Chapter 2

"Horatio, what the hell happened?" asked Eric anxiously as he walked up to them.

"Calleigh is being held hostage in her lab."

"What? Get her out of there!"

"Mr Delko, relax. I won't let Miss Duquesne get hurt."

Eric couldn't relax. He was too scared that the love of his life was going to get hurt. All he wanted to do was shoot his way in and kill the idiot that was holding Calleigh hostage. He didn'to care if he got hurt, as long as she was safe.

"Eric, why don't you go and see how Ryan is?" Natalia said gently. "You don't have to leave the building, just call the hospital."

"Y...yeah, I guess I could do that..." said Eric. He walked around the corner and called Alexx, knowing she was on duty at that moment.

"Hey Eric, how are you?" asked Alexx when she answered her phone.

"Not good. Is Ryan okay?"

"He'll be fine. What's wrong?"

"Cal...she's in there...with him..." Eric tried saying.

"Honey, I don't understand what you're talking about. Start again."

"The monster kidnapped Cal. In her own lab."

"I'm assuming the monster is that serial killer on the news?"

"Yes..."

"Eric, don't worry about Calleigh. She's tough, she'll be okay. She might even beat him up a bit if she gets the chance."

That brought a smile to Eric's lips. "Maybe. That would be good. It would serve him right for hurting her."

"So stop worrying about her. Only worry if she gets hurt, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks Alexx."

"You're welcome."

Sighing in relief, Eric hung up and returned to where his boss was standing. "Ryan's okay," he informed them.

"Good," replied Horatio as his phone rang.


Victor picked up his phone. "I think it's time I made some demands, don't you?"

Calleigh opened her mouth, but Victor slapped her, making her cry out in pain.

"I didn't say to talk, did I? For that, I might just tape your mouth closed. Keep you from talking again."

Calleigh took a deep breath to stop herself from whimpering in pain as she watched helplessly while Victor cut a piece of duct tape from a roll in his bag. She closed her eyes when he came near her and put the tape over her mouth, thinking about how she really wanted to kill him right then.

"That's better. Now you can't annoy me or ruin my plans." He grabbed his phone and dialled Horatio's number for the second time in half an hour.

"Yes Victor?"

"I want two million dollars and a police helicopter to take me to the Marina. I don't want any cops following me either, or your pretty CSI dies."

"You aren't getting anything until I speak to Calleigh."

"She's a little tied up right now. Plus, she didn't listen to me, so she's being punished. But don't worry, I won't hurt her too much, she's my insurance policy."

"Let her go, and I promise you won't be stopped."

"You said you would get me what I wanted."

"You said you wouldn't hurt her and that you would let her go when you got what you wanted."

"I lied. You have one hour to get me what I want." Victor hung up the phone before Horatio could speak again. "Now, Calleigh, you be a good girl and this will all be over before you know it."

Calleigh turned her head away from him when he sneered at her, the only thought in her head being that she loved Eric and couldn't wait to see him again.


"I don't care how hard it is. A life is hinging on this money coming through right now!" Frank shouted into the phone.

They had managed to get the helicopter Victor had asked for within a few minutes of him hanging up in Horatio, but the money was proving to be significantly harder to get. It had already been half an hour since the demand had been made, and everyone was on edge to get what they needed before the deadline hit.

"We are trying sir, but there is nothing we can do to make this go any faster. You have one million dollars already. Isn't that enough?"

"I said two million, not one. Hurry up!" Frank slammed the phone down on its cradle as he tried to calm down.

"What are we up to Frank?" asked Horatio.

"One million. They're saying it could be at least another twenty minutes before the rest comes through. What are we going to do?"

"Pray it comes in time. I don't know. The snipers don't have a chance, the firearms lab is too well protected. I don't know how to get her out alive."

"This should help Lieutenant," called a young woman from the front desk at PD. "The money just came through. All two million of it."

"Thank you Jessica." Horatio took the cash from her and ran to the lab with a Frank behind him. "Victor! It's Lieutenant Caine! I have your money and a chopper waiting for you!"


Victor heard Horatio through the door and glanced up briefly. He could hear the blades of a helicopter in the distance and knew that he was being told the truth.

"Well Calleigh, looks like they came through. Let's go." He cut the rope away from the chair and yanked her up, taping her hands behind her back before pushing her to the door.

The door opened for him and Horatio passed a case in. Victor took it and shut the door again, looking briefly into the case of money to count it. When he was satisfied that the whole two million was there, he shoved Calleigh forward into the hall outside her lab.

"Any cops, and I shoot her."

Calleigh whimpered as soon as she felt Victor's gun in her back, but she kept walking to the elevator anyway. She watched him press the button marked 'r' for the roof, then stepped out when the doors opened. A helicopter was waiting for them, and Victor pushed Calleigh toward it, a smile playing on his face the whole way.