The end of a work day for a CSI in New York.
Mac Taylor steps out of his SUV and goes to his trunk. He pulls out a long, leather box --- shaped oddly like a weapon. He walks casually into a dark alley and opens a door.
Jazz music plays in the room as Mac enters. A group of men raise their beer mugs to him and he acknowledges them with a smile. A waitress nods at his direction and Mac gives her a playful wink. On a table, he puts down the leather case and opens it. He takes out the object in the case.
It's a bass guitar.
On stage, he sees the saxophonist take his seat as the guy on the piano nod at him to come over. Mac slings the guitar around him and walks towards the stage.
It's another Wednesday night gig for Detective Taylor.
Stella Bonasera, meanwhile, stands in the middle of the street looking at a marquee in front of a movie house. She is in deep thought. A man taps on her shoulder. She spins around, surprised.
It's Detective Don Flack, carrying what appears to be a barrel of popcorn in his right hand and a gallon of soda on his left.
"It's either Talladega Nights or Saw II" Stella said, pointing at the marquee.
"Can't go wrong with Will Ferrell" Flack answered.
Stella nods her head and proceeds to fall in line as Flack sips from his soda.
On the other side of Manhattan, Danny Messer is about to call it a day as he lied in his bed with just his boxers on. Right beside him is his cordless phone. He has been staring at it for about ten, twenty minutes, begging him to dial the oft-dialed number of one Lindsay Monroe.
Danny ignores the phone as he turns off his bedside lamp.
"Just do it, you idiot" he whispered to himself as he grabs the cordless phone.
To his surprise, the phone rang in his hand. He answers it.
"Turn on the TV" a woman's voice said on the other line. Danny smiled.
"It's late, Montana" Danny said, pretending to be annoyed.
A couple of blocks away, Lindsay Monroe was also in her bed, wearing an oversized shirt and jammies, her TV filling her dark room with light.
"Kelly Clarkson is on Leno" Lindsay spoke on her phone "Now tell me that Adam's wrong and that I do not look like her"
Danny laughs. He finds his remote and turns on his TV. Kelly Clarkson is indeed on Leno. "Adam's wrong. You don't look like her"
"Can you say condescending?" Lindsay said. "Fine, I won't bother you anymore"
"Too late, I'm up" Danny said, his voice all excited. "How was your day".
Lindsay's eyes twinkled with delight --- Four little words made it all worthwhile.
But in the NYPD locker room, Sheldon Hawkes was just beginning another shift. He had only taken a one-hour break to have dinner, take a shower and stock his kit before he goes back to the lab.
As he closes his locker door, he receives a text message on his phone.
Do you believe in jumping the void? , the message read.
The message came from "Ophelia"
Hawkes seemed very pleased. Was it with the text itself or the texter?
Hawkes texted back.
I believe that every action has a consequent reaction. Hawkes answered.
You and your science. Ophelia responded.
Hawkes took a deep breath and began typing away, his phone warm in his hand.
I believe in uncertainty. Everything is uncertain until you've collected evidence of certainty. In effect, we're always encountering voids we need to jump. Hawkes thought his answer was completely smart.
Like you. You're a void to be jumped. Ophelia texted back.
Hawkes laughed. I hope it's the good kind.
Just then Detective Jennifer Angell knocks on the locker room door.
"We got another one, Doc" she said. "Same M.O. as the others"
"Couple shot in the head while making out in a car. Girl's left breast mutilated. Bullet casings marked with the letter H." Hawkes recited.
"That's the one" Angell answered.
Hawkes picked up his kit. "Bring it".