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-Chapter 10-
She was living her own nightmare. She started to wake up, almost afraid to open her eyes. She was afraid to face the day.
Tara's eyes opened anyway and the gazed went straight to her bruised wrist. She was still handcuffed and halfway naked. That raw feeling she had now confirmed the worse and she cried. Think Tara, think. How could she get out of this? She never went through anything like this before and to her, the only way out was if they went back. Which was even worse since it would mean another member of team would get kidnapped or die. Think Tara, think.
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"Well, Ryan and I examined the morgue last night," Natalia said. "Even with the officers, that place was just as creepy." She noticed Eric sigh and she continued typing in the computer. "Ryan might have made a break in the case though. One of Tara's kidnappers got in the morgue on a gurney. Remember a few years back when we had that case where the guy used blow fish poisoning to fake his own death? Well call it a case of déjá vu." The computer beeped. "This guy perspired all over the gurney and we tested it, found tetrodotoxin in his sweat, ran it against DNA and this name popped up. I guess you know what your job is," Natalia joked.
Eric tried to smile but couldn't. "Yeah, I'll go run his name against the database." He got ready to leave out but Natalia stopped him.
"How's Calleigh doing?"
"She's doing okay," Eric said. "She's at home with Jayden. She'll be here later." He didn't want to leave Calleigh at home but once the daylight hit, she felt a little comfortable and told him it was more important that he be at work. "I'll go run this."
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"We're thinking about rounding up more of your friends," Mike said. "Who would you like to keep you company?" He stepped more into the room and moved over to the bed. His ran hand up Tara's exposed thigh and she moved her leg.
Mike was interrupted as the other kidnapper came into the room. "Mike, we got to get moving now. New locations. There's a fresh body, its Pedro, he's down."
"Give me a minute," Mike said, turning his attention back to Tara. "Thought I could spend some time with this one for a minute."
"You need to stop thinking about hitting that and get moving," he said. Then he started talking again. "Do it in the truck." The guy looked at Tara. "We're going out here in the public, I swear if you make a sound out here, I'll blow your brains out." He got close in her face. "And I'm dangerous. You'll learn to not play with me." He put a wet sloppy kiss on her cheek. "On second thought, I think we might have some time."
Tara shut her eyes tight and the tears that were in her eyes, ran down her cheek. She honesty thought she'd cried all of her tears but no, here they fell freely as these two men began to have their way with her.
After about ten minutes, they untied her and left the place, heading to see what happened to their friend.
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"There's been a call out for a new body and a survivor at a location. This one is only one mile from the lab," Ryan said, practically throwing himself in the room. He started to catch his breath. "The survivor is on the way to the hospital, Horatio's on his way to the victim, the officers are checking the perimeters of the crime scene to make sure its safe." He looked at Eric. "So its mine's and your call out."
"Yeah," Eric said absentmindedly. He looked at the clock at the same time he pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket. 11:34am. He wanted to go to lunch at noon. After all, he didn't even have a breakfast. "I'll call Natalia to keep track..." He looked out in the glass walls and a smile rose on his face. He ran out into the hall. "Calleigh," Eric said happily. "I didn't think you were coming in today."
Calleigh smiled. He was happy to see a smile on her face. It had been a difficult morning after all. This day might turned out great. They finally had leads and there was a survivor that could possibly tell them what was going on.
"Yeah, I made it to the lab," Calleigh joked. She noticed Eric's questionable look. "I'm fine," she continued. "Jayden's with your parents. They were more than happy to have her again although she cried a little when she left my arms.
Eric laughed. "Well as soon as the day's over, we can get back to our regular lives. I have no doubts that today we're going to finally solve this mystery."
Calleigh nodded as she bit on her lip. "So what's going on now?"
"We've got a break," Eric said happily. "Horatio is going to the hospital to meet the latest victim of the attacks and Ryan and I are on our way to process that crime scene. Tara is still missing but Natalia and Ryan found DNA in the morgue. The DNA led us to Juelz Santinez who owns the vehicle that we're currently following. Even if he's not the killer, he's a kidnapper and he'll do time for that. The radio cars are closing in on them." A smile crept on his face. "So I guess your job will be to keep track of the location of Juelz truck."
"Yeah," Calleigh said. She was bored. She wanted to be in the field and before the day was over, she was going to make her way to the ballistics lab to put a few rounds in the target. It had been well over three days since she'd shot her gun and just like a fiend is to their addictions, well not that bad, Calleigh wanted to shoot her gun so badly. It'll release some stress.
Eric gave Calleigh's shoulder a squeeze and began heading out. "I'll let you know everything." He knew she was bored with only lab work. "I'll talk to you later."
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Shock was apparent in Horatio's eyes when he noticed the victim that was laying in the hospital bed at the moment. He opened the curtains and stepped in, looking out the window into the opened world.
"Horatio," Tara said weakly.
"How are you doing?"
She nodded her head and closed her eyes. "I've been better."
"We've all." Horatio turned his attention to her face. He felt sorry for her. Clearly she'd been beat up and a talk with the doctors confirmed that she'd been sexually assaulted as well. "What happened?"
Tara swallowed and looked up at him. "I was putting away a victim yesterday and the man came from nowhere. He pinned me against the wall, chloroformed me and I ended up at some location." She took in a breath. She had been so glad that she was free from the kidnappers. "Today, they said they were going to round up my friends..."
"Who's he?" Horatio said as he listened more intently.
"One of the guys name was Mike. I didn't quite get the other one name. I'm sorry. That's all I know."
A victim always knows more than they think and Horatio knew that so he started asking a few more questions. "That's okay, Horatio said. "We've found enough evidence to track them. What I want to know is why did they let you go?"
"This morning, they found out that one of their boys were killed. His name is Pedro. They threatened me and started speaking in Spanish." She exhaled deeply and started talking again. "I couldn't quite make out what they were saying but I picked up 'something better' and 'baby.' I don't think they are finished yet and maybe Eric and Calleigh are being targeted next."
"Thanks," Horatio said. That thought had already crossed his mind. "I need to go take care of this but have a good recovery." As soon as he was out of the hospital, he called Eric. "Where are you now?" He listened as he spoke. "Okay, the officers are going to keep guard at the scene but I want you and Ryan back at the lab immediately...Where's Calleigh?...Okay she's at the lab...okay go back to the lab and we're going to go ahead with the arrest." He jumped in his Hummer.
---
Eric and Ryan were only halfway finished processing the scene when Horatio told them to abort it. They placed their kits and the evidence, in the Hummer and headed back to the lab.
"How's your baby girl?" Ryan asked, trying hard to break the silence.
"She's great," Eric said. His mind wasn't in the conversation and for Horatio to tell them to abort a scene, something had to be going on. Horatio wouldn't just pull them out of a crime scene like that, knowing that it was important to get all the evidence. Eric pulled out his cell phone again. "H," he said. "What's going on?"
"The victim is Tara," Horatio said. "I've just spoken to her." He stopped talking wondering what he was going to say next. He didn't want to come out and say that Eric and Calleigh where being targeted but he didn't want him to worry either. "Where's Jayden?"
Eric stepped on the breaks hard. That got a look from Ryan who was about to say something but Eric started talking again. "Jayden is with my parents. Why? Is something wrong?"
"Not to worry," Horatio said. "I'm sending radio cars over to your parents house now." He heard Eric sigh on the other end. "Don't worry, these guys are close to being apprehended now." Horatio sped up. He could hear the sirens in the background. "I have to go, but I'll let you know everything.
Eric closed his phone. He didn't want to worry. He could trust Horatio. But Eric. He was the man of his family and right now, that was possibly in danger. Calleigh was safe in the lab, so that was good, his parents, nieces and daughter, were out in the open. Out where these men could do anything and they should no mercy on anyone. He needed to go check on them and make sure everything was okay. But then, it was that part of his mind that told him if he really wanted to get these guys, follow protocol and take this evidence back to the lab. He couldn't do that right now, he needed to check on his family. Eric pulled the Hummer to the side. "I'm getting out. I need to go check on my family. "You can take all the evidence back to the lab." And without another word, Eric stepped out and once Ryan confirmed that he was okay, Ryan pulled off for the lab, leaving Eric at the curb.
So, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Yay for the weekend. The week has been a little horrible. But I hope everyone else's has been great. The new chapter should be up soon. Its not completely written yet but today I'm going to work on it. So.. I hope y'all enjoy and please review. Its always nice reading what you think about that chapter!!