A/N: Another chapter just in case I get wrapped up in other stories and homework...Reviews are welcome!!!
characters (c) CBS
2, Lithium Flower
Once at the medical examiner's lab, Dr. Sid Hammerback stood in slight awe at the dead woman on his table. "You're serious; this is HER?" Sheldon simply nodded his head. "You know her?" "Not personally but she made for great tabloid fodder since day one." The medical examiner explained. "I think she was aware of that." Hawkes replied before leaving, "Give me a call once you got a COD!" "Will do." Sid bade his former colleague and prepped the bone saw.
0000
Meanwhile, back at the victim's penthouse, the sun rose against the urban landscape, rays bouncing off hundreds of windows while Mac and Stella were finally able to step out of the crime scene. "Not a bad way to start the day." The half-Greek investigator said as she hopped on her car. "I beg to differ; with all of this attention, I'll be getting a call from the District Attorney about our nonexistent progress." Taylor replied with a wince. "Flack's already calling in her last contacts prior to death and Sid's with the body."
The NYPD Crime lab was buzzing with commotion about Det. Taylor's newest case; some wanted to take a picture of the dead woman while others spoke about her latest diva spout. "What's going on?" Lindsay Monroe inquired as she finished up her breakfast. "Tina Percival was killed last night, apparently due to a botched B-and-E." Adam Ross, fellow CSI and technology expert responded as he snuck in some coffee. "Who?"
"She was New York's most well paid model and fashion consultant, and a great villain to boot." Adam explained, arousing a most comical look from the Montana native. "Her assistants came in on a monthly basis with bruises." "I see. Well, if this weren't Mac's case, I wouldn't have given her priority status; I have two shootings on my table already." Lindsay remarked with bit skepticism.
0000
Twenty minutes later, after dropping off the police car, Mac immersed himself in lifting any viable prints from the torn envelope. But something didn't feel right once he entered his office; the room seemed to be several degrees hotter than the rest of the lab. The detective grinned as he dropped off his folder.
"You know you can't be here during work hours, Aiden." He said while sitting down. "You have got to be kidding; you found me out already?" a disembodied voice resonated within the crystal walls. "Hard not to; you heat up anywhere you go." Mac continued. A female laugh was heard as the dearly departed Aiden Burn materialized.
"No one can really keep something from you, huh?" the ghostly CSI replied. Ever since her demise at the hands of DJ Pratt, the dead detective had remained in the lab where she had worked on for so long. "Why are you here?" Taylor inquired; Aiden wasn't one of those roaming spirits, she always had a purpose. "Not to give you advice from the Great Beyond if that's what you're asking about." Burn responded with a smile.
"I am, however, here to check this Percival case out." "No badge, no deal…and don't go running off to Stella or anyone on the case." Mac scolded mildly. "Fine, I'll just go and scare one of the new guys." Aiden was not pleased with her former boss' manner of running things but who was she to argue? The ghost then disappeared in a puff of flames just as Adam entered the room.
"Were you talking to someone?" "Not really. What do you have?" Mac smirked as he spotted Aiden's ghost stick her tongue out. "Well, I ran the logo and modeling company that you dropped off; came up with an address over at SoHo. Really high-end stuff." The CSI relayed. "Good, I'll tell Flack and be on my way. Tell Danny to call me once he gets fingerprint analysis from the wine bottle."
By that time, Messer was already applying the fingerprint powder for the wine bottle he had found and was prepping his camera to capture it without risk of damages. After a couple of photos, he uploaded a composite of the images up into AFIS. "Hey Danny!" Lindsay greeted warmly. "Heard you need some help with your two shootings." The CSI replied with a coy smile. "You heard wrong. If anything, I just need some bullet work and I'll be all set for tonight's raid."
Danny suddenly realized the date and chuckled. "Oh yeah, your first night raid! Damn, couldn't pull a shift to help you out. So, where is it?" he inquired interestedly. "South Bronx. Any tips?" Monroe answered. "Three things; one, stick to whatever Mac or Stella tell you to, they know better about these things; second, you might want to bring some extra ammunition of both kinds and third (and this one, take it from personal experience) don't wander off."
The woman laughed before giving her coworker a kiss on the cheek. "Will do!" Messer then began to fake-cry and said, "Our little Montana's growing up!" "Screw you." Lindsay said before returning to her post.