A/N : I do hope you are enjoying the story so far. Thank you dear reviewers for leaving me a word or two. It's nice to know if the story's going okay ;-)
Chapter 3
Danny poked at his eggs with his fork and glanced at his daughter as she played with a toy medical kit and a heavily-bandaged teddy bear. He picked up his phone and glanced at the screen.
"Daniel. I swear I will go mad if you look at that phone once more!" Danny looked sheepishly at his mother-in-law and then at Lindsay seated opposite him. "Oh, for goodness sake! Just eat your breakfast and go, the pair of you!" At their look of surprise, she continued. "I am taking my grand-daughter to the zoo and then for ice-cream. I don't need you two in the way." At the words 'zoo' and 'ice-cream' Lucy jumped up sending her 'patient' tumbling off the sofa.
"Yeah, the zoo! Can we see the tigers? Mommy met Daddy at the zoo." Lucy jumped on her grandmothers lap. Danny and Lindsay just grinned at her. Danny decided that he was very lucky when it came to mothers-in-law and told her so.
"Oh stop your fussing! Just you go and make sure that nice Detective Taylor is all right." she beamed as she tickled Lucy under the chin. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to your Godfather now would we?"
Danny threw Lindsay a "What the …?" look but she just rolled her eyes and started clearing breakfast. Danny decided that evidently Mac could be quite the charmer when he wanted.
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'CSI:NY - CSI:NY - CSI:NY - CSI:NY - CSI:NY'
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Mac Taylor made his weary way into his office. He took off his coat and hung it up. A small smile lit his face as he gazed down at the person sleeping on his sofa. He sat down on the edge careful not to disturb her and gently brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. She stirred slightly and stretched out an arm like a cat, accidentally brushing her hand against his thigh. The arm stopped and a frown appeared on her face as she breathed in deeply. Mac leaned over her placing his elbow on the back of the sofa and propped his head on his hand as he watched her. Her hand patted up and down trying to figure out what it was touching. Mac's smile grew a little wider. Suddenly her eyes flew open as she came fully awake.
"Mac? Oh my God!" Jo's face went a bright shade of red as she realized where she had her hand. She snatched it away as though she'd been burnt. "Er … I … er … must have fallen asleep. I was worried about you. Where have you been?" she demanded severely in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment.
"Assisting Homeland Security with their enquiries." Mac arched an eyebrow as a wry smile played across his mouth.
"Oh don't give me that Mac! What the hell is going on?" Jo sat up. She could see how tired he looked. "You haven't changed. You haven't even been home, have you?" Jo noticed that Mac was wearing the same clothes. There were blood stains on his shirt collar and although the cut across his temple and cheekbone looked as though it had been cleaned and closed with butterfly dressings, there still appeared to be blood in his hair. She brought her hand to the side of his face to make a closer inspection turning his chin slightly when they heard a cough at the door.
Sheldon Hawkes smirked at the sight in front of him. "Hope I'm not interrupting." His smirk widened to a grin as they both looked somewhat put out. He advanced further into the room and saw that Jo had obviously been sleeping on Mac's sofa and Mac was still dressed in the same clothes as the previous evening. "You haven't changed." Hawkes bent his head to inspect the cut on Mac's face. "That dressing doesn't look too professional. Are you all right?"
Mac sighed heavily. "To be honest, I've been better but nothing that a shower, a shave and coffee won't fix." he said quietly running his hand over his chin. Both Jo and Sheldon were surprised at the admission, fully expecting to hear Mac's ubiquitous 'I'm fine.' Mac squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just give me a few minutes and I'll fill you in on what I know which … to be honest … isn't much."
Twenty minutes later, Mac emerged from the locker room in fresh clothes and made his way to the break room in search of coffee. He glanced at his watch. It was still early and there were very few people in the lab at that time on a Saturday morning. As he approached he saw Danny and Lindsay sitting with Sheldon on the high stools all nursing steaming cups of coffee. They all turned and smiled as he entered though he didn't fail to note the looks of concern on their faces. He smiled and nodded at the unspoken questions.
Jo was pouring another mug of coffee. He watched her put sugar in it and stir it. She smiled as she turned around and placed the mug on the table in front of him next to a glass of water and a box of pain-killers.
"For your headache." she said simply. Mac nodded his thanks, took the box, swallowed two pills with some water and slid into the seat with a sigh.
"We're under strict orders from the chief not to touch this case. Homeland Security are in charge. It's being considered a potential terrorist threat. What can you tell us Mac?" she asked.
"Not a lot. I was asked the same questions over and over. In return they gave me very little information." Mac began. He drained the glass of water. He hadn't realised how thirsty he was.
"About your time in the Gulf War?" asked Danny. At Mac's look of surprise. "They asked Reed about it too."
Mac nodded, his frown deepening. "They wanted to know who I had kept in touch with since I left the service and in particular about Ali Hanin. He was my company's local contact when we were deployed. He acted as guide and translator, basically a local liaison officer. Of course, I knew him but he dealt mostly with my XO and my Gunnery Sergeant. I haven't seen him in almost twenty years. I don't understand the connection and they wouldn't say."
"Could it have been this Hanin in the car last night?" asked Lindsay.
Mac shook his head. "No I don't think so. I only glimpsed his face briefly as a car passed. He looked much younger and I would have said that he was Caucasian not Middle Eastern."
"Do you think he intended to kill you?" asked Danny. Mac looked at him strangely for a moment. "I mean could the explosion have been a deliberate act, one intended to take you with him?"
Mac stared at his coffee, lost in thought. His fingers tightened around the mug as he watched the steam curl towards his face, and he breathed in the aroma of the coffee. "No. I don't believe that was his intention." he said quietly almost to himself.
Before anyone could ask why, Jo's phone rang startling everyone. She tossed her head, making her jewellery jingle as she swung around. "Have you got it? … Ah! You are a genius. … Where are you? … Okay we'll be right there." She swung round as she pocketed her phone. She smiled like a child who knew a secret and wasn't about to let on. "Come along children. It's time for breakfast."
"Breakfast? Great! I'm starving!" Don Flack made an appearance in the doorway. "Thought I'd find you all here. You okay Mac?"
Mac nodded. "You know it's uncanny the way you turn up when food is mentioned." Don grinned as he patted Mac on the shoulder as if to reassure himself that his friend was really okay.
"Well come on..." chided Jo. Mac took another mouthful of coffee and wondered who Jo had spoken to and why she was being so mysterious. But he decided he was too tired to argue. Breakfast sounded like a good idea.
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'CSI:NY - CSI:NY - CSI:NY - CSI:NY - CSI:NY'
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The corner diner was still relatively quiet when they entered. There were only a couple of customers sipping coffee at the bar and three construction workers sitting by the window enjoying a hearty breakfast. Mac was surprised to see Adam and Sid waiting for them at the back of the diner where several tables had been pushed together and set ready for them.
Once they had all settled, Jo looked at Adam. "Okay lets have it!"
Adam looked nervous. "Okay I just want you to know I'll deny ever having ..."
"A..dam!"
"Okay. Okay. I got the surveillance footage from last night." He waved a memory stick at them.
"What …?" Mac started with a glare but Jo elbowed him and gave him 'the look.' Mac decided that ignorance was the best policy. "What footage …?" he finished lamely.
"Traffic cams. The pick-up was definitely following you. It arrived outside the lab and waited until you came out. It followed you to Harvey's where you met up with Reed and then again to the restaurant and waited while you ate. This ..." Adam looked around before pulling a photograph from his computer bag under the table. "... is the best picture of the driver that I could get." The young man in the photograph couldn't have been more than 18 years old, with fine features, small round glasses and soft wavy hair. Everyone glanced at Mac as he studied the picture but there was no flash of recognition just a deep look of sadness in his eyes."
"Go on Adam." Mac sensed he had something else to say.
"O..kay. I got the plates. It's registered to an Ali Hanin ..." Adam placed another photograph on the table. "... and this is his driving licence. He has a small home furnishings business about eight blocks from here with an apartment above it. And he rents a small storage facility near the airport." Mac's face registered surprise. He had had no idea that Ali Hanin lived in New York. Everyone peered at the driving licence. Ali Hanin had a long thin intelligent face, with a small moustache and glasses and he appeared to be relaxed and almost smiling in the picture. Mac reached across for the photograph. He smiled slightly as he studied it, as though he was reliving some long forgotten memory. Sid looked at his friend and shook his head. He looked pale and exhausted. Sid glanced at Sheldon who was obviously thinking the same thing. Before he could say anything, Danny piped up.
"Okay, great! Let's see if he's at his place. Perhaps this Ali can tell us what's going on ..." Danny made as though to leave.
"Whoa. Not so fast ..." exclaimed Sid. "He's not there."
"How do you know?" Danny stared at Sid.
"Because he's in drawer number 6." Sid glanced at Sheldon. "He's our John Doe who came in last night." Mac flinched clearly startled. Sheldon reached across for the photograph and nodded as he studied the picture. Before anyone could say anything else, a waitress rushed up with two large platters, one filled with pancakes and the other with crispy bacon. She dumped them unceremoniously on the table and rushed away as the diner owner came up with a coffee pot in one hand and a tureen in the other.
"Right folks!" He said loudly. "Here's your eggs. Who else would like coffee?" He started filling Mac's cup without asking and leant forward whispering quietly. "Sid, men in suits!" He moved down the table filling cups as he went. Glancing over his shoulder Adam and Sid could see two men in dark suits enter the diner and pause in the doorway looking around. "I'll hold 'em off while you hide the evidence." He grinned.
Sid made a grab for the photographs. "Thanks Eddie."
"No problem. Can't stand men in suits myself ..." and then as he realised Mac was dressed in a dark blue suit "...present company excepted." He left without another word and intercepted the two men as the door. Sid hid the photographs under his jacket as Adam pushed his computer bag further under the table. "Eddie's an old friend, I told him we needed a little private time." Sid grinned at Mac's astonishment.
Jo glanced around. "Oh great! It's Marsh and his henchman." At Mac's quizzical look. "He commandeered the crime scene last night." Mac glanced over at the two men. Jo looked around the table. "Well, start eating, this is supposed to be …" Jo broke off not sure what it was supposed to be as Agent Marsh, having brushed off Eddie's attempts at stalling, came over to the table.
Marsh glared around the table before addressing Mac "Detective Taylor? I need a word. You will accompany me." and he stood back as though he fully expected Mac to comply with his demands.
"No" said Mac simply without even looking at him. Mac reached forward and stabbed two pancakes from the dish in front of him and placed them on his plate.
Marsh looked furious, his thin lips pinching together. "Detective Taylor, need I remind you that this is a matter of national security?" he thundered, causing the other diners and Eddie to turn and stare.
"Agent Marsh." Mac rose from in his seat in one fluid movement and turned abruptly to face him. "Need I remind you, that I was dragged away from a crime scene and have spent the last twelve hours in the company of your agents, fully cooperating with your enquiries, answering all your questions to the best of my knowledge without the courtesy of water, food, rest or medical attention. I do not see what else I can tell you. Now unless you wish to share information with me regarding this matter of national security, I would like to enjoy breakfast with my team before I resume my duties as Head of the New York Crime Lab."
Mac's voice was low and menacing. His eyes sent Marsh a warning and his stance suggested that of a predator about to pounce on his prey. Marsh was clearly intimidated and licked his lips nervously. He cleared his throat.
"Perhaps we can … do this later." he mumbled clearly unsure how to deal with the man in front of him.
"I'd appreciate that. I will be in my office at two o'clock this afternoon if that is convenient?" Mac's voice was as hard as stone. Marsh nodded almost imperceptibly. "Good day Agent Marsh." Mac returned to his seat. Marsh had no choice but to leave. The rest of the team watched as Marsh left followed by his lackey.
Jo turned to look back at Mac and placed her hand on his arm. "Mac, you all right?" she asked quietly.
Mac met her eyes and nodded. "Yeah! Let's eat." He smiled but no one failed to miss the tremble in his hand as he reached for his coffee.