiraling quickly towards prostitute. Added to the fact that she must be on drugs, Nick felt his nachos and beer turning in his uneasy stomach. Cath couldn't come fast enough for his unsettled mind.
Three songs passed before the red-haired investigator showed up, slipping into the seat next to Nick as calmly as if pregnant women were a normal occurrence in the club's audience. She signaled a nearly topless waitress and smiled as she ordered a cola, skipping any food. Neither investigator spoke as they waited the six or seven minutes for Catherine to get her drink, but as soon as the waitress became busy with other customers Catherine near-whispered, "What's up, Nicky?"
Equally quiet, Nick responded, "I need your expert opinion on one of the dancers, Cath. And I'm deadly serious." His tone said as much, apparently effectively holding Catherine's ready quip at bay.
Rather the woman scanned the room as if admiring the ambiance then nodded agreeably. "Is she even scheduled to come back on tonight, Nick? Some dancers don't work more than one or two sets."
Nick's brown eyes turned to his companion and he looked troubled. "I'm not sure . . . how do I find out without alarming them, Cath? She's a tiny black girl, but . . ."
Immediately Catherine seemed to get the gist, for she grabbed Nick's warm beer and gave him a delicious smile. Standing, she sashayed to the bar, attracting enough attention from the males present despite her rather obvious condition that no one would possibly think she was trying to be covert . . . who drew that kind of attention when she didn't want people to notice? At the bar, she leaned forward and slid the mug towards the man with a smile of invitation.
It worked as she'd planned for the man smiled eagerly in return, grabbing the mug and replacing it with a full, cold one. "Heya, sexy lady. Whatcha doing in this kinda place?"
She laughed a low sensuous sound that drew eager looks from nearby patrons. Ignoring everyone except the bartender, Catherine leaned even closer and purred, "I love that little dark number you've got here, but I missed her tonight. Any chance she's coming on again?"
The bartender seemed torn between the exciting image of two women in each other's arms and the disappointing idea that he spoke to a gorgeous lesbian, albeit a pregnant one. He merely mentally sighed for the loss to mankind and shrugged. "Yeah, she'll be on in two songs." Letting his eyes trail over the redhead, his eyes displayed that he tried to think of a way to ask her for the chance to turn her away from female lovers. Before he could form the idea that Cath might be bi-sexual, the music changed.
Catherine didn't give him the chance to try again, standing and laughing low once more. "Thanks, Babe." She gave him another knock-out smile, picked up the mug, and wound her way back to Nick's side, slipping into the chair with an attitude of total relaxation. "Next song, Nicky." Her eyes didn't leave the stage, playing her image to the hilt in case the bartender still watched her; she didn't doubt he did.
As the next song started, the flashing lights and smoke started once more. Pretty certain the effects were being used to distract the audience from the youth of the dancer, or at least from her dazed eyes and lost look, Nick frowned. Beside him Catherine signaled the girl over and held up a bill, still playing her part for the watching bartender and, no doubt, alert but hidden manager.
As the girl squatted down to receive the offering, Nick became more than certain this was no grown woman; she couldn't be more than sixteen. Aside from the youthful build of the dancer, the glazed, dilated eyes were a very evident indication of her drug usage. When the girl moved to back up and stumbled nearly onto her butt, a couple of other people recognized a problem. Someone off-stage turned the music off and the lights flickered to signal the girl to retreat just as another woman swept out of the far left entrance, ready to replace the young druggie.
Nick didn't give the girl the chance to follow her cues; he grasped her wrist firmly and said, "Police, you're coming with me." Both investigators knew there'd be hell to pay for his actions and that any chance of Nick being allowed to relax in that club unmolested in the future had just gone up in smoke. The manager would no doubt bar him from the club. Nick was willing to pay that price to help this poor misguided kid get a second chance to make some good decisions instead of what she'd apparently chosen so far.
Surprisingly the manager didn't make an appearance as the pair led their new charge from the still fully active club. Perhaps he'd decided that absence was the better part of valor.
xxx
Continued in Chapter Two: Mass Confusion
xxx
This is being attached to all first chapters of my CSI: Miami stories as it is imperative for the timeline!
On someone's recommendation I just watched Season 8, Episode 1 of CSI: Miami. I was horrified to see the discrepancies as compared to the original season and character biographies released in 2002. These discrepancies mainly revolve around Speed and when everyone came to or left the CSI lab. Thus, here is the original timeline as released in 2002 between Season 1, the biographies by the network, and Rory Cochrane's personal website, incorporating what I can of Season 8:
1991: Speed's best friend from high school (unnamed) receives a severe spinal injury during the senior class trip. Speed goes to medical college as a result (to try to heal him).
1993: Speed's best friend dies in surgery while Speed is in the second year of medical college with a double major (meaning four years of classes in two years). Speed drops out and disappears right after the funeral. He is not seen or found for a year.
1994: Speed turns up in Miami, living with the uncle of his deceased best friend. The uncle is a CSI from Miami's crime lab, under the supervision of Megan (Donner – no mention if she is actually married at this time). While bored, Speed visits the crime lab with his host and falls in love with the work. He applies for a job. Megan tells him to finish college and she'll hire him as a tech. He goes back to college.
1995: Speed graduates with a double major (meaning he finished four years of college in one year). He applies and is hired. In six months (supposed to be the quickest of any tech in Miami), he is made an investigator. This is without becoming a police officer at all. Horatio leaves the bomb squad and transfers to the Crime Lab. He is working under Megan. Rick Stetler also joins the crime lab (from homicide?). Both are trained by Speed as CSI's.
*September 1996: (My additions) Megan takes a temporary academy teaching position, leaving the Lab in the hands of her team: Speed, Horatio, Stetler, and various non-science related officers like John Sullivan. Speed goes to the St. Petersburg Police Academy (6 months, then a 6 month stint in St. Petersburg on the beat for experience). Shortly after these two leave, Jessie Cordoza arrives for a one year assignment before going to California.
September 1997: Flashbacks of "Out of Time" (CSI: Miami, Season 8, Episode 1) occur.
*September 1997: (My additions) Calleigh transfers from Louisiana to cover for Cordoza while they find a replacement. Within a few months, she is replaced so goes back to Louisiana. Speed returns from St. Petersburg.
*October 1997: (My additions): Megan returns from teaching and takes over the lab supervision once more.
2002: David Caruso states he is pleased that the CSI characters 'working for him' are all police officers (thus my addition of when Speed may have gone to the academy).
March 2002: Megan's husband Shawn Donner is killed in the line of duty. Megan is offered two weeks bereavement leave. She takes six months instead. The supervisor job opens, but Speed refuses to apply for it, content at his own rank. Horatio and Rick compete for the job and Horatio gets it. Rick transfers from the lab to IAB in order to get a promotion, but remains angry and resentful of Horatio. Horatio immediately hires Eric Delko and Calleigh Duquesne, handpicked CSI's. (Delko nearly made it to the Olympics as a swimmer and Calleigh was known as Bullet Girl in Louisiana at the time.)
May 9, 2002: "Cross Jurisdictions" (CSI: Miami and CSI crossover episode).
September 23, 2002: "Golden Parachute" (CSI: Miami pilot episode). Megan returns to the team as assistant supervisor. Eric expresses his anger for her attitude and Speed explains the loss of Megan's husband. (This denotes Eric did not know Megan or her history.) Also note that Megan relies heavily on Speed out of habit and unfamiliarity with Delko and Calleigh. She gives Speed double and triple amounts of work, which Horatio at times counters.
September 19, 2004: "Lost Son" (CSI: Miami episode). Speed is given full honors during the funeral, including an American flag and gun salute (denoting he is a cop).
Megan is only present for the first ten episodes. She leaves the series by the 11th episode. The character is said to have retired due to Post Traumatic Stress related to her husband's death. The actress is said to have left due to professional differences with David Caruso. My opinion differs about this for the following reason:
Speed and Megan are said to be very close friends, however the only voluntary contact Speed makes with her is during "Golden Parachute" when he sympathizes with her loss of Shawn. After that, he will not come physically close to her: stepping away if she approaches, hugging himself in an unconscious self-protective gesture, and moving so that at least one person or piece of equipment is between them whenever he is able. I think the professional differences were between Rory Cochrane and Kim Delaney.
Season 8, Episode 1 discrepancies: 1997: Calleigh transfers to Miami Crime Lab, which is "a closet". Horatio encourages Eric to become a cop then join the lab. Jesse Cordoza recommends "Speedle, a great guy up in St. Pete's (St. Petersburg, Florida, implying Speed is a cop.)". Horatio is also made head of the new crime lab, and Megan is mentioned as being in the field, but implied to be working for Horatio.
As you can see, these are major changes. My stories, especially in the SpeedBurn timeline are based on the original information released and not on the discrepancies in Season 8, though I have made adjustments which incorporate almost all Season 8 changes. Merrianna follows my lead on this, as well.
Thank you,
Sam
7