Cooper's Folly
Summary: Sometimes revenge can make you overstep your bounds.
**Thanks to SaraDocCraver101 for the idea to have Horatio meet his uncle Pestilence.**
Chapter 1.
(T.V. News Reporter):
"Today is a day of relief for all Miami Dade county residents and for all of the country as well. Sergeant Horatio Cane and Calleigh Dunquest with the help of the other CSI team members took down a vicious psychopathic serial killer whose bloody trail stretches from the west coast to right here in our own little corner of Florida. He is now off the streets and awaiting trial. We will bring you more updates on this story as they happen. This is Ed Laddle for Florida News 3."
Dan Cooper turned the T.V. off with a disgusted grunt. "Four years of my life I spent in a concrete cell!" he screamed in rage, "And three years of probation, and all for nothing more than using a dead man's credit card. That should be me up there! He got back to work on his pet project, but I did not waste my time, oh no. I have learned not to waste my time and opportunities when they come. And soon, I shall reap my vengeance on Horatio and that little Miss Perfect and the rest of Miami.
"Hey Horatio! I caught you on the news, the camera loves you!" said Ryan with a big grin on his face as he walked into Horatio's office carrying the file on the recently closed case and an official looking letter.
"Rough rrrrr arrrggg..." came a most vicious snarl as he came into the middle of the office floor.
"Ahhh!" yelped Ryan, as he jumped up against the wall, his heart thudding like a rabbit after being chased and surviving. "Oh god no, not again," he said and then after a minute he realized the hound didn't attack and he yelled, "Ozryel that's not funny!"
Horatio looked at Ryan and said, "She's not here, and it's part of my training to learn and work with a hell hound."
"Training?" Ryan asked with a quizzical look on his face.
"...To be a grim reaper in the future...if necessary..."
"Oh," said Ryan.
Horatio motioned for Ryan to walk around the hound and said, "You stepped on his paw, next time be more careful."
Ryan looked at him with a kind of irritated look and said, "Not everyone can see an invisible dog like you."
Horatio chose to let the comment go and asked Ryan, "What do you have in your hands?"
"Hmm? Oh right—here is the file on the case we just closed and an official looking letter from the Florida Correctional Institute in Fort Lauderdale."
Horatio looked at the letter and pursed his lips together in a frown. "It seems that Dan Cooper has just completed his four years of probation as part of his prison sentence."
"Oh? What did he do?" asked Ryan curiously.
"He took Tim Speedle's credit card, racked up a $2,000 debt, cyber-stalked Calleigh, stole a memory card from a camera that was part of an active crime scene and inadvertently got Calleigh kidnapped and almost killed."
"Oh yea, I remember that last part, but had no idea someone else was behind that," said Ryan.
"Yea, he really wanted to be a CSI detective," and at that Horatio and Ryan turned to see Calleigh standing in the doorway.
"Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation," she said with a sad look on her face. "So he's out now," she said. "Maybe he will turn his life around."
One week later...
"There. Now all I have to do is smooth out the edges when this cools off and I can put the innerworkings together and get it in my beautiful device. But first, I have to find certain ingredients, ha ha ha."
Chapter 2.
Dan Cooper opened a package containing some of the deadliest diseases known to man in his laboratory. He was thinking to himself, at last the ingredients that I have waited for so long to use are here, and soon they will all regret no letting me truly join their precious little group. "But first, I have to test it somewhere, where they will never suspect..."
Chapter 3.
Meanwhile on the island of Stromboli, off the coast of Sicily, the local reapers were busy with a nasty plague that was unlike anything they had seen before. Some people were dying swiftly, others were lying in agony; they were so overwhelmed that they had to call in the angel of death. She was on top of Mount Saint Helen's enjoying some solitude. When the angel of death arrived on the island of Stromboli, a cold wind blew.
"Thank you for coming," said one of the local reapers. "We have no idea what's going on with this plague. We have no idea what it is. We need your expertise."
Ozryel walked into the hospital, unseen by anyone, because she had learned long ago to cloak herself when she didn't wish to be seen, except for by the reapers. When she entered the section of the hospital in quarantine, the sight that greeted her was enough to make even her pause. Turning to Luigi she said, "How long has this been going on?"
He said, "It all started with the man in the middle of the row by the wall. He arrived to the United States carrying a package of Miami Hurricane sports jerseys for his whole family because they are big fans of that team. When he opened the package, a blast of white powder shot out covering his face and blocking his nostrils so he had to keep his mouth open. Then, a second after the initial blast, another blast came directly into his mouth and he reflexively swallowed it. He wiped it away and then immediately started coughing and getting pale, and dropped to the floor. By the time he had got to the hospital he hacked up a glob of blood and said, 'I should be okay' and then promptly passed out. Then that is when those who cared for him also got sick and they started growing black boils and getting fevers. There are at least five people in this room and I don't think any one of them are going to make it," he said with a look on his face.
Ozryel looked at the people and said, "It seems like they have a mix of three different diseases all at once. Where in the United States did this package come from?"
Luigi looked at the angel and said, "I asked a man posing as a doctor and he said 'Miami Dade, Florida'."
Ozryel just let out a low growl of irritation, she really hadn't planned on going back to Florida for awhile.
The next day...
Calleigh was sitting in the meeting room reading the newspaper when she saw an odd article about a person sick with an unusual disease that seemed to mimic the symptoms of the black plague, tuberculosis, and necrotizing fasciitis (the flesh-eating bacteria). As she sat there reading she thought maybe Horatio should see this.
At the same time Delco and Ryan were having lunch at the Open Pier Park, enjoying their day off. "Hey Delco, these subs are great, how come you never told anyone about this place before?"
Delco took a bite of his sub, chewed thoughtfully for a minute, swallowed and said, "It's relatively new and how often does anyone ever get to come down here?"
They got up and walked to their car and just as they were closing the door they heard a voice say, "Wow, you guys should always check the backseat, you never know who may be in your car."
Quickly turning around, Ryan and Delco came face to face with the Angel of Death. Ryan immediately turned pale and started backing out but Ozryel locked the doors and said, "Calm down."
Delco looked at her and said, "How'd you get in my car?"
She said to Delco, "I'm the Angel of Death, breaking into a car is not that hard."
"I never expected you to come back, at least not so soon," Ryan said trying to hold himself together.
She looked at Ryan and said, "Well you don't have anything to be nervous about...do you Ryan?" she said with a small grin on her face.
"No—no," he stammered.
"So what brings you back here?" Delco asked firmly.
Losing the smile, Ozryel said, "I don't have the details exactly, but has anyone died of anything odd in the last day or two?"
Ryan and Delco looked at each other and said, "Well, what do you mean by odd?"
"Has anyone died of anything resembling the pasteurella pestis, necrotizing fasciitis, or mycobacterium tuberculosis?"
Delco said with a shocked look on his face, "That's the scientific name for the black plague, tuberculosis, and the flesh-eating bacteria!"
Ozryel just nodded, grimly.
Ryan said, "No, why?" (His curiosity was winning over his slight fear and shock).
She said, "Because Horatio's uncle, one of the four horsemen, might be in town, and it would be just like him to cause this kind of chaos."
"Well, which uncle, he's got three..." said Ryan.
Ozryel looked at him and said, "His uncle Pestilence. He wasn't exactly fond of Horatio and this is the exact kind of mess that usually happens when he is around."
The two men looked at each other and then said, "We have to find H."
Chapter 4.
At last, I have more of the ingredients to use in my revenge.
"That little test I did in Italy was perfect, but now...to do more tests at home. I believe that that muscle-bound idiot that sits at the lifeguard stand at Rocky Point Beach could be knocked down a few pegs, so-to-speak, ha ha ha! And then, after a few more people drop, then, I will consummate my revenge."
Over the course of the next 3 days the hospitals were kept busy with sudden and odd cases of tuberculosis, the black plague, and two cases of flesh-eating bacteria. Nobody could figure out how they contracted it and why it was working so fast. The CSIs were given the body of a homeless man that was found on the beach. Witnesses had said that he had just washed up on shore with black pustules all over his body and had bloody phlegm all over his lips. The new coroner, who had taken the place of the former Dr. Price was filling out paperwork when the body had come in, accompanied by Calleigh Ducane and Ryan Wolfe.
"Got a fresh one for ya Tom," said Ryan with a grimace.
He, Calleigh and the Doctor lifted the body onto the slab and the coroner turned the them and said, "Would you two like to help me perform at autopsy?" Calleigh was just about to say yes when a reflection caught her eye. She looked up, and for just a second she thought she saw a shadow of wings.
"Uh, no thanks Tom, we gotta get going." She grabbed Ryan's arm and hauled him out.
As they were leaving Ryan said, "What's the hurry?"
Calleigh said, "I think Tom's going to meet Ozryel." At that, Ryan just nodded and hurried along. Tom just looked at the two of them leaving rather quickly and shook his head.
Turning around, he was about to open the body bag, when he heard a voice say, "I wouldn't do that doctor." Turning to look back behind him, he saw a tall skinny girl in blue shorts, a yellow top, and white sneakers with grey stripes, looking at him with a pleasant smile but with eyes that could make the blood run cold.
"Who are you and how'd you get in here? This area is off limits to non-personnel. You should leave now or I'll be forced to call security."
Turning back again towards the body, he was just about to open up the body bag again, when he heard her say, "You don't want to end up like him, do you?"
He looked up and found her standing on the other side of the slab with a slightly annoyed look on her face. He pushed back on his stool in shock and said, "How did you get there?"
She looked at him with a small smile and said, "Same way you do, just quicker."
Regaining his composure, he said, "I'm calling security, they'll be here in less than two minutes and you'll be arrested for trespassing and for threatening me," he said as he was dialing security's code.
Sighing inwardly, she thought to herself, Really? I really don't want to have to do this but...but I can't let him call security that would just make things messy for Horatio. She then quickly thrust out her hand forcing the phone to fly away from the doctor's hand and lie on the floor with a THUNK. The doctor sat there in total shock for a minute. Ozryel looked at him and said, "Don't force me to do anything else."
She then turned to the body and placed her hand on his chest, where you could here an audible fizzing, hissing, and popping. Then she grabbed the body and stood him upright and you could here a shlshrlurrp going down to the bottom of the bag.
She then gently placed the body back down on the slab, looked at the doctor and said, "I suggest you get Horatio down here, he's gonna want to see this. And burn the body bag. Whatever you do, do not stick your hand in the bottom of the bag, if you want to live." She then walked out the door and phased out of sight away from the cameras.
After recovering his wits, Dr. Tom Loman called security and Horatio who got there in not less than a minute and a half after he called, and he had told him what had happened. Horatio sent the security team to fan out across the building in search of her, knowing full well that they wouldn't find her. Turning to the doctor he said, "You are very lucky you didn't annoy her more." He walked over to the body and opened the bag.
"Wait!" yelled Tom as he ran over to Horatio, "She said not to touch the bottom of the bag!"
Horatio pulled the body out and then looked down into the bag's depths. He could see the condition of the body, and he could guess what Ozryel had done. Closing the body bag, Horatio tossed the bag into the hazardous waste barrel and said, "Is there anything else she said, Dr.?"
"Nothing much, just when I threatened to call security she made the phone fly out of my hand. I know it sounds nuts but that's what she did."
Horatio just nodded and said, "Next time she comes back tell her I want to talk with her." And as he was walking out the door he half-turned to the doctor and said, "Try not to annoy her," and then walked off leaving a very confused doctor to do the autopsy.
Chapter 5.
Later that afternoon Calleigh was in Horatio's office showing him the article about the recent happenings in an Italian hospital.
"Horatio, you don't think Ozryel would do this, do you?"
Horatio finished reading the article, set it down on his desk and said, "I don't think so but we should talk to her. If she is then I might have no choice but to try and stop her."
Calleigh looked at him with concern mixed with shock and said, "Is there even a way to do that?"
There was a knock on the door and they both looked up to see Delco and Ryan standing there with grim looks on their faces.
Delco said, "We didn't tell you this but yesterday we got a visit from an old friend."
Ryan said, "She wanted to know if people were dying from anything strange like the black plague, tuberculosis, or flesh-eating bacteria all at the same time," as he stood there scratching his scar.
Horatio looked at the spot where the scar lay hidden under Ryan's shirt and then said, "So Ozryel spoke to you."
Then both nodded and then Delco said, "She thinks your Uncle may be in town."
"Uncle? You don't have an uncle do you?" asked Calleigh.
Horatio sat down in his chair and rubbed his temples trying to concentrate. He then looked up and said, "I do vaguely remember seeing my uncles when they came to take my father away. I do, in fact, have three uncles. The other horsemen."
Chapter 6.
Cooper had mixed his diabolical weapons in his garage. He put the final finishing touches on the small bacterial package that he planned on mailing to the CSI lab.
"This will be addressed directly to Calleigh," he chuckled darkly. "She'll open it, get a big face full of this and that will be the end of her, ha ha."
The next day, said package arrived...
"Hey Calleigh, you got a package," said a tall, skinny well-built man with short, close-cropped hair and a winning smile.
Calleigh turned to him and smiled and said, "Aren't you a chipper fella today, just put it on the table Jesse. My hands are full of gun grease, thanks."
"If you want, I could open it for you," he said. "It looks important."
She looked at it and said, "Well, okay, just don't make a mess."
Jesse Cardosa took out his pocket knife and cut the seal on the box. Then opened it.
FWOOSH! A blast of white powder shot out covering his face, blocking his nostrils so he had to keep his mouth open. Less than a second after the initial blast came a second blast of clear liquid directly into his mouth. It was reflexively swallowed.
"Jesse!" yelled Calleigh as he dropped to ground coughing and trying to wipe the powder away. With alarms sounding and an automatically sealed door in place, Calleigh wiped the powder, which was like corn meal in its consistency, out of his eyes and face. He pulled out the rest from his nose.
"Are you two ok?" yelled Horatio (who had pushed the emergency button).
"Yes, I'm fine, but Jesse is getting paler and is still coughing!"
Horatio rushed over, grabbed him by the shoulders and said, "Jesse, nod if you can still hear me."
In a great erratic cough, he hacked up a wide glob of black and red block, and said, "There now, I'll be okay," then promptly passed out into a coma.
T.V. Reporter: "A package containing a small amount of corn starch-like powder and a semi-clear liquid, the consistency of cough spray, exploded when it was opened earlier today in the Miami Dade crime laboratory. Two people were taken to the hospital. No word yet on how they are. Sergeant Cane did say he is now leading the investigation personally.
As he sat in his living room, drinking a scotch and watching the news, he smiled and thought to himself, Good. Now to put the rest in the bombs and place it where it can do the most damage, Dan Cooper thought to himself.
Chapter 7.
"This is all my fault! I should have opened it myself, that package was for me," Calleigh cried into her hands as she tried to keep herself under better emotional control.
"It's not your fault, no one knew it was a trap," said Eric as he tried to comfort her.
Horatio was seething under his calm exterior. Someone had tried to hurt Calleigh! And put a member of his team in a coma.
"Horatio, calm down, you're no good to anyone if you fly off the handle and do something stupid," said Ozryel.
She then held Jesse's thin wrist to measure his steady, yet shallow, pulse.
"This has to be Pestilence's doing," said Ryan with a scowl as he nervously scratched his scar which still looked as raw and fresh as the day he had gotten it 5 years ago.
"Now why would you say that?" said a tall, solidly built but skinny man with brown hair who was at least half a foot taller than Horatio. He looked to be about 37 years old.
Horatio looked up from his anger-induced musings and immediately went cold as he looked at the man. Delco, too, was in a state of shock, but nobody else seemed to notice their reactions. The man looked every inch like a doctor that belonged at the hospital...but he wasn't a doctor...
"Who are you?" said Ryan, as they moved closer to the bedside.
The man smiled and said, "My name is Doctor P.T. Lance." Looking right at Ozryel he said, "It's been awhile."
Ozryel gave him her full un-cloaked withering look that would have sent anyone else screaming, and growled, "I still haven't forgiven you for that stunt you pulled in 1692."
Horatio looked at Ozryel and said, "How do you know him?"
She looked at Horatio and said, "That, despite all appearances, is your uncle."
Chapter 8.
Delco stood there with a confused look on his face and thought to himself, That can't be H's Uncle, that's his dead brother.
Calleigh and Ryan gasped in shock. Horatio just stood there looking like he had eaten a sour lemon.
Calleigh, with anger plainly showing on her face said, "Did you do this? Did you try to kill us?"
Pestilence looked at her with a smile on his face that would have fooled anyone who didn't know who or what he was and said, "Dear lady, that is not how I do things. If I wanted to do this, all I would have had to do was touch him. And besides, why stop at one person when I could have infected everybody."
"That's sick," said Ryan with a disgusted look on his face.
Pestilence looked at him and said, "You're awfully brave today aren't you? Especially for someone who has already met Ozryel's little pet..."
Ryan just scratched his scar and looked back at Jesse.
Looking back at Jesse, Pestilence said, "That's an awful lot of bacteria in him, if you don't do something soon he may very well die."
Horatio looked at his uncle and said, "How do you know what's in him if you didn't send the package?" His voice was as cold as an open grave.
Looking at Horatio, Pestilence said with a smile, "Well, I am a horseman, diseases and what causes them is my domain. You've really turned out to be quite a good man, Death must be so proud of you."
Horatio looking to him said, "He is. And thanks to Ozryel, I have learned much.
Chapter 8.
"You said bacteria was in that liquid, what kind?" said Ozryel calmly but with an irritated look on her face.
Pestilence chuckled and said, "Like you can't guess. Come on, have you grown soft?"
"This is no game," growled Horatio, "One of my team is in a coma, and Calleigh almost got hit, and according to the note on the bottom of the box she was the target! Also, the mad man responsible has decided to wipe out the entire city in a twisted bid for revenge, so answer the question."
Pestilence's smile dropped a little and a little bit of anger shown in his eyes, "Easy boy, don't think you can take me on," he said with an ice cold stare directed at Horatio.
"Enough!" said Calleigh with tears threatening to spill, "We need to find out what he has, please help us."
"Well, since you said 'please'" Pestilence said. "It was some of the deadliest diseases bacteria could produce. Your friend has pus-filled sores from the black plague that will soon push to the surface and tuberculosis that will give him pain beyond belief from bloody coughing and persistent night fevers. His flesh will soon become rotted from the flesh-eating bacteria."
"I recognize those bacteria," said Horatio solemnly. "This isn't good. This isn't good at all."
"You could have said something earlier," said Ozryel as she stared looking at Jesse's body.
"We have to do something, and now," said Calleigh as she held onto Jesse's other hand.
Two men dressed like doctors came in and pulled out guns and said, "Come with us, Miss Ducane, or they die," said the men pointing their guns at Pestilence and Delco.
Pestilence said, "I bet you've never had chicken pox, have you?"
"What's it to you, doctor?" said the first thug, leveling the gun.
With a smile, he said, "Just curious," then he clapped him on the hand. Dropping the gun, the first thug started itching his hand and said, "Ow, I can't stop itching!" Then red spots appeared all over his hand and body, causing him to drop to the ground in uncontrollable agony.
Horatio grabbed the first thug's gun and said in a furious hiss, his eyes glowing white, "Tell me why you tried to kidnap my friend and who sent you and maybe I'll let you live!"
The second thug looked at Horatio and said, "I'll never tell you and you can't do a thing about it! Ha ha ha!" He then turned to point the gun at Ozryel. Ozryel just glared at the fella, as calm as a cucumber, and flung the gun out of his hand. Horatio then dropped his gun and grabbed the man around the throat, slamming him up against the wall. Delco closed the door and Ryan lowered the curtains. Ozryel said, "It's time to use what I taught you before I left."
The thug, trying to squirm out of Horatio's grasp, had said, "What could you possibly have taught him?"
Horatio looked at the guy and said, "Tell me who sent you or else I'll show you what she taught me!"
"You're a freak," said the thug and slapped Horatio across the face.
Horatio, eyes still glowing white, concentrated and then all the skin just dropped off of him to reveal a bone-white skeleton and his fingers were like the sharp points of bone.
"What are you!" the thug screamed.
Horatio looked at him and broke his hand, bones snapping like dried twigs. "Tell us what you intended to do and maybe I'll tell him to ease off," said Pestilence with slight amusement dancing on his face.
"Alright, alright, I'll talk," said the thug. "We were hired to kidnap blondie and bring her to the Brickell Key River Park next to the Guest Suite Inn Hotel in Blackpoint Beach Miami."
"Then what?" asked Ryan.
"We were told to tie her up and that the guy would take over."
"What is his name?" growled Horatio as he clenched his jaws together with an audible snap.
The thug looked like he was going to pass out, but said, "The name of the guy is Don, or Doug..." he couldn't remember, and then he whimpered, "Please don't kill me."
Horatio stared at the thug for a second, considered doing some major internal damage, but then let him go and let him drop to the floor.
Horatio tried to calm down enough for his eyes to go back to normal and for his skin and muscles to return to where they belonged. When he was done he said, "Dan Cooper, that was his name wasn't it?"
"Ya, ya, that was it, Cooper," he gasped.
Chapter 9.
The other CSIs just stared shock silence. Delco said, "That little weasel! I told him the last time someone tries to kidnap Calleigh, that if he were to have anything happen to her, I'd kill him."
"Well, let's go find him," said Calleigh, angry now, "He's obviously gone off the deep end."
"We can't leave Jesse alone, he still needs to be watched and protected," said Ryan.
"Well, I might be able to help with that," said Pestilence with a wicked grin.
"What do you mean?" asked Delco with a serious look on his face.
Pestilence just smiled and gave an ear-piercing whistle. Out through the vents came a thick cloud of black smoke. Ozryel knew what it was immediately and said, "He better come out immediately or heaven help the both of you."
Pestilence looked at her and said, "Don't worry, he'll come back out." And at that, pointing to Jesse, the thick black smoke slammed itself down his throat. His body convulsed and twisted, monitors going crazy beeping like a thousand trucks backing up. Finally, he jack-knifed and lay still on the bed for a few seconds. Horatio and Delco raced to the bed but Ozryel and Pestilence held them back. Jesse's eyes flew open and they were pure yellow. He stood up and said, "Well, why'd you bring me here Pestilence?" in a voice like the buzzing of a thousand flies.
Horatio glared at Ozryel and looked at Pestilence and said, "What did you do to him?"
Ozryel looked at Horatio and said, "He's given him a protection of sorts while we go find out what Coooper wants and why he was behind the attack on Calleigh. Trust me, no one will be taking your friend away." This was the last she said while glaring at the yellow-eyed one.
Before they left, Calleigh turned and said to Ozryel, "Will Jesse make it, will he live?"
Ozryel stared at her and said, "I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see."
Delco grabbed her arm and said, "You're the angel of death, you of all people should know whether her is going to live or die."
Ozryel looked at Delco and removed her arm from his grasp and said, "I'm not omniscient, I'm an angel."
Pestilence looked at Jesse and then at Ozryel and said, "You know, you could always cure him."
Calleigh said, "If you can cure him do it."
Horatio said, "Hang on a minute Calleigh, what's the catch?"
Pestilence walked up to the bed, turned to look at Horatio and said, "Well, the catch is he might not live through it. He is after all just a human mortal."
Pestilence then turned to the one with the yellow eyes and said, "Okay, you're to act just like Jesse, no turning rotations of the head, no floating off the bed. Just act normal, and for heaven's sake no throwing your voice. Last time you did that you scared twelve people to death—literally. Since you are supposed to be in a coma, just sit there."
He just snorted and said, "Sure no fun at all."
Chapter 10.
Meanwhile, at the Guest Suite Inn Hotel, Cooper was just finishing putting the final touches on his bacterial bomb. Then, climbing out of the main air conditioning duct in the building said to himself, "This will be my greatest triumph ever!"
Then, his cell phone rang. He picked it up and said, "Cooper."
On the other end Horatio held the phone to the thug's ear and told him what to say. He was saying that him and his partner had kidnapped the blonde and was wondering where they wanted to meet.
Cooper sighed in frustration and said, "Meet me at Black Point Beach and make sure you're not followed. Be there in twenty minutes." Cooper smiled as he hung up the phone, he was now going to get his revenge on Miss Perfect.
Horatio and Delco, dressed as the thugs, with Ozryel cloaking herself sitting in the back with Calleigh drove to the Guest Suite Inn Hotel at Brickel Key River Park. Cooper was there, smiling as they dragged Calleigh out of the car. It's about time you two got her here. Cooper took the gag off.
Calleigh glared at him and said, "What are you doing? Have you lost your mind!?"
Cooper got up in her face and said, "No! But you ruined my life! Now you and everyone else will pay for my humiliation and how because of you I never got to be a CSI or even a detective who works with you guys! That's all I ever wanted..." he said, a brief look of sadness in his eyes, and that was quickly replaced by anger, and then he slapped her across the face and said, "And because of one tiny little mistake it was all taken away!"
Calleigh sat there and said, "You used a credit card that belonged to a decorated, brave officer who died in the line of duty and was a good friend. What you did was wrong."
Horatio was just barely holding himself in check, and Delco wanted to ring Cooper's little neck, but was able to restrain himself, just barely.
Cooper sneared and said, "Yea, but now the blood of hundreds will be on your hands. I don't think you'll be able to wiggle out of getting doused this time and I will make sure you suffer this time!" he said with a viscous grin. "Tie her up! I want her placed right in front of the opening of the hotel so she gets the full blast." Cooper turned around to put the final finishing touches on the remote control and he didn't notice Horatio and Delco taking off their masks and untying Calleigh, nor did he notice the gathering storm clouds over the ocean. In the meantime, Pestilence had sent out his special little helpers and had found three of the bombs and was now on his way over to where Horatio and the 3 others were.
Cooper said with a smile, still not turning around, "Oh, this will be the biggest plague to hit anywhere since the Black Plague of the dark ages. Or since that ergot fungus killed all the wheat back in Salem in 1662."
Then he heard a voice say, "You truly are a sick little thing, aren't you?"
Not recognizing the voice he turned around and came face to face with Ozryel.
He looked at her and said, "Who are you, you shouldn't be here, go away before I make you as sick as Jesse Cardosa."
Ozryel just glared at him and said, "You're the one who gave that Italian guy all those diseases, aren't you? The one that's been in the news."
Horatio looked at Ozryel and said, "So you knew about that and did nothing?"
Cooper at Horatio and said, "Well, Horatio Cane. You've got some new girl, and your Calleigh. Well, I'm still going to set off the bombs and there's nothing you or your newbie can do to stop me," he sneared. So saying, he took a syringe and jammed it straight into Ozryel's heart and pushed her away onto the ground, laughing the whole time.
That's when he hears, "You shouldn't have done that to her, it'll only tick her off." He looked up to see a tall man with dark hair, half a foot taller then Horatio with grey eyes getting out of a small green jeep surrounded by flies. He was carrying three of Cooper's bombs.
Cooper looked at him and said, "Who are you? How'd you get my bombs?"
Horatio walked up to Pestilence, looked at the bombs and said, "Thank you unlce, but I'll take it from here." Then there was a boom like a cannon shot and a flash of lightning. Ozryel stood up, yanked the needle out of her heart and slammed it onto the table where it smashed into a million pieces.
Pestilence said, "Well, I wouldn't want to be you right now."
Turning, Cooper saw Ozryel standing 12 feet tall with black wings 10 times bigger than a bald eagle's spreading out behind her back. Her body was fully encased in black onyx armor and her eyes were as white as a death shroud. Thunder rumbled like an angry grizzly and lightening flashed like the skinny fingers of a skeleton.
Ozryel glared and Cooper and said, "What you have done is beyond stupidity. For what you have done, I should rip out your soul and tear it to shreds. I think what you did to Horatio and his friends were almost as bad so I will let them decide your fate, but that doesn't mean you are getting off scott-free."
Cooper shaking like a leaf and turning paler than an albino still tried to be brave and said, "That's a nice trick, but you don't scare me."
Ozryel reached down and snapped his wrists and slammed him against the table. As she was reaching back to slam her hand onto his head Pestilence said, "I think Horatio should have a chance to beef up on some of his abilities. After all, if you kill the boy, there won't be anyone to put in jail." Ozryel flung Cooper down on the ground and returned to a more human looking vestige.
Horatio walked up to Cooper, picked him up, and said, "You tried to kill Calleigh, you tried to kill Jesse Cardosa, you tried to kill innocent people in Miami that had nothing to do with what happened to you. For that, I will make you pay," said Horatio, eyes glowing as white as a bleached skeleton.
Cooper said, "Get away from me you freak!" pushed Horatio and ran, but didn't get far.
Chapter 11.
Letting out an inhuman growl, Horatio thrust his hand forward and Cooper froze in mid-run. Horatio turning his wrist around, the action making Cooper spin around to face him, Delco, and the others. Calleigh walked up to him and said, "Cooper, you brought this upon yourself," and slapped him hard across the face.
Pestilence walked up to him and said, "I've done a lot of things in my time, but what you did was just cruelty without a purpose and you were utterly sloppy at it too. For what you have done, we will make you suffer," he growled. "But first, to get rid of those bombs, and the one you have in the hotel."
Pestilence looked at Ozryel, who then disappeared, only to reappear with the bomb and half of the main air conditioning vent of the hotel. Delco looked at her questioningly and she said, "Well, the bomb was stuck in there, I had to get it out." Then turning to Horatio she said, "It's time you learned how to start controlling the weather, to a point."
Cooper looked at everyone and said, "You're all freaks! You're nuts! You're never gonna get me in jail! You're all looney!"
Ozryel turned to Cooper and said, "Oh, I'm going to enjoy what's going to happen to you after," she said with a vicious grin. Turning back to Horatio she said, "Raise your hand up and summon the storm to take these bombs away to where they can't hurt anyone."
Horatio concentrated. Winds howled and the ocean crept closer and closer. All of a sudden one could see a whirlpool forming in the ocean. It spun faster and faster. Ozryel clenched her hand and turned and thrust upward causing the whirlpool to surge upward into a waterspout. With a shriek of a thousand ghosts, it surged forward and sucked up the bacterial bombs. With an earthquake-like shaking, a hole opened up underneath the waterspout and it dropped down to the very depths of the earth where the bombs could explode without hurting anyone. It then closed instantly, as it were never there, and the store abated leaving a bright and sunny day in its wake.
Delco and Calleigh looked at H, his eyes now back to normal and Delco said, "That was truly spactacular." Calleigh nodded in agreement.
Calleigh then turned to Ozryel and Pestilence and said, "Well, what about Cooper?"
Delco said, "Yea, how are we going to make sure he never does this again?"
The two supernatural beings looked at eachother and Ozryel said, "Well, he likes bacterial diseases so much, let's see how he likes a touch of necrotitis fasciitis."
Nodding to Horatio, Horatio looked at Cooper and unclenched his fists and let the boy drop onto the ground. Horatio said, "Delco, hold him."
Delco ran over and grabbed Cooper and held him so that he could not run away. Pestilence walked over and Cooper screamed, "No! You can't do that! It'll kill me!" and he struggled in Delco's grasp.
Ozryel glared at Cooper and said, "For what you have done, you should die. But there are things worse than death."
At that, Pestilence grabbed his wrist and said with a cold smile, "You really, really should play with other peoples things. You might hurt yourself." He clamped his hands on Coopers wrists.
"Ahhhh!" Cooper yelled in pain as flesh was eaten away from his already broken wrists and hands, leaving only bones and useless muscles.
Two hours later, Pesitlence had left for parts unknown and everyone was back at the hospital in Jesse's room. Ozryel had gotten the one with the yellow eyes to leave and thanked him for not trying to do anything stupid or calling attention to himself.
Jesse had awoke and was now sitting talking to everyone. Ozryel said, "You should be okay. What you went through was rather nasty." And with that she said goodbye to everybody and was starting to walk out of the room when Horatio grabbed her shoulder and said, "We need to talk."
Five minutes later, Ozryel and Horatio were on the hospital roof, wind blowing steadily in their direction. They stood like that for five minutes, then Horatio said, "Why, why did Pestilence use my brother as a vessel? How could he use my brother? My brother was murdered 7 years ago. How could you let him use my brother Ray as a vessel?" He was hissing in anger.
Ozryel looked at him and said, "I didn't realize who he was until I saw your reaction in the hospital. I was unaware your brother died. I was unaware you even had a brother until recently. As for stopping him, he's a horsemen, there's not that much I can do to stop him."
Horatio looked at her and said, "Why is he even using my brother? How long has he been using my brother?"
Ozryel sighed and said, "He had another vessel, but two hunters took his ring and chopped his finger off to get at it and as a result he lost most of his powers for awhile. That included his vessel or his ability to keep up his vessel. As for all the problems he caused, as an end result he was forced to take your brother's body and use it to do something good to atone for the virus he had tried to spread."
Horatio said, "Who could possibly make a horseman do that?"
Ozryel looked at him and said, "Even I have bosses other than death, Horatio."
Horatio realized she was telling the truth and calmed down. He looked out the rooftops and said, "Now what do I do?"
The Angel of Death turned to him and said, "Do what you've been doing. And don't forget to stop and smell the roses once and awhile. Goodbye Horatio."
He looked up at her realizing this may be the last time he sees her he walked over and gave her an unexpected hug and said, "Thank you. Thank you for teaching me everything."
She returned the hug and said, "Here, a few notes for you on how to control the weather and a few other things. You will make a fine Grim Reaper some day."
Horatio thought her heard a door open behind him and saw Delco standing there. Delco said, "Come on, H. We're all going down to Sharky's Diner, come on."
Horatio looked at him and said, "Hang on just one minute." He turned around and Ozryel was gone, a black feather blowing slightly in the breeze. He reached down and picked it up, the slight scent of something familiar, yet strange, coming off it. It was not unpleasant, but not entirely calming either. He turned back to Delco and said, "Let's go grab a drink."
THE END