Chapter 3
Zoë decides to take notice of the warning she was getting. She walks into her kitchen and pulls her phone out of her pocket and dials Horatio's number.
"Horatio?" She asked as he picked the phone up.
"Yes, are you okay beautiful?" He asked growing concerned, hearing the tone in her voice.
"Yeah… I've just got a really bad feeling–" She started to say.
"I'm on my way over." He said as he put the phone down and started the ignition in his car, he was just about to pull away to work when he received her call. Zoë put her phone in her bra as a habit, without thinking. He pulled out of his drive and straight onto hers. He knocked on the door and she checked it was him before opening. She let him in and they walked through to the kitchen.
"Are you okay?" Horatio asked.
"Yeah, I just have a really bad feeling about something; I can't even put my finger on it." She said confused herself.
"Okay sweetheart, can you describe anything to me? I know your instincts are pretty much top notch." Horatio said leaning on the island counter.
"I don't know, it feels as though someone's watching the house. I mean that jogger this morning just came out of no-where and happened to jog just behind me…" She said lowering her eyebrows.
"I think I know what you mean." Horatio said getting the same feeling, he looked around.
"Have you checked the windows?" He asked.
"Yes." She said feeling uneasy.
"Double checked?" Horatio asked putting his hands on his hips.
"Skyler, set volume to 5. Secure windows and doors." Zoë said as she seemed to be addressing the house.
"Secured" the voice said softly. Horatio looked around a little shocked.
"I told you she was interactive." Zoë said smiling at Horatio.
"'She's' got a name?" Horatio asked, looking around on high alert.
"Yes, otherwise how will I address her?" Zoë said with a smile.
"You're still full of surprises. How come I never knew this before? I knew you had security, but not to this extent." Horatio asked looking at her surprised.
"Well, you never asked. You had seen the screens before, but never asked what they were for. She's usually always on silent, so you wouldn't have heard her. I also don't like to broadcast the fact that I have a high-tech security system, I like to give any potential intruder the shock of their life." Zoë said with a small smile.
"What else have you got up your sleeves?" Horatio asked with a small smile.
"That's for me to know and you to find out." She said with a smile.
"Skyler, scan premises" she addressed loudly as Horatio stared up at her.
"Zoë, there is an unknown car on the drive, shall I inform the authorities?" The gentle voice asked.
"No, that is Horatio's car." She said loudly.
"Horatio's car is logged." The voice said.
"Thank you. Mute." She said loudly then looked back to Horatio. 'He's definitely not going to worry about me being alone in the house ever again.' She thought to herself.
"Everything seems to be in order." She said looking at him, seeing his confused expression. Horatio looked at her in awe.
"It's basically a clever computer." He said looking at her.
"Pretty much, she's linked into the house. You've not seen the half of her yet." She said with a smile. "Do you mind if I ride with you? I still feel a little uneasy."
"Certainly sweetheart, shall we go?" Horatio asked with a small smile.
'I'm being stupid, I know I am. He probably thinks I'm crazy.' She said to herself and then gave him a nod and picked her bag up, attached her badge and ID on to her trousers, then placed her gun into the holster. They got out and Zoë secured the house and they walked over to Horatio's car. Both of their bad feelings multiplied. It was early morning and there was no-one around, not particularly strange for that time of the morning, but it still felt eerie.
"Let's just get to work." She said as they went to plug their seatbelts in. Suddenly both of the front side windows smashed. They both pulled their guns out and scanned the area. They slowly got out of the car and walked around to the back and met each other, both scanning in different directions.
"I don't see anything, do you?" Zoë said with her shoulder touching his, trying to keep bodily contact with him.
"No." He said taking his sunglasses off and holding them by his gun. Zoë stepped back feeling something sharp sting her neck. Horatio felt the jolt and turned around and saw Zoë reach for her neck. She pulled out what seemed to be a tranquiliser dart.
"Horatio" she said as his eyes focused on the dart, she threw the dart underneath one of the cars.
"Skyler, alert–" Zoë's body fell to the floor when Horatio also felt the sharp sting penetrate his neck as he tried to stop her from hitting the floor hard, her gun fell to the floor along with her. He too pulled out the dart and took one last look around before he hit the floor, dropping his gun. A van pulled up outside Zoë's house and two large men jumped out and dragged the both of them into the van.