yes, I know I'm long overdue for an update. the explanation is at the bottom, so you'll have to read this chapter before you judge my nonexistent deadline skills. enjoy!

I really do hate discovering crime scenes- it involves a ton of paperwork (which I strongly despise) just to ensure that I was not connected to it and I didn't mess with the evidence. But enough of my ranting- we actually got a positive ID for our latest victim: Jimmy Navarro, the Cobra gang's official pimp. His wallet was found behind one of the trashcans, along with his signature gold-handled cane. There were so many crimes connected to it, our team had officially dubbed it "Jimmy's Partner-in-Crime." Of course, we were never able to get a warrant for it, so Jimmy has always walked free.

However, it didn't look like he would be walking any time soon. Both of his legs had been shattered, and his intestines ripped out, courtesy of the double blades. Skinned too, just like the others. According to James, Jimmy was most likely murdered and flayed just before I found his body. The only part that didn't fit was how the perp escaped, because the alley dead-ended at a brick wall.

"You're absolutely sure that you saw no one leave?" Evan interrogated me for the fifth time.

"Yes," I emphasized, "unless you think he turned into a cat."

The mousy haired CSI shook his head. "Sorry. It's just that there's no way for him to have gotten away."

I replayed the scene again in my head-the banging trashcans, the cat, the screeching sound, the shimmering on the roof of the Goodwill…

"Wait. Is it possible the killer climbed out? I thought I heard heavy footsteps over the Goodwill store."

He shrugged and slowly replied," I suppose. We'll check it out on our second sweep, but unless he had climbing equipment with him, I doubt it." He glanced at me, apparently noticing the dark circles under my eyes. "In the meantime, I need you to go home and rest."

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. "Why? I want to catch this guy just as bad as you," I asked. Evan sighed.

"Yeah, but I know how you get when you haven't slept for-" he looked at his watch, "nearly 20 hours."

"I can work for another 5 or 6-"

"Go," he cut me off, "I need my team to be alert and focused."

Eventually I conceded. "Alright. Just let me finish this last test on Jimmy's 'P.I.C.'"

Tyler slipped in after Evan had left.

"Did he give you the 'I need my team aler-'"

"Yeah," I interrupted, "I hate it when he does that."

The young forensic scientist hovered as I sent the last wood shaving through the machine, pulling on some gloves to handle the evidence.

"You know," he said conspiratorially as he examined the cane, "there were some rumors going around that Jimmy's 'PIC' is hollow, and that's where he kept his personal stash of weed."

I shook my head. "That's just a myth. You really shouldn't believe everything you hea-" There was a 'click,' and the gold cobra handle popped free of the wood. Giving Tyler a suspicious look, I commented, "It didn't do that when I checked it."

He merely grinned as he took a pair of tweezers and fished out a folded piece of paper. I came around to his side of the table to get a closer look. Drawn on it was some sort of map, but of where I had no clue. It was mostly a bunch of intersecting double lines connecting different symbols, including a snake, a circle within a square, a couple of shaded and unshaded rectangles, a boat, and a red 'V'.

"Treasure map?" Tyler wondered.

I snorted as I snapped a few pictures. "Yeah, right. Probably leads to a hidden warehouse full of cocaine, money, and prostitutes." I carefully slid the confusing map into an evidence bag and handed it to the dark haired investigator. "All yours. I'm going home," I announced.

Tyler waved as he began studying the enigmatic piece of paper. I signed out, then took the L-train to the residential district. After a leisurely stroll to my apartment, I let myself in and fixed a late snack. I had a quick shower, and before going to bed I went out on my tiny porch in my pjs. It was going to be another humid night, with no chance of a breeze. I sighed, settling into one of the cheap plastic chairs to gaze at the night sky. It was usually difficult to see any stars, thanks to the light pollution, but I was able to pick out Venus and Polaris. The points of light made me nostalgic for my childhood home out in the suburbs, where there wasn't so much reflected light. When I was younger, I usually looked out my window to find Orion and the Big Dipper before I went to sleep.

Reminiscing eventually caused me to doze off, imagining the comforting constellations watching over me like they used to. Suddenly I saw trees flashing by, like I was running through a forest. There was a strong urge to follow something ahead of me, but I didn't know what it was.

I'm not sure what woke me up, the weird dream or the phone ringing, but I swore I saw a tall, dark figure crouched on the roof of the building across from mine. I froze, unable to think or move. It was only there for a few seconds or so before it vanished, like a ghost. Staring intently at the spot, I could almost make out a faint distortion in the air where it had been, but eventually I couldn't tell where it was anymore, or if it was ever there at all. For all I knew, it could have been a remnant from the dream I just had. Still spooked from the encounter, I finally noticed my phone was insistently ringing, so I staggered back inside and picked it up.

"Now wha-" I started, but Evan cut me off.

"Kai, you've got to get over here, pronto. There's been a massacre at 'Cisco's place, and none of our contacts are talking."

"Whoa, slow down a little. You mean Francisco Tavianni, Gerry Tavianni's little brother?" I struggled to comprehend. What did he mean, 'massacre'?

"Yeah, his house is completely trashed. I'm sending Tyler to pick you up. Be ready in five."

"Wait, I-" He hung up. That man can be so...abrupt. I sighed and got dressed, pulling my hair up into a ponytail again. I pushed the figure to the back of my mind and settled back into my usual routine, grumbling the perfect cliche for my job.

"Work just never ends."

AN: you know, I was hoping to update a lot over the summer, but "shit happens" as Danny Glover so neatly put it. I had college visits, Blue Lake fine arts camp, college applications, a flood of plot bunnies for the Transformers universe that my friend introduced to me (so far, I've tamed some of the more interesting ones to use in possible Transfics in the future), AP biology and literature projects, and of course marching band. I have a huge case of senioritis, so most of my study hall time is being used as the "quick, rush through the homework to make it look done" time. but hey, at least I managed to update. I can't thank you guys enough for your patience.

I have the chapter after the next one already written (*SPOILER! look away if you like to be suprised!* Kai finally meets her stalker face-to...uh, mask), so now I just have to make a transition between these 2. review please, it makes me feel loved! and forces me to write faster! :)