Okay, time for some action.. Thanks for all your reviews, I truly appreciate them. They make me wanna write faster and update quicker (hint, hint- just kidding)
Disclaimer: See Chapter One. The title from this chapter is once again taken from Run this town (Jay-Z feat. Rihanna and Kanye West). I love this song.
And before I forget: Los Habaneros are as far as I know not an existing gang. I made that up. Any similarity with anything that exists as Los Habaneros is pure coincidence. I just love Bizet's opera Carmen and its song Habanera, so this is what got me inspired there....
2. And the screams from everywhere…
Later that day, Horatio gathered his team in the conference room. Tara was there too, although she had too much work to really take some time off. Ryan sat on a chair, Natalia to his left. Delko leaned casually against the table, Calleigh sat on it. Tara stood at the door, ready to leave right after the meeting.
Now Horatio sighed deeply and said, "I know, you're all up to your ears in work, but after having walked around and collected some of your results, I thought it was important to let you all know what your team mates know… Calleigh, please start."
Calleigh got up and started, "Well, you all know that Horatio and I got called on a robbery homicide this morning. The owner of a gun shop was killed. Tara has earlier confirmed that the man has been killed yesterday evening. The bad news is, his shop was completely emptied. I haven't been through all the papers yet, but it seems like over a hundred guns have been stolen, not to mention also a few knives, and apparently a samurai sword. Wife has confirmed he had one of those, and that it has been stolen. The man himself has been killed by a 9 mm. And if this wasn't bad enough, I had time to look at a few bullets Tara has been able to retrieve from the bodies in Little Havana. And one of the bullets is a perfect match to the bullet that killed the gun shop owner. Now, I don't have to tell you what this means…"
Horatio shook his head, "Not at all, Calleigh… Ms Boa Vista, what do you and Eric have?"
Natalia got up and laid a few pictures on the table. They all showed DBs. "I have 6 male bodies, and one survivor. He's in hospital, but he will survive. All were members of Los Habaneros. As Calleigh already pointed out, at least one of them has been shot with the same gun that was used yesterday evening. I don't know how far you've come with the rest of them, Tara, but I think it's safe to assume that these cases have a common link. Los Habaneros are big in the drug business, but they have a code of honour to not sell drugs to anyone under age. They were put to the test several times, and they never failed. They are also known as quite peaceful people, they never wore guns and stuff, but of course, this might be about to change now…. As for evidence, Eric found some fingerprints, but we don't have a match yet, we're still waiting for AFIS. DNA was not found. Neither was a gun." She sat back on the chair, "Any questions so far?"
As everybody shook their heads, Horatio said, "Very good work, you two. Mr. Wolfe, what do you have?"
Ryan decided to remain on his chair as he started, "Well, we haven't got a lot so far. Five DBs and a collateral damage. All known druglords, too. Tara hasn't been able to start on them, so I can't say anything about bullets and stuff. But we have some witnesses; Nicole is just paying a visit to the hospital, trying to find out if they saw anything. The bad news is that those who killed them have also stolen their guns. It doesn't look like robbery so far, and we have ruled out the possibility that some druggie did this. At first glance it seems only the guns have been stolen, but Nicole is on that, too. I also found some fingerprints and shoeprints, but I haven't had the time to look at them yet… Tara, how long will it take you to get the bullets out of my bodies?"
Tara scratched her head, "Tomorrow late morning is the best I can give you. I'm still up to my ears in the bodies from Little Havana. Sorry…" she added.
Ryan nodded, "That's okay. Just let me know once you have them…"
Horatio sighed, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I don't think I have to tell you how serious that is. Especially the link between the scene in Little Havana and the gun shop killing. It seems like somebody broke in there, stole the guns and then went to kill members of Los Habaneros. Frank is trying to find out which other gangs hold a grudge against them, but you know how this works, every gang holds a grudge against every other gang. Mister Wolfe, I might need Ms Ferguson on this too. She used to live in Little Havana; she might know some people that can give her an insight on this…"
"She's busy with witness interviewing…" Ryan said.
Horatio nodded, "I know, but right now, and I hate to say this, this is our top priority. We can't risk a gang war."
"Horatio, my guys have been drug lords too…"
"I know, Ryan, but still, as long as you don't have anything…" Horatio sighed, "I know, I don't like to set priorities either, but it needs to be done. I don't say you should forget your case completely, but I'm gonna need Nicole."
"I heard my name…." Nicole stood in the open door, Frank Tripp next to her. "Frankie, I think they're discussing us…"
"They're discussing you…" While Frank Tripp always appeared rather grumpy, he had a spot soft for the dedicated CSI team, and for Nicole, who had sort of been his little protégée when she had started years ago. "Anyways, sorry to break up that little party, but I have news. I dug a bit into it, and I can say that most of the other resident gangs in Miami had some sort of unfinished business with Los Habaneros."
"How come?" Delko asked. Being half Cuban, he was of course especially interested in all the happenings in Little Havana. The Cuban minority in Miami worked from morning to evening to have a decent life, and every gang in that part of Miami was a danger to their youth.
Frank took a look at his notepad, "I spoke to some of the cops that know the most about gangs, and they said that Los Habaneros maintained close relationships to certain police officers. Apparently, their code of honour not to sell drugs to underage children got them as far as to tell the police what they knew about other gangs who did, to tip them off on where to go to find dealers from other gangs… You get the point. I wasn't able to find any of the officers in question yet. But apparently, all the other gangs have already lost some of their most prolific drug dealers just because police got a tip on where to look for them…"
Ryan had listened to Frank's monologue. Now he noticed something weird. During the whole speech, Nicole had suddenly started becoming very interested in the floor, and had even faintly blushed. Now she opened her mouth. Ryan gave her a look and shook his head. Nicole shut her mouth again and nodded.
Now, Horatio said, "Okay, this means we have a lot of suspects on our hands…. Frank, I want you to dig deeper into it. Nicole, you help him. I want to know everything about every gang in question. Get me every file you can lay hands on. ASAP."
But Nicole shook her head, "Horatio, I'm busy with the Coral Gables shooting… The oldest daughter, you know, the one with the chicken pox, has seen one of the guys before they entered the house, and she has seen the car. As soon as hospital lets her go, I bring her in and have her look at mug shots…"
"Mr Wolfe can do that. I need you on this case."
Nicole grimaced, "Okay…"
Natalia smiled, "You can go with me; I'm off to the hospital interviewing our survivor. And then I'll call it a day. We can stop my place, get my stuff and then head over to you and Valera, and prepare for our night out. Cosmo says that it's much more fun going out if girls prepare it together. We could have champagne…"
"Yeah, I know, and watch The Marrying Kind." Nicole laughed. "Okay, let's do this. Frank and Eric can check into all the files." She turned to Ryan, "Still, I'd like to be there when you talk to the girl. Hospital says they'll let her out tomorrow. She has an aunt who'll take her in, I already told her to bring her here first."
"Alright I call you." Ryan smiled. "You have fun tonight."
Natalia thought for a second, "Hey, don't you want to come with us?"
"I thought it was ladies' night?" Ryan asked.
Natalia turned to Nicole, "Actually, I think it would be kinda cool with the guys, don't you think? Marian and Travers could come too, so we all have a partner and won't be chatted up by some… you know…" She made a grimace. "I mean, why not?"
"True, why not?" Nicole nodded. "Ryan?"
Ryan thought about it for a second. Part of him wanted to go home and just relax, but he had already been out with the girls a few weeks ago, and it had been huge fun. "Sure, I'd love to."
"Great. I call Marian and Travers." Nicole said. "Come on, Nat let's interview your suspect."
"Right." Natalia got up, and both girls left the room.
Horatio turned to Ryan, "Mr Wolfe, as long as there is no results on your case, I'd like you to help Calleigh. With anything she might need you for."
"Okay…" Ryan had no idea what Calleigh could possibly need him for, but since Tara was far away from looking at his DBs, he could as well help her.
---
At 11:30, Ryan, Natalia, Nicole, Michael Travers, Maxine and Marian finally entered a club in South Beach. It was already crowded, but that didn't stop Marian and the girls from hitting the dance floor immediately. Ryan and Travers settled for a beer at the counter. Travers watched his girlfriend dancing with Marian, "I still don't know if I should see him as competition or not…"
Ryan laughed, "Don't worry, dude. She's prolly the one that has to see him as competition…"
"Yeah but I would never… you know… leave her. Not even for a girl."
Ryan grinned, "I'm sure she's happy to know."
Travers only nodded and took a sip of his beer, "We should have invited Dave over. He could use some dancing. Sitting in front of computers all day long…"
"You sit in front of microscopes everyday."
"Yeah, but she drags me out on nights." Travers pointed at the dance floor and grinned. "Can you imagine I was a total dork before I met her?"
"No way!" Ryan grinned, too. Both of them knew Travers still was.
"Yeah, I thought so… You know…" But Ryan never found out what he should know, because right in that moment, Nicole came to the counter and pulled Travers away to the dance floor. "Yeah well, I see you later then…" He smiled apologetically and started dancing with Nicole. And he was a surprisingly good dancer, Ryan thought. Who would have thought two British people dancing with each other could look so hot?
"Yeah, they look good, don't they?" Ryan only noticed Natalia when she leaned on the counter next to him. "I had a bet with Nicole, the first time we went dancing, that Travers couldn't dance. Lost 50 bucks to her."
"Serves you right," Ryan grinned, "you girls always believe us geeks and dorks can't dance. We can. I can too. And I bet I can dance better than Delko."
"Well, between you and me, it's not the only thing you can do better than Delko…" She blinked and took a sip of her Manhattan. "Listen, Ryan, if you need Nicole on your case, I can do without her. Didn't want to say anything in front of Horatio, but really…"
"Thanks, Natalia. You can have her, and I borrow her if I need to…" He gave her his loveliest smile. "If I may come back to what you said earlier…. about me and Delko…."
Natalia shook her head and laughed, "Sorry, Ryan, a lady doesn't kiss and tell…"
"Yeah okay, true… but let me at least offer you that drink, cause you just made my day…."
"Can't say no to such an offer…."
And then, suddenly, everything happened fast. Outside the club, shots echoed, screams were heard. The people in the club heard it, despite the loud music, and started screaming and panicking.
Ryan grabbed Natalia's arm and pulled her behind the counter; he then pulled out his cell phone and called 911, "This is CSI Wolfe speaking. Shots have been fired in front of the Dirty Dancing Club in South Beach. I don't know how many there are, and I don't know if anyone has been hit, but you need to come immediately." The operator answered they'd be there in less than 5 minutes. Ryan put the cell away and said, "Natalia, you stay here…."
"Ryan, I…."
"Stay here…."
In that moment, Nicole, Travers, Marian and Valera raced behind the counter too. Nicole was out of breath, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, we're fine, you too?"
"Yes, all good…"
Ryan let out a breath, "Good…. I called 911; police will be here any minute. Have you seen anything?"
All four of them shook their heads. Nicole said, "The people are panicking. We need to do something before they start stamping on each other."
Ryan could imagine what she meant. People in the club were screaming, he could hear them trying to get out, but still shots were fired outside. "What do you want to do? Evacuate through the back door?"
"I don't think they will listen to any of you…" Marian said. "All of them are trying to get out of the back door anyways."
"Besides," Valera added, "if you get up here now and ID yourselves as cops, and those guys out there hear it, they're gonna come in and blow your heads off."
"And kill more civilians than they prolly have already…." Natalia finished off.
"But we have…"
At that moment, the screams in the club got louder. Nicole rummaged through her handbag and brought out her mirror. She held it so as they could see in the mirror what happened in the club. Ryan had seen that trick of Nicole before. Now he moved closer to her so that he too could see what was happening. In the front door stood a man, dressed all in black, wearing a ski mask. In one hand he held a large gun. He pointed it at the people in the club that already thrown themselves down to earth. Muffled cries were heard. The man walked away from the front door and…
"Damn, he comes towards us…" Nicole whispered.
Ryan reacted. He motioned the girls to lay flat on the floor too. Then he covered Natalia with his body, and motioned to Travers and Marian to do the same with Nicole and Valera. If they couldn't do anything for the rest of the people in here, they could at least hide the girls they had taken out tonight, and if the guy discovered them, maybe save their lives by dying. Ryan could feel Natalia trembling, and he could see Valera closing her eyes, as she was waiting for the inevitable to happen. Only Nicole's eyes were open; she held her cell phone in her hands. Ryan noticed it was on camera modus, and pointing upwards, so if the guy leaned over the counter, he would be taped. He had to admire her coolness, but then again, she was a trained cop, like he was. Now, her eyes met his. She blinked and smiled. Ryan couldn't help but frown, why was she smiling? But then he saw the shadow of the guy leaning over the counter.
I think that's what you call a cliffhanger, right? Now, how will that turn out? Stay tuned for Chapter three.
