Disclaimer: This is solely for the enjoyment of the readership. There is no intent to infringe on characters owned by CBS.
Sharpshooter
Calleigh was pacing back and forth with an air of anticipation. It was that time of year again – rifle quals. What made it even better was this year both she and Horatio were paired up. Finally, not only did she get to be with the man she admired most, but she also got to be with one of the few shooters who could keep pace with her. Calleigh had a solid streak of competitiveness lodged deep in her soul.
"What is keeping him," she wondered quietly to herself.
As soon as her mind had uttered those words, Horatio turned around the corner with two brand new shooting jackets in hand. Calleigh broke out in a delighted, wide grin that Horatio returned with ease.
"One for you, my dear," he began as he helped her into the long sleeves. "And one for me," he commented as he slung his over his shoulder.
Calleigh adjusted the sleeves and buttoned it up snuggly.
"How did you ever get these? And one that fits me!" she giggled.
"I'm magic," he laughed, then he continued, "I ordered yours last year once I saw what they had gotten for you. It looked like something out of the trash pile at an old military reservation. I have to admit, I was embarrassed that the supply guys would do that to you," he blushed just a little.
Calleigh just beamed and turned around as if modeling a beautiful new party dress for him, "All I can say is thank you so much. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the range in one that never even came close. This is a thrill!"
She reached over and took his hand. Horatio felt her radiance melt him inside before he snapped back into his usual cool observer mode.
"I've got the ammo and weapons ready to sign for. You ready," Calleigh offered, still holding his hand.
Horatio nodded, "Let's go then."
A quick trip past the Armory got them two government issue M-16 A-1 rifles, six magazines, four ammo pouches, and one can of 7.63 mm ammunition. Calleigh gave the weapons the once over to check for basic operability. Everything sounded, looked, and smelled right to her trained senses. Horatio was logging out all the gear as she completed her LTI of the weapons.
"Got a speed loader in the box?" Calleigh asked the technician behind the glass.
"Yep, Detective, it's in there. You're ready to rock and roll. Have fun y'all! Just remember, what you shoot, you clean. See ya in a few hours," Chester smiled their way.
Calleigh slung the rifle over her shoulder and gathered up the clips, pouches, and belts. Horatio did the same with his rifle, grabbing the ammo can.
"Off to the see Wizard…shoot!" he gleefully played with Calleigh who gave him a warm, approving smile.
She packed the rifles in the back of the Hummer as Horatio removed some of the individual boxes of rounds. Those he placed on the front seat for Calleigh to load as they headed down the road. The rest of the can went behind his seat. Sure enough, there was the grey metal speed loader, just as Chester had said. Once the gear was stowed, Calleigh hopped up into the passenger seat and began to unpack the rounds. She placed one magazine at a time in between her knees and slid the rounds off their mini-racks along the guides of the speed loader. Horatio moved the vehicle out of the garage and onto the city street.
"All this Christmas in November, I just don't know what to do with myself," she teased and continued, "Horatio, how many rounds do you want in each clip to start with?"
"Dunno. How tight are the springs?"
"They feel new," she picked the clip up to her nose, "And they smell new." She gave him a giddy smile, "Looks like we got all new stuff today!"
"Glad you approve," he returned. "Pack 'em on in there, then."
Within ten minutes all six magazines were loaded and repacked into their pouches. The pouches were mounted with care onto the belts. Each pouch was large enough for three clips, but Calleigh preferred to put two which left room for anxious fingers to extract one clip more rapidly than if they were jammed in like sardines. It was a small but potentially significant tactical advantage.
"How much wiggle room you want on your belt?" she asked Horatio.
"I prefer them snug, thanks."
"Me, too," she took a very careful look at Horatio, then announced, "You're about a 34 waist?"
"Close enough," he replied, glancing at her, as they pulled up to the stoplight.
Calleigh made the adjustments to the belts and tucked Horatio's behind his seat while hers dropped to the floor by her feet. She pushed it as far forward as she could. The rifle range was on the other side of town, heading toward the Keys. It was out in the boonies, buggy boonies. Calleigh absentmindedly fiddled with her hair trying to figure out what would do best for the day's activities.
She had been looking in the visor mirror when all hell broke loose ahead of them. What seemed to be a herd of men came piling out of a storefront. Automatic weapons fire spit out of their guns just as it chased after them.
Horatio curbed the Hummer quickly, "Get down, Calleigh!"
He reached for the radio for backup and made the call.
Calleigh was not one to shrink from what she perceived to be her duty. She reached behind the seat and pulled up the two rifles and Horatio's ammo belt.
Horatio yelled at the suspects, "Miami PD. Put your weapons down!"
That got the guaranteed result of rounds fired off in their general directions. It was well-known, as a general rule, that criminals can't shoot straight, a fact that Horatio understood. He held his ground and returned fire with his pistol. Calleigh had made her way down the side and joined him, partially shielded by the vehicle's bulk. She slipped the first magazine in, pulled the charging handle, and gave it a tap. Horatio's M-16 was ready to fire.
"Horatio, single shot, here!" Calleigh shoved the rifle into his hands.
Calleigh's finger slid down her weapon until it found the selector switch. Her shooting stance for the off hand was perfect in form. All she lacked was time to adjust the sling; however, she improvised by tucking her left hand under and up, passing through the sling to give her added stability. She smoothly shifted from single shot to burst. She put half a clip down range over their heads, which served as a reminder to the gangbangers that they may have bitten off more than they could chew. Both Horatio and Calleigh could hear sirens off in the distance, hoping that was back up.
Then the rule failed! Horatio pitched backward, rifle flying forward, clattering to the ground. In Calleigh's recollection he fell in slow motion to the pavement. Neither of them would ever remember hearing that shot.
"No!" she screamed and ducked down to see how badly Horatio was hit.
His head was reeling from the shock of it, from the pain of it, from the suddenness of blood loss. He had managed to keep his head up and avoided slamming it into the pavement. Still, his shoulder was on fire, and Horatio writhed and groaned on the ground.
"I'm okay. I'm okay," he kept telling Calleigh.
Hearing his voice snapped her back into situational awareness. With the ferocity of a mother lioness, she straddled her downed partner and fired back. This time she switched to the single shot mode.
Her first round found its way to the center of the nearest perp. He was jolted back but only a little. He laughed as he charged her.
"Body armor, okay. Going to go the hard way, are we?" Calleigh muttered.
The next round dropped him like a stone. She practically took out the left half of his head. One by one, Calleigh drilled their heads in what is affectionately known as the no twitch zone until their leader had the presence of mind to realize that he was indeed outgunned. He was the first to "lay it down."
As he tossed out his weapon and assumed the position, four cars of Miami's finest arrived from two different directions. Those cops began to corral the living perps. One placed a call that Calleigh could hear coming over the radio for paramedics and multiple ambulances.
Calleigh leaned her weapon on the side of the Hummer and raced to the emergency first aid box in the way-back. It sat next to their CSI collection gear in a similar flat metal box.
Horatio was still on the ground, although he was no longer moving around much. Calleigh tore open his shirt and slapped on a wad of gauze to try and stop the bleeding. His shoulder was spurting blood to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
More sirens. This time it was the first of the ambulances.
"Over here," Calleigh called out. "Officer down!"
The paramedics raced to her position and found her applying pressure to Horatio's bloody shoulder.
"Got a bleeder!" one said. "Forget our gurney. Get the chopper over here, stat! Let's get him outta here!"
Calleigh heard the extra urgency in his voice. She also heard Horatio calling her name softly to himself.
Speed was the next CSI team member to arrive on scene. He looked around and shook his head. He reached for his radio and called for Alexx. Calleigh had been quite thorough and far deadlier than the criminals had been. She had sent four of the dead seven gangsters to their graves. He could hear the sound of the medivac chopper as it came in for a landing in the intersection.
"Tim! Tim!" he heard her call for him. "Over here! Horatio's been shot."
Speed picked up his pace as he headed toward the Hummer. He found Calleigh still leaning over her friend, mentor, and boss. Horatio looked much worse for the wear. His face was pale and sweaty. The paramedics had cut open the sleeve of his shirt and had begun an IV.
"Here, you get these back. I'm going to the hospital with him," Calleigh directed, as she thrust both rifles and the keys to the Hummer into Tim's hands.
She jumped into the chopper as they lifted off with Horatio's now limp body to Jackson Memorial. The door shut securely behind her.
Calleigh remembered at that exact moment just how much she hated flying. Her head began to spin, shortly thereafter, it was her stomach telling her this may not have been the brightest idea she'd had recently. Instead of throwing up, she took Horatio's hand and held on for dear life – for both of them. Horatio was completely incoherent, but he could feel the presence of the one woman he trusted most in life. In his mind, he held on to her just as tightly.