Sofia took a look at her watch. Another half an hour before she could go home. An evening with Sara on the sofa, watching a movie and talking about their days. Her lover had worked in the morning, should be almost out of therapy. Maybe they would play some basketball if Sara didn't have a busy day, walked around a lot. Don and Kyle would certainly join them if they asked, Lynn had a date with her new boyfriend.

Another report was written, all her work was done. Time to think of a thought that crossed her mind the last couple of weeks. Working on her career. She was a lieutenant one and wanted to become a lieutenant two. She knew her boss would give his okay to it and when she felt ready for the tests she could do it. One step closer to become a captain. First a career with the police was more her mother's wish, this had changed when she came to Los Angeles. She knew she was good, she knew she had everything you need to be a great captain, so it was obvious it was her destiny to become one. And maybe, only maybe, she could outrank her mother one say. Deputy Chief Curtis. Didn't this sound cool?

Another thought that came up her mind was going home early. That was a good idea. She had some overtime, why not leave the office early and go home? She packed her bag, got up and was almost at her door when her pager went of.

"Oh fuck! Screw it! Why?" Ten seconds later and she had been out of the office, on her way home…okay, her pager was with her anyway.

"Multiple hostage, multiple shots fired at the Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood and Highland Center. Shooters are still active. Holy shit." She grabbed her service weapon, her vest and stormed out of the room. With her there were dozen more officers storming out of offices, running to their cars. Screaming police sirens cut through the warm June afternoon air, getting the attention of everybody around.

The street was closed from North La Brea Avenue, a lot of police cars and ambulances were already on the street, made it impossible to get any further. They parked and got out of their cars. Sofia heard more shots, more sirens. People were running towards her. Old, young, white, black, they all ran and…a woman fell only a few yards away from Sofia. Like she lost her balance but when she touched ground the backside of her head was missing. A man not too far away went down too. Screaming, there was blood on his shirt. Before Sofia could reach him she felt something flying close to her ear. A bullet. She dove down, tried to locate the shooter. Somewhere from the Hollywood and Highland Center. They had to secure the area, get the people out. Not via the street. The shooters were somewhere, watching them, killing them like it was only a computer game. An easy game.

"With what are we dealing?" She asked an officer, who looked for some shelter next to her.

"I've no idea, they said out of the blue somebody started shooting from the second story of the Hollywood and Highland Center. So far we know about seven shooters but it's unknown how many are inside. It's a mess, I couldn't talk to witness and there are several officers already injured and/or down."

"Damn it." What were they dealing with? A group of terrorists? A robbery gone bad? Why the Hollywood and Highland Center? The Oscar night was long over, were there any stars around? At the Kodak Theatre? Usually premier show of a movie started later, had been an early one today? Were actors the target? Or tourists? Was somebody trying to destroy the tourist industry in Hollywood?

"Here's Lieutenant Curtis, is anybody in the Theatre?" There were so many voice on the radio, a lot of shouting, most of it was not to understand. "We need to get inside, stop them." But how? They were less than fifty yards away, there was nothing to hide from the bullets.

SWAT teams arrived, heavy armed, with protection. They started to get injured people of the streets, were hit by bullets. It felt like rain, bullet rain. Sofia looked at the door of a shop a few yards away. From the inside she could have a better look at the Theatre. Somehow they had to get eye to eye with the shooter. If it wasn't possible to get them from the Kodak Theatre maybe they had a chance from one of the shops across the street.

Taking a deep breath she held on to her weapon, jumped up and started running towards the door. Only a few more yards and she was inside, safe, could hide and…heat. A lot of heat, noise and pain were the last things she felt before the world turned black around her.

"What is this noise?" Doctor Luria went to the window. The last five minutes it was impossible for her to talk to Sara, police, emergency and fire brigade sirens cried out loud without a stop.

"An accident?" Jules stepped next to her cousin.

"They don't make so much noise for an accident. All vehicles drive west, maybe somebody attacked an actor? Or more than one. Is there a premier going on tonight?"

"Don't ask me, I'm not into celebrities."

"Me neither." A pager went off.

"That's yours."

"Yeah. Sorry." Doctor Luria went to the desk and took her pager. "Oh god!"

"What?"

"There was a massive shooting at the Hollywood and Highland Center and…I can't believe this is real but the message says, somebody just blew up the Hollywood and Highland Center."

"What?"

"I'm sorry Sara, I need to get there…" Doctor Luria worked with LAPD and in a case like this it was her job to be around.

"Me too! Sofia is on duty! And even if she wasn't, they'd call her in. I've to make sure she's all right."

"I come with you." Jules was next to Sara. Both knew it wasn't very likely they could get close to the scene but maybe it was possible to see Sofia somewhere.

Nervously Sara changed the radio station every few seconds in Jules's car. News, she wanted to hear the news. Doctor Luria had to be wrong, nobody had blown off the Hollywood and Highland Center, that was impossible. And made no sense. Why would somebody do something like that? Especially when it was an ordinary day, no Oscar night. Then again when terrorists flew into the World Trade Center it had been an ordinary day too – until nine in the morning.

"Did you reach Sofia?"

"No, when I called her cell phone I got straight to voice mail."

"Work and private?"

"Yes. Both didn't get me Sofia." Fear was in Sara's voice. Something was wrong. Even when her lover was busy, she had a special ring tone for Sara and answered the phone all the time. Especially in a case like today, when it was obvious her lover was worried.

"Nothing to worry about. If she's there she'll have other things to do."

"Probably." Sara tried to tell herself these things the whole time. The problem was she didn't believe it. She was nervous, she felt something was wrong. Her lover wasn't fine, Sara had no idea if her feeling meant Sofia was injured or just had a lot of stress. Hopefully the second one.

"The trip is over." Jules stopped her car. A police car stood in the middle of the road and stopped them from continuing their trip.

"We've two feet, we can walk." Sara got out of the car. They were four blocks away from Hollywood Boulevard, they could walk this distance.

"Sorry ma'am, you can't go on from here." An officer stopped her.

"Why?"

"Because the whole area is a red zone. Nobody is allowed to get in. We need space for the ambulance, fire brigade and police cars."

"Did somebody really blow off the Hollywood and Highland Center?"

"Yes."

"Shit." It was true. "How many…"

"We don't know yet. A lot."

Sara leant into Jules. A lot of dead bodies. Of course. It was a beautiful day, the streets were filled with tourists, tour guides. Summer in L.A., the busiest time of the year.

"Do you need volunteers?" Jules asked.

"At the moment we're still securing the scene, there are still a lot of people injured and dead in the area, we can't let anybody in. The shooters could be still hiding somewhere and strike again. What do you want to help?"

"I'm a therapist, I can talk to survivor."

"I can contact our counselors, if they want help you can get in."

"Thanks." Jules pulled Sara aside. "You should go home, when Sofia is somewhere in there she won't be back for a few hours and not available on the phone."

"Jules, something happened to her. She knows I know by now about the incident, she knows I worry and even when she's busy she'd send a text to tell me she's fine."

"She's busy."

"Not that busy. Something happened, Jules. I can feel it." Her heart ached, she felt like she didn't get any oxygen, something bad had happened to Sofia. Sara didn't need more proof than her feelings. As a CSI she was after hard evidence, evidence you could see, touch, analyze. As a lover all she needed were her feelings.

"Try to call Don, Lyn or Kyle. Maybe they can help out. I bet every cop of Hollywood and West Los Angeles is in there."

Not satisfied Sara took her cell phone and tried the numbers of her friends. Like with Sofia's numbers she ended up in voice mail. Not good. Absolutely not good.

Sara made the decision it was better to wait as close as possible to the scene than being at home. She'd go crazy there. Not that she could do anything here, she was caught behind the barrier but she was she closer to Sofia. Jules got them two bottles of water, which Sara hadn't touched yet.

"I could get in, I'm a CSI, I can help."

"You're not a CSI anymore and you never worked in L.A.."

"Who cares? Do you think I forgot everything I learnt?"

"No. Do you want to call your former boss so he can let LAPD know you're available? Your chances to get in are higher this way."

"I need a kit and can start right away. Like you could if they let you in."

"Amanda will let me know when I can do something." Jules's cell phone rang. Maybe this was her cousin. No, her mother. "Hey mom, did you hear…"

"I'm aware of it Jules. We have the hospital full with injured and dead people." Of course, what a stupid question. Her mother knew about the incident before she did.

"Do you want me there?"

"I need you to call your former patient, now friend, Miss Sidle."

"Why?" Jules felt how her stomach tightened. Why did her mother want her to call Sara? That couldn't be good. Was Sara's feeling right? Did something happen to Sofia? Was she with her mother? In hospital?

"I've Miss Curtis here and even when Miss Sidle isn't family, I know Miss Curtis would want her here."

"What did happen? Is she all right?"

"Get her here, Jules. Fast."

"Mom…" Her mother ended the call already.

"Jules? What happened?" Sara saw how pale her friend became. Whatever the phone call was about it wasn't something good.

"We need to get to hospital."

"Why?"

"Mom called, Sofia is there and wants to see you." Maybe Sara wasn't that concerned when she said, Sofia wanted to see her. When you want to see somebody you were awake, couldn't be too injured. Unfortunately this theory didn't work with Sara.

"Jules, what happened to Sofia?" If Sofia was fine she had called Sara herself. Or gave the doctor Sara's cell phone number.

"I've no idea. Mom just said we should get there."

"Is she…?" Sara didn't dare to say the words out loud. She didn't even want to think Sofia was dead. That was impossible.

"I don't know. Come on." Like Sara Jules didn't want to think what exactly could have happened to Sofia. She could have nothing more than a concussion, a broken arm or was dead. Everybody, no matter if dead or alive, was taken to hospital first.