Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: NY or Second Life.
Series: 'Kindred Spirits'.
Spoilers: Down the Rabbit Hole; You Only Die Once.
Unbelievably, this is my 60th CSI:NY story! But, on a separate note, in 'Time's Up', I asked for what you wanted to see in this one. Let's have a look at what you said:
afrozenheart412 - how about Adam educating all of them on Second Life and all of them creating avatars?
Runner043 - So, ya remember how Adam put together Mac's avatar for Second Life, well, what if Flack got to put together Angell's avatar?
CamdenLaur - I'm with Runner on having Flack make her avatar, that has hilarious potential :)
bando2 - I'd love some convo around relationships
There were other reviewers and thank you all, but these were the four suggestions and I hope that I've managed to work them into the story … Well, let's let you lot be the judge of that XD
Down the Rabbit Hole
"Who rules?" Adam asked, appearing in front of her with a grin.
"Er, you do?" Jess guessed, stopping and watching him disappear down the corridor. She took a minute to try and figure it out, before bringing in the experts. "Why does Adam rule?"
Mac glanced up as she stepped into the AV lab. "He just got us into … wherever this is."
Jess looked up at the screen and raised an eyebrow. "Second Life?"
"You play on this thing?" Don asked from behind her.
Jess jumped slightly and rolled her eyes. "No. My oldest nephew does though; he made me an account while I was staying with them. I never use it. I think he just wanted to show me what it was like. Why are you on it?"
Don chuckled. "That's a long story. We found Cheryl Miller dead, dressed like her avatar Venus, who was an online celebrity. She'd been in a Second Life relationship with Don Juan 2-3 …"
Jess snorted. "Original."
"I know." Don agreed.
"Not you, is it?" Jess asked with a grin.
"No." Don rolled his eyes. "We picked him up; he was supposed to meet Cheryl the night she died but didn't show because he's dying and said he was just talking to 'Venus' on Second Life. So now we're going to find her."
"That's her there." Mac pointed.
Jess narrowed her eyes at the screen. 'Venus' was 'talking' to another avatar. "That's my nephew."
"Venus?" Don asked.
"No, the kid she's talking to." Jess frowned. "Mac, I don't want to get him involved in this … what if whoever that is knows who you are?"
"Use that computer." Mac told her. "You remember how to get in?"
Jess nodded, sitting down. She logged on quickly and accessed the site, taking a moment to remember her password.
"That's you?" Don asked, looking over her shoulder. "Looks nothing like you."
"Avatars often don't." Jess muttered irritably. "I'd better not have to go through what Mac and Adam did to get in."
When she reached the gates the 'emperor' came out to greet her. Thankfully, he just asked her a question and let her in at the correct answer.
"Some people have all the luck." Mac muttered, causing Jess to smile.
Adam reappeared. "What are we waiting for?"
Jess didn't answer, sending her avatar over to where Jason's was standing. Don was right; hers wasn't very realistic, but then when Jason showed her the site, he was more interested in showing her what he could do on there than creating a proper avatar. She took the headset Don handed her and put it on. "Jason."
Jason924 left Venus's side and jogged over to her and her nephew's robotic voice floated out of the computer. "Hey, Aunt Jess. What's going on?"
Before Jess could answer, a very strange creature appeared in front of Venus. "Hey you! Stop pretending to be Venus!" He pulled out a gun and shot Venus, causing her to disappear.
"What the hell was that?" Jason asked.
"Language." Jess chided. "Jason, if you see that avatar again – Venus, I mean – don't go near her and call me, alright?"
"Alright." Jason agreed.
"Promise me." Jess prompted.
"I promise, Aunt Jess." Jason assured her.
"Alright, I'll call you later and explain." Jess told him, cutting the connection. "Thanks for waiting, Mac."
"They've gone." Adam told her. "We got a location on the other avatar and Mac and Flack took off." He giggled. "That rhymes."
"Yeah, it does." Jess agreed, somehow resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "So do you go in-world often? That's what they call it, right?"
Adam nodded. "Yeah. I dunno; I don't really have the time to go in that often, but … when I can."
"Hey, I'm not judging." Jess assured him. "Like I said, Jason goes in every evening. He didn't do a very good job of explaining it though."
Adam's eyes lit up. "Oh, well, basically …"
Jess had to admit that his explanation went over her head a bit, but she didn't stop him, nodding along.
An hour later, they were interrupted.
"You'd be better off doing the clickety-click thing and sorting that avatar out for her."
Jess rolled her eyes. "I never use it, Don. Besides we don't have time right now …"
"We've got as long as it takes for Sid to do the autopsy."
Jess shut up. "Autopsy?"
"It was Johnny O'Dell – Don Juan 2-3." Don explained. "We found him dead with a bullet in his head. Probably the same person who killed Cheryl Miller."
"This guy doesn't play around." Jess commented.
"So we have time." Don concluded.
Jess looked at Adam, who shrugged. "Fine." She sighed. "Adam, work your magic."
"Okay." Adam stuck his pen in his mouth so he had both hands free. "Bring up your avatar."
Jess did and stepped back. "Do you need to know anything?"
"Erm …" Adam turned slightly red. "Well, your … um … height and weight would be a help."
"5'7'', 120 pounds." Don answered. "Right?"
Jess nodded. "Yeah. Though I'm not sure how you guessed my weight."
"I guessed." Don leaned over Adam's shoulder. "No … No, she's a bit more …" He trailed off.
Jess crossed her arms. "A bit more what?"
Adam stopped what he was doing, looking between the two of them.
"Erm …" Don cleared his throat. "What I mean is …"
"If you want it to be realistic, you'd need her measurements." Stella suggested from the doorway with a grin. "You want a tape measure?"
"I can save you the trouble." Jess smiled, seeing that Adam looked a little uncomfortable. "My measurements are …"
"… 32-23-34." Don finished.
Jess gaped at him. "How would you know that?"
"I'm a detective." Don smirked. "It's what I do."
Jess shook her head. "I'm not taking that as an answer, Don."
Don didn't answer and leaned over Adam's shoulder, pressing a few buttons. "There."
"That doesn't look like me." Jess insisted. Even made out of pixels, the woman was beautiful.
"Yeah, it does." Stella said. "Adam?"
Adam nodded. "Oh, yeah. Just like you. Flack?"
Don tilted his head. "Close enough. I don't think you'd ever make her as beautiful as the real thing. Speaking of, I need to talk to you."
Jess gaped after him and then looked at Stella. "What just happened?"
Stella just shrugged with a grin and nodded in his direction. "Go on."
Jess rolled her eyes and followed Don down the corridor to Danny and Lindsay's office. Lindsay was the only one in there, going through some paperwork, but she glanced up at their approach and gave them a smile. "Hey guys!"
"Linds." Don greeted. "Listen, I need to talk to Jess in private; do you mind if we borrow your office?"
Lindsay's eyes slid to Jess. "Sure. I need to check on the evidence anyway." She slipped the paperwork away and left them to it, giving Jess a knowing smile on the way out.
"First Peyton and Mac, now Lindsay." Jess shook her head. "What did you need to talk to me about?"
"Quite a few things." Don sighed, closing the door behind her. "But first things first: I'm sorry."
Immediately, Jess's mind started working. "For what?"
Don shrugged. "Whatever you're mad at me for."
Jess frowned. "What … You mean back there? Don, I'm not mad. I'm a little confused that you …"
"No." Don cut her off with another sigh. "Ever since I started dating Devon, things have been kinda weird between us."
"I just wanted to give you some space, that's all." Jess smiled. "Didn't realise I was giving you that much." She glanced over her shoulder. "You really think I look like that?"
"Yes." Don answered without hesitation. "But you're changing the subject. Do you have a problem with me dating her?"
YES! "Don, I don't know her. I've never met her and I can't make an assumption of someone I've never met." Jess laughed, before fixing him with a serious look. "You happy?"
Don nodded with a grin. "Yeah."
That's all I've ever wanted. "Good." Jess stated. "What else did you want to talk to me about?"
"First of all, Peyton isn't coming back from London." Don told her quietly.
"Oh." Jess shook her head. "How's Mac handling it?"
"He says he's alright; that he'd seen it coming when they were there." Don shook his head. "I don't think he is."
Jess dropped into Lindsay's chair. "There's something else."
"Don't tell Mac I told you," Don began, "but he's got a stalker."
"A stalker?" Jess repeated. "What kind of stalker?"
"He's been getting anonymous phone calls at 3.33 every morning." Don explained. "Most are silent; he got one about a month ago with a message, sounding like whoever made it was on a plane. Mac did a bit of work on the tape, worked out that it was recorded on a 767 to JFK."
"And?" Jess prompted.
"Only flight that fits that description was the one Mac flew back on." Don told her grimly.
Jess cursed under her breath. "Well, that's not good. Why doesn't he have a protection detail?"
"Didn't want one." Don rolled his eyes. "Stubborn."
Jess snorted. "You're one to talk."
Don chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose you've got a point." He checked his watch and pulled her to her feet. "Sid's probably done by now."
"Probably." Jess agreed with a smile.
"So we good?" Don checked.
"Yeah, we're good." Jess assured him.
"Good." Don wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. "Because you're my best friend, Jess, and I don't know what I'd do without you around."
"I promised you, Don," Jess reminded him quietly, hugging him back, "that I'd always be there and that I'd always have your back. And I keep my promises."
AN: So what do we think? Just to let you guys know, I'm forseeing an influx of stories/chapters over the next two weeks and then a bit of a break, because I'm off to university on the 20th and I'm freakin' terrified so I need something to take my mind off it. And this is it (even though it should probably be something more constructive lol!)
Oh, and I have to give credit to NCIS for inspiring the measurements conversation - virtual brownie for anyone who can tell me the episode! And they are Emmanuelle Vaugier's measurements - it's amazing (and slightly creepy) what you can find when you Google something ... Anyway, review please!