The team sat around a large table in the lab, case files covering most of it's surface, as they talked through their findings; knowing that time was running out.

"What I want to know is who the hell the rat is?" Flack said raising his voice.

"That's a good point." Hawkes said in agreement.

"In time we'll find the rat, but our main concern right now is finding Derek Harris. Nothing else matters." Mac said, settling his coworkers.

"I don't know what anyone else is thinking but from the looks of it, Derek is a connected guy. I think after the incident at the warehouse, he took down a lot of bad people. Got them thrown if jail, some killed, if anything I think he is filling a lot of big shoes." Flack said plainly.

"Then maybe the F.B.I. knows something about it. If he is involved in organized crime, then maybe we should contact them to help us bring him down or vice-versa." Stella said.

"That could work, but if we bring in the feds and Danny does go after him there is nothing we can do to protect him." Lindsay interjected.

"At this point if he does anything to Derek, it's premeditated. Lindsay we might not be able to help him." Flack explained.

"I know, but if we get the opportunity to stop him before it comes to that, there is a chance. The feds will sooner throw him in jail then get him the help he needs." Lindsay leaned forward, making sure she had every ones attention. "Let's face it, Danny needs help that we can't give him. He's survived this, but he didn't come through as himself. We aren't giving up on him, we are finding another way in, and that's through Derek."

"Lindsay's right." Mac said, standing up he began pacing along the side of the room. "We know this started in Queens, we know he was in the pub uptown when we got the call. Let's start there and work backwards." Mac said moving to his notes. "Flack you know the bartender?"

"You can say we're old friends. I popped her when I was in uniform years back, she knew a lot about the drug scene so I had her put on the pay roll as a confidential informant. She called me to tell me she saw Derek coming in on a nightly basis to throw some back, saw the news put two and two together. But as far as I know, serving this guy booze is as far as she goes." He explained.

"Well let's make sure; you and Hawkes go back to the bar and start asking questions. Stella, you and Lindsay get out there and see if you can get a hold of Robert Harris. Everyone be cautious, we don't want any unwanted attention." He said looking around the room.

"What about you, Mac?" Lindsay asked before everyone left the room.

"I'm going back to talk to Paula, maybe she knows more then she is leading on." He said, packing his notes

"I don't think we should be drawing attention to her right now. It's not safe." Lindsay said with a tone of panic in her voice.

"I'm not drawing attention, I just need to know why Danny trusts her." He explained.

"You're kidding me right?" Lindsay said with a smile.

"What?" He looked up with a confused face.

"I saw the reason the moment I met her." She laughed.

"Lindsay, what are you talking about?" Mac was loosing his patience.

"Mac, have you met his mother? They're practically twins." Lindsay said with a laugh.

"You're saying he trusts this stranger because she reminds him of his own mother?" Mac said, smiling.

"That's the impression I got from her; she's protective, caring, and for some reason she is putting up with his drama. She could be a Messer." Lindsay smirked.

"Makes sense." Mac sighed, and continued. "But I need to know more; I'll be careful." He reassured her.

"Good luck." Lindsay said as she left the room to find Stella.


Paula rushed cold water over her face as she stood alone in her bathroom. What have I gotten myself into? She thought to herself, looking up at her reflection in the mirror. Pulling a towel off of the rack she pushed it to her skin, letting it soak up the water. As she removed the towel, she felt a presence in the room, turning around she realized why.

"Well hello." Derek said smiling at her.

Dropping the towel she attempted to run, only to have Derek grab a handful of her hair, yelling out in pain, she reached back at his hands.

"What do you want?" Paula yelled out, as she felt the gun push the skin on her neck.

"I think we have a mutual friend, and I want to know where I can find him." He said in a menacing tone to her ear.

"I don't know who you are!" She lied, as fear took over.

"Oh Paula, no one likes a liar." He said as he practically dragged her out of the small room to the kitchen. "Now, I am going to ask you once again; where's Danny?" He said slowly as he threw her to the ground.

Paula froze, seeing the gun on the counter behind Derek, she took a second to plan her actions.

"He's gone. He left this morning." She said, hoping he would leave without killing her. Derek kneeled down in front of her, pushing her chin up with his gun.

"Is that right?" His tone was empty, she couldn't read him.

"I swear." Her voice shook. Derek smiled at her, she could practically feel her pulse in her neck. Fear was clouding her eyes, she couldn't breath, she felt a tear fall from her eye.

Letting out what sounded like a laugh, Derek took a breath before pulling his arm back and hit Paula across the face with his gun, drawing blood from her nose and lip.

"No!" She said, crawling away from him, as he stood up and began to kick her repeatedly.

"Where is he Paula?" He yelled as he kicked her again. Paula rolled to her stomach as she spit out the blood sitting on her tongue.

"I don't know!" Paula yelled as she dragged herself towards the gun.

"Don't lie to me, bitch!" He yelled as he kicked her once again, this time in the ribs. Paula felt her bones crack as she got closer to her gun.

"He left!" She said hoarsely as her body ached.

Derek dropped to his knees next to her once again, pulling her head up to face him by her hair. Paula gasped at the sudden pain of the gun pushing into her temples. "But you know where he's going. Don't you?" He whispered in her ear, pulling her head back more. Paula shook her head, as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Please, I don't know anything." She cried.

"See, I think you do. I think you know more then you should." His smile was twisted, it hurt her to look at him. She saw her husbands face as he pressed the gun to her head.

"What do you want?" She asked, praying to see her son again.

"You're going to help me find my boy." He said letting go of her hair, letting her head fall heavily to the kitchen floor. "And if you don't, well... I think we both know how that will end." He stood up, grabbing her by the back of her shirt, yanking her from the floor. Crying out in pain as she stood straight.

"Please-" She attempted before he pulled duct tape out of his coat and turning her around roughly.

"Don't beg; it's not very becoming, and it doesn't work. Ask Danny." He laughed taping her hands behind her back. Paula sobbed, as he draped a coat over her shoulders. Pulling a towel off of the stove, he wet it and began wiping the blood from her nose and lip.

"What are you-" She tried to pull away from him as he did it.

"I can't walk you out of her with blood all over yourself. God, you're not very bright are you?" He said as he roughly wiped the blood from the cut on her lip. "Now, do yourself a favour and shut the fuck up. Capiche?" He said, pushing the gun to her back as he forced her out of her apartment.


Hello! Short chapter, but I figured you guys need something to keep you addicted.

More to come, I promise!